When I was l4，I was hired for an after-school job selling subscriptions(征订)to my hometown paper, the Houston Post．I was sent to some of the city’s worst neighborhoods to“beg”door to door．Even though I was often moving around with difficulty after dark in bad areas  1 for garage apartments，I was  2  for the work．

    It was a  3 because people didn’t like a stranger knocking on their door，4  a kid trying to get them to buy something．Once a man shut his door heavily in my face and  5  ，“I don’t want your dawn paper!”I  6  myself to knock again and was able to tell him how 7  the paper was．I ended up selling him a subscription．I was soon among the 8  subscription sellers and，like other successful  9  ，was given the chance to train newcomers．

     10  this time I started playing the harmonica and guitar．Before long I was playing in a  11 at barbecues and other events．When I  12  18, I fixed my  13  on becoming a professional musician．I never lost  14  of this dream．I’m sure my determination came from what I  15 knocking on strangers’ doors．

    That  16  helped me in many ways．Early in my music life I was  17  in a legal disagreement with a former manager．He  18  me to back off, but I refused．

    Having all those：doors shut in my face as a kid gave me the  19  to stand up to this frightening figure．Except this time there was one  20 ，I was the one saying no．And I won．

1．A．leaving                  B．searching             C．caring                    D．reaching

2．A．sorry                     B．ready                    C．doubtful                  D．thankful

3．A．challenge              B．puzzle                  C．surprise                 D．failure

4．A．certainly                B．obviously             C．especially             D．usually

5．A．screamed               B．agreed                 C．begged                   D．announced

6．A．allowed                   B．forced                    C．wished                   D．reminded

7．A．expensive              B．worthless             C．soft                      D．great   

8．A．rich．                   B．large                    C．fast                       D．top

9．A．reporters               B．managers             C．salesmen                D．secretaries

10．A．For                     B．Since                   C．Around                D．Until

11．A．kitchen                B．band                    C．concert                  D．press

12．A．seemed                B．grew                      C．appeared               D．turned

13．A．attention              B．attraction             C．service                   D．trust

14．A．sight                    B．use                      C．ability                     D．fortune

15．A．accepted              B．decided                C．expected                D．learned

16．A．experience           B．accident               C．problem                 D．introduction

17．A．sentenced            B．treated                C．locked                   D．reasoned

18．A．invited                 B．pressed                C．excused                  D．charged

19．A．pain                     B．right                    C．strength                 D．imagination

20．A．conclusion           B．difference            C．chance                   D．decision

完型填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）

When I was 14, I was hired for an after-school job selling subscriptions (征订，订阅) to my hometown paper, the Houston Post. I was sent to some of the city’s worst neighborhoods to “beg” door-to-door. Even though I was often moving around after dark in bad areas __36__ for garage apartments, I was __37__ for the work.

It was a __38__ because people didn’t like a stranger knocking on their door, __39__ a kid trying to get them to buy something. On one ___40__, a man shut his door heavily in my face and __41__, “I don’t want your damn paper.” I __42__ myself to knock again and was able to tell him how great the paper was. I __43__ selling him a subscription. I was soon among the __44__ subscription sellers and, like other successful __45__, was given responsibility for training newcomers.

__46__ this time I started playing the harmonica and guitar. Before long I was playing in a __47__ at barbecues and other events. When I __48__ 18, I focused my __49__ on becoming a professional musician. I never lost ___50___ of this dream. I’m sure my determination came from what I __51___ knocking on strangers’ doors.

That ___52___ helped me in many ways. Early in my music career I was locked in a legal disagreement with a former manager. He ___53__ me to back off, but I refused.

Having all those doors shut in my face as a kid gave me the ___54___to stand up to this frightening figure. Except this time there was one ___55___: I was the one saying no. And I won.

A. leaving    B. searching        C. reaching    D. asking

A. sorry          B. ready       C. doubtful         D. thankful

A. challenge      B. puzzle      C. surprise         D. failure

A. certainly       B. obviously   C. especially       D. usually

A. time           B. occasion         C. day          D. place

A. screamed       B. whispered   C. begged       D. announced

A. allowed    B. forced           C. wished      D. reminded

A. ended up   B. gave up          C. picked up        D. kept up

A. rich           B. large            C. fast             D. top

A. reporters       B. managers    C. salesmen    D. secretaries

A. For            B. Since       C. Around      D. Until

A. concert        B. band         C. kitchen          D. party

A. seemed         B. grew         C. appeared         D. turned

A. attention       B. attraction       C. service          D. trust

A. sight          B. use         C. ability          D. fortune

A. accepted       B. decided     C. expected         D. learned

A. experience     B. problem     C. story            D. introduction

A. invited        B. pressured        C. excused          D. charged

A. pain           B. right            C. strength         D. imagination

A. conclusion     B. difference       C. chance      D. decision

完型填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）

When I was 14, I was hired for an after-school job selling subscriptions (征订，订阅) to my hometown paper, the Houston Post. I was sent to some of the city’s worst neighborhoods to “beg” door-to-door. Even though I was often moving around after dark in bad areas __36__ for garage apartments, I was __37__ for the work.

It was a __38__ because people didn’t like a stranger knocking on their door, __39__ a kid trying to get them to buy something. On one ___40__, a man shut his door heavily in my face and __41__, “I don’t want your damn paper.” I __42__ myself to knock again and was able to tell him how great the paper was. I __43__ selling him a subscription. I was soon among the __44__ subscription sellers and, like other successful __45__, was given responsibility for training newcomers.

__46__ this time I started playing the harmonica and guitar. Before long I was playing in a __47__ at barbecues and other events. When I __48__ 18, I focused my __49__ on becoming a professional musician. I never lost ___50___ of this dream. I’m sure my determination came from what I __51___ knocking on strangers’ doors.

That ___52___ helped me in many ways. Early in my music career I was locked in a legal disagreement with a former manager. He ___53__ me to back off, but I refused.

Having all those doors shut in my face as a kid gave me the ___54___to stand up to this frightening figure. Except this time there was one ___55___: I was the one saying no. And I won.

1.A. leaving         B. searching       C. reaching       D. asking

2. A. sorry          B. ready           C. doubtful       D. thankful

3. A. challenge      B. puzzle          C. surprise      D. failure

4.A. certainly       B. obviously       C. especially     D. usually

5. A. time           B. occasion        C. day            D. place

6. A. screamed       B. whispered       C. begged         D. announced

7.A. allowed         B. forced          C. wished         D. reminded

8.A. ended up        B. gave up         C. picked up      D. kept up

9. A. rich           B. large           C. fast           D. top

10.A. reporters      B. managers        C. salesmen       D. secretaries

11. A. For           B. Since           C. Around         D. Until

12. A. concert       B. band            C. kitchen       D. party

13. A. seemed        B. grew            C. appeared       D. turned

14.A. attention      B. attraction      C. service        D. trust

15. A. sight         B. use             C. ability       D. fortune

16. A. accepted      B. decided         C. expected       D. learned

17. A. experience    B. problem         C. story          D. introduction

18. A. invited       B. pressured       C. excused        D. charged

19. A. pain          B. right           C. strength      D. imagination

20. A. conclusion    B. difference      C. chance         D. decision