阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

　 An acrobatic（杂技的）master performed a tightrope（钢丝）walk between two mountains, which attracted thousands of people.

　 When the 　36 started, he went to one end of the tightrope, 　37 straight at the goal ahead, with open arms, walking slowly step by step to the opposite side of the mountain. Immediately, the audience 　38 loud applause.

“If my hands are tied, do you also believe ! can 　39 ？” he asked the audience.

　 　40 , some people didn’t believe, but in order to know the 　41 , they said, “We believe you !”

Then, he had his hands tied with a rope and walked past 　42 .

　 He looked around and said, “If I’m blindfolded（蒙着眼睛的）with my hands tied, do you ___43 believe I can go past?”

　　 This time, the people said without 　44 , “We believe you!”

　　 In this way, his eyes were 　45 with a black cloth. He moved slowly to the tightrope and

walked along it inch by inch. This time, he went past once again. The audience burst into 　46 .

Then, he 　47 a child and asked all the people, “If I put him on any shoulders 　48__ I’m blindfolded with my hands tied as well, do you still believe I can make it?”

　 All the people replied before 　49 , “We believe you!”

　 “I ask you again, do you really believe me?”

　 “Yes, we believe you completely !”

　 Then, he said, “Well then, since you believe me, 　50 my child with yours. Who will?”

　 All of a sudden, the audience fell 　51 . The silence lasted for nearly ten minutes.

　 After ten minutes, the acrobatic master said nothing, just put the child on his shoulders and walked past along the tightrope. Sure enough, this time he 　52 once more.

Faced with things far from their own 　53 , people can often make judgments easily and quickly, but once involved in（牵涉）it, most of people “cannot 　54 it clearly”. Only those who are really confident, like the master in the tightrope walk, can stay 　55 at any time.

36. A. talent　　　　　　　　 B. play　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. program　　　　　　　　 D. show　　　　　　　　

37. A. stepping　　　　　　 B. staring　　　　　　　　　　 C. wandering　　　　　　　 D. pointing　　　　　　

38. A. broke into　　　　　 B. came into　　　　　　　　 C. gave off　　　　　　　　 D. sent out

39. A. get through　　　　 B. walk down　　　　　　　 C. go across　　　　　　　 D. pass around

40. A. Finally　　　　　　　 B. Actually　　　　　　　　　 C. Hopefully　　　　　　　　 D. Especially　　　　　

41. A. result　　　　　　　　 B. experience　　　　　　　 C. challenge　　　　　　　　 D. trick　　　　　　　　

42. A. slightly　　　　　　　 B. luckily　　　　　　　　　　 C. smoothly　　　　　　　　 D. nervously　　　　　

43. A. even　　　　　　　　　 B. just　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. always　　　　　　　　　　 D. still　　　　　　　　　

44. A. difficulty　　　　　 B. hesitation　　　　　　　　 C. concern　　　　　　　　　 D. mercy　　　　　　　　　　　

45. A. blocked　　　　　　 B. hidden　　　　　　　　　　 C. covered　　　　　　　　　 D. equipped　　　　　

46. A. cheers　　　　　　　 B. joy　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. tears　　　　　　　　　　　 D. laughter　　　　　　

47. A. chose　　　　　　　　 B. supported　　　　　　　 C. pushed　　　　　　　　　　 D. held　　　　　　　　　

48. A. till　　　　　　　 　 B. before　　　　　　　　　　 C. while　　　 　　　　 D. since　　　　　　　　

49. A. arguing　　　　　　　 B. thinking　　　　　　　　　 C. refusing　　　　　　　　　 D. wondering　　　　

50. A. exchange　　　　　 B. compare　　　　　　　　 C. take　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. treat　　　　　　　　　

51. A. silent　　　　　　　　 B. noisy　　　　　　　　　　　 C. doubtful　　　　　　　　　 D. anxious　　　　　　

52. A. won　　　　　　　　　 B. walked　　　　　　　　　 C. acted　　　 　　　　 D. succeeded　　　　

53. A. children　　　　　　 B. fears　　　　　　　　　　　 C. interests　　　　　　　　　 D. performances　　

54. A. sense　　　　　　　　 B. see　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. understand　　　　　　　 D. realize　　　　　　　　

55. A. awake　　　　　　　 B. encouraged　　　　　 C. patient　　　 　　　　 D. focused　　　　　　

I always avoid going on field investigations with the toxics (毒物)team, unless it’s absolutely necessary. It’s not that I mind the hard work, or am afraid of coming into contact with toxic substances. What I fear is quickly losing hope about the work I do.

　 However, doing field research with the toxics team, all I see and feel is filth—nothing else. Even if I close my eyes, I can smell the smell of food processing, rotting organic waste from paper mills and chemicals from clothing manufacturers.

　 One morning, I went to investigate a discharged pipe to document and collect samples of pollutants secretly being emitted by a textile mill. I had to work with the utmost secrecy in order to avoid being discovered by the textile mill.

　 I dipped a long measuring pole into the large polluting pipe to measure the volume of polluted water being emitted. But the surface of the water, covered in oil and filth, made me feel as if to vomit.

　 All of a sudden, I felt someone hit me on my back. It frightened me so much that I almost fell into the water. I grasped the pole and looked behind me to see an old man standing there. He asked: “Can you catch fish here?” I realized that he thought I was holding a fishing pole, so I kept calm and said: “Yes, I heard that there’s a kind of small fish living in this water, and it has medicinal benefits.”

　 The old man grew quite curious and replied: “That may be. If a fish can survive in water as dirty as this , it must have a lot of resistance. So it wouldn’t be too strange if such fish had medicinal benefits.”

　 It was clear he was just passing by, so I answered: “Yeah, survival of the fittest. Fish that adapt can survive, just like us humans.”

　 He kept talking to me and didn’t want to leave. He wanted to see whether or not I would catch the small fish with medicinal benefits.

36. The text is mainly about　　 .

　 A. a research report about pollution　　

B. an exciting experience of fishing

　 C. an experience of doing research on pollution

D. an unforgettable talk with an old man

37. Which word can take place of the underlined word in the 2nd paragraph?

　 A. fish　 　　　 B. textile 　　　C. water 　　　　 　D. pollutants

38. What is the writer of the text most probably?

　 A. A newspaper reporter. 　　　　B. A researcher about pollution.

　 C. A fisherman.　　 　　　　　　　　 D. A worker of the textile mill.

39. Why did the writer tell the old man he was fishing?

　 A. Because he wanted to satisfy the old man’s curiosity

　 B. Because the old man was interested in fishing too

　 C. Because he did the research secretly

　 D. Because the old man wanted to buy the fish

40. We can infer from the last paragraph that　　 .

　 A. the old man had found out the secret

　 B. the old man wanted to catch the fish by himself

　 C. the writer would have to tell the old man the fact

　 D. the old man was sent to watch over the writer