A
　　Job was not a brilliant man, yet he taught me about the essence of a “real man”. He___1___ for work on time and he loved only one woman—his wife, Molly. He loved me as his very own grandchild___2___he was a year younger than my father.
　　 I will never forget my___3___from high school, a hopeless day for me. My father, a___4 drinker, began his celebration early in the day, so___5___we celebrated in the gymnasium, my father had ___6___ himself through nearly a case of beer. I tried to be invisible___7 ___ a sea of faces. I wanted no one to guess whose kid I was. ___8___I was betrayed by my last name, which began with the letter “A,” so I was the first graduate on the first row. The speaker decided to use me as his audio-visual___9____.
　　 “This bright young lady...”His voice rolled through the auditorium, as I___10___lower in my seat. At the door of the auditorium was a ___11___arrangement for the “elderly.” And there sat Molly and Job, with all of the grandparents. My heart___12___when I looked at them, wishing that I were___13___their grandchild.
　　 As the speaker continued with his speech, he reached a point where he had an___14___urge to introduce “all the wonderful people who have made this day possible!”
　　 “All the graduates, please stand.” I slipped lower in my seat, ___15___hurriedly around, hoping to remain___16___ .
　　 “Now, all the parents, please stand. ” Dear Lord, I thought, I’m sure my father can’t stand, even if he wanted to. I didn’t bother to___17___ .
　　 “Now the grandparents...”I closed my eyes, dreading the___18___of my situation. I had no grandparent to stand for me. I finally opened my eyes, and there they were, Job and Molly, standing ___19___h all the other grandparents.
　　“I’m so proud of you,” he looked at me and smiled as he___20___the words that I will never forget. I knew that he stood there, not out of duty, but because of his love for me!
　　1. A. showed up B. showed off
　　 C. came over D. turned in
　　2. A. as if B. even though
　　 C. now that D. in case
　　3. A. departure B. celebration
　　 C. congratulation D. graduation
　　4. A. light B. heavy
　　 C. serious D. terrible
　　5. A. at one time B. behind time
　　 C. by the time D. on time
　　6. A. congratulated B. celebrated
　　 C. observed D. kept
　　7. A. during B. under
　　 C. below D. within
　　8. A. Thus B. However
　　 C. Though D. Whereas
　　9. A. aid B. equipment
　　 C. facility D. help
　　10. A. hid B. sank
　　 C. covered D. hanged
　　11. A. parking B. smoking
　　 C. seating D. living
　　12. A. thrilled B. ached
　　 C. danced D. frightened
　　13. A. truly B. actually
　　 C. exactly D. properly
　　14. A. unbelievable B. unacceptable
　　 C. uncontrollable D. Unapproachable
　　15. A. gazing B. staring
　　 C. glancing D. glaring
　　16. A. invisible B. silent
　　 C. remarkable D. vague
　　17. A. look into B. get around
　　 C. break up D. look around
　　18. A. motivation B. depression
　　 C. hope D. hopelessness
　　19. A. quickly B. hurriedly
　　 C. proudly D. happily
　　20. A. shouted B. spoke
　　 C. said D. mouthed
　　
　　B
　　For many of us, one Christmas stands out from all the others. My own “truest” Christmas began on a rainy spring day in the most___1___year of my life.
　　Recently divorced, I was in my 20s and had no job. I had no umbrella, for my old one had___2___ ,
　　and couldn’t ___3___another one. I sat down in the streetcar—and there___4___the seat was a beautiful silk umbrella with a silver handle. I ___5___the handle and saw a name. The usual___6___ would have been to___7___the umbrella to the conductor, but I decided to find the owner myself. Then I___8___a telephone book for the___9___on the umbrella and called. A lady answered. She said___10___ that, it was her umbrella given by her late parents and added it had been stolen. Later, she wanted to give me a reward, but accepting money would have___ 11___ something.
　　The next six months I was able to obtain only
　　 ___12 ___ employment for a small salary. My last job ended the day before Christmas, and my thirty-dollar rent was soon ___13___ . ___14___ a miracle happened, I would be homeless in January, foodless, jobless. God had completely forgotten me. What was to ___15 ___us?
　　When I got home, Peggy had set our kitchen. Looking at those pans and cans, I felt ___16___ . The doorbell rang and Peggy ran ___17___ to answer it. A delivery man. “This is a ___18___ ,” I said, but he read the name on the parcels and there were for me. A huge doll, three times the ___19___ of the one I had bought for her. I looked for the name of the sender. It was the teacher, and the address was ___20___ “California”.
　　Our dinner that night was the most delicious I had ever eaten. I forgot I had no money for the rent and only fifteen dollars in my purse and no job. I had some hope again.
　　1. A. uncomfortable B. glorious
　　 C. splendid D. miserable
　　2. A. fallen apart B. taken apart
　　 C. broken down D. broken up
　　3. A. use B. afford
　　 C. take D. choose
　　4. A. in B. around
　　 C. against D. below
　　5. A. examined B. researched
　　 C. inspected D. glanced
　　6. A. means B. approach
　　 C. procedure D. process
　　7. A. hand out B. take over
　　 C. take in D. turn in
　　8. A. found B. searched
　　 C. sought D. investigated
　　9. A. address B. clue
　　 C. name D. brand
　　10. A. in surprise B. with patience
　　 C. beyond doubt D. with grief
　　11. A. destroyed B. spoiled
　　 C. disappeared D. missed
　　12. A. temporary B. permanent
　　 C. contemporary D. vital
　　13. A. mature B. prompt
　　 C. punctual D. due
　　14. A. If B. Unless
　　 C. Since D. Though
　　15. A. become of B. come across
　　 C. run after D. hunt for
　　16. A. hotheaded B. hardhearted
　　 C. coldblooded D. brokenhearted
　　17. A. quickly B. rapidly
　　 C. hurriedly D. swiftly
　　18. A. drawback B. misunderstanding
　　 C. coincidence D. mistake
　　19. A. weight B. size
　　 C. height D. capacity
　　20. A. exactly B. actually
　　 C. simply D. definitely