Recently I fully understood that a little favor could really make a big difference. My daughter and I were, accidentally, in time to catch a falling heart just before it hit the ground.

It all started when Charlene, one of my co-volunteers at the library, asked if I could do her duty on Tuesday since her doctor appointment had been unexpectedly changed. I agreed, which meant I  was home on Friday instead of volunteering as previously planned.

My daughter, Mary, managers a book store in town. Mid-morning, she called to ask me for help. Would I buy a fifty dollar gift card, birthday card, and cake for one of Mary’s assistant managers, Cindy?

Mary explained she had to call Cindy in to take the place of another assistant manager who was sick, but felt terrible about it when she discovered it was Cindy’s birthday. Cindy insisted that it was just fine. But that was not what Mary thought, so she gathered enough money from other employees to throw a surprise party for Cindy. Since neither Mary, nor any of the other employees, could leave to pick up the goodies, they were turning to me for help. Days later, Mary told me the wonderful rest of the story, “Cindy cried and cried when we surprised her. After the party, Cindy told us that her boyfriend had chosen that morning to break up with her. To top that off, she only had 26 cents left in her bank account.”

We were surprised at the series of unexpected events that took place in order to circle Cindy with love and catch her falling heart just before it hit the ground.

1.Why did Charlene ask a favor of the writer?

A. She had to see the doctor on Friday.    

B. She wanted to celebrate her daughter’s birthday.

C. She had an unexpected appointment on Tuesday.

D. She needed to prepare for her daughter’s birthday.

2.What can we learn about Mary?

A. She was a learned career woman.

B. She had uneasy relationships with her assistants.

C. She knew Cindy’s love story before the surprise party.

D. She played the most important role in this circle of love.

3.Which of the following couldn’t be the reason why Cindy cried?

A. She had to work on her birthday.

B.She had little money in her bank account.

C.She was greatly moved by Mary’s care and kindness.

D.She and her boyfriend parted that very morning.

4.The underlined word “goodies” refers to_________.

A. Gifts for Cindy      B. Good stories      C. Close friends      D. Goods on sale

There was a terrible rainstorm unexpectedly. The rain caused the streets 36 and the subway system almost came to a stop.
Unfortunately, this happened during the morning rush hour. Many people who were going to work were 37 to go home. Some struggled to __38  a taxi or to get on a bus. Still others faced the ___39_ bravely, walking miles to get to work.
I  40 to be one of people on the way to work that morning. I went from subway line to subway line only to find that most _41_had stopped. After making my way __42__ crowds of people. I finally found a subway line that was __43_. Unfortunately, there were so many people waiting to __44 the subway that I could not even get down the stairs to the  45 .So I took the train going in the opposite direction, and then switched back to the downtown train. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the train __46 my stop. Then I had to walk several blocks in the increasingly heavy rain. When I got to my office, I was _47_ through, exhausted and 48.
My co-workers and I spend most of the day drying off. When it was 5:00 pm, I was ready to go home. I was about to turn off my computer __49_I received an email from Garth, my Director:
I would like to thank all of you who made the effort and 50 reported to work. It is always relaxing, at times like these, when employees so clearly show their 51 to their jobs. Thank you.
Garth’s email was short, but I learned more from that  52  message than I ever did from a textbook. The email taught me that a few words of __53 can make a big difference. The rainstorm and the traffic __54_ had made me tired and upset. But Garth’s words immediately __55__ me and put a smile back on my face.

阅读下面短文，从短文后所给各题的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出能填入相应空白处的最佳选项。   
On August 26, 1999, New York City was struck by a terrible rainstorm. The rain caused the streets to   16  and the subway system almost came to a stop.
Unfortunately, this happened during the morning   17  hour. Many people who were going to work were   18  to go home. Some battled to   19  a taxi or to get on a bus. Still others   20  the storm bravely, walking miles to get to work.
I happened to be one of the people on the way to work that morning. I went from subway line to subway line only to find that most   21  had stopped. After making my way through crowds of people, I finally found a subway line that was   22 . Unfortunately, there were so many people waiting to   23  the subway that I could not even get down the stairs to the   24 . So I took the train going in the   25  direction, and then switched back to the downtown train. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the train   26  my stop. Then I had to walk several blocks in the increasingly heavy rain. When I finally got to my office, I was   27  through, exhausted and discouraged.
My co-workers and I spent most of the day drying off. When it was 5:00 pm，I was ready to go home. I was about to   28  off my computer when I received an email from Garth, my Director:
I would like to thank all of you who made the   29  and eventually reported to work. It is always reassuring (令人欣慰的), at times like these, when employees so clearly show their attention and devotion to their   30 . Thank you.
【小题1】.

On August 26, 1999, New York City was struck by a terrible rainstorm. The rain caused the streets to   36  and the subway system almost came to a stop.
Unfortunately, this happened during the morning rush hour. Many people who were going to work were   37 to go home. Some battled to   38  a taxi or to get on a bus. Still others faced the   39   bravely, walking miles to get to work.
I   40  to be one of people on the way to work that morning. I went from subway line to subway line only to find that most   41   had stopped. After making my way   42   crowds of people, I finally found a subway line that was   43.            Unfortunately, there were so many people waiting to   44   the subway that I could not even get down the stairs to the   45 . So I took the train going in the opposite direction, and then switched back to the downtown train.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, the train   46    my stop. Then I had to walk several blocks in the increasingly heavy rain. When I finally got to my office, I was  47 through, exhausted and   48 .
My co-workers and I spent most of the day drying off. When it was 5:00 pm, I was ready to go home. I was about to turn off my computer   49   I received an email from Garth, my Director:
I would like to thank all of you who made the effort and   50   went to work. It is always reassuring(令人欣慰), at times like these, when employees so clearly show their   51   to their jobs. Thank you.
Garth’s email was short, but I learned more from that   52   message than I ever did from a textbook. The email taught me that a few words of   53   can make a big difference. The rainstorm and the traffic  54  had made me tired and upset. But Garth’s words immediately   55   me and put a smile back on my face.

 There was a terrible rainstorm unexpectedly. The rain caused the streets 36 and the subway system almost came to a stop.

Unfortunately, this happened during the morning rush hour. Many people who were going to work were 37 to go home. Some struggled to __38  a taxi or to get on a bus. Still others faced the ___39_ bravely, walking miles to get to work.

I  40 to be one of people on the way to work that morning. I went from subway line to subway line only to find that most _41_had stopped. After making my way __42__ crowds of people. I finally found a subway line that was __43_. Unfortunately, there were so many people waiting to __44 the subway that I could not even get down the stairs to the  45 .So I took the train going in the opposite direction, and then switched back to the downtown train. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the train __46 my stop. Then I had to walk several blocks in the increasingly heavy rain. When I got to my office, I was _47_ through, exhausted and 48.

My co-workers and I spend most of the day drying off. When it was 5:00 pm, I was ready to go home. I was about to turn off my computer __49_I received an email from Garth, my Director:

I would like to thank all of you who made the effort and 50 reported to work. It is always relaxing, at times like these, when employees so clearly show their 51 to their jobs. Thank you.

Garth’s email was short, but I learned more from that  52  message than I ever did from a textbook. The email taught me that a few words of __53 can make a big difference. The rainstorm and the traffic __54_ had made me tired and upset. But Garth’s words immediately __55__ me and put a smile back on my face.

1. A. break           B. flood           C.sink          D. crash

2. A. forced         B. refused          C.adjusted         D. gathered

3. A. order           B. pay             C.call          D. search

4.A. climate          B. scenery         C.storm          D. burden

5. A. used            B. promised        C.deserved      D. happened

6. A. practice       B. routine         C.process       D. service

7. A. to              B. through         C.over             D. for

8. A. operating       B. cycling         C.turning          D. rushing

9.A. check            B. carry           C.find          D. board

10. A. street         B. ground          C.floor         D. platform

11. A. paused         B. crossed         C.reached        D. parked

12. A. wet            B. weak            C.sick           D. hurt

13. A. ashamed        B. discouraged     C.surprised     D. puzzled

14. A, while          B. when            C.where   D.after

15.A. hardly          B. casually        C.absolutely     D.eventually

16.A. devotion        B. donation        C.connection     D.reaction

17. A. accurate       B. urgent          C.brief          D.humorous

18.A. promise         B. appreciation                     C.advice      D.guidance

19.A. troubles        B. signals         C.rules          D.signs

20.A. corrected     B. supported        C. amazed       D. refreshed