My husband Jeff and I moved into our new home in Scottsbluff last year just before Christmas. I did not have the 1 or energy to carry out my traditional Christmas decorating and baking activities. What was the point, anyway? It was going to be a 2 Christmas after all.

__3__, the neighborly nature of west Nebraska residents started to trickle (陆续来临) in.

There was a 4 on the door one evening. It was Jeff’s new colleague, John Smith, and his wife, Phyllis. The Smiths had stopped by to 5 us to town with a loaf of homemade bread. They pointed out a 6 on the porch (门廊). Apparently the doorbell wasn’t working in the cold snowy weather and we had 7 a visit from the Browns, our across-the-street neighbors, who brought us a Christmas card and more Christmas cookies.

The 8 feelings brought by these thoughtful gestures lasted longer than the food.

As Jeff and I were clearing pre-Christmas 9 from our driveway, Ernie Guzman came over from next door to 10 us to dig out.

Then, we received an invitation to 11 a Christmas Eve meal with our neighbors, Ernie and Nancy Sommer, and their 12 — a 90-year-old lady, who also had no family in the immediate area with whom to spend the holiday.

Our Christmas Eve was quite merry, thanks to our 13 . Our Christmas morning 14 was special, thanks to the Smiths’ gift of bread. I was so 15 for these gestures of welcome, especially during the holidays.

This year, we were again unable to be with our families for Christmas. The 16 and work schedules just made things too difficult. 17 that sense of Christmas isolation (孤立) all too well, we decided to try to round up some other folks who were 18 in the holidays.

Lonely people are all around us, but most of us 19 notice them. Just take a look around you. Sometimes, the smallest 20 gesture can make a world of difference.

1. A. chance　　　　　　 B. time　　　　　　 C. anxiety　　　　 D. ability

2. A. merry　　　　　　 B. free　　　　　　 C. lonely　　　　　 D. usual

3. A. Therefore　　　　　 B. Meanwhile　　　 C. Somehow　　　 D. However

4. A. card 　　　　　　 B. sign　　　　　　 C. knock　　　　　 D. note

5. A. welcome　　　　　 B. invite　　　　　　 C. drive　　　　　 D. send

6. A. tree　　　　　　　 B. package　　　　　 C. mail　　　　　　 D. flower

7. A. forgot　　　　　　 B. arranged　　　　 　C. received　　　　 D. missed

8. A. deep　　　　　　 B. true　　　　　　　 C. warm　　　　　 D. mixed

9. A. snow　　　　　　 B. rubbish　　　　　 C. dust　　　　　 D. leaves

10. A. teach　　　　　　 B. help　　　　　　　 C. urge　　　　　 D. forbid

11. A. share　　　　　　 B. prepare　　　　　 C. taste　　　　　 D. exchange

12. A. aunt　　　　　　 B. guest　　　　　　 C. maid　　　　　 D. partner

13. A. folks　　　　　　 B. relatives　　　　　 C. colleagues　　 D. neighbors

14. A. call　　　　 　　B. greeting　　　　　 C. breakfast　　　 D. meeting

15. A. sorry　　　　　　 B. eager　　　　　　 C. ready　　　　　 D. grateful

16. A. distance　　　　 B. expense　　　　　 C. season　　　　　 D. situation

17. A. Studying　　　　 B. Showing　　 　　C. Knowing　　　　 D. Discovering

18. A. alone　　　　　 B. busy　　　　　　 C. happy　　　　　 D. active

19. A. always　　　　　 B. seldom　　　　　　 C. finally　　　　　 D. usually

20. A. careful　　　　　 B. patient　　　　　　 C. vague　　　　 　D. kind

Most of the children can work out the problem, so it should be quite ____ to adults.

A. patient　 B. plain　　 C. familiar D. lucky

There was a young college student who played the piano in a bar every night. He 1 his home alone and found a 2 job to support himself. He was a good piano player，but sometimes a bit stubborn. People 3 work came out just to hear him 　4 . But one night，an old gentleman told him he didn’t want to hear him play 5 want him to sing a song.

The young man said, “Sorry，I don’t sing. ”

But the customer was 6 . He told the waiter，“I’m 7 listening to the piano; I want that guy to sing. ”

The waiter 8 across the room, “Hey buddy! If you want to 9 , sing a song. The 10 are asking you to sing! ”

So 11 . He sang a song unwillingly but 12 . A piano player who had never sung 13 did so for the very first time. And nobody had ever heard the song Mona Lisa. Mona Lisa was sung 14 by Nat King Cole! The song of Mona Lisa was soon well-received among American young generations.

He had 15 he was sitting on（搁置不用）! He may have lived the rest of his life as a 16 piano player in a no-name bar, but because he had to sing, and he showed his gift, he went on to become one of the best-known entertainers in America.

You，too，have skills and abilities. You may not feel as if your “talent” is particularly great，but it may be better than you think! And 17 you keep practicing，most skills can be improved. Besides，you may as well have no ability at all if you sit on 18 talent you possess! The better 19 is not “What ability do I have 20 is useful? ” It is rather “How will I use whatever ability I have! ”

1. A. left　　　　 　　B. entered　　　　　 C. made　　　　 D. moved

2. A. professional　 　　B. part-time　　　　　 C. full-time　　 D. weekend

3. A. until　　　　　 B. since　　　　　 　 C. after　　　　 D. before

4. A. talk　　　　　 　B. chat　　　　　　 　C. sing　　　　 D. play

5. A. but　　　　　 　B. or　　　　　　　 　C. so　　　　　 D. and

6. A. delighted　　　　 B. patient　　　　　　 C. persistent　　 D. satisfied

7. A. fond of　 　　　B. interested in　　　　　 C. busy in　　　 D.tired of

8. A. shouted　　　 　 B. whispered　　　 　　C. blamed　　 D. spoke

9. A.get praised 　　　 B.raise money　 　　　　 C. get paid　 　 D.make progress

10.A.waiters 　　　　 B.managers　　　　　　　　　 C. visitors 　　　 D. customers

11. A. did he　　　 B. he did　　　　　 　　　　C. was him　　　 D. he was

12.A.unluckily　　 　 B.wonderfully　　　　　　　　 C. patiently　　　 D. hurriedly

13. A. in public　　 B. secretly　　　　　　　　　 C. at home　　　　 D.sometimes

14.A.that night 　　B.every night　　　　　　　　　　 C. at night　　 D. tonight

15.A. money 　　 B. knowledge　　　　　　　　 C. talent　 　　　　 D. possession

16. A. famous　 B. well-known　　　　　　　　 C. no-name　 　 D. non-stop

17. A.unless　　　　 B. even if　　　 　　　　 C. so long as　　　 D. as if

18. A. whatever　 B. however　　　　　　　　　　 C.somehow　 D. whichever

19. A. situation　 B. question　　　　　　　　　　 C.problem　　　　 D. possibility

20. A. what　　　　 B.this　　　　　 　　　　　　C.that　　　　　　　　 D.it

Mrs Chen，almost sixty，is always________and doesn’t look tired at all.

A．patient　 　                                        B．relaxed 　　

C．intelligent 　　                                    D．energetic