本文作者： 天津 钱毅勤 湖北 龙继英
5

“Are you all right?” Kate asked me.

I was 1 . “What does my 2 have to do with you, Miss U.D.?” I asked. U.D. was short for Ugly Duckling, which was 3 everyone called Kate.

“If there’s anything I can do to make you feel 4 , please let me know,” she said.

“There’s 5 you can do,” I said as I walked past her. I didn’t want anyone to see me talking to the Ugly Duckling. 6 she was right. Something was 7 me. No one except my best friend knew about it. My dad had just lost his job.

“My dad can help.”

I knew whose voice it was: Kate’s. I looked around to see 8 anyone else was in the classroom. It was empty except for us. Obviously she knew I didn’t want people to see us talking. “What do you want?” I asked 9 .

“My dad can help,” Kate repeated. “He knows a lot of people.”

I looked at her. Her small eyes, huge nose and big mouth had 10 looked uglier. I could tell that she knew about my family’s trouble.

“My dad said there’s a good company that needs a person like 11 to work for them,” she said.

“Why are you helping me?”

“Because we’re friends.”

“We’re friends?” I asked in 12 . I couldn’t believe it! I had 13 her ugly features; I had made fun of her! I looked down on her because she was ugly but… she always 14 me for her friend.

When my dad lost his job, my parents started 15 about money. They thought that I would need to change schools in order to 16 money. Then Kate told her dad about it, and he helped my dad find a new job. I didn’t have to 17 to another school.

I went over to thank Kate in front of 18 in the classroom. I walked past all the people who called her Ugly Duckling and said to her: “Thank you.” I didn’t care what people thought anymore, 19 I had learned something that I’d never forget – true beauty lies 20 .

Kate changed my life, forever.

1. A. pleased B. calm C. annoyed D. excited

2. A. problem B. question C. thing D. event

3. A. that B. what C. whom D. which

4. A. good B. bad C. better D. worse

5. A. nothing B. anything C. something D. everything

6. A. Since B. Instead C. So D. But

7. A. preventing B. interrupting C. bothering D. approaching

8. A. that B. why C. how D. if

9. A. sincerely B. happily C. impatiently D. seriously

10. A. ever B. always C. never D. hardly

11. A. you B. me C. your mom D. your dad

12. A. surprise B. excitement C. enjoyment D. delight

13. A. laughed at B. smiled at C. shouted at D. stared at

14. A. looked B. regarded C. took D. considered

15. A. thinking B. worrying C. caring D. walking

16. A. collect B. raise C. earn D. save

17. A. come B. travel C. turn D. switch

18. A. someone B. no one C. everyone D. anyone

19. A. because B. although C. while D. once

20. A. outside B. within C. here D. there

6

Growing old is something that nobody can understand until they experience it for themselves. I may not be “old” but I am certainly beginning to 1 it – I turned 18 just over a week ago. I am now an adult.

As a child you 2 adults — or “grown ups” as I used to call them — to always be 3 control, to know what is right and wrong. 4 as a teenager, I thought that when I reached 18 I would be far more 5 in many aspects of life. But now that I am 18, I know that is not true.

It is clear to me now that you do not 6 learning when you are 18. Every day you learn something 7 , no matter what your age. However, I do understand when you become an adult you have to 8 more responsibility.

Whereas before I 9 had to clean the dishes, set the table or help out around the house, now I do all of those. I have already 10 myself the nickname “housekeeper”.

I can even drive now, which is pretty 11 , because of the frequency of accidents. But that’s not to say that 18 is not 12 to be. Not only can I drink alcohol, but I can also 13 ! In fact, being 18 has made me really interested in 14 because it now means that I can change things on 15 Day. More and more of my friends 16 to become politicians, and it is great to think that they can 17 things for the better.

18 one of my friends jokingly said to me on the first day I was 18, “today is the 19 day of the rest of your life”, he made it sound depressing (压抑的) and scary, but trust me, it’s a very 20 age.

1. A. dislike B. feel C. learn D. love

2. A. expect B. criticize C. deny D. know

3. A. beyond B. of C. with D. in

4. A. Even B. But C. So D. Since

5. A. comfortable B. interested C. assured D. contented

6. A. continue B. desire C. stop D. refuse

7. A. interesting B. unique C. valuable D. new

8. A. take on B. put on

C. take up D. put up

9. A. seldom B. once C. hardly D. always

10. A. honored B. chosen C. earned D. won

11. A. scary B. amazing

C. fascinating D. difficult

12. A. adventurous B. tough

C. good D. annoying

13. A. elect B. vote C. volunteer D. involve

14. A. lifestyle B. politics C. environment D. career

15. A. Labor B. Independence

C. Christmas D. Election

16. A. hate B. decline C. consider D. want

17. A. change B. make C. work D. improve

18. A. After B. Before C. When D. Though

19. A. last B. only C. right D. first

20. A. depressing B. exciting

C. fearful D. comforting