When three of my grandchildren acquired a half－grown dog I agreed to help them build a dog house. As we began the __1__， I knew that keeping them involved was going to be a __2__. Much of my energy was spent calling them back to the job and finding __3__ of the project that could be handled by small children. I held to my initial(最初的) determination that building this dog house was to be a (n) __4__ project.
Early in the project I had __5__ the grandkids that we would roast wieners(香肠) in the back yard __6__ we finished painting the dog house.__7__ three of the largest house－painting brushes I could find, I supervised (管理) the __8__ of our homemade structure. Kids and paint. How could I have __9__ the potential (潜在的) harm that such a combination can create?
After cleaning up the paint __10__－kids, brushes, carport(车棚)－I __11__ that we would probably eat earlier if we just asked Grandma to heat the wieners in water on the gas range. A pain of __12__ came over me as I realized I was trying to weasel(躲避) out of a(n)__13__ promise.
As Jamie, Jeffrey and Kimberley looked on, I built a first－class fire in our back yard pit, cut some roasting sticks, and prepared for the __14__ cooking event. When we __15__ eating I leaned back on the cool grass and __16__ the last remnants(残余) of our fire. Six－year－old Jeffrey was leaning back against my chest, and I began to think about what it meant to be a Grandpa.
The __17__ was broken when Jeffrey quietly reflected, “Know what Grandpa？” And without breaking his __18__ at the dying embers(灰烬) he continued, “This is the best day of my whole life.”
After a few moments of __19__ silence he glanced up and said, “Are you crying, Grandpa? You've got a __20__ on your cheek.”
Clearing my throat I explained that it must be from the smoke.
1. A. plan B. question C. project D. problem
2. A. challenge B. design C. duty D. job
3. A. all B. parts C. none D. most
4. A. part－time B. group C. interesting D. difficult
5. A. demanded B. required C. informed D. promised
6. A. so long as B. in order that C. as soon as D. even if
7. A. Selecting B. Bringing C. Washing D. Arranging
8. A. building B. moving C. painting D. cleaning
9. A. remembered B. forgotten
C. regretted D. prevented
10. A. colour B. drops C. mess D. dirt
11. A. suggested B. ordered C. told D. thought
12. A. wound B. body C. head D. guilt
13. A. longer B. bigger C. better D. earlier
14. A. indoor B. outdoor C. field D. kitchen
15. A. began B. finished C. continued D. liked
16. A. watched B. made C. raised D. kept
17. A. fire B. glass C. silence D. night
18. A. words B. gaze C. mind D. attention
19. A. fixed B. broken C. mixed D. continued
20. A. tear B. grain C. dirt D. leaf
.1. 解析：选C。从前文“I agreed to help them build a dog house”可知，他们开始了这项工程。
2. 解析：选A。联系空后的“Much of my energy was spent calling them back to the job and finding __3__ of the project that could be handled by small children”可知，“我”大部分时间都花在把他们召集在一起，然后找出他们能做的那些事情上，因此说这是一个挑战。
3. 解析：选B。联系空后的“that could be handled by small children”可以推测出，“我”要找出他们能做的那些事情，因此选parts。
4. 解析：选B。因为是与几个孩子一起参加的工程，因此是群体工程。
5. 解析：选D。从后文“I realized I was trying to weasel(躲避) out of a(n) __13__ promise”。可以得出答案。
6. 解析：选C。一完成粉刷狗舍的工作，我们就去烤香肠。so long as如果；in order that为了；even if即使；as soon as一……就……。
7. 解析：选A。从空后的“three of the largest house－painting brushes I could find”可知，“我”选了三个中最大的。
8. 解析：选C。选出house－painting brushes之后，下一步的工作就是粉刷了。
9. 解析：选B。由文意可知，这种伤害是无法忘记的。
10. 解析：选C。联系空前的cleaning up可知，在粉刷结束后清理一下混乱的周围环境。
11. 解析：选A。联系下文“I was trying to weasel(躲避) out of a(n) __13__ promise”可知，“我”建议在水中热一下烤肠吃，而不是到户外烧烤。
12. 解析：选D。因为要打破自己的诺言，因此有种负罪感。
13. 解析：选D。开始工作以前曾经许下承诺，因此是earlier promise。
14. 解析：选B。联系空前的“I built a first－class fire in our back yard pit”可知，这是在户外。
15. 解析：选B。由下文“I leaned back on the cool grass and __16__ the last remnants(残余) of our fire”可知，显然是吃完饭后的事情。
16. 解析：选A。倚靠在凉爽的草上，看着余火。
17. 解析：选C。祖孙几人就这样静静躺着，然后这份寂静突然被打破。
18. 解析：选B。联系空后的“at the dying embers”可知，他继续盯着余火。
19. 解析：选D。寂静被打破后现在又恢复，因此是继续寂静。
20. 解析：选A。联系上文“Are you crying, Grandpa？”可以得出答案选A。
Sometimes I really doubt whether there is love between my parents. Every day they are very busy trying to 26 in order to pay the high tuition for my brother and me. They don’t act in the 27 ways that I read in books or I see on TV. In their opinion, “I love you” is too 28 for them to say. Sending flowers to each other on Valentine’s Day is even more out of 29 .
One day, my mother was sewing a quilt. I sat down beside her. “Mom, I have a question to ask you. Is there 30 between you and Dad?” I asked her in a very low voice. She didn’t answer immediately. She 31 her head and continued to sew the quilt.
I was very worried because I thought I had 32 her. I was 33 and I didn’t know what I should do. But at last I heard my mother say the following words:
“Susan,” she said thoughtfully, “Look at this thread．Sometimes it 34 , but most of it disappears in the quilt. The thread really makes the quilt 35 . If life is a quilt, then love should be a thread．It can hardly be seen 36 , but it’s really there. Love is 37 .”
I listened carefully but I 38 her until the next spring. At that time, my father suddenly 39 seriously. My mother had to stay with him in the hospital for a month. When they returned from the hospital, they both looked 40 . It seemed both of them had had a serious illness. After they were back, every day in the morning and dusk, my mother helped my father 41 on the country road．
“Dad, how are you feeling now?” I asked him one day.
“Susan, don’t 42 me.” he said gently. “To tell you the truth, I just like walking with your mom.” 43 his eyes, I know he loves my mother deeply.
Once I thought love meant flowers, gifts and 44 . But from this experience, I understand that love is just 45 in the quilt of our life. Love is inside, making life strong and warm.
| 26. A. keep fit | B. rise early | C. earn money | D. collect money |
| 27. A. magic | B. romantic | C. fantastic | D. attractive |
| 28. A. simple | B. easy | C. relaxing | D. luxurious(奢侈) |
| 29. A. the question | B. question | C. reach | D. control |
| 30. A. feeling | B. love | C. quarrel | D. smile |
| 31. A. raised | B. shook | C. lifted | D. bowed |
| 32. A. hurt | B. injured | C. wounded | D. harmed |
| 33. A. in great surprise | B. in a great embarrassment | ||
| C. with delight | D. in great astonishment | ||
| 34. A. happens | B. comes about | C. appears | D. occurs |
| 35. A. warm and soft | B. hot and hard | ||
| C. thin and cool | D. strong and durable (耐用的) | ||
| 36. A. somewhere and sometime | B. anywhere or anytime | ||
| C. more or less | D. everyhere and everywhere | ||
| 37. A. inside | B. outside | C. faraway | D. nearby |
| 38. A. could believe | B. couldn’t understand | ||
| C. wouldn’t recognize | D. might know | ||
| 39. A. got sick | B. got stuck | C. threw up | D. became disabled |
| 40. A. quite healthy | B. very pale | C. fairly red | D. much surprised |
| 41. A. jump high | B. go hurriedly | C. run fast | D. walk slowly |
| 42. A. think about | B. talk with | C. worry about | D. laugh at |
| 43. A. Reading | B. Listening | C. Speaking | D. Writing |
| 44. A. fresh roses | B. gold ring | C. sweet kisses | D. beautiful jewelry |
| 45. A. a thread | B. a needle | C. the cloth | D. the cotton |