A strong wind was blowing hard, thunder was rumbling, and lightning flashed across the dark sky. Rain was 16 down; it looked as if heaven had been broken open.
Gleams of light appeared from windows of 17 houses, shining like jewels in all the dark.
A 18 woman dressed in rags and trembling with cold was 19 on a lonely road, while the merciless rain was 20 her without pause. She knocked at the door, and a 21 answered it. She begged him to let her stay a while 22 . The boy then let her into the sitting room and 23 her sitting by the fire.
The woman 24 old and tired under the bright electric light, 25 she was only in her early thirties. She sat 26 for a moment, and then her eyes began to look about the 27 . When her wandering eyes rested on the picture of a young man, she 28 up, looking thunderstruck. Just then, the boy came with his 29 . The man at once recognized the woman as his 30 . They had 31 touch with each other during the war, and he thought he had lost her forever.
32 words needed to be spoken, They embraced each other 33 the boy stared at them, puzzled.
The storm was over and the sky cleared. Feeling very 34 , the couple stood face to face with their child between them, watching the rain as it gradually 35 .
16. A. pouring B. falling C. dropping D. flooding
17. A. poor B. black C. faraway D. nearby
18. A. rich B. beautiful C. poor D. ugly
19. A. crying B. wandering C. struggling D. wondering
20. A. striking B. hitting C. flowing D. beating
21. A. boy B. girl C. woman D. man
22. A. out B. near C. outside D. inside
23. A. made B. left C. asked D. told
24. A. became B. showed C. appeared D. sounded
25. A. so B. and C. however D. though
26. A. straight B. thirsty C. hungry D. still
27. A. room B. house C. picture D. fire
28. A. picked B. stood C. came D. looked
29. A. father B. mother C. friend D. brother
30. A. wife B. sister C. mother D. girlfriend
31. A. kept B. got C. made D. lost
32. A. Much B. Many C. No D. Not
33. A. as B. while C. when D. since
34. A. disappointed B. sorry C. happy D. sad
35. A. began B. stopped C. ended D. wanted
16-20 ACCCD 21-25 ADBCD 26-30 DABAA 31-35 DCBCB
I first went to hear a live rock concert when I was eight years old. My brother and his friends were all ___36____ of a heavy metal group called Black Wednesday. When they ___37____ that Black Wednesday were going to perform at our local theatre, they all bought ____38___ for performance. However, at the last minute, one of the friends couldn’t go, so my brother __39_____ me the ticket. I was really ___40____!
I remember the buzz (嘈杂声) of excitement inside the theatre as we all found our __41____ . After a few minutes, the lights went down and everybody became ___42____. I could barely make out the stage in the ___43____. We waited. Then there was a roar from the crowd, like an explosion, as the first members of the band ___44____ the stage. My brother leaned over and shouted something in my ear, but I couldn’t ____45___ what he was saying. The first song was already starting and the music was as ____46___ a jet engine. I could ___47____ the drum beats and bass notes in my stomach.
I can’t recall any of the songs that the band played. I just __48_ that I really enjoyed the show and didn’t want it to _ 49_. But in the end, after three encores (加演), the show finished. We left the 50_ and walked unsteadily out onto the pavement. I felt a little dizzy, as if I had just 51_from a long sleep. My ears were still 52_with the beat of the last song.
After the 53 , I became a Black Wednesday fan too for a few years before getting into other kinds of music. Once in a while, 54_, I listen to one of their songs and 55_I’m back at that first show.
40. A. relaxed B. embarrassed C. excited D. encouraged
41. A. seats B. entrance C. spots D. space
42. A. comfortable B. quite C. serious D. nervous
43. A. silence B. noise C. darkness D. smoke
44. A. fell upon B. got through C. broke into D. stepped onto
45. A. forget B. hear C. repeat D. bear
46. A. loud B. heard C. sweet D. fast
47. A. feel B. touch C. enjoy D. digest
48. A. realize B. understand C. believe D. remember
49. A. continue B. delay C. finish D. change
50. A. party B. theatre C. opera D. stage
51. A. escaped B. traveled C. benefited D. woken
52. A. aching B. burning C. ringing D. rolling
53. A. competition B. performance C. interview D. celebration
54. A. though B. otherwise C. instead D. besides
55. A. decide B. regret C. conclude D. imagine