For most people, graduation is an exciting day, but my graduation day was not. I remember that weekend two years ago. Family and friends had flown in from across the country to 36 the celebration. But just like everyone else in my class, I had watched the 37 turn from bad to worse in my senior year. Almost all of us graduates had degrees, but very uncertain 38 . The weeks ahead weren’t 39 . I knew my small university town couldn’t offer me any opportunities, 40 I packed up my car and drove to Southern California to find work. But what I thought would take a 41 dragged into two, and then four, and 100 job applications later, I found myself in the exact same 42 as I was before. You know that feeling when you wake up in 43 ? That feeling became a constant in my life. Days felt like weeks, weeks like months, and those many months felt like everlasting 44 . And the most annoying part was no matter how much I tried, I just couldn’t seem to make any 45 . So what did I do to keep my good sense? I decided to 46 . Something about putting words on a page made everything seem a little clearer — a little brighter. Something about writing gave me 47 . And if you want something 48 enough, sometimes a little hope is all you 49 ! I put my thoughts into a children’s book. Beyond the River was the story of an unlikely hero, a little fish, who 50 to give up his dream. And then one day, without any sort of writing degree or contacts in the writing world — just a lot of hard work and determination —I was offered a 51 contract for my first book! After that, things slowly began to fall into 52 . I was offered a second book deal. Then, a few months later, I got an interview with the Walt Disney Company and was 53 shortly after. Don’t give up. Even if things look 54 now, don’t give up. If you work hard, things will always get better. Often times our dreams lie in wait just a little further upstream ... all we need is the 55 to push beyond the river. 小题1: A．hold B．attend C．prepare D．enjoy 小题2: A．environment B．climate C．opportunity D．economy 小题3: A．choice B．danger C．desire D．future 小题4: A．quiet B．busy C．easy D．short 小题5: A．so B．but C．for D．or 小题6: A．day B．week C．month D．year 小题7: A．town B．direction C．situation D．habit 小题8: A．surprise B．delight C．peace D．fear 小题9: A．pain B．complaint C．love D．glory 小题10: A．appointment B．progress C．commitment D．decision 小题11: A．read B．think C．write D．paint 小题12: A．hope B．wisdom C．pleasure D．inspiration 小题13: A．hardly B．badly C．easily D．well 小题14: A．lack B．find C．bury D．need 小题15: A．refused B．managed C．failed D．decided 小题16: A．writing B．translating C．publishing D．reviewing 小题17: A．ruin B．place C．pieces D．despair 小题18: A．rewarded B．paid C．hired D．fired 小题19: A．different B．unimportant C．strange D．tough 小题20: A．courage B．chance C．time D．dream