二．完形填空： Why did I come today? I wondered. My Christmas   16   contained several people that claimed they wanted nothing but I knew their feelings would be hurt   17   I didn’t buy them anything, so gift buying was   18   but fun. Hurriedly, I finished shopping and   19   the long checkout lines. In front of me were a boy of about 5 and a younger girl. She carried a beautiful pair of    20   slippers. When we finally   21   the checkout register, the girl   22   placed the shoes on the counter. She treated them as though they were a   23  . “That will be $ 6.09,” the cashier said. The boy   24   his pockets. He finally came up with $ 3.12. “I guess we will have to put them back,” he   25   said. “We will come back some other time, maybe tomorrow.” With that statement, a soft   26   broke from the little girl. “But Jesus would have loved these shoes,” she cried. “Well, we’ll go home and work some more. Don’t cry. We’ll surely   27  ,” he said. Quickly I handed $ 3.00 to the cashier. These children had waited in line for a long time. And,   28  , it was Christmas. Suddenly a pair of arms came around me and a small voice   29   said, “Thank you, lady.” “What did you   30   when you said Jesus would like the shoes?” I asked. The boy answered, “Our mommy is sick and going to   31  . Daddy said she might go before Christmas to be with Jesus.” The girl spoke, “My Sunday school teacher said the streets in heaven are shiny gold, just like these shoes. Won’t mommy be   32   walking on those streets in these shoes?” My eyes   33   as I looked into her tear-streaked face. “Yes,” I answered, “I am   34   she will.” Silently I thanked God for using these children to   35   me of the true spirit of giving. 16. A. plan                B. list                    C. goods                D. purchases 17. A. if                       B. because             C. unless               D. since 18. A. something           B. nothing             C. anything            D. everything 19. A. waited                B. joined               C. attended            D. gathered 20. A. cotton                 B. leather                     C. gold                  D. silver 21. A. approached         B. passed               C. checked             D. found 22. A. immediately        B. hesitantly          C. shyly               D. carefully 23. A. gift                    B. treasure             C. life                   D. prize 24. A. opened               B. touched             C. tore                  D. searched 25. A. bravely               B. uncertainly        C. slowly               D. doubtfully 26. A. tear                    B. sob                   C. smile                D. sigh 27. A. leave                  B. come                C. return               D. arrive 28. A. above all             B. at last                C. at least                     D. after all 29. A. gratefully            B. sweetly             C. gracefully          D. kindly 30. A. request               B. expect               C. mean         D. attempt 31. A. hospital                     B. tomb                 C. heaven                     D. sky 32. A. equal                  B. comfortable              C. convenient         D. beautiful 33. A. pained                B. flooded             C. shut                  D. froze 34. A. sure                    B. afraid                C. glad                  D. confident 35. A. inform                B. warn                 C. cure                  D. remind