阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
James’s New Bicycle
James shook his money box again. Nothing! He carefully __1__ the coins that lay on the bed. $24.52 was all that he had. The bicycle he wanted was at least $90! __2__ on earth was he going to get the __3__ of the money?
He knew that his friends all had bicycles. It was __4__ to hang around with people when you were the only one without wheels. He thought about what he could do. There was no __5__ asking his parents, for he knew they had no money to __6__.
There was only one way to get money, and that was to __7__ it. He would have to find a job. __8__ who would hire him and what could he do? He decided to ask Mr. Clay for advice, who usually had __9__ on most things.
“Well, you can start right here,” said Mr. Clay. “My windows need cleaning and my car needs washing.”
That was the __10__ of James’s odd-job（零工） business. For three months he worked every day after finishing his homework. He was amazed by the __11__ of jobs that people found for him to do. He took dogs and babies for walks, cleared out cupboards, and mended books. He lost count of the __12__ of cars he washed and windows he cleaned, but the __13__ increased and he knew that he would soon have __14__ for the bicycle he longed for.
The day __15__ came when James counted his money and found $94.32. He __16__ no time and went down to the shop to pick up the bicycle he wanted. He rode __17__ home, looking forward to showing his new bicycle to his friends. It had been hard __18__ for the money, but James knew that he valued his bicycle far more __19__ he had bought it with his own money. He had __20__what he thought was impossible, and that was worth even more than the bicycle.
1.A. cleaned B. covered C. counted D. checked
2.A. How B. Why C. Who D. What
3.A. amount B. part C. sum D. rest
4.A. brave B. hard C. smart D. unfair
5.A. point B. reason C. result D. right
6.A. split B. spend C. spare D. save
7.A. borrow B. earn C. raise D. collect
8.A. Or B. So C. For D. But
9.A. decisions B. experience C. opinions D. knowledge
10.A. beginning B. introduction C. requirement D. opening
11.A. similarity B. quality C. suitability D. variety
12.A. brand B. number C. size D. type
13.A. effort B. pressure C. money D. trouble
14.A. all B. enough C. much D. some
15.A. finally B. instantly C. normally D. regularly
16.A. gave B. left C. took D. wasted
17.A. patiently B. proudly C. silently D. tiredly
18.A. applying B. asking C. looking D. working
19.A. since B. if C. than D. though
20.A. deserved B. benefited C. achieved D. learned
Being a parent is not always easy, and being the parent of a child with special needs often carries with ___ extra stress.
A. it B. them C. one D. him
____ twice, the postman refused to deliver our letters unless we changed our dog.
A. Being bitten B. Bitten
C. Having bitten D. To be bitten
The biggest whale is ___ blue whale, which grows to be about 29 meters long—the height of ___ 9-story building.
A. the; the B. a; a C. a; the D. the; a
John was given the same suitcase his father and grandfather ___ with them to school.
A. took
B. had taken
C. were taking
D. would take
At first he hated the new job but decided to give himself a few months to see ___ it got any better.
A. when
B. how
C. why
D. if
