My sister and I have been a headache for my mother, because my father was in the army, he was not around too often. __21__, my mother brought us up almost single-handedly and it must have __22__ real strength of mind to bring up such naughty and stubborn children who got out from one trouble only to get into another.
Bonus and I weren’t scholars either. __23__, we hated studying from the very beginning. We were __24__ to spend time with our schoolbooks---out of the fear of Mum’s scolding. I almost did not make it to 10th grade. That entire summer Mum __25__ that I read my schoolbooks from the very first chapter till the last.
I left __26__ college at 18. In my second year of college, while I was studying for my final exams, I got a phone call from Mum __27__ my sister had failed her 9th grade exams. Mum was heartbroken. My mother was an English teacher in a famous school in the city and it was a(n) __28__ for her.
Then started another __29__ for my Mum. There always seemed to be people who would come and talk about how well their children were doing __30__ my mother would be having a tough time making sure we stayed on the right path. Mum was __31__ that we would do well for ourselves. She never let my sister and me __32__ that we had lost out on something and always told us: “Let this be a lesson. We are going to work really really hard...__33__ will change.”
Things did change, but very slowly and __34__, one little step at a time. Last year I finished with law school and started working. My mother’s belief in me __35__. And just a few days ago I got a phone from Bonus. She had __36__ the exam with honors and was __37__ to the best university in the country. I was in tears. Later that night I __38__ Mum: “Mum, your two little failures didn’t do as badly as everybody thought.” Mum __39__ and said: “You are my daughters and I knew you the best. I always knew that you would succeed. It was just a __40__ of time.”
1. A．However B．Thus C．Otherwise D．Besides
2. A．devoted B．spent C．taken D．wasted
3. A．In that case B．In this way C．On the other hand D．On the contrary
4. A．pleased B．annoyed C．forced D．advised
5. A．demanded B．concluded C．promised D．mentioned
6. A．at B．for C．from D．after
7. A．announcing B．reading C．knowing D．saying
8. A．shame B．challenge C．pride D．honor
9. A．experiment B．research C．conflict D．trial
10. A．though B．while C．as D．unless
11. A．determined B．astonished C．satisfied D．concerned
12. A．predict B．imagine C．guess D．feel
13. A．Environment B．Society C．Circumstances D．Impressions
14. A．quickly B．extremely C．smoothly D．gradually
15. A．made up B．paid off C．took on D．burst out
16. A．attended B．received C．passed D．failed
17. A．accepted B．allowed C．admitted D．permitted
18. A．questioned B．convinced C．persuaded D．called
19. A．nodded B．laughed C．shouted D．joked
20. A．matter B．period C．waste D．length
—Will you complete the task in time?
—Surely, I will. _________.
A．Everything is possible B．But it’s too hard
C．No matter what will happen D．Though it’s a piece of cake
--So you know Catherine?
---Yes, it was last week_____ she came to visit my roommate Jane.
A．that B．when C．since D．before
________there are a large number of chemical factories, the air is likely to be polluted.
A．Where B．That C．Though D．As
They weighed the advantages of the operation ______ all the possible risks involved over and over again.
A．within B．except C．behind D．against
下面这幅漫画展现了城市停车难的情况。请根据你对这幅漫画的理解用英语写一篇短文。
你的短文应包含以下内容：
1、简要描述漫画内容；
2、谈谈你的感想；
3、如何改善停车难的状况。
注意：
1、可根据下面文章开头所给提示，作必要的发挥想象。
2、词数150左右。开头已经写好，不计入总词数。
With the development of economy, more and more families have their own cars, which makes it difficult for people to park their cars in public places.
