阅读下面的短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
“They’re going to kick me out of my own home,” said Karl Berger, 86 years old. Karl is a widower with no living children. When Karl’s wife died a couple of years ago, he told the Social Security Administration to stop monthly checks to his wife. But the agency to send the checks. Karl called again; a clerk said not to 33 . He told Karl to mail a follow-up that included his wife's of death. But the checks continued to come. Karl needed the money, he cashed his wife’s checks.
When SSA realized its mistake, it sent Karl a letter saying that he SSA $5,900 plus interest. Karl receives only $12,000 a year, which is slightly poverty level. The only that he ever had--$5,000--was on his wife’s funeral. He fought on Iwo Jima, site of one of the most furious battles of World War II. The battle left him in one ear and almost blind in one eye.
His small house used to be in a good neighborhood. He takes the bus once a week to visit his wife's . The rest of his time is spent at home, where he carves military figures that he donates to a local charity. The charity the carvings and uses the money to help feed the homeless.
SSA gave Karl six months to pay the debt in . Otherwise, the SSA letter said, the agency would seize his home. Karl wrote back, asking if it would be okay to $30 a month. That was all he could .
“That’s insufficient,” said William Shatner, an SSA agent. “We know that he is a war veteran, but that doesn’t entitle him to . He knew that his wife was dead, yet he cashed her monthly . That is fraud, pure and simple.”
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Most people agree that a pet adds joy to a person’s life. Scientists are now finding that having a pet may keep its owner . And good health may add years to a person’s life.
Scientists have been the tie between pets and health for years. In 1990, a study was done with people aged 65 and older. It that pet owners went to the doctor less than people __ pets. Do pets make people ? Are people able to handle their everyday lives better? Alan Beck, who is a researcher, says that the answer to the questions is yes, then having pets may be a good idea.
Can pets also help people live longer? Rebecca Johnson did a study to . Johnson teaches nurses how to care for people. Her study shows that having pets may cause people to more slowly.
The human body makes many chemicals. Some of the chemicals make people feel . Others make people feel bad. In Johnson’s , levels of the “good” chemicals when people were around pets while levels of the “bad” chemicals went down. The good seemed to slow the aging of cells. If this is , maybe people should spend more time with their . Then people might feel better and longer.
You might be allergic（过敏的） to pets. Or you may not want to a pet. Never fear. A robotic, or computer pet may be just the thing for you.
Scientists are testing computer pets, like the robotic dog AIBO. They want to see if pets can help people the way dogs do.
Will a robotic pet the real pet sitting with you on the sofa? Something tells us that it will probably become a reality.
A．healthy B．excited C．mad D．hurried
A．carrying out B．making up C．looking at D．breaking down
A．warned B．showed C．reminded D．advised
A．through B．beyond C．against D．without
A．busier B．funnier C．happier D．angrier
A．though B．until C．if D．unless
A．find out B．put out C．turn out D．set out
A．sick B．friendly C．old D．lovely
A．age B．move C．walk D．grow
A．bored B．surprised C．sleepy D．good
A．study B．work C．story D．case
A．changed B．varied C．fell D．rose
A．sides B．chemicals C．studies D．dogs
A．important B．unusual C．true D．impossible
A．children B．pets C．friends D．neighbors
A．live B．wander C．stay D．travel
A．head for B．search for C．cheer for D．care for
A．family B．computer C．baby D．toy
A．brave B．quiet C．faithful D．real
A．destroy B．replace C．improve D．accompany
There was a boy in India who was sent by his parents to a boarding school．Before being sent away this boy was the _ _ student in his class．He was at the top in every __ _．He was a champion．
But the boy _ __ after leaving home and attending the boarding school．His __ _ started dropping．He hated being in a group．He was __ __all the time．And there were especially dark times when he felt like __ __ himself．All of this happened because he felt _ _ and that no one loved him．
His _ _ started worrying about the boy．But __ __ they did not know what was wrong with him._ _ ___ his dad decided to travel to the boarding school and talk with him．
They sat _ __ the bank of the lake near the school．The father started asking him __ __ questions about his classes, teachers and __ _．After some time his dad said, “Do you know, son, _ __ I am here today?”
The boy _ _, “to check my grades?”
“No, no” his dad replied, “I am here to tell you that you are the most important person for me．I want to see you happy．I don’t care about grades．I care about __ __．I care about your happiness．YOU ARE MY ___ __．”
These words caused the boy’s eyes to fill with tears．He __ _his dad．They didn’t say anything to each other for a long time．
Now the boy had everything he wanted．He knew there was someone on this __ __ who cared for him deeply．He __ __ the world to someone．And today this young man is in college at the top of his class and no one has ever seen him sad!
A．richest B．prettiest C．laziest D．brightest
A．game B．school C．Competition D．group
A．changed B．died C．arrived D．regretted
A．hair B．tears C．love D．grades
A．worried B．careless C．lonely D．busy
A．teaching B．killing C．helping D．enjoying
A．cold B．worthless C．well D．sick
A．parents B．classmates C．teachers D．companions
A．even B．now C．yet D．then
A．And B．But C．Or D．So
A．toward B．along C．opposite D．on
A．serious B．casual C．personal D．difficult
A．work B．study C．sports D．education
A．when B．where C．how D．why
A．turned away B．answered back C．whispered softly D．cried out
A．it B．you C．myself D．us
A．LIFE B．ANXIETY C．CARE D．NEED
A．forgave B．hit C．hugged D．begged
A．side B．earth C．trip D．day
A．meant B．owed C．moved D．left
It was raining. I went into a café and asked for a coffee. ______ I was waiting for my drink, I realized that there were other people in the place, but I sensed ______. I saw their bodies, but I couldn’t feel their souls (灵魂) ______ their souls belonged to the ______ .
I stood up and walked between the tables. When I came to the biggest computer, I saw a thin, small man ______ in front of it. “ I’m Steve”, he finally answered after I asked him a couple of times what his name was. “ I can’t talk with you. I’m ______”, he said. He was chatting online with somebody—probably someone he didn’t know---and, ______, he was playing a computer game--- a war game. I was _____ .
Why didn’t Steve want to talk with me? I tried _____ to speak to that computer geek(电脑玩家)，______ not a word came out of his mouth. I touched his shoulder, but no reaction. I was ______ . I put my hand in front of the monitor, and he started to shout, “ _____ !” I took a few steps back, wondering if all those people in the café were looking at me. I ______ , and saw nobody showed any interest.
______, I realized that the people there were having a nice conversation with their machines, not with people. They were more ______ having a relationship with the ______, particularly Steve. I wouldn’t want to _____ the future of human beings if they preferred sharing their lives with machines ______ with people.
I was worried and I sank in my thoughts. I didn’t even ______ that the coffee was bad, _____Steve didn’t notice there was a person next to him.
A．Before B．Since C．Although D．While
A．pain B．loneliness C．sadness D．fear
A．because B．when C．until D．unless
A．home B．world C．Net D．Café
A．sleeping B．laughing C．sitting D．learning
A．busy B．thirsty C．tired D．sick
A．first of all B．just then C．at the same time D．by that time
A．surprised B．delighted C．moved D．frightened
A．once B．again C．first D．even
A．but B．so C．if D．or
A．excited B．respected C．afraid D．unhappy
A．Shut up B．Enjoy yourself C．Leave me alone D．Help me out
A．walked about B．walked out C．raised my hand D．raised my head
A．From then on B．At that moment C．In all D．Above all
A．interested in B．tired of C．careful about D．troubled by
A．computer B．soul C．shop D．geek
A．tell B．plan C．imagine D．design
A．other than B．instead of C．except for D．as well as
A．pretend B．understand C．insist D．realize
A．as if B．just as C．just after D．even though
Teddy is a black dog. To my eyes, she’s a dog of exceptional beauty, and we’ve been together for nearly fifteen years. Teddy and I joy and sorrow with each other. I have never that Teddy would give her life for me without the slightest . I have always our relationship by saying, “We are completely bonded.” I have no idea true this statement was until I was diagnosed with cancer.
Through the stages of my from three operations, Teddy stayed near me, watching my every move. She was clearly anxious and upset when I felt or distressed. I had been able to many of the difficulties so far---the loss of body parts, the side of medication---but the thought of losing my long hair during chemo (化疗) made me . Over a three-week period, handful of hair separated from my itchy scalp (发痒的头皮). Each brought me greater distress. One evening，I sat in a rocking chair, touching my hair and crying sadly. Teddy lay on the floor beside me; suddenly she began to pull at the fur（毛皮） on her tail. I could stop her, she had ripped (扯) out a few clumps（团）.
Teddy’s stopped my tears and self-pity. The next morning, I found Teddy sleeping in a mass of long black hair, no doubt with considerable pain. Her beautiful black now looked like a funny little rat’s tail. Then Teddy looked up at me with her devoted little face. It was she was willing me to feel better. I could almost hear her saying, “If you have to lose your hair, I’m going to lose mine, too.”
Teddy and I both appeared a bit that summer. In the fall, when her winter coat came in, Teddy’s tail quickly began to look better. My hair a bit longer to return, but I never about it again. Sharing my loss with Teddy took the sadness away.
A．spend B．live C．share D．save
A．said B．doubted C．complained D．believed
A．introduction B．invitation C．education D．hesitation
A．told B．reported C．described D．informed
A．And B．But C．Or D．So
A．how B．what C．which D．whether
A．discovery B．recovery C．challenges D．features
A．uncomfortable B．unfortunate C．uninteresting D．unconscious
A．get on B．get away C．get off D．get over
A．emotions B．spirits C．effects D．results
A．impressed B．depressed C．encouraged D．devoted
A．loss B．place C．way D．mark
A．leave B．full C．much D．remaining
A．Before B．When C．Since D．After
A．solution B．decision C．action D．option
A．head B．tail C．nose D．back
A．even if B．as a result C．what if D．as if
A．beautiful B．relaxed C．strange D．amazing
A．paid B．cost C．spent D．took
A．cried B．talked C．looked D．brought
Sometimes a part of us must die before another part can come to life．Even though this is a and necessary stage of our growth, it is often painful or if we don’t realize what’s happening．In fact, confusion is often the that tells us a change is taking place within us．These changes happen throughout the lives of all humans, as we move from babyhood to to teenage years and beyond．With each change from one to another, we find ourselves goodbye to an old friend, the identity（个性，身份）that we in order to move through that particular time．
Sometimes we shape these identities in relationships or jobs, and when we change, those areas of our life become ．Usually, if we take the time to look into the changing surface of things, we will find that a change is taking place us．For example, we may go through one whole part of our lives creating a protective shell around ourselves we need it in defense of ourselves．One day, , we may find ourselves feeling limited and bored, wanting to move outside the we used to need; the new part of ourselves cannot be born within the of the shell our old self needed．
We may feel a strange of excitement and sadness as we say goodbye to a part of ourselves that is and make way for a whole new identity to in its place．We may find inspiration in working and studying when we think of the image of an animal who sheds（蜕毛；蜕皮）in order to way for new skin, fur, or feathers to ．For example, keeping a piece of snake skin, or some other symbols of change, can us that death and rebirth are simply nature’s way of growing．We can give in to this process, letting go of our past self with great love and gratitude, and the new with an open mind and heart, ready for our next stage of life．
A．natural B．dusty C．humorous D．rare
A．moving B．confusing C．tiring D．scared
A．report B．notice C．sign D．idea
A．brotherhood B．neighborhood C．adulthood D．childhood
A．animal B．people C．school D．stage
A．saying B．speaking C．telling D．reading
A．showed B．left C．shaped D．realized
A．influenced B．remained C．defended D．directed
A．of B．within C．for D．between
A．although B．while C．until D．because
A．moreover B．therefore C．however D．so
A．area B．shelter C．room D．space
A．limits B．contents C．connection D．requirement
A．influence B．mixture C．appearance D．relation
A．dying B．coming C．escaping D．running
A．come back B．come down C．come out D．come across
A．become B．reach C．name D．make
A．appear B．disappear C．go D．exist
A．convince B．remind C．warn D．tell
A．hoping B．imaging C．welcoming D．Supplying