Question

Mary Lou

It was my first day to Miss Hargrove’s seventh grade. Past “newcomer” experiences had been difficult, so I was very   36   to fit in. After being introduced to the class, I bravely put on a smile and took my seat.

Lunchtime was a pleasant surprise when the girls all crowded around my table. They were friendly, so I began to   37  . My new classmates told me about the school, the teachers and the other kids. They   38   out the class nerd (書呆子) to me: Mary Lou. She was a pretty girl with dark eyes and olive-skin,   39   she wore a long woolen skirt and an old-fashioned blouse. She looked stupid. The girls whispered and giggled   40   Mary Lou walked by. She ate alone.

After school, the girls invited me to   41   them in front of the school. I was thrilled to be  a(n)   42   of the club. We waited. For what, I didn’t know. Then Mary Lou came down the school steps. The girls started making fun of her, shouting rudely, biting comments. I   43  , then joined right in. Mean remarks fell from my   44  . No one could   45   I’d never done this before. The other girls stepped back and started cheering for me. Feeling   46  , I pulled on her backpack and then pushed her. Her backpack broke, Mary Lou fell and I backed off. Everyone was laughing. I   47   in. I was a leader.

I was not proud. Something inside me   48  . If you’ve ever picked a wing off a butterfly, you know how I felt.

Mary Lou got up,   49   her books and left without a tear or saying anything. She held her head   50   as blood ran down from her knee. I   51   her limp away down the street.

I turned to leave with my   52   friends and noticed a man standing beside his car. He must have been Mary Lou’s father ––– he had the same olive skin, dark hair and handsome look. He remained still and watched the   53   girl walk toward him. Only his eyes ––– shining with both sadness and pride ––– followed. As I passed, he looked at me in silence with burning tears that reminded me of my   54  .

       Mary Lou’s father’s eyes taught me a good lesson that day. I never again hurt someone for my own   55  .

36. A. anxious           B. excited                C. eager                D. afraid

37. A. talk                B. hesitate               C. relax                 D. suspect

38. A. picked            B. pointed                C. worked             D. found

39. A. because                 B. so                       C. and                   D. but

40. A. as                  B. before              C. after                 D. since

41. A. consult           B. fight                   C. support             D. join

42. A. leader             B. member                     C. assistant            D. organizer

43. A. paused            B. refused               C. hurried              D. escaped

44. A. eyes               B. heart                   C. lips                   D. mind

45. A. tell                        B. say                     C. report            D. announce

46. A. ashamed         B. guilty                  C. encouraged     D. powerful

47. A. turned            B. went                   C. took                  D. fitted

48. A. sank               B. hurt                    C. touched             D. screamed

49. A. tore               B. closed                 C. gathered            D. grasped

50. A. cautiously       B. casually            C. low                   D. high

51. A. watched         B. noticed                C. glared            D. glanced

52. A. caring             B. laughing              C. puzzling            D. satisfying

53. A. silly                B. only                    C. lonely             D. friendly

54. A. pain                B. pity                     C. weakness          D. shame

55. A. loss                B. gain                    C. effort             D. duty

Answer 1

36. A      37. C      38. B      39. D     40. A      41. D     42. B      43. A       44. C      45. A

46. C      47. D     48. B      49. C      50. D     51. A      52. B      53. C      54. D      55. B