overwhelmed with the 16 of earning a living, 17 the little children. One 18 evening I came home from work to find a big beautiful German shepherd on our 19 . This wonderful strong animal 20 to enter the house and make it his 21 . The

children took an instant liking to "German" and begged me to let him in. I agreed to let him sleep in

the basement until the next day, 22 we could inquire around the neighborhood for his 23 . That night I slept 24 for the first time in many weeks.

The following morning we 25 to find German's owner, but with no results. On Sunday I

took the children on a picnic and we drove off without him. When we stopped to get gas at a local

station, we were 26 to see German racing to the gas station after us. 27 was he going to

be left behind.

On Monday morning I let him out for a run when the children got ready for school. As evening came

and German didn't appear, we were all 28 . The next Friday evening, German was back on our doorstep. Again we took him in, and again he stayed 29 Monday morning. This pattern repeated itself every weekend for almost 10 months. We grew more and more 30 of German. We stopped thinking about 31 he belonged - he belonged to us. As German became part of the family, he considered 32 his duty to take up his position by the front door and remained

there until the morning.

Each week, between German's visits, I grew a little stronger, a little braver; every weekend I

enjoyed his 33 . Then one Monday morning we 34 his head and let him out for what

turned out to be the last time. He never came back. I believe German was sent because he was

needed, and because no matter how 35 and alone we feel, somehow, somewhere, someone knows and cares. We are never really alone.

16. A. duties B. ways C. purposes D. focuses 17. A. caring for B. looking for C. waking up D. taking up 18 A. Friday B. Saturday C. Sunday D. Monday 19. A. gate B. street C. road D. doorstep

20. A. regretted B. forced C. intended D. encouraged 21. A. nest B. home C. kitchen D. destination 22 A. where B. when C. while D. as 23. A. advice B. gifts C. owner D. situation 24. A. comfortably B. smoothly C. meaningfully D. peacefully 25. A. tried B. managed C. succeeded D. failed 26. A. happy B. glad C. amazed D. pleased 27. A. No wonder B. No way C. No doubt D. No use 28. A. wondered B. lost C. worried D. disappointed 29. A. before B. until C. since D. once 30. A. aware B. sure C. fond D. anxious 31. A. who B. where C. whom D. which 32. A. it B. that C. this D. one 33. A. friend B. company C. factory D. story 34. A. beat B. hit C. wounded D. patted 35. A. excited B. satisfied C. abandoned D. Interrupted 三 语法填空。阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（不多于 3 个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。（共10 小题，每题 1.5 分，满分 15 分）

Once there lived a rich man 36 wanted to do something for the people of his town. 37 first

he wanted to find out whether they deserved his help.

In the centre of the main road into the town, he placed 38 very large stone. Then he 39 (hide )

behind a tree and waited. Soon an old man came along with his cow.

　"Who put this stone in the centre of the road?" said the old man, but he did not try to remove the stone. Instead, with some difficulty he passed around the stone and continued on his way. 40 man

came along and did the same thing; then another came ,and another. All of them complained about the stone but not tried to remove 41 . Later in the afternoon a young man came along. He saw the