How old was I? I can’t remember. Maybe I was
only 10. It was the first 16 without
my father because he was away for something. He left me to fill that sad place
in my mother’s heart. It was the Christmas when I stopped being a 17
and tried to play Father Christmas myself. I really wanted to make it
happy and bright again. It was the Christmas of the 18
.
Mom first saw the coat at Tobias, a nice 19
shop in our town’s little shopping mall. It was dark green. And it
was a 20 , heavy, wool dress coat. Mom
pulled it out from the rack(架) and held it up. “Long enough,” she said in a low voice and 21
.
“I need a new coat,” Mom smiled before the
mirror. She looked good on any clothes, 22
this coat suited her much better. She looked at the 23
, then hung the coat back on the rack, standing there once more to 24
Eighty-seven dollars. But
I decided to buy it for her. As we moved on 25
the mall, I found some excuse to return and asked one of the Tobias ladies
to 26 the coat.
I helped clean every yard(庭院) in our neighbourhood—some yards twice, and soon I got the coat.
The store ladies helped me put it in their biggest 27
with bright blue paper and thick silver ribbon(絲帶). I don’t remember 28
I got it home, but I can still feel the wonderful 29
and pride that filled me. I would imagine the big space which the box
would take up under our tree. Here it was—joy, peace and 30
—all in the box, waiting for Mom’s surprise.
1.A. Easter B.
Christmas C. Halloween D.
Thanksgiving
2.A. child B.
son C. student D.
teacher
3.A. tree B.
bag C. coat D.
ribbon
4.A. children’s B. women’s C.
girl’s D. men’s
5.A. big B.
wide C. thin D.
long
6.A. tried it on B. put it on C.
kept it on D. turned it on
7.A. though B.
or C. for D.
and
8.A. price B.
design C. color D.
material
9.A. taste B.
feel C. sound D.
smell
10.A. through B.
over C. past D.
across
11.A. sell B.
send C. keep D.
wash
12.A. tank B.
basket C. bag D.
box
13.A. how B.
why C. whether D.
when
14.A. development B. excitement C.
improvement D. advertisement
15.A. courage B.
confidence C. love D. honesty
