It snowed again. My seventh Christmas was
round the corner. I dreamed of getting the present from Father Christmas until
my elder sister dropped the bomb, “There is no Father Christmas.”
I ran to my grandmother’s house, for she always told the truth. Grandma was at home. I
told __11___ everything. “No Father Christmas?” she was a little ___12____. “Don’t believe it. Put on your coat, and let’s
go.”
“Go?
Where, Grandma?” I asked.
“Kerby’s Store.”
As we walked through its
doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars and said, “Take
the __13___ and buy something for someone who needs it. I’ll wait for in the car.”
Then she turned and walked out of the Kerby’s.
For a few seconds I just
stood there, holding the money, wondering ___14___ to buy, and who to buy it
for.
I thought of ___15___ I
knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors …
I suddenly thought of Bobbie Decker, a __16___ with bad and messy hair. He sat
right behind me ___17____ Mrs. Pollack’s class.
Bobbie ___18___ went to
any party during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the
teacher that he had a cough, ___19____ we all knew that he didn’t have a cough, and he didn’t
have a coat. I decided to buy Bobbie a red warm coat ___20____ he would like.
That evening, Grandma
helped me wrap the coat in Christmas paper and ribbons, and ___21___ “To Bobbie, From Father Christmas”
on it. Grandma told me Father Christmas never let people know that he ___22___
them. Then she drove me over to Bobbie’s house,
telling that I was helping Father Christmas ____23___ the presents.
Grandma parked the car along the
street, and we hid behind the trees near Bobbie’s
house. Then Grandma said to me, “All right, Father Christmas, get
going.”
I took a deep breath,
rushed to his front door, put the present down. ____24___ the door, rang the doorbell
and flew back to the safety of the ____25_____ and Grandma. We waited breathlessly
in the dark for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobbie.
That night, I realized
that Father Christmas was alive and well, and we were on his team.
1.A. him B. her C.
them D. you
2.A. angry B. happy C.
tired D. afraid
3.A. book B. coat C.
present D. money
4.A. what B. when C.
where D. how
5.A. everybody B. nobody
C. somebody D. anybody
6.A. girl B. boy C.
man D. woman
7.A. for B. on C.
in D. with
8.A. always B. often
C. sometime D never
9.A. so B. if C.
but D. and
10.A. where B. that C.
who D. why
11.A. read B. say C.
write D. spell
12.A. helped B. believe
C. taught D. made
13.A. give up B. give
away C. put up D. put off
14.A. on B. behind C.
outside D. over
15.A. shop B. cars C.
door D. trees
