阅读下面短文,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。

   I like traveling from a young age. I had been waiting for the moment when I would get the chance to ____  (1)    (2)  ____ abroad, I spent a semester(学期) in Seville, Spain living with a host family and ____  (3)  ____ myself completely in the culture. I still ____  (4)  ____ my time abroad and my program provider API, Academic Programs International. ____  (5)  ____ my time abroad was challenging, it was the best experience I have ever had. Not only did I ____  (6)  ____ and develop, but also I feel more directed to where I want my life to go.

   Now I often ____(6)____ to my host mother in Seville and tell her about my life. She is such a beautiful woman, who ____(7)____ me to her home and treated me as if I had lived with her all my life. When I ____(8)____ my journey of studying abroad I had no expectations of what Spain would be. ____(9)____, the places I saw, the people I met and the things I did are incomparable and ____  (7)  ____ to put into words. When I ____(11)____ home, I was completely different from what I was at the beginning of semester.

   Looking back at the times I stepped out of my comfortable home, I feel ____(12)____. I challenged myself academically and mentally and have no ____  (8)  ____ of my time spent abroad. I expect to return to Spain and feel that ____  (9)  ____ of waiting in the airport, ordering food in a ____(15)____ language and grasping every moment that comes to me. The education I received outside the classroom will ____(16)____ with me my entire life. There is nothing more exciting than finding yourself ____(17)____ in a foreign city, with a map, a camera and a lot of courage.

   The best ____(18)____ of my life so far has been my time in Seville, Spain. I thank API for giving me the chance to ____(19)____ who I am, to see the world through a whole ____(20)____ set of eyes and for inspiring me to follow my dreams.

Years ago a professor gave a group of graduate students this assignment：Go to the slums(贫民窟)．Take 200 boys between the ages of 12 and 16, investigate their    (1)  and environment and then   (2)   their chances for the future. The students，after   (3)   social statistics，talking to the boys and compiling(汇编)much data ,   (4)  that 90 percent of the boys would spend some time in    (5)  .

Twenty-­five years later another group of graduate students were given the job of    (6)  the previous prediction. They went back to the    (7)   area. Some of the boys—now   (8)  —were still there，a few had died and some has moved away. But they managed to   (9)   180 of the original 200. They found that only four of the boys had ever been sent to prison.

Why was it that these men，who had lived in a breeding place of  (  (10)  ，had such surprisingly    (11)   record？The researchers were    (12)   told. “Well，there was a    (13)  .”

They investigated    (14)   and found that in 78 percent of the good    (15)  admitting unanimously(一致地) it was because of the same woman. The researchers went to the teacher，now living in a home for   (16)  teacher. How had she had this remarkable 

  (17)   on that group of children？Could she give them any reason why these boys 

  (18)   her？“No，”she said，“I really couldnˈt.” And then，  (19)   over the years，

she said musingly(沉思地)，more to herself than to her questioners，“I    (20)   these boys.”  The researchers finally realized that it was the teacherˈs care that made a difference.

As a music teacher, I have always known that music touches the soul. It can   (1)   all kinds of barriers to reach students in a very special way. It can be the   (2)   for each child to find their light. I would like to   (3)   a story about it.

For a few years I was   (4)   with the opportunity to teach disabled students. One of my most   (5)  students was a five-year-old girl called Vanessa, who had difficulty walking, and could not speak. We   (6)   sat on the floor for our music lessons and Vanessa liked to   (7)   on my lap. One of her favorite songs was John the Rabbit. It was a call and response song where I sang the call and the   (8)  clapped twice while singing the repeating phrase, “Oh, yes!” Vanessa liked to   (9)   her hands together with mine and clap with me. We probably practiced that song during every class, Vanessa and I clapping together. But she   (10)   said or sang a word.

One day, when the song was finished, Vanessa turned around,   (11)   me in the eyes, clapped her tiny hands twice and said the words “Oh, yes!” My mouth fell   (12)   and for that moment I was the one who could not speak. When my heart   (13)   started beating again, I looked over at the assistant teacher to find her also   (14)  . Through music, we had made an awesome connection.

Several years later, I met Vanessa on the street in town. She waved with a big   (15)  on her face and then clapped her hands twice, imitating the song we had  (16)  so many times in our music class. The little girl, through her connection with music, left an impression on me   (17)   will last forever. Every child has the   (18)   to learn and grow. It is up to us to   (19)  the way to reach each and every one of our students. We all must find each child’s  (20)   .

Americans prefer to try every way to have fun. For example, they drive their own cars, some even tow a small boat after vehicle. They start from Los Angeles, California under sun,    (1)  through four or five hundred miles to go to La Fulin, Colorado to spend weekends   (2)   Chinese people are still busy with work, and have dinner at home together with families on weekends or   (3)   time watching TV.

The difference is mainly due to cultural customs and traditions   (4)   the two countries. It is said that Chinese people are living for others, while Americans are for   (5)  .When Chinese people come to the United States, they fight for   (6)   first, and then desperately make money after they are recognized by others. It seems that, the purpose to earn money is not to enjoy life,    (7)   for their following generations: sons and daughters and even grandchildren. Chinese people prefer to save money   (8)   emergency such as illness. Although Chinese people with   (9)  in the United States donˈt need to worry about their own social welfare and health insurance, they work still very hard,   (10)   they hope that they can save more money.

Chinese peopleˈs interest is in the amount on the passbook, so they spend   (11)  money usually. Most of Chinese are very thrifty(节俭的;节约的), and they are   (12)   to spend money, but there are exceptions. They are willing to spend money on their   (13)  . Many Chinese people think that, they endure many   (14)  , so they wish that their children could live much better. Therefore, in the United States elementary schools, you can see that those who   (15)  the best clothes, with more pocket money are Chinese students. In contrast, American children dress very simply, with just a little pocket money.

   (16)  Chinese, Americans believe in living for themselves. They do everything for their own.    (17)  , they earn money to enjoy a    (18)   life, and pursue a higher quality of life. As for their own parents or children, they think that parents have their own pension and social welfare, and children should live a(n)   (19)   life when they are 18 years old. So they could boldly spend money on themselves.   (20)  , Americans save little money. In the street, it is easy for Chinese to take out 300－400 dollars, but it is hard to say for Americans.

I've always had strong opinions of how love should be expressed, but others had their own ways of showing care.

What I remember most about visiting my  (1)   parents is the loud tick of the   (2)  in the dining room as we   (3)  ate our meal. With so little conversation l was quick to  (4)   his family as cold. When we got into the   (5)   to go home, his father suddenly appeared.   (6)  ,

he began to wash his son's windscreen. I could feel he is a   (7)  man through the glass.

I   (8)  another lesson about love a few years later. I always return phone calls   (9)  and

regularly contact my friends. I  (10)  the same from them. But I had one friend, who  (11)  called,

answering my messages with short e-mails. I rushed to the  (12)   : she wasn't a good friend! My anger  (13)   as the holidays approached. But then she came to a gathering I hosted and   (14)  

me a beautiful dress I had fallen in love with when we did some window-shopping the previous month. I was  (15)   at her thoughtfulness, and regretful for  (16)   I'd considered her to be uncaring. Clearly I needed to   (17)  my expectations of friends.

Far too often, I ignored their unique   (18)  , eagerly expecting them to do things in my

  (19)  .Over the years, however, I've learned to   (20)  other persons' love signs.

Dad was not only my best friend, but my compass (指南针). While he was alive, he  (1)  me with his actions and advice. He taught me one important  (2)  : “Believe in yourself. ” If there was one phrase my dad  (3)  liked to hear, it was “I can’t.” He never got to finish high school and  (4)  two jobs to support his large family,  (5)  he never complained. Through education and years of hard work, my dad became an excellent journalist.

When I was in high school, I had a  (6)  time with math. He tried to help me, but I   (7)  struggled. So my math teacher suggested I meet with him at 7:00 each morning before school for  (8)  help. I told Dad, “That’s  (9)  ! I’m tired! I can’t do that!” He replied, “You’re doing it. I’ll send you to school. ” Every morning at 6:45, we’d leave the  (10)  . Despite working 12 hours every day, Dad never once  (11)  driving me to school.

After months of  (12)  , I was facing the final exam. I was so  (13)  . On the day of the final, my dad hugged me and said, “Luke,  (14)  yourself. You can do it. ” His words made me realize I needed to trust in my  (15)  and in the hours of work I’d  (16)  . When I got my   (17)  proudly, the first person I called was my father. He cried, “Yes! You deserved it!”

Even now, whenever I  (18)  that a task is too much for me, I think back to that exam. No matter how  (19)  something is, if you’re willing to work, you can succeed. I’m forever   (20)  to Dad for that lesson.

Many of my friends have experienced a four-day step: on the first day, they meet each other and   (1)  their mobile numbers; on the second day, he sends her a short   (2)   saying how he has madly, passionately and hopelessly fallen in love with her; and on the third day, he   (3)   her out to see a movie, then he holds her hand   (4)  ; so on the fourth day, they become a common couple among the thousands of young   (5)   on campus.

Just the other day, a fierce storm hit our community. I looked out the window and witnessed a tree being    （ 1 ）    by the fierce winds. The branches bent, and swayed (摇摆) back and forth, thanks to their    （ 2 ）    to avoid breaking. The leaves desperately stuck to the branches because their life    （ 3 ）    the tree. The powerful trunk that    （ 4 ）    the tree upright bent slightly backwards from the force in a battle to    （ 5 ）    its position.

After the storm had passed, the tree gracefully returned to its   （6）   position standing tall amongst the chaos. It managed to   （7）   the storm. It didn’t look the same as leaves had shed from its branches and the soil had loosened a bit, but what   （8）    is that the tree won the fight for its life.

For a long time I couldn’t understand why this tree   （9）   my attention the way it did. As time passed, it became   （10）   that it wasn’t just about the tree but about the roots, which, although unseen, dig deep into the soil providing   （11）   and nutrition. The roots allow the tree to be able to take a   （12）   because they are there to support them.

I couldn’t but ask myself how deep the roots are in my life.   （13）  , the next time you catch your kids   （14）  , when the job is driving you crazy, when you are underpaid and the （15）   is tight, and when the storms of life are raging, go back to your roots. Life is full of   （16）  . They will make you sway, make you   （17）   , make you lose some leaves but the deeper your roots the stronger you stand.

Faced with   （18）   you might bend but don’t break. No matter how hard the wind blows don’t let life   （19）  you into an uncomfortable position. Your  （20）   lies in your roots.

Few days ago, I went to school with tons of books, hoping to get a locker. All of a sudden, it started raining  (1)  . I hurried to pay for my locker, but I was disappointed  (2)  they informed me that they only accepted cash. I was $7. 00  (3)  , which meant I had to carry the books back home. It would be an exhausting two-hour  (4)  back home with all those books.

There was an elderly gentleman nearby.   (5)  my predicament (困境) , he asked me how much cash I needed. When I told him I needed $7, he quickly took out the money. “You don’t have to pay me back,” he said. I was  (6)  ; I didn’t know whether to take the money or come back with the books the next day. A young student who was working there noticed my  (7)  . “He is really nice,” said the student, “I was starving this morning and he bought  (8)  for me. He always helps people in different ways.”   (9)  thinking for a while, I took the money and  (10)  my locker.

The next day, I went to him and thanked him for  (11)  me and lending me the money. He said he forgot about it and did not  (12)  that I would give it back. “I am very happy,” he said, “not because I am getting my money back,   (13)  because this is the right way to go whatever you get   (14)  this world, give it back as much as you can. Spread kindness around the world  (15)  the smallest things you can do.”

Later, I found out that he was not involved with any charity   (16)  . He has been performing these types of  (17)  for years. I desperately needed the locker that day but after meeting this man, I was much more  (18)  for meeting him than getting my locker. He taught me a very important  (19)  in life—we come to this world with nothing and we will leave with nothing. Whatever we own, it   (20)  someone else and whatever we leave, it will become somebody else’s.

A       

 Kindness is not always a straight line. I was traveling in a city of Central America with a friend, and we were   (1)   a post office. We were standing on a street corner and did not know what the Spanish word for “post office” was. Some   (2)   guy could see we were   (3)   and came up to us. We tried to   (4)   what we were looking for, and he said, “Oh, yes, yes,” and   (5)    us, with our backpacks on in the middle of the heat of the day, down all these little crooked (弯曲的) streets. It seemed like we walked for miles.   (6)   , he pointed us toward a   (7)  without any name on it. But when we   (8)   , it turned out not to be the post office.

     When we came out and were   (9)   standing around looking    (10)   , someone else soon came up. She asked if we    (11)    help. Again, we tried to explain   (12)  we were going. The woman said she   (13)   where the post office was. We headed off as she   (14)    us to another building which also had no   (15)   and which also turned out not to be the post office.

      At this point we decided that   (16)    we didn’t know where we were, we were not going to listen to anybody else. But then another person came up and said, “I can   (17)  you.” We said “No, thank you,”  (18)  he was very insistent (坚持的). He actually grabbed me by the hand and dragged (拉着) me through the streets. Circling around, we came back to the first    (19)    we had been standing on when we began. The   (20)   pointed across the street, and there was the post office.