3. 【2011·江苏南通市第二次模拟】 完形填空

My husband Jeff and I moved into our new home in Scottsbluff last year just before Christmas. I did not have the   36   or energy to carry out my traditional Christmas decorating and baking activities. What was the point, anyway? It was going to be a   37   Christmas after all.    38  , the neighborly nature of west Nebraska residents started to trickle (陆续来临) in. 

There was a   39   on the door one evening. It was Jeff’s new colleague, John Smith, and his wife, Phyllis. The Smiths had stopped by to   40   us to town with a loaf of homemade bread. They pointed out a   41   on the porch (门廊). Apparently the doorbell wasn’t working in the cold snowy weather and we had   42   a visit from the Browns, our across-the-street neighbors, who brought us a Christmas card and more Christmas cookies. 

The   43   feelings brought by these thoughtful gestures lasted longer than the food.

As Jeff and I were clearing pre-Christmas   44   from our driveway, Ernie Guzman came over from next door to   45   us to dig out. 

Then, we received an invitation to   46   a Christmas Eve meal with our neighbors, Ernie and Nancy Sommer, and their   47  —a 90-year-old lady, who also had no family in the immediate area with whom to spend the holiday. 

Our Christmas Eve was quite merry, thanks to our   48  . Our Christmas morning   49   was special, thanks to the Smiths’ gift of bread. I was so   50   for these gestures of welcome, especially during the holidays.

This year, we were again unable to be with our families for Christmas. The   51   and work schedules just made things too difficult.   52   that sense of Christmas isolation (孤立) all too well, we decided to try to round up some other folks who were   53   in the holidays. 

Lonely people are all around us, but most of us   54   notice them. Just take a look around you. Sometimes, the smallest   55   gesture can make a world of difference.

36. A. chance    B. time      C. anxiety     D. ability

37. A. merry    B. free    C. lonely     D. usual

38. A. Therefore   B. Meanwhile   C. Somehow    D. However

39. A. card     B. sign    C. knock    D. note

40. A. welcome   B. invite    C. drive    D. send

41. A. tree     B. package     C. mail       D. flower  

42. A. forgot    B. arranged   C. received    D. missed

43. A. deep      B. true      C. warm     D. mixed  

44. A. snow      B. rubbish      C. dust       D. leaves

45. A. teach      B. help      C. urge      D. forbid 

46. A. share      B. prepare    C. taste      D. exchange

47. A. aunt       B. guest      C. maid    D. partner

48. A. folks       B. relatives     C. colleagues      D. neighbors

49. A. call     B. greeting     C. breakfast     D. meeting

50. A. sorry      B. eager      C. ready     D. grateful  

51. A. distance     B. expense     C. season      D. situation   

52. A. Studying    B. Showing     C. Knowing     D. Discovering

53. A. alone      B. busy         C. happy     D. active

54. A. always      B. seldom    C. finally         D. usually 

55. A. careful      B. patient      C. vague      D. kind

36—40 BCDCA 41—45 BDCAB 46—50 ABDCD 51—55 ACABD