第二节 完形填空（共20小题，每小题1.5分，共30分）

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

James’s New Bicycle

James shook his money box again. Nothing! He carefully ___36___ the coins that lay on the bed. $24.52 was all that he had. The bicycle he wanted was at least $90! ___37___ on earth was he going to get the ___38___ of the money?

He knew that his friends all had bicycles. It was ___39___ to hang around with people when you were the only one without wheels. He thought about what he could do. There was no ___40___ asking his parents, for he knew they had no money to ___41___.

There was only one way to get money, and that was to ___42___ it. He would have to find a job. ___43___ who would hire him and what could he do? He decided to ask Mr. Clay for advice, who usually had ___44___ on most things.

“Well, you can start right here,” said Mr. Clay. “My windows need cleaning and my car needs washing.”

That was the ___45___ of James’s odd-job（零工）business. For three months he worked every day after finishing his homework. He was amazed by the ___46___ of jobs that people found for him to do. He took dogs and babies for walks, cleared out cupboards, and mended books. He lost count of the ___47___ of cars he washed and windows he cleaned, but the ___48___ increased and he knew that he would soon have ___49___ for the bicycle he longed for.

The day ___50___ came when James counted his money and found $94.32. He ___51___ no time and went down to the shop to pick up the bicycle he wanted. He rode ___52___ home, looking forward to showing his new bicycle to his friends. It had been hard ___53___ for the money, but James knew that he valued his bicycle far more ___54___ he had bought it with his own money. He had ___55___ what he thought was impossible, and that was worth even more than the bicycle.

36. A. cleaned B. covered C. counted D. checked

37. A. How B. Why C. Who D. What

38. A. amount B. part C. sum D. rest

39. A. brave B. hard C. smart D. unfair

40. A. point B. reason C. result D. right

41. A. split B. spend C. spare D. save

42. A. borrow B. earn C. raise D. collect

43. A. Or B. So C. For D. But

44. A. decisions B. experience C. opinions D. knowledge

45. A. beginning B. introduction C. requirement D. opening

46. A. similarity B. quality C. suitability D. variety

47. A. brand B. number C. size D. type

48. A. effort B. pressure C. money D. trouble

49. A. all B. enough C. much D. some

50. A. finally B. instantly C. normally D. regularly

51. A. gave B. left C. took D. wasted

52. A. patiently B. proudly C. silently D. tiredly

53. A. applying B. asking C. looking D. working

54. A. since B. if C. than D. though

55. A. deserved B. benefited C. achieved D. learned