I felt gloomy (沮丧的) the other day. The weather had been dark and rainy, and I just didn’t feel so ___16___.
As I was sitting at my desk I ___17___ it was the birthday of a dear long-time friend — a single middle-aged woman who has devoted the past 30 years to nursing and loves her ___18___. Knowing that she doesn’t have family in town I ___19___ to give her a call. Sure enough she was on B-shift, ___20___ to work late into the evening and wouldn’t have much of a birthday this year. As always, ___21___, she sounded cheerful and was happy that I ___22___.
After I hung up I couldn’t ___23___ the feeling that she would really appreciate a little attention on her special day. ___24___ feeling a little gloomy myself, I tried to put it out of my ____25____, but as the day passed I couldn’t shake the thought. I ____26____ gave in, and that evening set off to the hospital with a card, a cheese cake, and some balloons. My friend’s grateful smile and joyful surprise ____27____ me I’d done the right thing and were a generous ____28____ for the little effort it had taken.
When I got home I realized that not only had I cheered up a ____29____ friend on her birthday but my own gloomy feelings had also ____30____. Making her day had made my own!
That’s true ____31____ we take the time and make the effort to do something for someone else. It’s like the little saying “Loving kindness is twice blessed; it blesses him who gives, and him who ____32____.”
Cheering up people on their birthdays isn’t the only thing we can do to make their day. Life constantly presents us with ____33____ to take an extra step or do a kind deed that will make a ____34____ to someone. And the ____35____ thing is that as we do, it changes things for the better for us too.
16. A. special B. positive C. nervous D. proud
17. A. explained B. complained C. remembered D. informed
18. A. family B. study C. life D. work
19. A. decided B. continued C. failed D. refused
20. A. surprised B. disappointed C. bored D. prepared
21. A. though B. besides C. therefore D. otherwise
22. A. admitted B. called C. succeeded D. apologized
23. A. get on with B. put up with C. get rid of D. take hold of
24. A. Almost B. Even C. Never D. Still
25. A. opinion B. image C. mind D. expectation
26. A. luckily B. finally C. unhappily D. hardly
27. A. convinced B. advised C. promised D. reminded
28. A. demand B. desire C. reward D. share
29. A. guilty B. lonely C. weak D. curious
30. A. existed B. deepened C. wasted D. disappeared
31. A. when B. because C. though D. if
32. A. tries B. receives C. loves D. cares
33. A. experiences B. dreams C. choices D. opportunities
34. A. difference B. connection C. discovery D. decision
35. A. normal B. similar C. wonderful D. practical
