I got my first bike in 1943.It was an old, secondhand blue bike.Bikes of any kind were very __41__ at that time.A new bike was about as easy to find as a live dinosaur, as __42__ was needed to manufacture arms to __43__ our brave men and women in the fighting overseas.
At ten, I was quite __44__.I convinced my mother I could earn enough money to be a millionaire — if I only had an old secondhand bike.She laughed but __45__ about 80 per cent of the total cost of the bike.I had __46__ a few dollars digging gardens, clearing snow and doing other jobs.
I __47__ Mother I'd pay back the loan (借款)．The day I got my bike was one of the happiest of my life.I could __48__ earning my first million — __49__ groceries (杂货) for Clarks' grocery store and packages for a small store a few blocks away — this was in the Forest Hills section of Edmonton.I made a few dollars and __50__ to start working on my second million, as the first was proving too __51__ to come by.
My mother, another brother, Len, and I were to __52__ Dad in Yellowknife.Leaving my bike was very difficult, but __53__ had to come first.I made very little money __54__ it, not enough to pay Mother back.We __55__ Yellowknife in the fall of 1943.It was quite an experience for a young fellow, or anybody else for that matter.
After we'd been in Yellowknife for a while, I was able to __56__ Mother for the bike loan.I got a job at the recreation centre in the Negus Mine.The __57__ paid great — I had lots of money, but would not __58__ another bike.The __59__ there were made with the tailings (尾矿) from the mine — lots of rough rock.The new __60__ was only on a drawing board at the time.
语篇解读：本文是记叙文。文章讲述了作者向母亲借款买了一辆二手自行车，并打工偿还借款的过程。
41．A．beautiful B．expensive
C．convenient D．comfortable
解析：选B 由下文的“A new bike was about as easy to find as a live dinosaur”可知，自行车很难买到，那价格自然是很贵(expensive)。
42．A．space B．labor
C．time D．metal
解析：选D 制造自行车和武器所需的共同的原材料是金属(metal)。
43．A．raise B．control
C．praise D．assist
解析：选D 制造武器是为了帮助(assist)战场上的军人。
44．A．proud B．careful
C．ambitious D．brave
解析：选C 由下文的“I could earn enough money to be a millionaire”可知，作者十岁时有雄心壮志(ambitious)。
45．A．calculated B．contributed
C．cut D．put
解析：选B 由下文的“I'd pay back the loan”可知，妈妈为作者的自行车贡献了(contributed)80%的费用。
46．A．borrowed B．made
C．hid D．wasted
解析：选B 由“digging gardens, clearing snow and doing other jobs”可知，作者是在打零工赚(made)钱。
47．A．informed B．persuaded
C．promised D．reminded
解析：选C 由下文作者想尽办法还款可知，他向妈妈承诺(promised)一定会还清这笔钱。
48．A．start B．continue
C．suggest D．finish
解析：选A 由上文的“I could earn enough money to be a millionaire — if I only had an old secondhand bike”可知，有了自行车后，作者开始(start)赚取人生的第一个百万。
49．A．storing B．buying
C．delivering D．picking
解析：选C 作者是要打工赚钱，所以递送(delivering)杂货符合语境。
50．A．decided B．agreed
C．demanded D．asked
解析：选A 之前打工赚钱的方式不易，作者决定(decided)重新开始。
51．A．hard B．unfair
C．simple D．casual
解析：选A 作者想要成为百万富翁，仅仅靠递送杂货和包裹肯定很困难(hard)。
52．A．contact B．join
C．help D．miss
解析：选B 作者一家准备搬到Yellowknife与他父亲团聚(join)。
53．A．distance B．speed
C．practicality D．meaning
解析：选C 由下文讲到的Yellowknife的道路根本不适合骑自行车可知，作者首先考虑的是实用性(practicality)。
54．A．donating B．sharing
C．fixing D．selling
解析：选D 由“I made very little money”可知，作者卖掉了(selling)自行车。
55．A．referred to B．worried about
C．came across D．left for
解析：选D 卖掉自行车，作者一家前往(left for)Yellowknife。
56．A．repay B．thank
C．surprise D．admire
解析：选A 由下文的“I had lots of money”可知，作者偿还了(repay)妈妈的钱。
57．A．miners B．grocers
C．millionaires D．friends
解析：选A 由上文的“the Negus Mine”可知，这里是说来此娱乐消遣的矿工们(miners)出手阔绰。
58．A．return B．buy
C．damage D．give
解析：选B 由下文提到的Yellowknife不适合骑自行车可知，作者有钱了，但不会再买(buy)自行车。
59．A．yards B．valleys
C．roads D．buildings
解析：选C 作者不买自行车是因为道路(roads)不好，新的城镇(town)还停留在画板上。
60．A．matter B．job
C．rock D．town
解析：选D 参见上题解析。
