When Joe was about to start school, all signs pointed to success. Yet
things turned out to be quite__1__。 The fourth grade even found him at the___2__
of the class. Joe struggled day and night,but it did not__3__-until one stormy
afternoon.
On that afternoon,__4__the math teacher started to introduce difficult
concepts,dark clouds covered the sky, and the storm set in. Hard though she
tried to make the kids __5__, the thunder won the battle for their attention. No
one___6__the concepts. Except for Joe. He understood them and answered all the
questions correctly. The teacher patted him on the back, and told him to go
around to the others and explain how he had managed it.___7__by his newfound
success, Joe moved quickly throughout the room. Soon math time was followed by
the time for__8__。 All children naturally drew__9__pictures on such a day.
Except for Joe.
Since then,Joe started__10__。 Though he never made it to the top,his math
teacher was always__11__ and curious about the change: Why had that stormy day
changed Joe?
On the day Joe graduated, he presented the teacher with his most __12__
possession-the picture of a bright yellow sun. On the picture Joe had written:
This is the day I __13__ my brightness.
1. A. unfair B. boring
C. disappointing D. dangerous
2. A. center B. top
C. beginning D. bottom
3. A. happen B. work
C. finish D. last
4. A. until B. since
C. because D. as
5. A. concentrate B. change
C. hide D. sit
6. A. challenged B. grasped
C. doubted D. admitted
7. A. Relieved B. Surprised
C. Encouraged D. Puzzled
8. A. class B. sports
C. art D. tea
9. A. great B. dark
C. different D. strange
10. A. improving B. painting
C. recovering D. studying
11. A. worried B. Amazed C. friendly D. cautious
12. A. familiar B. Expensive C. admirable D. precious
13. A. woke up to B. put up withC. got on with D. looked down upon