Ⅱ. 阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，从第21 — 40各题所给的四个选项（A 、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卷上将该项涂黑。
I stood there listening to dad’s severe words. He gathered us into our yard and had the look on his face that told us one of us did something   21  .
We stared down at the floor containing the art of a child’s   22   in chalk. I suppose that was a no-no for us, though I can’t say I quite   23   the result when I was committing the crime. All the others denied (否认). I stood there,   24   inside. The only words that came from my mouth were, “ Not me, dad. ” I couldn’t find the   25   to tell the truth. Lying was not   26   for me. But the look on dad's face scared me.
Without saying a word, dad   27   for only a few minutes and came back with paper and a pencil. He was so   28   to find the truth! “ I want each of you to write   29   what you see on the floor. ” I was not a   30   kid, though and when my turn came, I wrote the words   31  . So when my dad compared the handwriting, he still   32   tell the truth.
“ I will give you one more chance to confess (承认) ”, he said. Not   33  , no one spoke up.
Should I say something? I guess he’ll be   34  ! So again, I held my   35  . “ Well, if someone came forward, there would be   36   punishment.” he added. Oh, no! I’ve lost my last chance!
He took us into the house. “  37   none of you confessed, then you all get a spanking (打屁股).” 
“ I did it, ” someone said. I looked around to see my sister come   38  . My sister was going to get spanked. And I let it   39  .
I didn’t tell the truth until years later. When I think back to that day, I know I learned the   40 
of family, of a sister who would do anything for me. And I would do the same for her now.
21. A. special          B. funny          C. wrong          D. useless
22. A. handwriting           B. map            C. calculation        D. drawing
23. A. understood      B. remembered      C. accepted        D. expected
24. A. cheering        B. imagining      C. trembling         D. wondering
25. A. courage              B. time            C. way            D. chance
26. A. unusual        B. unfit             C. normal                D. difficult
27. A. walked           B. disappeared     C. hid                   D. escaped
28. A. afraid           B. determined     C. surprised        D. proud
29. A. similarly       B. carefully       C. particularly      D. exactly
30. A. smart           B. stupid          C. naughty               D. lovely
31. A. differently            B. strangely        C. quickly          D. quietly
32. A. would not       B. might not            C. could not              D. need not
33. A. excitingly      B. disappointingly         C. interestingly      D. surprisingly
34. A. mad           B. curious        C. delighted              D. amused
35. A. breath         B. face           C. hand           D. tongue
36. A. heavy         B. much          C. new              D. no
37. A. Since          B. Although       C. Unless          D. While
38. A. out            B. forward         C. in                    D. round
39. A. remain         B. exist           C. happen          D. do
40. A. knowledge     B. use             C. sense            D. value