| 完形填空。 | ||||
| "It's my own fault." Carl Fenter pulled his jacket closer against the abnormal bite of cold morning wind. "The rest of the family is home, where it's 1 ." Just another one of his 2 ideas-a big tamale (玉米粉蒸肉) feast after tonight's Christmas Eve service at the church-and look where it landed him: waiting in a line 50 people deep. Who would have guessed that the tamale in every shop in the city would be sold out the day before Christmas? But they 3 , as Carl knew. He had been driving all over El Paso that morning. 4 to bring home tamales, Carl tried one last shop, an old favorite out in Canutillo. When he arrived, a fresh batch (一炉) was 5 off the steamer in 45 minutes. 6 at the end of the snaking line of tamale-seekers, he watched the woman in front of him 7 her jacket to cover her shivering youngster. It wasn't long before she, too, 8 in the biting wind. After only a moment's 9 , Carl took off his own jacket and offered it to the 10 mother. Together, they 11 when the line slowly moved forward at last, and smiling people exited the shop carrying steamy bags. 12 , Carl got inside the door and 13 closer to the counter, the woman now first in line. "Sorry folks," the clerk announced, "that's the last of the tamales." " 14 !" Carl groaned (抱怨) with everyone else 15 behind him. " 16 ," stressed the man at the counter, "we'll have a final batch ready 17 , oh, about two hours." Defeated, Carl backed away,but the young mother grabbed his arm. "You're leaving?" "I 18 ," Carl glanced at his watch. "I promised to put up luminarias (传统圣诞灯) at my church." "I'll get your order of tamales and bring them to your house." Carl's brow furrowed "I couldn't ask you to do that." "But it's 19 I can do. You lent me your coat." Her smile overrode (推翻) his objections. "Just give me your address." She and her little girl settled in for the long wait. And at 20 noon on Christmas Eve,they delivered four dozen fragrant tamales-along with Carl's brown jacket-to his home. | ||||
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