第三节完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将选项涂黑。
Why did I come today? I wondered. My feet ached almost as much as my head.  My Christmas    21   contained several people that claimed they needed nothing but I knew their feelings would be hurt   22 I bought them something, so gift buying was   23  but fun.
Hurriedly, I finished shopping and   24  the long checkout lines. In front of me were a boy of about five and a younger girl. She carried a beautiful pair of    25  slippers. When we finally  _ 26  the checkout register, the girl   27  placed the shoes on the counter. She treated them as though they were a    28  .
“That will be $ 6.09,” the cashier said. The boy    29  his pockets. He finally came up with $ 3.12. “I guess we will have to put them back,” he bravely said. “We will come back some other time, maybe tomorrow.” With that statement, a soft  30  broke from the little girl. “But    31   would have loved these shoes,” she cried.
“Well, we’ll go home and work some more. Don’t cry. We’ll surely   32  ,” he said. Quickly I handed $ 3.00 to the cashier. These children had waited in line for a long time. And,   33   , it was Christmas. Suddenly a pair of arms came around me and a small voice   34    said, “Thank you, lady.” “What did you  35  when you said Jesus would like the shoes?” I asked. The boy answered, “Our mommy is sick and going to   36  . Daddy said she might go before Christmas to be with Jesus.” The girl spoke, “My Sunday school teacher said the streets in heaven are shiny gold, just like these shoes. Won’t mommy be 37  walking on those streets in these shoes?”
My eyes   38  as I looked into her tear-stained face. “Yes,” I answered, “I am   39   she will.” Silently I thanked God for using these children to   40  me of the true spirit of giving I once was familiar with.
21. A. plan                   B. list                           C. goods                       D. purchases
22. A. unless                 B. because                  C. if                           D. since
23. A. something                  B. nothing                    C. anything                   D. everything
24. A. waited                B. joined                      C. attended                   D. gathered
25. A. cotton                 B. leather                     C. gold                         D. silver
26. A. approached         B. got                          C. checked                    D. found
27. A. immediately        B. hesitantly                C. shyly                       D. carefully
28. A. gift                    B. treasure                    C. life                          D. prize
29. A. opened               B. touched                    C. reached                           D. searched
30. A. tear                           B. sob                          C. smile                       D. sigh
31. A. mommy              B. daddy                      C. we                           D. Jesus
32. A. leave                  B. come                      C. return                             D. arrive
33. A. above all             B. at last                       C. at least                     D. after all
34. A. gratefully            B. sweetly                           C. gracefully                        D. kindly
35. A. request               B. expect                      C. mean                      D. attempt
36. A. hospital              B. tomb                        C. heaven                            D. sky
37. A. equal                  B. comfortable              C. convenient                D. beautiful
38. A. pained                B. wetted                      C. shut                         D. froze
39. A. sure                    B. afraid                       C. glad                         D. confident
40. A. inform                B. warn                        C. cure                         D. remind