For me, two of the loveliest words in English are “Life persists”．
I __1__ them years ago as a college student, sitting in the library, __2__， working on a paper. Out of nowhere, those words came __3__ off the page in a quote：“In the midst of death life persists, in the midst of __4__ truth persists, in the midst of darkness light persists.”
Suddenly I wasn't unhappy and impatient any more. Then I __5__ my granddad. I loved to talk with him. And I was __6__ to hear what he'd think of it. He had poor hearing, so I had to __7__ it a few times, but once he __8__ it, he laughed. “All I can say to that is totally __9__，” he said on the phone. I told him how glad I was, after a long winter, to finally see spring and __10__ to find that quote. “Why is that？” he asked. “Well, spring is a sure _11__ that life persists. And it just makes me __12__.”
He laughed again, and then in his _13__ voice, he recited for me his __14__ “spring time” words：“The desert shall rejoice(高兴), and __15__ as the rose does...Even with joy and singing.”
Many years later, __16__ my husband and I drove across a desert with many wildflowers and blooming cactuses(仙人掌), I could __17__ hear my granddad laughing：“The desert shall rejoice.”
Life persists, and so do we, in the silence of __18__ and the blooming of cactuses; and in the dead of __19__ and the green of spring. Spring __20__ us that we're alive forever.
1．A. looked for B．made up C．picked out D．came across
2．A. worried B．bored C．tired D．confused
3．A. running B．moving C．dancing D．rushing
4．A. lie B．doubt C．terror D．fear
5．A. consulted B．visited C．called D．informed
6．A. desperate B．confident C．upset D．patient
7．A. copy B．recite C．print D．repeat
8．A. undertook B．got C．made D．managed
9．A. agreement B．skepticism C．puzzlement D．disapproval
10．A. practically B．obviously C．especially D．naturally
11．A. way B．sign C．mark D．inspiration
12．A. merry B．energetic C．nervous D．alive
13．A. cold B．calm C．lovely D．high
14．A. impressive B．superb C．classical D．favorite
15．A. exist B．flower C．survive D．sow
16．A. after B．until C．when D．although
17．A. almost B．always C．hardly D．mostly
18．A. journeys B．words C．world D．desert
19．A. autumn B．spring C．summer D．winter
20．A. convinces B．reminds C．assures D．Strikes
