Fifty years ago on a hot July 4th afternoon, an agent showed us a house in the South Farmingdale--North Massapequa area. My husband and I liked the house. The price was __1__ our reach. So we made our decision to buy it.
But there was one issue. It was a corner property (房产). We both agreed there had to be a __2__. So after moving in, my husband put up a fence and I painted it __3__.
There have been many__4__ in our lives since that fence went up. Our four children have grown up and __5__. Most of the old __6__ have been replaced with new ones. __7__ , the fence remains, and at the moment, so do I.
The fence has been __8__ more often than I can remember. Most times a broken board or two was __9__ repaired. During the past ten years, it has been repainted professionally.
But more __10__, the white fence had turned green with mildew (霉菌). The boards were too old to paint. So this spring I had it rebuilt and repainted. Within a week, however, I was__11__ to discover that a part of it was destroyed.
A post (桩) was __12__ and some boards were left lying on the ground. 1 don’t know who or what did this.The fence is __13__ a thing, not a life, but for the first time in the years I had spent on my corner, I felt defeated (被打败). I felt as if possibly there was a(n)__14__: Time to move on, stop trying. Defeat is not usually part of my make-up. This time it was.
As I was taking a photo of the damage for a police report, a young man __15__me from across the street. He __16__ himself as a relatively new neighbor, and offered sympathy (同情) for the__17__. I appreciated meeting him, and also his __18__.
The next evening as I ate my dinner, I heard a __19__ outside. When I walked into the yard, I realized the sounds came from my property. As I walked closer, I saw the neighbor I had just__20__ repairing my fence.
There were still warm-hearted people who loved our community and reached out to a stranger in my time of need.
1. A. below B. beyond C. within D. between
2. A. fence B. garden C. wall D. farm
3. A. red B. yellow C. white D. green
4. A. decisions B. changes C. stories D. chances
5. A. moved out B. come back C. settled down D. turned around
6. A. friends B. classmates C. neighbors D. workmates
7. A. Thus B. Therefore C. Besides D. However
8. A. replaced B. repaired C. removed D. cleaned
9. A. hurriedly B. gradually C. suddenly D. easily
10. A. recently B. importantly C. secretly D. seriously
11. A. worried B. nervous C. shocked D. excited
12. A. fixed B. found C. dropped D. broken
13. A. just B. still C. also D. ever
14. A. order B. message C. note D. reply
15. A. greeted B. passed C. approached D. called
16. A. introduced B. expressed C. regarded D. described
17. A. cause B. mistake C. difficulty D. damage
18. A. promise B. idea C. help D. understanding
19. A. conversation B. noise C. voice D. laugh
20. A. noticed B. met C. caught D. recognized
