My sister and I have been a headache for my mother, because my father was in the army, he was not around too often. __21__, my mother brought us up almost single-handedly and it must have __22__ real strength of mind to bring up such naughty and stubborn children who got out from one trouble only to get into another.
Bonus and I weren’t scholars either. __23__, we hated studying from the very beginning. We were __24__ to spend time with our schoolbooks---out of the fear of Mum’s scolding. I almost did not make it to 10th grade. That entire summer Mum __25__ that I read my schoolbooks from the very first chapter till the last.
I left __26__ college at 18. In my second year of college, while I was studying for my final exams, I got a phone call from Mum __27__ my sister had failed her 9th grade exams. Mum was heartbroken. My mother was an English teacher in a famous school in the city and it was a(n) __28__ for her.
Then started another __29__ for my Mum. There always seemed to be people who would come and talk about how well their children were doing __30__ my mother would be having a tough time making sure we stayed on the right path. Mum was __31__ that we would do well for ourselves. She never let my sister and me __32__ that we had lost out on something and always told us: “Let this be a lesson. We are going to work really really hard...__33__ will change.”
Things did change, but very slowly and __34__, one little step at a time. Last year I finished with law school and started working. My mother’s belief in me __35__. And just a few days ago I got a phone from Bonus. She had __36__ the exam with honors and was __37__ to the best university in the country. I was in tears. Later that night I __38__ Mum: “Mum, your two little failures didn’t do as badly as everybody thought.” Mum __39__ and said: “You are my daughters and I knew you the best. I always knew that you would succeed. It was just a __40__ of time.”

A．However B．Thus C．Otherwise D．Besides

A．devoted B．spent C．taken D．wasted

A．In that case B．In this way C．On the other hand D．On the contrary

A．pleased B．annoyed C．forced D．advised

A．demanded B．concluded C．promised D．mentioned

A．at B．for C．from D．after

A．announcing B．reading C．knowing D．saying

A．shame B．challenge C．pride D．honor

A．experiment B．research C．conflict D．trial

A．though B．while C．as D．unless

A．determined B．astonished C．satisfied D．concerned

A．predict B．imagine C．guess D．feel

A．Environment B．Society C．Circumstances D．Impressions

A．quickly B．extremely C．smoothly D．gradually

A．made up B．paid off C．took on D．burst out

A．attended B．received C．passed D．failed

A．accepted B．allowed C．admitted D．permitted

A．questioned B．convinced C．persuaded D．called

A．nodded B．laughed C．shouted D．joked

A．matter B．period C．waste D．length