It was a bitter, cold evening in northern Virginia many years ago.The old man’s beard was glazed by winter’s frost while he waited. He was waiting for a       across the river. The wait seemed so      that his body became numb and stiff. He watched        as several horsemen rounded the bend.
He let the first one        without an effort to get his attention. Then another, and another. Finally, as the last rider neared the spot where the old man sat like a snow statue, the old man caught the rider’s        and said, “Sir, would you mind giving an old man a ride to the other side?”
Stopping his horse, the rider       , “Sure.” Seeing the old man was       to lift his half-frozen body from the ground, the horseman got down and helped the old man onto the horse.
The horseman took the old man not just across the river, but to his destination. As they neared the tiny but cozy cottage, the horseman’s         caused him to ask,“Sir, I noticed that you let several other riders go by without making a(n)
to get a ride. Then I came up and you          asked me for a ride. I’m curious why, on such a bitter winter night, you would wait and ask the last rider.
I had refused and left you there?”
The old man        himself slowly down from the horse, looked at the rider straight in the eyes and replied, “I’ve been      here for some time. I think I know people pretty good.” He continued, “I looked into the eyes of the other riders and immediately saw there was no       for my situation. It would have been      even to ask them for a ride. But when in your eyes, kindness and compassion were       . I knew,       , that your gentle spirit would welcome the opportunity to give me help in my time of need.”
Those heart-warming       touched the horseman deeply.“I’m most grateful for what you have said,” he told the old man. “May I never get      busy in my own affairs that I fail to       the needs of others with kindness and compassion.”With that, Thomas Jefferson turned his horse around and made his way back to the White House.

A．drive B．horse C．ride D．bridge

A．urgent B．freezing C．careless D．endless

A．quickly B．anxiously C．luckily D．eventually

A．come over B．get off C．pass by D．take off

A．hand B．horse C．eye D．leg

A．rejected B．hesitated C．replied D．continued

A．afraid B．eager C．unable D．sorry

A．honesty B．courage C．enthusiasm D．curiosity

A．choice B．stop C．effort D．contribution

A．immediately B．hurriedly C．friendly D．strongly

A．What about B．What if C．How come D．If only

A．lowered B．dropped C．located D．climbed

A．in B．out C．around D．beyond

A．concern B．bitterness C．chance D．interest

A．confused B．helpful C．meaningful D．pointless

A．representative B．evident C．reliable D．important

A．then and there B．for a moment C．all of a sudden D．sooner or later

A．thoughts B．complaints C．movements D．comments

A．too B．so C．very D．not

A．aim at B．respond to C．bring up D．ask for