In 1970, at the age of 35, my father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. There was not much 36 done at that time and my father had to 37 the medication and treatment that were available at that time. But one thing was 38 , my father was not a quitter. He was a teacher who 39 children with special educational needs in Chicago Public High School. Every day we would hear 40 about “his kids”. These “kids” did not usually 41 my sister and I.
One day, my father arrived at his school and walked up the 42 for his first period. He was having a very 43 day because the disease was really taking everything out of him. He 44 once and bruised (擦伤) his knee but he still kept going. 45 did he know that someone was watching.
As the day 46 his steps began to get a little lighter. At the end of the day, he was about to leave 47 a young girl entered his office. He had met her in the hallway but she was not one of his 48 . He asked what he could do for her and she said, “I just wanted to thank you for 49 my life.”
He looked at her and couldn’t 50 what he had done. She then went on 51 . “When I got up this morning, I felt as if I was at the end of my 52 and ready to kill myself. But when I saw you trying to go up the stairs and then you fell, I felt 53 and the feeling of sadness just kept getting 54 . And now you are walking as 55 as ever. It’s really true that everything will get better as the days go on.”
36. A. information B. research C. knowledge D. experience
37. A. give up B. send out C. take in D. rely on
38. A. obvious B. special C. natural D. strange
39. A. abandoned B. followed C. taught D. attended
40. A. stories B. jokes C. songs D. humors
41. A. connect B. change C. mean D. defeat
42. A. mountains B. stairs C. ladders D. streets
43. A. normal B. pleasant C. simple D. difficult
44. A. fell B. stood C. happened D. appeared
45. A. Few B. Little C. Seldom D. Never
46. A. arrived B. progressed C. broke D. stopped
47. A. until B. before C. when D. while
48. A. students B. friends C. teachers D. workers
49. A. losing B. giving C. passing D. saving
50. A. write down B. figure out C. cut off D. put up
51. A .responding B. admitting C. explaining D. complaining
52. A. rope B. wall C. road D. work
53. A. sorry B. bad C. lucky D. proud
54. A. clever B. weaker C. higher D. stronger
55. A. carefully B. quickly C. lightly D. slowing