My father was a self-taught mandolin player. He was one of the best string ___56____ players in our town. He could not ___57___ music, but if he heard a tune a few times, he could play it.
Dad loved to play the mandolin for his ___ 58___ for he knew we enjoyed singing, and hearing him play. He was always there, ___59 ___ his time and efforts to see that his family had enough in their life. I had to grow into a man and have children of my own ____60____I realized how much he had sacrificed.
I joined the United States Air _ 61_ in January of 1962. Whenever I would come home ___ 62___ , I would ask Dad to play the mandolin. He could ___ 63__ _your soul with the tones that came out of that old mandolin. He seemed to shine when he was playing. You could see his _64 ___ in his ability to play so well for his family.
In 1950, our family moved to Maryland. While working at Todd Steel, he was _ 65___ in an accident. On that particular day, Dad got the third index finger of his left hand ______66__ by the machine. He didn't lose enough of the finger __67__ it would stop him picking up anything, but it did _ 68_ his ability to play the mandolin. After the accident, When I came home and asked him to play, Dad would make ___69___ for why he couldn't play. For the family it didn't make any __70_ ___ that Dad couldn't play as well.
In August of 1993, my father was discovered with lung cancer. He chose not to receive treatments so that he could live out the rest of his life _71 ___ dignity. About a week before his death, we asked Dad if he would play the mandolin for us. He made excuses but said "okay". He knew it would probably be the _ _72__ time he would play for us. He tuned up the old mandolin and played a few _73 __ . When I looked around, there was not a _ 74_ eye in the family. We saw before us a quiet man with an inner strength. Dad would never play the mandolin for us again. Dad was doing something he had done all his life, _ _75_____. As sick as he was, he was still pleasing others. Dad sure could play that Mandolin!
56. A. equipment B. instrument C. musical D. musician
57. A. read B. see C. look at D. copy
58. A. audience B. employer C. family D. friends
59. A. employing B. devoting C. spending D. wasting
60. A. since B. when C. after D. before
61. A. Power B. Energy C. Force D. Strength
62. A. on duty B. on holiday C. on vacation D. on leave
63. A. feel B. touch C. contact D. keep
64. A. proud B. pride C. please D. praise
65. A. involved B. participated C. took part D. joined
66. A. cut in B. cut up C. cut off D. cut out
67. A. which B. that C. what D. where
68. A. destroy B. affect C. effect D. injure
69. A. uses B. preparations C. excuses D. impressions
70. A. difference B. sense C. comment D. decision
71. A. at B. on C. off D. in
72. A. first B. latest C. last D. longest
73. A. notes B. bills C. symbols D. signs
74. A. wet B. dry C. cried D. crying
75. A. sponsoring B. taking C. distributing D. giving