I used to hate myself because I wasn’t “normal”. Everyone else could play on the monkey bars and ride on a bicycle, but not 16 . I had a severe spinal cord disorder (脊髓病) and I knew I would always be much 17 than others.
I hated going to school and I hated people 18 at me. I hated seeing others smiling broadly and standing 19 and tall. And most of all, I hated looking in the 20 and seeing an ugly hunchback (驼背).
My friends found me 21 because I didn’t let others get close to me. I thought I was going to go on like this for the rest of my life 22 Angela appeared.
That afternoon, I was sitting by myself in a corner of the school — a spot where no one would 23 me. That’s when I first heard her voice.
“Hi. Can I sit down?”
I raised my head and there she was, with an irresistible smile on her round face.
“What are you looking at?” she asked.
“Ants.”
“What are they doing?”
“No 24 .”
“I bet they’re playing games and making friends. Don’t you think so?”
That was how our 25 started and it didn’t stop. We talked about everything under the sun — the ants, the clouds, my little niche (处境) — until it was sunset.
Then suddenly, she saw my 26 . She just stared.
My heart 27 . What I feared most had happened and I knew for sure she would
28 me now.
She stood up, pointed at my back and said, “I know 29 your back is hunched.”
I closed my eyes like a criminal (罪犯) waiting to be 30 . I begged in my heart for her to
31 , but she just kept on going. “I know what you’ve got in there. Do you?”
“No,” I answered 32 .
She bent and whispered in my ears.
“Your back is hunched because you’ve got a pair of wings from the angels.”
I was 33 . I looked into her eyes and her 34 touched my heart. From that day on, I started to learn to 35 myself because I have the wings of an angel and a kind-hearted friend.
16. A. them B. it C. me D. her
17. A. sadder B. shorter C. weaker D. slower
18. A. looking B. smiling C. aiming D. glaring
19. A. still B. alone C. straight D. together
20. A. street B. sun C. corner D. mirror
21. A. distant B. stubborn C. hopeless D. unfortunate
22. A. after B. before C. since D. until
23. A. disturb B. seek C. interrupt D. ignore
24. A. wonder B. idea C. sign D. action
25. A. connection B. competition C. conversation D. comprehension
26. A. face B. back C. eyes D. shoulders
27. A. sank B. beat C. broke D. ached
28. A. care for B. rely on C. look down upon D. put up with
29. A. that B. how C. whether D. why
30. A. blamed B. arrested C. punished D. sentenced
31. A. relax B. leave C. stop D. pause
32. A. shyly B. weakly C. proudly D. firmly
33. A. astonished B. ashamed C. annoyed D. amused
34. A. wisdom B. generosity C. honesty D. kindness
35. A. control B. like C. comfort D. enjoy