A farmer once owned an old mule(骡子). One day, the mule fell into a nearby well, and it began to 21 and made a lot of loud noise. After carefully assessing the 22 , the farmer felt sorry for the mule, and 23 that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving, then he called his 24 together and told them what had happened and 25 them to help shovel (铲) some dirt to bury the old mule in the 26 and put him out of his suffering.
Hearing many people coming to help, the old mule was 27 . But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back, a thought suddenly 28 him. He was 29 that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his 30 , he should shake it off and step up！So he did, blow after blow. He repeated "Shake it off and step up!" to 31 himself. No matter how painful the blows were, the old mule just 32 on shaking it off and stepping up!
As you might have guessed, it was not long 33 the old mule finally stepped over the wall of the well, painful and tired. What would otherwise 34 him actually blessed him because of the manner in which he 35 his adversity (逆境).
36 is also true in life! As long as we face our problems and respond to them 37 , and refuse to give in to panic, suffering, or self-pity, the adversities that come along to bury us 38 have the potential to 39 and bless us! Forgiveness, tolerance, hope and perseverance are 40 in shaking it off and stepping up out of the wells in which we find ourselves.
21．A．sink B．leave C．struggle D．sigh
22．A．location B．ground C．position D．situation
23．A．doubted B．decided C．complained D．responded
24．A．brothers B．relatives C．neighbors D．children
25．A．requested B．required C．demanded D．recommended
26．A．house B．water C．hole D．well
27．A．excited B．amused C．disappointed D．surprised
28．A．came B．happened C．struck D．occurred
29．A．aware B．awake C．afraid D．ashamed
30．A．chest B．stomach C．tail D．back
31．A．enjoy B．express C．encourage D．praise
32．A．held B．kept C．moved D．relied
33．A．when B．before C．until D．since
34．A．save B．protect C．desert D．bury
35．A．solved B．refused C．handled D．experienced
36．A．That B．How C．As D．What
37．A．readily B．positively C．passively D．willingly
38．A．continuously B．seldom C．never D．usually
39．A．affect B．direct C．benefit D．conduct
40．A．cheerful B．hopeful C． harmful D．helpful