As Christmas is coming, there are presents to be bought, cards to be sent, and rooms to be cleaned. Parents are 41 with difficult jobs of hiding presents from curious young children. If the gifts are large, this is sometimes a real 42 . On Christmas Eve, young children find the excitement almost unbearable. They are torn between the wish to go to bed early so that Father Christmas will bring their presents quickly and the wish to 43 up late so that they will not 44 the fun. The wish for gifts usually proves stronger. But though children go to bed early, they often lie 45 for a long time, hoping to get a short 46 at Father Christmas.
Last Christmas, my wife and I 47 hid a few large presents in the storeroom. I 48 the moment when my son, Jimmy, would 49 me where that new bike had come from, but 50 he did not see it.
On Christmas Eve, 51 took the children hours to go to sleep. It must have been nearly 52 when my wife and I went quietly into their room and began 53 stockings. Then I pushed in the 54 I bought for Jimmy and left it beside the Christmas tree. We knew we would not get much sleep that night, for the children were 55 to get up early. At about five o’clock the next morning, we were 56 by loud sounds coming from the children’s room — they were shouting excitedly! 57 I had time to get out of bed, young Jimmy came riding into the room on his new bike, and his sister, Mary, followed close behind pushing her new baby carriage. 58 the baby arrived. He moved 59 the hands and knees into the room dragging a large balloon behind him. Suddenly it burst. That woke us up 60 . The day had really begun with a band(巨响) !
41. A. faced B. met C. filled D. pleased
42. A. question B. matter C. problem D. business
43. A. get B. stay C. stand D. wake
44. A. lose B. break C. miss D. leave
45. A. awake B. wake C. asleep D. sleep
46. A. glance B. stare C. glare D. watch
47. A. hopefully B. absolutely C. delightedly D. successfully
48. A. liked B. feared C. surprised D. hated
49. A. answer B. doubt C. ask D. search
50. A. absolutely B. unluckily C. possibly D. fortunately
51. A. it B. they C. I D. we
52. A. morning B. midnight C. evening D. daybreak
53. A. filling B. sewing C. mending D. preparing
54. A. present B. stocking C. bike D. tree
55. A. going B. sure C. glad D. excited
56. A. troubled B. frightened C. woken D. shocked
57. A. Before B. After C. Until D. Since
58. A. Even B. And C. Soon D. Then
59. A. with B. on C. over D. by
60. A. all B. nearly C. happily D. completely