Last Monday, at the beginning of class, I 31 asked my students how their weekend had been. One young man said that his weekend had not been so 32 . He had his wisdom teeth removed. Then the young man asked me why I 33 seemed to be so cheerful.
His question reminded me of something I’d read somewhere before: “Every morning when you get up, you have a choice about 34 you want to approach life that day,” I said. “I choose to be cheerful.”
“Let me give you an example. 35 teaching here, I also teach out at the community college in Henderson, 17 miles down the freeway from where I live. One day, I drove those 17 miles to Henderson. I 36 the freeway and turned onto College Drive, only another quarter mile ahead to the college. But just then my car died. I tried to start it again, but the engine 37 turn over. So I put my flashers on, grabbed my books, and marched down the road to the college.”
“ 38 getting there I called AAA and arranged for a tow truck to meet me at my car after class. The secretary asked me what had happened. ‘This is my lucky day,’ I replied, smiling.”
“ ‘Your car breaks down and today is your lucky day?’ She was 39 . ‘What do you mean?’ ’’ “I live 17 miles from here.” I replied. “My car 40 have broken down 41 along the freeway. It didn’t. 42 , it broke down in the perfect place: off the freeway, 43 walking distance of here. I’m still able to teach my class, and I’ve been able to arrange for the tow truck to meet me after class.”
“The secretary’s eyes opened wide, and then she 44 . I smiled back and headed for class.” So ended my story.
I scanned the sixty faces in my class. Despite the early hour, no one seemed to be 45 . Somehow, my story had touched them.
31. A. calmly B. seriously C. cheerfully D. curiously
32. A. bad B. good C. exciting D. scary
33. A. often B. always C. usually D. seldom
34. A. how B. why C. where D. that
35. A. As well as B. As to C. In exchange for D. In addition to
36. A. entered B. left C. found D. hit
37. A. wouldn’t B. shouldn’t C. couldn’t D. won’t
38. A. While B. In C. Before D. After
39. A. surprising B. astonishing C. puzzled D. shaken
40. A. could B. can C. would D. must
41. A. somewhere B. anywhere C. nowhere D. wherever
42. A. However B. Instead C. Though D. So
43. A. between B. in C. within D. beyond
39. A. left B. understood C. paused D. smiled
45. A. clear B. asleep C. tired D. interested