Although I love my life, it hasn’t been a lot of fun as I’ve been ill for 28 years.
Music has always been a great love of mine and, in my 20s, when my 36 was more manageable , I 37 ten years as a professional singer in restaurants, playing and singing folk songs. 38 that was years ago and times have changed. 39 I live with mother on a country farm.
Two years ago, I decided that I would need to have some kind of extra work to 40 my disability pension (残疾抚恤金). 41 I needed to sleep in the afternoons, I was limited in my 42 . I decided that I would consider 43 to singing in restaurants.
My family are all musicians, so I was 44 when I went into our local music store. I explained that I wanted to sing again but using recorded karaoke music. I knew that discs were very expensive and I really didn’t have a lot of 45 to get started. And 46 you find only three to four songs out of ten on a disc that you can 47 use.
When I told the owner of the shop about my 48 ; he gave me a long thoughtful 49 . “This means a lot to you, doesn’t it?” he said. “Come with me.”
He led me 50 the crowded shop and to a bench with a large professional karaoke box on it. He placed his large hand 51 on his treasure and said, “I have 800 karaoke songs in here. You can take your 52 and I’ll record them for you. That should get you started.”
I 53 . Thanking him, I made a time with him to listen to all the songs and choose 54 that I could sing. I have come full circle with his help.
His 55 still warms my heart and makes me do just that bit extra, when I have the chance.
36. A. loneliness B. sadness C. tiredness D. sickness
37. A. set B. enjoyed C. kept D. shared
38. A. Gladly B. Eventually C. Unfortunately D. Surprisingly
39. A. Now B. Then C. Sometime D. Meanwhile
40. A. add up to B. make up for C. get rid of D. take advantage of
41. A. If B. As C. Though D. Before
42. A. movement B. condition C. choices D. positions
43. A. reaching out B. living up C. getting on D. going back
44. A. recognized B. interviewed C. found D. invited
45. A. money B. time C. energy D. knowledge
46. A. thus B. once C. seldom D. often
47. A. actually B. hardly C. nearly D. formerly
48. A. job B. family C. idea D. offer
49. A. face B. view C. look D. sight
50. A. over B. along C. towards D. through
51. A. unhappily B. lovingly C. pitifully D. gratefully
52. A. pick B. turn C. role D. step
53. A. had to cry B. ought to cry C. should have cried D. could have cried
54. A. more B. the ones C. few D. the rest
55. A. courage B. devotion C. kindness D. trust