Over the years, thanks to my life’s obstacles(障碍), I understood the meaning of faith and the strong will to survive. It was Hurricane Ike that made me fully 21 the beauty of our strength and a human’s motivation to 22 .
Mom had a two-week 23 in summer. While we enjoyed our holiday in Southeast Texas, we didn’t realize the fact that Ike 24 cause months and likely years of “labor”. By September 7th, the “eyes of Texas” were watching Hurricane Ike more 25 , making the typical mad rush for last-minute hurricane 26 . Two days later, both oil and ice were in 27 demand.
In the early hours of September 11th, some neighbors were planning to 28 the storm in their homes, 29 others were making final preparations to get away. At first, we decided to stay. But that afternoon, the Houston-Galveston area would be on the more 30 side of the storm. Mom and I packed some of our most 31 belongings in the car and 32 the East Texas town of Lufkin.
As Ike pushed farther inland, we 33 power in Lufkin. On Sunday, our next-door neighbor told us via cell phone that our 34 had remained well. Our hopes could not have been 35 . But a few hours later, the neighbors reported that our brick chimney had 36 , and it was sitting on our living room, 37 a hole in the roof between two skylights (天窗).
We wouldn’t be allowed to return home 38 September 17th. I climbed upstairs, and looked toward the hole in the roof which showed a beautiful blue sky.
Without hesitation, I shouted, “Wow! A third skylight!”
My neighbors could not believe I was making jokes 39 crying, but 40 is always good medicine. It was with that joke that I knew, given time, everything would be okay.
21. A. observe B. appreciate C. explore D. improve
22. A. work B. apologize C. recover D. change
23. A. vacation B. journey C. meeting D. schedule
24. A. must B. might C. should D. would
25. A. closely B. constantly C. warningly D. differently
26. A. adventure B. equipment C. supplies D. reports
27. A. basic B. high C. pure D. neat
28. A. get through B. put away C. test out D. suffer from
29. A. since B. when C. until D. while
30. A. dangerous B. abundant C. peaceful D. awesome
31. A. available B. concrete C. precious D. potential
32. A. set out B. headed for C. settled down D. watched out
33. A. provided B. reduced C. produced D. lost
34. A. garden B. house C. pool D. yard
35. A. clearer B. wilder C. lower D. higher
36. A. passed B. stood C. gone D. followed
37. A. leaving B. digging C. filling D. kicking
38. A. by B. before C. until D. after
39. A. in spite of B. instead of C. apart from D. in terms of
40. A. faith B. will C. strength D. laughter