“I can’t believe it．These blooms have lasted so long this year,” my wife said．
“I hadn’t really thought about it, but you are right．As much as I love lilacs （丁香）, they come and go so 1 ,” I said．
It has been incredibly 2 this year here in my back-yard．Our lilac tree has 3 the most blooms I have ever seen．The scent （香味） is so wonderful that I spend a lot of time just standing on our small deck 4 it all in．
Many of the 5 are hollow and almost broken, leaving me to believe it has 6_ many springs．A few winters ago one of the biggest branches crashed to the ground under the 7 of melting snow．It 8 my heart．I guess I wasn’t 9 much from the old thing this year．But it is magnificent!
Since we have been 10 so much rain lately the flowers have become heavier．The 11_ tall branches seem to be under a lot of pressure．I can relate to that．There are big gaps because the branches are 12 ．
13 , today I noticed the first bunch of flowers turning brown．It won’t be long 14 _ they are all gone．But here’s what I’ve learned from it．
Some people are like fragrant flowers．They come into our lives ever so 15 and leave behind a scent that stays in our being．They 16 your day by just having had contact with them even if for a moment．You cannot possibly 17 a day without thinking about them．Their beautiful 18 gently touches your heart each time you hear their name．In the coldest, darkest days of the winter of my life, the 19 of them will get me through it all and bring a smile to my face and I will have “spring forever in my 20 ．”
1．A．slowly B．steadily C．gently D．fast
2．A．confusing B．exciting C．disappointing D．annoying
3．A．supplied B．raised C．produced D．presented
4．A．taking B．breathing C．bringing D．getting
5．A．branches B．leaves C．flowers D．fruits
6．A．seen B．won C．found D．missed
7．A．threat B．attack C．weight D．control
8．A．hurt B．broke C．struck D．cured
9．A．expecting B．learning C．judging D．borrowing
10．A．predicting B．lacking C．desiring D．experiencing
11．A．still B．even C．once D．just
12．A．lighter B．softer C．stronger D．lower
13．A．Sadly B．Luckily C．Hopefully D．Jokingly
14．A．when B．before C．after D．since
15．A．casually B．slowly C．secretly D．briefly
16．A．brighten B．waste C．ruin D．end
17．A．put off B．take up C．go through D．use up
18．A．expression B．appearance C．figure D．spirit
19．A．memory B．understanding C．sympathy D．tolerance
20．A．experience B．theory C．heart D．conscience