阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
Mary was seven years old. Her parents recently moved to a new town, and so Mary was going to a 36 school, which was a few kilometers from the house they lived in now. A school bus going around picked up 37 every morning and brought them back to their 38 every afternoon, and as both of Mary’s parents 39 to go to work, she always went on this bus.
Mary’s parents always 40 their alarm clock for seven o’clock so that none of them would be 41 . But one morning the alarm 42 to go off, and it was not until a quarter past eight that Mary’s mother suddenly 43 , looked at the clock and said, “What’s ever happened to that clock?” and then 44 into Mary’s room to wake her up.
“I’m sorry, dear,” she said, “ 45 you’ll have to wash and dress very quickly, have an even 46 breakfast and then I’ll 47 you to school on my way to the office.”
“But how can you find the 48, Mum?” Mary said, “You’ve been to school only once.”
“Yes,” her mother answered, “but you’ve done the 49 several times now on the bus, so you can be my guide to get there, can’t you?”
“Oh, yes,” said Mary, “I suppose so.” She washed, and 50 and had a quick breakfast, and then they set off. Mary told her mother to turn each time they came to a place she 51 .In this way she made her mother drive round most of the town 52 they got to her school. When they arrived, her mother saw that it was not really very far from her house.
“Why ever did you make me go such a long way round, Mary, instead of the most 53 way?” her mother asked her.
“Well, Mum,” answered Mary, “it was because I didn’t know 54 else to get here. That’s the way our bus always goes to 55 the other children to school.
36. A. big B. nice C. different D. distant
37. A. pupils B. teachers C. parents D. passengers
38. A. offices B. towns C. classrooms D. homes
39. A. seemed B. had C. refused D. used
40. A. found B. set C. cleaned D. fixed
41. A. late B. ready C. lazy D. asleep
42. A. started B. stopped C. failed D. continued
43. A. stood up B. stayed up C. put up D. woke up
44. A. rushed B. stepped C. escaped D. jumped
45. A. but B. and C. so D. then
46. A. later B. quicker C. easier D. heavier
47. A. bring B. fetch C. leave D. drive
48. A. truth B. bus C. way D. guide
49. A. homework B. shopping C. trip D. reading
50. A. rose B. dressed C. moved D. showed
51. A. wondered B. realized C. recognized D. designed
52. A. unless B. after C. if D. before
53. A. comfortable B. helpful C. important D. direct
54. A. how B. when C. what D. which
55. A. look for B. pick up C. drop by D. deal with