第二节：语法结构（共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分）
阅读下面短文，根据上下文填入适当的词语，或使用括号中的词语的适当形式填空，并将答案填在答题卷标号为31~40的相应位置上。
When I was growing up, I do not recall hearing the words “I love you” from my father. When your father never says ___31___ to you when you are a child, it gets tougher and tougher for him ___32___ (say) those words as he gets ___33___ (old). To tell the truth, I could not honestly remember ___34___ I had last said those words to him either. I decided to set my ego (自我) aside and make the first move. ___35___ some hesitation, in our next phone conversation I blurted out (突然说出) the words, “Dad … I love you!”
There was a silence at the ___36___ end and he ___37___ (awkward) replied, “Well, same back at you!”
I laughed and said, “Dad, I know you love me, and when you are ready, I know you ___38___ (say) what you want to say.”
A few weeks later, Dad concluded our phone conversation ___39___ the words, “Paul, I love you.” I was at work during this conversation and the tears were rolling down my cheeks ___40___ I finally “heard” the love. As we both sat there in tears we realized that this special moment had taken our father-son relationship to a new level.