题目内容：

A young mother set her feet on the pathway of the life. “Is the way long?”

And her guide said, “Yes, and the way is hard. And you will be old ____ you reach the end of it, but the end will be better than the beginning.” But the young mother was happy and would not ____ anything could be better than these years. So she ____ with her children and gathered flowers for them along the way and bathed with them in the clear springs. The sun shone on them, and life was good. And the young mother cried, “ Nothing will be ____ than this.”

Then the night came. And the storm (暴风雨) ____ them and the path was dark, and the children shook with ____ and cold. And the mother drew them close and covered them with her clothes, and the children said, “ Oh, Mum, we are not afraid, for you are ____, and we know that no harm (伤害) can come to us.” And the mother said, “This is better than the ____ of the day, for I have taught my ____ courage.”

And the morning came. There was a hill ahead, and the children ____ it and soon grew tired. And the mother was ____, too. But she said to the children, “ A little patience and we are there.” So the children climbed and climbed, and when they reached the top, they said, “Mum, we ____ not have done it without you.” And when the mother lay down to sleep that night, she ____at the stars and said, “This is a better day than the ____ , for my children have learned determination(决心) in the face of ____. Yesterday I gave them courage—today I gave them strength.”

1.A. after                                                 B. before                                          C. since                               D. until

2.A. know                                    B. believe                                C. feel                                            D. find

3.A. worked                                    B. stayed          C. played                                D. studied

4.A. worse                                             B. better                                 C. easier                                  D. sadder

5.A. hit                                                 B. beat                                          C. took                                            D. carried

6.A. excitement                               B. happiness                   C. interest                              D. fear

7.A. far                                       B. away                                          C. near                                            D. out

8.A. coldest                                   B. coolest                                          C. darkest                               D. brightest

9.A. students                                   B. classmates                             C. friends                              D. children

10.A. walked                                   B. moved                                          C. climbed                              D. flew

11.A. tired                                             B. happy                                  C. angry                                  D. proud

12.A. will                                             B. can                                          C. could                               D. shouldn’t

13.A. looked over                     B. looked on                   C. looked after                D. looked up

14.A. last                                                B. next                                          C. latest                                  D. second

15.A. dark                                             B. difficulties                            C. failure                              D. success