On August 26, 1999, New York City experienced a terrible rainstorm. The rain caused the streets to __36__ and the subway system almost came to a stop.
Unfortunately, this happened during the morning rush hour. Many people who were going to work were __37__ to go home. Some battled to __38__ a taxi or to get on a bus. Still others faced the __39__ bravely, walking miles to get to work.
I __40__ to be one of the people on the way to work that morning. I went from subway line to subway line only to find that most __41__ had stopped. After making my way __42__ crowds of people, I finally found a subway line that was __43__. Unfortunately, there were so many people waiting to __44__ the subway that I could not even get down the stairs to the __45__. So I took the train going in the opposite direction, and then switch back to the downtown train. Finally, after what seemed like an forever, the train __46__ my stop. Then I had to walk several blocks in the increasingly heavy rain. When I finally got to my office, I was __47__ through, exhausted and __48__.
My co-workers and I spent most of the day drying off. When it was 5:00 pm，I was ready to go home. I was about to turn off my computer __49__ I received an email from Garth, my Director:
I would like to thank all of you who made the effort and __ 50__ reported to work. It is always reassuring(令人欣慰), at times like these, when employees so clearly show their __51__ to their jobs. Thank you.
Garth’s email was short, but I learned more from that __52__ message than I ever did from a textbook. The email taught me that a few words of __53__ can make a big difference. The rainstorm and the traffic __54__ had made me tied and upset. But Garth’s words immediately__55__ me and put a smile back on my face.
36. A. break                  B. flood                C. sink                  D. crash
37. A. forced                B. refused              C. adjusted            D. gathered
38. A. order                  B. pay                   C. call                   D. search
39. A. climate               B. scenery             C. storm                D. burden
40. A. used                   B. promised           C. deserved            D. happened
41. A. practice                     B. routine                     C. process              D. service
42. A. to                      B. through             C. over                  D. for
43. A. operating            B. cycling              C. turning              D. rushing
44. A. check                 B. carry                 C. find                  D. board
45. A. street                  B. ground                 C. floor                 D. platform
46. A. paused                B. crossed              C. reached             D. parked
47. A. wet                    B. weak                C. sick                  D. hurt
48. A. ashamed             B. discouraged              C. surprised           D. puzzled
49. A. while                  B. when                C. where               D. after
50. A. hardly                B. casually             C. absolutely          D. eventually
51. A. devotion             B. donation            C. connection         D. reaction
52. A. accurate                     B. urgent               C. brief                 D. humorous
53. A. promise                     B. appreciation       C. advice               D. guidance
54. A. troubles                     B. signals                     C. rules                 D. signs
55. A. corrected            B. supported          C. amazed             D. refreshed