第二节完形填空 ( 共20小题, 每小题1.5分, 满分30分)
请认真阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。                                                                                        
It was the last day of the final examination in a large eastern university. On the steps of one building, a group of students were talking about the exam that was going to begin in a few 36 .On their faces was confidence. This was their  37  exam—then on to graduation and jobs.
Some talked of jobs they already had, others talked of jobs they  38  get. With the certainty of four years of college, they felt  39   and able to take control of the world.
The coming exam, they knew, would be a（n）_40 _task, as the professor had said they could bring  41  books or notes they wanted, requesting only that they did not_42  each other during the test.
43_ they entered the classroom. The professor passed out the papers. And smiles 44_on the students’ faces as they found there were only five questions.
Three hours had passed _45 the professor began to collect papers. The students no longer looked confident. On their faces was a frightened expression. Papers in hand, no one spoke as the professor faced the class.
He looked at the  46  faces before him, and then asked: “How many completed all five questions?”  47  a hand was raised.
“How many answered four?” Still no hand.
“Three? Two?” The students moved restlessly in their seats. “One, then? Certainly somebody finished_ 48  .” But the class remained silent.
The professor put down the papers. “That is exactly what I  49 _” he said. “I just want you to know that, although you have completed four years of study, there are_50 many things about the  51 _you don’t know. These questions you could not answer are relatively common in everyday_ 52  .” Then, smiling, he added, “You will all 53  this course, but remember--even though you are now college graduates, your education had just _54  .”
The years have weakened the name of the professor, but not the _55  he taught.
36. A. seconds       B. minutes      C. hours  D. days
37. A. only     B. first    C. very    D. last
38. A. would  B. must   C. had to    D. used to
39. A. glad     B. ready  C. sorry   D. nice
40. A. interesting   B. necessary    C. easy     D. unusual
41. A. no B. either  C. any      D. some
42. A. listen to       B. look at       C. care for       D. talk to
43. A. Hardly B. Happily      C. Quickly       D. Carefully
44. A. appeared      B. changed     C. failed   D. stopped
45. A. then     B. as       C. before   D. after
46. A. pleased B. worried      C. surprised    D. moved
47. A. Not      B. Once   C. Only   D. Even
48 A. all  B. none   C. one     D. it
49. A. wondered    B. enjoyed      C. hated   D. expected
50 A. even      B. already       C. so       D. still
51 A. exam     B. subject       C. question     D. college
52 A. job B. class   C. practice      D. study
53. A. pass     B. fail     C. take    D. start
54. A. begun   B. completed  C. failed     D. succeeded
55. A. subject         B. things              C. words         D. lessons