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第二节：完形填空（共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分）
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出最佳选项。
On August 26, 1999, New York City experienced a terrible rainstorm. The rain caused the streets to _36_ and the subway system (地铁系统)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 operating . __ 43_, there were so many people waiting to 44_ the subway that I could not even get down the stairs to the platform.(月台) So I took the train going in the _ _45 direction, and then turn back to the downtown train. Finally, after what seemed like an forever journey, 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, discouraged 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 __51___ their devotion(（忠心）  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 e-mail taught me that a few words of __53____ can make a big difference. The rainstorm and the traffic __54__ had made me tired 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. run
37. A. forced           B. refused              C. ordered             D. gathered
38. A. order            B. pay                   C. call                   D. search
39. A. climate        　 B. weather             C. storm                D. snow
40. A. used              B. promised           C. seemed             D. happened
41. A. practice          B. traffic               C. process             D. service
42. A. to               　B. through             C. over                  D. for
43. A. Unfortunately      B. Luckily      C. Interestingly      D. Satisfyingly
44. A. check              B. carry          C. find             D. board
45. A. only              B. similar         C. same             D. opposite
46. A. paused            B. crossed         C. reached          D. parked
47. A. wet                B. weak       C. sick             D. hurt
48. A. interested        B. tired          C. surprised       D. puzzled
49. A. while             B. when          C. where          D. after
50. A. hardly            B. happily        C. firstly         D. finally
51. A. show              B. carry          C. take          D. fetch
52. A. basic           B. attractive       C. brief               D. original
53. A. promise          B. appreciation       C. advice             D. position
54. A. troubles         B. signals       C. rules         D. signs
55. A. corrected         B. supported          C. surprised           D. delighted