第二节：完形填空(共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分)
阅读下面短文，从短文后所给各题的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项, 并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
It was no wonder I was not looking forward to entering ninth grade. High school is well-known for being a battleground, where everyone seems to be  36  through physical changes, emotional mood swings, and low self-respect. For me,  37  was my punishment.
I had always felt insecure and out of 38 as one of the  39  members of my class, standing a head above the other girls and bending at the  40  of the line to avoid sticking  41 .
I especially hate being around large groups of people, like during the social hour after services at my church.  42  the prayers were finished, I would leave as quickly as possible so I could  43  other well-meaning congratulations, "Ruthie! Look how tall you' re getting!"
My grandfather would watch me  44  increasingly uncomfortable, but he did not  45  at my self--consciousness or try to comfort me.  46 , he would remind me. "Stand straight and tall," he would say, as I unsuccessfully tried to shrink (使缩小) myself. Moreover, each time, I would embarrassedly obey. Even at age 15, I understood that his advice was about  47  than just feet and inches.
My grandfather grew up in war-torn Europe. When German soldiers  48  his hometown, he wound up joining the Soviet army to fight  49  his country's freedom. "Stand straight, stand tall," meant something else back then.
_50  the war, he boarded a boat for  51  , and on January 27, 1947, he stepped onto the dock in Manhattan. He was hungry and  52  from seasickness. All alone in a new country, he was  53  about his future. Still, he marched head-on into the streets of New York. Soon he met  54  European immigrants, each of them trying to find his or her own way. If they could do it, why couldn't he? "Stand straight, stand tall," he would remind himself. He felt his faith  55 . When he walked into the church that first time, he walked in proudly.
36. A. going                 B. getting            C. looking            D. putting
37. A. age                    B. sex                  C. height              D. face
38. A. place                 B. order             C. control            D. date
39. A. younger               B. shorter                  C. fatter             D. taller
40. A. head                B. bottom            C. back              D. side
41. A. to                  B. out               C. with               D. off
42. A. Until               B. Unless            C. Once              D. Before
43. A. avoid               B. receive             C. accept             D. refuse
44. A. change              B. grow              C. sense              D. make
45. A. look                B. stare              C. stay               D. laugh
46. A. Instead              B. Besides              C. However           D. Therefore
47. A. other                B. more             C. less               D. rather
48. A. fought               B. developed         C. occupied           D. marched
49. A. against                      B. for                     C. with               D. to
50. A. Before              B. During            C. Without             D. After
51. A. German             B. Australia           C. America           D. Canada
52. A. coming             B. learning           C. suffering           D. differing
53. A. frightened            B. excited            C. serious             D. sorrowful
54. A. few                B. more              C. most              D. other
55. A. increasing            B. returning            C. gaining             D. disappearing