The Hand
Thanksgiving Day was near. The first grade teacher gave her class a fun assignment to draw a
picture of ___36____ for which they were thankful.
Most of the class might be _37___  economically disadvantaged, but still many would __38___ the holidays with turkeys and other traditional goodies of the season. These, the teacher thought, would be the ___39___ of most of her students’ art. And they were.
But Douglas made a(n) __40___ kind of picture. Douglas was a different kind of boy. He was the teacher’s true child of misery,__41_____ and unhappy. As other children played at recess, Douglas was likely to stand close by her side. One could only guess the pain Douglas felt ___42___those sad eyes.
Yes, his picture was different. When__43____ to draw a picture of something for which he was thankful, he drew a____44____. Nothing else. Just a empty hand.
His abstract image captured the _45_____ of his classmates, Whose hand could it be ? One child guessed it was the hand of a farmer, because farmers__46_____ turkeys. Another suggested a police officer, because the police protect and __47____ people. And so the discussion went ------ until the teacher ___48__  forgot the young artist himself.
__49____ the children had gone on to other assignments, she_50_____ at Douglas’ desk, bent down, and asked him whose hand it was. The little boy looked away and murmured, “It’s yours, teacher.”
She recalled the __51___ she had taken his hand and walked with him here and there, as she had other student. How _52_____ had she said, “Take your hand, Douglas, we’ll go outside.” Or, “Let me show you how to hold your pencil.” Or, “Let’s do this together.” Douglas was most ____53__ for his teacher’s hand.
Brushing aside a tear, she went on with her work.
In fact, people __54___ not always say “thanks”. But they will remember the hand that ____55___ .

A．anything B．something C．nothing D．everything

A．suggested B．affected C．encouraged D．considered

A．celebrate B．share C．like D．avoid

A．purposes B．subjects C．motivations D．examples

A．good B．encouraging C．different D．exciting

A．merry B．naughty C．weak D．lively

A．behind B．beside C．before D．around

A．ordered B．asked C．forced D．persuaded

A．gift B．person C．hand D．wonder

A．thought B．description C．respect D．imagination

A．raise B．need C．buy D．sell

A．look at B．care for C．take away D．drive off

A．always B．almost C．usually D．therefore

A．Before B．Now that C．Since D．When

A．stared B．aimed C．paused D．glanced

A．chances B．forms C．ways D．times

A．seldom B．often C．soon D．much

A．thankful B．calm C．pleased D．comfortable

A．could B．must C．should D．might

A．move on B．stick above C．reaches out D．help out