阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出可能填入空白处的最佳选项。

An 18­year­old student at Stanford University was struggling to pay his fees. Not knowing where to turn for money，he came up with a bright __1__.He and a friend decided to host a musical concert on campus to __2__ money for their education.

They__3__ out to the great pianist Ignacy J．Paderewski. His manager__4__ a guaranteed fee of$2,000 for the piano recital(独奏会)．A deal was__5__ and the boys began to work to make the concert a __6__.

The big day arrived. But __7__ ，they had not managed to sell enough tickets.The total __8__ was only $1,600. Disappointed，they went to Paderewski and explained their plight(困境)．They gave him the entire $1,600，plus a __9__ for the balance$400. They promised to honor the check at the __10__ possible. Paderewski tore up the check，__11__ the$1,600 and told the two boys to keep the money they needed for the fees. The boys were__12__ ，and thanked him heartedly.

It was a small act of __13__. But it clearly marked out Paderewski __14__ a great human being.

__15__ should he help two people he did not even know? We all __16__ situations like these in our lives. And__17__ of us only think“If I help them，what will happen to me？”The truly __18__ people think，“If I don't help them，what will happen to them？”They don't do it __19__ something in return.They do it __20__ they feel it's the right thing to do.

1．A. time　B．task  C．idea D．decision

2．A. receive  B．raise  C．borrow  D．donate

3．A. reached B．turned C．pointed D．called

4．A. increased B．covered C．considered D．demanded

5．A. rejected B．struck C．canceled D．attracted

6．A. success B．career C．background D．performance

7．A. uncertainly B．unbelievably

C．unfortunately D．undoubtedly

8．A. cost B．bill C．collection D．allowance

9．A. benefit  B．profit  C．charge  D．check

10．A. soonest  B．latest  C．longest  D．farthest

11．A. took B．counted C．deposited D．returned

12．A. pleased B．surprised C．frightened D．interested

13．A. devotion B．kindness C．sympathy D．teamwork

14．A. like B．for C．as D．to

15．A. How B．Where C．When D．Why

16．A. come across B．deal with C．adapt to D．think of

17．A. both B．few C．none D．most

18．A. able B．rich C．great D．famous

19．A. taking B．expecting C．offering D．preparing

20．A. because B．though C．before D．so

【答案与解析】

1．C　根据设空后的He and a friend decided to host a musical concert...可知，他和朋友决定举办一场音乐会以筹集学费，这是他的想法(idea)。故选C项。

2．B　根据上文中的Not knowing where to turn for money可知，由于学费不够，他和朋友决定举办音乐会来筹集学费。receive意为“收到”；raise意为“筹集”；borrow意为“借”；donate意为“捐献”。故选B项。

3．A　reach out to意为“表示对……感兴趣；表示愿意提供援助”；turn out意为“证明是；结果是”；point out意为“指出”；call out意为“大声呼叫；呼喊”。根据第二段可知，他们开音乐会要邀请著名的钢琴家，说明他们对这位钢琴家有兴趣。故选A项。

测训诊断：本题考生易误选B项。考生易把turn to“求助于”和turn out to“证明是；结果是”以及reach out to“表示对……感兴趣”混淆。

4．D　根据设空后的a guaranteed fee可知，钢琴家的经纪人要求(demanded)他们付2,000美元的保证金。故选D项。increase意为“增加”；cover意为“覆盖；遮蔽；包括；报道”；consider意为“考虑；细想；认为”。

5．B　根据设空后的began to work可知，他们之间达成了协议。strike a deal意为“达成协议”；reject意为“拒绝”；cancel意为“取消”；attract意为“吸引”。故选B项。

6．A　他们达成了协议，并且为了音乐会的成功举办，他们开始积极筹备。故选A项。success意为“成功的事”，career意为“职业；事业”；background意为“背景；出身”；performance意为“表演；演出；表现”。

7．C　根据前文可知他们达成了协议，再根据设空后的had not managed to sell enough tickets可知，他们并没有卖出足够的票，这对他们来说是不幸的。故选C项。

8．C　根据设空后的$1,600以及下文的$400可知，此处指他们总的筹款为1,600美元。cost意为“花费；成本；代价”；bill意为“账单”；collection意为“筹集的钱；收藏品”；allowance意为“津贴；补贴”。

9．D　根据下文的They promised to honor the check at the ________ possible.可知，因为他们并没有筹到足够的钱，所以又写了400美元的支票作为欠款。故选D项。

10．A　他们承诺尽快(soonest)承兑支票，故选A项。

11．D　根据空前的Paderewski tore up the check及空后的told the two boys to keep the money they needed for the fees可知，钢琴家撕毁了支票，并且还把1,600美元还给了(returned)他们让他们当做学费。故选D项。

12．B　根据上文可知，他们本来是承诺了要给钢琴家2,000美元，但却没有筹够钱，而钢琴家又把钱还给了他们，因此，他们非常惊讶(surprised)而且非常感激。故选B项。pleased意为“高兴的；快乐的；满意的”；frightened意为“害怕的”；interested意为“感兴趣的”。

13．B　根据上文可知，钢琴家没有要保证金，而且把钱给了两个大学生充当学费，因此这是一个善举。devotion意为“献身；贡献”；kindness意为“善良”；sympathy意为“同情”；teamwork意为“团队合作”。故选B项。

14．C　钢琴家的善举使得他更显人的伟大之处。mark...out as意为“使……看上去脱颖而出成为……”，符合语境。故选C项。

15．D　根据下文可知，每个人都遇到过帮与不帮别人的问题，由此可推测，本句应是探讨帮助别人的原因。故选D项。

16．A　根据下文And ________ of us only think“If I help them, what will happen to me？”可知，我们都曾遇到过类似的情况。come across意为“偶遇；邂逅”，符合语境。故选A项。deal with意为“处理；处置”；adapt to意为“适应”；think of意为“想起；想到”。

17．D　根据语境可知，此处应指我们大多数，故选D项。

18．C　根据上句可知，大多数人是在想帮助别人对自己的影响，而伟大的人却想如果不帮助别人对他人有什么影响。great意为“伟大的”，符合语境。故选C项。

19．B　根据上文的“If I don't help them, what will happen to them？”可知，他们是在考虑别人，不求(expecting)回报。故选B项。

20．A　根据最后一段可知，伟大的人不求回报地去帮助别人，他们之所以这么做，是因为他们感觉这是正确的事情。因此，设空处表原因，引导原因状语从句。故选A项。