阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

    I went online to check if my pay was in my bank 1. To my amazement I discovered that not only had I been paid, a 2 I'd never worked for had also paid me! I knew I'd have been beside myself if my own salary was not in my account, so I tried to get the money 3 to the right person. Easier said than4 .

    The bank couldn't help as it wasn't a bank 5. The human resources department at the company that paid me was unable to help as I didn't have enough 6 . I rang the bank again. 7, I had a sympathetic call operator who gave me a(n)8 , so I again rang the company “Daniel” worked for.

    I expected the bank would 9 me to arrange to take the money from my account and repay Daniel. I heard 10 for a month and the money remained in my account when Daniel called, 11 he'd tried to get back his money but had been unsuccessful as neither the bank nor his company felt it was their12 . He had rung to ask if I could speak to the bank, but after chatting for a few minutes we realized we could probably 13 this problem ourselves.

    We decided I would take the money from my account and he would14 it up from me. Due to my busy job I was unable to meet Daniel 15 but he left me a lovely bottle of wine 16 what was rightfully his. I never had any 17of keeping Daniel's pay but red tape(繁琐手续) made 18 difficult to do the right thing. It all came down to (归结为) 19 people being able to do what a huge bank and a large company couldn't do— 20 a mistake has occurred and fix it.

    I remember quite well a day 17 years ago. That day, our twin sons, Chad and Brad, 1 their car and left home to attend college. I realized that our 2 would soon become a "table for two". 3 , the boys would come home on the weekends, but 4 , I knew our family life would never be exactly the same again.

    The boys walked around each room to 5 they hadn't forgotten anything they needed. I packed a cooler with 6 and their favorite cold snacks. I found a box and filled it with essential 7 items. I thought they might go to bed hungry that night. I 8 my wallet and placed the little bit of 9 I had in their hands.

    We all walked 10. Chad and Brad gave me big 11 and quickly got into their car. I 12 as they drove away. When their car was 13, I sat down on the driveway and cried 14 than I had cried in a long time. My husband Roy tried to 15 me, but I could see grief in his eyes, as well.

    There are many parents who would 16 this period. Bittersweet feelings will be 17 while I cannot explain them adequately. I can still remember 18 I felt when we began that new chapter in our lives.

    19 time going by, however, Roy and I are now accustomed to our table for two and we enjoy our lives together. I have to admit I still miss our children and the old 20 we had together.

    A wealthy old lady decides to travel to Africa, taking her faithful (忠诚的) old dog Cuddles along for company. One day, the dog starts chasing butterflies and before long, Cuddles discovers that he's 1 Wandering about, he notices a2heading in his direction with the intention of eating him for lunch. The old dog thinks, “Oh, oh! I'm in deep3now!” Noticing some bones on the ground close by, he4settles down to chew on the bones with his back to the5leopard.

    Just as the leopard is about to6 the old dog exclaims loudly, “Boy, that was one delicious leopard! I7if there are any more around here?” Hearing this, the young leopard stops his attack in mid-strike, a look of8comes over him and he runs back into the trees. “Whew!”, says the leopard, “That was close! That dog nearly9me!”

    Meanwhile, a monkey who had been10the whole scene from a nearby tree decides that he can put this knowledge to good use and trade it for11from the leopard. So off he goes … but the old dog sees him12the leopard and figures that something must be up. The monkey soon catches up with the leopard, and explains that the dog is13and strikes a deal with the leopard.

    The young leopard is angry about being14and says, “Here, monkey, jump on my back and see what's going to happen to that15dog!”

    The old dog sees the leopard coming with the monkey on his back and thinks, “What am I going to do now?” But instead of16 the dog sits down with his back to his attackers17he hasn't seen them yet, and just when they get close enough to18 the old dog says: “Where's that darn monkey? I19 him off an hour ago to bring me another leopard!”

    Life is not about holding all the good cards, but in20those that you hold well.

    Have you ever traveled around by bike? This spring my older brother and I 1 the busy city and spent a long weekend 2  in the countryside. Our speed was only around 14 kph, but we didn't 3 . We hadn't come to break any speed records,  4 . All we wanted was some 5 air and a break from schoolwork.

    We really 6 ourselves while cycling along traffic-free country paths. There was plenty of sunshine, 7 it was quite cold,  8  in the mornings. The good news was that soon we  9 as we rode along. Our only 10 was when my brakes (刹车) started making a terrible noise. But I didn't care as it gave us an  11   to visit a café while a bike mechanic (机修工) had a look at it.

    Every few kilometers there was a  12  where we could talk with local people. One of the women was very  13  and showed us the way when we got lost. On Saturday night we were   14  at 2 a.m. by some young people. They kept singing loudly in the next room, which made us 15 all night. We felt very 16  when we got up the next morning. Soon we 17 . We were more cheerful on the way when the sun came out. 18  , things like that happened only once. Anyway I still like traveling around by bike — it's 19 and it's fun. If you're looking for a short break that's active and cheap, then cycling is a great 20 !

This is a story that happened 15 years ago, but it has always stayed with me since then.

On the way back from work every evening, there would be a 1 man, standing at the exit of the freeway. He often 2 at every car, smiling. Every time I got close to him, I would hand him some spare coins. He always said to me, "Thank you. I'm blessed!" And I always left with 3 and satisfaction.

It 4 me that even in the unsettled lifestyle i he was so 5. And his reply would remind me / of how 6 I was — a single mother with a lovely child, with a place to call home and with a t job to 7 my kid.

One day, I was informed by my boss that I was 8 due to the terrible economy. A feeling of 9 surrounded me. I was in no mood to do anything. On my way home, I didn't do 10 had always done when I saw the man, who was still 11 others by waving with a smile. I just drove straight ahead.

To my 12, while I was in line at a red light y to leave the ramp (坡道), he stopped at my car with a dollar bill, saying 13, "You look unhappy, but you know all will tum out fine. Give you a dollar today and 14!" Then he left.

That day he taught me a lesson. No matter what material things are taken from you, no one can take away your 15 to be joyful.

Looking back, the memory of doctors, nurses and the conclusion of appendicitis（阑尾炎） was still clear. 1 , nothing hurt more than three days with appendicitis. After a series of emergencies, I could merely lie 2 and beg my body to stop hurting.

All the 3 acquired from years of swimming was eaten away. Previously, I could swim miles daily. Now it was a（n） 4 to sit up and I couldn't swim for almost three months.

When I finally returned to the pool, I struggled with my 5 ability. Race after race, I 6 my goals. Every time I 7 to enter the national competitions, I failed by a tiny amount.

Finally, I came to the last event that could 8 me for nationals. This was my last 9 : now or never. After so many failures, I couldn't help being furious about recent events.

The race started, and I dived in, throwing the pain, 10 and anger I had experienced recently into the pool. My mind focused, self-limitation was 11 and I devoted all my attention and strength to my moves.

When I saw my time, a wave of 12 swept over me. I eventually 13 self-doubt and won what almost 14 from me. Nationals were waiting for me, and by no means would I let anything 15 my advancement.