完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）

阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项A、B、C和D中，选出空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

If your father never says to you “I love you” when you are a child, it   36  to be more and more difficult for him to say the words as he grows   37 .

I do not   38  hearing the words from my father when I was growing up.   39 , I could not recall(回忆) when I had   40  said those words to him either.

One day, I decided to   41  the ice and make the first   42 . So in our next phone conversation I gathered all my   43  and let out the words in a low voice, “Dad… I love you!”

There was a   44  at the other end and he awkwardly   45 , “Well, same back at ya!”

I was unexpectedly   46  and my voice was raised, “Dad, I know you love me, and I know when you are ready, you will say what you want to say.”

Fifteen minutes later my mother called and   47  asked, “Paul, is everything okay?”

A few weeks later, Dad   48  our phone conversation with the words, “Paul, I love you.” I was so moved that tears were rolling down my cheeks as I finally “  49 ” the love. As I sat there in tears I realized that this   50  moment had taken our father-and-son relationship to a new   51 .Shortly afterwards, my father narrowly   52  death following heart surgery（外科手术）. Many times   53 , I have   54  if I had not taken the first step and Dad not   55  the surgery, I would have never “heard” the love.

36. A. works out               B. breaks out                 C. comes out                 D. turns out

37. A. wiser                 B. busier                        C. weaker                       D. older

38. A. remember          B. enjoy                        C. mind                               D. regret

39. A. Truthfully                B. Fortunately                   C. Naturally                      D. Obviously

40. A. only                          B. last                                 C. once                               D. first

41. A. melt                         B. break                              C. strike                              D. build

42. A. complaint               B. promise                         C. move                              D. impression

43. A. strength                          B. ideas                              C. words                             D. attention

44. A. sigh                          B. silence                           C. voice                              D. cry

45. A. refused                   B. shouted                         C. replied                           D. explained

46. A. touched                  B. frightened                     C. shocked                         D. annoyed

47. A. excitedly                 B. nervously                      C. willingly                         D. sadly

48. A. continued               B. checked                         C. concluded                     D. interrupted

49. A. accepted                B. expected                       C. learned                          D. heard

50. A. quiet                        B. difficult                          C. special                           D. different

51. A. level                        B. idea                                C. world                              D. end

52. A. managed                B. escaped                         C. avoided                          D. faced

53. A. then                         B. ago                                 C. before                            D. since

54. A. realized                  B. found                              C. doubted                         D. wondered

55. A. challenged             B. experienced                           C. survived                         D. received