完形填空
(2014·云南省二模)
Mark was a great kid from a bad neighborhood. Crime, drugs, fighting and poverty: You name the __1__ and his neighborhood had it. A scholarship fund __2__ his tuition to Catholic High School, where he was a great baseball player.
Mark __3__ in the classroom, though. He was bright, but behind, perhaps due to a __4__home environment. But there were problems __5__ the time for all he needed to do. Some felt Mark should give up sports and __6__ schooling. But, in reality, if he was going to attend college, he would need his __7__.
A fellow teacher, Mrs. Jones, __8__ to tutor Mark in math. I helped Mark with other areas of work. No one __9__ us. Mrs. Jones __10__ it up this way: “Pay day doesn't always come on Mondays.”
When we were not working with Mark to __11__ his skills for the ACT, Mark's dad took him to various __12__ to talk with both baseball and football program coaches. He settled on the one college that offered him __13__ to play both sports. But he __14__ a good ACT score.
It took months to receive the __15__ of college entrance exams. One afternoon after school, Mark rushed into my office and yelled, “I'm going to college! I'm going to college!”
“I guess you got your __16__?” I asked.
“Well, yeah!” he laughed. “And guess what? I got one point more than I need to be __17__. Thank you! Now, where's Mrs. Jones? I've got to tell her too!”
Until that moment, I had __18__ quite understood what “pay day doesn't always come on Mondays” __19__. But it was clear to me the instant Mark came to __20__ his news. No amount of money could ever reward us as much as the news of a boy who finally had a chance at a better life.
文章大意：本文是一篇夹叙夹议文。作者通过帮助Mark提高他的ACT成绩，最终使Mark实现了上大学的梦想，改变了他的命运。这使作者真正理解了“Pay day doesn't always come on Mondays”的真正含义。
1.A.problem B.condition
C.advantage D.environment
答案：A 考查名词辨析。根据前面的“Crime，drugs，fighting and poverty”及结合选项可知，这些都是Mark所在的街区存在的问题。故选A项。
2.A.lent B.received
C.provided D.donated
答案：C 考查动词辨析。句意为：教育基金会给他提供了上Catholic中学的学费。A项意为“借出”;B项意为“收到”;C项意为“提供”;D项意为“捐赠”。根据句意可知，C项符合语境。故选C项。
3.A.succeeded B.struggled
C.played D.competed
答案：B 考查动词辨析。根据上文的“he was a great baseball player”及下文的“...in the classroom，though.”可知，空格处与“great”形成对比。故选B项。
4.A.difficult B.strange
C.favourable D.sensible
答案：A 考查形容词辨析。根据第一段中的“Mark was a great kid from a bad neighbourhood.”可知，A项符合语境。故选A项。
5.A.spending B.keeping
C.wasting D.finding
答案：D 考查非谓语动词。句意为：但是找时间来做他需要做的所有事情有些困难。spend 意为“花费(时间、金钱等)”;keep意为“保持，饲养”;waste意为“浪费”;find意为“找到”。There is problem(in) doing sth.是习惯用法，意为“在做某事方面有困难”。故选D项。
6.A.get on B.take on
C.concentrate on D.keep on
答案：C 考查动词短语辨析。句意为：有人认为Mark应该放弃体育，专心于学习。concentrate on意为“全神贯注于”，符合语境。故选C项。
7.A.tuition B.sports
C.determination D.patience
答案：B 考查名词辨析。前面说有人建议他放弃体育，而根据“But”可知，实际上他要上大学的话就不能放弃，即他需要体育。故选B项。
8.A.ordered B.promised
C.inspired D.offered
答案：D 考查动词辨析。句意为：一位老师，Jones女士主动提出为Mark辅导数学。根据下文的“I helped Mark...”可知，应选D项。
9.A.praised B.helped
C.paid D.comforted
答案：C 考查动词辨析。根据下文内容可知，没有人支付“我”和Jones女士辅导Mark的费用。故选C项。
10A.summed B.made
C.put D.picked
答案：A 考查动词辨析。句意为：Jones女士这样总结说“Pay day doesn't always come on Mondays.”。make up意为“编造，弥补”，put up意为“举起，容忍”;pick up意为“捡起”，均不符合语境。故选A项，意为“总结”。
11.A.assess B.improve
C.apply D.display
答案：B 考查动词辨析。improve skills是习惯用法，意为“提高技能”，符合语境。故选B项。
12.A.clubs B.stadiums
C.departments D.colleges
答案：D 考查名词辨析。根据下文的“He settled on the one college that...”可知，应选D项。
13.A.majors B.programs
C.scholarships D.resources
答案：C 考查名词辨析。根据语境可知，他应是选定了一所能够给他提供奖学金的大学。故选C项。
14.A.needed B.achieved
C.kept D.took
答案：A 考查动词辨析。句意为：但是，他需要一个好的ACT成绩。根据句中“But”及选项可知，应选A项。
15.A.papers B.messages
C.fees D.results
答案：D 考查名词辨析。根据下文的“I got one point more than I needed to be...”可知，此处是考试的结果。故选D项。
16.A.scores B.arrangements
C.courses D.applications
答案：A 考查名词辨析。根据上文的“But he ________ a good ACT score.”可知，此处Mark宣布他要去上大学了，应是已经知道了分数。故选A项。
17.A.dismissed B.accepted
C.delayed D.supported
答案：B 考查动词辨析。根据上文的“I'm going to college! I'm going to college!”可知，此处是指他超出了录取分数线一分而被录取了。故选B项。
18A.never B.ever
C.even D.already
答案：A 考查副词辨析。句意为：直到那时我才真正理解“Pay day doesn't always come on Mondays，”意味着什么。not/never...until意为“直到……才”。故选A项。
19.A.changed B.overlooked
C.affected D.meant
答案：D 考查动词辨析。句意为：直到那时我才真正理解“Pay day doesn't always come on Mondays”意味着什么。根据语境可知，应选D项。
20.A.learn B.explain
C.announce D.carry
答案：C 考查动词辨析。句意为：当Mark一进来宣布他的消息时，我明白这句话(Pay day doesn't always come on Mondays)的意思了。根据语境可知，应选C项。
