On August 26, 1999, New York City was struck by a terrible rainstorm. The rain caused the streets to   1   and the subway system almost came to a stop.
Unfortunately, this happened during the morning rush hour. Many people who were going to work were   2   to go home. Some battled to   3  a taxi or to get on a bus. Still others faced the   4bravely, walking miles to get to work.
I   5   to be one of people on the way to work that morning. I went from subway line to subway line only to find that most   6   had stopped. After making my way   7   crowds of people, I finally found a subway line that was   8. Unfortunately, there were so many people waiting to   9   the subway that I could not even get down the stairs to the   10  . So I took the train going in the opposite direction, and then switched back to the downtown train.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, the train   11    my stop. Then I had to walk several blocks in the increasingly heavy rain. When I finally got to my office, I was 12 through, exhausted and   13
My co-workers and I spent most of the day drying off. When it was 5:00 pm, I was ready to go home. I was about to turn off my computer   14  I received an email from Garth, my Director:
I would like to thank all of you who made the effort and   15   went to work. It is always reassuring(令人欣慰), at times like these, when employees so clearly show their   16   to their jobs. Thank you.
Garth’s email was short, but I learned more from that   17   message than I ever did from a textbook. The email taught me that a few words of 18   can make a big difference. The rainstorm and the traffic  19 had made me tired and upset. But Garth’s words immediately   20   me and put a smile back on my face.
1. A. confusion             B. flood                C. sink                    D. crash
2. A. forced                  B. refused              C. adjusted                   D. gathered
3. A. order                B. pay                   C. call                          D. search
4. A. climate                 B. scenery             C. storm                D. burden
5. A. occurred        B. promised           C. deserved            D. happened
6. A. practice         B. routine              C. process                     D. service
7. A. to                        B. through             C. over                         D. for
8. A. operating              B. cycling              C. turning                     D. rushing
9. A. check                   B. carry                 C. find                         D. board
10. A. street                 B. ground              C. floor                        D. platform
11. A. paused         B. crossed              C. reached                    D. parked
12. A. wet                    B. weak                 C. sick                         D. hurt
13. A. ashamed             B. discouraged       C. surprised              D. helpless
14. A. while                  B. when                C. where               D. after
15. A. hardly                B. casually             C. absolutely              D. eventually
16. A. devotion             B. donation            C. concern                 D. reaction
17. A. accurate              B. urgent        C. brief                   D. humorous
18. A. promise              B. appreciation       C. admiration         D. guidance
19. A. troubles              B. signals              C. rules                   D. signs
20. A. corrected            B. supported          C. amazed                    D. refreshed