第二节   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