James’s New Bicycle
James shook his money box again. Nothing! He carefully __36__ the coins that lay on the bed.
$24.52 was all that he had. The bicycle he wanted was at least $90! __37__ on earth was he going to get the __38__ of the money?
He knew that his friends all had bicycles. It was __39__ to hang around with people when you were the only one without wheels. He thought about what he could do. There was no __40__ asking his parents, for he knew they had no money to __41__.
There was only one way to get the money, and that was to __42__ it. He would have to find a job. __43__ who would hire him and what could he do? He decided to ask Mr. Clay for advice, who usually had __44__ on most things.
“Well, you can start right here,” said Mr. Clay. “My windows need cleaning and my car needs washing.”
That was the __45__ of James’s odd-job business. For three months he worked every day after finishing his homework. He was amazed by the __46__ of jobs that people found for him to do. He took dogs and babies for walks, cleared out cupboards, and mended books. He lost count of the __47__ of cars he washed and windows he cleaned, but the __48__ increased and he knew that he would soon have __49__ for the bicycle he longed for.
The day __50__ came when James counted his money and found $94.32. He __51__ no time and went down to the shop to pick up the bicycle he wanted. He rode __52__ home, looking forward to showing his new bicycle to his friends. It had been hard __53__ for the money, but James knew that he valued his bicycle far more __54__ he had bought it with his own money. He had __55__ what he thought was impossible, and that was worth even than the bicycle.

36. A. cleaned 37. A. How 38. A. amount 39. A. brave 40. A. point 41. A. split 42. A. borrow 43. A. Or 44. A. decisions 45. A. beginning 46. A. similarity 47. A. brand 48. A. effort 49. A. all 50. A. finally 51. A. gave 52. A. patiently 53. A. applying 54. A. since 55. A. deserved

B. covered B. Why B. part B. hard B. reason B. spend B. earn B. So B. experience B. introduction B. quality B. number B. pressure B. enough B. instantly B. left B. proudly B. asking B. if B. benefited

C. counted C. Who C. sum C. smart C. result C. spare C. raise C. For C. opinions C. requirement C. suitability C. size C. money C. much C. normally C. took C. silently C. looking C. than C. achieved

D. checked D. What D. rest D. unfair D. right D. save D. collect D. But D. knowledge D. opening D. variety D. type D. trouble D. some D. regularly D. wasted D. tiredly D. working D. though D. learned