第二节：完形填空（共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分）
请认真阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Cyber Step-Mother
I’ve often felt “step-parent” is a label  (标签 )we attach to whoever marries into families where children already exist. At  36   that’s how I feel about  37    a step-mother to my husband’s four children.
Over the years, we all learned to    38   our new family arrangement. We enjoyed vacations together, ate   39   meals, and so on.  40  , I continued to feel somewhat like a(n)  41   . There was a boundary line that could not be  42  .
When the children moved to a town five hours   43   , my husband was depressed. In order to    44   regular communication with the kids, we send e-mails. However, if a computer message came  45   to “Dad”, I’d feel forgotten and  46    . If my name appeared along with his, it would make me feel like I was part of their family unit  47   .
Late one evening, as I was checking my e-mail, an “instant message” appeared on the   48  . It was Margo, who was also sitting in front of her computer five hours away. We sent several messages back and forth,   49    the latest news. When we would “chat” like that, she wouldn’t  50   know if it was me or her dad. That night, she didn’t ask and I didn’t identify myself either. At about 11, I commented that I should go to sleep. Her return message  51   , “Okay, talk to you later! Love you!”
As I read this message, a wave of   52   ran through me and I realized that she  53   she was talking with her father. Feeling  54   for not identifying myself, yet not wanting to embarrass her, I simply responded, “Love you too! Good night!”
I felt again the sharp (剧烈的) ache of emptiness (空虚) and otherness. Then, as I was  55  to leave, Margo’s final message appeared, reading “Tell Dad good night for me too.” With tears filled eyes, I turned the machine off.
36.   A. most   B. least    C. present       D. last
37.   A. to be   B. being  C. is D. was
38.   A. adjust B. look forward to  C. expect D. adapt to
39.   A. family       B. school C. meat   D. fish
40.   A. But     B. Though      C. However    D. So
41.   A. outsider     B. member     C. stranger      D. foreigner
42.   A. across B. cross   C. crossing     D. crossed
43.   A. far      B. away   C. far from     D. away from
44.   A. maintain    B. entertain     C. contain       D. obtain
45.   A. addressing  B. signing       C. signed D. addressed
46.   A. neglected   B. devoted      C. ignore D. concerned
47.   A. in short      B. after all      C. above all    D. as a result
48.   A. programme       B. window      C. screen D. keyboard
49.   A. sending      B. exchanging C. discussing   D. commenting
50.   A. unexpectedly     B. carefully    C. fortunately D. necessarily
51.   A. read    B. reads   C. reading      D. wrote
52.   A. sickness     B. anger  C. nervousness       D. sadness
53.   A. must think  B. might have thought   C. must have thought     D. might think
54.   A. responsible B. stupid C. guilty  D. disappointed
55.   A. about  B. due     C. prepare      D. willing