I learned about life from an ant farm. When I was seven years old, my family tried to __1__ an ant farm at home. First, we put clean sand in a thin glass box, and then we brought some ants from the backyard and placed them into the __2__ home.
Shortly after the new __3__ were dropped into the glass structure, they got to work making tunnels. I was amazed that each one knew __4__ what to do. After hours of staring, I realized that the ants had particular given jobs. With my mom’s help, I kept a journal of what happened each day and __5__ the ants. My favorite was the biggest, Cinderella. I drew a picture of her in my journal, which I still have.
On day five a disaster __6__ the ant farm. While I was __7__ the ants, I had put my face so close to the structure that I accidentally tipped it over, __8__ in all the tunnels. Although the ants __9__ their earthquake, one by one they began to die. I was __10__ as I watched them give up their tunnel-building to carry the bodies to a corner of the farm. My mother reported that the ants were dying of “frustration”—feeling annoyed and impatient as they couldn’t control the situation. They simply could not __11__ the reality that their tunnels had been destroyed. Cinderella was the last to die; she did so while carrying a dead ant on her back.
Although much time has passed, I still think of that ant farm. Mom had hoped it would teach me about the natural world, __12__ it taught me much more. __13__ the years, I came to realize the ants were a study in the benefits of __14__. Working together, they were able to create a(n) __15__ world for themselves. I also learned that they should be __16__ for their hard work. Day in and day out, each labored at their task. The ant farm demonstrated that teamwork and perseverance are indeed two key __17__ to success. But there was an even larger lesson that I did not __18__ until recently: Disaster is a natural part of life, and must be __19__. Unlike the ants, humans cannot give up when they face __20__. Unlike the ants, we have to realize that if a tunnel caves in, we just have to build another.
A.get B.buy C.run D.find
A.empty B.new C.strange D.distant
A.guests B.settlers C.friends D.members
A.probably B.roughly C.exactly D.normally
A.named B.trained C.compared D.measured
A.affected B.struck C.kicked D.beat
A.removing B.teaching C.observing D.collecting
A.turning B.rushing C.filling D.caving
A.experienced B.predicted C.faced D.survived
A.annoyed B.horrified C.moved D.thrilled
A.reflect B.ignore C.confirm D.stand
A.and B.but C.so D.or
A.In B.For C.From D.Over
A.teamwork B.devotion C.responsibility D.organization
A.relaxing B.amusing C.moving D.amazing
A.supported B.inspired C.admired D.admitted
A.certificates B.approaches C.ingredients D.circumstances
A.give B.realize C.take D.adopt
A.accepted B.suffered C.achieved D.managed
A.challenges B.barriers C.pressure D.disappointment