“Mum, can I invite my classmate Brett over to stay tomorrow night, please? It’s Friday, and we don’t have any    .Can I, please?” Mum was sitting at the kitchen table. Dad was      next to her, resting his head on his arms. Mum could      that James wanted so badly to have his friend over.
“I’m so sorry, James,” she said.
“I’m never allowed to have friends come to the house? Why, Mum?” James asked sadly, almost in      .
“I know it’s      for you,” Mum said softly. “But I’m just worried other people might think we’re a little… strange. And then they would make fun of you.”
“No, they wouldn’t, Mum,” James protested. “We’re not       at all. We’re just ordinary people.”
Mum sighed heavily. “To tell you the truth, James, my neck has been so painful that it’s given me a heavy      . And your poor father ---he doesn’t feel      . He really needs a rest.”
“I can help, Mum!” James said. “     I can make you and Dad feel better, can Brett come over? Please?”
“Well…”Mum began.
“Great! Thanks, Mum!” James almost shouted. “Just sit there, don’t move.” He rushed over to the kitchen drawer and       what he needed ---two spanners(扳手). “Hang on, Mum,” he said. “This won’t take a second.” After some      , James was finished. With a smile of       on his face he said, “There! How does that feel?” “Oh, James,” Mum said. “That’s a much better! How did you do it?”
“Easy,” James said      .” Dad had tightened your neck bolts (螺栓) too much! I just    them slightly! I learned that in robotic science at school.”
“What about you father? Can you      him?” asked Mum.
“I’ll try,” James replied. He       up Dad’s hair at the back of his neck and plugged the electric wire into Dad’s head. Then he turned the      on. Dad opened his eyes and       immediately. “He just let his    run too low, that’s all,” James said, “Shall I tell Brett to come over straight after school tomorrow?”
“I guess so,” replied Mum. “Your friends will just have to      that we are a very unusual family. Thanks, son!”

A．chance B．message C．difficulty D．homework

A．reading B．alone C．asleep D．standing

A．see B．explain C．agree D．doubt

A．terror B．surprise C．silence D．tears

A．hard B．fair C．easy D．good

A．normal B．popular C．strange D．anxious

A．loss B．headache C．task D．day

A．ill B．well C．funny D．sorry

A．As B．Since C．Before D．If

A．found B．kept C．controlled D．returned

A．requests B．repairs C．thoughts D．instructions

A．sympathy B．bitterness C．politeness D．satisfaction

A．embarrassedly B．proudly C．gratefully D．impatiently

A．collected B．produced C．adjusted D．covered

A．greet B．accompany C．help D．ask

A．caught B．lifted C．gave D．filled

A．television B．light C．gas D．power

A．grew up B．lay down C．sat up D．broke down

A．battery B．food C．temperature D．blood

A．prove B．expect C．accept D．suspect