The Man was very sad. He knew that the Cat's days were       . The doctor had said there wasn’t anything more that could be done, and that he should take the Cat home and make him as       as possible.
A       rolled down the Man’s cheek and landed on the Cat’s forehead. The Cat gave him a slightly annoyed       . “Why do you       , Man?” the Cat asked, “Because you can’t bear the thought of        me? Because you think you can never replace me?” The Man nodded, “Yes”.
“      up that piece of string from the floor-— there, my ‘toy’.”The Man reached over and picked up the string. It was about two feet long and the Cat had been able to       himself for hours with it. “Now take        end of the string in one hand.” the Cat ordered. The Man did so.
“The end in your left hand is my        and the end in your right hand is my death. Now bring the two ends together.” the Cat said. The man did so. Then the Cat continued, “You have made a continuous       . Does any point along the string appear to be different, worse or better than any other part of the string?” The Man inspected the string and then       his head.
“Close your eyes.” the Cat said. “Now lick your hand.” The Man     his eyes in surprise. “Just do it,”the Cat said. “Lick your hand, think of me in all my        places, and think about all the pieces of string.”
Licking his hand, he discovered     a cat must know — that licking a paw is very calming and allows one to think more       . He continued licking and the corners of his mouth turned       into the first smile he had shown in days. He waited for the Cat to tell him to    , and when he didn’t, he opened his eyes. The Cat’s eyes were closed. The Man      softly the warm, brown fur with his fingers , but the Cat was gone.
One day, not long after, there was a new cat on his lap. She was a lovely and white one. It is very different from his earlier       Cat and very much the same.

A．gone B．numbered C．finished D．ended

A．soon B．lively C．long D．comfortable

A．tear B．rain C．sweat D．water

A．impression B．expression C．passion D．action

A．scream B．yell C．cry D．call

A．killing B．destroying C．lacking D．losing

A．Pick B．Put C．Pull D．Push

A．help B．learn C．entertain D．teach

A．each B．both C．neither D．any

A．life B．fate C．origin D．birth

A．string B．circle C．knot D．rope

A．nodded B．bowed C．shook D．bent

A．twinkled B．broadened C．widened D．closed

A．familiar B．similar C．junior D．superior

A．where B．what C．when D．that

A．cleanly B．clumsily C．clearly D．closely

A．upward B．downward C．inward D．outward

A．come B．go C．stop D．run

A．combed B．patted C．struck D．rubbed

A．friendly B．devoted C．lovely D．beloved