Among the activities during student orientation (迎新会), the balloon activity is my favorite. This year I worked with Mr Rodriguez. We moved the tables to make a big open space for a mountain of blue ____1____. As the students entered, we handed each a sharp pencil and told them to get a balloon.

Mr Rodriguez announced, “Let’s circle up. We’re going to play a game. If your balloon ____2____ the next minute, you get a prize. Go!” The room was in a mess as the kids ran around popping (使爆裂) one another’s balloons. Laughter, scream, and loud pops filled the room. Some kids hid under tables ____3____ others jumped on top of them. Even those who seemed ____4____ at first quickly started to pop others’ balloons happily.

“Stop! Come back together and talk about what happened,” I shouted.

As the kids formed a circle, they looked around to ____5____ a surviving balloon, a winner.

“No one ____6____. Everyone’s balloon is popped,” said a girl sadly. She’d spent the minute under the table, trying to ____7____ her balloon, but she failed.

“If no one has a balloon, maybe the winner can be the person who popped ____8____ balloons,” offered a boy, who had popped a lot of balloons.

“Yeah, I got seven of them,” offered another boy. A few others began to ____9____ their self-recorded scores.

“We ____10____ said you had to pop anyone’s balloon to win,” said Mr Rodriguez calmly.

“What? That is ____11____,” said the boy who popped seven balloons, “if no one popped anyone else’s balloon, then who would win?”

“____12____,” said Mr Rodriguez. He let the students think about it for a while. I could see they were trying to ____13____ what it would be like when everyone could win.

Mr Rodriguez started to describe our school. I then explained how success would look different for each of us. ____14____ didn’t have to come at the cost of anyone else. Each of us could be ____15____. And we could help one another succeed as well.

1.1.

A tables

B balloons

C pencils

D circles

解析：选B。前文提到the balloon activity气球活动，此处堆起一大堆蓝色气球。balloons表示气球，符合语境。A“tables”（桌子）、C“pencils”（铅笔）、D“circles”（圆圈）不符合句意。

2.2.

A survives

B breaks

C allows

D avoids

解析：选A。根据后文寻找幸存气球的情节，如果你的气球在下一分钟存活下来，你就会得到奖品。survives表示存活、幸存，符合语境。B“breaks”（破裂）、C“allows”（允许）、D“avoids”（避免）不符合句意。

3.3.

A until

B unless

C though

D while

解析：选D。一些孩子躲在桌子底下，而另一些孩子跳到桌子上面。while此处作连词，表示然而，对比两种不同行为。A“until”（直到）、B“unless”（除非）、C“though”（虽然）不符合句意。

4.4.

A active

B lucky

C shy

D forgetful

解析：选C。甚至那些一开始看起来害羞的孩子，也很快开心地开始扎破别人的气球。shy表示害羞的，符合语境。A “active”（积极的）、B“lucky”（幸运的）、D“forgetful”（健忘的）不符合句意。

5.5.

A pay for

B search for

C prepare for

D stand for

解析：选B。当孩子们围成一圈，他们四处张望寻找一只幸存的气球，寻找获胜者。search for表示寻找，符合语境。A“pay for”（为……付钱）、C“prepare for”（为…… 做准备）、D“stand for”（代表）不符合句意。

6.6.

A agreed

B risked

C hurt

D won

解析：选D。一个女孩难过地说：没有人获胜，所有人的气球都破了。won表示获胜，符合语境。A“agreed”（同意）、B“risked”（冒险）、C“hurt”（伤害）不符合句意。

7.7.

A protect

B present

C blow

D change

解析：选A。刚才她整整一分钟都躲在桌子下面，努力保护自己的气球，但她失败了。protect表示保护，符合语境。B “present”（展示；礼物）、C“blow”（吹）、D“change”（改变）不符合句意。

8.8.

A the biggest

B the smallest

C the most

D the fewest

解析：选C。一个男孩提议：如果没人拥有气球，或许获胜者可以是扎破最多气球的那个人。the most表示最多的，符合语境。A“the biggest”（最大的）、B“the smallest”（最小的）、D“the fewest”（最少的）不符合句意。

9.9.

A save

B print

C reduce

D share

解析：选D。另一个男孩说自己扎破七个气球，还有一些孩子开始分享自己记下的数量。share表示分享，符合语境。A “save”（拯救；保存）、B“print”（打印）、C“reduce”（减少）不符合句意。

10.10.

A ever

B never

C often

D seldom

解析：选B。Rodriguez先生平静地说：我们从来没有说过要扎破别人气球才能赢。never表示从未，符合语境。A“ever”（曾经）、C“often”（经常）、D“seldom”（很少）不符合句意。

11.11.

A endless

B careless

C meaningless

D helpless

解析：选C。扎破七个气球的男孩说道：什么？那就毫无意义了，如果没有人扎破其他人的气球，那谁会赢？meaningless 表示毫无意义的，符合语境。A“endless”（无止境的）、B“careless”（粗心的）、D“helpless”（无助的）不符合句意。

12.12.

A Everyone

B Someone

C None

D No one

解析：选A。Rodriguez先生说：每个人（都可以赢）。Everyone表示每个人，符合语境。B“Someone”（某人）、C“None”（全无）、D“No one”（没有人）不符合句意。

13.13.

A check

B act

C imagine

D suggest

解析：选C。我可以看到孩子们试着想象如果人人都可以获胜会是什么样子。imagine表示想象，符合语境。A“check”（检查）、B“act”（行动）、D“suggest”（建议）不符合句意。

14.14.

A It

B He

C They

D We

解析：选A。成功不必以牺牲其他人作为代价。It此处指代前文的 success，作句子主语。B“He”（他）、C“They”（他们）、D“We”（我们）不符合句意。

15.15.

A careful

B colorful

C cheerful

D successful

解析：选D。我们每个人都可以获得成功，而且我们还可以互相帮助取得成功。successful表示成功的，符合语境。A “careful”（细心的）、B“colorful”（丰富多彩的）、C“cheerful”（快乐的）不符合句意。