Happy Maggie
During my childhood I experienced greater hardships than most people go through in a lifetime. In my short 17 years of life, I have been___16___five divorces of my parents. Having a new stepmother or stepfather every few years was___17___, but the constant moving was worse. My father’s cancer diagnosis___18___ me apart, and his two heart attacks and___19___ with diabetes put a huge pressure on the family. By age 13, I was____20____and emotionally scarred. I felt like I had no one to____21____and that nothing would ever get better. Then I met Maggie, and my attitude towards life changed.
For many summers, I ___22___ at a horse-riding camp for people with special needs. We taught children and adults specialized skills_____23_____their abilities. For example, we would teach a child with autism(自闭症)___24___skills, or a child with cerebral palsy(脑瘫) strength-building exercise. Each volunteer was____25____a specific child during eight weeks. A few weeks later, I was asked to___26___ another volunteer who was sick. That was the day my___27___ on life changed forever.
As I began to work with her, I looked through her file to get more information, which was ___28___. She had been physically abused as a newborn and throughout her infancy. Her birth parents____29____her so badly that they caused her a serious brain injury by the age of two. Her skull had been broken, however, the amazing thing about Maggie was her___30___attitude.
When I met Maggie, she was 12, and she would say___31___but“I’m happy!”. If you asked her“How old are you?”, “I’m happy” she replied each time. Everyone at the camp___32___her “Happy Maggie”.
My life growing up was a huge struggle, ____33____Maggie taught me not to get in the way of happiness. Nothing bad in life should be enough to change____34____I am. She gave me_____35_____. If I learned anything from Maggie, it would be, no matter what, be happy.
16. A. beyond B. with C. through D. in
17. A. rough B. exciting C. charming D. independent
18. A. broke B. tore C. defeated D. turned
19. A. recovery B. suffering C. concern D. battle
20. A. depressed B. confused C. confident D. pleased
21. A. look after B. turn to C. appeal to D. take after
22. A. volunteered B. handled C. admitted D. recommended
23. A. compared with B. based on C. judging from D. owing to
24. A. analyzing B. creating C. communicating D. calculating
25. A. acquired B. separated C. promoted D. assigned
26. A. interview B. employ C. replace D. dismiss
27. A. decision B. evaluation C. principle D. outlook
28. A. heart-breaking B. spirit-lifting C. disappointing D. surprising
29. A. tended B. treated C. opposed D. protected
30. A. unreasonable B. unacceptable C. unforgettable D. unsinkable
31. A. everything B. anything C. nothing D. something
32. A. gave B. complained C. translated D. nicknamed
33. A. and B. yet C. so D. otherwise
34. A. why B. where C. who D. that
35. A. hope B. ambition C. strength D. lesson
