Being a parent is without doubt among the most challenging jobs in the world. But no matter how 1 it is, some people voluntarily （主动地） take this role—even if they don’t have to. We know them as “foster （收养） parents”.
Katie Holstein is one such example. In 2017, though unmarried, she decided to become a mother. Eight months later, she got a license and was 2 to become a first ﹣ time mom to two babies. It was not an easy 3 for Katie. However, she made it. The babies were looked after very well.
Over the next three years, this 4 mom fostered 16 children. They were all under five years old because she wasn’t willing to take teenagers. However, her attitude changed when she met a teenage girl named Akyra.
Akyra’s foster family needed a break. Katie was asked to let Akyra 5 with her for a week. To Katie’s surprise, she and Akyra got on well. They had the same 6 such as watching movies and reading novels. As time went on, the pair grew 7 . Katie made up her mind to foster her for real. Akyra was 14 at that time and planned to live with Katie until she aged out of the system at 18 years old.
Now Katie’s story is 8 known. She hopes it will encourage other people to 9 their homes to foster kids. “Being a real family doesn’t always mean being connected by blood. Sometimes, it just means being connected by the 10 . I promise you there are children in your community right now who need a safe place to land. They need willing families, not perfect ones,” explained Katie.
1 ． A ． interesting B ． exciting C ． unhealthy D ． difficult
2 ． A ． forced B ． encouraged C ． allowed D ． asked
3 ． A ． task B ． question C ． exam D ． rule
4 ． A ． beautiful B ． powerful C ． careful D ． regretful
5 ． A ． stay B ． come C ． communicate D ． compete
6 ． A ． difficulties B ． ideas C ． interests D ． friends
7 ． A ． stranger B ． quicker C ． stronger D ． closer
8 ． A ． widely B ． clearly C ． nearly D ． directly
9 ． A ． build B ． open C ． clean D ． change
10 ． A ． brain B ． age C ． money D ． heart
1 ． D
2 ． C
3 ． A
4 ． C
5 ． A
6 ． C
7 ． D
8 ． A
9 ． A
10 ． D
【分析】
本文讲述了一位名为凯蒂的女孩，没有结婚，却收养了一些孩子的故事。
1 ．
句意：但是不管有多困难，有些人会自愿承担这个角色 —— 即使他们没有必要。
interesting 有趣的； exciting 令人兴奋的； unhealthy 不健康的； difficult 困难的。根据前文的 “Being a parent is without doubt among the most challenging jobs in the world.” 可知，为人父母是很难的工作。故选 D 。
2 ．
句意： 8 个月后，她拿到了许可证，第一次成为了两个孩子的母亲。
forced 强迫； encouraged 鼓励； allowed 允许； asked 要求。根据 “she got a license” 可知，她取得了许可证，因此被允许成为两个孩子的母亲，故选 C 。
3 ．
句意：这对凯蒂来说不是一件容易的事。
task 任务； question 问题； exam 考试； rule 规则。根据前文的 “become a first ﹣ time mom to two babies” 可知，她第一次当妈妈，照顾两个婴儿，因此这不是一件容易的事，故选 A 。
4 ．
句意：在接下来的三年里，这位细心的母亲收养了 16 个孩子。
beautiful 漂亮的； powerful 强大的； careful 认真的，细心的； regretful 后悔的。根据前文的 “The babies were looked after very well.” 可知，这两个婴儿被照顾得很好，因此她是一个细心的母亲，故选 C 。
5 ．
句意：凯蒂被要求让阿基拉和她住一个星期。
stay 停留，待； come 来； communicate 交流； compete 竞争。根据后文的 “she and Akyra got on well.” 可知，她们相处得很好，因此表示她们两个待在一起，故选 A 。
6 ．
句意：她们有相同的兴趣，例如看电影和读小说。
difficulties 困难； ideas 主意； interests 兴趣； friends 朋友。根据 “such as watching movies and reading novels” 可知，看电影和读小说，这是她们的兴趣，故选 C 。
7 ．
句意：随着时间的推移，这两个人的关系更亲密了。
stranger 更奇怪的； quicker 更快的； stronger 更强壮的； closer 更亲密的。根据前文的 “she and Akyra got on well.” 可知，她们相处得好，因此表示关系更亲密了。故选 D 。
8 ．
句意：现在凯蒂的故事被广泛知道。
widely 广泛的； clearly 清楚地； nearly 几乎； directly 直接地。根据后文的 “She hopes it will encourage other people to…their homes to foster kids.” 可知，她希望她的故事能鼓励其他父母，因此表示她的故事被广泛知道，故选 A 。
9 ．
句意：她希望这将鼓励其他人去建立自己的家庭，来收养孩子。
build 建造； open 打开； clean 打扫； change 改变。根据 “to foster kids” 可知，要收养孩子，应是建立家庭，故选 A 。
10 ．
句意：有时候，这只是心与心的联系 。
brain 大脑； age 年龄； money 金钱； heart 心脏。根据后文的 “They need willing families” 可知，他们需要有意愿的家庭，因此表示要有心的联系，故选 D 。