I close my eyes and can still hear her—the little girl with a ___1___ so strong and powerful we could hear her halfway down the block. She was a(n) ___2___ peasant who asked for money and ___3___ gave the only thing she had——her voice. I paused outside a small shop and listened. She brought to my mind the ___4___ of Little Orphan Annie. I could not understand the words she ___5___, but her voice begged for ___6___. It stood out from the noises of Arbat Street, pure and impressive, like the chime of a bell. She sang ___7___ an old-style lamp post in the shadow of a building, her arms extended and ___8___ thrown back. She was small and of unremarkable looks. Her brown hair ___9___ the bun(发髻) it had been pulled into, and she occasionally reached up to ___10___ a stray piece from her face. Her clothing I can’t recall. Her voice, on the other hand, is ___11___ imprinted in my mind.
I asked one of the translators about the girl. Elaina told me that she and hundreds of others like her throughout the ___12___ Soviet Union add to their families’ income by working on the streets. The children are unable to ___13___ school, and their parents work fulltime. These children know that the consequence of an ___14___ day is no food for the table. Similar situations occurred during the Depression(萧条) in the United States, but those American children were ___15___ shoeshine boys of the ___16___. This girl was real to me.
When we walked past her I gave her money. It was not out of pity ___17___ rather admiration. Her smile of ___18___ did not interrupt her singing. The girl watched us as we walked down the street. I know this because when I looked back she smiled again. We ___19___ that smile, and I knew I could never forget her courage and ___20___ strength.
1. A. will B. strength C. voice D. determination
2. A. American B. Chinese C. Japanese D. Russian
3. A. in return B. in turn C. by hand D. in silence
4. A. voice B. image C. story D. looks
5. A. said B. murmured C. used D. sang
6. A. attention B. love C. help D. mercy
7. A. across B. from C. under D. from underneath
8. A. hands B. feet C. head D. face
9. A. fell out B. escaped C. did up D. tied to
10. A. remove B. tear C. cut off D. dress
11. A. never B. permanently C. occasionally D. sometimes
12. A. latter B. rich C. former D. great
13. A. attend B. finish C. leave D. enjoy
14. A. unhappy B. unsatisfied C. unusual D. unsuccessful
15. A. faced B. real C. faceless D. visible
16. A. twenties B. thirties C. forties D. teens
17. A. and B. while C. but D. or
18. A. contempt B. pity C. bitterness D. thanks
19. A. stopped B. shared C. won D. exchanged
20. A. full B. inner C. brave D. fighting
