Several weeks ago, our headmaster, Mr. Gaudi, told us that our school had been chosen to compete on Smart Aleck—a game show which my best friend Carla and I both love. Carla has a good imagination, and I know a lot of history, so we thought we’d be good __35__ for the team.

A few days later, Mr. Gaudi held a meeting with everyone interested in the__36__ . He told us that Smart Aleck uses a five member team. He also said that three more people would be needed as backup（替補）. Unluckily four times that many students were at the meeting. So Mr. Gaudi said we would have a __37__ and the top eight scorers would become the team and the backup. Everybody agreed that this was a __38__ way to decide.

Yesterday, all of the hopefuls went to the dining hall after school. We would have to decide the starting line-up（陣容）.Mr. Gaudi acted as the host. After a couple of hours, all the __39__ on the team were set except one. Carla and I __40__ for that last position. We had to hold a one-on-one competition between the two of us. The winner would be on the team and the loser would be the backup.

Midway through our two-person competition, I was starting to pull ahead.__41__ I saw the look on Carla's face. I waited for a second and knew what I had to do. As much as I wanted to be on Smart Aleck, Carla wanted __42__ even more. So, starting with my next question, I held back and let Carla __43__, just by a little bit. Her expression as she __44__ she would be on the show made up for my not being on the team. And since I will go as backup, I'll still have the fun of seeing the show up close.

Was I __45__ by not trying as hard as I could? I don't think so. No one noticed, and Carla and I didn't __46__ it. It won't hurt the team because Carla will be a very good competitor on the real show. I think that making my best friend happy was the right thing to do.

1.A.choices                 B.pairs                C.leaders                     D.fans

2.A.course                  B.work                C.trip                           D.show

3.A.direction     B.discussion      C.competition            D.conversation

4.A.special                  B.hard                          C.fair                                     D.funny

5.A.places                   B.rules                C.names                      D.orders

6.A.tied                       B.clapped          C.cried                         D.returned

7.A.Still                        B.Never              C.Then                         D.Again

8.A.us                          B.it                                C.me                                      D.her

9.A.wait                       B.turn                          C.move                        D.win

10.A.accepted  B.realized          C.considered              D.decided

11.A.coming    B.refusing          C.helping                     D.cheating

12.A.mean                  B.plan                          C.regret                       D.say