1.Five years later,Michael left teaching to develop one of the first luxury rental buildings on the Lower East Side,on property owned by Leslie's family.He fell in love with the rich cultural and social mix of the (36)B,where waves of immigrants had settled since the early 19th century.At the time,Tompkins Square Park,across the street,was filled with (37)C people living in temporary huts.When Leslie spotted a flock of pigeons (38)A in an area of the tall apartments that Michael said would be their master bedroom,she thought her husband had (39)B his mind.
When the family (40)D in,Ripton,adopted as an infant,was six.Morgan,also adopted,joined the family two years later.Soon the park was closed,to be a(n) (41)A showplace of playgrounds and green space.Michael made significant money in the real estate and Leslie joined a gym practice.The family enjoyed (42)D vacations in the winter and summers on Shelter Island.
The five boys who came to play video games changed everything."In the (43)D,it was just a lot of kids swarming all over the place,"says Michael.When the Rosens (44)D Carlos wasn't attending school because he didn't have suitable clothes,they bought him some.Then one night,they took the group to a (45)C after a Chinese dinner and realized there were other needs."The boys had no interest in books at all,"Michael says.Back at the penthouse,he (46)C they sit down to read aloud."Their vocabularies were limited,"he says."But my concept of what is smart and what is not changed that night because these kids were all smart (47)C just uneducated."
The boys still slept at their homes,though they spent after-school hours,most weekends and summer nights at the penthouse.There,a half-hour reading period before video games or television started.The kitchen timer was set,and everyone had to (48)A the words they didn't know.One summer,Michael took all the boys to the library; each got a card and picked a (49)Bto study.Will,Michael remembers,chose bodybuilding.A poet friend of the Rosens'suggested buying copies of Moby Dick and reading it together around the dining-room table."Well,it was (50)A,"admits Michael."That book is not written in a language these kids speak.But we kept pushing and pushing."
(51)C the big boys became a complete part of the Rosen household,even helping to light the candles at Hanukkah.Chores were assigned,including cleaning and (52)B Mr.Jenkins,the family dog.
The boys'own families were (53)A by what was happening."My mom didn't believe me when I told her about the penthouse.She thought I was involved with something (54)D."Juan Carlos's mother,Esther Ruiz,wondered,"Why would the Rosens be doing this?"But as time went on,she noticed (55)B in her son."It wasn't just the streets anymore.He was getting responsible.Michael and Leslie are the best."
36.A.surroundings | B.neighborhood | C.building | D.city |
37.A.rich | B.business | C.homeless | D.town |
38.A.nesting | B.singing | C.living | D.flying |
39.A.made up | B.lost | C.opened | D.fixed |
40.A.rushed | B.came | C.hurried | D.moved |
41.A.urban | B.countryside | C.building | D.park |
42.A.swimming | B.shopping | C.sightseeing | D.ski |
43.A.end | B.video | C.game | D.beginning |
44.A.saw | B.noticed | C.imagined | D.realized |
45.A.video shop | B.supermarket | C.bookstore | D.cinema |
46.A.hoped | B.wished | C.insisted | D.wanted |
47.A.a(chǎn)nd | B.or | C.but | D.besides |
48.A.circle | B.write | C.read | D.copy |
49.A.book | B.subject | C.course | D.school |
50.A.a(chǎn) nightmare | B.great fun | C.relaxing | D.interesting |
51.A.Quickly | B.Soon | C.Slowly | D.Luckily |
52.A.visiting | B.walking | C.a(chǎn)ccompanying | D.chasing |
53.A.puzzled | B.shocked | C.frightened | D.irritated |
54.A.boring | B.meaningless | C.helpless | D.bad |
55.A.secrets | B.changes | C.mysteries | D.improvements |