第二节：完形填空

My fiance (未婚夫) and I were excited about shopping for our first home. But our funds were

16 , and none of the houses in our price range seemed satisfactory.

　　One agent 17 a house in particular. Although her description sounded wonderful, the price was 18 our range, so we declined. But she kept urging us to have a look 19 .

　　We finally did and it was 20 at first sight. It was Our Home, small and charming, overlooking a quiet lake. Walking through the rooms and talking with the owners, a nice elderly couple, we felt the warmth and 21 of the marriage within that home. Perfect as it was, the price remained too high for us. But every day, we would sit by the lake, looking at the house and dreaming of 22 it would be like to live there.

　　Days later, we made a(n) 23 - far below the asking price. Surprisingly, they didn't 24 us. They renewed their offer 25 . It was also much more than we could afford, but far 26 than the original asking price.

　　The next day, we got a 27 message that another buyer had offered a much higher price. Even so, we decided to talk with the 28 directly. We made our final offer, which 29 was thousands of dollars less than the other buyer's bid. We knew it, 30 we had to try. "Sold!" said the owner. Then he 31 : He'd seen us sitting by the lake all those times; he knew how much we loved the place and that we'd 32 the years of work they had put into their home; he realized he would take a 33 by selling it to us, but it was worthwhile; we were the people they wanted to live there. He told us to consider the 34 in the price "an early wedding present."

　　That's how we found our home and how I learned that when people are 35 they are not strangers, only friends we haven't yet met.

16. A. needed B. limited C. enough D. large

17. A. recommended B. decorated C. sold D. rented

18. A. below B. within C. beyond D. between

19. A. at least B. at most C. at times D. at hand

20. A. relief B. concern C. love D. Curiosity

21. A. pride B. happiness C. challenge D. desire

22. A. which B. why C. that D. what