五、先通读短文，掌握其大意，然后从 A、B、C、D 四个选项中选出一个可以填入相应空白处的最佳答案。
Liza has loved words for as long as she can remember. She likes to write down words and doodle (涂鸦) on the letters to create fun 1.
One day, Liza's art teacher, Mr Jordan, 2 her word art pieces. She turned the difficult words into beautiful pictures. He was very 3. After all, not many fourth graders could recognize these words or spell them, let alone understand their meanings.
Later that day, Mr Jordan asked Liza if she wanted to 4 the spelling bee — a word spelling competition. Liza nodded excitedly 5 usually fifth graders could take part in it. In the next few days, Mr Jordan offered Liza word lists and she studied hard with her word art. With Mr Jordan's help, Liza felt 6 prepared.
The big day arrived. In the first three rounds, Liza 7 easily. Her word art helped her 8 many words and she successfully spell difficult words in the next several rounds.
After six more rounds, there were only 9 competitors remaining — Liza and Ben, a fifth grader. Ben went first. His word was “migration” and he spelled it quickly. Liza couldn't 10 to make mistakes, or she would be out. Her word was “tolerable”. Liza hadn't studied it. She thought about the words that included 11 sounds. She knew how to spell the word “tolerable”. Exactly right! Liza made it to the next 12.
Ben listened to his next word, thought for a while and spelled it correctly. Liza's next word was a word that she hadn't studied. She 13 the sounds carefully, and then thought and thought, trying to recall the sounds. But in the end, she was one 14 off in her spelling.
Liza was a little 15 that she didn't win, but at the same time she was proud of herself for making it so far in her first spelling bee. And she knew she would come back the next year.
()1. A. games B. questions
C. drawings D. sayings
()2. A. accepted B. noticed
C. expected D. refused
()3. A. worried B. surprised
C. tired D. strict
()4. A. know B. report
C. hold D. enter
()5. A. because B. until
C. unless D. if
()6. A. nearly B. hardly
C. fully D. lastly
()7. A. passed B. copied
C. stopped D. missed
()8. A. read B. repeat
C. imagine D. remember
()9. A. two B. three
C. four D. five
()10. A. decide B. promise
C. afford D. manage
()11. A. valuable B. natural
C. strange D. similar
()12. A. fact B. round
C. club D. excuse
()13. A. listened to B. broke down
C. looked for D. turned on
()14. A. letter B. word
C. sentence D. text
()15. A. busy B. afraid
C. sorry D. clear

1. C
2. B
3. B
4. D
5. A
6. C
7. A
8. D
9. A
10. C
11. D
12. B
13. A
14. A
15. C

【分析】
本题为英语完形填空题，解题思路为：首先通读全文，把握文章主旨（Liza凭借文字艺术参与拼字比赛的经历）；然后逐句分析空白处的语境，结合词汇词义、固定搭配、上下文逻辑关系，逐一筛选最佳选项；最后验证答案是否符合文意。
【解析】
1. 前文提到“write down words and doodle (涂鸦)”，可知是创造有趣的画，故选C。
2. 老师注意到她的文字艺术作品，noticed符合语境，故选B。
3. 四年级学生能完成这样的作品，老师很惊讶，surprised符合，故选B。
4. enter the spelling bee表示“参加拼字比赛”，为固定搭配，故选D。
5. 她能参加是因为通常五年级学生才能参与，表原因用because，故选A。
6. fully prepared表示“准备充分”，符合语境，故选C。
7. 前几轮她轻松通过，passed（通过）符合，故选A。
8. 文字艺术帮助她记住很多单词，remember符合，故选D。
9. 后文提到Liza和Ben两名选手，故选A。
10. can't afford to do sth表示“不能做某事（否则有不良后果）”，此处指不能出错，故选C。
11. 她思考有相似发音的词，similar符合，故选D。
12. 进入下一轮，round（轮次）符合，故选B。
13. 仔细听发音，listened to符合，故选A。
14. 她的拼写错了一个字母，letter符合，故选A。
15. 没赢有点遗憾，sorry符合，故选C。
【答案】
1.C 2.B 3.B 4.D 5.A 6.C 7.A 8.D 9.A 10.C 11.D 12.B 13.A 14.A 15.C
【知识点】
完形填空解题、词汇辨析、语境理解
【点评】
本文为记叙文，围绕Liza参与拼字比赛的经历展开，既考查学生对词汇的运用能力，也考查对上下文逻辑的理解，是初中英语典型题型。
【难度系数】
0.6