三、短文填空(共10小题,每小题1分,满分10分)
阅读短文,从方框中选出恰当的单词并用其适当形式填空,使短文通顺、意义完整。每空仅填一词,每词仅用一次。
symbol down but warm return position discuss share sadness happily
The sweetest memory for me is about a round table. When I was little, my family gathered around it during festivals. We kids played games under it while the grown-ups 36. family things.
When I was ten, my grandma 37. placed another chair for my aunt's boyfriend—crowded but warm. At twelve, my grandpa passed away. That 38. stayed with us, but when the family got together once again, we all agreed his 39. should stay. There was no one sitting in his chair, 40. we felt like he had never left us.
Every Chinese home has such a table. Over it, we 41. joyful or difficult moments, celebrate reunions, and pass 42. love.
Now, as the Spring Festival comes, people will 43. home. Rich or poor, young or old, they gather around their own round tables. They recall stories and retell family tales, feeling 44. and connected.
This table is more than furniture—it's a lasting 45. of togetherness. It was, is, and always will be.

36. discussed
37. happily
38. sadness
39. position
40. but
41. share
42. down
43. return
44. warm
45. symbol

【分析】
先通读短文理解主旨（围绕家庭圆桌的团圆记忆），再结合方框内单词，根据每个空的语法结构、上下文语境及固定搭配，选择并调整单词的适当形式填空，确保每词仅用一次。
【解析】
36. 句意为“大人们讨论家庭琐事”，由前文gathered可知时态为一般过去时，故填discussed；
37. 修饰动词placed需用副词，结合语境“开心地放了另一把椅子”，故填happily；
38. 爷爷去世带来的是悲伤，此处需名词，故填sadness；
39. 句意为“我们都同意他的位置应该保留”，故填名词position；
40. 前后句为转折关系，“没人坐他的椅子，但感觉他从未离开”，故填连词but；
41. 句意为“我们分享快乐或困难时刻”，结合语境及固定搭配share moments，故填share；
42. 固定搭配pass down意为“传承”，此处指传递爱，故填down；
43. 句意为“春节时人们会回家”，return home为固定搭配，故填return；
44. 结合语境“感到温暖且紧密相连”，feel后需形容词，故填warm；
45. 句意为“这张桌子是团圆的象征”，故填名词symbol。
【答案】
36. discussed 37. happily 38. sadness 39. position 40. but 41. share 42. down 43. return 44. warm 45. symbol
【知识点】
英语短文填空、动词时态、固定搭配
【点评】
本题为英语短文词汇运用题，围绕家庭团圆主题，考查词汇在语境中的正确使用，需结合语义、语法及固定搭配解题，难度适中，贴近学生生活，易理解。
【难度系数】
0.6