1 . 短文填空
The appeal of magic
Have you ever interacted with a magician or entertainer in the flesh who 1 (使惊讶) you with a show of magic? I once had such an unforgettable experience on a cruise.
It was ten years ago, after I renewed my 2 (签证) as a visiting scholar in a high school in West Virginia, the US. For the summer vacation, I w 3 from my little town in the eastern US accompanied by two colleagues and boarded a huge ship that reminded me of the Titanic, going from Miami across the sea b 4 to the Bahamas, an island country famous for its white sandy beaches and sky-blue water 5 (难得) seen in daily life.
While we were having dinner in the dining hall, an entertainer came over to our table and asked “Excuse me, would you like to see a little magic?” “Yes, of course,” we replied. How could we possibly r 6 the temptation of getting involved in a magic show? And so, the entertainer fished out 7 (迅速地) one rubber band from his pocket and asked me to hold out my hand. He put the band around my fingers, turning it in different ways to make a complex web. Then came something that seemed u 8 : slowly but surely, he 9 10 11 (去掉) the band from my fingers in one turn, as if the band had never been wound! A language teacher by p 12 , I failed to make any verbal 13 (反应), until the entertainer wished us to enjoy our dinner and went away.
Having seen many splendid magic shows on TV, I am still impressed with the one performed around my fingers. Magic can 14 ( 逗 乐 ) and amaze people whether they are 15 ( 成 熟 的 ) adults or children, easterners or westerners. The appeal of magic is u 16 .