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【完形填空】Cloze: The Bakery's Choice
Lena owned a small bakery in a busy neighbourhood. Her daily routine was simple: flour, ovens, and bread. She was outgoing by nature, yet the work itself was often (1) and quiet. Every morning she walked to the shop, opened the door, and started the first bake. The smell of fresh bread could (2) anyone passing by. Her customers came from every background. She knew their names and what they liked.
One Tuesday a stranger came in. He wore an expensive suit and a coat too heavy for June. He stood near the counter and spoke in a low voice. "I can make you rich," he said. "Your bread has a quality people cannot (3). Let me finance an expansion. We will (4) every bakery in the area. Your talent will take you to the top." Lena felt a (5) of doubt. Her values did not (6) her to such offers. But curiosity has its own power. She agreed to a meeting.
So the planning began. The man brought data. He showed how online orders could (7) profit. He talked about delivery options and a complete plan to grow her brand. "Availability is everything," he said. "Open a second shop. Use elegant packaging. Make it a (8), not an afterthought." Lena listened. She could not deny the (9) of his figures. By autumn she had signed the contract.
Then came the change. The first new shop opened near the station. It was clean, fast, and corporate. The bread was baked elsewhere and shipped in. Lena watched a machine cut each loaf with perfect symmetry. She stood outside and felt a strange (10). She had wanted to increase her income and secure her future. But the new place had no warmth. The soul was gone. She had gone against her own craft.
The following week she took action. She cancelled the contract, paid the penalty, and returned to one oven. She cut the hours and reduced the menu. She would rather earn less than lose herself. "Bread is not a product," she told a customer. "It is care. It is a small act of kindness." He nodded and bought two loaves. Lena went back to work. And the bread, once more, was hers.
The following week she took action. She cancelled the contract, paid the penalty, and returned to one oven. She cut the hours and reduced the menu. She would rather earn less than lose herself. "Bread is not a product," she told a customer. "It is care. It is a small act of kindness." He nodded and bought two loaves. Lena went back to work. And the bread, once more, was hers.
Choices
(1) A. social B. solitary C. lively D. crowded
(2) A. ignore B. attract C. repel D. disturb
(3) A. accept B. resist C. enjoy D. notice
(4) A. join B. replace C. support D. copy
(5) A. stab B. wave C. sense D. touch
(6) A. discourage B. allow C. predispose D. force
(7) A. maximize B. reduce C. maintain D. share
(8) A. mistake B. motif C. burden D. secret
(9) A. truth B. relevance C. falsity D. irrelevance
(10) A. familiarity B. comfort C. alienation D. joy