Up until I was eight years old. I was an only child in my family and life was sweet. Then along came Grant, my little brother, and everything changed.
As Grant got older, he ___1___ the habit of attaching himself to me and I found him totally ___2___. By the time I became a teenager, he was my ___3___ , following me around, copying my every move, and generally being a pest.
However, ___4___ my annoyance, I began to enjoy him as time went by. He was a funny little guy, and I found his hero-worship pleasant. As we got older, we established boundaries and alliances (联盟), becoming more ___5___ of each other. Grant ___6___ asking to go along on dates with me, and I no longer made fun of him in front of his peers. He cheered me on at my soccer games, and I ___7___ to coach his baseball team.
I wondered if the transition happened because he became less annoying and more of a buddy or because I became more ___8___ , more able to share, more receptive to the unconditional love he offered. Looking back, I have come to the conclusion that maybe it was a/an ___9___ of both.
Today, Grant and I are a team. I know that we will always be close, if not in age or distance, then in the ____10____ shared by brothers.
1. A. developed B. changed C. maintained D. broke
2. A. reliable B. annoying C. unique D. disappointing
3. A. angel B. guide C. shadow D. enemy
4. A. besides B. despite C. beyond D. for
5. A. considerate B. critical C. envious D. respectful
6. A. missed B. suggested C. stopped D. enjoyed
7. A. hesitated B. happened C. pretended D. volunteered
8. A. creative B. ambitious C. independent D. patient
9. A. innovation B. combination C. limitation D. expectation
10. A. hope B. courage C. love D. pride
