II. Cloze: choose the words that best complete the passages. (2 points each, 40 points in total) Passage A: Questions 16-25 WASHINGTON President Obama surprised Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Thursday bybestowing the Presidential Medal of Freedom on him, calling Mr. Biden "my brother" in a tearfulgoodbye in the East Room of the White House. Having called Mr. Biden and his wife, Jill, to theWhite House for a private farewell, the president instead brought him into a room filled with hisfriends, family and colleagues to present him with the __16__ . the nation's __17__ For the first time, Mr. Obama awarded the medal with__18__ , an added level of venerationthat previous presidents had reserved for recipients like Pope John Paul II and Colin L. Powell, theformer secretary of__19__. "'To know Joe Biden is to know love without pretense, __20__ without self-regard, and tolive life fully," Mr. Obama said during the televised ceremony, as Mr. Biden wiped tears from hiseyes and dabbed at his nose with a handkerchief. Moments later, as the president called up amilitary aide to read the __21__, Mr. Biden appeared to break down, turning his back to theaudience to __22__.After Mr. Obama hung the medal around his neck, the vice presidentcried openly. "Ricchetti, you're fired," Mr. Biden joked to his chief of staff, Steve Ricchetti. "I hadno inkling." __23__Mr. Obama, who stood to his side, Mr. Biden said that he had nevermet anyone who had "the integrity and the decency and the__24__ of other people's needslike you do." The ceremony was an emotional conclusion to an_ 25 _ partnership that began in 2008when Mr. Obama asked his former presidential rival to be his running mate. The two men becameclose during eight years in the White House. 
【題組】16.
(A) reward
(B) honor
(C) gift
(D) donor