题目内容：
14. (简答题)Cloze (每小题1分，共15分)
“Knock it off!” Billy would not (26)_______ banging his foot on the table. Mrs. Stewart had lost all (27)_______in telling him to stop. Her words were falling on (28)_______ears. She had asked her son to quit doing something that was bothering her so many times that she (29)_______even knew the words were coming from her mouth. Billy had (30)_______ this. He just (31)_______his mom’s expressions like these. He banged on without a pause.
She used to try to phrase her words in (32)________ways like, “When you bang on the table that way, it (33)_______ me. Would you (34)________doing something else that is a little quieter?” There was warmth in her voice and she had all of the best (35)_______. But when she actually managed to get Billy’s attention in this way, he simply replied, “But I’m bored.” She tried to offer him a bunch of (36)________, but nothing worked and it all became too tedious. It had become (37)________even to herself that she was (38)________using negative expressions.
Mrs. Stewart seems to understand that (39)________she shouts she can’t expect Billy to respond immediately. But she still believes that to keep on (40)________ the pressure might work someday. Children may learn that arguing no longer works because of her continuous shouting.
26. A. increase B. decrease C. cease D. ease
27. A. patients
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