郝昌明

A

There was once a farmer who had a fine olive orchard （橄欖園）. He was very __1__， and the farm always prospered （繁榮） under his __2__. But he knew that his three sons __3__?the farm work， and were __4__?to make wealth， through adventure.

When the farmer was old， and felt he was about to die， he __5__?the three sons to him and said， “My sons， there is a pot of gold hidden in the olive orchard. Dig for it， if you wish it.”

The sons __6__?to get him to tell them in what part of the orchard the gold was hidden; but he would tell them __7__?more.

After the farmer __8__， the sons went to work to find the pot of gold. Since they did not know where the hiding-place was， they __9__?to begin in a line， at one end of the orchard， and to dig __10__?one of them could find the money.

They dug until they had __11__?the soil from one end of the orchard to the other， round the tree-roots and between them. __12__?no pot of gold was to be found. It seemed as if someone must have __13__?it， or as if the farmer had __14__. The three sons were bitterly __15__?to have all their work for nothing.

The next olive season， the olive trees in the orchard bore more fruit than they had __16__given. When it was __17__， it gave the sons a whole pot of gold.

And when they saw how much __18__?had come from the orchard， they __19__?understood what their wise father had __20__?when he said， “There is gold hidden in the orchard. Dig for it， if you wish it.”

1. A. diligent B. honest C. friendly D. handsome

2. A. help B. care C. support D. understanding

3. A. looked up to B. lived up to C. looked down upon D. looked forward to

4. A. able B. willing C. eager D. free

5. A. ordered B. driven C. shouted D. called

6. A. managed B. tried C. had D. chose

7. A. anything B. nothing C. something D. everything

8. A. left B. returned C. disappeared D. died

9. A. agreed B. refused C. promised D. pretended

10. A. before B. when C. until D. unless

11. A. moved away B. turned up C. thrown out D. cleared away

12. A. But B. And C. So D. Or

13. A. borrowed B. robbed C. stolen D. kept

14. A. pretended B. lied C. forgot D. taken

15. A. angry B. frightened C. surprised D. disappointed

16. A. never B. ever C. yet D. still

17. A. bought B. sent C. sold D. ordered

18. A. cost B. money C. fruit D. work

19. A. suddenly B. naturally C. luckily D. generally

20. A. told B. spoken C. meant D. reported

B

I?ll always be there for you！

In 1989 an 8.2 earthquake almost flattened America， killing 30，000 people in four minutes. A father left his wife safely at home and rushed to his son?s school __1__?to find it flat.

He was __2__. Suddenly， he remembered his __3__?to his son， “No matter what happens， I?ll always be there for you！”

__4__?his son?s classroom would be in the back right corner of the building， he rushed there and __5__?digging through the ruins.

Some other parents __6__?to pull him off， saying， “It?s __7__?late！ They?re all dead！ You can?t help！ Face __8__?and go home！”

He answered with only one sentence， “Are you going to help me now？” And then he __9__on. The fire chief appeared and tried to __10__?him， but was also refused. A policeman came and asked him to go home but was __11__?refused.

He dug for 12 hours... 24 hours... 36 hours... then， in the 38th hour， he pulled back a large stone and heard his __12__?voice. He cried， “Armand！”

“Dad！It?s me， Dad！ I told the other kids not to __13__. I told them if you were __14__， you?d save me __15__?when you saved me， they?d be saved. You promised no matter what happens， you?ll always be there for me！ You did it， Dad！” “What?s __16__?there？ How is it？” the father asked.

“There are 14 of us left out of 33， Dad. We?re scared， hungry， thirsty and __17__?you?re here. When the building __18__， it made a triangle （三角形）， and it __19__?us.”

“Come out， boy！”

“No， Dad！ Let the other __20__?out first， because I know you?ll get me！ No matter what happens， I know you?ll always be there for me！”

1. A. just B. only C. ever D. still

2. A. excited B. disappointed C. shocked D. angry

3. A. advice B. promise C. answer D. comfort

4. A. Imagining B. Doubting C. Guessing D. Thinking

5. A. started B. continued C. stopped D. finished

6. A. failed B. managed C. tried D. wanted

7. A. so B. very C. too D. really

8. A. history B. society C. reality D. presence

9. A. moved B. dug C. picked D. pushed

10. A. stop B. educate C. guide D. comfort

11. A. still B. even C. already D. nearly

12. A. daughter?s B. son?s C. brother?s D. wife?s

13. A. die B. fail C. go D. worry

14. A. right B. alive C. kind D. clever

15. A. but B. instead C. and D. or

16. A. going down B. going off C. going on D. going out

17. A. unexpected B. thankful C. surprised D. excited

18. A. fell B. dropped C. rolled D. moved

19. A. reached B. saved C. touched D. covered

20. A. girls B. boys C. adults D. kids