Now came great news! It came from a neighboring state, where the family’s only surviving relative lived. It was Sally’s relative — a distant relative by the name of Tilbury Foster, seventy and single. Tilbury now wrote to Sally, saying he should shortly die, and should leave him thirty thousand dollars, cash; not for love, but because money had given him most of his troubles, and he wished to place it where there was good hope that it would continue its evil work. The bequest would be found in his will, and would be officially handed over provided that Sally should be able to prove to the executors (遗嘱执行人).

    As soon as Aleck had partially recovered from the strong emotions created by the letter, she sent someone to the relative’s home and subscribed for the local paper.

For the rest of the day Sally made confusion with his books, and Aleck could not keep her mind on her affairs, not even take up a flower-pot or book or a stick of wood without forgetting what she had intended to do with it. For both were dreaming.

“Thirty thousand dollars!”

All day long Aleck was absorbed in planning how to invest it, Sally in planning how to spend it.

There was no romance-reading that night. The children took themselves away early, for their parents were silent, disturbed, and strangely unentertaining. Two pencils had been busy during that hour — note-making; in the way of plans. It was Sally who broke the stillness at last. He said, with excitement, “Ah, it’ll be grand, Aleck! Out of the first thousand we’ll have a horse and a buggy for summer, and a cutter and a skin lap-robe for winter.”

    Aleck responded with decision and calmness.

    “You can spend a part of it. But the whole of the capital must be put right to work.

    “Why, yes. Yes, of course. Have you got it invested yet?”

    “No, there’s no hurry about that; I must look around first, and think, er…, I’ve turned it over twice; once in oil and once in wheat.”

    “Why, Aleck, it’s splendid! What does it amount to?”

    “I think — well, to be on the safe side, about a hundred and eighty thousand clear, though it will probably be more.”

    “My! Isn’t it wonderful? Good heaven! Luck has come our way at last, Aleck!”

    Then they went up to bed, but they left the candle burning in the sitting room. They did not remember until they were undressed; then Sally was for letting it burn; he said they could afford it, if it was a thousand. But Aleck went down and put it out.

    A good job, too; for on her way back she hit on a scheme that would turn the hundred and eighty thousand into half a million before it had had time to get cold. 

1. Why would Tilbury like to give all his money to Sally?

A. Because Sally was Tilbury’s only relative alive.

B. Because Tilbury loved Sally and his family deeply.

C. Because Tilbury wanted his money to continue its function.

D. Because Sally and his wife are good at investing.

2.The underlined word “bequest” in Paragraph1 probably means _________.

A. a gift of personal property                                         B. a proof of a person’s identity

C. a method of getting money                                        D. a reason for giving money

3.What do we know about Sally and his wife after receiving the letter?

A. They were in deep sorrow and stayed up all night.

B. They cared little about the bequest and lived their life as usual.

C. They paid a visit to Tilbury to confirm the truth of the letter.

D. They had a big ambition to invest the money and make huge profits.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A. Thrilling News                                                               B. Sally’s Distant Relative

C. The $30,000 Bequest                                                  D. A Smart Investment

 

 

阅读下在短文,从短文后各题的A、B、C、D四个选项中,选出适合填入对应空白处的最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该选项涂黑。

A woman id her sixties lived alone in her little cottage with a pear tree at her door. She spent all her time taking care of the tree. But the children nearby drover her    1by making fun of her. They would climb her tree and then run away with pears,     2“Aunty Misery” at her.

One evening, a passer by asked to    3for the night. Seeing that he had an   4Face, she let him in and gave him a nice    5. The next morning the stranger, actually a sorcerer (巫师), thanked her by granting (允准) her   6that anyone who climbed up her tree  7not be able to come back down until she   8it.

     When the children came back to steal her   9, she had them stuck on the tree. They had to beg her

long   10she gave the tree permission to let  11go. Aunty Misery was free from the   12at last.

One day another man    13her door. This one did not look trustworthy to her,   14she asked who he was . “I am Death, I’ve come to take you   15me.” said he.

Thinking fast Aunty Misery said, “Fine, but I’d like to  16some pears from my dear tree to remember the 17

it brought to me in this life. But I am too    18to climb high to get the best fruit. Will you be so   19as to do it for me?” With a deep sigh, Mr. Death climbed up the tree   20and was immediately stuck to it. No matter how much he warned or begged, Aunty Misery would not allow the tree to let Death go.

1.A. hopeless    B. painful   C. dull   D. crazy

2.A. calling     B. shouting   C. announcing  D. whispering

3.A. stay       B. live       C. hide     D. lie

4.A. interesting  B. honest    C. anxious    D. angry

5.A. gift      B. kiss      C. treat     D. smile

6.A. suggestion     B. demand      C. permission D. wish

7.A. could     B. should     C. might    D. must

8.A. permitted   B. promised      C. answered    D. declared

9.A. branch    B. food    C. tree     D. fruit

10.A. after      B. while     C. since       D. before

11.A. it        B. them      C. him        D. her

12.A. trick     B. question     C. trouble     D. difficulty

13.A. stepped into   B. left for       C. stopped at    D. walked around

14.A. so      B. but         C. although       D. because

15.A. with     B. off         C. upon         D. for

16.A. choose      B. pick      C. shake      D. hit

17.A. honor       B. pleasure   C. hope      D. excitement

18.A. light        B. short      C. old       D. thin

19.A. proud       B. kind       C. fine      D. smart

20.A. disappointedly       B. cheerfully      C. unwillingly     D. eagerly

 

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