Many people don’t think that the number 13 is a lucky number. Many hotels do not have a 13th floor. The floors go from 12 to 14, and there is no number13. Some people will never sit at a table with 12 other people. They will tell someone to go or ask another person to sit with them.
No one really knows why people do not like the number 13. Perhaps one reason is that when people began to count, they used ten fingers and two hands. This made 12. They could not count more.
Some Christians (基督徒) say that 13 is not lucky because there were 13 people at a meal the day before Jesus (耶稣) was killed (被杀). In a story about the old Greek (希腊的) gods, 12 gods were asked to a meal but one more came. This made 13. It is why the god Balder, who was at the meal, was killed.
【小题1】Some people will never sit at a table with twelve other people, or _________________.

Many people don’t think that the number 13 is a lucky number. Many hotels do not have a 13th floor. The floors go from 12 to 14, and there is no number13. Some people will never sit at a table with 12 other people. They will tell someone to go or ask another person to sit with them.

No one really knows why people do not like the number 13. Perhaps one reason is that when people began to count, they used ten fingers and two hands. This made 12. They could not count more.

Some Christians (基督徒) say that 13 is not lucky because there were 13 people at a meal the day before Jesus (耶稣) was killed (被杀). In a story about the old Greek (希腊的) gods, 12 gods were asked to a meal but one more came. This made 13. It is why the god Balder, who was at the meal, was killed.

1.Some people will never sit at a table with twelve other people, or _________________.

2.The story is about _____________________.

Three soldiers were on their way home from the war．They arrived at a small village, they were very tired and （1）,but they had no food or money．The only thing they did have was a cooking pot（锅）．

The soldiers built a small cooking fire,（2） their pot on it, and poured in some water． When a few villagers asked what they were doing, one of the soldiers answered that he was making stone soup． A few more villagers walking by stopped to （3）what was going on when they heard about it．

“Any soup needs salt and pepper,”the first soldier said,（4） some children ran to fetch salt and pepper．“Stones can be used to prepare good soup, but tomatoes would （5） it so much better,” the second soldier added．One woman said“Why, I think I have a tomato or two! ”She ran to get the tomatoes．

“Some cabbage would be a proper choice for a good stone soup! ”said the third soldier．Another woman said,“I think I can probably find some cabbage,”and （6）she ran．

“If only we had a bit of beef and some potatoes, this soup would be fit for a rich man's （7）．”The villagers thought it over, then ran to fetch what they had in their homes．A rich man's soup, and all from a few stones! It seemed like （8）!

The soldiers said“, If only we had a little milk, this soup would be fit for a king! ”And so other villagers （9） to get some milk．

“The soup is ready,”said the cooks,“and all will （10）it, but first we need to set the tables．”Some of the villagers said,“Such a great soup would be better （11）some bread and cakes,”so they brought the （12） two things and the meal was （13） by all．Never had there been such a （14） meal．Never had the villagers had such delicious soup, and all made from stones! They ate and drank and danced well into the night．

In the morning, the villagers gathered to say goodbye．“Many thanks to you,”they said,“for we shall （15）go hungry now that we have learned how to make soup from stones．”

1．A．hungry          B．bored          C．sleepy         D．sick

2．A．drew            B．threw          C．left           D．placed

3．A．see                     B．tell             C．imagine        D．notice

4．A．but              B．so             C．or             D．while

5．A．cook            B．do            C．invent         D．make

6．A．about            B．in             C．off           D．out

7．A．health            B．money         C．dream         D．table

8．A．art              B．magic          C．interest        D．supper

9．A．tried             B．returned       C．managed       D．came

10．A．want           B．buy             C．use            D．taste

11．A．over           B．besides         C．with          D．like

12．A．first           B．last            C．other          D．only

13．A．enjoyed        B．given          C．needed          D．brought

14．A．cheap         B．proper         C．special        D．public

15．A．later           B．ever           C．sometimes     D．never