After her husband had gone to work, Mrs. Richards sent her children to school and went upstairs to her bedroom. She was too _26_ to do any housework that morning, _27_ in the evening she was going to an interesting fancy dress party with her husband. What she __28_ was a terrible genie（妖怪）and as she had made that special dress of hers the night before, she was anxious to try it on. __29__ the dress was just a big piece of old cloth which was red, green, black and white, it would be very effective to make her like a red genie. After putting it on, Mrs. Richards went downstairs happily. She wanted to find out __30__ it would be comfortable to wear.

　　Just as Mrs. Richards was entering the dining-room there was a __31_ at the door. She thought that it __32 be the baker. She had told him to come straight in if she _33__ to open the door and leave the bread on the kitchen table. Now not wanting to _34__ the poor man, Mrs. Richards quickly __35_ in the small storeroom under the stairs. She heard the front door open and a man came in. When Mrs. Richards  _36_ that it was the man from the electricity board（供电局）who had come to read the meter, she walked out of the hiding-place on a sudden and tried to explain the matter, saying with a smile, “It's only __37_! It is not __38_ for you to be __39_ !” But it was too late. The man let out a sharp cry and jumped back several paces. Then he ran away, __40__ the door behind him with great force and noise.

1.A. angry   B. ready    C. frightened     D. excited  

2. A. for      B. but       C. so              D. and  

3.A. wanted to see       B. wanted to play 

       C. was afraid to see   D. was afraid to play  

4. A. Though     B. But       C. And             D. If  

5.A. that         B. how       C. whether       D. when  

6. A. knock      B. voice      C. man            D. baker 

7. A. may        B. must       C. wouldn't       D. couldn't  

8. A. not         B. had        C. tried            D. failed  

9. A. see         B. frighten    C. help            D. scold  

10.A. went        B. lay         C. appeared       D. hid  

11. A. thought     B. wondered  C. imagined      D. realized  

12. A. me          B. you         C. game           D. play 

13. A. good        B. necessary   C. late           D. early  

14. A. off          B. here        C. afraid         D. sorry  

15.A. pushed      B. locking     C. knocking     D. shutting