George Washington Carver was born in 1864. He was born a slave(奴隶). When he was still a baby, his mother was stolen. He was kept by his master.

All his life George loved 26　 .When he was only seven years old, he already knew so 　27 about plants that people in his hometown called him“the plant doctor”.

George wanted to learn as much as he could, but there was no 　 28　 for black children where he lived. When he was ten, he left home to find a town that would allow　 29　 children to go to school. He studied in Missouri and Kansas 　30　 he finished high school. All this time he had to work to　 31　 his own expense(费用). He worked as a cook and opened his own laundry.

In 1890, George began college. At first he studied art, but he still had a 　32　 of plants. He began to study agriculture (农业). After he graduated, the famous inventor Thomas Edison asked him to work in his lab but George 33　 . He had other　 34　 . He started an agricultural organization(组织)for black students in Alabama.

In those days, many 35　　 in the south grew only cotton(棉花). This was 　 36 to the soil(土壤). After a while the 　37　 would not grow as well. George Washington Carver wanted to help farmers in the south to grow plants like peanuts and sweet potatoes. These plants helped the　 38　 . Over the years he invented hundreds of ways to use these two plants.

George Washington Carver invented(发明) so many things that he was　 39 “the Wizard (能手)of Tuskegee”. He died in 1943 at the 　 40　 of 79.

(　　 ) 26. A. animals　　　 B. plants　　　 C. buildings　　 D. photos

(　　 ) 27. A. much　　　　 B. many　　　 C. little　　　　 D. few

(　　 ) 28. A. house　　　　 B. farm　　　 C. hospital　　　 D. school

(　　 ) 29. A. brown　　　 B. yellow　　 C. black　　　　 D. white　

(　　 ) 30. A. when　　　　 B. until　　　 C. for　　　　　 D. since

(　　 ) 31. A. cost　　　　 B. spend　　　 C. pay　　 　　　D. take

(　　 ) 32. A. love　　　　 B. hate　　　 C. question　　　 D. surprise

(　　 ) 33. A. accepted　　 B. refused　　 C. understood　　 D. cared

(　　 ) 34. A. situations　　 B. suggestions　 C. plays　　　　 D. plans

(　　 ) 35. A. farmers　　　 B. scientists　 C. doctors　　　 D. inventors

(　　 ) 36. A. helpful　　　 B. harmful　　 C. careful　　　 D. wonderful

(　　 ) 37. A. pumpkin　　 B. peanut　　　 C. cotton　　　 D. potato

(　　 ) 38. A. soil　　　　 B. water　　　 C. air　 　　　　D. weather　

(　　 ) 39. A. seen　　　　 B. looked　　　 C. found　　　　 D. called

(　　 ) 40.A. time　　　　 B. year　　　　 C. age　　　　　 D. season

On my eighth birthday, Dad bought me an accordion(手风琴） and said excitedly, "Once you learn to play, it’ll stay with you for life." But I didn’t want to play it. Ijust wanted to play games, But Dad asked me to take accordion lessons.
One day, I found a box in a corner. When I opened it, I saw a beautiful violin. "You’re your father’s," Mum said. "His parents bought it for him. I guess he got too busy on the farm to learn to play it."
I had to practice half an hour every day, and every day I tried to get out of it. But Dad didn’t allow. I asked why. He answered, "Because you can bring people joy. You can touch their hearts." He added softly, "Someday you’ll have the chance I never had: you’ll play beautiful music for your family. And you’ll understand why you’ve worked so hard." I was speechless.
The lessons stopped after I finished high school. When I grew up, I got married and moved into a new house. I put the accordion in the attic（阁楼）.
One afternoon, my two children found the accordion by accident (偶然). They got very excited. "Play it. Play it," they laughed and said. I started to play some simple songs. I was surprised I could still remember them. Soon the kids were dancing. Even my wife was laughing and clapping to the beat.
At that moment, my father’s words came back to me, "Someday you’ll have the chance I never had. And you’ll understand." I finally knew why Dad had asked me to practice hard. Dad never learnt to play his violin. But I told my family, "This is my father’s music."
【小题1】My father didn’t learn to play his violin when he was young because _______.