In his youth, Darwin was an average student.__1__ he was a big reader. He also was an eager __2__， especially of beetles and butterflies. (He once carried two beetles, one in each hand, and then saw a __3__ so interesting that he decided to put it in his mouth.)

__4__ it came time for higher education, Darwin went to Edinburgh in Scotland to study medicine. But he soon found that he couldn't __5__ the sight of blood. So he left and went to school at the University of Cambridge in England __6__. He was preparing to become a minister, a profession in which blood shouldn't be a(n) __7__.

His heart was not in __8__， though. He spent his time at Cambridge collecting __9__ bugs and talking about science with people like the geologist Adam Sedgwick and the botanist John Stevens Henslow. Henslow saw that Darwin could be a __10__， and helped him get the chance to go on a long sea __11__ of exploration on a ship called the Beagle.

__12__ that ship's five－year trip around the world, Darwin observed many __13__ of life and various geological formations and fossils in South America and islands in the Pacific Ocean.__14__ the time the voyage ended, in 1836, Darwin knew more about life than anybody else.

During this trip, Darwin sent __15__ back to England. So he was well known as a scientist when he __16__. But __17__ becoming a professor, Darwin moved to the __18__. For some reason he was almost always __19__ with a stomach disorder. Doctors couldn't help him. (Even today, experts __20__ what disease he might have had.) So he lived an isolated life with his wife and family. He did experiments, studied plants and animals, read books and wrote papers in the comfort of his country home.

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

2. A. collector   B. learner        C. instructor    D. farmer

3. A. larger      B. third          C. beetle        D. second

4. A. Before      B. Although       C. When         D. Until

5. A. meet        B. like           C. catch        D. stand

6. A. yet         B. instead        C. too          D. soon

7. A. sight       B. operation      C. problem      D. necessary 

8. A. religion    B. study          C. research     D. science

9. A. fewer       B. more           C. rarer        D. bigger

10. A. scientist    B. minister      C. geologist    D. learner

11. A. discoveries  B. voyage        C. fishing      D. passage 

12. A. Before       B. After         C. Until        D. During

13. A. forms        B. sizes         C. heights      D. years

14. A. In           B. After         C. By           D. During

15. A. reports      B. application   C. news         D. bugs

16. A. started out  B. came back     C. passed away  D. sailed out

17. A. fond of      B. content with  C. rather than  D. sticking to

18. A. city         B. university    C. office       D. countryside

19. A. disturbed    B. content       C. concerned    D. curious

20. A. know about   B. argue about   C. find out     D. care about