When Columbus returned home with the news of his discovery, he was considered as the hero who had given a new world to Spain. Never had so great respect been shown to any   1   man.

　　 But there were some who were jealous of(嫉妒) the   2  . “Who is this Columbus?” they asked, “and what has he done? Isn’t he a poor pilot from Italy? And could not any other seamen sail across the ocean just   3   he has done?”

　　 One day Columbus was at a   4   and several of these fellows were   5   . They tried to make Columbus   6   . “You have discovered strange lands   7   the sea,” they said．“But we don’t see   8    there should be so much said about it. Anybody can sail across the ocean; and anybody can coast along the islands on the other side, just as you have done. It is the   9   thing in the world.”

　　 Columbus made no answer: but after a while he took an egg from a dish and said to the people at the table, “Who   10   you, gentlemen can make the egg stand   11   ?” One by one they tried the   12  . When the egg had gone entirely around and everyone had   13   , all said that it could not be done. Then Columbus took the egg and   14   its small end gently upon the table so as to   15   the shell a little. After that there was no   16   in making it stand   17  ,“ Gentlemen,” said he, “What is easier   18   to do this which you said was   19   ? It is the simplest thing in the world．Anybody can do it—AFTER HE HAS BEEN SHOWN   20   .”

1. A．common

B．great

C．respectable

D．noble

2. A．inventor

B．traveler

C．discoverer

D．bravery

3. A．because

B．as

C．like

D．since

4. A．palace

B．hotel

C．counter

D．dinner

5. A．present

B．at present

C．kind- hearted

D．invited

6. A．happy

B．satisfied

C．uncomfortable

D．disappointed

7. A．beside

B．along

C．in

D．beyond

8. A．why

B．how

C．whether

D．that

9. A．hardest

B．wonderful

C．simplest

D．strange

10. A．besides

B．among

C．including

D．except

11. A．by

B．still

C．weight

D．on end

12. A．experiment

B．egg

C．method

D．result

13. A．succeeded

B．failed

C．experience

D．chance

14. A．beat

B．felt

C．touched

D．struck

15. A．protect

B．crush

C．break

D．damage

16. A．trouble

B．time

C．shell

D．gravity

17. A．downward

B．upward

C．easily

D．upright

18. A．as to

B．if

C．than

D．compared

19. A．possible

B．impossible

C．difficult

D．easy

20. A．HOW

B．WHEN

C．IT

D．HIM

　　 But there were some who were jealous of(嫉妒) the   2  . “Who is this Columbus?” they asked, “and what has he done? Isn’t he a poor pilot from Italy? And could not any other seamen sail across the ocean just   3   he has done?”

　　 One day Columbus was at a   4   and several of these fellows were   5   . They tried to make Columbus   6   . “You have discovered strange lands   7   the sea,” they said．“But we don’t see   8    there should be so much said about it. Anybody can sail across the ocean; and anybody can coast along the islands on the other side, just as you have done. It is the   9   thing in the world.”

　　 Columbus made no answer: but after a while he took an egg from a dish and said to the people at the table, “Who   10   you, gentlemen can make the egg stand   11   ?” One by one they tried the   12  . When the egg had gone entirely around and everyone had   13   , all said that it could not be done. Then Columbus took the egg and   14   its small end gently upon the table so as to   15   the shell a little. After that there was no   16   in making it stand   17  ,“ Gentlemen,” said he, “What is easier   18   to do this which you said was   19   ? It is the simplest thing in the world．Anybody can do it—AFTER HE HAS BEEN SHOWN   20   .”

1. A．common

B．great

C．respectable

D．noble

2. A．inventor

B．traveler

C．discoverer

D．bravery

3. A．because

B．as

C．like

D．since

4. A．palace

B．hotel

C．counter

D．dinner

5. A．present

B．at present

C．kind- hearted

D．invited

6. A．happy

B．satisfied

C．uncomfortable

D．disappointed

7. A．beside

B．along

C．in

D．beyond

8. A．why

B．how

C．whether

D．that

9. A．hardest

B．wonderful

C．simplest

D．strange

10. A．besides

B．among

C．including

D．except

11. A．by

B．still

C．weight

D．on end

12. A．experiment

B．egg

C．method

D．result

13. A．succeeded

B．failed

C．experience

D．chance

14. A．beat

B．felt

C．touched

D．struck

15. A．protect

B．crush

C．break

D．damage

16. A．trouble

B．time

　　When Columbus returned home with the news of his discovery, he was considered as the hero who had given a new world to Spain. Never had such great respect been shown to any __(1)__ man.

　　But there were some who were jealous（嫉妒）of the __(2)__.“Who is this Columbus?”hey asked,“And what has he done? Isn't he a poor pilot from Italy? And could not any other seaman sail across the ocean just __(3)__ he has done?”

　　One day Columbus was at __(4)__ and several of these fellows were __(5)__. They tried to make Columbus __(6)__.“You have discovered strange lands __(7)__ the sea,”they said,“But we don't see __(8)__ there should be so much said about it. Anybody can sail across the ocean, and anybody can coast along the islands on the other side, just as you have done. It is the __(9)__ thing in the world.”

　　Columbus made no answer, but after a while he took an egg from a dish and said to the people at the table,“Who __(10)__ you, gentlemen, can make the egg stand __(11)__?”One by one they tried the __(12)__ When the egg had gone entirely around and everyone had __(13)__, all said that it could not be done. Then Columbus took the egg and __(14)__ its small end gently upon the table so as to __(15)__ the shell a little. After that there was no __(16)__ in making it stand __(17)__“Gentlemen,”said he,“what is easier __(18)__ to do this which you said was __(19)__? It is the simplest thing in the world. Anybody can do it--AFTER HE HAS BEEN SHOWN __(20)__.”

阅读理解

　　It was an important day for Rita Van. Two guests were coming for dinner. All week, she planned the dinner with great care. She thought about serving roast beef and red wine, but she finally decided to serve duck and white wine.

　　She didn't have to clean her apartment（公寓）because it was always clean. She was a very neat person, and everything was always in place. She put some interesting books and magazines on the coffee table. Then she looked to see if all of her records were in order so her guests could choose the music they wanted hear.

　　On the day of the dinner, she finished the shopping and bought flowers. She put on her nicest skirt and sweater. Then she set the table and arranged （安排）the flowers. She enjoyed preparing the dinner. Everything looked and seemed so good. It was exactly eight o'clock, and it was almost time to take the duck out of the oven（烤炉）.

　　Suddenly the telephone rang. She picked it up. At first, she didn't understand. Where were they? Why were they calling? Oh, they couldn't come. She couldn't believe it.

　　She had some soup, and then she sat for a long time, looking down at the table, finally she turned on the radio and listened to a man giving people advice about their problems.

（1）Rita Van is the kind of woman ________.

[　　]

A. who is easy to change her idea

B. who is nest and thoughtful

C. who is pretty but careless

D. who has few good friends

（2）The underlined word “neat” in this passage means ________.

[　　]

（3）Which of the following is right?

[　　]

A. The guests phoned Rita Van nearly eight o'clock.

B. Rita Van didn't know who called in the end.

C. Rita Van did her housework all by herself

D. Rita Van decided to serve duck and red wine.

（4）On the day of the dinner, before the guests phone her, Rita Van _______.

[　　]

A. was happy and satisfied with all she had done

B. was eager to know if the guests would come in time

C. was busy changing her clothes and arranging the flowers

D. was so tired that she didn't like to do anything

（5）How did Rita Van feel after she knew the guests wouldn't come?

[　　]