Big Ben's story starts in 1834. In that year the old Parliament building burned down. Its clock tower (塔) crashed (倒下) to the ground. There had to be a new building－and a new clock.

　　Plans were made. They called for a “king of clocks, the biggest and best in the world. ” So the clock had to be big. And it had to keep very good time.

　　Some people said, “No one can make such a clock. ”They were wrong. The big clock was made in two years. But it couldn't be put in the tower. The tower wasn't even built!

　　Five more years went by before the clock tower was finished. Then the four bells for the chimes (钟声) were brought into the tower. And at last the giant (巨大) hour bell (铃) was put in place. It rang out for the first time on July 11, 1859.

　　This great bell had to have a name. A meeting of Parliament was called to pick one. “The clock is the king of clocks. ” one man said, “Let's call the bell the queen of Bells. ”

　　“Then why not Victoria?” said another. (Victoria was the British queen at that time. )

　　The talk about names went on and on. Then Benjamin Hall got up to speak. He was a big man that the others liked. By this time they were all tired. Someone shouted, “Why not call it Big Ben and be done with it?”

　　Everybody laughed, and the meeting broke up. But Big Ben it was from then on. Not just the bell, but the whole clock.

1．The old clock tower crashed to the ground because of ________ in 1834.

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2．The new clock should be ________ .

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3．It took ________ years to make the big clock.

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4．On ________ Big Ben rang out for the first time.

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5．The name of Big Ben comes from ________ .

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People all over the world write to Big Ben. They even send birthday presents to it. One of the presents was a bottle of oil—to help keep Big Ben running. Big Ben isn’t a person. It is a famous bell in a clock in London. Big Ben’s story began in 1834. In that year , the old Parliament Building (议会大厦) was destroyed (被破坏) by fire. Its clock tower fell to the ground. There had to be a new building and a new clock.

   Plans were made. The clock had to be the biggest in the world and it had to keep good time. The big clock was made in two years. Five years later, a tower was build and the bells were put in place in it. The clock rang out for the first time in July, 1859.

1. Big Ben is ______.

A. a clock in London    B. a man in London   C. the name of a shop   D. a street

2. In 1834, the old Parliament Building________.

A. was built

B. was put up

C. was destroyed by fire

D. was pulled down by a man

3. People planned to make the clock________.

A. the biggest all over the world   B. keep good time 

C. the most beautiful                   D. both A and B

4. The big clock was made in ________.

A. five years      B. two years     C. three years     D. more than five years

5. The clock rang out for the first time in ________.

A. June, 1899     B. July, 1859     C. June, 1958      D. July, 1958