“I don’t believe in Santa Claus!” Trogmire announced.
Tremor looked shocked. “Why not?” he asked.
“Because he never leaves me any gifts at all,” Trogmire growled.
Tremor thought about the evidence for a few seconds. “Maybe,” he suggested, “it’s because when Santa checked his list, your name wasn’t in the ‘nice’ column.”
“So, he could at least bring me a lump of coal!” Trogmire replied. “And,” he went on, “Troubled doesn’t believe in Santa, either.”
“Right,” Tremor said, “because he saw his parents putting the ‘From Santa’ presents under the tree. But I know the truth about that. My mother found out from Troubled’s mother. When Troubled’s parents got an e-mail from Santa, saying that he would never bring Troubled another gift, they didn’t want to tell him the truth. So now they buy presents and pretend they’re from Santa.”
“What did Troubled do to get Santa so mad?” Trogmire questioned.
“I think it had something to do with the time he put glue paper all over the living room floor on Christmas Eve, and left a sign that said, ‘Trapped like a rat!’ hanging over the fireplace.” said Tremor.
“I guess Santa doesn’t have a sense of humour,” sighed Trogmire. “Well, at least I’m not the only one who Santa scratched off his name list.”
【小题1】Why doesn’t Santa leave presents for Trogmire or Troubled?

“I don’t believe in Santa Claus!” Trogmire announced.

Tremor looked shocked. “Why not?” he asked.

“Because he never leaves me any gifts at all,” Trogmire growled.

Tremor thought about the evidence for a few seconds. “Maybe,” he suggested, “it’s because when Santa checked his list, your name wasn’t in the ‘nice’ column.”

“So, he could at least bring me a lump of coal!” Trogmire replied. “And,” he went on, “Troubled doesn’t believe in Santa, either.”

“Right,” Tremor said, “because he saw his parents putting the ‘From Santa’ presents under the tree. But I know the truth about that. My mother found out from Troubled’s mother. When Troubled’s parents got an e-mail from Santa, saying that he would never bring Troubled another gift, they didn’t want to tell him the truth. So now they buy presents and pretend they’re from Santa.”

“What did Troubled do to get Santa so mad?” Trogmire questioned.

“I think it had something to do with the time he put glue paper all over the living room floor on Christmas Eve, and left a sign that said, ‘Trapped like a rat!’ hanging over the fireplace.” said Tremor.

“I guess Santa doesn’t have a sense of humour,” sighed Trogmire. “Well, at least I’m not the only one who Santa scratched off his name list.”

1.Why doesn’t Santa leave presents for Trogmire or Troubled?

    A．Their parents won’t let him leave gifts.          B．He can’t find their homes.

    C．He often forgets their names.    D．They have behaved badly.

2.Trogmire and Troubled don’t believe in Santa because ________.

    A．Santa has no sense of humor      B．Santa doesn’t give them anything

    C．they are too naughty to believe  D．Tremor convinced them he wasn’t real

3.Troubled’s parents never ________.

    A．told him about the message from Santa              B．loved him very much

    C．cared about how he behaved                   D．bought him anything

4.Trogmire’s last comment could be an example of the saying _______.

    A．Misery(苦难,不幸) loves company        B．Easy come, easy go

    C．Beauty is only skin deep             D．Love me, love my dog

I still don’t believe in ghosts even after my experience at the Rose Inn．1 I have never seen one．But stories have made me feel 2  since then．I arrived at the inn late at night and asked the landlord for a room．

       “There is nothing left,” he said, “ 3 you’d like to sleep in Number 7．”

       “Why not?” I said．“What’s 4 it? I am  5 that I would sleep 6 ．”

       “Nothing,” he said slowly, “but something happened there a few months ago．”

       Every old inn has its own strange stories, so I thought that 7 he told me about it, the better．I was willing to listen to anything for a room to 8 ．

       “A man came here late at night 9 you．” the landlord said, “I thought there was something strange about him because he kept 10 while he was signing his name in the book．He asked me 11 room he could have and I offered him No．7 ．‘ 12   a man who has said he’ll 13 me,’ he said suddenly, ‘with a knife．’ He looked so frightened that I thought I had better 14 him to his room．I closed the door and left him 15．The next day we found him dead, with a knife beside him．He had cut his throat．” The landlord said, “Or 16 had done it．Do you 17 sleeping there now you know the story?”

       “Well,” I said, “no one is 18 me．But I wish you had told me the story 19 ．As it is, I’ll sleep here on the floor in the bar if you have a couple of  20 ．”

1．A．Because               B．Of course            C．At all                   D．Though

2．A．natural                 B．unsafe                 C．brave                  D．uncomfortable

3．A．unless                 B．if                       C．since                  D．whether

4．A．the price               B．wrong with         C．the matter            D．strange for

5．A．so tired                B．so hurt                C．very weak          D．too worried

6．A．somewhere           B．anywhere            C．nowhere              D．everywhere

7．A．the later             B．the quicker         C．the sooner          D．the slower

8．A．rest                      B．live in                C．lie down            D．go to

9．A．like                     B．with                  C．behind                 D．because of

10．A．looking after       B．looking into         C．looking over        D．looking back

11．A．what                  B．which                C．whose               D．whether

12．A．There’s              B．He’s                  C．It’s                   D．That’s

13．A．harm                 B．punish               C．frighten             D．kill

14．A．invite              B．take                   C．bring                   D．allow

15．A．by himself        B．for himself         C．at himself           D．to himself

16．A．whoever         B．nobody              C．anybody            D．someone else

17．A．like                    B．mind                 C．permit               D．promise

18．A．tricking           B．following           C．killing                D．frightening

19．A．at night           B．at once              C．in time               D．in the morning

20．A．chairs           B．blankets          C．books           D．swords

I still don’t believe in ghosts（鬼） even after my experience at the Rose Inn .  1  I have never seen one . But stories have made me feel  2  since then .I arrived at the inn late at night and asked the landlord for a room.

   “There’s nothing left ,” he said, “  3  you’d like to sleep in number7.”

   “Why not?” I said, “What’s  4  it?” I was  5  that I would have slept  6 .

   “ Nothing ,” he said slowly. “ But something happened there a few months ago.”

Every old inn has its strange stories, so I thought that  7  he told me about it, the better. I was willing to listen to anything for a bed to  8

“A man came here late at night,  9  you,” the landlord said. “ I thought there was something strange about him because he kept  10  his shoulder while he was signing his name in the book. He asked me  11  room he could have and I offered him No.7. ‘12 a man who has said he’ll  13  me.’ He said suddenly. ‘ With a knife’ He looked so frightened that I thought I had better  14  him to his room . I locked the door and left him  15 . The next day we found him dead, with a knife beside him . He had cut his throat,” the landlord said. “ Or  16  had done it. Do you  17  sleeping there now you know the story?”

“Well，”I said, “ No one is  18  me.  But I wish you had told me the story  19  .As it is, I’ll sleep here on the floor in the bar if you’ve a couple of  20 .”

1． A． Because           B． At least            C． At most      D． Though

2．  A． natural         B． unsafe             C． brave        D．uncomfortable

3．  A． unless             B． if                 C． since         D． whether

4．  A． the price           B． wrong with        C． the matter     D． to do with

5．  A． so tired        B． so hurt            C． very weak    D． too worried

6．  A． somewhere       B． anywhere             C． nowhere    D． anyhow

7．  A． the later        B． all                  C． the sooner   D． more and more

8．  A． sleep          B． sleep in              C． sit on          D． go to

9．  A． like                 B． with                C． behind        D． because of

10．  A． painting           B． shaking                C． rubbing     D． looking over

11．  A． what               B． which               C． the          D． his

12．  A． There’s           B． He’s                  C． She’s        D． That’s

13．  A． harm             B． punish                C． frighten       D． kill

14．  A． invite             B． take                C． bring          D． allow

15．  A． by himself        B． for himself           C． dead           D． trembling

16．  A． whoever         B． nobody              C． you            D． someone else

17．  A． like              B． mind                C． permit         D． promise

18．  A． beside            B．following              C．behind          D．killing

19．  A． at night           B． after I left            C． immediately   D． in the morning

20．  A． policemen        B． blankets              C． passengers    D． swords

Cyril was a small town. The houses there were all made of wood; almost everything in the houses such as cupboards, tables and chairs were made of wood, too. And all the houses faced south. The town was never peaceful. Fire broke out once a week on summer afternoons. Residents were puzzled who the real firebug(纵火犯) was.
One day a big fire broke out. It was said that a Negro had jumped out of the house on fire, so the police arrested(逮捕) all the Negroes in the street. However, fire never stopped to breaking out when the Negroes were in prison.
Mauson, a physics teacher didn’t believe that the Negroes were the firebugs, for he really knew about those Negroes, He made up his mind to find out who the real firebug was.
One day he was invited to drink in a pub and happened to notice that many bottles and plastic plates were baked by the hot sunrays. Suddenly he realized what the actual fact was. He jumped with joy, saying, “I’ve got the answer!”
Mauson dashed out of the pub to his friend’s house nearby, which also faced south. He made an experiment there to confirm his idea.
The next Saturday afternoon, Mauson asked some policemen and newsmen to come to the house. They were told that the real firebug would be shown there. At that time the sun was shining full into the house and it became hotter and hotter inside the room.
Someone wanted to draw the curtains together, while another was going to use a bottle to drink water, but neither got permission from Mauson, who wanted to let the firebug in.
“Now,” said Mauson, “this house will soon catch fire.” People looked at each other in surprise. Mauson asked them to look at the bottles and focus on the table cloth. After a while the cloth gave off a burning smell and began to catch fire!
The mystery of fire was discovered, but the police wouldn’t believe him and insisted that Negroes had been the firebugs. Instead they arrested Mauson and put him into prison. But Mauson said he would never turn against science.

1. 1.

   The town was never peaceful, for fire broke out        .

   1. A.
      in the afternoon
   2. B.
      in summer
   3. C.
      at any time
   4. D.
      A and B
2. 2.

   Why did the police arrest all the Negroes?

   1. A.
      One of them had jumped out of the home on fire.
   2. B.
      They were suspected to be the firebugs.
   3. C.
      The police hated the Negroes.
   4. D.
      The Negroes knew something about the fires.
3. 3.

   Drinking in a pub, Mauson realized what the actual fact was         .

   1. A.
      by experiment
   2. B.
      by backing the bottles
   3. C.
      through the hot sunrays
   4. D.
      by accident
4. 4.

   By making an experiment, they knew the real firebug was        .

   1. A.
      the Negroes
   2. B.
      bottles
   3. C.
      sunrays
   4. D.
      plastic plates
5. 5.

   Mauson was put into prison, because          .

   1. A.
      he had told a lie
   2. B.
      he had fund out the real firebug
   3. C.
      he had turned against science
   4. D.
      he had made friends with the Negroes