Now came great news! It came from a neighboring state, where the family’s only surviving relative lived. It was Sally’s relative — a distant relative by the name of Tilbury Foster, seventy and single. Tilbury now wrote to Sally, saying he should shortly die, and should leave him thirty thousand dollars, cash; not for love, but because money had given him most of his troubles, and he wished to place it where there was good hope that it would continue its evil work. The bequest would be found in his will, and would be officially handed over provided that Sally should be able to prove to the executors (遗嘱执行人).

    As soon as Aleck had partially recovered from the strong emotions created by the letter, she sent someone to the relative’s home and subscribed for the local paper.

For the rest of the day Sally made confusion with his books, and Aleck could not keep her mind on her affairs, not even take up a flower-pot or book or a stick of wood without forgetting what she had intended to do with it. For both were dreaming.

“Thirty thousand dollars!”

All day long Aleck was absorbed in planning how to invest it, Sally in planning how to spend it.

There was no romance-reading that night. The children took themselves away early, for their parents were silent, disturbed, and strangely unentertaining. Two pencils had been busy during that hour — note-making; in the way of plans. It was Sally who broke the stillness at last. He said, with excitement, “Ah, it’ll be grand, Aleck! Out of the first thousand we’ll have a horse and a buggy for summer, and a cutter and a skin lap-robe for winter.”

    Aleck responded with decision and calmness.

    “You can spend a part of it. But the whole of the capital must be put right to work.

    “Why, yes. Yes, of course. Have you got it invested yet?”

    “No, there’s no hurry about that; I must look around first, and think, er…, I’ve turned it over twice; once in oil and once in wheat.”

    “Why, Aleck, it’s splendid! What does it amount to?”

    “I think — well, to be on the safe side, about a hundred and eighty thousand clear, though it will probably be more.”

    “My! Isn’t it wonderful? Good heaven! Luck has come our way at last, Aleck!”

    Then they went up to bed, but they left the candle burning in the sitting room. They did not remember until they were undressed; then Sally was for letting it burn; he said they could afford it, if it was a thousand. But Aleck went down and put it out.

    A good job, too; for on her way back she hit on a scheme that would turn the hundred and eighty thousand into half a million before it had had time to get cold. 

1. Why would Tilbury like to give all his money to Sally?

A. Because Sally was Tilbury’s only relative alive.

B. Because Tilbury loved Sally and his family deeply.

C. Because Tilbury wanted his money to continue its function.

D. Because Sally and his wife are good at investing.

2.The underlined word “bequest” in Paragraph1 probably means _________.

A. a gift of personal property                                         B. a proof of a person’s identity

C. a method of getting money                                        D. a reason for giving money

3.What do we know about Sally and his wife after receiving the letter?

A. They were in deep sorrow and stayed up all night.

B. They cared little about the bequest and lived their life as usual.

C. They paid a visit to Tilbury to confirm the truth of the letter.

D. They had a big ambition to invest the money and make huge profits.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A. Thrilling News                                                               B. Sally’s Distant Relative

C. The $30,000 Bequest                                                  D. A Smart Investment

Now came great news! It came from a neighboring state, where the family’s only surviving relative lived. It was Sally’s relative—a distant relative by the name of Tilbury Foster, seventy and single. Tilbury now wrote to Sally, saying he should shortly die, and should leave him thirty thousand dollars, cash; not for love, but because money had given him most of his troubles, and he wished to place it where there was good hope that it would continue its evil work. The bequest would be found in his will, and would be officially handed over provided that Sally should be able to prove to the executors (遗嘱执行人).
As soon as Aleck had partially recovered from the strong emotions created by the letter, she sent someone to the relative’s home and subscribed for the local paper.
For the rest of the day Sally made confusion with his books, and Aleck could not keep her mind on her affairs, not even take up a flower-pot or book or a stick of wood without forgetting what she had intended to do with it. For both were dreaming.
“Thirty thousand dollars!”
All day long Aleck was absorbed in planning how to invest it, Sally in planning how to spend it.
There was no romance-reading that night. The children took themselves away early, for their parents were silent, disturbed, and strangely unentertaining. Two pencils had been busy during that hour —note-making; in the way of plans. It was Sally who broke the stillness at last. He said, with excitement, “Ah, it’ll be grand, Aleck! Out of the first thousand we’ll have a horse and a buggy for summer, and a cutter and a skin lap-robe for winter.”
Aleck responded with decision and calmness.
“You can spend a part of it. But the whole of the capital must be put right to work.
“Why, yes. Yes, of course. Have you got it invested yet?”
“No, there’s no hurry about that; I must look around first, and think, er…, I’ve turned it over twice; once in oil and once in wheat.”
“Why, Aleck, it’s splendid! What does it amount to?”
“I think — well, to be on the safe side, about a hundred and eighty thousand clear, though it will probably be more.”
“My! Isn’t it wonderful? Good heaven! Luck has come our way at last, Aleck!”
Then they went up to bed, but they left the candle burning in the sitting room. They did not remember until they were undressed; then Sally was for letting it burn; he said they could afford it, if it was a thousand. But Aleck went down and put it out.
A good job, too; for on her way back she hit on a scheme that would turn the hundred and eighty thousand into half a million before it had had time to get cold

1. 1.

   Why would Tilbury like to give all his money to Sally?

   1. A.
      Because Sally was Tilbury’s only relative alive
   2. B.
      Because Tilbury loved Sally and his family deeply
   3. C.
      Because Tilbury wanted his money to continue its function
   4. D.
      Because Sally and his wife are good at investing
2. 2.

   The underlined word “bequest” in Paragraph1 probably means _________

   1. A.
      a gift of personal property
   2. B.
      a proof of a person’s identity
   3. C.
      a method of getting money
   4. D.
      a reason for giving money
3. 3.

   What do we know about Sally and his wife after receiving the letter?

   1. A.
      They were in deep sorrow and stayed up all night
   2. B.
      They cared little about the bequest and lived their life as usual
   3. C.
      They paid a visit to Tilbury to confirm the truth of the letter
   4. D.
      They had a big ambition to invest the money and make huge profits
4. 4.

   Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

   1. A.
      Thrilling News
   2. B.
      Sally’s Distant Relative
   3. C.
      The $30,000 Bequest
   4. D.
      A Smart Investment

单词填空

1.I can’t tell you the __________(确定的) time when I will come.

2.More than 100 million copies of this book have been _________ (发行) around the country.

3.Faithfulness is one of the main ___________(特点) of dogs.

4.It is urgent to raise public __________(意识) of environmental protection.

5.The criminal was sentenced to prison for ________(偷窃).

6.It is c____________ of you not to play the piano while I was asleep.

7.The school organizes its students to do v________ labor, that is without any pay every Friday .

8.College students are encouraged to take part-time jobs to a___________ social experience needed for the future career.

9.My brother is a very s___________ person. Once he has made up his mind, nothing can change it.

10.His speech was constantly i_________ by the audience’s warm applause(鼓掌).

单词填空
【小题1】I can’t tell you the __________(确定的) time when I will come.
【小题2】More than 100 million copies of this book have been _________ (发行) around the country.
【小题3】Faithfulness is one of the main ___________(特点) of dogs.
【小题4】It is urgent to raise public __________(意识) of environmental protection.
【小题5】The criminal was sentenced to prison for ________(偷窃).
【小题6】It is c____________ of you not to play the piano while I was asleep.
【小题7】The school organizes its students to do v________ labor, that is without any pay every Friday .
【小题8】College students are encouraged to take part-time jobs to a___________ social experience needed for the future career.
【小题9】My brother is a very s___________ person. Once he has made up his mind, nothing can change it.
【小题10】His speech was constantly i_________ by the audience’s warm applause(鼓掌).