Mark Twain’s First Money

Mark Twain was asked one day if he could remember the first money he ever earned．

He thought a long time and then said , “Yes, it was at school．I can remember everything about it ．School boys in those days did not take good care of their chairs and desks．There was a rule in our school that if anyone damaged his desk or chair, he would have to pay five dollars or  the teacher would beat him in front of the whole school．”

“One day I damaged my desk in some way, I had to pay five dollars or be beaten before the whole school．My father said it would be too bad to have our family disgraced in front of the whole school．He agreed to give me five dollars to hand over the teacher．But before he gave me the money, he took me upstairs and gave me a beating．”

“But as I had one beating and I decided I would take another beating at school and keep the  five dollars．So that’s what I did．That was the first money I ever earned．”

1.Mark Twain earned his first money _________．

A．when he was a pupil                     B．when he became a writer

C．when he taught at a school                D．when he was beaten by his father

2.The school made the rule so that they could_____．

A．teach the students well                   B．give the students a beating

C．keep the desks and chairs well             D．ask the students for more money

3.Mark Twain’s father______．

A．was happy to give him the money

B．got angry when he knew what Mark Twain had done at school

C．said sorry to the teacher when he heard the news

D．agreed to beat Mark Twain and then give him the money

4.Mark Twain was beaten_______．

A．at home          B．only by his father    C．at school          D．both at school and at home

 

　　Mark Twain（马克·吐温）is a famous American writer. He liked to know something about others' childhood. But one day someone asked him, “Could you remember the first money you got?” Mark Twain thought for a long time, then he answered, “Yes. I think I can't forget it all my life.” “Why? Is it much?” “No. It was only five dollars,” he said. “I was at school at that time. Some students didn't study hard in our class. And they didn't often finish their homework. They never respect（尊敬）teachers and often damaged desks or chairs. So our teachers were very angry with them. Then they made some rules so that we could take care of the desks and chairs. One of the rules was that anyone who damaged the desk or chair with a pencil or knife would be beaten before the whole school or have to pay for five dollars.”

　　“Did you damage that?” “Yes. One day I damaged my desk. I was very afraid.But I had to tell my father about it. I hoped he could give me five dollars. When my father understood what I did, he agreed to give me money and let me hand over（上交）to our teacher. I felt very happy. But to my surprise, before giving me the money, he gave me a beating. Because my father said it was too bad to have his face lost in front of the whole school.” “Bad luck! What did you do with the five dollars?” “Oh, it sounded very funny. I thought I had been beaten once, so I wasn't afraid of it any more. At last, I decided to receive another beating at school and keep the five dollars for myself. That was the first money I ever got.”

(1) When Mark Twain was at school, teachers liked those students who _______.

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(2) Teachers made some rules so that ________.

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A．students could study hard and take care of the desks and chairs

B．they could get much money from the students

C．students could buy new desks and chairs

D．students could play out of the classroom

(3) Mark Twain's father gave him the money because ________.

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A．Mark Twain needed the money to buy school things

B．his father had much money

C．he was afraid that Mark Twain could have his face lost

D．he asked Mark Twain to buy some things

(4) Mark Twain was beaten ________, and kept the five dollars for himself.

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(5) The best title of the passage may be ________.

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