Four Year-Old Boy Becomes Queen Elizabeth’s Pen Pal

London, England: A four-year-old boy has become pen pals with Britain’s Queen Elizabeth. Tom Stancombe started exchanging letters with the queen after he set free a balloon, carrying his name and address, at a school party and it landed in the grounds of Windsor Castle.

The queen spotted（发现） the balloon and asked her personal assistant, Angela Kelly, to write a letter for her.

She wrote: “The queen was delighted to find that your balloon had traveled all the way to the gardens at Windsor Castle.”

Tom, who proudly put the letter on his wall, wrote back to say that his great, great grandfather, the artist Petrus Johannes Arundzen, had been commissioned (受委托) to copy Dutch masters on display at Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace.

Angela at once replied that she would contact the Royal Collection to find out what had happened to the art works. She kept her word and two weeks later wrote to Tom to tell him what had happened to the etchings, explaining they now form part of the print collection in the Print Library.

Angela then asked a favor of Tom, writing: “Would you be able to ask your Mummy and Daddy for me if they know anything more about your great, great grandfather. Royal Collection would love to know more about him.”

Along with his parents, Tom wrote back to fill in all the gaps about Petrus Johannes Arundzen.

Although Tom’s parents don’t think there will be any more letters exchanged between the pair, they were touched that she had taken time to contact them.

Tom’s father said: “I don’t expect we’ll go another one, but I think it’s incredible（难以置信的）they bothered replying at all.”

64. What is Windsor Castle?

       A. A playing garden.   B. The queen’s home.              C. A post office.   D. A rose garden.

65. What does the underlined word “etchings” mean?

       A. Photos.                   B. Paintings.                      C. Postcards.              D. Cartoons.

66. How does the queen know the boy?

       A. By chance.                                                 B. By exchanging letters.

       C. By letting go the balloon.                                  D. By the queen’s secretary.

67. Tom’s parents ___________.

A. feel very much shocked about the letters and refuse to answer them

       B. try to deal with the friendship naturally but refuse to do anything about it

       C. don’t take the matter very seriously but somehow feel good at heart

D. don’t think this friendship will last long but still look forward to new letters

Back in the late 1950’s, I grew up in a small village in the Cotswolds. There was 16　 else

to do but read and write. As a teenager, I wanted to hear from people who lived in 　 17　 countries and see how they lived and what their 　18　 was like. I got, from a magazine, the 　　　19 of one teenager called Glenys, like me who wanted to have a pen-pal. She 　20　 in North Island, New Zealand.

Glenys and I wrote to each other via blue airmail letters 　　21　 there were no computers then! Sometimes it was so 　 22　 because a proper letter would arrive with photographs and newspaper　 23　 ,showing each other how different our lives were－but strangely enough－very 　24　 in some aspects(方面). We married, had children at about the same time. Over the years we 　25　 lots of heartbreak , tears and laughter. My　 26　 died－so did Glenys’. We cheered each other up during these times and both 　　27　 . She is leading a happy life with her second husband Brian. I am enjoying my new marriage life to the full.

　 　 28　 with the use of the e-mail, keeping in touch became much 　 29　 , and we decided time was moving on and it became necessary to 　 30　 each other. So in 2006 I　 31　 the longest flight of my life and went to NZ. We looked at each other at Auckland　　　　 　 32　 and burst into tears. Newspapers there　 33　 the story. What a wonderful time I had there!

　　 This September 2011Glenys came to the UK to see me. It was such an emotional 　　34　 . She flew back last night and I was feeling very 35　 . My dearest wish is that Glenys and I will meet again, sometimes. Friendship is boundless.

16．A. anything　　　　　　　　　 B. everything C. nothing　　　　　　　　　 D. something

17．A. developed　　　　　　　　 B. different C.developing　　　　　　　 D. the same 18．A.country B. culture C.school　　　　　　　　　　 D. life

19．A. name　　　　　　　　　　　 B. picture C. address　　　　　　　　　 D. reply 20．A. worked　　　　　　　　　 B. traveled　　　　　　　　　 C. taught　　　　　　　　　　 D. lived

21．A. because　　　　　　　　　 B. when C. although　　　　　　　　　 D. while

22．A. disappointing　　　　　 B. boring C. exciting　　　　　　 　 D. surprising

23．A.listings　　　　　　　　　　 B. cuttings C. collections　　　　　　　 D. advertisements

24．A. sad　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. similar　　　　　　　　　　 C. important　　　　　　　　 D. special

25．A.asked　　　　　　　　　　　 B. remembered　　　　　　 C. faced　　　　　　　　　　　 D. shared

26．A.parents　　　　　　　　　　 B. daughter C. husband　　　　　　　　　 D. neighbour

27．A.reintroduced　　　　　　 B. remarried C. recalled　　　　　　　　　 D. reeducated

28．A. Later　　　　　　　　　　　 B. Next　　　　　　　　　　　 C. First　　　　　　　　　　　 D. Finally

29．A. easier　　　　　　　　　　　 B. cheaper　　　　　　　　　 C. faster　　　　　　　　　　　 D. safer

30．A. survive　　　　　　　　　　 B. meet C.learn　　　　　　　　　　　 D. follow

31．A. got B. carried C. took D. chose

32．A.airport　　　　　　　　　　　 B. station　　　　　　　　　　 C. park　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. square

33．A. heard　　　　　　　　　　　 B. wrote　　　　　　　　　　　 C. printed　　　　　　　　　　 D. reported

34．A. revisit　　　　　　　　　　 B. holiday　　　　　　　　　　 C. reunion　　　　　　　　　 D. trip

35．A. worried　　　　　　　　　 B. tearful　　　　　　　　　　 C. tired　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. helpful