阅读下面的短文，掌握其大意，然后从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选择最佳选项。

Frank’s father was speaking to a friend, one day, on the subject of competition at school. He said that he could answer for it that envy(嫉妒) is not always connected with it.

He had been a   1   many times, but had never felt envious of his successful competitors，“nor did my winning many a prize from my friend Birch,” said he, “ever lessen his   2   for me.”

In support of the truth of this, a friend who was   3  related a story which had fallen under his own notice in a school in his neighborhood.

At this school the sons of several rich farmers, and others, who were poorer,  4   instruction. Frank listened with great attention while the gentleman gave the following story of the two competitors:

It   5  that the son of a rich farmer and the son of a poor widow(寡妇) came in competition for the head of their class. They were so nearly equal that the teacher could   6   decide between them; some days one, and some days the   7  , gained the head of the class. It was decided by seeing who should be at the head of the class for the greater number of days in the week.

The widow’s son, by the last day’s efforts, won the victory, and kept his place the following week, till the school   8   for the holidays.

When they met again the widow’s son did not   9 , and the farmer’s son, being next to him, might now have been at the head of his class.  10  taking the now empty position, however, he went to the widow’s house to find out what could be cause of her son’s absence.

Poverty was the cause: the poor woman found that she was not able, with her total efforts, to   11   to pay for the tuition(学费) and books of her son, and so he, poor fellow had to give up his schooling, and to return to labor for her support.

The farmer’s son, out of the pocket money which his father gave him, bought all the necessary books and paid for the tuition of his competitor. He   10   agreed he be brought back again to the head of his class, where he continued for some time, with the help of his generous competitor.

1 A. player                       B. loser                     C. student                 D. leader

2 A. friendship                 B. thanks                  C. understanding      D. strictness

3 A. famous                     B. dangerous            C. clever                   D. present

4. A. gave                        B. practiced               C. heard                    D. received

5 A. proved                     B. went                    C. happened              D. suggested

6 A. hardly                      B. easily                  C. happily                 D. certainly 

7 A. farmer’s son            B. widow’s son         C. other                   D others

8 A. celebrated                B. prepared               C. started                D. ended

9 A. like                          B. appear                  C. leave                    D. welcome

10 A. No longer               B. Instead of             C. In need of            D. Being proud of

11 A. continue                 B. stop                     C. offer                   D. plan

12 A. almost                   B. especially             C. also                    D. never