Mr. Brown was in school for only one year when he was young and later on he was made to help his father to work in the fields. There wasn’t e 1. rain for several years and though there was a river nearby, the water was polluted. The farmers dared not w 2. their corn with the polluted water. So they had several poor harvests. They had l 3. food and sometimes they were hungry. One year his parents died of hunger and there was no one to care for him. He had to go to find work in the town and he learned to drive a truck in a factory.

Coming from a village made him strong and ready to help others. He met a girl who loved him, so they got married. His wife works in a shop and his children study in a school. He tries his best to s 4. everything even if a pound, and hardly eats in a restaurant. He’s good at c 5. and always takes some food he has made at home with him when he goes to work in the morning.

It was Sam’s eighth birthday yesterday. The boy hoped to have dinner in a restaurant. At first, Mr. Brown wouldn’t agree. Then he thought his son had never had anything in restaurants before, so he decided to give in. The boy was very happy and the Browns went to a restaurant for the

f 6. time. When they finished their dinner, Mr. Brown said to the waiter, “My son has some meat l 7. on his plate. Could you give me a bag so that I can take it home for the dog?” “Oh, Dad!” the boy called out. “We haven’t got a dog at all!”

Sam lived in a small village. His mother was often ill and he had to spend much money on medicine. And when he was twenty-eight, he borrowed some money from his friends and married. His wife was beautiful but came from a poor family. So she could not help him. She had to tell her husband to find work in the town. She hoped he would get much money to pay for his debt(债). They young man thought she was right and had to say goodbye to her and left.

The young man could neither read nor write. Of course nobody would employ (雇用) such a man like him in the town. He had to go to an island and planted trees for a farmer there. The island was small and there were only three men on it. They lived a hard life and Sam missed his mother and wife very much. He wanted to write to them, but he couldn’t. Luckily, Charlie, who was in school for five years, helped him. Sam asked the farmer to post the letter for him. From then on he waited for the answer every day. About two months later the farmer brought his wife’s letter to the island. He was very happy but he didn’t read it. He had to ask Charlie to help him again.

The farmer came out of the house and found Sam was stopping Charlie’s ears while he was listening to the young man reading it. It surprised the farmer and he asked, “What are you doing it for, Sam?”

“I can’t let him hear my wife’s letter!”

1.Sam’s wife was a _____________ woman.

A. nice and rich????? ????????????? ????????????? B. beautiful but poor??? ????????????? C. kind and strong

2.Sam had to go to the town to find work because _________.

A. the town was a good place????????????? B. he could read and write??? C. he had to pay for his debt

3.The life on the island was ______________.

A. difficult??????????? ????????????? B. easy?????????????? ????????????? C. relaxing

4.Who posted the letter for Sam?

A. Charlie.???????????? ????????????? B. The farmer.??????? ????????????? ????????????? C. Sam himself.

5.From the story we know Sam was a ___________.

A. rude man???????? ????????????? ????????????? B. kind and hard-working man?????? C. cruel husband