英语 热门试卷

It is a (an) _____________ occurrence that he should meet the woman in the photo he saw many years ago in such a remote town.

The sales department needs to make a creative plan to promote the new product.

—__________ Tom have a try? He offered quite a few brilliant ideas last year.

The police think that _________ there is violence, drugs with damaging effects on kids are always behind it.

With this specially-developed equipment, you can __________ underwater beauty and a new world of adventure.

Mary ____________ as a babysitter for 3 years, which is a precious experience to her present job at the nursery.

The Chinese expression “No zuo no die” has been so __________ used on the Internet that it     is included in an American online dictionary of slang.

If a couple find it hard to agree on some basic issues like purchasing a house and when to have a kid, they should consider it as a __________ of problems that already exist in their marriage.

第一节  单项填空（共20题；每小题0.5分，满分10分）

    从A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

—I came out first in the English Listening and Speaking Competition.___________

Problems of students ___________ from the lack of confidence should be cautiously dealt with.

It is strongly advocated that many long-standing traditions ___________ preserved despite the change of modern values.

The course about the Bible and the western culture attracts over 100 students per year,__________ up to half are English majors.

Teaching is a job which many say _________ high patience and constant devotion of teachers.

No matter how you adapt the novel, most of __________ happens during the hero’s childhood shouldn’t be left out.

I didn’t know this is a one-way street, officer._________.

—An unexpected hurricane swept through the western part of the country last night, killing 12 and left another 25 missing.

—Yes, _________ news came as __________ shock to us all.

A parent who has a knowledge of child psychology tends to handle teenage problems better than ________ who doesn’t.

This is an extraordinarily exciting movie, _____________ both the mind and the eye of the audience.

Education is not an end, but a means to an end. _________, we do not educate children only for the purpose of educating them. We do this to fit them for life.

A reward system, when __________ properly, can help to increase students’effort, attention and improve their behaviour.

—How did the volleyball match between your class and Class 2 go?

—We lost it by two points. It was a good game __________.

第一节：阅读下列材料，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、和D）中，选出最佳选项。

                                A

           It all began witha stop at a red light.

           Kevin Salwen wasdriving his 14-year-old daughter, Hannah, back from a sleepover in 2006 . Whilewaiting at a traffic light, they saw a black Mercedes Coupe on one side and ahomeless man begging for food on the other.

        “Dad, if that man had a less nice car,that man there could have a meal.” Hannah protested.The light changed and they drove on, but Hannah was too young to be reasonable.She pestered （纠缠）her parents about inequity,insisting that she wanted to do something.

       “What do you want to do?” her mom responded. “Sell our house?”

        Warning! Never suggest a grand gesture to anidealistic(理想主义的) teenager.Hannah seized upon the idea of selling the luxurious family home and donatinghalf the money to charity, while using the other half to buy a smallerreplacement home.

        Eventually, that’s what the family did. The project —crazy,impetuous （鲁莽的） and utterly inspiring — is written down in detail in a book by father and daughterscheduled to be published next month: “The Power ofHalf.” It’s a book that,frankly, I’d be nervous about leaving around where myown teenage kids might find it. An impressionable child reads this, and thenext thing you know your whole family is out on the street.

        At a time of great needs in Haiti and elsewhere, when somany Americans are trying to help Haitians by sending everything from textmessages to shoes, the Salwens offer an example of a family that came togetherto make a difference —for themselves as much as the people they were trying to help. In a newspaper aweek ago, it described evidence from brain scans that unselfishness lights upparts of the brain normally associated with more primary satisfaction. TheSalwens’ experience confirms the selfish pleasures ofselflessness.

        Mr. Salwen and his wife, Joan, had always supposed thattheir kids would be better off in a bigger house. But after they downsized,there was much less space, so the family members spent more time around eachother. A smaller house unexpectedly turned out to be a more family-friendlyhouse.

What does the underlined word “inequity” most probably mean in Paragraph 3?

                                A

           It all began witha stop at a red light.

           Kevin Salwen wasdriving his 14-year-old daughter, Hannah, back from a sleepover in 2006 . Whilewaiting at a traffic light, they saw a black Mercedes Coupe on one side and ahomeless man begging for food on the other.

        “Dad, if that man had a less nice car,that man there could have a meal.” Hannah protested.The light changed and they drove on, but Hannah was too young to be reasonable.She pestered （纠缠）her parents about inequity,insisting that she wanted to do something.

       “What do you want to do?” her mom responded. “Sell our house?”

        Warning! Never suggest a grand gesture to anidealistic(理想主义的) teenager.Hannah seized upon the idea of selling the luxurious family home and donatinghalf the money to charity, while using the other half to buy a smallerreplacement home.

        Eventually, that’s what the family did. The project —crazy,impetuous （鲁莽的） and utterly inspiring — is written down in detail in a book by father and daughterscheduled to be published next month: “The Power ofHalf.” It’s a book that,frankly, I’d be nervous about leaving around where myown teenage kids might find it. An impressionable child reads this, and thenext thing you know your whole family is out on the street.

        At a time of great needs in Haiti and elsewhere, when somany Americans are trying to help Haitians by sending everything from textmessages to shoes, the Salwens offer an example of a family that came togetherto make a difference —for themselves as much as the people they were trying to help. In a newspaper aweek ago, it described evidence from brain scans that unselfishness lights upparts of the brain normally associated with more primary satisfaction. TheSalwens’ experience confirms the selfish pleasures ofselflessness.

        Mr. Salwen and his wife, Joan, had always supposed thattheir kids would be better off in a bigger house. But after they downsized,there was much less space, so the family members spent more time around eachother. A smaller house unexpectedly turned out to be a more family-friendlyhouse.

The best title for the passage should be “______”.

                                B

        From earliest times, the English, forinstance, have believed in certain symbols and customs which could bring goodfortune as well as ward off evil spirits. Old customs seldom die, so don’t be surprised becausesome of these customs are still practiced daily in today’s society. Below are symbols of luck from a popular culturemagazine.

        Old Boot 

        In  ancient days, old boots or shoes were said to hold the good spirit and  courage of their owners. Therefore, it was a common belief that an old boot  was a good luck charm. For instance, if a fisherman caught himself an old  boot instead of fish, it is believed that at the end of the day he would be  able to catch and take home a huge amount of fish. In north England, the  wives of sailors would usually throw old boots or shoes at the departing(离开) ships to ensure their husbands' safe journey. Old boots were  also left on the roofs of old houses to drive off evil spirits.

        Wood 

        Back  in pagan (异教徒) times, touching the tree was a  sign of respect to the gods after a favor has been requested, or thanks to  the gods for a request that had been fulfilled. Later, the British still held  their belief that wood is holy as Christ died on a wooden cross. Even now,  people still have the habit of trying to touch or knock on wood after talking  bad things about other people, and so on, so that the action will get rid of  any bad luck during the day.

        Horseshoe

        The  horseshoe is considered a lucky symbol in English customs. It is similar to  the other symbols associated with good fortune in other cultures such as “U”. “U” shape is often said to be the symbol of fertility and also  possesses power to drive away evil spirit. As it is made of iron and used for  horses, horseshoes are also linked to strength and power. As a result,  combining all these signs of good luck, the horseshoe is regarded as a  powerful device to bring fortune and keep evil spirits away. It is usually  nailed to the front door to protect the household from uninvited visitors  like witches and evils. However, the horseshoe must be placed in a standing “U” position so that the good fortune will  be held by the household.

        Rabbit’s Foot

        In  the old English custom, the hare (not rabbit) was said to have an evil eye,  whose glance can only be countered by people who own a hare’s foot. In the old days, it was said that the warrior Queen  Boadicea of Norfolk, East Britain, brought a hare with her to ensure luck in  battle against the Romans who had invaded her kingdom. This brought people to  believe that the hare had magical powers. However, the pagan practice of  worshiping the hare eventually stopped after most British began to believe in  Christianity in the 6th century. Nevertheless, many British carried hare’s feet in their pocket or purse. Later, rabbits were introduced in  Britain from the other European countries, and since rabbits can be caught  more easily than hares, the rabbit’s foot replaced  the hare’s foot as a lucky charm.

        Coin

        Coins, especially gold coins, were said to bring good  fortune to the person who possessed them. Gold, like in any other culture,  was always a symbol of wealth. In the past, "lucky" gold coins were  turned into rings to be worn as a cure for many types of illness. Sometimes,  brides put them in a shoe to ensure a good married life. The English also  dropped coins into wells to make a wish in the hope that their dreams would  come true. This is due to the fact that people at that time believed there  were good spirits who lived in the wells, fountains or springs.

Which symbol of luck is seen as a sign of strength and power?

                                B

        From earliest times, the English, forinstance, have believed in certain symbols and customs which could bring goodfortune as well as ward off evil spirits. Old customs seldom die, so don’t be surprised becausesome of these customs are still practiced daily in today’s society. Below are symbols of luck from a popular culturemagazine.

        Old Boot 

        In  ancient days, old boots or shoes were said to hold the good spirit and  courage of their owners. Therefore, it was a common belief that an old boot  was a good luck charm. For instance, if a fisherman caught himself an old  boot instead of fish, it is believed that at the end of the day he would be  able to catch and take home a huge amount of fish. In north England, the  wives of sailors would usually throw old boots or shoes at the departing(离开) ships to ensure their husbands' safe journey. Old boots were  also left on the roofs of old houses to drive off evil spirits.

        Wood 

        Back  in pagan (异教徒) times, touching the tree was a  sign of respect to the gods after a favor has been requested, or thanks to  the gods for a request that had been fulfilled. Later, the British still held  their belief that wood is holy as Christ died on a wooden cross. Even now,  people still have the habit of trying to touch or knock on wood after talking  bad things about other people, and so on, so that the action will get rid of  any bad luck during the day.

        Horseshoe

        The  horseshoe is considered a lucky symbol in English customs. It is similar to  the other symbols associated with good fortune in other cultures such as “U”. “U” shape is often said to be the symbol of fertility and also  possesses power to drive away evil spirit. As it is made of iron and used for  horses, horseshoes are also linked to strength and power. As a result,  combining all these signs of good luck, the horseshoe is regarded as a  powerful device to bring fortune and keep evil spirits away. It is usually  nailed to the front door to protect the household from uninvited visitors  like witches and evils. However, the horseshoe must be placed in a standing “U” position so that the good fortune will  be held by the household.

        Rabbit’s Foot

        In  the old English custom, the hare (not rabbit) was said to have an evil eye,  whose glance can only be countered by people who own a hare’s foot. In the old days, it was said that the warrior Queen  Boadicea of Norfolk, East Britain, brought a hare with her to ensure luck in  battle against the Romans who had invaded her kingdom. This brought people to  believe that the hare had magical powers. However, the pagan practice of  worshiping the hare eventually stopped after most British began to believe in  Christianity in the 6th century. Nevertheless, many British carried hare’s feet in their pocket or purse. Later, rabbits were introduced in  Britain from the other European countries, and since rabbits can be caught  more easily than hares, the rabbit’s foot replaced  the hare’s foot as a lucky charm.

        Coin

        Coins, especially gold coins, were said to bring good  fortune to the person who possessed them. Gold, like in any other culture,  was always a symbol of wealth. In the past, "lucky" gold coins were  turned into rings to be worn as a cure for many types of illness. Sometimes,  brides put them in a shoe to ensure a good married life. The English also  dropped coins into wells to make a wish in the hope that their dreams would  come true. This is due to the fact that people at that time believed there  were good spirits who lived in the wells, fountains or springs.

To get rid of bad luck after speaking ill of other people, the English are likely to ___________.

                                B

        From earliest times, the English, forinstance, have believed in certain symbols and customs which could bring goodfortune as well as ward off evil spirits. Old customs seldom die, so don’t be surprised becausesome of these customs are still practiced daily in today’s society. Below are symbols of luck from a popular culturemagazine.

        Old Boot 

        In  ancient days, old boots or shoes were said to hold the good spirit and  courage of their owners. Therefore, it was a common belief that an old boot  was a good luck charm. For instance, if a fisherman caught himself an old  boot instead of fish, it is believed that at the end of the day he would be  able to catch and take home a huge amount of fish. In north England, the  wives of sailors would usually throw old boots or shoes at the departing(离开) ships to ensure their husbands' safe journey. Old boots were  also left on the roofs of old houses to drive off evil spirits.

        Wood 

        Back  in pagan (异教徒) times, touching the tree was a  sign of respect to the gods after a favor has been requested, or thanks to  the gods for a request that had been fulfilled. Later, the British still held  their belief that wood is holy as Christ died on a wooden cross. Even now,  people still have the habit of trying to touch or knock on wood after talking  bad things about other people, and so on, so that the action will get rid of  any bad luck during the day.

        Horseshoe

        The  horseshoe is considered a lucky symbol in English customs. It is similar to  the other symbols associated with good fortune in other cultures such as “U”. “U” shape is often said to be the symbol of fertility and also  possesses power to drive away evil spirit. As it is made of iron and used for  horses, horseshoes are also linked to strength and power. As a result,  combining all these signs of good luck, the horseshoe is regarded as a  powerful device to bring fortune and keep evil spirits away. It is usually  nailed to the front door to protect the household from uninvited visitors  like witches and evils. However, the horseshoe must be placed in a standing “U” position so that the good fortune will  be held by the household.

        Rabbit’s Foot

        In  the old English custom, the hare (not rabbit) was said to have an evil eye,  whose glance can only be countered by people who own a hare’s foot. In the old days, it was said that the warrior Queen  Boadicea of Norfolk, East Britain, brought a hare with her to ensure luck in  battle against the Romans who had invaded her kingdom. This brought people to  believe that the hare had magical powers. However, the pagan practice of  worshiping the hare eventually stopped after most British began to believe in  Christianity in the 6th century. Nevertheless, many British carried hare’s feet in their pocket or purse. Later, rabbits were introduced in  Britain from the other European countries, and since rabbits can be caught  more easily than hares, the rabbit’s foot replaced  the hare’s foot as a lucky charm.

        Coin

        Coins, especially gold coins, were said to bring good  fortune to the person who possessed them. Gold, like in any other culture,  was always a symbol of wealth. In the past, "lucky" gold coins were  turned into rings to be worn as a cure for many types of illness. Sometimes,  brides put them in a shoe to ensure a good married life. The English also  dropped coins into wells to make a wish in the hope that their dreams would  come true. This is due to the fact that people at that time believed there  were good spirits who lived in the wells, fountains or springs.

Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

                                B

        From earliest times, the English, forinstance, have believed in certain symbols and customs which could bring goodfortune as well as ward off evil spirits. Old customs seldom die, so don’t be surprised becausesome of these customs are still practiced daily in today’s society. Below are symbols of luck from a popular culturemagazine.

        Old Boot 

        In  ancient days, old boots or shoes were said to hold the good spirit and  courage of their owners. Therefore, it was a common belief that an old boot  was a good luck charm. For instance, if a fisherman caught himself an old  boot instead of fish, it is believed that at the end of the day he would be  able to catch and take home a huge amount of fish. In north England, the  wives of sailors would usually throw old boots or shoes at the departing(离开) ships to ensure their husbands' safe journey. Old boots were  also left on the roofs of old houses to drive off evil spirits.

        Wood 

        Back  in pagan (异教徒) times, touching the tree was a  sign of respect to the gods after a favor has been requested, or thanks to  the gods for a request that had been fulfilled. Later, the British still held  their belief that wood is holy as Christ died on a wooden cross. Even now,  people still have the habit of trying to touch or knock on wood after talking  bad things about other people, and so on, so that the action will get rid of  any bad luck during the day.

        Horseshoe

        The  horseshoe is considered a lucky symbol in English customs. It is similar to  the other symbols associated with good fortune in other cultures such as “U”. “U” shape is often said to be the symbol of fertility and also  possesses power to drive away evil spirit. As it is made of iron and used for  horses, horseshoes are also linked to strength and power. As a result,  combining all these signs of good luck, the horseshoe is regarded as a  powerful device to bring fortune and keep evil spirits away. It is usually  nailed to the front door to protect the household from uninvited visitors  like witches and evils. However, the horseshoe must be placed in a standing “U” position so that the good fortune will  be held by the household.

        Rabbit’s Foot

        In  the old English custom, the hare (not rabbit) was said to have an evil eye,  whose glance can only be countered by people who own a hare’s foot. In the old days, it was said that the warrior Queen  Boadicea of Norfolk, East Britain, brought a hare with her to ensure luck in  battle against the Romans who had invaded her kingdom. This brought people to  believe that the hare had magical powers. However, the pagan practice of  worshiping the hare eventually stopped after most British began to believe in  Christianity in the 6th century. Nevertheless, many British carried hare’s feet in their pocket or purse. Later, rabbits were introduced in  Britain from the other European countries, and since rabbits can be caught  more easily than hares, the rabbit’s foot replaced  the hare’s foot as a lucky charm.

        Coin

        Coins, especially gold coins, were said to bring good  fortune to the person who possessed them. Gold, like in any other culture,  was always a symbol of wealth. In the past, "lucky" gold coins were  turned into rings to be worn as a cure for many types of illness. Sometimes,  brides put them in a shoe to ensure a good married life. The English also  dropped coins into wells to make a wish in the hope that their dreams would  come true. This is due to the fact that people at that time believed there  were good spirits who lived in the wells, fountains or springs.

What is the passage mainly about?

                                A

           It all began witha stop at a red light.

           Kevin Salwen wasdriving his 14-year-old daughter, Hannah, back from a sleepover in 2006 . Whilewaiting at a traffic light, they saw a black Mercedes Coupe on one side and ahomeless man begging for food on the other.

        “Dad, if that man had a less nice car,that man there could have a meal.” Hannah protested.The light changed and they drove on, but Hannah was too young to be reasonable.She pestered （纠缠）her parents about inequity,insisting that she wanted to do something.

       “What do you want to do?” her mom responded. “Sell our house?”

        Warning! Never suggest a grand gesture to anidealistic(理想主义的) teenager.Hannah seized upon the idea of selling the luxurious family home and donatinghalf the money to charity, while using the other half to buy a smallerreplacement home.

        Eventually, that’s what the family did. The project —crazy,impetuous （鲁莽的） and utterly inspiring — is written down in detail in a book by father and daughterscheduled to be published next month: “The Power ofHalf.” It’s a book that,frankly, I’d be nervous about leaving around where myown teenage kids might find it. An impressionable child reads this, and thenext thing you know your whole family is out on the street.

        At a time of great needs in Haiti and elsewhere, when somany Americans are trying to help Haitians by sending everything from textmessages to shoes, the Salwens offer an example of a family that came togetherto make a difference —for themselves as much as the people they were trying to help. In a newspaper aweek ago, it described evidence from brain scans that unselfishness lights upparts of the brain normally associated with more primary satisfaction. TheSalwens’ experience confirms the selfish pleasures ofselflessness.

        Mr. Salwen and his wife, Joan, had always supposed thattheir kids would be better off in a bigger house. But after they downsized,there was much less space, so the family members spent more time around eachother. A smaller house unexpectedly turned out to be a more family-friendlyhouse.

What does the underlined sentence “Never suggest a grand gesture to an idealistic teenager.” means? ______

                                A

           It all began witha stop at a red light.

           Kevin Salwen wasdriving his 14-year-old daughter, Hannah, back from a sleepover in 2006 . Whilewaiting at a traffic light, they saw a black Mercedes Coupe on one side and ahomeless man begging for food on the other.

        “Dad, if that man had a less nice car,that man there could have a meal.” Hannah protested.The light changed and they drove on, but Hannah was too young to be reasonable.She pestered （纠缠）her parents about inequity,insisting that she wanted to do something.

       “What do you want to do?” her mom responded. “Sell our house?”

        Warning! Never suggest a grand gesture to anidealistic(理想主义的) teenager.Hannah seized upon the idea of selling the luxurious family home and donatinghalf the money to charity, while using the other half to buy a smallerreplacement home.

        Eventually, that’s what the family did. The project —crazy,impetuous （鲁莽的） and utterly inspiring — is written down in detail in a book by father and daughterscheduled to be published next month: “The Power ofHalf.” It’s a book that,frankly, I’d be nervous about leaving around where myown teenage kids might find it. An impressionable child reads this, and thenext thing you know your whole family is out on the street.

        At a time of great needs in Haiti and elsewhere, when somany Americans are trying to help Haitians by sending everything from textmessages to shoes, the Salwens offer an example of a family that came togetherto make a difference —for themselves as much as the people they were trying to help. In a newspaper aweek ago, it described evidence from brain scans that unselfishness lights upparts of the brain normally associated with more primary satisfaction. TheSalwens’ experience confirms the selfish pleasures ofselflessness.

        Mr. Salwen and his wife, Joan, had always supposed thattheir kids would be better off in a bigger house. But after they downsized,there was much less space, so the family members spent more time around eachother. A smaller house unexpectedly turned out to be a more family-friendlyhouse.

What can we learn from the last paragraph?

                                A

           It all began witha stop at a red light.

           Kevin Salwen wasdriving his 14-year-old daughter, Hannah, back from a sleepover in 2006 . Whilewaiting at a traffic light, they saw a black Mercedes Coupe on one side and ahomeless man begging for food on the other.

        “Dad, if that man had a less nice car,that man there could have a meal.” Hannah protested.The light changed and they drove on, but Hannah was too young to be reasonable.She pestered （纠缠）her parents about inequity,insisting that she wanted to do something.

       “What do you want to do?” her mom responded. “Sell our house?”

        Warning! Never suggest a grand gesture to anidealistic(理想主义的) teenager.Hannah seized upon the idea of selling the luxurious family home and donatinghalf the money to charity, while using the other half to buy a smallerreplacement home.

        Eventually, that’s what the family did. The project —crazy,impetuous （鲁莽的） and utterly inspiring — is written down in detail in a book by father and daughterscheduled to be published next month: “The Power ofHalf.” It’s a book that,frankly, I’d be nervous about leaving around where myown teenage kids might find it. An impressionable child reads this, and thenext thing you know your whole family is out on the street.

        At a time of great needs in Haiti and elsewhere, when somany Americans are trying to help Haitians by sending everything from textmessages to shoes, the Salwens offer an example of a family that came togetherto make a difference —for themselves as much as the people they were trying to help. In a newspaper aweek ago, it described evidence from brain scans that unselfishness lights upparts of the brain normally associated with more primary satisfaction. TheSalwens’ experience confirms the selfish pleasures ofselflessness.

        Mr. Salwen and his wife, Joan, had always supposed thattheir kids would be better off in a bigger house. But after they downsized,there was much less space, so the family members spent more time around eachother. A smaller house unexpectedly turned out to be a more family-friendlyhouse.

Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

                                C

       A woman named Emilyrenewing her driver's license at the County Clerk's office was asked by thewoman recorder to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how toclassify herself.

       "What I meanis," explained the recorder, "do you have a job, or are you just a… "

       "Of course I have ajob," responded Emily. "I'm a mother."

       "We don't list motheras an occupation ... Housewife covers it," said the recorder emphatically.

       I forgot all about herstory until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our ownTown Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, confident, efficient, andpossessed of a high sounding title . “What is your occupation?" she asked.

       What made me say it. I do not know ...The words simply popped out. "I'm a Research Associate in the field ofChild Development and Human Relations."

       The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozenin midair, and looked up as though she had not heard right.

       I repeated the title slowly,emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as mystatement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

        "Might I ask," said theclerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field? "

       Coolly, without any trace of panic inmy voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research(what mother doesn't), in the laboratory and in the field (normally I wouldhave said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters (the whole damnedfamily), and already have four credits (all daughters). Of course, the job is oneof the most demanding in the humanities (any mother care to disagree?) and Ioften work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challengingthan most careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than justmoney."

       There was an increasing note of respectin the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally showedme to the door.

       As I drove into ourdriveway, buoyed up (依托)by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants--aged 13, 7, and3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6- month- old baby), inthe child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.

       I felt proud! I had scoreda beat on bureaucracy(官僚主义)!And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished andirreplaceable to mankind than "just another mother".

       Motherhood ... What aglorious career! Especially when there's a title on the door.

What did the author think of the job as a mother of four?

                                D

       Tomappeared on the sidewalk with a bucket of whitewash and a long­handled brush. He stopped by the fence in front of thehouse where he lived with his aunt Polly. He looked at it, and all joy lefthim. The fence was long and high. He put the brush into the whitewash and movedit along the top of the fence. He repeated the operation. He felt he could notcontinue and sat down.

       Heknew that his friends would arrive soon with all kinds of interesting plans forthe day.

       Theywould walk past him and laugh. They would make jokes about his having to workon a beautiful summer Saturday. The thought burned him like fire.

       Heput his hand into his pockets and took out all that he owned. Perhaps he couldfind some way to pay someone to do the whitewashing for him. But there wasnothing of value in his pockets—nothing that could buy even half an hourof freedom. So he put the bits of toys back into his pockets and gave up theidea.

       Atthis dark and hopeless moment, a wonderful idea came to him. It filled his mindwith a great, bright light. Calmly he picked up the brush and started again towhitewash.

       WhileTom was working, Ben Rogers appeared. Ben was eating an apple as he walked alongthe street. As he walked along it, he was making noises like the sound of ariverboat. First he shouted loudly, like a boat captain. Then he said “Ding－Dong－Dong”，“Ding－Dong－Dong” again and again, like the bell of a riverboat. And he made otherstrange noises. When he came close to Tom, he stopped.

       Tomwent on whitewashing. He did not look at Ben. Ben stared a moment and thensaid: “Hello! I'm going swimming, but you can't go, canyou？”

       Noanswer. Tom moved his brush carefully along the fence and looked at the resultwith the eye of an artist. Ben came nearer. Tom's mouth watered for the apple,but he kept on working.

       Bensaid, “Hello, old fellow, you've got to work, hey？”

       Tomturned suddenly and said, “Why, it's you, Ben! I wasn't noticing.”

       “Say—I'm going swimming. Don't you wish youcould? But of course you'd rather work—wouldn't you? Ofcourse you would.”

       Tomlooked at the boy a bit, and said, “What do you callwork？”

       “Why, isn't that work？”

       Tomwent back to his whitewashing, and answered carelessly.

       “Well, maybe it is, and maybe it isn't. All I know is, it suits TomSawyer.”

       “Oh come, now, you don't mean to say that you like it？”

       Thebrush continued to move.

       “Like it? Well, I don't see why I shouldn't like it. Does a boy get achance to whitewash a fence every day？”

       Benstopped eating his apple. Tom moved his brush back and forth, stepped back tolook at the result, added a touch here and there, and stepped back again. Benwatched every move and got more and more interested. Soon he said，“Say, Tom, let me whitewash a little.”

       Tomthought for a moment, and was about to agree, but he changed his mind.

       “No—no—it won't do,Ben. You see, Aunt Polly wants this fence to be perfect. It has got to be donevery carefully. I don't think there is one boy in a thousand, maybe twothousand, that can do it well enough.”

       “No—is that so? Oh come, now—let me just try. Only just a little.”

       “Ben, I'd like to, but if it isn't done right, I'm afraid Aunt Polly …”

       “Oh, I'll be careful. Now let me try. Say—I'llgive you the core of my apple.”

       “Well, here—No, Ben, now don't. I'm afraid …”

       “I'll give you all of it.”

       Tomgave up the brush with unwillingness on his face, but joy in his heart. Andwhile Ben worked at the fence in the hot sun, Tom sat under a tree, eating theapple, and planning how to get more help. There were enough boys. Each one cameto laugh, but remained to whitewash. By the time Ben was tired, Tom sold thenext chance to Billy for a kite; and when Billy was tired, Johnny bought it fora dead rat—and so on, hour after hour. And when themiddle of the afternoon came, Tom had won many treasures.

       Andhe had not worked. He had had a nice idle time all the time, with plenty ofcompany, and the fence had been whitewashed three times. If he hadn't run outof whitewash, Tom would have owned everything belonging to his friends.

       Hehad discovered a great law of human action, namely, that in order to make a manor a boy want a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to get.

How many characters are mentioned in this story?

                                D

       Tomappeared on the sidewalk with a bucket of whitewash and a long­handled brush. He stopped by the fence in front of thehouse where he lived with his aunt Polly. He looked at it, and all joy lefthim. The fence was long and high. He put the brush into the whitewash and movedit along the top of the fence. He repeated the operation. He felt he could notcontinue and sat down.

       Heknew that his friends would arrive soon with all kinds of interesting plans forthe day.

       Theywould walk past him and laugh. They would make jokes about his having to workon a beautiful summer Saturday. The thought burned him like fire.

       Heput his hand into his pockets and took out all that he owned. Perhaps he couldfind some way to pay someone to do the whitewashing for him. But there wasnothing of value in his pockets—nothing that could buy even half an hourof freedom. So he put the bits of toys back into his pockets and gave up theidea.

       Atthis dark and hopeless moment, a wonderful idea came to him. It filled his mindwith a great, bright light. Calmly he picked up the brush and started again towhitewash.

       WhileTom was working, Ben Rogers appeared. Ben was eating an apple as he walked alongthe street. As he walked along it, he was making noises like the sound of ariverboat. First he shouted loudly, like a boat captain. Then he said “Ding－Dong－Dong”，“Ding－Dong－Dong” again and again, like the bell of a riverboat. And he made otherstrange noises. When he came close to Tom, he stopped.

       Tomwent on whitewashing. He did not look at Ben. Ben stared a moment and thensaid: “Hello! I'm going swimming, but you can't go, canyou？”

       Noanswer. Tom moved his brush carefully along the fence and looked at the resultwith the eye of an artist. Ben came nearer. Tom's mouth watered for the apple,but he kept on working.

       Bensaid, “Hello, old fellow, you've got to work, hey？”

       Tomturned suddenly and said, “Why, it's you, Ben! I wasn't noticing.”

       “Say—I'm going swimming. Don't you wish youcould? But of course you'd rather work—wouldn't you? Ofcourse you would.”

       Tomlooked at the boy a bit, and said, “What do you callwork？”

       “Why, isn't that work？”

       Tomwent back to his whitewashing, and answered carelessly.

       “Well, maybe it is, and maybe it isn't. All I know is, it suits TomSawyer.”

       “Oh come, now, you don't mean to say that you like it？”

       Thebrush continued to move.

       “Like it? Well, I don't see why I shouldn't like it. Does a boy get achance to whitewash a fence every day？”

       Benstopped eating his apple. Tom moved his brush back and forth, stepped back tolook at the result, added a touch here and there, and stepped back again. Benwatched every move and got more and more interested. Soon he said，“Say, Tom, let me whitewash a little.”

       Tomthought for a moment, and was about to agree, but he changed his mind.

       “No—no—it won't do,Ben. You see, Aunt Polly wants this fence to be perfect. It has got to be donevery carefully. I don't think there is one boy in a thousand, maybe twothousand, that can do it well enough.”

       “No—is that so? Oh come, now—let me just try. Only just a little.”

       “Ben, I'd like to, but if it isn't done right, I'm afraid Aunt Polly …”

       “Oh, I'll be careful. Now let me try. Say—I'llgive you the core of my apple.”

       “Well, here—No, Ben, now don't. I'm afraid …”

       “I'll give you all of it.”

       Tomgave up the brush with unwillingness on his face, but joy in his heart. Andwhile Ben worked at the fence in the hot sun, Tom sat under a tree, eating theapple, and planning how to get more help. There were enough boys. Each one cameto laugh, but remained to whitewash. By the time Ben was tired, Tom sold thenext chance to Billy for a kite; and when Billy was tired, Johnny bought it fora dead rat—and so on, hour after hour. And when themiddle of the afternoon came, Tom had won many treasures.

       Andhe had not worked. He had had a nice idle time all the time, with plenty ofcompany, and the fence had been whitewashed three times. If he hadn't run outof whitewash, Tom would have owned everything belonging to his friends.

       Hehad discovered a great law of human action, namely, that in order to make a manor a boy want a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to get.

We can learn from the passage that ________.

                                C

       A woman named Emilyrenewing her driver's license at the County Clerk's office was asked by thewoman recorder to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how toclassify herself.

       "What I meanis," explained the recorder, "do you have a job, or are you just a… "

       "Of course I have ajob," responded Emily. "I'm a mother."

       "We don't list motheras an occupation ... Housewife covers it," said the recorder emphatically.

       I forgot all about herstory until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our ownTown Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, confident, efficient, andpossessed of a high sounding title . “What is your occupation?" she asked.

       What made me say it. I do not know ...The words simply popped out. "I'm a Research Associate in the field ofChild Development and Human Relations."

       The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozenin midair, and looked up as though she had not heard right.

       I repeated the title slowly,emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as mystatement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

        "Might I ask," said theclerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field? "

       Coolly, without any trace of panic inmy voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research(what mother doesn't), in the laboratory and in the field (normally I wouldhave said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters (the whole damnedfamily), and already have four credits (all daughters). Of course, the job is oneof the most demanding in the humanities (any mother care to disagree?) and Ioften work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challengingthan most careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than justmoney."

       There was an increasing note of respectin the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally showedme to the door.

       As I drove into ourdriveway, buoyed up (依托)by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants--aged 13, 7, and3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6- month- old baby), inthe child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.

       I felt proud! I had scoreda beat on bureaucracy(官僚主义)!And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished andirreplaceable to mankind than "just another mother".

       Motherhood ... What aglorious career! Especially when there's a title on the door.

What can we infer from the conversation between the woman and the recorder at the beginning of the passage?

                                C

       A woman named Emilyrenewing her driver's license at the County Clerk's office was asked by thewoman recorder to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how toclassify herself.

       "What I meanis," explained the recorder, "do you have a job, or are you just a… "

       "Of course I have ajob," responded Emily. "I'm a mother."

       "We don't list motheras an occupation ... Housewife covers it," said the recorder emphatically.

       I forgot all about herstory until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our ownTown Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, confident, efficient, andpossessed of a high sounding title . “What is your occupation?" she asked.

       What made me say it. I do not know ...The words simply popped out. "I'm a Research Associate in the field ofChild Development and Human Relations."

       The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozenin midair, and looked up as though she had not heard right.

       I repeated the title slowly,emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as mystatement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

        "Might I ask," said theclerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field? "

       Coolly, without any trace of panic inmy voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research(what mother doesn't), in the laboratory and in the field (normally I wouldhave said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters (the whole damnedfamily), and already have four credits (all daughters). Of course, the job is oneof the most demanding in the humanities (any mother care to disagree?) and Ioften work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challengingthan most careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than justmoney."

       There was an increasing note of respectin the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally showedme to the door.

       As I drove into ourdriveway, buoyed up (依托)by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants--aged 13, 7, and3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6- month- old baby), inthe child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.

       I felt proud! I had scoreda beat on bureaucracy(官僚主义)!And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished andirreplaceable to mankind than "just another mother".

       Motherhood ... What aglorious career! Especially when there's a title on the door.

How did the female clerk feel at first when the author told her occupation?

                                C

       A woman named Emilyrenewing her driver's license at the County Clerk's office was asked by thewoman recorder to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how toclassify herself.

       "What I meanis," explained the recorder, "do you have a job, or are you just a… "

       "Of course I have ajob," responded Emily. "I'm a mother."

       "We don't list motheras an occupation ... Housewife covers it," said the recorder emphatically.

       I forgot all about herstory until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our ownTown Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, confident, efficient, andpossessed of a high sounding title . “What is your occupation?" she asked.

       What made me say it. I do not know ...The words simply popped out. "I'm a Research Associate in the field ofChild Development and Human Relations."

       The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozenin midair, and looked up as though she had not heard right.

       I repeated the title slowly,emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as mystatement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

        "Might I ask," said theclerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field? "

       Coolly, without any trace of panic inmy voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research(what mother doesn't), in the laboratory and in the field (normally I wouldhave said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters (the whole damnedfamily), and already have four credits (all daughters). Of course, the job is oneof the most demanding in the humanities (any mother care to disagree?) and Ioften work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challengingthan most careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than justmoney."

       There was an increasing note of respectin the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally showedme to the door.

       As I drove into ourdriveway, buoyed up (依托)by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants--aged 13, 7, and3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6- month- old baby), inthe child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.

       I felt proud! I had scoreda beat on bureaucracy(官僚主义)!And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished andirreplaceable to mankind than "just another mother".

       Motherhood ... What aglorious career! Especially when there's a title on the door.

Why did the woman clerk show more respect for the author afterwards?

                                C

       A woman named Emilyrenewing her driver's license at the County Clerk's office was asked by thewoman recorder to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how toclassify herself.

       "What I meanis," explained the recorder, "do you have a job, or are you just a… "

       "Of course I have ajob," responded Emily. "I'm a mother."

       "We don't list motheras an occupation ... Housewife covers it," said the recorder emphatically.

       I forgot all about herstory until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our ownTown Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, confident, efficient, andpossessed of a high sounding title . “What is your occupation?" she asked.

       What made me say it. I do not know ...The words simply popped out. "I'm a Research Associate in the field ofChild Development and Human Relations."

       The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozenin midair, and looked up as though she had not heard right.

       I repeated the title slowly,emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as mystatement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

        "Might I ask," said theclerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field? "

       Coolly, without any trace of panic inmy voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research(what mother doesn't), in the laboratory and in the field (normally I wouldhave said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters (the whole damnedfamily), and already have four credits (all daughters). Of course, the job is oneof the most demanding in the humanities (any mother care to disagree?) and Ioften work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challengingthan most careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than justmoney."

       There was an increasing note of respectin the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally showedme to the door.

       As I drove into ourdriveway, buoyed up (依托)by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants--aged 13, 7, and3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6- month- old baby), inthe child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.

       I felt proud! I had scoreda beat on bureaucracy(官僚主义)!And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished andirreplaceable to mankind than "just another mother".

       Motherhood ... What aglorious career! Especially when there's a title on the door.

What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?

                                D

       Tomappeared on the sidewalk with a bucket of whitewash and a long­handled brush. He stopped by the fence in front of thehouse where he lived with his aunt Polly. He looked at it, and all joy lefthim. The fence was long and high. He put the brush into the whitewash and movedit along the top of the fence. He repeated the operation. He felt he could notcontinue and sat down.

       Heknew that his friends would arrive soon with all kinds of interesting plans forthe day.

       Theywould walk past him and laugh. They would make jokes about his having to workon a beautiful summer Saturday. The thought burned him like fire.

       Heput his hand into his pockets and took out all that he owned. Perhaps he couldfind some way to pay someone to do the whitewashing for him. But there wasnothing of value in his pockets—nothing that could buy even half an hourof freedom. So he put the bits of toys back into his pockets and gave up theidea.

       Atthis dark and hopeless moment, a wonderful idea came to him. It filled his mindwith a great, bright light. Calmly he picked up the brush and started again towhitewash.

       WhileTom was working, Ben Rogers appeared. Ben was eating an apple as he walked alongthe street. As he walked along it, he was making noises like the sound of ariverboat. First he shouted loudly, like a boat captain. Then he said “Ding－Dong－Dong”，“Ding－Dong－Dong” again and again, like the bell of a riverboat. And he made otherstrange noises. When he came close to Tom, he stopped.

       Tomwent on whitewashing. He did not look at Ben. Ben stared a moment and thensaid: “Hello! I'm going swimming, but you can't go, canyou？”

       Noanswer. Tom moved his brush carefully along the fence and looked at the resultwith the eye of an artist. Ben came nearer. Tom's mouth watered for the apple,but he kept on working.

       Bensaid, “Hello, old fellow, you've got to work, hey？”

       Tomturned suddenly and said, “Why, it's you, Ben! I wasn't noticing.”

       “Say—I'm going swimming. Don't you wish youcould? But of course you'd rather work—wouldn't you? Ofcourse you would.”

       Tomlooked at the boy a bit, and said, “What do you callwork？”

       “Why, isn't that work？”

       Tomwent back to his whitewashing, and answered carelessly.

       “Well, maybe it is, and maybe it isn't. All I know is, it suits TomSawyer.”

       “Oh come, now, you don't mean to say that you like it？”

       Thebrush continued to move.

       “Like it? Well, I don't see why I shouldn't like it. Does a boy get achance to whitewash a fence every day？”

       Benstopped eating his apple. Tom moved his brush back and forth, stepped back tolook at the result, added a touch here and there, and stepped back again. Benwatched every move and got more and more interested. Soon he said，“Say, Tom, let me whitewash a little.”

       Tomthought for a moment, and was about to agree, but he changed his mind.

       “No—no—it won't do,Ben. You see, Aunt Polly wants this fence to be perfect. It has got to be donevery carefully. I don't think there is one boy in a thousand, maybe twothousand, that can do it well enough.”

       “No—is that so? Oh come, now—let me just try. Only just a little.”

       “Ben, I'd like to, but if it isn't done right, I'm afraid Aunt Polly …”

       “Oh, I'll be careful. Now let me try. Say—I'llgive you the core of my apple.”

       “Well, here—No, Ben, now don't. I'm afraid …”

       “I'll give you all of it.”

       Tomgave up the brush with unwillingness on his face, but joy in his heart. Andwhile Ben worked at the fence in the hot sun, Tom sat under a tree, eating theapple, and planning how to get more help. There were enough boys. Each one cameto laugh, but remained to whitewash. By the time Ben was tired, Tom sold thenext chance to Billy for a kite; and when Billy was tired, Johnny bought it fora dead rat—and so on, hour after hour. And when themiddle of the afternoon came, Tom had won many treasures.

       Andhe had not worked. He had had a nice idle time all the time, with plenty ofcompany, and the fence had been whitewashed three times. If he hadn't run outof whitewash, Tom would have owned everything belonging to his friends.

       Hehad discovered a great law of human action, namely, that in order to make a manor a boy want a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to get.

Why did Tom take all his bits of toys out of his pockets?

                                D

       Tomappeared on the sidewalk with a bucket of whitewash and a long­handled brush. He stopped by the fence in front of thehouse where he lived with his aunt Polly. He looked at it, and all joy lefthim. The fence was long and high. He put the brush into the whitewash and movedit along the top of the fence. He repeated the operation. He felt he could notcontinue and sat down.

       Heknew that his friends would arrive soon with all kinds of interesting plans forthe day.

       Theywould walk past him and laugh. They would make jokes about his having to workon a beautiful summer Saturday. The thought burned him like fire.

       Heput his hand into his pockets and took out all that he owned. Perhaps he couldfind some way to pay someone to do the whitewashing for him. But there wasnothing of value in his pockets—nothing that could buy even half an hourof freedom. So he put the bits of toys back into his pockets and gave up theidea.

       Atthis dark and hopeless moment, a wonderful idea came to him. It filled his mindwith a great, bright light. Calmly he picked up the brush and started again towhitewash.

       WhileTom was working, Ben Rogers appeared. Ben was eating an apple as he walked alongthe street. As he walked along it, he was making noises like the sound of ariverboat. First he shouted loudly, like a boat captain. Then he said “Ding－Dong－Dong”，“Ding－Dong－Dong” again and again, like the bell of a riverboat. And he made otherstrange noises. When he came close to Tom, he stopped.

       Tomwent on whitewashing. He did not look at Ben. Ben stared a moment and thensaid: “Hello! I'm going swimming, but you can't go, canyou？”

       Noanswer. Tom moved his brush carefully along the fence and looked at the resultwith the eye of an artist. Ben came nearer. Tom's mouth watered for the apple,but he kept on working.

       Bensaid, “Hello, old fellow, you've got to work, hey？”

       Tomturned suddenly and said, “Why, it's you, Ben! I wasn't noticing.”

       “Say—I'm going swimming. Don't you wish youcould? But of course you'd rather work—wouldn't you? Ofcourse you would.”

       Tomlooked at the boy a bit, and said, “What do you callwork？”

       “Why, isn't that work？”

       Tomwent back to his whitewashing, and answered carelessly.

       “Well, maybe it is, and maybe it isn't. All I know is, it suits TomSawyer.”

       “Oh come, now, you don't mean to say that you like it？”

       Thebrush continued to move.

       “Like it? Well, I don't see why I shouldn't like it. Does a boy get achance to whitewash a fence every day？”

       Benstopped eating his apple. Tom moved his brush back and forth, stepped back tolook at the result, added a touch here and there, and stepped back again. Benwatched every move and got more and more interested. Soon he said，“Say, Tom, let me whitewash a little.”

       Tomthought for a moment, and was about to agree, but he changed his mind.

       “No—no—it won't do,Ben. You see, Aunt Polly wants this fence to be perfect. It has got to be donevery carefully. I don't think there is one boy in a thousand, maybe twothousand, that can do it well enough.”

       “No—is that so? Oh come, now—let me just try. Only just a little.”

       “Ben, I'd like to, but if it isn't done right, I'm afraid Aunt Polly …”

       “Oh, I'll be careful. Now let me try. Say—I'llgive you the core of my apple.”

       “Well, here—No, Ben, now don't. I'm afraid …”

       “I'll give you all of it.”

       Tomgave up the brush with unwillingness on his face, but joy in his heart. Andwhile Ben worked at the fence in the hot sun, Tom sat under a tree, eating theapple, and planning how to get more help. There were enough boys. Each one cameto laugh, but remained to whitewash. By the time Ben was tired, Tom sold thenext chance to Billy for a kite; and when Billy was tired, Johnny bought it fora dead rat—and so on, hour after hour. And when themiddle of the afternoon came, Tom had won many treasures.

       Andhe had not worked. He had had a nice idle time all the time, with plenty ofcompany, and the fence had been whitewashed three times. If he hadn't run outof whitewash, Tom would have owned everything belonging to his friends.

       Hehad discovered a great law of human action, namely, that in order to make a manor a boy want a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to get.

Tom was about to agree to let Ben whitewash when he changed his mind because ________.

                                D

       Tomappeared on the sidewalk with a bucket of whitewash and a long­handled brush. He stopped by the fence in front of thehouse where he lived with his aunt Polly. He looked at it, and all joy lefthim. The fence was long and high. He put the brush into the whitewash and movedit along the top of the fence. He repeated the operation. He felt he could notcontinue and sat down.

       Heknew that his friends would arrive soon with all kinds of interesting plans forthe day.

       Theywould walk past him and laugh. They would make jokes about his having to workon a beautiful summer Saturday. The thought burned him like fire.

       Heput his hand into his pockets and took out all that he owned. Perhaps he couldfind some way to pay someone to do the whitewashing for him. But there wasnothing of value in his pockets—nothing that could buy even half an hourof freedom. So he put the bits of toys back into his pockets and gave up theidea.

       Atthis dark and hopeless moment, a wonderful idea came to him. It filled his mindwith a great, bright light. Calmly he picked up the brush and started again towhitewash.

       WhileTom was working, Ben Rogers appeared. Ben was eating an apple as he walked alongthe street. As he walked along it, he was making noises like the sound of ariverboat. First he shouted loudly, like a boat captain. Then he said “Ding－Dong－Dong”，“Ding－Dong－Dong” again and again, like the bell of a riverboat. And he made otherstrange noises. When he came close to Tom, he stopped.

       Tomwent on whitewashing. He did not look at Ben. Ben stared a moment and thensaid: “Hello! I'm going swimming, but you can't go, canyou？”

       Noanswer. Tom moved his brush carefully along the fence and looked at the resultwith the eye of an artist. Ben came nearer. Tom's mouth watered for the apple,but he kept on working.

       Bensaid, “Hello, old fellow, you've got to work, hey？”

       Tomturned suddenly and said, “Why, it's you, Ben! I wasn't noticing.”

       “Say—I'm going swimming. Don't you wish youcould? But of course you'd rather work—wouldn't you? Ofcourse you would.”

       Tomlooked at the boy a bit, and said, “What do you callwork？”

       “Why, isn't that work？”

       Tomwent back to his whitewashing, and answered carelessly.

       “Well, maybe it is, and maybe it isn't. All I know is, it suits TomSawyer.”

       “Oh come, now, you don't mean to say that you like it？”

       Thebrush continued to move.

       “Like it? Well, I don't see why I shouldn't like it. Does a boy get achance to whitewash a fence every day？”

       Benstopped eating his apple. Tom moved his brush back and forth, stepped back tolook at the result, added a touch here and there, and stepped back again. Benwatched every move and got more and more interested. Soon he said，“Say, Tom, let me whitewash a little.”

       Tomthought for a moment, and was about to agree, but he changed his mind.

       “No—no—it won't do,Ben. You see, Aunt Polly wants this fence to be perfect. It has got to be donevery carefully. I don't think there is one boy in a thousand, maybe twothousand, that can do it well enough.”

       “No—is that so? Oh come, now—let me just try. Only just a little.”

       “Ben, I'd like to, but if it isn't done right, I'm afraid Aunt Polly …”

       “Oh, I'll be careful. Now let me try. Say—I'llgive you the core of my apple.”

       “Well, here—No, Ben, now don't. I'm afraid …”

       “I'll give you all of it.”

       Tomgave up the brush with unwillingness on his face, but joy in his heart. Andwhile Ben worked at the fence in the hot sun, Tom sat under a tree, eating theapple, and planning how to get more help. There were enough boys. Each one cameto laugh, but remained to whitewash. By the time Ben was tired, Tom sold thenext chance to Billy for a kite; and when Billy was tired, Johnny bought it fora dead rat—and so on, hour after hour. And when themiddle of the afternoon came, Tom had won many treasures.

       Andhe had not worked. He had had a nice idle time all the time, with plenty ofcompany, and the fence had been whitewashed three times. If he hadn't run outof whitewash, Tom would have owned everything belonging to his friends.

       Hehad discovered a great law of human action, namely, that in order to make a manor a boy want a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to get.

What made Ben Rogers eagerly give up his apple and offer to brush the fence for Tom?