One day a poor man was cutting a big piece of wood (木头) near a river. Suddenly his old axe (斧子) fell into the water. He felt very sad because he lost his only axe. Then all at once a beautiful fairy (仙女) came out and asked the man what was the matter.

    "I have lost my axe." he said, "It fell into the water when I was cutting the wood."

    The fairy showed him a gold axe and asked, "Is that yours?"

    "No." said the man.

    The fairy then showed him a silver (银) axe and asked again, "Is this yours?"

    "No." again answered the man.

    Then she showed  him the old axe.

    "Yes, that is mine." called out the happy man.

    "I know it well enough." said the fairy, "I only wanted to see if you would tell me the truth, and now I'll give you the gold axe and the silver axe besides (包括)  your own one."

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳答案。   

                                                                                                      C

    I have tried to write a ghost story that won't make you unhappy with yourselves, with each other, with the seasons, or with me. I hope it haunts your houses pleasantly.

Charles Dickens

    One Christmas Eve, old Scrooge and Bob were working busily in his office. It was a cold, foggy day. The fog was so thick that the houses opposite were like ghosts. It was only three o'clock in the afternoon, but it was already quite dark.

    "Merry Christmas, Uncle! God bless you!" cried a happy voice. It was Scrooge's nephew.

    "Bah!" said Scrooge "Humbug(骗人的话)!"

    "Christmas is a humbug! Surely you don't mean that, Uncle." Said his nephew.

    "I do," said Scrooge. "Merry Christmas! What reason have you got to be merry? You're poor."

    "OK, then," replied the nephew cheerfully. "What reason have you got to be sad? You are rich. Don't be angry, Uncle!" said his nephew.

    "What else can I be?" answered the uncle, "I live in a world of fools! Merry Christmas! What's Christmas time to you? It's a time for paying bills without money, It's a time for finding yourself a year older, but not richer. Everyone who goes around saying "Merry Christmas" should have his tongue cut out. Yes, he should!"

    "Uncle! Please don't say that!" said the nephew. "I've always thought of Christmas time as a good time, a kind, and a charitable, happy time. And so, Uncle, Christmas has never put any gold or silver in my pocket, but I think it has done me good. And it will do me good. And I say, God bless it!"

    Bob, standing in the corner of the room, applauded(鼓掌).He realized his mistake very soon, and went quickly bake to his work, but Scrooge had heard him.

    "One more sound from you, Bob Cratchit," said Scrooge, "and you'll celebrate Christmas by losing your job!"

    "Don't be angry with him, Uncle. Come and have dinner with us tomorrow."

    "No." said Scrooge.

    "I'm sorry you don't want to celebrate Christmas. But I do. So a Merry Christmas, Uncle!"

     "Good afternoon!" said Scrooge.

     "And a Happy New Year!" said his nephew.

     "Good afternoon!" said Scrooge again.

    His nephew left the room. He stopped to wish Bob a Merry Christmas. And Bob replied, "A

    Merry Christmas to you, too."

    Philip is the bravest boy I know. His friends and family are all very 1 him.

    Ten-year-old Philip was born with an 2  which means that he is always breaking his bones（骨头）. Although he has such a serious illness, Philip 3  playing sports. In January last year he 4  wheelchair racing. He came second in his first 5 , and since then Philip has won every other race!

    In order to look for a new challenge（挑战）， Philip 6  to take part in the London Wheelchair Marathon（马拉松）. 7 , five days before the race Philip got sick. He didn't want to 8  He finally made up his mind to take part. Philip was given medicine by his doctor and guess what? He not only 9  it, but he also finished in first place!

    Philip is very 10  and never gives up. That's why he has been chosen to be the Bravest Child of the Month.

    Kathy could still remember the night she had to leave her home Hungary in a hurry. It was the terrible beginning of World War Ⅱ and her family had to leave their country as soon as possible. She quickly filled a bag with a few pieces of clothing, her diary, and her treasure—a beautiful silk scarf (围巾).

    Kathy and her best friend, Monica, had asked their parents to buy them matching scarves. They each would wear the scarf as a symbol of their friendship. Kathy had no idea that she was going to America that night and would not be returning forever.

    Kathy kept that special silk scarf as a treasure for many years. One day she decided to give it to her granddaughter, Eliza, to wear to her first job interview for good luck. Kathy was afraid that Eliza would lose the scarf, but the granddaughter promised, "Don't worry, Grandma, nothing's going to happen to your scarf. You'll see. It is going to bring both of us good luck today." And with that, Eliza kissed her grandmother and left for the interview.

    That afternoon Eliza left the interview happily, feeling sure that she had got the job. So she decided to celebrate by going to a restaurant. As she was sitting at her table, she felt someone looking at her. An old woman sitting next to her could not take her eyes away from her.

    "I'm sorry, do I know you?" Eliza asked.

    "I'm sorry, dear, but you make me think of someone I once knew," the old woman replied. "My best friend looked just like you and used to wear a scarf just like the one you're wearing around your neck." Eliza listened carefully, with her eyes and mouth wide open. She had heard stories of her grandmother's best friend many times and knew the meaning of the scarf. Could this be Monica, her grandmother's childhood friend?

    Eliza introduced herself and waited to hear the name of the old woman.

    "My name's Monica, dear. I lived in Hungary as a child, but my family had to leave when I was fourteen years old. I've been living here in California ever since." said the old woman.

    Eliza could not believe her ears…

    Jane Goodall is a famous scientist. For more than 40 years, Goodall lived mostly in Tanzania in East Africa, studying chimpanzees(黑猩猩).

    As a young child, Jane Goodall was interested in animals. She grew up in the English countryside and was always climbing trees or riding horses.

    When Jane was 23, she got a chance to go to Africa. Even though she had never been to college, she got a job with a famous scientist named Louis Leakey.

    One day Louis Leakey said he needed a volunteer. He needed someone to go to a lake in Tanzania to study a kind of chimpanzees. Jane was excited.

    On July 16, 1960, she began her exploration(探索).At first, the chimpanzees ran away from Jane. But with the passing of time, they got used to her being around.

    Every day, Jane would follow the chimpanzees, taking notes on their behaviour. She learned many new things about chimpanzees. She watched how a chimpanzee made a tool. She learned how some chimpanzees became good leaders. She watched animals get angry and get upset. She wrote everything down so others would understand animals as she did. She learned that if you pay really close attention to animals, you will understand what they are "saying".