There is a common fear of the number 13. It's a number just like any other, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} there are horror movies about it; some buildings {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (intention) have no I3th floor; and plenty of couple avoid gating married on the13th of the month.

    What makes this number so scary? Historians have pointed a few potential {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (reason) about the origin of this fear, the most popular of which is that there were 13 diners at the Last Supper. The 13th lo arrive was Judas,  {#blank#}4{#/blank#} betrayed Jesus.

    Actually, there are no problems with the number {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (it). Maybe 13 is next to the number 12, and that makes it look bad. In many ancient cultures, 12 {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (consider) to be a perfect number. Most ancient civilizations based their systems of telling time around the number 12. There are 12 hours on a clock, and 12 months in a year. Twelve is also {#blank#}7{#/blank#} largest number that also has one syllable (音节) in English. As the number immediately following this “perfect” one, 13 seemed imperfect, {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(inspire) unease throughout the ancient world.

    So far, both myth and math {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (combine) to make this particular number scarier than any other. The uneasiness about the number, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (dale) hark to ancient times, has been developed over the years.

    Benjamin West, the father of American painting, showed his talent for art when he was only six years of age. But he did not know about brushes before {#blank#}1{#/blank#} visitor told him he needed one. In those days, a brush was made from camel's hair. There were no camels nearby. Benjamin decided that cat hair would work instead. He cut some fur from the family cat {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (make) a brush.

    The brush did not last long. Soon Benjamin needed more fur. Before long, the cat began to look ragged(蓬乱). His father said that the cat {#blank#}3{#/blank#} be sick. Benjamin {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (force) to admit what he had been doing.

    The cat's lot was about to improve. That year, one of Benjamin's cousins, Mr. Pennington, came to visit. He was impressed with Benjamin's drawings. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} he went home, he sent Benjamin a box for paint and some brushes. He also sent six engravings(版画)by an artist. {#blank#}6{#/blank#} were the first pictures and first real paint and brushes Benjamin had even seen. In 1747, when Benjamin was nine years old, Mr. Pennington returned for another visit. He was amazed at {#blank#}7{#/blank#} Benjamin had done with his gift. He asked Benjamin's parents {#blank#}8{#/blank#} he might take the boy to Philadelphia for a visit.

    In the city, Mr. Pennington gave Benjamin materials for creating oil paintings. The boy began a landscape painting. William Williams, a well-known painter, came to see him work. Williams was impressed with Benjamin and gave him two classic books on painting to take home. The books were long and dull. Benjamin could read only a little, {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (be) a poor student. But he later said, “Those two books were my companions by day, and {#blank#}10{#/blank#} my pillow at night." While it is likely that he understood very little of the books, they were his introduction to classical paintings. The nine-year-old boy decided then that he would be an artist.