阅读下面短文，在空白处填入一个适当的词，或填入括号中所给单词的正确形式。 In a village, there lived an old man in his 70s. As he got older, he grew to enjoy going to bed early. One day, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} group of boys played games near his house. Their loud shouting made it impossible for him to fall{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (sleep). He felt quite angry.
One evening, the old man invited the boys inside his house. He told them that he loved hearing the sound of{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (child) voices. Their laughter and cries made him feel like he had become a young man again. He promised{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (give) each of them a dollar if they would play there every day.
{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (excited), the same boys returned and played even more happily and loudly the next day. True to his word, the old man{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (pay) them and asked them to do so again the following day.
However, {#blank#}7{#/blank#} the next evening, the boys got only 50 cents instead of a dollar.
By the{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(three) evening, the old man only gave them 10 cents. He said that he was very sorry{#blank#}9{#/blank#}he didn't have much money left.
"Dear children," he said, "would you please still come back tomorrow? I really enjoy your laughter."
The boys felt so sad that they refused his request. Was it worth{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(play) so hard if they didn't get much in return?
