题目内容：

In the 4th century, there was a man called Saint Nicholas in Myra. He was very rich and ______ to help others. He also cared for the ______ very much. He often ______ many kinds of gifts, money and other ______ things to the houses of the poor. He did this at night ______ so that no one knew, because he wanted no ______ . He just wanted to help others. At that time, there were three poor ______ in his town. Both of their parents died. They could hardly ______ enough money to make a living. Nicholas felt sorry for them and ______ to do something to ______ them. On Christmas Eve, when everyone was ______ , Nicholas walked through the streets to the house where the three sisters lived. Quietly, he ______ onto the roof and dropped three bags of ______ into the chimney. It so happened that the three sisters had ______ their stockings before they went to bed. The stockings had been ______ by the fire to dry. When Nicholas dropped the gold, each bag fell into a stocking. The three sisters were surprised and ______ to find the three bags of gold in their stockings the next morning. Now they didn’t have to worry about their ______ as they could use the gold to get food. Soon, the story began to get around. Other ______ began to hang up stockings on Christmas Eve ______ finding bags of gold when they woke up the next morning.

Over the years, Saint Nicholas became associated (有联系的)with Christmas. The ______ of hanging stockings up by the chimney on Christmas Eve is known all over the world. And Santa Claus, famous for the red cape (斗篷)and the white beard, became the most popular guest to children on Christmas.

1.A. hated    B. refused    C. failed    D. liked

2.A. old    B. sick    C. poor    D. young

3.A. lent    B. brought    C. posted    D. moved

4.A. expensive    B. simple    C. beautiful    D. useful

5.A. slowly    B. secretly    C. freely    D. fairly

6.A. praise    B. money    C. surprise    D. pay

7.A. sisters    B. brothers    C. workers    D. farmers

8.A. beg    B. find    C. make    D. borrow

9.A. needed    B. agreed    C. decided    D. promised

10.A. save    B. help    C. raise    D. teach

11.A. quiet    B. busy    C. happy    D. asleep

12.A. landed    B. climbed    C. jumped    D. fell

13.A. gold    B. food    C. toys    D. clothes

14.A. changed    B. bought    C. repaired    D. washed

15.A. shown    B. thrown    C. hung    D. stored

16.A. puzzled    B. excited    C. worried    D. sad

17.A. meals    B. study    C. house    D. stockings

18.A. students    B. men    C. women    D. children

19.A. in the hope of    B. in need of    C. in case of    D. in return for

20.A. rule    B. habit    C. custom    D. manner