题目内容：

阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

At the edge of a forest, stood a big tree. Its branches spread out majestically (庄严地) and so did its roots. It     people from the sun under its shady leaves, and provided      to countless birds and other small creatures in its branches. It was very excited with activity all the time.

At the foot of the tree grew a little plant. The plant was tall, thin, graceful and easily     , and tended to fall over at the    of the slightest wind.

One day, the two neighbours were having a little chat.

“Well, little one, ” said the tree to the plant, “ Why do you not plant your feet deeply in the ground, and raise your head     in the air as I do?”

“I see no need to do so,”    the plant with a smile. “    , I think I may be safer this way.”

“Safer!” sneered (讥讽) the tree. “ Are you     that you’re safer than I am? Do you know how deep my roots are    ,  how thick and strong my trunk is?    two men hold hands they would not be able to surround my trunk. Who could possibly pull me out by the roots or    my head to the ground?”

And the tree turned away from the plant in    .

But the tree was to     its words very soon. One evening a great hurricane    in the region. It threw the trees off their roots and almost completely destroyed the forest. It uprooted the tree and     it away with great force.

When the storm had passed, the villagers living nearby    the damage. Strong trees that had once almost touched the sky, were now reduced to stumps (残根）or   . The dead animals were found everywhere in the    .

But there was one  . The little plant. The plant had been moved from side to side under the hurricane, and bent completely. But when the hurricane ended, it sighed and stood upright again.

No trace remained of its powerful neighbour      .

1.A. hide       B. protect     C. prevent     D. defend

2.A. shade     B. food        C. shelter     D. space

3.A. broken    B. destroyed   C. grown       D. planted

4.A. reach      B. blow        C. touch       D. knock

5.A. bravely    B. straightly  C. gratefully  D. delightedly

6.A. Explained  B. shouted     C. said        D. whispered

7.A. Gradually  B. Actually    C. Generally   D. Finally

8.A. concluding B. finding     C. guessing    D. suggesting

9.A. placed     B. hidden      C. buried      D. planted

10.A. Even if    B. As if       C. Because     D. When

11.A. put        B. bow         C. lead        D. get

12.A. anger      B. surprise    C. belief      D. relief

13.A. keep       B. regret      C. break       D. follow

14.A. blew       B. arrived     C. arose       D. appeared

15.A. turned     B. pushed      C. threw       D. blew

16.A. counted    B. saw         C. observed    D. surveyed

17.A. worse      B. more        C. less        D. better

18.A. tree       B. forest      C. plant       D. plain

19.A. plant      B. example     C. exception   D. tree

20.A. then       B. finally     C. gradually   D. Though