When Columbus returned home with the news of his discovery, he was considered as

When Columbus returned home with the news of his discovery, he wasconsidered as the hero who had given a new world to Spain. Never had so greatrespect been shown to any   1   man.

But there were some who were jealous of(嫉妒) the   2  . “Who is this Columbus?” they asked, “and what has he done?Isn’t he a poor pilot from Italy? And could not any other seamen sail acrossthe ocean just   3   he has done?”

One day Columbus was at a   4   and several of these fellows were   5   . Theytried to make Columbus   6   . “You have discoveredstrange lands   7   the sea,” they said．“But we don’t see   8    thereshould be so much said about it. Anybody can sail across the ocean; and anybodycan coast along the islands on the other side, just as you have done. It is the  9   thing in the world.”

Columbus made no answer: but after a while he took an egg from a dishand said to the people at the table, “Who   10   you, gentlemen can make the egg stand   11   ?” One by one they triedthe   12  . When the egg had gone entirelyaround and everyone had   13   , all said that it could not be done.Then Columbus took the egg and   14   its small end gently upon the table soas to   15   the shell a little. After that there was no   16   in makingit stand   17  ,“ Gentlemen,” said he, “What is easier   18   to do thiswhich you said was   19   ? It is the simplest thing in the world．Anybody can doit—AFTER HE HAS BEEN SHOWN   20   .”

1. A．common

B．great

C．respectable

D．noble

2. A．inventor

B．traveler

C．discoverer

D．bravery

3. A．because

B．as

C．like

D．since

4. A．palace

B．hotel

C．counter

D．dinner

5. A．present

B．at present

C．kind- hearted

D．invited

6. A．happy

B．satisfied

C．uncomfortable

D．disappointed

7. A．beside

B．along

C．in

D．beyond

8. A．why

B．how

C．whether

D．that

9. A．hardest

B．wonderful

C．simplest

D．strange

10. A．besides

B．among

C．including

D．except

11. A．by

B．still

C．weight

D．on end

12. A．experiment

B．egg

C．method

D．result

13. A．succeeded

B．failed

C．experience

D．chance

14. A．beat

B．felt

C．touched

D．struck

15. A．protect

B．crush

C．break

D．damage

16. A．trouble

B．time