Passage 8
A poor farmer lived in a small house with his family. One day, he went to talk with the wise man in the village. "Please help me. My house is far too crowded. There is not enough for me, my wife and our five children. The baby cries and cries. It is crowded and . I don't know how it could get any worse."
The wise man thought for a while. Then he said, " you promise to do as I say, your life will get better. Do I have your words?"
"Yes, yes," said the man. He listened carefully to the wise man's directions.
"Do you have any ?" the wise man asked.
"Yes, I have two. They live with my mother."
"Go and ask them to stay with you in your house for two ," the wise man directed. Confused(困惑地), the farmer called for his sisters. Pleased with the , they came right over.
The next day, the farmer returned to the wise man. "It is than ever," he said sadly. "There is almost no room to sleep. We can't even all around the table."
The wise man thought about this and then he asked, "Do you have any animals?"The farmer that he had chickens and sheep. The wise man directed the farmer to bring them into his house at once. Confused, the farmer brought his animals into his house.
The next morning, the farmer returned to the wise man. "I came to you for help," he said, "but since I have your directions, things have only become worse."
The wise man replied, "Thank your sisters for you and then take them home. Bring the sheep and the chickens back to the yard."
The next morning, the farmer returned to the wise man once more. "You have made my life so wonderful!" he said . "The house feels so roomy and we all fit around the table!"
() 1.A. food
B. money
C. room
D. water
() 2.A. dirty
B. harmful
C. painful
D. noisy
() 3.A. If
B. While
C. Because
D. Unless
() 4.A. brothers
B. sisters
C. cousins
D. friends
() 5.A. hours
B. days
C. weeks
D. months
() 6.A. education
B. invention
C. invitation
D. information
() 7.A. more
B. larger
C. darker
D. worse
() 8.A. cut
B. look
C. fit
D. sleep
() 9.A. replied
B. cried
C. argued
D. shouted
()10.A. heard
B. refused
C. followed
D. answered
()11.A. asking
B. changing
C. treating
D. visiting
()12.A. sadly
B. loudly
C. angrily
D. happily

1.C；2.D；3.A；4.B；5.B；6.C；7.D；8.C；9.A；10.C；11.D；12.D

1. 根据前文“My house is far too crowded.”可知房子拥挤，缺少空间，room表示“空间”，故选C。
2. 前文提到“The baby cries and cries.”，可知环境是吵闹的，noisy表示“吵闹的”，故选D。
3. 此处为条件状语从句，“如果你答应按我说的做，你的生活会变好”，If引导条件状语从句，故选A。
4. 根据后文“the farmer called for his sisters”可知，智者询问的是有没有姐妹，故选B。
5. 根据后文“The next day, the farmer returned to the wise man.”可知，智者让姐妹住两天，故选B。
6. 农民邀请姐妹来家里，姐妹对这个邀请很开心，invitation表示“邀请”，故选C。
7. 根据后文农民的抱怨内容，可知情况比之前更糟，worse表示“更糟的”，故选D。
8. 句意为“我们甚至不能都围坐在桌子旁”，fit表示“容纳，安置”，符合语境，故选C。
9. 智者提问后，农民作出回答，replied表示“回答”，故选A。
10. “follow one's directions”是固定搭配，意为“听从某人的指示”，故选C。
11. 姐妹来拜访农民，所以要感谢她们的拜访，visiting表示“拜访”，故选D。
12. 根据前文“You have made my life so wonderful!”可知农民很开心，happily表示“开心地”，故选D。