About a half mile behind our house lay a pond. When winter came, the pond was a ( n)   ___1__ place. One day when   2   covered it, my brother Harry said to me, "   3   walking across."

The ice looked   4   and no water showed through it, but I   5   .

"Go ahead, Andy, my little sister," Harry urged. "Try it. You are   6   than I am. If the ice    7.    , we can run and   8   on it. It'll be fun."

I wanted to   9   Harry, and I thought about. the fun of a long slide on the ice. I began to take   10   steps across the pond.

In the middle of the pond, the ice gave way with a sudden crack! The next thing I knew was I was   11   on to the edge of a hole in the ice by arms outstretched(É쿪µÄ)on the ice. From my   12   down I hung in icy water.

I looked at Harry on shore. "I can't get out!" I   13   . He turned and ran from the pond. As I looked at his back, I wondered: Is he running for help, or is he running away and   14   me to slip to the bottom?

I was   15   to see him bend and   16   a large, fallen oak branch. He ran with it towards the   17   . At the edge, he lay on his stomach,   18   the branch before him, and wriggled(È䶯) towards me. When the long top branch was   19   , I seized it.

Hand over hand, I   20   myself from the hole. Harry wriggled backward towards shore, dragging the branch. I hung on to the branch and wriggled towards shore. Off the pond, we ran to-wards the house.

1. A. crowded       B. inviting       C. quiet      D. important

2. A. ice            B. water        C. dust       D. snow

3. A. Consider       B. Imagine      C. Avoid      D. Try

4. A. transparent     B. thin          C. solid       D. beautiful

5. A. waited        B. hesitated       C. refused     D. fled

6. A. lighter        B. smarter       C. calmer      D. stronger

7. A. contains       B. falls         C. breaks       D. holds

8. A. ski           B. slip.          C. slide        D. roll

9. A. please         B. protect       C. ignore       D. frighten

10. A. shaky         B. big           C. careful       D. quick

11. A. standing       B. hanging       C. floating      D. swinging

12. A. shoulders       B. head        C. eyes          D. mouth

13. A. urged         B. requested       C. responded       D. screamed

14. A. allowing       B. leaving       C. forcing           D. advising

15. A. surprised       B. excited       C. disappointed      D. amused

16. A. put away       B. cut down      C. pick up          D. break off

17. A. hospital        B. pond         C. house           D. station

18. A. placed         B. caught       C. dragged           D. pushed

19. A. in safety       B. on end        C. within reach       D. beyond recognition

20. A. devoted       B. applied        C. adjusted          D. pulled