Inthe4thcenturytherewasamancalledSaintNicholasinMyra.Hewasveryrichand21tohelpothers.Healsocaredforthe22verymuch.Heoften23manykindsofgiftsmoneyandother24thingstothehousesofthepoor.Hedidthisatni

Inthe4thcenturytherewasamancalledSaintNicholasinMyra.Hewasveryrichand21tohelpothers.Healsocaredforthe22verymuch.Heoften23manykindsofgiftsmoneyandother24thingstothehousesofthepoor.Hedidthisatnight25sothatnooneknewbecausehewantedno26.Hejustwantedtohelpothers.Atthattimetherewerethreepoor27inhistown.Bothoftheirparentsdied.Theycouldhardly28enoughmoneytomakealiving.Nicholasfeltsorryforthemand29todosomethingto30them.OnChristmasEvewheneveryonewas31Nicholaswalkedthroughthestreetstothehousewherethethreesisterslived.Quietlyhe32ontotheroofanddroppedthreebagsof33intothechimney.Itsohappenedthatthethreesistershad34theirstockingsbeforetheywenttobed.Thestockingshadbeen35bythefiretodry.WhenNicholasdroppedthegoldeachbagfellintoastocking.Thethreesistersweresurprisedand36tofindthethreebagsofgoldintheirstockingsthenextmorning.Nowtheydidn’thavetoworryabouttheir37astheycouldusethegoldtogetfood.Soonthestorybegantogetaround.Other38begantohangupstockingsonChristmasEve39findingbagsofgoldwhentheywokeupthenextmorning.

OvertheyearsSaintNicholasbecameassociated(有联系的)withChristmas.The40ofhangingstockingsupbythechimneyonChristmasEveisknownallovertheworld.AndSantaClausfamousfortheredcape(斗篷)andthewhitebeardbecamethemostpopularguesttochildrenonChristmas.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

29.A.needed B.agreed C.decided