阅读理解。
Once Effendi (阿凡提) had a joke with the prime minister (宰相). He said the minister would die the
next day. The next day it really happened that the Minister fell from his horse and died. When the king
heard this, he got angry and sent his men to catch Effendi at once.
After Effendi had been brought to him, the king shouted angrily, "Effendi, since you knew my Minister
would die you must also know the date of your own death. Say it out, or you'll die today."
Looking at the king, Effendi answered, "I'll die two days earlier than you."
Fearing that his own death would follow if Effendi was killed, the king thought he must keep Effendi
alive as long as possible so he let him go.
1. This story tell us ____. [ ]
A. when the king would die
B. Effendi knew the dates of their death
C. how Effendi fooled the king
D. why the prime minister died
2. The prime minister died because ____. [ ]
A. Effendi talked about his death the day before
B. he was ill
C. he fell to the ground from the horse
D. the king asked him to die
3. Why did the king ask Effendi to tell the date of his own death? He wanted to ____. [ ]
A. know the exact time of his own death
B. find an excuse to kill Effendi
C. know if Effendi would tell him a lie
D. know the date of Effendi's death
4. The king let Effendi go because ____. [ ]
A. Effendi was very clever
B. he hoped that he could live a long life
C. he had punished (惩罚) Effendi already
D. he wanted Effendi to become his prime minister
5. From this story we can see that Effendi was ____. [ ]
A. foolish
B. careful
C. killed
D. bright
