1 . There was a man who had four sons. Never     1    they stop quarrelling with one another. He was always telling them how much     2    (easy) life would be if they worked together but they took absolutely no notice of him. One day he decided to show them     3    he meant.

He called all the sons together and put a     4    (tight) tied bundle of sticks on the floor in front of them.

"Can you break that ? " he asked the youngest son. The boy put his knee on the bundle but     5    he pressed and pulled with his arms he could not bend the wood.

The father required each son in turn     6    (try) to break the bundle, but     7    of them could do it . Then he untied the string and scattered the sticks.

" Now try, "     8    (say) the father. The boys broke the sticks easily in their hands.

"Do you see what I mean ?" the father asked. "if only you stand together no one can hurt you . If you all disagree     9    whole time and insist on going your separate ways, the first enemy you meet will be able to destroy you. " United we stand     10    (divide) we fall.

2 . Jane was walking round the department store. She remembered how difficult    1    was to choose a suitable Christmas present for her father. She wished that he was as easy    2    (please) as her mother, who was always delighted with perfume.

Besides, shopping at this time of the year was not    3    pleasant experience: people stepped on your feet or    4    (push) you with their elbows (肘部），hurrying ahead to get to a bargain.

Jane paused in front of a counter     5    some attractive ties were on display. “They are real silk,” the assistant tried to attract her. “Worth double the price.” But Jane knew from past experience that her    6    (choose) of ties hardly ever pleased her father.

Jane stopped where a small crowd of men had gathered. She found some good quality pipes    7    sale. She did not hesitate for long: although her father smoked a pipe only once in a while, she knew that this was a present which was bound to please    8    .

When Jane got home, with her small but well-chosen present in her bag, her parents were already at table    9    (have) supper. Her mother was excited. “Your father has at last decided to stop smoking,” Jane    10    (inform).