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A qualified doctor who rarely practiced but instead devoted his life to writing. He once said: “Medicine is my lawful wife, and literature is my lover.” Russian writer Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, was a great playwright and one of the masters of the modern short story.

When Chekhov entered the Moscow University Medical School in 1879, he started to publish hundreds of comic short stories to support his family. After he graduated, he wrote regularly for a local daily newspaper.

As a writer he was extremely fast, often producing a short story in an hour or less. Chekhov’s medical and science experience can be seen through the indifference(冷漠) many of his characters show to tragic events. In 1892, he became a full time writer and published some of his most memorable stories.

Chekhov often wrote about the sufferings of life in small town Russia. Tragic events control his characters who are filled with feelings of hopelessness and despair.

It is often said that nothing happens in Chekhov’s stories and plays. He made up for this with his exciting technique for developing drama within his characters. Chekhov’s works combined the calm attitude of a scientist and doctor with the sensitivity(敏感) of an artist.

Some of Chekhov's works were translated into Chinese as early as the 1940s. One of his famous stories, The Man in a Shell, about a school teacher’s extraordinarily orderly life, was selected as a text for Chinese senior students.

1.Anton Pavlovich Chekhov ________.

2.In 1880, Chekhov ________.

3.Which of the following adjectives can’t be used to describe Chekhov?

4.Which of the following is the right order of the events?

a. became a doctor

b. became a full time writer

c. started to publish comic short stories

d. wrote regularly for a local daily newspaper.

e. entered the Moscow University Medical School

Mr. Glen is a millionaire. Five years ago, after returning from abroad to his motherland, he 

16  his small company. Speaking of success, Glen often tells us a story about his extra expensive “school” fee. He always  17  his success to it.

At that time, Glen, who already got a Ph.D. degree,  18  to return to the homeland, starting a company. Before leaving, he bought a Rolex watch with the  19  made through years of work after school and the scholarships. At the airport he had to accept the  20  customs check. The watch on his wrist was also demanded to be taken down for  21. Glen knew that carrying the specific goods out had to pay the tax, and he worried about paying  22  for his watch. So when he was checked, he told a lie that his watch was a  23  fake（假货）. When he was  24  of his “smarts”, immediately, in the presence of Glen, the officers hit the watch,  25  cost nearly 100,000, into pieces  26  hearing Glen’s words. Glen was  27 .  Before he understood why, he was taken to the office to be examined  28 . For many times of entry-exit 29  he knew that only those people in the “blacklist” would “enjoy” this special treatment. The officers looked over everything carefully in the box, and  30  him no matter what time of entry and exit he must accept the check and if  31  reusing and carrying fake and shoddy goods, he would be  32  according to law! Suddenly, his face turned red, and he had nothing in mind after boarding the plane for long.

After returning to the homeland, he often told the story to his family, and his employees, too. He said that this made a deep  33  on him, because the additional high “school” fee that he had ever paid made him realize the value of  34 , which he would remember as the  35  of his success forever.

.--- I’m sorry I stepped outside for a smoke. I was very tired..

--- There is no ________ for this while you are on duty.

Our teachers often encourage us that every minute we spend on studying will finally    in the near future．

Seeing a stranger with a knife in his hand, the little girl stood under the tree, _______ out of       her mind.