Si1as Minton's funeral was a quiet 16 . lt was 17 by the only 18 he had in the world, his niece and nephew, and by a few friends. The priest who 19 20 a hundred miles into this wild part of the county was now getting 21 for the simple ceremony. Minton, 22 'Minty' as his friends 23 call him, 24 a hard life 25 for gold in a lonely part of Western Australia. He had always refused to work in a gold mine 26 he believed that he could do better 27 his own. Although he was not a boastful(夸口)person, he had often declared that one day he 28 find a lump(块) of gold as big as his head and 29 he would retire and live in 30 for the rest of his life. But his dreams of great wealth 31 came true. For many years he had hardly earned enough money to keep himself 32 .
Two men now gently lifted the rough wooden box that 33 Minty's body, but they almost dropped it when they heard a loud cry from the grave-digger. His spade(铁鍬)had struck something hard in the rocky soil and he was shouting excitedly. Then he held up a large stone. 34 it was covered 35 dirt, the stone shone curious1yin the fierce sun1ight: it was unmistakably a heavy piece of solid gold!

16. A. accident B. eventC. affair D. inciden
17. A. taken B. attendedC. joined  D. brought
18. A. relationB. relationsC. relationship  D. relationships
19. A. travelled B. was travellingC. had travelIed  D. used to travel
20. A. to B. ofC. in  D. over
21. A. ready B. betterC. preparation  D. worse
22. A. and B. butC. or  D. except
23. A. liked B. pastC. used  D. used to
24. A. leaded B. had leadedC. had led  D. led
25. A. look B. lookingC. looked  D. had looked
26. A. because B. soC. even  D. only
27. A. to B. inC. on  D. for
28. A. would B. must C. ought to  D. for
29. A. since B. whichC. when  D. with that
30. A. comfort B. comfortsC. comfortable D. comfortably
31. A. ever B. neverC. always D. once
32. A. live B. lifeC. lived D. alive
33. A. containsB. containingC. containedD. having contained
34. A. ThoughB. ForC. ThenD. Because
35. A. inB. withC. withinD. below