Question

Once upon a time there lived a poor farmer called Smith. He didn't like to share things with others. Smith had a friend who was famous for the wonderful apples he grew.
One day, his friend gave Smith a young apple tree and told him to take it home and planted. The farmer was pleased with the gift, but when he got home, he did not know where to plant
He thought and thought. Finally at night he planted the tree in his wood where no one could see it. But without sunlight and good soil, the tree soon died.
Later the friend asked the farmer why he had planted the tree in such a poor place.
"What's the difference?" the farmer said angrily. "If I had planted it near the road, strangers would have stolen the fruit. If I had planted it in one of my fields, my neighbors would have come at night and stolen some of the apples. If I had planted it near my house, my own children would have taken the fruit,"
"Yes," said the friend, "but at least someone could have enjoyed the fruit. Now you not only have got nothing, but also you have destroyed a good apple tree."
小題1:Was Smith happy about the gift?
小題2:When did he plant the apple tree?
小題3:Where did Smith plant the apple tree in the end?
小題4: Why did the apple tree soon die?
小題5: What would probably happen if the farmer had planted the tree near his house?

Answer 1

小題1:Yes, he is.
小題1:At night.
小題1:In his wood.
小題1:Because there was no sunlight or good soil.
小題1:His own children would have taken the fruit

【主旨大意】自私的史密斯不喜歡跟別人分享東西。有一天，他的朋友給了他一棵蘋果樹讓他回家種上。史密斯擔心別人會偷走，想啊想啊，最后決定在晚上的時候把樹種在他的小樹林里，這樣別人就看不到了。由于沒有陽光，土質也不好，小樹很快就死了。后來朋友問起緣由時，他反而非常生氣，振振有詞說出自己堂而皇之的理由。