During Napoleon’s invasion of Russia, his troops were battling in the middle of a smal
l town in that endless wintry land, when he was separated from his men.A group of Russian soldiers saw him and began chasing him through the twisting streets.Napoleon ran for his life into a little furrier’s shop.As Napoleon entered the shop, he saw the furrier and cried, “Save me, save me! Where can I hide?” The furrier said, “Quick, under the big pile of furs in the corner,” and he covered Napoleon up with many furs.
No sooner had he finished than the Russian soldiers burst in the door, shouting “Where is he? We saw him come in.” Despite the furrier’s protests, they tore the shop apart trying to find Napoleon.But they didn’t find him and left.
After some time, Napoleon came out from under the furs, unharmed, just as his personal guards came in the door.The furrier turned to Napoleon and said, “Excuse me for asking such a great man this question, but what was it like to be under those furs, knowing that the next moment would surely be your last?”
Napoleon drew himself up to his full height and said to the furrier angrily, “How could you ask such a question of me, the Emperor Napoleon! Guards, take this rude man out, blindfold him and execute him.I myself will give the command to fire!”
The guards took the poor furrier out, stood him up against a wall and blindfolded him.The furrier could see nothing, but he could hear the movements of the guards as they prepared their rifles.He trembled.Then he heard Napoleon clear his throat and call out slowly, “Ready …
aim…” At that moment, knowing that he would die, a feeling he couldn’t describe came to him and tears ran down his cheeks.
After a long period of silence, the furrier heard footsteps approaching him and the blindfold was taken down from his eyes.He saw Napoleon’s eyes looking deeply into his own ——- eyes that seemed to see into every dusty corner of his being.Then Napoleon said softly, “Now you know.”
1.Napoleon ran for his life because _________________________.
A.he was followed by Russian soldiers
B.he couldn’t find his men
C.his personal guards were not with him
D.he saw a little furrier’s shop
2.Napoleon answered the furrier’s question by __________________________.
A.blindfolding him
B.by putting him in a similar situation he himself had experienced just before
C.scolding him
D.shooting him
3.Tears ran down the furrier’s cheeks because ___________________________.
A.he thought he was to be killed at once
B.he heard the movements of Napoleon’s guards
C.he heard the sound of a rifle
D.he was blindfolded and couldn’t see anything
4.When he came out from under the furs, Napoleon was ________________.
A.thankful to the furrier
B.not harmed at all
C.noticed by Russian guards
D.angry about Russian soldiers’ search
5.The Russian soldiers rushed in as soon as _________________________.
A.a furrier saw Napoleon
B.the furrier said to Napoleon that he could hide in a pile of furs
C.Napoleon hid in a big pile of furs
D.Napoleon entered the furrier’s shop