1. 语法选择

Alan was a skinny old man who lived all alone. One day he got1bad cold and he called for a doctor. While the doctor 2 Alan, he asked, "Don't you have a friend 3 could come and take care of you?"

"No, I've never had 4 friends," the old man said.

"You've lived here all your life and never had a friend?" the doctor said 5surprise.

"I'm 64 years old, but I've never met anyone I6 call a friend," Alan said. "If it isn't one thing wrong with them, it's another."

"Our village head, Robin, will surely help you if he 7 you are sick," the doctor said.

"It's so boring 8 to Robin," Alan added. "You'd imagine there was nothing in this world 9 his crops and his wonderful, healthy pigs."

"Then what about Max, the one that lives down the road?"

"A selfish man, though he's smart and 10 to talk to," Alan continued. "He visited me a lot before. But he'd come only when he felt like 11 so. I don't call that neighborly."

"You can't bring up anything against Toby. Everyone loves him," the doctor laughed.

"Right." Agreed Alan. "If I let Toby 12 on my doorstep, he would do so. But he's13noisy that I can't stand him for more than five minutes."

"I'm afraid you see too much of your neighbors' 14 and you're blind to what good people they actually are, " the doctor said. "You're a hard nut to crack, old man! Anyway, please call me if you need me." The doctor left and not a word of "thank you" 15.