1. (2022九上·石首开学考) 阅读下面的短文，从每篇短文后所给各题的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

Once, there was a king who owned many kinds ofanimals, but he did not have a great horse. So ho commanded(命令)his scrvants(仆人)to go and find the fastest horse in his country. They searched for months, but they returned without success.

One day, a servant named Zan heard about a very fast horse in another country. He asked fo permission to travel there, and the king agreed. Sadly, when he arrived, he learned that the horse had died But Zan had an idea. He bought the horse's head for five hundred pieces of silver.

When Zan returned, the king was very angry. "You paid five hundred pieces of silver for this?" the king shouted. "What good is it to me? I want a living horse, you fool!"

"Please be patient, my king, "the servant said." When people hear how much you paid for the head of a dead horse, they will think you will pay an enormous(巨大的)amount for a living one! People from other countries will bring their horses to you!"

That's just what happened. Almost immediately, lots of people started bringing their fast horses to the king. The king was delighted, and he soon found exactly the horse he wanted.

1. （1） What is the story about?

   A . A clever servant. B . An unsuccessful king. C . A dead horse. D . A horse race.
3. （2） What was Zan's plan at the beginning?

   A . To make the king very angry. B . To spend the king's money. C . To travel another country to look for a fast horse. D . To make people bring their horses to the king for free.
5. （3） What happened to the fast horse when he arrived?

   A . It was not really fast at all. B . It was not alive. C . It was not for sale. D . Someone had already bought it.
7. （4） How did the king feel when Zan returned?

   A . He was delighted. B . He was frightened. C . He was very angry. D . He was sad.
9. （5） Why did people bring horses to the king?

   A . The servant bought the horses. B . They wanted to give them as gifts. C . They expected a lot of money. D . The king commanded them.