1. (2023八下·杭州期中) 阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项A、B、C、D中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

A man was walking through the woods with his axe (斧头) when a small tree called to him. It is said, "Hello, my friend. Can you1those bigger trees? They stop me from getting the sun. It is so 2 here that I have no room to grow my roots. I can't feel the wind. "

The little tree held out its small 3. It looked so sad. Then it 4, "If those trees were gone, I'd be able to grow. A year from now, I'd be the biggest tree here. 5for now, I'm just a small tree. "

The man thought for some time and 6. He walked over to the bigger trees and started cutting them down. He cleared lots of space 7the small tree. Now it could be able to 8 the sun and wind. It would grow bigger and become the biggest tree in that area.

But something else happened. The 9 came first, burning the small tree, which wasn't used to so much sunlight. Then heavy wind and rain came-without the bigger trees 10 it, the small tree was hit by the 11. Soon, the tree was nearly dead.

"You've been quite 12," said a snake that saw what had happened, looking at the poor tree and its small leaves. "In fact, you brought this on 13. If you stay with the bigger trees, the sun and rainstorm won't hurt you 14. They will protect you instead. If you just wait longer, you will grow to be just as big as them and you will be15. But now, you are nearly gone. "