The passage has 15 blanks. For each blank there are four choices marked A）， B）， C） and D） on the right side of the paper. You should choose the ONE that best fits into the passage.

　　We all know that a magician does not really depend on “magic” to perform his tricks， but on his ability to act at great speed. 16）______， this does not prevent us from enjoying watching a magician 17）______rabbits from a hat. 18）______ the greatest magician of all time was Harry Houdini who died in 1926. Houdini mastered the art of 19）______. He could free himself from the tight test knots or the most complicated locks in seconds. 20）______ no one really knows how he did this， there is no doubt 21）______ he had made a close study of every type of lock ever invented. He liked to carry a small steel needle like tool strapped to his leg and he used this in place of a key.

　　Houdini once asked the Chicago police to lock him in prison. They 22）______ him in chains and locked him up， but he freed himself 23）______ an instant. The police 24）______ him of having used a tool and locked him up again . This time he wore no clothes and there were chains round his neck， waist， wrists， and legs； but he again escaped in a few minutes. Houdini had probably hidden his “needle” in a wax like 25）______ and dropped it on the floor in the passage. 26）______ he went past， he stepped on it so that it stuck to the bottom of his foot. His most famous escape， however， was 27）______ astonishing. He was heavily chained up and enclosed in an empty wooden chest， the lid of 28）______ was nailed down. The 29）______ was dropped into the sea in New York harbor. In one minute Houdini had swum to the surface. When the chest was 30）______， it was opened and the chains were found inside.

　　16.A. Generally B. However　C. Possibly D. Likewise

　　17.A. to produce　B. who produces C. produce　D. how to produce

　　18.A. Out of the question B. Though C. Probably D. Undoubted

　　19.A. escaping B. locking　C. opening　D. dropping

　　20.A. Surprisingly B. Obviously C. Perhaps　D. Although

　　21.A. if B. whether　C. as to　D. that

　　22.A. involved B. closed C. connected　D. bound

　　23.A. at B. by C. in D. for

　　24.A. rid B. charged　C. accused　D. deprived

　　25.A. candle B. mud C. something D. substance

　　26.A. As B. Usually　C. Maybe D. Then

　　27.A. overall　B. all but　C. no longer　D. altogether

　　28.A. it B. which C. that D. him

　　29.A. chest B. body C. lid D. chain

　　30.A. brought up B. sunk C. broken apart D. snapped

　　参考答案：

　　16-20：BCCAD

　　21-25：DDCCD

　　26-30：ADBAA