9．
Choose the best answer. (根据短文内容，选择最恰当的答案。)
Linda enjoyed listening to gossip(闲话)at the water fountain(饮水处), and then passed
it to others. Sometimes people got a little hurt. Patty decided that Linda
should be taught a lesson.
After the second class, Patty was at the
water fountain. As she took a drink, Abel passed by. "What's up? "he
asked her. Patty said, "Nothing much, just the usual. Today is surely an
interesting day. But it's not good for Linda. "
"What do you mean? What happened? "Abel
asked. Patty said sadly, "I heard that Linda got below an A on her history
exam. You know her parents want her to get straight A's. I think they'll keep
her at home for a whole week to study. " Before he could ask anything else,
Patty walked on.
Abel caught up with Emily. "Did you
hear? "he asked, not waiting for her to reply, " Linda failed her
history exam and her parents will keep her at home for a whole month. "
Emily looked at him in surprise, "But Linda is a top student. This is
terrible. Don't tell anybody, and I won't either. "
At
lunch, the gossip was flying fast. Tim asked Bob, "Did you hear about poor
Linda? She failed in history, and her parents are going to get her a tutor(家庭教师)."
By three o'clock, everybody knew it. All
day, Linda had a strange feeling. People were looking at her. She asked Dana
what was going on. He said, "I don't know who found out, but we're really
sorry. "
"Sorry about what? "Linda asked.
Dana said, "Everybody knows you failed
in all your subjects, and your parents are taking you out of school. "
Linda stared at him, with mouth open." How did this gossip start? It's not
true！"Linda began to shout. In a moment,
most of her friends were around her. They asked if there was anything they
could do. "Look, "she said, "I got an A in my history exam. Who
would start a gossip like this? "Nobody seemed to know, but they did know
that it began at the water fountain.
