There was once a boy called Mario who loved to have lots of friends at school. However, he wasn’t sure whether or not his schoolmates were his real friends, so he asked his grandpa for help. The old man told him, “I just have what you exactly need, and it’s in the attic (阁楼). Wait here a minute.” Grandpa left, soon returning as though carrying something in his hand, but Mario could see nothing there. “Take it. It’s a very special chair. It’s rather tricky to sit on because it’s invisible (无形的), but if you take it to school and you try to sit on it. you’ll be able to tell who your real friends are.” Grandpa said.

Mario was curious to know whether it was true or not, so he took the strange invisible chair and set off for school. At break time he asked everyone to form a circle, and he put himself in the middle, with his chair. “Nobody move! You’re about to see something amazing.”

Then Mario tried to sit on the chair. But he missed and fell down onto his back. Everyone had a pretty good laugh. Mario wouldn’t be beaten. He kept trying to sit on the magic chair, and kept falling to the ground…until, suddenly, he tried again and didn’t fall. This time he sat, hovering (悬浮) in mid-air…

Looking around, Mario saw George, Lucas and Diana—three of his best friends, holding him up, so he wouldn’t fall down. Meanwhile, many others he had thought of as friends had done nothing but make fun of him, enjoying his every fall.

Leaving with his three friends, he explained to them how his grandfather had so cleverly thought of a way to show him that true friends are those who care for us, and not just any acquaintance (熟人) who happens to be passing by. Even less would a friend be someone who takes joy in our misfortunes.

【小题1】Why did Mario turn to his grandpa for help?

A．He couldn’t make any friends.	B．He didn’t get along with his schoolmates.
C．He didn’t like his school.	D．He couldn’t find out who his true friends were.

【小题2】What did Mario’s grandpa take from the attic?

A．An invisible chair.	B．An old chair.
C．A real chair.	D．Nothing.

【小题3】Why was Mario able to hover in the mid-air?

A．Because he managed to sit on the invisible chair finally.

B．Because his three friends held him up with their hands.

C．Because his classmates gave him a chair to sit on.

D．Because he could see the magic chair clearly.

【小题4】Who are real friends according to the text?

A．Those who laugh with us.

B．Those who take joy in our misfortunes.

C．Those who care about us when we are in trouble.

D．Those who care for us when we are popular at school.