You are going to read a text on the life of a famous person. For questions 1–15, read the text below and decide which answer (А, В, or С) best fits each gap.
King of the southern Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex and one of the outstanding figures of English history, as (1) for his social and educational reforms as for his military successes against the Danes. He is (2) only English monarch known as ‘the Great’.
Alfred was born at Wantage in Oxfordshire in 849, fourth or fifth son of Aethelwulf, king of the West Saxons. Following the wishes of their father, the sons succeeded (3) the kingship in turn. At a time when the country was under threat from Danish raids, this was aimed at (4) a child inheriting the throne with the related weaknesses in leadership. In 870 AD the Danes attacked the only (5) independent Anglo-Saxon kingdom, Wessex, whose forces were commanded by Alfred’s older brother, King Aethelred, and Alfred himself.
In 871 AD, Alfred defeated the Danes in the Battle of Ashdown in Berkshire. The following year, he succeeded his brother as king. (6) his success at Ashdown, the Danes continued to devastate Wessex and Alfred (7) to withdraw to the Somerset marshes, where he continued guerrilla warfare against his enemies. In 878 AD, he again (8) the Danes in the Battle of Edington. They (9) peace and Guthrum, their king, was baptised with Alfred as his sponsor. In 886 AD, Alfred negotiated a treaty with the Danes. England was divided, with the north and the east declared (10) Danish territory – later known as the ‘Danelaw’. Alfred therefore gained control of areas of West Mercia and Kent which (11) beyond the boundaries of Wessex.
Alfred built up the (12) of his kingdom, reorganised his army, built a series of well-defended settlements and established a navy for use against the Danish raiders. (13) an administrator Alfred (14) justice and order and established a code of laws and a reformed coinage. He had a strong belief in the importance of education and learnt Latin in his (15) thirties. He took part in the translation of books from Latin to Anglo-Saxon.
By the 890s, Alfred’s charters and coinage were referring to him as ‘king of the English’.
|
1
|
A. if
|
B. much
|
C. –
|
|
2
|
A. an
|
B. the
|
C. –
|
|
3
|
A. to
|
B. on
|
C. in
|
|
4
|
A. prevented
|
B. preventing
|
C. having prevented
|
|
5
|
A. remaining
|
B. staying
|
C. retaining
|
|
6
|
A. Although
|
B. Despite
|
C. However
|
|
7
|
A. forced
|
B. had forced
|
C. was forced
|
|
8
|
A. won
|
B. defeated
|
C. lost
|
|
9
|
A. won
|
B. did
|
C. made
|
|
10
|
A. being
|
B. to be
|
C. having been
|
|
11
|
A. had
|
B. had been
|
C. had been being
|
|
12
|
A. defences
|
B. protections
|
C. securities
|
|
13
|
A. Yet
|
B. As
|
C. Since
|
|
14
|
A. prosecuted
|
B. lawed
|
C. advocated
|
|
15
|
A. late
|
B. later
|
C. lately
|
