Once there lived a poor family in our town. They were so poor that there was almost(几乎)1 in the house but a pot(罐) 2 a broken table. In it there was a little rice. They 3the rice from their neighbour for the coming New Year. On New Year's Eve(除夕夜), the wife already fell asleep, but the husband was 4 in bed, worrying about their life. Suddenly he heard someone breaking into the room.
“It must be a thief(小偷),” he thought, “5 it doesn't matter. The thief can steal(偷) nothing.”He didn't shout or move. But he kept6over the thief.
The thief came into the house and was only7 in the rice under the table.
“But8can I take it away?” the thief thought hard. Then he had an idea. He9 his coat, put it on the ground between the bed and the table and turned around to take the 10 .
Now the husband knew11the thief would do. He picked up the coat quickly and covered himself with it12the thief turned back.
The thief took the pot, and poured(倒) the rice onto the coat. Then he began to feel it. But he was13 to find that his coat was gone.
“Hey,” he shouted out. The14 woke up the wife. She asked her husband, “Did you hear any sound? Maybe there is a thief in the room.”
“Shut up! (闭嘴)” replied her husband, “15 to sleep. There is no thief in the room.”
“That's impossible,”the thief shouted loudly, “If there isn't a thief, then, where is my coat?”
