阅读短文，选择正确答案。
Once Effendi had a joke with the Prime Minister (宰相). He said that the Minister would die the next day.
The next day, the Minister fell to the ground from the horse and really died. When the king learned this, he got
angry and sent his men to catch Effendi at once.
When Effendi was brought to him, the king shouted angrily, "Effendi, since (既然) you knew when my
Minister would die, you must know the date of your own death. Say it out, or you'll die today."
Effendi looked at the king for a while. Then he answered, "But how can I know? I'll die two days earlier than
you." The king was afraid that if he killed Effendi, he himself would die after that. He thought he must keep
Effendi alive as long as possible, so he let Effendi go.
1. This story tells us ________. [ ]
A. how Effendi fooled the king
B. when the king would die
C. why the Minister died
D. Effendi knew the dates of everyone's death
2. The prime Minister died because ________. [ ]
A. Effendi killed him
B. Effendi said he would die
C. he was badly ill
D. he fell off the horse
3. Why did the king ask Effendi to tell him the date of Effendi's own death? [ ]
A. Because the king wanted to know when he himself would die.
B. Because he wanted to find an excuse to kill Effendi.
C. Because he himself had known the date of Effendi's death.
D. Because he wanted to know when Effendi would die.
4. The king let Effendi go because _______. [ ]
A. he hoped to live a long life
B. he was afraid of Effendi
C. he didn't believe Effendi's words
D. he knew he would die two days later
5. Which of the following is NOT true? [ ]
A. Effendi played a joke on the Minister.
B. The king was afraid of death.
C. Effendi didn't know when the king would die.
D. If the king killed Effendi, he himself would die two days later.
