B
Suddenly, the little prince asked:
“A sheep—if it eats grass, does it eat flowers too?”
“A sheep eats anything it finds.”
“Even flowers that have thorns(刺)?”
“Yes, even flowers that have thorns.”
“Then the thorns—what use are they?”
I did not know. At that moment, I was so busy trying to repair my plane that I had no time to share. I answered with the first thing that came into my head:
“The thorns are of no use at all.”
“Oh...”
Just as I thought the little prince would keep quiet for some time, he continued:
“And you actually believe that the flowers...”
“Oh, no! No, no, no! I don’t believe anything. I answered you with the first thing that came into my head. Don’t you see—I am very busy with things of importance!”
“Things of importance? You talk just like the adults! I know a red - faced gentleman. He has never smelt a flower. He has never looked at a star. He has never loved anyone. He has never done anything in his life but count his money. And all day he says over and over again, just like you: ‘I am busy with things of importance!’ And that makes him so proud. He
immerses himself in his own business so much that he is no longer a man—he is a mushroom(蘑菇)!”
“A what?”
“A selfish(自私的) mushroom! And so are you! If someone knows there is a flower growing on one star among the millions, it is enough to make him happy just to look at the stars. But if the sheep eats the flower, in one moment all the stars will become dark... And you think that is not important!”
His tears of anger as well as love made me suddenly stop, with tools falling off my hands. I never thought his feelings for a flower could be so strong. I was frozen by his love for flowers, stars and life.
Slowly, I took him in my arms and said softly to him that the flower he loved would not be in danger. I would do anything to protect it. But seeing the tears on the little prince’s face, I could continue no more. What I said earlier, which I wished to take back, had hurt him badly.
—Adapted from *The Little Prince*
6. What was the writer doing when the little prince started to ask questions?
A. He was looking at a flower.
B. He was repairing his plane.
C. He was shouting at a sheep.
D. He was watching the stars.
7. What does the underlined expression “immerses himself in” mean?
A. Pays attention to.
B. Has trouble in.
C. Gives answers to.
D. Shows dislike for.
8. According to the little prince’s words, which question did he care most about?
A. Who could give me a flower?
B. Why do some flowers have thorns?
C. Do sheep eat grass and flowers?
D.
How
can
I protect my flower from a sheep?
9. Which of the following shows the change of the writer’s feelings?
Little prince’s actions The writer’s feelings

The little prince kept asking questions. ?
The little prince shouted out his feelings. ?
The little prince cried in the writer’s arms. ?
A. pleased—angry—sad
B. pleased—sad—angry
C. impatient—shocked—regretful
D. impatient—regretful—shocked
10. What can we learn from the passage?
A. Nothing is useless in the world.
B. Wisdom guides us through hard times.
C. Don’t be too busy for what truly matters.
D. Money is the key to happiness and success.