In some parts of Holland the land lies so low that the people have to build great walls of sand and earth，to keep out the sea． These walls are called dykes（堤坝）．

Sometimes the water from the sea break down these walls，and then the sea rushes in through the beach， and spreads over the land．

Houses and trees，cows and sheep，have been thus washed away，and many people drowned．（溺水）．

Once， when a little boy was going home in the evening， he saw a hole in one of the dykes， through which the water was flowing（流出）．

His father had often told him that when this happened， unless the water was stopped it would soon make the hole so big that the sea would flow over the land．

At first he thought he would run home and tell his father． But then he said to himself，" It may be dark before father can come， and we shall not be able to find the hole again． Or it may get so large that it will be too late to stop it． I must stay now， and do the best I can alone．

The brave little boy sat down，and put his hand in the hole，to keep back the water．There he stayed，hour after hour， in the cold and the dark， all through the night!

In the morning， a man came past and saw him．He could not think what the boy there．So he called out to him， "What are you doing there， my boy？"

"There is a hole in the dyke，" said the boy，" and I am keeping back the water．"

Poor little boy! He was so cold and tired that he could hardly speak．

The man came quickly and set him free． He got the hole closed up， and thus the land was saved﹣﹣thanks to the brave little Hollander!

（1）Who first found the hole in the dyke？ 　　

A．	The father．
B．	The boy．
C．	A man．
D．	A visitor．

（2）Why did the boy stay and stop the hole alone？ 　　

A．	His father told him to do so．
B．	He was strong enough to stop it．
C．	He knew the best way to stop it．
D．	It would be too late to ask for help．

（3）How did the boy try to keep back the water？ 　　

A．	He built another wall．
B．	He sat against the hole．
C．	He sat down with his hand in the hole．
D．	He got some sand and earth to fill in the hole．

（4）When seeing the boy， the man 　　．

A．	asked him what happened and then closed up the hole
B．	thought the boy was in good condition
C．	closed up the hole with him
D．	helped him without a word

（5）What can be the best title of the text？ 　　

A．	A smart man．
B．	A cold night．
C．	A dangerous hole．
D．	A brave little Hollander