5、In the Lincolnshire village of Burgh-le-Marsh there was once a large area of land called Bell String Acre. It got its name, the local legend tells, because of a narrow escape. On a dark winter's night early in the seventeenth century, they say, a ship's captain was guiding his ship to pass along this difficult distance of coast when he suddenly heard church bells. “If I can hear those,” the captain reasoned, “then I must be far too close to shore for comfort.” Swiftly he changed his position, thus saving himself and his ship. To show his thanks, he soon afterwards bought a piece of land at Burgh-le-Marsh. Rent on this Bell String Acre, he ordered, should go toward the maintenance of the church bell's pull-rope, so that it might ring out its helpful warnings, he required firmly, “for ever.”

Another less charming story tells how the townspeople refused to ring the bell, for they all relished the idea of stealing goods from shipwrecks, but that a minister ran to the tower and rang the bell. His brave act saved the ship, but then the minister died of extreme tiredness. (And then it is said, the grateful captain married the clergyman's daughter.)

In any case, the captain’s request is honored all winter long in Burgh-le-Marsh. Beginning every October 10, the bell rings nightly at 8 p.m. April 7 is the last night of the bells―that is, till the next October.

 

58. What does the first paragraph mainly tell us?

A. Where Bell String Acre is.

B. A story about a brave captain.

C. The origin of Bell String Acre.

D. It is dangerous to sail along the coast.

59. It can be inferred from the passage that ____________.

A. it was very cheap to buy a piece of land in Lincolnshire

B. The church in Burgh-le-Marsh was very close to the coast

C. The townspeople refused to ring the bell because of lack of money

D. The church couldn’t afford to keep the bell’s pull-rope in good condition

60. The underlined word “relished” in the second paragraph probably means ______.

A. preferred                    B. disliked      C. competed                    D. warned

61. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A. There was no way that the minister would attend the captain’s wedding.

B. Bell ring from the church warned the ship of its dangerous course.

C. There was no bell at night for the sailors for about half a year.

D. The Minster’s daughter was forced to marry the captain.