A

My father wasn't a king， he was a taxi driver， but I am a prince-Prince Renato II， of the country Pontinha， an island fort on Funchal harbour． It's in Madeira，Portugal， where I grew up． It was discovered in 1419．

In 1903， the king of Portugal sold the land to a wealthy British family， the Blandys， who make Madeira wine． Fourteen years ago the family decided to sell it forjust ?25，000， but nobody wanted to buy it either． I met Blandy at a party． and he asked if I'd like to buy the island． Of course I said yes，but I had no money-I was just an art teacher．I tried to find some business partners， who all thought I was crazy．So I sold some of my possessions，put my savings together and bought it．Of course， my family． my friends-all thought I was mad．

When the King originally sold the island，he signed a document， selling all the “possessions and the dominions”of the island．It means I can do what I want with it-I could start a restaurant， or a cinema but nobody thought someone would start a country．So that's what I did：I decided it would be my island， about the size of a one-bedroom house．

I have both a Portuguese passport and one for Pontinha （where my passport number is 0001）．There are four citizens： me， my wife， my son and my daughter．I am the police， the gardener，everything．I am whatever I want to be-that's the dream，isn't it？If l want to have a national flag，it could be blue today，red tomorrow．I can change it any time．Of course，my power is only absolute here， where I am the true sovereign．

I don't live in my country full time， but I am often there．My family sometimes drops by， and other people come every day because the country is free for tourists to visit； I never close for bad weather．Sometimes I come here when I'm feeling lively，after a few drinks．

Madeira is surrounded by water，but for some reason we all have to pay to swim in the ocean now，at the swimming spots．However．I have my island，which means I can come swimming whenever I want-it's as if someone has given me the key to the waters．

Our lives are gone in a flash．All change in the world begins with something very small， and this is my country-just a small island．

1.How did the author get the island？

A．It was a present from Blandy．

B．The king sold it to him．

C．He inherited from his father．

D．He bought it from Blandy．

2.It can be learned from the passage that____．

A．the author made his living by driving

B．the author's wife supported to buy the island

C．blue and red are the main colors of his national flag

D．people can travel around the island free of charge

3.What did the author do with his island？

A．He set up a restaurant．

B．He started a cinema．

C．He founded his own country．

D．He opened a swimming pool．

4.From his own experience， the author wanted to tell the readers that____．

A．you can change your life through small things

B．you should buy your own country and become a king

C．becoming a real ruler is of much fun

D．life is too short， so enjoy it to the fullest

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