阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

Ever so long ago, two young men, Edmund and Oswald, appeared in court.

Edmund said to the 16 : "I gave Oswald, who I 17 was my best friend, a costly gold ring and I asked him to 18 it till I returned home. Now he says that he knows 19 about it."20 his hand on his heart, Oswald said: "I swear I know nothing about the 21 . I am afraid that Edmund has been 22 in his mental powers since he 23 ."

The judge said: "Edmund, were there any witnesses who could 24 that you gave the ring to Oswald?"

Edmund replied: " 25 in the field where we were at the time there was nobody. We were talking beneath an old oak tree and there we were 26 ."

Oswald said: "I know as little of the oak tree as I do of the ring."

The judge said: "Edmund, go to that 27 again and bring back a branch of that oak tree. Oswald, you wait here in the meantime, 28 Edmund comes back."

So Edmund left. After some time the judge said to Oswald: "How is it that Edmund is taking so long to 29 ? Go to the window and see if you can see him re-turning 30 the road."

Oswald said: "Oh, my Lord, he wouldn't have even 11 the tree yet - the tree is over an hour's walk from here."

When the judge heard this, he was very 32 .

"You were telling a 33 ! You know as much about the tree as you do about the ring. For the 34 year while you are in prison you will have time to think about the 35 of always telling the truth."

16. A. policeman B. doctor C. judge D. lawyer

17. A. defined B. expected C. noticed D. thought

18. A. hide B. sell C. keep D. break

19. A. nothing B. everything C. something D. anything

20. A. Using B. Placing C. Waving D. Feeling

21. A. illness B. tree C. ring D. law

22. A. cheated B. affected C. inspired D. amused

23. A. went on B. went along C. went by D. went away