英语阅读理解Farmers,as we all know,have been having a hard time of

英语阅读理解
Farmers,as we all know,have been having a hard time of it lately,and have turned to new ways of earning income from their land.This involves not only planting new kinds of crops,but some___51___ways of making money,the most unusual of which has got to be sheep racing.Yes,you heard me___52___!A farmer now holds sheep races on a regular basis,and during the past year over 100,000 people have___53___to watch the race."I was passing the farm on my way to the sea for a holiday," one punter (赛马经纪人) told me,"and I thought I'd have a look.I didn't believe it was serious to tell you the truth."According to a regular visitor,betting on sheep is more interesting than betting on horses." At proper horse races everyone has already studied the form of the horse ___54 ___,and there are clear favourites.___55___nobody has heard anything about these ___56___!Most people find it difficult to tell one from another in any case."I stayed to watch the races,and I must admit that I found it quite___57___.In a usual sheep race,half a dozen sheep race down hill over a course of about half a mile.Food is waiting for them at the other end of the___58___just to give them some encouragement,I ought to add!The sheep run surprisingly fast,___59___they have probably not eaten for a while.Anyway,the crowd around me were obviously enjoying their day out at the races,___60 ___by their happy faces and the sense of excitement.
51．A．common B．strange C．swift D．illegal
52．A．honestly B．surprisingly C．completely D．correctly
53．A．showed off B．brought up C．turned up D．looked forward
54．A．behind time B．in progress C．in advance D．in time
55．A．But B．Therefore C．Moreover D．Otherwise
56．A．horses B．sheep C．races D．stories
57．A．exciting B．dangerous C．boring D．peculiar
58．A．race B．hill C．track D．field
59．A．if B．so C．yet D．although
60．A．observing B．judging C．considering D．inferring