Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to choose the word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 17 to 26.

 

BURIED TREASURE

Artist Kit Williams was always interested in trying new things, so when it was suggested that he should (17)________a book, he preferred to write his own story rather than work with someone else's. He hit (18)________a

new idea . What better way to attract people's (19)________to his work than to give his readers the chance to take

part in a treasure hunt? So Kit made a golden pendant in the (20)________of a hare and buried it underground at a secret location. The words and pictures in his book, Masquerade, (21)________clues        as to where the hare was

buried. Almost two million readers from all over the world joined in the rush to solve the puzzle. The race was open to all, and no one had any advantage - the treasure was as likely to be found by a clever child of ten as it was by a university professor.

After more than two years, the golden hare was found by a businessman who called himself Ken Thomas,

although this was actually a (22)________name. It appears that “Thomas” subsequently sold the hare for a large (23)________of money. Afterwards some people (24)________that the discovery of the hare was not based purely on the information in the book, but was the result of a complex (25)________in which “Thomas” was helped by a former girlfriend of Kit Williams. However, “Thomas” has always firmly (26)________these claims.Question 26