Question

“Soon, you’re going to have to move out!” cried my neighbor upon seeing the largest tomato plant known to mankind, or at least known in my neighborhood.

One tiny 9-inch plant, bought for $1.25 in the spring, has already taken over much of my rose bed, covering much of other plants, and is well on its way to the front door.

Roses require a good deal of care, and if it weren’t for the pleasure they give, it wouldn’t be worth the work. As it is, I have a garden full of sweet-smelling roses for most of the year. bushes must be pruned(剪枝) in early spring, leaving ugly woody branches until the new growth appears a few weeks later. It was the space available(可用的) in the garden that led me into planting just one little tomato plant. A big mistake.

Soil conditions made just perfect for roses turn out to be even more perfect for tomatoes. The daily watering coupled with full sun and regular fertilizing(施肥) have turned the little plant into a tall bush. The cage I placed around it as the plant grew has long since disappeared under the thick leaves.

Now the task I face in harvesting the fruit is twofold; First, I have to find the red ones among the leaves, which means I almost have to stand on my head, and once found I have to reach down and under, pick the tomatoes and withdraw(缩回) my full fist without dropping the prize so dearly won. I found two full-blown white roses completely hidden as I picked tomatoes in June. But they were weak and the leaves already yellow for lack of light.

Here I am faced with a painful small decision: To tear up a wonderful and productive tomato plant that offers up between ten and twenty ripe sweet tomatoes each day or say goodbye to several expensive and treasured roses. Like Scarlett in Gone With the Wind, I’ll think about that tomorrow.

1.What are the requirements for the healthy growth of rose?

    A. A lot of care and the right soil.

    B. Frequent pruning and fertilizing.

    C. Tomato plants grown alongside.

    D. Cages placed around the roots.

2.The writer planted the tomato because _________.

    A. it cost only $1.25

    B. the soil was just right for it

    C. there was room for it in the garden

    D. the roses’ branches needed to be covered

3.This year the writer’s roses were __________.

    A. removed from the rose bed

    B. picked along with the tomatoes

    C. mostly damaged by too much sunlight

    D. largely hidden under the tomato plant

4.By saying “the prize so dearly won” in paragraph 5, the writer wants to ________.

    A. show the difficulty in picking the tomatoes

    B. show the hardship of growing the roses

    C. express her liking for the roses

    D. express her care for the tomatoes

5.In the situation described in the text, one good thing is that ________.

    A. the roses cost the writer little money

    B. the writer has a daily harvest of tomatoes

    C. someone will help the writer make the decision

    D. the writer can now enjoy both the roses and tomatoes

Answer

1.A

【详解】这是细节理解题，从第三自然段的第一句Roses require a good deal of care和第四段的第一句Soil conditions made just perfect for roses turn out to be even more perfect for tomatoes可以得出答案。

2.C

【详解】这是细节理解题，从这句话可以知道答案It was the space available(可用的) in the garden that led me into planting just one little tomato plant.  意思是有可用的地方导致了我种了tomato 。

3.D

【详解】由倒数第二段I found two full-blown white roses completely hidden as I picked tomatoes in June. But they were weak and the leaves already yellow for lack of light.  在摘西红柿的时候，发现两朵完全开了的白玫瑰在下面，由于缺少阳光，叶子都黄了。可以得知，答案应当选D

4.A

【详解】这是细节理解题，由文章中which means I almost have to stand on my head, and once found I have to reach down and under, pick the tomatoes and withdraw(缩回) my full fist without dropping（如此不容易的采摘过程）可以看出得来如此之不易。 the prize so dearly won.相当于the prize which is so dearly won.

5.B

【详解】 这是细节理解题，从第四自然段最后一句可以知道答案。是拔掉这wonderful and productive tomato plant that offers up between ten and twenty ripe sweet tomatoes each day还是放弃several expensive and treasured roses（一些价格昂贵，值钱的玫瑰）？这个抉择还是明天再来作吧！可以看出答案，能每天有西红柿可摘，这是好的一面，但要牺牲一些玫瑰，却是坏的一面。

【备考建议】这个部分仍然是全卷分数最重的部分，文章的选材多样化的风格与往年没有变化。在设题上也仍然是细节、推理、主旨大意、猜测词意句意这个几方式。考生在复习时应该注意阅读的广泛性，要涉猎各个方面题材的文章，并针对不同题材的设题方式加以训练。当然关键还是要提高自己的理解文章细节的能力，概括文章大意的能力。