For years I wanted a flower garden.I’d spend hours thinking of different things I could plant that would look nice together.
But then we had Matthew.And Marvin.And the twins, Alisa and Alan.And then Helen.Five children.I was too busy raising them to grow a garden.
Money was tight, as well as time.Often when my children were little, one of them would want something that cost too much, and I’d have to say, " Do you see a money tree outside? Money doesn’t grow on trees, you know."
Finally, all five got through high school and college and were off on their own.I started thinking again about having a garden.
I wasn’t sure, though.I mean, gardens do cost money, and after all these years I was used to living on a pretty lean, no - frills budget.
Then, one spring morning, on Mother's Day, I was working in my kitchen.Suddenly, I realized that cars were tooting their horns as they drove by.I looked out of the window and there was a new tree, planted right in my yard.I thought it must be a weeping willow, because I saw things blowing around on all its branches.Then I put my glasses on—and I couldn’t believe what I saw.There was a money tree in my yard !
I went outside to look.It was true! There were dollar bills, one hundred of them, taped all over that tree.Think of all the garden flowers I could buy with one hundred dollars! There was also a note attached: "IOU eight hours of digging time.Love, Marvin."
Marvin kept his promise, too.He dug up a nice ten - by - fifteen foot bed for me.And my other children bought me tools, ornaments, a trellis (棚架) , a sunflower stepping stone and gardening books.
That was three years ago.My garden’s now very pretty, just like I wanted.When I go out and weed or tend my flowers, I dont seem to miss my children as much as I once did.It feels like they’re right there with me.
I live up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where winters are long and cold, and summers are too short.But every year now, when winter sets in, I look out of my window and think of the flowers.I’ll see next spring in my little garden.I think about what my children did for me, and I get tears in my eyes—every time.
I’m still not sure that money grows on trees.But I know love does!
1.By saying "Do you see a money tree outside……, "the mother actually means "__________".
A.Observation is the best teacher B.Seeing is believing.
C.The outsider sees the most of the game D.It is not easy to gain money
2.The best title for the passage would probably be_______________ .
A.My flower garden B.Marvin helps to realize my dream
C.Love in Michigan D.Money grows on trees
3.The underlined word "no-frills" in the fifth paragraph is similar in meaning to ____.
A.wasteful B.tight C.absurd D.helpful
4.From the last but the third paragraph we can infer that the mother is ________________.
A.divorced when she was young B.not caring for her kids any longer
C.alone but not at all lonely D.prouder
Every people have its own way of saying things, its own special expressions.Many everyday American expressions are based on colors.
Red is a hot color.Americans often use it to express heat.They may say they are red hot about something unfair.When they are red hot they are very angry about something.The small hot tasting peppers found in many Mexican foods are called red hots for their color and their fiery taste.Fast loud music is popular with many people.They may say the music is red hot, especially the kind called Dixieland jazz.
Pink is a lighter kind of red.People sometimes say they are in the pink when they are in good health.The expression was first used in America at the beginning of the twentieth century.It probably comes from the fact that many babies are born with a nice pink color that shows that they are in good health.
Blue is a cool color.The traditional blues music in the United States is the opposite of red hot music.Blues is slow, sad and soulful.Duke Ellington and his orchestra recorded a famous song - Mood Indigo -about the deep blue color, indigo.In the words of the song: "You ain’t been blue till you’ve had that Mood Indigo." Someone who is blue is very sad.
The color green is natural for trees and grass.But it is an unnatural color for humans.A person who has a sick feeling stomach may say she feels a little green. A passenger on a boat is feeling very sick from high waves may look very green.
Sometimes a person may be upset because he does not have something as nice as a friend has, like a fast new car.That person may say he is green with envy.Some people are green with envy because a friend has more dollars or greenbacks.Dollars are called greenbacks because that is the color of the back side of the paper money.
The color black is used often in expressions.People describe a day in which everything goes wrong as a black day.The date of a major tragedy is remembered as a black day.A blacklist is illegal now.But at one time, some businesses refused to employ people who were on a blacklist for belonging to unpopular organizations.
1.If you had your wallet stolen while doing some shopping, you may call it __________.
A.a white day B.a black day
C.a red day D.a green day
2.Suppose a Mr.Brown says he is very happy because his three children are all in the pink, this means all his children are ________________.
A.lucky and wealthy B.gentle and modest
C.fit and healthy D.creative and energetic
3.When she got home and found nothing had been done by her husband, Jane was really____________.
A.red hot B.green C.blue D.black
4.In the following paragraph, the writer might tell the reader something about __________.
A.unpopular organizations in the world
B.people's response towards a black day
C.the influence of the traditional blues
D.more words about color, such as brown
阅读下面短文,掌握其大意,然后从各题所给A、B、C、D四个选项中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
The western world has always been divided into two types of people—the cool and the uncool.It is a division that___1___ in school.The cool kids are good at _2____ .They are ______3with the opposite sex .They are good-looking and people want to __4___ their style.They can do their homework but they don’t make a big effort.That would __5______ be cool.
The uncool kids are in the other corner of the playground.They are very bright ,but they don’t have great___6___skills and they are ____7____ at sports .When they are not programming computers or doing calculus(微积分)in their heads ,they are reading comic books and watching shows like the “X Files” .They are __8____ as the geeks(古怪的人).
Here’s the news.The geeks are _9_____.Make friends with them now or they will put virus in your computer and__10_____ your maths homework to ruin.Geeks might not be popular at school, yet they do pass their examinations, and they might not be too popular at university, but ______11____ good degrees.
The most important___12____ of the 21st century, computers and IT, has been at least partly created by geeks .Geek heroes like Bill Gates___13_____ others to follow their example .Being a geek is a way of earning good money .And the creation of the Internet gave them a___14_____ of their own to work and play in, making them a global___15_____.Besides ,the effect of the geeks ___16_______ popular culture has started a new trend.It is now cool to be ___17____ .Geek culture is becoming an important part of general popular culture, in which what you know is more important than___18______ you look like.
But there are also_19_____ .Geeks were often bullied or laughed at in school.Now a geek may be your boss .Perhaps it is time for __20___ .
1.A.continues B.makes C.remains D.starts
2.A.computers B.study C.sports D.maths
3.A.pleasant B.popular C.crazy D.average
4.A.copy B.advance C.take D.act
5.A.not B.indeed C.perhaps D.actually
6.A.speaking B.operating C.social D.experimental
7.A.speechless B.sharp C.active D.hopeless
8.A.known B.referred C.thought D.admired
9.A. taking on B.taking up C.taking over D.taking in
10.A.put B.cause C.bring D.serve
11.A.win B.take C.wish D.finish
12.A.industry B.discovery C.progress D.development
13.A.promise B.discourage C.demand D.excite
14.A.chance B.space C.world D.career
15.A.force B.company C.organization D.department
16.A.of B.on C.in D.for
17.A.rich B.attractive C.handsome D.uncool
18.A.how B.that C.what D.how much
19.A.opportunities B.dangers C.possibility D.question
20.A.punishment B.argument C.competition D.employment
For some time now, world leaders _____ out the necessity for agreement on climate change, the world economy and African development.
A.had been pointing B.have been pointing
C.were pointing D.pointed
Though it is 30 years ____ we last met, I still remember the scene _____ we got separated on a rainy day.
A.before; where B.since; where
C.before; which D.since; when
The fellow left without a word as if ________.
A.never to return B.never returning
C.he had never returned D.he would never be returning