Many things grow in the garden that were never sown there.
~Thomas Fuller
My father was always an enthusiastic gardener. I think his Irish blood called to the earth in much the same way his own grandfather had. One of my earliest memories is standing barefoot in the freshly tilled soil, my hands blackened from digging in the ground, still a bit cold from the turning. As a small child, the garden was an amazing fairyland, full of possibility. As a teenager, though, it was often a source of conflict between the old man and me.
As a child, I loved following Dad around in the garden. I remember Daddy pushing the tiller ahead in perfectly straight lines. His gardening gloves, banana yellow, would grip the handles of the old tiller; the roar of the machine was pleasantly deafening. After a while, he would stop and pull the gloves off to wipe his brow. Daddy loved growing all sorts of things: yellow and green onions, watermelons almost as big as me, rows and rows of yellow corn, and our favorite -- ruby red tomatoes.
As I grew into a teenager, I didn't get so excited about gardening with Daddy. Instead of the magical land of possibility, it had turned into some kind of medieval(中世纪的) prison. It was one more thing on a list of demands that I imagined no one else in the world had to deal with.
Dad would say, "Tina, come help me plant the garden today. It's a beautiful morning to be outdoors."
"Aww, Dad, I was going to the movies with my friends," I would replied.
"Tina, I could sure use a hand weeding the garden today," he would remark.
"Today? Sorry, Dad, I already made plans," I would stubbornly say, digging in my heels. "Why do we have to have a garden, anyway? It's stupid. You can buy carrots for a quarter at the grocery store," I would point out. He would just smile knowingly. I usually got my way, and didn't have to help out if I really didn't want to. After all, I had better things to do with my time.
As Dad grew older, his passion for gardening never declined. After all the kids were grown and had started families of their own, Dad turned to gardening like never before. His garden took up most of his backyard, which was quite a stretch. Even when he was diagnosed with stage four kidney cancer, he still put out his garden. Still, he planted the zucchini and yellow squash, the juicy cucumbers, the spicy jalapenos, and of course, the tender tomato plants. Sometimes, I would come over to visit. He would share the rewards of his garden with me, as we would walk together through the carefully weeded rows.
But then, something changed. The cancer, bit by bit, invaded his body and stole his livelihood, his independence, his humor. Unfortunately, the doctor had run out of treatments. Hospice(临终关怀) is a whole other ballgame. Somebody has to be with the family member twenty-four hours a day. I found myself in all kinds of uncomfortable situations with Dad, and more than once I felt his anger at his helplessness. Little by little, I had to do the things he used to do. Soon I was cutting his grass, paying his bills, putting his pills in a cup, and adjusting his oxygen. These things he resisted, but I knew things were definitely changing when I began caring for the garden.
Though I had heard the words of the doctor as well, what really convinced me that Dad was dying was the state of his garden that year. That year, he only planted tomatoes. Too tired to weed them, he simply tied them with twine to the fence and let them be. So I would come over and water them occasionally, and pluck out the weeds.
Five years ago, Dad planted his last little patch of tomatoes. For the first few years after he died, I couldn't even bear to look at anyone's garden without having strong memories pour over me like cold water from a bucket. Three years ago, though, something changed, and I decided to plant my own garden. I decided I would start out with just a few tomatoes. That morning, I got out the old tiller and it roared to life, almost as if it had been waiting. After breaking up a fair amount of soil, something caught the corner of my eye and I had to smile. It was my eight-year-old son Nathan, standing barefoot in the freshly tilled soil, his hands blackened from digging in the earth.Which word best describes the author’s feeling about gardening as a teenager?
A.uninterested | B.satisfied |
C.doubtful | D.indifferent |
The author’s father______.
A.devoted a lot in gardening in order to cut down the daily expenses |
B.was quite angry at his daughter’s absence of gardening |
C.was not as enthusiastic as before about gardening after his children’s growth |
D.was probably an Irishman or had Irish blood lineage |
What makes the author realize the approach of her father’s death is______.
A.what the doctor told her |
B.when some one had to be with her father always |
C.the state of his garden that year |
D.his anger when he felt helpless |
What does the underlined sentence mean?
A.It was unbearable to see other peoples’ gardens were poorly managed. |
B.It was unbearable to see other peoples’ gardens were well managed. |
C.Memories of Dad rushed to me the moment I saw other peoples’ gardens. |
D.The idea of gardening made me feel like being in a bucket with cold water. |
It can be inferred from the passage that ______.
A.dad preferred tomatoes a lot because of its wonderful taste |
B.dad refused all things I did because I didn’t love gardening |
C.the desertion of Dad’s garden resulted from his laziness |
D.the author restarted gardening with a new understanding of it |
The best title of the passage is ______.
A.Gardening benefits health |
B.Dad’s tomatoes |
C.Bridge the father-and-daughter gap |
D.My love of gardening |
A classical guitarist was excited to hear from New York City police that his valuable guitar had been found. It disappeared almost a year ago when he got out of a cab and forgot to take the guitar with him. Laurence Lennon, 44, said he was running late that day. He was talking to his manager on his cell phone when he dashed out of the taxi. He said that he gave the driver $ 60 and told him to keep the change. He walked through the front doors of the concert hall still talking on the phone to his manager.
Upon discovering his loss, Lennon used his cell phone to call the police. The policewoman asked him for the name of the cab company, the number of the cab, and the name of the driver. He said that she had to be kidding.
She told Lennon that he could file a missing items report at the police station or online. Lennon asked for the online address. She told him that finding the guitar might take a couple of years—finding guitars was not as important as finding murderers and marijuana smokers. Then she told him to have a nice day.
“This year has been depressing,” said Lennon. “I had to put off the recording of two new CDs. I've been using borrowed guitars. And I was losing hope of ever recovering my guitar.”
Lennon was reunited with his $ 100,000 musical instrument yesterday. The case and the guitar had been discovered in the corner of a coffee house only two blocks from where Lennon had lost it in the first place. Lennon had offered a $ 10,000 reward for its return. He said he would give the reward to the coffee house owner, who had informed the police.It can be inferred from this reading passage that________.
A.Lennon couldn't give any useful information about the driver and his cab |
B.Lennon gave the driver much more money than what was actually needed |
C.Lennon was too busy talking to his friend to remember to pay the cab driver |
D.Lennon used to work at the concert hall in New York City |
The policewoman told Lennon________.
A.not to worry about the guitar |
B.to have a nice day in New York City |
C.to wait with patience |
D.to find the cab driver and talk to him |
Which of the following is the most important according to the policewoman?
A.Finding a lost guitar. | B.Finding the cab driver. |
C.Enjoying one's own life | D.Finding murderers. |
The underlined word“depressing”can be best explained by“________”.
A.making people unfortunate |
B.making people feel sad |
C.making people losing money |
D.making people losing good luck |
The Horn of Plenty is one of the largest natural health food stores within the Greater Hamilton area. We are big supporters of buying locally and we are here to tell you why it is so important for your family, the community and the environment.
The concept of buying locally is simple: buy food produced, grown, or raised as close to your home as possible. Not only will your food be fresher and tastier, but you are helping protect the environment and are supporting businesses within your community and reducing pollution.
Better for the environment
Sustainability (持续性) and global warming are such hot topics at the moment, and many people want to do their bit to help support a healthier environment. Small action carried out by many people can make a big difference. Most materials in an average North American meal have traveled about 1,500 miles to get from farm to plate. To cut out a big part of this travel would greatly reduce not only pollution from transportation and refrigeration but also customers’ expenses as well.
Taste and nutritional content
Locally-grown fruits and vegetables are usually sold within 24 hours of being harvested. Because they are picked at the height of ripeness (成熟) and travel only a short distance to the market, their freshness, nutrition, and flavor are kept. Produce trucked in from far away may lose both taste and nutritional content.
Community and home values
When you buy direct from a farmer or buy locally-grown foods, you are engaged in a time-honored tradition between a grower and an eater. You also help keep dollars within your community.It can be inferred from the third paragraph that ___________.
A.global warming is the most serious problem now |
B.North American food is rich in various kinds of materials |
C.the increased cost of transporting food is passed on to the customers |
D.most people support buying locally |
Locally-grown fruits and vegetables taste good mostly because___________.
A.they are picked when they are fully grown |
B.they are not polluted by chemical fertilizer |
C.they can be harvested at any time |
D.they are sent to the market at a high speed |
According to the author, when you buy locally-grown foods ___________.
A.you can see how fruits and vegetables grow |
B.you will contribute to protecting the environment |
C.you will become much healthier and prettier |
D.you are making money from your community |
What does the passage mainly talk about?
A.The way to keep your food tasty and healthy. |
B.The popularity of the Horn of Plenty. |
C.The importance of protecting the environment. |
D.The benefits of buying locally. |
I was in a shopping mall recently, and I decided to go and get a cup of tea. As I was making my way to the coffee shop, I noticed an old gentleman rather poorly dressed sitting on a bench nearby. I knew from the first sight that he was in need of some kind of help. He had a little lunch in front of him and was wholeheartedly enjoying it.
There was a young man in front of me in the line also waiting to be served. The young man handed the servant a twenty-dollar bill and asked for an orange juice as well as a favor. The servant looked at the young man with a little surprise, not fully understanding him. The young man asked her to give the juice to the old gentleman eating his lunch outside on the bench. The young man also told her that he would be watching every second so that she would be completely safe at all times. Later, there was a wonderful exchange between the waitress and the old man. I only wished I had taken a photo of the smiles on both of their faces.
As I was thinking about this event later on, I wondered why the young man didn’t just perform this act of kindness himself. I thought he was hoping that this act of kindness might inspire others to do something for the old man as well. Thinking of the happy smiles on the old man’s face, I felt how worthwhile it is to help others.The underlined word “favor” in Para. 2 refers to________.
A.passing the young man a cup of orange juice |
B.buying lunch for the old man |
C.exchanging meals with the old man |
D.giving the juice to the old man |
Which of the following can be used to describe the young man?
A.Kind and considerate | B.Generous and proud. |
C.Rich and friendly. | D.Humorous and helpful. |
In the author’s opinion, the young man asked the servant to take the juice to the old man so that____________.
A.the old man could probably accept it |
B.he would become famous for his good deed |
C.more people would be inspired to do good deeds |
D.he would become a friend of the servant |
Lots of people like a good fright at Halloween(万圣节). Yet, the most frightening thing of all about the night is that twice as many children are killed while out and about on Halloween compared to any other day of the year, according to a study by Safe Kids Worldwide. It can also be a worrying time for others, especially elderly people living alone. But many people think it’s just harmless fun.
But is it harmless fun?
Police forces across Britain are giving warnings about Halloween night. They are asking all those wishing to celebrate Halloween this year to respect those who don’t want to join in.
Some forces, like West Mercia Police, have produced “Sorry, No Trick or Treat”posters which can be downloaded from their website, and put up in windows. They want people to send them to the old or anyone who may be frightened by ghosts(鬼) knocking on their doors.
A spokesman said: “Children should not call on houses where the posters are put up, neither should they call on strangers, as this can put young people at risk and also make some house owners anxious, especially those who are elderly or living alone.”
The police want all trick or treaters to remember that disturbing other people or throwing objects at their homes or cars are all criminal offences(刑事罪). “What may start off as a bit of fun could end up with someone getting a criminal record,” they warn. “Parents may want to consider having a Halloween party at home, instead.”
Kent Police are warning young people never to go into the home of someone they don’t know—and to remember not to frighten people.
Warwickshire Police are also warning that tricks may seem like harmless fun but can cause trouble to others. They say behaviour such as throwing eggs can quickly cross the line between being anti-social and causing criminal damage. This can result in fines of £2,500 for small offences.The study made by Safe kids Worldwide has found that _________.
A.kids are afraid of Halloween |
B.Halloween brings people no fun |
C.kids are involved in criminal offences |
D.Halloween night puts some kids at risk |
British police forces are making efforts to _________.
A.put an end to trick or treat |
B.control anti-social behaviours |
C.punish those who frighten others |
D.make Halloween safe trouble-free |
“Sorry, No Trick or Treat ” posters are designed to _________.
A.ask people to respect the elderly. |
B.make some people free from harm |
C.warn little kids to behave themselves |
D.express disagreement with Halloween |
Over the years, many cities and states have tried to put a tax(税) on sugary drinks. Last week, Berkeley, California succeeded. The city in northern California will charge a penny-per-ounce tax on most sugary drinks. The tax is expected to raise more than $1 million every year to fight against obesity(肥胖).
Makers of sugary drinks are against the tax. They say picking out one product will not solve the obesity problem in America. They also argue that a tax is an attack on personal freedom. “Families should be able to make the choice for their kids without the government stepping in,” said Chris Gindlesperger, a spokesperson for the American Beverage Association(美国饮料协会).
Gindlesperger says that the fight against obesity is more successful when the government partners with industry. He shows how the beverage industry worked with President Bill Clinton’s administration is the 1990s. They introduced water, milk, and fruit juice into a large number of schools, which took the place of sugary drinks. More recently, the beverage industry listened to First Lady Michelle Obama’s suggestion that labels(标签)on sugary drinks be clearer. Containers of up to 20 ounces will show the total calories on the front.
Some people say a tax is a surefire way to help reduce obesity in the U.S. “There is clear evidence that taxes result in less consumption(消费) of sugary drinks,” says Dr. Rachel Johnson, a spokesperson for the American Heart Association. She points to Mexico as an example. The country put up a tax on sugary drinks in January, and sales have already dropped by 10%. What’s more, sales of healthier drinks have increased. Bottled water sales are up by 13%. Milk sales are up by 7%.
Another purpose of the tax is to raise money to fight childhood obesity. Money will be used to build playgrounds, create educational materials, and increase the sales of the healthier foods. “We’ve already helped reduce obesity to some degree,” says Dr. Johnson. “I’m confident that we’re going to see even bigger progress soon.”In the 1990s, sugary drinks in many schools _________.
A.were charged a penny-per-ounce tax |
B.were not as popular as they are today |
C.were replaced by water, milk, and fruit juice |
D.were not more than 20 ounces per bottle |
The underlined word “surefire” in Paragraph 4 can best be replaced by “_________”.
A.good | B.stupid | C.strange | D.new |
Why does Johnson talk about Mexico?
A.It is her favorite country. |
B.She likes Mexican sugary drinks. |
C.She tries to show a tax can help a lot. |
D.It produces all kinds of sugary drinks. |
What is the purpose of this text?
A.To ask kids to drink fewer sugary drinks. |
B.To show how to fight childhood obesity. |
C.To talk about different taxes in Berkeley. |
D.To discuss if sugary drinks should be taxed. |