Question

Is it a tree? Is it a bear? If you’re looking at a tree in the shape of a bear, it’s a topiary (林木雕塑). A topiary is a tree or bush (灌木) that is trained into a shape. Growing a topiary garden takes both time and skills.

A topiary gardener should make a drawing first. The drawing shows the final shape that the gardener likes. The gardener then chooses a bush for the topiary. It may be one that just planted or one that is already in place.

In June of the plant’s first year, the gardener looks for new leaves. When the leaves grow, it’s time to shape the bottom of the bush. It needs about five years. The top is not trimmed during this time. In the fifth year, the bush grows tall enough for shaping. Then the gardener begins to shape the whole bush.

Once a topiary has been started, it needs care all year. In the summer it must be cut many times to keep its shape. This cutting also helps the bush grow. In the winter the bushes don’t grow. The gardeners have to brush snow off the plants, or snow may hurt some parts of them.

Topiary gardening is a very old art. The Romans did it in the first century. In the sixteenth century, people in Europe liked topiaries too. By the late 1600s, topiaries were also grown in America. Today it’s popular in many parts of the world.

1. The correct order of the following is .

a. The gardener chooses a bush for the topiary.

b. The whole bush grows tall enough for shaping.

c. The gardener begins to shape the bottom of the bush.

d. The gardener draws the shape of a topiary.

A. d--a--b--c B. b--c--a—d

C. a--d--c--b D. d--a--c--b

2. The underlined word “trimmed” in the third paragraph means .

A. shaken B. Cut

C. cleaned D. collected

3. The topiary gardening first began .

A. in Rome B. in Europe

C. in America D. in Africa

4. The writer wants to tell us .

A. what a topiary is like

B. a topiary is a tree in the shape of a bear

C. it’s easy and interesting to grow a topiary

D. growing a topiary garden takes both time and skills

Answer 1

1.D

2.B

3.A

4.D

【解析】

试题分析：这篇短文主要介绍了一个林木雕塑是被修剪成一个形状的一棵树或者是一丛灌木。建造一个林木雕塑的花园需要同时投入时间和技巧。

1.二段和第三段中描述的顺序，故选D。

2.推理判断题。根据划线前面的句子提到修剪底部，可以推断前五年顶部是不被修剪的，故选B

3.细节理解题。根据最后一段，可知罗马人最先开始的林木雕塑。故选A。

4.归纳理解题。根据第一段的总述及后面几段的具体描述，可知主要描述了建一个林木雕塑需要时间和技能。故选D。

考点：文化历史类短文阅读。