Have you ever planted trees before?   Every year, millions of people, both   1   ,   plant many trees. But this may not be the best way to make your home a    2   place.
Last week we visited a park in Hebei. We were     3    to  find most of the trees had been burned. The workers told us that the trees    4    soon after they were planted because they weren’t watered well enough.    5    workers burned them and cleaned the place for     6   trees to be planted this year.     7    a card found in one of the dead trees, a student wrote, "I hope this tree will grow up with me to     8    the backbone(栋梁) of our country.”The workers said that the survival of the trees was really more    9   than the number of the trees that were planted.
Some people in Beijing now have a  new idea that they can donate(贡献) some  money and let professionals (专业人员)  plant and  10  the trees.
1. A. boys and girls
B. the old and the young
C. mother and father
D. students and teachers
2. A. larger        B. warmer     C. greener     D. smaller
3. A. surprised      B. pleased     C. happy       D. interesting
4. A. planted        B. grew      C. bought      D. died
5. A. When          B. So        C. Because     D. Though
6. A. new          B. old        C. dead        D. few
7. A. From          B. Over      C. Above       D. On
8. A. hold          B. need      C. be          D. plant
9. A. interesting                  B. beautiful
C. impossible                 D. important
10. A. takeaway                   B. take down
C. take care of                D. take out

I have been keeping 41 pets at home: mice, turtles and rabbits. But golden hanmsters are my favorite. I am always surprised by 42 cute they can be.
It was summer when I first 43 two golden hamsters. They 44 brown, about the size of my hand. When I 45 by, they were cracking melon seeds (嗑瓜子). They did that as 46 as any human! I was so amused (逗乐) that I bought them at once.
The only one who was not happy to see the newcomers was my 47 . She thought 48 would make our home dirty all the time. So I made a 49 for them on the balcony (阳台).
Hamsters always want people to look at them. They try to get noticed by raising the front part of their body, 50 they watch you come and go until you stop and talk to them. Watch out when they start to roller-turn in their cage (笼子). They won’t stop 51 you have tears of laugher!
Hamsters are 52 than you think. One morning several months ago, I found one missing. The side of the cage was much 53 than the hamster and the cage had a lid. How did the little one climb up, open the lid and 54 ? I thought hard. But I’ve 55 found an answer.

Have you ever planted a few trees on Tree Planting Day? Each year, millions of people, both 41.______, plant a lot of trees. But this may not be the best way to make your home a 42._____ place.
Last week we visited a park in Hebei. We were 43._____ to find most of the trees had been burned. The workers told us that the trees 44._____ soon after they were planted because they weren’t watered well enough. 45._____ workers burned them and cleaned the place for 46._____ trees to be planted this year. 47.______ a card found in one of the dead trees, a student wrote,” I hope this tree will grow up with me to 48.______ the backbone (栋梁) of our country.” The workers said that the survival (存活) of the trees was really more important than 49.______ trees were planted.
Some people in Beijing now have a new idea that they can donate (捐赠) some money and let professional (专业人士) plant and 50.______ the trees.

That warm day was the only day of the week without rain. I opened the door, took a seat and began to enjoy the wonderful sunshine. Suddenly, I noticed that the house near mine had been sold. An elderly lady was in front of the door, with some beautiful flowers beside her. I walked to her. She looked to be in her early eighties and had the prettiest white hair.
“Hi! My name is Karmen,” I said smiling brightly at the old lady. She smiled back and said, “Hello, Karmen. I’m Henrietta.” Her voice was very strong for someone at her age. Later, I learned she was alone and had no family or relatives to help her. From that day on, I often visited her and helped her with her housework and sometimes she gave me some delicious food. A year passed, and I considered Henrietta to be one of my best friends.
One day, I walked over for my morning visit and knocked on the door, but there was no answer. I knocked again, and she still didn’ t turn up. So I let myself in, using the key she had given me. I checked her living room and then her kitchen. I finally went into her bedroom, and she was lying peacefully on her bed. Beside her there were two notes. One was her will, which said all that she had would be given to me. The other was a thank-you note. I went to her bedside and cried sadly.
Though several years have gone by, I still miss her deeply. Whenever I look at the beautiful flowers in front of her house, I remember the wonderful friendship we had.
【小题1】Through visiting the old lady, the writer learnt that the old lady __________.