Autumn means different things to different people．It all depends on your personality, said British naturalist Richard Mabey．"Personality shapes your view of the season,"he said．"You may see it as a fading away, a packing up(结束), or as a time of packing in another sense – the excited gathering of resources before a long journey．"

　　If this is true, perhaps it tells us a little about, for instance, Thomas Hood, the 19th Century English poet．About November, he wrote：

　　On the other hand, another English poet John Keats, already sensing he was seriously ill, was inspired by a late September day to pen one of the most famous poems in the English language, To Autumn．He wrote to a friend afterwards that there was something comforting and healing about it．

　　According to Richard Mabey, Keats has the biological evidence on his side．Autumn is not a time of slowing down, but a time of new beginnings and great movements of creatures．For example, just at the moment that Keats's"gathering swallows"(in To Autumn)are departing for Africa, millions of creatures are fleeing from the frozen north like Iceland, Greenland and Russia to winter along the east and south coasts of Britain．According to scientists, before falling, the leaves transfer their chlorophyll(叶绿素)and carbohydrates into the woody parts of the tree for safe-keeping over winter．What remains are the natural antioxidants(防老剂)in the leaves：the yellow and orange carotenoids(类胡萝卜素), and another protective chemical specially produced for autumn, the bright-red anthocyanin(花青素)．High color is not a signal of deterioration(退化)and decline, but of detox(排毒的)ability and good health．

　　A century after Keats, the American poet Loren Eiseley wrote in his journal："Suppose we saw ourselves burning like maples in a golden autumn．[And that we could] disintegrate(瓦解)like autumn leaves…dropping their substance like chlorophyll．Would not our attitude towards death be different?"

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阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项。

　　A cactus(仙人掌) stood all alone in the desert, wondering why it was stuck in the middle of nowhere．"I do nothing but stand here all day," it sighed．"What use am I? I'm the ugliest plant in the desert．My spines (脊骨) are thick and prickly (多刺), my leaves are rubbery and tough, I can't offer shade or juicy fruit to any passing traveler．I don't see that I'm any use at all．" All it did was stand in the sun day after day, growing taller and fatter．Its spines grew longer and its leaves tougher．．．It truly was strange-looking．

　　"I wish I could do something useful," it sighed．By day, hawks (老鹰)circled high overhead．"What can I do with my life?" the cactus called．Whether they heard or not, the hawks sailed away．At night, the moon floated into the sky and cast its pale glow on the desert floor．"What good can 1 do with my life?" the cactus Called：The moon only stared coldly as it goes on its way．A lizard crawled by, leaving a little trail in the sand with its tail．"What worthy thing can I do?" the cactus called．"You?" the lizard laughed, pausing a moment．"Worthy deed? Why, you can't do anything! The hawks circle ways overhead, tracing delicate patterns for us all to admire．The moon hangs high like a lantern at night, so we can see our way home．Even I, the lowly lizard can decorate the sands with these beautiful brush-drawings as I pull my tail

　　along．But you do nothing but get uglier every day．"

　　And so it went on year after year．At last the cactus grew old, and it knew its time was short．"Oh, God" it cried out, "I've wondered so long, and I've tried so hard．Forgive me if I've failed to find something worthy to do．" But just then the cactus felt a strange stirring and unfolding．At its very tip, like a sudden crown, a glorious flower suddenly opened in bloom．

　　Never had the desert known such a blossom．Its fragrance perfumed the air far and wide and brought happiness to all passing by．

　　The butterflies paused to admire its beauty, and even the moon smiled when it rose to find such a treasure．The cactus heard a voice．"You have waited long," the God said．"the heart that seeks to do good reflects My glory, and will always bring something worthwhile to the world, something in which all can rejoice (得到喜悦) －even if for only a moment．"

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