They say money doesn’t grow on trees. But it certainly appears to do so on the mysterious coin-studded(嵌满) trunks dotted around the UK’s woodland. The strange phenomenon of old trees with coins fixed firmly all over their bark has been spotted on trails from the Peak District to the Scottish Highlands. The coins are usually knocked into felled (砍伐的) tree trunks using stones by passers-by, who hope it will bring them good fortune.

These fascinating spectacles often have coins from centuries ago buried deep in their bark and warped by the passage of time. The tradition of making offerings to gods at wishing trees dates back hundreds of years, but this combination of the man-made and the natural is far more rare. It used to be believed that god’s spirits lived in trees, and they were often decorated with sweets and gifts — as is still done today at Christmas. The act is like tossing money into ponds for good luck, or the trend for couples to attach “love padlocks” to bridges and fences to symbolize lasting romance. Some pubs, such as the Punch Bowl in Askham, Cumbria, have old timbers with splits in them into which coins are forced for luck. There are seven felled tree trunks with coins pushed into them in the picturesque village of Portmeirion, in Wales.

Meurig Jones, an estate manager at the tourist destination, told the BBC, “We had no idea why it was being done when we first noticed the tree trunk was being filled with coins. I did some detective work and discovered that trees were sometimes used as ‘wishing trees’. In Britain it dates back to the 1700s — there is one tree somewhere in Scotland which apparently has an old coin stuck into it. ” He said that a sick person could press a coin into a tree and their illness would go away. If someone then takes the coin out though, it’s said they then become ill. We haven’t made it known at all, it’s just happened,” he added. “It’s quite amazing really.” In Scotland, there is also a legend about a kissing tree. If a young man could drive a nail into a tree with one blow, he earned a kiss from his sweetheart.

1.What was the real reason why in UK people knocked coins into the old trees?

A．It was hoped that it would bring them good future and make the trees more beautiful.

B．Nobody knew why there was such a strange custom that it could make them lucky.

C．It might come from the tradition of making offerings to gods hundreds of years ago.

D．It was said that god’s spirits lived in trees and doing so could please the gods of the trees.

2.The underlined part in Paragraph 2 may mean ____________.

A．this combination of the man-made and the natural is far from realistic.

B．the mysterious phenomenon of old trees with coins is rarely seen in the world.

C．people wanted to make the works of art with the help from the forces of nature.

D．the appearance of trees would be nicer than their original.

3.The passage mainly tells us that________.

A．some people attached “love padlocks” to bridges and fences to symbolize lasting romance

B．a particular way in which people made good wishes is still popular in the UK

C．visitors tossed money into ponds for good luck just as they knocked coins into the trees

D．a long history of a strange phenomenon of old trees with coins in the UK

4.Which of the following can be used as the best title for the passage?

A．Who Says Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees?

B．Do Trees with Some Coins Become Valuable?

C．Is It Really Amazing to Have Coins Fixed into Trees?

D．What Is the Purpose of Knocking Coins into Trees?

 

On a number of drives throughout my childhood, my mother would suddenly pull over the car to examine a flower by the side of the road or rescue a beetle from tragedy while I, in my late teens and early twenties, sat impatiently in the car.

Though Mother’s Day follows Earth Day, for me, they have always been related to each other. My mom has been “green” since she became concerned about the environment. Part of this habit was born of thrift (节俭). Like her mother and her grandmother before her, mom saves glass jars, empty cheese containers and reuses her plastic bags.

Mom creates a kind of harmonious relationship with wildlife in her yard. She knows to pick the apples on her trees a little early to avoid the bears and that if she leaves the bird feeders(给食器) out at night, it is likely that they will be knocked down by a family of raccoons (浣熊). Spiders that make their way into the house and are caught in juice glasses will be set loose in the garden.

I try to teach my children that looking out for the environment starts with being aware of the environment. On busy streets, we look for dandelions (蒲公英) to fly in the wind; we say hello to neighborhood cats and pick up plastic cups and paper bags. This teaching comes easily, I realize, because I was taught so well by example. Mom didn’t need to lecture; she didn’t need to beat a drum to change the world. She simply slowed down enough to enjoy living in it and with that joy came mercy and an instinct for protection.

I am slowing down and it isn’t because of the weight of my nearly forty years on the planet, it is out of my concern for the planet itself. I’ve begun to save glass jars and reuse packing envelopes. I pause in my daily tasks to watch the squirrels race each other in the trees above my house.

Last summer, in the company of my son and daughter, I planted tomatoes in my yard. With the heat of August around me, I ate the first while sitting on my low wall with dirt on my hands. Warm from the sun, it burst on my tongue with a sweetness I immediately wanted to share with my mom.

1.. Why does the author say Earth Day is connected with Mother’s Day?

A. Because Mother’s Day falls shortly after Earth Day.

B. To stress that all the older women in her family are environmentalists.

C. To stress how much her mother cares about the environment.

D. Because her mother shows her how to be friendly to nature on Mother’s Day.

2.. Which of the following is NOT related to Mom’s “green life”?

A. Rescuing a beetle from a certain tragedy. 

B. Saving glass jars, empty cheese containers.

C. Setting a caught spider free in the garden 

D. Picking dandelions on busy streets.

3.. We can infer from the article that ______.

A. the author realizes that she should teach her children by example as well

B. the author’s mother knows how to get rid of the wildlife in her yard   

C. the author believes that only by learning to slow down can we enjoy life

D. the author’s mother used to lecture her to protect the environment.

4.. What can be learned from the last paragraph?

A. Tomatoes make the author think of her mother.

B. The author likes eating tomatoes planted by herself.

C. Planting tomatoes is a way of protecting environment.

D. The author really appreciates her mother’s teaching.

5.. The writer’s attitude towards her mom’s behavior changed in the order of ______.

A. understanding — critical — approving

B. approving — doubtful — negative

C. negative — understanding — approving

D. doubtful— critical— positive

 

______ label to each of the trees, with detailed introduction of their features, and visitors will know more about them and how to protect them.

A. To attach     B. Attach      C. Attached        D. Having attached

 

TANG Dynasty writer Du Mu once wrote in a poem titled Qingming: "The ceaseless drizzle drips all the dismal day; So broken-hearted fares the traveler on the way.Where can a wine house be found to drown his sadness ?A cowherd points to Almond Flower (Xing Hua) Village in the distance."

Qingming, the traditional tomb-sweeping day on the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on April 4 this year. Qingming Jie was proclaimed a Chinese national holiday in 2008. It is a time for remembering loved ones who have departed (去世). People visit their ancestors’ graves to sweep away the dirt and get rid of any weeds. They also leave offerings (祭品) of food and flowers, and burn incense (香) and paper money. Chinese tombs are usually built in the woods or on mountains, far from the city. It is believed that an area that faces south, with many pine trees, is a proper place for a tomb. People believe such a place will make the ancestors happy, and in return, they will look after the living family.

Nowadays, more and more residents are choosing environmental-friendly ways to spend the holiday such as flower sacrifices and memorial ceremonies on the Internet or at home. As one of the traditional ways to celebrate Tomb-sweeping Day – burning paper or incense – isn't exactly good for air quality.

In contrast to the sadness of the tomb sweepers, people also enjoy hope of Spring on this day. The Qingming Festival is a time when the sun shines brightly, the trees and grass become green and nature is again lively. Since ancient times, people have followed the custom of Spring outings. At this time tourists are everywhere.

Many people fly kites on Tomb Sweeping Day. They are usually made from a bamboo crossbow with coloured paper. The kite vibrates and buzzes as it rises into the sky, counterbalanced by its tail. Large kites can be as broad as three metres across, with a tail of six to ten metres. Most kites have a rectangular shape, and many have patterns of crabs, centipedes, butterflies, dragonflies, or Chinese characters such as "good fortune" or "long life". (361words)

1.What’s the main idea of the second paragraph?

A．The cultural difference between the east and the west.

B．The traditional customs on tomb-sweeping day.

C．Various ways to care for the dead in the world.

D．Qingming Festival

2.All of the following practices are mentioned on tomb-sweeping day EXCEPT_____ .

A．Weeping over the passed-away.

B．Flying kites made from bamboo and paper

C．Sending flowers to their ancestors’ graves.

D．Burning incense and paper money for the dead.

3.Which of the following is correct according to passage?

A．Du Mu ,the well-known poet in Song Dynasty wrote a poem about Qing Ming.

B．Qingming Festival used to be a Chinese national holiday.

C．People have the custom of flying kites on Qing Ming.

D．Those whose ancestors were buried in proper places will have a bright future.

4.The writer write the passage in order to____________ .

A．enable us to observe traditional tomb-sweeping day.

B．show traditional and present ways to spend Qingming Festival .

C．educate people to show their respect to the ancestors

D．raise people’s awareness of environmental protection.

 

—What happened to the young trees we planted last week?

—The trees _       well, but I_         them．  

A． might grow; hadn't watered            B． needn't have grown; didn't water

C． would have grown; didn't water            D． would grow; hadn't watered