Question

“Soon, you’re going to have to move out!” cried my neighbor upon seeing the largest tomato plant known to mankind, or at least known in my neighborhooD．

One tiny 9-inch plant, bought for $1．25 in the spring, has already taken over much of my rose bed, covering much of other plants, and is well on its way to the front door．

Roses require a good deal of care, and if it weren’t for the pleasure they give, it wouldn’t be worth the work．As it is, I have a garden full of sweet-smelling roses for most of the year．Bushes must be pruned(剪枝) in early spring, leaving ugly woody branches until the new growth appears a few weeks later．It was the space available in the garden that led me into planting just one little tomato plant．A big mistake．

Soil conditions made just perfect for roses turn out to be even more perfect for tomatoes．The daily watering coupled with full sun and regular fertilizing(施肥) have turned the little plant into a tall bush．The cage I placed around it as the plant grew has long since disappeared under the thick leaves．

Now the task I face in harvesting the fruit is two fold（方面）：First, I have to find the red ones among the leaves, which means I almost have to stand on my head, and once found I have to reach down and under, pick the tomatoes and withdraw my full fist without dropping the prize so dearly won．Second, I found two full-blown white roses completely hidden as I picked tomatoes in June, but they were weak and the leaves already yellow for lack of light．

Here I am faced with a painful small decision: To tear up a wonderful and productive tomato plant that offers up between ten and twenty ripe sweet tomatoes each day or say goodbye to several expensive and treasured roses．Like Scarlett in Gone With the Wind, I’ll think about that tomorrow．

1.What are the requirements for the healthy growth of roses?

A． Frequent pruning and fertilizing

B． Tomato plants grown alongside

C． Cages placed around the roots

D． A lot of care and the right soil

2.The writer planted the tomato because_______．

A． there was room for it in the garden

B． it cost only $1．25

C． the soil was just right for it

D． the roses’ branches needed to be covered

3.This year the writer’s roses were _______．

A． removed from the rose bed

B． picked along with the tomatoes

C． largely hidden under the tomato plant

D． mostly damaged by too much sunlight

4.By saying “the prize so dearly won” in paragraph 5, the writer wants to_______．

A． show the hardship of growing the roses

B． show the difficulty in picking the tomatoes

C． express her liking for the roses

D． express her care for the tomatoes

Answer

1.D

2.A

3.C

4.B

【解析】

1.细节理解题。根据第三段提到Roses require a good deal of care,和Soil conditions made just perfect for roses 故选D。

2.细节理解题。根据第三段提到It was the space available in the garden that led me into planting just one little tomato plant．A big mistake．园中有空地用来种植一棵西红柿苗，故选A。

3.细节理解题。根据第二段提到One tiny 9-inch plant, bought for $1．25 in the spring, has already taken over much of my rose bed, covering much of other plants, and is well on its way to the front door．找西红柿的时候在下面发现了玫瑰花 故选C项。

4.其推理依据主要有以下几点：一是作者在第1句用了 the task一词，将摘西红柿看成是一项“任务”；二是作者在三个地方用了have to，表示摘西红柿不容易；三是作者还用了stand on my head, reach down and under…等夸张性用词，充分说明了摘西红柿的难度。比较四个选项，显然只有选项B最佳。