Have you ever been to a wedding and simply loved the bride’s bouquet(花束)?More than likely some part of it was the Hawaiian Wedding Plant. This foreign houseplant can be enjoyed by anyone, not just brides. With a little proper attention and careful planning on location, this foreign houseplant, which is from Madagascar, can be brought into the home where it can become an interesting focus.

Caring for the Hawaiian Wedding Plant is not much different from caring for any other houseplants that may already be in your home. The only difference between this type of houseplant and others is the amount of the basic requirements that this foreign houseplant needs to survive and perform beautifully. During the growing season, this plant requires its wet soil, but when winter rolls around, this plant needs its soil to be kept drier.

Hawaiian Wedding Plants should also be potted in well-drained(排水)soil and placed in a location that receives full sun. That the soil must be kept wet does not mean that it should sit in water, so the soil must drain easily or this plant will not survive. Water the plant daily and feed this plant every two to three weeks with a little fertilizer(化肥) for acid-loving plants. Prune in early spring, even as early as February. If these needs are met, this plant will stay beautiful.

The most special feature of this foreign houseplant is its long lasting blooms(开花)combined with its unbelievable sweet smell. The Hawaiian Wedding Plant blooms the heaviest in the spring months, but has been known to bloom in any warm months, so do not be surprised to find blooms most time of the year except maybe in the dead of winter.

Why does the author mention wedding and bouquet in the first paragraph?

  A. To introduce a Hawaiian wedding.              B. To attract the readers’ interest in the passage.

C. To show the beauty of the flower.           D. To teach the readers to choose proper bouquets.

The Hawaiian Wedding Plant comes from________.

  A. Hawaii                 B. China                C. Madagascar                     D. Alaska

Which of the following are the growing conditions of Hawaiian Wedding Plant?

  a. Wet soil.                b. Lots of fertilizer.                     c. Proper sunshine.        d. Some acid.

A. a.c                           B. a. b                   C. b. c                          D. a. d

What does the underlined phrase “in the dead of winter” in the last paragraph probably mean?

  A. At the end of the winter.                     B. At the beginning of the winter.

C. In deadly condition in winter.          D. In the coldest part of winter.

A metaphor is a poetic device that deals with comparison. It compares similar qualities of two dissimilar objects. With a simple metaphor, one object becomes the other: Love is a rose. Although this does not sound like a particularly rich image, a metaphor can communicate so much about a particular image that poets use them more than any other type of figurative language(修辞). The reason for this is that poets compose their poetry to express what they are experiencing emotionally at that moment. Consequently, what the poet imagines love to be may or may not be love we see it. Therefore, the poet’s job is to enable us to experience it, to feel it the same way as the poet does.

Let’s analyze this remarkably unsophisticated metaphor concerning love and the rose to see what it offers. Because the poet uses a comparison with a rose, first we must examine the characteristics of that flower. A rose is spectacular in its beauty; its petals(花瓣) are nicely soft, and its smell is pleasing. It’s possible to say that a rose is actually a feast to the senses of sight, touch, and smell. The rose’s appearance seems to border on(近似于)perfection, each petal seemingly symmetrical(对称的) in form. Isn’t this the way one’s love should be? A loved one should be a delight to one’s senses and seem perfect. However, there is another dimension added to the comparison by using a rose. Roses have thorns(刺). The poet wants to convey the idea that roses can be tricky(机警的). So can love, the metaphor tells us. When one reaches out with absolute trust to touch the object of his or her affection, ouch, a thorn can cause great harm! “Be careful,” the metaphor warns: Love is a feast to the senses, but it can overwhelm us, and it can also hurt us and cause acute suffering. This is the poet’s perception of love--a warning. What is the point? Just this: It took almost 14 sentences to clarify what a simple metaphor communicates in only four words! That is the artistry and the joy of the simple metaphor.

According to the passage, what is a metaphor?

A. A comparison between two different objects with similar features.

B. A contrast between two different things to create a vivid image.

C. A description of two similar objects in a poetic way.

D. A literary device specially employed in poetry writing.

The main idea of this passage is that         .

A. rose is a good image in poetry    B. love is sweet and pleasing

C. metaphor is ambiguous          D. metaphor is great poetic device

It can be inferred from the passage that a metaphor is        .

A. difficult to understand        B. rich in meaning    C. not precise enough      D. like a flower

As is meant by the author, thorns of a rose_________.

A. protect the rose from harm              B. symbolize reduced love

C. add a new element to the image of love    D. represent objects of one’s affection

The meaning of the love-is–a-rose metaphor is that____________-

A. love is a true joy              B. true love comes once in a lifetime

C. love does not last long          D. love is both good and bad experiences

A strange woman comes to my door one day in early March.It’s a rich area so we often have people selling things door to door,dusters,make?up,frozen foods—but she doesn’t look like a professional saleswoman.She hasn’t got the patter(喋喋不休) either.She just smiles shyly and puts a card in my hand:“Amy Turner.Pet Portraits Undertaken.”

I run my fingernail along the cheap gold edge of the card and look at her,waiting for an explanation.

“I’ll paint any animal in the comfort of your own home.”Amy Turner says.“Wouldn’t you like a nice picture of your loved one?I’ve had experience of dogs,cats,parrots,prize bulls...”

“Prize bulls!”I can’t help looking up and down our street.The thought of any of my neighbours keeping bulls in their back gardens makes me smile.

“I don’t have any animals,”I say as we look past each other.She must be wishing some little cat or dog would come running down the hall to give the game away and it is the first chance I’ve had to smell the air outside.It is one of those spring mornings when you wake up and find winter’s gone.Even the camellia in the garden opposite has flowered overnight,pink blossoms which look shocking against the quiet greens and greys.

“Why are you still in your dressing gown?”Amy says,turning her attention back to me.“It’s nearly lunchtime.Are you ill?”

“I’m fine,”I lie.I’m not going to tell a stranger I’ve just been sick in the toilet upstairs and would still be sticking my fingers down my throat if the doorbell hadn’t rung.But now I’m not sure what to do next.Amy is still standing there.She_doesn’t_seem_to_think_that_not_having_a_pet_is

_a_good_enough_excuse.

“I’m starving.”she says and I smile politely,nodding the way you do before you say goodbye.

“No,”she puts her foot in the door.“I’m really starving.I’ve had nothing to eat for two days and no one has any pets for me to paint.I need some food or I’ll faint,right here on your doorstep.”

I stand to one side and let her in.

1.According to the text,what does a professional saleswoman usually do?

A.Sells things door to door with her cards.

B.Never puts a card into people’s hands.

C.Tries to talk people into buying her things.

D.Smiles,hands her cards and walks away.

2.What does the underlined word “one” in the third paragraph stand for?

A.Dog.     B.Child.      C.Pet.      D.Cat.

3.From the text we know that Amy is a ________.

A.young baby?sitter   B.poor beggar  C.professional salesgirl D.poor painter

4.What does the writer mean by saying “She doesn’t seem to think that not having a pet is a good enough excuse.”?

A.It seems that she doesn’t want to leave.

B.She wants the writer to give another excuse.

C.She is sure there is a pet in the house.

D.She thinks that not having a pet is a bad thing.

 

One year ago, I traveled 15,000 kilometers from Australia to the US. I am from a beachside town in the   16  of Sydney, and thought there would be almost no   17  differences between my home country and my 18  . I was surprised at how wrong I was, and at  19  different the two countries could be.

The United States is   20  in almost every aspect. The buildings are gigantic (巨大的) and so are the people who   21  and work in them. At mealtimes, the portions (份额) often   22  to me to be big enough for three or four people. I once   23  a baked potato which turned out to be bigger than my head! This was a big   24  for me.

The longer I spent in the US, the more I started to   25  smaller differences like the culture of   26  in restaurants. In Australia we don’t tend to give a tip   27  the service has been really excellent. In the US you tip for   28  everything, even at the hairdresser. Waiters and shop assistants   29  to be given 15 percent of the bill, although in places   30 New York or Washington DC, a tip can be as much as 20 percent.

  31 , I also became more wary (谨慎的) of believing the stereotypes (成见) I had heard at home as I traveled. Not all Americans are ignorant of geography, for example.

Despite this, certain stereotypes about places did seem to   32  true for me. There is an immense (强烈的) sense of speed in New York. Everyone   33  to and fro, and very seldom takes time to   34  the moment. This is very different from the Australian lifestyle. Australians are laid back. Even in a major city like Sydney, we “Aussies” take time to “stop and smell the roses”---very different from our American counterparts.

Navigating (驾驭) the culture divide between Australia and the US was challenging at times. But I took up that   35  and learned a lot from it. It was an adventure.

1.                A.heart          B.city            C.center   D.suburbs

 

2.                A.cultural         B.commercial      C.economic D.scientific

 

3.                A.home town      B.departure       C.location  D.destination

 

4.                A.how           B.why            C.however  D.where

 

5.                A.big            B.modern         C.small D.fashionable

 

6.                A.travel          B.survive         C.live  D.serve

 

7.                A.happened       B.seemed         C.proved   D.managed

 

8.                A.brought        B.ordered        C.designed  D.fetched

 

9.                A.laughter        B.pleasure        C.shock    D.embarrassment

 

10.               A.prefer         B.notice          C.tell   D.appreciate

 

11.               A.serving         B.tipping         C.donating   D.toasting

 

12.               A.unless         B.if             C.when D.since

 

13.               A.rarely          B.mostly         C.almost D.hardly

 

14.               A.try            B.wait           C.think D.expect

 

15.               A.like            B.along          C.for   D.in

 

16.               A.So            B.Therefore       C.However  D.But

 

17.               A.come          B.become        C.turn  D.get

 

18.               A.walks          B.drives          C.wanders   D.rushes

 

19.               A.depend on      B.reflect on       C.spy on D.watch on

 

20.               A.experience     B.job            C.challenge  D.business

 

 

Flight Distance

Any observant people have noticed that a wild animal will allow a man or other potential enemy to approach only up to a given distance before it escapes. “Flight distance” is the terms used for this interspecies spacing. As a general rule, there is a positive relationship between the size of an animal and its flight distance --- the larger the animal, the greater the distance it must keep between itself and the enemy. An antelope will escape when the enemy is as much as five hundred yards away. The wall lizard’s flight distance, on the other hand, is about six feet. Flight is the basic means of survival for mobile creatures.

Critical Distance

Critical distance apparently is present wherever and whenever there is a flight reaction. “Critical distance” includes the narrow zone separating flight distance from attack distance. A lion in a zoo will flee from an approaching man until it meets a barrier that it cannot overcome. If the man continues the approach, he soon penetrates(穿过,透过)the lion’s critical distance, at which point the cornered lion turns back and begins slowly stalk(逼近)the man.

Social Distance

Social animals need to stay in touch with each other. Loss of contact with the group can be fatal (致命的)for a variety of reasons including exposure to enemies. Social distance is not simply the distance at which an animal will lose contact with his group --- that is, the distance at which it can no longer see, hear, or smell the group --- it is rather a psychological distance, one at which the animal apparently begins to feel anxious when it goes beyond its limits. We can think of it as a hidden band that contains the group.

Social distance varies from species to species. It is quite short --- apparently only a few yards --- among some animals, and quite long among others.

Social distance is not always rigidly(刻板的)fixed but is determined in part by the situation. When the young of apes and humans are mobile but not yet under control of the mother’s voice, social distance may be the length of her reach. This is readily observed among baboons(狒狒)in a zoo. When the baby approaches a certain point, the mother reaches out to seize the end of its tail and pull it back to her. When added control is needed because of danger, social distance shortens. To show this in man, one has only to watch a family with a number of small children holding hands as they cross a busy street.

1.Which of the following is the most suitable explanation to “Flight distance”?

A.Distance between animals of the same species before escaping.

B.Distance between large and small animals before escaping.

C.Distance between an animal and its enemy before escaping

D.Distance between certain animal species before escaping.

2.If a lion’s critical distance is penetrated, it will ________

A.begin to attack

B.try to hide

C.begin to jump

D.run away

3.The example of the children holding hands when crossing the street in the last paragraph           

shows that ________.

A.social distance is not always needed

B.there is no social distance among children

C.humans are different from animals in social distance

D.social distance is sometimes determined by outside factors

4.Which of the following one can be the best title of the passage?

A.Critical Distance

B.Spacing in Animals

C.Relationship Between Animals

D.Psychological Distance

 

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