They say money doesn’t grow on trees.  But it certainly appears to do so on the mysterious coin-studded  trunks around the UK’s woodland.  The strange phenomenon of old trees with coins embedded(镶嵌) all over their bark has been spotted on trails from the Peak District to the Scottish Highlands.

The coins are usually knocked into the trunks of the trees which were cut down using stones by passers-by, who hope it will bring them good fortune.

These fascinating spots often have coins from centuries ago buried deep in their bark. The tradition of making offerings to spirits of 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 spirits lived in trees, and they were often decorated with sweets and gifts—as is still done today at Christmas. The act reminds us of tossing money into ponds for good luck, or the trend for couples to attach “love padlocks” to bridges and fences to symbolize lasting romance.

There are seven tree trunks with coins pushed into them in the unique village of Portmeirion, in Wales.

Meurig Jones, a 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. ” He also said: “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 in Scotland somewhere which apparently has a coin stuck into it. ”

He said that a sick person could press a coin into a tree and his illness would go away. “If someone then takes the coin out though, it’s said they then become ill. We haven’t announced it at all, it’s just happened, ”he added. “It’s quite amazing really. ”

56. What is the best title of the passage?

A. How to get good luck in Britain?

B. A fantastic way to recover from disease

C. Who says money doesn’t grow on trees?

D. Can the tree really bring you good luck?

57. The passers-by knocked coins into the trunks of the trees_______.

A. to get more money back

B. to ensure the trees are theirs

C. to attract the spirits of the trees

D. to pray for good luck

58. Which method of blessing is not mentioned in the passage?

A. decorating fences with sweets

B. pressing a coin into a tree

C. throwing money into ponds

D. attaching “love padlocks”

59. When did pressing coins into tree trunks begin?

A. about two hundred years ago

B. about three hundred years ago

C. about four hundred years ago

D. about five hundred years ago

60. From this passage we can learn_______.

A. seeing trees with coins in them is quite common in the UK

B. Jones understood why there were coins on trees from the start

C. Jones believes the wishing trees can bring people’s illness away

D. if someone takes the coin out,  he can get good luck soon

People of Burlington are being disturbed by the sound of bells. Four students from Burlington College of Higher Education are in the bell tower of the 36 and have made up their minds to 37 the bells nonstop for two weeks as a protest against heavy trucks which run 38 through the narrow High Street. “They not only make it 39 to sleep at night, but they are 40 damage to our houses and shops of historical 41 . ”said John Norris, one of the protesters.

“ 42 we must have these noisy trucks on the roads, ”said Jean Lacey, a biology student, “why don’t they build a new road that goes round the town? Burlington isn’t much more than a 43 village. Its streets were never 44 for heavy traffic. ”

Harry Fields also studying 45 said they wanted to make as much 46 as possible to force the government officials to realize what everybody was having to 47 . “Most of them don’t 48 here anyway, ”he said, “they come in for meetings and the Town Hall is soundproof, so they probably don’t 49 . It’s high time they realized the problem. ”The fourth student, Liza Vernum, said she thought the public were 50 on their side, and even if they weren’t, they soon would be.

I asked if they wer 51 that the police might come to 52 them.

“Not really, ”she said, “actually we are 53 bellringers. I mean we are assistant bellringers for the church. There is no 54 against practising. ”

I 55 the church with the sound of the bells ringing in my ears.

36. A. college　　　　　　　 B. village　　　　　　　 C. town　　　　　　　　 D. church

37. A. change　　　　　　　 B. repair　　　　　　　 C. ring　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. shake

38. A. now and then　　 B. day and night　 C. up and down　　　　　D. over and over

39. A. terrible　　　　　　　 B. difficult　　　　　　　C. uncomfortable　　　　D. unpleasant

40. A. doing　　　　　　　　 B. raising　　　　　　　 C. putting　　　　　　　　　　 D. producing

41. A. scene　　　　　　　　 B. period　　　　　　　 C. interest　　　　　　　　　　D. sense

42. A. If　　　　　　　　　　　 B. Although　　　　　 C. When　　　　　　　　　　 D. Unless

43. A. pretty　　　　　　　 B. quite　　　　　　　　　C. large　　　　　　　　　　　 D. modern

44. A. tested　　　　　　　　B. meant　　　　　　　C. kept　 　　　　　　　　　　 D. used

45. A. well　　　　　　　　　 B. hard　　　　　　　 C. biology　　　　　　　　　　 D. education

46. A. effort　　　　　　　　 B. time　　　　　　　 C. trouble　　　　　　　　　　 D. noise

47. A. stand　　　　　　　　 B. accept　　　　　 C. know　　　　　　　　　　　 D. share

48. A. shop　　　　　　　　　 B. live　　　　　　 C. come　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. study

49. A. notice　　　　　　　　 B. mention　　　　 C. fear　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. control

50. A. hardly　　　　　　　 B. unwillingly　　　C. mostly　　　　　　　　　　　 D. usually

51. A. surprised　　　　　 B. afraid　　　　　　 C. pleased　　　　　　　　　　 D. determined

52. A. seize　　　　　　　　　B. fight　　　　　　 C. search　　　　　　　　　　 D. stop

53. A. proper　　　　　　　 B. experienced　 C. hopeful　　　　　　　　　　 D. serious

54. A. point　　　　　　　　　B. cause　　　　　 C. need　　　　　　　　　　 　 D. law

55. A. left　　　　　　　　　 B. found　　　　　　 C. reached　　　　　　　　　　 D. passed

—Would you come to see me tomorrow?

—. ______

A. It depends　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. That depends on

C. It is depended　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. That depends so

He got a letter from his mother, which______him of his home.

A. remembered　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. forgot

C. thought　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　D. reminded

 He was______of doing that boring job.

A. fond                        B. aware                       C. tired                        D. out

 ______of the danger of walking in the street alone at night,  the girl had to go home with a friend_______her.

A. Warned;  followed

B. Warning;  following

C. Having warned;  following

D. Having been warned;  following

 The loss has not yet been______accurately, but it is believed to be well beyond a hundred million dollars.

A. calculated                                                    B. considered

C. completed                                                   D. controlled

 Five people won the “China’s Green Figure” award，a title______to ordinary people for their contributions to environmental protection.

A. being given                                                  B. is given

C. given                                                          D. was given

 Only when______according to the directions strictly, ______work well.

A. taken;  will the medicine

B. to take;  the medicine will

C. being taken;  will the medicine

D. taken;  the medicine will 

 The big fire made______difficult to rescue the people trapped under the ruins in the earthquake.

A. this                          B. that                          C. them                        D. it