Question

【题目】

The eggplant is a member of the potato family. Eggplant varieties differ in s【1】, shape, color, growth habit and even maturation（成熟）time. This strangely named vegetable used to come in only one color – white. It grows in a manner much like tomatoes, hanging from the vine（藤）of a plant that grows several feet in height. It can be steamed, fried, and baked. It can be eaten by l【2】 or combined with meats and other vegetables, Eggplant was first grown in India in the 5th century BC. Its propularity soon spread to China. Finally, during the Middle Ages the vegetable made its way to Europe. At that time, eggplant was not the shiny purple vegetable most people know today. Instead, it’s like a white egg. Due to this egg-like appearance, eggplant got its name. In its early days, the vegetable was so bitter（苦的）that people often called it a“mad apple.”This nickname started because people believed its bitterness was bad for one’s health. People a【3】 thought eggplant could cause madness and cancer. In fact eggplant is so healthy that it may prevent cancer. In addition, the brain and the heart benefit from this super vegetable. Since it’s high in fibre（纤维素），eggplant can i【4】 digestion（消化）. Italy, Turkey, Egypt, China and Japan are the leading growers of eggplant in the world today. Depending on its location, eggplant may be purple, green, orange or yellow, white. And it can be as s【5】 as a tomato or as large as a cucumber. Dish varieties range from simple to complex, with all of them being delicious.

Today, t【6】 of people gather in Loomis, Calif, for the annual Loomis Eggplant Festival. The main activity at the festival is eating delicious eggplant dishes. There is plenty more to do and see, though. Recipe（食谱）contests, arts and crafts, performers, races and children’s activities all“egg - cite”（excite）festival – goers （参加节目活动者）. Most people at the festival would agree --- eggplant is an“egg-cellent”（excellent）vegetable.

Eggplants are now available in markets t【7】 the year, but they are their best from August to October when they are in season.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】size

【2】itself

【3】always

【4】improve

【5】small

【6】thousands

【7】throughout

【解析】

本文讲述了蔬菜—茄子的历史及现状。茄子最早是在印度种植，后来传到欧洲，因为那时的茄子只有白色而且外形像鸡蛋所以得名—eggplant。茄子营养丰富，世界各国都有种植。加州还有专门的茄子节，活动主要是利用茄子做各种菜品。

【1】句意：茄子品种在大小、形状、颜色、生长习性甚至成熟时间上都不同。

此处填名词，根据常识茄子在大小，形状等方面与马铃薯家族有区别。故填size.

【2】句意：它可以单独食用，也可以与肉类和其他蔬菜搭配食用

由后文or combined with meats and others vegetables可推断茄子可以单独吃，也可以和肉和其他蔬菜混合。故此处填名词性物主代词itself.

【3】句意：人们总是认为茄子会导致疯狂和癌症

根据后文In fact eggplant is so healthy that it may prevent cancer可知，事实上茄子是一种健康的食物，表转折，所以前面应该填过去人们总是认为茄子导致癌症，故填always。

【4】句意：因为茄子富含纤维，可以促进消化

此处填动词，由Since it’s high in fibre,eggplant can i____ digestion可知茄子含有丰富的纤维，所以有助于消化，故填improve.

【5】句意：它可以小如番茄，也可以大如黄瓜

此处填形容词或副词，由or as large as a cucumber可推断前一空填small.

【6】句意：今天，成千上万的人聚集在加利福尼亚州的卢米斯，参加一年一度的卢米斯茄子节。

此空用来修饰people,结合句意及词组thousands of 表成百的，可知此空填thousands.

【7】句意：现在一年四季都可以在市场上买到茄子。

此处填介词，根据t the year及前文可推断是茄子是一年四季都有，所以是throughout the year.

本题首先要通读全文，再细读每个句子，看每个句子是什么意思。然后看索要填写的内容在句子中做什么成分，需要什么词性；按照所给出的单词首字母提示，根据句意，联系上下文，结合相关的语法知识对单词或短语做出形式上的变化。