阅读理解

　　Matt grows the nicest vegetables in the village. He grows fruits, too——big, sweet apples and oranges. And what else? Well, the biggest and the prettiest flowers.

　　Things grow in Mitt’s garden all through the year. He cuts some flowers for his sitting-room table; and, of course, he eats some fruit and vegetables. But he sells everything else in the market. Matt is not a poor man—oh, no, he isn’t poor.

　　I will tell you people do not understand him. And they do not understand has garden. “Why not?” you will ask, “It’s a good garden, isn’t it?”

　　It is a wonderful garden. Matt grows things in spring, summer, autumn and winter. After that he does very little work. He sits in the garden with his small radio. And everything grows.

　　People ask, “How does Matt grow these wonderful things? He waters the plants sometimes, but he doesn’t do anything else. He just sits under an orange tree with his radio. He listens to music nearly all day!” And that is all quite true. People cannot understand it, and so they don’t like it very much.

　　Mutt likes music. But what about the garden? Who does the work? I will tell you another truth: the music does the work. All plants love music; and Matt knows that.

　　Do you want big vegetables and the loveliest flowers? Well, just give your plants a lot of music.

1．Matt grows plants in his garden ________.

[　　]

A．when he is free

B．when he wants to make some money

C．only when it is warm

D．all the year round

2．Matt is not a poor man because ________.

[　　]

A．he sells most of what he grows in the market

B．he has no one to support

C．he grows a lot of fruit and he does not eat any

D．he has sold his sitting-room table in the market

3．Matt knows a few other gardeners ________.

[　　]

A．and they are his good friends

B．and they grow better lands than he does

C．who do not understand him

D．who buy all that he sells in the market

4．In fact, besides watering the plants sometimes ________ .

[　　]

A．Matt does nothing else at all

B．Matt gives them nothing but music

C．Matt does all he can to help them to grow faster

D．Matt tries to explain why his plants grow so well

5．Plants love music ________.

[　　]

A．and Matt knows that well

B．but Matt refuses to give his plants any

C．and everyone understands that

D．but the orange tree in Matt’s garden does not

A simple piece of clothesline hangs between some environmentally friendly Americans and their neighbors.

　　On one side stand those who see clothes dryers(干衣机) as a waste of energy and a major polluter of the environment. As a result, they are turning to clotheslines as part of the “what-I-can-do environmentalism(环境保护主义).”

　　On the other side are people who are against drying clothes outside, arguing that clotheslines are unpleasant to look at. They have persuaded Homeowners Associations (HOAs) across the U.S. to ban outdoor clotheslines, because clothesline drying also tends to lower home value in the neighborhood. This had led to a Right-to-Dry Movement that is calling for laws to be passed to protect people’s right to use clotheslines.　　

　　So far, only three states have laws to protect clothesline. Right-to-Dry supporters argue that there should be more.　　

　　Matt Reck, 37, is the kind of eco-conscious(有生态意识的) person who feeds his trees with bathwater and reuses water drops from his air conditioners to water plants. His family also uses a clothesline. But on July 9, 2007, the HOA in Wake Forest, North Carolina, told him that a dissatisfied neighbor had telephoned them about his clothesline. The Recks paid no attention to the warning and still dried their clothes on a line in the yard. “Many people say they are environmentally friendly but they don’t take matters in their own hands,” says Reck. The local HOA has decided not to take any action, unless more neighbors come to them.　　

　　North Carolina lawmakers are saying that banning clotheslines is not the right thing to do. But HOAs and housing businesses believe that clothesline drying reminds people of poor neighborhoods. They worry that if buyers think their future neighbors can’t even afford dryers, housing prices will fall.

　　Environmentalists say such worries are not necessary, and in view of global warming, that idea needs to change. As they say, “The clothesline is beautiful”. Hanging clothes outside should be encouraged. We all have to do at least something to slow down the process of global warming.”

One of the reasons why supporters of clothes dryers are trying to ban clothesline drying is that ________.

A. clothes dryers are more efficient   

B. clothesline drying reduces home value

C. clothes dryers are energy-saving    

D. clothesline drying is not allowed in most U.S. states

Which of the following best describes Matt Reck?

　　A. He is a kind-hearted man.         B. He is an impolite man.　　

　　C. He is an experienced gardener.    D. He is a man of social responsibility.　　

Who are in favor of clothesline drying?　　

　　A. housing businesses.           B. Environmentalists.　　

　　C. Homeowners Associations.     D. Reck’s dissatisfied neighbors.　　

What is mainly discussed in the text?　　

　　A. Clothesline drying: a way to save energy and money.　　

　　B. Clothesline drying: a lost art rediscovered.　　

　　C. Opposite opinions on clothesline drying.　　

　　D. Different varieties of clotheslines.　　

A simple piece of clothesline hangs between some environmentally friendly Americans and their neighbors.

On one side stand those who see clothes dryers(干衣机) as a waste of energy and a major polluter of the environment. As a result, they are turning to clotheslines as part of the “what-I –can do environmentalism(环境保护主义).”

On the other side are people who are against drying clothes outside, arguing that clotheslines are unpleasant to look at. They have persuaded Homeowners Associations (HOAs) access the U.S. to ban outdoor clotheslines, because clothesline drying also tends to lower home value in the neighborhood. This had led to a Right-to-Dry Movement that is calling for laws to be passed to protect people’s right to use clotheslines.

So far, only three states have laws to protect clothesline. Right-to-Dry supporters argue that there should be more.

Matt Reck, 37, is the kind of eco-conscious(有生态意识的) person who feeds his trees with bathwater and reuses water drops from his air conditioners to water plants. His family also uses a clothesline. But on July 9, 2007, the HOA in Wake Forest, North Carolina, told him that a dissatisfied neighbor had telephoned them about him clothesline. The Recks paid no attention to the warning and still dried their clothes on a line in the yard. “Many people say they are environmentally friendly but they don’t take matters in their own hands,” says Reck. The local HOA has decided not to take any action, unless more neighbors come to them.

North Carolina lawmakers are saying that banning clotheslines is not the right thing to do. But HOAs and housing businesses believe that clothesline drying reminds people of poor neighborhoods. They worry that if buyers think their future neighbors can’t even afford dryers, housing prices will fall.

Environmentalists say such worries are not necessary, and in view of global warming, that idea needs to change. As they say, “The clothesline is beautiful”. Hanging clothes outside should be encouraged. We all have to do at least something to slow down the process of global warming.”

8. One of the reasons why supporters of clothes dryers are trying to ban clothesline drying is that

____.

　 A. clothes dryers are more efficient　　 B. clothesline drying reduces home value

　 C. clothes dryers are energy-saving　　 D. clothesline drying is not allowed in most U.S. states

9. Which of the following best describes Matt Reck?

　 A. He is a kind-hearted man.　　　　 B. He is an impolite man.

　 C. He is and experienced gardener.　　 D. He is a man of social responsibility.

10. Who are in favor of clothesline drying?

　 A. housing businesses.　　　　　　　 B. Environmentalists.

　 C. Homeowners Associations.　　　　 D. Reck’s dissatisfied neighbors.

11. What is mainly discussed in the text?

　 A. Clothesline drying: a way to save energy and money.

　 B. Clothesline drying: a lost art rediscovered.

　 C. Opposite opinions on clothesline drying.

　 D. Different varieties of clotheslines.