My mother loves flowers. As soon as warm weather comes around, you will find her planting, watering, and weeding over everything. For a number of years we lived next door to each other, and she spent as much time in my garden as she did her own. After the flowers became plentiful each summer, she would cut colorful bouquets(花束) to enjoy inside the house -- both hers and mine. I would often come home from work and find a beautiful arrangement of fresh flowers on my coffee table.

Shortly before Christmas one year, a local flower shop offered a bouquet-a-month special. It seemed to be a made-to-order gift for Mom, a great way to thank her for all of the flowers she had given me through the years.

After the holidays, in early January, I drove her to the flower shop to pick up her first month's bouquet. The small fresh colorful bouquet would hardly fill a small vase.

I was so embarrassed. However, after we returned home, she began to arrange the flowers she had received. "Mom, I'm sorry," I told her. "I can't believe how skimpy that bouquet is." She looked at me and smiled. "It's okay," she said. "It allows me to better enjoy the beauty of each one."

Mom's words helped me to realize something bigger and more important --when we have too many good things, we often fail to enjoy the beauty of each one. 

Thanks, Mom, for helping me understand that less is sometimes more.

1.The author bought her mother flowers to ____.

A. celebrate the coming Christmas

B. express thanks for all her mother has done

C. bring more flowers to her mother's garden

D. arrange her mother's new house

2. What can you infer from the passage?

A. The author couldn't afford a big bouquet.

B. The mother was not happy when receiving the bouquet.

C. The author would pick up another bouquet the next month.

D. The mother would send back the bouquet to the flower shop.

3.The underlined word "skimpy" in Para. 4 means ____.

A. beautiful  B. colorful    C. cheap              D. small

4.What did the author learn from her mother?

A. How to grow flowers.                    B. How to arrange flowers.

C. Enjoying life if possible.         D. Considering things in other ways.

5.A. until                     B. when                C. before            D. as

My mother loves flowers. As soon as warm weather comes around，you will find her planting，watering and weeding over everything. For many years we lived next door to each other，and she spent as much time in my garden as she did her own. After the flowers became plentiful each summer，she would cut colorful bouquets(花束)to enjoy inside the house－both hers and mine. I would often come home from work and find a beautiful arrangement of fresh flowers on my coffee table.

Shortly before Christmas one year，a local flower shop offered a bouquet a month special. It seemed to be a great way to thank her for all of the flowers she had given me through the years.

After the holidays，in early January，I drove her to the flower shop to pick up her first month’s bouquet. The small fresh colorful bouquet would hardly fill a small vase.

I was so embarrassed(尴尬的).However，after we returned home，she began to arrange the flowers she had received. “Mom，I’m sorry，”I told her. “I can’t believe how skimpy that bouquet is.” She looked at me and smiled. “It’s okay，”she said. “It allows me to better enjoy the beauty of each one.”

Mom’s words helped me to realize something bigger and more important－when we have too many good things，we often fail to enjoy the beauty of each one. Thanks，Mom，for helping me understand that less is sometimes more.

58．According to Paragraph 1，which of the following is TRUE?

A．The author’s mother usually bought flowers for her daughter.

B．The author used to buy some fresh flowers on her way home.

C．The author’s mother put fresh flowers on the author’s coffee table.

D．The author and her mother shared a beautiful garden.

59．The author bought her mother flowers to　　　　.

A．celebrate the coming Christmas              B．express thanks for all her mother’s done

C．bring more flowers to her mother’s garden     D．arrange her mother’s new house

60．The underlined word “skimpy” in Paragraph 4 means　　　　.

A．beautiful     B．colorful     C．small      D．cheap

61．What did the author learn from her mother?

A．How to grow flowers.         B．How to arrange flowers.

C．Enjoying life if possible.       D．Considering things in other ways.