For years I wanted a garden. I’d spend hours thinking of different things I could plant that would look nice together.

But then we had Matthew, and Marvin, and the twins Alisa and Alan, and then Helen. I was too busy raising them to grow a garden.

Money was not enough. Neither was time. Often when my children were little,one of them would want something that cost too much, and I’d have to say, “Do you see a money tree outside? Money doesn't grow on trees, you know.”

Finally, all the children got through high school and college and were off on their own. I started thinking again about a garden.

Then, one spring morning, on Mother’s Day, I was working in my kitchen. Suddenly, I looked out of the window and there was a new tree, planted right in my yard. There were things blowing around on it. Then I put my glasses on—and I couldn’t believe what I saw.

There was a money tree in my yard!

I went outside to look. It was true! There were dollar bills*, one hundred of them, hanging all over that tree. There was also a note among them, “Thank you for your time, Mom. We love you!”

Later, my children bought me tools, ornaments, a sunflower stepping stone and gardening books. A new page started in my life.

That was three years ago. My garden’s now very pretty, just like I wanted. When I go out and take care of my flowers, I don’t seem to miss my children as much as I once did. It feels like they’re right there with me. Now every year when winter comes, I look out of my window and think of the flowers I’ll see next spring in my little garden. I think about what my children did for me, and I get tears in my eyes—every time.

I’m still not sure that money grows on trees. But I know love does!

1.How many children did the writer have?

A．Three            B．Four             C．Five              D．Six

2. What did the mother mean when she said “Money doesn’t grow on trees”?

A．She was too busy to plant a money tree at that time.

B．She had to save money so that she could have a garden.

C．It wasn’t easy for her to make money to raise all the children.

D．They didn’t have much money because the mother lost her job.

3. The “money tree” appeared in the writer’s yard _________.

A．before her children were born

B．one spring morning when the children were little

C．after the children went to school

D．on a Mother’s Day after the children left her

4. The children planted a money tree in their mother’s yard because _________.

A．their mother needed money badly

B．they wanted to show their love to their mother

C．it was time for them to give the money back to her

D．they wanted to live together with their mother forever

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Once there was a rich man in a village. He never gave anything to help   42  . The villagers didn’t like him. One day he said to them, “I know you don’t like me. I will give everything I have     43   you when I die. Then everyone will be happy.”

But nobody   44   him. The rich man couldn’t understand why they didn’t believe him. One day he went for a walk by a lake. Under a big tree he happened to hear a pig and a cow   45.    The pig   46   to the cow, “Why everyone likes you and nobody likes me? After I die. I provide people with pork, ham, etc. I give three or four things to them. But you give    47   one thing—milk. Why do people like you all the time and not me?”

The cow said, “Look, I give them milk while I’m   48  . They see that I’m generous(慷慨的) with what I have. But you don’t give them anything before you die. You give them ham, pork and so on only after you’re dead. People don’t believe in the   49  ; they believe in the present. If you give something   50  you are living, people will like you. It is quite simple.”

From that moment on, the rich man did his  51   to help the poor.

1.A. other             B. others         C. the other       D. another

2.A. for               B. with           C. to              D. after

3.A. believes          B. believe        C. believes in     D. believed

4.A. fighting          B. talking        C. shouting        D. joking

5.A. sang              B. told           C. asked           D. said

6.A. more than         B. only           C. less than       D. but

7. lives               B. live           C. lived           D. alive

8.A. future            B. past           C. present         D. now

9.A. while             B. where          C. what            D. how

10.A. good      B. better  C. best D. well