When my first wartime Christmas came, I was in basic training in New Jersey and not sure if I could make it home for the holidays. Only on the afternoon of December 23 was the list of men who would have three-day passes (通行证) posted. I was one of the lucky soldiers.

??? It was Christmas Eve when I arrived, and a light snow had fallen. Mother opened the front door. I could see beyond her, into the corner of the living room where the tree had always stood. There were lights, all colors, and ornaments (装饰物) shining against the green of a pine.

??? “Where did it come from？” I asked.

??? “I asked the Gates boy to cut it,” my mother said. “I wouldn’t have had one just for myself, but when you called--- oh, such a rush! He just brought it in this afternoon…”

??? The pine reached to the proper height, almost to the ceiling, and the Tree Top Krystal Star was in its place. A few green branches reached about a little awkwardly (难看地) at the side, I thought, and there was a bit of bare trunk showing in the middle. But the tree filled the room with warm light and the whole house with pleasant smell of Christmas.

??? “It’s not like the ones you used to find,” my mother went on. “Yours were always in good shape. I suppose the Gates boy didn’t know where to look. But I couldn’t be picky.”

??? “Don’t worry, ” I told her. “It’s perfect.”

It wasn’t, of course, but at the moment I realized something for the first time: all Christmas trees are perfect.

1. When the writer got home, ________.

A. it was December 23?????????????

B. it was snowing heavily

C. he found a Christmas tree in the living room????????????? ???

D. the Gates boy was cutting a Christmas tree for his mother

2. From the passage, we can conclude（推断） that ________.

A. the writer used to cut very beautiful Christmas trees??? ????????????? ?????????????

B. his mother didn’t like perfect trees????????????? ????????????? ?????????????

C. his mother didn’t want to have a tree???

D. the writer wouldn’t have a tree cut by someone else

3.“All Christmas trees are perfect”, because they can remind you of ________.

A. the wartime????????????? ? B. the green of a pine?????????????

C. the pleasant smell??? D. the sweet home

4. The best title for this passage would be “________”.

A. How to Choose a Christmas Tree

B. How Soldiers Spent Christmas

C. The Perfect Christmas Tree

D. The Christmas Without a Tree

When my first wartime Christmas came, I was in basic training in New Jersey and not sure if I could make it home for the holidays. Only on the afternoon of December 23 was the list of men who would have three-day passes (通行证) posted. I was one of the lucky soldiers.

??? It was Christmas Eve when I arrived, and a light snow had fallen. Mother opened the front door. I could see beyond her, into the corner of the living room where the tree had always stood. There were lights, all colors, and ornaments (装饰物) shining against the green of a pine.

??? “Where did it come from？” I asked.

??? “I asked the Gates boy to cut it,” my mother said. “I wouldn’t have had one just for myself, but when you called--- oh, such a rush! He just brought it in this afternoon…”

??? The pine reached to the proper height, almost to the ceiling, and the Tree Top Krystal Star was in its place. A few green branches reached about a little awkwardly (难看地) at the side, I thought, and there was a bit of bare trunk showing in the middle. But the tree filled the room with warm light and the whole house with pleasant smell of Christmas.

??? “It’s not like the ones you used to find,” my mother went on. “Yours were always in good shape. I suppose the Gates boy didn’t know where to look. But I couldn’t be picky.”

??? “Don’t worry, ” I told her. “It’s perfect.”

??? It wasn’t, of course, but at the moment I realized something for the first time: all Christmas trees are perfect.

1.When the writer got home, ________.

A. it was December 23?????????????

B. it was snowing heavily

C. he found a Christmas tree in the living room????????????? ???

D. the Gates boy was cutting a Christmas tree for his mother

2.From the passage, we can conclude推断 that ________.

A. the writer used to cut very beautiful Christmas trees??? ????????????? ?????????????

B. his mother didn’t like perfect trees????????????? ????????????? ?????????????

C. his mother didn’t want to have a tree???

D. the writer wouldn’t have a tree cut by someone else

3.“All Christmas trees are perfect”, because they can remind you of ________.

A. the wartime????????????? ? B. the green of a pine????????????? C. the pleasant smell??? D. the sweet home

4.The best title for this passage would be “________”.

A. How to Choose a Christmas Tree??? ????????????? ????????????? B. How Soldiers Spent Christmas??? ?????????????

C. The Perfect Christmas Tree????????????? ????????????? ????????????? ????????????? D. The Christmas Without a Tree

动词应用

1.I saw a man       (lie ) on the ground and many people crowded around him.

2.It        (snow) ,Now we canmake a snowman.

3.My aunt      （make） sundwiches for me last Sunday.

4.Sorry ,I forget     (bring ) my homework.

5.Mr li asked us         (not observe ) what he did .

6.I don’t know if he    (come) tomorrow If he    (come) . I___  (meet )him.

7.My mother   still    (sleep) when I got up this morning .

8.The sun      (rise )at about six in the morning in Spring .

Is it a tree? Is it a bear? If you’re looking at a tree in the shape of a bear, it’s a topiary(林木雕塑). A topiary is a tree or a bush(灌木) that is trained into a shape. Growing a topiary garden takes both time and skills.

A topiary gardener should make a drawing first. The drawing shows the final shape that the gardener likes. The gardener then chooses a bush for the topiary. It may be one that just planted or one that is already in place.

In June of the plant’s first year, the gardener looks for new leaves. When the leaves grow, it’s time to shape(给……造型) the bottom of the bush. It needs about five years. The top is not trimmed during this time. In the fifth year, the bush grows tall enough for shaping. Then the gardener begins to shape the whole bush.

Once a topiary has been started, it needs care all year. In the summer it must be cut many times to keep its shape. This cutting also helps the bush grow. In the winter the bushes don’t grow. The gardeners have to brush snow of the plants, or snow may hurt some parts of them.

Topiary gardening is very old art. The Romans did it in the first Century. In the sixteenth century, people in Europe like topiaries too. By the late 1600s, topiaries were also grown in America. Today it’s popular in many parts of the world.

1. Put the following in the right order according to the passage.

a. The gardener chooses a bush for the topiary.

b. The whole bush grows tall enough for shaping.

c. The gardener begins to shape the bottom of the bush.

d. The gardener draws the shape of a topiary.

A. d→a→b→c            B. b→c→a→d         C. a→d→c→b      D. d→a→c→b

2.In which part of the world did the topiary gardening begin first?

A. In Rome.      B. In Europe.         C. In America.         D. In Africa.

Is it a tree? Is it a bear? If you’re looking at a tree in the shape of a bear, it’s a topiary(林木雕塑). A topiary is a tree or a bush(灌木) that is trained into a shape. Growing a topiary garden takes both time and skills.
A topiary gardener should make a drawing first. The drawing shows the final shape that the gardener likes. The gardener then chooses a bush for the topiary. It may be one that just planted or one that is already in place.
In June of the plant’s first year, the gardener looks for new leaves. When the leaves grow, it’s time to shape(给……造型) the bottom of the bush. It needs about five years. The top is not trimmed during this time. In the fifth year, the bush grows tall enough for shaping. Then the gardener begins to shape the whole bush.
Once a topiary has been started, it needs care all year. In the summer it must be cut many times to keep its shape. This cutting also helps the bush grow. In the winter the bushes don’t grow. The gardeners have to brush snow of the plants, or snow may hurt some parts of them.
Topiary gardening is very old art. The Romans did it in the first Century. In the sixteenth century, people in Europe like topiaries too. By the late 1600s, topiaries were also grown in America. Today it’s popular in many parts of the world.
【小题1】 Put the following in the right order according to the passage.
a. The gardener chooses a bush for the topiary.
b. The whole bush grows tall enough for shaping.
c. The gardener begins to shape the bottom of the bush.
d. The gardener draws the shape of a topiary.