“Soon, you’re going to have to move out! cried my neighbor upon seeing the large

“Soon, you’re going to have tomove out!” cried my neighbor upon seeing the largest tomato plant known tomankind, or at least known in my neighborhood.

One tiny 9-inch plant, bought for$1.25 in the spring, has already taken over much of my rose bed, covering much of other plants, and is well on its way to the front door.

Roses require a good deal ofcare, and if it weren’t for the pleasure they give, it wouldn’t be worth thework. As it is, I have a garden full of sweet-smelling roses for most of theyear. bushes must be pruned(剪枝) in early spring, leaving ugly woody branches until the new growthappears a few weeks later. It was the space available(可用的) in the garden that led me into planting just one little tomatoplant. A big mistake.

Soilconditions made just perfect for roses turn out be even more perfect fortomatoes. The

daily watering coupled with fullsun and regular fertilizing(施肥) have turned the little plant into a tall bush. The cage I placedaround it as the plant grew has long since disappeared under the thick leaves.

Now the task I face in harvestingthe fruit is twofold; First, I have to find the red ones among the leaves,which means I almost have to stand on my head, and once found I have to reachdown and under, pick the tomatoes and withdraw(缩回) my full fist without dropping the prizeso dearly won. I found two full-blown white roses completely hidden as Ipicked tomatoes in June. But they were weak and the leaves already yellow forlack of light.

Here I am faced with a painfulsmall decision: To tear up a wonderful and productive tomato plant that offersup between ten and twenty ripe sweet tomatoes each day or say goodbye toseveral expensive and treasured roses. Like Scarlett in Gone With the Wind,I’ll think about that tomorrow.

1.What ate the requirements for the healthygrowth of rose?

    A．A lot of care and theright soil.

    B．Frequent pruning andfertilizing.

    C．Tomato plants grownalongside.

    D．Cages placed around theroots.

2.The writer planted the tomato because_________.

    A．it cost only $1.25

    B．the soil was just rightfor it

    C．there was room for it inthe garden

    D．the roses’ branches neededto be covered

3.This year the writer’s roses were__________.

    A．removed from the rose bed

    B．picked along with thetomatoes

    C．mostly damaged by too muchsunlight

    D．largely hidden under thetomato plant

4.By saying “the prize so dearly won” inparagraph 5, the writer wants to ________.

    A．show the difficulty inpicking the tomatoes

    B．show the hardship ofgrowing the roses

    C．express her liking for theroses

    D．express her care for thetomatoes

5.In the situation described in the text,one good thing is that ________.

    A．the roses cost the writerlittle money

    B．the writer has a dailyharvest of tomatoes

    C．someone will help thewriter make the decision

    D．the writer can now enjoyboth the roses and tomatoes

试题答案

【答案】

1.A

2.C

3.D

4.A

5.B