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．a(chǎn)fter 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

Once, there was a beautiful girl who didn’t like herself, because she was blind, she couldn’t see anything.

In fact, the girl  1.  nobody except her boyfriend, for he was always  2.   to help her. She used to tell her boyfriend, “3.  I could see the world, I would marry you.”

One day, someone donated a pair of  4.  to the girl. When the bandages came off，she was able to see  5. ,including her boyfriend for the  6.   time. He asked her, “Now that you can see the world, will you  7.  me?” The girl looked at her boyfriend and was greatly surprised to see that he was blind,  8.   . She had never expected that, and she would not like to be with a blind husband for the rest of her life, so she  9.   to marry him.

Her boyfriend left in tears and a few days later wrote a  10.  to her, saying, “My dear, take good care of your eyes. Before they are yours, they were  11. .”

So, this is how the human brain often works when our status changes. Only a very few remember  12.   life was like before. And we often ask for more than we need. Life is a gift. Today, before you complain about the  13.   of your food，think of those who have nothing to  14. . Before you complain about life，think of some ones who went to heaven too early. Before you complain about your old  15. , think of the people who are living in the streets. And when you are tired and complain about your job, think of those who have no jobs.

In a word, enjoy the things you have and don’t forget your past.

16.               A．forgot          B．loved          C．disliked    D．needed

17.               A．ready          B．exciting        C．a(chǎn)ngry     D．sad

18.               A．Though         B．Because        C．If D．But

19.               A．shoes          B．glasses         C．pants D．eyes

20.               A．something      B．nothing         C．everything D．a(chǎn)nything

21.               A．first           B．second         C．next D．1ast

22.               A．follow          B．love           C．marry D．see

23.               A．too            B．a(chǎn)lso           C．either D．neither

24.               A．decided        B．a(chǎn)greed         C．refused   D．wanted

25.               A．diary          B．note           C．song  D．story

26.               A．yours          B．your           C．mine D．my

27.               A．which          B．what           C．that D．how

28.               A．taste           B．size            C．color D．shape

29.               A．do            B．wear           C．eat   D．make

30.               A．food           B．house          C．clothes    D．car

There was a time when I thought my dad didn’t know how to be a good father. I couldn’t  16  him ever saying the words “I love you.” It seems to me his only purpose in life was to say “  17 ” to anywhere I wanted to go and anything I wanted to do, including getting a  18 . Some parents bought their kids cars when they got their driver’s licenses. Not my dad — he said that I’d have to get a job and buy my own.
So that is what I did. I got a job at a very nice restaurant and  19  every penny I could and when I had enough to buy my car, I did! The day I brought that car home, my dad was the first one I wanted to  20  it off to. “Look, dad, a car of my own. If you ever want a ride, you only need to pay me five dollars.” I offered with a smile.
“I see,” was all he said.
One day, there was something wrong with my father’s truck. So he needed a  21  to work. The sun wasn’t even up when we left the house,   22  it was already getting warm out. It was going to be a hot day. As my dad got out of my car, I   23  him, dressed in his work clothes, getting his  24  from the truck (車尾箱) of my car. Watching his sun-weathered face, and even from a distance I could tell there were 25  lines than I ever remembered being there before. I realized how hard my dad works for the family. My father is a cement finisher(水泥修整工).
Suddenly, it came up with me that he actually got down on his hands and knees to sweat over hot concrete(混凝土) to make a living for his family. And he did this day in and day out,  26 hot it got. Never, not once, had I heard him   27  about it. To him we were “worth” it. And never once did he ask us to pay for it.
When he closed the trunk, his tools set off to the side, he walked over to my window to   28  me five dollars. I rolled down the window and said “Good-bye, dad. Keep your five dollars. It’s my __29__. Don’t work too hard. I love you.”
His eyes met mine, then glanced away in the direction of his waiting tools, he   30  his throat(喉嚨) and said, “Oh, and… me, too.”