王琴芳

eading：

一品紅是美國最暢銷的盆栽開花植物。紅色的一品紅是圣誕慶?；顒拥膫鹘y(tǒng)組成部分，這也是幾乎所有這種花都在冬季出售的原因。

Poinsettias are the best-selling potted flowering plant in the United States. Red poinsettias are a traditional part of Christmas celebrations，which is why almost all of them are sold at wintertime. It is estimated that Americans bought $250 million worth of poinsettias last year.

The poinsettia is native to Central America and needs warmth to grow. Bright red poinsettias are the best known. There are about one hundred different kinds in colors including white，pink， yellow and purple.

The flowers of the poinsettia are very small. Around the flowers are colorful leaves called bracts. These bracts add to their beauty.

The poinsettia is named after Joel Roberts Poinsett from South Carolina. In 1825 President John Quincy Adams appointed him as the United States first minister to Mexico. Poinsett had interest in plants. He saw the colorful plants growing in the wild. Wild poinsettias can grow up to four meters tall. He liked them so much that he sent some cuttings back to the United States.

The botanical name for the plant is Euphorbia pulcherrima. In Latin，that means“most beautiful euphorbia”. There are hundreds of related plants，including rubber trees.

People who are sensitive to the latex① produced by rubber trees can develop a mild skin rash② from poinsettia plants. Babies and pets that chew on poinsettias can get sick. But the plant is not as poisonous as some people think.

In the 1920s，Albert Ecke and his son Paul became interested in the poinsettias ability to flower in winter. Paul thought it would be a good plant to display at Christmastime.

They started a farm near Encinitas，California. At first，Paul Ecke，and later his son，grew large plants in fields. Then they sent them to growers by train. Growers would divide the large plants into cuttings，to raise smaller ones in greenhouses until the holidays.

The 1960s saw poinsettias booming. The Eckes started to sell cuttings from these new plants. Today Ecke Farm remains a major supplier in the United States and around the world.

Notes：

①latex n. 乳膠

②rash n. 皮疹

1. Where is the poinsettias original home place？

A. North America. B. Mexico.

C. California. D. Central America.

2. Which statement about the poinsettia is TRUE？

A. It needs strong sunshine.

B. It flowers small flowers in winter.

C. The poinsettias leaves are very small.

D. The poinsettia is a traditional part of Christmas.

3. From Paragraph 4 we can know that _____.

A. local people didnt like this kind of wild plant

B. Poinsett had interest in nothing but the poinsettia

C. the poinsettia wasnt planted as a potted plant then

D. wild poinsettias can grow up as tall as potted ones

4. Whats the correct process of developing this flower before Christmas？

a. cut the large plants into small ones

b. grew the large plants in the fields

c. send them to growers by train

d. raise them in greenhouse

A. a，b，c，d B. b，a，d，c

C. b，c，a，d D. d，a，b，c

5. How does the passage develop to introduce the poinsettia？

A. By the time. B. By the example.

C. By explaining. D. By comparing.

答案與解析

1. 答案為D。細節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)文章第二段可知答案。

2. 答案為B。細節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第一段及倒數(shù)第三段可知答案。

3. 答案為C。細節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第四段可知在墨西哥，當時這種花還是野花。

4. 答案為C。排序題。根據(jù)文章倒數(shù)第二段可知答案。

5. 答案為A。文章結(jié)構(gòu)題。根據(jù)全文對這種花的介紹，先從發(fā)現(xiàn)到培育種盆花再到最后的繁榮是按照時間順序來介紹的。

【長難句分析】

1. Red poinsettias are a traditional part of Christmas celebrations，which is why almost all of them are sold at wintertime.

分析：本句為復(fù)合句。which引導(dǎo)非限制性定語從句，先行詞為整個主句，在定語從句中又含有一個why引導(dǎo)的表語從句。

句意：紅色的一品紅是圣誕慶?；顒拥膫鹘y(tǒng)組成部分，這也是幾乎所有這種花都在冬季出售的原因。

2. People who are sensitive to the latex produced by rubber trees can develop a mild skin rash from poinsettia plants.

分析：本句為復(fù)合句。主句為people can develop a mild skin rash from poinsettia plants。who引導(dǎo)定語從句，先行詞為people，定語從句中過去分詞短語produced by rubber trees作后置定語，修飾the latex。

句意：對橡膠樹產(chǎn)出的乳膠過敏的人一旦接觸一品紅便會發(fā)生輕微的皮疹。

【語法點撥】

1. It is estimated that Americans bought $250 million worth of poinsettias last year.

句意：據(jù)估計，美國人去年總共購買了價值2.5億美元的一品紅。

分析：此句式為“It+be+過去分詞+that引導(dǎo)主語從句”。常見的有it be said/believed/thought/agreed/known/hoped/expected/reported/estimated/suggested等。如：

It is said that Mr. Wang，our English teacher will go to Britain for further education next term.

It is generally agreed that girls have the better gift of learning languages.

It is known to all that all work and no play makes John a dull boy.

2. Around the flowers are colorful leaves called bracts.

句意：花周圍五顏六色的花葉被稱為苞片。

分析：此句為倒裝句。當作狀語或表語的介詞短語前置，表示強調(diào)，謂語為單一動詞或be，主語為名詞，或者主語較長時，句子要全部倒裝。如：

At the foot of the mountain lies a village.

Among the high-risk group of heart disease are people with a preference for fat-rich foods.

They arrived at a farm house，in front of which sat a small boy.

3. The 1960s saw poinsettiasbooming.

句意：20世紀60年代一品紅開始激增。

分析：本句運用了擬人手法。用無生命的名詞作主語，叫擬人。如：

The year 1949 saw the founding of the Peoples Republic of China.

Great changes have witnessed our school during the past years.

The flowers nodded to her，smiling when she passed by.

（作者單位：陜西洋縣中學(xué)）（責任編校/彭益）