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For years I wanted a f
lower garden. I spent hours and days 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. Five children. I was too busy raising them to grow a garden.
Money was tight, as well as 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 five children got through high school and college and were off on their own. I started
thinking again about having a garden.
I wasn't sure, though. I mean, gardens do cost money, and after all these years I was used to living on
a pretty poor,
no-frillsbudget (预算).
Then, one spring morning, on Mother's day, I was working in my kitchen. Suddenly, I realized that
cars were tooting their horns as they drove by. I looked out of the window and there was a new tree,
planted right in my yard. I thought it must be a weeping willow, because I saw things blowing around on
all its branches. 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, tied all over the
tree. Think of all the garden flowers I could buy with one hundred dollars! There was also a note
attached: "IOU eight hours of digging time. Love, Marvin."
Marvin kept his promise, too. He dug up a nice ten-by-fifteen foot bed for me. And my other children
bought me tools, a trellis (绷架), a sunflower stepping stone and gardening books.
That was three years ago. My garden's now very pretty, just like what I wanted. When I go out to
weed or tend my flowers, I don't seem to miss my children as much as I once did. It feels like they are
right there with me.
I live up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where winters are long and cold, and summers are too short. But every year now, when winter sets in, 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. By saying "Do you see a money tree outside?", the mother actually means _____.
A. Observation is the best teacher
B. Seeing is believing
C. The outsider sees the most of the game
D. It is not easy to gain money
2. The underlined word "no-frills" in the fifth paragraph is similar in meaning to _____.
A. wasteful
B. tight
C. deserted
D. helpful
3. From the last two paragraphs we can infer that the mother is _____.
A. divorced when she was young
B. not caring for her kids any longer
C. alone but not at all lonely
D. prouder with her garden than with her kids
4. The best title for the passage would probably be _____.
A. My flower garden
B. Marvin helps to realize my dream
C. Love in Michigan
D. Money grows on trees