B

Next Halloween，a small vegetable that looks like a pumpkin may appear in a garden near you.The vegetable is a type of pepper that is called “Lil' Pumpkin.” It's very special because it has orange，pumpkin-like fruit.

You might think that all vegetables are grown to provide food to eat.But some vegetables are grown mainly for the lively color and holiday spirit that they bring to gardens.These are called “ornamentals(观赏性植物).” Just like lights decorate a Christmas tree，they decorate a garden.

The peppers were bred(培育) by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists John Stommel and Robert Griesbach.Another pepper the scientists developed is called “Pepper Jack.” Because Pepper Jack has orange and black cone ?shaped(锥形的) fruit，it might remind you of the popular Halloween treat “candy corn.”

Stommel says that vegetable crops such as peppers were first widely grown in Europe in the 15th century.At that time，people liked these crops more because they looked pretty than because they provided food.

Back then，when a gardener grew plants for decoration and plants for food，the garden was called a “potager.” An example of this is the large gardens on the lawns(草坪) of castles and very large homes where kings and queens lived，One of those large royal homes was the French king's palace at Versailles during the 1600's.The palace is still there today，and people from all over the world still go there to visit and see the gardens.

Today，Stommel says using vegetables as decorations in gardens has become popular again.

So you might be wondering，if these peppers are for decoration，can people eat them? Yes，but the fruit from both of these peppers has a sharp taste (kind of like onions!)

These peppers are scheduled to become available in mid?2011.These pretty peppers can be grown in containers and also in garden beds.They grow best with plenty of light and warm temperatures，Stommel says.

【语篇解读】 本文是一篇新闻，介绍了科学家新培育出的两种观赏辣椒。

5.What does the passage mainly talk about?

A.Different kinds of peppers.

B.The history of peppers.

C.Peppers with the Halloween spirit.

D.Food for the Halloween festival.

答案　C　[主旨大意题。本文主要介绍了科学家新培育出的两种观赏辣椒，它们的颜色和形状与万圣节的标志性物品--南瓜和糖果玉米相似。故选C。]

6.What do we know about “Lil' Pumpkin” and “Pepper Jack”?

A.They are used to decorate Christmas trees.

B.They are grown mainly to provide food to eat.

C.Their fruits have different shapes.

D.Their fruits are the same color.

答案　C　[细节理解题。根据文章前三段相关信息可知，这两种辣椒的形状和颜色都不相同，它们主要不是用来吃的，也不是用来装饰圣诞树的，故只有C项正确。]

7.The underlined word “they” in Paragraph 2 refers to “______”.

A.these vegetables  B.these holidays

C.these lights  D.these scientists

答案　A　[代词指代题。分析前面的句子可知，they指代的是作为观赏性植物的“这些蔬菜”。]

8.According to the passage，a potager was ______.

A.the place where kings and queens lived

B.the garden in the French king's palace

C.a place providing vegetables for the royal homes

D.a garden with plants for decoration and for food

答案　D　[细节理解题。由第五段第一句Back then，when a gardener grew plants for decoration and plants for food，the garden was called a “potager.”可知 potager是指既种植食用植物又种植观赏性植物的花园。故选D。]

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