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(帳單), 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!
【小題1】How many children did the writer have?
【小題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． |
【小題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 |
【小題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 |
