Valentine’s Day may come from the ancient Roman feast of Lupercalia. 36 the fierce wolves roamed nearby, the old Romans called 37 the god Lupercus to help them. A festival in his 38 was held on February 15th. On the eve of the festival the 39 of the girls were written on 40 of paper and placed in jars. Each young man 41 a slip. The girl whose name was 42 was to be his sweetheart for the year.
Legend 43 it that the holiday became Valentine’s Day 44 a Roman bishop named Valentine. Emperor Claudius II 45 the Roman soldiers NOT to marry or become engaged. Claudius felt married soldiers would 46 stay home than fight. When Valentine 47 the Emperor and secretly married the young couples, he was put to death on February 14th, the 48 of Lupercalia. After his death, Valentine became a 49 . Christian bishop moved the holiday from the 15th to the 14th—Valentine’s Day. Now the holiday honors Valentine 50 of Lupercus.
Valentine’s Day has become a major 51 of love and romance in the modern world. The ancient god Cupid and his 52 into a lover’s heart may still be used to 53 falling in love or being in love. But we also use cards and gifts, such as flowers or jewelry, to do this. 54 to give flower to a wife or sweetheart on Valentine’s Day can sometimes be as 55 as forgetting a birthday or a wedding anniversary.
A. While B. When C. Though D. Unless
A. upon B. back C. off D. away
A. honor B. belief C. hand D. way
A. problems B. secrets C. names D. intentions
A. rolls B. piles C. works D. slips
A. cast B. caught C. drew D. found
A. given B. chosen C. elected D. delivered
A. tells B. means C. makes D. has
A. after B. since C. as D. from
A. ordered B. appealed C. imagined D. believed
A. other B. simply C. rather D. all
A. disliked B. resisted C. defeated D. dishonored
A. celebration B. arrangement C. feast D. eve
A. goat B. saint C. model D. weapon
A. because B. made C. instead D. learnt
A. part B. representative C. judgment D. symbol
A. story B. wander C. arrow D. play
A. describe B. require C. demand D. alarm
A. Keeping B. Disapproving C. Supporting D. Forgetting
A. constructive B. damaging C. strengthening D. responding
科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Nothing says love like a dozen long – stemmed roses on Valentine’s Day. More than a million roses will be sold during this festival for lovers, the biggest day of the year for the nation’s rose industry. It’s going to remain the most popular flower because love never goes out of style.
Yes, a rose is a rose is a rose. But selling them is no longer a beautiful experience for traditional flower shops. Supermarkets now offer convenience to the busy and discount rose shops help those hopelessly in love save money. Roses only is a good example of a discount rose retailer that was transformed from a traditional shop to answer the challenge in the’ 90s.
Inside this store on Sixth Avenue near 40 th Street, contemporary white furniture and wall – to – wall mirrors give it an expensive look. Customers move about freely among the counters, looking eagerly at the roses in more than 50 colors from shelf to shelf. Some customers say it’s the high quality of the roses that attracts them there. “I spent $ 20 but the flowers looked like I paid 60 or 70 dollars,” says one customer.
Studies show more people are buying roses in ones, two and threes these days. In fact, more than half of all roses are sold in bunches of fewer than a dozen. But Roses Only's low prices encourage people to spend. Even on Valentine's Day, when the price of a dozen roses and delivery can soar as high as $150, 12 of Roses Only's most expensive flowers sell for just $35. The company's key to success is to hold prices down by controlling every link in the rose chain. It grows its own roses in the sunshine of the Andes Mountains. In addition, the company also sells other items such as ballons and stuffed animals.
While discount rose retailers are witnessing their business bloom, U.S. rose growers aren’t able to compete with the fierce foreign competition. More than 57% of roses sold in the USA are grown in other countries. The biggest foreign producers are Colombia and Ecuador, which accounted for almost 90% of the total imported last year. The trend has hurt domestic rose growers such as Johnson Flowers of California, considered to be this country's leading producer.
Now, instead of fighting overseas rivals, the Johnsons are trying to work with them. "We have a few big fighting overseas rivals, the Johnsons are trying to work with them. “We may also widen our business to include the service area and be a representative for overseas flower producers.”
As a result of severe competition, those in the rose business long for the good old days, whereas ordinary people benefit from the low price.
60．What is the central theme of this text?
A．The US rose business is going from bad to worse in spite of the efforts made.
B．The rose will remain the most popular flower as love never goes out of date.
C．The rose business is trying to meet the challenges in the market to succeed.
D．The rose industry plays an important role in American economy.
61．How does Roses Only obtain success in the discount rose retailing field?
A．By setting up more chain stores across the country.
B．By selling roses in supermarkets.
C．By selling high quality roses at a low price.
D．By selling roses by the dozen.
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