Green is an important color in nature. It is the color of grass and the leaves on trees. It is also the color of most growing plants. Sometimes, the word “green” means young, fresh and growing. Sometimes, it means something that is not yet finished. For example, a greenhorn is someone who has little experience as he is new to a situation. In the 15th century, a greenhorn was a young cow whose horns(角) had not yet developed. A century later, a greenhorn was a soldier who had no experience in war. By the 18th century, a greenhorn had the meaning it has today — a person who is new in a job.
About one hundred years ago, greenhorn was a popular expression in the west of America. People used it to describe a man if he came from one of the big cities in the east. The greenhorn didn’t have the skills to live in the hard country. Someone who is good at growing plants is said to have a green thumb(大拇指). This comes from the early 20th century. A person with a green thumb can make plants grow quickly and well. The Green Revolution is the name given to the development of new kinds of rice and other grains some years ago. It was the result of hard work by scientists who had green thumbs. Green is also the color used to describe the feeling — Jealousy(嫉妒). The green-eyed monster(怪兽) is not a dangerous animal from outer space. It is an expression used about 400 years ago by the British writer William Shakespeare in his play Othello. It means the unpleasant feeling when someone has something he wants to get. In most places in the world, the color green is one of the traffic lights. Green has so many different meanings that we should know more to understand it better.
【小题1】A new soldier was called a greenhorn in the _________ century.
【小题2】A person with a green thumb _________.
| A．is good at growing plants | B．really has a green thumb |
| C．has no experience in war | D．is new in a job |
【小题3】A man may meet the green-eyed monster if _________.
| A．he sees a dangerous animal | B．he can’t buy something |
| C．he reads a sad story | D．his friend gets a gift that he wants |
【小题4】This passage mentions(提及) the following EXCEPT “_________”.
| A．a green job | B．a greenhorn | C．a green thumb | D．a green-eyed monster |
【小题5】Which would be the best title of the passage?
| A．Green, the Color of Grass and Trees | B．Green, Making Plants Grow Quickly |
| C．Green, One of Traffic Lights | D．Green, with Different Meanings |
