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. For example, a greenhorn is someone who has no experience. In the 15th century, a greenhorn was a young cow or an ox 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.
Someone who is good at growing plants is said to have a green thumb(大拇指). The expression comes from the early 20th century. A person with a green thumb can make plants grow quickly and well.
Green is also the color used to describe the powerful feeling, jealousy(嫉妒). The green-eyed monster(怪物) 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 describes the unpleasant feeling when someone has something he wants. For example, a young man may suffer from the green-eyed monster if you get a pay rise and he does not.
In most places in the world, a green light means to move ahead. In everyday speech, a green light means agree to continue with a project.
273．A greenhorn now refers to ________.
A．a person who is new in a job
B．a new soldier
C．a young horse
D．a cow without horns
274．A person with a green thumb is a person ________.
A．who is good at growing plants
B．whose thumbs are of green color
C．whose garden is greener than others’
D．who is younger than his neighbors
275．A man may meet the green-eyed monster if ________.
A．he sees a dangerous animal
B．he reads a sad play
C．his friend gets a prize that he wants
D．he can’t get something
276．The main idea of the passage is ________.
A．a greenhorn
B．a green thumb
C．the Green Revolution
D．the word “green” and its story
273．A
274．A
275．C
276．D
【分析】
这是一篇说明文。短文介绍了与green有关的几个短语的含义以及这些短语的意义的历史变迁。
273．细节理解题。根据第二段最后一句By the 18th century, a greenhorn had the meaning it has today—a person who is new in a job.可知，现在“greenhorn”就是指工作方面的新手。故选A。
274．细节理解题。根据第三段第三句A person with a green thumb can make plants grow quickly and well.可知，“A person with a green thumb”是指一个能让植物长得很好的人，也就是擅长园艺的人。故选A。
275．推理判断题。根据第四段最后两句It describes the unpleasant feeling when someone has something he wants. For example, a young man may suffer from the green-eyed monster if you get a pay rise and he does not.可知，the green-eyed monster就是指嫉妒别人拥有了你想要的东西的人。所以当你的朋友得到了你想要的奖项的时候，你会很嫉妒他。就可能会遇见the green-eyed monster。故选C。
276．主旨大意题。通读全文可知，文章中介绍了了的多个关于green的短语“a greenhorn、 a green thumb和the green-eyed monster”的不同意义以及这些短语的来历和在不同的时期的不同的含义。所以短文主要是关于“绿色”这个词和它的故事。故选D项。