Emma still remembers the first time she saw the empty lot(场地) near her school. “It was full of rubbish and broken glass, which made me sad,” said the 14-year-old from Canada. The sight stayed with her. “That’s when I thought, maybe we could change this place,” she said. Empty lots often become places where people put waste. “These spaces could be so
much more than that,” Emma explained.
Emma noticed a problem: Even when someone cleans a lot, it often becomes dirty within weeks again. She thought cleaning alone was not enough. Then she started “Green Garden” to turn the lot into a community garden. She talked to her head teacher, who agreed to help. They asked the town for permission. After weeks of waiting, the answer finally came: Yes!
Then she organised a cleanup. Over 30 students and parents picked up rubbish and cleared glass. They classified the waste according to environmental science requirements—recyclable things were sent to nearby recycling stations, while harmful waste was dealt with properly. But cleaning was only the first step. Emma then asked the local businesses to donate soil, seeds and tools. A flower shop kindly gave plants. A hardware store nearby offered tools like shovels and watering cans.
On a Saturday in May, students got together to plant flowers and vegetables and watered them carefully. Emma’s friend, Lucas, made small wooden signs with each plant’s name written on them.
Weeks passed. Sunflowers grew tall. Tomatoes turned red. Neighbours stopped by to admire the garden, some even bringing their own flowers to add. Emma and her friends formed a group called the “Garden Keepers” to take care of the plants. The garden became a place where everyone felt welcome. “We are growing community,” Emma said.
The town newspaper wrote about the garden. Other schools called to ask how to start their own. Emma’s message to young people is simple: “Look around. Is there a place that needs care? You have the power to change it. Just take the first step.”
()56. What does the underlined word “that” refer to in the first paragraph?
A. A new idea.
B. An explanation.
C. An empty lot.
D. A rubbish-filled lot.
()57. Why did Emma think cleaning alone was not enough?
A. There were too many lots to be cleaned.
B. People would keep putting rubbish there.
C. She wanted to grow plants instead.
D. The town needs more gardens.
()58. What’s the order of the following activities?
①Getting help from some stores.
②Clearing rubbish and glass.
③Making wooden signs.
④Classifying the waste.
A.②①③④
B.①②④③
C.②④①③
D.②①③④
()59. What does Emma mean by saying “We are growing community” in Paragraph 5?
A. The garden is admired by many people.
B. The neighbourhood is becoming closer.
C. Neighbours can learn a lot about gardening.
D. The community is getting larger in size.
()60. What would be the best title for the passage?
A. When a Lot Became a Lot More
B. The Power of Students
C. Neighbours Who Work Together
D. The Mystery of Empty Lots

56.D 57.B 58.C 59.B 60.A

【分析】
做这类英语阅读理解题，需先通读原文把握主旨，再针对每个小题定位原文对应内容，结合语境分析：1. 指代题需找前文提到的核心名词/短语；2. 细节题需定位题干关键词，对比原文与选项；3. 排序题需梳理事件先后顺序；4. 句意题需结合上下文语境理解；5. 主旨题需提炼全文核心内容，排除偏离主旨的选项。
【解析】
56题：定位第一段，前文提到“Empty lots often become places where people put waste”，Emma说“These spaces could be so much more than that”，此处that指代前文“堆满垃圾的空地”，对应D选项。
57题：定位第二段，原文指出“Even when someone cleans a lot, it often becomes dirty within weeks again”，说明单独清洁不够是因为人们会继续在此扔垃圾，对应B选项。
58题：梳理事件顺序：先组织清理（②）→分类垃圾（④）→向商家求助捐赠（①）→制作木牌（③），对应C选项。
59题：定位第五段，邻居来花园欣赏、带花加入，Emma等人成立团队维护，说明社区邻里关系更紧密，对应B选项。
60题：全文围绕Emma将堆满垃圾的空地改造成社区花园展开，对应第一段“These spaces could be so much more than that”，A选项“当空地变得更有意义”契合主旨，对应A选项。
【答案】
56.D 57.B 58.C 59.B 60.A
【知识点】
英语阅读理解 指代题 细节理解题
【点评】
本文是一篇青少年改造社区空地的记叙文，考查学生对英语语篇的细节定位、逻辑梳理和主旨提炼能力，题目设置贴合初中英语阅读考点。
【难度系数】
0.6