Apple, a common, everyday fruit, has become a business opportunity for Chinese businessmen during Christmas.

Apples with pictures of cute messages or packed in beautiful boxes could sell for 10 to 20 yuan each during Christmas while the most expensive one could reach as much as 500 yuan.

Modern Express, a newspaper in Nanjing city, reported that a fruit businessman in Nanjing could earn 2,000 yuan in one day by selling such apples.

Christmas Eve is also called "ping an ye", while "ping an" means safety and peace, in China. The apple, pronounced "ping guo" in Chinese, is also called "ping an guo" when it is sold during Christmas. With this reason, people in China often give apples to each other as giving it means wishing safety and peace.

A thousand people have a 1,000 ways to celebrate Christmas Eve. Christmas, as a western festival is become more and more popular in China, people have their own ways to celebrate it. On Dec 24, 2014, students in an art college in Shandong sold the apples painted with pictures to raise money for a charity that will give away the money to the children in rural areas.

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1.What kind of fruit is the most popular during Christmas?

A Pears.

B Oranges.

C Apples.

D Bananas.

解析：选C。C 细节理解题。根据文章第一、二段的内容可知，在圣诞期间苹果大受欢迎。故答案为C。

2.What does the underlined word “earn” mean?

A 赚

B 赔

C 花费

D 丢失

解析：选A。A 词义推测题。根据文章前两段的内容可知，在圣诞期间，包装精美的苹果可以卖到10至20元一个，最贵可达500元，因此猜测这个商人通过卖这种苹果，一天可以赚2000元。故答案为A。

3.Why do people in China give apples to each other as gifts?

A Because they are delicious.

B Because they are expensive.

C Because it is a tradition.

D Because they mean safety and peace.

解析：选D。D 推理判断题。从第四段的内容可知，苹果因其“安全、和平”的含义和与平安夜相同的谐音而广受欢迎，因此人们把它作为平安夜的礼物。故答案为D。

4.Students in an art college in Shandong sold the apples ______________.

A to raise money for their study

B to raise money for the children in rural areas

C to raise money for their sick schoolmates.

D to raise money for their family

解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据文章最后一句的“…raise money for a charity that will give away the money to the children in rural areas”可知，他们是为一个给农村孩子捐款的慈善机构募集钱。故答案为B。

5.What’s the main idea of this passage?

A Christmas is an important festival in China.

B Selling apples can make lots of money.

C Apples are popular during Christmas.

D The way to celebrate Christmas.

解析：选C。C 主旨大意题。通读全文可知，本文主要介绍了圣诞期间苹果受欢迎的程度和原因。故答案为C。