1 . Christmas came in extravagant(奢侈的) fashion to the Muslim desert emirate(酋长国) of Abu Dhabi as a shining hotel uncovered a bejeweled(饰以珠宝的) Christmas tree valued at more than 11 million dollars on Wednesday.

It is “the most expensive Christmas tree ever” with “a value of over 11 million dollars”, said Hans Olbertz, general of Emirates Palace Hotel, at its inauguration(落成典礼).

The 13-metre (40-foot) evergreen, located in the gold hall of the hotel, is decorated with silver and gold bows, ball-shaped decorations and small white lights. But the necklaces, earrings and other jewellery hung around the tree’s branches are what give it a record value. “It holds a total of 181 diamonds, pearls, sapphires and other precious stones,” said Khalifa Khouri, owner of Style Gallery, which provided the jewellery.

“The tree itself is about 10,000 dollars,” Olbertz said. “The jewellery has a value of over 11 million dollars—I think $1,141,150.”

“This will probably be an entry into the Guinness book of world records,” Olbertz said, adding that Emirates Palace planned to contact the organization about the tree which is to stay until the end of the year.

Asked whether the tree might be against religious sensibilities in the United Arab Emirates, where the vast majority of the local population are Muslim, Olbertz said he did not think it would. “It is a liberal(自由的) country,” he said.

The hotel has had a Christmas tree up in previous years, but this year “we have to do something different”, and the hotel’s marketing team hatched the plan, said Olbertz.

1. Why is the Christmas tree said to be “the most expensive Christmas tree ever”?

A．Because the cost pf planting and decorating the tree is too high.

B．Because the tree itself has a value of more than 11 million dollars

C．Because the tree has unique religious sensibility in the United Arab Emirates.

D．Because the jewellery hung around the tree’s branches gives it a record value.

2. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．The tree is located in the gold leaf-bedecked hall of the king’s palace.

B．The tree is decorated with jewellery whose value is over 11 million dollars.

C．The tree has been an entry into the Guinness book of world records.

D．The tree is sure to be against religious sensibilities in the United Arab Emirates.

3. The underlined word “hatched” in the last paragraph probably means “________”.

A．worked out	B．turned out
C．looked out	D．broke out

4. Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?

A．Christmas coming in extravagant fashion

B．The precious jewellery hung around a tree

C．The most expensive Christmas tree ever

D．the United Arab Emirates, a liberal country