[originaltext] Roses symbolize peace, love and forgiveness. White roses are

Roses symbolize peace, love and forgiveness. White roses are for true love. Red roses are for passion. Yellow roses are for friendship. Black roses mean farewell.
    According to fossil records, roses are over 35 million years old and they were first cultivated in China about 5, 000 years ago. A Chinese emperor in the 6th century BC apparently had over 600 books on roses in his library, and oil was extracted from those grown in his gardens.(33)However, only the highest members of society were allowed to use it. If anyone else was found with even a small amount, they were sentenced to death. Roses were also popular with the Romans, who used their petals as medicine, a source of perfume and to spread at weddings.
    Cultivated roses were only introduced to Western Europe in the 18th century.(34)Napoleon’s wife, Josephine, started a botanical garden near Paris, where she collected all the known varieties of rose and encouraged the breeding of new ones. This led to the flowers becoming increasingly popular, and(35)in Britain at that time roses became so valuable that they were often used as currency in local markets.
    All roses in Europe used to be pink or white until the first red ones arrived from China 200 years ago. These now are the world’s most common cut flower.
33. Q: What do we know about roses in the 6th century BC?
34. Q: Who contributed to the popularity of roses in Europe?
35. Q: What does the speaker tell us about roses in Britain in the 18th century?