Bamboo is the tallest member in the grass family. It is one of the fastest growing plants on earth, growing reportedly up to 98 inches in just 24 hours. Bamboo is mainly found in Asia, some parts of Africa and parts of the America in many different varieties. Over centuries bamboo has had a variety of uses like medicine, paper, construction, furniture, home decoration and musical instruments.
The use of bamboo as a construction material is not new and many countries have been using it to build homes for centuries. Bamboo’s unique and efficient natural design makes it a good building material.
Bamboo is very flexible and hence when it grows it can be defined to grow into specific shapes. Its shock absorption capacity (减震功能) makes it a great building material for earthquake- resistant houses. Bamboo houses can also stand a hurricane with wind speeds of up to 170 mph.
Bamboo is cheap and readily available in areas where it is cultivated. Transportation of bamboo is also cheaper than other materials.
The most important quality of bamboo is its environmentally friendly quality. It is renewable and bamboo forests can be grown in a few years. Its naturally smooth surface does not require painting, making it safe from health dangers caused by paint. Bamboo can be grown in a variety of climates and houses made of bamboo do not require use of other materials like concrete (混凝土), steel, etc. Pesticides (杀虫剂) and other chemicals need not be used while cultivating bamboo, making it more eco-friendly.
Bamboo also has certain drawbacks. For example, not all types of bamboo can be used for construction. Bamboo cannot be used to build the skyscrapers that we all love. Wet bamboo deteriorates (变坏) faster.
Despite all the drawbacks, the environmentally friendly features of bamboo make it a great building material. The few drawbacks that bamboo has can be mitigated with research and the use of bamboo as an alternative building material should be encouraged to make our earth greener.
4. Which is mentioned in the first paragraph?
A.The drawback of bamboo. | B.The varieties of bamboo. |
C.The growing areas of bamboo. | D.The qualities of bamboo. |
5. What is the main idea of the fifth paragraph?
A.The qualities that bamboo has to make it a good building material. |
B.The reasons why bamboo is an environmentally friendly building material. |
C.The different uses of bamboo throughout history. |
D.The great demand for bamboo in the world now. |
6. What can we learn from the passage?
A.Bamboo houses are dangerous in earth- quakes and hurricanes. |
B.Bamboo can be used to build skyscrapers. |
C.Bamboo is grown in all parts of the world. |
D.Bamboo is cheaper to transport compared with other materials. |
7. The underlined word “mitigated” in the last paragraph can be replaced by “ _______”.
A.absorbed | B.allowed | C.reduced | D.ignored |