Scientists have known for years that plants respond to sounds around them. For example, flowers make sweeter nectar (花蜜) to the sound of buzzing bees. But now scientists in Israel have shown that plants also seem to be doing some “talking”.
Professor Lilach Hadany and her team at Tel Aviv University set up microphones to record tomato and tobacco plants under different conditions. Their recordings revealed that the plants made ultrasonic sounds (超声波) .
It’s not clear how the plants make the sounds. One idea is that air bubbles (气泡) form inside the plant’s stem, and that these popping bubbles make a clicking sound. It’s also not clear if the plants are making the sounds on purpose. Sometimes people’s knees creak, too, but they’re not doing it on purpose.
But the plants are definitely making noise, and creating much more noise when they’re stressed than when they’re not.
In fact, the researchers trained an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system to identify the different kinds of clicking sounds. The system was able to tell the difference between plants that needed water and plants with cuts about 70% of the time.
The result suggests that researchers may one day be able to use a plant’s sounds to figure out when it is having trouble, and what trouble it is having. They hope that could be very helpful to farmers.
The new discovery raises many more questions. One important question is: Do plants make sounds to communicate with each other?
Other research has shown that plants do seem to communicate in some ways. Plants being attacked by insects send chemicals into the air. Soon, nearby plants that haven’t been attacked yet start to make other chemicals that don’t taste good to insects. It’s possible that the ultrasonic sounds could work in a similar way.
Another big question is: Is anything listening to the plants? Dr. Hadany points out that mice and moths, for example, depend on plants, and can hear ultrasonic frequencies. The clicks may tell these animals when a plant isn’t healthy, so they can avoid it.
The team’s research has already changed our ideas about plants. As Dr. Hadany says, “Even in a quiet field, there are actually sounds that we don’t hear, and those sounds carry information.”
1. Why does the author mention flowers in Paragraph 1?| A．To prove plants can hear the sounds. | B．To show plants make ultrasonic sounds. |
| C．To make a comparison with other plants. | D．To arouse the readers’ interest in the text. |
| A．The plants convey information by touch. | B．The attacked plants make ultrasonic sounds. |
| C．The attacked plants send poor-taste chemicals. | D．The wind blows the odor of the attacked plants. |
| A．To prove plants can talk. | B．To make a new discovery. |
| C．To promote plants’ better growth. | D．To have more knowledge of plants. |
| A．Plants “Talk” | B．Amazing Plants |
| C．Ultrasonic “Dances” | D．Wonderful Sounds |
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The expression was first used in 1913 by a young American called Arthur Momand. He told this story about himself. He began earning $ 125 a week at the age of 23. That was a lot of money in those days. He got married and moved with his wife to a very wealthy neighbourhood outside New York City. When he saw that rich people rode horses, Momand went horseback riding every day. When he saw that rich people had servants, Momand and his wife also hired a servant and gave big parties for their new neighbours.
It was like a race, but one could never finish this race because one was always trying to keep up. The race ended for Momand and his wife when they could no longer pay for their new way of life. They moved back to an apartment in New York City.
Momand looked around him and noticed that many people do things just to keep up with rich life--style of their neighbours. He saw the funny side of it and started to write a series of short stories, He called it ‘Keeping up with the Joneses’ because ‘Jones’ is a very common name in the United States.’ Keeping up with the Joneses’ came to mean keeping up with rich lifestyle of the people around you. Momand’s series appeared in different newspapers across the country for over 28 years.
People never seem to get tired of keeping up with the Joneses. And there are ‘Jonses’ in every city of the world. But one must get tired of trying to keep up with the Joneses because no matter what one does, Mr. Jones always seems to be ahead.
1. Some people want to keep up with the Joneses because they ______.
| A．want to be as rich as their neighbours |
| B．want others to know or to think that they are rich |
| C．don’t want others to know they are rich |
| D．want to be happy |
| A．live outside New York City | B．live in New York City |
| C．live in apartments | D．have many neighbours |
| A．a person who lives near another | B．people living in an area |
| C．an area near the place referred to | D．an area in another town or city |
| A．an important name | B．a popular name in the United States |
| C．his neighbour’s name | D．not a good name |
| A．correct | B．interesting | C．impossible | D．good |
【推荐2】If you do not use your arms or your legs for some time, they will become weak, and when you start using them again, they slowly become strong again. Everybody knows that. Yet many people do not seem to know that memory works in the same way.
When someone says that he has a good memory, he really means that he keeps his memory in practice by using it. When someone else says that his memory is poor, he really means that he does not give it enough chance to become strong.
If a friend says that his arms and legs are weak, we know that it is his own fault. But if he tells us that he has a poor memory, many of us think that his parents may be blamed, and few of us know that it is just his own fault (过错). Have you ever found that some people can’t read or write but usually they have better memories? This is because they cannot read or write and when they have to remember things, they cannot write them down in a small notebook. As a result, they have to remember days, names, songs and stories, so their memory is being exercised the whole time.
So if you want to have a good memory, learn from the people: practice remembering things in a way as other people do.
1. Someone can’t have a good memory if ________.| A．he can’t read or write |
| B．his parents haven’t a good memory |
| C．he doesn’t use his arms or legs for some time |
| D．he doesn’t make good use of his memory |
| A．they will become thin |
| B．they will become weak |
| C．they begin to ache all over |
| D．you can’t use them any more |
| A．his own fault | B．his parents" fault |
| C．his teachers" fault | D．his friends" fault |
| A．Don't Stop Using your Arms or Legs | B．Learn from the People |
| C．How to Have a Good Memory | D．Strong Arms and Good Memories |
【推荐3】Staffan Lindeberg is a professor in the department of medicine at the University of Lund in Sweden. He was interested in a Stone Age diet. In the early 1990s he travelled to Papua New Guinea to study the diet of the people on the island of Kitava as it was very close to the Stone Age diet. While there, he found that people did not suffer from heart attacks, diabetes (糖尿病), being overweight and many other diseases common in western countries.
As a result of his findings, he decided to test patients in Sweden to see how such a diet would affect them. Fourteen patients followed a Stone Age diet while another fifteen followed a Mediterranean diet, also healthy with lots of fruit and vegetables. All of the patients in the tests had high blood sugar levels, most suffered from diabetes and all had heart problems.
At the end of three months, the group following the Mediterranean diet had reduced their blood sugar levels by a small amount but those following the Stone Age diet had much lower levels of sugar in their blood. The patients in both groups also lost weight although the level of sugar in the blood and the patients’ weight didn’t seem to be related.
So, what is it about the Stone Age diet that can make us healthier? The diet contains some meat, fish, vegetables and nuts (坚果) but it doesn’t contain any dairy products (乳制品) or grains, and there is no salt.
The next question is whether the Kitava people are healthier than us. After all, their life expectancy (预期寿命) is much lower. According to Professor Lindeberg, this is not as simple as we may think. Because of their poor health care, there is more chance of them dying at a young age. However, if people on Kitava manage to reach fifty, they are likely to live as long as people in more developed countries.
1. What did Staffan Lindeberg find about the Kitava people on the island of Kitava?| A．They followed the Stone Age diet. |
| B．They lived a simple life. |
| C．They had no diseases common in western countries. |
| D．They had poor medical conditions. |
| A．The Stone Age diet could help people lose weight quickly. |
| B．High blood sugar levels could cause people to be overweight. |
| C．The Mediterranean diet could not help reduce blood sugar levels. |
| D．People following the Stone Age diet had a low blood sugar level. |
| A．Vegetables. | B．Salt. | C．Meat. | D．Fish. |
| A．They have unhealthy eating habits. |
| B．Their living conditions are poor. |
| C．They don’t have good health care. |
| D．They tend to suffer from a rare disease at a young age. |
【推荐1】Don’t you have time for reading? If you are interested in non-fiction books, here are some good choices for you.
A Room of One’s Own
This essay by English writer Virginia Woolf is based on several lectures given to two women’s colleges at Cambridge University in 1928. In the essay, Woolf describes that it’s circumstance not talent alone, that allows men to be more successful at writing. Women, in other words, spend so much time cooking, cleaning, and tending to their children that they have no time left for art. To write well, therefore, a woman must have a “room of her own”. While on its surface, this essay appears to be only about writing, it is actually about wealth and class, freedom and confinement, and the power struggle between sexes.
The Art of War
Written by ancient Chinese warrior Sun Tzu, The Art of War is widely considered to be one of the best books about military strategies in human history. Consisting of 13 chapters, each dealing with a separate aspect about how to fight a war, the book has been translated into every major language and has thousands of editions. For centuries, it has been used to train world leaders for its detailed study of military strategies and effective leadership.
Letter to My Daughter
This book of essays by Maya Angelou, a respectable African-American poet, is written for “the daughter she never had” — the millions of women, both young and old, that she considers to be her “family”. From the viewpoint of a caring, older relative, this book contains lessons selected from her own life experiences, including the birth of her only child, a son, as well as the development and loss of friendship.
A Brief History of Time
If you’re short of time, then why not read about, well, the creation of time? This book, first published in 1998 from brilliant scientist and mathematician Stephen Hawking, explores mind-bending questions about the creation of the universe, including if and when it will end, and if so, how. Despite its heavy subject matter, Hawking addresses these questions in a way that’s easy to understand, even for those who know little about physics.
1. What can we learn about the four books?| A．A Brief History of Time mainly focuses on the matter of time. |
| B．Letter to My Daughter is actually a common family letter. |
| C．The Art of War gives advice on how to be a world leader. |
| D．A Room of One’s Own is more than about writing. |
| A．As a physicist,Hawking is equally famous in writing. |
| B．Maya devotes herself to fighting for women’s rights. |
| C．The book by Sun Tzu is helpful in policy-making. |
| D．Woolf looks down upon men in writing. |
| A．To make comparisons among the four books. |
| B．To recommend the four books to readers. |
| C．To make comments on the four books. |
| D．To promote sales of the four books. |
【推荐2】If you’re looking for the perfect activity to do with your teens — try board games! Here are three board games for teens that will exercise their brains in amazing ways.
Hive (Ages: 8 and up)
Hive is considered a board game, except there is no board. As each player adds pieces, the board is created. Hive comes with a rulebook that explains what each piece can/can’t do.
About the Game:
As more and more pieces are added, the game becomes a fight to see who can be the first to capture the opposing Queen Bee. You can become quite skilled soon because playing the game is easy — even though you have to be on your toes thinking through each move.
Blokus (Ages: 7 and up)
Blokus Board Game received a Mensa award for promoting healthy brain activity.
About the Game:
The goal of this game is for the players to fit all of their pieces onto the board. The piece cannot lie next to the other player’s pieces. But it must be placed touching at least one corner of their pieces already on the board. The player who gets rid of all of their tiles (棋子) first is the winner. The game can be repeated for more family fun.
Codenames (Ages: 14 and up)
Codenames is a family game for 4-8 players.
About the Game:
There are two opposing spymasters who know the identity of 25 agents. Their teammates know the agents only by their codenames. Spymasters give one-word clues that can point to multiple words on the board. Teammates try to guess words while avoiding those belonging to the opposing team. The team managing to contact all their agents first wins the game.
1. What do we know about Hive?| A．It has no fixed playing rule. | B．It needs playing experience. |
| C．It has a ready-made board. | D．It requires cautious decisions. |
| A．The minimum age is 7. |
| B．They have received awards. |
| C．They are suitable for family fun. |
| D．They need players to guess words. |
| A．Brilliant teens. | B．Devoted parents. |
| C．Experienced players. | D．Creative inventors. |
【推荐3】Japanese businessman Katsuo Inoue chose Italy for his summer vacation this year. He enjoyed the views of Florence and Rome—without ever leaving Tokyo.
Inoue and his wife "flew" to Italy on First Airlines, a company known for entertainment, not transportation.The Tokyo-based company entered the growing virtual reality(虚拟现实)market,as people face travel restrictions(限制) because of COVID-19.
"I often go overseas on business, but I haven't been to Italy, Inoue told the Reuters News. " My impression was rather good because I got a sense of actually seeing things there."
The "passengers" on First Airlines sit in the first or business-class areas of an "airplane". They are even given a life vest and oxygen mask. Workers serve meals and drinks as large screens show passing clouds and other views outside the airplane. The "travelers" then receive virtual reality eyewear that provides true-to-life tours of places like Paris, New York, Hawaii and Rome and other Italian cities.
Japan has recorded over 50,000 infections (感染) and just over 1,000 deaths. A second wave of infections starting in July has stopped most travel in an d out the country. The country's biggest airline,ANA Holdings, said the numbers of passengers flying to foreign countries fell by 96 percent in June And the International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicted last month that it would take until the year 2024 for international travel to recover.
But Hiroaki Abe, president of First Airlines says, "Our business has increased by 50 percent since the start of the travel restrictions. We get some customers who normally travel to Hawaii every year and they can experience some of that here."
1. What do we know about Inoue's trip to Italy?| A．It was a trip on business. | B．It was a virtual visit. |
| C．It was his first trip by plane. | D．It was against the travel restrictions. |
| A．. Customers' comments on the trip. | B．Safety rules to follow during the trip. |
| C．Business advantages of virtual vacations | D．The company's services to make the trip real. |
| A．It may disappear by 2024. | B．Its customers are hard to please. |
| C．Its market will surely become bigger. | D．It meets customers'need in the special time. |
【推荐1】Plants and exposure to greenery have been found to have mental health benefits and like any new skill or hobby, taking care of houseplants comes with difficulty. Anyone starting to care for plants should be patient and allow themselves time to learn the basics. Here are several plants recommended for giving mental health benefits:
Snake Plant
These popular indoor plants have a striking appearance, with dark green sword-shaped leaves that have yellow or white stripes. It is a great first plant, and is very easy to care for. It grows in spaces with low sunlight, has visual appeal and cleans the air.
Lavender
Well known for its relaxing smell, lavender has a calming effect, aids in reducing stress, promotes sleep and specially has anti-inflammatory (抗炎的) effects when used as a medicine for skin. You can cut it off and dry the leaves or even put them into your bath.
Pothos
If you want to go bright green, try pothos. The plants grow long stems that can hang from a pot and grow downward, or the stems can climb and grow upward. They clean the air and look beautiful hanging down a bookcase or shelf.
Lemon Balm
This fragrant green herb is part of the mint family and is simple to plant. Known for its calming properties, it has a light lemony smell and has been used to improve sleep, reduce stress and anxiety.
Basil
The experience of growing, picking and using herbs you’ve grown yourself has a positive impact on your mental health, creating a sense of accomplishment. Eating basil has health benefits too. It has properties that help to relieve stress and anxiety, and eating it can clear your mind.
1. What do snake plant and pothos have in common?| A．Long stems. | B．Bright green leaves. |
| C．Purifying the air. | D．Relaxing your mind. |
| A．Promoting sleep. | B．Resisting inflammation. |
| C．Reducing stress. | D．Clearing your mind. |
| A．Basil. | B．Snake Plants. | C．Pothos. | D．Lavender. |
【推荐2】Now it’s the perfect time to teach kids about growing things. Try one or more of these plant experiments for fun and learning.
Color carnations(康乃馨).
Fill a glass with water and color the water. Add a white carnation stalk(茎) and watch the plant become colorful as it “drinks” the colored water. This is a great, short experiment to show how plants absorb water.
Plant root vegetables.
Find out how root vegetables form underground by planting root vegetables in a clear container. First, fill the bottom of the container with small stones. Next, add potting soil and plant root vegetable seeds, trying carrots or onions, evenly. Keep the soil wet and enjoy watching the root form. Best of all, when the vegetable is done growing, you can eat it!
Study speedy sunflowers.
Sunflower seeds sprout(发芽) and grow quickly, making this the perfect flower for impatient children. These seeds can be started just about anywhere, even in a paper coffee cup or yogurt container. Kids love seeing the plant push its way out of the soil, wearing the seed’s outer part like a hat! Move your plant to a flower pot after it sprouts to observe the flower as it forms.
Make a grass basket.
Grass is another seed that grows quickly, Make a living basket by lining a basket with plastic and filling it with potting soil, Put grass seeds on top and water them lightly every day.
Growing plants is a great way to bring some learning — and a little sunshine — to your daily life. Try any of these inexpensive garden experiments for a fun project this spring.
1. Which garden experiment will you choose to see how plants take in water?| A．Color carnations. |
| B．Make a grass basket. |
| C．Plant root vegetables. |
| D．Study speedy sunflowers. |
| A．It has strict requirements for temperature. |
| B．It offers you the tasty fruits of your labor. |
| C．It is perfect for impatient kids. |
| D．It is convenient to carry on. |
| A．They both need little water. |
| B．They both like shade. |
| C．They both grow very quickly. |
| D．They both prefer clear containers. |
【推荐3】Animals can move from place to place, but plants cannot. When an animal is under attack, it can run away or fight back. Plants certainly cannot run away, and they lack teeth and claws. But plants can defend themselves by using both physical and chemical means.
Some plants have their own ways to keep animals away. For example, the leaves of the holly plant have sharp spines (刺) that discourage grass-eating animals. Holly leaves on lower branches have more spines than leaves on upper branches. This is because the lower leaves are easier for most animals to reach.
Some plants, such as the oak tree, have thick and hard leaves that are difficult for animals to eat. Some grasses may contain a sandy material; eating such grasses wears down the animal’s teeth.
Many plants also have chemical defenses. Some plants produce chemicals that taste bitter or cause an unpleasant reaction. Some plants may fight against an attack by increasing the production of these chemicals. When a caterpillar (毛虫) bites a tobacco leaf, the leaf produces a chemical messenger. This messenger sends to the roots the information to produce more nicotine. The higher levels of nicotine discourage the caterpillar.
Many plants depend on both physical and chemical defenses. A certain plant in China, for instance, has prickly (多刺的) leaves, and each prickle contains poisonous venom (毒液). A single experience with this kind of plant will teach an animal to stay away from it in the future.
1. To defend themselves, oak trees use ________.| A．chemical means | B．physical means | C．bitter chemicals | D．sandy materials |
| A．Its leaves fight against the attack by physical means. |
| B．Its roots send a messenger to discourage the caterpillar. |
| C．Its roots increase the production of nicotine when it is attacked. |
| D．Its leaves produce poisonous sand to drive the caterpillar away. |
| A．Plants and Animals | B．How Plants Defend Themselves |
| C．Attacks and Defenses | D．How Animals Eat Plant Leaves |
