In many people’s eyes, plants are quiet. They can’t talk. They can’t walk. And they can’t think like us.
A new BBC documentary series, The Green Planet, gives us a new look at plants. It tells us the wonderful ways that plants behave.
“The Green Planet tells us the secret lives of plants. It is in the same way The Blue Planet opened our eyes to the oceans,” editor Elle Hunt wrote in New Scientist.
Plants compete against each other to live. Each has its own ways. In rainforests, different kinds of plants race for sunlight because only two percent of the sunlight goes through the rainforests. Some plants spread their big leaves to reach light. But some vines（藤蔓）try to catch them to take a ride. Finally, they are both beaten by balsa wood, one of the fastest growing trees. As the tree has slippery hairs on its leaves, the vine can’t get a hold.
Plants also help each other and even communicate. In deserts, the roots（根）of Euphrates poplar（胡杨）, a kind of tall straight tree with soft wood, are connected. If a tree finds water, it will share it with others through the roots. Studies also show that plants use fungus（真菌）in the soil as a way to “talk” with each other. It’s kind of like how Wi-Fi works. If a tomato plant gets a leaf disease, it can tell nearby plants about it through fungus.
The show not only lets us know about the plant world but pushes us to understand that plants are important. Plants are the basis of all life, including ourselves. We depend on them for food that we eat and air that we breathe. It’s time to look after wild plants just as carefully as our houseplants.
1. What is the show The Green Planet about?| A．Plants. | B．Animals. | C．Food. | D．Oceans. |
| A．ugly | B．smooth | C．wide | D．hungry |
| A．By insects. | B．By wind. |
| C．By using strong roots. | D．By using fungus in the soil. |
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【推荐1】Will it matter if you don’t take your breakfast? A short time ago, a test was given in the United States. People of different ages, from 12 to 83, were asked to have the test. During the test, these people were given all kinds of breakfasts and sometimes they got no breakfast at all. Scientists wanted to see how well their bodies worked when they ate different kinds of breakfasts.
The results(结果) show that if a person eats a right breakfast, he or she will work better than if he or she has no breakfast. If a student has fruit, eggs, bread and milk before going to school, he will learn more quickly and listen more carefully in class.
The result is opposite to what some people think. Having no breakfast will not help you lose weight. This is because people become so hungry at noon that they eat too much for lunch. They will gain weight instead of losing it. You will lose more weight if you reduce your other meals.
1. Scientists gave the people ________ during the test.| A．different breakfast or sometimes none | B．little food for breakfast |
| C．no breakfast at all | D．very rich breakfast |
| A．a person will work better if he only has fruit and milk |
| B．breakfast has great effect(影响) on work and studies |
| C．girl students should have little for breakfast |
| D．breakfast has a little to do with a person’s work |
| A．work better | B．lose your way | C．be healthier | D．lose weight |
| A．Too little for breakfast and too much for lunch may make you fatter |
| B．If you don’t eat much for lunch and supper, you may lose weight |
| C．The more breakfast you have, the more quickly you will learn in class |
| D．It’s bad for your health to have no breakfast |
You can buy a box of Crayola crayons in 152 colors today, but way back in 1903, they only came in eight colors. And that box of Crayola crayons was a huge improvement over the first crayons, which only came in black.
Wax crayons were mostly used for industrial purposes until cousins Edwin Binney and Harold Smith introduced their brightly colored crayons for kids. Edwin’s wife made up the name Crayola by putting “craie”（French for chalk）together with“ oleaginous”（which means oily）. In other words, oily chalk!
It’s hard to understand just how modern crayons are different from those in the past without look at the history of the crayon. In 1864 Edwin’s dad, Joseph Binney, started a chemical factory in New York City. It made a black pigment by burning oil. When the two cousins took over the factory in 1885, they started making a number of industrial art products for home and school use, but from 1900 to 1902, they started making pencils and dustless chalk for school blackboards in American classrooms. Soon after that, colored crayons were made. But the crayons they first made were not safe for kids, so they developed crayons that would be safe. The first box they sold-the one with eight colors--cost just five cents.
To celebrate the hundredth birthday of Crayola crayons in 2003, a special 100-color box was created, adding four new colors to the existing 96-color box. Over the years, as the company grown, it has introduced more than 400 different colors. Today there are over a hundred types of Crayola Crayons. They are available in boxes printed in 11 languages including Swedish, Spanish, Portuguese, Norwegian, Italian, German, French, Finnish, English, Dutch and Danish. Two billion Crayola Crayons are produced yearly. Also you can find crayons that smell good, crayons that wash out of clothes, and even egg-shaped crayons. Nowadays, plenty of other companies make colored crayons for children, too.
1. What color were the first crayons?| A．Black | B．Red | C．Yellow | D．Green |
| A．1864 | B．1885 | C．1903 | D．2003 |
| A．The name Crayola was a mixture of two English words. |
| B．The first Crayola crayons were not safe but very expensive. |
| C．The company invented four more colors for its 100th birthday. |
| D．Today Crayola crayon boxes are now also printed in Chinese language. |
| A．The changes of the colors of Crayola crayons. |
| B．The history of the invention of Crayola crayons. |
| C．The two cousins who made Crayola crayons. |
| D．The reason why Crayola crayons are still popular. |
【推荐3】Even if you are a good high jumper, you can jump only about seven feet off the ground. You cannot jump any higher because the earth pulls you hard. The pull of the earth is called gravity. You can easily find out the pull of the earth. If you weigh yourself, you will know how much gravity is pulling you.
Since there is gravity, water runs down hill. When you throw a ball into the air, it falls back down. Because of gravity, you do not fall off the earth as it whirls (旋转) around.
Then, can we get away from the earth and go far out into space? Now you can do it, because spaceships have been invented. Then spaceship will go so fast that it can escape the earth's gravity and carry you into space.
1. If you are a good high jumper, you can jump far higher than seven feet high.2. You can know how much gravity is pulling you by weighing yourself.
3. Because of gravity, the water runs up hill and the balls back if you throw it into the air.
4. We can escape the earth's gravity by spaceship because it can travel very fast.
5. The Chinese meaning of "gravity" is "重力".
【推荐1】Western people see the rabbit (兔子) as a sign of good luck. They believe a rabbit’s foot can bring good luck to its holder. This may go back to an old tradition. If teenage hunters (猎人) caught a rabbit, they could get the animal’s hind foot (后腿). It also welcomed them to manhood (成年).
Rabbits also show up in other areas of Western culture. In the book Alice in Wonderland, Alice follows a rabbit to get away from her world and start her adventure (冒险). There is the Easter Bunny, too. Rabbits are close to the idea of new life because they have lots of babies. The night before Easter, kids often make nests (窝) in their gardens for the Easter Bunny.
1. Western people see the rabbit as a sign of ________.| A．bad luck | B．good luck | C．being brave | D．being ill |
| A．Some money. | B．A big house. | C．The rabbit’s head. | D．The rabbit’s hind foot. |
| A．Because they have lots of babies. | B．Because they don’t have any babies. |
| C．Because they run fast. | D．Because they have two long ears. |
| A．nests | B．meals | C．clothes | D．nothing |
【推荐2】Smart phones have become part of our daily lives. However, to protect young students’ eyesight, make sure they spend enough time on their school work and help them fight the addiction (瘾) to the internet and games, primary and middle schools will have more rules to limit (限制) students’ mobile phone use at school in January.
According to a notice from the Ministry of Education in January, primary and middle school students shall be limited from carrying phones to school. Those who still want to bring their phones to school must get their parents’ approval (许可) and hand their phones over during class time.
A report by the China Internet Network Information Center in 2020 shows that China had 175 million internet users under the age of 18 in 2019, with 74 percent having their own smart phones.
This is worrying because long-time use of smart phones is bad for children’s eyesight, cervical vertebrae and even the brain, according to the World Health Organization.
On Feb 19, a notice from Beijing Municipal Education Commission required all local primary and middle schools to include rules on smart phone use in school management. Schools should make clear where, how and who will take care of the phones for students who have received approval to bring them.
Many schools have taken steps to limit students’ phone use. According to Zhou Dandan, an English teacher at Beijing No.2 High School, every classroom in her school has a box for students to keep their phones during class.
1. What’s the function (作用) of the underlined word in paragraph one?| A．表递进 | B．表转折 | C．表并列 | D．表举例 |
| A．all students must leave their phones at home before going to school |
| B．in 2019 about 129 million internet users under 18 had their own smart phones |
| C．long-time use of smart phones is only bad for children’s eyesight |
| D．schools won’t look after the smart phones students bring to school |
| A．To show she is a good teacher. |
| B．To show her ideas on the limit. |
| C．To show readers an example. |
| D．To show she is from Beijing. |
| A．Schools will have more rules to limit students’ smart phone use. |
| B．Our country and schools take good care of students. |
| C．Long-time use of smart phones is very bad for students. |
| D．Students mustn’t use smart phones at school at all. |
【推荐3】Cars are lots of fun, but they could also be dangerous. We have to be careful when we drive them or ride in them.
It’s always a good idea to put on your seat belt when you’re in a car. Why? Think about this example: You put an egg on a skateboard and give it a push. If the skateboard hits a stone, it will stop, but the egg won’t. It will fly through the air, hit the ground and break.
Now, think what would happen if you tied the egg to the skateboard. When the skateboard hits a stone, the egg won’t go flying; it will stay safely on the skateboard.
Volvo, a famous Swedish carmaker, was the first to use seat belts in 1849.
Air bags are also very important for car safety, because sometimes a seat belt isn’t enough. If the car is going really fast and runs into something, seat belts could even hurt the people who wear them. Most new cars have air bags in front of and next to the seats. When a car hits something, its air bags will come out quickly in less than one second to keep the people inside safe.
1. The passage mainly tells us ________.| A．two important ways to keep safe in cars | B．how air bags work to make cars safe |
| C．how seat belts work to make cars safe | D．why we must tie the egg to the skateboard |
| A．tell us that eggs are easy to break |
| B．show how to wear a seat belt |
| C．show why it’s important to wear a seat belt in a car |
| D．tell us what a skateboard is |
| A．we are interested in them |
| B．they can stop us from hitting other cars |
| C．they can help us stay safely on the seats |
| D．they are made of strong materials |
| A．they are made of plastic |
| B．they can also help us to keep safe in a car |
| C．they can keep cars running slowly |
| D．they are put in front of and next to the seats |
| A．It won’t be dangerous if there are seat belts or air bags in a car. |
| B．Now most of new cars still have only one air bag. |
| C．When a car hits something, its air bags will come out a few minutes later. |
| D．Volvo was the first to use seat belts. |
【推荐1】Plants need certain things to live, grow and stay healthy. The following pictures will show you what they need to survive.
 | Plants use light to make their own food. If you leave a plant near a window, it will bend (弯曲) and grow towards the light. It tries to eat as much sunshine as possible. |
 | Plants need water to survive and stay strong. When a plant does not get enough water, its stem (茎) will become soft and hang down, and also its leaves will be weak and dry. |
 | Plants will grow best when the temperature is just right for them. Some plants like hot weather, while others prefer cooler conditions. |
 | All plants need air. They use the gas CO₂ from air to make food, and they use O₂ from air to give off (散发) energy from food. |
1. Which of the following environments is suitable for plants to grow?
| A．A place without any water. | B．A room in complete darkness. |
| C．A box free of CO₂. | D．A farm with proper temperature. |
| A．it will grow towards the wall. | B．it will try to take as much water as possible. |
| C．it will go straight towards the sun. | D．it will not get enough water. |
| A．To get food from the soil. | B．To save energy from food. |
| C．To control their temperature. | D．To make the food they need. |
①light ②water ③suitable temperature ④air ⑤only CO₂ ⑥only O₂
| A．①②⑤⑥ | B．②③⑤⑥ | C．③④⑤⑥ | D．①②③④ |
| A．How to plant a tree. | B．What plants need to survive. |
| C．When to plant a tree. | D．Where to plant a tree. |
【推荐2】
Coconuts grow on trees. The word “coconut ” come from the old Spanish (西班牙语) for “bogeyman (鬼怪)”. Early people from Spain thought coconuts looked like the terrible heads of bogeymen!
Coconut tree grow in hot countries, especially near beaches. Maybe you’ve seen them on your holiday! When we pick it from the tree, a coconut look like a big green ball. Inside the green fruit is the coconut we know. It’s covered in a hard, hairy shell, and the inside made up of white flesh and coconut milk.
If you are strong enough to break a coconut open, you’ll find a world of goodness (精华)! The fresh is full of important fats, which give us lots of energy (能量). The coconut can be dried and added to other foods. It makes delicious ice cream, too. Even the milk inside the coconut is full of goodness. It has calcium (钙), which makes your bones (骨头) strong, and that would help you to climb the tree to reach the coconut!
The coconut tree must be one of the most useful trees in the whole world! You can use almost every bit of it. It provides food, drink and also oil for cooking or skin care. The hairy covering is used to make ropes. The empty shells can be used as food bowls. The leaves can be used to make baskets, and the wood can be used as firewood. Now that is a really helpful tree!
1. How do coconuts get the name?| A．From their use. | B．From their size. |
| C．From their look. | D．From their growing places. |
| A．Coconuts. | B．Coconut trees. | C．Beaches. | D．Hot places. |
| A．The milk. | B．The flesh. | C．The hairy shell. | D．The outside skin. |
| A．The wood. | B．The leaves. | C．The empty shells. | D．The hairy covering. |
【推荐3】Trees are one of the oldest “citizens” of our earth. Just like people, trees change a lot as they grow. At 1 to 3 years old, young trees learn how to protect themselves. For example, many trees grow thorns（刺） to caution animals not to go near. Most young trees have large deep green leaves so that they can catch enough sunlight and change it into their food and energy.
When trees are 4 years old, they begin to grow rapidly and become strong enough to face challenges later in life. At the age of 15, trees become young adults. They grow more slowly and begin to produce flowers and fruit.
It is not until the tree is 20 to 25 years old that it becomes a real adult. The tree reaches its largest size. The adult tree gives us shade, oxygen and natural beauty. It is also a great place for a tree house.
Gradually, trees begin to grow older and even die. At this time, they still have their important place in nature. When a tree becomes hollow（空心的）or part of it becomes dead, it provides a home for small animals and is a source（来源）of food for many other animals.
In many ways the life of a tree is similar to our own life experience. When we are looking at the life of a tree, we learn about that each period of life brings its own form of joy and challenge.
1. The underlined word “ caution ” probably means “________ ” in the text.| A．laugh | B．warn | C．hug | D．burn |
| A．A place for a tree house. | B．Shade and beauty for people. |
| C．A home for small animals. | D．A source of food for all animals. |
| A．explain why trees are important in nature | B．tell us the advantages of the trees |
| C．show how trees face challenges in life | D．introduce the life of a tree |
