1 . “The peach tree beams so red. How brilliant are its flowers. The maiden’s getting wed. Good for the nuptial bowers.” This is a verse(诗句) in Shijing, the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry, describing a young woman getting married in a cheerful spring.     1    .

Peach blossom is a significant element in Chinese culture as it is a symbol of love and well-being, as well as a sign of spring and vitality.

    2    . According to archaeologists(考古学家) from Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, the ancient Chinese in the lower reaches of Yangtze River already knew how to cultivate peaches 7,500 years ago. Until today, the deciduous tree has earned its place in agriculture, literature and horticulture.

From south to north, many cities, regions and gardens hold their own peach blossom festivals every spring.     3    . Nyingchi peach blossom festival in southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region is one of the most popular events. Unlike the cultivated species in gardens, the peach trees here are a wild species called Prunus mira, or Tibetan peach.     4    . The altitude there is around 2000-3400 meters above sea level, hence they are more cold-resistant and also taller.

Flowering is not just about plants themselves. It’s also about how people approach their lives.     5    . In some places, appreciating the luxuriant bursts of flowers has been turned into a tourist hotspot and thus an economic drive.

A．Peaches originate in China

B．The species can be found in the valleys or hills

C．Chinese people often say “to have peach blossom luck”

D．Today, watching flowers has become a popular outdoor activity across China

E．The lovely flowers on the peach tree are produced in early spring before the leaves

F．They attract many people to enjoy the eye-catching peach flowers and boost local tourism

G．Since then, peach blossom has been associated with the beauty and romance of young girls

2 . Sunflowers are huge plants with bright yellow flowers. They have a long history in North America. There is evidence that they were used for food and for medicine by Native Americans beginning around 1000 B. C. The seeds from sunflowers were likely brought to Europe by Spanish explorers around the late 16th century. Over time, they found their way to Eastern Europe. Today, Ukraine is the world’s leading producer of the plants. Sunflowers are grown for their seeds and to make oil.

If you start growing sunflowers from seeds, put them in room-temperature water for 2-8 hours before planting to start the growing process. Plant each seed into dirt 2.5 centimetres deep and 15 to 30 centimetres apart. Plant them after the danger of frost has passed or start indoors three weeks before your last frost date. Keep the soil wet, but not too wet, until the seeds begin to grow.

Sunflower plants can be moved outdoors when the danger of frost has passed in your area. Choose a place outside that will provide the plants with at least 6- 8 hours of direct sunlight each day.

As the plants grow, they will develop long roots that work their way deep into the ground. So, before planting, it is important to loosen the soil. Dig at least one third of a metre down and remove any rocks.

Mixa large amount of compost (堆肥) into the soil where the plant will grow. Compost provides important, lasting nutrients that will help the plants all season long. The sunflowers may not need additional nutrients if they are planted with compost. If compost is not added during the planting process, provide nutrients through a slow release, all-purpose fertilizer (肥料) one or two times during the growing season.

1. What can be known about the sunflower in Paragraph 1?

A．It originated in South America.	B．It was initially used to make oil.
C．It has a history of 3,000 years or so.	D．It was taken to Europe by British explorers.

2. What are sunflower growers advised to do?

A．Keep the seeds in water for 10 hours.

B．Plant seeds 2.5 centimetres apart.

C．Never put new plants in direct sunlight each day.

D．Plant seeds indoors 21 days before your last frost date.

3. Why is it important to loosen the soil before planting?

A．It is friendly to roots’ growth.	B．It helps to hold water in the soil.
C．It guarantees adequate supplies of air.	D．It is more efficient in keeping temperature.

4. What are Paragraphs 2-5 mainly about?

A．How to select sunflowers.	B．How to grow sunflowers.
C．When to fertilize sunflowers.	D．When to move sunflowers.

3 . Many of the vegetables we grow in our gardens produce seeds, which can grow into plants if harvested and stored correctly. Here is how to collect and save seeds from some common homegrown crops.

Lettuce At the end of the growing season, lettuce plants will grow a flower that will develop seed heads. When they are dry, remove the stem. Put the seed heads in a paper bag and shake. The seeds will come off the flower and fall to the bottom of the bag.	Basil When plants bolt at the end of the season, permit flowers to remain until they fade completely. Clip them off and place them in a sieve (筛子). Then use fingers to push them against the bottom of the sieve to separate the tiny seeds from flowers.
Peppers Choose the best-looking pepper until the plant is overripe and wrinkled. Slice it in half and remove the seeds. Spread seeds on thick paper and let them dry in a warm place. Do not put them in direct sunlight. Shake the seeds around from time to time to ensure even drying.	Eggplant Permit an eggplant to over-ripen and harden. Cut it open, remove its seeds and place them in a bowl of water. Stir the water to wash off sticky things. Then use a cloth to dry the seeds gently. Leave the seeds on a piece of cloth, shaking every day, until completely dry.
Carrots Carrot plants produce seeds only in their second year. When the flowers dry on the plant, remove the seeds stalk from the top, and store them in a cool, dry place in a paper bag for two weeks. Then shake the bag to separate the seeds. Blow off the chaff (谷壳) and leave the seeds.	Green beans To get green bean seeds, leave developing pods on one plant until they are completely dried and brown. Next, cut the pods off the plant and place them in a cool, dark spot to dry further. Later, remove. the seeds and spread them on cloth. Let them harden there for a few days.

1. Which vegetable seed is supposed to avoid sunshine?

A．Lettuce.

B．Peppers.

C．Eggplant.

D．Carrots.

2. Which of the following is a proper way to collect seeds?

A．Lettuce seeds must be collected in winter.

B．Cut the green bean pods while they are green.

C．Collect eggplant seeds directly when they are ripe.

D．Separate the basil seeds from their tiny flowers with a sieve.

3. In which section of a newspaper may this text appear?

A．Culture Entertainment.	B．Health Medicine.
C．Agriculture Gardening.	D．Science Technology.

4 . You don’t have to brave the crowds at the Tidal Basin to enjoy the glories of cherry blossom (樱花), which always runs for one month. The delicate pink and white blooms decorate the district. Washington-based nonprofit Casey Trees has a detailed map of where to find them.

Using the map’s explanation, you can check out a neighborhood’s list of trees. The map is color-coded by a variety of cherry blossom, and there are several: Yoshino, Okame, Oshi-ma, and Sour Cherry, just to name a few.

Michaila Musman, the Geographic Information Systems manager at Casey Trees，suggests tracking down the Sargent Cherry, which develops pinkish white blossoms and is called the “cream” of flowering cherries by the Arbor Day Foundation. “They can also support bird species around the city, which is a wonderful bonus.” says Musman.

The map is an annual tradition at Casey Trees. The organization plans to use it to help protect Washington’s trees. To build the map, staff and volunteers walked into the city’s parks to identify and measure every tree they came across. “We can do better advocacy and tree protection if we know what our trees across the city look like.” said Musman.

Other data points for the map come from DDOT’s Urban Forestry Division and from cherry trees that Casey Trees has planted. Most of the trees on the map are located on public land. So if your yard or your neighbor’s yard is the proud home of a cherry tree, it may not appear (considering it as your own secret garden).

And if you miss the cherries this time around, the organization also maintains a separate map of all the flowering trees in the city. Musman recommends checking out the Eastern Red bud. “They are native to this area and they have very beautiful blossoms.” she says, “It seems as though they came right out of a Dr. Seuss’ book.”

1. What can the map be used to do?

A．Research bird species.	B．Decorate some districts.
C．Locate cherry blossom.	D．Identify the type of flowers.

2. Why does Casey Trees develop the map?

A．To know the city better.	B．To protect the local trees.
C．To build the city’s parks.	D．To use public land efficiently.

3. What can we know from the last two paragraphs?

A．The map comes out of a Dr. Seuss’ book.

B．The map is the only product of Casey Trees.

C．Casey Trees has planted many trees across the USA.

D．Casey Trees takes individual privacy into consideration.

4. What may be the best title for the text?

A．Casey Trees likes cherry blossom	B．Casey Trees will introduce a new map
C．You should protect the city’s cherry trees	D．You needn’t bother to find cherry blossom

5 . Some people are allergic (过敏的) to tree nuts. Would it be safe for a nut-allergic person to eat baked goods with coconut or coconut oil? Here are the views of Dr. Scott Sicherer.

Despite its name, coconut is not actually a nut, but a fruit. Regardless, the Food and Drug Administration considers it a tree nut, which is why it’s included in U.S. labeling laws.

It is difficult to assess the risk of coconut allergy among those with tree-nut allergies because allergic individuals may avoid it on purpose. Still, coconut allergy appears rare, and uncommon even among those with tree-nut allergies.

In a national registry of 5,149 people with peanut or tree-nut allergies, only four self-reported an allergy to coconut. And a more recent study of 40 children with positive tests or known allergy to peanuts or tree nuts showed no increased risks for having positive tests or allergy to coconut.

Your allergist would consider your personal allergy history in deciding whether to add coconut to your diet or to perform any testing. However, be aware that tests are often positive to coconut in people who could actually tolerate it, so a physician-supervised feeding test may be necessary for a conclusive answer.

When it comes to coconut oil, there is almost no medical literature on allergic reactions to it, which may reflect the likelihood that the processed forms of coconut oil contain little or no protein, although this has not been studied. Still, for those with coconut allergy, avoidance of coconut oil should be considered because it may still have a little protein.

Finally, it’s important to note that people with peanut or tree-nut allergies who choose to eat coconut must be careful to avoid cross-contact with tree nuts or peanut being avoided.

1. What do you know about coconut from this passage?

A．It is really a nut.	B．Most people are allergic to it.
C．It is actually a fruit.	D．It is forbidden by American laws.

2. Why is it difficult to assess the risk of coconut allergy among those with tree-nut allergies?

A．They are cautious about it and avoid it.	B．They eat coconut as a kind of fruit.
C．Coconuts are becoming rarer and rarer.	D．Coconut allergy is too common.

3. What is the probable meaning of the underlined part “medical literature” in paragraph 6?

A．Stories about medicine.	B．Documents on medicine.
C．Novels for physicians.	D．Description of coconut oil.

4. Which may be a suggestion Dr. Scott Sicherer gives to nut-allergic individuals?

A．Having a feeding test regularly.	B．Trying to tolerate mild allergies.
C．Avoiding eating any coconuts.	D．Following allergists’ instructions.

6 . Seagrass meadows(海草床) are wonder plants growing beneath the sea. They feed and shelter sea life and are masterful at storing carbon. Thanks to the assistance of tiger sharks, a huge seagrass meadow in the Bahamas Banks was recently discovered, offering the world a tool to fight climate change.

Seagrass has usually been detected by Earth-orbiting satellites that identify darker patches in the blue water. In this study, tiger sharks were selected as research tools due to their highly consistent associations with seagrass ecosystems. They spend 70% of their time in seagrass meadows. The team equipped eight tiger sharks with satellite tags (电子跟踪器), seven sharks with camera tags, and used a 360-degree camera on a shark for the first time ever.

The data researchers collected was astonishing. The world’s largest seagrass ecosystem, measuring at least 66,900 square kilometers, has been discovered. This reflects a 41% increase from previous estimates of global seagrass. Seagrass can capture (捕获) huge quantities of carbon by photosynthesis (光合作用) and stores it on the seafloor. In terms of climate change, this is excellent news; seagrass is 35 times faster a removing carbon than tropical rainforests. When referred to global seagrass carbon stock estimates, the study indicates that seagrass in the Bahamas may contain 19.2% to 26.3% of all the carbon stored in seagrass meadows on Earth.

Yet seagrass meadows are rapidly disappearing, with over 92% of meadows in the UK gone, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Scientists are collecting seeds and trying to grow new seagrass meadows through restoration projects. This new discovery offers optimism and proves the importance of the ocean for healing.

The sharks led us to the seagrass ecosystem in the Bahamas, which we now know is likely the most significant blue carbon sink(蓝色碳汇) on the planet. What this discovery shows us is that ocean exploration and research are essential for a healthy future. The untapped potential of the ocean is limitless. These meadows can be protected and can be replicated (复制,仿制), offering hope for climate change around the globe.

1. Why were tiger sharks chosen as research tools?

A．They are more flexible than other sea animals.

B．They can quickly adjust themselves to the deep sea.

C．They have a strong connection with seagrass ecosystems.

D．They can be easily equipped with experimental devices.

2. What are the numbers in paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The decline of global seagrass meadows.

B．The impact of climate change on sea life.

C．The rapid increase in the amount of carbon on Earth.

D．The potential value of the world’s largest seagrass ecosystem.

3. What are scientists doing to protect seagrass?

A．Planting more seagrass meadows.

B．Developing new technology to collect seeds.

C．Mapping the distribution of seagrass meadows.

D．Encouraging people to join in restoration projects.

4. Which could be the best title for the text?

A．The New Way of Removing Carbon

B．The Significance of Ocean Exploration

C．A New Discovery: World’s Largest Seagrass Meadow

D．Tiger Sharks: Scientists’ Essential Helper to Study Climate

7 . Growing flowers is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance.     1     All you really need to grow your own flowers is a potato, a plastic bottle, a rose, and plenty of fertilized soil. You might wonder what the potato and the plastic bottle are for. Even though this unusual combination might be strange to you, it really works incredibly well.

    2    The second step is to remove all leaves and thorns from it and give it a diagonal(斜的) cut around 3 centimeters below the head of the rose. It is important that the rose stays in shape so be careful when preparing the rose. You can then place it in a vase and store it like that for a few days.

The third step is to drill a small hole in a potato.     3     So when the rose is put in, it is tightly secured and does not move around. After you are done with the potato, you have to place plenty of fertilized soil on the bottom of a pot or a similar container.     4     Then you have to place them carefully on the soil. Once you find the right position, you have to fill up your pot with the remaining soil. The potato should be located around 5 centimeters below the surface of the soil. .

The final step is to cut out the bottom of the plastic bottle and then place it around the rose.     5    

A．It should be just the size of the rose.

B．You really don’t need to be a gardening professional.

C．First of all, you need to choose a rose you really like.

D．There is a simple trick that can be used to help roses grow.

E．Once you, have prepared the soil, place the rose in the potato.

F．Flowers are expensive, so why not grow them in your own garden?

G．Now all you need to do is water the soil occasionally and have some patience.

8 . A flower festival is an event during which many types of flowers are shown to the public. In some cases, a flower festival may be a small event attended by local people who grow plants as a hobby.

    1     They may attract large numbers of flower growers flower sellers and tourists.

Usually, a flower festival takes place at a time of year when many types of flowers are fully open.     2     In this case, the organizers must make sure that the event is scheduled during the right time of year for that type.

Some festivals are arranged to encourage flower growers to grow certain types of plants. People are invited to show their flowers at the festival.     3     Prizes are given to those who grow the largest, most colorful or hardiest (最耐寒的) plants.

Besides competing for prizes, many flower growers show their plants in flower shows for business purposes. Some people use these events to win contracts with companies that buy large numbers of flowers. Some take the chance to market flowers to customers,     4     They put their newly created plants on show at these festivals.

    5     Local restaurants provide meals and drinks for attendees. Musicians and other entertainers (演艺人员) are sometimes hired to provide attendees with pleasure. Nearby hotels and shops are full of people. They all can make a lot of money from the event.

A．There will be competitions.

B．These flowers can be very expensive.

C．Other festivals are big international events.

D．Some festivals focus on a certain type of plant.

E．Some growers have created new types of flowers.

F．Usually, some flower festivals are held in the big parks.

G．Flower festivals can also encourage local economic (经济的) development.

9 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

With high yield and superior quality, Chinese hybrid rice varieties have been introduced around the world,     1     (benefit) more people. The export of China’s hybrid rice technology started many years ago. In 1979, China provided hybrid rice seeds to another country for the first time, and 40 years later, in     2     (real), China’s hybrid rice has been planted in dozens of countries in the world.

In the past 40 years, Chinese scientists     3     (devote) to providing assistance to many other countries. China has trained more than 14,000 hybrid rice professionals for more than 80 developing countries through international training courses. This technology has spread     4     more and more places in the world so far.

Yuan Longping,     5     cultivated the world’s first high-yield hybrid rice strain not only earned respect from Chinese people but also the global community. His hybrid rice research has been     6     (entire) saving millions of people from hunger. Yuan’s dream was     7     (solve) the global food shortage and promote hybrid rice around the world. China has achieved     8     great wonder, feeding nearly one fifth of the world’s population with less than nine percent of the world’s total land. And China is     9     (will) to contribute to global food security and calls for joint efforts to end global hunger and poverty.

It     10     (believe) that Yuan’s dream will come true one day.

10 . A famous book from the 70s called The Secret Life of Plants says that plants are conscious (有意识的).     1     In one study, plant exposed (裸露) to Mozart were healthier and grew faster than plants exposed to Jimi Hendrix. Some say these studies that claim plants have a taste for music are full of holes. But there is growing research on plant intelligence and plant communication.

Plants don’t have brains so they can’t think in the same way as humans.     2     They can even communicate this information to nearby plants. Researchers in England cut the leaves of cabbages (卷心菜).The threatened cabbages then produced a poisonous gas that protects them from certain insects.     3     Those healthy cabbages nearby seemed to be reacting to a warning from their cabbage neighbors.

    4     Of course, plants don’t have ears, but some scientists think they can feel vibrations. Italian scientist Dr Gagliano recorded clicking noises produced by corn seedlings (幼苗). She then placed these seedlings in water and played them similar sounds. Curiously, the corn seedlings grew towards the loudspeakers.

    5     Whether or not there is an intention to communicate is still up in the air. Whatever the case, plants are stranger and more wonderful than we can imagine.

A．But plants can sense their surroundings.

B．They even have a preference for music.

C．Some plants can communicate with sound.

D．The study also showed plants will row towards the sound of water.

E．So there is no doubt that plants arc communicating with their neighbors

F．Strangely, the uncut cabbages nearby also began to give off a poisonous gas.

G．The researchers believe plants are communicating with their neighbors through their roots.