1 . Four Best Plants to Give as Gifts

Choosing a gift for someone is always a challenge. Giving plants is one way to try if the recipient is already a plant-lover. Here are some sure to impress as thoughtful gifts.

Jade Plant

The jade plant is a large succulent (肉质植物) that makes a perfect gift for someone who’s mastered parenting succulents. With a woody stem (茎), it looks like a tree once growing tall enough. Besides occasional watering and a bright window, the jade plant has few other requirements. A good challenge for ambitious owners is to regularly cut off its heavy leaves to reduce weight.

Christmas Cactus

This is a succulent with eye-catching flowers that appear in winter. You might assume it a picky plant, but nothing could be further than the truth. It prefers bright, indirect light and grows well in average potting soil. This plant prefers a steady watering schedule, especially in winter. To encourage more growth, plant it in a hanging container that allows its branches to hang down.

Paperwhite

Some people just aren’t interested in keeping houseplants around long-term, and paperwhite flowers are an excellent gift for anyone you know who fits this mould. Paperwhites grow from bulbs (鳞茎) and will produce flowers out of season. The roots need to be kept relatively damp, but once they are blooming (开花), there’s not much that can go wrong. They can be replanted outside after they have run their course.

Corn Plant

The corn plant is forgiving of variable light conditions and watering routines. It grows slowly, but can reach a height of four to six feet, and can make an impressive floor plant. Its leaves turn paler in direct sunlight to reflect the extra light, and darker green in shady conditions to maximize sunlight absorption.

1. Which plant requires practised gardening experience?

A．Jade plant.

B．Christmas cactus.

C．Paperwhite.

D．Corn plant.

2. How can we help a Christmas cactus grow well?

A．By replanting it outside before blooming.	B．By watering it regularly during blooming.
C．By cutting off most of its heavy leaves.	D．By making its branches grow upwards.

3. What affects the colour of leaves of a corn plant?

A．The frequency of watering.	B．Its flowering time.
C．Its rate of growing.	D．The amount of sunlight.

2 . Why did the woman’s plants die, according to the man?

A．From not enough water.

B．From not enough sun.

C．From not enough plant food.

3 . 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。

Nature’s Lungs

We know that trees are nature’s purifier (净化器): They absorb carbon emissions (碳排放)and release oxygen. But their     1       (able) to do that changes as they age. According to Newsweek, trees     2       are at least 20 years old can absorb carbon better than younger ones and older ones. And a recent study by researchers from South Korea’s Forest Research Institute     3       (find) exactly how much carbon that each 25-year-old cherry tree can absorb: 20 pounds (9.1 kilograms) each year.

According to the study, there are     4       (current) about 1.5 million cherry trees in South Korea, which means they can take in as much as 13,650 tons of carbon each year.

This may sound like a lot,     5       it’s only the annual emissions of 6,000 cars. And it’s pretty     6       (shock) if you think about it: The annual emissions of a single-car requires 250 mature cherry trees to absorb     7       carbon.

Yet, planting trees is still considered the most effective way     8       (reduce) global warming, according to Professor Tom Crowther of the Swiss university ETH Zurich. “Forest restoration isn’t just one of our climate change     9       (solution), it’s the top one,” he told the Guardian. “What blows my mind is the scale. I thought restoration would be in the top 10, but it is much    10     (powerful) than all of the other climate change solutions proposed.”

4 . 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，并将答案填写在答题卡相应的位置上。

From “pocket parks” between communities to forest parks in the outer cities, local governments are     1     (ambition) to make China’s cities greener. That’s     2     there are more parks in cities these days.

From 2021 to 2022, Shanghai transformed 62 woodlands into leisure spaces. These leisure spaces open up forests,     3     allows visitors to enjoy natural beauty as well as wildlife. In urban     4     (area), more companies and universities are sharing their greenery. For instance, the Shanghai Research Institute of Sports Science opened its 1,000-square-meter green space to the public.     5     (join) by historical buildings in the area, the park can provide more space for tourists to rest.

Apart from meeting people’s needs, parks can also do good to the environment. Take Beijing’s Central Green Forest Park     6     an example. Since it was opened in 2020, the park     7     (reach)carbon neutrality (碳中和). It means although the park’s facilities produce carbon dioxide, more can be     8     (take) in by the plants there. The park also fully reuses rainwater and creates green energy     9     (supply) the park. As cities in China become greener, “park cities” are becoming a reality. The concept of a park city was     10     (initial) put forward in 2018. It is a concept that takes the form of an improved natural environment in all aspects, noted China Daily.

5 . 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。

Camellias (山茶花) are available in a great range     1     colors — red, pink, white and mixed colors. For the longest time, the golden camellias lived in a valley     2     was unknown to the outside world.

In the 1960s, Chinese scientists announced their discovery of the golden camellias. It was an     3     (amaze) announcement for the international gardening community. Also, the discovery made     4     achievable to create yellow camellias, though creating a new kind of golden camellia was not very easy.

Unfortunately, in the past, golden camellias were cut down in large numbers because     5     (local) needed the limited land space for farming. In 1986, a nature reserve (自然保护区)     6     (build) in a mountain valley from 200 to 500 meters above sea level, so the camellias could be well protected. Years ago, Huang Zainian and his brothers took up the work. In the past 10 years, the Huang brothers have made a great     7     (contribute) in protecting the camellias. Even in hard times they didn’t cut down any golden camellias.

Year after year, the Huang brothers spent much time working     8     eventually made their hard work pay off. Now the golden camellia is     9     city flower of Fangchenggang. And life for the Huang brothers is greatly improved by     10     (plant) golden camellias.

6 . Most plants you see out in nature are leafy and green, at least for some part of their lives. That’s because they use green pigments, which are called chlorophyll (叶绿素), to harvest energy from sunlight. But the plant Hydnora Africana, doesn’t have leaves or chlorophyll at all.

So, how can it survive? Well, it’s a parasite (寄生), and H Africana attaches itself to other plants’ roots, and begins getting sugars, minerals, and water from its host.

At the same time, the parasite grows a root system, living completely underground, until it’s ready to reproduce. At which point, it grows one of the strangest looking flowers in the world. When the flower’s mature, it breaks the soil from beneath and reaches out in order to be pollinated (授粉).

But just as this plant doesn’t look like the normal flower, it doesn’t smell like one either. It gives out a smell like a rotting (腐烂) animal . The smell attracts insects and flies looking for a delicious meal. But when they get inside the flower and find no tasty treat, they can’t get back out again.

There’s a sort of room inside the flower, and the top of the room closes behind the insects. The walls of the flower are also slippery, making escape even more difficult.

Over the course of about a day, the flower’s male organs mature, and the insects get coated in pollen. And at the end of this transformation, the inside of the plant gets less slippery, and the chamber opens, allowing the insects and flies to escape.

At that point, attracted by a new rotting smell, they might just find another H Africana flower and pollinate it as they fall inside.

1. Why is chlorophyll so important to plants?

A．Chlorophyll gives plants green color.

B．Chlorophyll helps leaves to grow.

C．Chlorophyll can harvest energy from sunlight.

D．Plants cannot survive without Chlorophyll .

2. About H Africana, which description is right?

A．It’s a parasite without roots.

B．It gets food through other plants’ root.

C．It never grows out of the ground.

D．Its flowers smell sweet.

3. The insects attracted to pollinate will _____.

A．find tasty treat inside the flower.

B．never get out of the flower again.

C．get little chance to pollinate successfully.

D．escape after being trapped about a day.

4. The passage mainly interprets______.

A．What is a parasite.

B．How a parasite to survive.

C．How H Africana reproduce.

D．Why bad smell is so useful.

7 . Indoor plants might look as if they just sit around not doing much, but in many ways they are the unsung heroes of the home.     1    , but studies have shown that they can promote people’s wellbeing by improving their mood (心情), reducing stress and helping their memory. What’s more, indoor plants are easy to look after and are not very expensive.

What are indoor plants?

Indoor plants, also known as houseplants or pot plants, are plants that like to grow indoors. Many of these species (物种) are not ideally suited to growing outside in the UK, especially in the winter.     2    .

Why are indoor plants good for you?

Will Spoelstra, who works at the Royal Botanic Gardens, says, “    3    . I find during the winter months, plants around the house can really lift your mood.” Several studies have backed this up and found that indoor plants can improve creativity, focus and memory. There is also research showing that pot plants can clean the air around them by removing harmful gases, such as carbon dioxide. They also remove some harmful chemicals from paints or cooking.     4    .

Which plants can you grow?

Aloe vera, peace lilies and spider plants are some of the species that are easy to grow indoors. You can buy plants from supermarkets, garden centres or online. Younger plants are often cheaper than fully grown ones, and you get to care for them as they mature — which is part of the joy of owning plants. “    5    ,” Spoelstra says. “It can bring a new interest and focus into people’s lives and help to make the link between home and nature.”

A．All plants are different

B．Not only do they look beautiful

C．There are many benefits to growing plants indoors

D．Instead, they grow better inside, where it is warmer

E．Plants like peace lilies and devil’s ivy are among the best

F．Changing the pot of your plant from time to time will also help

G．Learning about the requirements of each plant can be very rewarding

8 . Planting the right seeds(种子)at the right time will not take as lots of efforts as we think. And some vegetables do grow themselves well without paying too much attention. Here are 4 vegetables that are perfect for a backyard garden.

Green beans

There is really only one important rule for planting green beans—don’t plant them too early. They won’t survive a frost. They may also stop producing in the middle of the summer, but if you continue to water them, they will continue to produce once the temperatures start to drop in early fall. The most time-intensive part of growing beans is in the harvest. The more frequently you pick up beans, the more beans it will grow.

Brussels sprouts(抱子甘蓝)

This sweet vegetable can be grown in nearly any home garden with rich sunlight. They have a long growing season compared with other vegetables. Their taste improves if they are covered with frost. However, they can only bear a few days of cold weather, so be sure to harvest them as quickly as possible.

Broccoli(西兰花)

Broccoli is a cool-weather plant that grows best in spring and fall. It can be planted in early spring for a summer harvest, or in late summer to be harvested in fall. If grown in winter, to avoid heavy frost, broccoli can also be grown indoors and moved to the garden when temperatures rise. When growing broccoli, be sure to watch out for pests(害虫).

Peas

Peas are a great choice for new gardeners. All you need is a container that is at least 10 inches deep and something for the plants to climb. They prefer low temperatures, and once the heat of summer hits, pea plants will stop producing. If your garden space is limited, you can pull them up in the summer and replace peas with another crop that likes the heat

1. What can you do to harvest more green beans?

A．Plant them early.	B．Gather them in time.
C．Grow them indoors.	D．Avoid watering them in summer.

2. What will happen when Brussels sprouts are covered with frost?

A．It will taste better.	B．It will grow better.
C．It will attract pests.	D．It will go bad immediately.

3. What do broccoli and peas have in common?

A．They can survive frost.	B．They enjoy cool weather.
C．They take up a lot of space.	D．They stop growing in summer.

9 . The earth’s climate is largely controlled by how much of the sun’s light and heat is absorbed and reflected. By absorbing the sun’s heat, trees cool the air.

The interaction of this relationship with an area’s topography (地势), latitude (纬度), and altitude, can create microclimates (微气候), just as trees create microclimates almost any place they are by providing a windbreak (风林) and shade. Think about it: On a hot, sunny day, it’s always cooler beneath a shade tree. A city with more tall trees is cooler in the summer than a similar city with fewer trees, which translates into less energy use and lowers cooling costs. Also, in using less energy, less air pollution is created.

The most important role that rural trees and forests play is taking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. The living tissue (组织) of a tree is a storage vault (拱顶) for carbon, which would otherwise contribute to the greenhouse effect and to global climate change. To put it most simply, more trees can decrease the rate of climate change and help us withstand its effects, potentially resulting in less intense storms, fewer infectious diseases, a more stable water supply, and fewer wildfires.

Trees, however, are affected by the effects of climate warming. Areas once too cold to support trees now can, and as forests migrate north, harmful insects that were once held at bay (使不能接近) by winter freezes can do damage to native species. Tropical (热带的) vines called lianas (藤本植物) are now growing faster than the trees they climb, causing trees in the Amazon and other rainforests to die at an alarming rate.

Trees and forests can either be the key to slowing climate change and reducing its effects, or they can become its victims. It’s up to us.

1. Trees are believed to create microclimates in that __________.

A．tress can take in large sum of sunlight

B．tress can effectively change the weather

C．tress can help us save more money on cooling

D．tress can stop the strong wind and supply shade

2. With the climate becoming warmer, __________.

A．more types of trees will be endangered

B．some rare forest species will grow faster

C．tropical vines find their wonderful world

D．some harmful insects will be under control

3. What does the underlined word “withstand” mean in the text?

A．Make up.	B．Stand up to.
C．Think about.	D．Bring out.

4. What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．Greenhouse effect is increasing sharply.

B．Climate change does great damage to trees.

C．Many native species will be frozen to death.

D．Forests and climate change influence each other.

10 . 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