1 . For future humans to survive long periods on Mars, growing food on the planet is a must. It would be too costly and risky to rely upon rocket deliveries to meet the food needs of settlers. With this in mind, scientists are exploring ways to improve space farming.

Researchers work in a controlled greenhouse. They have identified a way that could improve crop production in simulated (模拟的) Martian soil, with different crops grown together. The method is called “intercropping”, invented by ancient Maya farmers in what is now Central America.

In their experiments, the researchers grew cherry tomatoes, peas and carrots together in small, round containers. Tomatoes grown in this way produced about double the amount of tomatoes grown alone—or “monocropped”—in the same simulated Martian soil. The tomatoes were also bigger. They flowered and matured earlier, gave more fruit per plant and had thicker stems. The amounts of peas and carrots did not increase with intercropping.

Rebeca Goncalves, an astrobiologist and lead writer of the study, said the research is the first time the intercropping technique was used in space soil, and that it was a big find—one that they could now build further research on. The crops were grown in simulated Martian regolith, a soil with no organic matter —a near-perfect physical and chemical match to real Martian soil.

The researchers added useful bacteria and nutrients. They also controlled the gases, temperature and humidity inside the greenhouse to match conditions expected in a Martian greenhouse. Intercropping involves growing plants with properties that could help each other grow. The method makes the best use of resources including water and nutrients.

The researchers said the tomato plants in intercropping may have benefited from being close to the pea plants. That is because the peas are good at turning nitrogen from the air, with the help of bacteria introduced into the soil, into an important nutrient. Overall, the tomatoes, peas and carrots grew well, though not as well as in Earth soil in the same greenhouse.

1. What is the benefit of intercropping mentioned in the article?

A．Increasing crop yield.	B．Preventing soil pollution.
C．Decreasing sunlight exposure.	D．Reducing water consumption.

2. What role did the peas play in the process of intercropping?

A．Enhancing growth of carrots.

B．Increasing fruit production in tomatoes.

C．Transforming nitrogen into a crucial nutrient.

D．Improving the variety of bacteria introduced into the soil.

3. What was the key finding of the research?

A．Carrots benefited the most from intercropping.

B．The crops grew as well as they would in Earth soil.

C．The presence of peas helped tomatoes produce more fruit.

D．Peas and carrots showed significant growth improvement in intercropping.

4. What is the main idea of the article?

A．Intercropping is developed for growing crops in space.

B．The study found Intercropping resulted in higher tomato yields.

C．Scientists are struggling to find ways to improve crop production in space.

D．Researchers successfully grew some plants in imitated Martian soil using intercropping.

2 . As the world’s oldest living organisms, trees have been our silent companions. Although they inspire a large quantity of fancy tales, the richness of what they say is beyond description.

The German forester Peter Wohlleben spent decades working and learning their secrets. Feelings are rarely applied to trees, but Wohlleben has done so without hesitation. According to Wohlleben, that humans do not speak the trees’ language does not mean they do not communicate. Trees are badly misunderstood even if they communicate with chemical and electrical signals.

Wohlleben claims that trees are creatures as human beings. In one of 50 cases, Wohlleben’s team sees the special friendships between trees, as they can distinguish between one individual and another. This means that trees do not treat all other trees the same. For instance, Wohlleben saw two old beeches standing next to each other. Compared to the usual case, each one growing its branches turned away from the other rather than toward each other. This kind of partnership is well-known to foresters. They know that such tree pairs are really like a human couple. If they chop one down, they need to chop down both because the other will die anyway.

Trees were also found to keep each other alive in different ways. They pass food to nearby sick trees and send signals to warn others of dangerous insects. In one of his investigations, Wohlleben also discovered a beech tree cut about 400 to 500 years ago. The trunk is still alive and was found with green chlorophyll (叶绿素) under the thick bark. Since it has no leaves to create sugar, the only explanation is that neighbouring trees have supported this tree for more than centuries.

The trees that suffered through drought were found to consume less water in the spring so that they will have more water available in the summer months. This implies that a tree can learn and remember a drought its whole life, acting on that memory by being more cautious about its water consumption.

1. What is the function of the first paragraph?

A．To arouse readers’ interest.	B．To introduce a topic.
C．To present a new discovery.	D．To demonstrate a heated debate.

2. According to Wohlleben’s research, what can we learn about trees?

A．Trees communicate in the same way as humans.

B．Trees can’t tell friends and enemies apart.

C．Trees are loyal to their partners.

D．Trees can keep each other alive within limited periods.

3. Why do some trees consume less water in the spring?

A．Because they have more water available in summer

B．Because they have suffered through drought before.

C．Because they don’t need so much water in the spring.

D．Because they can depend on the support from other trees.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Mysteries of trees are unfolded	B．Trees are our silent companions
C．Trees can adapt to the environment	D．Trees can form special relationships

3 . Every August the clustered carline thistle (蓟) is one of the only plants that flower in most of Spain’s dry Mediterranean habitats, making it a dominant plant on the local bees and other pollinators. But how can the thistle survive, much less flower, when its neighbors are reduced to twigs and dust?

Spanish National Research Council evolutionary ecologist Carlo s Herrera had an amazing discovery when one day he peered into a thistle blossom to see how much nectar was inside and lightly touched the flower. He discovered that even after hours in direct sun, the flower heads were routinely five degrees cooler than their surroundings during the heat of the day, with the difference approaching 10 degrees for some flowers on the hottest days.

Sanna Sevanto, a physicist and plant physiologist at Los Alamos National Laboratory says that Herrera’s finding is exciting and could confirm a risky plant survival strategy that has, until now, only been theorized.

Sevanto and other scientists have documented that to perform photosynthesis (光合作用), leaves need access to carbon dioxide, which enters through tiny pores (毛孔) called stomata on the leaf’s surface. When stomata open to let carbon dioxide in, some water escapes; this causes evaporative cooling that lowers the leaf’s temperature slightly.

But for the Spanish thistles, evaporative cooling could be the goal rather than just a side effect of photosynthesis. Herrera suggests the plant could essentially be sweating: sacrificing precious water, so scarce in Spain’s dry summers, to prevent its delicate reproductive organs from overheating. She added that some flower species have stomata on their petals, which Sevanto says would be an easy route for releasing water. Opening stomata in a drought is a big gamble, though, and she notes that, so far, “we have not observed a plant that would do it to cool themselves.”

As heat waves become more frequent and intense with climate change, it’s increasingly important to study unusual adaptations that help plants survive heat stress. But ultimately, “whether these plants will have water enough to keep the system working,” Herrera says, “that’s another story.”

1. What was Herrera’s discovery about carline thistle in August?

A．It was the only plant that blossomed.	B．It was the only plant that survived.
C．It had little nectar in the flower.	D．It had lower temperature in the flower head.

2. Why does carline thistle open stomata in hot weather?

A．To cool the key organs.	B．To take in carbon dioxide.
C．To accelerate photosynthesis.	D．To reduce water content in leaves.

3. What does the underlined word “gamble” in paragraph 5 refer to?

A．Advantage.

B．Risk.

C．Shift.

D．Evolution.

4. What is Herrera’s attitude towards the plants’ way to adapt to heat stress?

A．Suspicious.

B．Positive.

C．Objective.

D．Unconcerned.

4 . This is the time of year when many gardeners are harvesting tomatoes. Gardening expert Jessica Damiano recently reported about the many pictures of strangely shaped tomatoes sent to her from fans of her gardening advice.     1    . The good news, Damiano said, is that there is nothing wrong with the strangely shaped fruits.     2    . Their unusual appearance does not affect their taste or nutritional value.

    3     If you have ever cut open a tomato, you know they are divided into internal (内部的) parts, called locules (小室). Most tomatoes have about four or five locules; other kinds of the fruit, like cherry tomatoes, contain two or three. But when a plant experiences extreme (极端的) temperature, cell division in the developing fruit can go off track. Temperatures over 32℃ during the day and 27℃ overnight can lead the tomato to form an extra locule. But there is not enough room inside a tomato for the extra part, so it grows on the outside of the fruit.

Not every tomato on an affected plant will be deformed (改变形状), however. What are the possibilities? Under the right conditions (temperatures that are too hot or even too cold), this could affect one or two tomatoes per plant, depending on where they are in the development process and what the (weather) conditions are, said Timothy McDermott, a professor at Ohio State University. The possibility of one of your tomatoes developing a locule oddity (怪异) is about one in a thousand, McDermott said.     4     But, Damiano noted, heirloom (原种) kinds seem more likely to have this genetic mutation (基因变异) than hybrids.

And, when harvesting your crop, remember:     5    

A．select the good-looking ones.

B．Any tomato can grow an extra locule.

C．the funny-looking tomatoes taste just as good!

D．What causes the unusual appearance of tomatoes?

E．Unless otherwise diseased, they are perfectly good for eating.

F．She said people sometimes question if the tomatoes are okay to eat.

G．Provide shade for your plants when temperatures are predicted to remain above 32℃.

5 . 听下面一段较长对话,回答以下小题。
1. What are the speakers discussing?

A．The man’s house.

B．The effects of global warming.

C．The man’s job.

2. What is always nice according to the man?

A．Animals can get more food.

B．Green can be seen all year round.

C．He lives by the sea.

3. What could farmers grow before?

A．Grass.

B．Vegetables.

C．Trees.

6 . With so many different kinds of plants out there, telling them apart can seem like an impossible task. But you don’t have to have a degree in botany to start putting names to the plants you come across. Learning to recognize various species begins with studying the plants’ unique physical features carefully and recording what you see.

    1     If you spot a plant outdoors and don’t have the first clue as to what it is, start identifying it by scanning your surroundings. In particular, consider the overall climate, the conditions of the terrain, and any nearby water sources. A quick glance should be able to tell you what you’re looking at.

Study the plant’s features carefully. Whenever you come across a species you’ve never seen before, stop and take note. Look over each of the individual parts, like the stems (茎，梗), leaves, and flowers.

    2    

Use viewing aids to take a closer look. A magnifying glass will allow you to zoom in and analyze a plant’s features in more vivid detail. Similarly, you may require a pair of binoculars or a telescopic lens when you want to inspect a particular specimen (样本) from a distance.     3    

Write down the plant’s key features.     4     Be sure to make mention of attributes like size, shape, color, and texture, as well as any unique patterns or other distinguishing marks. In order to learn to identify plants on your own, you’ll need to hone (磨练) your use of descriptive language to be as precise as possible.

Ask an expert to take advantage of their firsthand experience. Show your notes and any photos you’ve taken to a botanist, gardening specialist, or respected outdoorsman and see if they can help you discover the identity of a certain plant.     5     People who have spent years studying plants can often pick them out by sight or description.

A．Observe the plant carefully at first.

B．Take your environment into consideration.

C．Record each characteristic in your own words.

D．Judge the age and shape of the plants you have found.

E．Without these tools, you’ll be stuck doing a lot of guesswork.

F．You’ll have an opportunity to absorb a little of what they know.

G．Most plants can be grouped and distinguished by these structures.

7 . A major benefit of growing your own tomatoes is variety. If you visit a garden center, you will find seeds and small starter plants for yellow tomatoes, purple tomatoes, huge tomatoes, and even very small tomatoes.

    1    . The most important things are to give the plants plenty of water, well- draining soil, heat and light. It is best to grow tomatoes in a place that receives at least six hours of sunlight each day. Removing weeds will keep pests and diseases away while giving the plants enough nutrients to produce fruit.

Tomatoes grow best in soil with a pH level between 6.0 and 6.8. If the pH reading is lower than 6.0, you can add about 2 cups of dolomitic lime (石灰) into the soil for each plant.

If you want to grow really big tomatoes, try following these seven tips from expert growers: Select tomato seeds with names like Big Zac or Bull’s Heart.     2    .

Start seeds early indoors and re-plant them into larger containers several times before moving them outdoors.     3    , removing leaves from the bottom one- third of plants and burying stems up to the next set of leaves. This will produce stronger plants.

Remove new flowers that develop at the top of the plant when older fruits near the bottom begin to grow.     4    . Pay close attention! Observe the plants daily for posts and diseases. React quickly to prevent problems.

Remove the small growths where the plant’s stems and branches meet. This will prevent them from taking away nutrients and shading developing fruit under them.

    5     instead of letting them develop into a shorter, wider shrub (灌木).

Finally, water, fertilize and weed!

A．Plant them deep each time

B．Rich soil benefits the growth

C．Tomatoes are not difficult to grow

D．Skills are demanding in growing tomatoes

E．Cut back the plants to keep only one main branch

F．They are all genetically designed to produce large fruit

G．This will force the plant to produce fewer but larger tomatoes

8 . Welcome to Science on Sundays

Science on Sundays is a programme of free monthly science talks which always brings the latest discoveries in plant science, as well as research linked to the plant collection at the Botanic Garden, to the visitors in a 30-minute short period of time. The programme in April is about tulips(郁金香).

Introduction

Time: 2:30 pm on Sundays

Title: In Search of Wild Tulips

Objects: adults and children aged 12+

Speaker: Brett Wilson at University of Cambridge

Background Information

The planted tulips are a common sight in spring gardens around the world, but have you ever considered where wild tulips grow? The wild ancestors of our much-loved gardening varieties can mostly be found in the mountains and valleys of Central Asia, far from the Netherlands, where most tulips are grown and bred. At the Botanic Garden, we have a National Tulip Collection where we grow many wild species including plenty of species from Central Asia. Over the last four years, Brett Wilson has been using something learned from books and combining with fieldwork to understand the diversity of tulips, with a view of identifying which species are most at risk of extinction.

Come and listen to Brett speak about the research and the adventures that have occurred in our search to find and protect wild tulips in this remote corner of the world. These will be live face-to-face talks taking place in the Botanic Garden Classroom for those visitors with interest.

1. What do we know about Science on Sundays?

A．It focuses on plants.

B．It is a paid programme.

C．It appeals only to children.

D．It is a live broadcast on weekdays.

2. How does Brett Wilson understand tulips’ diversity?

A．By making assumptions.

B．By picking and collecting tulips.

C．By growing tulips in greenhouses.

D．By combining theory and practice.

3. What is the main purpose of the last paragraph?

A．To ask visitors to plant more tulips.

B．To call on visitors to listen to the talks.

C．To push visitors to take more botany classes.

D．To advise visitors to take adventure in remote areas.

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。

The South China National Botanical Garden opened on July 11 in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. It is the second national botanical garden in China,     1    (follow)the Beijing National Botanical Garden. With both gardens located in different climate     2     (zone), the species of plants that can be conserved in Guangzhou differ     3     (complete) from those in the Beijing garden.

With a total area of 333 hectares of exhibition and scientific research, the Guangzhou garden is the     4    (large) subtropical (亚热带的) botanical garden in the world, as well as one of China’s oldest institutions for botanical research and conservation. It is home     5     about 17,000 species of ex-situ (异地的) plants away from their natural habitats, including 643 rare and endangered plants     6     337 wild plant species on national key protection lists. So far, 36 species of rare and endangered plants, such as Camellia azalea and Dunnia sinensis,     7     (return) to the wild thanks to the garden.   

As one of the countries with the richest plant diversity in the world, China has more than 37,000 known species of land plants,     8     account for about 10 percent of the total in the globe. The     9     (found) of the national botanical garden system will enable the country     10     (protect) its plant diversity more effectively.

10 . Take a look at that tree in the local park. What might it be feeling? Could it be thinking? Experiments are exploring the idea of plant cognition (认知), even going so far as to suggest they possess some form of consciousness.

As wild as it sounds, it isn’t a new idea. The field of “plant neurobiology (神经生物学)” began in 2006, aimed at understanding how plants process information from their environment.

It is now clear that plants are capable of complex communication and can sense their surroundings, which were originally dismissed. But advocates of plant consciousness take things further and draw parallels between the electrical signaling that can be found from root to stem and that present in the nervous system of animals. They claim to show that plants are capable of intentionally choosing to perform certain behaviors, of learning and perhaps even having personalities. If plants are experiencing a conscious inner world, they argue, it becomes vital that we find ways to test and understand it.

Extending the concept of cognition to plants would mean a significant shift in our view of the uniqueness of humanity, not to mention how we treat our botanical friends, so the bar of acceptance is high. Researchers rising to the challenge are hoping to explore plants with tools usually reserved for the human brain.

The research can appear persuasive, but it is in its early stage and suffers from repeated failure. Critics say the field is a high guess and that the behaviour can be explained through inborn response.

Whether we decide that plants have cognition may come down to our ability to describe consciousness itself-something we are far from doing. But rather than dismiss the idea, we should welcome the chance to think up new ways to test our understanding of consciousness. It might just improve our grasp of the human mind. At the very least, our trees and plants should benefit from the extra attention-consciously or not.

1. What do supporters of plant consciousness believe?

A．Plants can only perform native reaction.

B．Plants can perceive their surroundings and adapt to them.

C．Plants possess the same level of consciousness as humans.

D．Plants can communicate complicatedly and choose actions deliberately.

2. What is the main challenge in accepting the idea of plant consciousness?

A．The need to develop tools to test plant cognition.

B．The dramatic change in our view of humanity.

C．The lack of evidence in the field of plant neurobiology.

D．The inability to describe consciousness itself.

3. What is the current state of research in the field of plant cognition?

A．The field is highly based on guesses and has no evidence.

B．Researchers are using tools reserved for the human brain to study plant behaviors.

C．There is not enough evidence to support the idea of plant consciousness.

D．Plants have been proven to possess a form of consciousness.

4. What is the potential benefit of studying plant consciousness?

A．Enhancing our understanding of the human brain.

B．Developing new ways to test plant behaviors.

C．Promoting our relationship with plants.

D．Proving the existence of plant cognition.