1 . Last year, brilliant’ botanists from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, discovered, identified and named 114 spectacular new species of plants and fungi (真菌) from around the world. Let’s find out more about some of Kew’s most wonderful new finds.

ROYAL MUSHROOM

NAME: Queen’s hedgehog fungus

FROM: Surrey, England

Named after the late Queen Elizabeth II, this rare fungus was found in an ancient forest in White Down, Surrey. According to the scientists who discovered it, the soft, white needles under the fungus’15cm-wide cap look like hedgehogs’ needles — giving it the second part of its name. Cool!

WORLD’S STRANGEST DAFFODIL

NAME: Sternbergia mishustinii

FROM: Turkey

The flowers of this rare species are bright yellow, but they’re only 2cm long and don't open up into a visible flower. Just 300 of these plants have been discovered, secret to hide them from illegal plant collectors.

RECORD-BREAKING WATERLILY

NAME: Giant Bolivian waterlily

FROM: Bolivia. South America

Check out this huge waterlily — its 3m wide leaves are big enough for a kid to float on! The big species has just won three Guinness World Records for largest waterlily, largest waterlily leaf and largest undivided leaf. And get this — although the giant plant was only named last year, a dried sample has been kept in Kew’s own Herbarium since 1845! Botanists had thought it was a similar, related species. Thankfully, the case of mistaken identity is all cleared up now. Unbe-leaf-able!

1. What’s Queen’s hedgehog fungus like?

A．It has yellow flowers.	B．It’s native to England.
C．It looks like hedgehogs.	D．It’s critically endangered.

2. What Guinness record does Giant Bolivian waterlily hold?

A．The oldest fungi.	B．The biggest leaves.
C．The fastest growing plant.	D．The largest waterlily species

3. Where is the passage most likely to have been taken from?

A．A botanical magazine.	B．A geographic textbook.
C．A historical document.	D．Guinness World Records.

2 . In recent years, scientists have discovered that mushrooms are much more than just a tasty addition to your favorite dish. In fact, they are the “Internet of trees” — a vast network of underground mycorrhizal (菌根的) fungi (真菌) that connects trees and other plants in a similar way to how the Internet connects people.

The mycorrhizal network is made up of hyphae (菌丝),which connect the roots of different plants and trees. These hyphae act like an underground internet, allowing plants to exchange nutrients, water, and even hormones (激素). For example, if one tree is under stress due to drought or disease, it can send out hormones to warn other nearby trees of the danger. The other trees can then prepare themselves for the coming threat.

Human beings can help trees and mushrooms by practicing “mycorestoration” in regenerative projects. With the Global Tree Initiative working towards reforestation and preserving natural habitats, it is important to share how mycorestoration can supply innovative ways to mitigate the impact of human activities.

Fungi are natural decomposers (分解器) that break down complex organic matter, like dead trees, into simpler compounds that can be absorbed by plants. This decomposition process is crucial for the health of our forests, as it contributes to nutrient cycling, soil formation, and carbon sequestration. By introducing native fungi species into areas where deforestation has occurred, we can help regenerate soil and support the growth of new trees. Fungi form symbiotic (共生的) relationships with tree roots, improving their ability to absorb water and nutrients. This increased access to resources accelerates tree growth and improves their resilience to stress, such as drought or disease.

Fostering sustainable communities through mycorestoration can be conducted through global partnerships that promote ecology within Ecovillage Design Education. The Global Ecovillage Network’s presence in five continents and in over 8,000 communities around the planet, helps the regenerative approach to community building and preservation of existing forests. By promoting sustainable land management practices and reducing our reliance on extractive industries, ecovillages can help prevent deforestation and protect the habitats of countless plant and animal species.

1. The “Internet of trees” can function as ________.

A．A linker of hormones.	B．A warning of danger.
C．A detector of diseases.	D．A destroyer of nutrients.

2. What does the underlined word “mitigate” mean?

A．Assess.

B．Increase.

C．Relieve.

D．Underestimate.

3. How do fungi help restore deforestation?

A．They produce more water and nutrients.

B．They help form complex plant-friendly compounds.

C．They accelerate the process of carbon sequestration.

D．They help with soil regeneration and tree growth.

4. What can be achieved through the Global Ecovillage Network?

A．Promoting ecological education.

B．Preserving existing forests.

C．Building independent communities.

D．Reducing reliance on industries.

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。

The ginkgo (银杏) tree is thought to be one of the oldest living trees,     1     (date) back to more than 290 million years ago. It is native     2     China, Japan and Korea, but it is also now grown in Europe and the United States. The earliest records of ginkgoes are found in Chinese herbology literature such as Compendium of Materia Medica.

Ginkgoes are large trees,     3     (normal) reaching a height of 20 — 35 meters, with some in China being over 50 meters. The adult tree has a large crown and long branches, and it is usually deep-rooted and resistant to wind and snow damage. With a combination of     4     (resistant) to diseases and insects, some of the trees     5     (claim) to be more than 2,500 years old.

With fan-shaped leaves, ginkgoes are green both on the top and bottom. But during autumn, they turn bright yellow and then fall, which make up     6     beautiful scene. Ginkgoes come in two sexes, with some trees being female     7     others male. The fruit has a soft, fleshy and yellow-brown outer layer     8     is attractive in appearance.

Because ginkgoes     9     (be) around for so long, people have used them for many purposes. It’s commonly used for memory and thought problems, vision problems and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence     10     (support) most of these uses.

4 . Maybe you’ve wondered what you would hear if plants could speak. A stream of gossip from the roses? Wise whispering from the branches of an old tree? A faint, high-pitched cry of terror when your older brother takes out the lawn mower(割草机)?

Ariel Novoplansky, an ecologist in Israel, is studying how plants communicate with each other. To listen in, he set up a kind of telephone game among plants in his lab. Experiment used pea plants standing in rows of containers. The center plant in each row was the target: Scientists would stress out that plant and see whether the plants on either side of it picked up any alarm signals.

The pea plants had been grown with two main roots. On one side of the stressed plant, each plant had one root in its own pot and the other reaching into a neighbor’s pot. The central plant connected to its closest neighbor, which connected to another neighbor, and so on down the line. On the other side of the stressed plant, all the plants kept their roots in their own pots unconnected to their neighbors. Then the scientists dried up the soil of the central target plant, creating a drought.

Within 15 minutes, the dried-out plant reacted the same way it would in nature: it had closed up the tiny pores(气孔) on its leaves to save water. What’s amazing is that the central plant’s closest neighbor with connected roots had also closed up its leaf pores. And after an hour, the message had traveled down the whole row of connected plants. On the other side of the pea chain, where the plants’ roots weren’t connected, all their pores stayed open. This means the warning signal traveled from the stressed plant’s roots through the soil.

Dried-out roots aren’t the only talkative plant parts scientists have discovered. When sugar maple trees are damaged, they send signals through the air telling their neighbors to produce bad-tasting chemicals. When caterpillars chew on corn leaves, nearby corn plants also make more self-defense molecules(分子). The plants around us may not be speaking with any volume, but they are saying plenty.

1. What is the purpose of paragraph 1?

A．To make a prediction.	B．To raise a discussion.
C．To develop a theory.	D．To introduce a research.

2. How did Novoplansky conduct his experiment?

A．By stressing out the target plant.

B．By sending alarming signals to plants.

C．By growing pea plants with different roots.

D．By drying out the soil of the plants in rows.

3. What do we know about the pea plants according to the text?

A．They are able to communicate with the gardeners.

B．They send warning signals to others through the air.

C．They close up their leaf pores as a stress reaction.

D．They are the most talkative plants found by scientists.

4. Where is this text probably taken from?

A．A news report.	B．A science journal.
C．A gardening guide.	D．A business magazine.

5 . Wildflower meadows are beautiful; so beautiful in fact that a village in Britain has found they act as natural speed traps from motorists slowing down to look at them.

The village of Long Newnton in Gloucestershire has a problem with fast-moving traffic between nearby towns. Almost all drivers moving through areas they frequent will break posted speed limits, and neither a 30 mile per hour limit, nor warning signs made any difference.

Officials first planted flowers along the roadside during the pandemic to help improve biodiversity. But they noticed that as well as attracting more wildlife, motorists also slowed down when they passed the flowers. The village, between Tetbury and Malmesbury, has traffic regularly travelling between them, and the small parish council(教区行政机构) receives limited funds from the government for traffic control measures.

Putting two and two together, the village is now relying on its flowers to do the work that the road signs could not, paying for the blooms with crowdfunding(众筹) in the village.

Why exactly people slow down isn’t entirely clear. “Evidence has shown that if you introduce things like wildflowers, drivers will slow down because they feel like they’re coming into somewhere that’s looked after,” said Jenny Forde, cabinet member for health and wellbeing at Cotswold District Council. A crowdfunding campaign has raised almost £8,000 for traffic-calming measures, which will be used to fund a three-year care program for the wildflowers.

A sign that flashes and records data when people are breaking the 30 mph(48 kmph) speed limit was also fixed by the council. According to the data, 90% of motorists drive below the speed limit. It goes to show that something the homeschooling revolution in America is getting right applies elsewhere too, and that rewards for good behavior will always outperform(胜过) punishment for bad behavior.

1. What problem are villagers in Long Newnton facing?

A．Drivers often overspeed through the village.

B．Warning signs are unserviceable inside the village.

C．Traffic accidents often happen between the towns.

D．Large numbers of people are pouring to visit the village.

2. For what did officials plant flowers along the roadside initially?

A．Acting as traffic signals.	B．Attracting more tourists.
C．Increasing plant diversity.	D．Advising drivers to slow down.

3. What can be inferred from the text?

A．The longest journey begins with the first step.

B．Rewards outweigh punishment in some way.

C．Nothing is impossible to a willing heart.

D．A good beginning is half of success.

4. Which of the following is probably the best title?

A．Pay for Flowers with Crowdfunding	B．Natural Traps Found in Long Newnton
C．More Measures Taken to Regulate Traffic	D．Handle Speeding with Wildflowers’ Help

6 . 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。

This scene at the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics amazed the world. Fireworks     1     the shape of the “Guest-Greeting Pine“ made the world feel the enthusiasm of an open China. The “Guest-Greeting Pine”, named after its shape like a person    2    (wave) to welcome visitors, is one of the landmarks on Mount Huangshan, which     3    (sit) in the south of Anhui Province.

As a UNESCO natural and cultural heritage site, Mount Huangshan is also a global geopark characterized by a Mesozoic granite landscape. This     4    (drama) landscape includes formations of natural stone pillars, strangely-shaped rocks, waterfalls, caves, lakes and hot springs, formed by    5    (it) complex geological history. Its magnificent natural scenery of massive granitic stones and ancient pine trees is often    6    (far) enhanced by cloud and mist effects.

Mount Huangshan boasts 72 peaks, among    7     Lianhua Peak, Guangmingding Peak and Tiandu Peak are the three main peaks, with    8     altitude(海拔) of over 1, 800 meters. In Mount Huangshan, there are more than 200 cloudy days in a year. When the water vapor rises or the fog does not disappear after the rain, it     9    (form) a sea of clouds, presenting a fairyland landscape.

As a famous traditional mountain in China, Mount Huangshan bears profound historical and cultural     10    (mean) with ancient buildings, ancient pedals, cliff stone carvings, etc. , and has bred the “Huangshan Painting School” of Chinese landscape painting.

7 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

A new study reveals that plants have their own “ bedtime alarm clock ” that helps them survive the night. Researchers at the University of York have discovered that plants possess an internal signal which they believe tells them     1     amount of sugar they have in their systems at dusk. Plants use sunlight to make     2     ( they ) own sugars from photosynthesis (光合作用）during the day and store them to provide energy during the night.

Plants’ ability to predict sunrise and estimate the     3     ( long ) of the night, as well as adjust metabolism (新陈代谢),     4     ( depend ) on a biological time-keeper called a circadian clock. This is a network of genes which drives rhythms of     5     ( rough ) 24 hours. Biologists think it is this signal, or so-called “ alarm ” ,     6     gives plants the information they need to adjust their metabolism in the dark nighttime hours to stay alive.

The researchers discovered a set of genes     7     ( regulate ) by the chemical compound superoxide, which     8     ( associate ) with metabolic activity. And they found by stopping the production of superoxide, they also stopped the effect of sugar     9     these circadian clock genes in the evening,     10     ( reveal ) the plants’ so-called “ alarm ” .

8 . 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。

Bamboo has been planted in China for thousands of years at least. And it is possibly one of the most    1    (cherish) plants of Chinese people. There is a bamboo forest in Sichuan Province in Southwest China     2    hundreds of millions of bamboos cover 27 mountains and more than 500 peaks.

The bamboo sea in southern Sichuan is the     3    (large) natural bamboo forest in the world. It is said that there are 428 kinds of bamboos here.

Among them, the Nan bamboo     4    (grow) the fastest, covering more than 47,000 square kilometers of the mountainside. And they are able to grow from     5    (shoot) to mature bamboos in just 40 days     6     grow into woods within four years. Bamboo is the rarest renewable resource in the mountainous areas. They     7    (surround) by cloud all year round. In summer you can see green everywhere, and in winter everything turns white.

There is bamboo scenery, mountains and rivers, lakes, ancient temples, as well     8    countless streams overflowing from this bamboo sea. These streams fall from cliff edges,     9    (create) a grand scene. Deep into the bamboo forest, there is a crystal-clear lake called the “Sea within the Sea”. Only by taking a bamboo raft and floating in the waves can you     10    (true) appreciate this wonderful green world.

9 . For the first time, scientists have provided clear evidence that tropical tree lifespans(寿命) decrease above a critical temperature threshold. Findings published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences show that across the tropics, tree lifespans decrease for temperatures above 25℃.

As temperatures are rising rapidly across large parts of the tropics, the tree death rate is likely to rise in most parts of the tropics, including the Amazon, Pantanal and Atlantic forests, with possible effects on animal habitats, air quality and carbon stocks. Although tropical rainforests account for only 7% of all land, they are home to about 50% of all animals and plant species, and approximately 50% of forest carbon stocks on earth. Thus, small changes in the functioning of tropical forests can significantly change the atmospheric levels of CO2-the most important greenhouse gas caused by humans.

Professor Manuel Gloor and Dr Roel Brienen, the Leeds School of Geography, are co-authors of the new study. Professor Gloor said: “Many regions in the tropics are heating up particularly rapidly and a large number of areas will become warmer, on average, than approximately 25℃. Our findings suggest that for trees in these regions, their lifespans are likely to be negatively affected.”

Dr Brienen added, “This indicates that tropical forests may be more vulnerable(易受伤害的) to increasing heat than previously thought. As a result of global warming, we therefore expect the shortening of tree lifespans in the tropics. These results are a warning sign that, along with deforestation, global warming puts extra stress on the Earth’s tropical forests.”

The research team, led by Dr Giuliano Locosselli, from the Institute of Biosciences, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, spent four years examining tree-rising data from more than 100,000 trees worldwide belonging to 400 different tree species from 3,000 sites across the globe. Dr Locosselli said, “In the tropics, trees grow, on average, twice as fast as those in cooler regions of the world. But they also have a shorter average lifespan of 186 years, compared to 322 years for trees in other climates. Our analysis suggests that the lifespans in the tropics will likely decrease further still.”

“If tropical trees die earlier, this will affect how much carbon these forests can hold, raising concerns about the future potential of forests to balance CO2 emissions(排放) from fossil fuels burning. It could also cause changes in biodiversity and a decrease in the number of species on the planet.”

Currently, average temperatures in tropical rainforests vary between 21℃ and 30℃. According to the latest forecasts, tropical temperatures on land will continue to rise, reaching on average a combined 2.5 ℃ above pre-industrial levels over the next 10 to 20 years. The study also shows that temperature effects on tree longevity(长寿) will be further worsened by dry conditions.

1. What does the underlined word “threshold” in the first paragraph probably mean?

A．Assumption.	B．Boundary.
C．Controller.	D．Distinction.

2. What do we know about tropical rainforests from the passage?

A．They occupy a large part of the land on earth.

B．They stock the carbon of almost the whole forest.

C．Their ability to absorb CO2 is weaker than expected.

D．They are home to about half the creatures on earth.

3. What is a special point about trees in the tropics compared to trees in other climates?

A．They live for a much shorter time on average.

B．They have fewer species and living sites globally.

C．They are not as strongly affected by temperature.

D．They grow much slower than those in cooler regions.

4. What will dry conditions lead to, according to the passage?

A．Tropical trees dying much faster.

B．Tropical trees releasing more heat.

C．Tropical trees catching fire more often.

D．Tropical trees standing hotter temperatures.

10 . Our world is full of sounds. Sound is so essential to life and survival that it made Tel Aviv University researcher Lilach Hadany ask: What if it wasn't just animals that could sense sound—what if plants could, too?

“Sounds are a natural resource-one that plants would be wasting if they didn’t take advantage of it as animals do,”said Hadany. If plants had a way of hearing and responding to sound, she figured, it could help them survive and reproduce.

Hadany's team started their study by investigating flowers. Evening primrose（夜来香）, which grows wild on the beaches and in parks around Tel Aviv, emerged as a good candidate, since it has a long bloom time and produces measurable quantities of nectar（花蜜）.

To test the primroses in the lab, Hadany's team exposed plants to five sound treatments: silence, recordings of a honeybee from four inches away, and computer generated sounds in low, intermediate（中等的）, and high frequencies. Plants given the silent treatment had no significant increase in nectar sugar concentration. The same went for plants exposed to high-frequency（158 to 160 kilohertz）and intermediate-frequency（34 to 35 kilohertz）sounds.

But for plants exposed to playbacks of bee sounds（0.2 to 0.5 kilohertz）and similarly low-frequency sounds（0.05 to 1 kilohertz）, the final analysis revealed an unmistakable response. Within three minutes of exposure to these recordings, nectar sugar concentration in the plants increased by 20 percent.

A sweeter treat for pollinators（传粉者）, their theory goes, may draw in more insects, potentially increasing the chances of successful cross-pollination. Indeed, in field observations, researchers found that pollinators were more than nine times more common around plants another pollinator had visited within the previous six minutes.

“We were quite surprised when we found out that it actually worked.” said Hadany.“But after repeating it in other situations, in different seasons, and with plants grown both indoors and outdoors, we feel very confident in the result.”

1. Why did Hadany's team expose plants to sound treatments?

A．To see if they would respond to sound.

B．To develop their ability to receive sound.

C．To help them benefit from different sounds.

D．To detect the difference between plants and animals.

2. Which of the following can bring a sweeter treat for pollinators?

A．Flowers like primroses	B．Sounds like those of bees.
C．Visits from other pollinators.	D．Exposure to different sounds

3. What can be concluded from the study?

A．Plants can identify different sounds.	B．Sound attracts more pollinators to flowers.
C．Plants produce nectar when pollinators come.	D．Sound plays an important role in insects’ survival.

4. How did Hadany feel about their discovery described in paragraph 5 at first?

A．It was doubtful.

B．It was unexpected.

C．It was acceptable

D．It was satisfactory.