1 . What if someone told you about a kind of grass as tall as the tallest trees? A grass as strong as steel? Would you believe that person? You should, for that grass is bamboo   (竹子), which has more than 1,000 uses. It is not just a material for making useful products. Young bamboo is eaten, often mixed with other vegetables.

Bamboo grows in many parts of the world. In the USA it grows in many states like Virginia and Florida. Most bamboo, however, is found in wet and warm climates, especially in Asia and on the islands of the South Pacific Ocean.

In most Asian countries, bamboo is nearly as important as rice. This unusual material is used to not only build large buildings but also make water pipes, musical instruments and paper. There are over 1,000 kinds of bamboo. No wonder the lives of nearly half the people on earth would change greatly if there were no longer any bamboo.

1. According to the text, bamboo is actually a kind of         .

A．grass

B．steel

C．tree

D．vegetable

2. Where does most bamboo grow?

A．Only in Asia.	B．Only in the USA.
C．In wet and warm climates.	D．All over the world.

3. What is bamboo used to do in paragraph 3?

A．Build large buildings.	B．Make water pipes.
C．Make musical instruments and paper.	D．All of the above.

4. How many kinds of bamboo are there according to the text?

A．Over 1,000.

B．Over 800.

C．Over 600.

D．Over 400.

2 . As the weather turns colder in some parts of the world, signs of autumn begin to appear. At this time of the year depending on your location, you may also see a familiar flower: chrysanthemums ( 菊花). We often call them “mums,” for short.

In parts of the United States, many people use chrysanthemums as decorations. The flowers sit next to pumpkins for Halloween, October’s famous holiday. But then the mums are thrown away along with rotting jack o’lanterns.

This yearly tradition bothered plant expert Jessica Damiano. In a recent article, she wanted to know why people simply threw away their mums. So, she asked some of her neighbors in Long Island, New York.

Everyone had the same answer: They thought the flowers were annuals — flowers that only last for one season.

Damiano explained that there are annual and perennial (多年生的) mums. Perennials come back for several growing seasons. Garden chrysanthemums, she adds, are actually perennials. Annual chrysanthemums are often sold in stores as potted gift plants. Special plant stores usually sell perennial mums.

If the plants are not labeled at a store, Damiano said to look at the leaves. The large, flat leaves of perennial mums have deep cuts around the edges. The narrow leaves of annuals do not.

Perennial mums are hardy flowers. But they cannot survive freezing temperatures. They also cannot survive extreme summer heat. So, that means about half of the United States is good for growing mums.

Perennial chrysanthemums come from China. Kaifeng, a city in China’s Henan province, is famous for its mums. Each year, the city holds a popular festival to celebrate the flowers. Chrysanthemum festivals are also held in other countries — like Pakistan, Germany, South Korea, Japan, and the United States, to name a few.

Chrysanthemums come in shades of orange, red, rust, pink, purple, yellow, cream, and white. Some can grow to nearly one meter in height. They reach their mature size in about three years. In warmer climates, they bloom again in spring.

1. Why did people throw away their chrysanthemums?

A．They don’t like the mums.

B．They don’t think the mums can flower again.

C．They mistake the mums as lanterns.

D．They throw away the mums by accident.

2. How can we tell the differences between annual mums and perennial ones according to Damiano?

A．By observing the leaves.	B．By looking at the pot.
C．By asking others.	D．By referring to books.

3. What kind of climate is suitable for mums’ growth?

A．Freezing.

B．Extremely hot.

C．Warm.

D．Wet.

4. Where are the perennial mums originally from?

A．Pakistan.

B．Germany.

C．Japan.

D．China.

3 . 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

4 . 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.

5 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Why do the two speakers hope for sunny days?

A．Because they feel bored with the changeable weather.

B．Because they can’t do anything in the rain.

C．Because they are worrying about their vegetables.

2. What will the weather probably be like this afternoon?

A．Cloudy.

B．Warm.

C．Foggy.

6 . With no special equipment, no fences and no watering, two abandoned agricultural fields in the UK have been rewilded (重新野化), in large part due to the efforts of jays, which actually “engineered” these new woodlands. Researchers now hope that rewilding projects can take a more natural and hands-off approach and that jays can shed some of their bad reputations.

The two fields, which researchers have called the New Wilderness and the Old Wilderness, had been abandoned in 1996 and 1961 respectively. The former was a bare field, while the latter was grassland—both lay next to ancient woodlands. Researchers had suspected that the fields would gradually return to wilderness, but it was impressive to see just how quickly this happened, and how much of it was owed to birds.

Using aerial data, the researchers monitored the two sites. After just 24 years, the New Wilderness had grown into a young, healthy wood with 132 live trees per hectare, over half of which (57%) were oaks. Meanwhile, the Old Wilderness resembled a mature woodland after 39 years, with 390 trees per hectare.

“This native woodland restoration was approaching the structure (but not the species composition) of long-established woodlands within six decades,” the researchers explained in the study.

Part of this reforestation was done by the wind, and researchers suspect that previous ground disturbance may have aided the woodland establishment—which is good news, as it would suggest that agricultural areas may be reforested faster than anticipated. However, animals—Eurasian jays, thrushes, wood mice, and squirrels—also played an important role in helping the forests take shape. This handful of species provided much of the natural regeneration needed for the forest to develop. Jays, in particular, seem to have done a lot of heavy lifting.

1. What does the underlined word “shed” in Paragraph 1 refer to?

A．Be opposed to.

B．Be ashamed of.

C．Get used to.

D．Get rid of.

2. Which aspect of the changes in the two fields impressed the researchers?

A．The scale of the woodlands.

B．The diversity of the fields.

C．The rate of the changes.

D．The frequency of the wilderness.

3. What does the author want to tell us by providing some data in Paragragh 3?

A．The woodland restoration was approaching the structure of long-established ones.

B．Much of the wilderness of the fields was owed to birds.

C．Previous ground disturbance aided the woodland establishment.

D．How quickly the fields returned to wilderness over time.

4. What does the last paragraph mainly talk about?

A．The essential role of humans in the reforestation.

B．The factors that contribute to the reforestation.

C．The importance of woodland establishment.

D．The threats faced by a handful of wild animals.

7 . A few weeks ago, I received a package containing a small batch (一批) of seeds from my friend. When I asked her what it would grow_________ , a flicker of a smile crossed her face. “Just plant them and be patient. You'll see for yourself_________”she said.

I sowed the seeds in a beautiful flowerpot. In the first few days, I was excited to search for the slightest_________ of germination (发芽). But nothing happened. With_________ homework, I began to feel frustrated and a little bit disappointed. How much I_________a splash of color in my fast-paced life!

I watered the plant carefully. I placed the plant in the sunlight and rotated (旋转) it for a_________ illumination (光照). On the fourth day, to my great surprise a few light green sprouts (芽) _________.

Bending down and carefully studying the seedlings, I could almost_________them growing. More days passed, the flowerpot soon became_________with coriander (香菜) plants.

Now they are taller than the edge of the pot,__________shaking their verdant (青翠的) leaves in the gentle__________of the wind, as if they are merrily singing a song of __________ and freedom.

I am certain that after a few more days, my coriander plants will be ready for__________. Thanks to my friend and my patience, these plants have played a crucial part in__________my everyday life. They may not be a main food on our table, but sprinkling some will surely add a__________of flavor to our dishes to spice up (为…调味) our busy days.

1.

A．into

B．for

C．up

D．out

2.

A．gradually

B．incredibly

C．ultimately

D．intently

3.

A．samples

B．signs

C．routes

D．proofs

4.

A．apparent

B．distinct

C．conventional

D．massive

5.

A．allowed for

B．longed for

C．provided for

D．went for

6.

A．intense

B．violent

C．balanced

D．exceptional

7.

A．emerged

B．hatched

C．reserved

D．sank

8.

A．pray

B．assess

C．forecast

D．hear

9.

A．conflicted

B．facilitated

C．crowded

D．surrounded

10.

A．subsequently

B．constantly

C．extensively

D．merely

11.

A．howl

B．scream

C．thunder

D．whisper

12.

A．initiative

B．leisure

C．harmony

D．luxury

13.

A．possession

B．consumption

C．exposure

D．harvest

14.

A．breaking into

B．relating to

C．brightening up

D．wearing down

15.

A．touch

B．bunch

C．host

D．lot

8 . For many people, catching a smell of freshly cut grass is a pleasant sign that warmer weather is here to stay. For the grass, however, this scent signals an entirely different story.

The smell we associate with freshly cut grass is actually a chemical SOS, one used by plants to beg nearby creatures to save them from attack. After all, when danger strikes —whether it's gardening equipment or a hungry caterpillar — plants can't lift their roots and run. They must fight where they stand. To protect themselves, plants employ a string of molecular (分子) responses. These chemical communications can be used to poison an enemy, warn surrounding plants of dangers or attract helpful insects to perform needed services.

Clearly, plants can communicate. But does that mean they can feel pain? According to some researchers, plants release gases that are the equivalent of crying out in pain. Using a laser-powered microphone, researchers have picked up sound waves produced by plants releasing gases when cut or injured. Although not audible to the human ear, the secret voices of plants have revealed that cucumbers scream when they are sick, and flowers cry when their leaves are cut.

There's also evidence that plants can hear themselves being eaten. Researches show that plants understand and respond to chewing sounds made by caterpillars dining on them. As soon as the plants hear the noises, they respond with several defense mechanisms.

For some researchers, evidence of these complex communication systems — giving out noises via gas when in pain — signals that plants feel pain. Others argue that there cannot be pain without a brain to register the feeling. Still more scientists infer that plants can exhibit intelligent behavior without possessing a brain or conscious awareness.

As they grow, plants can change their paths to avoid obstacles or reach for support with their tendrils (卷须). This activity comes from a complex biological network distributed through the plants' roots, leaves and stems. This network helps plants reproduce, grow and survive.

1. What does the smell of freshly cut grass signal?

A．Warmer weather.	B．Being poisonous.
C．Cry for help.	D．The need of services.

2. How do plants convey their pain?

A．By giving out gases.	B．By changing the color of their leaves.
C．By producing audible sound waves.	D．By sharing it through the root systems.

3. What makes plants' intelligent behavior possible?

A．Their tendrils.	B．Their biological network.
C．Their communication systems.	D．Their conscious awareness.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Do plants feel pain?	B．How plants protect themselves?
C．Do plants communicate?	D．How plants grow and reproduce?

9 . The cooling effect of trees reduces the surface temperature of European cities in the summer by up to 12°C in some regions. In contrast, green spaces without trees have an insignificant effect, according to a study that strengthens the case for tree planting to help cities adapt to global warming.

Jonas Schwaab at ETH Zurich in Switzerland and his colleagues used land surface temperature data collected by satellites to compare the temperature differences between areas covered by trees, treeless urban green spaces, such as parks, and urban constructions such as roads and buildings. They analysed 293 cities from across Europe.

The land surface temperature measured by satellites isn't the same as the air temperature, which is more closely linked to what humans would feel, says Schwaab. "Usually, the air temperature difference between tree-covered areas and built-up areas would be much smaller than the land surface temperature differences," he says.

The team found that tree-covered areas in cities have a much lower land surface temperature compared with surrounding areas. The differences were between 80C and 12C in central Europe and between 0°C and 4°C in southern Europe.

The cooling effect of trees comes largely trom shading and transpiration（蒸腾）. This process takes heat energy from the surrounding environment for evaporation（蒸发）, lowering the surrounding temperature. In the warmer climate of southern Europe, the soil is typically drier, so the cooling effect of transpiration is lower than in regions further north, says Schwaab.

The team also found that the cooling provided by treeless green spaces is insignificant, and in some instances green areas without trees can even be warmer than the surrounding urban areas.

Extreme heat is a growing problem for cities in Europe and elsewhere as the planet gets hotter. The findings show that trees can have a big influence on cities across Europe, but since the size of their effects varies, heat reduction strategies should be tailored to suit each region, says Schwaab.

1. What's the purpose of the study?

A．To measure land and air temperatures.	B．To suggest planting more trees in cities.
C．To make people aware of global warming.	D．To stress the importance of green spaces.

2. Why is the cooling effect of transpiration lower in southern Europe?

A．The soil is drier	B．The climate is coluer.
C．There're more green spaces.	D．There're more roads and buildings.

3. What might Schwaab suggest in the last paragraph?

A．Wet lands should be enlarged.	B．Dry soil should be reduced.
C．More roads should be built.	D．Solutions should be different.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．Trees Cool the Land Surface Temperature of Cities.	B．Researchers Raise Solutions to Extreme Weather
C．High Tech Lowers Land Surface Temperature	D．Extreme Heat Does Harm to the Environment

10 . 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。

Every year, at the end of October, tens of thousands of people flock to a Buddhist temple in China to see a huge gingko biloba tree (银杏树) drop its foliage (枝叶) and turn     1     temple from green to gold. The Gu Guanyin Buddhist temple,     2     (locate) in the Zhongnan Mountains of China’s Shaanxi Province is home     3     a 1,400-year-old gingko biloba tree. It was planted for the Tang dynasty (618-907) emperor Li Shimin,     4     is one of the     5     (great) rulers in Chinese history. It towers superbly over the temple,     6     for a few days every autumn, it rains down a gold carpet of     7     (leaf) that stands out against the muted tones of the season. Because of its     8     (amaze) appearance, it has been called the world’s most beautiful gingko biloba tree, and     9     (become) a tourist attraction in its own right.

Due to the increasing     10     (popular) of its ancient gingko biloba tree, the Gu Guanyin Buddhist temple has reportedly increased daily visitor capacity to around 7,200, between 8 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon.