1 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Why is the baobab’s trunk really fat?

A．It is shaped by people.

B．It stores a large quantity of water.

C．It must be strong enough to support the tree.

2. What is the full height of a baobab?

A．About 12 metre.

B．About 15 metre.

C．About 30 metre.

3. What are baobabs often used as nowadays?

A．Shops.

B．Wildlife habitats.

C．Bus shelters

2 . A new kind of hybrid wheat now available to American farmers may help reduce fears over genetically engineered crops. The new hybrid wheat is being introduced as seed companies worldwide seek to increase production because of reducing grain supplies. The hybrid wheat was developed by a Chinese-owned agriculture company. The product was created with-out genetic engineering. The first seeds to grow the wheat will be released on 2,000 to 2,800 hectares of American farmland next year, according to Reuters reports.

Developers or breeders create hybrid wheat by taking away the natural ability of plants to pollinate (授粉) themselves. Instead, female wheat plants in a field are pollinated by male plants of a different line. The goal of the process is to create seeds that can produce bigger crops and better resist harmful environments. The fertilized female plants produce a new kind of hybrid. Using this hybrid technology permits breeders to choose the best elements from two parent seeds to produce new seeds containing the best characteristics of both.

Producers say when seed companies produce hybrid wheat seeds, some female plants often fail to become fertilized because they depend on unpredictable winds to carry pollen (花粉).Pollen is a substance produced by plants when they reproduce. During some seasons,pollen is released into the air and carried to other plants to be fertilized. Producers say the fertilization of each plant is more certain during wheat’s natural process of self-pollination.

Researchers say the new hybrid wheat has to take long to come to market because the development process is more costly and complex. It could be important in increasing wheat yields and avoiding being linked to GMO development. GMO stands for genetically modified organism. Genetically modified wheat has never been grown for industry purposes because of fears that allergens or poisons might be created. Wheat is used to make numerous major foods worldwide.

Dave Hankey owns a seed company in Park River, North Dakota. He told Reuters, “Because of the resistance to genetically modified stuff, the hybrid wheat would be considered better and safer.”He added it would certainly be the public view.

1. Which of the following leads the new hybrid wheat to be developed?

A．The existing unsafe grain.

B．The decreasing output of food.

C．The application from American farmers.

D．The Chinese agriculture company’s proposal.

2. What is expected of the seeds of the new hybrid wheat?

A．Requiring less fertilizer.

B．Producing tinier crops.

C．Having better adaptability.

D．Improving their natural self-pollination ability.

3. What can we learn about the development of the new hybrid wheat?

A．It is complex but economical.

B．It is simple and fruitful.

C．It is temporary.

D．It is demanding.

4. What would be the public attitude to the hybrid wheat according to Dave Hankey?

A．Indifferent.

B．Resistant.

C．Appreciative.

D．Cautious.

3 . 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.