1 . Researchers in Israel have found that tomato and tobacco plants that are dealing with stress factors make a popping sound that can be detected over 3 feet away, a reaction that seems similar to a human yelling in pain.

Plants were previously known to produce ultrasonic vibrations (超声波振动), but the new work notes that the sounds produced by at least two plants are airborne. The team’s work is published in Cell. “We know that there’s a lot of ultrasound out there—every time you use a microphone, you find that a lot of materials produce sounds that we humans cannot hear-but the fact that plants are making these sounds opens a brand new access of opportunities for us to eavesdrop (窃听)and use these sounds,” said Yossi Yovel, a neuro-ecologist and a co-author of the paper.

The researchers recorded tomato and tobacco plants in a soundproof room and in an ordinary greenhouse. They troubled the plants by not watering them for a few days and by stem cutting; both approaches caused pop- or click-like sounds from the plants. Unstressed plants also made sounds, but far fewer; the stressed plants sent out between 30 and 50 clicks per hour.

The team thinks the sounds may be caused by air bubbles in the plants’ vascular systems. It’s not clear whether the sounds serve any purpose, such as an attempt to communicate with other organisms. The pop sounds are beyond human ear frequencies but fall within the range that other mammals, insects, and perhaps other plants could pick them up.

“For example, a moth that intends to lay eggs on a plant or an animal that intends to eat a plant could use the sounds to help guide their decision.”

Besides tomato and tobacco plants, the corn, wheat, grape and cactus plants were also found to make sounds.

The researchers are still out on plant intelligence, but some experts do think that plants are conscious in their own way. Plenty more work will need to be done to understand the exact nature of these sounds.

1. What is the significance of the plants’ ability to produce airborne sounds?

A．It enables the plants to attract beneficial insects.

B．It helps the plants send messages to humans.

C．It inspires the application of ultrasound on microphone.

D．It creates new chances for researches on the sound of plants.

2. How did the researchers carry on the experiment?

A．They eavesdropped the plants in the greenhouse.

B．They deprived the plants of water and harmed their stems.

C．They troubled the plants by pop- or click-like sounds.

D．They provided the plants with artificial lighting conditions.

3. What is the potential use of the sounds made by the plants?

A．The sounds could be used by plants to warn each other of threats.

B．The sounds could be used as a form of renewable energy.

C．The sounds could be used to monitor the stress levels of plants.

D．The sounds could be used as a guidance for other creatures.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．The Surprising Sounds of Stressed Plants

B．The Musical Melodies of the Green World

C．Plants’ New Language: The Popping Sound

D．Tomato and Tobacco Plants: The Secret Sound

2 . Sargassum is a kind of floating seaweed (海草) that has been growing in size every year. It looks pretty in the ocean. However, sargassum can almost completely block out sunlight. Important kinds of seagrass suffer when light is blocked by seaweed. As sargassum piles up on beaches, it makes it hard for mother sea turtles to lay eggs, and nearly impossible for baby turtles to return to the sea.

So much sargassum piles up on beaches, and it breaks down slowly, giving out a bad smell like rotten eggs. “Even when governments clear the seaweed from beaches, they face problems of getting rid of it. Heavy machines can put turtle nests in danger. Some people have thought about using sargassum as a fertilizer (肥料), but it contains harmful heavy metals. So far, removing these harmful metal s costs too much to make it worth doing,” said the scientist Steven Kelley.

Sargassum grows faster in warming oceans, so climate change is definitely part of the problem. But scientists believe the unusual growth of the seawood is also caused by huge quantities of fertilizers washed into the ocean from farmlands.

Scientists and students are working hard to figure out how to deal with sargassum. Some suggest using sargassum as a building material, or possibly a fuel. One unusual solution is to drop it deep in the sea by using robots. Sargassum takes in huge amounts of carbon dioxide (二氧化碳) as it grows. Removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is one important part of fighting the climate crisis. Sargassum could deal with this carbon dioxide in the deep ocean. Scientists are still testing this idea to see if it will work.

For now, scientists say the quickest solution is to stop filling the ocean with fertilizers. It is wise for farmers to change the way they farm. Moreover, the seaweed’s growth can have serious effects on islands that depend heavily on tourism and fishing. Island communities play a role in cleaning up the seaweed and promoting responsible tourism. At the same time, officials have to work towards changing policies to solve the issues.

1. What can we know about sargassum according to the first paragraph?

A．It affects the ecosystem negatively.

B．It adds to the variety of life in the ocean.

C．It causes a shortage of food for sea animals.

D．It creates a good living environment for seagrass.

2. What does Steven Kelley mean in Paragraph 2?

A．Reusing metal s from sargassum is a wise choice.

B．Fertilizers can help sargarrum break down quickly.

C．Dealing with sargassum safely is challenging work.

D．Practical ways have been developed to remove sargassum.

3. How can the unusual solution mentioned in Paragraph 4 do good to the environment?

A．By spreading sargassum widely to increase sunlight.

B．By changing sargassum into a renewable energy source.

C．By employing sargassum as a cleaner for ocean pollution.

D．By making use of sargassum’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．Public attempts to recycle seaside sargassum.

B．The change in sargassum’s living environment.

C．Challenges and approaches concerning sargassum.

D．The influence of sargassum’s growth on climate change.

3 . Scientists have shown how plants can protect themselves against genetic (基因的) damage caused by environmental stresses. The growing tips of plant roots and shoots have an in-built mechanism (机制) that spells cell death if DNA damage is detected, avoiding passing on faulty DNA.

Plants have small populations of stem cells (干细胞) at the tips of their roots and shoots, which enable them to continuously grow and produce new tissues throughout their lifetime. These stem cells serve as ancestors for plant tissues and organs. However, any genetic faults present in the stem cells will continue to exist and be passed on permanently throughout the plant’s life, which could last thousands of years.

Given the critical role of stem cells and their exposure to potentially dangerous environments at the growing tips of roots and shoots, safeguards are necessary to prevent stem cell faults from becoming fixed. Researchers Nick Fulcher and Robert Sablowski, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, aimed to uncover these protective mechanisms. Through experiments involving X-rays and chemicals, they discovered that stem cells were more sensitive to DNA damage compared to other cells.

When DNA damage occurs, the cells have the capacity to detect it and cause programmed cells to die, preventing the propagation of the damaged genetic code to the rest of the plant tissues. This process has similarities to the safeguard mechanism found in animal cells, which has been broadly studied due to its relevance in preventing cancer.

The identification of a similar protective system in plants is of great interest in the field of plant development. It also helps scientists develop plants that can better handle environmental stress. So knowledge of how plants deal with these stresses is of fundamental significance to agricultural science’s response to climate change.

1. What is the function of the in-built mechanism in plants?

A．To produce more roots and shoots.	B．To increase the overall lifetime of the plant.
C．To enhance plant growth and nutrient intake.	D．To stop genetic faults in stem cells passing on.

2. What can we know about stem cells in plants according to the text?

A．They are relatively abundant in quantity.	B．They are resistant to environmental stresses.
C．They make quick response to DNA damage.	D．They have the ability to repair damaged DNA.

3. What does the underlined word “propagation” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Spread.

B．Change.

C．Existence.

D．Self-repair.

4. What does the last paragraph focus on?

A．The way of dealing with climate change on the earth.

B．The significance of identifying the protective system in plants.

C．The method of ensuring plant survival under environmental stress.

D．The urgency of developing plants that can handle environmental stress.

4 . Research has revealed many benefits to being in the presence of nature, whether that’s walking in a forest, having a small garden or keeping a few household plants.

“One study showed that patients in a hospital who had plants in their rooms reported less pain, lower blood pressure, less tiredness and less anxiety than patients without plants in their rooms,” says Jenny Seham, founder and director of AIM (Arts and Integrative Medicine) in New York. She explains,“Cortisol (皮质醇)，the stress hormone, has been shown to lower with plant interaction, lowering tiredness and blood pressure. Gardening and caring for plants can help turn people away from negative thoughts or emotions.”

Houseplant collections have become a popular social media trend. Jamie Keaton Jones, a psychologist, says, “For many people, tending to plants has become a hobby. This hobby enables them to experience greater comfort and beauty from the presence of living things sharing their space.”

“Plants and exposure to greenery have been found to have many mental health benefits, such as lowering stress, decreasing feelings of depression, increasing sociability, restoring focus, improving cognitive performance, improving mood and increasing self- confidence,” says Jones.

Studies have also shown that plants and gardening increase productivity and levels of serotonin (血清素), which is responsible for uplifting mood.

“Rather than focusing on the past or worrying about the future, plant care helps one concentrate on the present moment and provides a feeling of accomplishment,” says Gayle Weill, another psychologist in Washington.

Like any new skill or hobby, taking care of houseplants comes with a learning process. Anyone starting to care for plants should be patient and allow themselves time to learn the basics, leaving room for a little trial and error.

1. Where can the passage be found?

A．In a science magazine.	B．In a novel.
C．In a history book.	D．Ina biography.

2. What can we infer from Jenny Seham’s words?

A．Many hospitals keep plants in the patients’ rooms.

B．Doctors will use plants to cure the patients’ illness.

C．Keeping a few plants can get u out of tiredness.

D．Caring for plants can keep us away from bad mood.

3. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Houseplant collections are not popular in recent days.

B．Keeping plants has many physical health benefits.

C．Studies have proved that plants are beneficial for uplifting mood.

D．For many of us, plant care is difficult and takes time.

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

A．Benefits of Keeping Houseplants	B．Research on Keeping Houseplants
C．Ways to Take Care of Houseplants	D．Opinions About Caring About Plants

5 . 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

6 . When all those May flowers start to show their heads out to say hello, you may see some familiar faces in your backyard. Many plants live and die within one growing season, so gardeners must replant them each spring. But others have developed to live year after year, so they can blossom again.

Many flowers are what we call annuals. Their entire life cycle—from seed to death—takes just one year. They might leave behind sleeping seeds, but the roots and leaves all fade away as-soon as the season is done. Then there are perennials, which can survive for years. Scientists believe these types of plants came first. They do no need to be replanted each season, but save some energy in themselves so that they can show again in the following season.

James Boyer, the vice president for children’s education at the New York Botanical Garden, says that annuals probably can survive in areas where there is little water. “Annuals are putting all of their chances into the reproduction basket,” Boyer explains. “All of the energy to make roots and shoots is just enough to create a big bloom. They will create enough seeds to continue the species. Perennials hide important parts inside protective buds to keep cells fresh until it’s time to bloom again. They devote a lot more of their fuel to keeping themselves alive than annuals do. Roots and leaves are repaired and regrow each year. Many eventually produce flowers, but it can sometimes take years. And in most cases, they’ll save enough energy to flower again in the following season.”

Whether a plant is a perennial or an annual can depend on where you plant it. Plants sold in cold areas that are named as annuals actually could be perennials in hot areas; in warm weather they can live for years, but a single cold winter will wrack them.

Boyer says that researchers are trying to study them. “If we could change corn into a perennial, we wouldn’t need to replant it every year, which destroys the soil and its ecosystem,” Boyer says. “It could change our agricultural system.”

1. How can perennials survive into the following season?

A．By producing sleeping seeds.	B．By setting aside some energy.
C．By adapting to climate change.	D．By preserving their roots and leave.

2. Which of the following may James Boyer agree with?

A．Their findings are out of expectation.

B．It is easy for perennials to survive with little water.

C．Annuals spend most energy in blossoming and reproducing.

D．Both annuals and perennials prefer warmer growing conditions.

3. What does the underlined word “wrack” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．Protect.

B．Kееp.

C．Change.

D．Destroy.

4. How does the text mainly develop?

A．By giving explanation.	B．By offering examples.
C．By drawing conclusions.	D．By making comparisons.

7 . 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。

More than 10,000 years ago, people in Mexico and Central America gathered and ate the fruit of wild avocado (牛油果) trees and    1    didn’t take long before they started to plant this high-fat, tasty food.

The name “avocado”    2    (be) from an Aztec word, ahuacatl, which refers to the shape of the fruit. The earliest evidence of human    3    (consume) of avocados is the seeds, or stones, found in Coxcatlan Cave in the Tehuacan Valley, Mexico,    4    have dated back to around 8,000 BCE. The high oil content of the avocado’s green flesh would have made the fruit a valuable addition    5    the prehistoric diet.

Domestication of the avocado soon followed, with the trees    6    (plant) in Mexico and Central America. By the time the explorer Christopher Columbus    7    (reach) South America in 1492, avocados were being consumed as far south as Peru. Today, Mexico is the world’s leading avocado producer, and the fruit is also    8    important crop in the US state of California, the Dominican Republic, and Indonesia.

With an amazing flavour, buttery flesh, and high nutrient content, the avocado has enjoyed a recent rise in popularity, and people continue to find innovative ways    9    (enjoy) it. It is perhaps most famous as the main ingredient of salad, but in Latin America avocados are still    10    (wide) used to garnish (搭配) chicken and potato soup.

8 . Plants have been essential to humans since the beginning of time. Their beauty inspires joy and many have healing functions. Now, a recent study has identified a super plant that cleans polluted air.

Noting that car pollution is a global concern, researchers set out to study how effective plants are at catching roadside particulates (颗粒), which cause many health problems. The scientists at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) in the UK chose the city of Reading to study how effective plants are at catching them. Since previous research has shown that trees help remove air pollution, researchers decided to explore the effectiveness of hedges (树篱). This study looked at three species: hawthorn, western red cedar, and franchet’s cotoneaster (栒子).

Researchers discovered that cotoneaster was the most effective after comparing particulates on leaves of these three plants. This is due to the plant’s hairy, complex leaf structure. Researchers also found that thick hedges over six feet high were best in reducing the concentration of particles. In the most heavily trafficked areas, cotoneaster took in 20 percent more pollution than the other shrubs, according to The Guardian.

Dr Tijana Blanusa, co-author of the study, told The Guardian, “We know that in just seven days a l-metre length of well-managed dense hedge will clean up the same amount of pollution that a car emits over a 500-mile drive.” Blanusa highly recommends planting cotoneasters along busy roads.

This is great news for urban planners, as well as gardeners. Although many people are affected by roadside pollution, an RHS survey shows that only six percent of gardeners choose specific plants that may improve air quality.

Originally from China, cotoneaster is a hardy evergreen that can tolerate cold. In addition to growing healthy in the UK, it can grow strong in areas from California up to the Pacific Northwest, into British Columbia and around the Great Lakes.

Thanks to this recent study, cotoneaster has proved to be extremely beneficial, enabling gardeners and landscapers to make a positive difference to the environment. The hope is that once these super plants are grown in urban gardens and on streets, they will clean the air plus provide intense beauty along the way.

1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．What plants bring people.

B．Why researchers did the study.

C．How serious air pollution is.

D．What progress scientists have made.

2. Why is cotoneaster better at absorbing roadside particulates?

A．Its leaves are made of many different parts.

B．It can keep green in bad weather conditions.

C．It has a suitable height for reducing pollution.

D．Its leaves are thick in places with heavy traffic.

3. What’s Tijana Blanusa’s attitude towards the effect of cotoneaster?

A．Positive.

B．Surprised.

C．Concerned.

D．Doubtful.

4. What can we learn about cotoneaster?

A．It requires a lot of care in urban areas.

B．It will affect the growth of other species.

C．It will help improve air quality once planted.

D．It can make people feel energetic all day long.

9 . Environmental conditions experienced by parent plants can influence offspring performance through parental effects induced(感应的) by DNA. The offspring can also be influenced by environmental conditions experienced by their parents via soil legacy(遗产) effects due to changes in the composition of soil.

We conducted a two-phase experiment with five genotypes(基因型) of a clonal plant. In the first phase, we grew parent plants of each genotype under two light conditions and two DNA treatments. We then collected soils and clonal offspring for each genotype from each of these four treatments and measured soil properties. In the second phase, we grew the offspring from each of the four treatments in the four different soils, under the two light conditions.

When grown under environmental light condition and in soil from environmental parents, offspring produced by environmental parents grew larger than offspring produced by shaded parents when the parents were treated with water. This difference was smaller when the parents were treated with 5-7°C, and disappeared when the offspring were grown in soil from shaded parents. The growth difference was also observed when the offspring were grown under shaded condition and in soil from shaded parents. However, this difference was greater when the parents were treated with 5-7°C, and disappeared when the offspring were grown in soil from environmental parents.

Our results show that light condition experienced by parents can influence offspring responses to light through both parental effects and soil legacies. The parental effects were mediated(调节) by changes in DNA and the soil legacies. These impacts may eventually influence the ecological and evolutionary track of clonal plant populations.

1. What is the text mainly about?

A．Environmental conditions are important to offspring performance.

B．Offspring performance can be controlled by DNA and the soil legacies.

C．Environmental conditions experienced by parent plants can influence offspring.

D．Light condition experienced by parents can influence offspring responses to light.

2. How did the researchers get the result?

A．They carried out a survey.

B．They conducted an experiment.

C．They analyzed existing data.

D．They collected information from others.

3. What can we learn from Paragraph 3?

A．Growth difference only happens under environmental light condition.

B．Offspring of environmental parents grow smaller than offspring of shaded parents.

C．No growth difference appears when offspring are grown in soil from shaded parents.

D．Growth difference varies when parents are treated with 5-7°C under different conditions.

4. Where is the text most likely from?

A．A diary.

B．A magazine.

C．A novel.

D．A notebook.

10 . Gardeners are often puzzled by the sudden appearance of an unusual orchid(兰花) or sometimes are disappointed that their annuals have vanished. Scientists have discovered that some British flowers can lie dormant (休眠的) under the ground for up to 20 years, coming out to bloom only when the conditions are just right. Orchids seem particularly good at being dormant for years at a time, the scientists discovered.

Michael Hutchings, Professor of Ecology at the University of Suss, said: “Being underground means they cannot receive sunshine, neither flower nor reproduce. And yet this study has shown that many plants in a large number of species frequently go through dormancy (休眠). Many of these species have found ways to overcome the loss of sunshine during dormancy, especially by gradually developing their ability to get what they need from soil. This allows them to survive and even grow well during dormant periods.”

The research found that dormancy occurs when the weather is poor, or there is a new threat from animals or competing plants. Sometimes winters are so mild that the plant does not realize that spring has begun. Dormancy in seeds has been widely known about and studied for years, but the dormancy in adult plants is far less well-known and understood.

The study, led by Professor Richard Shefferson in University of Tokyo, is the first detailed analysis of the causes. Dormancy appears to be more common near the equator (赤道), where threats from factors such as disease, competition, animals and fire are more severe. Co-author Dr. Eric Menges said:“ In those areas, it is most suitable for plants to remain dormant and then to grow when favourable conditions exist for growth and flowering. ”

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

A．Adapted.

B．Shrunk.

C．Disappeared.

D．Woken.

2. What does Professor Michael Hutchings mainly talk about in the second paragraph?

A．What results dormancy leads to.

B．How the orchid developed their ability to get energy.

C．Why some species can survive terrible conditions.

D．How the orchid lives through dormant periods.

3. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Dormancy in plants is common in regions along the equator.

B．Orchids are the only plants that can be dormant for years.

C．Dormancy in seeds is far less well-known and understood.

D．Most gardeners don’t want to plant orchids.

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A．Survival of the Fittest

B．Dormant Flowers Underground for Years

C．Why Some British Flowers Stay Dormant

D．New Research on Dormancy in Orchids