1. What kind of area do Bill and Sally live in?
| A．A hot area. | B．A high area. | C．A dry area. |
| A．They are gardeners. | B．They are designers. | C．They are builders. |
| A．Trees. | B．Glass houses. | C．Fences. |
| A．Successful. | B．Unsatisfactory. | C．Impossible. |
2 . Sunflowers have increasingly become popular on social media. People enjoy the bright yellow flowers and take pictures of themselves in bright fields of sunflowers, which are called “sunflower selfies.”
Actually, it is easy to grow your own sunflowers. Here are some instructions.
Do you want to start growing sunflowers from seeds?
Then, plant each seed into soil apart. Keep the soil wet, but not too wet, until the seeds begin to grow. During the growth process, you should water regularly the plants. When they grow up, it is best to put up some shelves to protect the plants from strong winds.
When seeds will start coming out of the head, it is time for harvest. Cut the flowers off and put them into a bag or container. In this way, the seeds will not fall out. Then remove the seeds by rubbing flowers with your hands or a hard brush over a container.
Finally, you’d better select those full seeds for food.
| A．Equally attractive is the delicious taste. |
| B．Sunflower seeds may be eaten cooked or uncooked. |
| C．You can also tie the plants to something tall for support. |
| D．Some kinds of sunflowers can grow up to three meters tall. |
| E．It is important to loosen the soil before the seeds are planted. |
| F．Put the selected seeds in room-temperature water for 2-8 hours. |
| G．They will develop long roots that work their way deep into the ground. |
1. Why must trees be planted according to the talk?
| A．To improve farms. | B．To replace desert. | C．To fight climate change. |
| A．4%. | B．13%. | C．17%. |
| A．Farmers’. | B．Scientists’. | C．Business experts’. |
4 . When dehydrated (脱水) or snipped with scissors (用剪刀剪断), plants make popping noises that are too high-frequency (高频率的) for humans to hear, a study suggests.
Researchers set up microphones near healthy and stressed tomato and tobacco plants, both in a soundproofed box and in a greenhouse setting. The stressed plants were either dehydrated or had their stems snipped. The team also recorded pots with only soil in them to check that soil, alone, didn’t make any sounds. (They found it didn’t.) On average, healthy plants let out less than one pop per hour, but the stressed plants let out about 11 to 35, depending on the plant species and stressor. Drought-stressed tomato plants were the noisiest, with some plants letting out more than 40 pops per hour.
The team fed these recordings into a machine-learning algorithm (算法) —an AI system used to identify patterns in data—and found that the trained algorithm had about a 70% success rate in differentiating the sounds made by different plants close to different stressors. They trained another AI system to differentiate between drought-stressed and healthy tomatoes in a greenhouse with more than 80% accuracy. Another model could tell what stage of dehydration a plant was in with about 80% accuracy.
In additional experiments, the team successfully recorded the cries of many other stressed plants, such as wheat, corn and pincushion cactuses.
Although the researchers gathered these recordings by setting microphones about 10cm away from the plants, they suggested that these sounds could potentially be heard by animals and insects with great hearing from 3 to 5 meters away. “These findings can change the way we think about the plant kingdom, which has been considered to be almost silent until now,” the study authors wrote.
In the future, humans could take advantage of recording devices and AI to monitor crops for these signs of dehydration or disease, the scientists suggest.
1. What did the researchers do in their study?| A．They referred to previous research. |
| B．They studied different diseases of plants. |
| C．They used AI to analyze the experimental recordings. |
| D．They adopted different ways to record the sounds of plants. |
| A．It changes people’s views on plants. |
| B．It reveals the challenges plants face. |
| C．It provides a cure for plant diseases. |
| D．It shows animals have better hearing than people. |
| A．Its results. | B．Its process. | C．Its methods. | D．Its application. |
| A．Stressed plants make popping sounds |
| B．The cries of plants were successfully recorded |
| C．AI systems can be used to detect diseased plants |
| D．Different kinds of plants make different popping sounds |
5 . Hawk Salvage, located in the historic neighborhood on Grand Avenue, is the place to find one-of-a-kind things. The store features a collection of curious things of the past and, most recently, a huge selection of rare and unique houseplants.
Founded by Greg Hawk, who has traveled from coast to coast finding items for his store, Hawk Salvage is like a well-kept history museum, its walls and display cases were filled with ancient art and historical photos. Even the space is a slice of history — it served as an automotive garage in the1940s. The front of the shop is home to lots of greenery.
On October 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the store will host its first-ever community plant swap, where plant parents can bring their plants and trade them for new plants. Visitors can learn tips and tricks from other fellow plant lovers and enjoy live music, artist demonstrations, food trucks and more. It will be a plant party for the ages, Hawk says. To take part in the plant swap, guests must bring at least one live and healthy plant to trade for another plant of equal size.
Because his regular picking trips was put on hold, Hawk, who is also interested in gardening, started propagating(繁殖)plants. “I started looking at houseplants and it just opened up this huge can of worms of all the cool things that are out there, and now I find myself with more plants than I want to take care of.” he says. Hosting an event where he could clear away some of his plants while reconnecting the community is a win-win situation, he adds.
Hawk says the event is open to everyone. His advice for new plant fans? “Be patient. Buy something simple to start with. Everything dies, so you’re going to kill plants — it’s part of the process,” he says. “I think the biggest tip that I would give is not to be afraid to experiment with your plants.”
1. What can visitors usually do in Hawk Salvage?| A．Trade their plants for others. | B．Get their cars or trucks repaired. |
| C．Buy some rare and unique things. | D．Draw beautiful pictures on its walls. |
| A．Owning a large garden. | B．Bringing some greenery. |
| C．Having planting experience. | D．Being good at hosting plant parties. |
| A．Why Hawk ended his regular picking trips. | B．Why Hawk decided to host the plant swap. |
| C．How Hawk took care of his plants in the past. | D．How Hawk started his journey as a plant-lover. |
| A．They should learn by experience. | B．They should stay away from houseplants. |
| C．They should be careful when planting. | D．They should turn to experienced planters. |
1. What kind of area do Bill and Sally live in?
| A．A hot area. | B．A high area. | C．A dry area. |
| A．They are gardeners. | B．They are designers. | C．They are builders. |
| A．Trees. | B．Glass houses. | C．Fences. |
| A．Successful. | B．Unsatisfactory. | C．Impossible. |
7 . Looking for a big-leafed houseplant that will make a statement in your room and decorate yourhome? If so, then you’ve come to the right place!
Peace Lily
Extremely easy to look after, this popular, flowering plant is very tolerant and undemanding. It is a beloved houseplant for its large, glossy oval leaves and unusual white spoon-shaped flowers. Typically blooming in the spring, this lovely plant can effectively brighten up a living space.
African Mask Plant
This indoor plant is a smaller plant with large dark green leaves that are shaped like a heart. Native to tropical (热带的) parts of Africa, it prefers high heat and high humidity. That can be somewhat a tricky task for the average plant owner to achieve in their home, who is likely to have trouble duplicating (复制) these steamy conditions.
Snake plant
Commonly referred to as mother-in-law’s tongue, it is one of the easiest houseplants to take care of. With tall, twisting sword-shaped leaves that grow upright, it has air-purifying capabilities and can merrily grow in almost dark corners of the house. But the plant is poisonous to dogs and cats, so it’s wise to keep this plant away from them, if your pets are plant chewers.
Kentia Palm
Caring for the Kentia Palm plant is very straightforward, which can be neglected for weeks at a time. Quite enjoying a bit of shade, it has big leaves that grow from a narrow base and is great for filling a corner without taking up much floor-space. Place it in front of a blank wall, and its archingfronds (大型复叶) will cast beautiful shadows.
1. Which of the following requires an experienced plant owner?| A．Peace Lily. |
| B．African Mask Plant. |
| C．Snake plant. |
| D．Kentia Palm. |
| A．It poses little danger to dogs and cats. |
| B．It is better for purifying air than others. |
| C．It gets its name from a poisonous snake. |
| D．It grows well in shady areas of the house. |
| A．Distinctive leaves. |
| B．Flowering season. |
| C．Growth temperature. |
| D．Striking size. |
8 . The rapid pace of global warming and its effects on habitats raise the question of whether species are able to keep up so that they remain in suitable living conditions. Some animals can move fast to adjust to a swiftly changing climate. Plants, being less mobile, rely on means such as seed dispersal(传播) by animals, wind or water to move to new areas, but this redistribution typically occurs within one kilometre of the original plant.
When the climate in a plant’s usual range becomes hotter than it can tolerate, it must find new, cooler areas that might lie many kilometres away. One explanation for long-distance seed dispersal is through transport by migratory (迁徙的) birds. Such birds swallow seeds when eating fruit and can move them tens or hundreds of kilometres outside the range of a plant species.
Gonzáiez-Vary and colleagues report how plants might be able to keep pace with rapid climate change with the help of migratory birds. The authors analysed the fruiting times of plants, patterns of bird migration and the interactions between fruit-eating birds and fleshy-fruited plants across Europe. Plants with fleshy fruits were chosen for this study because most of their seed transport is by migratory birds, and because fleshy-fruited plants are an important part of the woody-plant community in Europe. The common approach until now has been to predict plant dispersal using models fitted to abiotic (非生物的) factors such as the current climate. Gonzáiez-Vary instead analysed an impressive data set of 949 different seed-dispersal interactions between bird and plant communities, together with data on entire fruiting times and migratory patterns of birds across Europe. The researchers also analysed DNA traces from bird wastes to identify the plants and birds responsible for seed dispersal.
1. How do species adapt to climate changes when it’s too hot?| A．All animals will move away across great distanced. |
| B．Some plants depend on migratory birds to carry seeds. |
| C．Some plants depend on animals, wind or water to move. |
| D．Plants’ seeds disperse to cooler places of several kilometres away. |
| A．Most of these can’t fit rapid climate change |
| B．Migratory birds like making nests in them |
| C．Migratory birds transport their seeds. |
| D．They are favoured by most birds. |
| A．To explain relations between fruit plants and migratory birds. |
| B．To clarify the reason why birds migrate in fruiting times. |
| C．To present a fact that migratory bird eats flesh fruits. |
| D．To show that fruits depend on migratory birds. |
| A．The advantage of fruit plants. |
| B．The destination of the bird migration. |
| C．The adaptation of fruit plants to the climate change. |
| D．The influence of climate change on plants and animals. |
9 . Plants don’t have ears or a central nervous system, but new research out of the University of Missouri has demonstrated that they might still have the ability to “hear”. More specifically, plants have been shown to exhibit an immune (免疫) response to the mere sound of a hungry insect.
For the study, researchers played the sound of a caterpillar chewing to a group of plants, which caused slight vibrations (振动) on the plants’ leaves. The plants were able to recognize these vibration patterns as danger, and responded by mounting the appropriate immune response. In other words, it appears that plants can “hear” themselves being chewed on.
Researchers assume that plants achieve this remarkable ability thanks to proteins that respond to pressure found within their cell membranes. Vibrations cause pressure changes within the cell, which can change the behavior of the proteins; however, additional study will be required to confirm or deny this theory.
Once researchers identify the exact mechanisms at play in this process, it could lead to advances in crop protection. Farmers could potentially learn to use sound to cause a plant’s natural chemical defenses against insect threats, rather than turning to poisonous chemicals.
“We can imagine applications of this where plants could be treated with sound or genetically engineered to respond to certain sounds that would be useful for agriculture,” said study author Heidi Appel.
The study adds to the growing list of ways that plants have been shown to sense their environments. They are not the boring organisms that many people assume they are. For instance, some plants are able to communicate with each other and signal upcoming danger to their neighbors by releasing chemicals into the air. Plants can respond to light (think about sunflowers) and temperature. Some can even respond to touch, such as the Venus flytrap (捕蝇草), which snaps shut when an insect stimulates its hairs.
1. Why did researchers carry out the study?| A．To find out if plants can react to sounds. |
| B．To learn how plants recognize dangers. |
| C．To discover if plants can shake their leaves. |
| D．To see how plants improve immune systems. |
| A．To remove insects. | B．To protect crops. |
| C．To treat plant diseases. | D．To produce chemicals. |
| A．There are more plants than we know. |
| B．Plants are more active than we think. |
| C．Plants fit in well with their environments. |
| D．Lots of secrets about plants remain unclear. |
| A．Can plants “talk” with each other? |
| B．How do plants make use of sounds? |
| C．Can plants “hear” themselves being eaten? |
| D．How do plants defend themselves against attacks? |
