1 . One New Year’s Day, ecologist Rob Wolton came up with an unusual resolution—to spend the next 12 months studying a hedge(树篱) 40 metres from his house in the middle of Devon. He wanted to make a list of every plant, animal and fungus(真菌)that used it. After a year of observations he had found 2, 000 species—far more than he imagined. Wolton says he enjoyed it hugely and his findings contribute to the growing body of evidence that hedges should not be overlooked.
“There is increasing recognition that much of the wildlife finds shelter in the hedges. But they’re much more than just wildlife passages—they are really important as habitats in their own right,” he says. The European commission’s Joint Research Centre recently argued that as the climate crisis worsens, hedges are expected to play more roles as they move in response to environmental change. Their deep roots help sequester carbon(固碳), and they also reduce the likelihood of flooding downstream, suck nutrients and pollutants out of water, and prevent soil loss. Alongside these functions, there is a cultural benefit to hedges too—I think lots of us who live in England think of the hedge landscape as being quite typical, says Wolton.
After the Second World War many hedges were removed to create more productive land. Only about one in three hedges in England are in good condition, according to the most recent research done in 2017.
The main issues are hedges being cut too severely and too frequently, which leads to loss of wildlife and gaps. A squirrel, for example, will turnaround if there is a gap of five metres. New hedges are being planted with single species, instead of many, which decrease the wildlife they can support.
It’s hard to say if interest in hedges will translate into action on a national scale，and much depends on what landscape features Environmental Land Management scheme.
1. What is the significance of Wolton’s study of the hedge?| A．It makes Wolton’s resolution come true. |
| B．It shows Wolton’s fondness of the hedge. |
| C．It indicates the important role of the hedge. |
| D．It points out the number of animals and plants. |
| A．Hedges provide home for wildlife. |
| B．Hedges are used to fight climate crisis. |
| C．Hedges area typical symbol of England. |
| D．Hedges have advantages in different aspects. |
| A．To show the diversity of wildlife in hedges. |
| B．To explain the bad effect of gaps in hedges. |
| C．To call for more species of plants in hedges. |
| D．To present what the loss of wildlife is like. |
| A．The favorable policy on hedges is undecided. |
| B．Public attention in hedges will be intensified. |
| C．A national scale protection is soon underway. |
| D．Environmental Land Management will fund hedges. |
2 . How to create an indoor garden
If you’re looking for a way to brighten up your home, consider creating an indoor garden.
Deciding is probably the hardest part when it comes to creating an indoor garden because there are just so many plants to choose from. Start by thinking about what type of plants you want.
Now that you know what type of plants you want, it’s time to get the right potting soil and containers. Make sure to get a potting mix that is specifically designed for indoor plants.
Choose a bright location Once you have your plants and pots, it’s time to choose a location for your indoor garden.
In addition to watering, you’ll also need to add substance to your plants about once a month. This will help them grow and stay healthy. Just be sure to follow the instructions on the package. Don’t overdo it.
| A．Give fertiliser monthly. |
| B．How exactly can we make one? |
| C．Follow the instruction correctly. |
| D．But don’t worry, we’re here to help. |
| E．This will help your plants grow strong. |
| F．Do you want something that will blossom? |
| G．Look for a spot in your home that gets a lot of natural light. |
3 . Yellow flower carpeted fields are a sure sign of summer. In Denmark alone, more than 200,000 hectares of rapeseed (油菜籽) are planted every year. But until now, the plant has only been used for oil and animal food, as it is both bitter and unsafe for human consumption.
To protect themselves, the rapeseed plants produce a group of substances (物质) called glucosinolates (硫苷), which give the plants a strong and bitter taste that scares off insects and disease. As a result rapeseed is unhealthy to eat and the rapeseed cake, which is the remains of the seeds after the oil has been squeezed out, has only been used as feed for pigs and chickens, despite its 30 — 40 percent protein content.
Now, researchers from the University of Copenhagen have discovered the three proteins that help to store the bitter substances in seeds of thale cress (阿拉伯芥), a plant closely related to the rapeseed. The new knowledge makes it possible to prevent the accumulation (积聚) of these substances in the seed by removing the proteins through “transport engineering” technology. In doing so, the defensive substances remain in all other parts of the plant, allowing it to continue to defend itself.
So far, the researchers have shown that their method works in thale cress. “The next task is to apply our method to the closely related rapeseed plant, which we are now working on,” says Professor Halkier, leader of the research.
“Half of plant proteins in the EU come from rapeseed. The climate crisis demands that we reduce meat consumption and eat more plants, which is where rapeseed has great potential as a new source of plant protein. Our latest research results bring us a step closer to making full use of rapeseed,” says Professor Halkier.
1. What is the function of paragraph 2?| A．To state the reason. | B．To offer the solution. |
| C．To give an example. | D．To introduce the topic. |
| A．By selecting better seeds. | B．By removing the three proteins. |
| C．By increasing sweet tastes. | D．By storing defensive substances. |
| A．Researchers’ efforts to better the taste. |
| B．Researchers’ progress in their experiment. |
| C．Rapeseed’s role in relieving climate crisis. |
| D．Rapeseed’s potential as a new protein source. |
| A．Harmful proteins discovered in rapeseed |
| B．Rapeseed widely used as oil and animal food |
| C．Researchers closer to making rapeseed safe food |
| D．New plant protein in rapeseed finally uncovered |
4 . Chinese scientists updated the height of a giant tree in Zayul county of the Tibet autonomous region on Sunday — 83.4 meters. Recognized as China’s tallest tree, it was measured at 83.2 meters in May, according to the Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Science. With a diameter of 207 centimeters and around 380 years old, the tree is called Abies ernestii var. salouenensis (冷杉), a type of evergreen fir.
“In August, surveyors made a scientific research to Zayul again to carry out a more professional survey for the giant tree and regional biodiversity. Through the combination of manual tree climbing and unmanned aerial vehicles (飞行器), the new height of the tree was measured at 83.4 meters,” said Wang Zi, a researcher and PhD student at the Institute of Botany.
Zayul county is located in the mountain valley area between the Himalayas and the Hengduan Mountains, with an average height of 2,800 meters. Its climate is unique, complex and diverse, with abundant annual rainfall, a mild climate and appropriate sunshine. The Nujiang River in Zayul county have primary forests, which are home to the giant trees, Wang said. “ The climbing-tree survey and investigation reflect that the tree hosts more than 50 species of plants, including climbing plants, creepers and other types, showing a unique and rich biodiversity on this tree and in surrounding areas,” Wang said.
Liu Tuanxi, and his team members climbed to the top part of the tree to complete the survey. It took three people almost eight hours to reach to the treetop. The climbing was mainly completed by means of ropes, without nailing the giant tree. All equipment was collected and taken away without causing any damage to the tree, Liu Tuanxi said.“While almost reaching the top of the tree, I worried the tree would break by wind as it was as tall as a 28-story building. I gradually calmed down and was amazed by the gorgeous beauty and powerful nature,” he said. “After I became more relaxed near the top of the tree, I took a nap up there.”
1. Which of the following is not true according to the passage?| A．In the past three months, the giant trees have grown 10 cm tall. |
| B．It’s not easy to measure the height of this giant tree. |
| C．There are many giant trees in the primary forest of Zayul county. |
| D．Only manual climbing is used to measure the height of giant trees. |
| A．The cold climate in the valley is beneficial to the growth of giant trees. |
| B．The rapid growth of this giant tree is closely related to the local climate. |
| C．There are no animals on this giant tree. |
| D．This giant tree has unique biodiversity. |
| A．The staff climbed the tree with the help of nails. |
| B．More than three people have climbed to the top of the tree. |
| C．The research team did not do anything to damage the tree. |
| D．The members who participate in tree climbing are especially afraid. |
| A．Relaxed and amazed. | B．Scared and disappointed. |
| C．Surprised and excited. | D．Joyful and peaceful. |
5 . Can plants talk? Modern research has found something amazing: they do communicate with each other.
It has been known for some time that plants use chemicals to communicate with each other. This happens when a plant gets attacked by insects. The plant gives out chemicals from the leaves that are being eaten. This is like a warning, or a call for help： "I'm being attacked! " When another plant gets the chemicals, it starts to give out its own, different chemicals. Some of these chemicals drive insects away. Others attract the wasps（黄蜂；蜜蜂）！ The wasps kill the insects that are eating the plants. Scientists hope to learn more about this plant warning system, so that we can use it to grow more crops.
More surprisingly, plants also use sound to communicate. People can't hear these sounds ； but plants are making them. Some plants make noises with their roots. Corn and chili plants do this. Some trees make clicking noises when there is not enough water.
Most surprisingly of all, plants have an amazing system of communication that can link nearly every plant in a forest. Scientists call this system the “ wood wide web”. The wood wide web is linked underground by fungi（霉菌）.It links the roots of different plants to each other. It is in some ways similar to the Internet we use. Using the wood wide web, plants can share information and even food with each other. However, it may lead to bad effects. Plants may use it to steal food from each other, or spread chemicals to attack other plants. Perhaps one day scientists will learn how to create a “firewall“ to help prevent these attacks within the wood wide web.
Scientists are learning more every day about the secret ways in which plants talk to each other. Maybe one day we will know enough about plant communication to be able to "talk” with them ourselves.
1. What will plants do when they are attacked by insects?| A．They will kill the insects by themselves. |
| B．They will control the wasps to kill the insects. |
| C．They will send out signals to ask for help. |
| D．They will produce chemicals as a warning or a call for help. |
| A．By making noises with their roots. |
| B．By connecting the roots of different plants to each other. |
| C．By sharing food and information with each other. |
| D．By spreading chemicals to each other. |
A． | B． |
C． | D． |
4. Which is the best title for the passage?
| A．The Secret Language of Plants |
| B．The Study About the Plant Warning System |
| C．The Plants that Give Warnings |
| D．Why Scientists Do Research About Plants |
