As the world
Though Xinjiang has little rainfall, it has a large number of snow-capped mountains, from which meltwater gives cotton abundant water resource. Meanwhile,
Xinjiang is lightly populated and has a vast planting area. It has
The combination of advantaged
2 . Global heating appears to be making trees drop their leaves earlier, according to new research, contradicting the idea that warmer temperatures delay the beginning of autumn.
The finding is important because trees draw huge amounts of carbon dioxide from the air and therefore play a key role in managing the climate.
The rising temperatures also mean that spring is arriving earlier and,overall, the growing season for trees in the planet's temperate zones(温带地区） is getting longer. However, the earlier autumns mean that significantly less carbon can be stored in trees than previously thought, providing less of a brake on global heating.
The new research is based on a huge dataset of observations of European trees, experiments that varied light and CO2 levels, and mathematical models. It showed that as well as temperature and day length, the amount of carbon a tree has absorbed in a season is a key factor in determining when it no longer needs its leaves and drops them. The scientists liken the effect to a person becoming full after a heavy meal and being unable to eat more food.
Earlier models that did not include the amount of carbon a tree absorbs during a season indicated that autumn could be two to three weeks later by the end of the century on current emissions (排放） trends. But the scientists' new model indicates autumn may actually come up to six days earlier. Christine Rollinson, an ecologist at the Morton Arboretum in Illinois, USA, said the earlier models were known to be simplifications but were the best available.
“The big challenge is that autumn has always been a bit of a mess,” she said. “Depending on where you are and which species you're looking at, there's some evidence that leaf fall is happening earlier and some that it's happening later. But understanding how well a tree grows during the season really helps explain that tree-to-tree variation.”
Rollinson said that we can't put all of the responsibility on to growing trees. We can cut emissions from fossil fuel burning and deforestation to address the climate emergency.
1. What is the result of rising temperature?| A．Later spring. |
| B．More carbon storage. |
| C．Shorter growth season. |
| D．Earlier autumn leaf-off. |
| A．Compare. |
| B．Owe. |
| C．Expose. |
| D．Reduce. |
| A．Disapproving. |
| B．Supportive. |
| C．Sceptical. |
| D．Unclear. |
| A．Offer a solution. |
| B．Voice dissatisfaction. |
| C．Show a new finding. |
| D．Present more evidence. |
Rick Howells is the arborist (树木栽培家) for the Shade Tree Commission in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He manages the care of all of the trees in the city,
Trees can make a city prettier, sure. But that’s not
“Trees must be trimmed (修剪) and, if they are diseased, cut down so that they don’t become a risk to the community. It isn’t
To Howells, taking care of trees isn’t just a job. It’s also a hobby. He loves trees and
There were other creatures that I didn’t want to get too close to—an eel with its strong sharp teeth, with only its head showing from a hole,
The water was quite shallow but
What a wonderful,
5 . Louis Druehl lives in Bamfield. He works at a seaweed(海藻)farm, where long ropes of seaweed grow under the water. He has been farming kelp since 1982, which is brown sea weed.
Druehl has studied seaweed for along time. He's even written a book explaining in detail what it can do for humans. Druehl says the world is turning to seaweed as a solution(解决办法)to climate change. "People have discovered seaweed," he said. "It has discovered us. It benefits humans, so we should take full advantage of it."
Seaweed can be used to produce energy and make plastics that can be recycled. Besides, it takes carbon out of the environment. This is good for the health of the planet. Some researchers say seaweed is even better for the environment than trees are. Seaweed doesn't need fertilizers. It doesn't need fresh water or land. And it grows fast. Seaweed could also be a global food source. Carlos Duarte is a professor of ecology. “To feed the world population by 2050, in a way that doesn't harm nature, there is only one pathway," he says. "Seaweed farming." Seaweed farming is not new. Native people of Canada have been farming it for thousands of years. But many of them have left to find other work. Now, the rapidly growing seaweed industry could bring jobs to many people. This includes those who lost their jobs during COVID—19.
Seaweed may slow climate change. But there are risks. When it rots(腐烂),it releases carbon. And too much seaweed could affect how much light reaches underwater creatures. Halley Froehlich works at the University of California, Santa Barbara. When it comes to climate change, Halley says seaweed “can be a part of the solution, but it's not a solution on its own" to climate change.
However, I'm on Druehl side. The industry of seaweed will surely have a bright future though some people are questioning its effects.
1. Why did Druehl write the book?| A．To introduce seaweed's importance. |
| B．To warn climate change is serious. |
| C．To ask people to face climate change. |
| D．To attract people to his seaweed farm. |
| A．It's acceptable for a long time. |
| B．It's environment—friendly. |
| C．It costs farmers very little. |
| D．It offers employment chances. |
| A．Seaweed can be affected by it. |
| B．It can do harm to sea creatures. |
| C．Seaweed can help fight it partly. |
| D．It depends on seaweed's carbon. |
| A．Doubtful, | B．Supportive. |
| C．Uncaring. | D．Careful. |
| A．Seaweed's Risks | B．Seaweed Growth for Selling |
| C．Seaweed's Harm | D．Seaweed Solution for Humans |
6 . Sunflower season generally runs from late July, so be sure to visit the best sunflower fields near Chicago.
Thompson Strawberry Farm
This huge Wisconsin sunflower field covers an area of 15 acres, so come prepared with scissors and a jar to prepare for a long day of picking. Visitors are welcome to cut up to a dozen sunflowers from the field, but if you really want to take home a few more, additional flowers will only set you back a dollar each.
$25 per car for up to six people, $5 per person for more than six people.
Heap's Giant Pumpkin Farm
Flower enthusiasts will delight in walking through more than 5 acres of sunflowers at this farm, which offers an all—day pass that gives you access to the sunflower field and other farm attractions like corn mazes(迷宫). You can buy a De Bucket: a $20 basket you can fill with as many flowers as you can fit inside.
Thistleberry Farm
Though some of its previous summer sunflower fields have already been cleaned, South Bend's Thistleberry Farm will once again erupt in a 3—acre sea of sunflowers from September 16—27. You can order tickets online to reserve a spot before visiting.
$6 per person plus a $ l online processing fee.
M&D Farm and Garden Center
Located just 45 minutes of driving outside the city in Homer Glen, Illinois, this 10—acre farm allow for six weeks throughout the season. Check the farm's Facebook page for updates about when the field will enter full golden time — and when you visit, be sure to have a couple of fresh cut sunflowers for $2.50 each.
$5 Monday —Friday, $7 Saturday — Sunday, children under 3 free.
1. Which sunflower field is the largest?| A．Thistleberry Farm. |
| B．Thompson Strawberry Farm. |
| C．Heap's Giant Pumpkin Farm. |
| D．M&D Farm and Garden Center. |
| A．Free Admission. |
| B．Sunflower cleaning. |
| C．Online ticket booking. |
| D．Sunflower delivery. |
| A．$10. | B．$20. | C．$25. | D．$50. |
It tastes like flower. It smells like a campfire. What’s it? It’s a bottle of Petrus Pomerol wine that spent a year on the International Space Station.
In the past few months researchers in Bordeaux
Each bottle
Nicolas Gaume is head of Space Cargo Unlimited, the company
The small pieces of vines,
The research is a good thing for the industry, but it would take a decade or more to lead to
8 . Bamboo is the tallest member in the grass family. It is one of the fastest growing plants on earth, growing reportedly up to 98 inches in just 24 hours. Bamboo is mainly found in Asia, some parts of Africa and parts of the America in many different varieties. Over centuries bamboo has had a variety of uses like medicine, paper, construction, furniture, home decoration and musical instruments.
The use of bamboo as a construction material is not new and many countries have been using it to build homes for centuries. Bamboo’s unique and efficient natural design makes it a good building material.
Bamboo is very flexible and hence when it grows it can be defined to grow into specific shapes. Its shock absorption capacity (减震功能) makes it a great building material for earthquake- resistant houses. Bamboo houses can also stand a hurricane with wind speeds of up to 170 mph.
Bamboo is cheap and readily available in areas where it is cultivated. Transportation of bamboo is also cheaper than other materials.
The most important quality of bamboo is its environmentally friendly quality. It is renewable and bamboo forests can be grown in a few years. Its naturally smooth surface does not require painting, making it safe from health dangers caused by paint. Bamboo can be grown in a variety of climates and houses made of bamboo do not require use of other materials like concrete (混凝土), steel, etc. Pesticides (杀虫剂) and other chemicals need not be used while cultivating bamboo, making it more eco-friendly.
Bamboo also has certain drawbacks. For example, not all types of bamboo can be used for construction. Bamboo cannot be used to build the skyscrapers that we all love. Wet bamboo deteriorates (变坏) faster.
Despite all the drawbacks, the environmentally friendly features of bamboo make it a great building material. The few drawbacks that bamboo has can be mitigated with research and the use of bamboo as an alternative building material should be encouraged to make our earth greener.
1. Which is mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．The drawback of bamboo. | B．The varieties of bamboo. |
| C．The growing areas of bamboo. | D．The qualities of bamboo. |
| A．The qualities that bamboo has to make it a good building material. |
| B．The reasons why bamboo is an environmentally friendly building material. |
| C．The different uses of bamboo throughout history. |
| D．The great demand for bamboo in the world now. |
| A．Bamboo houses are dangerous in earth- quakes and hurricanes. |
| B．Bamboo can be used to build skyscrapers. |
| C．Bamboo is grown in all parts of the world. |
| D．Bamboo is cheaper to transport compared with other materials. |
| A．absorbed | B．allowed | C．reduced | D．ignored |
9 . Roughly 100 m farmers in several tropical countries depend on coffee for their livelihoods. Unfortunately for them, and for the many other coffee drinkers around the world, coffee bushes grow best in a rather narrow range of temperatures, so their cultivation is threatened by a changing climate. But a chance discovery by Aaron Davis of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in Britain, published in Nature Plants, may offer a way out. Dr Davis and his colleagues report that they have tracked down a type of wild coffee which is both pleasant to taste and tolerant of higher temperatures.
The existing coffee market is dominated by Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora. Coffea arabica prefers temperatures of 18-22 °C. Recent work suggests that Coffea canephora does not flourish above 24 °C.
Many other coffee species, indeed, grow in places warmer than those preferred by canephora and arabica. But all were thought to have poorer flavours, smaller beans and lower yields. Dr Davis, however, came across a paper written in 1834 by George Don, a Scottish botanist, which described a species from the lowland hills of Sierra Leone. Don dubbed（给……起绰号）it Coffea stenophylla, and wrote that it had a flavour superior to arabica's.
This piqued Dr Davis's interest, for stenophylla still grows, he discovered, in parts of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast that have temperature ranges between 24 and 26 °C. He and his colleagues also learned that stenophylla was farmed up until the 1920s, after which canephora, which had higher yields, took over. Stenophylla was then gradually forgotten.
That history of previous cultivation did, however, suggest stenophylla was worth looking into. The crucial question was Don's praise for its flavour justified? To find out, Dr Davis arranged a competition involving 18 professional coffee tasters who assessed, in a blind comparison, a set of samples that included stenophylla, two types of arabica and one of canephora.
Stenophylla performed well. It was rated as having higher fruitlike qualities than a Brazilian arabica and an Indonesian canephora, and also a more favourable acidity and more complex flavour profile, though slightly less of these qualities than an Ethiopian arabica. When asked if what they were tasting was arabica, the judges said "yes" 81% for samples of stenophylla, compared with 98% for the arabica from Ethiopia.
These results suggest that Don's report from 1834 is correct. Stenophylla does taste like arabica. And, crucially, it tolerates higher temperatures than either arabica or canephora. The rediscovery of stenophylla's qualities offers hope not only to coffee growers who might otherwise have had their businesses harmed by rising temperatures, but also to the world's caffeine addicts, who need now worry less about the future supply of their drug of choice.
1. Why are coffee yields threatened?| A．The number of coffee drinkers is decreasing. |
| B．Global temperature is rising. |
| C．Less farmers plant coffee bushes. |
| D．Farmers choose other crops for their livelihood. |
| A．Coffea stenophylla was first found in 1834. |
| B．Coffea arabica grows in places warmer than many other coffee species. |
| C．Coffea stenophylla had lower yields than canephora. |
| D．Coffea stenophylla is still favoured by farmers. |
| A．Stenophylla has the same qualities as an Ethiopian arabica |
| B．An Ethiopian arabica tastes like stenophylla |
| C．A Brazilian arabica tastes better than stenophylla |
| D．The flavour of stenophylla is like arabica's |
| A．To explain a study method on coffee species. |
| B．To introduce a new species of coffee. |
| C．To stress the importance of coffee growing. |
| D．To propose a new way to increase coffee crops. |
10 . Ever since humanity began to farm our own food, we've faced the unpredictable rain that is both friend and enemy. It comes and goes without much warning, and a field of leafy greens one year can dry up and blow away the next. Food security and fortunes depend on sufficient rain, and nowhere more so than in Africa, where 96% of farmland depends on rain instead of the irrigation common in more-developed places. It has consequences: South Africa's ongoing drought — the worst in three decades — will cost it at least a quarter of its corn harvest this year.
Biologist Jill Farrant of the University of Cap Town in South Africa says that nature has plenty of answers for people who want to grow crops in places with unpredictable rainfall. She is hard at work finding a way to take qualities from rare wild plants that are adapted to extreme dry weather and use them in food crops." The type of farming I am aiming for is literally so that people can survive as it's going to get drier and drier," Farrant says.
Extreme conditions produce extremely tough plants and a few fierce plants are highly adaptable to the everchanging conditions. Farrant calls one of them resurrection plants (复苏植物). During months without water under a harsh sun, they fade and contract until they look like a pile of dead green leaves but rainfall can revive them in the matter of hours. That is to say, when they detect and extend dry period, they produce sugars and certain stress-associated proteins and other materials in their tissues to enter a glass-like state that is “the most stable state that a plant can maintain”.
Last year, after Chinese team published a draft genome (基因组)of rock violet, one of the best studied resurrection plants, Farrant and colleagues published a detailed study of another candidate. One or both of these models will help researchers test their ideas-so far mostly done in the lab-on test plots.
1. Which can be responsible for the reduction in corn crop in South Africa?| A．Facing unpredictable rain. |
| B．Lacking advanced irrigation. |
| C．The food security. |
| D．The ongoing drought. |
| A．To maintain the most stable state of tough plants. |
| B．To grow crops in places with unpredictable rainfall. |
| C．To apply the special quality of wild plants to human farming. |
| D．To survive extreme dry weather and ever-changing conditions. |
| A．shrink | B．die | C．withdraw | D．rest |
| A．The research is still on trial. |
| B．Chinese team worked harder. |
| C．One of the candidates has been put into use. |
| D．The results contribute to resurrection plants. |
