1 . The longleaf pine (长叶松) tree has deep connections with the history and life of the eastern part of America. Forests of these trees once covered two-thirds of the southeastern United States. About 95 percent of those forests were lost in the past 100 years. Many of the forests were cut for their wood, but now they are returning, with the help of government programs that build ties with private landowners.

The wood of the tree is very strong. Most buildings built in the southern U.S. from the 1800s contained longleaf pine wood. Today, although buildings made with longleaf pine are no longer wanted, yet people are reusing the wood because it is still good and resists (抵抗) water and insect damage.

The longleaf pine also takes in CO₂ in the air. It stores the material in its wood. So, the tree is valuable to the environment as a way to store carbon.

At the same time, the pine forests are places for animals to live. The U.S. government has several programs to protect and increase longleaf pine forests. One is the Safe Harbor Program. It uses voluntary agreements with private landowners to help animals at risk. One such agreement protects the red-cockaded woodpecker and also lets landowners use their land, as long as the birds and other connected animals can safely live on it.

Now, farmers and landowners in the southeastern U.S. are growing new longleaf pine trees. Instead of cutting the trees to use as building materials, they are finding ways to make money from the forest of living trees. One way to get money is by selling the leaves of the trees as a ground cover. Farmers can gather the pine leaves by hand or with the help of a machine. Pine leaves can be used instead of wood pieces or skins as a ground cover. It lasts a long time, is light in weight and stays in place because the needles (针) connect to each other.

1. Which of the following has helped bring back the longleaf pine trees?

A．The government’s efforts.	B．The much money it brings.
C．People’s wish to return to the old lifestyle.	D．The great need for their wood.

2. What do we know about houses built of longleaf pine wood today?

A．Welcome.

B．Cheap.

C．Unpopular.

D．Unclean.

3. What is one responsibility of landowners to use their land?

A．Providing longleaf pine wood.	B．Protecting animals in danger.
C．Enlarging the wood’s market.	D．Collecting longleaf pine needles.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．The Return of Longleaf Pines Gives Home to Animals

B．Farmers Benefit from Living longleaf Pine Trees

C．New Uses of Longleaf Pine Trees Create Forests

D．Longleaf Pine Trees Give More than Just Wood

2 . Seen any unseasonably early daffodils（水仙花）showing their faces yet? UK spring flowers are opening nearly a month earlier than they did before the mid-1980s, due to climate change.

That is the conclusion of a study of nearly 420,000 observations of the first flowering date of 406 plants from a UK citizen science project called Nature's Calendar. It has records dating back to 1753 from gardeners and naturalists, as well as bodies such as the UK's Royal Meteorological Society.

UIf Buntgen at the University of Cambridge and his team found that plants were opening their flowers 26 days earlier on average in the years after 1986 than they did before. They picked that year as it was the mid-point in the data set-where they had about the same number of observations before and after-because there were many more recent records than earlier ones.

The analysis included records of all plants, whatever time of year they flower, but most of them(like the daffodils) bloom in spring. “It is likely that the influence of climate change will be greater for spring-flowering plants, where the usual beginning of warmer temperatures that would cause flowering starts earlier,” says a spokesperson for the UK's Royal Horticultural Society.

There was a bigger advance in the dates of the first blooms for smaller plants, with those less than 20 centimeters high flowering an average of 32 days earlier in the years after 1986 than they had historically.

In any year, flower opening times were closely connected with the average temperature of the months from January to April. “If it's warmer, it's an earlier beginning. If it's cooler, it's a later one,” says Buntgen. The average maximum temperature across those four months rose by 1.1℃, comparing the period from 1950 to 1986 with the years after 1986.

“The change could hurt insects, birds and other wildlife that has evolved to sync with（同步）the flowering of certain plants,” says Buntgen.

1. What can we know about the study?

A．It dated back to 1753.

B．It was based on a large amount of data.

C．It was conducted by gardeners and naturalists.

D．It only covered records of plants blooming in spring.

2. Why did researchers pick the year 1986?

A．It was in the middle of the data set.

B．It was a memorable day for Ulf Buntgen.

C．It was the first year to record flowering date.

D．It was in 1986 that spring flowers bloom earlier.

3. What will be discussed in the following paragraph?

A．The influences of flowers’ early blooming.

B．Measures to be taken to stop climate change.

C．Further study to find the reason for flowers’ early blooming.

D．How creatures adapt to the change of flowers’ early blooming.

4. Where can we probably find the text?

A．In a guidebook.

B．In a science fiction.

C．In a geography textbook.

D．In a science magazine.

3 . Imagine you are on a cold mountain with steep rocks around. As you climb higher, the air gets thinner and the sun’s rays stronger. Just before you reach the snowline, you find what you came for—a small white flower, the edelweiss, which only grows in alpine areas.

Plants face many challenges living in alpine areas, and only 200 kinds of plants can grow there. Plants rely on oxygen, water, and sunlight to make their own food through the process of photosynthesis. The alpine means less CO2, which makes the process more difficult. It also brings plants closer to the sun. The sunlight is so strong that it can burn a plant’s leaves. There is little water here, so the soil is dry and rocky. You also won’t find high trees because the cold wind would blow them over！

Alpine plants have advantages that help them survive the bad conditions. Like all alpine plants, the edelweiss stays close to the ground to avoid the wind. The cold water is deep underground, so the edelweiss grows very deep roots. Its leaves have a thick covering, which protects the plant from the wind and the sun’s bright rays. All these special characteristics help it grow, but very slowly.

The edelweiss can live in the conditions, but humans can’t. Climbing in the high and cold mountains is dangerous and difficult. This is why the edelweiss became such a special flower. Long ago, a young man would pick an edelweiss flower to prove his love to a girl, although it was risky. Many men died while trying. Getting the flower proved that the man was physically strong, brave, and devoted.

Alpine plants can’t spread seeds, so it’s difficult for new plants to grow. Once all the edelweiss flowers are gone in an area, they will not regroup. Governments help protect the edelweiss because it is considered an endangered plant.

1. The first two paragraphs mainly describe ________ .

A．the process of photosynthesis	B．the appearance of the edelweiss
C．the growing environment of the edelweiss	D．the challenge of mountain climbing

2. The edelweiss can survive in the alpine conditions partly because ________.

A．it grows high and strong	B．it can get more sunlight
C．its leaves’ covering is thin	D．its deep roots can get water

3. What can we learn about the edelweiss from the text？

A．It is planted in large quantities.	B．It is a symbol of bravery.
C．It is a shade loving plant.	D．It spreads its seeds by wind.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text？

A．To introduce a special flower.	B．To compare different alpine plants.
C．To warn people not to pick flowers.	D．To encourage people to protect plants.

4 . Today, we will get you started with the basics to help your houseplants live their best life.

Find your light

    1     Different light levels are described as low, medium and bright. If you’re wondering what light level you have in your home, here’s a quick test: Hold your hand about a foot above where you want to put your plant. If it casts a shadow with clear lines, you’re working with bright light. If the lines of your hand look a little fuzzy (模糊), that’s medium light.     2     Overall, most houseplants are going to do well in medium or bright indirect light.

Pick a pot

When you bring a new plant home, it is much better to let it settle in the original pot. Over time, you might notice roots growing out of that drainage (排水) holes.     3    . When you are upsizing your pot, a good rule is to increase the diameter (半径) by 2 inches each time. In addition, make sure the new container has a drainage hole in the bottom. Proper drainage is important. Otherwise, their roots will rot.

    4    

Overwatering is one of the most common ways people kill their houseplants. So, how do you know when to give it a drink?

One of the simplest ways is the finger test. Stick your finger a few inches into the soil and feel if it’s still wet different houseplants have different needs, but a general guideline is to water when the top 2 inches of soil are dry.

Never stick to “Every Sunday I water my plants”.     5    

A．Water your plant properly.

B．Check the roots occasionally.

C．Low light is just enough light for you to read a book.

D．It should be whenever the soil itself needs to be watered.

E．Then it is time to find a bigger pot so its roots can expand.

F．The first thing you need to do is figure out the type of lighting you have.

G．Such measures will invite them to stay longer and help the plants grow better.

5 . In 2010, Barack Obama was to pay a visit to Mumbai’s Gandhi Museum, where palm(棕榈)trees full of me dotted the grounds. The president knew me well-coconuts (椰子)are a part of life in Indonesia, where he spent his boyhood. Before his visit, Indian authorities, however, removed every last sign of me around the museum. They were afraid the president of the United States would be taken out by one of me falling on his head.

Let’s get this out of the way: My reputation as the “killer fruit” of countless innocents was then and still is a misbelief. A repeatedly misinterpreted 1984 study overstated the number of deaths I caused by hitting people on the head, and the word spread. Today, the only things about me “to die for” are the sometimes too-delicious foods you humans make with me, such as cookies and pies. A decade ago, health experts briefly gave me a halo because some of my fats may raise beneficial cholesterol (胆固醇). But ask a heart doctor today and they’ll tell you that coconut oil will raise your bad cholesterol as much. Death by coconut, indeed!

People have other wrong ideas about me. But allow me to leave you with a sweet presidential tale. A World War II boat commanded by one John F.Kennedy was destroyed in 1943 by a Japanese warship. Kennedy and his surviving crew were stuck on an island. They were suffering from hunger, thirst and injuries when they met two friendly native coast-watchers. Kennedy scratched a message into a coconut shell: “NAURO ISL...COMMANDER...11 ALIVE...NEED SMALL BOAT...KENNEDY.”

The coast-watchers delivered this successfully and all the crew were saved. Years later, the coconut shell was given to the newly elected president. It sat on his office desk throughout his presidency and now is a center-piece of the John F.Kennedy Library in Boston-as the proof that we coconuts don’t take lives, we save them.

1. Why did Indian officials get rid of “me”?

A．To reduce Obama’s fear.	B．To avoid unexpected injuries.
C．To show their welcome tradition.	D．To follow the request from the US.

2. Which of the following can replace the underlined words in paragraph 2?

A．thought little of me	B．did great damage to me
C．made me well-known	D．brought me a good name

3. How does the author sound in the passage?

A．Amusing.	B．Anxious.
C．Concerned.	D．Romantic.

4. What is the purpose of the passage?

A．To show a new discovery.	B．To correct people’s misbelief.
C．To tell the history of coconuts.	D．To describe a successful rescue.

6 . How to Make a Window Box Garden

For many people, warm weather means growing things in the ground. Gardening is a popular activity all around the world. But what about people who do not have the space to garden? Don’t worry! Today, we will give you information about growing beautiful window boxes.

Place and safety

    1     They can also sit on other surfaces such as walls, or front steps. Make sure your window boxes are safe so they will not come down in a storm. Because of these possible dangers, window boxes are sometimes not allowed by house owners. If that is the case where you live or if you feel your window box could be unsafe, you can have an indoor window box.

Light and water

Before choosing plants, check your window box place for light and rain.     2     So, they need more water. And if a window box is close to a wall or other buildings, it may not get enough rainwater. Even if all your windows get little sun, do not give up. Browne, a famous gardener, says one of her greatest successes is a beautiful window box in a full-shade area.     3    

Try to be different

So, what makes some window boxes different while others are just so-so? Create a topic!     4     For example, you may have a window box that is filled with all cactuses or all plants fit for eating. Or you could have a color-topic window box with only purple flowers and plants.     5     People who have really nice window boxes cut off anything dead. They also water their window boxes often and change things a lot.

A．This is a main idea for the plants.

B．Besides having a topic, caring is important.

C．Window boxes dry out faster than ground plants.

D．You should not let quick-growing plants get out of control.

E．She suggests knowing which plants look best during each season.

F．Window boxes are not just for the outside edge of the window.

G．She gets a great look by using plants and flowers that don’t need much sun.

7 . High on the top of California's White Mountains, the hard conditions make it difficult for life to take root. But for a certain type of tree — and for those who have travelled here to study it — this place is a perfect place.

These bristlecone pines are the oldest individual trees in the world. Researchers like Andy Bunn have come to learn from the ancients. "It's remarkable to sit here and have your hand on one of these trees and know that it was growing when the Pyramids were built." Bunn added.

"By studying samples (样本) from the trunks, it's possible to discover their hidden history. Each annual tree ring is like a time capsule of the environment for that year from which it was formed," said Matt Salzer, a scientist at the University of Arizona's Laboratory of Tree Ring Research. "And it contains many different types of information — chemical information, the information on growth, and climate information."

"If you're trying to look at people in the past through time, tree rings give you a way to do it in a way that makes sense in a human life," said University of Arizona Professor Charlotte Pearson. She first became fascinated with the bristlecones after reading about an ancient volcanic eruption on the Greek island of Santorini. "It blew my mind that trees on the other side of the world could possibly be used to date this thing within a single year," she said excitedly.

The oldest known living bristlecone is estimated to be over 4, 800 years old. For Bunn, the climate record written in the rings offers guidance for how we might think about what's happening in the present as we plan for the future. "What we're seeing increasingly is that a lot of the climate events that we are experiencing and living through right now have no example in the paleoclimate (古气候) record," he said. “So, we really are moving into unknown field."

1. Why does Bunn mention the Pyramids in Paragraph 2?

A．To state the trees' age is very old.	B．To prove his discovery is important.
C．To attract readers' attention.	D．To stress the hard living condition of the trees.

2. What's the third paragraph mainly about?

A．The result of the research.	B．The process of the research.
C．The method of the research.	D．The significance of the research.

3. What do the underlined words "It blew my mind" in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．It confused me.	B．It surprised me.
C．It defeated me.	D．It disappointed me.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Paleoclimate record is hard to find.

B．There are lots of unknown things about pines.

C．Studying the tree rings is important for climate research.

D．There were frequent occurrences of the extreme climate events.