1 . The green and red watermelon is a sweet, refreshing summer snack. But it wasn’t always so sugary or brightly colored. So what did watermelons originally taste and look like, and from where did they come?
The fruit isn’t from the Fertile Crescent of ancient Mesopotamia, as so many other domesticated (家养的) crops are, research shows. Susanne Renner, a scientist, and her colleagues carried out comprehensive genetic sequencing (基因测序) of the domesticated watermelons — the kind you might find on supermarket shelves — along with six wild watermelon species.
“We found the modern genomes (基因组) of the domesticated watermelon are more closely related to the Sudanese wild type than any other that we analyzed,” she said. The Sudanese wild watermelon has some obvious differences from the domesticated version. “The flesh is white and not very sweet, and it’s mainly used as animal feed,” Renner said. Nevertheless, the genetic similarity between the two species led the researchers to conclude that the Sudanese fruit is probably a precursor (前身) to the red and sweet domesticated watermelon.
It’s likely that ancient farmers grew non-bitter varieties of the wild watermelon and thus increased its sweetness over many generations through the domestication process. The red color is probably also thanks to artificial selection, in which farmers likely favored and selectively bred red fruit.
We already knew that the ancient Egyptian king Tutankhamun was buried with watermelon seeds 3,300 years ago, yet that isn’t sufficient proof of a domesticated, sweet watermelon. But then, Renner found an image of a watermelon-like fruit on an ancient Egyptian tomb painting, thought to be more than 4,300 years old. In a separate tomb, another image showed the watermelon cut up in a dish alongside other sweet fruits. This realization, coupled with Renner’s genetic findings, suggests that the watermelon was most likely domesticated around that time either in Egypt or within trading distance of the ancient empire.
“Historically speaking, that’s a very significant finding,” said Hanno Schaefer, a professor of plant biodiversity. “It’s becoming clearer that we’ve greatly neglected the North African region. We’ve focused too much on the Fertile Crescent and we need to invest more resources into studying the agriculture of North Africa.”
1. What can we learn about the Sudanese wild watermelon?| A．It is brightly colored and sugary. |
| B．It is consumed mainly by animals. |
| C．It has no connection with the domesticated type. |
| D．It has more differences than similarities to the domesticated type. |
| A．More resources will be devoted to agriculture research in South Africa. |
| B．The domesticated watermelon has a history of at least four thousand years. |
| C．The domesticated watermelon probably developed from the Sudanese type. |
| D．Few domesticated crops are from the Fertile Crescent of ancient Mesopotamia. |
| A．The history of the Sudanese wild watermelon. |
| B．Where wild watermelons actually come from. |
| C．The characteristics of domesticated watermelons. |
| D．How domesticated watermelons came into being. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Doubtful. | C．Critical. | D．Tolerant. |
2 . A lot of health care are connected with being around trees.
They also do a great deal of good for the environment by reducing air pollution and taking in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
A tree’s ability to take in carbon dioxide is especially useful when the tree.is in cities or towns, where there are too many industrial activities. For the study, the researchers used laser scanning methods to take their own carbon readings of trees from the ground as well as the air.
They determined that Camden had a median carton density (浓度) of around 55 tons of carbon per hectare (t/ha). Greener areas of the borough, like Highgate Cemetery, had a carbon density of 380 t/ha — levels that are typically seen in rainforests.
So what exactly does this mean? Trees could help cool the atmosphere by removing carbon dioxide from the air. However, some climate scientists argue that it’s more complicated (复杂的) than that.
| A．We need to protect the ones we already have. |
| B．Global warming is happening at a faster rate than ever. |
| C．These benefits aren’t just felt in the countryside, either. |
| D．For comparison, major cities in the US have a carbon density of 7.7. |
| E．They have been known to reduce people’s stress and improve overall mental health. |
| F．Then they compared their findings with the data from the UK Environment Agency. |
| G．They think the impact of tree-planting activities today may not be seen for many years. |
3 . You’ll only find cherry blossoms in a handful of countries.
Called sakura in Japan, the cherry blossoms of Yoshino and Kyoto are world-famous. Tourists flock to the country each spring to try their hand at a centuries-old activity “flower viewing”. You don’t have to fly to Japan to see them, though. In the US, the cherry blossoms of Washington, D.C., New York City, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Seattle, San Francisco, and Boston are all beautiful in their own way. The flowers can also be viewed in many European and Asian countries, as well as Brazil and Australia in the southern hemisphere.
There are hundreds of cherry tree varieties.
Japan in particular is home to hundreds of types of cherry trees -possibly more than 600.Some types bear fruit, while others don’t. The flowers of many trees change from dark pink to light pink to white throughout the different stages of blossoming, while others progress from greenish yellow to white to pink. One variety, called Kanzan, was bred to have “double blossoms” — or up to28 petals (花瓣) on each flower, compared to the Yoshino tree’s five petals.
You can get arrested for picking a cherry blossom in Washington, D. C.
Resist the urge to take a cherry blossom home with you as a souvenir. In D.C. at least, breaking off a blossom or branch is viewed as destruction of federal property. Those who break this rule could receive a citation (传票), or worse, be arrested. It goes without saying that it’s also illegal to climb the trees. If they sustain damage to their branches, they will never be able to grow new blossom on that particular branch again.
Both the blossoms and leaves are edible.
In Japan, no part of the cherry blossom tree pes to waste. The preserved leaves are used as edible mochi wrappers (a rice cake filled with sweet bean paste), and a number of seasonal snacks feature sakura as a key ingredient Sakura-flavored versions of Pepsi, Coke, tea, and even Starbucks lattes are all popular drinks. You can also find Kit Kats and Pocky snack sticks that taste like sakura.
They were the inspiration behind a record-setting LEGO sculpture.
Legoland Japan, a theme park in Nagoya, set a Guinness World Record in 2018 for the largest LEGO brick cherry blossom tree ever made. The trees stood 14 feet tall, weighed over 7000 pounds, and consisted of more than 800,000 LEGO bricks.
1. In which country can’t you see cherry blossoms according to the passage?| A．America. | B．China. | C．Germany. | D．Egypt |
| A．Climbing cherry trees is tolerable in Washington. | B．Sakura-flavored snacks and drinks are welcomed. |
| C．Kanzan sakura is better than Yoshino sakura. | D．The largest cherry blossom tree grows in Japan. |
| A．A passionate environmentalist. | B．An ecological researcher. |
| C．A student interested in plants. | D．A tourist in Japan |
1. Why is the baobab tree thought to be strange-looking?
| A．Its trunk sometimes measures more than ten metres in diameter. |
| B．Its trunk is thicker at the top than at the bottom. |
| C．Its branches near the top are longer than those near the ground. |
| A．Its leaves. | B．Its trunk. | C．Its skin of the tree. |
| A．Its empty trunk can be used by people to build everything. |
| B．Its flowers can turn into a kind of cucumber. |
| C．Its leaves and branches can keep the rain water cool and clean. |
| A．The baobab—unusual but useful. |
| B．The baobab—a tree that people can make good use of. |
| C．The baobab—a strange tree that can make ropes. |
5 . Too often, houseplant decisions are made suddenly. We find a fine plant at the supermarket and say, “That’s so pretty. I want it.” So we bring home a healthy, tropical (热带的) plant only to find it, weeks later, on death’s doorstep.
Before buying a tropical plant or indoor flowering plant, look around your house and decide where you would like to see it. It is not necessary to choose the brightest place, as there are great houseplants for nearly all light conditions. After determining where new plants are needed, decide what shape the plants should be. Perhaps you need something tall to fill an empty corner or soften an empty wall.
Once you have a list of the spaces you need to fill and the plant forms you would like to try, visit the garden center or greenhouse and look at the offerings. Mid-winter is the best time for tropical plant shopping since most stores fill the gap between gardening seasons with tropical orders. Ordered a lot, they are cheaper in the winter as well.
Ask the salesman which plants are the easiest to grow; this list should include cast iron plant, parlor palms, snake plants, peace lilies and so on. Flowering plants are the most difficult to grow and should be avoided if you are new to indoor plants. If you must have one, look for Jasmine Sambac, an easy plant.
Don’t lose heart if you buy something and it doesn’t survive. Tropical plants are suited to warm, moist (潮湿的) and protected air. They are not suited to some places in hot northern homes. Remember that a lovely plant that looks good in your living room for only a year is still a better action than last night’s pizza.
1. What should we consider before buying a houseplant?| A．Its color and shape. | B．Its flowering period. |
| C．The area which it belongs to. | D．The place where we will put it. |
| A．There are more plants to choose from then. |
| B．The gardening business then is increasing. |
| C．The plants look more beautiful then. |
| D．The plants grow better then. |
| A．We’d better not buy the pizza made last night. |
| B．The living conditions are important to plants. |
| C．Few people can keep tropical plants alive. |
| D．It is wrong to keep tropical plants indoor. |
| A．Where to buy houseplants. |
| B．When to grow houseplants. |
| C．How to choose a proper houseplant. |
| D．Whether houseplants are easy to grow. |
6 . 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. |
7 . 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. |
| 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. |
| A．Protect. | B．Kееp. | C．Change. | D．Destroy. |
| A．By giving explanation. | B．By offering examples. |
| C．By drawing conclusions. | D．By making comparisons. |
8 . A famous book from the 70s called The Secret Life of Plants says that plants are conscious (有意识的).
Plants don’t have brains so they can’t think in the same way as humans.
| A．But plants can sense their surroundings. |
| B．They even have a preference for music. |
| C．Some plants can communicate with sound. |
| D．The study also showed plants will row towards the sound of water. |
| E．So there is no doubt that plants arc communicating with their neighbors |
| F．Strangely, the uncut cabbages nearby also began to give off a poisonous gas. |
| G．The researchers believe plants are communicating with their neighbors through their roots. |
9 . Farmers in Italy’s famous Tuscany area are struggling to save grape and olive crops influenced by a heatwave and dry conditions. A lack of (缺乏) rainfall since spring has even influenced plants that traditionally grow well in hot and dry weather.
In San Casciano in Val di Pesa, near Florence, olive trees line the hillsides. But farmers say the dry soil is preventing the trees from producing the usual production of fruit.
Tuscany is famous around the world for its olive oil and wine from grapes. But growers in the area say dry, hot weather always has a great influence on the crops and harms (损害) production. But this year’s heat and lack of water happened during an important time, when the flowers were changing to fruit. Without water, many flowers fall to the ground before they can produce fruit. This year’s oil production could be cut by up to 60 percent.
Olive growers have decided to change some of their farming methods. They have used a new watering method to make up for the lack of rainfall and hot temperatures. The method works with a pipe placed under the trees to drop water little by little.
The influences of weather change have harmed production and plants, but they have also created new areas in Italy where crops can be grown. A few years ago, olive farms were mainly found in hot and dry areas such as Sicily. Now, areas such as Val d’Aosta in the far north of Italy — which is famous for its snow sport holiday places and mountains — can produce their own oil.
Climate change is also influencing wine crops in Tuscany. In Chianti, for example, September is normally the month for the yearly grape harvest (收获). But with continued high temperatures, many grapes are ripening(成熟) earlier than expected. Apart from the drop in grapes caused by the current heatwave, wine growers also have to deal with other serious weather events. An ice storm recently harmed 40 percent of grapes in the area.
1. What was the reason for the drop in oil production this year?| A．The dry weather lasted a longer time. |
| B．The fruit dropped to the ground before harvest. |
| C．The dry weather happened in a special period. |
| D．It was uncommon for the crops to experience dry weather. |
| A．It increases the planting areas of crops. |
| B．It encourages better farming methods. |
| C．It improves the taste of crops. |
| D．It attracts more tourists to the area. |
| A．The influences of poor grapes on red wine. |
| B．The harm brought by an ice storm to grapes. |
| C．The production of grapes dropped because of dry weather. |
| D．The influences of bad weather on grapes. |
| A．Farmers in Italy Are Expecting Some Rain |
| B．Dry Weather Influences Italy’s Famous Grape & Olive Crops |
| C．More Areas in Italy Are Fit for Crops Because of Warming Climate |
| D．New Ways Are Introduced to Fight Against Dry Weather |
10 . Many of the vegetables we grow in our gardens produce seeds (种子), which can grow into plants if collected and stored correctly. Late summer is the perfect time to start collecting them.
Make sure the seeds are from plants that you have planted well for many years. These are plants in their normal forms.
Hybridized (杂交) plants usually produce the vegetables sold in big food stores.They are created from two or more different kinds of plants to get the best qualities of each. Trying to grow seeds from these plants will not lead to happy results. This kind of plants will not have the expected results but instead carry the genes (基因) of just one of its parents.
Many plants become cross-pollinated (异花授粉) in the garden. Bees, flies, animals and wind spread pollen (花粉) from one plant to another. To ensure the seeds will grow into plants, give them space.
To avoid cross-pollination surprises, plant only one kind of each vegetable from which you can harvest seeds.
| A．When will the seeds come off the flower? |
| B．It is impossible to tell which parent that will be. |
| C．What should you do if you want to save tomato seeds? |
| D．Their seeds will produce plants as good as their parents. |
| E．Put seeds in a cool, dry place in a covered glass container. |
| F．Place different kinds of the same crop as far apart as possible. |
| G．In areas with cold winters, simply leave plants in the ground over winter. |
