1 . In order to get rid of goldenrod from the city, the government of Wuhan is encouraging residents to report any findings of the plant, which is classified as a harmful alien species.

Goldenrod is one of the most successful and widespread alien plant species. It is often referred to as “the flower of the devil”, as it spreads extremely fast and causes other plants to die.

Besides Hubei province, the plant has also been found expanding in other provinces such as Jiangxi and Zhejiang. Although local authorities have tried to get rid of the plant, it is proving to be a difficult task. Goldenrod represents just one of the alien species that are aggressive towards the country’s native species. Statistics show that by 2020, nearly 800 kinds of alien species had invaded the country, among which 638 species have invaded the country’s agricultural and forestry ecosystems, causing direct economic losses of about 200 billion yuan ($31.36 billion).

At the United Nations Biodiversity Conference held in Kunming, Yunnan province, the invasion of alien species was the subject of discussions, as it was regarded as one of the two most important factors leading to the loss of biodiversity, the other being human-caused ecological damage.

China passed its Biosecurity Law on April 15, 2021, which provides the legal basis for preventing the invasion of alien species and protecting biodiversity in the country. The relevant departments also strictly carry out port inspections and quarantines so as to keep harmful organisms out of the country, and they strengthen early warning and monitoring systems so as to address the invasion as early as possible.

However, while government departments are making every effort to prevent and control the situation, the participation of the people should not be ignored. It is also necessary, as Wuhan is doing, to encourage people to pay attention to invasive species and actively play a role in keeping them at bay. Preventing any invasion by an alien species and protecting biodiversity should not just be the government departments fighting alone, but also a people’s war.

1. What can we learn about goldenrod from the text?

A．It originates in Wuhan.

B．It does harm to people’s health.

C．It is a great threat to the surrounding plants.

D．It causes an economic loss of about $31.36 billion.

2. What is Paragraph 5 mainly about?

A．China’s efforts to stop the invasion of alien species.

B．Relevant departments’ warning of goldenrod.

C．The legal basis to protect biodiversity.

D．The importance of port inspections and quarantines.

3. What do the underlined words “keeping them at bay” mean?

A．Keeping the invasive species out of the country.

B．Building some barriers for the species.

C．Preventing the flowers from growing fast.

D．Keeping the alien species safe at the port.

4. In which section of a newspaper can this text be found？

A．Business.

B．Culture.

C．Environment.

D．Opinion.

2 . The number of trees larger than two feet across has declined by 50 percent on more than 46, 000 square miles of California forests, the new study finds. No area was spared or unaffected, from the foggy northern coast to the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the San Gabriels above Los Angeles. In the Sierra high country, the number of big trees has fallen by more than 55 percent; in parts of southern California the decline was nearly 75 percent.

What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A．The seriousness of big-tree loss in California.

B．The increasing variety of California big trees.

C．The distribution of big trees in California forests.

D．The influence of farming on big trees in California.

3 . If there is one thing that comes to mind when the words “South Pacific” are spoken, then it must be coconut palms (椰子树). Most of us have images of all attractive coconut palms lining sandy beaches. But the coconut tree is more than a central characteristic of picture postcards bought by tourists.

To people of the South Pacific, the coconut tree is also known as the “Tree of Life”. It gets this name because of the different kinds of products which the coconut palm provides from its various parts. From the leaves down to its roots, it plays a great part in the life of many island people. The coconut tree provides food, shelter, fuel as well as income from exports.

Coconut leaves produce good-quality paper pulp (纸浆), hats, wastebaskets and bags. Flesh (果肉) and water (often called the milk) from the young, green coconut can be taken as a healthy food and drink. It is also used in salads and other tasty dishes.

Coconut husks (外壳) it are often thrown away, but they can be used to produce different kinds of useful products such as ropes, fishing nets, and floor coverings.

Coconut water can be used in the production of wine and is also used to treat a number of medical problems.

The white coconut flesh is a good source of coconut oil, coconut chips, and feed for animals.

The trunk of the coconut tree is a strong and durable wood, which can be used to build houses.

Medicines and dyes (燃料) are obtained from the roots.

The English oak, the Lebanon cedar or the Australian gum tree all have a place in history but the coconut palm is the only true “Tree of Life”.

1. Why is the coconut palm called the “Tree of Life”?

A．It has a long lifetime.	B．It is mostly exported.
C．It has a vast range of uses.	D．It is necessary for islanders.

2. Which part of a coconut tree can be used to treat some diseases?

A．Leaves.

B．Flesh.

C．Husks.

D．Water.

3. What does the underlined word “durable” mean in paragraph 7?

A．long-lived.

B．wet.

C．flexible.

D．rough.

4. What’s the major purpose of the text?

A．To introduce a useful type of plant.

B．To announce some new discoveries.

C．To tell readers about island people’s life.

D．To explain how to make full use of coconut leaves.

4 . What is a “transplant?” In gardening, transplant is the process of planting seeds inside and then moving the new growth, or sprout, outside. Transplanting is easy and often costs less. You get to watch the new growth happen up close.     1     A garden expert and writer for the Associated Press, Lee Reich, can give you his advice.

To get started with transplants, you will need a container and soil.     2     Fill the containers with a special mix called potting soil and push it down — but not too much.

    3     Do this by making a small hole into the mix and put in the seeds. Cover the seeds with the potting soil and press gently again. Place the containers in a pan, or any flat, open, and larger container that could hold some water. Put water into the pan until the water reaches halfway up the containers with the seeds. After a few hours, remove them from the water.

Seeds need warmth to germinate.     4     A good average temperature for just about all seeds is about 24℃.

Now for the exciting part — waiting to see little, green sprouts! Remove all but the strongest sprout from each container.     5     Your goal now is to grow strong transplants that can survive a move to the outside garden.

In four to six weeks, most transplants should be two to three times the height of their containers. They should be strong and ready to be transplanted outside — or almost ready. Now... they are ready to go into the garden!

A．If you are new to this type of gardening, do not worry.

B．You are also an experienced gardener.

C．Then plant seeds, three or four in each container.

D．They are used to their future environment with a week of being outside.

E．The amount of warmth needed is different from plant to plant.

F．The containers should be between 5 to 10 centimeters deep.

G．Just be careful not to hurt the roots of the sprout that remains.

5 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Malaindrano is a giant baobab (猴面包树) tree that is hollowed out (使成中空) for the storage of water,     1     (exist) in the village of Ampotaka in Madagascar. Malaindrano means “he who hates water”,       2     this baobab doesn’t hate water at all. It is so big that many people believe it has never been     3     (complete) filled. Even semi-full, the trees are vital for storing water in one of Madagascar’s driest regions. Also known     4     bottle trees because of their unique thick trunks, such baobab trees form a network of     5     (nature) water tanks. Using them has allowed people to live in a place where rain is rare, and where the little rain that falls     6     (absorb) quickly by the soil.

Lack of rain can lead to a lack of food. In the 1920s and 1930s, thousands of people     7     (die) because of extreme drought. This forced the locals to come up with an idea: hollowing out baobabs     8     (store) water when it is abundant. A large baobab has the     9     (able) to store about 14,000 litres of water. Today, some 20,000 people live in the region, many of       10     rely on the tree water for around a third of the year.

6 . There are many theories that suggest different ways of improving memory or thinking more clearly. One of those is the idea that adding rosemary (迷迭香) to your food or water, or even breathing in its fragrance, can give your brain a boost.

First, it’s important to understand what rosemary is.     1     It’s a perennial, meaning that once you plant it, it should re-grow every year when the weather is warm enough for it to do so. It’s native to Asia and the Mediterranean.     2    

Rosemary is related to the mint (薄荷) family of plants. When it blooms, its flowers are white, purple, pink or deep blue. It is often used as a flavor in food, including soups, meat, fish and other Mediterranean food. And it has a somewhat bitter flavor. Some people also enjoy tea flavored with rosemary.     3    

One study that involved 28 older adults found that consumption of a small amount of dried rosemary powder was associated with statistically significantly improved memory speed.     4     Researchers found that their memory of images and numbers improved when the essential oil of rosemary was sprayed in the room.

    5     But one theory is that rosemary appears to have some antioxidant (抗氧剂) properties that may offer some healing for the damage in our bodies. Another idea is that rosemary appears to lower anxiety, which in turn, may increase the ability to concentrate.

While rosemary shows some promise for boosting our brain power, it’s important to check with your doctor before you begin having it.

A．But it is grown in the United States, as well.

B．Rosemary is a herb with needle-like leaves.

C．Here’s what research has found about rosemary.

D．It is unknown if those benefits would hold true for humans.

E．It’s not known for sure why there may be a benefit from rosemary.

F．Rosemary is also used as a perfume and added to shampoo and soap.

G．Another study was performed with 53 students between 13 and 15 years old.

7 . Underground farming, as the name may suggest, is the practice of growing food underground.     1     Food can then be grown in stable, predictable and sustainable ways there.

Until recently, underground farming is a recent and important trend, but why? Because of its potential (潜力) and the benefits that it brings.

·    2    

It has been estimated that even if cities were to build rooftop greenhouses on every possible building and fill the parking spots with growing containers — it would only be able to reach around 5% of the crop requirements of the city.     3     Rooftop greenhouses, on the other hand, require buildings that have very large flat roofs and are strong enough structurally, yet most buildings simply don’t have that. That’s where underground farms stand out. They require less surface space and can be applied to almost any new building.

·Lowers Heating Costs for Building Above

Even the most efficient LED lights generate waste heat, which means that they heat up the farm, and for most modern indoor farms that's a major issue because not only energy is lost through lighting, but it's also required to cool down the farm.     4     Besides, people are working on ways to recycle the waste heat in order to help heat the building above and reduce its energy.

·Enables Farming in Unfriendly Environments

Obviously when going under a certain depth, the weather and environmental conditions of the surface have no effect on the growing environment.     5    

A．Replaces rooftop greenhouses.

B．Increases the urban farming capacity (容量).

C．Underground farms have a big advantage here.

D．It aims at creating stable underground environments.

E．Growing in cities is highly limited due to less empty space.

F．Underground farms can reduce that waste of energy as much as possible.

G．So it's possible to build productive farms in deserts and even mountainous areas.

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.

2. Why did researchers mainly study fleshy-fruited plants?

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.

3. Why does the author mention “fleshy fruits” and “fruiting times” in paragraph 3?

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.

4. What is the text mainly about?

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 . 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.

10 . 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.

2. Why does the author suggest buying plants in mid-winter?

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.

3. What can we learn from the last paragraph?

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.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．Where to buy houseplants.

B．When to grow houseplants.

C．How to choose a proper houseplant.

D．Whether houseplants are easy to grow.