1 . 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。

The use of bamboo in science and technology is really exciting. In the Warring States period, Li Bing     1     (lead) the local people to build the Dujiang Weir, the first irrigation network in the world,     2     bamboo played an important role. During the Han dynasty, the Sichuan people successfully sank     3     1,600-meter-deep well with thick bamboo ropes. This technology didn’t spread to Europe     4     the 19th century and in 1859 Americans sank the first oil well in Pennsylvania by     5     (employ) the technology.

Papermaking     6     (be) one of China’s four ancient great inventions. In the Han dynasty, people began to use bamboo     7     (make) paper, which was of excellent quality and fair price. Even now it is considered as one of the important materials in papermaking. Some of the Xuan paper for traditional Chinese painting is also made     8     bamboo.

In the Yuan dynasty, a man     9     (plan) to send a person on the chair to space tied a big bamboo tube filled with gunpowder onto each of the four legs of a chair. Although it appears amusing, it is regarded as the     10     (early) “manned rocket design”.

2 . Every tree tells a story. They hold our memories, represent belief, and witness countless moments of joy and sorrow. In our imagination, there is always a place for a tree.

For the locals in Naunde, Mozambique, a mango tree provides more than just shade from the Saharan sun. It is also a traditional setting for storytelling, ceremonies, and regulating village life. “It is a place to meet and talk, to seek agreement and settle arguments, to bridge differences and develop unity,” wrote Kofi Annan, the former Secretary-General of the UN. “If you have a problem and can’t find a solution, you meet again tomorrow under the tree and you keep talking.”

The mango tree always stands there, witnessing and remembering everything, and at the same time becomes an inseparable part of the collective memory of the locals. “Each growth layer that trees add every year contains a bit of the air from that year. The trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air through tiny pores (气孔) , which helps build their tissues, so they physically hold the record of the years of their surroundings,” said Benjamin Swett, author of New York City of Trees. In this way, trees also serve as nature’s memory stick, keeping a record of a history as long as themselves.

The English language borrows a lot from trees: We turn over a new leaf and branch out, meaning we move on from the past and start something new. And there are times when we can’t see the wood for the trees. We tend to enjoy the flourishing leaves, branches, and roots of the trees. However, we pay little attention to the forests that embrace trees. The same things often happen to us in our own lives. We often dip ourselves into some bad experiences in life. As a result, we may give up at a terrible moment instead of imagining satisfying success after defeating the failure.

Trees inspire mankind, not just through language, but through ideas. Perhaps the most famous is a tree in a garden in Lincolnshire, England, where an apple fell and inspired young Isaac Newton to wonder: Why would that apple always fall directly to the ground? According to an   18th-century account, Newton was home from Cambridge when he stepped into the garden and into a reverie (沉思) . There, the idea of gravitation came into his mind, inspired by an apple.

1. What is the role of a mango tree in Naunde?

A．A spot to bind the locals together.	B．A witness to the changing weather.
C．A generous food supplier on Earth.	D．A shelter to protect villagers in disasters.

2. How do trees keep a record of their surroundings?

A．By changing the width of their growth layer.

B．By sticking out branches in different directions.

C．By absorbing carbon dioxide to build their tissues.

D．By reflecting changing climate conditions with their tiny pores.

3. What is the fourth paragraph mainly about?

A．Suggestions on facing failure.	B．Famous English stories about trees.
C．The relationship between trees and forests.	D．Lessons from English expressions related to trees.

4. Why does the author mention Newton in the last paragraph?

A．To explain the necessity of observation.	B．To show how gravitation was discovered.
C．To stress the importance of trees in inspiring ideas.	D．To introduce how trees serve as a mirror of history.

3 . 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。

The Amazon rainforest is home to a great     1    (various) of plant life; however, its soil is    2       (surprising) poor in nutrients. In fact, the soil in the region cannot support agriculture for more than a few years. If a scientist is shown a report     3    (list) the nutrients of that soil, he or she will probably think that only desert plants can survive in it! Then why is the soil so poor in nutrients? For one thing, the rainy season has     4     impact on the soil. In this season, the water level can rise to more than 12 meters.     5     the water goes away, it takes away the nutrients in the soil. For another thing, due to the Amazon’s hot climate, it is difficult for the soil     6    (build) enough nutrients. Dead plants and animals     7    (break) down more quickly. The nutrients are soon taken in by the roots of the plants deep     8     the ground. As a result, most of the forest’s nutrients are locked up in the plants     9    (them), thus allowing them to grow at a(n)    10    (believable) speed.