5.The people
had to leave the place in New Mexico
because _______.
A.had
weather stopped the growth of trees
B.they no
longer had water and the land became sand
C.they
didn’t have enough trees for burning
D.there was
too much rain there
Passage 4
All our food
comes from the soil (土壤). Some of
us eat meat, but animals live on plants. If these were no plants, we should
have no animals and meat. So the soil is necessary for life.
The top of
ground is usually covered with grass or other plants. Plants grow in soil,
which has a dark color. This dark soil is humus, dead leaves, dead plants and
animal waste make it, but this takes a long time. When the humus has been made,
plants can grow well in it.
All soil
needs food. If we don’t give it any, the plants will be weak. Animals waste is
the best food for the soil, but chemical fertilizers (化肥) are also very useful. The same crop should not be grown
in the same place every year; it is better to have a different crop. A change
of crop and the use of a good fertilizer will keep the land in good condition.
When the
soil is dry, the wind blows it away. Sometimes heavy rain carries the humus
down to a river. People should grow more and more trees and grass to stop wind
from carrying the humus away. It takes hundreds of years to make humus, and so
we must save every bit of it. Without soil, where can we grow food?