47. A. exciting　　 B. astonishing　 C. encouraging　 　　 D. outstanding

Section C (12 points)

　Directions: Complete the following passage using the word or phrase that best fits the context.

　　 Plants can't communicate by moving or making sounds, as most animals do. _48_ , plants produce volatile compounds, chemicals that easily change from a liquid _49_ a gas. A flower's sweet smell, for example, comes from volatile compounds that the _50_ produces to attract insects such as bugs and bees.

Plants can also detect volatile compounds produced by other plants. A tree under attack _51_ hungry insects, for instance, may give off volatile compounds that let _52_ trees know about the attack. In response, the other trees may send off chemicals to keep the bugs away - or even chemicals _53_ attract the bugs' natural enemies.

Now scientists have created a quick way to understand what plants are saying: a chemical sensor (传感器) called _54_ electronic nose. The "e-nose" can tell compounds that crop plants make when they're attacked. Scientists say the e-nose could help quickly figure out _55_ plants are being eaten by insects. But today the only way to detect such insects is to visually inspect individual plants.

　Reading comprehension (40 points)

Section A (30 points)

Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read.

A

Melissa Poe was 9 years old when she began a campaign for a cleaner environment by writing a letter to the then President Bush. Through her own efforts, her letter was reproduced on over 250 donated billboards(广告牌) across the country.

The response to her request for help was so huge that Poe established Kids FOR A Cleaner Environment ( Kids F.A.C. E.) in 1989. There are now 300,000 memberd of Kids F.A.C.E. worldwide and it is the world’s largest youth environmental organization.

Poe has asked the National Park Service to carry out a “Children’s Forest” project in every national park. In 1992, she was invited as only six children in the world to speak at the Earth Summit in Brazil as part of the Voice of the Future Program. In 1993, she was given a Caring Award for her efforts by the Caring Institute.

Since the organization started, Kids F.A.C.E. members have ditributed and planted over 1 million trees! Ongoing tree-planting projects include Kid’s Yard--- the creation of backyard wildlife habitats(栖息地)---and now Kids F.A.C.E is involved in the exciting Earth Odyssey, which is a great way to start helping.

“Starting the club turned out to be a way to help people get involved with the environment. Club members started doing things like recycling, picking up litter and planting trees as well as inviting other kids to join their club.”

“We are trying to tell kids that it’s not OK to be lazy,” she explains. “ You need to start being a responsible, environmentally friendly person now, right away, before you become a resource-sucking adult.”

46. A. Unhappily　 B. Obviously　 C. Normally　　 　　 D. Gradually

45. A. other　　　 B. yourself　　 C. your family　 　　 D. the presents

44. A. in return　　 B. later　　　 C. in future　　 D. for

43. A. house　　　 B. door　　　 C. window　　　 D. gate

42. A. people　　　 B. children　　 C. families　　　 D. days

41. A. when　　　 B. so that　　　 C. even if D. as if

40. A. permitted　　 B. promised　 C. asked　 D. said

39. A. any money　 B. a choice　　 C. food　　 D. a turkey

38. A. may not　　 B. should　　 C. can’t　 D. daren’t