There are places in North America where great cities once stood．There were gardens and trees and grass．But now these places are like deserts(沙漠)．Scientists began to study this land to find out what happened．Many of them believe the land died when the trees were cut down．
Trees help other plants grow．Tree roots(根)hold the soil(土壤)in place．They keep the wind from blowing away the soil．Leaves on the ground keep rainwater from running off．
Once there were hundreds of farms in the southwest of the US．Then the farms turned into fields of dry land．This was because few trees grow there now．
Now we try to save trees．In many places, when a tree is cut down, a new tree is planted in its place．We do not want the land to die．
(1)
Why are trees important?
[ ]
A．
They turn fields into dry land．
B．
They help other plants grow．
C．
They help strong winds blow．
D．
They keep rainwater running off．
(2)
What does this passage tell us?
[ ]
A．
Farms are better than cities．
B．
There are so many deserts in America．
C．
Land will die without trees．
D．
All the trees are cut down in America．
(3)
Which is right?
[ ]
A．
You can’t find any trees or grass in North America now．
B．
Trees help us live a life as we are living now．
C．
Trees grow only in deserts．
D．
Tree can blow soil away．
阅读理解
Trees are useful to men in three important ways：They provide them with wood and other products(产品), they give them shade(树荫), and they help to prevent drought and floods．
Unfortunately, in many parts of the world, men have not realized(功能)is the most important．In their eagerness(渴望)to make money from trees, some people have cut trees down in large numbers, only to find that without them they have lost the best friends they had．And besides(此外), they are usually too careless to plant and look after new trees, SO the forests slowly disappear．
This doesn't only mean that men will have fewer trees．The results are even more serious：where there are trees, their roots(根)break up soil－allowing the rain to sink in and also bind(固定)the soil, thus(因而)preventing it from being washed away easily, but where there are no trees, the rain fails and carrying away the rich top－soil．When all the top－soil is gone, nothing remains(剩下)but worthless desert．
(1)
The most important service of trees to men is ________．
[ ]
A．
they give people wood and other products
B．
they give people shade and cool
C．
they help people prevent drought and floods
D．
they help people make money
(2)
What does“Unfortunately”mean in Chinese?
[ ]
A．
不可能的
B．
不幸的
C．
不经常的
D．
不固定的
(3)
Land becomes desert after all trees are cut down, because ________．
[ ]
A．
there is too much rain
B．
there are no more trees to keep the rich top－soil from being carried away by floods
C．
there is a strong wind
D．
roots of trees break up the soil
(4)
People cut down many trees because ________．
[ ]
A．
they wanted to get wood from them
B．
they wanted to get money from them
C．
they didn't realize the importance of them
D．
all the above
(5)
Which of the following is NOT true?
[ ]
A．
Tree roots can make the top－soil rich and the ground hard．
B．
Trees can make the rain sink into the ground．
C．
Trees can prevent drought and floods．
D．
Tree roots can break up soil．
阅读理解
What will the house of the future look like? Could it have gardens on its walls, or a pool with fish for dinner? Architects believe that they are all possibilities．The only thing for sure is that the houses will be as green as possible．
The tree house
Many architects in the world would like to build a “tree house．” Like a leaf, the surface of the house collects sunlight during the day．The energy can be used to heat water, produce electricity, and even create fresh air for the home．The “root”(根)of the house is deep under the ground．It uses the soil(土壤)to the home’s temperature．
The Lizard house
Like a lizard(蜥蜴), changing color with the weather is the most important design of a lizard house．When it’s in the bright sun, the cover of the house will turn dark to protect it from strong heat．During dark days, it turns white and takes in as much light and heat as possible to produce energy．
Meals at home
This design is perhaps as much about the future of food production as architecture(建筑风格)．It has gardens on the outside wall of the house．People can plant tomatoes, carrots and green tea on them．So every day in the morning, you just need to walk outside and collect your meals．
Learning from the past
Looking to the future isn’t the only way to be green．Sometimes, ancient techniques(古老的技术)can also help cut down energy use．For example, a chimney(烟囱)can be a useful air conditioner because it is easier of hot air to flow out at the chimney．
(1)
What is the best title(标题)of the passage?
[ ]
A．
Green house of the future．
B．
The greener, the better．
C．
How to build green houses．
D．
Changes of the houses．
(2)
We can heat water, produce electricity or create fresh air for the home．
[ ]
A．
with the root of a leaf．
B．
with the energy from sunlight．
C．
with the soil under the ground
D．
with gardens on its walls．
(3)
What will happen to the cover of the lizard house when it’s in the bright sun?
[ ]
A．
It will take in light．
B．
It will produce energy．
C．
It will turn dark．
D．
It will turn white．
(4)
The passage seems to tell us that meals at home in the future．
[ ]
A．
will be more delicious．
B．
need more cooks．
C．
cost as much as possible．
D．
will be greener．
(5)
A chimney can be a useful air conditioner but it used to cause ________．
