题目内容
Why do plants grow in some places and not in others? Why does some land have so much growing on it, while other land has almost no plants growing on it at all?
To grow, plants need several things. One is warmth. In very cold places almost nothing grows. Plants also need water. In very dry parts of the Earth only a few unusual plants can grow. That's why dry deserts everywhere are almost not covered by trees or grass.
Plants must also have a place in which to put down their roots and grow. They find it difficult to grow on hard land. The town is built on hard land. The plants here have only the soil found between the cracks of the stones to grow in.
Another thing plants must have before they can grow is food.
What will happen if we try to make things grow on the sandy beach? A few plants, such as beach grass, will grow in sand, but most plants won't. Even if the weather is warm enough and we water the plants each day, many of them will die because the sand on this beach has almost no food for plants.
49. According to the passage, plants need things to grow well.
A. two B. three C. four D. five
50. From the passage, we can know it is ______for plants to grow in dry places.
A. easy B. difficult C. impossible D. important
51. The reason why most plants can't grow on the sandy beach is that .
A. there isn't enough sunlight B. there is too much water
C. it is too crowded there D. it has little food for plants
52. The passage can most probably be found in a book.
A. science B. history C. travel D. math
Do your spirits soar (猛增) on a sunny day? Do you relax at the sound of flowing water?
Some scientists suggest that these contacts with nature are good for your health. In one study, hospital patients with a view of trees had shorter hospital stays and less need for pain medications. Another study indicated that prisoners with a view of the outdoors had fewer doctor visits.
“Why do we desire nature? Maybe we’re programmed to need it, since our ancestors’ survival was so dependent on their connection with nature,” suggests biologist E.O. Wilson.
Want to find out if contact with nature improves your outlook on life? Try a few of these ideas.
Hang out a bird feeder and watch the birds that visit it.
Sit down in the backyard or a nearby park. Close your eyes. What do you hear? Birds singing? The wind in the trees? Crickets (蟋蟀) chirping?
Find an anthill. Sit down and watch the ants work.
Take a walk right after a rainstorm. What looks different? Smells different?
Go barefoot on a sandy beach.
Open the curtains and the window, if the weather allows it.
On a windy day, watch the trees.
Go to a creek, river or park fountain. Listen to the sound of water in motion.
Camp out in the backyard or at a nearby state park. Use a tent or sleep on the ground.
Find a wide-open space to study the stars. Learn about the different constellations (星座).
Raise a garden. Or plant some seeds in a flowerpot.
Go hiking with your family. Talk about all of the colors you see in nature.
Take a camera and capture your nature experience.
【小题1】From Paragraph 2 we can learn that ______.
| A.prisoners don’t like to go to the doctor when ill | B.trees can be used as pain medications |
| C.prisoners should often get out of prison to come into contact with nature | |
| D.contacts with nature are very helpful for hospital patients |
| A.it can help us feel relaxed |
| B.we have inherited (继承) from our ancestors who were dependent on nature |
| C.people have lived with nature for thousands of years |
| D.contacts with nature can improve a person’s outlook on life |
| A.studying the constellations is important to everyone | |
| B.you can know all the colors only by going hiking | |
| C.nature is quite important to us | D.walking in a rainstorm can be very helpful |
| A.Go hiking with your family | B.Let nature nurture you. |
| C.Visit your doctor less. | D.Watch the trees more often. |
People have been growing chrysanthemums(菊花)for more than 2,000 years. Mums make bright and colorful gardens. People in China and other Asian cultures make tea with the flowers.
One basic kind of mum is the garden mum. The other basic kind is the florist mum. The garden mum is better able to handle different growing conditions.
There are many varieties of mums. The decorative mum is often seen in gardens. Another popular type, the quill mum, has long, straight petals(花瓣)like a tube or needle.
Chrysanthemum blooms can be white, yellow, gold, red or other colors. The plants often grow one meter high.
The soil for chrysanthemums should be kept moist but well drained so it does not get too wet.
Newly-planted mums should be watered two or three times a week, depending on conditions. Plants established in the ground may do well just with normal rainfall.
Mums grow best in full sunshine. They produce colorful blooms when days get shorter and nights get longer. The life cycle of the plant depends on the amount of daylight. This is why experts advise against placing mums near night lights or street lights. The light may interfere with their normal growth cycle. The plants may develop buds too soon.
In climates where temperatures fall below freezing, plant mums at least six weeks before the first frost. That way, the plants will be well established for cold weather.
Some gardeners say the most beautiful presentation comes from planting mums close together. But be sure to leave enough space to let air flow between the plants. If not, there may be a greater chance of disease.
To get more blooms, gardeners pinch(掐)back the branches when new growth has reached fifteen centimeters. Squeeze about five to seven centimeters off each branch. Pinch it again when a branch grows another twelve to fifteen centimeters. Stop the pinching about one hundred days before you want the plants to bloom.
【小题1】 What has a great effect on the life cycle of the mum?
| A.The conditions of the soil. | B.The amount of daylight. |
| C.The amount of rainfall. | D.Cold weather. |
| A.To make mums grow thick. | B.To get more blooms. |
| C.To prevent mums from falling ill. | D.To let air flow between the plants. |
| A.Growing mums has a very long history and all the people in the world like making tea with mums. |
| B.Mums can grow one meter high and the closer they are planted, the higher they grow. |
| C.Though planting mums close together can make them look more beautiful, enough space should be left. |
| D.The petals of mums are long and straight and the more water mums get, the more quickly they grow. |