Question

Can trees talk? Yes-but not in words. Scientists have reasons to believe that trees do communicate with each other. Not long ago, researchers learned some surprising things. First a willow tree(柳树) attacked in the woods by caterpillars (毛毛虫) changed the chemistry of its leaves and made them taste so terrible that the caterpillars got tired of the leaves and stopped eating them. The even more astonishing, the tree sent out a special vapor-a signal causing its neighbors to change the chemistry of their own leaves and make them less tasty.

Communication, of course, doesn’t need to be always in words. We can talk to each other by smiling, raising our shoulders and moving our hands. We know that birds and animals use a whole vocabulary of songs, sounds, and movements. Bees dance their signals, flying in certain patterns that tell other bees where to find nectar(花蜜) for honey. So why shouldn’t trees have ways of sending messages?

1.When attacked, a window tree will protect itself by ________.

A. changing its leaves’ chemistry    B. changing its leaves’ colour

C. talking to caterpillars    D. sending out a special vapour

2.From the passage we know that caterpillars _________.

A. like willow trees    B. enjoy eating fallen leaves

C. feed on willow tree leaves    D. could communicate with willow trees

3.Caterpillars will stop eating willow trees leaves which   __________   .

A. have a chemical change and become tasteless    B. have a pleasant taste

C. are being attacked    D. are communicating

4.According to the passage, how do willow trees communicate with each other ?

A. They talk in words.    B. They send out a special vapour.

C. They wave their leaves.    D. they make special sounds.

Answer

1. A

2. C

3. A

4. B

【解析】

本篇科普文章讲述了柳树通过发出一种特别水蒸汽来同邻居进行交流。作者认为像人类微笑，鸟儿唱歌，蜜蜂跳舞一样，树也有传送信息的方式。

1.细节理解题。由句子First a willow tree(柳树) attacked in the woods by caterpillars (毛毛虫) changed the chemistry of its leaves and made them taste so terrible that the caterpillars got tired of the leaves and stopped eating them. 首先，一棵柳树在树林中遭到了毛虫的袭击，改变了柳树的叶子的化学性质，使它们的味道非常可怕，以至于毛虫厌倦了树叶，不再吃叶子了。可知，当柳树受到攻击时，它会通过改变树叶的化学成分来保护自己。故选A。

2.推理判断题。由句子First a willow tree(柳树) attacked in the woods by caterpillars (毛毛虫) changed the chemistry of its leaves and made them taste so terrible that the caterpillars got tired of the leaves and stopped eating them. 首先，一棵柳树在树林中遭到了毛虫的袭击，改变了柳树的叶子的化学性质，使它们的味道非常可怕，以至于毛虫厌倦了树叶，不再吃叶子了。可知，毛毛虫以柳叶为食。故选C。

3.细节理解题。由句子First a willow tree(柳树) attacked in the woods by caterpillars (毛毛虫) changed the chemistry of its leaves and made them taste so terrible that the caterpillars got tired of the leaves and stopped eating them. 首先，一棵柳树在树林中遭到了毛虫的袭击，改变了柳树的叶子的化学性质，使它们的味道非常可怕，以至于毛虫厌倦了树叶，不再吃叶子了。可知，当柳树叶子有化学变化，变得无味时，毛毛虫会停止吃柳树叶子。故选A。

4.细节理解题。由句子The even more astonishing, the tree sent out a special vapor-a signal causing its neighbors to change the chemistry of their own leaves and make them less tasty. 更令人惊讶的是，这棵树散发出一种特殊的蒸汽——一种信号，使得它的邻居们改变他们自己的叶子的化学性质，使它们不那么美味。可知，他们通过散发出一种特殊的蒸汽来交流。故选B。