Question

Would it surprise you to learn that, like animals, trees can communicate with each other and pass on their wealth to the next generation—their young trees?

Suzanne Simard, forest ecologist (生态学家) at the University of British Columbia, explains how trees are much more complex (复杂的) than most of us ever imagined. Although Charles Darwin (达尔文) thought that trees are competing for survival of the fittest, Simard and her team have made a new discovery and showed just how wrong he was. In fact, the opposite is true: trees survive through their group work and support, passing around necessary nutrition (营养) such as nitrogen (氮) and carbon "depending on who needs it".

Nitrogen (氮) and carbon are shared through miles of underground fungi (真菌) networks. This makes sure that all trees in the forest ecological system give and receive just the right amount to keep them all healthy. This system works in a very similar way to the networks of neurons (神经元) in our brains, and when one tree is destroyed, it influences all.

Simard talks about "Mother trees". These are usually the largest, oldest plants on which all other trees depend. These "Mother trees" are connected to all the other trees in the forest by this network of fungi, and may manage the resources of the whole trees and plants in the forest. She explains how these trees pass on the wealth to the next generation, transporting important resources to young trees so they may continue to grow. When humans cut down "Mother trees" without paying attention to these highly complex "tree societies" of the networks on which they feed, we are reducing the chances to save the whole forest.

"We didn't take any notice of it," Simard says sadly. "Mother trees" move nutrition into the young trees before dying, but we never give them chance. If we could put across the message to the forestry industry, we could make a huge difference towards our environmental protection efforts for the future.

1.The underlined sentence "the opposite is true" in Paragraph 2 probably means that trees ________.

A.compete for survival B.protect their own wealth

C.depend on each other D.provide support for dying trees

2."Mother trees" are very important because they ________.

A.look the largest in size in the forest B.pass on nutrition to young trees

C.bring more wealth to humans D.know more about the "tree societies"

3.We can learn from the passage that ________.

A.trees aren't as complex as we think

B.Charles Darwin had the same opinion as Simard

C.if "Mother trees" are cut down, they won't make difference to young trees

D.trees can share resources with other ones by the underground fungi networks

Answer

1.C

2.B

3.D

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文。文章介绍了树和树之间不是你死我活的竞争关系，而是相互依赖的；树木社会是高度复杂的网络社会。“母树”通过真菌网络与森林中的其他所有树木相连，管理森林中所有树木和植物的资源。快要死的“母树”会将自己的营养传给小树，让它们更好地成长。人们如果知道这些现象，就可以更好地保护这些树。

1.

词句猜测题。根据上文“Although Charles Darwin thought that trees are competing for survival of the fittest, Simard and her team have … showed just how wrong he was.”和下文“trees survive through their group work and support, passing around necessary nutrition (营养) such as nitrogen (氮) and carbon 'depending on who needs it'.”可知树之间其实是互相依赖，这与达尔文的适者生存的理论恰恰相反，故选C。

2.

细节理解题。根据第四段中“She explains how these trees pass on the wealth to the next generation, transporting important resources to young trees so they may continue to grow.”可知“母树”之所以重要是因为它们会将自己的营养和重要资源等传给小树，故选B。

3.

判断推理题。根据第四段中“These "Mother trees" are connected to all the other trees in the forest by this network of fungi, and may manage the resources of the whole trees and plants in the forest.”可知，“母树”通过地下真菌网络与森林中的其他所有树木相连，并可以管理森林中所有树木和植物的资源，故选D。