Would it surprise you to learn that, like animals, trees communicate with each other and pass on their wealth to the next generation?
UBC Professor Simard explains how trees are much more complex than most of us ever imagined. Although Charles Darwin thought that trees are competing for survival of the fittest, Simard shows just how wrong he was. In fact, the opposite is true: trees survive through their co-operation and support, passing around necessary nutrition "depending on who needs it".
Nitrogen (氮) and carbon are shared through miles of underground fungi (真菌)
networks, making sure that all trees in the forest ecological system give and receive just the right amount to keep them all healthy. This hidden 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 affects all.
Simard talks about "mother trees", usually the largest and oldest plants on which all other trees depend. She explains how dying trees pass on the wealth to the next generation, transporting important minerals to young trees so they may continue to grow. When humans cut down "mother trees" with no awareness of these highly complex "tree societies" or the networks on which they feed, we are reducing the chances of survival for the entire forest.
"We didn't take any notice of it" Simard says sadly. "Dying 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 extremely important because they .
A. look the largest in size in the forest
B. pass on nutrition to young trees
C. seem more likely to be cut down by humans
D. know more about the complex "tree societies"
3.The underlined word "it" in the last paragraph refers to .
A. how "tree societies" work
B. how trees grow old
C. how forestry industry develops
D. how young trees survive
4.What would be the best title for the passage?
A. Old Trees Communicate Like Humans
B. Young Trees Are In Need Of Protection
C. Trees Are More Awesome Than You Think
D. Trees Contribute To Our Society
(Q = Question; A = Answer)
Situation I
Q: If someone sits right next to me in an empty movie theater, is it rude to move?
A: Maybe, but nobody will fault you for it. Chances are that close sitter doesn't realize he disturbs you, so he may miss your annoyance. You undoubtedly aren't the first person he's met who needs enough room. Forgive his bad judgment, move quietly and enjoy the show.
Situation II
Q: If I use the bathroom at a store, do I need to buy something?
A: Consider frequency and urgency. Is this a one-time or an emergency? If so, you don't have to buy anything, but it would be kind if you did. However, if you regularly use the bathroom at this place, then you are a customer, and you should act like one.
Situation III
Q: If someone is talking loudly on the bus, is there a nice way to ask him to keep it down?
A: No. Try other means.1) Stare at him until he gets aware of it and quiets down. 2) Lift your finger in a silence motion(动作)and smile. 3) Put on earphones and ignore him.
Situation IV
Q: If I remember my friend's birthday a day late, should I apologize or just wish her a happy birthday like nothing happened?
A: This is the reason why the word belated was invented. "Happy belated birthday!" is short for: "Well, I know I forgot, but then I remembered. Forgive me and happy birthday."
Situation V
Q: Can I lie about seeing a text because I was too busy or lazy to respond(回复) to it?
A: Don't lie. Receiving a text does not mean you need to respond to it. Why waste a perfectly good lie when the truth will serve? "Yes," you can say if ever asked, "I saw it." No explanation is needed as to why you don't respond.
1.You will get annoyed in a theater when .
A. a person is too active
B. a person is too rude to you
C. a person talks too loudly
D. a person sits too close to you
2.How will you quiet someone down in a public place?
A. By making fun of him continuously.
B. By looking purposefully at him.
C. By talking to him directly.
D. By pointing angrily at him.
3.The underlined word "belated" in Situation IV probably means .
A. predicted B. returned C. cancelled D. delayed
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A. Modern ways to mind your manners.
B. Different ways to change others' manners.
C. Proper manners to offer help to others.
D. Good manners to talk to people.
A new study shows students who write notes by hand during lectures perform better on exams than those who use laptops(笔记本电脑).
Students are increasingly using laptops for note-taking because of speed and legibility(清晰度).But the research has found laptop users are less able to remember and apply the concepts they have been taught.
Researchers performed experiments that aimed to find out whether using a laptop increased the tendency to make notes "mindlessly" by taking down word for word what the professors said
In the first experiment, students were given either a laptop or pen and paper .They listened to the same lectures and were told to use their usual note-taking skills. Thirty minutes after the talk , they were examined on their ability to remember facts and on how well they understood concepts.
The researchers found that laptop users took twice as many notes as those who wrote by hand. However, the typists performed worse at remembering and applying the concepts. Both groups scored similarly when it came to memorizing facts.
The researchers' report said, "While more notes are beneficial, if the notes are taken mindlessly, as is more likely the case on a laptop, the benefit disappears."
In another experiment aimed at testing long-term memory, students took notes as before but were tested a week after the lecture. This time, the students who wrote notes by hand performed significantly better on the exam.
These two experiments suggest that handwritten notes are not only better for immediate learning and understanding, but that they also lead to superior revision in the future.
1.More and more students favor laptops for note-taking because they can .
A. write more notes B. digest concepts better
C. get higher scores D. understand lectures better
2.While taking notes, laptop users tend to be .
A. skillful B. mindless
C. thoughtful D. tireless
3.The author of the passage aims to .
A. examine the importance of long-term memory
B. stress the benefit of taking notes by hand
C. explain the process of taking notes
D. promote the use of laptops
4.The passage is likely to appear in .
A. a newspaper advertisement B. a computer textbook
C. a science magazine D. a finance report
如何理解“成功”，不同的人有不同的看法。请认真阅读下面的引语( quotation)，按要求用英语写一篇短文。
“Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston, Churchill
内容要求：
1．你对该引语的理【解析】
2．你的相关经历：
3．恰当的结尾。
注意：
1．短文开头已给出，不计人总词数：
2．文中不能出现考生的具体信息：
3．词数：120左右。
This quotation from Winston Churchill tells us that__________________________
阅读下面短文，根据以下提示：1）汉语提示，2）首字母提示，3）语境提示，在每个空格内填人一个适当的英语单词，所填单词要求意义准确，拼写正确，并将该词完整地写在答题卡中相应的横线上。
Many of us were raised with the saying "Waste not, want not.” None of us, 1._h , can completely avoid waste in our lives.
Any kind of waste is thoughtless. Whether we waste our potential talents, our own time, our limited natural2. （资源）,our money, or other people's time, each of us can become more aware and careful. The smallest good habits can make a big3. _d . It's a good feeling to know in our hearts we are doing our4.h in a world that is in serious trouble. By focusing on5. （节省）oil, water, paper, food, and clothing, we are playing a part6. cutting down on waste.
We must keep reminding 7. （白己）that it is easier to get into something8. it is to get out of it. Actually, severe damage9.d ____to our land is fairly recent in the history of our evolution. It's time for us to10.___no to waste so that our grandchildren’s children will be able to develop well. We can't solve all the problems of waste, but we can encourage mindfulness.
Waste not！
As has been all too apparent in recent days at Balcombe, few issues cause greater concern than energy policy. Many village communities feel their countryside is being ruined by the power-producing machines of wind farms; yet they never take "direct action", even though the planning laws put them at a severe disadvantage. And the generous subsidies (财政补贴) , which encourage the expansion of wind power, are not favorable to the village communities and set landowners in conflict with other residents (居民) .
Those who disagree with the rapid expansion of wind farms state that the damage they cause is out of proportion(比例) to the benefits they bring, because their energy output cannot match that of the carbon-based power stations they are supposed to replace. Supporters insist that wind must be part of a mix of renewables, nuclear and carbon, and that the country is committed to meeting EU ( European Union) targets for non-carbon energy generation. ZXXK
Against this background, the fact that there is an argument within the Government over whether to publish an official report on wind farms' impact on the countryside becomes even more extraordinary. The two parties in the coalition (联合) government are in disagreement over what it should say.
We have some advice for the two parties: publish the report, and let the country be the judge. Even if it contains evidence that wind farms are harmful, it will hardly be a pleasant surprise to people who do not like them. Equally, supporters must argue their case by acknowledging the concerns and explaining why they are either misplaced or worthy of much attention.
The suggestion that further negotiations are to take place to produce an "acceptable" report suggests that the politics of coalition government are doing the country harm in a certain way. Given the sensitivities involved, all the information should be available so that people can reach their own conclusions, rather than being left with the suspicion（猜疑）that facts are being replaced by political beliefs.
1.We can learn from the first paragraph that__________.
A. energy policy catches much attention of the public
B. the residents are in favor of the expansion of wind farms
C. many village communities are satisfied with the subsidies
D. the planning laws offer great benefits to the residents
2.Supporters think that the expansion of wind power____.
A. is more rapid than that of carbon-based power
B. guarantees an increase in energy output
C. is expected to be much better than that of nuclear power
D. agrees with EU targets for non-carbon energy generation
3.It can be inferred from the passage that____.
A. an official report will settle the energy problem
B. the two parties are divided over the issue of wind farms
C. the two parties have agreed on a further negotiation
D. political beliefs concerning energy issue go against facts
4.Which of the following reflects the author's opinion?
A. Increase political impact on energy policy.
B. Release a statement of supporters on wind farms.
C. Let the nation judge the facts about wind power.
D. Leave the two parties to reach their own conclusions.
