Question

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 a 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.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 Contribute To Our Society

D. Trees Are More Complex Than You Think

2.In Simard’s opinion, trees        .

A. protect their own wealth    B. depend on each other

C. compete for survival    D. provide support for dying trees

3.We can learn from the passage that        .

A. if “mother trees” are cut down, the survival for the entire forest will be affected

B. “mother trees” are usually of no use to other trees

C. Charles Darwin had the same thought as Simard

D. people know much about the complex “tree societies”

Answer

1.D

2.B

3.A

【解析】文章介绍树和树之间不是你死我活的竞争关系，它们之间是相互依赖的，快要死的树会将自己的营养传给小树让它们更好的成长，人们如果知道这些现象，就可以更好的保护这些树。

1.【小题１】Ｄ标题确定题：根据全文内容，可知文章介绍树和树之间不是你死我活的竞争关系，它们之间是相互依赖的，快要死的树会将自己的营养传给小树让它们更好的成长，从第一段的句子：Would it surprise you to learn that, like animals, trees communicate with each other and pass on their wealth to the next generation?

可知作者想要表达的是树要比我们想象的要更加令人惊叹，所以选Ｄ。

2.【小题２】Ｂ句意理解题：根据文章第二段的句子：trees survive through their co-operation and support, passing around necessary nutrition "depending on who needs it".可知上文提到达尔文的适者生存的理论，而相反的是树是彼此依赖的，所以选Ｂ。

3.【小题３】Ａ细节题：根据文章第四段的句子：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.可知mother trees之所以重要是因为它们将营养传给小树，选Ａ。