Question

    Like you and your pet dog, plants are living things: they eat, drink, and grow. Unlike you and your dog, they can't run away, use fists or teeth, or hide under the covers when they're threatened. But they can fight back.

Why would a plant need to fight back? To avoid being eaten, of course! Plants have several ways of protecting themselves. A plant can grow in a hidden or hard-to-get-to place. Think of plants you've seen growing on steep, rocky cliff (悬崖). Or, a plant could make only some parts of itself attractive to hungry insects and animals. For instance, if a plant produced really tasty leaves, herbivores (creatures that eat only plants) might eat the leaves instead of the seeds, which the plant needs for making more plants. Some plants have sharp or slippery (滑的) parts that discourage insects and other animals from getting too close, like the thorns(刺) on a rosebush.

But the most interesting way that plants fight back is by using chemicals. Plants take minerals from the soil and combine them into chemicals that do a lot of work. For example, plants produce chlorophyll(叶绿素), which helps convert sunshine and water into the sugars that plants eat.

They also produce chemicals to help protect themselves. One kind of tobacco plant releases a chemical into the air whenever small bugs begin to eat it. The chemical signals large bugs, saying "Dinner's ready!" The big bugs come to eat the little ones and save the plant.

Most plants use chemicals in a more direct way against their enemies. In other words, plants make poison.

1.What does the underlined word "convert" mean?

A.Change B.Separate

C.Form D.Produce

2.What do we know from the passage?

A.Some plants hide under the covers when faced with threat.

B.A plant grows in a hard-to-get-to place to draw people's attention.

C.Some plants produce tasty leaves to protect their seeds.

D.Plants produce chemicals to meet the needs of big bugs.

3.What may be talked about following the last paragraph?

A.Different effects that different plant poisons cause on plant eaters.

B.Different kinds of plants in the world.

C.Why plants make poison?

D.How to protect plants?

4.What would be the best title for the passage?

A.Plant information. B.Plant enemies.

C.Plant poisons. D.Plant protection.

Answer

1.A

2.C

3.A

4.D

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。文章介绍了植物是怎样反击和保护自己的。

1.词义猜测题。根据下划线所在的句子plants produce chlorophyll(叶绿素), which helps convert sunshine and water into the sugars that plants eat.可知，植物产生叶绿素，能将阳光和水变成植物需要的糖分。根据语境，可以推测convert是“改变、转变”的意思，即change。故选A。

2.细节理解题。根据第二段if a plant produced really tasty leaves, herbivores (creatures that eat only plants) might eat the leaves instead of the seeds, which the plant needs for making more plants.可知，如果一种植物产生真正美味的叶子，食草动物（只吃植物的动物）可能吃叶子而不是种子，植物需要种子来长出更多的植物。由此可知，一些植物可能用美味的叶子来保护种子。故选C。

3.推理判断题。根据最后一段Most plants use chemicals in a more direct way against their enemies. In other words, plants make poison.可知，大部分植物以更直接的方式使用化学物质来对抗敌人。换句话说，植物产生毒素。由此推测，接下来会写，不同的植物毒素对食草动物的不同影响。故选A。

4.主旨大意题。根据第二段Plants have several ways of protecting themselves. A plant can grow in a hidden or hard-to-get-to place.植物有几种保护自己的方法。一株植物可以生长在一个隐蔽的或难以接近的地方。根据第三段But the most interesting way that plants fight back is by using chemicals.可知，但最有趣的方式是植物通过使用化学物质反击；根据第四段They also produce chemicals to help protect themselves.可知，他们也产生化学物质来保护自己。由此可以看出，文章是关于植物保护的。短文的最佳标题是“植物的自我保护”。故选D。