17.Plants can't communicate by moving or making sounds,as most animals do.Instead,plants
Produce volatile compounds,chemicals that easily change from a liquid to a gas.A flower's sweet
smell,for example,comes from volatile compounds that the plant produces to attract insects such as
Bugs and bees.
Plants can also detect volatile compounds produced by other plants.A tree under attack by
Hungry insets,for instance,may give off volatile compounds that let other trees know about the
Attack.In response,the other trees may send off chemicals to keep the bugs away----or even
Chemicals that attract the bugs'natural enemies.
Now scientists have created a quick way to understand what plants are saying:a chemical
Sensor(传感器)called an electronic nose.The"e-nose"can tell compounds that crop plants make
When they're attacked Scientists say the e-nose could help quickly detect whether plants are being
Eaten by insects.But today the only way to detect such insects is to visually inspect individual
Plants.This is a challenging task for managers of greenhouses,enclosed gardens than can house
Thousands of plants.
The research team worked with an e-nose than recognizes volatile compounds.Inside the
device,13sensors chemically react with volatile compounds Based on these interactions,the
e-nose gives off electronic signals that the scientists analyze using computer software.
To test the nose,the team presented it with healthy leaves from cucumber,pepper and tomato
plants,all common greenhouse crops.Then scientists collected samples of air around damaged
leaves from each type of crop,These plants had been damaged by insects,or by scientists who made
holes in the leaves with a hole punch(打孔器).
The e-nose,it turns out,could identify healthy cucumber,pepper and tomato plants based on
The volatile compounds they produce,It could also identify tomato leaves that had been damaged.
But even more impressive,the device could tell which type of damage----by insects or with a hole
Punch----had been done to the tomato leaves.
With some fine-tuning,a device like the e-nose could one day be used in greenhouses to quickly spot harmful bugs,the researchers say.A device like this could also be used to identify fruits that are perfectly ripe and ready to pick and eat,says Natalia Dudareva,a biochemist at Purdue University in West Lafayette,Ind.who studies smells of flowers and plants.Hopefully,scientists believe,the device could bring large benefits to greenhouse managers in the near future.
49.We learn from the text that plants communicate with each other byC.
A.making some sounds
B.waving their leaves
C.producing some chemicals
D.sending out electronic signals
50.What did the scientists do to find out if the e-nose worked?D
A.They presented it with all common crops.
B.They fixed 13sensors inside the device.
C.They collected different damaged leaves.
D.They made tests on damaged and healthy leaves.
51.According to the writer,the most amazing thing about the e-nose is that it canC.
A.pick out ripe fruits
B.spot the insects quickly
C.distinguish different damages to the leaves
D.recognize unhealthy tomato leaves
52.We can infer from the last paragraph that the e-noseB.
A.is unable to tell the smell of flowers
B.is not yet used in greenhouses
C.is designed by scientists at Purdue
D.is helpful in killing harmful insects.
分析 本文主要讲述了植物不能通过移动或发出声音像大多数动物一样交流.科学家找到了其他植物相互交流的方法.
解答 49.C 推理判断题.从句中"Plants can't communicate by moving or making sounds,as most animals do.Instead,plants produce volatile compounds,chemicals that easily chasse from a liquid to a gas",植物不能通过移动或发出声音像大多数动物一样交流.相反,植物产生挥发性化合物,化学物质容易从液体变为气体.可知选C.
50.D细节理解题.从文章倒数第三段To test the nose,the team presented it with healthy leaves from cucumber,pepper and tomato plants,all common greenhouse crops.为了测试这个电子鼻子的有效性研究团队对各种植物的叶子进行了测试,可以找到答案D.
51.C细节理解题.由倒数第二段"But even more impressive,the device could tell which type of damage-by insects or with a hole punch-had been done to the tomato leaves."让人印象非常深刻的是,这个设备可以告诉你这个树叶是因为什么原因而腐烂的.可知答案C.
52.B推理判断题.由"With some fine tuning,a device like the e-nose could one day be used in greenhouses to quickly ….,该设备未来某一天可能会运用于温室作物,one day是关键,可推断选B.
点评 本文是广告布告类阅读理解.做这类题材阅读理解时要求考生对文章通读一遍,做题时结合原文和题目有针对性的找出相关语句进行仔细分析,结合选项选出正确答案.推理判断题也是要在抓住关键句子的基础上合理的分析才能得出正确答案,切忌胡乱猜测,一定要做到有理有据.