In South America, the rich soil of the Amazon River basin(流域)in Brazil is known as “black gold”. Scientists found that the secret of this rich soil was charcoal(木炭). Local people made it from animal bones and tree branches. They mixed the charcoal with the soil about 1.500 years ago.
Now, scientists in the United States have done a modern demonstration. They say charcoal fertilization offers a revolutionary way to improve soil quality for hundreds or even thousands of years.
Mingxin Guo and his team at Delavare State University heated tree leaves, corn stalks(茎), small pieces of wood and poultry waste into “biochar”(生物碳). They reported their findings at a recent meeting of the American Chemical Society in New Orleans.
Biochar could be good news for farmers with poor soil and hungry populations to feed. Professor Guo says it could even help against global warming. Intensive(集约的) farming and overuse of chemical fertilizer give out carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Biochar does the opposite, he says. It traps carbon in the ground.
The researchers planted winter wheat in containers of soil in a greenhouse — some with biochar, some without. Professor Guo says the wheat grows much better in the pots with biochar. The soil was added two percent charcoal to. But he says even a one percent treatment will increase productivity.
The results demonstrated that biochar can increase organic matter in soil. Loss of nutrients in soil is an increasing problem worldwide as farmers try to grow more food for growing populations.
Next, the team will carry out a five-year study of biochar with spinach(菠菜), green peppers and tomatoes.
Mingxin Guo says he learns about the “black gold” in Brazil from a magazine story. He explains that it was discovered in the jungle, in the area where waters flow to the Amazon, in the 1960’s. But it was not until recent years that scientists began to bring public attention to it.
【小题1】According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A.The researchers will go on proving their theory. |
B.The leading researcher learns the theory from the magazine. |
C.Charcoal was discovered 1,500 years ago. |
D.Common farming can produce more carbon dioxide. |
A.it can improve the condition of the soil |
B.it can be used as a kind of energy |
C.it can help against global warming |
D.it can increase productivity of the corn |
A.reduce the carbon dioxide |
B.keep the carbon in the soil |
C.reduce the loss of nutrients in the soil |
D.absorb the carbon dioxide |
A.Using Charcoal to Make soil into “Black Gold” |
B.Using Charcoal to Reduce the Carbon Dioxide |
C.How Amazon River Basin Produces “Golden Black” |
D.Guo’s Research on Producing Biochar |
【小题1】A
【小题2】B
【小题3】B
【小题4】A
解析试题分析:本文主要讲述的是科学家对于生物碳的研究,生物碳有很多的好处,能够让我们的土壤更肥沃,能够抵抗全球变暖还能增加产量。
【小题1】A 推理题。根据文章倒数第二段Next, the team will carry out a five-year study of biochar with spinach(菠菜), green peppers and tomatoes.可知还有一个新的5年计划来研究生物碳。说明研究人员还将继续他们的研究。故A正确。
【小题2】B 细节题。根据They say charcoal fertilization offers a revolutionary way to improve soil quality for hundreds or even thousands of years.和t could even help against global warming. Intensive(集约的) farming and overuse of chemical fertilizer give out carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Biochar does the opposite, he says. It traps carbon in the ground.和Professor Guo says the wheat grows much better in the pots with biochar. The soil was added two percent charcoal to. But he says even a one percent treatment will increase productivity.可知ACD三项都是生物碳的好处。只有B项文章没有提及。
【小题3】B 细节题。根据文章第四段最后一句. It traps carbon in the ground.可知B项,也就是它能够让碳被保留在土壤里。故B正确。
【小题4】A 主旨大意题。本文主要讲述的是科学家对于生物碳的研究,生物碳有很多的好处,能够让我们的土壤更肥沃,能够抵抗全球变暖还能增加产量。故A正确。
考点:考察科普类短文阅读
科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Everyone has heard of the San Andreas fault (断层), which constantly threatens California and the West Coast with earthquakes. But how many people know about the equally serious New Madrid fault in Missouri?
Between December of 1811 and February of 1812, three major earthquakes occurred, all centered around the town of New Madrid, Missouri, on the Mississippi River. Property damage was severe. Buildings in the area were almost destroyed. Whole forests fell at once, and huge cracks opened in the ground, releasing some strong smell chemicals.
The Mississippi River itself completely changed character, developing sudden rapids and whirlpools (激流和漩涡). Several times it changed its course, and once, according to some observers, it actually appeared to run backwards. Few people were killed in the New Marid earthquakes, probably simply because few people lived in the area in 1811; but the severity of the earthquakes are shown by the fact that the shock waves rang bells in church towers in Charleston, South Carolina, on the coast. Buildings shook in New York City, and clocks were stopped in Washington, D.C.
Scientists now know that America's two major faults are essentially different. The San Andreas is a horizontal boundary between two major land masses that are slowly moving in opposite directions. California earthquakes result when the two masses make a sudden move.
The New Madrid fault, on the other hand, is a vertical fault; at some points, possibly hundreds of millions of years ago, rock was pushed up toward the surface, probably by volcanoes under the surface. Suddenly, the volcanoes cooled and the rock collapsed, leaving huge cracks. Even now, the rock continues to settle downwards, and sudden sinking motions cause earthquakes in the region. The fault itself, a large crack in this layer of rock, with dozens of other cracks that split off from it, extends from northeast Arkansas through Missouri and into southern Illinois.
Scientists who have studied the New Madrid fault say there have been numerous smaller quakes in the area since 1811; these smaller quakes indicate that larger ones are probably coming, but the scientists say they have no method of predicting when a large earthquake will occur.
【小题1】This passage is mainly about ___________.
A.current scientific knowledge about faults |
B.the San Andreas and the New Madrid faults |
C.the causes of faults |
D.the New Madrid fault in Missouri |
A.a vertical fault |
B.a horizontal fault |
C.a more serious fault than the San Andreas fault |
D.responsible for forming the Mississippi River |
A.horizontal faults are more dangerous than vertical faults |
B.Vertical faults are more dangerous than horizontal faults |
C.The volcanoes that caused the New Madrid fault are still alive |
D.A lot of people would die if the 1811 New Madrid earthquakes happened today |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Passage 1
The information Highway is the road that links computer users to a large number of on-line services; the Web, e-mail, and software, to mention just a few. Not long ago, the information Highway was a new road, with not many users. Now, everyone seems to want to take a drive, with over 30 million families connected worldwide. Not surprisingly, this well-traveled highway is starting to look like a well-traveled highway. Traffic jams can cause many serious problems, forcing the system to close down for repair. Naturally, accidents will happen on such a crowed road, and usually victims are some files, gone forever. Then, of course, there’s Mr. Cool, with his new broad-band connection, who speeds down the highway faster than most of us can go. But don’t trick yourself; he pays for that speeding.
Passage 2
Want to know more about global warming and how you can help prevent it? Doctor Herman Friedman, who is considered a leading expert on the subject, will speak at Grayson Hall next Friday. Friedman studied environmental science at three well-known universities around the world before becoming a professor in the subject. He has also traveled around the world observing environmental concerns. The gradual bleaching (变白) of the Grate Barrier Reef, which came into the public eye in 2002, in his latest interest. Signed copies of his colorful book, which was published just last month, will be on sale after his talk.
【小题1】The Information Highway________.
A.appeals to a large number of users |
B.is crowded with car drivers |
C.offers just a few on-line services] |
D.is free from traffic accidents |
A.By storing fewer files. |
B.By repair the system. |
C.By using a broad-band connection. |
D.By buying a better computer. |
A.There will be a book show at Grayson Hall |
B.Friedman is now studying the Great Barrier Reef. |
C.Friedman is a leading expert on computer science. |
D.There will be a talk on global warming this week. |
A.An ad for a new book. |
B.A poster about a lecture. |
C.A note to a doctor in a university. |
D.An introduction to a professor. |
A.Doctor Herman Friedman is a famous expert on environmental science. |
B.A new book has been published recently by Doctor Herman Friedman. |
C.The colorful new book, signed by him, will be sold before the talk. |
D.Doctor Herman Friedman has studied the changes of the Grate Barrier Reef. |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Scientists say they now have proof to support the old-fashioned advice that it's best to sleep on a problem. They say sleep strengthens the memory and helps the brain organize the masses of information we receive each day.
Lead researcher Bob Stickgold at the Harvard Medical School said, "Sleep helps us draw rules from our experiences. It's like knowing the difference between dogs and cats even if it's hard to explain."
The US research team studied how well students remembered connections between words and symbols (象征) , reports New Scientist. They compared how the students performed if they had had a sleep between seeing the words and having the test, and if they had not slept. They found that people were better able to remember lists of related words after a night's sleep than after the same time spent awake during the day. They also found it easier to remember themes (主题) that the words had in common. But they forgot around one in four more themes if they had been awake. Prof. John Groeger, of Surrey University's Sleep Research Centre, said, "People have been trying for years to find out what the purpose of sleep is, as we know that only certain parts of it have a restorative (有助恢复的) value. " "We form and store huge numbers of experiences in the head every day, and sleep seems to be the way the brain deals with it all."
【小题1】The phrase" to sleep on a problem" in Paragraph 1 most likely means to______.
A.pay full attention to a problem | B.wait until later for a decision |
C.sleep to forget a problem | D.have difficulty sleeping |
A.put together words of similar meanings |
B.remember words and their meanings |
C.show their knowledge of words |
D.make up lists of related words |
A.Themes learned right before the test |
B.Rules from personal experience |
C.Words learnt before a good sleep |
D.Ideas stored together in the brain |
A.It shows sleep may help us manage information |
B.It helps find out the common themes of word |
C.It tells us that more sleep can improve health |
D.It proves the value of old-fashioned advice |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Back in old times, people had little knowledge about the universe and nature. Things we now consider to be common sense were mysteries to our ancestors.
Over the years, major breakthroughs have been made in science and many phenomena have been explained. But still, there are always questions we can't yet answer, and The Guardian has listed some of them.
1. What makes us human?
Just looking at your DNA won't tell you - human DNA is 99 percent identical to that of the chimpanzee and, believe it or not, 50 percent identical to a banana's! A lot of the things we once thought were unique about us - language and tool use, recognizing ourselves in the mirror and so on – have since been seen in other animals. Perhaps it's our culture that makes the difference or maybe our ability to use fire. It's also possible that our capacity (能力) for co-operation and our trading skills are what make us unique.
2. Why do we dream?
Given the fact that we spend around a third of our lives sleeping, shouldn't we know everything about it? Unfortunately, scientists are still searching for a complete explanation of what happens when we sleep and why we dream.
Austrian psychologist Sigmund Freud believed dreams were the expressions of wishes that we can't fulfill in our real lives. Others have wondered whether dreams are just random "noise" coming from a sleeping brain.
3. Could we someday live forever?
Apart from accidents, most people die because of diseases that can be treated and aging. And since many diseases, such as diabetes(糖尿病) and cancer, are diseases of aging, treating aging itself could be the key to extending our lives.
Our knowledge of what causes us to age - and what allows some animals to live longer than others - is expanding rapidly. And though we haven't quite worked out all the details, we've worked out some pieces of the puzzles such as DNA damage and metabolism (新陈代谢), which are all leading to the invention of drugs that can slow down the aging process.
If we're lucky enough to lengthen our lives, we might even get to see the day when all of these questions are answered.
【小题1】The main point of the passage is ______.
A.to inform people of the knowledge about the universe and nature |
B.to introduce major breakthroughs that have been made in science |
C.to present some questions we can't yet answer |
D.to explain what were once mysteries to our ancestors |
A.human beings are actually not different from other animals |
B.animals have completely different DNA from that of plants |
C.both animals and plants share the same amount of DNA |
D.DNA alone is not good enough to make humans different |
A.mysterious | B.unique | C.advanced | D.same |
A.What were mysteries to our ancestors are considered to be common sense now. |
B.Now we know much more about dreams than our ancestors did in the past. |
C.With the invention of new drugs people can possibly live even longer. |
D.If all the diseases can be treated people can theoretically live forever. |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
In general, people talk about two groups of colours warm colours and cool colours. Researchers in psychology think that there are also two groups of people people who prefer warm colours and people who prefer cool colours.
The warm colours are red, orange and yellow. Where there are warm colours and a lot of light, people usually want to be active. People think that red, for example, is exciting. Sociable people, those who like to be with others, like red. The cool colours are green, blue and violet. These colours, unlike warm colours , are relaxing. Where there are cool colours, people are usually quiet. People who like to spend time alone often prefer blue.
Red may be exciting, but one researcher says that time seems to pass more slowly in a room with warm colours than in a room with cool colours. He suggests that a warm colour, such as red or orange is a good colour for a living room or restaurant. People who are relaxing or eating do not want time to pass quickly. Cool colours are better for offices or factories if the people who are working there want time to pass quickly.
Researchers do not know why people think some colours are warm and other colours are cool. However, almost everyone agrees that red, orange, and yellow are warm and that green, blue and violet are cool. Perhaps warm colours remind people of warm days and the cool colours remind them of cool days. Because in the north the sun is higher during summer, the hot summer sunlight appears yellow.
【小题1】Which of the following colours belong to cool colours?
A.Yellow, green. | B.Blue, violet. |
C.Black, blue. | D.Brown, white. |
A.Sociable people like warm colours. |
B.Warm colours can make people excited. |
C.People who like to be with others don’t like red. |
D.Where there are warm colours, people want to be active. |
A.Red or orange for offices. |
B.Orange for dining-rooms. |
C.Blue for bedrooms. |
D.Red for studies. |
A.It shows the reason why people think some colours are warm and others are cool. |
B.Warm colours remind people of warm days. |
C.Cool colours remind people of cool days. |
D.People have an agreeable opinion of warm colours and cool colours. |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
All over the world people enjoy sports, Sports help to keep people healthy and happy, and to live longer.
Many people like to watch others play games. They buy tickets or turn on their TVs to watch the games. Often they get very excited when “their” player or team wins.
Some sports are so interesting that people everywhere go in for(参加) them. Football, for example, has spread(展开)around the world. Swimming is popular in all countries near the sea or in those with many rivers. What fun it is to jump into a pool or lake, whether in China, Egypt or Italy! And think of people in cold countries. Think how many love to skate or ski (滑雪) in Japan, Norway or Canada.
Some sports or games go back thousands of years, like running or jumping. Chinese wushu, for example, has a very long history. But basketball and volleyball are rather new. Neither one is a hundred years old yet. People are inventing new sports or games all the time. Water-skiing is one of the newest in the family of sports.
People from different countries may not be able to understand each other, but after a game together they often become good friends. Sports help to train a person’s character. One learns to fight hard but fight fair, to win without pride and to lose with grace(胜不骄,败不馁).
【小题1】Why do people all over the world enjoy sports?
A.Because they are healthy. |
B.Because they are happy. |
C.Because they want to live longer. |
D.All the above. |
A.their favourite team wins | B.they win the game |
C.they get the good news | D.they can’t help themselves |
A.they train their character in the game |
B.they understand each other |
C.they are friendly to each other |
D.they help each other |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
In an ideal world, people would not test medicines on animals. Such experiments are stressful and sometimes painful for animals, and expensive and time–consuming for people. Yet animal experimentation is still needed to help bridge vast gaps in medical knowledge. That is why there are some 50 to 100 million animals used in research around the world each year.
Europe, on the whole, has the world’s most restrictive laws on animal experiments. Even so, its scientists use some 12 million animals a year, most of them mice and rats, for medical research. Official statistics show that just 1.1 million animals are used in research in America each year. But that is misleading. The American authorities do not think mice and rats are worth counting and, as these are the most common laboratory animals, the true figure is much higher. Japan and China have even less comprehensive data than America.
Now Europe is reforming the rules governing animal experiments by restricting the number of animals used in labs. Alternatives to animal testing, such as using human tissue or computer models, are now strongly recommended. In addition, sharing all research results freely should help to reduce the number of animals for scientific use. At present, scientists often share only the results of successful experiments. If their findings do not fit the hypothesis being tested, the work never sees the light of day. This practice means wasting time, money, and animals’ lives in endlessly repeating the failed experiments.
Animal experimentation has taught humanity a great deal and saved countless lives. It needs to continue, even if that means animals sometimes suffer. Europe’s new measures should eventually both reduce the number of animals used in experiments and improve the way in which scientific research is conducted.
【小题1】What is the main idea of this passage?
A.The success of animal experiments should be ensured. |
B.A ban on the use of animals in the lab should be enforced. |
C.Greater efforts need to be taken to reduce the number of lab animals. |
D.Scientists should be required to share their research results with each other. |
A.America uses only about 1.1 million lab animals per year. |
B.Europe does not use mice and rats as lab animals at all. |
C.Britain does not use as many lab animals as China does. |
D.Japan has less comprehensive data on the number of lab animals used each year. |
A.Statistical studies. |
B.Computer models. |
C.DNA planted in animals. |
D.Tissue from dead animals. |
A.They are not revealed to the public. |
B.They are made into teaching materials. |
C.They are collected for future publication. |
D.They are not removed from the research topic list. |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
All around the world, shoppers flock to Wal-Mart to buy everything. In Texas, they come for another reason: to see the wind turbine(涡轮机), which supplies 5% of the store’s electricity. It along with other facilities, such as exterior walls coated with heat-reflective paint, makes this Wal-Mart a green giant.
The laws of economics suggest that Wal-Mart, with 5, 200 stores worldwide, influences everything including the price of all kinds of goods. It throws its weight behind environmental responsibility, and the impact could be amazing. “One little change in product packaging could save 1, 500 trees,” says Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott.“If everybody saves 1, 500 trees or 50 barrels of oil, at the end of the day you have made a huge difference.”
Scott wants Wal-Mart to do its part too. He has promised to cut the existing greenhouse-gas emissions(排放)over the next few years and promised to construct new stores that are more efficient. He wants Wal-Mart’s fleet of more than 7, 000 trucks to get twice as many miles per gallon by 2015. Factories that show Wal-Mart they’re cutting air pollution will get preferential treatment in the supply chain. Wal-Mart says it’s working with consumer-product manufacturers to reduce their packaging and will reward them if they do so.
Some people may doubt it is a bid to attract attention from Wal-Mart’s controversial labor and health-insurance practices. But it’s not just window dressing, because Wal-Mart sees profits in going green. Scott says, “This is a business philosophy, not a social philosophy. We don’t go where we don’t think there’s a great interest in change.”
Like Bill Gates, who started his charitable foundation, Scott happens to be promoting Wal-Mart’s image at a time when his company’s reputation is declining. He acknowledges that he launched the plan partly to shield (保护)Wal-Mart from bad press about its contribution to global warming. “By doing what we’re doing today, we avoid the headline risks that are going to come for people who did not do anything,” he says. “At some point businesses will be held responsible for the action they take.” Meanwhile, should Wal-Mart succeed at shrinking its environmental footprint and lowering prices for green products, both the planet and the company will profit.
【小题1】 We can infer from the passage that ______.
A.Lee Scott is Wal-Mart’s CEO |
B.there are 5, 200 stores in the world |
C.Wal-Mart has a great influence on the world market |
D.Wal-Mart has more than 7, 000 trucks all over the world |
A.Wal-Mart predicts huge profits in its green activity. |
B.Wal-Mart’s green activity is just window dressing. |
C.Wal-Mart aims to solve its health-insurance practices. |
D.Wal-Mart doesn’t have any social responsibility at all. |
A.Reduce air pollution in its present stores. |
B.Give favorable treatment to its consumers. |
C.Ask the factories to reduce their packaging. |
D.Demand the fleet of trucks to use more fuel than before. |
A.Provide the background of the green plan. |
B.Stress the purpose of Wal-Mart’s green plan. |
C.Present the risk that Wal-Mart is facing nowadays. |
D.Analyze the similarity between Bill Gates and Scott. |
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