Question

Would it surprise you to learn that, like animals, trees can communicate with each other and pass on their wealth to the next generation--their young trees?

Suzanne Simard, forest ecologist at the University of British Columbia, explains how trees are much more complex than most of us ever imagined. Simard and her colleagues have made the major discovery that trees and plants really do communicate and interact with each other.

Trees live on through their group work and support, passing around the resources such as nitrogen and carbon “depending on who needs it by miles of underground fungi（真菌） networks. This makes sure that all trees in the forest ecological system give and receive just the right amount to keep them all healthy. This system works in a very similar way to the networks of neurons（神经元） in our brains, and when one tree is cut down, it affects all.

Simard talks about "Mother Trees". These are the largest, oldest trees that rise above the forest, a concept explained in the movie Avatar. These “Mother Trees" are connected to all the other trees in the forest by this network of fungi, and may manage the resources of the whole trees and plants in the forest. She explains how these trees pass on the wealth to the next generation, transporting important resources to young trees so they may continue to grow. When humans cut down "Mother Trees" without paying attention to these highly complex "tree societies” or the networks on which they feed, we are losing the chances to save the whole forest.

"We didn't take any notice of it,” Simard says sadly. “Mother Trees move nutrition into the young trees before dying, but we never give them a chance.” If we could send this message to the forestry industry, we could make a huge difference towards our environmental protection efforts for the future.

1.Trees can share resources with other ones by________.

A.the help from animals B.underground fungi networks

C.the communication with people D.neurons in the system of brains

2."Mother Trees" are very important because they________.

A.bring wealth to the scientists B.pass on nutrition to young trees

C.get more from the complex “tree societies” D.seem more likely to be cut down by humans

3.The underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refers to________ .

A.how trees grow old B.how "tree societies" work

C.how young trees are saved D.how forestry industry develops

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

A.Trees Are Rich in Resources B.Trees Are Good for Our Society

C.Trees Are in Need of Protection D.Trees Are More Complex Than We Think

Answer

1.B

2.B

3.B

4.D

【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.细节理解。根据第三段“passing around the resource…by miles of underground fungi networks…give and receive just the right amount to keep them all healthy.”可知森林里的树木是通过一个庞大的地下真菌网络使得整个森林生态系统的树木得到一样的营养以保证他们的健康。故选B。

2.推理判断。根据第四段“Mother Trees are connected to all the other trees…pass on the wealth to the next generation”可知母树将营养传递给下一代。故选B。

3.词句猜测。how trees grow old树木如何变老；how "tree societies" work“树木社团”如何运作；how young trees are saved如何拯救幼树；how forestry industry develops林业如何发展。it出现在文章最后一段：实际上it指代的是第四段提到的内容，人们砍倒快死的mother trees是不知道树的社会的依存关系，可知it指的是“树的社会”是怎么运作的，故选B。

4.主旨大意。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，故选D。