Question

Because plants cannot move or talk, most people believe that they have no feelings and that they cannot receive signals from outside. However, this may not be completely true.

People who studied plants have found out that plants carry a small electrical charge (电荷). It is possible to measure this charge with a small piece of equipment called “galvanometer”. The galvanometer is placed on a leaf of the plant, and it records any changes in the electrical field of the leaf. Humans have a similar field which can change when we are shocked or frightened.

A man called Backster used a galvanometer for his studies of plants and was very surprised at his results. He found that if he had two or more plants in a room and he began to destroy one of them -- perhaps by pulling off its leaves or by pulling it out of its pot－then the galvanometer on the leaves of the other plants showed a change in the electrical field. It seemed as if the plants were signaling a feeling of shock. This happened not only when Backster started to destroy plants, but also when he destroyed other living thing such as insects (昆虫).

Backster said that the plants also knew if someone had destroyed a living thing some distance away, because they signalled when a man who had just cut down a tree entered the room.

Another scientist, named Sauvin, achieved similar results to Backster’s. He kept galvanometers fixed on his plants all the time and checked regularly to see what the plants were doing. If he was out of the office, he telephoned to find out about the signals the plants were sending. In this way, he found that the plants were sending out signals at the exact times when he felt strong pleasure or pain. In fact, Sauvin could cause a change in the electrical field of his plants over a distance of a few miles simply by thinking about them.

1.Backster was surprised at the results of his studies because _____.

A. he destroyed an insect

B. he destroyed a plant by pulling off its leaves

C. he found that plants could express feelings of shock

D. he found that plants could move and speak after all

2.The plants sent out signals _____.

A. only when Backster Started to destroy plants

B. when Backster destroyed plants or other living things

C. only when he destroyed things such as insects

D. only when Backster placed the galvanometer on the leaves of the plants

3.The scientist called Sauvin _____.

A. did not agree with Backster’s ideas

B. did not get the same sort of results as Backster did

C. got different results from Backster’s

D. found out some of the same things that Backster did

4.Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. Sauvin could make his plants send out signals some distance away.

B. A tree will signal when it has been cut down.

C. The electrical charge plants carry may shock or frighten us.

D. Plants have feelings because they can receive signals without moving.

Answer

1.C

2.B

3.D

4.A

【解析】

试题分析：文章通过两个实验报告告诉我们植物也有感觉，也能感觉到外界变化。

1.C细节推理题。根据第三段It seemed as if the plants were signaling a feeling of shock.可知在研究中Backster吃惊地发现植物对打击和伤害也有感觉，故选C.

2.B细节推理题。根据第三段最后It seemed as if the plants were signaling a feeling of shock. This happened not only when Backster started to destroy plants, but also when he destroyed other living thing such as insects (昆虫).可知植物和其他生物被伤害时都会发出信号，故选B.

3.D细节推理题。根据最后一段Another scientist, named Sauvin, achieved similar results to Backster’s.可知Sauvin发现了和Backster相同的结论，故选D.

4.A细节推理题。根据最后一段In fact, Sauvin could cause a change in the electrical field of his plants over a distance of a few miles simply by thinking about them.可知Sauvin可以让植物在一定距离外发出信号，故选A.

考点：考查科学发现类短文阅读。

【名师点睛】

做好细节理解题的几点建议：

细节理解题属直接解答性问题，是阅读理解题中最简单的一种，多数属中低难度的题。但高考所占的比例大，应特别引起注意。事实和细节题的命题特点是：对文章或某一段落中的一些特定细节或文章重要事实的理解，一般包括直接理解题和语义转化题。直接理解题能在原文直接找到答案，而语义转化题则需要将题目信息与原文信息加工或整理后才能得出结论。

做细节理解题具体方法与步骤如下：

①略读材料，大概了解原文，掌握中心或主旨；

②按文章的体裁，作者写作的组织模式及有关的信息词。如for example, first, second…等预测应该到何处寻找自己所需要的事实；

③将自己精力放在寻找你所需要的细节上。快速通篇跳读，全文扫视，找到细节出处，待找到含细节句子时，放慢速度，仔细核对比较内容，直至找到答案。如第25小题根据第三段最后It seemed as if the plants were signaling a feeling of shock. This happened not only when Backster started to destroy plants, but also when he destroyed other living thing such as insects (昆虫).可知植物和其他生物被伤害时都会发出信号，故选B. 第27小题根据最后一段In fact, Sauvin could cause a change in the electrical field of his plants over a distance of a few miles simply by thinking about them.可知Sauvin可以让植物在一定距离外发出信号，故选A.