真題呈現

D

The connection between people and plants has long been the subject of scientific research. Recent studies have found positive effects. A study conducted in Youngstown，Ohio，for example, discovered that greener areas of the city experienced less crime. In another，employees were shown to be 15% more productive when their workplaces were decorated with houseplants.

The engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology（MIT）have taken it a step further changing the actual composition of plants in order to get them to perform diverse，even unusual functions. These include plants that have sensors printed onto their leaves to show when they’re short of water and a plant that can detect harmful chemicals in groundwater.＂We’re thinking about how we can engineer plants to replace functions of the things that we use every day,＂explained Michael Strano, a professor of chemical engineering at MIT.

One of his latest projects has been to make plants grow（發光）in experiments using some common vegetables. Strano’s team found that they could create a faint light for three-and-a-half hours. The light，about one-thousandth of the amount needed to read by，is just a start. The technology, Strano said, could one day be used to light the rooms or even to turn tree into self-powered street lamps.

In the future，the team hopes to develop a version of the technology that can be sprayed onto plant leaves in a one-off treatment that would last the plant’s lifetime. The engineers are also trying to develop an on and off＂switch＂where the glow would fade when exposed to daylight.

Lighting accounts for about 7% of the total electricity consumed in the US. Since lighting is often far removed from the power source（電源）—such as the distance from a power plant to street lamps on a remote highway-a lot of energy is lost during transmission（傳輸）.

Glowing plants could reduce this distance and therefore help save energy.

32. What is the first paragraph mainly about?

A. A new study of different plants.

B. A big fall in crime rates.

C. Employees from various workplaces.

D. Benefits from green plants.

33. What is the function of the sensors printed on plant leaves by MIT engineer?

A. To detect plants’ lack of water

B. To change compositions of plants

C. To make the life of plants longer.

D. To test chemicals in plants.

34. What can we expect of the glowing plants in the future?

A. They will speed up energy production.

B. They may transmit electricity to the home.

C. They might help reduce energy consumption.

D. They could take the place of power plants.

35. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A. Can we grow more glowing plants?

B. How do we live with glowing plants?

C. Could glowing plants replace lamps?

D. How are glowing plants made pollution-free?

正確答案及解析

本文為說明文，探討發光植物可用來照明嗎?脈絡清晰：首先，說明人與植物的關系一直是科學研究的對象，并用兩個例子證明植物對人類有積極的影響。接著通過兩個例子來說明研究者改變植物的成分來使其為人類服務，替代我們通常使用的東西。然后講述研究者正在嘗試讓植物發光。雖然目前處于初級階段，但研究者期望未來能用他們來照亮室內以及替代路燈。同時研究者期待能研發出能開關植物所發出的光的技術。最后說明這類研究的原因--期待能夠節約能源。

答案：32-35：DACC

32.第一段的主要內容是什么?

A.對不同植物的一項新研究。 B.犯罪率大幅度下降。

C.來自各種工作場所的員工。 D.綠色植物的好處。

考查主旨大意之段落大意題。運用定位法，根據題干信息"the first paragraph"，定位第一段，根據第一段第二句話。答案為D。

33.麻省理工學院的工程師在植物葉子上印的傳感器有什么功能?

A.檢測植物缺水情況 B.改變植物的成分

C.使植物的壽命更長。 D.測試植物中的化學物質。

考查細節理解題。根據題干關鍵詞MIT engineer，定位第二段，根據"the sensors printed on plant leaves"，定位第到These include plants that have sensors printed on their leaves to show when theyre short of water and a plant that can detect harmful chemicals in groundwater對應選項A."short of"與 A 選項的"lack of"同義置換，故選A。

34.我們對這些發光植物的未來有什么期待呢?

A.他們將加快能源生產。B.他們可以把電傳送到家里。

C.他們可能有助于減少能源消耗。D.他們可以取代發電廠。

考查細節理解題。根據題干"in the future"，定位第四段，根據本段最后一句"where the glow would fade when exposed to daylight"及最后一段"Glowing plants could reduce this distance and therefore help save energy."可知，這種發光的植物在未來可能有助于減少能源消耗。故選擇答案C。

35.以下哪一個最適合作為文章的標題?

A.我們可以種植更多的發光植物嗎? B.我們如何與發光的植物生活在一起?

C.發光的植物能取代燈嗎? D.如何使發光的植物無污染?

考查主旨大意題。根據全篇的內容及行文脈絡可知，文章主要介紹了麻省理工學院對植物照明的研發，引發了通過發光植物為人類節能的設想，所以“發光植物能替代燈照明嗎?相比較其他選項最適合作為文章的標題。故選擇答案C。

參考譯文

人與植物的關系一直是科學研究的課題。最近的研究發現了積極的效果。例如，在俄亥俄州揚斯敦進行的一項研究發現，城市綠化較好的地區犯罪率較低。在另一項研究中，當員工的工作場所被室內植物裝飾時，他們的工作效率會提高15%。

麻省理工學院的工程師們進一步改變了植物的實際成分，以使它們發揮不同尋常的功能。這些植物包括在葉子上印上傳感器來顯示缺水情況的植物，還有一種植物可以檢測到地下水中的有害化學物質。麻省理工學院化學工程教授邁克爾斯特拉諾解釋說:“我們正在考慮如何設計植物，以取代我們日常使用的東西的功能。”

他的最新項目之一是植物生長(發光)在實驗中使用一些常見的蔬菜。斯特拉諾的團隊發現，他們可以在三個半小時內創造出微弱的光線。光是閱讀所需量的千分之一，這只是一個開始。斯特拉諾說，這項技術有一天可以用來點亮房間，甚至可以把樹變成自動供電的路燈。

未來，該團隊希望開發出一種可以一次性噴灑到植物葉子上的技術，使植物的壽命持續。工程師們還在嘗試開發一種開關，當暴露在日光下時，它的光能會減弱。

照明約占美國總耗電量的7%。因為照明常常是遠離電源——比如從發電廠到路燈遠程高速公路的距離----大量能量在傳輸過程中丟失。

發光的植物可以縮短這段距離，從而幫助節約能源。

詞匯注解

connection n.連接；關聯；聯結；接通positive effects.積極影響crime n.罪;犯罪;錯誤;憾事;非法的活動;違反道德的行為;不公平的情況decorate v.裝飾;頒發(勛章)take sth. a step further 更進一步composition n.構成;組成;成分;著作;作文;作曲;性質;和解;布局;混合物perform diverse表演不同的detect harmful chemicals檢測有害化學物質create a faint light 發出微弱的光one-thousandth of the amount 數量的千分之一self-powered 自備動力的be sprayed onto 被噴灑在…develop a version of the technology 開發一種新的技術one-off treatment 一次性的治療on and off “switch”開關鍵fade 褪色expose vt.使暴露;揭露;使(照片)曝光;陳列,展覽be often far removed from 與…大相徑庭a remote highway偏僻的高速公路