真题呈现

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（发光）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（电源）—such as the distance from a power plant to street lamps on a remote highway-a lot of energy is lost during transmission（传输）.

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?

正确答案及解析

本文为说明文，探讨发光植物可用来照明吗?脉络清晰：首先，说明人与植物的关系一直是科学研究的对象，并用两个例子证明植物对人类有积极的影响。接着通过两个例子来说明研究者改变植物的成分来使其为人类服务，替代我们通常使用的东西。然后讲述研究者正在尝试让植物发光。虽然目前处于初级阶段，但研究者期望未来能用他们来照亮室内以及替代路灯。同时研究者期待能研发出能开关植物所发出的光的技术。最后说明这类研究的原因--期待能够节约能源。

答案：32-35：DACC

32.第一段的主要内容是什么?

A.对不同植物的一项新研究。 B.犯罪率大幅度下降。

C.来自各种工作场所的员工。 D.绿色植物的好处。

考查主旨大意之段落大意题。运用定位法，根据题干信息"the first paragraph"，定位第一段，根据第一段第二句话。答案为D。

33.麻省理工学院的工程师在植物叶子上印的传感器有什么功能?

A.检测植物缺水情况 B.改变植物的成分

C.使植物的寿命更长。 D.测试植物中的化学物质。

考查细节理解题。根据题干关键词MIT engineer，定位第二段，根据"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对应选项A."short of"与 A 选项的"lack of"同义置换，故选A。

34.我们对这些发光植物的未来有什么期待呢?

A.他们将加快能源生产。B.他们可以把电传送到家里。

C.他们可能有助于减少能源消耗。D.他们可以取代发电厂。

考查细节理解题。根据题干"in the future"，定位第四段，根据本段最后一句"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，这种发光的植物在未来可能有助于减少能源消耗。故选择答案C。

35.以下哪一个最适合作为文章的标题?

A.我们可以种植更多的发光植物吗? B.我们如何与发光的植物生活在一起?

C.发光的植物能取代灯吗? D.如何使发光的植物无污染?

考查主旨大意题。根据全篇的内容及行文脉络可知，文章主要介绍了麻省理工学院对植物照明的研发，引发了通过发光植物为人类节能的设想，所以“发光植物能替代灯照明吗?相比较其他选项最适合作为文章的标题。故选择答案C。

参考译文

人与植物的关系一直是科学研究的课题。最近的研究发现了积极的效果。例如，在俄亥俄州扬斯敦进行的一项研究发现，城市绿化较好的地区犯罪率较低。在另一项研究中，当员工的工作场所被室内植物装饰时，他们的工作效率会提高15%。

麻省理工学院的工程师们进一步改变了植物的实际成分，以使它们发挥不同寻常的功能。这些植物包括在叶子上印上传感器来显示缺水情况的植物，还有一种植物可以检测到地下水中的有害化学物质。麻省理工学院化学工程教授迈克尔斯特拉诺解释说:“我们正在考虑如何设计植物，以取代我们日常使用的东西的功能。”

他的最新项目之一是植物生长(发光)在实验中使用一些常见的蔬菜。斯特拉诺的团队发现，他们可以在三个半小时内创造出微弱的光线。光是阅读所需量的千分之一，这只是一个开始。斯特拉诺说，这项技术有一天可以用来点亮房间，甚至可以把树变成自动供电的路灯。

未来，该团队希望开发出一种可以一次性喷洒到植物叶子上的技术，使植物的寿命持续。工程师们还在尝试开发一种开关，当暴露在日光下时，它的光能会减弱。

照明约占美国总耗电量的7%。因为照明常常是远离电源——比如从发电厂到路灯远程高速公路的距离----大量能量在传输过程中丢失。

发光的植物可以缩短这段距离，从而帮助节约能源。

词汇注解

connection n.连接；关联；联结；接通positive effects.积极影响crime n.罪;犯罪;错误;憾事;非法的活动;违反道德的行为;不公平的情况decorate v.装饰;颁发(勋章)take sth. a step further 更进一步composition n.构成;组成;成分;著作;作文;作曲;性质;和解;布局;混合物perform diverse表演不同的detect harmful chemicals检测有害化学物质create a faint light 发出微弱的光one-thousandth of the amount 数量的千分之一self-powered 自备动力的be sprayed onto 被喷洒在…develop a version of the technology 开发一种新的技术one-off treatment 一次性的治疗on and off “switch”开关键fade 褪色expose vt.使暴露;揭露;使(照片)曝光;陈列,展览be often far removed from 与…大相径庭a remote highway偏僻的高速公路