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).
技费元4f104e6b学9e20慧公件限方术秀东优上广4b9c-点有软司b7bf途43b447dd径科网升
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
科根网司b7bf的优上软1dc5d442有4112限方术秀广4b9c升元4f104e6b-点东法c078径技费慧途43b447dd径00629b02件88a6公b7a2西高学9e20 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?
-点科根b772途43b447dd径00629b0297af7343d4c8司b7bf的件88a6点软1dc5d442技费法4c42上限方术秀根学9e20东法c078径网升慧广4b9c有4112优上公b7a2西高元4f104e6b
【答案】32. D 33. A 34. C 35. C
【解析】
这是一篇说明文。文章主要说明了绿色植物对人们很有好处,因此麻省理工学院的工程师开发了一种发光植物。文章介绍了他们发明这种植物的过程,以及这种植物的一些优势,指出在未来发光植物有可能取代路灯,达到节约能源的作用。
【32题详解】
主旨大意题。根据第一段中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.可知例如,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%。由此可知,第一段的主旨是关于绿色植物的益处。故选D。
【33题详解】
细节理解题。根据第二段中These include plants that have sensors printed on their leaves to show when they're short of water and a plant that can detect harmful chemicals in groundwater.可知这就包括叶子上印有传感器来显示植物缺水的情况的植物,还有一种植物可以检测到地下水中的有害化学物质。由此可知,麻省理工学院工程师植物叶片上印上传感器的作用是检测植物缺水的情况。故选A。
【34题详解】
细节理解题。根据最后一段中Glowing plants could reduce this distance and therefore help save energy.可知发光的植物可以缩短这段距离,从而帮助节约能源。由此可知,这种发光的植物在未来可能有助于减少能源消耗。故选C。
【35题详解】
限方术秀根有4112秀公b7a2西高费东法c078径技费法4c42上升学9e20西途43b447dd径00629b0297af7343d4c8软1dc5d442的科根b772-点92ab优上41e8网司b7bf的a725元4f104e6baa34广4b9c4ffa高慧件88a6点
主旨大意题。根据最后一段中Lighting accounts for about 7%of the total electricity consumed in the US. Since lighting is often far removed from the power source-such as the distance from a power plant to street lamps on a remote highway-a lot of energy is lost during transmission. Glowing plants could reduce this distance and therefore help save energy.可知照明约占美国总耗电量的7%。由于照明通常远离电源,例如从发电厂到偏僻公路上路灯的距离,在传输过程中会损失大量能源。发光的植物可以缩短这段距离,从而帮助节约能源。结合文章主要说明了绿色植物对人们很有好处,因此麻省理工学院的工程师开发了一种发光植物,文章介绍了他们发明这种植物的过程,以及这种植物的一些优势,指出在未来发光植物有可能取代路灯,达到节约能源的作用。由此可知,C选项“发光的植物能取代路灯吗?”最符合文章标题。故选C。