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 glow(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 trees 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.

1．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.

2．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.

3．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.

4．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?

The freezing Northeast hasn’t been a terribly fun place to spend time this winter, so when the chance came for a weekend to Sarasota, Florida, my bags  were packed before you could say “sunshine”. I left for the land of warmth and vitamin C(维生素C), thinking of beaches and orange trees. When we touched down to blue skies and warm air, I sent up a small prayer of gratefulness. Swimming pools, wine tasting, and pink sunsets(at normal evening hours, not 4 in the afternoon) filled the weekend, but the best part- particularly to my taste, dulled by months of cold- weather root vegetables- was a 7 a.m. adventure to the Sarasota farmers’ market that proved to be more than worth the early wake-up call.

The market, which was founded in 1979, sets up its tents every Saturday from 7:00 am to 1 p.m, rain or shine, along North Lemon and State streets. Baskets of perfect red strawberries, the red-painted sides of the Java Dawg coffee truck; and most of all, the tomatoes: amazing, large, soft and round red tomatoes.

Disappointed by many a broken, vine-ripened(蔓上成熟的) promise, I’ve refused to buy winter tomatoes for years. No matter how attractive they look in the store, once I get them home they’re unfailingly dry, hard, and tasteless. But I homed in, with uncertainty, on one particular table at the Brown’s Grove Farm’s stand, full of fresh and soft tomatoes the size of my fist. These were the real deal- and at that moment, I realized that the best part of Sarasota in winter was going to be eating things that back home in New York I wouldn’t be experiencing again for months.

Delighted as I was by the tomatoes in sight, my happiness deepened when I learned that Brown’s Grove Farm is one of the suppliers for Jack Dusty, a newly opened restaurant at the Sarasota Ritz Carlton, where- luckily for me- I was planning to have dinner that very night. Without even seeing the menu, I knew I’d be ordering every tomato on it.

8．What did the author think of her winter life in New York?

A．Exciting.                                                  B．Boring.

C．Relaxing.                                                  D．Annoying.

9．What made the author’s getting up late early worthwhile?

A．Having a swim.

B．Breathing in fresh air.

C．Walking in the morning sun.

D．Visiting a local farmer’s market.

10．What can we learn about tomatoes sold in New York in winter?

A．They are soft.                                            B．They look nice.

C．They taste great                                         D．They are juicy.

11．What was the author going to that evening?

A．Go to a farm.                                            B．Check into a hotel.

C．Eat in a restaurant.                                     D．Buy fresh vegatables.

The Lake District Attractions Guide

Dalemain Mansion & Historic Gardens

History, Culture & Landscape(景观). Discover and enjoy 4 centuries of history, 5 acres of celebrated and award-winning gardens with parkland walk. Owned by the Hasell family since 1679, home to the International Marmalade Festival. Gifts and antiques, plant sales, museums & Mediaeval Hall Tearoom.

Open:29 Mar-29 Oct，Sun to Thurs.

Tearoom，Gardens & Gift Shop:10:30-17:00(16:00 in Oct).

House:11:15-16:00(15:00 in Oct)

Town: Pooley Bridge & Penrith

Abbot Hall art Gallery & Museum

Those viewing the quality of Abbot Hall’s temporary exhibitions may be forgiven for thinking they are in a city gallery. The impressive permanent collection includes Turners and Romneys and the temporary exhibition programme has Canaletto and the artists from St Ives.

Open: Mon to Sat and Summer Sundays. 10:30 -17:00 Sumner.10:30 -16:00 Winter.

Town: Kendal

Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery

Discover, explore and enjoy award-winning Tullie House, where historic collections, contemporary art and family fun are brought together in one impressive museum and art gallery. There are four fantastic galleries to visit from fine art to interactive fun, so there’s something for everyone!

Open: High Season 1 Apr – 31 Oct: Mon to Sat 10:00 – 17:00, Sun 11:00 – 17:00.

Low Season 1 Nov – 31 Mar: Mon to Sat 10:00 – 16:30, Sun 12:00 – 16:30.

Town: Carlisle

Dove Cottage & The wordsworth Museum

Discover William Wordsworth’s inspirational home. Take a tour of his Lakeland cottage, walk through his hillside garden and explore the riches of the collection in the Museum. Visit the shop and relax in the café. Exhibitions, events and family activities throughout the year.

Open: Daily, 09:30 – 17:30 (last admission 17:00).

Town: Grasmere

12．When is the House at Dalemain Mansion & Historic Gardens open on Sundays in July?

A．09:30-17:30.          B．10:30-16:00.           C．11:15-16:00.           D．12:00-16:30

13．What can visitors do at Abbot Hall Art Gallery & Museum?

A．Enjoy Ronney’s works.

B．Have some interactive fun.

C．Attend a famous festival.

D．Learn the history of a family

14．Where should visitors go if they want to explore Wordsworth’s life?

A．Penrith.                 B．Kendal.                  C．Carlisle.                 D．Grasmere.

    My color television has given me nothing but a headache. I was able to buy it a little over a year ago because I had my relatives give me money for my birthday instead of a lot of clothes that wouldn’t fit. I let a salesclerk fool me into buying a discontinued model. I realized this a day later, when I saw newspaper advertisements for the set at seventy-five dollars less than I had paid. The set worked so beautifully when I first got it home that I would keep it on until stations signed off for the night. Fortunately, I didn’t got any channels showing all-night movies or I would never have gotten to bed.

Then I started developing a problem with the set that involved static (静电) noise. For some reason, when certain shows switched into a commercial, a loud noise would sound for a few seconds. Gradually, this noise began to appear during a show, and to get rid of it. I had to change to another channel and then change it back. Sometimes this technique would not work, and I had to pick up the set and shake it to remove the sound. I actually began to build up my arm muscles (肌肉) shaking my set.

When neither of these methods removed the static noise, I would sit helplessly and wait for the noise to go away. At last I ended up hitting the set with my fist, and it stopped working altogether. My trip to the repair shop cost me $62, and the set is working well now, but I keep expecting more trouble.

15．Why did the author say he was fooled into buying the TV set?

A．He got an older model than he had expected.

B．He couldn’t return it when it was broken.

C．He could have bought it at a lower price.

D．He failed to find any movie shows on it.

16．Which of the following can best replace the phrase “signed off” in Paragraph 1?

A．ended all their programs                             B．provided fewer channels

C．changed to commercials                              D．showed all-night movies

17．How did the author finally get his TV set working again?

A．By shaking and hitting it.                            B．By turning it on and off.

C．By switching channels.                               D．By having it repaired.

18．How does the author sound when telling the story?

A．Curious                                                    B．Anxious

C．Cautious                                                   D．Humorous

    There was a gardener who looked after his garden with great care. To water his flowers，he used two buckets(水桶).One was a shiny and new bucket. The other was a very old and dilapidated one，which had seen many years of service，but was now past its best.

Every morning，the gardener would fill up the two buckets. Then he would carry them along the path，one on each side，to the flowerbeds. The new bucket was very proud of itself. It could carry a full bucket of water without a single drop spilled. The old bucket felt very ashamed(惭愧的)because of its holes: before it reached the flowerbeds，much water had leaked(渗漏)along the path.

Sometimes the new bucket would say，"See how capable I am! How good it is that the gardener has me water the flowers every day! I don’t know why he still uses you. What a waste of space you are!"

And all that the old bucket could say was，"I know I am not very useful，but I can only do my best. I am happy that the gardener still finds a little bit of use in me ，at least.’’

One day，the gardener heard that kind of conversation. After watering the flowers as usual，he said，"You both have done your work very well. Now I am going to carry you back，and I want you to look carefully along the path."

Then the two buckets did so. All along the path, they noticed，on the side where the new bucket was carried，there was just bare earth；on the other side where the old bucket was carried，there was a joyous row of wild flowers，leading all the way to the garden.

19．What was the old bucket ashamed of?

A．Its  past.               B．Its aging.                C．Its  manner.           D．Its leaking.

20．What does the underlined word "dilapidated" probably mean?

A．Dirty.                    B．Dark.                     C．Worn out.               D．Ordinary-looking.

21．The new bucket made conversations with the old one mainly to________.

A．take pity on the old one                              B．laugh at the old one

C．show off its good look                                D．praise the gardener's kindness

22．Why was the old bucket still kept by the gardener?

A．Because it was used to keep a balance.

B．Because it stayed in its best condition.

C．Because it had its own advantage.

D．Because it was thought of as a treasure.