Do you know mulch? Mulch is a protective cover of material that is spread on top
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Do you know mulch? Mulch is a protective cover of material that is spread on top of soil. It is usually made out of organic material, like crop waste. Farmers may keep the remains of corn or other crops on top of the soil. This creates mulch on the soil surface. The plant remains help protect the soil against wind and water damage. Mulching is one of the best things people can do for their plants. It also helps keep the soil from getting dry, and reduces the need for watering plants. It also limits temperature changes in the soil. And it stops unwanted plants, or weeds, from growing.
Organic mulch improves the condition of soil. As the mulch breaks down, it provides material which keeps the soil from getting hard. This improves the growth of roots and increases the movement of water through the soil. It also improves the ability of the soil to hold water. Organic mulch contains nutrients for plants. It also provides good environment for earthworms and other helpful living things in the soil.
It is easy to find organic mulch materials. Cut-up leaves and small pieces of tree bark can be used. Grass cuttings are also a good mulch for plants. Mulch from news- papers works well in controlling weeds.
The best time to add mulch depends on your goal. Mulch provides a thick barrier between the soil and the air. This helps to reduce temperature changes in the soil. As a result, mulched soil will be cooler than other soil in the summer. In winter, the mulched soil may not freeze as deeply as other soil. The best time is after the ground has frozen, but before the coldest weather arrives. Spreading mulch before the ground has frozen may attract small animals searching for a warm place to spend the winter. Delaying the spreading should prevent this problem. The animals will probably find another place to live.
小题1:The author tells us the following EXCEPT ______.| A．what mulch is and its advantages | | B．the best time to add mulch | | C．the bad effects of mulch | | D．what can be mulch on the soil surface |
小题2: The following can be used as organic materials to make mulch EXCEPT ______.| A．tree barks | B．plastic | C．grass cuttings | D．cut-up leaves |
小题3: The main idea of Paragraph 2 is that organic mulch can ______.| A．improve the condition of soil | | B．improve the ability of the soil to hold water | | C．provide a good environment for earthworms | | D．improve the growth of roots and increase the movement of water through the soil |
小题4: From the last paragraph, we know ______.| A．the best time to add mulch is in spring and summer | | B．the best time to add mulch is after the coldest weather arrives | | C．the best time to add mulch is exactly the same time of each year | | D．choosing the best time to add mulch can avoid attracting small animals |
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答案
小题1:C
小题2:B
小题3:A
小题4:D |
解析
试题分析：文章介绍了农业中覆盖层的一些知识。覆盖层是置于植物周围土壤上助其生长的枯树叶、小树枝或粪肥等。覆盖层不但能够改良土壤环境，而且随着覆盖层的分解，它还能避免土壤的硬化问题。此外覆盖层也有助于水分的保持，但是添加覆盖层的时间也是有讲究的。
小题1:C细节理解题。文章第一段介绍了mulch是什么，第二段介绍了mulch的好处，第三段讲用什么来充当mulch，第四段提到添加mulch的最佳时间，而对于mulch的坏处文中没有涉及，由此可知答案选C。
小题2:B细节理解题。根据第三段Cut-up leaves and small pieces of tree bark can be used. Grass cuttings are also a good mulch for plant可知碎树叶、小树枝和碎草都可以用作mulch，故答案选B。
小题3:A细节理解题。根据It also improves the ability of the soil to hold water可知护根或者覆盖层可以起到改良土壤的作用，所以答案选A。
小题4:D细节理解题。根据末段Spreading mulch before the ground has frozen may attract small animals searching for a warm place to spend the winter. Delaying the spreading should prevent this problem可知在地面上冻以后添加覆盖层会避免小动物选择温暖的覆盖层过冬，所以选择最佳时间能避免这个问题，故答案选D。考点： |
举一反三
A regular drop in the sun’s radiation(辐射) can cause unusually cold winters in parts of North America and Europe, scientists say, a finding that could improve long-range forecasts and help countries prepare for snowstorms.
Scientists have known for a long time that the sun has an 11-year cycle during which radiation measured by sunspots on the surface reaches a peak then falls. But explaining a clear connection to weather is harder.
“Our research confirms the observed connection between solar change and regional winter climate,” lead author Sarah Ineson of the UK Met Office told the reporters in an email. The study was published in the magazine Nature Geoscience on Monday.
The researchers found that the reducing of ultraviolet(UV，紫外线) radiation from the sun can affect high-altitude wind patterns in the Northern Hemisphere(半球), causing cold winters.
“While UV levels won’t tell us what the day-to-day weather will do, they show us the bright future of improved forecasts for winter conditions for months and even years ahead. These forecasts play an important role in long-term possibility planning,” Ineson, a climate scientist, said.
Ineson and colleagues from Imperial College London and the University of Oxford used satellite data that more accurately(精确的) measures UV radiation from the sun and found a much greater change than previously thought.
They found that in years of low activity, unusually cold air forms high in the atmosphere over the tropics. This causes a redistribution(重新分配) of heat in the atmosphere, making easterly winds that bring freezing weather and snowstorms to northern Europe and the United States and milder weather to Canada and the Mediterranean.
When solar UV radiation is stronger, the opposite occurs.
More study was needed, though. A key uncertainty in the experiment lay in the satellite data used, because it covers only a few years. “So questions remain concerning both accuracy(精确) and also applicability to other solar cycles,” she said.
小题1:The new finding claims cold winters in the North Hemisphere can be caused by ______.| A．a sharp rise in the amount of sunspots | | B．a drop in the sun’s UV radiation | | C．a complex computer model simulation | | D．a clear link between the sun and the earth |
小题2: It has long been known by scientists that ______.| A．UV radiation can affect high-altitude wind patterns | | B．there’s a clear connection between the sun’s activity and weather | | C．the sun’s radiation reaches a peak every eleven years | | D．they can predict day-to-day weather conditions from UV levels |
小题3:What will happen if the sun turns into years of high activity according to the finding?| A．Canada and the Mediterranean will have milder weather. | | B．The whole Northern Hemisphere will suffer from extreme winter days. | | C．Freezing cold weather will appear in northern Europe. | | D．Burning hot weather will appear in the United States. |
小题4: It can be inferred from the passage that ______.| A．researchers have analyzed the data collected in eleven years | | B．long-term weather conditions can be accurately predicted depending on UV levels | | C．the research doesn’t seem correct and true enough due to limited satellite data used | | D．climate scientists have just begun their research in severe weather forecast |
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Not long ago, many people believed that babies only wanted food and to be kept warm and dry. Some people thought babies were not able to learn things until they were five or six months old.
Yet doctors in the United States say babies begin learning on their first day of life. The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development is a federal government agency. Its goal is to determine which experiences can influence healthy development in people.
Researchers at the institute note that babies are strongly influenced by their environment. They say a baby will smile if her mother does something the baby likes. A baby learns to get the best care possible by smiling to please her mother or other caregiver. This is how babies learn to connect and communicate with other people.
The researchers say this ability to learn exists in a baby even before birth. They say newborn babies can recognize and understand sounds they heard while they were still developing inside their mothers.
Another study has suggested that low birth weight babies with no evidence of disability may be more likely than other children to have physical and mental problems.
American researchers studied almost five hundred boys and girls. They were born in, or admitted to, one of three hospitals in New Jersey between 1984 and 1987. At birth, each child weighed fewer than two thousand grams.
The boys and girls had an average age of sixteen at the time of the study. They were asked to complete intelligence and motor skill tests in their homes. Their test results were compared with those of other children their age.
小题1:According to the passage, some people used to think that babies began to learn _________.| A．on their first day of life | B．even before they were born | | C．before five or six months old | D．at or after five or six months old |
小题2:Babies learn to connect and communicate with other people through_____________.| A．smiles | B．cries | C．facial expressions | D．body language |
小题3:The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development tries to find out ________.| A．what affects people’s healthy development | | B．what influences babies’ learning ability | | C．how to cure some children’s health problems | | D．how to develop children’s learning ability |
小题4:What will be mentioned in the following passage?| A．The evaluation method of the tests. | | B．The cause of low birth weight babies. | | C．The result of the intelligence and motor skill tests. | | D．The evidence proving babies began to learn before birth. |
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Five Ways to Rock the Rest of the Semester
With exams around the corner, how can you possibly pack in one more English word, let alone the causes of the Cold War? Don’t worry. Here is our handy guide to help you
Power Down
So you stayed up too late last night reading Mockingjay for the fifth time. Oops! When you’re that fired, your schoolwork suffers. Instead of studying inefficiently while you are sleepy, allow yourself a 15-minute afterschool power nap. Studies show that even a few minutes of shut-eye can improve memory and concentration.
Take Notes
Not quite grasping that super complicated concept in your chemistry class? You may need to change the way you take notes. Instead of recording every word your teacher says, try using visual hints like pictures, symbols and word bubbles. You can even switch computer fonts or pen color for the important stuff.
Dream On
Your bed’s not just for zzz’s. Experts say it may be good to study in bed, too. Why? We’re able to absorb more right before bed because we’re less distracted and the new information stays in our minds as we sleep. So, slide into bed with a textbook or notes, read for 15 minutes, and then turn off the lights for some sweet and smart dreams.
Brain Food
You’re in the middle of a biology exam when your mind goes blank. You knew this stuff cold at home, but now you can’t tell a ribosome from a chloroplast. What’s going on? Your brain’s in need of some refueling. Have some snacks like apple slices or cheese before class, and have plenty of water, too. If your teacher doesn’t mind, pop in a piece of gum during an exam. Some scientists think the chewing increases the flow of oxygen to the brain.
Smart Move
Ugh! You’re taking an English test and you cannot remember the past participle of “understand”. What to do? Skip it. Test taking is all about timing, so don’t waste it on tricky questions. Move ahead and answer everything you know before returning to the ones you don’t. Chances are, once you get back to the toughies, you’ll recall the answer or at the very least, you’ll have a little more time to come up with one that works.
小题1:When taking notes, we can do all these except ______.| A．draw pictures | B．change the typeface | C．switch on the computer | D．colour the key points |
小题2:According to the passage, _____.| A．it’s good to study under the covers for some time every day | | B．you cannot skip the difficult questions and go on to the rest | | C．you can have some snacks and drink enough water to refresh yourself in exams | | D．when taking notes, you should record whatever the teacher says |
小题3:What does the underlined phrase “knew this stuff cold” mean?| A．had no clue about it | B．were a cold fish | C．knew it was cold | D．were familiar with |
小题4:You have been working on your essay for two hours and your eyes feel tired, you’d better | A．Power down | B．dream on | C．eat brain food | D．make a smart move |
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In the near future, we may be using our eyes to operate our smart-phones and tablets, even when it comes to playing popular games like Fruit Ninja.
The Gaze Group has been developing eye-controlled computer technology for nearly 20 years. But those devices have been firstly designed to help those with disabilities, and are very expensive.
“After a while, we figured out that probably the best way is to go for a mass-market way,” says Gaze’s Sune Alstrup Johansen. “where everybody would have this available."
Johansen and some of his colleagues have formed a new company, the Eye Tribe, which is hoping to develop the technology on a mass commercial level.
The technology works with the help of the computing device toward the user’s face. After making sure of the user’s eye movements, the technology is then able to easily find where a person’s eyes are moving, and then allow the eyes to control a cursor(光标).
“Our software can then determine the location of the eyes and know where you’re looking on the screen to make sure what you’re looking at, ” reads an explanation on the Eye Tribe site.
There has been a gradual change toward hands-free technology in recent years, particularly in the gaming world. Recently Xbox released the Kinect device, which lets users control their Xbox and play certain games using only their hands, legs and voices. But still, most of these devices have been more of a gimmick than a practical way to use one’s hands to control a mobile device. Johansen said a replaceable filter(滤光器)would be a cheap, convenient way for most consumers.
And even as companies like The Eye Tribe work to create such a product for the average user, making the eye-controlled technology more accessible and less expensive will have similar benefits for physically disabled users.
For more articles on modern science，please CLICK here．
小题1:Which of the following is the main idea of the passage?| A．An introduction of eye-controlling technology | | B．An introduction of a new device. | | C．An introduction of smart-phones | | D．An introduction of a new technology for the disabled. |
小题2:The underlined word “gimmick” probably means ___________.| A．a way | B．a trick | C．a lie | D．a dream |
小题3:According to the passage, we can learn that ___________.| A．the eye-controlling technology was first developed for the blind | | B．the present developing of the technology will bring no good | | C．the eye-controlling technology is only intended for the disabled people | | D．there is no such a phone as we can use only with our eyes at present |
小题4:This passage is probably taken from ___________.| A．an experiment report | B．a science fiction | | C．a science website | D．a school textbook |
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Today, there are many chances for those who wish to continue their education. However, nearly all require some break in one’s career in order to attend school full time.
Part-time education, that is, attending school at night or for one weekend a month, tends to drag the process out over time and puts the completion of a degree program out of reach of many people. Additionally, such programs require a fixed time commitment which can also impact negatively on one’s career and family time.
Of the many approaches to teaching and learning, however, perhaps the most flexible (灵活的) is that called distance learning. Distance learning is an educational method which allows the students the flexibility to study at his or her own pace to achieve the academic goals which are so necessary in today’s world. The time required to study may be set aside at the student’s convenience. Additionally, the student may enroll in distance learning courses from actually any place in the world, while continuing to pursue their chosen career. Individual assistance may be available via regular airmail, telephone, fax machine, teleconferencing and over the Internet.
Good distance learning programs are characterized by the inclusion of a subject evaluation tool with every subject, so a student doesn’t need to travel away from home to take a test. Another characteristic of a good distance learning program is the equivalence (等同) of the distance learning course with the same subject materials as those students taking the course on the home campus. The resultant diploma or degree should also be the same whether distance learning or on-campus study is employed. The individuality of the professor/student relationship is another characteristic of a good distance learning program. In the final analysis, a good distance learning program has a place not only for the individual student but also the company or business that wants to work in partnership with their employees for the educational benefit, professional development, and business growth of the organization. Supporting distance learning programs for their employees gives the business the advantage of retaining (留住) career-minded people while contributing to their personal and professional growth through education.
小题1:According to the passage, which of the following is NOT a disadvantage of part time education?| A．It requires some break in one’s career. | | B．It tends to last too long for many people to complete a degree program. | | C．It affects one’s career. | | D．It gives the student less time to share with the family. |
小题2: Which of the following is NOT an advantage of distance learning? | A．The student may choose his or her own pace. | | B．The student may study at his or her convenience. | | C．They can pursue their chosen career while studying. | | D．Individual assistance comes through regular airmail, telephone and fax machine. |
小题3:What benefit will distance learning program bring to a business? | A．Attracting more talented people. | | B．Good image of the business. | | C．Better cooperation with universities. | | D．Further training of employees and business growth. |
小题4: Good distance learning program have the following characteristics EXCEPT _______. | A．distance learning course is the same as students taking courses on campus | | B．the diploma or degree should be the same as on campus study | | C．professor-student relationship is strictly one to one all through the course | | D．includes subject evaluation tool |
小题5:What benefit will distance learning bring to an employee of a business? | A．Higher salary. | | B．Professional growth. | | C．Good impression on the employer. | | D．Good relationship with the employer. |
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