Plants and Mankind

    Botany（植物学）, the study of plants, occupies a peculiar position in the history of human knowledge. We don’t know what our Stone Age 1 ancestors knew about plants, but from what we can observe of preindustrial societies that still exist, a detailed learning of plants and their properties must be extremely ancient 2. They have always been enormously important to the welfare of people, not only for food, but also for clothing, weapons, tools, dyes 3, Medicines, shelter, and many other purposes. Tribes living today in the jungle of the Amazon 4 recognize hundreds of plants and know many properties of each. To them botany has no name and is probably not even recognized as a special branch of “knowledge 5” at all.

    Unfortunately, the more industrialized we become the farther away we move from direct contact with plants. And the less distinct our knowledge of botany grows. Yet everyone comes unconsciously on an amazing amount of botanical knowledge, and few people will fail to recognize a rose, an apple, or an orchid 6. When our Neolithic 7 ancestors, living in the Middle Eastabout 10,000years ago, discovered that certain grasses could be harvested and their seeds planted for richer yields the next season, the first great step in a new association of plants and humans was taken. Grains were discovered and from them flowed the marvel of agriculture: cultivated crops. From then on, humans would increasingly take their living from the controlled production of a few plants, rather than getting a little here and a little there from many varieties that grew wild and the accumulated knowledge of tens of thousands of years of experience and intimacy with plants in the wild would begin to fade away 8.

 

词汇：

botany /"bəutəni/ n．植物学

detailed /"di:teild/ adj．详细的，详尽的

property /"prɔpəti/ n．特征；财产，资产

logical /"lɔdʒikəl/ adj．逻辑的，合乎逻辑的

pyramid /"pirəmid/ n．金字塔

welfare /"welfeə/ n．福利，幸福，康乐

yield /ji: ld/ n．产量，收益

marvel /"ma:vəl/ n．令人惊奇的事（人），奇迹

variety /və"raiəti/ n．品种，变种；变化，多样化

accumulate / ə"kju: mjuleit/ vt．积累，积聚

intimacy / "intiməsi/ n．亲近，亲密

 

注释：

1.    Stone Age：石器时代

2.    …a detailed learning of plants and their properties must be extremely ancient.……对植物及其特点的详细了解一定非常久远。

3.    dye：染料

4.    the Amazon：亚马孙河

5.    Yet everyone comes unconsciously on an amazing amount of botanical knowledge,…然而每个人都会在无意识中获得大量的植物知识，……come on:（偶然）遇见；（偶然）发现。又如：I came on this idea by pure chance．我有这个想法纯属偶然。

6.    orchid：兰花

7.    Neolithic：新石器时代的

8.    From then on, humans would increasingly take their living from the controlled production of a few plants, rather than getting a little here and a little there from many varieties that grew wild and the accumulated knowledge of tens of thousands of years of experience and intimacy with plants in the wild would begin to fade away.：从那时起，人类就越来越多地从可控制的IL种植物的种植中获取生计，而不是从野生的众多种类中东采一点，西摘一点。在数万年的经验中积累起来的知识以及与大自然中各种植物的紧密联系也就开始消失。take their living from…：靠……过活

It is logical that a detailed learning of plants and their properties must be extremely ancient.

A:Right B:Wrong C:Not mentioned

You are building a water treatment facility．Routine tests reveal that there are contaminants in the water but that they have an extremely low risk for causing any sickness．As the project manager，you should______．

A:inform the public that a detailed examination has been ordered to determine the extent to which the problem exists B:do nothing because there is extremely low risk for sickness except for some effects on small children and the elderly C:tell the public there is no problem，except for small children and the elderly who need to boil the water before drinking D:educate the public about the advances on water treatment technology and the industry efficiency and safety record

Cheques have largely replaced money as a mean s of exchange, for they are widely accepted everywhere. Though this is very (1) for both buyer and seller, it should not be forgotten that cheuqes are not real money: they are quite (2) in themselves. A shop-keeper always runs a certain (3) when he accepts a cheque and he is quite (4) his rights if, (5) , he refuses to do so.
People do not always know this and are shocked if their good faith is called (6) . An old and very wealth friend of mine told me he had an extremely unpleasant (7) . He went to a famous jewellery shop which keeps a large (8) of precious stones and asked to be shown some pearl necklaces. After examining several trays, he (9) to buy a particularly fine string of pearls and asked if he could pay (10) cheque. The assistant said that this was quite (11) , but the moment my friend signed his name, he was invited into the manager’s office.
The manager was very polite, but he explained that someone with (12) the same name had them with a (13) cheque not long age. He told my friend that the police would arrive (14) any moment and he had better stay (15) he wanted to get into serious trouble. (16) , the police arrived soon afterwards They apologized to my friend for the (17) and asked him to (18) a note which had been used by the thief in a number of shop. The note (19) : "I have a gun in my pocket. Ask no questions and give me all the money in the safe." (20) , my friend’s handwriting was quite unlike the thief’s.

（12）（）

A:largely B:mostly C:exactly D:extremely

(It is) (extremely) important (for) an engineer (to know) to use a computer.

A:It is B:extremely C:for D:know

Extremely hot weather is common in many parts of the world. Although hot weather just makes most people hot, it can cause medical problems--and death.
Health experts say that since the year 1900, extremely hot weather has killed more people in the United States than any other natural event. One year--the unusually hot summer of 1980--heat caused about 1,700 deaths in the United States. In 1995, more than 600 people died in a similar heat wave in one city--Chicago.
To measure extreme heat, government weather experts have developed the Mean Heat Index. It measures the average of how hot it is felt all day on an extremely hot day. Experts say it is the total heat of a hot day or several hot days that can affect health. Several hot days are considered a heat wave. Experts say heat waves often become deadly when the nighttime temperature does not drop much from the highest daytime temperature.
The most common medical problem caused by hot weather is heat stress. Usually, it also is the least severe. For most people, the only result of heat stress is muscle pain. The pain is a" warning that the body is becoming too hot. Doctors say drinking water will help the pain disappear after the body again has the right amounts of water and salt. For some people, however, the result is much more serious.
For example, doctors say some people face a greatly increased danger from heat stress. These people have a weak or damaged heart, high blood pressure, or other problems of the blood system. Severe heat can help cause a heart attack or stroke. Health experts say this is the most common cause of death linked to hot weather.
What can people learn from the Mean Heat Index

A:The average temperature of an extremely hot day. B:The highest temperature of an extremely hot day. C:The lowest temperature of an extremely hot day. D:The nighttime temperature of an extremely hot day.

下面有3篇短文后有5道题。请根据短文内容，为每题定1个最佳选项。
{{B}}第一篇{{/B}}

What can people learn from the Mean Heat Index?

A:The average temperature of an extremely hot day. B:The highest temperature of an extremely hot day. C:The lowest temperature of an extremely hot day. D:The nighttime temperature of an extremely hot day.

　第一篇Heat and Health 　　Extremely hot weather is common in many parts of the world.Although hot weather just makes most people hot,it can cause medical problems-and death. 　　Health experts say that since the year 1900,extremely hot weather has killed more people in the United States than any other natural event.One year-the unusually hot summer of 1980-heat caused about 1,700 deaths in the United States.In 1995,more than 600 people died in a similar heat wave in one city-Chicago. 　　To measure extreme heat,govemment weather experts have developed the Mean Heat Index.It measures the average of how hot it is felt all day on an extremely hot day.Experts say it is the total heat of a hot day or several hot days that can affect health.Several hot days are considered a heat wave.Experts say heat waves often become deadly when the nighttime temperature does not drop much from the highest daytime temperature. 　　The most common medical problem caused by hot weather is heat stress.Usually,it also is the least severe.For most peoople,the only result of heat stress is muscle pain.The pain is a warning that the body is becoming too hot.Doctors say drinking water will help the pain disappear after the body again has the right amounts of water and salt.For some people,however,the result is much more serious. 　　For example,doctors say some people face a greatly increased danger from heat stress.These people have a weak or damaged heart,high blood pressure,or other problems of the blood system.Severe heat can help cause a heart attack or stroke.Health experts say this is the most common cause of death linked to hot weather. What can people learn from the Mean Heat Index?

A:The average temperature of an extremely hot day. B:The highest temperature of an extremely hot day. C:The lowest temperature of an extremely hot day. D:The nighttime temperature of an extremely hot day.

下面有3篇短文，每篇短文后有5道题。请根据短文回答其后面的问题，为每题确定1个最佳答案。
第一篇

Heat and Health
Extremely hot weather is common in many parts of the world. Although hot weather just makes most people hot, it can cause medical problems--and death.
Health experts say that since the year 1900, extremely hot weather has killed more people in the United States than any other natural event. One year--the unusually hot summer of 1980--heat caused about 1,700 deaths in the United States. In 1995, more than 600 people died in a similar heat wave in one city--Chicago.
To measure extreme heat, government weather experts have developed the Mean Heat Index. It measures the average of how hot it is felt all day on an extremely hot day. Experts say it is the total heat of a hot day or several hot days that can affect health. Several hot days are considered a heat wave. Experts say heat waves often become deadly when the nighttime temperature does not drop much from the highest daytime temperature.
The most common medical problem caused by hot weather is heat stress. Usually, it also is the least severe. For most people, the only result of heat stress is muscle pain. The pain is a" warning that the body is becoming too hot. Doctors say drinking water will help the pain disappear after the body again has the right amounts of water and salt. For some people, however, the result is much more serious.
For example, doctors say some people face a greatly increased danger from heat stress. These people have a weak or damaged heart, high blood pressure, or other problems of the blood system. Severe heat can help cause a heart attack or stroke. Health experts say this is the most common cause of death linked to hot weather.

What can people learn from the Mean Heat Index（）

A:The average temperature of an extremely hot day. B:The highest temperature of an extremely hot day. C:The lowest temperature of an extremely hot day. D:The nighttime temperature of an extremely hot day.