高考英语阅读理解（18）

Can trees talk? Yes, but not in words. Scientists have reason to believe that trees do communicate (交际) with each other. Not long ago, researchers learned some surprising things. First a willow tree attacked in the woods by caterpillars (毛虫) changed the chemistry of its leaves and made them taste so terrible that they got tired of the leaves and stopped eating them. Then even more astonishing, the tree sent out a special smell---a signal (信号) causing its neighbors to change the chemistry of their own leaves and make them less tasty.

Communication, of course, doesn’t need to be in words. We can talk to each other by smiling, raising our shoulders and moving our hands. We know that birds and animals use a whole vocabulary of songs, sounds, and movements. Bees dance their signals, flying in certain patterns that tell other bees where to find nectar (花蜜) for honey. So why shouldn’t trees have ways of sending message?

1. It can be concluded from the passage that caterpillars do not feed on leaves that ______.

A. are lying on the ground B. have an unpleasant taste

C. bees don’t like D. have an unfamiliar shape

2. The willow tree described in the passage protected itself by ______.

A. growing more branches B. communicating with birds and bees

C. changing its leaf chemistry D. shaking caterpillars off

3. According to the passage, the willow tree was able to communicate with other trees by ______.

A. waving its branches B. giving off a special smell

C. dropping its leaves D. changing the colour of its trunk

4. According to this passage, bees communicate by ______.

A. making special movement B. touching one another

C. smelling one another D. making unusual sound

5. The author believes that the incident described in the passage ______.

A. cannot be taken seriously B. should no longer be permitted

C. must be checked more thoroughly D. seems completely reasonable


 

答案：1B 2 C 3 B 4 A 5 D