Scientists have long believed one way to stop the Earths atmosphere from warming is by planting more trees.The idea is that more trees will take in or absorb some of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.Carbon dioxide is a gas released by cars,factories and other human activities.The gas traps heat in the Earths atmosphere,which warms the planet.However,two new studies have found that trees may not be as helpful in reducing carbon dioxide as had been thought.

　　The first study was done at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Researchers pumped extra carbon dioxide into a test area where pine trees were growing. The trees grew thirty-four percent faster during the first three years. However, in time, the trees slowed to about their normal growth rate. The scientists say this is because trees need other nutrients, such as nitrogen.

　　In the second study, researchers from Duke and Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine examined the soil around trees. They discovered that as the leaves broke down into the soil, all the carbon was not trapped in the soil. Much of it was released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.

　　The findings of the two studies were published last month in Nature magazine. They suggest there is limited value in planting trees to reduce the carbon dioxide pollution in the atmosphere.

　　Forest planting has been a part of negotiations on a world agreement to reduce greenhouse gases that scientists believe cause global warming. The United States, Canada, Japan and some other industrial countries have supported the idea. But this new research suggests the idea is not as effective as environmental activists had thought. Scientist Ram Oren of Duke University led the study on tree growth. He says that earlier estimates on the ability of forests to absorb carbon dioxide were overly hopeful.

　　Some scientists not involved in the studies say the research provides some of the first evidence on how trees react to carbon dioxide. Other scientists say the research disputes a belief among some coal and power companies. The companies say that rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will not create harmful global warming. Instead, they say it will increase forests and other plants.

　　1.What is the purpose of this passage?

　　A) Introduce some new ideas about the relationship between trees and carbon dioxide.B) Introduce recent condition of global industrial pollution.

　　C) Call on people to plant more trees to reduce greenhouse gases.

　　D) Point out that power companies should be responsible for the rising levels of carbon dioxide.

　　2. Why researchers put trees in extra carbon dioxide in the first study?

　　A) To learn whether trees can still absorb carbon dioxide under extreme conditions.

　　B) To get more oxygen from these trees.

　　C) To evaluate the maximum carbon dioxide that trees can absorb.

　　D) To see the growth rate of these trees.

　　3.What happened to the leaves falling from the trees in the second study?

　　A)They broke down and the main parts turned into oxygen.

　　B)They broke down and the carbon content had mainly turned into carbon dioxide.

　　C)They broke down and the carbon content was mainly absorbed in the soil.

　　D)They absorbed more carbon dioxide.

　　4.Scientist Ram Oren is of the opinion that common beliefs of the trees ability to absorb carbon dioxide are____.

　　A) biased B) insightful

　　C) overoptimistic D) totally wrong

　　5.The word it probably refers to ____.

　　A) carbon dioxide B) nitrogen

　　C) atmosphere D) coal

　　答案與解析：

　　1.A。本文主要介紹了一些科學家提出的關于樹林與二氧化碳關系的新學說。主題題。B),D)均與本文無關;C)則由于實驗顯示樹木吸收并不那么有效，因此從本文觀點來看正好錯誤。

　　2.D。研究者把樹木放入過量二氧化碳的環境中研究樹木相應的生長規律。細節推理題。關鍵語句： The trees grew thirty-four percent faster during the first three years. However, in time, the trees slowed to about their normal growth rate. The scientists say this is because trees need other nutrients, such as nitrogen. 可以看出是研究生長規律.A),B),C)均和本文無關。

　　3.B。在第二個試驗中落下的樹葉分解后,包含的主要碳成分轉化為二氧化碳。客觀事實題。關鍵語句： They discovered that as the leaves broke down into the soil, all the carbon was not trapped in the soil. Much of it was released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. 而A), C), D) 均錯誤。

　　4.C。科學家Ram Oren認為大眾對樹葉作用的觀點過于樂觀。態度判斷題。關鍵語句： He says that earlier estimates on the ability of forests to absorb carbon dioxide were overly hopeful. 可見他認為普通觀點過于樂觀。

　　5.A。對應段落里的 it 指二氧化碳。詞意判斷題。關鍵語句： The companies say that rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will not create harmful global warming. Instead, they say it will increase forests and other plants. 可見應是二氧化碳.其余選項與本段無關。

　　Scientists have long believed one way to stop the Earths atmosphere from warming is by planting more trees.The idea is that more trees will take in or absorb some of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.Carbon dioxide is a gas released by cars,factories and other human activities.The gas traps heat in the Earths atmosphere,which warms the planet.However,two new studies have found that trees may not be as helpful in reducing carbon dioxide as had been thought.

　　The first study was done at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Researchers pumped extra carbon dioxide into a test area where pine trees were growing. The trees grew thirty-four percent faster during the first three years. However, in time, the trees slowed to about their normal growth rate. The scientists say this is because trees need other nutrients, such as nitrogen.

　　In the second study, researchers from Duke and Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine examined the soil around trees. They discovered that as the leaves broke down into the soil, all the carbon was not trapped in the soil. Much of it was released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.

　　The findings of the two studies were published last month in Nature magazine. They suggest there is limited value in planting trees to reduce the carbon dioxide pollution in the atmosphere.

　　Forest planting has been a part of negotiations on a world agreement to reduce greenhouse gases that scientists believe cause global warming. The United States, Canada, Japan and some other industrial countries have supported the idea. But this new research suggests the idea is not as effective as environmental activists had thought. Scientist Ram Oren of Duke University led the study on tree growth. He says that earlier estimates on the ability of forests to absorb carbon dioxide were overly hopeful.

　　Some scientists not involved in the studies say the research provides some of the first evidence on how trees react to carbon dioxide. Other scientists say the research disputes a belief among some coal and power companies. The companies say that rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will not create harmful global warming. Instead, they say it will increase forests and other plants.

　　1.What is the purpose of this passage?

　　A) Introduce some new ideas about the relationship between trees and carbon dioxide.B) Introduce recent condition of global industrial pollution.

　　C) Call on people to plant more trees to reduce greenhouse gases.

　　D) Point out that power companies should be responsible for the rising levels of carbon dioxide.

　　2. Why researchers put trees in extra carbon dioxide in the first study?

　　A) To learn whether trees can still absorb carbon dioxide under extreme conditions.

　　B) To get more oxygen from these trees.

　　C) To evaluate the maximum carbon dioxide that trees can absorb.

　　D) To see the growth rate of these trees.

　　3.What happened to the leaves falling from the trees in the second study?

　　A)They broke down and the main parts turned into oxygen.

　　B)They broke down and the carbon content had mainly turned into carbon dioxide.

　　C)They broke down and the carbon content was mainly absorbed in the soil.

　　D)They absorbed more carbon dioxide.

　　4.Scientist Ram Oren is of the opinion that common beliefs of the trees ability to absorb carbon dioxide are____.

　　A) biased B) insightful

　　C) overoptimistic D) totally wrong

　　5.The word it probably refers to ____.

　　A) carbon dioxide B) nitrogen

　　C) atmosphere D) coal

　　答案與解析：

　　1.A。本文主要介紹了一些科學家提出的關于樹林與二氧化碳關系的新學說。主題題。B),D)均與本文無關;C)則由于實驗顯示樹木吸收并不那么有效，因此從本文觀點來看正好錯誤。

　　2.D。研究者把樹木放入過量二氧化碳的環境中研究樹木相應的生長規律。細節推理題。關鍵語句： The trees grew thirty-four percent faster during the first three years. However, in time, the trees slowed to about their normal growth rate. The scientists say this is because trees need other nutrients, such as nitrogen. 可以看出是研究生長規律.A),B),C)均和本文無關。

　　3.B。在第二個試驗中落下的樹葉分解后,包含的主要碳成分轉化為二氧化碳。客觀事實題。關鍵語句： They discovered that as the leaves broke down into the soil, all the carbon was not trapped in the soil. Much of it was released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. 而A), C), D) 均錯誤。

　　4.C。科學家Ram Oren認為大眾對樹葉作用的觀點過于樂觀。態度判斷題。關鍵語句： He says that earlier estimates on the ability of forests to absorb carbon dioxide were overly hopeful. 可見他認為普通觀點過于樂觀。

　　5.A。對應段落里的 it 指二氧化碳。詞意判斷題。關鍵語句： The companies say that rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will not create harmful global warming. Instead, they say it will increase forests and other plants. 可見應是二氧化碳.其余選項與本段無關。