1、reading comprehensionAMaple and oak trees with branches full of seeds at the end of summer gotAmerican plant expert Lee Reich thinking about how trees grow.He remembers how,a few years ago, he decided to drop an apple seed into some soil he had placed in asmall container. Reich imagined his small se
2、ed would turn into a beautiful apple tree.But, it didnt work out. The seed germinated and started growing. But then, it stoppedgrowing when it was just 10 centimeters tall.How come?Reich said most seeds thatcome from colder parts of the world need special treatment before they will grow. Hefound out
3、 that he was lucky his seed grew at all!Reich now knows how to grow a treefrom seeds. When those seeds fall from the branches of tall trees, they cannot startgrowing right away. Reich noted that the young trees would die during the cold winterif they start growing immediately.So, most seeds know how
4、 to stay asleep during thewinter until warmer weather comes. That is when they can grow well. But, if you donot want to wait all winter for your seeds to grow, Reich has some suggestions.1. Reichhis small seed would turn into a beautiful apple tree. But, it didnt workout.A.imaginedB.imagineC.thinkD.
5、 thinking2. He found out that he was lucky his seed grew at all!Reich nowhow to grow atree from seeds.A.matchB.knowC.knowsD. did3. That is when they canwell.A.GrowB.goC.knowsD. sit4.How tall when it stop growing ?A.10centimetersB.11centimetersC.12centimetersD. 13centimetersBTo get water inside the s
6、eed, you need to nick them with a small, sharp object.The other way to soften a seeds hard shell is to put them in soil and leave them in awarm room for two or three months. Then you can begin stratification.Once the seedsare stratified and conditions are right, they will start to grow roots. For su
7、gar mapletrees it might take three months. For apple seeds, it might take only two months.ButReich shares a warning. Dont forget about your stratifying seeds! One week, he said,they could be asleep. The next week, they could have fat, white roots. Once yourseeds start to grow roots, you can put them
8、 in a container, or pot. Or, if you are notready, keep them somewhere cool until you are ready to plant them outdoors.Reichnoted that some people may wonder what the point is of all this trouble when you canjust buy a small tree at a garden center.Youre a gardener, you like to grow plants,he explain
9、ed.Reich also said how satisfying it is to after many years at a tall tree thatyou once started from just a seed.1. Then you canstratification.A.startB.beginC.beginsD. go2. Once your seedsgrow roots, you canput them in a container, or pot.A.start toB.beginC.beginsD. nearly3. For apple seeds,How long
10、 will it take ?A.neverB.only one monthsC.only two monthsD. only 3 months4. When will they have fat, white roots?A.3 daysB. the next weekC.5daysD.AmonthCThe containers of tulip flowers in storage at Henk van der Slots farm in TheNetherlands were supposed to go to Vatican City. The Roman Catholic Chur
11、chplanned to use them to help celebrate the Easter holiday on April 12.But travel andtransport restrictions forced a change of plans. The church will go without the famedDutch flowers this year.The church is not alone in that.The coronavirus is a disasterfor the Dutch flower industry, said Michel va
12、n Schie. He is the press officer at RoyalFloraHolland, a group of growers that sells some 12 billion plants and flowers eachyear.But, van Schie said 85 percent of the market turnover has disappeared.That is abig problem for the industry. Last year, Dutch flower exports brought in more than 6billion
13、euros. The Dutch government says the country has a 44 percent share of worldtrade in flowers and plants.Some Dutch farmers are now giving away tulips to healthcare workers as a way to thank them for helping fight COVID-19.It is not onlygrowers in The Netherlands who are hurting. The pain has spread
14、to farmers inEurope and Africa.In Kenya, few people are at work at Maridadi Flowers, a farmabout 90 kilometers north of Nairobi. Normally, 120 people are busy at work in thecompanys product quality control area. But it is almost empty now. The fewemployees there are cutting down roses and throwing t
15、hem away - about 230,000 to250,000 flowers each day.1. When will the church go without the famed Dutch flowers ?A.todayB.this year.C.next weekD. next month2. Some Dutch farmers are nowtulips to health care workers as a way tothank them for helping fight COVID-19.A.getB.gaveC.give awayD. giving away3
16、. But it isempty now.A.neverB.quickC.nearD. almost4.Where did the pain spread to farmers ?A.in Europe andAfricaB.ChinaC.AmericaD. AfricaDThis week on Ask a Teacher, we answer a question from Arslan in Kashmir. Heasks:Question:Is it correct to use may and will in a single sentence like in Maybe it wi
17、llrain today? The word may suggests a possibility while will shows certainty.Thank you. -Arslan, KashmirAnswer:Hello Arslan, this is a good question. Here is the answer:The word maybe is an adverb that means possibly but not definitely. Itexpresses that an action has a chance of happening in the fut
18、ure, as in your example:Maybe it will rain today.May and maybe are closely connected but they are different parts of speech.The word may is a modal verb.Will is also a modal verb. It expresses thatsomething is expected to happen in the future.You were right to question the use oftwo modal verbs toge
19、ther. For example, you would not want to say, It may will raintoday.But again, maybe is an adverb, not a modal. So saying, Maybe it will raintoday is totally acceptable. Another example that uses both maybe and will isMaybe my friends will visit.Keep in mind that using the modal may or might isa mor
20、e common way to express these kinds of possibilities. For instance, you can say,It may rain today or My friends might visit.And lastly, there is another meaning ofwill that does express certainty. For example, if I say, You will really enjoythis lesson, it shows that I feel sure of it.1. Is it corre
21、ct to use may and will in a single sentence like in Maybe it will raintoday?A.YesB.noC.neitherD. both2. But again, maybe is an, not a modal.A.AdverbB.adjectivesC.prepositionsD. Verbs3. Fill in the blanks use some forms“ may” or “maybe”:my friends will visitA.mayB.may notC.mightD. maybe4.Where did the question from?A.teacherB.Arslan in Kashmir.C.the editorD. studentAnswers:A1-4ACAAB1-4BACBC、1-4BCDAD、1-4AADB
