用月球上的土壤种植蔬菜

孙启禄

1 Scientists at the University of Florida （UF） have grown plants in soil that came from the Moon. The plants didnt grow as well as those grown in dirt from Earth， but the experiment marks an important step towards growing plants on the Moon.

2 Soil from the Moon is very different from regular soil. Its powdery and doesnt have many nutrients—things that help plants grow. The soil has a large amount of iron， and is full of tiny pieces of glass from smashed meteorites （隕石）.

3 The scientists chose a plant called thale cress （鼠耳芥） for their experiment. Its a small plant related to broccoli （西兰花） that can grow in very little soil. Scientists know a lot about the DNA of thale cress， which helps them understand how it reacts to the soil its planted in.

4 The researchers separated the lunar soil into 12 tiny containers. They got the soil wet with water mixed with nutrients. Then they added seeds. The researchers also planted thale cress seeds in ash from volcanoes—a sort of fake lunar soil. After two days of watering， the scientists saw green growths in every container. “The seeds started to grow. I cant tell you how astonished we were！” said Anna?Lisa Paul， the reports lead author.

5 As the scientists continued to care for the plants， they began to notice differences. The plants grown in lunar soil werent as healthy as those grown in volcano ash. They were smaller and grew more slowly. Their roots didnt develop as well， and some leaves turned red. The plants grown in the top layer of lunar soil did the worst of all. The researchers said the growth patterns showed that the plants were “stressed” by the lunar soil. Still， they were surprised that the plants were able to grow.

6 “The ability to take plants successfully with us to the Moon is how well grow our own food，” said Dr Robert Ferl， one of the researchers. “Showing that plants will grow in lunar soil is actually a huge step in that direction.”

1. What does the second paragraph mainly tell us？

A. Nutrients that help plants grow.

B. The components of soil from the Moon.

C. Tiny pieces of glass from smashed meteorites.

D. Differences between lunar soil and Earth soil.

2. Why did scientists choose thale cress for their experiment？

A. Thale cress is related to broccoli.

B. Thale cress needs little soil to grow.

C. Thale cress can react to the soil its planted in.

D. Thale cress is familiar to scientists.

3. Why did researchers plant thale cress seeds in ash from volcanoes？

A. For fun. B. For sale.

C. For profit. D. For comparison.

4. What is Dr Robert Ferls attitude towards the experiment？

A. Positive. B. Doubtful.

C. Negative. D. Critical.

语篇解码

本文是一篇说明文。美国佛罗里达大学的科学家们在来自月球的土壤中种植了蔬菜。对于未来的空间站甚至是载人登陆火星、建造月球基地等长期的太空任务来说，在太空种菜将是不得不发展的一项技术。

（1）separated the lunar soil into 12 tiny containers

（2）got the soil wet with water mixed with nutrients

（3）added seeds

（4）planted thale cress seeds in ash from volcanoes] [（1）Thale cress can grow in very little soil.

（2）Scientists know a lot about the DNA of thale cress.] [（1）doesnt have many nutrients

（2）has a large amount of iron

（3）is full of tiny pieces of glass] [grow plants in lunar soil][Plants grow in soil from the Moon]

语言学习

Ⅰ. 语料荟萃

Ⅱ. 语句分析

1. Scientists know a lot about the DNA of thale cress， which helps them understand how it reacts to the soil its planted in. 科学家们对鼠耳芥的DNA了解很多，这有助于他们了解它对种植土壤的反应。

【点石成金】本句是一个复合句。Scientists know a lot about...thale cress是主句，which helps them...in是which引导的非限制性定语从句，how it reacts...in是how引导的宾语从句，its planted in是省略了that/which的限制性定语从句。

2. “The ability to take plants successfully with us to the Moon is how well grow our own food，” said Dr Robert Ferl， one of the researchers. 研究人員之一罗伯特·费尔博士说：“将植物成功带到月球的能力，就是我们如何种植自己的食物。”

【点石成金】said Dr Robert Ferl是句子的主干；one of the researchers是Dr Robert Ferl的同位语；引号里面是直接引语，在直接引语中，The ability是主语，to take plants...the Moon是动词不定式短语作定语，how引导的是表语从句。

语言运用

Ⅰ. 例句仿写

1. 我们学校有各种各样的课外活动，这些课外活动对我们非常有益。

There is a variety of after?class activities in our school，                                                  .

2. 幸福并非什么都一帆风顺，而是拥有处理难题的能力。

Happiness is not the absence of problems，                                                  .

Ⅱ. 写作实践

假定你是中学生李华，你校将在本周末举办一次蔬菜种植活动。请你用英文写一封信，邀请你的外国朋友Sam参加，内容包括：

1. 写信的目的；

2. 活动的时间、地点和内容。

注意：

1. 词数80左右；

2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Dear Sam，

Yours，

Li Hua