Unit 5 Learning from nature

Section Ⅰ Starting out & Understanding ideas

基础训练

单词拼写 根据首字母或汉语提示，用本部分所学单词的正确形式填空。

1.Jim is always m Miss Li in class， which makes her quite angry.

2.A have long had the feeling that the places we live in can affect our thoughts， feelings and behavior.

3.A large amount of solar energy has been c into electrical energy since amounts of advanced equipment were introduced.

4.Our football players gave a s performance in the final and we all cheered.

5.There’s a new （前沿） in 3D printing that’s beginning to come into focus： food.

6.The park on the （滨水地区） is bound to be a good place for rest and entertainment.

7.We once walked across a frozen （池塘） at two in the morning.

8.All the workers were working day and night to make sure the （管道系统） system ran smoothly.

选择填空 用方框中所给短语的适当形式填空。

respond to take... for granted live in harmony with covert... into meet the needs of

1.We must never lose sight of the fact that man must nature.

2.Traditional teaching methods can’t the social and economic development.

3.Capturing energy from the sun and it electricity to run your toaster sounds like magic.

4.We are always been told not any emails requesting personal information， no matter how official they look.

5.Don’t anything . You had better know that the harder you work， the luckier you’ll be.

课文语法填空

Trees， plants and flowers are all around us and we enjoy their beauty every day. Nature is presented in various 1 （architect） designs as well.

People 2 interest is exploring the relationship between art and science will enjoy Singapore’s ArtScience Museum. The building was designed 3 （show） the connection between nature and the modern city environment. Visitors are often amazed to find themselves in an urban building that so 4 （true） captures the beauty of natural forms.

Harare’s Eastgate Centre is 5 superb example of biomimicry. Zimbabwean architect Mick Pearce was inspired to create the Centre while 6 （watch） a nature documentary in which termites were constructing their nests. The design reduces the need for traditional air conditioning and heating systems.

The world’s first algae­-powered building is in Hamburg， Germany， whose surface is covered in panels that contain algae. The panels capture heat 7 the sun and convert it into energy that 8 （power） the building. And the algae inside the panels can 9 （harvest） and used to produce fuel.

10 （create） buildings such as these enables us to live in closer harmony with our environment.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

阅读理解

Traditionally， robots have been hard， made of metal and other rigid materials. But a team of scientists at Harvard University in the US has managed to build an entirely soft robot—one that draws inspiration from an octopus （章鱼）.

Described in science journal Nature， the Octobot could pave the way for more effective autonomous robots that could be used in search， rescue and exploration. “The Octobot is a minimal system which may serve as a foundation for a new generation of completely soft， autonomous robots，” the study’s authors wrote.

Robots built for precise， repetitive movements in a controlled environment don’t do so well on rough terrains （地形） or in unpredictable conditions. And they aren’t especially safe around humans， because they’re made out of hard and heavy parts that could be potentially dangerous to their users.

So researchers have been working on building soft robots for decades. They’ve taken inspiration from nature， looking to animals from jellyfish to cockroaches， which are often made up of more flexible matter.

But creating a completely soft robot remains a challenge. Even if engineers build a silicone

（硅酮） body， it’s still a grand challenge to construct flexible versions of essential parts， such as a source of power.

“Although soft robotics is still in its early stage， it holds great promise for several applications， such as search-and-rescue operations and exploration，” Barbara Mazzolai and Virgilio Mattoli of the Italian Institute of Technology Center for Micro-BioRobotics， wrote in a comment. “Soft robots might also open up new approaches to improving wellness and quality of life.”

1. What is the special feature of Octobot？

A. It’s very small. B. It’s made of metal.

C. It’s soft. D. It’s like an octopus.

2. What is the weakness of traditional robots？

A. They’re hard to control. B. They’re too heavy to move.

C. They can’t predict conditions. D. They can’t always behave well.

3. Which is the most challenging part in building Octobot？

A. Its silicone body. B. Its complex structure.

C. Its precise movements. D. Its flexible power source.

4. What is the possible application of Octobot according to the text？

A. Medical research. B. Life rescue. C. Machine operation. D. House cleaning.

阅读七选五

Nature has a lot to offer. 1 Here are some valuable life lessons.

Respect your roots. With time， a young tree grows into full-grown one; something that was so tiny and delicate develops into a strong tree capable of supporting others. However tall it grows， its roots are firmly buried where it once rose. 2 Hopefully， we ought to give something back to those humble beginnings that developed us into who we are.

Let the sorrows （伤心事） disappear. If you cut a hole in the tree， it will grow around it. Whatever may come in its way， a river will continue to flow. Similarly， whatever sorrow may break your heart， know that life goes on. 3

Learn to coexist peacefully. Nature provides every creature a chance to exist， however big or small it may be. 4 The tiger eats the antelope; without the antelope， the tiger wouldn’t survive. Likewise， without tigers， the overpopulation of antelopes would cause them to starve to death.

5 Just like the icy cold snow melts in the warmth of spring to give birth to fresh green leaves， come autumn these leaves age into shades of gold only to be once again buried in the cold winter.

What to learn from nature is limitless. Respect， admire her and emulate （仿效） her ways into your life.

A. Change is unavoidable.

B. She inspires creatures to challenge themselves.

C. It is essential to maintain the balance of nature.

D. She teaches us values that may lead to a full and happy life.

E. The pain will weaken and enable you to grow in the process.

F. But the existence of one creature depends on the existence of the other.

G. We should learn to keep ourselves grounded， respect and hold on to our origins.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Section Ⅱ Using language

基础训练

单句语法填空 在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

1.Some （physician） do believe that there is nothing better than using food as medicine.

2.The rich life experiences and （wise） of elderly people are treasures.

3.The research team always take their inspiration the natural world， watching house spiders move up and down their webs.

4.While the adults go out at night for food， the young （bat） hang out in the cave for four or five weeks.

5.The UN Climate Change Conference brings together experts from around the world to seek solutions reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

6.The officer suggested that this new technology should （employ） in related fields as soon as possible.

7.The purpose of education is （develop） a fine personality in children.

8.Spring is the best season （sow） seeds while autumn is the season when farmers harvest their crops.

单元语法填空 阅读下面短文，根据上下文语境，结合本单元所学语法知识完成短文。

A fairy was flitting softly through the blue sky when she saw a King and a Queen weeping in a garden.

“ 1 （see） is believing，” the fairy said to herself. “A King or a Queen could be sad sometimes.” The Queen said， “It would be so nice 2 （have） a child.”

“Indeed. What a joy it would be 3 （take） care of a child of our own！ Is it a good idea 4 （try） some magic grasses or flowers？” said the King.

Without a word， she looked up at him longingly.

The fairy decided 5 （do） the couple a great favor.

Soon the Kingdom had a lovely princess. The King invited seven fairies 6 （be） present at the great event. Suddenly， the gate opened wide.

7 （stand） in the middle of the hall was a witch in black. “The King had invited all the fairies but I did not hear from him，” she said coldly to the Queen. The King found it hard 8 （put） up with that.

“How would it be 9 （learn） I did not invite you？”

“I don’t care，” she turned to the Queen with a smile. “But now I am here. I don’t know what

10 （wear） and how to behave. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry at this special moment.”

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

完形填空

I looked out of the door of my 100-year-old house and saw my newly built garden. I realized nothing is rubbish. I was full of 1 and appreciation.

I 2 to look at the things that we usually think of as 3 —plastic bags， polluted water， rubber bands， and newspapers， clothes and furniture we 4 . I also began to think， act and live according to a belief that all things have the 5 of being reused as long as we try to 6 it. And I explored the worth of 7 . I mean recycling isn’t just about 8 rubbish like putting glass and paper in 9 bins. It also requires creativity， commitment and even love.

My neighbors would put the autumn 10 by the roadside to be picked up by the garbage truck. This didn’t 11 with my newfound concept of recycling trash， so I made a new 12 with moving boxes and put up a 13 saying， “Dump （倾倒） leaves here.” I watched carefully through the autumn as my neighbors 14 the leaves in the new garden. I also watered the leaves 15 with rainwater and collected dogs’ waste as fertilizer. Then I 16 flower seeds. Finally， I had a new 17 garden， full of colorful flowers.

Nothing has to be really 18 . If you try hard enough， everything can be recycled. I even used my bath water to water my garden， though it might be a little 19 for my friends. But I think if we all can turn waste， sometimes a little dirty， into 20 ， the world will be a much better place.

1. A. joy B. sympathy C. doubt D. courage

2. A. hurried B. expected C. liked D. started

3. A. wealth B. garbage C. investments D. necessities

4. A. packed up B. brought out C. threw away D. gave away

5. A. value&79b5b06295fe30072bd06aac4be552e4nbsp; B. request C. cost D. consequence

6. A. own B. find C. remember D. believe

7. A. collecting B. acting C. recycling D. saving

8. A. sorting B. picking C. spotting D. recording

9. A. moving B. clean C. limitless D. separate

10. A. fruit B. corn C. leaves D. vegetables

11. A. compare B. deal C. meet D. fit

12. A. platform B. garden C. grocery D. bin

13. A. fence B. tent C. sign D. picture

14. A. put B. swept C. ignored D. sought

15. A. willingly B. quietly C. seriously D. freely

16. A. bought B. sowed C. removed D. kept

17. A. big B. popular C. imaginative D. attractive

18. A. useless B. timeless C. priceless D. hopeless

19. A. exciting B. special C. annoying D. unacceptable

20. A. money B. treasure C. pleasure D. scenery

语法填空

Do you remember the Greek legend in which Daedalus， 1 （inspire） by birds， built wings for his son Icarus and himself so they could escape from the tyrant （暴君） Minos？ Then you 2 （sure） remember that this journey did not go so well. The wax （蜡） on the wings melted when Icarus flew too near the sun and he crashed. 3 is interesting about this story is that Daedalus’ inspiration was Mother Nature， which 4 （lead） us to the topic of bionics. Nature has been and is a role model for many inventions and achievements， 5 instance in packaging，6ZPDRsS+0ql/4FUIUJyg8Q== technology and architecture.

Take the Sydney Opera House as an example. The large size of the roof construction was a real challenge. Architect Jorn Utzon drew inspiration from palm fronds （棕榈叶） and the roof was not modeled after sails， as popularly 6 （assume）， but rather after orange peel.

Another example is the Multihalle in the Herzogenried Park. It 7 （call） “the Mannheim marvel” because it is the 8 （large） self-supporting structure in Europe. It can accommodate 2，600 9 （visit） on 10，000 square meters without a single support column. This tent-roof has been made possible by 10 unique lattice （格子框架） shell construction. Its designer Frei Otto took his inspiration from spider-web structures.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Section Ⅲ Developing ideas

基础训练

单词填空 用所给词的适当形式填空。

1.The poet has a hope of life and the heart， living in harmony with nature， and gaining happiness and spiritual . （pure）

2.In the morning， Simon for Russia. But fortunately I saw him shortly before his

. （depart）

3.I need a job that really me， and I can get great joy and from it. （fulfil）

4.Some of us agreed to go with her. But some are still to do that. （reluctant）

5.It is unavoidable by others， though these feelings of and hurt won’t go away immediately. （reject）

6.He was a man full of ， and he is older and after ten years in the business. （wise）

单句表达 根据括号内提示翻译句子。

1. Jane很随和，我们和她在一起很自在。（at ease with）

2. John在毕业前一年就退学了。（withdraw from）

3. Nina不是一个向困难屈服的姑娘。（resign oneself to）

4. 离开了朋友们，他感到很孤独。（depart， 现在分词作状语）

5. 走少有人走的路需要很大的勇气。（It takes... to do...）

提示写作

选用所给词汇或句型造句，并组成一段连贯的短文（80词左右）。

wonder achieve try hard to in the same way go through

too... to... ... so that... It takes... to do...

阅读理解

A

I live in a second-floor flat with an ancient tree right on the corner of the house. The house and the tree have been here， side by side， for well over a century. No one really knows how old the tree is， but it was already there when builders started on the house at the beginning of the 1900s.

It was still rather young and flexible back then， so it easily welcomed the new structure into its path. It bent and adjusted itself to make room， and to find the space to grow big and strong and wise， which means that some hundred years later， the solid， strong branches of the tree reach around two full sides of my home.

The tree is covered in moss （苔藓）， which is， in turn， crawling with all sorts of insects. I have never seen the insects， by the way， I just know that they’re there because of all the birds trying to pick them out. They are always hopping around， looking for this and that and singing songs. I feel like I have become part of the ecosystem. When I’m eating breakfast or making dinner in the kitchen， I can look out and see a bird hopping around skillfully. When I’m sitting in the living room， reading or drinking tea， I can suddenly find myself face to face with another bird. We’ll be staring at each other and being at ease with each other. Even as I write this—a white feather comes floating down by my side， probably from one of the resident pigeons.

As I don’t have the luxury （奢侈） of a garden， this tree makes me feel connected to the outdoors. Such is an ancient tree， a tree that itself is home to many other creatures—that feels different. It is as if it has adopted me and made me a part of its world， without ever asking for something in return. But if needs be， I know that it can count on me and I will protect it with all my strength.

1. What can we learn about the flat the author lives in？

A. It’s built in an ancient tree. B. It’s hugged by a giant tree.

C. It’s decorated with branches. D. It’s surrounded by a garden.

2. What can we infer from the author’s description in Paragraph 3？

A. Birds keep her warm company. B. She has adopted the resident pigeons.

C. Moss makes her flat cool. D. She has been bothered by the insects.

3. What does the author really treasure？

A. The close-to-nature life. B. The luxurious garden.

C. The spacious house. D. The sociable neighbor.

4. What word can best describe the author’s feeling？

A. Excited. B. Surprised. C. Content. D. Peaceful.

B

Many of us are disgusted （厌恶的） by spiders， or even afraid of them. But do you know that a spider’s natural color may have many practical applications in our66600d71b1cf25861b43eb9834c32af6724940d85e726d8383ed4855c36abbe2 daily life？ For example， it can inspire a new shade of blue textiles （纺织品） and offer a solution to the glare on the screen of your phone when you’re out in the sun.

This color is a shade of blue， inspired by the cobalt blue tarantula—a species of spider that is native to the rainforests of Southeast Asia. What surprised scientists who observed the eight-legged furry spider was that its color did not change at all， even when viewed from different angles.

A team of scientists， led by Bill Hsiung from the University of Akron in Ohio， have been studying tarantulas for some time. Blue is a rare color in the animal kingdom. The researchers set out to find the exact nature of this blue. They found that the outer body of the tarantula is covered by tiny crystalline （晶状的） structures. These structures act like a mirror and when light strikes them， they reflect only one particular wavelength of light-blue. This kind of natural color is referred to as the “structural color”.

Usually， when colors are viewed from different angles， they appear different because of how light is reflected. This is because of a phenomenon known as iridescence （虹彩）. However， the blue color produced by tarantulas appears the same from all angles. It is the tiny crystals on the tarantula’s body arranged in a flower-like shape that reduce iridescence.

Scientists have known about structural colors for a while， but they have not seen them used for dye （染料）. With a clearer understanding of how “structural colors” work， scientists can now create a color similar to the tarantula blue to dye textiles and other products.

5. What is special about the cobalt blue tarantula？

A. Its color is unchangeably blue. B. Its smell is naturally disgusting.

C. Its furs can be made into textiles. D. Its legs look crystal clear in the sun.

6. What can we learn about the tarantula’s crystalline structures？

A. They shorten the wavelength of light. B. They merely reflect the light of blue.

C. They determine the size of a tarantula. D. They absorb much light on a tarantula’s body.

7. What is the author’s purpose in writing Paragraph 4？

A. To introduce the tarantula’s body structures.

B. To explain the theory of the structural color.

C. To show the phenomenon of color iridescence.

D. To discuss the importance of reflection angles to colors.

8. What is the best title for the text？

A. A Color Inspired by a Spider B. The Development of Blue Textiles

C. The Cobalt Blue Tarantula—a Rare Spider D. A Spider with Structural Colors Discovered

完形填空

Before I went to Nature High Summer Camp， I didn’t have many opinions about the environment—I 1 the environment was for other people to worry about. That 2 didn’t last long at the camp. I 3 learned about land use and forest management and started to 4 the world around me.

The person who 5 me most was Diane. She had worked in the 6 for twenty years and was by far the most 7 professional there. When she started talking， I hung on her every 8 and thought that everything she said made sense.

Diane 9 me by suggesting that putting out forest fires isn’t 10 a good thing—in fact， the cycle of nature makes it 11 that fires take place because they clear out dead materials and enrich the 12 . Because the Forest Service put out all the fires in the past， the accumulation

（堆积） of dead materials meant that a forest fire would grow bigger and consume 13 .

Diane said that 14 logging （伐木） would actually help the area because it would clear out the 15 trees and allow new trees to grow. Diane added that luckily necessary logging consumption had increased， which could 16 the environment.

I’ve 17 a lot from Diane. I 18 that humans should protect the environment. There are other 19 for us to do the environment a favor， such as planting trees， 20 paper and recycling water.

1. A. disagreed B. imagined C. appreciated D. considered

2. A. intention B. course C. explanation D. opinion

3. A. finally B. normally C. secretly D. unwillingly

4. A. argue about B. care about C. hang around D. sail around

5. A. supported B. trusted C. influenced D. worried

6. A. forest B. factory C. school D. city

7. A. polite B. experienced C. satisfied &ntN2HkSIRFbwInRgs8tLnQg==bsp; D. curious

8. A. invitation B. role C. choice D. word

9. A. warned B. informed C. shocked D. encouraged

10. A. likely B. merely C. always D. ever

11. A. necessary B. easy C. worthless D. possible

12. A. ecosystem B. vegetation C. situation D. soil

13. A. fewer B. more C. harder D. better

14. A. complete B. endless C. selective D. free

15. A. dead B. thick C. newborn D. sick

16. A. help B. ignore C. change D. destroy

17. A. borrowed B. learned C. suffered D. asked

18. A. promised B. regretted C. realized D. admitted

19. A. reasons B. materials C. resources D. ways

20. A. cutting B. saving C. making D. using

Writing

话题表达指导

话题介绍

话题：自然的启示。要求我们通过对本单元核心知识的学习，能够描绘我们在日常生活中观察到的某个自然现象，感悟这种自然现象带给我们的启示，写一篇具有启发性的短文。

建议体裁：夹叙夹议。

注意事项：选取的主题应与自然相关且具有生活意义或富有哲理，比如适应、毅力、勤奋、生存等。同时，要清楚地阐述自然现象带给我们的启示，并说明我们在生活中如何运用它。另见下表：

题例导学

题目

假定你是李华，你校英文报正在开展主题为“Observing Nature”的征文活动。请写一篇短文投稿，内容包括：

1. 背景介绍；

2. 观察到的自然现象；

3. 获得的启示。

注意：

1. 词数100左右；

2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

思路引导1·要点分析

1. 背景：简单说明你是怎么发现这一自然现象的（在什么情况下或正在做什么时）；

2.自然现象：滴水穿石、蚂蚁搬家、燕子筑巢、小草再生、早鸟觅食等，重点描述你所观察的对象做了什么，有什么样的反应，最终获得怎样的一种结果等；

3. 启示：向自然学习，在面对生活中的种种问题或困难时，也应做到团结、勤奋、顽强不屈、坚持不懈等。

思路引导2·本单元语言知识运用

根据汉语意思及提示翻译句子。

1. 我和父母在院子里谈话时，看到一只燕子朝我们家飞来。（be doing... when...）

2. 就在那时，我意识到它将在我们的屋檐下筑巢。（It was... that...）

3. 它每次只能带一点泥，这让我怀疑它是否能完成这项任务。（carry， which）

4. 有这样一个邻居真的让我的家人很开心。（非谓语作主语）

5. 一开始似乎不可能做成那件事。（it 作形式主语）

思路引导3·连句成篇

范例展示

On a spring morning， I was talking with my parents in the yard when I saw one swallow flying toward our house. When I got closer， I saw it carrying mud with its mouth. It was then that I realized it would build a nest under our roof.

I noticed that it could only carry a little mud at a time， which made me doubt whether it could complete the task. However， it kept carrying mud every day and after three days， a beautiful nest was completed. Having such a neighbor really made my family happy.

From the swallow I learn that we can realize our goal as long as we are determined， and have the spirit of perseverance though it may seem impossible to achieve that in the beginning.

话题表达

假定你是李华。在学习了本单元后，你们班准备举办一场主题为“Learning from Nature”的班会活动，要求同学们发言分享。请写一篇发言稿，内容包括：

1. 背景介绍；

2. 观察到的自然现象；

3. 获得的启示。

注意：

1. 词数100左右；

2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Section Ⅳ Presenting ideas

核心短语与句型回顾

短语

1. 认为……理所当然

2.be to 目的是……，旨在……

3.be based 以……为基础，基于……

4. a similar way 以相似的方式

5.be fed 用……喂养

6. ... into... 将……转化为……

7.respond 对……做出回应

8. the beauty of 捕捉……之美

9.live with 与……和谐共处

10.reduce 减少对……的破坏

11. 寻求……的解决方案

12. 从……中获得灵感

13. into being 形成

14.in return 作为对……的回报

15.reaction 对……的反应/回应

16. from 从……中退出

17. the needs of 满足……的需求

18. be critical 批评，批判

19. oneself to 致力于

20. with 不拘束，放松

21. oneself to 使自己顺从（做）某事

22. sb a step closer to 使某人更接近……

句型

1.so... that...引导结果状语从句

In fact， we are （如此习惯于它们以至于） we may even take them for granted...

2.不定式作主语

（满足现今的需求） while protecting the world of tomorrow may be a challenge...

3.现在分词作状语

（看见一个口子） in the pupa， he realised that the butterfly was ready to emerge.

4.It takes （sb）... to...

（拒绝……需要相当大的勇气） the easy and familiar and instead try to live closer to nature...

5. while引导时间状语从句的省略

Zimbabwean architect Mick Pearce was inspired to create the Centre （在观看一部自然纪录片时） in which termites were constructing their nets.

请根据提示，运用本单元核心知识，以“人与自然的关系”为话题，谈谈你的看法。

提示：需用以下句型。

1. The relationship between human beings and nature is...

2. We can learn from nature which helps us...

3. At the same time， nature needs our protection. So we should...