用月球上的土壤種植蔬菜

孫啟祿

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 （西蘭花） 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.

語篇解碼

本文是一篇說明文。美國佛羅里達大學的科學家們在來自月球的土壤中種植了蔬菜。對于未來的空間站甚至是載人登陸火星、建造月球基地等長期的太空任務來說，在太空種菜將是不得不發展的一項技術。

（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]

語言學習

Ⅰ. 語料薈萃

Ⅱ. 語句分析

1. Scientists know a lot about the DNA of thale cress， which helps them understand how it reacts to the soil its planted in. 科學家們對鼠耳芥的DNA了解很多，這有助于他們了解它對種植土壤的反應。

【點石成金】本句是一個復合句。Scientists know a lot about...thale cress是主句，which helps them...in是which引導的非限制性定語從句，how it reacts...in是how引導的賓語從句，its planted in是省略了that/which的限制性定語從句。

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. 研究人員之一羅伯特·費爾博士說：“將植物成功帶到月球的能力，就是我們如何種植自己的食物?！?/p>

【點石成金】said Dr Robert Ferl是句子的主干；one of the researchers是Dr Robert Ferl的同位語；引號里面是直接引語，在直接引語中，The ability是主語，to take plants...the Moon是動詞不定式短語作定語，how引導的是表語從句。

語言運用

Ⅰ. 例句仿寫

1. 我們學校有各種各樣的課外活動，這些課外活動對我們非常有益。

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

2. 幸福并非什么都一帆風順，而是擁有處理難題的能力。

Happiness is not the absence of problems，? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? .

Ⅱ. 寫作實踐

假定你是中學生李華，你校將在本周末舉辦一次蔬菜種植活動。請你用英文寫一封信，邀請你的外國朋友Sam參加，內容包括：

1. 寫信的目的；

2. 活動的時間、地點和內容。

注意：

1. 詞數80左右；

2. 可以適當增加細節，以使行文連貫。

Dear Sam，

Yours，

Li Hua