A
(2021·河南省九师联盟质检)
As spring advances across the Midwest, a new study looking at blooming(盛开的) flowers suggests nonnative plants might live longer than native plants due to climate change.
The study—led by researchers at Indiana University and Michigan State University—has shown warming temperatures affect native and nonnative flowering plants differently, which could change the look of local place over time. “When a plant flowers determines whether it will be pollinated(授粉) by bees or other insects and how much time it will have to produce seeds. Our data makes me worry that we will have a very weedy world in our future，” said the study's lead author Jen Lau, an associate professor in Indiana University.
The researchers' findings suggest nonnative plants may be better at shifting their flowering time compared to native plants. These differences are thought to influence a plant's success both now and in future warmer environments.
Lau and her students simulated(模拟) global warming in fields planted with 45 native and nonnative plants. Some areas were warmed by infrared (红外线的) heaters, while other areas were not. Lau's lab surveyed all plants to determine when they first flowered and how long they flowered.
When plants were grown in warmed plots simulating the climate change expected in the Midwest by the end of the century, the researchers found that nonnative plants flowered more than 11 days earlier on average. In contrast, native plants didn't change flowering times at all when warmed.
They also found earlierflowering nonnative plants had greater geographic spread, suggesting that flowering earlier may help promote successful occupation across large areas.
The findings suggest important differences in how native and nonnative plants respond to climate change.
文章大意：本文是一篇科普说明文。一项新的研究发现，本土植物比非本土植物更易受气候变化的影响。
1．What does the new study find about native plants compared with nonnatives？ D
A．They may have a longer life cycle.
B．They are likely to have more flowers.
C．They are more adaptable to climate change.
D．They may be at greater risk from climate change.
解析：细节理解题。根据第一段“...a new study looking at blooming(盛开的)flowers suggests nonnative plants might live longer than native plants due to climate change.”可知，跟非本土植物相比，气候变化给本土植物带来的危险更大。故选D。
2．What do Jen Lau's words in paragraph 2 suggest？ C
A．She's quite sure that a weedy world is waiting for us.
B．Plants may lose the ability to flower in the future.
C．The timing of a plant's flowering is key to its life cycle.
D．A plant's flowering time almost has no effect on its pollination.
解析：推理判断题。根据第二段“‘When a plant flowers determines whether it will be pollinated(授粉)by bees or other insects and how much time it will have to produce seeds.’”可知，植物的开花时间决定了它是否会被蜜蜂授粉以及它将有多少时间来产生种子。由此可推断，植物的开花时间是它生命周期的关键。故选C。
3．What does the underlined word “shifting” in paragraph 3 probably mean？ A
A．Changing. B．Postponing.
C．Arranging. D．Predicting.
解析：词意猜测题。画线词所在句子句意表示“研究人员的发现表明非本土植物可能比本土植物更擅长它们的开花时间”，再根据第五段“...the researchers found that nonnative plants flowered more than 11 days earlier on average. In contrast, native plants didn't change flowering times at all when warmed.”可推断，画线词义为“改变”。故选A。
4．What is paragraph 4 mainly about？ B
A．How global warming affected plant species.
B．How the researchers tested their supposition.
C．How to keep the warmth of the planted fields.
D．How to determine the flowering times of plants.
解析：段落大意题。根据第三段“These differences are thought to influence a plant's success both now and in future warmer environments.”及第四段中提到“模拟全球变暖”和“用红外线加热器”等可推断，第四段主要讲述的是研究人员是如何测试他们的假设的。故选B。
