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太空探索：在火星种作物
同源话题 2020 全国|卷语法填空 说明文|难度：中|约360词|建议用时：7分钟
For future humans to survive long periods on Mars, growing food on the planet is a must. It would be too costly and risky to rely upon rocket deliveries to meet the food needs of residents. With this in mind, scientists are exploring ways to improve space farming.
At Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands, researchers work in a controlled greenhouse. They have identified a way that could improve crop production in simulated(模拟的) Martian soil, with different crops grown together. The method is called“intercropping”. It was first invented by ancient Maya(玛雅) farmers in what is now Central America.
In their experiments, the researchers grew cherry tomatoes, peas and carrots together in small, round containers called pots. Tomatoes grown in this way produced about double the amount of tomatoes grown alone—— or“monocropped”—— in the same simulated Martian soil. The tomatoes were also bigger. They flowered and matured earlier, gave more fruit per plant and had thicker stems(茎).
The crops were grown in simulated Martian regolith, a soil with no organic matter. Created by researchers from the American space agency, it is a near-perfect physical and chemical match of real Martian soil. The researchers added useful bacteria and nutrients. They also controlled the gases, temperature and humidity inside the greenhouse to match conditions expected in a Martian greenhouse.
Intercropping involves growing plants with properties that could help each other grow. The method makes the best use of resources, including water and nutrients. The researchers say the tomato plants in intercropping may have benefited from being close to the pea plants. That is because the peas are good at turning nitrogen from the air, with the help of bacteria introduced into the soil, into an important nutrient.
It is very important how you select the crop species that you combine because the tomato did profit from the peas, but the carrots most certainly did not. This was probably due to lack of light. The tall tomato and pea plants did out-compete the carrots by taking light from them. Overall, the tomatoes, peas and carrots grew well, though not as well as in Earth soil in the same greenhouse.
1. What's the function of the first paragraph
A. Give an example. B. Make a comparison.
C. Lead to a discussion. D. Explain the background.
2. What can we learn about intercropping
A. It has been improved by Mayas.
B. Plants grow in real Martian soil.
C. It yields higher production anytime.
D. Plants showcase interdependence on each other.
3. What can be inferred from the last paragraph
A. Carrots can benefit from peas.
B. Carrots' stems are relatively short.
C. The simulated soil is richer than Earth soil.
D. Experiment crops will grow better in Mars.
4. Which title is suitable for the passage
A. How To Plant Crops On Mars
B. Humans Plan To Move To Mars
C. How To Revolutionize Intercropping
D. Tomatoes And Peas Are Good Companies
参考答案与深度解析
【文前导读】本文主题语境为人与社会，文体为说明文。本文主要介绍了科学家们通过作物套种的方式，在模拟火星土壤的环境中进行实验，从而探索未来长期定居火星时种植作物的可行性。
1.写作意图题。本题考查段落功能。第一段的大意为：未来的人类要想在火星上长期生存，在火星上种植食物是必须的，考虑到如果依赖火箭运输食物花费太高，风险太大，因此科学家在探索提升太空农业的方法。然后下文就叙述了具体的实验方法，因此第一段的功能是解释背景，引出下文的农业实验。答案：D
2.细节理解题。题干设问为：关于作物套种我们可以了解到什么 从第五段中的“Intercropping involves growing plants with properties that could help each other grow. The method makes the best use of resources, including water and nutrients”可知,套种作物的特性可以帮助彼此生长,这种方法可以充分利用诸如水和养分等资源。故选D项“作物展现出对彼此的互相依赖”答案：D
【解题线索】D项中的“interdependence on each other”是原文信息句中的“help each other grow”的同义转述。
【干扰项分析】
A项 原文第二段中的“It was first invented by ancient Maya(玛雅) farmers…”表明套种被 玛雅人首先发明的，并不是 improved“改良”，故排除。
B项 原文第四段中的“The crops were grown in simulated Martian regolith, a soil...”表明作 物是在模拟火星土壤中生长的，故排除。
C项 “套种任何时候都能获得高产”表述过于绝对，且文中并未提到，故排除。
3.推理判断题。通过最后一段中的“…… the tomato did profit from the peas, but the carrots most certainly did not. This was probably due to lack of light. The tall tomato and pea plants did out- compete the carrots by taking light from them”可知,西红柿可以从豌豆中获益,但是胡萝卜不能。这可能是由于缺少阳光。高挑的西红柿植株和豌豆植株夺走了胡萝卜的光源。由此可以推断胡萝卜的茎秆较矮。答案：B
4.标题归纳题。
Part 1(Para.1) 介绍文章背景，引入太空种植话题。
Part 2 (Para.2) 介绍了植物套种的耕作方式。
Part 3 (Paras.3-4) 介绍了科学家在套种实验中的发现。
Part 4(Paras.5-6) 介绍了套种的优势及品种搭配。
根据上述分析可知，本文主要说明了人类在探索如何在火星环境里种植作物。A项“如何在火星种植作物”概括全文，符合文意。答案：A
反复精读·积累速记
二次精读·词汇速记
核心词
mature v. 成熟 identify v. 找到,发现
match n. 相同的东西，非常相似的东西 bacteria n. 细菌
organic adj. 有机的 nutrient n. 营养物,养分
property n. 性质,特性 select v. 选择
combine v. 结合 yield v. 出产(作物),产生(收益、效益等)
障碍词
out-compete v. 胜出,超过 [ out-超越,超过+ compete竞争]
risky adj. 冒险的;有危险的 [ risk 风险,危险+-y有……特性的]
Martian adj. 火星的 [ Mars火星+-ian……地方的]
interdependence n. 互相依赖 [ inter-相互+ depend依靠+-ence(表示行动或状况)]
熟词生义
must 熟义: modal v. 必须 文中义:n. 必须做的事情
flower 熟义:n. 花朵 文中义:v. 开花
company 熟义:n. 公司 文中义:n. 同伴,朋友
核心短语
rely upon 依赖 due to 由于
make the best use of 充分利用 lack of缺乏
三次精读·长难句分析
长难句 That is because the peas are good at turning nitrogen from the air, with the help of bacteria introduced into the soil, into an important nutrient.( Para.5)
剖析 在本句中, because 引导表语从句, “with the help of...”作状语,过去分词短语“introduced into the soil”作 bacteria 的后置定语。句子主干为 That is because the peas are good at turning nitrogen into an important nutrient.
翻译 这是因为豌豆擅长在被放进土壤中的细菌的帮助下将空气中的氮转化为一种重要的营养物质。
参考译文：
太空探索：在火星种作物
未来的人类要想在火星上长期生存，在火星上种植食物是必须的。依靠火箭运送来满足居民的食物需求成本太高，风险也太大。考虑到这一点，科学家们正在探索改善太空农业的方法。
在荷兰瓦赫宁根大学和研究中心，研究人员在一个受控的温室里工作。他们已经确定了一种方法，可以在模拟火星土壤中提高作物产量，将不同的作物种植在一起。这种方法被称为“间作”。它最初是由古代玛雅的农民在现在的中美洲发明的。
在他们的实验中，研究人员将圣女果、豌豆和胡萝卜一起种在被称为花盆的小圆形容器中。在同样的模拟火星土壤中，用这种方法种植的番茄产量大约是单独种植(或“单一种植”)的两倍。西红柿也更大。它们开花和成熟得更早，每株果实更多，茎也更粗。
这些作物是在模拟的火星风化层中种植的，这是一种没有有机物的土壤。它是由美国航天局的研究人员创造的，它的物理和化学成分与真正的火星土壤几乎完美匹配。研究人员添加了有益的细菌和营养物质。他们还控制了温室内的气体、温度和湿度，使其符合火星温室的预期条件。
间作包括种植具有相互促进生长特性的植物。这种方法充分利用了资源，包括水和营养物质。研究人员表示，间作的番茄植株可能因靠近豌豆植株而受益。这是因为豌豆善于在引入土壤的细菌的帮助下，将空气中的氮转化为一种重要的营养物质。
如何选择作物品种是非常重要的，因为番茄确实从豌豆中获利，但胡萝卜肯定没有。这可能是由于光线不足。高大的西红柿和豌豆植株占用了胡萝卜的光照，从而与胡萝卜形成了竞争。总的来说，番茄、豌豆和胡萝卜长势良好，但不如在同一温室的地球土壤中生长得好

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