主题29　自然科学研究成果与发现

4/4主题29自然科学研究成果与发现Ⅰ.阅读理解A（2026·济南模拟）WildlifephotographerIngoArndtdiscoveredhisfirstenormousantmound（蚁丘）asachildexploringtheforestwithhisfatherneartheirhomealmost50yearsago.Theywerebird-watchingandcamearoundabendinathicklywoodedareawhenthereitwas：afive-foot-tallmound，standingupwardlikealargestalagmite（石笋）.Arndtwantedtoinvestigatemoreclosely，butaveryparticularsmellsuggestedherethinkthat.Theairfeltthickandsharp，discomfortinghisnose.“Allmylife，”hesays，“Icouldrememberthesmell.”Severalyearslater，Arndtmovedtothecountryside.Hecontinuedhisfascinationwiththemoundsandtheirarmiesoftinyengineers.Outfittedwithahigh-resolutioncamera，hebeganphotographingthemoundsandsharinghisimagerywithresearchersforascientificperspective.Itturnedoutthemoundmakerswereindeedspecial.Theywereredwoodants—oneofthesmallestofallso-calledkeystonespecies.Keystonespeciessuchaselephantsandsharksarewatchedcloselybecausetheirbehaviorsaffectsomanyaspectsoftheecosystemthatiftheydisappeared，itwouldstruggletoadapt.Researchersalsoexplainedthesmellfromthemound.Astheinsectsbuildanest，theygenerateformicacid（蚁酸），theoriginofthesmell，whichhelpstofightagainstenemies.Butinrecentdecades，thepopulationofantshasbeendecliningastheforestshavefallenvictimtologging，urbanization，andwildfires，aswellasdroughtandhighertemperaturesthathavebecomemorefrequentwithclimatechange.Thishasledseveralcountriesacrosstheants’range，includingGermany，toenlistthemasaprotectedspeciesbylaw.TodayArndt’sphotosputondisplaythatassocialinsects，thesesmallantsnotonlyformcomplexsocieties，butalsocohabitwithawidevarietyofspecies，creatingamassofcoexistingrelationshipsacrossavarietyofplantandanimalspecies.Theyarealsoareminderthatbyprotectingtheseunnoticedcreatures，weareactuallyprotectingourselves.1.HowwasArndt’sfirstencounterwiththeantmound？（）A.Itremindedhimofabadexperience. B.Itlefthimanunforgettablememory.C.Itarousedhisenthusiasmfornature. D.Itinspiredhimtoprotecttheforests.2.Whatdoestheunderlinedword“it”inparagraph2referto？（）A.Thewoodedarea. B.Themoundmaker.C.Thekeystonespecies. D.Theentireecosystem.3.Whatcontributedtothedecreaseinthenumberofants？（）A.Theirworsenedhabitats. B.Theirchangingbehavior.C.Theirseverecompetition. D.Theirlimitedpopulation.4.Whatisthetextmainlyintendedtotellus？（）A.Massivelivesexistonearth. B.Tinyspeciescountitnature.C.Socialcreaturesliveingroups. D.Littleantsaremasterarchitects.B（2026·武汉调研考试）Acornplantknowshowtofindwaterinsoilwiththeverytipsofitsroots，butsomevarieties，includingmanyusedfordevelopinghigh-outputcornintheUS，appeartohavelostpartofthatability，accordingtoaStanford-ledstudy.Withclimatechangeincreasingdroughts，thefindingsholdpotentialfordevelopingmoredrought-resistantvarietiesofcorn.Thestudy，publishedinthejournalScience，uncoversgeneticmechanisms（遗传机制）behindroot“hydropatterning”，orhowplantrootsbranchtowardwaterandavoiddryspacesinsoil.Inparticular，theresearchersdiscoveredthatethylene，aplanthormone（激素）knowntohelpbananasripen，alsoinfluenceshowrootsgrowtoseekwater.Forthisstudy，theresearchersdevelopedanew，simplifiedwaytostudywatersensitivityinroots.TheyfoundcornvarietiesadaptedtohotandwetregionslikeMexicowereverygoodatmakingnewrootbranchestowardwaterandavoiddryareas.Incontrast，thevarietiesadaptedtomoderateregionsofNorthAmericafrequentlygrewrootsrandomlywithoutdistinguishingbetweendryandwetareasinthesoil.“Interestingly，theplantsthatarebetteratsensingwherethewaterisarealsomakingdeeperrootsystems，”saidleadauthorJohannesScharwies.“Oneideaisthatiftheplantdoesn’twastetimegrowingrootbranchesintoplaceswhereitdoesn’tfindanywaterandnutrients，thenithasmoreenergytogrowdeeperdownwherewaterismorelikely.”Geneticanalysesrevealtwoplanthormones，auxinandethylene，playaroleinhowcornrootsrespondtowater.Whileauxinwasalreadyknowntohelpcontrolthisprocess，ethylene’sinvolvementwasanewdiscovery.Inexperimentswiththalecress—amodelplantoftenusedinresearch—theresearchersfoundauxinsignalingpromotesrootbranchdevelopmenttowardwater，whileethylenestopsbranchingwhentherootisexposedtoair.Furtherresearchisneededtobetterunderstandtheinteractionofthesegeneticpathwaysbeforecornvarietiescanbedevelopedwithmoredrought-resistantrootsystems，butthefindingshighlightthesignificanceofstudyingtheselocalizedresponsesatroottips，researcherssaid.5.WhatistheprimaryfocusoftheStanford-ledstudy？（）A.Drought-resistantcornvarieties. B.Ethylene’seffectonfruitripening.C.Geneticregulationofrootbranching. D.Impactofclimatechangeonplantroots.6.WhatcanbeinferredfromJohannesScharwies’remarks？（）A.Planthormonesmakeabigdiffereneetorootgrowth. B.Nutrientsguaranteebetterwater-seekingrootsystems.C.Rootbranchingconservesenergyforhigherproduction. D.Strongerhydropatterningislinkedtogreaterrootdepth.7.Whatdoesparagraph5mainlytalkabout？（）A.Modelplantsinresearch. B.Hormonesroleinrootgrowth.C.Geneticanalysismethods. D.Findingsofpreviousresearch.8.Whatdoesthelastparagraphsuggestfutureresearchdo？（）A.Prioritizedevelopmentofnewcornvarieties. B.Workoutthemechanismsofgeneticinteractions.C.Concentratemerelyonlocalizedrootresponses. D.Expandpracticalapplicationsofhydropatterning.Ⅱ.阅读七选五（2026·南昌模拟）Ifyou’vebeenfeelingalittlepaleanddriedout，imaginehowyourhouseplantsfeelinwinter.Whilethesunstreamsinthroughwindowsallsummerlong，duringwinterit’sallshadowsanddrafts.9.Herearethefourwaysyoucanmakethemhappier.Adjustthelight.It’snotonlythatthesunlightislowerinthesky—it’salsoavailableforfewerhoursintheday.Toguaranteeyourplantsaregettingenoughlight，youcantrymovingthemclosertosouthern-facingwindows.10.Plantlightscanensurethatyourplantgetsenoughlightwhereitneedsit.Slowdownthewatering.Iknowthatwateringfeelslikethewayinwhichwegiveplantslove，butitisalsothewayinwhichwedrownthem.Toomuchwaterresultsinrootrot.Ideallyyouwanttowateronlysomuchthatthesoilisdamp，butnotwet，whenyoustickyourfingerinafewinchesdown.11.Dustyourleaves.Ifyouloveyourplants，you’lltendtotheirleavesbydustingthem.Plantsabsorbnutrientsfromtheairthroughtheirleaves.12.Inthiscase，spraythemwithwaterandwipethem