Do you know mulch? Mulch is a protective cover of material that is spread on top of soil. It is usually made out of organic material, like crop waste. Farmers may keep the remains of corn or other crops on top of the soil. This creates mulch on the soil surface. The plant remains help protect the soil against wind and water damage. Mulching is one of the best things people can do for their plants. It also helps keep the soil from getting dry, and reduces the need for watering plants. It also limits temperature changes in the soil. And it stops unwanted plants, or weeds, from growing.

Organic mulch improves the condition of soil. As the mulch breaks down, it provides material which keeps the soil from getting hard. This improves the growth of roots and increases the movement of water through the soil. It also improves the ability of the soil to hold water. Organic mulch contains nutrients for plants. It also provides good environment for earthworms and other helpful living things in the soil.

It is easy to find organic mulch materials. Cut-up leaves and small pieces of tree bark can be used. Grass cuttings are also a good mulch for plants. Mulch from news- papers works well in controlling weeds.

The best time to add mulch depends on your goal. Mulch provides a thick barrier between the soil and the air. This helps to reduce temperature changes in the soil. As a result, mulched soil will be cooler than other soil in the summer. In winter, the mulched soil may not freeze as deeply as other soil. The best time is after the ground has frozen, but before the coldest weather arrives. Spreading mulch before the ground has frozen may attract small animals searching for a warm place to spend the winter. Delaying the spreading should prevent this problem. The animals will probably find another place to live.

1.The author tells us the following EXCEPT ______.

A. what mulch is and its advantages

B. the best time to add mulch

C. the bad effects of mulch

D. what can be mulch on the soil surface

2. The following can be used as organic materials to make mulch EXCEPT ______.

A. tree barks          B. plastic       C. grass cuttings      D. cut-up leaves

3. The main idea of Paragraph 2 is that organic mulch can ______.

A. improve the condition of soil

B. improve the ability of the soil to hold water

C. provide a good environment for earthworms

D. improve the growth of roots and increase the movement of water through the soil

4. From the last paragraph, we know ______.

A. the best time to add mulch is in spring and summer

B. the best time to add mulch is after the coldest weather arrives

C. the best time to add mulch is exactly the same time of each year

D. choosing the best time to add mulch can avoid attracting small animals

 

短文改错:  　　The earthworm is an useful animal.　　　　　　　　　　 1. _____ It makes the soil richlier for fields and　　　　　　　　  2. _____ gardens. Taken out the ground, it is good　　　　　　　　  3. _____ food for much other animals.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   4. _____ 　　Earthworms dig tunnels to make the soil　　　　　　　　5. _____ loosen, and in this kind of soil, air and water　　　　　　6. _____ can reach to the roots of the plants easily.　　　　　　   7. _____ They drag not only dead leafs but　　　　　　　　　　　　  8. _____ grass well. This soon rots and disappears.　　　　　　　　 9. _____ This helps to making the soil more fertile.　　　　　　   10. _____ 　　No other animal is as useful in building　　　　　　  11. _____ up topsoil. One worm may add about three　　　　　　　　  12. _____ quarter of a pound of earth to the topsoil in　　　　　　 13. _____ one year. Fifty thousands worms carry some　　　　　　　　14. _____ eighteen tons of fine soil to the surface at　　　　　　  15. _____ the same time.　　　　　　　　　　  

阅读理解

　　If you dig down deep enough into the earth, you will find rock. Over the top of most of this rock there is a layer of soil, like icing on a cake. You may call it earth or dirt, but the real name is soil.

　　The top layer of this soil is not very deep, but it is one of the most important things in the world. To grow well, plants need good topsoil. First, topsoil is made of little pieces of rock. Wind and sun, ice and water and plants have slowly broken big rocks up into little pieces. Then, these little pieces of rock have become mixed with many other bits of things：crumbled(粉碎的)pieces of dead plants and dried leaves, even dead insects and other dead animals. So the topsoil is bits of rock mixed with humus that used to be living things.

　　In some places earthworms are helpful in making good soil. As they crawl through the earth getting their food, they. make little tunnels that air and water come through. And they turn the soil over in such a way that rock pieces are slowly pushed to the top. Besides, earthworms grind up the soil as they eat.

　　If you put some soil in a glass of water, the rock, which is heavier, falls to the bottom of the glass. The humus, which is made of lighter things, floats on top.

1．The layer which spreads over most of the rock is called ________.

[　　]

2．Soil－making mainly depends on ________.

[　　]

3．According to this passage, earthworms are helpful to the soil in ________ ways.

[　　]

4．Humus is made of ________ plants, leaves, insects, animals etc.

[　　]

5．What will happen if you put a handful of topsoil in a glass of water?

[　　]

A．The humus comes above the rock bits.

B．The humus sinks down to the bottom.

C．The rock pieces float on the top.

D．The rock bits and the humus become mixed.

Mulch(护盖物;护根层) is important to farmers. Mulch is a protective cover of material that is spread on top of soil. It is usually made out of organic material, like crop waste. Farmers may keep the remains of maize or other crops on top of the soil. This creates mulch on the soil surface. The plant remains help protect the soil against wind and water damage. Mulching is one of the best things people can do for their plants. Mulch not only protects the soil against wind and water damage.It also helps keep the soil from getting too dry, and reduces the need for watering plants. It also limits temperature changes in the soil. And it stops unwanted plants, or weeds, from growing.

　　Organic mulch improves the condition of soil. As the mulch breaks down, it provides material which keeps the soil from getting hard. This improves the growth of roots and increases the movement of water through the soil. It also improves the ability of the soil to hold water. Organic mulch contains nutrients for plants. It also provides a good environment for earthworms and other helpful organisms in the soil.

　　The United States Department of Agriculture says it is easy to find organic mulch materials. Cut-up leaves and small pieces of tree bark can be used. Grass cuttings are also a good mulch for plants. Mulch from newspapers works well in controlling weeds.

　　The best time to add mulch depends on your goal. Mulch provides a thick barrier between the soil and the air. This helps to reduce temperature changes in the soil. As a result, mulched soil will be cooler than other soil in the summer. In winter, the mulched soil may not freeze as deeply as other soil. The best time is after the ground has frozen, but before the coldest weather arrives. Spreading mulch before the ground has frozen may attract small animals searching for a warm place to spend the winter. Delaying the spreading should prevent this problem. The animals will probably find another place to live.

66. The author tells us the following EXCEPT ___________.

A. what mulch is and its benefits

B. the best time to add mulch

C. what can be mulch on the soil surface

D. the bad effects of mulch

67. The following can be used as organic materials to make mulch EXCEPT _______.

A. tree barks　　　　　　 B. cut-up leaves　　　　　 C. grass cuttings　　　　　 D. plastic

68. Which of the following is the benefit of mulch?

A. Protecting the soil against wind and water damage.

B. Keeping the soil wet and reducing the need for watering plants

C. Reducing temperature changes in the soil and stopping unwanted weeds growing.

D. All of the above.

69. The main idea of Paragraph 2 is that organic mulch can ______.

A. improve the condition of soil

B. improve the ability of the soil to hold water

C. provide a good environment for earthworms

D. improve the growth of roots and increase the movement of water through the soil

70. From the last paragraph, we know ______.

A. the best time to add mulch is in spring and summer

B. the best time to add mulch is after the coldest weather arrives

C. the best time to add mulch depends on weather

D. choosing the best time to add mulch can avoid attracting small animals