Besides containing attractive flowers, trees and other plants that beautify the community, eco­friendly rain gardens are healthy for the environment and the people living and working nearby.

A rain garden is not very different from a traditional garden. It is just a far more eco­friendly garden. Usually it is built lower than the ground. Rain gardens make smart use of rain and storm water by temporarily holding water from rain and storms and letting it soak(浸入)slowly into the ground before it runs into streams or enters the public drinking water supply.

Thus, a rain garden keeps the water, allowing it to be used as needed by plants in the rain garden, rather than flowing immediately into nearby streams and going unused. The water will soak slowly into the ground within a day or two. This creates an advantage that the rain garden does not allow mosquitoes to breed. This is a simple, attractive, and eco­friendly “green” way to treat storm water.

What’s more, planting a rain garden helps reduce pollution and improve the environment. Without using expensive machinery and chemicals, rain gardens remove harmful chemicals in the rainwater and cut down on the amount of pollution reaching streams and rivers by up to 30%.

Native plants are recommended for rain gardens because they are more used to the local climate, soil, and water conditions. They may attract local wildlife such as native birds. Water your rain garden immediately after planting and once a week, unless you have had at least an inch of rain during the week. Once native plants establish the necessary root system, they will require little care.

Often, local governments and private businesses develop large rain gardens in their yards and in public parks as a way to improve the environment and solve flooding problems. However, you don’t need to be a professionally environmental engineer to create a rain garden. As long as you’re eco­conscious homeowners, you can help the environment by building smaller rain gardens in your yards.

1.Which of the following is NOT true for the function of rain gardens?

A. They are good for living conditions.

B. They increase pollution.

C. They can beautify the community.

D. They improve the environment.

2. Which of the following is the eco­friendly function of rain gardens discussed in Paragraph 4 ?

A. They can help reduce the pollution problem.

B. They can keep the rain and storm water.

C. They can be healthy for the people around.

D. They can make the environment more beautiful.

3.One of the main reasons why native plants are recommended is that .

A. they cost less and are much easier to get

B. they may attract local wildlife to come

C. they require little care from the local gardener

D. they are more used to the local growing conditions

4.What do we know about rain gardens?

A. They need little water after all the plants are planted.

B. They may attract local birds and change the local climate.

C. They usually need at least an inch of rainwater a week.

D. They may reduce the water pollution problem by 70%.

練習(xí)冊(cè)系列答案
相關(guān)習(xí)題

科目：高中英語 來源：2014-2015學(xué)年江西南昌十所省命制高三第二次模擬6英語試卷（解析版） 題型：閱讀理解

The associates I hired in my bicycle and lawn mower shop like myself were never perfect; however, they were excellent. Working with them as they improved taught me new ways to show forgiveness, understanding, and patience.

One day the placement officer asked me to interview a young man who was having trouble finding a job. He told me that David was a little shy, did not talk much and was afraid to go on with interviews. He requested that I give David an interview just for practice. He plainly told David that I had no positions open at the time and the interview was just for practice.

When David came in for the interview, he hardly said a word. I told him what we did at the bicycle shop and showed him around. I told David to keep showing up because the number one thing an employer wanted in an associate was dependability.

David was very quiet ( he was evaluated as a slow learner in school). Every ten days or so, for weeks after the interview, David walked into the bicycle shop and stood by the front door. He never said a word, just stood by the door.

One day, shortly before Christmas, a large truck came to the shop, packed with 250 new bicycles. It had to be unloaded right away or the driver would leave.

It was raining. Some of my workers (without physical limitations) chose not to brave the weather to get into work, so I was short-handed. It seemed everything was going wrong and on top of it, David came in the front door and just stood there. I looked at him and shouted, “Well, all right! Fill out a time card and help me unload this truck!”

David worked for my bicycle shop for eighteen years. He came to work every day thirty minutes early. He could talk; however, he rarely chose to. He drove my truck and made deliveries. The customers would praise David, saying, “He doesn’t talk, but he really shows you how to operate a lawn mower!”

1.The author gave David an interview to _______

A. find a person who is reliable

B. find a part-time worker in need

C. give him some practice

D. show sympathy for him

2.The author finally hired David because________

A. there were no other workers in the shop then

B. he needed someone who was willing to work then

C. David kept showing up

D. He realized David was dependable

3.We can infer from the last paragraph that_______

A. some customers just play jokes on David

B. David has had his character changed through work

C. the author prefers David to be more outgoing

D. the author feels lucky to hire David

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：2014-2015學(xué)年河南商丘市高三第一次模擬考試英語試卷（解析版） 題型：閱讀理解

With her pretty face and soulful voice, Zhang Bichen was instantly thought a possible champion when she first set foot on the stage of the TV show The Voice of China.

On Oct 7, 2014, the 25 - year - old girl won the fierce competition and received the title of the “Voice of the Year”. Zhang’s dream of being a singer star came true at last. What impressed people was not only Zhang’s singing skills, but her willingness to make an effort. “I gained the opportunity to sing on The Voice of China,” she said.

In fact, being a singer has always been her dream. She wanted to apply to a college for singing, but her parents insisted that she should have a stable job after graduation because she did very well at academic studies. So Zhang gave in to her parents and learned French at university. However, in the first year of her college, she was discovered by a South Korean company when she entered a singing competition. To pursue her dream, Zhang signed a contract with the company, started her career in South Korea, and became a member of a band.

“My company had rules that did not allow us to use cell phones. During the first few months after I arrived in South Korea, a totally unfamiliar country, I felt terribly homesick. But I could only phone my parents in the restroom when nobody noticed.” said Zhang. “When I did not have much income, I had to eat instant noodles every day for months.”

It was her positive attitude and outgoing character that helped her through. “When I feel down, I tell myself it is not winning or losing that matters. The most important things are standing on the stage and singing for people.” she said.

1.On October 7, 2014, Zhang Bichen ________.

A. won the championship of The Voice of China

B. signed a contract with a big company

C. first sot foot on the Chinese stage

D. was successful in her study

2.The reason why Zhang learned French at university is that _______.

A. she is good at French

B. French is popular in the world

C. it is easy for her to find a stable job

D. she can realize her dream

3.What is the main idea of the last two paragraphs?.

A. The company in South Korea has strict rules.

B. Zhang’s road to success isn’t easy.

C. Zhang always lives a simple life in South Korea.

D. Zhang has an outgoing character.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：2014-2015學(xué)年廣西玉林市博白縣高三下學(xué)期返校調(diào)研考試英語試卷（解析版） 題型：單項(xiàng)填空

—Why not find a new job?

—Why should I? I _____ as much, but I like what I'm doing.

A. didn't earn B. don't earn

C. hadn't earned D. haven’t earned

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：2014-2015學(xué)年甘肅天水市秦安縣高三第一次模擬考試英語試卷（解析版） 題型：語法填空

閱讀下面材料，在空白處填入適當(dāng)?shù)膬?nèi)容(不多于3個(gè)單詞)或括號(hào)內(nèi)單詞的正確形式。

The truth 1. trees are vital to our life is not a secret. They provide us with food, wood and most 2. (important), oxygen. Now there is one more thing we can add to this list—blocking out harmful bacteria from water.

The discovery 3. (make) by a team 4. (consist) of scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and high school students 5. were seeking a natural water filter—one that would help communities in developing countries that do not have 6. (accessible) to modern water filter systems.

The 7. (research), led by Professor Rohit Karnik, decided to turn to trees for help because they could allow liquid to flow through, while blocking out air bubbles.

They began by cutting 1.5-inch-wide sections of tree bark from the branches of a white pine tree. The people related then tested the wood’s filtering ability by pouring water containing red dye particles of different sizes through. 8. their amazement, they found that it was effective in trapping all the articles. 9. (encourage), the team conducted 10. experiment, this time with water that contained bacteria. Sure enough, the sapwood held back 99% of the bacteria, allowing only 1% to flow through.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：2014-2015學(xué)年福建泉州市高三3月教學(xué)質(zhì)量檢查英語試卷（解析版） 題型：閱讀理解

Each Sunday, people can hear the music of the Mission Dolores Basilica in San Francisco. The Spanish missionaries（傳教士）built the church in 1791. It was the start of a special kind of neighborhood: the Mission District.

The area is a place with a long and varied history. One community member says that it’s important for people to understand the many levels of history in the neighborhood. He feels that this knowledge is a big part of understanding what it means to be a real San Franciscan.

One of the most interesting parts of the district is its people. Over the years, immigrants have come to the area from Ireland, Germany, and Italy. But the most recent immigrants are mainly from Latin America. It’s easy to see the style that these recent additions give to the neighborhood. You can see it in the art on the walls, taste it in the food, and hear it in the music!

Juan Pedro Gaffney, the director of the Spanish Choir（唱詩班）of San Francisco, says that the people there share the pain and the happiness of their friends and family members and that music has always been a basic part of cultural identity in the district. He feels that the music of the district is colorful and lively.

But it isn’t just its music that’s colorful and lively. Its art is full of life as well.

The local art community stays close to the area’s culture and tradition. A local arts organization often leads people on walks through the district. They visit streets like Balmy Alley, which is famous for its murals （壁畫）. Even though the meanings behind the murals are always changing, they are still very powerful. One artist explains that they are fighting for fairness in the community and to help the environment through murals. Apparently, they’re something the community likes.

Many of these artists feel that the district is a successful neighborhood where new immigrants are welcome. “People see that they’re not so different from each other,” says one artist. “There are a lot of things that bind（捆綁）the immigrants through culture and tradition.”

1.The underlined phrase “this knowledge” in Paragraph 2 refers to ____________.

A. having memories of the Spanish missionaries

B. knowing the history of the Mission Dolores Basilica

C. realizing what it means to be a real San Franciscan

D. understanding the many levels of history in the neighborhood

2.The author shows the multi-culture of the Mission District from the aspects of ____________.

A. literature and sports

B. music and murals

C. buildings and clothes

D. customs and festivals

3.It can be inferred from the passage that in the Mission District ____________.

A. immigrants from different cultures live in harmony

B. Latin American music and foods are the most attractive

C. the Spanish Choir stands out in the competition of different cultures

D. new immigrants have to give up their own culture to be welcome

4.What would be the best title for the passage?

A. The Mission Dolores Basilica

B. A Special Type of Neighborhood

C. Music of the Mission District

D. The Spanish Choir of San Francisco

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：2014-2015學(xué)年福建泉州市高三3月教學(xué)質(zhì)量檢查英語試卷（解析版） 題型：單項(xiàng)填空

I wondered why John kept it a secret. It was not until he three times that he told me the truth.

A. asked B. was asking

C. had asked D. had been asked

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：2014-2015學(xué)年四川綿陽南山中學(xué)高二下入學(xué)考英語試卷（解析版） 題型：閱讀理解

For the last couple of weeks, I had been stuck in front of my computer working on a project that was very important to me. My every waking hour was consumed by the project and although I imagined that I would feel happy after completing parts of the project, I was confused to find that instead, I was feeling rather depressed. I tried a range of methods to help cheer myself up. I had a relaxing bath, cooked a delicious meal to enjoy with my family and even watched a lighthearted movie, but to no avail. It was only when I turned to meditation(沉思)for a solution that the answer came to me: turn to nature!

The very next day, I grabbed my camera and a bottle of water and set off to spend a few hours walking in a nature reserve, even though it was pouring with rain. Within a couple of minutes I felt alive again. To be honest, I felt like a young school girl again and had to stop myself from hopping along the path singing, "I'm singing in the rain", a song I used to sing when I was a child. I think as adults we often try too hard to control our inner children and as a result we restrain(限制) our own spirits, which only leads to depression and stress.

Interestingly, it has been shown that people who spend 40 minutes walking in a nature reserve have a drop in their blood pressure levels, but this does not happen when they spend a similar amount of time walking in a busy city centre.

If you feel a little low in spirit and know that you have spent too much time indoors, relax completely, remove your shoes and let your inner child come out and play.

1.The author walked in a nature reserve in the rain in order to__________.

A. take photos

B. cheer herself up

C. hop along the path

D. find a solution to the project

2.The underlined part "to no avail" in Paragraph 1 probably means " __________".

A. uninteresting B. unrelated

C. unsuccessful D. unexpected

3.In the author's opinion, __________.

A.a bath can make people relaxed

B. adults should express their inner feelings freely

C. walking in a busy city centre harms people's health

D. depression is usually caused by hard work

4.The last paragraph mainly serves as a(n) __________.

A. suggestion B. explanation

C. introduction D. reminder

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：2014-2015學(xué)年湖北省襄陽市四校高一下期中聯(lián)考英語試卷（解析版） 題型：單項(xiàng)填空

Mr. Norman has raised some interesting points, but there’s one thing he has completely failed to _____.

A. account for B. block out

C. stand for D. come up

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習(xí)冊(cè)答案