Questions 01-12 How orchid seeds are pollinated

      Orchids are unique in having the most highly developed of all blossoms, in which

the usual male and female reproductive organs are fused in a single structure called the

column. The column is designed so that a single pollination will fertilize hundreds of

thousands, and in some cases millions, of seeds, so microscopic and light they are easily

carried by the breeze. Surrounding the column are three sepals and three petals, sometimes easily

recognizable as such, often distorted into gorgeous, weird, but always functional

shapes. The most noticeable of the petals is called the labellum, or lip. It is often

dramatically marked as an unmistakable landing strip to attract the specific insect the

orchid has chosen as its pollinator.

      __To lure their pollinators from afar, orchids use appropriately intriguing shapes,__

colors, and scents. At least 50 different aromatic compounds have been analyzed in the

orchid family, each blended to attract one, or at most a few, species of insects or birds.

Some orchids even change their scents to interest different insects at different times.

      __Once the right insect has been attracted, some orchids present all sorts of one-way__

obstacle courses to make sure it does not leave until pollen has been accurately placed

or removed. By such ingenious adaptations to specific pollinators, orchids have

avoided the hazards of rampant crossbreeding in the wild, assuring the survival of

species as discrete identities. At the same time they have made themselves irresistible

to collectors.

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

   (A) Birds

   (B) Insects

   (C) Flowers

   (D) Perfume

2. The orchid is unique because of

   (A) the habitat in which it lives

   (B) the structure of its blossom

   (C) the variety of products that can be made from it

   (D) the length of its life

3. The word "fused" in line 2 is closest in meaning to

   (A) combined

   (B) hidden

   (C) fertilized

   (D) produced

4. How many orchid seeds are typically pollinated at one time?

   (A) 200

   (B) 2,000

   (C) 20,000

   (D) 200,000

5. Which of the following is a kind of petal?

   (A) The column

   (B) The sepal

   (C) The stem

   (D) The labellum

6. The labellum(line7) is most comparable to

   (A) a microscope

   (B) an obstacle course

   (C) an airport runway

   (D) a racetrack

7. The word "lure" in line 10 is closest in meaning to

   (A) attract

   (B) recognize

   (C) follow

   (D) help

8. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a means by which an orchid attracts insects?

   (A) Size

   (B) Shape

   (C) Color

   (D) Perfume

9. The word "their" in line 13 refers to

   (A) orchids

   (B) birds

   (C) insects

   (D) species

10. Which of the following statements about orchids scents does the passage support?

   (A) They are effective only when an insect is near the blossom.

   (B) Harmful insects are repelled by them.

   (C) They are difficult to tell apart.

   (D) They may change at different times.

11. The word "placed" in line 15 is closest in meaning to

   (A) estimated

   (B) measured

   (C) deposited

   (D) identified

12. The word "discrete" in line 18 is closest in meaning to

   (A) complicated

   (B) separate

   (C) inoffensive

   (D) functional

註釋

• Paragraph 1: introduce the column of the orchid, and what surrounds it
• Paragraph 2: orchids use shapes, colors and scents to lure their pollinators
• Paragraph 3: some orchids present one-way obstacle course to make sure the insect does not leave until pollen has been accurately placed or removed
  • thus, orchids have avoided the hazards of crossbreeding

難句解析

1. The column is designed so that a single pollination will fertilize hundreds of thousands, and in some cases millions, of seeds,

    so microscopic and light they are easily carried by the breeze.

    第一個 so that 引導一表目的、結果的副詞子句，而後半句則為 __so ... that ...__ 強調語氣句型省略了 that: so microscopic and light (that) they are easily carried by the breeze.

2. It is often dramatically marked as an unmistakable landing strip to attract the specific insect the orchid has chosen as its pollinator.

    後半 "to attract the specific insect the orchid has chosen as its pollinator" 其實是省略了 that 的結果 (關係代名詞當受詞可省略):

    to attract the specific insect (that) the orchid has chosen as its pollinator (that 在形容詞子句中當 chosen 的受詞)

題解

CBADD CAAAD CB

1. 整篇都是在談論 orchid，而它是一種 flower，若不知此單字，由 pollen、pollination、pollinator、scent 等字也可大略推知

2. Orchids are unique in having the most highly developed of all blossoms

3. fused ≒ combine (由 female、male 兩者變成 single，也可大略推知是將其 combine)

4. he column is designed so that a single pollination will fertilize hundreds of thousands, and in some cases millions, of seeds

    typical 是 hundres of thousands，也就是 x00000

5. The most noticeable of the petals is called the labellum

6. It is often dramatically marked as an unmistakable landing strip (airport runway)

7. 從文中也可看出 lure 和 atrract 是相同意思

8. "To lure their pollinators from afar, orchids use appropriately intriguing shapes, colors, and scents" scents，氣味，蘭花的氣味也就是香味，perfume

9. Some orchids even change their scents to interest different insects at different times. 本句主詞為 orchids

10. Some orchids even change their scents to interest different insects at different times.

11. to make sure it does not leave until pollen has been accurately placed or removed.

      這裡的 place 應該就是指放置花粉，選項裡意思相近的大概也就只有 deposit: 放下,放置

12. assuring the survival of species as discrete identities 確保獨立物種，接近之字: seperate

單字

• orchid 蘭花,淡紫色,稱讚,表揚(P)
• fuse 熔合;混合 to join together physically, or to make things join together, and become a single thing
• column 蕊柱
• pollination 授粉(作用) (pollen: 花粉)
• fertilize 使受精
• microscopic 微小的 extremely small and therefore very difficult to see
• sepal 萼片 one of the small leaves directly under a flower
• petal 花瓣
• distort 扭曲 to change the appearance, sound, or shape of something so that it is strange or unclear
• gorgeous 華麗的,豪華的;極好的 extremely beautiful or attractive; extremely pleasant or enjoyable
• labellum (蘭科植物的)唇瓣
• landing strip 【空】簡易機場 a flat piece of ground that has been prepared for aircraft to use
• from afar 從遠方 from a long distance away
• intriguing 使人迷惑的 something that is intriguing is very interesting because it is strange, mysterious, or unexpected
• aromatic 芳香的 (aro-: air) having a strong pleasant smell
• obstacle course 為達成目標所需要處理的一系列困難 a series of difficulties which must be dealt with to achieve a particular aim

  (origion: 障礙超越訓練場 an area of land with special equipment that soldiers must run through, climb over etc, as part of their training)

• rampant 繁茂的;蔓生的;猖獗的;猛烈的 a plant that is rampant grows and spreads quickly, in a way that is difficult to control
• crossbreed 使雜交繁育 (breed: 使繁殖;養育)
• irresistible 富有誘惑力的;無法抵抗的 so attractive, desirable etc that you cannot prevent yourself from wanting it

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