托福阅读详解之大米草（Spartina）

　　P1： Spartina alterniflora, known as cordgrass, is a deciduous¹, perennial² flowering plant native to the Atlantic coast and the Gulf³ Coast of the United States. It is the dominant⁴ native species of the lower salt marshes⁶ along these coasts, where it grows in the intertidal zone (the area covered by water some parts of the day and exposed others).

　　难词解析：

　　deciduous adj. 落叶的;短暂的

　　perennial adj. 不断出现的;多年生的

　　dominant adj./n.处于支配地位的;占优势的人

　　expose v. 使显露;揭露

　　难句解析：

　　Spartina alterniflora, (known as cordgrass, ) is a deciduous, perennial flowering plant native to the Atlantic coast and the Gulf Coast of the United States.

　　大米草，俗称网茅，是一种落叶的多年生开花植物，原产自美国大西洋沿岸和墨西哥湾地区。

　　P2： These natural salt marshes are among the most productive habitats in the marine⁷ environment. Nutrient-rich water is brought to the wetlands during each high tide, making a high rate of food production possible. As the seaweed and marsh⁵ grass leaves die, bacteria break down the plant material, and insects, small shrimp⁸ like organisms, fiddler crabs¹⁰, and marsh snails¹² eat the decaying plant tissue, it, and excrete wastes high in nutrients¹³. Numerous insects occupy the marsh, feeding on living or dead cordgrass tissue, and redwing blackbirds, sparrows, rodents¹⁴, rabbits, and deer feed directly on the cordgrass. Each tidal cycle carries plant material into the offshore¹⁵ water to be used by the subtidal organisms.

　　难词解析：

　　productive adj. 生产力高的;富有成效的

　　break down 故障;崩塌;中断

　　organism n. 微生物

　　fiddle⁹ v./ n. 不停摆弄;调试;弦乐器

　　snail¹¹ v./ n. 蜗牛;缓慢行动

　　excrete v. 排泄;分泌

　　难句解析：

　　As the seaweed and marsh grass leaves die,] bacteria break down the plant material, and insects, small shrimplike organisms, fiddler crabs, and marsh snails eat the decaying plant tissue, it, and excrete wastes high in nutrients.

　　随着海草和沼泽禾草叶子的死亡，细菌将植物体分解，昆虫、小型虾状浮游生物、招潮蟹和沼泽蜗牛吃掉了腐烂的植物组织，消化后排出富含营养的排泄物。

　　P3： Spartina is an exceedingly competitive plant. It spreads primarily by underground stems; colonies form when pieces of the root system or whole plants float into an area and take root or when seeds float into a suitable area and germinate¹⁶. Spartina establishes itself on substrates ranging from sand and silt¹⁷ to gravel¹⁸ and cobble and is tolerant of salinities ranging from that of near freshwater (0.05 percent) to that of salt water (3.5 percent). Because they lack oxygen, marsh sediments¹⁹ are high in sulfides that are toxic²⁰ to most plants. Spartina has the ability to take up sulfides and convert them to sulfate, a form of sulfur²¹ that the plant can use; this ability makes it easier for the grass to colonize²² marsh environments. Another adaptive advantage is Spartina’s ability to use carbon dioxide more efficiently²³ than most other plants.

　　难词解析：

　　exceedingly adj. 非常的;超越的

　　germinate v./ n. 发芽

　　convert v. / n. 转变;改建;换算

　　adaptive adj. 能适应的

　　难句解析：

　　Spartina has the ability to take up sulfides and convert them to sulfate, a form of sulfur (that the plant can use); this ability makes it easier for the grass to colonize marsh environments.

　　这种能力使得米草属植物能够在沼泽环境中生存。另一个适应性优势就是米草属植物比其他植物能更有效的利用二氧化碳的能力。

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　　P1: 大米草及其生长区域__________

　　P2: _____环境营养丰富高产(部分原因是因为米草属植物)

　　P3: 大米草极具竞争力

　　竞争优势1________________

　　竞争优势2________________

　　ANSWERS：

　　P1： Atlantic coast and the Gulf Coast of the United States

　　P2: marine environment

　　P3: Spartina has the ability to take up sulfides and convert them to sulfate; Spartina’s ability to use carbon dioxide more efficiently than most other plants

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