Greening the Desert

Minqin County, located in the city of Wuwei in Gansu Province, is between China’s third and fourth largest deserts—the Badain Jaran and the Tengger. Local people plant suosuo trees, a plant that can survive in the desert, to prevent further desertification (沙漠化).

A number of local people have worked hard to turn the place into an oasis (绿洲). 27-year-old Zhong Lin is one of them. Growing up in Minqin, Zhong experienced sandstorms throughout his childhood. He once wanted to run away from his hometown and build his future in southern China.

However, he changed his mind when he saw the villagers’ hard life and the terrible environment there. He said, “Suddenly I understood—running away isn’t the solution. Making a difference is the key.” After graduating from university in 2020, Zhong returned to his hometown. “If suosuo trees can take root in sandstorms, why can’t young people?” he wrote in his diary.

Since then, Zhong has tried planting suosuo trees in the desert. He planted 500 trees in 2021, but most of them died. So he studied, learned from experienced villagers, and then planted more. After three years’ efforts, the trees he planted are now growing well in the desert, turning the land green and lively.

To draw attention to his hometown’s environment, Zhong shared videos about tree planting online and started a “Please Plant a Tree in Minqin” activity. Encouraged by Zhong’s tree-planting story, more and more volunteers from all over the country have come to Minqin to plant trees. Their common goal is to turn the desert into an oasis.

1.1.According to the first paragraph, which of the following should be put in ▲ in the map?

A Wuwei

B Badain Jaran Desert

C Gansu

D Tengger Desert

解析：选B。B 推理判断题。本题需结合第一段地理信息和地图空缺位置的逻辑关系推断答案。 解析：第一段表明民勤县位于中国第三和第四大沙漠，即巴丹吉林沙漠和腾格里沙漠之间。题目要求根据第一段选出地图▲处应填内容。选项 A 武威是民勤县所属的市，C 甘肃是省级行政区，二者均不是沙漠，排除；若▲处是两大沙漠中的一个，结合选项来看，题目未给出地图，但从选项设置和文本逻辑，原文明确提及两大沙漠的名称，题干问的是符合第一段信息的地图空缺内容，其他选项不符合 “沙漠” 这一地图标注的核心关联条件，结合排除法可确定答案为 B（巴丹吉林沙漠）。

2.2.Why do people plant suosuo trees in the desert?

A Because planting suosuo trees is not difficult.

B Because suosuo trees need little water or care.

C Because suosuo trees can take root in any climate.

D Because suosuo trees help stop further desertification.

解析：选D。D 细节理解题。本题考查对种植梭梭树原因的精准定位，需从原文中找对应的因果表述。 解析：原文第一段明确提到 “Local people plant suosuo trees, a plant that can survive in the desert, to prevent further desertification”，意为当地人种梭梭树是为了遏制沙漠化进一步加剧。选项 D “因为梭梭树有助于阻止沙漠化进一步恶化” 与原文表述完全一致；A、B 选项原文未提及种植梭梭树是否容易、需水量多少等内容；C 选项中 “任何气候” 表述绝对，原文仅说明其能在沙漠存活，并非适应所有气候，故排除 A、B、C。

3.3.What did Zhong Lin decide to do after graduation?

A Run away from his hometown.

B Build his future in southern China.

C Improve the local villagers’ life and the environment.

D Start a volunteer activity to attract more tourists to Minqin.

解析：选C。C 细节理解题。 原文提到钟林曾想逃离家乡去南方，但看到村民艰难生活和恶劣环境后改变想法，大学毕业后返乡种梭梭树。这一行为本质是为了改善当地的环境，进而改善村民的生活。选项 A、B 是他之前的想法，并非毕业后的决定，排除；D 选项中 “吸引游客” 原文未提及，他发起活动是为了号召植树而非吸引游客，排除；C 选项 “改善当地村民的生活和环境” 符合他返乡治沙的核心目的，故答案为 C。

4.4.What difficulty did Zhong Lin face in 2021?

A He only bought 500 trees.

B Villagers didn’t trust him.

C Most of the trees he planted died.

D No volunteers helped him.

解析：选C。C 细节理解题。本题考查对钟林在特定年份（2021 年）所遇困难的定位。 解析：原文第四段指出 “He planted 500 trees in 2021, but most of them died”，即 2021 年他种了 500 棵树，但大部分都枯死了。选项 C 与该表述完全一致；A 选项 “只买了 500 棵树”，原文未提及 “买树” 的数量限制，且数量不是困难所在；B 选项 “村民不信任他” 和 D 选项 “无志愿者帮忙” 在原文中均无相关表述，故排除 A、B、D。

5.5.What is the goal for the people who joined the tree-planting activity?

A To turn the desert into an oasis.

B To enjoy the scenery of the deserts.

C To learn more about Zhong Lin.

D To share videos about tree planting.

解析：选A。A 细节理解题。本题考查参与植树活动人员的共同目标，需锁定原文中关于活动目标的关键语句。 解析：原文最后一段明确提到 “Their common goal is to turn the desert into an oasis”，意为他们共同的目标是把荒漠变成绿洲。选项 A 与原文表述一致；B 选项 “欣赏沙漠风景”、C 选项 “更多地了解钟林” 均未在原文中提及；D 选项 “分享植树视频” 是钟林为吸引关注所做的事，并非志愿者参与活动的目标，故排除 B、C、D。