Teen Inventors Build A Robot To Replant Burned Forests

Like many countries, Portugal has been experiencing increasingly hotter, drier weather. This has caused many big wildfires. Since 2000, the country has lost about half of its forest because of these big fires. More than 60% of these areas are dangerous, making replanting difficult. Two university students have come up with a creative solution—a tree-planting robot called Trovador.

Marta Bernardino and Sebastião Mendonça, grew up near Portugal’s capital, Lisbon. They spent much of their childhood exploring the nearby woods. Sad to see them burned by fire again and again, they decided to act.

In 2023, they began building Trovador, a tree-planting robot. The first robot, made from recycled parts and costing $17, could plant young trees 28% faster than humans, and 90% of the young trees survived.

Their work quickly got international praise. In 2024, they received $10,000 to improve Trovador.

Trovador now is a four-legged, AI-powered robot. It uses cameras to find its way across difficult ground. It can work up to 3 hours on one full power and plant up to 200 young trees per hour. It is expected to be ready for work by the end of 2026.

Once ready, Trovador will provide more services to help plant more trees. Workers will use an app to choose planting areas, and the robot will do the rest. Marta and Sebastiāo hope it will help bring Portugal’s forests back.

1.1. Why is it difficult to replant trees in Portugal?

A Because the weather is getting hotter and wetter.

B Because much of the burned land is dangerous.

C Because the country has lost about half of its forest cover.

D Because there are too many big wildfires happening since 2000.

解析：选B。细节理解题。第一段原句 "More than 60% of these areas are dangerous, making replanting difficult"（这些过火区域中超过 60% 地形危险，使得重新造林十分困难）直接给出原因，与 B 项对应。干扰项辨析：A 偷换概念 —— 原文是 "hotter, drier"（更热、更干燥），选项却写 "hotter and wetter"（更热、更潮湿）；C 是山火造成的结果而非造林困难的原因；D 描述的是火灾频发的背景，并非造林困难的直接原因。此题考查 "making" 引导的因果关系定位，警惕 "结果当原因" 型干扰项。

2.2.What are Marta Bernardino and Sebastião Mendonça?

A Scientists.

B Students.

C Firefighters.

D Explorers.

解析：选B。细节理解题。第一段末句明确 "Two university students have come up with a creative solution"（两名大学生想出了一个创意解决方案），标题 "Teen Inventors" 也印证他们是学生，故选 B。干扰项辨析：A scientists（科学家）—— 虽然他们发明了机器人，但文中明确身份是大学生，并非专业科学家；C firefighters（消防员）文中未提及；D explorers（探险家）是对第二段 "exploring the nearby woods"（在树林里探索）的断章取义 —— 探索树林只是童年爱好，不是职业身份。此题考查对人物身份的准确定位。

3.3. What do we know about the first Trovador robot?

A It was made of new expensive materials.

B It cost as much as 10,000 dollars.

C It worked faster than human planters.

D Half of the young trees that it planted lived.

解析：选C。细节理解题。第三段原句 "The first robot, made from recycled parts and costing $17, could plant young trees 28% faster than humans, and 90% of the young trees survived"（第一台机器人由回收零件制成，成本仅 17 美元，种植幼树的速度比人类快 28%，且 90% 的幼树存活），C 项 "worked faster than human planters" 与 "28% faster than humans" 完全对应。干扰项辨析：A 与 "recycled parts"（回收零件）矛盾；B 张冠李戴 ——1 万美元是 2024 年获得的改进奖金，不是第一台机器人的成本（成本为 17 美元）；D 数字偷换 —— 成活率是 90%，不是 50%（一半）。此题考查对第一台机器人多个细节的准确记忆。

4.4.Which of the following is TRUE about Trovador?

A It’s now a snake-shaped machine.

B It can work 4 hours after being powered.

C It has already been widely used across Portugal.

D It will do the planting work in the chosen areas.

解析：选D。细节理解题。第六段原句 "Workers will use an app to choose planting areas, and the robot will do the rest"（工人将使用应用程序选择种植区域，剩下的工作由机器人完成），与 D 项 "将在选定区域完成植树工作" 对应。干扰项辨析：A 与第五段 "four-legged"（四足）矛盾；B 数字偷换 —— 原文是 3 小时，不是 4 小时；C 时态错误 —— 原文是 "expected to be ready for work by the end of 2026"（预计 2026 年底才就绪），并非 "已经广泛使用"。此题考查对当前型号参数和时态的准确判断。

5.5. What is the main purpose of the passage?

A To warn people of serious wildfires in Portugal.

B To introduce a tree-planting robot built by teens.

C To explain how wildfires do harm to local forests.

D To encourage students to take part in creative work.

解析：选B。主旨大意题。文章标题 "Teen Inventors Build A Robot To Replant Burned Forests"（少年发明家建造机器人来重造林过火森林）直接点明主旨，全文围绕两名大学生发明并不断改进 "特罗瓦多" 植树机器人展开 —— 背景（山火毁林）、动机（童年爱林）、第一代机器人、获奖改进、当前性能、未来应用，故 B 正确。干扰项辨析：A"警告山火" 和 C"解释火灾危害" 都只是背景铺垫，并非文章重点；D"鼓励学生" 虽有一定教育意义，但文章以介绍机器人为主，并非以号召鼓励为主要目的。此题考查把握说明文主旨，注意标题和全文叙事主线。