听力音频：
L1
讲座
1. What is the lecture mainly about?
How spinning seeds have inspired the design of new kinds of aircraft
Recent findings about the airflow properties of spinning seeds
The various physical forces that cause spinning seeds to fall straight down
A comparison of the mechanisms used by plants to disperse seeds
2. According to the professor, what aspect of maple seeds is important for their
survival?
The ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions
A shape that ensures they land near their tree of origin
The way they fall, which allows the wind to disperse them widely
A size that makes them easily dispersed by insects and bats
3. What question about maple seeds did researchers focus on?
How they generate lift at low velocities
How wind speed affects their flight
How they differ from nonspinning seeds
Which species’ seeds generate the most lift
4. What did the wind tunnel experiment reveal about maple seeds?
They fall faster when there is no wind.
They generate vortices that slow their descent.
Their flight becomes unstable in high winds.
Their rotational speed is increased by vortices.
5. What does the professor imply about the discovery that some plants and animals
generate lift in similar ways?
It was predicted by scientists many years ago.
It contradicts assumptions often made about animal and plant evolution.
It does not provide a satisfactory explanation of seed dispersal.
It will probably inspire many more scientists to study plants.
6. According to the professor, what practical application might the researchers’
findings about vortices have in the future?
The findings could help scientists predict the spread of maple trees.
The findings could help launch aircraft more efficiently.
The findings could help farmers improve seed dispersal.
The findings could be used to design new parachutes for spacecraft.
