In 1605, a scientist took a willow branch(柳枝) and planted it. He didn’t plant it in the ground, however. He planted it in a vase of soil(泥土). For the next five years, the scientist watered that willow carefully.
The willow grew and grew. Where did it get the food for its growth? To most people, this was an easy question. The willow plant, of course, took the food from the soil.
The scientist, however, wanted evidence(证据).If the willow took the food from the soil for its growth, then, as it grew and weighed more, the soil ought to weigh less. He weighed the willow branch before he planted it. It weighed five pounds. Then he weighed the soil. It weighed 200 pounds. After five years, he weighed the plant and the soil again. The willow tree weighed 169 pounds, but the soil weighed almost the same.
The result(结果) was surprising. Where did the 164 pounds come from?
After many investigations(调查), the scientist got the answer. He had given water to the willow, and the willow got its food from the water.
He was right, in a way. Today we know more about the question.
1. The scientist did the experiment in the sixteenth century.
2. Most people thought the plant got the food from the soil for its growth.
3. The soil in the vase weighed two hundred pounds.
4. The scientist found that the willow grew and weighed more and the soil weighed less.
5. The soil weighed 164 pounds after five years.
6. Now we know about the question as much as the scientist did.
答案：
1. B 事实细节题。因为1605年是第17世纪的第5年，而不是第16世纪。
2. A事实细节题。由第2段To most people, this was an easy question. The willow plant, of course, took the food from the soil 可知。
3. A事实细节题。由第3段的Then he weighed the soil. It weighed 200 pounds可知。
4. B事实细节题。由第3段最后一句The willow tree weighed 169 pounds, but the soil weighed almost the same可知。
5. B事实细节题。因为164 pounds不是土壤的重，而是the willow由5年前的5 pounds到169 pounds所增加的重量。
6. B事实细节题。由文章最后一句Today we know more about the question 可知。