Mostrainforestslieclosetotheequator(赤道)wheretheclimateisoftenmildandtherearelonghoursofsunshine.Thewarmthofthelandheatstheairabovecausingittoriseandtinydropsofwatertofallasrain.Therainfallcanreachatleast98inchesayear.Thiswetwarmworldwithplentyofsunlightisperfectforplantstogrowsothetreesgrowfastwithgreenleavesalltheyearround.Thetreesthemselvesalsohaveaneffectontheclimate.Theygatherwaterfromthesoilandpassitoutintotheairthroughtheirleaves.Thewetairthenformscloudswhichhangoverthetreetopslikesmoke.Thesecloudsprotecttheforestfromthedaytimeheatandnight-timecoldofnearbydesertskeepingtemperaturesfitforplantgrowth.

Rainforestsslightlyfartherawayfromtheequatorremainjustaswarmbuttheyhaveadryseasonofthreemonthsormorewhenlittlerainfalls.Treeleavesfallduringthisdryseasonandnewleavesgrowwhenthewetseasonormonsoon(雨季)begins.Thustheseareasareknownasthe“monsoonforest”.

Anothertypeofrainforestgrowsontropicalmountains.Itisoftencalledthe“cloudforest”becausecloudsoftenhangoverthetreeslikefog.

Therainforestistheidealplaceforthegrowthofmanydifferenttrees.Mostofthemdependonanimalstoeattheirfruitsandspreadtheirseeds.Whenthefruitsareeatentheseedsinsidethemgoundamagedthroughanimals’stomachsandarepassedoutintheirdroppings.Theseedslyingontheforestfloorthengrowintonewtrees.

小题1:Theclimateoftherainforestsneartheequatoris_______.A．mildwetandwindyB．hotrainyandfoggyC．hotwetandcloudyD．warmwetandsunny小题2:Wecanlearnfromthepassagethat_______.A．treeleavesaregreenallthetimeinthemonsoonforestB．thereisadryseasoninthecloudforestontropicalmountainsC．cloudshelptheplantsintherainforestnearthedesertstogrowD．theformationofclimateintherainforesthaslittletodowiththetrees小题3:Accordingtothepassage_______playthemostimportantroleinthespreadingofseeds.A．animalsB．droppingsC．fruits