Scientist, conservation organizations and government trying to stop the trend of extinction (灭绝) often focus on protected areas such as national parks and wildlife preserves. But with as many as million species(物种) at risk, this plan of action may not be enough to conserve wildlife.
Slowing the mass extinction that now appears to be underway will require more creative means of coexisting alongside wild plants and animals. A new study indicates the effectiveness of some such approaches by examining some lands managed by indigenous groups.
“ We show really strongly that, from a biodiversity standpoint in terms of species richness,indigenous - managed lands are at least comparable to protected areas, ” says biologist Richard Schuster of Carleton University. And in some places, they are better than parks and preserves -even though indigenous communities may use their lands’ resources by hunting or searching for food.
Schuster and his team analyzed more than 15,000 areas in Australia, Brazil and Canada. They found that the total diversity of wildlife was highest on lands either managed or co - managed by indigenous groups, while randomly selected areas with no formal protection were the least bio-diverse. For threatened species in particular, indigenous lands scored slightly higher than protected lands on overall species richness in Brazil and Canada, as well as higher for threatened animals in Australia.
Each country has a different geography, climate and history. Yet remarkably, Schuster says, the best indicator for species diversity is whether a given area was managed by an indigenous community. He pointed out that practices such as sustainable(可持续的) hunting, fishing and searching, as well as burning, are more likely to occur in such areas. Don Hankins, an ecologist at California State University,agrees. “ there’ s probably going to be more of a connection to the land, ” he says, “ and a use of the land for the things that are there, compared to a national park. ”
“ It’ s really important to listen to the people who live on the land and have them drive the stewardship efforts going forward, ” Schuster says, adding that partnering with indigenous communities may enable the world’ s countries to better meet a wide range of conservation goals: “ We really need all the help we can get as a global community to prevent species extinction that we’ re facing right now. ”
1. What does the underlined word “ indigenous” probably mean in Paragraph 2?A.Social. | B.Native. |
C.Protected. | D.Threatened. |
A.National parks are even higher in species diversity. |
B.Indigenous communities overhunted on their lands. |
C.Some preserves almost have no formal protection. |
D.Indigenous lands do better in keeping bio-diversity. |
A.Species diversity depends on geographical positions. |
B.Humans’ everyday activities are no longer sustainable. |
C.Indigenous groups have a close bond with their lands. |
D.Protected areas work perfectly in wildlife protection. |
A.Beating back extinction. | B.Dealing with environmental problems. |
C.Setting up nature reserves. | D.Fighting against unsustainable behaviors. |
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【推荐1】Young dolphins, within the first few months of life, display their creativity by creating a unique sound. These bleats, chirps and squeaks amount to a novel possession in the animal kingdom — a label that conveys an identity, comparable to a human name.
These labels are called signature whistles(标志哨声), and they play an essential role in creating and keeping relationships among dolphins. While the development of a signature whistle is influenced by learning from other dolphins, each whistle still varies in volume, frequency, pitch(音高) and length.
The scientists found dolphins who live in regions with more seagrass have signature whistles that are higher in pitch and shorter in length when compared to those who live in areas where the seafloor is muddier. Meanwhile, dolphins in smaller groups have whistles that change pitch more often than dolphins in larger groups.
In 2013, researchers discovered that dolphins imitate another’s signature whistle to re-establish contact, at times adding parts of their signature whistle to the call. Moreover, in 2018 a study on male bottlenose dolphins(宽吻海豚) found that they keep their “names” into adulthood just like females—it was previously thought males abandoned their signature whistle to adopt the same whistle as their alliance(同盟) groups.
Dolphins can remember other dolphins after 20 or more years without contact by remembering their whistles, said Jason Bruck, an assistant professor at Stephen F. Austin State University.
Scientists analyzed 188 hours of recorded acoustic data collected by different research groups from 2006 to 2020. These sounds were recorded at six sites across the Mediterranean Sea, which is divided into west and east basins. There is genetic variation(差异) between eastern and western dolphin populations. Accordingly, the eastern and western basins were used as proxies(替代指标) for genetic variation.
The team extracted 168 individual whistles from the recordings and analyzed their acoustic features in relation to a few factors: precise location where the whistle was recorded, whether or not this was in the eastern or western basin, the local ocean environment and population demographics.
Ultimately, the scientists found that location only partially affected whistle variability.
Meanwhile, the environmental conditions and demographic characteristics did appear to strongly influence signature whistles—findings that align with the “acoustic adaptation hypothesis(声学适应假说),” the idea that animals acoustically adapt their vocalizations to their local conditions to optimize the purpose of their sounds. The study claims these are the foundational influences on signature whistle variability.
1. What does Paragraph 3 mainly talk about?A.What determines the dolphin group size. |
B.What influences the differences among signature whistles. |
C.How dolphins produce the signature whistles at high rates. |
D.How signature whistles convey information about identity. |
A.Dolphins influence one another. |
B.Dolphins struggle to rejoin social groups. |
C.Male dolphins repeat whistles to attract female ones. |
D.Signature whistles are unique to bottlenose dolphins. |
A.They innovate their specific sounds to hunt. |
B.They behave in the same way as humans. |
C.They are stimulated to learn from other dolphins. |
D.They are capable of long-term social recognition. |
A.To explore if signature whistles can be identified. |
B.To investigate the living environment of dolphins. |
C.To study what factors influenced signature whistles. |
D.To identify the relationship between regions and genes. |
【推荐2】Parenting techniques may have long lasting consequences for behavior—even when it comes to dogs.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania studied the early development, parenting and the following performance of 98 puppies who underwent guide dog training. Dogs who received more independence and less support from their mothers were more likely to be successful in becoming a guide dog. The study was published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Mom-pup interactions were used to define how highly involved the puppy’s mothers were. Puppies raised with highly involved mothers were more likely to be released—or dropped out from the guide dog program—compared to those with less attentive mothers.
“Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing,” said lead study researcher Emily Bray. Although the study couldn’t definitely point to what was driving this effect, “one possibility is that the dogs that are having overbearing(专横的)mothers are never given the chance to deal with small challenges on their own, and is harmful to their later behavior and outcome in their problem solving. Another possibility is that the puppies for whom the mothers are always around are also the most anxious or stressed,” she explained.
“What I was happy about was that there is a study being done about early life experiences in dogs,” another researcher Dolores Hole said. “If the mom is trying to protect her pups against small challenges, then they will not be suited for the big challenges.”
The study included three breeds(品种):German shepherds, Labrador retrievers and Golden retrievers. The puppies were followed from the first weeks of life for several years. Interestingly, Labrador retrievers tended to wash out from the program, while Golden retrievers tended to succeed.
As for whether the findings can be applied to human babies of so-called “helicopter parents,” Bray was hesitant.
“I think people can draw parallels(相似之处), but I think you also have to be careful because they are different species,” she said.
She added, “The nice thing about dogs is that they are a lot less complicated than humans.”
1. What makes successful guide dogs according to the study?A.Less attentive owners. | B.More practical training. |
C.Less supportive mothers. | D.More tense environment. |
A.The necessity of mom-pup interactions. |
B.Some characteristics of good guide dogs. |
C.The significance of high parental involvement. |
D.Potential causes of some puppies’ poor performance. |
A.They choose to stay. | B.They fail to be qualified. |
C.They rise to challenges. | D.They are easy to notice. |
A.Parenting techniques can apply to guide dogs |
B.Guide dogs are less complicated than humans |
C.Researchers help raise public awareness of blind people |
D.A study is done about early life experiences of human babies |
【推荐3】China's Bao Yongqing has been named the overall winner of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition for 2019, claiming one of the world's top photography awards.
The competition is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum in London. This year's competition, the 55th, drew more than 48,000 entries from 100 countries. The winning entry by Bao, a native of Qinghai province, is titled The Moment. It captures a remarkable standoff between a Tibetan fox and a marmot(土拨鼠), and was taken on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. "Photographically, it is quite simply the perfect moment," said Roz Kidman Cox, the chairwoman of the judging panel. "The expressive intensity of the postures holds you transfixed, and the thread of energy between the raised paws seems to hold the protagonists in perfect balance", Cox said. To have captured such a powerful interaction between a Tibetan fox and a marmot — two species key to the ecology of this high-grassland region — is extraordinary. Museum Director Michael Dixon said the picture captured "nature's ultimate challenge——the battle for survival".
Bao, in a group interview on Wednesday, said of the photo: "It is very difficult and rare to capture this kind of moment, so I knew it was something very special. It took about two or three hours to get this photo. I was watching them for a long time. I have paid attention to this competition for a long time, and my first purpose was to show my image to the world, and secondly to protect the environment and my homeland," he said. " In my hometown, everyone looks after the animals, so when I go home with this award, it will be an encouragement to our people to be more protective of animals and the environment." In addition, the photographer said : "This competition is one of the most important among photographers in China, so I wanted to draw people's attention to animal protection. I hope it will introduce a passion for animals to more people."
The exhibition at the Natural History Museum in Kensington will open on Friday and run through the end of May next year, when it will go on a national and international tour. Entries for next year's competition will be accepted beginning on Oct. 21.
1. What does the underlined word "protagonists" in the 2nd paragraph mean?A.Onlookers. | B.Photographers. |
C.Hunters. | D.Main characters. |
A.The Wildlife Photographer of the Year originated from London. |
B.The Wildlife Photographer of the Year is a domestic competition in China. |
C.The competition drew worldwide attention, making it the best event in photography. |
D.Entries are strictly restricted, mainly focused on endangered animals. |
A.His capturing a crucial moment between two typical species. |
B.His expertise in photography. |
C.His passionate devotion to wildlife protection. |
D.His publicizing the knowledge of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. |
A.In Bao’s hometown, everyone looks after animals. |
B.Taking photos can sometimes be painstaking. |
C.Photograph is sure to raise public awareness of animal protection. |
D.The exhibition will go on a tour in China next year. |
【推荐1】Selecting what to wear can be a difficult problem, especially if you’re a fashion victim.
Trying to follow the latest styles involves regular visits to the shops and sometimes spending much money on expensive designer clothes.But when the fashion changes, these clothes had to stay in the back of cupboards gathering dust, or just get thrown away.
There are many stores that now offer cheap “fast fashion”—low-price items that imitate the styles of more expensive designer brands.
Environmentalists are angered by the amount of energy involved in making these clothes and that many of them are made from non-recyclable materials. This means that items are just burned or go into landfill.
Writing about this for the BBC, Eleanor Lawrie says that people in the UK are the worst in Europe for doing this—with a million tons of unwanted textiles a year being thrown away.
And she says, “on top of often poor labour conditions for garment workers, the fashion industry is responsible for 20%of the world’s waste water, and 10%of carbon emissions.”
This is something the fashion industry is becoming more aware of and has led to a new crop of biomaterials that replace wasteful textiles like cotton and leather.
Examples include Piňatex, a leather-like substance made from pineapple leaves. It’s been used in collections by Hugo Boss and H&M. And there’s mycelium, the root structure of mushrooms, that’s being used to create food, packaging and textiles. Cotton is a very resource-intense crop to grow. Eleanor Lawrie says, “about 15.000 litres of water are required to make one pair of 1eans.
So, buying organic cotton is a better choice. And there is also Tencel(天丝绒), also known as Lyocell(莱赛尔纤维绒), a natural product that’s now growing in popularity. It’s made by obtaining fibre from trees; its manufacture is thought to use 95%less water than cotton processing.
But creating sustainable(可持续的)textiles is only part of the battle-buying ethically(符合道德准则地), buying second hand and buying fewer clothes are the obvious environmentally friendly choices.
1. What does “fashion victim” mean according to the first paragraph?A.People who are fed up with fashion. | B.People who pursue fashion blindly. |
C.People who show no concern about fashion. | D.People who oppose fashion strongly. |
A.Pineapple leaves. | B.Mushroom root. | C.Lyocell. | D.Cotton. |
A.Cloth producers should produce less clothes. |
B.Customers should be sensible when purchasing clothes. |
C.Customers should wear old clothes rather than buy new ones. |
D.Fashion industry should sell second hand and environmentally friendly clothes. |
A.Many of the clothes that can’t be recycled are just burned or go into landfill. |
B.About 15,000 litres of water are required to make one pair of jeans with cotton but Tencel is thought to use 95%of the water than cotton processing. |
C.People in the UK are the worst in the world for throwing away unwanted textiles according to Eleanor Lawrie. |
D.There is no crop of biomaterials that replace wasteful textiles like cotton and leather. |
【推荐2】In 2019, the world generated 54.6 million tons of e-waste. However, just 17.4 percent of it was formally collected and recycled. Since 2014, the amount of e-waste recycled has grown by 1.8 million tons—a relatively small amount, considering that the amount of e-waste generated increased by 9.2 million tons in the same period.
Global reserves of some elements, such as platinum (铂), are supposed to be fully used up within15 years if the proportion of recycled stocks entering production doesn’t increase. E-waste and EV batteries are currently recycled through processes called pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy. However, they involve burning temperatures with a high energy demand and deep carbon footprint, and poisonous chemicals which are harmful to the environment. Alternatives are therefore being sought.
A team of scientists from the University of Coventry are extending one such alternative. They have been using non-poisonous bacteria to oxidize (使氧化) and recover the precious metals—a process known as ”bioleaching“. They have shown that copper is widely recoverable from e-waste, and that all metals present in EV batteries can be recovered by using microbes (微生物). If extended, bioleaching facilities would mean that manufacturers of EV batteries and other electronic goods would be able to recover metals locally, relying less on costly exports to recycling centers abroad.
”At present, a key limitation for e-waste recycling is the lack of certification detailing the types and amounts of metals contained in electronic goods. But with an efficient recycling process appearing, manufacturers have the motivation to use more recycled material in their products, which will change the very design of electronics goods. It’s about closing the loop of a product’s life cycle,“ said the leader of the Bioleaching Research Group, Sebastien Farnaud.
Ultimately, bioleaching technology is born out of the idea of creating a truly circular process for the things that we consume. We need to shift from a mindset and economy where we see waste as an end product, to one where there isn’t even a start or an end at all.
1. What do the statistics in paragraph 1 indicate?A.The recycling rate of e-waste is comparatively low. |
B.People pay little attention to e-waste recycling. |
C.E-waste has caused serious environmental problems. |
D.The amount of e-waste is sharply increasing every year. |
A.They only apply to certain e-waste. |
B.They generate metals with a complex process. |
C.They are not environmentally friendly. |
D.They cause a sharp rise in local temperatures. |
A.It recovers metals by microbes. | B.It produces non-poisonous bacteria. |
C.It has been applied abroad. | D.It promotes the local export trade. |
A.A news report. | B.A scientific journal. |
C.A health magazine. | D.A fiction novel. |
【推荐3】The health of millions could be at risk because supplies of medicinal plants are being used up. These plants are used to make traditional medicine, including drugs to fight cancer. “The loss of medicinal plants is a quiet disaster,” says Sara Oldfield, secretary general of the NGO Botanic Gardens Conservation International.
Most people worldwide rely on herbal (药草制的) medicines which are got mostly from wild plants. But some 15,000 of the 50,000 medicinal species are under threat of dying out, according to report from the international conservation group Plantlife. Shortages have been reported in China, India, Kenya, Nepal, Tanzania and Uganda.
Over-harvesting does the most harm, though pollution and competition from invasive species (入侵物种) and habitat destruction all contribute. Businessmen generally harvest medicinal plants, not caring about sustainability (可持续性),” the Plantlife report says, “damage is serious partly because they have no idea about it, but it is mainly because such collection is unorganized”. Medicinal trees at risk include the Himalayan yew (紫衫) and the African cherry, which are used to treat some cancers.
The solution, says the report’s author, Alan Hamilton, is to encourage local people to protect these plants. Ten projects studied by Plantlife in India, Pakistan, China, Nepal, Uganda and Kenya showed this method can succeed. In Uganda, the project has kept a sustainable supply of low-cost cancer treatments, and in China a public-run medicinal plant project has been created for the first time.”
“Improving health, earning an income and keeping cultural traditions are important in encouraging people to protect medicinal plants,” says Hamilton, “You have to pay attention to what people are interested in.”
Ghillean Prance, the former director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London, agrees that medicinal plants are in need of protection. “Not nearly enough is being done,” he told New Scientist. “We are destroying the very plants that are of most use to us.”
1. From the first two paragraphs, we can learn that ________.A.millions of people are threatened with cancer |
B.most countries see a shortage of herbal medicines |
C.about two thirds of medicinal species will disappear |
D.a number of medicinal species are in danger of extinction |
A.over-harvesting | B.habitat destruction |
C.pollution | D.invasive species |
A.pollution | B.other species’ invasion |
C.sustainability | D.over-harvesting |
A.Protecting medicinal plants has a long way to go. |
B.Local people don’t know how to protect medicinal plants. |
C.Ghillean Prance is optimistic about medicinal plants’ future. |
D.China has made great progress in protecting medicinal plants. |
【推荐1】The curb cut (路缘坡). It’s a convenience that most of us rarely, if ever, notice. Yet, without it, daily life might be a lot harder—in more ways than one. Pushing a baby stroller onto the curb, skateboarding onto a sidewalk or taking a full grocery cart from the sidewalk to your car—all these tasks are easier because of the curb cut.
But it was created with a different purpose in mind.
It’s hard to imagine today, but back in the 1970s, most sidewalks in the United States ended with a sharp drop-off. That was a big deal for people in wheelchairs because there were no ramps to help them move along city blocks without assistance. According to one disability rights leader, a six-inch curb “might as well have been Mount Everest”. So, activists from Berkeley, California, who also needed wheelchairs, organized a campaign to create tiny ramps at intersections to help people dependent on wheels move up and down curbs independently.
I think about the “curb cut effect” a lot when working on issues around health equity (公平). The first time I even heard about the curb cut was in a 2017 Stanford Social Innovation Review piece by Policy Link CEO Angela Blackwell. Blackwell rightly noted that many people see equity as “a zero-sum game (零和游戏)” and that it is commonly believed that there is a “prejudiced societal suspicion that intentionally supporting one group hurts another.” What the curb cut effect shows though, Blackwell said, is that “when society creates the circumstances that allow those who have been left behind to participate and contribute fully, everyone wins.”
There are multiple examples of this principle at work. For example, investing in policies that create more living-wage jobs or increase the availability of affordable housing certainly benefits people in communities that have limited options. But, the action also empowers those people with opportunities for better health and the means to become contributing members of society—and that benefits everyone. Even the football huddle (密商) was initially created to help deaf football players at Gallaudet College keep their game plans secret from opponents who could have read their sign language. Today, it’s used by every team to prevent the opponent from learning about game-winning strategies.
So, next time you cross the street, or roll your suitcase through a crosswalk or ride your bike directly onto a sidewalk—think about how much the curb cut, that change in design that broke down walls of exclusion for one group of people at a disadvantage, has helped not just that group, but all of us.
1. What does the underlined quote from the disability rights leader imply concerning a six-inch curb?A.It is an unforgettable symbol. | B.It is an impassable barrier. |
C.It is an important sign. | D.It is an impressive landmark. |
A.It’s not worthwhile to promote health equity. |
B.It’s necessary to go all out to help the disabled. |
C.It’s impossible to have everyone treated equally. |
D.It’s fair to give the disadvantaged more help than others. |
A.Spaceflight designs are applied to life on earth. |
B.Four great inventions of China spread to the west. |
C.Christopher Columbus discovered the new world. |
D.Classic literature got translated into many languages. |
A.Caring for disadvantaged groups may finally benefit all. |
B.Action empowers those with opportunities for better solutions. |
C.Society should create circumstances that get everyone involved. |
D.Everyday items are originally invented for people in need of help. |
【推荐2】In so many ways, cyberspace (网络空间) mirrors the real world. People ask for information, play games, and share hobby tips. Others buy and sell products. Still others look for friendship, or even love.
Unlike the real world, however, your knowledge about a person is limited to words on a computer screen. Identity (身份) and appearance mean very little in cyberspace. Rather, a person’s thoughts—or at least the thoughts they type—are what really count. So even the shyest person can become a chat-room star.
Usually, this “faceless” communication doesn’t create problems. Identity doesn’t really matter when you’re in a chat room discussing politics or hobbies. In fact, this stress on the ideas themselves makes the Internet a great place for exciting conversation. Where else can so many people come together to chat?
But some Internet users want more than just someone to chat with. They’re looking for serious love relationships. Is cyberspace a good place to find love? That answer depends on whom you ask. Some of these relationships actually succeed. Others fail.
Supporters say that the Internet allows couples lo gel lo know each other intellectually (智力地) first. Personal appearance doesn’t get in the way. Bill others argue that no one can truly know another person in cyberspace. Why? Because the Internet gives users a lot of control over how others view them. Internet users can carefully change their words to fit whatever image (形象) they want to give. In a sense, they’re not really themselves.
All of this may be fine if the relationship stays in cyberspace. But not knowing a person is a big problem in a love relationship. With so many unknowns, it’s easy to let one’s imagination “fill in the blanks.” This unavoidably leads to disappointment when couples meet in person. How someone imagines an online friend is often quite different than the real person.
So, before looking for love in cyberspace, remember the advice of Clifford Stoll: “Life in the real world is far richer than anything you’ll find on a computer screen.”
1. Which of the following is not true according to the passage?A.It is possible that people can’t find true love online. |
B.Appearance and identity is of little importance for relationship online. |
C.A shy person will surely become talkative online. |
D.Internet users are encouraged to create images in cyberspace. |
A.Cyberspace mirrors the real world. |
B.Don’t judge a book by its cover. |
C.Inner beauty is more important than appearance. |
D.Things are not always what they seem. |
A.The online friend. | B.One’s imagination. |
C.Love relationship. | D.The real friend. |
A.He is against it. | B.He supports it. |
C.He cares little about it. | D.He is interested in it. |
【推荐3】Dating in the workplace is, if not a taboo, certainly a conundrum-not only for businesses, but also for the employees who find themselves falling for a co-worker. - [1] - Should it be allowed? Would it be authoritarian to ban it? Should employees inform their bosses of office relationships, or should they conceal them? Is requiring so-called “love contracts” to be signed by both parties before initiating a relationship even realistic?
-[2]Most people spend 30 to 45 hours in the office each week-and with team-bonding activities, work celebrations and Friday drinks, it’s normal for colleagues to build a bond with one another, especially if they find that they have more things in common than just their employer.
From the company’s point of view, however, couples at work are a serious risk factor which must be mitigated. Without a proper dating policy in place, claims of sexual harassment and accusations of favoritism become a significant risk. It’s not necessary to ban office romance (though you are certainly allowed to): but you do need to have clear rules in place, to ensure you’re doing all you can to head off any potential issues. Ask, for example, that all employees who embark on a relationship have a sit-down, be it casual or formal, with HR. - [3] -
As for employees, there are two things to consider when you find yourself romantically interested in one of your colleagues: first of all, is it worth it?-[4] - Regardless of how your employer feels, office romance can be quite complicated-not only because you’ll most likely be the target of gossip, but also because your work environment will be affected if the relationship does not work out. And secondly, what is your company’s dating policy? If they have a zero-tolerance policy, do not risk your job or assume you will be able to keep your relationship on the down low. In the vast majority of cases, it’s simply not possible.
Attitudes towards office romance are certainly changing, with more companies reassessing zero-tolerance policies and opting for a more casual approach to how their employees connect with one another. That said, however, office romance is still a complex issue, and it should be treated with gravitas.
1. Who is this article aimed at?A.companies |
B.employees considering a relationship with a colleague |
C.employees who are not in a relationship with a colleague |
D.all of the above |
A.what their dating policy will be |
B.whether the advantages of it outweigh the disadvantages |
C.whether to inform the company |
D.whether to follow the company’s dating rules |
A.hiding your relationship | B.making an example out of your relationship |
C.protecting your relationship | D.creating rumors about relationships |
A.[1] | B.[2] | C.[3] | D.[4] |
【推荐1】Rather than building new homes to help satisfy housing markets, a new study says that taxing empty homes in big cities could increase housing affordability for local residents while generating income for the governments.
During the past 20 years, housing affordability has decreased significantly in the UK due to a rapid increase in prices relative to earnings. This may be due to foreign investors buying out properties in cities such as London, or from British citizens in the countryside buying out second homes in the city, which reduces the availability of affordable housing for local residents.
This means that local citizens who actually live in the city are forced to pay more money for housing in neighborhoods that are filled with homes that are unoccupied for more than half of the year.
In a study that was published recently,researcher Jonathan Bourne at University College London studied the relationship between the amount of properties which do not have permanent residents, and housing affordability in different parts of England and Wales. Upon researching the data, which represents about 40% of the population.the researcher was stunned to find that there were over 340,000 empty apartments across the places.
Though some cities are trying to meet housing demands by building more housing. Bourne suggests that local governments put an empty homes tax of 1% instead. “The data shows that empty homes are very concentrated in small numbers of desirable areas. In such cases simply building more homes is not going to solve the problem.as the issue is severe competition for property, not a lack of places to live." says Bourne.
Vancouver introduced a similar empty homes tax in 2017,which was the first oi its kind in North America. One year after it went into effect. the city reported a 15% decrease in unoccupied homes,which amounted to 163 properties being rented out to local people. Furthermore, the tax raised more than $ 38 million in city revenue(税收),all of which was spent on affordable housing programs.
1. Who might be blamed for low housing affordability?A.Local residents. |
B.Foreign tourists. |
C.The local governments: |
D.The owners of empty homes. |
A.Excited. |
B.Surprised. |
C.Proud. |
D.Curious. |
A.Taxing empty properties works well. |
B.Taxes on housing need to be cut down. |
C.Providing more housing is a wise choice. |
D.Housing demands have fallen in North America. |
A.To encourage people to rent a house. |
B.To suggest building more new homes. |
C.To explain why housing prices have risen. |
D.To discuss solutions to affordable housing. |
【推荐2】My dad passed away peacefully at home yesterday, surrounded by his family.
We are feeling grief but also gratitude. My dad’s passing was not unexpected - he was 94 and his health had been failing-so we have all had a long time to reflect on just how lucky we are to have had this amazing man in our lives for so many years.
My dad had a great influence on my drive. When I was a kid, he never let me put very little effort into things I was good at, and he always pushed me to try things I hated. He modeled an amazing work ethic(道德准则)as one of the hardest-working and most respected lawyers in Seattle.
My dad's influence on our philanthropy(慈善行为)was just big. Throughout my childhood, he and my mom taught me by example what generosity looked like in how they used their time and resources. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation would not be what it is today without my dad. More than anyone else, he shaped the values of the foundation.
Finally, my dad had a positive influence on my most important roles - husband and father. When I am at my best, I know it is because of what I learned from my dad about respecting women and guiding children's choices with love and respect.
Dad wrote me a letter on my 50th birthday. “Over time, ” he wrote, “I have told you and others not to overuse the adjective incredible. This is a word with huge meaning to be used only in extraordinary settings. What I want to say, here, is simply that the experience of being your father has been…incredible.”
I know he would not want me to overuse the word, but there is no danger of doing that now. The experience of being the son of Bill Gates was INCREDIBLE. People used to ask my dad if he was the real Bill Gates. The truth is, he was everything I try to be. I will miss him every day.
1. The underlined part “my drive” in paragraph 3 refers to________.A.my attitude to wealth | B.my interest in what is round |
C.my choice of work | D.my effort to something |
A.Honest. | B.Creative. | C.Generous | D.Confident. |
A.he regarded his father as his role model |
B.his father developed a strict parenting style |
C.people annoyed him by asking who the real Bill Gates was. |
D.the family were not allowed to use the adjective “incredible” |
A.To remember his beloved father |
B.To inform people of his father’s death. |
C.To reflect on his relationship with his father. |
D.To explain how his father got on with the family. |
【推荐3】If you have ever had a cat, or have watched one of the many funny cat videos online, you’ll know that cats have a mind of their own. A lot of the things they do are hard to understand---they like to climb up tall furniture, fit themselves in small spaces and attack small objects for no reason at all.
Now scientists have managed to figure out what exactly is going on in the brains of our little friends. According to Tony Buffington, a professor at Ohio State University in the US, cats’ strange behavior largely comes from their way of life back in the wild. “Cats today still have many of the same instincts(本能)that allowed them to live in the wild for millions of years.” he said in a TED Talk. “To them, our homes are their jungles.”
In the wild, cats are hunters. Their bodies and great balancing abilities allow them to climb to high spots to better look at the environment. Even though they don’t have to hunt any more in human houses, they still keep the old habit of viewing the living room from, for example, the top of the refrigerator.
Cats’ hunting instinct is also what makes them attack small things like keys and USB drives. In the wild, they hunt whatever they can get, and most of the animals they kill are small.
However, cats can also be prey. This explains why they like to stay in small spaces like drawers or washing machines---they are hiding, or they think they are hiding, from more dangerous animals. This is also why cats prefer a clean box: a smelly one could easily show enemies where they are.
Knowing how cats’ minds work is not only useful for better understanding them. It may also help cats’ owners to better meet cats’ needs. For example, owners could try to make climbing easier for cats by moving their furniture around. They could also use “food puzzles” to make eating feel more like hunting instead of just giving food to the cats.
1. According to Tony Buffington, ________.A.cats’ strange behavior is hard for people to understand |
B.cats are more used to living in the wild than in humans’ homes |
C.cats behave strangely mainly because of some instincts in the wild |
D.cats’ instincts are as helpful to them today as they were millions of year ago |
A.Cats like to climb up high because they want to hide from dangerous animals. |
B.Cats attack keys and USB drives because they have a habit of hunting small animals. |
C.Cats enjoy staying in small spaces because they usually live in small caves in the wild. |
D.Cats’ preference for a clean box probably has something to do with their hunting instincts. |
A.an animal that is too lazy |
B.an animal that likes hiding games |
C.an animal that keeps itself clean |
D.an animal that is hunted |
A.explore the reasons behind cats’ strange behavior |
B.describe cats’ past wild experience to readers |
C.tell cat owners how to make life easier for cats |
D.compare cats’ behavior in human homes with that in the wild |