One evening in February 2007, a student named Paula Ceely brought her car to a stop on a remote road in Wales. She got out to open a metal gate that blocked her path. That's when she heard the whistle sounded by the driver of a train. Her Renault Clio was parked across a railway line. Seconds later,she watched the train drag her car almost a kilometre down the railway tracks.
Ceely's near miss male the news because she blamed it on her GPS.She had never driven the route before. It was dark and raining heavily.Ceely was relying on her GPS, but it made no mention of the crossing, “I put my complete trust in the device and it led me right into the path of a speeding train," she told the BBC.
Who is to blame here Rick Stevenson, who telis Ceely's story in his book when Machines Fail Us, points the finger at the limitations of technology. We put our faith in digital devices, he says, but our digital helpers are too often not up to the job. They are filled with small problems. And it's not just GPS devices: Stovenson takes us on a tour of digital disasters involving everything from mobile phones to wireless keyboards.
The problem with his argument in the book is that it's not clear why he only focuses on digital technology, while there may be a number of other possible causes. A map-maker might have left the crossing off a paper map. Maybe we should blame Coely for not paying attention Perhaps the railway authorities are fault for poor signaling system, Or maybe someone has studied the relative dangers and worked out that there really is something specific wrong with the GPS equipment. But Stevenson doesn't say.
It's a problem that runs through the book. In a section on cars, Stevenson gives an account of the advanced techniques that criminals use to defeat computer-based locking systems for cars. He offers two independent sets of figures on car theft; both show a small rise in some parts of the country. He says that once again not all new locks have proved reliable. Perhaps, but maybe it's also due to, the shortage of policemen on the streets, or changing social circumstances, or some combination of these factors.
The game between humans and their smart devices is amusing and complex. It is shaped by economics and psychology and the cultures we live in. Somewhere in the mix of those forces there may be a way for a wiser use of technology.
If there is such a way, it should involve more than just an awareness of the shortcomings of our machines. After all, we have lived with them for thousands of years. They have probably been fooling us for just as long.
1. What did Paula Caely think was the cause of her accident?| A．She was not familiar with the road. | B．It was dark and raining heavily then. |
| C．The railway workers failed to give the signal. | D．Her GPS device didn't tell her about the crossing. |
| A．Modern technology is what we can't live without. |
| B．Digital technology often falls short of our expectation. |
| C．Digital devices ere more reliable than they used to be. |
| D．GPS error is not the only cause for Ceely's accident: |
| A．one-sided | B．reasonable | C．puzzling | D．well-based |
| A．The major causes of traffic accidents and car thefts. |
| B．The relationship between human and technology. |
| C．The shortcomings of digital devices we use. |
| D．The human unawareness of technical problems. |
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【推荐1】If your pilot calls “Mayday” on the communication system, you’re in big trouble. In May 2020, the pilot of Pakistan International Airlines Flight PK 8303 gave the horrible “Mayday” signal. “We have lost two engines “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday,” were the pilots’ last words, according to “Business Insider” Ninety-seven people died. “Mayday” is an international distress (遇险) signal used by airplane pilots and boat captains.
The signal arose just after World War, as air traffic between Britain and Europe increased greatly. All nearby nations needed an internationally understood signal that would warn authorities of urgent aircraft problems. Ships communicated through telegraph (电报) using Morse code (摩斯密码), and this technology made “SOS” unmistakable. However, aircraft pilots used radio calls, and “SOS” owing to its consonants (辅音) could be misheard as other letters, like “F”.
So Frederick Mock ford, a senior radio officer in London, was put in charge of finding a proper code word. He reasoned that because so much of the air traffic flew between Croydon and Le Bourget Airport in Paris. It might make sense to use a word that has been developed from a French word. He came up with “Mayday”, the French pronunciation of “m’aider” (help me) which itself is a clear version (版本) of “venez m’aider,” (come help me). The U. S. formally adopted “Mayday” as a distress signal in 1927.
Given its importance, most people respect the “Mayday” signal and use it only when completely necessary. Sadly, the Coast Guard occasionally deals with hoax calls. As a result a lot of dollars and countless man-hours may be wasted trying to rescue people who were never in danger. People who misuse this system can be put in prison for up to 10 years.
1. What does the author use the example of the Pakistan pilot to show?| A．“Mayday” is used for distress calls. | B．Flying may become a terrible air crash. |
| C．“Mayday” has to be used sometimes. | D．“Mayday” is mainly used by the pilot. |
| A．It is difficult to understand. |
| B．It is only used among bout captains. |
| C．It may be misunderstood in radio calls. |
| D．It is only understood by certain countries. |
| A．It is a French word. | B．It means a day in May. |
| C．It has different versions. | D．It was created by Frederick. |
| A．To use “Mayday” cautiously. | B．To learn the importance of “Mayday”. |
| C．To understand the origin of “Mayday”. | D．To know how to use “Mayday”. |
【推荐2】Self-driving cars may sound like something from a sci-fiction novel. However, with advanced trials expected from 2021, they are a lot closer to reality than you may think, and they could really help you.
The introduction of self-driving cars could have a major effect on how older adults go about their daily lives. It is hoped these cars will help reduce the social isolation (孤立)and loneliness we often experience as we get older. Additionally, this technology has the potential to enable a greater level of independence for disabled people.
Connected and automated vehicles, also known as CAVs, are vehicles that could perform many of the functions of today’s human drivers in the future.
The UK is already a world leader in developing connected and automated vehicle technology, thanks to the country’s world-class research base and clear rules for safe and responsible testing. Aware of the potential benefits of the technology—from improving road safety and reducing traffic jams, to enabling greater travel independence — the government has been making efforts to encourage the technology.
Indeed, it has committed to spending over £ 200 million on research and development and testing infrastructure (基础设施) to accelerate the production of safe and secure automated vehicles. Besides, the government is keen to understand the public’s view around CAVs and continues to survey public attitudes. It is also taking big steps towards establishing how our laws and regulations might need to change to support the safe use of self-driving cars. And last year the government created new insurance rules for self-driving cars.
However, there is still a way to go until self-driving cars will be fully introduced onto our roads. Even so, with some of the nation’s brightest minds working alongside organizations, there is a convincing opportunity to build the technology around the needs of those who could benefit most from it.
1. Who could benefit most from self-driving cars?| A．The old. | B．The women. |
| C．The kids. | D．The disabled. |
| A．Playing a leading role in this area. |
| B．Having the advanced research base. |
| C．Possessing enough ability to test the technology. |
| D．Recognizing the advantages of the technology. |
| A．Self-driving cars have nothing to do with insurance. |
| B．Public attitudes towards self-driving cars are ignored. |
| C．There is lots of work to do before using self-driving cars. |
| D．Any present regulation can be applied to self-driving cars. |
| A．Self-driving cars could soon be a reality. |
| B．Producing self-driving cars is difficult. |
| C．Self-driving cars are beneficial to users. |
| D．Driving self-driving cars is common now. |
【推荐3】Predicting extreme weather events is a challenging business. Changing climate conditions have increased the frequency of severe storms, floods, and heatwaves, along with larger wildfires. As a result, scientists are using artificial intelligence (AI) techniques for more accurate forecasts that help to reduce damage and save lives.
Researchers at Pennsylvania State University have worked together with meteorologists (气象学家) to analyze more than 50,000 weather satellite images to quickly identify storms. They found comma-shaped (点状) cloud formations that often lead to severe weather such as high winds and thunderstorms. Computers were then taught using computer vision and machine learning to automatically detect these clouds from satellite images, with almost 100 percent accuracy, in less than a minute.
By refocusing meteorologists' attention on potential storm cloud formations the AI tool helped predict 64 percent of severe weather events and beat established detection systems. Senior meteorologist Steve Wistar said it let forecasters find storm formations in a sea of cloud data. “ The calling of our business is to save lives and protect property, ” he said. “ The more advance notice we give to people that would be affected by a storm, the better we're providing that service.”
Using AI techniques generates highly accurate and inexpensive forecasts for hours or days ahead. Negative impacts from climate change on weather are being felt everywhere. The US National Climate Assessment says frequent severe events will affect communities across the nation. There were 20 billion dollar weather disasters in 2021 alone, including wildfires, winter storms, floods, and tornadoes. “And average costs associated with extreme weather events in the United States have increased steadily since 1980,” said Renny Vandewege, a company's vice president of weather operations. “ These have costly impacts on cities’ basic services, housing, human livelihoods, and health. AI helps us to calculate that risk and can be used as a preventive measure.”
1. Why do scientists use AI techniques for extreme weather forecasts?| A．To prove AI techniques' accuracy. | B．To prevent the occurrence of disasters. |
| C．To obtain weather satellite images. | D．To reduce impacts of disasters and save lives. |
| A．Most cloud formations can lead to severe weather. |
| B．Computers can finish its predicting task in less than a second. |
| C．Established detection systems help forecasters find storm formations. |
| D．The AI tool has better predictive power than established detection systems. |
| A．City services should be improved at all costs. |
| B．AI may help people reduce the cost of living. |
| C．The US spends most on dealing with extreme weather. |
| D．AI is the only measure to predict natural disasters. |
| A．The Future Will See More Uses of AI |
| B．AI Has Entered Every Corner of Our Life |
| C．AI Helps to Predict Extreme Weather and Save Lives |
| D．Extreme Weather Will Claim More Lives in the Future |
【推荐1】Dr. Melissa D. Young is a chemist and Certified Diabetes Educator at the American Association of Diabetes Educators who holds a very personal interest in advocating for annual flu vaccination (预防接种). Twelve years ago, her mother passed away after a flu infection. Young’s mother had a chronic (慢性的) lung condition, but she had refused to get a flu vaccine because she mistakenly thought it would make her suffer from the flu.
It’s a sad, but all too common story. According to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, of US adults who were hospitalized for flu infection in 2018-2019 with additional information available, 93 percent had at least one medical condition.
In the US, nearly half of all adults aged 45-64 years, and 80 percent of those aged 65 years and older, have multiple chronic health conditions that put them at high risk for flu-related complications, including heart attack, stroke, hospitalization, and even death. To address this public health threat, the medical community is working together to protect the most vulnerable (易受伤害的) patients.
Flu viruses cause a reaction that can last for several weeks following serious infection. This flu-related reaction can make existing chronic conditions worse, including heart disease, lung disease and diabetes. Additionally, adults with diabetes were six times more likely to be hospitalized and three times more likely to die from flu-related complications than people without diabetes.
Yet there remains low awareness of the importance of annual flu vaccination for adults with chronic health conditions. Despite the abundance of public health guidance urging people to get vaccinated each year, increasing flu vaccination rates has proven extremely difficult. Vaccination coverage among adults has increased slightly over the past decade, but remains about 40 percent, leaving more than half of US adults vulnerable each year.
1. Why does the author mention Young’s mother in paragraph 1?| A．To summarize the following paragraphs. |
| B．To introduce the topic of the text. |
| C．To show the background of the story. |
| D．To provide some advice for readers. |
| A．They influence each other. | B．They exist mainly in America. |
| C．They hardly happen to the young. | D．They are the main reasons for death. |
| A．Positive. | B．Flexible. |
| C．Uncertain. | D．Uncaring. |
| A．The benefits of flu vaccination |
| B．Flu infection is increasing in the USA |
| C．Flu infection is a threat for American adults |
| D．The difficulty in carrying out flu vaccination |
【推荐2】Wearing high heels, lipstick and trendy dresses, a group of “chic grandmas” with an average age of 68, can still walk the walk as models. But they are not trained models. They are, in fact, ordinary retirees. They all share a love for fashion, and they come together to add a bit of enjoyment to their lives. These “chic grandmas” share a common goal now but their backgrounds could barely be more different.
Sang Xiuzhu, 77, is one of them. She used to be an automatic control engineer. She initially planned to journey across continents with her husband after retirement, but during a literary event, Sang, 1.7 meters tall, was spotted by a modeling coach. In the beginning, she joined the senior model team and attended events organized by her local community and enterprises. Later, she was invited to participate in Beijing International Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week and her new career just grew.
Sang is learning to compose music, form lines and write scripts. She is so occupied that she really has no time to think about the aging issue. As for the future, Sang doesn’t know how to define it, as she really enjoys the present. She suggests that after retirement, people must cope with the transition period, and they should enjoy life.
As long as the heart is not old, life is always sweet. All “chic grandmas” are full of enthusiasm for new things and they live to learn. This kind of enthusiasm that is rooted deeply in their heart fills them with energy.
1. What does the underlined word “chic” in paragraph I mean?| A．Retired. | B．Urban. | C．Stylish. | D．Rigid. |
| A．Become a senior model. | B．Attend literary events. |
| C．Learn to compose music. | D．Tour around the world. |
| A．They have a born talent for modeling. |
| B．They willingly experience new things. |
| C．They come from similar backgrounds. |
| D．They concern much about the aging issue. |
| A．Changes in Fashion Week | B．Never Too Late to Learn |
| C．Beauty Has No Age Limit | D．Interest Is the Best Teacher |
【推荐3】As the carbon countdown clock ticks on, cities must be more imaginative and cooperative, a lively round table hosted in Newham by a non-profit organization Friends of the Earth said.
“Net zero is around the corner,” said Mike Wake, Director of Friends of the Earth. “The UK has cut greenhouse gas emission (排放) by 40% to date mostly through the growth of large renewable generation on the grid (输电网), but further cuts will be needed as London tries to find new ways of using energy.
“While Newham has lower greenhouse gas emission per head than the UK, it has high levels of fuel poverty, poor air quality and leaky homes. Vastly improved energy efficiency, especially on older and leakier homes, along with more efficient forms of heating and an expansion of low carbon heat networks, will help,” said Wake.
“But the future requires a shift to a more communal solution,” the representatives said. District heating, which pipes hot water from a central source to connected homes or businesses, is often a cheaper and lower-carbon method of heating highly populated areas. “It’s the lowest cost and low carbon solution for the future,” Wake added.
“There are new technologies to use wasted heat,” Wake said. “We worked with businesses to decarbonise (使环保) energy supply. Rather than wasting, spare heat generated by manufacturing and other activities can be captured and used to heat nearby properties. Friends of the Earth has already helped save Newham thousands of tonnes of emissions through district heating plans, solar PV and more energy efficient measures in the homes.”
But the challenges are substantial. Newham has London’s second-highest rate of fuel poverty. “Anyway, I’m confident and hopeful about the collective challenge,” said Wake. “But for Newham to be at the forefront of a green economy, to solve fuel poverty and deal with structural equalities, we must spare no effort.”
1. What does Wake think of cutting greenhouse gas emission in the UK?| A．It doesn’t work at all. | B．It ended a short time ago. |
| C．It is very difficult to continue. | D．It still needs to be improved. |
| A．Expensive. | B．Peaceful. | C．Public. | D．Complex. |
| A．By releasing wasted heat. |
| B．By starting up many businesses. |
| C．By making national heating plans. |
| D．By solving the issues about energy. |
| A．Worried. | B．Positive. | C．Uncaring. | D．Critical. |
【推荐1】Most of us are familiar with the Sunday scares. Marisa Jo Mayes knew those feelings all too well. Sick of the “instant panic” she felt upon waking up, in 2022, she decided Mondays didn’t have to be so stressful. She started a routine (常规) of Bare Minimum Mondays, which has become a hit on TikTok. The idea is to focus on just two or three important things on Mondays, while looking after your mental health.
Writing in Insider, Mayes explained she doesn’t do any work for the first two hours on Monday mornings — no meetings, no technology — while instead focusing on starting the day feeling good. When she starts work tasks around 10 a.m., she makes sure they’re creative tasks she enjoys. She does that for about an hour, and then takes a break. After that, it’s time to work, meaning no distractions until she gets her main work tasks done, which usually takes two or three hours.
Mayes said Bare Minimum Mondays has changed her life after experiencing burnout (过度劳累) from her old work routine. “Giving myself actual permission to just do the least amount of work possible that day was extremely relaxing, because I’d got used to believing that my worth is directly tied to my productivity and output,” she said. “So relieving that pressure and choosing to let myself off the hook (摆脱困境) was a much-needed change of mindset going into the beginning of the week, which suddenly allowed me to be productive again.”
David Yadush is a doctor. He said Bare Minimum Mondays could help reduce stress and burnout by giving people time to focus on their mental health. He added that burnout decreases the quality of work, so sometimes reducing how much we work could actually have better results.
Of course, not everyone can do this every Monday. But Yadush said just taking breaks often at work and going to bed early on Sundays could help, too.
1. Why did Mayes start her routine of Bare Minimum Mondays?| A．To make herself feel better. | B．To make her work purposeful. |
| C．To help increase her productivity. | D．To keep her work-exercise balance. |
| A．It’s a waste of time. | B．It’s beneficial. |
| C．It’s suitable for everyone. | D．It’s difficult to carry out. |
| A．Sleeping early on Sundays. | B．Asking for leave on Mondays. |
| C．Doing sports on Mondays. | D．Working hard on Sundays. |
| A．Health is the first wealth. |
| B．Many hands make light work. |
| C．Working smartly is harder than working hard. |
| D．You can’t do a good job if your job is all you do. |
【推荐2】Have you ever been in a situation where a bad mood suddenly wraps itself around you and won’t let go? It’s kind of like being in the middle seat on a long flight, and you’re fighting for armrest (扶手) space with the person next to you.
I was reminded of this recently when my wife and I went to a rock concert that we’d been looking forward to all year. When the band came on, everyone, including me, jumped to our feet. But then, nobody sat down, and I couldn’t see the stage for the rest of the show. Needless to say, I was extremely disappointed.
My wife could see the show fine, so she accepted it when I told her not to worry about me. But she was very sensitive. I knew that she could feel my displeasure, but I never want anyone else to feel uneasy just because I do. Moods are infectious, and I don’t want those I care for to get any of the fallout (后果) form whatever I may be dealing with. Still, I couldn’t force myself to have a good time. We got home and I was looking forward to sleeping off my disappointment, but it didn’t work. I felt sad the next day, and my disappointment didn’t go away for several days.
Looking back at the concert, it’s like I was a kid again and someone had taken Christmas away. Yes, I let the experience get to me, but I’m only human, and sometimes that is going to happen. However, I learned that when something like this happens, just remember that it doesn’t mean that you’re a bad person or broken. You just don’t like where you are at the moment, but the bad feelings will pass. So the next time you can’t rise to the occasion because a bad mood has you in its hold, give yourself a break. You can still learn something positive, even if it takes you a while to figure out what that is.
1. According to Paragraph 1, how might you feel being in the middle seat on a long flight?| A．In high spirits. | B．In awful mood. |
| C．In excitement. | D．At ease. |
| A．He was upset. | B．He was disappointed. |
| C．He was thrilled. | D．He burst into anger. |
| A．The author enjoyed himself at the latter part of the concert. |
| B．The wife was not in the mood for the concert because of the author. |
| C．The author got rid of his disappointment after a night’s sleep. |
| D．The author cared about his wife’s mood and didn’t want to spoil it. |
| A．Being emotional at times is acceptable. |
| B．Christmas is important to the author. |
| C．Being stuck in bad mood means you are a bad person. |
| D．You can learn something positive from a bad experience immediately. |
【推荐3】
When Facebook was entirely used by people under the age of 25, things were simple. But now an important social question has appeared — should you “friend” your child, or accept a parent as a “friend”?
Lindsay Stewart, 15, completely understands why you’d refuse a parent’s friend request. Her parents have agreed on not becoming Facebook friends. Lindsay says, “She said she wasn't going to ask to be friends. My brother and I were relieved (放心的). ”
Though there may be nothing embarrassing or secrets being discussed, it’s not a place she wants her mother to have access to. Lindsay explains, “My mum is my mum. I like her, but she's not necessarily what I’d call my friend.”
Mum is Sandy Stewart, a 50 year old Indiana-born mother of two now living in South London. Mrs. Stewart has strong opinions about what role a parent should play in the world’s biggest networking site — stay away from your children. “I wouldn't dream of being friends. There’s no way,” Mrs. Stewart insists and suggests trying “friending” could seem like an invasion of privacy (侵犯隐私).
Yet Tim Harness, 54, and his daughter Josie, 18, are “friends” on Facebook and perfectly happy. Josie left home in the summer for university in Plymouth, and Mr. Harness can see her online. “I have a little look at her photos now and again,” he explains. “She seems to be having a good time.”
Josie tells me it’s reassuring (令人安心的) to know that her father’s checking up on her every few days. She has plenty of family friends and what they see on her Facebook doesn’t concern her. “ The worst dad might see is a photo of me a bit drunk, ” she says.“Is it an invasion of privacy? Not really. Everyone has Facebook these days. In my view, the only reason why you wouldn't want them is if you've got something to hide.”
1. Which of the following best describes Lindsay’s parents?| A．Understanding. | B．Outgoing (外向的). |
| C．Warmhearted. | D．Caring. |
| A．Social websites are not safe enough. |
| B．Parents should care more for their kids in real life. |
| C．Tim Harness checked up on Josie’s Facebook with her agreement. |
| D．It is only an excuse for kids to refuse their parents on Facebook. |
【推荐1】The negative health effects of being economical on sleep during the week can't be reversed by marathon weekend sleep sessions, according to a new study.
Researchers have long known that routine sleep lack can cause weight gain and increase other health risks,including diabetes. But those who force themselves out of bed sleepy each weekday after too few hours of shut-eyed, hope that shutting off the alarm on Saturday and Sunday will repay the weekly sleep debt and compensate any ill effects.
The research, published in Current Biology, crushes those hopes. Despite complete freedom to sleep in and nap during a weekend recovery period, participants in a sleep laboratory who were limited to five hours of sleep on weekdays gained nearly three pounds over two weeks and experienced metabolic disruption （新陈代谢紊乱）that would increase their risk for diabetes over the long term. While weekend recovery sleep had some benefits after a single week of insufficient sleep, those gains were wiped out when people plunged back into their same sleep-deprived （剥夺） schedule the next Monday.
"If there are benefits of catch-up sleep, they're gone when you go back to your routine. It's very short-lived," said Kenneth Wright, director of the sleep and chronobiology laboratory at the University of Colorado, who oversaw the work. "It's kind of like smoking once was — people would smoke and wouldn't see an immediate effect on their health, but people will say now that smoking is not a healthy lifestyle choice. I think sleep is in the early stage of where smoking used to be. ”
Michael Grandner , director of the sleep and health research program said that the study reinforces the concept that people need to stop thinking of sleep as a balance sheet. Imagine a person who ate nothing but cheeseburgers and french-fries Monday through Friday, but dined only on celery and kale on the weekend and tried to call that a healthy diet. Hugely cutting calories all week and then eating a giant pizza on Saturday wouldn't restore balance either.
1. According to the passage what is the possible result of lack of sleep?| A．Weight loss in a long run. |
| B．Higher risks of diabetes. |
| C．Being too weak to marathon. |
| D．Dying a premature death. |
| A．The influence is long-term. |
| B．The benefits are subtle. |
| C．The consequence is overlooked. |
| D．The immediate effects are obvious. |
| A．junk food can be balanced by occasional healthy diets |
| B．cheeseburgers and french-fries are healthy diets |
| C．celery and kale are healthy if eaten on the weekend |
| D．Saturday pizzas are very helpful to gain weight |
| A．deny a previous concept | B．introduce a new study |
| C．promote a healthy lifestyle | D．compare two studies |
【推荐2】Until decades ago, our visions of the future were largely positive. We thought science and technology would cure all the ills of humanity, leading to lives of fulfillment and opportunity for all. However, as we have gained a deeper appreciation of the range of threats facing us, from epidemic (流行病) flu to climate change, we might even tend to assume that humanity has little future to look forward to.
Yet such depression is misplaced. The fossil record shows that many species have existed for millions of years—so why shouldn’t we? Take a look at our species in the universe, and it becomes clear we have an excellent chance of surviving for tens of thousands of years. Look up Homo sapiens (智人) in the “Red List” of threatened species of the International Union for the Conversation of Nature (IUCN), and you will read: “Listed as Least Concern because the species is widely distributed, adaptable, currently increasing, and there are no major threats resulting in an overall population decline.”
So what does our deep future hold? Many researchers and organizations are now thinking seriously about the question. The potential evolution of today’s technology is complicated, so it’s perhaps best left to science fiction writers and futurologists to explore the possibilities of the bright future.
Our future is quite rosy because it shows many promising possibilities of achievement. Besides, we are now knowledgeable enough to reduce risks that threatened the existence of earlier humans and to improve those to come. Take a longer view and we can say with considerable assurance that the past holds the key to the future: by analyzing the past, we can make evidence-based forecasts about the situations in which our descendants (后代) will find themselves.
1. According to the passage, what inspired our visions of the future in the past?| A．The desire for lives of fulfillment. | B．The belief in equal opportunity. |
| C．The deep appreciation of threats. | D．The faith in science and technology. |
| A．They control the world’s development. |
| B．They severely threaten the environment. |
| C．They are strong enough to continue existing. |
| D．Their overall population will decrease. |
| A．Dangerous. | B．Annoying. |
| C．Hopeful. | D．Undisturbed. |
| A．Explore our planet’s abundant resources. |
| B．Draw upon our experience from the past. |
| C．Build our ambition to reshape history. |
| D．Increase the population of the world. |
| A．The Bright and Promising Future of Mankind |
| B．Science and Technology Connected with Humans |
| C．The Fully and Highly Evolved Human Species |
| D．Different Researches Conducted on Our Future |
【推荐3】The kakapo, a bird that lives in New Zealand, is not designed for survival. Weighing up to 4 kilograms, it is the world's fattest parrot. It mates (交配)only when the rimu tree is in fruit, which happens every few years. It developed gradually in the absence of land-based natural enemies, so instead of flying above the trees it walks like a duck across the dry forest floor. When it moves unsteadily across something that might kill it, it will stand still.
Such unusual characteristics turned it into fast food for human settlers, and for the cats and rats they brought with them. It seemed to have disappeared by the 1970s, until scientists came across two undiscovered populations in the country s south. These survivors were eventually moved to small enemy -free islands, where researchers have spent decades trying to get them to breed (繁殖).
The scientists' patience is finally rewarded. The rimu was in fruit this year, and more than 80 chicks hatched, making this the best breeding season, on record. Many have. survived into adolescence, increasing the number of adult kakapos by a third, to 200 birds.
Another danger to the kakapo is a lack of genetic diversity. This is one reason why fewer than half of kakapo eggs hatch. By arranging the genome (基因组) of every living bird, scientists can identify closely-related individuals and put them on different islands. Every bird is fitted with something to track its slightest movement. If a female mates with an “unsuitable” male, the process can be stopped.
All these efforts cost almost New Zealand $1 .3 million this breeding season. Yet the kakapo's future still looks unsafe. Earlier this year a severe disease tore through the population. And tiny as the number of kakapos is, space is running out on the two islands where most of them live. New enemy-free settlements must soon be found.
1. Which of the following is a danger for the survival of the kakapo?| A．It is the smallest bird in the world. |
| B．It lacks exercise and usually stands still. |
| C．It adapts slowly, in genetic development. |
| D．It can't respond actively when facing danger. |
| A．Adequate food supply for kakapos was guaranteed. |
| B．New settlements for kakapos were eventually found. |
| C．Kakapos were becoming increasingly aggressive. |
| D．Kakapos' birth rate reached the highest level. |
| A．To stop closely-related kakapos mating. |
| B．To help kakapo families live together. |
| C．To maintain the production of rimu fruit. |
| D．To protect kakapos from natural enemies. |
| A．They are successful. | B．They are inadequate. |
| C．They are doubtful. | D．They are unsafe. |
