Although billions of locusts(蝗虫) appearing on East African countries greatly panicked farmers in 2020, they managed to see through this unexpected crisis. “Their success primarily results from a technology-driven anti-locust operation,” said Mr. Cressman, an officer in the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
Normally, these locusts live alone across the deserts of North Africa, Southwest Asia and the Middle East. But when rains arrive, they change from a slightly brown into a deep yellow and form groups of more than 15 million insects per square mile. Such quantities of locusts can consume the equivalent amount of food in a single day as more than 13 000 people.
Locust trackers in Sudan and Eritrea find the insects by using a tablet-based program to transmit data to authorities so experts can design appropriate control strategies. But people who want to use this system might encounter a technological problem: The version of the tablets that the locust-tracking program was written for is not manufactured and newer tablets are unsuitable for the software.
Rather than rewriting the locust-tracking software for newer tablets, Mr. Cressman thought creating a simple smartphone app would make anyone collect data like an expert. He sought help from Dr. Hughes, who had already created PlantVillage to track a crop pest. Borrowing from this blueprint Dr. Hughes and his colleagues completed eLocust3m, which anyone with a smartphone can use. The app presents photos of locusts at different stages of their life cycles, which helps users diagnose what they see in the field. The locations are then automatically recorded by GPS and algorithms(算法) double check submitted photos. If necessary, pesticide-spraying aircraft will take position.
The F.A.O. estimates that this effort in East Africa has prevented the loss of agricultural products with a commercial value of $ 1.5 billion, saving the livelihood of 34 million people.
1. What does the author intend to do in Paragraph 2?| A．Summarize the previous paragraph. | B．Provide scientific data for readers. |
| C．Add some background information. | D．Introduce a new topic for discussion. |
| A．The low adaptability of the software. | B．Too many versions of new tablets. |
| C．The complex process of transmitting data. | D．The urgency of rewriting the software. |
| A．Cressman created a smartphone app. |
| B．ELocust3m is based on PlantVillage. |
| C．Operating ELocust3m needs much training. |
| D．Users should record where they find locusts. |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
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【推荐1】This summer has brought extreme heat and droughts to places around the world. The droughts are leading to serious problems, including shortages of food and energy, problems with transportation, and food price increases. The effects of the droughts are likely to be felt for years.
From Africa to Europe to the US to China, record temperatures and low rainfall have been causing problems. Droughts aren’t new, but Earth’s rising temperatures because of global warming are making them much harder to avoid.
The drought in the Horn of Africa may be the most serious situation. For several years, the area has had very little rain during the rainy seasons. Now the area, which includes Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia, is suffering from its worst drought in 40 years.
Almost two-thirds of Europe is threatened (威胁) by what may be the worst drought there in 500 years. With temperatures reaching 40℃ and hotter, many crops have been damaged. In France, Spain, Portugal, and even Britain, firefighters have struggled to control wildfires.
In the US, many states that use water from the Colorado River are struggling with low water levels. Farmers in California and Arizona have been hit particularly hard. In California water use is being limited now and farmers aren’t able to grow as many crops. That can drive up food prices, and that affects everyone.
China is facing similar problems. It has been attacked by a terrible drought this summer, with temperatures as high as 45℃. The drought has dried up much of the water in the Yangtze, China’s longest river. That has cut the amount of energy produced by the world’s largest dam by 40%.
There are no easy solutions for any of these droughts. It took years to create the climate crisis, and it will take a long time to get it under control. For now, governments and people will need to carefully manage water supplies and other resources to limit the damage as much as possible.
1. What does the underlined word “them” in Paragraph 2 refer to?| A．Problems. | B．Droughts. |
| C．The effects of the droughts. | D．Earth’s rising temperatures. |
| A．Wildfires. | B．Food prices. |
| C．Water limits. | D．High water levels. |
| A．By giving some examples. | B．By offering some reasons. |
| C．By answering some questions. | D．By explaining some puzzles. |
| A．The Reasons Behind Worldwide Droughts |
| B．The Effects of Extreme Heat and Droughts |
| C．Droughts Cause Problems Around the World |
| D．Solutions Are Needed for Worldwide Droughts |
【推荐2】On December 26, 2004, an earthquake along the Indian Ocean caused a huge tsunami that killed thousands of people in Asia and East Africa. However, wildlife officials at Sri Lanka’s Yala National Park reported no mass animal deaths. Yala National Park is home to hundreds of wild animals.
Some researchers believe the animals at the park were able to sense the earthquake and moved to higher ground before the earthquake hit. Animals have good senses that help protect themselves from being hunted by their natural enemies. It is thought that their senses might also help them sense the coming disasters. Several countries have done research on the prediction of earthquakes by animals. There are two theories about how animals may be able to sense earthquakes. One theory is that animals sense the earth’s shake. The other is that they can sense changes in the air. However, so far there has been no strong evidence about how animals may be able to sense earthquakes.
Other researchers are skeptical (怀疑) about using animals for earthquake predictions. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) officially states, “Changes in animal behaviors cannot be used to predict earthquakes. Even though there have been many cases of unusual animal behaviors before earthquakes, a connection between a specific behavior and an earthquake has not been made. Because of their fine senses, animals can often feel the earthquake at its earliest stages before the humans. That’s why people say that the animal knew the earthquake was coming. But animals can also change their behaviors for many other reasons.”
Although scientists disagree on whether animal behaviors can be used to predict earthquakes, they all agree that it is possible for animals to sense changes in the environment before humans. Researchers around the world are continuing to study the connection between animal behaviors and earthquakes. It is hoped that these studies will help to predict earthquakes.
1. What can we know about animals’ senses?| A．They are not reliable. | B．They can change the environment. |
| C．They can protect animals in some ways. | D．They can prevent animals acting strangely. |
| A．Animal behaviors can be used to predict earthquakes. |
| B．Animal behaviors are closely related to earthquakes. |
| C．Animals are bound to act strangely before an earthquake. |
| D．Animals might change their behaviors while being hunted. |
| A．Disappointed. | B．Positive. | C．Uninterested. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．Will big earthquakes cause tsunami? | B．Why does animals change their behaviors? |
| C．Can animals truly predict earthquakes? | D．How can animals’ senses be put into use? |
【推荐3】On a Saturday afternoon, Tasi Lama had just finished lunch and was going to wash his hands when the ground under his feet started shaking violently. Objects began to fall down from overhead and rising above the crashes, he could hear terrified screams all around him. Several months later, the painter from Nepal's Kathmandu Valley remembers that day more vividly than his wedding day or the birth of his son.
It was on April 25, 2015 that an earthquake hit Nepal, the former Himalayan kingdom out of sight between its giant neighbors China and India, 81 years after a similar disaster. This killer quake and aftershocks that continued for more than a month afterward killed over 8,000 people, destroyed thousands of houses, and ruined an economy already damaged by many other reasons.
It was also of consequence for the ancient art style Nepali painters such as Lama have been practicing for generations. “We left our homes and lived in the open fields outside the city, under tarpaulins（防水油布）for a month," Lama said. Many of the houses, built of mud and bricks, were in ruins and the aftershocks continued, though less frequently. One day, I went to my showroom to get some of the paintings out and the Earth started shaking again. I dropped everything and ran out for my life. ”
Dinesh Lama, a 32-year-old artist from Nepal's capital city, Kathmandu, said his Boudha Stupa Thangka Center, which functions as his showroom as well as his studio, has remained shut since the earthquake, as his artisans(工匠）are too traumatized （心理受到创伤的）to take up the brush again. “We lived in temporary tents for more than a month," he said. “When they try to sit inside the studio and paint, fear makes their hands shake. Luckily, we have got a lot of aid from China. I believe we will come back to our home soon. ”
1. What can we conclude from the second paragraph?| A．The April 25 earthquake made Nepal disappear for long. |
| B．This quake caused more deaths than the one 81 years ago. |
| C．Nepal also suffered a serious disaster due to the 1934 quake. |
| D．The earthquake is the only reason for Nepal being backward. |
| A．Many Nepali painters lost their lives in the quake. |
| B．Only the houses built of mud and bricks broke down. |
| C．His showroom fell into ruins after the quake. |
| D．He had no choice but to stop working for long. |
| A．That his showroom had been totally destroyed. |
| B．That his artisans were incapable of working. |
| C．That he couldn't sell his works as usual. |
| D．That he would never pick up his brush to draw. |
| A．Earthquake Brings Damage to Ancient Art |
| B．Earthquake Causes Many Artists Out of Job |
| C．China Gives a Timely Hand to Nepal |
| D．Nepal Suffers from Two Nonstop Quakes |
【推荐1】Most people with good sense would accept that we can and should learn from accidental failures. It would be impossible to progress in anything, after all, without taking the occasional misstep. And by understanding how we slipped, we can avoid falling in the future.
Few would advocate making intentional mistakes, however. Yet consciously erring(犯错) can promote deeper understanding and better recall. The phenomenon is known as the derring effect—coming from “deliberate(故意的) erring”—and when applied properly, it may bring benefits in many unexpected areas of life.
In one experiment carried out at the National University of Singapore, participants were given the task of learning concepts on a difficult subject. For some terms, they simply copied out the correct definition; for others, they were asked to first add an error in their description of the term before correcting the mistake.
Naturally, you would expect the addition of the errors to have increased unwanted confusion. Yet the exact opposite was true: the participants who made deliberate errors learned about twice as much as the people who simply copied out the correct definitions.
The derring effect could be applied in other situations. So a music teacher may find the addition of deliberate errors could help a student remember the right musical notes. Such a playful approach could fuel their creativity for composition if the student looks for ways to develop those wrong notes into something more attractive. It is encouraging to discover that by readily accepting our errors and wisely placing ourselves in the way of being wrong we can in fact overcome weaknesses and rise stronger.
The derring effect could be useful for many other challenges too. If you enjoy cooking, for example, you may faithfully follow a recipe without questioning the instructions. But why not try to break away from those habits and deliberately do the “wrong” thing for a change, and see where your derring takes you? If you are painting, meanwhile, you could relax one of the constraints (限制) that you usually put on your work and see what you produce.
At worst, you will have refreshed and deepened your knowledge of the rules you normally apply, so that you can be even more effective next time. At best, you may just find that you have discovered something completely new and unexpected, through a flash of inspiration that you would have missed with perfectionism. Either way, your apparent missteps will have moved you a little closer to true mastery.
1. What do sensible people accept about failures?| A．Avoid failures completely. | B．Failures don’t teach us much. |
| C．Progress doesn’t include failures. | D．Mistakes can be valuable lessons. |
| A．Mistakes enhance learning. | B．Only fixing errors teaches. |
| C．Mistakes cause learning confusion. | D．Fewer errors occur in tough subjects. |
| A．Poor shows. | B．Increased creativity. |
| C．Problem finding. | D．Weakness acknowledgement. |
| A．Follow recipes strictly. | B．Avoid errors. |
| C．Ignore traffic rules. | D．Use unusual colors in art. |
| A．The Unexpected Benefits of Deliberate Mistakes | B．Learning from Unwanted Confusion |
| C．The Power of Perfectionism | D．Mastery through Missteps |
【推荐2】McDonald’s sells about one billion Happy Meals every year in more than 100 countries, including a lot of little, plastic toys. As the climate crisis heats up, plastic has been targeted as a major factor. McDonald’s is trying its best to be part of the solution, announcing the roll of “more sustainable”. Happy Meal toys made from recycled or certified materials by 2025.
The process of adopting sustainable Happy Meal toys has been underway for the past few years and has been strong cooperation between the marketing and supply chain teams. The announcement, however, marks Happy Meals’ first sustainability makeover and their joining a number of other recent sustainability initiatives from McDonald’s.
McDonald’s claimed to be the first global restaurant company to invest in solar and wind energy to expand the amount of renewable energy available in the U.S. McDonald’s also recently completed its first net-zero energy restaurant, located in Florida, designed to create enough renewable energy on-site to cover 100% of its energy needs annually. The company is using the restaurant to test additional solutions to reducing energy and water use.
All these efforts have the potential to provide a model not just for the system of McDonald’s, but for the entire restaurant industry, given the chain’s scale. They’ re also likely to generate some closeness from younger consumers, who are demanding more social responsibility from major corporations.
The toy makeover won’t affect the price of Happy Meals, because the company has designed their cost to be neutral (适中的). This likely means the effort won’t affect sales much, if at all. Happy Meal sales are “stronger than ever”.
“We have listened to our customers and have heard not just from parents, but from kids themselves,” said Sam, one of the officials of McDonald’s. “They’ re worried about the planet. We want to grow and be relevant to our customers and are now making bigger changes because we know this is what they wanted us to do.”
1. What can be inferred about Happy Meal toys of McDonald’s?| A．Their production will be expanded in a few years. |
| B．Their sales have declined due to the climate crisis. |
| C．They’ ll be improved to be environmentally friendly. |
| D．They’ re made from newly developed plastic materials. |
| A．To show its rapid expansion. |
| B．To stress its strong economic strength. |
| C．To prove the cost of green products is higher. |
| D．To tell its attempts at the use of renewable energy. |
| A．The employees of McDonald’s will get a pay rise. |
| B．McDonald’s will earn both fame and fortune in the field. |
| C．The price of McDonald’s products tends to be reasonable. |
| D．McDonald’s restaurants will be environmentally themed. |
| A．It always puts customers first. |
| B．It cares about children’s health. |
| C．It boosts the family relationship. |
| D．It has a strong crisis awareness. |
【推荐3】The mission of the National Park Service is to preserve and protect the natural and cultural resources “for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations". Want to help them achieve their mission? Here’s how:
Donate: The national parks are always short on finds (资金). You can donate items to the park bookstore, support a particular program at your favorite national park, or send funds to the National Park Foundation.
Volunteer: If you can’t donate money, consider donating your time. National park service volunteers help build paths, answer visitors’ questions and maintain (维修) buildings. Check out its site to find out more ways you can volunteer in your favorite national park.
Share scientific skills: If you have a background in science, the NPS might be able to use your skills at one of its Research Learning Centers. From collecting and analyzing samples to maintaining equipment and databases, there’s plenty to do to help preserve and protect the natural and cultural resources of our national parks.
Create art: Many national parks have artist-in-residence programs that give artists an opportunity to close to their favorite inspirational settings. You can stay at a remote cabin in Denali National Park or get an in-depth look at the history at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site. The art you create can help inspire future generations to work for the national parks.
Go visit: There’s no better way to show your favorite national park some love than going there to see it. Bring a friend and take in some history and culture. It will remind you why our national parks are really “America’s Best Idea”. Oh, while you’re there, be sure to thank the park workers for all they do to support our national parks.
1. What can volunteers do to help the NPS achieve their mission?| A．Ask visitors some questions. |
| B．Set up a particular program. |
| C．Advertise their works of art. |
| D．Look after park constructions. |
| A．Good scientific skills. |
| B．Great appreciation of the arts. |
| C．A good educational background. |
| D．Much knowledge of history and culture. |
| A．To have a good time. |
| B．To make more friends. |
| C．To help the park workers. |
| D．To show your care for them. |
