【推荐1】We all know that forests-especially rainforests-absorb carbon dioxide and produce the oxygen that all living things depend on. It’s no wonder that they have been named the lungs of the planet. Today, after the big fires in the Amazon, Alaska, Greenland, and even Siberia, it’s very clear that we need to grow a forest that is fireproof. That’s not an impossible dream. We can grow seaweed forests that are fireproof because they are underwater.

Seaweed can store carbon and help reduce the influence of global warming. Now, seaweed is being farmed in small ocean farms to be used for food, medicines, and beauty products. If seaweed can be grown on a large scale(大规模地), it could help to fight against global warming.

“Seaweed is finally having its moment in the spotlight,” said Halley Froehlich, a scientist at the University of California. She is the lead author of a new study published in Current Biology. The study shows that large-scale seaweed farming could be used to cancel out land-based carbon emissions and it mapped the areas of the oceans where seaweed could be grown.

Now, only 3.8 percent of the US waters off the coast of California are being used to grow seaweed but that is just 0.065 of the ocean that can be farmed. In fact, 48 square kilometers of the world’s oceans can be used for seaweed farming.

For seaweed farms to be part of the global solution, they will have to be much larger. To create underwater forests, seaweed would have to be grown, harvested and then sunk into the deep ocean so that the trapped carbon could be buried for years to come.

While it sounds like a good plan on paper, “The technology doesn’t yet exist” to keep seaweed in the deep ocean, said Froehlich. “Hopefully this paper encourages conversation among engineers and economists about what it would take for the actual tools to be put in place.”

1. What makes people put forward the idea of growing seaweed forests?

A．The burning of forests.

B．Seaweed’s economic and medical value.

C．Uncontrollable carbon dioxide emissions.

D．Their long-lasting dream of underwater exploration.

2. Why can seaweed be used to fight against global warming?

A．It doesn’t burn.	B．It doesn’t pollute.
C．It can take in carbon.	D．It can break down plastics.

3. What does the underlined part “having its moment in the spotlight”in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Breaking silence.	B．Taking a bad turn.
C．Drawing people’s attention.	D．Making room for other products.

4. What does Frochlich say about the idea of growing seaweed forests in the last paragraph?

A．It has a long way to go.	B．It has been put into practice.
C．It needs lots of money to carry out.	D．It needs enough evidence to support.

【推荐2】Earth is experiencing its sixth mass extinction: somewhere between 30 and 159 species disappear every day, and more than 300 types of animals have died out since 1500. This is not good for the future of life on our planet, but what if we could make some of the extinct species come back to life? Thanks to ongoing advances in DNA recovery and cloning technology, de-extinction may soon be realized, and we may see Tasmanian Tigers, or Dodo Birds back into existence in the near future.

Some scientists are confident and optimistic about de-extinction. They think that the best reasons for de-extinction have more to do with ecology than tourism. “If this is always going to be a zoo animal, then stop,” says Ben Novak, the lead researcher at Revive & Restore—a foundation devoted to rescuing endangered and extinct species in San Francisco, California. “The goals have to be about ecological restoration and function.”

Take passenger pigeons for example. Their numbers reached nearly 5 billion at the start of the 19th century, and they played an important role in shaping the forests they inhabited(居住). After their extinction, the forests have never been the same. “The passenger pigeon is a very important ecological species if we want their original habitat back.” Novak says.

However, we need to think twice about Novak’s idea. Any new scientific initiative is bound to have risks, so is de-extinction. Although some assume that de-extinction may help the environment, we can’t be so sure. The de-extinct animals would now be strangers to their habitats. As the habitat is no longer what it was, the species role within the ecosystem may have also changed. This could be actually a threat to the other species within the environment as the de-extinct animals enter the area and compete for food sources. Once again we’re trying to force nature to act in a certain way, rather than letting it remain natural.

Many scientists also believe that priorities(优先权) would change within the conservation of currently endangered species. Would we still put in the effort to preserve living animals if we knew we could just magically bring them back from the dead? Douglas McCauley, an ecologist at University of California, Santa Barbara, stresses this worry. “Honestly, the thing that scares me most is that the public absorbs the misimpression that extinction is no longer scary. The general attitude becomes: Deforest, no worry, we can reforest. If we drive something extinct, no worry, we can de-extinct it.” said McCauley.

It seems that with the subject of de-extinction, we must look at our reasons for doing such a thing. Yes, we may, in the near future, be able to de-extinct the extinct species. But does that mean we should? Are the risks really worth it? Does it make sense to focus on the dead than the living? And who are we truly benefiting in the end?

1. Ben Novak probably agrees that ________.

A．the value of de-extinction lies in tourism

B．de-extinct animals are unfit to live in the zoo

C．de-extinction aims to bring back former environment

D．de-extinction results from the change of ecosystem

2. What is mainly talked about in Paragraph 5?

A．People’s impressions on lost species.

B．Change of public attitude towards de-extinction.

C．Importance of the conservation of living animals.

D．Effects of de-extinction on the protection of endangered species.

3. What is the author’s attitude toward de-extinction?

A．Optimistic.

B．Doubtful.

C．Neutral.

D．Supportive.

【推荐1】Claw machines (娃娃机) are very common in shopping centers or movie theaters. You might get your favorite toy after paying some coins. It seems to be a low-cost and the game rules are easy to understand for most people. So many children, young people and even some old people like to play on the claw machines again and again.

However, simple rules and easy-to-use machines do not mean everyone can easily win a prize. You may watch your toy being caught but suddenly dropping at the last second. There are some reasons why people like claw machines, even though they may face many difficulties.

The purpose of playing on claw machines is to deal with stress for quite a few Buddhist (佛系的) players. While grabbing the stuffed (毛绒的) animal, they pay so much attention to this game that they forget their troubles from daily life. No matter what the result is, they enjoy the process.

Some people say they enjoy the sense of achievement when they catch a prize from a claw machine. They take pride in managing to do what most people cannot. People around the machine also express their congratulations and admiration for winners.

Stuffed animals or goodies from a claw machine, which have far more meaning than what you can buy in a nearby store, can be a good gift for the ones you love. It is a great way to show effort and thoughtfulness since winning a prize from a claw machine requires time and money, as well as skills.

Playing at the claw machine is a fun memory for many. Do you enjoy playing claw machines? Have you ever actually won something out of one?

1. The first paragraph doesn’t tell us ________.

A．where we can find claw machines	B．why people like to play on claw machines
C．how people can play on claw machines well	D．what people may get after playing on claw machines.

2. What does the underlined sentence mean?

A．Not everyone can play by the rules.

B．Everyone enjoys playing on the claw machines.

C．Not everyone can catch a toy from a claw machine easily.

D．Nobody has an interest in playing on claw machines.

3. The Buddhist players will probably feel ________even if they don’t catch the toy.

A．angry

B．relaxed

C．uncomfortable

D．nervous

4. Where is the passage probably taken from?

A．A text book

B．A travel brochure

C．A magazine

D．A scientific research

【推荐2】Dinner was almost ready when the killing happened. When Don Wise walked into the living room of his home, his ten-year-old son, Mike, and a 12-year-old friend were sitting in front of a large-screen television set. They were playing a video game they had rented, called Goldeneye 007, one of the top-selling titles of 2007.

Standing behind the boys, Wise saw that one boy pushed the button and shot the character in the face. Blood splattered (喷溅) the lab coat of the character as he circled and fell. “You’re down!” the boy said, laughing. Frightened by the child’s obvious fun, Wise ordered the boys to turn the game off. “This game is terrible.” he said seriously. “I don’t want you to play with this any more.”

Video games have become a pervasive form of entertainment since the 1990s. Today about 69 percent of American families own or rent video and computer games. Most are harmless entertainment, but in far too many of the most popular ones, kids are acting out realistic violent experiences on their TV and computer screens. “These are not just games any more,” says Rick Dyer, president of the San Diego-based Virtual Image Productions. “These are learning machines. We’re teaching kids in the most incredible way what it’s like to pull the trigger (扳机). The focus is on the thrill, enjoyment and reward. What they’re not realizing are the real-life consequences.” Such video games introduce kids to a fantasy world that features amazingly lifelike characters, detailed images of brutality (野蛮) , and an audio mix of heart-pounding music, stereo sound effects and realistic voices. Unlike movies and television, where you watch the violence, the video game lets you feel the sensation of taking violent actions. When you’re into the game, you’re in the game.

“The technology is becoming more engaging for kids,” says David Walsh, president of the National Institute on Media and the Family(NIMF) , a watchdog group in Minneapolis, “and a part of the games features anti-social themes of violence, sex and rude language. Unfortunately, it’s a part that seems particularly popular with kids between ages 8 to15.”

1. Which of the following best summarizes the main idea of this passage?

A．Video game violence is very harmful to kids.

B．Video game is a common form of entertainment.

C．Video game violence is popular with children.

D．Video game is the reflection of the real-life violence.

2. We can infer from the passage that the ________.

A．NIMF is characteristic for its social justice

B．NIMF is a political organization in Minneapolis

C．NIMF promotes video games and other media products

D．NIMF detects the media industry’s improper actions

3. The underlined word “pervasive” in Paragraph 3 most probably means ________.

A．worldwide

B．instructive

C．widespread

D．harmful

4. Which of the following statements would Rick Dyer agree with?

A．Video games with some violence teach kids to experience real life.

B．Video games are realistic ways to learn more about the real-life world.

C．Video games with fantastic features are loved by most kids in the US.

D．Violence and sex content video games have a negative influence on children.

【推荐3】For many kids, the Internet is at their fingertips. From computers to smart phones, a web of information is open to them. According to a new report from the Pew Research Center, about three out of four kids aged 12 to 13 connect the Internet using a mobile device (移动设备) from time to time. Many younger kids are online, too.

Julian Zeitlinger, 9, from New Jersey, uses his computer to watch videos and play games. To keep him safe online, his parents monitor (监视) his web use and discuss Internet safety with him. “I ask my parents if something is wrong,” Julian says.

Mobile devices offer more ways than ever to share personal information. The information can be dangerous in the wrong hands. A study found that 62% of children aged 8 to 17 have had an unpleasant online experience.

Have you ever had to enter a parent’s email address when signing up for a website? That safety net is there because of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The law says sites for kids under 13 cannot collect personal information, such as a phone number or full name, without a parent’s permission (允许).

This July, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will update (更新) COPPA for the first time since the law was created, in 1198—when there were no smart phones. “The nature of the way kids get online has changed,” FTC lawyer Phyllis Marcus said.

When the changes take effect, COPPA will apply to mobile device (移动设备) and newer forms of adverising. “There is a misunderstanding that if a site is following COPPA, it is totally safe,” says privacy expert Shai Samet. He runs kidSAFE, which checks whether a site meets kidSAFE standards and is safe. “It is important that kids know how useful the Internet is but that is also can be dangerous if you are not careful.” he adds.

1. Julian’s parents check his web use to make sure ________.

A．he doesn’t watch too many videos.

B．he doesn’t play computer games.

C．he stays safe on the Internet.

D．he controls his online time.

2. How does the author explain children’s unpleasant online experiences?

A．By describing his own experiences.

B．By presenting scientific research.

C．By showing differences.

D．By using examples.

3. People often hold the wrong idea that ________.

A．normal websites are always safe.

B．the Internet is becoming safer and safer.

C．COPPA can ensure their complete safety.

D．daily checks prevent future online problems.