A new website will allow anyone in the world to access millions of wildlife photos taken by camera traps.
Researchers in the field often use camera traps to photograph the lives of animals. These fixed cameras have a sensor （传感器） that is started by heat or movement, letting researchers monitor animals without disturbing them.
The traps can be used for months at a time, sometimes taking hundreds of thousands of pictures. But these images, and the valuable information they reveal, usually just sit on researchers’ hard drives, unavailable to anyone else, according to Jorge Ahumada, a scientist of environmental nonprofit Conservation International.
So Ahumada started creating an online platform where researchers could share their photos. Wildlife Insights was launched in December 2019 as the world’s largest camera-trap database, hosting over 4.5 million images.
As well as making images available to other researchers, the site uses Artificial Intelligence （AI） designed by Google to overcome a key problem with these kinds of photos: Camera traps produce lots of images to manually analyze, says Ahumada, many of which are blank images. Manually sorting and deleting these photos is a laborious task.
To solve that, after someone uploads images to the Wildlife Insights database, its AI examines if the images were taken from a camera trap and automatically removes all blank images. If there is an animal in the image, the AI will identify the species. Now the AI recognizes about 450 animal species, which Ahumada says will increase over time as more images are collected from all parts of the world.
Apart from collecting and reviewing the images, the platform will provide analytics （数据分析） that could show trends in species’ population for different projects. That information could help researchers understand whether a species is increasing its range or if its numbers are falling.
While open access is key, the platform has taken steps to make sure this information doesn’t get into the wrong hands. “You will have to ask Wildlife Insights for permission to get the locations of the images,” said Ahumada. “That is an examination process that we will manage carefully because we know that poachers （偷猎者） and other people with illegal purposes will use this information to find endangered species.”
1. What do we know about photos taken by camera traps?| A．They may be blank images. |
| B．They are available to all wildlife lovers. |
| C．They can be uploaded to the database by AI. |
| D．They can be used for photography competitions. |
| A．Basic. | B．Major. | C．Tough. | D．Complex. |
| A．Download photos from the platform. |
| B．Identify the location of the images. |
| C．Monitor animals through camera traps. |
| D．Remove blank images. |
| A．The importance of using AI. |
| B．The importance of keeping the information safe. |
| C．The importance of starting an examination process. |
| D．The importance of protecting endangered animals. |
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【推荐1】FReader
A standard reading app for eBooks and audiobooks. FReader supports a variety of formats. The program is very pleasant to the eye and is adjustable to various spectrums (光谱). Apart from being a reading app, FReader has an integrated translator for five languages (English, Russian, German, French, and Ukrainian), making the app attractive to people across the world. You can also select a section of the page you are reading and share it via social networks, Bluetooth, SMS and other methods.
Cool features: Four themes, supports five languages, advanced 3D animations, scans the device for all existing formats, Text-to-Speech.
Business model: Free app. Only a standard free plan is available.
AIReader
Although it can read every type of book, AIReader is specially designed for Sci-Fi lovers. The app doesn’t support iOS but you can open many book formats on your Android phone. This app has enhanced graphical features and a wide range of customization options that focus on providing the best quality for fictional book reading.
Cool features: Text-To-Speech, external dictionaries, advanced adjustment of the visual quality, supports E-Ink devices.
Business model: Free app. AIReader doesn’t sell books, but you can simply purchase digital products elsewhere and upload them to the reading app.
Nook
Nook is strongly integrated with the online store Bames&Noble. You can buy you eBooks anywhere and they will automatically appear in the Nook library. The app supports most eBook formats.
Cool features: Wishlist, ArticleView, Parental Mode for children, customization of all the visual features.
Business model: Free app. With the partnership with Bames&Noble, you can find over a million free books on their website or purchase new titles for the price of as low as $0.99.
Scribd
Scribd has come a long way from the document-reading app it was initially. Today, it is one of the most famous programs with over a million titles in its library. Upon registration, you get a 30-day demo account that lets you read all the books you want for free! Apart from books, Scribd provides comic books, audiobooks articles, scientific studies, court cases and uncommon genres that no other app offers. You can even publish your own book on this platform.
Cool features: Book sync across different devices, audiobooks.
Business model: 30-day free trial. The annually subscription for unlimited access to Scribd’s available material is $59.
1. Why is FReader attractive to international readers?| A．It doesn’t harm your eyes. |
| B．It has many customization options. |
| C．It has a powerful integrated translator. |
| D．Users can share what they read via social networks. |
| A．Buy Sci-Fi books. | B．Enjoy great graphics. |
| C．Read on an iOS device. | D．Publish your own writing. |
| A．Parents can monitor the children’s use of it. |
| B．It cooperates with the physical store Bames&Noble. |
| C．It supports eBook and audiobook formats. |
| D．All books on it are free of charge. |
| A．It is only a document-reading app currently. |
| B．It doesn’t offer uncommon genres. |
| C．It charges $59 a month for subscription. |
| D．It provides free trial for nearly a month. |
| A．To introduce eBooks and audiobooks. | B．To recommend four reading apps. |
| C．To talk about online reading methods. | D．To describe some business models. |
【推荐2】It is amazing to note that the Internet is still such a new device, and yet it is one of the fastest and most powerful media tools. But think about it for a moment. On the Internet, a big online company can be run by two guys out of their garage. So it is only reasonable that people shopping on the Net would be a little leery of the security levels.
Internet giants such as Microsoft knew consumer confidence was the key to getting virtual(虚拟)shopping off the ground, and they work hard to make people feel safe to shop online.
Credit card companies, too, quickly saw the potential for Internet shopping, and have installed things like online shopping insurance for people. If you ever have a problem with your online credit purchases, many credit card companies will happily refund(返还) your money and then set their claws on the company that wronged you. Now that’s buying power!
There are other bonuses for online shoppers, of course. No line-ups, for one. No annoying mall shopping carts with broken wheels and kids crying because their parents won’t get them what they want.
When shopping online, consumers can sit down, have a coffee, and wear their slippers, not have to worry about their hair or parking and just click through sale after sale. Comparison shopping couldn’t be any easier. And thanks to courier companies（速递公司）getting in on the act, you never need wait longer than a day or two to get those all important purchases delivered right to your door.
No wonder so many companies are shaking their heads at traditional advertising and instead looking to the “virtual” world to attract online shoppers.
1. The underlined word “leery” means ________.| A．satisfied | B．distrustful |
| C．hopeful | D．sad |
| A．Shopping law | B．Shopping convenience |
| C．Internet access | D．Shopping security |
| A．Adventurous, enjoyable, fast, unreal. | B．Unsafe, cheap, slow, convenient. |
| C．Reliable, popular, convenient, slow. | D．Safe, convenient, fast, comfortable. |
| A．Internet companies | B．courier companies |
| C．advertising companies | D．credit card companies |
【推荐3】Best apps to learn how to play guitar
TrueFire
TrueFire is a video lesson platform with a lot of big-name teachers. Courses range from the introduction of whole types to deep-dives into specific theory concepts. For most courses, there’re multiple camera angles offering close-ups of the left and right hands. Because of this presenting style, however, things can get crowded on the mobile app—it’s definitely a platform that works better on a desktop.
Courses can be purchased individually, but this’ll be expensive if you’re planning on buying more than a couple. Grabbing an All Access subscription will instead give you unlimited streams of TrueFire’s entire list.
Price: Either per-course, or $ 29/month or $249/year
The Gibson App
Gibson’s new smartphone app is aimed at guitarists of all levels. Essentially, this is a system that responds to you as you play along to lessons and exercises, making the experience feel like an interactive lesson. What we especially like about the app is how players get a free one-on-one video guidance with a professional Gibson guitar tech.
Price: $ 14.99 a month or $ 89.99 a year
Yousician
Yousician is designed for both beginners and intermediate players. Suitable for guitar, bass and even ukulele, the app offers step-by-step video tutorials, plus the ability to provide instant feedback on your performance. The app is free to download but it does require a subscription for unlimited and uninterrupted playtime across all platforms.
Price: Free(subscription service offered starting at $19.99 per month)
BandLab
BandLab is the perfect DAW(Digital Audio Workstation) for cooperation. You can upload tracks to the cloud-based workstation to further your music with over 100 guitar and bass presets. Not in the mood to write? Then discover and stream millions of tracks made by emerging and established artists to stimulate your creativity. It’s also totally free, with no paywalls or subscriptions.
Price: Free
1. What is suggested for the first app?| A．Using it on a desktop. | B．Selecting your favorite teacher. |
| C．Buying the courses individually. | D．Starting with specific theory concepts. |
| A．Neither of them can be downloaded for free. |
| B．Neither of them is suitable for beginners. |
| C．They both provide paid video tutorials. |
| D．They both provide real-time feedback. |
| A．TrueFire | B．BandLab | C．Yousician | D．The Gibson App |
【推荐1】When Medicine Hat, a city in southern Alberta, Canada, promised to put an end to homelessness in 2009, there were many people doubtful about it. A good six years later, the city says it has fulfilled its promise with the help of a surprisingly simple idea: giving every homeless person a home with no strings attached.
While traditional housing programs ask that potential participants shouldn’t have crime record and seek psychological treatment before they are admitted into the system, the Housing First approach makes the homeless free from such things. Whoever is in need of a permanent place to stay will get help, no matter what their circumstances are. “We thought that people are worthy of a home and it is a fundamental human right to have a shelter and a roof over their heads, ” Jamie Rogers, who ran the Housing First program in Medicine Hat told the BBC. “Of course it is recovery-oriented and we help and support people in making different choices in their life, but we don’t withhold (抑制) housing because of who they choose to be.”
Since April 2009, the community of about 64,000 collectively housed 1,013 homeless individuals; 705 adults and 308 children. Apart from the obvious success of getting people out of the street, Housing First also brought with it a number of unexpected positive effects. In Medicine Hat, emergency room visits and run-ins with police have dropped while at the same time court appearances went up. Once people felt that somebody cared about them, they gathered the necessary motivation to begin dealing with their past in a positive way.
Medicine Hat didn’t just carry out Housing First (which is also being used in other cities with varying levels of success) but rather changed its whole approach to homelessness. Rather than building, or relying only on subsidized (补贴的) housing, the city built a relationship of trust with landlords, property management companies, and local communities as a whole. Fear and prejudice towards the homeless have been replaced by the realization that they are simply people down on their luck and nowadays landlords call up city hall to offer their apartments to the program.
Medicine Hat’s inspiring success proves to us all that if we put aside our fears and differences and instead come together as a community, nothing is impossible.
1. What can we know about the homeless in Medicine Hat?| A．Most of them have been offered shelters. |
| B．They needn’t sleep in the street any longer. |
| C．They only need to pay a little for the shelters. |
| D．They have gained great help from local charity. |
| A．houses the homeless with fewer requirements |
| B．cares less about the homeless people’s crime record |
| C．cares more about the homeless people’s psychological health |
| D．gives the homeless shelters regardless of their backgrounds |
| A．the task would take so much time |
| B．the work would cost so much money |
| C．public security would improve |
| D．conflicts among people were nearly removed |
| A．Medicine Hat’s achievements. |
| B．Medicine Hat’s work summary. |
| C．Medicine Hat’s plan for the future. |
| D．Medicine Hat’s working with police. |
【推荐2】Climate change poses a particular threat to children and youth, starting before birth and potentially influencing the normal development of physiological systems and emotional skills in ways that are sometimes irreversible (无法逆转的), according to a report released by the American Psychological Association (APA) and ecoAmerica. The serious impacts of climate change, such as weather disasters, can cause trauma (心理创伤) and post-traumatic stress disorder in the short term, and many longer-term mental health challenges in the absence of proper treatment, the report says.
The effect of extreme weather events resulting from climate change can interrupt normal fetal (胎儿的) development and lead to a greater risk of anxiety or depressive disorder, and lower levels of self-control. The list of possible climate change-related mental health struggles expands as children get older, according to the report.
The impacts of climate change interact and combine with other factors that threaten youth mental health, which is already in danger. These factors include child development, parental health, rates of depression, anxiety, poverty, housing security, inadequate nutrition, and access to medical care, according to the report.
“If our responsibility to ensure a safe climate and great future for our children and future generations was not clear enough, this report brings it into vivid relief. My hope is for anyone caring for children-especially policymakers-to join me in following its guidance,” said Meighen Speiser, executive director of ecoAmerica and a coauthor of the report.
This new report builds on the prior Mental Health and Our Changing Climate: Impacts, Inequities, and Responses report, published in 2021. “Since the publication of the 2021 report, concerns about the mental health impacts of climate change have grown among scientists, health professionals, policymakers and the public, and the effects on children and youth are more noticeable,” said APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr. , PhD. “Psychology, as the science of behavior, will be of great importance to making the changes that are vital to slow and stop its advance. ”
1. What does the author say about youth mental health?| A．It is already under many threats. |
| B．It reflects a lot of social problems. |
| C．It differs a great deal from age to age. |
| D．It is the biggest concern of the society. |
| A．It reminds us to take good care of our children. |
| B．It calls on people to join in the fight against pollution. |
| C．It clarifies the need to control climate change for future. |
| D．It urges policymakers to provide guidance on climate change. |
| A．The study of youth health has sped up. |
| B．The climate is worsening faster than ever before. |
| C．The development of psychology needs more attention. |
| D．The impact of climate change-related mental health may be improved. |
| A．Global Climate Changes |
| B．Threats to Children’s Health |
| C．Mental Challenges Faced With Babies |
| D．Impacts of Climate Change on Kids’ Mental Health |
【推荐3】Everybody can suffer from stress. No matter what your age is, you can feel stressed out by things that are happening in your life. Teenagers, however, have many more opportunities to get stressed than people in any other age group. Being a teenager is hard. You are not a child any more, but you are not an adult，even though you have to deal with some very grown-up problems and decisions. Families can be one of the biggest causes of stress, such as problems with parents arguing at home or problems with brothers and sisters. Teenagers also have a lot of stress from school, either from their teachers or from their friends. Some teenagers also feel stressed about choosing their education after high school. Getting a place at university can be very difficult and some cannot afford to go to university. The stress about getting a job when finishing school is hard for some teenagers. There are so many young people finishing school and not enough jobs for them. Sadly, there is nothing we can do to remove these causes of stress from the 1ives of teenagers, but you can learn the best way to deal with it. Talking to people is one of the best ways to deal with stress. It may sound simple, but it is true. A problem shared is a problem halved.
1. Why is being a teenager often difficult?| A．Because even though you are not an adult, you must deal with adult problems. |
| B．Because even though you are an adult, you must deal with children's problems. |
| C．Because even though you are a teenager, you must do a lot of homework. |
| D．Because adults often make them feel stressed. |
| A．by asking them to go to university. |
| B．by helping them with their homework. |
| C．as teenagers quarrel with their parents, and their brothers or sisters |
| D．as families never support their children enough. |
| A．by not trying to find a job. | B．by forgetting about our problems. |
| C．by getting a place at university. | D．by sharing our problems with our friends. |
