Off the coast of Formentera, an island, lives seagrass that stretches 15 km. The seagrass, covering several kilometers, is made up of a single organism. The grasses are also long-lived, for tens or hundreds of thousands of years. Seagrass meadows, along with two other kinds of coastal ecosystems—mangrove swamps and tidal marshes make for blue-carbon ecosystems, which are particularly good at taking carbon dioxide from the air. That makes all three ecosystems important for efforts to control climate change.
This role was highlighted in a report published on March 2nd by UNESCO on “blue carbon”—the carbon captured by Earth’s oceanic and coastal ecosystems. In total around 33 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide about three-quarters of the world’s emissions in 2019 are locked away in the planet’s blue-carbon sinks (蓝碳汇). Research by Carlos Duarte, the report’s author and an ecologist, has shown that one hectare (公顷) of seagrass can suck as much carbon dioxide each year as 15 hectares of rainforest.
One reason why blue-carbon ecosystems make such big sinks is that underwater forests are thicker than the land-based woods. They can also trap floating pieces and organic matter, which settles on the sea floor and can double the amount of carbon stored away. They possess another advantage, too. Climate change is leading to more wildfires around the world. As forests burn, their carbon stocks are sent back into the atmosphere. Unlike forests on land, blue-carbon ecosystems do not burn.
Blue-carbon ecosystems may not be fired, but they remain affected by other sorts of disasters. In May 2020 cyclone Amphan destroyed 1,200 square kilometers of mangrove forest. A marine heatwave in Australian waters damaged around one third of the world’s largest seagrass field in Shark Bay in 2010 and 2011. Mangrove forests can weaken or control waves and provide natural barriers to storm surges. Protecting and expanding them, then, appears to be a must.
1. What do blue-carbon ecosystems consist of?| A．The carbon stored in coastal ecosystems. |
| B．Seagrass living off the coast of Formentera. |
| C．A long-lived single organism for thousands of years. |
| D．Seagrass meadows, mangrove swamps and tidal marshes. |
| A．The concrete role of “blue carbon”. |
| B．The special features of the seagrass. |
| C．The storage ability of the blue-carbon sinks. |
| D．The findings about blue-carbon ecosystems. |
| A．Because their forests grow closely together in large numbers. |
| B．Because they aren’t influenced by disasters. |
| C．Because their carbon stocks are released back. |
| D．Because there is more carbon in water than on land. |
| A．To add background information. | B．To give a suggestion. |
| C．To list influential examples. | D．To offer scientific data. |
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【推荐1】Have you ever noticed what happens to an idea once you express it?Just talking about it or writing it down causes you to make it clear in your own mind.How can you use this to increase your brain power?Start writing.
By putting thoughts into words,you are telling yourself the logic behind what you think,feel,or only partly understand.Often,explaining a thought is the process of understanding.In other words,you increase your brain power by exercising your “explain power”.
Another benefit of writing is that it helps you remember.Many,if not most,highly productive people are always taking notes.You can try keeping it all in your head,but if you keep a journal of your ideas,the next time you’re working on a big project,you’ll probably have more success.
Want to understand a topic?Write a book about it.That’s an extreme example,but if you are learning something new,write a letter to a friend about it,and you will understand it better.Want to invent something?Write an explanation of the problem—why you want to solve it,and why it is worth solving,and you’re halfway there.
Writers don’t always write because they clearly understand something beforehand.Often,they write about something because they want to understand it.You can do the same.Writing will help bring you to an understanding. Give it a try.
1. According to the passage,writing can help you a lot EXCEPT _______.| A．to increase your brain power |
| B．to improve the ability to remember |
| C．to develop your interest in study |
| D．to strengthen the understanding of a topic |
| A．you are already successful |
| B．there’s a long way for you to go to reach your goal |
| C．you are left wondering what to do |
| D．you have been on the way to success |
| A．A Way on How to Write. |
| B．Increase Your Brain Power Through Writing. |
| C．Brain Power Helps Improve Your Writing. |
| D．How to Start Your Writing. |
| A．Writing can cure people of their brain disease. |
| B．People who can keep all thoughts in mind are more likely to succeed. |
| C．Writing a book about one topic is the only way to understand it. |
| D．The more you write,the more logical you will be. |
【推荐2】Using technology in the classroom can produce unbelievable results. But for note-taking, it may pay to keep it old-school and stick with pen and paper. Students who take notes by hand appear to process information more deeply than those who take notes on a laptop or an iPad and other technological appliances, according to a study published this year.
Using the new fashionable method generally produces more raw notes. But students using laptops tend to do worse than note-takers by hand when answering conceptual questions about the material.
Researchers from Princeton and UCLA conducted several experiments with college students watching some video lectures. In one experiment, note-takers by hand wrote down fewer words than those typing on laptops. But the two groups performed about the same when answering factual questions about the lecture material, and students who wrote longhand did much better than laptop note-takers on conceptual questions .
What gives? Students using laptops tended to write what they heard word by word rather than processing the information; that resulted in a sort of “shallower” learning, the researchers say.
In a second experiment, students taking notes on laptops were told not to write down what they heard word by word. It didn't help in spite of the instructions. They still took notes word by word and they still did worse on conceptual questions than those taking notes by hand.
In a third experiment, students were able to briefly study their notes before answering questions asked a week after the lecture. Those reviewing their longhand notes did far better than students reviewing their typed notes.
A student named Jerry from the experiment said, “The study is right, and we have to think about what was said to take the notes because I could not write down every word. I even developed complex letter symbols to help. To study for tests, I went over and underlined key points to reinforce them. The process helped me understand the lectures better.”
1. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 1 probably mean？___| A．It is necessary to take notes on a laptop or an iPad. |
| B．It is not worthwhile to take notes with pen and paper. |
| C．It needs much money to go to schools with a long history. |
| D．It may bring good results to use the traditional note-taking style. |
| A．The students using laptops don’t understand the instructions. |
| B．The students using longhand write down all that they hear. |
| C．The students using laptops learn worse than those by hand. |
| D．The students using longhand don't process the information. |
| A．Jerry is good at inventing letter symbols. | B．It's very hard for Jerry to write down notes. |
| C．Notes guarantee good performance in tests. | D．Jerry approves of the study and its result. |
| A．An education column. | B．A health magazine. |
| C．A travel guide. | D．A biology textbook. |
【推荐3】There’s nothing like a good night’s sleep — but what does that really mean? It turns out that the answer depends not only on your age, but also on your lifestyle. Some people are productive and happy with fewer hours of sleep, while others need more. Still, experts can determine guidelines that work for most people. The National Sleep Foundation researched the topic and gave new recommendations. The foundation acknowledges that sleep needs will vary—lifestyle and stress should be taken into consideration—but their recommendations offer a general guideline. For example, teenagers need 8—10 hours’ sleep every day.
To create the recommendations, some sleep and medical experts reviewed 312 articles from journals published during the last decade. This is the first time that a professional organisation has developed age-specific recommended sleep duration based on a systematic review of the world scientific literature.
A lack of sleep can be linked to weight gain, because that causes an increase in appetite, according to the foundation. It can also have serious consequences on the brain. People who do not get enough sleep are at increased risk of depression, and can endanger others. Those who become sleepy while driving, for example, risk both their lives and the lives of those around them.
Researchers also have found in the past that too much sleep can have negative effects. Reportedly, low socioeconomic status and depression are significantly associated with longer sleep. However, experts nowadays find that research on oversleeping is still unconvincing and needs more attention. Currently, there is no strong evidence that sleeping too much has health consequences. There is, however, laboratory evidence that short sleep duration of four to five hours has negative consequences. We need similar laboratory studies to determine whether long sleep duration results in physiological changes that could lead to disease before we make any recommendations against sleep extension.
1. What can be learnt about sleeping time?| A．The time you need for sleep is related to your state of mind. |
| B．Experts’ guidelines for sleeping time apply to all the people. |
| C．The less you sleep, the more productive you are. |
| D．The more you sleep, the more energetic you are. |
| A．By interviewing different people. |
| B．By reading lots of articles. |
| C．By consulting other experts. |
| D．By doing systematic experiments. |
| A．Too much sleep may result in social changes. |
| B．Researchers now agree with those in the past. |
| C．More research on oversleeping is needed. |
| D．Research on oversleeping is quite convincing. |
【推荐1】How often do you use the phrases “please” and “thank you”? Do you use these polite words with your parents? Do you use them with your children? Do you use them when you are angry? You need to use these words in your home every time they are proper; that includes with your parents and child even if you are angry. It also includes your friends who may call during dinner. Being polite - for example, "Please don't call here again. Thank you." ----works very well with them, in fact.
Start teaching manners to your child when he is very young. Even though a baby does not understand what you are saying, he knows you're saying something. As he grows, you will be pleased to find that he has included these words in his vocabulary. In fact, if you've started this right away, "please" and "thank you" will be among the first twenty words he says regularly.
There are a few times that your child may choose not to use these polite phrases. Sometimes it is on purpose and sometimes it is a mistake. For example, when meeting someone who is a stranger, he may become very quiet and not speak. Some support and a gentle reminder will work here. Or, he may get angry with his siblings(兄弟姊妹)and not use his manners on purpose. You'll need to remind him that being angry is no excuse for being rude.
When your child is invited to do something with another family, remind him to always say “please” and “thank you”. Simple reminders for everyday manners go a long way. Don't warn him; just remind him. Your child is often just as busy as you are and with the excitement of going out with a friend, he may just simply forget.
1. What does the text mainly discuss?| A．Children's education. | B．Good manners. |
| C．Language learning. | D．Home schooling. |
| A．Trying to refuse your friends wisely. |
| B．Being kind to your children all the time. |
| C．Using polite phrases whenever possible. |
| D．Building better relations with your parents. |
| A．good manners should be taught at an early age |
| B．good manners aren't very important among strangers |
| C．repeating is a good way to increase your vocabulary |
| D．polite phrases can only be used on certain occasions |
| A．By referring to data. | B．By giving examples. |
| C．By raising questions. | D．By following time order. |
【推荐2】“If the world ends one day, these collections will bring hope of a new beginning to life on Earth,” said Li Pei, a staff member at the Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, or GBOWS, in Yunnan province.
Founded in 2007, GBOWS is a research and preservation facility for rare and endangered plants and animals. It is the largest in Asia in terms of species.
According to China Daily, GBOWS has preserved 85,046 seed types from 10,601 species and 60,262 biosamples of 2,203 wild animal species and domestic animal breeds.
“The number of seed accessions is close to that of the world’s biggest seed bank — the Millennium Seed Bank in the United Kingdom,” Li said.
With two in five plant species at risk of extinction, she said it is a race against time to protect the nation’s incredible plant life.
So how does the bank work? Scientists collect endangered and useful wild species and send them to the seed bank. For future study, collectors have to record details of the plant, including where it was found, its size and the number of individual plants in the habitat.
Once the seeds arrive at GBOWS, they’re dried and preserved in a room with 15 percent humidity. Next, they’re cleaned and separated from pieces. After that, X-rays confirm that the seeds are undamaged and no insects are hidden inside. The seeds are then frozen, stored in glass bottles and placed in huge freezers at -20℃ for long-term storage. Each container has a barcode that can be scanned to enable scientists to view information about the seeds inside.
The bank in Yunnan works with international partners on collecting backup (备份) samples, exchanges and research. It holds 2,176 sets of seeds from 45 countries and regions, with each set containing thousands of individual seeds.
“As China has rich and unique biological resources, we aim to further enhance our collections and conduct deeper research, in expectation of contributing more to biodiversity conservation, not only in China but the world,” Li Pei said.
1. What does the underlined word “extinction” mean in Paragraph 4?| A．Disappearance. | B．Collection. | C．Movement. | D．Development. |
| A．The seeds are kept in containers made of plastic. |
| B．The seeds are put under very hot and wet condition. |
| C．The seeds are dried before being cleaned and separated. |
| D．The seeds are confirmed just by human eyes to ensure their healthy condition. |
| A．2176 seeds are held in it. |
| B．All the seeds held in it are from China. |
| C．Only endangered wild species are collected in it. |
| D．Its number of seeds is close to the Millennium Seed Bank’s. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Disappointed. | C．Hopeful. | D．Critical. |
【推荐3】Buddy or Friendship Benches (长椅)are needed because playgrounds can be lonely places sometimes. When a school places the bench, they teach a little lesson to the kids on how it is to be used. Then when a child sits on the bench, it sends out a message to others that basically says, “ Hey, I’m alone right now and would welcome the company (陪伴) of others.” Kids in the playground see this and from their training, they see there is a fellow student in need. They are encouraged to come over and sit on the bench and make a new friend.
Benches like this have been around for a while now in many schools. But in Ireland, they are trying to do something different with them. This school in Cork in the south of Ireland is the 247th to get benches from a social organization called “Buddy Bench Ireland” that doesn’t just provide schools with benches, but also runs special projects with trained child psychiatrists (精神病专家).They use the bench as an opportunity to start conversations about mental health. They talk about the importance of knowing and understanding your feelings and those of others.
Judith Ashton, a co-founder of Buddy Bench Ireland said, “The children need to understand what the bench is about, what it represents ----friendship, understanding, listening to each other and the most important thing is that it’s important to express feelings.”
But do children really use the bench? It’s a matter of great public concern. Sinead Mcgilloway from Maynooth University carried out a study and said, “ We found that 40% of the children told us that they had actually used the benches at the time of the study. And over 90% said that they would talk to a child if that child was sitting on the bench. So, there’s nothing to worry about.
Children’s mental health and safety at school is increasingly a concern in many countries. In Ireland, they’re hoping these benches will not only tackle problems like school violence and school bullying (校园暴力和校园欺凌), but also give students the confidence to open up about their feelings.
1. According to the passage, buddy benches might _________.| A．make students feel relaxed |
| B．help students feeling lonely to find friends |
| C．be a symbol of psychology classes |
| D．appear in schools filled with problem children |
| A．makes buddy benches more popular |
| B．brings more new-pattern benches to schools |
| C．encourages more students to choose buddy benches |
| D．provides psychological care projects along |
| A．how to understand each other |
| B．what buddy benches are about |
| C．the importance of expressing themselves |
| D．the necessity of listening to their friends |
| A．60% of the children in the study disliked these benches |
| B．over 90% of the children in the study once felt lonely |
| C．he once worried about children with mental problems |
| D．the public don’t have to worry about the use of buddy benches |
| A．Deal with. | B．Check out. |
| C．Keep a record of. | D．Leave out. |
