Animals may also become extinct through direct destruction. This includes the hunting and capturing of animals. Humans have always hunted and killed wildlife     1     early humans lived more in harmony with nature,     2     killed animals for essentials like food and clothing. When guns     3     (invent), mass destruction of species was possible. Animals have been, and still are, killed     4     meat, clothing, medicines, feathers, eggs, trophies (战利品), tourist souvenirs — and sometimes just for amusement. Some species are still captured in the wild for the live pet trade, even though     5     (they) numbers are decreasing.

The     6     (extinct) of at least 500 species of animals has been caused by man, most of them in this century. Today there are about 5,000 endangered animals and at least one species dies out every year. There are probably many more which become extinct     7     anyone knowing.

    8     main threats to species then can be cited as illegal hunting, habitat loss and climate change. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has its own “red list” of endangered species     9     (range) from “least concern” through to “critically endangered”. It is their assessment     10     we will refer to here.

Bamboo has been planted in China for thousands of years at least. And it is possibly one of the most    1    (cherish) plants of Chinese people. There is a bamboo forest in Sichuan Province in Southwest China     2    hundreds of millions of bamboos cover 27 mountains and more than 500 peaks.

The bamboo sea in southern Sichuan is the     3    (large) natural bamboo forest in the world. It is said that there are 428 kinds of bamboos here.

Among them, the Nan bamboo     4    (grow) the fastest, covering more than 47,000 square kilometers of the mountainside. And they are able to grow from     5    (shoot) to mature bamboos in just 40 days     6     grow into woods within four years. Bamboo is the rarest renewable resource in the mountainous areas. They     7    (surround) by cloud all year round. In summer you can see green everywhere, and in winter everything turns white.

There is bamboo scenery, mountains and rivers, lakes, ancient temples, as well     8    countless streams overflowing from this bamboo sea. These streams fall from cliff edges,     9    (create) a grand scene. Deep into the bamboo forest, there is a crystal-clear lake called the “Sea within the Sea”. Only by taking a bamboo raft and floating in the waves can you     10    (true) appreciate this wonderful green world.

Apples are ready to pick when the skin color deepens and the fruit comes away     1     (easy) from the tree. The presence of windfalls (风吹落的果子) is a good     2     (indicate) that fruits are ready to pick. Not all apples are ready     3     the same time, so pick regularly as most of them are fully developed.

To pick an apple, cup it in your hand, lift, and twist gently. It should be separate from     4     (it) end. Always touch apples gently     5     (avoid) injuring them, and never tug (拽) an apple from the tree     6     you may damage the fruiting spurs (枝丫) or cause apples nearby to drop.

Early season apples are eaten best soon after     7     (pick) as they don’t store (储藏) well. Midseason apples will store for a few weeks, and late season apples should be good for up to six     8     (month). Apples chosen for storage must be in perfect condition. Check stored apples regularly and remove the ones that     9     (be) going soft, brown, or rotting,

Store your apples in a cool but frost-free, dark, well-ventilated place such as a shed or garage. Make sure they don’t touch, or else wrap them in newspaper. Different species store for different lengths of time — keep them separate and use those     10     have a shorter storage life sooner.