John F. Kennedy said, “We’re tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch — we’re going back from whence we came.” This quote is more poignant than you might think. We are inevitably linked to the ocean: All life on Earth originates from its depths — and it is crucial for our future, too.
Covering about 71 percent of Earth’s surface, the ocean is instrumental in the processes that keep us alive. Whilst the rainforests may be referred to as “the lungs of the planet,” it is actually the ocean that provides 50 to 80 percent of the oxygen we breathe. Through a “conveyor belt” action, it helps regulate Earth’s climate by transporting heat away from the equator (赤道), towards the poles to cool. The ocean also proves itself essential in the fight against climate change. It absorbs 50 times more carbon dioxide (CO2) than our atmosphere — or rather, it is not the ocean itself…but what lives within it.
Many forms of aquatic life naturally absorb and hold carbon. From microscopic phytoplankton (浮游生物) to gigantic whales, life of all shapes and sizes play a part in feeding these carbon sinks (areas that absorb more CO2 than they release). Perhaps one of the most incredible forms is the humble seagrass.
Across the globe, there are more than 70 different species of seagrass. It grows in the vast underwater meadows of 159 countries on six continents, covering 300,000 square kilometers — barely occupying 0.2 percent of the seafloor. This is where the super seagrass comes into its own: It absorbs ten percent of the ocean’s carbon each year and captures carbon up to 35 times faster than tropical rainforests.
Seagrass constructs its leaves and roots through the use of carbon, which it gains from water through the process of photosynthesis (光合作用) — and it holds on to this carbon even after its death. Dead plant material slowly decomposes on the ocean floor, which means that the carbon stored within it ends up getting buried under the seabed.
It is ironic that such an effective natural solution to climate change is itself under threat from climate change, as temperatures rise and more violent storms destroy seagrass beds. Pollution, the long-term development of coastlines, and unregulated fishing have all played additional roles in its decline.
Experts say that reversing the decline of seagrass will take an international effort. Fortunately, restoration missions are already underway. The Ocean Conservation Trust, for example, has opened a seagrass cultivation lab. Here, seagrass is grown in batches, using seed-bearing shoots that have been hand-picked by divers. In April 2021, 2,200 bags of these seedlings were planted on the seabed of Plymouth Sound, England. They are expected to flourish into a meadow the size of six football pitches.
Could seagrass be one of the Earth’s great survivors that will end up saving us all? As with most things, only time will tell.
1. What does the underlined word “instrumental” in the second paragraph mean?| A．important | B．alarming | C．consequential | D．mechanical |
| A．The carbon is taken in through photosynthesis by seagrass’s roots and leaves. |
| B．The carbon gets buried together with the decomposed plant material. |
| C．The carbon is eaten by various forms of aquatic life that feed on the dead plants. |
| D．The remaining carbon is cultivated in an artificial lab to convert to seagrass. |
| A．Paradise for Aquatic Life | B．Ocean is Under Threat |
| C．the Irreversible Climate Change | D．Kelp (海藻) Can Help |
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【推荐1】They say procrastination is the thief of time — actually deadlines are. New research has found that if you want someone to help you out with something, it is best not to set a deadline at all. But if you do set a deadline, make it short.
Professor Stephen Knowles tested the effect of deadline length on task completion for their research. Participants were invited to complete an online survey concerning a charity donation. They were given either one week, one month, or no deadline to respond. Professor Knowles says although the topic of the survey is about charity, the results are true of any situation where someone asks another person for help.
The study found responses to the survey were lowest for the one-month deadline and highest when no deadline was specified. No deadline and the one- week deadline led to many early responses, while a long deadline appeared to give people permission to procrastinate, and then forget. Professor Knowles wasn’t surprised to find that specifying a shorter deadline increased the chances of receiving a response compared to a longer deadline. However, he did find it interesting that they received the most responses when no deadline was specified.
“We interpret this as evidence that specifying a longer deadline, as opposed to a short deadline or no deadline at all, removes the urgency to act,” he says. “People therefore put off undertaking the task, and since they are inattentive or forget, postponing it results in lower response rates.”
He says of the research that it is possible that not specifying a deadline might still have led participants to assume that there is an unspoken deadline. Professor Knowles hopes his research can help reduce the amount of procrastinating people do. “Many people procrastinate. They have the best intentions of helping someone out, but just do not get around to doing it. ”
1. Why did Professor Knowles do the research?| A．To study the role a deadline plays in procrastination. |
| B．To find out whether people are interested in charity. |
| C．To attract public attention to the effects of procrastination. |
| D．To test the effect of procrastination on task completion. |
| A．No deadlines. | B．Short deadlines. | C．Specific deadlines. | D．Long deadlines. |
| A．Interested. | B．Conservative. | C．Confused. | D．Unsurprised. |
| A．careless | B．unimportant | C．lazy | D．difficult |
【推荐2】A recent study suggests that vitamin D pills can help speed up the time taken for burns to heal, and prevent scarring(结疤). The vitamin, which is produced naturally in the body when the skin is exposed to sunshine, is believed to help protect against burning.
Previous studies have shown that vitamin D pills help decrease redness and swelling after sunburn, and may be one of the reasons why the body produces the chemical.
The research from Birmingham University, has found they may also help relieve other types of burn. Researchers monitored 38 patients who had suffered serious burns for a year and recorded their levels of vitamin D. They found that those with the highest levels of vitamin D had better wound healing and fewer scars.
Professor Janet Lord said: “Low vitamin D levels were associated with worse results in burn patients including life-threatening infections(感染),death and delayed wound healing. Major burn injury severely reduces vitamin D levels and adding this vitamin back may be a simple, safe and cost-effective way to improve the condition for burn patients.” Professor Lord and her team are now focusing on finding out why there is a rapid loss of vitamin D in patients immediately following burn injury and hope that they may be able to prevent this in future.
The amount of reduction in patients’ vitamin D levels was not related to the severity(严重程度) of the burn, so levels may also be decreased in minor burn injury, suggesting taking vitamin D pills could also help people with everyday burns. Public Health England now recommends that all Britons take vitamin D pills in the winter because it is impossible to make sufficient quantities in the darker months.
1. What does the new study find?| A．People with low vitamin D levels get burned easily. |
| B．Vitamin D helps with the recovery from burn injury. |
| C．Vitamin D pills aid in reducing the swelling from burns. |
| D．Vitamin D is more beneficial to serious burns than minor burns. |
| A．The severity of one's burn reflects his vitamin D levels. |
| B．Vitamin D pills are more needed in the autumn months. |
| C．Burn patients lacking vitamin D are at high risk of infection. |
| D．Minor burns have no effect on patients’ vitamin D levels. |
| A．The researchers. | B．Vitamin D pills. |
| C．Previous studies. | D．Some kinds of vitamins. |
| A．Vitamin D: A Necessity for Our Health |
| B．Vitamin D Pills: When Are They Needed? |
| C．Vitamin D: How Much Does the Body Need? |
| D．Vitamin D Pills: Heal Burns &. Prevent Scarring |
【推荐3】Do you ever talk to yourself? Although it’s not always a conscious habit, most of us practice self-talk on a daily basis.
Research shows that self-talk can increase productivity, motivation and confidence, and even help manage feelings. “There is solid evidence that self-talk strategies improve learning and performance,” according to sport psychologist Antonis Hatzigeorgiadis, who studies the phenomenon of self-talk.
He explains that there are generally three reasons why we practice self-talk: to instruct, to motivate or to evaluate. Instructional self-talk happens when we need to guide ourselves through a specific task, such as learning a new skill. Motivational self-talk usually is used when we want to prepare ourselves for something challenging; it can help to increase confidence. Evaluative self-talk mostly is related to past events or actions.
Hatzigeorgiadis stresses that if we want to use such self-talk to good advantage, it needs to be short, precise and, most of all, consistent. Of course, self-talk also can be ineffective and even detrimental if it’s not done right.
“It is a matter of personal preference or what works for each person; but generally, it is advised that self-talk be positively rather than negatively phrased and focus on what you should do rather than on what you should avoid,” Hatzigeorgiadis says. So, for example, it would be better to say “stay cool” instead of “don’t get upset”. Although both instructions convey the same meaning, you should use positive words rather than negative ones. In this way you can avoid ill results.
Another thing that can make a difference when practicing self-talk is the way you address yourself. According to the research published in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, using “you” rather than “I” when talking to yourself tends to be more effective. The researchers explain that when you think of yourself as another person, it allows you to give more objective and useful feedback (反馈).
1. Why do people talk to themselves in Antonis’s opinion?| A．To recall their past experiences. |
| B．To guide them to find more opportunities. |
| C．To encourage them to overcome difficulties. |
| D．To evaluate their performance when doing a task. |
| A．You shall be brave. | B．Never be afraid. |
| C．I must be brave. | D．You mustn’t be afraid. |
| A．Disturbing. | B．Embarrassing. | C．Useless. | D．Harmful. |
| A．People do self-talk based on rules. |
| B．People do self-talk for good reason. |
| C．People benefit from proper self-talk. |
| D．People should perform positive self-talk. |
【推荐1】In 1907, Leo Baekeland invented Bakelite — the first ever plastic. Since then, plastics have been used widely in various industries and people’s lives. Plastic bags were introduced to supermarkets in 1977. Now, 160,000 plastic bags are used globally every second!
Plastic bags live on much, much longer — perhaps as much as 1,000 years in a landfill (垃圾填埋地).
When plastic breaks down in the ocean, it doesn’t break down completely.
Plastic bags cause the death of many sea animals when they are mistaken for food. In 2008, a whale was found beached in California. It died due to the more than 22 kilos of plastic found in its stomach.
The key to improving our environmental behavior is to make a plan. And you should build your environmental muscle memory: Put your recyclable bags somewhere that will ensure you always remember to bring them with you.
If you drive to the store, keep your bags in your car.
Through this act of green, you have created a plan to ensure you will always have your reusable grocery bags on hand when you need them.
| A．If you bike, keep them in your basket. |
| B．But it only counts if you stick to the plan. |
| C．It remains harmful even when it breaks down. |
| D．Plastic bags are billed for their “convenience”. |
| E．It just gets smaller and ends up getting eaten by fish. |
| F．So we know that we should never use plastic grocery bags. |
| G．You’ll feel proud when you see what a difference you’ve made! |
【推荐2】After years of heated debate, gray wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. Fourteen wolves were caught in Canada and transported to the park. By last year, the Yellowstone wolf population had grown to more than 170 wolves.
Gray wolves once were seen here and there in the Yellowstone area and much of the continental United States, but they were gradually displaced by human development. By the 1920s, wolves had practically disappeared from the Yellowstone area. They went farther north into the deep forests of Canada, where there were fewer humans around.
The disappearance of the wolves had many unexpected results. Deer and elk populations — major food sources (来源) for the wolf — grew rapidly. These animals consumed large amounts of vegetation (植被), which reduced plant diversity in the park. In the absence of wolves, coyote populations also grew quickly. The coyotes killed a large percentage of the park’s red foxes, and completely drove away the park’s beavers.
As early as 1966, biologists asked the government to consider reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone Park. They hoped that wolves would be able to control the elk and coyote problems. Many farmers opposed the plan because they feared that wolves would kill their farm animals or pets.
The government spent nearly 30 years coming up with a plan to reintroduce the wolves. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service carefully monitors and manages the wolf packs in Yellowstone. Today, the debate continues over how well the gray wolf is fitting in at Yellowstone. Elk, deer, and coyote populations are down, while beavers and red foxes have made a comeback. The Yellowstone wolf project has been a valuable experiment to help biologists decide whether to reintroduce wolves to other parts of the country as well.
1. What is the text mainly about?| A．Wildlife research in the United States. | B．Plant diversity in the Yellowstone area. |
| C．The conflict between farmers and gray wolves. | D．The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone Park. |
| A．Forced out. | B．Separated. | C．Tested. | D．Tracked down. |
| A．Damage to local ecology (生态). | B．A decline in the park’s income. |
| C．Preservation of vegetation. | D．An increase in the variety of animals. |
| A．Disapproving. | B．Positive. | C．Doubtful. | D．Uncaring. |
【推荐3】Scientists have determined that July 2023 was the hottest month on record and that the Earth’s average surface temperature is the highest it’s been in at least 120,000 years.
There’s no shortage of advice for people in hotter-than-normal regions. They can wear a sun hat or stay in the shade (阴凉处). And when all else fails, go inside and turn the air conditioning on.
But wild creatures can’t enjoy the cool air indoors. Many people assume that wild species must have some ways of dealing with these unusually high temperatures. However, most of them can’t. If their body temperatures go too high or too low, they will die. So in addition to finding food and avoiding enemies, every wild creature must continually engage in an ongoing exchange of energy with their environments to ensure survival.
Birds do this by getting out of the direct sun, sitting still, and breathing shallow breaths. In short, they do nothing but breathe in the shade. This behavior is usually successful because it enables most birds to survive most of the very hot days. But it wrecks their schedule. Many birds no longer have enough time in their days to find enough food to remain healthy, especially the extra food needed to raise their young.
It’s not only birds that are suffering from heat, nor is it only land species: animals in the ocean are also suffering. The largest analysis (分析) of coral reef (珊瑚礁) health found that 14% of the world’s coral reefs had been lost in the previous decade due to heat. Another recent study predicts (预测) that over 99% of coral reefs will experience heat that they cannot recover from if the global average temperature increases by just 1.5 degrees Celsius, which, unless we massively reduce our carbon emissions, is likely to happen in the next decades.
Heat is damaging ecosystems everywhere, and we’re just in the early stages of climate breakdown. Humans are highly adaptable. The vast majority of wild species, however, can’t simply pack up and go someplace else. By continuing to pollute the atmosphere, we’re damaging their worlds and pushing ever-greater numbers of them into extinction.
1. How do wild species differ from humans in handling rising heat?| A．They can migrate to cooler environments. | B．They are better at cooperating with each other. |
| C．They have limited methods for adapting to it. | D．They are more resistant to heat-related health issues. |
| A．Represents. | B．Disturbs. | C．Adopts. | D．Meets. |
| A．Land species are more easily affected by heat. |
| B．Heat can cause serious trouble for different wildlife. |
| C．Coral reefs are of great value to coastal communities. |
| D．Underwater creatures have adopted ways to control heatwaves. |
| A．Wildlife can adapt quickly to various environments. |
| B．Wild species have more natural enemies to deal with. |
| C．Ecosystems may naturally recover from heat damage. |
| D．Immediate action is required to protect ecosystems. |
【推荐1】The San Francisco-based company, called Living Carbon, has created poplar (杨树) trees that are genetically engineered (改变基因结构) to grow larger and suck up more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than standard trees do. In February, workers planted rows of these poplars in southern Georgia. The company intends to plant 4 to 5 millions trees by the middle of next year, which they say will help with the worsening climate crisis.
When plants photosynthesize (进行光合作用), they convert carbon into sugar and nutrients that are eventually consumed by all living organisms. But they also produce a harmful byproduct, which must be broken down during the energy-intensive process of photorespiration (光呼吸), said Yumin Tao, the company’s vice president of biotechnology.
“This is not only wastes energy but also loses much fixed carbon in the form of CO2, which gets released into the air again,” Tao added. “It’s a wasteful process many plants do.” Living Carbon has reduced photorespiration in its poplars, instead channeling the energy into growth, he says.
The trees have three genes inserted to achieve this, including one from squash and one from green algae. But the company has yet to show its modified trees can capture more carbon in a real — world setting. Its only publicly available data comes from a study in a greenhouse that lasted for only a few months and has yet to be peer reviewed. “Their claims seen bold based on very limited real-world data,” says Andrew Newhouse, a conservation biologist at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.
Still, the study reported the modified poplars grew as much as 53% larger in five months compared to the unmodified ones, capturing 27% more carbon dioxide. Now, the company hopes its other field trials in locations like Oregon and Pennsylvania will show similar successes. It’s currently focused on planting on private lands, where fewer roadblocks exist.
“We specially focus on land where trees otherwise wouldn’t be planted, like abandoned mine lands-areas where there isn’t an existing, rich ecosystem that’s allowing for a large amount of carbon removal right now,” says Maddie Hall, Living Carbon’s CEO.
1. Why does the company want to plant genetically modified poplars?| A．To help with the worsening climate crisis. |
| B．To better study them to gain more accurate data. |
| C．To replace ordinary poplars with genetically modified poplars. |
| D．To find suitable places for genetically modified poplars to grow. |
| A．Disapproving. | B．Ambiguous. | C．Skeptical. | D．Supportive. |
| A．They are very resistant to carbon. | B．They have a growth advantage. |
| C．They have two genes inserted. | D．They photosynthesize even faster. |
| A．A Company Is Trying to Engineer Trees Genetically |
| B．Poplar Trees Might Be Planted All Around the World |
| C．Genetically Modified Trees Are Taking Root to capture Carbon |
| D．Research Is Being Conducted to Use Trees to Remove CO2 |
【推荐2】What to Do If Your Child Can’t Sleep
Sleep issues are not particular to infants and toddlers, but can linger well into the school-going age bracket. If parents have reached the stage where their older child doesn’t sleep well, they may feel resigned to the situation – and it’s true that the older the child is, the more difficult it may be to change deeply rooted sleep associations and expectations – but there’re still some things you can do.
Sleep strategies – Explain: Talk to your child about the changes that you intend to make. Do this during the daytime, on a walk or over lunch. Let your child be involved in the decisions to give them a sense of control over the situation. Ask for their input, suggestions and their own impressions of what they would like their bedtime to include. Then rearrange the bedroom together, or simply choose the books and pajamas.
Environment: Make sure your child’s bedroom is a calm, safe place. Avoid too many distractions or stimulating activities in advance of sleep. Keep electronics and televisions out of the bedroom and limit their use at least 1-2 hours before bedtime, as using gadgets shortly before sleep can make it difficult for your child to “switch off”. If lots of non-sleep time is spent in the bedroom, the room itself does not represent the big separation that is sleep.
Diet and exercise: Outdoor exercise and fresh air are significant components to healthy sleep, and at least one hour a day is the recommendation. Don’t do this too close to sleep time though, as that’s when you need to be helping relax your child’s body, not stimulate it.
A growing child will need good sleep, so they need three structured meals and plenty of water throughout the day. But sugary or processed foods should be avoided. Allow them time to digest the food they’ve eaten before having them go to bed, although warm milk can help promote sleep.
1. According to the article, the underlined word “bracket” in paragraph 1 probably means _____.| A．a kind of basket | B．a particular range |
| C．a kind of relationship | D．the name of an age group |
| A．To strengthen their connection with their children. |
| B．To warn their children that they should sleep well. |
| C．To inform their children that some changes about their sleeping habits will be made. |
| D．To make the children feel they have the ability to make their own decisions about their sleep issues. |
| A．Boiled eggs. | B．Candy bars. |
| C．Warm milk | D．Homemade dumplings. |
【推荐3】How are you feeling today? Often when we ask people that question, they reply “not bad”, or “could be worse”
Of course there are many treatments for improving our mental health, but sometimes there are small and simple solutions to help improve our wellbeing. It’s something the BBC TV programme Easy Ways to Live Well has been looking at.
Firstly, to tackle putting on weight and to cut the calories, the programme found sniffing peppermint (嗅薄荷) stops our desire for a snack. Presenter, chef and writer Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall says “a scientific theory called” mutual competition’ shows that a strong smell can distract (分心) our brain from the food we’re thinking about.”
If your addiction to your smartphone is getting you down, it’s suggested that turning your phone screen grey helps you reduce screen time.
Other life-improving ideas included things such as singing to reduce pain and moving morel to get away from our sedentary (久坐的) lives.
| A．Fancy a swim in ice-cold water? |
| B．But what would make us feel “perfect”? |
| C．That’s because a black and white screen becomes less attractive to look at. |
| D．Spending too much time looking at a screen is known to affect sleep patterns. |
| E．But whatever action we take, any change to our lifestyle can help improve our health. |
| F．Holidaying locally is a great way to experience the beauty of where you live in new ways. |
| G．It gave several health suggestions which the programme’s presenters tried and confirmed. |
