【推荐2】The western green mamba(绿曼巴蛇), a kind of snake, is between 5.9 feet and 10.5 feet long. This makes the western green mamba the second longest poisonous snake in Africa, with the black mamba being the first.

The western green mamba is, however, the most agile(敏捷的) snake in the mamba family. Their skin color is greenish yellow or live green, which helps them to hide in the environment. One other important feature of the snake is its long tail with a sharp point.

The western green mamba can be found in West Africa. They often live in rain forests. Being an arboreal species, these snakes spend most of their time moving among the tree tops. They are also used to moving on the ground and will commonly leave their trees to run after a potential meal on the ground. The western green mamba is mostly active in the daytime, but can also be seen hunting at night from time to time.

The diet of a western green mamba is made up of birds and all kinds of small animals such as squirrels, mice and even bats. These snakes can get close to their target with the help of their natural skin color. When they are close enough, they bite the target with poisonous teeth quickly. Once the target has died, the western green mamba will swallow it whole. If these snakes are faced with danger, they will try to run away. If they have no way to run away, however, they will become very aggressive and attack their enemies with their sharp teeth repeatedly.

The female western green mamba is the one who lay eggs. They will lay from 5 to 15 eggs. The young snakes are completely independent after birth. The mother and father play no part in raising the baby snakes. The babies are born with everything they need to survive in the wilderness. If they can reach adulthood, then they will have almost no natural predators.

The western green mamba is not dying out. But its biggest threat comes from people and the damage they can bring to their homes. Hopefully, the western green mamba can continue to live alongside people and never have to worry that they will die out.

【推荐3】Antarctic blue whales have been perceived again in the sub-Antarctic, island of South Georgia. An international team of researchers discovered the animals five decades after whaling (捕鲸业) nearly caused them to disappear forever. “The ocean resources at South Georgia were heavily developed during the early 20th-century industrial whaling,” says lead author Susannah Calderan, an ecologist with the Scottish Association for Marine Science.

Antarctic blue whales were plentiful in the area until whaling began there in 1904, kicking off the beginning of industrial whaling in the Southern Ocean. While hunters originally focused on species that could be easily caught, like the humpback whale, the focus quickly moved to the blue whale. Between 1904 and 1973, 345, 775 Antarctic blue whales were killed in the Southern hemisphere (半球) and in the northern Indian Ocean. Around South Georgia, blue whale catches were reported year-round without stopping. Between 1904 and 1971, industrial whaling caused 42, 698 blue whales’ death, blue whales almost disappeared in these areas.

Researchers studied all Antarctic blue whale data from the last three decades. They examined sightings (目睹) from scientific surveys collected by observers on ships, as well as opportunistic. Sightings reported by sea men and ship passengers to South Georgia. They also examined acoustic (声音的) recordings of blue whales.

They found that whale surveys from ships off South Georgia resulted in just one blue whale sighting between 1998 and 2018. But more recent surveys suggest better news. A survey in February of 2020 found nearly 60 blue whale sightings, and several acoustic detections (探测). A total of 41 blue whales have been recognized through photos from South Georgia between 2011and 2020.

“Their return is very meaningful, as it was widely thought that blue whales at South Georgia might have been hunted beyond a point where they could recover, and. might never be seen again in great numbers at South Georgia,” Caldera n says. “Our research shows that, populations can recover even from very low levels if they’re given enough protection.”

【推荐2】“Who made you T-shirt?” A Georgetown University student raised that question. Piertra Rivoli, a professor of business, wanted to find the answer. A few weeks later, she bought a T-shirt and began to follow its path from Texas cotton farms to Chinese factories to charity bin (慈善捐赠箱). The result is an interesting new book, The travels of a T-shirt in the Global Economy.

Following a T-shirt around the world in a way to make her point more interesting, but it also frees Rivoli from the usual arguments over global trade. She goes, wherever the T-shirt goes, and there are surprises around every corner, In China, Rivoli shows why a clothing factory, even with its poor conditions, means a step towards a better life for the people who work there. In the colorful used-clothing markets of Tanzania, she realizes that, “it is only in this final stage of life that the T-shirt will meet a real market,” where the price of a shirt changes by the hour and is different by its size and even color. Rivoli's book is full of memorable people and scenes, like the noise, the bad air and the “muddy sweet smell (泥土香味) of the cotton.” She says,”Here in the factory, Shanghai smells like Shallowater, Texas.”

Rivoli is at her best when making those sorts of unexpected connections. She even finds one between the free traders and those who are against globalization. The chances opened up by trade are huge, she argues, but free markets need the correcting force of politics to keep them in check. True economic progress needs them both.

【推荐3】Though I know that I can do little to help the animals, I often check dog rehoming websites. Looking through page upon page of pitiful faces looking up, you might be forgiven for thinking that the only dogs to be abandoned in this country are fierce-looking or large and unruly dogs.

Recently, it seems there are some new additions in dog homes. Dogs Trust — the country’s largest dog welfare charity-says that in the past year over 400 “toy dogs” were handed in, a 44% increase on the year before.

“Toy dog” is the traditional term for all little dogs, but in recent years they’ve increasingly been referred to as “handbag dogs” after the ridiculous manner in which famous people like Paris Hilton carry them around in their $ 1,000 handbags, making these dogs the most wanted for impressionable teens. As the popularity of Hilton has waned, however, these dogs are being rudely tipped out of the handbags and given up to charity.

In spite of the sad ending that this trend brings for some of these dogs, it can only be a good thing if people become aware that the toy types are still dogs, not dolls to be carried around. If you really are prepared to stick with them, a small dog is just as capable of bringing joy without the need to dress him or her up. A large dog won’t sit on your lap while you read the papers or travel happily on the train with you. And a park full of pugs (哈巴狗) would be a happier and safer place than one full of teenage boys and badly trained large dogs. As Edith Wharton said, “My little dog - a heartbeat at my feet.”

【推荐3】The Walt Disney Company wasn’t about to let COVID-19 stop the company from developing. In the past year, some Disney theme park innovations (革新) have been designed.

For example, Disney had always encouraged face-to-face interactions (互动) between cast members and customers. It made perfect sense since Disney spends so much time training its workers in providing good customer service. In fact, Disney is known for pleasing its guests, which explains why it scores so high in customer satisfaction surveys. Well, COVID-19 turned personal interactions into problematic exchanges, as they increased the risk of spreading COVID-19. So, quickly, Disney added cast member virtual (虚拟的) chat to its app My Disney Experience. Now, you can rely on a cast member’s knowledge whenever you have a question about Disney visit. It’s like having a tour guide on your phone!

There is also the Walk-Up Waitlist. Before 2020, Disney had made strict rules for its Table Service restaurants. Once something sold out, would-be diners had no means of booking a table. COVID-19 has affected park guests, though. Some of them booked tables but then decided not to eat there. This cost Disney money, and it prevented you from dining at your favorite places. So, restaurant managers felt unhappy about the poor business practice, and Disney’s IT department reached a solution. The Walk-Up Waitlist in My Disney Experience allows you to add your name at a restaurant. A previously booked restaurant will find a table for you to dine there. My Disney Experience shows the waiting time. You’ll know whether the wait will fit with your tour. For Disney, the Walk-Up Waitlist improves services and can make it earn more money while increasing customer satisfaction.

In the face of COVID-19, Disney somehow made its parks better and more modern. The company is really worth praising for such great innovations.