About 6 million to 12 million creatures are dissected (解剖) in U. S. classrooms every year, according to the National Anti-Vivisection Society, an animal rights group. While many students eagerly look forward to the chance to examine real animals up close, others say that there’s no educational value in cutting into animals’ bodies. Should students dissect real animals?
David Evans, the director of the National Science Teachers Association, argues that students should be given the chance to dissect animals in the classroom. Students learn best in a hands-on environment where they can work together to explore and discover. Interacting with organisms (生物) is an effective way to help students develop skills of observation and comparison and learn the unique structures (结构) and processes of organisms. As good as many models or simulations might be, they are very different from real organisms. And he believes they fall short of producing the respect for living things that comes from the actual dissection experience.
Jonathan Balcombe, a biologist and a life-long animal rights supporter, says, “I spent many years as a biology lab teacher. I remember the horrible feeling I had when it came time for my class to dissect animals. The lesson required that students cut open and examine dead frogs, fetal pigs, sparrows, and other creatures. I felt pity for these animals, who probably suffered before being killed. And I knew their pain could have been avoided. If students and teachers saw how these animals typically end up on their desks, I believe that dissections would soon stop.”
He points out there are many effective choices for learning animal dissection and physiology, including 3-D models, videos, and computer software. Hundreds of programs are free through lending services like The Science Bank. The simulated dissections can be repeated, and the programs provide feedback. Several studies have shown that computer models and other choices teach students just as well as or better than traditional animal dissection.
I’m not surprised that no state requires dissection to graduate from high school, and no college or university demands it as part of the admissions process. In fact, laws in 18 U. S. states and Washington, D. C. support a student’s right to use other choices. However, dissection could have a legal place in education if the animals did not suffer and were not intentionally killed. For example, some schools have students dissect animals that “were put to sleep” for medical reasons and whose bodies were donated to science.
1. Which of the following may Evans agree with?| A．Models are as effective as actual dissections. |
| B．Students are short of chances to dissect animals. |
| C．Dissecting animals helps people respect creatures. |
| D．Students benefit much more when learning in groups. |
| A．It causes pain to animals. |
| B．It advances medicine research. |
| C．It should be more educational. |
| D．It should be put in school programs. |
| A．The nature of dissection. |
| B．The necessity of dissection. |
| C．The result of dissecting animals. |
| D．The research on dissected animals. |
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【推荐1】“Human activity has wiped out two-thirds of the world’s wildlife since 1970,” CNN reported on September 10, 2020. Later that month, the Guardian reported that “40 percent of the world’s plant species are at risk of extinction”. Stanford biologist Paul Ehrlich and his colleagues argued that “the ongoing sixth mass extinction may be the most serious environmental threat to the persistence of civilization”. Around the same time, the Daily Mail warned that “human civilization stands a 90 percent chance of collapse within decades due to deforestation”.
These horrible calculations and projections come from authoritative-sounding reports issued by international agencies, conservation groups, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. But is the future of wild nature and human civilization really so poor?
Data from uncontroversial mainstream sources strongly indicate that both humanity and the natural world are likely to be flourishing rather than collapsing at the end of this century. Humanity is becoming an urban species, and that’s good for the environment, since urban dwellers generally use less electricity, produce less globe-warming carbon dioxide, and have smaller land footprints than people living in the countryside. By 2100, it is estimated that 85 percent of people will be city dwellers, which would leave only 1.2 billion still living in the countryside. That means more space for the wildlife and less pollution from the agriculture.
The global tree-covering area increased by 865,000 square miles between 1982 and 2016. The researchers found that gains in forest area in the mild, subtropical and northern climatic zones are offsetting declines in the tropics. The Maryland researchers owe much of that increase to “natural afforestation on abandoned agricultural land”. “Furthermore, forests in mountainous regions are expanding as climate warming enables trees to grow at higher altitudes,” they added.
Humanity does face big environmental challenges in the coming century. But the scientific and economic evidence shows that most of the trends are positive or can be turned in positive direction by human wisdom. Rather than an age of extinction, the 21st century promises to be an era of environmental renewal.
1. Why does the author mention the reports in Paragraph 1?| A．To give examples. | B．To introduce the topic. |
| C．To make a contrast. | D．To support his opinion. |
| A．No one will choose to live in the countryside. |
| B．More space will be available for the wildlife. |
| C．Neither humanity nor the natural world will develop quickly. |
| D．Urban residents will do more walking than those in the countryside. |
| A．The expanding and disappearance in forest area aren’t evenly matched. |
| B．The forest area in the mild, tropic and northern zones is increasing. |
| C．There are more forests in mountainous regions due to the climate warming. |
| D．The plan of “natural afforestation on abandoned agricultural land” is unfavorable. |
| A．The Bright Future of Humanity |
| B．The Challenges in the Coming Century |
| C．Better Environment, Better Future of Human |
| D．21st Century: An Era of Environmental Renewal |
【推荐2】A shark that walks in water instead of swimming might sound like a creature straight out of science fiction. However, that is precisely how the fish -- found in the waters of Northern Australia moves across the seafloor .The unique ocean animals were discovered by a team of scientists led by Dr. Christine Dudgeon from Australia's University of Queensland during a 12 year global conservation study.
The newly-found sharks have evolved (进化) to survive in low oxygen environments, enabling them to hunt during low tides. The researchers believe their ability to use their fins (鳍) to walk affords the sharks a remarkable edge over the smaller animals they try to bunt. “While they are super hunters in their shallow habitat, the tiny sharks present no threat to people," says Dudgeon.“At less than a meter long on average, they're incredibly cute little animals that do not look like sharks at all," she adds.
A DNA analysis of skin samples from the live fish suggests that walking sharks broke away from their original population and became a distinct species about nine million years ago. Though that may appear to be a long time ago, it is relatively recent given that sharks have been around for more than 400 million years. In fact, Dudgeon and her team believe walking sharks are the youngest kind of sharks on Earth!
The researchers say that the sharks' small numbers and small habitat make them extremely vulnerable (易受伤害) to natural disasters and overfishing. They are currently on the Nature Red List, which lists species at risk. Dudgeon and her team believe sensible conservation management plans are urgently needed to protect the walking sharks and other endangered animals from further threats.
1. What is the most noticeable feature of the newly-found sharks?| A．They are cute and harmless to humans. |
| B．They can survive in their shallow habitat. |
| C．They walk on their fins across the seafloor. |
| D．They are the youngest kind of sharks on Earth. |
| A．The evolution of the shark. | B．The behavior of the sharks. |
| C．The population of the sharks. | D．The DNA samples of the sharks. |
| A．Adjusting the methods of fishing. |
| B．Putting the sharks on the Nature Red List |
| C．Changing the sharks' living environments. |
| D．Adopting necessary measures to protect the sharks. |
| A．Environment. | B．Nature. |
| C．Education. | D．Geography. |
【推荐3】We see a woman swimming at night in a dark sea. Suddenly, she is pulled underwater. She surfaces, cries in fear, then disappears forever. This is the opening scene from the 1975 film Jaws, showing a shark attack. It tells the story of a great white shark that attacks and kills swimmers. Jaws was a great success, attracting huge audiences and winning many awards. It strengthened people's long - held idea of the great white shark as a dangerous animal.
People have always been scared of sharks, bur Jaws made things worse. It made people frightened of sharks, especially of the great white shark. Many people who saw the film started to believe that sharks were bad animals that ate humans. Some people stopped swimming in the sea, afraid of the horrible creature from the film. Other people started fishing for sharks, killing as many as they could. At that time, nobody cared if sharks were killed, or how many were killed. People just wanted them killed.
After 1975, the number of large sharks around America fell quickly, and soon fell around the world. This was not only due to fear of sharks, but also finning. Finning is a type of fishing where sharks are caught and their fins cut off. The sharks are thrown back into the sea where they die slowly and painfully. The fins are used in shark fin soup. Finning kills millions of sharks a year.
Finning would have an unexpected effect upon Peter Benchley, the man who wrote the book the film Jaws was based on. In 1980, Benchley was diving when he came across an awful sight. It was an area where fishermen were finning, and the sea floor was covered with dead sharks. Benchley saw sharks being killed and this caused a deep change in him. He came to see people as a danger to sharks, rather than the other way round. From that day on, he fought to protect sharks. He admitted that his book was wrong about sharks' behavior. “Sharks don't target humans,” he said. Experts have proved that sharks do not see people as food, and they attack us by mistake. Only around six people are killed by sharks every year.
Fortunately, not everyone who watched the film Jaws became afraid of sharks — some became interested in understanding them. Today, as we learn more about sharks, more people than ever want to protect them from extinction.
1. Which of the following is true of the 1975 film Jaws?| A．A woman swam gracefully along with a shark in the opening scene. |
| B．The film challenged people's long-held belief of the great white shark. |
| C．Many awards were given to the film due to the frightening killing scenes. |
| D．The shark was described as a cruel and dangerous animal to swimmers. |
| A．Some became more fascinated in swimming in the sea. |
| B．Some were eager to fish sharks for their delicious meat. |
| C．Some killed as many sharks as possible for no reason. |
| D．Some called on others to protect the endangered sharks. |
| A．It will be served onto the table as soups. |
| B．It will suffer a lot and die slowly in the sea. |
| C．Its fins will grow again after some time. |
| D．Its fins will be thrown away into the ocean. |
| A．Seeing the finning scene and many dead sharks. |
| B．Joining the fishermen who were killing and finning. |
| C．Writing the book the film Jaws was based on. |
| D．Knowing that sharks do not target and eat humans. |
| A．To inform people about sharks and recommend the film and the book to them. |
| B．To describe the cruel finning scene and prove that sharks are dangerous animals. |
| C．To explain people's misunderstanding of sharks and raise awareness of shark protection. |
| D．To criticize Peter Benchley's misleading description of sharks in his book and advocate the protection of sharks. |
【推荐1】Hard work really does pay off. Scientists find that perseverance(坚持不懈)leads to better grades and higher achievements in school.
“Being passionate(热情的)is not enough to ensure academic success,” says researchers, who thought of “courage” as a key to success. This is also regarded as effort in reaching long-term goals, and determination to continue one’s efforts in spite of hardships.
Researchers think that the finding could help create new training to help children develop the skill and help ensure their future success.
Researchers from the Academy of Finland studied more than 2,000 students from Helsinki. They were followed through their academic career from 12 to 16, the sixth grade until the ninth grade in local school years. Researchers found that the factor that best predicts courage was related to goals, with previous academic achievements playing no role in developing the skill.
Professor Katariina Salmela-Aro, who led the study, said, “Courage means a young person is really interested in his or her studies and does not give up easily. A key element of courage is high perseverance when facing difficulties and hardships. The important finding is that these factors are the key to success and well-being. Our study shows the power of courage.”
Professor Salmela-Aro also thinks it is important to develop new practices and qualities to improve courage in teenagers. She added, "Young people should see everyday school work as part of their life in a broader context and establish achievable goals for themselves. Schools must also serve as a place where it is safe to fail and learn to deal with weaknesses. One must not be discouraged by weaknesses, but draw strength and new energy from them.
1. What can we learn about the research?| A．It takes at least three years. | B．It helps students make progress. |
| C．It meets many difficulties. | D．It follows 2,000 students abroad. |
| A．Focus on former grades. | B．Achieve their dreams. |
| C．Try all their best. | D．Forget sadness. |
| A．A picture book. | B．A literature book. |
| C．A geography textbook. | D．An educational magazine. |
| A．Being passionate is the key to success. |
| B．Courage counts in better achievements in school. |
| C．Professor Katariina’s finding is amazing. |
| D．Young people should set achievable goals. |
【推荐2】School uniforms are becoming more and more popular across the U.S.A. That’s no surprise, because they offer many benefits. They immediately end the powerful social sorting and labeling (标记) that come from clothing. If all students are dressed in the same way, they will not pay too much attention to their clothing, and some of them will not be laughed at for wearing the “wrong” clothes.
Some people are against the strict rule of school uniforms, but they do not realize that students already accept a kind of rule — wanting to look just like their friends. The difference is that the clothing students choose for themselves creates social barriers; school uniforms tear those barriers down.
As in other places, uniforms remind the wearers of their purposes and duties. For example, when a man or woman puts on a police uniform, he or she becomes, for a time, the symbol of law and order. The uniform means to the wearer his or her special duties and sends the same message to everyone the wearer meets. People with different jobs wear uniforms of one kind or another. For students, the school uniform reminds them that their task for the six or seven hours they are in school is to get an education.
Some parents are unhappy about uniforms, saying that school uniforms will affect their children’s “creativity.” First, as noted above, the clothes students choose to wear do not necessarily express their individuality. They just copy their classmates. Second, students have the rest of the day to be as creative as they like. While they’re in school, their job is to master reading, writing, and maths; this should take up all the creativity they have. Mastery of those skills will be good for the students to build up their creativity in every way.
1. In Paragraph 1, the word “benefits” probably means ______.| A．tasks | B．messages | C．differences | D．advantages |
| A．prevent the wearers from being laughed at | B．help the wearers keep their duties in mind |
| C．are seen as a symbol of power | D．help to create social barriers |
| A．they believe that uniforms will make students less creative |
| B．they fail to realize that students have accepted the uniforms |
| C．they don’t agree that uniforms can remove social barriers |
| D．they think that school uniforms are too popular |
| A．it makes no difference whether to wear school uniforms or not |
| B．students’ individuality may not come from school education |
| C．students’ creativity is related to the clothes they choose |
| D．school uniforms help to create equality among students |
【推荐3】There is something to be said for being a generalist, even if you are a specialist. Knowing a little about a lot of things that interest you can add to the richness of a whole, well-lived life. Nowadays society pushes us to specialize, to become experts. This requires commitment to a particular occupation, branch of study or research. There is a great deal of pressure to master one’s field. You may pursue training, degrees, or increasing levels of responsibility at work. Then you discover the pressure of having to keep up.
Some people seem willing to work around the clock in their narrow specialty. But such commitment can also weaken a sense of freedom. These specialists could work at the office until ten each night, then look back and realize they would have loved to have gone home and enjoyed the sweetness of their family and friends, or traveled to exciting places, meeting interesting people. Mastering one thing to the exclusion(排除) of others can hold back your true spirit.
Generalists, on the other hand, know a lot about a wide range of subjects and view the whole with all its connections. They are people of ability, talent, and enthusiasm who can bring their broad perspective into specific fields of expertise. The doctor who is also a poet and philosopher is a superior doctor, one who can give so much more to his patients than just good medical skills.
Things are connected. Let your expertise in one field fuel your passions in all related areas. Some of your interests may not appear to be connected but, once you explore their depths, you discover that they are. My editor Toni, who is also a writer, has edited several history books. She has decided to study Chinese history. Fascinated by the structural beauty of the Forbidden City as a painter, she is equally interested to learn more Chinese philosophy. “I do not know where it will lead, but I am excited I am on this pursuit.”
These expansions into new worlds help us by giving us new perspectives. We begin to see the interconnectedness of one thing to another in all aspects of our life, of ourselves and the universe. Develop broad, general knowledge and experience. The universe is all yours to explore and enjoy.
1. The specialists mentioned in Paragraph 2 tend to _________.| A．treasure their freedom | B．travel around the world |
| C．spend most time working | D．enjoy meeting funny people |
| A．is a pure specialist in medicine |
| B．should love poetry and philosophy |
| C．is fully aware of his talent and ability |
| D．brings knowledge of other fields to work |
| A．In-depth exploration makes discoveries possible. |
| B．Passion alone does not ensure a person’s success. |
| C．Everyone has a chance to succeed in their pursuit. |
| D．Seemingly unrelated interests are in a way connected. |
| A．Ways to Become a Generalist |
| B．Turn a Generalist into a Specialist |
| C．Be More a Generalist Than a Specialist |
| D．Specialist or Generalist: Hard to Decide |
