Smaller than African savanna elephants, forest elephants feed on grass, leaves and fruit. The rainforests of Gabon are one of the last strongholds for forest elephants, whose numbers have suffered a dramatic decline in recent decades because of hunting.
Despite being remote and relatively untouched by people, Lope National Park and its elephants appear to be in trouble. The fruity yield (产量) of many species of trees at the park continues to fall, which seems to be causing forest elephants to go hungry. Because certain tree species depend on the animals to survive, the struggles of the elephant population could jeopardize the long-term sustainability of the forest.
Known as an Omphalocarpum procerum, the tree is dotted with doughnut-shaped fruit growing out of its trunk. The fruit has a tough shell that makes it distasteful for every animal species except elephants. The tree relies on elephants to disperse (传播) seeds through their dung (粪) and grows stronger in elephant-populated areas. The tree is rarely found where elephants no longer live. The elephants, in turn, depend on the highly nutritious fruit for their diet.
A 32-year survey recorded an 81 percent decline in the availability of the fruits that elephants eat. Examining Lopvé’s weather data for the previous three decades, researchers found that the average nighttime temperature had increased by about 1.5 degrees. The amount of rainfall also had decreased significantly. Climate change was making Lope hotter and drier. Researchers think this is the most credible theory as to why fruit has been declining.
They also found that, on average, the body condition of forest elephants had declined by a pronounced 11 percent from 2008 to 2018. The scarcity of fruit in Lope was the likeliest explanation. The lack of fruit makes it harder for elephants to get the nutrition they need. Lope’s elephants try to make up for the fruit shortage by suddenly entering people’s gardens in the middle of the night.
At Lope National Park, scientists now are investigating whether climate change is changing the elephants’ diet. As they continue their research, they thought: Could the fraying of the ancient bond between trees and elephants in a place as pristine as Lopé be a forewarning?
1. What does the underlined word “jeopardize” in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Endanger. | B．Promote. | C．Achieve. | D．Ensure. |
| A．To state the effect of habitat loss on elephants. |
| B．To prove the importance of the species diversity. |
| C．To present the gradual process of forest decline. |
| D．To show the close relationship between the tree and elephants. |
| A．Frequent heavy rainfall. | B．The lack of fruit growers. |
| C．Inappropriate tree cutting. | D．The threat of climate change. |
| A．They visit human’s gardens for food. |
| B．They travel farther to search for fruit trees. |
| C．They start to eat other highly nutritious plants. |
| D．They carry fruit seeds to elephant-populated areas. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Princess Louisa Inlet, a fjord lying 60 miles from Vancouver, Canada, is a stretch of wilderness. Accessible only by boat or plane, the 6-kilometer-long area is popular with outdoor enthusiasts. Its dense forests are home to a variety of wildlife, including mountain goats, eagles, etc. Now, thanks to a crowdfunding campaign, the land will be preserved forever for future generations to enjoy.
The chain of events began in June 2019, when three neighboring privately-owned land parcels came up for sale. With several logging companies expressing interest, BC Parks Foundation knew it had to do something to save the land. Although it had “zero funds”, the nonprofit foundation agreed to acquire the land for CAN $ 3 million(US$ 2.3 million). Fortunately, the owners gave the nonprofit three months to collect the money.
After much consideration, the nonprofit decided to reach out to the general public through a crowdfunding campaign. To its surprise, money started rolling in from people worldwide. Among the donors was a class of fifth-grade students from Cambridge Elementary School in Surrey, British Columbia, who raised an impressive CAN $1,109 for the cause.
But in spite of the outpouring of support, on August 28, 2019——the day of the sale deadline, the nonprofit was still short of CAN $ 100,000. Just as the officials thought there was no chance of success, a businessman from Vancouver stepped in with the funds. He wrote, “These protected areas are our crown jewels, and I think it’s madness to consider letting them go for short-term economic gain when they always provide much more.”
“It’s just an amazing thing people have done. They together have saved the fjord,” said BC Parks Foundation CEO Andrew Day. “Hopefully we do see more of this kind of thing, in the right places at the right time.”
1. What can we say about Princess Louisa Inlet according to paragraph 1?| A．It is a wild place and not approachable. | B．It is impressive but not easily accessible. |
| C．It is likely to be at risk of being in ruins. | D．It is especially loved by indoor enthusiasts. |
| A．People’s sincere pray for the Inlet. | B．The sacrifice of logging companies. |
| C．People’s support for the campaign. | D．The permission to purchase the land. |
| A．Hopeless. | B．Cautious. | C．Annoyed. | D．Serious. |
| A．To introduce the beauty of the wilderness. | B．To stress the significance of the campaign. |
| C．To show the benefits of exploring the fjord. | D．To evaluate the value of Princess Louisa Inlet. |
【推荐2】Nature can provide almost everything human beings need if we follow her rules. But if we break the rules, she is likely to be cruel and lash out at us.
The outbreak of the COVID-19 in China and some other countries is an example. Dr Peter Daszak, president of the US-based health organization, said, “This outbreak is a lesson for us. On a global scale (规模), human population density (密度), wildlife diversity, and land use change are what drive new pandemics (流行病).”
In ancient times, people needed to rely on nature to survive so they held it in awe (敬畏). For example, the American Indians believed that humans are a part of nature and nature is a part of humans. Chinese ancients always tried to keep the harmony between nature and human beings.
However, as human beings master more knowledge and make more advanced tools, people try to change and even conquer nature. They use more land to make buildings and capture wild and rare animals to suit their own needs. In this process, humans gradually lose contact with nature and even throw it out of balance.
Although we don’t know for sure what first caused the COVID-19 outbreak, it’s time for people to reflect on our relationship with our planet and reconnect with this world and everything that we’ve been given. After all, nature is not the place to visit. It’s our home.
1. What does the phrase “lash out at” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Control. | B．Challenge. | C．Destroy. | D．Punish. |
| A．Humans should live peacefully with nature. |
| B．Bats are one of the most dangerous wild animals. |
| C．We should stop the wildlife trade around the world. |
| D．It’s impossible to prevent new pandemics globally. |
| A．How human activities cause global warming. |
| B．How human beings break the balance of nature. |
| C．How human beings become their own masters. |
| D．How humans use technology to improve their lives. |
| A．To reflect on the COVID-19 outbreak. |
| B．To explain what led to the COVID-19 outbreak. |
| C．To describe experts’ predictions on new pandemics. |
| D．To compare ancient and modern attitudes toward nature. |
【推荐3】Technologies used for human purposes are now being applied to improve pets well-being. And the pet humanization trend (趋势) of recent years is shown in technology, with a great increase in demand for different kinds of wearable tech devices (设备) from pet parents around the world. Today, it’s not unusual to see dogs or cats with something tied to their body to monitor (监控) their activity or track their location.
“People don’t know the answer to questions about how much exercise or the amount of food their dog needs and that’s where wearable monitoring device comes in,” says CEO and co-founder of PitPat, Andrew Nowell. Between 2020 and 2021,this UK developer of a pet tracking device for dogs shipped 39% more of its products. At the same time the UK pet population increased by 10% to more than 9 million and a new type of pet owner appeared, the so-called Generation Y. They are the majority of customers that buy a wearable tech device, mainly wanting to know how far their pet has gone and what the dog is doing while they’re out.
The wearable tech field is mainly made up of small startup companies. But this may change in the near future. “All the big players are very interested. They will jump into the field in one way or another,” said Asaf Dagan, co-founder of the wearable tech device producer PetPace. Market research companies are predicting (预料) that the field will be worth between $2.4 billion and $3.5 billion in the coming years, with a yearly increase ranging between 13.5% and 25% by 2025.
Despite the potential (潜力), there are still some challenges that companies will soon have to face. Awareness is one of them. “The function of the GPS tracker is better known among pet parents, but there is still work to do to help them know about activity monitors. It is a matter of putting the message across. The value is there and the need is there. It’s about providing a connection and creating awareness,” commented Dagan.
1. What does paragraph 1 mainly tell us about wearable tech devices?| A．They help improve human well-being. |
| B．They require some changes to serve pets well. |
| C．They were invented for human-pet relationships. |
| D．They are becoming increasingly popular with pet owners. |
| A．To keep their pets warm. |
| B．To monitor their pets’ activity. |
| C．To correct their pets’ behavior. |
| D．To save their pets from getting diseases. |
| A．Certain. | B．Unclear. | C．Promising. | D．Risky. |
| A．Making continuous improvements to activity monitors. |
| B．Getting people to know the value of activity monitors. |
| C．Guiding people to use GPS trackers in a proper way. |
| D．Increasing the market share of their GPS trackers. |
【推荐1】It’s an unusually calm morning for Jim Smith, owner of Ventura Dive Sport, and lifelong seaman. He’s in charge of the Raptor, carrying a boatload of divers and snorkeling(浮潜) enthusiasts over to the Channel Islands anchored just off the Southern Californian coast, in the remote Channel Islands National Park.
On this trip, in particular, Smith is hoping to spot giant black sea bass, a huge underwater creature that grows over seven feet long and can weigh more than 700 pounds. Unsurprisingly, it’s a fish that sits atop the food chain, and the species is an important part of the marine (海洋的) ecosystem.
Up until the 1970s, black sea bass were a common sighting in Southern California, but due to overfishing their population dramatically declined. As a result, fishing for giant black sea bass of any kind was banned in California in 1982. In the Channel Island region, thanks to the protected waters of the national park, there is a promising sign-a recent survey found around 50 individuals around the Catalina Island alone.
Marine biologists’ photos-and indeed anyone else’s-now have a permanent home, on a newly-created database named Spotting Giant Sea Bass. The website, launched and run by the Aquarium of the Pacific in July, is a joint community effort to find out more about these mysterious creatures. Scientists hope to be able to answer how the population is changing over time, how far giant sea bass move, where they spawn (产卵), and how they grow in marine protected areas. With more than 1 million dives recorded annually across the Golden State’s coastline, researchers hope a joint effort to document this species will aid with its recovery.
“One of the main things people want to see when they come out with us during September and October is giant sea bass,” Smith says. “If you’re lucky enough to be on a dive and one swims past you. . . it really is the most incredible experience. ”
1. Who is Jim Smith?| A．A marine biologist. |
| B．A dive boat captain. |
| C．A founder of a website. |
| D．A guard of a national park. |
| A．They are experiencing population growth. |
| B．They are being overfished. |
| C．They are living in terrible conditions. |
| D．They are disappearing due to pollution. |
| A．Southern California. |
| B．Spotting Giant Sea Bass. |
| C．Marine protected areas. |
| D．The Aquarium of the Pacific. |
| A．Swimming with them in the sea. |
| B．Prohibiting deep-sea diving. |
| C．Working together to record information. |
| D．Discovering more islands. |
【推荐2】Humans eat an astonishing amount of meat every year-some 800 billion pounds of it, enough flesh to fill roughly 28 million dump trucks. Our desire for meat, particularly in industrialized countries like the United States, is one reason why the planet is warming as fast as it is. Raising animals consumes a lot of land that could otherwise soak up carbon. Cows, sheep, and goats give out heat-trapping methane (甲烷). And to grow the corn, soy, and other plants that those animals eat, farmers spray fertilizer that emits nitrous oxide (一氧化二氮), another planet-warming gas.
Cutting out meat sounds like an effective approach. But what would happen if everyone actually stopped eating meat tomorrow? Such a quick shift probably wouldn’t cause the sort of turmoil that would come if the planet immediately abandoned fossil fuels. But still, the consequence could be quite chaotic, causing different problems.
Researchers say the economic damage caused by the sudden disappearance of meat would fall disproportionately on low-income countries with farming economies, like Niger or Kenya, where farming and raising livestock are critical sources of income. Getting rid of livestock overnight would not only deprive many people of essential nutrients, but also threaten food security, especially in regions like South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Besides, there’s the issue of cultural damage. Taking away meat, according to Wilson Warren, a history professor at Western Michigan University, would do more than just deprive Americans of hot dogs and hamburgers and Italians of salami.
Rejecting meat entirely, let alone immediately, isn’t an ideal solution to the climate crisis. Dutkiewicz, a political economist at the Pratt Institute, suggested using guidelines established by the EAT-Lancet Commission, an international group of scientists who have designed a diet intended to give people the nutrients they need without destroying the planet.
1. What can be inferred from the first paragraph?| A．Feeding animals costs more than growing plants. |
| B．The USA consumes the most meat annually. |
| C．Meat consumption may increase global warming. |
| D．Fertilizer should be banned around the world. |
| A．Prediction. | B．Disorder. | C．Pollution. | D．Shortage. |
| A．the global crisis | B．improved well-being |
| C．cultural diversity | D．food safety issues |
| A．The declining meat industry. | B．Specific diet suggestions. |
| C．Global climate crisis. | D．Farmers’ protest. |
【推荐3】Microplastics are “one of the greatest man-made disasters of our time”, according to the Natural History Museum. That’s bad news, given they are also everywhere: in tap water, the food you buy, the clothes you wear and the air you breathe.
The largest microplastics can be seen by the naked eye and are anything under half a cen- timetre in size. But many of them are small enough to act like spots of dust which we can unconsciously breathe in or eat in food. The smallest particles are called nanoplastics and they are small enough to get their way deep into the human body.
New findings from the University of Portsmouth show that there is so much synthetic material in our homes that we might be breathing in up to 7, 000 microplastic particles a day. Using special equipment, researchers measured a typical family home and found the highest concentration of it was in the bedroom of the eight-year-old daughter, whose room was decorated with plastic-based bedding, carpet and soft toys.
Although research is in its early stage, the risks of these plastics could be serious—some studies have linked high exposure to cancer risk and disrupting our hormones. In animal studies, the particles have been shown to affect metabolism, gut bacteria and the immune system, among other things.
It is not yet known what a healthy level of microplastics might look like, but Dr Sabine Donnai, CEO of the Viavi clinic, thinks that many people in the West are over the limit. In tests at her clinic, patients often come back with dangerously high levels of plastic in their bodies, she says.
1. What does paragraph 2 talk about?| A．The seriousness of microplastics. | B．The size of microplastics. |
| C．The solution to microplastics. | D．The effect of microplastics. |
| A．With technical instrument. | B．By referring to previous data. |
| C．Through experiments. | D．By observing environment. |
| A．Deciding. | B．Disturbing. | C．Discovering. | D．Defending. |
| A．New study found microplastics | B．Microplastics are found in clothes |
| C．Microplastics are threatening our life | D．We breathe in microplastics every day |
【推荐1】The challenge of storing energy year-round has been one of the biggest obstacles to the widespread adoption of green power. However, Polar Night Energy has developed the world’s first fully functional commercial sand battery, which could offer a low-cost, eco-friendly solution to the storage problem. It is the first commercial sand battery in the world, and it was built in Kankaanpaa, Finland in 2022.
Dr. Natalia Schiff, expert of Polar Night Energy, says that sand battery works by heating sand up to high temperatures (at around 500℃) using renewable energy, such as solar or wind power. The hot sand can then be stored for months or even years, and then discharged to provide heat or electricity when needed.
The Polar Night sand battery has a capacity of8 megawatt hours (MWh) of thermal (热量的) energy, and it can discharge about 200 kilowatts (kW)of power. This means that it can provide heat for about 4,000 homes for a day, or it can generate enough electricity to power about 100 homes for a day.
Sand battery is relatively inexpensive to build, and it is compatible (兼容的) with a wide range of renewable energy sources. It also can be built in larger sizes to store more energy, which is a promising new technology for storing renewable energy.
Sand batteries could be a valuable tool to combat climate change. They could help to make renewable energy more reliable and available, which would reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. They could also be used to provide heat in areas that are not connected to the electricity.
As the world transitions to a clean energy future, sand batteries could play an important role in helping to balance the energy and ensuring that we have a reliable source of energy when we need it.
1. What is the characteristic of sand battery?| A．Costly and demanding. | B．Cheap and clean. |
| C．Costly and imaginary. | D．Cheap but polluting. |
| A．Working model of sand battery. |
| B．Statistical method of the research. |
| C．Theoretical basis of making batteries. |
| D．Historical analysis of renewable energy. |
| A．Comfort. | B．Commit. | C．Fight for. | D．Fight against. |
| A．Unclear. | B．Dismissive. | C．Doubtful. | D．Favorable. |
【推荐2】5 books I loved in 2018
By Bill Gates
A great read is the perfect gift and I think everyone could use a few more books in their lives. My book list covers various topics, including an autobiography on learning throughout a life, a deep search on autonomous weapons (武器), a thriller about the fall of a once-promising company and a guide about meditation (冥想)—there’s something for everyone.
The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness, by Andy Puddicombe. The book starts with Puddicombe’s personal journey from a university student to a Buddhist monk and then becomes an entertaining explainer on how to meditate. If you’re thinking about trying mindfulness, this is the perfect introduction.
Army of None, by Paul Scharre. It’s an extremely complicated topic, but Scharre offers clear explanations and presents both the advantages and disadvantages of machine-driven warfare. His fluency with the subject should come as no surprise: he’s an ex-soldier who helped draw up the U.S. government’s policy on autonomous weapons.
Bad Blood, by John Carreyrou.Carreyrou gives you the definitive insider’s look at the rise and fall of a company. I found myself unable to put it down once I started. This book has everything: magazine cover stories, ruined family relationships, and the failure of a company once valued at nearly $10 billion.
21 Lessons for the 21st Century, by Yuval Noah Harari. I’m a big fan of everything Harari has written, and his latest is no exception. If 2018 has left you stressed out by the state of the world, 21 Lessons offers a helpful framework for processing the news and thinking about the challenges we face.
Educated, by Tara Westover. Tara never went to school or visited a doctor until she left home at 17. I loved this life story of a young woman whose thirst for learning was so strong that she ended up getting a Ph.D. from Cambridge University.
1. According to Bill Gates, the book list is _____.| A．time-consuming | B．life-changing |
| C．wide-ranging | D．easy-reading |
| A．he used to serve in the army |
| B．he has outstanding writing skills |
| C．he is good at making autonomous weapons |
| D．he was a policy-maker in the U.S. government |
| A．Educated |
| B．Bad Blood |
| C．21 Lessons for the 21st Century |
| D．The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness |
【推荐3】The opening of California’s commercial crab season, which normally starts in November, is delayed once again to protect whales searching for their prey (猎物) along the coast.
California has been affected by a marine heat wave since May. The Blob, as this mass of warm water has become known, is squeezing cooler water preferred by whales and their prey close to shore, where fishermen set their traps. This crowding can lead to tangle (缠结) between whales and fishing equipment, endangering the animals’ lives and requiring rescue missions.
In a new study, scientists say they can now use global temperature models, commonly used in climate science, to predict up to a year in advance when hot ocean temperatures raise the risk of tangles between whales and fishing equipment.The tool analyzed in the new study, called the Habitat Compression Index, works by feeding sea-surface temperature measurements into an equation (方程式) that estimates the likelihood of whale habitat shrinking closer to shore.Regulators and fishermen agree that the new forecasting research could help them walk the tightrope between protecting whales and protecting local livelihoods (生计).
Mr Ogg, a commercial fishing boat captain, describes himself as a conservationist who doesn’t want to see whales harmed.“Fishermen have a big motivation to protect the natural environment,” he said, “because that’s where they make their living.” Previously, the challenge was adapting to changing conditions and fishing regulations on short notice, especially for smaller business owners and their crews.“One of the biggest problems we had was the unpredictability,” Mr Ogg said, “We were living from week to week then.”
Though scientists have shown the Habitat Compression Index can now forecast months in advance, state officials would probably wait to see conditions in real time before making decisions about the crab fishery, said Ryan Bartling, an environmental scientist at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
1. What do the whales come to shore for according to the first two paragraphs?| A．Safety. | B．Shelter. | C．Leisure. | D．Food. |
| A．To take a risk. | B．To join in an act. |
| C．To strike a balance. | D．To walk on a rope. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Indifferent. | C．Cautious. | D．Pessimistic. |
| A．How climate data gives whales room to swim |
| B．What causes the decrease in whale population |
| C．Why global temperature models are in great need |
| D．Whether to protect whales or the local livelihoods |
