Lionfish have been migrating (迁徙) south for years. They were first caught in the Gulf of Mexico, likely released from the aquarium trade, in 1985, and quickly expanded into the US East Coast and the Caribbean. They reached South American coastlines around 2010.
But the species stopped around Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago. For 10 years, freshwater flowing from the Amazon River into the Atlantic and a gathering of currents acted as geographic (地理的) barriers, stopping the fish from continuing south. But around 2020, lionfish began slip-ping under the barrier and heading south.
Now, dozens of lionfish have been spotted along 150 miles of Brazil’s coastline, according to a new study in Frontiers in Marine Science. Between March and May, when the water was clear enough to track the fish, researchers and fishers documented 72 individuals there, which suggests they have likely established new, successful populations.
Since March 2022, lionfish already managed to cover 700 kilometers of coastline, says Marcelo Soares, a marine ecologist and lead author of the new study. He also reported the number of individuals is now above 300.
For many scientists, the question wasn’t whether the fish species would continue moving south, but when. “We knew once they made it through the barrier at the Amazon, they would spread like fire,” says Osmar Luiz, an aquatic ecologist at Australia’s Charles Darwin University.
While efforts to fully get rid of lionfish may be useless, efforts to reduce their populations help limit damage to native species. Luiz says that the next important step is to track lionfish as they move and try to prevent them from establishing new populations. For the native species of Brazil, this fight is a matter of survival, Luiz says.
1. Why did lionfish appear in South American coastlines?| A．They were sent there by currents. |
| B．They were brought there by Americans. |
| C．The aquarium staff released them in South American coastlines. |
| D．They migrated there after being spotted in the Gulf of Mexico. |
| A．Natural barriers. | B．Sea pollution. | C．Fishing activities. | D．The aquarium trade. |
| A．It’s very difficult to track them. | B．Whether lionfish will continue moving. |
| C．It’s impossible to reduce their populations. | D．The spread of lionfish will destroy local species. |
| A．Health. | B．Nature. | C．Technology. | D．Business. |
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【推荐1】Friends Reunited
In 2011, retired bricklayer(砖瓦工)Joao, 71, found a South American penguin lying on the rocks and close to death on his local beach, just outside Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Joao cleaned the oil off the penguin’s feathers, fed him a daily diet of fish to get his strength up and named him Dindim.
A week later, Joao tried to release the penguin back into the sea, but he just wouldn’t leave. Joao took him out in his boat, went to a nearby island and released him. Later that day, the penguin was back in Joao’s backyard. In the end, Dindim stayed with Joao for 11 months and then, “ just after he changed his coat for new feathers, he disappeared,” Joao explains.
In fact, Dindim returns to Joao’s little beach in the summer every year-it’s believed that the penguin prefers to visit the elderly man rather than migrate(迁徙)to the feeding areas of his species.
Joao recalls how the penguin continued to follow him home. “Everyone said he wouldn’t return, but he has been coming back to visit me for the past four years,” he says. “He arrives in June and leaves to go home in February and every year he becomes more affectionate (表示关爱的)as he appears even happier to see me.” Now new pictures have emerged of Dindim visiting Joao in his village earlier this month.
When Dindim is staying with Joao, the two friends sometimes like to take a walk together down the beach-or sometimes Joao walks and Dindim swims alongside him. “I love the penguin like it’s my own child and I believe the penguin loves me,” Joao says. “No one else is allowed to touch him. He pecks(啄)them if they do. He lies on my lap, lets me give him showers and allows me to feed him sardines and to pick him up.”
Who said there wasn’t still some good news left in the world ?
1. Where did Joao find Dindim at first ?| A．In his boat. | B．In his backyard. |
| C．On his local beach. | D．On a nearby island. |
| A．He tried to set Dindim free. |
| B．He did nothing but keep feeding. |
| C．He tried to take a walk with Dindim. |
| D．He waited until Dindim changed his coat. |
| A．They do some running down the beach. |
| B．They prefer to take a walk in the backyard. |
| C．They like to walk together down the beach. |
| D．They would like to swim in the sea together. |
| A．They feel happy with each other. |
| B．They are fond of working together. |
| C．They are attached with a big profit. |
| D．The penguin wants to be treated like a pet. |
【推荐2】Our dog Sandy is a golden retriever（猎犬）. He sits in front of our house all day waiting for someone to come by and throw him a stick. Chasing sticks or tennis balls and bringing them back is the major activity in his life.
Once we performed an experiment to see how Sandy found these sticks and balls quickly.
There was one particular pile that must have had hundreds of sticks. We picked up one stick, walked away from the pile and then threw it back into the pile. It was impossible for us to tell with any certainty which stick we had originally chosen. So many of them looked alike to us that the best we could do was pick out seven sticks which resembled the one that had been thrown.
We tried the same thing with Sandy, only before throwing the stick we carved an X on it.
Then we threw it, not once but a dozen times into the pile. He circled the pile over and over.
Each time he brought back that stick. It wasn’ t the shape or the size or look of the stick that he used to pick it out from all the others. It was the smell we left on the stick. It is hard to imagine, but for dogs every living creature has its own distinctive smell.
The environment is the world that all living things share. It is what is — air, fire, wind, water, life, sometimes culture. Living creatures are born into the environment and are part of it too. For a dog like Sandy a book isn’ t much different than a stick, whereas for us one stick is pretty much like every other stick. There is no one world experienced by all living creatures. Though we all live in the same environment, we make many worlds.
1. What does Sandy love to do in daily life?| A．Keep the house. | B．Frighten away passers by. |
| C．Hunt for food. | D．Run to catch sticks or balls. |
| A．By its size. | B．By its shape. |
| C．By its smell. | D．By its look. |
| A．Typical. | B．Weak. |
| C．Terrible. | D．Nice. |
| A．Sandy — A Brave Retriever |
| B．One Environment, Many Worlds |
| C．The Environment Made by Animals |
| D．The Stick — A Perfect Toy for Dogs |
【推荐3】Owning a pet, like a dog or a cat, especially for five years or more, may be linked to slower cognitive decline (认知衰退) in older adults, according to a new study.
“Previous studies have suggested that the human-animal link may have health benefits like decreasing blood pressure and stress,” said the study author Tiffany Braley. “Our results suggest raising pet may also be protective against cognitive decline.”
The study looked at cognitive data from 1.369 senior adults with an average age of 65 who had normal cognitive skills at the start of the study. A total of 53% owned pets and 32% were long-term pet owners who owned pets for five years or more.
Researchers used data from the Health and Retirement Study. In that study, people were given several cognitive tests. Researchers used those cognitive tests to record cognitive score for each person, ranging from 0 to 27. The score included common tests of subtraction (减法), number counting and word memory. Researchers then used participants’ cognitive scores to judge the connections between years of pet ownership and cognitive function.
Over six years, the cognitive scores decreased at a slower rate in pet owners. This difference was stronger among long-term pet owners. Considering other factors known to affect cognitive function, the study showed that long-term pet owners usually had a higher cognitive score compared to non-pet owners. The researchers also found that the cognitive benefits connected with longer pet ownership were stronger for college educated adults and men.
“As stress can negatively affect cognitive function, the possible stress-reducing effects of pet ownership could provide a proper reason for our findings,” said Braley.
1. What is the finding of Tiffany Braley’s study?| A．Both dogs and cats make perfect pets. | B．Pets may help keep the brain work well. |
| C．Females tend to be long-term pet owners. | D．A human-animal link helps decrease blood pressure. |
| A．By referring to previous studies. |
| B．By monitoring several cognitive tests. |
| C．By tracking the changes in cognitive scores. |
| D．By correcting data from the Health and Retirement Study. |
| A．Puzzled. | B．Cautious. | C．Surprised. | D．Unsatisfied. |
| A．Why should we keep pets? |
| B．How long should we keep pets? |
| C．Does the human-animal link have health benefits? |
| D．Do pets have a positive effect on people’s brain health? |
【推荐1】For many of us, summertime means road trips to the beach or mountains, or at the very least some additional dust on the outside of our vehicle. The extra dirt leads us to do one of two things: wash our car in the driveway or head to the car wash. But which choice is better for the environment?
The main concerns with either choice are the amount of fresh water used and the types of chemicals used to get rid of the dirt. Both of these concerns can be closely monitored when washing the car at home, says Katy Gresh, spokeswoman for the Southwest Region of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. She advises car owners to keep a set amount of water in a container for the entire wash. “You don’t want to leave the water running or use more than you need for the job,” she says. But even following this piece of advice comes with an environmental risk: Washing your car in the driveway gets the dirty water into drains (下水道).
“Drains are not made for treating waste.” says John Schombert, executive director of 3 Rivers Wet Weather. Even when car owners use natural soaps to wash their car, Schombert says they are probably ineffective in breaking down grease(油脂)anyway.
The commercial car wash knows full well the rules regarding wastewater in drains. According to the International Carwash Association (ICA), professional car washes must use special water treatment systems. These processes not only keep the dirty water out of drains and regular water treatment systems, but also work to reduce water usage at commercial facilities.
As experts point out, cleaning our car at home can use 100 gallons of water. Compare that to self-service car washes, which allow you to use only about 17 or 18 gallons of water. And most full-service car washes average about 30 to 45 gallons of water per vehicle.
1. What does Katy suggest people do about washing cars?| A．Use soft toothbrushes. | B．Save treated water. |
| C．Put aside some water. | D．Avoid using chemicals. |
| A．Disapproving. | B．Favorable. | C．Indifferent. | D．Objective. |
| A．Rules of handling wastewater. | B．Advantages of professional car washes. |
| C．Processes of getting rid of dirty water. | D．Drawbacks of water treatment systems. |
| A．The full-service car washes. | B．Car washing in the driveway. |
| C．The self-service car washes. | D．Car washing using natural soaps. |
【推荐2】For more than 5,000 years, chopsticks have been the preferred dining utensil (用具) of a sizable swath of humanity. Nowadays, around a third of the global population uses chopsticks daily. This is both a fact of life and these implements are often single-use, a serious environmental problem.
Every year, around 80 billion pairs find their way to landfills. “In Vancouver alone, we’re throwing out 100,000 chopsticks a day,” says Felix Böck, founder of the Vancouver-based startup ChopValue. “They’re traveling 6,000 or 7,000 miles from where they’re manufactured in Asia to end up on our lunch table for 30minutes.”
Since 2016, Böck has been on a mission to rethink disposable chopsticks. Rather than try to eliminate them, the engineer has been building a circular economy by giving them a second life. In their home base of Vancouver, company staff pick up around 350,000 used chopsticks from 300-plus restaurants every week, all of which become book shelves, cutting boards, coasters, desks, and custom decorations. According to Böck, the startup has saved more than 50 million pairs of chopsticks from landfills since its launch.
“Once you see the volume, you think maybe that little humble chopstick can be the start of something big,” Böck says. “My expertise is in bamboo, so I always looked at chopsticks differently. I used to joke to my friends that I would make something out of chopsticks, since most of the ones we use in North America are made of bamboo.”
Chopsticks are far from the only disposable dining implement to come under scrutiny in recent years. From plastic straws to polystyrene takeout containers, many components of our food cycle sacrifice environmental impact for convenience.
“I think change starts small, and change can be a very relatable thing that we all know from daily life,” Böck says. “Right now, we’re focusing on the chopstick because it’s a very powerful story.”
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?| A．The excessive use of the disposable chopsticks can cause a serious environmental problem. |
| B．Using chopsticks presents a threatening environmental issue. |
| C．Chopsticks aren’t preferred dining tool for people until nowadays. |
| D．Chopsticks can’t be used many times. |
| A．To destroy them | B．To recycle them. |
| C．To decorate them. | D．To resell them. |
| A．knock out | B．kill off |
| C．throw out | D．remove completely |
| A．A book review. | B．A medical journal. |
| C．An environmental magazine. | D．A biography. |
Manta rays (魔鬼鱼) are some of the creatures in the ocean who allow divers to swim right up to and interact (互动) with them. Unfortunately, these gentle animals are in big trouble. Since 2011, manta rays have been listed as a threatened species worldwide.
Peru, a country in South America, recently took a big step to protect giant manta rays: It banned fishing for them. Although 12 other countries have passed laws to protect rays, Peru’s may be the most important one yet. That’s because there are more manta rays in the Pacific Ocean near Peru than in any other place in the world.
Giant manta rays are unusual-looking creatures. The giant, flat rays are typically about 4.5 meters wide and can grow up to 8 meters wide! “They’re sort of like giant flying carpets underwater,” says Joshua Stewart of the Manta Trust, an organization that researches manta rays.
People catch rays for their meat. Overfishing is bad for any sea creature, but it’s even worse for manta rays. Female manta rays usually have only one baby, every two to five years. So every ray that’s caught hurts the population in a big way. People who break Peru’s new law can be fined or have their fishing licenses taken away. Even rays caught accidentally in fishing nets must be set free.
Earlier this year, the Manta Trust attached video cameras, called Crittercams, to manta rays off the west coast of Mexico. The footage (连续镜头) the cameras collect could help researchers predict where rays swim and when. The scientists could use the information to warn fishing boats to avoid these areas, helping reduce the number of accidentally caught rays.
Stewart says it’s important to protect these unique creatures. “There’s really no other animal that compares in size that you can have interactions with in the wild.”
1. What’s a characteristic of manta rays?| A．They can fly like a bird. | B．They are usually of small size. |
| C．They are very friendly to people. | D．They like swimming up and down. |
| A．Their habitats are badly damaged. | B．They only live in the Pacific Ocean. |
| C．Their number has dropped greatly. | D．Fewer and fewer female rays give birth. |
| A．protect them | B．look for more rays |
| C．make films about them | D．reduce their population |
| A．It makes no sense. | B．It is hard to follow. |
| C．It is really essential. | D．It needs improvement. |
【推荐1】Before war and time destroy more of our important cultural sites, we need to save them in 3-D digital libraries. Across 163 different countries, 1,000 natural and cultural historic places make up our most precious human heritage, which UNESCO calls World Heritage Sites.
We lose a little of that heritage every day. War, climate change and pollution have a bad effect, as do wind and rain. The $4 million a year that UNESCO spends on preservation is not nearly enough to take care of even the four dozen sites considered at approaching risk of being lost forever. Now there’s a better choice. New digital-conservation technologies let us hold on to them, at least virtually(虚拟的), through 3-D scanning, modeling and digital storage. Such projects can be accomplished through cooperation between governments, universities, industry and non-profit organizations.
To make a 3-D model, a laser(激光) scanner bounces light off an object and records the results. To reproduce every corner and opening, the scanner collects overlapping(重叠的) images from all possible angles. A computer then sews them together into one large surface image and draws lines from one point to another to create a wire-frame model. High-resolution digital cameras add color and texture. When fully put together, the models can be viewed, printed or operated.
These scans do more than preserve a memory in a database. With highly accurate measurements, archaeologists(考古学家) can find hidden passages or reveal ancient engineering tricks. School kids can explore places they might otherwise never see. And when a site is destroyed, the scans can even be used to reconstruct what was there. That has already happened for one World Heritage Site, the Kasubi Tombs in Uganda. Built of wood in 1882, they were destroyed by fire in 2010 and rebuilt in 2014, based in large part on 3-D models made in 2009. More than 100 World Heritage Sites have been already preserved as 3-D models, and conservationists are racing to record as many more as possible.
1. How does the author show the necessity for 3-D digital libraries in the first two paragraphs?| A．By listing the threats to our human heritage. |
| B．By introducing some damaged historical sites. |
| C．By quoting some experts’ views on heritage protection. |
| D．By explaining UNESCO’s research on World Heritage Sites. |
| A．The function of a laser scanner. | B．The reflection of light off an object. |
| C．The process of making a 3-D model. | D．The development of 3-D digital technology. |
| A．It is metal-framed. | B．It is still in its original condition. |
| C．It was once destroyed in an earthquake. | D．It was reconstructed thanks to 3-D models. |
| A．Never ignore the destructive power of war. |
| B．Take action to reduce pollution in historic places. |
| C．Take advantage of 3-D technology to keep history. |
| D．Invest more money to preserve World Heritage Sites. |
【推荐2】The recent heat wave that had broken temperature records across Europe broke different records when it arrived in Greenland.
On August l, the Greenland Ice Sheet experienced its biggest single-day of ice loss in recorded history. About 12. 5 billion tons of ice melted and poured into the Atlantic Ocean, satellite data showed One day earlier, over 10 billion tons of ice melted.
Every I billion tons of ice lost creates enough water to fill 400, 00 Olympic swimming pools, the Danish Meteorological Institute noted late last week. The center offered the comparison to help people try to understand just how much ice melted. One Danish scientist offered a different comparison. Climate expert Martin Stendl said the total ice that melted in Greenland on July 31 and August I could cover all of Germany with seven centimeters of water.
Greenland saw its most expansive ice melt on record in July 2012. That month, over 90 percent of the Greenland Ice Sheet was at least partly melting, scientists say. By late July 2012, about 250 billion tons of ice had melted and Greenland's 2019 melt season could end up breaking the record set in2012.
The recent extreme melting in Greenland was caused by the same burst of hot air that hit Europe in late July. Places across Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Britain broke hot temperature records. Heat waves have always happened, notes Mike Sparrow, an expert. But he says extreme heat waves are happening 10 times more often now than they were a century ago. Mike said that such heat waves are weather events that can happen naturally. "But, "he said, "Studies have shown that the frequency and intensity（强度）. . have increased due to global warming. ?
1. Why does the author mention two comparisons?| A．To stress the amount of melting ice. |
| B．To show the size of a swimming pool. |
| C．To inform the outcome of ice loss. |
| D．To tell the bad weather in Greenland. |
| A．A recent heat wave broke world temperature record. |
| B．Most ice sheet in Greenland was partly melting in July 2012. |
| C．The Greenland has lost more ice on July 31 than that on August 1. |
| D．The frequent and intensive heat waves are natural weather phenomena. |
| A．The hot temperature records. |
| B．The reason for heat waves. |
| C．The natural weather events in the world. |
| D．The cause of the extreme melting in Greenland. |
| A．Heat Waves Arrived in Europe |
| B．Greenland Saw Huge Ice Melt |
| C．Europe Experienced Its Hottest Summer |
| D．Global Warming Harmed Greenland Most |
【推荐3】Remember to study for knowledge and not study for getting good grades! This helped me a lot, and might help you too.
●Keep your study area organized and comfortable.
This helps you to concentrate better while studying by reducing unwanted distractions. Keeping all the required books, pens, and other instruments within reach helps. you to stayfocused on studying. You don’t have to look around for any book you need.
●Discover ways to enhance your concentration.
Concentration is unquestionably the most important attribute necessary to enjoy studying. Staying focused on what you are reading helps you to understand and absorb it. Therefore, it is absolutely essential for you to find out all the essentials that enhance your concentration.
●To enjoy studying, prepare in advance for tests.
If you intend Lo truly enjoy studying, you must make it a habit to prepare well in advance for all your tests. You cannot enjoy studying when you are preparing on the last day prior to your test. This will make studying a painful experience for you.
●Ensure that your study area is free from disturbances.
Ensure that outside noise and disturbances do not affect your studies. Your study table must be located in a silent area free from all external disturbances.
●Mark all important dates on a wall calendar.
●Remember to take short breaks.
Taking short breaks during studying helps you in retaining more of what you have studied. Hence, short breaks are helpful during a long study session.
●Manage your time in a wise way.
●Stay positive.
Staying positive is necessary to enjoy studying. Think of all the benefits you can obtain from scoring high grades. This will motivate you 10 strive harder in your studies.
●Be prepared; remove fear of exams.
1. What helps you to stay focused according to the text?| A．Enjoying studying. |
| B．Preparing well in advance for you tests. |
| C．Taking short breaks during studying. |
| D．Keeping unnecessary distractions away. |
| A．A long study session without taking short breaks. |
| B．The essentials that enhance your concentration. |
| C．The painful experience of taking exams. |
| D．Preparation for your Lest on the last day. |
| A．How to score the best grades? |
| B．How to get rid of disturbances? |
| C．How to improve your ability to study? |
| D．How to make the best of your time? |
