After a year of severe drought, California has seen an abundance of rain since late autumn. Abby Wines, a ranger (护林员) at Death Valley National Park in southern California, predicted that the heavy rainfall would bring us the opportunity to witness one of nature’s most spectacular displays of color and life — a superbloom — in 2023.
A superbloom refers to a large amount of wildflower growth that exceeds the average level for a typical spring. It is actually a rare phenomenon that usually takes place in exceptionally wet winters. Seeds that may have slept in desert soil for years finally receive enough water to blossom in more abundant numbers than you would see in a typical year.
The sight of the superbloom is truly breathtaking. Fields of gold, orange, and purple flowers stretch as far as the eye can see, creating a blanket of colors that can be seen from space.
However, climate change makes the phenomenon increasingly rare. In the distant past, these blooms were often excellent and enormous. As development pushes farther out, more landscapes have been changed to agriculture, and as invasive plants outcompetes the native seedlings, many of California’s spring flower fields are disappearing. In addition, thousands of tourists sometimes step on the flowers and soil, which harms the plant’s ability to adapt and thrive.
Naomi Fraga, director of conservation at the California Botanic Garden, points out that in promoting these locations where massive blooms take place, there isn’t a lot of additional information about how these are actually very fragile (脆弱的) ecosystems. Instead of promoting and sharing specific locations, it’s important to educate the public about the fragility of the ecosystems and the importance of staying on trails which people are allowed to enter.
1. What is the key to a superbloom according to Abby Wines?| A．Desert soil. | B．Warm climate. |
| C．Sufficient rainfall. | D．High-quality seeds. |
| A．Equals to. | B．Goes beyond. |
| C．Cuts down. | D．Sets up. |
| A．Reasons for the superbloom being rare. |
| B．Factors in plants’ adapting to the environment. |
| C．The relationship between climate and plants growing. |
| D．The effect of agricultural development on plants flowering. |
| A．Promoting local tourism by advertising superblooms. |
| B．Recommending tourists perfect trails to enjoy a superbloom. |
| C．Strengthening the management of California Botanic Garden. |
| D．Leading the public to focus more on the ecological environment. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】The common cold is the world’s most widespread illness, which is probably why there are more myths about it than any of the other illnesses.
The most widespread mistake of all is that colds are caused by cold. They are not. They are caused by viruses passing on from person to person. You catch a cold by coming into contact. directly or indirectly, with someone who already has one. If cold causes colds, it would be reasonable to expect the Eskimos to suffer from them forever. But they do not. And in isolated Arctic regions explores have reported being from colds until coming into contact again with infected people from the outside word by way of packages and mails dropped from airplanes.
At the Common Cold Research Unit in England, volunteer took part in experiments in which they gave themselves to the discomforts of being cold and wet for long stretches of time. After taking hot baths, they put on bathing suits, allowed themselves to be doused with cold water, and then stood about dripping wet in drafty rooms. Some wore wet socks all day while others exercised in the rain until close to exhaustion. Not one of the volunteers came down with a cold virus was actually dropped in his nose.
If cold and wet have nothing to do with catching colds, why are they more frequent in the winter? In spite of the most painstaking research, no one has yet found the answer. One explanation offered by scientist is that people tend to stay together indoors more in cold weather than at other times, and this makes it easier for cold viruses to be passed on.
No one has yet found a cure for the cold. There are drugs and pain suppressor such as aspirin, but all they do is to relieve the symptoms.
1. The fact that the Eskimos don't suffer colds shows that ________ .| A．colds are really full of myths |
| B．the idea that cold leads to colds doesn’t stand up |
| C．colds are more severe than other illnesses |
| D．viruses are the factors causing colds |
| A．being doused with cold water did harm to one’s body |
| B．taking hot baths made the volunteers easy to be tired |
| C．it was viruses not wet and cold that made people have colds |
| D．people who would like to exercise in the rain got colds more easily |
| A．there is great difference between indoor and outdoor temperature |
| B．viruses can go into people’s warm bodies more easily in winter |
| C．people are usually weak because of the extreme cold in winter |
| D．staying together indoors makes it easier for viruses to pass on |
【推荐2】In a university library, a student is writing an essay on his laptop. But that’s not all. He’s also reading instant messages online, listening to his music with headphones, and checking text messages on his cell phone. In today’s world, people use a wide variety of electronic media to multitask, doing several things at the same time. Neuroscientists are studying the brain to see what happens during multitasking and to see if multitasking affects the quality of what we do.
In a multitasking study conducted by French scientists Eienne Koechlin and Sylvain Charron, people were given one task requiring concentration. Brain images showed that both the left and right prefrontal cortex (前额叶皮质) were active as people worked. However, when the person is given a second task to do at the same time, the left prefrontal cortex look on task, and the right look the other. When doing two tasks, MRI (磁共振成像) images showed that the brain was rapidly switching between the first and the second task. The brain was not working on both tasks at the same time. It is concentrating on one task and then switching to the other.
In order to switch attention from one task to another, the brain must use its working memory. This is the brain’s ability to temporarily hold information while it does something else. When you multitask, the first task is stored in your working memory. Then your brain goes to the second task but when it returns to the first task, it must restart it, using working memory.
Although we think we are getting more done by multitasking, evidence shows that we do not. Researchers have found that people take longer to complete tasks and make more mistakes. When the French researchers expanded their experiment to include three tasks, surprisingly, the brain seemed to completely drop on task and only focus on two tasks. The French team concluded that the brain could not focus on more than two tasks at a time. Therefore, for a task that requires your concentration, it’s better to just focus on that one task until you are done.
1. Why does the author mention a student in paragraph 1?| A．To explain what happens during multitasking. |
| B．To serve an example of high-tech multitasking. |
| C．To show how to be skillful at high-tech multitasking. |
| D．To-present the applications of high-tech media. |
| A．The brain. | B．The MRI image. |
| C．The first task. | D．The second task . |
| A．Electronic media improve its quality. |
| B．Three tasks can be well managed at a time. |
| C．It can damage the brain’s working memory. |
| D．It may result in the loss of speed and accuracy. |
| A．How does the brain multitask? |
| B．Why do we need to multitask? |
| C．Multitasking: a new discovery of neuroscience |
| D．Multitasking: a way to expand the brain' s function |
【推荐3】Scientists have provided new evidence to help solve one of the world’s oldest mysteries---zebras stripes. Researchers recently described experiments showing that horse flies have a difficult time landing on zebras while easily landing on horses of a single color.
In one experiment, the researchers put blankets with stripes on horses and saw that fewer flies landed on them. "They fly past them or hit them and bounce off, "said Tim Caro of the University of California-Davis. He was the lead writer of a report on the study. The report was published in the journal PLOS ONE.
Closely related to horses, the world’s three zebra species are known for their black-and-white striped bodies. Zebras are native to Africas savannas, or grasslands. The appearance of the stripes is different from one zebra to the next.
There have been four main theories about the reasons why zebras developed stripes. The first theory is to avoid attacks by meat-eating animals. Another is that zebras have an easier time recognizing other zebras. a third idea is thermoregulation, which is the ability of a creature to control its body temperature, even when the surrounding temperature is different. The fourth theory is to prevent attacks by biting flies.
Only the last stands up, Caro said. "Most biologists involved in research on mammal coloration accept that this is the reason why zebras have stripes. University of Bristol biologist Martin How worked with Caro on the study. He said stripes may confuse flies when they get too close to zebras. African horse flies carry diseases, such as trypanosomiasis. The sickness can cause weakness and be deadly.
“In addition to stripes that prevent controlled landings by horse flies, zebras are always moving their tail and may frighten off the horse flies if they do land successfully, "Martin How said. He added that zebras are also using behavioral means to prevent flies from biting them
1. Why did the researchers put blankets with stripes on horses?| A．To confuse African horse flies. |
| B．To draw the attention of real zebras. |
| C．To help drive away African horse flies. |
| D．To see how African horse flies responded to them. |
| A．They look the same to the human eye. |
| B．Their stripes are different from each other. |
| C．Zebras' living habits are similar to horses. |
| D．Three zebra species worldwide are endangered. |
| A．They keep horse flies from biting them. |
| B．They use them to avoid attacks by other animals. |
| C．They control their body temperature through them. |
| D．They can easily recognize each other through the stripes. |
| A．To help us know more about such flies. |
| B．To tell us how zebras survive biting flies. |
| C．To explain about a cause of death of zebras. |
| D．To show the necessity for zebras to avoid flies. |
| A．Why do zebras have stripes? |
| B．How did zebras evolve from horses? |
| C．What is the world’s oldest mystery? |
| D．When did zebras start to prevent horse flies? |
【推荐1】Half of the world’s coral reefs have died in the last 30 years. Now scientists are racing to ensure that the rest will survive.
“The threat to coral reefs isn’t something that’s going to happen 100 years from now. We’re losing them right now,” Julia Baum told the Associated Press. She is a marine biologist at the University of Victoria, in British Columbia, Canada. “We’re losing them really quickly, much more quickly than I think any of us ever could have imagined.”
Even if global warming were in stop right now, scientists predict that more than 90% of corals will die by 2050. If no major steps are taken to address the issue, the reefs may be headed for total extinction.
The planet’s health depends on the survival of coral reefs. They are often described as underwater rainforests, because they are ecosystems that provide habitats for one in four of all marine species. In addition, the reefs serve as barriers that protect coastlines from the full force of powerful storms. Corals are used in medical research for cures to diseases. They are key to local economies, as well, since the reefs attract tourists, the fishing industry, and other businesses, bringing in billions of dollars of revenue (收入).
“To lose coral reefs is to fundamentally damage the health of the human race,” Ruth Gates, director of the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, said.
Corals are animals that lack a backbone. They live mostly in tropical waters. The corals release a substance called calcium carbonate (碳酸钙), which forms protective skeletons around them. The skeletons grow and take on vivid colors. This is the result of the corals’ mutually beneficial relationship with algae (藻类) that live in their tissues (组织) and give them energy.
But corals are particularly sensitive to changes in temperature. A rise of just 1 to 2 degrees Celsius can force the corals to drive out the algae. Then the corals’ skeletons turn white in a process called “bleaching”. Corals can survive in these higher temperatures only for a few months.
1. What can we know about the world’s coral reefs?| A．The number of the world’s coral reefs is on the decrease. |
| B．45% of the world’s coral reefs have died in the last 30 years. |
| C．Global warming has no influence on the world’s coral reefs. |
| D．Scientists have taken major steps to address the issue of world’s coral reefs. |
| A．economic value of coral reefs |
| B．the challenges faced by coral reefs |
| C．the medical functions of coral reefs |
| D．the importance of coral reefs. |
| A．Changes in temperature. | B．Ocean waters. |
| C．Algae living inside corals. | D．Protective skeletons. |
| A．there is not enough oxygen. |
| B．there are no algae in the corals’ skeletons. |
| C．water pollution is worsening. |
| D．the ocean temperature is too low. |
【推荐2】Despite more than a month of efforts to rescue Tenora, a young green sea turtle, pollution-related issues made it difficult to save her. Tenora was finally put to death to reduce her suffering.
Tenora was brought in by Rainbow Reef Dive Center staff and customers on October 3, 2020.The rescue team was led by PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors)Instructor Josh Phillips who had made it his “personal mission” to help Tenora after seeing her with a softball-sized tumor (肿瘤) out on the reefs (暗礁). He connected with the Turtle Hospital, a nonprofit in the Florida Keys for permission and guidance about how to rescue her.
After over a month of searching and failed attempts, Phillips was finally able to rescue her on a rainy Saturday. Shelby Ferguson of the Turtle Hospital met the boat at the dock to bring Tenora in for evaluation and care. Ferguson explained that green see turtles are the species most easily affected by the virus that causes fibropapilloma (FP) tumors like the one Tenora had. Generally, she said, the more polluted the water, the more turtles present with FP tumors.
In Hawaii, nitrogen ( 氯) runoff from pineapple farms increases the disease incidence in green sea turtles near the islands, explained Bette Zirkelbach, manager at the Turtle Hospital. Scientists there first made the link between poor water quality and increased FP tumors in green sea turtles. The Turtle Hospital is building on this knowledge by leading an in-water scientific study on sea turtle health in the Florida Keys for the next three years, she added.
While external masses can be surgically removed, there is currently no treatment for internal FP tumors in sea turtles, so animals like Tenora are humanely put to death to reduce their suffering, Zirkelbach said.
Phillips reflected on Tenora’s loss, saying, “I think it is terrible to consider that this is mostly caused by humans.” He urged everyone, “Wake up. Do better. We’re all in this together, and if we don’t try to change how we live our lives, things aren’t going to get any better. This is our chance lo do something today for the next generation.”
1. How did Phillip react while seeing Tenora for the first time?| A．He almost ignored her condition. | B．He brought her to the Turtle Hospital. |
| C．He immediately knew she needed help. | D．He decided to start a nonprofit for the species. |
| A．They have already become endangered. | B．They are easily threatened by polluted water. |
| C．It is still unclear how they get FP tumors. | D．It is rare to see they have internal FP tumors. |
| A．To draw attention to green sea turtles. | B．To describe ways of protecting the earth. |
| C．To call for action to help the environment. | D．To educate the next generation in responsibility. |
| A．A Diver Helps Save a Green Sea Turtle |
| B．Pollution Worldwide Is Putting Species in Danger |
| C．Rescue Green Sea Turtle Is Put to Death Due to Tumor |
| D．Researchers Are Looking for Ways to Rescue Green Sea Turtles |
【推荐3】If you wear contact lenses (隐形眼镜), you might not know the best way to deal with old ones. Washing them down the sink or flushing them down the toilet is not the way to go. Yet one in five people who wear contact lenses do just that. However, the plastic in their lenses can linger (存留), polluting both water and land.
Rolf Halden, an engineer at Arizona State University in Tempe, and his team created an online survey. More than 400 contact lens wearers took part. The questions asked how many got rid of their lenses inappropriately. About 20 percent — one in five — sent their used contact lenses down sink drain or toilet. Assuming all contact lens wearers in the U. S. do that at the same rate, the researchers then calculated how much plastic would be flushed away each year. Their estimate: 6 to 10 metric tons! That's about the weight of two to three adult African forest elephants. Contact lenses are a tiny part of the world's plastic pollution. But the unique plastic used in contact lenses could make them a big concern.
To figure it out, researchers exposed contact lenses to the microbes (微生物) used to clean wastewater in water-treatment plants. These microbes made the plastics begin to fall apart, but they weren't fully broken down. Instead, they created a lot of tiny pieces called microplastics.
Halden worries that these small plastic bits will cause trouble in the food chain. In water, the plastics from contact lenses sink. Animals could view these tiny bits as food. But because the plastic won't provide them with nutrition, this could threaten the health of animals who dined on it.
And that's already happening. Many studies have shown that corals, larval fish and shellfish are mistaking microplastics for food. Over time, they risk accumulating even higher levels of plastic in their bodies. Also the pollution has already shown up in bottled water, sea salt and fish sold for human consumption.
1. Rolf Halden's survey shows that ________.| A．contact lenses have won popularity with Americans |
| B．contact lenses have caused a huge part of plastic pollution |
| C．some contact lens wearers throw away their old lenses improperly |
| D．many contact lens wearers don't wear their lenses in the proper way |
| A．They could be broken down completely. |
| B．They could be processed properly there. |
| C．They couldn't be affected by microbes. |
| D．Some of them became microplastics. |
| A．Tiny pieces are entering oceans. |
| B．Sea creatures are eating microplastics. |
| C．Animals are causing plastic pollution. |
| D．Contact lenses are damaging the environment |
| A．People's eyesight is getting worse and worse. |
| B．Contact lenses must be banned immediately. |
| C．Animals in the sea are lacking in nutrition. |
| D．The impacts microplastic pollution has on human health. |
【推荐1】We all know what a brain is. A doctor will tell you that the brain is the organ of the body in the head. It controls our body’s functions, movements, emotions and thoughts. But a brain can mean so much more.
A brain can also simply be a smart person. If a person is called brainy, she is smart and intelligent. If a family has many children but one of them is super smart, you could say, “She’s the brains in the family.” And if you are the brains behind something you are responsible for developing or organizing something. For example, Bill Gates is the brains behind Microsoft. Brain trust is a group of experts who give advice. Word experts say the phrase “brain trust” became popular when Franklin D. Roosevelt first ran for president in 1932, Several professors gave him advice on social and political issues facing the U. S.
These professors were called his “brain trust.” These ways we use the word “brain” all make sense. But other ways we use the word are not so easy to understand. For example, to understand the next brain expression, you first need to know the word “drain.” As a verb to drain means to, remove something by letting it flow away. So a brain drain may sound like a disease where the brain flows out the ears. But brain drain is when a country’s most educated people leave their countries to live in another. The brains are, sort of, draining out of the country.
However, if people are responsible for a great idea, you could say they brainstormed it. Here, brainstorm is not an act of weather. It is a process of thinking creatively about a complex topic. For example, business leaders may use brainstorming to create new products, and government leaders may brainstorm to solve problems. If people are brainwashed, it does not mean their brains are nice and clean. To brainwash means to make someone accept new beliefs by using repeated pressure in a forceful or tricky way. Keep in mind that brainwash is never used in a positive way.
1. According to the text, if you’re the CEO of Bai Du you can be called .| A．the brains behind Bai Du | B．Bai Du’s brain trust |
| C．the brain drain of Bai Du | D．the organ of Bai Du |
| A．Because he was smart at giving advice. | B．Because word experts were popular. |
| C．Because he got his brain trust. | D．Because he was the brains behind America. |
| A．Brain trust | B．Brain drain | C．Brainstorm | D．Brainwash |
【推荐2】It isn’t often that zookeepers call on craftspeople for help. But cold weather at the Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Center in northern India was putting elephants at risk. So the center’s staff joined forces with locals to find a creative way to keep the animals warm. Now the elephants are stepping out in style, thanks to volunteers who take advantage of their crafting talents to knit enormous sweaters to protect the animals.
Wildlife SOS is a conservation group that has been taking action against animal cruelty and saving wildlife in pain since 1995. Their Elephant Conservation and Care Center is dedicated to rescuing the gentle giants from abuse and exploitation in circuses, illegal hunting, and other circumstances where they have been neglected or treated with extreme cruelty. There are currently 20 elephants living at the center, and the staff hope to take in 50 more of the creatures this year.
Because most of the elephants housed at the center are recovering from injuries or are elderly and weak, they are particularly vulnerable to cold temperatures. When the staff reported near-freezing nighttime temperatures this winter, volunteers from surrounding villages began knitting enormous sweaters to keep the elephants warm. The sweaters are large enough to cover the elephants’ backs, bellies, and legs.
Making the sweaters is a big undertaking — each one takes approximately four weeks to create, with volunteers working together on the huge garments. Still, the volunteers make sure that the knits are not only warm and comfortable, but they are also colorful, and even fashionable. Centered on a common, compassionate goal, the project helps promote a sense of community in all who participate.
1. Why do people make sweaters for the elephants?| A．To help the elephants keep warm. |
| B．To make the elephants step out in style. |
| C．To show off their outstanding knitting talents. |
| D．To dress the elephants up for performances. |
| A．20. | B．30. | C．60. | D．70. |
| A．getting used to | B．able to deal with |
| C．easy to be harmed by | D．connected with |
| A．Elephants are always treated well in India. |
| B．It takes great trouble to knit sweaters for elephants. |
| C．Volunteers are often called on to knit sweaters for elephants. |
| D．Wildlife SOS is an organization that knits sweaters for animals. |
【推荐3】Laughter is a strong nonverbal vocalization (发声), which is frequently used to signal association, reward, or cooperative intention, and often helps to form and strengthen social bonds. There is an important difference between spontaneous (自发的) and voluntary laughter. Spontaneous laughter is typically an uncontrolled reaction, for example, to jokes. Voluntary laughter reflects a more deliberate communicative act like conveying (传达) polite agreement.
Researchers from the University of Amsterdam with international colleagues examined whether laughter type influences the identification not only of individuals, but also of groups. Specifically, they tested if it holds true that group membership is easier to distinguish(辨别) from voluntary than from spontaneous laughter. They also explored how the perceived positivity of laughter differs between the two types of laughter across cultures, with the expectation that spontaneous laughter might sound more positive.
In their study, the researchers employed laughter clips (片段) that were spontaneously or voluntarily produced by Dutch and Japanese individuals. Dutch and Japanese participants listened to these laughter clips and judged whether the laughing person was from their cultural group or not; judged whether they thought the laughter was produced spontaneously or voluntarily; rated the positivity of each laughter clip.
Analyzing these data, the authors find that listeners were able to recognize group membership from both spontaneous and voluntary laughter, and equally well. Spontaneous laughter was rated as more positive than voluntary laughter across the two cultures. “Our results show that listeners can recognize whether a laughing person is from their own or another cultural group at better- than- chance accuracy levels based on only hearing a brief laughter clip,” conclude the authors. “Contrary to prediction, we found no advantage for the thought that participants would be better at identifying group membership from voluntary laughter.”
These findings add to the growing literature on laughter as a rich vocal signal that can be used by listeners to make a wide range of inferences about others, from their social relationships to their identity.
1. What do we know about spontaneous laughter from the text?| A．It often serves a specific purpose. |
| B．People burst into it unconsciously (未意识到地). |
| C．People prefer it to voluntary laughter. |
| D．It is more impressive than voluntary laughter. |
| A．Distinguish the laughter clips in several ways. |
| B．Classify the laughter clips into four groups. |
| C．Link themselves to laughter producers. |
| D．Compare their laughter with foreigners’. |
| A．It contained very little information. |
| B．It was supposed to sound more positive. |
| C．It told more about group membership. |
| D．It was as meaningful as spontaneous laugher. |
| A．Laughter Differs from Day to Day |
| B．A Study Shows Our Laughter Gives Us Away |
| C．Laughter Is Actually a Mixed Vocal Signal |
| D．Our Educational Background Determines Our Laughter |
