My name is Alice. Early last year, I was troubled by an anxiety that weakened my ability to do anything. I felt like a storm cloud hung over me. For almost a year I struggled on, constantly staring at this wall that faced me. My perfectionist tendencies were the main root of this: I wanted to be perfect at whatever I did, which obviously in life is not possible, but it consumed me.
One day, I attended a presentation by wildlife conservationist Grant Brown at my high school. His presentation not only awed and inspired me, but also helped emerge an inner desire to make a difference in the world. I joined a pre-presentation dinner with him and that smaller setting allowed me to slowly build up my courage to speak one-on-one with him –– an idea that had seemed completely impossible. This first contact was where my story began.
A month later, Brown invited me to attend the World Youth Wildlife Conference. Looking back, I now see this would be the first in a series of timely opportunities that my old self would have let pass, but that this new and more confident Alice enthusiastically seized. Shortly after I received his invitation, applications to join the Youth for Nature and the Youth for Planet groups were sent around through my high school. I decided to commit myself to completing the applications, and soon I was a part of a growing global team of young people working to protect nature. Each of these new steps continued to grow my confidence.
I am writing this just six months since my journey began and I’ve realized that my biggest obstacle the whole time was myself. It was that voice in the back of my head telling me that one phrase that has stopped so many people from reaching their potential: I can’t. They say good things come to those who wait. I say: grab every opportunity with everything you have and be impatient. After all, nature does not require our patience, but our action.
1. What was the main cause of Alice’s anxiety?| A．Her wish to be perfect. | B．Her habit of consumption. |
| C．Her lack of inspiration. | D．Her inability to act her age. |
| A．She built up her courage to speak up. | B．She tasted the sweetness of friendship. |
| C．She learned about the harm of desire. | D．She decided to do something for nature. |
| A．critical | B．intelligent | C．confident | D．innovative |
| A．Practice makes perfect. | B．Action is worry’s worst enemy. |
| C．Patience is a cure of anxiety. | D．Everything comes to those who wait. |
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【推荐1】On a break from his studies in the MIT Media Lab, Anirudh Sharma traveled home to Mumbai, India. While there, he noticed that throughout the day his T-shirts were gradually gathering something that looked like dirt. “I realized this was air pollution, or sooty (像煤一样) particulate matter (PM), made of black particles released from exhaust (尾气) of vehicles,” Sharma says. “This is a major health issue.” Soot consists of tiny black particles, about 2.5 micrometers or smaller, made carbon produced by incomplete burning of fossil fuels.
Back at MIT, Sharma set out to help solve this air-pollution issue. After years of research and development, Sharma’s startup Graviky Labs has developed technology that attaches to exhaust systems of diesel generators (柴油发电机) to collect particulate matter. Scientists at Graviky then turn it into ink, called Air- Ink, for artists around the world. So far, the startup has collected I.6 billion micrograms of particulate matter. More than 200 gallons of Air-Ink have been harvested for a growing community of more than 1,000 artists, from Bangalore to Boston, Shanghai, and London.
Posted all over Graviky Lab’s Facebook page today are photos of art made from the Air-Ink and pant, including street wall paintings, body art and clothing prints. At first, there was still no specific application for the ink. Then the startup decided to find new ways to further spread its mission. It chose to do so through art. “Art helps us raise awareness about where the ink and paint comes from. Air pollution knows no borders. Our ink sends a message that pollution is one of the resources in our world that's the hardest to collect and use. But it can be done.” Sharma says.
1. What struck Sharma most during his break in India?| A．Something looking like dirt on his T-shirts. | B．Health issue of the locals. |
| C．Coal industry in Mumbai. | D．Incomplete burning of fossil fuels. |
| A．It improves artistic effect. | B．It makes pollution acceptable. |
| C．It helps Sharma make a profit. | D．It raises environmental awareness. |
| A．Arts know no borders | B．Waste has no price |
| C．Less pollution, more art | D．Creative thinking, effective painting |
【推荐2】My name’s Geoffrey Chaucer. It was 16th April 1386, and I was in London at an inn in Southwark. Tomorrow I would go to Canterbury, to the shrine (圣地) of Saint Thomas Becket, together with twenty-nine other people. Before I say more, I want to tell you about some of the people with me.
First there was a knight, a good man who fought well and knew many different countries. He was a true friend to everyone, and always helped people when they needed it. His clothes were old, dark, and dirty from many years of fighting.
Then there was a businessman with an expensive hat on his head. The man, who looked wealthier than he truly was, always said, “I’m doing very well.” A very quick thinker, he talked about ships and the sea a lot, and showed much interest in changing money from different countries.
After the businessman came a franklin (乡绅) with a white beard. He asked people from near and far to visit him at home as he liked eating and drinking and having a good time with others. He was an important man, he knew right from wrong, and people listened to him.
There was a woman from Bath. Her face was open, and nice-looking, but she couldn’t hear very well. In her red dress, she was a big woman with a big smile and big teeth, laughing a lot and talking easily. She knew all about love.
So there we were, all thirty of us, at the inn. The landlord, a tall fat man, brought us the best dinner in London. He would also join our journey tomorrow. After we finished eating, the landlord smiled, suggesting “We’re going to Canterbury tomorrow, and that’s four days from here. One by one, let’s all tell a story on the road to make the time go quicker. And to the teller of the best story we can give a free dinner here at my inn when we get back. What do you say?” We all said “yes” happily to him. Then the question for us was: Who goes first ?
1. Which of the following can be described as kind-hearted?| A．The knight. | B．The businessman. |
| C．The franklin. | D．The woman. |
| A．The knight always wore very expensive clothes. |
| B．The franklin usually spent time on his own. |
| C．The woman was deaf and loved the red color. |
| D．The businessman was not as rich as he seemed. |
| A．Who will be the first to be served at the inn |
| B．Who will be the first to tell a story on the road |
| C．Who will go at the front of the traveling group |
| D．Who will be the leader of the traveling group |
| A．April 19th | B．April 20th |
| C．April 24th | D．April 28th |
【推荐3】At a family picnic for employees of the company where my father worked, they held the handkerchief (手帕) throwing game for the children. I was 13, full of enthusiasm (热情) and the spirit of competition, so I threw myself into it. The game, I realize now, was not meant to show any real skill, but simply for laughs. But it awoke my love of thinking outside the box.
The host gave each of the dozen children a cloth handkerchief and told us the winner would be the one who threw it the farthest. The first throwers, the little ones, threw hard, but when the cloth left their hands, it opened and flew to the ground a few inches in front of them. The next kids threw harder and harder, but with no better results. The crowd shouted with a rand being 13, I didn’t like adults laughing at us. The older the children, the more the crowd laughed at the results. So it annoyed me to see the kids throwing harder when the handkerchief always opened, caught the air and died. The secret was not to throw harder but to keep the cloth from opening.
Suppose I hid a rock in the cloth without tying it. The rock would drive the cloth at least farther than the others, and when they separated, people might not notice a small rock landing in the grass. I had a good chance of getting away with it, but I didn’t want to win by cheating. I had to make the handkerchief fly like a rock. Like a rock! That was it! I secretly tied knot (结) after knot until it was the size of a large walnut (核桃) like a rock.
When it was my turn, I did my best, and the balled handkerchief rocketed off into the trees maybe 60 feet away. The laughing died away. The host stared at me with narrowed eyes and then ran to check how I made it. “It’s just the handkerchief,” he declared, holding it up and untying the knots. The adults cheered loudly, and I felt proud.
1. What was the handkerchief throwing game intended for?| A．For enjoyment. | B．For business. |
| C．For thinking. | D．For friendship. |
| A．They threw but it opened. | B．They were too nervous to do it. |
| C．They didn’t have enough strength. | D．There was no strong wind at that time. |
| A．By cheating with a rock. |
| B．By asking Father for help. |
| C．By tying the handkerchief like a rock. |
| D．By having good luck with a strong wind. |
| A．Practice makes perfect. | B．Great minds think alike. |
| C．Two heads are better than one. | D．Success comes from creative thinking. |
During her time in the cave, Stefania had been completely alone except for two white mice. Her living place had been very comfortable, but there had been nothing to tell her the time. She’d had no clocks or watches, no television or radio. There had been no natural light and the temperature had always been kept at 21℃.
The results were very interesting. Stefania had been in the cave for over four months, but she thought she had been there for only two. Her body clock had changed. She hadn’t kept to a 24-hour day, she had stayed awake for 20-25 hours and then had slept for 10 hours. She had eaten fewer meals and had lost 171bs in weight as a results! She had also become rather depressed (抑郁).
How had she spent her time in the cave? As part of the experiment she’d done some physical and mental tests. She’d recorded her daily activities and the results of the tests on a computer. This computer had been specially programmed for the project. Whenever she was free, she’d played cards, read books and listened to music. She’d also learned French from tapes.
The experiment showed that our body clocks are affected by light and temperature. For example, the pattern of day and night makes us wake up and go to sleep. However, people are affected in different ways. Some people wake up naturally at 5:00 am, but others don’t start to wake up till 9:00 or 10:00 am. This affects the whole daily rhythm. As a result, the early risers, on the other hand, are tired during the day and only come to life in the afternoon or evening!
1. Stefania stayed in the cave for a long time because ______.
| A．she was asked to do research on mice |
| B．she wanted to experience loneliness |
| C．she was the subject of a study |
| D．she needed to record her life |
| A．Eating fewer meals. |
| B．Having more hours of sleep. |
| C．Lacking physical exercise. |
| D．Getting no natural light. |
| A．A novel. | B．A news story. | C．A pet magazine. | D．A travel guide. |
【推荐2】More than 45，000 years ago，by the shore of present-day Tasmania，a local person picked up a large piece of thick，dark brown seaweed．And he realized that this giant piece of seaweed could be used to make a watertight bag．And 45，000 years later on mainland Australia，people are again turning to seaweed to solve pressing problems．Today，it is used to address the world's climate crisis．
Winberg，a marine ecologist at the University of Wollongong，has spent decades studying seaweed．She believes seaweed's fast growth rate and ability to absorb vast amounts of carbon dioxide can help fight climate change，de-acidify（降低酸度）the oceans，and change the way we farm，not just in the oceans but also on land．
“If we used the infrastructure we have in the ocean and created seaweed islands，we would actually get rid of many climate change issues we have today，” says Winberg．Realizing seaweed's potential as a climate solution，Winberg opened Australia's first land-based，commercial seaweed farm in 2013．On her farm in New Wales，Winberg produces seaweed extracts（提取物）that are used in food，cosmetics and medicines
Like plants on land，seaweed absorbs CO2 and grows biomass（生物量）．Coastal marine systems can absorb carbon at rates up to 50 times greater than forests on land，according to Emily Pidgeon，senior director of strategic marine initiatives at Conservation International．Globally，seaweeds are thought to absorb nearly 200 million tons of CO2 every year - as much as New York State's annual emissions．And when the seaweed dies，much of the carbon locked up in its tissues is transported to deep oceans．
By raising pH levels in the ocean，seaweeds also improve growing conditions for shellfish such as oysters and mussels，whose shells become more fragile（脆弱的）in acidic environments．
The potential for seaweed cultivation doesn't stop in the oceans．Winberg has found there are benefits to doing it on land too．She believes that seaweed farming offers “huge potential” to not only address the climate crisis，but also feed a growing population in a sustainable way．According to Winberg，one hectare（公顷）of a seaweed farm can produce more protein than the same amount of land used for cattle．“We're sitting on undiscovered，renewable，sustainable resources，” she says．
1. What is mainly introduced about seaweed in paragraph 1？| A．Its use． | B．Its history． |
| C．Its origin． | D．Its appearance． |
| A．It lowers the ocean temperature directly． |
| B．It contributes to shellfish's growing speed． |
| C．It produces the same amount of protein as cattle． |
| D．It grows fast and can absorb carbon at a high rate． |
| A．Unclear． | B．Favorable． |
| C．Critical． | D．Doubtful． |
| A．CO2，a Killer of Climate Change |
| B．Pollution，the World's Climate Crisis |
| C．Seaweed，a Potential Climate Solution |
| D．Infrastructure，a Way of Eliminating Climate Issues |
【推荐3】The waters around the Galapagos Islands, a hot spot of biodiversity off the coast of Ecuador, have been invaded by more alien species than previously thought.
While the number of invasive species on land is well-documented, relatively little was known about those in the marine environment.
Now field surveys have found 48 invasive species off the coasts of the islands, in addition to five known non-native species. These creatures probably got a free ride on ships from around the world.
These surveys were undertaken only in certain hahitats around two of the larger islands, so the actual number of invasive species is likely to be much greater. “From our knowledge of similar studies, I wouldn’t be surprised if the number was twice as many,” says team member Jim Carlton of Williams College in Massachusetts.
The alien species included worms, mussels crabs and sea squirts. There were also tiny moss (苔藓)animals, such as Amathia verticillata, which kills seagrass and messes up fishing equipment.
Seventeen of the newly-identified invaders had been spotted around the Galapagos Islands before, but bad been wrongly thought to have been native species.
The influence of these alien species on the islands’ ecosystems is not yet known. But it is likely to be damaging judging from experiences elsewhere, and could threaten hundreds of local species on the islands. “What we know is that a number of these invasive species clearly have had serious effects elsewhere in the world,” says Carlton.
Invasions in other places suggest that even more harmful species could soon be headed for the waters of the Galapagos Islands, the team warns, including soft corals (珊瑚虫)that could grow rapidly over local coral, and the possibility of poisonous lionfish crossing from the Caribbean through the Panama Canal.
The Galaparos Marine Reserve is now protected, but it will be hard to stop further invaders because it is difficult to check for tiny species on the bottom of every visiting boat.
1. How many invasive species have been found off the coasts of the Galapagos Islands?| A．5 | B．43 | C．48 | D．53 |
| A．It mainly feeds on worms and lionfish. |
| B．It’ll be harmful to the fishing industry. |
| C．It was the earliest invader found in Ecuador. |
| D．It makes up the majority of invasive species. |
| A．The damage of local species. | B．The ecosystem around Ecuador. |
| C．The impact of invasive species. | D．The number of invasive species. |
| A．Alien species are spreading quickly. | B．Many ships visit the islands illegally. |
| C．It’s hard to identify very small species. | D．There is a lack of men needed for the job. |
