On our first morning at the Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica, the air was still. The captain made a brave choice: Our ship would hold close to the ice shelf so that the sonar system would peer beneath it while producing a detailed map of the seafloor. The scientists on board, along with the writers like me, were the first people in the history to visit this part of Thwaites. Our task was to bring back as much information as possible about the place where ocean and ice meet.
If Antarctica collapsed, it could threaten the entire West Antarctic Ice Sheet, causing global sea levels to jump 10 feet or more. In terms of the fate of our coastal communities, this particular glacier is the biggest wild card, the largest known unknown. Will Miami even exist 100 years? Thwaites will decide.
Reading about the collapse of Antarctica’s glaciers, I feel I am being encouraged to jump to a conclusion: that no matter what we do now, what lies ahead is bound to be worse than what came before. This kind of thinking turns Antarctica into a passive symbol of the coming disaster. But what if we were to see Antarctica as a harbinger of change rather than doom(厄运)? This is why I came to Thwaiters. I wanted to find out: Antarctica has the power to rewrite all our maps.
This week a paper analyzed the data from that exploration. The authors suggested that sometime Thwaites retreated at two to three times the rate we see today. Put another way: At the coldest period of the planet, Thwaiters is stepping farther outside the script we imagined for it, likely challenging even our most detailed predictions of what is to come.
It took us nearly a month to arrive at the edge of Thwaiters. It is one of the most remote region on Earth. But despite the distance, what happens there is shaping us just as much as we are shaping it. If we can begin to recognize the agency of this faraway glacier, we will be one step closer to embracing the modesty that climate change demands.
1. Why did the captain decide to approach the ice shelf?A.To find out where ocean and ice meet. |
B.To get scientists to do experiments on it. |
C.To help the author write down the history moment. |
D.To get information about the seafloor in details. |
A.The biggest decisive factor. |
B.The wildest thing to take control of. |
C.The most difficult thing to predict. |
D.The remotest place to reach. |
A.Doubtful. | B.Approving. | C.Tolerant. | D.Indifferent. |
A.To escape the coastal cities in time. |
B.To respect the power of Antarctica. |
C.To prevent the collapse of Antarctica’s glaciers. |
D.To be modest in predicting climate change. |
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One of the researchers was Vinit Desai, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Denver Business School. He worked with Peter Madsen from the Marriott School of Management at Brigham Young University in Utah.
They did not find much long-term "organizational learning" from success. It is possible, they say. But Professor Desai says they found that knowledge gained from failure lasts for years. He says organizations should treat failures as a learning opportunity and not try to ignore them.
The study looked at companies and organizations that launch satellites--and other space vehicles. Professor Desai compared two shuttle flights.
In two thousand two, a piece of insulating(隔热的) material broke off during launch and damaged a rocket on the Atlantis. Still, the flight was considered a success.
Then, in early two thousand three, a piece of insulation struck the Columbia during launch. This time, the shuttle broke apart on re-entry and the seven crew members died. NASA officials suspended all flights and an investigation led to suggested changes.
Professor Desai says the search for solutions after a failure can make leaders more open-minded. He points to airlines as an example of an industry that has learned from failures in the past.
He advises organizations to look for useful information in small failures and failures they avoided. He also urges leaders to encourage the open sharing of information. The study appeared in the Academy of Management Journal.
The mistakes we learn from do not have to be our own. We recently asked people on our Facebook page to tell us a time they had done something really silly.
Fabricio Cmino wrote: Not long ago I wanted to watch TV, but it wouldn't turn on, so I did everything I could to start it. Thirty minutes later my mum showed up and, passing by, said to me "Did you try plugging it'? I’m just dusting, Mum!”So she wouldn't notice how dumb I am sometimes!
Bruno Kanieski da Silva told about a time he looked everywhere for his key. It was in hispocket. He wrote: I always promise I will never do it again, but after-a few weeks,where is mywallet? For sure it will be in a very logical place.
1. What we get from failure differs from that from success in that_______.
A.what we learn from failure is more powerful |
B.what we learn from success does no good to us |
C.the knowledge gained from failure is important for a company |
D.the knowledge gained from failure lasts longer |
A.The insulating material problem in 2002 didn't arouse enough attention |
B.There were no astronauts on Columbia |
C.In spite of the problem, Atlantis was considered a success |
D.Columbia exploded during its launch time |
A.many people make mistakes in the world |
B.mistakes were a very embarrassing thing when found by others |
C.we can also draw a lesson from others' mistakes |
D.making mistakes was a necessity |
A.Only organizations can learn from mistakes |
B.We can also learn from failures that have been avoided. |
C.Lessons from the shuttle flights are more important. |
D.Leaders often lack an open mind and seldom share information. |
She found that personality had a major impact on learning. The braver baboons learnt, but the shy ones did not learn the task although they watched the baboon perform the task of finding the novel food just as long as the brave ones did. In effect, despite being made aware of what to do, they were still too shy to do what the experienced baboon did.
The same held true for anxious baboons compared with calm ones. The anxious individuals learnt the task by observing others while those who were relaxed did not, even though they spent more time watching.
This mismatch between collecting social information and using it shows that personality plays a key role in social learning in animals, something that has previously been ignored in studies on how animals learn to do things. The findings are significant because they suggest that animals may perform poorly in cognitive (认知的 ) tasks not because they aren’t clever enough to solve them, but because they are too shy or nervous to use the social information.
The findings may impact how we understand the formation of culture in societies through social learning. If some individuals are unable to get information from others because they don’t associate with the knowledgeable individuals, or they are too shy to use the information once they have it, information may not travel between all group members, preventing the formation of a culture based on social learning.
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?
A.The design of Dr. Carter’s research. |
B.The results of Dr. Carter’s research. |
C.The purpose of Dr. Carter’s research. |
D.The significance of Dr. Carter’s research. |
A.Those that have more experience. |
B.Those that can avoid potential risks. |
C.Those that like to work independently. |
D.Those that feel anxious about learning. |
A.Some baboons are intelligent but slow in learning. |
B.Some baboons are shy but active in social activities. |
C.Some baboons observe others but don’t follow them. |
D.Some baboons perform new tasks but don’t concentrate. |
A.storing information |
B.learning from each other |
C.understanding different people |
D.travelling between social groups |
【推荐3】Having a regular dentist check up is as essential for ensuring healthy teeth and gums (牙龈) as regular brushing and flossing. Here’s why you should make the trip.
Prevention is better than cure. Regular dental check-ups are recommended to maintain healthy teeth and gums.
You’ve had a new medical diagnosis.
You’ve got bad breath. Halitosis (口臭) is embarrassing and can sometimes leave a nasty taste in your mouth. You might have a hole in your tooth, an infection or gum disease.
Check for cancer. Dentists don’t just look for cavities and unhealthy gums. They can also spot mouth cancer and refer patients to hospital to see a specialist. Cases have risen by 34 per cent in the past decade, according to the Oral Health Foundation.
A.You want to improve your confidence. |
B.You think it is time to have some changes. |
C.However, early diagnosis can save your life. |
D.Certain conditions can affect your oral health. |
E.You might just be brushing too enthusiastically. |
F.It varies from three months to two years depending on your oral health. |
G.Your dentist can give you tips on freshening your breath more effectively. |
【推荐1】Canadian-Iranian designer Roya Aghighi wants you to imagine that your shirt is alive. Aghighi hopes we can develop a more close relationship with fashion-by treating clothes as living beings that need our help to survive.
Aghighi's thought experiment isn't as far-fetched as it might seem. Working with a group of scientists at the University of British Columbia(UBC), she has invented a living, biofabricated photosynthesizing(生物制造光合作用的)fabric, which purifies the air around it. She named it LivingC.
UBC claims it's the first living and photosynthesizing fabric, and has fashioned the material into transparent clothing. While clothing like these are still in the early stages of research and design, and far from mass production, they challenge the fashion industry to reimagine ways it can reduce its huge carbon footprint through alternative fabrics.
Fashion is one of the world's most polluting industries. It's responsible for more carbon emissions than international flights and shipping combined, amounting to 10% of all greenhouse gases emitted globally.
US consumers are buying more clothing than ever, wearing each item fewer times and sending almost 70% of the clothes and footwear produced each year to landfill, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.
While Aghighi's new and advanced clothing is now only at the proof-of-concept stage, buyers may one day be instructed to stretch the fabric out in front of a window before putting it on. Biotechnology is a big business. Beyond the world of fashion, it's seen as an alternative for polyurethane plastics—the world's most common plastic, which is used in everything from bags to outdoor furniture as well as in fabrics.
Aghighi predicts consumption habits will take a long time to change. "It is going to be a slow shift," she said. "But I hope that it's going to be a long lasting one."
1. How can we understand "shirt is alive" in Paragraph 1?A.We imagine that it is alive. |
B.It is made of a living creature. |
C.It is made of living biofabricated materials. |
D.It wears well and lasts permanently. |
A.It has been put into production already. |
B.It has affected people's consumption habits. |
C.It can meet the demands of the US consumers soon. |
D.It can make the air around fresher and clearer. |
A.To inform the public of the latest fashion style. |
B.To draw public attention to the influence of fashion industry. |
C.To introduce an invention that will benefit our environment. |
D.To stress the importance of scientific advance in fashion industry. |
A.Science and Life | B.Entertainment |
C.Economics and Business | D.Domestic News |
【推荐2】C
Europe is home to a variety of cultural treasures. Lonely Planet, the world’s largest travel guide publisher, has offered pairs of cities for culturehungry but timepoor travelers.
London and Paris
It takes you about two hours to travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, a highspeed railway service. The two capital cities have been competing in fashion, art and nightlife for decades-but each secretly looks up to the other.
No one can doubt the grand and impressive beauty of Paris' Louvre Museum, but if you want to save money, you cannot skip the British Museum free to visit. Compared with London, Paris has more outdoor attractions such as the beautiful green walkway La Promenade Plantee.
In Paris, you'll see diners linger over red wine. While in London, you can try some afternoon tea, eat fish and chips or salted cake.
Vienna and Bratislava
Austrian capital Vienna and Slovakia city Bratislava are an hour apart by train. But since they are linked by the Danube River, the best way to travel is by ship. A tour of the two cities is the perfect way to experience everything from 17th century’s Habsburg dynasty splendor to scifi restaurants.
Vienna is famous for Mozart and imperial palaces. You can appreciate the perfect blending of architecture and nature in the grand Schonbrunn Palace, and reward yourself with a cup of Vienna coffee, which has made its way to the world's cultural heritage list.
Bratislava is best known for its fine dining-the remarkable UFO restaurant. You can enjoy a meatladen dinner here in an amazing setting.
1. What’s the relationship between London and Paris according to the text?A.They help each other. | B.They attack each other. |
C.They admire each other. | D.They don't like each other. |
a. The Louvre Museum b. Free access to museums
c. More outdoor attractions d. Better wines and perfumes
A.ac | B.cd | C.acd | D.bcd |
A.London. | B.Paris. | C.Glasgow. | D.Bratislava. |
A.they are not expensive to visit |
B.they are best known to the world |
C.they are always enemies between each other |
D.they are close but different in many aspects |
【推荐3】The skies over Latin America’s largest city are set to witness a futuristic aerospace revolution after the Brazilian airline Gol reached an agreement that could see it transport regular passengers around São Paulo in hundreds of low-cost zero-emission electric air taxis.
Dómhnal Slattery, chief executive of the Dublin-based firm Avolon, which will provide the aircraft to Gol and recently placed an order for 500 of the aircraft from their British manufacturer, admitted helicopters were the “kingdom of the wealthiest”.
But the Avolon boss claimed the introduction of VA-X4 eVTOLs (electric vertical(垂直的) takeoff and landing) aircraft to São Paulo would be a gamechanger for regular passengers once the taxis, which look like a futuristic cross between a helicopter and a glider, were delivered in late 2024 or 2025.
“Our basic estimate (估计) at the moment is that the operating cost here for this aircraft will be equal to $1 per passenger over a 25-mile trip,” Slattery told the Financial Times. “Which is almost equal to an Uber ride.”
Few cities are crying out for such a revolution more than São Paulo, a sprawling metropolis with more than 12 million citizens and choked by a fleet of 8.6m vehicles.
In the late 1990s, the congestion (拥塞) became so bad in what is now the world’s fifth biggest city after Tokyo, Delhi, Seoul and Shanghai that authorities were forced to introduce a number plate rotation (循环) system for vehicles.
Stephen Fitzpatrick, the head of the British aerospace manufacturer that produces the aircraft, Vertical Aerospace, said the flying taxis would be ideal for Brazil’s biggest city and will “transform how we travel around high population density cities that are crowded with traffic”.
The Bristol-based Vertical Aerospace was founded in 2016 and promises to pioneer “a new era in vertical transport”.
“We’ll be looking to Asia after São Paulo,” Avolon’s chief commercial officer, Paul Geaney, told Reuters.
1. What did Dómhnal Slattery think of helicopters?A.They could be afforded by all. |
B.They could be mostly used by the rich. |
C.They provided convenience for travellers. |
D.They showed the owners’ social status. |
A.Eco-friendliness. | B.Traditional design. |
C.Zero noise. | D.Free delivery. |
A.The flying taxis will be ideal for Brazil’s biggest city. |
B.More cities are eager for electric air taxis than São Paulo. |
C.The Avolon will enter the Asian transportation market soon. |
D.Travelling by VA-X4 eVTOLs can be more convenient but more expensive than by Uber. |
A.Uber Ride—a futuristic aerospace revolution |
B.Advanced vertical aircrafts ordered by the Avolon Company |
C.VA-X4 eVTOLs—a lifesaver for high population density cities |
D.Electric air taxis to make their first appearance in Brazil’s most congested city |
【推荐1】Growing at high speed and absorbing huge amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide, could seaweeds be the key to fighting climate change? Scientists in Australia think so. In Australia, scientists are taking advantage of the power of seaweeds to absorb CO2 at a rate that equals to the Amazon rainforest!
Kelp (巨藻) is one of the most common seaweeds. It has many types and grows at great speed. Giant kelp, for example, can grow up to 50 cm per day. Seaweeds use photosynthesis (光合作用) to absorb CO2, and grow biomass. Seaweeds are thought to absorb nearly 200 million tonnes of our globe’s CO2 per year.
Pia Winberg, founder of Australia’s first land-based commercial seaweed farm, suggests that growing more seaweeds could be an essential tool in the fight against climate change. “If we used the infrastructure we have in the ocean and created seaweed islands, we would actually remove many climate change issues we have today,” she said.
The Great Southern Reef is an 8,000-km network of reefs in Australia. Golden kelp forms the backbone of the network. With many other species, including giant kelp and bull kelp, growing there, it is a good place for series of relevant projects. The Great Southern Reef project managed by an independent team of seience professionals is working to promote the recognition and management of Australia’s kelp forests. The project estimates that if these kelp forests were cultivated in just 0.001% of the ocean’s surface, the amounts of the CO2: they absorb could offset (抵消) the carbon emissions of the global aquaculture (水产养殖) industry.
Of seaweeds’ potential, there’s a long chain of wins with this.
1. What is the scientists’ attitude towards growing seaweeds to absorb CO2?A.Doubtful. | B.Unclear. | C.Positive. | D.Negative. |
A.It can grow 50 cm per day at most. |
B.It is unique to the Great Southern Reef. |
C.It is cultivated in commercial seaweed farm. |
D.It absorbs nearly 200 million tonnes of CO: every year. |
A.It is managed by an independent team of science professionals. |
B.It has the largest network of reefs in Australia. |
C.It is home to many species of seaweeds. |
D.It works to protect Australia’s kelp forests. |
A.Different species of seaweed absorb CO2 in different ways. |
B.Bull kelp forms the backbone of the reefs network in Australia. |
C.The Great Southern Reef absorbs as much CO2 as the Amazon rainforest. |
D.Seaweed forests could be the key to fighting climate change. |
【推荐2】Sea ice in the Antarctic (南极) area fell to a record low this year. The drop is a result of rising temperatures worldwide. And there is no quick method to make up for the ice drop, and the recovery (恢复) has a long way to go, scientists said recently in a new study.
Antarctica’s smallest summer ice cover fell further to a new low in February. This year’s sea ice minimum (最小值) is 20 percent lower than the average (平均值) over the last 40 years. The sea ice loss equals an area nearly 10 times that of New Zealand.
The warming of Earth’s surface driven by the burning of coal, gas and oil has made Antarctica more likely to suffer from extreme (极端的) events. And the result is almost “certain” to get worse, the study said. Climate change will “lead to increases in the size and rate”of heat waves, broken ice shelves and drops in sea ice, it said.
The effects of the Earth’s warming on Antarctica and the surrounding ocean have been uncertain. Scientists have had problems measuring how much the Earth’s warming is altering the thickness of Antarctic ice.
But from events such as the fast drop in sea ice, it is “scientifically reasonable” to suppose that extreme events are going to become worse as temperatures rise worldwide, said Martin Siegert of the University of Exeter, another study co-writer.
Siegert described the temperature increase as completely surprising. Siegert added that luckily the event had happened during the Antarctic winter, instead of summer, or it would have caused melting (融化) on the surface of the East Antarctic ice cover, which has so far been saved from melting.
Siegert used the term “fragile”, meaning easily broken or damaged, to describe Antarctica. “Antarctica is fragile as an environment, but extreme events test that fragility,” he said.
1. What do the scientists think of the recovery of Antarctic sea ice?A.It is hopeful. | B.It is difficult. |
C.It is on its way. | D.It can’t be prevented. |
A.To explain the size of sea ice loss. | B.To show the position of ice cover. |
C.To describe how far Antarctica is. | D.To state sea ice is connected to New Zealand. |
A.Adding. | B.Pressing. |
C.Changing. | D.Protecting. |
A.Antarctic sea ice is recovering too slowly. |
B.The Antarctic ice cover is continuously moving. |
C.The environment of Antarctica is easy to break. |
D.Extreme events happen in Antarctic summer. |
【推荐3】Mont Kilimaniaro is among Africa’s most breathtaking sites, but hard times have come to the plains below. Death is all around and it’s tragic to behold. The cause is a lack of rainfall in a land where on the contrary there is still plenty of water. Underground springs fed by snowmelt from the mountain, still create swamps(沼泽). The problem is that the absence of rain means grasses and other essential plants are not growing, and the animals that depend on them are dying from a lack of nutrition.
The elephant herds here are among the most successful in the continent. They’re closely monitored and conservationists have given them names. But even these great beasts are dying too, what is for the smaller ones?
A drought induced hunger. Since the start of June almost 60 elephant deaths have been recorded. More than half calves were killed by starvation due to their mothers’ failure to produce milk. Tolstoy, a male, was named after Russian. He was 5-year-old at the time of his death. And he was one of the greatest tuskers like one of the greatest alive.
Very sad story. There are some of the last relatively undisturbed elephants in Africa. While poaching(偷猎)has been destructive elsewhere,these animals have been largely spared. Right now, however, the problem they face here is a drier climate which poses the greatest threat to their survival.
There are plenty of people here who care deeply about these elephants, but the sad truth is that conservationists are powerless to stop the dying. Only fresh rainfall and new plant growth can do that. We are waiting for the rains. If the rains don’t come before the end of the year, the death rate will only increase.
1. What do we know about Mont Kilimaniaro from the passage?A.Mount Kilimaniaro is the most exciting site in Africa. |
B.Due to a lack of rainfall, grasses can’t grow well there. |
C.All the animals there are dying from a lack of nutrition. |
D.There is little water on the plains of Mont Kilimaniaro. |
A.Caused. | B.Distinguished. | C.Guaranteed. | D.Determined. |
A.Elephants all died from poaching. |
B.Tolstoy was named after Russian. |
C.Animals suffered a lot from hunger. |
D.Tolstoy was one of the greatest tuskers alive. |
A.Poaching: A Danger to Animals |
B.Elephants: Great Beasts Facing Death |
C.Mont Kilimaniaro: A Death Place for Animals |
D.Dry Climate: A Great Threat to Plants and Animals |