Any 25th birthday is a cause for celebration. But it was even more so for Janus, a two-headed Greek tortoise (龟). Living in the Natural History Museum of Geneva, Switzerland, Janus is now believed to be the world’s oldest two-headed tortoise. The museum celebrated the special occasion with a day-long party filled with fun events, which included taking photos with the birthday “boy”.
In the wild, Greek tortoises can live up to two hundred years in their natural habitat. However, two-headed tortoises, like Janus, usually do not survive for that long. Unlike normal tortoises, they are unable to take back their two heads into their shell, making them highly easy to be attacked.
Janus, who has spent his entire life in the museum, faces no such danger. But life is not without challenges for the two-headed tortoise who also has two hearts and two pairs of lungs. Each head controls the front and back legs on its side of the body. The right head is more curious and more awake. The left head is more passive and loves to eat. This can lead to confusion when the two heads decide to go in different directions. To make matters worse, the two heads frequently rub against each other, resulting in skin sores (溃疡). Janus also has a hard time rolling back onto his feet when he accidentally turns over. If left on their backs for too long, tortoises can get sunburned, dehydrated (脱水的) and even die.
Fortunately, Janus has a special caregiver, Angelica Bourgoin, to make sure he lives a long and healthy life. The tortoise receives a daily massage and is bathed in green tea and flower water. He eats a special diet of organic fruits and vegetables, keeps active with walks, and rides on his skateboard. With such loving care, the two-headed tortoise will surely continue to break many more records for long life.
1. Why is it hard for two-headed tortoises to survive in the wild?| A．They can’t avoid biting each other. | B．They can’t find enough food to eat. |
| C．They can’t hide from their enemies. | D．They can’t run as fast as normal ones. |
| A．In a pet store. | B．In the museum. |
| C．In the ocean. | D．In Bourgoin’s home. |
| A．The death of thirst. | B．Different decisions. |
| C．The pain on his skin. | D．Two halves of body. |
| A．Terrible. | B．Free. | C．Easy. | D．Boring. |
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【推荐1】When I started school, my hands kept shaking. I went to a doctor and was told that I had a nervous system disorder that can cause a person’s hands to shake. I had no idea what I was going to do. One day, I saw a woodcock outside my apartment window, and I had never seen anything like it. So I read about the bird online and took an ornithology class. The professor asked me if I was doing research. I had no idea that undergraduates could even do anything like that. That professor became my undergraduate advisor, and I started working in her lab. She was also my PhD advisor. I stayed in her lab for 11 years.
Now I have a paper coming out soon that looks at the global diversity of parrots. One figure in it is, I think, the best thing I’ve ever done. It shows the family tree of parrots, over a picture of Gondwana breaking up. Gondwana is the supercontinent that South America, Africa, Australia and New Zealand all used to be part of. As that broke up into the continents that we know better now, some families of parrots parted.
My biggest failure in science thus far is my inability to explain how the Carolina parakeet went extinct. I’ve been working on this for seven years. I’ve read lots of historical books and travel diaries. And I never figured it out.
That’s the thing about science. Most of the time, you start out with a really clear idea of what you think is going to happen. And it almost never happens that way. I’ve got a lot out of this research. I’ve learned a lot about the species. But there are just some things that we’ll never know. Finally, I have to accept that maybe I’ll figure it out one day, maybe I won’t. But that’s OK.
1. What made the author take up ornithology research?| A．The doctor’s words. | B．The difficulty of finding a job. |
| C．The beauty of a woodcock. | D．The help of a professor. |
| A．The parrots’ diversity all over the world. | B．The big family tree of parrots. |
| C．The influence of weather on parrots. | D．The breakup of a continent. |
| A．The bird. | B．The extinction. | C．The failure. | D．The travel diary. |
| A．It is costly. | B．It is discouraging. | C．It is worth doing. | D．It is easy to carry out. |
【推荐2】A California wind farm will become the first in the U. S. to avoid charges if a limited number of eagles are injured or die when they run into the huge turning blades(桨叶), the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Thursday.
The Shiloh IV Wind Project LLC, 60 miles east of San Francisco, will receive a special permit allowing up to five golden eagles to be accidentally killed over five years. Previously, such eagle deaths could potentially draw criminal charges and discourage private investment in wind farms.
Agency Director Daniel Ashe said the permit encourages development of renewable energy while requiring the wind company to take steps to protect eagles from turbines(涡轮机)and power lines. The move will help California reach its goal of producing one-third of its energy from renewable sources by 2020, he said.
Michael Hutchins of the American Bird Conservancy said he believes the five-year permit for the California wind farm is reasonable, but he said the rapid expansion of wind energy has gotten ahead of the science and regulation to protect all types of birds. Too often, he said, wind farms are built in migratory patterns or near wetlands.
Birds on the hunt can become dizzy by what’s on the ground and fly into the blades, Hutchins said.
“Is it really green energy if it’s going to kill hundreds of thousands of birds or bats each year?” he said. “The whole system needs a much harder look.”
Shiloh IV Wind Project is a 102-megawatt wind farm operating since 2012 and made up of 50 turbines in Solano County.
Shiloh is the first to obtain a permit. Marie Strassburger, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s regional migratory bird chief, said that obtaining one requires a lengthy process, and because this is the first of its kind, officials have carefully made conversation plans with the wind company.
“It’s not a quick, efficient process by any means,” Strassburger said.
Federal wildlife officials in California, Nevada and Southern Oregon are working on two more applications for five-year eagle permits and one for 30 years, said Scott Flaherty of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Sacramento. Eagles are not listed as endangered, but they are protected under a federal act.
1. Shiloh IV will be breaking the law if ___________.| A．its turbines injure any birds in California |
| B．it withdraws its private investment in wind farms |
| C．its equipment kills over five golden eagles in five years |
| D．it builds wind farm in migratory patterns or near wetlands |
| A．To encourage green energy |
| B．To protect big turning blades |
| C．To prevent criminal activities |
| D．To support research on eagles |
| A．Tolerant | B．Uncaring |
| C．Surprised | D．Critical |
| A．Showed great caution |
| B．Reached an agreement quickly |
| C．Wanted to list eagles as endangered |
| D．Had already singed tow similar permits |
| A．Daniel Ashe | B．Scott Flaherty |
| C．Michael Hutchins | D．Marie |
【推荐3】With circus animals increasingly becoming a thing of the past, what happens to all those newly-freed animals that spent their lives in zoos and circuses? Can any animal, after years in captivity (圈养), ever be freed?
Even a lifetime in the best zoo will have left animals too affected by years of sheltered existence. No case makes this more heartbreakingly obvious than the story of Keiko, the whale star of Free Willy (1993). A massive letter-writing campaign demanding his freedom led to Keiko being flown to Iceland in 1999 for release. Unfortunately, captured at a very young age and too used to human contact, Keiko never managed to fit into a wild population, struggled to hunt, and eventually died of disease in 2003.
“For the longest time, the idea of returning animals to the wild was just off the table, but now we’re seeing people in the field questioning the long-held belief that it’s impossible to return captive animals to their natural habitat,” says Katie Moore of the International Fund for Animal Welfare. “Yes, in a lot of cases it is still impossible, especially if the animals were very young when captured. But for some animals, if we proceed scientifically and thoughtfully, it can be done.”
Consider the African Lion and Environmental Research Trust (ALERT) in Zimbabwe, which for 15 years has worked to introduce lions to the wild. Their method of release involves multiple stages, which eventually sees the release of wild offspring (后代) from previously captive adults. First, lions that have been raised by humans are released into a large fenced area with small animals to hunt. Next, those animals eventually form a wild group and produce new baby lions. Then, those baby lions, who have grown together and formed social bonds, are eventually released as a group.
“For some animals, reintroduction will always be difficult, such as baby elephants, which get used to human care very quickly,” says Moore. “But if we don’t push boundaries we will never know what is possible.”
1. What caused Keiko’s sad story?| A．He fell sick during film-making. | B．He was brought in from the wild at an old age. |
| C．He failed to seek human company. | D．He was ill-equipped for life in the wild. |
| A．It is possible for some animals. | B．It is in their best interests. |
| C．It can cause them harm. | D．It is a completely unrealistic idea. |
| A．Dangerous. | B．Eventful. |
| C．Gradual. | D．Cruel. |
| A．What are the challenges facing animal reintroduction projects? |
| B．Why do some released animals fail to live independently? |
| C．Can captive animals ever truly return to the wild? |
| D．Are captured animals willing to go back to the natural world? |
【推荐1】The Golden Gate Bridge was the longest bridge in the world from 1937 when it was completed (完成) until the Verrazano Narrows Bridge was built in New York in 1964.Today,it is still the ninth longest bridge in the world.
For many years before the Golden Gate Bridge was built，the only way to get across San Francisco Bay was by ship.And by the early twentieth century the Bay was crowded because of them. In the 1920s, engineer and bridge-builder Joseph Strauss believed that a bridge should be built across the Golden Gate to solve the problem.
Many groups went against him，each for their own selfish reasons.Besides，the engineering challenge was also huge — the Golden Gate Bridge area often has winds of up to 60 miles per hour，and strong ocean currents (洋流) sweep below the surface.If all that weren’t enough，it was the middle of the Great Depression,and funds were hard to find.
Strauss didn't give up, and the Golden Gate Bridge history began when San Francisco officials approved＄35 million to build the Golden Gate Bridge.After the artistic design and red color were chosen, construction work began in 1933.The Golden Gate Bridge project was completed in 1937，an important date in San Francisco history.
Strauss was a pioneer in building safety.The Bay Bridge，which was being built at the same time cost 24 lives while the Golden Gate Bridge cost only 12，a great achievement in a period of time when one man was killed on most construction projects for every million spent.
1. What do we know about the Golden Gate Bridge?| A．It is of the same age as the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. |
| B．There are only 8 bridges worldwide longer than it now. |
| C．It remained the world’s longest bridge for 30 years. |
| D．It was the widest bridge worldwide when completed. |
| A．To prove his artistic ability. | B．To build the world's longest bridge. |
| C．To solve traffic jams at San Francisco Bay. | D．To make crossing San Francisco Bay possible. |
| A．The necessity for building the bridge. |
| B．The hard time of the Great Depression. |
| C．The bad weather in the Golden Gate Bridge area. |
| D．The difficulties in building the Golden Gate Bridge. |
| A．Strong—minded (意志坚强的). | B．Warm—hearted. |
| C．Honest. | D．Patient. |
【推荐2】California has a new program called the Digital Textbook Initiative. “Starting this fall with high school math and science, we will be the first state in the nation to provide schools with a state-approved list of digital textbooks.” That was Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in June, talking about his effort to get schools to use materials available free online. He listed reasons why he thinks digital textbooks make sense.
California approves traditional textbooks in six-year cycles. Digital one can offer the latest information. They lighten the load of school bags. They save paper and tees, and make learning more fun and interactive. And above all, he said, they help schools with their finances.
The state has had to make severe cuts in school spending because of deep financial problems. More than six million students attend California public schools.
Earlier this year, California invited content developers to offer digital math and science materials for high schools. These had to meet at least 90% of the state’s learning requirements. Specially trained teachers examined 16 textbooks and approved ten of them.
Six of the ten were published by the CK12 Foundation, a nonprofit group that had been developing digital science and math books for about two years. The foundation paid teachers and other education professionals to write and edit them. The money came from a group financed by the Khosla Family.
California cannot require schools to use the digital textbooks. Individual school districts will have to decide for themselves. Susan Martimo, a California Department of Education official, says she does not expect widespread use right away. Her best guess is that some schools with a lot of technology will be the first to use them, but only in addition to their traditional books.
School administrators point out that the texts may be free online, but students need a way to access them. Not everyone has a computer or electronic reader. Schools could print out copies, but that would not help the environment. Also, there is the cost to train teachers to use digital textbooks effectively.
1. The Digital Textbook Initiative ________| A．will probably take effect in six years. | B．covers all the high school subjects. |
| C．has been approved by all states. | D．is advocated by California state governor. |
| A．help save money. | B．benefit the environment. |
| C．provide interesting materials. | D．reduce students’ heavy burden. |
| A．trained teachers. | B．content developers. |
| C．Khosla Family. | D．CK12 Foundation. |
| A．are not likely to have a widespread use. |
| B．will soon replace traditional ones. |
| C．will first be adopted by well-equipped schools. |
| D．are certain to be approved by school districts. |
| A．schools are reluctant to print out copies. | B．the use of digital textbooks is not really free. |
| C．students need to pay for computers. | D．training teachers to use the textbooks is not efficient. |
【推荐3】The philosopher Robert Nozick used the idea of an “experience machine” to refute the view that good experiences are all we want from life. He thought that most of us would not choose the machine and prefer reality. “But why?” he encouraged us to ask.
There was no such thing as virtual (虚拟的) reality (VR) when he was writing. But now we can give ourselves computer generated experiences that are like the real thing. The question raised by Nozick has become a real issue. Why should you prefer the trouble and expense of actually visiting Angkor Wat or Niagara Falls when you can get all the experiences of being there by putting on goggles and a body suit?
One answer is that the emotions you feel when you have a virtual experience are not as valuable. When you actually see Niagara Falls, you feel awe and even fear in the face of an overpowering force of nature. Being in the presence of something that causes you these feelings is part of the pleasure.
Visiting a virtual Niagara Falls may also cause you feelings of awe and fear but they are cheapened by your knowledge that the danger is not real and that your mind is being tricked into thinking that it is.
Reality also holds a potential for making discoveries that virtual reality lacks. Those who visit Angkor Wat hope to see more than they expected from tourist information, perhaps even discover what have been missed. Computer simulations (模拟), however good, contain only what have been put into them.
There is a further reason for preferring a real experience. Real experiences connect us to the deeds of past people and place us in contexts where history was made. Viewing an actual paining by Rembrandt is a more valuable experience than viewing a copy, however good. The genuine painting was the work of the man himself. We see his brush strokes on the canvas. We are in the presence of genius.
Virtual reality can take us to places we can never go. It can be exciting, amusing and a good way of spending leisure time. But it will never be a substitute for connections with the real thing.
1. What does the underlined word “refute” in Paragraph 1 mean?| A．Contradict. | B．Express. |
| C．Prove. | D．Correct. |
| A．It can benefit people in certain aspects. |
| B．It will be smart enough to satisfy our needs. |
| C．It cannot cause feeling of fear or happiness. |
| D．It cannot help us understand what has happened. |
| A．What VR Cannot Offer. |
| B．How VR Change Our Life. |
| C．How VR Is Different from Reality. |
| D．Why VR Cannot Match the Real Thing. |
The Meaning of Struggle
One day, a man found the pupa of a butterfly. Seeing an opening in the pupa, he realised that the butterfly was ready to emerge. So he sat down and watched as the butterfly struggled to force its body through the little hole. However, minutes passed and the butterfly still couldn’t get out. The struggle was too hard for its weak body. The man then kindly enlarged the hole in the pupa so that the butterfly could finally break free. But instead of flying away, it just dragged itself around weakly, then died. The struggle to break out of the pupa was necessary for the butterfly’s survival because it enabled its wings and body to grow strong. Without the struggle, it was too weak to live. In the same way, we need struggle to grow strong and survive. We must go through some difficult things if we really wish to spread our wings and fly.
1. What does a butterfly do to get out of its pupa?2. Why did the man think he needed to help the butterfly?
3. What happened to the butterfly after the man enlarged the hole in the pupa?
4. What is the lesson behind this story? What else can you learn from it?
【推荐2】A Faithful (忠实的) Dog
More than seven hundred years ago, the Prince of Wales had a very big and brave dog called Gelert.
One day the Prince wanted to go hunting (打猎) with his men. He told his dog to stay at home and look after his baby son. The baby was in a wooden cradle (摇篮), which was like a small bed.
When the Prince came back from hunting, Gelert ran out to meet his master. He wagged (摇) his tail (尾巴) and jumped up to put his paws (手爪) on the Prince's chest. Then the Prince saw the blood (血) on Gelert's jaws (颚) and head.
"What have you done?" the Prince said. He rushed into his house and looked for his baby son. The cradle was lying on its side on the floor. The clothes were torn and there was blood on them.
"So you have killed my son?" the Prince said angrily. "You unfaithful dog!" He took out his sword (剑) and killed the dog. Just as Gelert was dying, he managed (设法) to bark. Then the Prince heard a baby call to the dog.
The Prince ran out of the house and saw his son lying on the ground unhurt (没受伤). Near him was a dead wolf. Then the Prince knew that Gelert had defended (保卫) the baby and killed the wolf.
The Prince ran back into the house but he was too late. Gelert was dead. The Prince was very sad indeed. Tears ran down his face when he realized he had killed his faithful friend. The Prince carried the body of his brave dog to the top of a mountain and buried (埋葬) him there. After this, the Prince never smiled again. Every morning at dawn, he walked up the mountain and stood by the dog's grave for a few minutes.
If you go to Mount Snowdon in Wales, people will show you where Gelert is buried. There is a sign by his grave. It reminds people of a brave and faithful dog.
1. Gelert was the dog of the Prince of _______.| A．Scotland | B．England | C．Ireland | D．Wales |
| A．watch the door | B．take care of his baby at home |
| C．welcome his friends | D．stop the strangers |
| A．glad | B．fearful | C．afraid | D．tired |
| A．the wolf was killed by Gelert | B．he had buried the dog on the top of mountain |
| C．he had killed his faithful friend Gelert | D．Gelert had killed his baby son |
【推荐3】Four animals—a wildcat，a mongoose，a mouse and an owl—had made their home in a huge tree．
The mouse and the mongoose lived at the foot of the tree in two different holes．The cat lived in a large hole halfway up the tree and the owl lived in the branches．
The cat feared none of its neighbours and moved about，afraid of nothing．The owl and the mongoose were afraid of the cat and kept a safe distance from it．The mouse was extremely afraid of all three neighbours．
One day the cat was caught in a trap laid by a hunter．Its three neighbours watched with joy as it tried extremely hard to get out of the net in which it had been trapped．They knew it was a hopeless task．Soon the hunter would come and they would never see their enemy forever．The mouse’s joy，however，was short-lived because even as it watched the cat，it found that the mongoose was moving towards it．Looking up，it saw that the owl too was getting ready to move down．The mouse understood that it was in great danger and that the only one who could save it was its enemy，the cat．
It jumped onto the net in which the cat was caught and began biting at it．Within a short time it had made a hole big enough for the cat to come out．Seeing the cat come out，the owl and the mongoose escaped．
The mouse ran away too．It knew it could not expect any thanks from the cat，but in saving it，it had saved its own life．
1. The mouse lived in extreme fear every day because ．| A．it lived at the foot of the tree |
| B．hunters set traps everywhere |
| C．all its three neighbours might eat it at any time |
| D．its food might be taken away by its neighbours |
| A．The wildcat． | B．The mouse． |
| C．The mongoose． | D．The owl． |
| A．they were good friends |
| B．they both hated the hunters |
| C．the mouse was too kind to see the cat die |
| D．the other two neighbours were to attack it |
| A．kind | B．brave |
| C．clever | D．Stupid |
