The survival of about one fifth of the world’s vertebrates — animals with a backbone — is considered threatened, according to new research published in the journal Science. That’s a large fraction of Earth’s animals, but this new study held some good news too. Conservation efforts by humans have slowed the loss of many species of amphibians (两栖动物), birds, and mammals. Losses in these groups would have been about 20 percent greater had it not been for recent action of protection.
Among the animalconservation success stories is one about birds called Mauritius kestrels (红隼)．In the 1970s, just four of these birds were left in the world. Through a special breeding program, scientists were able to increase their number to about 1, 000 and release them into the wild.
Humpback whales (座头鲸) have benefited greatly from recent conservation efforts as well. They were once on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) list of species threatened with extinction. But the species is now in less danger, thanks to laws that ban whale hunting. The IUCN even moved the humpback into “species of the least concern”．
Over the past 100 years, the white rhino (犀牛) of South Africa has also made an amazing recovery because of habitat protection. The breed multiplied from just 50 animals to about 17, 000. Their home has been turned into a protected area, safe from poachers (people who hunt animals illegally) and other threats.
Stuart Butchart, one of the authors of the new study in Science, is encouraged by the positive effects of conservation. But he says, “Biodiversity (生物多样化) of species is in a frightening state. Its situation is getting worse. But our results show we can turn the situation around.”
New conservation policies hopefully are on the way. One hundred ninetythree countries recently met in Japan at the Convention on Biological Diversity to set goals for preserving threatened wildlife and their habitats. Only 1 percent of ocean and 12 percent of land areas were protected under earlier agreements. Two new goals set by the group are to designate (指定) 10 percent of the world’s ocean and 17 percent of land environments as protected areas to help increase endangeredanimal population.
1. Which of the following is not mentioned in people’s conservation efforts?| A．Habitat protection. |
| B．Breeding programs. |
| C．Laws of banning whale hunting. |
| D．Creation of studying organizations. |
| A．conservation works |
| B．man conquers nature |
| C．animals are more important |
| D．law is fair |
| A．protect ocean habitats |
| B．build land environments |
| C．increase the population of endangered animals |
| D．control animal population |
| A．Though there was a special breeding program, the number of Mauritius kestrels didn’t increase. |
| B．Conservation efforts should not only be made by human beings. |
| C．Humpback whales are not on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s list now. |
| D．Because many groups are working to protect wildlife, natural habitats are in good condition. |
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【推荐1】Please don’t feel singled out, special, or view yourself as a chosen one. She bites everyone. This is just the nature of the beast. There is absolutely no truth to the persistent myths that mosquitoes fancy females over males; that they prefer blondes and redheads over those with darker hair; or that the darker or rougher your skin, the safer you are from her bite. It is true, however, that she does play favorites and feasts on some more than others.
Blood type O seems to be the choice over types A and B or AB. People with blood type O get bitten twice as often as those with type A, with type B falling somewhere in between.
Those who have higher natural levels of certain chemicals in their skin, particularly lactic acid (乳酸)，also seem to be more attractive. From these elements, she can analyze which blood type you are. These are the same chemicals that determine an individual’s level of skin bacteria and unique body smell.
Mosquitoes are also attracted by perfumes, soaps, and other applied fragrances. While this may seem unfair to many of you, she also has a desire for beer drinkers.
Wearing bright colors is also not a wise choice, since she hunts by both sight and smell, the latter depending chiefly on the amount of carbon dioxide sent out by the potential target. So she can smell carbon dioxide from over 200 feet away. When you exercise, for example, you emit more carbon dioxide through both breath and output. You also sweat, releasing those appetizing chemicals, primarily lactic acid, that invites the mosquito's attention.
Lastly, your body temperature rises, which is an easily identifiable heat signature. On average, pregnant women suffer twice as many bites, as they have a slightly raised body temperature.
Please don't go on a shower, exercise or give up your beloved beer and bright T-shirts just yet. Unfortunately, 85% of what makes you attractive to mosquitoes is fixed in advance in your genetic circuit board (电路板). At the end of the day, she will find blood from any exposed target of opportunity.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To explain the reasons for mosquito bites. |
| B．To introduce a new discovery to the readers. |
| C．To arouse the interest of the readers in the topic. |
| D．To prove that everyone can suffer mosquito bites. |
| A．Blood type. | B．Body temperature. |
| C．Color of clothes. | D．Chemicals of bacteria. |
| A．All the mosquito bites are caused by your genetic circuit board. |
| B．Your blood will be targeted by mosquitoes at every opportunity. |
| C．Your genes decide your attractiveness to mosquitoes to a great degree. |
| D．Mosquito bites can be avoided if you can get rid of some relevant habits. |
| A．How to Keep off Mosquitoes | B．Mosquito Bites Let Nobody off |
| C．Why are You a Mosquito Feeder | D．Mosquitoes, a Threat to Our Health |
【推荐2】Scientists believe they could bring the likes of dodos (渡渡鸟) back from the dead through cloning experiments in the near future, which could see the flightless birds revived from their extinction.
The big bird, which was about a metre tall and weighed up to 18 kilograms, was native to Mauritius but became extinct in the 1600s, shortly after humans discovered the island. However, 400 years later, scientists now believe that they could bring the dodo back to life through cloning of some of its closest living relatives.
Scientists recently published a paper which identified the overall genomic structure of dinosaurs. The team achieved this by tracing the ancestors of birds — the dinosaurs closest living relatives — to create the genomic structure. Researchers involved in the study say it is an emphatic “no” when it comes to the possibility of ever being able to clone dinosaurs. But they do say that more recently extinct birds like the carrier pigeon and the dodo could be brought back due to the fact that they have such close living relatives.
University of Kent scientists Darren Griffin and Rebecca O’Connor wrote in an article for The Conversation: “We discovered that birds and most flightless dinosaurs had a lot of chromosomes (packages of DNA). Having so many allows animals to generate variation, the driver of natural selection.”
“However, though it is a long shot, it may be possible in future to use Jurassic Park technology to help avoid some of the harm that humans have caused. Mankind has seen the extinction of well-known avian dinosaurs such as the dodo and the passenger pigeon.”
“Recovery (恢复) of DNA that is a only few hundred years old from these birds is a far more realistic way. It may also be that eggs from closely related living species might just be good enough. In the right conditions we may be able to use them to resurrect some of these species from extinction.”
1. What can we learn about dodos?| A．They flew to Mauritius in the 1600s. | B．They could be used to clone pigeons. |
| C．They would die out in the near future. | D．They might be brought back to life soon. |
| A．They clone dodos’ closest living relatives. | B．They trace those endangered birds closely. |
| C．They look for dinosaurs’ living conditions. | D．They identify genomic structure of pigeons. |
| A．Learn. | B．Kill. | C．Revive. | D．Prevent. |
| A．Space Exploration. | B．Science Magazine. |
| C．Medicine World. | D．World Wonders. |
【推荐3】How would you like to sleep with one half your brain asleep and the other half awake? Dolphins sleep this way. Recently, scientists at Indiana State University have discovered that ducks sleep this way too. They found that ducks sleep half awake so they can rest and watch for danger at the same time.
After putting their ducks in a row and videotaping them, some researchers found ducks on the end of each row spent more time asleep with one eye open, apparently looking for predators.
“The more the ducks felt threatened, the more they slept with one eye open,” said lead author Niels C. Rattenborg. “When they sleep at the edge of a group, they tend to realize greater danger, so they spend more time sleeping with one half of their brain. Ducks with one eye open were still awake enough to detect predators,” said the authors of the study, which appears today in the journal Nature.
The researchers studied four groups of four ducks that were held in plastic boxes. These ducks were arranged in a row. Ducks on the end were found to sleep with one eye open 31.8 percent of the time, compared to 12.4 percent of the time for ducks in the central position.
Also, ducks in the central position did not open one eye more than the others, while ducks on each end kept the eye open 86.2 percent of the time. Brain wave readings of the ducks showed that the half of the brain receiving signals from the closed eye indicated that half of the brain was sleeping. Signals from the half of the brain receiving signals from the open eye showed a state between fully awake and asleep.
1. It was discovered that .| A．ducks can sleep half awake |
| B．most people would like to be half asleep |
| C．dolphins can not sleep half awake |
| D．ducks have different sleeping habits from each other |
| A．human beings who look after and feed ducks |
| B．animals that hunt, kill and eat other animals |
| C．scientists who do research work on animals |
| D．animals that are likely to be friends with ducks |
| A．they are looking for food |
| B．they want to enjoy the scenery |
| C．they are unique in their sleeping habit |
| D．they are watching out for danger |
| A．Ducks on the northern end of a row would keep their eye facing the south open. |
| B．Ducks with less sense of duty usually choose to stay in the center of a row. |
| C．A video tape recorder was the only device used in the experiment. |
| D．Ducks with one eye open at the edge can still enjoy a certain degree of sleep. |
【推荐1】Do you remember all those years when scientists argued that smoking would kill us but the doubters insisted that we didn’t know for sure? That the evidence was inconclusive, the science uncertain? That the anti-smoking lobby(游说) was out to destroy our way of life and the government should stay out of the way? Lots of Americans bought that nonsense, and over three decades, some 10 million smokers went to early graves.
There are upsetting parallels today, as scientists in one wave after another try to awaken us to the growing threat of global warming. The latest was a panel from the National Academy of Sciences, enlisted by the White House, to tell us that the Earth’s atmosphere is definitely warming and that the problem is largely man-made. The clear message is that we should get moving to protect ourselves. The president of the National Academy, Bruce Alberts, added this key point in the preface to the panel’s report: “Science never has all the answers. But science does provide us with the best available guide to the future, and it is critical that our nation and the world base important policies on the best judgments that science can provide concerning the future consequences of present actions.”
Just as on smoking, voices now come from many quarters insisting that the science about global warming is incomplete, that it’s OK to keep pouring fumes into the air until we know for sure. This is a dangerous game: by the time 100 percent of the evidence is in, it may be too late. With the risks obvious and growing, a prudent person would take out an insurance policy now.
Fortunately, the White House is starting to pay attention. But it’s obvious that a majority of the president’s advisers still don’t take global warming seriously. Instead of a plan of action, they continue to press for more research — a classic case of “paralysis by analysis”.
To serve as responsible stewards of the planet, we must press forward on deeper atmospheric and oceanic research. But research alone is inadequate. If the Administration won’t take the legislative initiative, Congress should help to begin fashioning conservation measures. A bill by Democratic Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia, which would offer financial supports for private industry, is a promising start. Many see that the country is getting ready to build lots of new power plants to meet our energy needs. If we are ever going to protect the atmosphere, it is crucial that those new plants be environmentally sound.
1. What was an argument made by supporters of smoking?| A．Anti-smoking people were usually talking nonsense. |
| B．People had the freedom to choose their own way of life. |
| C．The number of early deaths of smokers in the past decades was insignificant. |
| D．There was no scientific evidence of the correlation between smoking and death. |
| A．A protector. | B．A judge. | C．A critic. | D．A guide. |
| A．Cautious. | B．Confident. | C．Responsible. | D．Experienced. |
| A．Both of them have turned from bad to worse. |
| B．The outcome of the latter worsens the former. |
| C．A lesson from the latter is applicable to the former. |
| D．They both suffered from the government’s neglect. |
【推荐2】Our Conservation & Environment Projects are ideal for people who want to help with environmental conservation efforts, and carry out fieldwork in fascinating habitats. You’ll be actively involved in conservation efforts, which includes educating local people about the importance of protecting the environment. We share the same goal: to protect our planet for years to come. So get your backpack because you’re going on an environmental travel adventure!
Our environmental and wildlife conservation projects cover an incredible range of species and environments. If you love working on projects to help the environment and animals, you can unleash your passion in different ways like:
Jungle Reforestation
Volunteers can travel to the Amazon rainforest in Peru to assist with reforestation. Volunteers must stay for at least two weeks to get the most out of this program – learn more and to sign up!
Sri Lanka Elephant Experience
If you want to go on a tropical getaway where you can also do good, check out the Sri Lanka Elephant experience, where you’ll have the chance to work alongside a mahout to care for elephants. This program starts from two weeks at $600 – learn more here!
Marine Conservation in South Africa
Check out the marine conservation volunteer program in South Africa, where you can get up close to marine wildlife. Program fees are $525 to start for one week, and you can stay up to three months – Learn more and sign up here!
South Africa Big 5 Wildlife Experience
You can visit South Africa and volunteer on a world-class wildlife reserve, where you will get up close with elephants, lions, rhinos and other amazing animals. This program starts from $795 for your first two weeks – click here to learn more and to sign up!
You’ll support and learn from professional environmentalists and scientists, as well as people from the local community. We offer safe, ethical, and sustainable wildlife and environmental conservation projects, and you’ll always be aware of the impact of your work. In addition to making a difference on an animal care program, you’ll develop important skills for working in wildlife conservation.
Adventures Await!
1. The shared goal of Conservation & Environment Projects is to __________.| A．protect our planet | B．educate local people |
| C．experience adventures | D．improve the local community |
| A．Jungle Reforestation. |
| B．Sri Lanka Elephant Experience. |
| C．Marine Conservation in South Africa. |
| D．South Africa Big 5 Wildlife Experience. |
| A．A newspaper. | B．A magazine. | C．A textbook. | D．A website. |
| A．To present how to care for wildlife. |
| B．To call on people to protect wildlife. |
| C．To recommend volunteer programs on wildlife. |
| D．To explain the importance of protecting wildlife. |
【推荐3】If, for some reason, you had 2,010 empty plastic bottles, what would you do? You’d probably sell them cheaply, right? But Xia Yu collected 2,010 bottles and built a boat with them. As you read this, Xia is, in fact, on a river somewhere in Anhui, slowly going towards his destination: the Expo Garden in Shanghai. 2,010 plastic bottles were to celebrate Expo (世博会) 2010 Shanghai. On the opening day of the Expo, Xia, together with five friends, went on a 1, 500km journey from Xiangtan to the Expo Garden, in spite of the doubt whether they’ll make it. After all, the boat they are on can hardly be called a boat. It cost only 2,000 yuan to build in a month.
What’s keeping Xia going is a major cause behind the trip. “We are examining water pollution through our journey and trying to promote a low-carbon (低碳) lifestyle. Before we started, no one believed we could sail the boat to the Dongting Lake. But we made it.” But as they expected, the journey has not always been smooth. Of the six from Xiangtan, four gave up. As of the press time (到发稿时), only Xia and his friend Huang Ying were on the boat. Huang suffered from a disease when they reached Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, Xia said, “There are so many things that can stop us from making it to Shanghai, like the weather, health, and sometimes swift river water”.
The boat was produced in a factory according to our design, and perhaps it’s not in a very good condition. But, Xia said, “we are wearing life jackets. Some boats passing by offered help”. What is more of a reward for Xia and Huang is that the Yangtze River turned out much cleaner than they had expected. Although Xia and Huang are uncertain about the journey ahead, they are quite happy with what they have already achieved. After all, it’s not the destination that counts. It’s always the course that matters the most.
1. Xia Yu doubts the success of the journey because of .| A．such a long journey on the river |
| B．the poor boat and the bad weather |
| C．few people taking part in the journey |
| D．the seriously polluted river in some parts |
| A．To examine water pollution. |
| B．To celebrate Expo 2010 Shanghai. |
| C．To win a race on the water. |
| D．To promote a low-carbon lifestyle. |
| A．they stay on the boat at night |
| B．three people gave up due to their bad health |
| C．Xia Yu and his mate have arrived in Shanghai |
| D．Huang suffered from a disease on the journey |
One day a friend asked my wife Jill if I wanted a hearing aid. “He certainly does,”replied Jill. After hearing about a remarkable new product, Jill finally got up the nerve to ask me if I’d ever thought about getting a hearing aid. “No way,”I said. “It would make me look 20 years older.”“No, no”she replied. “This is entirely different. It’s Crystal Ear!”
Jill was right. Crystal Ear is different –––– not the old-styled body worn or over-the-ear aid, but an advanced personal sound system so small it’s like contacts for your ears. And Crystal Ear is super-sensitive and powerful, too. You will hear sounds your ears have been missing for years. Crystal Ear will make speech louder, and the sound is pure and natural.
I couldn’t believe how tiny it is. It is smaller than the tip of my little finger and it’s almost invisible when worn. There are no wires, no behind-the-ear device. Put it in your ear and its-ready-to-wear mold fits comfortable. Since it’s not too loud or too light, you may even forget that you’re wearing it! Use it at work or at play. And if your hearing problem is worse in certain situation, use Crystal Ear only when you need it.
Hearing loss, which is typically prior to teenage years, progresses throughout one’s lifetime. Although hearing loss is now the world’s number-one health problem, nearly 90 percent of people suffering hearing loss choose to leave the problem untreated. For many millions, treating hearing loss in a conventional way can involve numerous office visits, expensive testing and adjustments to fit your ear. Thanks to Crystal Ear, the “sound solution”is now convenient. Almost 90 percent of people with mild hearing loss, and millions more with just a little hearing dropoff, can be dramatically helped with Crystal Ear. Moreover, its superior design is energy-efficient, so batteries can last months. Crystal Ear is now available to help these people treat their hearing loss with a small hearing amplifier(扩音器).
1. Why did the writer refuse to wear a hearing aid at first?
| A．It would make him look like an old man |
| B．He did not get the nerve to wear one |
| C．It looked old-styled. |
| D．It was too costly |
| A．Crystal Ear can signal where it is in case you cannot find it |
| B．you can wear Crystal Ear any time you like |
| C．you can even clean Crystal Ear yourself |
| D．you can even wear while swimming |
| A．About 10 percent of people wear hearing aids |
| B．About 90percent of people suffer hearing loss |
| C．It is one of the most painful diseases in the world |
| D．Hearing loss is the world’s most frequent health problem |
【推荐2】Scientists have successfully implanted and integrated human brain cells into newborn rats, creating a new way to study complex psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia (精神分裂症), and perhaps eventually test treatments.
Scientists can assemble small sections of human brain tissue made from stem cells in a special container. But in such a container, “neurons(神经元) don’t grow to the size, to which a human neuron in an actual human brain would grow,” said Sergiu Pasca, the study’s lead author from Stanford University. To overcome such restrictions, researchers implanted the groupings of human brain cells, called organoids, into the brains of young rats.
Human neurons have also been implanted into adult rats before, but an animal’s brain stops developing at a certain age, limiting how well implanted cells can integrate. “By transplanting them at these early stages, we found that these organoids can grow relatively large and receive nutrients, and they can cover about a third of a rat’s brain,” said Pasca.
To test how well the human neurons integrated with the rat brains and bodies, air was blown out across the animals’ whiskers, which prompted electrical activity in the human neurons. That showed that external stimulation of the rat’s body was processed by the human brain tissue.
The scientists then conducted another test in the opposite order. They implanted human brain cells which could respond to blue light, and then trained the rats to expect a “reward” of water from a pipe when blue light shone on the neurons via a cable in the animals’ brain. After two weeks, they found pulsing the blue light sent the rats scrambling to the pipe.
The team has now used the technique to show that organoids developed from patients with Timothy syndrome grow more slowly and display less electrical activity than those from healthy people.
Tara Spires-Jones, a professor at the University of Edinburgh’s UK Dementia Research Institute, said the work “has the potential to advance what we know about psychiatric disorders.”
1. Why did scientists research on rats instead of the special container?| A．Because psychiatric disorders are too complex. |
| B．Because rats also suffer similar psychiatric illnesses. |
| C．Because it limits the growth of human brain neurons. |
| D．Because human brain neurons grow too quickly in it. |
| A．Rats’age has a significant influence on the research. |
| B．Human brain cells can’t be implanted into adult rats. |
| C．Rats’ brain won’t develop if they receive human neurons. |
| D．Human neurons can grow larger in adult rats’ brain than young rats’. |
| A．To train rats to respond to external stimulations. |
| B．To show similarities between rats and human tissues. |
| C．To confirm human brain cells could grow well in rats’ brains. |
| D．To check whether signals could be sent back to rats’ body. |
| A．It can advance more experiments on rats. |
| B．It can further our study of psychiatric illnesses. |
| C．It can provide some useful experimental methods. |
| D．It can promote our knowledge of human brain cells. |
【推荐3】New research has found that grey seals can simulate(模仿) human speech and songs. The study carried out by Dr Amanda Stansbury and Professor Vincent Janik,at the University of St Andrews,found that grey seals use the same sound production system as humans due to having similar vocal tracts(声道).
Three young grey seals—Zola,Gandalf and Janice—were monitored from birth by Stansbury and Janik to determine their natural talents.Once this process was complete,the researchers began teaching the seals to simulate common seal sounds or noises a seal might normally hear from a herd mate in the wild. Fish was used to encourage the seals to come out of the water and sing a series of notes.Stansbury would record the seals’own sounds and play them back. The seals quickly learnt that if they sang back the same notes, they would be rewarded with fish.
Once the seals were familiar with this process and could easily copy these basic sounds,Stansbury and Janik used higher and longer tones(音调)and unfamiliar vowels(元音)from human speech.The seals were then rewarded for matching these new sounds.Stansbury even used some combinations to simulate songs that no seal would be expected
to produce under natural circumstances. Zola had a gift for copying up to ten notes of songs such as Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and the theme song of Star Wars. Gandalf and Janice were better at accurately reproducing combinations of human vowel sounds.
Stansbury said,“I was amazed how well the seals copied the model sounds we played to them.Copies were not perfect,but given that these are not typical seal sounds,it is pretty impressive.Our study really shows how flexible seal voices are.”
After one year of working with the researchers,the seal pups were released back into the wild. “This study gives us a better understanding of the development of vocal learning,a skill that is important for human language development.”Janik believes this knowledge can help to develop new methods to study speech problems.
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?| A．A research finding on grey seals. | B．Grey seals’learning environments. |
| C．Humans’sound production system. | D．A comparison of humans and grey seals. |
| A．made funny noises | B．came out of the water |
| C．repeated the same notes | D．copied typical fish sounds |
| A．It can copy some musical sounds played to her. | B．It is good at copying human vowel sounds. |
| C．It is smarter than Gandalf and Janice. | D．It likes singing children’s songs. |
| A．It shows the living environments of grey seals. |
| B．It leads to a better understanding of human evolution. |
| C．It raises an awareness of the need to protect grey seals. |
| D．It inspires new methods for research on speech problems. |
