WHY SHENNONGJIA?
As we know, in 2016, Shennongjia made it on to the UNESCO World Heritage List. But there are so many important places not yet on this list. So you might ask: why Shennongjia?
UNESCO awarded Shennongjia this status because it meets two criteria required by the list. It contains a naturally-balanced environment that allows the many and various species to live and prosper. It is also one of the rare locations in the world where scientists can observe in real time the ecological and biological processes that occur as the plants and animals develop and evolve.
For the first criterion, Shennongjia is apparently one of the most “complete” natural areas in the world. The region rises from about 400 metres to over 3, 000 metres above sealevel, giving it the name the “Roof of Central China”.
For the second criterion, we can see that Shennongjia has incredible biodiversity. Look at this slide. According to official statistics, over 3, 000 plant species have been recorded there. This represents more than ten percent of China’s total floral richness.
It is a challenge to look after so many species. In winter, scientists brave heavy snow and freezing temperatures to supply food to the Golden Snub-nosed Monkey. Thanks to their efforts, the monkey’s population has doubled since the 1980s.Their number reached over 1, 300 in 2015 and continues to grow.
But the most impressive aspect of Shennongjia is the local people, who take things from nature without causing damage. I visited a local village which is known for its home-made honey. What is special about the honey is that it is produced by the earliest species of Chinese bee. All of this explains why Shennongjia earned—and deserves—its place on the UNESCO World Heritage List, as well as highlighting how understanding, awareness and hard work have contributed towards protecting a unique and wonderful part of our natural world.
1. Why is Shennongjia included in the UNESCO World Heritage List?| A．Because its forests stretch on and on like great green seas. |
| B．Because it is the legendary father of Chinese herbal medicine. |
| C．Because it satisfies the two requirements for the status. |
| D．Because it has the mysterious creature called “Yeren”. |
| A．Roof of Central China | B．Roof of Northern China |
| C．Roof of Eastern China | D．Roof of Southern China |
| A．Patient. | B．Careful. | C．Confident. | D．Hard-working. |
| A．A local village. | B．The local people. |
| C．Some special monkeys. | D．The wild bees. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】It has been found in South Australia that a worm-like creature about the size of a grain of rice is the oldest ancestor on the family tree that includes humans and most animals. The creature lived about 535 million years ago. It is considered to be an evolutionary step forward for early life on Earth.
Researchers have been working hard to find evidence of the common ancestor of most animals. Developing its body structure and organization successfully allowed life to move in specific, purposeful directions. This includes everything from worms and dinosaurs to amphibians(两栖动物) and humans. But for our common ancestor, they knew that fossils(化石) of the tiny, simple creatures they imagined would be nearly impossible to find because of its size and soft body. Then, they turned to fossilized burrows(动物洞穴), dated to the Ediacaran Period, found in South Australia.
For 15 years, scientists knew the burrows were created by the creature. There was no evidence of what made the burrows and lived in them until researchers decided to take a closer look at the burrows. Geology professor Mary Droser spotted impressions shaped like ovals(椭圆形) near the burrows.
A 3-D laser scan revealed the impressions containing evidence of a body shaped and sized like a rice grain, with a noticeable head and tail which suggested it had muscles. The muscles would have enabled the creature to move and create the burrows, like the way a worm moves. And the size of the creature matched with the size of the burrows they found.
1. What does the underlined word “It” mean in the first paragraph?| A．A family tree. | B．A grain of rice. | C．A worm-like creature. | D．An evolutionary step. |
| A．They developed the creature in the expected way. |
| B．They studied a large number of worms and dinosaurs. |
| C．They observed the burrows close up. |
| D．They went back to the Ediacaran Period some years ago. |
| A．3-D laser scan. | B．The impressions. | C．Some good ovals. | D．More burrows. |
| A．The researchers worked very hard in the burrow. |
| B．The worm-like creature may be animals’ ancestor. |
| C．It is very difficult to name a new kind of creature. |
| D．Australian people like fossils of many creatures. |
【推荐2】On my recent trip to Sydney with my parents,we visited the Wildlife Park.
The Wildlife Park has lots of different animals. Some are native（当地的）to Australia and can only be found there. There are over 600 animals there，including kangaroos, koalas and crocodiles（鳄鱼）.They are kept in their natural environment. I like the Wildlife Park better than a zoo where most of the animals are in cages.
We first spent some time with the kangaroos. We were allowed to touch and feed them. It was very exciting to be so close to them.There were koalas there too. They looked very cuddly（令人想拥抱的）. Although we were not allowed to carry them, I got to take a photo with one. It is a wonderful souvenir of my holiday in Sydney.
The Wildlife Park has plenty of freshwater and saltwater crocodiles. Some of them are really big and scary with huge teeth! I did not want to get too close to them.
There was also a bird show. The keepers showed us different species they had. I saw an old parrot which could “talk”. It made a great impression on me.
I enjoyed the trip very much.There was so much to see.
1. Where is the Wildlife Park？| A．In Sydney. |
| B．In Cairo. |
| C．In Paris. |
| D．In Rome. |
| A．A parrot that could talk. |
| B．A chance to feed a kola. |
| C．A photo with a kola. |
| D．Food for the kangaroos. |
| A．They lived in water. |
| B．The writer was afraid of them. |
| C．The writer did not want to feed them. |
| D．The writer did not like the smell of saltwater. |
| A．The kangaroos are kept in cages in the Wildlife Park. |
| B．The writer traveled to the Wildlife Park alone. |
| C．The writer went to see koalas first. |
| D．The writer watched a bird show. |
【推荐3】Meet Incredible Conservation Heroes Saving Wildlife from Extinction
Anne Savage
Dr. Savage founded a conservation program to protect cotton-top tamarins (棉顶狨猴). She pioneered in the development of new technologies to study the animal in the Colombian forest. She also helped conduct a study that found only 7,500 individuals remained. As a result, the International Union for Conservation of Nature changed the classification of cotton-top tamarins from Endangered to Critically Endangered, which brought the species to more people’s notice.
Elena Bykova
Having majored in biology, Bykova has a good knowledge of the saiga antelope (赛加羚羊). As Executive Secretary of the Saiga Conservation Alliance, an international organization, Bykova works to save the antelope. Illegal shooting is the single biggest threat, and Bykova concentrates on raising public awareness of the danger, finding alternative livelihood opportunities for local communities, and protecting saiga habitats.
Jeanne Tarrant
Frogs are astonishingly diverse and beautiful for Dr. Tarrant. Over the years, she has helped put the spotlight on many highly threatened species of frogs that face extinction due to habitat loss, climate change, and hunts by their animal enemies. No wonder she is called the “Frog Lady” of South Africa!
Marilyn Connell
Living only in the Mary River of Queensland, the Mary River turtle (龟) takes in oxygen in two ways. Being hunted by other wildlife is the Mary River turtle’s biggest threat. Connell and her team investigate the threats to the species and take measures to protect the eggs and newborns from being hunted, ensuring the species has a chance to survive.
1. What made cotton-top tamarins get more attention?| A．Dr. Savage’s conservation program. | B．The adjustment to their risk category. |
| C．Research into cotton-top tamarins. | D．The development of new technologies. |
| A．She founds an international organization. |
| B．She chooses biology as her main subject of study. |
| C．She provides ways for locals to make a living. |
| D．She fights against the behavior of illegal shooting. |
| A．Changes to living habits. | B．Threats from other species. |
| C．Loss of their habitat. | D．Difficulty in raising newborns. |
【推荐1】Do you still think that festivals are formal and traditional? Here are some strange festivals for you to enjoy.
Cheese Festival
This is actually an interesting game. In May every year, people from Cooper Hill in Brockworth of UK will join a crazy game. The host will push down a giant cheese from the top of hill in the beginning and give dozens of participants a starting password. Both the young and the old will try their best to chase the cheese. The person who catches it will be the winner and enjoy it. Some people think it is so dangerous!
Tomato Festival
Tomato Festival in Spain is the largest “war” in the world. Thousands of citizens will go to the street and throw tomatoes at each other at the end of August each year. Even the tourists from around the world who are attracted to this festival also join the “battle”. Tons of tomatoes will be consumed within one hour.
Monkey Festival
In December every year, the people of Thailand invite about 600 local monkeys and prepare a rich feast with fruits and vegetables for them in order to honor the Monkey Ally in myth that helps Lopburi. It will consume 3000 kg of vegetables and fruits in this festival every year.
Night of the Radishes
On the night of Dec. 23rd every year, when most of people are wrapping presents, indulging in mulled wine and hanging up tinsel, the residents of Oaxaca City in Mexico celebrate the festive season with their annual “Night of the Radishes”. The contest of radish carving takes place in Oaxaca, Mexico. It’s to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The festival began in 1897. The winner gets their picture in the newspaper.
1. What’s a feature of Cheese Festival?| A．The cheese is very huge. | B．The participants should be young. |
| C．The winner will get money. | D．The site is very dangerous. |
| A．Cheese Festival. | B．Tomato Festival. |
| C．Monkey Festival. | D．Night of the Radishes. |
| A．They waste a lot of food. | B．They are related to vegetables. |
| C．They are held annually. | D．They attract people around the world. |
【推荐2】A record surge in the creation of marine protected areas has taken the international community close to its goal of creating nature refuges on 17% of the world’s land and 10% of seas by 2020, according to a new UN report. Protected region snow cover more than five times the territory of the US, but the authors said this good news was often undermined by poor enforcement. Some reserves are little more than “paper parks” with little value to nature conservation. Atleast one has been turned into an industrial zone. More than 27m square kilometres of seas (7% of the total) and 20m sq km of land (15% of the total) now have protected status, according to the Protected Planet report, which was released on Sunday at the UN biodiversity conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
Almost all of the growth has been in marine regions, most notably with the creation last year of the world’s biggest protected area: the 2m sq km Ross Sea reserve, one-fifth of which is in the Antarctic. The no-fishing zone will be managed by New Zealand and the US.
“We have seen an enormous expansion in the past two years. There is now more marine protected area than terrestrial, which nobody would have predicted,” said Kathy McKinnon of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. “I think we’ll continue to see a substantial increase, I’d guess, to at least 10% in the near future.”
The UN convention on biological diversity says it has received national commitments for an additional 4.5m sq km of land and 16m sq km of oceans to be given protected status in the next two years. This would put it on course to achieve one of the key aims of the 2010 Aichi biodiversity targets.
“This is the target with the most progress. In an ocean of bad news about biodiversity loss and eco-destruction, it is important to highlight that progress, though we still have a lot more to do to ensure not just the quantitive target but the effectiveness of the management,” said CristianaPașca Palmer, the head of UN Biodiversity.
The creation of protected areas has not been enough to halt a collapse of species and ecosystems that threatens civilisation. Since 1970 humanity has wiped out 60% of mammal, bird, fish and reptile populations, with a dangerous knock-on impact on food production, fisheries and climate stability.
Protected areas are important refuges from this wave of extinctions but many are underfunded and poorly policed. Only one in five have provided management assessments to the UN, which has raised questions about the viability of the rest.
Naomi Kingston, of UN environment world conservation monitoring centre, said: “There is a race to deliver on Aichi target 11. It is fantastic that countries are coming with more ambition, but not if it is just a number without substance.
“Some areas that have been reported to us as protected areas have been completely built over. We need datasets to define which areas are paper parks and which are real.”
Developing nations have better reporting standards because many are obliged to provide regular assessments in order to qualify for funds from the Global Environment Fund. By contrast, many wealthier nations devote few resources to monitoring.
Discussions will focus on a new, more flexible category for community land that is used by locals for both agricultural production and wildlife conservation. In Africa, Asia and Latin America, this is a model that has often helped improve biodiversity because residents — often from indigenous communities — live closely with nature and have an interest in protecting it.
1. What promotes the achievement of the goals of marine nature reserves?| A．Poor management of marine protected areas. |
| B．Loss of biodiversity and ecological destruction. |
| C．Rapid growth in the number of marine protected areas. |
| D．Commitments in the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. |
| A．They have promoted the expansion of marine protected areas. |
| B．They have little value for nature conservation. |
| C．They all turn into industrial zones. |
| D．They will slow down the collapse of ecosystems. |
| A．NewZealand and the United States regulate fishing-ban zones. |
| B．In the near future, the number of marine refuges will increase by at least 10%. |
| C．The quantity and management quality of marine refuges are equally important. |
| D．Many countries have ambitions to achieve Aichi 11. |
| A．A recorded surge in the creation of marine protected areas. |
| B．Developing countries may receive funding from the Global Environment Facility. |
| C．The Increase of marine refuges and the views of relevant personnel. |
| D．Achieving Aichi 11 Goal. |
【推荐3】When an animal species is considered endangered, it means that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has evaluated it as nearly extinct, which means that a majority of its population has already died off and the rate of birth is lower than the species’death rate. Today, more and more animal and plant species are on the way to extinction because of a variety of major factors that cause a species to become endangered, and as you might expect, humans play a role in quite a few of them — in fact, the biggest threat to endangered animals is human encroachment (侵入) on their habitats.
Every species needs a habitat, where an animal finds food, raises its young. Unfortunately, humans destroy animal habitats in a number of different ways: building houses, clearing forests to get lumber and to plant crops, draining rivers to bring water to those crops, and making streets and parking lots.
In addition, human development pollutes the environment with all kinds of chemicals, which destroys food sources and shelters for the creatures and plants of that area. As a result, some species die out while others are pushed into areas where they can’t find food and shelters — to make matters worse, when one animal population suffers, it affects many other species in its food web, so more than one species’population is likely to decrease.
Habitat destruction is the number one reason for animal endangerment, which is why conservation groups work hard to repair the effects of human developments — many non-profit groups like the Nature Conservancy are taking measures to clean up coastlines and establish nature preserves to prevent further harm to native environments and species around the world.
1. A species is considered endangered________.| A．when the IUCN has noticed its population change | B．when most of its population has died off |
| C．when the species’ birth rate is close to its death rate | D．when the species is losing its habitat |
| A．Gas. | B．Food. | C．Chemicals. | D．Wood. |
| A．Calling for human development. | B．Raising money. |
| C．Establishing nature preserves. | D．Educating people. |
| A．Habitat destruction causes animal endangerment. | B．Animals die out due to environment pollution. |
| C．Measures need to be taken to increase species. | D．Non-profit groups are making great contributions. |
【推荐1】China formally announced its first batch of five national parks. Are any of them from your hometown?
·The Sanjiangyuan National Park
The Sanjiangyuan Natonal Park, which is the source of three major rivers — the Yangtze, the Yellow, and the Lancang Rivers — is an important source of fresh water supply in China maintaining the lifeline of water security of the country. It is also home to hundreds of species of wild animals, such as wild yaks (牦牛), snow leopards and Tibetan antelopes.
·The Giant Panda National Park
The Giant Panda National Park connects three provinces — Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu. The park holds more than 70 percent of China’s wild giant pandas. Aside from the “national treasure” of China, the park is also the habitat of highly protected animals, including the snub-nosed monkey.
·The Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park
In the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park in Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces the high-tech monitoring system was launched to provide real-time protection for plants and animals. Thanks to the establishment of the national park, at least 12 Siberian tiger cubs and 11 Amur leopard cubs have been born so far.
·The Wuyi Mountain National Park
The Wuyi Mountain National Park is the only national park in China which is both a biosphere reserve and heritage site. The park has the most complete, most typical, and largest area of the central subtropical (中亚热带的) native forest ecosystem at the same latitude on Earth. It is known as a birds’ paradise, the kingdom of snakes and the world of insects.
·The Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park
In the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park, the protection of Hainan gibbons (长臂猿) has become a success story for animal preservation worldwide. Being the animals native to the South China island, Hainan gibbons are the world’s rarest primate (灵长类动物). Under the effective protection, its population has increased from as few as 7 to 9 in the 1980s to 35 today.
1. What does the Sanjiangyuan National Park influence most?| A．Land resources. |
| B．Water resources. |
| C．Forest resources. |
| D．Living resources. |
| A．The Sanjiangyuan National Park. |
| B．The Wuyi Mountain National Park. |
| C．The Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park. |
| D．The Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park. |
| A．In a novel. |
| B．In a research report. |
| C．In a travel handbook. |
| D．In a nature magazine. |
【推荐2】John “Charlie” Veron-widely known as “the Godfather of Coral Reef (珊瑚礁)”-is a celebrated expert who has personally discovered nearly a quarter of the world’s coral species and has spent the past 45 years diving Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. But now the 73-year-old is raising the alarm about its future. The Great Barrier Reef, one of the natural wonders, is 2, 300 kilometers long and is the only living organism that can be seen from space. It is considered a World Treasure Site due to its biodiversity (生物多样性)with 30 species of whales, dolphins and sharks. Within the reef itself, there are also a number of tiny organisms and fishes.
However, its health is threatened. After the recent mass bleaching (白化)events, Veron dived in many areas of the Great Barrier Reef to see the damage for himself. “I was seeing and feeling it and it was absolutely shocking, ” he says.
Veron says the mass bleaching events in the past few years-and the possibility of losing one of nature’s greatest treasures-were a wake-up call for the world in the wider battle against climate change, which, together with the rising sea temperature, is considered the greatest threats to the reef.
Fortunately, earlier this year, the Australian government announced nearly 400 million dollars in new funding towards scientific projects designed to help the reef.
There has been criticism in Australia about the slow process for the funding. “It won’t be wasted, though,”Veron says. “As scientists will be able to create a sort of seed bank to protect the species until the climate is good enough to rebuild the reef. What the scientists hope to do is to help nature along a bit after the big carbon dioxide increase is over and it starts to come down.”
1. Why is the Great Barrier Reef considered a treasure site?| A．It is a natural wonder. |
| B．It can be seen from space. |
| C．It has a rich variety of species. |
| D．It is home to a great many fishes. |
| A．Climate change is threatening biodiversity. |
| B．The Great Barrier Reef is in danger of extinction. |
| C．Scientists have found major factors in the reef’s blenching. |
| D．Veron has made great contributions to environmental protection. |
| A．Uncaring. | B．Doubtful. | C．Uncertain. | D．Positive. |
| A．A news report. | B．A travel guide. |
| C．A research plan. | D．A journal entry. |
【推荐3】The National Parks Service has confirmed the discovery of an ancient crab (螃蟹) fossil (化石) found along the shores of Assateague Island National Seashore.
Sharon Conn, a visitor to the area, found the fossil in early October on the shore of Assateague Island. “It is very uncommon to find fossils of this nature. We have a very small number in our museum collection. That is what makes this discovery very exciting,” Liz Davis chief of Assateague Island National Seashore said.
The parks service identified the rare blue crab fossil with the help of the Department of Paleobiology. Matthew Mille, museum specialist at the National Museum of Natural History, tested the fossil to find out how it is. He concluded it was likely from the Pleistocene age, about 2 million years ago. “The extra rock around it is such a well tough ground that it can’t be easily eroded (腐蚀),” he said. “The claw did erode a bit though — which is why it isn’t immediately recognized as a claw. Gone are the tips and parts of the infilled area where the original flesh would have been through, making the whole fossil looks a bit strange.”
The fossil was found on public land and is protected by law. Davis told the Daily Times it was currently at the National Parks Service Toms Cove Visitor Center in Virginia. “We hope to have a small collection of fossils on display at the NPS Assateague Island Vistior Center in Maryland later in 2022,” said Davis.
1. What does Liz Davis think of the ancient crab fossil?| A．It is invaluable. | B．It is very old. | C．It is imperfect. | D．It is rare. |
| A．Around 2 million years old. |
| B．2 million years old. |
| C．3 million years old. |
| D．Less than 2 million years old. |
| A．Sharon Conn. | B．The country. | C．Liz Davis. | D．The National Parks Service. |
| A．A Lucky Visitor. | B．Assateague Island. |
| C．An Ancient Blue Fossil. | D．An Important Discovery. |
