【推荐2】Coral creates reefs, structures in the ocean that support entire ecosystems. However, climate change is threatening the existence of such reefs. The Great Barrier Reef has suffered four bleaching events in the last seven years.

Coral bleaching happens when extreme temperatures and sunlight force corals to release algae living in their tissue. This causes them to lose their color and turn white. The experience greatly weakens the coral and can kill them.

Scientists working on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef have successfully tested a new method for freezing and storing coral larvae — the very young form of the small ocean animal.

The science project in Australia involves freezing and storing coral larvae to use later for rewilding. A new material called “cryomesh” is helping the scientists in the effort. Coral is frozen using a special method called cryogenics. This permits the young animals to be stored until they can be unfrozen and placed in the wild. The process currently requires high-tech equipment including lasers and is costly. But, the team in Australia says cryomesh can do a better job of saving the coral and for much less money. The mesh technology helps to store coral larvae at-196 degrees Celsius.

The scientists used the cryomesh to freeze Great Barrier Reef coral larvae at the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences, or AIMS. Workers collected the coral during the animal’s brief yearly reproductive period.

Mary Hagedorn, Senior Research Scientist at Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute explained, “If we can secure the biodiversity of coral...then we’ll have tools for the future to really help restore the reefs.” She added, “...this technology for coral reefs in the future is a real game-changer.”

The cryomesh had been tested earlier on smaller and larger kinds of Hawaian corals. A test on the larger failed. Tests are continuing with larger-size Great Barrier Reef coral. The tests involve scientists from four organizations. Together they are part of the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program.

1. What’s the passage mainly about?

A．A comparison of two experiments.	B．A new method for restoring coral reefs.
C．The Great Barrier Reef under great threat.	D．Scientists’ joint efforts to support the ecosystem.

2. What’s the advantage of cyomesh over cryogenics?

A．It is easier to store.	B．It is less expensive.
C．It freezes larvae faster.	D．It is environmentally friendly.

3. What’s Mary Hagedorn’s point in paragraph 6?

A．People can do more about the biodiversity of corals.

B．The scientists barely have tools to help the reefs restore.

C．The cryomesh technology has changed the corals’ situation.

D．The mesh technology will play a vital role in restoring the reefs.

4. What can we infer about the cryomesh technology?

A．Tests on larger corals are more important.

B．It is going to be applied widely to more corals.

C．Only scientists of AIMS are involved in the tests.

D．More experiments are needed to prove its efficiency.

【推荐3】Omar Vazquez grew up in poverty on Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula. He watched his single mother struggle to put food on the table, and today the memory inspires him to help those in need. When an invasive (入侵的) seaweed called sargassum showed up on Mexico’s Caribbean beaches, Omar looked past the matter of it all and saw an opportunity to help others.

Sargassum is not dangerous, but it has an unpleasant smell and can become so thick that it keeps people from entering the water. Mexico has experienced record-setting amounts of the seaweed in recent years, and it has made its way to Florida’s beaches as well. Experts say there could be as much as 100 tons of sargassum blocking Mexican shorelines in 2023.

With tourism dollars at risk, officials and locals alike were eager to remove the seaweed, but only Omar saw its true potential. The professional gardener organized a beach cleanup that provided jobs for about 300 local families, but he knew there was more to do. Since people’s attitude towards the seaweed reminded him of his own life experiences, he decided to become an agent (推动者) for change.

When sargassum started arriving, everyone was complaining. “I wanted to make something good out of something everyone saw as bad,” Omar explained.

In 2018, Omar found a way to turn sargassum into building blocks that he calls Sargablock. He creates these blocks by mixing 40% sargassum with other materials like clay, then putting them in a block-forming machine and baking them in the sun for days. The end result is an organic, sustainable, and ecologically friendly building material that experts say could last for 120 years.

To date, Omar’s company, Bluegreen Mexico, has used 700 tons of sargassum to build low-income housing for those in need. Omar said he would take on more projects, and donate more houses to single mothers like his own mom.

1. What can be learned from paragraph 1?

A．Omar’s family often assisted people in need.

B．Sargassum originated on the Caribbean beaches.

C．Omar’s experience in childhood has influenced him much.

D．Omar has met a lot of generous people since he was young.

2. How did most people react to the increasing sargassum?

A．They didn’t take it seriously.	B．They were anxious to clear it up.
C．They viewed it as new materials.	D．They were excited to see a grand scene.

3. Which words can best describe Omar?

A．Honest and ambitious.	B．Strong-willed and confident.
C．Quick-thinking and humorous.	D．Sympathetic and innovative.

4. What does the author mainly want to tell us through Omar’s success?

A．It’s never too old to learn.	B．Love shines every dark corner.
C．Solutions can be obtained from problems.	D．Heroes arise from humble beginnings.

【推荐1】Most of us in the enterprising community are blessed—or harmed—with higher-than average ambition. Ambitious people strongly desire accomplishments and are willing to take more risks and spend more effort to get them.

Overall, this is a positive quality, especially for people trying to build their own businesses. Apparently, if you’re more naturally driven to set goals, you are more likely to succeed.

Actually, this isn’t always the case. In fact, in some cases, extreme ambition may end up doing more harm than good.

One major side effect of excessive ambition is the tendency to focus too determinedly on one particular vision or end goal. This is problematic because it prevents your ability to adapt to new circumstances, which is vital if you want to be a successful entrepreneur (创业者). If a new competitor emerges to threaten your business, you may need to change direction, even if that means moving away from your original vision. If you have too much ambition, you’ll find this hard, if not impossible.

Few people are successful when they try to build their first brand. Unfortunately, for the most ambitious entrepreneurs, a failure is seen as disastrous and impossible to recover from.

It’s a clear departure from the intended plan to ward the intended goal. For people with limited ambition, however, failure is viewed as something closer to reality. Remember, failure is unavoidable, and every failure you survive is a learning experience.

Ambitious people tend to be more successful in material wealth than non-ambitious ones. However, they’re only slightly happier than their less-ambitious counterparts, and tend to live significantly shorter lives. This implies that even though ambitious people are more likely to achieve conventional “success,” such success means nothing for their health and happiness—and if you don’t have health and happiness. what else could possibly matter?

Clearly, some amount of ambition is good for your motivation. Without any ambition, you wouldn’t start your own business, set or achieve goals and get far in life. But inappropriate ambition can also be dangerous, putting you at risk of burnout, stubbornness and even a shorter life.

1. What does the author think of most entrepreneurs?

A．They are more willing to risk their own lives.	B．They are more ambitious than ordinary people.
C．They achieve greater nonconventional success.	D．They have more positive qualities than most of us.

2. What does the author imply by saying “this isn’t always the case” in Paragraph 3?

A．Ambitious people may not have a greater chance of success.

B．Ambitious people may not have more positive qualities.

C．Entrepreneurs’ ambition docs as much good as harm.

D．Entrepreneurs are more naturally driven to success.

3. What does the author say is of extreme importance for one to become a successful entrepreneur?

A．Holding on to once’s original vision.	B．Being able to adapt to new situations.
C．Focusing determinedly on one particular goal.	D．Avoiding total change in one’s career direction.

4. How do the most ambitious entrepreneurs regard failure in their efforts?

A．It will awaken them to reality.	B．It is a lesson they have to learn.
C．It means the end of their career.	D．It will result in a slow recovery.

5. What does the author advise us to do concerning ambition?

A．Distinguish between conventional success and our life goal.

B．Follow the example of the most ambitious entrepreneurs.

C．Avoid taking unnecessary risks when starting a business.

D．Prioritize health and happiness over material success.