A new form of real estate(不动产)is appearing along the beaches of South Africa and on the dry islands off its coast-tiny white beach huts. With good ventilation and a sea view, they are just big enough to fit a family of African penguins. Their unique selling point: a safe and cool place for penguins to breed.
African penguins, unlike their relatives that live in snow and ice, live well in the cold currents of the South Atlantic Ocean. But when they come to land, their thick black coat absorbs the heat, and they desperately look for cover-both for themselves and their fragile eggs.
Historically, the penguins dug burrows in layers of guano-accumulated seabird and bat feces- that lined Africa’s penguin colonies, but in the 19th century, traders started selling guano(鸟粪)as fertilizer, leaving the penguins and their eggs increasingly exposed to predators and the baking sun. This, combined with other threats such as egg poaching, overfishing and climate change, has caused African penguin populations to plummet. In 2019, they were thought to be less than 20,000 breeding pairs, down from an estimated 1.5 to 3 million birds in 1900.For more than a decade, the species has been listed as endangered by the IUCN.
To date, the African Penguin Nest Project has installed more than 1,500 nests across five of South Africa’s penguin colonies, and plans to expand into Namibia next year, the only other country with breeding populations of the species.
“This is still just a drop in the bucket,” says Graham, who anticipates they will need to deploy at least 4,500 more ceramic homes to protect penguins currently nesting in exposed areas. “The goal is that every penguin that needs a nest will get one.”
1. What is the reason for building the beach huts?| A．To beautify the beach. | B．To conduct research. |
| C．To house the penguins. | D．To balance the ecology. |
| A．Four. | B．Five. | C．Six. | D．Seven. |
| A．Innovate. | B．Increase. | C．Swing. | D．Decline. |
| A．Culture. | B．Environment. | C．Technology. | D．Art. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Care for a zoom-in observation of animals with no bars between you and the observed opposed to ordinary zoos? Where to have close-up encounters with some of the world’s most rare animals? We are revealing for you:
Right whales, Bay of Fundy, Canada
Northern right whales are on the brink of extinction, but survivors arrive in the Bay of Fundy each summer (May through October) to feed east of Grand Manan Island. They are recognized by a broad back and no dorsal fin, which distinguish them from other whales entering the bay.
Planning: Whale-watching tours operate out of Digby Neck peninsula on Nova Scotia and nearby islands, such as Brier Island. St. Andrews, Grand Manan Island, and Deer Island.
Grizzly bears , Alaska
Grizzlies like salmon. In mid-July and again in mid-August, grizzlies make for Alaskan rivers to hook out the fish with their formidable claws. The bears gather in large numbers at rapids and pools, sometimes fighting for the best sites. Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park, and Fish Creek, near Hyder, have viewing platforms.
Planning: Most fishing sites are accessed by chartered light aircraft and a hike. Hyder is off the Stewart-Cassiar Highway.
Monarch butterflies, Sierra Chincua, Mexico
Each fall, millions of North American monarch butterflies migrate thousands of miles to the oyamel fir forests of The Trans-volcanic Mountain Range, in the state of Michoacan. They flock intimately on tree trunks, bushes, and on the ground, fully showing their gregarious nature and occupy Sierra Chincua and four neighboring hills that make up the Monarch Butterfuly Biosphere Reserve.
Planning: Chincua is one of two hills in the reserve open to the public from November through March.
Komodo dragons, Komodo Island, Indonesia
Landing on Komodo, you would feel like stepping back to a time when dinosaurs ruled the Earth, as park maps reported, “Here be dragons!” This mountainous volcanic island is home to the world’s largest living lizard - the Komodo dragon. Weighing 79 to 91 kg, the Komodo dragon has a tail as long as its body. You can hike to a viewpoint at Banugulung and watch as park rangers feed food to the lizards, some of which are more than 10 ft (3 m) long.
Planning: Komodo is reached solely by boat from Bima (on eastern Sumbawa) or Labuan Bajo (on western Flores).
Wildebeest migration, Serengeti, Tanzania
Undoubtedly the world’s most spectacular wildlife sight is the annual wildebeest migration, when 1.4 million wildebeest and 200,000 zebras and gazelles are on the move across the Serengeti plains. The animals are trekking to chase the clean water and fresh grass. Along the way, lions and hyenas stalk them, and crocodiles lie in wait.
Planning: The herds migrate across Tanzania from December through July, and then pass through the Masai Mara in Kenya in August and September.
1. In which place can a variety of types of animals be viewed?| A．Alaska . | B．Sierra Chincua | C．Komodo Island | D．Serengeti |
| A．being able to climb. | B．preferring group living |
| C．migrating in huge numbers | D．moderate in temper |
| A．Right whales are distinguished from other whales by unique appearance features. |
| B．Viewing spots for grizzly bears can be reached through air and on foot. |
| C．Komodo dragons are similar to dinosaurs in living period. |
| D．Wildebeest herds travel to pursue favourable food conditions. |
| A．adventurous visitors longing for closer look at animals. |
| B．mountain hikers who seek unique hiking trails |
| C．experienced hunters who are aimed at rare animals |
| D．average zoo visitors looking for animal contact at safe distance |
【推荐2】I went to the Tsavo National Park in northern Kenya for a film. We set off early for a distant water hole. A huge elephant covered with dry mud, drank calmly and deeply. He might have traveled 50 km to reach the water. He wasn’t going to hurry now. He’d drink a while and rest in the shade, and then drink again or so we thought. What actually happened was that he drank deeply and stepped away. Then he suddenly fell down. Within minutes he was dead.
We called animal doctor Jeremiah Poghon immediately. He removed the head of a poisoned arrow from the elephant’s body, and let out over 100 liters of pus (胺)－the result of the elephant’s meeting with a poacher（偷猎者）months before.
Today's poacher shoots from a blind. He fires an arrow, covered with poison, into the body of an elephant. If the poacher is lucky, the elephant might die in an hour or two; if not, he might have to follow the elephant for days before it dies. Often the arrow head fails to kill the elephant at once－it doesn't mean the poison won't finally kill the ele- phant, but it will be a slow death.
Living in Tsavo through these times, I could see the results of poaching from time to time. When I think about the death of that elephant, what stays with me is the extra- ordinary silence after the shocking sound of his body hitting the ground. I took some comfort from the knowledge that as the dead body returned to the soil, some animals would benefit－but I couldn't escape the feeling that with the death of such a large animal, the world seemed to be a poorer and emptier place.
1. What does the author probably do?| A．Teacher | B．Hunter | C．Zoo keeper | D．Director |
| A．knew the elephant was injured |
| B．found the elephant acted violently |
| C．tried their best to save the elephant |
| D．thought the elephant was in good condition |
| A．had suffered an hour or two |
| B．was killed by a poisonous needle |
| C．had suffered a lot |
| D．had had a good fight with a poacher |
| A．Empty. | B．Comfortable. | C．Upset. | D．Relieved. |
| A．To introduce African elephant. |
| B．To show the cruelty of poaching. |
| C．To describe his filming experience. |
| D．To ask readers to protect wild animals. |
【推荐3】Here are some of the smartest animals in the world.
Pigs
Pigs are actually very smart animals. Pigs are one of the cleanest if they are given a choice. If you provide them with enough space, they will make sure they separate their dining area from their living space. Studies have also shown that they can actually be good at video games. To get food, they will follow other pigs and then steal it from right under their noses. The victimized(受害的)pigs will then come out wiser from this. They will change their behavior next time to prevent other pigs from stealing from them.
Crows
They are smart and creative, with the highest IQ among all birds. Crows have been known to throw nuts and shells on a road so that cars will drive over and open them. They also have the ability to make knives to cut leaves and grass.
Elephants
They have extremely large brains, even bigger than humans’. They bury(埋葬) their dead families and friends properly, the only other animal to do this besides humans. They also know which leaves are medicinal and will eat specific plants depending on the sickness they are feeling. They also have the ability to recognize themselves in the mirror.
Bottlenose Dolphins
They actually have the ability to watch television on the their own because of their ability to process acoustic and visual(视觉和听觉)information at the same time. They can also recognize themselves in the mirror, which they use to inspect their own bodies. Their comprehension skills are very high. Studies have shown that they even have the ability to choose the “I don’t know” option during difficult tests.
1. What will pigs do if their food is stolen?| A．They will fight with other pigs. |
| B．They will steal it back. |
| C．They will hide their food somewhere. |
| D．They will avoid being followed next time. |
| A．The pig. | B．The crow. |
| C．The elephant. | D．The bottlenose dolphin. |
| A．They can play video games. |
| B．They can eat medicinal leaves. |
| C．They can bury their dead friends well. |
| D．They can clean themselves. |
| A．Show that they don’t know | B．Seek help from others |
| C．Think for a long time | D．Look themselves in the mirror |
【推荐1】In most parts of the world, many students help their schools make less pollution. They join an “environment club”. In an environment club, people work together to make our environment clean. Here are some things students often do.
No–garbage(垃圾)lunches. How much do you throw away after lunch? Environment clubs ask students to bring their lunches in bags that can be used again. Every week they will choose the classes that make the least garbage and report them to the whole school.
No–car day. On a no-car day, nobody comes to school in a car---not the students and not the teachers. Cars give pollution to our air, so remember: walk, jump, run, or bike! Use your legs! It’s lots of fun!
Turn off the water! Did you know that toilets(厕所) can waste twenty to forty tons(吨)of water an hour? In a year, that would fill a small river! In the environment clubs, students fix(修理)those broken toilets.
We love our environment. Let’s work together to make it clean.
1. Environment clubs ask students________.| A．to run to school every day | B．to fill a river every day |
| C．not to forget to take cars | D．not to throw away lunch bags |
| A．in clubs | B．in shops | C．at school | D．at home |
| A．go bike riding | B．go to school in a taxi | C．take a walk | D．build a car |
| A．a small river | B．a club | C．a lot of water | D．a toilet |
| A．How students help make less pollution. | B．How students clean their school. |
| C．Asking students to join the environment club. | D．How students help teachers. |
Is traffic a big problem where you live? Increased cycling may be the answer. Where are the best places to live and cycle? A new report lists the best bike-friendly cities around the world.
Top of the list is Amsterdam, the bike capital of the world. An unbelievable 40% of all traffic movements are by bicycle. Copenhagen, the city of bikes, is a city where 32 % of workers cycle to work because it's fast and easy. Berlin is another European city that's great for cycling. The city has about 80 kilometers of bike lanes, and 50 kilometers of pavement (人行道)paths. Cycling accounts for 12% of total street traffic.
Barcelona has been praised for its cycle service ''Bicing''，a bicycle service that allows users to take and leave bicycles at any of the 100 stations spread around the city. The city has created a ''green ring'' that surrounds the city area of Barcelona with a bike path. There are 3,250 parking spaces for bikes at street level at present. Barcelona City is also building a new underground car park for bicycles.
The UK has its cycle-friendly cities too. Bristol is the birthplace of ''Sustrans'' — the cycle-route charity which was formed 30 years ago. One of their projects was turning an old rail line between Bristol and Bath into a bike route. Other bike-friendly cities in the UK include Cambridge and York.
Bicycle is a most popular means of transportation in China. Nowadays, riding a bicycle is also a good way to support low-carbon living. There are many riding routes in Beijing for outdoor-lovers to explore. Cyclists can get close enough to experience the history and culture of Beijing, including the Forbidden City, the Bird's Nest, Hutong etc.
1. Why do 32% of workers cycle to work in Copenhagen?(不多于六个单词)2. What is "Sustrans'' ？(不多于三个单词)
3. What is also a good way to support low-carbon living nowadays?(不多于三个单词)
4. What is the passage mainly about?(不多于七个单词)
【推荐3】The Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge is a science competition for U. S. middle-school students. It's run by Society for Science, which also publishes Science News Explores. The 30 finalists in this year's competition traveled to Washington, D. C. and also showed off their research projects.
Sharanya Chudgar, 14 years old, is one of the finalists in the competition and built a trash-collecting robot. The wheeled machine of the robot uses sensors to spot litter and a pan to pick it up. The robot's metal-detecting sensor helps it sort garbage from recyclables. And a light sensor can let the robot's solar panel angle itself toward the sun, collecting as much energy as possible.
Sharanya got the idea to build her trash collector by participating in litter cleanups. "When I signed up to volunteer at our local trash cleanup, I saw how much litter poliution there was and I knew that I had to fix this problem," Sharanya says. "People do have very limited time and resources, right? But robots don't. So it was then that my project idea formed in my head."
"Building the robot is my favorite part of this project," Sharanya says. "Ever since first grade, I've loved building Legos and building my robot felt just like building a Lego. But this project was a completely new experience since I hadn't ever had any experience in robotics before. Throughout the project, I had to use tons of power tools and I even had to cut pieces of metal to certain lengths. Whenever I needed to use a power tool, I had to turn to my dad who was always there to help out if necessary."
"It might seem difficult at times, but sticking to this and changing just one variable at a time gets you the best results," Sharanya says. This middle school scientist is solving global problems of litter pollution. For some, a science project might be an assignment or a fun hobby. But for Sharanya, doing research can also be a chance to help others and make the world a better place.
1. What can be known about the trash-collecting robot?| A．It is environment-friendly. | B．Its solar panel can't turn. |
| C．It has multiple purposes. | D．Its shape is like a human. |
| A．The limited natural resources. | B．The encouragement from the locals. |
| C．Her trash cleanup experiences. | D．Her participation in the competition. |
| A．To express her thanks to her father. | B．To show her love for the project. |
| C．To explain the difficulty of the project. | D．To tell her interest in building Legos. |
| A．Unconcerned. | B．Negative. | C．Critical. | D．Approving. |
【推荐1】Following a diet rich in produce and low in processed meats even if you don’t do it perfectly may be helpful in preventing depression, according to a new study.
“To lower the risk of depression, people can eat everything, but everything in the right amount, as long as you try to eat lots of vegetables, fruits, nuts and fish, and lessen fast food and processed meats,” said Almudena Sanchez from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
At the start of the study, researchers asked 15,000 Spanish university graduates who had never had depression what they normally ate. Then they asked them again, 10 years later. The researchers looked at how closely the participants’ everyday diets stuck to three healthy diet patterns, in which they consumed high amounts of fruits, vegetables, legumes (豆类) , nuts and fish, and avoided processed meats. These principles are part of the Mediterranean diet and other healthy diets.
The researchers found that the people in the study who stuck to healthy patterns to a moderate or a high degree had a lower risk of depression than those who did not follow these diets at all, or who stuck to them to a low degree. For example, the risk of depression over the study period for the people who moderately stuck to the Mediterranean diet was about 25 to 30 percent lower than those who did not stick to the diet at all, or who stuck to it only to a very low degree.
The researchers don’t know for sure what may explain the link between these dietary patterns and people’s risk of depression. However, one potential mechanism(机制) is that people who follow these patterns may have a lower risk of depression because they get adequate levels of some micronutrients (微量营养元素) which are essential to brain health.
1. What is the purpose of the study according to the first paragraph?| A．To give advice on how to eat healthily. |
| B．To compare the benefits of different diets. |
| C．To find out how to keep mentally healthy. |
| D．To make clear the bad influence of depression. |
| A．They were healthy enough. |
| B．They stuck to healthy lifestyle. |
| C．They had never experienced depression. |
| D．They tended to go on a healthy diet. |
| A．It is made up of foods with lower calories. |
| B．It prevents people from getting depression. |
| C．It contains something good for brain health. |
| D．It keeps people away from getting overweight. |
| A．Tips on How to Lower Depression Risk |
| B．The Importance of Keeping a Balanced Diet |
| C．Scientists Found the Secrets of Depression |
| D．Eating Healthy Food May Lower Depression Risk |
【推荐2】Photo Research
“If you want to be a better photographer, stand in front of better stuff.” Photographer Jim Richardson shared it with others. He spends a great deal of time doing photo research, looking for great locations to shoot.
Seeing a wonderful place is bread-and-butter photography—it’s just part of the job. Getting there is only half of any great photograph’s story. The other half is how the photographer prepares to capture the subject once in front of it. It is believed that groundwork is part of photography, as essential as knowing exposure and lighting or recognizing the decisive moment to take the shot. Research sounds like a boring task for many photographers, while for others digging into a subject in advance is part of the pleasure.
Philosophically, photographers seem to divide along that line. On one side are those who desire only to be in the moment. On the other side are the planners. They would never dream of going out the door without a full list of how they’re going to approach the shoot. Actually, there is a third group nowadays. They just take photos of the whole scene and do all the creative work in Photoshop after the event. Most photographers do both: research carefully to prepare their schedule and then act in the moment once on site.
Photographers should do a lot of research in order to get ready for a photographic trip. This includes creating a file for each location they are due to visit. They start a file for each place and begin to make a list of the pieces of information. Knowing what the place looks like in advance is invaluable, so it is good to hit several Internet photo sites. Besides clueing them into the photographic possibilities of the location, this can also show what angles have already become overused and which they should therefore avoid. But photographers will also find angles they didn’t expect from locations they hadn’t imagined. Armed with these they will be better prepared to push the boundaries of what they expect.
“Above all, I’ll look for places and events that are seasonal and timeless. I open my mind to what might make a great subject for a picture,” Jim said. “Most travelers tend to think only of places they’re visiting, without looking deeper into culture, history or meaning. I try to get in time with the rhythm of the place and in tune with its melody. But most of all I just want to be ready. If I’m ready, I can just about count on being lucky.”
1. What does the underlined word “capture” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Identify. | B．Record. | C．Arrange. | D．Explore. |
| A．They are unable to decide on the best plan of action. |
| B．It is possible for them to adopt flexible ways of working. |
| C．The third group is not as imaginative as some of the others. |
| D．Some of them refuse to try to understand the way others work. |
| A．Sound preparation is a must for a satisfactory photo. |
| B．One should create photo sites in a photographic trip. |
| C．Taking photos requires vivid imagination in advance. |
| D．It is essential to do photo research in central locations. |
| A．he feels good to visit those historical places |
| B．he refuses to spend too much time in one place |
| C．he is careful about choosing the right place to visit |
| D．he likes to go to places that few people bother to visit |
【推荐3】Ever since news of widespread food recalls caused by a carcinogenic dye broke, there has been confusion (混淆)over possible links to the country of the same name, but Sudan officials say there is no connection whatever.
Sudan 1 is a red industrial dye (颜料)that has been found in some chilli powder, but was banned in food products across the European Union (EU) in July 2003.
Since the ban was put in place, EU officials have been trying to remove some food products from the shelves. So far 580 products have been recalled．
Last week Sudan’s Embassy in the United Kingdom asked the Food Standards Agency (FSA) for clarification (澄清) of the origin of the dye’s name.
Omaima Mahmoud Al Sharief, a press official at Sudan’s Embassy in China, explained the purpose of the inquiry was to clear up any misunderstanding over links between the country and the poisonous dye.
“We want to keep an eye on every detail and avoid any misunderstanding there,” she said.“Our embassy to Britain asked them how the dye got that name and whether the dye had something to do with our country．But they told us there was no relationship.”
The FSA, an independent food security watchdog in Britain, received a letter from the Sudanese embassy last week．
“They asked us why the dye is named Sudan, however, we also do not know how it got the name,” she said. “People found the dye in 1883 and gave it the name. Nobody knows the reason, and we cannot give any explanation before we find out.”
Sudan dyes, which include Sudan 1 to 4, are red dyesused for colouring oils, waxes, petrol, and shoe and floor polishes.They are classified as carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
1. What does the underlined word “carcinogenic” mean in paragraph one?| A．Causing cancer. | B．Having side effect. |
| C．Containing poison. | D．Poisonous. |
| A．The dye is often produced in Sudan. |
| B．The dye has something to do with the country named Sudan. |
| C．Nobody is sure of the origin of the name. |
| D．Many foods produced in Sudan contain the dye. |
| A．the Sudan government is paying much attention to the food safety |
| B．Sudan 1 is often used to be added to the food |
| C．people didn’t realize the danger of Sudan1 until 2003 |
| D．many food shops will be closed down |
| A．Keep away from Sudan1 |
| B．No Sudan 1 dye links to the country |
| C．How Sudan1 dye got its name? |
| D．Pay attention to the food safety |
