Shivani Bhalla feels a strong sense of duty towards wildlife, and she wants others to feel it too.
Now based in Samburu in northern Kenya, the conservationist has worked for over 17 years with lions in the region. As lion habitats have contracted due to land-use change, conflict between lions and humans has increased. The African lion, one of the continent’s most iconic species, is now classified as vulnerable(脆弱的). Bhalla and her team aim to reduce these conflicts and seek mutually beneficial solutions.
Bhalla has seen firsthand the challenges facing the lions. Kenya’s recent economic growth has also included agricultural and industrial expansion into lion territory. Habitat loss from agricultural and industrial expansion has created tension between lions and communities. As lions struggle to find enough of their natural prey(猎物), they target raised animals. Impacted communities sometimes defend their herds and livelihoods via killings of the lions.
Habitat changes have also changed the lions` social structure. “In Samburu,” Bhalla says, “We don’t have prides(狮群). We actually have lions that live alone or they live in small groups. Lions adapt to their environment and they learn how to survive with what they have.”
Lions have also changed their behavior in an apparent attempt at self-preservation. As soon as they leave protected land and enter more populated areas, they tend to become nocturnal-active at night, and hiding in thick bush during the day.
Bhalla and her team have developed a number of successful programs designed to respond to the new reality of increased human-lion encounters. Looking to the future, a Lion Kids camp program provides conservation education and safari (游猎) experiences to children. Bhalla says she hopes to inspire these young conservationists to do work in Kenya. “People talk about children as the next generation of conservationists,” she says. “I like to call them a ‘new’ generation because children can be conservationists today.”
For Bhalla, it’s about more than just saving the species; she’s working to preserve something key to national identity.
1. What do Shivani Bhalla and her team mainly work on?| A．Expanding the habitats of African lion groups. |
| B．Protecting Kenya’s endangered animal species. |
| C．Promoting the country’s economic development. |
| D．Preserving lion populations and reducing conflicts. |
| A．They have formed larger groups. | B．They have started living in isolation. |
| C．They have migrated to other regions. | D．They have become more active during the day. |
| A．It teaches children hunting skills. |
| B．It offers safari experiences to children. |
| C．It is more successful than other programs. |
| D．It encourages children to be professional researchers. |
| A．Negative. | B．Skeptical. | C．Optimistic. | D．Unclear. |
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【推荐1】We all love animals, but animals don’t feel the same way about us. When we enter their wild world, we are “unnatural” invaders into their homes.
There was a video many of you may have seen on the Internet recently of a bear and its cub (幼崽) climbing up a steep, snow-covered hill in Russia. The mama bear makes it to the top without too much trouble, but the baby bear keeps sliding back down. It takes three attempts to reach the top and, no doubt, many cheered at the cub’s never-give-up spirit. But nature scientists who saw the video didn’t cheer.
Instead, the scientists were upset that the two bears had been frightened into making a dangerous, unnecessary climb by the drone (无人机) that was filming them. Sophie Gilbert of the University of Idaho said, “It showed a complete lack of understanding from the drone operator of the effects his actions were having on the bears.” Other scientists have found that when a drone is hovering near, a bear’s heart rate can increase from 41 beats per minute to 162 beats per minute — a high enough rate to cause a heart attack.
Human disturbance has actually been having a far-reaching influence on wildlife. Researchers at the University of Berkeley recently found that many mammals are turning into “night owls” again to avoid contact with humans. Such a shift might not only affect those species themselves, but also have numerous chain effects.
We human beings find ourselves in a strange position in nature. We are part of it but also separate from it, now more than ever, since most of us live in cities. So, when we go off hiking into wild areas to “re-connect” with nature, we should go softly and considerately. It’s OK to get close to our animal friends, just not too close — we wouldn’t want to scare them, would we?
1. What does the video feature?| A．The baby bear’s climbing. | B．The mama bear’s care. |
| C．The dangerous environment. | D．The experiment by scientists. |
| A．They knew the bear’s family well. |
| B．They were against other scientists. |
| C．They knew the cause of the bears’ climbing. |
| D．They lacked understanding of the drone operator. |
| A．Food shortage. | B．Changing habitats. |
| C．Ecological imbalance. | D．Less contact with humans. |
| A．Lose connection with nature. |
| B．Tighten the bond with wild animals. |
| C．Respect the human-animal distance. |
| D．Shoot more videos on animals for study. |
【推荐2】I’ve been in an 18-year love-hate relationship with a black walnut tree.
It’s a unique tree. In late September or early October, falling fruits as hard as baseballs threaten the skulls of you, your children, your neighbors and those living near. Patio (露台) umbrellas are a must while dining in the garden beginning in early August, and because of the volume of fruit this season, I wear my bike helmet while working in the garden.
The black walnut also releases a chemical through its roots as a competitive strategy. It’s poisonous to several common plants. There have been many new plant varieties that I brought home with hopes that maybe the black walnut would accept them, but they failed.
What does work are native plants that naturally grow in the area. Native plants are important to have around since they provide beneficial pollinators (传粉者) like birds, bees and butterflies with seeds and contribute to a healthy and biodiverse environment. Native plants for this area are generally easy to grow, so they experience less stress.
Have I thought of getting rid of this giant pain in my tiny backyard? Yes, however, getting rid of this tree is next to impossible. It’s also protected under the law. Trees are important to the urban forest and for all of those that inhabit it. Trees are home to numerous birds and insect species and are essential for keeping our environment balanced.
I can’t imagine a spring without the birds who arrive every year singing their songs before Dawn. Every spring, I wonder what the season holds: What are the chances of being knocked unconscious while barbecuing? Like any good relationship, I’ll never be pleased. I’m stuck with this tree, so I’ll listen to its needs and give it the space it requires. In return, my walnut offers a home to wildlife and a reminder that acceptance, instead of resistance, is the better way to be.
1. Why does the author wear a bike helmet while working in the garden?| A．To protect her injured skull. | B．To protect herself against sunburn. |
| C．To avoid getting stung by bees. | D．To avoid being hit by the walnut fruits. |
| A．To attract beneficial pollinators. |
| B．To release harmful gas through the leaves. |
| C．To produce a chemical that may kill other plants. |
| D．To compete for nutrition with other plants. |
| A．Its long history. | B．Its various benefits. |
| C．Its huge and heavy trunk. | D．Its popularity in the community. |
| A．Loving trees. | B．Fighting nature. |
| C．Protecting plants. | D．Understanding nature. |
【推荐3】Humans need homes as sheltered bay to protect themselves from bad weather and threats from other animals and creatures. Birds also need habitats for survival. Yet, climate change has posed a great threat to their habitats. Like Poyang Lake in Jiangxi Province, for example. As an important habitat for the Siberian crane (鹤), an endangered species in the world. Poyang Lake has experienced unnatural ups and downs in recent years. “In some years the lake experiences floods, while in others it experiences droughts. Both of these situation create food shortages in the cranes’ habitat,” Qian Fawen, a research professor from the National Bird Banding Center of China, told China Daily.
To solve such habitat problems, China has recently recognized 1,140 sites as important breeding (繁殖), wintering grounds, and migratory (迁徙的) stops, with most of them located in wetlands. Wetlands include coastal areas with a water depth of no more than 6 meters at low tide, but exclude rice fields and areas of water used for fishery and artificial breeding, noted the National Forestry and Grassland Administration. Referred to as the “Kidneys of the Earth” and as “species gene pools”, wetlands conserve clean water, maintain biodiversity, help contain floods and prevent droughts.
To protect China’s wetlands, a law was also introduced in 2022 to restrict construction at important national wetlands and ban harmful activities including over-farming, over-harvesting and the discharging of wastewater. Since these measures have gone into effect, more birds have been spotted wintering in the nation’s wetlands. In February, government in Hunan province reported 72 species of waterbirds that spent this past winter in Dongting Lake. Mallards and Eurasian cranes are among the birds which stay at the lake. Black-faced spoonbills, a rare and endangered species, were also spotted at Dongting after an absence of five years. The number of spoonbills has increased from 300 in the 1980s to more than 5,000 presently, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.
1. Why did the author mention Poyang Lake?| A．To stress the risks of serious water shortage in China. |
| B．To argue for the need of dealing with climate change. |
| C．To explain the importance of wetlands for bird habitats. |
| D．To describe the living environment of endangered birds. |
| A．The lack of food. | B．The loss of habitat. |
| C．The change of weather. | D．The failure of artificial breeding. |
| A．They keep the balance and diversity of nature. |
| B．They are partly used for fishery and artificial breeding. |
| C．They feature a water depth of 6 meters at low tide. |
| D．They are places where rice are grown to feed birds. |
| A．The reappearance of some dangerous birds. |
| B．The significant increase of migratory birds. |
| C．The declining species of endangered birds. |
| D．New discoveries of bird migratory patterns. |
| A．Challenges to the endangered birds in China. |
| B．The role of wetlands in fighting climate change. |
| C．The success of a new law on bird conservation. |
| D．China’s protection of wetlands for bird habitats. |
【推荐1】Many educators fear students will use the artificial intelligence (AI) tool ChatGPT to write their reports or cheat on homework. But other teachers are including it in the classroom.
Donnie Piercey is a teacher in Lexington, Kentucky. He told his 5th-grade students to try and beat the tool that was creating writing tasks. Piercey says his job is to prepare students for a world where knowledge of Al will be required. He describes ChatGPT as just the newest technology in his 17 years of teaching that caused worry about the possibility of cheating.“As educators, we haven’t worked out the best way to use AI yet,” he added. “But it’s coming, whether we want it to or not.”
One lesson in his class was a writing game between students and the machine.
Piercey asked students to “Find the Bot”. Each student wrote a short report about boxer Muhammad Ali. Then they tried to find out which was written by ChatGPT.
After playing “Find the Bot”, Piercey asked his class what skills it helped them learn.“How to properly summarize and correctly capitalize words and use commas.” said one student. Another student felt that sentences written by students “have a little more feeling... more flavor.” Students Laksi and McCormick, both 10, said they could see the good and bad parts of working with chat bots. They can help students who have trouble putting their thoughts into writing. McCormick said students could use it for suggestions, but should not use it to do all the work. “You shouldn’t take advantage of it,” McCormick said, “You’re not learning anything if you type in what you want, and then it gives you the answer.”
1. Which opinion will Donnie Piercey possibly agree with?| A．The best way to use AI is to put it in classroom. |
| B．Students should not use AI for all tasks. |
| C．Students should be prepared to live with AI. |
| D．AI is the best tool to help with students’ learning. |
| A．summarizing given texts properly | B．capitalizing words correctly |
| C．correct use of commas | D．adding more flavor to sentences |
| A．totally depend on chat bots |
| B．search for some suggestions |
| C．want to learn something with it |
| D．have difficulty expressing thoughts in writing |
| A．Environment. | B．History. | C．Travel. | D．Science. |
【推荐2】Cases of the omicron variant of the coronavirus popped up in countries on opposite sides of the world on Sunday and many governments rushed to close their borders even as scientists cautioned that it’s not clear if the new variant is more alarming than other versions of the virus.
The variant was identified days ago by researchers in South Africa, and much is still not known about it, including whether it is more infectious, more likely to cause serious illness or more able to evade the protection of vaccines. But many countries rushed to act, reflecting anxiety about anything that could prolong the pandemic that has killed more than 5 million people.
Israel decided to bar entry to foreigners, and Morocco said it would stop all incoming flights for two weeks starting Monday. Scientists in several places — from Hong Kong to Europe to North America — have confirmed its presence. The Netherlands reported 13 omicron cases on Sunday, and both Canada and Australia each found two.
Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health in the United States, meanwhile, emphasized that there is no data yet that suggests the new variant causes more serious illness than previous COVID-19 variants. Collins, along with several experts, said that the news should make everyone redouble their efforts to use the tools the world already has, including vaccinations, booster shots and measures such as mask-wearing. “I know, America, you’re really tired about hearing those things, but the virus is not tired of us, ”Collins said.
As more omicron cases have been found in more countries such as Dutch, Canada, Australia, many countries are introducing travel bans or closing borders, though they go against the advice of the WHO. It has warmed against any overreaction before the variant is thoroughly studied, noting that travel restrictions may play “a role in slightly reducing the spread of COVID-19 but place a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods. ”
Spain announced it won’t admit unvaccinated British visitors starting Dec. 1. David Hui, a respiratory medicine expert in Hong Kong, agreed with that strategy, saying the two people who tested positive for the omicron variant had received the Pfizer vaccine and exhibited very mild symptoms, such as a sore throat.
1. What is the meaning of the underlined word “evade” in Paragraph 2?| A．cause | B．engage in | C．assist | D．escape from |
| A．The new variant causes more serious illness than previous variants. |
| B．All the countries should close their borders. |
| C．Regular public health measures are effective against the variant. |
| D．Omicron is more alarming than other versions of the virus. |
| A．Any reaction before the variant is thoroughly studied is essential. |
| B．Omicron has originated in South Africa. |
| C．Unvaccinated British visitors will be infected with the virus. |
| D．WHO is opposed to omicron-related travel bans. |
| A．More Omicron Cases Emerge As the World Rushes to Learn More |
| B．All Countries Should Introduce Travel Bans |
| C．Vaccinations and Booster Shots Are of Little Use in Fighting Against Omicron |
| D．Omicron Has Already Made Americans Tired of the Disease |
【推荐3】Hundreds of hours of survey footage has revealed a rare mammal in the south-west of Rio Grande do Sul state in Brazil. Wildlife camera traps have recorded footage of a giant anteater(食蚁兽) wandering through scrubland in Espinilho State Park in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It is the first time since the 1890s that this large mammal has been seen in the southwest of the state. Experts think the anteater came from Ibera National Park in Argentina, where a major re wilding project has been underway since 2007.
The anteater was spotted by Brazilian biologist Fabio Mazim as he was reviewing hundreds of hours of footage for a wild if e survey. “The animal seems to be in very good condition and established in the area,” says Mazim. “At the moment it is impossible for us to determine whether it is male or female, one or even several different individuals.”
According to WWF Brazil, the species was once present in all Brazilian states. It is now threatened with extinction in all regions of the country and has been lost from some states entirely. The main causes of the population decline are the damage and loss of occupied zone, hunting, road accidents and forest fires.
Giant anteaters were first l reintroduced to I bera National Park in 2007 by Rewilding Argentina. Since the start of the project, 110 anteaters orphaned by road accidents or illegal hunting have been released, and several generations now live in Ibera Wetlands. The discovery in Rio Grande do Sul state, along with additional sightings over a 100 km range, suggests that Ibera’s giant anteaters are colonizing other regions.
For the next stage of the project, researchers will try to find out if there are more individuals in the area, and determine what their favoured habitat(栖息地) is. “We intend to seize the individual sighted in Espinilho State Park, collect biological samples (样本) for genetic analysis, and compare them with the populations that exist elsewhere in Brazil.” says Flavia Miranda, a biologist who has been studying the species for 25 years.
1. How was the giant anteater discovered?| A．Through cooperation with WWF Brazil. |
| B．Through a wild adventure in Espinilho State Park. |
| C．By catching the animal for a bioresearch. |
| D．By examining picture recording for a wildlife survey. |
| A．Lack of genetic variety. |
| B．Loss of living areas and natural disasters. |
| C．Climate change and natural destruction. |
| D．Competition for resources with other species. |
| A．A major rewilding project by Re wilding Argentina. |
| B．The establishment of a protected area for anteaters |
| C．A reproductive program focused on prisoned anteaters |
| D．An anti-hunting campaign sponsored by WWF Brazil. |
| A．Releasing the giant anteater back into the wild after a health check. |
| B．Shifting the giant anteater to Ibera National Park for further studies. |
| C．Trapping the giant anteater to compare genetic samples with other populations in Brazil. |
| D．Observing the giant anteater from a distance to understand its behavior better. |
