Johannes Fritz, a biologist, needed to come up with a plan, again, if he was going to prevent his rare and beloved birds from going extinct.
To survive the European winter, the northern bald ibis — which had once disappeared entirely from the wild on the continent—needs to migrate (迁徙) south for the winter, over the Alps, before the mountains become impassable. But shifting climate patterns have delayed when the birds begin to migrate, and they are now reaching the mountains too late to make it over the peaks, locking them in an icy death trap. Determined to save them, Mr. Fritz decided he would teach the birds a new, safer migration route by guiding them himself in a tiny aircraft. And he was confident he could succeed in this daring, unconventional plan—because he had done it before.
Mr. Fritz learned to fly, modifying a light aircraft so it would fly at speeds slow enough for his winged students to keep up. In 2004, Mr. Fritz led the first flock from Austria to Italy, and has since led 15 such migrations. Over that time, he has rewilded 277 young ibises, many of which then started to pass the route onto their own young. For now, however, the main worry is getting the birds to follow the aircraft. “While they have a strong bond with their ‘mothers’ and follow them around on the ground, flying is more difficult,” Fritz said.
“Fly Away Home was a huge hit with us biologists,” Mr. Fritz said, recalling the 1996 movie in which characters lead the migration of orphaned Canada geese in a hang glider. When Mr. Fritz declared he’d do the same with the ibises, he was initially laughed at. But through years of trial and error, he succeeded. He even learned to fly like a bird, he said. Mr. Fritz’s two sons, both now teenagers, followed their flying father and the migrating birds on the ground, and his family and colleagues witnessed the risks he was taking. But the inevitable risks are “necessary”, Mr. Fritz said. “It’s not so much a job,” he added, “but my life’s purpose.”
1. Why did Mr. Fritz guide the birds himself in a tiny aircraft?| A．He wanted to learn from them. | B．He showed them a safer flyway. |
| C．They needed to be fed in the air. | D．They were often lost on the way. |
| A．By listing concrete numbers. | B．By conducting a survey. |
| C．By performing experiments. | D．By making a comparison. |
| A．Imaginative and honest. | B．Generous and easy-going. |
| C．Energetic and open-minded. | D．Strong-willed and brave. |
| A．Fritz once starred in a film in 1996. | B．Fritz had no difficulty with his work. |
| C．Fritz thought what he did was rewarding. | D．Fritz was challenged by those around him. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Baby seabirds that have not yet hatched communicate with their siblings (兄弟姐妹) in neighboring eggs by vibrating (震动) their shells (蛋壳), scientists have discovered.
A study of yellow-legged gulls revealed one of the known examples of embryo-to-embryo communication. When exposed to the alarm calls of an adult bird responding to a dangerous predator, developing chicks apparently were able to convey the presence of danger to their nest mates by vibrating inside their eggs.
The team collected 9 yellow-legged gull eggs from Sálvora Island and sorted them into nests of three. When the eggs were six days off hatching, two of the three eggs in each nest were temporarily removed from the nest and exposed to either a recording of a predator alarm call or white noise each day until the chicks hatched. The noise was delivered four times a day at random for three minutes at a time. The third egg from each group remained in the nest.
It was found that the embryos in the shells responded to the external alarm calls by vibrating and sounding less, and that this message appeared to be passed on to the third nestmate. It was seen to copy the vibrations. It experienced genetic changes and had an increase in the production of stress hormones (荷尔蒙) as well.
“This kind of communication—embryo to embryo—can generate developmental changes that can have potential benefits to the birds after hatching,” said Noguera, the lead author of the study.
A rise in stress hormones makes birds more aware of their surroundings after hatching. When hatched chicks were exposed to alarm sounds, it was found that those who had listened to the noises previously in the eggs were quicker to run away and hide.
Noguera said the phenomenon was likely to occur in other bird species. His team now plans to investigate whether the chicks are able to pick up other clues about their external environment before hatching, such as how many other eggs are in the nest.
1. What do the unhatched birds mean to do by vibrating shells?| A．Fight with a predator. | B．Play with their nest mates. |
| C．Seek care from adult birds. | D．Warn others of danger. |
| A．The theoretical base of the experiment. | B．The subjects of the experiment. |
| C．The process of the experiment. | D．The findings of the experiment. |
| A．The presence of danger. | B．The external environment. |
| C．The third egg in the nest. | D．The embryo-to-embryo communication. |
| A．It makes them mature earlier. | B．It helps them adapt to life after hatching. |
| C．It allows them to develop physically. | D．It strengthens bonds with their siblings. |
【推荐2】Harry, the first camel to arrive in Australia in 1840, was an unlucky beast. He was imported from the Canary Islands by explorer John Horrocks. On an expedition (探险), Horrocks picked up his gun in order to shoot “a beautiful bird to be added to the collection.” Perhaps Harry was an ecologist — he lurched (突然倾斜), and the gun discharged, shooting Horrocks in the face.
Horrocks not surprisingly died of his injuries, and his treatments ordered Harry to be shot. The first importation of a camel into Australia came to naught.
In 1860, 24 camels arrived in Australia to be part of an expedition by explorers Robert O’Hara Burke and William John Wills. It was an unlucky expedition. The pair made one mistake after another, and ended up eating most of their camels, before starving to death.
Six years later, more than 100 camels and their Afghan minders, arrived in Australia. This time it succeeded and thousands more camels followed.
Sir Thomas Elder set up the first camel studs (种畜场) in South Australia, while others were set up in Western Australia. This time the camels bred (繁殖) like wildfire. They were used for working, rather than exploring expeditions.
The imported Afghan cameleers were just as hardy and vital, leading camel trains across the cruel interior (腹地) of Australia, where few dared to go. The camels carried heavy packs of wool and supplies and opened up the desert areas as none had managed to do before. The train that does this crossing today is called The Ghan, in their honor.
Motorization put these camel trains out of business, and many camels were turned loose. The camels loved Australia, and multiplied in amazing numbers. What is to be done with them?
Not surprisingly they have become quite a tourist attraction and you can take a camel ride in the desert as the Afghan cameleers once did. But the fact is that camels create quite a problem in areas where they have taken over, as they damage local vegetation, muscle out native animals competing for food, and create chaos when they wander into settled area.
1. What do we know about Harry?| A．He caused the death of an explorer. | B．He was shot by his owner. |
| C．He was interested in ecology. | D．He arrived in Australia by accident. |
| A．Started. | B．Failed. |
| C．Got limited. | D．Got protected. |
| A．Camels’ character. | B．How camels were imported. |
| C．Camels’ contribution to Australia. | D．Why camels could survive in Australia. |
| A．They are raised in studs. | B．They are decreasing in numbers. |
| C．They are causing a lot of trouble. | D．They are popular with the locals. |
【推荐3】Even plant can run a fever， especially when they're under attack by insects or disease． But unlike human， plants can have their temperature taken from 3，000 feet away straight up． A decade ago， adopting the infrared（红外线） scanning technology developed for military purposes and other satellites， physicist Stephen Paley came up with a quick way to take the temperature of crops to determine which ones are under stress． The goal was to let farmers precisely（精确的） target pesticide（杀虫剂） spraying rather than rain poison on a whole field， which always includes plants that don't have pest problems．
Even better， Paley's Remote Scanning Services Company could detect crop problems before they became visible to the eye． Fixed on a plane flown at 3，000 feet at night， an infrared scanner measured the heat sent out by crops． The data were transformed into a color﹣coded map showing where plants were running "fevers"． Farmers could then spot﹣spray， using 50 to 70 percent less pesticide that they otherwise would．
The bad news is that Paley's company closed down in 1984， after only three years． Farmers resisted the new technology and long﹣term supporters were hard to find． But with the renewed concern about pesticides on produce and refinements（改进） in infrared scanning， Paley hopes to get back into operation． Agriculture experts have no doubt that the technology works． "This technique can be used on 75 percent of agricultural land in the United States，" says George Oerther of Texas A& M， who recently retired from the Department of Agriculture， thinks remote infrared crop scanning could be adopted by the end of the decade． But only if Paley finds the financial support which he failed to obtain 10years ago．
1. Plants will give out an increased amount of heat when they are ．| A．facing an infrared scanner |
| B．sprayed with pesticides |
| C．exposed to extreme sun rays |
| D．in poor physical condition |
| A．draw a color﹣coded map |
| B．evaluate the damage to the crops |
| C．locate the problem area |
| D．measure the size of the affected area |
| A．the lack of official support |
| B．its high cost |
| C．the lack of financial support |
| D．its failure to help increase production |
| A．full support from agricultural experts |
| B．the forceful promotion by the Department of Agriculture |
| C．the desire of farmers to improve the quality of their produce |
| D．growing concern about the over use of pesticides on crops |
【推荐1】Something was in the air. All his senses told White Fang that some big change was about to come. “Listen to that!” said Matt. Through the open door came a low, anxious howl, like a sobbing under the breath.
The truth was that Scott was torn. He was miserable at the idea of leaving White Fang, but he knew a dog like him needed the wide-open spaces of the frozen North. Five or six times he changed his mind. But in the end he decided firmly against taking him. He told himself, “He would hate living in a city, anyway.”
Then came the day when White Fang saw his master pack and take two large bags out of the cabin. “Poor fellow,” said Scott, gently rubbing White Fang’s ears. “I’m hitting the trail, old boy, I’ve got a new job in California, where you can’t follow. Now give me your howls. A goodbye howl!” But White Fang wouldn’t howl. He gave his master a wistful, searching look and buried his head out of sight, between his master’s arm and body.
Matt locked the door. Scott wiped his eyes. “Take good care of him, Matt,” he said, “Write and let me know how he gets on.” “Sure,” replied Matt. “But listen to that!” Both men stopped. White Fang was howling inside. His howl burst upwards, dying down into trembling misery. It rose again and again.
Near the steamship, Scott said goodbye to Matt and was to have a final handshake with Matt. But Matt’s hand dropped. He stared at something behind them. Sitting on the deck and watching wistfully was White Fang! “Did you lock the door?” asked Scott. “Sure did.” Said Matt. As Scott patted the dog, he noticed blood on his nose and a fresh cut between his eyes. “We forgot the window!” he cried. “He’s all cut up. Must have made his way clean through the glass!”
The steamship whistled its final. Scott bent down to White Fang, “Howl for me now, you stupid, brave fellow!” White Fang knew he had won. He howled and nuzzled his beloved master for all he was worth.
1. Why doesn’t Scott take White Fang at first?| A．Because life stress outweighs reality. | B．Because he blocks his pursuit of career. |
| C．Because he dislikes the city environment. | D．Because he belongs to the spacious wild. |
| A．dialogues | B．actions | C．inner thoughts | D．emotions |
| A．To interpret his emotional changes. |
| B．To interact with the devoted animal. |
| C．To create an atmosphere of sadness. |
| D．To present a vivid account of the animal. |
| A．White Fang gets seriously injured all over. |
| B．Scott is the first to find White Fang on the deck. |
| C．White Fang’s fearless love contributes to their reunion. |
| D．White Fang catches up with Scott by breaking the door. |
By Poly Pullar,
Growing up in a remote region of the Scottish Highlands, Polly Pullar’s childhood was pleasant, simple, and peaceful. But the wild beauty formed a backdrop to a series of major family tragedies. This is the story of how she rebuilt her life from the ground up, supported by the natural world around her.
Wildlife WalksBy Charlotte Varela,
Bloomsbury, ￡16.99
Take a walk through the Wildlife Trusts’ nature reserves with this handy guide that showcases some of our nation’s best forests, moors, woodlands and coastal locations. Each walk includes a description of the site, instructions on how to get there, available facilities and the route’s walking time.
Where the Seals SingBy Susan Richardson,
William Collins, ￡20
Having long been fascinated by seals, Susan Richardson sets out to follow their pupping season (繁殖季). As she journeys from Cornwall to Norfolk, she learns more about these mystical creatures, while sharing personal stories about the comforting role they have played during times of grief or anxiety in her own life.
In the Name of PlantsBy Sandra Knapp,
University of Chicago Press, ￡20
Botanist Sandra Knapp digs into the stories behind plant names, exploring the people who have been immortalized (使永生), from Benjamin Franklin to Lady Gaga. The 30 plants inside are accompanied by botanical drawings from the Natural History Museum.
1. Which of the books does not involve a story?| A．The Horizontal Oak: A Life in Nature | B．Wildlife Walks |
| C．Where the Seals Sing | D．In the Name of Plants |
| A．There are probably plants named after Lady Gaga. |
| B．Susan Richardson introduces seals’ life in her book. |
| C．Polly Pullar offers readers a tourist guide of Scottish Highlands. |
| D．You can read Charlotte Varela’s book if you want to visit nature reserves by car. |
| A．A geographic textbook. | B．A travel brochure. |
| C．A magazine on wildlife. | D．A website about plants. |
【推荐3】The air is thin and we have to rest several times on the short hike from camp. To our left, snow-covered mountains disappear into clouds that seem almost close enough to touch. On the grassland in front of us, we can just make out a herd of graceful animals. This is why we’re here — to observe Tibetan antelopes.
Tibetan antelopes live on the plains of Tibet, Xinjiang, and Qinghai. Watching them move slowly across the green grass. I’m struck by their beauty. I’m also reminded of the danger they are in. They are being hunted, illegally, for their valuable fur.
My guide is Zhaxi, a villager from Changtang. He works at the Changtang National Nature Rcserve. It covers an arca of about 120,000 square miles. The reserve is a shelter for the animals and plants of northwestern Tibet. To Zhaxi, protecting the wildlife is a way of life. “We’re not trying to save the animals,” he says. “Actually, we’re trying to save ourselves.”
The 1980s and 1990s were bad times for the Tibetan antelope. The population dropped by more than 50 percent. Hunters were shooting antelopes to make money. Their habitats were becoming smaller as new roads and railways were built.
In order to save this species from extinction, the Chinese government placed it under national protection. Zhaxi and other volunteers watched over the antelopes day and night to keep them safe from attacks. Bridges and gates were added to let the antelopes move easily and keep them safe from cars and trains.
The measures were effective. The antelope population has recovered and in June 2015, the Tibetan antelope was removed from the endangered species list. The government, however, does not intend to stop the protection programmes, since the threats to the Tibetan antelope have not yet disappeared.
In the evening, I drink a cup of tea and watch the stars. I think about the antelopes and what Zhaxi told me. Much is being done to protect wildlife, but if we really want to save the planet, we must change our way of life. Only when we learn to exist in harmony with nature can we stop being a threat to wildlife and to our planet.
1. Why did the writer visit Tibet?| A．To watch the Tibetan antelopes. | B．To go on a short hike from camp. |
| C．To see the snow-covered mountains. | D．To visit their friend Zhaxi in Changtang. |
| A．Their habitats disappeared. | B．They were attacked by other animals. |
| C．They were shot by hunters for money. | D．Their population dropped by less than 50 percent. |
| A．It was built by volunteers and villagers. |
| B．Its protection programmes have been stopped. |
| C．It was founded to protect the wildlife that live there. |
| D．Its antelopes are on the list of endangered species now. |
| A．The importance of a good lifestyle. |
| B．Protecting wildlife is protecting ourselves. |
| C．Changtang is the best place to observe Tibetan antelopes. |
| D．More volunteers are needed to keep the antelopes from attacks. |
【推荐1】We’ve all heard the saying“Life slows down the older you get,” but that's certainly not true for Joan MacDonald.
The 75-year-old fitness influencer has accumulated an incredible following on social media, in part because she's chosen to actively reject the idea that aging robs you of your energy, focus and drive. In fact, MacDonald looks at movement as a “gift, ” and whether you're hitting the gym five days a week, or just beginning your fitness journey 一 it's never too late to take advantage of what your body was meant to do. Get moving.
“Just start with what you can, ” MacDonald tells Guideposts, org when asked what her best piece of advice would be for seniors looking to get active again.“If you can only walk three blocks, start there. Over time aim to add another block.”
And just because you' re starting small, it doesn’t' t mean that a short bike ride or quick stretch session isn't having an impact. The recommended amount of cardio （有氧运动）each day for most adults is 30 minutes, although even short bursts of movement can have a huge impact on decreasing the risk of being overweight, heart problems and other conditions.
The key is consistency. MacDonald knows that the road to healthy isn't easy and sometimes, the struggle can seem impossible to overcome. She had to battle against years of bad habits and recondition her body to push against her imagined limits. She tries to keep her social media channels focused on the positive aspects of working out and eating better, always encouraging and uplifting her followers, and never judging their difficulties 一 or her own. It's that attitude that she says is key to staying active.
“Focus on what is going right and well,” MacDonald says. “For me, I started my whole transformation because I wanted to feel better. I wanted energy to live my life! Now having my health, strength, and endurance is what keeps me committed.”
1. What may contribute to MacDonald , shaving numerous followers on social media?| A．Her attitude. | B．Her impact. | C．Her strength. | D．Her journey. |
| A．They take advantage of what they want. |
| B．They start working out with what they can. |
| C．They get moving by doing what they need. |
| D．They perform short movement as they like. |
| A．Inspiring the followers and evaluating their troubles. |
| B．Holding positive attitudes and keeping a balanced diet. |
| C．Managing the social media channels and gaining views. |
| D．Breaking bad habits and challenging herself to the limit. |
| A．Prevention is better than cure. |
| B．A light heart lives long. |
| C．The nature of life lies in sports. |
| D．Content is better than riches. |
【推荐2】In a gray box, I have a thick pile of love letters. I imagine about sharing them with a granddaughter when I’m 90. But my most treasured love letter is from one of my best friends. It’s a handwritten letter years ago when I was having trouble getting over a man. Her letter is the most romantic in my pile. It made no excuses. It simply let me know that I was loved.
Reflecting on her gift, and the dying art of handwritten letters in our age of emails and emoticons, I chose to conduct an experiment this Christmas: replacing presents with heartfelt, handwritten love letters for my family members.
In our digital era, most of us rarely take the time to share deeply considered thoughts and emotions with the people in our lives. Handwriting captures the writer’s emotions, often preserved longer than digital exchanges. However, technology is taking over. First came typewriters and keyboards. Now a new brain-computer lets people type with their minds. What are we losing when we sacrifice the physical labor behind the written word? We tend to value what we struggle for. Have we undervalued the human exchange of ideas?
That day, I came across a letter my mom wrote to her parents when she was young. She seemed so comfortable with her parents. It was a relationship I didn’t have with her. I was inspired by my mother’s letter to her parents when I sat down to write my letter to her. I wanted her to know my love, and to close the crack that technology and culture had created between us. With each sentence, I was discovering new and deeper ways of seeing my mother, and making myself known to her in more thoughtful ways as well.
Eight single-space pages later, my hand was aching but I was done. It was only the first of my love letters, but it was already clear: What had begun as a fun project was in fact one of the most important undertakings of my life.
1. Why does the author mention her love letters in Paragraph 1?| A．To show her grand charm as a young girl. | B．To share them with one of her granddaughters. |
| C．To highlight the value of handwritten letters. | D．To look back upon her romantic relationship. |
| A．Making our interaction less emotional. | B．Encouraging our thoughtful communication. |
| C．Saving our physical labor in conveying emotions. | D．Increasing our effort in handwritten exchanges. |
| A．To give her mother a big surprise. | B．To answer her mother’s handwritten letter. |
| C．To bridge a communication gap. | D．To make her mother feel more comfortable. |
| A．The irreplaceable bond of family members. | B．The tendency of information technology. |
| C．The expression of emotions in the digital age. | D．The power of handwritten correspondence. |
【推荐3】It was a reading class. While all her classmates were flying through the 2nd and 3rd books in the Harry Potter series, Skye Malik, only on page four of the first book, got impossibly stuck on the word “doughnut”.
Her unexpected difficulty with reading is called dyslexia. Skye got a professional diagnosis at the end of the 2nd grade. Knowing that other kids were going through the same thing made it easier on her somehow. What wasn’t easy, even after all the help she got from special tutors and reading programs, was fluent reading. What many people do without thinking—reading—she had to struggle with word by word, sometimes letter by letter. In class, she would hear the other kids flip through the pages on assignments and go on to the questions while she was still doing battle with the first paragraph.
She was as frustrated as she was discouraged. But she didn’t know of any other way until her 4th grade teacher, Miss Pollock, told her about something called Learning Ally.
Learning Ally is a non-profit organization that offers audio versions of books. A crew of volunteer readers has recorded 75,000 classic novels, children’s books, and school textbooks that help more than 300,000 students and adults with learning differences or who are blind. Now Skye could listen to the books with her ears and follow the words with her eyes on the page. Instead of having her mother read her textbooks to her, she could independently do her work. “With Learning Ally, I feel confident and capable and can easily keep up with my classmates,” Skye explains, “and I want other kids to feel empowered, just the way I did.”
So Skye, now aged 16, created The Paco Project which was named after her grandfather whose nickname was “Paco”. The Paco Project is a fundraiser and educational initiative focusing on giving students with dyslexia access to the same Learning Ally technology that changed her life.
Skye has realized that she is one of the lucky kids who have been diagnosed. She knows that educating teachers about dyslexia and giving students with the learning challenge the tools they need is a great first step in meeting dyslexia head on, and helping them be confident, capable students.
“Right now they feel stuck — ashamed, unsure and insecure about their school work. If I could help stop these students feeling this way, that would mean the world to me.”
1. According to the passage, Skye ________.| A．found a way out with the help of Miss Pollock |
| B．felt annoyed at being teased by her classmates |
| C．preferred reading the first book of Harry Potter |
| D．was diagnosed with dyslexia in her fourth grade |
| A．to promote Learning Ally technology |
| B．to empower those with reading difficulty |
| C．with inspiration from Skye5s grandfather |
| D．in response to the growing demands of teachers |
| A．what people with dyslexia are suffering |
| B．what measures are needed to beat dyslexia |
| C．how Learning Ally influenced people with dyslexia |
| D．how Skye battled against dyslexia and helped others |
