Built in 1990, the Moriyama City Firefly Forest Museum has been trying to recover the number of the Genji firefly (源氏萤火虫), whose population was near extinction in the first half of the 20th century.
In Japan, fireflies have long been the sign of summer. Moriyama’s Genji fireflies were especially prized for their vivid, yellow-green glow. However, from 1868 to 1912, a commercial firefly industry developed. In just one night, a single hunter could catch about as many as 3,000 fireflies, sweeping the earth with brushes to frighten just egg-laying fireflies from riverbanks. It was easiest to catch female fireflies when they laid their eggs. Thus, there were fewer and fewer left to produce the next generation. At the same time, a fast-urbanizing Japan was turning Moriyama’s once ideal habitats into places where few fireflies could survive. Concrete was laid on the banks where there was once grass. Wastewater ran into the waters where the larvae (幼虫) grew.
The founders set its museum in the kind of habitat that Genji fireflies would find attractive. They created an artificial river and planted its banks with grass. Inside the museum, they mate and reproduce Genji fireflies; it is still the only organization to do so in a large size. Fireflies lay thousands of eggs. When the larvae come out, they are moved to boxes with flowing water. They grow there until February when the larvae are moved to the man-made river. Then, the fireflies leave the water and take flight in June.
The museum also has educational purpose. Throughout the year, it lectures on the insect’s history and ecology in schools. They also lead museum activities and other training and awareness campaigns, including the museum’s magazine, From the Firefly Forest. Cleanup activities around waters are also organized.
The action is reasonable but, despite their efforts, the number of Genji fireflies hasn’t increased so much in Moriyama. Most other habitats continue to become worse due to urbanization. Unless people preserve them, fireflies will continue to suffer. “The only chance at recovering Genji firefly populations is to act now,” ecologist Kato warns. “We’re running out of time to provide the environmental education to save Japan’s beloved insect.”
1. Why did the number of the Genji fireflies decrease?| A．Because the banks where they once lived disappeared. |
| B．Because the waters where the larvae grew were polluted. |
| C．Because over 3,000 female fireflies were caught every night. |
| D．Because a commercial firefly industry developed their habitats. |
| A．It has organized various educational activities. |
| B．It has helped Genji fireflies lay thousands of eggs. |
| C．It has helped Genji fireflies leave the water and take flight in June. |
| D．It has created the kind of habitat that the Genji fireflies would find attractive. |
| A．It is reasonable. | B．It makes no sense. |
| C．It wastes lots of time. | D．It needs immediate action. |
| A．The extinction of Genji fireflies in Japan. |
| B．The reappearance of Genji fireflies in Japan. |
| C．Efforts made to recover Genji fireflies by a Japanese museum. |
| D．The effect of urbanization on Japan’s favorite glowing insect. |
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【推荐1】The desire for ivory products causes the killing of an elephant, but as their populations continue to fall, the hungry black market has become creative to satisfy its greed. Now, ivory hunters are setting their sights on everything. One victim of this cruel practice is the hippopotamus(河马). A new study says that arise in demand for hippopotamus’s teeth is threatening them with extinction.
In many ways, it takes a lot of effort to kill an elephant. They are legally well protected in most countries where they range and international regulations are clear. Also, smuggling(走私)large pieces of ivory internationally is easily noticed. Hippos offer a cheaper and easier ivory option. The simple truth is that they are not high on the priority list of the international conservation community. A group of wild-living African elephants will either be tracked with radio collars(项圈) or will be the focus of long-term conservation research, ecotourism or law-enforcement efforts. Not so with hippos. Unlike their famous cousins, they don’t come with a protective environment, meaning hunters can take their time.
Most elephant populations are listed under the highest level (Appendix I) of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, but hippos are listed under Appendix Ⅱ of it, meaning some trade impossible. We have created a situation where some hippos can be shot, but we have few effective ways to regulate the trade, leaving it wide open to abuse.
Having lived in Africa and worked in frontline conservation, I have seen the first-hand that in the name of art, no ivory-bearing animal is safe. I have heard the stories and seen the bodies of hippos killed by machine-gun fire, mouths open, bloody and toothless. People are working to stop this and many wildlife authorities do what they can, but until there is a real change in the demand for ivory, the hippo has joined the elephant in being in desperate need of our help.
1. What does the new study find?| A．Black marketers are hunting other animals for ivory. |
| B．Hippos face extinction due to ivory demand. |
| C．The number of elephants is decreasing. |
| D．Ivory demand is rising. |
| A．They wear radio collars. |
| B．They are the targets of ecotourism. |
| C．They live in a less protective environment. |
| D．They are well protected by clear international regulations. |
| A．by process |
| B．by analyses |
| C．by statistics |
| D．by comparison |
| A．Law enforcement. |
| B．The efforts of authorities. |
| C．Raising public awareness. |
| D．Reducing the demand for ivory |
【推荐2】No matter where you go, you’ll notice something strange about trees—the fact that their bottoms are painted white. Generally speaking, the purpose of whitewashing is to protect trees from heat and insects.
Blocking the sun
You might sometimes notice that some tree trunks’ surfaces get dry and crack easily.
Heat protection
Defending against pests
More often than not, a tree’s surface will crack, allowing insects to creep inside.
Last but not least, the surface of trees is painted white to make them more visible, specifically for those on the side of the road. Why is that important? Because accidents involving trees are extremely common, especially during the night, when drivers can not see them much more clearly.
| A．Stopping accidents |
| B．Improving visibility |
| C．Whitewashing is a good way to solve the problem |
| D．The cause of this phenomenon has already been found |
| E．Whitewashing helps young trees remain cool in spring |
| F．However, there’re many other reasons for whitewashing trees |
| G．Bacteria will feed on the tree’s inner parts, eventually killing it |
【推荐3】At a farm off Narrow Lane near Lexington, Kentucky, US, old-fashioned houses look over the little red barn(畜棚). The farm is mostly empty now. Jim Mahan and his family, who lived there for generations, have moved to a different plot of land in northern Fayette County. As land is sold, houses go up where there once were fields.
But during the summer, the barn is filled with city kids who have come to enjoy the farm. They’re members of the Fayette County Livestock(FCL)Club, which showcases (展示) various skills. The barn is where they look after the animals. “A lot of Lexington kids don’t know anything about farm life,” said Adria Meier, 17, who has looked after goats and sheep for three years. “There is so much to learn.”
The dozen or so children who take care of their goats and sheep at the little red barn must take a six-hour class before they get an animal. They pay for their own animals but get special club programs, such as one that provides vet (兽医) care.
Mahan lets the group use the barn for free, and the kids spend up to three hours a day there during the summer. But as his land gets sold, he doesn’t know whether the club can continue. What makes the FCL Club special is that most of the kids can walk out their doors and take care of their animals. Most are driven to the barn by their mothers, who usually hang around and chat as their kids feed and exercise the animals.
There are valuable lessons learned along the way. For instance, don’t cut wool off your goat when there is wind, and sheep are social animals and will cry loudly when separated. “Tending to animals helps teach us responsibility. Unlike learning to shoot an arrow, caring for an animal isn’t something you can simply abandon,” said Carly Playforth, 16, from Lexington
1. What is the requirement for kids before they get animals?| A．Having various skills. | B．Paying certain money. |
| C．Attending a class. | D．Getting special club programs. |
| A．It offers services unconditionally. | B．It allows mothers to push kids. |
| C．It lets mothers care for animals. | D．It pays for the use of the barn. |
| A．Cautious. | B．Doubtful. | C．Supportive. | D．Negative. |
| A．Kids’ life on a sold farm. | B．Valuable lessons learned on the farm. |
| C．A special club intended for Lexington kids. | D．A club activity of caring for farm animals. |
【推荐1】Robots are known as the future of technology. Robotics technology has just landed in the workplace and there is a lot of work to do. Below we'll discuss some of the best and most advanced robots ever made by humans.
Asimo
The primary focus of the robot is to help people. Asimo travels all around the world, making people aware how robots can make life easier and help humans. It can dance, run, and even kick a soccer ball. The robot can communicate with people in three different languages including Japanese, Chinese and English.
Created by: Honda (Japan)
Sophia
It is a realistic example of a perfect robot because it has about 50 different facial expressions just like humans. Sophia is primarily designed for education, research and entertainment. It travels throughout the world explaining to people the importance of robots in human life.
Created by: Hanson Robotics (Hong Kong, China)
Atlas
Its body shape is so dynamic that it can use its all body skills to move quickly and balance itself on diverse terrains (地形). The robot is capable of performing many different tasks. Its advanced AI systems make it capable of seeing barriers and negotiating through diverse terrains.
Created by: Boston Dynamics (United States)
Spot
Spot is an animal robot, or say a dog robot, because it looks very similar to a dog. Spot can search around your office, home, playground etc. as a normal dog usually does. Spot has some outstanding functions like it can map your environment, sense barriers, lift packages and more.
Created by: Boston Dynamics (United States)
1. Which of the following characterize Asimo?| A．Its high speed. | B．Its academic skills. |
| C．Its multi-language ability. | D．Its facial expressions. |
| A．They can detect barriers around. | B．They can carry small packages. |
| C．They can help do some housework. | D．They can change their body shapes. |
| A．Lifestyle. | B．Tech. | C．Finance. | D．Travel. |
【推荐2】What is your favorite holiday? Here are some students’ opinions.
Sandy from Taiwan says:
My favorite holiday is the Mid-Autumn Festival. I always visit my grandfather and grandmother, and we always go to the same restaurant on the mountain to hold jubilation. At night, we always have a barbecue, and watch the moon together. I enjoy it a lot.
Zhenia from Ukraine says:
My favorite day is New Year’s Day. We celebrate the new year on the 31st of December. Father Frost comes with his granddaughter on that night. He puts his presents under the New Year Tree. We have a party and stay up until midnight to see the New Year in and the Old Year off. We cook delicious food for the party. People also celebrate Old New Year in our country. It is on the 14th of January.
Yagna from India says:
My favorite day is Deepavali(屠妖节), which is also called Festival of Lights. People do some cleaning at home and light their oil lamps to thank for the defeat of the bad king. To celebrate it, we also eat sweets and delicious food, wear new clothes, and give presents to our friends and relatives.
Pat from Thailand says:
My name is Pat. My favorite holiday is Songkran. It takes place from the 13th to 15th of April. On the holiday people pour water on each other. It is a lot of fun. People also buy new clothes and they have big parties.
1. What is Sandy’s favorite holiday?| A．Deepavali. | B．New Year’s Day. |
| C．The Mid-Autumn Festival. | D．Songkran. |
| A．supper | B．game | C．exercise | D．celebration |
| A．To thank for the defeat of the bad king. |
| B．To eat sweets and delicious food. |
| C．To give presents to others. |
| D．To wear new clothes. |
【推荐3】To get a sense of how spending in my generation is different from that of my parents’, just consider one simple transaction: a utility bill. When my parents paid their utility bill, they had to take out their checkbook, put pen to paper, write a check, and then record it in their checkbook. If they did not know how much their utility bill was, they had to be purposefully ignorant.
My utility bill is paid automatically from my banking app. For me to know how much my utility bill is, I have to be purposefully diligent. And the truth is, I’m not in most cases.
Of course, I’m not just talking about utility bills here. As with most millennials (千禧一代), technology has made the payment of bills so simple that we tend to take it for granted and hardly have to think about it anymore. And that is the problem: By streamlining our personal finances, technology has also made it so much easier to ignore the costs. However, in doing so, it has broken the connection between the things we buy and the cost of having them. And it is precisely that connection that keeps our financial lives on track—making sure that we save enough and spend our money on the things that really matter.
The question now is: How do we get that connection back, without giving up the convenience that technology has brought us?
The good news is that whatever is given can be taken back. Much of the battle is simply to recognize what we have lost. The first thing is thus to be aware of how much we are spending by using personal-finance apps. These apps can categorize purchases and send you a spending report. They can detect—and warn you—if a repeated payment is going to get you in trouble. And they can send you a notification when each automatic payment is being made. These real-time tools, used together, are probably better practice than balancing a checkbook on a Saturday morning.
The fact, however, is that all of these tools require the user to make a conscious effort to sign up for these services, and to actually use them. And that is where the ”stop me before I do something foolish“ process must begin. If we millennials want to be smart about our money, it seems that we have no choice: We need to bridge that gap between what we spend and how we pay. We need to feel the connection between the value of our purchases and the effort it takes to make them.
1. The example mentioned in the first two paragraphs was meant to suggest that__________.| A．spending habits vary from generation to generation |
| B．banking apps have quickly developed in recent years |
| C．the younger generations are much lazier than their parents |
| D．the payment process has greatly changed over the past decades |
| A．handling | B．stretching |
| C．improving | D．simplifying |
| A．Out of sight, out of mind. | B．The devil is in the details. |
| C．Rome wasn’t built in a day. | D．You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. |
| A．stopping the use of automatic paying apps |
| B．setting aside a regular time to pay their bills |
| C．making the best use of personal-finance apps |
| D．thinking twice before making expensive purchases |
