About 97% of the world’s water is salty and is found in our oceans and seas. But, as we can’t drink sea water, how can it be important?
Every part of our seas and oceans contains an amazing number of animals that live at different ocean depths. Most of the different species of animals and fish depend on simple plants for their food. These simple plants called algae (海藻) drift near the surface of the ocean and use sunlight to turn carbon dioxide and water into food and oxygen. In fact, algae produce over half of the oxygen people breathe. How important sea water is!
Each plant or animal in our seas and oceans is an important link in a food chain. The algae are eaten in large amounts by microscopic (微小的) animals, which are in turn consumed by larger animals. These food chains are delicately balanced.
The bad news about the food chains in the oceans is that they are under threat because of man. People once thought that the oceans were so big that it didn’t matter if we dumped rubbish into them or caught huge quantities of fish and whales for food. But we now know this is not true and fish stocks in the oceans have started to drop.
Thankfully, the world is taking steps to protect the future of our oceans by introducing international agreements to protect marine habitats (海域). Most countries have introduced fishing restrictions to protect fish stocks in the oceans and new techniques are being pioneered (提倡) to cope with pollution. Finally, the importance of protecting oceans is being made known to more people. This is just the beginning of a long process to protect the oceans for our future. We depend on the oceans for fish which are an important part of the human diet. How important sea water is!
1. Which of the following is the proper order of the food chain?| A．small animals→algae→microscopic animals→large animals→man |
| B．algae→microscopic animals→large animals→larger animals→man |
| C．small animals→algae→large animals→microscopic animals→man |
| D．microscopic animals→algae→large animals→larger animals→man |
| A．wouldn’t harm the fish in the sea |
| B．would change the balance of the food chain |
| C．would be broken down in the sea |
| D．wouldn’t do much harm to the sea |
| A．most fish and sea animals live at the surface of the seas |
| B．it is very difficult to break the balance of a food chain |
| C．excessive fishing has caused the decrease in fish stocks |
| D．it won’t be long before the problems concerning oceans are solved |
| A．The use of international agreements. |
| B．Forbidding fishing to protect fish stocks. |
| C．The use of new techniques. |
| D．Raising people’s awareness of protecting the oceans. |
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【推荐1】A fisherman in northern Cambodia hooked what researchers say is the world’s largest freshwater fish — a giant stingray (黄貂鱼) that scientists know relatively little about.
The fisherman, 42, caught the 300-kilogram fish, which measured about four meters in length, near a remote island on the Mekong River in the Stung Treng area. A team of scientists from the Wonders of Mekong research project helped tag (给…装标签), measure and weigh the fish before it was released back into the river. The research group believes it was healthy when released and expects it to survive.
The tag—which emits an acoustic (声音的) signal — will allow researchers to track the fish’s movements and they hope, learn more about its species’ behavior in the Mekong.
The catch “highlights how little we know about a lot of these giant freshwater fish,” said Zeb Hogan, a fish biologist at the University of Nevada. “You have a fish that’s now the record holder for the world’s largest freshwater fish, and we know little about it.”
The fisherman, Moul Thun, caught the giant stingray with a hook and line on the evening of June 13, and then contacted researchers the next morning.
Researchers with the Wonders of Mekong were already in northern Cambodia to install underwater receivers as part of a project to track migratory fish in the river.
“It’s a particularly healthy stretch of the river with a lot of deep pools — pools up to 90 meters deep,” said Hogan, who is also the host of National Geographic’s “Monster Fish” television series. “We started focusing on this area as a stretch of river that’s particularly important for biodiversity and fisheries, and as a last refuge (避难所) for these big species.”
For several months, the research group has been in contact with local fishermen, asking them to get in touch if they landed a significant catch. The group has helped with two other large giant freshwater stingray releases in recent months. The fisherman who caught the record fish was paid market price for his catch. “It works because the fish is not a highly prized food fish,” Hogan said.
Hogan said little is known about the giant freshwater stingray. The creature has a mouth about “the size of a banana” with no teeth, but with “gripping pads” used to crush (压碎) prey. “They’re on the bottom finding shrimps, mollusks and small fish. They can suck them up with this banana-shaped mouth and crush them,” he said.
1. What did the scientists use the tag to do?| A．To enable the freshwater fish to survive. |
| B．To record the sound of the freshwater fish. |
| C．To be informed of the freshwater fish’s health. |
| D．To help them know more about the freshwater fish. |
| A．Optimistic. | B．Regretful. | C．Indifferent. | D．Proud. |
| A．Their depth can hardly be measured. |
| B．They are too deep to explore in detail. |
| C．There is a special TV show about them. |
| D．They are likely home to big species. |
| A．To discover highly prized food fish. |
| B．To sell their big catch at a lower price. |
| C．To report their unusual catch in time. |
| D．To show respect for the significant catch. |
【推荐2】Different weather makes people feel different. It influences (影响) health, intelligence (智力) and feelings.
In August, it is very hot and wet in the southern part of the United States.
The weather can also influence intelligence. For example, in a 1983 report by scientists, IQ (智商) of a group students were very high when a very strong wind came, but after the strong wind, their IQ was 10% lower.
Weather also has a strong influence on people’s feelings. Winter may be a bad time for thin people. They usually feel cold during these months. They might feel unhappy during cold weather.
Low air pressure (气压) may make people forgetful.
Are you feeling sad, tired, forgetful, or unhappy today?
| A．It may be the weather’s problem. |
| B．Warm weather can have a bad effect on health. |
| C．The wind can help people have higher intelligence. |
| D．But fat people may have a hard time in hot weather. |
| E．People may have higher intelligence when low air pressure comes. |
| F．People leave more bags on buses and in shops on low-pressure days. |
| G．People there have heart trouble and other kinds of health problems during this month. |
【推荐3】Ocean food plays a very important part in our food supply. Not so long ago, the world’s oceans were filled with different types of fish. Now, a large increase in global overfishing has threatened that supply.
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, 90 percent of the world’s fisheries (渔场) are either being fully exploited (开发), or are at risk of being closed down.
With fish supplies running out at home, fishermen are traveling further to find their catch. Frequently, fishermen are crossing over into other countries. As fish supplies closer to their homeland’s shores are decreasing fishermen cross borders to find fish.
Overfishing can be found everywhere, from Mexican fishing boats off the US coast of Florida to Russian fishing boats in the western Bering Sea. However, the effect is felt the strongest in the South China Sea.
On the other side of the world, West Africa is now seeing malign effects of overfishing. For coastal African countries, such as Senegal, the fishing industry is a large part of the national economy. The World Bank reports nearly 20 percent of the Senegalese are working in the fishing industry. Rashid Sumaila is the Director of Fisheries Economic Research at the University of British Columbia. He says communities that depend on fish for income and food, like Senegal, are now at risk.
1. Why do fishermen cross borders to catch fish?| A．Because they want to protect the environment. |
| B．Because they want to enjoy the overseas scenery. |
| C．Because fish supplies in their countries are decreasing. |
| D．Because fishing is not allowed in their own countries. |
| A．In Russia. | B．In the South China Sea. |
| C．Off the US coast of Florida. | D．In the western Bering Sea. |
| A．Harmful. | B．Satisfying. |
| C．Hopeful. | D．Beneficial. |
| A．Most people in Africa will be out of work. |
| B．The World Bank will lend money to fishermen. |
| C．Rashid Sumaila is unconcerned about overfishing. |
| D．Overfishing has some bad effects on African people. |
In 2019, the state of California was on fire. Alexandria Villaseor, who was 13 at the time, witnessed the destruction of Northern California’s Camp Fire, which would go on to burn more than 150,000 acres of land. Villaseor was scared. “That’s when I found out how important climate education was,” she reflected. “And just how much we lacked climate education these past couple of years.”
Villaseor, at the age of 15, was determined to have a bigger conversation. She quickly realized the fight requires international, government-level changes. For her, what started as local concern turned into a year-long protest in front of the United Nations’ New York City headquarters and a global campaign for more compulsory climate education. She sat on a bench in front of the headquarters, begging for the world’s leaders to take climate change seriously.
Her action received national attention, with millions of other students around the world joining in the movement. “It’s completely unacceptable not to learn anything about our planet and our environment in school, after all the young people would inherit the Earth.” Villaseor said, “That’s why I think that climate education is so important, and that’s why I focus a lot on it now.”
Right now, Villaseor is working with the American Administration on its climate plan, which has promised to center on the needs of young people and communities most impacted by climate change. She even spoke at the 2021 Democratic National Convention. “This was definitely a huge moment when I realized that people were listening to the voices of me and youth climate activists.” Villaseor said.
When she isn’t connecting with her fellow youth activists, Villaseor is like most other teens. “My favorite thing to do, of course, is sleep,” she said, “I like to read a lot. I like fantasy books, normally. I also like to write.”
1. What does Paragraph 1 mainly tell us? (no more than 10 words)2. How did Villaseor make the world’s leaders attach importance to climate education? (no more than 15 words)
3. How do you understand the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3? (no more than 15 words)
4. When was the huge moment to Villaseor? (no more than10 words)
5. What do you think of Villaseor? Please explain in your own words? (no more than 20 words)
【推荐2】U. S. government officials have approved meat that is grown from cells in a laboratory to be sold in restaurants and food stores.
Companies have been developing “lab-grown” meat for years. But the California-based companies Upside Foods and Good Meat are the first to have their products approved by the Department of Agriculture. Chicken is the only “lab-grown” meat permitted in the United States. However, lab-grown meat from cattle, pigs and sheep might be available soon.
Production of meat grown in a laboratory begins by taking cells from fertilized eggs. The cells are combined with nutrients that support their growth in steel tanks. Upside Foods’s lab-grown meat is created in large sheets, which are then formed into final products. Good Meat transforms cells into several chicken products.
Lab-grown meat is different from plant-based meat such as Impossible Burgers. Those products are made from plant materials. Researchers consider lab-grown meat to be “real” meat. Company representatives say the lab-grown chicken seems like real meat. Amy Chen is Upside Foods’ chief operating officer. She told the Associated Press, “The most common response we get is, ‘Oh, it tastes like chicken.’”
Upside Foods has stated that they only can produce 22, 680 kilograms of lab-grown meat a year. Officials expect the price of lab-grown meat to be about $44 per kilogram. At such a price, only rich people will be able to purchase lab-grown meat. Therefore, it will not be available in grocery stores any time soon. Restaurants are expected to begin serving “lab-grown” meat within two to five years. Experts say it might be available in supermarkets in 7 to 10 years.
Ricardo San Martin, director of the Alt: Meat Lab told the Associated Press, “If some high-end or wealthy people want to eat this instead of a chicken, it’s good.” Then he added, “Will that mean you will feed chicken to poor people? I honestly don’t see it.”
Supporters of lab-grown meat say it does not require killing or hurting animals. They also say it helps diminish and ease the effects that feeding animals and animal waste have on the environment. But Martin said that if too little is produced, and only a small number of people eat it, it will have little effect on the environment.
1. What does the third paragraph mainly talk about on lab-grown meat?| A．Its growing process. | B．Its main component. |
| C．Its drawback. | D．Its characteristics. |
| A．Because it’s tasteless. | B．Because it’s costly. |
| C．Because it’s harmful. | D．Because it’s unprofitable. |
| A．Conserve. | B．Anticipate. | C．Tackle. | D．Decrease. |
| A．Its safety. | B．Its popularity. | C．Its output. | D．Its potential. |
【推荐3】One million species face extinction, more than ever before in human history, according to a UN report released in May. And humans should be responsible.
The researchers based the assessment (评估) on some 15,000 sources considering the causes and results of environmental changes over the past 50 years.
The findings are clear and alarming. The researchers have found that about 25 percent of the world’s plants and animals are at risk of extinction. These include sea and land animals. Even the domesticated (驯养的) animals are at risk: Over 9 percent of the domesticated animal species used for food and agriculture might have been lost.
There are some big problems. This rapid decrease of the natural world endangers global food safety and quality of life. For example, about 4 billion people rely on natural medicines, produced by the disappearing species, for their health care.
The researchers identified five drivers responsible for the bad news. They think at the top of the list is the change of land and sea use. The change in ecosystems towards agriculture, aquaculture and other human developments has led to changes in the natural living space of species. It is followed by the direct overuse of creatures (harvesting crops, cutting down the trees, hunting and fishing) and climate change, including rising sea levels and increasing extreme-weather events, wildfires, floods and droughts. The final causes of species extinction are pollution, especially plastics, and the spread of non-native species that can kill native plants and animals. In fact, good ecosystems can promote the growth of species.
The researchers say it is time for humans to act. They think maybe a new global way to save food and refuse waste in our life can turn the tables. Whether that is possible is an open question.
1. What is the main purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To introduce the topic of the text. | B．To introduce the schedule of the report. |
| C．To introduce humans’ sense of responsibility. | D．To introduce the history of human development. |
| A．The reliability of the findings. | B．The species of animals worldwide. |
| C．The seriousness of species’ reduction. | D．The risky experiences of the researchers. |
| A．Narrow. | B．Interdependent. | C．Competitive. | D．Unrelated. |
| A．Change the situations. | B．Ask the open questions. |
| C．Pollute the environments. | D．Turn the tables upside and down. |
【推荐1】Educational products are important to the toy industry. In recent years, parents have shown an interest in STEM-related toys—ones that help teach Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
But now, toymakers are working to create products for improving a child’s emotional intelligence. These toys reportedly not only help raise intelligence in children, but also their emotional quotient, or EQ. Intelligence includes intrapersonal skills—processing information within one’s mind—and interpersonal skills, or dealing with other people. Some toys have been made with the purpose of having a child act as a teacher or guide to a companion character.
There is an educational robot called Woobo. If you ask the hairy green robot, “Hi, what’s your name?” With a childlike voice, the toy will answer, “Are you trying to trick me? My name is Woobo.” The robot comes programmed with educational games and activities. Children use its touchscreen face to get them started. Toys that work as companions also aid in social development. Woobo can help a child who has autism spectrum disorder (自闭症谱系障碍). The child can communicate with Woobo and he can follow some of the instructions Woobo is giving because he thinks of this as a companion instead of a parent or someone else telling him to do certain things.
A more low-tech companion is a toy animal called Manimo. The manufacturer says this toy can help reduce hyperactivity in children and improve their ability to pay attention to a subject. Whether it’s a snake, dolphin or other animal, Manimos can be placed across a child’s arm, chest or neck.
The manufacturer explained that adding deep pressure to the body can help calm a child before bedtime. “The purpose of all of our products is to develop emotional and social intelligence,” he said.
It remains to be seen whether a game or toy can improve emotional intelligence. But toymakers are doing what they can to help parents in their efforts to raise well-rounded (多才多艺的) children.
1. According to the passage, STEM-related toys are helpful in ______.| A．raising a child’s intelligence |
| B．making a child become a teacher |
| C．increasing a child’s interest in Science |
| D．developing a child’s ability to process information |
| A．Work as a companion to teach a child to be well-rounded. |
| B．Play tricks on the children and make them happy. |
| C．Help a child overcome his behavioral problems. |
| D．Work as a parent to look after a child at home. |
| A．The desire to play with toys. | B．The chance to get a companion. |
| C．The potential for keeping calm. | D．The difficulty in staying focused. |
| A．The function of an educational robot needs to be proved. |
| B．Toymakers are doing great business to meet parents’ demand. |
| C．Many types of toy robots have been invented to help children grow. |
| D．With the help of toy robots, children can develop all kinds of skills. |
【推荐2】One sheep, two sheep. Wait, why are we counting sheep again? Counting sheep to fall asleep is a method that seems to be as old as time. But have you ever stopped to think about why they’re sheep? Why not cats? Or dogs?
While the origin of why people count sheep to fall asleep has no exact root, there’re a few guesses. The most popular belief, according to Mental Floss, has to do with shepherds in Britain in Middle Ages. Apparently, if shepherds used communal grazing land (公共牧场), they were responsible to keep a headcount of their sheep each night So before going to sleep, they counted their sheep to ensure they were all accounted for.
But at least one book claims the link between sheep and sleep goes back even further, reports Mental Floss. “A chapter in Disciplina Clericalis suggests that counting sheep has already been part of certain cultures for centuries.”
So does counting sheep to fall asleep actually work? Apparently, you might want to seek other options first. “Involving the brain in a relaxing, repetitive task slows the mind, and stops our racing stressful thoughts from taking over,” says Hilary Thompson, a health consultant. “Unfortunately, counting sheep isn’t one of these helpful tasks. Researchers at Oxford University put it to the test and discovered that subjects who pictured running waterfalls and rivers could fall asleep more quickly.”
In addition to picturing something relaxing, breathing techniques also tend to be very effective sleeping aids. “I prefer to teach patients the breath work,” says Dr Elizabeth Trattner. “Breath in through the nose for a count of 4, hold for 7 and make a whooshing noise out for the count of 8. This breathing technique resets the body, and lowers both stress and anxiety.”
1. Before going to bed, why did shepherds count sheep?| A．To learn to count numbers. |
| B．To help fall asleep quickly. |
| C．To make all sheep were there. |
| D．To play games with other shepherds. |
| A．Counting sheep has a long history. |
| B．The book was written for a long time. |
| C．Counting sheep was quite interesting. |
| D．The book describes life of shepherds. |
| A．It is helpful to sleep. | B．It doesn’t work very well. |
| C．It increases sleep time. | D．It makes mind relaxing. |
| A．Listening to soft music. | B．Picturing water running. |
| C．Imagining relaxing things. | D．Applying breathing techniques. |
【推荐3】Companies are developing drone(无人机) delivery services. In 2013, Amazon, an online retailer, announced an experimental drone delivery service. Packages containing anything from toothpaste to a new smartphone would arrive at your front door by drone.The drone would land, drop your parcel, and fly away. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said at the time that the service would take four or five years to develop. But it’s been a little more than 10 years. “It will continue to take time.” Amazon added.
Widespread drone delivery could have a huge impact. But as Amazon’s struggles show, there are plenty of challenges, including the need for more warehouses(仓库) and concerns about airspace safety.
Alphabet, the parent company of Google, also has a drone delivery service called Wing. James Ryan Burgess is Wing’s CEO. You can imagine a future where there are delivery drone aircraft spread throughout a city, he says. Those aircraft can serve the community whenever somebody has a need to receive or send a package.
Wing’s drones can wirelessly charge at a landing pad when they return from a delivery. Routes are determined based on factors such as distance, and airspace rules. Deliveries are dropped in front of homes, which means human interaction(互动) is unnecessary.
Samaras is a professor at Carnegie Mellon University. He says that drone delivery could impact flying wildlife. And if drone delivery increases, providers will need space to ship and maintain drones. That means more warehouses. You have to heat, light, and power those warehouses. And that amount of energy reduces the benefits. This leads to an important question that people need to ask themselves: Do we want hundreds or thousands of drones over all of our cities?
1. What do we know about Amazon’s drone delivery services?| A．It won’t be put into market. | B．It has brought in a huge profit. |
| C．It hasn’t developed as expected. | D．It is well-received by customers. |
| A．Their influences. | B．Their advantages. |
| C．Their difficulties. | D．Their functions. |
| A．The regular routes. | B．The wireless chargers. |
| C．No human interaction. | D．The air space rules. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Unclear. | C．Curious. | D．Doubtful. |
