1 . The cultivation of plants by ants is more widespread than previously realized, and has evolved on at least 15 separate occasions.
There are more than 200 species of ant in the Americas that farm fungi (真菌) for food, but this trait evolved just once sometime between 45 million and 65 million years ago. Biologists regard the cultivation of fungi by ants as true agriculture appearing earlier than human agriculture because it meets four criteria: the ants plant the fungus, care for it, harvest it and depend on it for food.
By contrast, while thousands of ant species are known to have a wide variety of interdependent relationships with plants, none were regarded as true agriculture. But in 2016, Guillaume Chomicki and Susanne Renner at the University of Munich, Germany, discovered that an ant in Fungi cultivates several plants in a way that meets the four criteria for true agriculture.
The ants collect the seeds of the plants and place them in cracks in the bark of trees. As the plants grow, they form hollow structures called domain that the ants nest in. The ants defecate (排便) at designated absorptive places in these domain, providing nutrients for the plant. In return, as well as shelter, the plant provides food in the form of fruit juice.
This discovery prompted Chomicki and others to review the literature on ant-plant relationships to see if there are other examples of plant cultivation that have been overlooked. “They have never really been looked at in the framework of agriculture,” says Chomicki, who is now at the University of Sheffield in the UK. “It’s definitely widespread.”
The team identified 37 examples of tree-living ants that cultivate plants that grow on trees, known as epiphytes (附生植物). By looking at the family trees of the ant species, the team was able to determine on how many occasions plant cultivation evolved and roughly when. Fifteen is a conservative estimate, says Campbell. All the systems evolved relatively recently, around 1million to 3 million years ago, she says.
Whether the 37 examples of plant cultivation identified by the team count as true agriculture depends on the definitions used. Not all of the species get food from the plants, but they do rely on them for shelter, which is crucial for ants living in trees, says Campbell. So the team thinks the definition of true agriculture should include shelter as well as food.
1. According to biologists, why is ant-fungus cultivation considered as a form of true agriculture?A.Because it occurred earlier than human agriculture. |
B.Because it fulfills the standards typical of agricultural practices. |
C.Because it redefines the four criteria for true human agriculture. |
D.Because it is less common than previously thought. |
A.They determined on new family trees of the ant species. |
B.They overlooked some tree-living ants that provided nutrients for the plants. |
C.They never studied the ant-plant relationships within the context of agriculture. |
D.They never identified any an t species that engaged in cultivation of fungi. |
A.Ants’ cultivation of plants is limited to a few specific species. |
B.The cultivation of fungi by ants is considered the earliest form of agriculture. |
C.True agriculture in ants involves only food-related interactions with plants. |
D.Ants have independently cultivated plants on at least 15 distinct occasions. |
A.The evolution of ants in the plant kingdom. |
B.The widespread occurrence of ant-plant cultivation. |
C.The discovery of a new ant species engaging in agriculture. |
D.The contrast between ant agriculture and human agriculture. |
2 . As humanity has got richer, animal’s roles have changed. People need their services less than before. Fewer wolves and thieves meant less demand for dogs for protection; the internal combustion engine(内燃机)made horses unneeded; modern sanitation(卫生设备)kept rats in check and made cats less useful. No longer necessities, domestic animals became luxuries. Pet-keeping seems to kick in when household incomes rise above roughly $5,000. It is booming.
The trend is not a new one. Archaeologists(考古学家)have found 10,000-year-old graves in which dogs and people are buried together. Some cultures -- such as in Scandinavia, where dogs have long been both working dogs and companions -- have kept pets for thousands of years. But these days the pet-keeping urge has spread even to parts of the world which have no tradition of sinking into a comfortable chair with a furry creature.
The pet business is growing even faster than pet numbers, because people are spending more and more money on them. No longer are they food - waste - recyclers, fed with the remains that fall from their masters’ tables. Pet - food shelves are full of delicacies crafted to satisfy a range of appetites, including ice cream for dogs and foods for pets that are old, diabetic or suffer from sensitive digestion; a number of internet services offer food, tailored to the pet’s individual tastes.
In the business this is called “pet humanisation” -- the tendency of pet owners to treat their pets as part of the family. This is evident in the names given to dogs, which have evolved from Fido, Rex and Spot to -- in America -- Bella, Lucy and Max. It is evident in the growing market for pet clothing, pet grooming and pet hotels.
People still assume that pets must be working for humanity in some way, perhaps making people healthier or less anxious. But the evidence for that is weak. Rather, new research suggests that dogs have evolved those irresistible “puppy - dog eyes” precisely to affect human emotions. It has worked. The species that once enslaved others now works very hard to pay for the care of its pets. Sentimental(多愁善感的)Americans often refer to themselves not as cat-owners but as the cat’s “mommy” or “daddy”. South Koreans go one further, describing themselves as cat “butlers”. Watch an unlucky dog-walker trailing “his” hound(猎犬), plastic bag in hand to pick up its mess, and you have to wonder: who’s in charge now?
1. Which of the following trends is NOT TRUE according to the passage?A.People’s needs for animal services are decreasing. |
B.Both the pet number and the pet business are growing. |
C.Pets are increasingly making their owners less anxious. |
D.Pet foods are more various and customized than before. |
A.The names given to pets in American families nowadays. |
B.Pet’s inbuilt ability to affect emotions of their owners. |
C.Human beings ever rising urge for pet-keeping. |
D.Pet’s roles as both working staff and companions. |
A.Pets should be treated as equals of their human masters. |
B.Human beings are getting much benefit from their pets. |
C.Pet-keeping is still restricted within certain parts of the world. |
D.Some pet owners spend too much money on their pets. |
A.The Changing Roles of Animals | B.The Urge for Pet-keeping |
C.Who Owns Whom | D.Love Me, Love My Dog |
3 . City air is in a sorry state. It is dirty and hot. Outdoor pollution kills 4.2m people a year, according to the World Health Organization. Concrete and tarmac, meanwhile, absorb the sun’s rays rather than reflecting them back into space, and also
A possible answer to the twin problems of pollution and heat is trees. Their leaves may destroy at least some chemical pollutants and they certainly
To cool an area effectively, trees must be planted in quantity. Two years ago, researchers at the University of Wisconsin found that American cities need 40% tree
One group of botanists believe they have at least a partial
Dr Miyawaki’s insight was to deconstruct and rebuild the process of ecological succession, by which
Dr Miyawaki has
If your goal is to better your
A.thrive | B.nourish | C.displace | D.raise |
A.assessment | B.maintenance | C.spread | D.replacement |
A.release | B.trap | C.reflect | D.dissolve |
A.attraction | B.shadow | C.interaction | D.shade |
A.consumption | B.coverage | C.interval | D.conservation |
A.blessed | B.lined | C.piled | D.fascinated |
A.treatment | B.obstacle | C.warning | D.solution |
A.unnoticed | B.unpromising | C.untested | D.unfading |
A.criticism | B.favor | C.sponsor | D.anxiety |
A.bare | B.graceful | C.faint | D.mysterious |
A.highlights | B.skips | C.improves | D.pushes |
A.accessed | B.spotted | C.supervised | D.ranked |
A.disturbing | B.balancing | C.following | D.reducing |
A.for example | B.in essence | C.on the other hand | D.after all |
A.suburban | B.leisure | C.scenic | D.immediate |
4 . Everybody loves to hate invasive species. The international list of invasive species—defined as those that were introduced by humans to new places, and then
Some things that are uncontroversial (无争议的) are nonetheless foolish. With a few important exceptions, campaigns to
Start with the practical arguments. Most invasive species are neither terribly successful nor very
The philosophical reason for starting war on the invaders is also
A reasonable attitude to invaders need not imply passivity. A few foreign species are truly
A.multiplied | B.shrunk | C.disappeared | D.harvested |
A.conserve | B.eliminate | C.investigate | D.prioritize |
A.healthy | B.intentional | C.harmful | D.profitable |
A.As a result | B.For example | C.By contrast | D.In fact |
A.attraction | B.dominance | C.annoyance | D.substitute |
A.increases | B.destroys | C.reveals | D.targets |
A.oppressed | B.disturbed | C.cultivated | D.preserved |
A.acceptable | B.needless | C.mistaken | D.convincing |
A.fueled | B.organized | C.interrupted | D.greeted |
A.civilization | B.interference | C.interaction | D.maintenance |
A.tolerable | B.impossible | C.beneficial | D.critical |
A.reluctant | B.disorderly | C.invalid | D.unbalanced |
A.damaging | B.flexible | C.doubtful | D.outstanding |
A.pick up | B.take in | C.keep out | D.turn down |
A.agriculture | B.vegetation | C.atmosphere | D.nature |
5 . Though people have discussed the relationship between science and nature for many years, there is no consensual(统一的) explanation. While some view science as a powerful tool in
Despite the different presentations of the concepts, though time separated the two men, both pieces express a similar view on the relationship between science and nature. Both pieces suggest that nature is
As Commoner’s article suggests, nature only allows science to have limited power and success. Both men believe that complete trust in science is
Commoner’s article clearly represents science as weak and useless, but more importantly, dangerous. It gives evidence to support the suggested dangers
A.building | B.defining | C.showing | D.uncovering |
A.concerns | B.views | C.findings | D.achievements |
A.interests | B.ambitions | C.discoveries | D.thoughts |
A.preventing | B.earning | C.destroying | D.breaking |
A.mysterious | B.powerful | C.fantastic | D.special |
A.prosperity | B.perfection | C.improvement | D.integrity |
A.beliefs | B.experiences | C.actions | D.attempts |
A.disappointing | B.meaningful | C.useless | D.significant |
A.throws | B.expresses | C.holds | D.casts |
A.improper | B.unbelievable | C.dangerous | D.unwise |
A.reforms | B.failures | C.experiments | D.changes |
A.controlled | B.digested | C.shared | D.applied |
A.question | B.doubt | C.hope | D.use |
A.provided | B.supplied | C.associated | D.compared |
A.directly | B.especially | C.definitely | D.necessarily |
6 . Reducing the workweek to four days could have a climate benefit. In addition to improving the well-being of workers, cutting working hours may reduce carbon emissions. But those benefits would depend on a number of factors, experts emphasize, including how people choose to spend nonworking time.
Commuting and travel
Transportation is the biggest contributor to greenhouse emissions. A November 2021 survey of 2,000 employees and 500 business leaders in the United Kingdom found that if all organizations introduced a four-day week, the reduced trips to work would decrease travel overall by more than 691 million miles a week.
But the climate benefits of less commuting could be eliminated, experts said, if people choose to spend their extra time off traveling, particularly if they do so by car or plane.
Energy usage
Shorter working hours could lead to reductions in energy usage, experts said. According to a 2006 paper, if the United States adopted European work standards, the country would consume about 20 percent less energy.
Energy could also be conserved if fewer resources are needed to heat and cool large office buildings, reducing demands on electricity. For example, if an entire workplace shuts down on the fifth day, that would help lower consumption — less so if the office stays open to accommodate employees taking different days off.
Lifestyle changes
It’s possible that fewer working hours may lead some people to have a larger carbon footprint, but experts say research suggests that most people are likely to shift toward more sustainable lifestyles.
One theory is that people who work more and have less free time tend to do things in more carbon-intensive ways, such as choosing faster modes of transportation or buying prepared foods. Convenience is often carbon-intensive and people tend to choose convenience when they're time-stressed. Meanwhile, some research suggests that those who work less are more likely to engage in traditionally low-carbon activities, such as spending time with family or sleeping.
“When we talk about the four-day workweek and the environment, we focus on the tangible, but actually, in a way, the biggest potential benefit here is in the intangible,” experts said.
1. What is identified as the leading cause of greenhouse emissions according to the passage?A.The well-being of employees. |
B.The conservation of energy. |
C.Commuting and travel. |
D.The European work standard. |
A.People will have big potential in achieving intangible benefits while working. |
B.People are more likely to engage in carbon-intensive activities due to time constraints. |
C.People may shift toward more sustainable lifestyles and lower carbon footprints. |
D.People may travel more frequently by car or plane during their extra time off. |
A.highlight the importance of shortening working time in the context of well-being |
B.provide an overview of transportation emissions worldwide |
C.analyze the impact of reduced working hours on mode of business |
D.illustrate factors affecting the climate benefits of a shorter workweek |
In a bid to control the nation’s growing problem with food wastage, the South Korean government has started a unique initiative – “Pay as You Trash”. As of now, the South Korean government has three methods
The second billing method is through pre-paid garbage bags. These specially designed bags are priced based on volume. There’s also an electronic management system,
Every household in South Korea is subject to one of these payment systems.
And it’s working. Residents like Seoul housewife Ms. Kwan have found it necessary to adopt innovative methods to avoid food waste. She picks
Beethov-hen’s first symphony
On a grey Friday morning at a Hawke’s Bay farm, members of New Zealand’s symphony orchestra dressed in black to perform their latest composition in front of a large crowd.
The music contained many marks of traditional classical music, but as it began, the instruments started to make loud, rough sounds more commonly
However, no feathers were angered by this departure from tradition,
The piece of music – Chook Symphony No.1 –
“We’ve been playing classical music for the chickens for some years now because
Research has shown animals can respond positively to classical music, and chickens are particularly responsive to baroque (巴洛克风格), according to some studies.
The composer, Hamish Oliver,
The early stages of composition were spent
“They didn’t like any big banging,” Bostock said, adding that when the birds respond positively to the music, they tend
For Oliver, having input from the farmers about
The symphony has searched exhaustively
How Do Avalanches Happen
If you’re ever skiing in the mountains, you’ll want to be aware of avalanches. An avalanche is a sudden flow of snow down a slope, such as a mountain. The amount of snow in an avalanche
Avalanches
Avalanches usually occur during the winter and spring,
(occur). When over a foot of fresh snow falls, experts know to be on the lookout for avalanches. Explosives can be used in places
When deadly avalanches do occur, the moving snow can quickly reach over 80 miles per hour. Skiers caught in such avalanches can be buried under dozens of feet of snow.
If you get tossed about by an avalanche and find yourself
Experts suggest that people caught in an avalanche try to dig around you
10 . Mary kept tossing and turning in her sleeping bag. It was late in the night. She had been a school counsellor in the summer camp for a year now. She took care of young children who were as young as seven. That night, she was having a bad dream. In it, she was running desperately towards a river. She kept shouting, “Fire!”
Mary was awake. She realized that she had been shouting in her sleep. Suddenly, she smelled smoke. Then she saw shadows dancing against the walls of the tent. Mary jumped up and hurried to the opening in the tent. A tree was on fire! Fanned by the wind, the fire leaped up hungrily to devour everything in its path. It was going to spread to the tents very soon.
Time was of essence so Mary pulled the four children instantly out of their sleeping bags. “Fire! Fire!” She yelled, as loudly as she could.” Wake up! Get up!” After that, Mary ran back to her tent and grabbed all the sleeping bags she could carry. By then, everyone had emerged from their tents. Their faces were etched with confusion. Mary took the youngest child by the hand. Knowing that the sleeping bags would be useful, Mary pulled them along. Everyone quickly but calmly followed her. They held on to each other, in solemn silence.
After they ran to the river, Mary pulled the children into the water. Then she got into it herself. She dragged the sleeping bags in. She pushed them under the water until they were soaked. Mary was not surprised that all the trees were on fire. It had been an extremely hot season and everything in the forest was dry. Soon, they saw many animals racing to the river. Deer, rabbits and squirrels splashed into it. By then, the fire roared. Mary and other adults grabbed the wet sleeping bags and pulled them over the children’s heads.
Everything around them was bright orange and the sleeping bags had to stay wet. They made a final effort to splash water over all the sleeping bags and hid under the water.
The heat and smoke finally ended. Mary raised her head and looked around. To her relief, all the children had escaped unhurt. People all called out, “You saved our lives.” Mary suddenly thought of the dream she had.
1. The underlined word devour is closest in meaning to ________.A.brighten | B.destroy | C.evaluate | D.refuse |
A.Because some children were still in the bags |
B.Because these sleeping bags were expensive. |
C.Because the bags could protect them against fire in the water. |
D.Because bags could be used to put out the fire. |
A.Because someone set the fire. | B.Because there were no fire fighters. |
C.Because it was rather try. | D.Because animals worsened the fire. |