A. army B. available C. displayed D. reserves E. straight F. inserted G. additional H. advocates I. initiative J. proven K. existing |
A new way to reduce poaching
Researchers are working on a pilot program backed by Russia’s Rosatom Corp to inject rhino horns (犀牛角) with radioactive material, a strategy that could discourage consumption and make it easier to detect illegal trade.
Poachers (偷猎者) killed 394 rhinos in South Africa for their horns last year, government data shows, with public and private game
Thousands of
Known as The Rhisotope Project, the new anti-poaching
“If we make it radioactive, these people will be hesitant to buy it,” Larkin said. “We’re pushing on the whole supply chain.”
Besides Russia’s state-owned nuclear company, the University of Witwatersrand, scientists and private rhino owners are involved in the project. If the method is
“Once we have developed the whole project and got to the point where we completed the proof of concept, then we will be making this whole idea
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
1. What is one suggestion for reducing waste during Christmas gift-giving, according to the passage?
A.Canceling all the gifts. | B.Applying a “one-gift” rule. |
C.Giving children less time to play. | D.Encouraging buying second-hand gifts. |
A.Buying a rare and expensive souvenir. | B.Buying a hand-made craft product. |
C.Giving something that won’t cost money. | D.Giving an experience of something new. |
A.The waste caused by Christmas gifts. |
B.The importance of buying gifts for children. |
C.The creative ideas of giving gifts to avoid waste. |
D.The negative effects of receiving too many gifts. |
A.Its regular driving practices and poor vehicles. |
B.Its lack of green spaces and air cleaners. |
C.Its excessive water pollution and rubbish. |
D.Its high air pollution and crowded roads. |
A.Establishing a high interest loan scheme. |
B.Removing outdated black and white taxis. |
C.Encouraging customers to create new ideas. |
D.Making advertisements on old vehicles. |
A.Because customers are more friendly and richer. |
B.Because all new cabs provide air-conditioning. |
C.Because all new cabs are equipped with meters. |
D.Because car manufacturers can earn extra money. |
5 . 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. |
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
8 . 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. |
9 . 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 |
10 . Do you celebrate Earth Day? There are a few things you probably don’t know about this global environmental celebration.
The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970. It has been celebrated on this day annually since. Every year people across the world come together to celebrate Earth Day. The celebration is marked by lots of different activities, from festivals to running races. Earth Day events typically have one theme in common: to show support for environmental issues and increase future generations’ awareness about the need to protect our planet.
In 1962, Gaylord Nelson began trying to convince the authorities to establish a festival about environmental protection after his election to the Senate(参议院), but he was repeatedly told that Americans were not concerned about environmental issues. As a result, Nelson focused his attention on college students. He proved authorities wrong when participants from 2,000 colleges and universities, 10,000 primary and secondary schools and hundreds of communities across the United States got together in their local communities to mark the occasion of the very first Earth Day in 1970, showing their support for environmental issues across the country. Events were focused on pollution, oil spill damage, the loss of wilderness and the extinction of wildlife.
Over the years, Earth Day has grown from local people’s efforts to a global network of environmental activity. Events can be found everywhere from tree planting activities at your local park to online Twitter parties that share information about environmental issues. Earth Day is now celebrated in 192 countries, and by billions of people around the world.
How can you get involved? The possibilities are endless. Pick up trash in your neighborhood. Go to an Earth Day festival. Make a commitment(承诺)to reduce your food waste or electricity use. Organize an event in your community. Plant a tree. Plant a garden. Visit a national park. Talk to your friends and family about environmental issues such as climate change and pollutions.
The best part? You don’t need to wait until April 22 to celebrate Earth Day. Make every day Earth Day and help to make this planet a better place for all of us to live and enjoy.
1. What can you learn about Earth Day from the passage?A.It was first celebrated around the world in 1962 thanks to Gaylord Nelson. |
B.Running races are not among the activities of Earth Day. |
C.The activities focus on environmental issues and raise the awareness of environmental protection. |
D.It is celebrated by local people from a certain region. |
A.was elected to the Senate because of his efforts to establish Earth Day. |
B.receive great support from the authorities in convincing them to set up the festival. |
C.held the first Earth Day with people from schools and communities across the country. |
D.proved that Americans didn’t care about environment. |
A.Going to an Earth Day Festival |
B.Being environmentally-friendly every day. |
C.Organizing a celebrating event in communities. |
D.Discussing environmental issues on this day. |
A.How to Celebrate Earth Day |
B.How to Organize Earth Day Events |
C.Gaylord Nelson – an Active Environmentalist |
D.Things You Don’t Know about Earth Day |