Life in the Clear
Transparent animals let light pass through their bodies the same way light passes through a window. These animals typically live between the surface of the ocean and a depth of about 3,300 feet-as far as most light can reach. Most of them are extremely delicate and can be damaged by a simple touch. Sonke Johnsen, a scientist in biology, says, “These animals live through their life alone. They never touch anything unless they’re eating it, or unless something is eating them.”
And they are as clear as glass. How does an animal become see-through? Ifs trickier than you might think.
The objects around you are visible because they interact with light. Light typically travels in a straight line. But some materials slow and scalier(散射) light bouncing it away from its original path. Others absorb light, stopping it dead in its tracks. Both scattering and absorption make a.n object look different from other objects around it, so you can see it easily.
But a transparent object doesn't absorb or scatter light, at least not very much. Light can pass through it without bending or stopping. That means a transparent object doesn't look very different from the surrounding air or water. You don't see it- you see the things behind it.
To become transparent, an animal needs to keep its body from absorbing or scattering light. Living materials can stop light because they contain pigments(色素) that absorb specific colors of light. But a transparent animal doesn’t have pigments, so its tissues won’t absorb light. According to Johnsen, avoiding absorption is actually easy. The real challenge is preventing light from scattering.
Animals are built of many different materials—skin, fat, and more—and light moves through each at a different speed. Every time light moves into a material with a new speed, it bends and scatters. Transparent animals use different tricks to fight scattering. Some animals are simply very small or extremely flat. Without much tissue to scatter light, it is easier to be see-through. Others build a large, clear mass of non-living jelly-like(果冻状的) material and spread themselves over it.
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2 . For millions of years, Arctic sea ice has expanded and shrunk in a rhythmic dance with the summer sun. Humans evolved in this icy world, and civilization relied on it for climatic, ecological and political stability. But now the world comes ever closer to a future without ice. The National Snow and Ice Data Center reported that 2019’s minimum arctic sea ice extent was the second lowest on record. Arctic summers could become mostly ice-free in 30 years, and possibly sooner if current trends continue. As the northern sea ice declines, the world must unite to preserve what remains of the Arctic.
Although most people have never seen the sea ice, its effects are never far away. By reflecting sunlight, Arctic ice acts as Earth’s air conditioner. Once dark water replaces brilliant ice, Earth could warm substantially, equivalent to the warming caused by the additional release of a trillion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere and declining sea ice threatens wildlife, from the polar bear to algae that grow beneath the sea ice, supporting the large amount of marine life.
To avoid the consequences the scientific community should advocate not just for lowering greenhouse gas emissions, but also for protecting the Arctic from exploitation. The Antarctic shows the way. In the 1950s, countries raced to claim the Antarctic continent for resources and military installations. Enter the scientists. The 1957-1958 International Geophysical Year brought together scientists from competing countries to study Antarctica, and countries temporarily suspended their territorial disputes (争议). In 1959, 12 countries signed the Antarctic Treaty to preserve the continent for peaceful scientific discovery rather than territorial and military gain.
Sixty years later, we must now save the Arctic. A new Marine Arctic Peace Sanctuary (MAPS) Treaty would protect the Arctic Ocean as a scientific preserve for peaceful purposes only. Similar to Antarctica, MAPS would prohibit resource exploitation, commercial fishing and shipping, and military exercises. So far, only 2 non-Arctic countries have signed MAPS; 97 more need to sign on to enact it into law. Scientists can help—just as they did for the Antarctic—by giving statements of support, asking scientific organizations to endorse (支持) the treaty, communicating the importance of protecting the arctic to the public and policy-makers, and above all, by convincing national leaders to sign the treaty. In particular, Arctic nations must agree that recognizing the arctic as an international preserve is better than fighting over it. In 2018, these countries successfully negotiated a 16-year moratorium on commercial fishing in the Arctic high seas, demonstrating that such agreements are possible.
Humans have only ever lived in a world topped by ice. Can we now work together to protect Arctic ecosystems, keep the northern peace, and allow the sea ice to return?
1. What can be inferred from the passage?| A．wildlife relies on sea ice for food and water. |
| B．The Arctic would be ice-free in 30 years. |
| C．Sea ice slows down the global warming. |
| D．The melting of sea ice releases CO2. |
| A．remind readers of the past of the Antarctic |
| B．propose a feasible approach for the Arctic |
| C．stress the importance of preserving sea ice |
| D．recall how the Antarctic Treaty came into being |
| A．battle | B．ban |
| C．memo | D．protection |
| A．Antarctic: a Successful Comeback? | B．Sea Ice and Global Warming |
| C．Arctic: the Earth’s Future | D．Life Without Ice? |
Landslide Injures at least 10 in Norwegian Town of Ask
A landslide (山体滑坡) has smashed into a residential area near the Norwegian capital at midnight on Dec. 30. injuring at least 10 people, leaving 21 unaccounted for and
About 700 people have been brought to safety for fear of further landslides.
The landslide cut across a road, leaving a deep gap that cars
Rescue workers continued to search the area for children and adults
Pettersen said there were no reports of missing people, but officials could not rule out the possibility
One of the injured was seriously hurt, while nine had
Norway's King Harald said the landslide had made a deep impression on him. "My thoughts are with all those who are affected, injured or have lost their homes and those who now live in fear and uncertainty of
The area in which Ask
Helicopters continued to circle over the area as night fell
"There could be people trapped ... but at the same time we can't be sure
4 . California Preps for Fire Season
WINDSOR, Calif—Grass and other vegetation have begun to cover the ash left behind when the largest blaze of the 2019 wildfire season burned the edge of this Northern California town about four months ago.
“It's not an accident that Windsor got saved,” Mayor Dominic Foppoli said. “We went through 2017. We watched it happen again in Paradise.”
Forecasters expect warmer and drier weather in California heading into spring, which could cause grasses to dry out and lead to an earlier than normal start to this year's fire season.
"We have indicators that we're drying out already," said Scott McLean, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.
| A．The season used to take off around June but has been starting earlier and earlier for the past few years. |
| B．With deadly and destructive wildfires burning every season, California communities are preparing for the worst. |
| C．Firefighters in the area were challenged by constantly shifting winds and narrow, winding roadways. |
| D．Windsor still stands because most of its residents grabbed pre-packed emergency go-bags and evacuated immediately when ordered |
| E．A few days later. Windsor officials stood roadside with signs to welcome residents back. |
| F．Many also are reconsidering building codes and emphasizing the need to create defensible spaces by limiting flammables around homes and businesses |
5 . Dandelions
I remember as a young child bringing a bunch of brilliant yellow flowers to my mother. It didn’t matter that the stems felt sticky or that both my parents cursed the presence of these flowers in the lawn. I thought they were beautiful!
And there were so many of them! We spent hours picking the flowers and then popping the blossoms off with a snap of our fingers. But the supply of dandelions (蒲公英) never ran out. My father or brothers would chop off all the heads with the lawnmower (割草机) at least once a week, but that didn't stop these hardy wonders.
And for those flowers that escaped the honor of being hand-delivered to my mother or the sharp blades of the lawnmower, there was another level of existence. The soft roundness of a dandelion gone to seed caused endless laughter of delight as we unconsciously spread this flower across the yard.
As I worked in my garden last week, pulling unwanted weeds out of the space that would become a haven for tomatoes, corn, peas and sunflowers, I again marveled at the flower that some call a weed.
And I thought, if only I had the staying power of a dandelion. If only I could stretch my roots so deep and straight that something tugging on my stem couldn’t separate me completely from the source that feeds me life. If only I could come back to face the world with a bright, sunshiny face after someone has run me over with a lawnmower or worse, purposely attacked me in an attempt to destroy me. If only I could spread love and encouragement as freely and fully as this flower spreads seeds of itself.
The lawns at my parents' home are now beautiful green blankets. The only patches of color come from well-placed, well-controlled flowerbeds. Chemicals have managed to kill what human interference couldn’t. I hope you and I can be different. I hope that we can stretch our roots deep enough that the strongest poison can't reach our souls. I hope that we can overcome the poisons of anger, fear, hate, criticism and competitiveness.
1. The author’s parents probably viewed the dandelions in the lawn as ________.| A．supplies of seeds | B．beautiful wonders |
| C．unwanted weeds | D．patches of colors |
| A．The flowers were meant as a joyful gift to her mother. |
| B．The flowers evolved into a stronger species because of frequent mowing. |
| C．The flowers were tough enough to spread new lives themselves. |
| D．The flowers that some called a weed were difficult to pull out. |
| A．The author’s family enjoyed the dandelions as much as she did. |
| B．The author purposefully replaced some dandelions with crops. |
| C．The dandelions were never successfully removed from the lawn. |
| D．The author felt sorry but encouraged by the fate of the dandelions. |
| A．share the inspirations she gained from the dandelions |
| B．arouse public awareness to pay close attention to the beauty in life |
| C．show the importance of planting dandelions |
| D．express the shame that only she saw the beauty of the dandelion |
Population Change of European Birds
The breeding bird populations in Europe have seen a great shift over the past three decades, driven by both climate crisis and human interferences, according to one of the world’s largest citizen science projects on biodiversity.
Overall, 35% of birds increased their breeding range. Dr. Iván Ramírez, senior head of conservation at BirdLife Europe and central Asia, said: “Those birds that have been legally protected have been doing better than those which are not protected. This is a really important message within the European Union. We have one of the oldest policies – the Birds Directive – and we can prove that it works.”
In addition, as the climate warms, forests are stretching into northern and agricultural regions. In parts of northern Europe, there has also been tree planting (mainly for wood and paper) and land abandonment (specifically in Mediterranean areas), which benefited many woodland species such as woodpeckers and warblers but caused damage to a number of other species as well. The research shows a total of 25% of birds now occupy a smaller area.
Generally, farmland birds are bigger losers, suffering overall declines in population and reduced distribution because agricultural intensification means there is less food, such as insects and remainder from harvesting. The State of Nature in the EU 2013-2018 assessment showed 80% of key habitats were in poor or bad condition, and intensive farming is a major driver of decline. The UK’s farmland birds have declined by 55% since 1970.
“Predictably, there are winners and losers. We can see how some species have expanded across the continent rapidly and have begun to colonize UK wetlands. In contrast, we can see ranges shrinking as species of northern Europe feel the impact of climate change, and species such as the dotterel are declining in numbers and range in northern Britain,” he said.
7 . Elephants have four distinct personalities that help their herd survive in the African bush, scientists have found.
With their grey skin, mournful eyes and slow heavy pace, you could be forgiven for thinking elephants are uniformly blue creatures. But scientists have now discovered the largest living land animals have personalities to match their size. In a new study of African elephants, researchers have identified four distinct characters that are common in a herd -- the leaders, the gentle giants, the playful rogues and the reliable plodders.
Each of the types has developed to help the giant mammals survive in their harsh environment and is almost unique in the animal kingdom, according to the scientists. Professor Phyllis Lee and her colleague Cynthia Moss studied a herd of elephants in the Amboseli National Park in Kenya known as the EB family - famous for their matriarch Echo before she died in 2009. Using data collected over 38 years of watching this group, the researchers analyzed them for 26 types of behaviors and found four personality features tended to emerge.
The strongest personality to emerge was that of the leader. Unlike other animals, where leadership tends to be won by most dominant and aggressive individual, the elephants instead respected intelligence and problem solving in their leader. Echo, the matriarch and oldest in the group, her daughter Enid, and Ella, the second oldest female, all emerged as leaders.
The playful elephants tended to be younger but were more curious and active. Eudora, a 40-year-old female in the herd, seemed to be the most playful, consistently showing this trait through out her life while playfulness in some of the other elephants declined with age.
Gentle elephants, which included two 27-year-old females Eleanor and Eliot, caressed and rubbed against others more than the others.
Those that were reliable tended to be those that were most consistent at making good decisions, helped to care for infants in the herd and were calm when faced with threats. Echo and her youngest daughter Ebony seemed to be the most reliable. Professor Less said that elephants with these features tended to be the most socially integrated in the group while those who tended to be pushy and less reliable were more likely to split from the herd.
1. The reason why elephants have four distinct personalities is that ________.| A．scientists can distinguish them from each other more easily. |
| B．the four personalities can help them survived in Africa. |
| C．the elephants will be unique in the animals kingdom. |
| D．the elephants can avoid being caught by human beings. |
| A．the researchers reached their conclusion by analyzing the data. |
| B．the research centered on the 26 types of behavior of the matriarch. |
| C．the scientists conducted the research by comparing elephants with other animals. |
| D．Professor Phyllis Lee and her colleague spent nearly 38 years tracking the herd. |
| A．mother and daughter | B．the two oldest female |
| C．the most gentle ones | D．leader and member |
| A．Not all the types can help the elephants survive in their environment. |
| B．Leadership tends to be won by the most dominant and aggressive elephant. |
| C．The playful elephants not only tended to by younger but also were more curious. |
| D．The reliable elephants are likely to rely on others to decide what to do. |
8 . Scientists in Antarctica have recorded,for the first time,unusually warm water beneath a glacier (冰川)the size of Florida that is already melting and contributing to a rise in sea levels.
The researchers,working on the Thwaites Glacier,recorded water temperatures at the base of the ice of more than 2℃,above the normal freezing point.Critically,the measurements were taken at the glacier's grounding line,the area where it transforms from resting wholly on bedrock to spreading out on the sea as ice shelves.It is unclear how fast the glacier is getting worse:Studies have forecast its total collapse in a century or in a few decades.The presence of warm water in the grounding line may support estimates at the faster range.
That is worthy of attention because the Thwaites,along with the Pine Island Glacier and several smaller glaciers, acts as a brake on part of the much larger West Antarctic Ice Sheet, which , if melted, would raise the world's oceans by more than a meter over centuries,an amount that would put many coastal cities underwater.
“Warm waters in this part of the world,as remote as they may seem,should serve as a warning to all of us about the potential terrible changes to the planet brought about by climate change,” said David Holland, director of New York University's Environmental Fluid Dynamics Laboratory.
Glaciologists have previously raised alarm over the presence of warm water melting the Thwaites from below.This is the first time,though,that warm waters have been measured at the glacier's grounding line.
To observe activity beneath the glacier,Dr.Holland's team drilled a hole -about 30 centimeters wide and 600 meters deep-from the surface to the bottom and then placed equipment that measures water temperature and ocean turbulence,or the mixing of freshwater from the glacier and salty ocean water.Collecting the data took about 96 hours in subzero weather.Warm waters beneath the Thwaites are actively melting it, the team found.
While scientists may not yet be able to definitively predict how soon glaciers like the Thwaites will melt, human-caused climate change is a key factor.The biggest predictor of “how much ice we will lose and how quickly we will lose it,”Dr.Holland said,”is human action.”
1. What does warm water found in the glacier's grounding line indicate?| A．Sea levels should be remeasured. |
| B．It may take a century for the glacier to melt. |
| C．The grounding line is getting shorter. |
| D．The glacier might disappear sooner |
| A．they hold back ice |
| B．they are extremely large |
| C．they are located at bedrocks |
| D．they are collapsing |
| A．We can predict how much ice can be kept. |
| B．Human beings are to blame for the loss of ice. |
| C．Glaciers serve a more important purpose than expected. |
| D．More data needs to be collected to support the estimates. |
| A．The efforts made to avoid the presence of warm water. |
| B．The alarm voiced on the worsening situation of glaciers. |
| C．The tools employed to measure the temperature of Antarctica. |
| D．The prediction based on a scientific study of the grounding line. |
Aunt Em dropped her work and came to the door. One glance told her of the danger close at hand. “Quick, Dorothy!” she screamed. “Run for the cellar!” Toto jumped out of Dorothy’s arms and hid under the bed, and the girl started to get him. Aunt Em, badly frightened, threw open the trap door in the floor and climbed down the ladder into the small, dark hole. Dorothy caught Toto at last and started to follow her aunt. When she was halfway across the room there came a great roar from the wind, and the house shook so hard that she lost her footing and sat down suddenly upon the floor.
Then a strange thing happened. The house circled around two or three times and rose slowly through the air. Dorothy felt as if she were going up in a balloon. It was very dark, and the wind blew horribly around her, but Dorothy found she was riding quite easily. After the first few twists and turns, and one other time when the house tipped badly, she felt as if she were being rocked gently, like a baby in a cradle (摇篮). Toto did not like it. He ran about the room, now here, now there, barking loudly; but Dorothy sat quite still on the floor and waited to see what would happen.
At last she crawled over the swinging floor to her bed, and lay down upon it; and Toto followed and lay down beside her. In spite of the swinging of the house and the crying of the wind, Dorothy soon closed her eyes and fell fast asleep.
1. What does the underlined word “cyclone” in paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．deadline | B．flood | C．monster | D．tornado |
| A．To find the puppy Toto. | B．To find shelter from the cyclone. |
| C．To protect their fortune. | D．To get tools to help Henry. |
| A．She managed to control the house. | B．She found herself flying in a balloon. |
| C．She turned baby crying loudly. | D．She remained undisturbed with Toto. |
| A．Afraid and brave. | B．Curious and tired. |
| C．Flexible and calm. | D．Excited and thrilled. |
10 . If you like to take a walk in the woods in the United States or you prefer to decorate a tree at Christmas, you should know that climate change is making both of those activities a lot more
Looking at two
Some forests in four regions in California, Colorado, the Northern Rockies and the southwestern part of the United States have crossed ''a(n)
Climate conditions over the past 20 years have
''Climate changes is
The problem probably won't get any better, as climate change is making intense wildfires much more
A higher number of fires and low seed availability means a high probability that these trees in these regions won't come back, Davis said. This study
| A．convenient | B．difficult | C．encouraging | D．frustrating |
| A．ecologically | B．apparently | C．physically | D．financially |
| A．destroyed | B．worsened | C．extended | D．established |
| A．necessary | B．enormous | C．critical | D．invisible |
| A．accelerated | B．delayed | C．eliminated | D．strengthened |
| A．transform | B．spread | C．preserve | D．escape |
| A．extinction | B．decline | C．tragedy | D．increase |
| A．sustaining | B．abandoning | C．facilitating | D．endangering |
| A．sufficient | B．limited | C．moderate | D．approximate |
| A．occasional | B．common | C．essential | D．temporary |
| A．astonishing | B．hopeless | C．costly | D．irreversible |
| A．world | B．state | C．human | D．forest |
| A．concentrated | B．depended | C．insisted | D．commented |
| A．As a result | B．For example | C．In fact | D．What’s more |
| A．savers | B．managers | C．researchers | D．advocates |
