1 . The climate crisis may lead the human race to decrease in size, as mammals (哺乳动物) with smaller bodies appear better able to deal with rising global temperatures, a leading fossil expert said.
Prof Steve Brusatte, a palaeontologist (古生物学家) at the University of Edinburgh, suggested that the way in which other mammals have previously responded to periods of climate change could offer an insight into humans’ future.
He compared the potential situation of people as similar to that of early horses, which became smaller in body size as temperatures rose around 55m years ago, a period called the Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum.
Writing in The Rise and Reign of the Mammals, Brusatte notes that animals in warmer parts of the world today are often smaller than those in colder areas, an ecological principle known as Bergmann’s rule. “The reasons are not entirely understood, but it is probably, in part, because smaller animals have a higher surface area compared to their size than bigger animals and can thus better get rid of extra heat” he writes.
Brusatte said that becoming smaller was “a common way that mammals deal with climate change”. He added, “That’s not to say every species of mammal would get smaller, but it seems to be a common survival trick of mammals when temperatures spike pretty quickly, which does raise the question: if temperatures do spike really quickly, might humans dwarf, might humans get smaller? And I think that’s certainly convincing.”
In a recent study, researchers studying human remains over the past million years have also suggested that temperature is a major predictor of body size variation, while scientists studying red deer have said that warmer winters in northern Europe and Scandinavia may lead to the body size of these animals becoming smaller.
However, not all experts agree that rising temperature causes mammals to decease. Prof Adrian Lister, of the Natural History Museum in London, said the relationship shown by the recent human remains study is weak, while the strong relationship between temperature and mammal body size may often result from the availability of food and resources.
Lister doubts whether humans will shrink as the climate heats. “We are not really controlled by natural selection,” he said. “If that was going to happen, you’d need to find large people dying before they could reproduce because of climate warming. That is not happening in today’s world. We wear clothes, we have got heating, we have got air conditioning if it is too hot.”
1. According to the passage, the early horses got smaller in body size .| A．to keep cool | B．to save food |
| C．to keep warm | D．to avoid being killed |
| A．Rise | B．Drop | C．Balance | D．Change |
| A．Every species of mammal would get smaller as the temperature goes up. |
| B．Animals in warmer areas are definitely smaller than those in colder areas. |
| C．Smaller animals have a higher surface area and so they can cool down quickly. |
| D．The change of Mammals’ body size is closely related to their food and other resources. |
| A．Climate Change Causes Natural Disasters. | B．Climate Change Leads to Heated Discussions. |
| C．Climate Change Causes Changes in Body Size. | D．Climate Change Leads to Changed Lifestyle. |
2 . Many people have long believed that bright lights draw, or attract flying insects. But that is not exactly what is going on, a new study suggests.
Researchers believe that artificial lights at night may cause problems with flying insects’ natural navigation systems. As a result, the creatures fly in confusion around porch lamps, street lights and other artificial lights. “Insects have a navigational problem,” said Tyson Hedrick of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He added, “They’re accustomed to using light as a cue (提示) to know which way is up.”
Insects do not fly directly toward a light source, but actually “tilt their backs toward the light,” said Sam Fabian of Imperial College London. Fabian was a co-writer of the study that appeared recently in Nature Communications. This tilting action would make sense if the strongest light source was in the sky. But in the presence of artificial lights, the result is midair confusion.
For the study, researchers attached very small sensors to moths and dragonflies in a laboratory. They then filmed “motion-capture” video of flight — similar to how filmmakers attach sensors to actors to follow their movements. Researchers also used high-resolution cameras to film insects flying around lights at a field in Costa Rica. Such films permitted researchers to study in detail how dragonflies circle endlessly around light sources, positioning themselves with their backs facing the light. Researchers also documented that some insects fly upside down — and often crash land — in the presence of lights that shine straight upward like search lights. Insect flight was least disrupted by bright lights that shine straight downward, the researchers found.
“For millions of years, insects oriented themselves by sensing that the sky is light, the ground is dark — until people invented artificial lights”, said Avalon Owens of Harvard University.
1. What can we learn from the study?| A．Insects have a navigational problem. |
| B．Artificial lights will make insects confused. |
| C．Not all insects do fly directly toward a light source. |
| D．Small sensors are used to film an insect documentary. |
| A．Insects are unlikely to fly upside down. |
| B．Insects can position themselves facing the light. |
| C．Insects failed to orient themselves because of artificial lights. |
| D．Insect flight was interrupted by downward-shining bright lights. |
| A．Ambiguous. | B．Objective. | C．Optimistic. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．In an advertisement. | B．In a science textbook. |
| C．In a nature magazine. | D．In a news report. |
3 . The Japanese government said it planned to begin the discharge (排放) of slightly radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant on Thursday, rejecting calls for a delay from some people in neighboring countries.
An earthquake and tsunami knocked out power at the Fukushima nuclear plant on March 11, 2011, causing meltdowns at three reactors. Tritium (氚) and carbon-14 are, respectively, radioactive forms of hydrogen (氢) and carbon, and are difficult to separate from water. They are widely present in the natural environment, water and even in humans, as they are formed in the Earth’s atmosphere and can enter the water cycle. Both emit very low levels of radiation but can pose a risk if absorbed in large quantities. Water which was used to cool reactor cores as well as rainwater and groundwater that flowed into or near the plant have been contaminated with radioactive substances. Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power, or Tepco, has stored the water in more than 1,000 tanks at the facility but says it is running out of room.
Tepco says it will reduce the concentration (浓度) of nearly all radioactive substances in the wastewater to a safe level with the exception of tritium, an isotope (同位素) of hydrogen. The water will then get diluted (稀释) with seawater so the concentration of tritium is reduced to a safe level before the discharge, according to Tepco. As the water is diluted further in the ocean, the concentration of tritium will almost equal the natural level by 6 miles from the discharge point, which is at the end of an undersea tunnel about six-tenths of a mile from the shoreline, a Tepco official said.
But that hasn’t reassured many of Japan’s neighbors, with officials from China and the Pacific Islands voicing alarm and opposition to the plan. Beijing will take “necessary measures” to safeguard food safety and its people’s health, said Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin on Tuesday, adding they “strongly urge the Japanese side to correct its wrongful decision”. Meanwhile, fishing communities in Japan and South Korea worry the wastewater release could mean the end of their livelihoods — with consumers across the region already beginning to quit seafood from Japan and its nearby waters, and some governments even banning imported food from parts of Japan, including Fukushima.
1. The meltdowns at three reactors were caused by ________.| A．the greenhouse effect | B．human behaviour |
| C．climate change | D．natural disasters |
| A．purified | B．reduced | C．polluted | D．operated |
| A．More than 1,000 tanks at the facility can store all the radioactive wastewater. |
| B．The concentration of all radioactive substances will be reduced to a safe level. |
| C．The discharge won’t affect the coastal residents since the discharge point is about 0.6 miles offshore. |
| D．The concentration of tritium will be nearly at the natural level after being diluted further in the ocean. |
| A．people in these areas couldn’t make a profit in the future |
| B．it would threaten people’s physical health and livelihoods |
| C．it would be more difficult to import food from parts of Japan |
| D．the local seafood would be unaffordable for people in these areas |
4 . Colorado’s grays peak rises 14,278 feet above sea level, high enough that trees can’t grow toward the top, though there are plenty of shrubs and rocks. It was in this unforgiving landform that Bev Wedelstedt was unlucky enough to get seriously injured in her left knee.
It was August 2018, and Wedelstedt, 56, was on her way back down the trail with three friends. A storm was brewing, and they were anxious to get off the mountain. When they approached a rocky drop of a couple of feet, Wedelstedt decided to leap. She landed on her left leg. Then she heard the snap. Every step after that was agony (剧痛). Before long, she had to stop. As one friend ran down to get help, a number of other hikers, all strangers, attempted to help Wedelstedt down the narrow trail by walking on either side of her to support her weight, but that proved slow and dangerous. “One man was so close to the edge that I could see rocks falling down from where he stepped on them.” Wedelstedt says.
Finally, one hiker, Matt, asked her, “How do you feel about a fireman’s carry?” Before she knew it, he had lifted her over his shoulder. “Now, I’m not tiny,” says Wedelstedt, a former college basketball star. Matt clearly couldn’t carry her all the way down by himself. So six hikers and one of her friends took turns carrying her while she tried to make light of a difficult situation: “I told them I wanted to meet a lot of guys, but this isn’t the way I wanted to do it.” Three hours and two rock-strewn miles later, this human conveyor belt finally met the medics, who took Wedelstedt to the hospital.
She stayed in hospital for a period time. Now she has mostly recovered from her ill-fated hike, but Wedelstedt knows she’ll never shake one thing from that day: the memory of the band of strangers who came to her rescue. “I’m still in awe.”
1. What made it difficult for Wedelstedt to go downhill?| A．The changing weather. | B．The rocky path. |
| C．The thick bushes. | D．Her broken leg. |
| A．Advancing. | B．Transforming. | C．Freezing. | D．Weakening. |
| A．Only one hiker had firefighting experience. | B．Wedelstedt refused help from the rescuers. |
| C．The medics were unwilling to provide help. | D．The narrow trail slowed down the rescuers. |
| A．Wedelstedt has got a complete recovery. | B．All Wedelstedt’ rescuers were strangers. |
| C．Wedelstedt’s rescue left a deep impression on her. | D．Wedelstedt has benefited a lot from her experience. |
Jiangsu, known for its unique blend of innovation and preservation, is a true treasure. I was
My first stop was Suzhou.
Actually, the mindset of modernization with deep respect for the past isn’t only unique to Suzhou
6 . Artificial intelligence (AI) is showing promise in earthquake prediction, challenging the long-held belief that it is impossible. Researchers at the University of Texas, Austin, have developed an Al algorithm (算法) that correctly predicted 70% of earthquakes a week in advance during a test in China and provided accurate strength calculations for the predicted earthquakes.
The AI was provided with a set of statistical features based on the team’s knowledge of earthquake physics, and then instructed to train itself using a five-year database of earthquake recordings. Once trained, the AI provided its prediction by listening for signs of incoming earthquakes within the background rumblings (轰隆隆) in the Earth.
This work is clearly a milestone in research for AI-driven earthquake prediction. “You don’t see earthquakes coming,” explains Alexandros Savvaidis, a senior research scientist who leads the Texas Seismological Network Program (TexNet). “It’s a matter of milliseconds, and the only thing you can control is how prepared you are. Even with the 70% accuracy (精确度), that’s a huge result and could help decrease economic and human losses and has the potential to remarkably improve earthquake preparation worldwide.”
While it is unknown whether the same approach will work at other locations, the researchers are confident that their AI algorithm could produce more accurate predictions if used in areas with reliable earthquake tracking networks. The next step is to test artificial intelligence in Texas, since UT’s Bureau TexNet has 300 earthquake stations and over six years worth of continuous records, making it an ideal location for these purposes.
Finally, the authors hope to combine the system with physics-based models. This strategy could prove especially important where data is poor or lacking. “That may be a long way to go, but many advances such as this one, taken together, are what moves science forward.” concludes Scott Tinker, the bureau’s director.
1. Which words can best describe the earthquake-predicting technology?| A．Reliable but outdated. | B．Effective but costly. |
| C．Potential and economical. | D．Groundbreaking and promising. |
| A．By identifying data from the satellites. |
| B．By analyzing background sounds in the Earth. |
| C．By modeling data based on earthquake recordings. |
| D．By monitoring changes in the Earth’s magnetic field. |
| A．The ways to reduce losses in earthquakes. |
| B．The importance of preparing for earthquakes. |
| C．The significance of developing the AI prediction. |
| D．The limitation of AI algorithms in earthquake prediction. |
| A．Conducting tests in different locations. |
| B．Applying the AI approach to other fields. |
| C．Building more earthquake stations in Texas. |
| D．Enlarging the database to train the accuracy. |
7 . My friend Megan texted about a puppy needing a home, attaching photos. As an animal shelter owner, I am always looking to
The puppy, Winnie, was deserted for its bad front legs, but instantly
At Pawsability, Winnie received
As Winnie’s family member, I am incredibly
| A．unite | B．comfort | C．expand | D．defend |
| A．purchase | B．rescue | C．contact | D．search |
| A．housed | B．listed | C．found | D．reached |
| A．healed | B．won | C．struck | D．attracted |
| A．convinced | B．freed | C．reminded | D．informed |
| A．heart-shaped | B．custom-made | C．hand-picked | D．mass-produced |
| A．Enriched | B．Relieved | C．Driven | D．Inspired |
| A．athletic | B．loyal | C．normal | D．disabled |
| A．pity | B．doubt | C．praise | D．support |
| A．work | B．update | C．grow | D．count |
| A．optimism | B．strength | C．bravery | D．excellence |
| A．patient | B．mindful | C．content | D．proud |
| A．changed | B．told | C．taught | D．ordered |
| A．seek | B．dream | C．tend | D．deserve |
| A．closeness | B．care | C．beauty | D．kindness |
8 . Summer isn’t summer without the beach. For millions of Americans, hitting the sand is a time to catch waves, enjoy the sunshine, build sand castles, have picnics, spot wildlife and go exploring.
Plastic isn’t fantastic.
One of the biggest contributors to beach litter is single-use plastic, such as chip bags, candy wrappers and juice boxes.
It doesn’t matter how much time and effort you spent building a sand castle or digging the giant moat (壕沟) around it. If you are on a beach marked as a sea turtle habitat, fill in the moat and knock down the structure. Otherwise, they can die if they fall into a hole and get trapped.
Respect the animals.
The beach isn’t a petting zoo. People who love the creatures of the ocean have a desire to gain amazing experiences with them and have a connection to them, but don’t touch them.
Read the signs.
Signs posted at the beach aren’t optional reading: they are there to alert you to where you can’t go, what you can’t do, and what you can’t take, so don’t mess with the local ecosystem or its inhabitants.
All the actions above may seem like little gestures, but they will serve as an inspiration to fellow beachgoers.
| A．Destroy what you build. |
| B．Keep off a turtle habitat. |
| C．Plastic toys break easily, leaving behind chips and pieces. |
| D．Work together, and individuals can really make a big difference. |
| E．Buy food and drinks in bulk and put them in reusable packaging instead. |
| F．However, all that fun places stress on the coastal environment and the animals that inhabit it. |
| G．For example, if you take a starfish out of the water, even for 10 seconds, it could choke and die. |
9 . As the world struggles to deal with the climate crisis, some companies are working to remove polluting carbon dioxide from the air.
Scientists say large amounts of CO2 must be removed from the CO2 atmosphere and stored.
That means humans need to come up with ways of removing carbon from the air and storing it. This is called Direct Air Capture(DAC). The science of removing carbon from the air is challenging, and it’s still pretty new.
A company called Heirloom has just opened the first DAC plant in the United States. The company heats up the limestone to separate out the CO2, which is concrete. The process is extremely expensive.
| A．Plants and trees do this naturally. |
| B．That’s a huge and challenging goal. |
| C．Not everyone is excited about carbon removal. |
| D．Graphyte is another US company working on DAC. |
| E．The new plant can remove 1,000 tons of CO2 a year. |
| F．Most DAC processes require a large amount of energy. |
| G．As a matter of fact, CO2 is just a small part of the gases that make up air. |
10 . “Please would you tell me,” asks the heroine of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, “why your cat grins like that?” Alice is surprised when told that all Cheshire cats can grin and that “most of ‘em do”.
We can only wonder, then, what she would make of a new study that claims that our pet cats actually have nearly 300 facial expressions — far larger than many experts had expected and which may have evolved as a result of them living alongside humans.
The study involved dozens of cats being filmed at the CatCafe Lounge in Los Angeles, where homeless cats live together while up for adoption. More specifically, they logged each occurrence of 26 facial muscle movements, including blinks and half blinks, nose licks, and various ear positions. They identified 276 combinations of those movements, each of which represents a cat facial expression.
That was not far away from the 357 expressions a similar study had previously seen in chimpanzees, and it easily beat the 80 from gibbons (长臂猿). Dogs are said to be capable of 27 facial movements.
According to the researchers, the number of cat facial expressions was a surprise and indicates a hidden depth to how cats express themselves. “Thanks to the development of Facial Action Coding Systems, we are now able to uncover communicative complexity among mammals that may have been previously overlooked.” they said.
The studies showed that about 45 per cent of them were clearly friendly: These tended to involve eyes being closed and ears and whiskers (胡须) being tilted forwards, towards another cat, during a friendly encounter. Another 37 per cent were obviously aggressive or defensive.
The researchers suggest that pet cats have a greater range of facial expressions in part because being close to people often also means living in close places with other cats — and being able to communicate can avoid conflict. And they believe it should be possible to read more subtle messages. “We plan to study how cats produce facial signals during specific interactions, such as play, fighting, and so on.”
1. What do paragraph 1 and 2 mainly tell us?| A．Alice actually made a study on cats’ grins. |
| B．Cats are often heroes in famous fairy tales. |
| C．Alice has a cat in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. |
| D．People do not know much about cats facial expressions. |
| A．To show that these animals are all mammals. |
| B．To show that cats can express themselves in special ways. |
| C．To show that cats are cleverer than chimpanzees and dogs. |
| D．To show that cats have unbelievable quantities of facial expressions. |
| A．Eyes being closed to another cat is defensive. |
| B．Almost all the cat facial expressions are friendly. |
| C．Living with humans influences cats’ facial expression. |
| D．Cats’ facial expressions can be regarded as just simple. |
| A．Cats Pull 276 Different Faces. | B．Most of the Cats Can Grin. |
| C．The Ways Cats Produce Facial Signals. | D．Cats’ Facial Muscle Movement. |
