1 . Naturally Pink Lakes
Lake Koyashskoye
The water of Lake Koyashskoye in Crimea ranges from pink to red depending on the season. The lake is filled with halobacteria — microorganisms that produce a pink-colored protein when absorbing energy from the sun. Some also put the color down to brine shrimp (盐水虾), which boom in the salty environment.
Lake Hillier
Lake Hillier is located on Middle Island off the southern coast of Western Australia. Most people believe the deep color comes from a combination of algae and salt-loving halobacteria. However, there’s a bit of mystery to Hillier. Other pink lakes change color depending on the season, the angle of the sun or air temperature. Hillier remains the same shade of pink for the whole year.
LagunaColorada
Though it may be described as a “pink” lake. Laguna Colorada in Bolivia is often characterized as “red” or “red-orange”. Salt-loving algae and bacteria help to create this color, but sediments (沉积物) from the nearby rocks also affect the water’s appearance. Like some of the other pink salt lakes, this one draws flamingos (火烈鸟).
Las Salinas de Torrevieja
The pink water of Las Salinas de Torrevieja in Spain is thought to be good for health and people claim improvement in their skin and lung conditions after a bath in it. The lake is not the only pink-colored thing in Torrevieja. During migration season, flamingos crowd the area.
1. Which lake’s color is affected by sea animals?| A．Lake Hillier’s. | B．Lake Koyashskoye’s. | C．LagunaColorada’s. | D．Las Salinas de Torrevieja’s. |
| A．In Spain. | B．In Bolivia. | C．In Crimea. | D．In Australia. |
| A．Its water is red-orange. | B．It is home to flamingos. |
| C．Its water has health benefits. | D．It changes color with the season. |
2 . Barred owls(大林鸮猫头鹰) are a large species native to eastern North America, but they began moving west at the start of the 20th century. By 1973, large numbers of barred owls had arrived in the western state of Washington. Later they moved south into Oregon and California.
In parts of the Pacific Northwest, the owls are now believed to be causing a drop in the population of a smaller, less aggressive bird: the northern spotted owl. In many ways, the barred owl is the spotted owl's worst enemy. The barred owl has more babies per year and eats the same animals, like squirrels and wood rats. And their numbers are now larger in many parts of the spotted owl's traditional territory.
David Wiens is a biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, a federal agency that studies the Earth and its natural resources. He and other officials are doing something unusual to protect spotted owls: killing barred owls. It is a controversial, experimental program. More than 2,400 barred owls have already been shot.
Wiens is the son of a well-known bird expert and grew up with the fascination for birds. He has mixed feelings about the program. "It's a little distasteful, I think, to go out killing barred owls to save another owl species," he says. But he adds, “We knew that barred owls were out competing spotted owls and their numbers were growing too fast."
To catch barred owls, officials put digital bird callers on the ground. Then they step back and wait as several sounds from the devices fill the air. All of this happens in the dark of night. Barred owls dislike other birds in their territory, so they will fly down and chase other owls out. That is when Wiens and his team try to shoot them.
1. What's the main problem with spotted owls?| A．They are being starved to death. | B．They have more babies each year. |
| C．They are invaded by another bird. | D．They are hunted by man. |
| A．They are eating the spotted owls. | B．They are killing each other to survive. |
| C．They are putting the spotted owls in danger. | D．They are destroying large areas of forests. |
| A．To kill barred owls. | B．To puzzle barred owls. |
| C．To protect barred owls. | D．To frighten barred owls. |
| A．Killing One Animal to Save Another. | B．Keeping the Balance of Nature. |
| C．Protecting Birds in Danger. | D．Preventing Birds from Playing Fair. |
3 . They are smart. They know how to steal. They know how to find food. They know how to intimidate(恐吓) . Who are they? They are macaque monkeys. They have taken over the old city of Lopburi in Thailand. About 8,400 of them are in the center of the city. They roam(漫游) neighborhoods in groups. Dozens of businesses in Lopburi are closing. They include a music school, a gold shop, a barber, a cellphone store and a movie theatre. The Buddhist culture believes reducing the number of monkeys would disturb spiritual well-being.
The monkeys were not always such a hazard. They attracted tourists. Buddhists thought feeding them was a good deed. Now times have changed. Recently, the coronavirus made things worse. There are fewer tourists, which means that travelers give less food to the monkeys. Over the years, the monkeys moved into empty buildings. They trashed whatever they came across. They ripped(扯掉) antennas and windshield wipers off parked cars. What happens when monkeys come into contact with humans? An observer said that years ago the monkeys were fewer, bigger and healthier. Their fur was shiny and thick. They kept to the temples，as well as the ruins of the ancient Khmer civilization.
Then tourists came with easy and unhealthy food. Along with bananas and citrus(柑橘), the macaques feasted on junk food. An observer said, “The monkeys are never hungry. They are just like children who eat too much KFC. ” Compared with the monkeys of the forest, their urban counterparts have less muscle. They have more hypertension and blood disease. Their fur has thinned. Some have gone bald. With so much food available，they have more time to breed and to give birth. Their population has exploded. “These monkeys were here before us,” a man said. A juvenile macaque tugged(拽) his trousers demanding a treat. “We have to adapt to them，not the other way around. ”
1. Why are macaque monkeys so popular in Lopburi in Thailand?| A．Because they are smart and know how to steal. |
| B．Because they have taken over the old city of Lopburi in Thailand. |
| C．Because they are symbols of spiritual well-being in the Buddhist culture. |
| D．Because 8,400 of them are in the centre of the city and roam everywhere. |
| A．The monkeys are bigger and healthier. |
| B．The monkeys like eating KFC food. |
| C．The monkeys have suffered from more diseases. |
| D．The monkeys are subject to birth control. |
| A．Monkeys. | B．Tourists. |
| C．Buddhists. | D．Children. |
| A．monkeys are ancestors, so humans should adapt to monkeys |
| B．humans should regard monkeys with awe and respect |
| C．monkeys should be forced to follow rules |
| D．humans should give monkeys whatever they want |
4 . Port Lympne Reserve, which runs a breeding (繁育) programme, has welcomed the arrival of a rare black rhino calf (犀牛幼崽). When the tiny creature arrived on January 31, she became the 40th black rhino to be born at the reserve. And officials at Port Lympne were delighted with the new arrival, especially as black rhinos are known for being difficult to breed in captivity (圈养).
Paul Beer, head of rhino section at Port Lympne, said: “Obviously we’re all absolutely delighted to welcome another calf to our black rhino family. She’s healthy, strong and already eager to play and explore. Her mother, Solio, is a first-time mum and she is doing a fantastic job. It’s still a little too cold for them to go out into the open, but as soon as the weather warms up, I have no doubt that the little one will be out and about exploring and playing every day.”
The adorable female calf is the second black rhino born this year at the reserve, but it is too early to tell if the calves will make good candidates to be returned to protected areas of the wild. The first rhino to be born at Port Lympne arrived on January 5 to first-time mother Kisima and weighed about 32kg. His mother, grandmother and great grandmother were all born at the reserve and still live there.
According to the World Wildlife Fund, the global black rhino population has dropped as low as 5500, giving the rhinos a “critically endangered” status.
1. Which of the following best describes the breeding programme?| A．Costly. | B．Controversial. | C．Ambitious. | D．Successful. |
| A．She loves staying with her mother. | B．She dislikes outdoor activities. |
| C．She is in good condition | D．She is sensitive to heat. |
| A．They had their first born in January. | B．They enjoyed exploring new places |
| C．They lived with their grandmothers. | D．They were brought to the reserve young |
| A．The rhino section will be open to the public. |
| B．It aims to control the number of the animals. |
| C．It will continue to work with the World Wildlife Fund. |
| D．Some of its rhinos may be sent to the protected wild areas. |
Lunar samples (样本) brought back by China’s Chang’e-5 probe (探测器) are on public show at the National Museum of China on Saturday. The Chang’e-5 probe
