1 . Michael Gonsalves, a chef of Golden Oak at Disney World, has a cuisine concept rooted in fresh, locally-sourced ingredients that originated from childhood harvesting produce from their family garden with his mom to eventually leading kitchens at Walt Disney World Resorts to employ a sustainable model.
“Truly the whole process starts with menu planning,” he said. Creating one dish leads into the creation of many more through the end-to-end use of products. As chefs, they are always searching for the best ingredients. It is then their focus to ensure they appreciate and respect all that go into each and every one of them. For example, they source chicken that is naturally grown and fed on a natural plant forward diet, no hormones (激素) or additives — that’s used in many ways throughout menus from a simple grilled chicken breast to bone soup. Nothing goes to waste.
When they do have waste, even if minimal, they shift it from landfills to transform it into compost (堆肥) that’s then used across the Walt Disney World property. They also support Second Harvest, a local community food bank where healthy produce, prepared, but not served, meals eatable for human consumption are donated. Disney also works with pig farmers when they can’t distribute foods past the point of safety for human consumption. Besides, wildlife reservations love to get the meat because tigers and wild cats can still eat that.
Their operations are “on a path to a sustainable zero waste kitchen of tomorrow” where chefs learn the full-life cycle of plants from seed to plate and gain a better understanding and appreciation for the product and their craft.
Golden Oak at Disney has millions of bees that produce up to 300 pounds of honey per year, plus those bees help with cross pollination (授粉) of their gardens on a daily basis. They advocate a culture that helps develop not only the quality of food, but an appreciation for nature.
1. Where did Michael Gonsalves’ idea about cuisine come from?| A．His mom’s suggestions. | B．His dream of becoming a chef. |
| C．His interest in delicious food. | D．His labor experience as a child. |
| A．They are grilled to eat. | B．They are used to the fullest. |
| C．They are divided into groups. | D．They are selected by quality. |
| A．Give examples about zero waste. |
| B．Introduce the unique habit of wildlife. |
| C．Stress the importance of natural food. |
| D．Explain the operation mode of the food bank. |
| A．Disney World:New Cuisine Road |
| B．Michael Gonsalves:Creative Chef |
| C．Michael Gonsalves:Advocate of Food Diversity |
| D．Disney World:Pioneer in Environmental Protection |
Undoubtedly, Mother Nature is always attractive to kids. In our childhood, how often did we turn a deaf ear to our parents’ advice? Very often! Thus, we landed ourselves in a situation where we greatly regretted our act of not having listened to the advice of the wise.
Such an unforgettable experience I had at the age of 7 gave me an invaluable lesson, after which I deeply understood why my gentle mother was repeating the boring suggestions and I would try to take her suggestions seriously.
In my childhood, I was so crazy about nature that even playing among the colorful flowers in our garden could make my day. Our house was next to the woods which had always stirred up(激起) great curiosity in me in wanting to find out what was within. Every time I saw fascinating butterflies dancing from the woods, my curiosity grew.
But my mother didn’t like me wandering off on my own and always ensured that I was within her sight. Even if she allowed me to explore the surrounding area on my own, it was only to be somewhere near the house. Being as curious as the cat, I always desired to explore the woods. It seemed as if my mother had understood my desire, so she had warmed me on lots of occasions never to enter the woods alone.
“Mom, can I go out and play in the garden?” I asked.
“Sure,” she would reply each time. “Kate, you can play in the garden but you must promise me one thing—only when I’m with you can you go into the woods. There are no cases of animal attacks on humans, but it’s still dangerous for a little kid like you. It’s too easy to get lost in the woods.”
“Sure, you’ve said that many times!” I answered without patience at her repeated reminders.
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However, curiosity got the better of me one morning.
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“Kate?” Behind the trees covered by the rays of the setting sun came my mother’s voice.
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3 . For the first time, United Nations members have agreed on a unified treaty (协议) to protect biodiversity on the high seas, representing a turning point for vast stretches of the planet where conservation has previously been held back by a confusing patchwork (拼凑)of laws.
The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea came into force in 1994, before marine biodiversity was a well-established concept. An updated framework to protect marine life in the regions outside national boundary waters, known as the high seas, had been in discussions for more than 20 years, but previous efforts to reach an agreement had repeatedly failed. The unified treaty, which applies to nearly half the planet’s surface, was reached late on Saturday.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomes the finalization of the text of the United Nations Ocean Treaty, his spokesman said on Saturday. “This breakthrough, which covers nearly two-thirds of the ocean, marks the culmination of nearly two decades of work and builds on the legacy (遗产)of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” a statement said.
Nichola Clark, an ocean expert at the Pew Charitable Trusts called the long-awaited treaty text “a once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect the oceans-a major win for biodiversity”. The treaty will create a new body to manage the conservation of ocean life and establish marine-protected are-as on the high seas. Clark said that’s critical to achieving the UN Biodiversity Conference’s recent promise to protect 30 percent of the planet’s waters, for conservation. The treaty also establishes ground rules for conducting environmental impact assessments for commercial activities in the oceans.
Treaty negotiations were initially anticipated to conclude on Friday, but stretched through the night into Saturday. The making of the treaty represents “a historic and overwhelming success for international marine protection,” said Steffi Lemke, Germany’s environment minister.
1. What can we learn about the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea?| A．It is the basis of the UN Ocean Treaty. | B．It leads to a lot of controversy. |
| C．It has been discussed for over 20 years. | D．It is a complete failure. |
| A．Beginning. | B．Impact. | C．End. | D．Break. |
| A．Commercial ocean activities will be monitored. |
| B．Preservation of 30% of the planet will be ensured. |
| C．Protected areas on the high seas will be expanded. |
| D．An existing department will manage the conservation. |
| A．It takes tough and long negotiations. |
| B．The high seas are stressed for the first time. |
| C．Unity in protecting the high seas is achieved. |
| D．The concept of marine biodiversity is established. |
4 . One aspect of the clean-energy change will happen inside buildings. Many homes and businesses burn natural gas for heating and cooking. Natural gas gives out greenhouse gases as well as other pollutants that can harm health. Gas appliances (家用电器) can be replaced by electric versions and tap into clean electricity.
Panama Bartholomy is the director of the Building Decarbonization Coalition. His group, based in Petaluma, Calif., focuses on limiting gas emissions indoors. “We assume the electric grid (输电网) is getting cleaner over time, which it is. So, we want more and more of our heating to come from electricity.”
It’s much easier to make these types of transitions when governments recommend them, says Beth Miller. She is an ecologist and consultant with Good Company. Based in Eugene, Ore., it helps companies and communities reduce their carbon footprint. Some states are already taking steps to make these changes. On September 22, for instance, California decided it would ban the sale of gas-fired space heaters and water heaters by 2030.
After homes and businesses make the switch to electric alternatives, they will be more comfortable, says Bartholomy. They will be safer and cleaner, too, he adds. Instead of a gas furnace(燃气炉), an electric heat pump could both heat and cool a home. Gas heaters and stoves won’t be pumping pollution into a home’s air. And cooks will have even more control on a modern electric cooker than on a gas stove says Bartholomy.
Getting natural gas out of your home is probably the largest positive impact you can have for the planet, Bartholomy says. “We all need to fight for a livable climate. There is no way to meet our climate goals while still burning gas in buildings. For a livable future, we must take measures to stop burning natural gas, though we know we have a long way to go.” And the bonus: It now looks like doing that should also save people a lot of money.
1. What is the clean energy change?| A．Using natural gas for heating. | B．Using natural gas to boil water. |
| C．Using electric cookers at home. | D．Using electric lights inside buildings. |
| A．Promises. | B．Plans. | C．Changes. | D．Decisions. |
| A．Homes will be safer. | B．Gas stoves will be replaced soon. |
| C．Homes’ air will have more pollutants. | D．Cooks prefer to use traditional cookers. |
| A．Clean-energy Change | B．Electricity Use |
| C．Make Use of Natural Gas | D．Save Your Money at Home |
5 . I’ve been in an 18-year love-hate relationship with a black walnut tree.
It’s a unique tree. In late September or early October, falling fruits as hard as baseballs threaten the skulls (头骨) of you, your children, your neighbors and those that reside next door to them. Umbrellas in the yard are a must while dining in early August, and as for me, I wear my bike helmet while working in the garden.
The black walnut also releases a chemical substance through its roots as a competitive strategy. It’s poisonous to several common plants. There have been many new plant varieties that I brought home with hopes that maybe the black walnut would accept them, but they failed to flourish.
What does work are native plants that naturally grow in the area. Native plants are important to have around since they provide beneficial pollinators (传粉者) like birds, bees and butterflies with seeds and contribute to a healthy and biodiverse environment. Native plants for this area are generally easy to grow, so they experience less stress.
Have I thought of getting rid of this giant pain in my tiny backyard? Yes, however, getting rid of this tree standing at 50 feet with an 87-inch trunk is next to impossible. It’s also protected under the law. Rightfully so. Trees are important to the urban forest and for all of those that inhabit it.
Sometimes I think about my life without the black walnut. I can’t imagine a spring without the birds who arrive every year and loudly sing their songs before dawn. I’d miss falling asleep on lazy weekend afternoons as I look up into its leaves.
Every spring, I wonder what the season holds: What are the chances of being knocked unconscious while barbecuing? Like any good relationship, I’ll never be pleased. I’m stuck with this tree, so I’ll listen to its needs and give it the space it requires. In return, my walnut offers a habitat for wildlife and a reminder.
1. Why does the author wear a bike helmet while working in the garden?| A．To protect the injured skull. | B．To prevent herself from sunburn. |
| C．To avoid being hit by the nuts. | D．To reduce the chance of getting bitten by bees. |
| A．It attracts beneficial pollinators. |
| B．It lets out poison to drive away pests. |
| C．It produces a chemical fatal to some plants. |
| D．It competes for nutrition with similar species. |
| A．The volume of its fruits may bring inconvenience. |
| B．The tree outcompetes the native plants in the garden. |
| C．The tree is home to numerous birds and other creatures. |
| D．The presence of the tree takes up much space of the garden. |
| A．it’s better to give than to take |
| B．trees and plants have their own ways to flourish |
| C．even a good relationship is not always trouble-free |
| D．acceptance, instead of resistance, is the better way to be |
6 . Scientists have shown how plants can protect themselves against genetic (基因的) damage caused by environmental stresses. The growing tips of plant roots and shoots have an in-built mechanism (机制) that spells cell death if DNA damage is detected, avoiding passing on faulty DNA.
Plants have small populations of stem cells (干细胞) at the tips of their roots and shoots, which enable them to continuously grow and produce new tissues throughout their lifetime. These stem cells serve as ancestors for plant tissues and organs. However, any genetic faults present in the stem cells will continue to exist and be passed on permanently throughout the plant’s life, which could last thousands of years.
Given the critical role of stem cells and their exposure to potentially dangerous environments at the growing tips of roots and shoots, safeguards are necessary to prevent stem cell faults from becoming fixed. Researchers Nick Fulcher and Robert Sablowski, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, aimed to uncover these protective mechanisms. Through experiments involving X-rays and chemicals, they discovered that stem cells were more sensitive to DNA damage compared to other cells.
When DNA damage occurs, the cells have the capacity to detect it and cause programmed cells to die, preventing the propagation of the damaged genetic code to the rest of the plant tissues. This process has similarities to the safeguard mechanism found in animal cells, which has been broadly studied due to its relevance in preventing cancer.
The identification of a similar protective system in plants is of great interest in the field of plant development. It also helps scientists develop plants that can better handle environmental stress. So knowledge of how plants deal with these stresses is of fundamental significance to agricultural science’s response to climate change.
1. What is the function of the in-built mechanism in plants?| A．To produce more roots and shoots. | B．To increase the overall lifetime of the plant. |
| C．To enhance plant growth and nutrient intake. | D．To stop genetic faults in stem cells passing on. |
| A．They are relatively abundant in quantity. | B．They are resistant to environmental stresses. |
| C．They make quick response to DNA damage. | D．They have the ability to repair damaged DNA. |
| A．Spread. | B．Change. | C．Existence. | D．Self-repair. |
| A．The way of dealing with climate change on the earth. |
| B．The significance of identifying the protective system in plants. |
| C．The method of ensuring plant survival under environmental stress. |
| D．The urgency of developing plants that can handle environmental stress. |
7 . Giant pandas are among the most lovable animals alive today. Unlike their relatives, such as the polar bear, pandas don’t eat meat but survive on a diet of only bamboo. So why and how have pandas abandoned their taste for meat to pick up a vegetarian diet?
Pandas today don’t eat meat. However, they’ve kept much of their meat-eating adaptations from times past. Their digestive systems have not changed much from their meat-eating days. Out of the huge 12.5 kg of bamboo they eat in a single day, only about 17% of it is digested. To survive, pandas eat large amounts of bamboo while having a low-metabolic (新陈代谢的)，lazy lifestyle to make up for the poor energy return.
The giant panda’s shift to a vegetarian diet is in line with the inactivation of a specific gene-Taslrl, which provides them with the ability to taste certain amino acids (氨基酸) abundant in meat. Its inactivation in pandas would lead to their dietary change.
Pandas have evolved to a great degree to cope with their relatively recent bamboo-eating lifestyle. Pandas must seize long and thin pieces of bamboo shoots. To assist with this, they have developed a long “fake-thumb” (伪拇指). So giant pandas have six fingers in each paw which provides better support for them to seize object such as bamboo in one paw quickly. Researchers have found that the surface of the panda’s tongue is different. While other bears and many meat-eating animals have smooth tongues, pandas have evolved tiny projections on the surface of their tongues that serve to file down food. This is especially useful for pandas as they remove the outer cover of bamboo.
Time will tell if pandas will adapt and survive, go back to eating meat, or disappear in the wild. Whatever the future holds, we can be grateful that, for the time being, we get to share our planet with these adorable animals.
1. Why are the numbers mentioned in paragraph 2?| A．To illustrate the variety of food. |
| B．To represent the evolutionary rule of pandas. |
| C．To describe the changes of living environment. |
| D．To show the ineffectiveness of digestive system. |
| A．The low-metabolic ability. |
| B．The amino acids in meat. |
| C．The Taslrl gene’s inactivation. |
| D．The supplies of bamboo. |
| A．Seizing bamboo shoots. |
| B．The low energy return. |
| C．Developing more fingers. |
| D．The vegetarian diet. |
| A．The preference for bamboo. |
| B．The evolutionary feature in eating. |
| C．The unique lifestyle. |
| D．The special appearance. |
The first-ever online marketplace for allotments(菜地), AllotMe, has unveiled plans for rapid
Known as the “Airbnb for Gardens”, AllotMe has grown in popularity, with more than 100 hosts
“AllotMe
Conor adds that AllotMents 2.0 will focus on encouraging hosts to think about how the platform can enable
9 . You look up at the sky on a clear and dark night, you’ll see more stars than your eyes can count. Most of these stars have planets, similar to our own, orbiting them. With so many celestial bodies floating out in space, you can’t help but question whether other forms of life exist in the universe. And if that’s the case, is it possible to contact them?
Science is still somewhat divided on this issue. Currently, no evidence exists to suggest that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe. Yet with an estimated one trillion planets in our galaxy alone, it seems highly likely that Earthlings aren’t the only intelligent creatures out there. Some claim that life can only develop under perfect circumstances, and Earth is perhaps the only example of this. Other scientists object to this claim, and point out that even on Earth, life can find a way under the most extreme circumstances.
Some people believe that aliens have already visited our planet, but this information is being kept secret by governments. The most famous incident of this kind occurred in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947. On that date, many residents reported seeing an unusual flying disc streak through the sky, before it crashed in a field. When the military heard about the crash, they quickly sealed off the area. A few hours later, the army base announced that it had recovered a flying disk. Shortly after, this statement was retracted and it was said that it was a weather balloon that crashed. However, years later one local mortician even claimed that the military had him secretly perform an autopsy on a dead alien body.
Others believe that there certainly are other life forms out there, but the distance between us is too great. Even if we could somehow create a spaceship that travels at the speed of light, it would still probably take several lifetimes to reach them. Then again, we might never have to do this if aliens reach us first.
1. Why do some scientists think there is life on other planets?| A．Because an unusual flying disc was ever witnessed. |
| B．Because life exists despite extreme conditions as those on the Earth do. |
| C．Because the government’s statement seemed suspicious. |
| D．Because there are a great number of planets in the universe. |
| A．Examined again to guarantee the correctness. | B．Emphasized again to persuade people. |
| C．Formally taken back what has been said. | D．Seriously criticized due to poor evidence |
| A．Are we alone in the universe? | B．Is it possible to contact aliens? |
| C．Intelligent life in the universe. | D．Planets floating out in space. |
| A．Objective. | B．Humorous. | C．Cautious. | D．Anxious. |
When I arrived home from school, night was falling. A call came from the public: a bird of unknown species was being attacked by a group of noisy children in his front garden. He scared them off and grabbed their victim. I immediately called for my classmate Jack to the spot.
We were standing in front of a stranger’s house in an unfamiliar street, rescue box in hand. My head full of instructions to follow. “The bird would be our first test as a volunteer wildlife rescuer!” Jack said excitedly. We had completed the two-day intensive training course the previous month and learned the basic skills of rescuing animals in various situations.
But we were anxious, too. After all, it was the first time for us to rescue a bird. Would I be able to transfer the bird neatly into my rescue box? Many worries flashed in my mind. Sensing my unease about the act ahead, Jack said, “These things are pretty easy to deal with!”
I was wondering what kind of bird it was when a kind-looking man appeared and led us inside to see our very first patient. I lifted the edge of the shoe box very slightly to see an angry-looking bird standing to attention on very thin and long legs, together with a slice of banana and a small dish of water. He didn’t know its true name but the folks called the creature Red Fan. “It’s eaten some banana,” said the man proudly. The poor soul seemed rather nervous, so l decided not to grab it by hand but just transfer the whole shoe box into my rescue box.
Back home, we could only see some minor injuries in the left wing, but there was no blood on its feathers. Jack managed to treat the injuries with some iodophor (碘伏药水). We assessed its condition to find out if it was appropriate to release the bird the next day. How could we help it spend the night peacefully? We hadn’t seen this species of bird before, let alone its habits.
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“Why not do a search on the Internet?” suggested Jack.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The next day, we were glad to see the bird was well enough.
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