1 . Coral reefs (珊瑚礁) are among the most productive ecosystems in the world. They’re also in serious danger——climate change and other threats are killing them off. But researchers have come up with an invention they think could help the reefs: 3D-printed corals.
At the heart of reef ecosystems lies a symbiosis (共生关系) between corals and algae (藻类). Corals use light and they’re photosynthesizing (光合作用). The algae inside corals’ tissues (组织) make use of the light to generate energy, and that energy is then transferred to the coral animal host. That animal host, in return, transfers certain by-products to the algae, so they have a symbiosis going on.
This bond between algae and corals is what makes reefs so incredibly productive.Because of this symbiosis, corals have evolved complex skeletal (骨骼的) and tissue structures for collecting sunlight which usually fades rapidly. Through the skeleton, light is pumped and guided into deeper, otherwise shaded areas.
Scientists copied some tricks that corals use. They imaged corals to analyze their skeletal and tissue makeup and then used a 3D bioprinter to build a complicated structure that mimics real corals. The printed corals were made of biomaterials like cellulose (纤维素) and had algae planted in them.
The researchers replicated (复制) coral structure so well that the algae grew very quickly—— up to 100 times more densely than they normally grow in the lab. The 3D-printed creation could be used as a medium to grow algae to produce bioenergy and also as a tool for studying the coral-algae symbiosis.
Of course, there are many other ways this technology can be further scaled and improved to create something like artificial corals in the future. So this is just the first step,where they created the animal host, but they are now continuing to further replicate this animal-algal symbiosis and developing model systems. Eventually, it would be nice that this can have direct applications in coral reef restoration.
1. What is the function of the algae inside corals’ tissues?A.To perform photosynthesis. |
B.To pump light into shaded areas. |
C.To produce energy needed by their host. |
D.To build complex skeletal structures. |
A.Stronger tissues. | B.Certain by-products. |
C.Biomaterials like cellulose. | D.An animal host. |
A.make a study of the coral-algae symbiosis |
B.strengthen the bond between algae and corals |
C.change ocean conditions for corals to survive |
D.remove the harmful algae inside the tissues of corals |
A.Fantastic Coexistence of Corals and Algae |
B.Corals Evolving Symbiosis to Avoid Extinction |
C.Coral Reefs: Productive but Endangered Ecosystem |
D.3D-Printed Technology Hopefully Saving Coral Reefs |
注意:
1. 写作词数应为80左右;
2. 可适当增加细节,以使行文连贯。
3. 考词汇:科技读书节 Science Technology and Reading Festival
低碳生活,绿色家园 Low carbon Life, Green Home
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3 . Many animals use some kinds of “language”. They use signals and the signals have meanings. For example,
Some animals show
We humans have languages. We have words. These words have meanings of things, actions, feelings, or ideas. We are able to
Languages, like people, live and die. If a language is not used by people, it is called a dead language. This language cannot live and grow because
A living language, of course, is often spoken by people today. It grows and changes with time. New words are created, and some old words have
A.because | B.since | C.when | D.as |
A.out of | B.back from | C.away from | D.back to |
A.It | B.This | C.That | D.He |
A.each other | B.another | C.the other | D.others |
A.how long | B.how far away | C.how many | D.how old |
A.why | B.which | C.how | D.who |
A.each | B.every | C.all | D.some |
A.show | B.say | C.talk | D.speak |
A.everything | B.something | C.nothing | D.anything |
A.put | B.drop | C.fall | D.set |
A.give | B.put | C.show | D.take |
A.that | B.which | C.what | D.why |
A.send | B.bring | C.push | D.get |
A.someone | B.no one | C.anyone | D.everyone |
A.new | B.right | C.real | D.good |
4 . There’s another universe where there are no buildings, trees, cars, cellphones or the Internet. You don’t have to travel a great distance to discover it. At 10 miles offshore, you’re already there. At 100 miles, the effect is complete: Civilization disappears, along with any sign of humanity. It’s the closest to the isolation of outer space. And it is why I’m really into sailing.
I was always more intrigued, though, by wind-driven boats than any relying on engines. As a kid, I was interested by the adventures of Robin Lee Graham, the teenage global traveler. However, it wasn’t until about 20 years ago that I took sailing seriously, and I quickly learned the art of monitoring the sails. I’ve made voyages in fair weather.
Still, I’ve made lots of mistakes. While living in Asia, a friend and I set off across the South China Sea destined for Thailand, only to be stopped by a typhoon that forced us to make landfall in Vietnam. Along the way, however, I also learned the essentials-navigation and maintaining a boat’s system. Years later, my wife and I lived aboard our Symbiosis. We visited many places nearly accessible to reach on a small boat. Far from shore, it’s the responsibility of the crew to keep the water out, the people in, the boat on course and everything working, which adds to the excitement of the voyages.
It appeals to me, so does the company or fellow sailors. But boats are expensive and time-consuming. After returning from the Caribbean, we decided to sell Symbiosis, deciding to sail only other people’s boats, but it wasn’t eight months before we found a good deal on a smaller boat—easier to maintain but still capable of some offshore voyages. I think we’ll name her Talisman.
1. Why is the author interested in sailing?A.He likes doing adventurous sports. | B.He likes being away from human society. |
C.He likes living in a strange place. | D.He likes discovering something great. |
A.Puzzled. | B.Challenged. |
C.Attracted. | D.Motivated. |
A.Keeping the boat sailing safely. | B.Making plenty of mistakes. |
C.Designing a boat’s system. | D.Reaching a new destination. |
A.He will purchase an expensive boat. | B.He decides to sail globally again. |
C.He will invite more fellow sailors. | D.He will take some voyages in his new boat. |
When I was admitted to the University of Alabama, I decided to get a puppy. So I adopted an adorable Golden Retriever(金毛猎犬) puppy against my parents’ wishes.
Soon, I realized my parents were right. The dog was so naughty that it caused me a lot of trouble every day. In fact, she soon earned the nickname(绰号) Bella the Devil at school.
However, as time went by, she taught me how to be a better dog mom, and I taught her how to be a better dog. We became best friends and did everything together. Bella was there for me all the time: parties, restaurants, games, even dates! We loved spending time together. By the time I was a senior, Bella and I developed a stronger relationship. She was truly my best friend.
In the third year, I worked at the local college l bar not far from the house. One night, I was running late. Bella and I had been with friends down the street when I realized it was already 9:00 p.m. We had to rush home so I could make it to work by 9:30. I ran through the front door and jumped to the bathroom to have a shower. Bella followed me into the bathroom and lay in her usual place on the bathroom floor. Then I heard my front door open. It was so loud that I thought it was strange. It couldn’t be my roommate for she had flown to New York. I turned off the shower and yelled her name. No answer.
注意:
1.续写词数应为150左右;
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Instantly(立刻), I knew something was seriously wrong.
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Then I went outside to find Bella with the policemen.
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6 . Tugce Seren Gul’s aunt and grandmother were killed in Antakya in Turkey’s southeast. Every night, she waits until 4: 17 a. m. in the morning, the exact time that the disaster hit, to try to go to sleep. “I keep thinking another disaster will strike at that time and just wait for it to pass,” said the 28-year-old Gul.
Experts fear children will be hardest hit. The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) said many of the more than 5. 4 million children who live across the area affected by the earthquake were at risk of developing anxiety, depression and other disorders.
“We know how important learning and routine are for children and their recovery,UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia Afshan Khan said after a visit to Turkey. “They need to be able to resume their education, and they urgently need psychological support to help deal with the trauma they have experienced.
Psychologist and professor at MEF University, Ayse Bilge Selcuk, said, “As rising poverty and the COVID-19 pandemic have hurt the country, the stress is chronic, meaning that the tension continues over time.” “For this nation to get back on its feet, we need to find that strength within us and that starts with our psychologyshe added. Anxiety, helplessness and depression are likely to be common and young people could feel anger. ” Rebuilding efforts should include mental health,“ Selcuk said. She urged the government to provide money for training psychologists to be sent to the earthquake areas to stay there. “We shouldn’t withdraw our attention three months later, ”she said.
1. What is Gul’s problem after the earthquake?A.She is too sad about her relatives’ being killed. |
B.She can’t fall asleep until another disaster passes every night. |
C.She can not sleep all the night. |
D.She is suffering mental health damage. |
A.More than 5. 4 million children have mental health problems. |
B.International aid is the main solution. |
C.Focusing on mental relief should last. |
D.Young people respond angrily to the government. |
A.Permanent. | B.Destructive. | C.Poisonous. | D.Unbearable. |
A.Experts5 Suggestions about Turkey5 Rebuilding after Quake |
B.Mental Healthcare? an Important Part of Recovery from Turkey Quake |
C.Healthcare Provided for Children in Turkey Urgently |
D.Experts’ Concerns for Problems Caused by Turkey Quake |
7 . Fish genetically engineered to glow blue, green, or red under blacklight have been a big hit among aquarium lovers for years. But the fluorescent (发荧光的) pet is not restricted to glass displays anymore. The red-and-green-glowing versions, more vivid than normal zebrafish even in natural light, have escaped fish farms in southeastern Brazil and are multiplying (繁殖) in creeks in the Atlantic Forest, a new study shows. It is a rare example of a transgenic animal accidentally becoming established in nature, and a concern for biologists, who worry the transgenic fish could threaten the local fauna (动物群) in one of the most bio-diverse spots on the planet.
In the 2000s, companies saw the potential of the fish as pets. Trademarked as Glofish, they became the world’s first genetically engineered species to be commercially available. Now, they are one of the first to escape and thrive in nature. Early on, environmentalists worried about the possibility, and Glofish sales were banned in some U. S. states such as California and several countries-including Brazil. In 2014, a single Glofish was spotted in canals of Florida. But it had not multiplied, probably because native predators such as the eastern mosquitofish and the largemouth bass ate the intruder, said the biologist who spotted the fish, Quenton Tuckett. Unlike Florida, Glofish thrived in the Brazilian creeks. In 2017 he and colleagues began to survey five creeks in three cities, finding transgenic zebrafish in all of them.
The Glofish are reproducing all year round, with a peak during the rainy season — just as native zebrafish do in Asia. But the transgenic fish seem to achieve sexual maturity earlier than their forebears, which allows them to reproduce more and spread faster. The invaders are also eating well: a diversified diet of native insects, algae, and zooplankton.
Despite Brazil’s ban on sales of the fish, stores all over the country sell them as pets. They may soon colonize other parts of the country. Tuckett says it should be “a wake-up call”. For now, the glowing fish “could be considered little weeds growing up out of the concrete”, Tuckett says, but points out that even little weeds can grow to cause a lot of damage.
1. What is the concern of the biologists?A.The ecological impacts are unpredictable. |
B.The transgenic fish could do harm to the local animals. |
C.The transgenic fish accidentally became established in nature. |
D.The transgenic fish are more vivid than normal zebrafish in natural light. |
A.They were kept as pets before the 2000s. |
B.They were prohibited from sales throughout the U. S. |
C.They didn’t thrive in Florida probably due to the local enemies. |
D.They were found in all of the Brazilian creeks in 2017. |
A.The Glofish. | B.The native zebrafish. |
C.The largemouth bass. | D.The eastern mosquitofish. |
A.Indifferent. | B.Ambiguous. |
C.Cautious. | D.Supportive. |
8 . In shallow coastal waters of the Indian ocean, Dugong, a kind of sea cow, is in trouble. Environmental problems pose such a major threat to its survival that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) upgraded the species’ extinction risk status(地位)to vulnerable (脆弱的).
Much worse, Dugongs are at risk of losing the protection of the Torres Strait Islanders, who have looked after them historically, hunting them for food sustainably and monitoring their numbers. These native people keep their biodiversity, and have deep knowledge about their environment. But these people are also threatened, in part because rising sea levels are making it difficult for them to live there.
This situation isn’t unique to Dugongs. A global analysis of 385 culturally important plant and animal species found 68 percent were both biologically vulnerable and at risk of losing their cultural protection.
The findings clearly illustrate that biology shouldn’t be the primary factor in shaping conservation policy,says anthropologist Victoria Reyes-García.When a culture declines,the species that are important to that culture are also threatened.“Lots of conservationists think we need to separate people from nature,” says Reyes-García. “But that strategy misses the caring relationship many cultural groups have with nature.”
One way to help shift conservation efforts is to give species a “bio-cultural status,”which would provide a fuller picture of their vulnerability. In the study, the team used a new way to determine a species’ risk of disappearing: the more a cultural group’s language use declines, the more that culture is threatened.The more a culture is threatened, the more culturally vulnerable its important species are. Researchers then combined a species’ cultural and biological vulnerability to arrive at its bio-cultural status. In the Dugong’s case, its bio-cultural status is endangered, meaning it is more at risk than its IUCN categorization suggests.
This new approach to conservation involves people that have historically cared for them. It can highlight when communities need support to continue their care. Scientists hope it will bring more efforts that recognize local communities’ rights and encourage their participation-taking advantage of humans’ connection with nature instead of creating more separation.
1. What is the relationship between the native people and Dugongs?A.The native people help conserve Dugongs. |
B.The native people train Dugongs to survive. |
C.Dugongs ruin the native people’s environment. |
D.Dugongs force the native people to leave home. |
A.The protection policy is used incorrectly. |
B.Culture is connected to species’ existence. |
C.Many groups take good care of each other. |
D.Conservationists prefer nature over people. |
A.It involves more preservation efforts. |
B.It relies on the IUCN’s classification. |
C.It highlights the effect of human languages. |
D.It assesses the biological influence of a species. |
A.Conservative. |
B.Favourable. |
C.Critical. |
D.Ambiguous. |
9 . Now, imagine we’re deep space explorers and we’ve found something out in space that is both extremely heavy and very small. This mysterious object would pull so powerfully that nothing inside could escape to the outside.
Our movie, titled “ Black hole eats a star ” gets a million views online.
Are there white holes? We have good evidence from our telescopes that black holes really do exist.
White holes are unlikely because they are an “in reverse” kind of thing. Time in our universe only flows in one direction: forward. So for now, white holes are just an interesting possibility.
A.This kind of object is a black hole. |
B.Is there a white hole in the universe? |
C.Now picture yourself near a black hole. |
D.However, we’ve never seen a white hole. |
E.And could a black hole become a white hole? |
F.We’d never see anything escape from the black hole. |
G.But now imagine what would happen if we played it in reverse. |
1. How mans kinds of - climate emergencies does the speaker mention ?
A.Five. | B.Six. | C.Seven. |
A.Tidal waves. | B.Damaged dams | C.The rising warm air |
A.Drought. | B.Sea level. | C.Disappearing species |
A.He does rescarch on polar bears |
B.He proves hurricanes ger stronger |
C.He aims to protect coral reefs. |