2 . Wildlife conservation is the practice of protecting plant and animal species and their habitats. As part of the world’s ecosystems, wildlife provides balance and stability to nature’s processes. Wildlife conservation is aimed to ensure the survival of these species and educate people on living sustainably with other species.

The number of people has grown to more than eight billion today, and it continues to rapidly grow. The economic growth endangers the habitats and existence of various types of wildlife around the world, particularly animals and plants that may be displaced for land development, or used for food or other human purposes. This threat is at top of the list and means natural resources are being consumed faster than ever by the billions of people on the planet. The introduction of invasive species from other parts of the world is another threat to wildlife. Other threats include climate change, pollution, fishing and hunting.

International organizations like the World Wildlife Fund, Conservation International, Wildlife Conservation Society and the United Nations work to support global animal and habitat conservation on many different fronts. They work with the government to establish and protect public lands, like national parks and wildlife protection areas. They help write legislation(法规), such as the Endangered Species Act(ESA)of 1973 in the United States, to protect various species. They work with law enforcement to charge those with wildlife crimes. They also promote biodiversity to support the growing human population while preserving existing species and habitats.

National Geographic Explorers, like conservation biologists Camille Coudrat and Titus Adhola, are working to slow the extinction of global species and protect global biodiversity and habitats. Environmental filmmakers and photographers, like Thomas P. Peschak, are essential to conservation efforts as well, documenting and bringing attention to endangered wildlife all over the world.

6 . Scalloped hammerhead sharks (扇贝锤头鲨) hold their breath to keep their bodies warm while they’re diving into cold water, a study has found.

Researchers from the University of Hawaii knew that scalloped hammerhead sharks do deep dives at night. They assumed that the sharks dove to hunt, since they had found deep-water squid (乌贼) in the stomachs of some sharks. However, hammerheads are cold-blooded, which means their temperature is controlled by their environment rather than their bodies. Getting very cold affects how well the animals’ brains and muscles can work. With temperatures in the deep ocean as low as 41°F(about 5°C), the scientists were confused as to how the sharks could do these deep dives and come back unharmed. To find out more, scientist Mark Royer and his team caught three hammerhead sharks. They attached instruments to the sharks’ fins (鳍) in order to take the temperature of the water and record the sharks’ speed and movements. The instruments showed that the sharks dove to about 2, 600 feet below the surface. However, the animals’ body temperature didn’t drop until they started to return to the surface of the water. The scientists think they might be able to explain why.

Like most fish, sharks get their oxygen from water, which washes through gills (鳃) on the side of their heads. Inside the gills, lots of blood vessels absorb oxygen from the water. Because blood temperature affects body temperature, the gills are the area in which the shark is most likely to lose heat. Royer said that if the deep-diving sharks didn’t get cold, they must have closed their gills. In other words, they were holding their breath as they dove, just like humans do when they swim underwater.

Video footage of a shark swimming more than 3, 000 feet deep with closed gills seems to prove the theory. Other scientists want to study the question more closely, however, because fish’s bodies aren’t usually adapted to hold their breath. Royer called the finding a “complete surprise”.

7 . There’s a reason why dogs are called man’s best friend. Dogs and cats make wonderful companions and provide many emotional and physical benefits.

The most obvious benefits of pet ownership are love and companionship. We feel especially secure with dogs and cats because of the unconditional love they provide.     1     Taking care of a dog or a cat can provide a sense of purpose and a feeling of being accepted.

    2     When you feel securely attached to this living being, there are biological brain effects that reduce stress response, so it may affect your breathing rate or blood pressure or anxiety level.

It’s not always easy caring for pets, however. Sometimes having them in the home poses safety threats for older adults. If you have problems with walking and stability and your pet can get under your feet or jump up and knock you over, then falls and broken bones are a real danger.     3     Animals carry all kinds of bacteria that can be transferred to humans. Dogs and cats can also cause allergic (过敏的) reactions in some pet owners.

Before getting a pet, consider if you’re physically and mentally able to care for it.     4     Do you have the energy and strength to feed it, play with it, and in the case of dogs, take it for daily walks? Do you have the financial means to pay for pet food and visits to the veterinarian (兽医)?

If you feel you have the mental, physical, and financial means to care for a pet, take the pet’s size into consideration — not too big and not too small. And consider the animal’s personality.     5    

Shichahai is a famous scenic area in the northwest part of Beijing,     1     (surround) places of historic interest and scenic beauty, and remnants(残留) of old-style local residences hutong and courtyard.

Shichahai is always     2     good place for local residents’ recreational life, and in the past 200 years, many government officers and celebrities     3     (choose) to build mansions and temples in it. Thus, the     4     (attract) of Shichahai lies not only in its natural beauty, but also in the historical value of its architecture. The most famous ones among these historical buildings are Prince Gong’s Mansion (Gong Wang Fu), Price Chun’s Mansion (Chun WangFu),     5     the Former Residence of Mei Lanfang, a well known Beijing Opera master.

One of the     6     (great) point s of interest in Shichahai today is its residences hutong and courtyard. Visiting hutongs by pedicab(三轮车) has become a popular activity for     7     (visitor) from China and abroad. The most famous is Jin Si Tao, which     8     (actual) includes 18 hutongs and keeps the original layout.

Some snack streets also lie in Shichahai, and people can find two old brands here. One is Lao Rou Ji, a restaurant selling roast meat,     9     has a history of over 150 years. The other is Bao Du Zhang that has sold     10     (cook) tripe of sheep(羊肚) for four generations.

9 . Romero is an 84-year-old man. He owes his _______ to his pet dog, Palomo, who took _______ to him after he got lost in the desert for a week.

On November 27, Romero left his home for a short trip, but he didn’t come back _______. His family wasn’t _______ at first as he used to visit nearby villages in the area and would be back a few days later. However, after four days, the man’s niece, Ramona, panicked and _______ it to the local authorities.

The police with trained dogs were brought in to _______ Romero. They searched the area around, but a week after his _______, Romero was nowhere to be found. That’s when the old man’s faithful dog, Palomo, was brought in as the last _______.

According to one member of the search team, the brown dog _______ them through hills and valleys and finally to the place in the desert where Romero had been ________. His niece told the authorities that Romero sometimes had poor memory and that ________ his getting lost on his trip.

The ________ weak man was rushed to the hospital where he spent two days getting back on his feet. One officer posted online that “Palomo ________ by the hospital door day and night waiting for the ________ of its beloved Romero. The unconditional love of his pet allowed Romero to be ________ with his family”. A photo of Palomo staying by Romero’s side after he carne back home was along with these words.

10 . Tall, long-necked giraffes are famous for their spots which are believed to help the animals hide from their enemies. Just like no two humans have the same fingerprints, each giraffe has its own special pattern of spots. However, a Tennessee zoo made headlines recently after it welcomed one of the world’s most uncommon giraffes.

On July 31, a baby giraffe was born at Brights Zoo with light brown fur which is a reticulated (网状的) giraffe, one of the four different kinds of giraffes. Unlike most giraffes, she was born without spots, a unique feature of the reticulated giraffe. At six feet tall, this baby giraffe is growing well under her mother’s care. She shows typical baby giraffe behavior, such as eating rocks.

Experts said the young giraffe was the only single-colored reticulated giraffe living anywhere on the planet. The last time this happened was 1972 in Japan. A giraffe’s pattern of spots is created when the animal is still growing inside its mother. That means that this giraffe will never have spots.

“The new giraffe might not have survived if she had been born in the wild. Being single-colored, she may not be able to hide quite as well,” said Mr. David Bright, who runs the zoo, “It will easily be a key target for poachers (偷猎者) because she’s so unusual.”

Brights Zoo stressed that reticulated giraffes had already become imperiled. In 2018, they were officially listed as “threatened”. Thirty-five years ago, there were 36,000 reticulated giraffes. Now, the number has been cut by more than 50%. Only about 16,000 reticulated giraffes remain.

This brown giraffe’s birth is not only a rare and fascinating event, but also an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges faced by giraffes in the wild. By supporting efforts like this, we can contribute to the conservation of these large creatures and ensure their survival for generations to come.