1 . Bees are responsible for one in every three bites of food: from almonds (杏仁) to berries and the alfalfa (苜蓿) that feeds dairy cows. Our diets and agricultural economy hinge on a healthy bee population.
However, rapid declines in bee population around the world put additional stress on an already unstable food supply by depressing yields and agricultural efficiency. While bee biologists do not foresee upcoming food system collapse without honey bees, we do know that agriculture would quickly become unrecognizable—and much more limited.
Farmers are on the frontlines of the economic impacts of bee decline. For example, the cost of almond pollination (授粉) has nearly tripled since colonies began collapsing in 2004, costing that industry over $83 million per year.
The causes behind recent bee declines are not a “mystery”. Independent scientists now largely agree that bee declines are caused by a combination of several factors, including: poor nutrition, habitat loss and pesticide (杀虫剂) exposure.
In the last several years, pesticides — both alone and in combination with other pesticides — have emerged as a key catalyst (催化剂) behind this disturbing phenomenon, both because of their direct toxicity to bees and their indirect and cascading effects.
Scientists know that individual bees can be acutely poisoned while flying through pesticide-contaminated planter dust in a recently planted corn field. More commonly, they are chronically poisoned at sublethal (亚致死) levels by eating and drinking contaminated pollen, nectar and water over time. Bees are then more likely to get sick.
As an indicator species, honey bees are sounding an alarm that we ignore at our peril. Among their lessons: industrial agriculture has gone off the rails. The pesticide treadmill has kicked into high gear with a class of dangerous systemic pesticides—while regulators were asleep at the switch. So let’s keep the heat on decision makers to take meaningful action.
1. What does the underlined phrase in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Cut down. | B．Contribute to. | C．Depend on. | D．Go against. |
| A．The impact of rapid declines in bee population. | B．The role of farmers in agriculture. |
| C．The ignorance of the effect on food system. | D．The cost of almond pollination. |
| A．Poor in nutrition. | B．Economic impacts. |
| C．Loss of habitat. | D．Exposure to pesticides. |
| A．To express sympathy for the affected farmers. | B．To show the factors resulting in the bees’ crisis. |
| C．To explain a key catalyst to the bees’ problem. | D．To urge decision makers to take action for bees. |
2 . Lightning can strike anyplace on Earth. In fact, there are about 6,000 lightning strikes every minute, which is more than 8 million strikes every day. The risk of being struck by lightning is low, but the consequences of lightning strike injuries are serious. Even though your home is a safe shelter during a lightning storm, you might still be at risk. About one-third of lightning-strike injuries occur indoors.
Avoid water.
Do NOT bathe, shower, wash dishes, or have any other contact with water during a thunderstorm.
Do NOT use anything connected to an electrical outlet (电源插座), such as computers, game systems, washers, or stoves. Lightning can travel through electrical systems, radio and television reception systems, and any metal wires or bars in concrete walls or flooring.
Avoid windows, doors, porches, and concrete.
Don’t use corded (有线的) phones.
Corded phones are NOT safe to use during a thunderstorm. Do NOT use them.
Follow the safety measures above can minimize your risk of being injured indoors on lighting days. Don’t take it for granted that only outdoor activities can put you in a dangerous place. Keep it in mind that inappropriate indoor activities can also be disastrous.
| A．Here are some tips to keep safe and reduce your risk of being struck while indoors. |
| B．In addition, follow up on the latest information about the storm. |
| C．However, it is safe to use cordless or mobile phones during a storm. |
| D．Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches. |
| E．Some outdoors measures can keep you safe and prevent you from being attacked. |
| F．Lightning can travel through a building’s water pipe system. |
| G．Don’t touch electronic equipment. |
3 . Popcorm Park Zoo is not like most zoos. It is a very special place.
This unusual place was not originally a zoo. At first it was called the Forked River Animal Care Center. The workers there looked after lost or unwanted cats and dogs. Today the center is part of the zoo, but now many other kinds of animals are helped there, too.
The changes to the center began in 1977 when a raccoon(浣熊)needed help. One of its front paws(爪子)had been badly hurt. The workers cared for the animal. Finally it was better, but it could not care for itself. The raccoon was allowed to live there. Then a hurt deer was brought there for help. It, too, stayed there after it got well.
Once people heard about the wonderful work being done at the center, they began taking all kinds of hurt or homeless animals there. Soon it was no longer just a home for cats and dogs. So many animals were living there that it became more like a zoo.
Popcorn Park Zoo got its funny name because many of the animals there like to eat popcorn made without oil or salt. The popcorn is sold there to help make money to care for the animals. People buy the popcorn to feed the animals as a treat.
Popcorn Park Zoo now looks after more than 200 kinds of animals. Many of them live freely there. Some of the gentler ones, such as goats, sheep, geese, and deer, walk among the visitors who come to see them. Others are kept in large closed-in areas almost like their natural homes. All the animals there get care and love.
1. Before 1977, the center was a home for .| A．lost or unwanted cats and dogs |
| B．hurt or homeless raccoons and goats |
| C．lost or unwanted deer and sheep |
| D．hurt or homeless raccoons and geese |
| A．They changed its front paws. |
| B．They cured it and let it live there. |
| C．They sent it back to its home. |
| D．They built another home just for it. |
| A．treat the visitors | B．reward the workers |
| C．trick the animals | D．raise money |
| A．They all live in closed-in areas. |
| B．Some of them can walk out of the zoo freely. |
| C．All of them are taken good care of. |
| D．Some of them have already returned to nature. |
