The Molai Forest, named after its creator, was once an area
The boy soon turned to his elders and asked, "What if all of us die like these snakes one day?" The grown-ups only laughed. But the boy comforted
Since then, Jadav started planting bamboos in the wetland. He found a small island and planted many young trees. He worked
In 1980, Jadav worked with a team
Forest is his home now. He regards the recognition and awards he got
2 . Oxygen, I'm sure you'd agree, is pretty important for life on Earth. We breathe it in, our cells survive on it and without it, we hardly live. Basically all multicellular life on Earth evolved over millions of years to make use of oxygen.
But take a deep breath, because we need to talk about Henneguya salminicola, a tiny parasite(寄生虫) containing fewer than100 cells that lives within the muscle tissue of salmon, a large fish with silver skin and pink flesh. The strange-looking parasite does not busy itself with such small matters as breathing oxygen. Nope, it seems that H. salminicola is the first multicellular animal we've found that survives without the stuff.
“Aerobic respiration(有氧呼吸) was thought to be commonly found in animals, but now we confirmed that this is not the case, "said Dorothee Huchon, a zoologist at Tel Aviv University in Israel, in a press release.
Huchon and a team of international researchers examined and sequenced(排序) all of. salminicola's' genes in their study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. They found that the parasite, which is closely related to jellyfish, lacks the DNA machinery necessary to“breathe”---it doesn't' have mitochondria(线粒体), often called the "powerhouse" of the cell, because they use oxygen to make energy. It's like a little factory inside almost all cells, and DNA detectives can find mitochondrial genes during sequencing.
The discovery came as something of an accident for the team, who were examining the genome (the complete set of genes) of the species. When they went searching for the mitochondrial genes, they came up empty-handed. "Our discovery shows that evolution can go in strange directions, ”Huchon said. "Aerobic respiration is a major source of energy, and yet we found an animal that gave up this important pathway.”
Some single-celled life forms have evolved the ability to survive without oxygen and do not have mitochondria, either. Plenty of bacteria can exist without oxygen at all. Instead of oxygen, they get their energy from fermentation(发酵) or use other molecules like iron.
But how H. salminicola produces energy is still unclear. Huchon suggests it could draw oxygen from the cells in salmon or it could have evolved similar methods to those of single-celled organisms which scientists have documented in the past.
1. What can we learn about Henneguya salminicola?| A．It is an animal consisting of a cell. |
| B．It can still survive without oxygen. |
| C．It takes on a normal appearance. |
| D．It has a longer lifespan than salmon. |
| A．To make cells breathe fast. |
| B．To help to produce oxygen. |
| C．To provide energy for cells. |
| D．To help cells absorb oxygen. |
| A．Interested. | B．Satisfied. | C．Astonished. | D．Frightened. |
| A．The natural evolution of animal cells |
| B．Different kinds of life forms on earth |
| C．A research on single-celled organisms |
| D．A creature that doesn't breathe oxygen |
3 . What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the word “culture”？ Do you think of different groups of people across the world with various
Sam Williams,executive director of the Macaw(金刚鹦鹉）Recovery Network in Costa Rica, helps to
＂In a cage,you can't
This type of knowledge is known as cultural knowledge. Cultural knowledge can be
Culture helps animals to
Other important parts of cultural knowledge include things like group identity, using different tools,taking different
These traditions can especially be seen in chimpanzee communities. Cat Hobaiter,who studies chimpanzees in Uganda,said:"It's not just the
Culture isn't just for
| A．communities | B．zones | C．traditions | D．divisions |
| A．squeeze | B．reduce | C．wrestle | D．delete |
| A．encaged | B．enlarged | C．encouraged | D．ensured |
| A．tentative | B．slow | C．lame | D．abrupt |
| A．elect | B．swap | C．assess | D．train |
| A．brochure | B．seminar | C．framework | D．information |
| A．passed down | B．taken up | C．followed up | D．put together |
| A．management | B．survival | C．currency | D．cooperation |
| A．cater to | B．push for | C．adapt to | D．dive in |
| A．safely | B．desperately | C．surprisingly | D．hopefully |
| A．irrigation | B．migration | C．suspension | D．collision |
| A．loss | B．dilemma | C．adjustment | D．prevention |
| A．enterprising | B．flexible | C．artificial | D．terrifying |
| A．animals | B．plants | C．humans | D．nails |
| A．refreshing | B．weeping | C．negotiating | D．socializing |
4 . On November 7, Lewis Pugh completed a one-kilometer swim in the freezing waters of King Edward Cove, off South Georgia in Antarctica. He was wearing only his swimming glasses, cap and Speedo !
Pugh is an advocate for our oceans and seas, working to protect these ecosystems with their large diversity of marine life. When asked why he doesn't wear a wetsuit(防寒泳衣), Pugh says, "I ask world leaders to do everything they can to protect our oceans. Sometimes the steps they need to take are difficult and unpopular. If I'm asking them to be courageous, I must also be. Swimming in a wetsuit would not send the right message."
It took Pugh about 19 minutes to complete the one-kilometer swim in Antarctica where the water averaged about 1.6 degrees Celsius. He says that his body can only tolerate about 20 minutes in the freezing waters before it starts shutting down. As he swims, his body temperature steadily drops, which in turn causes his muscle control to drop, slowing him down. When he is done with his swim, his support team rushes him to a hot shower and it takes almost an hour for his body temperature to return to normal.
Doctors and Pugh caution that one must receive months of training to swim in such cold waters. Even expert swimmers who are unused to freezing water can drown within minutes because of the physical shock experienced by the body. Pugh says he trained for six months before this swim.
This is not the first time that Pugh has swum in dangerous conditions. In 2007, he swam one kilometer in the North Pole to draw attention to the melting Arctic ice due to climate change. In 2015, he swam in the Bay of Whales in Antarctica's Ross Sea as part of his successful campaign to help set up a marine reserve there.
1. Why did Lewis Pugh swim without a wetsuits ?| A．To show his bravery. |
| B．To swim faster. |
| C．To build up his body. |
| D．To have overnight fame. |
| A．His body temperature. |
| B．His body |
| C．The water. |
| D．The water temperature. |
| A．One should be expert at swimming. |
| B．One must be used to long-distance swimming. |
| C．One should be ready to take on challenges. |
| D．One must be adequately prepared for it. |
| A．Lewis Pugh: achieving the impossible |
| B．How to survive a swim in cold waters |
| C．Lewis Pugh: swimming for a cause |
| D．How to prepare for extreme swimming |
5 . The universe likes to be shy about its age,but astronomers believe they have a pretty good idea of the range.Currently,the most widely accepted age for the universe is around 13.8 billion years,but determining the age of...well,everything,is no easy feat(功绩）.Now, new studies have investigated the question using different methods-and they've come up with two different answers,separated by more than a billion years.
Because the universe is expanding at an accelerating pace,the further away an object is,the faster it appears to be moving away from us.This is expressed as the Hubble constant（哈勃常数, and it's a key factor in figuring out the age of the universe.After all, if we can determine how fast objects moving away from us,we can rewind that process to its beginning-the Big Bang.Researchers from the University of Oregon set out to map the distance to dozens of galaxies The team calculated that the universe is only 12.6 billion years old-that,you might notice is much younger than the 13.8 years usually stated.
In the second study,the method of figuring out the age of the universe is by mapping the oldest light we can detect.We are restoring the' baby photo' of the universe to its original condition, removing the wear and tear of time and space that distorted(扭曲）the image, says Neelima Sehgal, co-author on the study.Only by seeing this sharper baby photo or image of the universe can we more fully understand how our universe was born."In doing so, the researcher determined that the universe is 13.8 billion years old-in agreement with the accepted age.
The real problem though,is that the studies disagree so wildly with each other, to the tune of a billion years.But they are not the only ones-the battle lines are commonly drawn by the methods used. Obviously, more research is needed to determine where the truth lies.
1. What do we know about the universe from the first two paragraphs?| A．It doesn't exist long. | B．It becomes larger. | C．It runs away. | D．It causes the Big Bang. |
| A．The speed of moving objects. |
| B．The number of galaxies. |
| C．The process of the universe evolution. |
| D．The distance to other objects. |
| A．By referring to a similar thing. |
| B．By using hard scientific data. |
| C．By introducing a new concept. |
| D．By quoting an expert's words. |
| A．Whose method is better? |
| B．Which result can you believe? |
| C．How old is the universe? |
| D．Why is the universe so old? |
6 . In 2017, the BBC documentary Spy in the Wild (《荒野间谍》) gave us a chance to look much more closely into the world of animals through the eyes of “animal spies”.
Returning for its second season, Spy in the Wild follows the tradition of the first season while introducing new cameras and robots.
In the new season, more than 50 spy robots are sent to study animals in all kinds of environments, from under the Pacific Ocean to the Arctic.
| A．It won lots of praise from the audience. |
| B．But these spies don’t just record everyday goings-on. |
| C．These spies are actually robots with cameras that look like real animals. |
| D．With the help of these robots, these “animal spies” can do many things. |
| E．It uncovers how different we are compared to our animal cousins. |
| F．The documentary aims to record animal behavior that we would rarely see. |
| G．It watched on as penguin parents tried hard to make it home to feed their chicks. |
7 . We've been part of the Lammas project,an eco village in Wales.I was
Now I live in a roundhouse made out of straw(柏早）。It is not what I would call low-cost housing.The cost is your
I think we've done what I
We
Organic clothes are very
Looking back,I'd argue being organic is
| A．required | B．expected | C．inspired | D．allowed |
| A．in exchange for | B．in connection with | C．in reference to | D．in honor of |
| A．electricity | B．education | C．oxygen | D．sunshine |
| A．cold-hearted | B．white-haired | C．similar-minded | D．near-sighted |
| A．disappear | B．happen | C．stop | D．recover |
| A．money | B．pleasure | C．future | D．energy |
| A．borrow | B．dismiss | C．overlook | D．create |
| A．went on | B．joined up | C．set out | D．called in |
| A．searching for | B．using up | C．researching into | D．selling out |
| A．promote | B．export | C．grow | D．buy |
| A．income | B．experience | C．knowledge | D．entertainment |
| A．materials | B．equipment | C．techniques | D．influence |
| A．donate | B．throw | C．keep | D．sell |
| A．children | B．house | C．garden | D．books |
| A．common | B．expensive | C．casual | D．tough |
| A．as if | B．even if | C．now that | D．in case |
| A．comfort | B．speed | C．company | D．journey |
| A．impossible | B．changeable | C．achievable | D．visible |
| A．effort | B．fame | C．success | D．health |
| A．compete | B．provide | C．defend | D．vote |
Elephant seals in funny-looking hats are helping NASA study climate science.
Equipped with specialized sensors that resemble tiny metal hats with antennae(大线），these seals are collecting data that's helping researchers track how heat moves through ocean currents. A team of climate scientists led by Lia Siegelman used this clever technique to track changes in temperature as the seal swam the icy waters of the Antarctic.
With the help of one particularly female seal,the researchers discovered that heat stored at the ocean's depths can sometimes get swirled(打旋）back up to the surface thanks to some deeply penetrating(穿透）currents.While researchers have known that these currents can ferry heat downward into the ocean's interior(内部），the new findings suggest the opposite is true as well-driving a process that can warm the sea's surface as well.
Siegelman thinks it's important to include this new information into existing climate models.Before seals entered the picture,scientists had a pretty limited view of what went on beneath the surface of the Southern Ocean.Here,temperatures can suddenly fall below－1℃,and thick sheets of sea ice block instruments from collecting data.All in all,it's a pretty unappealing area for underwater field work.
But none of that troubles southern elephant seals,which spend nine to ten months of each year at sea,swimming thousands of miles and diving up to half a mile beneath the ocean surface-usually about 80 times a day.
So Siegelman and her colleagues tagged a female elephant seal on the Kerguelen Islands.The researchers followed her 3,000-mile journey,during which she dived 6,333 times."Even when they sleep,they dive,"Siegelman said.“They float down like a leaf."
Combined with satellite images,the wealth of data the seal recovered gave Siegelman and her team a clearer picture than they'd ever been afforded before.It's probably safe to say that the significance of this was lost on the seal.But from the human perspective(观点），it's clear seals are filling in some massive gaps in knowledge.
1. How did the researchers collect climate data in the Antarctic?| A．By testing a high-tech hat. |
| B．By studying a seal's behavior. |
| C．By measuring the water temperature. |
| D．By attaching a sensor to a seal's head. |
| A．ocean currents can drive heat up to the surface |
| B．heat can be taken down into the ocean's interior |
| C．the warm temperatures can help seals dive deep |
| D．the world's waters can balance global warming |
| A．the scenery is unattractive |
| B．the sea floor is changeable |
| C．seals are aggressive hunters |
| D．seals are extraordinary divers |
| A．Seals help us observe the unknown world. |
| B．Satellites are used to track human activities. |
| C．The ocean presents a more beautiful picture. |
| D．Data are analyzed for better survival of seals. |
Peter heard his little sister Eva’s weak cries as Mother wrapped her in a heavy blanket. Peter’s parents would be heading to town soon to take Eva to the doctor. “Remember to keep the stove going,” Father said, “And check on the cow now and then in the barn (畜棚). Her calf (小牛) may come at any time.” “I will,” said
Peter. Peter promised as his parents walked out into the cold. He didn’t want to add to their worry.
“Today I must manage on my own,” Peter said out loud to make himself feel braver. Father often said they all had to pull their own weight (尽本分) in their new home on the farm. Peter hoped he could do that.
The tiny one-room house felt big with only him in it. He carefully added one piece of wood to the small iron stove.
The morning passed quickly as Peter worked on the sled he was making. After eating at noon, he took melted-snow water to the cow. In the afternoon, Peter heard the winds increase. He decided he’d better check on the cow again.
Peter put on his heavy woolen coat and stepped out of the door. The wind blew snow crystals into his face and his breath froze into a patch (小片) of ice on his scarf before he arrived.
Lying on the dirt floor was a newborn calf, on whose tiny body ice had already begun forming. The cow mooed (哞哞叫) and licked her newborn. Peter knew this calf was important to his family. But the calf looked weak, shivering on the ground. “I have to get the calf to the house or it’ll freeze to death,” Peter thought.
Para. 1: He tried to lift it, but it was too heavy.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Para. 2: “I need to fetch some milk for it,” Peter said to himself.
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Alexis Vaughan, 17, sat quietly in the passenger seat of her dad's car. She stared out the window at the Preston, Idaho, cornfields.
Alexis, a high school student, let her eyes lazily scan the landscape for wildlife. Still, she was terrified when a deer came into view about 200 yards in front of them, just a few feet off the road. "Dad, there's a deer, there!" Alexis said, rolling down the window for a better look. It was a three-point buck (雄鹿) — a male deer with sharp, three-pronged antlers (角) on each side of its head.
As the car moved closer, Alexis saw that the buck's head was bent toward the ground. Then she heard a scream. A few seconds later, she saw an arm fly up near the buck's head. Alexis realized the buck was attacking a woman. Sue Panter, a 44-year-old mother, had been out for her morning run. The buck had come out from the tall corn and began following her. Having lived in rural Idaho for years, Sue knew that most bucks got frightened by humans. But this buck edged closer, even when she threw at it with a handful of gravels (石子).
Sue went to pick up a log to use for self-defense, and the buck attacked her. It lifted her with its antlers (角) and threw her into the air. Sue could feel the horns punctured (刺穿) her leg and blood flowed down her leg. Within seconds, the buck had pushed her off the road and into the cornfield.
When Alexis and her father pulled up, the buck was rolling Sue like a rag doll. Alexis looked into the woman's terrified eyes, and before her father had even stopped the car, the 104 pound teenager jumped quickly out of the car and down the slope toward the buck. She was kicking and hitting it to get its attention. Then Michael, her father, who had followed his daughter, wrestled the buck away from the women by holding the antlers.
注意：
1）所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2） 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；
Paragraph 1:
Alexis helped Sue up the slope.
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Paragraph 2:
Then she heard her father yell.
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