1 . They are smart. They know how to steal. They know how to find food. They know how to intimidate(恐吓) . Who are they? They are macaque monkeys. They have taken over the old city of Lopburi in Thailand. About 8,400 of them are in the center of the city. They roam(漫游) neighborhoods in groups. Dozens of businesses in Lopburi are closing. They include a music school, a gold shop, a barber, a cellphone store and a movie theatre. The Buddhist culture believes reducing the number of monkeys would disturb spiritual well-being.

The monkeys were not always such a hazard. They attracted tourists. Buddhists thought feeding them was a good deed. Now times have changed. Recently, the coronavirus made things worse. There are fewer tourists, which means that travelers give less food to the monkeys. Over the years, the monkeys moved into empty buildings. They trashed whatever they came across. They ripped(扯掉) antennas and windshield wipers off parked cars. What happens when monkeys come into contact with humans? An observer said that years ago the monkeys were fewer, bigger and healthier. Their fur was shiny and thick. They kept to the temples，as well as the ruins of the ancient Khmer civilization.

Then tourists came with easy and unhealthy food. Along with bananas and citrus(柑橘), the macaques feasted on junk food. An observer said, “The monkeys are never hungry. They are just like children who eat too much KFC. ” Compared with the monkeys of the forest, their urban counterparts have less muscle. They have more hypertension and blood disease. Their fur has thinned. Some have gone bald. With so much food available，they have more time to breed and to give birth. Their population has exploded. “These monkeys were here before us,” a man said. A juvenile macaque tugged(拽) his trousers demanding a treat. “We have to adapt to them，not the other way around. ”

The loquat(枇杷) is native to southeastern China. The     1     (leaf) of the loquat tree bear a similarity to the pipa,     2     ancient Chinese instrument. That's     3     it shares the same Chinese pronunciation with that of the instrument. The loquat was first planted by the Chinese people 1,800 years ago and spread abroad later on.

When     4     (study) in Japan in 1988, Lin Shunquan, a Chinese professor, found that the scientific name for the loquat was “Japanese plum“ internationally     5     that it was thought to be native to Japan. Since     6     (he) return to China in 1989, Lin Shunquan has been working to correct the name of the loquat. In 1998, his paper Loquat: Botany and Horticulture was published in a     7     (profession) journal, arguing that the loquat originated in China. Since Japan     8     (acknowledge) that the loquat originated in China in 2006, the name, “Chinese plum”, has been accepted worldwide.

In addition,     9     (devote) to advancing the loquat planting techniques, Professor Lin helped to develop the loquat industry. Due to the demanding techniques of growing loquat and the high cost of labor, few young people     10     (willing) take over. Lin Shunquan has also worked with Alibaba to establish a direct base, which has attracted young people to return to their hometowns to set up online shops.

3 . Poaching and habitat loss have threatened Africa's two species of elephants, taking them closer toward the edge of disappearance, according to a new report released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN).

Before this update, Africa's elephants were grouped together and were evaluated as vulnerable by the IUCN. This is the first time the two species have been sorted separately. In the past, elephants were mostly considered as either Asian elephants or African elephants. Forest and savanna elephants were typically classified as subspecies of African elephants.

The African forest elephant is now listed as critically endangered and the African savanna elephant as endangered. The number of African forest elephants fell by more than 86% over a 31 -year assessment period. The population of African savanna elephants dropped by at least 60% over the last 50 years, according to the IUCN, which tracks the assessment risk of the world's animals. Africa currently has an estimated 415,000 elephants, counting the two species together.

Both elephant species experienced significant population decreases because of poaching. Although it peaked in 2011, illegal hunting still happens and continues to threaten elephant populations. African elephants also face continued habitat loss as their land is converted for agriculture or other uses.

There is some good conservation news, the IUCN points out. Anti-poaching measures, combined with better land use planning to support better human-wildlife relationships, have helped conservation efforts. Some forest elephant population figures have stabilized in well-managed areas in Gabon and the Republic of Congo and savanna population figures have remained stable or have been growing, particularly in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area in southern Africa.

But with constant demand for ivory and increasing human pressures on Africa's wild lands, concern for Africa's elephants is high, and the need to creatively conserve and wisely manage these animals and their habitats is more severe than ever.

5 . On March 18, 34-year-old Lance Karlson was walking on the beach and looking for somewhere to swim in Geographe Bay when he saw what he thought was a stingray (黄貂鱼) leap from the water.

Realizing the creature was, in fact, an octopus (章鱼), he started filming it — just in time for the angry octopus to launch itself at him. He immediately felt a sharp pain across his left arm, followed by a second strike across his neck and upper back. His goggles (护目镜) fogged and the water around him turned dark with what he thought might have been octopus ink as he struggled back toward the shore.       

"I was confused — it was more of a shock than a fright," said Karlson, "I might have hit on its home." Within a minute, a perfect imprint of an octopus tentacle (触手) appeared on Karlson's neck and back.       

A former volunteer lifeguard, Karlson rushed back to his hotel room to find something acidic to put on the wound. All his family could grab was Coca-Cola, which his wife poured over his back and the pain disappeared.

"The pain went away and more than anything since then, it's been more the physical hit that was painful.... The imprint on my neck is more from the physical hit, and I guess it makes complete sense when you look at the video I took," he said.

Karlson said he'd never seen an octopus that close before and watched Netflix documentary "My Octopus Teacher" after the incident to learn more about the species.

"They are beautiful creatures and I really hope this promotes more interest in octopuses as opposed to fear of them. I think this is a fascinating creature with clearly some very strong emotions just like we do as humans," he added.

“The meat of masked civets (果子狸) can be eaten and has long been considered a precious meat," says The Animal Encyclopedia for Children,     1     (publish) by Wuhan University Press. But following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (新型冠状病毒),    2     may be caused by eating bushmeat, a reader complained online that the     3     (describe) was improper, the press responded by withdrawing the book from all shops. The action was welcomed.

However, public opinion alone can’t help. Without a law in place, restaurants can’t be stopped from     4     (serve) wild animal meat. The     5     (one) step toward prohibition of eating bushmeat is to build consensus (共识). Education is essential-only     6     everyone realizes the dangers of eating bushmeat will they give up the habit and push for the establishment     7     laws. Such     8     (aware) should begin early. Teaching children from     9     young age not to eat wild animals will make it     10     (easy) to ensure they won’t do so when they grow up.

9 . Britain's brilliant bridges have supported trade, brought communities together and are always the most exciting part of the journey. These must-see bridges are now tourist attractions in their own right.

Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol

Described by its legendary engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel as “my first love, my darling", it was originally designed for horse-drawn traffic. Now, more than four million vehicles a year cross the 1,352ft-long toll （通行费）bridge over the Avon Gorge. The £ 1 toll for every journey pays for its maintenance. The history of the bridge, dating back to 1864, is kept alive through a programme of tours, events and exhibitions.

Infinity Bridge, Stockton-On-Tees

A pedestrian（行人）and cycle footbridge across the River Tees, its working title was the North Shore Footbridge, before it was given its grander name when opened in 2009. It is particularly incredible at night. The arches（拱形）of the bridge are also lit white and, on calm nights, their reflection in the water appears as an infinity（无穷大）symbol, thus inspiring the name which was chosen by the public.

Tower Bridge, London

An engineering wonder built from thousands of tons of Portland stone and steel, it took construction workers eight years to complete. More than 120 years old, it's a popular tourist attraction, as well as a functional bridge. Visitors can take in the views over the capital, experience seeing London life through the Glass Floor, and visit the Victorian Engine Rooms.

Iron Bridge, Shropshire

Opened in 1781 , this is the first arch bridge in the world made out of cast iron. Recognised as one of the great symbols of the industrial revolution, it transformed the craft of bridge building and was a crucial factor in the development of the iron trade in Shropshire.

As the world    1    （large）cotton consumer and the second largest producer of cotton, China has a long history of cotton cultivation. It is worth    2    （mention）that Xinjiang cotton is highly regarded because of its high yield and high quality.

    3    （locate）in the inland of Eurasia（欧亚大陆）, Xinjiang has a typical mild continental climate. Drought, little rain, sufficient heat, big temperature    4    （different）between day and night and long day make a good growth environment for cotton.

Though Xinjiang has little rainfall, it has a large number of snow-capped mountains, from which meltwater gives cotton abundant water resource. Meanwhile,    5    contrast to the instable rainfall in the monsoon（季风）regions, mountain snowmelt has the characteristics of stable water transportation,    6    is very suitable for the growth of cotton.

Xinjiang is lightly populated and has a vast planting area. It has    7    area of 1.66 million square kilometers and a population of about 23 million. The cotton planting area    8    （cover）25,019.3 square kilometers in 2020，according to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Xinjiang.

The combination of advantaged    9    （nature）conditions and mechanical technology makes Xinjiang cotton have good quality. Endless white cotton has also become one of the    10    （symbol）of great beauty in Xinjiang.