1 . When we look at birds, we tend to focus on their plumage. But many birds have colorful body parts that are not feathers. So a group of scientists wondered if dinosaurs, the distant ancestors of birds, also had some shining body parts. According to a study published this week, some dinosaurs might have had colorful feet and faces, and these bright body fashions could have been used to attract their mates.

“Living birds use a collection of pigments (色素) and can be very colorful on their legs and around their eyes,” lead author Sarah Davis said in the University of Texas at Austin on Thursday. “We could expect that extinct dinosaurs expressed the same colors.”

As is known to us, carrots are a famous example of how carotenoids (胡萝卜素) make food orange. Data analysis from the past also suggested insights into modern birds. They also give birds their bright yellow, orange and red colors. The study found birds with plant-based diets with plenty of carotenoids tend to have more bright colors in more places on their bodies than meat-focused birds. “The earliest dinosaurs were as big as a small horse and ate such large birds or animals,” said the study’s co-author Julia Clarke, “so this led to the coloration of dinosaurs’ skin.”

However, the fossil (化石) record doesn’t give scientists a lot to go on when it comes to determining what color the dinosaurs have, but the study suggests some bright new possibilities for what dinosaurs might have looked like.

1. What does the underlined word “plumage” in paragraph 1 refer to？

A．Feather.

B．Shape.

C．Foot.

D．Face.

2. What might contribute to dinosaurs’ bright color according to Julia Clarke?

A．Plants in their habitat.	B．Carrots in their bodies.
C．Color from their mates.	D．Pigments from their diets.

3. What did researchers do to draw their conclusion?

A．They analyzed species of birds.	B．They examined data and fossil.
C．They did research on various animals.	D．They studied the function of pigments.

4. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A book review.	B．A news report.
C．A guidebook.	D．A collection of stories.

2 . Matt Kauffman is a wildlife researcher at the University of Wyoming. He leads the Wyoming Migration Initiative, which studies the migratory (迁徙的) paths of animals like deer and elk (驼鹿) in the American state of Wyoming.

In 2019, Kauffman and other scientists were talking at a conference in Italy. He began learning that wildlife around the world had the same difficulties faced by Wyoming’s migratory deer and elk. “We just naturally got together, and nine or ten of us are working on migrations around the world,” Kauffman told Jackson Hole News & Guide. “We realized that a lot of the same things we were trying to address by mapping migrations in Wyoming were applicable globally.”

Their talk in 2019 was the beginning of an international effort that now includes 92 scientists and environmentalists. Their effort is called the Global Initiative on Ungulate (有蹄类动物) Migration. The aim is to gather information on the seasonal movements of gazelles in Mongolia and Norwegian reindeer. The hundreds of paths would then be presented in an electronic migration map. The researchers wrote a report that recently appeared in the publication Science.

The report describes how animal movements over long distances to get food and other resources are not doing so well. The main reason for the struggles comes from land development by humans. Roads and fences create barriers for the animals, restricting their movement. And the warming of the planet has also unsettled environmental systems.

Joe Ogutu studies migratory east African wildebeest, zebra and Thomson's gazelle for the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart, Germany. Since 2015, he has watched the ungulate migration called Mara-Loita in southwestern Kenya stop working because of fence-building and sharing land space with hundreds of thousands of sheep and goats. Ogutu hopes that the Global Initiative on Ungulate Migration will bring attention to the Mara-Loita migration and other at-risk paths. “Publicity and attention,” he said, “will hopefully lead to its restoration and protection.”

1. What did Kauffman realize at the conference in Italy?

A．The migratory paths of animals in Wyoming were at risk.

B．The migratory animals’ difficulties were global issues.

C．Some scientists finished mapping animals’ migrations.

D．Many countries focused on wildlife migrations.

2. What does the report published in Science find according to the text?

A．How to save ungulates in the world.	B．Where migratory animals like to move.
C．Why animals’ migrations run into trouble.	D．What people have done to protect wildlife.

3. What does Ogutu think of the Global Initiative on Ungulate Migration?

A．It has great significance.	B．It has brought great benefits.
C．It should be extended to Africa first.	D．It should be based on Mara-Loita migration.

4. Which of the following may be the best title for the text?

A．Animals Are Facing Survival Challenges

B．Humans Have Ruined Animals’ Migration

C．Researchers Are Mapping Animals’ Migratory Paths

D．Global Warming Brings Threat to Ungulate Migration

3 . Have you ever wondered how mosquitoes are so good at finding you? A new study has just identified a new way they home in on us. It’s visual. Mosquitoes just like the look of our skin.

Claire Rusch and her colleagues have been working to uncover ways to avoid mosquito bites. And this biologist knows plenty about that. After all, to study mosquitoes, “you get bitten a lot,” she notes. “It’s not easy to work with an animal that preys(捕食) on you.”

To test whether a mosquito has color preference, Rusch got help from a software engineer who designed a test box that was 450 mosquito-body-lengths long. Lined with cameras, it recorded the insects’ flight patterns. Two small colored disks were laid on the floor of the box.

The researchers released about 50 starved mosquitoes into the box. Mosquitoes don’t start hunting until they’ve smelt carbon dioxide(CO₂). So, the team sprayed(喷) CO₂ inside the box as part of the experiment. Cameras recorded where’ the mosquitoes flew and how they interacted with the colored disks. Whichever disk the mosquitoes flew around longer would be the color the insects preferred.

They found before CO₂ was sprayed, the mosquitoes ignored all the colored disks. With CO₂, mosquitoes ignored any disk that was green, blue or purple. But the insects did fly toward disks that were red, orange or light blue. These colors, apparently, were inviting. The mosquitoes seemed to especially like red.

The result was beyond the researchers’ expectations because scientists long thought that mosquitoes relied mostly on body smells and heat to find humans. Now, they know that vision also plays an important role.

There is still much to learn about how mosquitoes see their world. It seems logical that mosquitoes might be attracted to red since that is the color human skin appears to them. Still unknown is why they are also attracted to light blue. And, importantly, how might these new data on color preferences be used to design better mosquito traps?

1. What does the underlined word “that” in paragraph 2 refer to?

A．identifying various mosquitoes.	B．Teaming up with other colleagues.
C．Avoiding being bitten by mosquitoes.	D．Uncovering ways to catch mosquitoes.

2. Why did the researchers use carbon dioxide in the experiment?

A．To stop mosquitoes flying away.	B．To track mosquitoes more easily.
C．To make mosquitoes hunt actively.	D．To put more pressure on mosquitoes.

3. What was the discovery of the new study?

A．Mosquitoes track people by smelling.	B．Mosquitoes are good at finding their targets.
C．Mosquitoes see the world in a different way.	D．Mosquitoes can use eyes when hunting food.

4. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．The things remaining to be explored.	B．The world in the eyes of mosquitoes.
C．The color preferences of mosquitoes.	D．The practical application of the findings.

4 . A new study suggests that crop insurance serves as a disincentive （抑制因素） for farmers to adopt climate change relief measures on their croplands.

The study by researchers at North Carolina State University examined the interactions of warmer temperatures, crop yield （产量） risk and crop insurance participation by farmers. For the study, researchers developed models using historical county-level corn and soybean yield data in the United States, with an eye toward understanding the production impacts of rising temperatures.

The researchers found that variation in crop yield due to higher temperatures rose when more farmers had crop insurance. Interestingly, the results showed greater variability effects for corn yields than for soybean yields.

“This could be an unintended consequence of the government’s providing subsidies for crop insurance, which costs a large sum of money,” said Rod M. Rejesus, professor of agricultural and resource economics at NC State and the author of the research study. “The concept of moral crisis could be present here. If insurance will cover crop losses due to various effects like drought or severe weather, a farmer may not want to pay the extra expense for climate change adaptation efforts such as using cover crops to improve soil health, for example.”

The study models indicate that an increase of daily minimum and maximum temperatures of 1 degree Celsius would increase county-level corn yield variability by 8. 6 bushels （1 bushel equals to 35. 24 L） per acre if 80% of farmers in a county have crop insurance. The same temperature rise in a county with 10％ crop insurance participation would increase corn yield variability by just 6.2 bushels per acre.

The researchers bring up possible solutions to this situation for policymakers. They include providing more subsidies to encourage farmers’ use of climate change relief efforts—like soil health practices—and starting high-level policy conversations about how to possibly adjust rules and guidelines that govern crop insurance contracts in order to reduce the disincentive effects.

1. What does the study find about crop insurance?

A．It ensures crop production.	B．It leads to unexpected side effects.
C．It results in worse climate change.	D．It doesn’t bring any benefits to farmers.

2. What does the underlined word “subsidies” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Market support.	B．Verbal support.
C．Technical assistance.	D．Financial aid.

3. What might explain the unintended consequence of crop insurance?

A．Moral crisis.	B．Law issue.
C．Study models.	D．Custom change.

4. How did the author show the effects of crop insurance on corn yield variability?

A．By doing experiments.	B．By making a comparison.
C．By listing figures.	D．By consulting experts.

5 . Researchers from The University of Queensland(UQ)have helped design a new app to protect birds at risk of extinction across the world by eliminating language barriers among scientists. The Bird Language Diversity web app will help provide a “birds eye view”, ensuring vital information is shared to improve worldwide conservation.

UQ’s Dr Pablo Negret said the research team analysed more than 10,000 bird species, and found that 1,587 species have 10 languages or more spoken within their distributions. “Scientific information on species can be spread across different languages, but valuable information can go missing or get lost in translation,” Dr Negret said. “Without enough sharing of information, this can affect the effectiveness of conservation measures.”

Take the common bird Pochard for example. It is classified as vulnerable species(易危种)and crosses 108 countries in Europe, Asia and north Africa, where a total of 75 official languages are spoken. The survival of the common Pochard, and so many other species, depends on effective cooperation and policy agreements among people with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

This app reveals where threatened and migratory birds exist geographically, in relation to the language spoken in those regions. ”We hope the app will encourage researchers and conservation organisations to interact with their peers in other regions, especially if they speak different languages, and be a starting point to allow everyone to work together to protect threatened species,” Dr Negret said.

Dr Tatsuya Amano, a researcher and the co-author of the paper, said this work could extend further than bird species. “Any species, whether they’re mammals, amphibians(两栖动物), or plants, with a range crossing multiple countries will be impacted by language barriers, as well as species that migrate across different countries, such as marine species and butterflies,” he said. ”The significance of the impact of poor communication on such an important issue is evident, and is the reason why we’re working hard to improve science communication across languages.”

1. What does the underlined word “eliminating“ in paragraph 1 mean?

A．Giving in to.

B．Coming across.

C．Putting up with.

D．Breaking down.

2. What is the function of adequate sharing of information?

A．Ensuring the effectiveness of protective measures.

B．Helping people know more about scientists’ efforts.

C．Spreading knowledge of the diversity of birds worldwide.

D．Compromising the effectiveness of conservation measures.

3. What is shown on the app?

A．The producer of the app.	B．The organizations involved.
C．The location of endangered birds.	D．The information of new geographers.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Birds Protection Is an Urgency	B．A New Bird App Spreads Its Wings
C．A New Bird App Helps Learn Languages	D．Poor Communication Impacts Cooperation

8 . There are few places on Earth that humans haven’t messed up. Now even Antarctica, the only continent with no permanent human inhabitants, is being altered by us. A study found that the increasing human presence in Antarctica is causing more snow melt-bad news for a frozen world already battling the effects of human-caused global warming.

Black carbon, the dark, dusty pollution that comes from burning fossil fuels has settled in locations where tourists and researchers spend a lot of time, scientists found. Even the smallest amount of the dark pollutant can have a significant impact on melting because of its very low reflectiveness: things that are light in color, like snow, reflect the sun's energy and stay cool; things that are dark, like black carbon, absorb the sun's energy and warm up.

“The snow albedo (反射率) effect is one of the largest uncertainties in regional and global climate modeling right now,” Alia Khan, a snow and ice scientist at Western Washington University, told CNN. “That’s one of the motivations for the study, to quantify the impact of black carbon on regional snowmelt, which is important for quantifying the role of black carbon in the global loss of snow and ice.”

“Antarctica is sitting there pretty much silently all year. But, if it weren’t there, in the state that it is meant to be, the balance that we have in the climate system will no longer be,” Marilyn Raphael, a geography professor said. “Antarctica’s sea ice is also important to maintain a balance in atmospheric circulation,” he added. As waters get warmer, some Antarctic creatures are finding their homes more and more unlivable.

“Everything we do has consequences,” Raphael said. “We need to educate ourselves about those consequences, especially in systems that we know relatively little about. We have to be careful that we don’t upset the climate balance.”

1. Why can the smallest amount of black carbon have huge impact on melting?

A．It is highly reflective.	B．Its dark colour absorbs heat.
C．It produces vast energy.	D．It causes much pollution.

2. According to Alia, which of the following is one reason for conducting the study?

A．To measure the impact of black carbon on melting.

B．To quantify the cost of battling against climate change.

C．To remove the uncertainties of global warming effects.

D．To urge people to pay more attention to melting problem.

3. What is the fourth paragraph mainly about?

A．The change caused by Antarctic melting.	B．The methods to stop Antarctic ice melting.
C．The significance of Antarctic being in its state.	D．The sufferings Antarctic creatures are experiencing.

4. What does Raphael advise people to do?

A．Reduce tourist numbers.	B．Face the consequences.
C．Acquire professional education.	D．Stop disturbing the climate.

9 . Travel is not only beneficial to our minds, bodies, and souls, but it will be important to many countries and communities that rely on tourism dollars to make ends meet. Now I’d like to go a bit more in depth with strategies for travelers to leave less of a mess behind.

Pack with great care. How you pack sets the tone for how you will interact with the place you visit. Take as little as you can. Pack useful things like a large scarf or a quick-dry towel that can double as a blanket, pillow, or sun guard.     1    

Save water and energy. Paying for the hotel room doesn’t mean you should waste the resources.     2     Take short showers and reuse towels. Turn off the lights and turn down the heat when you leave.

    3     When you travel with least luggage, it’s not a big deal to hop on a bus, train, or ferry, all of which come with a smaller carbon footprint than private cars or plane rides. Public transportation routes give you a different view of a city and a culture, bring you into contact with locals, and add some colorful stories to your adventure.

Avoid single-use plastic. When hanging out, carry a cloth shopping bag for any purchases.     4     Avoid takeout meals that produce waste.

Leave reviews.     5     By taking the time to leave a thoughtful review that analyzes the eco-credibility of a place you’ve visited, you can help the business get recognized for its effort, and encourage other travelers to prioritize (优先处理) environmental standards.

A．Use public transportation.

B．Pack more in case of an emergency.

C．Keep your bag light and easy to carry.

D．Avoid using it as much as possible.

E．Treat it as you do in your own home.

F．Carry a water bottle to avoid single-use plastic bottles.

G．This is an important yet often overlooked aspect of travel.

10 . Triantha Occidentalis, commonly known as the western false asphodel (西部假水仙), which has been known to science since 1879, is a herb-like plant found in abundance along North America’s West Coast. But it is only recently that researchers discovered the innocent-looking plant’s desire for insects.

“We had no idea it was carnivorous (食肉的),” says botanist Sean Graham. “This was not found in some exotic tropical location, but really right on our doorstep in Vancouver. You could exactly walk out from Vancouver to this field site.”

While studying the plant, the researchers noticed that Triantha Occidentalis lacked the same gene as other carnivorous plants. Since the plant grows in the same wet, sunny habitat with nutrient-poor soil as other carnivorous plants, they wondered if it caught insects for nutrition as well. “And at the same time they have sticky stems (茎),” Graham said. “So, I wonder if this could be a sign that it might be carnivorous.”

To test whether it is carnivorous, scientists marked fruit flies with nitrogen-15 isotopes (氮-l5同位素). By collecting the plants the fruit flies visited and comparing the nitrogen levels of different plants, the researchers found that Triantha Occidentalis was able to get more than half of the nitrogen it needed, suggesting that it absorbs nitrogen from the fruit flies. Additionally, the digestive enzyme (消化酶) released by the sticky hairs in flower stems was similar to that found in other carnivorous plants.

Usually, the deadly trap of carnivorous plants grow far away from the flower to prevent accidentally killing pollinators (授粉者), while the western false asphodel traps insects near flowers. The scientists say this is the first time they have met the deadly trap on the flower’s stem, and the sticky hairs on the stem of Triantha Occidentalis can only catch small insects, not the larger bees or butterflies involved in pollination.

“It’s a good reminder that we still don’t know much about the ecology of a lot of individual plant species, even in well-known environments,” says Dr. Qianshi Lin.

1. What does Graham stress in paragraph 2?

A．The discovery is made in the local place.

B．Carnivorous plants grow in the hottest places.

C．Triantha Occidentalis is very common.

D．Vancouver is home to various carnivorous plants.

2. What does the underlined word “that” in paragraph 4 refer to?

A．The nitrogen.	B．The digestive enzyme.
C．The flower.	D．The nutrition.

3. Which part of the western false asphodel catches insects?

A．Its fruit.	B．Its leaves.
C．Its stem.	D．Its roots.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．A new species of local flower is discovered.

B．A carnivorous flower in the wild grows well.

C．A flower gives off strange smell to attract insects.

D．An innocent-looking plant turns out to be carnivorous.