1 . Little was road testing his mountain bike outside of Columbus, when his
“He was really bony, and had a
An idea hit Little. He
“He was injured, so he wasn’t trying to
Today, Columbo is living a
A.hiking | B.riding | C.skipping | D.hunting |
A.air | B.center | C.distance | D.open |
A.burst | B.set | C.turned | D.left |
A.weak | B.broken | C.hairy | D.artificial |
A.poor | B.aggressive | C.fierce | D.stubborn |
A.finding | B.idea | C.suspicion | D.assumption |
A.punish | B.follow | C.forget | D.leave |
A.refer to | B.end up | C.die out | D.tear apart |
A.powerfully | B.desperately | C.casually | D.carefully |
A.long | B.short | C.back | D.front |
A.shoulders | B.head | C.arms | D.back |
A.fight | B.witness | C.wonder | D.remove |
A.urging | B.identifying | C.comforting | D.separating |
A.submitted | B.attached | C.accustomed | D.happened |
A.thankful to | B.cautious about | C.sympathetic to | D.keen on |
A.touched | B.annoyed | C.convinced | D.terrified |
A.keeping | B.training | C.walking | D.calming |
A.canceled | B.performed | C.scheduled | D.observed |
A.noisy | B.disturbing | C.specific | D.merry |
A.leader | B.company | C.defender | D.inspector |
2 . Humans have sailed the oceans’ surfaces for thousands of years, but their depths remain effectively uncharted. Only about a quarter of the seafloor has been mapped at high resolution (清晰度). Maps of most regions display only estimated depths and often miss entire underwater mountains or canyons (峡谷). So a group of researchers have turned to some deep-diving experts: Elephant Seals and Weddell Seals. Scientists have been placing trackers on these blubber y marine mammals around Antarctica for years, gathering data on ocean temperature and salinity (盐度).
For a new study, the researchers compared these dives’ location and depth data with some of the less detailed seafloor maps. They spotted places where the seals dove deeper than should have been possible according to the maps.
In eastern Antarctica’s Vincennes Bay, the diving seals helped the scientists find a large, hidden underwater canyon suddenly descending (下降) to depths of more than a mile. “The seals discovered the canyon, and the ship confirmed it,” says Clive McMahon, a researcher at the Integrated Marine Observing System in Australia and a co-author of the new study.
But seals can’t map the entire ocean floor. The trackers used in the study could pinpoint (为……准确定位) a seal’s geographical location only within about 1.5 miles, which allows for useful but not exactly high-resolution data. Plus, because the seals don’t always dive to the bottom of the ocean, they can reveal only where the bottom is deeper than in existing maps — not shallower. McMahon notes that scientists could improve on these data by using more precise GPS trackers and analyzing the seals’ diving patterns to determine whether they have reached the seafloor or simply stopped descending.
The current seal-dive data can still be valuable for an important task, says Anna Wåhlin, an oceanographer at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. The deep ocean around Antarctica is warmer than the extremely cold waters at the surface, and seafloor canyons can allow that warmer water to flow to the ice along the continent’s coast, Wåhlin explains. To predict how Antarctica’s ice will melt, scientists will need to know where those canyons are and how deep they go.
1. What’s the initial function of the device carried by the seals?A.Collecting data about seawater. |
B.Filming the images of the seafloor. |
C.Recording the seals’ travelling routes. |
D.Leading researchers to some remote areas. |
A.It is impossible to fully uncover the secrets of the sea. |
B.The existing depth estimates for the sea are inaccurate. |
C.Seals’ ability to dive is worth further scientific studies. |
D.It is urgent for scientists to map detailed seafloor maps. |
A.The creative methods adopted in the study. |
B.Major technical challenges faced by scientists. |
C.New research directions inspired by the study. |
D.The shortcomings of the approaches to the study. |
A.The new study is potentially beneficial to other scientific fields. |
B.The deep waters of Antarctica are colder than the surface waters. |
C.Seafloor canyons slow down the speed of ice melting in Antarctica. |
D.The seal-dive practice is valuable for mapping the entire ocean floor. |
3 . Johannes Fritz, a biologist, needed to come up with a plan, again, if he was going to prevent his rare and beloved birds from going extinct.
To survive the European winter, the northern bald ibis — which had once disappeared entirely from the wild on the continent—needs to migrate (迁徙) south for the winter, over the Alps, before the mountains become impassable. But shifting climate patterns have delayed when the birds begin to migrate, and they are now reaching the mountains too late to make it over the peaks, locking them in an icy death trap. Determined to save them, Mr. Fritz decided he would teach the birds a new, safer migration route by guiding them himself in a tiny aircraft. And he was confident he could succeed in this daring, unconventional plan—because he had done it before.
Mr. Fritz learned to fly, modifying a light aircraft so it would fly at speeds slow enough for his winged students to keep up. In 2004, Mr. Fritz led the first flock from Austria to Italy, and has since led 15 such migrations. Over that time, he has rewilded 277 young ibises, many of which then started to pass the route onto their own young. For now, however, the main worry is getting the birds to follow the aircraft. “While they have a strong bond with their ‘mothers’ and follow them around on the ground, flying is more difficult,” Fritz said.
“Fly Away Home was a huge hit with us biologists,” Mr. Fritz said, recalling the 1996 movie in which characters lead the migration of orphaned Canada geese in a hang glider. When Mr. Fritz declared he’d do the same with the ibises, he was initially laughed at. But through years of trial and error, he succeeded. He even learned to fly like a bird, he said. Mr. Fritz’s two sons, both now teenagers, followed their flying father and the migrating birds on the ground, and his family and colleagues witnessed the risks he was taking. But the inevitable risks are “necessary”, Mr. Fritz said. “It’s not so much a job,” he added, “but my life’s purpose.”
1. Why did Mr. Fritz guide the birds himself in a tiny aircraft?A.He wanted to learn from them. | B.He showed them a safer flyway. |
C.They needed to be fed in the air. | D.They were often lost on the way. |
A.By listing concrete numbers. | B.By conducting a survey. |
C.By performing experiments. | D.By making a comparison. |
A.Imaginative and honest. | B.Generous and easy-going. |
C.Energetic and open-minded. | D.Strong-willed and brave. |
A.Fritz once starred in a film in 1996. | B.Fritz had no difficulty with his work. |
C.Fritz thought what he did was rewarding. | D.Fritz was challenged by those around him. |
4 . Between 20 and 40 per cent of planet Earth is covered in grasslands, across every continent except for Antarctica. Grass is a low-growing, flowering plant with groups of narrow leaves growing from its base. Strong roots typically hold this plant’s leaves firmly to the ground.
One of the most common sights along stretches of grass is grass-eating animals. This is because many large animals rely on extensive grasslands to survive, and grass grows well with this regular trimming (修剪). The plants gain their energy from sunlight and require healthy cells to do so. If the leaves aren’t cut, the tips die and start to rot. When they are damaged with a clean cut, however, the cells are caused to grow quicker and produce new, healthy tissue. This is also why cutting your garden’s grassland regularly can make your grass look thicker and healthier.
Humans rely on grass for food, too. Many grasses, such as w heat or corn, are harvested as a main part of some diets. Meanwhile, grass is used indirectly to produce food in the form of livestock (牲畜). Cattle farmers require grass in their fields to feed cows and sheep before they are turned into meat for human consumption.
One of the most debated questions is how long ago grass evolved. Because grass doesn’t preserve well as a fossil, a definitive answer is hard to come by. Until recently, many scientists estimated that grass began to grow on Earth between 50 and 65 million years ago.
However, within the last decade, a piece of 100-million-year-old amber (琥珀) was found that appeared to contain the oldest grass fossil to date. Studies of fossilized dinosaur faces (粪便) also suggest that some dinosaurs lived at the same time that grass grew on the planet, incorporating it into their diets.
1. What is the function of the roots mentioned in Paragraph 1?A.To fix the leaves to the soil. | B.To store water and nutrients. |
C.To support the growth of the plant. | D.To protect the plant from animals. |
A.By improving soil quality. | B.By encouraging cell growth. |
C.By preventing the tips from dying. | D.By attracting more animals to eat them. |
A.Grass doesn’t preserve well as a fossil. | B.There are no fossils of grass available. |
C.There is no solid evidence of its evolution. | D.Scientists can’t agree on its origin. |
A.The Variety of Grass | B.The Development of Grass |
C.How Grass Change Life | D.How to Make Grass Grow Well |
Liulichang Cultural Street is known throughout China and the world for its ancient books, calligraphy, paintings, rubbings, ink stones and ink. The street, which is only 750 meters long,
Liulichang’s history can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty,
In 1979, the Chinese government
6 . Cruise through many neighborhoods or parks around the world, and you will find no shortage of well-mowed expanses of grass. Lawns (草坪) do look attractive.
Why did lawns become so popular?
What environmental problems are lawns causing?
Lawns are homogenizing the environment, not only in terms of biodiversity but also visually. You compare countries’ and cities’ urban landscapes around the world, and they look exactly the same.
You have to find your own local solution. We can take inspiration from the natural plant communities around us. In suburban and rural areas, that might mean having a meadow or prairie. In other places, it might be a savanna like environment or mountain plants. You can have a “grass-free” lawn; with only low-growing plants that create the same effect as a lawn, and you can walk on it.
How can we persuade people to adopt these alternatives?
When people see them, they appreciate them and like them.
A.So it is all about education. |
B.What are these alternatives? |
C.And it is understandable fondness. |
D.What are the inspirations of lawns? |
E.However, they choke out biodiversity. |
F.Lawns came to be seen as a symbol of civilization and a way of life. |
G.Lawn upkeep takes resources, fertilizer and pesticide that enter groundwater and runoff water. |
World Ocean Day is an international day that takes place annually on 8 June. It is observed as a
The Day is now celebrated in over 100 countries with hundreds of special events broadcast across the globe. It
Young people are an important part. The Day provides them with a platform
1. What advice is Tim going to give his teachers?
A.Asking students to send in their work electronically. |
B.Requesting students to recycle school paper. |
C.Making students use both sides of paper. |
A.Use local produce. |
B.Have meatless meals. |
C.Stop selling bottled drinks. |
A.A recycling plan. | B.A green project. | C.The school life. |
A.Sunny. | B.Cloudy. | C.Rainy. |
1. What will the weather be like on Christmas day?
A.Dry. | B.Rainy. | C.Snowy. |
A.On Christmas Eve. | B.On Christmas Day. | C.On Boxing Day. |
A.Watch the roads when driving. |
B.Wear warm clothes when going out. |
C.Stay indoors and drink hot chocolate. |
A.The weather condition during Christmas period. |
B.The plan on celebrating the New Year. |
C.The arrangement on Boxing Day. |