1 . Mars appears to be flowing with small streams of salty water, at least in the summer,scientists reported Monday. “It suggests that it would be possible for there to be life today on Mars,” NASA’s science mission chief, John Grunsfeld, said at a news conference on September 28, 2015. The streams are about 12 to 15 feet wide and 300 feet or more long, scientists said.
“What we’re dealing with is wet soil, thin layers of wet soil, not standing water,” said Aifred McEwen of the University of Arizona at Tueson, the principal scientist for the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's high-resolution imaging experiment.
Because liquid water is essential to life, the findings could have major implications for the possibility of Martian life. The researchers said further exploration is needed to determine whether microscopic life exists on the planet.
The presence of liquid water could also make life easier for astronauts visiting or living on Mars. Water could be used for drinking and for creating oxygen and rocket fuel. NASA’s goal is to send humans there in the 2030s.
The evidence of flowing water consists largely of dark, narrow streaks on the surface that tend to appear and grow during the warmest Martian months and fade the rest of the year.
Mars is extremely cold even in summer, and the streaks are in places where the temperature is as low as minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit. But salt can lower the freezing point of water and melt ice.
The source of the water is a mystery. Scientists noted it could be melting ice. It could be an underground aquifer, which is rock or sand that can hold water. It is possibly water vapor from the thin Martian atmosphere. Or it may be a combination Michael Meyer, lead scientist for NASA’s Mars exploration program, said the only definitive way for now to determine whether there’s life on Mars is to collect rocks and soil for analysis on Earth — something a U. S. lander set for lift-off in 2020 will do.
1. What would be the best title for the text?| A．Streams of Water Spotted on Mars | B．Astronauts will land on Mars |
| C．NASA’s Mars Exploration Program | D．A Breakthrough in the Exploration of Mars |
| A．salty water | B．standing water | C．rocket fuel | D．human beings |
| A．state | B．source | C．temperature | D．taste |
| A．The distance from the sun. | B．The favorable climate. |
| C．The gravity of the earth | D．The salt in it. |
The increasing environmental problems and need for eco-friendly products and services are creating a new job section of green-collar jobs. Many countries of the world have realized the importance and need for energy-saving products and services. It is expected that by 2025 about 25% of the jobs in developed countries will be of green-collar jobs. Doesn’t the data look promising for the future?
Green-collar jobs have become a bright career chances for all. And jobs will pop up at every income level, from environmental manager to gardener. For example, many countries including the United States have understood that fossil fuels have negative effect on the environment which can later become a serious danger to mankind. As a result, possibilities are being explored to find alternatives to satisfy demands in a better way. The increasing demand of newer resources has creating the need for experts and researchers who can find better ways to deal with the ongoing needs. In addition, in order to meet the increasing demands of environment-friendly equipment, both green product designer and educated and trained workers are needed. Management of environmental organizations also demands a large number of environmental managers.
Where can you find green-collar jobs? Internet is undoubtedly the best way to find information on almost any matter. Nowadays, different kinds of jobs are being posted online. Search through a couple of job websites to look for a bright future in energy conversion and recycling of waste management. Check regularly and find the right work for yourself. People who read newspapers can also find different kinds of green-collar jobs.
1. Why does Bracken Hendricks mention the Internet Boom in Paragraph One?
| A．To explain the importance of technology. |
| B．To provide evidence of his recent research. |
| C．To inform us of the way of finding green-collar jobs. |
| D．To indicate the bright future of green careers. |
| A．Promoting services. |
| B．Developing new resources. |
| C．Consuming fossil fuels. |
| D．Training employees. |
| A．The requirements for green employees. |
| B．The development of the green industry. |
| C．The job chances in the environmental industry. |
| D．The economic influence of green careers. |
| A．discuss eco-friendly services |
| B．suggest ways of saving energy at work |
| C．introduce promising career chances |
| D．explain the best method of finding jobs |
3 . Upon entering college, Yang Yi was uncertain about a lot of things. However, the 19-year-old international economics and trade student was certain about one thing: She wanted to participate in animal welfare efforts.
“I’m always a nature and animal lover,” she said. She joined the environmental protection association at her school. Now being president of a group of 25, she leads its efforts to help stray (流浪)cats and dogs by raising money to buy them food and collecting old clothes to make them homes.
However, sometimes the association raises doubts. Some students have questioned whether helping stray animals breaks the laws of nature. “We tried to resolve the controversy,” Yang said. “For wild animals, the best way to protect them is to preserve their environment and their natural habitat, and to let them live their own way. However, for animals that depend heavily on humans, such as dogs and cats, the proper way to treat them is to respect them and take care of them.” Besides, if not accommodated properly, stray animals can bring threats to public health, as they are the main cause of rabies (狂犬病)in cities. “Now, many young people in China have agreed upon the need to strike a balance between humans and nature. The only problem is how,” said Yang. Yang and her fellow volunteers are cautious about what they do to help. For instance, sometimes people feed stray cats human food such as chocolate. But Yang and her friends point that such food can be dangerous to stray cats.
Yang also cooperates with Non-Governmental Organizations to spread animal protection knowledge. One of their recent exhibits was about animals in the entertainment industry. “We are still figuring out the best way to protect animals, but simple deeds such as saying no to animal performances can prevent wildlife from being captured and tamed. Step by step, we’ll eventually reach our goal,” she said.
1. Why did Yang Yi join the environmental protection association?| A．She majored in a relevant field. |
| B．She wanted to protect nature and animals. |
| C．She was uncertain about her life. |
| D．She intended to know about animal welfare. |
| A．They shelter them with old clothes. |
| B．They feed human food to them. |
| C．They train them for entertainment. |
| D．They donate money to the association. |
| A．all animals should live naturally |
| B．young people have known how to balance human and nature |
| C．stray animals are bound to spread rabies |
| D．chocolate is not a proper food for stray cats |
| A．Enjoyable. | B．Doubtful. | C．Hopeful. | D．Awful. |
4 . In the past, man did not have to think about the protection of his environment. There were few people on the earth, and natural resources seemed to be
Today things are
Everyone
We realize that if rivers are polluted with waste products from factories, we will die.
We know, too, that if the
If we eat more vegetables and less
Our natural resources will
The world population will not rise so quickly if people use modern methods of birth
Finally, if we educate people to think about the problems, we shall have a better and clearer
| A．beautiful | B．unlimited | C．rare | D．valuable |
| A．common | B．same | C．changeable | D．different |
| A．crowded | B．small | C．dirty | D．busy |
| A．protecting | B．saving | C．polluting | D．fighting |
| A．may | B．will | C．shall | D．could |
| A．wonders | B．realizes | C．considers | D．discovers |
| A．poles | B．boats | C．methods | D．ideas |
| A．mountains | B．seas | C．trees | D．forests |
| A．continue | B．have | C．start | D．go |
| A．give up | B．go out | C．come down | D．cut down |
| A．Thus | B．However | C．Generally | D．Therefore |
| A．still | B．even | C．also | D．certainly |
| A．too many | B．a few | C．some | D．few |
| A．production | B．pollution | C．population | D．revolution |
| A．houses | B．vegetables | C．food | D．lives |
| A．fruit | B．meat | C．fish | D．grain |
| A．feeds | B．increases | C．supplies | D．helps |
| A．use | B．stay | C．keep | D．last |
| A．control | B．protection | C．plan | D．reward |
| A．nature | B．sea | C．planet | D．forest |
In the southwest African country of Namibia, and the Sahara lands of Mali further north, the desert elephant does just that.
Although not regarded as a separate species from the African elephant, the desert cousin differs in many ways. Their bodies are smaller, to absorb less heat, and their feet are larger for easier walking across sandy surfaces. They are taller, to reach higher branches. They have shorter tusks (象牙), and most importantly, longer trunks to dig for water in riverbeds.
Desert elephants can travel over 70 kilometers in search for feeding grounds and waterholes, and have a larger group of families. They drink only every 3-4 days, and can store water in a “bag” at the back of their throat, which is only used when badly needed. Desert elephants are careful feeders---they seldom root up trees and break fewer branches, and thus maintain what little food sources are available. Young elephants may even eat the dung (粪便) of the female leader of a group when facing food shortage. During drought they are unlikely to give birth to their young but with good rains the birthrate will increase greatly. Desert elephants have sand baths, sometimes adding their own urine (尿液) to make them muddy!
As we continue to overheat our weak planet, it can only be hoped that other animal species will adapt as extraordinarily well to change as the desert elephant.
1. The underlined part in Paragraph 2 means “_____”.
| A．remains in the African countries |
| B．drinks 120 liters of water a day |
| C．manages to live in desert areas |
| D．eats 150 kilograms of food daily |
| A．rarely ruin trees |
| B．drink only every 3-4 days |
| C．search for food in large groups |
| D．protect food sources for their young |
| A．stories and explanation |
| B．facts and descriptions |
| C．examples and conclusion |
| D．evidence and argument |
| A．Overheating the earth can be stopped. |
| B．Not all animal species are so adaptable. |
| C．The planet will become hotter and hotter. |
| D．Not all animals are as smart as desert elephants. |
6 . Far from the land of Antarctica, a huge shelf of ice meets the ocean. At the underside of the shelf there lives a small fish, the Antarctic cod.
For forty years scientists have been curious about that fish. How does it live where most fish would freeze to death? It must have some secret. The Antarctic is not a comfortable place to work and research has been slow. Now it seems we have an answer.
Research was begun by cutting holes in the ice and catching the fish. Scientists studied the fish’s blood and measured its freezing point.
The fish were taken from seawater that had a temperature of -1.88℃ and many tiny pieces of ice floating in it. The blood of the fish did not begin to freeze until its temperature was lowered to -2.05℃. That small difference is enough for the fish to live at the freezing temperature of the ice-salt mixture.
The scientists’ next research job was clear: Find out what in the fish’s blood kept it from freezing. Their search led to some really strange thing made up of a protein never before seen in the blood of a fish. When it was removed, the blood froze at seawater temperature. When it was put back, the blood again had its antifreeze quality and a lowered freezing point.
Study showed that it is an unusual kind of protein. It has many small sugar molecules held in special positions within each big protein molecule. Because of its sugar content, it is called a glycoprotein. So it has come to be called the antifreeze fish glycoprotein. Or AFGP.
1. What is the text mainly about?| A．The terrible conditions in the Antarctic. |
| B．A special fish living in freezing waters. |
| C．The ice shelf around Antarctica. |
| D．Protection of the Antarctic cod. |
| A．The seawater has a temperature of -1.88℃. |
| B．It loves to live in the ice-salt mixture. |
| C．A special protein keeps it from freezing. |
| D．Its blood has a temperature lower than -2.05℃. |
| A．A type of ice-salt mixture. | B．A newly found protein. |
| C．Fish blood. | D．Sugar molecule. |
| A．sugar | B．ice |
| C．blood | D．molecule |
Domestic (驯养的) horses now pull ploughs, race in the Kentucky Derby, and carry police. But early horses weren’t tame (驯服的) enough to perform these kinds of tasks. Scientists think the first interactions humans had with horses were far different from those today.
Thousands of years ago, people killed the wild horses that lived around them for food. Over time, people began to catch the animals and raise them. This was the first step in domestication.
As people began to tame and ride horses, they chose to keep those animals that had more desirable characteristics. For example, people may have chosen to keep horses that had a gentle personality so they could be ridden more easily. People who used horses to pull heavy loads would have chosen to keep stronger animals. Characteristics like strength are partly controlled by the animals’ genes. So as the domesticated horses reproduced, they passed the characteristics on to their young. Each new generation of houses would show more of these chosen characteristics.
Modern day horse breeds come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. This variety didn’t exist in the horse population before domestication. The Shetland horse is one of the smallest breeds—typically reaching only one meter tall. With short, strong legs, the animals were bred to pull coal out of mine shafts (矿井) with low ceilings. Huge horses like the Clydesdale came on the scene around 1700. People bred these heavy, tall horses to pull large vehicles used for carrying heavy loads.
The domestication of horses has had great effects on societies. For example, horse were important tools in the advancement of modern agriculture. Using them to pull ploughs and carry heavy loads allowed people to farm more efficiently. Before they were able to ride horses, humans had to cross land on foot. Riding horses allowed people to travel far greater distance in much less time. That encouraged populations living in different areas to interact with one another. The new from of rapid transportation helped cultures spread around the world.
1. Before domestication horses were ______.
| A．caught for sports | B．hunted for food |
| C．made to pull ploughs | D．used to carry people |
| A．it is smaller than the Clydesdale horse | B．horse used to have gentle personalities |
| C．some horses have better shaped than others | D．horses were of less variety before domestication |
| A．carrying heavy loads | B．changing farming methods |
| C．serving as a means of transport | D．advancing agriculture in different areas |
| A．why humans domesticated horses | B．how humans and horses needed each other |
| C．why horses came in different shapes and sizes | D．how human societies and horses influenced each other |
8 . The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Copenhagen is offering a free meal to any guest who is able to produce electricity for the hotel on an exercise bike linked to a generator (发电机). The idea is to get people fit and reduce their carbon footprint. Guests will have to produce at least 10 watt hours of electricity — roughly 15 minutes of cycling for someone of average fitness. Guests staying at Plaza Hotel will be given meal tickets worth $ 36 once they have produced 10 watt hours of electricity. The bicycles will have smart phones attached to the handlebars measuring how much power is being generated for the hotel.
The plan, a world-first, will start on 19 April and run for a year. Only guests staying at the hotel will be able to take part. Frederikke Toemmergaard，hotel spokeswoman, said, “Many of our visitors are business people who enjoy going to the gym. There might be people who will cycle just to get a free meal, but generally I don’t think people will take advantage of our programme.”
Copenhagen has a long-standing cycling tradition and 36 % of locals cycle to work each day, one of the highest percentages in the world, according to the website visitcopenhagen. dk. US environmental website treehugger. com recently voted Copenhagen the world’s best city for cyclists. “Because Copenhagen is strongly connected with cycling, we felt the bicycle would work well as a symbol of the hotel’s green profile (形象).”
If successful，the electric bicycle meal programme will be spread to all Crowne Plaza hotels in the UK, the hotel said in a statement.
1. What is the main purpose of the free meal programme?| A．To promote the hotel’s green concept. |
| B．To make the city known to the world. |
| C．To attract people to the hotel restaurant. |
| D．To get guests to stay longer at the hotel. |
| A．By becoming a professional cyclist. |
| B．By cycling to produce some electricity. |
| C．By linking a smart phone to a bicycle. |
| D．By monitoring his or her carbon footprint. |
| A．The poor local people. |
| B．The environment activists. |
| C．Health-conscious hotel guests. |
| D．Visitors fond of Copenhagen food. |
| A．best chain hotels |
| B．greenest natural environments |
| C．longest bike paths |
| D．highest rates of people cycling to work |
