1 . “I like pigs,” Winston Churchill supposedly once said. “Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” Whether Churchill’s contemporary George Orwell also liked pigs is less clear. But he, too, surely saw something in them that was lacking in many domestic (驯养的) animals, for it was they who ended up running the show in his novel, Animal Farm. Pigs, then, are intelligent social creatures.
And, like all animals, they sometimes fight. Some pigs tend to be attackers; others tend to be victims. Who is what depends largely on weight. Among pigs, pounds mean power. The attacker might bite, kick or push the victim. Most conflicts end in seconds, but some last a minute or two.
In most animal species fights would be like that. However, many of the conflicts among pigs Dr Norscia, a biologist, observed had interested parties beyond the fighters. He therefore wanted to understand the role of these bystanders in solving conflicts—and what this says about pigs’ cognitive (认知的) abilities.
Since there was usually not enough time for a bystander pig to become involved in the heat of a conflict, though this did occur, Dr Norscia looked at what happened in the three minutes immediately following a fight. Sometimes, he found, the fighters reconciled with each other on their own. The more distantly related the fighters were, the more frequently this happened. Dr Norscia guessed that relations between close relatives are more secure to start with, so rebuilding friendly relations rapidly is less necessary for them.
On other occasions, however, a third pig stepped in. Sometimes this bystander interacted with the attacker, which reduced the number of attacks coming after. Sometimes, the bystander interacted with the victim. This appeared to calm the victim down, for it reduced anxiety-related behavior.
Social intelligence need not, though, be entirely selfless. Pigs are more likely to step in after a conflict if they are closely related to either the attacker or the victim. This is probably an example of kin selection (亲属选择), which favors the development of behavior.
1. Why are Churchill and Orwell mentioned at the beginning?| A．To show their preference for pigs. | B．To add some related backgrounds. |
| C．To introduce the topic of the text. | D．To present their attitude to animals. |
| A．They aim to show power. | B．They have audiences. |
| C．They last a little bit longer. | D．They happen more often. |
| A．Caught up. | B．Kept in touch. | C．Made up. | D．Changed in tune. |
| A．Offering comfort to victim pigs. | B．Forming special bonds with strangers. |
| C．Sticking to their behavior. | D．Caring for others with selfless devotion. |
1. Which pet may an outgoing person prefer?
| A．A bird. | B．A dog. | C．A cat. |
| A．Clever. | B．Sociable. | C．Careful. |
| A．Pet people’s personalities. | B．More outgoing dog people. | C．Less sociable cat people. |
3 . Conifers (针叶树) are generally better than broad-leaved trees at purifying air from pollutants. But deciduous (落叶的) trees may be better at taking in particle-bound pollution. A new study led by the University of Gothenburg shows that the best trees for air purification depend on the type of pollutants involved.
Trees and other greener in cities provide many benefits that are important for the well-being of residents. Leaves and needled on trees filter air pollutants and reduce exposure to poisonous substance in the air. But which trees purify the air most effectively? Researchers from the University of Gothenburg have collected leaves and needle from eleven different trees growing in the same place in the Gothenburg Botanical Garden (GBG) to analyse which cub-stances they have absorbed.
“This tree collection provided a unique opportunity to test many different species of trees with similar environmental conditions and exposure to air pollutants,” said Jenny Klingberg, a researcher of the GBG
A total of 32 different pollutants were analysed, some of which are bound to articles of various sizes. Others are gaseous. This project has focused on paths (多环芳烃). In cities, traffic is the biggest source of these pollutants, which are released due to incomplete burning in engines.
“Our analysis show that different species of trees have different abilities to absorb air pollutants. Conifers generally absorb morn gaseous paths than broad-leaved trees. Another advantage of conifers is that they also act as air purifies in winter, when air pollution is usually at its highest,” said Jenny Klingberg.
“This study contributes to improving our understanding of the ability of trees to clean the air and which species are best at absorbing air pollutants,” said Jenny Klingberg. This known-edge is important for urban planning when designing sustainable cities. While trees and green-era can contribute to better air quality in cities, at the end of the day, the most important measure is to reduce emissions.
1. Which is the determining factor in choosing the most suitable tries to purify air?| A．Air quality. | B．Geographical location. | C．The height of plants. | D．The kind of pollutants. |
| A．To compare their shapes. | B．To create a tree collection. |
| C．To figure out what they absorb. | D．To display them on exhibition. |
| A．Fuel vehicle’s. | B．Electric engines. | C．Traffic accidents. | D．Complete burning. |
| A．Decreasing emissions. | B．Planting more conifers. |
| C．Raising public awareness. | D．Designing sustainable cities. |
4 . Teen Eco-Art Exhibition
Young artists share your artwork and viewpoints on our environment in the Teen Eco-Art Exhibition this Spring!
Submission is open to artiste from Grades 11-12 who reside in West Vancouver or attend a West Vancouver secondary school.
Submissions will be reviewed by a Selection Committee. Artwork will be assessed on creative use of materials and expression of the theme.
Submission criteria (标准)
•Artwork addressing environmental themes such as clean water, climate change, sustainability, conservation, pollution, etc.
•Artwork created primarily from sustainable, repurposed, recycled materials. Other media such as paint, photography, paper, etc. can be used in combination with repurposed materials.
•Size. Wall-mounled (固定在墙上的) artwork: no larger than 36''×36''. Sculpture: no larger than l'5''×1'5''×1'5''.
•Artwork should be exhibition ready. Wall-mounted artwork should have hanging wire, D-rings or hangers. Sculptures should be able to stand on their own.
Artist statement: clear and brief, 100-200 word statement regarding your art practice and the concept/ theme of the work being considered.
How to submit
Complete the submission form & upload the required materials.
Submission close
March 25, 6 pm.
Results
Artists will be notified by April 6.
Exhibition location
West Vancouver Memorial Library, 1950 Marine Dr.
Exhibition Dates
April 15-May 29.
If you have any questions please contact Gallery Coordinator Steven Snider at steven. wvcac@shaw. ca. We look forward to seeing your artwork!
1. What do we know about the event?| A．It is open to artists of all ages. |
| B．It welcomes half-finished art pieces. |
| C．It is looking for creative works from students. |
| D．It disapproves of works with artists’ statements. |
| A．It should be larger than 36''×36''. |
| B．It should be able to stand on its own. |
| C．It should avoid repurposed materials. |
| D．It should highlight environmental problems. |
| A．March 25. | B．April 6. | C．April 15. | D．May 29. |
5 . Fungi (菌类) often appear naturally around trees, but a new study has found that growing edible mushrooms (types that can be safely eaten) in forests on purpose could be a good way to provide healthy food for millions of people and help the environment too.
Fungi are living things that feed on organic matter, such as dead plants. Mushrooms, mould and yeast are all types of fungi.
Paul Thomas and Alistair Jump, from the University of Stirling in Scotland, spent two years studying edible fungi that grow alongside trees. The pair discovered that while they are growing, fungi remove carbon dioxide from the air and store it in the soil. This is good for the planet, because too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is one of the main causes of climate change.
Thomas points out that forests around the world are often cut down to create fields for producing food, such as beef or wheat. Trees take in carbon dioxide as they grow, so chopping them down makes climate change worse. However, edible fungi thrive in the shade of trees. That means if fungi was being grown as a food crop, there would be no need to chop down forests. In fact, if fungi became very popular, more trees could actually be planted. Edible fungi contain lots of substances that are good for humans. Thomas’s idea is that other ingredients, such as meat, could be swapped for fungi in people’s diets. He estimates that growing fungi around trees could feed up to 19 million people each year.
Blue milk caps are a species of edible fungi that Thomas says could work particularly well. They can be grown on and around trees, exchanging useful minerals and nutrients in return for carbon. They are also very nutritious, and some studies have suggested that they can help to treat cancer.
1. How do fungi help the environment?| A．They release oxygen into the atmosphere. |
| B．They prevent soil from being washed away. |
| C．They provide shade for other plants and animals. |
| D．They absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. |
| A．Struggle. | B．Boom. | C．Weaken. | D．Shrink. |
| A．Disappointing. | B．Promising. | C．Controversial. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．The Nutritional Benefits of Edible Fungi |
| B．Fungi: A Sustainable Solution to Organic Food |
| C．The Role of Fungi in Fighting Climate Change |
| D．How Fungi Could Feed and Benefit the World |
6 . Both ants and human beings respond to isolation in similar ways. In isolated individuals of both species, researchers have observed that the immune system is less efficient.
Humans and other social mammals will experience high levels of stress when they are isolated from the group, which has a negative effect on both well-being and physical health. Isolated people tend to become anxious, depressed, lonely, and more subject to addictions. They will also have a weaker immune system, and the isolation will impact their health negatively overall. While these effects have been well studied in humans and mice, relatively little is known about how isolation affects social insects.
Ants are extremely social. They will live their entire lives as part of the same colony (群体) and their survival will be entirely dependent on their nest mates. This social function is so important to them that worker ants will abandon their reproductive capacity and devote themselves to tending to the needs of the queen and the colony.
Researchers paid attention to ants of the Temnothorax nylanderi, which is a European species that will create colonies inside acorns (橡实) and sticks. These colonies consist of a few dozen workers, and the researchers took individual members and isolated them for various periods of time, from an hour to 28 days. The study revealed three key aspects of the effects of isolation.
When the isolated workers were returned to the colony, they showed less interest in other adult ants, and instead chose to spend more time with the brood (幼雏). They were also less interested in cleaning themselves, which is a behavior noticed in most social animals that are isolated. This behavior increased the risk of parasite (寄生虫) infections. The third observation was related to the gene activity of the isolated individuals — genes that were responsible for stress response and immune system function were less active. Once again, this is something observed across all social animals. What this research tells us is that social behavior is something extremely ancient and it could be traced back to a very old common ancestor between animal and insect species.
1. How are humans influenced by isolation according to the researchers?| A．Their social circles shrinks quickly. |
| B．They are more likely to get into addictions. |
| C．Their immune system has been strengthened. |
| D．They are quicker to respond to stressful situations. |
| A．They remain devoted to their nest mates. |
| B．They are in a constant state of mental stress. |
| C．They are equally responsible for their colony. |
| D．They rely much on each other in order to survive. |
| A．The queen ant. | B．Their nest mates. |
| C．The baby ants. | D．Their whole colony. |
| A．Social isolation affects animals negatively. |
| B．Isolation changes the immune system of ants. |
| C．Ants react to social isolation similar to humans. |
| D．Animal and insect species share the same ancestor. |
Wetlands are known as the"kidneys（肾）)of the Earth", providing a variety of ecosystem services such as water conservation and climate regulation and having
China's wetland
This year marks
And on June 1, the country's first law
Bird-watching is one of the activities offered by the public benefit program “Park Classes”, which
The program aims to help raise the awareness of environmental
Among the courses on offer
Last summer, a team of 15 students conducted a physical examination of the biodiversity of
The activity was meaningful and the students learned a lot and they are expecting to take more chances like this.
9 . Researchers have just completed the first worldwide record of lake color. Roughly one-third of them are blue but that number may drop if global temperatures rise. If average air temperatures in summer rose just a few degrees warmer, some of those crystal blue waters could turn green or brown.
Lake color offers clues to the stability of lake ecosystems. Factors such as water depth and how the nearby land is used also matter. Lake color depends in part, too, on what’s in the water. Compared with blue lakes, green or brown lakes have more algae (水藻) and organic matter. That’s according to Xiao Yang, a hydrologist who works at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Changing lake colors, he says, could also change how people use those waters.
Yang was part of a team that analyzed the color of more than 85,000 lakes around the world. They used satellite photos from 2013 to 2020. Storms and seasons can temporarily affect a lake’s color. So the researchers focused on the most frequent color observed for each lake over the seven-year period. The scientists then looked at local climates during the same time period. They wanted to see how climate might be linked to lake color.
Average summer air temperatures and lake color were linked, the researchers found. Lakes were more likely to be blue in places where summer temperatures averaged less than 19℃. Up to 14 percent of lakes that are blue were near that threshold (门槛), though. That means just a bit more warming might tip them away from blue. Scientists think the planet could average 3 degrees Celsius warmer by 2100. If so, that could turn another 3,800 lakes green or brown.
Green or brown waters could be unappealing for play or it might cost more to clean it for drinking. But in fact, the color changes might not mean the lakes are any less healthy. If you were a certain type of fish species, you might think this is great.
1. What is a feature of green or brown lakes?| A．Weak ecosystem. | B．High mineral content. |
| C．Increased organic matter. | D．Decreased water temperature. |
| A．Why the color of most lakes is blue. |
| B．The consequences of lake color change. |
| C．How climate change affect creatures living in water. |
| D．The relationship between air temperature and lake color. |
| A．14 percent of the world’s lakes are blue. |
| B．3,800 lakes worldwide are green or brown. |
| C．Many lakes may experience severe ecological damage. |
| D．Some lakes are close to the critical point of color change. |
| A．Lifestyle. | B．Environment. |
| C．Technology. | D．Business. |
1. Who was the pig named after?
| A．A lawyer. | B．A famous artist. | C．An animal rights activist. |
| A．In 2018. | B．In 2017. | C．In 2016. |
| A．Art is priceless. |
| B．Pigs all have artistic talent. |
| C．Animals should be protected. |
