1 . Investing In the Graphite (化石墨) Revolution
December 21st, 2014
Graphene (石墨烯) is the future. Plain and simple.
Its 200 times stronger than steel, thinner than a sheet of paper, and more conductive than copper.
And that’s not all…
Researchers all over the world are using it for critical advances in a variety of industries. Graphene makes:
·Solar cells — 50x～100x more efficient
·Semiconductors — 50x～100x faster
·Aircraft — 70% lighter
We’re talking about batteries that charge 10x faster and store 10x more power…
Phones and computer displays that bend and fold…
It’s so vital to our future that it’s been named a “supply critical mineral” and a “strategic mineral” by the United States, Japan and the European Union.
Yet only a few companies around the world have access to mineral resource that is required to make graphene. And 70% of supply is controlled by China.
So the setup is perfect for any non-Chinese supply to become an extremely profitable investment, just like rare earths a few years ago.
A new report from the Outsider Club fully outlines the situation:
·What grapheme is used for…
·And why now is the perfect time to invest in this world changing discovery.
To get this new report, simply drop your name in the box below. And in a few moments, you’ll be fully informed on the ins and outs of grapheme. All I ask in return is for you to sign up to receive our financial and economic news elater, Outsider Club.
In each issue, well bring you the financial news from the “Outsiders” perspective. It will show you how to plan your own finances, and manage your own investments. Become a reader of Outsider Club today.
So what are you waiting for?
1. What do you know about graphene?| A．It can conduct electricity very well. | B．It is much stronger than paper. |
| C．It is much heavier than steel. | D．It is very easy to obtain now. |
| A．move much faster | B．work more efficiently | C．save more energy | D．weighs much less |
| A．Cheap | B．common | C．profitable | D．worthless |
2 . In 1925, a male sled (雪橇) dog named Balto led a 13-dog team through an extreme snowstorm during the final part of a 1,088-kilometre trip, bringing lifesaving medicine to the Alaskan city of Nome during an outbreak of the disease diphtheria (白喉), a serious and sometimes deadly infection.
Balto was celebrated as a hero whose preserved body still stands at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History in the state of Ohio. Recently, scientists took DNA from Balto’s preserved body and studied it as part of a large project called Zoonomia. The massive study compares genetic information in different animals and humans.
Balto belonged to a population of working sled dogs in Alaska, which was found to have greater genetic diversity and genetic health than modern dogs. When diphtheria spread, Nome’s port was blocked by ice. Sled dogs were the only way to get the important medicine there. Balto was one of 150 dogs that pulled sleds for parts of the 127-hour trip. During the trip, temperatures reached minus (零下) 45 degrees Celsius.
Born in 1919, Balto was part of a population of sled dogs imported from Siberia, known as Siberian huskies (西伯利亚哈士奇). The study showed these dogs greatly differed from modern Siberian huskies, however. Balto had a body built for strength and not speed, which his breeder didn’t necessarily like. The breeder had the dog’s sex organs removed so he couldn’t produce young dogs.
After the Alaska trip, Balto’s life was difficult. He was mistreated. A visiting Cleveland businessman saw Balto’s mistreatment and bought the dogs for $1,500 raised by the local community in Cleveland.
In 1927, Balto and his seven co-runners were celebrated in Cleveland. They spent their rest lives cared for at the local Brookside Zoo. Balto died of natural causes in 1933.
Kathleen Morrill, a scientist, said of Balto’s heroic mission, “These specialized dogs don’t know what they do has such gravity in people’s lives.” She added that the sled dogs’ genetic makeup “set them up to be the best animals for the job”.
1. What were sled dogs used to do during an outbreak of diphtheria?| A．Look for the origin of this disease. |
| B．Transport emergency medicines. |
| C．Help patients go to hospital quickly. |
| D．Discover the methods to cure the illness. |
| A．The lifespan of Balto is about 14 years. |
| B．Balto is the only survivor of the Alaska trip. |
| C．Balto had many young babies in Cleveland. |
| D．Respected in Alaska, Balto spent its rest life peacefully. |
| A．There must be a use for one’s talent. |
| B．Fortune favours the prepared mind. |
| C．A good dog deserves a good bone. |
| D．A thousand mile trip begins with one step. |
| A．The Story of a Sled Dog |
| B．The Long Cold Trip to the Alaskan City |
| C．A Heroic Trip to Save a Dangerous City |
| D．Sled Dog Hero Balto: a Good Dog with Great Genes |
3 . Antarctica, the southernmost continent on Earth and a frozen continent, remains an mysterious and original land, buried in ice and surrounded by a vast, inhospitable ocean, which often shrouded (隐藏) in mystery and intrigue. It holds a wealth of scientific wonders waiting to be explored. With the aid of cutting-edge technology, researchers have delved into its icy depths, uncovering the secrets of this remote and pristine (原始的) wilderness.
At the forefront of Antarctic exploration are advanced satellite imaging systems. These orbiting wonders provide detailed maps of the continent’s surface, allowing scientists to monitor changes in ice coverage and track the movements of glaciers with unprecedented accuracy. Such data is crucial for understanding the impacts of climate change on Antarctica’s delicate ecosystem and predicting future sea-level rise.
In addition to satellites, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) play a key role in Antarctic research. These robotic submarines are equipped with an array of sensors and cameras, enabling them to navigate beneath the ice shelves and explore previously inaccessible regions. By collecting data on water temperature, salinity, and marine life, AUVs offer invaluable insights into the dynamics of Antarctic Ocean currents and the habitats of its unique marine species.
Furthermore, drones have revolutionized scientific fieldwork in Antarctica. These unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are utilized for conducting aerial surveys of vast ice sheets and capturing high-resolution imagery of remote locations. By providing researchers with real-time data and imagery, drones facilitate rapid assessments of environmental changes and aid in the study of wildlife populations, from penguins to seals.
Despite the remarkable advancements in technology, conducting research in Antarctica remains a huge challenge due to its extreme weather conditions and remote location. However, through cooperative efforts and innovative approaches, scientists continue to push the boundaries of exploration, uncovering the mysteries of Antarctica and advancing our understanding of the Earth’s climate system.
1. What technology is primarily used for monitoring changes in ice coverage in Antarctica?| A．Drones. |
| B．Submersible robots. |
| C．Satellite imaging systems. |
| D．Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). |
| A．Exploring and research on Antarctica is an easy task. |
| B．Scientific fieldwork in Antarctica is hard to continue. |
| C．Drones play a significant part in scientific fieldwork in Antarctica. |
| D．Drones capture high-resolution imagery of remote locations. |
| A．Objective. | B．Subjective. | C．Suspicious. | D．Indifference. |
| A．The Challenges of Antarctic Exploration |
| B．Traditional Methods of Antarctic Research |
| C．The Environmental Impact of Satellite Imaging |
| D．The Technological Wonders of Exploring Antarctica |
4 . The hole in the ozone (臭氧) layer, one layer of the stratosphere (平流层), began to form over Antarctica in August 2023, causing warnings that a larger-than-average hole could further warm the Southern Ocean while the level of Antarctic sea ice is at a record low. Dr. Martin Jocker at the University of New South Wales said the bole usually began forming at the end of September, peaking in October before closing in November or December.
The ozone hole is an annual thinning of the strutosphere’s ozone layer, which has a high concentration of ozone. The hole has been “recovering” over time and ozone levels over the Antarctic are expected to return to 1980 levels by 2066.
The development of the ozone hole in 2023 was not adventitious. The ozone hole is usually smaller during El Niño years, but the model of Jucker suggested it would be larger than usual in 2023 due to the undersea Tonga volcanic explosion in 2022, which was likely to have an impact on the ozone layer in the years following. In early August, the formation was about average for the day of the year. This increased rapidly in the next few days, producing one of the largest observed ozone holes for the time of year.
The explosion of the Tonga volcano brought a large amount of water vapour (蒸气) into the stratosphere. “It was about 150 megatonnes. A factor of about three times more water vapour than we usually have,” said Jucker. Ice clouds form in the stratosphere when there is more water vapour than usual, allowing tiny ozone-destructing substances to gather there. Jucker said he was concerned about the impact of the hole on Antarctic sea ice, which has been at record low levels.
1. What do we know about the Antarctic ozone hole?| A．It happens every year. | B．It keeps at a balanced level. |
| C．It tends to worsen annually. | D．It remains the largest on record . |
| A．Reasonable. | B．Unsettled. | C．Rare. | D．Unexpected. |
| A．The disappearance of ozone. | B．The atmospheric changes. |
| C．The decrease of water vapour. | D．The formation of destructive substances. |
| A．Stratosphere Faces New Threats | B．Ozone Levels Are Changing Continuously |
| C．Ozone Hole Forms Earlier Than Usual | D．Volcanic Explosion Produces Global Effect |
5 . Have you ever paused to see clouds when you rush to your destination? There’s a group of passionate “treasure finders” dedicated to observing and capturing the beauty in the sky cloud spotters.
Cloud spotters take a more serious approach to make sense of the sky.
Ji Yun, 36, is an expert in cloud spotting. He set up a WeChat group to gather together people with similar hobbies in 2013. As the number of group members continued to grow, Ji and several cloud enthusiasts created dozens of online groups for different regions in China, forming the Sky Enthusiasts Association in 2019.
Power comes in numbers. Three years after the association was formed, cloud enthusiasts from all over China had collected every kind of cloud in the International Cloud Atlas, a reference by the World Meteorological Organization.
Indeed, Jiang Xinwei in Jilin finds cloud spotting relaxing. Even though she is going through her toughest school year in grade 12, Jiang maintains this hobby as a short break from her heavy schoolwork. “Observing the clouds has become a habit for me,” the 17-year-old said. “
“Clouds change in the blink of an eye.
| A．Currently, there are thousands of people across different groups. |
| B．This often leads us to think about the relationship between humans and nature. |
| C．They take photos of the clouds and match them to cloud type names. |
| D．My worries and troubles seem to fade away as I look up. |
| E．But that is not to say all clouds spotters need to go to such great lengths. |
| F．Cloud spotting can also make some people feel blue. |
| G．When they roll over the sky, I feel the passage of time has a concrete shape. |
6 . Blowing Up Balloons with CO₂
Chemical reactions (化学反应) make for some great experiments. You can make use of the CO₂(carbon dioxide) given off by a baking soda (小苏打) and lemon juice reaction to blow up your balloon!
What you’ll need:
●Balloon ●About 40ml of water ●Soft drink bottle
●Juice from a lemon ●I teaspoon of baking soda
Instructions:
●Before you begin, make sure that you pull the balloon long to make it as easy as possible to blow up.
●Put the 40ml of water into the soft drink bottle.
●Add the baking soda and mix it with water.
●Put the lemon juice in and quickly put the balloon over the mouth of the bottle.
What’s happening?
If all goes well, then your balloon should inflate! Adding the lemon juice to the baking soda creates a chemical reaction and produces CO₂. The gas rises up and escapes (逸出) through the soft drink bottle. It doesn’t, however, escape the balloon, pushing it outwards and blowing it up.
1. Which of the following do you need for the experiment?| A．Two cups. | B．Apple juice. |
| C．250 ml water. | D．A teaspoon of baking soda. |
| A．Heat the water. | B．Drink some juice. |
| C．Blow up the balloon. | D．Pull the balloon long. |
| A．To describe an experiment. | B．To introduce a game. |
| C．To produce soft drinks. | D．To save some chemicals. |
The Amazon rainforest is home to a great
Are People Unique?
It is human beings' pride that we are the only species on the Planet that can speak and think. However, recent research casts doubt on that common belief.
Zuberbuhler, a psychologist at St Andrews University, and his colleagues recorded thousands of calls made by Diana monkeys and noticed that the monkeys adapted their calls to change the meaning to warn one another about different situations. For example,they made a "krack" alarm call at the sight of a tiger. However,when they merely repeated calls made by other monkeys they added an "oo".
The researchers found that the same calls would be recognized by other species, like Campbell's monkeys. So they are communicating across species."And since then we have found that hornbill birds can understand these calls and they too can understand all the different meanings, said Zuberbuhler. What is also surprising is that signs of intelligence have been found in birds whose small brains were long assumed to be a complete barrier to intelligence. However, all that is changing fast. A few years ago, Irene Pepperberg of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology taught a parrot to recognize and count up to six objects, which couldn't have been achieved if birds were unable to memorize.
Last year that was topped by Alex Kacelnik, a professor of behavioral ecology at Oxford, who discovered that crows (乌鸦) are capable of using tools in complex orders, the first time such behavior had been observed in non-humans. In an experiment seven crows successfully grabbed a piece of food placed out of reach using three different lengths of stick. Crucially, they were able to complete the task without any special training, suggesting the birds were capable of a level of abstract reasoning normally associated only with humans.
All this is powerful evidence against the idea that people are unique.
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