5 . A new study finds that bird species with extreme or uncommon combinations of traits (特征) face the highest risk of extinction, The study led by researchers at Imperial College London finds that the most unique birds on the planet are also the most threatened. Losing these species and the unique roles they play in the environment, such as seed spread, pollination and predation, could have negative impacts on the functioning of ecosystems.

The study analyzed the extinction risk and physical traits, such as beak shape and wing length, of 99% of all living bird species, making it the most general study of its kind to date.The researchers found that in simulated scenarios (模拟场景) in which all threatened and near-threatened bird species became extinct, there would be a significantly greater reduction in the physical diversity among birds than in scenarios where extinctions were random (随机的).

Jarome Ali, a PhD candidate at Princeton University who completed the research at Imperial College London, said, “Our study shows that extinctions will most likely prune a large percentage of unique species from the bird family tree. Losing these unique species will mean a loss of the specialized roles that they play in ecosystems. If we do not take action to protect threatened species and prevent extinctions, the functioning of ecosystems will be thrown into disorder.”

In the study, the authors used a dataset of measurements collected from living birds and museum specimens, totalling 9,943 bird species. Although the dataset used in the study was able to show that the most unique birds were also classified as threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, it was unable to show what links uniqueness in birds to extinction risk.

Jarome Ali said, “One possibility is that highly specialized organisms are less able to adapt to a changing environment, in which case human impacts may directly threaten species with the most unusual ecological roles. More research is needed to dive deeper into the connection between unique traits and extinction risk.”

1. According to researchers, what may the loss of unique birds lead to?

A．The reduction of certain research.

B．The damage to ecosystem function,

C．The development of ecological tourism.

D．The better living environment of human race.

2. What may the underlined word “prune” mean in paragraph 3?

A．Cut out.

B．Pick up.

C．Get in.

D．Add to.

3. What do researchers need to explore in the future?

A．Human’s impacts on unique birds.

B．The parts unique traits play in birds’ life.

C．Links of uniqueness in birds to extinction risk.

D．The approaches to preventing birds’ extinction.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Some birds with special physical traits

B．Key roles unique birds play in ecosystems

C．Measures to protect threatened unique birds

D．More unique birds at higher risk of extinction

8 . Seven out of 10 families don’t sit down together for dinner every night, with many unwilling to put down their phones and turn off the TV to eat, a survey shows.

Almost half of Australian families try hard to find enough to talk about over dinner, and may end up arguing instead of conversing, the survey of 1,000 grown-ups shows. The research shows 80 per cent of families sometimes sit in silence, and 92 per cent say their digital devices stop them talking to each other.

The study suggests work is impacting on family togetherness, with fewer than a quarter of parents who work full-time eating most nights with their children.

Overall, four in 10 Australian parents say their families find it hard to connect and share conversations at dinnertime, with television, mobile phones and computers, and tiredness most often getting in the way of this.

However, the research, which was officially asked for by food company Old El Paso, shows many parents want to do things differently, with 95 per cent agreeing that conversation improves a meal. Scientist Jocelyn Brewer said the findings show the way Australian life is getting busier and more stressful for families.

“It’s not surprising to hear that 97 per cent of parents like meals better where their family can laugh, connect, tell stories and share food,” she said.

The survey has also shown the most common dinnertime topic is what’s going on at school or work (74 per cent), followed by weekend plans (59 per cent). Only one in 10 parents like politics to be discussed.

All parents surveyed said they would like tools such as conversation cards to help improve their mealtimes.

1. What does the underlined part “impacting on” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Affecting.	B．Encouraging.
C．Suffering.	D．Improving.

2. What does the survey among Australian families show?

A．About half of them say they eat dinner silently.

B．Nearly all of them suggest not using phones over dinner.

C．Nearly half of them find it hard to make conversations over dinner.

D．A quarter of them hopes to have pleasant conversations over dinner.

3. Which of the following is talked about most at dinnertime?

A．Eating habits.	B．School life.
C．What to do at weekends.	D．What has happened in society.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Family dinners and stressful life

B．The importance of family dinners

C．Digital devices take up family dinnertime

D．Family dinner talks at risk of dying out