In a surprising discovery about where higher life can survive, scientists have found a shrimp -like creature and a jellyfish swimming beneath an Antarctic ice sheet.
About 180 meters below the ice where no light can get through, scientists had figured nothing much more than a few microbes (微生物) could exist.
That’s why a NASA team was surprised when they lowered a video camera to get the first long look at the underbelly of an ice sheet in Antarctica. A curious shrimp-like creature came swimming by and then parked itself on the camera’s cable. Scientists also pulled up a tentacle (触须) they believe came from a jellyfish.
“We were operating on the presumption that nothing’s there.” said NASA ice scientist Robert Bindschadler. “It was a shrimp you’d enjoy havin
g on your plate.”
“We were just gaga (狂热的) over it,” he said when talking about the 7.5cm long, orange creature starring in their two-minute video. Technically, it’s not a shrimp. It’s a Lyssianasid amphipod, which is distantly related to the shrimp.
The video is likely to inspire experts to rethink what they know about life in harsh environments. And it has scientists thinking that if shrimp-like creatures can live below 180 meters of Antarctic ice in freezing dark water, what about other cold places? What about Europa, a frozen moon of Jupiter?
Cynan Ellis – Evans, a scientist of the British Antarctic Survey called the finding fascinating. He said it was possible the creatures swam in from far away and don’t live there permanently.
But Kim, who is a co-author of the study, doubts it. “The site in West Antarctica is at least 19 km from open seas. Bindschadler drilled a 20 cm-wide hole and was looking at a tiny amount of water. That means it’s unlikely that two creatures swam from great distances and were captured randomly in that small area,” she said.
“Yet scientists were puzzled at what the food source would be for these creatures. While some microbes can make their own food out of chemicals in the ocean, complex life like the shrimp can’t,” Kim said.
“So how do they survive? That’s the key question.” Kim said.
“It’s pretty amazing when you find a huge puzzle like that on a planet where we thought we know everything.” Kim said.. Scientists had believed that harsh environments could only have been populated by ______ .
| A．jellyfish | B．mammals | C．microbes | D．shrimp-like creatures |
According to Kim, the shrimp-like creature _________ .
| A．swam great distances to Antarctic | B．has always lived in the area |
| C．gradually evolved from shrimps | D．has nothing in common with shrimps |
The finding is significant in that __________.
| A．it marks NASA’S first Antarctic biological study |
| B．it proves there is marine life in the Antarctic |
| C．it could inspire further study of life in harsh environments |
| D．it shows that Lyssianasid amphipod is closely related to shrimps |
. The last three paragraphs suggest that __________.
| A．researchers will look at the places the creatures came from |
| B．ice scientists will drill deeper to find more creatures |
C．scientists know very little about the planet they live o n |
| D．further research will be done about what the creatures live on |
Proudly reading my words, I glanced around the room, only to find my classmates with big smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes. Confused, I glanced toward my stone-faced teacher. Having no choice, I slowly raised the report I had worked on, hoping to hide myself. “What could be causing everyone to act this way?”
Quickly, I flashed back to the day Miss Lancelot gave me the task. This was the first real task I received in my new school. It seemed simple: go on the Internet and find information about a man named George Washington. Since my idea of history came from an ancient teacher in my home country, I had never heard of that name before. As I searched for the name of this fellow, it became obvious that there were two people with the same name who looked completely different! One invented hundreds of uses for peanuts, while the other led army across America. I stared at the screen, wondering which one my teacher meant. I called my grandfather for a golden piece of advice: flip (掷) a coin. Heads—the commander, and tails—the peanuts guy. Ah! Tails, my report would be about the great man who invented peanut butter, George Washington Carver.Weeks later, standing before this unfriendly mass, I was totally lost. Oh well, I lowered the paper and sat down at my desk, burning to find out what I had done wrong. As a classmate began his report, it all became clear, “My report is on George Washington, the man who started the American Revolution.” The whole world became quiet! How could I know that she meant that George Washington?
Obviously, my grade was terrible. Heartbroken but fearless, I decided to turn this around. I talked to Miss Lancelot, but she insisted: No re-dos; no new grade. I felt that the punishment was not justified, and I believed I deserved a second chance. At last, I worked very hard for the rest of the school year.
Ten months later, that chance came as I found myself sitting in the headmaster’s office with my grandfather, now having a completely different conversation. I smiled and flashed back to the embarrassing moment at the beginning of the year as the headmaster informed me of my chance to skip the sixth grade. Justice is sweet! What did the author’s classmates think about his report?
| A．Complex. | B．Funny. | C．Boring. | D．Puzzling. |
Why was the author confused about the task?
| A．He was unfamiliar with American history. |
| B．He followed the advice and flipped a coin. |
| C．He forgot his teacher’s instruction. |
| D．He didn’t know why the teacher gave such a task. |
In the end, the author turned things around _______.
| A．by redoing his task |
| B．through his own efforts |
| C．with the help of his grandfather |
| D．under the guidance of his headmaster |
My house is made of wood, glass and stone. It is also made of software.
If you come to visit, you'll probably be surprised when you come in: Someone will give you an electronic PIN to wear. The PIN tells the house who you are and where you are. The house uses this information to give you what you need. When it's dark outside, the PIN turns on the lights near you, and then turns them off as you walk away from them. Music moves with you, too. If the house knows your favorite music, it plays it for you. The music seems to be everywhere, but in fact other people in the house hear different music or no music. If you get a telephone call, only the nearest telephone rings.
Of course, you are also able to want something. There is a home control console (控制台) which is a small machine that turns things on and off around you.
The PIN and the console are new ideas, but they are in fact like many things we have today. If you want to go to a movie, you need a ticket. If I give you the key to my car, you can use my car. The car works for you because you have the key. My house works for you because you wear the PIN or hold the console.
I believe that in ten years from now, most new houses will have the systems that I've put in my house. The systems will probably be even bigger and better than the ones I've got.
I like to try new ideas. I know that some of my ideas will work better than others'. But I hope that one day I will stop thinking of these systems as new, and ask myself instead, ”How did I live without them?”The writer’s house is made of the following EXCEPT_________.
| A．bamboo | B．wood | C．glass | D．software |
What is the writer most likely to be according to the passage?
| A．An IT expert. | B．A famous doctor. |
| C．A sportsman. | D．An experienced teacher. |
The writer's new house is different from ordinary ones mainly because______________.
| A．it has your favorite music following you |
| B．you can make a telephone call anywhere |
| C．the writer is able to change his new idea into practice |
| D．it is controlled by computers |
What does the passage mainly discuss?
| A．How to develop a new system. | B．The function of the PIN. |
| C．How great the computers are. | D．Easy life in the future. |
When was the last time your family sat down together to have a dinner?
The speed at which we live today no longer allows for slow eating habits. Most people work long hours. There is lots of fast food and eating out is now on the increase. Often, food is eaten in front of the television in silence, or a child eats alone in front of the computer.
When I was a child, every evening around the same time, one of the children would be asked to set the table, and then we'd go and wash our hands: before the meal. This was the time of day when we would talk about our day at school. But now things have changed a lot.
A family environment plays an important role for children in learning to communicate with others and understanding table manners, such as waiting for others to finish before leaving the table and not speaking with a mouth full of food. Parents’ likes and dislikes of a certain food will also influence a child's own likes and dislikes. Studies have shown that children who often eat with their families have better results at school than children who eat with their families less than twice a week.
Regular meal times give children the chance to discuss their problems with family members. They can also learn to respect others around the table. Talking to your children over dinner is the best way of having their-trust. Children learn good eating habits from their parents at a very young age. Family meals are important. Prepare them for your children.Some families eat less together because __________.
| A．most children live in a school |
| B．people are busy with their work |
| C．table manners change a lot |
| D．food in the restaurant is better |
Children who often eat with their families _________.
| A．turn out to do better in their studies |
| B．prefer to share food with others |
| C．show concerns about families |
| D．are interested in cooking |
Which word can best describe the writer's attitude towards eating together with families?
| A．Supportive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Worried. | D．Grateful. |
Which would be the best title of the passage?
| A．Table manners of a family | B．The importance of meals |
| C．Why should the family eat together? | D．How to choose food for your family? |
Welcome to the Ambassador Hotel. To make your stay as enjoyable as possible, we hope you can make full use of our facilities（设备）.
Dining Room
Breakfast is served in the dining room from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. The room staff will bring a breakfast tray to your room at any time after 7 a.m. Please fill out a card and hang it outside your door when you go to bed.
Lunch: 12:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Dinner: 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Room Service
This operates 24 hours a day; phone the Reception Desk, and your message will be passed on to the room staff.
Telephones
To make a phone call, dial 0 for Reception and ask to be connected. We apologize for delays in putting calls through when the staffs are very busy. There are also public telephone boxes near the Reception Desk. Early calls should be booked with Reception.
Laundry
We have a laundry in the hotel, and will wash, iron and return your clothes within 24 hours. Ask the room staff to collect them.
Bar
The hotel bar is open from 12 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.You would see this notice ___________.
| A．in a hotel bar |
| B．in a hotel dining room |
| C．in a bedroom of a large hotel |
| D．in the entrance of a small family hotel |
What time can you have breakfast in the dinning room?
| A．6:50 a.m. | B．7:00 a.m. | C．7:30 a.m. | D．8:30 a.m. |
What should you do when you come back to the hotel to make an important call and see a lot of people around the Reception Desk?
| A．Go to your room and phone from there. |
| B．Ask at the Reception Desk. |
| C．Go to the public telephone boxes. |
| D．Go out again and look for a private phone. |
What should you do if you want to have your trousers washed?
| A．Ask the room staff to collect them to the laundry. |
| B．Go to the hotel bar. |
| C．Hang a message outside your door. |
| D．Ask the room staff to clean them for you. |
Every year in late spring at Wild Friends, the wildlife health center, workers receive baby animals, including songbirds and rabbits. This is the busiest time when workers care for and raise all the little ones before sending them back into the wild.
There are many reasons for these little animals' coming to the center. First of all, street cats or dogs catch, injure or take away little birds from their nests. Sometimes people catch baby animals and keep them at home, giving them food that they are not used to. It would make them sick. Most people don't realize that it's against law to get live animals out of their nests.
As for songbirds, people often find them on the ground in their yards, thinking they have no other choice but to leave them on the ground to die. This is because many people wrongly believe that once a bird is touched by a person, its mother will not accept this child bird. But that's not true.
If a little bird falls out of the nest, you should check whether it is injured. If not, you should put the bird back in the nest. If the bird is injured, call your local wildlife center quickly.
As for the progress of protecting wild animals, people at Wild Friends devote all their energy to this work. Over the last weeks, they have been able to send many of the birds and rabbits that came here earlier this spring back to nature.Which is the busiest season for workers at Wild Friends?
| A．Spring | B．Summer. | C．Autumn. | D．Winter. |
Which of the following will probably injure young birds?
| A．Giving them food they don't like. | B．Letting them play with children. |
| C．Leaving them on the ground. | D．Bringing them to the center. |
If a young healthy bird is lying on the ground, you should ________.
| A．wait for its mother | B．help it go back home |
| C．touch it with your hands | D．call workers at Wild Friends |