Plastic-Eating Worms
Humans produce more than 300 million tons of plastic every year. Almost half of that winds up in landfills(垃圾填埋场)，and up to 12 million tons pollute the oceans. qSo far there is no effective way to get rid of it, but a new study suggests an answer may lie in the stomachs of some hungry worms.
Researchers in Spain and England recently found that the worms of the greater wax moth can break down polyethylene, which accounts for 40% of plastics. The team left 100 wax worms on a commercial polyethylene shopping bag for 12 hours, and the worms consumed and broke down about 92 milligrams, or almost 3% of it. To confirm that the worms' chewing alone was not responsible for the polyethylene breakdown, the researchers made some worms into paste(糊状物) and applied it to plastic films. 14 hours later the films had lost 13% of their mass--apparently broken down by enzymes(酶)from the worms' stomachs. Their findings were published in Current Biology in 2017.
Federica Bertocchini, co-author of the study, says the worms' ability to break down their everyday food-beeswax--also allows them to break down plastic "Wax is a complex mixture, but the basic bond in polyethylene, the carbon-carbon bond, is there as well, "she explains. "The wax worm evolved a method or system to break this bond. "
Jennifer Debruyn, a microbiologist at the University of Tennessee, who was not involved in the study, says it is not surprising that such worms can break down polyethylene. But compared with previous studies, she finds the speed of breaking down in this one exciting. The next step, DeBruyn says, will be to identify the cause of the breakdown. Is it an enzyme produced by the worm itself or by its gut microbes(肠道微生物)?
Bertocchini agrees and hopes her team’s findings might one day help employ the enzyme to break down plastics in landfills. But she expects using the chemical in some kind of industrial process-not simply "millions of worms thrown on top of the plastic.”
1.What can we learn about the worms in the study?
A. They take plastics as their everyday food.
B. They are newly evolved creatures.
C. They can consume plastics.
D. They wind up in landfills.
2.According to Jennifer DeBruyn, the next step of the study is to .
A. identify other means of the breakdown
B. find out the source of the enzyme
C. confirm the research findings
D. increase the breakdown speed
3.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that the chemical might .
A. help to raise worms
B. help make plastic bags
C. be used to clean the oceans
D. be produced in factories in future
I have learned something about myself since I moved from Long Island to Florida three years ago. Even though I own a home in Port St, Lucie just minutes from the ocean, an un- controllable urge wells up to return to Long Island even as others make their way south. I guess I am a snowbird stuck in reverse. Instead of enjoying Florida’s mild winters, I willingly endure the severe weather on Long Island, the place I called home for 65 years.
I’m like a migratory bird (候鸟) that has lost its sense of timing and direction, my wings flapping against season.
So what makes me fly against the tide of snowbirds? The answer has a lot to do with my reluctance to give up the things that define who I am. Once I hear that the temperature on Long Island has dipped into the range of 40 to 50 degrees, I begin to long for the sight and crackling sound of a wood fire. I also long for the bright display of colors-first in the fall trees, and then in the lights around homes and at Rockefeller Center. Floridians decorate too, but can’t create the special feel of a New England winter.
I suppose the biggest reason why I return is to celebrate the holidays with people I haven’t seen in months. What could be better than sitting with family and friends for a Thanksgiving turkey dinner, or watching neighbors children excitedly open gifts on Christmas? Even the first snowfall seems special. I especially enjoy seeing a bright red bird settling on a snow-covered branch. (My wife and I spend winters at a retirement community in Ridge, and I’m grateful that I don’t have to shovel.)
While these simple pleasures are not unique to Long Island, they are some of the reasons why I come back. Who says you can’t go home?
1.What’s the difference between Florida and Long Island?
A. Winters in Florida are milder.
B. The snowbirds in Florida are rarer.
C. Weather in Florida is severer.
D. Florida is nearer to the ocean.
2.What does the underlined word “reluctance” in Paragraph 3 mean?
A. Unwillingness.
B. Expectation.
C. Coincidence.
D. Motivation.
3.Which of the following words can best describe the author?
A. Imaginative and outspoken.
B. Hard-working and serious.
C. Homesick and easy-going
D. Anxious and painful.
4.What’s the author’s purpose in writing the text?
A. To describe his dream to be a free bird.
B. To express his feeling of missing his hometown.
C. To praise the beauty and warmth of his hometown.
D. To explain the reasons for moving from his hometown.
Give yourself a test. Which way is the wind blowing? How many kinds of wildflowers can be seen from your front door? If your awareness is as sharp as it could be, you’ll have no trouble answering these questions.
Most of us observed much more as children than we do as adults. A child’s day is filled with fascination, newness and wonder. Curiosity gave us all a natural awareness. But distinctions that were sharp to us as children become unclear; we are numb(麻木的）to new stimulation(刺激), new ideas. Relearning the art of seeing the world around us is quite simple, although it takes practice and requires breaking some bad habits.
The first step in awakening senses is to stop predicting what we are going to see and feel before it occurs. This blocks awareness. One chilly night when I was hiking in the Rocky Mountains with some students, I mentioned that we were going to cross a mountain stream. The students began complaining about how cold it would be. We reached the stream, and they unwillingly walked ahead. They were almost knee-deep when they realized it was a hot spring. Later they all admitted they’d felt cold water at first.
Another block to awareness is the obsession(痴迷) many of us have with naming things. I saw bird watchers who spotted a bird, immediately looked it up in field guides, and said, a "ruby-crowned kinglet" and checked it off. They no longer paid attention to the bird and never learned what it was doing.
The pressures of "time" and "destination" are further blocks to awareness. I encountered many hikers who were headed to a distant camp-ground with just enough time to get there before dark. It seldom occurred to them to wander a bit, to take a moment to see what’s around them. I asked them what they’d seen. "Oh, a few birds," they said. They seemed bent on their destinations.
Nature seems to unfold to people who watch and wait. Next time you take a walk, no matter where it is, take in all the sights, sounds and sensations. Wander in this frame of mind and you will open a new dimension to your life.
1.According to Paragraph 2, compared with adults, children are more ____________.
A. anxious to do wonders
B. sensitive to others’ feelings
C. likely to develop unpleasant habits
D. eager to explore the world around them
2.What idea does the author convey in Paragraph 3?
A. To avoid jumping to conclusions.
B. To stop complaining all the time.
C. To follow the teacher’s advice.
D. To admit mistakes honestly.
3.The bird watchers’ behavior shows that they __________.
A. are very patient in their observation
B. are really fascinated by nature
C. care only about the names of birds
D. question the accuracy of the field guides
4.Why do the hikers take no notice of the surroundings during the journey?
A. The natural beauty isn’t attractive to them.
B. They focus on arriving at the camp in time.
C. The forest in the dark is dangerous for them.
D. They are keen to see rare birds at the destination.
Fire Prevention Information
The University of Adelaide employs a full-time staff of fire prevention professionals. They inspect all campus buildings and test and maintain all sprinkler(喷水灭火装置) systems, fire alarms, and fire extinguishers (灭火器). They also provide educational programs on fire safety in the residence halls. Whenever you move to a new area, you should locate the fire alarm pull stations and the two exits nearest your room.
Fire Alarms
The floors of all campus buildings are equipped with manual(手动的) fire alarm systems which include fire alarm pull stations and pipes. Most are also equipped with automatic fire alarm systems consisting of heat detectors, smoke detectors and sprinklers. For your safety, never tamper with(胡乱摆弄) these systems. False fire alarms are illegal and may lead to imprisonment.
Fire Drills
A fire drill will be conducted in your residence hall every semester. During a fire drill, please do the following:
·Take your room key and ID, close and lock the door to your room.
·Exit immediately from the nearest emergency exit; do not use a lift.
·Meet outside of your residence hall and wait for further instructions.
Fire Extinguishers
Fire extinguishers are located on each floor and in each apartment. Use a fire extinguisher only if you have been trained to do so. Irresponsible use of a fire extinguisher can create a dangerous situation for other residents and could result in damage to personal property. Misuse of a fire extinguisher will result in fines.
Smoke Detectors
A smoke detector is on the ceiling in your room. Some buildings also have heat detectors on the ceilings. Do the following to ensure the safe operation of your smoke detector:
●If your smoke detector is working properly, the red light should be on. If the red light is not blinking(闪动), contact residence hall staff immediately.
●Do not cover or block your smoke detector in any way.
●If a smoke detector sets off an alarm and there is no fire or smoke, inform your hall staff.
1.What is the main duty of the fire prevention professionals?
A. To provide part-time jobs for students.
B. To lead the students to the nearest exits.
C. To check and maintain fire prevention equipment.
D. To train teachers to be fire prevention professionals.
2.What do the automatic fire alarm systems include?
A. Pipes and smoke detectors.
B. Smoke detectors and sprinklers.
C. Fire alarm pull stations and pipes.
D. Sprinklers and fire alarm pull stations.
3.In a fire drill, the students should ___________.
A. rush quickly to a lift
B. gather at the nearest exit
C. shut the door and leave at once
D. wait for instructions in the hall
4.What do we know about the use of fire extinguishers?
A. Using them wrongly results in punishment.
B. Irresponsible use of them can damage them.
C. Improper use of them can destroy the apartment.
D. Using them without a trainer present is forbidden.
假设你是红星中学高三学生李华。你的英国笔友Jim在给你的邮件中提到他很想了解你的职业规划，请你给Jim回信，内容包括:
1. 你希望从事的职业；
2. 你选择该职业的原因；
3. 你打算为之做何准备。
注意:1. 词数100左右；
2. 开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear Jim,
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加:在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除:把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改:在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意: 1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Mr. Li is my head teacher. He is now in his thirty and has been teaching in almost ten years. He has much know ledges and his teaching method is scientific. All of us enjoy his lessons which are lively and interested. Not only is he strict and also he is kind and patient. As a result, he is popular with our students. All these years he has devoted to teaching his students. In addition, he often gave his encouragement to us, that means a lot to us. With his help, we have made a great progress. We all love him!
