They still bite, but new research shows lab-grown mosquitoes are fighting dengue fever — a dangerous disease that they normally would spread. Dengue infections appear to be dropping fast in communities in Indonesia, Vietnam, Brazil and Australia that are filled with the specially grown mosquitoes.
Researchers first injected （注射）mosquito eggs with Wolbachia bacteria that's common in insects and harmless to people in a lab. Infected females then pass the bacteria on through their eggs. Releasing enough Wolbachia carriers, both the females that bite and the males that don't, allows mating（交配）to spread the bacteria through a local mosquito population.
Rather than using chemicals to wipe out pests, “this is really about transforming the mosquito," said Cameron Simmons of the nonprofit World Mosquito Program, which is conducting the research.
The first success came from Australia. Mosquitoes carrying Wolbachia were released in parts of North Queensland starting in 2011, and gradually spread through the local mosquito population. Dengue is spread when a mosquito bites someone who is infected, and then bites another person, but somehow Wolbachia blocks that — and local spread has nearly disappeared in those North Queensland Communities, Simmons said.
The studies are continuing in other countries. But the findings, presented at a meeting of the American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, suggest it's possible to turn at least some mosquitoes from a public health threat into annoying biters.
The work marks “exciting progress," said Michigan State University professor Zhiyong Xi, who wasn't involved with the project but has long studied how Wolbachia can turn mosquitoes against themselves.
More research is needed, specialists cautioned. "The results are pretty exciting — strong levels of reductions — but there clearly are going to be things to be learned from the areas where the reductions are not as great," said Penn State University professor Elizabeth McGraw.
1.What can we learn about the lab-grown mosquitoes?
A.They lose the ability to bite people.
B.They become harmful to human beings.
C.They carry dangerous Wolbachia bacteria.
D.They spread Wolbachia bacteria by mating.
2.What does the underlined word "that" refer to in Paragraph 4?
A.The bite from a mosquito. B.The local community.
C.The spread of Dengue. D.The infected person.
3.What do the last two paragraphs suggest?
A.This research proves a complete success.
B.Scientists agree on this research.
C.There is still room for improvement.
D.Mosquitoes turn themselves against harmful ones.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.Bacteria- infected Mosquitoes Bite Deadly Dengue.
B.Transform Mosquitoes into Annoying Biters
C.Fight against Mosquitoes with Wolbachia
D.Harmless Mosquitoes Are on Their Way
As you move out of your teens and into your 20s and 30s, your musical tastes start to solidify and you likely quit keeping up with popular music. Now, research has found the average age at which your music library is unlikely to change: 33.
The study's author reached this conclusion by analyzing data on U. S. Spotify users and comparing it to artist popularity data from music intelligence company The Echo Nest.
To determine the age at which we stop seeking out new tunes, the author gathered self-reported age data from Spotify and looked at users' " Taste Profiles," which tracks how many times listeners have streamed individual artists. These artists were then matched to their popularity rank on The Echo Nest.
The average teen listens almost only to music among the Billboard, the 200 highest-ranking albums in the country, but this music represents a smaller part of their streaming as they age. In their teens, they listen to a lot of the same music, over and over again. Frank T. McAndrew, a professor of psychology at Knox College, explains that's the "mere exposure effect" at work, and it basically means, the more we're exposed to something, the more we like it.
There are many reasons why a person may stop streaming the current top musical hits, and the author looked into one by identifying Spotify listeners with large amounts of children's music and nursery rhymes in their libraries. In other words, when users may have become parents.
But the study concludes with some good news for parents: “If you're getting older and can't find yourself staying as relevant as you used to, have no fear — just wait for your kids to become teenagers, and you'll get exposed to all the popular music of the day once again!”
1.What happens after teens grow older?
A.They quit listening to music. B.Their interest in music fades.
C.They change their music libraries. D.Their musical tastes become stable.
2.What is the way of the research?
A.Interviews. B.Analyzing data.
C.Observation. D.Tracking popularity.
3.How do teens develop their musical tastes?
A.They listen to what they like repeatedly.
B.They act like their favorite popular stars.
C.They experience different styles of music.
D.They like high-ranking music worldwide.
4.What's the good news for parents in the last paragraph?
A.Parents will regain their faith in music.
B.Parents will influence their teens in music.
C.Parents will hear their favorite music again.
D.Parents will enjoy the music for teens again.
Today's buzz words, which include global warming and zero emissions, are causing everyday people (not just celebrities) to look for ways to reduce their carbon footprint. Based on this trend, entire districts, known as eco-communities, are being designed with green initiatives in mind. Dockside Green in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada is one of these communities. If everything goes according to plan, Dockside Green will be a self-sufficient community. The plans describe a variety of environmental features, some of which have never been seen.
Builders of Dockside Green have the environment in mind with every choice they make. They ensure proper ventilation (通风), and guarantee residents 100% fresh indoor air. Interior and exterior building materials, such as paints and wood, are natural and non-toxic (无毒的). Eco-conscious builders use bamboo wherever possible because it is durable and does not require pesticides to grow.
Energy efficiency is one of the top priorities in eco-communities, such as Dockside Green. Not only do energy-efficient appliances and light fixtures reduce the environmental impact of heating and hot water, they also save residents and business owners money. Dockside Green claims that home owners will use 55% less energy than average residents in Canada. Studies show that people use approximately 20% less energy when they are billed for exactly what they use. In addition, water is treated at Dockside Green and reused on site for flushing toilets.
Planners of eco-communities such as Dockside Green must take the future into account. Dockside Green plans on reusing 90% of its construction waste. They also plan to continue using local suppliers for all of their transport and maintenance needs. This is a great way to reduce emissions. Finally, plans are in the works for a high-tech heating system that will use renewable biomass instead of fossil fuels.
The first two stages of development at Dockside Green have already been completed, and many other plans are in the works. Other smaller eco-villages can be found around the world. Residents of these communities aim to reduce their carbon footprint and be models for sustainable living.
1.The purpose of the article is to ______ .
A.introduce eco-communities
B.describe Dockside Green's plans
C.advertise Dockside Green
D.illustrate sustainable living
2.According to the article, what percentage of energy saving will Dockside Green residents save？ ______
A.100%.
B.90%.
C.55%.
D.20%.
3.Bamboo is an environmentally friendly choice for builders because it ______ .
A.provides good air circulation
B.keeps pests out of houses
C.is toxic substances free
D.can be used for a long time
4.What will Dockside Green try to do in the future？ ______
A.To find fossil fuel alternatives.
B.To develop an interior transportation system.
C.To use most of construction waste again.
D.To cooperate with other eco-villages.
I recently heard a story about a famous research scientist who had made several very important medical achievements. A newspaper reporter interviewed him why he was able to be so much more creative than the average person. What set him so far apart from others?
He responded that it all came from an experience with his mother that occurred when he was about two years old. He had been trying to remove a bottle of milk from the refrigerator when he dropped the slippery bottle, spilling its contents all over the kitchen floor-a real sea of milk!
When his mother came into the kitchen, instead of shouting at him, giving him a lecture or punishing him, she said, “Robert, what a great and wonderful mess you have made! I have rarely seen such a huge pool of milk. Well,the damage has already been done. Would you like to get down and play in the milk for a few minutes before we clean it up?”
Indeed, the boy did. After a few minutes, his mother said, “You know, Robert, whenever you make a mess like this, eventually you have to clean it up and restore everything to its proper order. How would you like to do that? We could use a sponge (海绵), a towel or a mop. Which do you prefer?” He chose the sponge and together they cleaned up the spilled milk.
His mother then said, “You know, what we have here is a failed experiment in how to effectively carry a big milk bottle with two tiny hands. Let’s go out in the back yard and fill the bottle with water and see if you can find a way to carry it without dropping it.” The little boy learned that if he grasped the bottle at the top near the lip with both hands, he could make it. What a wonderful lesson!
This famous scientist then said that it was at that moment that he knew he didn’t need to be afraid to make mistakes.
1.When the mother found the kitchen floor covered with milk, she ______ .
A.gave the boy a lecture instead of shouting at him
B.praised the boy instead of punishing him
C.felt satisfied with the boy’s trying to help himself
D.calmed down the boy and helped him find a way to clean the floor
2.The child’s experience resulted in the following BUT ______ .
A.offering the boy a chance to grasp the bottle
B.benefiting the boy all his life
C.helping the boy be more creative
D.making the boy realize the mistake is of value
3.According to the passage, the way the scientist’s mother used is ______ .
A.instructive
B.strict
C.formal
D.strange
用模块一Units1-2所学的新单词的恰当形式填空。
1.He didn't realize visitors were ____________ (要求) not to take photos in the museum until then.
2.The family ____________ (遭受) heavy losses in the Second World War.
3.They were told to wear ____________ (正式的) clothes to attend the meeting.
4.He i____________ all the ' No Smoking' signs and lit up a cigarette.
5.He spoke English with a strong African ____________(口音).
6.Although Bill and Jill d____________ on most things, they are best friends.
7.If you have difficulties in English reading, one important thing you must do is to increase your v____________.
8.I would be g____________ if you could give me some advice.
9.People ____________ (在场的) in the party were all shocked at the news.
10.Besides his n____________ language, the super star can speak 7 foreign languages.
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
Air travel makes both people and service dogs very nervous. There are classes 1.people get help to defeat their fear of flying. And there is similar training for service dogs 2. (suffer) the same problem. You will 3. (frequent) see them working on buses, trains and other public transport systems. But the busy environment found at an airport can trouble even the 4. (good) trained service dogs. People with disabilities depend on 5. (they) dogs. They should be reliable, and they can safely guide the people through security areas. It is especially when the flying is not smooth 6.they need the dogs to remain calm on duty on the airplane. It takes special training.
The Air Hollywood K9 Flight Center is a school where such help 7.guiding the disabled can be found. Dog trainers say successful training 8. (base) on a simple rule: preparation. Being exposed(暴露) repeatedly to the environment, to loud noises, to sounds, makes dogs used to acting and they don't get9. ( excite), when they are trained on a daily basis.
Dog 10. (own) who have attended the training at Air Hollywood K9 Flight School — it was opened say they now feel much more at ease about future flights. Their dogs also seem ready for takeoff.
