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Britain’s seed bank, the only one in the world aiming to collect all of the planet’s wild plant species, has reached its goal of banking 10 percent by 2010.
The Millennium Seed Bank Project, run by Kew Gardens—one of the oldest botanical gardens—will officially deposit the 24,200th species on Thursday, a pink, wild banana from China.
More than 50 countries are now on board with Kew's giant task but vast places of the globe, including India and Brazil, still need to join in and donate seeds, director Paul Smith said.
The seed bank is one of the largest and most diverse in the world with more than 1.5 billion seeds. Its goal is to help protect the planet’s bio-diversity during a time of climate change.
The wild banana seed is under threat of extinction(灭绝) in southwest China from agricultural development. It is a vital food source for Asian elephants and important for growing bananas for human consumption.
Stored at minus-20 degrees centigrade, so they can last for thousands of years, the seeds await the day that scientists hope never comes—when the species no longer exist in the wild.
It is a race against time, Smith said, because in the last decade alone, 20 plants held in the bank have already been wiped out in the wild. He estimates that between a third and a quarter will become extinct this century.
"It is urgent and it is happening now. An area, the size of England, is cleared of primary vegetation（植被）every year." Smith said.
Because most of the world's food and medicines come from nature, protecting wild plant species is quite important, scientists say. There are already many other seed banks safeguarding food crops, which only account for 0.6 percent of plant diversity.
For Kew's next goal—to collect a quarter of wild varieties by 2020—the botanists need 10 million pounds a year, or a further 100 million pounds on top of the 40 million they have already been granted.
1.What’s the final purpose of the Britain’s seed bank?
A. To collect enough money for the project. B. To safeguard food crops.
C. To protect wild plants from extinction. D. To help scientists study wild plants.
2.The wild banana seed in China is in danger because of _______.
A. the expanding of farming work B. the climate change in this area
C. the large number of Asian elephants D. human’s large consumption
3. We can learn from the passage that _______.
A. the seeds in the bank can be used now and then all over the world
B. India and Brazil haven’t joined in the Seed Bank Project at present
C. there is only one seed bank in the world at present
D. the wild plants in places like India and China will never die out
4. What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 7 refer to?
A. The extinction of plant species. B. The Millennium Seed Bank Project.
C. Britain’s seed bank. D. Kew Gardens’ next goal.
5.Which of the following information isn’t mentioned in the passage?
A. The global partnership of collecting wild plant species.
B. The temperature condition of the conservative wild plant species.
C. The government’s financial support for the seed bank project.
D. Scientists’ concern on the extinct wild plant species.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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Vans, Keds, Dollies—they sound like the names of rock bands, but if you have teenagers, you'll know they're actually the latest in teenage footwear.
But experts are now warning that the current shoe fashions will be causing teenagers discomfort in the short term and storing up years of foot, knee and back pain in the future.
Here, the experts identify the problems caused by teenagers' shoe choice.
KEDS/VANSSlip-on shoes with elastic (弹性的）sides are particularly popular among teenage boys - with Keds and Vans the most sought-after brands.
The main problem is that they are just too flat—so flat that the heel, which strikes the ground first, also becomes damaged and painful.
BALLET PUMPS
The worst shoes of all are such light and thin dolly shoes. The problem is partly their flatness, as with Keds and Vans. However ballet pumps, which have no string or heel, have other specific problems.“As the shoe has no fastening device, it relies on the toes to keep the shoe on, causing an awkward gait（步法）, this leads to short- and long-term problems such as calluses（茧子）, heel and knee pain.”
WEDGES AND STILETTOS
These shoes can also cause problems with gait. They may look good, but the heels on these are so high they can force the wearer's body weight forward, making them very unstable.Teens who wear these shoes regularly are also in danger of joining those millions of women with constant back pain.
SCHOOL SHOES
So what do podiatrists（足科医生）have on their wish list, especially for everyday wear?
Something in a natural, breathable fabric, with a string to hold it on, with a small heel and a deep toe-box that does not press the toes, such as Clark's, Marks & Spencer or Rhino.
If your teen insists on wearing 'bad' shoes, get them some simple foot orthotics(矫形器) in the shoes. These support and correct the movement of the foot and, properly fitted by a podiatrist, can often transform their walk and halt the damage.
1. Of all the shoes mentioned in the passage, which can cause the worst problems?
A. Marks & Spencer. B. Wedges & Stilettos.
C. Keds and Vans. D. Ballet Pumps.
2. Which pair of shoes may not be found on the podiatrists’ wish list?
3. The underlined word “halt” in the last paragraph probably means _______.
A. increase B. worsen C. stop D. cure
4. From this passage we can infer _______.
A. trendy shoes may ruin teenagers’ health
B. fashionable shoes all have orthotics in them
C. experts are strongly against wearing popular shoes
D. podiatrists are expert at producing branded shoes
5. In which column of Mail Online can you find this passage?
A. Sports. B. Science. C. Health. D. Shopping.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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We've used the wind as an energy source for a long time. The Babylonians and Chinese were using wind power to pump water for irrigating crops 4,000 years ago, and sailing boats were around long before that. Wind power was used in the Middle Ages, in Europe, to grind(磨碎) corn, which is where the term "windmill" comes from.We can use the energy in the wind by building a tall tower, with a large propellor on the top. The wind blows the propellor round, which turns a generator to produce electricity. We tend to build many of these towers together, to make a "wind farm" and produce more electricity. The more towers, the more wind, and the larger the propellors, the more electricity we can make. It's only worth building wind farms in places that have strong, steady winds, although boats and caravans（大篷车）increasingly have small wind generators to help keep their batteries charged.
The best places for wind farms are in coastal areas, at the tops of rounded hills, open plains and gaps in mountains—places where the wind is strong and reliable. Some are offshore. To be worthwhile, you need an average wind speed of around 25 km/h. Most wind farms in the UK are in Cornwall or Wales. Isolated places such as farms may have their own wind generators. In California, several “wind farms” supply electricity to homes around Los Angeles.
The propellors are large, to obtain energy from the largest possible volume of air. The blades can be angled to cope with varying wind speeds. Some designs use vertical turbines(垂直涡轮机), which don't need to be turned to face the wind. The towers are tall, to get the propellors as high as possible, up to where the wind is stronger. This means that the land beneath can still be used for farming.
1. The first paragraph aims to introduce to us _______.
A. the function of wind power B. the source of wind power
C. the nations using wind power D. the history of using wind power
2.How does a wind power work?
A. The generator turns the propellor blades and produce electricity.
B. The tall tower helps turn the energy in the air into electricity.
C. Warm air rises and makes the propellor move round.
D. The propellor blown round by wind turns the generator to produce electricity.
3. The best places for building the wind farm are places where _______.
A. boats and caravans can often be seen B. isolated farms don’t have enough electricity
C. there are less human activities D. the wind is strong and reliable
4. We can infer from the passage that _______.
A. wind farms will not take up too much farming land
B. wind farms need no fuel because wind is free
C. the blades can be angled to turn to face the wind wherever it comes from
D. the higher and larger the towers are, the stronger the wind is
5. What can be a suitable title for the passage?
A. Where to build a wind farm. B. ABC of the using of wind energy.
C. How to make best use of wind. D. Wind energy is the best energy.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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Time: April 8th, 2010 at 10 PM To April 9th, 2010 at 3 AM
Location: Babyface Guangzhou
Street: No.83 Changdi Da Ma Road, Guangzhou
City/Town: Guangzhou
Website or Map: http://www.babyface.com.cn
Phone: 020-8335 5771
Organized By: Babyface China Official
Grammy nominated (格莱美奖提名)artist and globally admired DJ and Producer Paul van Dyk continues to lead the electronic music charts and appears at the highpoint of every Top DJ list across the globe. PvD, as his fans have nicknamed him, is currently ranked the World’s No. 1 DJ by DJ Magazine’s “Top 100 DJs poll” for the second successive year.
PvD is well-known as one of the hardest working artists, with sold-out tours that cross each continent, headline spots at every major festival, and a hugely successful recording career. With over 3 million albums sold worldwide, van Dyk travels around the world over 16 times each year to sold out performances internationally.
Born in Eisenhuettenstadt, East Germany, Paul van Dyk grew up in East Berlin. Because his community did not have a true club culture, Paul van Dyk listened to the radio where he discovered his passion for music that extended beyond Techno music—he wanted to create a different, more unique sound. In the early 1990’s Paul van Dyk was performing regularly at various clubs in Berlin before releasing his first album 45 RPM in 1994. But it was the release of his second album Seven Ways that put him into Top 100, followed by the release of his hit single “For An Angel,” which began to earn him praise across the globe. By the time Paul van Dyk released Out There & Back in 2000, it became clear that the Berlin-based musician had far more to offer than his signature club sets that had already defined him as one of the most influential DJs and producers of all time. His first mix CD Politics of Dancing was released in 2001, followed by Global in 2003—a DVD which illustrates his own experiences traveling the world.
1.What activity does this passage introduce to us?
A. Paul van Dyk Volume World Tour at Babyface Guangzhou.
B. Grammy Prize Ceremony at Babyface Guangzhou.
C. Release of PvD’s original album Reflections.
D. The foundation of Babyface China Official.
2. Which album first made PvD into the Top 100?
A. For An Angel. B. Seven Ways. C. 45 RPM. D. Out There & Back.
3.According to the passage PvD can be best described as _______.
A. intelligent but proud B. hardworking but absent-minded
C. optimistic and outgoing D. creative and potential
4.PvD’s passion for music originated from _______.
A. performing at various clubs B. listening to the radio
C. his tours across the globe D. his true club culture
5. According to the passage, PvD _______.
A. is ranked the world’s No.1 DJ in Top 100 DJs Poll for life
B. shows us his travelling experience in Global
C. sings about politics in his mix CD Politics of Dancing
D. received Grammy Prizes several times
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
The worst shoes of all are such light and thin dolly shoes. The problem is partly their flatness, as with Keds and Vans. However ballet pumps, which have no string or heel, have other specific problems.
These shoes can also cause problems with gait. They may look good, but the heels on these are so high they can force the wearer's body weight forward, making them very unstable.
An English Editor Wanted