选择知识点

C

Today, many species of animals and plants are endangered. This means they are in danger of becoming extinct and living on only in the pages of history books. The famous dodo is a classic example of a creature that became extinct. A flightless bird that lived on the island of Mauritius, it was discovered by sailors in 1598 but was hunted to extinction by 1681.

Hunting has caused the Bengal tiger and the African elephant to be endangered today but habitat destruction can also lead to extinction. This is equally true for plants. Animals and plants disappear for other reasons too, but the main cause is often a disruption（打乱，破坏）in the natural food chain, whether due to hunting, habitat destruction, or even the introduction of alien species.

The natural food chain is the cycle that governs the existence of all life on this planet. It is a carefully balanced cycle and any imbalance that occurs can cause knock-on effects that have serious consequences. At the beginning of the natural food chain are plants which turn sunlight into energy and draw nutrients from the earth. Plants are called producers.

After the producers come the consumers. There are three tiers of consumers. First are creatures such as plant-eating animals, fish and insects which feed off the producers. These animals that only eat plants are called herbivores. The second tier of consumers are carnivores - animals that live off other animals. The third tier of consumers eats both other animals and plants. These consumers, including most humans, are called omnivores.

After animals and plants die, they become food for other smaller creatures, such as bacteria and some plants, such as fungi. As they feed, these creatures turn the dead bodies back into gases and minerals which are again food for the producers at the beginning of the food chain. And so the cycle continues.

All of nature is connected and governed by hundreds of these delicate food chains and if a single plant in the chain cannot survive, then the insects that live off the plant start to die and the animals that eat the insects also start to die.

When a food chain is disrupted, the consequences can be extremely serious. One estimate suggests that for each plant species that is lost, up to 30 animals and insects may also die out. One wonders how many species were affected by the extinction of the dodo.

Humans can have disastrous effects on food chains. We’ve already mentioned hunting but now let’s look at travel. When people first started to explore the world they took plant and animal species from their home countries and introduced them wherever they went. They didnˈt realize that by introducing alien species they were disrupting the natural food chains of the areas they discovered. Although there are strict rules in place today controlling the import and export of alien species, some places are still fighting the effects of aliens introduced hundreds of years ago.

For example, Gough Island in the South Atlantic Ocean is a breeding ground for albatrosses that have been nesting there for centuries. But in the 19th century, mice from passing ships were brought to the island. Being a species alien to the island, they had no natural predators and have now grown to such a size that they are attacking and killing albatross chicks. If they are allowed to continue, they will wipe out the albatross population.

With import laws and peopleˈs rising awareness of how humans affect the natural environment, hopefully we can learn to fit better into the natural food chains that govern our world. Otherwise we need to accept that the loss of any more plants and animals could eventually mean our own extinction.

I grew up with a fat dad—450 pounds at his heaviest. Every week he would try a new diet, and my family ended up eating whatever strange food he was trying at that moment.
       After my third­ grade year, my dad landed a life­ changing job in Manhattan. My mom, my little sister and I had to move away from our hometown, Chicago, and leave my grandmother and her beautiful food behind.
       Leaving my grandmother was far more frightening than the move to New York City. There would be no more special weekends at my grandmother's house, the only place I can remember feeling happy, safe and nourished. It was what I desired. In this new city, I felt extremely alone and lost, and I missed my grandmother terribly.
       My grandmother knew just how I felt—and she knew the cure. Every week, she would send me a card with a $20 bill, a recipe and a list of what to buy at the market. It kept us bonded, and her recipes filled my body and soul.
       Over the years, I have grown to better understand my father's struggles with weight and the toll (代价) it took on him and those who love him. I have come to realize he was driven not by vanity (自负) or selfishness as much as by a deep pain. And in spite of growing up in such an unhealthy eating environment (or perhaps because of it), as an adult I found a passion and a career as a nutrition consultant.
       Today, my father weighs 220 pounds and is a vegan (素食者). How he got there is a story I hope to share in the coming weeks. More importantly, food is no longer a barrier that keeps us apart, but a bridge that keeps us connected. There is nothing my dad enjoys more than talking with me about dietary theories and his weight ­loss victories. And now I am the one regularly sending recipe cards to my father's house, just as my grandmother did for me. 

B

  Iceland is a large island．In fact，it’s the world’s 18th largest island．Most of the population，however，lives in the southern part of the country，in or around the capital city of Reykjavik．By its very name，you’d expect Iceland to be mostly ice．Looking at Iceland on a map，you’ll notice it sits just outside the Arctic Circle．Despite this location and its name，Iceland actually has temperate climate because it’s warmed by the Gulf Stream．The Gulf Stream also helps keep Iceland’s coastal ports ice—free through the winter．

  There is plenty of ice on Iceland，though．The country consists of a large plateau(高原) that includes fields of sand，mountains and glaciers(冰川)．Over sixty percent of Iceland is tundra(苔原)．About fourteen percent of Iceland is lakes and glaciers．Only about twenty—three percent of the country has plants or vegetation of any kind．

  Iceland was settled in the late 800s and early 900s by Norsemen from the Scandinavian country of Nmway．Other settlers also came from Ireland and Scotland．From the thirteenth century up until 1918，Iceland was part of the Norwegian and later Danish monarchies．For most of that time，the small Icelandic population depended upon fishing and farming to make a living．For hundreds of years，Iceland was one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world．After World War Ⅱ，international aid and industrialization of the fishing industry turned Iceland into one of the wealthiest countries in the world．In 1914，Iceland became part of the European Economic Area，which allowed its economly to grow even more．

  Iceland is one of the youngest islands in the world．Surtsey rose out of the ocean during a series of volcanic eruptions between 1963 and 1968．Today，only scientists who study the growth of new life can visit the volcanic island of Surtsey．

Studies show that you may be lied to every day anywhere from 10 to 200 times. We say, “Nice song.” “Honey, you don’t look fat in that, no.” But another study showed that strangers lied three times within the first 10 minutes of meeting each other. We lie more to strangers than we lie to coworkers. Men lie eight times more about themselves than they do other people. Women lie more to protect other people. If you’re married, you’re going to lie to your wife/ husband in one out of every 10 communications. If you’re unmarried, that number drops to three. But look, if at some point you got lied to, it’s because you agreed to get lied to. In other words, the truth about lying: lying is a cooperative act. Not all lies are harmful. Sometimes we’re willing to lie for the sake of social dignity , maybe to keep a private secret.

Lying （说谎）is complex. It is woven into the fabric of our daily and business lives. We’re deeply disturbed by the truth. We explain it, sometimes for very good reasons, other times just because we don’t understand the gaps between ideals and realities in our lives. We’re against lying, but secretly we’re for it in ways that our society has practiced for centuries and centuries. It’s as old as breathing. It’s part of our culture and history. Think the stories from Dante, Shakespeare, the Bible, News of the World.

Lying has great value to the evolution of human being. Researchers have long known that the more intelligent the species, the more likely it is to lie. We human like to become leaders. It starts really early. How early? Well, babies will pretend to cry, pause, wait to see who’s coming and then go right back to crying. One-year-olds learn hiding truth. Two-year-olds bluff (虚张声势). Five-year-olds lie outright and try to control by flattery (讨好). Nine-year-olds, masters of covering up.

C

The amount of fish caught worldwide is much larger than has been reported．And that could mean serious problems for the environment and nations that depend on fisheries(渔业)．A new estimate shows that it is 32 million tons higher than countries have been reporting yearly．

The same report notes that the world’s fish catch has been declining since the late 1990s．Countries report their industrial catches to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization．But they do not report other kinds of fishing．This include the catches of small commercial fisher，which are called artisanal fisheries，and fishing for recreation and individual food．

Daniel Pauly at the University of British Columbia in Canada led the study．He noted that a huge amount of some catches is thrown away．“For example，shrimp trawlers(拖网渔船)keep only the shrimp and the fish that they catch-often eight to ten times as much as the shrimp-gets thrown away．”

Pauly told VOA that better estimates of the actual global catch will help ensure there will be enough fish in the future．“But our figures suggest that since 1996 a rapid decrease is happening．And if you project this forward you end up in a few decades having much less catch，literally no catch．So that is potentially dangerous．”

Researchers also found ways the world’s fisheries are changing．They found that fishing fleets of larger nations are catching fish in the waters of developing countries more and more．

Pauly said he was surprised by the amount of fishing done by foreign fleets in competition with local fishers．“In West Africa，the figure that was most astonishing is the enormous role of foreign fishing-of European and Asian vessels fishing legally or illegally-and competing against local fishers．On the other hand for the U．S．，Australia and some developing countries，such as the Bahamas，what was apparent is the enormous contribution of recreational fisheries，which also never get reported to the FAO．”

Researchers say inaccurate data also harms the development and supervision(监管)of effective policy and management measures．

D

    Manners nowadays in big cities like London are practically non-existent．It is nothing for a big strong schoolboy to push an elderly woman aside for the last remaining seat on a bus，much less stand up and offer his seat to her，as he ought to．In fact，it is saddening to note that if a man does offer his seat to an older woman，it is nearly always one from the older generation．

    This question of giving up seats in public transport is much argued about by young men，    who say that，since women have asked for equality，they no longer deserve to be treated with    courtesy and that those who go out to work should take their tum in the race like anyone else．Even if it is not agreed，that courtesy should be shown to the old，the sick and the burdened，are we really so lost to all ideals of unselfishness that we call sit there indifferently reading a newspaper or a book，saying to ourselves“First come，first served，”while a gray-haired woman，a mother with a young child or a disabled man stands? Yet this is all too often seen．

    Older people，tired and irritable from a day’s work，are not angels，either-far from it．Many an argument or an insulting(辱骂)quarrel breaks out as they feel tired of pushes in the queue and shove(猛推)each other to get on buses．

    If cities are to remain pleasant places to live in，however, it seems very necessary not only  that communications in transport should be improved，but also that communication between  human beings should be kept smooth and polite．Shop assistants won't bother to help，  taxi-drivers shout at each other as they drive dangerously round corners，bus conductors pull the bell before their passengers have had time to get on or off the bus，and so on. It seems to us that it is up to the young and strong to do their small part to stop such deterioration(恶化).

If you’re in charge of a project, the key to success is getting everyone to want to help you. As a director. I point. I gently push the actors in the direction（方向）I want them to go.

In the 1986 movie Nothing In Common, Jackie Gleason’s character, Max Basner, gets fired from his job as a clothing salesman. The scene, shot on a boat, shows Max’s despair(绝望) about being out of work. I was looking for some gesture that would allow Max to show his feelings.

Jackie had far more experience at everything than I did, and at first I was frightened. What could I possibly tell The Great One about acting? Out of fear I decided to direct by suggestion, and I sat down with Gleason to talk about the scene.―So Max is sad, right? I said. Gleason nodded.―And he’s probably still carrying his pens with his name on them – the ones he used to hand out to his customers, right? Gleason nodded.―So what would you want to do with the pens after you were fired?

 He was silent for a moment.―Why don’t I throw them overboard? I stood up and turned toward the crew.―Hey, everybody. Jackie has a wonderful idea. Let’s shoot it. After filming the scene, Gleason called me over and said with a smile,―Garry, what kind of wonderful idea am I going to have tomorrow? You and your team can discover the answers to problems together. When there are no prizes or gold stars. For who gets the solution first, you’ll all benefit when everything turns out right.

A

    What kind of pets do people have in your country? Dogs? Cats? How about a duck, hippo or lion? Here are two cases of animal owners with unusual pets.

Barrie Hayman has a pet duck called Star. Barrie adopted (领养) him after his brothers and sisters stayed away from him at birth. Barrie, a duck breeder, realized the little duck needed special attention. So he began taking Star with him everywhere he went. “I would put him in my pocket while I did my shopping,” said Barrie. Now, at five months, Star is too big for Barrie’s pocket, but the two are still inseparable. They watch sports together and even share a drink together. Barrie said, “He is one fantastic duck. I’ve never known any like him.” Star even has his own Facebook page, with more than 2,000 Facebook friends.

Then there’s the case of Tonie and Shirley Joubert in South Africa. They live with their pet hippo, Jessica. Tonie saved Jessica from floodwaters when she was only a day old. Jessica lives outside their riverside house, but she knows how to open the kitchen door, and often goes there for a snack. Tonie recently said, “I don’t know whether Jessica sees me as a hippo or whether she sees herself as a human.” Shirley is more certain, “Jessica sees herself as our child and I see Jessica as my daughter. I can’t imagine my life without Jessica.” Jessica is free to leave, and often visits wild hippos that live nearby. But she always returns home at night. Jessica’s website notes that she has three hippo boyfriends, but one in particular, Fred, is her favorite. They often go grazing (吃青草) together and Fred has recently moved onto the Jouberts’ house as well.

  Farmers use different kinds of soil conservation methods to protect their land from damage by farming and the forces of nature. One important form of soil conservation is the use of windbreaks.

 Windbreaks are barriers formed by trees and other plants with many leaves. Farmers plant them in lines around their fields. Windbreaks stop the wind from blowing soil away. They also keep the wind from destroying or damaging crops. They are very important for growing grains, such as wheat.

 There have been studies done on windbreaks in parts of West Africa. It is found that grain harvests can be 20% higher in fields protected by windbreaks compared to fields without such protection.

 However, windbreaks seem to work best when they allow a little wind to pass through. If the wall of trees and plants stops wind completely, then violent air movements will take place close to the ground. These movements will lift soil into the air where it will be blown away. For this reason, a windbreak is best if it has only 60% to 80% of the trees and plants needed to form a solid line.

 An easy role to remember is that windbreaks can protect areas up to ten times the height of the tallest trees in the windbreaks. There should be at least two lines in each windbreak. One line should be large trees. The second line, right next to it, can be shorter trees and other plants with leaves. Locally grown trees and plants are best for windbreaks.

 Windbreaks can protect land and crops from the wind. They can also provide wood products. These include wood for fuel and longer pieces for making fences.

A

We’re going to help her do it

Beth Wangari is a farmer in Kenya. She’s one of 450 million smallholder (耕种小块农田者) farmers worldwide. Together, they produce over 25% of the world’s food supply. But they could do much more. Across Sub-Saharan Africa, the average farm produces only 1.3 tonnes of maize (玉米) per hectare (公顷). In North America, a farm produces 7 times as much.

What Beth needs is the technology and skills that can help her get more from her land.

As one of the world’s leading agricultural companies, Syngenta helps farmers across the world to raise harvests (收成) while saving water and soil. This is part of what we call The Good Growth Plan.

The Good Growth Plan

We promise to help farmers get through four major challenges by the year 2020.

1  Increase the average productivity of the world’s major crops by 20% without using moreland or water.

2  Increase the biodiversity (生物多样性) of 5 million hectares of farmland.

3  Reach 20 million smallholders and help them increase productivity by 50%.

4  Train 20 million farm workers on labor safety, especially in developing countries.

See how we do

    As part of The Good Growth Plan we are ready to work with growers, governments and all who share our goals. We will report our progress on our website. You can find out more about The Good Growth Plan and the progress we are making at www.goodgrowthplan.com.