Just when scientists think they have discovered and recorded every species of insect that crawls on the earth they find something new.Earlier this month, Peter Jager, the head of Frankfurt's Senckenberg Research Institute reported the discovery of a unique eyeless spider! The creature that has a leg span of six centimeters and a body size of just twelve millimeters was found in a cave inside the tiny nation of Laos, in Southeast Asia. It was identified as a member of the Huntsman spider, a large family that consists of 1100 species.However, the other members of the family all have eyes.The spider is the first one that has no eyes.The scientists believe that the reason for the lack of eyes can be that these spiders spend their entire life inside caves.In the past they have seen other members of the Huntsman spiders living in caves with six or less eyes.They believe that the kind of spider has adapted to the fact that they do not really need the eyes to such an extreme measure that they have _ them altogether. But they are not the only creature to have done that.Over the years, scientists have discovered completely blind cave fish, and even a freshwater crab, which happens to live in the same cave as this eyeless spider! Surrounded by Burma and China on the northwest, Vietnam on the east, Cambodia on the South and Thailand on the west, the landlocked nation of Laos has been a treasure trove of an incredible number of new and exotic species.In the last few years researchers have discovered the Saola -- never-before seen antelope-like creature, a small deer species called muntjacs, a tiny striped rabbit and a rock rat that was thought to have been extinct 11 million years ago.In addition to that it is also home to over one hundred species of large mammals ranging from tigers to macaques and over 165 species of amphibians and reptiles like the terrible King cobra and the noisy Tokay gecko, a permanent resident inside most Laos households. The animals like Saola and muntjacs are mentioned in the text to show _ . A) Laos is a better place for animals to survive B) Laos is a country with great biological diversity C) exotic species invade Laos on a large scale D) more animals have made physical change for adaptation
B
Hannah Levine decided she wanted to give hugs to all of the children and families in need at local hospitals. Because she couldn't give them one by one, Levine, then a sixth-grader, decided she would use her talents to do the next best thing. She began to knit hats, scarves, and blankets for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House at Stanford. Her creations also went to Bundle of Joy, a program that provides newborn baby items for families in need, and to Knitting Pals by the Bay, a local organization that provides hand-knitted caps to cancer patients. "I love to knit, and I thought it would be a great idea to make all these handmade items for kids and adults who need them. It would be like a hug for them," Levine explained. Levine started the project about a year ago. "I think it's just really fun to do, and it keeps me busy," said Levine, now 13. Once she got started, Levine realized that her project could be much bigger than the goods she was able to produce with just her own hands. So she sent emails to her school and communities , asking for knitted donations to the project she named "Hannah's Warm Hugs". She also posted advertisements at Starbucks and other locations in her area. The warm goods began to _ . "It was amazing; more strangers than people she knew started dropping donations at our door," said Levine's mother, Laura Levine. "We ended up with this huge box of items she was donating." The knitted items numbered in the hundreds. Levine made her first round of donations around Hanukkah (an eight-day Jewish holiday in November or December) and later received thank-you letters from the organizations. Levine is still knitting, and she said the project will continue. "It has turned into a bigger thing than she had thought," her mom said. "It made her feel pretty good; it made us feel pretty good." What would be Laura Levine's attitude toward Hannah Levine's project? A) Optimistic but worried. B) Proud and supportive. C) Concerned but doubtful. D) Unfavorable and uncaring.
B
Q: What's your dream vacation? Watching wildlife in Kenya? Boating down the Amazon? Sunbathing in Malaysia? New chances are opening up all the time to explore the world. So we visit travel agents, compare packages and prices, and pay our money. We know what our vacation costs us. But do we know what it might cost someone else? It's true that many poorer countries now depend on tourism for foreign income. Unfortunately, though, tourism often harms the local people more than it helps them. It might cost their homes and lands. In Myanmar, 5,200 people were forced to leave their homes among the pagodas in Bagan so that tourists could visit the pagodas. Tourism might also cost the local people their livelihood and dignity. Local workers often find only menial jobs in the tourist industry. And most of the profits do not help the local economy. Instead, profits return to the tour operators in wealthier countries, When the Maasai people in Tanzania were driven from their lands, some moved to city slums. Others now make a little money selling souvenirs or posing for photos. Problems like these were observed more than 20 years ago. But now some non-government organizations, tour operators and local governments are working together to begin correcting them. Tourists, too, are putting on the pressure. The result is responsible tourism, or "ethical tourism." Ethical tourism has people at its heart. New international agreements and codes of conduct can help protect the people's lands, homes, economies and cultures. The beginnings are small, though, and the problems are complex. But take heart. The good news is that everyone, including us, can play a part to help the local people in the places we visit. Tour operators and companies can help by making sure that local people work in good conditions and earn reasonable wages. They can make it a point to use only locally owned hotel, restaurants and guide services. They can share profits fairly to help the local economy. And they can involve the local people in planning and... According to the passage, the writer thinks_. A) tourism is not a promising industry B) dream vacations should be spent abroad C) the problems caused by tourism are easy to settle D) tourists should respect local customs and culture
A: D