Old Fossils Scientists have found what they think is probably the oldest fossil on Earth, a remnant of life from 3.7 billion years ago when Earth's skies were orange and its oceans green. In a newly melted part of Greenland, Australian scientists found the leftover structure from a community of microbes that lived on an ancient seafloor. Based on their analysis of the fossils, the researchers determined that they are 220 million years older than those discovered in Western Australia, which were 3.48 billion years old. The discovery shows life may have formed quicker and more easily than once thought, about half a billion years after Earth formed. And that may also give hope for life forming elsewhere, such as Mars, said study co-author Martin VanKranendonk of the University of New South Wales and director of the Australian Center for Astrobiology. "It gives us an idea how our planet evolved and how life gained a foothold," VanKranendonk said. Scientists had thought it would take at least half a billion years for life to form after the molten Earth started to cool a bit, but this shows it could have happened quicker, he said. That's because the newly found fossil is far too complex to have developed soon after the planet's first life forms, he said. In an outcrop of rocks that used to be covered with ice and snow which melted after an exceptionally warm spring, the Australian team found stromatolites , which are layered structures that are often produced by a community of microbes. The stromatolites were about 1 to 4 centimeters high. "It is like the house left behind made by the microbes," VanKranendonk said. "Scientists used the layers of ash from volcanoes and tiny zircon with uranium and estimated that they date back to 3.7 billion years ago." The dating seems about right, said Abigail Allwood, a NASA astrobiologist who found the previous oldest fossil, from 3.48 billion years ago, in Australia. But Allwood said she is not completely convinced that what VanKranendonk's team found once was alive. She... According to the passage, _ . A) the previous fossils are a geologic quirk B) the previous fossils are made up of stromatolites C) the newly found fossils come from Western Australia D) the newly found fossils have a history of 3.7 billion years
D
(Question)
Helen Thomas, born on August 4, 1920, is a famous news reporter, a Hearst Newspapers columnist, and member of the White House Press Corps. She served for fifty-seven years as a correspondent and White House bureau chief for United Press International (UPI). She is called "First Lady of the Press". Born in Kentucky, Helen Thomas was raised in Detroit, Michigan where she attended public schools and later graduated from Wayne State University. Upon leaving college, Helen served as a copy girl in an old company in Washington. In 1943, Ms. Thomas joined United Press International and the Washington Press Corps. Thomas served as president of the Women's National Press Club from 1959 to 1960. In November, Helen began covering then President-elect John F. Kennedy, following him to the White House in January 1961 as a UPI correspondent. She later became White House Bureau Chief for UPI, where she was employed until her resignation on May 17, 2000. Thomas then became a White House correspondent and columnist. Thomas was the only woman journalist traveling with then President Nixon to China in January, 1972. She has traveled around the world several times with Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton, during the course of which she covered every Economic Summit.The World Almanachas cited her as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in America. On March 21, 2006, Thomas was called upon directly by President Bush for the first time in three years. Thomas asked Bush about Iraq. Helen Thomas has written four books and she is also a popular speaker at events nationwide. What's the best title of the passage? A) The First Lady of the Press--Helen Thomas B) A Successful News Reporter--Helen Thomas C) Life Experience of Helen Thomas D) Helen Thomas and Her Career
(Answer)
A
Ques: Men weigh up potential partners almost instantaneously based on their appearance because their "ancient" genetic preference for attractive mates leads them to, experts claim. According to research, a woman with an attractive face is taken by men to be fertile and able to continue the family line, appealing to the man's survival instinct. In contrast women take longer to decide their feelings for a man because they need to weigh up whether he will be a committed partner who will provide for them well - part of their survival programming. They tested men and women's preference towards looks by conducting a series of tests on 20 women and 20 men, making them perform tasks while recording their brain activity. While the subjects were doing the task they were shown a series of photographs of faces of the opposite sex, ranging from attractive to ugly. Men were easily distracted when they saw a pretty face but women stuck to the task. Prof van Vugt said: "Men definitely have the most wandering eye but it is because they have evolved to pay attention to cues of fertility and one of those cues is facial beauty - it's not that men are shallow." But we found they do make snap judgments about women, much earlier than was previously thought. They make that decision on whether a woman would be a good mating partner in milliseconds. This is something very ancient and a way of helping men find the best mate to produce children. Women were not distracted by attractive male faces because women need more proof of whether a man is a good mate. "Women make that decision on behaviour, whether a man is trustworthy and committed. They make their decision much later than men." It can be inferred that_. A) to find a best mate takes a man more time B) to find a best mate takes a woman more time C) to find a best mate isn't important for a man D) to find a best mate isn't important for a woman
Ans: B
If you have ever been sad because of failure,please remember,for often,achieving what you set out to do is not the most important thing. A boy decided to dig a deep hole behind his house.As he was working,a couple of older boys stopped by to watch."What are you doing?" asked one of the visitors."I want to dig a hole all the way through the earth!" the boy answered excitedly.The older boys began to laugh,telling him that digging a hole all the way through the earth was impossible.After a while,the boy picked up a jar.He showed it to the visitors.It was full of spiders,worms and other insects.Then he said quietly and confidently,"Even if I can't dig all the way through the earth,look what I found along the way!" The boy's goal was far too difficult,but it did cause him to dig.And that is what a goal is for--to cause us to move in the direction we have chosen,in other words,to cause us to dig! Not every goal will be fully achieved.Not every job will end successfully.Not every dream will come true.Not every love will last.But when you fall short of your aim,maybe you can say,"Yes,but look what I found along the way!Look at the wonderful things which have come into my life because I tried to do something!" It is in the digging that life is lived.And I believe it is joy in the journey that really matters. The older boys laughed at the boy because he was thought to be _ . A) brave B) impolite C) foolish D) warmhearted
C