Scientists in Israel have discovered a new way to test for water pollution by "listening" to what the plants growing in water have to say. By shining a laser beam on the tiny pieces of _ floating in the water,the researchers said they hear sound waves that tell them the type and amount of contamination in the water. "It is a red light,telling us that something is beginning to go wrong with the quality of water," said Zvy Dubinsky,an aquatic biologist at Israel's Bar Ilan University."Algae is the first thing to be affected by a change in water quality.""The secret," he said,"is to measure the rate of photosynthesis in the algae,meaning the plant's ability to transform light into energy." During photosynthesis,plants also release oxygen into the air. Dubinsky's technique is easy to perform because of the overabundance of algae in the planet's water.Most of the oxygen in the atmosphere comes from algae.A prototype tester that occupies about one square meter of a laboratory desktop,shoots a laser beam at water samples to stimulate photosynthesis in the algae.But not all of the laser's heat is used.Depending on the condition of the algae and the rate of photosynthesis,some of the heat is shot back into the water,creating sound waves,Dubinsky said.With a special underwater microphone,researchers are able to analyze the strength of the sound waves and determine the health of the algae and the condition of the surrounding water. "Algae suffering from lead poisoning,like waste discharged from battery and paint manufacturing plants,will produce a different sound than those suffering from lack of iron or exposure to other toxins," said researcher Yulia Pinchasov.She said that testing algae photosynthesis can determine water quality more accurately and easily than laborintensive methods now used like chemical and radioactive carbon testing. We can infer from the passage that _ . A) algae can produce a loud sound when polluted B) algae can die easily from pollution C) photosynthesis of the algae can only be caused by sunlight D) photosynthesis of the algae is related to water quality
D
Oyster What is an Oyster card? Oyster is the easiest way to pay for journeys on the bus,Tube,tram,Docklands Light Railway (DLR), London Overground and National Rail journeys in London You can store your travel cards, Bus & Tram Pass, season tickets and credit to pay for journeys as you go. Where to get an Oyster card? There are a number of ways for you to get an Oyster card: * At over 3,900 Oyster Ticket stops * At Tube and London Overground station ticket offices * At some National Rail stations * At London Travel information Centres * Online at tfl. gov. uk/oyster How to use an Oyster card? To pay the correct fare on the Tube , DLR, London Overground and National Rail services, you must always touch in on the yellow Oyster card reader at the start of your journey, and touch out at the end. If you don't, a maximum cash Oyster fare will be charged. When using the bus or tram, you must only touch in at the start, but not at the end of your journey. What happens if I don't visit London very often? Don't worry. Any pay as you go credit on your card will not expire ,so you can keep it for your next visit or lend it to a friend. Fares Traveling by Tube from Central London (Zone l)to Heathrow (Zone 6) Adult Oyster single fare PS 4. 20 Monday to Friday 06:30 - 09:30 and 16:00 - 19:00 PS 2. 70 at all other times including public holidays Adult single cash fare PS 5.00 For further information,visit tfl.gov. uk /fares. The passage is probably taken from a _ . A) magazine B) travel brochure C) textbook D) novel
B
Q: TAIBEI - Increasing numbers of Taiwanese students are joining the island's "China rush", seeking education on the Chinese mainland. According to official Chinese figures, the number of Taiwanese students admitted into college and postgraduate programs on the mainland totaled 461 in 1996, 928 in 1997 and 839 in 1998.Although no latest official numbers were available," Netbig.com Said this number had risen between 30 to 50 percent annually in the past two years with well over 1000 entering mainland campuses last year. The Internet site, based in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, provides education service and information on Chinese mainland colleges and universities. "Many Taiwanese believe a Chinese education giving more knowledge about the people and culture in the mainland will increase their chances in the Chinese job market, Net.com vice-president Ingrid Huang said."I believe _ will give me hands-on experience in the business field in the Chinese mainland and a better understanding of the Chinese mainland people," said Lydia Chang, a 19-year-old majoring in journalism at Shih Shin University. Chang plans to go on to get a master's degree in business administration in Shanghai, which she says offers the best environment for such studies. A journalism graduate student, surnamed Lin, at the National Taiwan University said he would like to study law on the Chinese mainland since "there will be better career prospects now that more Taiwanese companies are going there". "They hope the children could build up connections which could later become useful in their business operations," said Yang Ching-yao, professor of the Chinese mainland studies. A Netbig.com survey showed the campuses favored by Taiwan students included Beijing, Qinghua and Renmin universities in Beijing, and Jinan and Zhongshan universities in Guangzhou. The most popular studies were law, business and Chinese medicine. At present, Chinese Taibei doesn't recognize diplomas earned in the Chinese mainland nor help with any inquiries about studying... Which is true according to the passage? A) Chinese Taibei recognizes diplomas earned on the Chinese mainland B) The number of Taiwanese students going to study on the mainland will surely be increasing in the next few years. C) Chinese Taibei doesn't help with any inquiries about Taiwanese studying in the mainland D) Education of Taiwan is far behind the mainland.
A: C
Sir Edmund Hillary is best known for being the first, along with climbing partner Tenzing Norgay, to reach the top of Mount Everest . However, he also made many visits to Antarctica . In 1957, he led the first trip over ice to the South Pole. Hillary also helped his home country, New Zealand, build a research center on Antarctica, called Scott Base. He visited it in January 2007, when he was 87 years old. In the 1900s, many people like Hillary saw Antarctica as an exciting place. Scientists are interested in how glaciers flow and melt. They also worry that global warming is making glaciers melt faster. It has caused a 75 percent increase in ice loss in the last 10 years, according to a new study. Scientists say ice loss could cause water levels around the world to rise faster than expected. Ice is melting faster than expected because of global warming. Researchers in Antarctica are studying many other subjects too. Some use the cold weather and clear air as a way to study things that affect other parts of the globe. Antarctica has the cleanest air in the world. That allows scientists to compare the air there to the air in polluted places. Antarctica is the darkest place on earth, so it is a great place to study the stars. Some scientists are even studying penguin droppings . They have developed a new test to learn more about penguins' diets. Who of the following would NOT be interested in Antarctica? A) People who are interested in what penguins eat. B) Researchers who like watching stars. C) Adventurers who decide to climb Mount Everest. D) Scientists who are studying the world's air.
C