Jeremy Kerr, a researcher at the University of Ottawa in Canada, and his colleagues analyzed more than 400,000 observations of bumblebee species collected in North America and Europe from 1975 to 2010. When the researchers recorded the locations of these bee populations, they found that many of the 67 species analyzed were moving northward from their southern limits while the northern edges of the bees' ranges are staying in place. What it results in is obvious. Bees have been paid more attention to in recent years, with populations of honeybees and bumblebees obviously declining in some parts of Europe. Previously, attention on the decline of bee populations has focused on causes including habitat loss, pesticide use and the spread of bee parasites . But the work by Kerr's team found something different. "For every species, there is one or two species declining and others that are not moving at all," says Kerr. This shift has also been observed in other species, such as butterflies. But due to a new cause -- the rise of temperatures instead of total pesticide use, a change in land use or parasites, bumblebees -- unlike butterflies -- have failed to extend the northern boundaries of their ranges into the territory that is now habitable for them, so bumblebee species across Europe and North America are declining rapidly, the latest study led by Kerr's team finds. "Our data suggest that the new factor plays a leading, or perhaps the leading, role in this trend," says Kerr. "This study shows that a fourth factor is also beginning to affect it. It is likely that the combined stresses from all of these pressures will have destructive impacts on bumblebees in the not-too-distant future," says Dave Goulson, a bee researcher at the University of Sussex, Brighton, UK. Exactly what can be done to help bumblebees is not clear. Kerr's team suggests that relocating colonies might be an answer but Goulson says that because the insects are mobile they are capable of moving northwards if there is suitable habitat available. What kind of writing is this passage? A) A book review. B) An announcement. C) A scientific report. D) An official report.
C
(Question)
Hemophilia results when a gene fails to produce the protein needed for the blood to clot ,or change from a liquid to a solid .The fault gene is passed from parents to children .People with hemophilia suffer uncontrolled bleeding .This can result in pain , tissue swelling and permanent damage to joints and muscles. One in every ten thousand males has the most common kind of hemophilia .It is extremely rare for females to have it. Patients can be treated with the missing clotting substance .They generally can lead normal lives. Scientists say gene treatment may be a possible way to cure hemophilia in the future .Researchers consider hemophilia the best disease for gene treatment because it is caused by a single fault gene .Also ,only a small increase in the missing clotting substance could provide good results .They tested gene treatment in six patients with severe hemophilia. First ,they removed skin cells from the patients' arms .The researchers grew the cells in the laboratory .They added copies of the needed gene taken from healthy people .Then they created hundreds of millions of genetically changed cells .They placed these cells into the patients' stomachs.After four months ,the amount of blood clotting substance in the blood increased in four of the six patients .Some of the patients reported a decrease in bleeding problems .However ,ten months later ,the clotting substance was no longer in the patients' blood .It is not clear if the implanted cells died or the added genes stopped working. The researchers say the study showed that gene treatment is safe for people with the most common kind of hemophilia .But others expressed concern about the treatment because the effects were only temporary. People with hemophilia can live normally when _ . A) they are treated with the missing clotting substance B) they accept scientists' help C) good copies of gene are placed in their bodies D) They place some genetically changed cells into their stomachs
(Answer)
A
Ques: I was born into a family of five children. As the youngest child, I didn't have many new clothes. Though my parents worked very hard, we could hardly make ends meet. The only time we would receive new clothes was at Christmas. The family across the street lived a much better life. They just had two daughters and they were often seen wearing new dresses. The younger girl named Anna was of my age. One afternoon, she walked on the street wearing a beautiful white dress. She looked like an angel in that dress. I, together with many little girls, followed her. We just couldn't keep our eyes off her dress. We all wished we would have such a dress one day! That day, after coming back, I told my mom that I wanted a dress like that. My mom frowned she thought such a beautiful dress like that must cost an arm and a leg, but my mom kept that in mind. She worked five days a week at that time, but when Christmas was getting close, she worked even on every Saturday. However, several days before Christmas, I changed my mind. It was Anna's birthday that day and I was invited to her home with some other girls. After that party, I asked if I could try on her white dress. "Of course," she said, "and you can take it if you like it." I couldn't believe my ears. How could she give such a beautiful dress to someone else? After trying it on, I knew why. The dress looked beautiful, but it was uncomfortable to wear. As a matter of fact, my back was quite itchy after I put it on. From that day on, I stopped admiring what others had. They may not be as good aswe think. When the other girls saw Anna's dress, they thought it _ . A) too little B) very cheap C) very beautiful D) very comfortable
Ans: C
Ques: Television is a central part of many people's lives. There are very few places in the world where one cannot find a television set. Some sporting events, such as the Olympic Games or the football World Cup, can attract audiences of many millions. But is television a good or bad influence on young people in the modern world? Thomas Murray, president of the British Parents Against Television Society, believes that it has not improved young people's lives. "Television damages family life," he argues. "At mealtime, families no longer talk to each other. In the evenings, youngsters do not spend good quality time with family members. Instead, they watch television." Murray says that this lack of communication leads to social problems. Murray also believes that the content of television programmes provides young people with poor role models. "There is so much violence on TV--guns, kung fu fighting, and so on. Young people think that all problems should be solved by aggression." It is not just young people's mental health that worries Murray. "Teenagers don't get enough exercise because they spend so many hours watching television. They also develop back problems from sitting down for so long, and _ from the effort of watching." Murray would like to see changes to television habits. "Programmes should be educational. Their contents should be nonviolent and healthy. There should be no programmes after ten o'clock in the evening. Parents should teach their children to enjoy their spare time by playing sports or games. And certainly, the television should be switched off during mealtime. Susan Taylor is a television producer. She believes that television is a good influence on young people. "Television brings the outside world to youngsters. It even brought us pictures from the moon! And look what happens after the Olympic Games or the World Cup matches have been shown on TV. People start to take more exercise. Also, there are a lot of programmes about healthy eating and keeping fit." However, Taylor agrees with... Which of the following statements is True? A) Teenagers will get backache for sitting down for a long time. B) Murray only worries about young people's mental health. C) TV programmes are nonviolent and educational. D) Teenagers don't like doing exercise at all.
Ans:
A