Cutting meat production and consumption by 30 percent would help to reduce carbon emissions(排放) and improve health in the most meat-loving nations, scientists said on Wednesday.

Using prediction models, British and Australian researchers   1   that improving efficiency, increasing carbon capture and  2   fossil fuel dependence in farming would not be enough to   3    emissions targets.

But combining these steps  4   a 30 percent reduction in livestock（家畜）  5   in major meat-producing nations and a similar  6   in meat-eating, would lead to "substantial population health benefits" and cut emissions, they said.

The study found that in Britain, a 30 percent  7  intake of animal-source saturated（饱和的） fat by adults would reduce the  8   of premature（过早的） deaths from heart disease by some 17 percent -- equivalent to 18,000 premature deaths reduced in one year.

In Sao Paulo, Brazil, it could mean as  9   as 1,000 premature deaths reduced in a year, they said.

  10   the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, 18 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions are from meat production and experts say rising  11   for meat, particularly in countries with growing economies, could  12   livestock production up by 85 percent from 2000 levels  13   2030.

The scientists said global action was needed to maximize the benefits of cutting meat production and  14 , and that the environmental  15   "may apply only in those countries that currently have high production levels."

The study was  16   in The Lancet medical journal as part of a series in climate change and health  17   the Copenhagen global climate summit scheduled next month.

In a second study, British scientists found that increased walking and cycling, and  18   cars, would have a much greater impact on health  19   low-emission vehicles in rich and middle-income countries.

Andrew Haines, director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and head of the research series, said delegates at Copenhagen needed "to understand the potential  20   impacts of their plans."

(   ) 1. A. invented             B. experimented    C. found                   D. proved

(   ) 2. A. increasing          B. speeding           C. stopping          D. reducing

(   ) 3. A. meet                  B. change             C. break                      D. adapt

(   ) 4. A. by                        B. with                 C. to                    D. in

(   ) 5. A. sale                   B. eating               C. production               D. use

(   ) 6. A. cut                    B. increase            C. addition            D. consumption

(   ) 7. A. lower                 B. higher              C. more               D. less

(   ) 8. A. amount                  B. number            C. quantity            D. deal

(   ) 9. A. much                 B. many                      C. few                  D. little

(   ) 10. A. According to     B. Apart from     C. As well as        D. In addition to

(   ) 11. A. resistance          B. fear                  C. demand            D. anxiety

(   ) 12. A. weaken            B. strengthen        C. drive               D. broaden

(   ) 13. A. in                    B. by                    C. from               D. after

(   ) 14. A. evaluation               B. consumption     C. process             D. store

(   ) 15. A. advantage        B. disadvantage     C. pollution          D. improvement

(   ) 16. A. written             B. claimed            C. delivered          D. published

(   ) 17. A. along with               B. from behind      C. ahead of           D. in front of

(   ) 18. A. more               B. fewer                      C. no                    . none

(   ) 19. A. then                 B. as                    C. that                  D. than

(   ) 20. A. health                  B. body               C. spirit               D. emotion

Special Bridges Help Animals Cross the Road

-- Reported by Sheila Carrick

Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side.

Most people know this joke. But recently, some people have been much more concerned with how the grizzly bear and mountain lion can cross the road.

Millions of animals die each year on U.S. roads, the Federal Highway Administration reports. In fact, only about 80 ocelots, an endangered wild cat, exist in the U.S. today. The main reason? Roadkill.

"Ecopassages" may help animals cross the road without being hit by cars. They are paths both over and under roads. "These ecopassages can be extremely useful, so that wildlife can avoid human conflicts," said Jodi Hilty of the Wildlife Conservation Society.

But do animals actually use the ecopassages? The answer is yes. Paul Beier of Northern Arizona University found foot marks left by mountain lions on an ecopassage that went under a highway. This showed that the lion used the passage.

Builders of some ecopassages try to make them look like a natural part of an area by planting trees on and around them. Animals seem to be catching on. Animals as different as salamanders and grizzly bears are using the bridges and underpasses.

The next time you visit a park or drive through an area with a lot of wildlife, look around. You might see an animal overpass!

The writer uses the example of “ocelots” to show that_________.

A．wild animals have become more dangerous

B．the driving conditions have improved greatly

C．the measure for protecting wildlife fails to work

D．an increasing number of animals are killed in road accidents

From the news story, we know an ecopassage is_________.

A．an underground path for cars        B．a fence built for the safety of the area

C．a bridge for animals to get over a river D．a pass for animals to cross the road

When the writer says that animals seem “to be catching on”, he means_________.

A．animals begin to realize the dangers on the road

B．animals begin to learn to use ecopassages     

C．animals are crossing the road in groups

D．animals are increasing in number

The writer asks visitors and drivers to look around when traveling because_________.

A．wild animals may attack cars B．wild animals may jam the road

C．they may see wild animals in the park    D．they may see wild animals on ecopassages

C

Why are so many coin banks shaped like pigs? Why not dogs or cats or elephants?

Coin banks weren't always made to look like pigs. In fact, the name "piggy bank" may have come from a kind of clay and not from the animal at all.

The history of the piggy bank goes back to the Middle ages. At that time in Western Europe, metals were expensive, so a cheap orange clay known as pygg was used for everyday items such as dishes and jars. In fact something made from pygg clay was often just called a pygg. The first piggy bank may well have been a pygg in which a person put a few extra pennies to buy a treat on market day.

People have always had a hobby of saving pennies, and using a pygg as a coin bank became common practice. Potters (陶工) began making jars specially for saving coins, and eventually these jars took a pig-like shape. Modeling a bank to look like a pig may have been influenced by the name of the clay. The earliest Roman coin bank ever found was decorated with a pig. Because it was considered as a valuable farm animal in many countries, the pig was an appropriate symbol of wealth and prosperity.

These early clay banks were fragile and easily broken. As time passed, mining became less expensive. Iron, copper, and silver gradually replaced pygg clay in the production of household items. Although pygg clay lost its popularity, the habit of saving pennies did not. Today piggy 'banks are made of every material imaginable.

The familiar saying "A penny saved is a penny earned" is as old as the clearly piggy banks. Marry a child received his or her first coin bank accompanied by this wise advice. The modern-day piggy bank may have changed in sine, shape, and spelling, but it saves our pennies just as well as the first pygg did countries ago.

64. In the Middle ages, people used pygg to make dishes because ________.

A. it was precious                               B. it stood for wealth

C. it had a beautiful color                            D. it was cheaper than other materials

65. What do we know about the pygg bank?

A. Its name might come from an animal.                   B. The first pygg bank looked like a pig.

C. It was designed for children at the beginning.         D. The early piggy banks were easily damaged.

66. Why did pygg day lose its popularity?

A. Other cheap and solid materials appeared.     B. It was inconvenient to carry it to the market.

C. It couldn't be made into other shapes.          D. People had run out of this kind of material.

67. In the last paragraph, the author intends to tell us ________.

A. piggy banks nowadays are not practical          B. piggy banks still play a part in our daily lives

C. piggy banks today are mainly made of iron

D. most children don' t have the habit of saving money

The holiday is upon us. Finally, after months of study, you have some time to yourself. So, why not read a book? Well, some people will say, "Why bother with books? We have the Internet and other media that offer a lot of more colorful entertainment. Books are history!" But don't be fooled. I'm sure there's still a lot to be said for reading.

       One clear reason is that a well-chosen book is a wonderful source of vocabulary, so long as you have a good dictionary, of course. Believe me, it's far easier to get new English words and phrases from a book or an article than it is from the TV or the Internet.

       But another more important point is that books give you something that modern media simply can not. The average webpage is picture-heavy and the text is often designed to make it as easy to read as possible. While "easy" may be attractive, unfortunately it's of little use for any long-term development of reading skills and the general language level. Because of that, there's still no substitute (替代品) of a book.

       But perhaps the best single reason is that simply choosing what you read and doing it independently means that it's something you do by and for yourself. You can choose what you want to read. It's hard work, but somewhere down the line, you'll find that what once seemed like a duty is now a pleasure.

How many reasons for reading a book does the author mention in the passage?

       A. Three            B. Two        C. One       D. Four

According to the passage, we basically need a ________ in reading.

       A. television             B. pencil       C. notebook    D. dictionary

In the author's opinion, reading on the Internet may_________.

       A. develop long-term reading skills        B. improve the general language ability

       C. not take the place of reading books      D. be an effective way of reading

The passage is written mainly to _________.

       A. share the pleasure of reading books       B. advise readers to read books

       C. stress the importance of reading online    D. help readers to choose good books

 

Chinese mainland's star-making reality TV show "Happy Boy" will not be open to male applicants from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau or other foreign cities, said the country's top TV industry committee yesterday.

Happy Boy is the male version of Super Girl, which is regarded as the Chinese version of American Idol. The girl's event, operated by central China's Hunan TV, drew an audience of 400 million for the final match in 2005. The country's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television approved the male version earlier this month. However, the regulation that only mainland's male applicants are allowed to register was released just days before the application procedure began on Wednesday in Changsha, one of the five mainland cities to hold the contest. The other four includes Chengdu and three undecided cities.

The regulation spoiled Hunan TV's ambition to extend the series to the overseas market, an official with the TV station told the Hunan-based Xiaoxiang Morning yesterday. "My Hero," another star-making reality show by Shanghai's SMG Dragon TV, said it was not informed of the regulation, and it is still receiving foreign applicants, said an official with Dragon TV. A previous regulation by the administration has made clear that televised talent shows can't run for more than six weeks at a time. While the first "Happy Boy" may last for five months, according to a previous report.

Last year there were about 10 influential star-making TV shows across the country, among which those from CCTV, Hunan Satellite TV and SMG's Dragon TV, were the most popular. "Super Girl" ran for almost five months and "My Hero" lasted four months. While the shows have proven popular, they have also earned many complaints from people who say they are crude and not satisfactory.

1. It can be inferred from the passage that _______.

A. Male applicants from Hong Kong won’t be accepted to attend Happy Boy show.

B. It was Hunan TV that made the regulation that they couldn’t accept foreign applicants.

C. American Idol was started earlier than Super Girl.

D. Audience love American Idol better than Happy Boy.

2. Which of the following may best explain the underlined word spoiled in paragraph 3?

A. prevented         B. gave         C. encouraged          D. affected

3. We can safely draw the conclusion that ________.

A. Hunan TV will obey the regulations issued by the administration.

B. not all of the audience think highly of the shows.

C. there were about 10 popular TV shows across the country.

D. Dragon TV broke the regulations on purpose.

4. The relationship between State Administration of Radio, Film and Television and Hunan TV is possibly close to _______.

A. teacher and student                      B. coach and sportsmen

C. father and son                                D. police and criminal