GUATEMALA CITY(Reuters)-----A fish that lives in mangrove swamps(红树沼泽)across the Americas can live out of water for months at a time, similar to how animals adapted to land millions of years ago, a new study shows.

The Magrove Rivulus, a type of small killifish, lives in small pools of water in a certain type of empty nut or even old beer cans in the mangrove swamps of Belize, the United States and Brazil. When their living place dries up, they live on the land in logs(圆木), said Scott Taylor, a researcher at the Brevard Endangered Lands Program in Florida.

The fish, whose scientific name is Rivulus marmoratus, can grow as large as three inches. They group together in logs and breathe air through their skin until they can find water again.

The new scientific discovery came after a trip to Belize.

“We kicked over a log and the fish just came crowding out,” Taylor told Reuters in neighboring Guatgemala by telephone. He said he will make his study on the fish known to the public in an American magazine early next year.

In lab tests, Taylor said he found the fish can live up to 66 days out of water without eating.

Some other fish can live out of water for a short period of time. The walking catfish found in Southeast Asia can stay on land for hours at a time, while lungfish found in Australia, Africa and South America can live out of water, but only in an inactive state. But no other known fish can be out of water as long as the Mangrove Rivulus and remain active, according to Patricia Wright, a biologist at Canada’s University of Guelph.

Further studies of the fish may tell how animals changed over time.

“These animals live in conditions similar to those that existed millions of years ago, when animals began making the transition (过渡) from water onto land,” Wright said.

1.The Mangrove Rivulus is a type of fish that __________.

A. likes eating nuts

B. prefers living in dry places

C. is the longest living fish on earth

D. can stay alive for two months out of water

2.Who will write up a report on Mangrove Rivulus?

A. Patricia Wright B. Scott Taylor

C. Scientists from Belize D. Researchers in Guatemala

3.According to the text, lungfish can____________.

A. breathe through its skin

B. move freely on dry land

C. remain alive out of water

D. be as active on land as in water

4.What can we say about the discovery of Mangrove Rivulus?

A. It was made quite by accident

B. It was based on a lab test of sea life

C. It was supported by an American magazine

D. It was helped by Patricia Wright

What is the definition of “happiness?” Is it material wealth filled with fancy cars, a dream house or jewelry? Or does happiness simply mean having a roof over your head? Food in the fridge? Having a swimming pool? A designer Gucci bag? Love? Money? A perfect job?

Do you recall a time----let’s say when you were about 5 years old-----what defined happiness back then? Was it getting a puppy for Christmas? Or maybe, you were a child of divorce; and all you wanted was for Mom and Dad to get back together again? Then as you got older, you were hoping that someone would ask you to the party that would have made your day. During college, good grades made you happy, but it was short-lived. Because in the real world, you had to look for a job, and competition was fierce. But then, you got a perfect job, could you be happy?

We like having and accumulating things. We work so we can pay our rents, credit card debts, school loans, car payments… The list goes on and on. And at some point, we realize that apart from having most of what we want, we still aren’t happy. Now since we’ve learned to adapt to new standards which we’ve created for ourselves, we find that we have less time, less patience, less sleep, which leads to more stress and more anxiety. Therefore, don’t stupidly make a conclusion that happiness is just based on “things”.

Sometimes, we trade our lives for not only basic necessities, but for excessive items and services as well. Certainly, you’ve heard of individuals trying to “find themselves”, or to “rediscover themselves”. But the point has been missed: happiness is already there.

Disappointments and tragedies in life will come and go, but happiness never leaves you. We can lose our jobs, but be grateful for those who love us. We can lose our homes to nature, but be thankful to be alive. If we think we are happy, we are indeed happy. Happiness is merely a perception of each individual.

Happiness is part of love, and love is an ocean. Go dive in and get some, and then share it with everyone, which can be an endless supply. But sharing happiness with people around demands skilful techniques.

1.The author puts forward a lot of questions to__________.

A. ask readers for information

B. compare answers from readers

C. expect positive answers from readers

D. draw readers’ attention to the topic

2.It can be inferred from Para.3 that___________.

A. accumulating things is not a good habit.

B. pressure and worry should be ridded of.

C. people have to work hard to pay for daily necessities

D. some aren’t satisfied with what they have possessed

3.Individuals trying to “rediscover themselves ” fail to realize that___________.

A. they haven’t got lost in the material life

B. each individual has different opinions on happiness

C. there has existed something worth making them happy

D. it is not necessary for them to bear heavy financial burden

4.People will feel happy if__________.

A. they think of the positive aspects of life

B. they seek excessive items and services

C. they have no disappointments in life

D. they can get a puppy for Christmas in their childhood

5.The paragraph following the last will probably talk about___________.

A. the definition of happiness

B. how to share happiness with others

C. the ways to rediscover happiness

D. where to seek happiness in our daily life

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