HAVANA （Reuters） - U.S., Cuban and Mexican scientists have drawn up plans for joint research in the Gulf of Mexico, in another sign of improvement in long-unfriendly U.S.-Cuba relations.

In a meeting in Havana this week, they agreed on collecting information about the Gulf, a body of water shared by the three countries but about which little cooperative research has been done in recent years.

“This is a logical, low-risk area in which to begin discussions with Cuba. It is without question in our common interest to share science and ideas on our shared resources like the Gulf of Mexico,” Environmental Defense Fund senior official Dan Whittle said on Tuesday.

Whittle was among 30 Americans, 30 Cubans and six Mexicans at the meeting, held on Sunday and Monday ahead of an international meeting on ocean science this week in the Cuban capital.

“We’re starting now to enter a new era of cooperation,” said meeting organizer David Guggenheim, American marine scientist.

The plan assumes that U.S.-Cuba relations will continue to get better under President Barack Obama, who has said he wants to end five decades of bitterness between the two countries separated by just 90 miles of ocean.

He has initiated talks on migration and regain of postal service with Cuba and allowed Cuban Americans to travel and send money freely to their homeland.

But a general travel ban to Cuba for most Americans remains in effect, as does the United States’ 47-year-long trade prohibition against the communist-led island.

There are also restrictions on travel of U.S. and Cuban academics between the two countries, although it has gotten easier under Obama to obtain permission, Guggenheim said.

Whittle said Obama needs to remove all obstacles for scientists to assure a “free flow of information” between the countries.

The plan of action calls for shared projects to track marine animals and to study such things as the effects of pollutants and climate change on coral reefs.

Cuba has rented out much of its offshore area for oil exploration, which when it begins will bring danger of oil spills（漏油）that computer models show would flow north to Florida.

“We need a dialogue to talk about coordinated emergency response. Everything points to the need for cooperation and communication, not continuation of a Cold War policy,” Guggenheim said. 

1. How is the relation between US and Cuba?

A．They are getting on quite well with each other.

B．The citizens in both countries are free to visit each other.

C．The two countries’ scientists cooperated well with each other.

D．There are some improvements in relations between the two countries.

2. The Gulf of Mexico _________.

A．belongs to the Mexico alone

B．is a body of water badly polluted

C．has something to do with the three countries

D．has been explored by the three countries together

3. President Barack Obama _________.

A．is for the present relation between US and Cuba

B．wants to set up a good relation between the two countries

C．banned the American travelers from going to Cuba for a visit

D．has got rid of 50 years of bitterness between the two countries

4. What has little effect on coral reefs?

A．Marine animals.                   B．Climate change. 

C．Oil spills.                      D．Pollutants.

5. It is anything but _________ that can remove all obstacles for people or countries.

A．dialogue                      B．cooperation

C．communication                     D．Cold War policy

（山东省淄博市2010届高三上学期期末考试）

B

HAVANA (Reuters) - U.S., Cuban and Mexican scientists have drawn up plans for joint research in the Gulf of Mexico, in another sign of improvement in long-unfriendly U.S.-Cuba relations.

In a meeting in Havana this week, they agreed on collecting information about the Gulf, a body of water shared by the three countries but about which little cooperative research has been done in recent years.

“This is a logical, low-risk area in which to begin discussions with Cuba. It is without question in our common interest to share science and ideas on our shared resources like the Gulf of Mexico,” Environmental Defense Fund senior official Dan Whittle said on Tuesday.

Whittle was among 30 Americans, 30 Cubans and six Mexicans at the meeting, held on Sunday and Monday ahead of an international meeting on ocean science this week in the Cuban capital.

“We’re starting now to enter a new era of cooperation,” said meeting organizer David Guggenheim, American marine scientist.

The plan assumes that U.S.-Cuba relations will continue to get better under President Barack Obama, who has said he wants to end five decades of bitterness between the two countries separated by just 90 miles of ocean.

He has initiated talks on migration and regain of postal service with Cuba and allowed Cuban Americans to travel and send money freely to their homeland.

But a general travel ban to Cuba for most Americans remains in effect, as does the United States’ 47-year-long trade prohibition against the communist-led island.

There are also restrictions on travel of U.S. and Cuban academics between the two countries, although it has gotten easier under Obama to obtain permission, Guggenheim said.

Whittle said Obama needs to remove all obstacles for scientists to assure a “free flow of information” between the countries.

The plan of action calls for shared projects to track marine animals and to study such things as the effects of pollutants and climate change on coral reefs.

Cuba has rented out much of its offshore area for oil exploration, which when it begins will bring danger of oil spills（漏油）that computer models show would flow north to Florida.

“We need a dialogue to talk about coordinated emergency response. Everything points to the need for cooperation and communication, not continuation of a Cold War policy,” Guggenheim said. 

61. How is the relation between US and Cuba?

A. They are getting on quite well with each other.

B. The citizens in both countries are free to visit each other.

C. The two countries’ scientists cooperated well with each other.

D. There are some improvements in relations between the two countries.

62. The Gulf of Mexico _________.

A. belongs to the Mexico alone

B. is a body of water badly polluted

C. has something to do with the three countries

D. has been explored by the three countries together

63. President Barack Obama _________.

A. is for the present relation between US and Cuba

B. wants to set up a good relation between the two countries

C. banned the American travelers from going to Cuba for a visit

D. has got rid of 50 years of bitterness between the two countries

64. What has little effect on coral reefs?

A. Marine animals.                     B. Climate change. 

C. Oil spills.                        D. Pollutants.

65. It is anything but _________ that can remove all obstacles for people or countries.

A. dialogue                       B. cooperation

C. communication                       D. Cold War policy