In a surprising discovery about where higher life can survive, scientists have found a shrimp -like creature and a jellyfish swimming beneath an Antarctic ice sheet．
About 180 meters below the ice where no light can get through, scientists had figured nothing much more than a few microbes(微生物)could exist．
That’s why a NASA team was surprised when they lowered a video camera to get the first long look at the underbelly of an ice sheet in Antarctica．A curious shrimp-like creature came swimming by and then parked itself on the camera’s cable．Scientists also pulled up a tentacle(触须)they believe came from a jellyfish．
“We were operating on the presumption that nothing’s there．” said NASA ice scientist Robert Bindschadler．“It was a shrimp you’d enjoy having on your plate．”
“We were just gaga(狂热的)over it,” he said when talking about the 7.5 cm long, orange creature starring in their two-minute video．Technically, it’s not a shrimp．It’s a Lyssianasid amphipod, which is distantly related to the shrimp．
The video is likely to inspire experts to rethink what they know about life in harsh environments．And it has scientists thinking that if shrimp-like creatures can live below 180 meters of Antarctic ice in freezing dark water, what about other cold places? What about Europa, a frozen moon of Jupiter?
Cynan Ellis–Evans, a scientist of the British Antarctic Survey called the finding fascinating．He said it was possible the creatures swam in from far away and don’t live there permanently．
But Kim, who is a co-author of the study, doubts it．“The site in West Antarctica is at least 19 km from open seas．Bindschadler drilled a 20 cm-wide hole and was looking at a tiny amount of water．That means it’s unlikely that two creatures swam from great distances and were captured randomly in that small area,” she said．
“Yet scientists were puzzled at what the food source would be for these creatures．While some microbes can make their own food out of chemicals in the ocean, complex life like the shrimp can’t,” Kim said．zxxk
“So how do they survive? That’s the key question．” Kim said．
“It’s pretty amazing when you find a huge puzzle like that on a planet where we thought we know everything．” Kim said．
(1)
Scientists had believed that harsh environments could only have been populated by _________．
[ ]
A．
jellyfish
B．
mammals
C．
microbes
D．
shrimp-like creatures
(2)
According to Kim, the shrimp-like creature _________．
[ ]
A．
swam great distances to Antarctic
B．
has always lived in the area
C．
gradually evolved from shrimps
D．
has nothing in common with shrimps
(3)
The finding is significant in that _________．
[ ]
A．
it marks NASA’S first Antarctic biological study
B．
it proves there is marine life in the Antarctic
C．
it could inspire further study of life in harsh environments
D．
it shows that Lyssianasid amphipod is closely related to shrimps
(4)
The last three paragraphs suggest that _________．
[ ]
A．
researchers will look at the places the creatures came from
B．
ice scientists will drill deeper to find more creatures
C．
scientists know very little about the planet they live on
D．
further research will be done about what the creatures live on
Student Date of Birth：19/08/1988 Department of Education and Training
International Students Centre
Hong Xue 827-839 George Street PO Box 707
60 Waratah Street Broadway NSW 21007
Croydon Park NSW 2133 Phone：(612)9217 4801 1300 302 456
Fax：(612)9212 6721
http：//www.tafensw.edu.au/international/
WARNING LETTER
Dear Hong Xue,
As you are aware, your student visa regulations set out a number of conditions applying to your visa．It has come to our attention that you are failing to meet the following conditions：You must maintain accommodation, support and general welfare arrangements that have been approved by your education provider if you：
●have not turned 18; and
●are not staying in Australia with：
－a parent
－a custodian(监护人); or
－a relative who has been nominated(指定)by your parent or a custodian, is aged at least 21 and is of good character．
Note：You must not change those arrangements without the written approval of your education provider．
You must obey the following rules：
1．During term time you must：
a)remain in your homestay during the school term;
b)come home every night; and
c)inform your guardian at all times of your whereabouts．
2．On weekends you must：
a)have your guardian's permission to stay with friends; and
b)inform your guardian of the name, address and phone numbers of people you are visiting．
3．You must return your guardian's telephone calls．
This will be your only warning．If you continue to breach(违反)your student visa regulations we will report you to the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs．Such action may lead to the cancellation(取消)of your student visa．Please contact me on(612)9217 4801 or fax(612)9212 6721 if you have questions about your enrolment．
Yours sincerely
Tracey Carlon
Student Advisor
International Students Centre
NSW Department of Education and Training
(1)
What's the purpose of writing this letter?
[ ]
A．
To remind the recipient of the conditions for applying for a student visa．
B．
To warn the recipient not to do anything against his student visa regulations again．
C．
To tell the recipient how to contact his student advisor．
D．
To inform the recipient of the student visa regulations．
(2)
What can be learned about the recipient from this letter?
[ ]
A．
He is under 18 and studies in Australia with his parents．
B．
He is required to come home every night according to the rules．
C．
He can stay with his friends on weekends if permitted．
D．
His student Visa has been cancelled．
(3)
To which address should the recipient reply if he feels like answering the letter?
[ ]
A．
Hong Xue at 60 Waratah Street, Croydon Park NSW 2133．
B．
Tracey Carlon at the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs．
C．
Hong Xue at NSW Department of Education and Training．
D．
Tracey Carlon at 827-839 George Street, PO Box 707, Broadway NSW 21007．
阅读理解
Once upon a time the colors of the world started to quarrel．Green said,“Clearly I am the most important．I am the sign of life and hope．I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves．Without me, all animals would 1 ．”
Blue interrupted,“You only think about the 2 , but consider the sky and the sea． 3 the water that is the basis of life and drawn up by the clouds from the deep sea．Without my peace, you would all be 4 ．”
Yellow chuckled(笑道),“You are all so serious．I bring laughter, fun, and 5 into the world．”
Orange started next to blow her trumpet,“I am the color of health and strength．I may be 6 , but I am precious for I serve the needs of human life．When I fill the sky 7 , my beauty is so striking that no one gives another 8 to any of you．”
Red could stand it 9 and he shouted out,“I am the ruler of all of you．I am the color of danger and of bravery．I am willing to 10 truth．I am also the color of passion and of love．”
Then came Purple and Indigo(深蓝)…．
The colors went on boasting, each convinced of his or her own 11 ．Their quarreling became louder and louder．Suddenly there was a startling flash of bright lightening thunder．Rain started to pour down 12 ．The colors crouched(蜷缩)down 13 , drawing close to one another for comfort．
In the midst of the clamor(叫嚷), rain began to speak,“You foolish colors, fighting 14 yourselves, each trying to dominate 15 ．Don't you know that you were each made for a special purpose, 16 ?Join hands with 17 and come to me．”
Doing as they were told, the colors 18 and joined hands．They formed a colorful rainbow．From then on, whenever a good rain 19 the world, a rainbow appears in the sky．They remember to 20 one another．
