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New research by scientists at the University of Bristol explains how a "stop－start" pattern of evolution，governed by environmental change，could explain why crocodiles (鳄鱼) have changed so little since the age of the dinosaurs.

Crocodiles today look very similar to ones from 200 million years ago. There are also very few species alive today—just 25.Other animals such as lizards and birds have achieved a diversity of many thousands of species in the same amount of time. Prehistory also saw types of crocodile we don't see today，including giants as big as dinosaurs，plant－eaters，fast runners and snakelike forms that lived in the sea.

The rate of their evolution is generally slow，but occasionally they evolve more apace because the environment has changed. In particular，this new research suggests that their evolution speeds up when the climate is warmer，and that their body size increases. 

Lead author Dr. Max Stockdale said，"Our analysis used a machine learning algorithm (算法) to estimate rates of evolution. Evolutionary rate is the amount of change that has taken place over a given amount of time，which we can work out by comparing measurements from fossils and taking into account how old they are. For our study we measured body size，which is important because it interacts with how fast animals grow，how much food they need，how big their populations are and how likely they are to die out."

The findings show that the limited diversity of crocodiles and their apparent lack of evolution result from a slow evolutionary rate. It seems the crocodiles arrived with an already efficient and versatile (多功能的) body plan that doesn't require changes. This versatility could be one explanation why crocodiles survived the meteor (流星) impact at the end of the Cretaceous period，in which the dinosaurs died out. Crocodiles generally develop better in warm conditions because they cannot control their body temperature and require warmth from the environment.

Table tennis may not seem a reasonable option for someone with no arms—but Ibrahim Hamadtou doesn't believe in limits. The 48－year－old Egyptian Paralympian breaks the barrier by holding the paddle (乒乓球拍) in his mouth and using his right foot to serve the ball.

Hamadtou, who lost his arms in a train accident at the age of ten, was drawn to table tennis after being challenged by a friend. "I was once watching a match between two of my friends，" Hamadtou explains. "They disagreed on a point. When I was in favor of one of them, the other player told me, ‘Mind your own business as you will never be able to play.' It was that statement that fired me up to decide to play table tennis."

It took Hamadtou three years to master the sport. He said the biggest challenge was figuring out the best way to control his body. "I was trying first to use the bat under the arm, and I also tried using other things, which weren't working so well. Finally, I tried using my mouth. It took me nearly a year of practice to get used to holding the paddle with my mouth and making the serve. With practicing and playing regularly, this skill improved."

The Egyptian's incredible talent came to light in 2014 when he was awarded the best Arab Athlete of the Year. He won a silver medal at the 2016 African Championships，qualified for his first Paralympics in 2016 at 43, and then again for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games at 48.

The inspiring athlete says, "The disability is not in arms or legs but to give up whatever you would like to do."

Children are celebrated and doted on in the Land of Smiles，making it a great place for a family holiday. Besides the Thais' natural love for kids，Thailand's affordability，weather and lots of activities make it a perfect getaway destination. Here is our list of the best family－friendly places to visit in Thailand.

Phuket

Phuket is one of Thailand's most popular destinations. From beautiful beaches and a fascinating old town to aquariums and horseback riding，Phuket has them all. Many of the island's resorts (度假胜地) offer children's clubs and babysitting services，enabling mum and dad to get a well－earned break，too. Phuket is easily reached from most parts of Thailand and has direct flights from many other countries.

Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai，Thailand's mountainous cultural center，is a fantastic place to travel with the whole family. Chiang Mai has a calm and relaxed atmosphere and is small enough to easily gain your direction. Here，you'll find plenty of fun and exciting activities for all ages，including museums，local markets，cooking schools and much more.

Krabi

The beach lovers' destination Krabi is the perfect place to relax. Not only are some of the country's best beaches in Krabi，but it is also a fantastic place to pick up a snorkel (呼吸管) and mask and become acquainted with Thailand's beautiful underwater world. In the surrounding area，there are also plenty of options for fun day trips to national parks，waterfalls，elephant sanctuaries (保护区) or，for older kids，rock climbing in some of the world's best climbing spots.

Koh Samui

Koh Samui has long been one of Thailand's most popular family holiday destinations. It almost has everything one would want. Many resorts have kids' programs on offer，and you'll find plenty of family－friendly activities to choose from. For something a little different，take your tribe to make new furry friends by volunteering at the animal rescue center for the day.

注意： 1. 词数 80 左右； 2. 可以适当增加细节, 以使行文连贯。

Dear Kim, 

……

Yours, 

Li Hua

When two cultures come together, the words of  (they) languages compete for survival (存在). We can see this taking place early on in the history of English, following the Danish invasions (入侵) of Britain. The Danes spoke a language known  Old Norse, and this had many words  had a related (相关的) form in Old English. What would people end up  (say)? Would the Danish settlers use the Old English words? Or would the Anglo-Saxons use the Old Norse ones?

 (actual), the Old English and Old Norse words both survived, because people gave them  (difference) meanings. This is what happened to skirt and shirt.

Shirt is found sometimes in late Old English (spelled scyrte), with the meaning of a short garment (衣服) worn by both men women. Skirt, from Old Norse, is known from the 1300s, and seems to have been used mainly for a woman's garment — the lower part of a dress. But the word could also (use) for the lower part of a man's robe or coat too.

During the Middle English period, shirt (become) increasingly used only for a man's garment, and skirt for a woman's. Today, women's clothes include shirts, and skirts are normal wear for men in many (country). Clothing such as the T-shirt is gender-neutral (不分性别的).

That year I was eleven and in sixth grade. In Wethersfield, all sixth-graders are 1 to take part in the R.O.P.E. Program. Its main2 is to believe your peers (同龄人), work together, and3 new adventures. These programs including falling backward and4 peers to catch you, working together to fit into a small circle and something of that kind.

I was ready to participate in these5 . Falling backward and fitting into a small circle were nothing to me. Crossing over a stream with nothing holding me up but a rope was daring, but I could6 it. Finally the day came when my sixth grade class would travel to climb and rappel (绕绳下滑) a mountain in Southington. Those people who were too7 were allowed to practice climbing and rappelling a smaller area of rocks, but that wasn't for me. I could climb the big mountain.

Twenty minutes later, my8 arrived. As I was well9 , I set off at once. I got a quarter of the way up but couldn't seem to get any10 . I tried and tried. I began to put myself down and cry. There was nothing more11 than my classmates were looking at me. All I kept12 was "Lisa, you can do it. Try to fit your foot in there.13 , Lisa you're almost there."

It was then that I thought to myself, "Why am I crying? I can do this." Almost 14 I went on going up the mountain. Within five minutes I successfully 15 to the top.

How to Recognize a True Friend

Sometimes it can be hard to recognize a true friend. Hopefully this article will help you recognize which friends are the keepers.

Be able to trust your friends. You should be able to trust true friends and they should return this trust. Do your friends tell you secrets that no one else knows? Ask you for advice? However, if your friends hide things from you and act secretly, then this is a sign that they may not trust you.

Think about it. How comfortable are your friends when they are around you? Are they being themselves around you? Are they acting fake or perhaps hiding something? True friendships can take a while to develop, but if your friends are true they should feel comfortable around you, and vice versa ( You with them)

Think about loyalty(忠诚). If you are in need of a helping hand, your true friends should be there to offer it to you. True friends don't try to get one another into trouble. A true friend will always be loyal to you and will not reveal secrets.

Think about nicknames. A lot of true friends love to give each other nicknames！ If your friend is giving you nicknames, then this is a great sign. Think of the nickname your friend has given you, does it suit you well?

Look at how you fight. Nearly all best friends fight.True friends will find their way through a fight, no matter what the size is. True friends will remain "faithful" to each other even during a fight. They will not tell each others' secrets, and they still care about each other.

A. Consider comfort.

B. Choose your friends carefully.

C. True friends are always there for one another.

D. Both are sure signs that your friend trusts you.

E. If so, this shows your friend must know you quite well.

F. So if you and your friend have a little argument don't worry!

G. An inside joke shows that you share a special connection with your friend.

Companies which sell liquids like drinks or shampoo depend on bottles made of plastic or glass for their packaging. But as customers have become more worried about the environment, many companies have begun working to develop paper bottles.

Paper bottles have many advantages. They are easy to recycle and weigh less than glass or plastic bottles, meaning they'll require less energy to produce and to move around.

A company called Paboco has been working with many large companies to develop paper bottles. Clearly, one of the biggest challenges is keeping a paper bottle from leaking (渗漏). Therefore, many companies are lining their bottles with a thin sheet of plastic. Though this liner can be taken away and recycled, many recycling programs don't have the right machines to deal with these liners.

A Danish beer company called Carlsberg is working with Paboco on a paper bottle called the "Green Fiber Bottle". In the future the company hopes to use a "bio-plastic" that will break down naturally over time. A company named Diageo has just announced the first paper bottle that's completely plastic-free. Instead of a plastic liner, a non-plastic coating will be used on the inside of the bottles. This should make the bottle fully recyclable. Diageo says they'll use the bottle with their whiskey in 2023.

However, there's still lots of testing to be done before paper bottles can replace glass or plastic bottles. Companies will need to see how long liquids can be stored in the bottles, and make sure the bottles don't influence the taste. But with so many companies working toward the same goal, it's likely that we can expect to see paper bottles on store shelves in the near future.

Best Sleep Music Apps

If you want to sleep better at night, trying a sleep music app might be the answer. Here are some ideal sleep music apps to choose from. 

Calm

Calm is one of the most popular sleep music apps and its large library of relaxing and sleep-causing tracks is largely responsible for that. This app offers a free version, but to really take advantage of what Calm has to offer, you had better choose the paid version, which costs $ 69.99 for one year. A lifetime membership is $ 399.99. 

Relax Melodies

Relax Melodies is intended to calm your mind with relaxing sound. The composer is visual and easy to use, and the Discover page gives you access to other app features, like bedtime stories and breathing exercises. Though its free version provides a great introduction to the idea of sleep music, the paid version unlocks a larger library of sounds. Consider paying for it if there're particular sounds or features that really attract you. 

Headspace

Headspace is a feature-rich app designed in a simple way that makes it quick and easy to use its library of sleep-specific music. The Sleep icon at the bottom of the app is easy to identify and leads to a library of options that include Sleep Music and Sleep Radio. It's worth noting that nearly everything in Headspace's Sleep Library requires an extra subscription. Headspace costs $ 69.99 annually, or you can pay $12.99 per month. 

Pzizz

Pzizz offers sleep music tracks you can use at naptime, bedtime, or to improve focus. One thing that makes Pzizz different is its voice narration（旁白）option. If you find the presence of a calming voice to be comforting or benefit from someone helping you to relax your body and mind, then Pzizz is a good choice for you. Male and female voice options are available and the voice is low and calm. It has a free version but you should pay for extra subscriptions.

In the spring sun, my aunt and I headed for her flower shop. Normally I would be delighted to help in her shop, but not recently because of Rosa. Rosa was my sister, just one month old, who was settled in my old bedroom. For ten years, the small room was full of my toys and books. But now it was transformed into her baby room, decorated like a garden with pinks and yellows. My space, my old life, was gone.

"Here we are!" We arrived at the shop, a wave of colour and sweet smell washing over me. My aunt said I could pick some flowers for Mum and Dad. I used to love this, but today I was so overcome with tiredness and envy. Why bother to bring them flowers when they were enjoying Rosa at home without me?

Silently I helped my aunt arrange flowers. "Your mum told me there hasn't been much shut eye recently for any of you." "Not much, since Rosa the alarm clock was installed (安装)." I complained with a huge yawn (哈欠).

"I remember having to creep (蹑手蹑脚地走) around like a worn-out mouse when your mum was a baby. I spent the first months hating her so much." "But you and Mum seem so close," I said, guiltily hiding away my envy of Rosa.

"Now we are. But it took me years to grow into the role of big sister. Few flowers blossom (绽放) overnight, you know." She pulled me in for aside hug, glancing up at the clock, and suggested I take a walk outside.

Behind her shop was a field dotted with spring flowers. Stepping into the field, I began to pick little flowers. It was like gathering my childhood memories. I remembered how I'd sit with Dad, making flower chains, crowning (授予) each other with the silliest titles: Queen of Junk Food and King of Mess. My smile grew wider. The shining yellow flowers reminded me of the color in Rosa's baby room. Was she awake? I wondered.

注意：1.续写词数应为150左右；2.请按如下格式在答题卷的相应位置作答。

Suddenly I saw two familiar figures walking towards me.

……

Rosa was wide awake in her baby basket beside the picnic blanket.