推理判断题 知识点题库

Read the following passage. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read.

    If a person who lived 200 years ago was treated for a seizure(癫痫)today, they would be surprised by the treatment's freshness. That's because doctors in the 1800s were influenced more by original medical beliefs than science.

    Rather than thinking the brain caused seizures, people in the 1800s still thought they were the result of strange forces. They associated seizures with the work of evil spirits. Others felt that the seizures had a cosmic or lunar cause. They believed that the cycles of the moon and stars could make someone have a seizure.

    During a process to treat a patient who has seizures, doctors would force the patient to pray for the grace of the God. They thought if the patient did this, then the patient would rid themselves of the evil spirits causing the seizures.

    The arrival of modern psychiatry(精神病学) occurred during the 1800s. At that time people who suffered from seizures were placed in psychiatric hospitals. They were treated like they were mad. However, none of the out-of-date treatments worked.

    It wasn't until the late 1850s that the causes of seizures were understood. We know today that these causes are related to the brain. Misfired signals from the brain cause a jerking reflex(反射) in the body. These usually occur when someone is very tired.

    Once the causes of seizures were known, definitive treatments were developed. Today, treatments range from taking pills to having surgery. Treatment is personalized according to the type of seizure the patient has.

    Even today, some people are unsure about seizures. Their most common mistake is thinking that a person having a seizure will swallow their tongue. They often push some implement roughly in the person's mouth. However, this doesn't help. The implement often blocks the airway and prevents the person from breathing. Yet most of the public no longer fear people who have seizures. Instead, they can now help and comfort a person if they have a seizure.

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    The United States estimates that about one out of every 10 people on the planet today is at least 60 years old. By 2050, it's projected to be one out of 5. This means that not only will there be more old people, but there will be relatively fewer young people to support them.

    Professor Richard Lee of the University of California at Berkeley says this aging of the world has a great effect on economics. "Population aging increases the concentration of population in the older ages and therefore it is expensive," he said.

    Aging populations consume (消耗) more and produce less. With more people living longer, it could gel expensive. But Mr. Lee says with continuing increases in worker productivity and wise planning, it can be manageable.

    Societies have different methods for caring for the elderly，but each carries a cost Generally, there are three types of support Seniors can live off the wealth they gained when they were younger. They can rely on their family to take care of them, or they can rely on the movement.

    In industrialized nations, governments created publicly-funded (公共资助的) support systems. These worked relatively well until recent years, when aging population growth in places like the United States and Western Europe began to gradually weaken the systems' finances(资金). These nations now face some tough choices. Mr. Lee says the elderly in some of these countries must either receive less money, retire later or increase taxes to make the system continuable.

    Most developing nations haven't built this type of government-funded support, but have instead relied on families to care for their elderly. These nations also generally have a much younger population, which means their situation is not as urgent as more developed nations. But Mr. Lee says that doesn't mean they can pay no attention to the issue. "Third World countries should give very careful thought to this process, to population aging and how it may affect their economies — now, before population aging even becomes a problem," he explained.

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●Name: Off the Beaten Path

    Cover price: $30.00

    Our price: $19.80

    The best-selling Reader's Digest travel book has 40% new content including over 200 new sites, over 200 new full﹣color photographs, and all-new, up-to-date maps. It focuses on more than 1, 000 of the United States' most overlooked must﹣see destinations(目的地).

●Name: Container Gardens by Number

    Cover price: $15.95

    Our price: $9.49

    A unique book contains 50 easy﹣to﹣follow container(容器)designs. Each design provides a simple numbered planting plan that shows exactly how to create each display, with an instruction of the finished planter(花盆)and in-depth plant information. The plans are easy to follow and for any type of living space or garden.

●Name: Best Weekend Projects

    Cover price: $17.95

    Our price: $13.96

    Choose from 80 unique ideas to create an extraordinary living space. The projects are practical, as well as attractive, and will improve your home and yard and can be made in a weekend. These 80 well﹣designed projects are presented in a clear, easy-to-follow style that addresses(对…说)readers in an accessible, user-friendly tone.

●Name: 1801 Home Remedies (治疗方案)

    Cover price: $40.00

    Our price: $29.96

    Plenty of health complaints can be handled at home. Each and every remedy will be tested by a doctor to make sure it is safe and sound.

    Dozens of conditions are covered, from headaches, sunburn, bad breath, and blisters to allergies, and hiccups.

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Short Story Competition

    The competition begins at June 30 and ends at December 15.

    It is open to all local citizens of Ontario who are at 16 or over, except the employees and judges and anyone living with any employee of the sponsors or judges.

    The author's name address phone number and a 25-50-word self-introduction must be included with each entry on a separate sheet of paper. The name of the author should not appear in the story itself.

    Stories must be original and unpublished up to the time the winners are declared on December 25.

    Stories must be written on a computer, be double-spaced and no more than 2,500 words. Total word count should be printed on the front page of the story.

    No changes to a story are allowed once the Star receives your entry. Typescripts (文稿)will not be returned.

    A $ 5 entry fee must accompany each entry. Cheques or money orders should be made out to the Star Short Story Competition. Please do not send coins.

    Winners will be informed by telephone between 9 am and 5 pm on December 25.

    Professors from the Writing Centre at Ryerson University will complete the first round of judging. Another group of professional writers will select the final three.

    More Information：

    Send your story to: the Star Short Story Competition, the Star Street, Ontario M5E1E6. Full contest rules are available at www. the star. com/contests

    Tel: 416-367-2000

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    Last night was the last game for my eight-year-old son's soccer team. It was the final quarter. The score was two to one, and my son's team was in the lead. Parents surrounded the playground, offering encouragement.

    With less than ten seconds remaining, the ball suddenly rolled in front of my son's teammate, Mickey O'Donnell. With shouts of "Kick it!" echoing(回响)across the playground, Mickey turned around and gave it everything he had. All around me the crowd cheered. Mickey had scored!

    Then there was silence. Mickey had scored all right, but in the wrong goal, ending the game in a tie. For a moment there was a total hush. You see, Mickey has Down's syndrome(唐氏综合征)and for him there is no such thing as a wrong goal. All goals were celebrated by a happy hug from Mickey. He had even been known to hug the opposing players when they scored.

    The silence was finally broken when Mickey, his face filled with joy, hugged my son tightly and shouted, "I scored! I scored! Everybody won! Everybody won!" For a moment I held my breath, not sure how my son would react(反应). I need not have worried. I watched, through tears, as my son threw up his hand in the classic high-five salute(敬礼)and started chanting, "Way to go Mickey! Way to go Mickey!" Within moments both teams surrounded Mickey, joining in the chant and congratulating him on his goal.

    Later that night, when my daughter asked who had won, I smiled as I replied, "It was a tie. Everybody won. "

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Every year, usually in November, famous British people go to London for a special award ceremony Pride of Britain Awards. It celebrates Britain's heroes—ordinary people who have shown bravery in a dangerous situation or who have done a lot to help others. When the nation needs a bit of cheering up; maybe we need more people like Dante Marvin.

    Dressed in a tiny white suit, Dante was focused on in a wheelchair. He was a pocket rocket of positivity, taken to the stage with a loud "What's up, London?" like a rock star. Dante Marvin told all celebrities present that he would not let a bone disease get in the way of his fund-raising efforts. Despite his own illness, he inspires everyone he meets. He often beams at others and works hard to spread happiness to others as an ambassador for the children's charity, Variety.

Dante, 11, from Liverpool, suffers much more than most. He had 16 broken bones in his mum Rachael's body and was born with fragile bone disease and scoliosis (脊柱侧凸). He has broken 92 bones in his life —as a sneeze or slap can injure him- and has received 17 separate operations to insert metal chips. Rachael says, “I don't prevent Dante doing anything. He just gets on with it. He hates seeing other children sad. If I take him to the hospital, he is more bothered about the crying children and tries to comfort therm. I am so proud of him.”

Dante is so grateful for his new yellow wheelchair that has been donated by Variety. He said, "My message to anyone with a disability is 'don't give up'." He reminds people of his motto—there are no disabilities, just abilities. Presenting Dante with the award—Child of Courage, Jason Manford, a famous comedian, asked if he'd like to be a comedian and Dante told him he never stops laughing.

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    Providing five-star luxury (豪华) in the middle of a treasured wilderness without damaging the environment might not be easy, but it is far from impossible. The King Pacific Lodge in British Columbia's Great Bear Rainforest proves that if enough care and attention is taken, the task is within the reach of any tourist provider.

    Unlike many other hotel building projects, no trees were cut down and no land was wasted in order to build it. The Lodge does not have the same location but sits on a floating boat pulled into the sea bay in May, till September. Those wishing to stay in one of its seventeen rooms must access it by boat or seaplane. Each guest staying at the Lodge is charged 3% conservation tax, but is rewarded by the chance to sight whales and bears. And since these are the main attractions of the area and of the Lodge, the management is well aware that in order to stay in business they must leave the area untouched.

    In 2000, the Lodge management signed an agreement with the native Gitga'at people. Together they work for the benefit of the area. The Lodge recognizes the native tribe(部落) as the owners of the land, pays the tribe for the use of their land and even supports the native youth and employs the tribe's people. They, in turn, teach the newcomers about the local culture.

    The King Pacific Lodge is one of a growing number of tourism companies that go beyond only minimizing (把……减至最小程度) their environmental effect to win the approval (批准)of the local community where they set up their business. These companies use environmentally friendly solution to problems, and are careful to limit their use of resources and protect threatened species. Realizing how destructive (破坏性的)tourism can be, they want to avoid the love –it-to-death effect of tourism and leave a lighter environmental footprint.

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    The study, published today in the journal PLOS Biology shows that the average body size and number of sharks and other marine predators—vital to maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems—fell significantly near cities with more than 10,000 people and associated fishing boats.

    The minimum distance from people and fishing which had no measurable effect was 1,250 kilometers. This is far further than previous studies have suggested and probably reflects the increased distances fishing boats can now travel. As a result, sharks were only observed at 12% of sites monitored.

    Lead author Dr. Tom Letessier said, ''Human activity is now the biggest influence on sharks' distribution. Just 13% of the world's oceans can be considered 'wilderness' but sharks and other predators are much more common and significantly larger at distances greater than 1,250 kilometers from people. This suggests that large marine predators are generally unable to thrive near to people and is another clear example of the impact of human overuse on our seas. ''

    To collect their data, the team analyzed videos taken at 1,041 sites across the Indian and Pacific Oceans, selected to test the biggest possible range of conditions and habitats. Sharks and other free-swimming predators were studied using cameras attached cannisters(炮筒)filled with bait. In total, the team recorded 23,200 animals representing 109 species. These included 841 individual sharks from 19 different species.

    Dr. Letessier added, ''Our study also found that shallower water environment, of depths less than 500 meters, were vital for marine predator diversity. We therefore need to identify sites that are both shallow and remote and protect them. However, there are still numerous shallow hot spots near human markets that are not appropriately protected, and this must change. ''

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    Many people believe that language belongs to human beings. However, cats have developed a language not for each other, but for the human beings who have them as pets.

    When communicating with each other, cats "talk" with a system of signals. Their tails, rather than any kind of "speech", act as an important way to express themselves. They also touch each other to express their feelings. With other cats, they will use their voice only to express pain. Unbelievably, all of that changes when a human walks into the room. Cats use many different kinds of vocal (声音的) expressions when they communicate with a person. Since these vocal expressions are not used to communicate with other cats, it seems that cats have developed this "language" to communicate with their human owners.

    This fact is shown more clearly when researchers are watching rooms that have only one cat and those with several cats. And when there is only one cat in the room, it is usually very vocal, since the only creature around with whom the cat can communicate is its owner. Cats with other cats, though, are much quieter. If they want to have a conversation, they only need go to other cats and communicate in their natural way.

    Since cats have learned to meow (喵喵叫) for the only purpose of communicating with human owners, their owners should take the time to learn what their different meows mean. If an owner knows, to name just a few examples, which meow means the cat is hungry, which means the cat .wants to be petted, and which means the cat wants to have a little "conversation", the relationship between cats and owners will be closer.

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    My violin is like a soulmate that whispers words of wisdom to me. Together, we've gone through both tears and happiness.

    About 12 years ago, I made acquaintance with it following an order from my mom. Many hours of boredom were spent practicing it. And to make things worse, the disappointment in my teacher's eyes as I played the wrong notes was like an invisible hammer, striking on my heart. One day, I finally decided: I hate it!

    By chance, things changed when I was seven. I was at home lying on the sofa, wondering how those famous violinists dealt with this terrible dilemma (进退两难). I searched online for the E-minor Concerto, a well-known violin work by German composer Felix Mendelssohn, and listened to it.

    A beautiful and mysterious sound came from the violin as the bow moved across it. It was like the music slid over the flowers, rose up, and started to fill the air. The violin's voice woke up the sun, made the trees green, and freshened the air. As the music changed, the sky turned back to gray. A gloomy shade covered the grass as all the sunshine disappeared. I could hear children crying and men shouting. It was like an invisible claw (爪子) had grabbed my heart tightly, making it unable to beat.

    That glorious day set off my passion and interest in violin — I grabbed mine and never let it go. Before the memories faded, I stared at my instrument. Without hesitating, I picked it up, rosined the bow, and began to play. Peace filled my heart.

    My violin has been by my side for 12 years. When I feel happy, an energetic tune makes it even better; when I'm deep in sorrow, a peaceful tune washes it away; when I'm walking on air, feeling especially pleased with my achievements, solemn tunes calm me down. Gradually, it has become a part of my life.

    My violin, shall I compare you to a summer's day?

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Dreaming of summer picnics filled with family and fun? We've come up with 4 of the top picnic areas across the US.

Cumberland Islands, Georgia

Just a few hours south of Savannah, this national seashore is a wonderful picnic place. It's an unspoiled place in the Deep South with over 50 miles of hiking trails (小径). Covered in Spanish moss, the trails are lined with trees and since it's still a rural area, the stars line up for a grand show at night and create the perfect evening starlit picnic opportunity.

Grant Park, Chicago

If you are looking for delicious food in Chicago, go for a taste of a 20-day, lake-front, foodie festival that happens in October each year. Grab a spot near the fountain to enjoy your picnic, appreciate the city scenery and lake views and relax with family and friends. If you are there on July 4th, be sure to plan the day to include the fireworks display at the Navy Pier.

Cranberry Islands, Maine

Here, you'll enjoy natural picnics with island views. The islands are a delightful group of islands about 20 minutes offshore from Acadia National Park. You can visit the islands by private boat or ferry service. Bring a picnic basket along for the ride as it's a romantic picnic area to take your special someone or go for a family outing to visit the islands.

Big Sur, California

The Point Lobos State Reserve is a small gem. Besides the coastal wildlife there are rare plant communities, and unique geological formations. It's good to have a picnic there. We recommend bringing a telescope, because much of the wildlife can be seen only at a distance.

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Book Reviews

Backward Science

Author: Clive Gifford

Publisher: QED Publishing

Price:£12

Immersed in our current surroundings, technology and way of life, it can be easy to take all this for granted. But what would life be like without the comfort we are provided with through healthcare or the transport we depend on daily? From complex gadgets to simplistic items such as a toilet to use or paper to write on, all the technology in this book will leave you both thankful for a different aspect of your life and equipped with the historical stories of the people behind them.

Anatomicum Activity Book

Author:Jennifer Z Paxton

Publisher: Big Picture Press

Price: £10

The human body and its complicated composition can be hard to wrap your head around sometimes. However, this activity book combines the educational information of a textbook and the fun of a puzzle book. From labelling parts of the lungs to matching up internal systems, this book is a great way to bring fun into human biology. Filled with interesting facts about he human body and how it functions, this activity book is great for the whole family to enjoy.

Apollo 13 Owners' Workshop Manual

Author: David Baker

Publisher: Haynes

Price: £22

You couldn't find a more qualified person to write this Haynes manual: author David Baker isn't just any old physicist or engineer; he was actually here in NASA's mission control room in 1970, working on getting the crew of Apollo 13 safely back to Earth. He''s also an award-winning journalist who's written well over 100 books on all facets of space science and exploration.

The World's Most Amazing Dinosaurs

Author:Various

Publisher:Sona Books

Price:£18

Providing an insight into the varied species that inhabited our planet over 65 million years ago, every page brings these long-extinct characters back to life. The illustrations not only show you what they might have looked like, but are filled with interesting annotations to explain the purpose of the dinosaurs' every feature. Surprising details of their colour, texture, internal organs and skeletal structure are presented through cutaway graphics alongside educated opinions from expert palaeontologists.

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When high school student Katie Shipley was born with a serious brain disease, doctors said she wouldn't live to go to school.

Now, Katie is not only about to graduate from Southridge High School in Oregon, but she was also named the school's prom (高中毕业舞会) queen.

Knowing Katie's wishes for prom queen, her friend Courtney Travis began reaching out to find her the prom king she needed to make her a queen. Courtney found Michael Parks, who also thought it was a great idea.

"I really got to know Shipley," said Michael. "When you take the time to get to know other people, it really gives you a great chance to live for more than yourself."

Courtney took a picture of the couple together and put it on her Twitter, explaining their plans for the prom. "It became very popular in the school," she said.

Their efforts paid off, and Katie was very excited to be named prom queen.

On the day of the prom, Katie wore a very beautiful dress. Her grandmother, Joan Fraley, who also went to the prom, said the night will stay with her always.

"I was standing there and the children were shouting her name," she said. "They called her name as the new prom queen—I started crying. I'm greatly thankful to the students of Southridge High School. "

Katie repeated that feeling.

"I just want to say thank you to my friends for all they did for me. I love you all."

Todd Corsetti, the principal (校长) at Southridge High School said that seeing Katie as prom queen and the energy and help of his students is one of his "proudest moments. "

"I think teenagers have great hearts and are really looking to make the world a better place," Todd said. "As we finish our school year, it's a great legacy (遗产) to leave the other classes who come after them. "

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With more recognition than Halloween and less than Christmas, Valentine's Day as an imported festival faces a dangerous situation in China, where it's caught between forces of tradition and fashion. Valentine's Day has a natural enemy in China. And it is not the Chinese equivalent, which falls on the seventh day of the seventh month on the lunar calendar, usually around half a year away from Feb. 14. It is the Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese New Year, that will influence the Feast of Saint Valentine.

The real disagreement between East and West probably took place over a century ago, when China's door was forced open by Western powers and Chinese scholars supported westernization as a means to strengthen our nation's ability to compete.

The introduction of the solar calendar and Western measurements was both an acknowledgment of their influence and an effort to be accepted by the world order.

For a full century, we have had two systems running in parallel. When it comes to the eventual outcome, practicality usually beats all other concerns. Laws can help, such as the three traditional festivals of Tomb Sweeping, Dragon Boat and Mid­Autumn gaining legal status in 2008 and giving every Chinese citizen a day off, but laws cannot push what people have no feelings for. So, the celebration or boycott of imported holidays or homegrown ones should be no cause for worry. If they are irrelevant, no social media will change the public's mind; and if they are accepted, there must be a need which they happen to satisfy.

Since we have no global Qin Shihuang to force one system on every country, we can always rely on a dual (双重的) approach by which we share with the outside world on the one hand but preserve our own ways of life on the other.

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For a long time, hikers in Japan have considered a bear bell essential. Its tinny ring is said to scare off the huge creatures. Nowadays, however, bear bells are increasingly useful on the way to the shops as well as in the wild. "The number of animals whether bears, boars or monkeys- is expanding, and they are going into villages and towns," says Hiroto Enari of Yamagata University.

Japan is home to many species of wild animals, including both black and brown bears. It's estimated that the number of bears has been rising since 2000. In 2018, the number was close to 13,000. The reappearance has its roots in human demography (人口统计学): the reduction of Japan's population is especially obvious in rural areas, where it is deeply influenced by ongoing urbanization. Usually, the bears are afraid of entering a village with people around. The appearance of bears is more seen in villages where the population is falling fastest.

Hunting is declining in Japan, too. Government data suggest that the average hunter is now 68 years old. The country's many forests and mountains provide an expansive habitat for wild animals. Indeed, wild areas are growing as foresters and farmers die off. Bears become particularly bold, running into villages for persimmon.

While some welcome the reappearance of bears, others suffer from it. Every year bears injure scores of people, and kill several. Besides, deer can cause damage to farmland. Simple solutions, such as changing the layout around villages or putting up fences, are rarely used. Instead, many bears are caught or killed. In 2013 the government resolved to reduce half the number of certain types of deer, boars and monkeys by 2023. "Japan is struggling to adapt to the changing power balance between animals and people," says Mr. Enari.

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Argentina soccer legend Diego Maradona has died aged 60 of heart failure on Wednesday. Heart failure is a chronic condition that gradually damages the heart's ability to pump blood. Fluid can build up in the lungs as a result — a condition known as pulmonary edema. It is an increasingly common problem that can be fatal.

Regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the game, Maradona became a household name after inspiring his country to World Cup glory in 1986. He took center stage at the tournament with a memorable performance against England where he scored a symbolic goal that he later described as the "Hand of God".

The small forward out-jumped legendary keeper Peter Shilton and knocked the ball into the net. The goal was allowed to stand, though it was claimed to be a handball. Later in the very game he scored one of the best goals in history after weaving his way past seven English defenders.

His impressive career was also marked by numerous controversies and his notorious lifestyle led to alcoholism and addiction.

Argentina's President Alberto Fernandez announced three days of national mourning for the passing of the superstar, and posted a tribute to Maradona on Twitter. "You took us to the top of the world. You made us feel incredibly happy. You were the greatest of all. Thank you for having existed," it read.

Maradona will lie in honor for public viewing at Argentina's presidential palace. Fans headed to the streets across Argentina and in Naples on Wednesday to pay tribute to

（悼念） their hero. Meanwhile, a minute's silence would be observed ahead of all European matches this week in honor of the Argentine.

"He will go down in history as someone who set football alight and thrilled global fans young and old with his brilliance and skill."

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I remember the day when I first learned to ride a bike. It was a frightening, yet fun experience. My grandfather was the one who taught me and he helped me when I got hurt. The first time I got on a bike, I had no idea what I was doing, and just about everything went wrong. My grandfather told me to just put my feet on the pedals(脚蹬子) and start cycling. He also told me he would hold onto the back of the bike the whole time, yet he didn't.

As soon as I started trying to balance myself, he let the bike go. I happened to look back just then. I was scared to death that I was going to fall and hurt myself. When I was scared, my mind went blank from cycling, and I just wanted off. I forgot how to use the brakes(车闸) and fell right off the bike. My grandfather kept encouraging me to get up and try again, and after about 15 minutes, I finally stopped crying, got up and tried again.

As soon as I started riding again, my pants got caught in the chain, and I fell flat on my face and hit my nose. My grandfather decided to call it a day and try again the next morning. The next morning I woke up brightly and early, and was very eager to try to ride my bike. My nose felt better, so I wasn't that afraid of falling anymore.

Despite the fact that I knew there were a range of difficulties on the way to mastering the skills in riding a bike, I believed I could do well with my grandfather's help. After all, riding a bike was indeed what I wanted to do eagerly.

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Staying positive through the cold season could be your best defense against getting sick, a new American study suggests. 

In an experiment that exposed healthy volunteers to a cold or flu virus, researchers found that people with a generally sunny character were less likely to fail ill. 

The findings, published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, build on evidence that a "positive emotional style" can help ward off the common cold and other illness. 

"People with a positive emotional style may have different immune (免疫的) responses to the virus," explained lead study author Dr Sheldon Cohen of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. "And when they do get a cold, they may interpret their illness as being less severe."

Cohen and his colleagues has found in a previous study that happier people seemed less likely to catch a cold, but some questions remained as to whether the emotional quality itself had the effect. 

For the new study, the researchers had 193 healthy adults complete standard measures of personality qualities, physicals health and "emotional style". 

Those who tended to be happy, energetic and easy–going were judged as having a positive emotional style, while those who were often unhappy, tense and hostile（敌意的）had a negative style. 

Afterwards, the researchers gave them nose drops containing either a cold virus or a particular flu virus that causes flu-like symptoms. Over the next six days, the volunteers reported on any aches, pains, sneezing they had. Cohen and his colleagues found that happy people were less likely to develop a cold. 

What`s more, when happy folks did develop a cold, their symptoms were less severe than expected based on objective measures. 

In contrast, people with negative characters were not at increased risk of developing a cold based on objective measures, though they did tend to get down about their symptoms. 

"We find that it`s really positive emotions that have the big effect," Cohen said, "not the negative ones."

So can a bad-tempered person fight a cold by deciding to be happy?

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Plastic-Eating Worms

Humans produce more than 300 million tons of plastic every year. Almost half of that winds up in landfills(垃圾填埋场), and up to 12 million tons pollute the oceans. So far there is no effective way to get rid of it, but a new study suggests an answer may lie in the stomachs of some hungry worms.

Researchers in Spain and England recently found that the worms of the greater wax moth can break down polyethylene, which accounts for 40% of plastics. The team left 100 wax worms on a commercial polyethylene shopping bag for 12 hours, and the worms consumed and broke down about 92 milligrams, or almost 3% of it. To confirm that the worms' chewing alone was not responsible for the polyethylene breakdown, the researchers made some worms into paste(糊状物) and applied it to plastic films. 14 hours later the films had lost 13% of their mass — apparently broken down by enzymes (酶) from the worms' stomachs. Their findings were published in Current Biology in 2017.

Federica Bertocchini, co-author of the study, says the worms' ability to break down their everyday food — beeswax — also allows them to break down plastic. "Wax is a complex mixture, but the basic bond in polyethylene, the carbon-carbon bond, is there as well, "she explains, "The wax worm evolved a method or system to break this bond. "

Jennifer DeBruyn, a microbiologist at the University of Tennessee, who was not involved in the study, says it is not surprising that such worms can break down polyethylene. But compared with previous studies, she finds the speed of breaking down in this one exciting. The next step, DeBruyn says, will be to identify the cause of the breakdown. Is it an enzyme produced by the worm itself or by its gut microbes(肠道微生物)?

Bertocchini agrees and hopes her team's findings might one day help employ the enzyme to break down plastics in landfills. But she expects using the chemical in some kind of industrial process — not simply "millions of worms thrown on top of the plastic."

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Terrafugia Inc. said Monday that its new flying car has completed its first flight, bringing the company closer to its goal of selling the flying car within the next year. The vehicle named the Transition has two seats, four wheels and wings that fold up so it can be driven like a car. The Transition, which flew at 1, 400 feet for eight minutes last month, can reach around 70 miles per hour on the road and 115 in the air. It flies using a 23-gallon tank of gas and burns 5 gallons per hour in the air. On the ground, it gets 35 miles per gallon.

Around 100 people have already put down a $10, 000 deposit to get a Transition when they go on sale, and those numbers will likely rise after Terrafugia introduces the Transition to the public later this week at the New York Auto Show. But don't expect it to show up in too many driveways. It's expected to cost $279, 000. And it won't help if you're stuck in traffic. The car needs a runway.

Inventors have been trying to make flying cars since the 1930s, according to Robert Mann, an airline industry expert. But Mann thinks Terrafugia has come closer than anyone to making the flying car a reality. The government has already permitted the company to use special materials to make it easier for the vehicle to fly. The Transition is now going through crash tests to make sure it meets federal safety standards.

Mann said Terrafugia was helped by the Federal Aviation Administration's decision five years ago to create a separate set of standards for light sport aircraft, which are lower than those for pilots of larger planes. Terrafugia says an owner would need to pass a test and complete 20 hours of flying time to be able to fly the Transition, a requirement pilots would find redatively easy to meet.