During the     1     (twenty) century , the temperature of the earth     2     (rise) about one degree Fahrenheit. It is a rapid increase when compared    3     other natural changes .

There is no doubt    4    the earth is becoming warmer. Scientists believe     5     is human activity that has caused this global warming. The increase in the earth's temperature is due to the    6     (burn) of fossil fuels. Some byproducts of this process     7     (call) “greenhouse” gases, the most important one of    8    is carbon dioxide. Without the “greenhouse effect”, the earth would be thirty-three degree Celsius    9     (cool) than it is. So, we need those gases. The problem begins when we add huge quantities of extra carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, causing the global temperature     10     (go) up.

Scientists in Antarctica have made a surprising and welcome     1     (discover) — the world’s largest breeding (繁殖) ground for fish. Researchers from Germany came across the fish while     2     (make) a map of the seabed of the Antarctic Weddell Sea. They found around 60 million icefish breeding in an area about 240 square kilometers. The research team had been setting down a number of     3     (camera) to a depth of 530 meters under the Wed-dell Sea for months. “Such a huge breeding area of icefish in the Weddell Sea was previously undiscovered, and it is totally     4     (attract),” said Autun Purser,     5     deep-sea biologist.

The researchers have been exploring the region (区域) hoping     6     (establish) it as an official Marine Protected Area. They say the seas are a unique habitat that must     7     (preserve). They want to prevent fishing and some other scientific research     8     polluting the waters. A recent University of Cambridge study found that fishing in Antarctica is bringing millions of other species from 1,500 ports around the globe,     9     are threatening the area’s special eco-system. Autun said, “So far, the remoteness (偏僻) and difficult sea-ice conditions of Antarctica     10     (protect) it, but we must keep in mind that we should be very careful with oceanic conservation.”

An Italian town will pay people hundreds of euros(欧元) per year if they cycle to work instead of    1    (drive) their cars. The government will pay    2    (cycle)25 cents per kilometre, up to a monthly limit of 50 euros. That means commuters(通勤者)who switch to two wheels could pocket up to 600 euros in a year. It is said to be the first such plan in Italy.

Fifty workers will be included in a 12-month trial, which will use a smart phone app to record the    3    (distant) travelled each day. The plan is being supported from fines    4    (collect) from traffic tickets in the town,    5    by law have to be spent on road safety.

The plan will encourage citizens    6    (make)sure the area becomes more liveable. It will     7    (natural )mean less traffic on the streets and more health benefits. A bicycle organization which helped to develop the idea, says it hopes that other towns will now follow the lead.

A similar plan    8    (introduce)in France in 2014, with mixed results. A six-month trial found that paying people to cycle to work did increase the numbers doing so, but the    9    (major) had been using public transport, rather than private vehicles.    10    those making the move from cars to bicycles, most had already been carpooling (拼车). Private cars remained crowded in the Streets

Most gardeners will probably say gardening     1     (be) good for you. According to a study, people who garden have a     2     (healthy) diet, get more exercise, and feel less stress. Researchers studied the benefits of gardening in shared community gardens     3     people work together. They suggest gardening may reduce stress because it exposes people to nature, while community gardens also provide     4     (chance) for social interaction. Therefore, they hope the results will encourage doctors and government leaders to regard community gardens as a vital part of the public health system.

Located in Ordos, North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Kubuqi Desert (库布齐沙漠) is the closest desert to China’s capital Beijing. It was once known as the “sea of death”. However, in the past 30 years, the government, social organizations and local farmers     1     (work) together to control desertification (沙漠化) in Kubuqi Desert.

Historically, Kubuqi was a rich city filled with water and grass. But due     2     climate change and over-exploitation from humans, the farmlands gradually turned to desert. Controlling desertification was the only way out for people still living in Kubuqi. With the first highway going through the desert     3     (build) here, people started planting trees in     4     whole desert. It was common for planted trees to die. But the next year, people just continued to plant more trees.     5     (ultimate), their hard work inspired the term “Kubuqi spirit”, encouraging local people     6     (devote) themselves to the desert greatly. Over three decades, tree planting technology saw further     7     (improve) in Kubuqi. Now workers can plant a tree in just ten     8     (second), and the survival rate of trees is over 80 percent.

The 102,000 residents in the desert have enjoyed the benefits of managing with desertification. Meng Keda,     9     family has lived deep in Kubuqi Desert for generations, began a tourism business in 2006     10     earned about 300,000 yuan last year.