After about two weeks of intense negotiations in Paris, delegates from around the world reached an international agreement on Dec.12 to address climate change.For the first time in history, 195 countries have promised to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and to increase these reductions over time.
The agreement goes beyond requiring developed countries like the US to take actions to cut down emissions.It’s a universal agreement requiring some form of action from every country, rich or poor.
The agreement sets the date for an emissions peak “as soon as possible”.It would also limit warming worldwide to less than 2℃ above the levels in the 1800s.According to scientific studies 2℃ is the point at which climate change will bring destructive consequences to the planet, including rising sea levels, severe droughts, increased flooding, destructive storms, and widespread food and water shortages.
The deal also urges wealthy countries to set a non-binding (没有约束力的) goal of providing more than $100 billion (650 billion yuan) per year in public and private financing by 2020 for poorer countries to help them invest in clean energy and combat the impact of climate change.
The Paris deal asks countries to make voluntary promises based on an analysis of each country’s economy, politics and technology.However, the deal also includes a series of legally binding requirements.It requires countries to reconvene every five years, starting in 2020, with updated plans that would cut their further emissions.Countries will also be legally required to reconvene every five years starting in 2023 to publicly report on their progress.
The Paris deal alone won’t solve global warming.Its effectiveness will depend on whether each country enacts (立法) their promise.But the deal “could be viewed as a signal to global financial and energy markets, triggering a fundamental shift away from investment in coal, oil and gas as primary energy sources like wind, solar and nuclear power”, according to The New York Times.
1. Which of the following is true about the agreement?| A．It can help slow down global warming to some extent. |
| B．It requires only developed countries to cut down emissions. |
| C．It requires some form of action from all the countries in the world. |
| D．It would limit warming worldwide to 2℃ less than the levels in the 1800s. |
| A．do something to fight against climate change |
| B．invest more in coal, oil and gas as primary energy sources |
| C．report on their progress of reducing their emissions since 2020 |
| D．provide more than $100 billion per year in public and private financing |
| A．Return. | B．Report. | C．Meet. | D．Promise. |
| A．To praise the involvement of the 195 countries. |
| B．To call on people to cut emissions of greenhouse gases. |
| C．To warn the devastating consequences of climate change. |
| D．To inform readers of an international agreement. |
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【推荐1】Despite being the highest point on Earth, Mount Everest can’t escape the effects of climate change. According to two new studies published in iScience and One Earth, the air pressure near Everest’s top is rising, and the rate of glacier melt (冰川融化) is faster.
Last year, Aurora Elmore, a climate scientist at the National Geographic Society, helped send 34 scientists to Mount Everest to install (安装) the highest weather stations in the world. The exploration provided valuable data for both of the new studies, each of which Elmore co-authored.
In a study published in iScience, Elmore and a team of scientists set out to document how the atmospheric pressure on Everest has fluctuated since the 1970s. As climate change is causing the air to slowly thicken, which means more oxygen is available at higher altitudes. When temperature rises, molecules (分子) move faster. And when these molecules start to collide (碰撞) with each other, pressure increases.
To analyze the changes in the atmosphere, lead author Tom Matthews and his team collected data using those weather stations installed in 2019. They used the climate data to build models, which suggest that if global temperatures increase by 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the maximum rate of oxygen consumption on Everest will increase by 5%.
The other study is published in One Earth. Owen King, from the University of St Andrews in the UK? and his team studied 79 glaciers and found that between 2009 and 2018, glaciers thinned at nearly twice the rate they did in the 1960s.
The results are concerning. Besides the 18 local communities living in the Himalayas, nearly two billion people depend on the mountain range for a source of fresh water. “Although faster melting might mean more water, it’s only a good thing for a little bit of time,” Elmore says. Worse still, if water melts too fast, it arrives in the form of floods, which people in the area are already experiencing.
1. Why did the scientists install the weather stations on Everest?| A．To test their collected data on the mountain. |
| B．To make it easier to predict natural disasters. |
| C．To collect glaciological and atmospheric data. |
| D．To leave impressive marks on their exploration. |
| A．Changed. | B．Formed. | C．Improved. | D．Decreased. |
| A．Unconcerned. | B．Worried. | C．Unclear. | D．Supportive. |
| A．Why temperatures on Everest vary. | B．Natural disasters on Mount Everest. |
| C．Great concerns over Mount Everest. | D．How climate change affects Everest. |
【推荐2】Ice sheets covering three-quarters of Greenland, the world's largest island, are melting at a fast pace.
Climate researcher Ruth Mottram said in a DMI press release, “If global warming continues as before — what we call the high emission scenario (排放情景), then the temperature will be likely to rise by a further 4. 0 to 6. 6 degrees by the year 2100.”
John Cappelen, senior climatologist (气候学家) at DMI and member of the research team, stressed the seriousness of the team's findings and called all people and countries to obey the Paris Agreement as a way to limit the global warming. "
The Paris Agreement was agreed by the 195 member economies in Paris in 2015, with the goal of reducing global warming.
| A．It's really a pity. |
| B．Something must happen to our behavior. |
| C．We must do something to protect Greenland. |
| D．However, some countries want to quit the agreement. |
| E．Such a rise in temperature is significantly greater than we expect. |
| F．Researchers used the latest global and regional climate modeling tools. |
| G．By the end of this century, sea levels could rise by about 12. 5 centimeters. |
【推荐3】In 2007 a team led by Stefan Rahmstorf compared actual observations with predictions made by theoretical models for three key climate indicators: carbon dioxide, global temperature and sea-level rise. While the predictions got CO2 levels right, they were low for real temperature and sea-level rise.
Climate scientists have a surprising habit: They often underestimate the climate threat. The articles reporting the underestimates have been widely cited, so one might think that scientists have taken corrective steps. But recent studies of Arctic warming suggest that the problem may not have gone away. As polar ice melts because of global warming, the Arctic Ocean absorbs more heat, which causes the Arctic to warm even more. It should surprise no one that the area is warming fast. Yet scientists have been caught off-guard by just how fast the region is heating up.
In 2013, a paper was published pointing out that these underestimates represent subconscious bias (偏向) caused by defensiveness. Scientists tended toward lower and misleading prediction because they did not want to be accused of making dramatic and overstressed claims. Even now scientists continue to be accused of overestimating climate risks by worrying figures which get much media attention, thus biasing their models to be unrealistically conservative.
If scientists have underestimated Arctic warming, they have likely minimized amounts of permafrost (永久冻土) melting and methane (甲烷) release as well. And that could be truly dire because the permafrost holds about 1.5 billion tons of organic carbon, twice as much as now in the atmosphere. Were that carbon to be rapidly released, it could cause a picture: a runaway greenhouse effect. Whatever the cause, it’s time that scientists looked seriously at whether their measuring models continue to underestimate critical aspects of the climate problem. Low estimates can create the false impression that we have more time to fix the problem than we actually do.
1. Why is Rahmstorf’s research in Paragraph 1 mentioned?| A．To highlight the urgency in global warming. |
| B．To show the inaccuracy of climate predictions. |
| C．To state the importance of precise measurement. |
| D．To express the difficulty in making right policies. |
| A．They are misled by the statistics. |
| B．Their reports have been widely cited. |
| C．They want to avoid blame for causing anxiety. |
| D．They aim to defend themselves from fake information. |
| A．Disastrous. | B．Confusing. | C．Impressive. | D．Discouraging. |
| A．The Arctic Ocean Is Calling for Help |
| B．Climate Scientists Are Under Fire |
| C．The Warming Pace Is Underestimated |
| D．Climate Predictions Prove Correct |
【推荐1】An embroidered (刺绣的) butterfly made by Liang Zhongmei is so lifelike that it could easily be mistaken for the real thing. It looks as if it could flap its colorful wings and fly free from its white cloth background.
This 55-year-old embroiderer from Guizhou Province was born in a closed and underdeveloped village deep in the mountains, where most residents live by farming or as migrant workers. Losing her left arm at a very young age meant she could not feed herself, but she refused to become downhearted, and learned embroidery from her mother diligently and determinedly.
After producing several works featuring butterflies and goldfish, she won many national professional skills awards in 2011 among people with disabilities. In 2012, she opened her workshop, with embroiderers putting their designs on the shelves to sell to locals, but business was poor.
However, Liang’s career prospered after an online commercial order. Now, clothes, ties, paintings and handicrafts produced by the workshop are sold to consumers worldwide via e-commerce platforms, with profit reaching from 300,000 yuan to 500,000 yuan annually.
As the number of orders rose, Liang employed more workers, offering jobs to more than 100 female embroiderers in the neighborhood. She has also organized training courses for jobless women. “Thanks to the online buyers, our products sell well, which has changed our lives and brought us income and dignity,” Liang said.
Wang Danqing, an online seller, has worked with Liang’s team since 2015. She said, “Many young consumers prefer products with cultural elements and personal appeal. Only by combining embroidered designs with modern life can cultural heritage be seen, loved, protected and passed down.”
1. What do we know about Liang Zhongmei?| A．She made a fortune when her business began. |
| B．She became world-famous after winning awards. |
| C．She was strong-willed while learning embroidery. |
| D．She was brought up in a well-off environment. |
| A．took off. | B．went wrong. |
| C．held steady. | D．broke down. |
| A．New designs need to be integrated into the products. |
| B．Expanding the range of product sales online is crucial. |
| C．It is Liang’s duty to pass on the embroidered technique. |
| D．Products with personal elements are favored by the youth. |
| A．Online shopping gains popularity in China. |
| B．Young people take a great interest in embroidery. |
| C．Liang became an expert in embroidery despite her disability. |
| D．Disabled Liang achieved success by trading embroidery online. |
【推荐2】London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s announcement that all primary school pupils in the city will receive free school meals from September is a welcome move amid rising food and energy prices. The £130 million plan rejects means-testing (经济状况调查) in favor of a universal scheme, which many see as a smart political move and a good policy. Universal public services such as this create shared understanding and gain political legitimacy, as they enable individuals to live at a reasonable standard.
The current tax and benefit system in the UK leaves millions of children in poverty and hunger, and means-testing is neither fair nor efficient. Parents claiming universal credit in England must have a household income of less than £7,400 to qualify for free school meals. An estimated 800,000 children living in poverty do not get free school meals due to the eligibility criteria being so restrictive. Another 200,000 are eligible but have not accessed them because enrolment is not automatic.
The initiative has been welcomed by many for its potential to reduce child obesity rates and improve pupil attainment. The Impact on Urban Health thinktank estimates that making free school meals universal will generate £1.71 in economic and social benefits for every £1 invested.
Unfortunately, the government seems more interested in rationing access to welfare than helping people get the support they need. Means-testing is often justified on the grounds that it diverts resources to the most needy, but this argument falls apart when thousands of children are going hungry and struggling to learn at school.
The move towards universal free school meals in London is a step in the right direction and shows an appetite for experimentation necessary to flesh out the future of the post-Covid welfare state. While some parents on higher salaries may benefit, focusing on this would be missing the point: universal services pay for themselves. By investing in our children’s well-being and education, we create a healthier, more prosperous society for everyone. It’s time to reject the divisive politics of means-testing and embrace universal public services that benefit us all.
1. What is the aim of London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s plan?| A．To reduce child obesity rates. |
| B．To improve pupils’ achievement in primary schools. |
| C．To help pupils from poor families handle hunger. |
| D．To ensure means-testing an access to free school meals. |
| A．It creates more jobs. |
| B．It benefits individuals. |
| C．It is a divisive politics of means-testing. |
| D．It generates economic and social benefits. |
| A．It runs without political legitimacy. |
| B．The qualification criteria are too restrictive. |
| C．The argument about means-testing falls apart. |
| D．It doesn’t include the current tax and benefit system. |
| A．Obstacles to Universal Free School Meals in London |
| B．The Pros and Cons of Means-Testing for Free School Meals |
| C．A Plan to Provide Free School Meals to Pupils in London |
| D．The Impact of Universal Public Services on Poverty and Hunger |
【推荐3】Echo, a two-year-old Harlequin Dane, has been turning heads everywhere she goes since her owner dyed （染色）her coat purple, blue, pink and green.
Sierra Schoon, a 22-year-old woman from Grand Junction in Colorado, has been coloring her service dog, Echo, using pet-safe dye, ever since the dog was about six months old. The young dog lover said that she uses vegetable-based Arctic Fox hair dye, and that Echo loves to just sit there for three or four hours while she applies the dye. And when they go out for walks, it is quite obvious that the dog also feels quite delighted when people keep staring at her, as they tend to get very confused by her unusual look.
“It becomes a joke that we tell people. When they ask, Oh, is that dog naturally colored this way? We say 'Yeah, she's a Galaxy Dane' Schoon said." You kind of stand there for a minute, look at their reaction and let them stew and then finally tell them, 'No, she's dyed that way'. I never thought that anybody would ever think that a dog would naturally be pink or blue, let alone pink, blue, purple and green.
However, after photos of the unusual-looking Great Dane spread online, people said that they felt sorry for the poor animal. Some accused Echo's owner of using her as a fashion accessory for attention-seeking purposes, and a few even went as far as accusing animal cruelty, saying the owner of this dog should never be allowed to have animals ever again.
In fact, the dyeing has actually helped Echo get over her shyness. Because of her big size most people preferred to keep their distance, and this always made her very nervous, because the Great Dane is extremely friendly. The eye-catching dye makes people more comfortable around Echo, and Sierra said that she noticed a positive change in her personality as well.
1. What can be known about Echo from the first two paragraphs?| A．Dyeing makes her feel quite uncomfortable. |
| B．She enjoys moving her head from side to side. |
| C．She turns her head deliberately to draw attention. |
| D．She becomes the focus of attention wherever she is. |
| A．Echo enjoys both the dyeing process and public attention. |
| B．It is quite easy for people to discover that Echo is dyed. |
| C．People are more delighted than confused by Echo. |
| D．Echo looks much younger than her real age. |
| A．Envious. | B．Ambiguous. |
| C．Uncaring. | D．Disapproving. |
| A．It makes her much friendlier than before. |
| B．It makes her more approachable. |
| C．It makes her more cautious about being touched. |
| D．It widens the distance between her and people. |
