【推荐1】As a result of pollution，Lake Erie, on the borders of the USA and Canada, is now without any living things.

Pollution in water is not simply a matter of “poisons” killing large numbers of fish overnight. Very often the effects of pollution are not noticed for many months or years because the first organisms (生物体) to be affected are either plants or plankton(浮游生物). But these organisms are the food of fish and birds and other creatures.When this food disappears, the fish and birds die too. In this way a whole food chain can be wiped out, and it’s not until dead fish and water birds are seen at the river’s edge or on the seashore that people realize what is happening.

Where do the substances which pollute the water come from? There are two main sources of sewage (污水) and industrial waste. As more detergent (洗涤剂) is used in the home, so more of it is finally put into our rivers, lakes and seas. Detergents harm water bird, dissolving the natural substances which keep their feathers waterproof. Sewage itself, if not properly treated, makes the water dirty and prevents all forms of life in rivers and the sea from receiving the oxygen they need. Industrial waste is even more harmful as there are many highly poisonous things in it, such as copper and lead (铅).

So, if we want to stop this pollution，the answer is simple: sewage and industrial waste must be made clear before flowing into the water.It may already be too late to save some rivers and lakes, but others can still be saved if the correct action is taken at once.

1. Pollution of water is noticed ________.

A．when the first organisms are affected

B．when a good many fish and birds die

C．when poisonous things are poured into water

D．as soon as the balance of nature is destroyed

2. The living things die because there is no_____in the lakes or rivers.

A．water	B．waste
C．poison	D．oxygen

3. Which of the following is harmful according to the passage?

A．Organisms.

B．Plants and plankton in the water.

C．Waste water from cities.

D．Industrial waste made clear before flowing into the water.

4. The way to stop water pollution is to ________.

A．realize the serious situation clearly

B．put oxygen into the water

C．make the waste harmless before it flows into the water

D．make special room in the sea for our rubbish

【推荐2】What were you doing when you were nine years old? Making crafts from a Klutz book? Kicking around a soccer ball? Designing a business plan to deal with plastic pollution and relieve childhood poverty? Zymal Umar showed us the latter. The Pakistan’s youngest businesswoman has started a project entitled Zee Bags, which aims to reduce plastic pollution by providing an environmentally-friendly alternative to plastic grocery bags.

When Zymal was on a shopping trip with her parents three years ago, she was shocked by the number of plastic bags on the streets. Depressed by the plastic pollution, she was reminded of the severe consequences our habits have on the environment. Then, she noticed a shopkeeper handing out newspaper bags. And at that moment, Zymal knew she had to act. Since then she has created beautiful, unique reusable newspaper bags for hundreds of customers.

It’s amazing to see this youngster using her brains and business skills for good. And she should certainly feel proud of the work she is doing. After all, plastic grocery bags are killing thousands of marine animals every year through their contribution to plastic waste. According to The Earth Institute, over one trillion plastic bags are used worldwide annually—that’s about two million bags used per minute around the world.

And those bags certainly don’t disappear into thin air. Instead, they end up in our oceans, putting approximately 700 marine species in danger of extinction due to the threat from pollution. And plastic bags are just one of the many forms of plastic trash that ends up in the oceans—in fact, an astonishing 8. 8 million tons of this material make their way from land to the oceans every single year.

But with Zee Bags, we’re all empowered to make more thoughtful choices about our trash production. And Zymal’s amazingness doesn’t stop there—the profits from her sales go towards helping poor children.

1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A．How Zymal felt about her shopping trip.

B．How Zymal learned about plastic pollution.

C．How Zymal was received by the shopkeeper.

D．How Zymal was inspired to create her bags.

2. Why are figures mentioned in the third and fourth paragraphs?

A．To praise Zymal for her great efforts.

B．To urge readers to stop using plastics.

C．To stress the seriousness of plastic pollution.

D．To show the rich knowledge of the author.

3. What can we infer about Zymal from the last paragraph?

A．She is amazing in every aspect of her life.

B．She has concern for the disadvantaged.

C．She urges everyone to be eco-friendly.

D．She earns a lot of money from her business.

4. Which of the following best describes Zymal?

A．Caring.	B．Determined.
C．Confident.	D．Optimistic.

【推荐3】Bringing species like beavers (河狸) back to England is no longer a priority, the government said on Friday to criticism from wildlife groups.

A recent report shows that one in six UK species are at risk of extinction. In September more than 60 conservation organisations reported a significant decline in species due to expansions in farming and the effects of climate change. In recent years, animals and plants have been reintroduced by charities as part of efforts to restore the country’s reduced biodiversity.

Despite the government allowing this, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee concluded in July that there was an absence of long-term plans on how to manage this. In response, the government has now said that the “reintroduction of species is not a priority”.

The government said it was focused on increasing biodiversity through habitat restoration. The government’s environment department has come under scrutiny (详细审查) for not doing more to prevent sewage dumping and other forms of pollution in England’s waterways.

Sir Robert Goodwill, chair of the Committee, said he was disappointed with the government response. Bringing back extinct species is a controversial issue — although farmers and landowners appear broadly supportive, there are risks of reintroducing new species, and without clear guidance, problems could arise.

A recent study showed that river barriers similar to those built by beavers can protect communities at risk of flooding. But there have also been cases documented in Europe where beavers have built their dams in places that have damaged crops and changed rivers.

Joan Edwards, director of Policy & Public Affairs at The Wildlife Trusts said, “Reintroducing wildlife must be part of the UK government’s arsenal (武器) for tackling nature loss and climate change — it is astonishing there is no strategy for doing so.”

“The return of wild beavers can help to recreate lost wetlands, with a knock-on effect that benefits other wildlife including insects, invertebrates and birds. Beavers also slow the flow of water, which can reduce flood risks to towns and villages,” she said.

1. What does paragraph 2 want to convey?

A．The situation of species in the UK is severe.

B．Reintroduction of species in the UK is not a priority.

C．Expansions in farming have a great effect on climate change.

D．The UK government’s response to reduced biodiversity is disappointing.

2. How did the UK government plan to increase biodiversity?

A．By developing strategy.

B．By offering guidance.

C．By expanding farming.

D．By restoring habitat.

3. What did Joan Edwards think of reintroduction of wildlife?

A．It was messy.	B．It was limited.
C．It was beneficial.	D．It was costly.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．The advantages of reintroducing wildlife.

B．The responses to a government statement.

C．The effects of climate change on farming.

D．The approaches to increasing biodiversity.

【推荐3】Why do we find ugly animals so attractive? And what makes odd-looking creatures so cute?

Evolution plays a role. According to Austrian zoologist Konrad Lorenz, human attraction to infantile (婴儿的) features, such as big eyes, large heads and soft bodies, is an evolutionary adaptation that helps ensure that adults care for their children, guaranteeing the survival of their species. Strange-looking animals such as blobfish, pugs, aye-ayes and bulldogs all share these infantile qualities that cause an affectionate response among humans and an innate instinct to nurture and protect. And these infantile characteristics increase a person’s “protective behavior, attention and willingness to care” for the individual and reduce the “likelihood of aggression towards an infant”, says Marta Borgi, a researcher.

Ugly animals often have other value—some, like the blobfish or the naked mole rat, live in extreme environments that they have adapted to in remarkable ways. Scientists are keen to study these animals to understand whether their biology might provide fresh insights that could lead to treatments for human health conditions such as cancer, heart disease and neurodegenerative diseases.

But while many ugly creatures are exquisitely adapted to their life in the wild and can provide enormous benefits to the ecosystems they live in, they often still don’t get as much attention as more traditionally cute and cuddly animals. This can result in a bias (偏见) which leads to many of the less attractive species being overlooked in terms of research.

There are culture-led other factors that also drive our obsession (痴迷) with ugly-cute animals. “The ugly-cute thing is very fashionable,” says Rowena Packer, a lecturer of animal behavior. This is partly driven by social media, with many celebrities (名人) and influencers showing off pet pugs and French bulldogs on Instagram, she says.

But there are some serious welfare concerns around this trend. Vets are urging people not to choose a flat-faced dog breed, because they suffer from serious health problems. Pugs and French bulldogs which have been selectively bred experience breathing difficulties, repeated skin infections and eye diseases. So while goofy features such as bulging eyes and wrinkly faces may make us smile, we might want to reconsider our obsession with “ugly-cute” pets.

1. According to Konrad Lorenz, what features in animals are attractive to humans?

A．Shiny colors.	B．Big eyes and large heads.
C．Unusual body shapes.	D．Soft fur and large faces.

2. What does the underlined word “overlooked” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．Valued.

B．Reconsidered.

C．Ignored.

D．Misunderstood.

3. How do social media drive people’s obsession with ugly-cute animals?

A．By leading different cultures.

B．By showing off ugly animals’ behaviors.

C．By exposing many celebrities and influencers.

D．By publicizing widely known people’s ugly-cute pets.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．How ugly animals adapt to the wild.	B．Why we like ugly-cute animals.
C．Why lovely animals attract humans.	D．How we handle animals’ health problems.