The world’s animal populations have decreased by more than two-thirds since 1970, according to a recent research from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
The London group provided information on 32,000 wildlife populations which included more than 5,000 species. The researchers found that population sizes had declined by 69 percent on average. They said the loss of forests, human exploitation (开发) of the environment, pollution, and climate change were great causes of the loss. Land-use change is still the biggest threat to wildlife. However, the researchers added, ”if we cannot limit warming to 1.5“C, climate change is likely to become the dominant cause of biodiversity loss in the coming years.”
Wildlife populations in Latin American and the Caribbean Sea area were greatly affected. The research showed a 94 percent drop in those areas in over 50 years. Wildlife populations in river and lake habitats decreased the most. Freshwater populations have declined by an average of 83 percent since 1970. For example, one population of pink river dolphins in the Amazon River area of Brazil fell by 65 percent between 1994 and 2016.
These findings are a red flag that warns of a larger system failure on the horizon. Even one species’ population decline can affect other species, eventually impacting the ecosystem’s ability to function. Humans depend on a stable climate, predictable weather patterns, and productive farmland and fisheries to thrive (蓬勃发展), but the current trends are severe enough to threaten many life-sustaining systems.
Our future depends on reversing(扭转) the loss of nature just as much as it depends on dealing with climate change. And you can’t solve one without solving the other. Everyone has a role in reversing these trends, from individuals to companies to governments. If nothing changes, animal populations will undoubtedly continue to fall, driving wildlife to extinction and threatening the integrity (完整) of the ecosystems on which we all depend.
1. What is the greatest threat to wildlife populations currently?| A．Illegal hunting. |
| B．Global warming. |
| C．Land-use change. |
| D．Environmental pollution. |
| A．By listing figures. |
| B．By analyzing the causes. |
| C．By making a comparison. |
| D．By referring to a concept. |
| A．Climate change threatens many wild animals. |
| B．Farmland is the basis of life-sustaining systems |
| C．Species diversity is important to maintain a stable ecosystem. |
| D．Extreme weather events have become more and more frequent. |
| A．To explain the difficulty of restoring ecosystems |
| B．To call on people to take action to protect nature. |
| C．To present the increasing trend of climate change. |
| D．To show people’s efforts in reversing the loss of nature. |
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【推荐1】What would you think if someone suggested knocking down St Paul’s Cathedral to widen the road? Or pulling down Big Ben to make way for a car park? It would be ridiculous, right? But when it comes to devastation (毁灭) of the natural world, we aren’t so easily shocked. But we should be...or we’ll be in a lot of trouble.
Nature is shrinking by the day. Ancient forests are destroyed. Wetlands are becoming dry. Woodland is disappearing, and all in the name of progress. This is bad in itself, but it’s devastating for biodiversity.
Biodiversity refers to the variety of plants, animals and other living things that are all interconnected. The ecological services provided by biodiversity are vital to everyday life. The air we breathe is a product of photosynthesis (光合作用) by green plants. Insects, worms and bacteria break down waste and make soils rich. And tiny organisms clean the water in rivers and sea. In fact, all life on the earth exists thanks to the benefits of biodiversity. More than 90 percent of the calories consumed by people worldwide are produced from 80 plant species. And 30 percent of medicines are developed from plants and animals. Maintaining a wide diversity of species in each ecosystem is necessary to preserve all living things.
The loss of biodiversity could be devastating. “It is wrong to think that biodiversity can be reduced indefinitely without threatening humans,” said Harvard University biologist Edward O. Wilson, known as the “father of biodiversity”. He warned, “We are about to reach a critical point beyond which biodiversity loss will become irreversible (不可挽回的).”
But what can we do? The present problem is that the concept of biodiversity is so vague (含糊的). People might care about giant pandas, but it is much harder to excite them about the fate of tiny sea creatures which are being boiled to death in the cooling systems of power stations along coastlines. The Guardian newspaper is trying to help. It has launched the Biodiversity 100 campaign to try to convince governments around the world to take action to deal with the widespread concerns about biodiversity. This includes persuading the UK government to create a series of marine reserves to reserve the decrease in the sea-life caused by industrial fishing, stopping fishing sharks by the Japanese fishermen and banning the killing of dingoes (wild dogs) in Australia, among many other things.
There is a lot to do. And we’d better act quickly if we don’t want to end up with a planet that can’t sustain life!
1. The writer thinks it ________ to pull down Big Ben to make way for a car park.| A．unreasonable | B．necessary | C．difficult | D．essential |
| A．nature is badly polluted by humans | B．species are becoming fewer and fewer day by day |
| C．rainforests are being cut down every day | D．nature is full of mysteries |
| A．it doesn’t matter to reduce biodiversity | B．people have done enough to preserve biodiversity |
| C．the situation of biodiversity is very serious | D．biodiversity loss has become irreversible |
| A．people might not clearly know what is biodiversity and what should be protected |
| B．people are not aware that giant pandas are endangered |
| C．people don’t realize that biodiversity is vital to everyday life |
| D．people hunt sea creatures for food |
| A．The UK government. | B．The concept of biodiversity. |
| C．The action to deal with the problem. | D．The Guardian newspaper. |
【推荐2】Are you afraid of sharks? What about snakes or spiders? Put those fears aside: because in the U.S. you’re far more likely to be killed or injured by a deer skipping across the road.
Deer cause more than 200 humans deaths each year, plus some 29,000 injuries, all because of 1.2 million collisions between vehicles and deer. Most incidents occur in the eastern U.S., where deer prosper without natural predators like wolves and mountain lions.
“That’s the region in the U.S. where deer-vehicle collisions are such a problem, and where it seems like an effective large carnivore reintroduction could make a really big difference.” says wildlife biologist Laura Prugh from University of Washington. She thinks it would help to reintroduce predators like mountain lions, also known as cougars, pumas or panthers, to parts of their historic range from which they’ve been driven out.
The researchers say that bringing the predators back to the eastern U.S. would mean 22 percent fewer collisions between cars and deer over three decades. Each year would see five fewer human deaths, 680 fewer injuries and a savings of some 550 million. Sophie L. Gilbert thinks there are great socioeconomic benefits of large predator restoration through reduced wildlife-vehicle collisions and she says, says, “Cougars have shown that they can coexist in short distance with people, with very few conflicts, in a lot of areas out west.”
Still, some folks might be understandably nervous about this kind of plan. After all, reintroducing predators doesn’t come without risks to pets and to livestock, and very occasionally to people.
“Our fear of large predators is so natural and intense that I don’t think it’s possible to just completely clear it with statistics... What I hope is that knowing that there actually can be some measurable benefits might make people a little more supportive and maybe balance that fear a little bit.” says Laura.
Indeed, the statistics show that cougars would prevent five times as many human deaths from deer-related accidents as they would cause by attacks. But it’ll be a tough sell: the press will cover cougar attacks, but a statistically prevented death does not make the news. Nevertheless, “If people in the west can put up with having mountain lions around, I would hope that New Yorkers would be up for the challenge as well.”
1. What is closest in meaning to the underlined word “carnivore” in Paragraph 3?| A．A cat-like animal. |
| B．A dangerous animal. |
| C．A meat-eating animal. |
| D．A grass-eating animal. |
| A．To minimize the accidents caused by deer. |
| B．To maintain biodiversity and ecological balance. |
| C．To take up the challenge from people in the west. |
| D．To reduce people’s fear of this dangerous creature. |
| A．Because the risks outweigh the benefits. |
| B．Because mountains lions like eating people. |
| C．Because the benefits are not as eye-catching as its risks. |
| D．Because mountain lions tend to get too close to people. |
| A．Puma: a Tough Sell |
| B．A New Study on Puma |
| C．Deer Cause Huge Life Losses |
| D．Deer or Pumas: a Hard Choice |
【推荐3】To make room for agriculture, trees and other plants are often cleared away so that farmers have space to grow crops. The clearing of forests forces many animals from their homes. They often flee the area in search of a new place to live. There is a big downside to that. Some of those animals are natural predators. They control pest populations. They can help to clear the fields of rats, mice, and other rodents that eat and damage crops.
This happened at one small farming village in Indonesia. After land was cleared for farming, rats and mice began appearing in large numbers. Villagers tried to target the animals by smoking them out and hunting them. But the villagers were unsuccessful.
So, one farmer decided to try another method- a natural one.
Pujo Arto brought owls to his farm. Owls, after all, are experts at hunting rodents. It is what they do. And it worked! However, Pujo Arto didn't stop with his own field. He set up a Natural Predator Program. Now, owls are busy catching rats and mice in the fields around the village of Tlogoweru. There is a huge upside: no need for chemical pesticides which can harm not only rodents, but other creatures.
In 2011, the Indonesian man began setting up boxes where the owls live. He is also raising owlets in the village. After about four months, the young birds are released. These facilities have raised more than owls. They have also raised awareness in the community about the importance of owls. They raised awareness within their community by building homes for those owls. At the same time, government officials helped to create laws to protect those owls.
In addition to controlling pests naturally, there is another upside to the program. His village is now a popular stop for eco-tourists. People interested in learning more about owls, wildlife protection and natural pest control come to his village to learn more.
1. Why did the owls get away from the land around the village?| A．There was no food to eat. |
| B．There were too many rats and mice. |
| C．They were smoked away. |
| D．They had no place to live. |
| A．to use owls to catch the crop-damaging rodents |
| B．to attract eco-tourists to the village |
| C．to raise awareness of protecting forests |
| D．to control pests by using chemical pesticides |
a. introducing owls
b. pests being controlled naturally
c. rodents appearing in large numbers.
d. clearing forests
| A．abcd |
| B．bcda |
| C．dcab |
| D．dabc |
| A．The importance of protecting owls. |
| B．Indonesian village uses owls to protect crops. |
| C．The advantages of using natural predators in agriculture. |
| D．The government's role in using owls to control pests. |
【推荐1】The white rhinoceros (犀牛) holds near threatened state due to destructive hunting. Scientists are working hard to stop this and they’re doing it with some pretty cool drone (无人机) tech.
One of the biggest dangers to endangered animals in the modern day comes from hunting, which claims the lives of hundreds of white rhinos every year. However, while rangers (护林者) and regular guarding can help in stopping hunters from certain areas, they are often well-armed and unafraid to fire upon those hoping to protect the rhinos. This is where drones come in—if preservation researchers work in these areas there would be a real danger of coming into contact with the hunters, and their lives might well be at risk. By having drones collect data, movement patterns and numbers of animals, biologists are able to avoid many of these risks.
But drones aren’t only used to collect information in dangerous areas—they can also be sent into the skies above difficult-to-reach areas to get data that would otherwise be tough to collect. The endangered animals are usually found in thick jungle, and organizing a team for exploration can be expensive, time-taking, and require a great deal of bodies and planning. Instead, researches can send drones over the forest to get data about the habitat of the animals, and perhaps even get high quality images of them. This information can be extremely valuable when it comes to an on-foot exploring, as researchers can get up-to-date information on the whereabouts of the animals as they move. In this situation, human-led surveys will still offer better results, but drones can play a huge part in the preservation process.
The downside currently is the cost, which can run into tens, if not thousands, of dollars. However, drone tech is still becoming a more achievable option in the fight against extinction.
1. What is the possible danger to preservation researchers according to the passage?| A．Suffering from hunger. | B．Getting lost in the jungle. |
| C．Fighting with wild animals. | D．Being attacked from hunters. |
| A．By showing the direction. | B．By providing real-time information. |
| C．By organizing a exploring team. | D．By making plans to protect them. |
| A．Cautious. | B．Worried. | C．Favorable. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．Drones’ Advantages | B．Drones in Preservation |
| C．Drones against Danger | D．Drones for the Rhinocerosss |
【推荐2】Researchers in Australia have identified enzymes (酶) in the body of certain beetle larvae (甲虫幼虫) that can degrade or break down plastic. In a study published in Microbial Genomics, they write that these “superworms” could help reduce plastic waste in the future.
“Superworms are like mini recycling plants, cutting up the polysyrene (聚苯乙烯) with their mouths and then feeding it to the bacteria in their stomach,” said Chris Rinke from the University of Queensland in Australia. “The breakdown products from this reaction can then be used by other microbes to create high-value chemicals.”
In the study, scientists divided beetle larvae into three groups, feeding one group wheat bran, one polystyrene and one nothing. Over three weeks, they monitored their growth. “We found that superworms fed a diet of just polystyrene not only survived, but even had marginal weight gains,” said Rinke. “This suggests the worms can get energy from the polystyrene, most likely with the help of their stomach bacteria.”
On the other hand, the plastic-fed worms gained much less weight and were overall much less healthy than the bran-fed ones, though better off than the starvation group. After three weeks, some larvae were also set aside to grow into beetles, according to the study. About 93% of the bran-fed larvae formed adult worms, while about 67% of the plastic-fed larvae and 10% of the starved larvae formed adult worms.
The researchers investigated the superworm’s stomach bacteria to find the specific enzymes linked to plastic degradation, writes Fionna M. D. Samuels for Scientific American. The enzyme that degrades the polystyrene appears to live with the stomach bacteria, not the worm itself.
Polystyrene is one of the most common plastics used today. But it’s not very chemically reactive, and breaking it down with industrial recycling methods takes high heat. So, researchers have been looking for plastic-degrading enzymes and bacteria for years.
Further research will still need to be done to figure out how to employ these worms, bacteria and enzymes in recycling facilities.
1. What does Chris Rinke compare superworms to?| A．Small plants. | B．Beetle larvae. | C．Stomach bacteria. | D．High-value chemicals. |
| A．Few. | B．Tiny. | C．Obvious. | D．Normal. |
| A．The damage of plastic to life. |
| B．Possible causes of plastic pollution. |
| C．Researchers’ efforts over the years to recycle plastic. |
| D．The necessity of finding out a way to degrade plastic. |
| A．To report a new way to recycle plastic. | B．To call on people to reduce plastic waste. |
| C．To explain how larvae can degrade plastic. | D．To introduce the findings of a new research. |
【推荐3】The famous French beauty company L’Oreal has promised that by 2030, 95 percent of its ingredients will come from renewable plant sources and be respectful of the environment. Asked what is driving the beauty industry to clean and green beauty, Laurent Gilbert, one of L’Oreal’s directors said, “Natural science has made progress in the past years, so that we can change to natural ingredients.”
L’Oreal says it will draw on recent developments in Green Sciences to get the best that nature has to offer through technology. Up to now, 80 percent of the Group’s materials have been easily biodegradable, 59 percent have been renewable, and 34 percent have been natural or of natural origin. And 29 percent of the ingredients used in their products were developed following the rules of Green Chemistry.
“We have already used active ingredients which are plant-based. The way we are getting and producing ingredients will change. For example, we are now fully getting vitamin C from biotechnology processes, which was not the case in the past,” Gilbert added.
As part of their sustainability program, the brand had also promised to use less plastic. It said, “By 2030, 100 percent of the plastics used in L’Oreal’s products’ packaging will be from recycled sources. We have a strong policy to help reach that goal. Besides making it recycled, we are trying to move to a new kind of packaging.”
“All our promises are global. We have two research centers in India, one in Bengaluru and one in Mumbai. Those are really important to those goals. The Bengaluru one is being specialized in natural ingredients. It will give support to this change,” says the research center, which was set up in India in 1994.
To achieve these aims, L’Oreal has brought all of its resources in Green Science together, including recent progress in agricultural economics, together with new developments in biotechnology, Green Chemistry and modelling tools. The Group is also building strong relationships with universities, new companies and its own material supplies.
1. What plays an important role in L’Oreal’s decision to change its ingredients?| A．The support from the local government. | B．The development of natural science. |
| C．The call for smart spending habits. | D．The research on target markets. |
| A．By listing data. | B．By making comparisons. |
| C．By telling personal stories. | D．By showing causes and effects. |
| A．To bring convenience to customers. | B．To avoid damage to its products. |
| C．To cut the cost of packaging. | D．To reduce plastic use. |
| A．Develop new resources and join hands with different groups. |
| B．Limit the number of factories in developed countries. |
| C．Grow more plants and invite plenty of professionals. |
| D．Keep the traditional way of producing materials. |
【推荐1】Iceland is Europe’s westernmost country. Over 1,000 years ago, ancient explorers migrated from northern Europe to Iceland and established the country. Most visitors’ popular destination is its capital city, Reykjavik, known for its stylish architecture. The city’s downtown area is lined with shops, art galleries, cafes, and bookstores.
Iceland is one of the most volcanically active nations in the world with a number of hot springs, all of which are heated naturally by volcanic activity. In fact, Iceland changes energy from these springs into electricity, which powers and heats people’s homes. As a result, Iceland burns very little fossil (化石) fuel, such as oil and gas. Hot springs are also popular among tourists. They receive more than 1.3 million visitors a year, who can relax their muscles and release their tension in the hot water.
Apart from springs, there is a range of outdoor activities for visitors to enjoy elsewhere in the country. “Iceland is an adventure,” says Squire, whose company organizes adventure trips. “We have Europe’s biggest glaciers (冰山), active volcanoes, cave explorations, and skiing.” One of Iceland’s most popular attractions is caving. Exploring Iceland’s unusual caves requires only basic caving knowledge and equipment. Ice caves are more challenging, however, and require special clothes and hiking tools.
If exploring caves and glaciers doesn’t interest you, head south. No trip to Iceland would be complete without a visit to the Golden Circle, which connects Gullfoss, Geysir, and Thingvellir Valley. Adventurers go to the Thingvellir Valley, where the land is actually separating and the stony ground beneath your feet frequently shifts. Hold on while you hike!
1. What is Reykjavik famous for?| A．Fashionable buildings. | B．Small shops. | C．Art galleries. | D．Modern cafes. |
| A．From solar power. | B．From hot springs. | C．From oil. | D．From gas. |
| A．Risky. | B．Enjoyable. | C．Boring. | D．Rewarding. |
| A．Scientists. | B．The locals. | C．Tourists. | D．Business travellers. |
【推荐2】On October 1, 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was officially established. Since its inception, NASA has been interested in exploring outer space. However, in the face of climate change, NASA’s most important task might be its exploration of the earth.
Although it’s not as historic as a moon landing, NASA has been collecting valuable information about the earth for decades-since at least 1968, when Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders took his “Earthrise” photo of the earth from the moon. Soon after, in 1972, NASA launched (发射) the Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS). Later known as Landsat 1, it was the first earth-observing satellite to be launched in order to observe and study the earth.
Karen St. Germain, director of NASA’s Earth Science Division, said, “For nearly 50 years, Landsat satellites have provided continuous and timely data, which can help us understand the earth and plan for the future in a changing climate.”
50 years later, Landsat 9 was successfully launched from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base. Landsat 9 features two sensors (传感器) that will measure 11 wavelengths of light appearing on the surface of the earth. The first sensor, a camera known as the Operational Land Imager 2 (OLI-2), will take pictures of the earth. The second, the Thermal Infrared Sensor 2 (TIRS-2), will measure the heat from the earth’s surface.
“Landsat 9 will be our new eyes in the sky when it comes to observing our changing planet,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for science at NASA. “By working with the other Landsat satellites, we’ll have observations of any given place on our planet every two days. This is very important for tracking things like crop growth and helping decision-makers observe the earth and its natural resources.”
“Launches are always exciting, and today was no exception,” said Jeff Masek, NASA Landsat 9 project scientist. “But the best part for me, as a scientist, will be when the satellite starts delivering the data that people are waiting for.”
1. What does “inception” underlined in paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Establishment. | B．Publishing. | C．Failure. | D．Disappearance. |
| A．Jeff Masek. | B．Karen St. Germain. |
| C．Thomas Zurbuchen. | D．William Anders. |
| A．The launch of Landsat 9. | B．The two sensors in Landsat 9. |
| C．The data collected by NASA. | D．The pictures taken by Landsat 9. |
| A．Landsat 9: New Eyes in the Sky |
| B．NASA: the Home of Astronauts |
| C．Space: the Focus of International Attention |
| D．Landsat 1:The First Earth-Observing Satellite |
【推荐3】Whether paired with a bottle of nice red wine or a burger, cheese can be a delicious treat. But it is not perhaps, the ideal material to use in printing — unless you are a team of nutritional scientists. One group of researchers used 3D printing to create a cheese. And the cheese could provide a valuable insight for engineers who are still developing materials for 3D printing.
A team from the school of food and nutritional sciences at University College Cork (UCC) conducted a series of tests evaluating the 3D-printed cheese. 3D printing materials need to be fluid (液态) enough to flow but also capable of setting into a definite shape or structure.
After melting the cheese at 75°C (167°F) for 12 minutes, the UCC team then ran it through a modified commercial 3D printer. The machine, which usually prints with plastic, was fitted with a syringe (注射器) to allow it to print with the melted cheese.
The UCC team used several techniques to examine the effects of the 3D printing process on their cheese. They compared the 3D-printed results to processed cheese that had been melted and then cooled, as well as another sample that was left untouched. Cheese that was 3D printed was 45% to 49% softer than the processed cheese, the researchers said. They also discovered that 3D-printed cheese was a little darker in colour and more fluid when melted, though it melted at about the same temperature as processed cheese.
Dr Kelly and his colleagues are now testing other types of dairy products which can be 3D-printed. Dr Kelly said, “We are using mixtures of milk proteins at present to build a product, perhaps a high-protein snack, and designing recipes which might work best for a 3D printer. ”
1. What problems are the engineers facing in 3D printing a cheese?| A．They don't have proper material. |
| B．They can't find a bottle of nice red wine or a burger. |
| C．They can't make the cheese very delicious. |
| D．They know much less than nutritional scientists. |
| A．They raised the temperature to 75°C. |
| B．They added a syringe to the printer. |
| C．They bought some cheese to paint it. |
| D．They evaluated the 3D-printed cheese. |
| A．It melts more easily. | B．It tastes more delicious. |
| C．It costs less money. | D．It is much softer. |
| A．Publish a report on their research. |
| B．Invent a new 3D printer. |
| C．3D print more milk food. |
| D．Make more cheese with their machine. |
