In 2019, a NASA satellite map with dark and light green colors showed the world that China is leading the increase in greening on Earth’s land area because of national tree-planting programs.
March 12 marks China’s Tree Planting Day.
Since the People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949, the Chinese government has continued to use the day to honor Sun’s contribution to the country.
In 2019，a research team of Boston University found that the global green leaf area has increased by five percent since the early 2000s.
In 2021，China planted 3.6 million hectares of forest and changed 380,800 hectares of farmland into forest. The country plans to plant 6.4 million hectares of trees and grass this year.
| A．Chinese people like planting trees |
| B．When they first noticed the difference |
| C．Unfamiliar to many, the tradition dates back to 1915 |
| D．And Chinese people voluntarily planted over 64 billion trees from 1982 to 2012 |
| E．Trees play a very important role in protecting the environment |
| F．The data shows that at least 25 percent of that gain came from China |
| G．A surprising fact is that though covering about 9.6 million square kilometers of land |
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【推荐1】Every year migratory(迁徙的) bats travel from Mexico to Bracken Cave, where they spend the summer consuming insects that would otherwise hungrily eat common food crops. But the bats have been showing up far earlier than they did two decades ago.
In a study, scientists at Rothamsted Research, an agricultural laboratory in England, used radar data from 160 U.S. weather stations to analyze activity in the Texas bat colony from 1995 through 2017. They discovered the creatures were leaving their winter quarters in Mexico earlier and reproducing sooner. They were also astonished to find increasing numbers of bats overwintering(过冬) at Bracken Cave instead of heading back to their cold weather quarters in Mexico. Overwintering is a sign that warmer temperatures change the bats’ annual rhythms, Rothamsted biologist Phillip Stepanian says.
A separate study of migratory bats in Indiana, published last year, found that temperature variations affected arrival and departure times—likewise hinting at the potential influence of climate change. Joy O’Keefe, a biology professor at Indiana State University and co-author of that study, says early arrival at their summer habitats(栖息地) could expose these bats to cold snaps(寒流), and they could freeze to death.
Joy O’Keefe and her colleagues also found that changing bat migration times can also clash with rainfall patterns. Many insects that bats eat breed in seasonal lakes and puddles. If the bats arrive too early to benefit from summer rainfall and the resulting abundance of insects, they may struggle to feed their pups(幼崽) or skip reproduction altogether, O’Keefe says. She fears this shift could cause Midwestern bats to decrease toward extinction, which would be bad news for humans. “Declines in bat populations could have severe effects for crop success,” she says, adding that bats also “control significant disease vectors, such as mosquitoes.”
However, scientists are not certain that climate change alone is causing the Bracken Cave bat colony to migrate earlier. They have found a direct link between seasonal temperatures and bird migration, but bats are also influenced by factors such as changes in wind speed and direction. And there are other complications. “Bats are mysterious little animals that move mostly at night and are difficult to observe and track,” Stepanian says. “We have this conceptual picture of what might be happening, but really tying it to the cause is the next step.”
1. Scientists at Rothamsted Research found that _________.| A．bats prefer colder weather |
| B．bats delay their reproduction |
| C．warming affects bat migration |
| D．radar can be used to observe bats |
| A．bats are used to living in rainfall seasons |
| B．bats’ earlier migration might harm farming |
| C．insects’ reproduction helps to spread disease |
| D．insects shortage makes bats reproduce earlier |
| A．Wind speed and direction affect bats. |
| B．It is difficult to observe and track bats. |
| C．Climate change makes bats migrate earlier. |
| D．Further research on the cause is necessary. |
| A．Bats’ habitats | B．Endangered bats |
| C．Bats’ schedule | D．Bats, our good friends |
【推荐2】Have you heard of Robert Bateman? He worked late the evening of March 31,1992. He studied his painting of three lions. Bateman decided to add some finishing touches. As he turned away from the canvas, he smiled, imagining the reaction of his staff the next morning. What an April Fools’ joke! The next day, when his assistants came to the studio, they were shocked. What had the famous artist done to his masterpiece? The lions had bat ears!
World-famous wildlife artist Robert Bateman lives in British Columbia, Canada. On working days, he might be found hiking on the mountain, sketching birds and animals. Bateman spends his days observing, studying, and painting wildlife.
As a boy, Bateman explored the woods and fields around his home in Toronto, Ontario. By the 1970s, he was well-known for his realistic paintings of the natural world.
When he’s not in the woods or mountains, Bateman can be found at home in front of his easel (画架). He still gets a thrill out of seeing an eagle. Sometimes, Bateman does not even have to leave home to find an eagle. They come to him. Eagles rest on a dead tree that Bateman “planted” in rock in front of his house.
Bateman’s most exciting place to find subjects to paint is in Africa. “Every day in Africa is thrilling,” he says. “There are places in Africa that look like the Garden of Eden (伊甸园).”
As for the bat ears on the lions, Bateman painted them on with watercolor paints. After everyone had a good laugh, he simply washed the ears away.
1. Why did Bateman add bat ears to the lion?| A．Because he was dissatisfied with his painting. |
| B．Because he wanted to joke with his staff members. |
| C．Because he would like to make his painting more attractive. |
| D．Because he was eager to have a better study on his painting. |
| A．To look for fun. | B．To research and paint wildlife. |
| C．To take care of wildlife. | D．To search for new species of wildlife. |
| A．He lived in the UK many years ago. |
| B．He spends quite a lot of time in hunting eagles. |
| C．His paintings do not look like real things in life. |
| D．He is particularly fond of living in Africa. |
| A．Crazy and cruel. | B．Naughty and unkind. |
| C．Humorous and hardworking. | D．Imaginative and impractical. |
【推荐3】Koalas in Australia could disappear from New South Wales state (NSW) by 2050, unless the state government immediately acts to protect them.
Koalas are among Australia’s most beloved animals. A report released on Tuesday said that land clearing for agriculture, urban ( 城市) development, mining and forestry are threatening the koalas’ survival in NSW, since such operations destroy koala habitat. Koalas live in eucalyptus（桉树）forests, where the trees provide shelter and food for the koalas. But, the state’s recent fire season, aided by severely dry weather this year, was unusually long and proved disastrous for koalas. The research found that about 25 percent of koala habitat across the state was destroyed. The report also said that, in some parts of NSW, fires destroyed as much as 81 percent of the habitat. “The evidence could not be more disturbing,” the report reads, adding, “The government’s action on the report’s suggested measures is the only way our children’s grandchildren can see a koala in the wild in NSW.”
The report advises that the government take 42 actions to deal with the problem. One calls for immediately counting koalas in NSW. Another advises that the government place the protection of the animals above urban development. And it calls for more money to support the efforts to save the environment.
A spokesperson for NSW said the government would comment on the report after a period of consideration. The official added that the state had already provided more than $30 million to protect koalas.
1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．The loss of Koalas’ habitat. | B．The causes of fire season. |
| C．The effect of climate change. | D．The measures of state government. |
| A．Weakened. | B．Caused. | C．Worsened. | D．Improved. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Uncaring. | C．Serious. | D．Negative. |
【推荐1】Research shows that with 2℃ of global warming we will have more disasters like droughts, floods, wildfires and storms. Unless we act immediately to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we won’t be able to escape the worst consequences of climate change. This can seem depressing.
●Transform your transport
●
To reduce your food’s carbon footprint, buy local and seasonal foods. You’ll be helping small businesses and farms in your area and reducing fossil fuel emissions associated with transport and cold chain storage. Go one step further and try growing your own fruit, vegetables and herbs.
●Don’t waste food
One-third of all food produced is either lost or wasted. People waste 1 billion tons of food each year, which accounts for around 8-10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Avoid waste by only buying what you need. Take advantage of every edible (可食用的) part of the foods you buy. Be creative with leftovers, share extras with your friends and neighbours.
| A．Grow your own food |
| B．Shop local and buy sustainable |
| C．Transport is a typical example of human activities |
| D．But the good news is that there’s a lot we can still do as individuals |
| E．Traffic accounts for around a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions |
| F．You can plant them in a garden, on a balcony or even on a window sill |
| G．Make compost (堆肥) out of inedible parts and use it to fertilize (使肥沃) your garden |
【推荐2】In the forest of New Mexico, scientists are carrying two ten-day-old Mexican wolf pups (幼崽) riding in a backpack, searching for a Mexican wolf pair that has just given birth to six pups.
Mexican wolves were extinct in the USA by the 1970s, but there was a plan to bring them back. The first step was to trap five wild Mexican wolves and breed them with two caged ones. In 1998, the first caged-born adult Mexican wolves were released into forests.
The idea is that the caged pups will grow up and breed with wild wolves.
| A．The scientists were content with it. |
| B．So the experts came up with a new plan. |
| C．The wolf parents only care for their own pups. |
| D．In this way their healthy genes will be passed down. |
| E．The population slowly grew, but scientists were still worried. |
| F．After that, the wolf parents won’t mind taking care of the new pups. |
| G．The wolf mum and dad don’t know it, but they’re about to adopt two more! |
【推荐3】Do you drink water that's been left sitting out overnight or even for another day? Have you noticed it tastes different?
Tap water that has been left to sit out slowly begins to acquire(获得) an off taste. Many people think that this is because of microorganisms. But that's not what makes old water taste not fresh. For that we can thank carbon dioxide. After about 12 hours, tap water starts to go flat as carbon dioxide in the air starts to mix with the water in the glass, lowering its pH and giving it an off taste. But it's most likely safe to drink.
However, back to those microorganisms. If you use a dirty glass day after day, there is more of a chance of bacteria making themselves known; a risk that increases if you share the glass with another mouth as well. But assuming(假设) you use a fresh glass every few days, you probably won't have a problem unless the glass has been touched by dirty fingers, and especially if those dirty fingers went unwashed after using the bathroom.
As for plastic water bottles that have been left out in the sun or in the car, step away from the bottle, warns Dr. Kellogg Schwab, director of the Johns Hopkins University Water Institute. "A chemical called bisphenol-A, or BPA, along with other things used to make plastic can leach(过滤) into your water if the bottle heats up or sits in the sun," he explains. BPA, as you probably know, has been linked to everything from heart disease to cancer. Schwab also adds that plastic used for commercial bottled water isn't meant to be washed or refilled, so use only one time and recycle. Or don't buy them at all; use refillable water bottles instead.
1. Tap water begin to acquire an off taste because of______ .| A．BPA | B．carbon dioxide |
| C．the glass | D．the microorganism |
| A．is still safe to drink | B．tastes better |
| C．contains few microorganisms | D．is most likely undrinkable |
| A．Throw them away. |
| B．Clean them and use them again. |
| C．Use them after they cool down. |
| D．Refill them with fresh water. |
| A．It is safe for people to use. |
| B．It is a kind of new material. |
| C．It can cause great harm to people. |
| D．It is the main material to make plastic. |
