The Great Barrier Reef is the result of millions of years of continental (大陆的) shifts, sea-level changes, and layers of coral (珊瑚) growth. The Reef was built over millennia (数千年) by coral attaching itself to existing dead coral, as it continued to reach toward the light. Like most living things, coral needs the sun to survive and generally lives in shallow waters, where enough sunlight can penetrate (穿透) the water. Sea levels began to rise at the end of the last most recent ice age, about 14,000 years ago. As a result, the previously exposed Reef was covered by water and the coral expanded along the length of the newly revived Reef.
Climate change is having a dangerous impact on this natural wonder. Although coral and algae (海藻) have evolved despite climate change, allowing them to survive, coral has begun producing products that are poisonous to the Reef and block the growth of algae. Additional concerns include the overwhelming amount of pollution and chemical runoff into the water which harms the already affected coral and reduces biodiversity.
The Great Barrier Reef is well known as one of the best diving destinations in the world. You can do your part to help scientists preserve the Reef’s ecosystem while visiting. By paying a visit to the Reef, visitors pay a reef tax that will be used for the management and conservation of the Reef. A lesser-known contribution visitors can make to Reef preservation is signing up for REEFSearch. After signing up, you’ll be sent a field guide that will teach you how to collect information that scientists can use to study the Reef’ s health. During each dive, using the information sent to you, you will look for key species, check for coral conditions, and make note of any garbage found near the Reef. These small contributions can ultimately have a large impact and save one of the great wonders of the world.
1. Why does coral live in shallow waters?| A．It must coexist with algae. | B．It needs sufficient sunlight. |
| C．It has to stick to dead ancestors. | D．It has to avoid deep-sea pollution. |
| A．The rise of sea levels. | B．The exposure of it to air. |
| C．The change of its habitat. | D．The threat from its enemies. |
| A．Coral cannot survive. | B．Algae become harmful. |
| C．Algae cannot be seen on the surface. | D．Coral produces something poisonous to the Reef. |
| A．Study the Reef’ s formation. | B．Find new habitats for coral. |
| C．Gather information on the Reef’ s health. | D．Search for dangerous species around coral. |
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【推荐1】No trees are seemingly cut down every time you search something or read a social media post on your phone or laptop. But websites alone do create emissions (排放)—internet usage is responsible for almost four percent of global emissions. That might not seem like a lot, but it is equivalent to about the same emissions caused by global air travel. That percentage is predicted to almost double by 2025 according to a post by Brussels-based energy magazine Energuide. And internet usage is on the rise—as the pandemic pushed many jobs and education online, internet usage went up as high as 40 percent.
The emissions caused by websites come from the hosting company that ensures that websites are up and running when users search for them on their server. By working with an environmentally sound server like Green Geeks, A2 Hosting, and Host Papa that focuses on renewable energy or lowering their energy usage, websites become more sustainable, Wired UK reported. Something as simple as using fewer images on a web page also helps lower emissions. Another way to reduce emissions is to have simply designed websites with little to no moving images like gifts.
Another aspect of creating more sustainable websites means raising awareness, or letting servers or customers in need of new web design know that it’s even an option for them. Some major search engines like Google have promised to reduce their tech centers’ water usage and to rely on more sustainable energy to run their search engines and other online products like Gmail and Google Docs.
Baruch Labunski, CEO of Toronto-based SEO company Rank Secure, explains that when many clients work with the company to have their websites designed, they don’t often think about sustainability. Companies like Rank Secure make a point to have sustainability as part of their process when working with businesses who want help with web design by relying on more sustainable data centers.
Of course, lowering the greenhouse gas footprint of your website is just the start of building up a sustainable company. Just relying on some renewable energy to have an eco-friendly website doesn’t make a company automatically eco-friendly.
“We need to think about the overall impact of our businesses.” says Labunksi. “If your business manufactures or even uses singleuse plastics, then your website’s carbon footprint shouldn’t be your primary concern.”
1. To create more sustainable websites, the hosting company should_________.| A．meet the data needs |
| B．design new websites with more gifs |
| C．work with an eco-friendly server |
| D．improve the education online |
| A．The clients should raise awareness and consider sustainability. |
| B．Rank Secure has no sustainable awareness when working with business. |
| C．Creating more sustainable websites can provide the only option for clients. |
| D．All major search engines promised to reduce their tech center water usage. |
| A．evaluate the methods to reduce emissions |
| B．inform readers the harm of overusing websites |
| C．encourage search engines to lower the energy usage |
| D．call for building up sustainable companies of emission reduction |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项 （A 、B 、C 和 D ）中，选出最佳选项。
A survey has shown that what you do on a plane can be determined by which nationality is listed on your passport.
According to the results of an international passenger survey, Australians are the biggest drinkers on board with 36 percent choosing to down the hatch, compared to 35 percent of Americans and 33 percent of Brits.
The Airline Passenger Experience Association(APEX) spoke to around 1,500 people, aged 18 and older, who have travelled by plane at least once during the last three months and were living in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, China, Singapore, Australia and Brazil.
The results found Chinese travelers are most likely to nod off once the seat-belt sign switches off. They are also the first to take out their credit card for some in-flight shopping and the biggest fans of gaming. Americans on the other hand like to use their time in the air more productively — when not drinking — choosing to work while flying at 35,000 feet.
Meanwhile, Brits and Germans are the best at making chat with random strangers — spending 50 percent more time than any other nationality. Comparatively, Brazilians conduct their conversations online via email, messaging apps or social media.
Despite plane food having a bad reputation, seven out of ten interviewees said they were happy to eat up on the selection of in-flight snacks and meals. In-flight magazines were also popular with four out of five passengers.
The international flyers did however express their desire for better in-flight entertainment. “The industry has greatly improved the comfort, entertainment and onboard service, and passengers are accepting those improvements.” said Russell Lemieux, APEX executive director. “At the same time, passengers are demanding more from their air travel experiences which will drive more improvements touching all aspects of the journey.” he added.
1. What can you probably see in the flight according to the passage?
| A．Brazilians choose to drink. |
| B．Americans do in-flight shopping. |
| C．Germans chat to kill the time. |
| D．The Chinese switch off the seat-belt sign. |
| A．passengers from one nation have little in common |
| B．most passengers like to read in-flight magazines |
| C．more than half of the passengers don’t enjoy plane food |
| D．most people tend to use in-flight time to have a good sleep. |
| A．Flyers care little about entertainment. |
| B．Flyers are not satisfied with the improvements. |
| C．Flyers are expecting better flight experiences. |
| D．Flyers have more and more demands from airlines. |
| A．To entertain readers with interesting stories. |
| B．To encourage people to behave well in public. |
| C．To criticize impolite behaviors on the plane. |
| D．To inform readers of the results of a survey. |
【推荐3】When making choices, people assume that they pick what they like. However, research suggests that we like something strictly because we have chosen it. In other words, we dislike things we don’t choose. And this phenomenon has existed since we were babies.
In an experiment, US researchers brought several 10-to-20-month-old babies into a lab and gave them two same bright and colorful soft blocks to play with. They set each block far apart, so the babies had to crawl (爬) to one or the other — a random choice. After the baby chose one of the toys, the researchers took it away and came back with a new option. The babies could then pick either the toy they didn’t play with before, or a brand new toy. It turned out that the babies reliably chose to play with the new toy rather than the one they had not chosen.
In follow-up experiments, when researchers instead helped choose which toy the baby would play with, the phenomenon disappeared. “As if they were saying, ‘Hmm, I didn’t choose that object last time, because I guess I didn’t like it very much,” said Lisa Feigenson, co-author of the study.
This is a very important phenomenon in life, Feigenson noted. Adults will less like the thing they didn’t choose, even if they had no real preference in the first place. It looks like babies do just the same.
It shows that the act of making choices changes how we feel about our options. The random choices might become our preferences. “They are really not choosing based on whether they are novel or what they prefer,” said Alex Silver, co-author of the study.
This new finding explains why adults build unconscious preference when they make choices between the same things. Justifying (证明有道理) choice is somehow fundamental to the human experience. “I chose this, so I must like it. I didn’t choose the other thing, so it can not be so good. Adults make these inferences unconsciously,” Feigenson said.
1. What is the purpose of the experiments?| A．To test whether people choose what they like. |
| B．To see why babies prefer new toys to old ones. |
| C．To explain how babies and adults make choices differently. |
| D．To study if too many choices could create problems for people. |
| A．Babies prefer bright and colorful toys. |
| B．Babies’ preference largely affects their choices. |
| C．Babies prefer adults to help them make choices . |
| D．Babies’ previous random choices affect their preference. |
| A．It entirely changes our attitude to our choices. |
| B．It helps us make wise decisions in a consumer culture. |
| C．It promotes the relationship between adults and babies. |
| D．It helps us understand our unconscious preference for choices. |
| A．Babies like what they choose | B．Random choices matter |
| C．Too many choices puzzle the adults | D．Preference affects the choice |
【推荐1】The idea that having narrow local focus leaves little room for anything but a selfish mindset is a misconception, according to a new study that found that concern for local affairs could help with global environmental conservation.
You might have heard of NIMBY which means “not in my back yard” and describes an individual or group opposed to a new addition to the neighborhood, typically a factory, roadway or power station. Nimbyism and parochialism(眼界狭小), which is a focus on a local area, can go hand in hand, and there are concerns that parochialism paves the way for prejudice, narrowmindedness, and selfishness.
But researchers found the exact opposite to be true in a new study published. The researchers argue that positive parochialism can inspire a larger awareness of global environmental problems and encourage people to action.
“We did not find evidence that parochialism was necessarily negative and inward -looking,” said Patrick, a researcher for the study. “It can be those things, but there's no necessary conflict between feeling connected to your local area and feeling connected to the wider world. ”
For the study, the researchers reviewed documents from the 1987 Parish Maps project. The researchers showed how the Parish Maps project also demonstrated a passion for the environment and conservation. The researchers say that the Parish Maps project is a strong example of “positive parochialism”, and shows that thinking locally can influence a global mindset.
“For a long time, it has been generally agreed that if we want people to think about global affairs they need an international worldview-but this may not be the case,” said Patrick. “Given where we are now in terms of trying to encourage people to make changes to help the environment, positive parochialism offers something that has been overlooked.”
1. Which behavior can best illustrate NIMBY?| A．Criticizing a friend for his selfish action. |
| B．Accepting a proposal beneficial to locals. |
| C．Supporting a neighborhood construction plan. |
| D．Objecting to building an airport in the neighborhood. |
| A．To explain how to protect the environment. |
| B．To offer an example of positive parochialism. |
| C．To encourage people to take part in the project. |
| D．To stress the importance of global mindset. |
| A．Appreciative. | B．Cautious. | C．Negative. | D．Puzzled. |
| A．Parochialism, a better practice? |
| B．International view, more popular? |
| C．Thinking locally, acting globally |
| D．Bigger thinking, better environment |
【推荐2】The Arctic, Atlantic, Indian and Pacific are the four oceans we learned about in the geography class. But now we have a new ocean.
On World Oceans Day, which falls on June 8, the US National Geographic Society announced it would recognize the Southern Ocean in Antarctica, bringing the global total to five.
Unlike the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans—which are defined by the continents that bound them—the Southern Ocean is instead characterized by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. According to the National Geographic, the Southern Ocean includes most of the waters surrounding Antarctica out to 60 degrees south latitude.
“Rimmed by the powerful swift ACC, it is the only ocean to touch three others and to completely embrace a continent rather than being embraced by them," Sylvia Earle, US marine biologist and oceanographer, told the Daily Mail.
Those familiar with the Southern Ocean know it’s unlike any other. “Anyone who has been there will struggle to explain what’s so attractive about it, but they’ll all agree that the glaciers are bluer, the air colder, the mountains more intimidating and the landscapes more captivating than anywhere else you can go,” Seth Sykora-Bodie, a marine scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, told National Geographic.
Due to the ecologically distinct environment of the Southern Ocean, it’s home to thousands of unique species. The ocean also has wider ecological effects. For example, humpback whales are known to feed on small shrimp off Antarctica during the summer before migrating north to the warmer climates of Central and South America for the colder winter months, according to the Daily Mail.
National Geographic hopes their revised maps will bring public awareness to the region, thereby encouraging Southern Ocean conservation—but its significance is beyond that.
“We think it’s really important from an educational standpoint, as well as from a map-labeling standpoint, to bring attention to the Southern Ocean as a fifth ocean,” Alex Tait, National Geographic Society geographer, told The Post. “So when students learn about parts of the ocean world, they learn it’s an interconnected ocean, and they learn there are these regions called oceans that are really important, and there’s a distinct one in the icy waters around Antarctica.”
1. What is the difference between the Southern Ocean and the other four oceans?| A．It is defined by its neighboring continent. | B．It is defined by a current. |
| C．It touches all the other four oceans. | D．It is surrounded by frightening mountains. |
| A．Visitors to the ocean are driving some species away. |
| B．The Southern Ocean has a distinct ecosystem. |
| C．The Southern Ocean is home to unique species. |
| D．The Southern Ocean influences ecosystems elsewhere. |
| A．Significance of labeling the Southern Ocean. | B．People’s interest in the Southern Ocean. |
| C．Purpose in revising maps. | D．Interconnectivity among the five oceans. |
【推荐3】Plastic, once seen as a revolutionary material for its wide application and convenience, has become a global environmental crisis because it is non-biodegradable. The ubiquity (无处不在) of plastic in our daily lives has led to an increasing amount of plastic waste, causing great harm.
One of the most alarming examples of this crisis is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a floating mass of plastic waste in the North Pacific Ocean. It is estimated to be twice the size of Texas and consists of everything from microplastics to abandoned fishing nets. Marine life often mistakes plastic particles for food, leading to ingestion and death. Additionally, the chemicals used in plastic production can pollute water and soil, and finally threaten marine ecosystems.
Plastic waste is not limited to the oceans; it also impacts the land. Landfills overflow with plastic waste, emitting (排放) harmful greenhouse gases as plastics break down slowly over time. The production of plastics is highly energy-intensive and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating climate change. Furthermore, plastic litter is evident in urban and rural landscapes, destroying the natural beauty of our planet.
Beyond its environmental impact, plastic poses serious health risks to humans. Many plastics contain harmful chemicals, which can be found in food and drinks when plastic containers are used for storage and heating. These chemicals have been linked to a range of health problems, including developmental issues and cancer.
In conclusion, the problem of plastic pollution demands urgent action. A comprehensive strategy for cutting down on plastic is essential to tackle these challenges and safeguard the well-being of our planet and its inhabitants.
While reducing the consumption of plastic may seem challenging, it is achievable through a combination of policy measures, technological innovations and changes in consumer behavior. Governments must issue laws to ban or heavily regulate single-use plastics and promote alternatives. Businesses should adopt sustainable packaging practices, and individuals can reduce plastic consumption by making conscious choices.
1. What does the example of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch show?| A．Animals rely on plastic waste to survive. |
| B．Plastic is too widespread to remove. |
| C．Plastic waste is harming the oceans. |
| D．Plastic poses health risks to humans. |
| A．Worsening. | B．Controlling. | C．Recording. | D．Evaluating. |
| A．Ways to cut plastic consumption. |
| B．Problems of handling plastic. |
| C．Alternatives for plastic products. |
| D．Some benefits of banning plastic. |
| A．Plastic Packaging Is Everywhere |
| B．Plastic Consumption Should Be Reduced |
| C．How Should Plastic Be Used |
| D．How Plastic Products Affect People |
【推荐1】At schools across the United States, students often sit down to school lunches made from foods that are high in fat and sugar. But kids at Public School (P.S.) 216 have a different dining experience.Head teacher Donna Neglia reports that her students “love eating fresh fruits and vegetables”.
P.S.216 takes part in the Edible Schoolyard Project, a program started by Alice Waters in 1995. It helps public schools across the country start onsite gardens. Students grow and care for crops, harvesting (收获) the fruits and vegetables for school meals.
In a recent interview, Waters advised schools to “connect with the farmers in their area, and change their buying practices” when planning meals for students. “Instead of having a hot dog or a pizza that comes from a fastfood restaurant,” she said, “schools should buy a real hot dog that is organic (有机的), and they should buy a pizza from somebody who cares about where that foods come from.”
The students and teachers at P.S.216 work together to keep a garden and farm in the middle of New York City. “Students are happily involved in all of the most important tasks,” said teacher Cecilia Galarraga, “including watering, planting, harvesting, etc.”
Through the Edible Schoolyard Project, students also learn about the advantages of healthy eating in the classroom.Neglia said that P.S.216 is teaching kids about “careers in the food industry—such as farming, food safety, and the restaurant business”.
Similar classes are taking place around the country. So far, the Edible Schoolyard Project has reached more than 1 million students in more than 360 schools.
“I’m thinking about the future of the planet,” Waters said. “I’m doing this for the young generation.”
1. What’s Waters’ main purpose of starting the Edible Schoolyard Project?| A．To introduce nearby farmers to schools. |
| B．To teach students about gardening skills. |
| C．To prepare students for their future careers. |
| D．To encourage healthy eating among students. |
| A．Tiring. | B．Relaxing. |
| C．Enjoyable. | D．Unnecessary. |
| A．It entered P.S.216 in 1995. |
| B．It was started in New York City. |
| C．It was created by Donna Neglia. |
| D．It has been run in several hundred schools. |
| A．To introduce. | B．To praise. |
| C．To advise. | D．To discuss. |
【推荐2】When Elvis Presley died on August 16th, 1977, radio and television programs all over the world were interrupted to give the news of his death. President Carter declared a day of national mourning. Carter said: “Elvis Presley changed the face of American popular culture ... He was unique and irreplaceable”. Eighty thousand people attended his funeral. The streets were jammed with cars, and Elvis Presley films were shown on television, and his records were played on the radio all day. In the year after his death, one hundred million Presley LPs (密纹唱片) were sold.
Elvis Presley was born on January 8th, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi. His parents were very poor and Elvis never had music lessons, but he was surrounded by music from an early age. His parents were very religious, and Elvis regularly sang at church services. In 1948, when he was thirteen, his family moved to Memphis, Tennessee. He left school in 1953 and got a job as a truck driver.
In the summer of 1953, Elvis paid four dollars and recorded a song for his mother’s birthday at Sam Phillips’ Sun Records studio. Sam Phillips heard Elvis and asked him to record “That’s All Right.” Twenty thousand copies were sold. He made five more records for Sun. Then in July 1955, he met Colonel Tom Parker, who became his manager in November. On January 10th, 1956, Elvis recorded “Heartbreak Hotel”, and a million copies were sold. In the next fourteen months, he made another fourteen records, and they were all big hits. In 1956, he also made his first film in Hollywood.
In March 1958, Elvis had to join the army. He wanted to be an ordinary soldier. When his hair was cut, thousands of women cried. He spent the next two years in Germany, where he met Priscilla Beaulieu, who became his wife eight years later on May 1st, 1967. In 1960, he left the army and went to Hollywood where he made several films during the next few years.
By 1968 many people had become tired of Elvis. He hadn’t performed live since 1960. But he recorded a new LP “From Elvis in Memphis” and appeared in a special television program. He became popular again, and went to Las Vegas, where he was paid seven hundred fifty thousand dollars for four weeks. In August of 1977, he died from a heart attack. He had been working too hard, and eating and drinking too much for several years. He left all his money to his only daughter, Lisa Marie Presley.
1. The first song Elvis recorded was______．| A．a hit overnight | B．played on the radio |
| C．sold well in Las Vegas | D．a gift for his mother’s birthday |
| A．By attending church services. | B．By meeting Colonel Tom Parker. |
| C．By recording “Heartbreak Hotel”. | D．By getting recognized by Sam Phillips. |
| A．Elvis learnt music from his father |
| B．Elvis once lost his popularity in the 60s |
| C．Elvis became a drinker when he got a job as a truck driver |
| D．Elvis’s hair was cut in the army because of his wrongdoings |
| A．He had great musical talent. |
| B．He achieved success in all his records. |
| C．He won unexampled recognition in live performance. |
| D．He contributed to the development of American pop culture. |
【推荐3】Living in the USA today is to gain an appreciation for Dahrendorf’s words there are social changes everywhere. Technology, the application of knowledge for practical ends, is a major source of social change.
Yet we would do well to remind ourselves that technology is a human creation; it does not exist naturally. A spear(矛) or a robot is much a cultural as a physical object. Until humans use a spear to hunt game or a robot to produce machine parts, neither is much more than a solid mass of matter. For a bird looking for an object on which to rest, a spear or robot serves the purpose equally well. The explosion of the Challenger space shuttle and the Russian nuclear accident Chernobyl drive home the human quality of technology; they provide cases in which well-planned systems suddenly went wrong and there was no ready hand to set them right. Since technology is a human creation, we are responsible for what is done with it. Pessimists(悲观主义者) worry that we will use our technology eventually to blow our world and ourselves to pieces. But they have been saying this for decades, and so far we have managed to survive and even flourish. Whether we will continue to do so in the years ahead remains uncertain. Clearly, the impact of technology on our lives deserves a closer examination.
Few technological developments have had a greater impact on our lives than the computer revolution. Scientists and engineers have designed specialized machines that can do the tasks that once only people could do. There are those who say that the switch to an information-based economy is in the same camp as other great historical milestones, particularly the Industrial Revolution. Yet when we ask why the Industrial Revolution was a revolution, we find that it was not the machines. The primary reason why it was a revolution is that it led to great social change. It gave rise to mass production and, through mass production, to a society in which wealth was not confined to the few.
In somewhat similar fashion, computers promise to revolutionize the structure of American life, particularly as they free the human mind and open new possibilities in knowledge and communication. The Industrial Revolution supplemented and replaced the muscles of human and animals by mechanical methods. The computer extends this development to supplement and replace some aspects of the mind of human beings by electronic methods. It is the capacity of the computer for solving problems and making decisions that represents its greatest potential and that poses the greatest difficulties in predicting the impact on society.
1. A spear or a robot has the quality of technology only when it ________.| A．is served both as a cultural and a physical object |
| B．has a wide range of purposes |
| C．is useful to both man and animals |
| D．is made use of by human beings |
| A．technology can be used destroy our earth if it is not controlled by man |
| B．technology belongs to man, so we should be responsible for it |
| C．technology is likely to go wrong because it is a human creation |
| D．technology never goes wrong unless it is used by man |
| A．the computer has made the human mind smarter than before |
| B．the computer can finish the work that could only be done by people before |
| C．the computer has greatly affected society potentially |
| D．the computer has brought human beings an information technology |
| A．has affected the human life greatly |
| B．can replace some ways of human beings |
| C．has various qualities which human beings do not have |
| D．has some characteristics which human beings have |
