Right now, summers are getting hotter, winters colder and the polar ice is melting at an alarming rate. Extreme weather events and natural disasters frequently occur. The climate time-bomb is ticking. Strict measures must be taken to tackle the problem.
It reminds me of how the lives we live seem to follow roughly in the way put forward years earlier by the writers of science-fiction. I guess it’s “life imitating art”. When I was young there were stories about rockets going into space and even going to the moon, although there had never been a rocket into space at that time. Years later, Russia launched Sputnik, the first man-made object to go into earth orbit and later the US landed people and even a car on the moon.
When I was growing up there were also science-fiction stories about governments looking for solutions when the world’s natural resources were being over-extended, such as they are in the case of climate change. The solution in the stories was to assume that the cause of the problem was over-population and the solution, therefore, was to limit the number of people. Various plans were put forward for doing that, from limiting the birth rate to killing off anyone over a certain age. That age, if I remember correctly, was usually about 60 and when you reached that you were supposed to turn yourself over to a government facility where you would be put to death.
Still, a look at the old science-fiction stories provides an interesting and somewhat chilling approach to what is acknowledged to be a very serious and worsening world-wide problem. There is general agreement that urgent action is needed to stop us from literally making our world unfit to live on. The answers, at least so far, concentrate on managing those resources and the ways in which we use them. However, I wonder if the day will come when life will imitate the art of the old science-fiction stories and someone will propose limiting the number of people on the planet as a way of making it more suitable for those who are left. It’s a grave thing to predict.
1. What does the author say about climate problems?| A．The problems can be tackled in a scientific way. |
| B．The problems are in urgent need of being resolved. |
| C．The explosion of extreme climates is under control. |
| D．The loss of natural resources leads to climate changes. |
| A．By giving examples. | B．By using quotes. |
| C．By giving definitions. | D．By making contrast. |
| A．Removing overpopulated species. | B．Getting rid of seniors. |
| C．Over-extending natural resources. | D．Moving onto the moon. |
| A．Calm. | B．Serious. | C．Frustrated. | D．Matter-of-fact. |
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【推荐1】“Can you say mama? Or dada? Wave bye-bye!” If you’ve spent any time around a baby, chances are you’ve heard of said things like this. The high-pitched (声调高的), singsong tone we switch to when interacting with young children can go by names—baby talk, or, according to development specialists, infant-directed speech. But as simplistic as this melodic chat might seem, the conversations are important.
Baby talk is an essential piece of speech and language development. Studies show that when infants are exposed to daily doses of it throughout their first year of life, they develop more vocabularies than other kids. By analyzing the jabber (含糊不清的话) between babies and caregivers throughout the world, investigators have pointed out key parts of the tender interactions—elements that, when parents apply them, help their kids learn more words and promote social interaction.
In a study led by University of Washington professor Naja Ferjan Ramirez, researchers recorded parent-child interactions at home, equipping infants with vests (背心) containing recording devices that listened for two continuous days at 6,10,14, and 18 months of age. Before each session (部分), some of the adults were coached on using infant-directed speech effectively, while others received no training. The kids of trained grown-ups performed better throughout the study, and follow-up surveys showed the benefits lasted: At 18 months, the average vocabulary of children whose parents had received coaching was about 100 words. However, children in the control group averaged about 60 words.
Researchers are still trying to find how baby talk functions and why it’s so beneficial. Better understanding of the role it plays in a child’s growth could help psychologists and others identify infants at high risk of developing a language disorder, says UCLA’s Sundara. And maybe, eventually, she says, it could result in earlier targeted treatments and therapies. So don’t be shy, sing. “Who’s that? That’s Mommy!” as much as you want—babies everywhere are listening.
1. What do we know about infant-directed speech from the first two paragraphs?| A．It helps develop babies’ language ability. |
| B．It offers directions to parents about how to raise kids. |
| C．It improves the babies’ trust toward the caregivers. |
| D．It promotes the relationship between caregivers and babies. |
| A．Tone study. | B．Baby talk. | C．Kid vocabulary. | D．Language development. |
| A．The kids in vests were listened to for 18 months. |
| B．The control group operated the recording devices. |
| C．Ne kids in the control group learned more effectively. |
| D．The programme involved four sessions. |
| A．How can babies learn to speak? | B．What are parents talking about? |
| C．What’s the point of baby talk? | D．How can researchers identify kids? |
【推荐2】Look, I’m not a happy crier. I might cry at songs about leaving and missing someone; I might cry at books where things don’t work out; I might cry at movies where someone dies. I’ve just never really understood why people get all choked up over happy, inspirational things. But Michelle Obama’s kindness and empathy (同情) changed that. This book had me in tears for all the right reasons.
This is not really a book about politics, though political experiences obviously do come into it. It’s a shame that some will dismiss this book because of a difference in political opinion, when it is really about a woman’s life. About growing up poor and black on the South Side of Chicago; about getting married and struggling to maintain that marriage; about motherhood; about being thrown into an amazing and terrifying position.
I hate words like “inspirational” because they’ve become so overdone and cheese (俗气的), but I just have to say it — Michelle Obama is an inspiration. I had the privilege of seeing her speak at The Forum in Inglewood, and she is one of the warmest, funniest, smartest, down-to-earth people I have ever seen in this world.
And yes, I know we present what we want the world to see, but I truly do think it’s genuine. I think she is someone who really cares about people — especially kids — and wants to give them better lives and opportunities.
She’s obviously intelligent, but she also doesn’t gussy up her words. She talks straight, with an openness and honesty rarely seen. She’s been one of the most powerful women in the world, she’s been a graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law School, she’s had her own successful career, and yet she has remained throughout that same girl — Michelle Robinson — from a working class family in Chicago.
I don’t think there’s anyone who wouldn’t benefit from reading this book.
1. What is the main focus of Michelle’s book?| A．Her political experiences and opinions. | B．Her personal life and experiences. |
| C．Her achievements as a powerful woman. | D．Her efforts to motivate others. |
| A．It is overused and insincere. | B．It reminds them of cheese books. |
| C．It is associated with political opinions. | D．It is inapplicable to Michelle Obama. |
| A．Forgets. | B．Regret. | C．Beautify. | D．Swallow. |
| A．Bossy and aggressive | B．Humble and honest. |
| C．Distant and image-loving. | D．Ambitious and career-driven. |
【推荐3】A diverse crowd of several hundred people queued up in front of the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco on Thursday morning for a ceremony that meant more to them than just the issue of a popular postage stamp.
The United States Postal Service’s launch of a special stamp for the Year of the Rabbit has come to symbolize more than just a collectors’ item for many. “We constantly talk about celebrations of our diversity as strengths,” San Francisco Mayor London Breed said at the stamp’s launch. “The Lunar New Year represents thousands of years of history. It is the time to promote this (Asian) community in such an extraordinary way.” Breed emphasized that San Francisco is a place where discrimination (歧视) against Asians is unacceptable.
Inspired by decorated masks used in dragon and lion dances, USPS art director Antonio Alcala worked on the beautiful rabbit stamp design with artist Camille Chew.
Jay Xu, director of the Asian Art Museum, said the Lunar New Year celebrations and the stamp launch all reflect the recognition of “our community’s fine integrity (正直) and essentialism” to the United States. “It enables us to tell more stories — our past, our present and our future,” said Xu, adding that people could strike up a conversation through the collection of artifacts (历史文物) such as stamps. “Stamps can go everywhere and can define friendship between different countries and cultures. This stamp is for all. The Lunar New Year is for all.”
Derek Kan, a member of the USPS board of governors, said, “For more than three decades, USPS has issued stamps highlighting the Lunar New Year, and they are some of the most successful stamp releases in our history.”
Chloe Chan, a second-generation Chinese immigrant, said the rabbit stamp is very “artistic” and worthy of her long wait in line. She has collected every stamp the USPS has issued for the Chinese New Year celebration. Chan is hopeful that her children and grandchildren will observe the Lunar New Year the same way she does, with housecleaning, holiday decorations, rituals (礼仪) and food to honor family roots and the Chinese culture.
The USPS issued its first Chinese New Year stamp for the Year of the Rooster on Dec. 30, 1992.
1. How did Antonio Alcala get the inspiration to design the stamp?| A．He observed a lot of rabbits raised on a farm. |
| B．He looked through a collection of Asian artifacts. |
| C．He sought for opinions from the Asian community. |
| D．He took notice of the masks used in some dances. |
| A．Requesting. | B．Emphasizing. | C．Scheduling. | D．Monitoring. |
| A．Jay Xu. | B．Chloe Chan. | C．Derek Kan. | D．London Breed. |
| A．Rabbit stamp symbolizes culture bond |
| B．Stamp goes everywhere and defines friendship |
| C．Artistic rabbit stamp worthy of being displayed |
| D．USPS keeps issuing stamps highlighting Lunar New Year |
【推荐1】To some, a cow’s burp (打嗝) might seem like a small thing. But in New Zealand, there are more cows than people. There are only five million people in New Zealand, which is home to 10 million cows.
Cows do not easily digest the grass they eat-instead, they ferment (发酵) it in their stomachs. The process releases a lot of gas. So, every time someone eats beef or drinks milk, the process comes at a high cost to the environment. The cows produce methane (甲烷) gas, which has a much stronger effect on global warming.
The scientists in New Zealand are working on ways to reduce the amount of gas that comes out of the cows. They are considering changing the food the animals eat or putting a device on the cow to change the methane into something innocuous. There is also talk of feeding the cows a kind of special red seaweed or giving them a food addition that would help them digest the grass.
In addition, farmers want a solution. That is because New Zealand has announced plans to tax farmers whose animals produce too much methane gas. The farmers say they will be affected if the tax plan go into effect.
A farmer running a farm in the town of Featherston, in the Wellington Region, is trying to get more milk from each cow. The increased efficiency means he does not need as many cows, which in turn reduces the amount of methane coming from his farm. At a farmer level, he is doing his bit to help save the planet.
The fight against methane is serious in New Zealand. The county promised to reduce the gas produced by farm animals by up to 47 percent by the year 2050.
1. Why does cows’ burping become a problem in New Zealand?| A．New Zealanders prefer milk. | B．The number of the cows is too large. |
| C．The cows consume much grass. | D．The cows have the digestive problem. |
| A．Rare. | B．Poisonous. | C．Harmless. | D．Inexpensive. |
| A．They will raise fewer cows. | B．They are affected by the warm climate. |
| C．They can’t increase milking efficiency. | D．They will face a heavier financial burden. |
| A．Climate Change: Cow Raising Is to Blame |
| B．Methane Gas: The Fight Against It Is Serious |
| C．Global Warming: New Zealand Targets Cow Burps |
| D．Cow Burping: Scientists Look for Some Ways to Stop It |
【推荐2】Since the beginning of the summer in 2022, China has been sweltering under the worst heatwave in decades. A number of people in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Sichuan provinces were diagnosed with thermoplegia (热射病), the most severe form of heatstroke, and some even died of this disease.
In a warming world, the hazards of heatwaves are increasing. “Over the past four decades, the main drivers of the large increase in heatwave-related deaths in China are the rapid increase in the frequency of heatwaves, followed by population growth, population aging, and rising baseline mortality (基线死亡率),” said Prof. Huang Cunrui, a researcher from Tsinghua University. According to a study, the number of deaths caused by heatwaves in China has increased rapidly since 1979, from 3679 persons per year in the 1980s to 15,500 persons per year in the 2010s.
High temperatures would accelerate the loss in soil moisture (水分). What’ s more, each additional degree of warming will increase crop losses to insects by 10 - 25 percent, threatening food security for billions of people. China has witnessed a range of extreme weather events, including heavy rainfall, flooding, tornadoes, and record heatwaves this year. Meteorological officials said the country had an average temperature of 21.3 degrees Celsius in June, 0.9 degrees Celsius higher than the same period on average, and the highest record for the same period since 1961.
Experts say that while extreme summer heat is not entirely new, these sorts of occurrences could be something that becomes a standard part of life, requiring people to start learning how to cope with heatwaves that may continue for the rest of summer and well into the future.
Remember that even healthy, young athletes can be harmed by extreme heat, so every activity should be evaluated when extreme heat hits. There are some ways to stay safe during extreme heat events, such as drinking plenty of water, looking for shade or remaining in shade when outside, and avoiding cooking large meals.
1. What is the major reason for the increase in heatwave-related deaths in China?| A．The aging of the population. |
| B．The higher frequency of heatwaves. |
| C．The higher level of death rate. |
| D．The increase of the population. |
| A．By listing examples. |
| B．By comparing statistics. |
| C．By giving explanations. |
| D．By referring to previous findings. |
| A．The government should take measures to solve the extreme heat. |
| B．The rare heatwave in summer is coming to an end. |
| C．People may get accustomed to the extreme heat in summer. |
| D．Extreme summer heat has never occurred before. |
| A．Significance of being aware of the danger of extreme heat. |
| B．Prediction of the extreme weather events in the future. |
| C．Conclusion of the relationship between heatwave and health. |
| D．Effective ways to protect people from heatwave. |
【推荐3】There is widespread agreement that climate change threatens our existence. But in our rush to address this challenge, our efforts mustn’t heighten another, more immediate one: the global decline of biodiversity. We are losing species at 1,000 times the natural rate. If we stay on this track, we risk losing up to half of them by the middle of the century.
Sadly, the singular focus on solving climate change has led to people ignoring biodiversity. The alarming result is that many climate efforts unintentionally quicken nature’s destruction. Take the huge need for solar farms for an example. If not located properly, they’ll impact ecosystems and habitats. In Virginia, for example, more than half of solar facilities are being built on forested land rather than areas such as rooftops or parking lots. The state’s push for solar development could lead to the deforestation of nearly 30,000 acres annually.
There is a real risk that badly planned renewable infrastructure (基础设施) will have a greater impact on biodiversity than existing fossil fuel infrastructure. Thus, we need to chart a path that doesn’t address one environmental challenge by creating others.
Indeed, with practical choices, we can do the opposite, using nature to address climate change. Consider carbon removal. Research shows between 2001 and 2019, forests around the world seized more than twice the amount of carbon dioxide that they emitted (排放) — absorbing more than the combined annual emissions of the US and UK. Nature is also critical in setting the adaptation necessary to prepare for increasingly severe weather shocks, such as the role of mangroves (a kind of tree) in absorbing floods.
Governments must think differently, employing better infrastructure planning at all levels. A report from The Nature Conservancy shows careful siting can reduce the effects of the clean energy infrastructure by 70%compared with siting as usual practices. For instance, solar farms can be put on already degraded land.
It would be a tragic irony if, in our efforts to tackle climate change, we end upbringing a big and immediate crisis in the natural world.
1. What is the effect of building solar farms on forested land in Virginia?| A．It damages the forest. | B．It boosts local economy. |
| C．It reduces human’s living space. | D．It protects the environment. |
| A．Increasing funds for clean energy. | B．Using technology to remove carbon. |
| C．Locating clean energy projects carefully. | D．Prioritizing renewable energy totally. |
| A．climate change will contribute to more severe issues |
| B．focus on climate change makes people ignore land use |
| C．efforts to solve climate change speed up biodiversity loss |
| D．the development of clean energy quickens climate change |
| A．Pessimistic and critical. | B．Factual and concerned. |
| C．Subjective and dismissive. | D．Humorous and optimistic. |
