Adverse impacts on health due to extreme weather and vector-borne disease risks could increase in the United Kingdom (UK) under a warming climate, according to a report published on Monday by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
The report, written by 90 experts, is based on climate projections using a high-end warming scenario (可能发生的情况) or a “worst-case scenario” of approximately 4.3 degrees Celsius of warming by 2100. “Our changing climate poses one of the greatest health security and societal challenges, impacting everything from the air we breathe to the quality and availability of our food and water,” Isabel Oliver, chief scientific officer at UKHSA, said in a statement. The report estimates that there will be up to 10,000 deaths in the country by the 2050s as a result of extreme heat.
Based on a high-end warming scenario, the report anticipates a substantial surge in heat related deaths, with an increase of over 1.5 times by the 2030s and an over 12-fold rise by the 2070s. It also states that vector-borne diseases, such as chikungunya, dengue and Zika viruses, could become transmissible in London and other parts of the UK due to more Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquitoes) and Culex mosquitoes.
The report also warns that more people will be at high risk of flooding in the future due to changing rainfall patterns.
“Action is needed now to adapt our policies, environments and our behaviors to secure health, well-being and livelihoods,” Oliver said, adding that much can be done to “avert (避免) and prevent” the impacts of climate change on health.
UKHSA, an executive agency sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care, is responsible for planning, preventing and responding to external health threats.
This year is set to be the hottest year on record in human history, according to a report published by the United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) at the 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
1. What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?A.To introduce the warming climate. |
B.To remind people about the harmful impacts on health under climate change. |
C.To help people get rid of external health threats. |
D.To display UK’s dependence on food. |
A.Availability of our food and water caused by high-end warming scenario. |
B.10,000 deaths caused by vector-borne diseases. |
C.Flooding in the future caused by varied rainfall patterns. |
D.Transmissible vector-borne diseases caused by flooding in the future. |
A.A smooth drop. | B.A sharp decline. | C.A small growth. | D.A massive rise. |
A.Increasing food supplies. |
B.Averting and preventing the climate change. |
C.Adjusting the policies, environments and people’s behaviors. |
D.Planning, preventing and responding to health threats. |
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【推荐1】The killdeer, a small bird known for its high-pitched call, could lead to the cancellation of one of Canada’ biggest music festivals.
The first hint of trouble for Ottawa’s Bluesfest, an outdoor festival that draws around 300,000 people each year, came last week after workers at the site found one of the birds. It had laid four eggs nearby, effectively claiming the main stage area as its nesting ground. “This is one of the most challenging problems we’ve been presented with, but we feel we can work through this,” said Mark Monahan, executive director of the festival.
“Anything that changes the schedule has a major effect, so we’re taking it very seriously.” The discovery meant that government officials rushed to protect the nest and the eggs, hiring a security guard to watch over them 24 hours a day. Environmentalists were also brought in.
“We don’t know when the eggs might hatch,” said Monahan. What is known is that the young killdeer will likely leave the nest soon after they are hatched, leading many to hope that the eggs hatch in the next day or so.
The festival is now seeking permission from Environment Canada to relocate the nest some 50 meters away or take it to a wildlife center. Moving the nest would also ensure the bird and its young would be protected during the festival’s 11-day run, said Monahan. It’s highly likely that the festival’s thousands of attendees would cause huge problems for the bird and its eggs.
Monahan was confident that the festival would go on as planned, however. “Most of the people we’re working with are looking for a positive solution,” Monahan said. “There is no one saying that the festival can’t go on.”
As news of the dilemma spread, it left residents divided. Some supported the bird, saying that moving the nest might result in the eggs being abandoned. Others expressed annoyance that protecting the eggs of the small bird, which is widespread across North America, was risking an annual festival that contributes millions of dollars to the local economy.
The killdeer’s tendency to build its nest in open fields or flat areas has caused issues in other areas of the US: earlier this year, construction on a health center in Wisconsin was temporarily stopped after a killdeer and its four eggs were discovered.
1. Which is TRUE about Bluesfest?A.It is the first music festival in Canada. |
B.It is an important event for music lovers. |
C.It is a music festival held every two years. |
D.It is a challenging outdoor activity in Ottawa. |
A.Pressure from the government. |
B.Disagreements with the public. |
C.The need to protect the bird’s eggs. |
D.The lack of experience in hosting the event. |
A.Move the nest to another place. |
B.Ask government officials for help. |
C.Seek advice from environmentalists. |
D.Hire security guards to protect the eggs. |
A.Negative. | B.Indifferent. |
C.Unsure. | D.Positive. |
【推荐2】Lego is considering a brick rental plan in an attempt to cut down on plastic waste. The Danish toymaker has promised to make all its bricks from sustainable sources by 2030 and is investing significant resources into finding alternatives.
Tim Brooks, vice-president responsible for sustainability, said the company was “totally open” to the idea of a product rental plan but admitted that lost pieces could produce a significant problem. He said the rental scheme was "possible" but admitted there were some "technical barriers", one of which is the complexity of some Lego sets, many of which contain thousands of pieces. "What are the chances of giving them to an eight-year-old child and getting them all back again?" Mr Brooks added.
Lego has come under increasing pressure to reduce its carbon footprint among growing international alarm about the impact of plastic waste on the environment. Lego reportedly gives off around a million tons of carbon dioxide each year, with about three-quarters coming from raw materials that go into factories. It produces 19 billion pieces per year—36,000 a minute—that are made of plastic and much of the inner packaging is also plastic.
So far, the only breakthrough has been the development of a line of bricks made from plant-based plastic sourced from sugarcane. The green trees, plants and flowers were first included in Lego sets late last year but account for only one-two percent of the total amount of plastic elements produced.
Henrik Ostergaard Nielson, a production administrator in Lego's factory, told the New York Times last year, “We need to learn again how to do this. The company has invested more than €100, 000,000 and hired 100 people to research non-plastic alternatives. It is aiming to keep all of its packaging reusable by 2025.”
1. What is the aim of Lego’s brick rental plan?A.To cut down on its costs. | B.To reduce plastic waste. |
C.To seek alternative resources. | D.To deal with technical barriers. |
A.Negative. | B.Confident. | C.Ambiguous. | D.Objective. |
A.Listing figures | B.Making comparisons | C.Giving examples | D.Giving definition |
A.Lego will not make new products after 2025. | B.Lego has already bought non-plastic alternatives. |
C.Lego is making efforts for eco-friendly products | D.Lego's green technology is relatively backward. |
【推荐3】When I was growing up, 16 was always a magical age, a symbol of maturity, responsibility and of course more independence and freedom. I sat through the hours of Driver’s Ed classes eager to get out on the road. I couldn’t wait to get my driver’s license.
But it’s a different story for today’s teens. In November 2021 the U.S. Department Transportation released data that showed only 30.7 percent of U.S. teens got their license at age 16. Twenty years before, that number was almost 45 percent.
There are numbers of reasons for the decline. The growing responsibilities like paying for insurance and high gas prices discourage teens from getting behind the wheel. Plus, many teens today are so busy with homework, endless hours of activities and part-time jobs, that finding the time for Driver’s Ed classes may be more difficult than ever.
In addition, many states have raised the driving age, or restricted when teens can drive and who they can have in the car. Parents may also be making their own personal restrictions until they feel their teens are responsible enough to drive safely.
Driving is part of the American culture, but it’s not the central focus like it was 30 years ago. They have so many other things to do now. One of the more interesting factors delaying teens driving might be the change of their social life. Today, teens need to look no further than Facebook or other social networking sites to connect with their friends. There is simply less need, maybe less desire to be able to grab the keys and go.
Michelle Wei got her license as a senior in high school because her digital social life made it easy not to drive. “If I couldn’t get a ride to see my friend who lives a town over,” the 19-year-old said, “I could talk on IM or Skype.”
Research has shown that these online relationships can lead to higher quality friendships, so it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, it’s important to find a balance. If old face-to-face friendships are good, why not drive to find them?
1. What can we infer from the first paragraph?A.16 was considered an age when one could get his driver’s license. |
B.Getting a driving license at 16 was a must for American teens. |
C.Driver’s Ed classes allowed teens to know what maturity was. |
D.Teens could drive on the road without taking Driver’s Ed classes. |
A.The cost of insurance and gas. |
B.Pursuit of more freedom and independence. |
C.Too many school courses and activities. |
D.Restrictions from families and states. |
A.why American teens are crazy about digital social life |
B.what social networking websites are bringing to American teens |
C.what the Internet does to help teens to get a driving license |
D.to what degree the Internet is affecting the American car culture |
A.the Internet has a bad effect on the teen’s social life |
B.teens should keep a balance in choosing their lifestyle |
C.actual contacts can be replaced by talking on line |
D.face-to-face friendship is always the best choice |
A.Getting a license costs much more than ever before. |
B.Social networking sites are changing the life of American teens. |
C.Desire to drive on the road declines among American teens. |
D.American teens are becoming more responsible than ever. |
【推荐1】Unlike thousands of tourists who hike in Yellowstone National Park to admire its natural landscape and hot springs every year, Abdelrhman Mohamed was traveling with a team of scientists to hunt for life within the hot springs.
After several hours of hiking in the Heart Lake Geyser Basin area, the team found four unpolluted pools of hot water. They carefully left a few electrodes (电极) placed into the land next to the water, hoping to attract little-known creatures out of hiding — bacteria (细菌) that can “ eat and breathe ” electricity.
After 32 days, the team returned to the hot springs to collect the electrodes. Working with other scientists, Mohamed had a look at the electrodes and found that they had succeeded in catching their small game: heat-loving bacteria that “ breathe ” electricity through the hard surface of the electrodes. These tiny creatures are not only of research interest, they may also hold a key to solving some of the biggest challenges facing humans.
As a means of fighting environmental pollution and creating more energy sources, such bacteria can “ eat ” pollution by changing deadly pollutants into less harmful matter and producing electricity in the process. “ As these bacteria pass their electrons (电子) into metals or other hard surfaces, they can produce a stream of electricity that can be used for low power applications, ” said Haluk Beyenal, a famous university professor of chemistry.
Though the researchers did not detail exactly how they would be continuing their work with the bacteria, it will hopefully lead to an exciting new tool for fighting climate change and pollution in the near future.
1. Why did the scientists hike in Yellowstone National Park?A.To enjoy its good view. | B.To look for fresh water. |
C.To find the cause of pollution. | D.To search for special bacteria. |
A.Its purpose. | B.Its finding. | C.Its conclusion. | D.Its significance. |
A.By breaking down harmful matter with electricity. |
B.By creating more energy sources in hot water. |
C.By using low-power apps for environmental protection. |
D.By sopping the pollutants producing electricity. |
A.Doubtful. | B.Concerned. | C.Positive. | D.Unfriendly. |
【推荐2】Hardscaping refers to non-organic features of a landscape such as pathways, driveways, walls, steps, and other human-made structures. The three Rs, which are common to many sustainability efforts, apply to hardscaping: reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Reduce Runoff
You can reduce rainwater runoff by using permeable (可渗透的) materials that allow rainwater to get into the soil below.
Use Recycled Materials
Consider using materials that are recycled from reclaimed (再生的) concrete, glass, or other construction materials that might otherwise end up in a landfill.
Support Local Wildlife
With careful planning and action, you can enjoy the convenience brought by hardscaping and at the same time be considerate to the environment and local wildlife.
A.Those materials are seemingly useless. |
B.All these are essential to a healthy ecosystem. |
C.They aren’t suitable for all landscapes, however. |
D.Don’t forget there are creatures living under the top soil. |
E.You can get such things from many landscaping suppliers. |
F.Rainwater is an important source of our underground water. |
G.Add “support local wildlife”, and you’re ready for sustainable hardscaping. |
【推荐3】A duck has been saved by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals(RSPCA) after getting stuck with a plastic ring around its neck. It is believed that the plastic ring is the same sort used to package cans of beer together.
Animal Collection Officer(ACO) Lauren Bradshaw was one of the three people to find and rescue the duck on the canal near Sellars Square in Manchester on August 23. They entered the water to reach the bird. “Our plan was to round up the duck and get him to a bridge as the width of the canal is smaller there,” Lauren said, “The duck managed to escape from us a couple of times but eventually we managed to net and catch him. Then I freed him and gave him an examination.”
She added that the plastic was fortunately not tight around the animal’s neck and did not cause any injuries or difficulty breathing. However, plastic stuck around the neck and throat area is a hazard to many sea animals, as the animals think it is food and, once trapped, are unable to remove it. She suggested that people cut open any plastic rings so that if they are deserted, they will not be able to trap animals like this.
Lauren also reminded people that ducks may starve to death due to litter being thrown away rather than being put in a dustbin. When hungry ducks swallow floating pieces of plastic, they can cut through their organs or trick them into feeling full, causing them to stop eating.
The RSPCA says it has received more than 21,600 reports of animals injured or caught in litter over the past five years.
1. Why did the RSPCA staff drive the duck to a bridge?A.To catch it easily. | B.To free it conveniently. |
C.To ask passers-by for help. | D.To make it go to the bank soon. |
A.She was annoyed at the bird. | B.She felt lucky not to hurt it. |
C.She was guilty about her delay. | D.She breathed a sigh of relief. |
A.Danger. | B.Criterion. | C.Shock. | D.Failure. |
A.Cut plastic rings into pieces. | B.Deal with plastic litter properly. |
C.Reduce plastic-based food wrappers. | D.Improve the recycling rate for plastics. |
New Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 43.7ºC on Saturday, indicating a hot summer in the next two months in the nation’s capital and other parts of northern and eastern India. The highest temperature in the past 24 hours was 47ºC at Ganganagar city, in Rajasthan state. Summer temperatures have been 4ºC-6ºC above normal over most parts of northern and central India since March, weather officials said.
In the eastern state of Orissa, authorities have decided to shut down schools from next Tuesday, advancing the annual summer holiday. Authorities said they were investigating reports of 53 deaths from various parts of the state.
"District collectors have been asked to investigate and submit reports on other deaths," Bhimsen Gochhayat, a government official said. Other deaths were reported from northern state of Uttar Pradesh and central Madhya Pradesh states.
India is expected to produce about 82 million tons of wheat in 2009-2010, but there could be a shortage of 1-1.5 million tons due to the heatwave, said Veena Sharma, Secretary General of the Roller Flour Millers Federation of India. "Most of the harvesting is over, but there definitely will be a slight shortage of 1-1.5 million tons due to the extreme weather conditions," she told Reuters.
India is relying on an abundant wheat crop to make up for a 14.2% drop in rice output, the major summer-sown food grain,marredby the worst monsoon (季风)in 37 years last year. Weather officials say with summer temperatures in India set to remain above average, there were hopes of heavy rains at the start of the monsoon season that will help early sowing of rice, soybeans and lentils.
1. The purpose of the passage is ____________.
A.to tell a piece of news of a heatwave |
B.to record the highest temperature in India |
C.to report the deaths in the heatwave |
D.to inform people of a drop of rice output |
A.The highest temperature in the history of India was 44ºC. |
B.Schools were closed because of the hot weather throughout India. |
C.India is expected to produce about 82 million tons of rice in 2009-2010. |
D.India has a good harvest of wheat while the rice output is decreasing. |
A.reduced | B.damaged | C.blown | D.followed |
A.A severe heatwave would continue over India. |
B.At least 80% people were killed in the disaster this month. |
C.A severe heatwave swept India with a great loss. |
D.A slight shortage of 1-1.5 million tons is due to the heatwave. |
【推荐2】An international team of researchers, led by Dr Christine Batchelor of Newcastle University, UK, used clear pictures of the seafloor to show just how quickly a former ice cover retreated (退去) at the end of the last Ice Age, about 20,000 years ago.
The team mapped more than 7,600 small-scale landforms across the seafloor. The ridges (山脊) are less than 2.5m high and are spaced between about 25 and 300 metres apart. These landforms are understood to have formed when the ice cover’s retreating edge moved up and down with the tides (潮汐), pushing seafloor into a ridge every low tide. Given that two ridges would have been produced each day, the researchers were able to work out how quickly the ice cover retreated. Their results, reported in the journal Nature, show the former ice cover rapidly retreats at a speed of 50 to 600 metres per day.
The seafloor landforms also give light into the way in which such rapid retreat can happen. Dr Batchelor and co-workers noted that the former ice cover had retreated fastest across the flattest parts of its bed.
“An ice can go away from the seafloor and retreat quickly when it becomes buoyant (有浮力的),” explained co-author Dr Frazer Christie. “This retreat only happens across relatively flat beds, where less melting (融化) is required to thin the overlying ice to the point where it starts to float (漂浮).”
The researchers believe that the quick retreat could soon be observed in parts of Antarctica. This includes at West Antarctica’s vast Thwaites Glacier. The authors of this new study suggest that it could go through quick retreat because it has recently retreated close to a flat area of its bed.
“Our findings suggest that present-day rates of melting are enough to cause quick short retreat across flat-bedded areas of the Antarctic Ice Sheet, including at Thwaites,” said Dr Batchelor. “Satellites (卫星) may well know this ice-cover retreat in the near future, especially if we continue our climate warming.”
1. What is the purpose of Paragraph 1?A.To provide some advice for the readers. |
B.To add some background information. |
C.To make the story interesting. |
D.To bring in the topic. |
A.Where the ice cover’s retreating lies. |
B.Why the ice cover’s retreating is formed. |
C.What the result of ice cover’s retreating is. |
D.How the speed of ice cover’s retreating is worked out. |
A.To give an example of quick retreat. |
B.To tell where it is located. |
C.To compare different types of retreat. |
D.To explain why it is important. |
A.Unclear. | B.Anxious. |
C.Positive. | D.Doubtful. |
【推荐3】The Earth set unofficial record high temperatures last week. Scientists said they were a clear sign of how pollutants released by humans are warming the environment. “Heat sets the pace of our climate in so many ways... it’s never just the heat,” said Kim Cobb. a climate scientist at Brown University.
Ocean warming, wildfire smoke and early arrived EI Nino that much of North America experienced this summer are other signs of climate troubles. Other recent natural events also show that climate change has entered new territory.
Most of the planet is covered by oceans, which have taken in 90 percent of the recent warming caused by planet-warming gases. In April, worldwide ocean temperature rose to 21, 1°C, which scientists believe was caused by a combination of planet-warming gases and the early EI Nino formation. EI Nino is a period of warning Pacific Ocean waters. Newly published data documented exceptionally warm ocean temperatures in the North Atlantic and also extreme sea heat waves near Ireland, Britain, and in the Baltic Sea.
High levels of wildfire smoke were more common on the US West Coast recently. Several rounds of smoke from wildfires in northern Canada brought dangerous air quality levels to eastern North America. Scientists say that climate change will make wildfires and smoke more intense and that the East Coast will see more of it.
The current EI Nino formed a month or two earlier than usual. It replaced La Nina that, with its cooling of Pacific waters, kept worldwide temperatures down. That means that it will have more time than usual to strengthen. It is predicted that there is a 98 percent chance that at least one of the next five years will be the warmest on record. One of these years would beat temperatures from 2016 when an exceptionally strong EI Nino was present.
1. What did Kim Cobb want to say in the first paragraph?A.Cold wave might arrive soon. | B.The heat may come to an end. |
C.The Earth would suffer more. | D.It’s easy to forecast the weather. |
A.Ireland. | B.Britain. | C.The South Atlantic. | D.The US West Coast. |
A.More earthquakes. | B.Fewer accidents. | C.Record heat. | D.Extreme cold. |
A.Weather patterns. | B.Climate troubles. | C.Polluted waters. | D.Green practices. |