The bristlecone pine is the longest-living thing on the earth. These trees, with their strangely-shaped, wind-beaten limbs(枝干), can live up to 5,000 years. But experts worry that a warming climate in some areas may threaten its future.
Researchers say warmer weather is permitting a similar kind of tree, the limber pine, to take over good growing places from the ancient bristlecone. They say the tree is being crowded out of mountainous areas where it grows.
“The bristlecone pine is the oldest individually growing organism,” researchers say. They grow in high mountain forests in eastern California, Nevada and Utah. In those mountains, the trees face high winds and extreme temperatures, which leave them with twisted limbs and shapes. “Even in such tough conditions,” Brian Smithers, a researcher at the University of California, said, “the limber pine is taking all the good spots.”
The limber pine is the bristlecone’s distant relative and competitor. It can also live a long time——up to 2,000 years. And it is usually found at lower altitudes, where temperatures are warmer. However, according to a three-year study which centered on trees that have started growing in the last 50 years in California’s White Mountains, most of the trees growing at higher altitudes were limber pines.
Scientists compared the competing species to two o1d men in a very slow race up a mountainside. This race between such slow-growing trees takes thousands of years. They say climate change is causing the competition.
Smithers said the bristlecone pines are not in danger of disappearing. But he assumes they could be crowded out of some places where they have grown for thousands of years.
The researchers say the findings show how climate change can affect the two kinds of trees. The information, they say, can help scientists understand more complex forests.
1. What’s the function of Paragraph 1?A.To introduce a topic. | B.To summarize the whole passage. |
C.To describe the appearance of a tree. | D.To praise the hard work of the experts. |
A.There will be older trees sent out of those mountains. |
B.There will be more places covered with bristlecone pines. |
C.There will be better limber pines replacing the ancient ones. |
D.There will be fewer bristlecone pines growing in those areas. |
A.the high winds | B.the difficult conditions |
C.the changing climate | D.the extreme temperatures |
A.Positive. | B.Concerned. |
C.Enthusiastic. | D.Indifferent. |
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【推荐1】Just a year ago, the colors were bright under the waves. Now it’s gray — the Maldivian reef is dead. The coral is killed by the pressure of rising temperatures.
Coral reefs are areas underwater where small creatures live. The coral is hard material formed on the bottom of the sea by the skeletons of those creatures. But the world has lost about half its coral reefs in the last 30 years. Scientists are working to prevent their destruction. Due to global warming, over 90 percent of corals are expected to die by 2050. “To lose coral reefs is to fundamentally undermine the health of a very large proportion of the human race,” said Ruth Gates, director of the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology.
Why are coral reefs important? Coral reefs support a fourth of all marine species, as well as half a billion people worldwide. They serve as barriers to protect coastlines from the storms. They provide billions of dollars from tourism, fishing and other trade. They are also used in medical research for cures for diseases. “Everyone should be concerned,” said biologist Ove Guldberg at Australia’s University of Queensland. “This is not just some distant dive destination. This is the basic structure of the ecosystem we depend on.”
The ocean is getting warmer. A rising temperature of just one to two degree Celsius can force coral to expel the algae (驱逐海藻) that live there. This leaves their white skeletons uncovered. It is a process called “bleaching”. Sixteen percent of the world’s corals died of bleaching in 1998. The problem has become much worse in recent years.
“We’ve lost 50 percent of the reefs, but that means we still have 50 percent left,” said Ruth Gates, who is working in Hawaii to breed corals that can better withstand increasing temperatures. She is also trying to “train” corals to survive rising temperatures. Gates says it is time to start “thinking outside the box”— find creative ways to help them.
1. The underlined word “undermine” in paragraph 2 means ___________.A.weaken | B.regain | C.promote | D.overlook |
A.People won’t find a dive destination in the future. |
B.The effort to save corals will turn out to be fruitless. |
C.The destruction of coral reefs will affect the earth ecosystem. |
D.The bright sea has lost its charm because of those dead corals. |
A.the harm of algae | B.the process of “bleaching” |
C.the importance of coral reefs | D.the change of ocean temperature |
A.proud | B.cautious | C.optimistic | D.casual |
【推荐2】The results of a new survey have come out, uncovering young people’s thoughts on climate change (the long-term change in world weather patterns, including rising temperatures, caused by human activities).
More than 46,000 young people between the ages of 4 and 18 took part in the survey. Of them, 95% said they were worried about climate change, and 89% said that not enough was being done about it. Meanwhile, 81% said they feel as though young people aren’t being listened to. One young person, aged 14, from Bristol, who took part in the survey, said, “Children have a right to a future with a healthy, safe planet.” Another 14-year-old, from London, said, “Children have to live with the mistakes of adults, their wrongs and opinions. But as we grow up, we, as a generation, understand what is going on with the world and should have a say.”
When asked who has the biggest responsibility to do something about climate change, nearly 35% said world governments. Respondents were also asked what they’d like to see happen. Proposals included that governments should listen to young people more, and that businesses should change the way they work to be more environmentally friendly.
The survey was conducted by VotesForSchools and UNICEF UK. VotesForSchools is an organization that works to make sure young people have their voices heard. UNICEF is short for the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund. The United Nations is a group of 193 countries that work together on the challenges facing human. Both the survey and the COP26 climate change summit (峰会) took place on 31 October.
1. What is the survey on?A.Teenagers’ voices on climate change. |
B.Teenagers’ attitudes to human activities. |
C.Teenagers’ thoughts on weather patterns. |
D.Teenagers’ concerns about rising temperatures. |
A.To introduce a topic. | B.To present a fact. |
C.To make a comment. | D.To support an opinion. |
A.Improving people’s way of life. |
B.Getting businesses to go greener. |
C.Encouraging teenagers’ participation. |
D.Changing governments’ focus of listening. |
【推荐3】The ice around Alaska is not just melting. It's gotten so low that the situation is endangering some people's food and jobs.
“The seas are extraordinary warm. It is affecting the ability for Americans in the area to put food on the table right now,” said University of Alaska climate expert Rick Thoman.
Ocean temperatures in the Chukchi and North Bering seas are nearly 5°C above normal, satellite data shows.
“The northern Bering and southern Chukchi Seas are baking. And there are immediate local and economic influences along the state's western and northern coastlines. Birds and sea animals are showing up dead and sea temperatures are warm enough to support algae (藻类) to grow rapidly, robbing sea animals of oxygen and sunshine.” he said.
Many coastal Alaska towns are facing dire situation since they depend on fishing to support their economy and feed people who live there.
“Much of what the people eat there comes from food they harvest themselves,” said Brian Brettschneider at the International Arctic Research Center. “If people can't get out on the ice to hunt seals or whales, that affects their food security. It is a human crisis (危机) of survival.”
The warming is a sure signal of a warming planet, according to Brettschneider.
“This event is unquestionably a reflection of our changing climate. And this year's conditions will have a lasting effect. These extraordinary warm waters will take a while to cool off as winter approaches, and later and thinner ice is expected in the coming winter.” he said.
“What is happening in coastal Alaska is what is coming in one sense for everybody else,” he said. “Most people are feeling the effects of climate change even if they don't know it. Changes are happening, and changes will be more obvious. ”
1. Why is the food for people in Alaska at risk according to Rick Thoman?A.The sea water is too warm for creatures in the sea. |
B.Climate change causes the increasing death of sea creatures. |
C.Fishers are forced to quit their jobs because of climate change. |
D.Higher temperature produces poisonous plants that can't be eaten. |
A.Inconvenient | B.Familiar. | C.Sudden. | D.Awful |
A.Positive. | B.Curious. | C.Concerned. | D.Unclear. |
A.People can do nothing to deal with climate change. |
B.Climate change makes people in Alaska live a hard life. |
C.More efforts should be made to protect the sea life in Alaska. |
D.There are many reasons why the ocean in Alaska is warming. |
【推荐1】Why do animals migrate or move? They do so to find a place that will offer better living conditions. Not all animals migrate, but those that migrate are attempting to help the survival of their species. There are a variety of reasons why animals leave. Some migrate to avoid weather changes. Some leave because of the food supply. Unlike humans who migrate because of relationships, job changes, or other social reasons, animals migrate to survive.
There are different types of migration, but one of the most interesting is the seasonal migration. In seasonal migrations, animals move twice a year. These movements usually occur due to changes in the seasons or in the weather. For example, some birds migrate away from colder regions to warmer weather and then come back to a place once the colder weather has passed.
How do animals know when it is time to migrate? Some animals do not leave an are until the environment changes and becomes a place that is not favorable for them to live. Other animals seem to have inborn systems that tell them when it is time to leave.
Animals that migrate use many different ways to successfully reach their destinations. Scientists believe animals’ senses play a huge role in helping them find their way. For example, salmon(三文鱼)are thought to recognize specific smells that help them. Others are thought to use even the sun, moon, and stars to help guide them on their journeys. Although the animals use different methods to migrate, one thing is the same: migration remains an important journey for the survival of many of Earth’s most amazing species.
1. What is the text mainly about?A.Animals’ senses. | B.Animals’ habitats. |
C.Animals’ migration. | D.Animals’ destinations. |
A.To improve relationships. | B.To reach their destinations. |
C.To live with other species. | D.To find better living conditions. |
A.Animals use the same method to migrate. |
B.Animals may migrate for different reasons. |
C.Animals are born to know where to migrate. |
D.All migrating animals use the sun as a guide. |
A.A history book. | B.A travel brochure. |
C.A science magazine. | D.A financial newspaper. |
【推荐2】Richard Turere walks through his family's farm just outside Nairobi National Park in Kenya. Goats, cows, and sheep eat grass peacefully on the farm while in the park nearby, lions wander leisurely, living in peaceful coexistence with the livestock. An extraordinary picture! How do livestock manage to live safely near these huge lions? It's all due to this young man's brilliant invention, Lion Lights.
Livestock is his family's entire livelihood—which is why whenever lions attacked their goats, sheep, or cattle, it was disastrous. There seemed to be no good solution to the problem until Richard began working on it. After a lion killed his family's only bull, Richard started experimenting with ways to scare off the lions. His first two attempts—fire and then a scarecrow—were unsuccessful. But one night in 2011, when he was walking around with a flashlight, he noticed that lions stayed away. That's when he realized: these big cats were afraid of moving lights!
Then Richard—who'd taken apart and studied machines since he was very small—began experimenting. Despite his lack of any formal training in electrical engineering, he fitted a system of flashing LED lights on poles around the farm. The flashing lights, which he made from vehicle indicator flashers, car batteries, and a solar panel, tricked the lions into thinking the grounds were guarded, keeping the lions away.
The word got out about the brilliant "lion-lights boy". Soon Richard was fixing the Lion Lights system for neighbors. Later, his invention won him a scholarship to Kenya's well-known Brookhouse International School. And when Richard was 13, he was invited to California to speak about his invention at a TED conference. These days, Richard still lives on his family's farm, and fixes the Lion Lights system for people all over Kenya, which functions efficiently. He dreams of becoming an airplane engineer and pilot, but he also works to arouse people's awareness about the need to support young Kenyan inventors like himself.
1. What does "an extraordinary picture" refer to?A.Eye-catching scenery. | B.Well-protected ecosystem. |
C.Lions losing their nature. | D.Animals existing in harmony. |
A.Lions attacked livestock. | B.The locals' lives were threatened. |
C.Machines didn't function well. | D.Flashlights weren't in good condition. |
A.Richard's idea came from his failure. | B.Flashing lights could scare lions away. |
C.Richard's academic knowledge mattered. | D.Flashing lights were difficult to maintain. |
A.Richard's dream has come true. | B.Richard's invention makes a difference. |
C.Richard's devotion to helping his neighbors. | D.Richard's awareness of bettering his community. |
【推荐3】Scientists say a huge percentage of bird species are in danger because their habitats are disappearing.
The scientists studied the migration, or flight, paths, of almost 1,500 species and decided that 91 percent of them passed through dangerous areas. The major danger for migratory birds is development. Building and paving have covered over nature where birds stop and feed as they move from one part of the world to another.
For example, a bird called the bar-tailed godwit migrates from its breeding grounds in the Arctic. It flies all the way to Australia and New Zealand. The problem, according to investigators, is that many of these small birds die along their migration because they don't have a safe place to eat and rest. There is no place to restore their energy for the next part of their journey. "They simply perish along the way," says one of the scientists.
Countries in North Africa, Central Asia and those along the coasts of East Asia are having the most difficult time conserving land. The scientists say these countries do not have enough areas that are safe for birds.
"Our world gets poorer every time we lose a species,’’ one of the scientists says.
The researchers say countries need to work together and come up with safe stopover areas for birds that pass through their boundaries.
For example, one country might have preserved safe zones for migrating birds. But a neighbor country might not. A bird might die.
One scientist who is not involved in the report tells the Los Angeles Times that while some habitats are changing, more work can be done to make urban areas safe for birds. He says small changes—like planting more native plants or keeping cats out of areas birds would be likely to use—could make a big difference.
1. What’s the major danger for migratory birds according to the passage?A.They can’t find enough food along the way. |
B.They have lost their way because of human development. |
C.Human development has occupied their natural habitats. |
D.They are sometimes struck by human diseases. |
A.They fly from the Arctic south to Australia every year. |
B.They can pick out good resting place along the way. |
C.They have died out because of human hunting. |
D.They have their conserved land in Australia. |
A.Continue. | B.Die. |
C.Settle. | D.Migrate. |
A.Countries working together to protect the sea. |
B.Protecting the original habitats for the migrating birds. |
C.Reserving some land for the birds to rest along the way. |
D.Planting some native plants for the migrating birds to use. |
【推荐1】LONDON (Reuters)——Organic fruit, delivered right to the doorstep. That is what Gabriel Gold prefers, and he is willing to pay for it. If this is not possible, the 26-year-old computer technician will spend the extra money at the supermarket to buy organic food.
“Organic produce is always better,” Gold said, “The food is free of pesticides (农药), and you are generally supporting family farms instead of large farms. And more often than not, it is locally grown and seasonal, so it is more tasty. ” Gold is one of a growing number of shoppers buying into the organic trend, and supermarkets across Britain are counting on more like him as they grow their organic food business. But how many shoppers really know what they are getting, and why are they willing to pay a higher price for organic produce? Market research shows that Gold and others who buy organic food can generally give clear reasons for their preferences—but their knowledge of organic food is far from complete. For example, small amounts of pesticides can be used on organic products. And about three quarters of organic food in Britain is not local but imported to meet growing demand. “The demand for organic food is increasing by about one third every year, so it is a very fast-growing market." said Sue Flock, a specialist in this line of business.
1. More and more people in Britain are buying organic food because ________.A.they consider the food free of pollution |
B.they can get the food anywhere |
C.they are getting richer |
D.they like home-grown fruit |
A.It grows indoors all year round. | B.It is grown on family farms. |
C.It is produced outside Britain. | D.It is produced on large farms. |
A.Higher prices of organic food. | B.Better quality of organic food. |
C.Rising market of organic food. | D.Growing interest in organic food. |
【推荐2】When he was 22, Rob Stewart traveled the world for four years. He wanted to call attention to the mistreatment of sharks. His 2007 film, Sharkwater, documents the cruel practice of removing sharks’ fins (鳍) for money and leaving the animals to die. In his latest documentary, Revolution, Stewart takes on an even bigger challenge: climate change.
The Canadian filmmaker says that climate change has harmed people and places everywhere: “It is stronger than any government or organization. If we educate people, they will make better decisions about protecting natural resources.”
According to a recent report on climate change, “The atmosphere and ocean have warmed, the amounts of snow and ice have reduced, and sea levels have risen.” These developments are endangering crops, wildlife, fish, and even people.
Stewart says that the consequences of climate change will be irreversible unless people take action, especially young people. “It’s up to kids to be the moral compass (道德指南) of society,” he believes, “and say, ‘Guys, this is not right.’”
Many kids took action after seeing Sharkwater. Elementary school students in the Northern Mariana Islands, for example, got their local government to ban the sale of shark fins.
Felix Finkbeiner, 17, of Germany, is also part of the “revolution” to save the planet. In 2007, Felix started a youth group called Plant-for-the-Planet, whose motto is “Stop Talking. Start Planting.” The group raises money to plant trees. So far, Plant-for-the-Planet has planted nearly 200 trees around the world. “Future generations are the ones who will be suffering the most from inaction (无作为),” Felix says. His goal is to plant millions of additional trees.
“When we started four years ago,” Felix tells Stewart in Revolution, “we thought we had to save the polar bear. We thought we had to save the environment. But soon after, we found out that it’s about our future, that we have to save our own future.”
1. What can we learn about Rob Stewart?A.He spends most of his time traveling. |
B.He likes taking challenging jobs. |
C.He cares about the environment. |
D.He made his first film four years ago. |
A.Easy to accept. |
B.Hard to notice. |
C.Unnecessary to worry about. |
D.Impossible to change. |
A.Far-sighted. | B.Peace-loving. |
C.Easy-going | D.Self-centered. |
A.The best way to help |
B.Helping a planet in trouble |
C.Tips on saving our future |
D.A famous filmmaker |
【推荐3】My sister Alice and I have been trying to get people to stop dropping cigarette butts (烟头) for seven years. One day, we were walking in our hometown and saw hundreds of cigarette butts on the ground. They made the town look so ugly that we decided to start a group to make people stop dropping butts. We called it “No Butts About It”.
At first, we drew pictures with “The Earth is not your ashtray (烟灰缸)” written on them. We put the pictures around our hometown — in parks, on beaches, and along roads. We wanted to make people understand that dropping butts hurts the environment. Most smokers don’t think that dropping butts hurts the Earth. But it does, and all rubbish does!
Later, we wrote to companies and asked them for money to help us. We used the money to buy ashtrays and gave them to smokers. We wanted smokers to carry the ashtrays with them so they didn’t have to drop butts.
At the moment, we are trying to get cigarette companies to put an ashtray in each pack of cigarettes. Some companies want to do it. Many people have started to join our group since it began. Today there are 45 other “No Butts About It” groups in America.
Now there are even groups in England, Australia, and India! Many newspapers have written about my sister and me over the last seven years. And we have won many prizes for what we do. But we are not interested in prizes. We just want to make the Earth a better and cleaner place for animals, plants and people. One day, it will be.
1. What did the writer think about the cigarette butts in the first place?A.They made the town smelly. |
B.They made the town unhealthy. |
C.They made the town dirty. |
D.They made the town poor. |
A.Gave ashtrays to the smokers. |
B.Stopped people buying cigarettes. |
C.Picked up the cigarette butts. |
D.Won prizes for starting groups. |
A.No companies wanted to give money to them. |
B.The writer believes that the Earth will be a better and cleaner place. |
C.There are only 45 “No Butts About It” groups in the world. |
D.The writer likes to be on newspapers and win prizes. |
A.Save our town from cigarette butts |
B.Buy yourself an ashtray |
C.Cigarette butts also destroy other countries |
D.No butts prizes |