The Earth Is Getting Greener
NASA has got some good news for us. The world is a greener place today than it was 20 years ago. How does this happen? Well, it appears China and India are leading the change.
NASA researchers compared satellite data(卫星数据) from the mid-1990s to today. They found that the whole world’s green leaf area had increased by 5% since the early 2000s. That’s about the same area as the whole Amazon rain forest. At first, the researchers were unsure what caused the large increase in greening around the planet. After further study, they found that greening was mostly in China and India.
China and India have the world’s biggest population. In the past, they were considered to have harmed the environment seriously. But the two countries have made the largest greening of the planet exist in the past twenty years.
The tree-planting programmes in both countries have made huge contributions to the whole world’s greening trend(趋势). China has carried out the programmes to protect forests and make them larger. These programmes were developed to keep soil in place to reduce air pollution and so on. India continues to break world records in tree planting. It was reported that 800,000 Indians planted 50 million trees in one day in 2016.
The greening trend has also caused by intensive(集中的) agriculture in both countries. Both countries have greatly increased food pollution in order to feed their large populations.
However, the researchers warned that we should not be happy with the situation. Some of the natural green leaf areas in the earth are getting smaller at the same time. The gain in global greenness does not offset(抵消) the losses.
1. How much had the whole world’s green leaf area increased since the early 2000s?2. According to the passage, what has made the whole world’s greening trend happen?
3. Do you think the environment in Suzhou will get better? Why or why not?
相似题推荐
注意：每个空格只填1个单词。
While dogs are the most popular household pets, cats run a close second. Cats are not often noticed by people choosing a new four-legged friend. An animal expert explains why they make fantastic friends.
Cats VS Dogs
It seems that many people likes dogs better than cats. Often people who grew up with dogs find it difficult to imagine（想象）owning and loving cats. But they can be surprised to learn how friendly and responsive cats are.
Good points of keeping cats
Cats are always in small size. They can be a great pet choice for people with limited space and busy lifestyles. They don’t have the exercise requirements（需求）like dogs. Moreover, they are quiet and clean, and they can be happy to be left alone indoors. Cats can be very playful and interactive（互动的）with children and offer them chances（机会）to learn to care for another living being.
Keeping dogs and cats together
Dogs and cats can become great friends, especially（尤其）if they are raised at the same time. They can become friends with each other. The younger, the better.
Help to decide
If you never actually own the cat, but are thinking of it, talk to cat owners or offer to help a cat owner. You could go to an animal center and play with cats. It helps decide if you might enjoy their companionship（陪伴）. You may be surprised to find how wonderful cats really are.
Facts | Cats are the second most popular household pets. There are It is |
Qualities | Like dogs, cats are also Compared with dogs, cats are quieter and |
Advantages | Cats are fit for people Cats don’t need as much Children can learn to take The earlier owners raise cats and dogs together, the more |
Ways to help make a | Talk with or help cat owners. Visit an animal centre and spend some time with cats. |
【推荐2】Millions of hearts were touched when Laerke Luna shared on the Internet this truly special relationship between her 2-year-old son Otto and a wild crow (乌鸦) named Russell. It all started last year in August, the family couldn’t find the little crow’s parents around, so they decided to raise the poor little bird and named him Russell.
“Russell is a wild bird, and he doesn’t stay with the family all the time, but when Otto is outside, he is always with him,” says Laerke. “They have a special relationship,” she adds. And in fact, in all of the shared videos, we can see Russell follows 2-year-old Otto patiently no matter where the little kid goes or what he does.
It’s important to mention here that crows are thought very social and smart according to the study. They remember things very well and know how to use tools (工具). Some scientists say that crows are as smart as a seven-year-old child. So, it’s not so surprising that Russell is so happy to be with Otto and is so connected to this loving family.
Otto and Russell’s friendship shows that where there is care and attention, there’s true love and pure (纯粹的) joy.
1. Why did the family raise Russell? (不超过10个词)2. What are crows like according to the study? (不超过5个词)
3. What can we learn from the friendship between Otto and Russell? (不超过15个词)
【推荐3】A woman called Oakes loves her pet so much that she doesn’t go anywhere without her. It sounds a little crazy. But 34-year-old Oakes always stays together with her hen named Kippee when she travels around.
While many people like dogs, Oakes takes her pet hen everywhere she goes. And best of all, she gets free eggs for breakfast. It’s the best part. You can’t get any fresher, says Oakes.
Oakes has been with the hen since last May. Oakes took Kippee home after meeting her at the Wild Bird Fund when she was just a chick (小鸡). Kippee was an Easter (复活节) gift but her last owner abandoned (抛弃) her after the holiday. “She jumped up onto my arm and she was so comfortable there, She chose me.” Oakes says.
Kippee travels around and draws attention. “We’re so disconnected (脱节) from farm and forest life here in New York City,” Oakes says. “So she’s a great tool for me to teach other people.”
Oakes thinks Kippee should play with other hens instead of always staying with her. She has recently raised $3,500 to build a chicken coop (鸡笼) at a nearby community center. “It’ll be good for her and she will feel happy.” says Oakes.
Oakes has also made her house a green house with more than 700 plants. It is like the nature inside.
So Kippee enjoys her time living there.
1. Is Oakes’ pet a hen?2. How long has Oakes been with Kippee?
3. What has Oakes done to let Kippee enjoy living there?
4. Do you like keeping a hen as a pet? Why or why not?
| ①More than 600 teenagers got together in Suzhou to attend MUN conference(模拟联合国大会) held by China Daily on April 20th. As the representatives(代表) of countries, these teenagers discussed and made suggestions on real-world problems. This year’s topics were about zero hunger, clean water, environment and so on. ②“This activity can help give students an international view. It helps our country develop talents who have a good understanding of different cultures and the international environment,” said Xue Yuxue, a speaker who gave the opening speech. “Luckily, during the conference, I’ve made many friends from different places,” said Xie Yi from Shanghai. |
| Now, let’s learn about some of the ideas and solutions. ●Li Zetong, 14, the Nigerian(尼日利亚) representative for the UN, comes from Henan. Problem 1: How to help the poor in Nigeria. Possible Solutions: Li believed that to help the poor, countries should take action according to their local situation. It is important to have different plans for different places. “Nigeria has deserts in the north, grassland in the middle and sea in the south. So we can work with other countries to dig for oil in the north, grow plants in the middle area and develop fisheries in the south,” Li said. ●A middle school student, 15, the Chinese representative for the UN, comes from Chongqing. Problem 2: How to help build a greener world. Possible Solutions: ________ |
2. What did these teenagers do during the MUN conference?
3. Please write a topic sentence(主题句) for Paragraph 2.
4. Please follow Li Zetong’s example to give your creative advice on Problem 2.
A group of islands in the South Pacific is in danger of disappearing. Tuvalu will soon become the first country which is not suitable for people to live because of weather change and rising sea levels. Tuvalu is about 1, 050 kilometers north of its nearest neighbour Fiji. Its name means “eight standing together”, but in fact it is nine islands.
This tiny country is the fourth smallest in the world, after Monaco, the Vatican and Nauru.
In the summer, there are lots of hurricanes（飓风） and rough seasons. These hurricanes have recently become more and have begun to hurt life and pull down buildings and houses. They have also killed the fish in the seas around the island. This is very serious because the fish are an important source of food for the people.
Rising sea levels, caused by global warming, have increased the level of salt in the ground water. This water is the only source of fresh water for people and farm animals.
Of course Tuvalu’s greenhouse gases（温室气体） is not much because it’s such a small country but the Tuvalu government has begun a programme to deal with its own greenhouse gases. But this will not change the situation, and at last, the Tuvaluans will have to leave their islands.
New Zealand has agreed to take in 75 people per year, but there are 9, 000 people living in Tuvalu at the moment. So where will the people of Tuvalu go?
1. Where is Tuvalu?2. Why should people in Tuvalu leave their islands?
3. How do people in Tuvalu feel?
4. What can we do to prevent the situation in Tuvalu happening again?
In 1988, Wang Chengbang retired from the army. Instead of enjoying a relaxing life, he volunteered to save the soil from desertification (沙漠化) by planting trees in Korla, Xinjiang.
It is no easy job. The high temperature in Korla makes it difficult for anyone to work day after day in the sunshine. Also, water is a big problem. In fact, Wang Chengbang’s work in the first few years failed as very few trees survived (存活).
But Wang Chengbang would not give up. “After trying many different ways, I have learned how to grow young trees in a better way,” said Wang Chengbang. He also worked out new ways to save water. With his hard work, more and more trees have survived. So far, he has planted more than 1.5 million trees. Those green trees prevent desertification, make the air cleaner and protect people from the hot sun. Now, Korla is a model city in environmental protection.
Wang Chengbang is also successful in fighting cancer (癌症). In 2005, he had cancer and was told that he had only six months to live. However, he continued taking care of his trees rather than lying on the hospital bed. “Working is the best medicine. Planting trees helps to fight cancer,” he often jokes.
Now, at the age of 85, Wang Chengbang is still working.
1. Why did Wang Chengbang plant trees in Korla after he retired?2. What makes Wang’s work difficult in Korla?
3. Why are the trees important in Korla?
4. What is Wang Chengbang successful in?
5. In the holiday, do you want to be a volunteer to work with Mr. Wang? Why or why not?
On the night of Oct 29, during Halloween celebrations, a deadly stampede (致命的踩踏事故) happened in Seoul, South Korea. It killed at least 156 people, including four Chinese nationals, Xinhua reported. And 151 people were injured (受伤). This was the country’s deadliest accident since a 2014 ferry sinking (沉船) that left 304 people dead.
On that night, around 100,000 people gathered in Seoul’s Itaewon district for the country’s biggest no-mask outdoor Halloween event since the pandemic (疫情) began. According to police, the accident happened around 10:30 pm when a huge crowd surged (涌入) into a narrow alley (狭窄的巷子), just 3.2meters wide.
Yoon Hee-keun, chief of South Korea’s National Police Agency, said that he “feels a heavy responsibility (责任) for the disaster as the head of one of the related government offices” Police officers who received the calls failed to deal with them effectively, he added.
South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo also said the accident can be blamed in part on incomplete crowd management rules. He called for the use of drones (无人机) and other high-tech resources to develop an effective crowd-control strategy. The government will review (审查) national safety rules to stop the same accident from happening again, People’s Daily reported.
1. When did the deadly stampede happen in Seoul, South Korea?2. How many people died in the accident?
3. Who felt a heavy responsibility for the disaster?
4. How will the South Korean government stop the same accident from happening again?
5. What is Han Duck-soo?
The Shenzhou XV astronauts are going on a fantastic trip in space. They are in the Tiangong Space Station now, where they worked with the Shenzhou XIV astronauts, Chen Dong, Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe.
After about two hours of preparatory work, the Shenzhou XV commander(指挥官), Fei Junlong, moved into the connection cabin(连接舱) in the station.
The leader of the Shenzhou XIV, Chen Dong, had waited in the cabin for a few minutes. He was very happy to see his colleague(同事) in the special place. They hugged each other. And then Chen Dong said, “Two more people Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe are waiting for you.”
In the next few minutes, Deng Qingming and Zhang Lu entered the connection cabin one by one and Chen Dong also gave a warm welcome to them. Then the Shenzhou XV astronauts hugged Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe. The six great astronauts talked for a while happily and they took some photos. It was the first time that six Chinese astronauts had been in a space station at the same time.
The six astronauts stayed together for about five days and then the Shenzhou XIV astronauts returned to Earth. The Shenzhou XV astronauts are supposed to stay in the station for six months and they have a lot of work to do.
1. Where did Fei Junlong and Chen Dong meet?2. How long did the six astronauts stay together?
3. Who will go on working in the station for six months?
4. 请把文章的划线句子翻译成汉语。
5. 请给短文拟一个恰当的标题。
【推荐3】On April 8th 2024, millions of Americans put on their special glasses to watch a total solar eclipse (日全食). The picture above shows its full progression (进展).
The total solar eclipse could be seen in North America. A solar eclipse is when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth. As the moon shortly covered the sun on April 8th, cities went into darkness. The temperatures dropped greatly by up to 7°C during totality (全食), reported dogonews.com.
There are five stages in a total solar eclipse:
Partial eclipse begins (1st contact):
The Moon becomes visible over the Sun’s disk. It looks like the Moon has taken a bite out of the Sun.
Total eclipse begins (2nd contact):
The Moon covers the entire disk of the Sun, and people are now within the Moon’s umbra (本影).
Totality and maximum eclipse:
The Moon completely covers the disk of the Sun. Only the Sun’s corona (日冕) is visible. This is the most dramatic stage of a total solar eclipse. At this time, the sky goes dark, temperatures can fall, and birds and animals often go quiet. The midpoint of time of totality is known as the maximum point of the eclipse.
Total eclipse ends (3rd contact):
The Moon starts moving away, and the Sun reappears. Those fortunate enough to be in the Moon’s umbral can see Baily’s beads and the diamond ring effect just after totality ends.
Partial eclipse ends (4th contact):
The eclipse ends as the Moon leaves the Sun’s disk.
To Chinese people regret, we can’t watch the beautiful view this time. A total solar eclipse will occur on September 2nd 2035 in China. If you are an amateur astronomer (天文爱好者) in China you could ________.
1. Where can people watch total solar eclipse on April 8th 2024? (不超过15词)2. Which is the darkest stage of the total solar eclipse? (不超过5词)
3. What would the writer say at the end of the text? (不超过20词)
