This book says our world is in danger. It describes the various threats to the environment. The situation is so serious that we must do something to save the Earth.
The writers ask us to “imagine that the Earth is inside a kind of greenhouse with the atmosphere(大气层) around it. The atmosphere acts like the glass: It lets sunlight in and keeps warmth from getting out. The atmosphere is essential for all living things. Without it, the Earth would be as cold and lifeless as the surface of the moon.”
“The trouble is that our atmosphere is changing because we are polluting it with chemicals—in the form of gases—and it is keeping in too much heat!”
These gases, mainly carbon dioxide(CO2) are produced by burning fuels such as petrol. The greenhouse effect may cause the level of the sea to rise and flood cities and even whole countries.
The burning and cutting down of the forests is making the greenhouse effect worse because trees take in CO2. It also causes soil erosion and flooding, as well as destroying the homes of people and animals that live in the forests.
Many of our habits cause pollution, especially our habit of using things once and then throwing them away. This creates massive mountains of rubbish. We do not know what to do with the rubbish and it pollutes our land and sea. For example, people throw away as many as seven billion drink cans in Britain each year. That is enough to reach from the Earth to the moon.
The book is asking us to become “green consumers”. That means we should only buy and use environmentally friendly goods so that we can save the Earth. These goods will not damage the environment.
Let’s be green consumers and enjoy living a better life on the Earth!
1. What does the underline word “essential” mean in the passage?| A．of great harm | B．of no harm |
| C．of great importance | D．of no importance |
① How can we save the Earth
② Bad habits
③ The greenhouse effect
④ Destroying the forest
| A．①②③④ | B．②④③① | C．③④①② | D．③④②① |
| A．By comparing facts and opinions. | B．By giving facts and results. |
| C．By listing examples and numbers. | D．By telling stories and giving advice. |
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【推荐1】Women around the world are working to help the environment. Here are four who have done their part to protect Earth’s plants and animals. Which of these women most encourages you to take action?
| Scientist Jane Goodall was born in London, England. She has always loved animals. She especially loves apes. Chimpanzees are apes. At age 26, Goodall began studying chimps in Tanzania. That’s in Africa. She is fighting to prevent trees being cut down in chimps’ living areas. |
| Activist Wangari Maathai was known as the Mother of Trees. She taught people how important trees are to the environment. She started a group that plants trees across Africa. In 2004, she won the Nobel Peace Prize. Maathai died in September, 2011. |
| American Sylvia Earle has always cared about the ocean. This scientist works to save the world’s oceans from pollution and overfishing. She goes on researching with her team. The trips help people be aware of ocean protection. |
| Scientist and environmental activist Vandana Shiva was born in India. She works to protect farmland. She helps people grow healthier and safer foods. Shiva has written many books. They teach readers about the importance of the land and how to take care of it. |
1. Who pays much attention to animals in her study?
| A．Jane Goodall. | B．Wangari Maathai. | C．Sylvia Earle. | D．Vandana Shiva. |
| A．She once studied apes in Africa. | B．She sells healthier and safer food. |
| C．She is both a writer and a scientist. | D．She has much knowledge of trees. |
| A．Nobel Prize winners. | B．Scientists who protect oceans. |
| C．Famous animal lovers. | D．Women who help the environment. |
Many people have started to join our group since it began. Today there are 45 other “No Butts About It” groups in America. And there are even groups in England, Australia and India! Many newspapers have written about my sister and I over the last seven years. And we have won many prizes for our good work.
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. “No Butts About It” started___________
| A．seventeen years ago. | B．seven years ago. |
| C．seventy years ago | D．It’s not mentioned. |
| A．Because they don’t like cigarette. |
| B．Because they want to make money. |
| C．Because they want people to know them. |
| D．Because they want to protect the environment. |
| A．7 | B．45 | C．46 | D．49. |
| A．America. | B．England. | C．Australia. | D．India. |
| A．starting a group called “No Butts About It” |
| B．writing to companies to ask them for help |
| C．asking newspapers to write about her sister and her |
| D．managing to get some cigarette companies to put an ashtray in each cigarette pack |
【推荐3】The Earth needs your help! Here are some ways to protect our planet.
Take a Walk: Usually get a ride to your friend’s house down the street? Ask your parents if you can walk or ride your bike there instead. Not taking the car ride saves gas, and reduce（减少）air pollution. Just make sure to always have an adult with you on longer walks or rides, and stay on the sidewalks—especially on busy roads.
Fill It Up: Billions of bottles of water were consumed in the United States every year. But only about 30 percent of those are actually recycled. The rest are thrown as rubbish or wind up in the ocean, where they may harm sea animals. An easy fix? Drink from a reusable water bottle. Experts say tap water is really safe to drink, and you’ll do your part to reduce the waste.
Bag It: Like water bottles, plastic bags are likely to become hazards to the earth, because they take many years to break down. Next time you go to the store with Mom or Dad, tell them to bring along reusable shopping bags.
Eat Up: You really should eat everything on your plate! Around the world, 1.4 billion tons of food is wasted every year. The rotting food is filling up landfills and giving out harmful greenhouse gases into the air. Coming up with creative ways to use up food that would be thrown away—like making cakes out of ripe bananas, can make a big difference to our planet.
Pick It Up: Every year, people around the world make 1.2 trillion kilograms of rubbish—as heavy as more than 6 million blue whales, the largest animal in the sea. And some of that will wind up in your local rivers and playgrounds. So grab some gloves and a rubbish bag and pick up rubbish. You’ll get some fresh air and exercise, and help protect the earth, too.
1. How many ways of protecting the Earth are mentioned in the article?| A．Three. | B．Four. | C．Five. | D．Six. |
| A．Picking up rubbish can reduce air pollution. |
| B．It is impossible for plastic bags to break down. |
| C．Most of the bottles of water are recycled in the United States. |
| D．Using reusable water bottles and drinking tap water are good ways to reduce waste. |
| A．problems | B．friends | C．power | D．protection |
| A．The problem of the Earth. | B．The tips to save the Earth. |
| C．The importance of protecting the Earth. | D．The reason for protecting the Earth. |
【推荐1】Sometimes you may find it hard to make more progress (进步) in your study. At this time, I think you need to change yourself. Here are great ways for you to make more progress.
First, use notebooks. Take one notebook with you in class and write down what the teacher says in class. This way will help you remember things.
Then, have a good sleep. Sleep is really important to each of us. Most of us need to sleep for seven to nine hours a night. But do you know how to have a good sleep? First of all, try to keep the same sleeping time every night, even on Saturdays and Sundays. Then, drink a glass of milk before you go to bed. I think these are good ways to help you have a good sleep.
Next, know when you work best. There are many studies showing advantages (好处) of night-time studying and early-morning studying. If you work late at night, make sure to give yourself some time to sleep in the morning.
Last, make good use of your learning way. Find out your learning ways first, and then try to find which way works best for you and use it often.
1. What’s the theme (主题) of the passage?| A．Health. | B．Study. | C．Rules. | D．Friend. |
| A．Using notebooks. |
| B．Having a good sleep. |
| C．Doing much homework. |
| D．Studying in the morning. |
| A．The notebook. |
| B．The best learning way. |
| C．The progress in your study. |
| D．The best working time. |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
| A．For how many hours should we sleep one night? |
| B．Some ways to make progress in our study. |
| C．Why should we take one notebook with us? |
| D．Different people have different learning ways. |
Each country has its own "art of living". For example, the word "niksen" shows how Dutch people fight stress and tiredness in a fast- paced lifestyle.
The term "niksen" comes from the Dutch word "niks", which refers to"nothing". In practice, "niksen" could be as simple as just relaxing, looking at your surroundings or listening to music - as long as it's without purpose and not done in order to achieve something. Think "simply sitting in a chair or looking out of the window," says Ruut Veenhoven, a professor at Erasmus University who studies happiness.
"Niksen" sounds contrary to the advice that we were all given as kids. Nowadays, we're always told to stay busy and work harder than everyone else. But "niksen" is against that attitude. It offers the chance to "deliciously do nothing", as Carolien Hamming told Time. She thinks that "niksen" is very important to staying healthy, since it's a form of mental relaxation and healing. Just like a wild animal lying in wait for their food, "niksen" seems to be a natural state of being.
For some people,"niksen" can mean more than just mental relaxation. It's also a way to imagine new ideas or plans. As an early adopter of "niksen", Jenny Holden, adds it to her daily lunch breaks. "Within 10 minutes of doing nothing-just staring and listening to myself-my head began to clear and pick out my work and home to-do lists", she told the Metro UK. However, for many, doing nothing isn't as simple as it sounds. In fact, it can be somewhat challenging to sit still and stare out a window.
Above all, "niksen" is a suggestion for balancing work and rest. As Dutch-born writer Ogla Mecking wrote in Whoolly Magazine,"niksen" is the full enjoyment of life's breaks".
Everyone is encouraged to have your "niksen" moments. They give you the strength to face everyday challenges.
1. The term "niksen" means ________| A．living in the moment | B．being free and doing nothing |
| C．staying busy and working hard | D．using your wildest imagination |
| A．"niksen" helps fight against illness | B．"niksen" can improve one's mental health |
| C．"niksen" can shorten the distance between people | D．"niksen" helps people come up with new thoughts |
| A．Sitting on the chair and dreaming. | B．Going hiking alone on sunny days. |
| C．Lying on the bed and thinking about nothing. | D．Watching TV while eating some snacks. |
| A．The importance of enjoying happy moments. | B．Suggestions on how to balance work and rest. |
| C．An introduction to one of the Dutch lifestyles. | D．An explanation of some Danish words about health. |
【推荐3】Stand-up comedy is becoming popular among the young in China. One person, man or woman, stands on stage and tells funny stories, or funny people or funny things that happened to them. The performers will try their best to make people laugh. Stand-up comedy is different from other forms of acting. An actor usually has a script（剧本）to fall back on and a team of other actors to rely on.
Unlike an actor, a stand-up performer is showing himself or herself but not creating characters. A stand-up performer fails or succeeds depending on his or her own talent. It usually takes days or even weeks of hard work to make people laugh for a few minutes.
Stand-up comedy has come a long way in the West, but it is a new art form in China. Today the most popular stand-up comedy show in China is Rock & Roast（《脱口秀大会》）. All of its three seasons were popular, especially the third season. When the third season came out last summer, it took the Internet by storm and soon became one of the hottest TV shows in China. The show is such a big success that it has opened a new door to the golden age of stand-up comedy. More and more young people have begun watching stand-up comedy, and some even start doing it part-time. They say it’s a great way to relax.
1. What’s the purpose of stand-up comedy?| A．To share ideas. | B．To make fun of people. |
| C．To introduce a new art form. | D．To bring people laughter |
| A．They create characters. | B．They must follow the scripts. |
| C．Their success is much easier. | D．Their success depends on their own talent. |
| A．It’s very special. | B．It’s very successful. |
| C．It’s very important. | D．It’s very educational. |
| A．Stand-up comedy has come a long way in the West. |
| B．Watching stand-up comedy is a great way to relax. |
| C．The third season of Rock & Roast is the most popular. |
| D．More and more young girls like watching stand-up comedy. |
| A．The history of stand-up comedy. |
| B．How stand-up comedy changes people’s life. |
| C．Stand-up comedy is getting popular in China. |
| D．What are needed to be a stand-up comedy performer. |
