The Amazon rainforest covers 5.5 million square kilometers. That’s about half the size of China! However, according to a new study, the Amazon rainforest may become grassland (草原) in a few years.
The Amazon is the world’s biggest rainforest. Climate change and human activities make it “sick”. Usually, the rainforest can fix itself. But now, it feels too “tired” to get better. The trees may die and the rainforest could turn into a hot, dry grassland.
Why is the Amazon “sick”? The Amazon is one of the world’s wettest places. But since 2005, three droughts have hit the rainforest. They were caused by climate change. The trees don’t have enough water to grow. What’s worse, as they become dry, they can easily catch fire.
On the other hand, people cut down rainforest trees for wood. They burn the forest to make farmland. They clear trees to find minerals (矿产). All these activities have caused about 17 percent of the rainforest to disappear.
The Amazon is like the lungs of our planet. The rich plants there take carbon dioxide (CO₂) out of the air and make oxygen. They make more than 20 percent of the planet’s oxygen. What will happen if we lose it? If the Amazon “dies”, there will be more CO₂ and our earth will become even hotter.
Also, the Amazon is home to over 3 million animals and plants. Many of them can’t live anywhere else. They would very likely just disappear.
1. If the rainforest can’t fix itself, what will the rainforest turn into?| A．Deserts. | B．Minerals. | C．Grassland. | D．Farmland. |
| A．The trees. | B．The three droughts. | C．The rich plants. | D．The world’s wettest places. |
| A．The climate will change better. |
| B．There will be more O₂ on the earth. |
| C．There will be more animals and plants. |
| D．Our earth will become hotter with more CO₂. |
A． | B． |
C． | D． |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】We often think the Arctic (北极) only has snow and ice. But in fact, it has far more than that!
The Arctic is on top of Earth. The Arctic Ocean makes up two-thirds of the Arctic, while one-third is made up of land in eight countries, including Russia, Canada, and the US.
The Arctic lands have many various lives. Some plants and animals can grow in very cold temperatures. In fact, the Arctic is home to more than 21,000 kinds of lives. There are whales, Arctic foxes and many more: The polar bear (北极熊) is the most famous Arctic animal.
You might think that the Arctic is too cold for people to live in. But surprisingly, there are about 4 million people living there. That’s the same population as the city of Taiyuan in Shanxi, China. About 10 percent are local people. They have been there for thousands of years. They make a living by fishing, hunting and so on.
A group of scientists recently came back from a one-year-long study in the Arctic. They have bad news: the Arctic is dying. The amount of Arctic sea ice is falling by around 3 percent every year. There will be no more ice during the summer in the near future. What does this mean for us? Many animals such as polar bears, hunt for their food on the ice. If they can’t do this anymore, they will die of hunger Local people hunt animals for food. But since so many animals are dying, they need to change their way of life.
1. One-third of the Arctic is made up ________.| A．ocean | B．land | C．snow | D．ice |
| A．endangered | B．different | C．same | D．valuable |
| A．4,000 | B．4,000,000 | C．40,000 | D．400,000 |
| A．two-thirds of the Arctic is made up of land |
| B．all the animals in the Arctic will die of hunger |
| C．the polar bear is the most famous Arctic animal |
| D．the population of the city of Taiyuan is about 400,000 |
| A．the people in the Arctic | B．the animals in the Arctic |
| C．the life in the Arctic | D．the weather in the Arctic |
Antarctica（南极洲）is at the southern end of the Earth. It is the coldest, driest and windiest place on our planet. What would it be like to live and work there?
On Oct 15, 50 Chinese researchers took a ship named Xuelong 2 from Shenzhen to Antarctica. Xuelong 2 is the first icebreaker（破冰船）made in China. It took two years to build Xuelong 2. It is reported that Xuelong 2 is one of the world's best research icebreakers.
Chinese researchers have been to Antarctica 35 times. Because of its unusual environment, researchers from around the world have been going there to do study（研究）for many years. Some studies can only be done in Antarctica. For example, there is little air pollution there. This makes it easier for scientists to study the weather, atmosphere（大气）and stars.
The study of Antarctica's geology（地质）is also important. Rocks in Antarctica can tell us what the weather was like long time ago, and help us understand how the Earth has changed over time. There are also many wild animals, such as penguins（企鹅）, seals（海豹）and birds. Scientists can learn how animals live in cold places by studying them.
Xie Zhouqing is a professor at the University of Science and Technology of China. He was part of China's 15th research trip to Antarctica. He said, "Life in Antarctica is not easy. It is tiring and sometimes dangerous, but it is still quite fun. "He also said," I studied how penguins walk, what they eat, and why they move from one place to another. I was excited to see the cute animals playing around. I hope my studies can help protect them."
1. What can we know from the first three paragraphs?| A．Antarctica is at the northern end of the Earth. |
| B．There is plenty of air pollution in Antarctica. |
| C．Xuelong 2 is the first icebreaker made in China. |
| D．Chinese scientists have been to Antarctica 45 times. |
| A．Life in Antarctica. |
| B．Rocks in Antarctica. |
| C．Fun in Antarctica. |
| D．Danger in Antarctica. |
| A．The weather in Antarctica hasn't changed over time. |
| B．Xie Zhouqing mainly studied geology in Antarctica. |
| C．Chinese researchers have done many studies in Antarctica. |
| D．The study in Antarctica can't help protect penguins and seals. |
| A．A storybook. |
| B．A cooking guide. |
| C．A film review. |
| D．A science magazine. |
【推荐3】The world is full of wonders, only if we open our eyes to see them. Millions of people around the world have been working together to honor the wonders in the nature. They chose their favorite places by voting (投票) by people around the world. The final list of the New Seven Wonders of Nature finally came out. Let’s take a look at some.
The Amazon RainforestCovering an area of 2.1 million square miles and running across nine different countries, it becomes the largest rainforest in the world. A single hectare (1,000 m²) of Amazon rainforest contains about 900 tons of living plants, including more than 750 types of trees and 1,500 other plants because of the enough rain around the year.
It has long been described as the “Lungs of our Planet”. This is because its plants continuously recycle carbon dioxide (二氧化碳) into oxygen (氧气). About 20 percent of the Earth’s oxygen is produced by the Amazon rainforest.
Komodo National Park IndonesiaKomodo National Park is made up of three larger islands and 26 smaller ones, with a total area of 733km², of which 603km² is land. The park was built to protect the endangered Komodo dragon, which can be as long as three meters and weigh over 70kg. The park also includes one of the world’s richest marine (海洋的) environments. No wonder that one of the most popular tourist activities in the park is diving (潜水). In the past, tourists were allowed to give food to Komodo dragon, but now this activity has been canceled.
Table Mountain, South AfricaFrom its name, you can tell that the mountain must look like a big table. Exactly, the mountain is steep (陡峭的) but the top is so flat (平的). People say that it’s as if the gods themselves put this mountain into place so they could drink and eat on it. The gods even have tablecloth—the cloud over the top of the mountain.
1. Why is The Amazon Rainforest called the “Lungs of our Planet”?| A．It’s the world’s largest rainforest. | B．It owns the largest number of plants. |
| C．It has enough rain all year round. | D．It produces a lot of oxygen. |
| A．It is made up of 29 islands. | B．It is used to protect the Komodo dragon. |
| C．It provides undersea activities. | D．It allows giving food to Komodo dragon. |
| A．From its special location. | B．From the shape of its top. |
| C．From an ancient fairy story. | D．From its famous local food. |
One of the world’s most dangerous sports is mountain climbing, and one of the most popular places for this is the Himalayas. The Himalayas run along the southwestern part of China. And at 8,844.43 meters high, Mount Qomolangma is the tallest mountain of the Himalayas as well as on the Earth. While it is famous for its beautiful views, parts of the mountain are facing a problem: rubbish. Every year, visitors and climbers throw away tons of rubbish, such as bottles and plastic bags.
According to the UN, over 140 tons of rubbish has been left on the mountain. To reduce rubbish, China is limiting (限制) the number of people who are allowed to climb up the north side of the mountain. Only 300 people will be allowed to climb it, and only during spring.
People cleaned the mountain last year, removing rubbish at a height of 5,200 meters. They collected about 8.4 metric tons (公吨) of rubbish.
This year, the local government plans to spend 4 million yuan on a new clean-up activity. The local government is also setting up stations to sort (分类), recycle and break down rubbish collected from the mountain. A group of artists will also try to turn the rubbish into art works. They will show these works of art to remind people not to leave rubbish when climbing the mountain.
1. What problem are parts of Mount Qomolangma facing?| A．Noise. | B．Rubbish. | C．Air pollution. | D．Water pollution. |
| A．140. | B．5,200. | C．4 million. | D．300. |
| A．taking away | B．giving away | C．putting on | D．using up |
| A．teach people to make works of art |
| B．help people to know about Qomolangma |
| C．encourage people to clean up Qomolangma |
| D．remind people not to throw rubbish on Qomolangma |
| A．A notice. | B．A story. | C．News. | D．An ad（广告）. |
We are members of the Cleaner Club. We love to study in our school.
Look around our school. Do you think it beautiful and clean? Sometimes the school isn’t beautiful. Some students drop litter around the school. The litter makes the school dirty. We can see paper, bags or bottles here and there. Those things should be in dustbins. Our club doesn’t want to see a dirty school. So every day, ten members of the club pick litter after school.
The school sports meeting will be held (被举行) next week. It is from Thursday to Friday. Can you not drop litter then? Our club hopes to pick all of the litter. And, can you help us? We really need your help.
1. The writer is a ________.| A．PE teacher | B．kind parent |
| C．volleyball player | D．member of the Cleaner Club |
| A．体育场 | B．图书馆 | C．实验室 | D．垃圾箱 |
| A．every morning | B．between classes | C．after school | D．at night |
| A．For a week. | B．For half a week. | C．For one day. | D．For two days. |
| A．The club doesn’t want new members. |
| B．The club wants other students’ help. |
| C．Twenty members of the club pick litter every day. |
| D．The school is usually dirty. |
【推荐3】Every Wednesday evening, a group of runners in Chongqing get together and set off on their 5-to-8-kilometer run through the city’s public spaces. But this is not a common run. The runners carry rubbish bags with them. They are a group of rubbish collectors who keep fit while helping clean up their surroundings (周围环境).
“Make running more than just running,” Sogor says, wearing a blue T-shirt with “We Run For Trash (垃圾)” on the back. She says that besides exercising in a fun way, Trash Running is also a way to make new friends and discover hidden places.
Sogor says that in addition to the weekly runs, the group also organize running to mark special days. On Earth Day, for example, they help clean up roads in the Gele Mountains.
There are now many runners in different jobs—office workers, yoga teachers, restaurant owners and so on. The oldest is in their forties, and the youngest is just five years old.
From time to time, the runners draw attention and get a big thumbs-up (竖起大拇指). Sogor said, “What one person can do is small, so we run together to make a better and greater influence.” She said that Trash Running has groups in many cities, including Shanghai, Beijing, Chongqing, Changchun and Wuhan. Over 9,300 people have joined the group and about 4,000 of them are trash runners.
1. Runners in Chongqing get together ________.| A．once a week | B．twice a week | C．once a month |
| A．making friends |
| B．looking for interesting places |
| C．running and protecting the environment |
| A．the club’s members | B．the club’s needs | C．the club’s activities |
| A．Time waits for no man. |
| B．One is never too old to learn. |
| C．Many hands make light work. |
| A．Sogor, a Great Girl | B．We Run for Trash | C．A New Way to Exercise |
【推荐1】Balloons are a symbol of celebration. People love to release colorful balloons for special events, such as festivals and ceremonies. Colorful balloons may look pretty, but they can bring about some serious problems.
After balloons are released, they can end up hundreds of kilometers away from where they were released, causing great harm to the environment and wildlife. It is well known that popular helium(氦) balloons can travel up to 800 km before the helium releases and balloons fall to earth. This means they can fly almost everywhere, including waterways, oceans, mountains and farmlands.
Well, in our daily life, there are two types of balloons in general use. Most of the balloons we use are latex(乳胶) balloons. In fact it will take them six months to four years to decompose(分解) and they can cause pollution before they do. The other one is Mylar balloons. They are a kind of plastic balloons which cannot be decomposed and can stay in the environment forever. Similar to plastic bags, the Mylar balloons break into smaller pieces in the sun. Besides the balloons themselves, the ribbons, which are used for tying balloons, are also made of plastic.
All of these materials, if littered, can add to the amount of plastic waste our environment. At the same time, it can result in the injury or death of animals. Balloons may break up into smaller pieces over time. Sea animals, such as whales, turtles and seabirds, often mistake them for food, and if eaten, those small pieces can make them hard to breathe and then cause them to die. Besides, they can also easily get themselves caught together tightly in balloon ribbons. Even worse, it has been found that some birds are collecting balloon pieces, thinking that they’re food, and even feeding them to their babies.
So, don’t release balloons any more so as to reduce the pollution and protect animals. Every small step we take can make the world better, healthier and cleaner.
1. Paragraph 2 mainly tells us that ________.| A．helium balloons can fly very far away | B．releasing balloons can produce rubbish |
| C．balloons are very important in our daily life | D．balloons can have a bad influence on a wide area |
| A．Mylar balloons can’t be decomposed over time. |
| B．Mylar balloons can be used for the second time. |
| C．Mylar balloons’ pieces won’t turn into plastic waste. |
| D．Mylar balloons’ pieces could cause the death of animals. |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
| A．Create a new world | B．Protect sea animals |
| C．No more balloon releases | D．Different kinds of balloons |
【推荐2】Many people know Shanghai’s beautiful night view（景色）, especially the colorful lights from the buildings. Light helps us see and makes the environment more beautiful. However, too much light becomes a kind of pollution but many of us pay little attention to this pollution or even ignore it. In fact, it causes a lot of problems. Light pollution can be almost as bad as carbon dioxide（二氧化碳）pollution.
Too much light can do harm to our health. First, it can make us feel bad and we can’t sleep well. Second, lights need electricity, and creating electricity will give off greenhouse gases. This affects the air and causes breathing problems. Third, study shows people living under bright light for long can have cancer more easily.
Too much light may be even harmful to wild animals. Thousands of birds die from it each year. Some hit into the light buildings, because they can’t see clearly in the strong light. Some birds sometimes lose their ways in the bright light. Sea turtles（海龟）can’t find the dark beaches to lay their eggs.
To protect humans and wildlife, we should take measures to reduce the use of lights at night.
1. Shanghai’s night is beautiful because of the __________.| A．colorful lights | B．tall buildings | C．nice sea | D．wild animals |
| A．熟悉 | B．消除 | C．忽视 | D．防治 |
| A．air | B．water | C．noise | D．soil |
| A．Too much light can do harm to wild animals. |
| B．Birds can’t see clearly because the light is too bright. |
| C．Birds sometimes lose their way because of the bright light. |
| D．Sea turtles can’t find the dark beaches to rest. |
| A．the measures to reduce the use of lights at night |
| B．the reasons why thousands of birds die each year |
| C．how to protect ourselves from the bright light |
| D．the harm of light pollution |
【推荐3】When you think of the Arctic (北极), you imagine an icy land of pure white snow. Others imagine it as the last really clean place left on the earth. We have polluted the deepest oceans with plastic rubbish. And now it’s the Arctic’s turn.
German scientists have recently found microplastics in Arctic snow. Microplastics are pieces of plastic smaller than 5 millimeters. Sadly, the scientists found 1,800 pieces of microplastics per liter of (每升) snow.
How is plastic pollution reaching the Arctic? According to scientists, “It’s clear that most of the microplastics in the snow come from the air.” They fall off things made of plastic and are moved by the wind, just like dust. They mix with ice in the air and fall to the ground as snow. Finding these plastics in Arctic snow means that we may breathe them in.
Are they bad for us? Scientists cannot answer this question for now, according to the WHO. We do know that our bodies cannot take in “large” pieces of microplastics. However, if the plastics are small enough, they can find ways into our bodies and stay there for a long time, which can be bad for our health. What’s more, earlier studies have shown that microplastics may contribute to lung cancer risk.
Microplastics have also been found in rivers and oceans around the world. Earlier research has found that they flow over long distances and into our oceans, hurting ecosystems along the way. They start in our wastewater, then flow into rivers and out to the sea, where they are eaten by sea animals. If people then eat these animals, it means that we’re eating the plastic as well.
1. What can we learn about the Arctic from Paragraph 1?| A．It is an icy land of pure white snow. | B．It is a beautiful icy land with clean air. |
| C．It has been polluted by plastic rubbish. | D．It is the last really clean place left on earth. |
| A．增加 | B．捐献 | C．造成 | D．降低 |
| A．By advising us to drink clean water. | B．By asking people not to eat sea animals. |
| C．By showing the beauty of the Arctic. | D．By telling the seriousness of plastic pollution. |
Today, I want to tell you about a discovery that was made not so long ago. Take a look at this picture. This is Hang Son Doong—the world’s largest cave（洞穴）.
I first heard about this place when I saw an unbelievable video of it online.
Hang Son Doong is in Vietnam. Its name means “Mountain River Cave. “ How big is it? Well, it’s more than 5 kilometers long. 200 meters high, and 150 meters wide. In some places the cave is big enough to fit a jumbo jet（大型客机）inside! The cave was created by a river which has eaten away the Limestone（侵蚀了石灰岩）of the Annamite Mountains.
How was it discovered? Nobody knew about this place until a local man named Ho Khanh found it by accident in 1991. And it was only in 2009 that the cave became internationally known after a group of British scientists went there to study it. Inside the cave, the whole forests cover the cave floor, and 300-million-year-old fossils（化石） have been found inside. It is amazing that the cave is so large that it even has its own weather system（系统）.
Very few people have been inside the cave although it has been open to the public since 2013. Hopefully, I’ll get the chance to go there myself one day. It looks like a truly magic place.
1. The writer first heard about Hang Son Doong by ________.| A．seeing the picture in the magazine | B．hearing from others |
| C．listening to the teacher | D．watching a video of it online |
| A．long | B．high | C．wide | D．deep |
| A．traveler | B．river | C．scientist | D．writer |
| A．20 | B．18 | C．6 | D．4 |
| A．forests | B．many fossils | C．its own weather system | D．a plane |
【推荐2】How do you feel when your teacher asks you to work on a group project with other students? Do you like to work together with others?
The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) carried out a study of student’s teamwork ability. They found that students who did well in tests by themselves were likely to be better at working with others. This finding was true for many countries. Students in Japan, South Korea, Finland and Canada got high scores in the tests and also did well in working together to solve problems.
But this was not the case for every country. Chinese students, who had high scores as well, showed just average ability to work in groups. “one reason might be that Chinese parents and students pay much attention to grades,” said Zhao Zhongxin, a member of the Chinese Family Education Association.”Students have a lot of exam pressure and they see schools as places for competition.” However, collaborative skills are very important for preparing students for today’s society,” he added. “Luckily, more Chinese parents and teachers have thinking of ways to help students hone them.”
Another interesting finding from the study was that girls can be better than boys at working together. They said girls show more positive attitudes towards relationships, which means they are happier to listen to others’ opinions. This makes them feel more comfortable working together with others in groups.
PISA also found the classroom environment can influence how well students work together. In classes, if there are a lot of activities that require communication like class discussions, students might have better attitude towards working together.
1. Why does the writer ask questions at the beginning of the passage?| A．To offer some facts. | B．To test the readers. |
| C．To show his humor. | D．To introduce the topic. |
| A．Students’ creative ability. | B．Students’ learning ability. |
| C．Students’ ability to work in groups. | D．Students’ ability to express themselves. |
| A．Change. | B．Reduce. | C．Improve. | D．Avoid. |
| A．The differences among some countries. | B．The importance of PISA across the world. |
| C．Chinese student’s ability to work with others. | D．Finding about students’ teamwork ability. |
【推荐3】“Volunteering makes you look at the world differently. You see how little things can change a person’s life for the better.” Mason, a volunteer said.
National Volunteer Week started in 1974 and it is a good chance to encourage people to take their first step to become a volunteer. Making the decision to take the first step can be the biggest problem, because they often wonder if they will be able to meet the organization’s expectations (期望). Some people fear not knowing anyone else in the group. Not having enough time also stops some people from becoming volunteers.
The following tips can help if you have some of these worries.
★ Start out slowly, don’t add too much pressure.
★ Choose an organization with the same interests.
★ Take part in a training meeting for new volunteers, even if it is not asked.
★ Work with a veteran volunteer. He volunteered a lot, he can help you be confident and completely understand the organization’s expectations.
★ Invite a friend or family member to serve. It is a good experience to volunteer with them.
★ Finally, it is most important to enjoy the volunteer experience and to remember that not all volunteer experiences are perfect.
Spend some time on volunteer work and you will see great changes in people’s lives.
1. Volunteering can help ________.| A．make a decision | B．see the world clearly |
| C．thank other people | D．make person’s life better |
| A．有礼貌的 | B．友好的 | C．年轻的 | D．有经验的 |
| A．To tell people to make changes in their lives. | B．How to make friends in volunteering. |
| C．To encourage people to start their volunteering. | D．How to keep on volunteering. |
