1 . Tropical rainforests are disappearing at an alarming rate, and according to a new report by Rainforest Foundation Norway, humans are to blame. The world's dependence on coal, farming. soy. palm oil and mining has resulted in two-thirds of Earth's tropical rainforests being completely destroyed, and the remaining ecosystems being put closer to a tipping point.

Tropical rainforests once covered 14.5 million square kilometers of Earth's surface, but now, just one-third of that remains intact. Of the original area tropical rainforests once occupied, 34% is completely gone and 30%is suffering from degradation. All that remains is roughly 9.5 million square kilometers, and45% of that is in a degraded state, the report says.

Researchers blame human consumption for the loss. While agriculture has always been a driving factor of rainforest loss, the report said that energy consumption, international trade and the production of soy and palm oil, logging and mining have been the largest threats over the past century. A significant number of U. S. commodities rely on resources from tropical rainforests. The country heavily relies on palm oil, rubber and cocoa, all of which come from forests around the world. Oftentimes, these resources are harvested from illegally deforested lands.

Tropical rainforests are home to more than half of the Earth's biodiversity and have more carbon in living organisms than any other ecosystem. Along with supporting significant animal life, tropical rainforests are also essential to slowing down global warming. “These highly specialized ecosystems are suffering from constant abuse, through our bottomless appetite for land and resources,” said Anders Krogh, who authored the report. “We expect that upcoming UN climate and biodiversity summits provide specific targets and measures to protect intact tropical rainforests.”

The rescarchers also believe that the loss of tropical rainforests puts the whole world at risk of future pandemics. “Massive deforestation is violating nature's natural virus protection systems.” Krogh said. “The aftermath of COVID-19 should bring rainforest protection to the top of the agenda of all policy makers and world leaders concerned about preventing the outbreak of new pandemics.”

1. What is the purpose of the numbers in paragraph 2?

A．To point out the threat to the current ecosystem.

B．To exhibit the forest coverage rate on Earth.

C．To present the process of rainforest degradation.

D．To highlight the severe destruction of rainforests.

2. Why did the author mention America's dependence on rainforest resources?

A．It displayed the richness of rainforest resources.

B．It stressed the effects of farming on tropical rainforests.

C．It explained the relationship between humans and nature.

D．It showed human's excessive consumption of rainforest resources.

3. Which one will be affected by the decline of tropical rainforests according to paragraph 4?

A．Human diet.	B．Social structure.
C．Global climate.	D．Economic development.

4. What does Krogh want to convey in the last paragraph?

A．Rainforest protection demands immediate attention.

B．Deforestation will affect the future generations.

C．Rainforest loss has brought about new pandemics.

D．Deforestation has accelerated the spread of the virus.