1 . Microplastics on Mount Qomolangma
For adventurers the world over, Mount Qomolangma is an unforgettable sight. But take a closer look at this impressive view, and you'll start to notice the signs of the impact that humans are having on the world both near and far. Today, the surface of the ice at base camp in Nepal sits more than 46 meters lower than it had 35 years ago.
This is all according to some new papers published in a special edition of the journal One Earth.
Too small to see with the naked eye, microplastics are extremely difficult to clean up.
| A．In truth, perhaps it shouldn't have been that surprising. |
| B．It is the result of glacial melt from our steadily warming climate. |
| C．Even the highest point of Mount Qomolangma is polluted with microplastics. |
| D．The presence of them doesn't cause an immediate environmental threat, though. |
| E．It's out of the question that winds are carrying additional microplastics to the mountain. |
| F．The plastics were in greater concentration wherever humans would most commonly camp. |
| G．The studies were conducted to examine how human actions were affecting Qomolangma and its surroundings. |
| A．Confused. |
| B．Annoyed. |
| C．Excited. |
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4 . It's no secret that inhaling(吸入)smoke is bad for your lungs. But now, scientists are suggesting smoke may also carry and spread infectious diseases. The theory, published in Science Magazine, is based on the research that found wildfire smoke is full of thousands of species of microorganisms(微生物).Some of these microorganisms, including bacteria and fungal spores(真菌抱子).are known to cause disease.
The new research suggests that when a wildfire burns plants or animal matter and disturbs soils, it exposes thousands of species of bacteria and fungi that otherwise might not easily become airborne. You might think the high heat from fire would kill these organisms, but one study mentioned in the article found that some bacteria even multiply after fires. Scientists say the organisms stick with smoke particulates(颗粒物), allowing them to travel thousands of miles across continents.
Dr. Peter Chen, director of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, is interested in the theory but somewhat skeptical that the microorganisms in smoke would actually cause infections. Many bacteria and fungi don't cause lung infections, says Chen, but it's certainly possible that a significant number could worsen symptoms in someone with a preexisting lung condition. "I always thought it was the particulates in smoke that were causing these issues," says Chen. "But when I read this, I started thinking, could it be the microorganisms that are also worsening existing illnesses?"
Whether the microorganisms in smoke actually cause infections or simply worsen potential respiratory(呼吸的)issues, the article raises a new health threat that is "certainly alarming", says Kelsey Jack, an associate professor of environmental and development economics. This is especially true for lower-income populations, Jack says, because people with fewer protective means are often more exposed to the environment. If smoke is affecting the air quality in a certain area, the people who work outside, or who have to go to the office on foot or by bike will inhale more smoke than those who drive.
But until more research is done, Chen says the best thing people can do is just follow existing recommendations when air quality is poor-including staying indoors, keeping windows and doors closed, using HEPA filters and running air conditioning.
1. What can we know about the microorganisms from Paragraph 2?| A．Some could reproduce after fires. |
| B．They could be killed by high heat. |
| C．They could possibly travel through air by themselves. |
| D．Some could copy the smoke particulates. |
| A．They will cause lung infection. | B．They might worsen lung diseases. |
| C．They will destroy living environments. | D．They might damage respiratory systems. |
| A．They live in poor areas. | B．They drive to and from work· |
| C．They have suffered from lung disease. | D．They are exposed to polluted air more frequently. |
| A．To wait for the results of more researches. |
| B．To ignore the air quality and to work out outdoors. |
| C．To follow previous suggestions on dealing with poor air quality. |
| D．To avoid using filters and air conditioning. |
5 . Mallory Haske surfs nearly every day in the summer, and it really bothers her to see trash in the water or on the beach. So when her English teacher at Salem High School, Virginia, assigned a “passion project”, Haske came up with a creative idea that combined surfing and trash.
She collected litter on the beach and used it to create a surfboard in an effort to raise awareness of ocean pollution.
“It’s pretty sick,” said Haske on May 17, standing on the beach at 86th Street waxing her newly finished trash board. “I really hope it floats.”
Haske is 18 years old. Surfing is one of her favourite sports. “The feeling of catching a wave is euphoric,” she said. “It’s such a mental release, and you forget that you have chores or homework to do.”
Her teacher, Kathleen Trace, assigned the project months ago and was surprised to see how Haske’s enthusiasm about it grew throughout the school year. “Not every student finds her passion, but she did,” Trace said. “I’m super proud of her.”
Over the winter, Haske collected litter including cigarette butts, bottle caps, fast-food containers and masks along the resort area beach. Making one out of trash was a first for him. Nearly the entire board is made from recycled material and litter.
First, she made the surfboard’s frame. She used thin pieces of wood. The outside of the board is made of plastic, and the inside is filled with garbage.
On Tuesday after school, Haske paddled out and attempted to ride a wave on her new board, but the mostly flat conditions made it difficult. The nose kept going under the water, but Haske stayed upbeat.
“She’s pretty heavy up front, but she’s going to be my best friend,” Haske said after coming out of the water. “She’s made for good waves.”
1. Why does Mallory Haske like to surf?| A．Because it gives her a break. | B．Because it makes her think a lot. |
| C．Because all students in Virginia surf. | D．Because her teacher taught her to surf. |
| A．Because Haske had a difficult time doing well in the class before the project. |
| B．Because Haske stayed interested in the project a lot longer than other students. |
| C．Because Haske had never talked about her passion for surfing before the project. |
| D．Because Haske did not put in as much effort on the project as the teacher thought. |
| A．Because there were too many waves to surf. |
| B．Because the weather was not good for surfing. |
| C．Because it is made of trash and will never work. |
| D．Because it is hard to make the front end go underwater. |
| A．Making Waves with Garbage | B．From Bottle Caps to New Board |
| C．A Passion Project for Ocean Pollution | D．A Virginia Teen Creates Surfboard out of Litter |
6 . This season, there is a great risk of serious fires across the koala habitat on Australia’s east coast. Experts at the NSW inquiry said about 2,000 koalas may have died in fires already this year. The damage of habitat means further population decreases are unavoidable, so we need new plans for future protection.
The heat burns koalas’ paws and fur, and the superheated air can cause great damage to their lungs. The forests are their only shelter, but offer no protection during the bushfires. Beyond this direct threat, when large numbers of koalas are killed or badly injured, the genetic diversity(基因的多样性) of their local populations decreases. Sudden reductions in population size can cause genetic bottlenecks that lead to inbreeding, which makes extinction more probable.
Over the coming months, koalas will depend heavily on wildlife hospitals for recovery after fires. While many volunteers and professionals do fantastic work to help koalas survive fire, we have no plan for protecting genetic diversity and reducing the risk of inbreeding.
But we can take a lesson from botanical gardens, which routinely freeze genetic material for seed banks. Freezing koala sperm(精子), eggs and embryos could offer a way to protect genetic diversity ahead of further population decrease. Artificial reproduction for koalas is developing quickly. Scientists have used freshly collected sperm to artificially inseminate(授精) zoo koalas, which resulted in the birth of baby koalas.
However, the technology does not yet exist to freeze, store and then use koala sex cells. If it existed, koala hospitals could easily and inexpensively begin collecting genetic samples from their patients. Although NSW has funded heavily in koala protection in recent years, we argue that future funding should also support research to make this technology a reality for koalas.
Koalas and many other native species are unprotected in this new era of record-breaking fires. We need to start planning and funding in long-term protection solutions and new research-based technologies that provide a last line of defense against the possibility of extinction.
1. What leads to the decrease of the koalas’ populations?| A．The fierce fire. |
| B．The extreme weather. |
| C．The threat from humans. |
| D．The overprotection of the habitat. |
| A．The research. | B．Freezing cells. | C．Collecting eggs. | D．The technology. |
| A．Funds are needed to support the research-based technologies. |
| B．Many volunteers have set up plans for protecting genetic diversity. |
| C．Many native species are well protected during the fire except koalas. |
| D．The technology of artificial insemination will be employed to save koalas. |
| A．The strong possibility of the extinction of the koalas. |
| B．The exploration of new ways to protect endangered kolas. |
| C．The great efforts of the volunteers trying to save the koalas. |
| D．The financial difficulty in saving the koalas injured in the fire. |
| A．A piece of news. | B．Some soldiers. | C．The natural environment. |
8 . Marks & Spencer (M&S) is planning to remove “best before” labels (标签) from 300 varieties of fruit and vegetables in its stores to cut food waste. The change will rely on customers using their judgment to determine whether goods are still fine to eat.
The measure, to be rolled out this week, will affect 85% of the supermarket's fresh produce offering. “Best before” labels differ from “use by” dates, with the former often merely a measure of aesthetes (美学), while the latter tending to indicate a safety risk if ignored. “Best before” labels were meant to help consumers, but instead were blamed (for creating mountains of waste from perfectly eatable food).
Tesco. the UK's largest supermarket chain, had already announced the end of best before dates on its own-brand fruit and vegetables as far back as 2018, while the German supermarket LidI also says it does not include best before information to reduce food waste. Now M&S is doing the same, with the aim to halve (减半) food waste from its products by 2030 compared with 2018. Achieving those targets would put it in line with the UK's commitment to meet the United Nations' goal of halving food waste by 2030 compared with 2007.
Reducing food waste is a vital part of dealing with carbon emissions associated with farming and food distribution (分配). WRAP, a food waste charity, estimates that as much 45% of global greenhouse gas emissions can only be dealt with by changing the way we make and consume products and food. It said that removing dates on fresh fruit and vegetables can save the equal of 7 million shopping baskets of food a year.
Catherine David, a director at WRAP, said, “We’re thrilled to see this move from M&S. which will reduce food waste and help solve the climate crisis. We urge more supermarkets to get ahead on food waste by cutting date labels from fresh produce, allowing people to use their own judgment.”
1. What does Marks &Spencer intend to do?| A．Maintain the safety of their products. |
| B．Sell its own-brand fruit and vegetables. |
| C．Ask customers to pick out eatable produce. |
| D．Remove “use by” labels from its fresh produce. |
| A．The problem of climate crisis can ho solved by reducing food waste. |
| B．Marks &Spencer has stopped using the “Best before” labels this week. |
| C．“Best before” labels are responsible for the huge waste of food sold in supermarkets. |
| D．Consumers should decide whether the food is safe to eat by checking “Best before” labels. |
| A．Meet government regulations. | B．Improve food safety standards. |
| C．Increase sales of fresh produce. | D．Get rid of date labels on fresh produce. |
| A．M&S's new move to reduce food waste. |
| B．Tesco follows M&S’s lead on food labels. |
| C．M&S calls for a fight against climate crisis. |
| D．Effective methods to protect the environment. |
9 . The mind of an elephant should not be underestimated. They are intelligent animals born with both excellent memory and artistic talent. Elephants eat about 495 pounds of vegetarian food a day. They spend about 16 hours a day eating, but must walk about 4 miles a day in search of food. The average (通常的) elephant lives about 70 years, and its sharp memory allows it to remember places where it has found food as long as 30 years earlier, even as a baby.
In an elephant’s travels, it comes across other elephants also looking for food. Some elephants are friendly, and some are not so nice. Elephants remember every elephant they have ever met. They can even recognize an elephant they perhaps haven’t seen for 30 years. They immediately remember whether this elephant is an enemy or a friend.
When elephants are not searching for food, they sometimes produce art in the sand with their trunks (象鼻). They seem to enjoy just relaxing and painting in the sand. One day, an elephant zoo-keeper noticed this and gave an elephant a paint brush filled with red paint to see if the elephant would paint on a canvas (画布). Sure enough, it did, and since then elephants in most zoos have been given paint brushes, paints, and canvases. The resulting abstract (抽象的) art has been sold for high prices around the world. The money goes to support feeding the elephants in the zoos. Most felt that the elephants were only capable of painting abstracts. However, they have been trained to paint trees, flowers, and other things in nature. This has enabled us to understand “elephant genius (天才)” even more.
1. What does the underlined word “underestimated” mean?| A．Underdeveloped. | B．Undervalued. | C．Mistaken. | D．Controlled. |
| A．It can reach as far back as 30 years. | B．It is at its best in the first 30 years. |
| C．It differs greatly among elephants. | D．It remains excellent for 70 years. |
| A．To attract visitors to it. | B．To train it to paint pictures. |
| C．To prove it was a born artist. | D．To find out whether it could draw. |
| A．Highly smart. | B．Unusually quiet. | C．Really brave. | D．Extremely friendly. |
A vegetarian diet is often praised for its health benefits. Studies have shown that vegetarians usually have lower levels of heart disease and a risk of diabetes（糖尿病）than people who eat meat. What most people are less aware of, however, are the effects that a vegetarian diet can have on the environment.
Researchers from the Union of Concerned Scientists in the US recently studied how consumer behavior affects the environment. The study showed that meat consumption is one of the main ways that humans can damage the environment, second only to the use of motor vehicle.
Then, how can eating meat have a negative effect on the environment? For a start, all farm animals such as cows, pigs, and sheep give off methane gas（沼气）by expelling（排出）wind from their bodies. One cow can produce up to 60 liters of methane each day. Methane gas is the second most common greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide. Many environmental experts now believe that it is more responsible for global warming than carbon dioxide. It is estimated that 25% of all methane released into the atmosphere comes from farm animals.
Another way that meat production affects the environment is through the use of water and land. 2,500 gallons of water are needed to produce one pound of beef, whereas 20 gallons of water are needed to produce one pound of wheat. One acre of farmland used for crop production can produce 40,000 pounds of potatoes, 30,000 pounds of carrots, or 50,000 pounds of tomatoes.
Many people now see the benefits of switching to a vegetarian diet, not just for health reasons, but also because it plays a vital role in protecting the environment. However, some nutritionists advise against switching to a totally strict vegetarian, or vegan diet. They believe a vegan diet, which excludes（拒绝）all products from animal sources, such as cheese, eggs, and milk. can be short of many necessary vitamins and minerals our bodies need.
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