The Grand Canal in China, the world’s
Constructed in the 5th century B.C. and completed in 1291, it
In
As an artery connecting northern and southern China, it has long contributed to the nation’s prosperity and it
2 . One aspect of the clean-energy change will happen inside buildings. Many homes and businesses burn natural gas for heating and cooking. Natural gas gives out greenhouse gases as well as other pollutants that can harm health. Gas appliances (家用电器) can be replaced by electric versions and tap into clean electricity.
Panama Bartholomy is the director of the Building Decarbonization Coalition. His group, based in Petaluma, Calif., focuses on limiting gas emissions indoors. “We assume the electric grid (输电网) is getting cleaner over time, which it is. So, we want more and more of our heating to come from electricity.”
It’s much easier to make these types of transitions when governments recommend them, says Beth Miller. She is an ecologist and consultant with Good Company. Based in Eugene, Ore., it helps companies and communities reduce their carbon footprint. Some states are already taking steps to make these changes. On September 22, for instance, California decided it would ban the sale of gas-fired space heaters and water heaters by 2030.
After homes and businesses make the switch to electric alternatives, they will be more comfortable, says Bartholomy. They will be safer and cleaner, too, he adds. Instead of a gas furnace(燃气炉), an electric heat pump could both heat and cool a home. Gas heaters and stoves won’t be pumping pollution into a home’s air. And cooks will have even more control on a modern electric cooker than on a gas stove says Bartholomy.
Getting natural gas out of your home is probably the largest positive impact you can have for the planet, Bartholomy says. “We all need to fight for a livable climate. There is no way to meet our climate goals while still burning gas in buildings. For a livable future, we must take measures to stop burning natural gas, though we know we have a long way to go.” And the bonus: It now looks like doing that should also save people a lot of money.
1. What is the clean energy change?| A．Using natural gas for heating. | B．Using natural gas to boil water. |
| C．Using electric cookers at home. | D．Using electric lights inside buildings. |
| A．Promises. | B．Plans. | C．Changes. | D．Decisions. |
| A．Homes will be safer. | B．Gas stoves will be replaced soon. |
| C．Homes’ air will have more pollutants. | D．Cooks prefer to use traditional cookers. |
| A．Clean-energy Change | B．Electricity Use |
| C．Make Use of Natural Gas | D．Save Your Money at Home |
3 . Plastic pollution is a growing global problem. Simplistic, unhelpful labelling and low recycling rates even in the best-equipped countries are major barriers to tackling this issue.
In a new paper, experts from the University of Exeter and the University of Queensland suggest a new internationally applicable labelling system that moves the focus from recyclability to sustainability.
“We need to empower consumers to make more sustainable choices,” says lead author Stephen Burrows. Instead of “yes-no” recycling labels, which are often misleading, a sustainability scale (等级) could take account of recyclability as well as other factors such as the environmental cost of production, and potential human health risks from additives.
“Requiring packaging to carry region-specific directions for disposal would shift responsibility away from consumers and towards regulators and plastic producers. This is vital because the mix of plastic products is confusing, and industry must be responsible for clear instructions on how best to dispose of plastic items. The same is true for the chemical additives found in many plastics. Requiring producers to list all additives would be a major step towards informing the public and helping them make decisions regarding environmental impact and human health,” says Burrows.
At present, about 368 million tonnes of plastic is produced worldwide each year. The researchers stress that their recommendations should not diminish the urgent need to use less plastic — especially single-use items.
Professor Tamara Galloway, from the University of Exeter, says: “Our recommendations for a sustainability scale are designed to reduce some of the confusion around plastic disposal. The ultimate aim is to protect the environment and human health from the harmful effects of plastic waste.”
Professor Kevin Thomas, from the University of Queensland, says: “We hope that our recommendations initiate (发起) a reassessment of plastic labelling and that carrying out a sustainability scale will allow individuals to make informed decisions on how they use plastics.”
1. What are plastic producers required to do?| A．Show consumers plastic additive content. |
| B．Make their plastic packaging attractive. |
| C．Remind consumers to assess health risks. |
| D．Offer specific instructions for regulators. |
| A．Create. | B．Lessen. | C．Demonstrate. | D．Acknowledge. |
| A．They instruct individuals to get rid of plastic waste. |
| B．They help individuals reduce harmful effects of plastic waste. |
| C．They allow individuals to care about their health. |
| D．They encourage individuals to give tips on plastic disposal. |
| A．There is a need for “yes-no” recycling labels. |
| B．The consumers need to label their plastic items. |
| C．Plastic labelling needs a sustainability scale. |
| D．It is challenging to move from recyclability to sustainability. |
4 . One key element of human language is the connection of words with meanings. Scientists had long thought that unlike our words, animal vocalizations(发出的声音) were involuntary, showing the feelings of the animal without communicating any other information. However, over the last forty years, many studies have shown that different animals have different calls with specific meanings. Interestingly, the most impressive are birds.
Many bird species use different alarm calls for different predators(捕食性动物). Japanese tits, which nest in tree holes, have one call that causes their young to lower down to avoid being pulled out of the nest by crows, and another call for tree snakes that sends the young jumping out of the nest completely. And black-capped chickadees change the number of “dees” in their calls to indicate the size and threat of predators.
Besides alarm calls, many bird species use recruitment calls that gather other members of their species. Japanese tits add alarm calls to recruitment calls to create a sort of call to arm, gathering their partner members to attack and drive off a predator. When the birds hear this call, they approach the caller while scanning for danger.
Scientists led by Professor Toshitaka Suzuki of Kyoto University discovered that the order of the combined calls matters to the Japanese tits. When Suzuki’s team played a recorded “alarm + recruitment” call to tits, it gets a much stronger response than a “recruitment + alarm” call. However, this could simply be explained by the birds responding to the combined calls without knowing the parts of the combination, but the scientists tried to clarify this question from different angles.
1. What do we know about animal vocalizations?| A．They are produced unconsciously. |
| B．They lack meaningful information. |
| C．They are difficult for scientists to understand. |
| D．They are connected with particular meanings. |
| A．By the order of time. | B．By the order of space. |
| C．By providing examples. | D．By making comparisons. |
| A．They jump out of their nests immediately. |
| B．They change the number of “dees” in their calls. |
| C．They combine alarm calls with recruitment calls. |
| D．They approach the predator while looking for danger. |
| A．Other reasons for the birds’ different responses. |
| B．Various habits and characteristics of Japanese tits. |
| C．Diverse combinations of animals’ vocalizations. |
| D．The importance of the “recruitment + alarm” call. |
5 . In Silent Spring, a book that she referred to as her “poison book”, Rachel Carson revealed the damaging effects of the abuse of chemical pesticides on the environment. She focused mainly on the insecticide DDT, which had been considered “one of the greatest discoveries of World War II” for its ability to kill insects and was routinely used in homes and on crops.
Carson called for much greater caution against this great discovery. Though the scientific community already knew of the dangers, Carson was the first to make the information accessible to a mass audience in her book. “She wrote for the general public, not the scientific community,” says Linda Lear, author of Rachel Carson: Witness for Nature. “Readers, including housewives who used a lot of these chemicals, were shocked at what they learned.”
The public’s first taste of Silent Spring actually came in June 1962 when The New Yorker ran three excerpts(节选). By the time it was published that fall, it was in such high demand that it became an instant bestseller.
As expected, the reaction from the chemical companies was severe. One industry spokesperson dismissed Carson’s claims as “absurd”. Others accused her of being a terrible woman. The president of the company that made DDT said Carson wrote “not as a scientist, but as a crazy defender of the balance of nature.”
Fortunately, Carson decided the personal risks were worth it. Shortly after her book was published, President Kennedy was asked at a conference if the government would look into the long-term effects of pesticides. He responded, “Yes, and I know they already are. I think, particularly, of course, since Miss Carson’s book.” Just as William Souder, author of On a Farther Shore: The Life and Legacy of Rachel Carson, says, “Carson changed the conversation about the environment, thinking of humankind as part of nature, not above it.”
1. Who might be the intended readers of Silent Spring?| A．Environmentalists. | B．Ordinary people. | C．Scientists. | D．Businessmen. |
| A．Criticized. | B．Recognized. | C．Abandoned. | D．Praised. |
| A．The profit of human beings should come first. |
| B．Silent Spring enjoyed great popularity before 1962. |
| C．Carson was the first to discover the danger of DDT. |
| D．William Souder thinks highly of Carson and her book. |
| A．DDT: One of the Greatest Discoveries in the World |
| B．Rachel Carson: Introducing Readers to the Natural World |
| C．A “Poison Book”: Awakening the World to the Danger of DDT |
| D．Silent Spring: Winning the Approval of People from all Walks of Life |
Sam was a junior high school student. He lived in a community in Charlotte and usually had little exposure to country life. So much of what he knew about plants came from text-books. Sam was a kind-hearted person. He longed for a chance to explore nature and he wanted to do his part to beautify the world.
Finally, the opportunity came. On Arbor Day (植树节), his class organized a trip to a local village to plant trees. Sam was excited about it and couldn’t wait to tell his mom the good news. So the next day, Sam and his mom went to buy some tools for planting trees, including a shovel(铲), a bucket, gloves and so on.
On the day of the event, Sam and his classmates arrived early at the starting point. It was a beautiful day and everyone looked particularly happy. With the tools in hand, Sam got into the bus with everyone else and headed off to their destination.
As soon as they reached the village, all the students were divided into three teams by their teacher. One team was responsible for planting the trees, one team for shovelling the soil and one team for watering the trees. At the teacher’s command, everyone started to do their job.
However, it was the first time that many of the students had taken part in planting trees, so they had no idea about how to start. Of course, Sam was one of them. Fortunately, their teacher was a middle-aged man from the countryside who had some knowledge of planting trees. In order to set an example to the students, the teacher started to plant trees himself. After watching the teacher plant the trees, everyone also became busy. Before long, they planted hundreds of trees. Sam watched very carefully, not wanting to miss any of the details. Finally, Sam learned how to plant trees by himself and felt happy.
注意：1.续写词数应为150左右;
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
A few days later, a storm damaged some young trees in the community.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The neighbours praised Sam for what he had done.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________As snow tapers off in northern New England and upstate New York today, snow showers will extend to the southwest and into the Ohio Valley as colder air settles in. Most of the snow showers will be light but a few spots can be hit with a quick coating to an inch. The Southeast can expect dry and cool conditions as sunshine returns.
Showers will exit South Florida and the Keys early on. Much of the Plains will be dry. However, an Alberta clipper storm will spread light snow from Montana to the Dokotas. A stronger clipper storm with heavier snow will travel farther south over the Central states this weekend.
Most areas west of the Rockies will be dry as Santa Ana winds kick up in Southern California. Idaho is likely to share in the next clipper storm’s snow on Friday.
Metropolitan Forecast (New York)
TODAY. . . . Windy and milder
High 47. A storm will depart to the east with clouds breaking for some sunshine at tires during the day. It will be windy with periodic blows up to 40 miles per hour throughout the afternoon.
TONIGHT. . . . Partly cloudy
High 48. There will be less wind as high pressure moves in from the west. Clouds will break late at night and it will remain dry. Temperatures will remain above normal for late January.
TOMORROW . . Periodic sunshine, cooler
High 41. With high pressure nearby, the day will be dry. There will be clouds and sunshine through the afternoon. Temperatures will end up within a couple degrees of normal for this time of the year.
SATURDAY . . Mostly cloudy
It will be cloudy as high pressure shifts to the east. Wind will gust at 6 to 12mph. Temperatures will be above normal. High 48.
SUNDAY
MONDAY . . . Mostly cloudy
Some sunshine early Sunday will give way to clouds. Late showers cannot be ruled out. High 50. Monday will be cooler with clouds and some sunshine. High 46.
1. Where is the text probably taken from?| A．A magazine | B．A travel brochure | C．A newspaper | D．A research paper |
| A．Many areas will be greeted by snow. |
| B．The sunshine will return to the southwest. |
| C．There will be periodic shower these days in New York |
| D．The highest temperature will appear tonight in New York. |
| A．Wednesday | B．Thursday | C．Friday | D．Saturday |
8 . Lithium (锂) is called “white gold” for good reason. The metal’s value has been growing rapidly over the last several years, mainly because it is an essential material of lithium-ion batteries, which play an important part in several key sustainable technologies, e. g. electric cars.
As ocean waves, wind and solar power have grown into major players in the energy industry, lithium has also become key to building a future free of petrol. But getting lithium comes at a huge cost. As with most metals, its mining is damaging. It often works like this: Briny water, containing lithium and other metals, is pumped to the surface from underground. Then it sits in pools to allow the water to evaporate, leaving the rest behind as poisonous matter. Workers use chemical reactions to remove the lithium from that, making it into powder which is then packaged and shipped to the buyers around the world. Any accident that releases mine matter into surrounding communities or the groundwater supply could have damaging long-term impacts.
Indigenous (原住民) communities often bear the result of the damage, and political leaders have paid little attention to their concerns. In Arizona, for example, an expanding lithium mine is threatening the Hualapai Tribe’s historical sites. And for politicians who have promised to work with native peoples to deal with it, mining lithium and other precious metals is putting them into a dilemma: How do you ensure the availability of materials which are essential to the future while protecting indigenous people’ rights?
Mining of the metal is expected to increase greatly in coming years. Over time, that will make electric cars inexpensive and, therefore, more popular.
As environmentally conscious consumers buy electric cars in ever-greater numbers, it’s important to be aware of the dirty process that powers those clean air vehicles.
1. What do we know about Lithium in paragraph 1 and paragraph 2?| A．It’s a kind of battery. | B．It will be widely used in the future. |
| C．Only Lithium can replace fossil fuels. | D．It is the same with wind and solar power. |
| A．It’s easily done. | B．It does harm to the environment. |
| C．It costs much money. | D．The workers benefit a lot from it. |
| A．The shortage of Lithium. |
| B．The prices of electric cars. |
| C．Their people will no longer support them. |
| D．The balance between it and environment protection. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Indifferent. | C．Worried. | D．Optimistic. |
9 . Electric cars are already greener than petrol cars in almost every part of the world today, according to researchers. They say electric vehicles are “a no-regret choice” even in places where power nets haven’t gone fully green.
Some previous comparisons suggested petrol cars produce lower net carbon emissions (净碳排放量) over their lifetime than battery- powered cars. Yet these analyses have often compared only two fixed models of cars.
Instead, the researchers from Radboud University looked at the average emissions across many classes of car to get a clearer global picture. It includes during its production, while it is being driven and when it is broken, for all the petrol and electric cars sold in 59 areas across the world in 2015. They connected with information of those areas in the following years and found that the electric vehicles are greener than the new petrol cars. Electric vehicles already have lower net carbon emissions in 53 of those 59 areas. Only in some countries that use coal heavily, such as India and Poland, are electric car emissions worse than those of petrol cars.
The researchers say that the differences between petrol and electric cars on the carbon emissions will grow bigger as power stations get greener. By 2030, they expect the carbon emissions of electric cars to be 20 percent lower than that in 2015, and 30 percent lower by 2050. The suggestions for governments are clear, says Knobloch.“There is no need to wait. Don’t be confused by all those different results out there. It’s a no-regret choice already.”
1. Why did the former comparison show petrol cars more greener?| A．It was too simple. |
| B．It had no scientific basis. |
| C．It lacked experimental evidence. |
| D．It lacked enough reference objects. |
| A．6. | B．53. | C．59. | D．112. |
| A．Petrol cars will be fully replaced. |
| B．The carbon emissions of electric cars will be zero. |
| C．Power stations will get huge advance technologically. |
| D．Petrol cars’ pollution will force people to buy electric cars. |
| A．To state the development of electric cars. |
| B．To tell readers how to choose an electric car. |
| C．To show electric cars are greener than petrol cars. |
| D．To state the differences between petrol and electric cars. |
1. When will the first storm arrive?
| A．Today. | B．This weekend. | C．Next week. |
| A．New York City. | B．Saint Paul. | C．Boston. |
| A．People traveling on foot. | B．People driving on the road. | C．People celebrating by the water. |
| A．Sunny. | B．Snowy. | C．Windy. |
