1 . Commercial airlines alone contribute around 3% of total global carbon emissions. But the industry is actively looking for green solutions in the form of sustainable jet fuel, and in one case, that fuel may have had a previous life as your household food waste. In a study released this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers detail a method of transforming food waste into sustainable jet fuel that can be used in existing engines.
Biomass (生物质), such as manure (粪便) and food waste, can be transformed into bio-fuels, which are renewable liquid fuels made from organic matter. Derek Vardon, a senior research engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), says that their fuel worked as a mixture of 90% conventional petrol jet fuel and 10% alternative jet fuel required by the industry currently. They also show they could push it to a 70/30 mixture, which will be possible in real world with more time and testing.
Major airline companies are eager to get involved in sustainable aviation fuel because some sustainable solutions, such as battery-operated commercial planes, just aren’t possible yet with current battery technology. A battery-powered plane would be too heavy to fly long distances, so fuel that works in the same way as the fuel we have is a simpler way to trade out emission-heavy fossil fuels.
Vardon says that because the wet waste used in the process would normally go to a landfill (垃圾填埋场) and break down to release greenhouse gases, the process of making and using sustainable aviation fuel could actually have a negative carbon footprint when scaled up.
Commercial airlines are on board to find an affordable and sustainable solution to the carbon-intensive process of air travel. Airlines are looking to hit aggressive sustainability goals by 2050, including decreasing net carbon dioxide emissions by 50%.
1. Which of the following is used for sustainable airline power?| A．Fossil fuel. | B．Liquid fuel. | C．Battery power. | D．Biomass. |
| A．Fuel-powered planes are likely to travel lighter and farther. |
| B．Biofuel is environmentally friendly and sustainable. |
| C．It’s convenient to create the proper fuel mixture. |
| D．Biofuel proves less costly and easier to produce. |
| A．taking off. | B．holding a meeting. |
| C．participating in. | D．appearing on stage. |
| A．Alternative Energy to Fossil Fuel. |
| B．How to Get Fossil Fuel Sustainable. |
| C．Changing Food Waste into Airplane Fuel. |
| D．How to Decrease Carbon Dioxide Emissions. |
What species of dolphin is the smallest? Hector’s dolphin, Risso’s dolphin, Spinner dolphin
And they are
But there’s a new eye in the sky and by that we mean a drone that aims to help Maui dolphins by locating, identifying and following them. The aircraft runs on electric and gas power. It’s estimated to cost $ 150. 000 and its aim is
3 . They give us paper and fuel, as well as vital ecological services-like cleaning the air, storing carbon and providing habitat. We’re talking about trees, of course. But human changes to the environment largely appear to be causing profound transformations in trees around the world.
In a new study, scientists reviewed global research on trends in tree seedlings (籽苗), growth and death. They combined those data with an analysis of deforestation. And they found that worldwide, older trees are dying at a higher rate than in the past due to factors like rising air temperature, wildfires, drought and pathogens (病原菌).
“And most of the drivers of that decrease in large, old trees are increasing themselves, such as temperature is going up, droughts are more severe, wildfires, windstorms and deforestation are all on the increase—although variable across the globe — they’re generally increasing. And so for both the loss has already occurred, but we expect more continued loss of big, old trees,” said Nate McDowell, an earth scientist at Pacific Northwest National Lab, who was one of the study’s authors.
“So if we have an increasing rate of death, particularly of the larger, older trees, what’s left are the younger trees. So that’s why, on average, through the loss of bigger, older trees, our forests are becoming naturally younger and shorter.”
This is a problem, because old trees are vitally (至关重要) important.
“For sure, the increase in death does limit the carbon storage (储存) of an ecosystem and can force the system to become a carbon source to the atmosphere. The second reason we care is from a biodiversity (生物多样性) perspective (角度): Old trees tend to house a higher biodiversity than young forests do. And another reason is beauty: As a society, we care about these trees. We have national parks named after these big trees. So there’s a personal reason for people to care about this as well.”
1. What’s the result of the new study?| A．Trees are disappearing in a rapid way. |
| B．The global climate is becoming warmer and warmer. |
| C．Older trees are dying at a higher rate than before. |
| D．Wildfires, drought and pathogens happen more often than before. |
| A．Operators. | B．Factors. | C．Researchers. | D．Participants. |
| A．Forests are dying out. |
| B．It’s hard to prevent the death of forests. |
| C．Younger trees are growing faster than older trees. |
| D．The forests are becoming younger and younger. |
| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
4 . Green is the new gold. As China is transitioning(转变)towards a greener development mode, low-carbon industries in the country have been boosting in recent years, which has led to more business opportunities for companies worldwide.
The new energy vehicle (NEV) industry is a fine illustration. Last year alone, China sold about 6.89 million NEVs, up 93.4 percent year on year. The market share of NEVs in China’s auto market reached 25.6 percent in 2022, up 12.1percentage points from 2021.
Domestically, China’s green transition is bringing a real change. Globally, it is also helping other countries to sustain green growth. “China is the largest supplier of solar energy equipment across the world and in Africa in particular,” said Ajay Mathur, director general of the International Solar Alliance. While noting that many solar panels and batteries being used in Africa are of Chinese origin, Mathur stressed China’s involvement and huge potential in terms of realizing Africa’s seeking for solar energy development. “There is the greatest link that exists between the Chinese manufacturers of solar energy technology and the African users of that technology,” he said.
Apart from African countries, China is also sharing its green development philosophy with many more countries across the globe. The Chilean capital of Santiago has been tapping electric vehicles from China as part of plans to improve its public transport system and advance clean travel.
While boosting development, maintaining biological diversity(生物多样性)is also important. For example, many tunnels were extended and roads are replaced by bridges to protect elephant habitats in the construction of the China-Laos Railway.
“The contribution of China’s green development to global sustainable development cannot be ignored, and it also sets an example for other countries’ green development,” said Abdulrahman Aldakhil, director of Corporate Communication of Saudi National Center for Vegetation Cover Development Combating Desertification. “China’s promotion of international cooperation to protect the environment is a reflection of its sense of responsibility,” he said, “China’s experience in green development is worth learning from.”
1. What message does the author convey in the first two paragraphs?| A．Most new energy vehicles have been made. |
| B．New energy vehicles sell well at home and abroad. |
| C．China is trying to move to a green development mode. |
| D．Green habits should be developed to protect the environment. |
| A．Supply food. | B．Promote green development. |
| C．Sell solar energy skills. | D．Build railways. |
| A．To praise Chinese for their taking care of animals. |
| B．To thank China for its contribution to other countries. |
| C．To acknowledge China’s efforts in protecting biodiversity. |
| D．To show that Chinese people are good at road construction. |
| A．Countries should strengthen cooperation. |
| B．Human beings should protect the environment. |
| C．China is a model for other countries to follow. |
| D．Green development can make the country stronger. |
5 . What to See in Dujiangyan City
Dujiangyan Irrigation (灌溉) System
Dujiangyan water conservancy (保护) project makes full use of local geographical conditions of high northwest and low southeast, according to the special natural feature of mountains and rivers and according to water potential to draw water without dam to irrigate by gravity. What is great is that it exists for more than 2,250 years, and it produces more and more benefits. After the completion of Dujiangyan Irrigation System, the Chengdu plain became a vast rich land.
Two Kings Temple
Two Kings Temple is located in the Minjiang River right bank slope (斜坡) and it closes to Dujiangyan in the front. It was Emperor Temple originally in memory of the king of Shu and later, it was offered sacrifices to Li Bing and his son, renamed the “Chongde Temple”. In the main hall, there is the statue of Li Bing and his son and there was water conservancy quotes, poet inscriptions (题词) and so on.
Fulong Temple
Fulong Temple is located in the Lidui Park. It is said that Li Bing and his son were here to prevent floods by water control. So in the early years of the Northern Song Dynasty, in order to honor Li Bing, it was named “Fulong Temple”. In the middle of front hall there is Li Bing stone figure carved in the Eastern Han.
Anlan Suspension Bridge
Anlan Suspension Bridge is also known as “Anlan Bridge” and “Couple Bridge”. It is located in Dujiangyan Fish Mouth, known as the one of the five bridges of ancient China and is the most typical landscape of Dujiangyan. It was built before the Song Dynasty. The original bridge used wood block as base, hanging a thick bamboo cable cross the river.
1. By what was Dujiangyan water conservancy project mainly built?| A．Wide plains. | B．High dams. |
| C．Artificial rivers. | D．Geographical conditions. |
| A．They were built in parks. |
| B．They have statues of Li Bing. |
| C．They were located on the left bank of the Minjiang River. |
| D．They were the most typical landscape of Dujiangyan. |
| A．It was built in the Ming Dynasty. | B．It is the earliest bridge in China. |
| C．It was originally built on stones. | D．It is one of the five bridges in ancient China. |
6 . Over the past three decades, an 81-year-old Chinese man has been operating a small zoo. The zoo in Enshi, Hubei Province, is called the “world’s loneliest zoo” because few people visit it. Most of the animals there are unhealthy.
Luo Yingjiu began keeping animals at home in the 1980s. After seeing wild animals kept in cages for sale at a market, Luo bought them and took them home to give them medical treatment. He released (释放) those able to live on their own into the wild and continued to raise those that could not live independently. There were so many animals in his house that the local government suggested he open a zoo. With the government’s financial aid, the zoo was opened in 1989, the only one in the city at that time. During its peak time, the zoo had some big animals, including a tiger and a lion. The business later became worse because visitors were not interested in the zoo’s “old, weak, sick and disabled” animals.
Using his pension (退休金) to operate the zoo, Mr. Luo refused to listen to other people’s advice to close it. “It is not just a zoo; it provides the habitat for the animals,” he explained. “If the zoo is closed, where can these animals go? They cannot even survive in the wild.”
As he operates the zoo, he keeps on rescuing animals. A black bear with one paw injured was saved 17 years ago. A dog named Dianzi was saved when its former owner planned to abandon (遗弃) it. A monkey that has been at the zoo for nearly 30 years is almost blind because of camera flashes from visitors who took photos. For those animals that died, Luo buried them on the nearby mountain.
Luo said he remembers every animal’s name. “Animals and humans are born equal,”he said. “We should respect their right to survive.”
1. Why is the zoo called the “world’s loneliest zoo”?| A．There are few animals in the zoo. |
| B．Few people know the old man. |
| C．There aren’t many people visiting the zoo. |
| D．The gatekeeper lost family members. |
| A．By buying some animals locked in cages. |
| B．By stealing or hunting some big animals. |
| C．By finding animals released from other zoos. |
| D．By picking up dying animals in the wild. |
| A．Visitors took no interest in the unhealthy animals. |
| B．Local government refused to offer financial support. |
| C．He used up all of his pension so that the zoo was closed. |
| D．Children were frightened by the wild tiger and lion. |
| A．Adventurous and humorous. | B．Warm-hearted and determined. |
| C．Creative and outgoing. | D．Generous and funny. |
7 . The Banaue Rice Terraces (梯田) in Ifugao Province in the Philippines offer a great sight. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is also rich in history and features how human creativity can produce amazing outcomes. Through hard work, the Ifugao native managed to survive by flattening the mountain’s surface layer by layer and using them as farmlands. This practice of more than two thousand years has put together a well-known wonder.
There are several rice terraces in the Ifugao region but the Banaue Rice Terraces are the most popular tourist spot. The photos of this area are often used in printed materials like textbooks magazines and postcards. After getting a good look at the rice terraces, I was reminded of the first time that I saw their pictures in our textbook during my elementary days. I already found them amusing as a kid and seeing their beauty as an adult got me more amazed.
The tourism officer told us that we were lucky to catch them in their greenest form. If you plan to visit this tourist spot as well, you should take note that we got there last June 1. You can also take into consideration that the rice planting cycle is typically 3 to 6 months.
Unlike the other terraces, the local government created a platform that makes it easy for everyone to get a closer look at the rice terraces. The platform has four stone statues that they refer to as rice protectors.
It’s sad that the younger generation of Ifugaos are slowly abandoning the rice terraces. According to tour guide Alvin, the part of the rice terraces where people can see thick bushes and trees were former rice fields. But the children who inherited (继承) those decided to give up farming and work in big cities instead. I hope that a new farming method with modern equipment will encourage the Ifugaos to continue their rice terraces farming tradition to protect this cultural treasure.
1. What can be learned about the Banaue RiceTerraces?| A．They are most known for their history. |
| B．They were made to mainly draw tourists. |
| C．The locals created them with great wisdom and effort. |
| D．Many mountains and lakes were turned into farmlands. |
| A．To show the Banaue Rice Terraces are really attractive. |
| B．To show Ifugao Province is heavily dependent on tourism. |
| C．To show the Banaue Rice Terraces are more suitable for kids to visit. |
| D．To show advertisements for the Banaue Rice Terraces spread rapidly. |
| A．Tell us some facts about rice planting. |
| B．Encourage more people to go to Ifugao. |
| C．Raise public awareness of local traditions. |
| D．Share the proper time to visit the Banaue Rice Terraces. |
| A．Worried. |
| B．Positive. |
| C．Confused. |
| D．Curious. |
8 . Last weekend, my husband and I drove a dog to her new home. Typically, when we have a new dog in the backseat, it’s a young dog. But this passenger was a much different story. Magdalen is a 13-year old dog. Her owner gave her up temporarily when he was sick, but when he fully recovered several months later, he said he didn’t want her back. He had her since she was young but now had no place for her.
The family who had given her a temporary home had children and other dogs and was unable to give her a forever home. When Speak St, Louis, the rescue team I work with, was contacted about the dog, they offered to take her in. She went to a vet (兽医) for a basic health check. But the vet didn’t have great news. Her mouth was swollen (肿胀的) with all sorts of problems. Two teeth fell out during cleaning and eleven more had to be pulled out.
Luckily, a good friend of mine, a dog trainer with a soft heart for seniors, had agreed to adopt Magdalen. On the trip to the trainer’s home, the sweet senior looked so relaxed in our backseat. I felt a great sense of relief and pleasure.
Her owner needed some temporary help when he was sick. But I can’t imagine why he wouldn’t have wanted her back. I think of my own dog and dogs we lost to old age in the past. We’re family and we stay that way forever. She’d be able to live a good life. I hoped, in her new home!
1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．The former owners of the dog. |
| B．Where the dog was treated. |
| C．What the dog needed most. |
| D．The problems the dog met. |
| A．Training old dogs. |
| B．Treating sick dogs. |
| C．Looking for homes for dogs. |
| D．Looking for lost dogs’ owners. |
| A．Relieved and happy. | B．Nervous and grateful. |
| C．Surprised and curious. | D．Hopeful and proud. |
| A．She didn’t understand his behaviour. |
| B．She believed it was painful for him. |
| C．She was certain he would regret. |
| D．She thought he made a wise decision. |
In a world that is full of different kinds of colors, red quite stands out. In China, people call this color China Red,
This expression fully shows Chinese people’s special love for red. So why are the Chinese really fond of it? One reason
In a word, red is popular in China and it’s more than just a color. It carries the rich culture of this nation. And you’re welcome
1. 目前人们很崇尚低碳生活；
2. 低碳生活的重要性；
3. 怎样创建低碳生活。
注意：1. 词数80左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
On the Low-carbon Life
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