Hawthorn (山楂) trees or bushes are a familiar sight in the UK, where they are often found
The use of hawthorn as a herbal medicine to protect the heart can be traced back for centuries. Its use
Hawthorn is now a popular heart remedy throughout Europe. It can help to protect the blood system that feeds the heart. Hawthorn can also contribute to mild chest pains
Hawthorn is regarded as one of the
Madagascar is located off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean and is the fourth
Andasibe-Mantadia National Park in eastern Madagascar is one of the most popular protected areas
Over the past few years, Madagascar, together with
3 . HOW PETS BOOST YOUR HEALTH
Your furry friend may be a wellness support you didn’t know you had! Here are four benefits you get from caring for a critter.
Lower stress levels
Higher self-esteem
This may be surprising but pet owners report having more self-esteem than people without pets
Pendry says pets are often referred to as “social lubricants” because of the way they can help people make friends. Just think about how hard it is not to say hi when you see someone walking down the street with a super cute puppy.
Maybe even a healthy heart!
Research shows that people who own pets have better cholesterol (胆固醇) levels, reduced risk of high blood pressure and lower rates of heart disease than those who don’t. However, it’s hard to say whether that’s due to the animals themselves, notes Pendry. But researchers aim to do studies to look into this, she says, “because we want to really understand if there is a pet effect.” While we wait for results, give your cute ball of fluff a cuddle and a treat.
A.More social support |
B.Better companion in pandemic |
C.If you’ve ever curled up with a pet at the end of a tough day |
D.Be glad that while you’re protecting their health, they’re returning the favor |
E.You may find a pet person often surrounded with people of the same interest |
F.Or about how you bonded with a coworker after finding out you both had cats |
G.This likely comes from the sense of accomplishment a pet owner feels as a caregiver |
Maria and Peter lived in a coastal city. The greatest pleasure in summer for them was to swim at their local beach after school. But one day they started to lose their enthusiasm for swimming in the waters. More often than not, they would find plastic bags thrown on the beach. Worse sill, as they swam in the water, some plastic bags would float around them and even stick to their legs when they walked to the shore.
They were upset and decided something needed to be done to stop the beautiful sea becoming consumed by waste.One weekend,Maria and Peter brought a big bag to the beach and determined to clean it up. Sweat streamed down from their forehead while they bent down and picked up the plastic bags. To their disappointment, after a day’s hard work, there were still many plastic bags lying on the beach or floating in the water. Going home with aching legs and arms, Maria and Peter were almost defeated by a strong sense of failure.
That night over dinner with their parents, the pair ate silently. Noticing their low spirits, Mother asked gently, “You two looked so down. What happened?”Exchanging glances with Peter, Maria replied in a low voice,“It’s those annoying plastic bags. We tried to clean up but it was just impossible.”Understanding the pair’s disappointment, their father patted them on the back and comforted,”Well, it’s really hard for just two of you to fix such a big problem.”“Just two of us.”complained Maria and Peter, looking at each other.Suddenly, an idea lashed through their minds, their eyes shining with excitement.“Yes,that’s the point! We should make more people aware of the problem and encourage them to take action!” the pair said in chorus.
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。
Quickly finishing their dinner, the pair went upstairs and started planning.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Excited and nervous, they posted the video and article on WeChat.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5 . KUNMING, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) — Over 100 migratory black-necked cranes (鹤), a species under first-class state protection in China, were recently spotted in Dashanbao National Nature Reserve for Black-necked Cranes in Zhaotong City, Yunnan Province in the southwest of China, marking the arrival of their wintering period.
As of 7 p.m. Tuesday, more than 100 black-necked cranes, along with over ten other migratory bird species, had arrived at the Yunnan Dashanbao National Nature Reserve for Black-necked Cranes, said the reserve’s administration bureau.
Compared with the number recorded last year, this year has seen an earlier arrival of the rare cranes and an increase in the number of the first batch of wintering black-necked cranes, according to the bureau.
The reserve, located in Zhaoyang District of Zhaotong City, is the most significant wintering habitat and transfer station for migratory black-necked cranes on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau.
Over recent years, the reserve has made a determined effort to take conservation measures, such as wetland protection and restoration and construction of food source bases, in order to steadily improve its ecological environment for migratory birds.
During the past three years, an average of over 1,500 black-necked cranes were spotted arriving at the reserve for wintering, while the numbers of other migratory birds were also on the rise thanks to these local conservation efforts.
1. What can we know from the text?A.The black-necked cranes stay in Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau over years. |
B.Over 1,500 black-necked cranes earlier arrived at Dashanbao this winter. |
C.The Reserve is a good place for black-necked Cranes and other migratory bird species. |
D.The reserve warmly welcomes bird species to improve its ecological environment. |
A.The winter. | B.The beauty of nature. |
C.The local conservation efforts. | D.Other migratory bird species. |
A.A newspaper. | B.A tourist brochure. |
C.A magazine. | D.A textbook. |
A.Dashanbao National Nature Reserve for black-necked Cranes. |
B.Welcome lack-necked cranes to Yuannan for Winter. |
C.The local measures to protect migratory bird species. |
D.Over 100 black-necked cranes wintering in southwest China. |
6 . Seagrass meadows(海草床) are wonder plants growing beneath the sea. They feed and shelter sea life and are masterful at storing carbon. Thanks to the assistance of tiger sharks, a huge seagrass meadow in the Bahamas Banks was recently discovered, offering the world a tool to fight climate change.
Seagrass has usually been detected by Earth-orbiting satellites that identify darker patches in the blue water. In this study, tiger sharks were selected as research tools due to their highly consistent associations with seagrass ecosystems. They spend 70% of their time in seagrass meadows. The team equipped eight tiger sharks with satellite tags (电子跟踪器), seven sharks with camera tags, and used a 360-degree camera on a shark for the first time ever.
The data researchers collected was astonishing. The world’s largest seagrass ecosystem, measuring at least 66,900 square kilometers, has been discovered. This reflects a 41% increase from previous estimates of global seagrass. Seagrass can capture (捕获) huge quantities of carbon by photosynthesis (光合作用) and stores it on the seafloor. In terms of climate change, this is excellent news; seagrass is 35 times faster a removing carbon than tropical rainforests. When referred to global seagrass carbon stock estimates, the study indicates that seagrass in the Bahamas may contain 19.2% to 26.3% of all the carbon stored in seagrass meadows on Earth.
Yet seagrass meadows are rapidly disappearing, with over 92% of meadows in the UK gone, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Scientists are collecting seeds and trying to grow new seagrass meadows through restoration projects. This new discovery offers optimism and proves the importance of the ocean for healing.
The sharks led us to the seagrass ecosystem in the Bahamas, which we now know is likely the most significant blue carbon sink(蓝色碳汇) on the planet. What this discovery shows us is that ocean exploration and research are essential for a healthy future. The untapped potential of the ocean is limitless. These meadows can be protected and can be replicated (复制,仿制), offering hope for climate change around the globe.
1. Why were tiger sharks chosen as research tools?A.They are more flexible than other sea animals. |
B.They can quickly adjust themselves to the deep sea. |
C.They have a strong connection with seagrass ecosystems. |
D.They can be easily equipped with experimental devices. |
A.The decline of global seagrass meadows. |
B.The impact of climate change on sea life. |
C.The rapid increase in the amount of carbon on Earth. |
D.The potential value of the world’s largest seagrass ecosystem. |
A.Planting more seagrass meadows. |
B.Developing new technology to collect seeds. |
C.Mapping the distribution of seagrass meadows. |
D.Encouraging people to join in restoration projects. |
A.The New Way of Removing Carbon |
B.The Significance of Ocean Exploration |
C.A New Discovery: World’s Largest Seagrass Meadow |
D.Tiger Sharks: Scientists’ Essential Helper to Study Climate |
7 . Growing flowers is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance.
The third step is to drill a small hole in a potato.
The final step is to cut out the bottom of the plastic bottle and then place it around the rose.
A.It should be just the size of the rose. |
B.You really don’t need to be a gardening professional. |
C.First of all, you need to choose a rose you really like. |
D.There is a simple trick that can be used to help roses grow. |
E.Once you, have prepared the soil, place the rose in the potato. |
F.Flowers are expensive, so why not grow them in your own garden? |
G.Now all you need to do is water the soil occasionally and have some patience. |
8 . Far below every town and city lies an invisible network of pipes crucial to the lives of their residents. Once water disappears down a pipe or toilet, it’s out of sight, out of mind. The water flows into containers that carry rainwater, wastewater and solid waste away. There are three main types of sewers (下水道): sanitary sewers, storm sewers and combined sewers. Among them, sanitary sewers function as a city’s veins (静脉). Water containing human and industrial waste is collected in sanitary sewers and carried to wastewater treatment plants. There, the solid waste is separated from the water, which is then purified before being released back into the environment. It will be reused for industrial, agricultural or environmental purposes. Furthermore, the gas from water treatment can be used to produce energy. They not only contribute to a healthy environment and good quality of life, but also achieve the goal of sustainable development.
While wastewater collection and treatment are critical to the health of urban residents, storm sewers also play an important role. In urban areas, green has given way to concrete. As a consequence, there has been a loss of the land’s natural water retention as concrete cannot take in rainwater. When an extreme weather event causes heavy rain, storm sewers must cope with the water, so it does not flood the city. However, storm sewers are only part of the solution to water management and flood prevention.
To reduce flooding, an integrated urban management plan has been adopted, where all the factors — storm sewers, land planning and economic development — are considered together. Engineering innovations, additional facilities and increased green space requirements in new development projects have improved water retention in cities.
Sewers help improve urban public health, prevent urban flooding and boost environmental protection. Together they protect vital water resources and maintain the safety of people and property.
1. What’s the function of sanitary sewers?A.Cleaning dirty water. | B.Collecting solid waste. |
C.Delivering used water. | D.Producing useful gas. |
A.Absorption. | B.Treatment. | C.Purification. | D.Distribution. |
A.To explain a complicated theory. | B.To provide supporting facts. |
C.To raise improved suggestions. | D.To describe a recent phenomenon. |
A.Urban Unseen Network | B.Modern City’s Management |
C.Extreme Weather’s Solution | D.Wastewater’s Potential Threat |
9 . Science reporting on climate change does lead Americans to adopt more accurate beliefs and support government action on the issue, but these gains are fragile, a new study suggests. Researchers found that these accurate beliefs fade quickly when people are exposed to coverage skeptical of climate change.
“It is not the case that the American public does not respond to scientifically informed reporting when they are exposed to it,” said Thomas Wood, associate professor of political science at the Ohio State University. “But even truly accurate science reporting recedes from people’s frame of reference very quickly.”
Results showed that accurate science reporting didn’t persuade only politicians and people who initially rejected human-caused climate change also had their opinions shifted by reading accurate articles. The study involved 2,898 online participants who participated in four waves of the experiment during the fall of 2020.
In the first wave, they all read authentic articles in the popular media that provided information reflecting the seientifie views on climate change. In the second and third waves, they read either another scientific article, an opinion article that was skeptical of climate science, or an article on an unrelated subjeet. In the fourth wave, the participants simply were asked their beliefs about the science of climate change and their policy attitudes.
To rate participants’ scientific understanding. the researchers asked after each wave if they believed that climate change is happening and has a human cause. To measure their attitudes, researchers asked participants if they favored government action on climate change and if they favored renewable energy.
“What we found suggests that people need to hear the same accurate messages about climate change again and again. If they only hear it once, it recedes very quickly,” Wood said. It was significant that accurate reporting had positive effects on all groups, including those who originally rejected climate change. But it was even more encouraging that it affected attitudes.
1. What does the underlined word “recedes” in paragraph 2 mean?A.Increases. | B.Graduates. | C.Disappears. | D.Strikes. |
A.The research object. | B.The research result. |
C.The research purpose. | D.The research procedure. |
A.To survey the government’s satisfaction rate. |
B.To make an assessment on their attitudes. |
C.To teach them scientific understanding. |
D.To measure action on climate change. |
A.Science Report Of Climate Change Can Affect Minds |
B.Online Participants Joined In A Four-Wave Experiment |
C.Accurate Science Reporting Don’t Persuade Only Politicians |
D.People Should Hear Accurate Messages About Climate Change |
10 . Teaching middle-school children about climate change may be one of the most important things we can do to save the planet.It’s those kids who have the most potential, according to a new study
It’s at this developmental age that students can master complex concepts like climate change and remain open to new ideas,the researchers say.Middle school is usually when we start to figure out how we really feel about the world and to form our own opinions.
The researchers carried out an experiment with students in North Carolina.They gave specialized climate change training to middle school teachers,sharing lessons that would specifically encourage the kids to interact with their parents and talk about the topic.Research has shown that lessons on climate change that have the most impact typically frame the topic around something you can often see or experience,so.the lessons were focused on these themes,such as how the environment relates to animals or how an individual can directly affect the environment.
The researchers divided the students into two groups:a control group that didn’t get the specialized lessons and an experiment group who did.They also surveyed parents before, during and after the program,following these groups for two years.
After the program,the 357 students who got the special lessons and their parents showed a larger change in their level of concern about climate change than the 224 students who did not get the training.The 357 kids,the study found,can best reach adults and encourage them to act to fight climate change,regardless of their parents’ political beliefs.In fact,the researchers found this method has the greatest impact on the people who are otherwise hardest to convince:conservative (保守的) males.
“Ireally think it is very timely and really speaks to the fact that we have to prepare kids for climate change,”said study author Danielle Lawson.“Immediate action is key.We have about 12 years to take action together to keep the global average temperature from rising 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels.Beyond that critical point,climate change will have done permanent damage.”
1. Why do middle schoolers have the most potential?A.They are free from wrong ideas. |
B.They like to deal with complexity. |
C.They are interested in the outside world. |
D.They are at an age to form their own views. |
A.Challenging. | B.Familiar. | C.Charming | D.Limited. |
A.People’s political beliefs are hard to change. |
B.The 357 kids are good at communication skills. |
C.Kids receiving the lessons influence their parents more. |
D.No method but this one can convince conservative males. |
A.We have enough time to take action. |
B.It’s urgent to deal with climate change |
C.The kids can solve the future climate challenge |
D.We can do nothing about global warming after 2034. |