1 . Conifers (针叶树) are generally better than broad-leaved trees at purifying air from pollutants. But deciduous (落叶的) trees may be better at taking in particle-bound pollution. A new study led by the University of Gothenburg shows that the best trees for air purification depend on the type of pollutants involved.

Trees and other greener in cities provide many benefits that are important for the well-being of residents. Leaves and needled on trees filter air pollutants and reduce exposure to poisonous substance in the air. But which trees purify the air most effectively? Researchers from the University of Gothenburg have collected leaves and needle from eleven different trees growing in the same place in the Gothenburg Botanical Garden (GBG) to analyse which cub-stances they have absorbed.

“This tree collection provided a unique opportunity to test many different species of trees with similar environmental conditions and exposure to air pollutants,” said Jenny Klingberg, a researcher of the GBG

A total of 32 different pollutants were analysed, some of which are bound to articles of various sizes. Others are gaseous. This project has focused on paths (多环芳烃). In cities, traffic is the biggest source of these pollutants, which are released due to incomplete burning in engines.

“Our analysis show that different species of trees have different abilities to absorb air pollutants. Conifers generally absorb morn gaseous paths than broad-leaved trees. Another advantage of conifers is that they also act as air purifies in winter, when air pollution is usually at its highest,” said Jenny Klingberg.

“This study contributes to improving our understanding of the ability of trees to clean the air and which species are best at absorbing air pollutants,” said Jenny Klingberg. This known-edge is important for urban planning when designing sustainable cities. While trees and green-era can contribute to better air quality in cities, at the end of the day, the most important measure is to reduce emissions.

1. Which is the determining factor in choosing the most suitable tries to purify air?

A．Air quality.

B．Geographical location.

C．The height of plants.

D．The kind of pollutants.

2. Why did the researchers collect leaves and needled from GBG?

A．To compare their shapes.	B．To create a tree collection.
C．To figure out what they absorb.	D．To display them on exhibition.

3. What may cause more paths to be released?

A．Fuel vehicle’s.

B．Electric engines.

C．Traffic accidents.

D．Complete burning.

4. What is the most effective way to better air quality in cities?

A．Decreasing emissions.	B．Planting more conifers.
C．Raising public awareness.	D．Designing sustainable cities.

2 . Teen Eco-Art Exhibition

Young artists share your artwork and viewpoints on our environment in the Teen Eco-Art Exhibition this Spring!

Submission is open to artiste from Grades 11-12 who reside in West Vancouver or attend a West Vancouver secondary school.

Submissions will be reviewed by a Selection Committee. Artwork will be assessed on creative use of materials and expression of the theme.

Submission criteria (标准)

•Artwork addressing environmental themes such as clean water, climate change, sustainability, conservation, pollution, etc.

•Artwork created primarily from sustainable, repurposed, recycled materials. Other media such as paint, photography, paper, etc. can be used in combination with repurposed materials.

•Size. Wall-mounled (固定在墙上的) artwork: no larger than 36''×36''. Sculpture: no larger than l'5''×1'5''×1'5''.

•Artwork should be exhibition ready. Wall-mounted artwork should have hanging wire, D-rings or hangers. Sculptures should be able to stand on their own.

Artist statement: clear and brief, 100-200 word statement regarding your art practice and the concept/ theme of the work being considered.

How to submit

Complete the submission form & upload the required materials.

Submission close

March 25, 6 pm.

Results

Artists will be notified by April 6.

Exhibition location

West Vancouver Memorial Library, 1950 Marine Dr.

Exhibition Dates

April 15-May 29.

If you have any questions please contact Gallery Coordinator Steven Snider at steven. wvcac@shaw. ca. We look forward to seeing your artwork!

1. What do we know about the event?

A．It is open to artists of all ages.

B．It welcomes half-finished art pieces.

C．It is looking for creative works from students.

D．It disapproves of works with artists’ statements.

2. What standard should the submission meet?

A．It should be larger than 36''×36''.

B．It should be able to stand on its own.

C．It should avoid repurposed materials.

D．It should highlight environmental problems.

3. When will the selected works be announced?

A．March 25.

B．April 6.

C．April 15.

D．May 29.

3 . Fungi (菌类) often appear naturally around trees, but a new study has found that growing edible mushrooms (types that can be safely eaten) in forests on purpose could be a good way to provide healthy food for millions of people and help the environment too.

Fungi are living things that feed on organic matter, such as dead plants. Mushrooms, mould and yeast are all types of fungi.

Paul Thomas and Alistair Jump, from the University of Stirling in Scotland, spent two years studying edible fungi that grow alongside trees. The pair discovered that while they are growing, fungi remove carbon dioxide from the air and store it in the soil. This is good for the planet, because too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is one of the main causes of climate change.

Thomas points out that forests around the world are often cut down to create fields for producing food, such as beef or wheat. Trees take in carbon dioxide as they grow, so chopping them down makes climate change worse. However, edible fungi thrive in the shade of trees. That means if fungi was being grown as a food crop, there would be no need to chop down forests. In fact, if fungi became very popular, more trees could actually be planted. Edible fungi contain lots of substances that are good for humans. Thomas’s idea is that other ingredients, such as meat, could be swapped for fungi in people’s diets. He estimates that growing fungi around trees could feed up to 19 million people each year.

Blue milk caps are a species of edible fungi that Thomas says could work particularly well. They can be grown on and around trees, exchanging useful minerals and nutrients in return for carbon. They are also very nutritious, and some studies have suggested that they can help to treat cancer.

1. How do fungi help the environment?

A．They release oxygen into the atmosphere.

B．They prevent soil from being washed away.

C．They provide shade for other plants and animals.

D．They absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

2. What does the underlined word “thrive” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Struggle.

B．Boom.

C．Weaken.

D．Shrink.

3. What could be the future of edible fungi like?

A．Disappointing.

B．Promising.

C．Controversial.

D．Doubtful.

4. What can be a best title for the text?

A．The Nutritional Benefits of Edible Fungi

B．Fungi: A Sustainable Solution to Organic Food

C．The Role of Fungi in Fighting Climate Change

D．How Fungi Could Feed and Benefit the World

4 . Both ants and human beings respond to isolation in similar ways. In isolated individuals of both species, researchers have observed that the immune system is less efficient.

Humans and other social mammals will experience high levels of stress when they are isolated from the group, which has a negative effect on both well-being and physical health. Isolated people tend to become anxious, depressed, lonely, and more subject to addictions. They will also have a weaker immune system, and the isolation will impact their health negatively overall. While these effects have been well studied in humans and mice, relatively little is known about how isolation affects social insects.

Ants are extremely social. They will live their entire lives as part of the same colony (群体) and their survival will be entirely dependent on their nest mates. This social function is so important to them that worker ants will abandon their reproductive capacity and devote themselves to tending to the needs of the queen and the colony.

Researchers paid attention to ants of the Temnothorax nylanderi, which is a European species that will create colonies inside acorns (橡实) and sticks. These colonies consist of a few dozen workers, and the researchers took individual members and isolated them for various periods of time, from an hour to 28 days. The study revealed three key aspects of the effects of isolation.

When the isolated workers were returned to the colony, they showed less interest in other adult ants, and instead chose to spend more time with the brood (幼雏). They were also less interested in cleaning themselves, which is a behavior noticed in most social animals that are isolated. This behavior increased the risk of parasite (寄生虫) infections. The third observation was related to the gene activity of the isolated individuals — genes that were responsible for stress response and immune system function were less active. Once again, this is something observed across all social animals. What this research tells us is that social behavior is something extremely ancient and it could be traced back to a very old common ancestor between animal and insect species.

1. How are humans influenced by isolation according to the researchers?

A．Their social circles shrinks quickly.

B．They are more likely to get into addictions.

C．Their immune system has been strengthened.

D．They are quicker to respond to stressful situations.

2. What characterizes the life of ants in a colony?

A．They remain devoted to their nest mates.

B．They are in a constant state of mental stress.

C．They are equally responsible for their colony.

D．They rely much on each other in order to survive.

3. What did the worker ants turn their attention to after isolation?

A．The queen ant.	B．Their nest mates.
C．The baby ants.	D．Their whole colony.

4. Which can be the best title for the text?

A．Social isolation affects animals negatively.

B．Isolation changes the immune system of ants.

C．Ants react to social isolation similar to humans.

D．Animal and insect species share the same ancestor.

5 . Next time you’re having trouble solving a tricky puzzle, consider asking a nearby bumblebee. A new study in the journal PLOS Biology finds that these humble insects can actually learn to solve puzzles from one another, suggesting that even some invertebrates(无脊椎动物) have a capacity for what we humans call “culture.”

“Nobody’s really thought that invertebrates like bumblebees show evidence of culture,” says Alice Bridges, an ecologist at Anglia Ruskin University. “People assume that they’re mostly driven by inborn factors.” Bridges set out to prove them wrong. To study culture in bumblebees, she first drilled some bees to solve puzzle boxes. She trained some bees to head-butt the red switch to get the sugar water and trained others to push the blue switch. Then, Bridges placed these tutor bees into different colonies, along with the puzzle boxes.

It wasn’t all fun and games: Bridges got stung multiple times and the fourth sting sent her to the hospital. Bridges persevered, however, and the experiment ultimately played itself out. In colonies where the tutor bee had learned to push the red switch, the other bees usually pushed the red switch. In colonies where the tutor bee was trained to push the blue switch, their fellow bees tended to do the same. In the control colonies where there were no tutors, the bees sometimes learned how to open the boxes, but never as efficiently or reliably.

The conclusion, Bridges and her colleagues report in their new study today, is that bumblebees can transmit certain behaviors—culturally. “Maybe culture isn’t that unusual,” she says. “Maybe it’s not some pinnacle(顶峰) of cognition that only a few species have.”

“Many of us consider ourselves special because we have culture and we can learn,” says Jessica Ware, an entomologist. “The truth is that all we have found about animal culture means that human culture, once thought unique, did not appear ‘out of the blue’ but has obviously built on deep evolutionary(进化的) foundations.”

1. How did the bumblebees get the sugar water from the puzzle boxes?

A．By pressing a button.	B．By solving word puzzles.
C．By bursting open the boxes.	D．By turning the boxes upside down.

2. What can be inferred about the experiment?

A．It contradicts the former research.	B．It shows that culture is unique to humans.
C．It has received wide recognition.	D．It has brought Bridges much trouble.

3. What does the underlined phrase “out of the blue” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Slowly.

B．Suddenly.

C．Endlessly.

D．Regularly.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Can Insects Have Culture?

B．Can New Culture Be Created?

C．How Do Bumblebees Tutor Peers?

D．How Will Invertebrate Study Be Expanded?

6 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

Wetlands are known as the"kidneys（肾）)of the Earth", providing a variety of ecosystem services such as water conservation and climate regulation and having     1    (remark) carbon capturing(捕捉) ability. They can store 50 times more carbon     2    rain forests do, helping to keep the greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere.

China's wetland     3    (cover) represents nearly 10% of the global total. In China, about 300 million people depend on wetlands     4    survival. Wetlands are vital for the food production of the country.

This year marks     5    30th anniversary of China's joining the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. China has made great efforts to preserve wetlands. Xixi National Wetland Park, lying in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province,     6    (approve) as China's first national wetland park in 2005. Now, there are 901 national wetland parks in China, 90% of     7    are open to the public for free. Among the 43 "international wetland cities", 13     8    (be) in China, the most in the world.

And on June 1, the country's first law     9     (devote) to wetland protection came into effect. The country's goal is     10    (bring) 55% of wetlands under protection by 2025, and become a leader in global wetland conservation and restoration by 2030.

7 . Smaller than African savanna elephants, forest elephants feed on grass, leaves and fruit. The rainforests of Gabon are one of the last strongholds for forest elephants, whose numbers have suffered a dramatic decline in recent decades because of hunting.

Despite being remote and relatively untouched by people, Lope National Park and its elephants appear to be in trouble. The fruity yield (产量) of many species of trees at the park continues to fall, which seems to be causing forest elephants to go hungry. Because certain tree species depend on the animals to survive, the struggles of the elephant population could jeopardize the long-term sustainability of the forest.

Known as an Omphalocarpum procerum, the tree is dotted with doughnut-shaped fruit growing out of its trunk. The fruit has a tough shell that makes it distasteful for every animal species except elephants. The tree relies on elephants to disperse (传播) seeds through their dung (粪) and grows stronger in elephant-populated areas. The tree is rarely found where elephants no longer live. The elephants, in turn, depend on the highly nutritious fruit for their diet.

A 32-year survey recorded an 81 percent decline in the availability of the fruits that elephants eat. Examining Lopvé’s weather data for the previous three decades, researchers found that the average nighttime temperature had increased by about 1.5 degrees. The amount of rainfall also had decreased significantly. Climate change was making Lope hotter and drier. Researchers think this is the most credible theory as to why fruit has been declining.

They also found that, on average, the body condition of forest elephants had declined by a pronounced 11 percent from 2008 to 2018. The scarcity of fruit in Lope was the likeliest explanation. The lack of fruit makes it harder for elephants to get the nutrition they need. Lope’s elephants try to make up for the fruit shortage by suddenly entering people’s gardens in the middle of the night.

At Lope National Park, scientists now are investigating whether climate change is changing the elephants’ diet. As they continue their research, they thought: Could the fraying of the ancient bond between trees and elephants in a place as pristine as Lopé be a forewarning?

1. What does the underlined word “jeopardize” in paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Endanger.

B．Promote.

C．Achieve.

D．Ensure.

2. What is the purpose of paragraph 3?

A．To state the effect of habitat loss on elephants.

B．To prove the importance of the species diversity.

C．To present the gradual process of forest decline.

D．To show the close relationship between the tree and elephants.

3. What makes fruits in Lope less available to elephants?

A．Frequent heavy rainfall.	B．The lack of fruit growers.
C．Inappropriate tree cutting.	D．The threat of climate change.

4. How do Lope’s elephants deal with the fruit shortage?

A．They visit human’s gardens for food.

B．They travel farther to search for fruit trees.

C．They start to eat other highly nutritious plants.

D．They carry fruit seeds to elephant-populated areas.

8 . Researchers have just completed the first worldwide record of lake color. Roughly one-third of them are blue but that number may drop if global temperatures rise. If average air temperatures in summer rose just a few degrees warmer, some of those crystal blue waters could turn green or brown.

Lake color offers clues to the stability of lake ecosystems. Factors such as water depth and how the nearby land is used also matter. Lake color depends in part, too, on what’s in the water. Compared with blue lakes, green or brown lakes have more algae (水藻) and organic matter. That’s according to Xiao Yang, a hydrologist who works at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Changing lake colors, he says, could also change how people use those waters.

Yang was part of a team that analyzed the color of more than 85,000 lakes around the world. They used satellite photos from 2013 to 2020. Storms and seasons can temporarily affect a lake’s color. So the researchers focused on the most frequent color observed for each lake over the seven-year period. The scientists then looked at local climates during the same time period. They wanted to see how climate might be linked to lake color.

Average summer air temperatures and lake color were linked, the researchers found. Lakes were more likely to be blue in places where summer temperatures averaged less than 19℃. Up to 14 percent of lakes that are blue were near that threshold (门槛), though. That means just a bit more warming might tip them away from blue. Scientists think the planet could average 3 degrees Celsius warmer by 2100. If so, that could turn another 3,800 lakes green or brown.

Green or brown waters could be unappealing for play or it might cost more to clean it for drinking. But in fact, the color changes might not mean the lakes are any less healthy. If you were a certain type of fish species, you might think this is great.

1. What is a feature of green or brown lakes?

A．Weak ecosystem.	B．High mineral content.
C．Increased organic matter.	D．Decreased water temperature.

2. What does the research intend to find?

A．Why the color of most lakes is blue.

B．The consequences of lake color change.

C．How climate change affect creatures living in water.

D．The relationship between air temperature and lake color.

3. What can be inferred from paragraph 4?

A．14 percent of the world’s lakes are blue.

B．3,800 lakes worldwide are green or brown.

C．Many lakes may experience severe ecological damage.

D．Some lakes are close to the critical point of color change.

4. In which section of a website can this text be found?

A．Lifestyle.	B．Environment.
C．Technology.	D．Business.

9 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Who was the pig named after?

A．A lawyer.

B．A famous artist.

C．An animal rights activist.

2. When was the first exhibition of the pig’s work held?

A．In 2018.

B．In 2017.

C．In 2016.

3. What does Lefson mean in the end?

A．Art is priceless.

B．Pigs all have artistic talent.

C．Animals should be protected.

10 . A new study suggests that pollution of all kinds kills nearly 9 million people worldwide each year. Air pollution from industrial processes and the expansion of cities accounted for about 75% of the deaths, researchers found. The study was based on examinations of worldwide death rates and pollution levels.

The study separated traditional pollutants from modern pollutants. Examples of traditional pollutants are indoor smoke or wastewater. Modern pollutants include air pollution from vehicles or industrial activities and poisonous chemicals. The researchers found that deaths from traditional pollutants are dropping worldwide. But they remain a major problem in Africa and some other developing countries. In some countries, state programs to cut indoor air pollution and improvements in sanitation (卫生) have helped reduce death rates. In Ethiopia and Nigeria, for example, such efforts cut deaths by two-thirds between 2000 and 2019, the study found.

Modern kinds of pollution are rising in most countries, especially developing ones, the researchers said. Deaths caused by modern pollutants — heavy metals, agricultural chemicals and carbon emissions—are “skyrocketing,” said study co-writer Rachael Kupka. She heads the New York-based Global Alliance on Health and Pollution. Kupka said deaths linked to modern pollutants had risen 66% since 2000.

“Nine million deaths is a lot of deaths,” Philip Landrigan told The Associated Press about the study’s results. He is director of the Global Public Health Program at Boston College in Massachusetts. “The bad news is that it’s not decreasing,” Landrigan added. “We’re making gains in the easy stuff, and we’re seeing the more difficult stuff, outdoor industrial air pollution and chemical pollution, still going up.”

The study makes several suggestions for ways to cut the number of deaths. These include creating better recording and reporting methods and stronger government policies to reduce pollution linked to industrial activities and vehicle emissions.

“We absolutely know how to solve pollution problems,” said the study co-author Richard Fuller. “What’s missing is political will.”

1. What can be learned from the study about pollution?

A．Air pollution killed 9 million people last year.

B．Cutting indoor air pollution is the best policy.

C．Traditional pollution is very serious in Nigeria.

D．Traditional pollutants cause less death than before.

2. What does the underlined word “skyrocketing” probably mean in paragraph 3?

A．Improving.

B．Increasing.

C．Reducing.

D．Worsening.

3. What can be inferred from Philip Landrign’s words?

A．It is easy to fight modern pollution.	B．Outdoor air pollution is decreasing.
C．Modern pollution still concerns people.	D．It is hard to tell the reasons for pollution.

4. What might be talked about in the paragraph that follows?

A．Methods to reduce pollution.	B．Government’s response to pollution.
C．Suggestions for industrial activities.	D．The damage caused by vehicle emissions.