1 . The heating of the planet is pushing Earth’s polar bear population to its limit, and according to a new study, they could have fewer than 100 years left before extinction.
The polar bears live by hunting seals in the Arctic Ocean, but as more and more ice melts (融化) in that region, their habitat continues to reduce. Since amounts began to be measured at the end of the 1970s, sea ice that lasts for more than a year in the Arctic has decreased at a rate of 13% per decade.
Studies have long shown that declining sea ice will lead to a decline in polar bears, but new research published in Nature Climate Change models a specific doomsday (世界末日) timeline. Polar bears will be unable to endure the effects of climate change over the next several decades, the scientists believe, and will be wiped out by 2100.
“What we’ve shown is that, first, we’ll lose the survival of cubs (幼崽), so cubs will be born, but the females won’t have enough body fat to produce milk to bring them along through the ice-free season, said Dr. Steven Amstrup, chief scientist of Polar Bears
International, to the BBC. “Any of us know that we can only go without-food for so long. That’s a biological reality for all species.”
The study estimated that, even in a situation where countries achieve a moderate (适中的) reduction in greenhouse gases, several populations of polar bears will disappear. But Amstrup emphasized that the animal can still persist (坚持) if climate change does not continue.
“Showing how imminent (迫在眉睫的) the threat is for different polar bear populations-is-another reminder that we must act now to head off the worst of future problems faced by us all,” he said. “The course we’re on now is not a good one, but if society gets its act together, we have time to save polar bears. And if we do, we will benefit the rest of life on Earth, including ourselves.”
1. In writing Paragraph 1, the author aims to________.| A．present an argument | B．make a comparison |
| C．propose a definition | D．introduce a topic |
| A．Seals hunt polar bears for food. |
| B．The sea ice has decreased by 13% in a year. |
| C．Polar bears depend on sea ice for their survival. |
| D．More and more seals are leaving the Arctic Ocean. |
| A．Sea ice will be wiped out by 2100. |
| B．The doomsday for mankind is coming. |
| C．Newborn bears will starve to death in the coming decades. |
| D．Polar bears will eventually be able to survive without sea ice. |
| A．we must act now to save ourselves |
| B．reducing greenhouse gases is good for all living things on Earth |
| C．the polar bear population is an imminent threat and we must take action |
| D．we should stay on our current course for the survival of all living things |
| A．How do polar bears survive? |
| B．Arctic sea ice is melting at an accelerating rate. |
| C．Polar bears and humans should coexist in harmony. |
| D．Polar bears could be extinct by end of the century. |
(1)目前我们生存的地球所面临的环境问题：植被数量减少，野生动物的栖息地骤减等；
(2)人们为绿色地球可以采取的行动：为野生动植物建立自然保护区，倡导绿色出行等。
注意：1.词数不少于100；
2.演讲稿的开头和结尾已为你写好，不计入总词数。
参考词汇：vegetation植被;habitat栖息地;nature reserve自然保护区
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good afternoon! I am Li Hua from Xingguang Middle School. The topic of my speech is “Action for Green Earth”.
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That’s all. Thank you!
外交部发言人 spokesman of Ministry of Foreign Affairs
注意：
1. 词数不少于100。
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen,
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4 . Cold winter coming
Big snowstorms and cold air swept across northern China in the first week of November. Many people trembled in the freezing cold. At the same time, a global meeting on climate change—COP 26—was held in Glasgow, Scotland. There, leaders from around the world tried to deal with global warming.
Why are we experiencing such a cold winter on a warming planet? The cold winter and global warming, two seemingly opposite facts, are not contradictory. Global warming does not happen evenly(均衡地) on Earth, and it causes more extreme heat and cold.
Because of the warming climate, China has seen a growing average temperature in winter. It has increased by 0.41 C every ten years since 1961. But in some cases, the country has also seen freezing cold—for example, the icy weather in early 2008.
Global warming has changed Earth’s air circulation(循环), affecting the local weather through sea-air or land-air interaction. For example, in October, La Nina affected China. It is a weather pattern caused by strong winds above the Pacific Ocean. It brought more cold air to China.
Another reason for the cold weather is the warming Arctic. It is warming almost three times as fast as any other place on Earth. The polar vortex(极地涡旋)—a rotating pool of cold air—becomes unstable as the temperature increases there. So, lots of cold Arctic air then goes southward.
Will this winter be much colder? The official forecast said a cold winter is likely. Northern China will probably see more snow than average, and southern China less rainfall than average.
1. The underlined word “contradictory” probably means ________.| A．opposite | B．common | C．similar | D．false |
| A．global warming is not as serious as we thought |
| B．global warming can cause extra rain |
| C．global warming doesn’t happen |
| D．global warming can also cause extreme cold |
| A．A rise in temperature. | B．Less rainfall. |
| C．Colder winters. | D．Big storms. |
| A．there will be lots of snow in southern China this winter |
| B．northern China will probably see a cold winter |
| C．southern China will be warmer and wetter this winter |
| D．this winter will not be as cold as usual |
| A．To explain the connection between the cold snap and global warming |
| B．To describe the phenomenon and causes of La Nina. |
| C．To predict if this winter will be particularly cold. |
| D．To discuss the importance of stopping global warming. |
5 . According to the National Audubon Society, about 60 percent of all North American bird species have experienced northward shift during migration over the past four decades. This is symbolic of habitat loses from human development, as well as climate change. Without taking action to protect migratory bird’s habitats, many of these species will eventually die out, which in turn can destroy the ecosystems that depend on the bird species. While these numbers are based in North American, bird extinction is a worldwide problem.
World Migratory Bird Day was established in 2006 as a holiday to help educate the public and raise awareness about the growing problems that are affecting the habitats of bird species around the world. It has since become a holiday recognized by the United Nations, and it helps to organize events in numerous countries. World Migratory Bird Day was established at the height of the age in which humans were starting to understand the influence of climate change.
Since World Migratory Bird Day is held over the second weekend of May, the dates can differ. In 2014, the holiday started on Saturday, May 10th. In 2015, the starting date was May 9th. Celebrating the holiday over an entire weekend gives families and bird enthusiasts alike a chance to get outdoors and learn more about migratory birds.
Education is at the center of World Migratory Bird Day celebration. The number of programs and festivals continue to grow each year, the content differing by area. World Migratory Bird Day provides people with the opportunity to learn about their favourite birds, and there are often bird watching tours planned for that weekend.
While World Migratory Bird Day can be a fun way to learn about birds and their habitats, the weekend holiday is also focused on some serious notes surrounding conservation. At events and festivals, the public can learn exactly how their native birds’ habitats are being destroyed, and more importantly, people can learn how to stop the destruction.
1. What does the first paragraph mainly talk about?| A．The destruction of ecosystems. |
| B．The seriousness of bird extinction. |
| C．The reason to protect migratory birds. |
| D．Causes of migratory birds’ habitat losses. |
| A．Climate change is the main cause of bird extinction. |
| B．Migratory birds’ habitat losses may endanger our ecosystem. |
| C．Bird extinction is a matter of course of historical development. |
| D．There is no doubt that bird migration can speed up global warming. |
| A．Worthy but impractical. |
| B．Timely and educational. |
| C．Simple but beneficial. |
| D．Meaningless and wasteful. |
| A．It is suitable for people of certain ages. |
| B．The dates of celebrations are changeable. |
| C．It is held by bird enthusiasts and experts. |
| D．It aims to provide chances for families to unite. |
| A．People can watch the whole process of bird migration. |
| B．People have the chance to have a direct connection with birds. |
| C．Learning to recognize birds is the key purpose of celebration. |
| D．The holiday lets people appreciate and encourage protection of birds. |
6 . As we enjoy the summer ocean waves along the beaches, we may think nervously about Steven Spielberg’s Jaws and the great fear that sharks inspire in us.
Yet we are happy to see global efforts to protect the declining number of sharks. The world has realized that we need the species, like sharks, to keep a balanced ecosystem. Sharks, in particular, are “in” these days. Thanks to good public policy and famous stars such as Jackie Chan and Ang Lee, killing sharks for fin soup is no longer cool.
The demand for shark fins has been rising for decades, threatening sharks with extinction (灭绝)—up to 100 million sharks are killed each year just for their fins. But we have started to reverse the trend, particularly in many areas of the United States and overseas where restaurants once proudly provided delicious shark fins on the menu.
In California, a ban on the sale and possession of shark fin soup has gone into effect this year through the efforts of Wild Aid and other organizations. Overseas marketing and public efforts featuring posters on public transportation systems and TV ads have been underway for the past few years. These efforts all show signs of success, on both the supply side and the demand side of trade in shark fins.
Actually, stopping the killing of sharks is part of a broader movement to stop the killing of wild animals and the buying and selling of wildlife products. These products come from hunting elephants, tigers and rhinos, besides killing marine life. Whether it is shark fin soup or ivory piano keys, killing animals is big business. The hunting of elephants in search of ivory tusks for luxury (奢侈的) goods has become a fall-scale war. The decrease of African elephant populations is alarming. Together with international partners, the United States is leading the worldwide effort to reduce demand for high-end products that rely on killing animals.
1. Why do people begin to make efforts to protect the declining number of sharks? (No more than 15 words)2. What’s the main reason for killing sharks? (No more than 10 Words)
3. Who helped California decide to ban the sale and possession of shark fin soup? (No more than 5 Words)
4. What does the underlined word “reverse” in Paragraph 3 mean? (1 word)
5. In your opinion, what’s the best way to stop killing animals? (No more than 20 words)
7 . Soot(煤灰) pollution is speeding up climate-driven melting(融化) in Antarctica, a new study suggests, raising questions about how to protect the delicate continent from the increasing number of humans who want to visit.
“It really makes us question, is our presence really needed?”says AliaKhan, one of the authors of the new study.“We have quite a large black carbon footprint in Antarctica, which is enhancing snow and ice melt.”
Black carbon is the leftover thing from burning plants or fossil fuels(化石燃料). Soot in Antarctica comes primarily from waste gases of cruise ships(游轮), vehicles, airplanes and electrical generators, although some pollution travels on the wind from other parts of the globe. The dark particles(微粒) coat white snow and absorb heat from the sun the way a black T-shirt does on a warm day. The blanket of dark bits speeds up melting that was already happening more quickly because of global warming. When snow and ice are uncovered, they reflect an enormous amount of sunlight before it can turn into heat.
“These are the mirrors on our planet,” says Sonia Nagorski, a scientist at the University of Alaska Southeast.“When those mirrors are covered in a film of dark bits, they are less reflective. That means more heat is trapped on Earth, speeding up melting and contributing to global warming.”
As a scientist who personally visits Antarctica every year, Khan says she is troubled by her own research results. On the one hand, she goes to Antarctica to collect crucial data about how quickly the snow and ice there are disappearing. “But then when we come to conclusions like this it really does make us think twice about how frequently we need to visit the continent,” she says,“ and what kind of regulations should be placed on tourism as well.”That could mean requiring that cruise ships and vehicles be electric, for example, or limiting the number of visitors each year.
1. Which of the following is a major source of soot in Antarctica?| A．Burnt plants. | B．Fossil fuels underneath Antarctica. |
| C．Black carbon elsewhere. | D．Tourist vehicles. |
| A．Confidence and courage. | B．Doubt and concern. |
| C．Anger and disappointment. | D．Optimism and certainty. |
| A．Snow. | B．Ice. | C．Soot. | D．Sunlight. |
| A．It reflects a large volume of sunlight. |
| B．It is increasing in amount because of wind. |
| C．It causes Antarctic surface temperature to rise. |
| D．It is like a big mirror on Earth. |
| A．Help design scientific research regulations. |
| B．Use electric cars for her daily transportation. |
| C．Collect more data about Antarctica. |
| D．Reduce her visits to Antarctica. |
1.活动的目的；
2.活动的安排（活动时间、提供三项可选活动以及报名参加的方式）；
3.表达期待。
注意：1.词数不少于100，开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Notice
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The Students’ Union
9 . The famous French beauty company L’Oréal has promised that by 2030, 95 percent of its ingredients (原料) will come from renewable plant sources and be respectful of the environment. Asked what is driving the beauty industry to clean and green beauty, Laurent Gilbert, one of L’Oréal’s directors said, “Natural science has made progress in the past years so that we can change to natural ingredients.”
L’Oréal says it will draw on recent developments in Green Sciences to get the best that nature has to offer through technology. Up to now, 80 percent of the Group’s materials have been easily biodegradable ( 生物可降解的), 59 percent have been renewable, and 34 percent have been natural or of natural origin. And 29 percent of the ingredients used in their products were developed following the rules of Green Chemistry.
“We have already used active ingredients which are plant-based. The way we are getting and producing ingredients will change.” Gilbert added.
As part of their sustainability (可持续性) program, the brand had also promised to use less plastic. It said, “By 2030, 100 percent of the plastics used in L’Oréal’s products’ packaging will be from recycled sources. We have a strong policy to help reach that goal. Besides making it recyclable, we are trying to move to a new kind of packaging.”
“All our promises are global. We have two research centers in India, one in Bengaluru and one in Mumbai. Those are really important to those goals. The Bengaluru one is being specialized in natural ingredients. It will give support to this change,” says the research center, which was set up in India in 1994.
To achieve these aims, L’Oréal has brought all of its resources in Green Sciences together, including recent progress in agricultural economics, together with new developments in biotechnology, Green Chemistry and modelling tools. The Group is also building strong relationships with universities, new companies and its own material suppliers.
1. What plays an important role in L’Oréal’s decision to change its ingredients?| A．The support from the local government. |
| B．The development of natural science. |
| C．The call for smart spending habits. |
| D．The research on target markets. |
| A．To bring convenience to customers. |
| B．To avoid damage to its products. |
| C．To cut the cost of packaging. |
| D．To reduce plastic use. |
| A．Develop new resources and join hands with different groups. |
| B．Limit the number of factories in developed countries. |
| C．Grow more plants and invite plenty of professionals. |
| D．Keep the traditional way of producing materials |
| A．L’Oréal’s achievements in business |
| B．L’Oréal’s challenge of increasing sales |
| C．L’Oréal’s plans for green and clean beauty |
| D．L’Oréal’s expectation of creating plant-based food |
10 . Wildlife has been greatly threatened in the modern age. There are species that are becoming
Chris and Tim work at a zoo, helping endangered cranes with their
Born at an international crane foundation, Emma was
The two keepers are proud of their productive work. But before they can be
How can we
| A．extinct | B．curious | C．adventurous | D．distinct |
| A．rid | B．ban | C．split | D．save |
| A．administration | B．reproduction | C．adaptation | D．recreation |
| A．eye | B．spirit | C．care | D．story |
| A．brought up | B．seized up | C．came across | D．came up |
| A．sacrifice | B．effort | C．victory | D．consequence |
| A．unfortunately | B．cheerfully | C．rarely | D．instantly |
| A．rejected | B．hesitated | C．decided | D．adored |
| A．concern | B．competence | C．fame | D．gift |
| A．inspiring. | B．unlikely | C．illegal | D．vital |
| A．Instead | B．Moreover | C．Therefore | D．However |
| A．system | B．combination | C．collection | D．strategy |
| A．allowed | B．urged | C．forced | D．forbade |
| A．indicated | B．guaranteed | C．defeated | D．forecasted |
| A．rise | B．increase | C．decline | D．boom |
| A．After all | B．By the way | C．In addition | D．In contrast |
| A．open | B．leave | C．identify | D．bridge |
| A．reward | B．reply | C．award | D．requirement |
| A．programs | B．actions | C．brains | D．performances |
| A．guide | B．companion | C．colleague | D．example |
