1 . Our recommended list of environmental books covers a broad range of topics. These must-read environmental books are sure to spark the interest of the greenest books.
Silent Spring
Written by Rachel Carson, Silent Spring highlights the effects of pesticides (杀虫剂) on the environment, especially DDT, which was a very popular insecticide until it was finally banned in 1972. The book eventually led to a change in the United States’ pesticide policy and contributed to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.
No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference.
This book collects 11 speeches made by climate activist Greta Thunberg, highlighting the issue of climate change and its impact on future generations. Greta Thunberg was 15 when she started the School Strike for Climate, also known as Fridays for Future. She inspired protests worldwide.
The Uninhabitable Earth
This book by David Wallace Wells examines the disasters that have already occurred and looks ahead to the year 2100 and what climate change will do if we continue on our current path. Its opening line is incredibly telling: “It is worse, much worse, than you think.”
The End of Nature
Published in 1989, the book describes the relationship between nature and humans. It expresses the idea that nature was previously independent of humans but has now been affected by them in every way. According to author Bill McKibben, the idea of wilderness is lost, and nature is no longer complete.
1. Which book brought the environment to the government’s attention?| A．Silent Spring. | B．The End of Nature. |
| C．The Uninhabitable Earth. | D．No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference. |
| A．Curiosity. | B．Concern. | C．Annoyance. | D．Disappointment. |
| A．Nature will not exist any longer. | B．Wild animals are disappearing fast. |
| C．Human activities are destroying nature. | D．Climate change affects future generations. |
2 . Antarctica has not always been a land of ice and snow. Earth’s southernmost continent once was home to rivers and forests full of life.
Scientists are using satellite observations and radar imagery to look deep under the ice. The researchers report finding a large ancient landscape buried under the continent’s ice sheet. It is full of valleys and ridges (山脊) , shaped by rivers before being covered by glaciers long ago.
The landscape is located in East Antarctica’s Wilkes Land area bordering the Indian Ocean. The researchers said the landscape appears to date back to at least 14 million years ago and perhaps beyond 34 million years ago, when Antarctica entered its deep freeze.
“It is difficult to know what this lost world might have looked like before the ice came along, but it was certainly warmer back then,” said Stewart Jamieson, a professor at Durham University. “Depending how far back in time you go, you might have had climates that ranged anywhere from the climate of present-day Patagonia through to something more approaching tropical.”
“Such an environment likely would have been populated by wildlife”, Jamieson said. “But the area’s fossil record is too incomplete to know which animals may have lived there.”
The researchers said the surface of the planet Mars is better known than the earth surface below the ice in Antarctica. They said one way to learn more would be to drill through the ice and take a piece of the earth below. This could uncover evidence showing ancient life, as was done with samples taken in Greenland dating back two million years ago.
Jamieson said the researchers think that when Antarctica’s climate was warmer, rivers flowed toward a continental coastline that was created as the other land masses broke away. When the climate cooled, some small glaciers formed on hills next to the rivers. When the climate cooled even more, an ice sheet grew which covered the whole continent, the landscape got preserved, likely for 34 million years.
1. What can we learn about the ancient landscape?| A．It locates in the center of Antarctica. | B．It’s discovered by drilling through the ice. |
| C．It’s once a warmer area than it is now. | D．It has a history of no more than 14 million years. |
| A．There is a lack of complete fossil record. |
| B．The ice sheet of Antarctica is melting quickly. |
| C．Scientists lack enough advanced equipment. |
| D．Climate conditions vary greatly from place to place. |
| A．To attract more scientists to study Antarctica. |
| B．To strengthen the importance of the Mars. |
| C．To indicate the complex situations of the Mars. |
| D．To show the difficult to know Antarctica’s earth surface. |
| A．The colder climate. | B．The protection offered by coastlines. |
| C．Other land masses’ reduction. | D．A decrease in the number of wildlife. |
3 . The hottest year on record is coming to a close, emissions of planet-warming gases are still rising globally, and the most ambitious climate goal set by world leaders is all but impossible to meet, according to a new analysis by the United Nations.
Between 2021 and 2022, global greenhouse gas emissions grew about 1%, the analysis finds. Emissions need to fall as quickly as possible to avoid catastrophic climate impacts such as uncontrollable sea level rise, unsurvivable heat in some areas and mass extinction of plants and animals.
Right now, the world is headed for at least 4.5℉ of warming this century compared to global temperatures in the late 1800s. It is assumed that countries will do everything they have currently promised under the Paris Agreement, including things that some governments have said they’ll only do if wealthy countries follow through on promises to help foot the bill, for example, helping to pay for renewable energy infrastructure in less wealthy nations. If such conditions aren’t met, the planet is headed for more than 5°F of warming, the analysis finds.
The new range is ever so slightly lower than predicted in last year’s analysis, which reflects the very slow progress that humanity is making on slowing emissions and controlling future warming. Even the lower end of the current projected temperature range — 4.5°F of warming — is extremely high. And the lower target is likely out of reach entirely at this point — a finding that is backed up by another recent study.
The new analysis emphasizes once again that controlling oil, gas and coal operations is key to controlling global warming. It finds that, if humans extract (提取) and burn all the oil, gas and coal currently in development worldwide, countries would collectively emit enough greenhouse gases to basically hit the higher temperature target under the Paris Agreement. That means all new oil, gas and coal extraction is essentially incompatible (对立的) with avoiding harmful warming later this century. Right now, many countries including the United States are still allowing new fossil fuel extraction.
1. What does the underlined word “catastrophic” in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Limited. | B．Invisible. | C．Ruinous. | D．Controllable. |
| A．Solutions to global warming aren’t clear. |
| B．The world is heading to a warmer future. |
| C．Countries are unwilling to make promises. |
| D．The temperature target is unrealistically high. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Optimistic. | C．Cautious. | D．Critical. |
| A．A new analysis is calling for all the countries to reach an agreement. |
| B．Fossil fuel extraction control is far from a solution to pollution. |
| C．The huge impacts of global warming are predictable but uncontrollable. |
| D．The world is far behind on controlling planet-warming pollution. |
4 . Asian short-clawed otters (水獭) can teach each other how to solve puzzles to get food, according to a new study that took place in England. The research also showed that these cute animals have a good long-term memory —they could remember how to solve the puzzles even after several months.
Scientists from University of Exeter observed groups of Asian short-clawed otters in different places. They gave each group a selection of transparent (透明的) containers with meatball treats inside. Each box could be opened by twisting or pulling a particular lid or handle.
To get the food, the otters had to solve the puzzle of how to open the containers. The otters had two attempts at the puzzle several months apart. The researchers found that if one otter cracked the puzzle, its closest friends quickly solved it, too. The findings provide evidence of “social learning”—animals can learn from each other.
The scientists also found that on average the otters solved puzzles 69% faster the second time. It means that they can remember the details of how each puzzle works. “Our study is the first to show evidence of social learning and long-term memory in Asian short-clawed otters, which may be good news in terms of their adaptability and future survival,” said Alex Saliveros, lead author of the Centre for Ecology and Conservation on Penryn Campus in Cornwall.
Saliveros says the findings are important, because Asian short-clawed otters are declining in the wild, partly due to overfishing and pollution affecting the crustaceans and small fish they feed on. The discovery that the otters are able to find food in new ways and to pass on that knowledge toothers could be significant to their long-term survival.
1. What task did the scientists set for the otters?| A．Separating one container from another. | B．Finding ways to break the containers. |
| C．Opening the containers to get the food. | D．Picking out meatballs from different containers. |
| A．They had to remember the puzzles. | B．They learned from human society. |
| C．They solved unfamiliar puzzles faster. | D．They passed on knowledge to others. |
| A．Asian otters solve puzzles faster. |
| B．Findings reveal decline in otter population. |
| C．Otters have strong physical strength and hunting skills. |
| D．Social learning and good memory is good for otters’ survival. |
| A．Asian short-clawed otters love puzzles | B．Puzzled otters learn from each other |
| C．Pollution reduces otters’ food | D．Animals can pass knowledge |
5 . Unless you’ve been faithfully bringing reusable shopping bags to the store, you probably grab the plastic bags waiting for customers at the checkout. You’re not alone.
About 100 billion plastic bags are used in the U. S. each year. Unfortunately, single-use plastic bags have serious consequences once our trip to the store is over. Less than 10% of plastic bags used in the U. S. are recycled, leaving the rest to end up in landfills (垃圾填埋场), and polluting soil, oceans and other natural habitats.
To fight pollution and other environmental problems, major companies are taking steps to get rid of the use of plastic shopping bags. If you’re a frequent customer at Walmart, don’t be surprised if you notice the plastic bags disappearing over the next few months. Last summer, Walmart announced its goal to be a zero-waste company — meaning no more plastic bags.
But Walmart has announced its Beyond the Bag, an initiative (倡议) working to explore reusable options and “reimagine” the plastic bag. Target and CVS are also on board as founding partners of Beyond the Bag, and so far, the three brands have invested $15 million to come up with a brand-new bag design.
The initiative also started the Beyond the Bag challenge, giving innovators (创新者) a chance to share their ideas. The challenge ran throughout the summer of 2020, and nine winners from over 450 submissions were selected. From a station supplying reusable bag in-store to a new and improved paper bag, the winning designs cover a lot of bases. Each product now has the chance to be tested with funding from the initiative.
While a final replacement for plastic bags at Walmart has yet to be decided, there’s a more sustainable future on the horizon. And if you want to start reducing your use of plastic bags right now, check out our list of reusable bags to bring on your next shopping trip.
1. What does the author mean by saying “You’re not alone” in the first paragraph?| A．Reusable shopping bags are becoming more popular. |
| B．Customers need to wait for long at the checkout. |
| C．Some people are waiting in the line with you. |
| D．Many people use plastic bags when shopping. |
| A．Single-use plastic bags cause severe environmental problems. |
| B．Supermarkets should stop providing single-use plastic bags. |
| C．Single-use plastic bags should be more widely recycled. |
| D．More landfills should be built to deal with plastic bags. |
| A．To attract more customers. | B．To provide more plastic bags. |
| C．To set a good example to Target and CVS. | D．To make shopping more environmentally friendly. |
| A．People pay more attention to environmental protection. |
| B．Walmart is getting rid of single-use plastic bags. |
| C．Reusable paper bags are becoming more popular. |
| D．Free plastic bags have become a thing of the past. |
6 . Plastic, once seen as a revolutionary material for its wide application and convenience, has become a global environmental crisis because it is non-biodegradable. The ubiquity (无处不在) of plastic in our daily lives has led to an increasing amount of plastic waste, causing great harm.
One of the most alarming examples of this crisis is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a floating mass of plastic waste in the North Pacific Ocean. It is estimated to be twice the size of Texas and consists of everything from microplastics to abandoned fishing nets. Marine life often mistakes plastic particles for food, leading to ingestion and death. Additionally, the chemicals used in plastic production can pollute water and soil, and finally threaten marine ecosystems.
Plastic waste is not limited to the oceans; it also impacts the land. Landfills overflow with plastic waste, emitting (排放) harmful greenhouse gases as plastics break down slowly over time. The production of plastics is highly energy-intensive and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating climate change. Furthermore, plastic litter is evident in urban and rural landscapes, destroying the natural beauty of our planet.
Beyond its environmental impact, plastic poses serious health risks to humans. Many plastics contain harmful chemicals, which can be found in food and drinks when plastic containers are used for storage and heating. These chemicals have been linked to a range of health problems, including developmental issues and cancer.
In conclusion, the problem of plastic pollution demands urgent action. A comprehensive strategy for cutting down on plastic is essential to tackle these challenges and safeguard the well-being of our planet and its inhabitants.
While reducing the consumption of plastic may seem challenging, it is achievable through a combination of policy measures, technological innovations and changes in consumer behavior. Governments must issue laws to ban or heavily regulate single-use plastics and promote alternatives. Businesses should adopt sustainable packaging practices, and individuals can reduce plastic consumption by making conscious choices.
1. What does the example of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch show?| A．Animals rely on plastic waste to survive. |
| B．Plastic is too widespread to remove. |
| C．Plastic waste is harming the oceans. |
| D．Plastic poses health risks to humans. |
| A．Worsening. | B．Controlling. | C．Recording. | D．Evaluating. |
| A．Ways to cut plastic consumption. |
| B．Problems of handling plastic. |
| C．Alternatives for plastic products. |
| D．Some benefits of banning plastic. |
| A．Plastic Packaging Is Everywhere |
| B．Plastic Consumption Should Be Reduced |
| C．How Should Plastic Be Used |
| D．How Plastic Products Affect People |
7 . Between 20 and 40 per cent of planet Earth is covered in grasslands, across every continent except for Antarctica. Grass is a low-growing, flowering plant with groups of narrow leaves growing from its base. Strong roots typically hold this plant’s leaves firmly to the ground.
One of the most common sights along stretches of grass is grass-eating animals. This is because many large animals rely on extensive grasslands to survive, and grass grows well with this regular trimming (修剪). The plants gain their energy from sunlight and require healthy cells to do so. If the leaves aren’t cut, the tips die and start to rot. When they are damaged with a clean cut, however, the cells are caused to grow quicker and produce new, healthy tissue. This is also why cutting your garden’s grassland regularly can make your grass look thicker and healthier.
Humans rely on grass for food, too. Many grasses, such as w heat or corn, are harvested as a main part of some diets. Meanwhile, grass is used indirectly to produce food in the form of livestock (牲畜). Cattle farmers require grass in their fields to feed cows and sheep before they are turned into meat for human consumption.
One of the most debated questions is how long ago grass evolved. Because grass doesn’t preserve well as a fossil, a definitive answer is hard to come by. Until recently, many scientists estimated that grass began to grow on Earth between 50 and 65 million years ago.
However, within the last decade, a piece of 100-million-year-old amber (琥珀) was found that appeared to contain the oldest grass fossil to date. Studies of fossilized dinosaur faces (粪便) also suggest that some dinosaurs lived at the same time that grass grew on the planet, incorporating it into their diets.
1. What is the function of the roots mentioned in Paragraph 1?| A．To fix the leaves to the soil. | B．To store water and nutrients. |
| C．To support the growth of the plant. | D．To protect the plant from animals. |
| A．By improving soil quality. | B．By encouraging cell growth. |
| C．By preventing the tips from dying. | D．By attracting more animals to eat them. |
| A．Grass doesn’t preserve well as a fossil. | B．There are no fossils of grass available. |
| C．There is no solid evidence of its evolution. | D．Scientists can’t agree on its origin. |
| A．The Variety of Grass | B．The Development of Grass |
| C．How Grass Change Life | D．How to Make Grass Grow Well |
8 . A compost (堆肥) program at the Wesley School in Los Angeles is helping kindergarten through eighth grade students to teach them ways to solve human-driven climate change. For the past year, 5, 200 pounds of food waste from the school has gone into compost containers rather than a landfill where it would just break down and produce planet-warming gases.
The school workers could have easily thrown the food waste into a city-provided green bin (垃圾箱) . But taking it out of sight, which would have been easier, would have missed the point, says science teacher Johnna Hampton. “When it’s invisible like that, they don’t see it, but they know it doesn’t sink in (心安) .”
When sixth grader Finn saw the finished compost pile, it sank in. “That’s my orange chicken in there,” he says. “That’s not just like any food. Somewhere in there is my food.”
The school will use the compost on plants around campus. Some will be offered to families that want to use it at home, and whatever is left will be donated.
Fifth grader Sloan felt so encouraged by the school’s compost program she decided to take climate action outside of school. Along with several other fifth graders, Sloane says, “We did a lemonade stand at our friend’s house and we made over $200, and we donated it.” They also helped create a petition (请愿) to replace the plastic forks and spoons in the school cafeteria with compostable ones.
Fifth grader Kingston was excited to learn his food waste will help grow new food on campus. “It feels good that you’re doing something that helps the planet, instead of just sitting and watching it get destroyed,” he says.
Jennifer Silverstein, an expert on climate, says the school’s compost program checks a lot of the boxes for effective, positive climate education to help youth understand the crisis of human-caused climate change.
1. What is the purpose of the compost program?| A．To prevent wasting food. | B．To deal with climate change. |
| C．To raise money for the school. | D．To keep friendship among kids. |
| A．By selling to families as compost. | B．By putting into compost containers. |
| C．By turning into new food again. | D．By throwing into dustbins. |
| A．She has taken climate action. | B．She has gained a sense of achievement. |
| C．She has got a part-time job in the school. | D．She has developed a new way to donate. |
| A．It is well received. | B．It is highly profitable. |
| C．It needs to be more effective. | D．It takes time to watch the result. |
9 . The candy we eat, the tea we drink, the lotion we use---they all likely contain ingredients from wild plants. While natural ingredients can be beneficial to buyers, the way those plants are harvested could harm ecosystems. In a recent United Nations report, medicinal plant experts revealed the risks behind several of them, including Brazil nuts, frankincense, goldenseal, gum arabic, and licorice.
Plant derivatives （衍生物） in household products “sit there somewhere in the middle of the ingredients list” on product labels, often going unnoticed, says Caitlin Schindler, lead author of the report. Even if consumers do take note, there’s no information about what’s involved in obtaining or processing the derivatives.
Many of these plants are threatened with extinction from overharvesting, disease and pests, climate change, and habitat loss. The endangered state of more than 20,000 medicinal plant species has never been assessed, which means it’s impossible to know whether their use is sustainable.
Meanwhile, the trade in wild plants is booming. U. S. consumers spent more than $12.3 billion on herbal dietary supplements in 2021---up more than 9 percent from 2020. Wild plants have been used locally for centuries, but today’s global demand puts many at risk. And international customers often have no idea where these products originate.
Should consumers stop buying the products? No. Schindler says, because “the ingredients are really critical to a lot of people’s livelihoods.” Solutions for transforming the trade in wild plants are rooted in awareness. The first step for consumers is to “just notice that you’re buying something that has a wild ingredient,” she says. It’s generally safer to purchase local products and splurge on more expensive ones, if possible.
Consumers can also look for organic and fair-trade certifications. Various programs evaluate wild-plant supply chains for sustainability, and many companies advertise these certifications, either on the product or online. One of the most prominent is Fair Wild, which assesses environmental risks and recommends best sourcing practices. If certifications are missing, Schindler encourages people to challenge companies to do better. “Until businesses get a bit more pressure from consumers, we won’t see any changes happening,” she says.
1. What can we learn about wild plants according to the report?| A．Their current situation is ignored. | B．They are limited on a global scale. |
| C．They have been evaluated regularly. | D．Their process information is on the label. |
| A．Get rid of. | B．Spend much money on. |
| C．Pay attention to. | D．Conduct many experiments on. |
| A．They confirm the quality of the wild plants. |
| B．They offer consumers rights to assess the products. |
| C．They ensure the use of wild plants at a steady level. |
| D．They inspire companies to make more advertisements. |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
10 . David and Alicia Tschirhart adored their Yellow Lab, Marley, but they never knew just how much, until that day back in 2014 when they were hiking with him in hills near their San Diego home.
“Alicia went off the path to grab a walking stick to help through the path,” David recalled. “And Marley all of a sudden darted (猛冲) from me and he started clawing the ground where Alicia was reaching for a walking stick. And I didn’t know what was happening. Alicia kind of fell back. When I looked more closely, I saw that it was a rattlesnake,” he told journalist Tracy Smith.
Rattlesnakes are common on these trails, which are very steep and miles from any hospital. And the Tschirharts didn’t have cellphones with them. For Alicia, who was four months pregnant, a snake bite could have been a disaster. Thankfully, 12-year-old Marley scared the snake away, and a few months later, the Tschirharts’ first daughter Maddie was born.
But by then, Marley had been diagnosed with cancer, and by Thanksgiving weekend 2014, it was clear the end was near. And their love for Marley was so strong that they couldn’t really let it go. So, the Tschirharts turned to ViaGen Pets, of Austin, Texas, a company that has cloned hundreds of pets for a multitude of grateful owners.
For as much as $50,000, the company will culture the cells, create embryos, implant them in a surrogate (代孕母亲), and deliver a clone of your loved one.
Marley’s clone, Ziggy, an energetic yellow ball. But to David and Alicia, he’s nothing less than Marley reborn. “He is exactly the twin of Marley,” said David. “So, he’s in, I guess, the same environment. So really, he’s become the same dog.”
And while pet cloning is still debatable, it can mean, for some at least, that with the right amount of love, science and money, you never really need to say goodbye.
1. Why did Marley suddenly behave that way during the hike?| A．It wanted to have some fun. | B．It wasn’t normal sometimes. |
| C．It detected danger for its owner. | D．It found a better stick for its owner. |
| A．The couple just have one daughter now. | B．The couple were very grateful to the dog. |
| C．The couple don’t like using a cellphone. | D．The couple were very careless sometimes. |
| A．Save it no matter how hard it is. | B．Find its surrogate for them to meet. |
| C．Let it die without suffering any pain. | D．Clone a dog through new technology. |
| A．They find it very satisfying to them. | B．They consider it a totally new dog. |
| C．They are quite concerned about it. | D．They don’t think it’s as good as Marley. |
