1 . Germany’s top court (法院) has ruled that parts of the country’s 2019 climate action law must be changed because they don’t do a good job of protecting young people. Nine young people aged 15 to 24 took the government to court over the law. They said that the government’s failure to plan carefully was putting their future lives in danger.
The judges (法官) of Germany’s highest court said climate change will influence young people far more than adults. That’s because climate change will become more serious over time. As young people become adults, they’ll be left to deal with any problems that today’s adults don’t deal with.
In 2019, Germany passed a new law, promising that the country would be producing no more CO2 than the forest can take in by 2050. The law made a plan of action until 2030. But the law didn’t have any plans for climate actions that would be taken between 2031 and 2050.
The court has asked the German government to fix the law by the end of 2022. The climate law will now need to have a plan for the actions that will be taken after 2030.
The German government has said that it will quickly begin working to make the needed changes. One important part of high court decisions like this is that they act as guides or examples for future decisions. This means that in the future, Germany’s lawmakers will be more likely to think about the climate future of young people as they create their laws.
1. Why did the judges make such a decision?| A．They decided the new law made no sense. |
| B．They wanted to give the young more rights. |
| C．They focused more on the future of the young. |
| D．They thought it’s hard to solve climate change. |
| A．It failed to take action before 2030. |
| B．It was producing more and more CO2. |
| C．It refused to consider the young’s rights. |
| D．It didn’t plan the climate actions after 2030. |
| A．It will make more decisions on climate change. |
| B．It will ask the young to help make climate laws. |
| C．It will consider the young when making climate laws. |
| D．It will encourage the young to protect the environment. |
| A．They were brave and forward-looking enough. |
| B．They couldn’t bear the present climate change. |
| C．They wanted to take part in law-making. |
| D．They planned to work in the government. |
2 . 
Panda Ya Ya returns home
Ya Ya the giant panda has just arrived in Shanghai, east China on Thursday after 20 years of stay at the Memphis Zoo in the U.S. The flight was around 15.5 hours. Both Chinese and American vets are with Ya Ya.
Ya Ya was born at Beijing Zoo on August 3, 2000. She arrived at Memphis Zoo in April, 2003. Ya Ya has become a bridge of friendship between Chinese and foreign people. She will spend a month in Shanghai before returning to her birthplace, Beijing Zoo.
We do hope all pandas that are in foreign countries can be healthy and happy.
Did you know…?
Baby pandas are born pink and measure about 15cm-that’s about the size of a pencil
Giant pandas spend up to 12 hours a day eating bamboo.
Pandas live for about 20 years in the wild, but in the zoos they can live for up to 35 years.
1. Ya Ya was born in _______.| A．Beijing | B．Chengdu | C．Shanghai ` | D．Guangzhou |
| A．Black and white. | B．Pink. | C．Yellow. | D．Gray. |
| A．Ya Ya spend up to 10 hours a day eating bamboo. | B．Shanghai Zoo is Ya Ya’s final home. |
| C．Ya Ya had a short flight coming back home. | D．Ya Ya helps foreigners know more about China. |
| A．a piece of news | B．an ad | C．a diary | D．a letter |
3 . When Hurricane Ian hit Florida, Karen Lauder refused to leave her home because she was wrong about the intensity(强度) of the storm. Karen is 84 years old and depends on a wheelchair to get around because she is missing a leg. Her son, Johnny Lauder, tried repeatedly to get her to leave, but she refused.
Johnny and his whole family live within a few blocks of one another. They kept in touch with Karen as the storm continued violently(猛烈地) outside, watching the water rising dangerously all around them. When Karen reported that the water in her house had reached her bottom, Johnny knew he had to take action.
First, Johnny ensured his sons and their pets were taken care of. Then, he jumped out of a window and began to swim. Johnny used to work as a rescue swimmer. He is obviously a strong swimmer, but the flood water was filled with dangerous materials. There was also a strong current (水流), and he had to swim against it for most of his trip to Karen’s. As he made his way through the water, Johnny stopped periodically to snap selfies(自拍) to show his worried family that he was okay.
Johnny was racing against the clock. He knew he only had a short period of time to get there before the water rose above Karen’s head. It took him 40 minutes to swim four blocks. The sound of Karen shouting inside was music to his ears!
“If it would’ve been 20 minutes later, she wouldn’t be here,” Johnny said.“She’s never been happier to see me.”
Karen is now safe, although she is in the hospital being treated for infections(感染) she got in the water. The family have all lost everything they owned, including their houses, but they’re grateful just to be here.
1. Why did Karen decide to stay in her house when Hurricane Ian came?| A．She had nowhere to go. |
| B．She was too old to move. |
| C．She thought the storm was not violent. |
| D．She lost her wheelchair and was unable to leave. |
| A．To record his swimming trip. | B．To show off his swimming skills. |
| C．To warn other rescuers of danger. | D．To report his safety to his family. |
| A．By shouting. | B．Over the phone. |
| C．Through e-mail. | D．With other’s help. |
| A．Curious. | B．Frightened. | C．Confused. | D．Relieved. |
4 . My kitchen may be the best kitchen on the planet. That is because when I look out of its window can see the west side of Grandeur Peak. Grandeur Peak is one of the most attractive mountains in central Wasatch, with its animals, trees, morning clouds, evening sunset, and the mountain’s paragliders (滑翔伞运动员).
The number of paragliders flying above Grandeur Peak has grown over the past 15 years, so much so that they have become part of the mountain. But during the past year they have largely disappeared. Some paragliders told me that the wind became too strong to fly in. The wind is too strong! Is this another character of our changing climate (气候)? Will paragliding be a sport affected by a warming planet? Utah has been much windier in the past few years. For me, a scientist who studies living things, it is easy to believe that our future will be windier. This year it’s getting super-hot, and the planet is warming faster than scientists expected. I can’t help but worry that the future of paragliding in Utah is not bright.
I’m writing to the brave people who fly from Grandeur Peak with beautiful wings. I want you to join Clean The Dam Air, a group that’ s working hard to fight climate change and air pollution — I’m part of it too. We are introducing a measure, which aims to remove the state sales tax (税) on grocery store food and put a carbon tax on fossil fuels (化石燃料) in its place: gas, electricity produced from fossil fuels, and natural gas. The goal isn’t to make taxes higher. The idea is to encourage everyone to reduce their use of fossil fuels. So, paragliders, join us. Now is the time to take care of our planet. If we succeed, then Utah can be an example to others in fighting climate change.
1. Why does the author mention his kitchen?| A．To share his love of cooking dishes. |
| B．To bring back his memories of paragliding. |
| C．To introduce Grandeur Peak’s paragliding. |
| D．To describe his adventures around Grandeur Peak. |
| A．The author saw less paragliding. | B．Few people visited Grandeur Peak. |
| C．Air pollution became serious in Utah. | D．Strong winds stopped people going outside. |
| A．Uncaring. | B．Supportive. | C．Positive. | D．Worried. |
| A．Buy those foods that are taxed less. |
| B．Reduce flying with wings in Grandeur Peak. |
| C．Join him to support a program about taxing. |
| D．Join a group to improve their paragliding skills. |
5 . Most people, if you quizzed them, probably wouldn’t know how much of all global trade is done by sea. It’s one of several reasons that the pollution and carbon emissions from shipping gain much less attention than those from road transport and other industries. It’s over the horizon, out of sight and out of mind.
Today, the international shipping industry is the main mode of transport for around 90 per cent of world trade. It’s powered almost entirely by fossil fuels. Studies show that alternative technologies and zero-emission fuels — including electrofuels such as hydrogen, ammonia and methanol — have the potential to significantly reduce the industry’s carbon footprint and thus require urgent implementation (实施). There’s just one catch: they don’t exist yet.
Even if the technology were available, the infrastructure (基础设施) for that technology or fuel is going to take time to develop. And an even bigger challenge is going to be whether that methanol or ammonia fuel is green, which touches on other industries such as renewable electricity. Do we even have enough renewable electricity in the world to be able to generate these fuels? It’s a complex supply chain that requires cooperation across the industry. It’s not something that one company can solve by itself.
According to Piotr Konopka, senior manager for energy and decarbonisation (碳减排) programs at DP World, there are some simple behavioral changes that can help cut down on fuel used in the meantime, from the regular maintenance and reduced idling of port equipment to the implementation of weather routing that helps ships avoid rougher, more fuel-intensive stretches of water. “Of course, efficiency is unlikely to ever reduce emissions by more than five or ten per cent, but it’s definitely a low-hanging fruit,” he says.
“This is the last moment for the IMO to act decisively to eliminate shipping emissions” says Delaine McCullough, shipping emissions policy manager at environmental NGO Ocean Conservancy. “We need countries to demand that the IMO set strong emission-reduction goals and take action at home if the IMO fails to do the right thing.”
1. What makes people neglect shipping emissions?| A．Prejudice. |
| B．Nearsightedness. |
| C．Low intelligence. |
| D．Lack of knowledge. |
| A．Device. | B．Harvest. | C．Problem. | D．Prey. |
| A．Alternative fuels. | B．Efficient use of fuel. |
| C．Renewable electricity. | D．Advanced technologies. |
| A．①/②③/④⑤ | B．①②/③④/⑤ |
| C．①②③/④/⑤ | D．①/②③④/⑤ |
6 . Several years ago, a worldwide heavy rain was predicted, but no one got prepared for what was to come. Then, some areas received over 100 cm of rain. Cars and trucks floated down the streets. Whole buildings were swept away. At least 225 people lost their lives, and millions became homeless.
The weather is always changing. Over the past few years, heavy rains have led to floods in many parts of the world. Droughts have taken place in Brazil and Australia. There have been heat waves in Europe which killed thousands. There have been more powerful hurricanes and tornadoes than ever before. In 2017 alone, the financial cost from global weather events was up to 340 billion dollars.
With more wild weather events happening, people couldn’t help asking questions: What is happening with the weather? And why? Is this natural, or our fault? The answer seems to be: a little of both. Wild weather is natural. But most scientists hold the same view that human activity has made the Earth warmer. It is this global warming that makes heat waves more likely. The higher temperatures also result in more water to go into the air, which causes heavier and more frequent rain. Many scientists also believe global warming makes hurricanes and other storms stronger.
This means we’re likely to see more wild weather. “But we don’t have to just stand there and accept it,” says scientist Michael. He and other experts say we need to stop the Earth from getting warmer. We also need to be prepared, to do things that will help save lives.
1. What’s the main idea of the first paragraph?| A．A past weather event happened in some areas in the world. |
| B．Some facts are listed about the global warming. |
| C．A number of recent weather events happened over the world. |
| D．Wild weather is partly the result of human activity. |
| A．By giving a lot of examples of recent wild weather events. |
| B．By describing a serious flood that once happened. |
| C．By predicting how the weather will change in a few years. |
| D．By comparing the former wild weather with what happened now |
| A．People can not do anything to prevent wild weather. |
| B．If people stop global warming, the weather will be better. |
| C．It is too late to stop global warming. |
| D．People have to stand by and accept what will happen to us. |
| A．In a tourist brochure | B．In a research paper |
| C．In a science fiction | D．In a nature magazine |
7 . California’s snowpack is more than two-and-a-half times larger than average (平均水平) right now, according to the state’s Department of Water Resources. As the weather gets warmer, it’s going to melt (融化). Scientists say there’s no question we need the snow.
“The melting of snow has always been important every single year in California,” said scientist Dr. Pat Abbott.
This comes as the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report shows almost two-thirds of the state is not experiencing drought (干旱), a huge improvement over the past few months. Unluckily, the snowpack can’t make certain that we’ll stay that way.
“Drought is part of California,” said Dr. Abbott. “We’ve had a temporary respite. That doesn’t mean it has gone away completely. It will be back sooner than we would like.”
The snow can be a valuable protection against wildfires, but only if it melts slowly. “Plants stay healthy. They have taken in enough water and are less likely to catch on fire for a longer time,” said Dr. Abbott. “If it becomes too hot, say in early June, and all that snow is melted and gone, the plants don’t get more water and start drying out. By the time we get to the end of the summer, it’s easier for them to catch fire. The bigger the fires are, the greater the challenge is for our firefighters.”
A quick melt can also flood places near the Sierra Nevada (a mountain range in eastern California) that got more rain than they could deal with this winter. That includes places like Tulare Lake (in the Central Valley of California), which was dry for years until this winter. Now, it’s more than 100 square miles in size and flooding communities around it.
The area is expecting even more flooding when the snowpack melts. But Dr. Abbott says floods like this are a necessary risk for water the state has needed for years. “The snow we’ve gotten this winter is highly positive,” said Dr. Abbott. “On the other side, nothing is ever 100%.” Dr. Abbott says the snow is also helping to fill Northern California’s man-made lake, which helps provide water we need.
1. What do the underlined words “temporary respite” in paragraph 4 mean?| A．Close look. | B．Short break. | C．Clear goal. | D．Long history. |
| A．The snow’s melting speed matters. |
| B．It is costly to reduce the risk of wildfires. |
| C．Some plants died because it was too dry. |
| D．Plants will be hurt if the snow melts slowly. |
| A．It calls for more attention. |
| B．It does good to California. |
| C．It may cause unnecessary worries. |
| D．It will cause danger in the long run. |
| A．California’s snowpack: a wonderful view |
| B．Snowpack in California: a record snowfall |
| C．Snowpack in California: advantages and risks |
| D．California’s snowpack: the past and the present |
8 . A badly-injured fox spent two weeks recovering in a garden tent after attaching itself to a family in Glasgow, Scotland.
Liz Wink said the fox followed her home before they noticed a bad wound on its side. “My son Andrew came running in and said ‘there’s a fox following me’,” Wink said. “We opened the door and it was just standing there.”
“I have three dogs and they were barking (吠叫)but it was still trying to come in —its nose was going through the letterbox. We noticed the wound. We put food in the back garden and it made the back garden its home. There was also a chair in the back.” The fox was fed food including cooked chicken. “We also bought a tent, with an old quit cover in it.”
Wink said antibiotics(抗生素)were given after contacting a vet, and the fox finally left their garden with the wound healed after a fortnight. “It was here day and night,” Wink said. “My daughter Lucy is good with animals and would pat it. It was so quiet.”
“Clearly, when foxes are injured they take a thing called a rescue nap(抢救性小睡)and I think that’s what it has done with us,” Wink said. “They nap for however long it takes , and it completely healed. Then it was up and away and we never saw that fox again. We still have foxes but that one was so friendly, the other ones do run away. Maybe it will come back with babies one day.”
Although it’s great that the fox appeared to make a full recovery, we wouldn’t advise members of the public to attempt to treat sick or injured wild animals themselves. If people find a wounded wild animal in trouble, they should call animal helpline.
1. Why did the fox follow the son Andrew to his home?| A．To make friends with Andrew. | B．To feed its babies. |
| C．To turned to the family for help. | D．To cure its injured back. |
| A．They treated the fox carefully. | B．They fed the dog with chicken. |
| C．They thought the fox was noisy. | D．They put the fox into the letterbox. |
| A．It rested for as long as it would take. | B．It went for a vet to have a check-up. |
| C．It killed animals nearby for food. | D．It went into forests to heal itself. |
| A．Treat them under the guidance of vets. |
| B．Search the wild and look for more of them. |
| C．Contact animal experts for advice and information. |
| D．Learn more about them. and offer proper treatment. |
| A．A Garden Tent and a Kind Fox | B．An Injured Fox and a Kind Family |
| C．A Badly-injured Fox and Its Travel | D．A Family Travel and an Injured Fox |
9 . Must-See Destinations in 2024
Are you ready to explore the world in 2024? Whether you dream of sailing down famous European rivers or exploring unique places, our list of must-see destinations is here to inspire your travels.
SpainThrow yourself into the rich culture and history of Spain. From the sunny beaches of Tenerife to the Moorish architecture (建筑物) of Andalucía, there’s so much to explore in this lively country. Discover the UNESCO World Heritage (遗产) city of La Laguna and become amazed at the beauty of Cordoba, Seville, and La Alhambra, or relax on a beach holiday to Majorca or Tenerife.
MontenegroDespite its size, Montenegro has beautiful beaches, rich history, and a breathtaking channel. Experience the beauty of the Montenegrin coast — Dalmatia’s jewel (宝石) is the UNESCO World Heritage listed oasis of Dubrovnik, famously praised by Lord Bryon as The Pearl of the Adriatic.
CroatiaDiscover the beauty that is Dubrovnik. Explore the 16th-century city’s defensive walls and red-roofed buildings. Sail along Croatia’s Adriatic Coast, where attractive villages and beautiful towns like Pula, Rovinj, and Poreč are just waiting to be explored...
South AfricaExplore the wonders of South Africa, from the Garden Route’s nature reserves to the thrill of a Safari drive in the Kariega Game Reserve. Discover the different plants and animals while searching for the “Big Five” on an unforgettable South Africa holiday.
With over 25 years of experience creating holidays for the curious, Travel Department ensures that your journey is in good hands. Plus as a trusted Reader’s Digest Travel partner, you can get special deals when you travel with them across lots of different 2024 holidays. If you want to know more information, please click here.
1. What do Spain and Montenegro have in common?| A．They are both praised by tourists. |
| B．They both have world heritage cities. |
| C．They are known for their architectures. |
| D．They both own beaches and rich history. |
| A．Spain. | B．South Africa. |
| C．Montenegro. | D．Croatia. |
| A．A website. | B．A guidebook. |
| C．A novel. | D．A magazine. |
10 . The world is warming up and humans are the cause, and that means it’s up to us to stop it. The burning of oil and coal is one huge cause, and clean energy (能源) sources are needed greatly if we’re going to make any meaningful changes. But where is all of this clean energy going to come from? Denmark seems to have an idea.
In Europe, Denmark provides more oil than any other country, but that’s going to change. The country has promised to stop oil production within the next 30 years, but that means it’s going to need to get its energy from somewhere else. To that end, Denmark has planned to build a man-made island off its coast.
As Fast Company reports, the plan will include the building of the island itself as well as up to 600 wind turbines (涡轮机) to pick up ocean winds and change them into electricity (电). The island will have a size of 20 football fields and will have turbines around it and send power to huge batteries (电池) that can store power for whenever it’s needed. All told, the island should be able to provide power for as many as three million homes, but as more batteries are added, that stored power could be provided for even more homes and businesses.
“The island is expected to cost about $34 billion, which is really a lot of money. However, as countries begin to use more green energy, the ones that produce more of it will have the chance to sell it to other countries. As oil and coal burning is not allowed worldwide, those that don’t produce enough green energy might be forced to buy up power from their greener neighbors,” said Fast Company.
1. Which of the following words can best describe Denmark’s action?| A．Worrying. | B．Brave. | C．Responsible. | D．Confusing |
| A．An energy center. | B．A living center. |
| C．A research center. | D．A tour center. |
| A．The project will get paid back in the long run. |
| B．The project will attract more countries’ attention. |
| C．They have collected enough money for the project. |
| D．They need other countries’help to finish the project. |
| A．Denmark will become a greener country. |
| B．Denmark is going to stop providing oil. |
| C．Denmark will sell its green energy to other countries. |
| D．Denmark will build a man-made island to produce energy |
