1 . “I can’t turn the desert into an oasis, but I’m working hard to prevent any oasis from degrading (退化) into desert,” says 78-yearold Wang Tianchang in Wuwei city, in Northwest China’s Gansu province.
Sticking to the belief that “only by containing the sand, our children and grandchildren will survive and thrive”, Wang and his wife Li Lanying have been stationed in the Tengger Desert for 22 years, voluntarily dealing with sand encroachment (侵蚀) and planting more than 8,000 acres. They have helped turn the once endless desert into an oasis.
In the spring of 1999, the then 56-year-old Wang put forward the idea of afforestation (造林) in the Tengger Desert. Strongly opposed by his family and ridiculed by the villagers, Wang secretly sold the family’s cattle, sheep and camels. With the collected money, the couple brought their tents and sand control tools to the desert.
“It’s not easy to plant trees, especially in the desert. To improve the survival rate of sand-grown seedlings (幼苗) in the desert, Wang observed the flow of sand dunes (沙丘) in areas where it was most severe in the 12th lunar month in winter. He also explored the best spots for planting grass and trees, and gradually found effective methods for planting saplings in the desert. In order to solve the problem of water scarcity, Wang bought two-humped camels. His wife led the camels to transport water on a route of more than 3 kilometers between their home and the desert back and forth every four and five hours.
Over the past 22 years, Wang and his family have invested more than 1.2 million yuan ($ 187,770) to the task of containing the sand and planting trees in the Tengger Desert. During this period, in order to improve the progress of sand suppression (抑制), the couple spent more than 6,000 days in achieving more than 8,000 acres of sand afforestation, and used camels to transport 5,000 tons of water on the sand line. The round-trip journey was more than 12,000 kilometers.
Wang’s spirit of living in the desert for decades has moved many people. Every year, volunteers from all over the country and tens of thousands of local people come here to fight the sands with the couple and protect their home.
1. How did Wang manage to get the money he needed?| A．He borrowed some from his relatives. |
| B．The local government provided it for him. |
| C．Charity organizations donated much to him. |
| D．He sold the family’s cattle, sheep and camels. |
| A．Research. | B．Pollution. | C．Shortage. | D．Control |
| A．5,000. | B．6,000. | C．8,000. | D．12,000. |
| A．The sands of time blow toward a greener world |
| B．Wang observes flow of sand dunes in the desert |
| C．Wang’s spirit of living in the desert moves people |
| D．Planting trees and grass leads to success of afforestation |
2 . A recent issue of National Geographic magazine described one of the wonders of the earth, the tiny silver ants of the Sahara desert. These ants live in areas where temperatures reach up to 57℃, as the article described it, an environment “where shoes melt.”
These tiny ants are amazing. In the Sahara desert, where most creatures avoid going out in the middle of the day to avoid high temperatures,the Saharan silver ants have evolved(进化)a number of adaptations to do just that. Scientists have discovered that several unique features of the Saharan silver ants permit them to grow well in a scorching climate.
These ants have longer legs than other ants, which keep their bodies critically greater distance away from the hot desert sand. The ants run 108 times the length of their own bodies every second at a speed of just over 3kph. And they keep track of the position of the sun, so that they always know the most direct route back to the nest, thus lowering their time spent in extreme heat. Their bodies produce proteins that resist heat. Some other creatures produce such proteins after they come in contact with extreme heat. But since the silver ants only exit the nest for a few minutes at a time — not long enough for the protein to take effect — they produce the protein while still in the nest before they go out, or they would die before the protein could take effect.
Researchers also discovered that the ants are covered on their tops and sides with the uniquely triangular(三角的)shape of the silver hairs,which enable them to dissipate(消散)heat.The hairs help an ant's body exchange its heat to a cooler area, even under full sun conditions. This discovery inspired the scientists, for it could lead to new materials and paints that can be applied to rooftops or cars to keep them cool. And it is also expected to be applied in clinical care, wearable devices,protective clothing and other fields.
1. What does the underlined word “scorching”in Paragraph 2 mean?| A．extremely chilly | B．extremely cool |
| C．extremely mild | D．extremely hot |
| A．The Saharan silver ants' hairs act like a tiny air-heating system. |
| B．The Saharan silver ants are born with the ability to track the moon. |
| C．The Saharan silver ants' adaptations to the desert are to be discovered. |
| D．Inspiration from the Saharan silver ants will bring up more new inventions. |
| A．After coming in contact with extreme heat. |
| B．Before traveling in the sun. |
| C．While running under full sun condition. |
| D．After coming back to the nest from outside. |
| A．Small Ants Make a Big Difference |
| B．Small Ants Hunt for Food Easily |
| C．Small Ants Survive in the Saharan Desert |
| D．Small Ants Jump the Fastest in the World |
Singapore
Singapore Zoo allows animals to walk around in spacious environments that are similar to their natural habitats (栖息地). Kids can join in learning about the animals of Singapore Zoo in educational programs, guided tours and camps, including the Sleep with the Beasts Family Camp. wrs.com.sg
Chester Zoo
Cheshire, England
The most visited zoo in the United Kingdom, Chester Zoo asks a team of experts (专家) who do research on six key areas around the world to develop programs that hope to prevent animals from dying out. The zoo runs a number of activities, such as Sing for Songbirds, a partnership with singer/songwriter Ashley Fayth, which tries to make people notice the danger facing songbirds in Indonesia. chesterzoo.org
Wellington Zoo
Wellington, New Zealand
Wellington Zoo is green in more ways than one. The zoo works very hard to reduce (减少) waste and reuse rain water. The zoo supports conservation (保护) programs, and its animal hospital, The Nest TeKōhanga, has treated over 3,400 wildlife patients since its opening in2009. wellingtonzoo.com
San Diego Zoo
San Diego, USA
Over 3,500 endangered animals call San Diego Zoo home, but the biggest achievement of this zoo is the number of endangered animals that are sent back into the wild. The zoo's breeding (饲养) programs provide valuable information on the behavior and health of endangered species in over 45 countries. San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research also asks over 200 conservation scientists to protect some animals from dying out. zoo.sandiegozoo.org
1. Where can people camp with their family?| A．At Wellington Zoo. | B．At San Diego Zoo. |
| C．At Singapore Zoo. | D．At Chester Zoo. |
| A．wrs.com.sg. | B．chesterzoo.org. |
| C．wellingtonzoo.com. | D．zoo.sandiegozoo.org. |
| A．It has been the most popular zoo in the USA for years. |
| B．It runs an animal hospital to treat wild animals. |
| C．It has helped some animals go back to nature. |
| D．It helps American endangered animals only. |
4 . Germany’s top court has ruled that parts of the country’s 2019 climate (气候) action law must be changed because they don’t do a good job of protecting young people. The result is a big victory for the nine young people who started the law suing (诉讼).
The court suing stresses an important part of the climate change: The change will impact greatly on young people far more than the adults. That’s because the effects of earth warming will become more serious over time. As young people become adults, they’ll be left to deal with many problems that today’s adults have ignored. The government’s failure to plan carefully was putting their future lives in danger.
In 2019, Germany passed a new law, promising that the country would be carbon neutral (碳中和) by 2050. The law made a detailed plan of action until 2030. But the law didn’t have any specific rules or plans for climate actions that would be taken between 2031 and 2050.
Last Thursday, the judges of Germany’s highest court agreed with the young people. They said that not taking climate action made the basic rights of young people to a good future in danger.
The young people had challenged the government’s law in four specific areas. The judges didn’t agree with all of the challenges. But having the court support even a part of their case is seen as a big victory. Neubauer is one of the young people who sued. She works with the climate action group Fridays For Future. Ms. Neubauer said, “Climate protection is our basic right. This is a huge win for the climate movement. It changes a lot.”
The court has given the German government until the end of 2022 to fix the law. The climate law will now need to have a much more detailed plan for the actions that will be taken after 2030 to cut Germany’s pollution, allowing it to become carbon neutral by 2050. Germany’s government has said that it will quickly begin working to make the needed changes.
1. Why did the nine young people sue the Germany government?| A．They faced a higher rate of losing jobs. |
| B．The government refused their law suing. |
| C．The local court ruled against the climate law. |
| D．They weren’t satisfied with the climate action law. |
| A．The adults nowadays are put under pressure. |
| B．The climate change will influence the young. |
| C．Earth warming is becoming out of control. |
| D．Humans feel uncertain about the future. |
| A．Improve the present law. |
| B．Win people’s wide support. |
| C．Take strict punishment measures. |
| D．Achieve carbon neutral in advance. |
| A．Business. | B．Health. |
| C．Education. | D．Environment. |
5 . The LEGO Group, whose plastic building toys are familiar to many people, has been working on making LEGO bricks out of recycled plastic. The bricks aren't ready yet, but the company says it's making progress.
Since roughly 1960, LEGO bricks have been made from ABS plastic which makes LEGO bricks very tough and gives them great clutch power so that the things users build don't fall apart easily. Sadly, ABS plastic can't really be recycled and it takes an extremely long time to break down.
However, since 2015, LEGO has been trying to make earth-friendly products. Making bricks from recycled materials could cut pollution from the company's bricks by 70%. But making bricks out of recycled plastic is challenging. The goal is to make bricks out of PET plastic, which is softer than ABS plastic and can be found in things like bottles and clothing. A recycled one-liter plastic bottle could make about ten 2×4 LEGO bricks. Over the past three years, the company has tested over 250 different ways of creating LEGO bricks from recycled plastic. A team of more than 150 people are working on the problem. Tim Brooks,who focuses on environmental responsibility at LEGO, says that experimenting and failing is “an important part of learning”.
Now, the company says they can make a good 2×4 brick from PET. One important step was finding a way of adding things to PET plastic to make it tougher and give it better clutch power like ABS. They will also work on shaping bricks into other forms and adding color to them-right now they are just white. The bricks will go through many different tests, which will take at least a year.
The company aims to make all their main products out of sustainable materials by the year 2030. “We know kids care about the environment and we want to tell them we're working on it.” said Mr. Brooks.
1. Which of the following can best describe LEGO bricks made from ABS plastic?| A．Strong and firm. |
| B．Recyclable and soft. |
| C．Cheap and familiar. |
| D．Popular and new. |
| A．Because the company wants to show that it's making progress. |
| B．Because this has always been LEGO's goal since its foundation. |
| C．Because using PET plastic bricks can reduce pollution to the earth. |
| D．Because PET plastic bricks are much softer and cheaper. |
| A．LEGO has found a way to make colorful PET plastic bricks. |
| B．It's not necessary to put things into PET plastic to make it tough. |
| C．A lot of tests have been carried out and there will be more tests. |
| D．Children keep asking the company to replace ABS plastic bricks. |
| A．LEGO becomes a leading toy company |
| B．LEGO works to make bricks from recycled plastic |
| C．LEGO recycles plastic toy bricks to protect the environment |
| D．LEGO makes the best of ABS plastic to reduce cost |
6 . Scientists have created a new app designed to identify dangerous mosquitoes based on sounds the insects make. The app, called Abuzz, is aimed at helping fight major diseases spread by mosquitoes.
Haripriya Vaidehi Narayanan is one of the researchers who helped develop the app. Narayanan told VOA that anyone with a mobile phone could use the app to identify mosquitoes. “If they see a mosquito around, they just take out their phone, open up the app, point their phone towards the mosquito and hit the record button,”she said. “Then, when the mosquito flaps its wings and starts flying around, it makes that noise, that annoying buzzing noise. That noise is what gets recorded by the Abuzz app.” she added.
Many diseases that mosquitoes carry do not have cures or vaccines. So, targeting the flying insects is the best way to control them. “The most important step is to know where the mosquitoes are,” Narayanan said.
Traditional methods for hunting mosquitoes are costly and can take a very long time. The process also requires labor-intensive trapping as well as trained scientists to identify the insects.
Manu Prakash is a professor of bioengineering at Stanford University and a lead investigator on the project. He says that out of about 3,500 different mosquito species, only about 40 are dangerous to humans. Prakash says the goal of the project was to find out whether the mosquitoes around a person's house are just an annoyance, or whether they are possibly dangerous.
When mosquitoes move their wings up and down, they produce buzzing sounds. But each kind of mosquito makes a slightly different buzzing noise. The app records these sounds. Users of the app can get an answer by recording as little as one or two seconds of the buzzing sound. The app compares this recording to a collection of other recordings. It then predicts which species of mosquito it is most likely to be.
By making use of mosquito information worldwide, the app can help build maps of where dangerous mosquitoes are. This can help scientists and health officials identify areas where disease is likely to break out and where to target mosquito control.
1. Why is it important to locate mosquitoes?| A．Because they are very small and hard to find. |
| B．Because diseases carried by them are a big problem. |
| C．Because mosquitoes flap their wings very quickly. |
| D．Because the buzzing noise of mosquitoes is annoying. |
| A．Compare it to a database and identify its species. |
| B．Make a somewhat different buzzing noise. |
| C．Release some chemicals to kill the mosquito. |
| D．Draw a map of the place where the mosquito was. |
| A．It can help people control the number of mosquitoes. |
| B．It can help people avoid some species of mosquitoes. |
| C．It can help predict where mosquito-carried diseases are most likely to occur. |
| D．It can help record the mosquito hiding places very quickly. |
| A．The Different Species of Mosquitoes in the World |
| B．New Ways to Fight Disease Caused by Mosquitoes |
| C．How to Identify Sounds Made by Different Mosquitoes |
| D．A New App That Can Identify Dangerous Mosquitoes |
7 . A rare butterfly has been discovered in Britain for the first time in 60 years, having moved from Eastern Europe. The only previous record of a wild yellow-legged Tortoiseshell in Britain was in 1953, when it was seen just once in Sevenoaks, Kent. Several weeks ago, there were already four confirmed sightings, along the East coast in Norfolk, Suffolk and Kent, and six further reports of the butterfly in coastal areas. Conservationists are very excited about the sightings, which are rare in the butterfly world.
The butterflies are thought to have flown on easterly winds across Europe in the last few weeks. The large and colourful insect mainly lives in Eastern Europe. In recent years, it has spread into Scandinavia and its number increases rapidly during warm weather. Also known as the Scarce Tortoiseshell, it has an orange and blue colour and is about one third bigger than our own Small Tortoiseshell.
Butterfly Conservation was starting its annual Big Butterfly Count, a yearly survey of the butterflies across the nation. Sir David Attenborough, President of the charity, said, “The UK is a nation of amateur naturalists and we have a proud tradition of celebrating and studying our wildlife. By taking part in the Big Butterfly Count this summer, you can contribute to discovering the fantastic butterflies and other wildlife that share your garden, parks and countryside.” He added, Butterflies fought back last year after a terrible 2012 but despite this, butterflies' number was still below average. Three quarters of the UK's butterflies are in decline and one third are in danger of dying out. This is bad news for the UK's birds, bees, bats and other wildlife.
1. Where does these rare butterflies usually live in?| A．Eastern Europe. | B．Norfolk, Suffolk and Kent. |
| C．Coastal areas. | D．Sevenoaks, Kent. |
| A．Inspire amateurs' studying interest. | B．Teach people to do good gardening. |
| C．Study butterflies across Britain. | D．Celebrate naturalists' contributions. |
| A．Butterflies' number increased. | B．Butterflies struggled to survive. |
| C．Butterflies were dying out. | D．Butterflies felt like fighting. |
| A．Butterflies are quite rare in Britain. | B．A rare butterfly appeared in Britain. |
| C．Butterflies like traveling frequently. | D．The butterfly word changed a lot. |
8 . Giant panda Bei Bei celebrated his fourth birthday all the Smithsonian’s National Zoo on August 22, but it was a biter-sweet occasion. For the Zoo’s panda cubs（幼崽）, turning four means an upcoming move to China, where they will join al cooperative breeding program designed to conserve the species.
Bei Bei will leave for Chengdu, China, on Tuesday, November 19. The week leading up to his departure will be dedicated to“all things Bei Bei,” says Michael Brown-Palsgrove, the Zoo’s curator (园长) of giant pandas. From November 11 to 18, the Zoo will host online and on-site events.
A similar celebration took place when Bei Bei’s older sister, Bao Bao, left the Zoo in 2017. The siblings, along with their older brother, Tai Shan, and parents, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, are a part of at 47-year program committed to panda conservation. The Zoo has a cooperative breeding agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association that contributed to the giant panda's shift from endangered to vulnerable species (渐危物种) status.
Bei Bei will officially enter the breeding program when he reaches sexual maturity between 5 and 7 years old. In the meantime, his keepers will help him prepare for travel and adapt to his new home. They will soon place his travel crate (装货箱) in the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat and encourage him to walk through it by giving him treats.
One panda keeper will accompany Bei Bei on his non-stop flight to Chengdu, bringing a supply of bamboo, apples, sweet potatoes and more to keep him comfortable and happy. It is also best for pandas to travel in the cool fall and winter months rather than in the summer heat. The keeper will stay with Bei Bei in China for a short time to make sure the animal is getting used to his new base, then return to the Zoo. Although the staff is sad to see Bei Bei go, they understand that their mission extends beyond individual animals.
“Our giant pandas represent much of what the Smithsonian does best, from conservation to education,” says Lonnie Bunch, Secretary of the Smithsonian, in a press release. “As we say goodbye to our beloved Bei Bei, our conservation scientists will continue to work in collaboration to prevent these animals from disappearing, giving them the opportunity to thrive in the wild, inspiring more people to protect them.”
1. Why will Bei Bei move back to China?| A．Because the cooperative program comes to an end. |
| B．Because Bei Bei will enter a cooperative breeding program. |
| C．Because Bei Bei has better habitats in China. |
| D．Because Bei Bei has to reunite with her family. |
| A．The staff’s sadness to see off Bei Bei. | B．Bei Bei’s diets on the way back to China. |
| C．The staff’s commitment to Bei Bei. | D．The habitable surroundings of Bei Bei. |
| A．Nervous. | B．Positive. | C．Concerned. | D．Risking. |
| A．National Zoo waves farewell to Bei Bei | B．Bei Bei’s breeding programme ends |
| C．Bei Bei celebrates his fourth birthday | D．Smithsonian does best to make pandas thrive |
9 . Shark attacks are usually rare but their in recently years has been put down to one major factor —us.
Scientists believe that humans are directly to blame for man-eating sharks taking a great interest in our bodies lately. Researchers at Bond University in Queensland, Australia, believe that human interference with their habitat--like scuba diving and coastal development —is the reason.
Last year there were 98 reported shark attacks, which is an 11% increase on the previous record of 88 in 2000. Overall, there has been a staggering 69% rise over the last ten years and warmer seas because of global warming are thought to be to blame.
Dr Blake Chapman and Dr Daryl McPhee, who conducted the study, said: Coastal development and infrastructure can have major environmental implications on the distribution of sharks, and this can flow on to the number of unprovoked shark bites. Citing the construction of a new port in Recife, Brazil, the scientists believe the sharp rise in the number of sharks attacking people is down to the destruction of their habitat and forcing them closer to humans.
The researchers added: Unprovoked shark bite was virtually unheard of in Recife prior to the construction and operation of the Suape Port. “However, due to environmental changes displacing local shark species and the presence of increased shipping activity, Recife is now renowned for having one of the highest rates of shark bites per unit area in the world.”
Most attacks on humans are carried out by great white shark, bull sharks and tiger sharks, with 84% of bites taking place in just six countries or territories, including the US, South Africa, Australia, Brazil, the Bahamas and Reunion.
1. Which reason is Not true for shark attack on the basis of researchers at Bond University?| A．Sharks are hungry |
| B．Scuba diving |
| C．Coastal development |
| D．Human interference with their habitat |
| A．Deliberate | B．Unreasonable |
| C．Invariable | D．Continuous |
| A．Australia | B．The Bahamas |
| C．South Africa | D．China |
| A．To save more sharks | B．To ask people to keep away from sharks |
| C．To catch more sharks | D．To decrease shark attacks |
10 . Weaving environment-friendly materials into beautiful clothing is normally brands' first step toward achieving sustainability.
Allbirds is a shoe brand founded in 2016 in New Zealand, which just entered China two years ago. Many influencers are fans of the brand, including Larry Page, the co-founder of Google, Dick Costolo, the former CEO of Twitter, actress Emma Watson, and actor Leonardo DiCaprio.
The brand chooses natural and sustainable wool from merino sheep as the main raw material, and it costs 60 percent less energy than producing typical synthetic (合成的) shoes; it sources tree fiber involved from farms in South Africa, where people minimize fertilizer and irrigate the land with rainfall, directly saving 95 percent water and cutting carbon footprint in half; sugarcane (甘蔗) involved is sourced from southern Brazil, which relies on rainwater as well.
The brand received Forest Stewardship Council certification, approving that it sources materials that meet strict standards to protect forests, and the animals and people who depend on them.
During China Fashion Week, which was recently held, an increasing number of Chinese brands showed their practice of sustainability. Demain presented the potential of plant-based regenerated fiber; Damowang formed recycled PET fabric into clothes, which cause 32 percent less carbon emission while producing comparing to normal PET fabric; I-La introduced new collection made from biodegradable (生物降解的) natural materials; Chicco Mao called attention to the catastrophic impact of global warming on coastal ecology through design.
According to the report, although the number of mass market retailers, who make products from sustainable materials, stays low, it has increased fivefold in the last two years.
Yan Yan, the head of Responsible Supply Chain Association, talked about sustainable fashion at China Fashion Summit on March 27. She said, “the realization of sustainable fashion counts on the transformation of the whole industry, involving designers' awareness, the selection of raw materials, manufacturing process, consumption concept and where these products will end up with.”
1. Why is Allbirds mentioned in the text?| A．Because it is an influential brand in China. |
| B．Because it has attracted many celebrities as fans. |
| C．Because it has received approving certifications. |
| D．Because it stands out in sourcing natural materials. |
| A．By giving examples. | B．By using figures. |
| C．By making comparisons. | D．By proving facts. |
| A．Concerned. | B．Objective. | C．Optimistic. | D．Unclear. |
| A．Realization of Sustainability. | B．Fashion Brands. |
| C．Sustainable Fashion. | D．Sustainable Materials. |
