1 . The newly-elected president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro says that his country should withdraw (退出) from the 2015 Paris Agreement, and that Brazil’s rainforest protections are standing in the way of economic success. During the election campaign, he promised to ease protections for areas of the Brazilian Amazon set aside for native people and wildlife. Are Brazil’s rainforests in danger?
The Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest, is called “the lungs of the planet.” Each tree takes in and stores carbon dioxide from the air around it. Billions of trees pull up water through their roots and release water vapor into the air, forming tiny drops of water. The Amazon creates 30 to 50 percent of its own rainfall. Carlos Nobre, a climate scientist, says that it is almost impossible to say Just how important the rainforest is to the planet’s living systems.
Some of Bolsonaro’s support comes from business and farming groups. One supporter, Luiz Carlos, noted that farmers “are not invaders, they are producers.” He blamed the past government for supporting rainforest protections at the cost of farmers. “Brazil,” he said, “will be the biggest farming nation on Earth during Bolsonaro’s years.”
Paulo Artaxo, a professor of environmental physics at the University of Sao Paulo, says that if Bolsonaro keeps his campaign promises, then “deforestation of the Amazon will probably increase quickly — and the effects will be felt everywhere on the planet.”
Other scientists warn that if the Amazon and other tropical rainforests lose too many trees, this could affect rainfall in other areas. Without enough trees to support the rainfall, the longer and bigger dry season could turn more than half of the rainforest into a tropical grassland.
1. The first paragraph is intended to ________.| A．draw people’s attention to the disappearing rainforests |
| B．ask people to ease the protection of rainforests |
| C．attract the public to the newly-elected president |
| D．to complain about the new government's withdrawing |
| A．produce much farmland |
| B．examine people’s lungs |
| C．change the earth’s living system |
| D．destroy farmers’ crops |
| A．The new president’s supporters care less about farmers. |
| B．Scientists are concerned about the protection of rainforests. |
| C．The rainforests will stop the economic development in Brazil. |
| D．The past government is to blame for the destruction of rainforests |
| A．a newspaper |
| B．a magazine |
| C．a guidebook |
| D．a textbook |
New Yorkers were shocked in early December when a creature as big as a school bus
Scientists say NYC0089, which hasn't been spotted in several weeks, has likely returned to deeper waters south of the Hudson. Still, the
“With these numbers increasing
Scientists say the
“Seeing more whales in this area is a sign
3 . The measurable threat to the environment has been worsened by the spread of COVID-19 that increases the need for plastic protective equipment. Most plastic is made from fossil fuels. Millions of tons of greenhouse gas are released from the development of these resources and plastic production and burning.
The end life of plastic is just worrisome. Less than 10% of the plastic produced has been recycled. Even more of it has been burned. But the vast majority of plastic has been buried inland, and it is increasingly polluting the environment. We hear mostly about ocean plastic and the harm done to sea creatures that mistake plastic bags and bits for food. But microplastic is even more worrisome. Plastic doesn't break down biologically but instead breaks down into tiny particles（a very small piece of something）, which have been found in every corner of the planet, on land and in the air, in drinking water and food sources.
Yet the public has not given this global environmental disaster the attention it requires. Instead, they have viewed single-use plastic—which makes up about 40% of plastic used each year—as a litter issue that can be solved through better recycling and waste management. That attitude must change because the recent global breakdown of the market for recycling has made it clear that it has never been, nor ever will be, able to keep up with plastic trash use.
California has been the forerunner of plastic waste reduction—it was the first state to ban single-use plastic bags and may be the first state to transform the way goods are packaged. The state also came close to passing an act which would have required that products sold in plastic packaging in the state have a proven recycling rate of 75% by 2032. California, though influential, can't solve this crisis alone. The US has long been producing a great amount of plastic trash and it should engage in reducing the use of plastic as well.
1. Why does the author mention the release of greenhouse gas in paragraph 1?| A．To show the harm of plastic |
| B．To warn of the climate change. |
| C．To call for the development of fossil fuels. |
| D．To highlight the importance of plastic equipment. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Tolerant. |
| C．Curious. | D．Opposed. |
| A．A pioneer. | B．A failure. |
| C．An objector. | D．A predictor. |
| A．Microplastic Products Are Harmful |
| B．Waste Recycling Is an Urgent Matter |
| C．Plastic Waste Pollution Is a Wake-up Call |
| D．Global Environmental Disasters Are Increasing |
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（Λ），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Chengdu is known for a “laid-back” city. A relaxing teahouse culture and a lively nightlife that mix beer bars and Sichuan opera shows contribute to their unique charm. Hundreds of Sichuan dishes and spicy hotpots sure impress visitors. If lucky enough, one can see mountains cover by snow from the city even in summer, which is one of the most amazing sight there. The city increased green space since 2009 as a result of an air pollution. With over 10 million tourists visit the city every year, Chengdu has so much to offer. Unless you have time, you may go there to explore it by yourself.
5 . In 1872, the first national park was set up in the US. It's the Yellowstone National Park, which was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1978. Today the country is home to 59 national parks. Here is a list of some of the best received ones.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
This park is a part of the Smoky Mountains. It lies at the border between the US states of North Carolina and Tennessee. It's the country' s most visited national park. It was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1983. Tourists visiting the park can enjoy different activities like biking, hiking, horseback riding, fishing, etc.
Grand Canyon National Park
Almost every international tourist to the US visits this national park, making it the second most visited national park in the US. It lies in northwestern Arizona and is home to the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River. It was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1979. Covering an area of 4. 920. 08 square km, the park offers many activities to the visitors like driving and walking tours, hiking biking, etc.
Yosemite National Park
This national park lies in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of Northern California. It's known for its waterfalls, mountains, lakes, and wildlife. It was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1984. The 3 ,026. 87-square-km-harge park is home to different animals such as black bears, red foxes, etc.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
The national park lies in northeast Ohio. Set up in 2000, it offers a lot of activities like bicycling, hiking, wildlife watching, etc. The waterfalls, caves, hill, farmlands, and more make the experience of visiting the national park a memorable experience.
1. Which of the following parks is the first to become a World Heritage Site?| A．Great Smoky Mountains National Park. |
| B．Grand Canyon National Park. |
| C．Yellowstone National Park. |
| D．Yosemite National park |
| A．They both have waterfalls |
| B．They both lie between two states. |
| C．They both allow visitors to hunting. |
| D．They both offer biking and biking activities. |
| A．Standards of becoming national parks. |
| B．A brief history of American national parks. |
| C．Benefits of visiting American national parks. |
| D．Some most popular national parks in the US. |
6 . The biggest and the smallest of the world’s animals are most at risk of dying out, according to a new analysis, with vertebrates (脊椎动物) in the so-called “Goldilocks zone”—not too big and not too small—winning out. Action is needed to protect animals at both ends of the scale, they say. The research adds to evidence that animals are dying out on such a scale that a sixth extinction is considered under way.
One clue is body size. Research on birds and mammals has shown that those with larger bodies are more likely to go extinct. Yet, when the researchers made a database of thousands of birds, mammals, fish, amphibians (两栖动物) and reptiles (爬行动物) at risk of extinction, they found disproportionate (不成比例的) losses at the large and small ends of the scale.
“Surprisingly, we found that not only the largest of all vertebrate animal species are most threatened, but the very tiniest ones are also highly threatened with extinction,” Prof. Ripple told BBC News.
Large animals, such as elephants, rhinos (犀牛) and lions have long been the target of protection efforts. However, fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians that are the giants of their kind, such as the whale shark, Somali ostrich (鸵鸟) and the Chinese giant salamander (蝾螈), tend to be overlooked. Meanwhile, small species at risk--such as frogs and shrews (鼩鼱)--receive very little attention.
“I think, for the smallest species, first of all we need to bring higher awareness to them, because the larger ones get a lot of attention, but the smaller ones get very little,” said Prof. Ripple.
In the study, vertebrates with the smallest and the largest bodies were found to be most at risk of disappearing, whether they were on land or living in oceans, streams or rivers.
Heavyweights are threatened mainly by hunting, while featherweights are losing out to pollution and cutting down forests. “Ultimately, reducing global consumption of wild meat is a key step to reduce negative impacts of hunting, fishing, and trapping on the world’s vertebrates,” they write in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
1. What made the researchers feel surprised?| A．A sixth of animals are dying out. |
| B．Small animals are in great danger. |
| C．Great losses of birds and mammals. |
| D．Big animals are at risk of disappearing. |
| A．Transform our habits. | B．Change our concepts. |
| C．Find ways to save small animals. | D．Take measures to stop pollution. |
| A．Loss of forests. | B．Climate change. |
| C．Human activities. | D．Environmental pollution. |
| A．Size Matters When It Comes to Extinction Risk |
| B．Large Animals Are Badly in Need of Protection |
| C．Why a Great Number of Animals Are Dying out |
| D．What We Should Do to Protect Endangered Species |
7 . Bears eat human food when they can get some.But in a new study, the more human food 30 female black bears ate, the less time those bears were likely to spend hibernating(冬眠）．In turn,bears that hibernated less were likely to score worse in a test for aging.
The new research grew out of an earlier project to see what wild black bears across Colorado were eating, says Jonathan Pauli, a researcher from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Another researcher Rebecca Kirby checked diets of hundreds of bears across the state when she was a Ph.D.student. She found that hunters there were not allowed to set out bear bait（诱饵）。That means the animals' way to get human food is mostly through finding human food themselves.
When bears eat more human food, their bodies pick up higher levels of a form of carbon known as carbon-13.It comes from plants such as corn. The researcher found the telltale(报警的） form of carbon in an earlier study. They found bears in some places ate a large share of people's leftovers(剩饭）．Sometimes,these leftovers could make up more than 30 percent of a bear's diets,Pauli note.
In the new study,Kirby looked at the effect of diet on hibernation. Bears usually sleep for four to six months,during which female bears give birth. Kirby and her colleagues focused on 30 female bears around Durango, Colo. These bears were watched over by the state's parks and wildlife department. The team first tested bears for carbon-13.They found the ones that ate more human-related food tended to hibernate for shorter periods.
Studies on smaller animals show that hibernation may slow the aging process. If true, shortening the seasonal sleep may have an ill effect on bears. To test it, the researchers tested for relative changes in the length of telomeres(染色体端粒）。In the new study,bears that hibernated for shorter periods tended to have telomeres that shortened more quickly than those of other bears. This suggests the animals were aging faster,the team says.
The bears didn't always meet Kirby's needs for several kinds of data, so she can't say there is a direct and "certain" connection between what bears eat and aging. So far,Kirby calls the evidence "suggestive".
1. What does the new study show about bears?| A．They have much difficulty in getting food. |
| B．Hibernating is their best way to stay young. |
| C．Eating human food might cause fast aging. |
| D．They hibernate for shorter periods than before. |
| A．Hunters usually use human food as bear bait. |
| B．Carbon-13 levels will fall if bears eat human food. |
| C．Bears seem to be able to find human food on their own. |
| D．Many bears only eat people's leftovers as their diets. |
| A．Hibernating for enough time. |
| B．Being weak with hunger. |
| C．Eating much human food. |
| D．Slowing the aging process. |
8 . We think of winter as cold and flu season，but the cold temperatures have powerful biological upsides too.
Boosts your brain
Burns calories（卡路里）
When it's cold，your body works harder to keep your core temperature，which is typically. about 98.6 degrees. "Our bodies use a considerable amount of energy to keep us warm and to dampen the air we breathe when we're out in the cold，"explains Stacy Tucker，an expert from Kansas City.
Activates healthy fat
We know accumulating too much ordinary fat or "white fat" can endanger our health. But adults also have small amounts of beneficial "brown fat" that can quicken their metabolism（新陈代谢）and bum more calories
Encourages better sleep
Your body's core temperature drops when you're trying to sleep.
Yes，you might get more colds during the winter. However，studies have shown that the immune system can be activated by colder temperatures，which improves our ability to fight infections，explains Tucker. That said，the flu virus becomes strong in cold，dry air，and time spent indoors increases your chance of infection. To reduce risk，get your annual flu shot，wash your hands frequently，and go outside.
A. Fights infections
B. So fasten your boots
C. Suffers from infections
D. Colder temperatures can help you think more clearly
E. And cold temperatures can activate this useful fat
F. Exercising in the winter makes heart muscles stronger
G. This process can take up to two hours in the summer
9 . California will be the first state to ban the sale and manufacture of new fur products.
California’s fur law was one of several bills designed to prevent cruelty to animals. “California is a leader when it comes to animal protection and today that leadership includes banning the sale of fur, ” said Governor Newsom in a news report. “
Many retailers are also ending fur sales. In mid-October, Macy’s (American’s department store) announced it will stop fur from all its stores by the end of 2020. The stores will also close all fur vaults and salons. Other fashion brands such as Prada, Gucci, Michael Kors and Burberry have taken similar steps in recent years.
| A．But we are doing more than that. |
| B．California is taking the lead in protecting animals. |
| C．Similar laws have been carried out globally already. |
| D．And that in turn will leave many people unemployed. |
| E．Two other California cities had already banned fur sales. |
| F．Not surprisingly, the ban is welcomed by animal rights activists. |
| G．The ban applies to clothing, shoes, handbags and other things that contain fur. |
10 . Baggy has become the first dog in the UK—and potentially the world—to join the fight against air pollution by recording pollutant levels near the ground.
Baggy wears a pollution monitor on her collar so she can take data measurements close to the ground. Her monitor has shown that air pollution levels are higher closer to ground level, which has helped highlight concerns that babies and young kids may be at higher risk of developing lung problems.
Conventional air pollution monitors are normally fixed on lampposts at about nine feet in the air. However, since Baggy stands at about the same height as a child in a pushchair（婴儿车）, she frequently records pollution levels which are much higher than the data gathered by the Environment A gency.
The doggy data research was the idea of Baggy's 13-year-old owner Tom Hunt and his dad Matt. The English youngster noticed that pollution levels are around two-thirds higher close to the ground than they are in the air at the height where they are recorded by the agency. Tom has since reported the shocking findings to the government in an attempt to emphasise that babies are at higher risk of developing asthma（哮喘）.
Matt Hunt said he was "very proud" of his son because “when the boy gets an idea, he keeps his head down and gets on with it, and he really does want to do some good and stop young kids from getting asthma."
“Tom built up a passion for environmental protection at a very early age," Matt added. “He became very interested in gadgets（小装置）. About one year ago, he got this new piece of tech which is like a test tube. One Sunday afternoon, we went out to do some monitoring, and he said, why don't we put it on Baggy's collar and let her monitor the pollution？'So we did it."
Tom said, "Most of the time, Baggy is just like any other dog. But for the rest of the time she is a super dog, and we are all really proud of her."
1. With a monitor on her collar, Baggy can ____________.| A．take pollutant readings | B．record pollutant levels |
| C．process collected data | D．reduce air pollution |
| A．High places are free of air pollution. |
| B．Higher pushchairs are more risky for kids. |
| C．Conventional monitors are more reliable. |
| D．Air is more polluted closer to the ground. |
| A．To warn of a health risk. | B．To find out pollution sources. |
| C．To test his new monitor. | D．To prove Baggy's abilities. |
| A．Modest. | B．Generous. | C．Creative. | D．Outgoing. |
