1 . Is it possible to make paper without trees? Australian businessmen Kevin Garcia and John Tse were determined to find out. They spent a year researching a possible alternative（可代替物） that could serve as a possible raw material for making paper.
"What if we re-engineer how paper is made to be more in line with our environmental responsibility?" asked Garcia. Then Garcia read about a Taiwanese company making paper out of stone and inspiration struck. A year later, in July 2017, they launched Karst Stone Paper. The company produces paper without using wood, water or chemicals with terrible smell. Their source is stone waste mined from construction sites and other industrial waste places.
"If you look at the whole process of how paper is traditionally made, it involves cutting trees, adding chemicals and bleach to make pulp（纸浆）, using lots of water and then squeezing, drying and flattening it into sheets of paper," said Garcia. "It contributes to high carbon emission（排放） and deforestation."
The pulp and paper industry uses over 40% of all industrial wood traded globally, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Karst, based in Sydney, aims to reduce the rate of deforestation with its sustainably-made paper goods.
In 2019, Garcia estimated（估计）Karst's paper production helped save 540 large trees from being cut down, 83,100 liters of water from being used and 25,500 kilograms of carbon dioxide from being emitted.
"We collect abandoned limestone from wherever we can find it, wash it and ground it into fine powder," Garcia said. "The powder is mixed with HDPE resin（高密度聚乙烯树脂）. The paste-like mixture is finally turned into thin sheets of paper. The carbon emission from this process is about 67% less than making paper from tree pulp," he said.
1. What can we learn about the company Karst Stone Paper?| A．It just aims to make great profits. | B．It produces paper in conventional ways. |
| C．It makes paper from stone waste. | D．It develops materials for making paper. |
| A．The paper is of high quality. | B．It is environment-friendly. |
| C．The process is much simpler. | D．It is energy-consuming. |
| A．Responsible. | B．Ambitious. | C．Cautious. | D．Sympathetic. |
2 . A young Dutch inventor is widening his effort to cleanup floating (浮动的) plastic from the Pacific Ocean. He has developed a floating device (设备) to trap plastic waste moving into rivers before it reaches the oceans.
Boyan Slat was just 18 years old when he invented a system for catching waste in the ocean. He also founded an environmental group called “The Ocean Cleanup”. Its purpose is to develop the system. Last year, Slat showed the next step: a floating device which is called Interceptor. It removes plastic out of rivers. The device is powered by energy from the sun. “The 1,000 rivers are responsible for about 80% of plastic going into the world’s oceans,” said Slat. Three of the machines have already been used. Each machine costs about $775, 660, but the cost might drop as production increases.
Since they were used, the machines have been doing very well, collecting the plastic bottles and all the rubbish in the rivers. According to Slat, it is necessary to close “the tap”, which means preventing more plastic from reaching the ocean in the first place. He wanted to clean them all in the next five years. “This is not going to be easy, but if we do get this done, we could truly make our oceans again, ”said Slat.
The device is designed to be safe in rivers. Its nose is shaped to change directions to keep it away from larger floating things. It works by guiding plastic waste into an opening in the front of the device. The waste is then carried inside the machine where it is dropped into containers. The devices ends a text message to local operators that can come and empty it when it is full.
1. What do we know about Interceptor?| A．It needs solar power to work. | B．It is mainly used in the oceans. |
| C．It is being under test. | D．It can help sort waste. |
| A．The waste. | B．The oceans. |
| C．The machines. | D．The rivers. |
| A．To ensure the device’s safety. | B．To send operators text messages. |
| C．To empty the waste. | D．To serve as containers. |
| A．A novel. | B．A magazine. |
| C．A diary. | D．A guidebook. |
3 . When a package from an e-commerce shopping platform arrives on the doorstep, how many of us think about where it comes from?
It is not merely the “last mile”—the delivery, which adds to our carbon footprints but every step: from when a product was made, all the way to when it makes it into our hands.
1. Package design
When we think about a single package, the amount of tape used to secure each one might seem insignificant.
2. Green warehousing (储仓)
Behind an efficient operation are large, highly-automated warehouses. In some of the automated areas, robots can operate in the dark, so there is no need for lighting systems.
| A．The answer is probably not too many. |
| B．It is impossible for one party to achieve this on their own. |
| C．Put simply, the supply chain is extremely carbon intensive (密集的). |
| D．Actions were taken to ensure a responsible and recycled process. |
| E．But what if we are talking about the billions of parcels used in this industry? |
| F．One solution is using packaging boxes that can be circulated throughout the ecosystem. |
| G．The rain collection system below the warehouses serves as a source of water supply. |
4 . When it rains, it pours, and when it snows, the lights turn off. Or so it goes in Texas, California. After a winter storm hit the Lone Star State with record snowfall and the lowest temperatures in more than 30 years, millions were left without electricity and heat. At the worst moment on February 16th, 4. 5m Texan households were cut off from power.
Whole skylines, including Dallas's, went dark to save power. Some Texans braved the snowy roads to check into the few hotels with remaining rooms, but the hotels' power went off as they arrived. Others put on skiwear and remained inside, hoping the lights and heat would come back on. Across the state, what were supposed to be “rolling” blackouts (断电) lasted for days. More than 20 people have died in motor accidents, from fires lit for warmth and from carbon - monoxide poisoning after using cars to get warm. The storm has also stopped deliveries of covid - 19 vaccines (疫苗) and may prevent around 1 million vaccinations from happening this week.
Other states, including Tennessee, were also covered in snow, but Texas got the lion's share and broke down completely. Texans are extremely angry that people in America's energy capital cannot count on reliable power. Everyone is asking why.
The short answer is that the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates the grid, did not properly forecast the demand for energy as a result of the storm. Some say that this was nearly impossible to predict, but there were warnings of the seriousness of the coming weather in the previous week, and ERCOT didn't make adequate preparations.
Many Republican politicians were quick to blame renewable energy sources, such as wind power, for the blackouts, but that is not fair. Some wind turbines (涡轮机) did indeed freeze. Natural gas plants broke down, as did the gas supply chain and pipelines. The cold also caused a reactor at one of the state's two nuclear plants to go offline. In short, Texas experienced a perfect storm of equipment failure.
In California, as in Texas, it would help to have additional power generation and energy storage to meet peak (峰值) demand. Weather events that once might have been dismissed as unusual are becoming more common. Without more money put in electricity grids, blackouts will be, too.
1. What happened in Texas during the winter storm?| A．People put on skiwear to save power |
| B．More than 20 people were frozen to death |
| C．Many people delayed receiving covid - 19 vaccinations |
| D．The whole state suffered power cuts except hotels |
| A．Texas was hit hardest by the storm | B．Texas was provided with generous aid |
| C．Texas fought against the storm bravely | D．Texas had the power to return to normal |
| A．the use of renewable energy sources |
| B．no warnings of the seriousness of the storm |
| C．the breakdown of a nuclear plant |
| D．improper forecast and equipment failure |
| A．It is not worthwhile to put too much money into electricity grids |
| B．We should turn to renewable energy sources rather than natural gas |
| C．Texas should get well prepared for the highest demand for power |
| D．Blackouts are unavoidable with the growing frequency of extreme weather |
| A. has negatively affected B. restore the habitats C. dying out D. significantly E. take steps F. be at risk of |
Species are
6 . Why does Haiti so tend to have fatal earthquakes? Earthquakes have been causing huge damage in Haiti since at least the 18th century. The capital city has been destroyed twice in 19 years. The 21st century has been no more kind.
The Earth’s outer shell is made tip of tectonic plates (构造板块) that move. Haiti sits near the crossing of two tectonic plaits that make up the Earth’s outer shell. Earthquakes can occur when those plates move against each other and create friction (摩擦力).
Haiti is also overpopulated. Plus, many of its buildings are designed to resist hurricanes but not earthquakes. Those buildings can survive strong winds bat are easy to fail down when the ground shrikes. Poor building practices can also play a role.
“I think it’s important to recognize that there’s no such thing as a natural disaster,” said Wendy Bohon, a geologist. “What you have is a natural disaster that comes with a weak architecture system. We do know that earthquakes like this can cause huge damage because of the fault,” said Wendy. “And it’s quite a significant risk in places that don’t have the construction practices to resist the shaking.”
Construction of more earthquake-resistant buildings remains a challenge in Haiti, which is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. “While there have been some success stories of Haitians building more earthquake-resistant structures, the country has lacked a centralized effort to do so,” said Mark Schuller, a professor of anthropology and nonprofit and NGO studies at Northern Illinois University. Haiti’s government has become increasingly weak, while non-governmental organizations only focus on their own projects.
“There is technical knowledge in Haiti, There are trained architects. There are city planners. That’s not the problem,” Schuller said. “The problem is a lack of funding for coordination (协调), and lack of political will from donors to organizations providing aid.”
1. Which factor causing the huge damage is highlighted?| A．Its overpopulation. | B．Its weak government. |
| C．Its geographical location. | D．Its weak architecture system. |
| A．Lacking political will to provide aid. |
| B．Lacking hurricane-resistant; buildings. |
| C．Lacking earthquake-resistant buildings. |
| D．Sitting on the crossing of two tectonic plates. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Critical. |
| C．Indifferent. | D．Interested. |
| A．Fund and will. | B．Skilled architects. |
| C．Urban designers. | D．Technology and money. |
The air is thin and we have to rest several times on the short hike from camp. To our left, snow- covered mountains disappear into clouds that seem almost close enough to touch. On the plain in front of us, we can just make out a herd of graceful animals. This is why we are here—to observe Tibetan antelopes.
Tibetan antelopes live on the plains of Tibet, Xinjiang, and Qinhai. Watching them move slowly across the green grass, I am struck by their beauty. I am also reminded of the danger they are in. They are being hunted illegally for their valuable fur.
My guide is Zhaxi, a villager from Changtang. He works at the Changtang National Nature Reserve. The reserve is a shelter for the animals and plants of northwestern Tibet. To Zhaxi, the land is sacred and protecting the wildlife is a way to life. “We are not trying to save the animals,”he says. “Actually, we are trying to save ourselves.”
The 1980s and 1990s were bad times for the Tibetan antelope. The population dropped by more than 50 percent. Hunters were shooting antelopes to make profits. Their habitats were becoming smaller as new roads and railways were built.
In order to save this species from extinction, the Chinese government placed it under national protection. Zhaxi and other volunteers watched over the antelopes day and night to keep them safe from attacks. Bridges and gates were added to let the antelopes move easily and keep them safe from cars and trains.
The measures were effective.The antelope population has recovered and in June 2015, the Tibetan antelope was removed from the endangered species list. The government, however, does not intend to stop the protection programmes ,since the threats to the Tibetan antelope have not yet disappeared.
In the evening, I drink a cup of tea and watch the stars. I think about the antelopes and what Zhazi told me. Much is being done to protect wildlife, but if we really want to save the planet, we must change our way of life. Only when we learn to exist in harmony with nature can we stop being a threat to wildlife and to our planet.
1. Why did the writer visit Tibet?2. What happened to the Tibetan antelope in the 1980s and 1990s?
3. What were the measures to save the Tibetan antelope from extinction? Please write down at least one measure?
8 . It’s a popular belief that a fish's memory lasts for only seven seconds. It may seem sad to think that they don’t remember what they’ve eaten or where they’ve been, and they don't identify you or any of their friends- every moment in their life would be like seeing the world for the first time.
But don’t be so quick to feel sorry for them. A new study has found that fish have a much better memory than we used to think. In fact, certain species of fish can even remember events from as long as 12 days ago. In the study, researchers from Mac Ewan University in Canada trained a kind of fish called African cichlids to go to a certain area of their tank to get food. They then waited for 12 days before putting them back in the tank again. Researchers used computer software to monitor the fish’s movements. They found that after such a long break the fish still went to the same place where they first got food. This suggested that they could remember their past experiences.
In fact, scientists had been thinking for a long time that African cichlids might have a good memory. An earlier study showed that they behaved aggressively (挑衅地) in front of certain fish, perhaps because they remembered their past “fights”. But until the latest findings, there was no clear evidence.
Just as a good memory can make our lives easier, it also plays an important part when a fish is trying to survive in the wild. “If fish are able to remember that a certain area contains safe food, they will be able to go back to that area without putting their lives at risks,” lead researcher Trevor Hamiton told Live Science.
For a long time, fish were placed far below chimpanzees, dolphins and mice on the list of smart animals. But this study has given scientists a new understanding of their intelligence.
1. According to the article, people used to believe that ________.| A．fish have no memory of their past experiences. |
| B．fish can remember all the things that happened long time ago. |
| C．fish don't recognize any of their friends. |
| D．a fish's memory lasts for only seven minutes. |
| A．their enemies and fight. |
| B．where to get food and survive. |
| C．where to escape to when in danger. |
| D．their friends and help each other. |
| A．African cichlids can remember things for 12 days. |
| B．African cichlids always treat other fish aggressively. |
| C．African cichlids are not friendly to their friends. |
| D．Only African cichlids have a good memory. |
| A．Fish having very bad memories. |
| B．What we can learn from fish. |
| C．How fish improve their memory. |
| D．Fish being smarter than we thought. |
9 . The ocean bottom - a region nearly 2.5 times greater than the total land area of the Earth - is a vast frontier that even today is largely unexplored and uncharted. Until about a century ago, the deep-ocean floor was completely inaccessible, hidden beneath waters averaging over 36, 000 meters deep. In complete darkness and subjected to intense pressures hundreds of times greater than at the Earth's surface, the deep-ocean bottom is an unfriendly environment to humans, in some ways as forbidding and remote as outer space.
Although researchers have taken samples of deep-ocean rocks and sediments (沉淀物) for over a century now, the first detailed global investigation of the ocean bottom did not actually start until 1968, with the beginning of the National Science Foundation's Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) . Using techniques first developed for the offshore oil and gas industry, the DSDP's drill ship, the Glomar Challenger, was able to maintain a steady position on the ocean's surface and drill in very deep waters, pulling out samples of sediment and rock from the ocean floor.
The Glomar Challenger completed 96 voyages in a 15-year research program that ended in November 1983. During this time, the vessel logged 600, 000 kilometers and took almost 20, 000 core samples of seabed sediments and rocks at 624 drilling sites around the world. The Glomar Challenger's core samples have allowed geologists to reconstruct what the planet looked like hundreds of millions of years ago and to calculate what it will probably look like millions of years in the future. Today, largely on the strength of evidence gathered during the Glomar Challenger's voyages, nearly all earth scientists agree on the theories of plate tectonics (板块构造学说) and continental drift that explain many of the geological processes that have come to shape the Earth.
The cores of sediment drilled by the Glomar Challenger have also produced information critical to understanding the world's past climates. Deep-ocean sediments provide a climatic record that stretches back for hundreds of millions of years, because they are largely isolated from the mechanical erosion (侵蚀) and the intense chemical and biological activity that rapidly destroy much land-based evidence of past climates. This record has already provided insights into the patterns and causes of past climatic change—information that may be used to predict future climates.
1. The author refers to the ocean bottom as a "frontier" in Paragraph 1 because it ______.| A．is an unknown territory | B．attracts courageous explorers |
| C．contains wide variety of life forms | D．is not a popular area for scientific research |
| A．It is an ongoing project. | B．It is a type of submarine. |
| C．It has gone on over 100 voyages. | D．It made its first DSDP voyage in 1968. |
| A．funded entirely by the gas and oil industry |
| B．an attempt to find new sources of oil and gas |
| C．composed of geologists from all over the world |
| D．the first extensive exploration of the ocean bottom |
| A．Biologists observed forms of marine life never before seen. |
| B．Information was revealed about the Earth's past climatic changes. |
| C．Two geological theories became more widely accepted by scientists. |
| D．Geologists were able to determine the Earth's appearance hundreds of millions of years ago. |
10 . Most of us spend our lives seeking the natural world.We go fishing，sit in the garden，have a picnic，live in the suburbs or go to the seaside.The most popular leisure activity in Britain is going for a walk.When joggers jog，they don't run on the streets.Every one of them tends to go to the park or the river.
But despite this，our children are growing up naturedeprived.I spent my boyhood climbing trees.These days，children are robbed of the ancient freedom，due to problems like crime，traffic，the loss of the open space and strange new ideas about what is best for children，that is to say，things that can be bought，rather than things that can be found.
The truth is to be found elsewhere.A study in the US：families had moved to better housing and the children were assessed for ADHD—Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(注意力缺陷多动症)．Those whose accommodation had more natural views showed an improvement of 19%；those who had the same improvement in material surroundings but no nice view improved just 4%.
ADHD is one of the great problems of modern childhood.One study after another indicates that contact with nature gives huge benefits to ADHD children.However，we spend money on drugs rather than on green places.
The life of old people is measurably better when they have access to nature.The increasing concern for the growing population of old people is in quality rather than quantity of years.And study after study finds that a garden is the single most important thing in finding that quality.Even problems with crime and aggressive behaviour are reduced when there is contact with the natural world.
We need the wild world.It is essential to our wellbeing，our health and our happiness.
1. According to the author，people enjoy ________ to seek nature.
| A．jogging on the street | B．running in the gym |
| C．shopping in the supermarket | D．sitting in the garden |
| A．Children don’t want to approach nature |
| B．children probably spend less time in nature nowadays |
| C．climbing trees will certainly do good to the children |
| D．children tend to be happier as a result of their material satisfaction |
| A．Children with ADHD can be cured. |
| B．Children's performance at school is greatly improved. |
| C．Problems with crime and violent behavior will easily be solved. |
| D．A garden nearby improves the quality of old people's life. |
