1 . A brown and dry lawn is not something many gardeners would boast about. But that is exactly the kind of yard competition organizers in Sweden were looking for when they launched the prize for the “World’s Ugliest Lawn”. People from around the world were invited to post pictures of their dehydrated(脱水的)grass to social media in a bid to win the uncertain honor.
The intention, according to those behind the project, was to raise awareness of “saving water on a global scale by changing the norm for green lawns”. Lawns, which can require large amounts of water to maintain, are coming under increasing examination as climate change makes periods of drought more frequent and intense.
The global initiative was launched on the official website for Gotland in Sweden. “Huge amounts of water are used to water lawns for aesthetics(美学). As the world gets warmer, lack of water in urban areas is projected to affect up to 2.4 billion people by 2050. By not watering lawns for aesthetic reasons, we can protect the availability of groundwater,” the competition organizers said.
The unlikely title has been awarded to Kathleen Murray who lives in Sandford in Tasmania, Australia. According to the organizers, Murray’s lawn “boasts deep and dry divots created by three wild bandicoots(袋狸)and not one dust-covered decimeter is wasted on watering”. Murray said in the press release about her triumph, “I am terribly proud! I knew I would have my 5 minutes of fame, even if it was for having the ugliest lawn on the planet! I am now free of ever taking care of my lawn again.”
A press release by the Gotland, office added, “For the planet and its declining stockpiles of life-giving liquid, thank you, Kathleen, as well as those naughty bandicoots damaging your lawn for the greater good.” Organizers added, “Gotland aims to show to Sweden and the world that sustainable behavior doesn’t have to be dull.”
1. What can we say about the yard competition organized in Sweden?| A．People had even doubted its authenticity. |
| B．People worldwide were unwilling to join. |
| C．Its participants must be professional gardeners. |
| D．Its entries must agree with the existing aesthetics. |
| A．To call on people to protect lawns. | B．To encourage people to be creative. |
| C．To challenge the norm of aesthetics. | D．To remind people of water shortage. |
| A．Ambition. | B．Success. | C．Sorrow. | D．Barrier. |
| A．People’s Whelming Reaction To A Yard Contest In Sweden |
| B．Lawns And Rare Bandicoots Calling For Urgent Protection |
| C．A Lawn Named The Ugliest Globally All For A Good Cause |
| D．The World’s Ugliest Lawn Unaccepted By The Whole World |
2 . Even chess experts perform worse when air quality is lower, suggesting a negative effect on cognition(认知). Here’s something else chess players need to keep in check: air pollution.
That’s the bottom line of a newly published study co-authored by a researcher, showing that chess players perform objectively worse and make more suboptimal(次优的) moves, as measured by a computerized analysis of their games, when there is more fine particulate matter(颗粒物) in the air, notated as PM 2.5.
More specifically, given a modest increase in fine particulate matter, the probability that chess players will make an error increases by 2.1 percentage points, and the spectrum of those errors increases by 10.8 percent. In this setting, at least, cleaner air leads to clearer heads and sharper thinking.
“We find that when individuals are exposed to higher levels of air pollution, they make more mistakes, and they make larger mistakes,” says Juan Palacios, an economist in Sustainable Urbanization Lab.
“It’s pure random exposure to air pollution that is driving these people’s performance,” Palacios says. “Against comparable opponents in the same tournament round, being exposed to different levels of air quality makes a difference for move quality and decision quality.”
The researchers also found that when air pollution was worse, the chess players performed even more poorly when under time limitation. “We find it interesting that those mistakes especially occur in the phase of the game where players are facing time pressure,” Palacios says.
“There are more and more papers showing that there is a cost with air pollution, and there is a cost for more and more people,” Palacios says. “And this is just one example showing that even for these very excellent chess players, who think they can beat everything, it seems that with air pollution, they have an enemy who harms them.”
1. What effect does air pollution have on chess players?| A．They make fewer good choices. | B．They perform subjectively worse. |
| C．They suffer body discomfort. | D．They lose all games with computers. |
| A．Magic. | B．Process. | C．Range. | D．Balance. |
| A．His appeal for attention to chess players. |
| B．His concern about air pollution. |
| C．An example of chess players’ performance. |
| D．Approaches to dealing with air pollution. |
| A．Air pollution is a tough enemy chess players face. |
| B．Chess players make more and more mistakes. |
| C．There is a cost with air pollution for more people. |
| D．Chess players perform poorly under time limitation. |
3 . One million species (物种) face the risk of dying out, more than ever before in human history, according to a UN report released in May. And humans should be responsible.
The Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) based the assessment (评估) on some 15,000 sources considering the causes and results of environmental changes over the past 50 years.
The findings are clear and alarming. The researchers have found that about 25 percent of the world’s plants and animals are at risk of dying out. These include sea and land animals. Even the domesticated (驯养的) animals are at risk; Over 9 percent of the domesticated animal species used for food and agriculture might have been lost.
There are some big problems. This rapid decrease of the natural world endangers global food safety and quality of life. For example, about 4 billion people rely on natural medicines, produced by the disappearing species, for their health care. And losses of species that pollinate (授粉) plants threaten up to $577 billion in crops each year.
The researchers found five drivers responsible for the unpleasant news. They think at the top of the list is the change of land and sea use. The change in ecosystems towards agriculture and other human developments has led to changes in the natural living space of species. It is followed by the direct overuse of creatures (harvesting crops, cutting down the trees, hunting and fishing) and climate change, including rising sea levels and increasing extreme weather events, wildfires, floods and droughts. The final causes of species’ dying out are pollution, and the spread of non-native species that can displace or kill native plants and animals.
The researchers say it is time for humans to make a change. They think maybe a new global way to save food and refuse waste in our life could turn the tables. Whether that is possible is an open question.
1. What is the main purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To introduce the topic of the text. |
| B．To introduce the schedule of the report. |
| C．To introduce humans’ sense of responsibility. |
| D．To introduce the history of human development. |
| A．The reliability of the findings. |
| B．The species of animals worldwide. |
| C．The seriousness of the species’ loss. |
| D．The risky experiences of the researchers. |
| A．Climate change. |
| B．Natural disasters. |
| C．The direct overuse of creatures. |
| D．The changes of their living space. |
| A．Changing our living habits. |
| B．Spreading non-native species. |
| C．Limiting native plants and animals. |
| D．Stopping discussing the food problem. |
4 . Imagine being able to pop to your local park and pick some tomatoes, potatoes or even bananas to take home for dinner. Sounds too good to be true, right? For residents of Andernach, German, it’s not just a dream—it’s their reality.
In 2010, Andernach began its edible(可食用的)city project, planting 101 varieties of tomatoes in public green spaces around the city centre. Its 30,000 residents are free to help themselves to whatever grows, as are any other visitors. The town’s motto of sorts is “Picking is encouraged—help yourself!” Every year a new type of plant is highlighted. In 2011, 100 types of beans were planted, while 2012saw the introduction of 20 onion varieties.
It’s a community effort, as local citizens are encouraged to help plant and maintain the gardens. This offers an opportunity to socialise as well as to learn about planting, cultivating and harvesting food.
An Andernach resident spoke to DW,“I often drop by to pick some herbs that I’m missing at home. Everything is easily accessible. There aren’t any fences. You just take what you need. The only thing is that you have to be quick once the fruits are ripe or they’ll all be gone!”
Andernach may have been the first in German, but it isn’t the only edible city. It’s part of the Edible Cities Network, a project funded by European Union to connect green urban foot initiatives around the world. Other cities include Carthage in Tunisia, Havana in Cuba and Sempeter-Vrtojba in Slovenia. In February 2022, the first Edible Cities Network Conference took place. Dr Ina Saumel, principal investigator of the Edible Cities Network, called it “a unique opportunity to invite researchers of edible city solutions and practitioners to the same table.”
Ultimately, the Edible Cities Network aims to give people “greener, more edible and, above all, more livable cities.” It is a response to the pressures of global climate change, and a significant cause full of hope.
1. What can residents do in public green spaces according to the edible city project?| A．Sell the produce they grow there. |
| B．Learn knowledge about planting. |
| C．Grow whatever plant as they like. |
| D．Pay to pick some vegetables there. |
| A．Novel and popular. | B．Creative and costly. |
| C．Common and fundamental. | D．Rare and unacceptable. |
| A．Andernach is the only city to carry it out. |
| B．European Union originally established it. |
| C．It helps combine theories with practices. |
| D．It invites people to share meals together. |
| A．To help residents relieve their pressure. |
| B．To involve residents in urban planting. |
| C．To increase the produce supply in cities. |
| D．To create environmentally friendly cities. |
5 . At least three people were possibly dead after a powerful earthquake. Others were injured from falling structures and homes, rural roads and
Regina Rave,who is a geologist, was meeting with two
About 10,000 people live in and around his town, which is
People were feeling
| A．damaged | B．surrounded | C．hidden | D．buried |
| A．foresee | B．assess | C．recognize | D．assume |
| A．roommates | B．schoolmates | C．colleagues | D．parents |
| A．covered | B．rose | C．ceased | D．struck |
| A．ended up | B．came out | C．carried on | D．resulted from |
| A．squeezed | B．crashed | C．flashed | D．pulled |
| A．turn | B．knock | C．flow | D．blow |
| A．jumping | B．hanging | C．floating | D．shaking |
| A．located | B．listed | C．considered | D．posed |
| A．simple | B．common | C．popular | D．awkward |
| A．puzzled | B．tired | C．frightened | D．inspired |
| A．getting | B．breaking | C．cutting | D．sorting |
| A．descriptions | B．instructions | C．explanations | D．introductions |
| A．changes | B．injuries | C．beats | D．attacks |
| A．handled | B．improved | C．affected | D．removed |
6 . A team led by researchers from the UK examined waterbird data from 1506 protected areas and analyzed more than 27, 000 bird populations across the world. They compared waterbird populations before and after the establishment of protected areas and also compared trends of similar populations within and outside of protected areas.
“Our study shows that, while many protected areas are working well, many others are failing to have a positive effect, ” lead author Hannah Wauchope says in a statement. “In the majority of places we looked, bird populations were stable or were increasing, but some of them weren’t doing any better than in unprotected areas, “ she adds. “That’s disappointing, but not surprising. There seems to be the disconnection between people talking about how much land is protected and whether those areas are actually doing anything positive. ”
This study comes ahead of a United Nations meeting in China to discuss biodiversity goals for the next decade. Several countries have already committed to protecting 30 percent of the planet by 2030, yet the researchers say this alone does not necessarily guarantee positive out- comes for species.
“An obsession(迷恋)with reaching a certain area-based target-such as 30 percent by 2030-without focus on managing existing protected areas appropriately will achieve little, ” co-author Julia Jones says. “When world leaders gather in China later this year to set targets for the next decade, I really hope to see a change of their focus, rather than simply saying how much surface area they are going to protect. ”
According to Thomas Brooks, chief scientist at the International Union for Conservation of Nature, who was not involved in the study, waterbirds are a good example of a group facing the consequences of human behaviors that cause biodiversity loss. These animals respond quickly to changes in site quality and are broadly distributed, clearly reflecting the impact of protected areas.
1. What can be learned about protected areas from the study?| A．They have a negative effect on wildlife. |
| B．Their bird populations are increasing. |
| C．Their problems went unnoticed at all. |
| D．They don’t always help waterbirds. |
| A．Expanding protected areas. |
| B．Organizing the meeting. |
| C．Talking about biodiversity. |
| D．Making a big promise. |
| A．Try to set targets for the next ten years. |
| B．Focus on the effectiveness of protected areas. |
| C．Face the consequences of human behaviors. |
| D．Have a deep understanding of biodiversity. |
| A．Pioneering. | B．Disappointing. |
| C．Convincing. | D．Unsatisfying. |
7 . The human race shares this planet with millions of other species and forms of life. In recognizing that It is always important to remember that our rapid rise of the urban civilization has unavoidably impacted the planet and life on it.
In the long run, however, the civilization risks destroying well balanced ecosystems. which could potentially have serious results for humanity itself. As such we must eventually find a balance between development and nature which can maintain the ecology, beauty and harmony of the earth.
The word “harmony” is an important concept in China. Chinese society and culture are built on the idea that relationships between people should be harmonious, which means avoiding conflict, highlighting a common good and balancing uncontrollable desires with the needs of society as a whole. However, this idea does not just apply to people, it also applies to our relationships with the world and nature. Never has this been more meaningful than the view of how China handles its rapid development, which has lastingly changed the country's landscape and created new challenges regarding nature and the environment.
Actually, over the past few years China has been working hard to protect biodiversity and has drawn "red lines" for ecological protection. established a national par's system, and under taken major projects for biodiversity protection.
One example of China's success in this area is in its reversing of the decrease of its giant panda population to the point that it is no longer endangered. This effort included creating a giant panda national park in 2016 and doubling the number of births. Pandas have become “a global symbol of conservation success”—something in which China has played a key part.
Likewise, China is also taking its efforts overseas. It recently announced a $232 million fund to promote biodiversity protection in developing countries. The effort is a part of its “community of shared future for mankind”, meaning that we share one world, one planet and one future, and so we human beings must work together. Now it is the time to act.
1. Which potential risk along with the urban civilization is mentioned?| A．Loss of the natural scenery. | B．Ruining our human health. |
| C．The disappearance of all species. | D．Breaking the ecosystem balance. |
| A．The word "harmony" refers to good interpersonal relationship. |
| B． Keeping in harmony makes a difference to China’s development. |
| C．Human’s uncontrolled desires aren’t connected with harmony. |
| D．Balancing development and nature isn’t complicated as imagined. |
| A．China has completed the task of protecting biodiversity. |
| B．The population of grant panda is gradually decreasing recently. |
| C．China has made some achievements of protecting biodiversity. |
| D．Pandas have become the most successful representative of China. |
| A．Fundamental. | B．Unique. | C．Indirect. | D．Mysterious. |
8 . “How many of us as children have stared up at a church-like top of a giant tree and climbed it in wonder, which is a rally special part of our lives?” asks Bill Laurance, a tropical ecologist at James Cook University. “The leaves of big trees in forests are spreading out in all directions. We’re faced with organisms that have evolved for long periods of ecological stability.”
“There’s a lot to discuss on the issue,” says David Lindenmayer, a conservation ecologist at the Australian National University. “Climate change will mean that, in some forests, big trees won’t reach the same sizes they used to.” The effects of climate change, including long droughts, more invasive species and so on increase the simple physical challenges that big trees face in pulling water from their roots to their leaves and withstanding windstorms.
Lindenmayer and Laurance define “large, old trees” as the largest five percent mature trees within a species. The flexible definition means that in some forests, the large, old trees might be only 20 meters tall and 100 years old.
These large, old trees control the surrounding plant communities, affect water and nutrient distribution, and provide food and shelter for wildlife. “They’re really the breadbaskets of the forest,” says Laurance. “This is a very environmentally and ecologically important group of organisms, and they need special care and handling.” Determining the distribution and habitat requirements for large, old trees in the landscape is the first step towards ensuring their survival, “We have to ensure that what we’re thinking is long-term, to match the way these trees have existed for hundreds or even thousands of years,” says Laurance. “It’s going to be a real challenge to keep some places where there is still wildlife and the big church-like trees that we all really care about.”
1. How does the author lead in the topic of the text?| A．By definition. | B．By quoting someone's words. |
| C．By comparison. | D．By drawing some conclusions. |
| A．They have become shorter but thicker. | B．They easily pull water from their roots. |
| C．They are affected by various factors. | D．They grow taller because of climate change. |
| A．Planting big trees is the first step in forest protection. |
| B．The plants around control trees survival. |
| C．Big trees mainly depend on wildlife for survival. |
| D．It is necessary to take good care of big trees. |
| A．Protect Forest Giants | B．Keep Ecological Stability |
| C．Deal with Forest: Organisms | D．Fight Against Climate Change |
9 . Biofuels (生物燃料), gained from plants and animal matter, are a key solution to the environmental problems caused by fuels like coal. “Bioalcohol (生物酒精) is the most common biofuel and is produced by sugars found in materials such as corn. With some engine redesigned, it can be used directly by cars, buses, etc.,” says Professor Daniel Tan, “12 percent of transport fuel could come from biofuels, especially bioalcohol, by 2030.”
But a 2016 study of biofuels said, “Bioalcohol presently is mostly produced with food crops. Altogether, the environmentally-friendly biofuels rely on about 2-3 percent of the global water and land used for agriculture, which could feed a large number of hungry people.”
Energy experts have therefore been trying to deal with the problem. Recent research led by an international team found that the agave (龙舌兰) plant might offer a way out. This plant tends to be the right bioalcohol source to supersede others such as sugarcane (甘蔗) and corn.
Daniel Tan explains that the agave can be grown in unfavorable conditions and is not a major food crop. “It can grow in areas that lack water and rainfall without being watered by farmers, and it does not compete with food crops or put demands on limited water. This kind of useful plant is recently being grown in Australia. It can survive Australia's hot summers,” he says.
The study finds that sugarcane produces just a little more fuel per square meter each year than the agave. However, the agave outperforms sugarcane in a range of areas, including pollution to the earth, and water using. The agave uses 69 percent less water than sugarcane and 46 percent less water than corn for the same amount of fuel produced. As for corn，it produces less fuel per square meter each year than the agave.
However, Daniel Tan states: “The first generation of bioalcohol from the agave recently faces a big competition from oil, whose recent low price makes it far more attractive to customers. Without some policy support from the government, bioalcohol production from the agave faces big challenges.”
1. What can we learn about bioalcohol from the first paragraph?| A．It is popular among customers worldwide. |
| B．It is a kind of biofuel made from artificial matter. |
| C．It helps vehicles' engines stay in good condition. |
| D．It can play a big role in making transport fuel green. |
| A．Take the place of. | B．Take advantage of. |
| C．Get away from. | D．Get along with. |
| A．It improves the local weather. | B．It keeps the water in the ground. |
| C．It produces plenty of food for humans. | D．It puts low demands on growing environment. |
| A．Reduce the price of oil. | B．Make some favorable policies. |
| C．Expand agave bioalcohol's production. | D．Introduce competition into agave bioalcohol market. |
10 . Two women going on a journey to green their city is the best way to describe the founders of Utility, Portland's low-waste and reuse company. It started in January 2019 and opened its first retail shop in April. Its founders, Rebecca Rottman and Nadine Appenbrink, are deeply committed to sustainability and supporters of zero waste.
They started Utility as a second job for both and as a personal journey, looking for clean products that didn't come in plastic. Their goal is to reduce the amount of single-use plastics by allowing people to bring their own reusable containers when they buy environmental friendly home and personal care items.
Every week the women teamed up with local stores to sell their goods and to refill products for returning customers. Now they are operating only online for pickup or local delivery in the Portland area. It is really easy, the company said. Just shop online and choose a container. Then select pickup or delivery. The products include all-natural dish bar soap and a wide variety of plastic-free kitchen tools.
While not completely zero waste, Utility is striving to get extremely close. Appenbrink said, “We are all on a journey. And we want to be as approachable as possible. Utility is to raise awareness about this lifestyle.” They are focused on careful growth because Utility will never ship products because of the carbon footprint involved in shipping.
There are zero waste stores in other communities, like Clean Kilo in Birmingham UK, but they are real brick and mortar (实体的) buildings. Utility's concept is so simple that it can be followed almost anywhere. Zero waste markets are the way to the circular economy that is needed to stop plastic waste, reduce our carbon footprint and have a sustainable future.
1. Why did Rebecca and Nadine found Utility?| A．To satisfy people's basic needs. | B．To offer job chances to local people. |
| C．To raise money for a personal journey. | D．To promote the use of reusable containers. |
| A．Reducing their carbon footprint. | B．Offering more home-made products. |
| C．Providing low-price shipping service. | D．Expanding their market internationally. |
| A．It is a hard job to stop plastic waste. | B．It is easy to copy Utility's practice. |
| C．Zero waste stores should run offline. | D．Traditional shops produce more waste. |
| A．Two women are going on an eco-travel |
| B．Single-use plastics are replaced in Portland |
| C．A community online shop helps Portland go zero waste |
| D．A Portland company is changing plastic into green products |
