1 . October 21 was a very dark day in Texas. Not only did Hurricane Hanna destroy homes, it caused the largest business damage in Texas’s history. The worst thing is Hanna’s destructive force nearly wiped out most power poles and power lines. According to Center Point Energy, Hurricane Hanna affected 2.15 million customers. Currently, more than 4,000 of them are still in the dark. Crews have worked 16-hour shifts to restore power to residents.
Most of Houston seems to be returning to normal. Schools, restaurants, retail stores and gas stations are open. Smiles are back. But harder-hit places, including Galveston, will take much longer to recover. Hundreds of people are still missing, and coastal towns are a mess. Some ruins from storm have drifted south to other beaches in Texas. Several public schools in Galveston are closed due to water damage. Parents are registering kids in other area schools which are scheduled to begin class on November 13. Many school supplies were destroyed.
Clara Barton Village is an emergency shelter located at Alamo Elementary School in Galveston, Texas. This is where Paula Reed and her family are staying. Believe it or not, Paula Reed and her family consider this hurricane a blessing. When Paula was a girl, she was an orphan, but was taken in by her stepmom, Antonia Flores. Reed lost contact with Flores and had been trying desperately to locate her for the past few years. Before the hurricane, Reed and her family moved away from Galveston to a San Antonio shelter. There, she reunited with Flores after 30 long years! The moment they saw each other, their lives were changed.
1. What’s the most serious damage caused by Hurricane Hanna?| A．Hundreds of people are still missing. |
| B．A large number of people are homeless. |
| C．Power facilities are severely destroyed. |
| D．Factories are closed and many people jobless. |
| A．have fully recovered from the disaster |
| B．were the most unlucky people in the disaster |
| C．need a long time to bring their life back to normal |
| D．suffered less from Hanna than people in Galveston |
| A．at least one month | B．at least three weeks |
| C．two weeks at most | D．nearly half a month |
| A．they had nothing lost after Hurricane Hanna |
| B．they lived a happier life in San Antonio shelter |
| C．Paula was taken good care of in the shelter |
| D．Paula reunited with her stepmother after three decades |
2 . After living in the city for nearly ten years, my family decided to be more self-sufficient (自给自足). Then we moved into a house in the country, where we met real challenges.
There was no electricity available in the area. The energy is generated by the wind and sun and stored in batteries. When we first moved in, we lost power almost daily. After this happened a few times, we came to realize how often we wasted electricity. Lights, fans and computers were left on when they were not in use. The refrigerator door was left open too long. The cell phone chargers were plugged in all the time. All of this used unnecessary power. We steadily increased our awareness of conversing (节约) power.
No water line is connected to the house. We have two large water tanks. Every weekend after we came here, we carried two smaller tanks to the nearby town and filled them with water, which we carried back and pumped into our big tanks. It didn’t take us long to understand that we had to use less water. We started taking quicker showers, turning off the water while brushing our teeth and collecting the water every time it rained.
In addition, we are also trying to make other changes, including reducing the amount of waste we produce, growing our own organic vegetables, and reusing things that we would normally throw away. These changes not only make sense financially but also give my kids a feeling of satisfaction in doing something good for the planet.
While living far away from civilization has been a big adjustment, there are many benefits. One of the greatest is teaching my kids the importance of conservation. We used to take water, power and gas for granted. Now we have learned to conserve. I hope that once my kids move out of the house, they will keep the habits that they have formed by living here.
1. Why did the family move to the country?| A．To reduce their expenses. |
| B．To change their way of life. |
| C．To get away from the noisy city. |
| D．To teach the kids to be independent. |
| A．save time | B．carry less water | C．protect the tanks | D．save water |
| A．Children’s awareness of conservation. |
| B．The good habits of protecting the planet. |
| C．The determination to take up challenges. |
| D．The ability to adjust to new environments. |
3 . E-waste is fast becoming a serious global problem.
The source of e-waste
We live in a society that constantly produces and consumes electronic products. It is often cheaper to buy new pieces of equipment than to repair old ones. Also, through clever advertising, companies persuade consumers to replace their old TVs, mobile phones and computers for the latest models. E-waste is created when we throw away electronic equipment like this. In the EU alone, about 8.7 million tonnes of e-waste is produced each year.
The problem with e-waste
Burying e-waste in landfills or burning it causes serious problems for the environment.
Global recycling schemes (计划)
Take-back policy
Another solution to e-waste is to make manufacturers responsible for their used products. This could mean forcing them to take back old products which are no longer wanted.
Consuming less
We can all reduce the amount of waste we produce by buying electrical products only when we have to.
| A．In recent years, many countries have started recycling e-waste. |
| B．They should then make sure they are properly recycled or reused. |
| C．Sadly, just over one million tonnes is recycled. |
| D．This report will examine this problem and provide some possible solutions. |
| E．By resisting the temptation to buy a product just to have the latest version, we cut down on e-waste. |
| F．Electronics contain dangerous chemicals and metals. |
| G．Both manufacturers and consumers must accept their responsibilities and make efforts to keep it to a minimum. |
4 . Plans to bring wild tigers back to their original home , their historical range(历史分布范围） in the IliBalkhash region, have been announced by Kazakhstan( 哈萨克斯坦 ) and an agreement with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to conduct a tiger reintroduction program has been signed . “It will not only bring wild tigers back to their original home, but also protect the unique ecosystem of the IliBalkhash region，” said Askar Myrzakhmetov, the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
If successful, Kazakhstan will be the first country in the world to bring wild tigers back to an entire region where they have died out for nearly half a century. Tiger reintroduction projects have only been achieved within national borders and in areas that are considered current tiger habitats . Kazakhstan's tiger reintroduction program is unique and it badly requires the restoration of a vast forest that is part of the wild tiger's historical range.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, wild tigers have lost over 90 per cent of their historical range. Wild tigers have completely disappeared from the region since the late 1940s, due to the loss of habitat. To prepare for the return of wild tigers, on 1st January 2018 Kazakhstan will set up a new nature reserve in the southwestern IliBalkhash, in order to restore the unique forest habitat. This will include the protection of existing wildlife, and reintroducing important prey ( 猎物 ), such as the endangered wild Bactrian deer（中亚红鹿).
Restoring tigers will also help protect Lake Balkhash and prevent it from repeating the fate of the Aral Sea, formerly the world's fourth largest lake and now 10 percent of its original size. “The hard work remains ahead of us. We have to spare no effort to make this region ready for tigers and involve all the relevant people to make this happen. That means dealing with illegal activities, having these people who govern parks be welltrained and equipped, increasing prey populations and involving local communities，” said Ekaterina Vorobyeva, Director of the WWF program.
1. What is Askar Myrzakhmetov's attitude toward the tiger reintroduction program?| A．Doubtful. | B．Favorable. |
| C．Concerned. | D．Disapproving. |
| A．The increasing loss of prey. | B．The evolution of the species. |
| C．The lack of natural living places. | D．The serious environmental pollution. |
| A．Regulating human activities. | B．Limiting the number of prey. |
| C．Building a reserve for tigers only. | D．Training tigers to be more adaptable. |
| A．Efforts to restore forests in Kazakhstan |
| B．Bringing tigers back home to Kazakhstan |
| C．Attempts to handle illegal activities effectively |
| D．Preventing tigers disappearing in Kazakhstan |
5 . Illegally traded endangered species that escape, forming secondary populations, offer hope to their long-term survival, a study suggests. "This first came to my attention when I read a news story about the seizure of an illegal shipment of 23 yellow crested cockatoos (小葵花凤头鹦鹉),” said Luke Gibson, a college teacher. He learned that the species was critically endangered, which surprised him.
This encouraged Dr. Gibson and his colleague to investigate (调查) how a critically endangered species had become self-sustaining outside of its natural range. They discovered 49 cases of a globally threatened species becoming established as a separate population, which they hadn’t thought of, including the yellow-crested cockatoo in their city.
“This is a species which is primarily threatened by wildlife trade,” he told BBC News. “Poachers (偷猎者) go out into the forest in its native range in eastern Indonesia and capture the bird and then ship them off, usually up to our city where there is a strong demand for pet birds. This is what has fueled the decline of this species in its native range. But it’s really interesting because that same cause also had another effect: some of the people who were keeping this species here accidentally or intentionally released them.” As a result of enough of the birds set free, it allowed a new self-sustaining population to be established in this city.
The government in of Dr. Gibson’s city has made it illegal to capture the species, even though it is a non-native species. Because the city is affluent and relatively well educated, the cases of people breaking the law are extremely rare, explained Dr Gibson, unlike in its native range in Indonesia, where capturing birds form a major source of income.
However, there can be downsides (缺点) to the newly established population of endangered species, such as a limited genetic pool, and suffering from novel diseases. It did also present a possible “very interesting” opportunity for conservationists, Dr. Gibson suggested. This would involve “harvesting” some of the newly established secondary population, which may provide a way to help slow global biodiversity loss.
1. What was beyond Gibson’s expectations according to the first paragraph?| A．The high rate of wildlife trade. | B．The preciousness of the birds. |
| C．The fact that the birds nearly disappear. | D．The news that the birds were poached. |
| A．They formed a separate population. | B．They were kept as pet birds. |
| C．They were traded illegally. | D．They were killed for research. |
| A．Peace-loving. | B．Rich. |
| C．Free. | D．Environment-friendly. |
| A．To appeal to everyone to stop the wildlife trade. |
| B．To explain the challenge the wild birds are facing. |
| C．To introduce a creative approach to wildlife conservation. |
| D．To raise peopled awareness of protecting endangered species. |
At 8,844.43 meters high, Mount Qomolangma is
According to the UN, over 140 tons of trash have been left on the mountain. To reduce trash, China is limiting the number of people
Local residents cleaned the mountain last year,
This year, the local government plans to spend 4 million yuan
In addition to trash, workers will also collect the bodies of
A group of artists will try to turn some trash into artwork. They will show these works
7 . I take the train to work every morning from a train station near my house. I can get to the station quite
She was short and
She slowly placed her walking stick
There’s so much rubbish and no one ever does
I want to follow her example. I’ve decided to pick up rubbish off the
| A．hard | B．early | C．easily | D．late |
| A．rubbish | B．boxes | C．bottles | D．paper |
| A．walk | B．pass | C．go | D．rush |
| A．so | B．until | C．when | D．because |
| A．back | B．act | C．mark | D．colour |
| A．bike | B．stick | C．dog | D．umbrella |
| A．weak | B．rich | C．clever | D．sad |
| A．quickly | B．happily | C．angrily | D．slowly |
| A．at midnight | B．at noon | C．at last | D．at first |
| A．in | B．around | C．against | D．under |
| A．searched for | B．threw away | C．reached for | D．looked at |
| A．unable | B．difficult | C．different | D．impossible |
| A．picked up | B．dropped down | C．put in | D．lifted up |
| A．warm | B．enjoy | C．support | D．hide |
| A．continued | B．started | C．enjoyed | D．remembered |
| A．something | B．anything | C．everything | D．nothing |
| A．feel | B．see | C．have | D．let |
| A．busy | B．beautiful | C．dirty | D．clean |
| A．keep | B．stop | C．mind | D．regret |
| A．wall | B．desk | C．ground | D．classroom |
8 . Soon enough, we will lose some of the most amazing sites on Earth!
The Great Barrier Reef
Rising air temperatures will cause sea temperatures to rise as well.All life supported by the oceans will be affected with this shock to their ecosystem.Coral are some of the most vulnerable marine animals and we are already watching whole reefs disappear.The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is no exception and will continue to shrink as the temperatures rise！These reefs are some of the best in the world for diving, but they will soon disappear!
Venice
Sprawling across(横跨)hundreds of small islands in Northeast Italy，Venice is at extreme risk of sinking into the Adriatic Sea.Rising sea levels are in fact a serious threat to many coastal cities located at sea level.Lucky for us，however，Venice is developing a series of sea walls to protect the city in times of high tide.
Glacier(冰川)National Park
Glacier National Park was once covered by over 150 glaciers, but by 2005 it only had about 27！Located in Montana, Canada, this park is over a million acres and has a huge plant and wildlife population.As temperatures rise, the glaciers and ice melt, which will upset the ecosystems sustaining over a thousand plant species and hundreds of animals.
The Amazon
The cause behind the disappearance of these fantastic places ultimately comes down to humans.Our expansion usually requires cutting down forests for land, fuel and materials，but rarely considers the consequences.These forests are sources of food and medicine for just about everyone on the planet!
What will happen if we lose these valuable places and beautiful destinations？！
1. According to the text，what is causing coral's death?| A．Rising sea levels. | B．Rising sea temperatures. |
| C．Humans' diving activities. | D．The shrinkage(缩小)of their habitats. |
| A．Many places are in the risk of sinking below the sea level. |
| B．Venice is the only coastal city of Italy. |
| C．Venice will never sink because of the protection of sea walls. |
| D．Italy consists of hundreds of small islands in the Adriatic Sea. |
| A．It doesn't support any living thing for its cold. | B．It iscovered by over 150 glaciers. |
| C．Plant species and animals in it have died out. | D．It covers a large area in Montana. |
| A．The Great Barrier Reef. | B．Venice. |
| C．The Amazon. | D．Glacier National Park. |
9 . Every day, Americans throw away 500 million plastic straws, enough to circle the Earth twice. They are almost never recycled, and simply contribute to the great problem of plastic pollution; eight million tons of plastic is dumped into the oceans every year.
Plastic straws are now the target of a growing movement to reduce their use. Possibly the first of such campaigns, Be Straw Free was started in 2011 by Milo Cress, who was only nine years old at the lime.
“I noticed that whenever I ordered a drink at a restaurant, it would usually come with a straw in it, and I don’ I usually need a straw,” he said. “This seemed like a huge waste. Straws are made of oil, a precious and finite resource. Is making single - use plastic straws, which will be used for a matter of minutes before being tossed away, really what we want to do with this resource?”
Cress started asking restaurants in Burlington, Vermont, where he lived at the time, to stop providing straws automatically to customer and make them optional instead. Many agreed and his request made ripples (涟漪) nationwide. The restaurants that make the switch report a reduction in the number of straws they use between 50 and 80%.
The anti - straw sentiment has crossed borders into the UK, where straws have been included in a government plan to ban ail plastic waste by 2042.
Last year large pub chain Wetherspoons announced that it would replace plastic straws with paper alternatives across 900 outlets. After the announcement, many smaller chains and pubs across the country followed suit. According to Wetherspoons CEO John Hutson, the move will save 70 million plastic straws a year and the reaction from patrons has been “very positive”.
Offering alternatives or making plastic straws optional, rather than banning them completely, is a common trait among these campaigns. “There are many other viable alternatives to single - use plastic drinking straws that are less harmful to the environment, wildlife and humans,” said Jackie Nunez, founder of The Last Plastic Straw.
1. What can we learn from Paragraph 1?| A．Plastic straws are too costly to produce. |
| B．All plastic straws are dumped into the sea. |
| C．Plastic straws are too small to be recycled. |
| D．Plastic straws cause great pollution. |
| A．To make plastic straws optional. |
| B．To stop the use of plastic straws. |
| C．To charge the use of plastic straws. |
| D．To reject the request for plastic straws. |
| A．To ban the use of plastic straws. |
| B．To close some of its outlets. |
| C．To offer customers alternatives. |
| D．To seek the government’s support. |
| A．Uncaring. | B．Favorable. |
| C．Ambiguous. | D．Disapproving. |
阅读下面短文，简要回答所给问题。
The first Earth Day was in 1970. People were beginning to worry about what we were doing to our environment. So they set up Earth Day to tell everyone about their worries.
In 2007 organizers over 150 countries planned over 4,000 big events. But Earth Day is not just about marches(游行) and big events. In the week around Earth Day (22 April) there were many thousands of smaller, local events. These events dealt with environmental problems in the neighborhood. The World Wide Fund for Nature made a list of 5 things that each person could do to save the environment.
*Don't leave the tap running.
*Turn off lights when you leave a room.
*Turn off your computer every night.
*Wash your clothes, and yourself, in warm or cold water, not hot water.
*Dishwashers use as little water as possible. If we all do at least 20 of these all the time, we can make a big difference.
1. What is the purpose for people to set up Earth Day?
2. When is Earth Day?
3. What should people do when the water keeps running from a tap?
4. Does the word “dishwashers” mean “machines for washing dishes”?
5. Besides the five, what else can you do to save our environment? (One example is OK.)
