1 . Animals deserve to live a safe and healthy life as much as humans do.     1     Some people try to get profit from everything and sometimes animals become victims. It is vital that we take action to protect animals. Below are some simple ways in which we can all contribute towards the protection of endangered animals.

Spread awareness. One way to protect endangered animals is to create awareness about them.     2     Having seminars (研讨会) is another way of creating awareness. Also, familiarize people around you with the importance of the animals in your surroundings. Our routine activities directly or indirectly influence their lifestyle.

Drive carefully in forest areas. It is important to watch the road when you are going through roads in forest areas. Many animals die while trying to cross the road because people do not pay attention to them.     3    

Avoid plastic items. Do you know what happens to a plastic bag thrown into a river?     4     Plastic is a big threat to wildlife. And we have to reduce the overconsumption of life-threatening products to protect the endangered species. Prevent plastic items such as bags and containers. Shop in a handmade woven bag and recycle the boxes.

    5     As a volunteer, you can offer support to animal rescue teams in your area. Such organizations are always short of funds and are looking for animal lovers to support the cause. Spending a portion of your daily or weekly schedule is one step towards saving wildlife and protecting endangered species.

2 . Plastic is low-cost and long-lasting. It is not easily degraded(降解) because natural degradation processes can’t deal with its chemical components(成分). It takes in other ocean-present harmful substances. These chemical and dangerous components are gradually got into the atmosphere with additives such as color, which turns out to be really harmful when the plastic breaks down.

The design and development of new plastic products was sped up after World War II. Life without plastic seemed impossible in the modern age. But even though plastic was quite convenient, the dark side of it was seen as people began to enjoy the throw-away community. Many plastic products, such as plastic bags, have a lifetime of a few minutes to hours. However, they’ll stay in the environment for hundreds of years. We are destroying the very world that nurtured us.

Just 9% of plastic has been recycled and 12% burnt after production rose in the 1950s, which leave s about 79% of the 8.3 billion tons produced sitting in landfills(垃圾填埋场) or damaging our fields, oceans, and waterways. And each year the plastic ends up as contaminants. So to beat plastic pollution, we need to work together.

While plastic burning reduces the amount of waste dumped into oceans and lands, harmful gases are still produced, which also leads to greenhouse gases. However, if we make a firm decision and use modern waste management methods, we will be able to create a safe and healthy world. It is high time that we as responsible global citizens, took on the duty of protecting our environment and made great effort in saving our mother earth, instead of just leaving everything to our government. So, ladies and gentlemen, let’s make a promise to successfully deal with plastic waste and protect our world from all possible risks.

4 . These days, kids seem to spend most of their time on the smart phones or the video games. It’s _________ to be a bit pessimistic (悲观的) about their future. But if you look closely, there are some young minds that are trying to solve_________ world problems.

Jackson _________ away “Blessing Bags” for the homeless in Chicago: snacks, socks and other things. Jackson started his _________ at 9 years old.

In Bali, Melati and Isabel began a campaign to _________ the beaches and keep their country far from plastic pollution in 2008. Bali is now plastic-free. But they don’t _________. They are focusing on the rest of Indonesia.

Ryan was 7 years old when he _________ Ryan’s Recycling. He collected over 200, 000 bottles and cans a year from 50 customers.

In Sierra, Kelvin started bringing _________ and a community radio station to villages by making batteries (电池). He was 13 years old. Most importantly, Kelvin _________ other children that they could make a __________.

So far, teenager Slat has __________ over $ 13 million for his project Ocean Cleanup that uses the ocean’s waves to collect plastic __________.

At age 15, Ann __________ a flashlight that uses body heat for power to keep batteries __________ landfills (填埋).

Kids around the world are raising much money for cancer research and environmental problems __________ by running juice shops, sewing dresses and selling flowers.

5 . The loss of housing due to floods is an undeniable issue. But now, Japanese housing developer Ichijo Komuten recently unveiled a “flood-resistant house” that can not only remain waterproof during floods, but also float off the ground.

Their new “flood-resistant house” was recently featured on a popular Japanese TV show and it has been getting a lot of attention online ever since. Japan’s TBS TV station recently visited one of Ichijo’s test sites where the company’s new flood-resistant house was being put through a simulated flood. Although it looked just like an ordinary house when the test began, by the time that water started rising around it, viewers could see the structure leave the ground and eventually float a few inches above it.

We’ve all seen floating houses being swept away in severe floods, but Ichijo’s newest invention features a system that prevents just that. The house is connected to a number of thick iron rod(杆)sticking out of the ground with thick cables(缆绳)that ensure it stays in place as the water floods past. When the water recedes, the floating house comes back down in its original position. The “flood-resistant house” also features special vents(通风口))hat close up in the event of flooding, and the plumbing also has special valves that prevent water from getting into the home. Electrical equipment like air conditioning is positioned on the upper half of the building to ensure that water doesn’t reach it.

According to engineers at Ichijo Komuten, most homes flood when water reaches the window level, but because their flood-resistant house can float up to five meters above ground, water is unlikely to reach the windows and everything else is sealed shut.

6 . The African penguin lives on St. Croix island off the east coast of South Africa. A new study has found that they are leaving their natural environment to escape noisy ship refueling (补给燃料) activities.

The African penguins once mainly raised babies on this island. But the population has dropped sharply since South Africa started permitting ships in the area to refuel at sea six years ago, the study found.

Lorien Pichegru is acting director of the Coastal and Marine Research Institute at Nelson Mandela University, which led the study. She said the organization had found that noise levels in the area had doubled since the refueling activities began. Scientists say high noise levels affect the ability of penguins to find and catch other animals for food. Noise also makes it more difficult for them to communicate with each other and map travel paths. ‌“This year we are at 1,200 breeding pairs at St Croix from 8,500 pairs in 2016,” Pichegru said.

The study recently appeared in the publication Science of the Total Environment. The researchers said the study is the first to explore the effects of ocean traffic noise pollution on a seabird.

Nelson Mandela University’s study collected some data to estimate underwater noise from passing ships. Oil-covered penguins were found in 2019 in Algoa Bay after an oil spill from ship-to-ship refueling. Environmental groups have called for the activities to be banned in the bay.

Pichegru said penguins in the area were already struggling to survive because of a series of issues, including industrial fishing activities. She added that the refueling activities did not kill all the penguins. However, ‌“It was just the thing that made the whole ecology tip over and then the penguins couldn’t cope with that,” she said.

7 . Humans can race to get out of a hurricane’s path. Some animals can sense a hurricane coming and leave quickly, but there are animals that can’t simply get out of the way. Here are the various effects of hurricanes on animals.

Birds may be able to sense air pressure and other changes in the environment, which encourages them to get out of harm’s way. Some birds will even speed up their migration (迁徙) leaving earlier than usual if a serious hurricane is approaching. However, strong winds can push birds hundreds of miles away from their home. Young or weak birds can become separated from the rest of their group and often have difficulty making it home.

Fish can also be affected. After Hurricane Andrew in 1992, about 184 million fish died in south Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin alone. Strong winds blew leaves off trees, blowing them into wetlands. The rotting (腐烂的) organic material to extremely low levels of oxygen in the water, killing the fish. Some fish will often find sheltered areas during hurricanes, but they’re not always safe. Dolphins have occasionally been blown to shore during big hurricanes.

There are many other dangers that come with hurricane-related water. Sharp rise of saltwater onshore can harm wildlife and plants that live in the freshwater and can’t bear the salt content.Heavy rain can also affect the balance of fresh and salt water in some areas, harming the creatures that live in them.

Many animals lose their regular food supply when a hurricane arrives, as strong winds and rains destroy trees of fruits, nuts and berries. During Hurricane Andrew, about one-quarter of Louisiana’s public oyster seed (牡蛎种苗) grounds were destroyed. Because the oysters were an important food source for some birds on Louisiana’s barrier Islands, the birds suffered mass death as a direct result of the hurricane.

9 . Local authorities and firefighters in the United States are always on the lookout for new and creative methods to help control wildfires. Especially during the hot and dry summer months, thousands of wildfires cause damage to forests every year. The city of West Sacramento in North California has found a creative secret weapon to help deal with this phenomenon: goats.

These friendly animals have been assisting the city with wildfire prevention and fire risks by eating weeds, dry grass and dead trees. When the goats eat the things that are likely to catch fire, they prevent the problem from happening.

Wildfires occur naturally when dry plants are ignited(点燃)by the sun’s heat and catch on fire. However, most wildfires are caused by human carelessness, including unattended campfires, cigarettes and other flammable objects. The best strategy to battle the fires and minimize the damage is to attempt to remove the fuel that enables the spread of the flames, in this case the dry weeds, trees and plants. If the things that are most likely to catch fire are gone, the fire is less likely to spread.

The love able goats are able to reach difficult areas that people are not able to access. About 400 of these goats can clear two acres per day. They even fertilize(使肥沃)the area, a natural and free side effect of eating all those dry plants. Firefighters and government officials cannot be happier with the results.

“For us, the combination of turning to goats for help with the quick fire response is an effective method of keeping our neighbors safe from disastrous wildfires,“said assistant Fire Chief Khari Helae.” With climate change and the fact that our vegetation is being affected because of climate change, it’s necessary to focus on our fuel reduction program.”