1 . New research links outdoor air pollution — even at levels considered safe — to an increased risk of diabetes (糖尿病) globally, according to a study from the VA St. Louis Health Care System. The findings raise the possibility that reducing pollution may lead to a drop in diabetes cases in heavily polluted countries such as India and less polluted ones such as the United States.
Diabetes is one of the fastest growing diseases, affecting more than 500 million people worldwide. The main drivers of diabetes include eating an unhealthy diet, having a sedentary lifestyle and obesity, but the new research indicates the extent to which outdoor air pollution plays a role.
“Our research shows a significant link between air pollution and diabetes globally,” said Ziyad Al-Aly, MD, the study’s senior author and an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Washington. “We found an increased risk, even at low levels of air pollution currently considered safe by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO). This is important because many industry lobbying (游说) groups argue that current levels are too stringent and should be relaxed. Evidence shows that current levels are still not sufficiently safe and need to be tightened.”
While growing evidence has suggested a link between air pollution and diabetes, researchers have not attempted to quantify that burden until now. “Over the past two decades, there have been bits of research about diabetes and pollution,” said Al-Aly. “We wanted to thread together the pieces for a broader, more solid understanding.”
The researchers also found that the overall risk of pollution-related diabetes tilted (倾斜) more toward lower-income countries such as India that lack the resources for environmental mitigation systems and clean-air policies. For instance, poverty-stricken countries facing a higher diabetes-pollution risk include Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea and Guyana, while richer countries such as France, Finland and Iceland experience a lower risk. The US experiences a medium risk of pollution-related diabetes.
1. What does the underlined word “stringent” in paragraph 3 mean?| A．Strict. | B．Slight. |
| C．Bright. | D．Ordinary. |
| A．To identify the causes of diabetes. |
| B．To make better air pollution control policies. |
| C．To lead the study of diabetes and air pollution. |
| D．To figure out the link between pollution and diabetes. |
| A．India. | B．Finland. |
| C．The US. | D．Guyana. |
| A．Current pollution control levels need to be tightened |
| B．Diabetes is one of the fastest growing diseases globally |
| C．Air pollution contributes significantly to diabetes globally |
| D．Poverty-stricken countries face a higher diabetes-pollution risk |
1. Where did the man’s mother get the tornado(龙卷风) warning?
| A．From the newspaper. | B．On the radio. | C．On TV. |
| A．Being careful. | B．Going out. | C．Spotting a tornado. |
3 . Studies have shown that walking among trees makes us relaxed.
For the study, researchers worked with 296 children between the ages of 9 and 12. To measure how connected they were to nature, the kids were asked how much they enjoy activities like seeing wildflowers and wild animals, hearing sounds of nature and touching animals and plants.
So exposure to nature is related to active behaviors and happiness of children. What does that mean to adults? As we all know, children usually tend to follow adults, especially their parents’ behaviors.
Researchers say that children need role models who can guide them to nature with excitement and an attitude of a lifelong learner. Parents don’t have to be experts in environmental science or nature studies.
| A．It’s so good going for a walk around trees. |
| B．Even just smelling the trees helps reduce anxiety. |
| C．That’s to say, when adults are outside and appreciate nature, kids learn by example. |
| D．What’s more important is that they spend time together with children exploring nature. |
| E．They found that the kids connected to nature were more likely to behave actively. |
| F．In a new study, researchers wanted to see if kids get the same benefits from being outdoors. |
| G．Researchers will study more about the connection between children’s happiness and nature. |
4 . The fishermen of Senegal have joined forces to protect one of the ocean’s most endangered species — the sea turtle, a classic case of “poacher turned gamekeeper”.
The coastal waters of Senegal in West Africa are home to several species of sea turtles which are all beautiful creatures but are affected by pollution, poaching and even fishing nets.
“Once we were the biggest eaters of turtles, now we have become their biggest protectors,” said Abdou Karim Sall, a fisherman who led the Management Committee for the Marine Protected Are (MPA) of Joal-Fadiouth.
The Joal-Fadiouth MPA, covering about 174 square kilometers, was founded in 2004, and it’s backed by the government, local authorities and several associations. It is an area aimed at protecting marine ecosystem, habitats and species, including endangered species like the sea turtle. Its benefits are obvious: maintaining biodiversity, increasing fish catches on fishing grounds, as well as economic development.
For a long time, Sall has been working to raise local awareness of sea turtle protection. “Even former turtle sellers have been ‘changed’ by receiving three small boats to take tourists to sea,” he said. Instead of strict restrictions, the Joal-Fadiouth MPA has been trying to educate local communities about the economic benefits so that they would join the project. “It’s after they are told: ‘It’s an endangered species’,” Sall said.
Local residents have also set out to protect the nests. During summer and fall, a few dozen turtles may stop to lay eggs on the beaches of Joal-Fadiouth. MPA agents and village volunteers protest their nests with fences. “People come at 6 a. m. so that other animals do not take the young.” said Sall.
Sall added the number of turtles had decreased by about 30% in the past 20 years, and chances of survival of a young turtle were no higher than one in a thousand. But the fisherman-conservator agreed, “Awareness has not worked 100%.”
1. What do the underlined words “poacher turned gamekeeper” in Paragraph 1 probably refer to?| A．A person beginning to hunt animals illegally. |
| B．A person switching from a hunter to a protector. |
| C．A person changing completely from good to bad. |
| D．A person continuing to protect endangered species. |
| A．Building more nests for turtles to lay eggs. |
| B．Publicizing the economic benefits of the project. |
| C．Placing strict restrictions to educate the communities. |
| D．Providing different means of transportation for turtle sellers. |
| A．The measures the MPA will take in the future. |
| B．The argument about the Marine Protected Area. |
| C．The danger sea turtles still face from fishermen. |
| D．The benefits brought by the Marine Protected Area. |
| A．Fishermen of Senegal have joined together to protect sea turtles. |
| B．Sea turtles in Senegal are endangered because of human activities. |
| C．The situation of sea turtles in Senegal has been improves significantly. |
| D．The Marine Protected Area has played an important role in protecting sea turtles. |
5 . Earlier in the year we decided to build a garden in the heart of the village. We
While we were
So, I looked around to
Last weekend, before we set out to plant our sunflowers, we received an unexpected
All problems were
We were just about to leave for the day, when my friend came with some daisies (雏菊).What a surprise! These daisies aren’t on our plan, but if the garden says that they’ll go well there, then who am I to argue?
1.| A．boosted | B．attained | C．made | D．assumed |
| A．Therefore | B．However | C．Furthermore | D．Instead |
| A．take effect | B．come true | C．go easy | D．make sense |
| A．seed | B．space | C．time | D．money |
| A．turned | B．figured | C．worked | D．broke |
| A．puzzled | B．delighted | C．frightened | D．worried |
| A．compose | B．clarify | C．channel | D．cover |
| A．answer | B．price | C．problem | D．core |
| A．meant | B．said | C．hoped | D．thought |
| A．beaten | B．lifted | C．watered | D．burned |
| A．purchase | B．design | C．borrow | D．hire |
| A．suggested | B．ordered | C．required | D．guaranteed |
| A．fancied | B．managed | C．stopped | D．rejected |
| A．security | B．guidance | C．kindness | D．treatment |
| A．charged | B．donated | C．lent | D．awarded |
| A．potential | B．goal | C．conclusion | D．wallet |
| A．avoid | B．involve | C．help | D．remember |
| A．analyzed | B．resolved | C．discussed | D．released |
| A．relatives | B．commanders | C．couples | D．volunteers |
| A．fond | B．afraid | C．tired | D．ashamed |
6 . Internet users worldwide are planting trees — nearly 65 million of them to date — just by browsing the internet. That’s because instead of relying on Google or Yahoo to conduct their online searches, they are using Ecosia.
Like other search engines, Ecosia makes money through advertising — every time someone clicks on one of the ads located next to search results, Ecosia makes several cents. The Berlin-based start-up invests 80 percent of its profits in tree planting.
Currently, 8 million users are funding 20 tree-planting projects in 15 countries. For example, Ecosia is planting mangrove trees along the Madagascar coast, nut trees in Ghana, and acacia trees in Ethiopian valley.
To make sure the trees actually stay in the ground, the search engine employs a chief tree-planting officer, who reviews projects and regularly visits tree-planting sites. The company also relies on satellite imaging to help ensure millions of trees it funds aren’t subject to logging.
The majority of Ecosia users are located in France, Germany, and the UK, but the search engine is rapidly expanding in US. “We’re seeing real growth in the US as people find out they can plant trees while searching the internet,” founder Christian Kroll said, “which means we are on track to plant more than 100 million trees by next year.”
When it comes to being a force for social good, Ecosia seems to walk the walk. As the climate movement worldwide grows, the internet has not escaped scrutiny for its carbon footprint — and for good reason. In early August, the company announced that with the completion of its second solar plant, it is returning enough renewable energy to the grid to offset more than 100 percent of the energy used by Microsoft to power Ecosia searches. Given that trees suck up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, the start-up claims that each Ecosia internet search actually removes 1kg of CO2 from the atmosphere.
1. What is Ecosia?| A．An ad agency. | B．A search engine. | C．A browser. | D．A power plant. |
| A．It transforms to do charity. |
| B．Its users make money by using it. |
| C．It earn money by clicking the ads on it. |
| D．It spends most profits on tree-planting projects. |
| A．Check the growth of trees. | B．Hire a tree-planting officer. |
| C．Protect trees being cut down. | D．Inspect planting sites irregularly. |
| A．The Internet needs to save energy. |
| B．The solar plants can boost energy for itself. |
| C．The company’s purpose is to find alternative energy. |
| D．Ecosia keeps making efforts in environmental protection. |
7 . Do you remember all those years when scientists argued that smoking would kill us but the doubters insisted that we didn’t know for sure? That the evidence was not enough, the science uncertain? They even thought that the anti-smoking group was out to destroy our way of life and the government should stay out of the way. Lots of Americans believed that nonsense, and over three decades, some 10 million smokers went to early graves.
There are upsetting similarities today, as scientists try to awaken us to the growing threat of global warming. The latest was an expert group from the National Academy of Sciences, telling us that the Earth’s atmosphere is definitely warming and that the problem is largely man-made. The president of the National Academy, Bruce Alberts, added that “Science never has all the answers. But science does provide us with the best available guide to the future, and it is critical that our nation and the world base important policies on the best judgments that science can provide concerning the future consequences of present actions.”
Just as on smoking, voices now come from many quarters insisting that the science about global warming is incomplete, that it’s OK to keep pouring smoke into the air until we know for sure. This is a dangerous game: by the time 100 percent of the evidence is in, it may be too late. With the risks obvious and growing, a careful people would take out an insurance policy now.
Fortunately, the government is starting to pay attention. But it’s obvious that a majority of the president’s advisers still don’t take global warming seriously. Instead of a plan of action, they continue to ask for more research — a classic case of “paralysis by analysis”.
To serve as responsible keepers of the planet, we must press forward on deeper atmospheric and oceanic research. But research alone is inadequate. The legislative(立法的) action should be taken to protect the planet, and to protect ourselves.
1. What statement did lots of Americans agree with?| A．Smoking was closely connected with death. |
| B．People had the freedom to choose their own way of life. |
| C．The number of early deaths of smokers was small. |
| D．Anti-smoking people were usually talking nonsense. |
| A．A guide. | B．A judge. | C．A critic. | D．A protector. |
| A．Endless studies kill action. | B．Careful investigation reveals truth. |
| C．Adequate planning ensures success. | D．Extensive research helps decision-making. |
| A．Both of them are ignored by the government. |
| B．A lesson from the latter can be applied to the former. |
| C．The outcome of the latter worsens the former. |
| D．Both of them have turned from bad to worse. |
8 . Irish architects Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara were selected as the 2020 Pritzker Prize Laureates (获奖者), announced Tom Pritzker, Chairman of the Hyatt Foundation which sponsors the award that is often referred to as “architecture’s Nobel”. Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara have practiced architecture together for over forty years in a way that clearly reflects the objectives of the Pritzker Prize: to recognize the art of architecture and consistent service to humanity as evidenced through a body of built work.
They were awarded for their generosity toward their colleagues, commitment to excellence in architecture, responsible attitude toward the environment, ability to be cosmopolitan while embracing the uniqueness of each place in which they work, for all these reasons and more, according to the 2020 Jury Citation.
As architects and educators since the 1970s, Farrell and McNamara have created spaces that honor history while presenting their mastery of the urban environment and craft of construction. Their works never repeat or copy, but are decidedly of their own architectural style.
Their native Ireland, an island dotted with mountains and hills, breeds their acute sensitivities to geography, such as the changing climate and nature, in each of their sites. The campus of UTEC Lima, one of their works, for example, is located on a challenging site with a highway sunk in a valley on one side and a neighborhood on the other. The result is a vertical building responding to both site and climate needs. Its open spaces are designed to deliberately welcome the cool wind from the ocean and minimize the need for air-conditioning.
According to McNamara, architecture anchors us and connects us to the world as a framework for human life. She adds that possibly no other space-making discipline(科目) can do this. Farrell continues, “At the core of our practice is a real belief that architecture matters. It is a cultural spatial phenomenon that people invent. ”
1. What do we know about the Pritzker Prize?| A．It is personally sponsored by Tom Pritzker. |
| B．Its goal is to provide continuous service for mankind. |
| C．It aims to identify the architectural art through buildings. |
| D．It has been set up for more than forty years as “architecture’s Nobel”. |
| A．Global. | B．Special. |
| C．Creative. | D．Environment-friendly. |
| A．To show its geographical location. |
| B．To show the challenge of building it. |
| C．To show the two architects’ sensitivities to geography. |
| D．To show how to minimize the need for air-conditioning. |
| A．It is important to human life. |
| B．It is a crucial practice to all architects. |
| C．It is invented by people in the cultural field. |
| D．It is better than any other space-making discipline. |
9 . In 2011, some students at the University of Maryland saw a large amount of food going to waste on their campus. They were so
Up to now, FRN has
The chapter of FRN at the University of Maryland works to
“Our
| A．relaxed | B．delighted | C．concerned | D．confused |
| A．label | B．replace | C．waste | D．redistribute |
| A．need | B．love | C．decline | D．check |
| A．came back | B．came down | C．came into being | D．came to an end |
| A．promising | B．challenging | C．limited | D．outdated |
| A．agreed | B．prepared | C．regretted | D．grown |
| A．donations | B．meals | C．chapters | D．teachers |
| A．supply | B．insecurity | C．recognition | D．disappearance |
| A．doubted | B．rejected | C．postponed | D．submitted |
| A．medicine | B．shelter | C．food | D．trip |
| A．aid | B．assess | C．identify | D．investigate |
| A．temporarily | B．smoothly | C．randomly | D．toughly |
| A．collect | B．eat | C．order | D．sell |
| A．priced | B．sorted | C．tasted | D．cast |
| A．bank | B．home | C．company | D．school |
| A．living | B．difference | C．fortune | D．profit |
| A．extra | B．dirty | C．purchased | D．expensive |
| A．blind | B．harmful | C．adaptable | D．friendly |
| A．allowed | B．promoted | C．decreased | D．received |
| A．side | B．double | C．opposite | D．individual |
A Norwegian company has created what it calls the world’s first zero-emission, automatic cargo ship. Developed by chemical company Yara International, the ship
The shipping industry accounts for between 2.5% and 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the International Maritime Organization. Nearly all of Norway’s electricity is generated by hydroelectric power, which is
Capable of carrying 103 containers and with
As well as
