3 . A smoke bomb from a party started a major blaze (火焰) near Los Angeles in September,just one of many recent wildfires ignited (引燃) by people. Now, an analysis of satellite data shows human-caused blazes spread much faster and kill more trees than ones ignited by lightning.

Fire has always been a part of California’s natural history. But several centuries of human settlement have created new conditions that promote its spread.Studies have shown human ignition is to blame for 84% of all wildfires in the United States,and 97% of all those that threaten homes.

Human-caused fires always seemed more extreme, says Stijn Hantson,a fire ecologist at the University of California,Irvine,who led the new research. But measurements of how fast they spread and their impacts on ecosystems (生态系统) in California had not been explored, he notes.

To examine those differences, Hantson and his colleagues analyzed satellite data for 214 wildfires in California between 2012 and 2018.Human-caused fires typically spread about 1.83 kilometers per day, more than twice as fast as lightning-ignited burns,the team reports.The faster spreading fires also burned more violently and killed “double or triple” the trees as lightning-caused ones.

However, there is no fundamental difference in the chemistry of a human-caused blaze. “A fire is a fire” Hantson says. “It’s the surrounding things that matter.” Causes of fires ranging from improperly thrown cigarettes to sparking (冒火花) power lines could ignite a blaze on any given day, he says, while lightning strikes and dry thunderstorms only happen seasonally.

The researchers tracked meteorological data and found that human-caused fires were more likely to start on days with extreme weather conditions,and were more associated with drier,less-forested landscapes. This adds to scientists’ understanding of how humans are extending the fire season, says Nathan Mietkiewicz, an ecologist with the National Ecological Observation Network.

5 . In 2014, Xu Yitang, a Beijing native who had been studying Peking Opera since childhood, went with friends for a birthday celebration to Beijing Zoo. Little did he know that a chance encounter at the aquarium there would excite a lifelong passion. As Xu Yitang stared at corals bathed in tank’s light, a sense of wonder crowded into his mind. Lost in the beauty and mystery of the creatures, he spent the entire afternoon in front of it. After that, he began to frequent the local market to learn about coral farming from merchants who sell ornamental plants, fish and corals. He also searched for information on relevant forums online. Before long, he had set up a small fish tank at home and started cultivating a coral.

Nowadays, Xu Yitang who has moved to the tropical island of South China’s Hainan province, works for a Sanya-based tropical biological laboratory belonging to the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Each day, he spends several hours diving deep under the waves to observe and document the growth and development of the creatures that captured his heart all those years ago. Nicknamed “coral man”, he is actively engaged on such social media platforms as Sina Weibo, where he regularly shares visually beautiful photos and entertaining videos of corals. He aims to encourage individuals to take action in protecting coral reefs and the oceans as a whole from the destructive impact of climate change and human activities.

Unfortunately, with the strengthening of the greenhouse effect, rising sea temperatures have led to coral bleaching (白化) and decay. A coral reef’s beautiful colors come from the symbiotic algae (共生藻类) zooxanthellae that provide more than 90 percent of the energy through photosynthesis (光合作用). Coral bleaching occurs when coral expels the algae and dies due to the lack of nutrients.

In the laboratory, he would film educational videos to raise awareness and knowledge about corals, so that people can learn how to protect them effectively.

9 . 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.

10 . In 1906, Theodore Roosevelt (1858—1919), America’s 26th president, signed the American Antiquities Act. The law ______ him—and future presidents—to take immediate action to protect important cultural or natural ______. During his time ______ (1901-1909), he established five new national parks and 18 national monuments. He became ______ as “the conservationist (环境保护主义者) president”.

Roosevelt’s______ for the land and environment came from the time he spent in the Dakota Territory. In 1883, he came to Dakota in ______ of hunting huge animals called bison and had a great ______ in the Western frontier lifestyle.

Roosevelt soon developed an interest in ______ cattle. He entered the business and ______ $14, 000 to build the Maltese Cross Ranch (牧场). Roosevelt returned to New York while workers constructed the ranch. But, in 1884, he experienced two great ______ losses. His mother and wife ______ illnesses on the same day.

Roosevelt again ______ west and sought to ______ the reminders of his recent losses. Roosevelt ______ between New York and Dakota. In 1885, Roosevelt published his first book about his ______ as a rancher and hunter. In it, he predicted that the cattle industry was not sustainable (可持续性的). In other words, it would not ______.

Roosevelt was right. Severe weather ______ the area in 1886 and 1887. In the winter, a terrible ______ killed many cattle. The animals that survived the cold soon starved. The experience, however, influenced Roosevelt’s beliefs about the need for ______ in America. Those beliefs, in turn, helped ______ his policies as president.