1 . As reported in the journal Nature, one system can directly remove carbon dioxide from sources ranging from flue gas (烟道气) to the atmosphere by using electricity to induce a water-and-oxygen-based electrochemical reaction. This technological achievement could turn direct air capture (捕获) from edge industry into a promising front for climate change relief.
Most carbon-capture systems involve a two-step process: First, high-pH liquids are used to separate the carbon dioxide, which is acidic, from mixed-gas streams such as flue gas. Next, the carbon dioxide is regenerated from the solution through heating or by injecting a low-pH liquid.
“Once the carbon dioxide is trapped in these solvents (溶剂), you have to regenerate it,” says Haotian Wang, assistant professor at Rice University. “There are literally no chemicals produced or consumed with our process. We also don’t need to heat up or pressurize our device, we just need to put it into a power outlet and it will work.”
Another drawback of current carbon-capture technologies is their reliance on large-scale, centralized infrastructure. By contrast, the system developed in the Wang lab is an extensible, modular, point-of-use concept that can adapt to a variety of scenarios. “The technology can be scaled up to industrial settings-power plants, chemical plants-but the great thing about it is that it allows for small-scale use as well: I can even use it in my office.” Wang says.
Also the reactor can continuously remove carbon dioxide from a simulated (模拟的) flue gas with efficiency above 98% using a relatively low electricity input. Wang notes that the process has “no carbon footprint or a very limited footprint” if powered by electricity from renewable sources such as solar or wind. “This is great news considering that renewablel electricity is becoming more and more cost-effective,” Wang says.
1. What does the author intend to do in Paragraph 2?| A．Add up some opposite reasons. | B．Offer basic evidences to the topic. |
| C．Summarize the following paragraphs. | D．Provide some background information. |
| A．It involves a two-step process. | B．It creates some chemicals. |
| C．It is simple and easy to operate. | D．It needs to be used in big plants. |
| A．By making comparisons. | B．By listing many numbers. |
| C．By providing research results. | D．By analyzing causes and effects. |
| A．Unclear. | B．Favourable. | C．Objective. | D．Disapproving. |
2 . After years of heated debate, gray wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. Fourteen wolves were caught in Canada and transported to the park. By last year, the Yellowstone wolf population had grown to more than 170 wolves.
Gray wolves once were seen here and there in the Yellowstone area and much of the continental United States, but they were gradually displaced by human development. By the 1920s, wolves had practically disappeared from the Yellowstone area. They went farther north into the deep forests of Canada, where there were fewer humans around.
The disappearance of the wolves had many unexpected results. Deer and elk populations — major food sources (来源) for the wolf — grew rapidly. These animals consumed large amounts of vegetation (植被), which reduced plant diversity in the park. In the absence of wolves, coyote populations also grew quickly. The coyotes killed a large percentage of the park’s red foxes, and completely drove away the park’s beavers.
As early as 1966, biologists asked the government to consider reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone Park. They hoped that wolves would be able to control the elk and coyote problems. Many farmers opposed the plan because they feared that wolves would kill their farm animals or pets.
The government spent nearly 30 years coming up with a plan to reintroduce the wolvers. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service carefully monitors and manages the wolf packs in Yellowstone. Today, the debate continues over how well the gray wolf is fitting in at Yellowstone. Elk, deer, and coyote populations are down, while beavers and red foxes have made a comeback. The Yellowstone wolf project has been a valuable experiment to help biologists decide whether to reintroduce wolves to other parts of the country as well.
1. What is the text mainly about?| A．Wildlife research in the United States. |
| B．Plant diversity in the Yellowstone area. |
| C．The conflict between farmers and gray wolves. |
| D．The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone Park. |
| A．Damage to local ecology. |
| B．Preservation of vegetation. |
| C．A decline in the park’s income. |
| D．An increase in the variety of animals. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Uncaring. | C．Positive. | D．Disapproving. |
3 . As a young girl growing up in France, Sarah Toumi dreamed of becoming a leader who could make the world a better place. Her passion to help others was awakened when, from the age of nine, she accompanied her Tunisian father to his birthplace in the east of the country during holidays. There she organized homework clubs and activities for children.
Toumi witnessed first-hand the destructive effect of desertification (沙漠化). “Within 10 years rich farmers became worse off, and in 10 years from now they will be poor. I wanted to stop the Sahara Desert in its tracks.” A decrease in average rainfall and an increase in the severity of droughts have led to an estimated 75 percent of Tunisia’s agricultural lands being threatened by desertification.
Toumi recognized that farming practices needed to change. She is confident that small land areas can bring large returns if farmers are able to adapt by planting sustainable crops, using new technologies for water treatment and focusing on natural products and fertilizers rather than chemicals.
In 2012, Toumi consolidated (巩固) her dream of fighting the desert. She moved to Tunisia, and set up a programme named Acacias for All to put her sustainable farming philosophy (理念) into action. “I want to show young people in rural areas that they can create opportunities where they are. Nobody is better able to understand the impact of desertification and climate change than somebody who is living with no access to water.”
By September 2016, more than 130, 000 acacia trees had been planted on 20 pilot farms, with farmers recording a 60 percent survival rate. Toumi estimates that some 3 million acacia trees are needed to protect Tunisia’s farmland. She expects to plant 1 million trees by 2018. In the next couple of years, Toumi hopes to extend the programme to Algeria and Morocco.
1. How did Toumi’s holiday trips to Tunisia influence her?| A．They made her decide to leave the country. |
| B．They helped her better understand her father. |
| C．They aroused her enthusiasm for helping others. |
| D．They destroyed her dream of being a teacher. |
| A．Low rainfall. | B．Soil pollution. | C．Cold weather. | D．Forest damage. |
| A．To create job opportunities for young people. |
| B．To help the children obtain a basic education. |
| C．To persuade the farmers not to use fertilizers. |
| D．To promote the protection of their farmland. |
| A．Saving Water in Tunisia | B．Holding back the Sahara |
| C．Planting Trees of Native Species | D．Fighting Poverty in North Africa |
4 . A newly published study shows that chess players perform objectively worse and — make more suboptimal (次最优的) moves when there is more fine particulate matter (颗粒物) in the air.
“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, a co-author of a newly published paper detailing the study’s findings.
Scholars have produced many studies exploring the effects of air pollution on cognition. The current study adds to that literature by analyzing the subject in a particularly controlled setting. The scholars used three web-connected sensors inside the tournament venue to measure carbon dioxide, PM2.5 concentrations, and temperature, all of which, can, be affected by external conditions, even in an indoor setting.
To evaluate the matter of performance of players, meanwhile, the scholars used software programs that assess each move made in each chess match, identify optimal decisions, and flag significant errors. During the tournaments, the researchers examined and ruled out alternate potential explanations for the dip in player performance, such as increased noise. They also found that carbon dioxide and temperature changes did not correspond to performance changes. Ultimately, the analysis confirms that the findings are driven by the direct exposure to air particles.
The researchers also found that when air pollution was worse, the chess, players performed even more poorly when under time constraints. The tourmament rules required that 40 moves had to be made within 110 minutes; for moves 31-40 in all, the matches, an air pollution, increase of 10 micro-grams per cubic meter led to an increased probability of error of 3.2 percent, with the magnitude of those errors increasing by 17.3 percent. And while the focus of this particular study is tightly focused on chess players, the findings have strong implications for high-skilled office workers.
1. What does the study find about air pollution?| A．It becomes more and more serious in the gym. |
| B．It can help evaluate chess players’ performance. |
| C．It may affect more people with mental processes. |
| D．It can’t be affected by indoor surroundings. |
| A．To measure carbon dioxide and temperature. |
| B．To assess the performance of players. |
| C．To help players make great moves. |
| D．To distinguish players’ errors in time. |
| A．Limit. | B．Freedom. | C．Consumption. | D．Measurement. |
| A．Various reasons for chess players’ mistakes. |
| B．A new research on chess players’ performance. |
| C．Scholars’ concern about chess players’ health. |
| D．The influence of air pollution on chess players. |
5 . The impact of the man-made climate crisis on Antarctica is scientifically undeniable: stable ice shelves are retreating, air temperature increased by 3 degrees Celsius. krill(磷虾)numbers are declining, melting ice is contributing to sea level rise, and polar bears and seals are getting displaced. “Antarctic biodiversity could decline substantially by the end of the century if we continue with business as usual.” Jasmine Rachael Lee, lead author of the University of Queensland study says.
Published in the journal PLOS Biology, the study finds population declines are likely for 65% of the continent’s plants and wildlife by the year 2100. The most vulnerable(脆弱的)species is the Emperor penguins. In October 2022, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed Emperor penguins as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act(ESA), as experts predict the flightless seabird will see a 26% to 47% dip in its population by 2050. “This listing reflects the growing extinction crisis and highlights the importance of the ESA and efforts to conserve species before population declines become irreversible(不可逆转).” said Service Director Martha Williams at the time.
Aside from Emperor penguins, other Antarctic specialists, like the Adélie penguin and dry soil nematodes, were also highly vulnerable. We urgently need a combination of global and local conservation action to best conserve Antarctic species. Global action and global voices to help relieve climate change—because the biggest threat to Antarctica is coming from outside of it. And then we need local actions to help protect biodiversity against local threats and give them the best chance of adapting to climate changes. This will help to save our iconic(代表性的)species like the Emperor penguins and all of Antarctica’s unique and highly adapted inhabitants. It will also help humankind, as we rely heavily on the priceless services the Antarctic provides in regulating our climate and capturing sea level in its ice sheets.
1. What can we learn from Paragraph 1?| A．The impact of climate crisis is usually denied. |
| B．Conservation efforts are badly needed. |
| C．Air temperature on Antarctic increases 3℃ annually. |
| D．Sea level rise results in seabirds losing their habitats. |
| A．To serve as a call to protect wildlife on Antarctic |
| B．To reflect the growing population of wild species. |
| C．To prove the effectiveness of the Endangered Species Act. |
| D．To highlight the severe impact of rising temperature. |
| A．Reducing the chances of making a trip to Antarctic. |
| B．Making joint efforts to relieve climate change. |
| C．Attempting to provide essential nutrients to the ecosystem. |
| D．Continuing to carry forward the Endangered Species Act. |
| A．Plants and Wildlife on Antarctica Will Decline Quickly |
| B．Antarctic Species Are Vulnerable to Human Threats |
| C．More Action Should Be Taken to Protect Wildlife on Antarctica |
| D．The Best Conservation Strategy Will Be Carried Out Soon |
HEFEI- Three Dalmatian pelicans (卷羽鹈鹕), or Pelecanus crispus, were spotted at Chaohu Lake for the first time, the fifth
The rare birds
“This wading bird, which feeds on fish, has a high level of alertness and requires a good
More than 80 birds, such as little swans and cormorants, were also spotted on Wednesday at the lake. Hefei City,
7 . In dry Niger, south of the Sahara, farmers who allowed cut trees to regrow in their fields have seen crop harvests increase rapidly. In recent decades, farmers there have allowed millions of trees to regrow on land that had once been cleared.
For centuries, rich woodlands dotted this dusty, sun-baked region south of the Sahara. By the time Ali Neino was a boy in the 1980s, however, just one lonely tree shot from his family’s land, and he could see clear to the horizon. “There was no vegetation in between the village and the fields,” recalls Neino, 45. “No trees, no plants, nothing.”
Decades of drought, land-clearing, and demand for firewood had left Niger nearly treeless. Intensive farming (密集农作) to feed the world’s fastest-growing population ensured new trees would not take root. Government efforts to reforest the area in the 1970s failed. Sixty million trees were planted; fewer than 20 percent survived.
Instead of cutting trees down, farmers in Niger now leave them standing and allow them to regrow from stumps (树桩), knowing that the soil around them will retain more water and be enriched by the leaves. On a recent walk along his family’s farm outside Dan Saga, Neino pointed to the trees growing everywhere.
In the past 35 years, as scientists begged nations to get serious about bringing forests back, one of Earth’s poorest countries, in one of the planet’s worst regions, added an astonishing 200 million new trees—maybe more. Across at least 12 million acres of Niger, woodlands have been re-established with little outside help, almost no money, and without driving people off their land. The trees here weren’t planted; they were encouraged to come back naturally, cared by thousands of farmers. Now, fresh trees are popping up in village after village.
1. Why is Ali Neino mentioned in Paragraph 2?| A．To stress the importance of trees. |
| B．To show the features of the Sahara. |
| C．To prove Niger ‘s shortage of trees. |
| D．To predict the disappearance of trees. |
| A．Years of drought. | B．Intensive farming. |
| C．Trees’ low survival rate. | D．Government efforts’ failure. |
| A．By driving people off their land. |
| B．By allowing trees to regrow naturally. |
| C．By encouraging farmers to plant more. |
| D．By getting support from other countries. |
| A．Trees growing again in a dry nation |
| B．Land cleared for tree-planting in the Sahara |
| C．Trees planted for the environment worldwide |
| D．Crop harvests benefiting from trees in Niger |
8 . Children can gain a stronger connection with the environment through story writing, according to a new study. The research was focused on the issue of plastic litter in Latin American countries along the Pacific Ocean.
The experts set out to explore how a story-writing activity may influence the opinions of children about plastic litter, as well as how their behavior may be affected. “A key element of our project was to examine the children’s responses to questionnaires (调查表) they completed before and after writing these stories,” said study co-author Dr. Kayleigh Wyles. “We found that their knowledge on the topic increased and they became more active, as they reported doing more pro-environmental acts afterwards.”
The children were asked to use their imaginations about litter items that are commonly found on the beach, such as straws and plastic bags. They were then instructed to imagine how these items ended up on the beach in the first place. The writing project showed that children were more likely to think about ways of preventing litter from entering the environment, rather than just cleaning it up. According to the researchers, the most popular solutions suggested in the stories were the regeneration and reduction of litter.
Overall, nearly 90 children participated in the study and in more than half of the stories, the children showed awareness of the dangers of plastic pollution in the marine (海洋的) environment, including the risk of animal involvement. Many stories described consequences of animals ingesting plastic, such as injuries or death.
“Stories offer a new and different way to explore what people believe and how they understand their environment,” said lead study author Estelle Praet. “The results were truly inspiring and showed the children’s awareness of plastic’s impact on marine life and the environment.”
1. Which might Dr. Kayleigh Wyles agree with about the story-writing activity?| A．It changes the kids’ way to use plastic products. |
| B．It promotes the kids’ knowledge on plastic litter. |
| C．It affects the kids’ responses to difficult questions. |
| D．It makes the kids more imaginative in story writing. |
| A．Cleaning them up regularly. | B．Destroying them on the beach. |
| C．Delivering them to factories. | D．Recycling and reducing them. |
| A．Giving away. | B．Taking in. | C．Escaping from. | D．Living with. |
| A．Skeptical. | B．Objective. | C．Optimistic. | D．Critical. |
9 . The African penguin is expected to go extinct in the wild in just over a decade, given its current population decline. The main reason is a lack of food caused by disturbance to ocean conditions from global heating and competition from the commercial fishing industry. According to a study, scientists have identified a possible additional cause, one that is an entirely new threat and that further prevents the penguins from finding food: noise pollution from marine (海洋的) ships in a bay.
Since 2016, a new shipping practice has started at Algoa Bay. The bay offers ship-to-ship refueling for ships anchored offshore. Since the start of this practice, marine traffic in the bay has doubled. The number of bulk carriers (散货船) pulling into the bay has increased by ten times as much. Thus the noise levels in the area had doubled and the population of penguins has dropped sharply. High noise levels affect the ability of marine animals to find food, communicate or navigate properly.
Researchers used data from ship identification tools to estimate underwater noise from passing ships. They also attached underwater microphones and accelerometers (感应器) to some of the penguins. Recording the noise will tell researchers what the penguins are hearing, if they’re talking while hunting, if they’re changing their movements in response to noise, and if the noise is drowning out their hunting conversations. This will allow researchers to determine whether the sound disturbance is a direct cause of the penguins’ ongoing difficulties in finding sufficient food.
The study is the first to explore the effects of ocean traffic noise pollution on seabirds and the consequences of offshore shipping activities on underwater noise levels. Experts are considering proposing various global best-practice approaches to reduce some of the impacts of noise pollution, such as policies that limit the number and size of ships allowed into a bay of this kind. “We also need more scientific monitoring of noise, before these measures are put in place and afterward, so that we have a proper understanding of what works.” a researcher said.
1. What is caused by the noise pollution?| A．The penguins’ lack of food. |
| B．The penguins’ proper navigation. |
| C．People’s communication disability. |
| D．The commercial competition. |
| A．Because they wanted to study the way of relieving marine traffic pressure. |
| B．Because they could determine and analyze the source of ocean noise pollution |
| C．Because it helped to calculate underwater noise levels caused by different ships. |
| D．Because the impact of ocean on penguins’ hunting behavior could be found. |
| A．By exploring the real effects of ocean traffic. |
| B．By restricting the ships to go into the bay. |
| C．By banning all the offshore shipping activities. |
| D．By increasing ship-to-ship refueling activities. |
| A．Evaluate the risk of the noise. |
| B．Establish a monitoring system. |
| C．Put the measures in place. |
| D．Try to understand what happens. |
| A．Where to buy household goods. |
| B．How to lead a low-carbon life. |
| C．Which electrical equipment saves energy. |
