1 . The number of fin-less porpoise, a protected species living in the Yangtze River, has seen growth compared with the 1,012 that were seen in 2017. A previous survey carried out on Oct. 25 said more mother-child pairs were seen and some were seen in places that had never reported them earlier.
Fin-less porpoise, also called Smiling Angels, have become a natural indicator of the health of the Yangtze River ecosystem, especially after the Lipotes vexillifer, a species of the freshwater dolphin commonly known as Baiji, became extinct in 2007. Despite efforts to protect the fin-less porpoise for over 40 years, its numbers continued to fall. Finally, there is some good news.
The turnaround would not have been possible without the three earlier scientific surveys and the ongoing one. Add to that a 10-yearfishing ban on the Yangtze River carried out on Jan. 1 last year, followed by the fin-less porpoise being upgraded to a level protected species on the national list on Feb. 5,2021,and the Yangtze River Protection Law coming into effect on March 1,2021.
Because of these measures, the provincial-level regions along the Yangtze River relocated their chemical plants, closed down illegal docklands, mended wetlands and adjusted sailing lanes. All these efforts ultimately improved the river’s ecological environment, helping breathe life into the fin-less porpoise species. The results show that China has chosen the right path in protecting not only the fin-less porpoise, but also the river’s ecosystem.
The story of the revival of the fin-less porpoise is only part of the bigger story of the Yangtze River’s protection as a whole. And protecting the river is part of the larger picture of the country’s ecological civilization. Fixing the Yangtze River’s ecology can benefit hundreds of generations, and a good ecology is a fortune of the Chinese nation as a whole.
1. What do we know about the Lipotes vexillifer?| A．It was extinct about 15 years ago. | B．Its favourite habitat is ocean. |
| C．Its population is falling rapidly. | D．It has been a protected species. |
| A．Ban on fishing industry forever. | B．The earlier and ongoing scientific surveys. |
| C．Relocation of the wetlands. | D．Improvement of the chemical plants. |
| A．Skeptical. | B．Worried. | C．Conservative. | D．Positive. |
| A．Fin-less Porpoise—a Protected Species | B．Making the “Smiling Angels” Smile Again |
| C．The Yangtze River—Origin of Chinese People | D．Fixing the Yangtze River’s Ecology Is Urgent |
2 . Bosses trying to quickly increase productivity should give up brainstorming meetings and instead invest in office plant, a study has found.
Green plants in offices increase work output by 15 percent, and challenges the “lean philosophy”(极简哲学)which holds that tidy buildings are best for concentration.
In experiments at two large commercial offices in the UK and The Netherlands, it was found that plants significantly increased workplace satisfaction, levels of focus, and air quality. “Simply decorating an office space with plants help to increase productivity by 15 percent,” said lead researcher Marlon Nieuwenhuis.
“This conclusion doesn't agree with the modern ‘lean’ management techniques, yet it points out a path to a more enjoyable, more comfortable and a more profitable form of office-based workings.” She added, “Our research suggests that investing in decorating the office with plants will pay off through an increase in workers’ quality of life and productivity. It directly challenges the widely accepted business philosophy that a lean office with clean desks is more productive.”
Previous studies have shown that the presence of plants can reduce physiological(生理上的) stress, increase the attention span and improve health and well-being.
Researchers studied offices over several months during which plants were removed and added. Professor Alex Haslam, who also worked on the study, added, “The lean philosophy has been influential across a wide range of organizational fields. Our research questions this widespread belief that less is more. Sometimes less is just less.”
Plants are beneficial because a green office makes employees more physically and emotionally involved in their work.
Another researcher Dr. Craig Knight said: “Psychologically manipulating(处理，操纵)real workplaces and real jobs adds new depth to our understanding of what is right and what is wrong with existing workspace design and management. We are now providing a model of a really smart office.”
1. According to the “lean philosophy”, ________.| A．green plants can increase productivity. |
| B．green plants may disturb people’s concentration. |
| C．a beautiful environment is beneficial to productivity. |
| D．green plants will help bosses come up with new ideas. |
| A．it may create a new way of management. |
| B．it will lead to less investment in offices. |
| C．it may lead to a better form of office-based workings. |
| D．it challenges the widely accepted brainstorming meetings. |
| A．The “lean philosophy” is widely adopted nowadays. |
| B．A green office helps employees focus on their work. |
| C．Green plants will make office workers more efficient. |
| D．When it comes to decorating offices, the less the better. |
| A．blame the “lean philosophy”. |
| B．show how to increase productivity. |
| C．Persuade bosses to remove plants from offices. |
| D．indicate the effects of green plants on works’ efficiency. |
3 . China published its official document on biodiversity conservation on Oct 8,2021. It said that China has achieved great results in biodiversity conservation.
In 2010, the China National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (2011-2030) was published. Since then, China has been working for a better ecological environment through establishing and improving policies and laws, carrying out nationwide biodiversity surveys, and putting into place various programs and action plans for biodiversity conservation.
Protected areas
There are about 10,000 protected natural areas, covering 18 percent of total land area. The well-planned protected areas system has brought 90 percent of terrestrial (陆地的) ecosystem types and 71 percent of key state-protected wildlife species under effective protection.
Plants
China has contributed up to 10 percent of the new plant varieties identified worldwide in the past decade. In this period, the country identified about 200 new varieties of plants per year.
Wild animals
The habitats for wild animals in China have been expanding and their populations are growing. The population of giant pandas in the wild has grown from 1,114 to 1,864 over the past four decades. The crested ibis (朱鹮) population has increased from only seven to over 5,000.
Greenness
China was the largest contributor to the world’s gain in greenness between 2000 and 2017. The country contributed about 25 percent of global vegetation growth in the period and China’s forest coverage and forest reserve areas have both continued to expand for the last 30 years. The country has realized the largest growth in forest resources among all countries in the world.
1. In China’s efforts to protect biodiversity, the following elements are mentioned EXCEPT ________?| A．the habitats for wild animals |
| B．the accessible water resources |
| C．forest reserve areas and coverage |
| D．the well-planned protected areas system |
| A．China’s contribution to the world |
| B．Increasing protection for animals |
| C．China’s contribution to greenness |
| D．China’s efforts on biodiversity conservation |
| A．an academic paper | B．a student diary |
| C．China Daily | D．fashion magazine |
