1 . Indian scientists plan to add substances to clouds above the capital New Delhi in an effort to produce rain to reduce pollution. The method is called cloud seeding. The process involves adding different chemicals to clouds to cause rain. When rain falls from the sky, water droplets can attach to pollution particles and bring them down to the ground.
New Delhi has been rated the city with the most air pollution in the world. Air quality decreases in the city ahead of winter each year. During this time, cold air can trap many pollutants, including gases from vehicles, industry and agricultural burning.
Scientists expect some clouds over the city around November 20. They hope the clouds will result in heavy rainfall. The project, estimated to cost $120,000 for 100 square kilometers, would involve spraying into clouds a mix of salts that include silver iodine.
“The local government in New Delhi, a city of 20 million people, has already closed all schools and other educational institutions, asked people to work from home, restricted the movement of trucks and other vehicles and ceased all building activities”, said Gufran Beig, head of the Indian government’s air-quality measuring agency SAFAR, adding that “The city needs heavy and widespread rain to wash away the pollutants, and light rain could worsen the situation.”
New Delhi’s pollution has been exacerbated by more than 3,500 fires in Punjab and Haryana, where farmers burned stubble (秸秆) ahead of sowing their winter wheat crop. The smoke has been trapped tightly in the cold winter air, leaving the hospitals filled with children and the elderly.
It is reported that officials in New Delhi now are seeking approval for the project from the Supreme Court. In 2021, a plan to seed clouds over the mountains of New Mexico to increase snowfall was pulled because of the blame that it could poison people and the environment. As a matter of fact, several countries have used this method to produce rain, improve air quality and water crops in times of extreme dryness, including Mexico, the United States, Indonesia and Malaysia.
1. What do you know about cloud seeding?| A．A method to let rain fall down together with pollutants. |
| B．A method designed to generate rain or snow artificially. |
| C．A method created to absorb substances from clouds. |
| D．A method used to assess clouds’ quality and quantity. |
| A．Most schools have to break up their off line classes. |
| B．The roads are closed to trucks and other vehicles. |
| C．It is possible that a light rain will visit the city. |
| D．A huge pressure from an intense rain will work. |
| A．Worsened. | B．Considered. | C．Controlled. | D．Restored. |
| A．Cloud seeding has become popular in the world. |
| B．Cloud seeding is indeed a threat to living creatures. |
| C．Not all the nations and areas support cloud seeding. |
| D．It is the second time that India has seeded clouds. |
1. What are the speakers mainly talking about?
| A．A terrible storm. | B．A big earthquake. | C．A heavy rain. |
| A．This morning. | B．Last night. | C．Two days ago. |
| A．The line is busy. |
| B．The power failure in that area. |
| C．Her parents are sleeping. |
| A．Houston. | B．New York. | C．Los Angeles. |
3 . Over 20%of Reptile Species Are Endangered
Reptiles are egg-laying animals with backbones and scaly (鳞状) skin. Examples of reptiles include animals like snakes, lizards, and crocodiles. Reptiles are cold-blooded, which means their bodies have the same temperature as the area around them.
A recent scientific report on a new study has revealed some unhappy news — 21% of all reptile species are in danger of extinction. That’s over 1,800 species in all. And at least 31 species of reptiles have already gone extinct.
The main reason these reptiles are faced with extinction is that humans are taking over more and more of their habitats — the places where they naturally live. More land continues to be cleared to make room for cities and towns. Large areas of land are also being cleared so that they can be used as farmland. Logging — cutting down trees for wood — is another big threat to reptile habitat.
When they think of reptiles, many people may think of hot, dry areas. But some of the most endangered reptiles live in forests. The new study reports that 30% of reptile species that live in forests are at risk of dying out. Turtles and crocodiles are among the most threatened reptiles — 60% of turtle species and 50% of crocodile species are at risk of extinction. Humans are a direct threat here, often killing these animals for their skin or meat.
But even if reptiles aren’t considered adorable, they play a very important part in the nature’s food chain. One service performed by reptiles that humans should appreciate is helping control certain pests (害虫) , like insects and rats.
Scientists say the good news is that we know what must be done to protect reptiles. Bruce Young, one of the leaders of the study, says, “We have all the tools we need.” Protecting natural areas, especially rainforest, is at the top of the list. Studies show that saving natural areas doesn’t just protect mammals (哺乳动物) or birds, but all kinds of animals, including reptiles.
1. How many species of reptiles are there in the world?| A．About 8, 600. | B．Around 1, 800. |
| C．Less than 5, 400. | D．More than 10, 000. |
| A．Lack of food. | B．Loss of habitats. |
| C．The change of climate. | D．Threats from natural enemies, |
| A．They provide meat for humans. | B．They help clear harmful insects. |
| C．They are mostly living in forests. | D．They are better adapted to wet climates. |
| A．Restore mammals. | B．Further study reptiles. |
| C．Find efficient tools. | D．Preserve rainforest. |
1. What happened to the speakers?
| A．They lost their computers. |
| B．They suffered from a big storm. |
| C．They failed to graduate. |
| A．Amy’s neighbour. | B．Amy’s mother. | C．Jack’s neighbour. |
| A．By posting online. | B．By calling the police. | C．By going to the insurance company. |
| A．In July. | B．In August. | C．In September. |
5 . ▶Western Sydney University
The university undertakes ranges of sustainability-related research, including sustainable agriculture, soil biology and food security. It has a range of living labs on its campus to aid with teaching and research in areas such as renewable energy, water recycling and natural and cultural heritages.
▶University of Reading
The university offers a range of modules on environmental and social issues to all undergraduate students, regardless of which faculty they are studying in. There is also a free online two-week course where you can investigate the impact of climate change and the research being done into it. The university has a range of sustainability projects, including the Research Woodland and the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme.
▶University of Manchester
The university has a range of sustainability measures on campus to reduce waste. The Want Not, Waste Not shop on campus sells a selection of zero-waste products including spices, pulses, cleaning products and beauty products. The university is also working to reduce plastic at all its events, by replacing balloons with paper bunting, using potato-based tokens instead of plastic ones and eliminating plastic water bottles and printed flyers.
▶Manchester Metropolitan University
In April 2021, the university launched the Give It, Don’t Bin It” campaign, which encourages students to donate unwanted items and leftover food to charity partners, including the British Heart Foundation and Manchester Central Food Bank. Donation banks and boxes are situated all over campus. Students wishing to get involved in sustainability can choose from a range of initiatives across campus, including the Sustainability Ambassador scheme and Climate and Social Action Week. Students also run a clothing swap shop and MetMUnch, a student network that focuses on training and pop-ups all around food, nutrition and sustainability.
1. Which university focuses on global climate?| A．University of Reading. | B．University of Manchester. |
| C．Western Sydney University. | D．Manchester Metropolitan University. |
| A．It aims to find more renewable energy. |
| B．MetMUnch focuses on air improvement. |
| C．It has earned a reputation in controlling poverty. |
| D．Its “Give It, Don’t Bin It” helps those in need. |
| A．Development and improvement. | B．Recycling and sustainability. |
| C．Kindness and generosity. | D．Science and technology. |
| A．The environment. | B．An activity. | C．A lifestyle. |
7 . There are hundreds of great national nature reserves in China. Now feast your eyes on the following amazing ones.
Qinghai Lake National Nature ReserveQinghai Lake, China’s largest saltwater lake in Qinghai Province, is a key body of water for lots of animals and birds. As an important stopover, migratory birds (候鸟) would rest in this area during their movement trip every year. The reserve became a national nature reserve in the year of 1997.
Bayanbulak National Nature ReserveThe only Bayanbulak Wetland, in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is at the foot of Tianshan Mountains, which makes itself suitable for migratory birds. Bayanbulak means “rich spring water” in Mongolian, meaning that the area is rich in water. Every year, swans (天鹅) from different places fly here for nesting, which became a national swan reserve in 1986.
Rongcheng Swan National Nature ReserveAs one of the largest wintering places for swans in China, this reserve in Shandong Province mainly protects whooper swans (大天鹅), which make it different from other nature reserves. In 2007, it was changed into a national nature reserve. Now every year, thousands of whooper swans arrive here to spend the winter, making it an important resting and wintering place for themselves.
Sanya Coral Reef (珊瑚礁) National Marine Nature ReserveThis reserve focuses on protecting coral reefs and their living environment in Sanya City, Hainan Province. In 1990, it became a national nature reserve. This reserve is on the coast, so the area of the reserve has good water quality and many kinds of creatures,
1. What do the first reserve and the second reserve have in common?| A．The area of wetland. | B．The geography of them. |
| C．The year of becoming the national reserve. | D．The friendly environment for migratory birds. |
| A．Its saltwater lake. | B．The whooper swans. |
| C．Its rich spring water. | D．The warm climate. |
| A．Bayanbulak National Nature Reserve. | B．Qinghai Lake National Nature Reserve. |
| C．Rongcheng Swan National Nature Reserve. | D．Sanya Coral Reef National Marine Nature Reserve, |
8 . South Baltimore is surrounded by water, highways, and train tracks. It’s also often thought of as a place to avoid—folks are taught to be careful of or even avoid South Baltimore. “People think South Baltimore is a place filled with danger. It’s not. It’s just we’re surrounded by dangerous things,” says Taysia, 17.
Taysia is part of a group of student activists fighting against a very different kind of danger in their neighborhood: air pollution and climate change. Lots of trucks with their noise pass through the neighborhood. South Baltimore is also home to a junkyard where they crush (压碎)cars, an old landfill, chemical plants, and mountains of coal. These are not the communities anyone wants.
The residents of South Baltimore are breathing polluted air today. Coal releases a black dust that’s small enough to get into people’s lungs. It can cause disease and death if you’re breathing it day after day. The mountains of coal are the focus of a growing opposition movement called Free Your Voice, led by South Baltimore teenagers.
The teens of Free Your Voice are taking on a big opponent (对手): the massive transportation company CSX, which transports more than 8 million tons of coal through South Baltimore annually. CSX makes billions of dollars a year.
The teens went door to door, warning their neighbors about the dangers of the coal transportation. Not everyone was on board at first. “We were talking to people and that’s just like, ‘You’re a kid! Like this is not gonna change, it’s been happening forever.’” Taysia says.
Meanwhile, the students spent the summer using sticky paper to gather samples of dust from all over the neighborhood to prove that the dust was from coal and to pinpoint which parts of the neighborhood were most affected.
The goal is to eventually get the state regulators to deny the permit that CSX needs to operate, or at least require the company to enclose all the coal, or at the very least put water onto all of it so there’s less dust blowing around. And the state is considering all of those requests.
1. How did people describe South Baltimore according to Taysia?| A．Wealthy. | B．Dangerous. | C．Peaceful. | D．Inclusive. |
| A．The junkyard. | B．The old landfill. |
| C．The chemical plants. | D．The coal transportation. |
| A．They believed the pollution was harmless. |
| B．They trusted CSX’s environmental practices. |
| C．They had no awareness of the pollution and climate change. |
| D．They thought the students were too young to make a change. |
| A．Conducting surveys. | B．Distributing leaflets. |
| C．Using sticky paper for dust samples. | D．Organizing protests. |
9 . Most of us have heard of the 3Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle. It is the core principle of a sustainable (可持续的) life, but few of us can apply it in our own lives. Now, there’s a “lab” you can explore and discover a way toward living sustainably.
3R Lab is located in Xuhui district, Shanghai. It offers exhibitions, activities and goods that showcase the 3R principle. The key to a sustainable life, according to Vincent T. M. Fong, the 32-year-old from Hong Kong who created the lab, is to make it a long-term promise. “A sustainable life should be sustainable itself in the first place. You can’t lead a sustainable life on a whim. Small and comfortable changes are exactly what you need,” Fong said.
The lab regularly hosts ugly fruit markets, offering these strange fruits which are often thrown away by traditional markets and consumers at a quite attractive price. “They’re thrown away simply because of their appearance. Buying fruit regardless of how they look reduces food waste significantly in our daily life,” Fong commented.
A water tank with two types of straws is another equipment in the lab. “One type is made from normal plastics widely used in our daily life while the other is from PHA, a new replacement for plastics, and the water is sourced from the Suzhou River,” explained Ni Li, an employee of the lab. Visitors can see how the PHA straws degrade (降解) into a thin layer in just one month, while the others remain unchanged.
“Leading a sustainable life does not necessarily mean sacrifice,” said Fong. Consuming ugly fruit and using degradable plastics are small changes that are good for the environment and easy to stick to. Only in this way can the 3R principle become part of our lives, he added.
After working there for six months, Ni, who wasn’t mindful of the 3R principle before arriving at the lab, now uses her cup every time she buys a coffee. “The job has reshaped my life,” Ni said.
1. What does the-underlined phrase “on a whim” in the second paragraph probably mean?| A．In a rush. | B．On a regular basis. |
| C．Without any reason. | D．As a common practice. |
| A．To reduce food waste. | B．To promote healthy eating. |
| C．To sell new kinds of fruit. | D．To provide more affordable fruit, |
| A．The water pollution caused by plastics. | B．The degradation of PHA straws. |
| C．The interaction between two types of straws. | D．The disappearance of normal plastic straws. |
| A．She avoids going to traditional markets. | B．She has devoted less time to her hobbies. |
| C．She has got rid of a few bad habits. | D．She is leading a low carbon life now. |
10 . Last Friday, Britain’s Prince William announced the winners of this year’s Earthshot Prize. The prize is meant to encourage new ideas and rapid action to help protect the planet. Below are parts of this year’s prize-winning projects in each category.
Protect and Restore Nature
Kheyti won the prize for protecting and restoring nature with its “Greenhouse-in-a-box” idea. Kheyti is already working with 1, 000 farmers across India, which is one of the most climate-affected countries in the world. The company says the greenhouses allow farmers to use 90% less water and produce seven times as much food. Kheyti hopes to get its greenhouses to 50,000 farmers by 2027.
Clean Our Air
Charlot Magayi won the prize for cleaning the air. Ms. Magayi developed a stove (炉子) that uses a fuel that’s cheaper and pollutes far less than charcoal stoves. Currently, over 200,000 of her Clean Stoves are being used in Kenya.
Build a Waste-Free World
A London-based company called Notpla(for “Not Plastic”)won the prize for building a waste-free world. They’ve created a plastic substitute(替代品)from plants found in the ocean. Unlike most plastic, their products break down naturally with no microplastics. Notpla believes their products can help end the plastic pollution that’s filling landfills and polluting oceans.
Fix Our Climate
The Earthshot Prize for working toward fixing our climate went to a company called 44.01 from Oman. 44.01 has come up with a way to turn polluting carbon dioxide(CO2)into a rock called peridotite. Once the CO2 has been turned into rock, it can no longer be released into the atmosphere again. The method that 44.01 uses is fast, cheap and permanent.
1. What is the aim of the Earthshot Prize?| A．To offer practical advice on global warming. |
| B．To find solutions to the environmental problems. |
| C．To develop a strategic partnership with all parties. |
| D．To encourage literary creations of the British people. |
| A．In India. | B．In Kenya. | C．In the UK. | D．In Oman. |
| A．They want to build a waste-free world. |
| B．Their projects are directly good for farmers. |
| C．Their achievements benefit the air cleaning. |
| D．They use plants from the ocean in their products. |
