1 . 2022 Earthshot Prize Winners Announced

Last Friday, Britain’s Prince William announced the winners of this year’s Earthshot Prize. Each prize-winner won $1.2 million for their efforts. Below are some of this year’s prize-winning projects.

Protect and Restore Nature

Kheyti won the prize for protecting and restoring nature with its “Greenhouse-in-a-box” idea. The company provides a simple, large greenhouse to small farmers at a low cost. The greenhouse helps protect crops from insects and other pests. It also helps the crops survive extreme weather conditions, Kheyti is already working with 1, 000 farmers across India.

Clean Our Air

Charlot Magayi won the prize for cleaning the air. After her daughter was burned by a charcoal-burning stove, Ms. Magayi developed a safer, cleaner stove, called the Mukuru Clean Stove. Ms. Magayi’s stoves use a different fuel that’s cheaper and pollutes far less than charcoal stoves. Currently, over 200,000 Mukuru 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 from seaweed. 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. This year alone, the company has made one million Notpla takeaway food boxes, replacing similar plastic-coated boxes.

Fix Our Climate

The Earthshot prize for working toward fixing our climate went to a company called 44. 01. 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. Which prize-winning project benefits farmers a lot?

A．Protect and Restore Nature.

B．Clean Our Air.

C．Build a Waste-Free World.

D．Fix Our Climate.

2. What is unique about the project named Clean Our Air?

A．It deals with plastic waste.

B．It was inspired by one’s personal experience.

C．It is finished cooperatively.

D．It prevents greenhouse gases.

3. What is the purpose of the Earthshot Prize?

A．To find solutions to the biggest global warming problems.

B．To promote people’s awareness of ocean protection.

C．To wake people’s spirits of creativity and contribution.

D．To encourage new ideas and help protect the planet.

2 . Not too long ago, 41-year-old Garrett Fisher flew in a small airplane close to the surface of Europe’s largest glacier(冰川), which is in Norway. In that environment, the plane carrying a man who photographed glaciers seemed almost like a toy.

Fisher often combines two activities he loves, flying and photography, trying to photo- graph every glacier on Earth. He wants his photos to show the beauty of glaciers before some of them disappear. Scientists say many glaciers are melting or getting smaller because the Earth's average temperature is increasing. By 2100, the size of European glaciers can decrease by between 22 percent and 84 percent. Nearly all small glaciers in Norway will likely disappear. For Fisher, this means that time is running out. The melting pushes him to try to photograph them before it is too late.

As a child, Fisher lived next door to a small airport in the state of New York. His grand- father was a pilot and took Fisher on plane rides when he was a young child. His grandfather would tell him, “Whatever you set your mind to, you can do. ”

In the late 1990s, a friend told Fisher that the world’s glaciers were disappearing. This pushed him to combine his love of flying and photography to photograph the Earth's remaining glaciers. He believed he was in a race against time and that his photographs could be of great value to future generations. So, he launched Global Glacier Initiative, a non-profit group to support and show his work, and he planned to open his photos to the public for research.

Some people will ask him why he always risks flying over glaciers when satellites have already given pictures of them. Fisher says, “Satellite images can't really show the loveliness of glaciers the way my photos can. My photos show the colors and shapes as the light from the sun hits them. Science has all of the data we need. The problem is that it’s not beautiful. ”

1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．Fisher’s social activities.

B．Fisher’s trips to European countries.

C．The reason for Fisher’s shooting glaciers.

D．The cause of the rise in Earth temperature.

2. What is related to Fisher’s flying hobby?

A．His grandparents' dream.

B．His childhood experiences.

C．His curiosity for taking photos in the air,

D．His interest in seeing glaciers from the air,

3. Which word best describes Fisher’s photographs?

A．Romantic.

B．Unattractive.

C．Confusing.

D．Valuable.

4. What does Fisher say about his photographs in the last paragraph?

A．They lack light processing.

B．They lack the colors and shapes.

C．They show the beauty of glaciers.

D．They hardly show the loveliness of glaciers.

3 . This summer, a $2.10 billion energy storage project called Nant de Drance opened in Valais, Switzerland . The project, which some people call a “water battery (电池)”, can store more energy than 400,000 car batteries.

The system works by gravity. There are two large water reservoirs high in the Swiss mountains. One is much higher than the other. The two are connected by a system of underground passages. When there is too much electricity, Nant de Drance can use that energy to send water from the lower reservoir to the upper one. To produce power, water goes down from the upper reservoir. Gravity pulls the water down into the passages, where it rushes through six large turbines. They produce electricity .

Though the system is quite a simple one, building it took 14 years and a lot of effort. The upper reservoir had to be doubled in size. Workers had to create 10.5 miles of large underground passages connecting the two reservoirs. That meant carving out huge amounts of rock from inside the mountains. The turbines are located over a third of a mile underground.

As the world turns more and more to renewable energy sources, being able to store energy is very important. Unlike oil, gas, or coal, many renewable energy sources only work some of the time and can not be burned to create energy any time. Solar panels only work when the sun is shining, for example. Wind turbines only create energy when the wind is blowing. Renewable energy must be stored if it’s going to be ready to use at any time.

Using water to store and create energy isn’t a new idea. But in the past, many water storage projects seriously changed or damaged rivers. Because Nant de Drance is almost completely underground, it’s caused little damage to the local environment.

1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A．How Nant de Drance works.	B．What Nant de Drance is like.
C．What effects the reservoirs have.	D．How gravity influences power production,

2. Which word best describes the building of Nant de Drance system?

A．Easy,

B．Demanding.

C．Time-saving.

D．Effortless.

3. How does the author explain the necessity of storing renewable energy?

A．By giving a description.	B．By telling stories.
C．By presenting research findings.	D．By using examples.

4. What is one of the advantages of Nant de Drance?

A．It can survive longer.	B．It can store energy more quickly.
C．It’s a completely new idea,	D．It’s environmentally friendly.

5 . This summer has brought extreme heat and droughts to places around the world. The droughts are leading to serious problems and the effects of the droughts are likely to be felt for years. Droughts aren’t new, but Earth’s rising temperatures because of global warming are making them much harder to avoid.

The drought in the Horn of Africa may be the most serious situation. For several years, the area has had very little rain during the rainy seasons. The dry conditions have killed millions of farm animals and destroyed the crops of farmers.

The drought is causing energy problems in Europe, too. The low water levels have cut the amount of hydroelectric power that can be produced. Some rivers are so low that the heavy boats that carry coal can’t travel on them.

Farmers in California and Arizona have been hit particularly hard. California has put limits on water use across the state. Now water is being limited in other places. When there are water limits, farmers aren’t able to grow as many crops. That can drive up food prices, and that affects everyone.

China is facing similar problems. The drought has dried up much of the water in the Yangtze, China’s longest river. That has cut the amount of energy produced by the world’s largest dam by 40%.

China hasn’t been able to produce enough energy, since millions of people are using electricity to keep cool. The government is calling on the public to turn off the air conditioner when it is not too hot. The country is trying to make it rain by shooting chemicals into clouds. But this is an uncertain and temporary response.

There are no easy solutions to any of these droughts. It took years to create the climate crisis, and it will take a long time to get it under control. For now, governments and people will need to carefully manage water supplies and other resources to limit the damage as much as possible.

1. What has been affected by droughts according to the passage?

A．Technology.

B．Transportation.

C．Education.

D．Tourism.

2. What measures have been taken to deal with droughts in China?

A．Bringing water from other countries.

B．Finding replacement for rain water.

C．Limiting the use of drinking water.

D．Controlling the use of electricity.

3. How might the author feel about the fight against drought?

A．Concerned.

B．Satisfied.

C．Disappointed.

D．Optimistic.

4. What can be the best title for the passage?

A．Worldwide Droughts Appeared as New Problems

B．China Is also Facing the Serious Drought Problem

C．Droughts Cause Problems Around the World

D．Many Reasons Lead to the Drought Problem

7 . Sasha Olsen went on a trip last summer with her family to Vietnam and Japan. She was afraid to see the ocean’s pollution levels and dying sea animals.

“We went on this trip and I was so excited,” said Sasha. She is 10 years old and lives in Bal Harbour, Florida. “But when I saw the way the oceans had become, I got worried. I wanted to know why things were this way but couldn’t find an answer. ”

When she returned home to Bal Harbour, she grew even more disturbed. She learned how some of the beaches in South Florida had been closed by The Health Department because the water had too much bacteria (细菌) in it.

Sasha sought the help of her cousin, Narmina Aliyev. Aliyev is 23 years old and a recent graduate of Nova Southeastern University with a bachelor’s degree in business. Together, they started a nonprofit Iwantmyoceanback in October.

Originally, the group started small, with friends coming together on the weekends to clean the beaches in Bal Harbour. Recently, however, Iwantmyoceanback has hosted events to raise money for beach cleanups and to donate (捐赠) to protection groups such as the Sea Turtle Conservancy, Oceana and World Wildlife Fund, Aliyev said.

In January, Sasha organized “Kids Heal the Oceans” at Bal Harbour beach. There, she spoke about the oceans’ problems and guests made art out of microplastics (微塑料) gathered from the beach cleanup. “At first, our guests were a little shy, but now they’ve felt inspired to speak up! Sasha has inspired many other kids to join Iwantmyoceanback and show people that we’re able to make a change if we come together,’’ Aliyev said.

On February 16, the group threw a Plastic-Free Party. The party included a beach cleanup and guests creating art from the plastic trash they collect. “It’s important to bring awareness not just through doing cleanups and meetings, but to show people they can come together through their hobbies and working together to a common goal,’’ said Sasha.

1. What does the underlined word ‘‘disturbed’’ in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Disappointed.

B．Worried,

C．Nervous.

D．Excited.

2. Why were some of the beaches in South Florida closed?

A．The water was polluted.	B．There was sea research recently.
C．There were many dying sea animals.	D．There were many plastics on the beach.

3. What did Narmina Aliyev learn at the university?

A．Art.

B．Fishing.

C．Business.

D．Environmental protection.

4. Who joined Sasha in cleaning up the beach at first?

A．Kids loving oceans.

B．Sasha’s friends.

C．Members of some conservation groups.

D．Graduates from Nova Southeastern University.

8 . The essence (本质) of fast fashion is to make clothes inexpensively and quickly, to get new trends and styles into stores and online as soon as possible, and it comes at a high social and environmental cost. Keeping production costs low means they can make their clothes cheap, using cheap labour in unsafe working conditions, and in countries with bad environmental regulations.

Throw-away culture is deeply rooted in our society; three in five of our clothing pieces are thrown out within a year. Fast fashion brands keep the consumers hungry and feeling like they need more by attracting them with newness and convincing the consumers that they need what they’re selling. This only results in increasing textile waste as people no longer want but throw it away.

Criticisms of the fast fashion industry include its negative environmental impact: water pollution, the use of toxic (有毒的) chemicals and increasing levels of textile waste. Textile dyeing is the second largest polluter of clean water globally, after agriculture. Fast fashion companies rely on their products being made cheaply and quickly, so they avoid talking when it comes to being aware of their impact on the environment. Greenpeace’s recent Detox Campaign showed that many brands use toxic and dangerous chemicals in their supply chains, and many of the chemicals are either banned or strictly controlled in lots of countries.

In conclusion, the fast fashion industry has a bad effect on our environment through fast fashion brands’ ecological practices and only continues to make the problem last for a long time in the future through extreme consumerist culture. In order for change to happen, the common people need to open their eyes and take measures to prevent the fast fashion from growing.

1. What’s one of the characteristics of fast fashion?

A．Causing a lot of anxiety.	B．Making people buy old clothes.
C．Selling most clothes through stores.	D．Producing clothes quickly.

2. Why are fast fashion clothes cheap?

A．They are mainly sold online.	B．They are made in unsafe countries.
C．They are made by cheap labour.	D．They save the cost of advertising.

3. How does the society think of throwing away clothes according to the author?

A．Natural.

B．Surprising.

C．Absurd.

D．Puzzling.

4. What’s the way to change fast fashion mentioned in the text?

A．Changing fast fashion brands’ working conditions.

B．Changing clothes stores’ sales model.

C．Introducing stricter laws for factories.

D．Raising public awareness of preventing fast fashion.

9 . Around the world, people are realizing the significant problems caused by plastic waste. In the last 65 years, we have become increasingly dependent on plastic. It’s easy to understand why: it’s cheap to produce, light — therefore easy and cheap to transport — and incredibly strong and durable.     1    

One popular solution to the problem is to prohibit single use plastics. In the British supermarkets, shoppers are encouraged to make more environmentally-friendly choices in packing and transporting their food.     2     Some governments have even promised to ban the use of single-use plastic altogether by the not-too-distant future.

However, such plans may not be beneficial to eliminate (消除) the use of single-use plastic altogether.     3     This is not just because of its low cost. It’s also because infection and cross-contamination (交叉感染) are minimized. Plastic packaging is also crucial in the food industry. It ensures that food is safe for consumers.

Another issue is that alternative materials to plastic are often more environmentally harmful than plastic. Take paper bags, for example.     4     The process requires cutting trees, the emission of greenhouse gases and the production of poisonous chemical waste. Even more pollution is created when paper bags break down.

Clearly there is a need to reduce plastic waste and its impact on the environment.     5     Industries that rely on single-use plastics for people’s health and safety must be considered. Moreover, alternative materials must be evaluated strictly regarding their own environmental impact.

A．But it’s these advantages that also make it so harmful.

B．They are very fragile and rarely reusable, unlike plastic.

C．One of the fields where single-use plastic has a vital role is medicine.

D．However, simply banning their single use may not be the best option.

E．It also boosts the local economy and save costs in managing littering and waste.

F．Bans on single-use plastic items like drinking straws are also coming into place.

G．According to a research, they require four times more energy when produced than a plastic bag.

10 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Eleven-year-old Jin Yufeng said he had the most unforgettable birthday this year,     1    (spend) the day with 28 other children     2    all over China at a forestry education camp in Heilongjiang Province.

Yufeng, a student at Zhongshan Road Primary School in Harbin, was surprised by the camp’ s organizers with a birthday cake at suppertime on the big day.

“    3    a wonderful experience!” said Yufeng. “I have so many happy     4     (memory). I learned about nature, made new friends and ate the     5     ( sweet) birthday cake I’ve ever had. ”

The camp     6    (include ) in a national program that is aimed at making 300 million children and teenagers nationwide take part in forest education.

A research and education system will be built by 2025 with the construction (建设)of natural education infrastructure (基础设施)       7     a number of natural education camp bases for teenagers,     8     will gradually put forest research and education activities into primary and middle school education across the country.

The camp attracted around 100 teenagers from Beijing and the provinces of Heilongjiang, Liaoning and Shandong, aiming    9    (put) forest education together with the    10     ( protect) of wild Siberian tigers. It is also expected to lead teenagers to love and protect nature.