1 . I first came to Berwickshire for a job-to be the Ranger for the Berwickshire Marine Reserve.I was then Senior Ranger for St Abb’s Head National Nature Reserve and I set up my own business, In Our Nature, offering wildlife journeys,walks,talks and courses in 2020. There’s so much I love about Berwickshire.Its stunning scenery. Its variety of landscapes and habitats and range of amazing wildlife, both above and below the water. Its friendly people. In places you can feel like you are a million miles from anywhere, when in reality you’re just an hour’s drive from Edinburgh.
The thing that supports everything on the Berwickshire Coast is its varied and fascinating geology(地质).The jewel in the crown is Siccar Point. With its world-famous non-conformity(均变),it’s considered the birthplace of modern geology. The geology not only shapes the landscape, but it also impacts on the wildlife, forming varied habitats from steep sheltered valleys and towering cliffs to sheltered sandy bays.
There’s nothing I like more than being out in nature and sharing my passion with others, so starting up In Our Nature was a no brainer. In the warmer months I offer tours on land and sea to help folk enjoy the amazing wildlife and scenery of the Berwickshire Coast. In the darker months my online courses help people learn about wildlife in the hope that it will increase their enjoyment of the marine and coastal environments they spend time in.
My favourite spot on the Berwickshire Coast has got to be a place called Petticowick. The views up the coast and inland to the Mire Loch are second to none. It’s a place where you can marvel at geology which covers unimaginable periods of time. You can listen to and watch thousands of seabirds that return to the cliffs to breed each spring. Or witness all the amazing activity of the breeding seal colony on the beach below during the early winter.
1. Why did the author go to Berwickshire?A.To do sightseeing. |
B.To make friends. |
C.To work in a reserve. |
D.To study wildlife. |
A.The highest part. |
B.The most attractive part. |
C.The valueless part. |
D.The advanced part. |
A.By providing online courses. |
B.By sharing her experiences. |
C.By offering tours on land. |
D.By organizing trips to the sea. |
A.Modern geology needs further study. |
B.Petticowick should be well preserved. |
C.People should not take advantage of nature. |
D.The author is enthusiastic about Berwickshire. |
2 . 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. |
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. |
A.Natural. | B.Surprising. | C.Absurd. | D.Puzzling. |
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. |
3 . Earth is a big place, but size isn’t everything. The planet’s richest ecosystems are in rapid decline, forcing us to acknowledge countless creatures worldwide are running out of room.
85% of all species on the IUCN Red List are endangered due to many forms of habitat loss, from complete deforestation to less obvious effects of pollution and climate change. Every species needs a certain amount of habitat to find food, shelter and mates, but for a growing number of animals, the space where their ancestors found those things is now overrun by humans. As habitats decline, animals also grow more vulnerable to secondary dangers like disease or conflict with people.
According to many scientists and conservationists, the best strategy to avoid a dramatic loss of biodiversity is to set aside half of Earth’s surface area for wildlife. That might sound like a big sacrifice at first, but upon closer inspection, it’s still an incredibly sweet deal for us: One species gets half the planet, and all other species must share the other half. This idea has been around for years, confirmed in programmes like the WILD Foundation’s “Nature Needs Half” campaign, but it has gained more different opinions recently. And it may now have one of its most forceful arguments yet, thanks to a 2016 book by well-known biologist E. O. Wilson titled Half-Earth: Our Planet’s Fight for Life.
Half-Earth, therefore, isn’t so different from today’s Earth. We’re already doing many of the right things, as Wilson recently told the University of California-Berkeley’s Breakthroughs magazine. We still have a few big biodiversity zones left, and others that could still recover. We just need to protect as many wilderness areas as we can, fill in gaps wherever possible and do no further harm. “I’m sure we can go from 10% to 50% coverage, land and sea,” Wilson says. “It could be large reserves that still exist, like in the Altai Mountains of Mongolia, in the taiga, the major wilderness areas of Congo, in Papua New Guinea, the Amazon—these can be made inviolate reserves; they can be pieced together.”
1. What is the main cause of wildlife’s rapid decline?A.Habitat loss. | B.Terrible disease. |
C.Conflict with people. | D.Poor living conditions. |
A.The method to save our planet. | B.The real profession of E.O. Wilson. |
C.The solution to avoiding wildlife decline. | D.The origin of “Nature Needs Half” campaign. |
A.Curious. | B.Confused. | C.Concerned. | D.Confident. |
A.Sharing the Earth with other animals. | B.Changing our attitude toward wildlife. |
C.Increasing the population of wild animals. | D.Protecting the existing habitat for wildlife. |
Wang Tianchang,
At first, they
Eventually, his efforts have not gone unnoticed. The Chinese government not only appointed Tianchang and his sons
5 . The Cambodian Government’s Fisheries Administration and WWF announced that the Irrawaddy dolphin population in the Mekong River numbers just 89. The number is a slight decline from the estimate of 92 in 2018, but shows that the population has stabilized. In recent years after decades of sharp decline.
Critically, the survey’s findings also indicate a positive survival rate of calves through to adulthood, with a “recruitment rate” of 4.22%, signalling an improving trend for the dolphin population. “Although the survey confirmed that the number of river dolphins in Cambodia has stabilized, the population size is still small, so stronger conservation action is urgently needed,” said Mr. Seng Teak, WWF Country Director.
The Irrawaddy dolphins are fully protected under Cambodia’s Fisheries Law. The dolphins, however, continue to face great danger. Gill nets, development of upstream dams, overfishing, and illegal fishing practices such as electrofishing are among major known threats to the survival of the species.
Effective conservation action in recent years has halted the decline in the population, but more is required to ensure that the population expands. The Fisheries Administration and WWF are committed to continuing to work gather with the local communities and other partners to make collective efforts to carry out the recommendations of the 2020 population report.
These recommendations include enforcement of the fisheries law and the ban on illegal gill net use in the protected dolphin habitat, continued robust monitoring of the species population, and management of the Ramsar site in Stung Treng province to improve natural fish stocks for food and prey enhancement for both the local communities and the dolphins.
1. Which of the following best describes the present population of dolphins in Cambodian?A.Uncertain | B.Steady | C.Declining | D.Increasing |
A.Normal fishing. | B.Gill net fishing. | C.Illegal fishing. | D.Too much fishing. |
A.The recommendations haven’t been put to use. | B.It is banned to fish in conservative habitats. |
C.The species of dolphins will be managed. | D.Dolphins will have more fish to eat. |
A.The food the dolphins eat. | B.The threats the dolphins meet. |
C.The protection of dolphins in the Mekong. | D.The population of dolphins in the Mekong River. |
6 . In order to get rid of goldenrod from the city, the government of Wuhan is encouraging residents to report any findings of the plant, which is classified as a harmful alien species.
Goldenrod is one of the most successful and widespread alien plant species. It is often referred to as “the flower of the devil”, as it spreads extremely fast and causes other plants to die.
Besides Hubei province, the plant has also been found expanding in other provinces such as Jiangxi and Zhejiang. Although local authorities have tried to get rid of the plant, it is proving to be a difficult task. Goldenrod represents just one of the alien species that are aggressive towards the country’s native species. Statistics show that by 2020, nearly 800 kinds of alien species had invaded the country, among which 638 species have invaded the country’s agricultural and forestry ecosystems, causing direct economic losses of about 200 billion yuan ($ 31.36 billion).
At the United Nations Biodiversity Conference held in Kunming, Yunnan province, the invasion of alien species was the subject of discussions, as it was regarded as one of the two most important factors leading to the loss of biodiversity, the other being human-caused ecological damage.
China passed its Biosecurity Law on April 15, 2021, which provides the legal basis for preventing the invasion of alien species and protecting biodiversity in the country. The relevant departments also strictly carry out port inspections and quarantines (检疫) so as to keep harmful organisms out of the country, and they strengthen early warning and monitoring systems so as to address the invasion as early as possible.
However, while government departments are making every effort to prevent and control the situation, the participation of the people should not be ignored. It is also necessary, as Wuhan is doing, to encourage people to pay attention to invasive species and actively play a role in keeping them at bay. Preventing any invasion by an alien species and protecting biodiversity should not just be the government departments fighting alone, but also a people’s war.
1. Why does the author present thestatistics in paragraph 3?A.To make the passage more persuasive. |
B.To highlight how serious the issue is. |
C.To explain the reason for the invasion of the country. |
D.To show the influence of Goldenrod on the ecosystem. |
A.China’s efforts to stop the invasion of alien species. |
B.Relevant departments’ warning of goldenrod. |
C.The legal basis to protect biodiversity. |
D.The importance of port inspections and quarantines. |
A.Building some barriers for the species. |
B.Preventing the flowers from growing too fast. |
C.Keeping the alien species safe at the port. |
D.Both the government and individuals should resist the invasion of alien species. |
A.In a biology magazine. | B.In a science fiction. |
C.In a sports newspaper. | D.In a history book. |
1. What is the relationship between the speakers?
A.Reporter and villager. | B.Policeman and witness. | C.Volunteer and survivor. |
A.A flood. | B.A car crash. | C.An earthquake. |
A.A river. | B.Her house. | C.The top of a building. |
A.To stay indoors. | B.To donate money. | C.To leave their houses. |
Maybe you think protecting the environment is a big problem and beyond your ability.
Plant more trees. Choose an open area near your house or school. Plant a tree every month, and encourage your friends
Save energy. There are so many electrical
Choose to walk short distances instead of taking a car every time. Go walking to school or use
Save water. Water is a very important natural resource. It’s we
Make your action
9 . How much rubbish do you imagine a person will produce in his lifetime? It’s about 127,604 pounds of rubbish. However, Lauren Singer, who majored in environmental science at New York University, began working toward living a “Zero Waste” lifestyle while still studying at university and has been completely “waste-free” for the past two years, proving that a waste-free lifestyle is possible.
Lauren regularly writes about her experiences of a zero-waste life on her blog. Though she was determined to take a waste-free lifestyle, she admits that the past two years have been very difficult. However, she now feels that she is getting used to this kind of lifestyle. “I stopped buying packaged products and began bringing my own bags at the supermarket,” she explained, “I stopped buying new clothes and shopped for only secondhand things. As more and more time passes, I produce less and less.
Even though the journey is hard, Lauren’s zero-waste life is well worth the effort. She now saves a lot of money because she only buys what she needs rather than buy things blindly. She also eats fresh fruits and vegetables instead of packaged foods.
Today she has learned to make all of her own everyday eco-friendly products, such as toothpaste, shampoo, kitchen cleaner and so on in order to avoid creating unnecessary rubbish. She also founded her own waste-free company, the Simply Co., through which she sells her homemade products.
The 23-year-old girl has become an inspiration to many. And now she is busy giving talks on TV and accepting news reporters’ interviews about her zero-waste lifestyle.
Lead a waste-free lifestyle — We are the future of this planet!
1. The author takes Lauren Singer’s lifestyle as an example to prove that __________.A.it is possible to live a waste-free life | B.it is wise to buy secondhand things |
C.it is necessary to learn environmental science well | D.it is easy to make a living by giving talks on TV |
A.She started a zero-waste life three years ago. | B.She helps a company sell homemade products. |
C.She has drawn many news reporters’ attention. | D.She only eats fresh fruits and vegetables. |
A.by bringing our own bags | B.by buying packaged products |
C.by selling our own goods | D.by making our own everyday eco-friendly products |
A.Money Grows on Trees: Recycle paper. | B.Being Green: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. |
C.Show Your Care, Don’t Pollute the Air. | D.Cool Kids Help a Warm Planet. |
10 . A librarian in Indonesia’s Java island is lending books to children in exchange for trash they collect in a creative way to clean up the environment and get the kids to read more.
Each weekday Raden Roro Hendarti rides her three-wheeler with books piled up at the back for children in Muntang village to exchange for plastic cups, bags and other waste that she carries back.
She told Reuters she is helping to get the kids reading as well as make them aware of the environment. As soon as she shows up, little children, many accompanied by their mothers, surround her “Trash Library” and request for the books. They are all carrying waste bags and Raden’s three-wheeler quickly fills up with them as the books fly out. She’s happy that with her mobile service, the kids are going to spend less time on online games as a result.
“Let us build a culture of literacy from young age to lessen the harm of the online world,” Raden said. “We should also take care of our waste in order to fight climate change and to save the earth from trash,” Raden said.
She collects about 100kg of waste each week, which is then sorted out by her colleagues and sent for recycling or sold. She has around 6,000 books to lend and wants to take it to neighbouring areas as well.
Kevin Alamsyah, an 11-year-old reader, searches for waste lying in the village. “When there is too much trash, our environment will become dirty and it’s not healthy. That’s why I look for trash to borrow a book,” he says.
The literacy rate for above 15-year-olds in Indonesia is around 96 percent, but a September report by the World Bank warned that the outbreak of COVID-19 will leave more than 80% of 15-year-olds below the minimum reading proficiency level identified by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
1. Which of the following is not likely to be exchanged for a book from the “Trash Library”?A.A plastic cup. | B.A new three-wheeler. | C.A waste bag. | D.A broken basin. |
A.Meaningful. | B.Costly. | C.Interesting. | D.Unhelpful. |
A.They are financially poor. | B.They read widely. |
C.They would lose their identities. | D.They should do more reading. |
A.Knowledge is power. | B.It is never too old to learn. |
C.Kill two birds with one stone. | D.There is no royal road to learning. |