The number of Amur tigers, also known as Siberian tigers, moving from Russia into northeastern China,
The Amazon rainforest, the largest rainforest in the world, plays
The Amazon River is close to 6,400 kilometres in
The Amazon rainforest breathes life
3 . Scientists have found a new way to break down a group of harmful chemicals very hard to get rid of. The discovery could help solve a dangerous and growing problem — how to clean up the pollution of “forever chemicals”.
The group of chemicals known as PFAS (全氟烷基物) are pretty amazing. They’re non-stick, waterproof, and oil proof. They don’t burn easily or dissolve (溶解) in water. So scientists got really excited when they were discovered. Businesses started putting PFAS in all sorts of products, from non-stick pans to waterproof clothes, and from fire-fighting spray to carpets that resist stains. Even things like food wrappers and floss for cleaning your teeth contain PFAS chemicals.
But after a while, scientists realized the same things that made the chemicals useful also caused a real problem — PFAS doesn’t break down in nature. It doesn’t dissolve in water or bum. Not even bacteria can break PFAS down. No wonder these chemicals are known as “forever chemicals”.
As a result, PFAS chemicals surge in the environment. The chemicals are found in air, water, and dirt around the world — and in animals and people. In the US, 97% of humans have PFAS in their blood.
Luckily, scientists in the US have now found a way to break down some PFAS chemicals. Their solution requires boiling PFAS with two other very common chemicals. These chemicals can be found in just about any laboratory.
Dr. Brittany Trang, one of the scientists involved, said she didn’t even want to test the idea at first. “I thought it was too simple,” she said. But the process worked.
The research involved 10 types of PFAS, including two of the most common kinds. That’s a big step. But there are over 12,000 different kinds of PFAS. It’s important to note that the new method can only break down PFAS chemicals that have already been collected. Figuring out how to remove PFAS chemicals from the environment and collect them remains a huge challenge.
1. What can we infer about PFAS chemicals from paragraph 2?| A．Scientists were so excited to invent them. |
| B．They were environmentally friendly at first. |
| C．They are really widely used in our daily life. |
| D．They have more advantages than disadvantages. |
| A．Increase fast. | B．Float everywhere. | C．Extend fully. | D．React quickly. |
| A．It’s already too late to get rid of them. |
| B．There’s still a long way to go about it. |
| C．The new method is too simple to work well. |
| D．It’s impossible to get them removed from the environment. |
| A．Say Goodbye to Forever Chemicals |
| B．PFAS Chemicals Are a Two-edged Sword |
| C．PFAS Chemicals Will Remain a Challenge for Long |
| D．Scientists Find a Way to Break down Forever Chemicals |
4 . Nature has the power to alter an element’s identity with time and space. This is evident by the transformative effect Britain’s deep coal mines have been showing after decades of being one of the biggest reasons for pollution. Now, they’re being employed to supply green energy to the town of Gateshead. The town is the first place to experience something like this in the country, but the success of the phenomenon has encouraged the authorities to apply it to other towns.
In 2021, coal was just producing 2% of electricity in the UK. Most of the electricity in the country is being supplied through oil and gas. This has resulted in massive abandoned coal mines all across the country. As years went by, these mines were flooded with water, making it a source of geothermal（地热的） energy, which is used to generate heat and electricity. Gateshead hosts such a mine in its town, whose council, therefore, launched a mine water project in March 2023.
The authorities put in a large central heat pump in the mine. Mine water can often sit with a temperature of 45℃. The water is then pumped using appliances to home heat pumps. The process increases the temperature further. The water then goes ahead and warms up the interior space and home water supply. After the heat from the water has been used, it’s sent back to the mine where it again goes through the same process. The project has been successful in supplying low-carbon heating to 350 high-rise buildings, a college and several office buildings.
“Recovering heat from mine water below the ground within abandoned coal mines provides an exciting opportunity to generate a low-carbon secure supply of heat, benefitting people living or working in buildings on the coalfields,” said Gareth Farr, head of heat and by-product innovation at the Coal Authority.
The water resources through the mines are estimated to be two billion cubic meters or half the amount of water in Loch Ness. Farr added, “With many millions of people living upon abandoned coalfields in Great Britain, the potential for mine water heat could be significant.”
1. What does the town of Gateshead feature?| A．It’s been one of the most heavily polluted areas. | B．It has the most deep coal mines nationally. |
| C．It mainly relies on geothermal energy. | D．It is the first one to reuse abandoned coal mines. |
| A．They were quite remote. | B．Prices of coal declined a lot. |
| C．There weren’t enough miners. | D．The UK prioritizes cleaner energy. |
| A．The number of abandoned coal mines is stably increasing. |
| B．The future of sourcing energy from coal mines is promising. |
| C．The dependence on water resources in the UK is decreasing. |
| D．The technique to take advantage of mine water is impressive. |
| A．An innovative way to obtain green energy. | B．A method of living in harmony with nature. |
| C．A national project for abandoned facilities. | D．A discussion on the future of coal mines. |
5 . A grocery store in Ann Arbor, Michigan opened on Tuesday to the public. This is an artist’s uneatable creation. The Plastic Bag Store presents shelves filled with items such as meat, eggs, cakes and so on, all of which are made from single-use plastics taken from streets and garbage.
The store at times during the day will be transformed into a stage for a series of short films in which puppetry (木偶戏表演), shadow play, and handmade sets are used to tell a story of how the overabundance of plastic waste we leave behind might be misinterpreted by future generations — and how what we value least may become our most lasting “cultural legacy (遗产)”.
Theater and film director Robin Frohardt is the creative driving force behind the Plastic Bag Store. “I got the idea many years ago after watching someone bag and double-bag and triple-bag my groceries,” Frohardt said on Tuesday. “I just was sort of struck by how much packaging was involved in our everyday lives. And it just seemed so unreasonable. I just thought, maybe I could set up a project to change it.” Combining a real-life supermarket with film experience, Frohardt planned to use art and humor to question our culture of consumption and convenience and to show one of the greatest problems of our planet.
Plastic bags are created by fossil (化石) fuels and often end up as waste in landfills and the ocean. Americans throw away 100 billion plastic grocery bags per year. She hopes that she can continue to tour with the project and bring it to different communities. “My dream would be that this project will become unnecessary one day,” said Frohardt.
“Frohardt’s work reminds us, with humor, to think not just about the next two weeks, but also about the next two decades and the next two centuries. What will remain hundreds of years later? We hope that our legacy will be plays rather than piles of plastics,” said Tim Tompkins, President of Times Square Alliance.
1. What are the things in the Plastic Bag Store like?| A．Decorative. | B．Recyclable. | C．Dirty. | D．Artificial. |
| A．Appeal to people to recycle plastic. | B．Call attention to harm of plastic waste. |
| C．Change people’s consumption concept. | D．Show achievements of plastic recycling. |
| A．Her film experiences. | B．Short films at the store. |
| C．Overuse of plastic bags. | D．Concern for overconsumption. |
| A．Meaningful. | B．Challenging. | C．Imaginative. | D．Impractical. |
6 . Coral reefs are the rainforests of the ocean. They exist on vast scales and are equally important havens(避风港)of biodiversity. Reefs occupy 0.1% of the oceans.
Research groups around the world are coming up with plans of action to see if that will help, such as identifying naturally heat-resistant corals and cross-breeding such corals to create a new type.
Doubters doubt humanity will get its act together in time to make much difference.
This mix of natural activity and human intervention is important.
| A．Corals are useful to people. |
| B．But there are grounds for optimism. |
| C．And they host a quarter of marine species. |
| D．It could serve as a blueprint for other ecosystems. |
| E．Coral’s global ecosystem services are worth up to $10trn a year. |
| F．This research can also be brought to bear on trying to save entire ecosystems. |
| G．However, the assisted evolution of corals does not meet with universal enthusiasm. |
7 . High school students perform better on tests if they are in a classroom with a view of a green space, instead of a windowless room or a room with a view of built-up space, according to research from the University of Illinois Department of Landscape Architecture.
“It is the first to show a relationship between studying with a green view and students’ performance.” said William Sullivan, head of the research team. “It’s a substantial finding that if you have a green view outside your window, you’ll do better on tests.” Sullivan hopes the results of their research will lead to some changes. “Changes in school design, for example, would be a much better thing than any of the things we spend money on in secondary education today,” Sullivan said.
The research included 94 students at five central Illinois high schools. Students were randomly assigned to one of three kinds of classrooms — windowless, with a window looking out onto built-up space, or with a window looking out onto green space. Each kind of classroom had almost the same size and layout (布局). The students took part in one-on-one experiments in which they did 30 minutes of activities that included a proofreading (勘校) exercise, a speech and a math exercise. Following the activities the students were given an attention test which asked them to repeat a series of numbers.
The findings: Students did better on both study activities and the attention test if they were in a classroom with a green view, Sullivan said.
The researchers suggest their findings can help planners and policymakers improve students’ health and learning. For example, planners can choose places for new schools that already have trees, or they can plant many trees on the site; architects can design classroom windows so they look onto green spaces.
1. What did the study find out about high school students?| A．They like to have green plants in their classrooms. |
| B．They will get better grades when studying in different classrooms. |
| C．Changes in school design will influence their attitudes towards teachers. |
| D．A green view through a classroom window can improve their performance. |
| A．Early. | B．Important. | C．Useless. | D．Possible. |
| A．How the study was carried out. |
| B．The result of the study. |
| C．Why the study was different. |
| D．The purpose of the study. |
| A．It has drawn public attention to education. |
| B．It can play a guiding role in school planning. |
| C．It has encouraged students to get close to nature. |
| D．It needs more support from high school teachers. |
In a small community located at a suburb of Exeter, a disheartening issue had been troubling the neighborhood for years. The once pleasant surroundings were ruined by piles of waste that seemed to multiply with each passing day. Residents were growing tired of the worsening environment, leading many to abandon their homes in search of cleaner neighborhoods. It was in this terrible situation that two young students, Emma and Mia, decided to take matters into their own hands.
Emma and Mia were classmates and best friends from Phillips Exeter Academy, both passionate about environmental preservation and deeply concerned about the pollution crisis their community was facing. Witnessing more and more neighbors’ leaving, they knew they couldn’t stand by any longer. Determined to bring about a change, they undertook a mission that would soon catch the attention of the entire community.
Their journey began with thorough research and planning. The two girls searched carefully on the Internet for information on environmental initiatives and connected with local environmentalists. They organized meetings with residents to understand the issues at hand, collecting data on the types of waste, the sources, and the areas most affected. Armed with this knowledge, Emma and Mia worked out a comprehensive plan and announced it to ask for opinions from the residents. Surprisingly it was strongly supported.
Their strategy was twofold. First, they initiated a waste classification and recycling program. They distributed recycling bins(回收箱) to every household and educated the community about the importance of responsible waste management. Soon, the streets began to show signs of improvement as the volume of garbage inappropriately thrown away decreased gradually.
The second part of their plan was more ambitious. Emma and Mia gathered volunteers from their school and the neighborhood to take part in a massive clean-up campaign. Armed with gloves and trash(垃圾)bags, they began systematically clearing the waste from the streets, parks, and even the local bodies of water. Their firm commitment and hard work inspired others to join the cause.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右;
2. 请按如下格式作答。
Half a year later, the changes were significant.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Emma and Mia received recognition and honors for their work.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________9 . The Monarch butterfly (帝王蝶) population has dropped to its second-lowest number on record in Mexican forests this winter. The forests are the insects’ winter home. The population decrease is worrying as the butterfly group is already considered at risk of disappearance.
Mexico’s government and the non-profit World Wildlife Fund (WWF) recently issued findings of their yearly joint study on the butterflies. The research shows that the Monarch butterfly presence has decreased to less than a hectare (公顷) of forest area. In the mid-1990s, Monarch butterflies could be found on around 18 hectares of the forests. The findings represent an almost 60 percent decrease in the Monarch butterfly population compared to last year’s study. It is also the second-lowest population finding since the first study took place more than thirty years ago.
Biologists blame the drop on higher-than-usual temperatures and dry conditions in the northwestern U. S. where the butterflies lay eggs. The weather conditions affect the growth of milkweed, the plant where the butterflies lay their eggs. When the young arrive, milkweed is their food for a time. In one of the planet’s famous wildlife migrations (迁徙), the butterflies travel south as many as 4,500 kilometers from places as far north as Canada. They spend the winter in warmer Mexico, where millions of the insects stay in trees that protect them from the rain and cold.
Monarch butterfly populations change year to year. As recently as 2021, the same study showed a 35 percent increase to cover around 2.8 hectares. Officials and activists called for more action to help the species. Such calls include the need to reduce threats of destroying milkweed and the need to protect forests. “We can’t lower our guard,” Jorge Rickards, head of WWF’s Mexico office, told reporters after releasing the latest data.
1. What can be learned from the second paragraph?| A．The reasons for the Monarch butterfly population decrease. |
| B．The findings of the research on the Monarch butterfly population. |
| C．The efforts Mexico’s government and World Wildlife Fund have made. |
| D．The effects of the Monarch butterfly population decrease on the environment. |
| A．Habitat loss. | B．Human hunting. |
| C．Weather conditions. | D．Their natural enemies. |
| A．Plant milkweed. | B．Keep the species in a reserve. |
| C．Promote public education. | D．Watch over the forests. |
| A．The Monarch Butterflies Are a Threat to Other Insects |
| B．The Monarch Butterfly Population Decrease Is a Concern |
| C．Mexican Forests Are the Winter Home of the Monarch Butterflies |
| D．The Monarch Butterflies Often Suffer When Travelling to Spend Winter |
10 . The water systems within the world’s building and facilities are a major source of carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to the global climate crisis, according to a new white paper released by WINT Water Intelligence.
While the availability of clean water has been recognized as an urgent worldwide concern, carbon emissions associated with the production, treatment, and distribution of clean water have often been overlooked. Highlighting the amplifying effect of waste and chronic inefficiency — approximately 25% of all water in the built environment is ultimately wasted, driving up water-related energy use and associated greenhouse emissions, the paper “The Carbon Impact of Water” details the immediate and long-term consequences of our current water infrastructure.
Though greenhouse emissions vary based on the source and distribution method, the research finds that every cubic meter of water consumed generates 10.5 kg of carbon emissions, or 85 pounds for every 1,000 gallons. For some local U. S. governments, where such information is readily available, water and wastewater can account for 30-40% or more of public energy consumption. Moreover, potable water ends up in sewage treatment processes that are not only energy-intensive but also release powerful greenhouse gases such as nitrous oxide and methane, which are many times more potent than carbon dioxide.
Unfortunately, inefficiencies are rampant in buildings. Approximately 25% of the water in the built environment is ultimately wasted through leaks, outdated technology, malfunctions, and human error. As a simple example, a leaking toilet continuously flows at 100-150 gallons per hour, wasting more than 1 million gallons a year and accounting for some 4.5 tons of greenhouse emissions — identical to the total annual emissions from a passenger car. In facilities with multiple restrooms, such as office buildings, sports stadiums, and shopping malls, some 2-3% of toilets typically leak at any point in time, creating significant carbon and water footprints.
Inefficient use of water is a significant source of carbon and other greenhouse emissions, but a few key actions, such as proper maintenance and installing advanced water intelligence solutions, mentioned by the paper are highly effective ways of reducing waste, emissions, and overall environmental impact. And the paper concludes it is our generation’s responsibility to efficiently use the water we’ve been given and to identify and curtail the unnecessary, expensive, and environmentally irresponsible waste of this precious resource.
1. What is the paper mainly about?| A．Showing the influences of water infrastructure. |
| B．Giving guidance on how to save water. |
| C．Solving the problem of water wastage. |
| D．Promoting the use of water infrastructure. |
| A．The toilets in office buildings are all in good conditions. |
| B．Greenhouse gases will be created in sewage treatment. |
| C．Water and wastewater cause most of the public energy consumption. |
| D．A passenger car does more harm than a leaking toilet in greenhouse emissions. |
| A．Applying metaphors and using puns. |
| B．Using quotations and making comparisons. |
| C．Making assumptions and applying exaggeration. |
| D．Using examples and listing figures. |
| A．Using water normally. | B．Uninstalling water intelligence. |
| C．Giving appropriate conservation. | D．Using water efficiently. |
