The most
2 . Stages of Hurricane: Simple Storms Grow Into Giants
A storm progresses through four different stages before it is actually considered a hurricane. First is a tropical disturbance (热带扰动), which has thunderstorms and rotating winds. Next is a tropical depression (热带低压), which is similar to a tropical disturbance, but has winds between 23 and 39 miles per hour. A tropical storm is the next level, which has stronger wind speeds between 40 and 73 miles per hour. Once winds reach 74 miles per hour the storm is officially called a hurricane. The wind picks up energy from the warm surface of ocean water.
As a hurricane crosses over land, it begins to become weaker or break apart and reduce in strength. This is because it is no longer over the warm ocean water that it needs for energy. At this point, a hurricane can still cause a lot of damage because of high winds, rain, and flooding. But unless it makes its way back over the open ocean, it is downgraded from a hurricane back to a tropical storm.
What's Your Name, Hurricane? Hurricanes and tropical storms are given names to help people recognize them. Scientists refer to hurricanes and storms by name as they track them across the ocean.
Before 1953, hurricanes were not given official names. From 1953 through 1978, hurricanes were only given female names, like Isabel, Camille, Claudette, and Wilma. Beginning in 1979, hurricanes were given the names of both women and men. Today, the names alternate male and female, and they are named in order of letters.
For example, in 2010, storms were named as follows: Alex (male), Bonnie (female), Colin(male), Danielle (female), Earl (male) and so on....
There are six different lists of names that change, so the same names are used every six years. The only way that a new name is added is when a hurricane has been particularly deadly or costly and the name is retired, then replaced with a new one.
1. Which of the following is the right order of stages of a hurricane?| A．Tropical depression, tropical disturbance, tropical storm, hurricane. |
| B．Tropical disturbance, tropical depression, tropical storm, hurricane. |
| C．Tropical storm, tropical depression, tropical disturbance, hurricane. |
| D．tropical storm, tropical disturbance, tropical depression, hurricane. |
| A．It breaks apart and forms tornadoes. |
| B．It returns to the ocean afterwards. |
| C．It moves more quickly. |
| D．It becomes less powerful. |
| A．take turns between | B．carry on |
| C．come from | D．cause trouble to |
| A．Six common hurricane names are often used. |
| B．An old name will be replaced every year. |
| C．Most of them are deadly and costly. |
| D．They didn’t have official names until 1953. |
Cleaning your plate may not help feed hungry children today, but the timeworn (陈旧的) advice of mothers everywhere may help reduce food waste from the farm to the fork and make it
4 . Animals are natural resources that people have wasted all through our history.
Animals have been killed for their fur and feathers, for food, for sport, and simply because they were in the way. Thousands of kinds of animals have disappeared from the earth forever. Hundreds more are on the danger list today. About 170 kinds in the United States alone are considered in danger. Why should people care? Because we need animals. And because once they are gone, there will never be any more.
Animals are more than beautiful or interesting or a source of food. Every animal has its place in the balance of nature. Destroying one kind of animal can create many problems.
For example, when farmers killed large numbers of hawks, the farmers' stores of corn and grain were destroyed by mice. Why? Because hawks eat mice. With no hawks to keep down their numbers, the mice multiplied quickly.
Luckily, some people are working to help save the animals. Some groups raise money to let people know about the problem. And they try to get the governments to pass laws protecting animals in danger.
Quite a few countries have passed laws. These laws forbid the killing of any animal or plant on the danger list. However, only if everyone takes action, animals can be removed from the endangered list.
1. What is the theme for the text?| A．Save the animals. | B．Useful animals. | C．Laws for animals. | D．Animals in danger. |
| A．They give us a source of food. | B．They are beautiful and lovely. |
| C．They keep the balance of nature. | D．They give us a lot of pleasure. |
| A．Kinds. | B．Animals. | C．Resources. | D．Feathers. |
| A．Being noticed by people all the time. | B．Helping decrease the hawk population. |
| C．Many countries have passed laws. | D．More awareness should be raised. |
5 . Oceans hold a lot of mystery, even for people who study them. But it’s no mystery why they’re in trouble. We’ve been using them to hide our waste, such as pouring oil, plastic, and poisonous chemicals into them for decades. We’ve over exploited (剥削) many fish stocks to levels so low that they can no longer be harvested.
Oceans are also a primary source of protein for millions of people worldwide. If we want to continue to enjoy what oceans provide, we need to do everything we can to protect them and the life they support. We should ensure the seafood we eat is sustainable.
Of course, not everyone is lucky enough to be able to catch their own fish, which means having sustainable options at the store is critical. As public and companies awareness about the risks caused by overfishing and uncontrolled sea farming expansion has grown, food tradesmen in Canada have developed sustainable seafood policies and commitments.
Seafood Progress, an online resource, is designed to help provide rewards to tradesmen and information to seafood lovers. It makes it easier for consumers in Canada to find out tradesmen’s policies on sourcing sustainable seafood, whether they’re sticking to those policies and how they’re performing compared to their peers.
But tradesmen must do more to ensure their seafood products are environmentally sustainable and socially responsible. This means expanding the scope of their commitments to cover all seafood products they sell, in all their stores. It also requires continuing to work with suppliers and producers to improve practices and make sure the sustainable seafood supply meets consumer demand.
It’s no mystery that if we want to continue to eat fish, we must do it responsibly. Seafood Progress has invited seafood tradesmen, suppliers and consumers to join in pushing to this goal.
1. What’s the cause of oceans’ being in trouble according to paragraph 1?| A．The ever-changing of the global climate. |
| B．The mystery that people haven’t studied. |
| C．The over exploitation and use of the oceans. |
| D．The continuous decrease of fish stocks. |
| A．Provide rewards to them. |
| B．Urge them to stick to policies. |
| C．Provide them with enough seafood. |
| D．Let them know about tradesmen’s policies. |
| A．Millions of people rely on oceans for protein. |
| B．People fail to note the consequence of overfishing. |
| C．Seafood Progress helps American customers to be informed about tradesmen’s policies. |
| D．Tradesmen can sell seafood products without limit. |
| A．Through expanding seafood production. |
| B．By protecting all the tradesmen’s profit. |
| C．By making policies to control seafood consumers. |
| D．By joint efforts of people involved in seafood. |
6 . A project in Kenya is using biogas (沼气) technology to attack two major pollution problems with one device: a machine that changes waste such as invasive water hyacinth (入侵性水葫芦) into cleaner cooking fuel.
The project from Biogas International, a Kenyan energy technology company, has so far provided 50 of the Flexi Biogas devices to homes in the city of Kisumu in western Kenya. The main device is called a digester (浸煮器) because it breaks down plant waste to produce gas. The digesters will permit families to stop using wood or coal, both of which produce dangerous smoke. People will also be able to cook foods faster using the gas. Tony Otieno used the gas from a digester to cook tea for his 70-year-old grandmothet Margaret. He said, "The gas has no smoke, does not smell, and it is much faster than the jiko (a stove that uses wood-coal)."
Some of the families received a gas stove as part of the project, to replace their jiko. The machines process plant waste such as water hyacinth. That plan has covered large parts of Lake Victoria. The weed-like plant harms living things in the lake including fish. The plant also helps bacteria and mosquitoes increase, causing health risks to local communities.
Dominic Wanjihia Kahumbu is head of Biogas International. He said that at a cost of $650, most families in the city do not have enough money to buy the device. Although the technology can be on a small or large scale, he said, each system costs a lot to make. As a result, it is unlikely that the company will make a profit for at least another five years. He said the company needs new investment.
Two larger versions of the equipment are still in the testing stage. They would produce clean fuel on an larger scale for restaurants, chicken farms and fish drying facilities in the area.
1. What do the two major pollution problems refer to?| A．Bacteria and mosquitoes. | B．Plant waste and fuel pollution. |
| C．Biogas and water hyacinth. | D．Jiko and dangerous smoke. |
| A．Large. | B．Cheap. |
| C．Environment-friendly. | D．Nice-looking. |
| A．It helps fish increase. | B．It has covered Kenya. |
| C．It's a threat to the local people. | D．It leads to the invention of digester. |
| A．Its kinds. | B．Its disadvantages. | C．Its future. | D．Its function. |
7 . Masks that helped save lives are proving a deadly danger to wildlife, with birds and sea creatures trapped in the shocking number of thrown-away facial coverings. Single-use masks have been found around pavements, waterways and beaches worldwide. Worn once, the thin protective materials can take hundreds of years to decompose. “Face masks aren’t going away any time soon — but when we throw them away, these items can harm the environment and the animals,” Ashley Fruno of animal rights group PETA said.
In Britain, a gull was rescued by the RSPCA after its legs became tangled in the straps of a mask for up to a week. The animal welfare charity took it to a wildlife hospital for treatment before its release.
The biggest effect may be in the water. More than 1.5 billion masks made their way into the world’s oceans last year, accounting for around 6,200 extra tonnes of ocean plastic pollution, according to environmental group Oceans Asia.
Conservationists in Brazil found one mask inside the stomach of a penguin after its body was washed up on a beach, while a dead puffer fish was discovered caught inside another off the coast of Miami. French campaigners found a dead crab trapped in a mask near the Mediterranean.
Masks and gloves are “particularly problematic” for sea creatures, says George Leonard, chief scientist from NGO Ocean Conservancy. “When those plastics break down in the environment, they then enter the food chain and impact the entire ecosystems,” he added.
There has been a shift towards greater use of reusable cloth masks as the pandemic has worn on, but many are still using the lighter single-use varieties. Campaigners have urged people to bin them properly and cut the straps to reduce the risk of animals becoming trapped. Oceans Asia has also called on governments to increase fines for littering and encourage the use of washable masks.
1. What does the underlined word “decompose” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Burn away. | B．Produce. | C．Break down. | D．Improve. |
| A．The environmental group saves many animals. |
| B．Sea wildlife is fond of feeding on face masks. |
| C．Measures should be taken to protect sea wildlife. |
| D．Masks thrown around finally do harm to human. |
| A．By increasing fines for throwing masks. | B．By preventing the public using single-use masks. |
| C．By working with campaigners’ groups. | D．By washing face masks frequently. |
| A．Wildlife Faces a Threat from Face Masks | B．Face Masks can Harm the Environment |
| C．Animal Protection Organizations Matter | D．Government should Ban Littering Face Masks |
8 . A volcano has erupted in Iceland near the capital Reykjavik after thousands of small earthquakes in the area in recent weeks, the Icelandic meteorological office has said.
A red cloud lit up the night sky after the eruption began in Fagradalsfjall on Friday about 40km from the capital Reykjavik. A no-fly zone has been established in the area but the eruption appeared to be calmer as of Saturday evening.
Streams of red lava could be seen flowing out of a crack in the ground which is estimated to be about 200 meters long.
Police and coastguard officials raced to the scene late on Friday and the public has been advised to stay away from the area.
More than 40,000 earthquakes have occurred in the area in the past four weeks, a huge jump from the 1,000-3,000 earthquakes registered each year since 2014.
The Krysuvik volcanic system does not have a central volcano. While the country’s largest airport and a small fishing port are only a few kilometers away, the area is uninhabited and the eruption is not expected to present any danger.
Volcanic eruptions in the region are known as effusive eruptions, where lava flows steadily out of the ground, as opposed to explosive ones such as that of Eyjafjallajökull in 2010 which shot ash clouds high into the sky and paralyzed air traffic in Europe for weeks. However, all flights in and out of the airport have been stopped.
The Krysuvik volcanic system has been inactive for the past 900 years, according to the meteorological office, while the last eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula (半岛) dates back almost 800 years to 1240.
But the region has been closely watched for several weeks after an earthquake of magnitude 5.7 was registered on 24 February on the outskirts of Reykjavik, followed by an unusual number of smaller quakes — more than 50,000, the highest number since digital recordings began in 1991.
1. What happened before the volcano erupted?| A．Streams of lava flew out. |
| B．A red cloud lip up the sky. |
| C．No symptom was observed by scientist. |
| D．Huge numbers of small quakes happened. |
| A．The central volcano erupted first. | B．It shot ash clouds high into the sky. |
| C．The lava flew out continuously. | D．It has been active for 900 years. |
| A．There are no residents near it. |
| B．The airplanes fly high enough. |
| C．The small fishing port has enough water. |
| D．People have taken protective measures. |
| A．Thousands of small earthquakes. | B．The eruption of a volcano. |
| C．A research on a special volcano. | D．The history of a volcano. |
9 . Earthquake safety tips
On April 14, 2010, a big earthquake hit Yushu, Qinghai. Over, 2,000 people died. Many people were hurt. Why are there earthquakes?
The surface of the Earth has many pieces. These pieces are always moving. When two pieces move past each other, there is an earthquake.
Scientist are working hard to find out more about earthquakes. They try to predict (预测) them, but it's very hard.
Do you know how to get ready for an earthquake? Do you know what to do during an earthquake? Here are some things you should know.
What to do before an earthquake:
Make sure you have two bottles of water, a packet of biscuits, a clean towel, a few band-aids (创口贴), a radio and a flashlight (电筒) at home.
What to do during an earthquake If you are inside:
★Stay where you are. Quickly move under a strong desk, or along a wall. This will protect you from falling things.
★Don't stand near windows.
★Turn off the lights.
★Don't get into a lift during an earthquake. If your are in a lift, get out as quickly as possible.
If you are outside:
★Don't stand near buildings. Things may fall on you.
★Lie on the ground until the shaking stops.
1. You need ______ at home before an earthquake.| A．some water and biscuits | B．a clean towel and a few band-aids |
| C．a radio and a flashlight | D．all of the things above |
| A．getting into a lift | B．turning on the lights |
| C．keeping you from falling things | D．standing near the window |
| A．the surface of the earth is thin |
| B．two pieces of the surface move past each other |
| C．the pieces of the surface are moving slowly |
| D．there are too many people on the earth |
| A．You can play under a big tree. |
| B．You can't stand near the buildings. |
| C．You can lie on the ground until the shaking stops. |
| D．Both B and C. |
10 . Wildfires have captured headlines around the globe in recent years. These intense and widespread fires worry scientists. Besides causing billions of dollars in property damage, wildfires can erase the habitat of valued wildlife. They also fill the air with choking pollution. And when they burn near cities, they put the lives of whole communities in danger.
But scientists are interested in these fires for another reason. The black carbon-rich smoke from their flames is made of the ash from burned trees, grass and shrubs. The intense heat of some wildfires can cast this ash to high altitudes and it can travel around the globe.And the warming sunlight absorbed by dark particles(微粒)at high altitudes won't reach Earth's surface.
Scientists refer to those tiny particles of ash,dust and more as aerosols(气溶胶). One important trait is how well they reflect light. Snow and white ice reflect the most light. Dark things absorb the sun's light, mostly as heat. So the color of aerosols is important. Those aerosols can either warm or cool the air. Overall, researches showed that smoke aerosols cool the atmosphere. As intense fires cause dark ash aerosols high into the air, they mix with clouds and mostly prevent the sun's energy entering the earth.
The warming climate that can lead to wildfires may experience a temporary cooling when serious wildfires do erupt. Meanwhile, fire aerosols also can have bad effects when they fall back to Earth. And that fallout can sometimes be up to half a world away from where a fire took place.
Many studies show that intense wildfires are becoming more common, partly because of global warming. As the planet warms and new fires occur, scientists will continue to explore the big impact of tiny fire aerosols that temporarily occupy our atmosphere.
1. What does paragraph 1 focus on?| A．Wildfire-related air pollution. | B．Cities suffering from wildfires. |
| C．Harmful effects of wildfires. | D．Scientists' concern over wildlife. |
| A．By absorbing the sun's heat. | B．By reflecting most sunlight. |
| C．By blocking out dark clouds. | D．By clearing away clouds. |
| A．Uncaring | B．Cautious. | C．Disapproving. | D．Supportive. |
| A．How wildfires affect the climate. | B．Why warming causes wildfires. |
| C．Common occurrence of wildfires. | D．Serious damage from wildfires. |
