1 . Buildings, pollution, poor soil, insects, and even car crashes can add to tree loss. However, between 2016 and 2021, the city of Seattle in Washington state was reported to have lost about 255 hectares of tree covering, for which climate change was blamed. Then came the driest summer on Seattle’s record books in 2022. The drier conditions and hotter temperatures have left many trees with brown leaves, naked branches, and extreme seeding. These are all signs of tree stress.
According to Nicholas Johnson, a tree expert for Seattle City Parks, if this warming climate continues we are going to have a lot of trees die. Just like people, under the heat trees get weak.
Researchers from France and Australia studied the effect of hotter temperatures and less rain on more than 3,100 trees and plants in 164 cities across 78 countries. They found about half the trees in the cities were experiencing climate conditions beyond their limits. They also found that by 2050 nearly all trees planted in Australian cities will not survive.
It’s not the gradual change but these extreme swings of too much water, too little water, too much wind, and terrible storms that are going to cause these rapid changes. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed about 10 percent of the trees in New Orleans, Louisiana. And in 2021, Hurricane Ida uprooted many new tree plantings.
To settle the problem of tree loss, non-native trees have been brought to cities for some time. In the city of Bellevue, Washington, experts are growing different kinds of trees specifically for climate change. On city grounds, they are planting baby giant sequoias, just a few centimeters tall. The giant sequoias are not native to the Pacific Northwest area. But the trees can deal with the lack of rain and insects. Once these trees are established, they grow incredibly fast. Having many different kinds and ages of trees is important to keeping urban forests alive.
“Life always finds a way,” said Nicholas Johnson. “And in Seattle, people are helping life find a way.”
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?A.The bad condition of trees in Seattle. |
B.The terrible climate in Seattle in recent years. |
C.Natural reasons for tree loss. |
D.The signs of tree stress. |
A.Buildings. | B.Pollution. |
C.Extreme climate. | D.Car crashes. |
A.By improving planting methods. |
B.By changing the kinds of trees. |
C.By treating trees as babies. |
D.By improving the soil quality. |
A.Indifferent. | B.Negative. | C.Skeptical. | D.Positive. |
China on October 12 officially announced the first group of national parks. Home to nearly 30 percent of the key wildlife species found in China, they cover
The
The Three-River-Source National Park
Commercial activities are banned in the national parks and are all put
3 . Many poor children in Africa struggle on tuition for an education. However, a new school has been asking their pupils to pay for classes with
Every week, students
Parmita and Mazin, the couple
Now, the plastic is being collected and recycled at the school’s own recycling center. The school
Furthermore, the school’s older students can work part-time at the center as an additional source of
Now the school owns over 100 students
A.working hours | B.farm products | C.plastic waste | D.burned trash |
A.leaving | B.attending | C.finishing | D.damaging |
A.taking in | B.spreading out | C.attached to | D.filled with |
A.collected | B.borrowed | C.explored | D.counted |
A.anxious | B.grateful | C.responsible | D.qualified |
A.changed | B.inspired | C.prohibited | D.recommended |
A.stand | B.enjoy | C.observe | D.control |
A.as if | B.although | C.because | D.in case |
A.consequently | B.obviously | C.eventually | D.commonly |
A.buries | B.removes | C.throws | D.recycles |
A.single | B.straight | C.large | D.twisted |
A.income | B.credits | C.scores | D.trash |
A.of | B.at | C.between | D.from |
A.efficient | B.creative | C.skillful | D.respected |
A.teachers | B.beggars | C.partners | D.students |
4 . Roads and railways have made it easy for people to travel around the UK, but have had the precisely opposite effect for insects. Alongside housing developments, transport infrastructure (基础设施) has separated insect habitats, leaving many pollinators (传粉昆虫) stuck on decreasing islands of biodiversity.
A new conservation project aims to address that by creating a network of wildflower superhighways across the UK. The B-Lines network aims to join the dots between meadow habitats, enabling pollinators and other wildlife to move freely between them. Ten years in the making, the B-Lines initiative was launched by the insect charity Buglife on Tuesday and has already generated interest from unexpected quarters. “After the launch, some house builders rang up asking how they could include the network into house building, so it could have a really positive effect,” said Buglife’s Paul Hetherington.
Buglife has spent the last decade mapping potential routes for the insect superhighway. Hetherington said the proposed highway could give the UK’s weak insects a boost and a route out of habitats that become too hot due to the climate crisis and it can make a huge difference in easing declines. “The things that have really hammered pollinators are habitat loss, loss of connectivity of habitat, climate change and pesticides—this deals with everything except pesticides,” said Hetherington.
The B-lines network is not just a concept. Pilot sections have already been completed, including the South Wales B-Lines near Cardiff. “Since that was done, there have been recordings of one of our rarest bees in Cardiff town centre, which shows this connectivity can work,” said Hetherington. And in Norwich, Buglife has been working with Network Rail to plant wildflowers along the track. Anyone living along the proposed route can get involved in the project. All they need to do is let their lawns grow, or even just create a small herb garden, which Hetherington likened to creating a “motorway service station for bees”.
1. What can we learn about the B-Lines network from paragraph 2?A.It will separate insect habitats. | B.It can help insects to pollinate. |
C.It is still being planned now. | D.It hasn’t caused any attention. |
A.The last decade. | B.The superhighway. | C.The climate crisis. | D.The decline. |
A.By recording the tracks of bees. | B.By cooperating with Network Rail. |
C.By planting herbs in their own gardens. | D.By creating a motorway service station. |
A.Roads and railways have caused bad effect on insects. |
B.Transport infrastructure prevents housing developments. |
C.Pollinators are stuck on decreasing islands of biodiversity. |
D.Conservationists are creating “superhighways” for insects. |
5 .
Trees are so important that some people have made it their goal to protect them. We can call these people “tree hugger”. It describes people who support the protection of forests. Today, the term “tree hugger” describes a person who is an environmentalist.
However, calling someone a “tree hugger” is not always seen as a praise.
Some tree huggers do go to extremes to protect trees. Take, for example, an American woman named Julia Lorraine Hill. For 738 days from December 10, 1997 and December 18, 1999, Hill lived in Luna, a Redwood tree in northern California’s Humboldt County. Luna is huge, measuring nearly 61 meters tall and about 12 meters across, which has stood in Humboldt County for more than 1,000 years.
A.Trees give so much to the world. |
B.Human beings should all protect trees. |
C.In earlier times, in fact, it was used as an insult(辱骂). |
D.And I’m sure that she would consider that the highest of praises. |
E.They want to protect nature and the environment - but not just the trees. |
F.Nowadays, the environmental problems are more serious than in the history. |
G.But that did not stop the Pacific Lumber Company from wanting to cut it down. |
6 . The African penguin lives on St. Croix island off the east coast of South Africa. A new study has found that they are leaving their natural environment to escape noisy ship refueling (补给燃料) activities.
The African penguins once mainly raised babies on this island. But the population has dropped sharply since South Africa started permitting ships in the area to refuel at sea six years ago, the study found.
Lorien Pichegru is acting director of the Coastal and Marine Research Institute at Nelson Mandela University, which led the study. She said the organization had found that noise levels in the area had doubled since the refueling activities began. Scientists say high noise levels affect the ability of penguins to find and catch other animals for food. Noise also makes it more difficult for them to communicate with each other and map travel paths. “This year we are at 1,200 breeding pairs at St Croix from 8,500 pairs in 2016,” Pichegru said.
The study recently appeared in the publication Science of the Total Environment. The researchers said the study is the first to explore the effects of ocean traffic noise pollution on a seabird.
Nelson Mandela University’s study collected some data to estimate underwater noise from passing ships. Oil-covered penguins were found in 2019 in Algoa Bay after an oil spill from ship-to-ship refueling. Environmental groups have called for the activities to be banned in the bay.
Pichegru said penguins in the area were already struggling to survive because of a series of issues, including industrial fishing activities. She added that the refueling activities did not kill all the penguins. However, “It was just the thing that made the whole ecology tip over and then the penguins couldn’t cope with that,” she said.
1. What has the new study found about penguins?A.They have difficulty in raising babies. | B.They can get used to noisy ships easily. |
C.Their population is on the increase. | D.They are forced to leave the natural environment. |
A.The value of Lorien Pichegru’s job. | B.The importance of ship refueling activities. |
C.The ability of Penguins to find food. | D.Bad effects of noises on Penguins. |
A.The penguins should be put in control. |
B.Fishing activities should be greatly encouraged. |
C.Refueling activities should be strictly managed. |
D.The penguins should develop their survival abilities. |
A.A diary. | B.A guidebook. | C.A textbook. | D.A magazine. |
7 . There has been a dramatic increase in the number of natural disasters over the past few years, and it is assumed that global warming and climate change could cause even more disasters in the future. Some of the world’s leading cities are facing disasters like floods and heat waves.
London
London’s flood defences are getting older. Since 1982, the Thames Barrier(水闸)has protected the city from the threat of flooding, but it was only designed to last until 2030 and close once every two or three years. About 26 years later, the barrier now closes five or six times a year and according to Environment Agency predictions, by 2050 the barrier will be closed on almost every tide if the problem is not addressed.
There are 26 underground stations, 400 schools, 16 hospitals, an airport and 80 billion worth of property in London’s flood risk area, so large scale flooding would be disastrous.
Paris
Over a sixweek period in July and August 2003, more than 11, 400—mainly elderly people—died in France from dehydration(脱水)and extremely high body temperature in a deadly heat wave. Heat waves of similar intensity(强度)are expected every seven years by 2050, so what can be done to make sure such a disaster does not happen again?
One solution is to have airconditioners installed in elderly care homes. But this is considered a shortterm solution, as the increase in demand for electricity also increases carbon emissions(排放).
In Paris the local authorities are encouraging architects to design new types of buildings such as the building “Flower Tower”, which uses a covering of bamboo to act as a natural airconditioner.
Shanghai
Shanghai is one of the fastest growing cities on Earth. It has a population of 18 million and is only 4 meters above sea level. Sea levels are predicted to rise by 20 cm within the next century.
An estimated 250,000 people move to Shanghai every year in search of work, placing extra demands on energy consumption. China relies heavily on coalfired power stations, but these emissions increase temperatures and, in turn, warmer seas increase the risk of typhoons.
1. What problem should be settled now in London?A.How to protect the city’s property. |
B.Where to build its flood defences. |
C.How to use the Thames Barrier to protect the city. |
D.How to improve the function of the old flood defences. |
A.Putting up new types of buildings with a covering of bamboo. |
B.Having airconditioners installed in elderly care homes. |
C.Forbidding the city to build “Flower Tower”. |
D.Encouraging architects to design new types of buildings. |
A.to tell us how to protect the big cities |
B.to give advice on how to defend natural disasters |
C.to explain what causes flood and heat waves |
D.to warn us of the increasing natural disasters in big cities |
A.Big Cities Facing Big Disasters |
B.Big Disasters in the Future |
C.The Increase of Natural Disasters |
D.Solutions to Natural Disasters |
Our world has been greatly affected by global warming and it is critical (关键的) that people, young and old, join hands to fight it. Most
It is believed that the nation should ask schools
Too many people think that global warming is not a threat, but it is one of our
Green living and green schools are part of
9 . If you’re not at least a bit terrified by the climate and ecological breakdown unfolding before our eyes, you haven’t grasped the scale of the crisis. Eco-anxiety, defined as “a chronic(长期的)fear of environmental doom”, is on the rise. But redirecting this anxiety into anger and collective action might just pull humanity back from the brink.
We don’t yet know how deeply eco-anxiety affects people, but we can learn not to repeat the mistakes of long-gone societies lost to environmental collapse. Jared Diamond’s Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed uncovers the common driver that led to the fall of ancient civilizations such as the Central American Mayan, the remote Pacific Easter Island, and the Mycenae: People accidentally destroyed the environmental resources on which their societies depended.
Today, we are living in a new climate and ecological age. The new normal is one that humans have never before experienced on earth, and that has occurred within a single generation. We can’t claim ignorance. Numerous scientific reports show: unprecedented(空前的)wildfires in the Arctic, heatwaves annually breaking records, the Amazon shrinking and drying, and species extinction rates accelerating. Nature’s dangerous decline is unprecedented.
So, it’s not surprising that eco-anxiety is on the rise. Anxiety is often a private emotional state: We feel alone, stuck inside our own heads, and our emotions stop us from doing the things we want. But anger, directed appropriately, can fuel powerful collective action for change.
We are on a pathway to destroy the global conditions for human survival. Unlike previous civilizations, we have the science and technology to understand our danger and chart a new pathway. This is a moment for all of us to channel our eco-anxiety, fear and anger into energy for change.
1. Which of the following best describes “eco-anxiety”?A.Uncertainty about the future. | B.Anxiety about modern civilization. |
C.Fear of changes in the living standard. | D.Worries about the destruction of nature. |
A.To warn people to learn a lesson from the past. |
B.To prove the importance of ancient civilizations. |
C.To present the collapse of ancient civilizations. |
D.To add some background information on eco-anxiety. |
A.People lack the knowledge about nature. | B.Nature is in its most dangerous state ever. |
C.Climate issues can’t be solved effectively. | D.People have limited access to natural resources. |
A.Frustrated. | B.Doubtful. | C.Hopeful. | D.Concerned. |
10 . Noise pollution has a long-term effect on tree populations that may persist even after the sources of noise are removed, according to research published Wednesday.
Man-made noise from industry and the building of infrastructure such as roads and pipelines has increased greatly since the middle of last century. While previous research has documented the short-term effect noise has on tree populations as it scares off pollinators (传粉者) such as insects and animals, few studies have covered the long-term effect.
Researchers in the United States looked at tree populations in New Mexico that had been “hearing”a high level of man-made noise for 15 years. They found 75 percent fewer pinyon pine seedlings (矮松苗) in noisy places than quiet ones.
Then they looked at other places in New Mexico, where sources of noise had recently been added and then removed, and examined how populations recovered. The team assumed that populations of the trees — in this case pinyon seedlings — would recover as the pollinators would return to the places once the noise had disappeared. Instead, they found a long-term drop in seedling numbers as the birds refused to revisit the places.
“The effects of human noise pollution are growing into these woodland communities,” said Clinton Francis, lead researcher from California Polytechnic State University. “What we’re seeing is that removal of the noise doesn’t necessarily immediately result in a recovery of ecological function.”
Jennifer Phillips, co-author of the research, said the findings showed how the effect of noise pollution could put pollinators off even after the noise is removed. “Animals like the birds that are sensitive to noise learn to avoid particular areas.” said Phillips. “It may take time for animals to come back to pollinate trees in these previously noisy areas, and we don’t know how long that might take.”
As governments continue to face growing evidence of the damage to nature caused by urbanization (城市化), Phillips held that the influence of noise pollution should also be factored into planning decisions.
1. What does the underlined word “persist” mean in paragraph 1?A.Recover. | B.Decrease. | C.Last. | D.Disappear. |
A.By studying cases in New Mexico. |
B.By challenging the previous research. |
C.By recording the routines of pollinators. |
D.By following the sources of noise pollution. |
A.Noise pollution kills large numbers of birds. |
B.Governments should take measures to remove noise. |
C.Ecological recovery contributes to the removal of noise. |
D.It’s hard to tell when birds will revisit previously noisy places. |
A.Removing noise enables plants to grow better. |
B.Pollinators play a role in increasing plant population. |
C.Noise pollution has long-term effects on plant populations. |
D.Man-made noise does great harm to woodland communities. |