1 . A possible treatment for Florida’s disastrous red tides (赤潮) took another step toward widespread use after successful testing in Sarasota Bay.
This study, led by UCF Assistant Professor of Biology Kristy Lewis, is the first successful test of any red tide treatment technology in open water using large water containers (容器). These containers — about six feet in diameter — extend from the waters’ surface to the ocean floor, allowing scientists to test real ocean conditions within a controlled setting. Four containers were treated with a clay (黏土) solution, while the other four served as a control.
The clay along with the Karenia brevis algae (海藻), which is responsible for Florida red tide, is put on the ocean floor. Lewis has spent the last three years carefully testing the impact of introducing this clay into the ocean ecosystem. She not only looks for changes in the water’s quality, but also wants to know how the clay affects the health of sea life. “We want to make sure the treatment is not worse than the disease,” she says.
At first, the test was simply to measure the influence of the clay on the ecosystem, but an unexpected red tide event caused Lewis to make the test practical. The results suggest the clay performed as expected, but there’s still a question of whether the bad effects of algae remain active on the ocean floor. Water collected during the test should provide an answer. Next steps depend on the test results, but there are already plans to survey what happened to the clay-coated algae when it’s used near seagrass beds.
Visiting Sarasota. Florida, in the middle of a red tide event reminded Lewis just how important the research is to keep the state’s coast healthy. Lewis says she’s prepared to go another three years if that’s what it takes to find an acceptable solution to red tides.
1. What was the purpose of the study?A.To plant more seagrass. | B.To fight against red tides. |
C.To collect clean water. | D.To produce containers. |
A.Her original work plan. | B.An unforgettable tour. |
C.Her team’s suggestion. | D.An unexpected red tide. |
A.Work with the locals. | B.Report Florida red tides. |
C.Further her research. | D.Study seafood industry. |
A.Nature. | B.Business. | C.Education. | D.Lifestyle. |
A.An earthquake. | B.A fire. | C.His boss. |
3 . Several art projects are on show to warn people of the climate change happening around us.
Video on the walls
Photographer Camille Seaman has traveled to both the North Pole and the South Pole, where she has captured the disappearing ice in photographs and video. Camille Seaman made a video with some of her most powerful photos of melting ice for people in four coastal cities to display on their buildings. The video ends with a prediction that sea level will rise by 2050 without relative action.
Mural (壁画)changing color
Temperatures in Austin, Texas, are on the rise, and climate change will put the city at higher risk of extended drought, wildfires, intense rain and flooding. Artist Lope Gutiérrez-Ruiz designed a unique mural that changes color as it gets hotter. This art work calls for people to change the world and change climate change, underlining the importance of individual actions to the collective future.
Public billboard (广告牌)
Artist Christine Sun Kim released a public billboard on the 710 Freeway called The Sound of Temperature Rising. It points to the reality of climate disaster that has become all too clear on the West Coast and the need for significant change now. The illustration features a graph (图表) of music notes that get progressively longer and redder.
Anti-Extinction Library
Globally, species are disappearing at an unheard-of rate. In response, architect Mitchell Joachim created The Anti-Extinction Library in New York. The sculptural piece is not only beautiful but also functional. Their unique egg-shaped library has a special freezer storing test tubes with the frozen cells and DNA of rare animals and plants. It’s important for people to realize we must quickly work to protect the rights of different species in our area.
1. What is the key feature of the mural?A.It lights up at night. |
B.It moves with the wind. |
C.It plays music when it rains. |
D.It changes color with temperature. |
A.Camille Seaman’s. | B.Lope Gutiérrez-Ruiz’s. |
C.Christine Sun Kim's. | D.Mitchel l Joachim’s. |
A.To praise artists’ participation. |
B.To call for people to take action. |
C.To show the severe result of climate change. |
D.To facilitate the combination of art and climate. |
4 . Are flash floods becoming more severe? Natural disasters are generally getting worse—and that's true for floods, too.
As climate change warms the atmosphere, extreme rainfall is rising, which increases the risk of flash floods. Heavy precipitation(降水) events are predicted to increase by 2 to 3 times the historical average. The Federal Emergency Management Agency expects the nation’s floodplains to expand by 45 percent by the end of this century, as the agency reported in a recent study. A study in early 2021 found that increased precipitation—resulting partially from climate change—costs the US an additional $ 2.5 billion each year in flood damage. And some studies show that flood frequency was increasing in the Mississippi River valley and across the Midwest in the last century, as well as in the Northeast over the past 50 years.
There are several steps you can take to prepare for flash floods
First, know the level of risk by looking at flood maps. You may be required to have flood insurance if you live in a high-risk area.
Pay attention to flash flood watches, which the National Weather Service issues to indicate when conditions could result.in flash floods. People in these areas-should be-ready to take action—particularly if the NWS announces a flash flood warning. That’s issued when flash floods are approaching and, at that point, people should immediately leave the area.
But be particularly careful when travelling by car. Don’t drive through flooded streets—it's difficult to judge the water depth, and roadways hidden below the water can collapse. If floodwaters cause your vehicle to lose control, abandon it and seek the higher ground. Rapidly rising water can sweep the vehicle away. Know your surroundings and head to the higher ground, and listen to the radio updates when in a flood.
It’s also important to develop an emergency prepared plan with your family or those you live with to have a few days’ worth of resources.
1. Why does the author ask the question in paragraph 1?A.To confirm an idea. | B.To conclude the text. |
C.To introduce a topic. | D.To express some doubts. |
A.By analyzing causes. | B.By listing relevant data. |
C.By describing processes. | D.By making comparisons. |
A.Purchase insurance. | B.Look at flood maps. |
C.Have an emergency plan. | D.Avoid the flooded streets. |
A.What Is a Flash Flood? |
B.Do Flash Floods Need Controlling? |
C.How Do We Prepare for Flash Floods? |
D.Are Flash Floods Becoming More Severe? |
5 . In Wiltshire, England, volunteers are being searched for to visit a nature protection area to count the butterflies living there and in nearby fields. The project is started by an environmental protection organization, which has been devoted to improving the living environment for wild animals. Recently, the organization has called on volunteers to help it observe environmental changes based on the record of butterflies and protect the environment.
In the area, the local people have planted many special flowers with the help of the organization. They want to see whether these flowers will interest the rare, and beautiful butterflies. The project officer Sarah Marshall says, “It will be a suitable living place for butterflies. They are great ‘indicator species’ (指向性物种) as they are easily affected by climate changes. So they make a brilliant early-warning system for the environment.”
She also points out that volunteers are needed to record the number or species of butterflies, and based on the change happening to the butterflies, the hidden environmental problems in the area can be found out in time.
The organization is searching for volunteers to help monitor (监测) butterflies from April through to September. They will walk the same route and record the different butterflies they meet along the way. Each visit should take no more than two hours, and each volunteer is expected to visit once a month count the wildlife. “Staff will provide backup (后备人员), so if the weather is poor on the day you are visit (butterflies don’t like to fly in the rain, wind or if it’s too cloudy), we can have someone else do your job,” Sarah points out.
No previous experience is necessary as training and support will be provided, but a strong interest is important. If you are interested, please contact Sarah on (01380) 725670, ext 278, or email sarahm@wiltshirewildlife.org.
1. Why are special flowers planted in the nature protection area?A.To attract visitors. | B.To attract butterflies. |
C.To improve the environment. | D.To help the local people make money. |
A.reducing in number in Wiltshire | B.curious about their habitats |
C.unable to keep up with climate changes | D.sensitive to environmental changes |
A.will take a different route each time | B.must know a lot about butterflies |
C.will visit the area 6 times in total | D.must have previous experience |
A.To persuade people to visit Wiltshire. | B.To advertise for volunteers with a project. |
C.To encourage people to protect butterflies. | D.To show a way to explore climate change. |
6 . For emperor penguins, sea ice is essential to survival. The iconic birds, found only in Antaretica, breed, lay their eggs and raise their chicks on fast sea ice. They arrive at their breeding sites in late March. In May and June, they lay their eggs, which hatch after 65 days during the Antarctic winter. The chicks then remain on the ice until their luff (绒毛) down is replaced by waterproof feathers, finally fledging (长出羽毛) in the summer months of December and January.
Last year, sea ice levels in Antaretiaa were at an all-time low—breaking the record first set in 2021. The Bellingshausen Sea region, to the west of the Antaretic Peninsula, saw the most extreme reduction of sea ice, with some areas experiencing a 100% loss. Of the five known emperor penguins’ habitats in the Bellingshausen Sea region, all but one experienced what was most likely a total breeding failure due to the loss of sea ice, according to a paper published today in Nature Communications Earth & Environment. Satellite imagery clearly showed the sea ice had broken up before the chicks would have developed enough to survive on their own.
“We have never seen emperor penguins fail to breed at this scale in a single season,” the study’s lead author, Peter Fretwell of the British Antarctic Survey, said in a statement. “The loss of sea ice in this region during the Antaretic summer made it very unlikely that displaced chicks would survive.”
The study team also believe their findings support a projection that if present warming rates continue, more than 80%of emperor penguins’ habitats will disappear, meaning they have too few individuals to support a population, by 2100.
1. Which of the following is the passage probably taken from?A.A science magazine. | B.A science fiction |
C.An advertisement. | D.A novel. |
A.In May. | B.In November. | C.In August. | D.In January. |
A.All emperor penguins suffered breeding failure. |
B.Chicks can grow up before the sea ice breaks up. |
C.Most areas experienced a 100%sea ice loss in Antarctica. |
D.Sea ice levels in Antarctica reached the lowest in 2022. |
A.Chicks are bred difficultly in Antarctica. |
B.Emperor penguins fail to breed their chicks. |
C.Sea ice loss affects emperor penguins’ survival. |
D.Climate change affects sea ice loss in Antarctica. |
1. What does the man suggest doing in an earthquake?
A.Going outside. | B.Protecting the pet. | C.Hiding under something. |
A.10 years ago. | B.20 years ago. | C.25 years ago. |
8 . After years of heated debate, gray wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. Fourteen wolves were caught in Canada and transported to the park. By last year, the Yellowstone wolf population had grown to more than 170 wolves.
Gray wolves once were seen here and there in the Yellowstone area and much of the continental United States, but they were gradually displaced by human development. By the 1920s, wolves had practically disappeared from the Yellowstone area. They went farther north into the deep forests of Canada, where there were fewer humans around.
The disappearance of the wolves had many unexpected results. Deer and elk populations — major food sources (来源) for the wolf — grew rapidly. These animals consumed large amounts of vegetation (植被), which reduced plant diversity in the park. In the absence of wolves, coyote populations also grew quickly. The coyotes killed a large percentage of the park’s red foxes, and completely drove away the park’s beavers.
As early as 1966, biologists asked the government to consider reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone Park. They hoped that wolves would be able to control the elk and coyote problems. Many farmers opposed the plan because they feared that wolves would kill their farm animals or pets.
The government spent nearly 30 years coming up with a plan to reintroduce the wolvers. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service carefully monitors and manages the wolf packs in Yellowstone. Today, the debate continues over how well the gray wolf is fitting in at Yellowstone. Elk, deer, and coyote populations are down, while beavers and red foxes have made a comeback. The Yellowstone wolf project has been a valuable experiment to help biologists decide whether to reintroduce wolves to other parts of the country as well.
1. What is the text mainly about?A.Wildlife research in the United States. |
B.Plant diversity in the Yellowstone area. |
C.The conflict between farmers and gray wolves. |
D.The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone Park. |
A.Damage to local ecology. |
B.Preservation of vegetation. |
C.A decline in the park’s income. |
D.An increase in the variety of animals. |
A.Doubtful. | B.Uncaring. | C.Positive. | D.Disapproving. |
9 . In the middle of the night, a baby chimpanzee (黑猩猩) is having nightmares. Chantal, his caretaker, tries to calm him down. She works at the Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center, in the Republic of the Congo, in Africa. The chimp’s name is George. He was taken from his mother by hunters. Finally, he was rescued and taken to the sanctuary (鸟兽保护区), where Chantal helped him make friends with other chimpanzees. “We rescue chimps from terrible conditions and help them to live in the wild like other chimpanzees,” Chantal said, “They need to learn chimp behavior.”
Chimpanzees meet a lot difficulties because people cut down forest and illegal (非法的) wildlife trade. Their population, numbering in the millions a century ago, could be down to 172,000. This makes the work of the Tchimpounga Sanctuary even more important.
When opening in 1992, Tchimpounga had space for 60 chimpanzees. It has been made larger to the size of a hundred football fields, and provide home around 150 chimps. Many live on islands with thick forest in the Kouilou River. In that environment, the chimps are prepared for a possible return to the wild. The sanctuary also works with the government to reduce illegal trade in animals. Tchimpounga’s head veterinarian (兽医) Rebeca Atencia said, “We have effectively reduced the arrival of orphan (孤儿) chimpanzees to Tchimpounga. We’ve received only one orphan chimp over the past three years.”
The chimps have shown that they understand the sanctuary staff’s efforts. “Saving the life of a chimpanzee is very gratifying,” Atencia says. “Chimpanzees know when you’re helped them or saved their life. Sometimes, they thank you with a hug.”
As the leader of Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), Atencia also works with people who live near the sanctuary. These people depend on the forest for food and building houses, and their growing population is a danger to chimps. JGI helps the people in these places get healthcare, clean water, and others. This makes them less dependent on the area’s natural resources and reduces illegal trade in chimps. At present, there are islands within the sanctuary where the chimps can be safe from wild chimpanzees and hunters. And they’ re still under the care of the sanctuary staff.
1. What happened to chimps after they were taken to the sanctuary?A.They got together with their mothers. |
B.They were trained to comfort social workers. |
C.They were taught how to live a usual life. |
D.They were used for scientific experiments. |
A.It was dangerous and cost a lot of money at first. |
B.It has received lots of support. |
C.It hardly saves adult chimps. |
D.It is a success. |
A.Challenging. | B.Interesting. | C.Pleasing. | D.Tiring. |
A.Supporting local people is good for chimp protection. |
B.More efforts should be made to care for wild chimps. |
C.The chimp population in the sanctuary has grown quickly. |
D.People near the sanctuary depend on tourists to increase income. |
1.目前海洋面临的问题;
2.问题出现的原因;
3.解决措施。
注意:1.词数80左右;
2.可以适当增加细节,以使行文连贯。
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