1 . Overlooking the Davis—Gant Varsity Soccer Field, a bed of overturned soil waits for further development. In a few years, this area will become a natural habitat and a playground for animals and residents. This peaceful area didn’t appear naturally, but through planning and action taken by Catlin Gabel’s Tiny Forest project launched by teacher Patrick Walsh.
Forests typically take hundreds of years to mature, with four stages of growth. “Tiny forests flatten out time through the planting of all four layers (层),” Walsh explained. The end result is a fast-growing, native forest in about 20 years. Over 600 plants from 43 species will be planted in the tiny forest, the first one in Oregon.
Walsh was inspired to build a tiny forest after hearing about this idea, which emerged in Japan and has taken hold in North America. He shared his vision with seniors in his class. The seniors researched tiny forests and made a proposal resulting in Clean Water Services donating 60 trees and $5,000 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Armed with these resources, Walsh and the students started working. “Something I didn’t really expect was the outpouring of students’ enthusiasm. Seeing students from all grades volunteered to contribute to the ‘dirty work’ really blew me away,” Walsh said.
Senior Megan Cover has been at the school since the first grade. “I’ll graduate after working on this project, which is surely sad, but it’s really rewarding and great to be a part of this project and to do my bit. We’re creating this educational space for many young kids,” Cover said.
Walsh summed up his goal of the project, which is to build a place where students can enjoy and learn about nature. “The forest will obviously not solve climate change, but it will deserve the efforts if the kids think about climate change and remember the importance of reforestation and trees when they look outside at the forest.”
1. What is special about tiny forests?A.They originated in North America. | B.They are usually planted in schools. |
C.They contain various types of trees. | D.They become mature in a shorter time. |
A.The abundance of native tree species. | B.Public concern about the environment. |
C.The active participation of students. | D.Support from local organizations. |
A.Proud. | B.Regretful. | C.Grateful. | D.Disappointed. |
A.A model. | B.A reminder. | C.A resource. | D.A witness. |
Marrakech (马拉喀什) is the fourth largest city in Morocco and has a rich architectural heritage. However, an earthquake in September caused serious damage
The Medina district, the old cultural center of Marrakech, was one of them.
Apart from ancient walls, Morocco World News reported that the city’s Kharbouch Mosque (清真寺) was almost
After visiting Marrakech
3 . This past summer I set out on a journey to Canada’s Arctic. When I left I was wrapped in a blanket of uncertainty and
But when I first met the group members, I knew I didn’t have anything to
Approaching the Arctic, I was repeatedly
However, I also learned the pollutants carried by ocean from far away have a negative
During the journey, I talked with some
The Arctic is a land of incredible beauty which
A.relief | B.anxiety | C.pride | D.argument |
A.put up | B.prepare for | C.give up | D.worry about |
A.easy-going | B.well-behaved | C.sensitive | D.flexible |
A.failure | B.performance | C.adventure | D.conflict |
A.embarrassed | B.ashamed | C.amused | D.shocked |
A.watching | B.organizing | C.noticing | D.guessing |
A.painfully | B.patiently | C.unconsciously | D.doubtfully |
A.source | B.reaction | C.effect | D.development |
A.rest | B.ease | C.peace | D.risk |
A.hunt | B.explore | C.help | D.meet |
A.demanding | B.learned | C.modest | D.rigid |
A.classified | B.decorated | C.confused | D.occupied |
A.promises | B.benefits | C.deserves | D.intends |
A.take care of | B.make use of | C.run out of | D.became tired of |
A.deny | B.ensure | C.argue | D.overlook |
4 . 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. |
5 . For sharks, the Mesoamerican Reef, which stretches over 600 miles, is a busy highway. Sharks use it to find their way and it provides them with food and habitat.
But as with on-land highways, this superhighway can be dangerous. Overfishing, commercial development and illegal practices are endangering the species. “We’re seeing a continued decline in shark populations. Our goal is to turn that round.” says Rachel Graham, founder of Mar Alliance, a non-profit organization focused on conserving sharks.
By monitoring sharks, Mar Alliance can collect important knowledge on the species to help inform conservation and push for political action. But rather than acting in opposition to the local fishing community, MarAlliance enlists their help.
“They are the ones who are on the sea every single day,” says Graham, “and they’re the ones who decide the species’ future.”
MarAlliance employs up to 60 fishermen across its range, mostly on a project basis, training them to collect data, record and release fish. Not only does this provide an alternative income to fishing communities, making them less dependent on natural resources, but it also teaches them about the benefits of a healthy ocean ecosystem and how to fish sustainably.
Among them, Ivan Torres, who used to catch sharks to sell locally as food, has learned how critical they’re to the whole ecosystem, saying he’d never fish sharks any more.
If this attitude change continues to spread throughout fishing communities, Graham has hope for the shark populations. “The primary threat to sharks is unquestionably overfishing,” she says, “By reforming the industry, populations can bounce back.”
In 2020, Belize outlawed the use of gillnets, large panels of netting of trapping large sealife. The ban’s impact is already noticeable with a recorded 10-fold increase in shark populations.
But such regulations need to be copied along the whole superhighway for long-lasting impact, and countries need to find a sustainable balance between fishers and the fished. “We need to find a win-win strategy between fisher livelihoods and shark survival,” Graham emphasizes. “I hope that through education and providing an economic alternative for fishing communities, MarAlliance will help ensure safe passage for sharks along the reef”.
1. Which of the following best describes the Mesoamerican Reef for sharks?A.Romantic but messy. | B.Vital but insecure. |
C.Adventurous but beautiful. | D.Unfamiliar but reliable. |
A.MarAlliance. | B.The fishers. |
C.Monitoring authorities. | D.The sharks. |
A.A stricter fishing ban. | B.The insurance payout he earned. |
C.An offer of extra work. | D.The fishing communities’ intervention. |
A.Solution to overfishing. | B.Difficulties facing MarAlliance. |
C.Impact of existing regulations. | D.Features of international cooperation. |
6 . Kathy Xu,a high school teacher,had always wanted to see a shark in the wild.The opportunity finally
After returning home,Xu learned about the shark trade
Curious,Xu
In late 2012,Xu
In the past decade,global demand for shark fins has
A.existed | B.approached | C.came | D.scheduled |
A.bounced | B.sprang | C.dropped | D.fell |
A.taking place | B.coming along | C.taking off | D.coming out |
A.cut | B.pay | C.agree | D.fetch |
A.purchased | B.filled | C.packed | D.opened |
A.slightly | B.rarely | C.terribly | D.partly |
A.care | B.provide | C.,account | D.strive |
A.competitors | B.tourists | C.hosts | D.participants |
A.changed | B.discussed | C.canceled | D.made |
A.continued | B.accomplished | C.lost | D.quit |
A.population | B.life | C.species | D.production |
A.extinct | B.missing | C.valueless | D.hidden |
A.knowledge | B.grounds | C.necessities | D.stress |
A.declined | B.increased | C.firmed | D.boomed |
A.offer | B.distribute | C.use | D.earn |
7 . During the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, there was a lot of talk about the environmental efforts taken. Athletes slept on beds made from recycled cardboard. The medals were produced out of old appliances such as smartphones and laptops. Over 90% of Japanese cities, towns and villages participated in the two-year effort to collect recycled materials to produce 5000 medals. Eighty tons of small electrical devices were collected to make this project successful.
With the 2024 Olympics Games underway in Paris, new environmental efforts are coming into play. Observers will sit on chairs made of plastic recycled from local bins. This decision was made due to a lack of unused raw materials to make new seats, so the eco-construction firm Le Pave turned to make the seats out of waste. Around 11,000 seats will be made from recycled materials.
The plastic collection for Paris 2024 has been carried out in the region’s schools, and over five million coloured bottle caps have been recovered. Moreover, 80% of the 100 tons of recycled plastic needed to make the seats come from the yellow bins collections. This is all part of the Paris 2024 “zero waste” strategy to limit single-use plastic usage and encourage a circular economy.
The Olympic Games organizers are planning to make the Paris 2024 Games the greenest Olympic Games yet. They intend to employ a carbon-neutral approach that will lessen the climate impact of the Games by predicting, avoiding, reducing and balancing emissions and encouraging others to get involved. The Summer Games have emitted 3.6 million tons of carbon emissions in previous years. The Paris 2024 Games has set a carbon budget of 1.5 million tons which includes the emissions from construction, transportation and operations of the Games.
These plans are ambitious but are achievable. If Paris 2024 successfully reduces emissions and promotes a circular economy, it might set the standard for future Olympic and Paralympic Games, regardless of where they are held.
1. What were the 2020 Olympics medals made from?A.Raw metal. | B.Recycled cardboard. |
C.Reused plastic. | D.Used electronic devices. |
A.To stop carbon emissions. | B.To make seats for athletes. |
C.To collect coloured bottle caps. | D.To restrict single-use plastic usage. |
A.Limitation to single-use plastics. | B.Reduction of carbon emissions. |
C.Promotion of recycling in school. | D.Encouragement of a circular economy. |
A.Favorable. | B.Intolerant. | C.Doubtful. | D.Unclear. |
1.保护环境的重要性;
2.如何低碳生活;
3.发出倡议。
注意:1.词数100左右;
2.可以适当增加细节,以使行文连贯。
Dear fellow students,
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Student Union
1.不同认识;
2.个人感触;
3.发出呼吁。
注意:1.写作词数应为 80左右;
2. 可适当增加细节,以使行文连贯。
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10 . Large amounts of waste, or garbage, are filling streets in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, after protesters blocked a road leading to a landfill outside the city. People in Bancharedanda where the garbage is kept blame the government for not doing enough to protect them from the waste.
One British tourist, Richard McSorley, recently talked about the problem. He remembered how clean Kathmandu was when he first visited it many years ago. “If I were a new tourist, I would be despondent now,” McSorley said, while pointing to a load of garbage next to a city street. For weeks, treatment of waste has been a continuous problem in the city surrounded by hills. The problems started after people in the village of Bancharedanda refused to have the garbage thrown at a nearby landfill.
Biswas Dhungana was one of the protesters. He said the villagers were refusing to permit trucks loaded with garbage to enter. They say government officials have done little to provide basic equipment and effective ways to deal with the garbage. He added, “We have been forced to live like pigs in terrible conditions for several years as the government has not done anything to keep the village clean.”
Last week, hundreds of villagers built a wall of rocks on the road leading to Bancharedanda. It forced about 200 trucks filled with Kathmandu’s garbage to return without dumping their load. It was said that protesters also threw stones from surrounding hills.
Sunil Lamsal is an official to watch over how Kathmandu’s garbage is treated. He said, “I am working to deal with the concerns of the locals in Bancharedanda. But now, garbage continues to grow on the streets of Kathmandu. This has led to increased danger for people living in the capital. In the light of it, the government will soon take further positive measures to tackle the problem, as the environment affects every family.”
1. How does the author begin the text?A.By listing statistics. | B.By asking questions. |
C.By describing a phenomenon. | D.By drawing a comparison. |
A.Disappointed. | B.Dependent. | C.Dynamic. | D.Disabled. |
A.Government officials. | B.Foreign visitors. |
C.City residents. | D.Truck drivers. |
A.Punish the protesters. | B.Meet the villagers’ demand. |
C.Stop the villagers’ illegal actions. | D.Urge every family to clean their village. |