1 . Brazilian scientists think they might have found a way to undo the damage caused by the cutting down of trees and turn farmland back into forest. The secret lies in ancient local knowledge of soil.
Amazonian Dark Earth (ADE) is a thick, black soil found deep in the Amazon rainforest, and it could help restore forests around the world. ADE is a kind of compost (soil made from dead plants and animals). Various kinds of compost are sold in gardening centers around the world, but ADE is unique. It was created by indigenous people from the Amazon between 2,000 and 2,500 years ago. The Amazonian people, today known as Amerindians, created ADE using charcoal from fires, animal bones, food waste and poo. It contains microbes (微生物) that help to turn chemicals in the soil into useful nutrients that feed plants and trees.
Vast areas of the Amazon have been cut down, mostly to make way for grassland for raising cattle. Scientists are looking for a way to turn grassland back into rainforest and revive forest ecosystems. These support thousands of animal and plant species, many of which are unique to the area. Forests also absorb lots of carbon dioxide.
To see if the Amazon’s special soil could help, the scientists grew grasses and trees in ADE, regular earth and a mixture of both. Trees grown in ADE were up to six times taller than those in regular soil. ADE takes hundreds of years to create, so the scientists can’t simply make more. Team member, Dr Siu Mui Tsai, said that instead they want to try and “copy its characteristics”, especially its helpful microbes, and see if it could help to restore natural habitats.
1. What makes ADE valuable?A.Its history of thousands of years. | B.Its potential to enhance reforestation. |
C.Its medical properties for plants and animals. | D.Its being discovered by the Amazonian people. |
A.The necessity of restoring forests. |
B.The serious situation of endangered animals. |
C.The positive effects of ADE on forest ecosystems. |
D.The adaptation of grasslands to the changing climate. |
A.An alternative is bound to replace ADE. |
B.Soil with similar features is in development. |
C.ADE works better when mixed with regular soil. |
D.ADE has been proved effective in growing trees. |
A.A biology textbook. | B.An archeology journal. |
C.A science magazine. | D.A literary collection. |
A composting (堆肥) program at The Wesley School in Los Angeles is helping students get hands-on experience and ways
The school’s composting program
The school will use the compost on plants around campus. Some will
It takes two hours for the container to be emptied and prepared to receive
内容包括:
1.地球的重要性;
2.保护地球的倡议。
注意:
1.写作词数应为80左右;
2.标题已为你写出,不计入总词数。
The World Earth Day
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________China drives world renewables capacity addition in 2023
China was the major driving force behind the world’s rapid
China’s installed capacity of renewable energy exceeded 1.45 billion kilowatts in 2023,
China has several advantages that others do not possess, including the ability
5 . Using CRISPR genome (基因组) editing on a few common crops, a team of plant and soil scientists seeks to greatly increase and speed up carbon storage to help fight climate change.
To prevent dangerous levels of global warming, scientists say it won’t be enough to just stop burning fossil fuels that release carbon into the air. Because it’s nearly impossible for humanity to do that as fast as is now required, we will also need to pull carbon out of the air and secure it.
Plants are among the best tools we have to do this, since these living solar collectors already capture billions of tons of carbon dioxide each year from the atmosphere through photosynthesis (光合作用). About half of that carbon winds up in roots and eventually the soil, where it can stay for hundreds to thousands of years.
But what if we could create plants and soils that are better at capturing carbon? With CRISPR genome editing—a new molecular (分子的) biology tool that allows scientists to make edits to the DNA code that underpins all life—that might be possible.
Last month, the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI), a research team founded by CRISPR pioneer Jennifer Doudna, began to explore the idea. With an $11-million donation from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, a team of researchers made a three-year effort using CRISPR to create new crop varieties that photosynthesi ze more efficiently and transport more carbon into the soil. Eventually, the researchers hope to create gene-edited rice and sorghum seeds that could—if planted around the globe--pull more than a billion extra tons of carbon out of the air annually.
It’s an ambitious goal, and the team is likely to face numerous challenges in the lab before its CO2-cleaning plants can be put in the ground. Additional social, policy, and ethical considerations will determine whether those crops are widely accepted by farmers. But the researchers believe their ambitious project is beneficial to cope with climate crisis.
1. What is the purpose of using CRISPR genome editing on crops?A.To improve soil structure. | B.To increase carbon storage. |
C.To create new crop varieties. | D.To help fight climate change. |
A.Mix. | B.Release. | C.Absorb. | D.Grab. |
A.CO2-cleaning plants can be put in the ground now. |
B.It is still unknown whether gene-edited crops will be accepted. |
C.Researchers have successfully created gene-edited rice and sorghum seeds. |
D.CRISPR genome editing will face so many challenges that it has no future. |
A.Hopeful. | B.Doubtful. | C.Indifferent. | D.Negative. |
6 . From solar panels to electric cars, clean energy has become a bigger part of our lives in recent years. A new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that it will only develop a stronger foothold in the decades to come, with more solar panels, electric cars, and renewable energy by 2030.
The IEA analyzed the current policies and added that there will likely be two-thirds more clean energy ten years from now with a decreased dependence on fossil fuels. “The transition to clean energy is happening worldwide and is unstoppable. It’s not a question of ‘if’, but a matter of ‘how soon’—and the sooner, the better for all of us,” says the IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol.
“Governments, companies, and investors must support clean energy transitions rather than hinder them. There are immense (巨大的) benefits on offer, including new industrial opportunities and jobs, greater energy security,cleaner air, universal energy access and a safer climate for everyone. Considering the ongoing strains and volatility (波动) in traditional energy markets today, claims that oil and gas represent safe or secure choices for the world’s energy and climate future look weaker than ever,” Biral adds.
Although this is welcome news for many, the IEA stresses that more improvement will be needed for the 200 countries in the Paris Agreement to meet the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celcius (34.7 degrees Fahrenheit). Governments must triple renewable capacity, reduce methane emissions from fossil fuel operations by 75%, and triple clean energy in developing economies.
“Every country needs to find its own pathway, but international cooperation is crucial for accelerating clean energy transitions,” Birol asserts. “In particular, the speed at which emissions decline will be largely determined by our ability to finance sustainable solutions to meet rising energy demand from the world’s fast-growing economies. This all points to the importance of redoubling cooperation, not retreating (逃避) from them.”
1. What does the new report from the IEA show?A.The demand for fossil fuels is still currently strong. |
B.The worldwide shift to clean energy is unstoppable. |
C.The threat of global warming is being underestimated. |
D.The use of renewable energy is a new focus of mankind. |
A.Follow. | B.Delay. | C.Improve. | D.Prevent. |
A.It is challenging. | B.It is impractical. | C.It is unclear. | D.It is conservative. |
A.Changes to global economic policies. | B.The pattern of energy consumption. |
C.Combined efforts between nations. | D.The development of advanced technologies. |
Ar Horqin Grassland Nomadic System in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, listed on the list of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems by the United Nations,
The
For example, since 2015, under the guidance of the local government of Ar Horqin Banner, the number of sheep and goats in the nomadic system
8 . A new study by the Zoological Society of London has found that nearly one in five of the world’s 10,000 species of reptiles (爬行动物) are threatened with extinction. The study, which has been printed in the journal Biological Conservation, was carried out by more than 200 experts who assessed the risk of extinction of 1,500 reptiles selected at random from around the globe.
The primary author of the paper, Monika Bohm, explained to the Zoological Society:” Reptiles are often associated with extreme habitats and tough environmental conditions, so it is easy to assume that they will be fine in our changing world. “However, that’s far from the truth:” Many species are very high specialized in terms of habitat use and the climatic conditions they require for day to day functioning, “Bohm said.” This makes them particularly sensitive to environmental changes. “The paper highlights three critically endangered species in its research, including the jungle runner lizard Ameiva vittata, which has only ever been spotted in the Cochabamba region of the Bolivian jungle—an area under threat from the growth of agriculture and logging. The two most recent searches for the species have been unsuccessful. Meanwhile in Haiti, six of the nine species of Anolis lizard in the country risk extinction due to increasing deforestation (毁林).
Also at risk are freshwater turtles, with 50% of all species at risk of extinction from hunting; turtle parts are in high demand as ingredients in traditional medicine. According to the study 30% of freshwater reptile species are also in danger of completely disappearing.
Reptiles have a long evolutionary history: snakes, lizards, crocodiles and tuataras first appeared on earth around 300 million years ago. They are an important part of many ecosystems. ”This is a very important step towards assessing the conservation status of reptiles globally, “Philip Bowles from the IUCN Species Survival Commission said in response to the study.” Tackling the identified habitat loss is key conservation priorities in order to transfer declines in these reptiles.”
1. How many species of reptiles are endangered?A.1,000. | B.1,500. | C.2,000. | D.5,000. |
A.Environmental changes cause species variation. |
B.More trees are being cut down in the Bolivian jungle. |
C.Reptiles can easily adapt to extreme habitats and climate. |
D.Species extinction results from tough environment conditions. |
A.Because local people hunt them for fun. | B.Because their parts have medical value. |
C.Because they struggle to survive in the wild. | D.Because they can be cooking ingredients. |
A.To reduce habitat destruction. | B.To increase the harvest of forest trees. |
C.To assess the current conditions of reptiles. | D.To further the study on the evolutionary history. |
9 . Have you imagined that planting trees can make a big difference? People say that one man can’t make a difference, but Abdul, a 60-year-old taxi driver, has
Abdul has worked as a(n)
Abdul, his wife Jorna, and four of their children live in two
Sometimes, his wife commands him not to plant trees but he doesn’t listen. Abdul’s 30-year-old son has never told his father not to plant trees, because he thinks his father does a good thing for
Abdul’s colleagues all know about his
For his
“I can’t do it alone. I need the help of you all,” Abdul said in his speech.
1.A.said | B.wondered | C.displayed | D.proved |
A.distinguishing | B.small | C.excellent | D.disgusting |
A.improve | B.enhance | C.mean | D.affect |
A.driver | B.farmer | C.hunter | D.official |
A.much | B.a great deal | C.lots of | D.a little |
A.car | B.tree | C.house | D.farm |
A.duty | B.hobby | C.favor | D.enthusiasm |
A.Rarely | B.Instead | C.Mostly | D.Anyhow |
A.blames | B.strikes | C.kills | D.attacks |
A.brilliant | B.old | C.elegant | D.expensive |
A.desert | B.forest | C.field | D.land |
A.owned | B.guarded | C.protected | D.conquered |
A.family | B.hunters | C.society | D.friends |
A.unusual | B.simple | C.temporary | D.daily |
A.work | B.thoughts | C.wishes | D.proposals |
A.relatives | B.colleagues | C.children | D.leaders |
A.love | B.inventions | C.efforts | D.passion |
A.hired | B.promoted | C.recognized | D.honored |
A.small | B.better | C.magnificent | D.grand |
A.admire | B.set | C.follow | D.pursue |
10 . Two earth scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpu are calling for flood prevention and warning systems in areas around the Himalayan mountains to protect people from floods or to warn them of the potential disasters. In their Perspectives piece published in the journal Science, Tanuj Shukla and Indra Sen point out that rising temperatures due to global warming are leading to an increase in flood danger for people who live in the area.
As Shukla and Sen note, the Himalayas hold the most ice anywhere on the planet outside of the polar regions — snow-covered mountains and glaciers hold on to massive amounts of water. In the past, as snow and ice have melted in the warmer months, mountain lakes have formed with natural dams holding them in place. But previous research has shown that increases in the amount of water buildup in such lakes and melting of the ice in the rocky material that makes up natural dams can lead to massive floods. Just eight years ago, they note, melting ice in northern India led to an avalanche (雪崩) that pushed the natural dams past its breaking point. The water rushing down the mountain, carrying with it large rocks, trees and other debris, wound up killing over 5,000 people. Such events are common enough to have been given a name-glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). They can also be caused by extreme rain events during Monsoon season, which, due to global warming, are happening more often.
Shukla and Sen point out that as the planet grows warmer, more GLOFs are certain to occur. But they also note that the same outcomes are not unavoidable. They suggest that the construction of reservoirs to hold extra rain, structures to change the course of water, detention basins (滞洪区) along with embankments (堤岸) could prevent such flooding. They also suggest improvements in technology could help — upgrading cell service in the region, for example, would allow people upstream to call and warn those living downstream. They also suggest building a satellite network that could be used to monitor troublesome areas. Taken together, such technology could form the basis of an early warning system. Without such action, they warn millions of people could lose their lives in the coming years.
1. What are Shukla and Sen concerned about according to Paragraph 1?A.The Himalayas holds more and more ice because of flood happened. |
B.How to establish warning systems around the Himalayan mountains. |
C.How to prevent flood in areas around the Himalayan mountains. |
D.More flood caused by global warming may occur around Himalayas. |
A.The result of an avalanche. |
B.The meaning of GLOFs. |
C.The cause of GLOFs. |
D.The cause of an avalanche. |
A.GLOFs can be avoided in Shukla and Sen’s opinion. |
B.GLOFs can be prevented by reducing detention basins. |
C.Constructing reservoirs is the best way to prevent GLOFs. |
D.GLOFs are unpredictable in the future due to global warming. |
A.To improve the embankments. |
B.To make more satellites. |
C.To upgrade satellite network. |
D.To set up warning systems. |