1 . Carbon dioxide emissions from transportation are now thought as the top source of green-house gases. One of the most effective ways to reduce your carbon footprint is to reconsider how much, and how often, you travel.
Going car free for a year could save about 2. 6 tons of carbon dioxide, according to a study from the University of British Columbia. How can you stop using a car? Try taking a train, bus or better yet, riding a bike.
But let’s be realistic. You will likely need to use a car this year. So, when you do, here are some tips to make your trip more climate-friendly. Driving efficiently can help to reduce emissions. Go easy on the gas and brakes and drive like you have an egg under your foot. Regularly service your car to keep it more efficient. Keeping your tires pumped correctly can re-duce emissions. Low tire pressure will hurt your fuel economy. Air conditioning and frequent city driving can make emissions go up. So cut down on these as often as possible. Use cruise control (定速巡航) on long drives-in most cases, this can help to save gas. Don’t weigh your car down with extra things that you don’t need on your trip.
Fly often? Taking one fewer long round-trip flight could reduce your personal carbon footprint significantly. If you use public transportation often and fly less, your carbon foot-print might still be relatively sustainable, but if you drive and fly a lot, your emissions will be sigher. If you can’t avoid flying, you can offset them by donating money to sustainable proacts, such as supplying efficient stoves to rural homes, or projects which help farmers deal with crop waste environmentally.
1. What does the author think of going car free?| A．Efficient. | B．Costly. | C．Impractical. | D．Reliable. |
| A．Maintaining your car properly. | B．Using cruise control in the city. |
| C．Stepping hard on the gas and brakes. | D．Geiting rid of all the necessary loads. |
| A．Make up for. | B．Team up with. | C．Set foot in. | D．Put up with. |
| A．How to save fuel when driving cars | B．How to reduce your carbon footprint |
| C．Reduce carbon footprint by all means | D．Lower carbon footprint in transportation |
2 . A snow leopard stared down from a steep rock high in the peaks of Mongolia. She was on the lookout for a snack. Noticing a wild goat below, the snow leopard rocketed down the mountainside. The wild goat struggled to escape. But with one 30-foot leap, the cat caught up. Seconds later, she was secured her meal and looked for a place to enjoy it.
These endangered cats are nearly impossible to see. Their spotted coats act as invisible cloaks(披风)by mixing into the rocky mountains of the 12 Central Asian countries where the cats live. The mountains the snow leopards call home are rough and extremely cold in the winter. But these cats have some amazing body parts that make living in the area no big deal. In addition to hiding them, a snow leopard’s soft, thick fur keeps it warm in the bitter cold.
Few humans have seen snow leopards in real life, but hunting scenes like the one above have been recorded on video. Snow leopard experts need to gather more information about the secretive cats’ lives to help protect them. To do that, researches use high-tech tools to spy on the shy animals. They gently trap the wild cats to put on satellite radio collars to know where the cats wander.
Even though snow leopards live in some of the most rugged mountains on Earth, people pose the biggest threat to their survival. Poachers(盗猎者)can sell a snow leopard’s hide and bones for thousands of dollars. Sheepherders(牧羊人)often kill any snow leopard that attacks their sheep. Hunters target goats, wild sheep, and other animals for food-removing important snow leopard food. The more scientists can learn about snow leopards, the better they can protect these rarely seen cats from humans who harm them.
1. What’s the function of the first paragraph?| A．To lead to the theme of the passage. |
| B．To describe how snow leopards hunt. |
| C．To show the main food of snow leopards |
| D．To show snow leopards have a good ability of adaption |
| A．They don't go out in winter. |
| B．They have unique body characters. |
| C．Their living regions are large enough. |
| D．Their thick fur can help camouflage (伪装). |
| A．Spending more time searching for them. |
| B．Trapping snow leopards to examine them. |
| C．Using advanced technology to track them. |
| D．Surfing the internet to get more information. |
| A．The process of researchers’ job. |
| B．The snow leopards, awful living conditions. |
| C．The threat that humans pose to snow leopards. |
| D．The reasons why some persons kill snow leopards. |
3 . Eradajere Oleita thinks she may have a partial solution to two of our country’s persistent problems: garbage and poverty. It’s called the Chip Bag Project. The 26-year-old student and environmentalist from Detroit is asking a favor of local snack lovers: Rather than toss your empty chip bags into the trash, donate them so she can turn them into sleeping bags for the homeless.
Chip caters drop off their empty bags from Doritos, Lay’s, and other favorites at two locations in Detroit: a print shop and a clothing store, where Oleita and her volunteer helpers collect them. After they sanitize (消毒) the chip bags in soapy hot water, they slice them open, lay them flat, and iron them together. They use padding and liners from old coats to line the insides.
It takes about four hours to sew a sleeping bag, and each takes around 150 to 300 chip bags, depending on whether they’re single-serve or family size. The result is a sleeping bag that is “waterproof, lightweight, and easy to carry around,” Oleita told the Detroit News. Since its start in 2020, the Chip Bag Project has collected more than 800,000 chip bags and, as of last December, created 110 sleeping bags.
Sure, it would be simpler to raise the money to buy new sleeping bags. But that’s only half the goal for Oleita — whose family moved to the United States from Nigeria a decade ago with the hope of attaining a better life — and her fellow volunteers. “We are devoted to making an impact not only socially, but environmentally,” she said.
And, of course, there’s the symbolism of recycling bags that would otherwise land in the trash and using them to help the homeless. It’s a powerful reminder that environmental injustice and poverty often go hand in hand. As Oleita said, “I think it’s time to show connections between all of these issues.”
1. What is the main idea of paragraph 2?| A．How they make the sleeping bags. | B．Why they sanitize the chip bags. |
| C．Where they collect the chip bags. | D．What they use to line the insides. |
| A．The new sleeping bags have many benefits. |
| B．A lot of effort is put into making the sleeping bags. |
| C．People consume a large quantity of chips every day. |
| D．People are aware of the importance of environmental protection. |
| A．They wish they could earn better life. |
| B．They think it is difficult to raise a lot of money. |
| C．They aim to help the homeless by recycling waste. |
| D．They want to find a simpler way to help the homeless. |
| A．Recycling chip bags can remove poverty. |
| B．The new sleeping bags have been put into wide use. |
| C．Few chip bags will end up in the trash in the country. |
| D．Environmental injustice and poverty are usually closely connected. |
4 . On 11 March, 2011, a terrible earthquake shook Japan at 14:46, which immediately generated waves high enough to flood towns along the coasts. Onagawa was one of them. The wave not only left the town flattened, but took the lives of 827 people out of a population of 10, 014.
Ten years on, more than 10,400 people now live in a town that has rebuilt itself with a bold approach. It decided to "adapt" to the tsunami that Mother Nature generates.
From any point in Onagawa, you can see the cove (海湾), the very point that brought waves into the town ten years ago. Instead of covering it with a concrete wall as a tide-preventive breakwater, which the neighboring town has adopted, in Onagawa the view to the ocean is wide open. The town decided that it wants to not only live with the beautiful view of the ocean, but also be able to see the wave with their own eyes when it transforms itself into a frightening tsunami, so that they know which way to run.
The town also moved its centre to the coast where the ground is raised with an embankment (筑堤). A comfortable outdoor shopping mall was built, and the school, city hall and work places are located just few metres higher. The structure allows the whole town to act as one, guiding them toward a newly secured path that will save their lives on higher ground, instead of scattering in all directions.
Strong leadership brought the town to what it is today. Onagawa's young mayor played a vital role in keeping the spirit of the people up. But it came down to other individuals, too, said Toshihiko Abe, former head of the recovery division of the city hall. "The town is small enough to make everyone play a role, leading in one way or the other. No one is left behind. We also make sure that those over 60 stand back and let the younger generation take the lead."
1. What does Paragraph 1 mainly tell us about the tsunami in Ongawa?| A．Its effects. | B．Its causes. |
| C．The responses to it. | D．The lessons from it. |
| A．Typical. | B．Daring. |
| C．Complicated. | D．Sustainable. |
①the tide-preventive breakwater
②the all-in-one town structure
③the wide open view to the ocean
④the safety path extending in all directions
| A．①② | B．①③ | C．②④ | D．②③ |
| A．Old people should give way. | B．Young generation plays a vital role. |
| C．Everyone makes a difference. | D．Strong leadership means good governance. |
5 . With greater climate catastrophe (气候突变) on Earth, it is natural for us to make every effort to stop the potential floods, snowstorms, and alarming reports from scientists. For many of us (myself included), part of that means running out to buy reusable straws, organic cleaners, and packaging-free products.
However, before you rejoice in “green” purchases, take a second to consider the results of a new study from Arizona University. By comparing the shopping habits, mental health and environmental impact of young people, the researchers reaffirmed a principle: Buying less beats buying “green” stuff without effort. And that is true whether you are looking at the impact that your purchases have on the Earth or on your own happiness.
It should not come as a shock that simply consuming less is better for the planet. After all, every new item a factory yields requires some resources to produce. Take plastic bag bans for instance. If your city is getting rid of single-use shopping bags, it can be tempting to pay for a fashionable organic cotton bag hanging in the check-out line of your local supermarket. However, experts insist that growing cotton is actually no better for the Earth than producing the conventional plastic bags. Your best bet for carrying your groceries if you care about sustainability? Any bag you already own. This is true of many kinds of “green” products.
It is not just the Earth that will be happier if you buy less. You will feel more contented too, according to the new study. “People believe that they might well be self-satisfied about becoming environmentally conscious through green buying patterns, but it doesn't seem to be that way”, said the lead researcher Sabrina Helm. “Reduced consumption has effects on increased well-being and decreased psychological distress, but we don't see that with green consumption.”
“Owning every new green product on the market might make you feel contented, but if you relieve yourself of that burden of ownership, most people report feeling a lot better,” said Helm.
1. Why does the writer mention green shopping habits?| A．To call on a green lifestyle. | B．To praise people's green efforts. |
| C．To introduce a social trend. | D．To present a half true “green truth”. |
| A．The plastic bag bans are of no effect. |
| B．Using any bag you have is the best bet. |
| C．Reduced consumption is better for the Earth. |
| D．Growing cotton is actually far worse for the Earth. |
| A．The sense of achievement. | B．The sense of happiness. |
| C．Psychological pressure. | D．Environmental awareness. |
| A．Less is More | B．The Greener, The Happier |
| C．Happiness Guarantee | D．What Are Really Green Products? |
6 . Commercial airlines alone contribute around 3% of total global carbon emissions. But the industry is actively looking for green solutions in the form of sustainable jet fuel, and in one case, that fuel may have had a previous life as your household food waste. In a study released this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers detail a method of transforming food waste into sustainable jet fuel that can be used in existing engines.
Biomass (生物质), such as manure (粪便) and food waste, can be transformed into bio-fuels, which are renewable liquid fuels made from organic matter. Derek Vardon, a senior research engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), says that their fuel worked as a mixture of 90% conventional petrol jet fuel and 10% alternative jet fuel required by the industry currently. They also show they could push it to a 70/30 mixture, which will be possible in real world with more time and testing.
Major airline companies are eager to get involved in sustainable aviation fuel because some sustainable solutions, such as battery-operated commercial planes, just aren’t possible yet with current battery technology. A battery-powered plane would be too heavy to fly long distances, so fuel that works in the same way as the fuel we have is a simpler way to trade out emission-heavy fossil fuels.
Vardon says that because the wet waste used in the process would normally go to a landfill (垃圾填埋场) and break down to release greenhouse gases, the process of making and using sustainable aviation fuel could actually have a negative carbon footprint when scaled up.
Commercial airlines are on board to find an affordable and sustainable solution to the carbon-intensive process of air travel. Airlines are looking to hit aggressive sustainability goals by 2050, including decreasing net carbon dioxide emissions by 50%.
1. Which of the following is used for sustainable airline power?| A．Fossil fuel. | B．Liquid fuel. | C．Battery power. | D．Biomass. |
| A．Fuel-powered planes are likely to travel lighter and farther. |
| B．Biofuel is environmentally friendly and sustainable. |
| C．It’s convenient to create the proper fuel mixture. |
| D．Biofuel proves less costly and easier to produce. |
| A．taking off. | B．holding a meeting. |
| C．participating in. | D．appearing on stage. |
| A．Alternative Energy to Fossil Fuel. |
| B．How to Get Fossil Fuel Sustainable. |
| C．Changing Food Waste into Airplane Fuel. |
| D．How to Decrease Carbon Dioxide Emissions. |
7 . No doubt that humans have widely changed, developed, and exploited (开发) much of the natural world for our own ends. But how much of the land surface remains free of our often-harmful influence?
In a new study, scientists compared figures from four different sets of data using different kinds of methods and classification (分类) systems to answer this question. On average, the researchers say roughly half (48 to 56 percent) of the world’s land shows “low” influence of humans. While the figures may inspire many—stressing the vast expanse of significantly untouched lands that can still be protected through conservation measures—the study also shows just how much of the Earth has already been occupied and used by humans.
In fact, only about a quarter (20 to 34 percent) of the planet’s ice-free land surface shows “very low” signs of human influence, the researchers say, and the parts of the planet that we have left alone up until now constitute (构成) some of the least livable places on Earth. In other words, whether through urbanization, forestry, agriculture or other means, humans have applied the most influence on biodiverse land that presented ripe and easy opportunities for immediate human needs; in contrast, roasting deserts in the world’s hottest places, or frozen wastelands in its coldest spots, have been ignored.
Even so, the researchers say the results shown here give us a strong, clear marker that we can use to help structure existing and future conservation efforts by preventing disturbance on existing low influenced areas, meanwhile, recovering areas for conservation in land that has already been exploited too much.
“The encouraging takeaway from this study is that if we act quickly and decisively (果断地), there is a slim window in which we can still conserve roughly half of the Earth’s land in a relatively untouched state,” says biologist and lead author of the study, Jason Riggio.
There’s a chance, right now, to draw a line in the sand, and say “no more”.
1. Why was the new study carried out?| A．To find out why humans exploit nature. |
| B．To figure out the land free from human influence. |
| C．To prove humans are harmful to nature. |
| D．To clarify the Earth is not occupied by humans completely. |
| A．Woodless lands. | B．Ice-free lands. |
| C．Places with biodiversity. | D．Places with warmth. |
| A．Make use of the unlivable area through different means. |
| B．Remove the influence on the previous disturbed area. |
| C．Attempt to have no bad effect on the “untouched” land. |
| D．Reconstruct the overexploited land with forest and agriculture. |
| A．It should be urbanized immediately. | B．It should be covered with plants. |
| C．It should be free from humans and animals. | D．It should be undisturbed and preserved. |
8 . In the 2010s, 34-year-old Brianne Miller travelled around the world and made a surprising discovery: large amounts of plastic littering the water and doing harm to sea life. Miller knew she needed to do something.
Canadians throw out three million tons of plastic waste each year. Groups like A Greener Future, which organize litter clean-ups across Canada, think that 33% of what they pick up comes from food packaging. About one third of food produced worldwide goes to waste too, according to a UN study. Miller decided to solve the problem at the source, imagining a shop where both wasteful packaging and the bad habit of wasting food no longer existed.
In June 2018, she opened her first zero-waste store in Canada. She named it Nada. Customers can bring their own containers (容器), though it’s not necessary: by the front door are quarrels don’t go that far. These days, especially in cities, many people live in buildings. Our neighbours are all around us — so what problems can come from that?
The first obvious cause of arguement is noise pollution. Loud noise through the walls, construction (施工), or people arguing next door can disturb the silence of your living space. Asking someone directly to turn the music down can cause you to feel anxious. However, if you get someone like a building manager to speak to your neighbour, it can make things more awkward because you didn’t speak to your neighbour directly.
And then what about smells? If your neighbour likes eating food with pungent (刺激的) smells, and the smells flow through your window, what can you do? There are some other common problems, such as water running through the wall, pets making noise, and littering from the window above you. These can bring anger over time.
It’s not easy living next door to someone, especially if they’re noisy. But having a clear and honest conversation might help. Also, try thinking if what you are doing could make your neighbours angry. If it’s something that would make you feel bad,maybe think again.
1. Why does the author mention the figures in paragraph 2?| A．To present a fact. |
| B．To provide an example. |
| C．To explain a topic. |
| D．To make a comparison. |
| A．Turn to the police. |
| B．Talk to the neighbor directly. |
| C．Quarrel with the neighbor. |
| D．Ask the building manager for help. |
| A．They provide you pleasure. |
| B．They open your imagination. |
| C．They’re your neighbor’s favorites. |
| D．They make you uncomfortable. |
| A．How to make a neighbor happy. |
| B．How to deal with a noisy neighbour. |
| C．How to communicate with a neighbour. |
| D．How to get along well with a neighbour. |
9 . Beginning 2020, the fifth generation of wireless technology is expected to be widely used throughout the world. The new network, called 5G, promises to give faster speeds and a higher capacity for the use of more devices. However, while some companies are competing to be the first to deliver 5G to the consumer, the environmental influences of the new network are being overlooked.
There is some evidence that the new devices and technologies associated with 5G will be harmful to ecosystems. The main component of the 5G network that will affect the earth's ecosystems is the millimeter waves. The millimeter waves that are being used in developing the 5G network have never been used at such scale(规模)before. Studies have found that there are some harms caused by these new technologies.
The millimeter waves, specifically, had a detrimental effect on birds. In a study, researchers observed that after exposure to radiation from a cell tower for just 5~30 minutes, the eggs of sparrows were disfigured. The disfiguration of birds exposed for such a short amount of time to these frequencies(频率)is significant considering that the new 5G network will have a much higher density(浓度)of base stations(small cells) throughout areas needing connection. The potential dangers of having so many small cells all over areas where birds live could threaten their population's survival.
Additionally, it was found that cellular devices were linked to many disturbances in the ecosystems of bees. In this study, beehives exposed for just ten minutes to 900MHz waves fell victim to colony collapse disorder(蜂群崩坏症候群). Bees are an incredibly important part of the earth's ecosystem. Around one-third of the food produced today is dependent on bees for pollination(授粉), making bees are a vital part of the agricultural system.
The impact that the cell towers have on birds and bees is important to understand, because all ecosystems of the earth are interconnected. If one component of an ecosystem is disrupted the whole system will be affected.
1. What will probably cause the environmental problems with the wide use of 5G network?| A．The lack of the density of base stations. |
| B．The less mature devices and technologies. |
| C．The lower capacity for the use of devices. |
| D．The large amount of use of millimeter waves. |
| A．Important. | B．Unknown. | C．Harmful. | D．Potential. |
| A．They play a key role in food production. |
| B．They can guide some pollinators to work. |
| C．They are likely to reduce unpleasant noises. |
| D．They rid disturbances in the agricultural system. |
| A．Should 5G Be Used in the Future? | B．The Influence of 5G on Ecosystem |
| C．The Research on 5G Technologies | D．How Can Ecosystem Survive 5G? |
10 . I’ve been in an 18-year love-hate relationship with a black walnut tree.
It’s a unique tree. In late September or early October, falling fruits as hard as baseballs threaten the skulls of you, your children, your neighbors and those living near. Patio (露台) umbrellas are a must while dining in the garden beginning in early August, and because of the volume of fruit this season, I wear my bike helmet while working in the garden.
The black walnut also releases a chemical through its roots as a competitive strategy. It’s poisonous to several common plants. There have been many new plant varieties that I brought home with hopes that maybe the black walnut would accept them, but they failed.
What does work are native plants that naturally grow in the area. Native plants are important to have around since they provide beneficial pollinators (传粉者) like birds, bees and butterflies with seeds and contribute to a healthy and biodiverse environment. Native plants for this area are generally easy to grow, so they experience less stress.
Have I thought of getting rid of this giant pain in my tiny backyard? Yes, however, getting rid of this tree is next to impossible. It’s also protected under the law. Trees are important to the urban forest and for all of those that inhabit it. Trees are home to numerous birds and insect species and are essential for keeping our environment balanced.
I can’t imagine a spring without the birds who arrive every year singing their songs before Dawn. Every spring, I wonder what the season holds: What are the chances of being knocked unconscious while barbecuing? Like any good relationship, I’ll never be pleased. I’m stuck with this tree, so I’ll listen to its needs and give it the space it requires. In return, my walnut offers a home to wildlife and a reminder that acceptance, instead of resistance, is the better way to be.
1. Why does the author wear a bike helmet while working in the garden?| A．To protect her injured skull. | B．To protect herself against sunburn. |
| C．To avoid getting stung by bees. | D．To avoid being hit by the walnut fruits. |
| A．To attract beneficial pollinators. |
| B．To release harmful gas through the leaves. |
| C．To produce a chemical that may kill other plants. |
| D．To compete for nutrition with other plants. |
| A．Its long history. | B．Its various benefits. |
| C．Its huge and heavy trunk. | D．Its popularity in the community. |
| A．Loving trees. | B．Fighting nature. |
| C．Protecting plants. | D．Understanding nature. |
