1 . How was the weather in Colorado?

A．Snowy.

B．Windy.

C．Rainy.

2 . 语法填空

There is little doubt that Earth is getting warmer and warmer. In 2013, a lot of people     1     (shock) by a news photo of a dead polar bear     2     appeared to have starved and died. This alarming case showed how the increase in temperature had     3     effect on Earth’s ecology.

Climate scientists often mention a key climate process     4     (call) the “greenhouse effect”, which has two common meanings. Without the “natural” greenhouse effect, Earth could not sustain life. However, the “man-made” greenhouse effect has now become a big problem because more heat energy is trapped in the atmosphere, causing Earth’s surface temperature to rise     5     (quick).

There is strong evidence that the rise in temperature has led to an increase in extreme weather and natural disasters worldwide, not only     6     (cause) serious damage, but also costing human lives. Climate scientists have warned that if we do not take appropriate actions, this warming trend will probably continue and there will be a     7     (high) price to pay.

Governments need to consider making     8     (policy) and taking appropriate actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We as individuals can also reduce our “carbon footprint”. It is our responsibility     9     (seize) every opportunity to educate everyone about global warming, along     10     its causes and impacts.

3 . Right now, summers are getting hotter, winters colder and the polar ice is melting at an alarming rate. Extreme weather events and natural disasters frequently occur. The climate time-bomb is ticking. Strict measures must be taken to tackle the problem.

It reminds me of how the lives we live seem to follow roughly in the way put forward years earlier by the writers of science-fiction. I guess it’s “life imitating art”. When I was young there were stories about rockets going into space and even going to the moon, although there had never been a rocket into space at that time. Years later, Russia launched Sputnik, the first man-made object to go into earth orbit and later the US landed people and even a car on the moon.

When I was growing up there were also science-fiction stories about governments looking for solutions when the world’s natural resources were being over-extended, such as they are in the case of climate change. The solution in the stories was to assume that the cause of the problem was over-population and the solution, therefore, was to limit the number of people. Various plans were put forward for doing that, from limiting the birth rate to killing off anyone over a certain age. That age, if I remember correctly, was usually about 60 and when you reached that you were supposed to turn yourself over to a government facility where you would be put to death.

Still, a look at the old science-fiction stories provides an interesting and somewhat chilling approach to what is acknowledged to be a very serious and worsening world-wide problem. There is general agreement that urgent action is needed to stop us from literally making our world unfit to live on. The answers, at least so far, concentrate on managing those resources and the ways in which we use them However, I wonder if the day will come when life will imitate the art of the old science-fiction stories and someone will propose limiting the number of people on the planet as a way of making it more suitable for those who are left. It’s a grave thing to predict.

1. What does the author say about climate problems?

A．The problems can be tackled in a scientific way.

B．The problems are in urgent need of being resolved.

C．The explosion of extreme climates is under control.

D．The loss of natural resources leads to climate changes.

2. How does the author clarify the concept of “life imitating art”?

A．By giving examples.	B．By using quotes.
C．By giving definitions.	D．By making contrast.

3. What possible solution to climate problems concerns the author?

A．Removing overpopulated species.	B．Getting rid of seniors.
C．Over-extending natural resources.	D．Moving onto the moon.

4. What’s the author’s tone in the passage?

A．Calm.

B．Serious.

C．Frustrated.

D．Anxious.

5 . Before you read, look at the graph and the picture below and discuss these questions in groups.

CLIMATE CHANGE REQUIRES THE WORLD’S ATTENTION

We have known about climate change for decades. There is little doubt that Earth is getting warmer and warmer (see the graph). A warming ocean and atmosphere along with melting ice and rising sea levels provide evidence of a dramatic change in the global climate.

In 2013, a lot of people were shocked by a news photo of a dead polar bear that was found on Norway’s Arctic island of Svalbard. According to the scientists who found its dead body, all that remained of the polar bear was “skin and bones”. An expert who has studied polar bears for many years said that from the position of its dead body, the bear appeared to have starved and died. Experts claimed that low sea-ice levels caused by climate change meant the bear could not hunt seals as before, so it had to travel greater distances in order to find food. This alarming case showed how the increase in temperature had an impact on Earth’s ecology.

Then what is causing the increase in the global average surface temperature? Climate scientists often mention a key climate process called the “greenhouse effect”, which has two common meanings: the “natural” greenhouse effect and the “man-made” greenhouse effect. The “natural” greenhouse effect refers to the fact that heat from the sun enters the atmosphere and warms Earth’s surface as short-wave radiation. The heat is released back into space at longer wave lengths. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as methane and carbon dioxide, trap some of the heat, keeping Earth’s climate warm and habitable. Without this process, Earth could not sustain life. However, the “man-made” greenhouse effect has now become a big problem. When people produce huge amounts of extra greenhouse gases by burning fossil fuels, more heat energy is trapped in the atmosphere and causes Earth’s surface temperature to rise quickly.

There is strong and comprehensive evidence that the rise in temperature has led to an increase in extreme weather and natural disasters worldwide, not only causing serious damage, but also costing human lives. Climate scientists have warned that if we do not take appropriate actions, this warming trend will probably continue and there will be a higher price to pay. In fact, news reports are frequently broadcast about extreme rainstorms and heatwaves causing deaths and economic losses.

Continued greenhouse gas emissions will result in further warming and long-lasting changes to the global climate. This requires the attention of people all over the world. Governments need to consider making policies and taking appropriate actions and measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We as individuals can also reduce our “carbon footprint” by restricting the amount of carbon dioxide our lifestyles produce. It is our responsibility to seize every opportunity to educate everyone about global warming, along with its causes and impacts, because this is the most serious issue affecting all of us on this planet. So what will you do to help?

1. What is the graph about? What information can you get from it?
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. Have you ever seen the photo before? What might be the story behind it?
_________________________________________________________________________________

6 . Read the text carefully and answer the questions.

CLIMATE CHANGE REQUIRES THE WORLD’S ATTENTION

We have known about climate change for decades. There is little doubt that Earth is getting warmer and warmer (see the graph). A warming ocean and atmosphere along with melting ice and rising sea levels provide evidence of a dramatic change in the global climate.

In 2013, a lot of people were shocked by a news photo of a dead polar bear that was found on Norway’s Arctic island of Svalbard. According to the scientists who found its dead body, all that remained of the polar bear was “skin and bones”. An expert who has studied polar bears for many years said that from the position of its dead body, the bear appeared to have starved and died. Experts claimed that low sea-ice levels caused by climate change meant the bear could not hunt seals as before, so it had to travel greater distances in order to find food. This alarming case showed how the increase in temperature had an impact on Earth’s ecology.

Then what is causing the increase in the global average surface temperature? Climate scientists often mention a key climate process called the “greenhouse effect”, which has two common meanings: the “natural” greenhouse effect and the “man-made” greenhouse effect. The “natural” greenhouse effect refers to the fact that heat from the sun enters the atmosphere and warms Earth’s surface as short-wave radiation. The heat is released back into space at longer wave lengths. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as methane and carbon dioxide, trap some of the heat, keeping Earth’s climate warm and habitable. Without this process, Earth could not sustain life. However, the “man-made” greenhouse effect has now become a big problem. When people produce huge amounts of extra greenhouse gases by burning fossil fuels, more heat energy is trapped in the atmosphere and causes Earth’s surface temperature to rise quickly.

There is strong and comprehensive evidence that the rise in temperature has led to an increase in extreme weather and natural disasters worldwide, not only causing serious damage, but also costing human lives. Climate scientists have warned that if we do not take appropriate actions, this warming trend will probably continue and there will be a higher price to pay. In fact, news reports are frequently broadcast about extreme rainstorms and heatwaves causing deaths and economic losses.

Continued greenhouse gas emissions will result in further warming and long-lasting changes to the global climate. This requires the attention of people all over the world. Governments need to consider making policies and taking appropriate actions and measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We as individuals can also reduce our “carbon footprint” by restricting the amount of carbon dioxide our lifestyles produce. It is our responsibility to seize every opportunity to educate everyone about global warming, along with its causes and impacts, because this is the most serious issue affecting all of us on this planet. So what will you do to help?

1. What happened to the polar bear in the photo? Why did the writer write about it?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. Why is the “natural” greenhouse effect important and necessary?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
3. What are the consequences of high greenhouse gas emissions?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
4. Why did the author mention the climate scientists' warning?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
5. What is the author’s purpose of writing this text?
_____________________________________________________________________________________

7 . 语法填空

There is strong and comprehensive evidence that the rise in temperature     1    (lead) to an increase in extreme weather and natural disasters worldwide, causing serious damage, but also costing human lives. Climate scientists have warned that if we do not take appropriate actions, this warming trend will     2    (probable) continue and there will be a higher price     3    (pay). In fact, news reports are frequently broadcast about extreme rainstorms and heatwaves     4    (cause) deaths and economic losses.

Continued greenhouse gas emissions will result     5    further warming and long-lasting changes to the global climate. This requires the attention of people all over the world. Governments need to consider making     6    (policy) and taking appropriate actions and measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We as individuals can also reduce our “carbon footprint” by restricting     7    amount of carbon dioxide our lifestyles produce. It is our responsibility     8    (seize) every opportunity to educate everyone about global warming, along with its causes and     9    (impact), because this is the most serious issue affecting all of us on this planet. So     10    will you do to help?

8 . What are the speakers mainly talking about?

A．Their daily routine.

B．Their dormitory.

C．The weather.

10 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What will the weather be like in England today?

A．Quite dry.

B．Wet and windy.

C．Fine but cool.

2. How will the weather be in the east of Europe tomorrow?

A．Fine.

B．Windy.

C．Rainy.

3. How many days does the forecast mention?

A．One.

B．Two.

C．Three.