1 . As vulnerable (易受伤害的) states suffer, US is blamed for not donating its required money for the Green Climate Fund, or GCF.
In Kenya’s countryside, people are facing one of the most serious droughts in memory. Some regions have been without rain for two years, and more than half the crops and most of the farm animals have died. Up to 4 million people may require food aid in the coming months.
Kenya isn’t the only country to suffer the fallout from climate change in recent years. Countries least responsible for the climate crisis are most vulnerable to its effects. In South Asia, Bangladesh already spends $2 billion each year on climate-related damage, according to a report from the International Institute for Environment and Development. A dozen island nations are at risk of disappearing entirely.
The international community has realized the urgency. In 2010, the United Nations created an institution, the Green Climate Fund, or GCF, to support developing countries that aren’t historically responsible for causing the climate crisis to cut their emissions (排放物) and deal with climate impacts.
However, the UN climate fund now has warned that carbon-cutting projects in developing countries would have to be cut without more money coming in.
Campaigners have blamed the United States—one of the GCF’s founders—for the potential cuts. “If the GCF needs to limit its operations in the near future due to lack of funding, it’s hard to find any single country more at fault than the US,” Action Aid’s policy director Brandon Wu told Climate Home News.
In 2014, then-US president Barack Obama promised the GCF $3 billion but gave only $1 billion before the end of his term. His successor, Donald Trump, didn’t give any money to the fund and, so far, neither has President Joe Biden. The US owe s the fund $ 2 billion.
Last year, 46 climate and green groups signed a letter that urged the White House to give the $2 billion to the GCF. The climate and green groups also asked the administration to commit an additional $6 billion to bring the US in step with other donor countries.
In 2019,1 3 countries—mostly in Europe but including South Korea and New Zealand—announced a doubling or more of their contributions to the GCF to help fun d green projects for 2020-23.
1. Why is the situation in Kenya mentioned in the second paragraph?| A．To tell us the impact of climate change. |
| B．To tell us the living conditions in Kenya, |
| C．To tell us how Kenya deals with climate change. |
| D．To tell us how the crops and the farm animals have died. |
| A．Disease. | B．Poverty. | C．Mistake. | D．Consequence. |
| A．$3 billion. | B．$ 6 billion. | C．$8 billion. | D．$9 billion. |
| A．UN creates Green Climate Fund | B．GCF needs to limit its operations |
| C．GCF to help fund green projects | D．UN climate fund starved of cash |
2 . Covid-19 and Climate Change
The World Health Organization officially declared a pandemic on 11 March 2020. This began a sudden drop in human activity, as much of the world went into lockdown and factories stopped operating, cars kept their engines off and planes were grounded.
Climate science can operate in real time.
The pandemic made scientists think about how to monitor greenhouse gas emissions-carbon dioxide in particular—in real time.
No dramatic effects on climate change happen.
We need to find ways to reduce emissions without the economic and social impacts of lockdown. Scientists have estimated that investing just 1.2% of global GDP in economic recovery packages could mean the difference between keeping global temperature rise below 1.5%, and a future where we are facing much more severe impacts—and higher costs. It’s essential that strong climate action is integrated into future investments.
| A．There have been many changes. |
| B．This isn’t a plan for climate action. |
| C．The risks may seem high，but the potential rewards are far higher. |
| D．They used information on lockdown as a mirror for global emissions. |
| E．This period has brought some entirely new and sometimes unexpected insights. |
| F．Unfortunately, green investment is not being made at anything like the level needed. |
| G．In the long term, the pandemic will have less effect on efforts to tackle climate change. |
3 . Major Snow, the 21st solar term of the year, begins this year on Dec 7 and ends on Dec 20, marking the start of the season. It begins when the sun reaches the celestial longitude (天文经度) of 255° and ends when it reaches 270°
By the start of Major Snow, most of China has already seen the start of winter.
During Major Snow, people often eat jujube cakes, made from red jujube dates (枣) which are rich in vitamin C, protein, calcium, iron, vitamins and other nutrients.
In some areas, cured meats become a specialty product, as a way to store meat over the winter months. As the saying goes, small snow seals the ground, heavy snow seals the river.
Major Snow is an excellent season for people to replenish their bodies. There is another saying, “Replenishing your body in winter means you will be strong enough to fight a tiger in early spring.”
| A．A timely snow promises a good harvest |
| B．You can also eat some foods that nourish your Yin |
| C．A large number of citrus fruits, high in vitamin C, are in season |
| D．Temperatures have now dropped to below 0 °C in some northern regions |
| E．There is an old Chinese saying that “Three dates a day means no one gets old” |
| F．Now, many rivers are frozen, and people can go ice-skating with friends and family |
| G．At this time of year, it tends to snow more frequently over a wider area of the country |
4 . In the last 100 years, the global temperature has gone up by around 0. 75’℃. This may not sound like much, but an increase of 2 ℃ in global temperatures could result in extinction for 30% of the world’s land species.
On account of the changing climate, the world’s ecosystems are also changing faster. More than one-third of the world’s mangroves (红树林)and around 20％ of the world’s coral reefs(珊瑚礁)have been destroyed in the last few decades. Due to the higher temperatures and higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, plants are producing more pollen(花 粉), which could lead to more cases of asthma, a medical condition which makes it hard to breathe.
What is causing climate change? It seems that the main cause is the huge amount of greenhouse gases, such as CH4 and CO2, but the real reason for this is that the world’s population increases and more land is needed to provide food and energy. Burning fossil fuels for heating, lighting, transport, electricity or manufacturing produces CO2. By cutting down trees, we are increasing the amount of Co2 and reducing the amount of oxygen. As a result of human activities, CO2 levels are now at their highest in 800, 000 years.
The biggest challenge we all face is to prevent further environmental disasters. We must do something before it is too late. We need to reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. We need to stop burning fossil fuels and start using renewable energy. We can get enough energy from renewable fuels, such as solar energy or wind power to stop using fossil fuels completely.
1. What is the author’s main purpose in writing this article?| A．To predict the effects of global warming. |
| B．To describe the changes in nature. |
| C．To urge the use of renewable energy. |
| D．To warn people of natural disasters. |
| A．Ecology is badly affected. |
| B．30% of species will die out. |
| C．The amount of CO: is growing. |
| D．More people die of asthma. |
| A．Cutting down trees. |
| B．Increasing population |
| C．Burning fossil fuels. |
| D．Greenhouse gases. |
| A．What’s done can not be undone. |
| B．Man will surely defeat nature. |
| C．Humans are nothing in face of nature. |
| D．Actions are needed to resolve problems. |
5 . Since pre-industrial times, the world’s oceans have warmed by an average of 1 degree Celsius. Now researchers report that those rising temperatures have led to widespread changes in the population size of marine（海洋的）species.
A new study from the University of Bristol,UK, aims to find out how climate change is impacting the distribution,population and seasonality of marine species.
The study’s senior author,Martin Genner, an evolutionary ecologist, said: “We found the same trend across all groups of marine life we looked at， from plankton（浮游生物）to marine invertebrates（无脊椎动物），and from fish to seabirds. ”
Based on these findings,researchers reasoned that marine species should be doing well at the leading edge of their ranges but poorly at their trailing side.
The study found that 304 widely distributed marine species over the last century were indeed more abundant（大量的）at the poleward ends of their sample range. This suggests that marine species haven’t managed to adapt to warmer conditions. They may continue to move poleward as sea temperatures increase further,impactiing the livelihood of equatorward coastal towns.
“This matters because it means that climate change is not only leading to abundance changes,but affects the performance of species locally,” Genner said. “While some marine life may benefit as the ocean warms,we will also see continued loss of marine in the near future. ”
The researchers said that more work is needed to understand how climate change has affected marine life in all regions of the world in greater detail. Genner questioned, “Is this mainly related to the physiological（生理的）limits of the species, or instead due to changes in the species with which they interact?”
1. What does the new study from the University of Bristol try to discover?| A．How many marine species the climate change influences. |
| B．Directions in which marine species move in different seasons. |
| C．How the climate change affects the population of marine species. |
| D．Similarities between certain species affected by the climate change. |
| A．There are new marine species in the poles. |
| B．At least 304 marine species were less widely distributed. |
| C．There is a sharp decline in the number of marine species. |
| D．The abundance of many marine species increased on poleward sides. |
| A．Climate change can make the coast inhabitable. |
| B．Marine species haven’t adjusted to warmer temperatures. |
| C．Marine species may continue to move toward the equator. |
| D．Ocean warming improves the environment for marine species. |
| A．The interaction among marine species. |
| B．The physiological limits of marine species. |
| C．The other possible factors behind this trend. |
| D．The changes in the performance of local species. |
6 . Several years ago, Jason Box, a scientist from Ohio, flew 31 giant rolls of white plastic to a glacier (冰川) in Greenland. He and his team spread them across 10,000 feet of ice, then left. His idea was that the white blanket would reflect back the rays of the sun, keeping the ice cool below. When he came back to check the results, he found it worked. Exposed ice had melted faster than covered ice. He had not only saved two feet of glacier in a short time. No coal plants were shut down, no jobs were lost, and nobody was taxed or fired. Just the sort of fix we’re looking for.
“Thank you, but no thank you.” says Ralph King, a climate scientist. He told Grey Childs. author and commentator, that people think technology can save the planet, “but there are other things we need to deal with, like consumption. They burned $50,000 just for the helicopter” to bring the plastic to the glacier. This experiment, quote-unquote, gives people false hope that climate change can be fixed without changing human behavior. It can’t. Technology won’t give us a free ride.
Individuals respond to climate change differently. Climatologist Kelly Smith is hardly alone in her prediction that someday soon we won’t be climate victims, we will be climate Choosers. More scientists agree with her that if the human race survives. The engineers will get smarter, the tools will get better, and one day we will control the climate. but that then? “Just the mention of us controlling the climate sent a small shiver down my back, Grey writes.” “Something sounded wrong about stopping ice by our own will,” he says.
Me? I like it better when the earth takes care of itself, I guess one day we will have to run the place, but for the moment, sitting at my desk, looking out at the trees bending wildly and the wind howling, I’m happy not to be in charge.
1. Why does the author mention Jason Box’s experiment in the first paragraph?| A．To introduce a possible solution to climate change. |
| B．To describe a misleading attempt to fix the climate. |
| C．To report on a successful experiment on saving the glacier. |
| D．To arouse people’s attention to the problem of global warming. |
| A．The fight against climate change will not succeed. |
| B．Technology is not the final solution, let alone its high cost. |
| C．It’s best to deal with climate change without changing our behavior. |
| D．Jason’s experiment plays a significant role in fixing climate change. |
| A．Favorable | B．Tolerant | C．Doubtful. | D．Unclear. |
| A．But should we fix the climate? |
| B．Is climate change a real problem? |
| C．How can we take care of the earth? |
| D．What if all the glaciers disappeared? |
7 . Plenty of studies have investigated how climate change could be harmful to the production of coffee bean crops, with research released in 2019 suggesting that 60 percent of known coffee species could be in danger of going extinct. But a new scientific review has attempted to focus specifically on how global warming might affect the taste and smell of coffee. Bad news is that not only could the coffee of the future be harder to come by, it could taste bad, too.
“A low-quality cup of coffee has economic influences as well as sensory(感官的)ones,” Sean Cash, professor at Tults’ Friedman Nutrition Science explained. “If we can understand the science of these changes, we might help farmers better manage coffee production in the face of this and future challenges.”
Specifically, researchers identified two factors that had the most consistent association with quality: higher altitude produced coffee with better taste and smell; and too much sunlight led to decreased quality.
That first factor could be significantly affected by global warming. “Higher altitudes are connected with cooler temperatures. It results in slower ripening(成熟), long-time fruit-fill, and higher accumulation(积累)of taste and smell,” the paper states. “What may happen to coffee quality at higher altitudes with increased temperature linked to climate change? And we need to know climate adaptation is needed for coffee agricultural systems at all altitudes.
On the other hand, reducing sunlight exposure(暴露)is easier to deal with. “While light exposure is shifting with climate change, this can be controlled in coffee agricultural systems. Through shade management including developing shade-grown coffee systems with best levels of coverage, the paper continued. Shade management is a relatively easily reached climate adaptation strategy compared to relocating farms.”
Still, the study's biggest takeaway was the more work needs to be done to ensure our coffee tastes. “This systematic review highlights that coffee quality is sensitive to climate change and climate adaptation,” the conclusion stated. “Given the sensitivity of coffee quality to environmental change, evidence-based innovations are called for to enhance the sustainable development of the coffee industry in the context of global change.”
1. What is the purpose of the new study?| A．To find ways to stop the global warming. | B．To prevent the coffee from going extinct. |
| C．To help farmers increase the products of coffee. | D．To help farmers improve the quality of coffee crop. |
| A．It helps the coffee grow fast. | B．It offers coffee enough sunlight. |
| C．It offers coffee enough time to ripe. | D．It is easier for farmers to take care of coffee crop. |
| A．To relocate coffee farms. | B．To develop effective shade systems. |
| C．To grow coffee crops in higher altitude farms. | D．To make the coffee adapt to the climate change. |
| A．The future of coffee crops. | B．What affects coffee production |
| C．Climate change affects coffee quality | D．The challenges coffee crops are facing |
8 . Nutrient shortages might not be the result of poor diet. A study from 2004 showed that many fruits and vegetables contain less protein, iron, calcium, and vitamin C than they did in the1950s, though carbohydrate levels have increased over the same time length. While some researchers think this difference is explained by farmers growing sweeter cultivar, others believe a bigger factor is at play— Earth’s changing atmosphere.
Earth’s atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are rising. Within the next 50 years, carbon dioxide concentrations are expected to reach 550 parts per million, which is about double the amount measured before the mid—19th century. Farming will be greatly affected: Research shows that raised carbon dioxide levels will affect 95 percent of plant species—including main crops, such as wheat, rice, and potatoes by causing essential mineral levels to drop by 6 to 8 percent. Though this decline may sound negligible, it will have far—reaching consequences for global health.
The influences of an increasingly carbon-concentrated atmosphere were first observed in zooplankton, microscopic sea creatures that primarily feed on algae. Rising carbon dioxide levels could also have a similar effect on land plants’ nutritional value. When they can more easily transform sunlight into food, plants pack in a higher concentration of carbohydrates at the expense of protein, zinc, iron, and other essential nutrients.
Will the increase of carbohydrates and consequent decrease of other nutrients in your meals make a difference for your health? According to some evidence, yes. Nutrient-rich plants are vital for fighting against health problems around the world, and lower levels in natural sources put populations at risk. For instance, studies show that 150 million people may be at risk for protein shortage by 2050, and iron shortage may affect a billion pregnant women within the same time period.
1. What causes the nutrient shortages in food?| A．Poor dict. | B．Changing atmosphere. | C．Farm produce. | D．Time length |
| A．Carbon dioxide will be double than that at present. |
| B．Carbon dioxide of plant species will increase 95%. |
| C．Plants’ mineral levels will drop by 6 to 8 percent. |
| D．Plants species will reach 550 times as much. |
| A．Lack of protein levels. | B．Lack of natural sources. |
| C．Lack of pregnant women. | D．Lack of carbohydrates. |
| A．Earth’s Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Level | B．Climate Change and Plant Nutrient Levels |
| C．More Food Leading to Better Health | D．Natural Resources and Carbohydrate |
9 . Technology is likely to play a big part in reaching its climate goals in the future.
Fusion is the process that fires the sun. But some experts say it could someday power our homes. Fusion happens when the nuclei (核) of two atoms are subjected to extreme heat. This leads to the formation of a new larger atom and large amounts of energy. One problem is the process itself requires a large amount of energy. Developers of the technology haven’t yet performed a fusion reaction that releases more energy than it requires. In addition, running an electric power plant of fusion would require the resulting heat to be contained in an economical way.
Advanced nuclear plants would be smaller than today’s massive nuclear reactors. Experts say they could be used in rural areas and could take over for wind and solar power when the sun goes down or the wind dies. But advanced nuclear reactors are difficult and costly to build. Critics say they would also create more waste. And they would run on uranium (铀), which could make some advanced reactors more appealing to militants (激进分子) seeking materials to make weapons.
Currently, there are 15 direct air capture plants operating worldwide, getting CO directly from the air and puts the gas underground. The costs are currently high. But supporters say those costs will fall as the technology improves. They also say tax breaks for businesses could help the technology. But critics say offering large credits could actually lead to more plants continuing to burn fossil fuels.
Hydrogen (氢) can be mixed with natural gas to make a cleaner-burning fuel. This could power a fuel cell vehicle. Such a vehicle would release environmentally friendly water vapors.
So-called clean hydrogen can be produced using energy methods such as wind and solar. But those methods are more costly than “grey hydrogen”, which is made with fossil fuels. Geothermal power plants capture heat up to 370 degrees Celsius far below the earth’s surface. The heat creates steam that can turn turbines (涡轮机) to produce electricity. But the technology would need to greatly expand to become a major alternative to fossil fuels.
1. How does the author develop the passage？| A．By analyzing the cost. |
| B．By introducing the values. |
| C．By weighing the positive and negative. |
| D．By following the order of great importance. |
| A．Carbon Capture is in the theoretical stage. |
| B．Nuclear fusion has been widely used in families. |
| C．Grey hydrogen belongs to environmental protection energy |
| D．The advanced nuclear plants have hidden dangers of making weapons. |
| A．Geothermal power. | B．Carbon Capture. |
| C．Advanced Nuclear. | D．Fusion and Hydrogen. |
| A．New Issues Facing Climate Goals |
| B．Develop New Energy According to Local Conditions |
| C．What Are the Future Development Goals of Clean Energy？ |
| D．Which Technologies Could Help the World Reach Its Climate Goals？ |
10 . Tropical(热带的)birds deep in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest are shrinking as the world’s climate changes. Researchers studied data for 77 tropical bird species over the past 40 years and found that all of them had lost body mass, with some species losing nearly 2% of their weight per decade.
A 2019 study of birds that had crashed into buildings in Chicago, Illinois, found that they’d lost mass over a 40—year period, but those species were migratory(迁徙的). However, why the birds changed in that way was unknown. Therefore, researchers decided to examine the records of 15, 000 non-migratory birds living in a rainforest within a few hours’ drive from Manaus in Brazil.
The average temperature of the birds’ habitat is 1℃ warmer in the wet season and 1. 65℃ warmer in the dry season compared with that in 40 years ago. What’s more, 13% more rain falls in the wet season and 15% less in the dry season. The birds have lost mass more sharply following extremely dry or wet seasons. This could be a short-term response to changes in their environment, such as a lack of rainfall causing a decline in the number of insects that the birds feed on.
“Mass is a generally good indication of body condition in birds, says Vitek Jirinec at the Integral Ecology Research Center in California, who led the study. "If they’re simply not getting enough to eat, you’d expect them to lose weight.”
Birds of the same species are generally larger at higher latitudes. The leading theory is that their smaller surface — area — to — volume ratio（表面积和体积比）allows them to better conserve heat. The opposite would help smaller species in hot climates to cool and could explain why birds are getting smaller as the climate warms, says Jirinec.
The marked physical change during just four decades show why stopping destroying trees alone won’t prevent the ongoing extinctions of animal species across the world, says Camila Gomez, a scientist who studies evolutionary changes in birds. "This study also shows how human-caused changes in climate are contributing to observed population declines in tropical birds," says Gomez.
1. Why did the researchers study the non-migratory birds?| A．To make the conclusion of the 2019 study. |
| B．To prepare them for their future migration. |
| C．To find the reason for their physical change. |
| D．To seek a way to save the Amazon rainforest. |
| A．High temperatures are rarely seen. | B．It seems much drier in wet seasons. |
| C．Weather patterns get more extreme. | D．Rainfall is increased in dry seasons, |
| A．It enables them to hide easily. | B．It makes them feel less cold. |
| C．It keeps them in good shape. | D．It helps them lose extra heat. |
| A．Global Warming Leads to Population Declines in Birds |
| B．Climate Change Is Causing Some Birds to Lose Weight |
| C．Tropical Birds Are Struggling to Survive Dry Climates |
| D．Migratory Birds Are Experiencing Big Physical Changes |
