1 . 语法填空

The world has just endured its hottest year on record, with global average temperatures     1     (break) historical records. There is no denying that climate change is one of the most urgent     2     (challenge) facing humankind. No one can be safe     3     the threat of climate change.

China, the world's largest developing country and a responsible major country,     4     (overcome) many challenges by taking a series of measures so far. It has planned to peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The country is set to achieve the highest     5     (reduce) in carbon intensity globally.     6     (addition), promoting clean energy and the low-carbon transformation of the economy     7     (be) now a globally accepted method of addressing climate change.

Because of global warming, extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and intensity. Building     8     solid front line of disaster prevention is crucial for dealing with the effects of extreme weather events. People are expected work together to     9     (deep) international cooperation and make greater contributions to building a clean and beautiful world and safeguarding the Earth, the only place     10     we can call home.

2 . A forest in Staffordshire (in the UK) transformed into a hi-tech laboratory. Researchers here are investigating how the trees use carbon, and it’s difficult to find out. In an unusual experiment, extra carbon dioxide is piped to the trees, to create the kind of atmospheric conditions expected in the middle of the century. And instruments measure how the forest reacts.       

The scientist in charge says there’s still a lot to learn. And he worries that governments and companies are rushing to plant trees as an easy answer to climate change. “If you try and use trees to tidy up the mess that we’re making through emissions, you are putting those trees into a very rapidly changing climate and they will struggle to adapt,” said Professor Rob MacKenzie, University of Birmingham.

This device tracks the movement of carbon dioxide. In a healthy forest, the gas is not only absorbed by the trees but some is released as well. What scientists here are finding out is the way carbon flows into a forest and out of it is a lot more complicated than you might think. So, if mass tree planting is meant to be a solution to tackling climate change, the trees are going to have to be monitored and cared for, over not just decades, but may be centuries as well.

Of all the challenges, the task of planting is the simplest. Shelby Barber from Canada can do an amazing 4,000 trees in a day. “People talking about planting millions billions of trees around the world. Is it possible do you think, physically?” asked BBC.

“It’s definitely possible with the right amount of people, the right group of people. I’ve personally, in three years, planted just over half a million trees.” said Professor Rob MacKenzie.

Once planted, the trees need to survive, and experts are mixing different types to minimize the risk of disease. “It’s a bit like making sure you don’t put all your eggs in one basket, you’re spreading out your risk. And then if one part of that woodland fails, for whatever reason, it gets a disease or it can’t tolerate future climatic conditions, there are other parts of the forest that are healthy and able to fill in those gaps.” said Eleanor Tew of Forestry England.

Suddenly there’s momentum to plant trees on a scale never seen before. So what matters is doing it in a way that ensures the forests thrive — so they really do help with climate change.

1. Why is extra carbon dioxide piped to the trees in the experiment?

A．To predict the future atmospheric conditions.

B．To imitate the possible air condition in the future.

C．To create an instrument to measure atmospheric conditions.

D．To investigate the quality of air condition in the future.

2. The underlined word “some” in the second paragraph refers to __________.

A．oxygen

B．carbon dioxide

C．mess

D．purified gas

3. What will Eleanor Tew suggest concerning the survival of the forest?

A．Minimizing the area of the woodland.

B．Studying future climatic conditions.

C．Planting different types of trees.

D．Avoiding mixing different species.

4. Which statement concerning mass tree planting will Professor Rob Mackenzie mostly likely agree with?

A．It should be advocated in terms of efficiency and convenience.

B．It is the most effective solution to fighting climate changes.

C．It will do more harm than good to the health of the environment.

D．It needs to be studied further as a measure against climate change.

3 . Satellites in space measure temperatures over large areas of the ocean. They are, however, less specific when it comes to measuring temperatures along the coast. However, there is a new solution.

Scientists want people who do water sports to help them gather coastal climate data. This includes surfers, divers and fishermen. The idea came from new data collected by scientists who are also surfers. The group was led by a scientist in England named Bob Brewin. The group designed a surfboard that could be their laboratory. The results show different water temperatures than what the satellites have shown.

Coastlines are important to the economy. Large amounts of people use them for business and fun. Coastlines are also important for the environment because they are home to many different plants and animals.

Brewin says satellite data alone cannot be trusted. So, his team wants volunteers to gather data during their water activities. The information the volunteers find will be used along with satellite readings. The scientists think this will result in more accurate information. “We can begin to understand how our coastal environment is responding to climate change,” Brewin said.

They want surfers to check water surfaces and divers to measure temperatures deeper in the water. The information would then go into the scientists’ database. Meanwhile, a group of scientists from Europe had another idea. The group is interested in boots that some fishermen use. These boots sense water temperatures. The scientists think the fishermen who wear those boots could be connected to a data­collection system.

Many water sports take place in areas that are important for sea life. These locations can be difficult to check, Brewin says. For example, ocean waves can ruin data-collection floats and boats. So,coastal sea surface temperature records are poor.

1. What’s the problem with satellites?

A．They can’t measure temperatures over the ocean.

B．They can’t locate coasts very accurately.

C．They might provide unreliable data.

D．They break down frequently.

2. What did Brewin’s team do?

A．They turned a surfboard into a lab.

B．They did research on water sports.

C．They made efforts to learn surfing.

D．They made friends with fishermen.

3. How can volunteers help Brewin?

A．Analyze satellite readings.

B．Compare data from different sources.

C．Wear boots designed by Brewin’s group.

D．Go into waters of different depths to collect data.

4. Why is it difficult to check the temperature of coastlines?

A．Surfers face great danger.

B．Beaches cover huge areas.

C．Data-collection boats are too big.

D．Waves damage the measuring equipment.

4 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Under the influence of the recent EL Nino,     1     is reported that the average global temperature in 2023 has set the record, making it the warmest year since 1850. The temperatures in most     2     (region) of China from this winter to next spring will be above the long-term average. This winter the     3     (combine) of EL Nino and global warming raised the chances of natural disasters     4     (cause) by extreme weather. The EL Nino is predicted to cause the sea surface temperature to reach its     5     (high) point between November 2023 and January 2024. EL Nino is     6     naturally occurring climate phenomenon that starts with unusually warm surface water in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, which then goes on to affect the weather worldwide. On average, it     7     (occur) every two to seven years, and one episode     8     (typical) lasts nine to twelve months. Since May, an EL Nino system has heated the atmosphere in the tropical Pacific,     9     (lead) to a rise in global temperatures. Research indicates that a mild EL Nino event can increase the global annual average surface temperature     10     about 0. 1℃, even 0. 22℃.

5 . In recent years, extreme weather has been on the rise. From wildfires in California, US to record-breaking rainfall in northern China this summer and most recently the flood in Libya which claimed thousands of lives, Earth seems to be whipped by extreme climate and weather patterns.

Climate whiplash (气候鞭打), or weather whiplash, refers to a quick change from one extreme weather pattern to another. It is caused by global warming. A warmer atmosphere can hold more steam. As the Earth gets warmer, more water is contained in the atmosphere. Once the temperature gets colder, it often rains more heavily. This explains why a drought is often followed by extremely heavy rain.

The region hit hardest by climate whiplash is California. Over the past decade, California has experienced lasting droughts, wildfires, heavy rainfalls, and floods. It seems that the state is either on fire or in flooding with little in between. Researchers estimate that by the end of this century, the frequency of climate whiplash will jump by 25 percent in northern California as Earth continues to become warmer.

Apart from wildfires and floods, studies showed that climate whiplash also has an impact on water quality. During dry days, the fertilizer (肥料) farmers use for plants cannot be absorbed by thirsty and dying plants. Then the following heavy rain washes the remaining fertilizer into rivers, polluting the water.

How can we deal with climate whiplash? The key lies in fighting global warming. That is to say, humans have to largely reduce the use of fossil fuels (化石燃料). Climate whiplash would happen more frequently in the future, should we fail to fight global warming effectively. Therefore, it is urgent that nations around the world double down on efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

1. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．The effects of global warming.	B．The causes of global warming.
C．The results of climate whiplash.	D．The principle behind climate whiplash.

2. What do we know about climate whiplash in northern California?

A．It has resulted in reduced droughts.

B．It is expected to occur more frequently.

C．It has primarily affected northern California.

D．It causes more floods here than in other US states.

3. How does climate whiplash contribute to water pollution?

A．Unabsorbed plant fertilizer is washed into the water.

B．More plastic waste is brought into the water by floods.

C．Dry weather affects pollutant concentrations in water.

D．Heavy rains carry more industrial waste into the water.

4. What does the author say about climate whiplash?

A．It is not as serious as commonly believed.

B．It can be solved by reducing fossil fuel usage.

C．It is linked with our efforts to fight global warming.

D．It will cause the global temperature to rise annually.

6 . Time is running short to address climate change, but there are possible and effective solutions on the table, according to a new UN climate report released in March.

Only swift, dramatic, and sustained emission (排放) cuts will be enough to meet the world’s climate goals, according to the new report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a body of climate experts that regularly summarize the state of this issue.

“We are walking when we should be running fast,” said Hoesung Lee, IPCC chair, in a press conference announcing the report in March. To limit warming to 1.5℃ above preindustrial levels, the target set by international climate agreements, annual greenhouse-gas emission will need to be cut by nearly half between now and 2030, according to the report. It calculates that the results from actions taken now will be clear in global temperature trends within two decades.

“We already have the technology and the know-how to get the job done,” said Inger Andersen, executive director of UN Environment Programme, during the press conference. “Stopping climate change will still be complicated, and long-term emission cuts may largely rely on technologies, like carbon dioxide removal, that are still unproven at scale. In addition to technological advances, cutting emission in industries that are difficult to transform will involve many factors.”

But in the near term, there’s a clear path forward for the emission cuts needed to put the planet on the right track. There are some of the tasks with the lowest cost and highest potential to address climate change during this decade, such as developing wind and solar power, cutting methane (甲烷) emission from fossil-fuel production and waste, protecting natural ecosystems that trap carbon, and using energy efficiently in vehicles, homes, and industries.

1. What is the author’s attitude towards tackling climate change?

A．Positive.

B．Worried.

C．Skeptical.

D．Uncertain.

2. What does Hoesung Lee mean?

A．It’s impossible to achieve the climate goal.

B．He knows how to cut emission efficiently.

C．The pace of global warming is speeding up.

D．He is dissatisfied with current emission cuts.

3. What is the guarantee of long-term emission reduction according to Inger Andersen?

A．Policy.

B．Market.

C．Funding.

D．Technology.

4. What message does this text mainly convey?

A．Emission cutting is urgent.

B．Climate change is unstoppable.

C．Global warming is becoming complicated.

D．Meeting climate goals needs cooperation.

7 . More than 40 percent of Antarctica’s ice shelves have reduced in the past 25 years, potentially accelerating sea level rise by allowing more landice to flow into the ocean.

    1     They play a critical role in slowing the flow of ice on land into the ocean by essentially acting as a wall and surround nearly the entire coastline of Antarctica. When ice shelves thin or retreat(消退), ice on the land can flow into the ocean more quickly and accelerate sea level rise.

Healthy ice shelves naturally retreat and grow over time. An ice shelf is continuously flowing and advancing but will also lose mass through melting or calving, which is when its front breaks off into the ocean.    2     But the large portion of steadily shrinking ice shelves shows this natural cycle is off.

In West Antarctica, the Getz Ice Shelf experienced some of the biggest ice losses, shedding 1.9 trillion tons of ice over the study period. Most ice shelves in East Antarctica however, increased in volume or stayed the same.     3     Region is protected by a band of cold water at the coast, which helps keep nearby warm water at bay. Even so, the study still showed pockets of shrinking ice shelves, and researchers are still investigating the reasons.     4    

The current ice shelf data set is not long enough for researchers to definitively make climate change connection yet, but it would be a ” remarkable coincidence if the natural variability in ice shelves were just that much larger.     5     But we don’t need to hit it before seeing an effect on the planet.

A．Then it can gain ice from the land and grow again

B．Ice shelves are massive floating sections of ice extending from glaciers on land.

C．The east is not as exposed to the warm water like the other side of the continent.

D．The thinning of the ice shelves has shown up in the surrounding environment, too.

E．Ice shelves not just the big ones, are. steadily losing mass over time with no sign of recovery

F．One theory is that the warmer water on the western side could be slowly coming in the region.

G．Additionally, climate models predict ice shelves will steadily shrink in a warming world as observed, eventually hitting a tipping point for ice sheet collapse.

8 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入一个恰当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The Earth set unofficial record high temperatures last week. Scientists said they were a clear sign of how pollutants     1     (release) by humans are warming the environment. But the heat is also just one way the planet is telling us something is     2     (serious) wrong, they added.

Most of the planet     3     (cover) by oceans, which have taken in     4     percent of the recent warming caused by planet-warming gases such as carbon dioxide and methane.

In April, worldwide ocean temperature rose to 21.1 degrees Celsius,     5     scientists believe was caused by a     6     (combine) of planet-warming gases and the early El Nino formation.

High levels of wildfire smoke are more common on the West Coast. But, recently, several rounds of wildfire smoke from wildfires in northern Canada brought     7     (danger) air quality levels to eastern North America.

The current El Nino formed a month or two     8     (early) than usual. It replaced La Nina that, with its cooling of Pacific waters, kept worldwide temperatures down. That means that it will have more time than usual to     9     (strength).

The World Meteorological Organization predicts there is     10     98 percent chance that at least one of the next five years will be the warmest     11     record. One of these years would beat temperatures from 2016 when an exceptionally strong El Nino was present.

9 . Life-threatening heat waves in the U. S. and Europe, along with China’s record-setting heat, are directly linked to human-caused climate change, according to international researchers. These extreme temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere this summer, breaking over 2,000 high-temperature records in the U. S. alone, are heightened by global warming. Palermo, Sicily, saw a historic 117-degree Fahrenheit temperature, while a northwest Chinese town experienced its highest recorded temperature.

The team, including experts from the World Weather Attribution group, stressed that such events would be nearly impossible without climate change. The influence of El Niño, a natural pattern, is noted, but the burning of fossil fuel (化石燃料) is the main driver of severe heatwaves. Human activities have driven a nearly 2-degree Fahrenheit global temperature rise since the Industrial Revolution’s onset. The researchers utilized weather data and computer models to analyze the impact of warming on ongoing heatwaves. Their rapid attribution report, though yet to be peer-reviewed, indicated that greenhouse gas release increases the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events. Bernadette Woods Placky, chief meteorologist at Climate Central, agreed with this conclusion, stressing the connection between rising greenhouse gases and heat occurrences.

Even a slight temperature rise poses serious health risks, as indicated by the World Health Organization. Heat-related illnesses, heart attacks, and strokes become more probable. Vulnerable communities, including low-income areas and communities of color, face heightened risks due to rising temperatures.

Last year, Europe’s heatwaves killed around 61,000 lives, predominantly among women. Similarly, a heat dome in the Pacific Northwest in 2021 led to hundreds of deaths in Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. Michael Wehner, a climate scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, warned that dangerous climate change is a present reality and demanded heightened awareness of its results.

In reality, the current heatwaves devastating various regions are basically linked to human-induced climate change. As the world experiences extreme temperatures, it is necessary to recognize the urgency (紧急) of solving this dangerous situation through sustainable practices and policies (政策).

1. What happened to the U. S., Europe and China this summer?

A．Global warming.

B．Extreme heat.

C．Climate change.

D．Setting records.

2. What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A．The findings from experts.	B．The researchers’ hard work.
C．The effects of human activities.	D．The reasons for high temperatures.

3. How do heatwaves affect people?

A．They cause damage to people.	B．They lead to people’s escape.
C．They encourage people to fight.	D．They make people become strong.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To tell the causes of heatwaves.	B．To call on people to take action.
C．To introduce phenomena of heatwaves.	D．To find ways to protect the environment.

10 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The Argentine research base Esperanza has been collecting data about the changes of the temperature in Antarctica since 1961. According to the data collected by the station, Antarctica has had its     1     (high) recorded temperature of 18.3℃, beating 2015’s record of 17.5℃. The reading     2     (take) at the Argentine research base last week. Meanwhile, the rate of ice loss from five Antarctic glaciers (冰川)     3     (double) in the past six years and is five times faster than in the 1990s. “The reading is     4     sign of that the warming happening there is much faster than the global average,     5     is surely worrying many people,” said Professor James Renwick, a climate scientist at Victoria University. “The reading is     6     (impress) as it’s only five years since the previous record was set and this is almost one degree centigrade higher,” he added.

Global warming     7     (drive) by human activities has been blamed for Antarctica’s rising temperatures. “Scientists have lots of     8     (evident) to show that the Earth’s climate is rapidly changing due     9     human activities,” said Professor James. “Antarctica’s heating ice sheets are falling apart,     10     (threaten) to cause sudden and great rises in global sea levels. We should take action before it is too late.”