1 . Environmental pollution and other human activities are leading to thousands of deaths among seabirds, a new study has warned.
Ecological experts tracked the behavior of British and Irish seabirds. They used satellites to track hundreds of the creatures to find out where they went to catch fish at sea. The study can help assess potential impact from human activities and where protected areas of the seas should be.
Lightweight GPS tags were fitted to more than 1,300 adult birds from 29 different colonies around the UK and Ireland, including kittiwakes, shags, razorbills and guillemots. Results from the five-year study show the large areas of sea the four seabird species use. They found it was at least 600,000 square miles, an area three times the size of Spain. It shows how far they travel from their nests in search of food for their chicks. And it shows the use of the seas by all four species concentrated in the coastal waters of Scotland, highlighting the importance of conservation measures there.
The four species studied require conservation help, with kittiwake numbers declining 71 percent in the past 25 years and shag populations down 61 percent. This means both seabirds are "red listed" and need urgent protection. Razorbills and guillemots are "amber listed", which means they are considered to need conservation action.
Dr. Ewan, lead author of the research, said, “Many seabirds are at the top of the marine food web. They feed on some small fish but that prey is declining because of human pressures, including climate change. The result is that thousands of sea baby birds are dying each year because their parents can't feed them. For the first time, this study provides us with a full map for the feeding areas for some of our most important seabird species.”
The analysis provides critical data to inform marine management, the experts said.
1. Which is one of the purpose of the study?| A．To find out where to catch more fish. |
| B．To judge which sea should be protected. |
| C．To know the seabirds’ impacts on human beings. |
| D．To study the behaviour of British and Irish seabirds. |
| A．With the help of satellites. | B．With help of the fishermen. |
| C．By observing human activities. | D．By tying GPS tags on the ship. |
| A．France. | B．Ireland. | C．Spain. | D．Scotland. |
| A．Puzzled. | B．Doubtful. | C．Positive. | D．Disappointed. |
2 . After years of heated debate, gray wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. Fourteen wolves were caught in Canada and transported to the park. By last year, the Yellowstone wolf population had grown to more than 170 wolves.
Gray wolves once were seen here and there in the Yellowstone area and much of the continental United States, but they were gradually displaced by human development. By the 1920s, wolves had practically disappeared from the Yellowstone area. They went farther north into the deep forests of Canada, where there were fewer humans around.
The disappearance of the wolves had many unexpected results. Deer and elk populations — major food sources (来源) for the wolf — grew rapidly. These animals consumed large amounts of vegetation (植被), which reduced plant diversity in the park. In the absence of wolves, coyote populations also grew quickly. The coyotes killed a large percentage of the park’s red foxes, and completely drove away the park’s beavers.
As early as 1966, biologists asked the government to consider reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone Park. They hoped that wolves would be able to control the elk and coyote problems. Many farmers opposed the plan because they feared that wolves would kill their farm animals or pets.
The government spent nearly 30 years coming up with a plan to reintroduce the wolves. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service carefully monitors and manages the wolf packs in Yellowstone. Today, the debate continues over how well the gray wolf is fitting in at Yellowstone. Elk, deer, and coyote populations are down, while beavers and red foxes have made a comeback. The Yellowstone wolf project has been a valuable experiment to help biologists decide whether to reintroduce wolves to other parts of the country as well.
1. What is the text mainly about?| A．Wildlife research in the United States. | B．Plant diversity in the Yellowstone area. |
| C．The conflict between farmers and gray wolves. | D．The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone Park. |
| A．Forced out. | B．Separated. | C．Tested. | D．Tracked down. |
| A．Damage to local ecology (生态). | B．A decline in the park’s income. |
| C．Preservation of vegetation. | D．An increase in the variety of animals. |
| A．Disapproving. | B．Positive. | C．Doubtful. | D．Uncaring. |
1.校内浪费现象；
2.低碳生活的重要性及措施；
3.提出倡议。
注意：
1.写作词数应为80左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Dear schoolmates,
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Li Hua
4 . Every year on April 22,Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970.It gave a voice to an emerging public consciousness about the state of our planet.The founder was Gaylord Nelson.
What moved Gaylord Nelson to action was the1969massive oil spill（溢出）in California,the largest oil spill in the United States at that time.The spill proved to be an environmental nightmare as it had a strong impact on marine life,killing an estimated3,500sea birds,as well as marine animals such as dolphins,elephant seals and sea lions.Inspired by the student antiwar movement at that period of time,Nelson found it was a right time to channel the energy of the students towards a fight for environmental protection.He decided that it was time to educate the Americans on the need to protect the environment.Thus,Earth Day was born in1970,and public environmental consciousness took centre stage.
On 22nd April 1970,millions of Americans took to the streets to demonstrate for a healthy,sustainable environment and thousands of students marched in protest of the terrible situation of the environment.Businesses were forced to follow environmental standards if they wanted to continue their operations.The year1990 saw Earth Day reach out to many more countries around the world.It helped pave the way for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro,bringing together many nations,for a joint effort towards protecting the environment.In 2009,the United Nations decided to officially set April 22 as Earth Day.
For his role as founder of Earth Day,Gaylord Nelson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom（1995）,the highest honour given to civilians in the United States.We honor the man,as the fight for a cleaner environment continues.
1. What can we learn about Earth Day?| A．It was founded at the end of 1970s. |
| B．It was first celebrated in Rio de Janeiro. |
| C．People will march on the street on this day. |
| D．It arouses public environmental awareness. |
| A．He reduced the loss of the oil spill. |
| B．He participated in an antiwar movement. |
| C．He set environmental standards for business. |
| D．He involved more people in environmental issues. |
| A．The focus of Earth Day. |
| B．The development of Earth Day. |
| C．The world 's concern on the environment. |
| D．The joint efforts of different countries. |
| A．Intelligent. | B．Responsible. | C．Considerate. | D．Knowledgeable. |
5 . Earth Day is April 22. Every year, people around the world observe the day by helping to care for the environment. They carry out all kinds of activities in an effort to better the planet’s heath.
One way to support this goal is to grow plants native to your area. This helps wildlife like birds and insects that evolved alongside native plants. For many of these animals, plant pollen (花粉) is their food. Native pollinators often cannot recognize non-native plants as food. This means they do not collect the pollen or spread plants’ seeds. Planting non-native species creates so-called “food deserts” for pollinators including bees, birds, bats, butterflies and more.
Doug Taamy is a professor of entomology at the University of Delaware. Entomology is the study of insects. He found that non-native plant species can harm the natural food chain, which can lead to a collapse of the environment. “Plant choice matters,” he said. “The plants we choose to landscape our properties should be determined by how much life can live there.”
Humans depend strongly on insects. Without them, we would have no flowering plants, which would harm the food web that supports important animals. Birds, for example, depend on plants for food and spread their seeds while keeping the populations of harmful insects down.
Insects support plants that provide oxygen, clean our water, capture carbon and add nutrients to the soil. That builds topsoil and prevents flooding. Without insects, the biosphere — the living parts of the Earth — would rot because of the loss of insect decomposers. Humans simply could not survive that, Tallamy said.
In addition to providing food and habitat for insects and other wildlife, native plants are able to grow easily and do not require much care. That means less watering and less fertilizing. The situation is a win-win for gardeners and pollinators.
1. Which section of a website is the text probably taken from?| A．Around the globe. | B．Technology report. |
| C．The secret of nature. | D．Healthy Lifestyle. |
| A．They attract more insects. | B．They do harm to native plants. |
| C．They turn soil into desert. | D．They break the balance of nature. |
| A．They produce more oxygen. | B．They prevent flooding more effectively. |
| C．They need less care. | D．They add more nutrients to the soil. |
| A．Take effective measures to protect insects. |
| B．Raise environmental awareness on Earth Day. |
| C．Make great effort to better the planet's health. |
| D．Plant native plants to support local environment. |
6 . An impressive invention made by a 17-year-old teenager, called Anna Du, is helping to clean up small pieces of plastic from the ocean.
While walking along her local beaches in Massachusetts, the young student began collecting waste plastic bags and bottles. But what she noticed was a large number of tiny pieces of plastic or microplastics that were impossible to pick up. At just 12 years old, Du set out to solve the problem. After testing a few prototypes(原型)in her backyard, she invented a remotely operated vehicle that uses the infrared camera(红外摄像机)to detect microplastics on the ocean floor. More recently, Du has also created a simulation(模拟)model that uses artificial intelligence to predict where microplastics are located.
Du’s robot invention has earned her awards at top science fairs in the US, and she’s now a nationally recognized advocate for microplastic awareness and pollution prevention. “When I first started doing science fairs, I had no idea that a young girl without lots of money and just a little advanced engineering knowledge could make a difference in the world. I’ve learned that I truly love working on a problem that’s so much larger than me,” Du said.
Du has also released a new book to help spread the word not only about the dangers of microplastics but also about the ways to relieve the problem. Titled Microplastics &Me, the book follows Du’s own story of how she went from worrying about the environment to designing award-winning solutions. Writing for kids her own age, the young girl alerts her readers to the threat of microplastic pollution and urges them to care about the environment. The book hopes to encourage young students to get into science, technology, engineering and math(STEM)subjects and to inspire a new generation of inventors and engineers. What’s more, Du has even raised more than $7,000 to distribute the book free to kids and libraries in high-need communities.
1. What inspired Du to make the invention?| A．There was too much rubbish along the beaches. | B．The plastics were too small to collect by hand. |
| C．The sea was polluted seriously. | D．She was interested in AI. |
| A．She has a spirit of challenge. | B．She is too poor to make a difference. |
| C．She doesn’t study hard in engineering. | D．She wins international recognition. |
| A．Innovation. | B．Voice. | C．Culture. | D．Art. |
| A．To inspire readers to share their stories. |
| B．To raise the awareness of microplastics pollution. |
| C．To encourage high schools to offer STEM subjects. |
| D．To collect money for kids in high-need communities. |
7 . 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? |
Our world has been greatly affected by global warming and it is critical (关键的) that people, young and old, join hands to fight it. Most
It is believed that the nation should ask schools
Too many people think that global warming is not a threat, but it is one of our
Green living and green schools are part of
9 . Different ways have been applied to dealing with waste paper, specifically used newspapers. Some people put them in the recycling area, while others keep them as wrappers (包装纸). While these are both good measures, a Japanese publishing company had a better idea for their end use.
The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd. invented the “Green Newspaper”, which allows people to grow plants with it. This unique newspaper was published on Greenery Day, which is focused on environmental news and made of green paper with seeds placed into it. What makes it even more special is the ink (油墨) used to print words and photos, which is made from plants. The publisher advises readers to tear the used newspaper into small pieces and plant them in a container with soil. They should water them, like they would do for any plant. Within a few weeks, the seeds will grow into plants.
This brilliant concept was invented by Dentsu Inc., one of Japan’s most famous advertising companies, which works with the publishing company on the initiative (倡议). The publisher’s belief is environmental sustainability (持续性). As its mission statement says, “The Mainichi doesn’t take action only through information, but also by solving global issues.” With joint efforts, this initiative has reached the corners of Japan and sold around millions of copies daily. Other such initiatives producing plantable paper are also seen in India and the US.
About 95 million trees are lost for producing newspapers every year. The Internet, the number of whose users stands for 62.5 percent of the population worldwide, has influenced how people read news and the print readership has dropped greatly. However, the reinvention and reimagination of this newspaper will bring about a change in the publishing industry as well as having an environmental influence.
1. Why was the Green Newspaper invented?| A．To get newspapers cheaper. | B．To make the most of waste paper. |
| C．To improve the printing. | D．To advertise the publishing company. |
| A．It uses high-tech materials. | B．It provides energy for seeds. |
| C．It’s printed with plant-based ink. | D．It’s published to celebrate Greenery Day. |
| A．It’s easier said than done. | B．Everything comes to one who waits. |
| C．Many hands make light work. | D．Actions speak louder than words. |
| A．About 59 million trees are lost for producing newspapers. |
| B．The Internet has changed the way people read news totally. |
| C．The popularity of the Internet leads to the fall of the print readership. |
| D．The “Green Newspaper” will encourage more people to protect the environment. |
10 . Imagine an area 34 times the size of Manhattan. Now imagine it covered ankle-deep in plastic waste—a total of about 19 billion pounds of garbage.
“We’re being overwhelmed(淹没) by our waste,”said Jenna Jambeck, an environmental engineer who led the 2015 study that determined this astonishing number.
Plastic—a widely-used material—has in many ways been a benefit to humans but it has also caused a growing problem. Today, plastics are the No.1 type of garbage found in the sea. Ocean Conservancy, a nonprofit that organizes an annual coastal cleanup event worldwide, said plastic waste makes up around 85 percent of the garbage collected from beaches and oceans.
Ocean Conservancy says plastics are believed to threaten(威胁)at least 600 different wildlife species(物种).
| A．The following is what we should do |
| B．And it’s not just wildlife that’s threatened |
| C．And this figure is likely to double by 2025 |
| D．But it’s not just countries that need to do their part |
| E．By 2050,that figure is expected to rise to 1000 pieces |
| F．That’s how much plastic waste ends up in our oceans every year |
| G．All of us have an important role to play in dealing with the problems |
