1 . According to a new study released Wednesday, human activity has now gone past six of nine planetary boundaries, which are ways to measure the stability and livability of Earth for humans. The study published in the journal Science Advances represents the third update of the planetary boundary framework carried out by 29 scientists from eight different countries.
The planetary boundaries concept identifies nine global priorities relating to human—caused changes to the environment. The concept sets boundaries on how much we can allow ourselves to impact not only the climate but also other global processes that can support modern civilization. Respecting these safety boundaries would minimize the risk of human activities setting off a dramatic and potentially irrecoverable change in global environmental conditions.
Crossing six boundaries does not necessarily mean a disaster to follow, but it is a clear warning signal. “We can regard it as we do our own blood pressure,” said the study lead author Katherine Richardson of the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. “A blood pressure over 120 is not a guarantee of a heart attack but it increases the risk of one. For our own and our children’s sakes we need to reduce the pressure on these six planetary boundaries.”
As pressure on the planet increases and vital boundaries are being violated, we don’t know how long we can keep turning against these key boundaries before combined pressures lead to irrecoverable change and harm.
Richardson likens the framework to a bank statement—“it tells us how much of various resources of the Earth system we can allow ourselves to use without greatly increasing the risk in the overall environmental conditions we experience on Earth.”
According to Richardson, the study shows that focusing on climate alone will not solve the climate crisis; it must be seen together with the biodiversity crisis. Life is what makes this planet unique and it is the interactions between land, ocean, atmosphere and life that together provide conditions upon which our societies depend.
There is still time to prevent disasters, but we must take action, not next year or next month but now.
1. What can be inferred from the first paragraph?| A．Our planet is safe enough to live on. |
| B．Man puts our environment in great danger. |
| C．The environmental stability can be ensured. |
| D．The earth we live on is in a healthy condition. |
| A．Reduce. | B．Increase. | C．Reconsider. | D．Challenge. |
| A．Blood pressure is an important indicator in measuring physical health. |
| B．Breaking six boundaries is certain to result in environmental disasters. |
| C．Crossing boundaries is a clear warning against damaging environment. |
| D．Paying attention to the behavior towards environment is very important. |
| A．The nine planetary boundaries we should never go past |
| B．How much of various resources of the Earth system we can use |
| C．The ideal conditions upon which our humans depend to survive |
| D．Immediate actions should be taken to protect the environment |
2 . Humans have moved species of plants and animals around, introducing them to new habitats, for as long as we’ve been on Earth. Many of these introduced species have been beneficial, such as European honeybees that have proved to be excellent pollinators (传粉者) in the US. But that’s not the case for European beachgrass introduced to sand dunes (堆) on the coast of California. Beachgrass was planted to stabilize the ever-shifting dunes and it worked well. But the beachgrass is usually the only species living on dunes where there once were a large variety of native grasses and wildflowers.
It’s true that not all non-native species become invasive, but those that do adapt to the local environment, spread rapidly and outcompete native wildlife, often due to the absence of natural enemies that can keep their population in check. The spread of invasive species leads to the extinction and biodiversity loss on Earth, causing financial and ecological damage, according to the leading scientists.
Some campaigns have been launched to eradicate invasive species, including pesticides spray, manual removal and biological controls. Interestingly, a growing number of chefs and conservationists even have a far simpler idea: Eat them to beat them. Apart from providing favorable habitats for local species, perhaps the best way to fight invasive species is to prevent them from occurring in the first place. When boating, clean the boat thoroughly before transporting it to a different body of water. Don’t “pack a pest” when travelling, for fruit and vegetables, plants, insects and animals can carry pests or become invasive themselves. If you plan to own an alien pet, do your research and plan ahead to make sure you can commit to looking after it instead of releasing it into the wild. When you transfer an organism, you can also transfer its neighbors. Think before you move an animal or plant around!
1. What phenomenon does the author describe in paragraph 1?| A．Introduced species may cause unexpected results. |
| B．The beachgrass led to the biodiversity on the dunes. |
| C．Humans have a long history of working with nature. |
| D．The honeybees were forced out of Europe by humans. |
| A．The balanced ecosystem. | B．The competitive native wildlife. |
| C．The absence of natural enemies. | D．The extinction of invasive species. |
| A．Increase. | B．Introduce. | C．Wipe out. | D．Take over. |
| A．Release organisms into the wild. | B．Provide favorable habitats for them. |
| C．Mind the acts of transferring species. | D．Keep the wildlife population in check. |
3 . On September 7, 1991, the costliest hailstorm (雹暴) in Canadian history hit Calgary’s southern suburbs. As a result, since 1996 a group of insurance companies have spent about $2 million per year on the Alberta Hail Suppression Project. Airplanes seed threatening storm cells with a chemical to make small ice crystals fall as rain before they can grow into dangerous hailstones. But farmers in east-central Alberta — downwind of the hail project flights — worry that precious moisture (水分) is being stolen from their thirsty land by the cloud seeding.
Norman Stienwand, who farms in that area, has been addressing public meetings on this issue for years. “Basically, the provincial government is letting the insurance companies protect the Calgary-Edmonton urban area from hail,” Mr. Stienwand says, “but they’re increasing drought risk as far east as Saskatchewan.”
The Alberta hail project is managed by Terry Krauss, a cloud physicist who works for Weather Modification Inc. of Fargo, North Dakota. “We affect only a very small percentage of the total moisture in the air, so we cannot be causing drought.” Dr. Krauss says. “In fact, we may be helping increase the moisture downwind by creating wetter ground.”
One doubter about the safety of cloud seeding is Chuck Doswell, a research scientist who just retired from the University of Oklahoma. “In 1999, I personally saw significant tornadoes form from a seeded storm cell in Kansas,” Dr. Doswell says. “Does cloud seeding create killer storms or reduce moisture downwind? No one really knows, of course, but the seeding goes on.”
Given the degree of doubt, Mr. Stienwand suggests, “It would be wise to stop cloud seeding.” In practice, doubt has had the opposite effect. Due to the lack of scientific proof concerning their impacts, no one has succeeded in winning a lawsuit against cloud-seeding companies. Hence, private climate engineering can proceed in relative legal safety.
1. What does the project aim to do?| A．Conserve moisture in the soil. | B．Forecast disastrous hailstorms. |
| C．Prevent the formation of hailstones. | D．Investigate chemical use in farming. |
| A．Managers of insurance companies. | B．Farmers in east-central Alberta. |
| C．Provincial government officials. | D．Residents of Calgary and Edmonton. |
| A．To compare different kinds of seeding methods. | B．To illustrate the development of big hailstorms. |
| C．To show the link between storms and moisture. | D．To indicate a possible danger of cloud seeding. |
| A．Scientific studies have proved Stienwand right. | B．Cloud-seeding companies will continue to exist. |
| C．The doubt about cloud seeding has disappeared. | D．Private climate engineering is illegal in Canada. |
4 . A lot of manufactured glass today made from sand and sodium carbonate(碳酸钠) can be reused or melted down and recycled into new items, but it doesn’t break down in the environment and will sit in landfills for thousands of years. A team of Chinese scientists aimed to deal with this environmental concern by developing an eco-conscious alternative.
In a study published recently in the journal Science Advances, a team at the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Process Engineering describe how they engineered biodegradable glass made from amino acids(氨基酸). That glass would have a smaller impact on the environment and can break down in a few weeks or in several months.
In a test, glass beads(玻璃珠) made out of amino acids were placed under the skin of mice, and the breakdown of the bead and the skin healing process were observed for 30days. A diagram from the study shows how the mice’s bodies broke down the beads. In that month, the glass implant degraded beneath the skin, the wound site healed, and fur grew back. “Throughout the experimental period, no mice exhibited any pain-related behavior that may have been caused by the glass implantation, and none of them experienced obvious weight loss,” the researchers wrote in their paper.
Although amino acids do degrade over time in the environment, this biodegradable glass is not as durable as traditional glass, because amino acids can break down quickly in heat. In order to overcome this hurdle, the researchers chemically modified the amino acids using the heating-cooling procedure applied in glass manufacturing. This is when materials for the glass are heated to become soft and then rapidly cooled so as to make the glass tougher.
“It’s important to point out that this biodegradable glass is currently in the lab stage, and far from large-scale commercialization,” emphasized Yan Xuehai, a professor involved in the study, in a press release.
1. What is an advantage of the new glass?| A．It takes less time to break down. |
| B．It can be recycled at a low cost. |
| C．It is produced without pollution. |
| D．It has a wide range of applications. |
| A．To assess whether the glass is biologically harmless. |
| B．To investigate why amino acids are medically useful. |
| C．To explore how long it takes for the glass to degrade. |
| D．To observe if the glass can be melt down in mice’s stomach. |
| A．The challenge of improving the heating-cooling procedure. |
| B．Environmental problems caused by traditional glass. |
| C．The difficulty of selecting materials for the glass. |
| D．The instability of amino acids. |
| A．Amin o Acids Make Glass Tougher |
| B．Amin o Acids Cast New Light on Science |
| C．Biodegradable Glass: Closer to Sustainability |
| D．Biodegradable Glass: Ready to Hit the Market |
5 . Wildlife Preservation Volunteer Programs
Elephant Preservation Volunteer Program in Nepal
This program is suitable for active volunteers who love animals and want to care for the well-being of elephants. No experience is needed as you’ll be working closely with placement staff. The elephant shelter takes in elephants that have medical issues and require care.
Volunteers are accommodated in a local hotel. You should expect to share a room with one other volunteer.
Marine (海洋的) Preservation Volunteer Program in Croatia
This program is suitable for physically fit volunteers who are experienced divers (潜水员). You will use your diving skills to collect marine waste from the bottom of the seabed. You will work within a team on sorting waste out and handing it to the recycling centre.
Volunteers will be accommodated in a hotel. Local workers will clean the accommodation throughout the week.
Victoria Falls Wildlife Volunteering in Zimbabwe
This program is suitable for animal-loving volunteers who want to contribute to protecting amazing creatures and their habitats. Activities include animal tracking, camping out on the reserve and supporting other partner organizations.
Volunteers are accommodated within private rooms at the preservation centre. The accommodation has an open-air area where volunteers can socialize.
Amazon Jungle Preservation Volunteer Program in Peru
This program is suitable for volunteers who care about the environment, like working hard and don’t mind getting their hands dirty. It’s a great opportunity if you’re looking to reset your life by getting out of your comfort zone. You’ll also be developing personally and professionally.
Volunteers are accommodated in local people’s houses. There are running showers but you can expect water to he cold.
1. What do the programs in Nepal and Zimbabwe have in common?| A．They need experienced volunteers. |
| B．They are suitable for animal lovers. |
| C．They include dirty work in the field. |
| D．They require camping out on the reserve. |
| A．They work on the seabed all the time. |
| B．They help to keep the environment clean. |
| C．They are taught diving skills after arrival. |
| D．They lead a team to explore the marine creatures. |
| A．Elephant Preservation Volunteer Program. |
| B．Marine Preservation Volunteer Program. |
| C．Victoria Falls Wildlife Volunteering. |
| D．Amazon Jungle Preservation Volunteer Program. |
6 . For many young Canadians, planting trees is more than just a job. It’s a way of
Planting trees is not easy work, according to Leslie. Not only is it
So far, Leslie has planted a total of 372,290 trees in the past few years.
“I think every parent in Canada should
| A．appointment | B．impression | C．recreation | D．life |
| A．investment | B．liberation | C．video | D．story |
| A．negative | B．speedy | C．respective | D．influential |
| A．rewarding | B．massive | C．original | D．diverse |
| A．barely | B．permanently | C．gradually | D．physically |
| A．heavy | B．sunny | C．severe | D．obvious |
| A．expect | B．organize | C．prefer | D．recover |
| A．scream | B．action | C．push | D．wave |
| A．potential | B．sudden | C．tough | D．flexible |
| A．Moreover | B．However | C．Besides | D．Therefore |
| A．turns to | B．relates to | C．belongs to | D．subscribes to |
| A．admit | B．warn | C．whisper | D．recommend |
| A．send | B．celebrate | C．understand | D．decide |
| A．imagined | B．argued | C．explained | D．responded |
| A．version | B．concept | C．responsibility | D．qualification |
7 . In 2014, Xu Yitang, a student at the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts, saw corals at an aquarium for the first time.
Little did he know the chance
“The coral organism is quite
As he became better
Fast-forward to today, he
Each day, he spends several hours diving deep under the waves to observe and
His story has been
| A．incident | B．witness | C．encounter | D．appointment |
| A．passion | B．vision | C．friendship | D．career |
| A．study | B．frequent | C．examine | D．discover |
| A．treating | B．preserving | C．selecting | D．growing |
| A．tough | B．smooth | C．delicate | D．impressive |
| A．benefits | B．requirements | C．expenses | D．responses |
| A．reminded | B．informed | C．warned | D．convinced |
| A．shelters | B．partners | C．opportunities | D．services |
| A．Somehow | B．Nevertheless | C．Therefore | D．Unfortunately |
| A．extinction | B．variation | C．decline | D．expansion |
| A．responsibility | B．relief | C．achievement | D．belonging |
| A．consults with | B．applies for | C．seeks out | D．acts as |
| A．find out | B．note down | C．show off | D．speed up |
| A．revised | B．contributed | C．announced | D．featured |
| A．assess | B．follow | C．relate | D．invent |
8 . The UK typically produces an additional 30% of rubbish throughout the festive period compared to the rest of the year, as Britons collectively send over 100 million bags of rubbish to landfills every Christmas.
Remember that less is more. Research from Business Waste found that UK citizens spend £700 million on unwanted gifts every year. In addition, of all the purchases made for Christmas, only 1% will remain in use six months down the line.
You need to know the materials.
| A．One gift can mean 1,000 |
| B．Consider cutting out gifts and cards |
| C．As there are so many materials to choose from |
| D．They’re made to last, complete with a 10-year guarantee |
| E．While many of us know single-use plastic can’t be recycled |
| F．So you’d better try to focus on quality, not quantity, when shopping for gifts |
| G．Thankfully, we’re on hand to share some tips to lower your impact this Christmas |
1. 简要介绍你所在的校园环保社团；
2. 指出校园塑料大量使用的情况；
3. 发出减少塑料使用的倡议。
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 fellow students,
I am head of the School Environmental Protection Club.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The School Environmental Protection Club
10 . As night falls on the streets of Shanghai, Mikiko Chen can often be found pacing up and down through the winding narrow streets of the city hunting for discarded items.
“I pick up all sorts of things, chairs, wine boxes, bowls and cups. . . it’s like treasure hunting for me, “she says. The 27-year-old digital marketer is among the first adopters of “stooping” in China, a practice that refers to picking up discarded furniture and other goods on the streets for re-use. She says the concept “stooping” was inspired by New Yorkers who often leave unwanted things on the “stoops” —or doorsteps—leading up to the entrances of buildings.
“The core concept of stooping for me is to make the best use of things,” Ms. Chen says. “It can help you to save money, but it’s not just about lowering consumption.” “It’s wasteful to throw away something that’s still usable; it’s better to share it with others who need it.”
Ms. Chen says she was among the first to use the hashtag (话题标签) #stooping on Xiaohongshu. “I initially started with posting items that people no longer used and wanted to throw away or exchange . . gradually I’m receiving hundreds of messages each day,” she says. Since then, the trend has become increasingly popular.
Ms. Chen says she is “very surprised” the concept has become a hit on social media, as older generations often stigmatize picking up things from the street or using second-hand goods. “People like my mum consider stooping as ‘rubbish picking’ and ‘scavenging’ (拾荒),” she says. “She thinks that people will look down on you for doing this.”
For Nan Zheng, an environmentalist and advocate, stooping is more than the physical act of picking up things from the streets. He created an app called “Grecycle” where people can give away or take unwanted items for free. “I think we can let more people know about the concept of stooping as an interesting and fun thing to do,” Mr. Nan says. “But then, gradually we can let people know this can also be about charity and helping others.”
1. What can we learn about Mikiko Chen from paragraph 2 and 3?| A．She is hunting for costly treasures. |
| B．She just wants to reduce consumption. |
| C．She got inspiration from New Yorkers. |
| D．She intends to make the most of throwaway items. |
| A．To collect varieties of messages. |
| B．To go viral on social media. |
| C．To share something still usable with others. |
| D．To throw away unwanted things on the “stoops”. |
| A．The older are ashamed of stooping. | B．The older are skilled at stooping. |
| C．The older are exposed to stooping. | D．The older are addicted to stooping |
| A．Recycling discarded things from the streets. |
| B．Getting unwanted items for free on “Grecycle”. |
| C．Exchanging items through “Grecycle”. |
| D．Enhancing people’s awareness of charity. |
