1 . The newly-elected president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro says that his country should withdraw (退出) from the 2015 Paris Agreement, and that Brazil’s rainforest protections are standing in the way of economic success. During the election campaign, he promised to ease protections for areas of the Brazilian Amazon set aside for native people and wildlife. Are Brazil’s rainforests in danger?
The Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest, is called “the lungs of the planet.” Each tree takes in and stores carbon dioxide from the air around it. Billions of trees pull up water through their roots and release water vapor into the air, forming tiny drops of water. The Amazon creates 30 to 50 percent of its own rainfall. Carlos Nobre, a climate scientist, says that it is almost impossible to say Just how important the rainforest is to the planet’s living systems.
Some of Bolsonaro’s support comes from business and farming groups. One supporter, Luiz Carlos, noted that farmers “are not invaders, they are producers.” He blamed the past government for supporting rainforest protections at the cost of farmers. “Brazil,” he said, “will be the biggest farming nation on Earth during Bolsonaro’s years.”
Paulo Artaxo, a professor of environmental physics at the University of Sao Paulo, says that if Bolsonaro keeps his campaign promises, then “deforestation of the Amazon will probably increase quickly — and the effects will be felt everywhere on the planet.”
Other scientists warn that if the Amazon and other tropical rainforests lose too many trees, this could affect rainfall in other areas. Without enough trees to support the rainfall, the longer and bigger dry season could turn more than half of the rainforest into a tropical grassland.
1. The first paragraph is intended to ________.| A．draw people’s attention to the disappearing rainforests |
| B．ask people to ease the protection of rainforests |
| C．attract the public to the newly-elected president |
| D．to complain about the new government's withdrawing |
| A．produce much farmland |
| B．examine people’s lungs |
| C．change the earth’s living system |
| D．destroy farmers’ crops |
| A．The new president’s supporters care less about farmers. |
| B．Scientists are concerned about the protection of rainforests. |
| C．The rainforests will stop the economic development in Brazil. |
| D．The past government is to blame for the destruction of rainforests |
| A．a newspaper |
| B．a magazine |
| C．a guidebook |
| D．a textbook |
2 . Paper is one of our oldest, simplest and most important inventions. But it also presents a danger to the world in two significant ways. First, the making of paper requires the loss of millions of trees each year. Between 2001 and 2019, the world lost 386 million hectares of forest. Of the trees that were cut down, 42% went to paper production. And worldwide use of paper is expected to double in the next 40 years. Clearly, the planet cannot sustain such a high rate of forest loss.
The second great problem with paper is what happens once it is no longer useful. A huge quantity of wastepaper ends up in dumps and landfills (垃圾填埋场), where it can produce harmful gases. Paper in landfills leads to the release (释放) of methane, a gas that is a significant contributor in global warming.
One simple solution can greatly reduce both of these problems: paper recycling. Paper is mainly made from cellulose (纤维素), which makes up the cell walls of trees and many other plants. Because of its structure, cellulose can be used repeatedly in papermaking. So far, trees are the only source of cellulose that can fill the massive demand for paper products. Therefore, recycling paper is simply one of the best ways to save trees.
Thanks to advances in processing, recycled paper isn’t the dull-colored stuff many of us are familiar with any more. It now can offer the same print performance as non-recycled paper.
Effective recycling requires a consistent effort. The way to begin is with education and understanding. Once enough people realize the need for recycling, more effective recycling systems can be carried out. The massive loss of trees affects everybody on earth. Everyone should do their part to recycle paper and encourage government and industries to do the same.
1. What does the author want to express in paragraph 1?| A．Consequences resulting from forest loss. |
| B．The significance of paper in daily life. |
| C．The disadvantages of current paper production. |
| D．The severe situation caused by papermaking. |
| A．It releases smelly gases. | B．It results in global climate change. |
| C．It pollutes the nearby land. | D．It may lead to fire accidents. |
| A．It produces cellulose to make more paper. | B．The structure of cellulose makes it possible. |
| C．The color of recycled paper is different. | D．It produces cellulose without using trees. |
| A．To introduce paper recycling technology. | B．To stress the threat of global warming. |
| C．To appeal to people to recycle paper. | D．To describe the considerable need for paper. |
注意：1.词数80左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4 . Jimmy likes to follow rubbish trucks. His strange habit makes sense when you consider that he's an environmental scientist who studies how to reduce rubbish, including things that fall off rubbish trucks as they drive down the road. What is even more interesting is that one of Jimmy's jobs is defending an industry behind the plastic shopping bag.
Americans use more than 100 billion thin film plastic bags every year. So many and up in tree branches or along highways that a growing number of cities do not allow them in supermarkets. The bags are not allowed in some 90 cities in California, including Los Angeles. Seeing these headwinds, plastic-bag makers are hiring scientists like Jimmy to make the case that their products are not as bad for the planet as most people assume.
Among the bag bakers' arguments: many cities with bans still allow shoppers to buy paper bags, which are easily recycled but require more energy to produce and transport. And while plastic bags may be ugly to look at, they make up a small percentage of all rubbish on the ground today.
The industry has also taken aid at the product that has appeared as its replacement; reusable shopping bags. The stronger are usable bag is, the longer its life and the more plastic-bag use it cancels out. However, long-lasting reusable bags often require more energy to make. One study found that a cotton bag must be used at least 131 times to be better for the earth than plastic.
Environmentalists don't question these points.They hope paper bags will be banned someday, too. They want shoppers to use the same reusable bags for years.
1. What has Jimmy been hired to do?| A．Argue for the use of plastic bags. | B．Recycle plastic shopping bags. |
| C．Stop things falling off trucks. | D．Help increase sales in supermarkets. |
| A．Plastic bags ending up in tree branches. | B．Bans on plastic bags. |
| C．Environmental damage done by plastic bags. | D．Too many plastic shopping bags in use. |
| A．Their less frequent use. | B．Their unpleasant appearance. |
| C．More energy consumption. | D．Their longer life cycle. |
| A．Industry, Pollution and environment | B．Rubbish collection and Waste Control |
| C．Recycle or Throw Away | D．Plastic, Paper or neither |
5 . Would you sail over 12,900 kilometres across the Pacific Ocean in a boat made from plastic bottles?
In 2010, a crew of six people did. They sailed on the Plastiki, an 18.3-metre boat made from recycled materials. Everything about the Plastiki was environmentally friendly. The sails were produced from recycled plastic and the masts that held them from used aluminum pipes. Organic materials, such as glue made from nuts and sugar, were used to keep the bottles in place. To power the boat, solar panels and wind turbines were used.
During the journey, crew members lived in a plastic cabin. Their daily routine consisted of sleeping, eating and doing chores. For food, they mainly survived on fresh vegetables grown in a hanging garden as well as canned and dried food. They also ate fresh fish, but were surprised to discover that they found more plastic than fish. “From above, the oceans still look beautiful and untouched,” David said, “but just below the surface is this toxic stew that could quickly end up on our dinner plates.”
The leader, David, organised the voyage in order to draw people’s attention to the environmental dangers our oceans face and the need to recycle plastic. He planned to visit damaged coral reefs and islands in danger from rising sea levels. However, his most important objective was to see the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a huge mass of plastic particles floating in the North Pacific. David hoped that, by sailing through the Patch, he could show the world how serious plastic pollution had become.
Unfortunately, the Plastiki was more difficult to control than expected. Therefore, the boat missed its main destination. However, the crew did make stops at islands in the mid-Pacific, where they picked up supplies and talked to local students. Along the way, they battled fierce ocean storms, torn sails and temperatures that reached up to 38°C.
When the Plastiki finally sailed into Sydney’s harbour, the crew were greeted by cheers. The Plastiki’s journey had shown that if we understand how to use waste materials efficiently, they can be transformed into valuable resources. It had also revealed that it was more important than ever to deliver a serious message: our oceans are filling up with plastic faster than we thought.
1. What was special about the Plastiki?| A．It had high-tech equipment. | B．It was made of green materials. |
| C．It once crossed the Pacific Ocean. | D．It had a professional crew on it. |
| A．To protect endangered ocean life. | B．To test the safety of a new boat. |
| C．To stop people using plastic products. | D．To highlight the plastic waste problem. |
| A．Boring but carbon-free. | B．Controversial but fruitful. |
| C．Aimless but comfortable. | D．Challenging but significant. |
| A．Limited resources should be valued. |
| B．Actions must be taken by individuals. |
| C．Plastic waste can be turned into treasure. |
| D．Environmental problems can be easily solved. |
Pollution's serious effects on the environment have become more obvious in recent years. Most scientists agree that efforts are necessary to protect our environment from further harm.
As we know, the construction industry consumes a large quantity of energy and resources and creates a huge amount of pollution. So green buildings are in great need.
The environmental benefits of green buildings includes the protection of ecosystems and biodiversity(生物多样性)，improved air and water quality, less waste flowing into streams and the protection of natural resources. Green buildings can also result in lower operating costs because they typically use less energy and fewer materials and improve indoor air quality, improving the health of people who live there.
The process of building green houses includes technical and artistic planning with nature protection in mind. Building designs often reflect the surrounding environment and natural resources and use renewable building materials such as bamboo and straw. In addition, recycled resources found locally are used for green buildings, reducing the cost and air pollution associated with transporting materials long distances.
Care site selection is important to minimize human effects on the surrounding environment. For example, placing a structure in an area that allows it to take advantage of cool breezes and sunlight can reduce energy use and expenses. More energy and expenses are needed for large buildings as well? so it is important to build the small ones.
Green roofs are another feature of green houses that reduce energy use and costs. These roofs are partially or completely covered with plants? which helps to keep heating and cooling costs low? prevent water running off and deal with pollutants.
Other features of green buildings often include energy and water protection, recycling and waste reduction. In addition, renewable energy sources such as solar power, water power and wind power are used for heat and electricity, which greatly reduces costs and decreases the influence on the environment.
7 . Coffee chains create a lot of waste, from disposable takeaway cups to the used coffee grounds(咖啡渣) that are sent to landfills. Starbucks has started to try recyclable alternatives to the disposable cups. But the used coffee is often unnoticed.
The world drinks around 2 billion cups of coffee a day, producing 6 million tons of used grounds every year. When they go to landfills, the grounds release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming.
U.K. Bio-bean has found a way to turn that waste into valuable resources. At Bio-bean, used coffee grounds are processed to remove paper cups or plastic bags, and then passed through a dryer and a further screening process. They are finally processed into the fuel, Coffee Log.
"Coffee is highly calorific and lends itself to being a really fantastic fuel," says George May, director of Bio-bean. "Coffee Log burns about 20% hotter and 20% longer than wood logs do."
While the fuel releases greenhouse gases when burned, if it replaces other carbon-based fuels, Bio-bean estimates that the recycling process reduces emissions by 80% compared with sending the grounds to landfills.
Founded in 2013, Bio-bean grew rapidly, launching coffee collection services across the U.K. and building the world's first coffee recycling factory only two years later. In 2016, they launched their first product, Coffee Log, and in 2019 their first natural flavor ingredient into the food and drink industry.
"We've really managed to succeed with our innovation（创新） because we've managed to get to scale--the service of our company is in larger demand.What started as a good idea is today the U.K.'s largest recycling plant of coffee grounds. We are turning 7 ,000 tons of those grounds per year into the fuel," says May. "Despite being delayed by the COVID-19, we plan to expand our operation into northwestern Europe within the next five years."
1. What do the first two paragraphs suggest?| A．It's necessary to ban coffee consumption. |
| B．Drinking coffee is increasingly popular around the world. |
| C．Measures should be taken to recycle coffee waste. |
| D．Coffee grounds are the only cause of global warming. |
| A．A solid fuel | B．A natural food. |
| C．A cup of hot coffee. | D．A tree trunk. |
| A．It is a high-tech company with a long history. |
| B．It is a promising recycling plant of coffee grounds. |
| C．It is started to produce coffee and fuels. |
| D．It is developing faster than Starbucks. |
| A．Measure accurately. | B．Cover a wide range. |
| C．Classify different resources. | D．Go into mass production. |
8 . The Sanjiangyuan National Park, China's first experimental national park, has been established to protect the local environment. The area is known as the country's "water tower" because it houses the headwaters of the three great rivers of the country: the Yangtze, the Yellow and the Lancang rivers.
Covering a total area of 123,100 square kilometers, the national park emphasizes the protection of the entire ecosystem, including all of the local natural resources such as wild animals, water, grassland and forests.
Since the national park started its trial operation in 2016, locals have been called on to help protect and improve the environment. Their work includes patrolling (巡逻) the grassland as well as monitoring and rescuing the park's wildlife. To date, there are 17,211 rangers (护林人) operating in the national park.
Kunsang, now 39 years old, is a Tibetan herdsman (牧人) turned park ranger for the headwaters of the Yellow River in the national park. On November 16th, 2020, Kunsang put his life at risk while attempting to save a wolf trapped in a broken ice patch on a lake. Braving temperatures of minus 10 degrees Celsius, Kunsang rushed over to the wolf and pulled the wild animal out from the icy opening on the frozen lake with the help of his colleague.
The efforts of rangers including Kunsang are paying off, and the national park has seen its wild animal populations bounce back apparently in recent years. Hoh Xil (Kekexili) National Nature Reserve, one of the largest no man's lands in China and a part of the Sanjiangyuan National Park, is now home to more than 70,000 Tibetan antelopes, said Wang Xiangguo, deputy director of the park. The official explained that the population numbers for the rare species, which is under first-class state protection in the country, once declined sharply to no fewer than 20,000 due to the impacts of illegal hunting.
1. Why is Sanjiangyuan National Park called "water tower"?| A．It protects the local environment. |
| B．It is the largest national park in China. |
| C．It is where the three great rivers head for. |
| D．It is the source of the three great rivers of China. |
| A．By cleaning the water. | B．By watering the grassland. |
| C．By saving wild animals in danger. | D．By doing researches on the species. |
| A．To praise Kunsang for his bravery. | B．To call on people to join the program. |
| C．To give an example of rangers' efforts. | D．To stress the dangerous work situation. |
| A．Hunting should be banned completely. |
| B．The number of wild animals has increased. |
| C．Tibetan antelopes only live in no man's lands. |
| D．Rare species are no longer endangered in the park. |
| A．Fruitful. | B．Unsuccessful. |
| C．Special. | D．Unsatisfactory. |
9 . After a lifetime of bringing nature back. Sir David Attenborough wants us to get out of our comfort zones and help save the natural world. "I think it's terrible that children should
For so many years, he travelled with just a leather suitcase. His wife would see him off at the airport, never knowing
Despite his
So just be modest. Don't waste.”
1.| A．take off | B．grow up | C．live on | D．pass away |
| A．awful | B．amazing | C．courageous | D．excellent |
| A．spread | B．expanded | C．recovered | D．shrunk |
| A．nature | B．humans | C．rate | D．cities |
| A．click | B．remind | C．tip | D．fix |
| A．returned | B．fixed | C．pressed | D．seen |
| A．come out | B．take over | C．wipe out | D．bring out |
| A．quite | B．hard | C．fast | D．luckily |
| A．relief | B．series | C．text | D．reaction |
| A．chest | B．hand | C．face | D．hair |
| A．award | B．approached | C．recognized | D．threw |
| A．credit | B．reward | C．money | D．chance |
| A．stress | B．observation | C．fame | D．explanation |
| A．community | B．generation | C．race | D．species |
| A．precious | B．curious | C．attractive | D．powerful |
10 . Masks that helped save lives during the coronavirus pandemic are proving a deadly threat for wildlife.
Macaques (猕猴) have been spotted chewing the straps off old and tossed-aside masks in the hills outside Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur — a potential choking threat for the diminutive monkeys. And in an incident that captured headlines in Britain, a gull (海鸥) was rescued by the RSPCA in the city of Chelmsford after its legs became tangled (缠绕) in the straps of a disposable (一次性的) mask for up to a week. The animal welfare charity was alerted after the bird was spotted, motionless but still alive, and they took it to a wildlife hospital for treatment before its release.
The biggest impact may be in the water, with green groups alarmed at the flood of used masks, latex (乳胶) gloves and other protective gear finding their way into already polluted seas and rivers. Conservationists in Brazil found one inside the stomach of a penguin after its body washed up on a beach, while a dead pufferfish was discovered caught inside another off the coast of Miami.
French campaigners Operation Mer Propre found a dead crab trapped in a mask in a saltwater lagoon near the Mediterranean in September.
Masks and gloves are “ particularly problematic” for sea creatures, says George Leonard, chief scientist from US-based NGO Ocean Conservancy.“When those plastics break down in the environment, they form smaller and smaller particles. Those particles then enter the food chain and impact entire ecosystems,” he added.
There has been a shift towards greater use of reusable cloth masks, but many are still choosing the lighter single-use varieties. Campaigners have urged people to throw them away properly and cut the straps to reduce the risk of animals becoming trapped. Oceans Asia has also called on governments to increase fines for littering and encourage the use of washable masks.
1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．Serious incidents of wildlife hunting. |
| B．Scientific research into wildlife living habits. |
| C．How wildlife is affected by disposable masks. |
| D．How human beings protect endangered wildlife. |
| A．Sea animals may get twisted by masks. |
| B．Sea animals can’t find their way home. |
| C．Sea animals have difficulties in finding food. |
| D．Sea animals are forced to leave their habitats. |
| A．Putting bans on single-use masks. |
| B．Getting rid of used masks properly. |
| C．Giving mask producers heavy fines. |
| D．Reducing the risk of washable masks. |
| A．Business. | B．Education. |
| C．Lifestyle. | D．Environment. |
