1 . Small-scale fisheries supply many people with food. Almost all of those in this trade rely on gillnets (刺网) to trap fish. But gillnets trap other things, for example, endangered animals such as turtles; dangerous ones, such as Humboldt squid; and ones that are both endangered and dangerous, such as several types of sharks. Everyone involved would be better off if this did not happen.
Building on studies done both by himself and by others, to try to avoid the accidental netting of turtles, Jesse Senko, a marine-conservation biologist at Arizona State University, has been investigating the idea of fitting LEDs to nets to avoid netting other unwanted by-catch (误捕的鱼) without discouraging target animals. And, as he reports in Current Biology, it seems to work.
Dr. Senko and his team set up an experiment in the Gulf of Ulloa, in Mexico, in which they cooperated with local fishermen to employ over 10,000 meters of nets that had had nets battery-powered waterproof green LEDs fixed onto them every ten meters. Half of these lights were lit. The other half were left unlit, as controls. Each lit net was paired with an unlit one, and the two were used alongside one another at major fishing locations. The fishers’ target fish were large groupers (石斑鱼). Dr. Senko was interested both in what else got caught and whether the lights decreased catches of the target species.
On the latter point, to his relief, they did not. On the former, the lit net s caught 95% fewer kilograms of shark-related species. In particular, several threatened species turned up less often in the lit than the unlit nets.
The advantage from the point of view of fishermen was that they needed to spend a lot less time clearing these dangerous by-catches from their nets. And, crucially, the LEDs concerned are cheap, hard-wearing, and easy to fix. There are also plans to make them solar powered, for easy recharging. Here, then, is an environmental-protection idea from which everyone wins.
1. What is the problem with gillnets?| A．They are costly to maintain. | B．They trap unwanted by-catches. |
| C．They discourage target catches. | D．They only trap dangerous species. |
| A．The principle of the experiment. | B．The results of the experiment. |
| C．The purpose of the experiment | D．The process of the experiment. |
| A．Fixing LEDs to gillnets is a win-win idea. |
| B．Fishermen benefit the most from the idea. |
| C．The Lit-net catches more threatened species. |
| D．The LED-net just catches less target species. |
| A．Critical. | B．Unclear. | C．Hopeful. | D．Doubtful. |
2 . When it comes to going green, intention can be easier than action. Case in point: you decide to buy a T-shirt made from 100% organic cotton. But that green label doesn’t tell the whole story—like the fact that even organic cotton requires more than 10,000 L of water to grow enough fibre for one T-shirt. Or the possibility that the T-shirt may have been dyed (染色) using harmful industrial chemicals. If you knew all that, would you still consider the T-shirt green? Would you still buy it?
It’s a hard question to answer. That’s because the global economy development is beyond our ability to comprehend the consequences—for ourselves and the planet. We are not prepared to understand the increasing impact of industrial chemicals on our children’s health or the climate. And we lack the data to understand the full impact of what we choose.
But what if we could calculate the full lifetime effect of our actions on the earth and on our bodies? Not just carbon footprints but social and biological footprints as well? What if we could think ecologically? That’s what psychologist Daniel Goleman describes in his forthcoming book, Ecological Intelligence. He compiles (汇编) the environmental and biological impact of our every decision and delivers that information to consumers in a user-friendly way. That’s thinking ecologically—understanding the global environmental consequences of our local choices.
Ecological intelligence is ultimately about more than what we buy. It’s also about our ability to accept that we live in a closely connected world with limited resources. Goleman highlights the Tibetan community of Sher, where for thousands of years, villagers have survived severe conditions by carefully protecting every resource available to them. The Tibetans think ecologically because they have no other choice. Neither do we. “We once had the luxury to ignore our impacts,” says Goleman. “Not any more.”
1. Why is it hard for us to decide whether a T-shirt is green or not?| A．The green label tells lies. | B．We lack enough knowledge. |
| C．The economy grows too slowly. | D．We are misled by false data. |
| A．Increase carbon footprints. | B．Give up regular consumption. |
| C．Develop ecological thinking. | D．Deliver information to customers. |
| A．By searching for new resources. | B．By living on plentiful resources. |
| C．By distributing resources reasonably. | D．By treasuring their resources seriously. |
| A．To instruct manufacturers how to go green. |
| B．To introduce and advocate ecological intelligence. |
| C．To warn people of the dangers of ecological crisis. |
| D．To illustrate the origin of ecological intelligence. |
3 . Sargassum is a kind of floating seaweed (海草) that has been growing in size every year. It looks pretty in the ocean. However, sargassum can almost completely block out sunlight. Important kinds of seagrass suffer when light is blocked by seaweed. As sargassum piles up on beaches, it makes it hard for mother sea turtles to lay eggs, and nearly impossible for baby turtles to return to the sea.
So much sargassum piles up on beaches, and it breaks down slowly, giving out a bad smell like rotten eggs. “Even when governments clear the seaweed from beaches, they face problems of getting rid of it. Heavy machines can put turtle nests in danger. Some people have thought about using sargassum as a fertilizer (肥料), but it contains harmful heavy metals. So far, removing these harmful metal s costs too much to make it worth doing,” said the scientist Steven Kelley.
Sargassum grows faster in warming oceans, so climate change is definitely part of the problem. But scientists believe the unusual growth of the seawood is also caused by huge quantities of fertilizers washed into the ocean from farmlands.
Scientists and students are working hard to figure out how to deal with sargassum. Some suggest using sargassum as a building material, or possibly a fuel. One unusual solution is to drop it deep in the sea by using robots. Sargassum takes in huge amounts of carbon dioxide (二氧化碳) as it grows. Removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is one important part of fighting the climate crisis. Sargassum could deal with this carbon dioxide in the deep ocean. Scientists are still testing this idea to see if it will work.
For now, scientists say the quickest solution is to stop filling the ocean with fertilizers. It is wise for farmers to change the way they farm. Moreover, the seaweed’s growth can have serious effects on islands that depend heavily on tourism and fishing. Island communities play a role in cleaning up the seaweed and promoting responsible tourism. At the same time, officials have to work towards changing policies to solve the issues.
1. What can we know about sargassum according to the first paragraph?| A．It affects the ecosystem negatively. |
| B．It adds to the variety of life in the ocean. |
| C．It causes a shortage of food for sea animals. |
| D．It creates a good living environment for seagrass. |
| A．Reusing metal s from sargassum is a wise choice. |
| B．Fertilizers can help sargarrum break down quickly. |
| C．Dealing with sargassum safely is challenging work. |
| D．Practical ways have been developed to remove sargassum. |
| A．By spreading sargassum widely to increase sunlight. |
| B．By changing sargassum into a renewable energy source. |
| C．By employing sargassum as a cleaner for ocean pollution. |
| D．By making use of sargassum’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide. |
| A．Public attempts to recycle seaside sargassum. |
| B．The change in sargassum’s living environment. |
| C．Challenges and approaches concerning sargassum. |
| D．The influence of sargassum’s growth on climate change. |
4 . Nuclear pollution is a serious global
When nuclear accidents occur in coastal areas, the
Following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011, efforts to cool the reactors by pumping in seawater resulted in the
This
| A．change | B．opportunity | C．concern | D．possibility |
| A．caused | B．posed | C．created | D．increased |
| A．resulted in | B．led to | C．brought about | D．caused |
| A．terrestrial | B．aquatic | C．marine | D．atmospheric |
| A．balancing | B．regulating | C．considering | D．stabilizing |
| A．heightened | B．raised | C．decreased | D．lifted |
| A．minor | B．slight | C．substantial | D．insignificant |
| A．accumulation | B．storage | C．deposition | D．buildup |
| A．Therefore | B．Despite | C．However | D．Hence |
| A．from | B．by | C．of | D．in |
| A．residents | B．citizens | C．inhabitants | D．dwellers |
| A．issue | B．measure | C．release | D．disposal |
| A．web | B．chain | C．network | D．system |
| A．urgent | B．immediate | C．pressing | D．critical |
| A．address | B．tackle | C．solve | D．resolve |
1.比赛目的；
2.比赛过程；
3.比赛反响。
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3.提示词：保护生态环境，建设绿色家园 Protecting the Eco-environment；Building a Green Homeland
An English Speech Contest
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6 . A report from the UN warns that countries’ current commitments would reduce carbon by only about 7.5% by 2030, far less than the 45% cut, which scientists say is needed to limit global temperature rises to 1.5℃, the aim of the COP26 summit (峰会).
Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary-general, described the findings as a “thundering wake-up call” to world leaders, while experts called for action against fossil fuel companies.
Although more than 100 countries have promised to reach net zero emissions (净零排放) around mid-century, this would not be enough to avoid climate disasters, according to the UN emissions report, which examines the shortfall (差额) between countries’ intentions and actions needed on the climate. Many of the net zero commitments were found to be unclear, and unless accompanied by strict cuts in emissions this decade would allow global heating of a potentially disastrous extent.
Gutierrez said: “The heat is on, and as the contents of the report show, the leadership we need is off. Far off. Countries are wasting a massive opportunity to invest Covid-19 finance and recovery resources in sustainable, cost-saving, planet-saving ways. As world leaders prepare for COP26, that is another thundering wake-up call. How many do we need?”
Inger Andersen, the director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said: “Climate change is no longer a future problem. It is a now problem. To stand a chance of limiting global warming to 1.5℃, we have 8 years to almost halve greenhouse gas emissions: 8 years to make the plans, put in place the policies, carry them out and deliver the cuts. The clock is ticking loudly.”
Emissions fell by about 5.4% last year during Covid lockdowns, the report found, but only about one-fifth of the economic recovery spending goes towards reducing carbon emissions. This failure to “build back better”, despite promises by governments around the world, cast doubt on the world’s willingness to make the economic shift necessary to settle the climate crisis, the UN said.
In the run-up (前期) to COP26, countries were supposed to submit (递交) national plans to cut emissions—called nationally determined contributions (NDCs) —for the next decade, a requirement under the 2015 Paris climate agreement. But the UNEP report found only half of countries had submitted new NDCs, and some governments had presented weak plans.
1. Why were the findings described as a “thundering wake-up call” in Para. 2?| A．Because the world has failed to live up to its current commitments. |
| B．Because the opportunities presented by covid-19 have been wasted. |
| C．Because the world is falling behind in slowing down temperature rises. |
| D．Because the serious problems were brought about by global fossil fuels. |
| A．strict measures are taken to reduce emissions |
| B．current commitments of many countries remain unchanged |
| C．huge gaps are bridged between previous and present proposals |
| D．global sustainable environmental resources develops significantly |
| A．To show the number of alarm clocks required. |
| B．To explain the reason for the world’s wasting chances. |
| C．To ask for the number of the countries attending the meeting. |
| D．To stress the need to make the most of resources and reduce emissions. |
| A．Few countries have submitted plans to reduce the emissions. |
| B．Many countries’ plans to cut emissions are far from satisfactory. |
| C．Most of the countries work under the Paris Climate Agreement. |
| D．Much progress in reducing emissions his been made these years. |
1.活动目的；
2.活动内容；
3.活动反响。
注意：
1.写作词数应为80左右；
2.可适当增加细节以使行文连贯。
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Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is road testing a new way to keep winter roads ice-free by spreading on them cheese brine, the salty liquid
Wisconsin, also called “America’s Dairyland”, is famous for its cheese. The state produced 2.8 billion pounds of cheese last year! As a result, there
Cheese brine has salt in it,
In addition to saving money, cheese brine could also be a more eco-friendly option. Many people suspect that all the rock salt used every winter
9 . Beach is a relaxing place to catch waves, get some sun, enjoy picnic, spot wildlife and go exploring. Here are tips from experts on how to be a better beachgoer, so future generations of sea lovers can get their beach therapy (疗法) when they need it.
Use safer sunblock
Many sunblocks advertise that they are “reef-friendly”, which has no firm definitions, and their usage isn’t regulated by governmental bodies.
Get involved
Thoughtful toys for kids
It’s fun for your little ones to play with plastic toys in the sand.
Read the signs
Signs at the beach aren’t optional reading. They tell you where you can’t go and what you can’t do, so you don’t mess with the local ecosystem.
Destroy what you build
It doesn’t matter how much time and effort your children spent building sand castles or digging tunnels: if you are on a beach marked as a sea turtle habitat, fill in the trench and knock down the structure. Sea turtles have heavy bodies and they can die if they fall into a hole and get trapped.
| A．So it’s best to read the fine print carefully |
| B．Beach-goers are generally advised to stay off sand hills |
| C．Thus, try your best to be a considerate eco-friendly tourist |
| D．However, plastic toys break easily, leaving behind bits and pieces |
| E．Sand structures also can prevent them from reaching birthing areas |
| F．Bring a reusable bag to clean up while you’re walking the shoreline |
| G．Have your children pick up trash with you when walking on the beach |
10 . Pregracke grew up in Illinois, where the Mississippi River was in his backyard. Communities along the river use it to
With persistence and sincerity, Pregracke got a small
It began as an individual effort, but over the years Pregracke turned it into a
Picking up garbage is
| A．store | B．deliver | C．obtain | D．process |
| A．rubbish | B．furniture | C．sand | D．paper |
| A．fond | B．shy | C．sick | D．hopeful |
| A．report | B．fund | C．review | D．team |
| A．studying | B．crossing | C．exploring | D．cleaning |
| A．sort | B．remove | C．mix | D．bury |
| A．empty-handedly | B．absent-mindedly | C．single-handedly | D．light-heartedly |
| A．political | B．cultural | C．competitive | D．collective |
| A．trade | B．protest | C．research | D．cause |
| A．weather-beaten | B．good-looking | C．well-equipped | D．old-fashioned |
| A．application | B．campaign | C．discovery | D．assessment |
| A．consults | B．interviews | C．contacts | D．educates |
| A．fortune | B．damage | C．opportunity | D．limitation |
| A．tough | B．practical | C．unfair | D．rewarding |
| A．gratitude | B．accomplishment | C．expectation | D．curiosity |
