1 . In a county of Britain, a pair of pig farmers has managed to feed one million bees by turning over half of their land to wildflowers. Four years ago, brothers Mark and Paul Hayward decided to fill 81 acres of their farm land with wildflowers. This week, a study found they were feeding one million bees at any time.
“This was our target when we started, to, grow enough flowers to feed a million bees on a single day.” Mark said. “We are acutely aware that bees are under threat from modern farming methods and that East England is one of the worst places where bees are seriously suffering from lack of wildflower diversity,” he continued.
“Every third bite of food you eat can come from bees and we wanted to create an operation on our farm that did not push nature out but rather hugged it-as a central part of our ecology system and our food cycle,” he said.
The farm uses all kinds of seeds which can produce many different wild plants and of course, the bees can get food from different wildflowers.
“We are taking a very small role in helping society restore a balance and this starts with plant diversity to encourage insects, bees, small mammals(哺乳动物), and birds,” said Paul. “At the end of the day, we see ourselves as caretakers of this land. Between us we have six children and we owe it to them to farm sustainability(持续性)and set an example for the generations to come,” added Paul.
According to the Bee Conservation Trust, many types of bees have seen their populations decline by 70%, and two species have become extinct in the last century.
Gill Perkins, CEO of the Bee Conservation Trust said, “Thanks to Mark and Paul, at least here, a million bees can keep living, which is of great significance for ourselves now and future.”
1. What can we know about the brothers from the first two paragraphs?A.They have about 160 acres of land. |
B.They grow wild flowers for pigs. |
C.They are not good at growing wild flowers. |
D.They have to support 1, 000, 000 bees in their land. |
A.There is a shortage of water for bees. |
B.Bees are not used to the modern society. |
C.There are too many animals eating bees. |
D.Bees can not find different wild flowers. |
A.Opposed. | B.Doubtful. |
C.Supportive. | D.Disappointed. |
A.The Bees are in Danger Now |
B.Two Brothers Feed a Million Bees |
C.Only one Million Bees are Surviving in East England |
D.Two Brothers Love Wild Flowers in East England |
2 . Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses (球场) in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.
There are many environment-friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don’t have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be “green gyms”. They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it’s free.
1. Which of the following is the author most probably in favor of?A.Cycling around a lake. |
B.Motor racing in the desert. |
C.Playing basketball in a gym. |
D.Swimming in a sports center. |
A.It is popular in Portugal and Spain. |
B.It causes water shortages around the world. |
C.It pollutes the earth with chemicals and wastes. |
D.It needs water and electricity to keep its courses green. |
A.it is an outdoor sport |
B.it improves our health |
C.it uses fewer resources |
D.it is recommended by experts |
A.show us the function of major sports |
B.encourage us to go in for green sports |
C.discuss the major influence of popular sports |
D.introduce different types of environment-friendly sports |
3 . Carbon dioxide emissions from transportation are now thought as the top source of green-house gases. One of the most effective ways to reduce your carbon footprint is to reconsider how much, and how often, you travel.
Going car free for a year could save about 2. 6 tons of carbon dioxide, according to a study from the University of British Columbia. How can you stop using a car? Try taking a train, bus or better yet, riding a bike.
But let’s be realistic. You will likely need to use a car this year. So, when you do, here are some tips to make your trip more climate-friendly. Driving efficiently can help to reduce emissions. Go easy on the gas and brakes and drive like you have an egg under your foot. Regularly service your car to keep it more efficient. Keeping your tires pumped correctly can re-duce emissions. Low tire pressure will hurt your fuel economy. Air conditioning and frequent city driving can make emissions go up. So cut down on these as often as possible. Use cruise control (定速巡航) on long drives-in most cases, this can help to save gas. Don’t weigh your car down with extra things that you don’t need on your trip.
Fly often? Taking one fewer long round-trip flight could reduce your personal carbon footprint significantly. If you use public transportation often and fly less, your carbon foot-print might still be relatively sustainable, but if you drive and fly a lot, your emissions will be sigher. If you can’t avoid flying, you can offset them by donating money to sustainable proacts, such as supplying efficient stoves to rural homes, or projects which help farmers deal with crop waste environmentally.
1. What does the author think of going car free?A.Efficient. | B.Costly. | C.Impractical. | D.Reliable. |
A.Maintaining your car properly. | B.Using cruise control in the city. |
C.Stepping hard on the gas and brakes. | D.Geiting rid of all the necessary loads. |
A.Make up for. | B.Team up with. | C.Set foot in. | D.Put up with. |
A.How to save fuel when driving cars | B.How to reduce your carbon footprint |
C.Reduce carbon footprint by all means | D.Lower carbon footprint in transportation |
4 . Notpla, a London-based firm, makes a seaweed-based substitute (代替物) for single use plastic packaging. Although some of Notpla’s products are suitable to be eaten, they are designed to be dissolved (溶解) after usage. Made of seaweed instead of a conventional plastic coating, the company’s packaging is fully biodegradable and ideal for use as packaging for kitchen and bathroom supplies like coffee and toilet paper.
According to the United Nations, 331 million kilograms of plastic garbage is produced annually around the world. About 60% of the estimated 9.15 billion tons of plastic produced since the early 1950s has been taken to landfills.
Plastics harm the water, the air, and our bodies. Many experts agree that single-use plastics are unnecessary and dangerous. Some governments and towns in the United States have taken action. New York has banned most plastic shopping bags, while plastic straws have been banned in Miami Beach. Overseas, India stated in August that it plans to place a wide ban on single-use plastics this upcoming summer, with the European Union already implementing this ban.
Seaweed comes in a variety of species and can be harvested or farmed. Notpla uses plants that have been farmed. Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez and Pierre Paslie, the inventors of Notpla, initially considered seaweed as a solution to the world’s plastic problem for several reasons. Seaweed is plentiful and grows quickly. Additionally it doesn’t compete with land crops and is highly favored for its ability to remove some waste products like carbon from the atmosphere.
In cooperation with the online food ordering service Just Eat, the startup recently tested its product. Last year, the two companies handed out 30, 000 takeaway boxes at various UK restaurants. Plans are in the works to offer the boxes across Europe in 2022. Notpla’s team intends to replace single use plastic in the supply chain more generally as they scale. The company recognizes the difficulty of such a job, considering the volume of plastics consumed around the world.
1. How does the author mainly develop paragraph 2?A.By presenting figures. | B.By comparing facts. |
C.By raising questions. | D.By quoting a saying. |
A.Lifting. | B.Performing. | C.Protesting. | D.Removing. |
A.The advantages of choosing seaweed. | B.The next goal of the new study. |
C.The wide use of seaweed. | D.The shortcomings of the plastic bags. |
A.It will be totally unpractical. | B.It will be richly rewarded. |
C.It will be a little tough. | D.It will be rather successful. |
1. 介绍活动;
2. 不同观点;
3. 发出呼吁。
注意:1. 词数80左右;
2. 题目已为你写好。
An Interview about Plastic Pollution
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________6 . Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your choice of sport might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses(高尔夫球场) in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortages in some local areas.
In fact, there are many environment friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don't need any special equipment except a pair of good shoes; and you don't have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk can regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and control your weight better.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be "green gyms". They are better replacements(代替物) for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it's free.
1. What do we know about golf from the passage?A.It is popular in Portugal and Spain. |
B.It needs water and energy to keep its courses green |
C.It pollutes the earth with chemicals and waste. |
D.It causes water shortages around the world. |
A.it uses fewer resources |
B.it improves our health |
C.it is an outdoor sport |
D.it is recommended by experts |
A.Playing basketball in a gym. |
B.Motor racing in the desert. |
C.Cycling around a lake. |
D.Swimming in a sports center. |
A.To show us the function of major sports. |
B.To encourage us to go in for green sports. |
C.To discuss the major influence of popular sports. |
D.To introduce different types of environment friendly spors. |
7 . The endangered pandas in the Qinling Mountains might face a new threat: the loss of their food — bamboo, which makes up 99% of their meals.
Adult pandas spend most of the day eating bamboo and have to take in at least 40 pounds a day to stay healthy. However, a new study published in Nature Climate Change warned that they may soon find their food gone because most of the bamboo in the Qinling Mountains might disappear by the end of the century as a result of the rising temperature worldwide.
A team made up of researchers from Michigan State University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences has studied the effects of climate change on the bamboo in the Qinling Mountains. They have found that bamboo is very sensitive to climate change. “80% to 100% of the bamboo would be gone if the average temperature increases 3.5 degrees worldwide by the end of the century,” said Liu Jianguo, one of the report's authors.
He added, “This is how much the temperature would rise by 2100 even if all countries will keep their promises in The Paris Agreement. But you know what is happening around the world.”
In recent years, China has been trying its best to protect the endangered pandas by setting up more and bigger nature reserves.
“But it is far from being enough and the endangered pandas need cooperation from the rest of the world, because their future is not just in the hands of the Chinese,”said Shirley Martin from the WWF but not a member of the team.
There are 345 wild pandas in the Qinling Mountains. That is about 18.5% of the population of China's wild pandas. In addition, about 375 pandas are living in research centers and zoos in China.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?A.The Qinling Mountains can provide enough bamboo for the pandas. |
B.Pandas in the Qinling Mountains are only threatened by the loss of food. |
C.Lots of the bamboo in the Qinling Mountains will probably disappear. |
D.Pandas have already eaten 99% of the bamboo in the Qinling Mountains. |
A.China needs more help from the WWF. |
B.It is difficult to control the temperature rise within 3.5 degrees. |
C.Bamboo is sensitive to changes in temperature. |
D.China is making great efforts to protect the pandas. |
A.About 345. | B.About 408. | C.About 2,272. | D.About 1,864. |
A.The Disappearance of Bamboo |
B.Necessity to Change Pandas' Food |
C.A New Threat Faced by the Pandas |
D.Efforts Made to Save Pandas |
8 . The early life of the green sea turtle (海龟) is full of danger. Only one in 1,000 baby sea turtles survive to adulthood (成年). From its home in the sand, it breaks its egg with an egg tooth. Its mother is not there to help it. Instead, it is greeted by crabs, coyotes, and dogs waiting to eat it for dinner. To survive, the baby turtle must hide in the sand until night. Then, it moves slowly to the sea.
The small turtle must swim hard to reach the ocean waters. In the sea, it tries hard to find food. It must also keep itself from being food for fish.
As dangerous as the sea turtle’s life is in the natural world, its most dangerous enemies are humans. The rubbish left by humans in the ocean causes problems for the small green sea turtle. A little turtle might eat a piece of plastic (塑料) in the sea. It might also eat oil on the ocean’s surface. Young turtles also get caught in fishing nets. There are laws against hunting sea turtles. Still, many are hunted, both for their meat and for their shells (壳). All of these dangers must be prevented.
Sea turtles that do survive to grow into adulthood go through many changes. For example, adult green sea turtles weigh about 500 pounds. They stop eating jellyfish and other meat and eat only plants. And they may plan a trip to go back home again. A mother sea turtle goes back to the beach where she was born. This is the only place where she will lay eggs. Even if it has been forty years since she was a baby, she always knows her way back home.
1. Why do baby turtles move to the sea at night?A.They dislike sunshine. |
B.They prefer lower temperatures. |
C.They can find food easily then. |
D.They need to avoid enemies. |
A.Pitiful. | B.Careless. |
C.Interesting. | D.Courageous. |
A.They mainly feed on fish and meat. |
B.They always produce eggs at their birthplaces. |
C.They can live for around forty years. |
D.They visit their beach homes several times a year. |
A.The homes of green sea turtles. |
B.How sea turtles find their food. |
C.The dangers faced by sea turtles. |
D.How young turtles become adults. |
9 . A tree planting initiative in Kenya has seen over 30,000 trees being planted. The Green Generation Initiative is a Kenyan charity that has been planting trees to counter climate change and the reduction in forest in the East African nation since 2016.
Founded by climate activist Elizabeth Wathuti, the initiative's primary focus is on developing young climate activists through environmental education in schools and addressing food insecurity in the region through planting fruit trees. Since its foundation, over 30,000 trees have been planted in Kenya, while thousands of school children have not just planted trees but adopted them to ensure that young people learn the importance of acting as a guardian of the health of the environment. The trees have recorded a survival rate of over 98 percent, as they continue growing from young trees to maturity.
Speaking to world leaders at the recent UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (COP26),Elizabeth issued a serious warning about the threat of climate change: “Over two million of Kenyans are facing climaterelated starvation. In 2025, half of the world's population will be facing water shortage. By the time I'm 50, the climate crisis will displace over 80 million people in subSaharan Africa alone.”
Elizabeth said, “I have been doing what I can.Inspired by the great Wangari Maathai, I founded a tree growing initiative that enhances food security for young Kenyans. So far, we have grown 30,000 fruit trees, providing desperately needed nutrition for thousands of children.” “Every day we see that when we look after the trees, they look after us. We are the adults on this Earth right now, and it is our responsibility to ensure that the children have food and water, ”she added.
1. What is the initiative intended for?A.Making policies. |
B.Raising money. |
C.Educating adults. |
D.Fighting climate change. |
A.Hunger. | B.Sickness. |
C.Water shortage. | D.Economic risks. |
A.Over 3,000 trees have been planted. |
B.Green awareness has been raised. |
C.Over 80 million people have been saved. |
D.School education has been guaranteed. |
A.Friendly and talented. |
B.Caring and responsible. |
C.Honest and determined. |
D.Ambitious and humorous. |
10 . If you were to throw, say, a banana peel out of your car while driving along the motorway, that would be a completely harmless action, due to the fact that it’s part of a fruit — right? Actually, no. A banana peel can take up to two years to be naturally processed, and with a third of motorists admitting to littering while driving, that’s a whole lot of discarded banana peels. An orange peel and a cigarette butt’s biodegrading (生物降解) term is similar to that of a banana peel, but tin cans last up to 100 years and plastic bottles last forever, as do glass bottles.
Despite the fact that longer-lasting materials will serve to damage the environment and its animals for a longer time, we can’t merely measure the severity of a certain type of rubbish by its lifetime. For example, despite having a fairly short length of biodegrading time, more than 120 tons of cigarette-related litter is discarded in the UK every day.
It’s not a cheap habit either: to keep our streets clean annually costs UK taxpayers £500 million, and when you include our green spaces, that goes up to £1 billion. So, it’s not surprising that if caught fly-tipping (乱倒垃圾) you will face a £20,000 fine or even jail time and, if you dispose of something dangerous, the court will give you five years to serve. Regardless of how severe these punishments might seem, however, among the reported cases only 2,000 were found guilty out of 825,000, so we still have some way to go in making sure people obey the rules.
1. What does the underlined word “discarded” in Para. 1 mean?A.Harmless. | B.Processed. |
C.Thrown. | D.Long-lasting. |
A.Tin cans. | B.Glass bottles. |
C.Cigarette butts. | D.Banana peels. |
A.Fly-tipping will only cost people some money. |
B.It’s not so hard to make sure people obey the rules. |
C.A large number of people were found guilty of illegally littering. |
D.Every year UK taxpayers spend huge amounts of money to keep the streets from dirt. |
A.To call for people not to litter illegally. |
B.To stress the importance of good behavior. |
C.To encourage people to use fewer plastic bags. |
D.To inform readers of different biodegrading terms. |