1 . There are few places on Earth that humans haven’t messed up. Now even Antarctica, the only continent with no permanent human inhabitants, is being altered by us. A study found that the increasing human presence in Antarctica is causing more snow melt-bad news for a frozen world already battling the effects of human-caused global warming.
Black carbon, the dark, dusty pollution that comes from burning fossil fuels has settled in locations where tourists and researchers spend a lot of time, scientists found. Even the smallest amount of the dark pollutant can have a significant impact on melting because of its very low reflectiveness: things that are light in color, like snow, reflect the sun's energy and stay cool; things that are dark, like black carbon, absorb the sun's energy and warm up.
“The snow albedo (反射率) effect is one of the largest uncertainties in regional and global climate modeling right now,” Alia Khan, a snow and ice scientist at Western Washington University, told CNN. “That’s one of the motivations for the study, to quantify the impact of black carbon on regional snowmelt, which is important for quantifying the role of black carbon in the global loss of snow and ice.”
“Antarctica is sitting there pretty much silently all year. But, if it weren’t there, in the state that it is meant to be, the balance that we have in the climate system will no longer be,” Marilyn Raphael, a geography professor said. “Antarctica’s sea ice is also important to maintain a balance in atmospheric circulation,” he added. As waters get warmer, some Antarctic creatures are finding their homes more and more unlivable.
“Everything we do has consequences,” Raphael said. “We need to educate ourselves about those consequences, especially in systems that we know relatively little about. We have to be careful that we don’t upset the climate balance.”
1. Why can the smallest amount of black carbon have huge impact on melting?| A．It is highly reflective. | B．Its dark colour absorbs heat. |
| C．It produces vast energy. | D．It causes much pollution. |
| A．To measure the impact of black carbon on melting. |
| B．To quantify the cost of battling against climate change. |
| C．To remove the uncertainties of global warming effects. |
| D．To urge people to pay more attention to melting problem. |
| A．The change caused by Antarctic melting. | B．The methods to stop Antarctic ice melting. |
| C．The significance of Antarctic being in its state. | D．The sufferings Antarctic creatures are experiencing. |
| A．Reduce tourist numbers. | B．Face the consequences. |
| C．Acquire professional education. | D．Stop disturbing the climate. |
2 . Since the age of 5, Laura Lee has had what most would consider an odd habit-she collects toilet rolls. At that time, she didn’t know this habit would eventually become a nationwide recycling campaign.
In December 2018, as a 16-year-old student of Nanyang Girls’ High School in Singapore, Lee founded ToiletRollSG, a national project that aims to collect 1,000 kilograms of cardboard cylinders — or about 150,000 pieces. As of February of 2021, Lee, who was studying at Hwa Chong Institution, had collected 860 kg of toilet rolls, reported Singapore Today. Slightly later, she was awarded Singapore’s National Environment Agency’s Ecofriend Awards, which recognizes individuals for their contributions to the environment, under the Youth and Students category.
But why did she choose toilet rolls? “They are convenient to collect and also one of the purest forms of waste to recycle because they are made of only one material,” Lee told Singapore Today. “Project must be economically practical too. For example, it’s more difficult to recycle pens because they are made up of too many different materials like rubber casings, metals and plastics which require more resources to separate.”
Lee went into a partnership with the waste management firm Veolia, which gives her five cents for every 1 kg of toilet rolls collected.
She organized “toilet roll challenges” within Nanyang Girls’ High School and worked with cleaners to collect used toilet rolls from school toilets. She also conducted talks about ToiletRollSG. But due to COVID-19, she has been unable to conduct physical talks, so she raises awareness about different social causes through her Instagram Live series called On A Roll.
One of the biggest challenges Lee has faced has been others doubting her due to her young age. “I always have to use my actions as well as the different things I’ve done to prove that I’m passionate and know about this,” she told The Straits Times.
Lee will donate the money collected to a social cause that is focused on community health.
1. Why did Lee found ToiletRollSG?| A．To develop some good habits. | B．To be honored by Ecofriend Awards. |
| C．To recycle toilet cardboard cylinders. | D．To make contributions to her high school. |
| A．show toilet rolls are more important | B．prove it difficult to recycle pens |
| C．illustrate the process of recycling pens | D．explain Lee’s opinion on recycling |
| A．The failure to conduct talks. | B．The ineffective cooperation. |
| C．The small amount of money. | D．The mistrust of others. |
| A．Humorous. | B．Responsible. | C．Emotional. | D．Curious. |
Climate Change Requires The World’s Attention
There is little doubt that Earth
Climate scientists often mention a key climate process
There is strong and comprehensive evidence that the rise in temperature has led to an increase in extreme weather and
Governments need to consider making policies and taking appropriate actions and measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We as individuals can also reduce our “carbon footprint”. It is our
4 . As one of the biggest topics of the last decade, sustainability has become the beacon (灯塔) of hope to protect the planet. From supermarkets taking action on plastic packaging to the zero waste movement that can be practised from your kitchen, changes made by individuals and organizations across the globe have had an impact on the way we think, shop and live.
So what does that mean for the world of technology? You’d be forgiven for thinking that the words “sustainable” and “technology” don’t usually go hand in hand. E-waste is, after all, one of the planet’s biggest contributing waste streams. Not only that, but the materials that go into technology products are also part of the problem.
But with a challenge comes an opportunity, and there’s already some brilliant progress happening — great news for those of us wanting to be more sustainable with our technology. Firstly renewed products are having its moment. While consumers would previously turn their noses up at the idea of a second-hand device, there’s been a huge surge in demand for renewed technology products. The second major step in tackling the problem of e-waste is a change in attitudes from owning a product to subscribing for one. A subscription for a smartphone might sound like a foreign concept, but it’s already gaining momentum. At the forefront of this movement is a London-based technology startup, which offers a subscription service for the latest smartphones. As customers aren’t paying to own the phone at the end of their contract, the monthly price is significantly lower than average.
Studies show that extending a phone’s lifespan from one to four years can decrease its environmental impact by about 40%. So the next time it comes to refreshing your device — whether a smartphone, a laptop, a tablet or something else — consider the more environmentally friendly options that are at your fingertips.
1. What’s the purpose of paragraph 1?| A．To change the way we think, shop and live. |
| B．To introduce the topic of sustainability in technology. |
| C．To tell us what people have done to protect the planet. |
| D．To call on people to do something for the environment. |
| A．High-tech products are in short supply. |
| B．E-waste contributes to the biggest waste streams. |
| C．The two sustainability problems in technology. |
| D．Ignoring sustainable technology is unforgivable. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Unacceptable. |
| C．Sympathy | D．Doubtful. |
| A．By upgrading the old one. |
| B．By subscribing for a smartphone. |
| C．By spending less money on a smartphone. |
| D．By replacing the old one with the latest one |
Coral reefs are being planted in the deep seabed around Hainan Province, a famous tourist destination in China, as part of efforts
Coral reefs cover about 2 percent of the area of sea floor and provide habitats for about 25 percent of
However, survival of coral reefs have been challenged due
“It’s like
In recent years, the team has planted over 200,000 coral reefs around Sanya city and Danzhou city. That quantity
| A．Health. | B．Education. | C．Environment. |
7 . A selection of wildlife sculptures made out of recycled rubbish is being displayed at an exhibition at the Harley Gallery in Glasgow, England. The sculptures have, been created by Glasgow — based artist Michelle Reader, who has been working with recycled materials for over 20 years. The inspiration behind this collection of artwork was the increase in fly-tipping during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Fly-tipping is when people illegally dump rubbish or litter in a public place.
Reader told the BBC, “Glasgow Wildlife Trust showed me some of the materials that were found on their reserves — a washing machine, rusty bike frame, car tyres.” She decided to create wildlife sculptures out of these materials to encourage people to think about the damage fly-tipping can do to the environment and wildlife. Her three-dimensional artworks included recycled items such as skis, a gas mask, and washing machine, parts.
Reader often drew inspiration from the “beauty of the natural world,” and said that the large model of the white-tailed bee was inspired by the many hours she spent on her distribution during the pandemic. Another sculpture, of a bearded eagle, was inspired by the sighting of one such bird in the Peak District in July 2020. This was only the second time it had been spotted in the UK.
Other projects Reader has been involved with have highlighted issues such as the importance of recycling and reducing food waste. In April, the National Space Centre in Leicester, England, launched their Home Planet gallery, which featured an art installation from Reader. Using rubbish found in rivers, such as plastic bottles, tennis balls, footwear, and toys, Reader created a large wave sculpture to highlight the problem of littering.
Reader says that through her sculptures she draws attention to environmental issues in an attractive and humorous way. The exhibition is on at Harley Callery in Glasgow, England, until 24 July.
1. What inspired the exhibition at the Harley Gallery?| A．Recycled materials. | B．The covid -19 pandemic. |
| C．Wildlife sculptures. | D．The increasing fly-tipping. |
| A．To be environmentally-friendly. | B．To protect wildlife animals. |
| C．To love the sculpture art. | D．To improve creative ability. |
| A．A family survey. | B．A health magazine. |
| C．An environmental magazine. | D．A science guide. |
| A．Look at the art from another angle. | B．Explore the artistic talents in your life. |
| C．Wildlife sculptures made from rubbish. | D．A new way to live a sustainable life. |
In the evening, I drink a cup of tea and watch the stars. I think about the antelopes and what Zhaxi told me. Much
As human
10 . 
Take a good look at the American burying beetle. Once found in 35 states, the insect is assessed by the International Union for Conservation of. Nature as critically endangered. Like the tiger, the American burying beetle has orange and black stripes, like the tiger, the beetle is declining in number. The, tiger is an instantly recognizable symbol of species preservation, but most people aren’t familiar with the beetle.
This difference is an example of the domination of the so-called celebrity species — the fascinating creatures that nonprofits and government agencies use to raise public interest in conservation. Most nonprofit funds for animal protection go to species such as apes, elephants, big cats, rhinoceroses, and giant pandas. Tigers are often rated the most popular animal — and India, ho me to the majority of these big cats, spent more than $49 million on tiger conservation alone in 2019. Meanwhile, many lesser-known species of fish, reptiles, amphibians, and birds weaken in namelessness. Worldwide, more than 35,500 plant and animal species are on the edge of disappearing forever.
This leaves us with a tough situation. Conservation is underfunded, so how do we decide which species to save?
One potential solution, the debatable idea of conservation triage, holds that experts need to quickly decide which species can be saved while realizing that others can’t be saved. Conservationists have developed analytical tools to approach the question in a less emotional, but more practical way. Fish and Wildlife Service now uses this knapsack method — inspired by a hiker’s need to fit the most valuable items into a small space — to get the “most bang for their buck” in saving species. The method calculates the most efficient conservation strategies using factors such as costs to recover a species and its likelihood of going extinct.
1. Why is the burying beetle mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．To propose a definition. | B．To introduce the topic. |
| C．To reach a conclusion. | D．To present an argument. |
| A．Concerned. | B．Unclear. | C．Optimistic. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．To make the best efforts. | B．To take the strictest measures. |
| C．To maximize the benefits. | D．To avoid the worst dangers. |
| A．Causes of some animals’ endangerment. |
| B．Other methods of deciding which species to save. |
| C．The authorities’ role in reasonable use of funds. |
| D．An appeal for saving the American burying beetle. |
