1 . In a small, rough shipyard on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, a small team is building what they say will be the world’s largest ocean-going clean cargo ship.
Ceiba is the first ship built by Sailcargo, a company trying to prove that zero-carbon shipping is possible, and commercially available. Made largely of wood, Ceiba combines both very old and very new technology: sailing masts stand alongside solar panels, a uniquely designed electric engine and batteries. Once on the water, she will be capable of crossing oceans entirely without the use of fossil fuels, which sets her apart.
“The thing that is striking is the fact that she’ll have one of the largest marine electric engines of her kind in the world,” Danielle Doggett said. The system also has the means to capture energy from underwater propellers (螺旋桨) as well as solar power, so electricity will be available for the engine when needed. “Really, the only limit on how long she can stay at sea is water and food on board for the crew.”
Despite some hold-ups due to the global disaster, the team hopes to get her on the water by the end of 2024 and operating by 2025, when she will begin transporting cargo between Costa Rica and Canada.
“There are actually loads of innovations happening that could transform shipping emissions, but few companies are willing to apply them to building ships like Ceiba.” says Lucy Gilliam. “So it’s not that we don’t have great ideas. The problem that we have is that fossil fuels are still too cheap. And we don’t have the rules to force people to take up the new technology.”
When it comes to promoting this kind of boat, it has to be said that Ceiba is small for a cargo ship — tiny in fact. She will carry around nine standard shipping containers. She is also relatively slow. Being a world-first, there are some aspects of Ceiba’s design that have yet to be proven at sea.
1. What is unique about Ceiba as a cargo ship?| A．It is the world’s largest. | B．It is environment-friendly. |
| C．It is wooden with old technology. | D．It is modern with unique equipment. |
| A．The size of the sail. | B．The weather of the ocean. |
| C．The power of the electric engine. | D．The quantity of the living supplies. |
| A．The rules are disobeyed. | B．The fuels are affordable. |
| C．The bigger ships are preferable. | D．The innovations are distrusted. |
| A．Objective. | B．Doubtful. | C．Critical. | D．Favorable. |
2 . All animals exist in a network, connected and supported by each other. That’s why our global focus today should be on saving animals from extinction. By doing so, we are certainly keeping an ecological balance.
Support companies that promote environmental protection
When shopping either from your local or online stores, go for those companies with eco- friendly things. Whether looking for shoes, toys, bags or others, you can choose reusable products.
Avoid harmful pesticides
Harmful pesticides have resulted in much animal loss. They might be good for killing pests.
Don’t buy things made of horns, ivory and others that endanger animals. This saves the animals and their habitats. Even when traveling, be careful when buying souvenirs. Some could have been made from endangered animal products like ivory. It’s important to research the product before you can make the decision to buy.
Drive carefully
This is one of the easiest things you can do to join in animal protection.
| A．Buy less products |
| B．Avoid harmful black market products |
| C．Here are what you can do to save endangered species |
| D．When driving near forests or animal reserves, don’t go fast |
| E．Sadly, they also leave a lasting terrible effect on native species |
| F．These products help reduce the damage to forests or animal habitats |
| G．Avoiding the use of these chemicals can help save endangered animals |
3 . Macquarie Island is a tiny island that’s part of Australia. It’s about halfway between New Zealand and Antarctica. The island’s been made a world heritage area because it’s so untouched, but this unique environment is under threat from some unwanted visitors.
It all started when seal hunters came to the island in the early 1800s. They brought rabbits with them as a source of food for the journey, and also on board the ships were rats and mice, which made their way onto the island too. They’re being blamed for destroying the homes of marine birds, causing soil loss and ripping up plant cover, as these before-and-after photos show.
So what’s being done about the problem? It starts with a team of helicopters that fly across the island carrying these giant containers. Inside them are poisoned pellets (有毒饲料) which are dropped and spread across the island. For any rabbits that survived the baiting (诱饵) , there’s a plan B. This special team of dogs is being put through a final training. It’ll be their job to track down any remaining rabbits. They have to also learn to behave around the island’s native wildlife. The dogs could be here for years or until the task is complete. The dogs don’t actually kill the rabbits. They find them, then the hunters decide to either catch the rabbits or shoot them.
But the program has received a bit of criticism. Some people argue 25 million dollars is a lot of money to be spending on wiping out rabbits and rodents (啮齿目动物), and in the process, some native birds will be killed because of the baiting.
The reality is the problem isn’t going to be solved overnight. The people running the program say that even if one pair of rabbits is left alive, the whole task will be seen as a failure, which means these guys could be here for a long time, trying to ensure that this precious island remains protected from pests.
1. Who are these unwanted visitors?| A．Seal hunters. | B．Marine wildlife. | C．Native birds. | D．Foreign species. |
| A．Advancing. | B．Destroying. | C．Dividing | D．Balancing |
| A．Poisoned pellets are being dropped on the island from helicopters. |
| B．A team of hunters is being trained to catch or shoot rabbits. |
| C．Native birds are being protected from the unwanted visitors. |
| D．A special team of dogs is being sent to kill the rabbits. |
| A．To spend as little money as possible. |
| B．To protect native birds from the unwanted visitors. |
| C．To ensure that no pair of rabbits survive on the island. |
| D．To train dogs to track down the rabbits on the island. |
4 . My name is Miranda Gibson. I have been at the top of a tree for five months now. Some people might wonder
I have walked through this forest many times. On December 12, 2011,
Life in the tree top can be
Living on the tree has been inspiring. I am willing to
| A．why | B．when | C．how | D．where |
| A．water | B．animals | C．machinery | D．tourists |
| A．bear | B．help | C．keep | D．spare |
| A．sold | B．stolen | C．protected | D．lost |
| A．grew out | B．fell short | C．ran out | D．let go |
| A．refreshing | B．risky | C．challenging | D．rewarding |
| A．get up | B．get away | C．give in | D．give up |
| A．change | B．look | C．search | D．touch |
| A．confused | B．nervous | C．sorry | D．lonely |
| A．Beyond | B．Without | C．Despite | D．Unlike |
| A．height | B．experience | C．background | D．position |
| A．return | B．stop | C．stay | D．hide |
| A．but | B．though | C．because | D．so |
| A．soon | B．long | C．near | D．bad |
| A．moved | B．logged | C．burned | D．missed |
5 . The Best Eco-friendly Products for July 2022
You can look out for Mother Earth with these simple lifestyle swaps.
Organibox mixed fruit and veg box:26.55, Organibox. org
This brand is fully organic. Inside the mixed box, you’ll get everything from pears to sweet potatoes. While the produce doesn’t look perfect, it’s really fresh. Although the fruit and veg comes from around the world, it’s never flown, which cuts its carbon footprint. All the packaging comes in cardboard and paper, which can be easily recycled.
Veja venturi gravel natural grey women’s trainers: 120, Veja-store. com
Tread (踩) lightly on the planet in style with these Veja trainers. The Parisian brand is leading the way in terms of sustainable footwear and this pair boasts the label’s distinctive “V” branding and as lightly retro and timeless style. The mesh (网) is made from plastic bottles, and the lining entirely from recycled polyester.
Kind Bag palms : 10, Kindbag. com
This reusable shopper is made from recycled plastic bottles. It is large enough to hold the shopping. And when it’s not in use, it neatly folds down to a small compact size. Best of all, Kind Bag gives one percent of sales to ocean clean-up and preservation initiatives.
Face Halo body: 12.60, Feelunique. com
These reusable gloves will leave your skin smooth and shiny. One side is made of tiny microfibres that work to remove dead skin, while the other softer side is perfect for general cleaning. The Face Halobody arrives in recyclable plastic packaging, but the brand is working towards removing this in order to become plastic-free.
1. What do we know about Organibox ?| A．Its packaging is plastic-free. |
| B．Its produce is not very fresh. |
| C．It delivers its boxes by plane. |
| D．lt features a zero-carbon footprint. |
| A．Organibox. | B．Veja. | C．Kind Bag. | D．Face Halo. |
| A．Product developers. | B．Advertisers. |
| C．Bargain hunters. | D．Environmentalists. |
6 . When Simon Cane was in the second grade, he began learning about all the ways humans have an impact on the environment and really took those classroom lessons to heart in a way that set him apart from his schoolmates at his elementary school, P. S. 81, in the Bronx. “He told me we drove too much and made too much pollution,” his dad, Jonathan Cane, told Runner’s World. So Simon convinced his parents to start hanging their clothes to dry, taking the stairs instead of elevators, and other “green” measures.
“For much of kindergarten and first grade I rode my bike to Simon’s school with him on the back,” Jonathan said. “We had a lot of fun being outdoors. We’d stop to give our dog treats and generally enjoyed it.” As Simon got bigger, though, it wasn’t practical for him to ride on his father’s back, but it also didn’t make sense to ride together — both because of safety concerns and because there was no place to put away Simon’s bike. So, most of the time they drove the 1. 5 miles to school.
But in 2019, when Simon was going into third grade, the 8-year-old came up with a new way to help the planet: running the 1. 5 miles to P. S. 81. And Jonathan promised his son he’d join him for as long as he wanted.
“We did a test run one day in August, and decided to give it a go. To be honest, I thought he’d blink (眨眼)after it got really cold or rainy, but he never did,” Jonathan said. He recalled one day when the weather was particularly bad. “It’s really raining out there today,” he told Simon. “And Simon said, ‘Well then we’re going to get wet!’ He took pride in toughing it out, and it became a really fun family routine.”
Since the start, Simon has run with his dad and their black dog, Lola, and has even inspired his mom, Nicole Sin Quee, to join in. They soon became known as “the family that runs to school”.
1. What makes Simon different from his classmates?| A．Washing his clothes by himself. | B．Taking many classes after school. |
| C．Raising strange questions in class. | D．Taking green measures to protect the environment. |
| A．By car. | B．By cycling. | C．By running. | D．By school bus. |
| A．Simon has trouble with his eyesight. | B．Simon is really stubborn and inflexible. |
| C．Simon is much tougher than expected. | D．Simon didn’t get support from his father. |
| A．The Best Way to Go to School |
| B．Father and Son Run for the Environment |
| C．A Teenager Keeps Running to Inspire Father |
| D．Three Inspiring Running Athletes to Protect the Environment |
7 . Every year, tens of thousands of kids aged 3 to 13 become Junior Rangers in different national parks across America. At Yosemite alone more than 20, 000 kids take part in the Yosemite Junior Ranger Program. If you want to be a Junior Ranger, you need to learn about the natural and cultural history, and make a promise to be a national park protector.
Here Is How YOU Can Become a Junior Ranger!
Earn yourself an official Junior Ranger Badge You could become a Yosemite’s Junior, Ranger today by completing the following steps:
•Buy your Junior Ranger Handbook in the nearest Visitor Center.
•Complete the pages in the handbook.
•Pick up rubbish.
•Attend a Guided Program.
•Return your completed handbook and a bag of rubbish to the Visitor Center.
•Make your official Junior Ranger Promise at a ceremony.
•Get your official Junior Ranger Badge.
After you become a Junior Ranger, you are encouraged to share your ranger stories with your friends, teachers and families.
1. Who can become Junior Rangers?| A．Children. | B．Parents. | C．Teachers. | D．Officers. |
| A．Read the handbook. | B．Learn American history. |
| C．Share ranger stories. | D．Protect the national parks. |
| A．Collect a bag of rubbish. | B．Start a Guided Program. |
| C．Write your ranger stories to friends. | D．Get a Junior Ranger Handbook for free. |
8 . A study by Stockholm University and ETH Zurich scientists found that all rainwater on Earth is unsafe to drink due to the levels of PFAS (全氟烷基物质), or poisonous chemicals. These PFAS or poisonous chemicals are becoming a part of a future reality that humans must, unfortunately, learn to live with. PFAS were first found in shampoo, packaging, and even makeup but have begun to spread into our Earth. A professor at Stockholm University and lead author of the study, Ian Cousins noted, “There is nowhere on Earth where-the rain would be safer to drink, according to the measurements that we have taken.”
Using their study’s data, Cousins and his team illustrated that chemical levels in rainwater from remote areas are unsafe and above the US Environmental Protection. Agency’s (EPA) drinking water guidelines. Within this study, they took rainwater samples, from extremely remote areas like Antarctica or the Tibetan plateau. Although these areas are originally known as being remote and untouched, their PFAS levels are around 14 times higher than the US EPA guidelines.
PFAS have been associated with a range of serious health problems including cancer, childhood behavioral and learning problems, immune system disorders, and high cholesterol (胆固醇): Cousins continued by saying, “Based on the latest US guidelines for PFOA (全氟辛酸) in drinking water, rainwater everywhere would be judged unsafe to drink. Although in the industrial world we don’t often drink rainwater, many people around the world expect it to be safe to drink and it supplies many of our drinking water sources.”
Managing Director of the Food Packaging Forum, Dr Jane Muncke, said, “The vast amounts that it will cost to reduce PFAS in drinking water to levels that are safe based on current scientific understanding need to be paid by the industries producing and using these chemicals. The time to act is now.”
1. Which of the following is true about PFAS?| A．They were initially found in rainwater. |
| B．Their levels affect the security of rainwater. |
| C．They are mainly present in makeup products. |
| D．They will be completely removed in the future. |
| A．To reveal rainwater is rare in these areas. |
| B．To cut down the spending on rainwater study. |
| C．To confirm the widespread presence of PFAS. |
| D．To measure the quality of rainwater in these areas. |
| A．It’s time to stop people from drinking rainwater. |
| B．It’s necessary to improve the safety of rainwater. |
| C．It’s promising to expand. Drinking water sources. |
| D．I’s tough to address PFAS-related health issues. |
| A．Scientists should be devoted to reducing PFAS. |
| B．Public efforts are required to obtain safe drinking water. |
| C．Some industries should bear the costs of reducing PFAS. |
| D．The chemical industry is responsible for the unsafety of PFAS. |
9 . Our Conservation & Environment Projects are ideal for people who want to help with environmental conservation efforts, and carry out fieldwork in fascinating habitats. You’ll be actively involved in conservation efforts, which include educating local people about the importance of protecting the environment. We share the same mission: to guard our planet for years to come. So get your backpack because you’re going on an environmental travel adventure!
If you love working on projects to help the environment and animals, you can unleash your passion in different ways like:
Jungle Reforestation
Volunteers can travel to the Amazon rainforest in Peru to assist with reforestation. Volunteers must stay for at least two weeks to get the most out of this program-learn more and sign up!
Sri Lanka Elephant Experience
If you want to go on a tropical getaway where you can also do good voluntary work, check out the Sri Lanka Elephant Experience, where you’ll have the chance to work alongside a mahout to care for elephants. This program starts for two weeks at $600 — learn more here!
Marine Conservation in South Africa
Check out the marine conservation volunteer program in South Africa, where you can get up close to marine wildlife. Program fees are $525 to start for one week, and you can stay up to three months — learn more and sign up here!
South Africa Big 5 Wildlife Experience
You can visit South Africa and volunteer on a world-class wildlife reserve, where you will get up close to elephants, lions, rhinos and other amazing animals. This program starts from $795 for your first two weeks — click here to learn more and to sign up!
You’ll support and learn from professional environmentalists and scientists, as well as people from the local community. We offer safe, ethical, and sustainable wildlife and environmental conservation projects, and you’ll always be aware of the impact of your work. In addition to making a difference in an animal care program, you’ll develop important skills for working in wildlife conservation.
1. What is the common goal of Conservation & Environment Projects?| A．To protect our planet. | B．To educate local people. |
| C．To experience adventures. | D．To improve the local community. |
| A．Jungle Reforestation. | B．Sri Lanka Elephant Experience. |
| C．Marine Conservation in South Africa. | D．South Africa Big 5 Wildlife Experience. |
| A．To present how to care for wildlife. | B．To call on people to protect wildlife. |
| C．To recommend volunteer programs on wildlife. | D．To explain the importance of protecting wildlife. |
10 . With climate change on track to destroy the world’s coral reefs, scientists race to create a new super-coral that can survive extreme temperatures.
A type of microscopic algae called Symbiodiniaceae lives within most coral’s tissues. The two organisms have been living dependently for hundreds of millions of years in a way that resembles the relationship between humans and trees. The algae consume coral’s waste products, and coral consumes nutrients that the algae photosynthesize. Coral also provides shelter for algae. But when exposed to too much heat or light, the algae release harmful chemicals, so the coral casts them out. Left without their main energy source, the coral will starve to death. This is also bad news for the algae. But natural evolution has provided a biological feedback loop that can help the two reunite.
One of the compounds that algae release when water becomes hot, called DMs, bubbles up to the surface of the water and forms a thin layer, which shields the coral like a natural, on-demand layer of sunscreen. With this protection, the water cools down and algae can return to the coral and reestablish their partnership unless the water is too hot, in which case the coral consumes the components that make up DMs before it can form.
Climate change is becoming too intense for coral and algae to naturally adapt fast enough. Therefore, scientists are testing out different ways to accelerate that adaptation through various methods of assisted evolution. Some teams are currently conducting small field trials of selective breeding, where they identify the most heat-tolerant members of a sample of corals. Then they breed them together to create offspring that can be used to help restore coral reefs. Others are focusing their efforts on speeding up the algae’s adaptation, attempting to increase its heat tolerance in labs.
Ultimately, scientists may implement a cocktail of solutions to save coral reefs. “To create a super-coral, we could, for example, selectively breed heat-tolerant corals and combine that with enhanced algae, ” says van Oppen.
1. What can we learn about Paragraph 2?| A．The algae release damaging substances when exposed to heat. |
| B．The coral eats the waste produced by the algae. |
| C．The algae is to the coral what trees are to humans. |
| D．The coral will die from harmful chemicals when it’s too hot. |
| A．DMS can’t be formed | B．the sunscreen layer is destroyed |
| C．the coral consumes DMS | D．the algae release too much DMS |
| A．By analyzing causes. | B．By making a comparison. |
| C．By presenting approaches. | D．By describing a process. |
| A．The role played by the algae within the coral. |
| B．The way to create a super-coral to save reefs. |
| C．Selective breeding conducted among corals. |
| D．Scientists’ efforts to increase algae’s heat tolerance. |
