1 . Did you buy too much bread before heading out for a holiday? Did you give up the vegetables that are going bad?
In an effort to help eco-conscious consumers, a Geneva nonprofit is speeding up its plan of street-side, free-access public refrigerators that restaurateurs, at-home cooks and others can use to give away food that’s about to go bad. It’s part of a bigger effort by communities in Switzerland and other European countries to do their part for the environment while helping to cut down on food waste.
The nonprofit Free-Go has placed refrigerators and shelves in Geneva where passersby can get fruit, vegetables, bread and other perishables(易变质食品) to take home for free.The program costs about $40,000 to run each year and enjoys the support from the city government. It began a year ago with a single fridge outside a community center in western Geneva and it now has four fridges, strategically placed around town. A fifth one is planned before year’s end.
Free-Go is experimenting with scheduled pickups at apartment buildings to make it easier for residents(居民) to participate in the program. It has also set up a“hotline”that restaurateurs can use to call for the collection of unused food. Free-Go says giver s of food from the private sector, such as restaurants, must make a promise to ensure the given food is safe to eat.
Free-Go says about 1 billion tons of food go to waste every year around the world—using up energy and other resources in the farming and transportation process. Similar food-sharing activities are in place in the capital, Bern, after the idea was imported from Germany.
According to Foodsharing.de, a community group in Germany that started more than a decade ago, more than a half-million people in Germany, Switzerland and Austria have made “the food-sharing initiative an international movement”and have helped save 83 million tons of food from going to waste.
1. How did the Free-Go program start in the beginning?| A．With two fridges in a local supermarket. |
| B．With a single fridge outside in western Geneva. |
| C．With three fridges distributed in various parks. |
| D．With a large storage facility in central Geneva. |
| A．To promote local restaurants. |
| B．To provide refrigeration services. |
| C．To establish a hotline for food collection. |
| D．To reduce food waste and help the environment. |
| A．To report refrigerators in bad condition. |
| B．For residents to schedule food pickups. |
| C．To provide information about safe food handling. |
| D．For restaurateurs to call for the collection of unused food. |
| A．Critical. | B．Negative. | C．Positive. | D．Indifferent. |
2 . The beautiful city of Montreal, Canada, is these days receiving negotiators, scientists, environmentalists and political leaders from all corners of the world to agree on a framework to halt and reverse nature loss by the end of this decade. One of the heated discussions in Montreal is about conserving 30 percent of the world’s land, freshwater and oceans by 2030.
The history of mankind as of the end of the 20th century has been a story of development at the expense of nature. Now, in order to restore nature, we need to mobilize the citizens of the world for win-win solutions to the crisis.
First suggestion, if we want to create harmony between man and nature, we need to win the hearts and minds of the local people. One of the shining examples is Rwanda, which, though a small, landlocked (内陆的) country in Africa, has one of the most immensely beautiful landscapes I have seen anywhere in the world. It has been incredibly successful in increasing the number of previously threatened gorillas. If you’re a tourist, you pay a significant amount of money to see Rwanda’s gorillas. And that creates a fantastic economy for the taxi drivers, the hotel staff, the teachers and the tourist guides in the neighborhood of Volcanoes National Park. That means that no one in the neighborhood will kill a gorilla for bush meat (野味). The local residents there are the first line of defense for the gorillas, because it is a crucial source of income and a big job creator in the region. It’s a win-win solution.
Second suggestion, we need to ask businesses to participate. In the past, business was a force of destruction for nature. Jobs came from destroying the beautiful landscapes on Earth. In other words, we created economic development by destroying nature. Now, in the 21st century, we can create economic growth and restore nature at the same time. Indonesia stopped deforestation last year, thanks to a combination of good government policy and good business practice. RGE, a paper, pulp (纸浆) and palm oil company, develops huge harvests.
Third suggestion, we need to work with citizens at large. In India, the chief minister of conservation a reason the island of Sumatra and protects as much of the green trees as it the big state of Madhya Pradesh is planting one tree every day to inspire 80 million people in his state to do likewise.
1. How do local residents in Rwanda try to earn their income?| A．By attracting tourists there. |
| B．By treating tourists with bushmeat. |
| C．By raising and selling wild animals. |
| D．By replacing forests with a lot of farmland. |
| A．Stop believing in something. |
| B．Change something to the opposite trend. |
| C．Consider something in order to make a judgment. |
| D．Describe something so that it can be understood. |
| A．Business has a negative effect on economy. |
| B．Business suffers from nature conservation. |
| C．Business can contribute to the protection of nature. |
| D．Business has the potential to improve people’s health. |
| A．Every Effort Counts to Preserve Nature |
| B．How to Conserve 30 Percent of the World’s Land |
| C．Ways to Create Harmony between Man and Animals |
| D．Man’s Story of Development at the Expense of Nature |
3 . In July 2017, Hoh Xil became a world heritage (遗产) site and there live more than 70, 000 Tibetanantelopes. Every year, pregnant (怀孕的) Tibetan antelopes migrate (迁徙) to Hoh Xil between the end of May and early June to give birth and leave with their children around August. Zonag Lake at the heart of Hoh Xil is known as the “delivery room” for the species.
About 40 female Tibetan antelopes with three young were spotted crossing the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Saturday. Experts say that in recent years, the number of young Tibetan antelopes among the migrating groups consisted of between a fifth and quarter of the population.
“In the early stage of migration, Tibetan antelopes face a high risk of falling prey to predators (盗猎者) so the number of young Tibetan antelopes is relatively small, and there may even be none,” said Lian Xinming, an associate research fellow at Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
According to research, the number of Tibetan antelopes that migrate back has been rising. A total of 5, 952 Tibetan antelopes were spotted migrating in 2020, and 233 more in 2021. “This year’s migration season is expected to finish in early September. The population is expected to continue to increase,” Lian said.
Tibetan antelopes are mostly found in Tibet autonomous region, Qinghai province, and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. The species is under first-class state protection in China.
In the 1980s, the Tibetan antelope population declined sharply from 200, 000 to 20. 000, due to illegal hunting. It has recovered thanks to the country’s efforts to improve its habitat and crack down on poaching (盗猎).
To make sure the species go back to their habitats safe and sound, the reserve’s management bureau has staff monitor their migration. When they come over in large groups, they temporarily close some sections of the road to make way for the animals and prevent them from having interactions with humans.
1. What can we learn from the text?| A．Tibetan antelopes migrate to Hoh Xil to find mates. |
| B．Baby Tibetan antelopes are born in Zonag Lake. |
| C．Female Tibetan antelopes made up a fifth of the population. |
| D．Migrating Tibetan antelopes’ number is 6,185 in 2021. |
| A．Promising. | B．Concerning. | C．Perfect. | D．Unpredictable. |
| A．To offer delivery place. |
| B．To catch unlawful predators. |
| C．To stop poaching Tibetan antelopes. |
| D．To avoid animals meeting people. |
| A．The Habitats of Tibetan Antelopes |
| B．The Migration of Tibetan Antelopes |
| C．The Methods to Stop Poaching Tibetan Antelopes |
| D．The Measures of Protecting Tibetan Antelopes |
4 . With all the recent concern about the environment, people want to see their money used to better the planet. Here are four well-known environmental organizations.
World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
The World Wildlife Fund is perhaps one of the best-known organizations for the protection of endangered species and their habitats around the world. It’s been around for over 60 years. You can donate through their website worldwildlife.org, join their organization as a member, or adopt an animal through their online adoption center.
National Geographic Society (NGS)
National Geographic Society is famous for their magazine and their specials on TV. The organization itself is one of the longest-running in the world — It’s been around since 1888. They focus on exploration and conservation of forests, oceans, habitats, species and societies. You can donate money through the website nationalgeographic.org, buy something at their online store, or take out a subscription to the magazine.
National Wildlife Federation (NWF)
Founded officially in 1937, the National Wildlife Federation tries to protect wildlife at all costs. In fact, they believe that having the public educated is the best way to help the environment — the more you know, the more you can protect the world we live in. Donations to the NWF can be made through their website ref.org or through other options, like matching gifts, workplace giving, or memorial donations.
EcologyFund.com
Set up in 1976, EcologyFund.com is run on users’ clicks. Advertisers buy ad space on the site every time someone clicks. The money goes to buy an endangered wilderness to protect it from companies that would destroy it. So far, EcologyFund. com has bought land in many areas. The best thing about this site is that you needn’t donate any money —all you have to do is click.
1. Which environmental organization has the shortest history?| A．National Geographic Society (NGS). | B．National Wildlife Federation (NWF). |
| C．World Wildlife Fund (WWF). | D．EcologyFund.com. |
| A．It protects societies as well as nature. |
| B．You need to be expert in protecting wildlife. |
| C．You can adopt an animal through its online adoption center. |
| D．It believes that education is the most important in helping the environment. |
| A．By giving money through its website. | B．By clicking on its online articles. |
| C．By subscribing to its magazines. | D．By buying ad space on the site. |
Over and over at the UN climate summit in Glasgow, world leaders have stressed the need
Already, the world has heated to around 1. 1℃ above pre-industrial levels. Each of the last four decades was
More warming to 1. 5 ℃ and beyond will
“At 1. 5 ℃, there’s
Having worked in a nature reserve for 30 years, Hou Tiguo has developed a special ability—he can tell what kind of birds are around simply by their singing. “I can also tell whether they are happy or unhappy,” he added with a big smile.
The 52-year-old’s home, Baihualing, a village in Yunnan province, is well-known for the diversity of birds. He recalled, “In the 1970s, people were so poor. Birds were often targeted as food, so almost all the children including me in the village were good at using slingshots (弹弓).”
His life changed in 1989, when a couple hiking through the mountains visited Baihualing. They asked him to be their guide and lead them to good bird-watching spots. He said, “That was the first time I had made money from birds without killing them.”
Inspired by that, the villagers built a reserve to feed birds and protect the habitat (栖息地) of birds. In the decades that followed, more bird-watchers visited the village. The village became a popular destination for bird lovers, and most villagers have turned into bird protectors and engaged in serving bird-loving tourists.
In the village, there are more than 60 “bird guides” like Hou. More than 20 guesthouses which have hosted visitors from more than 100 countries bring in a total income of 15 million yuan every year. “During the peak season, I serve nearly 100 tourists a day. Thanks to the birds, our life is not what it used to be any more.” Hou said, adding that he takes his 3-year-old grandson with him every day to feed birds and teaches him to love and respect them.
1. What was the life in Baihualin like in the 1970s?2. When did Hou begin to change his life?
3. What is the job for most villagers now?
4. Why does Hou take his 3-year-old grandson with him every day?
7 . Everyone likes living in a clean and comforting environment. If the environment are bad, it will affect our body, and make us not feel well. Sometimes we may be terribly ill. At that time we don’t want to work, and we have to stay in bed and rest at home. So the environment is very important to us.
It’s germs that makes us ill. There are germs everywhere, They are very small and you can’t find them with your own eyes, but you can see them with a microscope They are very small and there may be hundreds of them on a very small thing, Germs can always be found in dirty water. When we look at dirty water under the microscope, we shall see them in it. Germs can also be found in air and dust. If you cut your finger, some of the dust from the floor may go into it, and you will have much pain in it. Sometimes the germs will go into all of your body, and you will have pain everywhere.
To keep us healthy, we should try our best to make our environment become cleaner and tidier. This needs us to act together.
1. The writer tells us that________.| A．we like working when we are ill |
| B．we feel well when the environment is good. |
| C．we can’t feel ill if the environment is bad. |
| D．germs can’t live in the water. |
| A．very small things that you can’t see with your eyes. |
| B．the things that are very big. |
| C．the things that you can find with your eyes. |
| D．the things that don’t affect people. |
| A．everywhere | B．in air and dust |
| C．only in dirty water | D．on the small thing |
| A．environment doesn’t affect our life |
| B．we don’t need to improve our environment |
| C．germs may make us ill |
| D．if the environment is better, germs will be more. |
8 . The discussion on renewable energy has been going on for at least a decade and people have relied on fossil fuels almost entirely for more than a century. However, the situation when fossil fuels were the most efficient and the cheapest source of energy has been left far in the past. Many countries such as Germany and Sweden have already made significant efforts to fix this situation, employing numerous power plants working on the renewable resources of energy. The most effective among these resources is geothermal (地热的) energy.
Geothermal energy does not depend on the world’s economic and political situation as strongly as fossil fuels do. Besides, extracting (提炼) fossil fuels adds to the price of energy produced from them. Therefore, geothermal energy is much cheaper than traditional ones, saving up to 80% of the costs over fossil fuels.
Being a renewable resource, geothermal energy produces less waste and pollution than traditional energy sources. In geothermal systems, carbon dioxide makes up about 10% of air produced. Overall, in order to produce the electricity that can be used for one hour, the geothermal systems produce 0.1 pound of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases. For a comparison, a power plant producing from gas produces up to 2 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and those power plants that work on coal (煤) produce an astonishing 3.6 pounds of greenhouse gases.
Low costs is another reason why using geothermal power plants should be the first choice for many countries. Geothermal heat systems require 25% to 50% less energy for work compared with the traditional systems for heating or cooling. Besides, geothermal equipment is less big: due to the very nature of geothermal energy, geothermal power plants have only a few moving parts, all of which can be easily sheltered inside a relatively small building. What’s more, the life span of geothermal equipment is rather long. All these make geothermal power stations easy to build and keep.
1. Fossil fuels are more expensive than geothermal energy partly because _______.| A．it is free to use geothermal energy |
| B．fossil fuels are nearly used up |
| C．the production of fossil fuels costs a lot |
| D．geothermal energy doesn’t depend on political situation |
| A．Coal is much more efficient than gas. |
| B．Gas and coal are often used to produce electricity. |
| C．Geothermal energy is environmentally friendly. |
| D．The geothermal systems don’t produce harmful gases. |
| A．the nature of geothermal energy | B．geothermal power plants |
| C．life span of geothermal equipment | D．the small buildings |
| A．Many countries have benefited from geothermal energy. |
| B．Geothermal energy is well accepted. |
| C．Geothermal energy has many advantages. |
| D．Fossil fuels are being run out of. |
Sandstorms have been a major disaster for many Asian countries for centuries. Scientists have tried many ways
Sandstorms are strong, dry winds that carry sand. They are often so thick
Northwest China is part of the sandstorm center in Central Asia.
Sandstorms sometimes affect Beijing. Citizens wake up to an orange sky and strong winds
The Chinese Central Weather Station can forecast a sandstorm some weeks before it arrives in Beijing, but the
The desert is only 250 kilometers away to the west of Beijing. In order to prevent it
