1 . All over the world, people admire the beauty and grace of butterflies. Butterflies come in every color imaginable, and their
Estimates indicate that between 15 and 20 thousand species of butterflies exist around the world. A number of these species are endangered, over 20 in Japan
In recent years, environmental groups have made significant progress in
Finding a cure for the butterfly crisis is,
A.colors | B.bodies | C.wings | D.feelers |
A.out of control | B.in great danger | C.on the fly | D.out of date |
A.nearby | B.though | C.besides | D.alone |
A.predictable | B.possible | C.imaginable | D.terrible |
A.factor | B.picture | C.measure | D.display |
A.exposed | B.accustomed | C.sensitive | D.resistant |
A.highlights | B.changes | C.replaces | D.finds |
A.preserving | B.controlling | C.observing | D.recognizing |
A.projects | B.efforts | C.steps | D.groups |
A.set an example | B.keep the promise | C.make a difference | D.take the time |
A.however | B.furthermore | C.otherwise | D.therefore |
A.Distinguished | B.Leading | C.Senior | D.Ordinary |
A.graceful | B.significant | C.pitiful | D.mysterious |
A.proposed | B.commented | C.promised | D.recommended |
A.restricted | B.adapted | C.contributed | D.recommended |
2 . In 1985, scientists reported a change in the atmosphere, a hole or thinning of ozone (臭氧) over Antarctica. Scientists were not sure what was causing.
Most scientists believe that man-made chemicals are destroying the ozone. They also have found signs of ozone loss in other parts of the atmosphere.
Ozone is found both in the air we breathe and in the upper atmosphere. Near the earth, ozone in the air is a danger to life. It is a waste product. But ozone found 10 to 50 kilometres up in the atmosphere protects life on earth. Ozone forms in the atmosphere through the action of solar radiation (太阳辐射). Once formed, the ozone blocks harmful radiation from reaching the earth. Scientists say a reduction in ozone and an increase in the harmful radiation will cause many more cases of skin cancer and will harm crops, animals and fishes.
The report said it is about 8 degrees colder 15 kilometres above earth than it was in 1979. Scientists think the first loss of ozone reduces the amount of solar energy the atmosphere can take in. This cools the atmosphere, increases ice cloud production and leads to more ozone loss.
Scientists found signs the ozone problem has spread. The study shows that the loss of ozone over the areas with larger population in North America and Europe was at least three times greater than scientists had thought. The ozone levels reduced much more seriously during winter months than in warmer months. This is not surprising because the amount of ozone in the atmosphere changes with the temperature.
An international effort is being made to stop the loss of ozone in the atmosphere. But many experts fear that the effort will not produce results fast enough to prevent harm to life on the earth.
1. The passage is mainly about ______.A.a change in atmosphere |
B.the solar radiation |
C.the ozone problem |
D.a hole in Antarctica |
A.Ozone in the atmosphere is a danger to life. |
B.Since ozone in the air is harmful to life, the less ozone in the atmosphere the better. |
C.Ozone is a kind of man-made chemical product. |
D.The ozone up above us can stop harmful radiation from getting to the earth. |
A.the scientists have done a great deal to stop the earth getting warm |
B.the temperature in 1979 was much colder than it is now |
C.ozone holds solar energy and helps atmosphere take it in |
D.successful efforts have been made to stop the loss of the ozone |
A.draw people’s interest in atmosphere |
B.call the public attention to ozone problem |
C.help people to know the change in air |
D.tell people some information about atmosphere |
3 . Goodish News of Climate Change
Emissions of carbon dioxide (related to energy production) have stabilized, for now.
Is it a peak, a stutter or just a brief pause? Time will tell. But whatever it is, on February 11th the International Energy Agency (IEA), an intergovernmental
Energy-related emissions, which include those (produced by electricity generation), heating and transport,
As a result of this the CO₂-intensity of electricity generation—a(n)
This is not the first time energy related emissions have plateaued (保持稳定). Between 2013 and 2016 they hovered around 32.2bn tonnes a year, before rising again in 2017 as the use of coal to
A.circumstance | B.environment | C.contribution | D.organization |
A.available | B.similar | C.related | D.referred |
A.call for | B.account for | C.stand for | D.allow for |
A.decline | B.increase | C.promotion | D.recovery |
A.product | B.idea | C.measure | D.result |
A.floating | B.falling | C.disappearing | D.remaining |
A.outcome | B.change | C.effect | D.achievement |
A.fuel | B.regulate | C.handle | D.expand |
A.frequent | B.previous | C.natural | D.disastrous |
A.tips | B.plans | C.warnings | D.comments |
A.booming | B.dynamic | C.strong | D.depressed |
A.In addition | B.By contrast | C.In consequence | D.In fact |
A.accidentally | B.absolutely | C.historically | D.correctly |
A.prospect | B.ability | C.need | D.decision |
A.anger | B.hope | C.devotion | D.surprise |
Throughout the world, only 15% of the material that are used to make clothing is properly recycled, according to the Alle SacUrthur Club, an organization in Liverpool, UK, that boosts the circular economy. Most clothing waste—an
A change in the manufacturing process is being applied to the textile-waste problem by Essen, a start-up in Seattle, Washington.
Although there are abundant technical challenges, the main barrier
5 . Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity has used up nature’s annual resources. In 2020, Earth Overshoot Day fell on August 22, three weeks later than 2019’s date of July 29 as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns, meaning that humanity consumed less resources than last year.
According to research conducted by Global Footprint Network, an international research organization, COVID-19- related lockdowns resulted in a 9.3% reduction in humanity’s ecological footprint compared with the same period last year.
However, we would still need 1.6 Earths to keep up with our current use of ecological resources.
While Mathis Wackernagel, president of Global Footprint Network, called this year’s data “encouraging,” he called for further progress to be made “by design, not by disaster.”
CEO of Global Footprint Network Laurel Hanscom adds, “Sustainability requires that both ecological balance and people’s well-being be ensured over the long-term, therefore this year’s sudden Ecological Footprint reduction cannot be mistaken for progress.”
According to the research, Australia used up its resources in the first half year during its 2019/ 2020 forest fire season.
Wackernagel says, “We’re using up the future to pay for the present. We’ve only got one planet and that’s not going to change.”
The research organization says that sustainability of a society depends on the sound management of ecological resources. To do this, we need to change the way we produce our food, we move around, how many children we have and how much land we protect for wildlife. Reducing our overall carbon footprint by 50% would push the date back 93 days, cutting food waste in half, 13 days. And if we push the date back by 5 days each year, humanity would be using less than one planet before 2050.
1. What led to less resource consumption in 2020?A.COVID-19 lockdowns. | B.Improved awareness. |
C.The forest fire season. | D.Sound management of ecology. |
A.Negative. | B.Critical. |
C.Cautious. | D.Positive. |
A.We have reduced carbon footprint by 50%. |
B.The more children we have, the wealthier our life are. |
C.The way we travel around doesn’t make any difference. |
D.Good management of natural resources has a positive effect. |
A.To reduce carbon footprint of food. |
B.Using less resources in 2020 than last year. |
C.To encourage humans to use resources slowly. |
D.COVID-19 lockdown being good for development. |
6 . 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 reduce 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 higher. If you can’t avoid flying, you can offset them by donating money to sustainable projects, 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.Getting rid of all the necessary loads. |
A.Put up with. | B.Team up with. | C.Set foot in. | D.Make up for. |
A.Lower carbon footprint in transportation |
B.How to reduce your carbon footprint |
C.Reduce carbon footprint by all means |
D.How to save fuel when driving cars |
1.倡导No Plastic Water Bottles的原因;
2.你的建议(至少三点)。
注意:
1. 词数80左右;
2. 可以适当增加细节,以使行文连贯。
No Plastic Water Bottles
Dear fellow students,
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Students' Union
A. respectively B. vision C. rebounded D. decoupling E. respectably F. promoting G. commitments H. emitters I. peak J. remaining K. urgent |
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the Asean (东盟) region are estimated to increase in the same period, based on the latest Nationally determined contributions (NDC) targets up to 2030.
To keep the Paris Agreement temperature goal within reach, Dr Beni Suryadi, Centre for Energy Manager at the Asean Secretariat, stated that ASEAN needs to achieve
However,
“It is vital to reduce energy intensity through lower energy demand and further energy savings and to reduce emission intensity by
“Current policies need to be enhanced to achieve the NDC targets. The
Earlier in his presentation, Dr Beni highlighted, “a brief record-breaking drop in climate change – causing carbon emissions during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. However, nowadays we continue to hear the news and read reports that say that global emissions have already
“While we are grateful to learn that the economy is reviving and we see economic activities taking place everywhere, there is a(n)
At the global level, he said, “It is recorded that almost three-quarters of the GHG emissions come from energy use; almost one-fifth from agriculture and land use; and the
He also noted that the electricity and transport sectors start out as and remain the biggest
“If the Asean member states do what is needed to fully achieve their own national energy efficiency and renewable energy targets, as well as their climate commitments, Asean’s total energy- related GHG emissions in 2040 will be 3,002 MtCO2-eq, 28 per cent lower than in the baseline scenario.
“Power generation remains the largest sectoral contributor, accounting for about 40 per cent and 46 per cent of total GHG emissions from energy in 2025 and 2040,
“Furthermore, if Asean fulfilled its regional aspirational targets on the energy efficiency and renewable energy, Asean will be able to reduce GHG emissions more sharply to only 2,264 Mt CO2-eq in 2040,” he said.
9 . How to save planet earth
Have you ever held a product in your hands and considered the existential weight of your purchase? Beyond each price tag hides a ripple effect. It expands from soil to water ways, grocery aisle to kitchen plates, factories to fulfillment centers and mail slots to landfills. This global impact has become less hidden in the past decade, and ignoring the people downstream from us has grown increasingly difficult.
We’re more aware than ever of the mark our consumption leaves on planet Earth, which now sustains nearly 8 billion people. Somehow, humans are still pumping more than 30 gig a tons of carbon dioxide(CO2)per year into the atmosphere, despite the mountain of evidence that CO2 is the top contributor to greenhouse gases causing global warming.
Climate journalist and author Tatiana Schlossberg says even a simple trip to the supermarket can feel paralyzing in 2021. “I want to buy the local thing, but it’s not organic. Or, maybe it’s in a plastic box,” she says. In her 2019 book Inconspicuous Consumption, she ventures way beyond the store aisle and into the web of less apparent ways that humans are damaging Earth. For example, your internet use is tied to extensive carbon emissions and energy consumption.
In fact, being a good citizen on planet Earth with climate concerns, you’ve likely asked or agonized over this question: What should I do?
One of their most consistent insights may surprise you: Consumer responsibility misses the mark. “One of the major failings of the environmental movement is having everyone focus on these small things that everyone can do.” says Ayana Elizabeth Johnson-a marine biologist and co-host of the podcast How to Save a Planet.
“Individuals join together to collectively have far more power changing the system than they can as individuals,” says Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.
A.That doesn’t mean it’s none of your business. |
B.these experts propose other key steps that every human can take toward a better future. |
C.Similar challenge apply to use of plastics and consumption of meat and other goods. |
D.Part of the challenge with the environmental movement is the astonishing list of things we need to change. |
E.The solution to this problem, however, is not for you to stop using the internet, according to Schlossberg. |
F.It’s easy to get lost in the storm of supposed answers around social media, the latest data sets and “ego-friendly” marketing campaigns. |
Public Opinion Counts
Modbury is a typical small town of the south of England with a population of about 1,600. Typical, that is, apart from the fact that there are no plastic carrier bags in the town. None. Plastic bags have been well and truly dumped!
The removal of the plastic bags was the brainchild of Rebecca Hosking, Modbury resident and documentary-maker. Filming a documentary in the Pacific Ocean, Rebecca was horrified at the effects of plastic bags on the wildlife off Hawaii. Among other things, she saw seabirds fatally trapped in plastic bags that don’t biodegrade. When Rebecca returned to her hometown, she discussed this problem with people, including the shopkeepers and everyone supported her suggestion to make the town plastic bag free.
But for Rebecca’s concept, Modbury would still be an unremarkable little place. Now, however, shoppers take re-usable cotton bags shopping with them, or they buy biodegradable corn starch ones on the shops. The shopkeepers now wrap their goods in paper. To prove that the townsfolk are not only committed to reducing plastic waste, they organised a mass beach clean-up last year. Dozens of volunteers came to the beach on the appointed day to clean it up, taking the rubbish that visitors throw away and recycling it. And the greatest part of that rubbish was... no, not plastic bags, but plastic bottles.
Becoming the first town in Europe to ban plastic bags, Modbury is now harvesting the rewards of fame — reporters and camera crews from newspapers and TV channels across the world are coming to this mild town to find out its secret. And, contrary to some of the initial reports, it is a normal town, trying to live life in a slightly different way. As one resident put it. “We’re ordinary people, but we want to make just a little difference.”