1 . A team of scientists has come up with a plan to help rebuild the Arctic (北极) ice cap.

Usually, the sea ice gets thicker and spreads further each winter, but this hasn't happened for the past few years.

Last month, the ice cap had reached its smallest size since scientists began keeping a record of it 38 years ago. The weather in the Arctic has been unusually warm this winter. Some days, temperatures have been 20 degrees Celsius higher than before at this time of year. With less ice, the Arctic would warm up even more quickly, and more ice would melt (融化). Without sea ice, many animals would lose their natural homes.

Dr Steven Desch and a group of scientists from Arizona State University in the United States think they can help to build up Arctic sea ice again. They want to fix wind-powered pumps (抽水机) on the sea ice. During the winter, the pumps would spread water from the ocean over the surface of the ice where it would freeze and form a new layer of ice. The scientists say that in 10 years, this could add a metre of ice to the ice cap.(The                    Arctic ice cap is about two to three metres thick right now.)

The plan would require about 10 million pumps and it would be very expensive—about $655 billion. Some other scientists are wondering if the pumps would actually work in cold Arctic conditions. They are also worried about how the project might affect the environment.

Dr Desch and his team hoped their plan would get more people interested in looking for a solution to the problem of melting sea ice. He said the only plan people have right now is to try to cut greenhouse gas emissions (温室气体排放) from cars and other man-made sources. He and his team don't think that will be enough to save the sea ice, but hope it will get everyone moving in the right direction.

1. What does Paragraph 3 mainly tell us?

A．The changes of Arctic weather.

B．The history of the Arctic ice cap.

C．The influence of the weather on the Arctic.

D．The importance of sea ice to Arctic animals.

2. How will the scientists’ plan help the Arctic?

A．By thickening the Arctic ice.

B．By cutting pollution in the Arctic.

C．By pumping sea water to the land.

D．By making the Arctic attractive to wildlife.

3. What is the attitude of scientists mentioned in Paragraph 5 to the plan?

A．Hopeful.	B．Doubtful.
C．Uncaring.	D．Surprised.

4. What do Dr Desch and his team think of their plan?

A．It will surely work.

B．It needs discussing.

C．It is better than the present method.

D．It will encourage others to take steps.

2 . Many companies today hold meetings to discuss their new plans.As people are paying more attention to the environment problems,more companies are looking for ways to reduce their bad influence on the environment.Many of them achieve this by using web meeting.

    1     It’s an easy way of hosting and attending a meeting.Participants (与会者) don’t have to leave the office.Each of them will receive an invitation with the meeting time and date on it.When the meeting is ready to begin,they must sit before their computers.

With web meeting,all participants can attend the meeting at their own desks.    2     As a result,no fuel (燃料) is used and less time is taken up in attending a web meeting.

Materials for the meeting are e-mailed to all the participants before it begins.    3     For the company,this not only saves the use of paper but also greatly reduces the mailing cost.

As a meeting hall is not used,the only power for a web meeting is the power that is used by the computers.Besides,organisers don’t have to pay for food and accommodation (住宿) for the participants.    4    .

In a word,web meeting is a cheaper,greener,and more friendly way of hosting and attending a meeting.    5     So they can more easily find their working partners who have the same green ideas.In return,they develop good relationship with other companies and improve their business.

A．Web meeting is a technology that allows people to communicate better over the Internet.

B．All these mean that less energy is used.

C．Then participants can just read them on the screen.

D．Companies that hold web meeting are willing to work hard for a better environment.

E．They can be printed (打印) by the receivers.

F．They don’t need to drive a car to travel to and from the meeting.

G．Web meeting is quite popular now.

3 . China has made great improvements in environmental protection during the past 70 years.     1     Each species (物种) on Earth has a role to play in the ecosystem.

In recent decades, a series of wildlife-protection movements have been carried out by the central government.     2     The giant panda and the crested ibis are among these success stories.

The giant panda used to have a population of 1,114 in the 1970s. It now totals 1,864 thanks to 52 protection areas.     3     By the end of last year, seven of the nine pandas released had survived in the wild.     4     In 1981, only seven crested ibises were found in Yang County, Shaanxi Province.Since then, breeding programs have helped the population reach 2,000. China has even sent crested ibises to Japan and South Korea in recent years to help with the species’ survival.

    5     Key projects will be continually carried out to improve protection, including making the lists of wild animals and plants under state protection, and fighting against illegal wildlife trade.

A．As environmental damage has increased, signs of change have appeared around the world.

B．Another species was once thought to be extinct.

C．Scientists have worked to feed pandas and then release them into the wild.

D．People call for immediate protection of the remaining species.

E．The protection of several species in danger of extinction has made impressive progress thanks to the methods.

F．China will continue its efforts of the wildlife protection.

G．Protecting wildlife is, without doubt, an important part.

4 . For many people who live in cities, parks are an important part of the landscape. They provide a place for people to relax and play sports, as well as a shelter from the often severe environment of a city. What people often overlook is that parks also provide considerable environmental benefits.

One benefit of parks is that plants absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen, which humans need to breathe. According to one study, an acre of trees can absorb the same amount of carbon dioxide that a typical car emits in 11,000 miles of driving. Parks also make cities cooler. Scientists have long noted what is called the Urban Heat Island Effect: building materials such as metal and concrete (混凝土) absorb much more of the sun's heat and release (释放) it much more quickly than organic surfaces like trees and grass. Because city landscapes contain so much of these building materials, cities are usually warmer than surrounding rural areas. Parks and other green spaces help to lessen the Urban Heat Island Effect.

Unfortunately, many cities cannot easily create more parks because most land is already being used for buildings, roads, parking lots, and other essential parts of the urban environment. However, cities could benefit from many of the positive effects of parks by encouraging citizens to create another type of green space: rooftop gardens. While most people would not think of starting a garden on their roof, human beings have been planting gardens on rooftops for thousands of years. Some rooftop gardens are simple container gardens that anyone can create with the investment (投资) of a few hundred dollars and a few hours of work.

Rooftop gardens provide many of the same benefits as other urban parks and garden spaces, but without taking up the much­needed land. In the summer, rooftop gardens prevent buildings from absorbing heat from the sun, which can significantly reduce cooling bills. In the winter, gardens help control the heat that materials like brick and concrete release so quickly, leading to savings on heating bills. Rooftop vegetable and herb gardens can also provide fresh food for city settlers, making their diets healthier. Rooftop gardens are not only something everyone can enjoy, they are also a smart environmental investment.

1. The underlined word “emits” in the second paragraph probably means “________”.

A．carries away	B．takes up
C．gives out	D．breathes in

2. Which of the following contributes to the Urban Heat Island Effect?

A．More building materials.

B．More trees and grass.

C．More parking lots.

D．More rooftop gardens.

3. When it comes to rooftop gardens, what can be inferred from the passage?

A．They make people much happier.

B．They provide more benefits than urban parks.

C．They help to save money and keep a healthy diet.

D．They have become very popular in recent years.

4. What's the author's attitude towards rooftop gardens?

A．Sceptical.	B．Supportive.
C．Critical.	D．Objective.

5 . Earth Day falls on 22 April and it began in 1970. It has grown into a global event recognized by over 192 countries. Devoting a special day to helping Earth is a way to demonstrate how much we care about the future of our planet. If you like, there's always a way for you to get involved in Earth Day celebrations. But you don’t have to wait for Earth Day to show your love for the planet we call home.The following are what you can do for our mother Earth.

Learn more about the environment.

Earth Day is a good time to make a commitment to learning more about the environment and how you can help to protect it. Read articles to get up to date on the current issues affecting the environment,like pollution, water shortage and climate change. Or, learn about a region you’ve never thought about before, like the Arctic, the deserts or the rainforests. Not sure where to start? Check out your local news sources for information about environmental issues in your own backyard.

Join an environmental group.

Think about the issues that concern you the most and if you haven't done so already, join a local group that undertakes activities to help protect the environment in your area. Earth Day is a great day to start getting involved In almost any community, you'll find local groups that do the following.

Host clean-ups of local rivers, lakes or seashores.

Plant trees and grow flowers or vegetables in community gardens.

Protect wildlife habitats under threat.

Spread the word

Everyone who has environmental knowledge can share with others. It's a good way to talk about the environment with people who may not think about it that much. Talk to your parents, friends,teachers, siblings, and anyone else you'd like to know about the issues you care about most.

1. The underlined word"demonstrate"in paragraph 1 can be replaced by “______”.

A．display

B．make sure

C．lead to

D．throw light on

2. According to the passage, we can get involved in the following activities EXCEPT______.

A．checking out local news

B．planting trees in community gardens

C．sharing environmental knowledge with others

D．using public transport like buses

3. The author writes this passage mainly to_______.

A．tell us what we can do to protect Earth

B．inform us of the information about Earth Day

C．tell us the background of Earth Day

D．tell us the significance of Earth Day

6 . 阅读短文内容，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Earlier 2019,the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development published    1    most comprehensive analysis up to now of how climate change will affect the glaciers of the world,    2    (warn) that about 18,00 glaciers(冰川) will disappear by 2100.

This is a bad    3    (predict) for some 1.9 billion South Asians,    4     use water from the glaciers not only for drinking but also for agriculture, hydroelectric power,and tourism. But the survey also looked at an immediate question: As the glaciers     5    (rapid) melt, where will all the water—more than a quadrillion gallons of it, almost the amount    6    (contain) in Lake Huron—go?

The answer is that the Himalaya, for example, long defined by    7    (it) glaciers,is becoming a mountain range defined by lake. In fact, another study found that from 1990 to 2010, more than 900 new glaciers-fed lakes     8    (form) across Asia's high mountain ranges.Because of those remote locations scientists must rely    9    satellites to count them ,and new lakes appear to be growing so quickly that it's difficult for scientific teams to agree on the precise number. I's all happening much    10    ( fast) than we expected it to even five or ten years ago.

7 . "When I was 16 years old, I was diving in Greece, but I was disappointed because I saw more plastic bags than fish.” These are the words of Boyan Slat, an engineer who designed the world's first ocean plastic cleanup system.

Every year, more than 8 million tons of plastics end up in our oceans, according to the UN Environment Programme. It is predicted that the weight of ocean plastics will match the weight of all the fish in our oceans by 2050. To prevent this from happening, in 2013 Slat created the Ocean Cleanup, an environmental non¬governmental organization, and put his plan for an ocean cleanup device into action.

After years of research and develop¬ment in the Netherlands, a device called System 001/B successfully started gathering plastics on October 2, 2019. The device uses a 600-meter-long C-shaped tube to gather all the floating rubbish. Unlike other cleanup methods, the system floats freely according to the direction of the waves, which allows waste to flow into and stay within the device. A sea anchor is attached to either end. This slows down the system as it floats through the water and allows the faster-moving rubbish, carried by the waves, to flow into its mouth. System 001/B can also collect waste below the surface using a 3-meter-deep skirt（挡板）attached to the end. After being gathered, the trash will be dragged back to shore by boat and recycled.

Right now, the system operates in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, an area that is 3 times the size of France. Once operational, the Ocean Cleanup expects a full fleet to be able to clear 50% of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in 5 years.

"It remains to be seen whether this dream will become a reality, but it is undeniable that humanity must work together to reduce our plastic use and repair the damage our waste has caused," Slat said. "We are starting to see a young generation that gets it and is excited about a sustainable （可持续的）future, but the question still comes down to: Are we going fast enough, and how much damage will have been done before we get there?"

1. The underlined word “match” in Paragraph 2 probably means “_________”.

A．compare	B．equal
C．measure	D．cover

2. Why did Boyan Slat create the Ocean Cleanup?

A．To collect ocean plastic waste.

B．To help to invent System 001/B.

C．To protect the living environment of fish.

D．To do research on the ocean environment.

3. What can we know about System 001/B?

A．It can collect and recycle garbage at the same time.

B．It can only gather ocean waste which floats on the water.

C．It aims to clear up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in five years.

D．It is an ocean-cleaning device which has already been put to use.

4. What does Slat want to tell us according to the last paragraph?

A．Young generations care less about the environment.

B．The future ecology of the oceans is deeply worrying.

C．People should work hard to decrease plastic pollution.

D．It's quite difficult to repair the damage to the environment.

8 . More than one million single-use straws (吸管), most of them plastic, are used in the United States each day. They end up in waterways, harm sea animals, and break down into micro-plastics. Quantities of places have passed plastic-straw bans as a way to start handling the global plastic waste problem.

Straw materials: advantages and disadvantages

1. Metal

Made of stainless steel, aluminum, or even titanium, metal straws have become popular. They draw some criticism for having a metallic taste and conducting heat from a hot drink, but they’re strong and can be reused.

2. Paper

Paper drinking straws, which date from the late 1800s, often absorb liquid over time and can leave a taste or fibers in drinks. They’re the most popular throwaway choice in places with plastic-straw bans.

3. Glass

Though glass straws may be more breakable and thus less portable than reusable straws of other materials, they hold up well to washing and reuse. Some straws are made to look artistic, with colors and blown-glass designs.

4. Bamboo

This natural material can be sustainably produced and is a plant-based replacement of plastic straws. Bamboo straws are easily disposed of and turned into fertilizer. They are reusable but can be hard to clean completely and may absorb flavors.

1. What is the major problem with plastic straws?

A．Function.	B．Flavor.
C．Weight.	D．Pollution.

2. Which of the following belongs to single-use straws?

A．Metal straw.	B．Paper straw.
C．Glass straw.	D．Bamboo straw.

3. What is the advantage of the bamboo straw?

A．It can become fertilizer.	B．It is easy to clean.
C．It is portable and bendable.	D．It has different designs.

9 . Greening the Kubuqi Desert

China has seen great achievements in improving the environment and green development over the past 70 years. Solid efforts have been made to fight pollution and continuously improve the environment.

    1     It caused deadly sandstorms, which arrived like big black walls reaching up into the sky.

As President Xi Jinping has said, clear waters and green mountains are invaluable assets（资产）.     2    

A series of campaigns have been carried out by the central government to improve the environment.     3     Thanks to the program, forest coverage in China had increased from 12 percent in the 1980s to nearly 23 percent last year.

    4     It has been recognized by the UN for the development of a desert eco-industry that has slowed desertification（沙漠化）.

In Kubuqi, a desert in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Elion has greened 600,000 hectares of land and helped lift more than 102,000 people out of poverty through the development of solar energy and tourism, as well as planting herbs for traditional Chinese medicine.

In addition, the group’s techniques have also been used in many ecological（生态的）programs, including Yangtze River Ecological Park and Qilian Mountain National Park.

“    5     With the help of modern technologies, such as drones, AI, big data and the internet of things, we are sure to achieve greater success,” said Ao Baoping, chief executive officer of Elion Green Land Technology.

A．Once the environment gets better, we will live a happier life.

B．For example, in 1998, China started the Natural Forest Protection Program.

C．Desertification was a serious problem in the 1990s.

D．Another example of the campaign is the Elion Resources Group.

E．Pollution is getting worse and worse nowadays.

F．Efforts to create “green” areas have played a crucial role in the country’s fight against desertification.

G．We will come up with new ways to improve our ability to control the sand.

10 . How to Be Eco-friendly

If you’d love to be more eco-friendly but don’t know where to begin, start with a few small changes.    1    

Lowering Your Energy.

Turn off lights and unplug power strips (电源插板) that you’re not using.     2     Since some devices can still use energy even when they’re turned off, turn off these power strips at night to completely cut off energy use. If you need to leave your computer, or TV on, try setting it to sleep mode instead of simply leaving it on.

Using public transportation.

    3     Keeping cars off the road in rush hours can also improve the air quality. If you do need to drive somewhere, ask friends if they’d like to carpool (拼车) , so fewer cars are on the road.

    4    

Say no to unnecessary plastic straws, lids, and bags and stop using plastic wrap and plastic containers for food storage. Instead, you can use reusable water bottles made of sustainable material like glass, bamboo, and ceramic.

Considering growing a plant.

They add more oxygen to the air, which means a less polluted air. If you don’t have a green thumb, choose some plants that are rather easy to look after.     5     If possible, grow more than one plant.

A．Reduce your gas consumption and carbon emissions by walking, biking, or taking the bus.

B．Here are some suggestions for you to live an eco-friendly life.

C．Use less energy during the hot summer months and cold winter season.

D．This is an easy way to reduce energy use.

E．Using items more than once.

F．Cutting Back on Plastics and Waste.

G．“Lucky Bamboo” is especially good for that, since it demands nearly no attention.