2 . The sportswear giant Nike has announced the construction of an eco-friendly basketball court which uses recycled sport shoes as the raw materials at the national finals of the 2022-23 China High School Basketball League (CHBL) on May 14. The court is set to be completed by the end of July this year in Guangzhou.

Cooperating with the China School Sports Federation, Nike launched the environmental protection charity project for the CHBL 2022-23 Season. The project encourages the involvement of CHBL players coaches, basketball enthusiasts and consumers in the collection and recycling of old sport shoes. Through advanced technology, thrown-away sport shoes will be processed and used in the construction of the first ever CHBL-themed eco-friendly basketball court.

Over the past two months, the old sport shoes collection bins have traveled alongside the CHBL tour making stops at the four major regional tournaments held in the east, west, south and north of China. The bins have gone into schools, including Tsinghua High School in Beijing and Huipu Middle School in Taizhou Zhejiang province, spreading the spirits of CHBL and inspiring its players to become role models not only on the basketball court, but also in their everyday lives.

Famous female basketball player Han Xu has actively contributed to the collection of used shoes and expressed her support for the project through her personal social media channels. Zhang Lei, secretary general of the CSSF, says that CHBL not only assists young players and teenagers in improving their basketball skills but also promotes the development of basketball culture within campuses.

In addition to expanding the league’s size and influence, we have also added environmental education into the program. Environmental education plays an important role in shaping society’s core values. It guides young individuals toward understanding the importance of environmental issues, forming a proper attitude on the relationship between humans and nature, and raising their environmental awareness and practices. It serves as an endless source of developing environmental consciousness throughout society.

The construction of the eco-friendly basketball court marks a significant step in Nike’s commitment to supporting young basketball fans while putting environmental sustainability (持续性) at the first place.

1. Which is true about the basketball court mentioned?

A．It is built out of recycled sport shoes.

B．It is built by Nike without any help.

C．It has already been put into use.

D．It does harm to the environment.

2. What is Han Xu and Zhang Lei’s attitude toward the basketball court?

A．Doubtful.

B．Negative.

C．Indifferent.

D．Supportive.

3. What can we infer from the passage?

A．Nike builds such a basketball court for making more money.

B．CHBL attaches great importance to environment protection.

C．Only basketball players benefit from the construction of the court.

D．Environmental education has no connection with society’s core values.

4. What is probably the best title?

A．Ways to Recycle Thrown-away Sport Shoes Effectively

B．The Importance of Jointly Protecting the Environment

C．Eco-friendly Basketball Court to be Completed in Guangzhou

D．The Benefits of Living in Harmony with Nature for Humans

3 . Make Our Wardrobe Special

It may be the beginning of a new year, but by January it certainly feels like it should be the end of winter. Unfortunately, we still have a couple of cold grey months to get through. One bright spot in January, however, are the post holiday sales. I treat these sales as a chance to find something warm, comfortable and stylish to get me through the next few months, and future winters.

Here’s what I purchased last year: a cozy, vintage-looking, faux-fur coat. It met all of my criteria for a good purchase. It’s well made and will last me for many years. It’s a timeless style that won’t date. It works with everything else in my wardrobe. I can dress it to be either very smart or very casual. It’s practical and warm as well as stylish. And last but not least, it makes me feel great when I wear it.

I view the January sales as a great chance to pick up things you genuinely need while retailers offer hefty discounts to clear their shelves before spring. To make sure you’re not buying something impulsively that you might later regret, ask yourself a few questions: Will you wear it at least 30 times in a year? Is the price worth it or should this same money be better spent on something you’d wear more frequently?

If you don’t trust yourself to stick to a budget, leave the credit cards behind and take cash only when you shop in a store. The most important step before you walk into a shop is to look at your wardrobe and assess where there are gaps. Is a pair of boots completely worn out? Do you need a more modern style of jeans? Is a jumper beyond mending and repair? Try to replace those items rather than buying another blouse simply because it is heavily reduced in price. It has never made sense to me to spend a lot of money on something such as a dress to attend a wedding, rather than putting that money towards a great camel coat that would get far more wear. Make your everyday wardrobe special.

I haven’t always been as thoughtful and conscious about my purchases as I currently am. However, when I consider that the fashion industry is the second most polluting on the planet after oil and gas, I feel compelled to make much more principled purchases now. So this is my New Year’s resolution for myself and also my challenge to you: buy only what you need, buy only what you truly love, and consider every purchase carefully, just as our parents and grandparents did before cheap, disposable fashion took over retail. Let’s make our wardrobes special in 2022.

1. According to the author, which of the following things will she buy?

A．A pair of fashionable high-heel shoes that is perfect for dresses.

B．A vintage-looking hat with timeless style made of beaver fur.

C．A classical scarf on discount that goes well with every dressing style.

D．A trendy and well made coat that needs washing by hand in warm water.

2. The underlined word “hefty” in Paragraph 3 is close in meaning to “_________”.

A．special

B．generous

C．extra

D．seasonal

3. What can be inferred from Paragraph 3 and Paragraph 4?

A．January is the best time to buy real bargains.

B．Never make impulsive purchases.

C．It makes sense to buy things on special offer.

D．One can enjoy more discounts by paying in cash.

4. According to the psasage, what is implied in the title “Make Our Wardrobe Special”?

A．Be more sustainable when purchasing clothing.

B．Learn how to make match of the clothes in wardrobe.

C．Stock up on your favourite clothes if they are on sale.

D．Clean out your wardrobe to make room for the new fashions.

4 . Directions: Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main point(s)of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.

The greatest threat faced by this generation is climate change. Because without a habitable earth to live on, what do we have left? But what can we do to tackle the problem? Wait for politicians to act and hope that they’ll make the right decisions before it’s too late? Waiting certainly hasn’t proved to be an effective solution, with words so far being followed with little—if any—effective action. So it’s more important than ever to take matters into our own hands.

Still haven’t switched to a green energy provider? Then now’s the time! Throughout the world, the use of energy represents by far the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activity. Around two thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions are linked to burning fossil fuels for energy to be used for heating, electricity, transport and industry. And in Europe too, energy production and use, including the energy used in transport, accounts for some 80 percent of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Switching to renewables has a multiple positive impacts: by converting to green electricity you support the phase-out of coal, do your bit to accelerate the move to renewable sources and directly reduce CO₂ emissions.

There is of course, no other means of transport that gets us from A to B as fast as the plane. But at the same time there is hardly any other activity in which a single person can emit such large quantities of CO₂in such a short time. Not that that fact is at all reflected in the prices of aeroplane tickets! And so, the simple solution is simply to avoid air travel as much as possible. And by doing so, avoid that icky feeling you get when you do take unnecessary flights because you know how bad it is for the environment.

When it comes to protecting the climate, the humble pedal-powered bicycle is still way ahead. In most cities, on a bike you can travel faster than by car, bus or train. And what’s better still, you can do some sports and discover nature.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 . How You Can Make a Difference

“We don’t own the planet Earth; we belong to it. And we must share it with our wildlife.”

—Steve Irwin

So, what’s the first step to conserving our planet? You’re already doing it!

The task of saving wildlife seems daunting, but by aligning our consumption habits with our values, we can work towards Steve’s goal, to “save one, save the species”.

There are a few simple things we can all do, to ensure our ecosystems remain healthy for generations to come.

Recycle and reuse

We’ve all seen the waste that makes up landfill each year, but by making simple, conscious environmental choices, we can save the environment and money… and who doesn’t love that?!

·Do you have a reusable cup for your daily coffee? Ensure each cup you drink is produced sustainably

·Switch to reusable containers, produce bags or beeswax wraps instead of one-use plastics

·Save paper by going digital with your bills

·Make the switch to recycled or sustainably grown wood and paper products

·Get a reusable metal straw

Protect wildlife

Wildlife plays an important role in our ecosystems and it’s imperative we protect them. Without native wildlife, our ecosystems don’t function as they should, which has a detrimental and lasting impact on planet Earth.

·Take your rubbish with you, and even better, pick up any litter you see that’s left behind!

·Take all the tackle and the fishing line with you when you’re done, and dispose of it properly

·Add native plants to your backyard to create homes and food sources for wildlife

·Build a wildlife nest box or hang a bird feeder in your backyard!

·When in national parks, report any rare wildlife sightings to park rangers

·Help stop illegal wildlife trade by not purchasing products derived from wildlife. Alert the authorities to anyone trying to sell illegal wildlife or wildlife products

If you do see native wildlife that needs help, make a call to your local rescue group for guidance.

24-hour wildlife emergency hotlines

Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Australia Zoo Rescue Unit operates between the hours of 8:00 a. m.-5:00 p. m., 7 days.

For any native wildlife emergency during these hours, call 1300 369 652.

Outside of these hours, please call:

Queensland-wide:1300 ANIMAL(1300 264625)

1. Who could Steve most probably be?

A．A local rescue member.	B．A police officer.
C．A volunteer.	D．A person who works for Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital.

2. We can do all the following things to ensure our ecosystems remain healthy for generations to come EXCEPT____________.

A．paying by credit card	B．buying legal wildlife products
C．choosing recycled paper products	D．disposing of the fishing line properly

3. The purpose of the passage is to____________.

A．illustrate how to reduce carbon footprint

B．recruit volunteers to donate their entire lives to conservation like Steve

C．save wildlife

D．call for individuals’ wildlife conservation efforts

6 . Direction: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. recorded            B. roughly            C. especially            D. narrow            E. advocate F. transformation       G. challenge       H. emitting               I. changing          J. address          K. strive

“Climate change is moving faster than we are,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said back in 2018 in his     1     to the UN General Assembly — a statement that in hindsight now rings     2     true.

The essential goal of the Paris agreement of 2015 has been to limit the rise in average global temperatures to no more than 2℃ above pre-industrial levels — a time period centered     3     on the mid-19th century. The aspirational or wished — for objective of the agreement is to     4     for a rise in temperatures that doesn’t exceed 1.5℃.

But with carbon dioxide levels in the global atmosphere topping 420 parts per million — the highest level in     5     history — the 1.5℃ target appears to many experts to be out of reach. A United Nations report in 2018 concluded as much, saying back then that average global temperatures will likely reach 1.5℃ above pre-industrial levels sometime between 2030 and 2052 if emissions continue rising as they have been.

With a 1.5℃ rise, about 4% of Earth’s terrestrial land area is projected to undergo a     6     of ecosystems from one type to another. With a 2℃ global temperature rise, about 13% is projected to undergo a shift. Across the American West, ecosystems stressed by diminished snow-melt, drought, insect infestations, and wildfire are     7     forests from the Rockies to the Sierra Nevada. Ten percent of iconic Giant Sequoia trees died in wildfires in the Sierra Nevada in 2020.

According to the UN’s 1.5℃ report, the world’s countries     8     the largest amounts of carbon dioxide have to turn things around soon: to limit warming to 1.5℃, global net greenhouse gas emissions from human activity must decline by about 45% from 2010 levels by 2030, and reach net zero by 2050. To limit warming to 2℃, emissions must decline by about 25% by 2030 and reach net zero by about 2070.

Despite the great     9     ahead, IEA chief Fatih Birol remarked recently that clean energy investments can still “shift the world on to a pathway to net-zero emissions by 2050”.

The path “is     10     but still achievable”, he said, “if we act now.”

7 . Climate change is an enormous global problem—and thinking about how you alone can help tackle it can feel overwhelming, to say the least. It’s completely normal to question whether one person can make a difference in the fight against climate change, but don’t discount your voice just yet. According to climate and environmental science experts, personal conservation and advocacy efforts play a key role in protecting the planet and influencing others to get on board.

As the Natural Resources Defense Council(NRDC)noted in February 2019, corporations are largely culpable for climate change, with a CDP(formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project)report finding that 100 energy companies are responsible for 71% of the globe’s greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, governments that fail to regulate these corporations’ actions—and the broader use of resources—also bear significant responsibility for the climate change crisis, Amnesty International noted.

While you can’t exclusively blame climate change on any one handful of individuals, your own actions still affect the planet. And personal initiatives to fight climate change, when multiplied, carry the potential to have a significant ripple effect.

Katharine Davis Reich, M. A., an associate director of the UCLA Center for Climate Science, emphasizes this point when discussing how at-home efforts, like recycling and water conservation, can make a difference in countering global warming. “Collective action to reduce carbon emissions is absolutely necessary,” Reich tells Bustle. “But collective action can’t possibly happen if individuals throw up their hands and decide not to pitch in.”

Dr Gabrielle Wong-Parodi, PhD., a behavioral scientist at the Stanford School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences, agrees that personal actions can quickly multiply. Individual action on climate change “makes a difference because we are social beings. So, when we see one another start to take climate change or environmental issues seriously, it becomes real,” she says.

While personal conservation efforts are important, experts stress that pushing for larger climate change solutions is just as crucial. “The structural changes needed to decrease reliance on fossil fuels need large policy changes,” Dr Amir Jina, PhD., an assistant professor at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy, tells Bustle. “Using your voice to call for changes, through voting, protest, writing, art, or any other kind of activism, is the best way to motivate creative policies that will bring about solutions.” Jina adds that it’s important to remain consistently committed to activism because “it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon, and changes won’t happen overnight.”

If you find yourself wondering whether your own actions really matter when it comes to climate change, the answer is “absolutely,” Dr Notaro says.

1. Which word has the similar meaning to the underlined word “culpable” in Paragraph 2?

A．Blamable.

B．Reliable.

C．Suitable.

D．Anxious.

2. According to Paragraph 4, which is irrelevant to fighting against global warming?

A．Recycling.	B．At-home efforts.
C．Collective action.	D．Advocacy efforts.

3. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A．NRDC stresses the importance of political activism when discussing how individuals can help curb climate change.

B．Reich demonstrates how powerful individual advocacy can be.

C．Dr Amir Jina holds large policy changes are needed to protect the environment.

D．Dr Amir Jina thinks global warming can be improved in a day.

4. Which can be the best title for the passage?

A．A Shift in Climate Change

B．Your Actions Make a Difference in the Fight Against Climate Change

C．Structural Changes Needed to Protect the Globe

D．Ways to Reduce Your Own Environmental Footprint

8 . The Power of Small: How Smaller Organizations Can Make a Difference in the Environment

Corporate social responsibility initiatives are in the consciousness of most large, medium-sized or small organizations.

    1     As part of their corporate social responsibility initiatives, companies often take part in adopt-a-tree activities, wherein employees either actively participate in the tree planting campaigns, or trees are adopted and taken care of on behalf of employees, or even as corporate gifts.

In addition to other environmental initiatives, businesses can also foster environmentally sustainable work practices to contribute to the environment actively and consciously. This is something that businesses of any size, small or big, can adopt.     2     In order to do this, businesses can work towards streamlining their manufacturing processes. Production efforts in particular could be reworked in a way that uses fewer materials, or they are extracted and used in a way that significantly reduces the impact of those existing processes on the environment.

While smaller organizations face different challenges both from business, as well as operations point of view, efforts for ecological conservation or preserving environmental health don’t have to be restricted to larger firms only.

Helping the environment does not have to be expensive, even if it is done on a corporate scale! While larger organizations do their bit for environment conservation, small businesses need not be far behind. Each one can promote healthy environmental practices and suggest improvements in the workplace while fostering an attitude that understands climate change, its impacts, and actively works towards eradicating them.     3    

Programmes that help the environment, which small businesses could partake in, could range from even something as small to understanding basic waste and garbage, to actively participating in cleaning drives.     4    

A．EcoMatcher is one such organization that encourages companies to promote corporate tree planting and promote tree gifting as rewards.

B．Regardless of the service or product offered by an organization, they can adopt sustainable development goals and targets.

C．Adopt-a-tree programmes are growing in popularity as the world becomes increasingly cognizant of the ill effects of rapidly increasing climate change.

D．Businesses can make a positive environmental impact in many ways.

E．No gesture is too small to help the environment; it is by the combination of many such small gestures that a significant impact is made.

F．This practice not only creates a positive environment but makes it easier for employees engaged in the job of waste segregation to feel involved.

9 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. effective          B. matter                 C. sustains          D. rest                  E. ecosystems             F. destroying G. miles               H. optimistically        I. crucial             J. significantly       K. generates

Our planet is our home, the place that    1    us; but are we living in harmony with nature? It seems like we humans have embraced a path of self-destruction,     2    the very home that shelters us. From rising carbon emissions, to deforestation and land degradation, anthropogenic activities are having detrimental effects on our    3    and environmental biodiversity. Not many are aware that the United Nations General Assembly had declared the period of 2011-2020, as the “Decade for Biodiversity”. We have just gone through the final period of this    4    decade, and despite several strategic plans and initiatives to mobilize people at different levels, we are    5    behind in achieving the stipulated targets. The negative trends in biodiversity and ecosystems conservation, indicate that we need to do a lot more.

As teenagers, sometimes we feel helpless and powerless, unable to take action, or do things that really    6    to us, since governments and large corporations are the ones taking vital decisions. While major changes are only possible if countries and corporations alter their policies and actions, we as individuals also have the potential to make a difference, whether through small actions, or larger initiatives. Let’s not forget that consumers dictate markets, and they can    7    impact the way goods are produced and traded if they decide to change their consumption habits.

Recycling is a simple, yet    8    way of conserving resources and reducing your individual carbon footprint. Rather than throwing everything in the trash, separate your plastic, paper, and metal waste, and deposit it in a recycling bin. Recycling helps reduce landfill pollution, raw materials and fossil fuel consumption, and    9    a circular economy.

Lastly, think about your purchasing habits. As natural resources are limited, our excessive consumption can be counter-productive, and undermine our planet’s biodiversity.

The hopes of the world    10    on young people.

10 . After a relaxing July day at the Jersey Shore in 2021, Jessica Reeder and her two children headed home to Philadelphia. As they reached Pennsylvania, they were greeted with a yellow-gray sky. It reminded Reeder of what she often saw in Southern California in her childhood when wildfires were burning.

In North America, most large wildfires occur in the western states and Canada. But smoke generated in the West doesn’t stay there. It tends to travel east. Within days, it can dirty the air in the Midwest and even East Coast towns. Today, most asthma (哮喘)-related US deaths and emergency-room visits from wildfire smoke occur in eastern cities.

The big problem comes from tiny aerosols (气溶胶) ― bits of ash, and other droplets in the air. Scientists refer to this mix as particulate matter, or PM.

The smaller the PM is, the longer it can stay in the air. And the longer it floats, the farther it can travel. The especially worrisome sizes are known as PM2.5. These bits are no more than 2.5 micrometers wide. That’s about one-thirtieth the width of a human hair. These aerosols are so small that they can be breathed deeply into the lungs. PM2.5 has been linked with breathing-related injury and heart disease.

Over the last few decades, US clean-air laws have set limits on emissions (排放) of PM from industrial sources. That has helped clean the air in many cities. But these rules don’t cover PM from wildfire smoke. Recent studies have shown that aerosols from wildfires may be more poisonous than industrial sources of these pollutants.

So far, much of the science on how wildfire PM2.5 can sicken people has focused on people exposed to smoke near fires in the US West. Now, researchers are turning their attention to how this smoke may be affecting people as far away as the East Coast. With climate change increasing the intensity and frequency of wildfires, people across North America need to be more concerned about the health impacts of this smoke.

1. Why does the author tell Jessica Reeder’s story?

A．To lead in the topic.	B．To praise her performance.
C．To remember a friend.	D．To introduce a nice scene.

2. What is the fourth paragraph mainly about?

A．The classification of PM.	B．The treatment for asthma.
C．The harm of tiny aerosols.	D．The characteristics of PM.

3. What did America do to clean the air in the past?

A．It cut down on PM from wildlife smoke.

B．It reduced industrial emissions by law.

C．It encouraged people to work from home.

D．It stopped wildfire smoke travelling east.

4. Which is the most suitable title for the text?

A．Wildfire Smoke Poses Health Risks in North America

B．Wildfires Are Burning Out of Control in the US

C．Why Do Large Wildfires Occur in the Eastern US?

D．How Do Wildfires Affect the Western US Cities?