1 . Edward Wilson is America’s, if not the world’s, leading naturalist. In The Future of Life, he takes us on a tour of the world’s natural resources. How are they used? What has been lost? What remains and is it able to continue with the present speed of use? Wilson also points out the need to understand fully the biodiversity (生物多样性) of our earth.
Wilson begins with an open letter to the pioneer in environment protection, Henry David Thoreau. He compares today’s Walden Pond with that of Thoreau’s day. Wilson will use such comparisons for the rest of the book. The problem is clear: man has done great damage to his home over the years. Can the earth, with human help, be made to return to biodiversity levels that will be able to support us in the future?
Biodiversity, Wilson argues, is the key to settling many problems the earth faces today. Even our agricultural crops can gain advantages from it. A mere hundred species (物种) are the basis of our food supply, of which but twenty carry the load. Wilson suggests changing this situation by looking into ten thousand species that could be made use of, which will be a way to reduce the clearing of the natural homes of plants and animals to enlarge farming areas.
At the end of the book, Wilson discusses the importance of human values in considering the environment. If you are to continue to live on the earth, you may as well read and act on the ideas in this book.
1. We learn from the text that Wilson cares most about .| A．the environment for plants |
| B．the biodiversity of our earth |
| C．the waste of natural resources |
| D．the importance of human values |
| A．Twenty | B．Eighty | C．One hundred | D．Ten thousand |
| A．learn how to farm scientifically |
| B．builds homes for some dying species |
| C．makes it clear what to eat |
| D．use more species for food |
| A．description of natural resources |
| B．a research report |
| C．a book review |
| D．an introduction to a scientist |
2 . Have you ever heard of e-waste(electric waste,电子垃圾), which can be produced every day? How do you deal with your computers, MP4 players and mobile phones when they’re broken or you want a new one?
Most people just throw them away. With the development of electric industry, e-waste pollution has become a serious problem. According to the United Nations, in 2014, people around the world produced 41.8 million tons of e-waste and only recycled 6.5 million tons. The US was the biggest waster, producing 7.1 million tons. China came second, with 6 million tons.
It’s important to pay attention to e-waste. It can either be valuable or harmful, depending on how we deal with it. E-waste is a valuable urban mine（城市矿藏）. The value of the metals, like gold and silver in the waste around the world, is amazing. And the metals can be reused. But if people throw them away, the toxic chemicals can get into the earth or air, affecting the environment and people’s health.
Apple, for example, now recycle people’s used products in China when they are buying new ones. The company will test and repair the used ones and sell them at lower prices. To help reduce e-waste, we can also take computers and phones to see if companies offer recycling programs.
1. Which country produced most e-waste according to the United Nations?| A．America. | B．China. |
| C．Japan. | D．Australia |
| A．protect | B．influence |
| C．improve | D．pollute |
| A．prove that e-waste is useless. |
| B．encourage people to buy more electronic products. |
| C．advise people to deal with e-waste properly to reduce pollution. |
| D．Tell us science and technology is developing rapidly. |
3 . Soon enough, we will lose some of the most amazing sites on Earth!
The Great Barrier Reef
Rising air temperatures will cause sea temperatures to rise as well.All life supported by the oceans will be affected with this shock to their ecosystem.Coral are some of the most vulnerable marine animals and we are already watching whole reefs disappear.The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is no exception and will continue to shrink as the temperatures rise！These reefs are some of the best in the world for diving, but they will soon disappear!
Venice
Sprawling across(横跨)hundreds of small islands in Northeast Italy，Venice is at extreme risk of sinking into the Adriatic Sea.Rising sea levels are in fact a serious threat to many coastal cities located at sea level.Lucky for us，however，Venice is developing a series of sea walls to protect the city in times of high tide.
Glacier(冰川)National Park
Glacier National Park was once covered by over 150 glaciers, but by 2005 it only had about 27！Located in Montana, Canada, this park is over a million acres and has a huge plant and wildlife population.As temperatures rise, the glaciers and ice melt, which will upset the ecosystems sustaining over a thousand plant species and hundreds of animals.
The Amazon
The cause behind the disappearance of these fantastic places ultimately comes down to humans.Our expansion usually requires cutting down forests for land, fuel and materials，but rarely considers the consequences.These forests are sources of food and medicine for just about everyone on the planet!
What will happen if we lose these valuable places and beautiful destinations？！
1. According to the text，what is causing coral's death?| A．Rising sea levels. | B．Rising sea temperatures. |
| C．Humans' diving activities. | D．The shrinkage(缩小)of their habitats. |
| A．Many places are in the risk of sinking below the sea level. |
| B．Venice is the only coastal city of Italy. |
| C．Venice will never sink because of the protection of sea walls. |
| D．Italy consists of hundreds of small islands in the Adriatic Sea. |
| A．It doesn't support any living thing for its cold. | B．It iscovered by over 150 glaciers. |
| C．Plant species and animals in it have died out. | D．It covers a large area in Montana. |
| A．The Great Barrier Reef. | B．Venice. |
| C．The Amazon. | D．Glacier National Park. |
Storms and huge waves are a constant threat and none of Tuvalu's nine little islands is more than five metres above sea level. Salt water is already entering the country's drinking water supply, as well as damaging plants that produce fruit and vegetable. Without urgent help, the country's days are numbered.
But Tuvalu is not the first place to face sinking into the sea. Venice, a historic city in Italy best known for its canals, has sunk about 24 cm over the past 100 years. Experts say that it will have sunk another 24 cm by 2050. A century ago, St. Mark's Square, the lowest point in the city, flooded about nine times a year. Nowadays, it happens more than 100 times. While Venice is slowly sinking into the mud on which it stands, Tuvalu's rising sea level is caused by global warming.
The average global temperature has increased by almost 0. 5 centigrade degrees over the past century, scientists expect it to rise by extra 1.3 degrees over the next 100 years.
Warmer weather makes glaciers(冰川) melt, adding more water to the ocean. The warmer temperatures also make water expand, so it takes up more space, causing the sea level to rise. The sea level has risen 10.25 cm in the last 100 years.
The main cause of global warming is human pollution. Through burning coal, oil and gas, people have been increasing the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as CO2. This adds to the power of the greenhouse effect, making the planet even warmer.
Many scientists believe that, if the warming is not stopped, there will be huge climate changes. The sea level could rise by one meter this century.
Should this come true, the sea will swallow up millions of homes and the world will be flooded with "climate refugees" looking for somewhere to live.
1. We can infer from the second paragraph that .
| A．Tuvalu is in danger of being swallowed up by the sea |
| B．all Tuvalu's islands are about five metres above the sea level |
| C．drinking water in Tuvalu has been destroyed |
| D．Tuvalu is often flooded by storms and waves |
| A．they are the first places sinking into the sea |
| B．they are both sinking into the mud where they stand |
| C．they will disappear in the future |
| D．their trouble is caused by global warming |
| A．People who are forced away from their homeland by climate. |
| B．Climate changes. |
| C．Rare animals. |
| D．Climate effect. |
| A．Tuvalu's nine little islands are less than five meters above the sea level. |
| B．The average global temperature has risen by 13 centigrade degrees over the past 100 years. |
| C．The warmer temperature causes the sea level to rise. |
| D．There will be huge climate changes unless the warming is stopped. |
5 . 
Climate change may make parts of the Middle East too hot for human beings, according to a new study.
Researchers have been studying weather conditions in the Middle East since 1970. They say “very hot” days in the area have doubled over that period. They say temperatures in summer in the Middle East and North Africa will continue rising. They believe by 2050, temperatures will not fall below 30 degrees Celsius at night in the hottest part of summer, and day-time temperatures could rise to 46 degrees Celsius. Temperatures at noon could reach as high as 50 Celsius. Heat waves are likely to last longer.
“If mankind continues to release carbon dioxide as it does now, people living in the Middle East and North Africa will have to expect about 200 unusually hot days,” says Panos Hadjinicolaou, a climate change expert with the Cyprus Institute.
The researchers also looked at the amount of “fine particulate (颗粒) air pollution” in the Middle East. They found that the amount of dust in the atmosphere over Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Syria jumped 70 percent since the start of the century. This, they say, could have resulted from an increase in the number of sand storms caused by climate change.
The researchers created two models. In one model, rising temperatures are limited because of reductions in greenhouse gases. The other model is said to be a “business as usual” model where nothing is done to stop climate change. Under both models, the future of the Middle East is not good, the researchers say. They added that climate change can result in a slow worsening of living conditions for people in North Africa and the Middle East and in time many people may have to leave the regions.
1. The underlined word “fine” in the 4th paragraph probably has the same meaning as ________.| A．bright | B．terrible | C．very thin | D．high-quality |
| A．climate change →sand storms→dust in the atmosphere |
| B．sand storms →climate change→dust in the atmosphere |
| C．climate change →dust in the atmosphere→sand storms |
| D．sand storms →dust in the atmosphere→climate change |
| A．indifferent | B．casual | C．skeptical | D．concerned |
| A．In a History Paper. | B．In a News Report. |
| C．In a Literature Magazine. | D．In a Travel Brochure. |
Every year, approximately 1.6 million tons of soil flows into Yellow River, China’s second
In fact, it is you
7 . Most Beautiful of All
| A．They smelled wonderful and crunched (发出碎裂声) under our feet as we walked along. |
| B．Then, she approached and asked us whether we had any trash. |
| C．I decided to take my sons for a walk the other day. |
| D．As is often the case, we are too busy to find the beauty of nature. |
| E．As we turned a corner along the walking trail, I noticed a woman slowly making her way towards us. |
| F．Of all the things I saw that day, she was the most beautiful. |
| G．Then, quickly and neatly, she placed it in the trash bag. |
8 . Organic (有机的) farming is a type of agriculture that benefits from the recycling and use of natural products. Use of dried plants not only saves money, but also ensures the growth of crops. The technique is characterized (具有……的特征) by the use of green manure (肥料), biological pest control methods and special farming techniques to keep soil productive. Limiting the use of manmade chemicals or completely doing away with (去掉) them reduces the risk of diseases. Today, organic farming is a major and preferred industry around the world. Organically grown products have a huge market, with farmlands covering about 10% of the total world farmland. The initial effort made by Sir Albert Howard, the Father of Organic Farming, has paid off.
Advantages of Organic Farming：
1. The economics of organic farming are characterized by increasing profits (利润) through reduced water use and reduced soil erosion (侵蚀).
2. Organic farming produces the same crops as those produced through traditional farming methods, but uses half the energy, and holds 40% more top soil.
3. Farming the organic way enables farmers to get rid of weeds without the use of any chemicals.
4. The use of green pesticides (杀虫剂) is environmentally friendly and does no harm to human’s health.
Disadvantages of Organic Farming：
1. Organic methods of farming produce less, compared to traditional farming techniques.
2. Organic agriculture does little to fight global climate change. Though organic farming practices are recognized as giving out less CO2, but not to a significant degree.
However, though there are some disadvantages to organic farming, farms where organic methods for cropping have been used have more advantages than traditional farms. Organic agriculture is surely better in the long term.
1. Organic farming uses the manure made from ________.
| A．expensive soil | B．dried plants |
| C．harmful pests | D．manmade chemicals |
| A．worked hard for nothing |
| B．succeeded in organic farming |
| C．spent all his time on organic farming |
| D．didn’t expect organic farming to be successful |
a.is more environmentally friendly
b.produces a lot more food
c.uses less energy
d.results in more weeds in the farmland
e.is better for human’s health
| A．abc | B．acd | C．ace | D．bce |
| A．anxious | B．hopeless |
| C．unclear | D．optimistic |
9 . Lying alongside mountains of smelly garbage under the South American sun, Cateura is a long way from the conservatories of Prague or Vienna. Yet the township, which grew out of Paraguay's largest dump(垃圾场), is gaining a reputation as a hothouse for musical talent and for its youth orchestra(管弦乐队) that plays instruments made from garbage. "The world sends us garbage. We send back music," says Favio Chavez, leader of the "Recycled Orchestra," during a recent visit by the group to Los Angeles. Orchestra members, poor children from Cateura, play violins fashioned from oven trays and guitars made from dessert dishes. The orchestra provides the youngsters an outlet and an escape, a chance to go beyond the mess of their slum(贫民窟) through the music of Mozart, and even Sinatra. "In the beginning, it was difficult to play," says the l0-year-old violinist Celeste Fleitas." But Favio helped me learn over time. From Favio, I have learned to be more responsible and value the things I have."
The destination for more than 1,500 tons of waste each day, the community has no safe drinking water and little access to electricity or sanitation(卫生设施). Illiteracy is severe, and the children of the township often fall into drugs, violence and crimes.
Favio Chavez, a musical talent, came to Cateura as an environmental technician in 2006 and started a youth music school. He knew shop-bought instruments were beyond the means of villagers whose sheds are worth less than a violin, so he approached a carpenter to make some out of waste from the dump.
The orchestra caught the eye of Paraguayan filmmaker Alejandra Amarilla. She uploaded a short piece of the orchestra to YouTube in 2012, hoping to secure crowdfunding for what would become Landfill Harmonic, a documentary released across the United States this month and promoting the youngsters on a tour of the world's music halls later on.
1. What is the best title of the text?| A．Youngsters carry tunes from garbage to victory |
| B．A music talent hit the road to the world stage |
| C．A town for music fans |
| D．An orchestra on a global tour |
| A．It has raised people's awareness of recycling trash |
| B．It has caught more attention through the orchestra |
| C．It recycles more than l,500 tons of rubbish per day |
| D．It provides its children with better schooling conditions |
| A．To assist the youngsters with a world tour |
| B．To collect funding for a documentary |
| C．To organize carpenters to make instruments |
| D．To catch the eye of the Paraguay government |
| A．To work in a team weighs more |
| B．To recycle things is to conserve things |
| C．To be creative is a quality of a leader |
| D．To own nothing is no excuse to do nothing |
注意：
1．不要拘泥于要点，可以适当发挥，词数100左右。
2．参考词汇：人口膨胀：population expansion；过度开发：overdevelopment
Dear Editor,
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Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
