1 . American researchers say they have developed a method to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the sea. The researchers say the process can be an additional way to help reduce CO2 from the environment to fight the effects of climate change.
Plants and currents in the ocean absorb large amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere. The sea is estimated to have drawn in about 30 percent of carbon emissions since the Industrial Revolution. But carbon emissions also make oceans more acidic (酸性的). It can hurt coral reefs, which are sensitive to ocean acidity. Reef damage then do damage to the growth of many kinds of sea life.
Gaurav Sant, director of UCLA’s Institute for Carbon Management, said the technology is meant to use the ocean’s natural abilities to reduce carbon levels in the sea. The process sends an electrical charge through seawater flowing through tanks on a large boat. That sets off a series of chemical reactions that turn the carbon emissions into a solid mineral that includes calcium carbonate (碳酸钙). The seawater then returned to the ocean and can pull more carbon dioxide out of the air. The calcium carbonate settles to the sea floor.
The process has already been demonstrated in California. Researchers are working on plans to launch another project in Singapore. The two projects are expected to be fully operational by 2025. Researchers say they are expected to remove thousands of tons of CO2 per year. If successful, the plan is to build additional centers to remove millions of tons of carbon each year.
But experts say even if that amount of carbon can be removed, that is still thousands of times less than what will be needed to effectively reduce climate change. Margaret Leinen, director of an ocean research center, said, “While the process will likely be effective, I question how much effect it will have on climate change over a long period.” Sant said the success of such technology will greatly rely on “how fast you can build the centers”.
1. What can we learn about carbon emissions from the text?| A．Most of them are taken in by the oceans. |
| B．They can harm many kinds of sea life indirectly. |
| C．Removal of them poses a serious threat to coral reefs. |
| D．They will decrease ocean acidity when absorbed by seawater. |
| A．How a series of reactions form. |
| B．How an electrical charge is sent. |
| C．How the carbon emissions turned into a solid material. |
| D．How the ocean reduces carbon levels with its own natural abilities. |
| A．Opposed. | B．Concerned. | C．Approving. | D．Disbelieving. |
| A．The approaches to protecting coral reefs. |
| B．The construction of industrial-sized centers. |
| C．The process of reducing CO2 from the environment. |
| D．The techniques to remove calcium carbonate from the sea floor. |
2 . Every year about 40,000 people attempt to climb Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. They bring with them lots of waste. The
Hearing these stories, I’m
However, I soon discovered that much has changed since the days of disturbing reports of
The best of a Kilimanjaro
Does Kilimanjaro deserve its
| A．crowds | B．stories | C．reporters | D．settlements |
| A．age | B．face | C．name | D．position |
| A．crazy | B．doubtful | C．serious | D．pessimistic |
| A．grass | B．stones | C．camps | D．equipment |
| A．new | B．special | C．necessary | D．significant |
| A．paying off | B．blowing up | C．fading away | D．spreading out |
| A．experiment | B．experience | C．atmosphere | D．intervention |
| A．view | B．reason | C．quality | D．purpose |
| A．holding on to | B．going back to | C．living up to | D．giving way to |
| A．changes | B．permits | C．improves | D．dominates |
| A．add | B．match | C．count | D．imagine |
| A．lake | B．road | C．desert | D．village |
| A．Directly | B．Finally | C．Obviously | D．Frequently |
| A．fresh | B．little | C．artificial | D．permanent |
| A．reward | B．ecology | C．history | D．reputation |
3 . Sounds from human activity flood across the oceans, causing trouble to ocean creatures. And climate (气候) change may make some places even louder.
Researchers have expected the oceans to get noisier because of increasing human activity. “The more goods you buy, the more shipping you have, so the more noise you have.” says Luca Possenti, a scientist studying sound in the ocean at the Royal Netherlands Institute. But Possenti and his co-worker realized that climate change might also influence how sound travels through the water.
Human-caused climate change is changing ocean temperatures, salt levels and acidity (酸度). So Possenti’s team used computers to model how those factors (因素) influence noise levels across the world’s oceans.
When waters become more acidic, they can’t take in sound at some wavelengths as well, so those sounds can travel further, adding to the noise in some areas. This effect is relatively small. Other changes impact the sound level more, the researchers found. Changes to temperature and salt levels can change how well different layers (层) of the ocean mix, which, in turn, impacts how sound travels.
The team predicted (预测) models of the world in about 70 years if climate change continues. And then they compared them with models of the world now. In the North Atlantic, they saw an increase in sound levels in the upper 125 meters of the ocean. This was caused mostly by ice melting (融化) off of Greenland, forming a cold layer of water near the ocean’s surface. Sound traveling through water tends to go toward the coldest area. As a result, sound waves tended to get stuck in the cold top layer-spreading further out across the water, instead of traveling deeper. That increased the noisiness at this depth in the North Atlantic. The models suggested that a single ship could sound about five times as loud underwater because of this. Considering all the ship traffic between Europe and North America, that may stress animals, many of which communicate, and catch food with sound.
1. How is paragraph 2 developed?| A．By quoting an expert. | B．By using examples. |
| C．By making comparisons. | D．By presenting research findings. |
| A．Effects of temperature changes. | B．Some risk factors for a nosier sea. |
| C．Impacts of acidity on wavelengths. | D．Ways oceans mix and sound travels. |
| A．Sea animals will be protected from noises. |
| B．Added meltwater does more harm than good. |
| C．Greenland is hit the hardest by climate change. |
| D．The result of the research is based on prediction. |
| A．Increase in salt levels. | B．Failure of acidity control. |
| C．Change in the ocean depths. | D．Formation of a cold water layer. |
4 . Born to an adventure-loving mom and a National Geographic’s photographer dad, Alison Teal was already exploring the world as a baby. The family traveled the globe staying not at five-star hotels but in a six-foot-wide tent. From cold mountaintops to hot jungles, they completely involved themselves in local nature and culture.
Between journeys, they would return home to a quiet and faraway part of the Big Island of Hawaii, where they built a solar-powered oceanfront rest center. The front yard was the ocean, and Alison’s friends were dolphins. She would dive into the water and release seaweed. A dolphin would catch it on its nose or fin and throw it to the next player. Over the years, the dolphins grew to trust Alison. They looked for her and came close to her in the water.
After graduating from university, she continued her world travels. Her adventurous childhood and life skills landed her a spot in the reality show Naked and Afraid, in which she and her partner had to live on an unwelcoming island for 21 days. Alison’s deep knowledge of how to live in a wilderness saved the pair, but what shocked her was the amount of trash washed upon the shore.
“After that, I couldn’t ignore our plastic problem. I shifted my focus and started to protect our greatest resource, the ocean,” says Alison. Swimming in familiar waters back home, she also found her dolphin friends were no longer tossing (抛) seaweed to each other, but plastic. “That was distressing,” she says.
Her book, Alison’s Adventures: Your Passport to the World, is fled with travel tales and environmental lessons. She also offers free adventure films to go along with each chapter on her YouTube and TikTok. Alison believes all of us can make changes to protect the Earth and, in turn, those we love. “Whether you’re a lawyer, a gardener, an artist, a teacher or a surfer, we can all help in our own ways,” she says.
1. What can we infer from the first paragraph?| A．Alison Teal had a comfortable life when she was young. |
| B．Alison Teal was fond of photography when she was young. |
| C．Alison Teal’s parents we restrict with her when she was young. |
| D．Alison Teal led a life close to nature when she was young. |
| A．The amount of trash washed upon the shore. |
| B．The unwelcoming island where they had to live. |
| C．The lack of resources in the wilderness. |
| D．The dangerous situations they encountered. |
| A．During a journey with her parents. |
| B．After her participation in a show. |
| C．Before her graduation from university. |
| D．When visiting the Big Island of Hawaii. |
| A．Everyone can contribute in their own ways. |
| B．Only certain professions can make a difference. |
| C．It is impossible to make any significant changes. |
| D．It is the responsibility of governments and organizations. |
5 . The Coral Sea is home to an amazing variety of turtles, sharks, whales, dolphins, large fish, birds, corals, plants, and many other species. Many of these species are endangered elsewhere in the world, but still survive in the healthy environment of the Coral Sea.
The Coral Sea is a large series of coral reefs located off the northeast coast of Australia. This area is three times larger than Australia’s famous Great Barrier Reef, which the Coral Sea borders.
The Coral Sea is one of the few coral reef environments that have remained largely undamaged by overfishing, oil and gas exploration and pollution. However, statistics show that coral reefs around the world are disappearing five times faster than rainforests. It is very likely that in the near future the Coral Sea will face the same threats to its existence.
The Australian government is currently looking at options for protecting the Coral Sea but has made no decisions. Environmentalists are pushing for laws to declare the Coral Sea area a marine protected area. This would mean a large “no-take zone” for fishermen, a no-exploration zone for gas and oil companies and a no-dump zone for pollution. This would make the Coral Sea a marine park larger than any in the world.
We can write letters to Australian leaders, Australian environmental protection agencies, and Australian friends, to let them know that people worldwide support this protection of the Coral Sea. To lose this last great marine wildness would be a loss for the whole world.
For more information, CLICK here please.
1. What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?| A．To teach people how to protect the Coral Sea. |
| B．To call for the public awareness to protect the Coral Sea. |
| C．To show the amazing features of the Coral Sea. |
| D．To explain the function of the Coral Sea. |
| A．The Coral Sea, home to many species, will disappear soon. |
| B．The Coral Sea is rich in oil and gas. |
| C．The Coral Sea is three times larger than Great Barrier Reef. |
| D．The Coral Sea will be a marine park larger than any in the world. |
| A．in a guidebook | B．on a website |
| C．in a science textbook | D．on a TV show |
| A．The reason for protecting the Coral Sea. |
| B．The way to protect the Coral Sea. |
| C．The location of the Coral Sea. |
| D．The money-raising for saving the Coral Sea. |
6 . Capentes is a waste picker. She collects bags of separated garbage, placing food waste in one container. This material will be turned into compost (堆肥) at the local recycling facility. The rest of the waste goes into separate containers. The recyclable materials are later sold.
The Mother Earth Foundation in the Philippines is a member of the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, called GAIA. The organization wants to prevent food waste from going to landfills (垃圾填埋场). Food waste gives off methane (甲烷) gas as it breaks down. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas. Methane traps more heat than carbon dioxide. But it does not stay in the atmosphere nearly as long—around 12 years compared with hundreds of years.
GAIA says preventing organic waste from going to landfills or being burned is a proven and cost-effective climate solution. The environmental organization supports its members, including waste pickers, around the world. GAIA is working with governments to set up systems to separate and collect organic waste and establish facilities to compost it.
At a materials recycling facility in Malabon, organic waste collected from households is turned into compost. This material then goes into a community garden to grow vegetables. Some of the food waste is broken down into biogas. This biogas is then used to cook vegetables for waste workers to eat. It is a complete cycle, said Froilan Grate, chief of GAIA Asia Pacific, based in Manila.
Grate said there are challenges in establishing these systems in new places. It costs money to set up a facility for composting. People, including local officials, have to be educated on the importance of separating waste. Containers have to be provided to households that cannot buy more than one. And sometimes separating organic waste is not thought to be important. Also, unlike recyclables and metals, there is not a large market for organic materials. Therefore, waste workers must be paid for the system to work.
But Grate believes these problems can be solved. More people are making the connection between reducing methane and fighting climate change. The world needs better systems for dealing with waste because the current methods are adding to warming. The treatment of organic matter is an important way to reduce methane gas.
1. What is GAIA currently committed to?| A．Getting rid of food waste by burying it. | B．Reducing the impact of organic waste on the climate. |
| C．Economizing on food. | D．Reducing the harm of carbon dioxide. |
| A．The method to collect waste. | B．The process to treat organic waste. |
| C．How to use a recycling facility. | D．The wide use of organic waste. |
| A．Collecting organic waste does not require significant investment. |
| B．Every household needs to constantly replace the latest trash cans. |
| C．Organic waste holds a large share in the garbage market. |
| D．Families need to develop the habit of garbage sorting. |
| A．Methane: an Important Greenhouse Gas | B．The New Systems to Reduce Greenhouse Gas |
| C．The New Uses of Organic Waste | D．Waste Pickers Help Fight Climate Change |
7 . When it comes to going green, intention can be easier than action. Case in point: you decide to buy a T-shirt made from 100% organic cotton. But that green label doesn’t tell the whole story—like the fact that even organic cotton requires more than 10,000 L of water to grow enough fibre for one T-shirt. Or the possibility that the T-shirt may have been dyed (染色) using harmful industrial chemicals. If you knew all that, would you still consider the T-shirt green? Would you still buy it?
It’s a hard question to answer. That’s because the global economy development is beyond our ability to comprehend the consequences—for ourselves and the planet. We are not prepared to understand the increasing impact of industrial chemicals on our children’s health or the climate. And we lack the data to understand the full impact of what we choose.
But what if we could calculate the full lifetime effect of our actions on the earth and on our bodies? Not just carbon footprints but social and biological footprints as well? What if we could think ecologically? That’s what psychologist Daniel Goleman describes in his forthcoming book, Ecological Intelligence. He compiles (汇编) the environmental and biological impact of our every decision and delivers that information to consumers in a user-friendly way. That’s thinking ecologically—understanding the global environmental consequences of our local choices.
Ecological intelligence is ultimately about more than what we buy. It’s also about our ability to accept that we live in a closely connected world with limited resources. Goleman highlights the Tibetan community of Sher, where for thousands of years, villagers have survived severe conditions by carefully protecting every resource available to them. The Tibetans think ecologically because they have no other choice. Neither do we. “We once had the luxury to ignore our impacts,” says Goleman. “Not any more.”
1. Why is it hard for us to decide whether a T-shirt is green or not?| A．The green label tells lies. | B．We lack enough knowledge. |
| C．The economy grows too slowly. | D．We are misled by false data. |
| A．Increase carbon footprints. | B．Give up regular consumption. |
| C．Develop ecological thinking. | D．Deliver information to customers. |
| A．By searching for new resources. | B．By living on plentiful resources. |
| C．By distributing resources reasonably. | D．By treasuring their resources seriously. |
| A．To instruct manufacturers how to go green. |
| B．To introduce and advocate ecological intelligence. |
| C．To warn people of the dangers of ecological crisis. |
| D．To illustrate the origin of ecological intelligence. |
In China, Tree Planting Day falls on March 12, but more often people plant trees during Qing Ming Festival in early April. Newly-planted trees can survive more
China set March 12
Since 2013, Xi Jinping,
China has seen a
1、环境的现状；
2、为保护环境中学生可以做写什么；
3、倡议大家行动起来。
注意：1.写作词数为100左右。2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10 . Diving in the ocean, marine biologist Erika Woolsey has seen how coral reefs (珊瑚礁) are being damaged by climate change. It has made her decide to find a way to share her experience —including those who can’t easily explore the ocean.
Through her non-profit, The Hydrous, Woolsey is using virtual reality to bring the ocean to everyone. Scientists, filmmakers and divers are taking people on immersive (沉浸式的) virtual dives, attracting attention to reef damage and expecting action to protect our sea. About 25% of marine species depend on coral reefs. However, climate change, pollution and overfishing have done harm to around half the world’s shallow water coral reefs.
Twenty years of underwater exploration has given Woolsey a detailed understanding of the dangerous situations facing reefs. “I’ve seen this first-hand shift. Healthy colourful coral reefs become what look like the moonscape step by step,” Woolsey says.
It is through this experience that The Hydrous team set out to recreate with their award-winning film Immerse. Intended to watch with a VR headset, viewers join Woolsey for a nine-minute guided virtual dive on the coral reefs, immersed in a 360-degree underwater view.
They swim alongside sea turtles and sharks before witnessing the worsening of the reefs. The experience often brings out strong feelings. “As soon as people take off that headset and look me in the eye, they want to tell me a story about their ocean experience,” Woolsey says. “It’s that human connection to our ocean that will solve our ocean problems.”
Woolsey hopes advances in camera technology will allow her team to take more and more people to places in the ocean that are under-explored and places further away from human civilization. They are developing a virtual experience that will put the people in the role of a marine biologist, carrying out biodiversity surveys underwater, and even transporting the viewers to space to monitor global sea surface temperatures.
1. Why did Erika Woolsey set up The Hydrous?| A．To collect money for ocean protection. | B．To let the public know about coral reefs better. |
| C．To help people enjoy the ocean’s beauty. | D．To encourage people to protect the ocean. |
| A．Positive. | B．Negative. | C．Concerned. | D．Uninterested. |
| A．The story about the ocean. | B．The situation of coral reefs. |
| C．The connection with sea life. | D．The way to protect the ocean. |
| A．To bring more fun during the lockdown. | B．To help people learn more about the ocean. |
| C．To train talents for environment protection. | D．To discover more places that need protection. |
