1 . Since the first Earth Day in 1970, Americans have gotten a lot “greener” toward the environment. “We didn’t know at that time there even was an environment, let alone that there was a problem with it,” says Bruce Anderson, president of Earth Day USA.

But what began as nothing important in public affairs has grown into a social movement .Business people, political leaders, university professors, and especially millions of grass-roots Americans are taking part in the movement. “The understanding has increased many， many times,” says Gaylord Nelson, the former governor from Wisconsin, who thought up the first. According to US government reports, emissions (排放)from cars and trucks have dropped from 10.3 million tons a year to 5.5 tons .The number of cities producing CO beyond the standard has been reduced from 40 to 9. Although serious problems still remain and need to be dealt with, the world is a safer and healthier place. A kind of “Green thinking” has become part of practices.

Great improvement has been achieved. In 1988 there were only 600 recycling programs; today in 1995 there are about 6,600. Advanced lights, motors, and building designs have helped save a lot of energy and therefore prevented pollution.

Twenty –five years ago, there were hardly any education programs for environment. Today, it’s hard to find a public school, university, or law school that does not have such a kind of program. “Until we do that, nothing else will change!” says Bruce Anderson.

1. According to Anderson, before 1970, Americans had little idea about ___.

A．the social movement	B．recycling techniques
C．environmental problems	D．the importance of Earth Day

2. Where does the support for environmental protection mainly come from?

A．The grass –roots level.	B．The business circle.
C．Government officials.	D．University professors.

3. What have Americans achieved in environmental protection?

A．They have cut car emissions to the lowest.

B．They have settled their environmental problems.

C．They have lowered their CO levels in forty cities.

D．They have reduced pollution through effective measures.

4. What is especially important for environmental protection according to the last paragraph?

A．Education.	B．Planning
C．Green living	D．CO reduction

2 . Many people think of sharks as dangerous monsters. But human beings cause a far greater danger to them than they do to us. Although shark attacks do occur, they are quite rare. According to one estimate, however, humans kill 100 million sharks every year.     1    

Why should we save the sharks?

Sharks take up the top position on the food chain in the ocean. As sharks die off, the population of the animals that sharks consume will increase. This, in turn, means that the number of the creatures those animals eat will drop.     2     Fish that eat algae (藻类) are also included. This can cause algae to spread so much that it damages coral reefs.

    3     The ocean not only produces more oxygen than all the rainforests on Earth combined, but also removes half of the man-made greenhouse gas from the atmosphere. Once sharks die off, the global ecosystem will be upset, affecting all creatures including human beings.

Don’t use shark products

First, vitamin energy drinks and leather goods can be made from shark parts.     4     In addition, shark meat is sold around the world, sometimes under misleading names such as rock salmon or whitefish. Shark fin soup is a popular dish. However, the process of getting fins is cruel. Fishermen cut the shark’s fins off and then throw the shark back into the water, still alive.     5     Sharks breathe by swimming, so a shark that can’t swim will die.

A．It is time for children to learn about sharks.

B．Shark oil is also used in many popular beauty products.

C．Then the shark dies slowly, sometimes over several days.

D．Actually, the killing of sharks will affect the whole planet.

E．People in some countries are especially keen on shark products.

F．Among them are some sea fish that humans consume every day.

G．This number is a warning that many kinds of sharks may die out.

4 . Masks that helped save lives are proving a deadly danger for wildlife, with birds and sea creatures trapped in the shocking number of thrown-away facial coverings. Single-use masks have been found around pavements, waterways and beaches worldwide. Worn once, the thin protective materials can take hundreds of years to decompose. “Face masks aren't going away any time soon—but when we throw them away, these items can harm the environment and the animals,” Ashley Fruno of animal rights group PETA said.

In Britain, a gull was rescued by the RSPCA after its legs became tangled in the straps of a mask for up to a week. The animal welfare charity took it to a wildlife hospital for treatment before its release.

The biggest impact may be in the water. More than 1.5 billion masks made their way into the world's oceans last year, accounting for around 6,200 extra tonnes of ocean plastic pollution, according to environmental group Oceans Asia.

Conservationists in Brazil found one mask inside the stomach of a penguin after its body was washed up on a beach, while a dead pufferfish was discovered caught inside another off the coast of Miami. French campaigners found a dead crab trapped in a mask near the Mediterranean. Masks and gloves are “particularly problematic” for sea creatures, says George Leonard, chief scientist from NGO Ocean Conservancy. “When those plastics break down in the environment, they then enter the food chain and impact entire ecosystems.” he added.

There has been a shift towards greater use of reusable cloth masks as the pandemic has worn on, but many are still using the lighter single-use varieties. Campaigners have urged people to bin them properly and cut the straps to reduce the risk of animals becoming trapped. Oceans Asia has also called on governments to increase fines for littering and encourage the use of washable masks.

1. What's Paragraph 1 mainly about?

A．The problem of littering masks.	B．The long time to break down masks.
C．The threat of masks to wildlife.	D．The protective use of masks to people.

2. What did the animal welfare charity do to the gull?

A．They gave first aid to the bird.	B．They released the bird at once.
C．They kept the bird for about a week.	D．They sent the bird to hospital.

3. How is Paragraph 4 developed?

A．By providing examples.	B．By giving explanations.
C．By making comparisons.	D．By analyzing causes.

4. Which measure has been taken to help solve the problem?

A．Forbidding the use of single-use masks.	B．Wearing reusable cloth masks.
C．Cutting the masks up before throwing.	D．Increasing fines for binning masks.

7 . Buildings, pollution, poor soil, insects, and even car crashes can add to tree loss. However, between 2016 and 2021, the city of Seattle in Washington state was reported to have lost about 255 hectares of tree covering, for which climate change was blamed. Then came the driest summer on Seattle’s record books in 2022. The drier conditions and hotter temperatures have left many trees with brown leaves, naked branches, and extreme seeding. These are all signs of tree stress.

According to Nicholas Johnson, a tree expert for Seattle City Parks, if this warming climate continues we are going to have a lot of trees die. Just like people, under the heat trees get weak.

Researchers from France and Australia studied the effect of hotter temperatures and less rain on more than 3,100 trees and plants in 164 cities across 78 countries. They found about half the trees in the cities were experiencing climate conditions beyond their limits. They also found that by 2050 nearly all trees planted in Australian cities will not survive.

It’s not the gradual change but these extreme swings of too much water, too little water, too much wind, and terrible storms that are going to cause these rapid changes. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed about 10 percent of the trees in New Orleans, Louisiana. And in 2021, Hurricane Ida uprooted many new tree plantings.

To settle the problem of tree loss, non-native trees have been brought to cities for some time. In the city of Bellevue, Washington, experts are growing different kinds of trees specifically for climate change. On city grounds, they are planting baby giant sequoias, just a few centimeters tall. The giant sequoias are not native to the Pacific Northwest area. But the trees can deal with the lack of rain and insects. Once these trees are established, they grow incredibly fast. Having many different kinds and ages of trees is important to keeping urban forests alive.

“Life always finds a way,” said Nicholas Johnson. “And in Seattle, people are helping life find a way.”

1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?

A．The bad condition of trees in Seattle.

B．The terrible climate in Seattle in recent years.

C．Natural reasons for tree loss.

D．The signs of tree stress.

2. What is endangering the trees in Australia cities?

A．Buildings.	B．Pollution.
C．Extreme climate.	D．Car crashes.

3. How do tree experts solve the problem of tree death?

A．By improving planting methods.

B．By changing the kinds of trees.

C．By treating trees as babies.

D．By improving the soil quality.

4. Which is Nicholas Johnson’s attitude to the future of trees in cities?

A．Indifferent.

B．Negative.

C．Skeptical.

D．Positive.

8 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

There was a job vacancy for taking care of the Great Barrier Reef!

    1     (locate) off the coast of North-east Australia, it is the     2     (large) living thing on the planet. About     3     size of Japan, it even can be seen from outer space. More than 25 million years old, the Great Barrier Reef is made up of living coral     4     (grow) on dead coral. Now this unique and delicate place is under threat from pollution and climate change.

    5     (get) this job, the candidates needed to prove why they were the best person to do the job. Out of the thousands of applicants, eleven     6     (elect), including a young woman from China. Eventually, Ben Southall from the UK received the job offer.

Ben did a lot during his time     7     an island caretaker. Besides blogging, he made an umber of appearances on television to argue in favor of its     8     (defend). Whether it was a genuine job offer     9     an eye-catching marketing event isn’t really important. The most important thing was that people all over the world became aware of the beauty of the ocean in the area. What’s more, they came to understand the delicate balance     10     the environment exists in and what can, and must, be done to protect the reef. That way, it will remain a safe habitat for wildlife and a dream destination for tourists.

9 . The idea that having narrow local focus leaves little room for anything but a selfish mindset is a misconception, according to a new study that found that concern for local affairs could help with global environmental conservation.

You might have heard of NIMBY which means “not in my back yard” and describes an individual or group opposed to a new addition to the neighborhood, typically a factory, roadway or power station. Nimbyism and parochialism(眼界狭小), which is a focus on a local area,   can go hand in hand, and there are concerns that parochialism paves the way for prejudice, narrowmindedness, and selfishness.

But researchers found the exact opposite to be true in a new study published. The researchers argue that positive parochialism can inspire a larger awareness of global environmental problems and encourage people to action.

“We did not find evidence that parochialism was necessarily negative and inward -looking,” said Patrick, a researcher for the study. “It can be those things, but there's no necessary conflict between feeling connected to your local area and feeling connected to the wider world. ”

For the study, the researchers reviewed documents from the 1987 Parish Maps project. The researchers showed how the Parish Maps project also demonstrated a passion for the environment and conservation. The researchers say that the Parish Maps project is a strong example of “positive parochialism”, and shows that thinking locally can influence a global mindset.

“For a long time,   it has been generally agreed that if we want people to think about global affairs they need an international worldview-but this may not be the case,” said Patrick. “Given where we are now in terms of trying to encourage people to make changes to help the environment, positive parochialism offers something that has been overlooked.”

1. Which behavior can best illustrate NIMBY?

A．Criticizing a friend for his selfish action.

B．Accepting a proposal beneficial to locals.

C．Supporting a neighborhood construction plan.

D．Objecting to building an airport in the neighborhood.

2. Why does the author mention the Parish Maps project?

A．To explain how to protect the environment.

B．To offer an example of positive parochialism.

C．To encourage people to take part in the project.

D．To stress the importance of global mindset.

3. How does Patrick feel about “positive parochialism phenomenon”?

A．Appreciative.

B．Cautious.

C．Negative.

D．Puzzled.

4. What may be the best title for the text?

A．Parochialism, a better practice?

B．International view, more popular?

C．Thinking locally, acting globally

D．Bigger thinking, better environment

10 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Wang Tianchang and his family moved into the Gobi Desert 22 years ago. They have been fighting with the desert ever since,     1     (become) a symbol of China’s anti-desertification (防治荒漠化) campaign.

As     2     native of Gansu Province, Wang grew up with the Gobi Desert. In 1998, Wang’s family moved into the desert. They started planting bushes (灌木). To fund their efforts, they sold most of their farm animals and there were only 6 sheep left to support themselves. To make matters     3     (bad), the trees they had planted in the first two years     4     (blow) away by strong winds, because they weren't familiar with the environment. Then they learned that adaptable grasses were ideal for holding down the sand. A bush     5     (know) as the sweet-vetch has an 80 percent survival rate even in severe desert conditions,     6     has become a key part of the Wang’s efforts.

Now, although Wang is suffering from serious health     7     (problem) and is in his late 70s, he has no plans       8     (quit) his mission. His efforts have not gone unnoticed and have won several honors for his contributions     9     local greening. The Chinese government not only appointed (委任) Wang Tianchang and his sons as forest ranchers (大农场主), but also started funding their work. The family’s home is now surrounded by a     10     (beauty) vegetable garden, proving that land can in fact be transformed from the desert.