1 . Bringing species like beavers (河狸) back to England is no longer a priority, the government said on Friday to criticism from wildlife groups.

A recent report shows that one in six UK species are at risk of extinction. In September more than 60 conservation organisations reported a significant decline in species due to expansions in farming and the effects of climate change. In recent years, animals and plants have been reintroduced by charities as part of efforts to restore the country’s reduced biodiversity.

Despite the government allowing this, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee concluded in July that there was an absence of long-term plans on how to manage this. In response, the government has now said that the “reintroduction of species is not a priority”.

The government said it was focused on increasing biodiversity through habitat restoration. The government’s environment department has come under scrutiny (详细审查) for not doing more to prevent sewage dumping and other forms of pollution in England’s waterways.

Sir Robert Goodwill, chair of the Committee, said he was disappointed with the government response. Bringing back extinct species is a controversial issue — although farmers and landowners appear broadly supportive, there are risks of reintroducing new species, and without clear guidance, problems could arise.

A recent study showed that river barriers similar to those built by beavers can protect communities at risk of flooding. But there have also been cases documented in Europe where beavers have built their dams in places that have damaged crops and changed rivers.

Joan Edwards, director of Policy & Public Affairs at The Wildlife Trusts said, “Reintroducing wildlife must be part of the UK government’s arsenal (武器) for tackling nature loss and climate change — it is astonishing there is no strategy for doing so.”

“The return of wild beavers can help to recreate lost wetlands, with a knock-on effect that benefits other wildlife including insects, invertebrates and birds. Beavers also slow the flow of water, which can reduce flood risks to towns and villages,” she said.

3 . As a young girl growing up in France, Sarah Toumi dreamed of becoming a leader who could make the world a better place. Her passion to help others was awakened when, from the age of nine, she accompanied her Tunisian father to his birthplace in the east of the country during holidays. There she organized homework clubs and activities for children.

Toumi witnessed first-hand the destructive effect of desertification (沙漠化). “Within 10 years rich farmers became worse off, and in 10 years from now they will be poor. I wanted to stop the Sahara Desert in its tracks.” A decrease in average rainfall and an increase in the severity of droughts have led to an estimated 75 percent of Tunisia’s agricultural lands being threatened by desertification.

Toumi recognized that farming practices needed to change. She is confident that small land areas can bring large returns if farmers are able to adapt by planting sustainable crops, using new technologies for water treatment and focusing on natural products and fertilizers rather than chemicals.

In 2012, Toumi consolidated (巩固) her dream of fighting the desert. She moved to Tunisia, and set up a programme named Acacias for All to put her sustainable farming philosophy (理念) into action. “I want to show young people in rural areas that they can create opportunities where they are. Nobody is better able to understand the impact of desertification and climate change than somebody who is living with no access to water.”

By September 2016, more than 130, 000 acacia trees had been planted on 20 pilot farms, with farmers recording a 60 percent survival rate. Toumi estimates that some 3 million acacia trees are needed to protect Tunisia’s farmland. She expects to plant 1 million trees by 2018. In the next couple of years, Toumi hopes to extend the programme to Algeria and Morocco.

5 . Earth Hour is organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature. It's a big event usually at the end of March every year. On this evening, people “go dark”.     1    

It's true that turning off lights for just one hour saves only a small amount of power.    2    On one level, joining in Earth Hour makes people think about the problem of climate change and what we can do in everyday life to protect nature.

But on another level, a large number of people’s acting together sends a powerful message to governments and companies.     3     They begin considering green issues when big decisions.

The logo(标识) of Earth Hour is “60+” .The number 60 is for the 60 minutes of Earth Hour.     4     In fact, people who join in Earth Hour say that taking part makes them want to do more for the environment.

    5     Musicians give concerts by playing acoustic(原声的) instruments instead of electric ones, and using candles instead of electric lights. Celebrity chefs have created special recipes for families to prepare and eat by candlelight. Tree-planting sessions, group walks and runs are also among the options.

6 . Door - to - door food delivery service has become increasingly popular in cities due to the fast development of e - commerce and the fast - paced life in China. As food delivery is extremely _______in China, it creates large amounts of waste due to the plastic containers, bags, and chopsticks that come with each _______ . This in turn has _______ great environmental concerns for the waste packaging materials. We have therefore estimated and predicted the volume of food delivery packaging waste in China. The _______ show that the total amount of packaging waste _______ from 0.2 million metric tons in 2015 to 1.5 million metric tons in 2017.

Over packaging is also a(n) _______ . The food delivery packaging is not the _______ , the better. Instead, it is the more environmental friendly, the better. Therefore, it is high time that regulations were _______ to stop restaurants and companies from spending too much on unnecessary packaging and wrapping. Also, smart policy suggestions should be provided to _______ the pressing issues, particularly using the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle environmental friendly practices.

As the largest city in China, Shanghai has an important role in innovating and contributing to a global ________to the problem of waste. With over 24 million people living in Shanghai, materials sustainability (可持续性), particularly that of plastics, is a great issue. ________, delivery companies like Saucepan have begun to ________ the plastic usage of the food delivery in Shanghai by using biodegradable(可降解的)packaging in the delivery process. ________, it encourages consumers to both recycle their plastic bags and stay in the business by rewarding customers for every 10 used bags that they return to the company.

The more delivery services that promote sustainability, the more suppliers will see that there is a market for environmentally - friendly products. The food delivery service plays a ________ in the creation of waste in China, and innovating in this specific context can make a big ________ in the new plastics economy.