1 . A tiny Alaska village has experienced a boom in tourism in recent years as polar bears spend more time on land than on Arctic sea ice.
More than 2,000 people visited the northern Alaska village of Kaktovik in 2018 to see polar bears in the wild. The far north community lies in an area where increasingly higher temperature has sped up the movement of sea ice, the primary habitat(栖息地) of polar bears. As ice has gradually moved to deep water beyond the continental shelf, more bears are remaining on land to look for food.
Polar bears have always been a common sight on sea ice near Kaktovik, but villagers started noticing a change in the mid-1990s. More bears seemed to stay on land, and researchers began taking note of more female bears making homes in the snow on land instead of on the ice to raise their babies. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists began hearing reports of the increasing number of polar bears in the area in the early 2000s. As more attention was given to the plight (困境)of polar bears about a decade ago, more tourists started heading to Kaktovik.
The village had fewer than 50 visitors annually before 2011, said Jennifer Reed, of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. "Today we’re talking about hundreds and hundreds of visitors, many from around the world each year," Reed said. Most tourists visit in the fall, when bears are forced toward land because sea ice is farthest away from the shore. Bruce Inglangasak, a local hunter who sometimes offers wildlife-viewing tours, said been offering polar bear tours since 2004. Most of his clients(客户) are from China and Europe, as well as from the lower 48 U. S. states. Many tourists stay several days in the village, which has two small hotels. The villagers have benefited a lot from that. In turn, they provide more effective protection for polar bears with financial support from tourism development.
1. What causes more polar bears to stay on land in Kaktovik?| A．Food shortage. | B．Climate change. |
| C．Habitats, movement to shore. | D．Their preference for land. |
| A．Excited. | B．Puzzled. | C．Concerned. | D．Shocked. |
| A．Hotels in Kaktovik are in demand in autumn. |
| B．Kaktovik has about 50 visitors annually. |
| C．Inglangasak makes a living as a tour guide. |
| D．Tourism affects the balance of nature. |
| A．The fittest can survive. | B．After a storm comes a calm. |
| C．There is always opportunity in crisis. | D．Every coin has two sides. |
1. 你的看法；
2. 原因；
3. 你打算如何做。
注意：
1. 写作词数应为80左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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3 . The "30 by 30" campaign to protect 30% of the world's oceans by 2030, supported by more than 70 nations, is known mostly for ambition and few achievements so far. Just 7% of the seas are protected and only 2.7% are highly protected.
Setting aside nearly a third of the oceans, the fishers say, is an idea developing nations in South America and elsewhere can hardly afford. That argument against a large expansion of sea protected areas is heard around the world, and the gap between conservationists and fishers has grown wider as fish population declines and the appetite for seafood grows along with the global population.
Research published recently aims to dramatically change that situation. The study suggests that protecting 30% of the oceans not only could restore biodiversity to ocean habitats, it could also increase the annual global catch by eight million tons about 10% of the catch today. After all, the only way to get more food from the ocean is to protect more. And, as a bonus, it would provide a "cheap, natural solution" to climate change by reducing the amount of seafloor carbon emitted （排放）into the seas by fishing trawlers （拖网渔船）.
In the study, an international team of 26 scientists analyzed the world's unprotected ocean waters to calculate which are threatened by overfishing, habitat destruction, and release of carbon. The team then mapped locations globally where protections would provide the greatest benefits to fish resources, biodiversity and climate.
The findings can be used by nations to address the three related aspects separately or in combination. Fully addressing all three will require that at least 30% of the oceans be protected, but nations can still realize significant protections by focusing on key areas, and global cooperation to strategically locate protected areas can be nearly twice as effective as individual nations working alone.
1. What are the first two paragraphs mainly about?| A．The wide support for the campaign. |
| B．The challenges of protecting the oceans. |
| C．The worldwide efforts to resist illegal fishing. |
| D．The achievements in reducing ocean pollution. |
| A．It keeps sea species stable. |
| B．It improves the global climate. |
| C．It helps to increase fish population. |
| D．It removes carbon from the seafloor. |
| A．To discuss the methods of fishing sustainably. |
| B．To stress the importance of biological balance. |
| C．To appeal for building ocean protected areas globally. |
| D．To introduce the background of the "30 by 30" campaign. |
| A．Environment. | B．Geography. | C．Travel. | D．Economy. |
4 . If you live in one of the 40 million American households with a gas stove, it could be leaking even when it’s turned off.
According to a new study from Stanford scientists, many stoves are constantly giving out gases that can warm the planet and pose serious health risks when breathed in. The research found methane missions from gas stoves across the United States are roughly equal to the carbon dioxide released by half a million gas-powered cars in a year.
To estimate the impact of these emissions, researchers measured three key gases from stoves in 53 homes across seven California counties. The team chose two gases — methane and carbon dioxide — because of their contribution to climate change, and selected nitrogen oxides because of their known risk to human health. The scientists set up plastic dividing walls between the kitchens and other rooms and used instruments that measure wavelengths of light to determine the concentration of certain gases.
The team estimated that stoves release between 0.8 and 1.3 percent of the natural gas they consume as unburned methane. To their surprise, they found that more than three-quarters of the methane emissions happened when both old and new gas stoves were turned off. “Over a 20-year time scale, the global warming potential of methane leaks is 86 times greater than carbon dioxide,” Stanford reports.
The most significant health risks happen when the stove is lit, the authors note, because the process creates nitrogen dioxide as a byproduct. Increasing airflow by using a range hood can help reduce the personal health risk of natural gas-burning appliances, but most individuals report rarely using their ventilation system.
In a small kitchen, it only took a few minutes of unventilated stove use to generate emissions levels above national health standards. According to a meta-analysis from 2013, children living in homes with gas stoves were 42 percent more likely to experience symptoms associated with asthma, and 24 percent more likely to be diagnosed with lifetime asthma.
In addition to health risks, natural gas burning stoves also endanger the planet by releasing methane. The results of the study have furled efforts by scientists and activists to encourage Americans to switch to all-electric stoves and appliances.
1. Which gas leaking from stoves warms the earth most?| A．Methane. | B．Carbon dioxide. | C．Nitrogen oxide. | D．Nitrogen dioxide. |
| A．The measuring instruments. | B．The American families. |
| C．The team members. | D．The gas stoves. |
| A．When it is old. | B．When it is new. |
| C．When it is turned on. | D．When it is turned off. |
| A．Equip kitchens. | B．Switch to clean fuels. |
| C．Use sustainable energy. | D．Purchase electric stoves. |
5 . Jeremiad Oleita thinks she may have a partial solution for two of our country’s persistent problems: garbage and poverty. It’s called the Chip Bag Project. The 26-year-old student and environmentalist from Detroit is asking a favor of local snack lovers: Rather than throw your empty chip bags into the rubbish, donate them so she can turn them into sleeping bags for the homeless.
Chip eaters drop off their empty bags at two locations in Detroit: a print shop and a clothing store, where Oleita and her volunteer helpers collect them. After they clean the chip bags in soapy hot water, they slice them open, ay them flat, and iron them together. They use liners from old coats to line the insides.
It takes about four hours to sew a sleeping bag，and each takes around 150 to 300 chip bags, depending on whether they’re single—serve or family size. The result is a sleeping bag that is “waterproof, lightweight, and easy to carry around,” Oleita told the Detroit News.
Since its start in 2020, the Chip Bag Project has collected more than 800, 000 chip bags and, as of last December, created 110 sleeping bags.
Sure, it would be simpler to raise money to buy new sleeping bags. But that’s only half the goal for Oleita—whose family moved to the United States from Nigeria a decade ago with the hope of attaining a better life—and her fellow volunteers. “We are dedicated to making an impact not only socially, but environmentally,” she says.
As Oleita said, “There’s the symbolism of using bags that would otherwise land in the rubbish and using them to help the homeless. It’s a powerful reminder that environmental injustice and poverty often go hand in hand. ”
1. Why did Oleita start the Chip Bag Project?| A．To sell sleeping bags for the poor. | B．To raise money for the homeless. |
| C．To return a favor to chip eaters. | D．To solve garbage and poverty problems. |
| A．They are washed. | B．They are sliced. |
| C．They are ironed. | D．They are sewed. |
| A．She is seriously attractive. | B．She is heavily independent. |
| C．She is socially responsible. | D．She is financially successful. |
| A．They are easy to solve. | B．They remind us of injustice. |
| C．They are closely connected. | D．They are the symbols of society. |
6 . Researchers in Australia have identified enzymes (酶) in the body of certain beetle larvae (甲虫幼虫) that can degrade or break down plastic. In a study published in Microbial Genomics, they write that these “superworms” could help reduce plastic waste in the future.
“Superworms are like mini recycling plants, cutting up the polysyrene (聚苯乙烯) with their mouths and then feeding it to the bacteria in their stomach,” said Chris Rinke from the University of Queensland in Australia. “The breakdown products from this reaction can then be used by other microbes to create high-value chemicals.”
In the study, scientists divided beetle larvae into three groups, feeding one group wheat bran, one polystyrene and one nothing. Over three weeks, they monitored their growth. “We found that superworms fed a diet of just polystyrene not only survived, but even had marginal weight gains,” said Rinke. “This suggests the worms can get energy from the polystyrene, most likely with the help of their stomach bacteria.”
On the other hand, the plastic-fed worms gained much less weight and were overall much less healthy than the bran-fed ones, though better off than the starvation group. After three weeks, some larvae were also set aside to grow into beetles, according to the study. About 93% of the bran-fed larvae formed adult worms, while about 67% of the plastic-fed larvae and 10% of the starved larvae formed adult worms.
The researchers investigated the superworm’s stomach bacteria to find the specific enzymes linked to plastic degradation, writes Fionna M. D. Samuels for Scientific American. The enzyme that degrades the polystyrene appears to live with the stomach bacteria, not the worm itself.
Polystyrene is one of the most common plastics used today. But it’s not very chemically reactive, and breaking it down with industrial recycling methods takes high heat. So, researchers have been looking for plastic-degrading enzymes and bacteria for years.
Further research will still need to be done to figure out how to employ these worms, bacteria and enzymes in recycling facilities.
1. What does Chris Rinke compare superworms to?| A．Small plants. | B．Beetle larvae. | C．Stomach bacteria. | D．High-value chemicals. |
| A．Few. | B．Tiny. | C．Obvious. | D．Normal. |
| A．The damage of plastic to life. |
| B．Possible causes of plastic pollution. |
| C．Researchers’ efforts over the years to recycle plastic. |
| D．The necessity of finding out a way to degrade plastic. |
| A．To report a new way to recycle plastic. | B．To call on people to reduce plastic waste. |
| C．To explain how larvae can degrade plastic. | D．To introduce the findings of a new research. |
7 . Hotels in Shanghai are requested to stop offering disposable toiletries(一次性洗漱用品) unless customers ask, in order to make efforts to reduce waste and pursue(追求) green development.
Under the new regulations, most household plastic wastes should be sorted and recycled. The city also encourages individuals and companies to reduce their use of disposable plastic products. Kunlun Jing An hotel is one of those that answered the government call that “not offering disposable toiletries unless asked”.
At least 6.5 million sets of disposable toiletries are said to be used every day if the occupancy rate(入住率)is 50 percent for the 13 to 15 million hotel rooms across China, said Du Liangliang of the Hotel Business Unit of Ctrip, China’s leading online travel agency. “
| A．The hotel said the new measure will help reduce plastic waste |
| B．Guests are encouraged to use recyclable toiletries during their stay |
| C．If hotels stop offering disposable toiletries, it will be great progress |
| D．It is one of the steps that the government takes to protect our environment |
| E．Also, we should encourage customers worldwide to lead an eco-friendly life |
| F．The hotel has informed people of the change through online and offline means |
| G．Plastic products harm our environment so greatly that we shall reduce their use |
8 . Heritage on the Edge
In an effort to preserve some of the world’s most famous landmarks，Google has announced a new project to transform a few of the most endangered by climate change into interactive 3D models，just in case one or all is irreparably(不能恢复地)damaged in the coming decades.
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle comprises 27 buildings on top of an extinct volcano. It was home to many kings and queens. But old roofs and rainwater management systems will become insufficient as they will be unable to deal with the level of storm water associated with extreme weather events. Besides，if temperatures continue to rise，the rate of decay(腐烂)will increase further.
Kilwa Kisiwani
Kilwa Kisiwani was a regional center of the medieval trading civilization along the East African Coast. Its permanent architecture included ports，Muslim buildings，and the unique“stone houses”. However，the drier weather and subsequently heavy rainfall is threatening the stability of the ruins，causing the worsening of this exposed heritage site.
Mosque City of Bagherat
The Mosque City of Bagherat was once a lost city. It has many Muslim buildings，bridges，roads and palaces. A recent report stressed the increasing impacts of sea level rise and changes in salinity(盐度)on this community. Increased salinity not only makes much of the water undrinkable but damages structures.
Chan Chan
Chan Chan was the capital city of Chimu empire，stretching for nearly a thousand kilometers along the coastline. The city planning reflects a strict political and social strategy. But site managers today face challenges in rainfall and droughts due to El Nino events and climate change that threaten to gradually wash the ancient city away.
1. What do we know about Edinburgh Castle?| A．It was built along the coast. | B．It is the largest castle in the world. |
| C．It is in danger of being washed away. | D．It used to be the home of royal families. |
| A．Water pollution. | B．Water’s becoming salty. |
| C．Water shortage. | D．Water’s being overused. |
| A．Temperature rises. | B．Volcanic eruptions. |
| C．Sea water. | D．Environmental damage. |
9 . Which is better for Earth: an electric or gas-powered vehicle? The answer to this question might seem blindingly obvious: Of course electric cars must be better for the environment, because they don’t give off greenhouse gases as people drive. However, electric vehicles (EVs) aren’t perfect, and they come with their own set of polluting problems. Their batteries require a large amount of energy to produce.
Battery production is just one part of an electric car’s life span. A study looked at the entire life cycle of an EV’s emissions (排放), from mining the metals for the batteries to producing the electricity needed to power them, and then compared this with the average emissions of a gas-powered vehicle. The team found that when EVs are charged with coal-powered electricity, they’re actually worse for the environment than gas-powered cars.
“Only when connected to the dirtiest, coal-heavy electric grids (电网) do gas-powered cars become comparable to EVs on a greenhouse gas basis,” said Colin Sheppard, an expert in energy and transportation systems. That’s why more and more countries are decreasing the power supply from coal. In China, the national grid is improving with more investments in renewable energy. For example, it has twice as much wind energy capacity as the U.S. and it builds more solar panels per year than any other countries.
Sheppard modelled a future in which all cars were electric. “We wanted to understand what it might be like if all passenger vehicles are electrified.” For example, Sheppard calculated that if all vehicles in the U.S. were electric, it would reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 46% every year. This reduction could be increased even further if those vehicles were using a technique known as “smart charging” in which cars are recharged at chosen times (often at night) to reduce the cost of electricity.
In short, it’s far easier to argue in favor of buying an EV than a gas-powered vehicle. But what about the cost? Aren’t electric vehicles too expensive for most people?
1. In which case do EVs get more heavy-polluted than gas-powered cars?| A．Being powered only by batteries. | B．Consuming coal-powered electricity. |
| C．Starting to give off greenhouse gases. | D．Replacing gas-powered vehicles entirely. |
| A．Renewable energy. | B．Electric vehicles. | C．Coal-powered supply. | D．Public transport. |
| A．With a discussion. | B．With an examination. | C．With a calculation. | D．With a questionaire. |
| A．Inventing green gas-powered vehicles. | B．Developing environment-friendly grids. |
| C．Making electric vehicles more affordable. | D．Getting rid of fossil energy like coal and oil. |
In 1991, Beijing musician Wang Wei went on a tour, when he became fascinated by the shakuhachi, a kind of Japanese bamboo flute (笛子). Later, he found out that the shakuhachi,
During the past three
He also gathered a group of musicians to form the country’s first bamboo orchestra. While
