The problem that the Li River in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region suffered from severe water pollution was caused by many factors such as many tourists frequently     1    (throw) garbage into the river, lots of oil     2     was used by kitchens     3     board often thrown into the water, and more household and commercial waste as well as chemicals used to increase crop production ending up in the river.

    4    (fortune), local officials took urgent steps to restore the river’s original beauty. A comprehensive initiative was started to address the issues. With     5     construction of waste water treatment facilities, the water quality, water     6    (conserve) and the collection and transport of household waste were also improved. Polluting enterprises were closed     7     moved. Strict regulations regarding tour boat routes, garbage disposal methods and further industrial development were set up. Furthermore, the media     8    (use) to spread environmental awareness and encourage greater use of clean energy. The local authorities also carried out inspections regularly and fined tourist organizations for abuses. In addition, the     9    (ambition)“Water Ten Plan” is also now tackling water pollution across the country. With all these measures, it is believed that the beauty of the Li River will be preserved for generations     10    (come).

Over the last decade, China     1     (witness) tremendous changes, which could not have been achieved     2     the hard work of its people. There are many ways     3     (record) the past time, but the story that, at times, leaves a mark on each person is surely the most vivid.

Recently, a man named Zou Yi,     4     has recorded Beiing’s blue sky, shared his observations on the improvement of air quality in China’s capital, as well as his understanding of the efforts behind the brilliant blue skies. His first photo     5     (take) on January 27, 2013. He did the same the next day, and the day after that. He continued for nine more years and,     6     (natural), has the most direct amateur observations ever captured of the changes above the heart of Beijing.     7     took more than 50 years for London and Los Angeles to deal with air pollution,     8     (compare) with just a decade for Beijing. The battle against air pollution has claimed some major stepwise victories over the years, which perfectly shows the Chinese administration’s     9     (determine) and action in building     10     prosperous and beautiful country.

From pocket parks to forest parks, China is bringing nature closer to urban life. From 2021 to 2022, Shanghai has transformed 62 woodlands into leisure spaces,     1     open up forests for visitors to walk through nature and get closer to wildlife. A growing number of companies and universities have chosen to “open their gates” and share their greenery, thus     2     (provide) more space for visitors to relax. In Nanning, Guangxi, parks are not only for relaxation.     3     (play) of traditional Yong Opera, a very popular local opera, are     4     (regular) staged in the People’s Park.

Parks can do good for the environment too. Take Beijing’s Central Green Forest Park as an example. The park     5     (reach) carbon-neutral (碳中和) since it was opened in 2020. This means that     6     the park’s facilities produce carbon dioxide, the plants there can absorb more to make up. It also fully reuses rainwater and creates green energy, such as solar energy,     7     (supply) the park.

As cities in China become     8     (green), “park cities” are becoming a reality. The concept of a park city     9     (introduce) by President Xi Jinping in 2018. It suits people’s need for a better living experience and is a people-centered concept that takes the form of     10     improved natural environment in all aspects.

In November 2023, China launched a three-year action plan     1     (promote) the use of bamboo as a replacement for plastic. Actually, I’ve been using bamboo products more often over the years.

The look and feel of bamboo are absolutely above and beyond plastic, but there must be more positive aspects to bamboo other than just aesthetics (美学). When compared with unhealthy plastic, bamboo is a highly renewable,     2     (rely) and natural material that is biodegradable (可生物降解的) . And it     3     ( become) the “green gold” of modern times in recent years because it has so many good qualities. Living in a time     4     most of our homes are filled with plastic, I think it’s time to wake up to the green alternative, to show     5     (prefer) for it and to realize its full potential as     6     planet protector.

This super-powered plant is actually a grass and looks like a weed in terms of     7    quickly it can grow and where it can live. Due to the easy availability of this material, the production costs of bamboo are     8     (significance) low. From household objects to decorative settings, the quantity of bamboo uses has gone     9     our wildest dreams and I’d love to see it becoming more popular     10     time goes on.

Global climate change is not a future problem. Effects that scientists had long predicted would result     1     global climate change are now occurring. Some changes (such as droughts, wildfires, and extreme rainfall) are happening faster than scientists previously     2    (assess). In fact, modern humans have never before seen the observed changes in our global climate, some of     3     are so serious that they are unable to recover over the next hundreds to thousands of years.

Scientists are     4     (high) confident that global temperatures will rise continuously for many decades, mainly due to greenhouse gases    5     (produce) by human activities. It     6     (report) that human emissions of heat-trapping gases have warmed the climate by nearly 1.1 ℃ since the pre-industrial period (between 1850 and 1900). To make matters     7     (bad), half of the world’s population are likely to be exposed to extreme weather events by 2030.

The     8     (severe) of effects caused by climate change will depend on     9     path of future human activities. More greenhouse gas emissions will lead to more climate extremes and widespread damaging effects across our planet.     10     we reduce emissions, we may not avoid some of their worst effects.

The Palace Museum is becoming waste-free as the 720,000-square-meter structure has managed     1     (reduce) the number of rubbish bins to 110 sets in areas open to the public. This is a decrease from 310 sets     2     (record) in January 2020, when a zero-waste campaign     3     (launch), said the museum.

While protecting features of the six-century-old historical relic, the action also helps visitors and tourists get into     4     habit of creating less waste. Up to now, four types of rubbish bins have been equipped following Beijing’s regulations on the management of household waste. Cleaning staff also check them to make sure all rubbish is     5     (correct) sorted, which is later transported to different destinations for disposal (处理). The museum also recycled more than 32,000 plastic     6     (bottle) to make cultural and creative products between June 2021 and October 2023,     7     (mean) a reduction in carbon emission by 931 kilograms.

By launching the campaign, the Palace Museum is taking a careful, science-based way to waste management. The target is to minimize the production of waste     8     needs to be buried or burned and bring the amount of such waste as close     9     zero as possible.

So far, about 3,000 museum staff members, 40,000 tourist guides, and 21 million visitors     10     (participate) in the campaign.