1 . 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. |
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. |
A.By providing examples. | B.By giving explanations. |
C.By making comparisons. | D.By analyzing causes. |
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. |
2 . 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. |
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. |
A.Appreciative. | B.Cautious. | C.Negative. | D.Puzzled. |
A.Parochialism, a better practice? |
B.International view, more popular? |
C.Thinking locally, acting globally |
D.Bigger thinking, better environment |
Wang Tianchang and his family moved into the Gobi Desert 22 years ago. They have been fighting with the desert ever since,
As
Now, although Wang is suffering from serious health
4 . Scientists today are concerned about the growing number of species in the world that may soon become extinct. The United Nations, along with many governments, are trying to save these endangered species. To help resolve this issue, scientists have been trying to learn why species become endangered.
In the United States, loss of habitats is the main reason for species becoming endangered. As populations grow and cities or towns expand, nature is destroyed and the ecosystem is affected. Even small changes in one part of an ecosystem can have a big impact on another part of it. For example, deforestation may result in a change in ground temperature, which may kill off a certain kind of plant in the forest. Animals that eat this plant may suddenly find that there is no available food so they starve to death.
Another possible cause of endangered or extinct species is climate change and rising sea levels. As the Earth gets warmer, this has profound effects on animal and plant life everywhere. For example, rising sea levels make coastal areas unfit for birds to live in. Warmer temperatures melt the ice where polar bears live, wrecking their habitat and making it harder for them to find food. The rising seas also make it harder for polar bears to swim from the cold waters to frozen packs of ice so many of them drown.
There are several ways that people are trying to help endangered species recover. Ecologists study different species and try to find out more information about them to try and help. In Finland, for example, scientists found that a a decrease in the number of bogs(沼泽) was responsible for the falling butterfly population. Once they understood this, they could manage the butterfly population and help it recover. Governments are also passing laws to protect endangered animals. One example of this is an area near Hawaii with a seriously low fish population. The United States’ government has made it illegal for fishing boats to enter this area.
1. What can we infer from paragraph 2?A.Most endangered species are located in the United States. |
B.Cities and towns in the United States are growing too fast. |
C.Ecosystem changes can result in habitat loss and animal death. |
D.More trees need to be planted to prevent animals from dying out. |
A.Conserving. | B.Damaging. | C.Providing. | D.Dominating. |
A.Saving Endangered Species | B.A List of Endangered Species |
C.The Causes of Global Warming | D.How Polar Bears Became Extinct |
A.Some other ways to help endangered species recover. |
B.A brief discussion of polar bears and their diet habits. |
C.The impact of fishing laws on the development of Hawaii. |
D.Various opinions and debates concerning the cause of global warming. |
5 . Killer whales, or orcas, are known for their severe attacks on sea animals but they have never posed a threat to humans. However, since late July, the normally social animals have been intentionally attacking sailboats off the coasts of Spain and Portugal.
The strange behavior first surfaced on July 29, 2020, when a 46-foot boat was repeatedly attacked for almost an hour by nine orcas, causing the boat to rotate(旋转) 180 degrees and having its engine switched off. Since then, over 30 more similar incidents have been reported. On September 23, 2020, Spain's government banned boats of less than 50 feet in length from sailing in the 60-mile stretch of the Atlantic coastline between Ferrol and the Estaca de Bares Cape, where the attacks have been occurring.
Researchers across the world are trying to explain the orcas' behavior. Some believe it could be a result of the overfishing of the bluefish tuna - the orcas' primary food source -which has left the area's killer whales starving and unable to feed their babies. "I saw them look at boats carrying fish. I think they know humans are somehow related to food shortages, "says Ken Balcomb, senior scientist at the Center for Whale Research in Washington, USA. The environmentalists believe the sudden increase in boat traffic and fishing activities, after months of absence due to restrictions on human activity last spring, could also be contributing to the agitation.
However, Alfredo López, a biology professor in Galicia, Spain, thinks the attacks are defensive measures the orcas adopted to protect themselves against boat injuries. The researcher came to this conclusion after looking at the of the videos of a few incidents and noticing that two of the young killer whales involved had serious injuries. Hopefully, the experts will be able to find a way to restore the harmony between the animals and the humans soon.
1. What do we know about orcas in paragraph 1?A.They are friendly to humans. | B.They have changed their behavior. |
C.They are famous for hunting skills | D.They have met tough living conditions. |
A.Ken Balcomb. | B.The environmentalists. |
C.Alfredo López. | D.Spain's government. |
A.The attacks. | B.Food shortages. | C.The overfishing. | D.Human activities. |
A.How do killer whales attack humans? |
B.Why Are Killer Whales attacking Boats? |
C.How can we live in harmony with animals? |
D.Why are boats banned from sailing on the sea? |
1. 活动目的;
2. 活动详情;
3. 活动反响。
注意:
1. 写作词数应为80左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
A Volunteer Activity
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New Yorkers were shocked in early December when a creature as big as a school bus
Scientists say NYC0089, which hasn't been spotted in several weeks, has likely returned to deeper waters south of the Hudson. Still, the
“With these numbers increasing
Scientists say the
“Seeing more whales in this area is a sign
8 . Tips for Green Travel with Kids
Travelling doesn’t mean letting go of all the eco-friendly choices we work so hard to achieve in our daily life. Here are a few tips for green travel with kids.
Booking nonstop flights whenever possible will reduce carbon emissions (碳排放). If the closest local airport doesn’t have nonstop flights to a certain place, check with other local airports to see if nonstop flights are available.
It’s easy when travelling to pull in to fast food restaurants for snacks.
A.Walking is good for your health. |
B.Try to cut back to save water and energy. |
C.But you can pack healthy food from home. |
D.Travelling is a great chance to introduce your kids to the world. |
E.Reusable water bottles are easy to bring along wherever you travel. |
F.Save energy by turning off the hotel room lights when you head out for the day. |
G.You might have to drive a bit farther, but saving on carbon emissions makes it worthwhile. |
9 . Every year from March to October, Christian Moullec, also known as “Birdman,” takes to the skies aboard his adapted light aircraft. However, the 58-year-old Frenchman’s daily 30-minute flight is not just to enjoy the impressive views, but to guide flocks (鸟群) of lesser white-fronted geese (小白额雁) through safe migration paths which the birds can teach future generations.
His deed began in 1995 when he noticed their declining population in the wilds of Lapland, Sweden. To prevent their numbers from dropping further, Moullec tried to get the threatened species to follow him along migration routes that would protect them from bird hunters.
However, getting grown geese to follow his lead proved challenging. As young geese imitate and follow whomever they view as their parent, Moullec decided to raise the geese from birth.
To help raise funds and awareness of his job to protect not just the geese but birds worldwide, Moullec often allows paying tourists to join him on the 30-minute-long flights aboard his aircraft. In addition to the trained birds flying alongside them, visitors, who come from as far as a 15-hour plane flight away, are treated to a variety of crane and geese species as well as breathtaking views of castles and cities.
He often brings his camera along for the flights, capturing photos not just for their beauty, but for what they describe. Moullec believes the use of agricultural chemicals has done harm to wild European birds, with more than a third disappearing in the last 30 years. “It's a disaster,” he said. “My beautiful images with flying birds should be used to tell this story. ”
1. Why does “Birdman” always fly to the sky on his aircraft?A.To observe geese along their migration routes. |
B.To follow geese through safe migration paths. |
C.To take visitors to operate his adapted aircraft. |
D.To guide geese fly safely during the migration. |
A.He is a nature lover. | B.He is a bird watcher. |
C.He is a volunteer pilot. | D.He is a bird hunter. |
A.Recording the use of agricultural chemicals. |
B.Showing serious damage caused by chemicals. |
C.Describing his experiences with flying birds. |
D.Capturing the beautiful views of birds and cities. |
A.Birdman Guides Flocks to Learn to Fly. |
B.Birdman Finds Birds Disappearing. |
C.Birdman Helps Flocks Safely Migrate. |
D.Birdman Protects Birds From Hunters. |
10 . When we think of bicycles, we think of fun and the outdoors. Bicycles give riders the freedom to explore and enjoy the environment and its surroundings.
Most people know that riding bicycles is environmentally friendly.
Bikes are becoming more and more popular across the world. In fact, they are becoming more than just a fun pastime (娱乐).
Some South American cities, such as Bogota in Colombia, have a weekly car-free day.
It seems that the bike is a force for good, providing solutions for cleaner cities without leaving a serious environmental footprint.
A.Riding bicycles is a healthy, cheap activity and good exercise. |
B.Cities are taking this love and demand for bicycles seriously. |
C.People are encouraged to buy bicycles to go to and from work. |
D.Daily use of a bicycle has very low effect on the environment. |
E.It is cheap and convenient to travel around the world on bicycles. |
F.They are also used as a daily transport to work, school or shopping. |
G.More than 2 million people bicycle, skate, or jog along the closed roads. |