1 . Marco Springmann and his colleagues, at the Oxford Martin School's Future of Food Programme, built computer models that predicted what would happen if everyone became vegetarian by 2050. The results indicate that if the world went vegan, the greenhouse gas emissions declines would be around 70%.
In the US, for example, an average family of four emits more greenhouse gases because of the meal they eat than from driving two cars——but it is cars, not steaks, that regularly come up in discussions about global warming.
Food, especially livestock, also takes up a lot of room. 68% of agricultural land in the world is used for livestock. When these lands become grasslands and forests, they would capture carbon dioxide and further ease climate change.
However, if the whole world went vegan, there would be negative effects too. First, it is necessary to keep livestock for environmental purposes. "I'm sitting here in Scotland where the Highlands' environment is very man-made and based largely on grazing by sheep," says Peter Alexander, a researcher in socio-ecological systems modeling at the University of Edinburgh. "If we took all the sheep away, the environment would look different and there would be a potential negative impact on biodiversity. "
Plus, meat is an important part of history , tradition and cultural identity. Numerous groups around the world give livestock gifts at weddings, celebratory dinners such as Christmas with turkey or roast beef.
And nowadays, moderation in meal-eating's frequency and portion size is key to solving these conflicts. "Certain changes would encourage us to make healthier and more environmentally friendly dietary decisions," says Springmann, "like putting a higher price lag on meat and making fresh fruits and vegetables cheaper. "
In fact, clear solutions already exist for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the livestock industry. What is lacking is the will to implement those changes.
1. What can we infer from the underlined sentence in the second paragraph?| A．Driving cars is more dangerous than eating steaks in the US. |
| B．Our dietary choices affecting climate change is often underestimated. |
| C．People compare the greenhouse gas emissions of the cars and steaks. |
| D．Cars affect the global warming more seriously than the steaks. |
| A．To show the important impact of livestock on the environment. |
| B．To show his work as a researcher in the socio-ecological systems. |
| C．To encourage people to take all the sheep back for environmental purpose. |
| D．To point out the negative impact of the sheep on the biodiversity. |
| A．It is hard to please all. |
| B．Don't put all your eggs in one basket. |
| C．One cannnot see the wood for the trees. |
| D．Everything is a double-edged sword. |
| A．A biology textbook. | B．A health magazine. |
| C．A scientific journal. | D．An educational review. |
1. 大赛目的；
2. 作品要求；
3. 作品展出方式及颁奖时间。
注意：
1. 词数80左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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3 . This holiday season, holiday shoppers can for the first time send festive greetings that contribute to protecting rather than destroying our evergreen world. The beautiful e-card can be sent via TreeGreetings, available at http://www. TreeGreetings. com.
Each $8.95 TreeGreetings e-card comes with a virtual tour of the actual location where the gift tree will be planted along with a full-color, personalized planting certificate. The greetings feature musical slide shows with nature photography and inspirational messages.
“Our cards exemplify the spirit of holiday giving,” said Alan Shamir, founder and CEO of Your True Nature Inc., which markets TreeGreetings electronic products. “Our customers can give back to the Earth by contributing to reforestation while sharing holiday goodwill with friends and family.” TreeGreetings offers a full range of e-cards to celebrate any occasion including birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, new homes, congratulations, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day.
Individuals and organizations can easily send personalized TreeGreetings to their entire holiday lists at quantity-discounted rates, and distribution on a selected date can be scheduled days, weeks, or months in advance.
Gift trees are planted and cared for by well-established, reliable non-profit organizations including the internationally recognized Trees, Water & People, which has planted 1.2 million trees in Central America, and Plant-It 2020, a foundation created by singer John Denver in 1992.
After having received a Magnolia tree for his 11th birthday, Shamir gained a lifelong appreciation for the value and joy of receiving a living growing gift. He said, “My tree and I ‘grow up’ together! It has been such a valuable and important part of my life that I want to give others the experience of having a tree planted for their special occasions.”
1. What will happen if you buy a TreeGreetings e-card?| A．You will be presented with a gift. |
| B．You’ll receive a photograph with music. |
| C．You can determine the type of gift trees. |
| D．You’ll know where the tree will be planted. |
| A．TreeGreetings e-card brings high profits. |
| B．TreeGreetings e-card does prove popular. |
| C．TreeGreetings e-card helps protect the Earth. |
| D．TreeGreetings e-card deserves to be stored. |
| A．He has a high fame worldwide. |
| B．He must be possessing a big farm. |
| C．He founded Plant-It 2020 himself. |
| D．He’s abandoned singing completely. |
| A．To show it has a lasting influence on him. |
| B．To emphasize he didn’t get gifts ever before. |
| C．To call on people to value teenagers’ growth. |
| D．To collect data for his support for the project. |
4 . Blue Planet II's latest episode (情节) focuses on how plastic is having a destructive effect on the ocean and slowly poisoning our sea creatures. Researchers recently also found that sea creatures living in the deepest place on Earth, the Mariana Trench, have plastic in their stomachs. Indeed, oceans are drowning in plastic.
Though it seems that the world couldn't possibly function without plastics, plastics are a remarkably recent invention. The first plastic bags were introduced in the 1950s, the same decade that plastic packaging began gaining popularity in the United States. This growth has happened so fast that science is still catching up with the change. Plastics pollution research, for instance, is still a very early science.
We put all these plastics into the environment, but we still don't really know what the outcomes are going to be. What we do know, though, is disturbing. Ocean plastic is estimated to kill millions of marine animals every year. Nearly 700 species, including endangered ones, are known to have been affected by it. One in three leatherback turtles, which often mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, have been found with plastic in their bellies. Ninety percent of seabirds are now eating plastics on a regular basis. By 2050, that figure is expected to rise to 100 percent.
And it's not just wildlife that is threatened by the plastics in our seas. Humans are consuming plastics through the seafood we eat. I could understand why some people see ocean plastic as a disaster, worth mentioning in the same breath as climate change. But ocean plastic is not as complicated as climate change. There are no ocean trash deniers (否认者), at least so far. To do something about it, we don't have to remake our planet energy system.
This is not a problem where we don' t know what the solution is. We know how to pick up garbage. Anyone can do it. We know how to deal with it. We know how to recycle. We can all start by thinking twice before we use single-use plastic products. Things that may seem ordinary, like using a reusable bottle or a reusable bag-when taken collectively, these choices really do make a difference.
1. Why is plastics pollution research still a very early science?| A．The plastics pollution research is too difficult. |
| B．Plastics have produced less pollution than coal. |
| C．Plastics have gained popularity too fast for science to catch up. |
| D．The world couldn't possibly function without plastics. |
| A．By citing quotes from leading experts. | B．By making a comparison and contrast. |
| C．By listing examples from his own experience. | D．By presenting solid statistics. |
| A．We reap what we sow. | B．The shortest answer is doing. |
| C．All things are difficult before they are easy. | D．Actions speak louder than words. |
| A．The oceans become choked with plastic. | B．Ocean plastic is a global issue. |
| C．Blue Planet II has left viewers heartbroken. | D．Plastics gain in popularity all over the world. |
