1 . Nearly 40 years ago, Peter Harrison, a marine ecologist witnessed the first recorded large-scale coral bleaching（珊瑚白化）event. Diving in the Great Barrier Reef（大堡礁）, he was shocked by the scene before him. "The reef was made up of healthy corals and badly bleached white corals, like the beginnings of a ghost city," he says. Just months before, the same site was filled with colorful tropical life.

"Many of the hundreds of corals that I'd carefully tagged and monitored finally died," he says. "It was shocking and made me aware of just how weak these corals really are.”

Coral exists together with photosynthetic algae（藻类）, which live in its tissues and provide essential nutrition（and coloration）. But high temperatures and other stresses can turn algae poisonous. When this occurs, the algae may die or be removed by the coral, a process known as bleaching because the coral's clear tissue and white calcium carbonate skeleton（碳酸钙骨骼）are exposed. If the coral can't reestablish its link with algae, it will starve or become ill.

The widespread destruction Harrison saw in 1982 was repeated on many other Pacific Ocean reefs that year and the next. In 1997 and 1998 the phenomenon went global, killing some 16 percent of the world's corals. With rising temperatures, pollution, disease, increased ocean acidity, invasive species, and other dangers, Harrison's ghost cities are expanding

Scientists suppose that about four decades ago severe bleaching occurred roughly every 25 years, giving corals time to recover. But bleaching events are coming faster now—about every six years—and in some places soon they could begin to happen annually.

"The absolute key is dealing with global warming," says marine biologist Terry Hughes. "No matter how much we clean up the water, the reefs will die." In 2016, a record-hot year in a string of them, 91 percent of the reefs that consist of the Great Barrier Reef bleached.

1. Peter Harrison was shocked when diving in the Great Barrier Reef, because___________.

A．the reefs were made up of precious corals	B．the corals were ruined badly and quickly
C．he found a ghost city with tropical life	D．he saw the corals he had tagged before

2. Paragraph 3 is mainly about___________.

A．the causes of coral bleaching	B．the weakness of corals and algae
C．the elements that make algae die	D．the process of building a link with algae

3. The phrase "Harrison's ghost cities" in paragraph 4 most probably refers to___________.

A．global warming

B．the polluted ocean

C．the white corals

D．invasive species

4. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．With algae living in its tissues, coral's white skeleton is exposed.

B．Solving global warming is the real solution to coral bleaching.

C．The reefs die because the water hasn't been cleaned thoroughly

D．The severest coral bleaching occurred about four decades ago.

2 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The Colombian black spider monkey is among dozens of animals whose live cells and tissue right now     1    (preserve) as part of a new project. Nature's Safe, a charitable     2    (organize) in the UK, is creating the first living biobank in Europe     3    (save) animals that could one day be at risk of dying out. A biobank is a store for biological materials. Nature's Safe takes samples of animals' cells and body tissue and     4    (store) them in the hope that they can revive a species if it disappears.

Tullis Matson, who started Nature's Safe, said, Time is ticking by — there are a million endangered species and some of them have reached a point     5     conservation experts believe they might soon become     6    (extinction)”. So far, the Nature's Safe biobank has stored cells of species     7    (include) black rhino, the pied tamarin, a small monkey native to Brazilian forests,     8    the mouse deer.

It costs around £100 to keep one sample from one animal. The bank aims to store around 50 samples for each species,     9    (take) from separate animals. Matson says that this means "as little as £5,000 could save     10     entire species”.

3 . Contributing to climate change efforts and biodiversity conservation have been the priority of the ongoing work for global beverage leader the Coca-Cola Co. in China, as it has operated more than 50 water stewardship programs in the country.

Since 2007, Coca-Cola has been working with the WWF, UNDP and other partners to protect the freshwater resources of the Yangtze River, in which rare species such as pandas, snow leopards, white cranes, porpoises and Chinese dragonflies were bred. Coca-Cola’s actions over a decade have effectively contributed to the protection of more than 200, 000 hectares of high-ecological value areas, as part of the efforts to conserve the biodiversity and communities of 2 million hectares of wetland ecosystems in the basin.

Coca-Cola China has also been working on responsible agriculture. Since 2012, together with the UNDP, Coca-Cola China has helped double the production of sugar cane in Chongzuo, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, by establishing an irrigation system for the first time, which uses wastewater byproducts to irrigate the fields.

“The water coming from the sugar processing facility needed to be treated, but once it’s treated it can be used,” Goltzman said. “You don’t have to withdraw from the ecosystem to water those crops.”

The Coca-Cola Company used a smart “golden triangle” model in all sustainability proposals. The innovative (创新的)model gives full play to the advantages and expertise of governments, businesses, nongovernmental organizations and all sectors of society, to meet the increasingly serious environmental challenges, and protect water and biological diversity.

Zhang said, “We act in ways to create a more sustainable and better shared future. Sustainability remains core to what we do.”

1. Which of the following can best describe the Coca-Cola Co.?

A．Peace -conscious.	B．Earth-friendly.
C．Fully-equipped.	D．Recently-built.

2. Why is the production of sugar cane in Chongzuo doubled?

A．The ecosystem has been improved.	B．The sugar processing facility is set up.
C．The irrigation system has been changed.	D．Treated wastewater byproducts are used.

3. What can be learned about “golden triangle” model?

A．It consists of new conservation proposals.

B．It is created by nongovernmental organizations.

C．It makes the most of social resources to help nature.

D．It is employed to solve the problem of water shortage.

4. Where can the text be found?

A．In an essay.	B．In a newspaper.
C．In a fashion magazine.	D．In a biology book.

4 . Directions:Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box.Each word can be used only once.Note that there is one word more than you need.

A.tirelessly B. urgency C.concrete D.acknowledged E.roadmap F.call G committed H. intended I. update J. summed K.just

The pressure for change is building: reactions to the Glasgow climate pact

The Glasgow climate package, aimed at ensuring the world limits global heating to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, was     1     even by the UK hosts as“imperfect", and leaves much of the hard work on cutting greenhouse gas emissions for next year. Boris Johnson,the UK prime minister, said:“We asked nations to come together for our planet at Cop 26, and they have answered that     2     . I want to thank the leaders, negotiators and campaigners who made this pact (协议、契约）happen and the people of Glasgow who welcomed them with open arms."

"There is still a huge amount more to do in the coming years. But today's agreement is a big step forward and, critically, we have the first ever international agreement to phase down (逐步减少)coal and a     3     to limit global warming to 1.5C. I hope that we will look back on Cop 26 in Glasgow as the beginning of the end of climate change, and I will continue to work     4     towards that goal."

Al Gore,the former US vice-president,also praised the public pressure put on world leaders at the conference: “The Glasgow Climate Pact and the pledges made at Cop26 move the global community forward in our urgent work to address the climate crisis and limit global temperature rise to 1.5C, but we know this progress, while meaningful,is not enough. “We must move faster to deliver a     5     transition away from fossil fuels and toward a cleaner and more equitable future for our planet.The progress achieved in the lead-up and at Cop26 was only possible because of the power of people young and old using their voices to demand action."

Many developed and developing countries nailed the progress it represented on the world's goals .But green campaigners warned that the     6     of the climate crisis meant the world was running out of time. Frans Timmermans, executive vice-president of the European Commission,     7     up many countries' reactions, saying:“'It doesn't stop here,it only starts."

On the last-minute weakening of language about phasing out coal, Timmermans said: "Let's be clear, I'd rather not have the change. I was very happy with the language we had." But he added it was “like going from 24 carat gold to 18 carat, it's still gold...we are now making     8     steps to eliminate coal ...and that countries that are so dependent on coal are willing to be part of that agreement is astonishing".

Countries will have to return next year and the year after to     9     their targets on cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Laurence Tubiana, one of the architects of the 2015 Paris deal and now CEO of the European Climate Foundation, said the outcome showed that the 2015 Paris climate agreement was working as     10    .

6 . 语法填空

Silent Spring

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson was published in 1962. Carson wrote the book     1     (aim) to alert people to the damaging effects of human activities     2     natural ecosystems. And she wished to see pesticides     3     (use) in a more responsible, limited and carefully monitored way. The book contained a lot of scientific information, research, examples and so on,     4     showed how precise she was as a scientist. The arguments were strong and the language was     5     (elegance) and influential. However, the book was not received positively by everyone. It quickly became a target for critics in the pesticide industry, who said that Carson’s research was not precise. Carson appeared in public and on television     6     (defend) her claims.

Carson’s message was     7     (alarm) and its influence was immediate and far-reaching. The use of DDT     8     (ban) and the EPA was established in the US. The book was considered as     9     milestone in the launch of the green movement in the Western world. Carson earned a Presidential Medal of Freedom after she passed away.

The book changed the world by increasing people’s     10     (aware) of protecting natural ecosystem.

7 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

The Qinling Mountains are one of the most biodiverse mountain ranges. According to an     1     (announce) from the Shaanxi government, local authorities     2     (shut) over 200 mines and hydropower (水力发电) plants down in key areas of the Qinling Mountains since an official rule designed to protect the rich ecosystem went into effect.

The Qinling Mountains are thought to be home to several organisms found only in China. The scenery is amazing there,    3     (vary) with the season and geography.

Wang Fang, a conservation biologist at Fudan University, said     4     would be affected by the mine and hydropower projects are not only animals but also the region’s climate patterns in the long run. He added such constructions may help the local economy, but it shouldn’t come     5     the cost of the environment.

Before the     6     (prohibit) of mining started, a series of activities had damaged its ecosystem. However, Wang was optimistic     7     the damage could be repaired. Referring to how forest areas     8     (damage) by unregulated logging in the 1990s recovered, he believed stricter laws could prove     9     (benefit) this time, too. “The species at the Qinling Mountains are quite tough, so maybe we’ll see     10     (they) recovery in 20 or 30 years.” he said.

8 . Plastic is nearly everywhere — in shoes, clothes, refrigerators and construction materials. But this highly useful material can have a major defect. Made from oil and slow to break down, conventional plastic is not environmentally friendly. Today, researchers discuss inventing what they say should be a safer, biodegradable (可生物降解的) alternative made from fish waste— heads, bones and skin— that would otherwise likely be thrown out.

If developed successfully, fish-oil-based plastic could help meet the considerable need for more sustainable plastic, says Francesca Kerton, the project’s investigator. Previously, others have developed new plastic using plant-based oils. However, this too comes with a disadvantage: the crops that produce these oils require land that could otherwise be used to grow food.

Leftover fish struck Kerton as a promising alternative. Salmon (鲑鱼) farming is a major industry for coastal Newfoundland, where her university is located. After the fish are processed, leftover parts are often thrown away. Kerton and her colleagues developed a process for turning this fish oil into a plastic-like material. But does the plastic smell fishy? “When we start the process with the fish oil a slight kind of fish smell, but as we go through the steps, that smell disappears,” Kerton says.

In other experiments, they have begun examining how quickly the new material would likely break down once its useful life is over. Kerton put pieces of it in water, and to speed up the degradation for some pieces, she added a chemical capable of breaking down fats like those in the fish oil. Under a microscope, she later saw microbial (微生物的）growth on all of the samples, even those that had been in plain water, an encouraging sign that the new material might biodegrade quickly, Kerton says.

Kerton now intends to study the material’s physical properties to see how it might in real-world applications, such as in packaging or fibers for clothing.

1. What does the underlined word “defect” in paragraph 1 mean?

A．Mistake.

B．Burden.

C．Difficulty.

D．Disadvantage.

2. What is wrong with using plant-based oils to make plastic?

A．It causes damage to the soil.	B．It needs a large amount of land.
C．It produces an unpleasant smell.	D．It increases the price of cooking oils.

3. What do we know about this new plastic?

A．It can break down easily.	B．It has a very short useful life.
C．It is hard to mix with plain water.	D．It proved a good packaging material.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．A living trend.	B．A fishing method.
C．A scientific project.	D．A biological phenomenon.

10 . Directions: Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main point(s) of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.

Rock Climbing — conservationists’ new concern

Now, with its first appearance at this year’s Tokyo Olympics, the once minority sport is set to reach new heights. Yet the popularity of rock climbing and its sister sport, bouldering (where climbers scramble up large rocks without the use of ropes or safety belts), is raising questions about the damaging environmental effects of climbing chalk — a common and essential climbing tool.

Made from magnesium carbonate (碳酸镁), climbing chalk is the same substance that gymnasts and weightlifters use to improve their grasp on bars and weights. In fact, it was first introduced to rock climbing in the 1950s by John Gill. Since then, amateur and professional climbers alike have come to depend on the chalk’s properties of removing water and increasing friction (摩擦力) — and have been leaving long stripes of the stuff on rock faces around the world.

The resulting “chalk graffiti” has become so bad in the United States that parks are beginning to restrict its use. Utah’s Arches National Park allows only colored chalk that mostly matches rocks, while Colorado’s Garden of the Gods National Natural Landmark banned all chalk and chalk substitutes.

Beyond the visual pollution, new research suggests chalk may be harming the plants that grow on rocks. The latest study on the effects of climbing chalk, released October 2020, found that it negatively impacted both the growing and survival of four species of ferns and mosses (蕨类和苔藓) inhabiting rocks in laboratory settings.

That matters because some climbing spots, such as erratic boulders (the study’s focus), host unique ecosystems. These unpredictable boulders — rocks scattered across the globe by large masses of slowly flowing ice at the end of the Ice Age — are islands of vegetation, different from the land they sit on.

It’s not even clear whether chalk improves climbing performance at all. Some papers found no additional grip benefits, while others found the opposite. Some climbers may find it helpful, says Daniel Hepenstrick, a co-author of the 2020 study and a doctoral candidate at ETH Zürich.

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