1 . In the summer of 2021, an unseasonal event took place. More than 100 miles of Florida’s coast around Tampa Bay became an oxygen-depleted (缺氧的) zone containing dead fish along the nearby shoreline.

Much of the conversation around our climate crisis highlights the emission of greenhouse gases and their effect on warming, sea-level rise and ocean acidification (海洋酸化). We hear little about the effect of climate change on oxygen levels, particularly in oceans and lakes. But water without adequate oxygen cannot support life. For the three billion people who depend on coastal fisheries for income, declining ocean oxygen levels are devastating.

As ocean and atmospheric scientists focus on climate, we believe that oceanic oxygen levels are the next big victim of global warming. To stop the situation from worsening, we need to expand our attention to include the dangerous state of oceanic oxygen levels — the life-support system of our planet. We need to accelerate ocean-based climate solutions that boost oxygen. Examples include nature-based solutions such as those discussed at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) held in Glasgow.

Enhanced monitoring of oxygen and the establishment of an oxygen-accounting system are a must. Putting oxygen into the climate story motivates us to do the work to understand the deep systemic changes happening in our complex atmospheric and oceanic systems. We celebrated the return of humpback whales in recent years to an increasingly clean New York Harbor and Hudson River. However, dead fish blocked the Hudson in the summer as warmer waters carried less oxygen.

Ecosystem changes connected to physical and chemical system-level data may point the way to new approaches to climate solutions. It includes an enhanced understanding of the life-support system of our planet. Roughly 40 percent of the world’s people depend on the ocean for their livelihoods. If we do not save marine life from oxygen starvation, we starve ourselves.

1. What is the result of less ocean oxygen according to the text?

A．A rise in the coastal fisheries.	B．The warming of the atmosphere.
C．The emission of greenhouse gases.	D．An increase in deaths of sea animals.

2. What can we infer from Paragraph 3?

A．Attention to oceans is necessary.	B．Global warming effects are serious.
C．Oceanic oxygen levels are dangerous.	D．Ways to boost oceanic oxygen are urgent.

3. Why does the author mention humpback whales in Paragraph 4?

A．To bring in an oxygen-accounting system in climate.

B．To explain the urgency of oxygen levels in atmosphere.

C．To call for more attention to oxygen starvation in waters.

D．To show the achievements in reducing air pollution.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Save Marine Life.	B．Make Oceans Safe.
C．Let Oceans Breathe.	D．Keep Marine System.

3 . How did Cape Town, South Africa, get into a Day Zero situation—when the city’s taps would go dry because its reservoirs (水库)would become dangerously low on water? The city gets its water from six reservoirs in Western Cape province, which usually ____________ during the rainy season, from May through August. But since 2015 the region has been suffering from the worst drought (干旱)in a century, and the water in those reservoirs____________ tremendously. Compounding the problem, Cape Town’s population has grown substantially, increasing ____________ . The city actually did a pretty good job by reducing leaks in the system, a major cause of water waste, and has even won awards for its ____________ policies. But the government of South Africa was slow to declare a national disaster in the areas hit hardest by the drought, paving the way for the recent ____________.

Cape Town is not ____________ . Since 2014 southeastern Brazil has been suffering its worst water shortage in 80 years,___________ decreased rainfall,   forestation and other factors. And many cities in India do not have access to municipal water for more than a few hours a day, if at all.____________ , the city of Shimla ran out of drinking water in May, urging locals to beg tourists to stay away from the popular Himalayan summer resort.

In the U.S., the situation is somewhat better, but many urban centers still ____________ water problems. Californians recent multiyear drought led to some of the state’s driest years on record. Since about half of the state’s urban water usage is for landscaping, it was able to cut back on that fairly easily. But cities that use most of their water for more essential uses, such as drinking water, may not be so ____________ .

____________ , steps can be taken to avoid urban water crises. In general, a “portfolio approach” that relies on multiple water sources is probably most ____________ . Cape Town has already begun implementing a number of water projects, including tapping groundwater and building water-recycling plants. Many other cities will need to repair existing water infrastructure (基础建设)to cut down on leakage. City leaders should be thinking about meeting long-term needs rather than just about ____________ requirements. Good organization and financial accountability are equally critical. And planning efforts should include diverse stakeholders (利益相关者)from the community. One major challenge is providing services to informal areas, which develop without any government foresight. Such regions often ____________ basic resources一a well-planned water supply among them. The global community has an opportunity right now to take action to prevent a series of Day Zero crises. If we don’t act, many cities may soon face a time when there isn’t a drop to ____________ .

1.

A．take over

B．fill up

C．make off

D．set out

2.

A．decreased

B．rose

C．remained

D．drowned

3.

A．likelihood

B．proportion

C．demand

D．efficiency

4.

A．architecture

B．agriculture

C．economy

D．conservation

5.

A．policy

B．growth

C．crisis

D．change

6.

A．enough

B．possible

C．difficult

D．alone

7.

A．making up for

B．resulting from

C．taking advantage of

D．looking into

8.

A．In a word

B．By comparison

C．What’s worse

D．For example

9.

A．avoid

B．solve

C．discuss

D．face

10.

A．passive

B．purposeful

C．adaptable

D．reliable

11.

A．Similarly

B．Fortunately

C．Initially

D．Alternatively

12.

A．questionable

B．memorable

C．effective

D．confusing

13.

A．daily

B．legal

C．maximum

D．normal

14.

A．neglect

B．lack

C．provide

D．find

15.

A．drink

B．pour

C．place

D．record

5 . Concrete has served as the foundation stone of the construction industry for hundreds of years. However, the process of producing concrete is one of the most environmentally unfriendly processes in the world. In the process, not only is carbon dioxide (二氧化碳) released into the air by the energy used to heat the limestone, but the limestone itself also gives out a huge amount of the element.

Luckily, a number of start-ups throughout the world are using creative thinking to make the construction industry a whole lot more friendly for the planet.

A Canadian company called CarbonCure, has found a way to inject (注入) concrete with carbon dioxide itself. Not only does this trap the carbon dioxide into the concrete, keeping it from running away into the atmosphere, but it also creates a super strong material called calcium carbonate, which reduces the total amount of concrete that needs to be used.

California-based Brimstone, is creating carbon-negative concrete by doing away with limestone entirely and instead using silicate rock, a material that does not release carbon dioxide when heated. Instead, the process produces magnesium (镁) , which absorbs carbon dioxide, as the basis for their concrete.

Additionally, researchers at Australia’s RMIT University have recently released a study showing that adding coffee grounds instead of sand to concrete could make it much stronger, reducing both the amount of sand used, as well as the amount of concrete that would need to be used in the final product.

The biggest barrier at this point is convincing members of the industry that the new types of concrete are safe to be used, according to Stacy Smedley, director at a nonprofit focused on decarbonizing construction.

Hopefully these new solutions to the environmental problems of concrete will soon be widely adopted. Given the significant part the construction industry has in releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, great improvements can be made when more environmentally-friendly materials are used.

1. What is the environmental issue associated with traditional concrete production?

A．The high demand for energy.	B．The processing of waste materials.
C．The mass release of carbon dioxide.	D．The use of non-renewable resources.

2. How does CarbonCure deal with the environmental impact of concrete production?

A．By using silicate rock as the basis.	B．By putting carbon dioxide into concrete.
C．By replacing sand with coffee grounds.	D．By absorbing carbon dioxide with magnesium.

3. According to Smedley, what is the major challenge facing these solutions?

A．Difficulty in making profits.	B．Convincing the public of the convenience.
C．Lack of funding for research.	D．Removing the industry members’ safety concerns.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To promote an alternative to concrete.	B．To advocate environmental protection.
C．To introduce new ways to produce concrete.	D．To emphasize the significance of creativity.

6 . Mark Covington, founder of the Georgia Street Community Collective in Detroit, stands in a corner of his urban farm, breathing the fresh air in the early morning.     1     Early in the day, the green crops giving life to tomatoes, cabbages, eggplants, and more are bathed in gold, as if being watered by the sun. The sounds of dogs, pigs, roosters, and a group of stirring bees drown out the sounds of the city.

In 2007, Covington lost his job and returned to his childhood street.     2     “It was dirty,” he said. “There were always vacant lots, but they had always been maintained for children to play on.” He knew that if he just cleaned them up, people would pile on them again.     3    

Covington started with a small community garden.     4     One mother sent three children to help him build a larger garden where the kids could grow food, stay busy during the summer and add structure to their lives. Little by little the seeds took root, as the hands on the garden that would evolve into a farm multiplied.

    5     On one corner: a movie screen and a public garden with vegetable and flower beds. On another: a farm and a community center in a building. Nearby are garlic beds and a greenhouse. “It’s somewhat spiritual for me,” Covington says. “It’s like a sanctuary (圣殿). People come here and don’t want to leave.”

A．But if he planted stuff, they might not.

B．It’s a typical morning scene at the collective.

C．He saw garbage piled high in vacant, abandoned lots.

D．Covington made the garden a little bigger to plant more.

E．And almost immediately neighbors began asking to participate.

F．He planted a garden to help feed residents and enrich their lives.

G．What began as an effort to remove trash has turned into a site of community.

7 . In the northernmost edge of Colombia sits the coastal town of Acandí. Access to the town is only by water or air; there is no road that leads there. The residents there are faced with the struggles of balancing livelihoods while protecting biodiversity.

In the past, traditional community fishing methods, passed down by the elders, focused on the reasonable fishing and management of resources. However, the introduction of large-scale trawling vessels(拖网渔船) decades ago gradually depleted the area’s fishing resources, leading to damage to marine(海洋的) life seriously.

Jesús Antonio Julio Cuestas, who serves in the region’s conservation and management of marine resources, stresses the bad impact of these developments and calls for new fishing techniques. “Fishing and conservation co-exist as long as we have good management practices and reasonable use of our fishing resources,” says Cuestas. He and other officials actively monitor fishing activities in Acandí. Each morning, they visit the fish markets to gather data on fishery resources—including prices and sizes—to monitor the state of the local fishing industry.

Along with Cuestas, the fishers work to reduce their impact on the marine ecosystem. By changing fishing methods and adopting new practices, they aim for a more balanced approach to fishing. “This year the local fishermen have not used the trawl net s that were causing the death of the leatherback sea turtles,” explains Cuestas proudly. Changes include the efforts of boats to protect the seagrass that serves as feeding grounds for marine life and an end to fishers throwing net s where turtles lay their eggs.

This marine reserve in Acandí, Cuestas believes, is their greatest treasure. He attaches great importance to working together with local residents to improve the quality of life while preserving the marine ecosystem. By doing so, he imagines a picture where individuals from the fishing community can pursue various careers, such as engineers or lawyers, proudly stating that they are the products of the fishing tradition in Acandí.

1. What does the underlined word “depleted” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Reused.	B．Restored.
C．Explored.	D．Reduced.

2. Why does Julio Cuestas call for new fishing techniques?

A．To cut down on the costs of fishing.

B．To improve the income of local residents.

C．To promote the well-being of marine wildlife.

D．To spread traditional community fishing methods.

3. What is paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．The aim of the changes to fishing methods.

B．The efforts to preserve marine ecosystem.

C．The results the trawl net s have brought about.

D．The impact of fishers on the local environment.

4. What is Julio Cuestas’s attitude towards Acandí’s future?

A．Confident.	B．Uncaring.
C．Concerned.	D．Doubtful.

8 . Food waste contributes to ever-growing landfills (垃圾堆).    1     If you want to help the environment in your own way, you can start by reducing, or better yet, completely erasing food waste in your home. To give you an idea of where to start, here are some tips:

Don’t buy too much food whenever you go grocery shopping.    2     However, if your family cannot eat all the food before it goes bad, then it just adds to food waste. Taking several short grocery shopping trips every week instead of one long trip may help keep you from buying too much food, thereby cutting back on food waste.

Always make a shopping list.    3     That’s because you already know what things you need. Moreover, a list will prevent you from buying food items that you already have at home, which can help reduce the amount of potential food waste.

    4     For meats, you have to keep them in the freezer while fruits and vegetables should be stored in the crisper compartment (保鲜室). Although these tips may seem simple, they can help greatly reduce the amount of food waste that your family produces.

Use the “First-In-First-Out” method. For example, placing the newly bought foods at the back of the fridge or cupboard will encourage people to use the ones that are in the front row. This will ensure that you know what you have and reduce food waste.     5    

A．It can help keep your grocery trips short.

B．Having a fully filled fridge may look nice.

C．Your fridge may be too crowded to function well.

D．It is a waste of your money, as well as your effort.

E．Some people like to store up food for emergencies.

F．Foods need proper storage to prevent them going bad.

G．If you can’t see what foods you have, you’ll forget them.

10 . 阅读下面短文, 在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Wuyi Mountain, as a national nature conservation area, is well-known for its clear water and beautiful peaks. There is little doubt    1    it attracts millions of tourists from home and abroad annually.

But I’m concerned that the increasing number of tourists has had a negative impact    2    the environment. Garbage    3    (throw) around. Enterprises producing tourism-related products burn fossil fuels,    4    (cause) smog in the air. Restaurants release oily water into the river, making it dirty and smelly. “What should I do to help restore the    5    (harmony) ecological system here?” That is what I have been thinking about. Therefore, on behalf of the students of our school, I put forward the following suggestions.

To begin with, the government is supposed to adopt     6    (policy) to restrict the volume of tourists. Next it can carry out inspections into enterprises    7    (regular) and fine those who fail to solve pollution problem properly.

In addition, it is also the government’s responsibility    8    (seize) every opportunity to educate people to reduce their carbon footprints. It’s believed that if the government takes appropriate actions and    9    (put) environmental reforms in effect, we won’t have to be trapped in this environmental chaos. Only then can Wuyi Mountain head towards    10     sustainable future.