1 . The amount of plastic pollution in the oceans is rapidly increasing. This is problematic, as at least 700 species of sea animals may mistake it for a tasty snack. While we know that some species seem to eat plastic because it looks like jellyfish or some other food sources, less research has been carried out into what plastic smells like to marine animals.
But now, a study from the University of North Carolina has found that the coating of algae that naturally builds up on ocean plastics causes the rubbish to give off the scent of food.
The researchers took 15 loggerhead turtles, each around five months old, and placed them in a laboratory tank. They then piped in clean water, clean plastic, turtle food, and plastic that had been immersed in the marine environment for five weeks.
The turtles showed no reaction to the smell of clean water or clean plastic. But when they were exposed to the smell of ocean-soaked plastic or turtle food, they exhibited food-seeking behaviours like reaching their noses out of the water or showing increasing activities.
“This finding is the first demonstration that the smell of ocean plastics causes animals to eat them, ” said Dr Kenneth J. Lohmann, who took part in the study. “It’s common to find loggerhead turtles with their digestive systems fully or partially blocked because they’ve eaten plastic materials. There are also increasing reports of sea turtles that have become ill and stranded on the beach due to their ingestion (摄食) of plastic.”
According to the researchers, areas of the ocean with dense concentrations of plastic may trick turtles and other marine animals into thinking that there is an abundant food source. “Once these plastics are in the ocean, we don’t have a good way to remove them or prevent them from smelling like food,” said Lohmann.
1. Why is plastic pollution posing a threat to marine animals?| A．It may eat up all jellyfish. |
| B．It may mislead them as food. |
| C．It may kill them with its smell. |
| D．It may trap 700 species of sea animals. |
| A．Sea water. | B．Clear water. |
| C．Brand-new plastic. | D．Sea-soaked plastic. |
| A．Turtles should be trained to be more intelligent. |
| B．Plastics should be kept from getting into the ocean. |
| C．An abundant food source should be offered to sea animals. |
| D．Researchers should come up with a solution to the current problem. |
| A．Ways Found to Remove Plastic |
| B．Loggerhead Turtles Faced with Food Shortage |
| C．Ocean Plastics Smell like Food to Turtles |
| D．Plastic Pollution — Compromise or Control? |
1. What is the relationship between the speakers?
| A．A couple. | B．Classmates. | C．Colleagues. |
| A．Stop using paper cups. |
| B．Prepare boxes for different waste. |
| C．Reduce the use of paper, plastic and cans. |
3 . Japan said Tuesday that it would start pouring treated radioactive water (放射性废水) from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean within two years. Officials in Tokyo said the water would be filtered and diluted (稀释) to safe levels first, but most locals remain firmly opposed to the plan. Protesters gathered outside Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s residence in downtown Tokyo to criticize the government’s decision.
More than a million tons of radioactive water is currently being stored at the Fukushima power plant in a massive tank farm big enough to fill 500 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The wastewater comes from water pumped in to cool the plant’s damaged reactors (反应堆). The government says it has simply run out of room to store all the water. The plan to dump the water into the ocean first came to light in the autumn of last year, when Japanese news reported anonymous (匿名的) officials said the decision had been taken.
On Tuesday, Suga said that after years of study, his scientific advisors had concluded that ocean discharge was the most possible way to cope with the wastewater. But the decision to pour Fukushima wastewater into the ocean has drawn fire from neighboring Asian countries and local fishermen along Japan’s coast.
China called the decision “extremely irresponsible,” and South Korea summoned (召唤) the Japanese ambassador in Seoul over the matter. “They told us that they wouldn’t release the water into the sea without the support of fishermen,” Kanji Tachiya, who leads a local cooperative of fisheries in Fukushima, told national broadcaster NHK ahead of the announcement on Tuesday. “We can’t support this move to break that promise and release the water into the sea unilaterally (单方面地).”
The actual release of water from the Fukushima plant will take decades to complete. Critics have called on Japan’s government to at least ensure that independent monitoring is in place to check the level of radiation in the poured water is safe for the environment.
1. How do most of the local people react to the plan?| A．Indifferent. | B．Uncertain. | C．Supportive. | D．Disapproving. |
| A．The wastewater is being stored in 500 Olympic-sized swimming pools. |
| B．It was last year that the plan was exposed to the public. |
| C．Ocean discharge is the only way to deal with the wastewater. |
| D．The plan has aroused anger in all the Asian countries. |
| A．The plan is to pull the whole world into the disaster. |
| B．It’s imperative that the plan should be carried out immediately. |
| C．It’s safe and easy to pour the wastewater into the ocean. |
| D．It’s unacceptable to pour the water into the ocean without fishermen’s permission. |
| A．The Japanese government has checked the level of radiation in the poured water. |
| B．Neigboring Asian countries agreed the decision to pour Fukushima wastewater into the ocean.. |
| C．It will actually take the Fukushima plant long to release treated radioactive water. |
| D．Independent monitoring of the water from the Fukushima plant aren’t necessary. |
4 . Even chess experts perform worse when air quality is lower, suggesting a negative effect on cognition(认知). Here’s something else chess players need to keep in check: air pollution.
That’s the bottom line of a newly published study co-authored by a researcher, showing that chess players perform objectively worse and make more suboptimal(次优的) moves, as measured by a computerized analysis of their games, when there is more fine particulate matter(颗粒物) in the air, notated as PM 2.5.
More specifically, given a modest increase in fine particulate matter, the probability that chess players will make an error increases by 2.1 percentage points, and the spectrum of those errors increases by 10.8 percent. In this setting, at least, cleaner air leads to clearer heads and sharper thinking.
“We find that when individuals are exposed to higher levels of air pollution, they make more mistakes, and they make larger mistakes,” says Juan Palacios, an economist in Sustainable Urbanization Lab.
“It’s pure random exposure to air pollution that is driving these people’s performance,” Palacios says. “Against comparable opponents in the same tournament round, being exposed to different levels of air quality makes a difference for move quality and decision quality.”
The researchers also found that when air pollution was worse, the chess players performed even more poorly when under time limitation. “We find it interesting that those mistakes especially occur in the phase of the game where players are facing time pressure,” Palacios says.
“There are more and more papers showing that there is a cost with air pollution, and there is a cost for more and more people,” Palacios says. “And this is just one example showing that even for these very excellent chess players, who think they can beat everything, it seems that with air pollution, they have an enemy who harms them.”
1. What effect does air pollution have on chess players?| A．They make fewer good choices. | B．They perform subjectively worse. |
| C．They suffer body discomfort. | D．They lose all games with computers. |
| A．Magic. | B．Process. | C．Range. | D．Balance. |
| A．His appeal for attention to chess players. |
| B．His concern about air pollution. |
| C．An example of chess players’ performance. |
| D．Approaches to dealing with air pollution. |
| A．Air pollution is a tough enemy chess players face. |
| B．Chess players make more and more mistakes. |
| C．There is a cost with air pollution for more people. |
| D．Chess players perform poorly under time limitation. |
5 . We all have an idea about the common types of environmental problems. However, light pollution may be a new term to many of us. But, the fact is that it does affect mankind, other living forms and the environment as a whole.
What is light pollution? It presents all forms of misused man-made light. The obvious cause of light pollution is the use of outdoor lighting products improperly. It can be office lighting, car headlights, station lights, streetlights and many more.
Light pollution is harmful to both animals and plants. Upon studies, it is found that obvious effects are observed in the behaviour of animals that are active at night. Needless to mention, bright light at night makes it difficult for these animals to hunt, wander and perform their regular activities. Light pollution is directly or indirectly responsible for causing several diseases. Its effects are related to disturbance in the physical rhythm (节奏). It contributes to risks of developing cancerous cells. So, it’s nothing less than a threat to human health.
You have already seen the negative effects of light pollution on animals and human health. Apart from this, the actual cost of misused light is about millions of dollars every year. It also leads to the release of greenhouse gases and global warming. After all, coal or gas is used for producing electricity.
While outdoor lighting and using man-made lighting products are part of our modern lifestyle, some simple ways will surely help in reducing light pollution. For example, while installing (安装) outdoor lighting, make sure that they are pointed downwards. Also, use only the required lighting equipment for both home and offices. Believe it or not, many people living in the urban areas cannot view clear sky and stars at night. Let’s contribute our part in reducing the pollution.
1. What can we learn about light pollution?| A．It has little effect on plants. |
| B．It contributes to most cancers. |
| C．It is a negative fruit of light technology. |
| D．It affects animals’ behavior during the day. |
| A．It increases the temperature at night. |
| B．It creates clouds in parts of the Earth. |
| C．It stops the release of greenhouse gases. |
| D．It is related to the burning of coal and gas. |
| A．Forbid the use of outdoor lighting. |
| B．Use clean energy to produce electricity. |
| C．Avoid unnecessary lights at home and offices. |
| D．Reduce money spent on light in urban areas. |
| A．Citizens should be banned to install outdoor lighting. |
| B．Only simple ways can help reduce light pollution. |
| C．There is no clear sky or stars over the urban areas. |
| D．Light pollution needs to be dealt with urgently. |
6 . From his uptown Manhattan home, Samir Kumar can usually see skyscrapers (摩天大楼) downtown. But this week, as smoke from wildfires raging in the western United States and Canada stretched all the way to the East Coast, the city skyline was invisible.
Currently, nearly 300 wildfires are burning in British Columbia and about 80 are blazing through states in the U. S. West The fires get worse due to heat waves and prolonged (持续的) drought in the west, two weather patterns made more extreme by climate change.
As the smoke spreads across the country and exposes millions of people, the health impact becomes more widespread among the most vulnerable (易受伤的). In addition to causing breath problems, the smoke can lead to poor heart health. What’s more, smoke from wildfires could make it harder for people to fight off COVID-19 infections and the emerging variants (出现的变体) because their immune (免疫的) systems are already battling pollution. Studies have shown that people exposed to air pollution are more likely to die from COVID-19.
For the first time in its history as a state, California’s population is decreasing Falling birth rates, high housing prices and high taxes have been factors for years, and COVID-19 has strengthened the trend, delaying planned moves into the slate. Many survivors of wildfires have also chosen to rebuild in different states. “If I was starting to raise children… I probably would leave this state.” says Hertz-Picciotto, a director of the university’s health science center. She plans to spend several weeks during the height of wildfire season in August away from her home in northern California, where wildfires have become common.
Reducing air pollution from wildfire smoke in California and the rest of the country will require reducing the number and size of wildfires themselves. Lawmakers have introduced laws aimed at better managing forests, training more firefighters and making infrastructure (基础设施) more fire resistant.
“Ultimately until we stop burning fossil fuels. I don’t see why it’s not going to get worse. It certainly can’t get better,” says Hertz-Picciotto.
1. What’s the function of Paragraph 1?| A．To explain the concern of wildfires. |
| B．To introduce the spread of wildfires. |
| C．To describe the situation of wildfires. |
| D．To demonstrate the threat of wildfires. |
| A．Climate types. | B．Human activities. |
| C．Extreme weather. | D．Climate models. |
| A．Strong immune systems. |
| B．Common breath problems. |
| C．Emerging infectious discases. |
| D．California’s population growth. |
| A．Restricting fossil fuels use. |
| B．Moving away from home. |
| C．Avoiding exposure to fires. |
| D．Fighting fire with fire. |
7 . More attention is being paid to the air issue in London, especially with a continuing investigation into the death of Ella Kissi-Debrah, a 9-year-old girl who lived just meters from one of the capital’s busiest roads. Ella died in February 2013 having suffered from many asthmatic attacks (哮喘发作) and had been taken to hospital for nearly 30 times in the three years prior to her death. She may become the first person in the UK for whom air pollution is listed as the cause of death.
Today low emission (排放) has helped reduce dangerous poisonous air in parts of the United Kingdom capital by 94 percent, according to an annual report from Transport for London (TFL). The transport authority said they had established the defined areas where access by some polluting vehicles is restricted or forbidden in Central London in February, which contributed mostly to the change.
The TFL report showed traffic on roads fell by half during lockdown. Figures showed a big increase in the number of people walking and cycling in London, with journeys made on foot or by bicycle up from 29 percent between January and March 2020 to 46 percent between March and June 2020.
TFL will spend at least 75 million pounds on walking and cycling programs across the capital over the next six months. About 88.5 kilometers of new or upgraded cycle lanes have been built or are under construction.
“This new data shows just how important walking and cycling have been in helping Londoners stay healthy and safe, ” TFL Streetspace delivery manager Helen Cansick said. “That’s why it’s crucial that we continue to invest to support walking and cycling, ensuring that the capital can become a healthier and more sustainable place for everyone.”
1. What does Ella Kissi-Debrah’s death indicate?| A．Air pollution is a big cause of death |
| B．Children often suffer from asthma. |
| C．Big cities are polluted more seriously. |
| D．Air pollution and its effect are severe. |
| A．Policy on lockdown. | B．Change in transport. |
| C．Low-emission zones. | D．Reduction in economy. |
| A．Short-distance journeys are more popular. |
| B．The traffic on roads increases a lot. |
| C．Walking and cycling are Londoners’ first choice. |
| D．More Londoners choose to walk and ride. |
| A．London’s air is now cleaner. |
| B．Traffic restrictions take effects. |
| C．Walking and cycling help stay healthy. |
| D．Air issue in London is gaining attention. |
On the basis of a new report by the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution (GAHP), environment pollution remains the largest threat to human
The GAHP said that more than 90 percent of the pollution-related deaths occur in developing countries. The report noted that such deaths remain a “neglected”(被忽视的）issue,
In addition , the report has shown that pollution raises the risk of heart disease, cancer, lung disease, and other condition. It also said pollution brings
Rachael Kupka, GAHP’s acting director ,says the good news is that controls already exist to help reduce the harmful effects
9 . The World Health Organization warns that millions of people are dying every year from indoor air pollution. Nearly three billion people are unable to use clean fuels and technologies for cooking, heating as well as lighting.
These findings show that the use of deadly fuels in inefficient stoves, space heaters or lights is to blame for many of these deaths.
WHO officials say indoor pollution leads to early deaths from stroke, heart and lung disease, childhood pneumonia and lung cancer. Women and girls are the main victims. These diseases can often result from the burning of solid fuels. These fuels include wood, coal, animal waste, crop waste and charcoal.
The United Nations found that more than 95 percent of households in sub-Saharan Africa depend on solid fuels for cooking. It says huge populations in India, China and Latin American countries, such as Guatermala and Peru,are also at risk.
Nigel Brace is a professor of Public Health at the University of Liverpool. He says researchers are developing good cook-stoves and other equipment to burn fuels in a more efficient way.There are already multiple technologies available for use in clean fuels.There is really quite an effective and reasonably low-cost alcohol stove made by Dometic (a Sweden-based company) that is now being tested out. LPG (Liquefield Petroleum Gas) cook is obviously widely available and efforts are under way to make those efficient. Another interesting development is electric induction stoves. WHO experts note that some new, safe and low-cost technologies that could help are already available. In India, you can buy an induction stove for about $8.00. And in Africa you can buy a solar lamp for less than $1.00.
But this,the agency says, is just a start. It is urging developing countries to use cleaner fuels and increase access to cleaner and more modern cooking and heating appliances/devices.
1. What does the indoor pollution mainly result from?| A．Poisonous fuels. | B．High technology. | C．Space heaters. | D．Solar energy. |
| A．By showing differences. | B．By describing a process. |
| C．By making a list. | D．By analyzing data. |
| A．Indoor pollution results in some deaths. |
| B．Most of the deaths are in developing countries. |
| C．The solid fuels are used in more effective ways. |
| D．There is no indoor pollution in developed countries. |
| A．LPG cooks are being tested out. | B．Alcohol stoves are widely used now. |
| C．Electric induction stoves are expensive. | D．Solar lamps are very cheap in Africa. |
10 . Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde has spent much of his time seeking artistic solutions to our environmental problems.His past projects include a "Smog Free Tower" to clean polluted air and "Gates of Light", which uses the headlamps of passing cars to light up the 60 floodgates of the Afsluitdijk, a major dam in the Netherlands.Now, he is hoping to use his skills to solve a pressing global problem — space junk!
Scientists estimate that there are over 500,000 pieces of space junk.To deal with the problem, Roosegaarde intends to achieve his goal by educating the public about the urgency of the situation and coming up with possible solutions.The project called the Space Waste Lab started in October 2018 with a laser(激光) show in the Netherlands.The unique outdoor artwork of LEDs used real-time tracking information to point at pieces of space junk floating at altitudes of 200 to 20,000 kilometers.The experience was designed to make the public know more about how much space junk there is.
To find a solution, the designer has been thinking with experts.One of the projects being considered is "Shooting Stars", which attempts to reintroduce the trash to the atmosphere in a controlled way.Upon reentry, the waste would burn in the atmosphere like a shooting star.Roosegaarde envisages that if successful, burning space trash could someday replace fireworks at large public events!
In September 2018, the RemoveDEBRIS satellite successfully sent a net to catch a target while orbiting at an altitude of about 300 kilometers.Sometime this year, the spacecraft will send a harpoon that has been designed to remove space trash.At the end of its task, RemoveDEBRIS will release a sail to bring the satellite itself and hopefully some trash back into the atmosphere where it will burn up.
1. What can we infer about Daan Roosegaarde?| A．He is too aggressive to put forward good plans. |
| B．He is creative in solving environmental problems. |
| C．He is fond of spending all of his time learning art skills. |
| D．He is sensitive to art reflected in environmental projects. |
| A．To confirm real-time information about space trash. |
| B．To show the great beauty of LEDs to common people. |
| C．To raise public awareness of the amount of space trash. |
| D．To inspire people to consider the solution to space trash. |
| A．Suspect. | B．Demand. | C．Advise. | D．Imagine. |
