1 . Have you ever had the feeling that you can’t think when there is too much noise around? Did you ever think a fish could experience that feeling too? A recent paper published in Science titled “Soundscape (声景) of the Anthropocene Oceans”, combined over 10,000 scientific papers, confirming that undersea life knows that exact same feeling, more often than not. Anthropogenic (人为的) ocean noise, also known as underwater noise pollution, has created a dramatic impact on marine life due to “human-caused” activity within and neighboring our oceans.
Disney Pixar’s animated film Finding Nemo educated us about the ocean, and specifically within the ordinary world of a clown fish. A fact many may not know is that clown fish spend the first part of their lives as larvae (幼体), drifting with the current of the ocean until they become strong enough to swim against it. Once they are powerful and strong, they head home in sheltered coral reefs. There is only one drawback-the fish can’t physically see the reef, but they can hear it. The only problem is, if they can’t hear it, will they ever make it home?
Our anthropogenic ocean noise, such as cargo ships, ship and boat propellers (螺旋桨), surfing, deep sea mining, etc. are causing destruction of marine life. According to Time, sound is the sensory signal that travels the farthest through the ocean. Anthropogenic noise drowns out the natural soundscapes, putting marine life under immense stress. Altogether, this stress then affects their general health, disrupts their behavior, physiology, reproduction and, in extreme cases, causes death. Marine life can adapt to noise pollution, however, only if they can escape it. This only renders further complications of forcing species to leave their traditional breeding regions or their families.
Now, what if we told you there is already a solution? Multiple solutions, ideas and designs are currently in the works or already exist to reduce and reverse the damage of anthropogenic ocean noise. As Time explains, from wind-powered ships to noise-reducing propellers, floating wind turbines and “bubble curtains” that muffle construction noise, the solutions are already available and in some cases, cost-effective. The authors of the paper hope it will catch the attention of policymakers, who historically speaking, have ignored the matter still to this day.
Of all the challenges ocean creatures are battling, luckily sound pollution is the easiest compromise (妥协方案) humans can make. Once the noise has decreased, marine life will be able to better manage everything else it is up against.
1. What do we know about “Soundscape of the Anthropocene Oceans”?| A．It analyses how sound travels in the ocean. |
| B．It discusses different types of ocean pollution. |
| C．It explores the effects of noise pollution on sea life. |
| D．It studies how sea animals communicate with each other. |
| A．present their life cycles |
| B．show how terrible their living conditions are |
| C．introduce a famous animation about the ocean world |
| D．stress the importance of natural soundscapes to sea life |
| A．Reduces. | B．Causes. | C．Solves. | D．Prevents. |
| A．publicize the knowledge of soundscape |
| B．regulate human’s activities on the ocean |
| C．emphasize the importance of animal protection |
| D．draw people’s attention to anthropogenic ocean noise |
A new study found that light pollution is making the night sky brighter and the stars dimmer. Man-made lighting is the main cause, making the night sky about 10 percent brighter each year.
The result was a much faster rate of change than scientists had estimated. The research team gave an example to explain the result. If a child is born where 250 stars can be seen on a clear night, by the time that child turns 18, only 100 stars will be seen.
The researchers said they had hoped to see improvements in light pollution in recent years, because many urban centers have changed their lighting to be more energy-efficient. Towns and cities are replacing older streetlights with modern LEDS that are more carefully directed downwards, where the light is useful.
The hope was that if the light was better directed, the situation would get better. But there are many types of lighting — streetlights, decorative, advertising. So, with all these things combined — and possibly more lighting overall, we are making sky brightness worse. The relatively low cost of LED lighting is also contributing to the problem, that is, the cheaper and better the lighting, the higher society’s addiction to light.
Consequently, light pollution leads to a loss of universal human experience, a source of inspiration for art, science, literature. It also affects the routine of human as well as other forms of life. Migratory songbirds normally use starlight to position where they are in the sky at night. And when sea turtle babies hatch, they use light to position toward the ocean — light pollution is a huge deal for them.
1. What causes light pollution?2. What are the negative effects of light pollution?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
The sky brightness becomes worse because of more modern types of lighting being used and the lack of LED lighting.
4. Besides light pollution, what do you think is the most serious pollution in life? And explain its effects. (In about 40 words)
THE GROWING PROBLEM OF E-WASTE
The term e-waste is short for “electronic waste”. It refers to electrical or electronic products that are thrown away when they are no longer needed. These include computers, televisions, ovens, and basically anything else that runs on batteries or has an electrical cord.
E-waste has been a problem since the 1970s because of how difficult it is to separate things like metal and plastic from various products. Also, many electronics contain toxic materials that can pollute the environment if left in landfills. Over the past few decades, the problem of e-waste has only increased along with advancements in technology.
E-waste is now the fastest-growing waste stream around the world. The total amount of e-waste created every year is expected to reach 74 million tons by the year 2030. Currently, it’s estimated that only about 17 percent of global e-waste is properly recycled. However, the United Nations hopes to bring that number up to 30 percent by the end of 2023.
With more people using smartphones and computers every year, the problem of e-waste cannot be ignored. To increase the recycling rate of e-waste items, cities should consider adding special collection boxes at grocery stores or government offices. There should also be delivery or pick-up services for e-waste items. That way, these items can be sent directly to people who are able to properly take them apart and recover their useful components.
Despite current difficulties, e-waste has great recycling potential. In addition to the items thrown away, lots of people keep old devices that aren’t used anymore. As a whole, they add up to a lot of metals and minerals that can, and should, be recycled. If these components are recycled to make new products, there would be less of a need to dig for more around the world.
So, if you must replace your phone or computer, try returning the device to the manufacturer or dropping it off at an e-waste processing facility if there is one nearby.
1. What does “electronic waste” refer to?2. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?
3. Decide which part of the following statement is wrong. Underline it and explain why.
▶In order to reduce e-waste, people had better keep old devices that aren’t used anymore or drop them off in special collection boxes.
4. Apart from the ways mentioned in the passage, please share your way(s) to reduce e-waste. (About 40 words)
A study
5 . Of all the weird and wonderful creatures living under the sea, perhaps the strangest are jellyfish—those rubbery, cone-shaped creatures found floating in the water, their long tentacles trailing behind.
Some jellyfish species have a bad reputation for scaring away tourists, clogging up fishing nets, and even blocking power station pipes. But with more and more plastic rubbish ending up in the sea, these days you’re as likely to swim into a plastic bag as a jellyfish. Now scientific research is discovering that these rubbery sea creatures might provide an answer—a sticky solution to the problem of plastic pollution.
In recent years, tiny pieces of plastic called microplastic have been a significant problem for the world’s seas and oceans. These plastics are not visible to the eye and aren’t caught by seawater treatment plants due to their small size, so they enter our system and harm our health. They’ve been found in many places—in Arctic ice, at the bottom of the sea and even inside animals. Slovenian scientist, Dr Ana Rotter, heads GoJelly, a European research team of jellyfish ecologists looking into the problem.
Microplastics, plastics in general, are becoming an increasing problem. Dr Ana Rotter says when she was a child, people were more environmentally friendly—not harmful to the environment or having the least possible impact on it. At that time, there were very few single-use plastics—plastic items, like spoons and forks, designed to be used just once, then thrown away. The situation since then has changed dramatically. In fact, there’s been such an increase in microplastics that today the UN lists plastic pollution as one of the world’s top environmental threats.
But how do jellyfish fit into the story? Well, it’s the ‘jelly’ part of jellyfish, and specifically their sticky, jelly-like mucus that is key. Jellyfish produce a thick, sticky liquid called mucus. Dr Ana Rotter has discovered that this mucus has strong absorptive capabilities—it can absorb, take in liquids and other substances. One of the substances jellyfish mucus absorbs are the particles that make up microplastics.
Dr Rotter’s research is still in the early stages, but it’s hoped that jellyfish mucus could hold the key to a future free of microplastic polluted oceans. Scientists are hoping that the mucus’s absorptive properties—its abilities to absorb liquids and other substances and hold them, will allow it to trap particles of plastic floating in the sea. By trapping these, the mucus acts like a magnet—an object that attracts certain materials, like metal, but in this case, microplastic waste.
1. Paragraph 3 mainly talks about ________.| A．where microplastics can be found |
| B．why microplastics can harm our health |
| C．what problems the seas and oceans are facing |
| D．how the research was carried out by the scientist |
| A．Jellyfish species cause a great threat to the sea. |
| B．Jellyfish species like to swim and live in plastic bags. |
| C．Jellyfish mucus can attract metals and break them down. |
| D．Jellyfish mucus can absorb liquids and some other substances. |
| A．Qualities. | B．Substances. | C．Choices. | D．Materials. |
| A．To show the harm that sea and ocean pollution brings to human beings. |
| B．To introduce the living habits of the weird and wonderful creatures in the sea. |
| C．To provide a new method for collecting data on environmental threats in the sea. |
| D．To inform a promising scientific finding for dealing with plastic pollution in the sea. |
6 . Most environmental pollution comes from humans and their inventions. The electric bulbs are thought to be one of the greatest human inventions of all time. However, too much of a good thing has started to negatively impact the environment. Light pollution, the extreme or inappropriate use of outdoor artificial light, is affecting human health and wildlife behavior. There is a global movement to reduce light pollution, and everyone can help.
Light pollution is a global issue. This became particularly obvious when the World Atlas (地图册)of Night Sky Brightness, a computer-generated map based on thousands of satellite photos, was published in 2016. Vast areas of North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia are glowing with light, while only Siberia, the Sahara, and the Amazon are in total darkness.
Artificial light can wreak havoc on natural body rhythms in both humans and animals. It interrupts sleep and confuses the circadian rhythm(生理节奏)一the internal, twenty-four-hour clock that guides day and night activities and affects physiological processes in nearly all living organisms. One of these processes is the production of the hormone melatonin(褪黑素), which is released when it is dark and is prevented when there is light. An increased amount of light at night lowers melatonin production, which results in lack of sleep, headaches, stress, anxiety, and other health problems. Blue light, in particular, has been shown to reduce levels of melatonin in humans. It is found in cell phones and other computer devices, as well as in light-emitting diodes (LEDs), the kinds of bulbs that have become popular at home and in industrial and city lighting due to their low cost and energy efficiency.
Studies show that light pollution is also impacting animal behaviors, such as migration (迁徙)patterns and habitat formation. Because of light pollution, sea turtles guided by moonlight during migration get confused, lose their way, and often die. Large numbers of insects, a primary food source for birds and other animals, are drawn to artificial light and are instantly killed upon contact with light sources. Even animals living under the deep sea may be affected by underwater artificial lighting. One study looked at how animals in sea responded to brightly lit panels put under water off the coast of Wales. Fewer filter feeding animals(滤食性动物), such as the sea squirt(海鞘), made their homes near the lighted panels. This could mean that the artificial light is altering ocean ecosystems.
The good news is that light pollution, unlike many other forms of pollution, is reversible(可逆的)and each one of us can make a difference! Now, many people are taking action to reduce light pollution and bring back the natural night sky. Individuals are urged to use outdoor lighting only when and where it is needed, to make sure outdoor lights are properly shielded (遮挡)and direct light down instead of up into the sky, and to close window blinds, shades, and curtains at night to keep light inside.
1. What does the underlined phrase “wreak havoc on” in Para. 3 probably mean?| A．Greatly improve. | B．Well maintain. |
| C．Strictly manage. | D．Seriously damage. |
| A．Light pollution was first studied as a global issue in 2016. |
| B．Deep-sea environment can help animals avoid light pollution. |
| C．Artificial light affects the sense of direction and habits of animals. |
| D．LEDs can be used more because of low cost and energy efficiency. |
| A．Unconcerned. | B．Negative. |
| C．Neutral. | D．Positive. |
| A．To call on people to reduce light pollution. |
| B．To discuss fors and againsts of artificial light. |
| C．To give suggestions to protect environment. |
| D．To show development prospect of artificial light. |
White sand beaches of the Cocos Islands, which are known as a gorgeous tourist destination surrounded by greenish blue water, have now been filled with plastic wastes.
Jennifer Lavers, a marine scientist, went to these tropical islands with her research team. Knowing that lots of beaches were polluted by plastic wastes, the team conducted a careful scientific examination on the coast, only to find the problem caused by pieces of trash humans left was worse than expected.
Not all plastics are to blame. They are necessary in places like hospitals and airplanes, and make our vehicles lighter and more efficient. However, other plastics, especially disposable(一次性的) plastics, account for the growing mess on the beaches. Islands all over the world are jammed with plastics. And the Cocos Islands are no exception.
Apparently, demand for disposable plastics must be reduced greatly. “Why don’t we carry around bags that we can use over and over again?” asked Richard Gross, a chemist who researches innovative ways to make more sustainable plastics. “Let’s carry around reusable lunch boxes. We should understand how serious the situation is.”
Although it is important for individuals to make an effort to avoid using disposable plastics, it is also generally believed that only with international rules can such a deep-rooted, common, and worldwide scourge(灾害) be tackled.
However, the U. N., which engages in dealing with accelerating climate change and public health crises, obviously isn’t paying enough attention to calling for international action on plastic pollution. As a result, billions of plastic products will still be produced every year, many of which will end up in the ocean.
It requires the greatest effort of all time to control plastic pollution in modern society. No matter how tall the hurdles(栏架) are, something has to be done.
1. What did Jennifer Lavers and her research team find?2. What kinds of plastics lead to the increasing wastes on the beaches?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Individual efforts and international rules are both required to tackle the plastic pollution, and the U. N. pays much attention to calling for international action.
4. As a student, what will you do to reduce white pollution?
Single-use plastic bags are used at most a few times before they
9 . Cleaning the ocean of plastic
These days, we’re all well aware of the plastic problem the world’s facing. Although we all realize what a serious issue plastic pollution is, it’s different when you actually see the overwhelming results of it for yourself.
A team of researchers recently published a study on the so-called Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the journal Scientific Reports. According to the study, the patch, which is located off the coast of California in the US, is made up of 79,000 tons of plastic waste. At 1.6 million square kilometers, it’s over four times the size of Japan, or almost 100 times the size of Beijing.
“I’ve been doing this research for a while, but it was depressing to see the patch in person,” Laurent Lebreton, lead author of the study, told The Guardian. “There were things you just wondered how they made it into the ocean. There’s clearly an increasing influx of plastic into the garbage patch.”
It’s believed that eight million tons of plastic ends up in the sea each year, and a lot of it ends up collecting near large ocean currents around the world, forming “islands” of plastic. This causes problems not only for sea creatures, but also for humans. The swirling ocean currents eventually break down some of the plastic, with a lot of it ending up in the stomachs of fish and birds. As a result, it’s believed that plastic has worked its way up the food chain directly onto our plates - not to mention the countless creatures that choke on plastic waste, or are poisoned by the chemicals in it.
So what can we do about this? Lebreton is a member of the Ocean Cleanup Foundation, a group that’s developed technology to collect plastic waste from the ocean. This is a huge project. The group claims it will take around five years just to clean up half of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch alone. But rather than discourage people from using plastic altogether, Lebreton believes that we should simply be more careful of how we use it. “In my opinion, plastic is very useful ... But I think we must change the way we use plastic, particularly in terms of single-use plastic and those objects that have a very short service lifespan,” he told the BBC.
1. What is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch made up of?2. Why does plastic also cause problems for humans?
3. Please paraphrase the following sentence.
It’s believed that the eight million tons of plastic ends up in the sea each year, and a lot of it ends up collecting near large ocean currents around world, forming “islands” of plastic.
4. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Laurent Lebreton thinks that plastic is very useful, but we have to stop using plastic completely to protect the ocean.
5. Please provide at least two suggestions on what we can do to change the way we use plastic. (about 20 words)
10 . We are what we eat, and what we eat reveals something about what we are in return. So it shouldn’t be all that surprising that humans are now apparently eating plastic.
A small trial at the Medical University of Vienna found tiny pieces of it in the digestive systems of people from eight different countries. The study involved just eight people and doesn’t tell us what if any effect eating plastic was having on their bodies. We already knew fish were eating plastic. Did we really think it wouldn’t reach back up to the top of the food chain, that the consequences of our own actions couldn’t return to us?
This goes beyond cleaning up the oceans. Six of the eight subjects of the study ate sea not all of them did. Other possible theories involve drinking out of plastic bottle. eating food that’s been wrapped in plastic, or tiny plastic pieces floating in the air which then land on our food. But our environment is so filled now with plastic that it seems that we were going to absorb it somehow.
Does it actually matter? This study can’t answer that question, because all it tells us is that microplastics were found in human wastes. If it’s just passing through the body, then perhaps there’s no damage done. However, if there were evidence of plastics being absorbed and gathering in our internal organs, as some animal studies have suggested, that would potentially be a red flag.
Solving plastic pollution is nowhere near as simple as some campaigners make it sound. Switching away from plastic packaging to other materials would create other environmental dilemmas. Bottling liquids in glass rather than plastic makes them heavier which potentially means more trips to transport them, paper production has a bigger carbon footprint. Even if it were possible to stop using the stuff tomorrow, it would take up to 1,000 years for some of what’s being produced right now to break down.
But just because it’s difficult, it doesn’t mean we shrug our shoulders and do nothing. There is something genuinely mad about a society that is on the one hand crazy about the quality of the food we put in our mouths, and yet also mindlessly eats its own garbage. The war on plastic, it seems, just got personal.
1. What does the study show?| A．Food chain is damaged by plastic. |
| B．Eating plastic affects human greatly. |
| C．Plastic is discovered in human bodies. |
| D．Sea fish are the victim of plastic pollution. |
| A．A final result. | B．A warning sign. |
| C．An expected finding. | D．A similar situation. |
| A．It’s impossible to stop using plastic. |
| B．It’s challenging to deal with plastic issue. |
| C．It’s urgent to choose different wrappings. |
| D．It takes time to improve the environment. |
| A．Plastic should be replaced by other materials. |
| B．The damage towards food chain is long lasting. |
| C．The effect of plastic pollution isn’t fully recognized |
| D．The causes of environmental issues are complicated |
