Recently, researchers announced that they had found tiny pieces of plastic in water samples from around the world. These pieces of plastic have been found in drinking water across the world,
A study
3 . A new UK-based study on the effects of artificial light on local insect populations found that light pollution from street lamps disturbs insect behavior, leading to an overall loss of insects.
“We found that street lighting strongly reduced moth (飞蛾) population compared with unlit sites... and affected moth development,” the study stated.
The study’s results apply to a localized level and cannot be used to determine whether national-level populations are declining due to light pollution. However, it adds further weight to existing research on how light pollution affects ecosystems and biodiversity hotspots and highlights the need to shift to alternatives in artificial light that would tone down these effects.
The effects on insect populations are wide-ranging. More specifically, artificial light affects how moths lay their eggs and puts them at a higher risk of being spotted by predators (捕食性动物). It also affects moths’ feeding behavior, which subsequently leads to declines in their population too. Light pollution thus joins a host of factors, such as climate change and deforestation, as one of the determinants of insect population decline.
While previous studies examined the effects of lighting on bats and other vertebrates, this study focused on their prey—creatures lower down in the food chain—and, as a result, complementing (补充) previous studies. Therefore, the study is concerning because it suggests an alarming loss of insects caused by artificial light, which will have far-reaching consequences for all the wildlife and ecosystems that depend on them.
Moreover, white light-emitting diodes (LEDs) were found to have the worst impact on local insects and ecosystem processes. The researchers thus call for shifting away from white LEDs or employing processes such as motion sensors to make the lights less bright and changing colors and filters to avoid the negative impacts. If the findings of the study are anything to go by, local insect ecosystems will suffer considerable consequences- which will, in turn, affect the wildlife that depends on them and, ultimately, could perhaps even upset agricultural balances.
1. What can we learn about the new study?| A．It is conducted on a local basis. |
| B．It highlights the value of artificial light. |
| C．It focuses on the preservation of insects. |
| D．It matters more than the existing research. |
| A．It may put them in danger. |
| B．It prevents them from feeding. |
| C．It may lead to their extinction. |
| D．It disables them from laying eggs. |
| A．To shift to green alternatives. |
| B．To adopt brighter colors and filters. |
| C．To avoid adopting white-light LEDs. |
| D．To replace them with motion sensors. |
| A．Artificial Light and Wildlife Protection |
| B．Light Pollution and the Endangered Species |
| C．Artificial Light Has Negative Effects on Agriculture |
| D．Light Pollution from Street Lights Could Drive Insect Loss |
4 . As plastic waste increases rapidly around the world, an essential question remains unanswered: What harm, if any, does it cause to human health?
A few years ago, as microplastics began turning up in the organs of fish and shellfish, the concern was focused on the safety of seafood. Shellfish were a particular worry, because in their case, unlike fish, we eat the entire animal — stomach, microplastics and all. In 2017, Belgian scientists announced that seafood lovers could consume up to 11,000 plastic particles (粒子) a year by eating mussels (贻贝), a favorite dish in that country.
By then, however, scientists already understood that plastics continuously fragment small pieces in the environment, tearing over time into fibers even smaller than a strand of human hair — particles are so small that they easily fly in the air. A team at the U.K.’s University of Plymouth decided to compare the threat from eating polluted wild mussels in Scotland to that of breathing air in a typical home. Their conclusion: People will take in more plastic by breathing in or taking tiny, invisible plastic fibers floating in the air around them—fibers from their own clothes, carpets, and soft covering on furniture — than they will by eating the mussels.
So, it wasn’t much of a surprise when, in 2022, scientists from the Netherlands and the U.K, announced they had found tiny plastic particles in living humans, in two places where they hadn’t been seen before: deep inside the lungs of surgical patients, and in the blood of unknown donors. Neither of the two studies answered the question of possible harm. But together they signaled a shift in the focus of concern about plastics toward the cloud of dust particles in the air, some of them are so small that they can get into deep inside the body and even inside cells, in ways that larger microplastics can’t.
Dick Vethaak, a professor of ecotoxicology (生态毒理学), doesn’t consider the results alarming, exactly—“but, yes, we should be concerned. Plastics should not be in your blood.” “We live in a multi-particle world,” he adds, referring to the dust, pollen (花粉), and smog that humans also breathe in every day. “The trick is to figure out how much plastics contribute to that particle burden and what does that mean.”
1. What does the word “fragment” in para. 3 probably mean?| A．break into | B．take in | C．pick out | D．make up |
| A．microplastics from things in our daily life ant more poisonous |
| B．people eating polluted mussels are more likely to get diseases |
| C．invisible plastic fibers are more harmful to the environment |
| D．the influence of microplastics in mussels is less than thought |
| A．microplastics in polluted wild mussels can cause serious diseases |
| B．there’s no need to worry about the plastics found in human blood |
| C．we can avoid breathing particles by figuring out particle burden |
| D．more attention should be paid to the dust particles than plastics |
| A．Are Microplastics Harmful to Us? |
| B．Should Microplastics be in Our Blood? |
| C．Can Microplastics Get into Our Bodies? |
| D．Do We Know Anything about Microplastics? |
5 . In Mumbai, there’s the ceaseless clamor of car homes as drivers edge through traffic. There’s pounding and buzzing from the construction of office towers and apartment blocks. Drumbeats and trumpet melodies spill out from weddings and countless festivals. And it’s all topped off by bellowing (大声吼叫的) street vendors and garbage trucks blasting Bollywood songs. Living in Mumbai requires a huge
When Sumaira Abdulali began campaigning against noise pollution in India’s financial capital two decades ago, friends, acquaintances and even her lawyers insisted it was
But in 2003, Abdulali won a lawsuit seeking to
The World Health Organization warns that noise is a top threat to human
In recent years, the battle against noise has become increasingly
Traffic is a tougher problem. Noise on the road can reach 110 decibels (分贝) — a level that can lead to permanent hearing damage after just 15 minutes of exposure, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Luckily,
Far more important is the longer-term impact of the day-to-day noise, so that’s where Vijay believes activists should focus their energy. “In India we celebrate festivals with lots of noise,” he says. “But our
| A．talent | B．potential | C．demand | D．tolerance |
| A．encouraging | B．reasonable | C．ridiculous | D．depressing |
| A．take advantage of | B．put an end to | C．lay emphasis on | D．throw light on |
| A．Therefore | B．Similarly | C．Subsequently | D．However |
| A．well-being | B．intelligence | C．interaction | D．behavior |
| A．largest | B．busiest | C．loudest | D．richest |
| A．difficult | B．successful | C．diverse | D．easy |
| A．availability | B．capitalization | C．urbanization | D．convenience |
| A．in pace with | B．in contact with | C．in league with | D．in conflict with |
| A．recommend | B．justify | C．resist | D．advocate |
| A．government | B．technology | C．finance | D．psychology |
| A．quiet | B．brave | C．safe | D．alert |
| A．trigger | B．satisfy | C．reduce | D．maintain |
| A．steps in | B．takes over | C．cuts in | D．takes off |
| A．traffic | B．construction | C．ceremony | D．background |
6 . Are you a tea drinker? If so, you’re not alone. Every day around the world millions of cups of this popular brew are drunk, and it’s been that way for thousands of years. The oldest discovered tea is from the Han Dynasty, dating from 206BC to 220AD. But it’s thought that the tea trend really took off during the Tang Dynasty in the 8th Century, when it became China’s national drink. Now, Turkey, the Republic of Ireland and the UK are believed to be the biggest tea—drinking nations, per capita.
Tea is consumed in many ways-slurped, sipped or glugged. It can be poured from pots, infused or brewed in the cup using tea bags—and it’s this latter process that is causing concern. Research last year found some premium tea bags might be leaving billions of microscopic plastic particles in the cup. Scientists from McGill University in Montreal found that some ‘plastic’ tea bags shed high levels of micro plastics into water. However, The World Health Organization says such particles in drinking water do not appear to pose a risk.
Most tea bags are made from paper, with a small amount of plastic used to seal them shut— made from oil. This has led to debate about whether they can be recycled, but many are still composted. However, gardener Mike Armitage has told the BBC that the plastic contained in the soil could be washed into streams and rivers and ultimately out to sea.
Unilever, the owners of the tea brand PG Tips, said their tea bags are made with a small amount of plastic—used to seal them—and that they are suitable for composting. And the brand Yorkshire Tea said their bags do contain 25% polypropylene, but they were “actively developing plant—based and biodegradable alternatives”.
While tea bag manufacturers might be doing their bit to reduce plastic pollution, it could be a good time to switch your favourite beverage to coffee, or if that isn’t your cup of tea then try using loose-leaf tea, which can have a better flavour.
1. What is the main idea of paragraph 2?| A．Tea can be consumed in many ways. |
| B．The use of tea bags doesn’t appear to pose a risk |
| C．The use of tea bags is causing concern. |
| D．Some tea bags might be leaving microscopic plastic particles in the cup. |
| A．reduce the amount of plastic used to seal tea bags |
| B．wash the plastic in the soil into streams, rivers and sea |
| C．develop plant-based and biodegradable alternatives |
| D．switch to coffee or try to use loose-leaf tea |
| A．Supportive | B．Indifferent | C．Opposed | D．Neutral |
| A．Potential Plastic Pollution |
| B．Chinese tea culture |
| C．What is your favorite drink? |
| D．The Humble tea bag |
Japan said on Tuesday that it had decided to
The
“The Japanese government ignores concerns and strong opposition both at home and abroad. Such an
Greenpeace(绿色和平组织)criticized Japan’s plan and said there are other solutions that should
| A．The sea is getting smaller. |
| B．The sea is being polluted. |
| C．The sea is getting cleaner. |
9 . 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, 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 nocturnal animals. 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. 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, fuels are 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 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 no effect on plants. |
| B．It contributes to most cancers. |
| C．It is a negative fruit of light technology. |
| D．It affects animals’ normal activities in the daytime. |
| A．It reduces temperatures by days and makes nights warmer. |
| B．It creates more clouds over parts of the Earth. |
| C．It stops the release of greenhouse gases. |
| D．It causes global temperatures to go up. |
| A．Forbidding the use of outdoor lighting. |
| B．Using clean energy to produce electricity. |
| C．Not using unnecessary lights at home and offices. |
| D．Reducing money spent on man-made light in urban areas. |
| A．citizens should be forbidden 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 |
10 . 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. |
