【生态环保、自然灾害类】话题阅读练习（四）
（阅读理解9篇+语法填空3篇）
Passage 1
In general, the riches of the natural world aren't spread evenly across the globe. Places like the Tropical. Andes in South America are simply packed with unique species, many of which can't be found in any other places. Until recently, the main explanation for the biological riches concentrated in places like the Amazon Basin was that such places must be engines of biodiversity, with new species evolving at a faster rate than other parts of the world. But now, new research on bird evolution may turn that assumption on its head, instead supporting the idea that areas with fewer species actually tend to produce new species faster.
The researchers say these biodiversity "cold spots" are generally found in environments featuring freezing, dry and unstable conditions. Though the researchers found these locations with few bird species tend to produce new ones at high rates, they fail to accumulate many species because the unstable conditions frequently make the new life forms die out.
The more well-known " hot spots", by contrast, have accumulated their large numbers of species by being warm, hospitable and relatively stable. Indeed, the researchers found that the countless bird species that call the Amazon home tend to be older in evolutionary terms. "New species do form in places like the Amazon, just not as frequently as in the dry grasslands in the Andes ," says Elizabeth, an evolutionary biologist.
The researchers managed to collect 1,940 samples representing 1,287 of the 1,306 bird species from South America. Their analysis showed that the best predictor of whether an area would produce new species at a high rate was how many species lived there, rather than climate or geographic features like mountains. Species-rich areas tended to produce new species more slowly.
" Maybe bad environments generate new species more frequently because there's less competition and more available opportunities for new species," says Gustavo Bravo, a lead researcher.
The study's findings add new urgency to protect ecosystems that may look barren, but may actually be nature's hothouses for the evolution of new species.
1. Why is South America mentioned in the first paragraph
A. To make a comparison.
B. To introduce the topic.
C. To explain a fact.
D. To draw a conclusion.
2. What determines the rising rate of new species in place
A. The number of its then species.
B. The environment they lived in.
C. The survival skills of species.
D. The different biological factors.
3. Which of the following can best explain the underlined word " barren" in the last paragraph
A. Dry and bare.
B. Lively and active.
C. Nice and green.
D. Complex and unpredictable.
解析：
B 推断 第一段讲到南美洲物种丰富,普遍认为是物种进化快的结果。但是一项新研究却认为物种少的地方产生新物种的速度更快。由此可知，提到南美洲是为了引出话题，提出该研究的观点。故B项正确。
A 理解具体信息 根据第一段中的"areaswith fewer...new species faster” 并结合第四段中的"tbe best predictor... slowly" 可知，新物种出现的速度是由该地当时物种的多少决定的。故A项正确。
A 理解词汇 根据画线词后的"但实际上可能是新物种进化的自然温室"可知，画线词在逻辑上应与此相反。故A 项正确。
passage 2
A kind man, Keith Walker, who was 53 years old, kept his own pitbull called Bravo at the W-Underdogs (an animal shelter) overnight and was on his way to pick him up when he saw the flames on December 18.
He didn't just rescue his own pet, but he made sure that all the animals were safe. He said, "I was nervous at first and really scared to go there with all that smoke. I am not going to lie." However, Keith suddenly remembered that his father once said humans had a duty Til protect animals. So he said, " My dog is my best friend, and I wouldn't be here without him, so I knew I had to save all those other dogs. "
The founder of the shelter Grace Hamlin said that the shelter was left uninhabitable by the fire, which was electrical. But luckily, they were about to move into a new place, so there was still somewhere for the animals to live.
She said, "Keith is my guardian. Even the firefighters didn't know how to handle the animals. They called Animal Control, but Keith was already in the building pulling out the cats and dogs until they were all safe. "
Keith, who has been homeless since he was 13, has now been regarded as a hero after saving the six dogs and
ten cats. Well-wishers have raised almost $ 40,000 for him on GoFundMe, a fundraising platform.
In a separate fundraiser for the shelter itself to rebuild after the fire, Grace said, "Keith worked tirelessly to bring our animals to safety. Although he refused all offers of help, we are determined to contact him again. He is a vital part of our community and he should be appropriately rewarded for his selfless efforts. "
1. What did Keith do at the first sight of the fire
A. He waited for help.
B. He turned to his father.
C. He protected his own pets.
D. He hesitated for a moment.
2. What damage did the fire bring about
A. Some firefighters were badly injured.
B. The animals lost their shelter.
C. Some cats disappeared.
D. Keith lost his pitbull.
3. Why is Grace going to contact Keith again
A. To reward him for what he did.
B. To raise money for him.
C. To offer him a good job.
D. To rebuild a home for him.
4. Which of the following can best describe Keith
A. Ambitious and helpful.
B. Determined and modest.
C. Honest and brave.
D. Generous and calm.
解析：
D 理解具体信息 根据第二段中的"I wasnervous. ..all that smoke" 可知，看到大火后，他犹豫了一会儿。故D项正确。
B 理解具体信息 根据第三段首句可知，收容中心被大火烧得不能居住了，即动物失去了住所。故B项正确。
A 理解具体信息 根据第六段尾句可知，Grace 认为 Keith 对社区来说很重要，人们应该回报他的无私奉献。故A项正确。
C推断 根据第二段中的"I was nervous. ..going to lie" 和"I knew I had to save all thoseother dogs" 可推知，Keith 既诚实又勇敢。故C项正确
passage 3
As a popular subject of study among evolutionary ecologists, the three-spined stickleback（三刺鱼）is known for their different shapes, sizes, and behaviours -they can even live in both sea water and fresh water, and under a wide range of temperatures. But what makes that
The researchers tracked six populations of the fish before and after seasonal changes to their environment, using genome sequencing（基因组测序）．Seasonal changes result in great changes in habitat structure and balance of salt and fresh water, and only those fish able to tolerate these rapid changes survive into the next season.
"These changes probably resemble the habitat shifts experienced by stickleback populations during the past 10,000 years," says Professor Barrett. " We hope to gain insight into the genetic changes that may have resulted from natural selection long in the past. "
Remarkably, the researchers discovered the evidence of genetic changes driven by the seasonal shifts in habitats, which mirrored the differences found between long-established freshwater and saltwater populations. "These genetic changes occurred in independent populations over a single season, highlighting just how quickly the effects of natural selection can be detected," says Professor Barrett, " the findings suggest that we may be able to use the genetic differences to predict how populations may adapt to the environment. "
The research emphasizes the importance of studying species in dynamic environments to gain a better understanding of how natural selection operates. In the further research, they plan to investigate how repeatable the observed genetic changes are, by testing whether they show up year after year. Doing so would demonstrate their ability to reliably forecast the evolutionary future of these populations.
1. What does the underlined word " that" refer to Paragraph 1
A. The three-spined stickleback is under a wide range of temperatures.
B. The three-spined stickleback is popular evolutionary ecologists.
C. The three-spined stickleback can adapt different living conditions.
D. The three-spined stickleback has different shapes, sizes, and behaviours.
2. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about
A. The difficulties of the research.
B. The purpose of the research.
C. The background of the research.
D. The methods of the research.
3. What is the main reason for the three-spined stickleback's survival
A. Habitat shifts.
B. Genetic changes.
C. Seasonal changes.
D. Independent populations.
4. Why will scientists study the repetition of the genetic changes
A. To know what natural selection is.
B. To study species in dynamic environments.
C. To test the reliability of the present discoveries.
D. To forecast the evolutionary future of certain species.
解析：
C 理解词汇， 代词一般指代上文中提到的内容,根据语境可知，that 指代上文中的"theycan even... range of temperatures" ，故C 项"它们可以适应不同的生存环境”正确。
D 理解段落主旨要义 根据第二段中的"研究人员利用基因组测序，在它们生存环境季节性变化前后跟踪记录了6个种群的鱼类"可知，本段主要讲到了研究方法,故D项正确。
B 推断 根据第四段中的"Remarkably, there searchers. .. the seasonal shifts in habitats" 可推知，三刺鱼之所以能够生存下去，其主要原因就在于为了生存所做的基因改变,故B项正确。
D 理解具体信息 根据最后一段中的"Doing so would. . . the evolutionary future of these populations" 可知，科学家研究基因改变的重复是为了预测未来某些物种的进化前景,故D项正确。
passage 4
The fertile land of the Nile delta is being eroded（侵蚀）along the Mediterranean coast of Egypt at an astonishing rate, in some parts estimated at 100 metres per year. In the past, land washed away from the coastline by the currents of the Mediterranean Sea used to be replaced by sediment (The h) brought down to the delta by the Nile River, but this is no longer happening.
Up to now, people have blamed this loss of delta land on the Aswan Dam in the south of Egypt, which holds back almost all of the sediment that used to flow down the river. Before the dam was built, the Nile flowed freely carrying huge quantities of sediment. But when the Aswan Dam was constructed to provide electricity and the irrigation, and to protect the huge 4 population center of Cairo from annual flooding and drought, most of the sediment with its natural fertilizer accumulated above the dam in the southern upstream half of Lake Nasser, instead of passing down to the delta.
Now, however, there turns out to be more to the story. It appears that the sediment-free water picks up sand as it erodes the river bed and banks on the 800-kilometre trip to Cairo. Jean-Daniel Stanley of the Smithsonian Institute noticed that water samples taken in Cairo indicated that the river sometimes carries more than 850 grams of sediment per cubic metre of water almost half of what it carried before the dam was built.
International environmental organizations are beginning to pay closer attention to the region, partly because of the problems of erosion and pollution of the Nile Delta, but mainly because they fear the impact this situation could have on the whole Mediterranean coastal ecosystem.
But there are no easy solutions. In the immediate future, Stanley believes that one solution would be to make artificial floods to flush out the delta waterways, in the same way that natural floods did before the construction of the dam. He says, however, that in the long term an alternative process such as desalination (脱盐) may have to be used to increase the amount of water available.
1 What stopped the sediment coming down to the delta
A. The Mediterranean Sea.
B. The Nile River.
C. The Aswan Dam.
D. Lake Nasser.
2. Why was the Aswan Dam built
A. To flush out the river bed.
B. To offer electricity and protection.
C. To make the water in the Nile River clean.
D. To keep the soil in the region nearby nutrient-rich.
3. What can we infer from the third paragraph
A. There is no need to worry about the delta.
B. The methods of measurement need improving.
C. Whether the situation is good or not remains to be seen.
D. The dam's consequences are beyond people's expectation.
4. What is the last paragraph mainly about
A. Difficulties to be settled.
B. Rewards for the challenge.
C. Severe influence of the situation.
D. Possible solutions to the problem.
解析：
C 理解具体信息 根据第二段中的"people have blamed. .. flow down the river”可知，阻止泥沙流人三角洲的是阿斯旺大坝，故C项正确。
B 理解具体信息 根据第二段中的"when the Aswan Dam was constructed to. . . from annual flooding and drought"可知，建造阿斯旺大坝是为了发电、灌溉，使开罗免受洪灾和干旱,故B项正确。
D推断根据本段的中心句”Now，however, there turns out to be more to the story " 和下文中的"almost half of what it carried before the dam was built" 可以推断，现在河水里的含沙量是建坝之前的一半，这就加剧了三角洲的侵蚀，这超出了人们的预期,故口项正确。
D 理解段落主旨要义 结合本段中心句"But there are no easy solutions" 和下文中讲到的用人工洪水疏通三角洲河道和脱盐均为解决问题的方法，故D项正确。
passage 5
Recycling plastic has always been a stop-start effort. The wide variety of plastic we produce, the pollution from waste and other limitations make recycling become an economic（经济的）problem. Ii's estimated that only 9% of plastic ever created has been recycled. But with the help of a chemical process, Canadian Miranda Wang and her company BioCellection want to change that.
Stability is one of plastic's greatest qualities and shortcomings. There's limited evidence that some plastics can biodegrade （生物降解）but photo-plastics largely degrade in the sun. It's a long process, and the truth is that we can only estimate how long it takes.Wang is looking to break the inaction and BioCellection's task is to make most plastic waste recyclable.
She outlines two current methods. One is to take plastic like water bottles, wash them, cut them, melt and reconstitute them. "That's a very limited process," she says, due to the requirement that plastic be "clean". The other, which can handle dirtier plastic and a level of pollution, is called hydrolysis (水解).Intense heat is applied to break down plastic so they can be reused as oil for energy, but " it's not economical," she says.
BioCellection's solution builds on research from over ten years ago, Wang explains, when a US study discovered pure polyetbylene powder （聚乙烯粉末）could be broken down by a catalyst （催化剂）. Wang and her co-founder Jean hit upon a bacterium being able to eat plastic. In the years since, they engineered a comparable catalyst capable of doing the same job, only faster, which even works on plastic no one else can recycle at present. "We have now found a catalyst that is much cheaper than the one that was used before," Wang says. Currently focusing on plastic films like shopping bags, the three-hour process breaks down plastic into chemicals that can act as the building blocks for more complex plastic products.
" Right now we're able to achieve about 70% transformation from plastic waste material to these chemicals," she adds, saying they're working to increase that figure.
1. Why has so little plastic been recycled
A. Plastic is chemically stable.
B. Recycling plastic led to pollution.
C. We produced various plastics.
D. Most photo-plastics degrade in the sun.
2. What does Wang think of the two current methods!
A. Highly effective and dynamic.
B. Expensive and pollution-causing.
C. Limited and energy-consuming.
D. Widely used and recognized.
3. What did BioCellection find effective to recycle plastic
A. Polyethylene powder.
B. Chemical products.
C. Plastic films.
D. A catalyst.
4. What is the text mainly about
A. Miranda Wang and her company.
B. A new plastic recycling method.
C. The greatest downside of plastic.
D. Transformation of plastic waste.
解析：
A理解具体信息 根据第二段第一句"Stability is one of plastic's greatest qualitiesand shortcomings"，并结合第二段内容可知，稳定性是塑料最大特质和缺点之一，因此它不容易被分解。故A项正确。
C 理解具体信息 根据第三段第三句 “That's a very limited process" 可知，Wang 认为第一种方式的流程是有限的;根据第三段最后一句中"it's not economical" 可知，Wang认为，第二种方法是"不经济的”。故C项正确。
D 理解具体信息 根据第四段第三句中的"they engineered a comparable catalyst. . . can recycle at present " 可知,BioCellection 发现了一种新的催化剂，它能更有效地分解塑料，故D项正确。
B 理解文章主旨要义 通读全文可知，文章第一段最后一句"But with the help of. . .want to change that” 为全文主旨句，结合下文内容可知，本文主要介绍了一种新的回收利用塑料的方法：使用催化剂更有效地回收利用塑料。故B项正确。
passage 6
The commonly held view is that people arrived in North America from Asia via a land bridge once connecting the two continents. But recent discoveries have suggested humans might have been there earlier. Researchers studying fossilized human footprints in New Mexico say that humans were there at least 23,000 years ago.
Matthew Bennett, a specialist in ancient footprints and author of a study on the new findings published in the journal Science, and his colleagues studied 61 footprints by radiocarbon dating layers of aquatic (水生的) plant seeds preserved above and below the footprints and accurately deduced that they were made 21,000 to 23,000 years ago. The people who made the footprints were living in New Mexico at the height of the last Ice Age. Between 19, 000 and 26, 000 years ago, two massive ice sheets covered the northern third of the continent. The ice and cold temperatures would have made a journey between Asia and Alaska impossible, indicating humans must have been there much earlier than previously thought.
According to their analysis of the footprints, they were likely made in soft ground at the edge of a wetland By children who were sent to do the work like fetching and catching by adults. Wind probably blew dust over the surface, accumulating in the prints, thus, leaving footprints that were previously recorded.
Their findings also make it possible to explore the older and more controversial sites in a different light. One such site is Chiquihuite Cave in central Mexico, where stone tools dating back to 30,000 years ago have been found.
David Rachal, an uninvolved but experienced geoarchaeologist （地质考古学家）thought the footprint dates provided by Bennett and his team looked "solid", with seeds providing very reliable and precise ages through radiocarbon dating. " You could not ask for a better setup," said Rachal. However, he was puzzled that no artifacts, such as stone tools, had been found in the area. He thought it was just a theme that was gaining some serious traction (认可) in the literature.
1. What is the most essential evidence dating the time of footprints in the passage
A. The aquatic plant seeds.
B. The fossilized human footprints.
C. The unearthed tools.
D. 'The massive ice sheets.
2. Why does the author mention Chiquihuite Cave in central Mexico
A. To introduce a historical site.
B. To show the significance of the footprints.
C. 'To compare gearchaeological discoveries.
D. To explain the course of making a discovery.
3. What's David Rachal's attitude towards the new discovery
A. Optimistic and trustful.
B. Conservative and cautious.
C. Negative but curious.
D. Favorable but confused.
4. What is the passage mainly about
A. The discovery of human footprints.
B. Scientific methods of dating footprints.
C. The earlier arrival of people in North America.
D. A discussion on human history among researchers.
解析：
A 理解具体信息 根据第二段中的"studied 61 footprints. ..23,000 years ago"可知,确定足迹年代的最重要的证据是水生植物种子，故A 项正确。
B 推断 根据第四段中的"Their findings also. . . One such site is Chiquihuite Cave" 可知，足迹的发现使不同的角度探素更古老、更有争议的遗址成为可能。其中一个是Chiguihuite 洞六。据此可以推断，作者提到
Chiquihuite 洞穴旨在说明本次研究的重要性,故B项正确。
D 理解观点、态度 根据最后一段中的"You could not ask for a better setup" “However, he was. .. in the area" 可以推断，David Rachal 对于这项新的发现持肯定态度，但是也有自己的困惑，故D项正确。
C 理解文章主旨要义 根据全文内容尤其是第一段中的"But recent discoveries. . . atleast 23,000 years ago”可知，本文主要讲了在北美洲可能在更早的时候就有人类了,故C
passage 7
The cooling effect of trees reduces the surface temperature of European cities in the summer by up to 129° in some regions. In contrast, green spaces without trees have an insignificant effect, according to a study that strengthens the case for tree planting to help cities adapt to global warming. Jonas Schwaab at ETH Zurich in Switzerland and his colleagues used land surface temperature data collected by satellite to compare the temperature differences between areas covered by trees, treeless urban green spaces, such as parks and urban constructions such as roads and buildings. They analysed 293 cities from across Europe.
The land surface temperature measured by satellite isn't the same as the air temperature, which is more closely linked to what humans would feel, says Schwaab. " Usually, the air temperature differences between tree-covered areas and built-up areas would be much smaller than the land surface temperature differences," he says.
The team found that tree-covered areas in cities have a much lower land surface temperature compared with surrounding areas. The differences were between 8°C and 12°C in central Europe and between 0°C and 4°C in southern Europe.
The cooling effect of trees comes largely from shading and transpiration（蒸騰作用）．This process takes heat energy from the surrounding environment for evaporation（蒸发），lowering the surrounding temperature. In the warmer climate of southern Europe, the soil is typically drier, so the cooling effect of transpiration is lower than that in regions further north, says Schwaab.
The team also found that the cooling provided by treeless green spaces is insignificant, and in some instances green areas without trees can even be warmer than the surrounding urban areas.
Extreme heat is a growing problem for cities in Europe and elsewhere as the planet gets hotter. The findings show that trees can have a big influence on cities across Europe, but since the size of their effects varies, heat reduction strategies should be tailored to suit each region, says Schwaab.
1. What's the purpose of the study
A. To measure land and air temperatures.
B. To suggest planting more trees in cities.
C. To make people aware of global warming.
D. To stress the importance of green spaces.
2. Why is the cooling effect of transpiration lower in southern Europe
A. The soil is drier.
B. The climate is colder.
C. There are more green spaces.
D. There are more roads and buildings.
3. What might Schwaab suggest in the last paragraph
A. Wetlands should be enlarged.
B. Dry soil should be reduced.
C. More roads should be built.
D. Solutions should be different.
4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text
A. Trees Cool the Land Surface Temperature of Cities
B. Researchers Raise Solutions to Extreme Weather
C. High Tech Lowers Land Surface Temperature
D. Extreme Heat Does Harm to the Environment
解析：
B 推断 根据第一段中的"a study that. .. to global warming"可 以推断，研究的目的是号召人们多种树来帮助城市适应全球变暖，故B项正确。
A理解具体信息 根据第四段中的"In the warmer climate. .. in regions further north"可知,欧洲南部蒸腾冷却效果较差的原因是士壤通常更干燥,故A项正确。
D 推断根据最后一段中Schwaab 所说的"heat reduction strategies should be tailored to suit each region"可以判断，Scbwaab 建议因地制宜,针对不同的区域采用不同的降温策略，故口项正确。
A 理解文章主旨要义 根据文章内容尤其是第一段中的"The cooling effect. . . of European cities " 和最后一段中的"The findings show... on cities" 可知，本文主要讲述了树可以降低城市地表温度，故A 项适合作本文的标题。
passage 8
A major emergency can create hundreds of thousands of refugees (难民) overnight. The most immediate way in which organizations like UNHCR and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) can help these refugees is by setting up refugee camps. Refugee camps are designed to be temporary, but they often remain in place for decades. In some parts of the world, children have grown up and had children of their own without ever leaving their camp.
Critics argue that they force refugees to be entirely dependent on donations. One journalist who visited the Nyadeou camp in the south of the Republic of Guinea A (Africa) in 2001, described how normally peaceful people were reduced to fighting with each other when the food truck arrived.
Refugees camps can easily become dirty, overcrowded and are overrun with disease or crime. In many camps, drug dealers hide themselves among the majority of innocent refugees.
One alternative for refugees is to settle in a town or village, making them become part of the local population. This is known as the " self-settlement" Several aid agencies argue that the self-settlement is a better option in many cases than refugee camps. They say that self-settled refugees can start to rebuild their lives straight away, and are freer and safer than refugees in camps. Oxfam, the ICRC and many other international aid agencies support programs in which refugees are helped to self-settle.
Representatives of UNHCR argue that refugee camps are the best way of saving the greatest possible numbers of lives. They point out that it is much easier to help people if they are all gathered in one place. This is certainly true of emergency relief, for example the distribution of food, water, shelters and medical supplies. It is also true that long-term aid programs, such as family tracing, orphan support and, perhaps most importantly, education, can all be carried out much more easily when refugees are all living together in one place.
1. Who are responsible for the refugees' dependence on donations
A. Critics.
B. Children.
C. Refugee camps.
D. UNHCR and the ICRC.
2. What advantage can self-settled refugees enjoy
A. More personal aid.
B. More living space.
C. Better training programs.
D. A better sense of security.
3. What benefit can gathering refugees in one place bring
A. It can help save much land.
B. It's easier for them to get schooling.
C. It can reduce the number of orphans.
D. It allows families to better help each other.
4. Which of the following is not discussed in the text
A. The advantages of refugee camps.
B. The disadvantages of refugee camps.
C. The advantages of the self-settlement.
D. The disadvantages of the self-settlement.
解析：
C理解具体信息 根据第一段中的" Refugee camps are. . . without ever leaving their camp"可知，第二段第一句中的 they代指的是上文中提到的难民营，也就是说难民营使得难民们过度依赖救助，故C 项正确。
D 理解具体信息 根据第四段中的"They say that self-settled refugees. . . refugees in camps"一句可知，自我安置的好处是难民们比在难民营里更自由、更安全,故D 项正确。
B 理解具体信息 根据最后一段中的"It is also true that. .. living together in one place"'可
知，难民们被集中安置在一个地方有助于他们接受教育，故B项正确。
D 理解具体信息 文章第一段讲述了解决难民问题最直接的方法;第二、三段讲述了难民营的弊端;第四段讲述了难民自我安置的优点;第五段讲述了难民营的优点。因此文章并未提及难民自我安置的弊端，故D项。
passage 9
Starch（淀粉）is the main component of flour, rice and corn among others, while carbon dioxide makes up the vast majority of greenhouse gases. One day, humans may be able to " eat" carbon dioxide, and global warming could be " eaten away" by carbon lovers. Although it sounds wild, the day is coming.
Chinese scientists have created starch using carbon dioxide, hydrogen and electricity, according to a study published in Science in September, 2021. " Plants create starch through photosynthesis（光合作用），which is a complex and inefficient （效率低的）process, " Ma Yanhe, director of the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, told China Daily. He added that it would take a plant about 60 steps to turn carbon dioxide, water and sunlight into starch.
" Our breakthrough shows that making starch is achievable in a lab. This method makes it possible to produce food in factories and there are many industries that can benefit from this technology," Ma told China Daily.
The team has been working on the process for 6 years. "The first step of the method is to convert carbon dioxide and hydrogen into methanol 甲醇( ), which is a molecule (分子) that contains a single carbon atom," Cai Tao, one of the first authors of the study, told China Daily.
Scientists then piece these single-carbon molecules into bigger and more complex molecules. With the help of supercomputing, Chinese scientists have simplified the natural starch-making process from about 60 steps to 11.
"The new process has made it possible to turn starch production from traditional agricultural production to industrial production. And it may be possible to satisfy our needs without farming in the future. This will not only help save water, fertilizer and land but also help recycle carbon dioxide to deal with climate change," a research fellow of the Chinese Academy of Sciences told the Global Times.
The study can also benefit space exploration in the future. The starch may provide a secure food source for astronauts as they travel long distances in space by simply turning the carbon dioxide they breathe out into food.
1. What does Ma Yanhe think of the new method of creating starch
A. It's extremely complex and inefficient.
B. It's achievable through photosynthesis.
C. It's a way of dealing with global warming.
D. It's more efficient than the natural method.
2. The underlined word "convert" in Paragraph 5 probably means "
A. push
B. change
C. divide
D. mix
3. What can be learned about the breakthrough
A. It can help improve people's health.
B. It can change the way of starch production.
C. It can provide astronauts with nutritious food.
D. It can save farmers from traditional agriculture.
4. What can be the best title for this passage
A. Smart with starch
B. Hungry for starch
C. Secure about food supply
D. Beneficial to food diversity
解析：
D 推断根据第三段中的"Plants create starch.. and inefficient （效率低的）process"和第四段中的"Our breakthrough. .. from this technology"可以推断，马延和认为新的淀粉合成方法此自然方法更高效，故D项正确。
B 理解词汇 根据画线词所在句中的 "carbon dioxide and. . . a single carbon atom "和化学常识可知，科学家将二氧化碳和氢气转化成了甲醇，甲醇是只有一个碳原子的分子,故B项与画线词意义最为接近。
B 理解具体信息 根据第七段中的"The new process..to industrial production”可知，合成淀粉取得的突破可以改变淀粉的生产方式,故B项正确。
A理解文章主旨要义根据第二段中的 " Chinese scientists have. . . hydrogen and electricity"并结合 文章大意可知，本文主要报道了中国科学家在人工合成淀粉领域取得的巨大突破，这使得淀粉生产变得更环保、更智能，故 A 项适合作本文的标题。
passage 10
According to a new report by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), the deadly heat waves, floods 61. droughts are disturbing the 62. (life ) of thousands of people from all over the world. And they will be likely only to get 63. (bad) as global temperatures continue to rise. "So far, all regions of the world 64. (affect ) by some extremes," says Sonia Isabelle Seneviratne, an environmental 65 (science). "We can link extreme weather to climate change in 66. same way we can link cancer to smoking," says Friederike Elly Luise Otto, one of the report’s authors. "And, like smoking, the damage is
hard 67. (disappear)."The most important things, " experts say, "is to make sure these events don't grow even more common and more intense 68. they are now." "I feel 69. (strong) that the public needs to know that dangerous climate change is here and now," says Michael Wehner, an extreme weather researcher. To limit global warming to just 2°C, Wehner says, "It's my feeling that we would have to do something rather extreme. " " Something extreme," he adds, " means completely 70. (get) rid of consumption of coal, oil and natural gas.
解析：
61.and 连词 分析句子结构可知，heat waves,floods 和droughts 形成并列关系，同作本句的主语,空处需要用到连词 and。
62. lives 名词复数life作"个人生活"来讲时是可数名词，根据下文中的thousands ofpeople 可知，此处需要用到复数，所以空处需要填 lives
63.worse 形容词比较级 结合语境"随着全球气温的持续上升，它们只能变得更糟“可知,此处需要用到比较级，所以空处需要填worse
64.have been affected 时态、语态和主谓一致 分析句子结构可知，affect 在句中作谓语,结合时间状语 So far 可知，此处需要用到现在完成时;主语 all regions of the world 与谓语动词 affectt 之间为被动关系;主语为复数，所以空处需要填 have been affected
65. scientist 词形转换 此处是 Sonia Isabelle Seneviratne 的同位语，指的是"一个环境科学家"，所以空处需要填 scientist
66.the 冠词 此处考查固定表达 in the same way,意为"以同样的方式"，所以空处需要填 the
67.to disappear 非谓诺动调 此处考查固定表达 hard to do sth. ,空处需要填 to disappear。
68. than 根据句意和上文中的此较级 "even more common and more intense " 可知，此处需要用到形容词比较级的标志词，所以空处需要填 than。
69.strongly 副词 分析句子结构可知，此处修饰谓语动词 feel，需要用到副词，所以空处需要填 strongly。
易错点拨feel 在此处为实义动词，并不是系动词,考生应结合句意仔细判断。
getting 考查非谓语动词。此处考查固定表达mean doing sth.,意为"意味着做某事"
passage 11
Covering 7 million square kilometers of jungle and the river over eight countries, the Amazon rainforest is home to millions of sorts of plants and animals, some of 61 are still being discovered today. It's also the world's 62. (large) supplier of oxygen and is a treasure chest of medical 63. (researcher) who are experimenting with different plants in the hope of finding cures for certain diseases. 64. , the world is at the risk of losing this rich rainforest because of deforestation（滥伐森林） 65 (cause ) by the actions of farmers, loggers and settlers.
The Amazon Basin 66 (lose ) 20% of its rainforest since 1970. Cattle farmers have 67 (continuous) cleared the land for cows 68. (eat) on and crop farmers have begun slash and burn （刀耕火种), a farming method that involves cutting down forests and burning the land to make 69 suitable for agricultural purposes. Loggers have been cutting down the trees for timber (木材), further decreasing its size.
With the destruction of the Amazon rainforest, global warming becomes more of a threat. It is up to each individual to fight against the 70. (disappear) of the Amazon rainforest by making the world know something about this environmental disaster.
解析：
61.which 定语从句关系词 空前讲到了亚马孙丽林是数百万种植物和动物的家园，其中一些动植物至今仍在被发现。空处引导非限制性定语从句，指代先行词 plants and animals,故填 which
62. largest 形容词最高级 根据空前的"the world's" 和常识可知，亚马孙雨林是世界上最大的天然氧吧。故此处应用形容词最高级。故填 largest。
63.researchers 名词单复数 根据空后的"are"可知，此处应用可数名词的复数形式。故填 researchers
64.However 副词 空前讲述亚马孙雨林的功能和作用,空后讲述世界有正在失去这个富饶的雨林的风险,故前后含有转折关系。故填 However。
65.caused 非谓语动词 分析句子结构可知，此句谓语动词是 is,故此空应用非谓语动词。因与 deforestation 之间是逻辑上的动宾关系，故应用过去分词短语作后置定语。故填caused.
66.has lost 时态和主谓一致 根据空后的"since 1970” 可知，此处谓语动词应用现在完成时;主语为第三人称单数。故填 has lost
67.continuously 词形转换 修饰谓语动词have cleared 应用副词。故填 continuously。
68.to eat 非谓语动词 此句谓语动词是 have cleared,故此空应用非谓语动词。因表达目的，故应用不定式作目的状语。故填 to eat
69. it 代词 此处表达的是农民伐林焚烧使土地适宜农耕。指代the land,应用代词 it。
70.disappearance 词形转换 空前是冠词，空后是介词，此空应填名词。此处表达的是通过让世界了解这一环境灾难，共同对抗亚马孙雨林的消失。故填 disappearance。
passage 12
For 30 years we have been told how temperatures have been soaring to unheard-of levels. This is causing the polar ice to melt (融化) , sea level 61 (rise) and has brought about a dangerous increase in extreme weather 62 (event) , such as hurricanes, heatwaves, droughts and floods. These climate changes would likely present challenges to our society and environment. It is now a global concern 63 the climate changes occurring today have been severer because of man's activities.
64 (trouble) by the serious situation, world leaders came together for talks, which were seen 65 a make-or-break situation for the United Nations climate talks.
The climate talks 66 (lead) to about 200 hundred countries reaching an agreement that would, for 67. first time, commit nearly every country to lowering planet- warming greenhouse gas emissions（排放) to address global climate changes. That was 68. certain an encouraging step forward for our Earth and mankind.
As the world leaders continue to commit 69 (they) to monitoring our " sick" planet, we need to continue to take small steps to "heal (治愈）” the world. We are left with not much of a 70 (choose). If only we could just pack our bags and move to Mars!
解析：
61.to rise 动词不定式 根据句子结构和该句中的"to melt(融化）"可知，空处与此对应，故也用动词不定式。cause... to do 为固定用法，表示"导致… 做…"。
62.events 名词的单复数event 为可数名词，根据该句中的"such as hurricanes , heatwaves,droughts and floods"可知，极端天气事件有飓风、洪水、干旱等多种，故用复数形式。
63.that 主语从句 分析句子结构可知，该空引导主语从句，句意完整且不缺少句子成分，故填 that
64.Troubled 非谓语动词 分析句子结构可知,trouble 与 serious situation 之间为逻辑上的动宾关系,故用过去分词作状语。
65.as 介词 be seen as 为固定搭配，意为"被视为"。
66.led 动词的时态 根据下句中的”was"，再结合语境可知，该句陈述的是过去发生的事情,故用一般过去时。
67.the 冠词 序数词前面用定冠词，根据序数词first 可知，该处用定冠词 the
68.certainly 副词 分析句子结构可知，空处修饰谓语动词,故用副词形式。，
69.themselves 反身代词 commit oneself to 为固定搭配,意为"致力于;使自己承担"。
70.choice 名词 冠词后接名词，根据冠词a可知，空处用名词形式。
资料整理【淘宝店铺：向阳百分百】
资料整理【淘宝店铺：向阳百分百】【生态环保、自然灾害类】话题阅读练习（四）
（阅读理解9篇+语法填空3篇）
Passage 1
In general, the riches of the natural world aren't spread evenly across the globe. Places like the Tropical. Andes in South America are simply packed with unique species, many of which can't be found in any other places. Until recently, the main explanation for the biological riches concentrated in places like the Amazon Basin was that such places must be engines of biodiversity, with new species evolving at a faster rate than other parts of the world. But now, new research on bird evolution may turn that assumption on its head, instead supporting the idea that areas with fewer species actually tend to produce new species faster.
The researchers say these biodiversity "cold spots" are generally found in environments featuring freezing, dry and unstable conditions. Though the researchers found these locations with few bird species tend to produce new ones at high rates, they fail to accumulate many species because the unstable conditions frequently make the new life forms die out.
The more well-known " hot spots", by contrast, have accumulated their large numbers of species by being warm, hospitable and relatively stable. Indeed, the researchers found that the countless bird species that call the Amazon home tend to be older in evolutionary terms. "New species do form in places like the Amazon, just not as frequently as in the dry grasslands in the Andes ," says Elizabeth, an evolutionary biologist.
The researchers managed to collect 1,940 samples representing 1,287 of the 1,306 bird species from South America. Their analysis showed that the best predictor of whether an area would produce new species at a high rate was how many species lived there, rather than climate or geographic features like mountains. Species-rich areas tended to produce new species more slowly.
" Maybe bad environments generate new species more frequently because there's less competition and more available opportunities for new species," says Gustavo Bravo, a lead researcher.
The study's findings add new urgency to protect ecosystems that may look barren, but may actually be nature's hothouses for the evolution of new species.
1. Why is South America mentioned in the first paragraph
A. To make a comparison.
B. To introduce the topic.
C. To explain a fact.
D. To draw a conclusion.
2. What determines the rising rate of new species in place
A. The number of its then species.
B. The environment they lived in.
C. The survival skills of species.
D. The different biological factors.
3. Which of the following can best explain the underlined word " barren" in the last paragraph
A. Dry and bare.
B. Lively and active.
C. Nice and green.
D. Complex and unpredictable.
passage 2
A kind man, Keith Walker, who was 53 years old, kept his own pitbull called Bravo at the W-Underdogs (an animal shelter) overnight and was on his way to pick him up when he saw the flames on December 18.
He didn't just rescue his own pet, but he made sure that all the animals were safe. He said, "I was nervous at first and really scared to go there with all that smoke. I am not going to lie." However, Keith suddenly remembered that his father once said humans had a duty Til protect animals. So he said, " My dog is my best friend, and I wouldn't be here without him, so I knew I had to save all those other dogs. "
The founder of the shelter Grace Hamlin said that the shelter was left uninhabitable by the fire, which was electrical. But luckily, they were about to move into a new place, so there was still somewhere for the animals to live.
She said, "Keith is my guardian. Even the firefighters didn't know how to handle the animals. They called Animal Control, but Keith was already in the building pulling out the cats and dogs until they were all safe. "
Keith, who has been homeless since he was 13, has now been regarded as a hero after saving the six dogs and
ten cats. Well-wishers have raised almost $ 40,000 for him on GoFundMe, a fundraising platform.
In a separate fundraiser for the shelter itself to rebuild after the fire, Grace said, "Keith worked tirelessly to bring our animals to safety. Although he refused all offers of help, we are determined to contact him again. He is a vital part of our community and he should be appropriately rewarded for his selfless efforts. "
1. What did Keith do at the first sight of the fire
A. He waited for help.
B. He turned to his father.
C. He protected his own pets.
D. He hesitated for a moment.
2. What damage did the fire bring about
A. Some firefighters were badly injured.
B. The animals lost their shelter.
C. Some cats disappeared.
D. Keith lost his pitbull.
3. Why is Grace going to contact Keith again
A. To reward him for what he did.
B. To raise money for him.
C. To offer him a good job.
D. To rebuild a home for him.
4. Which of the following can best describe Keith
A. Ambitious and helpful.
B. Determined and modest.
C. Honest and brave.
D. Generous and calm.
passage 3
As a popular subject of study among evolutionary ecologists, the three-spined stickleback（三刺鱼）is known for their different shapes, sizes, and behaviours -they can even live in both sea water and fresh water, and under a wide range of temperatures. But what makes that
The researchers tracked six populations of the fish before and after seasonal changes to their environment, using genome sequencing（基因组测序）．Seasonal changes result in great changes in habitat structure and balance of salt and fresh water, and only those fish able to tolerate these rapid changes survive into the next season.
"These changes probably resemble the habitat shifts experienced by stickleback populations during the past 10,000 years," says Professor Barrett. " We hope to gain insight into the genetic changes that may have resulted from natural selection long in the past. "
Remarkably, the researchers discovered the evidence of genetic changes driven by the seasonal shifts in habitats, which mirrored the differences found between long-established freshwater and saltwater populations. "These genetic changes occurred in independent populations over a single season, highlighting just how quickly the effects of natural selection can be detected," says Professor Barrett, " the findings suggest that we may be able to use the genetic differences to predict how populations may adapt to the environment. "
The research emphasizes the importance of studying species in dynamic environments to gain a better understanding of how natural selection operates. In the further research, they plan to investigate how repeatable the observed genetic changes are, by testing whether they show up year after year. Doing so would demonstrate their ability to reliably forecast the evolutionary future of these populations.
1. What does the underlined word " that" refer to Paragraph 1
A. The three-spined stickleback is under a wide range of temperatures.
B. The three-spined stickleback is popular evolutionary ecologists.
C. The three-spined stickleback can adapt different living conditions.
D. The three-spined stickleback has different shapes, sizes, and behaviours.
2. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about
A. The difficulties of the research.
B. The purpose of the research.
C. The background of the research.
D. The methods of the research.
3. What is the main reason for the three-spined stickleback's survival
A. Habitat shifts.
B. Genetic changes.
C. Seasonal changes.
D. Independent populations.
4. Why will scientists study the repetition of the genetic changes
A. To know what natural selection is.
B. To study species in dynamic environments.
C. To test the reliability of the present discoveries.
D. To forecast the evolutionary future of certain species.
passage 4
The fertile land of the Nile delta is being eroded（侵蚀）along the Mediterranean coast of Egypt at an astonishing rate, in some parts estimated at 100 metres per year. In the past, land washed away from the coastline by the currents of the Mediterranean Sea used to be replaced by sediment (The h) brought down to the delta by the Nile River, but this is no longer happening.
Up to now, people have blamed this loss of delta land on the Aswan Dam in the south of Egypt, which holds back almost all of the sediment that used to flow down the river. Before the dam was built, the Nile flowed freely carrying huge quantities of sediment. But when the Aswan Dam was constructed to provide electricity and the irrigation, and to protect the huge 4 population center of Cairo from annual flooding and drought, most of the sediment with its natural fertilizer accumulated above the dam in the southern upstream half of Lake Nasser, instead of passing down to the delta.
Now, however, there turns out to be more to the story. It appears that the sediment-free water picks up sand as it erodes the river bed and banks on the 800-kilometre trip to Cairo. Jean-Daniel Stanley of the Smithsonian Institute noticed that water samples taken in Cairo indicated that the river sometimes carries more than 850 grams of sediment per cubic metre of water almost half of what it carried before the dam was built.
International environmental organizations are beginning to pay closer attention to the region, partly because of the problems of erosion and pollution of the Nile Delta, but mainly because they fear the impact this situation could have on the whole Mediterranean coastal ecosystem.
But there are no easy solutions. In the immediate future, Stanley believes that one solution would be to make artificial floods to flush out the delta waterways, in the same way that natural floods did before the construction of the dam. He says, however, that in the long term an alternative process such as desalination (脱盐) may have to be used to increase the amount of water available.
1 What stopped the sediment coming down to the delta
A. The Mediterranean Sea.
B. The Nile River.
C. The Aswan Dam.
D. Lake Nasser.
2. Why was the Aswan Dam built
A. To flush out the river bed.
B. To offer electricity and protection.
C. To make the water in the Nile River clean.
D. To keep the soil in the region nearby nutrient-rich.
3. What can we infer from the third paragraph
A. There is no need to worry about the delta.
B. The methods of measurement need improving.
C. Whether the situation is good or not remains to be seen.
D. The dam's consequences are beyond people's expectation.
4. What is the last paragraph mainly about
A. Difficulties to be settled.
B. Rewards for the challenge.
C. Severe influence of the situation.
D. Possible solutions to the problem.
passage 5
Recycling plastic has always been a stop-start effort. The wide variety of plastic we produce, the pollution from waste and other limitations make recycling become an economic（经济的）problem. Ii's estimated that only 9% of plastic ever created has been recycled. But with the help of a chemical process, Canadian Miranda Wang and her company BioCellection want to change that.
Stability is one of plastic's greatest qualities and shortcomings. There's limited evidence that some plastics can biodegrade （生物降解）but photo-plastics largely degrade in the sun. It's a long process, and the truth is that we can only estimate how long it takes.Wang is looking to break the inaction and BioCellection's task is to make most plastic waste recyclable.
She outlines two current methods. One is to take plastic like water bottles, wash them, cut them, melt and reconstitute them. "That's a very limited process," she says, due to the requirement that plastic be "clean". The other, which can handle dirtier plastic and a level of pollution, is called hydrolysis (水解).Intense heat is applied to break down plastic so they can be reused as oil for energy, but " it's not economical," she says.
BioCellection's solution builds on research from over ten years ago, Wang explains, when a US study discovered pure polyetbylene powder （聚乙烯粉末）could be broken down by a catalyst （催化剂）. Wang and her co-founder Jean hit upon a bacterium being able to eat plastic. In the years since, they engineered a comparable catalyst capable of doing the same job, only faster, which even works on plastic no one else can recycle at present. "We have now found a catalyst that is much cheaper than the one that was used before," Wang says. Currently focusing on plastic films like shopping bags, the three-hour process breaks down plastic into chemicals that can act as the building blocks for more complex plastic products.
" Right now we're able to achieve about 70% transformation from plastic waste material to these chemicals," she adds, saying they're working to increase that figure.
1. Why has so little plastic been recycled
A. Plastic is chemically stable.
B. Recycling plastic led to pollution.
C. We produced various plastics.
D. Most photo-plastics degrade in the sun.
2. What does Wang think of the two current methods!
A. Highly effective and dynamic.
B. Expensive and pollution-causing.
C. Limited and energy-consuming.
D. Widely used and recognized.
3. What did BioCellection find effective to recycle plastic
A. Polyethylene powder.
B. Chemical products.
C. Plastic films.
D. A catalyst.
4. What is the text mainly about
A. Miranda Wang and her company.
B. A new plastic recycling method.
C. The greatest downside of plastic.
D. Transformation of plastic waste.
passage 6
The commonly held view is that people arrived in North America from Asia via a land bridge once connecting the two continents. But recent discoveries have suggested humans might have been there earlier. Researchers studying fossilized human footprints in New Mexico say that humans were there at least 23,000 years ago.
Matthew Bennett, a specialist in ancient footprints and author of a study on the new findings published in the journal Science, and his colleagues studied 61 footprints by radiocarbon dating layers of aquatic (水生的) plant seeds preserved above and below the footprints and accurately deduced that they were made 21,000 to 23,000 years ago. The people who made the footprints were living in New Mexico at the height of the last Ice Age. Between 19, 000 and 26, 000 years ago, two massive ice sheets covered the northern third of the continent. The ice and cold temperatures would have made a journey between Asia and Alaska impossible, indicating humans must have been there much earlier than previously thought.
According to their analysis of the footprints, they were likely made in soft ground at the edge of a wetland By children who were sent to do the work like fetching and catching by adults. Wind probably blew dust over the surface, accumulating in the prints, thus, leaving footprints that were previously recorded.
Their findings also make it possible to explore the older and more controversial sites in a different light. One such site is Chiquihuite Cave in central Mexico, where stone tools dating back to 30,000 years ago have been found.
David Rachal, an uninvolved but experienced geoarchaeologist （地质考古学家）thought the footprint dates provided by Bennett and his team looked "solid", with seeds providing very reliable and precise ages through radiocarbon dating. " You could not ask for a better setup," said Rachal. However, he was puzzled that no artifacts, such as stone tools, had been found in the area. He thought it was just a theme that was gaining some serious traction (认可) in the literature.
1. What is the most essential evidence dating the time of footprints in the passage
A. The aquatic plant seeds.
B. The fossilized human footprints.
C. The unearthed tools.
D. 'The massive ice sheets.
2. Why does the author mention Chiquihuite Cave in central Mexico
A. To introduce a historical site.
B. To show the significance of the footprints.
C. 'To compare gearchaeological discoveries.
D. To explain the course of making a discovery.
3. What's David Rachal's attitude towards the new discovery
A. Optimistic and trustful.
B. Conservative and cautious.
C. Negative but curious.
D. Favorable but confused.
4. What is the passage mainly about
A. The discovery of human footprints.
B. Scientific methods of dating footprints.
C. The earlier arrival of people in North America.
D. A discussion on human history among researchers.
passage 7
The cooling effect of trees reduces the surface temperature of European cities in the summer by up to 129° in some regions. In contrast, green spaces without trees have an insignificant effect, according to a study that strengthens the case for tree planting to help cities adapt to global warming. Jonas Schwaab at ETH Zurich in Switzerland and his colleagues used land surface temperature data collected by satellite to compare the temperature differences between areas covered by trees, treeless urban green spaces, such as parks and urban constructions such as roads and buildings. They analysed 293 cities from across Europe.
The land surface temperature measured by satellite isn't the same as the air temperature, which is more closely linked to what humans would feel, says Schwaab. " Usually, the air temperature differences between tree-covered areas and built-up areas would be much smaller than the land surface temperature differences," he says.
The team found that tree-covered areas in cities have a much lower land surface temperature compared with surrounding areas. The differences were between 8°C and 12°C in central Europe and between 0°C and 4°C in southern Europe.
The cooling effect of trees comes largely from shading and transpiration（蒸騰作用）．This process takes heat energy from the surrounding environment for evaporation（蒸发），lowering the surrounding temperature. In the warmer climate of southern Europe, the soil is typically drier, so the cooling effect of transpiration is lower than that in regions further north, says Schwaab.
The team also found that the cooling provided by treeless green spaces is insignificant, and in some instances green areas without trees can even be warmer than the surrounding urban areas.
Extreme heat is a growing problem for cities in Europe and elsewhere as the planet gets hotter. The findings show that trees can have a big influence on cities across Europe, but since the size of their effects varies, heat reduction strategies should be tailored to suit each region, says Schwaab.
1. What's the purpose of the study
A. To measure land and air temperatures.
B. To suggest planting more trees in cities.
C. To make people aware of global warming.
D. To stress the importance of green spaces.
2. Why is the cooling effect of transpiration lower in southern Europe
A. The soil is drier.
B. The climate is colder.
C. There are more green spaces.
D. There are more roads and buildings.
3. What might Schwaab suggest in the last paragraph
A. Wetlands should be enlarged.
B. Dry soil should be reduced.
C. More roads should be built.
D. Solutions should be different.
4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text
A. Trees Cool the Land Surface Temperature of Cities
B. Researchers Raise Solutions to Extreme Weather
C. High Tech Lowers Land Surface Temperature
D. Extreme Heat Does Harm to the Environment
passage 8
A major emergency can create hundreds of thousands of refugees (难民) overnight. The most immediate way in which organizations like UNHCR and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) can help these refugees is by setting up refugee camps. Refugee camps are designed to be temporary, but they often remain in place for decades. In some parts of the world, children have grown up and had children of their own without ever leaving their camp.
Critics argue that they force refugees to be entirely dependent on donations. One journalist who visited the Nyadeou camp in the south of the Republic of Guinea A (Africa) in 2001, described how normally peaceful people were reduced to fighting with each other when the food truck arrived.
Refugees camps can easily become dirty, overcrowded and are overrun with disease or crime. In many camps, drug dealers hide themselves among the majority of innocent refugees.
One alternative for refugees is to settle in a town or village, making them become part of the local population. This is known as the " self-settlement" Several aid agencies argue that the self-settlement is a better option in many cases than refugee camps. They say that self-settled refugees can start to rebuild their lives straight away, and are freer and safer than refugees in camps. Oxfam, the ICRC and many other international aid agencies support programs in which refugees are helped to self-settle.
Representatives of UNHCR argue that refugee camps are the best way of saving the greatest possible numbers of lives. They point out that it is much easier to help people if they are all gathered in one place. This is certainly true of emergency relief, for example the distribution of food, water, shelters and medical supplies. It is also true that long-term aid programs, such as family tracing, orphan support and, perhaps most importantly, education, can all be carried out much more easily when refugees are all living together in one place.
1. Who are responsible for the refugees' dependence on donations
A. Critics.
B. Children.
C. Refugee camps.
D. UNHCR and the ICRC.
2. What advantage can self-settled refugees enjoy
A. More personal aid.
B. More living space.
C. Better training programs.
D. A better sense of security.
3. What benefit can gathering refugees in one place bring
A. It can help save much land.
B. It's easier for them to get schooling.
C. It can reduce the number of orphans.
D. It allows families to better help each other.
4. Which of the following is not discussed in the text
A. The advantages of refugee camps.
B. The disadvantages of refugee camps.
C. The advantages of the self-settlement.
D. The disadvantages of the self-settlement.
passage 9
Starch（淀粉）is the main component of flour, rice and corn among others, while carbon dioxide makes up the vast majority of greenhouse gases. One day, humans may be able to " eat" carbon dioxide, and global warming could be " eaten away" by carbon lovers. Although it sounds wild, the day is coming.
Chinese scientists have created starch using carbon dioxide, hydrogen and electricity, according to a study published in Science in September, 2021. " Plants create starch through photosynthesis（光合作用），which is a complex and inefficient （效率低的）process, " Ma Yanhe, director of the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, told China Daily. He added that it would take a plant about 60 steps to turn carbon dioxide, water and sunlight into starch.
" Our breakthrough shows that making starch is achievable in a lab. This method makes it possible to produce food in factories and there are many industries that can benefit from this technology," Ma told China Daily.
The team has been working on the process for 6 years. "The first step of the method is to convert carbon dioxide and hydrogen into methanol 甲醇( ), which is a molecule (分子) that contains a single carbon atom," Cai Tao, one of the first authors of the study, told China Daily.
Scientists then piece these single-carbon molecules into bigger and more complex molecules. With the help of supercomputing, Chinese scientists have simplified the natural starch-making process from about 60 steps to 11.
"The new process has made it possible to turn starch production from traditional agricultural production to industrial production. And it may be possible to satisfy our needs without farming in the future. This will not only help save water, fertilizer and land but also help recycle carbon dioxide to deal with climate change," a research fellow of the Chinese Academy of Sciences told the Global Times.
The study can also benefit space exploration in the future. The starch may provide a secure food source for astronauts as they travel long distances in space by simply turning the carbon dioxide they breathe out into food.
1. What does Ma Yanhe think of the new method of creating starch
A. It's extremely complex and inefficient.
B. It's achievable through photosynthesis.
C. It's a way of dealing with global warming.
D. It's more efficient than the natural method.
2. The underlined word "convert" in Paragraph 5 probably means "
A. push
B. change
C. divide
D. mix
3. What can be learned about the breakthrough
A. It can help improve people's health.
B. It can change the way of starch production.
C. It can provide astronauts with nutritious food.
D. It can save farmers from traditional agriculture.
4. What can be the best title for this passage
A. Smart with starch
B. Hungry for starch
C. Secure about food supply
D. Beneficial to food diversity
passage 10
According to a new report by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), the deadly heat waves, floods 61. droughts are disturbing the 62. (life ) of thousands of people from all over the world. And they will be likely only to get 63. (bad) as global temperatures continue to rise. "So far, all regions of the world 64. (affect ) by some extremes," says Sonia Isabelle Seneviratne, an environmental 65 (science). "We can link extreme weather to climate change in 66. same way we can link cancer to smoking," says Friederike Elly Luise Otto, one of the report’s authors. "And, like smoking, the damage is
hard 67. (disappear)."The most important things, " experts say, "is to make sure these events don't grow even more common and more intense 68. they are now." "I feel 69. (strong) that the public needs to know that dangerous climate change is here and now," says Michael Wehner, an extreme weather researcher. To limit global warming to just 2°C, Wehner says, "It's my feeling that we would have to do something rather extreme. " " Something extreme," he adds, " means completely 70. (get) rid of consumption of coal, oil and natural gas.
passage 11
Covering 7 million square kilometers of jungle and the river over eight countries, the Amazon rainforest is home to millions of sorts of plants and animals, some of 61 are still being discovered today. It's also the world's 62. (large) supplier of oxygen and is a treasure chest of medical 63. (researcher) who are experimenting with different plants in the hope of finding cures for certain diseases. 64. , the world is at the risk of losing this rich rainforest because of deforestation（滥伐森林） 65 (cause ) by the actions of farmers, loggers and settlers.
The Amazon Basin 66 (lose ) 20% of its rainforest since 1970. Cattle farmers have 67 (continuous) cleared the land for cows 68. (eat) on and crop farmers have begun slash and burn （刀耕火种), a farming method that involves cutting down forests and burning the land to make 69 suitable for agricultural purposes. Loggers have been cutting down the trees for timber (木材), further decreasing its size.
With the destruction of the Amazon rainforest, global warming becomes more of a threat. It is up to each individual to fight against the 70. (disappear) of the Amazon rainforest by making the world know something about this environmental disaster.
passage 12
For 30 years we have been told how temperatures have been soaring to unheard-of levels. This is causing the polar ice to melt (融化) , sea level 61 (rise) and has brought about a dangerous increase in extreme weather 62 (event) , such as hurricanes, heatwaves, droughts and floods. These climate changes would likely present challenges to our society and environment. It is now a global concern 63 the climate changes occurring today have been severer because of man's activities.
64 (trouble) by the serious situation, world leaders came together for talks, which were seen 65 a make-or-break situation for the United Nations climate talks.
The climate talks 66 (lead) to about 200 hundred countries reaching an agreement that would, for 67. first time, commit nearly every country to lowering planet- warming greenhouse gas emissions（排放) to address global climate changes. That was 68. certain an encouraging step forward for our Earth and mankind.
As the world leaders continue to commit 69 (they) to monitoring our " sick" planet, we need to continue to take small steps to "heal (治愈）” the world. We are left with not much of a 70 (choose). If only we could just pack our bags and move to Mars!
