The blue planet is going green. Since the 1980s, satellite images have shown that leafy cover across the globe has grown by 2.3 percent per decade. A new study, published on February 11 in Nature Sustainability, helps explain why. One main driver is the “fertilization (施肥) effect”, brought about by humans burning fossil fuels. As CO2 increases in the atmosphere, this increases photosynthesis (光合作用) — as long as water, light, and nutrients are not limited. When plants take up more of the gas, they produce more food and new leaves.
But researchers also found another cause for the change in color: planting more crops and trees. China and India, the two most populous countries on Earth, have contributed about a third of the greening seen since 2000, mainly in the form of forests and farms.
In this most recent paper, scientists at Boston University took a closerlook at this greening trend. They used data from NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (光谱辐射计), or MODIS, which uses advanced satellite technology to document the Earth’s surface on a near-daily basis. From 2000 to 2017, the researchers looked at the change in greenness in plant-covered regions, including croplands, forests, and grasslands.
The satellite data showed that globally, one-third of plant-covered areas are greening, while only five percent are browning. “Human land use management in many regions is more important than those indirect factors [ of climate change and CO2 fertilization ],” says Chi Chen, lead author of the study. “China and India, two developing countries, contribute the most in the increase in leaf area.” According to the study, the two nations contributed more greening relative to their plant-covered area than other countries.
While only 6.6 percent of the world’s vegetated area is in China, the country is responsible for 25 percent of the increase in global greening. The study found that most of China’s greening occurred in its forests, with croplands also contributing.
1.How is the text mainly organized?
A.By listing facts and data. B.By making contrast.
C.By giving examples. D.By displaying time order.
2.What does Chi Chen think is the direct factor of the global greening?
A.H umans burning fossilfuels. B.Humans planting.
C.The CO2 fertilization. D.The climate change.
3.According to the study, what contributes most to the increase of global greening?
A.China’s forests and grasslands.
B.India’s forests and farmlands.
C.China’s and India’s grasslands and croplands.
D.China’s and India’s forests and croplands.
4.What can be the best title for the text?
A.A New Study on Earth
B.The Change in Greeeness on Earth
C.Why Our Blue Planet Is Getting Greener?
D.Who Is Responsible for the Increase in Global Greening?
All languages change over time, and there can be many different reasons for this. The English language is no different — but why has it changed over the decades? Some of the main influences on the evolution of languages include: The movement of people across the globe…
What changes has the English language seen?
As the English language has changed, it’s been easy to pick out words that pass into common usage. The rise in popularity of internet slang (俚语) has seen phrases such as “LOL” ( Laugh Out Loud ), “YOLO” ( You Only Live Once ) and “bae” (an abbreviated form of babe or baby ) become firmly rooted in the English language over the past ten years. Every decade sees new slang terms like these appearing in the English language. And while some words or abbreviations do come from the Internet or text conversations, others may appear as entirely new words, a new meaning for an existing word, or a word that becomes more generalized than its former meaning. Decades ago, “blimey” was a new expression of surprise, but more recently”woah” is the word in everyday usage.
Sentence structure is of course another change to English language. Decades ago, it would have been normal to ask “Have you a moment?” Now, you might say “D’you have a sec?” Similarly, “How do you do?” has become “How’s it going?” Not only have the sentences been shortened, but new words have been introduced to everyday questions.
Connected to this is the replacement of certain words with other, more-modern versions. It’s pretty noticeable that words like “shall” and “ought” are on the way out, but “will”, “should” and “can” are doing just fine. Other changes can be more subtle (微妙). A number of verbs can be followed by another verb in either the “-ing” form or the “to” form, for example “they liked painting / to paint”, “he didn’t bother calling / to call”. Both of these constructions are still used but there has been a steady shift over time from the “to” to the “-ing”.
What do the changes mean?
Most language experts accept that change in language, like change in society, is unavoidable. Some think that is regrettable, but others recognize it as a way to enrich the language, bringing alternatives that allow subtle differences of expression.
As with everything, change isn’t necessarily a bad thing and, as the needs of English language users continue to change, so will the language !
1.What is the text mainly about?
A.The main influence on the evolution of the English language.
B.The different opinions on the English language changes.
C.The English language has changed over the decades.
D.Why the English language has changed over the years.
2.The English language has seen the changes in___________.
A.Internet slang terms and new words’ meanings
B.words, expressions and sentence structures
C.text conversations and everyday questions
D.a few model verbs and gram mar
3.Some abbreviated forms of word like LOL and YOLO appear in English because of__________.
A.the fast-paced modern life
B.the worsening laziness of the youth
C.the English influence on technology
D.the rise in popularity of the Internet slang
4.What is the author’s attitude towards the changes of the English language?
A.Opposed. B.Doubtful.
C.Approving. D.Uncaring.
A year ago, I decided to create a more environmentally friendly kitchen, focusing on reducing the single-use products such as plastic bags and paper towels. I’m not going to sugarcoat my experience. It takes com mitment and a willingness to change long-held habits. In creating my kitchen, I tried a lot of different alternative products and some plain old com mon sense； the result, however, has been worth the effort. I’m recycling more and relying less on single-use products and I’m saving money too.
I’m not kidding when I say that I used to really love plastic storage bags, so this was, perhaps, the biggest challenge for me. Switching to reusable storage bags is a financial investment, but the cos is reasonable considering that I previously spent at least $ 100 annually on single-use plastic bags and wrap. I willcheck online periodically for recycling updates, where a zero-waste box for kitchen items is offered, from party supplies to mixed-materialfood containers.
I’m a clean freak (怪人) and used to go through an amount of paper towels on a daily basis, butit’s easy enough to take old T-shirts ortowels and cutthem up to use to wipe down surfaces. I’m also a fan of bamboo paper towels, which have the look and feel of traditional paper towels, yet are made from a highly renewable source and also break down in just 45 days. Better yet, they can be reused up to 100 times. As for kitchen sponges (海绵擦), I keep an eye out for those made with natural and recyclable materials.
When purchasing household items online from companies like Amazon or Jet, I will ask to have them shipped in as few boxes as possible or as small a box as possible if a single item is to be sent. I’ll let the company know that they should pay more attention to how It is packaging items for delivery.
1.What is the author’s main purpose of creating her kitchen?
A.To save money. B.To reduce waste and recycle more.
C.To change her long-held habits. D.To make it cleaner and more practical.
2.What does the underlined word “sugarcoat” in paragraph 2 mean?
A.M ake attractive. B.Getinterested.
C.Show off. D.Give up.
3.In creating her kitchen, what does the author do?
A.Begins to recycle more single-use plastic bags.
B.Goes through an amount of paper towels on a daily basis.
C.Checks online periodically to buy zero-waste box.
D.Chooses to use the recyclable or reusable kitchen items.
4.What can we learn about the author from the text?
A.She has strong environmental awareness.
B.She is used to traditional paper towels.
C.She has a good knowledge of financialinvestment.
D.She prefers to have her purchases packed in small boxes.
The Four Best Places to Go in Europe for Spring Break
Cheaper flights, lower room rates, fewer tourists, and tons of seasonal activities make this the suitable time to take a real-life Euro-trip.
Budapest, Hungary
For a spa-centric (水疗中心) holiday, consider Budapest. This incredible beauty destination boasts 118 thermal springs — more than any other capital — and a variety of choices of places to “take the waters”, from traditional Turkish baths and Neo-Baroque pools to Art Nouveau spas and modern facilities. Bonus: Hungarians claim these mineral-rich waters are of beneficial cure for skin.
Florence, Italy
The “Cradle of the Renaissance(文艺复兴的摇篮)”, is steeped in classical art and architecture. The Uffizi Gallery displays such masterpieces as “The Birth of Venus” by Sandro Botticelli. Florence is the center of Tuscan cuisine. Its narrow streets and piazzas are decked with alfresco cafés, trattorias, and gelato shops.
Santorini, Greece
Most people think of Santorini as a summer hot spot, but spring bookings are up 94 percent, according to American Express Travel. While it might not be beach weather, there are plenty of benefits to visiting this peaceful and beautiful island during off-peak season. And fewer crowds mean you won’t have to compete with tons of tourists for a front-row seat to the breathtaking sunsets.
Stockholm, Sweden
After the long and harsh winter, spring refreshes Sweden’s capital.(Keep in mind it can still be quite chilly through early May, so pack layers.)Visitors pack into the stylish shops, and art galleries. Plus, warmer weather is ideal for exploring the various events and festivals that take place this time of year. And, of course, no trip would be complete without checking out the Nacka Fountain, among the most awe- inspiring water sculptures in the world.
1.What probably attracts the tourists most in Budapest?
A.The incredible beautiful scenery. B.The various thermal springs.
C.The modern facilities. D.The Hungarian bonus .
2.Where can you enjoy both the great classical art and food?
A.Budapest, Hungary. B.Santorini, Greece.
C.Florence, Italy. D.Stockholm, Sweden.
3.What is a must for tourists to Stockholm?
A.Wearing light clothes. B.Packing into the stylish shops.
C.Exploring various events and festivals. D.Admiring the Nacka Fountain.
假设你是李津，你的英国朋友Tom对你们学校最近开展的“书香校园”活动很感兴趣，写信向你咨询相关情况。请你用英语给他写一封回信，介绍此次活动的开展情况，内容包括：
（1）开展此次活动的目的；
（2）此次活动的具体内容（例如：二手书市，读书分享会，……）；
（3）此次活动反响如何；
（4）你对此次活动的看法。
注意：
（1）词数100左右；
（2）可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
参考词汇：Scholarly Campus 书香校园；second-hand book fair二手书市
Dear Tom,
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Jin
阅读下面短文，按照要求用英语回答问题。
Mothers and fathers all over the world teach their children manners. Other children may have manners that are not like yours. There are all kinds of manners.
Many years ago, children who had good manners were seen and not heard. They kept quite quiet if grown-ups were talking. Today, well-mannered children have more freedom.
Sometimes good manners in one place are bad manners in other places.
Suppose you are a visitor in the land of Mongolia. Some friends ask you to eat with them. What kind of manners do they want you to have? They want you to give a loud “burp” after you finish eating. Burping would show that you liked your food.
In some countries, if you give a loud burp, you are told to say “Excuse me, please.” In many places, people like to eat together But in some parts of Polynesia, it is bad manners to be seen eating at all. People show good manners by turning their backs on others while they eat.
What are manners like in an East African town? The people try not to see you. They are being polite. You may see a friend. He may not see you at all. If you are polite, you will sit down beside him. You will wait until he finishes what he is doing. Then he will talk to you.
Suppose you visit a friend in Arabia. You should walk behind the other tents until you come to his tent. If you pass in front of the other tents, you’ll be asked into each one. The people will ask you to eat with them. And it is bad manners if you say no.
Manners are different all over the world. But it is good to know that all manners begin in the same way. People needed ways to show that they wanted to be friends.
1.What is the best title of the passage? (no more than 10 words)
2.How do you understand the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2? (no more than 10 words)
3.In Mongolia, what action is thought to be a good manner according to the passage? (no more than 6 words)
4.What are well-mannered people expected to act in some parts of Polynesia during eating? (no more than 10 words)
5.Traditionally, what is a good manner during eating in China? (no more than 20 words)
