题目内容
If the economic situation goes on like this, there’s a danger _______ many factories may have to close down.
A. when B. that C. whether D. as
Besides containing attractive flowers, trees and other plants that beautify the community, eco-friendly rain gardens are healthy for the environment and the people living and working nearby.
A rain garden is not very different from a traditional garden. It is just a far more eco-friendly garden. Usually it is built lower than the ground. Rain gardens make smart use of rain and storm water by temporarily holding water from rain and storms and letting it soak slowly into the ground before it runs into streams or enters the public drinking water supply.
Thus, a rain garden keeps the water, allowing it to be used as needed by plants in the rain garden, rather than flowing immediately into nearby streams and going unused. The water will soak slowly into the ground within a day or two. This creates an advantage that the rain garden does not allow mosquitoes to breed. This is a simple, attractive, and eco-friendly “green” way to treat storm water.
What’s more, planting a rain garden helps reduce pollution and improve the environment. Without using expensive machinery and chemicals, rain gardens remove harmful chemicals in the rainwater and cut down on the amount of pollution reaching streams and rivers by up to 30%.
Native plants are recommended for rain gardens because they are more used to the local climate, soil, and water conditions. They may attract local wildlife such as native birds. Water your rain garden immediately after planting and once a week, unless you have had at least an inch of rain during the week. Once the native plants establish the necessary root system, it will require little care.
Often, local governments and private businesses develop large rain gardens in their yards and in public parks as a way to improve the environment and solve flooding problems. However, you don’t need to be a professional environmental engineer to create a rain garden. As long as you’re eco-conscious homeowners, you can help the environment by building smaller rain gardens in your yards.
【小题1】Which of the following is the eco-friendly function of rain gardens discussed in Paragraph 4?
A.They can keep the rain and storm water. |
B.They can help reduce the pollution problem. |
C.They can be healthy for the people around. |
D.They can make the environment more beautiful. |
A.they cost less and are much easier to get |
B.they may attract local wildlife to come |
C.they require little care from the local gardeners |
D.they are more used to the local growing conditions. |
A.need little water |
B.need little care |
C.need to be watered every day |
D.needn’t be watered if there is at least an inch of rainwater per week |
Several animal species including gorillas in Rwanda and tigers in Bangladesh could risk extinction if the impact of climate change and extreme weather on their habitats is not addressed, a UN report showed on Sunday.
Launched on the sidelines of global climate negotiations in Durban, the report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization shows how higher temperatures, the rise in sea levels, deforestation and excessive land use have damaged the habitats of certain species, especially in Africa.
“Many ecosystems have already been stressed by increasing population, historical and recent deforestation, unsustainable management practices and even invasive (入侵的) species,” Eduardo Rojas-Briales, assistant director general at the FAO's forestry department, said at the launch of the report.
The most affected areas include mountains, isolated islands and coastal areas, which limit the possibilities for animals to migrate elsewhere and create new habitats.
“The remaining populations become surrounded in very small ecosystems, they have inbreeding (近亲交配) problems ... and at the end these species may disappear,” he added.
Other examples of affected animals included elephants in Mali, lions in the Serengeti and crocodiles in Malawi.
The report said an estimated 20-30 percent of plant and animal species will be at higher risk of extinction due to global warming and a significant proportion of native species may become extinct by 2050 as a consequence.
Other consequences could include the spread of invasive species and infectious diseases, it said.
The report urges more focus on restoration of damaged ecosystems, especially those key to dealing with climate change such as mangroves(红树林), inland waters, forests, savannahs(非洲大草原) and grasslands.
The FAO also called for the creation of migration corridors for animals in areas where their movement was limited.
The organization said while more resources were flowing to biodiversity conservation, more action at the government and policy level was needed.
It also urged local communities to develop projects that mitigate the impact of climate change on wildlife, naming eco-tourism activities as an example.
【小题1】What does the author tell us in Paragraph 2?
A.The theme of global climate negotiations in Durban. |
B.The subject of research done by Eduardo Rojas. |
C.Causes of damage done to ecosystems. |
D.Harmful effects of damage done to ecosystems. |
A.They are frequently attacked by invasive species and infectious diseases. |
B.They have difficulty finding enough food for survival. |
C.They can hardly find mates to produce their young. |
D.They have little chance of moving to other places. |
A.restoring damaged ecosystems |
B.limiting world population growth |
C.creating movement channels for animals |
D.urging governments and local communities to take action |
A.increase or further improve something. |
B.Make full use of something. |
C.Make something become less serious. |
D.Move from one place to another. |
A.Animals at risk due to climate change. |
B.Global warming and its consequences. |
C.Climate change and ecotourism. |
D.Solutions to animal distinction. |