Starving polar bears are eating one another in the Arctic. Flowers are blooming too soon and die. The ice caps are melting so fast that rising water levels will threaten coastal towns along Florida within several decades. These are just a few examples of the terrible consequences of climate change supported by a new analysis in Nature.
In the past three decades, average global temperatures have risen about 0. 6°C and are projected to jump by about 1. 7°C by the end of the century, says Cynthia Rosenzweig, who leads the Climate Impacts Group at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies at Columbia University in New York. “We’ve already seen that a relatively low amount of warming,” she says, “can lead to a broad range of changes. ”
The unnatural warming caused by man-made greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide produced by cars and coal-powered plants, brings trouble for entire ecosystems. In North America alone, scientists have identified 89 species of plants, such as the American holly that have flowered earlier in the spring. In Spain, apple trees bloom 35 days ahead of schedule in response to the higher temperatures. Other wildlife, like the insects that use certain plants for food and the birds that feed on the insects, must then move forward their seasonal stirrings(萌动) and mating(交配) patterns to survive.
To try to follow this time shift, some birds such as robins, the classic symbol of winter’s thaw(解冻时期), are returning to Colorado from their migrations some two weeks earlier than in years past. All these changes can throw a food chain in disorder. Some bird species that arrive before the insects reappear may starve to death.
“Around the world, plants and animals are waking up to an earlier alarm clock than they used to,” says Terry Root, a biologist from Stanford University.
【小题1】The underlined word “projected”(in Paragraph 2) probably means “____”.
| A.forced | B.presented | C.indicated | D.predicted |
| A.the warm weather wakes animals up earlier |
| B.certain trees bloom a season ahead of time |
| C.the birds need to change patterns of living |
| D.the American holly will flower in late spring |
| A.Farmers depend on them to tell the time. |
| B.They used to come back when spring came. |
| C.They used to predict the change of weather. |
| D.They usually migrate when seasons change. |
| A.Man is to blame for global warming |
| B.Great changes take place on Earth |
| C.Bird migration and climate change |
| D.Global warming changing nature’s clock |
Allen : I’ve never been a big fan of the bears , especially the vacation show . On my last trip to Disneyland (1999) we passed it by , because we didn’t want to spend the time on something we didn’t really enjoy. If we’d known it would be closed by our next visit , I’m sure we would have watched it one more time . I was just making the point that it wasn’t until Disney announced the closing that this feeling suddenly sprang (弹跳) up for the Country Bear show at Disneyland .
But I think the idea of keeping some attractions (胜迹) open forever regardless of (不顾及) the number of visitors it gets is a mistake . We all have great memories of the Bears , but clearly very few kids today (or I should say families today ) are making those same memories from this show . That may be a sad fact , but it’s a fact . For whatever reason , the show doesn’t pull in the numbers . Isn’t it right to use the Country Bear space to bring in a more popular attraction so that more kids today can make those magic memories of an attraction THEY like ? Otherwise aren’t we just telling kids today that they “have to” make great memories of the Bears , when it’s obvious that the kids themselves are not enjoying the Bears like we did ?
Roger : I am very disappointed that they have decided to retire the Country Bear Playhouse . I remember going to the show as a child , and still enjoyed it as a teenager ,
and now young adult . It is true that there aren’t a lot of shows left at DL and with this one closing even less . Being at DL does require a lot of walking , and it is nice to have a few attractions that are a place to sit and enjoy a good show . I understand that DL has to develop , but there has to be some history to the Disneyland that Walt Disney first designed . There should be some parts of DL that just never go away , and this is one of them . By the time I have children it looks like there won’t be any attractions that I can say I went to as a child at the rate they are going .
Now the Bears are leaving . What I want to say is: stop trying to compete with everyone ! DL is the best , because of attractions like the Country Bears . If DL insists on destroying all of its magic to make way for the latest , well , then it might as well be just another theme (主题) park .
【小题1】What news might get people talking about the problem of the Country Bears ?
| A.The Country Bear Playhouse will be closed . |
| B.There will be a new attraction for our guests at Disneyland |
| C.The number of visitors to the Country Bear Playhouse is falling . |
| D.The Bears will retire because of old age and can’t give shows any more . |
| A.the Bears will be missed |
| B.we should tell kids today that they “have to” make great memories of the Bears |
| C.the longtime attraction ought to make way for a future attraction |
| D.people never care about what they have until all is lost |
| A.and I feel it is time to give our bears a good rest |
| B.but anyway , the attraction has lost interest |
| C.but I know that Disneyland will always be changing , and I accept that |
| D.and I am sad that the Bears will be leaving |
| A.an attraction | B.a theme park | C.the Bears | D.the latest magic |
| A.In a Web discussion zone (区). |
| B.In a suggestion book . |
| C.In a report on the popularity of the Country Bears . |
| D.In high school students’ compositions |
Beijing — Premier Wen Jiabao has urged the leadership of all countries to deepen their political will in dealing with climate change woes (灾难) as uncertainties mount (增长) in the months before the United Nation’s conference in Cancun, Mexico, at the end of this year.
Wen made the remarks on Friday when he met with nearly 20 politicians, climate change and environmental ministers worldwide, who are in Beijing this weekend to attend an international forum on green economy and climate change.
Based on the achievements made at the Copenhagen Summit last December, Wen urged the rich countries to further make clear their compulsory carbon reduction targets. “At the same time, we developing countries should make clear our voluntary goal of slowing down climate change,” Wen said.
Wen also urged the developed countries to transfer(转让)climate change friendly technologies to the developing countries, especially the poorest countries and island nations.
During the meeting, Wen said China will redouble its efforts in reducing carbon emissions and improving energy efficiency during the coming years after it finishes its 2006-2010 goal of cutting energy consumption per unit of economic output by 20 percent.
While praising China for its green efforts, former Australian Prime Minister Robert J. Lee Hawke asked China to share its experiences and lessons on energy savings and pollution reduction to the rest of the world to deal with global environmental woes and climate change.
Wen responded: “China, together with the rest of the world, is willing to make its due contribution in coping with global warming and climate change.”
At a banquet for the foreign guests on Friday night, former vice-premier Zeng Peiyan said “Increasing uncertainties are ahead for the climate change negotiations. The world needs more dialogue and cooperation”.
“Climate change woes are our shared challenges but the root lies in the historical emissions by the developed countries,” said Zeng, as president of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, which organized the weekend climate change summit.
Zeng expected the forum to work as a platform for different countries to communicate their positions freely before the Bonn climate change negotiation in June and the Cancun conference at the end of this year.
【小题1】Which title suits this passage best?
| A.We must work on climate change. |
| B.We should share our ‘green’ technology. |
| C.We need to clarify our action targets. |
| D.We ought to cooperate to control the climate. |
| A.Air pollution just existed in the developed countries in the past. |
| B.In the past, the developed countries slowed down the development of the world. |
| C.Climate change woes were originally caused by the developed countries. |
| D.The rich countries should be more responsible since they polluted most. |
| A.The Chinese government intends to be regarded as a developed country. |
| B.The whole world has got the same opinion about the measures to take. |
| C.The developed countries have not found any effective ways to cut their emissions. |
| D.There is still a long way to go before an agreement can be reached. |
| A.Because the developed countries are not willing to deal with global environmental woes. |
| B.Because the developing countries have not set any goal of slowing down climate change. |
| C.Because there are mounting uncertainties ahead for the climate change negotiations. |
| D.Because agreements were already made at the Copenhagen Summit last December. |
On April 24th, another natural disaster—the oil spill(泄露) in the Gulf of Mexico, happened. Millions of dollars have been used to help stop the spill and to clean up the animals, beaches, and land spoiled by the oil.Unfortunately, when many of these chemicals are used, more damage is caused to the environment, especially to lives in the sea.
But governments seem to accept the risk of transporting millions of tons of oil by ship every day so that we can fill up our cars and drive around and cause even more environmental damage.Interestingly, the biggest companies in the world produce cars, and the next biggest supply the gasoline to make them run.
Of all of today’s environmental disasters, an oil spill may actually be one of the least serious.Although oil is poisonous, it is a natural material.In the end, it breaks down naturally.In 1967 the tanker Torrey Canyon sank off the Scilly Isles near the coast of England and spilled 120,000 tones of oil into the ocean.If you go there today, you will find it hard to see any sign that it ever happened.
However, we should be thinking more about reducing our dependency on oil.Governments should be encouraging research into new technologies, such as cars run by solar power(太阳能), electricity, hydrogen, and so on.Much of this research, in the past, was stopped by the oil, gas, and coal.
If the world’s millions of cars were 10% more efficient(高效的),we would need many fewer tankers crossing the oceans each year.If this happened, the risks of oil spills would be reduced, and the air we breathe would be cleaner and fresher, too.
【小题1】What is the passage mainly talking about?
| A.Oil spills pollution. | B.What oil pollution is. |
| C.Oil tanker accidents. | D.How to reduce oil pollution. |
| A.By giving a description. | B.By making an argument. |
| C.By giving an example. | D.By drawing a diagram(图表). |
| A.Transportation depending more on oil. |
| B.Poisonous oil breaking down naturally. |
| C.Millions of tons of oil spilling into the sea. |
| D.More environmental damage being caused. |
| A.We should build safer tankers in the near future. |
| B.We should develop new technologies to cut oil use. |
| C.Tankers should not be allowed to sail near the coastlines. |
| D.Countries should build more oil pipelines under the sea. |
| A.In a story book. |
| B.In a science magazine. |
| C.In a novel. |
| D.In a brochure. |
On March 5, 2009, Michael Jackson stood in front of crowds of fans. Before screaming fans, he pronounced with pumping arms: “This is it!”
A few months later, Jackson was dead. With the late pop star’s return to radio, television and the cultural events, Forbes judges that Jackson has made $90 million since his death June 25. This figure is based on his royalties(版税) from album sales, radio play, rights to his name and royalties from his stock in the Sony/ATV music catalog (编目权).
Jackson’s music was his most easily-seen source in the last months. “Nothing increases the value of an artist than death ... an untimely death,” says Barry Massarsky, a music industry economist.
The music’s immediate value was clear. Since June, Jackson has sold more than 5.9 million albums in the U.S. and another 4.5 million overseas. In the first weeks after his death, there were 5.6 million single downloads across North America, Europe and Australia. Jackson recently has three of the top 20 best-selling albums of the year in the US, according to Nielsen SoundScan. His 2003 hits album Number Ones is the best seller of the year, beating Taylor Swift’s Fearless.
More than 500,000 Jackson ringtones and 100,000 music videos were sold. In the week following his death, songs by The Jackson 5, The Jacksons and Michael were played over 100,000 times on the radio, according to Nielsen BDS.
Jackson’s estate(遗产)will likely see more money by the end of this year, as it has rights to some of the profits from This Is It as well as the two-disc album of the same name. The estate will share 90% of the film profits with AEG.
Ticket sales from an exhibit opening in London will also contribute a likely profit. Hundreds of Jackson’s personal belongings-his L.A. Rolls Royce etc-will remain on show for three months at the O2 for fans willing to shell out $25 for a view.
The pop singer bought ATV Publishing, for $47.5 million in 1985. Ten years later, he sold the catalog to Sony for $95 million and took a 50% stock in Sony/ATV, which is now worth about $1.7 to $2 billion. So he still owned half the Sony/ATV catalog at his death.
Jackson’s future earning potential is based on his stock in valuable music and as well as the value of his image(肖像). As many musicians, actors and artists before him, Jackson’s fame could have a long tail on the market with allowable products, advertising and entertainment events.
【小题1】What do Barry Massarsky’s words in Paragraph 3 imply?
| A.Jackson died at the time as expected. |
| B.Only at death can an artist become famous. |
| C.Jackson became more famous at death than when he was alive. |
| D.Jackson’s unexpected death raised his value as an artist immediately. |
A. “This is it” is the last concert that Jackson gave
B. Jackson has sold 10.4 million albums since June
C. Jackson’s L.A. Rolls Royce is now for show and will finally be sold
D. Jackson’s stock in music and his image will keep on earning money in the future
【小题3】What can be inferred from the passage?
| A.Jackson’s album Number Ones beat Taylor Swift’s Fearless in 2003. |
| B.Taylor Swift’s Fearless is the second best seller of music albums of 2009. |
| C.AEG takes in more film profits from “This is it” than Jackson’s estate. |
| D.More Jackson’s music videos were sold than his ringtones right after his death. |
| A.Jackson sold ATV catalog to Sony in 1985. |
| B.Jackson had half right of ATV Publishing at his death. |
| C.Jackson sold ATV catalog to Sony for $ 47.5 million in 1995. |
| D.Jackson’s stock in Sony/ATV now has a value of about $ 1.7 billion to 2 billion. |
| A.Why Michael Jackson’s music is so popular all over the world. |
| B.How Michael Jackson has earned $90 million in the months since his death. |
| C.What Michael Jackson’s future earning potential is based on. |
| D.How much Michael Jackson earned in the first few months after his death. |
Weather Report
(8:00 a.m. December 17—8:00 a.m. December 18)
Influenced by a cold front northern Xinjiang, the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and the northern and eastern parts of Heilongjiang are expected to experience light snow today. Drizzle (小雨) is forecast for most areas of Sichuan and western coastal areas of South China. Northerly winds of force 4-6 are expected to affect western and southwestern Inner Mongolia, and most parts of Northeast China while northerly winds of force 5-7 will sweep across the Bohai Sea, the northern parts of the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, the Taiwan Straits, and the central and northern parts of the South China Sea.
Weather forecast for major Chinese cities
| City | Max(℃)℃C) | Min(℃) | Weather |
| Beijing | 10 | -2 | clear |
| Changchun | 0 | -6 | clear |
| Changsha | 19 | 5 | clear |
| Chengdu | 9 | 4 | drizzle |
| Chongqing | 10 | 5 | overcast |
| Dalian | 12 | 3 | clear |
| Fuzhou | 18 | -12 | cloudy |
| Guangzhou | 23 | 15 | cloudy |
| Guilin | 19 | 4 | clear |
| Haikou | 19 | 14 | overcast |
| Hangzhou | 18 | 5 | clear |
| Harbin | -3 | -8 | clear |
| Hong Kong | 21 | 16 | cloudy |
| Jinan | 14 | 3 -?: ;;.;;:;,.:-,-,;., | clear ^A-^ ^.-,.-.1 |
【小题1】According to the weather report, we know it doesn’t rain in many areas except ______.
| A.Xinjiang | B.Qinghai-Tibet | C.Heilongjiang | D.Chengdu |
| A.Northern Xinjiang and Tibet | B.Sichuan and South China |
| C.Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang | D.Qinghai and Sichuan |
| A.a cold front | B.light snow |
| C.northerly winds of force 4-6 | D.northerly winds of force 5-7 |
| A.23 | B.31 | C.26 | D.7 |