The hottest“green”toy in Germany isn't made of organic or recycled materials.This one has a solar panel and only runs if kids remember to insert bright red “energy stones”that power the space station.Germany，a pioneer in many renewable energy initiatives，is also at the forefront of creating environment­friendly toys aimed at making kids think about where energy comes from and how much of it they can use，raising awareness through play.A number of high­tech green toys are on display at this year's Nuremberg toy fair，which runs through Sunday.
Among them，there are hydroelectric­powered(水电动力的)toy cars，and doll houses with wind turbines and rainwater catchers.The bright green “Future Planet”space station features an inner atrium(中庭)with a fan that is powered by a functioning solar cell.Its aim is to get kids to use their imagination about how energy will be created in the future.
Makers and retailers believe such toys will play an increasingly important role in their future—and that of our kids.“Energy is the question of the future and we are definitely thinking about this as we move ahead，”said Judith Schweinitz，a spokeswoman for Playmobil，maker of the solar panel­fitted space station.“It is increasingly being brought into our play concept.”Green toys—which range from those made of sustainable materials to ones like the space station that just raise environmental awareness—make up only a sliver of the $ 84 billion international toy market，but their share is growing，studies indicate.Environmental research firm Earthsense，based in Syracuse，New York，predicts that green toys will account for about $ 1 billion，or 5 percent of U．S.toy sales in the next five years.Parents are smart and they want information about what's in the product.That's what's really driving the market.
【小题1】The hottest “green”toy in Germany is ________.

A．made of rubbish

B．made of organic or recycled materials

C．equipped with a solar panel

D．driven by an advanced motor

【小题2】The purpose of making the green toys is to ________.

A．raise kids' awareness about energy and environment

B．improve kids' imagination

C．give kids the knowledge of technology

D．improve the safety of toys

【小题3】We can infer from the last paragraph that the green toys ________.

A．can help save little energy

B．are not accepted by parents

C．will sell well in the future

D．have not been produced

【小题4】Which of the following BEST describes the opinion of Earthsense about green toys?

A．Doubtful.	B．Optimistic.
C．Disappointed.	D．Proud.

   Dragging a sleigh loaded with enough presents for the world’s children can be no easy skill. But, since ancient times, the Christmas Eve duty has been performed by a team of beloved reindeer.

Soon, however, Santa Claus may have to start looking around for a stronger type of animal, as newresearch shows the species is becoming increasingly puny. A 16-year survey on the arctic Norwegian islands, Svalbard, found the reindeer there have declined in weight by an alarming 12 percent.

The reduction in average body weight is being blamed on global warming. In the research presented lately at a meeting of the British Ecological Society in Liverpool, scientists have explained how upward temperatures are robbing female reindeer of nutrients during important periods of pregnancy.

Snow in Svalbard typically covers the ground for eight months of a year, which, combined with low temperatures, limits grass growth to June and July. But as summer temperatures increase by around 1. 5℃, grass has become more productive, allowing female reindeer to gain more weight by autumn and therefore to have more babies. However, winters have brought with them greater rainfall which freezes when it settles on the snow. Reindeer can often access the poor food sources beneath the snow by clearing it away with their antlers (鹿角) , but they cannot break through the hard ice. As a result, female reindeer are becoming starved, causing them to lose their babies or give birth to the much lighter young.

Despite the findings, reindeer appear to be suffering less from the effect of climate change than some other arctic species. Last week the scientists warned that a third of the world’s polar bears could disappear in the next 40 years.

【小题1】Which of the following can replace the underlined word “puny” in Paragraph 2?

A．strong	B．mature
C．heavy	D．weak

【小题2】Why do female reindeer become fat in autumn?

A．Because the temperature is getting low.

B．Because they give birth to more babies.

C．Because grass grows well during the period.

D．Because they often break through the hard ice.

【小题3】What can we infer from the text?

A．Climate change has little effect on reindeer.

B．Polar bears suffer more from climate change.

C．Reindeer have no trouble finding food in winter.

D．Polar bears will disappear totally in the near future.

【小题4】What does the text mainly talk about?

A．The Christmas Eve duty will still be carried out by reindeer.

B．Reindeer have decreased in weight owing to global warming.

C．Global warming contributes to more young reindeer.

D．Many arctic species are at the risk of dying out.

语法填空

In many countries today, laws protect wildlife. In India, the need for such protection 【小题1】（realize）centuries ago. About 300 years ago, 【小题2】 Indian writer described forests 【小题3】   were somewhat like national parks today. The killing of animals was 【小题4】（careful）supervised（监督）. Some animals were fully protected in the forest. Nobody was allowed 【小题5】（cut）timber（木材）, burn wood for charcoal, or catch animals for their fur. Animals which became 【小题6】（danger） to human visitors were caught or killed outside the park, so that other animals would not become uneasy.

The need for wildlife protection is 【小题7】（great）now than before. About a thousand species of animals are in danger of dying out, and the rate at which they are being destroyed 【小题8】（increase）. If we don't take 【小题9】（measure）to protect wildlife,some day our children will see no living creatures 【小题10】 themselves.

   How To Be Green?

What does “green” mean? “Green” is more than just a color. 【小题1】    Why green? Plants are green, and without them the Earth wouldn't be such a lovely home for us human beings. What can we do? Here's a four-step guide to being green.

Reduce It!

【小题2】 For instance, a shorter shower means you use less water and less fuel since your house uses fuel to run the water heater that warms up the water.

Reuse It!

Sometimes people call our society a “throwaway society”. It means that we're a little too willing to throw away old stuff(东西) and buy new stuff. 【小题3】 . For instance, if your baby brother becomes older and loses interest in his plastic basketball hoop(篮圈), why not give it to another family who has a little kid?

Recycle It!

Recycling has never been easier. Many communities(社区) will pick it up right in front of your house and some towns even require it. Recycled goods go to a recycling center, where they can be turned into new cans, bottles, and paper.

Enjoy It!

It's true that rubbish and pollution are problems, but the Earth remains a huge and beautiful place that's ready for you to explore. 【小题4】  Go for a hike, visit local nature centers and gardens, and climb up mountains.

But before you travel around the world, take a look at your own backyard. Find a place where you could plant a tree or put in a little fruit or vegetable garden. 【小题5】

 

A．Get out there and get your hands dirty.

B．Turn off the water when you're brushing your teeth.

C．It also means taking special steps to protect the environment.

D．When you use less of something, you do a good thing for the Earth.

E．You can start locally by visiting the naturally beautiful spots in your city.

F．Many times, even if you no longer need something, someone else just might.

G．Then you can watch with pride as your tree takes root and your garden plants grow.

   Since the first Earth Day in 1970, Americans have gotten a lot “greener” toward the environment. “We didn’t know at that time there even was an environment, let alone that there was a problem with it,” says Bruce Anderson, president of Earth Day USA.
But what began as nothing important in public affairs has grown into a social movement .Business people, political leaders, university professors, and especially millions of grass-roots Americans are taking part in the movement. “The understanding has increased many， many times,” says Gaylord Nelson, the former governor from Wisconsin, who thought up the first. According to US government reports, emissions (排放)from cars and trucks have dropped from 10.3 million tons a year to 5.5 tons .The number of cities producing CO beyond the standard has been reduced from 40 to 9. Although serious problems still remain and need to be dealt with, the world is a safer and healthier place. A kind of “Green thinking” has become part of practices.
Great improvement has been achieved. In 1988 there were only 600 recycling programs; today in 1995 there are about 6,600. Advanced lights, motors, and building designs have helped save a lot of energy and therefore prevented pollution.
Twenty –five years ago, there were hardly any education programs for environment. Today, it’s hard to find a public school, university, or law school that does not have such a kind of program. “Until we do that, nothing else will change!” say Bruce Anderson.
【小题1】According to Anderson, before 1970, Americans had little idea about ___.

A．the social movement	B．recycling techniques
C．environmental problems	D．the importance of Earth Day

【小题2】Where does the support for environmental protection mainly come from?

A．The grass –roots level.	B．The business circle.
C．Government officials.	D．University professors.

【小题3】What have Americans achieved in environmental protection?

A．They have cut car emissions to the lowest.

B．They have settled their environmental problems.

C．They have lowered their CO levels in forty cities.

D．They have reduced pollution through effective measures.

【小题4】What is especially important for environmental protection according to the last paragraph?

A．Education.	B．Planning
C．Green living	D．CO reduction