来自BBC英语教学的两篇阅读文章，高考热点话题，欢迎关注。
01
What is biodiversity and why is it important? 什么是生物多样性？保护它的意义何在？
Biodiversity is the variety of all life on Earth – it's thousands of habitats and millions of species.
生物多样性指地球上所有生命的多样程度，蕴含数千个栖息地和数百万个物种。
And it's in trouble.
而生物多样性现正告急。
We depend on biodiversity for food, water and medicine, but also to help fight climate change.
我们不仅依靠生物多样性获取食物、水和药品，还依靠它帮助应对气候变化。
As the world warms, its systems begin to collapse.
随着全球气候变暖，构成生物多样性的生态系统开始崩溃。
Some animals are being pushed to the brink of extinction.
一些动物正濒临灭绝。
In order to slow down the rate of biodiversity loss, we need to cut emissions of greenhouse gases.
为了减缓生物多样性丧失的速度，我们需要减少温室气体的排放。
And we need to restore and protect habitats.
同时，我们需要修复并保护栖息地。
02
Single-use plastic plates and food utensils to be banned in England 英格兰地区将禁用一次性塑料餐盘和餐具
英国政府已证实，英格兰地区将禁止使用塑料餐具、餐盘和聚苯乙烯托盘等一次性物品。英国环境大臣特雷丝·科菲说，此举将有助于保护环境，造福后代。
Each person in England gets through an average of 18 single-use plastic plates and 37 plastic items of cutlery every year, according to government figures. Just ten per cent are recycled. A plastic fork can take 200 years to decompose in landfill or in the ocean.
政府数据显示，英格兰人均每年使用18个一次性塑料餐盘和37件塑料餐具，而其中只有10%被回收利用。一个塑料叉在垃圾填埋场或海洋中可能需要200年才能降解。
Now the Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey is set to ban a range of single-use plastic items, mainly relating to takeaway food and drink. She said the move would prevent billions of pieces of plastic from polluting the natural environment.
现在，英国环境大臣特雷丝·科菲计划禁用一系列一次性塑料制品，主要针对外卖食品和饮料使用的餐具。她表示，该举将防止数十亿块塑料污染自然环境。
Similar bans have already been introduced in Scotland and Wales, while single-use plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds were banned in England in 2020.
类似的禁令已在苏格兰和威尔士实施，而英格兰于2020年已经禁用一次性塑料吸管、搅拌棒和棉签。
This latest move follows a long consultation but does not cover items found in supermarkets or shops. The Government said it would address those by other means. Environmental campaigners have welcomed the ban but called for a wider-ranging plastic reduction strategy.
这项最新举措是经过长时间的公共意见征询后决定的，但禁令不包括超市或商店中的一次性塑料餐具。政府表示将通过其它方式解决这类塑料问题。环境保护主义者对这项禁令表示支持，但呼吁制定更广泛的减少塑料的战略。
词汇表
single-use 一次性的
cutlery 餐具
decompose 降解，分解
landfill 垃圾填埋场
stirrers （饮料）搅拌棒
cotton buds 棉签
阅读理解：请在读完上文后，回答下列问题。
1. How many single-use plastic plates do people in England use on average, each year?
2. True or False? A single-use plastic fork takes a maximum of two years to decompose in landfill or in the ocean.
3. What single-use items were banned in the England in 2020?
4. What items are not covered by the new ban?
答案
1. How many single-use plastic plates do people use in England on average, each year?
On average, people use 18 single-use plastic plates in England, each year.
2. True or False? A single-use plastic fork takes a maximum of two years to decompose in landfill or in the ocean.
False. A plastic fork can take 200 years to decompose in landfill or in the ocean.
3. What single-use items were banned in the England in 2020?
Single-use plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds were banned in England in 2020.
4. What items are not covered by the new ban?
This latest move follows a long consultation but does not cover items found in supermarkets or shops.
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