China gets greener
President Xi Jinping said "clear waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets(绿水青山就是金山银山)". With the efforts of China's government and its people, the rate of forest coverage(森林覆盖率)in China has reached 22. 96%, compared to 5. 05% forty years ago, according to a recent report from the State Forestry and Grassland Administration (SFGA).
Over the past forty years, China planted billions of trees as part of its fight against expanding(延伸的)deserts, mostly in its north. Each year, people sow seedlings(播种)over an area nearly the size of Ireland, according to Nature.
In 1978, China began a nationwide tree-planting programme known as the Three North Shelterbelt Forest Programme, also known as "the Great Green Wall". It has helped to plant more than 66 billion trees across 13 provinces in the country's north to act as windbreaks(防风林), according to China Daily.
Since 2018, SFGA has made more efforts to build a greener country. Its purpose is to grow at least 6. 7 million hectares(公顷)of forest every year in the next 15 years. Besides planting more trees, China has tried to bring back grasslands. It has also used strict forest protection methods and banned(禁止)all commercial logging(商业伐木)since last August.
The high-speed growth of forests cannot happen without public participation(参与). For example, Ant Forest, an Alipay mobile payment app, plants real tees for users who get "green energy" by taking part in low-carbon(低碳)activities. Since 2016, it has helped to plant about 122 million trees in China's driest areas.
China was praised as "one of the most successful countries worldwide in greening the desert" by United Nations Environment Programme Executive Director Erik Solheim.
36. What was the rate of forest coverage forty years ago?
A. 5. 05%. B. 17. 91%. C. 22. 96%. D. 28. 01%.
37. Over the past forty years, China has planted billions of trees to ________.
A. turn deserts into green land B. create a green area in the desert
C. stop deserts from expanding D. build an area nearly the size of Ireland
38. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Windbreaks have covered across all provinces of China.
B. In 1978, China succeeded in building "the Great Green Wall.
C. China has grown 6. 7 million hectares of forest since 2018.
D. Since 1978, over 66 billion trees have been planted to act as windbreaks.
39. What did China do to build a greener country?
A. Tried to bring back grasslands. B. Made strict forest protection methods.
C. Banned commercial logging. D. All of the above.
40. What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?
A. Ant Forest plants real trees for all Chinese people.
B. Everybody can help build a greener country.
C. China's forest coverage is the highest in the world.
D. China was praised for no deserts in northern China.
习近平总书记曾经说过“绿水青山就是金山银山”，中国在注重经济发展的同时，对于环境的保护也没有松懈过。这篇短文详细介绍了中国对保护环境、植树造林所做的努力。
36.A【解析】细节理解题。根据短文第一段“With the efforts of China's government and its people, the rate of forest coverage(森林覆盖率)in China has reached 22. 96%, compared to 5. 05% forty years ago”可知，四十年前，中国的森林覆盖率是5.05%。故选A。
37.C【解析】细节理解题。根据短文第二段“Over the past forty years, China planted billions of trees as part of its fight against expanding(延伸的)deserts, mostly in its north.”可知，中国种植了数以十亿计的树木，是为了抵抗不断扩大的沙漠。故选C。
38.D【解析】推理判断题。根据短文第三段的内容可知，从1978年起，中国开始在全国范围内植树造林。种植了超过660亿棵树，作为防风林。D选项符合文意，故选D。根据第三段“It has helped to plant more than 66 billion trees across 13 provinces in the country's north to act as windbreaks(防风林), according to China Daily.”可知A不对；根据“In 1978, China began a nationwide tree-planting programme known as the Three North Shelterbelt Forest Programme, also known as "the Great Green Wall".”可知，中国从1978年开始修建“绿色长城”，并不是已经成功建成，故B不对；根据第四段“Since 2018, SFGA has made more efforts to build a greener country. Its purpose is to grow at least 6. 7 million hectares(公顷)of forest every year in the next 15 years.”可知C不对。
39.D【解析】细节理解题。根据短文第四段“Besides planting more trees, China has tried to bring back grasslands. It has also used strict forest protection methods and banned(禁止)all commercial logging(商业伐木)since last August.”可知，为了建设更加绿色的国家，中国不仅种植更多的树木，还试图恢复草原、使用严格的森林保护方法、禁止商业伐木。A、B和C三个选项在文章中都提到了。故选D。
40.B【解析】推理判断题。根据第五段的开头“The high-speed growth of forests cannot happen without public participation(参与).”可知，中国森林覆盖率的高速增长离不开公众的参与，并举了支付宝的蚂蚁森林的例子。由此可知，为了建设一个绿色的国家，每个人都可以贡献自己的力量。故选B。