1 . Wetlands—lakes, rivers, marshes and coasts, can maintain biodiversity(保护生物多样性), control floods and remove pollutants. They are also helpful to rice and fish production, transportation and so on. They are important and necessary feeding and breeding grounds for migratory birds. They are the most threatened ecosystem(受到威胁的生态系统).
World Wetlands Day came from the Convention on Wetlands(湿地公约) signed in Iran, China joined the convention on July 31, 1992. By the end of 2019, our country had 57 wetland nature reserves listed as major wetlands for protection under the convention, covering a total of nearly 7 million hectares. ______________________, as China has wetlands with 65.9 million hectares, 10 percent of the world’s wetland areas, which comes fourth in the world. China also has some of Asia’s most important wetlands, such as Poyang Lake and Asia’s longest river, Yangtze River.
However, a WWF research showed China’s wetlands were seriously threatened by degradation because of pollution, climate change and over-exploitation. So our government has been taking actions to return farmland to wetland and remove some fish farms.
It was reported the 57 key Chinese wetlands increased by 2,479 hectares from 2018 to 2019. Li Yan, an official from the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, said at a news conference, “The area of wetlands in China has become larger over the past five years, growing by 202,600 hectares and making a great contribution to water quality and environmental protection. Between 2016 and 2020, China created 201 national wetland parks. China had 899 national wetland parks by the end of 2020, and nearly half of the country’s wetlands are protected by some level of government.”
China is carrying through on the convention for a continuous development and will make continuing efforts to perfect the laws on wetland protection. Several major projects on wetland protection will be carried out in some major areas, such as Yangtze River and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei province cluster.
1. Which of the following is the most suitable for the blank(空格) in Paragraph 2?| A．World Wetlands Day is well-known | B．Wetlands in China are seriously threatened |
| C．China doesn’t have large areas of wetlands | D．Protection of wetlands in China is very important |
| A．the process of something being made better |
| B．the process of something being made worse |
| C．the situation in which somebody has won all the respect |
| D．the situation in which somebody has lost all the respect |
| A．introduce how large China’s wetlands are |
| B．explain how important China’s wetlands are |
| C．prove how much danger China’s wetlands are facing at present |
| D．show the achievements on wetland protection China has reached |
| A．Wetlands in China are Famous | B．China Makes Laws on Wetland Protection |
| C．China’s Wetlands are in Danger | D．China Makes Progress on Wetland Protection |
2 . Have you ever heard someone use the phrase “once in a blue moon”? People use this expression to describe something that they do not do very often. For example, someone might say that he tries to avoid eating sweets because they are unhealthy but will eat chocolate “once in a blue moon”. Or someone who does not usually like to go to the beach might say “I visit the shore once in a blue moon”. Many people use this phrase, but not everyone knows the meaning behind it. The first thing to know is that the moon itself is never really blue. This is just an expression. In fact, the phrase “blue moon” is decided by the shape of the moon, not the color.
As the moon travels around the earth, it appears to change shape. We associate some names with some shapes of the moon. For example, when we can see a small part of the moon, it is called a crescent moon. When we cannot see the moon at all, it is called a new moon. When we can see the whole moon, it is called a full moon. Usually, there is only one full moon every month.
Sometimes, however, there will be two full moons in one month. When this happens, the second full moon is called a “blue moon”.
Over the next 20 years, there will only be 15 blue moons. As you can see, a blue moon is a very rare event. This fact has made people use the expression “once in a blue moon” to describe other very rare events in their lives.
1. Which of the following would be a good example of using the phrase “once in a blue moon”?| A．Simon often tells jokes. Simon tells jokes once in a blue moon. |
| B．Tom hardly remembers to do exercise. Tom does exercise once in a blue moon. |
| C．Mary likes to go shopping every weekend. Mary goes shopping once in a blue moon. |
| D．Cindy hates to stay up, but she stays up every day. Cindy stays up once in a blue moon. |
| A．Many people know the meaning behind “once in a blue moon” well. |
| B．The phrase “once in a blue moon” comes from the color of the moon. |
| C．A blue moon will happen at least once a year over the next twenty years. |
| D．A blue moon happens when there are two full moons in one month. |
| A．teach people to use “once in a blue moon” correctly |
| B．introduce the three forms of the moon to people |
| C．explain to people how “once in a blue moon” is created and used |
| D．make more people use “once in a blue moon’’ in a proper way |
When things around the house stop working, what do you usually do with them? If you’re like a lot of people, you probably just throw them away.
In some areas, it’s difficult to find people who can make repairs, and fixing things can be quite expensive. Also, some small objects are so inexpensive that it’s often easier to just buy a new one.
In 2009, Martine Postma from the Netherlands decided there must be a better way. Her solution was Repair Cafes: places where people can take broken items. There they will find tools, resources and volunteer experts who are ready to help with repairs.
Postma’s first Repair Cafe opened on Oct. 18, 2009, in Amsterdam, and was a huge success. News of the cafe spread, and people began asking how they could start their own. In 2011, Postma set up the Repair Cafe Foundation. This nonprofit organization provides guidance to those hoping to begin their own neighbourhood repair group.
Today, there are about 2,000 Repair Cafes around the world with meetings usually taking place once a month. Around 25 objects are repaired during each meeting. Everything is free, but donations are greatly welcome.
The cafes not only provide help with repairs, they also strengthen community ties. Neighbours get to know one another as they work together on projects. Moreover, valuable knowledge is passed along and preserved. Items are kept rather than thrown away, meaning less rubbish in landfills.
Title: Repair Cafes
| Basic information | ➢The first one was ➢About 2,000 of them have been set up all over the world so far. ➢Repairing things at such a cafe |
| ➢They help improve the ➢They help pass along and preserve valuable knowledge. ➢They help |
Many of us stayed at home in January because of COVID-19, but a special mom and her two babies took a trip. They were driven a few miles from a breeding center in northeastern Argentina to a 1.7 million-acre nature reserve called Gran Ibera Park. There the three jaguars were released into the wild.
Their release was the first reintroduction of jaguars in that part of Argentina since the species (物种) almost died out there 70 years ago. Scientists hope they can turn things around for this important apex predator, meaning one that is on top of the food chain (链). Only 200 to 300 jaguars remain in the country.
“That is the highest level of protection that can be given in Argentina,” says Sebastian Di Martino. He’s the conservation director for Rewilding Argentina, which is one of the organizations helping to restore jaguar populations.
The jaguars’ journey started in 2018 when the park was built in the Ibera Wetlands. Several thousand jaguars once lived there, along with other important species. But the jaguars’ fur was valuable, so people hunted them. Then farmers cleared the land they lived on. With the jaguars gone, the ecosystem was out of balance.
“In the absence of this species, ecosystems stop working well and may even collapse,” Di Martino says. “The main prey (猎物) of the jaguar is the capybara and the caiman. They are very abundant because of the absence of the jaguar, which causes imbalances in the ecosystem.”
The park was the first step to give jaguars a place to live. Then they needed to breed. A female named Mariua mated with a male jaguar from Brazil. Mariua then gave birth to the two baby jaguars.
It sounds simple, but the reality is more complicated. Di Martino said that jaguars born at breeding centers have to learn how to hunt and must not become used to humans. Otherwise, they will not have success in the wild.
The people who work at the breeding center stay out of sight. They use video cameras to watch the jaguars from several miles away. “We provide live prey for them, without them realizing it comes from people,” Di Martino said.
Mariua wears a radio collar so researchers can track her and her babies, Karai and Pord. “So far, so good. She’s been hunting capybaras and wild pigs and is raising her babies very well,” Di Martino says.
1. What can we learn about the jaguar?| A．It is found only in Argentina. | B．It is taught to hunt by humans. |
| C．It is not hunted by any other animal. | D．It is not considered as a rare species. |
| A．Exciting. | B．Meaningful. | C．Surprising. | D．Successful. |
| A．More than enough. | B．Less than enough. |
| C．Getting more powerful. | D．Getting less powerful. |
| A．to give an example of jaguars’ life | B．to show the importance of female jaguars |
| C．to introduce a way of training jaguars | D．to explain the method of rewilding jaguars |
5 . Making friends at school can be a little tricky - but it doesn’t have to be! Try out a few of these methods to talk to people in your class and hang out with them outside of school. Before you know it, you’ll have a group of friends to have fun with every day!
■ Be friendly.
Using proper body language will help, Stand up straight, make eye contact with people, and smile! Try to avoid crossing your arms over your chest and looking closed off. The more open and friendly you look, the more people will want to get to know you.
■ Sit at a new table during
Look for tables with an open seat. If you’re feeling a little nervous, pick a table that only has one or two people sitting down. Head over and ask if you can sit there, then join in on the conversation. If you like the people you sit with, ask if you can join them again the next day.
■ Try out for a sports team.
Pick a sport that you like (it could be soccer, basketball, softball, baseball, or anything in between), and try out for the team. Over time, you could become good friends with some of the other people on your team! If your school doesn’t have a sports team, try looking for one at your local community center.
■ Join an after-school club.
Meet friends who have the same hobby as you. Ask a teacher or your parents for a list of after school activities and pick 1 or 2 of them that you’re the most excited about. Introduce yourself to everyone when you attended your first club meeting to meet new people and start a fun conversation.
1. Which word is the most suitable for ________?| A．holiday | B．class | C．meeting | D．lunch |
| A．how to talk to a stranger | B．how to make friends |
| C．how to start a conversation | D．how to choose activities |
| A．school students | B．school teachers |
| C．younger parents | D．older parents |
Paper is one of our oldest, simplest and most important inventions. It is the pride of us Chinese, but it also presents a danger to the world.
First, the making of paper requires the loss of many millions of trees each year. According to The World Counts, between 2001 and 2019, the world lost a total of 386 million hectares of forest. Of the trees that were cut down, 42 percent went to paper production. That represents a great part of the world’s forests. And worldwide use of paper is expected to double in the next 40 years. Clearly, the planet cannot keep such a high rate of forest Loss.
The second great problem with paper is that when the paper is used, it is useless. A great deal of wastepaper ends up in rubbish and even landfills (废物填埋场)，where it can produce harmful gases. Paper in landfills causes the release (释放) of methane, a gas that is an important factor (因素) in climate (气候) change all around the world.
One simple way to help out can greatly reduce both of these problems: paper recycling. Instead of cutting down trees, recycle used paper to meet the need of paper-making. Effective recycling requires an effort from everyone all over the world. The way to begin is with education and understanding. Once enough people realize the need for recycling, more effective recycling systems can be put into use.
The need is real. The loss of tees influences everybody on earth. Everyone should do their part to recycle paper and encourage government and industry to do the same. The world will be a better place for it!
| Topic: The invention of paper is the | |
| Two great | Paper making causes the loss of forests. ●42 percent of trees cut down were used to ●In the next 40 years we’ll use |
| Wastepaper causes the release of a kind of harmful gas. ●Used paper is no longer ●The gas is an important factor that | |
| One simple way to | ●We should ●To start recycling we should educate people and make them ●More effective recycling systems can be carried out. |
| Suggestions | ●Everyone should take part in recycling paper. ●Government and industry should be |
In October 2002, Winston Churchill was chosen by the British people as “the greatest British man”. The great British men behind him were Shakespeare, Newton, and Darwin. But many people did not know that Churchill was thought to be a bad boy when he was a child.
At the age of seven, Winston Churchill was sent to a boarding(寄宿) school named St. George. The school rules were strict. He often got serious punishment. Churchill cried loudly and kicked wildly when he was beaten. At the end of the term, he returned home with a report card and pains all over his body. The report card said that he was “naughty”(顽皮的).
At the age of twelve, his father sent him to Harrow Public School, which was famous for training English gentlemen. Because he failed the entrance exam, he was placed in the last group of the class with worst grades. He fell behind the others in study. He gave many people the impression of low energy, strangeness, and lawlessness. Fortunately, he still had a friend, his grandfather. The American of great wealth who had experienced the world said, “Let him go! As long as boys have the chance to show their talents, they are sure to become better.” Churchill kept the words of his grandfather in mind, and secretly looked for it in his heart.
Many years later, Churchill was already a successful politician and writer. He worked as a reporter, as Secretary of the Navy, and as Prime Minister (首相) of the United Kingdom. He said, “My grandfather taught me that boys must choose their own path. I don’t have special talents and my success is by working hard.”
1. The second paragraph mainly tells us ________.| A．Churchill loved his school | B．Churchill got good education |
| C．Churchill got less punishment | D．Churchill was considered as a bad boy |
| A．a gentleman from the UK | B．of great help to Churchill |
| C．rich with little experience | D．unsure of Churchill's becoming better |
| A．幸运的是 | B．可悲的是 | C．奇怪的是 | D．可惜的是 |
①Churchill became a successful politician and writer.
②Churchill went to Harrow Public School.
③Churchill was sent to a boarding school.
④Churchill’s grandfather encouraged him a lot.
| A．③④②① | B．③②④① | C．①③②④ | D．②③④① |
| A．Geography World. | B．Science Study. | C．History Character. | D．Natural Environment. |
Protecting the Habitats of Chimpanzees
Chimpanzees are not only social animals living in communities and work together, but they are smart in many different ways. For over 40 years, people have been studying chimps both in the wild and in captivity. One thing they have learned is that chimpanzees and their natural habitats — or where they live in the wild — need to be protected.
In 1960, a researcher named Jane Goodall began to live with and study wild chimpanzees in Africa. She learned that they are highly intelligent animals that communicate with gestures and physical contact. They make tools to find food, they possess innate decision— making skills, and they make choices about which groups to join and what foods to eat. Chimps cooperate to hunt and often share the food they have caught. In captivity, where they live in zoos and science centres, they can be taught American Sign Language so that they can communicate with their hands. There have even been experiments which show that a few chimpanzees have learned to use computers and to play games! Some scientists argue that chimpanzees can show emotions such as happiness or sadness.
Although chimpanzees are impressive and intelligent animals, their safety is in danger every day. In the wild they can be found in 21 different African countries, living in forests. Chimpanzees are able to adapt(适应) to changes in their environment. They can move to a new place, make new nests, and find new foods. Yet people are destroying their natural habitats. By cutting down trees for firewood and using the space to build houses, humans leave chimpanzees with smaller areas to live in.
Chimpanzees are in danger, and all eyes should be on them. Fortunately many organizations and researchers have started to take steps to protect them.Everyone should be aware of their work and it is important to help these amazing animals.
1. According to the passage, why should people help chimpanzees?2. How do chimpanzees communicate in their natural habitats?
3. How do chimpanzees adapt to changes in their environment?
4. What does the writer want to tell us by saying “all eyes should be on them”?
5. What can you do for chimpanzees?(请自拟一句话作答)
9 . In December 2020, “the Super Apple” appeared at supermarkets across China, sweeter and juicier than usual ones, without pesticide residue(农药残留). Before reaching the market, the products had been tested over 500 times. Blockchain(区块链) technology in recording farmers’ actions is widely used to avoid nonstandard pesticide use. Digital technology at the apple storage helps to group apples, which can keep the stability(稳定性) in the quality. “The future of agriculture lies in the modern technology.” Huang Jikun, Professor of the China Centre for Agricultural Policy at Peking University, told Beijing Review.
At China’s Central Rural Work Conference in 2020, President Xi stressed that efforts must be made to increase the quality of agriculture. Xi also pointed out the importance of speeding up technologies.
China’s agriculture has entered a stage of high-quality development, as the country is meeting people’s increasing need for high standard products. So agriculture should turn to technology.
Three years ago, Yuan Longping led a program of planting rice in saline－alkali(盐碱) soil in areas, including Xinjiang and Heilongjiang. Through hybrid technology, Yuan’s team have been able to raise improved rice for saline and alkaline soils. If China could put 6.67 million hectares of saline－alkali soil into rice production, it would be very likely to increase by around 30 million tons, a huge contribution to the country.
In Lushui, Yunnan Province, one can rarely see farmers working on the farm. All common tasks are completed automatically(自动化地). Data(数据) is gathered by the system to improve future production.
“More information and technology centres will be built so that basic data and big data can be improved, and technologies like 5G and the BeiDou Satellite Navigation System can be used in the field.”said Han Fujun, Deputy Chief Engineer of the Information Center of MARA.
Since 2010, the Chinese government has been organizing technology exchanges, training, field trips and other activities for the agricultural technology talents to better understand the situations of each area.
Because of the COVID-19, companies begin to rethink better agricultural models, as more people want to eat healthier foods. Science and technology will play a more important role in the future.
1. Which of the following makes ”the Super Apple” sweeter and juicier?| A．The apple storage. | B．The modern technology. |
| C．The product test. | D．The record of farmers’ actions. |
| A．traditional Chinese agriculture is out of date now |
| B．farmers will pay less attention to technologies |
| C．China’s agriculture plays a lead role in the world |
| D．people now need more quality agricultural products |
| A．Yuan’s program is a huge contribution to China. |
| B．Farmers are busy collecting the data in Lushui. |
| C．5G and BeiDou system are rarely used in the centres. |
| D．Talents organize activities to understand each area. |
| A．Yuan Longping is a great Chinese scientist in farming |
| B．China’s agriculture develops fast to meet people’s need |
| C．science and technology improves China’s agriculture |
| D．more agricultural models will appear after COVID-19 |
We are what we eat. From high-calorie meals to low-fat lunches, much of our health depends on what we eat. We know about the benefits(益处) of eating fittingly for our physical health, but food, and cooking it, is proving to be good for our mental(心理的) health as well.
Some people are now supporting the therapeutic value of cooking food. It’s not just about the end result but also the experience someone goes through. Dr Mark Salter, a consultant psychiatrist, told the BBC: “Baking and cooking are good therapies. They help patients develop planning skills, short-term memories and social skills—lack(缺乏) of which may lead to mental illness.”
TV chef(大厨) and author Nadiya Hussain agrees that cooking is great for helping our mind. She loves to bake and became the champion of the TV show, The Great British Bake Off. She says that “Baking’s always been about therapy... It’s never really been about the cake.” And she thinks that baking is an important tool for our socialization and mental health.
Certainly, creating some delicious food takes our mind off things and gives us something to do, helping us get through the recent lockdown. People have said that mixing dough(生面团) to make bread, for example, has given them a sense of calm and control. Research has shown that doing creative tasks, like cooking, makes us feel happier. Nicole Farmer, who studies how food influences our biology, behavior and mental health, told BBC online that “Cooking represents the human experience of food, and growing people through food, so there is no doubt it can bring us timely positive feelings.”
Of course, cooking can be a very sociable activity and sharing the end result, a rewarding experience. Hopefully, as we start to mix with friends and family again, we can enjoy the benefits once more and put us all in the right state of mind.
1. What is baking in Nadiya Hussain’s eyes?| A．It’s helpful for our mind. | B．It’s a kind ofTV programme. |
| C．It’s always about the cake. | D．It’s a tool for physical health. |
| A．give people a lasting sense of calm and peace |
| B．mark the start of the experience of cooking food |
| C．make people feel more confident and stronger |
| D．help people take their mind off unhappy things |
| A．Dr Mark Salter is a consultant psychiatrist of the BBC. |
| B．Hussain once got the first prize for her books on baking. |
| C．The Great British Bake Off is a TV show about cooking. |
| D．Nicole Farmer is a British scientist who studies biology. |
| A．Eating fittingly for physical health. |
| B．Enjoying the course of cooking. |
| C．Sharing delicious food with others. |
| D．Developing our planning skills. |
