1 . Almost a quarter of the UK’s sea swimmers may not swim in the ocean this year because of sewage (污水) dumping by water companies, according to a poll (民意调查). Sewage was dumped into waters near England’s most celebrated beaches for nearly 8,500 hours last year. And there were 1,504 discharges (排出) in 2022 on beaches supposed to be free from such pollution.
The poll spoke to 2,272 UK adults between 21 and 23 on July. Just over 30% said they typically went sea swimming during the summer, and of these 23% said they would not this year because of sewage dumping by water companies. More than two in five of the regular beachgoers also said they were less likely to visit the British seaside this summer because of sewage discharges.
The Department for Environment says government should allow the Environment Agency to charge unlimited fines on rule-breaking water companies. Fines are currently capped (上限) at £250,000. The Department for Environment has been calling for a sewage tax on annual profits and a ban on bonuses of water company managers. “Coastal communities are at the mercy of water companies who unapologetically discharge raw sewage into popular swimming spots,” Tim Farron, the Department for Environment’s spokesperson said. “The government needs to stop letting water companies off the hook and finally ban these terrible sewage discharges and defend our tourism sector.”
A Water UK spokesperson said standards at beaches had greatly improved since the 1990s but that the industry recognized it had been slow to deal with the harm to our seas caused by sewage overflows. “Over the next seven years, water and sewerage companies plan to spend £10bn—doubling current levels of investment—on sewage treatment,” they said. “As part of this, bathing waters will be among the first to receive funding.”
1. What does the poll show?| A．Water companies dumped the most sewage into waters last year. |
| B．Many swimmers avoid the water over fears of sewage on UK beaches. |
| C．Waters near England’s most celebrated beaches are not seriously polluted. |
| D．Over two fifths of the regular beachgoers in UK are between 21 and 23. |
| A．Reducing bonuses of water company managers. |
| B．Shutting down those rule-breaking water companies. |
| C．Fining rule-breaking water companies at least £250,000. |
| D．Introducing a sewage tax on water companies’ yearly profits. |
| A．Develop slowly. | B．Improve too fast. |
| C．Free of responsibility. | D．Attract public attention. |
| A．Environment. | B．Lifestyle. | C．Fitness. | D．Business. |
2 . “Listen!” Mr. Lee said seriously at the beginning of his first class, “I will put a lie into each of my classes. Your job is to try and catch me in the Lie of the Day.”
That was really a clever way to fix our attention on the dry and boring subject- geography. Then in the following weeks, we didn’t let off every single word of what he was saying in class and challenged (质疑) his lectures. When his class ended with nobody seeing through the lie, Mr. Lee would say, “Ah ha! Each of you has a lie in your notes. Discuss among yourselves what it might be, and I will tell you at the end of this term.”
Mr. Lee’s special style of teaching worked. All of us reviewed and discussed about our notes actively.
One Monday at the end of the term, Mr. Lee listened carefully to what we were questioning for almost ten minutes. Then he finally said, “Do you still remember the first lesson how I said that every lecture has a lie?”
Confused (疑惑), we said yes.
“Well, that was a real big lie. In fact, all the lectures I’ve given before are completely true. But I am glad you worked so hard. Move on.”
Hearing this, all eyes in the classroom went wide.
While my knowledge of geography has been forgotten over time, the lessons have stayed with me. “Experts” can be wrong and say things that sound right, so build a habit of evaluating (评估) new information and check it against things you already accept as a fact.
1. We can know that Mr. Lee was ________.| A．wise | B．serious | C．boring | D．confusing |
| A．he always told lies |
| B．the students always questioned him |
| C．everyone had to write down all of his words |
| D．it was difficult for the students to see through the lie |
| A．the students opened their eyes | B．Mr. Lee opened the students’ eyes |
| C．the students got shocked and amazed | D．the students had a look at the classroom |
| A．Mr. Lee was an expert |
| B．it’s easy to forget the knowledge of geography |
| C．Mr. Lee succeeded drawing the students’ attention |
| D．the students would never check what the teachers said again |
| A．A Real Lie | B．Learn to Question |
| C．A Special Teaching Style | D．The First Geography Lesson |
3 . The Great Barrier Reef in Queensland has suffered several mass bleaching events due to the impacts of climate change. The Australian government turned down a proposal for a new open-cut coal mine near the Great Barrier Reef, considering environmental laws and the risk of “irreversible damage”. It was the first time the government had used its powers under environmental laws to reject a mine.
In turning down the project, Tanya Plibersek, the minister for the environment and water, cited significant potential environmental dangers to the reef, which is already heavily threatened by climate change.” The risk of pollution is real and the damage to the reef, once done, will never be repaired. “The project would have had unacceptable impacts on freshwater in the area and potentially on fragile seagrass meadows,” Plibersek said in a video posted on social media. She said that during the public consultation period, her department had received 9,000 public comments about the mine in just 10 business days.
The government has been under pressure from UNESCO to better protect the reef and in 2022, it pledged one billion Australian dollars for efforts to protect the fragile ecosystem, including climate adaptation measures and water quality programs. Last year, the Great Barrier Reef, which stretches for more than 2,300 kilometers, experienced its sixth mass bleaching event, due to warming waters caused by climate change.
The government, elected in 2022, came to power promising stronger action on the climate in a country still heavily depending on fossil fuels. But its climate policies are rated “insufficient” by Climate Action Tracker, which found Australia is not on course to meet targets to limit warming to 1. 5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The government has rejected calls from the country’s Green Party to turn down all new fossil fuel projects.
1. Which of the following can replace “irreversible” in paragraph 1?| A．Permanent. | B．Gradual. | C．Severe. | D．Significant. |
| A．The reef is in good condition now. |
| B．9,000 people made good comments on the mining project. |
| C．The mining project has drawn the attention of the public. |
| D．The mining project has had bad effects on freshwater in the area. |
| A．Fossil fuels are not in demand in Australia. |
| B．The government has made effective climate policies. |
| C．The government failed to carry out its previous promises. |
| D．The Green Party reached an agreement with the government. |
| A．The Great Barrier Reef is faced with mass bleaching events. |
| B．Australia is on the way to protecting the Great Barrier Reef. |
| C．The Great Barrier Reef calls for help due to climate change. |
| D．Australia says “No” to a mine near the Great Barrier Reef. |
4 . If you visited a big aquarium such as SeaWorld or the Miami Seaquarium a decade ago, performances by tiger whales were probably a centerpiece of the visiting experience. However, animal advocates have pushed to end the harmful practice of keeping these enormous whales locked up in small pools and forcing them to perform for audiences. Now the good news is emerging from this continuing movement Lolita, one tiger whale living in the Miami Seaquarium, may soon be released to the Salish Sea where her mother lives.
Lolita’s possible homecoming is a longtime coming. The enormous animal was caught in 1970 in the Salish Sea, a body of water off the coast of Washington, which is home to tiger whales. Until now she has spent the past 52 years in captivity in Miami. Her tank is considered the smallest among those of captive whales in America. She has been forced to perform for crowds for decades. This has resulted in injuries. She has hit her head while performing “fast swims”, and her blood work has been abnormal.
Whales in captivity can suffer severe health issues. Lolita outlived her tank-mate Hugo, who died of aneurism (动脉瘤) caused by hitting his head on the aquarium walls. “Lolita’s lucky,” said Howard Garrett, a whale researcher and activist. “It’s against all odds that she is still alive. I think is her mental health that keeps her physical health in good shape. She is a complete miracle in her ability to stay healthy.”
According to the United States, Department of Agriculture, Lolita may not be getting enough food and water. This only adds to the list of health concerns which can appear in captivity. Activists who have been pushing for decades may at last see Lolita return to the Salish Sea, where her mother, a 93-year old tiger whale known as “Ocean Sun”, leads a pod. Returning these magnificent creatures to their natural habitat is a humane solution advocated for by the likes of the International Marine Mammal Project.
1. Which of the following best describes Lolita?| A．She got many injuries while performing for audiences over 50 years. |
| B．Her blood works well though she suffers severe health problems. |
| C．She was caught on the beach in Miami as a result of her injuries. |
| D．She was switched to a bigger tank because of her mate’s attack. |
| A．Her mental state is sound. |
| B．Hugo influenced her positively. |
| C．She gets timely medical treatment. |
| D．Whale researchers offer necessary aids. |
| A．Activists have succeeded in accomplishing the project. |
| B．Lolita will definitely fit in with the pod led by her mother. |
| C．Joint efforts are being made to release creatures like Lolita. |
| D．There’s little hope for Lolita to return to her natural habitat. |
| A．Lolita, the Last Tiger Whale in the World |
| B．Lolita, Released to the Salish Sea |
| C．Animals in Capacity Are Suffering a Lot |
| D．Lolita May Soon Go Free from Captivity |
5 . My son’s seventh birthday is approaching, so conversation at my house has naturally turned to organizing his party.
For his sixth birthday, we booked the local trampoline(蹦床) park. This worked out well. But the whole event cost us hundreds of pounds. This year, I’m trying to convince him that the dinosaur-themed park down the road offers just as much fun—and you don’t even need to wear special socks! This will be cheaper, because we aren’t required to hire a space—we can simply buy tickets for his mates.
But I still keep pondering over one thing—party bags. Why should a bunch of seven-year-olds, who have already been treated to a day out and a mountain of sugar, also be handed a bag full of pound-shop gifts for simply bothering to show up?
Party bags are an environmental disaster. I reckon my son attends 20 parties per year, and at each party there are 20 kids in attendance, which means 400 plastic bags in total. Within these 400 bags are perhaps 800 plastic toys, almost all of which fall apart on the journey home and then get binned instantly. The waste is shocking, and I don’t want to be part of it.
I know there are some party bag alternatives: one couple I know covered a table with Mr. Men books and got the kids to choose one each. At another party, I saw the hosts fill a bucket with soft toys and crumpled newspaper, and do a lucky dip (抽奖). Admirable efforts.
Even if that is a nice try, and even if the contents in the party bags don’t fall apart, so what? Will our guests think more highly of our child because of the party bags from our party? Will my child’s ability to make and keep friends be improved?
Well, the tradition for kid’s party bags ends with me, and it ends here, and it ends now. Who’s with me?
1. Why does the author recommend the dinosaur-themed park?| A．Because it’s more enjoyable. | B．Because it provides socks. |
| C．Because it can reduce cost. | D．Because it offers free tickets. |
| A．Gifts brought by guests. | B．Gifts prepared by hosts. |
| C．Gifts distributed by parks. | D．Gift a donated by charities. |
| A．Intolerant. | B．Objective. | C．Favorable. | D．In different. |
| A．Be recycled. | B．Be repaired. | C．Be thrown away. | D．Be given away. |
6 . I pulled over and one of the boys standing by the road asked for some water.
My heart
In my first lesson with Year Six I made a
A real
Now, three years later,I’m
| A．sank | B．beat | C．melted | D．raced |
| A．checking | B．searching | C．mending | D．parking |
| A．fast | B．soon | C．long | D．far |
| A．decision | B．motto | C．change | D．plan |
| A．reminder | B．symbol | C．gift | D．picture |
| A．experience | B．capacity | C．confidence | D．signal |
| A．bonded | B．behaved | C．reacted | D．operated |
| A．restricted | B．maintained | C．drafted | D．extended |
| A．chance | B．highlight | C．love | D．routine |
| A．added | B．led | C．kept | D．saw |
| A．expected | B．employed | C．guided | D．troubled |
| A．gradually | B．subsequently | C．frequently | D．temporarily |
| A．recognition | B．impression | C．expression | D．appointment |
| A．already | B．again | C．still | D．also |
| A．timely | B．typical | C．correct | D．heartfelt |
7 . The Atlantic salmon (鲑鱼) of Scotland are hardy and determined animals. Each spring and summer, they return from the North Atlantic Ocean to lay eggs in Scotland’s shallow rivers,leaping up waterfalls and over barriers, pushing themselves upstream in enormous efforts. Some fail, and others succeed, but today they face yet another challenge.
During the mid-1980s, there were between eight and ten million salmon swimming around Scotland’s Atlantic coast; that number has now dropped sharply. There’s evidence of reducing the availability of the salmon’s prey (猎物) as climate change warms and acidifies oceans. New research suggests climate change is also bearing down on rivers, which is bad news for salmon.Adapted to life in cold water, salmon experience slow growth and population changes at high temperatures. Heat influences their health and reduces their resistance to disease.
“Now salmon are struggling to deal with the rising temperatures. There are recent records of 27°C in the upper reaches of the Dee catchment,” says Peter Cairns, director of an environmental charity. In 2018, Scotland recorded the lowest pole catch for salmon since records began. Evidence suggests that the degraded quality of river worsens the impact of our changing climate. “Atlantic salmon evolved using river systems in Scotland that were once way more forested and therefore shaded.” Yet Scotland is today one of the least wooded countries in Europe, with just 3 percent of its native woodland undamaged. Scientists have found that just 35percent of rivers in Scotland have enough tree cover for salmon survival.
A movement to get trees back on riverbanks is gathering pace. “Broad-leaf trees close tothe bank can reduce the light that enters the water,” explains fisheries scientist Anthony Hawkins. A new initiative called Riverwoods — led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust and supported by Scottish Water and several other government and regulatory bodies — aims to create a network of woodlands along Scotland’s riverbanks, and has already received a number of large funds.“Money is not the pressing business. River health is complex, but tree planting is one of the most basic things we can get started with right away,”says Cairns.
1. Why do Atlantic salmon make great journeys back to the rivers?| A．They search for foods. |
| B．They reproduce themselves. |
| C．The rivers are relatively cool. |
| D．The seas are increasingly warm. |
| A．They grow more quickly. |
| B．They are more heat-resistant. |
| C．They are less active in water. |
| D．They are more likely to get diseases. |
| A．There is a shortage of food. |
| B．There is much fish catching. |
| C．The ecology environment has changed. |
| D．The river systems are unsuitable for the forest growth. |
| A．It is urgent to plant riverbank trees. |
| B．It is too hard to restore the river health. |
| C．There is enough money for the project. |
| D．There are too many vital things to deal with. |
8 . Imagine a fire burning in your mouth and stomach. Now, imagine a bottle of yogurt.This yogurt is your only means (方法) of escape. The pain is extreme great，but still, you manage to hang on. Now, imagine 12other contestants (参赛者) to your left and right, each suffering from the same great heat. Finally, imagine a huge crowd of people watching the impressive view.
This is what it was like for me when I first took part in the Chili Pepper Eating Contest of 2019. Hosted by The Beijinget as part of the weekend Hot Spicy Festival in Beijing, the contest was an open invitational, drawing in those brave enough to test their passion and willpower for eating spicy chilis.
Before coming to China in 2017,I had no idea chili eating contests like this even existed.I knew about food eating competitions, sure; but I had no idea that you could become a superstar just by eating chilis. It was also my first time getting on stage in front of such a large crowd, so there were butterflies in my stomach even before I introduced chilis into the mix.
Since I was young,I grew up eating policy curries (咖喱) with my dad — perhaps quite unusual by American Midwestern standards. Sometimes, we ordered the curry so spicy it would make our faces red as tears streamed down. But, in truth, I loved the unique feelings eating spicy food gave me. These feelings were what led me to find myself on the stage that day.
Nobody believed that I would be able to pull through. But, to everyone’s amazement (and even my own), I won! And then I won again the following year in 2020! While the grand prize was welcomed, the satisfaction of knowing I was a champion of something I loved doing and was good at was reward enough.
1. What is Paragraph 1 mainly about?| A．People’s feelings when eating chilis. |
| B．People’s problems when eating chilis. |
| C．The popularity of the chili eating contest. |
| D．The author’s experience at a chili eating contest. |
| A．It attracted foolish people. |
| B．It was open to strong men. |
| C．It could make people well-known. |
| D．It weakened peple’s will power. |
| A．It was a reminder of his happy time. |
| B．It brought him a different experience. |
| C．It was a tradition in his hometown. |
| D．It was convenient to buy spicy food. |
| A．Surprised and proud. |
| B．Relaxed and satisfied. |
| C．Shocked and regretful. |
| D．Disappointed and annoyed. |
9 . Early spring can be a tough time in the Midwest. It can
Every spring, migratory(迁徙的) birds camp out in a large pond near my house on the way to their summer
The next morning, I was shocked to see that all birds had
However, as the temperature dropped, the open water got smaller, and her movements slowed. I watched with
And then it happened: Two more ducks appeared,
This little duck wouldn’t have
| A．scare | B．move | C．surprise | D．beat |
| A．camp | B．vacations | C．courses | D．habitat |
| A．regardless of | B．in search of | C．in addition to | D．as for |
| A．dark | B．starry | C．peaceful | D．freezing |
| A．gathered | B．disappeared | C．panicked | D．fainted |
| A．energetically | B．patiently | C．calmly | D．cautiously |
| A．ice | B．house | C．snowstorm | D．water |
| A．tended | B．followed | C．watched | D．recorded |
| A．relief | B．doubt | C．anxiety | D．pleasure |
| A．rowing | B．landing | C．circling | D．feeding |
| A．increased | B．decreased | C．transformed | D．formed |
| A．spared | B．wasted | C．spent | D．lasted |
| A．still | B．open | C．clean | D．steady |
| A．motivate | B．remind | C．judge | D．refresh |
| A．presence | B．appreciation | C．attitude | D．request |
10 . Voices offer lots of information. It turns out that they can even help diagnose an illness. The National Institutes of Health is funding a massive research project to collect voice data and develop an AI that could diagnose people based on their speech.
Everything from your vocal cord vibrations(声带振动)to breathing patterns when you speak offers potential information about your health, says Dr. Yael Bensoussan, a leader on the study. “We asked experts: If you close your eyes when a patient comes in, just by listening to their voice, can you have an idea of the diagnosis they have?” Bensoussan says. “And that’s where we got all our information.” Someone who speaks low and slowly might have Parkinson’s disease. Speaking unclearly is a sign of a stroke. Scientists could even diagnose depression or cancer.
The team will start by collecting the voices of people. “We were really lacking large what we call open source databases,” Bensoussan says. “Every institution has their own database. But to create these networks was really important to then allow researchers from other generations to use this data.” The ultimate goal is an app that could help bridge access to rural or underserved communities, by helping general practitioners refer patients to specialists. To get there, researchers have to start by collecting data, since the AI can only get as good as the database it’s learning from. By the end of the four years, they hope to collect about 30,000 voices, with data on other biomarkers — like clinical data and genetic information — to match.
There are a few roadblocks. HIPAA — the law that regulates medical privacy — isn’t really clear on whether researchers can share voices. “Let’s say you donate your voice to our project,” says Yael Bensoussan. “Who does the voice belong to? What are we allowed to do with it? What are researchers allowed to do with it? Can it be commercialized?”
1. What does Yael Bensoussan mean in Paragraph 2?| A．Voices may help with illness diagnosis. |
| B．Scientists can rely on an AI to detect illness. |
| C．Disease symptoms can be noted by machines. |
| D．It’s necessary for doctors to listen to patients talking. |
| A．By building a base. |
| B．By collecting data. |
| C．By connecting communities. |
| D．By matching clinical information. |
| A．To prove the researchers’ idea. |
| B．To explain the procedures of the study. |
| C．To imply the problems with the research. |
| D．To ensure the commercial value of the study. |
| A．An Application for Voice Study |
| B．Data-collected Approach to Research |
| C．A Breakthrough in Medical Findings |
| D．Sound-aided AI Helps With Diagnosis |
