1 . With no special equipment, no fences and no watering, two abandoned agricultural fields in the UK have been rewilded (重新野化), in large part due to the efforts of jays, which actually “engineered” these new woodlands. Researchers now hope that rewilding projects can take a more natural and hands-off approach and that jays can shed some of their bad reputations.
The two fields, which researchers have called the New Wilderness and the Old Wilderness, had been abandoned in 1996 and 1961 respectively. The former was a bare field, while the latter was grassland—both lay next to ancient woodlands. Researchers had suspected that the fields would gradually return to wilderness, but it was impressive to see just how quickly this happened, and how much of it was owed to birds.
Using aerial data, the researchers monitored the two sites. After just 24 years, the New Wilderness had grown into a young, healthy wood with 132 live trees per hectare, over half of which (57%) were oaks. Meanwhile, the Old Wilderness resembled a mature woodland after 39 years, with 390 trees per hectare.
“This native woodland restoration was approaching the structure (but not the species composition) of long-established woodlands within six decades,” the researchers explained in the study.
Part of this reforestation was done by the wind, and researchers suspect that previous ground disturbance may have aided the woodland establishment—which is good news, as it would suggest that agricultural areas may be reforested faster than anticipated. However, animals—Eurasian jays, thrushes, wood mice, and squirrels—also played an important role in helping the forests take shape. This handful of species provided much of the natural regeneration needed for the forest to develop. Jays, in particular, seem to have done a lot of heavy lifting.
1. What does the underlined word “shed” in Paragraph 1 refer to?A.Be opposed to. |
B.Be ashamed of. |
C.Get used to. |
D.Get rid of. |
A.The scale of the woodlands. |
B.The diversity of the fields. |
C.The rate of the changes. |
D.The frequency of the wilderness. |
A.The woodland restoration was approaching the structure of long-established ones. |
B.Much of the wilderness of the fields was owed to birds. |
C.Previous ground disturbance aided the woodland establishment. |
D.How quickly the fields returned to wilderness over time. |
A.The essential role of humans in the reforestation. |
B.The factors that contribute to the reforestation. |
C.The importance of woodland establishment. |
D.The threats faced by a handful of wild animals. |
2 . You should see the photo. I’m sitting in red dirt,
It was a strange choice for a holiday. I like sitting by the pool with a cola, not flies and frogs. I like being
But here’s the thing about that photo: I am smiling!
The trip sounded good when I
In Darwin we got onto a bus. It quickly became tiresome. The kids were
But later when I looked out at the large empty land, I was surprised at and moved by its
Finally we reached our
It didn’t matter. The next nine days were
On our last night, a water pipe (管子)
Indeed, it was
Yes, the coffee was bad, but I was too focused on keeping crickets off my face.
I love that photo of me in the dirt. I look messy but happy. Sometimes it’s another way of traveling. There is beautiful
A.washing | B.wearing | C.waving | D.watching |
A.noisy | B.busy | C.alone | D.shy |
A.shortly | B.cautiously | C.freshly | D.clearly |
A.signed up | B.showed up | C.stood up | D.woke up |
A.guide | B.business | C.culture | D.resource |
A.silent | B.encouraged | C.moody | D.excited |
A.coldness | B.beauty | C.enthusiasm | D.emptiness |
A.goal | B.agreement | C.destination | D.decision |
A.killed | B.packed | C.wasted | D.booked |
A.cut | B.expanded | C.shortened | D.broke |
A.scared | B.complained | C.laughed | D.saddened |
A.normal | B.strange | C.unbelievable | D.perfect |
A.impossible | B.probable | C.easy | D.important |
A.tested | B.stored | C.valued | D.experienced |
A.dress | B.weather | C.scenery | D.room |
3 . For thousands of years, Chinese writers have travelled all over the country to take down notes about the geographical conditions of each city. Among them, well-known Chinese geographer and writer Li Daoyuan, in the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534), composed his book, Commentary on the Water Classics, after studying the original literary version, Water Classics. He later expanded the river records to 1, 252 from the original 137.
The book is now being studied again by Professor Li Xiaojie and his team from Fudan University. They have been using drawing software and 3D modelling to recreate the waterway situations on a map based on the book description. So far, they have completed research on four rivers.
“Ancient people knew really well how to apply the power of nature to technical considerations,”Li said, giving the example of Qianjin’e, one of the most famous ancient water conservation projects in Luoyang, Henan. In order to lead the river into the city for irrigation (灌溉) in ancient Luoyang, the officials built a canal branch by separating a northwest-southeast river. However, the canal water wasn't enough to support the citizens in dry seasons. To solve that, on the northern side of the canal branch, the officials built a reservoir (水库) and a channel to lead the water to the canal branch, where the waterways would converge and flow together to the city.
In Commentary on the Water Classics, a total of 2, 800 cities are recorded with details. Still, the process of recreation takes much effort. After doing a lot of text analysis and fieldwork, the team has gradually created the model with 3D modelling software based on repeated deductions (推论).
For Professor Li, the book is not only a record of the natural landscape over 1, 000 years ago, but also a detailed description of humanity and culture and a treasure for today’s reference.
1. What can we learn about the book Commentary on the Water Classics?A.It has been out of date. | B.It explains 3D modelling. |
C.It keeps records of 137 rivers. | D.It is based on previous studies. |
A.Join. | B.Pass. | C.Cross. | D.Begin. |
A.Its major problems. | B.Its detailed analysis. |
C.Its complex process. | D.Its successful application. |
A.3D Technology Fuels Modern Research |
B.Ancient Classics Inspire Modern Research |
C.An Effective Approach to Model Recreation |
D.A Famous Writer of Chinese Ancient Classics |
4 . Traditionally, profiting from forests often meant capitalizing on timber (木材)——choosing commercial timber. Yet increasingly, there is an understanding that it’s of greater significance to keep trees standing than cut them down for financial profit. Money is not everything. We have to recognize real and lasting value is from natural resources. But money is a fact of life.
Good news is that we can expect entire natural woodland is left undamaged and still provides a revenue (收益) stream. Leaving woodland complete does not necessarily mean that we do not touch it at all. Conservation work may involve building back biodiversity or the removal of foreign plant species.
A healthy woodland system can provide a range of yields (产物). Besides eatable yields——top fruit, berries, and food crops, it produces substances for chemical use. The non-timber forest products provided by natural ecosystems will vary significantly depending on where they are. But there’re almost always ways to explore to acquire revenue.
A project in the U.K. shows woodland is also a draw for visitors. It engages a community who creates a sustainable area of woodland. The sale of handmade wooden items and non-timber forest products is involved. But the community largely obtains revenue by opening up parts of the natural woodland to the public with an adventure playground and outdoor recreational activities on the site. It also offers courses on nest building, special wildlife events and more. The project is thought to have great uniqueness. In terms of revenue, it centers round the existing natural land; the yields woodland can provide become side products.
Recreational activities, tours, and classes are just the commencement. A rich and biodiverse woodland can be an ecosystem that draws in people looking for a beautiful place to stay. Woodland has great value in ecological and social terms. And when you nurse it, it could also add to the income from your land.
1. What do people increasingly think about forest conservation?A.It is difficult to carry out. |
B.It means making full use of timber. |
C.It outweighs financial development. |
D.It should centre on building back biodiversity. |
A.It makes woodland itself the main product. |
B.It focuses on protecting natural land. |
C.It aims to promote ecotourism. |
D.It provides educational experiences. |
A.Intention. |
B.Wish. |
C.Exception. |
D.Beginning. |
A.Woodland Brings Profit While Staying Complete |
B.A Project Creates Sustainable Woodland |
C.Forest Conservation Has Been a Top Priority |
D.Non-timber Products Help Gain More Revenue |
5 . Some high school students think it useless to receive higher education. Therefore, they choose not to go to college. If you're one of them, think again. Here are some reasons why you should go to college and receive a good education there.
Schools and universities are the first places to get knowledge. We take that knowledge later on to build our careers after graduation. More knowledge will be gained after you start working, but without education, that job will not be within easy reach. Knowledge leads to knowledge.
While limited within the walls of the educational places, we openly explore other cultures of the world! We come to know that ours is not the only culture. Other cultures have valuable things to share, enriching our own. Education also makes us want to travel and exchange with various cultures, getting more experience.
When there's a recession in the economy(经济), those who attended college will be more likely to find a new job than those who only finished high school and have a limited skills set. The more education you have, the more chances you will get to improve the quality of your life as you have a better job and earn a higher salary.
When you're skillful and knowledgeable, you gain access to people of similar backgrounds and tastes. It means a good education leads to excellent networking. Good networking can benefit you a lot in your later life.
A good education makes you a more interesting person. You can talk about ideas and events instead of just other people and what's on sale in stores. An educated person doesn't gossip(说闲话), having a preference to discuss ideas and listen to what other people have to say.
1. What can we learn about college education from Paragraph 2?A.It offers you a chance to study abroad. | B.It can allow you to gain more knowledge. |
C.It can improve the quality of your daily life. | D.It encourages you to travel around the world. |
A.change. | B.drop. | C.growth. | D.support. |
A.You can gossip about others’ affairs. | B.You are likely to study well at school. |
C.You can work well with your coworkers. | D.You get to know excellent people with similar interests. |
A.The benefits of attending college. | B.The exchange with other cultures. |
C.The access to good networking. | D.The ways of college education. |
6 . In1973,I was teaching elementary school. Each day,27kids
Freddy was an average
Before the school year
Through the years, I’d run into former students who would provide
Just last year, I was
I told the story to the class. As sad as it was, I couldn’t help smiling. Although Freddy was taken from us, we all
A.built | B.entered | C.decorated | D.ran |
A.name | B.rule | C.brand | D.plan |
A.small | B.dark | C.strange | D.dull |
A.scholar | B.student | C.citizen | D.worker |
A.speak | B.sing | C.question | D.laugh |
A.misfortune | B.disbelief | C.dishonesty | D.mistake |
A.changed | B.approached | C.returned | D.ended |
A.lesson | B.gift | C.report | D.message |
A.Friends | B.Awards | C.Masters | D.Tasks |
A.simple | B.unique | C.fun | D.clever |
A.assessments | B.comments | C.instructions | D.updates |
A.graduation | B.retirement | C.separation | D.resignation |
A.daring | B.modest | C.caring | D.smart |
A.wait | B.sleep | C.study | D.live |
A.paid | B.charged | C.lent | D.owed |
A.observing | B.preparing | C.designing | D.conducting |
A.regretted | B.avoided | C.excused | D.ignored |
A.opened | B.packed | C.gave | D.held |
A.picture | B.bill | C.note | D.diary |
A.chose | B.took | C.expected | D.borrowed |
7 . I grew up in Michigan and have loved boats since I was young. I’d go out on my dad’s fishing boat, and every birthday I’d get a miniature boat with a viewing window. In Michigan, we’re
Three years ago, I
One weekend this year, I met a
We made sure to keep the paper safe. Before leaving the harbor, I posted a picture on my Facebook page and didn’t expect what followed.
The next morning, my phone
In autumn, Michele came to visit. She brought some of his writing and the handwriting matched. She
It now sits in a display case in my shop. That Facebook post now has 87,000
A.surrounded | B.estimated | C.defended | D.integrated |
A.even | B.somehow | C.merely | D.anyhow |
A.exceptionally | B.entirely | C.gradually | D.successfully |
A.call out | B.help with | C.help out | D.call up |
A.history | B.significance | C.interest | D.entertainment |
A.elegant | B.remote | C.reliable | D.potential |
A.unfolded | B.opened | C.uncovered | D.exposed |
A.presented | B.wrote | C.read | D.showed |
A.poured out | B.blew up | C.broke out | D.set up |
A.at first | B.above all | C.in turn | D.in return |
A.stuffed | B.displayed | C.deserted | D.hid |
A.spoke up | B.worked out | C.spoke out | D.worked up |
A.insisted | B.convinced | C.appealed | D.anticipated |
A.critics | B.fans | C.likes | D.inquiries |
A.For | B.As | C.With | D.Alongside |
8 . Michigan youth summer camps focus on different ideas and experiences, but all include plenty of time spent outdoors in Michigan’s beautiful countryside.
Summer Discovery
This summer camp offers up both academic(学术的) and social activities to help with that transition(过渡) from high school to college The classes are small during these two-week and five-week sessions(课程). It’s open to students from 14 to 18 years old. Prices are from $4,800 to around $8,800. This camp made the top 50 list for best pre-college camps.
The Road Less Traveled
This camp offers wilderness adventure(冒险), and community service with activities like backpacking, environmental studies, and wilderness medicine. The sessions last from 10 to 25 days and the camp is open to ages 12 through 19.Costs are from $2,250 to over $6,000.
Cedar Lodge
This family-run camp offers general outdoor activities and also has a wonderful horseback riding program. This camp is good at helping kids learn riding and other skills. The camp is open to kids from eight to 16 years old. Camp prices are from $200 to $700 per week.
Michigan Tech Youth Programs
Over 70 courses help pre-teens and teens learn about different fields through hands-on, classroom, and in-the-field experiences. The classes are offered weekly, and if students want to attend several weeks, they can also have a “stay-over”. It costs $950 per week for students who stay there and $525 for students who don’t. Courses include writing, photography, robotics, engineering, outdoor adventures, and many more.
1. How much may a teenage boy spend if he wants to attend a pre-college camp?A.$4,800. | B.$2,250. | C.$950. | D.$700. |
A.Michigan Tech Youth Programs. | B.The Road Less Traveled. |
C.Summer Discovery. | D.Cedar Lodge. |
A.They have a fixed price. |
B.They offer monthly classes. |
C.They provide many kinds of family activities. |
D.They help to get experiences in different fields. |
9 . School Activities for Kids and Teens
July is a month of fun-filled activities for kids and teens as long as you know where to find them. When you want some fun activities for July, consider these ideas happening this month.
Magic Class Time: Friday, July 1,10:00 a.m. Cost: Free Booking Phone: 34038470 Address: Centenary Community hub,171 Dandenong Note: Would you like to be a magician? Then join David, the magician, to learn about real magic with playing cards, coins, ring ropes and DIY projects and be able to become the life of the party. | Science With Me: Making your own guitar! Time: Saturday, July 4,3:00 p.m. Cost: Free Booking phone: 34031226 Address: 10, Egginton Close Note: Do you want to make a guitar with Katy and her mom?Science With Me is going to be with you. Please remember to bring a piece of wood, a hammer, some rubber bands and some nails with you. |
Secret of the Dragon Time: Monday, July 12,10:30 a.m. Cost: Adult: $7.40 Children under 15: half Booking Phone: 34032578 Address: Brisbane Botanic Gardens Note: Secret of the Dragon is a magical story about two children who ride a dragon to explore the universe. | The Search for Life:Are We Alone? Time: Thursday, July 20,2:00 p.m. Cost: Adult: $14.50 Children: $8.70 Booking Phone:34037689 Address: Brisbane Botanic Gardens Note: Are we truly alone in space? Is there any life out there?These questions are asked in this show. |
A.$23.20. | B.$14.80. | C.$11.10. | D.$7.40. |
A.Magic Class | B.Science With Me |
C.Secret of the Dragon | D.The Search for Life |
A.They are all free. | B.They can all be booked by phone. |
C.They take place in the same place. | D.They all belong to weekend activities. |
10 . Now, Earth Day is celebrated around the world. We still face many challenges, such as climate change, plastic pollution, and deforestation. But we can all make a difference.
Her Trees Save LivesAdeline Tiffanie Suwana was 12 when her family’s home flooded. Indonesia, her island nation, is often hit hard by floods and other natural disasters.
Adeline learned that mangrove trees play a key role in flood protection and rallied classmates to plant 200 trees during a school break. They started a group called Sahabat Alam or Friends of Nature, which works to conserve the region’s biodiversity and combat climate change.
Today. Adeline attends university, studying how businesses can help the environment.
Teens’ Two-Fold InventionEPS—expanded polystyrene foam—is the white, lightweight stuff used to make things like takeout food containers, foam egg cartons, and packing “peanuts”. But it takes up a lot of space and is difficult to recycle. EPS breaks into small pieces as it floats down waterways into oceans, harming wildlife along the way.
Eighth-graders Julia Bray, Luke Clay, and Ashton Cofer looked at EPS’s chemical makeup and saw that it was mostly carbon. That sparked an idea. Could they turn it into activated carbon, a material that filters toxins from water?
After 50 hours of experiments, including one that accidentally set the family grill fire, they succeeded!
Solar for Her SchoolWhen Claire Vlases of Montana was in seventh grade, she learned about plans to expand and modernize her middle school. Claire asked the school board to add solar panels to the project. The board liked the idea but said it could contribute just $25,000, one-fifth of the cost. So Claire organized a group of kids and adults who set to work raising the rest.
They asked for donations, even going door-to-door for them. And they appealed to charitable foundations too. One even donated half the cost!
After two years of hard work, the group paid for the solar panels, which now supply one-fourth of the school’s electricity needs.
1. What do the three groups of teenagers have in common?A.They are Earth-helping heroes. | B.They are from island countries. |
C.They are high school students. | D.They are keen on experiments. |
A.$25,000. | B.$50,000. | C.$62,500. | D.$125,000. |
A.To give models for colorful school activities. |
B.To explore the ways to deal with plastic pollution. |
C.To inspire people to act for environmental problems. |
D.To display the amazing power of effective cooperation. |