1 . Marcus Eriksen was studying Plastic pollution when he met camel expert Ulrich Wernery. They went deep into the desert and spotted a camel skeleton (骨架). Eriksen was not prepared for what he saw in the desert. "I was just appalled," he said, "because inside the dead body of a camel was a mass of plastic bags, which was as big as a medium-sized suitcase."
Wernery is a scientist working in a research lab in Dubai. Since 2008 Wernery's team has examined 30,000 dead camels. They found 300 of those dead camels had a mass of plastic bags in their bodies. As camels wander in the desert, they eat plastic bags and other rubbish that move into trees and pile up along roadsides. "To a camel, if it's not sand, it's food," explains Eriksen.
Tightly packed masses of indigestible (难消化的) things can be built up in the digestive system of people or animals. Scientists call them bezoars (胃石). Normally, these are made of vegetable fibers or hair. Werner and Eriksen call those found in the camels "polybezoars". It points to their origin: plastic polymers.
In a new study, Eriksen and Wernery report data suggesting that each year these polybezoars are killing off around 1 in every 100 camels. Of five camel bezoars analyzed for this study, the plastic content ranged from 3 to 64 kilograms. "If it is confirmed that 1 percent of camels died due to plastic by future and more detailed studies, then plastic pollution will certainly be important concern for camels," says Luca Nizzetto, an environmental scientist. "Such studies are important, because they raise social awareness about this pollution."
Banning plastic bags and single-use plastics is crucial for protecting camels and other wildlife, Eriksen says. "Plastic bags blow out of garbage cans, out of landfills, out of trucks and out of people's hands." What's more, he adds, "They travel for hundreds of miles."
1. What does the underlined word "appalled" in paragraph I mean?| A．Addicted. | B．Delighted. | C．Satisfied. | D．Shocked. |
| A．People have cleaned rubbish in the desert. |
| B．Camels often mistake plastics as food. |
| C．Camels are always walking along the road. |
| D．There are 30,000 camels living in the world. |
| A．It is related with plastic. | B．It helps camels digest food. |
| C．It consists of vegetable fibers. | D．It can also be found in humans' body. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Disappointed. | C．Supportive. | D．Careless. |
2 . In 2018, I wanted to do something to bring change for people in my community. I carried out research to understand the problems affecting them and found that climate change was the greatest threat. When I realised many people in the rural areas faced fatal impacts such as landslides, floods and droughts, I decided to stand up. Seeing climate change threaten the availability of food and water in my country was a wake-up call.
We are focused and very clear with our demands. We are not afraid of holding governments and corporations accountable for the climate crisis because the science is clear. We will not give up because our future is at stake. We need to demand for climate action as our lives depend on it too, because we do. Farmers in Ontario stood up against a proposed mega quarry (采石场) in their land. They held festivals to draw attention, they spoke up against corporate mining which threatened their groundwater and soil, they mobilised many people to stop it and in 2012, Highland Company withdrew their plans.
I hope to see the end of the fossil fuel industry, and we need renewable energy. We need sustainability in every sector through green building and clean transportation. I hope to see recovery of our ecosystems through planting more trees, having urban forests and protecting wildlife. Our existence depends on that of our ecosystems. I hope to see more recovery projects built in the most affected communities.
There are many climate movements all over the world and most have social media accounts. Find a local group that you can work with to demand climate action. When people are united, they cannot be defeated. Earth is our home to protect. Everyone is needed.
1. Why did the author take immediate action?| A．He wanted to change people in his community. |
| B．He reminded people of valuing food and water. |
| C．He was aware of the danger of the climate change. |
| D．He was interested in the problems in the rural areas. |
| A．Forced. | B．Forbade. | C．Warned. | D．Organized. |
| A．Renewable energy has replaced the fossil fuel. |
| B．More recovery projects have been built in many communities. |
| C．The fossil fuel industry does harm to our ecosystems. |
| D．The fossil fuel industry doesn’t account for our existence. |
| A．To appeal to people to unite to protect environment. |
| B．To clarify the author’s contribution for the community. |
| C．To recommend us a new kind of renewable energy. |
| D．To show the importance of banning the fossil fuel industry. |
3 . It's a typical morning: you wake up, take a shower, brush your teeth, and then prick(刺)your arm with a tiny needle. Wait, what? Unless you have a serious disease such as diabetes,you probably haven't ever tested your own blood. But in the future, that might change.
The company Cor already sells a system for home blood testing. You stick your arm using a supposedly painless cartridge. Then you stick the cartridge into a device that looks like the base for an electric toothbrush. A few minutes later, an app on your phone offers you updated information, including your current health status and tips on what to eat and how to exercise.It's true that blood provides abundant information about a person's health. Specific tests can reveal if a person is infected with a disease or at risk for a variety of problems. But most people don't test their own blood often. Healthy young adults get blood tests approximately every five years. Cor and similar companies are trying to change the situation. They think people deserve access to more information about their health.
But not everyone is convinced."The best-case scenario(情景)here is that you lose much money and then you're reminded to get more sleep and to eat more fruits, vegetables and fish,"Pieter Cohen of Harvard Medical School told The New York Times. Plus, the results of a home blood test might be wrong. It's hard to get accurate results from a tiny amount of blood. One company, Theranos, said it could perform medical blood tests on a fingerprick's worth of blood.But the company was soon stuck in a controversy((争议)and accused of cheating because its technology didn't work as promised. Thus, there's still a long way to go before the technology becomes advanced.
1. What's the function of Paragraph 1?| A．To express feelings. | B．To raise a question. |
| C．To make a prediction. | D．To introduce the topic. |
| A．Container. | B．Operation. | C．Medicine. | D．Scan. |
| A．To collect people's health information. | B．To offer people proper suggestions. |
| C．To help people track their health. | D．To cure people of blood diseases. |
| A．Ambiguous. | B．Objective. | C．Supportive. | D．Uncaring. |
4 . The Indian government declared an “emergency situation” in New Delhi on Sunday as air pollution hit dangerous new highs and people had the selfies(自拍) to prove it.
Officials announced a series of measures to fight against smog in the capital city, including halting construction projects, closing a coal-fired power factory for 10 days and washing the dusty roads. The citizens，meanwhile，took “smog selfies” as they walked through dirty air which could taste and smell. Some selfie photographers joined hundreds of protesters in downtown New Delhi to demand that the government deal with the deadly smog.
New Delhi, already one of the world’s dirtiest cities, is experiencing its worst smog in nearly two decades. The city saw levels of PM2.5 of more than 900 micrograms per cubic meter on Saturday. That’s more than 90 times the level that the World Health Organization considers safe and is 15 times higher than the Indian government’s standards.
Particulate(微粒的) matter comes from vehicles, coal factories, burning trash piles, dust and other sources. New Delhi’s severe pollution was initially blamed on the widespread bursting of firecrackers during the festival Diwali. But images published by NASA last week suggested that crop burning in the neighboring states of Punjab and Haryana could be the reason for the increasing levels of PM2.5. New Delhi’s chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, said that farmers in those states begin burning straw at the start of every winter to clear their plants for planting wheat.
The pollution can lead to lung cancer, heart disease and related illnesses, particularly in growing children. Kejriwal said people should avoid going outdoors until the pollution levels drop and should work at home as much as possible. Of course, they should put down the selfie sticks, too.
1. What does the underlined word “halting” in Paragraph 2 meap?| A．Stopping. | B．Encouraging. | C．Protecting. | D．Changing. |
| A．The poor condition in New Delhi has led to a strike. |
| B．New Delhi is one of the most polluted cities in the world. |
| C．A lot of people especially children died of smog in New Delhi. |
| D．Kejriwal suggested that people stop working to deal with smog. |
| A．Images of people living in New Delhi. |
| B．Levels of PM2.5 in most cities of India. |
| C．Sources of particulate matter in New Delhi. |
| D．Measures taken by the New Delhi government. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Supportive. | C．Uncaring. | D．Opposed. |
5 . The weather is getting hotter and you’ll be getting thirstier playing basketball or riding home from school. A cold drink may be just the thing. But be careful what you pour down your throat. Something that looks cool may not be good for your health.
There are plenty of so-called energy drinks on the market. Most of them have an attractive color and cool name. Their nutrition lists also contains various things from vitamins to ginseng. Sounds great!
But after a careful check you may find that most energy drinks contain high levels of caffeine. These drinks are typically aimed at young people, students, busy people and sports players.
Makers sometimes say their drinks make you better at sports and can keep you awake. But be careful not to drink too much Caffeine raises your heartbeat. Because of this, the International Olympic Committee has limited their use. The amount of caffeine in most energy drinks is at least as high as in a strong cup of coffee or strong tea.
There are potential health dangers linked to energy drinks. Just one can of energy drink can make you nervous, have difficulty sleeping and can even cause heart attacks.
Teenagers should be discouraged from taking drinks with a lot of caffeine in them, an expert from the Australia Nutrition Foundation said.
1. The teenagers like drinking energy drinks because of the following EXCEPT that ________.| A．they have an attractive color and cool name | B．they contain high levels of caffeine |
| C．they can keep them awake and better at sports | D．they are said to have various nutrition |
| A．dropped | B．stopped | C．helped | D．asked |
| A．advertisements play an important part in getting people to buy the goods |
| B．the amount of caffeine in most energy drinks is lower than that in a strong cup of coffee |
| C．Australian teenagers drink more energy drinks than those in the other countries |
| D．The energy drinks are typically aimed at young people |
| A．What’s the Use of Energy Drinks? | B．Who can Drink Energy Drinks? |
| C．What is That in Energy Drinks? | D．Why can’t We Buy Energy Drinks? |
6 . When Kerry Irving heard a whimper and caught sight of a young dog peering at him through a gap in the railings, he was at rock bottom.
A car accident in 2006 had left him housebound and in chronic（长期）pain. His mental health suffered and he went on to be diagnosed with severe depression.
Three years after the crash, while out for a rare walk, he met Max and began to turn his life around. He ended up becoming the dog's owner. Max has helped to give Irving a more positive outlook on life. Irving began charting their joint adventures on his Facebook page and quickly the number of their followers began to grow. Irving has used Max's uplifting nature to help others.
There were hundreds of requests from fans desperate to meet Max and to help more people he trained as a therapy dog with Assistance Dogs UK in 2016. He was then able to make special visits to schools, hospitals and hospices. When his popularity continued to grow. Irving began organizing walks for charity, so that large groups of people could come together and meet him.
Today the dog from Keswick in the Lake District becomes the first pet to win what has been called an animal OBE in recognition of the service he has provided to thousands as a virtual “therapet”.
“I think it's the look that he gives you,” Irving said, “He just looks straight into your soul and just fixes people. He can walk into a room and literally sit next to someone and just look at them.”
Max's skills have been put to use online, cheering up thousands of followers through videos on social media. Anyone feeling lonely or anxious has been able to join Kerry and his dog on daily walks through Facebook Live.
As well as his new accolade online, Max has met the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and is even getting a statue in his honour that will be unveiled in a local park this spring.
1. What happened after Irving met Max?| A．He was diagnosed with severe depression. | B．He had a car accident caused by a rock. |
| C．He had a more positive attitude to life. | D．He was housebound and rarely walked out. |
| A．To lift their spirits through hard times. | B．To meet the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. |
| C．To have a picture taken with Max. | D．To join Irving and his dog on daily walks. |
| A．Statue. | B．Praise. | C．Service. | D．Charity. |
| A．A dog saved by Kerry Irving. | B．A man turning his life around. |
| C．A therapy to cure chronic pain. | D．A pet look mending troubled minds |
7 . A strong coffee after a poor night's sleep is the kick-start many people need in the morning but new research suggests that it might be best to have a bite to eat first.
A study has found that drinking coffee first can have a negative effect on blood sugar control - a risk factor for diabetes （糖尿病）and heart disease.
“We know that nearly half of us will wake in the morning and, before doing anything else, drink coffee --- subjectively the more tired we feel, the stronger the coffee,“ said Professor James Betts, at the University of Bath in the UK.
For their study, researchers at the University of Bath got 29 healthy men and women to take part in three different overnight experiments, with at least a week between them.
In one, the participants had a normal night's sleep, roughly from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., and were asked to consume a sugary drink on waking in the morning. They then experienced an interrupted night's sleep, where the researchers woke them every hour for five minutes by sending them text messages to which they had to respond — and upon waking were given the same sugary drink.
On another night, participants experienced the same sleep interruption, but this time were first given a strong black coffee 30 minutes before consuming the sugary drink.
They found that one night of interrupted sleep did not worsen the participants' blood sugar and insulin （胰 岛素）responses when compared to the normal night's sleep-- although previous research suggested that losing many hours of sleep or many nights of poor sleep could have a negative effect. However, strong black coffee consumed before breakfast actually increased the blood sugar response by around 50% — suggesting that relying on coffee after a bad night to stop feeling sleepy could limit your body's ability to tolerate the sugar in your breakfast.
1. What does the underlined word “kick-start" in paragraph 1 refer to?| A．A kind of sport. | B．A kind of power. |
| C．A kind of medicine. | D．A kind of belief. |
| A．The duration of sleep. | B．The blood sugar response. |
| C．The sugary drink. | D．The intake of coffee. |
| A．A normal sugary drink. |
| B．A normal night's sleep. |
| C．An interrupted night's sleep. |
| D．A cup of strong black coffee. |
| A．By comparing the results. |
| B．By listing some examples. |
| C．By surveying the participants. |
| D．By referring to some documents. |
8 . Just over 12 months ago I gave myself a challenge: give up spending on all but the essentials for a whole year. It hasn't always been easy, but a year on I am wealthier and wiser. Embarrassingly, I have also realized just how much money I've squandered down the pub, in restaurants and through mindless shopping.
Free of any financial worries, I was spending without thinking. Stuck in a cycle of consumerism, I was struggling in vain to spend my way to happiness. Giving up spending for a year was an extreme approach but I wanted to taste extreme frugality (节俭), shake up my spending patterns and overpay my mortgage (按揭) instead of shopping. I could continue to pay my bills, including mortgages, broadband, phone bill, charity donations, life insurances, money to help my family and basic groceries.
It was not easy, especially in the first few months. There were lows, such as when I missed my favourite jazz concerts and hit films. There have also been some awkward moments when I've turned up to a friend's house for dinner empty-handed. I did a lot of washing up at my friends' houses in return this year.
I did find new ways to live, however. Using sites such as Eventbrite I have been to film screenings, wine tasting evenings and theatre productions for free. Living in London I have a wealth of free cultural activities on my doorstep and I've been to more art exhibitions this year than ever before. I even managed a free holiday, cycling the Suffolk and Norfolk coast and camping on beaches. It's something I'd never done before and probably wouldn't have, were it not for the challenge.
The last 12 months have taught me what things I really need. I can honestly say I'm happier now. I've gained confidence and skills, done things and met lovely people I wouldn't have otherwise done or met.
1. What does the underlined word “squandered” in paragraph 1 refer to?| A．Saved. | B．Wasted. | C．Donated. | D．Earned. |
| A．try to form a virtue of frugality | B．change her former spending habits |
| C．pay off her mortgage as soon as possible | D．reserve money for her everyday bills |
| A．She did a lot of washing and cooking in pubs. |
| B．She tried cycling and camping for the first time. |
| C．She explored more cultural activities in London. |
| D．She attended concerts and wine evenings for free. |
| A．Discouraging | B．Challenging | C．Beneficial | D．Embarrassing |
9 . Salad plants have already been grown in old shelters and tunnels. Urban farming is a regular topic of interest at places like the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, where leaders consider whether the world's food system, blamed for causing both obesity and malnutrition, can be fixed. There are already plenty of urban farming projects around the world, particularly in the US, Japan and the Netherlands, from urban fish and plant farms to vertical farming.
“It's becoming an expanding industry,” said Richard Ballard, one of the founders of the farm Growing Underground. “There're several other businesses starting up in London in containers, and there are other vertical farms around the country now.”
Growing Underground is not a standard farm. The rows of crops could be in almost any tunnel, but these plants are 100 feet below Clapham High Street and show that urban agriculture is, in some cases at least, not a fad. The underground farm has occupied a part of the Second World War air-raid shelters for nearly five years, and Ballard is planning to expand into the rest of the space later this year.
Growing Underground supplies herb and salad mixes to grocery shops, supermarkets and restaurants. Being in London creates an advantage, Ballard says, as they can harvest and deliver in an hour.
He adds other advantages. Being underground means temperatures never go below 15℃ surface greenhouses need to be heated. They can do more harvests: 60 crops a year, compared with about seven in a traditional farm. Electricity to power the lights is a major cost, but the company believes renewable energy will become cheaper.
Similar British companies include the Jones Food Company in Lincolnshire, while in the US AeroFarms has several projects in New Jersey, and Edenworks in Brooklyn.
1. What do we know about urban farming?| A．It leads to a healthier lifestyle. | B．It is rarely discussed at the WEF. |
| C．Different farming methods are used. | D．Local governments pay efforts to develop it. |
| A．A dream that's easy to realize. | B．A field controlled for a long time. |
| C．An approach to a serious problem. | D．A fashion that’s popular for a short time. |
| A．It is more productive than a traditional farm. | B．It provides food directly to the customers. |
| C．Its major products are herbs and salads. | D．It uses less energy than a greenhouse. |
| A．Current food system causes health problems |
| B．Growing Underground attracts more people |
| C．Traditional farming will be replaced soon |
| D．Urban farming is still thought costly and time-consuming |
10 . While orcas are known for their well-designed joint attacks on unsuspecting oceanic animals, they have never posed a threat to humans. However, since July 2020, the normally social animals have been intentionally attacking sailboats off the coasts of Spain. The unusual hostility is puzzling scientists worldwide.
The strange behavior first surfaced on July 29, when Victoria Morris, a biology graduate, noticed nine orcas circling the 46 foot boat she was crewing near the shores of the Strait of Gibraltar. She was initially cheerful to see the friendly animals, with which she had numerous encounters while teaching sailing in New Zealand. However, that changed when the orcas started striking the boat repeatedly for almost an hour. “They almost turned the boat over and the deafening noise was terrifying,” she said.
The continuous attacks broke the boat's automatic rudder, leaving the boat disabled. Spanish biologist Rocio Espada says, “It is crazy. I've seen these whales grow from babies. I know their life stories. I've never seen or heard of attacks.”
Since then, over 30 more similar incidents have been reported. Some researchers believe the orcas' unusual behavior could be a result of the overfishing of tuna—orcas' primary food source—which has left the area's orcas starving and unable to feed their babies. “I saw orcas look at boats carrying fish. The intelligent animals may know humans are somehow related to food shortages,” says Ken Balcomb, an American scientist.
However, Alfredo Lopez a Spanish biology professor, thinks the attacks were preventative measures the orcas adopted to protect themselves against boat injuries. The researcher came to this conclusion after looking at the footage of a few incidents filmed on the scene and noticing that two of the young orcas involved had serious injuries. The scientist wasn't sure if the orcas were hurt during or before the recent boat encounters. Lopez said, “Our interpretation is that they don't have the slightest intention of attacking people.” Hopefully, the experts will find a way to restore the harmony between the animals and humans soon.
1. What does the underlined word “hostility” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Unfriendliness. | B．Defence. | C．Cooperation. | D．Impatience. |
| A．Her major led her to anticipate orcas' intense attacks. |
| B．She rarely spotted orcas when working as a sailing coach. |
| C．Her joy gave way to fear after the orcas began attacking the boat. |
| D．She was doing research on the shore when she caught sight of nine orcas. |
| A．Predictable. | B．Abnormal. | C．Unavoidable. | D．Natural. |
| A．Orcas frequently get hurt by boats. | B．Orcas enjoy playing tricks on humans. |
| C．Orcas are punishing humans for overfishing. | D．Orcas attack boats to safeguard against dangers. |
