1 . On Sept. 21, 2020, scientists announced that Arctic sea ice has already lost two-thirds of its amount over the past four decades. It is part of a shocking trend in polar heating that is already seeing impacts across the globe.

Throughout the spring and summer, Arctic sea ice melted away faster than it usually does, causing the largest loss of Arctic sea ice cover since satellite records began in the 1970s. This year's minimum was reached on September 15, at 3.74 million m² compared with the previous low—4.17 million m²—set in 2007.

What's causing this loss of sea ice? The short answer is our heating climate. A recent study showed that the influence of heat has more than doubled over the past decade or so, which means the melting of nearly a meter thickness of sea ice each year.

The biggest effects of the loss of Arctic sea ice, of course, will be felt locally: from the more possible snowfall to more storms with stronger winds. These will also cause waves as well as rising temperatures. In fact, the increased temperatures transformed northern forests into tinderboxes ready to burn. That melt also means polar bears are losing critical habitat and Inuit hunters are losing ice to preserve their traditions and culture.

On a larger scale, the greatest impact may be the changes in the Arctic 's ability io function as a cooling system for the global ocean. A warmer Arctic will affect the temperature differences between the northern polar region and areas further south. That may, in turn, create stronger heat waves, droughts, floods and potential impacts on farming. And all of us will be more exposed to the disastrous effects of climate breakdown.

We need to hit the reset button right now on how we look after each other and Arctic sea ice to help our planet cope with the climate breakdown.

1. What do the figures in Paragraph 2 show us?

A．The ways of sea ice melting.	B．The reasons for sea ice melting.
C．The big fall in the amount of sea ice.	D．The great damage of sea ice melting.

2. What may happen due to the Arctic sea ice loss?

A．The reduction of snowfall.	B．The global climate emergency.
C．The direct outbreak of forest fires.	D．The disappearance of Inuit hunters.

3. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．Stressing the importance of oceans.	B．Warning people of the possible risks.
C．Putting forward some useful measures.	D．Appealing to the public to protect Arctic sea ice.

4. Which can be the best title for the text?

A．The earth is facing a catastrophe.	B．Climate breakdown is on the way.
C．Global heating sees Arctic sea ice loss.	D．Arctic sea ice is important for mankind.

2 . New Zealand is one of the best countries in the world to experience how life might have been in prehistoric times. New Zealand is a nature lover’s paradise(乐园) with its conservation reserves.

Kaharoa Conservation

The Kaharoa Conservation is home to a number of endangered birds and the North Island Kokako is just one of them. The Kokako is possibly New Zealand’s most beautiful songbird with such a variety of whistles, clicks, buzzes and whirrs in its sound range, one bird sounds like a chorus!

Mokaihaha Ecological Area

Rich in Maori history, the Mokaihaha Ecological Area has high conservation and scientific value. Birdlife features this natural wonderland with the symphony including such stars as the Tui, Kereru, Fantail, Bellbird and the endangered Kokako.

Whakarewarewa Forest Conservation Park

If mountain biking is your thing, then this is the place for you! The Whakarewarewa Forest provides a network of tracks through exceptionally impressive scenery that has made Rotorua famous for its mountain biking.

Maungatautari Ecological Island

A project of great ecological importance is being undertaken by a community aimed at the restoration of Maungatautari volcano forest.

The volcano forest has sustained the lives of its wildlife for hundreds of years but since the introduction of European pests such as deer, rabbits, goats, pigs and rats, the native varieties of mammals, birds and plants have been facing threats.

The aim of the courageous project is to get rid of all introduced pests from the 3363 hectares of forest. Luckily, life in the forest of Maungatautari is beginning to awaken again.

1. What is special about the bird Kokako?

A．It can make different sounds.

B．It is an endangered species.

C．It only lives in the Kaharoa Conservation.

D．It is the most beautiful birds in the world.

2. Which is suitable for mountain biking lovers?

A．Kaharoa Conservation.

B．Mokaihaha Ecological Area.

C．Whakarewarewa Forest Conservation Park.

D．Maungatautari Ecological Island.

3. What can we learn about Maungatautari Ecological Island?

A．There is a live volcano on the island.

B．Introduced species threaten native ones.

C．The restoration project is of no effect.

D．It is rich in Maori history.

3 . First established as a state capital in 229 CE, Nanjing, China, has long been one of the country’s most important (and largest) inland river ports and is recognized as one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China.

Why do people love it?

    1    Xuanwu Lake provides a peaceful escape right in central Nanjing, with temples, teahouses and restaurants located in nearby Xuanwu Lake Park. Unlike city walls in Beijing or Xi’an, Nanjing’s old wall isn’t geometric and instead contours the lake and mountain areas.     2    The sense of surprise delivered by these central natural expanses, like the Yangtze River, Zhongshan Mountain range and Xuanwu Lake, is what new residents love about living here.

What’s it like living here?

For those who miss the foods of home, there’s no shortage of foreign restaurants and cafes that cater   to   expats   and   international   students.       3    Nanjing has an efficient and expansive metro system that covers most of the city, but cycling is also an option, with bike-friendly wide and straight roads.

Residents rave about how affordable Nanjing is compared to other Chinese cities, especially when it comes to housing.     4    That said, the weather can be rough in winter, since most buildings lack central heating. Summers are also very hot and humid.

In general, a certain traditionalism and conservatism can be felt more strongly here than in other Chinese cities, which can make it more of a challenge to make local friends quickly. The language and cultural barrier tends to be high.     5    

A．Rent for an 85-sq-m apartment is more than 50% cheaper than Beijing and 65% less than Shanghai.

B．If you want to experience more of Nanjing’s past, the streets of Lao Men Dong is a must-see.

C．As a result, natural sites often appear in unexpected areas of the city.

D．Though home to 8.3 million people, Nanjing is one of the few big cities left in China to offer easy access to peace.

E．The city also has plenty of low-key and live-music clubs.

F．Getting around the city is easy.

G．So learning and speaking Mandarin Chinese can help with integrating into the local community.

4 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

More than 1, 250 lit stalls(货摊) brighten the center of Thailand’s capital city,     1     (provide) a multicolored sight. The shelter,     2     is designed for the thousands of traders and shoppers at Bangkok’s night market, has become an     3     (attract) itself.

The market, which     4     (call) Train Night Market Ratchada in English, was opened in January 2015 and has become     5     popular spot for locals and tourists. Software engineer Prasas Ambati visited the market and took the landscape photographs from a nearby car park. “Those     6     (color) tents and people shopping, eating at stalls and the flashing lights were great. The tents made me think of a giant painting.”

This is     7     (primary) a market that sells yesteryear(旧时) goods, old-fashioned     8     (collection) of clothes, motorbikes, and second-hand toys. There are also plenty of general market things for sale,     9    cheap clothes, shoes, bags, and other fashion items. But above all it’s one of the best places for street food, open-air bars with live music frequently     10     (perform) all over.

5 . Rainforests are home to a rich variety of medicinal plants, food, birds and animals. Can you believe that a single bush（灌木丛）in the Amazon may have more species of ants than the whole of Britain! About 480 varieties of trees may be found in just one hectare of rainforest.

Rainforests are the lungs of the planet-storing vast quantities of carbon dioxide and producing a significant amount of the world's oxygen. Rainforests have their own perfect system for ensuring their own survival; the tall trees make a canopy（树冠层）of branches and leaves which protect themselves, smaller plants, and the forest animals from heavy rain, intense dry heat from the sun and strong winds.

Amazingly, the trees grow in such a way that their leaves and branches, although close together, never actually touch those of another tree. Scientists think this is the plants' way to prevent the spread of any tree diseases and make life more difficult for leaf-eating insects like caterpillars. To survive in the forest, animals must climb, jump or fly across the gaps. The ground floor of the forest is not all tangled leaves and bushes, like in films, but is actually fairly clear. It is where dead leaves turn into food for the trees and other forest life.

They are not called rainforests for nothing! Rainforests can generate 75%of their own rain. At least 80 inches of rain a year is normal-and in some areas there may be as much as 430 inches of rain annually. This is real rain-your umbrella may protect you in a shower, but it won't keep you dry if there is a full rainstorm. In just two hours, streams can rise ten to twenty feet. The humidity（湿气）of large rainforests contributes to the formation of rainclouds that may travel to other countries in need of rain.

1. What can we learn about rainforests from the first paragraph?

A．They produce oxygen.	B．They cover a vast area.
C．They are well managed.	D．They are rich in wildlife.

2. Which of the following contributes most to the survival of rainforests?

A．Heavy rains	B．Big trees.
C．Small plants.	D．Forest animals.

3. Why do the leaves and branches of different trees avoid touching each other?

A．For more sunlight.	B．For more growing space.
C．For self-protection.	D．For the detection of insects.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Life-Giving Rainforests	B．The Law of the Jungle
C．Animals in the Amazon	D．Weather in Rainforests

6 . Thanks to world-famous Colombian writer Garcia Marquez, many people think of Latin America as a land of magic. In his books, impossible things happen.

    1     It may come from the mix of different cultures and ethnicities in Latin America. Although some of these differences have caused conflicts, they have also been a source of beauty, as well as encouraged people in Latin America to be more open-minded.

Latin America includes more than 30 countries and areas located south of the United States in the American continent. From north to south, it starts from Mexico in North America, goes through the Caribbean and ends at the southernmost tip of South America.

    2     People can enjoy sunshine’ the Caribbean islands, ride horses on the green grasslands of the Pampas, and explore volcanoes and snow-capped mountains in the Andes. It even has the world’s biggest rainforest the Amazon. Many of the world’s most unique plants and animals live there.

There is also diverse mix of people in Latin America.     3       In countries like Mexico and Columbia, over half of the population is of mixed ethnicity. However, most of them speak the same languages-Spanish or Portuguese.

    4     Latin America people have created the samba, rumba, cha cha and tango. These dance styles require dancers to hold each other closely and move passionately.     5    

Latin America is an open and romantic place. Its impressive natural environment, historical contributions and cultural traditions have made it unique and influential.

A．It has natives, Africans and Europeans.

B．Latin America’s environment is quite diverse.

C．Where does the magic in his books come from?

D．They are cheerful and can bring strangers together.

E．Many people in Latin America have open and romantic hearts.

F．The music and dance of Latin America are quite well-known.

G．To most people, Latin America is a land of happiness and passion.

7 . 假如你是李华，收到你的美国朋友艾伦（Ellen）的来信说要来中国旅游，请你给他回信帮忙推荐最具中国文化代表性的旅游景点。你的回信内容如下：
1.旅游地点：山东曲阜；
2.参观景点：三孔景区（孔庙、孔府、孔林）、孔子文化园；
3.推荐原因：几千年来，孔子文化对中国的教育和中国人优良品质的形成，有着积极的影响意义。
注意：1.词数80左右；
2.可是适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3.开头和结尾以给出，不计入总词数。
参考词汇：三孔景区Three-hole Scenic Spot 孔庙Confucian Temple孔府Confucian Mansion
孔林Confucian Garden孔子文化园Confucius Cultural Park
Dear Ellen,

I' m excited to receive your letter.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

That's my suggestions and I' m looking forward to your coming to China quickly.

Yours,

Li Hua

8 . The following properties which the World Heritage Committee （世界遗产委员会）has decided to include on the List of World Heritage are under threat.

Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley （Afghanistan）

The cultural landscape and archaeological remains of the Bamiyan Valley stand for the artistic and religious developments which from the 1^st to the 13^th centuries characterized ancient Bakhtria. The area contains a number of Buddhist monastic ensembles, as well as strong buildings from the Islamic period.

Historic Centre of Vienna （Austria）

Vienna developed from early Celtic and Roman settlements into a Medieval and Baroque city, the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It played an important role as a leading European music centre, from the great age of Viennese Classicism through the early part of the 20th century. The historic centre of Vienna is rich in architectural buildings, including Baroque castles and gardens, as well as the late-19^th-century Ringstrasse lined with grand buildings, monuments and parks.

Okapi Wildlife Reserve （Democratic Republic of the Congo）

The Okapi Wildlife Reserve occupies about one-fifth of the Ituri forest in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Congo river basin, of which the reserve and forest are a part, is one of the largest drainage systems in Africa. The reserve contains threatened species of primates and birds surviving in the wild. It also has some amazing scenery, including waterfalls on the Ituri and Epulu rivers. The reserve is inhabited by traditional nomadic pygmy Mbuti and Efe hunters.

1. Which of the following heritage sites is located in Asia?

A．Okapi Wildlife Reserve.

B．Historic Centre of Vienna.

C．The Austro-Hungarian Empire.

D．Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley.

2. Who may get interested in Historic Centre of Vienna?

A．Music composers.

B．Birds researchers.

C．Modem building lovers.

D．Natural Scenery Photographer.

3. What do the three world heritage sites have in common?

A．They are all in danger.

B．They are closed to the public.

C．They feature lots of ancient buildings.

D．They are to be removed from the World Heritage List.

9 . Joseph Francis Charles Rock (1884–1962) was an Austrian-American explorer, botanist, and anthropologist(人类学家). For more than 25 years, he travelled extensively through Tibet and Yunnan, Gansu, and Sichuan provinces in China before finally leaving in 1949.

In 1924, Harvard sent Joseph Francis Rock on a treasure hunt through China’s southwestern provinces—the Wild West of their day. But gold and silver weren’t his task : Rock, a distinguished botanist, sought only to fill his bags with all the seeds, saplings, and shrubs he could find. During his three-year expedition, he collected 20,000 specimens for the Arnold Arboretum(阿诺德植物园).

Botany, though, was just one of Rock’s strengths. As an ethnologist(民族学者), he took hundreds of photographs of the Naxi, a tribe in Yunnan province, recording their now-lost way of life for both Harvard and National Geographic, and took notes for an eventual 500-page dictionary of their language. His hand-drawn map of his travels through China’s “Cho-Ni” territory, in the Harvard Map Collection, includes more than a thousand rivers, towns, and mountains indicated in both English and Chinese, and was so well made that the U.S. government used it to plan aerial missions in World War II.

Scientist, linguist, cartographer, photographer, writer—Rock was not a wallflower in any sense. Arrogant and self-possessed, he would walk into a village or warlord’s place “as if he owned the place,” said Lisa Pearson, the Arboretum’s head librarian.

In declaring his successful return under the headline “Seeking Strange Flowers, in the Far Reaches of the World” , the Boston Evening Transcript ran a large photo of the daring explorer wearing in a woolly coat and fox-skin hat. “In discussing his heroism including hair-raising escapes from death either from mountain slides, snow slides and robber armies, he waves the idea away as if it is of no importance.”

The Arboretum and Rock parted ways after 1927, mainly because his trip cost Harvard a fortune—about $900,000 in today’s dollars. Fortunately, many of his specimens, many of his amazing photos, and his great stories remain.

1. What is the passage mainly about?

A．Rock’s service for the U.S government.

B．Rock’s cooperation with Harvard.

C．Rock’s work as a botanist.

D．Rock’s exploration in Southwest China.

2. What contribution did Rock make to the USA besides collecting new plants and specimens?

A．He traveled through some uncivilized places in China.

B．His hand-drawn map was used in WWII.

C．He showed heroism by escaping difficulties.

D．He made headlines in Boston Evening News.

3. How did Rock respond when people mentioned his heroic deeds?

A．Excitedly.	B．Proudly.
C．Calmly	D．Nervously.

4. What caused Rock to stop work for The Arboretum?

A．The vast expense.	B．The dangerous journey.
C．The challenging tasks.	D．The unknown world.

10 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The United Kingdom consists of four countries: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Wales was linked     1     England in the 13th century. In the 17th century England and Wales were joined to Scotland,     2     (form) Great Britain.

They were united in     3     peaceful way. The southern part of Ireland was unwilling to join the English government and broke away to found its own government.

England is the     4     (large) of the four countries and for convenience it is divided     5     (rough) into three zones: the South of England, the Midlands and the North. Most of the population lives in the south, but most of the industrial cities     6     (locate) in the Midlands and the North. It is a pity that the industrial cities which were constructed in the nineteenth century do not attract     7     (visit).

London is the capital city with great historical treasures,     8     is the centre of national government and its administration. It has the oldest port, building and castle     9     (build) by the invaders. Without the historical evidence, we     10     (will) not be able to learn more about the history and culture of the UK.