1 . A brown and dry lawn is not something many gardeners would boast about. But that is exactly the kind of yard competition organizers in Sweden were looking for when they launched the prize for the “World’s Ugliest Lawn”. People from around the world were invited to post pictures of their dehydrated(脱水的)grass to social media in a bid to win the uncertain honor.
The intention, according to those behind the project, was to raise awareness of “saving water on a global scale by changing the norm for green lawns”. Lawns, which can require large amounts of water to maintain, are coming under increasing examination as climate change makes periods of drought more frequent and intense.
The global initiative was launched on the official website for Gotland in Sweden. “Huge amounts of water are used to water lawns for aesthetics(美学). As the world gets warmer, lack of water in urban areas is projected to affect up to 2.4 billion people by 2050. By not watering lawns for aesthetic reasons, we can protect the availability of groundwater,” the competition organizers said.
The unlikely title has been awarded to Kathleen Murray who lives in Sandford in Tasmania, Australia. According to the organizers, Murray’s lawn “boasts deep and dry divots created by three wild bandicoots(袋狸)and not one dust-covered decimeter is wasted on watering”. Murray said in the press release about her triumph, “I am terribly proud! I knew I would have my 5 minutes of fame, even if it was for having the ugliest lawn on the planet! I am now free of ever taking care of my lawn again.”
A press release by the Gotland, office added, “For the planet and its declining stockpiles of life-giving liquid, thank you, Kathleen, as well as those naughty bandicoots damaging your lawn for the greater good.” Organizers added, “Gotland aims to show to Sweden and the world that sustainable behavior doesn’t have to be dull.”
1. What can we say about the yard competition organized in Sweden?| A．People had even doubted its authenticity. |
| B．People worldwide were unwilling to join. |
| C．Its participants must be professional gardeners. |
| D．Its entries must agree with the existing aesthetics. |
| A．To call on people to protect lawns. | B．To encourage people to be creative. |
| C．To challenge the norm of aesthetics. | D．To remind people of water shortage. |
| A．Ambition. | B．Success. | C．Sorrow. | D．Barrier. |
| A．People’s Whelming Reaction To A Yard Contest In Sweden |
| B．Lawns And Rare Bandicoots Calling For Urgent Protection |
| C．A Lawn Named The Ugliest Globally All For A Good Cause |
| D．The World’s Ugliest Lawn Unaccepted By The Whole World |
Nicholas, intrigued by adventure stories,
(1). 大堡礁是由珊瑚组成的。
(2). 这个脆弱的地方现在正受到污染和气候变化的威胁。
(3). 需要有资格的人来照料好它。
(4). 需要得到这份工作，求职者必须制作一段支持珊瑚礁保护的短视频。
(5). 申请人应该有娴熟的语言表达能力，因为你经常需要做宣传来提高人们的环保意识。
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4 . A tree planting initiative in Kenya has seen over 30,000 trees being planted. The Green Generation Initiative is a Kenyan charity that has been planting trees to counter climate change and the reduction in forest in the East African nation since 2016.
Founded by climate activist Elizabeth Wathuti, the initiative's primary focus is on developing young climate activists through environmental education in schools and addressing food insecurity in the region through planting fruit trees. Since its foundation, over 30,000 trees have been planted in Kenya, while thousands of school children have not just planted trees but adopted them to ensure that young people learn the importance of acting as a guardian of the health of the environment. The trees have recorded a survival rate of over 98 percent, as they continue growing from young trees to maturity.
Speaking to world leaders at the recent UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (COP26)，Elizabeth issued a serious warning about the threat of climate change: “Over two million of Kenyans are facing climaterelated starvation. In 2025, half of the world's population will be facing water shortage. By the time I'm 50, the climate crisis will displace over 80 million people in subSaharan Africa alone.”
Elizabeth said, “I have been doing what I can.Inspired by the great Wangari Maathai, I founded a tree growing initiative that enhances food security for young Kenyans. So far, we have grown 30，000 fruit trees, providing desperately needed nutrition for thousands of children.” “Every day we see that when we look after the trees, they look after us. We are the adults on this Earth right now, and it is our responsibility to ensure that the children have food and water, ”she added.
1. What is the initiative intended for?| A．Making policies. |
| B．Raising money. |
| C．Educating adults. |
| D．Fighting climate change. |
| A．Hunger. | B．Sickness. |
| C．Water shortage. | D．Economic risks. |
| A．Over 3,000 trees have been planted. |
| B．Green awareness has been raised. |
| C．Over 80 million people have been saved. |
| D．School education has been guaranteed. |
| A．Friendly and talented. |
| B．Caring and responsible. |
| C．Honest and determined. |
| D．Ambitious and humorous. |
1.Rachel Carson在1962年出版了她的书《寂静的春天》。
2.她的目的是提醒人们注意人类活动对自然生态系统的破坏性影响。
3.她的书产生了如此直接和深远的影响，以至于DDT被禁止使用。(such...that...)
4.她的书很快成为一些农药行业批评者的目标，他们试图损害Carson的声誉。(定语从句)
5.Carson决心坚持自己的研究，捍卫自己的主张。
6.即使到今天，她的书仍然值得重读。
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6 . Most of us are familiar with Groundhog Day, wherein a large groundhog checks to see its shadow on February 2 and helps to predict when winter will end. But have you ever heard about how a mountain town in North Carolina uses a caterpillar (毛毛虫) known as the Woolly Worm to make similar predictions?
According to the folklore (民间传说), the amount of black on the woolly worm in autumn predicts the severity of the upcoming winter. The longer the woolly worm’s black bands (带) are, the longer, colder, snowier, and more severe the winter will be. Similarly, a wider middle brown band is associated with a milder upcoming winter. The position of the longest dark bands supposedly indicates which part of winter will be coldest or hardest. If the head end of the caterpillar is dark, the beginning of winter will be severe. If the tail end is dark, the end of winter will be cold. In addition, the woolly worm caterpillar has 13 segments to its body, which traditional forecasters say correspond to the 13 weeks of winter.
Scientific studies on worm forecasting are few and far between. The most often cited is a small trial that American Museum of Natural History entomologist Howard Curran conducted in 1948. Having heard about the caterpillar folklore, Curran traveled to Bear Mountain State Park to collect woolly worms each fall for eight years. He found that if the worms had brown markings on more than a third of their body, winters tended to be milder.
Most scientists discount the folklore of caterpillar predictions as just a folklore. “It’s a wonderful story, but I do think it was a playful trial,” says Joe Boggs, an entomologist at Ohio State University Extension who has studied woolly worms. “Curran was a real scientist. He had a bunch of papers published, but he never published this one—probably because he knew it wouldn’t stand up to peer review.”
Mike Peters, an entomologist at the University of Massachusetts, doesn’t disagree, but he says there could be a link between the band of a woolly worm and the severity of winter. Peters suggests that the timing of their growth and environmental conditions, such as temperature, moisture levels, and food sources, can impact the appearance of woolly worms, including their size, coloration, and band patterns. By analyzing these characteristics, researchers can potentially infer information about the weather conditions. “The band does say something about a heavy winter,” he says. “The only thing is that it’s telling you about the previous year.”
1. How do people predict the weather through woolly worms?| A．By analyzing their living habits. | B．By measuring the change of their size. |
| C．By studying color bands on their bodies. | D．By calculating the number of their segments. |
| A．A survey on the locals. | B．His personal observations. |
| C．Studies by previous scientists. | D．Statistics collected by the museum. |
| A．consider. | B．believe. | C．doubt. | D．dismiss. |
| A．The caterpillar forecasting needs long-term data to support it. |
| B．The color band of caterpillars can be a mirror of past weather. |
| C．The cold environment has a great impact on caterpillars’ growth. |
| D．Woolly worms can help predict the severity of winter accurately. |
7 . It was snowing hard. Gus Kiebel, a county wildlife officer, was driving home from work when he
Gus parked his truck and
Obviously, these beagles were
In the following days, Gus phoned the shelter
| A．spotted | B．recorded | C．assisted | D．gathered |
| A．instructor | B．companion | C．stranger | D．officer |
| A．immediately | B．frequently | C．unwillingly | D．curiously |
| A．comfort | B．fire | C．blanket | D．shelter |
| A．protected | B．approached | C．awakened | D．embraced |
| A．starve | B．interact | C．expect | D．escape |
| A．refreshed | B．concerned | C．defensive | D．accessible |
| A．abandoned | B．discovered | C．reconnected | D．released |
| A．miracle | B．surprise | C．dream | D．pressure |
| A．declined | B．reported | C．approved | D．contacted |
| A．hand | B．basis | C．condition | D．level |
| A．prevent | B．separate | C．impress | D．adopt |
| A．gradually | B．traditionally | C．repeatedly | D．confidently |
| A．influences | B．possesses | C．guarantees | D．conveys |
| A．passion | B．cruelty | C．respect | D．tiredness |
8 . In a groundbreaking achievement, a rhino has successfully undergone embryo (胚胎) transfer, marking the first successful use of a method that holds promise for saving the nearly extinct northern white rhino subspecies.
The experiment, conducted with the less endangered southern white rhino subspecies, involved creating an embryo in a lab using eggs and sperm (精子) collected from other rhinos. This embryo was then transferred into a southern white rhino alternative mother in Kenya. Despite the unfortunate death of the alternative mother due to an infection in November 2023, researchers praised the successful embryo transfer and pregnancy (怀孕) as a proof of concept. They are now ready to proceed to the next stage of the project: transferring northern white rhinoembryos.
Professor Thomas Hildebrandt expressed optimism about the findings, highlighting the significance of the successful embryo transfer in demonstrating that frozen and defrosted embryos produced in a lab can survive. This development offers hope for the revival of the northern white rhino population.
However, challenges facing rhino conservation remain significant. While the southern white rhino subspecies and the black rhino species have shown signs of recovery from population declines due to illegal hunting for their horns (牛角), the northern white rhino subspecies is on the edge of extinction. With only two known members left in the world, Najin and her daughter Fatu, both unable to reproduce naturally, and the recent death of the last male white rhino, Sudan, in 2018, urgent action is needed to prevent the extinction of this subspecies. Dr. Jo Shaw, CEO of Save the Rhino International, emphasized the importance of addressing the primary threats facing rhinos worldwide: illegal hunting for their horns and habitat loss due to development. She stressed the need to provide rhinos with the space and security they need to succeed in their natural environment.
While the successful embryo transfer representsa significant advancement in rhino conservation efforts, organized action is required to address the main challenges facing rhino populations worldwide.
1. What is the purpose of the experiment mentioned in the text?| A．To evaluate the efficiency of a new rhino birth program. |
| B．To observe the behavior of rhinos in a controlled environment. |
| C．To assess the effects of climate change on the southem rhino habitats. |
| D．To develop a way of rescuing the endangered northern white rhinos subspecies. |
| A．Rebirth. | B．Decline. | C．Stability. | D．Decrease. |
| A．Facing extinction. | B．Showing signs of recovery. |
| C．Developing in their natural habitat. | D．Recovering from population declines |
| A．Dr. Jo Shaw’s Call to Action: Addressing Threats to Rhino Survival |
| B．Challenges Facing Rhino Conservation Efforts: Urgent Action Needed |
| C．The Successful Embryo Transfer: A Breakthrough in Rhino Conservation |
| D．Professor Thomas Hildebrandt’s Optimism: Hope for Rhino Population Revival |
9 . The Coral Sea is home to an amazing variety of turtles, sharks, whales, dolphins, large fish, birds, corals, plants, and many other species. Many of these species are endangered elsewhere in the world, but still survive in the healthy environment of the Coral Sea.
The Coral Sea is a large series of coral reefs located off the northeast coast of Australia. This area is three times larger than Australia’s famous Great Barrier Reef, which the Coral Sea borders.
The Coral Sea is one of the few coral reef environments that have remained largely undamaged by overfishing, oil and gas exploration and pollution. However, statistics show that coral reefs around the world are disappearing five times faster than rainforests. It is very likely that in the near future the Coral Sea will face the same threats to its existence.
The Australian government is currently looking at options for protecting the Coral Sea but has made no decisions. Environmentalists are pushing for laws to declare the Coral Sea area a marine protected area. This would mean a large “no-take zone” for fishermen, a no-exploration zone for gas and oil companies and a no-dump zone for pollution. This would make the Coral Sea a marine park larger than any in the world.
We can write letters to Australian leaders, Australian environmental protection agencies, and Australian friends, to let them know that people worldwide support this protection of the Coral Sea. To lose this last great marine wildness would be a loss for the whole world.
For more information, CLICK here please.
1. What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?| A．To teach people how to protect the Coral Sea. |
| B．To call for the public awareness to protect the Coral Sea. |
| C．To show the amazing features of the Coral Sea. |
| D．To explain the function of the Coral Sea. |
| A．The Coral Sea, home to many species, will disappear soon. |
| B．The Coral Sea is rich in oil and gas. |
| C．The Coral Sea is three times larger than Great Barrier Reef. |
| D．The Coral Sea will be a marine park larger than any in the world. |
| A．in a guidebook | B．on a website |
| C．in a science textbook | D．on a TV show |
| A．The reason for protecting the Coral Sea. |
| B．The way to protect the Coral Sea. |
| C．The location of the Coral Sea. |
| D．The money-raising for saving the Coral Sea. |
10 . A grey-headed flying fox is back gliding through the night after life-saving surgery on a broken wing. The female flying fox’s wing was badly injured when it was twisted in a net placed over fruit trees in Geelong, Victoria. It was rescued and taken to Werribee Open Range Zoo’s veterinary hospital where it needed two operations to repair the wing.
Paul Eden, doctor of the hospital, said, “The flying fox was in a very serious condition when it arrived.” Flying foxes are highly dependent on their wings for many purposes. They can fly an astonishing 6,000 km in a year to search for food and pollinate a wide range of plants. They also use their wings to help capture insects, regulate body temperature and attract other flying foxes during mating season, So, it was extremely important that we did everything we could to help this animal make a full recovery. Vets operated to remove some of the flying fox’s damaged wing tissue and also gave it antibiotics (抗生素) and pain relief medication.
Following the successful procedure, the flying fox was transferred to a wildlife carer to prepare it for release back into where it belonged. Dr Eden said, “It is very rewarding to see the flying fox recover fully and safely return home.” According to researchers from Werribee Open Range Zoo, flying foxes played a critical role in Australia’s ecosystem, not only for the survival of other native animals but also humans. Our ecosystem would be dramatically different without flying foxes.
Dr Eden noted that there were some simple actions people could take to keep flying foxes safe, including reducing the risk of twisting by using nets with a size no bigger than 5 mm×5 mm when fully stretched over vegetable gardens or fruit trees. “If you encounter a flying fox that is sick or in distress, for the safety of everyone, don’t attempt to rescue the animal yourself. Instead, contact Wildlife Victoria who will send a trained officer to rescue the animal,” Dr Eden said.
1. How did the flying fox get injured in the wing?| A．It was stuck in the net. | B．It was hit by the fruits. |
| C．It was hunted while flying. | D．It was twisted in the branches. |
| A．Analyse the reason. | B．Draw a conclusion. |
| C．Present a problem. | D．Add some backgrounds. |
| A．It will be raised in a reserve. | B．It will be adopted by D Eden. |
| C．It will be set free back to nature. | D．It will be tended in a wildlife carer. |
| A．Rescue it on the spot. | B．Seek professional aid. |
| C．Send it to Wildlife Victoria in person. | D．Drive it to hospital as soon as possible |
