1 . Hardly a day goes by without a company telling us in its beautifully crafted advertising how much it contributes to the environment on our behalf. Flowers grow out of power-station chimneys; SUVs are presented in natural habitats; oil companies use sunny, friendly logos and promise cleaner technologies- although, in fact, they fail to make enough investment in renewable or alternative energy sources. Statistics are made up, and the tiniest ecological improvements are overstated in multi-million-dollar advertising campaigns, while in the meantime the greedy side of the business continues.

This is known as greenwashing, which means “making things that are not green look green”. The phenomenon has long existed since the first Earth Day in 1970, when companies spent $300 million advertising themselves as green companies—many times more than the money they actually spent on research into pollution reduction itself. And the trend continued over the following decades when some of the planet’s worst polluters tried to pass themselves off as eco-friendly. As the public’s environmental awareness grew, so too did the experience of corporate public relations strategies, and advertisers found ever- more-creative ways to use a green curtain to hide dark motives.

Of course, some businesses are genuinely committed to making the world a better, greener place. But when a company spends more time and money claiming to be “green” than actually adopting business practices that minimize environmental impact, it is clear that, for them, environmentalism is little more than a convenient slogan(口号). Their message is “buy our products and you will end global warming, improve air quality and save the oceans”. At best, such greenwashing pushes the fact to its limits; at worst, it helps conceal deception.

And what about today s consumers? Few of them are truly well-equipped to make informed decisions about what is true. Greenwashing is only possible because consumers often believe what they are being told-why else would companies do it? More information and greater awareness are essential. Analysing the tricks used by advertisers should be part of every school curriculum. Non- governmental organisations can spread the word. Consumer groups can punish the greenwashing companies. But it is not enough. Legally enforceable systems must be put in place.

So what is already being done about planned attempts to pull the wool over consumers’ eyes? In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission is taking action against misleading advertising claims. France has published Green Claims Guidance, stressing that “an advertisement must avoid conveying a message contrary to the accepted principles of sustainable development”. All of these surely are the heart of the matter: the true impact of advertising is the promotion of unsustainable lifestyles. And therein lies the real danger to our planet, a danger which cannot be ignored any longer.

1. What can we learn about greenwashing?

A．It is an ecological concept.

B．It is a marketing technique.

C．It is an awareness campaign.

D．It is an advertising innovation.

2. What does the underlined phrase “conceal deception” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Hide the truth.	B．Raise the risk.
C．Expose the weakness.	D．Break the limit.

3. What can be inferred about most consumers?

A．They are lacking in legal knowledge.

B．They have encouraged greenwashing.

C．They may question consumer groups.

D．They tend to make sensible decisions.

4. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．Actions to fight false advertising.

B．Ways to protect customers’ interest.

C．Attempts to solve environmental problems.

D．Proposals to ensure sustainable development.

2 . Four Ways Your Cat Tries to Communicate with You

Cats are amazing creatures, and while they can’t talk to us, they certainly know how to communicate their needs and feelings. It’s just up to us to learn how to listen to what they are saying.

Meowing

Cats meow at their owners for several reasons, including: to ask for food, to greet people, to ask for attention, to let you know they want to go outside/come inside. In addition, elderly cats suffering from cognitive disfunction, similar to Alzheimer’s Disease (阿尔茨海默症) in humans, may meow due to becoming confused or disoriented, so we encourage you to schedule an appointment with us if your senior cat seems confused or is meowing more than usual.

Purring

While cats do purr as a sign of contentment, they also do it as a self-comforting mechanism when sick, stressed or injured. If your cat is purring but also showing signs that something may be wrong, like hiding more than usual or refusing food/water, they could be sick or in pain.

Tail Posture

If they hold their tail straight up and have relaxed fur, they’re likely to feel happy or curious. But if their fur stands on end while their tail is straight, this indicates fear or anger. Holding the tail low or hidden between the legs indicates insecurity, and a tail that’s rapidly twitching back and forth suggests anxiety.

Rubbing

When your cat rubs against your legs or gives you head butts, they are telling you that they love you. That is not the only thing they are doing, though! Cats rub their bodies and cheeks against people and objects to mark their territory and to claim humans, other cats, and various objects as their own.

1. When cats are sick or in pain, what are they likely to do?

A．Meow at their owners.	B．Rub against your legs.
C．Purr and refuse food.	D．Hold their tail straight up.

2. What may a cat show when it hides its tail between legs?

A．Insecurity.

B．Depression.

C．Curiosity.

D．Happiness.

3. Who provides this text most probably?

A．A cat sitter.	B．A cat owner.
C．An animal shelter.	D．A pet healthcare centre.

3 . Scientists Crack Monkey Behaviour

Scientists have observed two groups of long-tailed macaque monkeys (长尾猕猴) in Thailand, Southeast Asia, using stone tools differently, even though the islands they live on are less than six miles apart.

Long-tailed macaques are one of only a few primate species (灵长类物种) known to use stone tools. The macaques use stones that they choose carefully to hammer the shells of shellfish, such as oysters, sea snails and crabs. They crack them open and scoop out (挖出) the flesh to eat.

On two neighbouring islands off the coast of Thailand, one group of macaques were seen reusing their tools, called hammer stones, whereas the monkeys on the other island threw their stones away after using them once. A team of scientists from the UK, Germany and Thailand, led by Lydia Luncz from the University of Oxford, studied hammer stones found on Yao Noi island and on nearby Boi Yai island.

Distinctive patterns of wear on stones meant that they could tell which stones had been used as tools. The team found that the stones on Boi Yai used to crack open oysters had more and deeper lines and they had been well used, but on Yao Noi the ones hadn’t been used much at all. The hammer stones used by each group were so different that the researchers were able to work out which group had used the tool just by looking at it. At first, the researchers thought there might be a shortage of stones on Boi Yai, which would explain why one group reused them. However, the team soon found lots of solid stones on both islands.

They think that the difference in the behaviour of each group is an example of culture. Culture is the ideas, customs and social behaviour in a group and is a typically human quality. It includes shared habits passed down from older to younger animals. The different patterns of behaviour between the two groups of monkeys suggest that different traditions can develop in different groups of macaques, even though they live in similar sorts of environments. “The use of tools is passed on from monkey to monkey as they learn from each other,” said Luncz.

The researchers hope that this work will be helpful for scientists Studying any early humans and the way they used stone tools.

1. What can we know about the macaques from the first two paragraphs?

A．They can make use of stones.	B．They use different tools to hunt.
C．Their favourite food is shellfish.	D．Their groups live far from each other.

2. What does the underlined word “wear” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Damage.

B．Dirt.

C．Size.

D．Decoration.

3. According to the passage, researchers may believe that ________.

A．macaques on Boi Yai work harder

B．macaques on Yao Noi have more stones

C．macaques have their own traditions in groups

D．macaques learnt some behaviour from humans

4 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空自处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

The koala is a symbol of Australia. Recently, the Australian government has listed it as an     1    (endanger) species. This is because of a fall in its number. caused by bushfires and the cutting down of trees. There are about 50, 000 koalas in the wild now. The government     2    (give) koalas greater protection in the future, and a recovery plan     3    (announce) already.

5 . 阅读下面短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

COP26, known as “Conferences of the Parties”, was the latest in a series of     1     (meeting) bringing together governments to protect the environment. Its main goal was to take measures     2     climate change—long—term changes in world weather patterns that are linked to human activities including farming, industry and transport. Gases such as carbon dioxide,     3     are produced by these activities, trap heat in Earth’s atmosphere and cause temperatures to rise,     4     (lead) to extreme floods, heatwaves and storms.

6 . Watching wildlife safely is the responsibility of all park visitors. When you visit some national parks, you are entering animals' habitat.     1     If not, wildlife may face the following serious risks when you get close enough to interact with them:

Consequences of Physical Contact with People

Some animals, from bison to birds. may be rejected by their parents if they have contact with humans.     2     In addition, wildlife can get injured when they try to escape people who have gotten too close, especially if they are near human structures or roads.

Fatal Diseases from People and Pets

Our domestic pets can also pose real dangers to the wildlife within parks. Both pets and people may have diseases that they can give to wildlife. Sadly, there are many examples of wildlife in parks dying from diseases given to them by pets and humans. For example, heartworm from cats can kill wildlife such as foxes, coyotes, bobcats, and mountain lions. Black-footed ferrets die from the flu if humans are sick and get too close.       3     So keeping your pets vaccinated can keep them and wildlife safe.

Dangers of Eating Human Food and/or Trash (垃圾)

When visitors intentionally or unintentionally feed wildlife, it has negative effects on the wildlife. Some of the dangers to wildlife include shorter lives. The best way for wildlife to have a healthy diet and live healthy lives is to search for food as they would naturally. Relying on human food or trash left out puts wildlife at risk.

    4     Animals becoming used to and attracted to human food will actively seek out human food. This in the worst cases can make them dangerous. Ground squirrels can bite, deer have sharp antlers (鹿角), and bears can get into cars or tents in search of food.     5     It means they may be killed by park managers for safety reasons.

It's important to understand how your actions may affect the wildlife in parks. When you respect wildlife, you help protect park animals and yourself.

A．These animals must be removed.

B．You need to behave like a polite guest.

C．Wolves can be infected by virus from dogs.

D．So it's best to resist the urge to pet and hold them.

E．Actually, some of them may behave in a strange way.

F．Observing wildlife in their native habitat can be an educational and fun experience.

G．Learning to eat human food can also change the way that wildlife interact with people.

7 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空，在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

Giant Panda National Park,     1     is located in Central China, stretches across Sichuan, Ningxia, and Shaanxi provinces. The national park is in development and will include 67 existing panda reserves. The giant panda is the symbol of China and one of the most     2     (adore)creatures across the globe. This national park features a population of 1,864 giant pandas and accounts for 80% of the Chinese giant panda population. Apart     3     the small number of pandas located in zoos around the world, all other giant pandas are found within China.

8 . Lots of humans cannot resist interpreting dogs' faces in the terms defined by human languages. A puppy licking your cheek enthusiastically is giving a "kiss". If dogs could speak like their owners, many humans want to know, what would their dogs have to say?

Into the market for answers step Christina Hunger, author of the book How Stella Learned to Talk, and Alexis Devine, the owner of Bunny, a TikTok star with over 6.3m followers. After careful training, both Stella and Bunny can paw a series of buttons that make a recorded voice speak one of several dozen programmed words. Both Ms. Devine and Ms. Hunger claim that their dogs are using language.

Human linguists tend to be skeptical of "talking" animals. To understand why, consider Noam Chomsky's critical review of "Verbal Behaviour" by B.F. Skinner, a pioneer in behavioral psychology. Skinner described human language acquisition as he did other learned behaviours: the strengthening of a response after conditioning with a stimulus. If saying "food" gets you food, you' re more likely to say it.

Skinner wrote that "if we are shown a prized work of art and shout ‘Beautiful!', the speed and energy of the response will have an effect on the owner." Mr. Chomsky noted that this reasoning might lead people "to cry out 'Beautiful' in a loud voice, repeatedly and with no delay". Real humans, by contrast, might in fact show appreciation through a long moment of silence, and then barely whispered praise.

Ms. Hunger came up with her button system after working with children who were not developing language normally und has helped many youngsters express themselves better(often with tablet computers). But some dog experts dislike the practice of forcing word-based communication onto dogs. By focusing on a basic kind of language that seems human, it ignores dogs' abilities to express themselves in their own ways.

Dogs are fond of sniffing each other, who are using sensitive noses to exchange information, about age, health and other things. Dogs urinate frequently not, as once assumed, primarily to claim territory, but to leave similar information for others.

Posture, too, conveys masses of information between dogs; eyes, ears and teeth contribute to a range of messages transmitted between them. Finally, their own vocalizations, though hardly of the words-and-syntax type that make up human language, are complicated.

Scientists have yet to report on the "talking" abilities of dogs like Stella and Bunny. In the meantime, ordinary owners can have a go at training their dogs with the advice Ms. Hunger offers. Or they can try another approach: buy one of the many good books on understanding how dogs naturally communicate, and spend the time they might invest in programming buttons on getting to know their pets instead. Even the best-trained dog is a poor conversationalist in human terms — but a brilliant one on their own.

1. Why does the author mention Stella and Bunny?

A．To present an attempt.	B．To put forward a theory.
C．To settle an argument.	D．To prove an assumption.

2. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Chomsky further developed behavioral psychology.

B．Devine's and Hunger's practices agree with Skinner's theory.

C．Language is acquired by strengthening a conditioned response.

D．Hunger's button system helps children to express themselves better.

3. According to the author, those who try to prove dogs' language ability________.

A．ignore dogs' psychological needs	B．suggest a new way to get to know dogs
C．fail to acknowledge what makes a dog a dog	D．believe dogs have their own language system

4. What message does the author convey to dog owners?

A．A dog deserves more care and company.

B．Training can help a dog learn human language.

C．Improving their understanding of pets is crucial.

D．Research on animal behavior still has a long way to go.

9 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

Alex Weber and Jack Johnston were shocked when they discovered thousands of golf balls in the water when free diving in the Carmel Bay.     1     (concern), they learned that after a ball's outer plastic layer breaks down, its rubber band core falls apart into     2     looks like dried seagrass, which may be mistakenly eaten by birds and sea life. They     3     (start) the Plastic Pick-Up, a non-profit committed to keeping plastics pollution out of the ocean.

10 . 阅读下列短文，根据文内容填空，在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

Then what is causing the increase in the global average surface temperature? Climate scientists often mention a key climate process    1    (call) the “greenhouse effect”, which has two common meanings: the “natural” greenhouse effect and the “man- made” greenhouse effect. The “natural” greenhouse effect     2    (refer)to the fact that heat from the sun enters the atmosphere and warms Earth’s surface as short-wave radiation. The heat is released back into space at longer wave lengths. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as methane carbon dioxide, trap some of the heat,     3     (keep) Earth’s climate warm and habitable.

    4     this process, Earth could not sustain life. However, the “man-made” greenhouse effect has now become a big problem.