1 . 阅读短文，按照题目要求用英语回答问题。

In February 2019, our beautiful cat, Xena, suddenly lost the use of her back legs. My husband David and I were shocked and had our hearts in our mouths. We immediately took her straight to the hospital.

Doctors said Xena was badly ill and that she might walk again after surgery (外科手术)! Days after surgery, she got some feelings in her back legs again. Later, we took her home, with medicine and instructions for her care. No one could say if Xena would actually get full use of her back legs again. It was largely up to her own efforts and determination. We booked her hydrotherapy (水疗法). Most cats would panic if they were put in the water, but our little cat surprised everyone. She never panicked and she tried to put up with neck-deep water.

Over the next few weeks, she continued with her hydrotherapy. Soon, she could manage the few steps out into our garden, though she still needed some help to walk properly. Her determination was so impressive. Despite probably being in pain, she really wanted to walk again, play, and do all the things that cats can do.

Some cats would refuse to take their medicine, or become upset after having their legs injured but not our Xena. She seemed to be a model patient. A couple of months later, David and I went on a holiday. To be safe we left Xena at the animal hospital’s “Cat Hotel”. After she came home from the “hotel”, her fur and weight grew back, and she became a healthy, happy cat again.

We had thought she might be damaged forever by all that had happened to her. But this courageous, little cat simply brushed it all off its life and got on with living. She met a big challenge. And in the end, she got the better of it. We should learn from our Xena.

1. Why did the author and her husband feel shocked in February 2019? (no more than 8 words)
2. How did the cat react when she stayed in the water? (no more than 5 words)
3. What change did the cat have after she left the “Cat Hotel”? (no more than 8 words)
4. What does the underlined part in the last paragraph probably mean? (no more than 5 words)
5. What can you learn from the cat’s story? (no more than 20 words)

2 . European rabbits might not be much to look at. They have a grayish-brown coat, small ears, and short legs. But these animals are not as ordinary as they seem. European rabbits live in grass habitats. They are somewhat picky eaters. They dig and disturb (弄乱) the ground while they look for food. “Their activities can create areas of bare (无遮蔽的) soil which plants require,”   rabbit expert Diana Bell says.

Rabbits also contribute nutrients to the soil after they leave their waste there. Researchers have found that this activity benefits lowland grassland habitats, which can help maintain beneficial conditions for many plants, insects, and bird species. Without the help of rabbits, many of these species would have to leave the area or might even die out.

But due to threats such as disease, habitat loss, and hunting, the animals are classified as endangered in their native region, the Iberian Peninsula. One disease called myxomatosis is an insect-spread virus from South America that was intentionally introduced by a farmer in the mid-1950s to control the rabbit population. About 90% of European rabbits died during early outbreaks and the disease continues to affect rabbit populations on the Iberian Peninsula.

To help rabbit populations recover, Bell has suggestions in the habitat recovery project. She is encouraging people to do their part to help protect the rabbits. For instance, people can just create piles of branches and make sloping mounds of soil (土堆) in their spare time and then the rabbits can find cover. Actions like these won’t take people much energy or time, and over the past three years, researchers have found they are working. “Our work resulted in evidence of rabbit activity in significantly higher numbers,” Bell says.

Environmentalists have used other methods to help protect decreasing rabbit populations such as creating wildlife corridors, which are unbroken animal habitats that function like animal high-ways. “Efforts to reintroduce them on the Iberian Peninsula have been largely unsuccessful but we’ve managed to do this in the U.K.” Bell says.

1. What do we know about European rabbits?

A．They play a role in the grassland ecosystem.

B．Their appearance makes them unappreciated.

C．Their digging does harm to the local environment.

D．They prefer to cooperate with other species to avoid danger.

2. What can be concluded from the example mentioned in Paragraph 3?

A．Wild animals adapt themselves slowly to foreign environments.

B．It is unwise to use viruses to control rabbit populations.

C．Inappropriate human activity may bring crisis to animals.

D．People should create more bare soil for European rabbits.

3. Which of the following can best describe Bell’s suggestions on protecting rabbits?

A．Practical but costly.	B．Simple and effective.
C．Creative but unpopular.	D．Traditional and acceptable.

4. What is the structure of the text?

A．1/23/45

B．1/234/5

C．12/345

D．12/3/45

5. What does the author intend to tell us in the text?

A．Ways to create a balanced ecosystem.

B．Reasons why European rabbits like digging.

C．Measures to control the spread of European rabbits.

D．Efforts to recover the population of European rabbits.

3 . Placing large-scale renewable energy equipment is difficult and often met with criticism, especially in areas where landscape of the area is considered a cultural heritage(遗产) or is a tourist spot which brings in good income. Therefore, the human interaction is kept at a minimal rate to avoid damaging the environment.

Changes in biodiversity due to equipment of solar energy and wind power is thought to be more damaging than overall reduction in greenhouse gasses. This is one of the reasons why acquiring land for renewable energy equipment is so difficult, since traditional uses of land such as agriculture are preferred more than placing power plants. However, recent research shows that installing such renewable equipment actually promotes biodiversity.

Now a comprehensive research has been carried out on ‘The Effects of Solar Farms on Local Biodiversity‘ in UK by ecological consultants who proved these theories. The consultants studied 11 similar solar farms located around England and Wales along with their neighboring control farms to compare. Plants (crops), invertebrate(无脊椎动物), bird and bat surveys were carried out on both the farms. One test before solar arrays were set up on the land and then after.

The results of the study exceptionally proved that solar farms had significantly higher biodiversity than the control farms. The solar farm had by far the most positive effect on biodiversity when the farmland was replanted with a mixture of different seeds after the solar farm was constructed. This minimized use of agricultural chemicals and promoted marginal habitat space for other species.

The report further went on to say that reduction in greenhouse gas emissions was just one of the positive effects.

The other one was that the increase in wildlife and biodiversity inside the solar farms actually extended to areas surrounding the solar farm as well. Construction has always come with a downside of damage to the local ecosystems, but since building solar farms actually benefit the wildlife, there couldn’t be better news to hear! A good reason of improved biodiversity would be the fact that farm is shifted from monoculture farming to a variety of crops. The limited use of pesticides and herbicides contributes to safer practices. Moreover, the presence of solar equipment provides shade for birds to make their nests (be kind to animals).

1. What do most people think of renewable energy equipment?

A．It’s too expensive.

B．It may turn a tourist spot.

C．It will do damage to the land.

D．It can serve as a cultural heritage.

2. What difficulty may solar energy companies have according to the passage?

A．Developing power plants.

B．Obtaining enough farmland.

C．Collecting enough funding.

D．Producing enough equipment.

3. What ca we know about the study in UK by ecological consultants?

A．It is the first study in this field.

B．Its result is beyond expectation.

C．It suggested canceling solar farms.

D．It needed further study.

4. What can be the best title of the passage?

A．People are Going Wild for Solar.

B．Solar Power Is Starting to Take off.

C．Solar Energy Will Be in Urgent Need.

D．Solar Farms Help Increase Biodiversity.

4 . I was suddenly awakened at about 4 a.m. by a strange experience which I did not understand at first. I was _________ for a few seconds, as though I was in a cradle (摇篮). I heard _________ sounds in which I could identify the tinkling of pots, the rattling of windows, and certain deep rumbling noise _________ from the earth. After a few moments I realized, to my _________, that it was the earthquake.

Others too in my house and neighborhood must have _________ it at the same time or a little earlier, because we all jumped up from our beds in a second and _________ out of our houses. The quake of the earth had stopped; yet we stood in the open for an hour, extremely _________ about another quake. There was nip (寒冷) in the air that early morning, and the electric lights had _________. People stood in darkness, talking about the earthquake and praying (祈祷) to God that it might not be _________.

The quakes of the earth caused no damage in Mumbai. For several hours next morning we thought, with __________ to Nature, that the disaster had been __________ on the whole. But at about noon, bad news came that all the houses in parts of Latur had been __________ to the ground and hundreds of human lives __________.

The destruction caused by the earthquake at Latur proved the __________ of man in the face of an unexpected natural disaster. He still has much to achieve in dealing with Nature. Isn’t it a(n) __________ that he is wasting away the natural resources and energies?

1.

A．attacked

B．comforted

C．rocked

D．sheltered

2.

A．pleasant

B．strange

C．fascinating

D．fluent

3.

A．coming

B．flashing

C．reflecting

D．tracking

4.

A．annoyance

B．joy

C．relief

D．horror

5.

A．warned

B．recognized

C．impacted

D．prevented

6.

A．jumped

B．walked

C．rushed

D．struggled

7.

A．anxious

B．excited

C．curious

D．hopeful

8.

A．blown up

B．come out

C．died down

D．gone off

9.

A．expected

B．forgiven

C．repeated

D．stopped

10.

A．admiration

B．gratitude

C．regret

D．satisfaction

11.

A．generous

B．impressive

C．harmless

D．tough

12.

A．burned

B．frozen

C．thrown

D．ruined

13.

A．lost

B．cured

C．discovered

D．rescued

14.

A．power

B．creativity

C．helplessness

D．limit

15.

A．fact

B．pity

C．honor

D．wonder

5 . Animals might not be able to speak or master advanced language techniques, but they certainly have other ways of communicating. Whale song, wolf howls, frog cries — even the fast dance of the honeybee or the friendly waves of a dog’s tail — are among so many ways animals pass on information to each other and to other living things of the animal kingdom.

When it comes to hearing communication, not every member of a species is just alike. Animals in different places have often been sounding off in different dialects. For example, one study shows that blue whales produce different types of sounds depending on where they are from. Some bird species are the same way. And what about those birds that live on the border between territories (领地) of different songbirds? They are often able to communicate in a way accepted by each of their groups of neighbors.

Communication between different species can play important roles as well. One study shows that iguanas (鬣蜥蜴) do not communicate by making sound, but their well-developed ears help them hear well the warning calls of the flycatcher (a type of small bird). The two species have nothing in common except for the fact that they share a general habitat and enemies. So when an iguana hears a bird make a signal of danger for other birds, it probably knows to be watchful for arriving enemies, too.

However, as noise pollution has become a serious problem all across the globe, many animals are now under fire. Increased shipping traffic over the last century has greatly affected the spread of whale song around the ocean basin. Studies have found that songbirds, too, suffer from noisy city surroundings. Some species have had to change their singing styles, producing songs that sound louder, in order to be heard above the noise. Their new voices usually lead to stranger and somewhat worse styles of singing that female birds find decidedly less sexy.

1. What does the author mainly tell us in Paragraph 2?

A．Various dialects can also happen to the same animals.

B．Animals communicate with each other in different ways.

C．Different animals have different ways of communicating.

D．Animals from different places may make the same sound.

2. What can we learn about iguanas?

A．They communicate by singing.

B．They are born with poor hearing.

C．They often bring bad luck to humans.

D．They get along well with flycatchers.

3. By saying “many animals are now under fire”, the author means ________.

A．they refuse to communicate with others

B．they cannot communicate effectively

C．they are now in danger of dying out

D．they don’t make a sound any more

4. Due to noise pollution, songbirds ________.

A．find it hard to attract the opposite sex

B．produce more songs that sound sad

C．begin to communicate by dancing

D．can not find food easily any more

5. The author develops the passage mainly ________.

A．by raising questions

B．by following time order

C．by providing examples

D．by analyzing the data

6 . It’s no secret that spring is now starting earlier, but exactly how, why and where this is happening are much more complex questions. Using 50 years’ observations of some insects, like aphids, moths and butterflies, as well as birds in the UK, a group of researchers, led by Dr James Bell of the Rothamsted Insect Survey, has tried to answer some of these questions.

On the one hand, the results confirm current understanding. They reveal that aphids, moths and butterflies are now flying much earlier than in the mid-20th century and that birds are laying eggs earlier. However, this early awakening isn’t uniform across species and the degree of change varies depending on the location and habitat. As a result, the researchers have waned that wildlife may fail to match the life cycles of other species that they rely on for food.

Some of this variation is related to differences in the species themselves—moths, which turn from caterpillars to flying adults early in the year, seem to be more responsive to climate change than those which change later. In other cases, the geographical location is key. Spring activity generally occurs later in the north of the country, though the specifics vary from species to species.

In addition, the study also finds that woodland habitats, which are thought to offer animals a more stable climate, and which researchers hoped might present a “buffer (缓冲)” to climate change, did not appear to do so. It is this finding in particular that concerns scientists. “We should have seen some sort of buffer offered by the woodland that would protect wildlife against the advances of temperature, but actually we didn’t see that,” explains Dr Bell. “We have to guess that even though woodlands have stable micro-climates, they too are advancing at the same rate. Though the researchers will carry out further research to establish exactly why this is the case, the all-along outcome is very clear: all species are now at greater risk than previously thought.”

1. What did the researchers try to answer in their study?

A．Which species can sense spring very early?

B．Is spring coming much earlier now?

C．What is the detailed information about early spring?

D．What is people’s common understanding of early spring?

2. According to the researchers, what might be the result of early awakening?

A．The increased chance of insects being eaten.

B．The change in some birds’ egg-laying habits.

C．The loss of some species’ natural habitat.

D．The break in some wildlife’s food chain

3. In Paragraph 3, the author mainly talks about__________.

A．the reasons for some species’ early awakening

B．some species’ responses to climate change

C．the influences brought by early spring

D．the distribution of species in the UK

4. What do we know about the woodland habitats?

A．They’ve failed to work as expected.

B．They’re now in quite severe conditions.

C．They’ve been less affected by climate change.

D．They’re widely distributed throughout the UK.

5. What does Dr Bell think of the result of their research?

A．Desired.

B．Worrying.

C．Beneficial.

D．Encouraging.

7 . Minnie Blumfield believed that with age came a true appreciation of life — all life. That’s why, at the age of eighty-six, Minnie became the ________ of a flock of chickens deserted alongside a California freeway after a truck accident. The chickens ________ residence in the roadside bush, becoming ________ to locals as the Hollywood Freeway Chickens.

Like many seniors, Minnie lived alone and ________ on a pension (养老金). But to her, life was precious and not to be ________— not even the lives of little animals. Minnie simply saw creatures ________ and without hesitation, stepped into________. For nine years, while others sped past ________, Minnie provided food and water for the deserted chickens, using what little money she had ________. As the years passed, she worried about the day when she would ________ be able to care for her ________ chicken. Who would look after these poor ________ creatures if she couldn’t make her journey?

At ninety-five, just when the ________ of time began to ruin Minnie’s body, Jodie Mann, Minnie’s neighbour, ________. Jodie had noticed that the older woman also ________ many of the homeless cats in the neighborhood. A quick and lasting friendship ________. Learning of Minnie’s concern for the fate of her flock, Jodie ________ to find the chickens a new home.

Minnie is ________ now, but her concern for her fellow creatures lives on. Her courage and ________ continue to be a source of inspiration and ________ for me, for Jodie and for everyone else, as we continue our work of caring for all living creatures who share our planet, our homes and our hearts.

1.

A．petkeeper

B．caretaker

C．receiver

D．playmate

2.

A．took up

B．set up

C．put up

D．gave up

3.

A．exposed

B．appealing

C．known

D．similar

4.

A．carried

B．insisted

C．held

D．survived

5.

A．punished

B．ignored

C．objected

D．restored

6.

A．in despair

B．in ruins

C．in pain

D．in need

7.

A．action

B．function

C．control

D．force

8.

A．uncertain

B．unbearable

C．unconcerned

D．unkind

9.

A．acceptable

B．available

C．applicable

D．affordable

10.

A．no doubt

B．no wonder

C．no matter

D．no longer

11.

A．adopted

B．identified

C．disturbed

D．confirmed

12.

A．promising

B．restless

C．helpless

D．striking

13.

A．credits

B．values

C．cruelties

D．shortcomings

14.

A．turned up

B．showed off

C．moved out

D．broke in

15.

A．caught

B．fed

C．possessed

D．donated

16.

A．remained

B．insisted

C．accounted

D．resulted

17.

A．promised

B．persuaded

C．prepared

D．pretended

18.

A．passed

B．gone

C．lost

D．finished

19.

A．carefulness

B．bravery

C．forgiveness

D．selflessness

20.

A．unity

B．focus

C．strength

D．patience

8 . When birds’ habitat is destroyed, some species don’t make it while others survive. But what happens at the very beginning of the process, just as a bird’s habitat starts to change? Research in Argentina’s Monte Desert has provided some answers. There are lots of trees, bushes, grasses and flowering plants in the protected parts of the desert. With so many options, most seed-eating birds choose to focus on large grass seeds. The birds can get all the energy and nutrients they need with minimal effort.

But when cattle show up to graze the desert’s natural landscape, birds face changes in food supply. Some birds are happy to change their diets in response. But others, not so much. And it’s the ones set in their ways that are at the highest risk. Understanding how birds react to grazing can help researchers solve the problem of those species.

Ecologists from the Argentine Arid Zones Research Institute compared soil samples from the desert’s Nacunan biosphere reserve to samples from two neighboring cattle farms. It was discovered that grass seeds — the birds’ favorites — were just one-quarter as likely to be found on the farms compared with the reserve. Next, they caught birds to see what they were eating. The Common Diuca-Finch and the Rufous-Collared Sparrow had adjusted their diets, choosing to eat their less preferred options on the farms, even while they still focused on large grass seeds in the reserve.

Meanwhile, the Many-Colored Chaco Finch and the Ringed Warbling-Finch were apparently unable to change their diets. Even on the farms, they worked hard to find the few grass seeds available. If they burn more energy searching for food than they get from the few grass seeds they find, they could starve. At best, their inflexible dietary could limit their ability to reproduce or to care for their young.

Studies like this can help predict which species are at higher risk and help farmers protect these poor species, even while allowing their livestock to graze. For example, the farmers can plant new species for their cattle that will also be more delicious and nutritious for local seed-eating birds. The cows won’t care about the menu change — but the birds sure will.

1. Why can some seed-eating birds easily get their food in the protected parts of the desert?

A．Because of plant diversity.	B．Because there are fewer birds.
C．Because there are many small grass seeds.	D．Because of their long-distance flying ability.

2. Researchers study how birds react to grazing so as to ________.

A．make birds and cattle live in peace	B．help birds change their diets
C．make cattle leave the desert	D．help birds most in danger

3. What did ecologists from the research institute find?

A．Birds only ate large grass seeds on the farms.

B．Some birds changed their diets in the reserve.

C．There were more birds’ favorite seeds on the farms than in the reserve.

D．Some birds chose their favorites in the reserve but other food on the farms.

4. It can be inferred that grazing cattle can __________.

A．drive most birds off the farms	B．change the menu of some birds
C．make birds like other seeds best	D．have little effect on birds’ food chains

5. Which proverb can best describe the method of farmers’ planting new species?

A．Every coin has two sides.	B．Kill two birds with one stone.
C．Birds of a feather flock together.	D．There is no garden without weeds.

9 . Just how many truly intelligent species are there living on Earth? While they may not be living “in a pineapple under the sea”, a new study finds there’s at least one species in the ocean that shows the intelligence of human children. Researchers at the Marine Biological Laboratory say cuttlefish (墨鱼) have passed a test designed to measure the advanced skill of delayed gratification (延迟满足) in primates (灵长目动物).

Researchers used an adapted version of the Stanford marshmallow test (棉花糖测试), where children were given a choice of taking an immediate reward (1 marshmallow) or waiting to earn a delayed but better reward (2 marshmallows). “Cuttlefish in the present study were all able to wait for the better reward and tolerated delays for up to 50–130 seconds,” says lead author Alexandra Schnell. This is the first time the link between self-control and intelligence has appeared in a species other than primates.

Why the species is able to delay gratification is a bit of a mystery. For humans, scientists believe the quality strengthens social bonds. An example would be when you see someone wait for a partner to eat. Delayed gratification can also be a function of tool-building animals, who need to make hunting tools before they can eat.

For cuttlefish, however, researchers say they don’t build tools and are not social creatures. For them, Schnell believes delayed gratification is likely the result of having to hide themselves to stay alive. “Cuttlefish spend most of their time hiding,” she explains. “They desist from hiding when they search for food, so they are exposed to every hunter in the ocean that wants to eat them. We assume that delayed gratification may be a byproduct of this, so the cuttlefish can wait to choose better quality food.”

Researchers add that finding a link between self-control and intelligence in an animal other than primates is a good example of convergent evolution (趋同进化). This is the event in which completely separate evolutionary histories still lead to the same signs of intelligence.

1. What can we conclude from the adapted marshmallow test about cuttlefish?

A．They were smarter than children.

B．They had little interest in marshmallows.

C．They showed a certain amount of self-control.

D．They were more likely to take immediate rewards.

2. Why are humans able to delay gratification according to the scientists?

A．To avoid dangers.

B．To maintain relationships.

C．Due to their inborn ability.

D．Due to the demand from others.

3. What does the underlined part “desist from” in paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Enjoy.

B．Consider.

C．Risk.

D．Stop.

4. What’s the possible reason for cuttlefish’s skill of delayed gratification?

A．Cuttlefish is a tool-building animal.

B．Cuttlefish is a social creature.

C．Cuttlefish has its special living habit.

D．Cuttlefish has high intelligence.

5. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．A possible reason for the study findings.

B．A suggestion for future studies.

C．The significance of the study.

D．The major limitation of the study.

10 . Most of Florida is a flat peninsula (半岛) with water on three sides and houses built as close to the shoreline as possible. For one thing we are more frequently the target of hurricanes than any other state; for another, our geography makes us more easily to be hurt by rising seas.

A news story about climate change in Florida popped up. Historically, scientists believed mangroves (红树林) didn’t live farther north than Cedar Key, in the middle of Florida’s Big Bend. But that’s not the case anymore. Samantha Chapman, a biology professor who’s been studying how Florida’s mangroves have been migrating (迁移), found them up near the St Mary’s River, which forms the border between Florida and Georgia. It seems that they soon be marching through Georgia and becoming a thriving new component of coastal habitats.

But a coastal biologist named Blair Witherington took issue on the matter. The mangroves weren’t spreading into a new territory, he pointed out. They were entering areas that had been classified as saltmarsh (盐沼), where the landscape was dominated by cordgrass. Saltmarsh and mangrove create very different habitats that attract a very different set of animals. “When one community replaces the other, this diversity is lost,” Witherington remarked. Changing the animals’ habitat has the potential to influence the whole food chain, making a widespread difference.

What was driving this? “Mangroves can survive a short freeze, but not a prolonged, hard freeze. By combing through the weather records kept by the state’s orange juice industry, biologists have been able to document that Florida is having fewer prolonged hard freezes than it used to. Then the mangroves have adapted by expanding their range.” Samantha explained.

“They’ve adapted in another way, too. Not only are the mangroves spreading into areas that once were unfriendly to them, but they have also changed their life cycle to speed things up. Normally it takes them about 15 years of growth before they start making seeds. Now, as they get into these marshes, they’re producing seeds when they’ re only a couple of years old,” Samantha said.

The problem with having too many mangroves by the sea is that climate change may overwhelm them. A study by the US Geological Survey said sea level rise could wipe out mangroves all along the Florida coast. So, here’s the question we humans have to consider: Nature is finding ways to adapt to how we’ve changed the climate. What are we doing to adapt to it? Or at least slow it down?

1. What can we learn about the state of Florida?

A．It could be affected by high tides easily.

B．Its geography fuels shipbuilding industry.

C．Its houses are built in a high-lying but flat area.

D．It is often hit by tornadoes and suffers huge losses.

2. What is the news story about Florida’s mangroves?

A．They migrate to warmer regions.

B．They are marching into a new habitat.

C．They form the border between Florida and Georgia.

D．They are introduced into Florida to prevent flooding.

3. Which of the following would Blair Witherington agree with?

A．Saltmarsh is fragile and requires urgent protection.

B．Florida includes a rich diversity of natural habitats.

C．The benefits of the mangroves outweigh their troubles.

D．Everything in the ecosystem is connected complicatedly.

4. What are the 4th and 5th paragraphs mainly about?

A．What mangroves had to face in their habitats.

B．Whether mangroves had influence on other plants.

C．How mangroves adapted to the changing environment.

D．Why mangroves had a different life cycle in marshes.

5. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Human beings are supposed to worship nature.

B．It is urgent to grow more mangroves along coastlines.

C．Measures against mangroves’ migration are far from enough.

D．What we should do to stop the climate change is still up in the air.