1 . Amazon Alert
The Amazon rain forest stretches about 2.7 million square miles. It has been described as the “lungs of our planet”. More than 20% of the planet’s oxygen is produced there! The Amazon holds one-fifth of the world’s freshwater supply. The tropical forests in the heart of the Amazon basin are full of many different kinds of life. They hold the world’s widest variety of life, and are also home to many species found nowhere else. This area is one of the world’s natural treasures. But unless nations around the world take action, it will disappear.
Every year, the rain forest in the Amazon is shrinking. Farmers and builders are clearing the land, usually by burning down the forest. This destruction reached record levels in the 1990s and has remained steady since then. In 2003, an estimated 9,170 square miles were burned or cleared.
The Amazon River basin stretches into the countries of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, but the bulk of it is in Brazil. Loggers, miners, and farmers in Brazil have been rapidly cutting down the Amazon since the 1960s. South American farmers and settlers burn the rain forest to clear the land. The land is used to grow crops and raise livestock or for new towns. Satellite photos show how the forest continues to shrink.
The government of Brazil has pledged time and again to slow down the clearing of land. However, they have not done enough to stop illegal burning and logging. But it's not just Brazil's problem. The Amazon is a treasure for all of humanity. Other countries, including the United States, must do more to help Brazil preserve the Amazon.
In order to protect the area, the Central Amazon Conservation Complex in Brazil was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000. The heritage site makes up the largest protected area in the Amazon Basin (over 6 million hectares). The rain forest is over 55 million years old. There are still many parts of the Amazon that no one has ever been to, and many species that no one has ever seen.
Fact File
The Amazon
You can’t drive there! The main form of transportation in the Amazon is by boat. The only way to get around the rain forest is through the Amazon River system. The river system has 20 percent of all the Earth’s fresh water. Each year during the rainy season, the rivers flood over nine meters deep.
The Amazon is famous for these flooded forests. Tourists will spend days boating through the flooded areas, watching tropical birds flying in the humid air, and fish swimming through the water.
1. What is the main threat to the Amazon rain forest?| A．Air and water pollution | B．Floods in the rainy season |
| C．Natural disasters near the forest | D．Burning the rain forest for the land |
| A．To tell that there are many different animals in the Amazon rain forest. |
| B．To explain through some figures that the size of the Amazon rain forest is quite large. |
| C．To indicate what will disappear in the Amazon rain forest if nations don’t take any action. |
| D．To emphasize that the Amazon rain forest is important and unique. |
| A．Getting larger | B．Getting smaller | C．Being protected | D．Being cleared |
| A．Farmers and builders are clearing the land |
| B．The destruction of the land is steady |
| C．The local people refuse to protect the rain forest. |
| D．The rain forest in the Amazon is facing great danger |
| A．The government of Brazil should take full responsibility. |
| B．Laws should be established to stop farmers from cutting and burning the forest. |
| C．Brazil and other countries should work together to protect the Amazon. |
| D．Brazil cannot make any more efforts to stop illegal burning and logging. |
| A．Life in the Amazon Rain Forest | B．The World’s Natural Treasures |
| C．Travel Around the Amazon | D．Protect the Amazon Together |
1.跑步捡垃圾的现状；
2.它的优点；
3.提出倡议。
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.可以话当加细节，以使行文连贯。
参考词汇：跑步捡垃圾 plogging
My dear friends,
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Li Hua
69-year-old Xia Boyu recently became the oldest double amputee (双侧截肢者) to climb Mount Qomolangma. That is amazing, but even what is more impressive is the fact that he did it after he tried four times.
Xia Boyu’s first try to reach the top of Mount Qomolangma was in 1975, as part of an expedition (远征) by the Chinese Government. With only 250 meters to go from reaching the top, the team was stopped by bad weather. To make sure that everyone made it back alive, the team decided to turn back and finish their dream another time.
On the way, Xia Boyu gave his sleeping bag to one of his teammates who was in worse shape than him. Unluckily, this selfless act made him lose both his feet to frostbite (冻伤).
In 1996, Xia Boyu got cancer. But it also didn’t stop the mountain climber from realizing his dream of climbing the world’s highest peak. “Climbing Mount Qomolangma is my dream, ” Xia said. “I have to realize it. It also stands for a personal challenge, a challenge of fate. ”
Over twenty years after losing his feet, Xia Boyu trained to get his body ready for another try at climbing Mount Qomolangma. In 2014, he tried again, but finally had to turn back because of bad weather. The same thing happened the following year, as well as in 2016.
In 2018, Xia Boyu finally reached the top of Mount Qomolangma on his fifth try. He thus became only the second double amputee to climb the world’s highest mountain top, after Mark Inglis from New Zealand, who did it in 2006, and the first to do it from the Nepal (尼泊尔) side.
Answer the following questions with no more than 7 words.
1. How many times did Xia Boyu try to climb Mount Qomolangma?
2. Who is the first double amputee to climb the world’s highest mountain top?
3. When was Xia Boyu’s first try to reach the top of Mount Qomolangma?
4. Why did Xia Boyu give up trying while climbing Mount Qomolangma in 2014?
5. What happened to him after Xia Boyu gave his sleeping bag to his teammate?
4 . Wind power is a very clean source of energy. This is how wind power works. Wind makes windmills spin(旋转). When the windmills spin, they make electricity. Then we can use the electricity.
A lot of people think that wind power is new, but that’s not true. For thousands of years, people have used wind to sail boats and move water. We still do those things today, but these days we mostly use wind power to make electricity.
Wind power is a very popular source of energy. Most people think that we should use it more and more. First of all, it’s clean. Windmills don’t pollute the environment at all. Second, we can use wind power forever. After all, we will always have wind. Also, wind power is cheap, and it’s getting even cheaper.
A lot of people don’t understand wind power very well. They believe that there are problems with wind power, but many of those problems are not real. For example, some people say that windmills are dangerous for birds. They used to be true, but it isn’t true anymore. Old windmills killed birds because they spun very fast. New windmills spin slowly, and they aren’t dangerous for birds.
However, there are real problems with windmills. One problem is that many people think windmills are very ugly. This is a problem for people, because windmills are often in very pretty areas. Also, wind doesn’t blow all the time, so we can’t use wind power all the time. Finally, windmills are noisy.
Wind power is becoming more and more common. Right now, more than 80 countries use wind power. About 2.5 percent of the world’s power comes from the wind. For some countries, that number is a lot higher. Wind power gives Denmark more than 25 percent of its electricity.
1. Why DON’T new windmills kill birds? Because ________.| A．birds don’t fly near them | B．they are shorter than old windmills |
| C．they spin slowly | D．new windmills don’t spin |
| A．Over 1,000 years ago. | B．About 500 years ago. |
| C．About 80 years ago. | D．About 25 years ago. |
| A．We can’t use windmills at night |
| B．Windmills break all the time |
| C．Wind doesn’t blow all the time |
| D．Windmills are too expensive to use all the time |
| A．Most people don’t like it. | B．Denmark doesn’t use it. |
| C．It’s getting more expensive. | D．It’s getting cheaper. |
| A．Dangerous Birds | B．Popular and Clean Wind Power |
| C．Cheap and Clean Energy | D．Expensive Windmills |
The author
6 . In order to save the rare northern spotted owl, biologists are doing something that goes against their heart — shooting another owl that’s rapidly taking over spotted owls’ territory (领地) across the northwest.
During the 1990s, a few barred owls showed up in an area of forests along Redwood Creek that was spotted owls’ territory. Barred owls, which reproduce much faster than spotted owls, now claim nearly all this territory. No spotted owls have nested here in recent years.
“It’s very annoying and there’s nothing that’s going to stop this expansion of barred owls,” says Diller, who has studied spotted owls for 25 years. The only possible solution forces him to go against his nature.
Diller’s a hunter, but he was taught never to kill a bird or anything you didn’t plan to eat. Diller remembers the first time he took a shot. “I was so nervous about what I was doing that I had to steady myself against a tree.” Over the past five years, Diller has killed more than 70 barred owls with a shotgun. “I hate it every time I go out and do it,” he says. People recognized that there’s a crisis for spotted owls and those barred owls are part of the cause of that crisis. So, they unwillingly attempted to kill the barred owls.
A group, Friends of Animals, doesn’t believe the government can make a moral argument for shooting an animal, even if it would benefit another animal.
“I don’t see that as being a solution. At some point you have to allow these species to either figure out a way to coexist or for nature to run its course,” says Michael Harris, director of Friends of Animals.
But Diller argues that is an absurd thing to say after all the way humans have changed nature. People cut down most of the forests that used to host barred owls. They made lots of changes to the Great Plains, which he believes helped the barred owl move across the continent.
For Diller, seeing rare spotted owls increase in the forests is worth the pain of shooting barred owls.
“Probably what makes spotted owls so special is the fact that they fly right up to you,” Diller says. “You get to interact with them. It’s almost impossible for a biologist not to fall in love with these birds — they’re just the neatest animal.”
1. According to the passage, spotted owls lost their habitats directly because ________.| A．the Great Plains was changed greatly |
| B．they are invaded by barred owls |
| C．people cut down many trees in the forests |
| D．people shot spotted owls a lot |
| A．he thought it wrong to do it |
| B．he planned to eat a barred owl |
| C．he was afraid of frightening owls |
| D．he used a shotgun for the first time |
| A．shooting an animal is a moral choice |
| B．humans shouldn’t interfere with natural selection |
| C．it is foolish to expect animals to coexist |
| D．thousands of barred owls should be killed |
| A．all people will love spotted owls at the first sight |
| B．biologists consider spotted owls the cleverest animals |
| C．spotted owls can be the favorite pets of people |
| D．people can get close to spotted owls |
| A．Removing barred owls is easier than thought |
| B．Spotted owls are becoming endangered birds |
| C．Another species is shot to save threatened owls |
| D．Shooting invasive animals is becoming effective |
7 . The worldwide 20th century “Green Revolution”, which saw huge year-by-year increases in global grain yields (产量),was fueled by the development in the 1960s of new high-yielding dwarfed (矮小) varieties known as Green Revolution Varieties (GRVs).
These dwarfed GRVs are common all over the world in today’s wheat and rice crops. Because they are dwarfed, with short stems, GRVs devote relatively more resources than tall plants to the growth of grains rather than stems, and are less likely to suffer yield losses from wind and rain damage. However, the growth of GRVs requires farmers to use large amounts of nitrogen fertilizers (氮肥) in their fields. These fertilizers are costly to farmers and cause extensive damage to the natural environment. The development of new GRVs combining high yields with reduced fertilizer requirements is thus a global agricultural goal.
Researchers at the University of Oxford and the Chinese Academy of Science have discovered for the first time a gene that can help reach the goal. Comparing 36 different dwarfed rice varieties, the researchers identified a novel natural gene that helps increase the rate at which plants make use of nitrogen from the soil. This gene, called GRF4, can increase the amount of a protein (蛋白质) in plant cells. GRF4 is actually a promoter that encourages the activity of other genes—genes that promote nitrogen uptake (摄入). Professor Harberd said, “Increasing GRF4 levels could contribute to an increase in the grain yields of GRVs, especially at low fertilizer input levels.”
The researchers say the latest rice variety containing GRVs should now become a major target for farmers in increasing crop yields and fertilizer use efficiency, with the aim of achieving the global grain yield increases necessary to feed a growing world population at a reduced environmental cost. It is very urgent at the moment.
Professor Harberd added, “This study is an example of how studying fundamental science objectives can lead rapidly to potential solutions to global challenges. It shows how the discovery can enable chances for food security and future new green revolutions.”
1. What can we know about dwarfed GRVs?| A．They have higher yield and taller stems. |
| B．They are a “double-edged sword”. |
| C．They are environmentally friendly. |
| D．They can be easily affected by weather. |
| A．Increasing the rate of nitrogen use. |
| B．Producing cheaper nitrogen fertilizers. |
| C．Using fewer fertilizers to produce more grains. |
| D．Finding a gene to solve agricultural problems. |
| A．It promotes other genes' activity. |
| B．It increases the output of crops. |
| C．It takes in nitrogen from the soil. |
| D．It lowers fertilizer input levels. |
| A．Decreasing the amount of fertilizers required by GRVs. |
| B．Encouraging farmers to adopt the new rice variety. |
| C．Calling on farmers to use effective fertilizers. |
| D．Focusing on the improvement of GRF4. |
| A．GRVs—a potential measure to achieve global food security. |
| B．The influence of agricultural development on the environment. |
| C．The importance of raising public awareness of global issues. |
| D．GRF4—foundation for new green revolutions. |
8 . As she was waiting for her flight at a Chengdu airport, Cai Xiao noticed several tiny dead yellow birds lying on the ground outside an enormous window at the two-story terminal building. Deeply saddened by her discovery, Cai took photos of the dead animals and emailed them to a nationwide scientific survey of bird-window collisions（撞击）that aims to gather data to provide evidence of the existence of this issue in China.
Li Binbin, an assistant professor of Environmental Sciences at Duke Kunshan University in Jiangsu province, led the survey, working with several Chinese bird-watching societies starting from March this year. She said that, so far, they have found bird collisions recorded in most parts of the country, and of the 26 species involved, two-thirds were migratory birds（候鸟）.
In order to pursue the transparency（透明度）of space, mankind has put up countless glass buildings, creating a disaster for birds, which have trouble seeing glass. They see reflections in glass as open space and fly into it at full speed. Sometimes birds appear to recover from their injuries and fly away, but they may later suffer internal injuries that leads to death.
In the United States, up to 1 billion birds die each year from hitting windows. Although there is a lack of data, scientists estimate that the number is similar in China, given that the country's east coast is on a major migratory route for birds.
Li launched the survey after witnessing a dozen bird collisions on campus. In 2018, the scholar and her students delivered a report to the university, recommending that it replace windows where most of the collisions happened. The school authorities worried that such an effort would damage the aesthetics（美观）of the buildings. After several discussions, they finally decided to use stickers to decorate windows and reduce glass reflections, Li recalled. This simple effort resulted in collisions at the site being reduced to almost zero.
In the design plan for the future campus project, Li saw that several of her suggestions were adopted: lowering the use of large windows；adding window designs with strips or other patterns to reduce reflections.
For those concerned with the issue, the main question is how to raise awareness of the problem. Li said the first step should be to gather enough data. So far, more than 130 individuals and 33 birding societies have reported bird collisions to her survey.
1. According to Para. 1, what happened at the airport?| A．Some yellow birds were lying on the ground. |
| B．Cai sent the dead birds to a nationwide scientific survey of bird-window collisions. |
| C．Cai found that some birds had been killed by window collisions. |
| D．Cai missed her flight because of the bird collisions. |
| A．The purpose of putting up more glass buildings is to blind birds. |
| B．All the birds were killed instantly. |
| C．The birds would like to fly into glass to see their reflections. |
| D．Glass buildings could easily cause bird collisions. |
| A．Li and her students' report saved a lot of birds. |
| B．The school authorities refused to damage the aesthetics of the buildings. |
| C．Finally, Li and her students used stickers to decorate windows and reduce glass reflections. |
| D．The school authorities replaced windows where most of the collisions happened. |
| A．How to draw people's attention to this issue? |
| B．There are too many glass buildings. |
| C．How to reduce glass reflections? |
| D．How to reduce bird collisions without damaging the aesthetics of the buildings? |
| A．The Trouble with Glass Buildings | B．Ways to Protect Birds |
| C．A Survey of Bird-window Collisions | D．Fly to the Reflection |
1. 目前汽车带来的空气污染和交通堵塞问题；
2. 骑自行车的益处，既能环保，有利健康等。
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
参考词汇：低碳生活 (low-carbon life)；节能 (energy saving)
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10 . The whale, as big as a locomotive (火车头), jumped out of the water, spinning (旋转) as though for joy, before jumping back under the waves. We watched silently in astonishment, never having been so close to such a huge, fast-moving creature. It seemed almost possible to count the small shellfish on the whale's skin.
In early December, gray whales, blue whales, and others had just started heading around the tip of Baja California, Mexico, moving as a community from the Pacific Ocean to the Sea of Cortez. It's in that protected waterway that pregnant whales give birth to their babies. Other whale babies, born the year before, could be seen sailing behind. All whale babies get two trips like this with their mom before they're ready to start having babies of their own and making the journey on their own.
We're in one of several small powerboats, sent out by ScubaCaribe, which carries on such tours in Cabo San Lucas, the whales seemed to be, at times, less than 100 feet from our boat when they rushed out of the water. At other times, they would get much closer and swim beside the boat.
“What if one lands on us?” a woman next to me wondered. Fernando Del Toro, the Destination Manager of ScubaCaribe said, “We haven't had any incidents (事件) of whales jumping over our boats as we always keep our distance. We're sure they themselves are probably careful not to crash into boats. Such an accident would probably also cause them much harm.”
“Everyone can enjoy this magical trip,” said Del Toro. “However, we do not recommend (推荐) it for kids under 5 years old,” he added.
Though conditions on the water vary, our trip was wonderful. Even when the boat sped up to catch up with the whales, there was little need to “hang on”, and some of us remained standing throughout most of the trip. Still, you may want to pack medicine for those who might get seasick while bouncing (颠簸行进) along the waves.
1. How does the author start the text?| A．By telling a story. | B．By asking questions. |
| C．By describing a scene. | D．By giving background information. |
| A．Proud. | B．Worried. | C．Amazed. | D．Discouraged. |
| A．A description of the author's journey. | B．A list of best places for whale-watching. |
| C．An introduction to the travelling of whales. | D．A suggestion on taking a whale-watching tour. |
| A．It is suitable for all ages. | B．It is much too dangerous. |
| C．It may cause serious damage to wildlife. | D．It should be done from a proper distance. |
| A．It was smooth. | B．It was exhausting. |
| C．It was destroyed by a storm. | D．It was terrible due to his seasickness. |
