1 . Scientists have reported that the sea ice in Antarctica (南极) is at a record low level. Antarctica is a great, icy land, surrounded (围绕) by the huge Southern Ocean. The ice in Antarctica doesn’t just cover the land. There’s also a large area of sea ice on the ocean’s surface.

Every year, the sea ice at the South Pole goes through a cycle. In the summer, the huge sea ice melts (融化) to its smallest point. Over the colder winter months, the sea ice grows and grows until it covers a wide area. Usually, the sea ice covers the greatest area around September 23, as winter ends at the South Pole.

Scientists have been measuring the area of the sea ice in Antarctica since 1979. For most of this time, Antarctica has seemed to be almost unaffected by the changing weather conditions experienced in other parts of the globe. That began to change around 2016. Now, for several years, the area of Antartica’s sea ice has been shrinking.

This year, the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC) reported that Antartica’s sea ice covered its greatest area on September 10 — almost two weeks earlier than normal. And the sea ice was at a new record low-not just by a little bit, but by a lot.

The last time Antartica’s low sea ice set a record at the end of winter was in 1986. And this year, there’s about 398, 000 square miles less sea ice than in 1986.

Scientists are still trying to understand what is driving the change in Antarctica. One likely direct cause for the change is the rising temperatures of the world’s oceans. Ted Scambos, a research scientist at the University of Colorado, says Antarctica’s ice levels have always changed some, but the sharp loss this year is “pointing towards warmer ocean conditions around the continent.”

The new low record has concerned the scientists. Scientists are working hard to better understand Antarctica. They don’t know yet if this is just a short-term problem, or part of a long-term shift (转变) towards less sea ice in Antarctica.

1. What does the underlined word “shrinking” mean in Paragraph 3?

A．Getting smaller.

B．Being flat.

C．Observed.

D．Measured.

2. Why does the author mention the record in 1986?

A．To give an example.	B．To make a comparison.
C．To make a summary.	D．To offer an argument.

3. What is the possible direct reason for the change in Antarctica’s sea ice?

A．The changing weather conditions.	B．Human activities in Antarctica.
C．Increased volcanic activities in the area.	D．The increasing temperatures of the global oceans.

4. How do scientists feel about the low record?

A．Worried.

B．Annoyed.

C．Excited.

D．Satisfied.

2 . In the past few weeks, Richard Eckersley has noticed a change in the type of people who come into his shop. In 2017, the former Manchester United footballer set up Earth. Food. Love in Tones, Devon, with his wife, Nicola. It’s the UK’s first “zero waste” store—the food is in big jars and boxes and people bring their own containers. “A lot of new people are coming in-people who have not necessarily been interested in environmental issues before”, he says.

Recently, the government called for supermarkets to introduce plastic-free passageways. But Eckersley says many customers are already way ahead of politicians. He and Nicola have helped people set up similar stores in Wales, Birmingham, and Bristol. Ingrid Caldironi had a similar idea. She set up a plastic-free shop in London last year, which has been so popular that it is soon moving to a bigger site.

Eckersley and Caldironi are members of an anti-plastics movement in the UK that has been growing as a result of the BBC’s Blue Planet series and a general worry about the damage plastic is doing to the environment. But big supermarkets have so far not tried very hard to reduce their plastic waste. Sian Sutherland, founder of the movement “A Plastic Planet”, says, “The most exciting thing is that politicians and industry are no longer saying that recycling will solve the problem. Banning the use of plastic packaging for food and drink products is the only answer.” Walking down the passageways of the supermarket where everything from pizza to fresh fruit and vegetables is covered in plastic. Sutherland says immediate action is needed.

Plastic pollution is causing widespread global damage. More than one million plastic bottles are bought around the world every minute, and most end up in landfill or the sea. The contamination is so wide that tap water around the world also contains plastic.

1. What is special about Earth. Food. Love?

A．It gives away boxes of food.	B．It is a store without plastic bags.
C．It has few new customers.	D．It is the UK’s first supermarket.

2. What caused Caldironi’s shop to be relocated to a larger place?

A．Its popularity.

B．Its products.

C．Its profits.

D．Its similarity.

3. What does the underlined word “contamination” in last paragraph mean?

A．Pollution.

B．Acceptance.

C．Influence.

D．Application.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．The impact of BBC’s Blue Planet series on anti-plastics movements.

B．Rising anti-plastics movement alongside increasing environmental concerns.

C．A guide to setting up plastic-free stores to promote recycling in the whole UK.

D．Richard Eckersley’s personal journey in waste reduction and pollution prevention.

3 . Pacific Coast Range

Stretching along the west coast of North America from northern California to Alaska, the forests found along the Pacific Coast Range are the largest area of temperate (温带的) rainforest in the world. The forests are home to the coast redwood, the world’s tallest tree. Across the region, the forest understory (林下叶层) is wet and heavily vegetated.

Taiheiyo Evergreen Forests

Found in southern Japan, they are temperate rainforests of evergreen broadleaf trees. The forests can receive more than 100 inches of rain every year. The forests are covered by Japanese cedar and Japanese stone oak, while moso bamboo comprise the understory. The extent of the Taiheiyo forests has been reduced due to development and agriculture. Today,17%of the remaining forest is protected by national parks and other reserves.

Atlantic Oakwood Forest

The Atlantic Oakwood Forest covers the wettest parts of the United Kingdom. A species of oak tree (橡树) called sessile oak occupies the landscape. Unlike other temperate forests, these forests tend to have an open understory of grasses. Much of the historical range of the forest has given to agriculture and other development, though that has changed in recent decades.

Valdivian Temperate Rainforest

This forest is found on the west coast of Chile and Argentina, on the wet, western slopes (斜坡) of the Andes mountain range. With the coastline to the west, the peaks of the Andes to the east, and the Atacama Desert to the north, the region supports a number of plant and animal species found nowhere else in the world. Uniquely, the forest is covered by evergreen flowering trees, which are native to Chile and little known outside the region.

1. Which of the four forest areas occupies the most land?

A．Pacific Coast Range.	B．Taiheiyo Evergreen Forests.
C．Atlantic Oakwood Forest.	D．Valdivian Temperate Rainforest.

2. What do Taiheiyo Evergreen Forests and Atlantic Oakwood Forest have in common?

A．They have open understory grasses.	B．They’re home to extremely tall trees.
C．They’re of great historical significance.	D．They used to be affected by agriculture.

3. What is unique to Valdivian Temperate Rainforest?

A．Wet climate.	B．Coastal location.
C．Evergreen flowering trees.	D．Well-protected national parks.

6 . The combined quantity of water on Earth has varied over the course of our planet’s geological history, and it still does.

Today, Earth includes some 1,386 million cubic kilometres of water, a volume that includes water in oceans, lakes and rivers, plus ground water, vapour in the atmosphere, and the frozen water of glaciers and ice caps. On the young Earth — some four billion years ago — vast quantities of water were added to the planet by ice-containing comets (a mass of ice and dust that moves around the sun and looks like a bright star with a tail) that struck us, eventually making our world a “blue planet”. But such events became increasingly rare in Earth’s more recent history, and today we are in an age during which Earth is losing water.

The water loss is due to the fact that particles (微粒) sometimes escape Earth’s gravity to travel into space. This is particularly true of the light hydrogen atoms that form part of water molecules (分子) together with oxygen. Every time the atmosphere loses hydrogen, we lose one of the building blocks of water. Scientists estimate that Earth loses about 3kg of hydrogen per second. At this pace, Earth would run out of water in three billion years — but that assumes that we don’t get any new water supplies.

New water need not come from space — it might come from the inside of the Earth. At depths below 50km, minerals contain water that is not reckoned within the water cycle. Some of it dates back to Earth’s formation; the rest is part of slow geological exchange between the planet’s layers. When Earth’s plates sink and melt, deep minerals can release these bound water molecules so that they can subsequently rise to the surface via volcanic eruptions, adding to the planet’s overall water resources.

1. How did Earth become a “blue planet” in geological time?

A．By getting water from comets	B．By making use of glaciers.
C．By releasing its inside water.	D．By storing water in the ocean.

2. What is the scientists’ attitude towards the water loss on Earth?

A．Serious.

B．Regretful.

C．Uncertain.

D．Unworried.

3. The underlined word “reckoned” in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to “________”.

A．locked

B．displayed

C．counted

D．marked

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

A．Where Can Water Be Stored?	B．Could Earth Run Out of Water?
C．How Can New Water Be Found?	D．Will There Be More Water on Earth?

7 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文

At the time of this writing. I have reached the age of 105. As I look back, I think of the many wonderful things that have happened in my long life. many of which have served to strengthen my belief that miracles really do happen. One of these that I recall today happened many years ago but is still as fresh in my mind as if it had happened yesterday.

Peter was a Russian Wolfhound (Borzoi) with the typical tall, long-legged build of the hunter he was supposed to be but never was. He weighed close to eighty-five pounds and had the long nose and narrow head of the Borzoi, so narrow that it didn’t seem to have much room for brains. In Peter’s case, it didn’t. He became easily confused, but his gentle nature made up for his lack of intelligence.

On the day in question, I had gathered up my dogs. one Old English Sheepdog, one Whippet rescue, and Peter. They were all settled in my covered pickup truck bed, and was headed out for our daily exercise, six miles into the country where there was no leash (绳) law and they could run free. They were all trained not to chase wild animals, to stay reasonably close. and to come when called.

After I had walked for about ten minutes, I noticed one dog was missing. Peter, of course! It seemed obvious that he had stopped to investigate some irresistible (不可抗的) smell, and then, becoming confused, had turned back the way we had just come, He would easily be able to follow our track, but in the wrong direction. And when a Borzoi runs, he covers a lot of ground in a very short time.

Feeling guilty, knowing I should have kept a closer watch on him, I retraced (折返) my steps, calling and whistling, but there was no sign of him. It was winter and would soon be dark. In desperation, I started to pray. “Please God, keep Peter safe.”

注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；

2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

After half an hour of calling at the top of my voice. I finally decided to drive the two other dogs home.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Upon reaching home, I discovered a long nose waiting at the doorway.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8 . As days are getting shorter and colder, people can often find themselves feeling sad or lacking the motivation to do anything. One possible reason for those feelings is seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which is common during the cold months.     1     If your dog loses interest in its favourite games or walks, they may be experiencing it. Here’s how to give your dog’s mood a boost.

Pay close attention to your dog’s behaviour.

Analyzing your dog’s behaviour will help you get a better understanding of whether they may be feeling sad.     2     Knowing what to expect throughout the day and feeling comfortable in their surroundings is very important for a dog.

    3    

Even when you’re inside, make sure to spend time playing or training your dog. Try to come up with new games that require you to interact with your dog. This is a great way to get your pet excited and boost their mood, and yours, too.

Provide them with as much sunlight as possible.

As with humans, the lack of sunlight during the winter can cause lower mood levels, so it is very important for your dog to get as much sunlight exposure as possible.     4     You can also try other strategies such as moving their bed closer to a window, or even use more artificial lighting.

Ensure your dogs get exercise during the day.

The winter months are colder and darker, and it might be inviting to skip an exercise or a walk outside, but much like humans, this can have a significant effect on your dog’s mood.     5    

A．Spend time interacting with your dog.

B．Calm your dog down with relaxing activities.

C．Whenever possible, take your dog outside for a walk.

D．Observe their behaviour for a while and speak to a vet if needed.

E．While we know people can suffer from SAD, can dogs get SAD too?

F．Changes in routine or environment can cause your dog to feel unwell.

G．Even a short walk can help improve your dog’s mood and also your own.

9 . Janet Kelly and her husband, DaQuan Davis, were out shopping one afternoon when DaQuan’s brother, Demetrius, called in a panic. Some children playing with a lighter in the downstairs apartment ______ a fire, and the whole house was on fire. ______, Janet’s two youngest children were still inside. But when they got back, they learned that their children were ______.

That’s when Janet ______ that their dog, named Blue, had played a big role in ______ their youngest daughter. Demetrius ______ the older one of the two children out first, but when he ______ for the younger one, the smoke was ______ and things were falling all around him, Blue had ______ Demetrius outside, and then he ran back into the house for the younger child. “He was circling around my daughter and ______. Firefighters arrived in minutes. They followed Blue’s sounds to ______ the child,” Janet said.

The family were especially ______ to Blue. “He’s the sweetest dog,” Janet said. “Blue will bark at strangers, but once he knows you’re OK, he’ll drop onto his back for belly rubs.” Blue has clearly been affected by the ______ and he now barks whenever he sees candles or someone lighting a cigarette. ______, Blue has become a bit of a ______ for the family. Blue, you’re the ultimate good boy

1.

A．found

B．started

C．fought

D．stopped

2.

A．As a result

B．In addition

C．On the contrary

D．Worse still

3.

A．safe

B．healthy

C．panic

D．hungry

4.

A．assumed

B．learned

C．decided

D．predicted

5.

A．rescuing

B．persuading

C．contacting

D．adopting

6.

A．ordered

B．took

C．picked

D．pointed

7.

A．looked out

B．made room

C．went back

D．brought food

8.

A．gone

B．mild

C．detectable

D．thick

9.

A．checked

B．threw

C．followed

D．cheated

10.

A．staring

B．praying

C．listening

D．barking

11.

A．wake

B．locate

C．comfort

D．direct

12.

A．grateful

B．rude

C．familiar

D．generous

13.

A．news

B．incident

C．conflict

D．change

14.

A．Similarly

B．Occasionally

C．Apparently

D．Surprisingly

15.

A．babysitter

B．housekeeper

C．manservant

D．firefighter

10 . Coral reefs in Florida have lost an estimated 90% of their corals in the last 40 years. This summer, a marine heat wave hit Florida’s coral reefs. The record high temperatures created an extremely stressful environment for the coral reefs, which are currently also experiencing intense coral bleaching (白化).

A coral is an animal, which has a symbiotic relationship with a microscopic algae (藻类). The algae gets energy from the sun and shares it with the coral internally. The coral builds a rock-like structure, which makes up most of the reef, providing homes and food for many organisms that live there. Coral bleaching is when the symbiotic relationship breaks down. Without the algae, the corals appear white because the rock skeleton becomes visible. If the bleaching continues for an extended period, the corals can starve to death without the energy.

Florida is on the front lines of climate change. It is also on the cutting edge of restoration science. Many labs, institutions and other organizations are working nonstop to protect and maintain the coral reefs. This includes efforts to understand what is troubling the reef, from disease outbreaks to coastal development impacts. It also includes harvesting coral spawn (卵), or growing and planting coral parts. Scientists moved many coral nurseries into deeper water and shore-based facilities during this marine heat wave. They are digging into the DNA of the coral to discover which species will survive best in future.

There are some bright spots in the story, however. Some corals have recovered from the bleaching, and many did not bleach at all. In addition, researchers recorded coral spawning. Although it’s not clear yet whether the larvae (幼虫) will be successful in the wild, it’s a sign of recovery potential. If the baby corals survive, they will be able to regrow the reef. They just have to avoid one big boss: human-induced climate change.

1. What does the underlined word “symbiotic” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Reliable.

B．Opposite.

C．Harmonious.

D．Contradictory.

2. What caused the coral bleaching?

A．The rock skeleton.	B．The microscopic algae.
C．The high temperatures.	D．The symbiotic relationship.

3. Which is not the efforts scientists made to help coral reefs?

A．Transferring coral nurseries.	B．Growing and planting coral spawn.
C．Researching the DNA of the coral.	D．Figuring out the reasons for problems.

4. Which of the following best describes the impact of scientists’ efforts?

A．Identifiable.

B．Predictable.

C．Far-reaching.

D．Effective.