1 . Every year, as many as 50, 000 elephants in Africa are killed illegally for their tusks (象牙). Now scientists have improved DNA methods that allow them to match up elephant tusks, and help track down criminals that are selling them.
Even though it’s against the law, African elephants have long been killed by criminals for their tusks. Other people, called “traffickers”, buy the tusks and transport them out of the country on a ship. The traffickers re-sell the tusks for even more money, usually in Asia. Elephant tusks can sell for about $1, 000 a kilogram.
In the past, it was hard to catch the criminals. Usually by the time the dead animals were found, the illegal hunters had been far away. And when traffickers were caught with elephant tusks, it was impossible to say where the tusks came from. Traffickers usually hide them in tricky ways inside shipments of other products. That means that only about 10% of tusks from illegally killed elephants are ever found.
Several years ago, scientists led by Dr. Samuel Wasser figured out a new way to solve the problem. Using elephant waste, they built a list of the DNA of almost all elephants in Africa.
Now when elephant tusks are found on a ship in another country, DNA tests can show where they came from. This information can trigger quick action in the country where the animals were killed. It can also help the police discover patterns in the ways the illegal hunters and traffickers work.
Dr. Wasser is hopeful that the method of using DNA information from elephants to track illegally killed wildlife will soon be adopted to help protect other kinds of animals and break up more criminal groups.
1. Why do scientists use DNA information from elephants?| A．To improve the health of elephant tusks. |
| B．To keep track of the illegal dealers. |
| C．To protect elephants against natural disasters. |
| D．To research into elephants’ habits. |
| A．The way they are transported. |
| B．The lack of tracking technology. |
| C．The difficulty in catching criminals. |
| D．The various tricks of illegal hunters. |
| A．start with | B．result from | C．hold back | D．lead to |
| A．It can make all criminals have nowhere to hide. |
| B．It can scare away potential illegal hunters. |
| C．It can be widely used in wildlife protection. |
| D．It can make elephant tusk sales unprofitable. |
2 . I did not go on my first hike until my mid-30s. I could blame it on the fact that I grew up on the Great Plains of South Dakota and North Dakota. But mostly, to be honest, I just wasn't interested.
I went on my first hike a few years back while living in Vernont. At the urging of my wife, and with my two young kids, we walked a beautiful forest path on a cool August morning.
A few weeks ago, my 11-year-old son, my 61-year-old dad, and I hiked Camelbeack Mountain in Phoenix.
Now, just to be clear, by no means would I classify myself as an expert hiker. I love the stillness and calm of an empty path
| A．I've fallen in love with climbing mountains. |
| B．I carried a small backpack with water and snacks. |
| C．If you can climb a mountain, you can do anything. |
| D．I didn't see the value and always shook my head when asked. |
| E．It is healthy physical exercise that creates wonderful memories. |
| F．And I have no plans to climb Mount Kilimanjaro or walk the Appalachian Trail. |
| G．Last weekend, I hiked down the Grand Canyon with my son along the South Kaibab Trail. |
3 .
You know, we do not mean to scare you with all this talk about bad weather. The country also has lots of really nice weather. If you ever plan a trip to the United States, just be sure to read the local weather reports.
| A．Hurricanes are ocean storms that strike mainly in the Southeast |
| B．The United States has all sorts of geography |
| C．That way you can get prepared for whatever the weather may bring |
| D．In summer, some areas get very hot and the air is very wet |
| E．The winter is warm in Florida |
| F．The oceans affect weather along the coasts |
| G．To know about the local weather conditions |
4 . You might expect to hear parrots like these in the wild in South America. But these birds are actually nesting in the middle of Chicago. Despite being known as monk parakeets (和尚鹦鹅), the green-and-gray birds are true parrots. And they’ve been living in the Windy City since the 1970s. But not just there.
“There are monk parakeets in many, many states. They’re breeding (繁殖) in around 21 states,” said Jenny Uehling, a Ph. D. student now at Cornell, who was at the University of Chicago when she studied these birds. Certain populations will appear in certain states and then, you know disappear, but they’re by far the most widespread of any of the species.
Uehling wanted to know how many non-native parrots were living in the US. To do this, “we used eBird and Christmas Bind Count, or CBC. We use these two databases because they have the largest spatial distribution of data, basically, for the United States”. Uehling and her team looked at data collected from 2002 to 2016 and concluded that there were 56 different species of parrots living free in 43 states, Of these species, 25 of them had become naturalized, that is “able to successfully breed and keep their own population without the addition of additional individuals from captivity (圈养).”
Most of these non-native parrots were either set free by owners or escaped from captivity. Some established breeding populations. And some of these new populations are saving entire bird species.
“The red-crowned parrot is declining in its native range, so are the monk parakeets. And so I think that leads to a really interesting question of, you know: Could we possibly use these populations of non-native parrot species to understand the biology of a species declining in its native range?”
Florida may have a half-million monk parakeets. And they’re even hardy enough to live year-round in Brooklyn and the Bronx, as well as Chicago. And if you’ve ever heard the noise they make, it’s clear that these monks never promised silence."
1. What does the underlined part “Windy City” in Paragraph I refer to?| A．Chicago. | B．Florida. | C．Brooklyn. | D．The Bronx. |
| A．To protect monk parakeets. |
| B．To study the living habits of monk parakeets. |
| C．To understand the biology of a species declining in the US. |
| D．To calculate the number of non-native parrots living in the US. |
| A．They are dying out. |
| B．They are making the biggest noise. |
| C．They are declining in its native range. |
| D．They are living in 50 states of the US. |
| A．A diary. | B．A magazine. | C．A novel. | D．A guidebook. |
5 . Imagine you are on a cold mountain with steep rocks around. As you climb higher, the air gets thinner and the sun’s rays stronger. Just before you reach the snowline, you find what you came for—a small white flower, the edelweiss, which only grows in alpine areas.
Plants face many challenges living in alpine areas, and only 200 kinds of plants can grow there. Plants rely on oxygen, water, and sunlight to make their own food through the process of photosynthesis. The alpine means less CO2, which makes the process more difficult. It also brings plants closer to the sun. The sunlight is so strong that it can burn a plant’s leaves. There is little water here, so the soil is dry and rocky. You also won’t find high trees because the cold wind would blow them over！
Alpine plants have advantages that help them survive the bad conditions. Like all alpine plants, the edelweiss stays close to the ground to avoid the wind. The cold water is deep underground, so the edelweiss grows very deep roots. Its leaves have a thick covering, which protects the plant from the wind and the sun’s bright rays. All these special characteristics help it grow, but very slowly.
The edelweiss can live in the conditions, but humans can’t. Climbing in the high and cold mountains is dangerous and difficult. This is why the edelweiss became such a special flower. Long ago, a young man would pick an edelweiss flower to prove his love to a girl, although it was risky. Many men died while trying. Getting the flower proved that the man was physically strong, brave, and devoted.
Alpine plants can’t spread seeds, so it’s difficult for new plants to grow. Once all the edelweiss flowers are gone in an area, they will not regroup. Governments help protect the edelweiss because it is considered an endangered plant.
1. The first two paragraphs mainly describe ________ .| A．the process of photosynthesis | B．the appearance of the edelweiss |
| C．the growing environment of the edelweiss | D．the challenge of mountain climbing |
| A．it grows high and strong | B．it can get more sunlight |
| C．its leaves’ covering is thin | D．its deep roots can get water |
| A．It is planted in large quantities. | B．It is a symbol of bravery. |
| C．It is a shade loving plant. | D．It spreads its seeds by wind. |
| A．To introduce a special flower. | B．To compare different alpine plants. |
| C．To warn people not to pick flowers. | D．To encourage people to protect plants. |
Waste Management Booming
Several sculptures made from cans, tires and plastic bottles
It was in 2018，when President Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of trash classification，
Besides the efforts made by the government, many companies are entering the trash separation and recycling market. Huazhan Environment,
7 . Polar bear mothers invest a huge amount into their cubs (幼兽), isolating themselves in dens (兽穴) dug with great effort into piles of snow to provide care through the unforgiving conditions of Arctic winter. It’s little wonder that the bears are hesitant to leave when disturbed, even when oil drilling equipment is in operation nearby.
“We found that bears wouldn’t abandon their dens even with vehicles driving right overhead,” says Wesley Larson, who worked his way from office assistant to a graduate student position with Utah’s Brigham Young University, monitoring polar bears on Alaska’s North Slope.
Scientists have recorded an increase in human-wildlife conflict in the area, as offshore pack ice has decreased, forcing the bear population to create their dens closer to petrol industry activity. With increased industry interest in oil and gas leasing (租赁) in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, strong evidence to help support and carry out protective measures for the species has never been more important.
Wildlife managers in Alaska depend on a rule that industrial activity and research cannot take place within 1. 6 km of a den with newborn babies in it. Working with 15 years of monitoring records, and 30 years of notes concerning interactions between the industry and the bears, Larson and colleagues were able to confirm that the regulation was sufficient, but that more needed to be done to actively locate dens. He explains that with entrances quickly covered by snow and dens closed-up until spring, they are effectively undetectable to the naked eye.
“While technology such as forward-looking infrared cameras can be used to try to pick up a heat signature inside the den, it only works when conditions are perfect, and they rarely are in Arctic winter,” says Larson. He is now consulting on a project using radar technology to identify dens and ensure protection for the animals symbolic of the Arctic.
1. Why does the author mention polar bear mothers in paragraph 1?| A．To attract sympathy for the polar bears. |
| B．To condemn human activities that damage nature. |
| C．To show the severe environment polar bears live in. |
| D．To explain polar bears’ unwillingness to leave their dens. |
| A．Pursuit of economic interest threatens polar bears’ existence. |
| B．Protective measures were not considered important in the past. |
| C．Human activities have led to the reduction of offshore pack ice. |
| D．The development of petrol industry has forced the bears to leave. |
| A．Approving. | B．Critical. | C．Worried. | D．Hopeful. |
| A．Attention should be paid to protecting polar bears. |
| B．Technology should be applied to identify polar bears. |
| C．More efforts are necessary to monitor polar bear dens. |
| D．It’s very difficult to successfully locate polar bear dens. |
8 . On an island in northern Norway, the sun doesn’t set from May 18 right through to July 26. The locals, having spent the long polar night from November to January, when the sun doesn’t rise at all, make the most of these months, with no regard to conventional timekeeping. The island intends to exchange its watches for flower garlands (花环) and declare itself the world’s first time-free zone.
“There’s constant daylight, and we act accordingly,” says islander Kjell Ove Hveding in a statement. “In the middle of the night, which citizens might call ‘2 am’, you can spot children playing soccer, people painting their houses or mowing their lawns, and teens going for a swim.”
Now they want to make it official. Islanders gathered at a town hall meeting to sign a petition (请愿) for a time-free zone and on June 13, Hveding met with a Norwegian member of parliament (国会) to hand over the locals’ signatures and to discuss the practical and legal challenges.
“To us, getting this in writing would simply mean formalizing the lifestyle we have been living for generations,” he says.
Islanders hope to be free of traditional opening hours and to introduce flexibility in school and working hours. Fishing and tourism are the main industries on this island with a population of little more than 300 people. Local fisher and women often spend days on the ocean for their catch, with little regard to timetable.
It’s clear that they mean business. When visitors cross the bridge to the island from the mainland, they aren’t greeted with padlocks (symbolizing love locks) like on similar bridges worldwide. The bridge is covered with watches, as people prepare for entry to the land time forgot.
1. What do the islanders normally do at midnight from May 18 to July 26?| A．Do daily work or have fun. | B．Sleep like outside people. |
| C．Struggle with strong light. | D．Turn watches into flowers. |
| A．It is difficult to describe. | B．It has been a long tradition. |
| C．It is a new kind of lifestyle. | D．It proves practical and legal. |
| A．Visitors actually prefer watches on bridges. | B．Visitors are ready to enter a time-free island. |
| C．The islanders intend to treat tourism as business. | D．The islanders are serious about being free of time. |
| A．An island wants to be a time-free zone officially. | B．Islanders in Norway have been free from time. |
| C．It’s time to lead a life without the limit of time. | D．An island won’t be open to the world any longer. |
9 . We all know that birds use their feathers to line their nests. But have you ever heard of a bird eating its own feathers? It is a bird which lives in water and is called the great crested grebe. It cats its own feathers and feeds them to her young ones too. And it always prefers soft feathers, which it loses throughout the year.
Scientists believe that its feather-eating habit has something to do with the process in which it throws waste. The grebe has an unusual throwing waste system. It throws out one or two balls of waste through its mouth on every two days. The main food of grebes is fish. So the ball of waste has fish bones apart from parasites. It is important for the grebe to throw these parasites out. If it didn’t, they would attack the grebe and make it sick.
According to scientists, the feathers add hard things to its waste. They make it easier to form the ball of waste and throw it out. The grebe’s feathers arc silky to touch and are black or gray in colour. Sometimes, it may he red on top with white parts. The great crested grebe is usually 7 to 10 inches long, and has short wings and a pointed beak.
Another peculiar part about the bird is its toes. They form a web, helping it to swim. In fact, the grebes are excellent swimmers and they use their feet only for rising under water.
The grebe makes its nest on floating leaves or plants and lays about two to ten eggs in it. Although the eggs are white in the beginning, they begin to get dirty as the leaves on which the nest is made become bad. Both the male and female grebes hatch the eggs and care for the young ones. However, although there are 18 to 20 species of grebes living around the world, some of them are endangered.
1. What is special about the great crested grebes?| A．They use their feathers to line their nests. | B．They produce soft feathers. |
| C．They lose their feathers all year round. | D．They eat their own feathers. |
| A．By increasing their waste to be thrown out quickly. |
| B．By helping them form a common throwing system. |
| C．By helping them form and throw out the ball of waste. |
| D．By keeping them from throwing parasites in their bodies out. |
| A．Unusual. | B．Solid. | C．Massive. | D．Organic. |
| A．The grebe lays eggs directly on floating leaves or plants. |
| B．Effective measures should be taken to protect species of grebes. |
| C．Grebe’s eggs can easily go bad shortly after they get dirty. |
| D．The female grebes hatch the eggs while the male attend to babies. |
10 . Imagine an island untouched by humans and without any large mammals.Colorful and strange birds of all shapes and sizes fly over forests and seaside hills. The sky is painted with endless clouds. Flightless birds nest safely on the ground, and seabirds cover the beaches. The sound of the bird song is overwhelming. The Maori named this place “Aotearoa,” Land of the Long White Cloud. The world now knows it as New Zealand.
When the Maori sailed their canoes across the Pacific Ocean from their homeland, Hawaiki, at least 120 different species of birds lived in Aotearoa. Eleven species of moa , an ostrich-like bird, moved freely, and the largest stood 11 feet tall. The Haast’s eagle dominated the skies with its wing span of nearly 10 feet. Because bats were the only mammals, Aotearoa was an actual bird paradise.
Unfortunately, the Maori overhunted the moa for meat. As the moa disappeared, the Haast’s eagle lost its primary food source. By the time Europeans arrived in New Zealand, both birds were extinct.
When European settlers arrived, they brought animals that attacked birds. These non-native animals exploded in number because they had no predators. Birds also lost habitat as forests were cut down for wood and pastures.
Within a few hundred years of humans discovering and living in New Zealand, more than half the unique bird species were extinct. The whekau,found throughout New Zealand in the 1800s, was declared extinct in 1914. The piopio,considered the best songbird in Aotearoa, was last seen in the mid-1900s.
Thirty percent of the species now alive are in danger because of other animals and loss of habitat. Scientists estimate nature would take 50 million years to replace the birds lost over the last 1,000 years. New Zealand conservationists are working to save the threatened species.
1. What does the first paragraph tell us?| A．New Zealand is a paradise for birds. |
| B．Aotearoa does not really exist. |
| C．The Maori founded New Zealand. |
| D．No mammals lived on the island. |
| A．Partners. | B．Killers. | C．Friends. | D．Settlers. |
| A．Threats from man and other animals. |
| B．The arrival of Europeans. |
| C．The lack of food sources. |
| D．The increase in farmland. |
| A．Why local officials stop hunting. |
| B．What living conditions for natives are like. |
| C．How many animals have survived on the island. |
| D．What efforts conservationists take to guard bird species. |
