1 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入 1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The world’s oceans reached their hottest level in recorded history last year, supercharging (加剧) extreme weather events, scientists have reported. They found that the five hottest recorded years in the oceans     1    (occur) since 2015, and that the rate of heating since 1986 was eight times higher than     2     from 1960-85. Oceans cover 71% of the planet and water can absorb thousands of times more heat than air,     3     is why 93% of global heating is taken up by seas.

Hotter oceans destroy rainfall patterns, which     4    (lead) to floods, droughts and wildfires. Heat also causes seawater     5     (expand) and drives up sea levels. Scientists expect about one metre of sea level rise by the end of the century,     6    (threaten) 150 million people. Higher temperatures in the seas are also harming marine (海洋的) life, with     7     number of ocean heatwaves increasing     8    (sharp).

The study also finds that the sinking of surface waters and upwelling of deeper water is reducing as the seas heat up. This means the surface layers heats up even further and fewer nutrients for marine life are brought up from the     9    (deep).

“The oceans reached yet another new record level of warmth in 2020,    10     a record drop in global carbon emissions (排放). The planet will continue to warm up as long as we emit carbon into the atmosphere,” said Prof Michael Mann of Penn State University.

2 . The loss of housing due to floods is an undeniable issue. But now, Japanese housing developer Ichijo Komuten recently unveiled a “flood-resistant house” that can not only remain waterproof during floods, but also float off the ground.

Their new “flood-resistant house” was recently featured on a popular Japanese TV show and it has been getting a lot of attention online ever since. Japan’s TBS TV station recently visited one of Ichijo’s test sites where the company’s new flood-resistant house was being put through a simulated flood. Although it looked just like an ordinary house when the test began, by the time that water started rising around it, viewers could see the structure leave the ground and eventually float a few inches above it.

We’ve all seen floating houses being swept away in severe floods, but Ichijo’s newest invention features a system that prevents just that. The house is connected to a number of thick iron rod(杆)sticking out of the ground with thick cables(缆绳)that ensure it stays in place as the water floods past. When the water recedes, the floating house comes back down in its original position. The “flood-resistant house” also features special vents(通风口))hat close up in the event of flooding, and the plumbing also has special valves that prevent water from getting into the home. Electrical equipment like air conditioning is positioned on the upper half of the building to ensure that water doesn’t reach it.

According to engineers at Ichijo Komuten, most homes flood when water reaches the window level, but because their flood-resistant house can float up to five meters above ground, water is unlikely to reach the windows and everything else is sealed shut.

1. Why does Ichijo Komuten develop the “flood-resistant house”?

A．To make houses waterproof.	B．To get houses off the ground.
C．To keep houses forever floating.	D．To secure houses against floods.

2. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Houses throughout the world are in danger of being flooded.

B．Electrical equipment will be safe in Ichijo Komuten’s flood-resistant house.

C．Thick iron rods and cables were invented by Ichijo Komuten.

D．Ichijo Komuten’s flood-resistant houses have been put into market successfully.

3. What is the attitude of Ichijo Komuten’s engineers toward their newest invention?

A．Positive.

B．Doubtful.

C．Unclear.

D．Critical.

4. What’s the main purpose of the passage?

A．To assess the consequences of floods

B．To stress the necessity of a waterproof house.

C．To provide guidance on flood control.

D．To introduce a new invention and its functions.

3 . While facial recognition technology continues to promote many aspects of human life, it's now being applied to aid the protection of giant pandas, Xinhua News Agency reported on 6 January 2022.

A nature reserve has built an AI-enabled video monitoring system to better protect giant pandas. Installed with 300 infrared (红外线) cameras, the monitoring system helps ensure the health and safety of 110 wild giant pandas there. It was put into operation two years ago, and has captured numerous photos and videos of pandas engaged in activities such as eating, resting and fighting for mates. It provides scientific data to help us grasp pandas’ living conditions and establish conservation strategies. More importantly, it achieves real-time monitoring of the reserve so that we can discern the threats to the wildlife as early as possible.

A recent study found the facial recognition system can automatically recognize various wild animals caught in infrared cameras, allowing researchers to collect data on giant pandas while staying indoors. It's shown that by equipping the AI-aided system to retain the filed photos of giant pandas, we obtain a 98% success rate for species recognition. Its success rate of recognizing other wild animals can top 80%. In 2021 alone, this monitoring system captured 2, 896 photos of giant pandas and other rare animals and filmed 3,218 seconds of footage, showcasing the reserve's sound ecological environment as well as a gradual rise in panda population there.

Head of the reserve's administration, Liu Xingming, said researchers used the system not only to observe the dynamics and health of the giant panda population but also to learn about changes in the natural surroundings of their habitat. “The monitoring system has enabled systematic, scientific, and intelligent conservation of wildlife,” he added. “However, it is expected to be further improved and optimized in the near future.”

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

A．Solve.

B．Pose.

C．Attach.

D．Detect.

2. What can be inferred about the new technology from the study?

A．It precisely recognizes any species.	B．It makes panda population rise rapidly.
C．It contributes to species data collection.	D．It understands pandas' facial appearance.

3. What is Liu Xingming's attitude to the facial recognition monitoring system?

A．Critical.	B．Objective.
C．Ambiguous.	D．Conservative.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Panda Facial Recognition Using Database

B．Functions of Facial Recognition Technology

C．AI Technology for Better Panda Protection

D．A Breakthrough in Video Monitoring System

4 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Who owns a photo taken by a monkey? That may seem like a strange question. But photographer David Slater and an animal rights group argued about it for nearly two years. They finally reached an     1     (agree) in September.

In 2011, Slater photographed endangered monkeys     2     (call) crested black macaques (黑冠猕猴) in Indonesia. Slater also set up a camera on a tripod (三脚架),     3     (hope) the monkeys would take photos of themselves.

His plan worked. One of the photos became famous after it     4     (post) online. Slater also included the monkey selfie (自拍照) in a book he published in 2014 titled Wildlife Personalities.

But the following year, the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) charged Slater. The group declared that Slater couldn’t publish and sell the photo because he didn’t take     5    . PETA argued that the monkey that took the picture was     6     (actual) its true owner.

The two sides made     7     deal in September. Slater     8     (donate) 25 percent of the money he makes     9     future sales of the photo to groups that protect crested black macaques in Indonesia. Slater says he is happy to help the monkeys,     10     was his intention from the start.

5 . “It’s alarming that5 0 percent of species could go extinct in the UK in the near future,” Harvey, 18, told Rustic Pathways, “To fight the ecological crisis, we have to start restoring.” That’s why he and his friend Tom founded the organization Celtic Reptile & Amphibian to breed(培育)endangered native species as to reintroduce them back into the wild.

Harvey’ inspiration was sparked by a trip to a rewilded farm in Devon. Here famous expert Derek has successfully reintroduced beavers(海狸), previously extinct in the UK, and is also breeding wild pigs and cats.

This visit has inspired Harvey to start restoring wild animal populations. But why reptiles and amphibians? Harvey put it simply, “The fact of the matter is, they are food, especially frogs and lizards.” Reptiles and amphibians are food for birds and various other species. They are working on restoring 10 different types of species as to provide food in support of the ecosystem.

During 2020, staying at home due to the pandemic, Harvey and Tom used their weekends and evenings and sometimes all night to build a reptile facility in their backyard. They now do different tasks to better run the facility, including feeding the animals and holding meetings with wildlife biologists.

Harvey has introduced a set of guidelines of International Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN)for reintroduction and migration. The guidelines ensure that the reintroduction is as successful as possible, based on a science-based approach.

Now Harvey is taking a gap year before his university education. He wants to get the business to a more self-sustainable level. “Although it’s a small piece of rewilding, we hope the message that Celtic Reptile & Amphibian holds is that we can rewild the world. We must rewild the world and we must do it now,” Harvey added.

1. What inspired Harvey to establish Celtue Reptile & Amphibian?

A．A successful rewilded farm.	B．The global environmental crisis.
C．His interest in beavers in the UK.	D．A well-known expert’s encouragement.

2. Why does Harvey want to restore reptiles and amphibians?

A．Many of them are close to extinction.	B．They are easier to breed than other species.
C．They feed on birds and many other species.	D．They play an important role in the ecosystem.

3. What are paragraphs 4 & 5 mainly about?

A．Harvey’s vision for their business.	B．The background of IUCN guidelines.
C．Challenges of running the organization.	D．The team’s efforts in reintroducing species.

4. Which of the following best describes Harvey?

A．Creative and humorous.	B．Kindhearted and modest.
C．Diligent and responsible.	D．Independent and cautious.

6 . University of Colorado Boulder researchers have developed a new tool that could lead to more efficient and cheaper technologies for capturing (捕获) heat-trapping gases from the atmosphere and turning them into beneficial substances, like fuel or building materials, meanwhile limiting global warming and avoiding disastrous impacts of global climate change.

The tool predicts how strong the bond will be between carbon dioxide and the molecule (分子) that traps it. It allows researchers to identify suitable molecular candidates to capture carbon dioxide from everyday air.

The goal of carbon capture and storage technology is to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it safely for thousands of years. But while it has been in use in the USA since the 1970s, it currently captures and stores a mere 0.1% of global carbon emission (排放) annually. To help meet the goal of carbon emission laid out by the IPCC, carbon capture and storage would have to rapidly increase in scale by 2050.

Current industrial facilities around the world rely on capturing carbon dioxide from a concentrated source, such as emissions from power plants. While these methods can bind (凝结) a lot of carbon dioxide quickly and efficiently using large amounts of certain chemical binders, they are also extraordinarily energy- intensive. This method is also quite expensive at scale to take carbon dioxide and turn it into something else useful, such as carbonates, according to Luca, fellow-elect of the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI). Using the tool would free carbon capture facilities from being tied to concentrated source, allowing them to exist almost anywhere.

Being able to easily estimate the strength of chemical bonds also enables researchers to identify which binders will be best suited and offer a cheaper alternative to the traditional method for capturing and converting carbon into materials or fuel according to Haley Petersen, co-lead author of the study.

1. What can the new tool be used to do?

A．Stop climate change.	B．Capture oxygen from air.
C．Help deal with climatic issues.	D．Divide the molecule of carbon.

2. What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 3 refer to?

A．The atmosphere.	B．The material from carbon.
C．The goal of carbon emission.	D．The carbon capture and storage technology.

3. What does paragraph 4 mainly talk about the traditional method?

A．Its disadvantages.	B．Its functions.
C．Its working principle.	D．Its practical application.

4. In which section of a newspaper can the text be found?

A．Art.

B．Science.

C．Fashion.

D．Culture.

7 . Ada Smith, chairwoman of a non-profit organization Protect the Earth, wore green for a special event with school children in New York on Wednesday. The 40-year-old woman stood against the cool weather in a long green coat that has been in her wardrobe (衣柜) for years.

She wore the coat for the first time in 2019 during her husband Bill Smith’s tour to a national environmental conference, and she put on it again in her classic sustainable (可持续的) style. Ada’s recycled outfit was perfect for the occasion, all about the environment.

Ada and Bill headed to the Central Park, where they spent time brainstorming ideas with students on how to deal with environmental issues. Ada said, “Education is such an important part of protecting our planet. We must inspire the next generation with the optimism, confidence and enthusiasm to chase those solutions and continue building a more sustainable future.”

Ada and Bill helped the students generate more than 60 ideas to help the environment. Ada said, “Young children already identify the climate as one of their biggest worries, and our organization aims to educate them that we can find the answers by working together.”

Their visit came ahead of an award ceremony, in which five winners will be announced in the first round of the environmental prize pioneered by Ada. Ada and Bill will appear at the ceremony on the next weekend, when they will walk the “green carpet” with activists committed to environmental causes.

Though their time with the children was part of a larger initiative, environmentalist Steve Johnson said, “They didn’t come there for a photo, but to sit, talk to and listen to kids. It is from the heart and people get that.”

1. Why did Ada wear green?

A．To show a different dressing style.	B．To make herself more attractive.
C．To make herself match the event.	D．To fight against the cool weather.

2. What is the key to protecting the earth according to Ada?

A．Teaching young children to participate in it.

B．Asking young children to study together.

C．Building the confidence of the next generation.

D．Inspiring more students to wear green clothes.

3. What will Ada and Bill do on the next weekend?

A．Go to visit some students.	B．Attend an award ceremony.
C．Set up a non- profit organization.	D．Receive an environmental prize.

4. What did Steve think of Ada and Bill’s action?

A．It’s costly.

B．It’s suspect.

C．It’s interesting.

D．It’s genuine.

8 . A study showed that farms with surrounding natural habitat experienced the most benefits from birds. The study, published in Journal of Applied Ecology, was conducted at 21 strawberry fields along California’s Central Coast. It found that birds were more likely to carry foodborne pathogens (病原体) and eat more berries without surrounding natural habitat.

The study looked at how different farming practices influenced the costs and benefits that wild birds provided on the strawberry farms. The scientists combined nearly 300 bird surveys and the tests of more than 1,000 droppings’ samples from 55 bird species to determine which birds ate pests, beneficial insects and crops, and carried foodborne pathogens.

They also ranked birds to see which were more likely to bring benefits or costs to farmlands. Barn swallows, for instance, got a “gold star” in the study. Their mud nests are commonly seen attached to the underside of eaves (屋檐), from which they fly out to fields, searching for insects.

Rather than result in a list of “good” and “bad” birds, the study found that most bird species brought both costs and benefits to farms, depending on how the landscape was managed. The presence of natural habitat was the single most important driver differentiating a farm where wild birds brought more benefits than harm.

Growers will tell you it’s impossible to keep birds off your farm—you can’t do that and don't want to from a conservation perspective. “Nature is messy, and birds are complex,” the researcher said. “The best we can do is understand how to take advantage of the benefits while reducing the harm.”

A related study in 2020 found that farms with natural habitat attracted more insect-eating birds and fewer strawberry-eating birds. Such habitats also bring greater numbers of bird species to the landscape. All together, these studies suggest that farming landscapes with natural habitat tend to be good for conservation, farmers, and public health.

1. What does the study focus on?

A．Pathogens found on the strawberry farms.

B．The species of birds near farmers’ fields.

C．The effect of birds’ natural habitat on farming.

D．Damage to crops and strawberries on the farm.

2. What can we learn about barn swallows?

A．They can bring benefits for farmland.

B．They are good at nesting on the rocks.

C．They will add to the cost of farming.

D．They are more likely to carry some viruses.

3. What mainly concerns the researchers?

A．How to keep wild birds off farms.

B．How to maximize the benefits of birds.

C．How to run more farms with natural habitats.

D．How to balance birds’ protection and farm profits.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．More birds, more strawberries

B．Farms—the natural habitats of wild birds

C．Bringing out the best in wild birds on farms

D．The natural habitats of birds are being destroyed

9 . What is a “transplant?” In gardening, transplant is the process of planting seeds inside and then moving the new growth, or sprout, outside. Transplanting is easy and often costs less. You get to watch the new growth happen up close.     1     A garden expert and writer for the Associated Press, Lee Reich, can give you his advice.

To get started with transplants, you will need a container and soil.     2     Fill the containers with a special mix called potting soil and push it down — but not too much.

    3     Do this by making a small hole into the mix and put in the seeds. Cover the seeds with the potting soil and press gently again. Place the containers in a pan, or any flat, open, and larger container that could hold some water. Put water into the pan until the water reaches halfway up the containers with the seeds. After a few hours, remove them from the water.

Seeds need warmth to germinate.     4     A good average temperature for just about all seeds is about 24℃.

Now for the exciting part — waiting to see little, green sprouts! Remove all but the strongest sprout from each container.     5     Your goal now is to grow strong transplants that can survive a move to the outside garden.

In four to six weeks, most transplants should be two to three times the height of their containers. They should be strong and ready to be transplanted outside — or almost ready. Now... they are ready to go into the garden!

A．If you are new to this type of gardening, do not worry.

B．You are also an experienced gardener.

C．Then plant seeds, three or four in each container.

D．They are used to their future environment with a week of being outside.

E．The amount of warmth needed is different from plant to plant.

F．The containers should be between 5 to 10 centimeters deep.

G．Just be careful not to hurt the roots of the sprout that remains.

10 . You plan and hope, keeping a close eye on the forecast. Even so, the vacation you expect gets ruined by the bad weather. I’m pretty sure that everyone has their story of the plans messed up by weather forecasts.     1    Why is it that even with all the technological wonders in the world, it’s still a challenge to predict the weather?

    2    A lot of data from different sources, like satellites, are accumulated and analyzed. Powerful computers use this data to make predictions. The idea of using numerical analysis to predict the weather originated in the 1920s with Lewis Fry Richardson’s writings. Later, with the help of supercomputers, this became a more practical approach.

Weather forecasts often go wrong, but not quite as often as you might think. We tend to focus mostly on what goes wrong, so it feels like the forecasts are always inaccurate. A five-day forecast is actually pretty accurate —     3    For a seven-day forecast, the numbers go down to about 80%. But add more days and the uncertainty necessarily builds. These numbers are also much better than what they used to be.     4    

To determine the state of the atmosphere at any point, and therefore make a forecast, several different changes must be taken into account.     5    The changes are used as initial conditions that can be fed into mathematical models. The models are designed based on patterns in historical data and the typical behavior of weather. Advancements in data collection and the processing power of computers also help explain why forecasts today have improved so dramatically.

A．You can trust the forecast at your own risk.

B．Why are our weather forecasts so inaccurate?

C．The forecasts are right about 90% of the time.

D．Weather forecasting is a complicated process.

E．These deal with wind, temperature, pressure, and others.

F．A five-day forecast today is as accurate as a one-day forecast in 1980.

G．There are many changes involved in describing the state of the atmosphere.