1 . Reducing the use of plastic is a balance between what you can afford and what you can get. I’ve ______ a lot from a plastic-free lifestyle. It helps me ______ my carbon footprint and save money.

I’ve found that living plastic free is a great way to ______ mindless online shopping. Nowadays, I ______ weigh the possibility of returning an order before I hit the ______ button. Do I have something else I could ______ to meet this need? Is there a place I can get it ______ so I don’t have to deal with all the plastic it’ll arrive in?

Besides, I’ve slowly ______ the collection of the things that I want, and that are made to last. Anytime I need to replace a bigger-ticket item, I’m ______ to look for a second-hand version of a nicer, ______ item, which I can often find for the same price as a new but less durable (耐用的) model.

Of course, there are certain situations where plastic is the most ______ choice. I recently reorganized my closet and found that I ______ clear plastic containers for my off-season clothing. After a few ______ to my favorite neighborhood charity shop, I found a set of Rubbermaid storage containers that ______ the bill.

Life without plastic doesn’t take place overnight. Devote yourself to making a few ______ in your daily plastic use and see where it takes you.

1.

A．heard

B．benefited

C．received

D．suffered

2.

A．record

B．rebuild

C．reduce

D．recall

3.

A．promote

B．consider

C．prevent

D．experience

4.

A．hardly

B．disappointedly

C．unfortunately

D．carefully

5.

A．purchase

B．print

C．repeat

D．power

6.

A．repurpose

B．abandon

C．reward

D．remember

7.

A．abroad

B．indoors

C．online

D．locally

8.

A．sold

B．offered

C．developed

D．donated

9.

A．eager

B．embarrassed

C．annoyed

D．sad

10.

A．smaller-sized

B．faster-moving

C．better-shaped

D．longer-lasting

11.

A．strange

B．suitable

C．dangerous

D．difficult

12.

A．discovered

B．designed

C．ruined

D．needed

13.

A．solutions

B．visits

C．roads

D．exceptions

14.

A．fit

B．pay

C．cut

D．sent

15.

A．comments

B．notes

C．changes

D．stops

2 . In 2015, the last golden eagle in England died at Haweswater in the Lake District National Park. Its death was the latest in a series of losses in the Lake District. In his book, Wild Fell, published by Doubleday on 24 February 2022. Haweswater Site Manager Lee Schofield calls on the local people to revive the landscape—telling the ups and downs of taking over the management of two hill farms in 2012 and how his team are combining ancient practices with new ambition so that farming and nature can develop well, and that one day eagles may surge once again.

In the Lake District, Lee and his team, working with landowner United Utilities, have changed a polluted river, restored wetlands, and equipped cows with GPS collars to protect endangered wildflowers. As well as helping wildlife, this is also good for people—there are twice as many people working at Haweswater than a decade ago, thousands of tons of carbon are being locked away in new woodlands and restored wetlands, and changing the river has added 180m to its length, slowing the flow of water and reducing flood risk. By restoring the habitats in the area, it will also finally help improve the water quality in the reservoir at Haweswater that provides water for more than two million people across North West England.

Lee says, “Change is possible, but we can’t depend on reserves as lifeboats for nature—we need a great transformation with people and wildlife at the heart of every decision made up and down this country. Wild Fell is not intended to be an instruction book, and there’s never a one-size-fits-all solution, but I hope it can serve as an example of what can happen when we work together to fight for our wildlife and our livelihoods.” Isabella Tree, author of The Return of Nature to a British Farm, says of Wild Fell, “It is an inspiring journey into the restoration of our lands. Reasoned, intelligent and well-informed, this is a story of hope and renewal for both nature and farming.”

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

A．Increase greatly.	B．Hide safely.
C．Compete freely.	D．Differ slightly.

2. What does the author introduce about Lee and his team in Paragraph 2?

A．Their plans and principles.	B．Their problems and solutions.
C．Their contributions and limitations.	D．Their efforts and achievements.

3. What does Lee expect of Wild Fell?

A．It will be an instruction book.

B．It will inspire more people to fight for nature.

C．It will provide an example of building reserves.

D．It will change the way of linking people with wildlife.

4. What is Isabella Tree’s attitude to Wild Fell?

A．Doubtful

B．Negative.

C．Favorable.

D．Unconcerned.

3 . Plants don’t have ears or a central nervous system, but new research out of the University of Missouri has demonstrated that they might still have the ability to “hear”. More specifically, plants have been shown to exhibit an immune (免疫) response to the mere sound of a hungry insect.

For the study, researchers played the sound of a caterpillar chewing to a group of plants, which caused slight vibrations (振动) on the plants’ leaves. The plants were able to recognize these vibration patterns as danger, and responded by mounting the appropriate immune response. In other words, it appears that plants can “hear” themselves being chewed on.

Researchers assume that plants achieve this remarkable ability thanks to proteins that respond to pressure found within their cell membranes. Vibrations cause pressure changes within the cell, which can change the behavior of the proteins; however, additional study will be required to confirm or deny this theory.

Once researchers identify the exact mechanisms at play in this process, it could lead to advances in crop protection. Farmers could potentially learn to use sound to cause a plant’s natural chemical defenses against insect threats, rather than turning to poisonous chemicals.

“We can imagine applications of this where plants could be treated with sound or genetically engineered to respond to certain sounds that would be useful for agriculture,” said study author Heidi Appel.

The study adds to the growing list of ways that plants have been shown to sense their environments. They are not the boring organisms that many people assume they are. For instance, some plants are able to communicate with each other and signal upcoming danger to their neighbors by releasing chemicals into the air. Plants can respond to light (think about sunflowers) and temperature. Some can even respond to touch, such as the Venus flytrap (捕蝇草), which snaps shut when an insect stimulates its hairs.

1. Why did researchers carry out the study?

A．To find out if plants can react to sounds.

B．To learn how plants recognize dangers.

C．To discover if plants can shake their leaves.

D．To see how plants improve immune systems.

2. What’s the potential use of researchers’ discovery?

A．To remove insects.	B．To protect crops.
C．To treat plant diseases.	D．To produce chemicals.

3. What does the author intend to tell us in the last paragraph?

A．There are more plants than we know.

B．Plants are more active than we think.

C．Plants fit in well with their environments.

D．Lots of secrets about plants remain unclear.

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

A．Can plants “talk” with each other?

B．How do plants make use of sounds?

C．Can plants “hear” themselves being eaten?

D．How do plants defend themselves against attacks?