1 . Bear Grylls’s Adventure Tales

Mr. Grylls has established himself as television’s foremost survivalist. In episodes of Man vs. Wild, he has been dropped into some punishing environments (the sands of the Sahara, the frigid Siberian wilderness) with little more than a knife, a water bottle, and the instructions to make it out alive. Below are excerpts from an interview with him.

Q: When did you first grow interested in the outdoors?

A: My late dad had been a climber. He started taking me out into the wild at a young age, doing everything from climbing sea cliffs hundreds of feet up to making boats and building treehouses. He taught me to take risks but to always listen to my inner voice and to work out clever solutions even when the situation has left you dramatically low on tools.

Q: Last time when you were in southern Africa, your parachute failed to open, resulting in an injury that nearly left you paralyzed. What effect did that have on you?

A: Those long months in military rehabilitation (康复) were a dark time for me. I couldn’t move and was in constant pain, strapped up in braces. It was while I was lying there that I determined to re-find my childhood dream to climb Mount Qomolangma. I counted myself blessed to be able to leave that hospital fully recovered, determined to live life boldly and without regrets.

Q: Why do you find adventure travel so attractive?

A: Adventure brings out the best and worst in people. We don’t always allow ourselves to get pushed to the edge, either physically or mentally. Adventure is different: The wild is unpredictable. However much we prepare, things sometimes go wrong, and it is then that the real adventure begins. My experience tells me that people are much stronger than they often give themselves credit for. It is why I say the wild can empower you.

Q: What was your most dangerous trip?

A: Probably a small expedition I led across the Arctic Ocean in an open inflatable boat. We hit very unusual subzero storms off the ice packs of Greenland and gale force winds. In a tiny open boat, you are truly at the mercy of the elements, and your survival is then taken out of your hands and put into those of Mother Nature. All five of us had to face the prospect of death during those nights.

1. What qualities did Bear Grylls develop under the influence of his father?

A．Being daring and efficient.	B．Being resourceful and patient.
C．Being courageous and persevering.	D．Being adventurous and true to himself.

2. What can we learn from the interview?

A．Bear never felt regret for having taken the adventure in southern Africa.

B．Bear felt grateful for being able to recover from an injury that almost paralyzed him.

C．Bear fulfilled his childhood dream of climbing Mount Qomolangma.

D．Making adequate preparations can help to bring adventures completely under control.

3. This article was most likely originally published in the _________section of a newspaper.

A．Travel Weekly	B．Man’s Style
C．Space& Cosmos	D．Pop Culture

2 . Cool Butterfly Effect: Insect Equipment Could Inspire Heat-Radiating Tech

Devising better cooling materials has become a pressing issue as the climate warms, and some scientists are turning to nature for ideas. Small creatures with low body mass, such as insects, have to deal with the fact that they warm up much faster than large mammals. When butterflies land on tree branches in the sun, for example, their relatively large wings can overheat within seconds.

    1     Researchers have now uncovered these colorful insects’ built-in cooling mechanisms.

Heat is generated by the vibration of molecules. The more molecules a material can expose on its surface, the more heat it can release in a process called radiative cooling. Those made of folded layers shaped like waves, for example, cool off much faster than solid objects because they have more exposed surface area.     2     The wings themselves are complex systems that contain both living and nonliving structures, covered by various types of scales made of chitin—a rigid substance that is also found in some fungi(真菌). The researchers found that the scales covering these structures have different shapes that radiate heat in different ways. To decipher how these complex systems work, the team studied several types of butterflies

The scientists’ work is ‘‘remarkable’’, says Aaswath Raman, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. ‘‘    3     Butterfly wings are extremely light, and the microstructures involved are extremely small and thin. So this discovery can inspire ways of getting rid of heat in very lightweight systems. ‘”

    4     It might work in a variety of colors. Many conventional buildings tend to be white because that it does not absorb heat. But painting too many things white does not look pleasing, says Qiaoqiang Gan, a photonics scientist. ‘‘We still need a colorful world, ‘‘ Gan says, noting how vivid butterflies are in nature. ‘‘Butterfly wings give us an example that colorful structures can also result in cooling.”

A．So they have evolved sophisticated ways to cool themselves.

B．We can make these micro-structures into our own artificial processes.

C．It turns out that parts of butterflies’ wings exploit a similar principle.

D．Such structures release warmth very efficiently, protecting the organs from overheating.

E．Along with its light weight, a butterfly-inspired cooling material might have another advantage.

F．Although far from a commercial application, such resulting material could eventually be used for purposes such as painting buildings.

3 . When my old dog developed major health problems, I knew that watching him fail would be painful, but I wasn’t prepared for the powerful lessons he’d offer in the last year of his life.

Chance was 14 when the problems started. First, he developed a cancer that left him whistling for breath. Then came cataracts（白内障）in both eyes, arthritis（关节炎）in his legs, and a series of mini-strokes（小中风）that threw off his balance. Any one of these misfortunes would have left me begging for relief, but Chance became calmer as the disabilities piled up.

When leg pain left him frozen on the floor, unable to rise for a quick pat as I came home, he didn’t complain. He just lay there patiently, signaling me with his hammering tail, each movement spelling out the value of waiting for the things you want. When his cataracts made steering impossible after dark, he’d stand calmly until I could guide him inside, proving how easy it is to find happiness if you let go of your pride and insecurities and learn to lean on those who love you. When mini-strokes had him walk unsteadily like a drunk, he taught the value of persistence. For days after each attack, he’d fall as he moved about. Yet again and again he’d try to walk, each day moving a few more steps until finally he was able to get outside and back by himself.

There were lessons in so much of what he did, but the key one surely was the importance of obtaining all the joy possible from each experience whether it’s a day lazing under a warm sun or a few minutes appreciating a favorite meal.

For most of our life together, Chance was always rushing ahead, searching out new adventures, then circling back to let me know what lay around the next turn. As an old dog, he did the same thing, using his attitude, instead of his once - fast legs, to show the way.

1. Chance suffered very much from all the diseases he had except for _______.

A．having problem with breath	B．walking around awkwardly
C．having trouble drinking	D．losing his eyesight in darkness

2. _______ is the most important lesson the author learned from Chance.

A．Living in the present and enjoying what we have

B．Learning to depend on those who we love and trust

C．That we should expect good things to happen patiently

D．That we should persevere in what we believe is worth trying

3. It is implied in the passage that _______.

A．people might suffer from different diseases when they grow old

B．people could face aging with courage and dignity

C．pets would become calmer for lack of energy in their last days

D．pets and masters should stick together helping each other in difficulty

4. Which of the following words best describes the author’s feelings to Chance?

A．Bitter.	B．Appreciative.
C．Proud.	D．Sympathetic.

4 . There’s more fresh water hidden below Earth’s surface in underground aquifers (含水层) than any other source besides the ice sheets. That groundwater earns an unshakably important place for rivers worldwide, keeping them running even when droughts bring their waters low.

But in recent decades humans have pumped trillions of gallons out of those underground reservoirs. In a new research, water experts and scientists are taking a global look at where groundwater is already being extracted at such a rate that it has caused water levels to drop so much in rivers and streams that they will slip into the ecological danger zone.

Much of that water is being removed much faster than it can be refilled. That has enormous potential consequences for people and crops in areas that don’t get enough rain. But far before those impacts emerge, the effects will fiercely hit rivers, streams, and the habitats around them. Hundreds of rivers and streams around the world would become so water-stressed that the entire ecological system would hit a danger point, says Inge de Graaf, the lead author of the research. “We can really consider this ecological effect like a ticking time bomb,” she says. “If we pump the groundwater now, we don’t see the impacts until like 10 years further or even longer.”

But the severity of the impacts might still be underestimated. As a baseline, they used the global water demand in 2010 and spun their climate model forward to predict how stresses on groundwater systems might develop. But as populations swell and the demand for food rises, those stresses could skyrocket for reasons other than climate change, speeding along the extraction from underground water sources.

The effects of over-pumping groundwater take years, if not decades, to become visible. Changes in rain have immediate, obvious effects on river flow. When it pours, rivers often rage. But groundwater is hidden and changes don’t always manifest in the place where the pumping occurs and are programmed to “wait for the perfect moment”. That makes aquifer management issues extra challenging. In the meantime, rivers and streams are the signal that says we’re using water in an unsustainable fashion, we need to take a hard look at what we’re doing.”.

1. The underground water is of critical importance to rivers due to the fact that ________.

A．it helps to maintain the same water level of rivers

B．it stops the running of rivers during dry spells

C．it leaves rivers drying out due to droughts

D．it ensures the flow of rivers throughout the year

2. The phrase “slip into the ecological danger zone” (in the second paragraph) suggests that ________.

A．it is thrilling to explore the ecological danger zone

B．pumping underground water is convenient though dangerous

C．the underground water level has dropped to an alarming level

D．the constant drop of water level prevents people feeling secure

3. Why does the author say “the severity of the impacts might still be underestimated” (in the fourth paragraph)?

A．Because the water demand data in 2010 was not accurate.

B．Because the water demand has soared ever since 2010.

C．Because the water demand was not stressful in 2010.

D．Because the water demand prediction didn’t consider climate change.

4. Over-pumping groundwater doesn’t show immediate effect because _________.

A．the changes are waiting for a heavy rain

B．underground water is used sustainably

C．the changes take longer to come to light

D．underground water is inexhaustible

5 . In my everyday life, I am on an ongoing journey to figure out different ways to reduce my carbon footprint on the planet. A carbon footprint is the measure of influence our activities have on the environment, in particular climate change. It is calculated by the amount of greenhouse gas we produce in our daily lives. Fortunately, nowadays it is much easier to make eco-friendly lifestyle choices than, let’s say, 20 years ago. But one question has been on my mind a lot lately: is it better to buy new eco-friendly products or used traditionally produced goods?

After doing some research, I have decided that some things are better new and others are better used. Let me try to explain.

A carbon footprint is made up of two parts, the primary footprint and the secondary footprint. The primary footprint is a measure of our direct emissions(排放)of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the burning of fuels, including household energy consumption and transportation. The secondary footprint is a measure of the indirect CO2 emissions from the whole life cycle of products we use-those related to their production and breakdown.

Based on this understanding, we have a good deal of control and responsibility over our carbon footprint. Things like dishes, clothes and furniture fall into the “secondary footprint” group, so less is more and we can focus on finding used goods to avoid the added production. However, for the car and the other appliances(设备) that we need we can go with new, energy-saving models. I heard somewhere that electronics and appliances give off 90% of their carbon footprint after they leave the factory. So it seems most reasonable to go for the energy-saving models. The main concern here is the amount of energy that goes into the making of new products and whether or not that extra carbon is worth the footprint the product will make once it gets to you.

1. What is the text mainly about?

A．How to make eco-friendly lifestyle choices.

B．What a carbon footprint means in our life.

C．How to identify different carbon footprints.

D．What appliances to buy to save energy.

2. What do we know about the secondary carbon footprint?

A．It is related to our consumption of fuels.

B．It is counted as ours though not directly made by us.

C．It is less harmful than the primary carbon footprint.

D．It is made when we are buying the products.

3. Which of the following helps reduce our carbon footprint according to the author?

A．Buying new but cheap clothes.

B．Using old and expensive cars.

C．Using second-hand textbooks.

D．Buying new wooden furniture.

7 . "When I was 16 years old, I was diving in Greece, but I was disappointed because I saw more plastic bags than fish.” These are the words of Boyan Slat, an engineer who designed the world's first ocean plastic cleanup system.

Every year, more than 8 million tons of plastics end up in our oceans, according to the UN Environment Programme. It is predicted that the weight of ocean plastics will match the weight of all the fish in our oceans by 2050. To prevent this from happening, in 2013 Slat created the Ocean Cleanup, an environmental non¬governmental organization, and put his plan for an ocean cleanup device into action.

After years of research and develop¬ment in the Netherlands, a device called System 001/B successfully started gathering plastics on October 2, 2019. The device uses a 600-meter-long C-shaped tube to gather all the floating rubbish. Unlike other cleanup methods, the system floats freely according to the direction of the waves, which allows waste to flow into and stay within the device. A sea anchor is attached to either end. This slows down the system as it floats through the water and allows the faster-moving rubbish, carried by the waves, to flow into its mouth. System 001/B can also collect waste below the surface using a 3-meter-deep skirt（挡板）attached to the end. After being gathered, the trash will be dragged back to shore by boat and recycled.

Right now, the system operates in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, an area that is 3 times the size of France. Once operational, the Ocean Cleanup expects a full fleet to be able to clear 50% of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in 5 years.

"It remains to be seen whether this dream will become a reality, but it is undeniable that humanity must work together to reduce our plastic use and repair the damage our waste has caused," Slat said. "We are starting to see a young generation that gets it and is excited about a sustainable （可持续的）future, but the question still comes down to: Are we going fast enough, and how much damage will have been done before we get there?"

1. The underlined word “match” in Paragraph 2 probably means “_________”.

A．compare	B．equal
C．measure	D．cover

2. Why did Boyan Slat create the Ocean Cleanup?

A．To collect ocean plastic waste.

B．To help to invent System 001/B.

C．To protect the living environment of fish.

D．To do research on the ocean environment.

3. What can we know about System 001/B?

A．It can collect and recycle garbage at the same time.

B．It can only gather ocean waste which floats on the water.

C．It aims to clear up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in five years.

D．It is an ocean-cleaning device which has already been put to use.

4. What does Slat want to tell us according to the last paragraph?

A．Young generations care less about the environment.

B．The future ecology of the oceans is deeply worrying.

C．People should work hard to decrease plastic pollution.

D．It's quite difficult to repair the damage to the environment.

8 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. defend            B. predict            C. breed        D. assume        E. remaining F. monitoring       G. dramatic        H. alone          I. critical          J. common            K. overlooked

The World Needs Zoos

ZOOS play an important role in the world for conservation and education. Many animals are endangered and may go extinct in the wild, but in zoos, they are going strong. Many others already become extinct in the wild and only survive thanks to populations kept in captivity (被关). Even those    1    of zoos often recognize that it is better to have species preserved somewhere than lose them altogether. In fact, species that are    2    can also come under serious threat before people realize it.

Take the ring-tailed lemur (环尾狐猴) of Madagascar for example. This animal can be seen almost everywhere in zoos as they    3    well in captivity and the public are fond of them. However, despite their high numbers in collections around the world, they are the most threatened mammalian (哺乳类动物的) group on the planet. A recent survey suggests that up to 95 percent of the wild populations have been lost since 2000. This means that the    4    individuals are at serious risk. One bad year or a new disease could wipe out those that are left.

Such trends are not    5    . The giraffe is another very common species in zoos. Unlike the lemurs, giraffes are widespread in the countries across much of sub-Saharan Africa. Yet giraffe populations have gone down by a third in the last thirty years. While less    6    than the drop in lemur numbers, this is obviously a major loss and whole populations are on the edge of extinction.

This is a trend that is only likely to continue. Ongoing and future problems from climate change can have unexpected effects on wildlife. It becomes more difficult for conservationists to    7    which species might be at risk. As it is, experts are struggling to continue    8    the species that are already known to be extinct, so it is easy to see why common species might be    9    . People might not take a great local loss seriously since they assume that these animals are heavily populated elsewhere, but unfortunately that is not always the case.

There will, I suspect, always be resistance to the argument for keeping animals in captivity and I will not    10    the zoos that are bad and in desperate need of improvement.

10 . Smaller, Greener, Better

During my 15 years as an administrator, I was a no﹣show at scientific conferences. Before that, my go﹣to conferences included Metals in Biology in Ventura, California. This past January, I went back to Ventura after a 15﹣year _______. A lot of things struck me about how things have changed and how some things have stayed the same. One thing that is increasingly on people's minds is the future of scientific meetings.

What has stayed _______ is that a conference of that style, with 200 scientists from around the world, is a vital form for scientific exchange. The participants ranged from graduate students to the pioneers in the field of bioinorganic chemistry. It was interesting to see how far a lot of the science has come. Some fields still have great _______: Even though we know much more about the structures, we still wonder how the O﹣O bond forms in photosystem II(光合体系II).

One thing that has started to change _______ is the increasing number of women and people of color among conference speakers and participants. We are _______ close to solving the equity(公平) problems in science or science meetings, but the change in the _______ and atmosphere of meetings overall after 15 years is encouraging. This trend should continue, and more members should have speaking roles to showcase their science, and maybe small meetings could also require that a few talks be given by postdocs and early career faculty.

When it comes to big meetings, the interchange among scientists _______ is still essential. But it's time for the scientific community to engage in frank talk about the _______ of meetings on the climate. Some conferences have been supporting digital poster sessions to _______ waste, but thousands of folks flying to these meetings is the real problem to focus on. It's time to think creatively about how to reduce the carbon footprint of meetings while ________ ﹣even improving﹣their value.

What if we broke the large meetings into smaller, concurrent(同时发生的) ones at ________ sites where people could gather, sharing the drive or taking the train? Despite the big draw of large meetings, unless you're in the front rows of the big ballrooms where these are held, you're watching the speaker on a screen from the back or even in an overflow room. But in a concurrent sites model,________ conferences could be spread across different sites. This approach would lower the cost of ________ conferences and thereby potentially increase the number and diversity of attendees. A group of graduate students piling into a ________ is much more democratic than having to decide who gets to fly.

Scientific conferences are vital to scientists' collaboration. Continuing to improve them in terms of equity for both the participants and the climate is something we can't stop ________ to do. I volunteer to drive the first van.

1.

A．pause

B．persistence

C．research

D．administration

2.

A．unbelievable

B．unusual

C．unreasonable

D．unchanged

3.

A．breakthroughs

B．mysteries

C．theories

D．pioneers

4.

A．to the contrary

B．in the long run

C．for the better

D．beyond control

5.

A．somewhat

B．rather

C．further

D．nowhere

6.

A．composition

B．style

C．interaction

D．management

7.

A．on the Internet

B．on the surface

C．in person

D．in particular

8.

A．importance

B．focus

C．findings

D．impact

9.

A．end up with

B．cut down on

C．give publicity to

D．lay emphasis on

10.

A．presenting

B．documenting

C．preserving

D．processing

11.

A．academic

B．regional

C．significant

D．environmental

12.

A．major

B．interactive

C．professional

D．different

13.

A．televising

B．attending

C．conducting

D．hosting

14.

A．ballroom

B．playground

C．van

D．plane

15.

A．neglecting

B．proposing

C．discouraging

D．striving