2 . My family lost everything in the little-known flood of Baton Rouge, Louisiana last year that the Red Cross called the “Worst US disaster since Hurricane Sandy.”

It began raining in mid-August. Then it rained some more, got more powerful, and didn’t stop for days. There was talk that the local rivers were going to crest (到达顶点)and cause some pretty serious flooding. We lived somewhat close to the Amite River, but our senior neighbors told us that our neighborhood hadn’t flooded in over 100 years.

Local news said that the nearby high school may get a little bit of water inside from the rising river. We thought we had a couple of days to plan on how we were going to shelter in place because of the weather forecast.

On the 13th of August I woke up, walked outside and headed toward the direction of the river. Some of the lower areas were collecting water but there was no standing water anywhere near my house or even my neighborhood. I went back home and told my wife we should probably get some supplies in case this got serious; that maybe we should even pack a car in case we needed to leave though I was fairly certain there was nothing to worry about.

About 30 minutes into slowly packing there was a loud banging on my front door. It was my wife’s cousin. I opened the door and she said, “What are you doing?! Get out of the house!” I looked behind her and noticed my entire yard underwater and the waterline only about a half-inch from going over my doorstep and into my house.

I was floored. The river wasn’t supposed to crest until the next day. I thought we had more time.

I yelled at my wife, “We have to get out of the house. Now!”

We packed up both our cars in about 10 minutes with only our most precious memories. Everything else we had built during a 10-year marriage was left behind. We evacuated about 5 miles east away from the river to my wife’s grandmothers.

After being there for about an hour someone came to the front door and said, “You guys ned to get out. The river is coming.”

Sure enough, her yard was flooding too.

We evacuated a second time in as many hours to her cousin’s house even further east. After only an hour we were told again that the river was on the way and we had to leave.

1. The author realized the arrival of the flood when ______.

A．the rain started to fall heavily and non-stop

B．the nearby high school was slightly affected

C．there was standing water in some lower areas

D．he was informed by his wife’s cousin at the door

2. What does the author mean by saying “I was floored” in the 6^th paragraph?

A．He was clam enough to cope with the flood.

B．He became trapped by the rising floodwater.

C．He was shocked by the early arrival of the flood.

D．He lost his temper with his wife for being unprepared.

3. From the story, what do we know about the author’s evacuation?

A．He didn’t take action immediately despite his neighbor’s warning.

B．He trusted the weather forecast so that he prepared himself in advance.

C．He and his wife brought some supplies and valuable belongings with them.

D．He was forced to leave the temporary homes again and again to avoid danger.

4. Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?

A．Mutual Support in Disasters	B．Baton Rouge Flooding
C．How to Survive a Flood	D．Methods of Predicting Floods

4 . Wildlife populations around the world are facing dramatic declines, according to new figures that have led environmental campaigners to call for urgent action to rescue the natural world. The 2022 Living Planet Index (LPI), produced by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), reveals that studied populations of mammals, birds, reptiles (爬行动物) and fish have seen an average decline of 69 per cent since 1970, faster than previous predictions. The LPI tracked global biodiversity between 1970 and 2018, based on the monitoring of 31,821 populations of 5230 vertebrate (脊椎动物) species. Mark Wright of WWF says the degree of decline is destructive and continues to worsen. “We are not seeing any really positive signs that we are beginning to bend the curve of nature,” he says.

Freshwater vertebrates have been among the hardest-hit populations, with monitored populations showing an average decline of 83 per cent since 1970. The Amazon pink river dolphin, for example, has experienced a 65 per cent decline in its population between 1994 and 2016. Meanwhile, some of the most biodiverse regions of the world are seeing the steepest falls in wildlife, with the Caribbean and central and south America seeing average wildlife population declined by 94 per cent since 1970. Habitat loss and reduction is the largest driver of wildlife loss in all regions around the world, followed by species overexploitation by hunting, fishing or poaching (偷猎).

In December, governments from around the world will gather in Montreal, Canada, for the COP15 Biodiversity Framework, a much-delayed summit that aims to agree on a set of new targets intended to prevent the loss of animals, plants and habitats globally by 2030. “This is a once-in-a-decade opportunity that’s coming up,” says Robin Freeman of ZSL. He says it is vital that governments use the summit to agree on “meaningful, well measurable targets and goals”. “We need governments to take action to ensure that those goals deal with the complicated combined threats of climate change and biodiversity, in order for us to see a meaningful action,” says Freeman. But some researchers are critical of the LPI’s use of a headline figure of decline, warning it is easy to be misunderstood.

The findings don’t mean all species or populations worldwide are in decline. In fact, approximately half the populations show a stable or increasing trend, and half show a declining trend. “I think a more appropriate and useful way to look at it is to focus on specific species or populations,” says Hannah Ritchie at Our World in Data. But Wright says the LPI is a useful tool that reflects the findings of other biodiversity indicators. “All of those show they all scream there is something going really very badly wrong,” says Wright.

1. What does the underlined phrase in the first paragraph mean?

A．Loving and protecting nature.	B．Preserving the diversity of nature.
C．Underestimating the benefits of nature.	D．Destroying and changing nature.

2. In paragraph 2, the author mentions the Amazon pink river dolphin to show ______.

A．the number of Amazon dolphins is on the rise

B．freshwater vertebrates are at risk of extinction

C．there are no positive measures to protect nature

D．some of the world’s wild animals are in decline

3. What can we learn about people’s response to the issue mentioned in the passage?

A．It makes sense to focus on a particular species.

B．Preventing the loss of habitats by 2030 is certain to happen.

C．New agreement on the prevention of habitat loss will be in vain.

D．The Caribbean wildlife has been well protected in recent decades.

4. Which of the following is the best title of the passage?

A．The COP15 Biodiversity Framework

B．Wildlife Population Declining Sharply

C．Urgent Action to Save the Earth

D．Correct Interpretation of LPI

5 . At Cleveland Bridge, in Bath, a long line of traffic is building up. Although the Georgian structure was praised for its handsome Greek Revival style by Nikolaus Pevsner, an architectural master, it was built for horses, not cars. Repairs will close the bridge for several months, causing bigger jams and more pollution in a city where air quality is already a cause of concern.

Bath is an extreme example of a tradeoff faced by much of the country. Britain has the oldest housing stock in Europe, with one in five homes more than 100 years old. Period features are prized and often protected by law. Yet as efforts to cut carbon emissions intensify, they are clashing with attempts to preserve heritage. It is a “delicate balance” says Wera Hobhouse, Bath’s MP “What is the public benefit of dealing with the climate emergency, versus protecting a heritage asset?”

Two years ago, Bath was among the first British cities to declare a “climate emergency” when it also promised to go carbon-neutral by 2030. Yet Bath also wants-and is legally required to preserve its heritage. With Roman remains and Georgian streets that spread across the Avon Valley in shades of honey and butter, the city is designated a world heritage site by UNESCO. About 60% of it is further protected by the government as a conservation area, more than 5.000 of Bath’s buildings-nearly 10% of the total-are listed as being of special architectural or historical interest, making it a criminal offence to alter them without permission.

Many of the features that make Bath’s Georgian buildings so delicate also make them leaky. Buildings of traditional construction make up 30% of Bath’s housing stock but account for 40% of domestic carbon emissions, according to the Centre for Sustainable Energy, a charity. British homes are rated for energy efficiency on a scale from A to G; most traditional buildings in the city are an F or G.

Transport is another area where climate and heritage clash. Bath’s 17t-century streets lack room for bike lanes. Joanna Wright was recently booted out of her role as Bath’s climate chief after proposing that North Road, which leads to the university, should be closed to traffic. In two years she was unable to install any on-street electric-vehicle charging points, partly because of the “nightmare" of getting permission to dig up old pavements.

All this means going carbon neutral by 2030 looks hard, but the city is at least beginning to make compromises. In March it launched the first “clean-air zone” outside London, charging drivers to enter central Bath. A trial has made 160 electric motoreycles available to hire. And local opinion seems to be shifting in favour of sustainability. “The discussion has moved dramatically towards considering the climate emergency,” says Ms. Hobhouse.

1. What problem does Bath face?

A．It is getting more and more crowded due to the repairs that are under way.

B．Its historical significance makes it hard to reform it into an eco-friendly city.

C．It refuses to admit that the climate emergency is already a cause of concern.

D．Its promise to go carbon-neutral by 2030 wins no support from the city residents.

2. The percentage mentioned in the underlined sentence (paragraph 4) is intended to _________.

A．question the validity of the A-G scale

B．highlight the long history of Bath’s buildings

C．emphasize the buildings are not energy efficient

D．illustrate the features that Bath’s buildings share

3. It can be inferred from paragraph 5 that Joanna Wright _________.

A．failed to perform her duties well

B．managed to dig up some old pavements

C．succeeded in building bike lanes in Bath

D．removed charging points from Bath’s streets

4. What can be inferred from the passage?

A．Wera Hobhouse doesn’t care much about the public benefit.

B．Traditional buildings in Bath are not accessible to tourists now.

C．Local people in Bath used to favour heritage over sustainability.

D．Bath has been leading the way in constructing a carbon-neutral city.

7 . Here’s how the Pacific Northwest is preparing for “The Big One”. It’s the mother of all disaster drills for what could be the worst disaster in American history. California has spent years preparing for “The Big One”— the inevitable earthquake that will undoubtedly bring about all kinds of damage along the famous San Andreas fault. But what if the fault that runs along the Pacific Northwest delivers a gigantic earthquake of its own? If the people of the Cascadia region have anything to do with it, they won’t be caught unawares.

The region is engaged in a multi-day earthquake-and-tsunami drill involving around 20, 000 people. The Cascadia Rising drill gives area residents and emergency responders a chance to practice what to do in case of a 9. 0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami along one of the nation’s dangerous and underestimated faults.

The Cascadia Earthquake Zone is big enough to compete with San Andreas (it’s been called the most dangerous fault in America), but it’s much lesser known than its California cousin. Nearly 700 miles long, the earthquake zone is located by the North American Plate off the coast of Pacific British Columbia. Washington, Oregon and Northern California.

Cascadia is what’s known as a “megathrust” fault. Megathrusts are created in subduction zones(俯冲带)— plate tectonic(板块构造)boundaries where two plates converge(相交). In the areas where one plate is beneath another, stress builds up over time. During a megathrust event, all of that stress releases and some of the world’s most powerful earthquake occur. Remember the 9. I earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean off Sumatra in 2004? It was caused by a megathrust event as the India plate moved beneath the Burma micro-plate.

The last time a major earthquake occurred along the Cascadia fault was in 1700, so officials worry that another event could occur any time. To prevent that event from becoming a severe disaster, first responders will join members of the public in rehearsals that involve communication, evacuation, search and rescue, and other possible situations.

Thousands of casualties(伤亡人员) are expected if a 9. 0 earthquake were to occur. First, the earthquake would shake metropolitan areas including Seattle and Portland. This could cause a tsunami that would create damage along the coast. Not all casualties can necessarily be prevented - but by coordinating across local, state, and even national borders, officials hope that the worst-case situation can be prevented. On the exercise’s website, officials explain that the report they prepare during this rehearsal will inform disaster management for years to come.

For hundreds of thousands of Cascadia residents, “The Big One” isn’t a question of if, only when. And it’s never too early to get ready for the inevitable.

1. What does “The Big One” refer to?

A．A gigantic geological fault in America.

B．A large-scale drill to prepare for disasters.

C．A massive and destructive natural disaster.

D．Mass destruction caused by the earthquake.

2. What is the purpose of the Cascadia Rising drill?

A．To prepare people for a major earthquake and tsunami.

B．To increase residents’awareness of upcoming disasters.

C．To teach people now how adapt to post-disaster life.

D．To cope with the aftermath of a possible earthquake.

3. What happens in case of a megathrust earthquake according to the passage?

A．Two plates merge into one.	B．A variety of forces converge.
C．Boundaries blur between plates.	D．Enormous stress is released.

4. What can we learn from the passage?

A．A large-scale drill is supposed to prevent deaths in the earthquake.

B．San Andreas fault once delivered a 9. 1 earthquake in the Indian Ocean.

C．No massive earthquake is expected to strike Califomia in the near future.

D．Disaster-relief efforts at different levels may help reduce possible losses.

8 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. affect             B. challenge        C. controlled        D. change          E. evolved        F. extinction G. happening       H. key                 I. measure            J. minimize        K. warning

The Antarctic: Key to Planet Earth

The first people to reach the South Pole—in modern times, anyway—were Roald Amundsen and the Norwegian Antarctic expedition, in December 1911. Explorers had been trying to reach the Antarctic for over a hundred years because it represented the serious     1     : the coldest and windiest continent in the world.

Nowadays, scientists from over 27 countries work in the Antarctic all year round and there is even a small amount of tourism in the summer months. Since the 1960s, people have come to realize that the Antarctic holds the     2     to the history of our planet.

Antarctica has preserved valuable evidence of the natural history of our planet. Evidence from fossils shows how life     3     during geological time. The Antarctic has a crucial role to play in helping us understand global     4     .

The Antarctic provides valuable information about what is currently     5     to the ozone layer and about global warming. Scientists are also discovering that the ice sheet may contribute to changes in sea level. What happens in Antarctica will     6     the world’s climate and the world’s oceans. This is why the Antarctic is now one of the most     7     regions of the world, in terms of regulations concerning pollution.

Up until the 1960s, some species of whale and seal were driven almost to     8     by human activities in Antarctica. However, due to greater environmental awareness, all plants and animals in Antarctica are now protected by regulation. Commercial fishing is strictly limited and severe measures aim to     9     illegal fishing. There are also strict measures to control marine pollution.

Antarctica provides information on the past, present and future of our planet, and controls major issues in the rest of the world. In this sense, Antarctica is a(n)     10     because it tells us what we have done wrong. It is also a lesson because the regulations in force there show us what can be done and what must be done for the environment. It is up to us to listen and act, before it is too lat.

9 . Dear Doggy Diary

MONDAY

Now we’ve surely got all we require for the puppy’s arrival: a basket, a screaming toy banana and a bag of dog food. For names, we are hesitating between Spike or Lenny—but, as I tell this list to a Black friend, I suddenly realize both names are associated with famous Black men, and panic that this is a little offence.

TUESDAY

Our friend Sam has kindly volunteered to “puppy proof” our home. “You don’t want to give him that screaming toy, that’s encouraging him to eat your sofa,” she says, inspecting our purchases disapprovingly. She hands us a book, by Dr Ian Dunbar. “This guy”, she assures us, “is a Super Babysitter for dogs.”

WEDNESDAY

Spent last night ______57______ Dunbar has plenty of wisdom on “positively communicating” with the puppy, but nothing on how to get a puppy and also two young children.

THURSDAY

D-Day. Now the registration website wants a dog name at short notice. So, we go for “Buzz”. One syllable (音节) and with multi-generational fascination (Granny thinks Aldrin, kids think Lightyear).

FRIDAY

I feel very hesitant about saying so, but last night went well. Buzz is incredibly cute, the kids adore him and he’s very cute and only did one pee (排尿) on the blanket, and did I mention he’s cute?

SATURDAY

“Love” feels like a stretch right now. Our “play” was evidently not “focused” enough to prevent Buzz biting through our sofa. Also, our three-year-old thinks it’s funny to run away, so Buzz wrestles him to the ground and licks all over his face. I suspect this isn’t the best way to prepare Buzz for engaging with the public.

SUNDAY

The whole house smells of dog. I find this nasty, but friends, family, and people we barely know existed are dropping by to meet him. “It’s like having a baby, eh?” says my neighbor, Erik, brightly. “Yes, but it’s a baby you can neglect when it cries!” I respond cheerfully. He frowns (皱眉).

MONDAY

It’s 2 A.M. on the coldest day of the year and I’m on my hands and knees in the bushes. I think you’ve never really experienced a harsh mid-winter until you’re trying to run after a puppy. Then, we return inside, and it’s just me and Buzz. Peace. I should put him back in his cage, but I find I can’t resist a hug. Don’t tell my wife.

1. What does the phrase “puppy proof” our home mean in paragraph 2?

A．Make our home clean enough for the puppy.	B．Inspect our home to make it puppy-friendly.
C．Prove that the puppy will satisfy our needs.	D．Decorate our home with books on puppies.

2. In the diary of “WEDNESDAY”, a passage is missing. Which of the following plot best fits into the numbered blank?

A．Picking a dog ’s name from a name list of Blacks.

B．Looking over the house for potential safety hazards.

C．Studying Dunbar’s book on how to take care of a dog.

D．Visiting Dunbar in person in order to adopt his puppy.

3. Which of the following is the reason for naming the puppy “Buzz”?

A．Other choices imply strong prejudice against Black people.

B．Its pronunciation resembles the puppy’s cute and short bark.

C．The registration website recommends the name to the family.

D．The name holds appeal to both the elder and the younger generations.

4. Which of the following does the diary feature after the adoption of the puppy?

A．Chaos and cuteness.

B．Hatred and love.

C．Mess and cleanliness.

D．Abuse and affection.

10 . Farmers in southern Italy are cultivating tropical fruits like avocados and mangos. Tropical creatures such as the rabbitfish are ____ in Mediterranean nets. And the winemakers in southern France are worried that their grapes may become extinct. Fifty years ago all this would have been _____ , but since the early 1980s rising temperatures have forced some farmers to ____ grapes for some tropical fruits.

Italy and France have long been proud of their cuisines. Both countries jealously ____ the rules that say   only ham made in Parma, a province in northern Italy can be called “Prosciutto di Parma”, and only fizzy wine made in Champagne can be called champagne.

Roquefort, that most ____ of blue cheeses, was given special protection by the parliament of Toulouse in 1550. The fact of having been grown somewhere famous has traditionally been seen as a guarantee of ____ .

But climate change could ____ that. Take polenta(意大利玉米糊), a popular Italian dish consisting almost entirely of ground corn. High temperatures and drier weather have already reduced corn yields in southern Italy.

If this pattern continues and spreads ____ , will Italian polenta-makers have to order their corn from elsewhere? And what about durum wheat, which grows ____ in Mediterranean lands and is used to make pasta, flatbreads and couscous? Modelling suggests that durum yields will sharply fall there if the temperature keeps on rising.

So should we worry about the future of spaghetti? Gabriele Cola, a researcher at Milan University, is   ___ about the short term. “I don’t see crops at serious risk, because farming is more ____ and technologically capable, so it can always respond to changes,” he says.

Increased irrigation(灌溉) can ____ the effects of drought. Scientists may also breed more resistant varieties of crops. But ____ deeper change seems likely. If temperatures continue to rise, farmers in northern   Europe may find they can grow southern staples( 主食 ); polenta may ____ northern Europe. Meanwhile, the Italian southerner may also have to ____ if tropical fruits continue to spread there.

1.

A．taking over

B．turning up

C．getting off

D．holding back

2.

A．unnoticeable

B．respectable

C．unthinkable

D．believable

3.

A．switch

B．cultivate

C．trade

D．supply

4.

A．revise

B．bend

C．break

D．guard

5.

A．celebrated

B．publicized

C．introduced

D．favored

6.

A．yield

B．quality

C．origin

D．price

7.

A．revise

B．activate

C．upset

D．achieve

8.

A．backwards

B．outwards

C．northwards

D．downwards

9.

A．plentifully

B．especially

C．frequently

D．specifically

10.

A．concerned

B．optimistic

C．disappointed

D．romantic

11.

A．harvested

B．qualified

C．achieved

D．informed

12.

A．generate

B．sustain

C．reverse

D．maintain

13.

A．in this respect

B．in the long run

C．in an instant

D．in other words

14.

A．invade

B．survive

C．represent

D．engage

15.

A．adapt

B．invest

C．resist

D．imitate