1 . What do you know about fashion? The fashion industry, which has become one of the most _________ to the planet, is having a moment of punishment. But which changes make a difference, and which ones just _________ in the wash? In fact, the fashion industry is second only to the oil industry, the most environmentally unfriendly industry.

A friend of mine _________ an antique clothes store in the north of London. Business has been good for many years, which makes her acquire a large fortune. Every few weeks, she visits a vast storehouse on the edge of the city to go through piles of clothing. Most of it is _________, but if you know what you are looking for, there are raw diamonds. The storehouse has a long history. It was once a clearing house for the low-quality wool scraps(碎料) that were used to make cheap clothing for the _________ in Victorian Britain. A century on, _________ has changed. Nowadays, it is full of modern-day inferior products, all _________ cheap clothing made for the masses around the world. Except that this stuff is going to be burned or buried, not being reused.

The items are the products of an industry that, in the past 30 years, has become one of the most successful and also most _________ on the planet. Known as fast fashion, it has filled our wardrobes(衣柜) with cheap and cheerful clothes. But after three decades of continuous growth, the model is in _________ with fundamental environmental limits and there is widespread agreement – even from within the industry – that it is time to ____________. Otherwise, “Fast fashion” creates a mountain of unsellable, cheap clothing that ends up in a terrible place.

“The fashion industry represents a key environmental ____________,” says Kirsi Niinimäki at Aalto University in Espoo, Finland. “Eventually, the long-term stability of the fashion industry ____________ the total abandonment of the fast-fashion model.” Like fast food, fast fashion is all about instant ____________ on the cheap.

One wonders: What can we do about it? Don’t you have any clothes on? It’s not that ____________. More importantly, don’t waste, learn to control your desires and ____________ falling into this “Fast fashion” lifestyle. As the guardian columnist Lucy Seagal once said, the “Fast fashion” industry is profit-driven, but consumers who have experienced “over-consumption” will naturally grow tired of it, and the market will have its choice.

1.

A．convincing

B．interesting

C．confusing

D．damaging

2.

A．carry out

B．come out

C．set out

D．break out

3.

A．builds

B．runs

C．supports

D．controls

4.

A．expensive

B．useless

C．worthless

D．attractive

5.

A．businessmen

B．children

C．locals

D．masses

6.

A．little

B．few

C．much

D．many

7.

A．on behalf of

B．in the form of

C．for the sake of

D．in terms of

8.

A．effective

B．destructive

C．preventive

D．alternative

9.

A．quarrel

B．argument

C．fight

D．conflict

10.

A．tell the truth

B．hit the brakes

C．pave the way

D．break the ice

11.

A．threat

B．effect

C．problem

D．protection

12.

A．results from

B．consists of

C．brings about

D．relies on

13.

A．ambition

B．action

C．satisfaction

D．attraction

14.

A．far

B．extreme

C．bad

D．complex

15.

A．enjoy

B．imagine

C．miss

D．avoid

2 . Many people learn at an early age to associate the color red with danger. So might it make sense to print medication   ________ in red ink? And since the color blue is known to call to mind the freedom of open skies, might it help artists to   ________ in a studio painted in that color? According to new research into how the brain reacts to ________ , the answer to both of these questions is yes. The study revealed that the color red seems to improve a subject’s attention to ________ , while blue appears to stimulate creativity—all without the subject realizing that his or her brain is being influenced.

“People are not ________ this effect at all,” marveled the study’s lead researcher Juliet Zhu, who studies the effects of environmental cues on behavior. To study the brain’s response to specific colors, Zhu’s team administered a series of   ________ tests to college students. For most of the tests, the students were placed in front of a computer screen that was colored either red or blue.

The researchers found that when the screen was red, subjects performed better on detail-oriented tasks. In one test,   ________ , students were asked to memorize a list of words. Zhu found that students who studied the list displayed on a red screen were able to recall more words than students who studied the list on a ________ screen.

In other tests, creative abilities seemed to be ________ by looking at the color blue. For instance, the students were asked to brainstorm potential uses for bricks. Students sitting in front of blue screens tended to come up with ideas that were   ________ , such as “make a paperweight” and “build a pet scratching post.” Students sitting in front of a red screen, on the other hand, were more likely to list ________ uses for bricks, such as “build a house.”

Researchers concluded from the tests that seeing red causes people to take the extra time to think ________ when performing detail-oriented tasks, such as ________ , proofreading— and, of course, reading those all-important warning labels. ________ most people learn early in their development that red signifies potential danger, Zhu said, seeing red perhaps helps people to slow down in order to perform at their best in a potentially risky situation. Seeing blue, on the other hand, produces images of the sky, freedom and peace. Perhaps these images, researchers supposed, ________ feelings. “It’s really this learned association with these colors that drives these different motivations,” Zhu said.

1.

A．instructions

B．symptoms

C．warnings

D．treatments

2.

A．create

B．relax

C．decorate

D．design

3.

A．skies

B．medication

C．colors

D．paint

4.

A．danger

B．detail

C．emotions

D．vigor

5.

A．distracted by

B．aware of

C．content with

D．curious about

6.

A．cognitive

B．intelligence

C．mental

D．memory

7.

A．on one hand

B．at the same time

C．for example

D．that is

8.

A．grey

B．blue

C．green

D．white

9.

A．proven

B．acquired

C．recognized

D．enhanced

10.

A．more abstract

B．more positive

C．more innovative

D．more valuable

11.

A．practical

B．academic

C．economical

D．profitable

12.

A．critically

B．logically

C．carefully

D．independently

13.

A．painting

B．memorizing

C．designing

D．brainstorming

14.

A．Unless

B．When

C．Since

D．Though

15.

A．turn up

B．stir up

C．set off

D．give off

3 . The world is wasting the opportunity to “build back better” from the Covid-19 pandemic, and faces disastrous temperature rises of at least 2.7°C if countries fail to strengthen their climate commitments, according to a report from the UN.

Tuesday’s publication warns that countries’ current commitments would reduce carbon by only about 7.5% by 2030, far less than the 45% cut, which scientists say is needed to limit global temperature rises to 1.5℃, the aim of the Cop26summit that opens in Glasgow this Sunday.

António Guterres, the UN secretary-general, described the findings as a “thundering wake-up call“ to world leaders. while experts called for action against fossil fuel companies.

Although more than 100 countries have promised to reach net zero emissions around mid-century, this would not be enough to avoid climate disasters, according to the UN emissions report, which examines the shortfall between countries’ intentions and actions needed on the climate. Many of the net zero commitments were found to be unclear, and unless accompanied by strict cuts in emissions this decade would allow global heating of a potentially disastrous extent.

Guterres said: “The heat is on, and as the contents of the report show, the leadership we need is off. Far off. Countries are wasting a massive opportunity to invest Covid-19 finance and recovery resources in sustainable, cost-saving, planet-saving ways. As world leaders prepare for Cop26, this report is another thundering wake-up call. How many do we need?”

Inger Andersen, the director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said: “Climate change is no longer a future problem. It is a now problem. To stand a chance of limiting global warming to 1.5℃, we have 8 years to almost halve greenhouse gas emissions: 8 years to make the plans, put in place the policies, carry them out and deliver the cuts.The clock is ticking loudly.”

Emissions fell by about 5.4% last year during Covid lockdowns, the report found, but only about one-fifth of the economic recovery spending goes towards reducing carbon emissions. This failure to ”build back better“ despite promises by governments around the world cast doubt on the world’s willingness to make the economic shift necessary to settle the climate crisis, the UN said.

In the run-up to Cop26, countries were supposed to submit national plans to cut emissions - called nationally determined contributions (NDCs) - for the next decade, a requirement under the 2015 Paris climate agreement. But the UNEP report found only half of countries had submitted new NDCs, and some governments had presented weak plans.

1. Why were the findings described as a “thundering wake-up call” in Para. 3?

A．Because the world has failed to deliver on its current promises.

B．Because the serious problems were brought about by global fossil fuels.

C．Because a global temperature rise of at least 2.7°C would be a disaster.

D．Because the opportunities presented by covid-19 have been wasted.

2. According to the author, in what circumstances is global warming avoidable?

A．New plans will be made to protect the environment.

B．Measures will be taken to reduce emissions in the coming ten years.

C．Transitions will be made in response to the global climate crisis.

D．Global sustainable environmental resources will be greatly developed.

3. What is the author’s purpose in saying “How many do we need?” in Para.5?

A．To show the number of alarm clocks required.

B．To inquire the number of the countries attending the meeting.

C．To explain the reason for the world’s wasting chances.

D．To stress the need to save energy and reduce emissions.

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．Few countries have submitted plans to reduce the emissions.

B．Most of the countries work under the Paris Climate Agreement.

C．Plans to cut emissions of many countries are far from satisfactory.

D．Much progress in reducing emissions has been made these years.

4 . Global surface temperatures last month were 2.25 degrees warmer than the 20th century average of 60.1 degrees, breaking previous records, from August 2016, by more than half a degree, according to NOAA researchers. “That to me is a really huge _______ from one record to the next,” said Ellen Bartow, a physical scientist with NOAA’S National Centers for Environmental Information.

The report _______ what millions of people have experienced in recent months, including record-breaking heatwaves that have touched almost every corner of the globe. Asia, Africa, North America and South America had their warmest August on record, as did the Arctic, Europe and Oceania — a region that _______ Australia - had their second-warmest August on record, the report said.

It wasn’t just the land that _______ : August set a record for the highest monthly sea surface temperature abnormally—1.85 degrees above average. The warming oceans _______experiencing its fourth continuous month with the _______ shrinking sea ice, with Antarctica sea ice extent on record. Globally, sea ice extent in August was about 550,000 square miles less than the previous record low, set in August 2019.

“We’ve seen unheard-of warmth in the global ocean, and that’s definitely alarming because its effects _______ beyond just the scope of the ocean,” Bartow-Gillies said. “Not only are you _______ marine habitats, but you’re affecting storm creation, you’re creating more instability in some areas, and you’re creating flooding events in other areas. There’s a whole host of _______ that come along with these warmer ocean surface temperatures that we’re seeing.”

In fact, the report comes after a series of severe natural ________ that span the globe. This week, a Mediterranean storm caused serious flooding in Libya, killing more than 11,000 people. In Canada, wildfires burned through more than 42 million acres of forests this summer, and several are still burning. ________ global warming was not the singular cause of any of these disasters, heating of the Earth continues to ________ the likelihood of extreme weather events and wildfire worldwide.

“The scientific evidence is ________ —we will continue to see more climate records and more intense and frequent extreme weather events impacting society and ecosystems, until we stop ________ greenhouse gases,” read a statement from Samantha Burgess, deputy director of the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, which also ________ that this summer was the hottest on record.

1.

A．distance

B．jump

C．travel

D．flight

2.

A．confirms

B．emerges

C．quotes

D．argues

3.

A．holds

B．touches

C．surrounds

D．includes

4.

A．boiled

B．cooled

C．stricken

D．disappeared

5.

A．contributed to

B．suffered from

C．resulted from

D．devoted to

6.

A．slowest

B．lowest

C．highest

D．fastest

7.

A．enlarge

B．discharge

C．extend

D．undertake

8.

A．creating

B．saving

C．remaining

D．disturbing

9.

A．issues

B．debates

C．events

D．proposals

10.

A．floods

B．disasters

C．storms

D．earthquakes

11.

A．Though

B．Because

C．Unless

D．When

12.

A．damage

B．destroy

C．decrease

D．increase

13.

A．irresistible

B．unchangeable

C．inaccessible

D．unbearable

14.

A．conveying

B．releasing

C．relieving

D．dismissing

15.

A．predicted

B．expected

C．doubted

D．determined

5 . 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

6 . Huizhou Architecture Comes to Life

Huizhou has a long history. When successful Huizhou businessmen got old,they often went back to their hometown and built houses to spend their remaining years.    1    Now, walking along the bluestone streets there,visitors can appreciate the distinctive Huizhou-style houses,featuring white walls,dark tiles (瓦片) and layered horse-head roofs, and feel like they are lost in a traditional Chinese ink painting.

Huizhou architecture, with its long tradition and great diversity, occupies an important place in Chinese architectural landscape, says Zhang Wangnan, director of the China Huizhou Culture Museum in Huangshan. Huizhou houses tend to be built on the natural places, since Huizhou is a mountainous area with few flat areas of land, according to Zhang. Moreover, daylight is valued in Huizhou houses, reflected in the building of open interior courtyards, allowing sunshine to enter the rooms. “Huizhou businessmen also believed that water symbolizes wealth.    2    It stands for keeping windfall profits,” says Zhang.

Huizhou is famous for its stone, wood and brick carvings, which are widely used to decorate local houses. “    3    In this way,they integrate their aesthetic (审美) values and emotions into the buildings,making them more beautiftul and educating their children through the meanings contained in the patterns,” says Zhang.

    4     “If you look at the outside of a Huizhou house, it seems simple, enclosed by walls, but the insides are open and broad, with complicated decorations. It is just like Huizhou people, who are often reserved toward strangers but friendly when you get to know them.” says Zhang. He also says that Ming houses differ from those of the QingDynasty in many aspects, for example, having fewer horse-head roofs and less complicated carvings.

A．When it rains, water falling on the roof soon flows to the courtyard.

B．Many of their houses are well-preserved today, especially in Xidi and Hongcun.

C．To talk about Huizhou culture, we must first understand Huizhou.

D．People carved beautiful patterns and historical stories on the walls, windows and wooden posts of their houses.

E．Features of Huizhou houses display the characteristics of local people.

F．Huizhou people have established many schools in the field of culture.

7 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

The Last Generation

Rising sea levels threaten the very existence of the Pacific island nations. And young people     1     families have deep roots on the islands are starting to wonder if they will be the last generation. But the islanders’ determination is as strong as their connection to their home.

The nations of the Pacific Islands recognize that     2     it comes to climate change, they are all in the same boat. Working together, they set about     3     (look) for ways to take charge and address the problem. There’s one feature of island life that gives these small nations an opportunity to make a big difference. People on islands rely on most of the things     4     (deliver) by ships, and the environmental impact     5     the marine transportation is enormous.

    6     (realize) it was up to them to come up with solutions in their own backyards (bays and harbors), Pacific islanders came up with a plan. At the United Nations Climate Action Summit in 2019, the governments of Fiji and the Marshall Islands announced the Pacific Blue Shipping Partnership, which promises a 40 percent reduction in carbon emissions from shipping by 2030     7     wants to achieve zero-carbon shipping by 2050.

They plan to adopt some really cool, environmentally friendly, carbon-free technologies, including solar-powered ships and hydrogen fuel cells. Through the partnership and their efforts     8     (assemble) a fleet (舰队) of these greener ships, Pacific island nations are leading the world by example. They’re hoping their move     9     start a wave of change in the shipping industry.

Sea levels are rising, but hopes aren’t sinking in the Pacific islands, where people are fighting for life and land. The citizens of these island nations     10     (inspire) to work together so they all can survive and develop in their homelands for generations to come.

10 . Directions: Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main point(s) of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.

Can Birdsong Make You Happier?

If you are able to step outside and hear many types of birds, you might also have a greater feeling of well-being. Two studies show that hearing diverse birdsongs may help increase our happiness.

One study was done by the researchers at California Polytechnic State University. The team studied the effects of birdsong on people walking through a park in the U.S. state of Colorado. Danielle Ferraro, who led the Cal Poly study, says that there could be an evolutionary reason why we like birdsong. The idea is that when we hear birdsong it could signal safety to us. There could be many other reasons too Ferraro states that in some areas around the world birdsong can also signal the arrival of spring and nice weather. Bird diversity, she adds, can also mean a healthy environment.

Similarly, scientists in Germany examined for the first time whether a diverse nature also increases human well-being across Europe. The researchers looked at the European Quality of Life Survey to study the connection between the different kinds of birds in their surroundings and life satisfaction. They looked at more than 26,000 adults from 26 European countries. “Europeans are particularly satisfied with their lives if their surroundings have a high species diversity,” explains the study’s lead author, Joel Methorst, a researcher at the Goethe University in Frankfurt. He and his team found that the happiest Europeans are those who can experience many different kinds of birds in their daily life, or who live in near-natural surroundings that are home to many species.

So, if birdsong is good for our mental health, how can we increase the different types of birdsongs we hear? Scientists also mentioned, “We would recommend planting native trees and flowers because we have a lot of pretty decorative plants in our cities. And they might look nice to us, but birds can’t necessarily use them. So, we think it important to have species that are native to the area to increase bird diversity.”

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________