1 . Nature’s Gigantic Snow Plough
On January 10, 1962, an enormous piece of glacier broke away and collapsed down the side of a mountain in Peru. A mere seven minutes later, when cascading ice finally came to a stop ten miles down the mountain, it had taken the lives of 4,000 people. This disaster is one of the most “destructive” examples of a very common event: an avalanche (雪崩) of snow or ice. Because it is extremely cold at very high altitudes, snow rarely melts.
Even an avalanche of light power can be dangerous, but the Peruvian disaster was particularly terrible because it was caused by a heavy layer of ice.
At present there is no way to predict or avoid such enormous avalanches, but luckily, they are very rare.
| A．It is estimated that the ice that broke off weighed three million tons. |
| B．It just keeps piling up higher and higher. |
| C．Scientists are constantly studying the smaller, more common avalanches, to try to understand what causes them. |
| D．An extremely rare snow and ice disaster hit the south area of China in January, 2008, seriously influencing people’s production and life. |
| E．But most avalanches occur long before this happens. |
| F．This year’s snow and ice disaster has caused great harm to power network. |
| A．Birds’ physical characteristics. | B．The migrating patterns of birds. |
| C．The size of bird population. | D．The behavior of migrating birds. |
| A．They become tired of their partners. | B．They can’t reach home at the same time. |
| C．They are likely to find new mates. | D．They have conflicts during the flight. |
| A．They are able to keep pace with their partners. |
| B．They migrate shorter distances than other birds. |
| C．They do not have to migrate for food. |
| D．They have little chance to meet new mates. |
A. inky B. ashore C. facility D. worldwide E. female F. conclusions G. double H. confused I. Talk J. preservation K. typically |
Several deep-sea fish have been mysteriously washed up on California’s beaches this year, leaving marine biologists
The latest Pacific football fish to be washed
The fish is black, almost spherical in shape and has sharp teeth. It has a strange external body sticking out from its head with multiple branches, used to attract prey in the
The fish found on Swami’s Beach is a mature
Pacific football fish are very rarely seen considering that they are
Despite the fact that the fish are rarely seen, three of them have been washed up on California’s beaches this year —including one that was spotted last month at Black’s Beach, north of San Diego. The three sightings this year
Despite the series of recent sightings, experts said, it’s hard to jump to any
4 . Clementine seemed to be missing apiece from her life’s puzzle for most of her life. Dropped off as a 3-year-old homeless dog near New Orleans, the dog stayed in the shelter for four months before being moved to Texas.
While living at an adoption center in Texas, the dog was adopted out twice to different families. Sadly, neither of those adoptions were successful. It turned out Clementine didn’t get along with smaller pets, and she had too much energy for the second family.
Meanwhile, Captain Robert Moree wanted to add a fire dog to the station. He’d just read a study about how dogs help firefighter scope with the pressure of their jobs, and he was eager to give the study a real life trial run! With the permission of the chief and other firefighters, he and a few colleagues visited the shelter. As soon as they met Clementine, they were smitten!
“They introduced us to Clementine,” Captain Moree recalled. “She started to like us, and we liked her instantly. Later that day, my driver, Bryan Wallen, and I decided to get her.”
Captain Moree officially adopted Clementine, but she definitely belonged to every person in the firehouse. She loved to hug the firefighters in between calls, and she was always nearby whenever anyone was preparing food. “She rides on the truck when we go out on calls” said Captain Moree. “She not only makes the station feel more like home during our 24-hour shifts but also keeps us excited to come to the station.”
Clementine has made such an amazing journey from a homeless dog to a hero dog. She was named Dog of the Year at the 2022 ASPCA Humane Awards!
1. Why did Clementine fail to stay in the second family?| A．She liked fire. | B．She was too active. | C．She ate too much. | D．She hated other pets. |
| A．moved | B．puzzled | C．attracted | D．surprised |
| A．Help put out fires. | B．Guard the firehouse. |
| C．Stay excited day and night | D．Reduce stress of firefighters. |
| A．She risked her life as a fire dog. |
| B．She has got many important awards. |
| C．She did an excellent job as a fire dog. |
| D．She remained homeless in her whole life. |
| A. typically B. limited C. markings D. items E. treated F. fenced G. fear H. packs I. gently J. present K.pair |
Red foxes exist throughout much of the United States, with the exception of the southwest. In Chicago, they are not common in high numbers, but are still
Red foxes are
Generally living alone, red foxes do not form
When digging homes under buildings, red foxes may come into conflict with people. Sometimes foxes may hunt outdoor cats or chickens. Keep cats indoors and get these areas
6 . Canada geese are a common and plentiful North American bird found in many urban parks, golf courses, airports, or areas with large lawns near water. They are a large waterbird with a fairly brown body, pale breast, and long black neck with white cheeks.
Canada geese are particularly attracted to urban areas for the many grassy lawns near small bodies of water. They can often be seen feeding on lawns or playing in shallow water by tipping forward and extending their necks underwater to reach for plants. Canada geese prefer to gathering in large flocks (群) and can be seen flying over in the classic V formation.
In Chicago, Canada geese may remain in the city throughout the year, although some geese get used to moving long distances to more southern sections for the winter or northward in spring to breed. Each breeding season, pairs build large open cup ground nests and lay 2 to 8 eggs which are raised in a single brood (窝). Urban habitats are also attractive to this species as neatly-maintained lawns make it easy when grazing with young to keep watch for approaching enemies. It is, however, their use of these urban areas that often leads to conflicts with humans.
As Canada geese numbers rise, so do their conflicts with humans. Canada geese’s daily activities may damage gardens and landscaping. Geese may also cross roads when searching for food or walking between nesting sites and bodies of water, slowing movement or posing a potential risk on the roadway. Although direct injuries by fierce geese are uncommon, people sometimes fall and pick up injuries when surprised by a charging goose. Additionally, people often feed the birds. Not only are the types of food people typically provide, such as bread, unhealthy for the birds, but this encourages high concentrations of geese leading to more harmful behavior and higher risk of diseases. Lastly, plane-bird conflicts are estimated to be rising, likely due to increasing numbers of planes, but also increases in populations of certain bird species, including Canada geese. Although crashes rarely result in an accident, they often cause costly damage to planes.
1. What do we know about Canada geese from the first and second paragraph?| A．They are a valued and rare species. |
| B．They like to spend time near water. |
| C．They always live quietly and separately. |
| D．Their appearance is in a uniform and single color. |
| A．feeding (paragraph 2) | B．playing (paragraph 2) |
| C．gathering (paragraph 2) | D．moving (paragraph 3) |
| A．adore humans | B．threaten humans |
| C．frustrate humans | D．safeguard humans |
| A．Frequent air crashes. | B．Damage to city view. |
| C．Traffic jam and danger. | D．Indirect human injuries. |
7 . When I step out onto the deck, I definitely feel the Arctic chill. That’s not surprising. I’m a good hundred miles inside the Arctic Circle; in fact, you can’t get much farther north and still be in Sweden. This is Abisko Mountain Station, perhaps the crown jewel of the Swedish mountain lodges (小屋). I’m back for a second time to this remote, scenic spot.
Last Autumn, a heavy snowstorm trapped me in my tent for days and eventually forced me to go to the station, a comfortable place. I discovered a different side to Abisko. People come here for many reasons – some to hike, some to climb, some to cross-country ski. But there’s yet another entirely different attraction here. Looking out from the deck of the train station, above a huge lake, in the upper sky of the North Pole, the Aurora, as we often refer to the northern light, mixed with green and red, was giving off ghostly light, rolling across the dark night sky.
The Aurora may be old hat to those who live this far north, but for the rest of us it is an unforgettable experience. The lights here were so appealing to us we quickly forgot the discomfort of the cold.
One of the attractions in Abisko is the Tornetrask. It’s a huge lake, which extends more than 70 kilometres long just north of the station, creates an unusual weather phenomenon that keeps the skies above the station clear even when fog or clouds blanket most of northern Sweden. The sky in this area is mostly clear all year around.
Abisko has a lot to offer to make it an ideal place to view the Aurora. It is far from any city lights. The station operates a ski lift to the top of Nuolja Peak, more than 3,000 feet high. For the first time this year, a cafe at the top of the mountain has been turned into a viewing platform for the Northern Lights, called the Aurora Sky Station. Also, the station posts forecasts each night of expected Aurora activity, collected from scientific observations arriving via computer, so visitors may choose the best viewing time.
1. What was the reason for the author’s first visit to the lodge?| A．He went there in search of the Aurora. | B．He needed equipment to keep him warm. |
| C．He was forced there by the weather. | D．He had to make his food supply there. |
| A．severe and struggling | B．familiar and unexciting |
| C．strange and shocking | D．mysterious and adventurous |
| A．There is a mountain viewing platform. | B．Weather forecasts are available. |
| C．There are no city lights nearby. | D．There is a café shop there. |
| A．despite the severe weather, it’s an impressive place |
| B．people have overestimated its popularity |
| C．it’s not as popular as it deserves to be |
| D．the cold weather worsens the Aurora viewing experience there |
Is Leather Good or Not?
For thousands of years, humans have used leather to make everything from clothing to furniture to footwear. The skin of animals is a material that is strong, hard-wearing and flexible. These qualities make leather a popular material for many different products, but more people are becoming concerned about the potential harm caused by items they buy. Should we respect ancient traditions or is having real leather not as important as it used to be?
The treatment of animals raised for their skins is a massive issue. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), more than 2.29 billion cows, pigs and goats are killed each year for their hides. This does not include the animal skin of fancier leather products, such as sheep, crocodiles, kangaroos and lizards.
There’s also an environmental problem. Producing leather is a very polluting process, because it requires treating the skins with chemicals. During the procedure, called tanning, chemicals change the fibres (纤维) inside the leather, making it tougher. A tanning facility uses more than 60,000 litres of water for every tonne of leather produced. It uses huge amounts of poisonous chemicals, including substances containing heavy metals such as chromium, which when washed out ends up in nearby soil and drinking water that people use.
However, the making of leather is not entirely negative. Selling animal skin is a key source of income for remote populations such as the Inuit people in Canada. Every day, cows, pigs and goats are killed for their meat to be sold in supermarkets. It’s respectful not to waste anything, and without leather their skins would have to be buried or burned.
Although there are alternatives to leather, some of these fabrics are only 85% to 90% biodegradable (可生物降解的). Vegan leather can be made from plastics which take years to biodegrade, so it’s actually worse for the planet.
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9 . Building good transportation is a good idea. To have environmental value, new transportation has to sufficiently replace or eliminate driving to cut energy consumption overall. That means that a new traffic system has to be supported by reduction in car use. Traffic lanes should be eliminated or converted into bike or bus lanes. Ideally, these should be combined with higher fuel taxes, and parking fees. Needless to say, I have to struggle to make myself extensively understood. But they’re necessary, because you can’t make people drive less, in the long run, by taking steps that make driving more pleasant, economical, and productive.
Lengthy commuting (通勤) time is a forceful factor which can slow the growth of suburbs. The farther people live away from cities, the longer commuting time they need, which means more pollution their cars produce. If, in a misguided effort to do something of environmental value, governments take steps that make long-distance car commuting faster or more convenient—by adding lanes, building bypass, employing traffic-control measures that make it possible for existing roads to accommodate more cars with fewer delays—we are actually encouraging people to live still farther from their jobs, stores, and schools. As a result, governments are forced to further extend road networks, water lines, and other facilities. If you cut commuting time by 10 percent, people who now drive fifty miles each way to work can find reason to move five miles farther out, because their travel time won’t change.
Traffic congestion (拥堵) isn’t an environmental problem; traffic is. Relieving congestion without doing anything to reduce the total volume of cars can only make the real problem worse. Highway engineers have known for a long time that building new car lanes only temporarily reduces congestion, because the new lanes add additional driving. Widening roads makes traffic move faster in the short term, but the improved conditions eventually attract additional drivers, and congestion reappears. With more car on the roads, people think about widening roads again. Moving drivers out of cars and into other forms of transportation can have the same effect, if existing traffic lanes are kept in service: road space stimulates road use.
One of the arguments that cities inevitably make in promoting transportation plans is that the new system, by relieving automobile congestion, will improve the lives of those who continue to drive. No one ever promotes a transportation system by arguing that it would make travelling less convenient—even though, from an environmental perspective, inconvenient travel is a worthy goal.
1. In the first paragraph, the author gives us the hint that his recommendations are ______.| A．not widely supported | B．costly to carry out |
| C．generally recognized | D．temporarily beneficial |
| A．Drivers will become more productive employees. |
| B．Mass transportation will be extended farther into suburban areas. |
| C．Drivers will be more willing to live farther from their working place. |
| D．Mass transportation will carry fewer passengers and receive less government funding. |
| A．They are environmentally beneficial and should be carried out immediately. |
| B．They are well intentioned but ultimately lead to environmental harm. |
| C．They will definitely arouse people’s awareness of environmental protection. |
| D．They will only work if they can make driving more economical and productive. |
| A．support the claim that efforts to reduce traffic actually increase traffic. |
| B．oppose the belief that improving mass transportation systems is good for the environment. |
| C．provide a balance between suburban expansion and traffic congestion. |
| D．indicate that making driving less agreeable is a way to reduce negative effects of traffic. |
10 . Raccoons are arguably the most successful urban carnivore (食肉动物) in North America. They maintain large populations in most U.S. cities and are certainly just as common in Chicago, though actual population estimates are unknown. Almost anyone who has spent time outdoors at night has likely seen one, and they are quite difficult to confuse with anything else — their fat bodies, and mask-like facial markings, make them quite distinctive, and even perhaps charming.
A typical urban raccoon is able to eat virtually anything. Their diet includes earthworms, carrion, plant matter, cat food, and all kind of discarded human food waste. Raccoons are probably the most advanced wildlife which can dive our dustbins. Their paws (爪子) are quite dexterous and enable them to access closed garbage dustbins. Raccoons are also capable climbers and can be found on the top of fences and in trees. While they are typically solitary, they are willing to tolerate crowds of other raccoons if high quality food resources are present. They give birth once and sometimes twice a year in late spring and make use of a wide variety of den (巢穴) sites, including hollow trees, chimneys, etc. Because they make dens in a variety of human structures, raccoons can be a source of human-wildlife conflict, through direct confrontation with humans, property damage caused by their activities, and, perhaps most critically, through the transmission of disease. Leptospirosis, canine distemper, raccoon roundworm, and rabies are the most important zoonotic (人畜共患的) diseases carried by raccoons. Rabies in particular has had a massive effect on raccoon populations and caused a public health attention, to the point where use of vaccine have been attempted in some cities.
In most cases where raccoons are reported by the public, no management action is necessary. Large packs of raccoons, such as those often sighted along the lakeshore path, likely suggest a large artificial food source, such as people deliberately feeding raccoons on unchecked garbage. These large gatherings present a high disease risk and people should be strongly discouraged from feeding raccoons or leaving food outside for them. In cases where there is evidence of disease, individual raccoons will need to be trapped and killed.
1. What do we know about raccoons from the first paragraph?| A．They are unknown in Chicago. | B．They are easily recognized. |
| C．They tend to attack people at night. | D．They are declining in population. |
| A．skillful | B．mysterious | C．invisible | D．abnormal |
| A．share food | B．be in crowd |
| C．live separately | D．hide high quality food |
| A．People are encouraged to feed raccoons. |
| B．Raccoons are killed as food source for people. |
| C．Immediate measures are adopted when raccoons are found. |
| D．Extreme actions may be taken to deal with racoons carrying disease. |
