5 . The Human Development Report, published annually since 1990, seeks to ____ “human development” around the world and calculates a “Human Development Index” (HDI 人类发展指数) for 169 countries. The HDI is ____ on average income, life expectancy, and level of education. ____, rich countries tend to have higher HDIs than poor countries, but there are interesting ____ in human development among countries with similar levels of economic development, because some have better health and education systems than others.

Almost every country in the world has a higher HDI than in 1990, despite the fact that since the 2008 financial crisis the total number of people living in extreme ____ has increased. The report concludes that most people are healthier, live longer, are more ____, — and that even in countries with severe economic problems, people’s health and education have generally ____. Although sub-Saharan African countries are at the bottom of the pile ____ human development, some of them have made significant progress since 1990. The report is ____, however, of the fact that economic inequality has increased significantly in the last twenty years, both within and between countries.

The greatest threat to HDI in the future, according to the report, is climate change. The way to increase average income in a country is through economic growth, which means increased production and ____. However, if this ____ to greater emissions of greenhouse gases, as has always been the case in the past, global warming will probably go faster, causing severe environmental problems in some parts of the world that will ____ the livelihoods of huge numbers of people. The progress of the last twenty years, ____, might not be sustainable .

The only solution, according to the report, is to break the ____ between economic growth and greenhouse gas emissions — which, ____ to say, is easier said than done.

1.

A．judge

B．investigate

C．assess

D．justify

2.

A．based

B．focused

C．keen

D．reflected

3.

A．Unsurprisingly

B．Unwillingly

C．Unfortunately

D．Unexpectedly

4.

A．mixtures

B．experiments

C．signs

D．variations

5.

A．cruelty

B．poverty

C．emotion

D．terror

6.

A．talented

B．disadvantaged

C．determined

D．educated

7.

A．infected

B．ignored

C．improved

D．impressed

8.

A．to the extent of

B．on account of

C．for the sake of

D．in terms of

9.

A．critical

B．proud

C．fond

D．independent

10.

A．administration

B．consumption

C．application

D．concentration

11.

A．objects

B．sticks

C．leads

D．turns

12.

A．threaten

B．maintain

C．concern

D．guarantee

13.

A．nevertheless

B．however

C．otherwise

D．therefore

14.

A．link

B．record

C．law

D．gap

15.

A．fearless

B．needless

C．careless

D．hopeless

6 .

A．Bring flowers.	B．Take a pot plant.
C．Buy postcards.	D．Send fruits.

7 . Animal Rights

Every conscious being has interests that should be respected. No being who is conscious of being alive should be devalued to thinghood, dominated, and used as a resource or ______. The key point of the idea known as animal rights is a movement to extend moral consideration to all ______ beings. Nobody should have to demonstrate a specific level of intelligence or be judged beautiful to be given moral consideration. No being should have to be useful to humanity or capable of accepting “duties” in order to be extended moral consideration. ______, what other animals need from us is being free from duties to us.

Animal rights is about letting animals live on their own terms. It can be written into our laws, but is not an actual list or bill of rights as we have for human society. It begins with our promises not to act like ______ of others. Animal rights is about justice ─ treating animals fairly.

Why is animal rights _____? It is because we humans often act as though we are the only beings on the planet. Although we depend on other animals for our very survival, humans are the only animals that have upset the balance of nature. There are lots of ways that humans ______ animals. We domesticate them and use them for food, even though our nutritional needs can be completely supplied by a(n) ______ diet. Although other materials are available, we use animal’s skin and other body parts for clothing, furs, hats, boots, jewellery and even pet toys. Humans can talk about it but animals cannot. All animals wish to experience life in its fullness. Unlike many animals who have to kill to survive, humans do not. Why should humans cause ______ to other beings when it’s not necessary?

As we do, animals protect their children; they feel fear; they warn each other of dangers; they play. We might differ from other animals in some ways, but that doesn’t give us the right to ______ them down, take their lands, pollute their waters, or use them for our conveniences. Animals also experience pain and it’s not difficult to observe ______ of pain in the way a conscious being reacts to it. We take advantage, cause distress, and act ______ when we use animals for amusement. Lots of pets are ______ on the streets when their owners no longer find it convenient or affordable to keep or care for them.

Whether we admit it or not, it’s a prejudice to think we are ______ to animals and that it is our right to control them, which can only make people act mean, hateful or neglectful. However, each of us has within us the power to ______. We can adopt a different attitude, one that reshape our destiny. This will have wonderful effects on the planet’s other communities, for life is ______ avoiding suffering. It is interacting, singing, pursuing joy. We humans can learn to live responsibly, with respect, kindness and love.

1.

A．companies

B．goods

C．insects

D．providers

2.

A．active

B．conscious

C．intelligent

D．strange

3.

A．Indeed

B．Moreover

C．Nevertheless

D．Otherwise

4.

A．followers

B．friends

C．masters

D．tutors

5.

A．necessary

B．reflected

C．respected

D．revolutionary

6.

A．distinguish

B．keep

C．exploit

D．raise

7.

A．animal-free

B．eco-friendly

C．low-salt

D．well-balanced

8.

A．conflict

B．confusion

C．isolation

D．misery

9.

A．calm

B．chase

C．pull

D．put

10.

A．signs

B．symbols

C．symptoms

D．performances

11.

A．differently

B．similarly

C．gently

D．unfairly

12.

A．abandoned

B．chosen

C．oppressed

D．spoiled

13.

A．accessible

B．appealing

C．reasonable

D．superior

14.

A．change

B．dominate

C．persist

D．proceed

15.

A．contrary to

B．more than

C．owing to

D．rather than

8 . New archaeological discovers suggest that trade between Europe and Asia along the Silk Road probably began in some form many centuries earlier than once thought. The findings, coupled with a widening range of scientific and historical research, could add a fascinating new page to the epic of the Silk Road.

The latest and most surprising discovery is pieces of silk found in the hair of an Egyptian mummy from about 1000 BC, long before regular traffic on the Silk Road and at least one thousand years before silk was previously thought to be used in Egypt. Other research may extend human activity along this route back even further, perhaps a million years to the migration of human ancestors into eastern Asia.

The official origin of East-West commerce along the road is usually placed in the late 2^nd century BC when an agent of the Chinese Emperor Wu-di returned from a dangerous secret mission across the western desert into the remote high country of Central Asia. The agent, Zhang Qian, travelled as far as Afghanistan and brought back knowledge of even more distant lands such as Persia, Syria and a place known as Lijien, perhaps Rome. Historians have called this one of the most important journeys in ancient times. His journey opened the way for what have been thought to be the first indirect contacts between the ancient world’s two superpowers, China and Rome. Chinese silk, first traded to central Asian tribes for war horses and to the Parthians of old Persia in exchange for acrobats and ostrich eggs, was soon finding its way through a network of merchants to the luxury markets of Rome.

But the new discoveries show that Chinese silk was apparently present in the West long before the Han emperor started organized trade over the Silk Road. The research could change thinking about the early history of world trade and provide insights into the mystery of just how and when Europe and the Mediterranean lands first became aware of the glorious culture at the other end of Eurasia.

1. The word “coupled” in the first paragraph could best be replaced by ____________.

A．produced	B．doubled
C．combined	D．contributed

2. What does the silk thread found in the hair of an Egyptian mummy suggest?

A．That trade along the Silk Road began earlier than once thought

B．Historical research often achieves fascinating results

C．Egyptians had probably travelled to China to buy silk

D．The new light can now be thrown on ancient trading practices

3. Until recently most historians believed that trade along the Silk Road ____________.

A．extended human migration into eastern Asia

B．primarily benefited the Egyptians

C．began a million years ago

D．originated in the 2nd century BC

4. Why have Historians always considered Zhang Qian’s mission important?

A．Because it discovered the Silk Road

B．Because he helped establish East-West trade

C．Because he brought back knowledge of Rome to the emperor

D．Because he travelled as far as Afghanistan

9 . The koala is an unusual creature. Native to Australia and a bit bigger than a rabbit, it spends most of its time in eucalyptus trees（桉树），feeding on leaves that are poisonous to nearly every other animal on the planet.

The koala sleeps about 22 hours a day and spends the remainder of its time eating and resting. It might spend 10 minutes a day moving, experts say, usually from one tree to another. It has a soft pad at the end of its spine and extra thick fur on its rear end to make the effort, of sitting more comfortable.

Threats and protective measures

The unique lifestyle of the koala has helped it prosper, but today the cute and iconic creature is facing threats from habitat loss, disease and a changing climate. Koala populations are expected to decline by 50 percent in the next 20 years according to the Australian Museum.

To help protect these animals, which bring in an estimated $1.1 billion to Australia each year through koala-related tourism, an international team of researchers has published the first complete genome（基因组）of the koala. Their hope is that the keys to the marsupial’s（有袋动物）long-term survival might be planted in its genetic code.

“The ultimate goal is that we won’t have to…rescue them from the edge of extinction,”said Rebecca Johnson of the Australian Museum Research Institute in Sydney, who led the work.

“Now we have a really good understanding of the koala genome, and we are in a fantastic position to use that knowledge to help us manage them.”

Early findings

An elementary analysis of the koala’s genome, published in Nature Genetics, has already yielded some interesting findings.

For example, the authors found that, compared to other mammals, the koala’s DNA includes an expansion in the number of genes that encode for enzymes involved in anti-poison. That allows them to have a diet that depends almost entirely on eucalyplus leaves which are unusually high in poison. However, it also means that koalas metabolize（代谢）medicines like anti-chlamydia antibiotics faster than other animals.

The koala genome also revealed why koalas are such famously picky eaters. They are known to consume leaves from just 20 of Australia’s 60 known eucalyplus species. And even when they are in one of their preferred trees, koalas take leaf selection very seriously.

Information waiting to be discovered

Johnson said that the information encoded in the koala’s DNA is already being included in management strategies by conservation groups. However, she said the findings described in the new paper represent the early stages of what can be gleamed from the marsupial’s genome.

“The data is public, and I would love for anyone to start mining it and see what other amazing things they can find,”she said.“Once you have a genome of this quality, the sky’s the limit with what you can do with it.”

1. What can be concluded from the passage?

A．The research on the Koala’s DNA has prevented its extinction successfully.

B．Scientists are trying to rescue Koalas by providing more eucalyptus leaves.

C．Koala’s extinction is being controlled effectively in Australia.

D．Scientists are trying to find a way based on Koala’s gene to save them.

2. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?

A．Koalas can digest poisonous leaves thanks to their gene.

B．Koalas are particular about leaves because of their taste.

C．Koalas are being extinct just due to human’s activities.

D．Koalas will move to other continents in order to survive.

3. “The sky’s the limit”in the last sentence most probably means ___.

A．The sky is the restriction

B．The sky is too high to reach

C．There is no limit

D．There is no possibility

4. The passage is mainly about ___.

A．Koala-a Special Creature in Australia

B．scientific research on Koalas

C．scientific efforts to save the Koalas

D．Koala’s Characters and Preference

10 . 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.

On the afternoon of 11 March 2011, Tetsu Nozaki watched helplessly as a wall of water     1    (crash) into his boats in Onahama, a small fishing port on Japan's Pacific coast.

    2    (spend) the past eight years rebuilding, the Fukushima fishing fleet is now confronting yet another menace — the increasing likelihood     3     the nuclear plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO), will dump huge quantities of radioactive water into the ocean.

"We strongly oppose any plans to discharge the water into the sea, " Nozaki, head of Fukushima prefecture's federation of fisheries cooperatives, told the Guardian.

Currently, just over one million tonnes of contaminated water is held in almost 1, 000 tanks at Fukushima Daiichi, but the utility has warned that it will run out of space by the summer of 2022.

    4    (release) the wastewater into the sea would also anger South Korea, adding to pressure on diplomatic ties.

Seoul, which has yet to lift an import ban on Fukushima seafood     5    (introduce) in 2013, claimed last week that discharging the water would pose a "grave threat"     6     the marine environment — a charge rejected by Japan.

Japanese Government officials say they won't make a decision     7     they have received a report from an expert panel, but there are strong indications that dumping is preferred over other options     8     vaporising, burying or storing the water indefinitely.

Critics say the government is reluctant     9    (support) the dumping option for fear of creating fresh controversy over Fukushima during the Rugby World Cup,    10     starts this week, and the buildup to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.