1 . 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.

Lower Oxygen Levels Threaten Marine Life

Oxygen in the oceans is being lost at an alarming rate, with “dead zones” expanding rapidly and hundreds more areas showing oxygen dangerously exhausted, putting sharks, tuna, marlin and other large fish species at particular risk. Dead zones, where oxygen is effectively absent, have quadrupled(翻两番) in extent in the last half-century, and there are also at least 700 areas where oxygen is at dangerously low levels, up from 45 when research was undertaken in the 1960s.

The reasons behind this environmental collapse are multiple. Among all, pollutants generated by the industrial world have been the most destructive force to cause the unbalance, including a rising tide of plastic waste, as well as other pollutants. Seas are about 26% more acidic than in pre-industrial times because of absorbing the excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, with damaging impacts on shellfish in particular.

Low oxygen levels are also associated with global heating, because the warmer water holds less oxygen and the heating causes stratification(分层), so there is less of the vital mixing of oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor layers. Oceans are expected to lose about 3-4% of their oxygen by the end of this century, but the impact will be much greater in the levels closest to the surface, where many species are concentrated, and in the mid to high latitudes.

Another major cause for lower oxygen is intensive farming. When excess artificial fertilizer from crops, or wastes from the meat industry, runs off the land and into rivers and seas, it feeds algae(藻类) which bloom and then cause oxygen consumption as they die and decay.

The problem of dead zones has been known about for decades, but little has been done to tackle it. Now is high time to take actions and help the oceans function better.

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2 . A rare hole has opened up in the ozone layer above the Arctic, in what scientists say is the result of unusually low temperatures in the atmosphere above the north pole.

The hole, which has been (racked from space and the ground over the past few days, has reached record dimensions, but is not expected to pose any danger to humans unless it moves further south. If it extends further south overpopulated areas, such as southern Greenland, people would be at increased risk of sunburn.

However, on current trends the hole is expected to disappear altogether in a few weeks.

Low temperatures in the northern polar regions led to an unusual stable polar vortex（极地漩涡），and the presence of ozone-destroying chemicals such as chlorine（氯）in the atmosphere -- from human activities - caused the hole to form.

“The hole is principally a geophysical curiosity." said Vincent-Henri Peuch. director of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service. "We monitored unusual dynamic（动态的）conditions, which drive the process of chemical depletion of ozone. Those dynamics allowed for lower temperatures and a more stable vortex than usual over the Arctic, which then triggered the formation of polar stratospheric（平流层的）clouds and the catalytic（催化的）destruction of ozone."

The hole is not related to the Covid-19 shutdowns that have dramatically cut air pollution and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. It is also too early to say whether the unusually stable Arctic polar vortex conditions are linked with the climate crisis, or part of normal stratospheric weather variability.

Peuch said there were no direct implications for the climate crisis. Temperatures in the region are already increasing, slowing the depletion of ozone, and the hole will start to recover as polar air mixes with ozone-rich air from lower latitudes. The last time similar conditions were observed was in spring 2011.

While a hole over the Arctic is a rare event, the much larger hole in the ozone layer over the Antarctic has been a major cause for concern for more than four decades. The production of ozone-depleting chemicals has been dramatically reduced, under the 1987 Montreal Protocol 蒙特利尔协议），but some sources appear still to be functioning—in 2018. unauthorized emissions were detected from some areas.

New sources of ozone-depleting chemicals were not a factor in the hole observed in the Arctic, said Peuch. "However, this is a reminder that one should not take the Montreal Protocol measures for granted, and that observations from the ground and from satellites are central to avoid a situation where the ozone-destroying chemical level in the stratosphere could increase again.''

1. What is the possible meaning of the underlined word "depletion"?

A．replacement	B．consumption
C．increase	D．production

2. According to the passage, scientists are concerned about the hole because .

A．it is expected to be a threat to the mankind

B．the new hole is caused by air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions

C．it may encourage further scientific research and environmental awareness

D．it warns us of an oncoming climate crisis

3. What can be learned from the last two paragraphs?

A．The hole over the Arctic shares the same causes as the one over the Antarctic.

B．Human activities are highly responsible for producing ozone-destroying chemicals.

C．The Montreal Protocol has successfully prevented new emissions.

D．Some new illegal emissions are to blame for the hole over the Arctic.

4. The best title for the passage is probably .

A．Record-size Hole Opens in Ozone Layer above the Arctic

B．Actions Urgently Needed for a New Hole in Ozone Layer

C．Environmental Disaster and International Cooperation

D．How a Hole in Ozone Affects our Life on Earth

3 . Direction: 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.increasing 　　　　B.defend　　　　 C.partially 　　　　D.depriving E.sharpened　　 　　 F.breaks 　　　 　G.endured 　　　　H.granting I.issues 　　　　　　J.activate 　　　　K.roughly

Flood-hit Venice’s shrinking population faces mounting problems

Venetians(威尼斯人) are fed up with what they see as inadequate responses to the city’s mounting problems: record-breaking flooding, environmental and safety threats from cruise ship traffic and the burden on services from over-tourism.

They feel largely left to their own devices, with ever-fewer Venetians living in the historic part of the city to    1    its interests and keep it from becoming mainly a tourist land.

The historic flooding this week---marked by three floods over 1.5 meters (nearly 5 feet) and the highest in 53 years at 1.87 meters(6 feet, 1 inch)---has    2    calls to create an administration that recognizes the uniqueness of Venice, for both its concentration of treasures and its    3    vulnerability.

Flood damage has been    4    estimated at hundreds of millions of Euros (dollars), but the true range will only become clear with time. The frustration goes far beyond the failure to complete and    5    78 underwater barriers that were designed to prevent just the kind of damage that Venice has    6    this week. With the system not yet completed or even    7    tested after 16 years of work and 5 billion Euros ($5.5 billion) invested, many are suspicious it will even work.

At the public level, proposals for better administering the city including    8    some level of autonomy(自制) to Venice, already enjoyed by some Italian regions like Trentino-Alto-Adige with its German-speaking minority, or offering tax    9    to encourage Venice’s repopulation.

Just 53,000 people live in the historic part of the city that tourists know as Venice, down by a third from a generation ago and dropping by about 1,000 people a year. That means fewer people watching the neighborhood, monitoring for public maintenance    10    or neighbors in need. Many leave because of the increased expense or the daily difficulties in living in a city of canals, which can make even a simple errand a hard journey.

4 . 　Suddenly Uncle Henry stood up. “There’s a cyclone coming, Em,” he called to his wife. “I’ll go look after the stock.” Then he ran toward the sheds where the cows and horses were kept.

Aunt Em dropped her work and came to the door. One glance told her of the danger close at hand. “Quick, Dorothy!” she screamed. “Run for the cellar!” Toto jumped out of Dorothy’s arms and hid under the bed, and the girl started to get him. Aunt Em, badly frightened, threw open the trap door in the floor and climbed down the ladder into the small, dark hole. Dorothy caught Toto at last and started to follow her aunt. When she was halfway across the room there came a great roar from the wind, and the house shook so hard that she lost her footing and sat down suddenly upon the floor.

Then a strange thing happened. The house circled around two or three times and rose slowly through the air. Dorothy felt as if she were going up in a balloon. It was very dark, and the wind blew horribly around her, but Dorothy found she was riding quite easily. After the first few twists and turns, and one other time when the house tipped badly, she felt as if she were being rocked gently, like a baby in a cradle (摇篮). Toto did not like it. He ran about the room, now here, now there, barking loudly; but Dorothy sat quite still on the floor and waited to see what would happen.

At last she crawled over the swinging floor to her bed, and lay down upon it; and Toto followed and lay down beside her. In spite of the swinging of the house and the crying of the wind, Dorothy soon closed her eyes and fell fast asleep.

1. What does the underlined word “cyclone” in paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．deadline

B．flood

C．monster

D．tornado

2. Why did Aunt Em go into the hole in the floor when the cyclone approached?

A．To find the puppy Toto.	B．To find shelter from the cyclone.
C．To protect their fortune.	D．To get tools to help Henry.

3. Which of the following is True about Dorothy?

A．She managed to control the house.	B．She found herself flying in a balloon.
C．She turned baby crying loudly.	D．She remained undisturbed with Toto.

4. Which words can be used to describe Dorothy in the emergency?

A．Afraid and brave.	B．Curious and tired.
C．Flexible and calm.	D．Excited and thrilled.

5 . California Preps for Fire Season

WINDSOR, Calif—Grass and other vegetation have begun to cover the ash left behind when the largest blaze of the 2019 wildfire season burned the edge of this Northern California town about four months ago.

    1     Unlike in other dangerous California blazes, including 2018's Camp Fire that destroyed the town of Paradise, first responders were able to focus entirely on the firefight rather than last-minute rescues.

“It's not an accident that Windsor got saved,” Mayor Dominic Foppoli said. “We went through 2017. We watched it happen again in Paradise.”

    2     The state's wet winter months have become a critical time for officials and residents hoping to protect themselves from a fire season that starts earlier and ends later than ever Some are organizing mass-evacuation drills and hosting events to help businesses and residents design emergency plans.     3     In Northern California, the communities of Orinda, Moraga and Lafayette banded together to build a 19-mile fuel break meant to slow a disastrous blaze from spreading into neighborhoods from nearby hills.

Forecasters expect warmer and drier weather in California heading into spring, which could cause grasses to dry out and lead to an earlier than normal start to this year's fire season.    4    

"We have indicators that we're drying out already," said Scott McLean, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.

A．The season used to take off around June but has been starting earlier and earlier for the past few years.

B．With deadly and destructive wildfires burning every season, California communities are preparing for the worst.

C．Firefighters in the area were challenged by constantly shifting winds and narrow, winding roadways.

D．Windsor still stands because most of its residents grabbed pre-packed emergency go-bags and evacuated immediately when ordered

E．A few days later. Windsor officials stood roadside with signs to welcome residents back.

F．Many also are reconsidering building codes and emphasizing the need to create defensible spaces by limiting flammables around homes and businesses

6 . Happiness of dolphins

For those of us who’ve ever been to a marine(海洋的) park, the best part was probably seeing the beautiful and friendly dolphins.

And the luckier people among us may have even had the chance to swim with these amazing creatures.

At the same time, however, we can’t help but think that these animals would be happier in the wild, rather than be forced to perform for humans in captivity(囚禁).

According to a recent study though, we needn’t think like that.

The study, which was published in the journal Applied Animal Behavior Science, was led by scientist Isabella Clegg, who carried out her research at a dolphinarium(海豚馆) in France.

As the first of its kind, the study’s aim was to look at captivity from the animals’ point of view, according to BBC News.

Over the course of three years, Clegg and her team put together a series of experiments to figure out how captive dolphins felt about their lives.

“We wanted to find out what activities in captivity they like most,” she told BBC news.

There were three kinds of experiment: one in which the dolphins were left alone, one in which toys were added to their pool, and one in which a human played with the dolphins.

It was found that of the three types of experiment, the dolphins seemed to enjoy playing with humans the most.

“Their leaping(跳跃) from the water during training, and their curious approaches to the edge(边沿) of the pool appeared to be enthusiastic(热情的).” wrote BBC News science correspondents Victoria Gill.

However, this doesn’t necessarily mean dolphins are happier in captivity than they are in the wild.

According to wildlife and nature platform One Green Planet, being raised in captivity could actually be harmful for dolphins.

“By being born into captivity, they will never learn the skills necessary to survive in the wild. This means that any animal that is born in captivity can never be sent back into the wild,” it wrote on its website.

But while this may be true, at least it seems that captive dolphins still enjoy happy moments with humans.

1. What can we learn about the study on captive dolphins?

A．It was carried out in a dolphinarium in the UK.

B．It was the first study on captivity’s influence on animals.

C．It compared the behavior of captive dolphins and wild dolphins.

D．It studied the feelings of captive dolphins.

2. According to the study, the dolphins were happiest when they were playing ______.

A．with toys.	B．with humans.
C．by themselves.	D．with other sea animals.

3. What problems might dolphins have if they are born in captivity?

A．They may not be able to survive in the wild.

B．They may be less healthy than wild dolphins.

C．They may live an unhappy and lonely life among humans.

D．They might be unwilling to return to the wild.

7 . Directions: After reading the passage below. Jill 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.

Landslide Injures at least 10 in Norwegian Town of Ask

A landslide (山体滑坡) has smashed into a residential area near the Norwegian capital at midnight on Dec. 30. injuring at least 10 people, leaving 21 unaccounted for and     1    (destroy) several homes, authorities said.

About 700 people have been brought to safety for fear of further landslides.

The landslide cut across a road, leaving a deep gap that cars     2    not pass. Video footage showed dramatic scenes including one house falling into the gap. Photographs showed at least eight destroyed homes.

Rescue workers continued to search the area for children and adults     3    (believe) to have been caught in mud and debris (废墟), police said. "We're still looking for survivors? police spokesman Roger Pettersen told a news conference.

Pettersen said there were no reports of missing people, but officials could not rule out the possibility     4     there might be survivors in collapsed buildings. He said 21 people registered as living in the area are unaccounted for.

One of the injured was seriously hurt, while nine had     5    (light) injuries. Weather at the time was reported to be challenging, with snowstorm sweeping the village of Ask,     6    about 5,000 people inhabited.

Norway's King Harald said the landslide had made a deep impression on him. "My thoughts are with all those who are affected, injured or have lost their homes and those who now live in fear and uncertainty of     7     damage the disaster has caused,” he said in a statement released by the royal palace.

The area in which Ask     8    (locate) is known to have a lot of quick clay, which can change from solid to liquid from. Previous landslides have been reported in the region.

Helicopters continued to circle over the area as night fell     9     (lower) rescuers towards the debris of collapsed houses.

"There could be people trapped ... but at the same time we can't be sure       10     it is the new year’s holiday, which means people could be elsewhere,” Ema Solberg, the Norwegian Prime Minister, told reporters after visiting the site.

8 . 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.

Plants Scream in the Face of Stress

For the first time, researchers appear to have evidence that like animals, those plants deprived of water or     1     (force) to endure bodily harm can let out their pain. The study,     2     has yet to be published in a scientific Journal, adds another dimension to scientists     3     (grow) understanding of how plants detect and interact with their surroundings.

In recent years, it has become very clear that plants are more sensitive than researchers     4     (think). They respond when touched by insects and turn toward sources of light. "Plants are not just robotic stimulus-response devices," said Frantisek Baluska of the University of Bonn in Germany. "They're living organisms which have their own problems/'

Actually making their suffering hearable, however, is another matter entirely.     5     (test) that possibility, a team led by Itzhak Khait, a plant scientist at Tel Aviv University in Israel, placed microphones capable of detecting ultrasonic frequencies (超声波频率)four inches from tomato and tobacco plants. The researcher then either stopped watering them or cut their stems.

Measuring in the range of 20 to 150 kilohertz (千赫).the researchers found that even happy, healthy plants made the occasional noise. But when cut, tobacco plants emitted     6     average of 15 sounds within an hour of being cut     7     tomato plants produced 25 sounds.

    8     researchers aren't yet sure how plants produce these sounds, Khait and his colleagues proposed one possibility in their paper     9     as water travels through the plants' tubes, air bubbles will form and explode, producing small vibrations.

All this "screaming” caused by stress wasn't in a range detectable by human ears. But organisms that can hear ultrasonic frequencies—like mice, bats or perhaps other plants—    10     possibly hear the plants cries from as far away as 15 feet.

9 . 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.

Population Change of European Birds

The breeding bird populations in Europe have seen a great shift over the past three decades, driven by both climate crisis and human interferences, according to one of the world’s largest citizen science projects on biodiversity.

Overall, 35% of birds increased their breeding range. Dr. Iván Ramírez, senior head of conservation at BirdLife Europe and central Asia, said: “Those birds that have been legally protected have been doing better than those which are not protected. This is a really important message within the European Union. We have one of the oldest policies – the Birds Directive – and we can prove that it works.”

In addition, as the climate warms, forests are stretching into northern and agricultural regions. In parts of northern Europe, there has also been tree planting (mainly for wood and paper) and land abandonment (specifically in Mediterranean areas), which benefited many woodland species such as woodpeckers and warblers but caused damage to a number of other species as well. The research shows a total of 25% of birds now occupy a smaller area.

Generally, farmland birds are bigger losers, suffering overall declines in population and reduced distribution because agricultural intensification means there is less food, such as insects and remainder from harvesting. The State of Nature in the EU 2013-2018 assessment showed 80% of key habitats were in poor or bad condition, and intensive farming is a major driver of decline. The UK’s farmland birds have declined by 55% since 1970.

“Predictably, there are winners and losers. We can see how some species have expanded across the continent rapidly and have begun to colonize UK wetlands. In contrast, we can see ranges shrinking as species of northern Europe feel the impact of climate change, and species such as the dotterel are declining in numbers and range in northern Britain,” he said.