1 . We have long known that dogs are capable of using their noses to detect (检测) certain types of cancer, malaria and even COVID-19. But these medical-detection animals tend to be made up of just a few breeds (品种), raised in expensive training centres. Now, research has shown that pet dogs of various breeds can be trained to recognize the unique smells linked to Parkinson's disease with nearly 90 per cent accuracy (精确).

Seeking a broader, inexpensive approach, Lisa Holt and Samuel Johnston at the charity PADs for Parkinson’s in Washington state found 23 pet dogs of 16 breeds. These included breeds previously used to detect different medical conditions, as well as those not raised for this purpose. 43 people with Parkinson's and 31 volunteers without known medical conditions provided sebum (皮脂), either from T-shirts worn overnight or their upper backs. Those with Parkinson's produce hundreds of specific chemicals in their sebum.

Each dog was trained to sit or bark (吠) when recognizing Parkinson’s sample (样本). To stimulate them, each sample provided by a participant with Parkinson's was paired with food or a toy. Once their training was complete, the dogs were shown sebum samples they hadn't previously met. Overall, the dogs recognized the samples from someone with Parkinson’s with 86 percent accuracy, on average, and didn't respond to the healthy volunteers' samples 89 percent of the time.

Testing of the training programme is continuing at the Alfort National Veterinary School in France, says Holt. “Once that training was done, it would then be possible to test whether dogs could recognize Parkinson’s at a much earlier stage,” she says. However, despite testing several breeds, the data aren’t enough to conclude which ones detect Parkinson’s best, adds Holt.

1. What do we know about the pet dogs in paragraph 1?

A．They grow up in expensive centres.

B．They are used to detect COVID-19.

C．They are better than the trained breeds.

D．They do well in recognizing Parkinson’s.

2. What were the pet dogs required to do during the training?

A．Pair food with toys.	B．Smell samples.
C．Produce chemicals.	D．Provide sebum.

3. What will the researchers further study?

A．When Parkinson’s can be treated.

B．How pet dogs can be trained better.

C．Whether dogs can detect Parkinson’s.

D．Which breeds can detect Parkinson’s best.

4. Which can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Pet dogs: A New Skill Unlocked

B．Parkinson’s: Early Found, Early Cured

C．Parkinson’s: A Potential Risk Discovered

D．Pet dogs: Different Breeds, Different Abilities

2 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

The Secret of Flowers

Sumiko worked with her mother in their vegetable garden every day. The produce from their garden was sold at the farmer’s market. This is how they made their living. Sumiko’s job was to make sure the daikon radish (白萝卜) plants were never too dry. Each day Sumiko would push her finger into the soil to test for moisture (水分), and then carefully water any plant that needed it. Sumiko often imagined the plants she tended were beautiful chrysanthemums (菊花), like Mrs. Higaki’s prize flowers.

Sumiko envied (羡慕) Mrs. Higaki. If she could sell flowers like Mrs. Higaki, she would be able to buy things for her mother. But chrysanthemums were expensive to start, and Sumiko could only dream about growing them.

One day, Sumiko visited Mrs. Higaki to see her flowers. Mrs. Higaki was checking her chrysanthemums when she arrived. The garden of flowers springing up excited Sumiko.

“I wish I could grow beautiful chrysanthemums and win a prize at the festival like you.”

“You?” Mrs. Higaki laughed. “Child, do you know what’s required to grow such flowers? The secret to growing prize chrysanthemums has been passed down to me from past generations of my family. And you?” She chuckled (轻声笑). “Stick to vegetables, child. Leave flowers to those who know the secret of flowers.”

Mrs. Higaki returned to her gardening, ignoring the sad look on Sumiko’s face. Then she pulled up what looked like a weed (杂草).

“What’s that?” Sumiko asked.

“A shabby (破烂的) plant. Unworthy of my time — too weak to trouble,” Mrs. Higaki said before throwing the shabby plant into the field beside the garden.

Sumiko smiled. She had an idea. She politely said goodbye to Mrs. Higaki and went out the garden gate, quickly picking up the shabby plant before rushing home.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150个左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Sumiko found a quiet place and planted the shabby plant carefully.

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On festival morning, Sumiko jumped with joy upon seeing her little plant flowering.

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3 . July was the hottest month on record globally. High temperatures and serious wildfires have swept across the Northern Hemisphere. Oceanic heat waves are damaging the world’s third-largest coral reef off Florida. And as the levels of greenhouse gases continue to increase, it means many even hotter summers lie ahead.

Last week, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres coined a new term. The time of “global warming” has ended, he announced, and the time of “global boiling” has arrived.

But critics have strongly disagreed with the phrase. At one level, “global boiling” is clearly an overstatement, but “global warming” is now far too weak a description. Many climate scientists have pushed for the term “global heating” to be used in preference. Similarly, phrases such as “climate crisis” haven’t received enough attention. That’s because many of us still feel we haven’t seen this crisis with our own eyes.

But that is changing. In the past few years, extreme weather and relevant events have struck many countries. Australia’s Black Summer brought wildfires that burned an area the size of the United Kingdom. Germany suffered serious flooding in 2021. The 2022 flood in Pakistan flooded large parts of the country. China has seen both droughts and floods. Terrible droughts have hit the Horn of Africa for many years. India has stopped rice exports due to damage from heavy rain.

Critics of climate action often complain about what they see as the overuse of “crisis talk”. If everything is a crisis, nothing is a crisis.

When Guterres uses deeply impactful phrases, he’s not inviting us to imagine a Hollywood-style disaster. What he’s hoping is to make people listen and act — now we can see what climate change looks like.

Are there better phrases to describe this? Possibly. Take the challenge yourself: can you think up a brief, correct phrase to cover worsening local-and-regional-scale droughts, fires, typhoons and floods; damage to crops and food safety; water shortages; existential threats to coral reefs and low-lying communities? You can see how hard it is.

1. What does the underlined word “coined” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Explained.	B．Invented.
C．Valued.	D．Accepted.

2. What do critics think of the term “global boiling”?

A．It is overused.	B．It is exaggerated.
C．It is lacking in enough attention.	D．It is too weak to describe the problem.

3. What can we infer from paragraph 4?

A．Climate crises are worsening.	B．Several crises will be solved.
C．People will face food shortages.	D．People are taking effective measures.

4. What is Guterres’s hope in using deeply impactful phrases?

A．To scare people into taking immediate action.

B．To entertain readers with Hollywood-style stories.

C．To provide a more accurate description of global warming.

D．To make people aware of the severity of the climate crisis.

4 . Raised in Jacksonville, a small town in North Carolina, Christina Koch always knew she wanted to be an astronaut. This dream began as early as kindergarten, during a time when spaceflight was dominated by men. “Fortunately, when I told my kindergarten teachers that I wanted to be an astronaut they supported me. No one told me that it was unattainable. And whether it was my own hard-headedness or that encouragement, I did go full forward into pursuing my dream to become an astronaut,” she says.

Koch found inspiration in pioneers like Sally Ride and Mae Jemison, but also in everyday heroes — from civil rights activists to her independent grandmother. These examples, along with her family’s emphasis on hard work, instilled in her the courage to chase her dreams.

Koch studied physics and electrical engineering before joining NASA at the Goddard Space Flight Center, where she contributed to the development of scientific instruments on several space missions. Driven by a thirst for adventure, she spent a year in Antarctica’s tough environment and then in other remote locations like Greenland. Unsurprisingly, she cited photography, travel, camping and climbing among her hobbies.

The ultimate fulfillment (实现) of her dream came in 2013, when she was selected as an astronaut, joining a groundbreaking class with an equal number of men and women. Previously, women comprised only 17% of NASA’s astronauts. After completing training in 2015, she was assigned her first long-stay mission on the International Space Station (ISS). Her success is undeniable. As part of the Artemis II mission, scheduled for 2025, she’ll travel further than any human since Apollo, an evidence of her constant ambition.

Koch advocates following passions and embracing challenges. “Do what scares you,” she advises, “because those things often lead to the greatest fulfillment and contributions.”Besides, Koch also says that there’s one that should never be forgotten: “Support the people around you. Make sure that you’re thinking about the success of those around you, that you’re helping them, and together we all will achieve as much as we possibly can.”

1. What initially motivated Koch to become an astronaut?

A．Her desire to push herself to the limit.

B．Her early enthusiasm in space exploration.

C．Her wish to reward her kindergarten teachers.

D．Her ambition to change the position of women astronauts.

2. What can we infer from the passage?

A．Koch invented some scientific devices.

B．Koch set a record for the longest spaceflight.

C．Various hobbies prepared Koch for adventure.

D．Role models impacted Koch greatly in her life journey.

3. What does Koch’s advice indicate?

A．Seeking support is crucial for dream chasers.

B．Being kind to others is the stepstone to success.

C．Welcoming challenges leads to personal growth.

D．Working tirelessly is key to overcoming barriers.

4. What is the best title of the passage?

A．Christina Koch: An Explorer of Nature

B．Christina Koch: A Dream Pursuer to Space

C．Christina Koch: A Role Model from Jacksonville

D．Christina Koch: A Distinguished Female Scientist

5 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The Amazon rainforest, known as the “lungs of the Earth”, is a vital ecosystem that is home to a variety of species of animals and plants. However, human activities such as agriculture and cattle farming pose a grave threat to its     1     (exist). Over the past 50 years, about 17 percent of the rainforest     2     (destroy), leaving the list of species in danger of extinction longer.     3     proper protection, some natural wonders may face permanent damage in the near future.

Pompeii is an alarming example.     4     (locate) near the foot of Mount Vesuvius Pompeii was a bustling Roman city     5     trading ships along with pleasure ships were crowded together in the port. In the year 79,     6     volcanic eruption buried the city entirely under a thick layer of ash in an instance for centuries. Natural disasters like this are reminders of the fragile planet and     7     (power) humans, which highlight the urgent need to protect our environment, soften risks, and prepare for the worst.

Dead Pompeii is hard to recreate, but the living Amazon is worth     8     (save). Policies and regulations that forbid logging and hunting, environmental awareness of residents, and international cooperation     9     (be) all key to protecting rainforests. The fortunes of our environment and our economy are inseparable. It’s our duty to leave a better, cleaner, and     10     (health) planet to our children.

6 . Go Recycling

No one looking at the state of Earth in 2023 can be in any doubt that we are facing three serious environmental problems: climate problem, loss of biodiversity and pollution of air, soil and water.

To solve the problems, we increase the use of electric cars, encourage greener eating and reduce plastic use.     1     For instance, creating space for biofuel crops to give off fewer pollutants and greenhouse gases can, in fact, significantly increase the cutting down of trees.     2     And, what is perhaps lacking is an awareness of how interlinked these problems are.

    3     The root cause of global warming is CO₂, a waste gas. The seas are polluted by plastic and other waste products. We ignore forests, among other things, to grow more food, much of which goes to waste.

A shocking figure lies at the heart of our special report on our world—of the more than 100billion tons of things that humans use each year, hardly 10% is recycled.     4     The situation requires our speedy moving away from the way of thinking — “take, make, throw”—towards a more recyclable one, which means we should begin redesigning the products and when they reach the end of their useful lives, they can be recycled.

Solving the three problems calls for a huge transition with joint efforts.     5     They should take the lead by introducing laws in order to reward green practices, such as the limiting of waste. Industries can reduce, re-use and recycle wherever possible, and team themselves with suppliers and the like-minded to realize recyclable business models.

A．Governments ought to do something responsibly.

B．It is humans that caused the serious consequences.

C．We should realize that a key theme linking all the three problems is waste.

D．However, sometimes these solutions can be opposite to the expected goals.

E．It is high time for people from all walks of life to take the issue into consideration.

F．That makes it obvious a full-range war on waste should be paid immediate attention.

G．That means some solutions aiming at one problem each time are unlikely to be effective.

7 . The following charities advocate protecting our precious environment. It’s a starting place, but don’t stop here.

Rocky Mountain Institute

Rocky Mountain Institute has made notable achievements in its comparatively short history. In2017, it worked with India’s leadership and government to plan for 100% vehicle electrification(电气化) by 2030. They also provided research that resulted in new U. S. fuel-efficiency standards for trucks, which were expected to cut over one billion tons of CO₂ emissions. Its five-year plan to quicken low-carbon energy transition (转变) was published in early 2018.

Greenpeace Fund

Although Greenpeace solves many environmental problems such as deforestation (滥伐森林) and sustainable food, it has worked to address issues with oceans for decades: plastic pollution, offshore drilling, saving the Arctic, and more. Greenpeace has grown from a small group of activists protesting nuclear testing in 1971 to an international organization with offices in over fifty countries.

Center for Biological Diversity

Founded in 1989, the Center for Biological Diversity uses biological data and legal knowledge to obtain new protections for plants, animals, and their habitats. Its story began with some young students, an ancient tree in Mexico, and a spotted owl’s nest. Its first campaign saved both the tree and the owl. And they continue to grow by expanding territory, staff, and outreach (外展服务).

Sierra Club Foundation

The Sierra Club has been working to protect the environment and its people since 1892. It helped pass the Clean Air and Endangered Species Acts, enabled the creation of many national parks, and worked to move hundreds of coal plants towards clean energy. It also offers environmentally friendly wilderness outings to encourage people to get outdoors. People can take an international trip to study wildlife in Cuba.

1. Which organization has focused on the oceans for many years?

A．Rocky Mountain Institute	B．Greenpeace Fund
C．Center for Biological Diversity	D．Sierra Club Foundation

2. What do we know about Center for Biological Diversity?

A．It aims to expand territory for Mexico.	B．It is targeted at collecting biological data.
C．Its foundation was inspired by some students.	D．Its symbol contains an ancient tree and an owl.

3. What do Rocky Mountain Institute and Sierra Club Foundation have in common?

A．They both push for the use of green energy.

B．They both apply the new standard for vehicles.

C．They both have founded numerous national parks.

D．They both encourage humans to go outing in the wild.

8 . What does the man need to do with the tall green plant?

A．Give enough sunlight.

B．Water it every two weeks.

C．Keep it away from the window.

9 . What do the woman’s family members do to help the environment?

A．They use fewer plastic bags.

B．They don’t drive cars.

C．They waste less food.

10 . The Forest Eye project aims to create the largest living forest feature in England by growing 5,000 alder, beech and maple trees into the shape of a child’s eye. The trees are being planted in Dalby Forest, North Yorkshire, with the help of local young people. The trees will form an eye 300 meters wide that will be visible from the sky in about six years, when they have grown.

The project hopes to focus on the importance of young people’s ideas for creating a health y natural environment. It was designed by a company called Sand in Your Eye and has been created by Forestry England, an organization that protects forests and woodlands.

Josephine Lavelle, director at Forestry England, says, “Having the gaze of a child growing in the heart of this beautiful and ever-changing forest is a powerful symbol of how we need to listen and respond to the needs and vision of future generations.”

The project also aims to highlight the important role that forests play in fighting climate change. As well as providing a home for wildlife, trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and create oxygen that humans need to breathe. When the trees have grown, they will provide a place for lots of wild animals, like bats, birds and small mammals to live. The Forest Eye will also create a space for people to explore and connect with nature.

Jamie Wardley, artistic director at Sand in Your Eye, has plenty of experience creating pieces of “land art”. These are huge drawings and sculptures made from grass, ice and sand, including a 60-meter portrait of Swedish climate-change campaigner Greta Thunberg on a school field in Yorkshire. He says, “The trees are my paint.” “Our work is about prompting people to think deeply and respond emotionally to some of the biggest issues facing us, including the climate crisis.” Wardley also plans to develop the Forest Eye into an even bigger project. “It is our ambition to create the whole face of a young girl at the same scale, measuring 2,000 meters across. Those trees that are planted in the Forest Eye are the very beginning of this,” he says.

1. What can we know about the project?

A．It is planting trees to form an eye.	B．It is aimed at creating artworks.
C．It is proposed by the local youth.	D．It is carried out in the largest forest.

2. What does the fourth paragraph mainly talk about?

A．The argument for the project.	B．The benefits of tree.
C．The value of children’s ideas.	D．The fight against climate change.

3. Which of the following can best describe Jamie Wardley?

A．Ignorant.

B．Adventurous.

C．Emotional.

D．Creative.

4. Which is the best title for the article?

A．Land arts take off	B．Tree planting catches on
C．Giant eye planting kicks off	D．Environmental groups spring up