1 . The sun near the equator is never-ceasing, bearing down as I lead Elaine, a dark brown horse, through thick bushes. It’s been a long day on horseback. My legs ache and our camp signals across a ridge of ancient folding hills in the Lolldaiga Range of northern Kenya, a mosaic (马赛克) of twisted landscapes and communities.
Suddenly Elaine’s ears flick into alert, and the muscles of her body tense beneath me. Our guide Nicholus stretches out a lean arm toward a bush just meters away. My eyes focus, trying my best to see what the others already have: two amber balls glowing from a shadowed form. It’s a young lion, quick and strong, in the middle of the high grass.
A wild silence hangs between us.
Without the defensive hunting vehicle, I feel completely exposed. Peering into the bush, I’m suspended between wonder and terror, the distance between myself and the Savannah’s most notorious hunter unbelievably small. Usually, I’m the one tracking the lion, camera in hand. Now, the lion shifts in my consciousness from object to subject. I shift, too, strongly aware of the soft flesh of my own body.
Nicholus nods his head in the other direction, a safer distance away. He points to shallow holes in the dust. “Look, this is a big lion, and these are young ones, some cubs,” he says. “Probably a mother.” Pawprints marked the earth, each telling the story of more lions, moving in different directions.
It was time to go.
Horseback safaris are still the most immersive way to view wildlife in Kenya. To journey on horseback is to break down the walls — meant to protect, but also to separate us from the natural world. And as we’re absorbed in the thrill of the experience, we’re vividly reminded of the importance of protecting these wild spaces.
Out here your horse is your translator, responding to the low hiss of a leopard, the soft scent of an elephant herd, the cool morning breeze descending from Mount Kenya’s glacial peaks. Your job is to learn how to listen.
1. Which words can NOT describe my horseback journey?| A．Thrilling. | B．Tiring. | C．Breathtaking. | D．Boring. |
| A．I regretted not having driven a vehicle. |
| B．I felt extremely tense in case of lions’ attack. |
| C．There will be a big battle between lions and us. |
| D．It was out of my expectation to break into a lion’s world. |
| A．Horses are much cheaper than vehicles. |
| B．Visitors will experience the wildlife anytime. |
| C．It is a safe and exciting way to enjoy the wildlife. |
| D．It offers a chance to reconsider the connection between humans and wildlife. |
| A．Find more animals to feed. | B．Ask your horse for translation. |
| C．Feel nature with your heart. | D．Listen to the sound of every animal. |
2 . Google recently announced that it has begun using carbon-free electricity from a geothermal (地热能) project to power data centers in the state of Nevada.
Tim Latimer is chief and co-founder of Fervo Energy based in Houston, Texas. His company is working with Google on its geothermal project. Latimer said that getting electricity on the grid from geothermal resources is an event many new energy companies never reach. He added that he believes geothermal energy will become more well-known than in the past.
The International Energy Agency(IEA) has long suggested geothermal could be an answer to climate change. The IEA said in a 2011 document that geothermal could reach 3.5 percent of global electricity production each year by 2050. The Paris-based international group says geothermal energy could prevent almost 800 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year.
Fervo Energy is using this first test to launch other projects that will provide more electricity to the grid. The company is currently completing some work in southwest Utah for a 400-megawatt project. Google and Fervo Energy started working together in 2021 to develop geothermal power. The plant near Winnemucca, Nevada, is now operating and is sending about 3.5 megawatts to the grid.
Google announced in 2020 that it would use what it calls “carbon-free” energy every hour of every day, wherever it operates, by 2030. Many energy experts believe huge companies like Google can play a part in increasing the use of clean energy.
Terrell noted the company was also an early supporter of wind and solar projects, helping those markets grow to where they are today. “It’s a very similar situation. Now that we’ve set a goal to be 24/7 carbon-free energy, we have found it will take more than just wind, solar and storage,” Terrell said.
The United States leads the world in using heat from the Earth for electricity production. U. S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said earlier this year that advances in new geothermal systems will help introduce this form of energy to areas where it has been thought to be impossible. This makes it possible to find energy in more places.
1. What is Tim Latimer’s attitude to working with Google?| A．Supportive. | B．Disapproving. | C．Concerned. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．Fervo Energy has launched many geothermal projects before. |
| B．Geothermal energy will take the place of solar energy. |
| C．Getting electricity from geothermal resources has been widely used. |
| D．Geothermal energy has the potential to tackle environmental problems. |
| A．CO2 emission is to blame for climate change. |
| B．Carbon-free electricity only exists in our dream. |
| C．Google is setting a good example in environmental protection. |
| D．Wind and solar projects are more important than geothermal project. |
| A．Geothermal: an answer to climate change |
| B．Google: a company launching a new project |
| C．IEA: an organization contributing to global warming |
| D．CO2: the leading factor to global warming |
3 . Evolution (进化) can perform extraordinary makeovers; today’s airborne songbirds evolved from the wingless, earthbound dinosaurs that wandered millions of years ago. But some organisms seem to be unchanged — in other words, escape natural selection. The coelacanth, a modern-day fish, is nearly identical to its410-million-year-old fossils.
Scientists have long wondered how these species do so. It has been assumed that natural selection keeps some species unchanged by selecting for moderate or average qualities (stabilizing selection) rather than selecting for more extreme qualities that would cause a species to change (directional selection).
But a study published in the National Academy of Sciences USA contradicts this idea, showing that evolution constantly favors different qualities in seemingly unchanging animals to improve short-term survival. In the long term, though, “all that evolution cancels out and leads to no change,” says the study’s lead author, James Stroud.
Stroud and his colleagues studied for lizard (蜥蜴) specios; all relatively unchanged for 20 million years. The researchers caught members of these populations every six months for three years. They measured each lizard’s head size, leg length, mass and height, as well as the size of its sticky toes (脚趾头), noting which individuals survived. Stroud expected to observe stabılızıng selection at work preserving moderate qualities. Instead he saw clearer evidence of directional selection: some lizards with unique characteristics, such as stickier toes, survived better.
“The study offers a good explanation for why we see what we think is stabiliring selection,” says Tadashi Fukami, an ecologist studying evolution at Stanford University. Many new qualities are evolving in the short term, but they don’t provide a crucial advantage over the long term. In other words, species staying unchanged may simply have found the best possible combination of qualities for lasting success in their environment. So what happens when the lizards’ environment changes more dramatically? To help answer this bigger question, Stroud is still making trips to visit the lizards.
1. Why does the author mention the “coelacanth fish” in paragraph 1?| A．To demonstrate the power of evolution. | B．To add evidence to natural selection |
| C．To give an example of unchanged species. | D．To prove species' extraordinary makeovers. |
| A．Unsolved mysteries. | B．A common belief. |
| C．A sharp contrast. | D．Unique Characteristics. |
| A．By analyzing lizard fossils. | B．By tracking research objects. |
| C．By illustrating stabilizing selection. | D．By categorizing qualities of lizards. |
| A．Make trips to visit lizard experts. | B．Summarize average features of lizards. |
| C．Reveal the best combinations of qualities. | D．Examine lizards under extreme conditions. |
1. What positive news do the scientists report regarding low-carbon technologies?
| A．The usage of low-carbon technologies has increased. |
| B．The costs of many key low-carbon technologies have fallen dramatically. |
| C．The efficiency of low-carbon technologies has improved significantly. |
| A．The reliance on existing technologies. |
| B．The lack of government policies. |
| C．The dependency on new technologies to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. |
| A．They promote healthier lifestyle choices. |
| B．They reduce reliance on pharmaceuticals. |
| C．They increase awareness of environmental issues. |
| A．They are not widely accepted by the scientific community. |
| B．They are still very expensive and at an early stage of development. |
| C．They have a negative impact on the environment. |
5 . Bringing species like beavers (河狸) back to England is no longer a priority, the government said on Friday to criticism from wildlife groups.
A recent report shows that one in six UK species are at risk of extinction. In September more than 60 conservation organizations reported a significant decline in species due to expansions in farming and the effects of climate change. In recent years, animals and plants have been reintroduced by charities as part of efforts to restore the country’s reduced biodiversity.
Despite the government allowing this, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee concluded in July that there was an absence of long-term plans on how to manage this. In response, the government has now said that the "reintroduction of species is not a priority".
The government said it was focused on increasing biodiversity through habitat restoration. The government's environment department has come under scrutiny (详细审查) for not doing more to prevent sewage dumping and other forms of pollution in England's waterways.
Sir Robert Goodwill, chair of the Committee, said he was disappointed with the government response. Bringing back extinct species is a controversial issue- although farmers and landowners appear broadly supportive, there are risks of reintroducing new species, and without clear guidance, problems could arise.
A recent study showed that river barriers similar to those built by beavers can protect communities at risk of flooding. But there have also been cases documented in Europe where beavers have built their dams in places that have damaged crops and changed rivers.
Joan Edwards, director of Policy &Public Affairs at The Wildlife Trusts said, “Reintroducing wildlife must be part of the UK government’s arsenal (武器) for tackling nature loss and climate change—it is astonishing there is no strategy for doing so.”
“The return of wild beavers can help to recreate lost wetlands, with a knock-on effect that benefits other wildlife including insects, invertebrates and birds. Beavers also slow the flow of water, which can reduce flood risks to towns and villages,” she said.
1. What does paragraph 2 want to convey?| A．The situation of species in the UK Severe. |
| B．Reintroduction of species in the UK is not a priority. |
| C．Expansions in farming have a great effect on climate change. |
| D．The UK government's response to reduced biodiversity is disappointing. |
| A．By restoring habitat. | B．By offering guidance. | C．By expanding farming. | D．By developing strategy. |
| A．It was messy. | B．It was controversial. | C．It was beneficial. | D．It was costly. |
| A．The advantages of reintroducing wildlife. | B．The responses to a government statement. |
| C．The effects of climate change on farming. | D．The approaches to increasing biodiversity. |
1. What time is it when the conversation happens?
| A．At 2:50 pm. |
| B．At 3:20 pm. |
| C．Around 3:10 pm |
| A．To note down the solar eclipse (日食). |
| B．To stop the birds singing. |
| C．To protect her eyes. |
7 . The colorful anemonefish (海葵鱼), also known as clownfish, possesses a cheerful and carefree image among humans. However, their actual behavior might not always align with the family-friendly portrayal seen in a Pixar film. They can aggressively defend their territory against other anemonefish they perceive as threats.
To investigate how these fish identify group members, a team from Japan conducted two experiments with lab-raised common clownfish that had never encountered any other species.
In the first experiment, researchers introduced different species of anemonefish, distinguishable by the number of white bars on their bodies, into a tank in small cases. They observed that the common clownfish were particularly hostile toward members of their own species that displayed three white bars. These fish fought 80 percent of their specific-targeted fish for up to three seconds. In contrast, invaders from other species, like the orange skunk clownfish with no side bars and a white line along its back, were barely attacked. The two-barred Clarke’s clownfish and three-barred saddleback clownfish were “mildly bullied”, according to the team.
During the second experiment, the researchers exposed a colony of clownfish to various plastic discs. The discs were painted with anemonefish coloration and measured the level of aggression towards these artificial models. Similar to reactions to live fish, models with two bars were less frequently attacked, and those without any bars saw the least aggression. According to study co-author and ecologist Kina Hayashi, the findings “suggest that clownfish is capable of counting the number of bars to recognize the species of the invader”.
The team also found that a rigid hierarchy (社会等级) within clownfish colonies determines which specific fish attack the invader. Earlier studies have shown that the social position of the clownfish is determined by very slight differences in size. This study used fish that had not matured and were in a lab setting, but the team still observed the same size-based hierarchy. The largest clownfish led the charge against the invader.
1. What does the underlined word “hostile” mean in the third paragraph?| A．Unfriendly. | B．Tolerant. | C．Patient. | D．Sympathetic. |
| A．By introducing a new concept. | B．By comparing different clownfish. |
| C．By observing clownfish’ behaviors. | D．By analyzing statistics of previous studies. |
| A．Clownfish can’t reach maturity in a lab setting. |
| B．Skunk clownfish is the most modest clownfish. |
| C．The social position of a clownfish depends on its size. |
| D．Clownfish identify threats by the number of vertical bars. |
| A．Barred and Bullied: Attacks from Anemonefish. |
| B．Clownfish and Conflicts: Strict Social Hierarchies. |
| C．Beyond the Screen: The identification of Clownfish. |
| D．From Lab to Tank: Aggression Among Anemonefish. |
8 . The corn eaten around the world today originated in Mexico nearly 10,000 years ago. From the ancient rituals of the Mayans to modern-day dishes like tortillas, corn is central to culture, cuisine, and identity in this region.
To protect this heritage, Mexico is fighting to phase out genetically modified (GM) U. S. — grow n corn this year. The Mexican government claims that banning GM corn will protect the country’s native corn varieties. Yet the announcement aroused strong objections from the U. S., whose largest annual customer for GM corn is often Mexico. The U. S. claims that the GM ban breaks the trade agreement between the two countries.
Mexico insists that modified seeds threaten Mexico’s agricultural traditions and cultural identity. In the U. S., most corn is grown with seed produced by large companies, which create just a handful of genetically identical corn varieties grown at mass scale. In Mexico, however, seeds come from seed-sharing practices among small-scale farms, which facilitates more diversity and allows farmers to grow corn that ranges widely in color and size.
“Traditional varieties maintain a substantial amount of genetic diversity,” says Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra, an ecologist at the University of California, but he doesn’t think banning GM corn will help preserve these varieties, and points to adec line in small-scale farms as the greater threat to native corn. “If traditional farmers abandon subsistence farming, we’re potentially losing diversity whether that crop is GM or traditionally bred, so economic policy has a much bigger impact on the risk of corn diversity than an adoption of GM corn.” Since Mexico began importing U. S. corn, small-scale farms have been declining.
Mauricio Bellon, a research professor at the Swett Center for Sustainable Foods Systems, believes that while threatened species are often stored in gene banks, the relationship between a farmer and their crop plays a crucial conservation role. “Evolution at scale continues with corn in Mexico through millions of farmers,” says him.
1. Why is Mexico prohibiting GM corn?| A．To safeguard its own types of corn. | B．To reduce the cost of importing corn. |
| C．To get rid of the dependence on the US. | D．To stop the decrease of small-scale farms. |
| A．The technology of farming. | B．The source of corn seeds. |
| C．The ownership of farmland. | D．The relationship between farmers. |
| A．Approval. | B．Concerned. | C．Critical. | D．Tolerant. |
| A．GM corn has negative effects on traditional farms. |
| B．Endangered species are well preserved in gene banks. |
| C．Species diversity contributes to the evolution of species |
| D．Traditional farming practices help in preserving corn varieties. |
9 . Do you see a bird right now? Can you hear one chirping? If so, you might be getting a mental health boost. A study recently published in the journal Science found that being in the presence of birds made people feel more positive.
Andrea Mechelli, a psychologist at King’s College London, found himself studying the natural world accidentally. Initially he was searching for answers to why people who lived in cities seemed to tend to suffer mental illness, particularly psychosis. In 2015, he created the smartphone app Urban Mind to search for patterns in users’ environments. “Our first finding is that nature has a very powerful effect,” says Mechelli. He and his colleagues then wondered if some aspects of nature were more beneficial than others. They turned to birds for their ubiquity (普遍存在) in rural and urban environments.
Their latest study included 1,292 participants mainly in the United Kingdom and Europe. For two weeks, participants were prompted to fill out a questionnaire about their surrounding environment and their mental state three times a day. Mechelli performed a statistical analysis that found an obvious improvement in wellbeing when birds were present, even when eliminating other factors like the presence of trees or waterways. The mental health benefit was true both for people who disclosed a depression diagnosis and those without any diagnosed mental health conditions.
Peter James, an environmental health scientist at Harvard, would like to see more data. He found that environmental health studies like these lack diversity. Yet, a psychologist at Trent University in Canada, Lisa Nisbet says, “This kind of study helps us understand how people’s everyday experience with specific elements of nature, such as birds, can be restorative.”
Appreciating birds seems to be a promising avenue for nature-based health and wellbeing interventions. At Mechelli’s clinical practice in London, he focuses on early intervention therapies. He suggests his patients go for walks to observe the trees and plants growing in the city, and the bird fluttering by from branch to branch. “It has no side effects,” he says. “It’s something they could try, and they have nothing to lose.”
1. What can be inferred about Andrea Mechelli’s study?| A．Diverse environments are rewarding only for depressed people. |
| B．The presence of birds is beneficial to mental health. |
| C．Peter James thought highly of Mechelli’s research. |
| D．It was originally targeted at the research on birds. |
| A．Defeating. | B．Identifying. |
| C．Considering. | D．Removing. |
| A．Early intervention shows no significance. |
| B．The access to nature helps people be more confident. |
| C．Nature-based intervention functions well in mental health. |
| D．People’s daily experience is connected with mental problems. |
| A．Use Nature in Supporting Mental Health | B．Get Outside for a Quicker Mental Recovery |
| C．Analyze Data to Make a Good Treatment Plan | D．Turn to Birds for Better Understandings of Humans |
