1 . Atmospheric (大气层的) rivers are long and narrow bands of water vapor (水蒸气) in Earth’s atmosphere, which are called “large rivers in the sky”. These rivers form over warm ocean waters. They are huge. They can be 930 miles long and one-third that wide.

Like real rivers, they carry huge amounts of water. These large streams of small water drops are blown by wind over land. When that happens, the water vapor cools down and condenses (凝结). Atmospheric rivers can be good. They bring water to dry areas. However, they can cause huge, fast-moving storms. Some cause snowfalls that bury towns. They are also the main cause of floods on the U.S. West Coast.

Atmospheric rivers are hard to predict. But scientists are working to change that. Marty Ralph, a scientist who works at the University of California, directs the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E). They created the first computer model to predict atmospheric rivers on the U.S. West Coast. This model uses a program that runs on a computer to create a model of a real-world event. CW3E also studies atmospheric rivers using planes. Pilots drop instruments into atmospheric rivers to collect information like temperature and wind speed, which helps with forecasting.

Will climate change affect atmospheric rivers? Climate change happens naturally over a long period of time. But today, it is largely caused by human activities and is causing the Earth to warm, which affects atmospheric rivers.

Atmospheric rivers are pushed by the wind. Those winds are driven by the temperature differences between the poles and the equator (赤道). But the poles are also warming faster than areas near the equator. That makes the temperature difference between the areas smaller. This can make winds weaker.

Climate change might not cause more atmospheric rivers. But there may be very, very wet seasons and very, very dry seasons. Such a seesaw in rainfall could make it harder to manage what water there is.

1. What can we learn about atmospheric rivers?

A．They can be 930 miles long and 465 miles wide.

B．They are easy to predict as scientists are working on it.

C．They are bands of water vapor forming over warm ocean waters.

D．They are the main cause of floods in the U.S.

2. What is the third paragraph mainly about?

A．Why it is hard to predict atmospheric rivers.

B．Whether scientists can predict atmospheric rivers.

C．How technology helps the prediction of atmospheric rivers.

D．How scientists are working on the forecasts of atmospheric rivers.

3. What does the underlined word “seesaw” mean in the last paragraph?

A．Growth.

B．Drop.

C．Prediction.

D．Change.

4. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A textbook.

B．A science magazine.

C．An academic article.

D．A news report.

2 . Lying in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, the fishing village Huatulco is home to nine bays, 36 beaches and thousands of baby turtles that apparently needed me. I had three open days on my calendar, and a desire to save some turtles. And so, away I went to Huatulco with Wildcoast, a group of champions-for-change who were protecting coastal and marine ecosystem in the U. S. and Mexico.

I was taken to La Escobilla to experience Wildcoast in action. Just one hour north of Huatulco, this protected beach is where mass turtle nesting happens. This natural phenomenon lasts just four days during rainy season, hundreds of thousands of female sea turtles swinging their way ashore to lay their eggs.

Between threats of dogs, crabs, development and oil spills, the little creatures have the whole world against them. As recently as 2002, turtles hunting was not only a common practice, but an important part of the culture and diet in the Oaxaca communities. Luckily, Wildcoast rescues turtle eggs and recreates habitats by monitoring temperatures and humidity. Thanks to their efforts, the sea turtles have made a major comeback, with now over 72 million turtles being born on the beaches that Wildcoast protects.

I got to hold 50 of the tiny creatures in a bowl. Despite an average laying of 100 eggs, just one in 1, 000 baby turtles will make it to adulthood. Gazing into the bowl, I so badly wanted them to taste the sea and find shelter somewhere deep in the ocean. Finally, it was time to liberate those little creatures. Out spilled the creatures, some moving full steam ahead while others barely paddled in place. Literally, hundreds of them began to spread out across the beach.

With each set of waves, we witnessed the survival of the fittest, some pushing past the whitewash while others crashed back to shore. Their fight for life made my eyes wet. A flock of birds were ready to dive into the sea for their moving targets. “One in 1, 000.” Nature was cruel and compassionate at the same time. After 30 long minutes, the last creature made his way to the sea.

1. The baby turtles are threatened by various factors except ________.

A．the cruel hunters	B．the rapid development
C．the extreme weather	D．the oil-polluted ocean

2. What do the underlined words “full steam ahead” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．With slow pace and fear.	B．With all energy and enthusiasm.
C．With full caution and curiosity.	D．With great satisfaction and responsibility.

3. What does the author indicate by mentioning “One in 1,000” in the last paragraph?

A．One baby turtle in 1,000 can make his way to the sea.

B．Thousands of baby turtles were crashed back to shore.

C．The struggle of baby turtles for life touched the author.

D．Baby turtles can hardly survive the harsh living conditions.

4. What can we learn from the author’s experience in saving baby turtles?

A．Think twice before you leap.	B．God helps those who help themselves.
C．Cease to struggle and you cease to live.	D．When the buying stops, the killing can too.

3 . 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。

Grandfather looked worried as he felt the inside of Caper’s front hoof(蹄). The small horse was in pain. “It’s warm,” said Grandfather with a sigh. “I think he has a mild case of founder(蹄叶炎). Let him have a rest. In a few days he should be right as rain.”

Caper couldn’t pull the cart, which meant they couldn’t go to the market the next day. The fish couldn’t be sold and they wouldn’t get enough money to pay for the rent. Aislinn had tears in her eyes. “The sea has always been kind to us. There will be more fish. And the rent will get paid. Now off to bed with you. Leave the worrying to me,” said Grandfather, smiling at Aislinn. “Good night,” Aislinn said as she headed toward her room, trying her best to hold back her tears. “Sweet dreams,” Grandfather called after her.

Sleep would not come. Aislinn wished Grandfather could sell the fish he’d worked so hard to catch. She wished they had enough money for the rent. But above all Aislinn wished that Caper’s hooves would stop hurting. She suddenly remembered when she’d twisted(扭伤)her own ankle. Grandfather had told her to keep ice on it, and the swelling had gone down.

“Could the same thing help Caper?” Aislinin wondered. Suddenly Aislinn had a better idea, and she jumped out of bed. She knocked on Grandfather’s bedroom door, and found Grandfather was also wide awake. Aislinn came in and asked Grandfather whether it would help if they stood Caper in the sea, in the cold water. Grandfather thought for a while and said that might work. He asked Aislinn to take a blanket and some hot tea. “You don’t have to stay out that long, you know,” said Grandfather. “I want to,” said Aislinn, filled with hope that her idea would work. With her arms full, she followed Grandfather out into the night.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题纸的相应位置作答。
Half an hour later, they slowly led the small horse down to the water.
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Aislinn felt something pushing against her.
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4 . “Consumers complain that the modern tomato has little flavor. It’s like a water bomb,” said Sanwen Huang, who works at the Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. “Tomato farmers care about yield, and the genetic variants related to yield are not related to tasty tomato favors.”

How can farmers ditch this unpleasant thing and recover the rich, sweet flavor of the tomato? To find out, Huang and colleagues investigated which genes are related to tomatoes’ taste. The scientists created a 100-person group that sampled 160 tomatoes based on sensory qualities. Based on the group’s feedback, the researchers identified dozens of chemical compounds (化合物) that could be related to the tomato’s taste. Using a statistical model that determined the concentration of various chemicals in the tomatoes, the scientists identified 33 most important flavor compounds. The researchers then measured the content of them in each of the tomatoes, and identified about 250 genetic loci (基因座) that controlled tomato flavor. This finding revealed the genetic basis of tomato flavor.

But the researchers also wanted to determine why store-bought tomatoes don’t taste good. It turns out that modern tomato varieties are selected according to qualities such as big size because buyers prefer large fruit, and firmness because it makes tomatoes easier to ship. Meanwhile, the quality of flavor has been ignored, said the researchers.

Volatiles (挥发性物质), in particular, are essential for good flavor. The removal of specific volatiles from tomatoes results in significant reduction in people’s liking. Moreover, refrigeration can change a tomato’s volatile compounds.

“But there is hope for a future filled with tasty, new varieties of store-bought tomatoes, as our results provide a road map for improvement of flavor. By working together, geneticists, biochemists, farmers and customers can provide better-flavored tomatoes for our society.” Huang said.

1. How does the author present the study in paragraph 2?

A．By giving a definition.	B．By listing figures.
C．By analyzing the cause.	D．By making a comparison.

2. What is the main idea of paragraphs 3-4?

A．The reasons why stores favor such tomatoes.

B．Some qualities consumers prefer in buying tomatoes.

C．The importance of volatiles in deciding tomato flavor.

D．The reasons why store-bought tomatoes have little flavor.

3. Which of the following statements will Huang probably agree with?

A．The store-bought tomatoes have a promising future.

B．Yield-related genetic variants provide tasty tomatoes.

C．Their research has changed a tomato’s volatile compounds.

D．Farmers and customers can certainly provide better-flavored tomatoes.

4. What’s the purpose of the text?

A．To persuade readers to buy tomatoes.

B．To introduce the high yielding tomatoes.

C．To prove store-bought tomatoes are tasteless.

D．To inform readers of the research about tomato flavors.

5 . The long-awaited return journey of female giant panda Ya Ya, who has lived in the Memphis Zoo in the US state of Tennessee for 20 years, finally started on Wednesday local time, according to media reports. The news resulted in heated cheers of Chinese netizens as they had been closely watching and looking forward to Ya Ya’s return for months over concerns about the giant panda’s health.

Ya Ya had left the Memphis Zoo in Tennessee, the US, starting her journey back to China on Wednesday morning, the Xinhua News Agency reported. When asked about the latest progress on Ya Ya’s return journey, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at the Wednesday press conference that Ya Ya would soon return to China as arranged. “Related parties in China and the US are actively promoting related preparations and arrangements,” Mao said.

According to information released by Chinese flight tracking platform Feichangzhun, FedEx special flight FX9759 would take off at 12:05 p. m. on Wednesday US time from the Memphis airport for the Shanghai Pudong International Airport. The flight duration is estimated to be nearly 16 hours. Many netizens volunteered to go to the Shanghai Pudong Airport to welcome Ya Ya and Le Le. “I am sure there will be a crowd of people there for them! We all want to see them land in the motherland safely!” said a Weibo user.

Ya Ya was born in the Beijing Zoo in August 2000. In April 2003, as part of a cooperation program on the protection and research of giant pandas between China and the US, Ya Ya and Le Le, a male panda from the Shanghai Zoo, were flown to Memphis.

Since the beginning of 2021, there have been continuous reports about the poor health conditions of Ya Ya and Le Le, with heart-wrenching photos surfacing online. After passing away of Le Le in February, pictures of the weak Ya Ya caused a stronger impact on the Chinese social media, leading many netizens to call for the early return of Ya Ya.

1. What can we infer from the text?

A．Ya Ya is twenty years old now.

B．Related parties care little about Ya Ya.

C．Many netizens are very concerned about Ya Ya’s health.

D．Ya Ya will reach Shanghai at about 4:00 a. m. on Thursday Beijing time.

2. What does the underlined word “released” in paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Changed.

B．Announced.

C．Developed.

D．Achieved.

3. What made Ya Ya so weak in the USA?

A．Le Le’s death.	B．Missing her motherland.
C．Too many people’s concern.	D．No clear reason mentioned.

4. Where can this text come from?

A．A news report.	B．A travel journal.
C．A science fiction.	D．A popular magazine.

6 . 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 woods surrounding the Audubon Society were November dark with its sky overcast with gloomy clouds. The branches shut out the day light and the wind howled horribly around the woods.

Ruby sighed and packed up his bag on the shoulders. “Least it has stopped raining. It won’t take long,” Ruby comforted his brother Henry. “Dad said he’d pick us at the gift shop.”

Henry ignored him with a frown and stomped(踩踏)up the path, his shoes slipping on the wet rocks. He was annoyed that their dad had practically forced them to go on a hike in the bird habitat outside town. “It will be good for you both,” Dad had encouraged, handing them his binoculars. “You’ll get some fresh air and maybe see some cool birds.”

As the boys climbed, the trees grew closer together. The only sounds were the dripping of rain from the trees and the rustle(沙沙声)of small birds among the forest. At the top of the slope, they stopped to catch their breath. A single black feather floated down onto the path. Rubylooked up. On a nearby branch, a black crow(乌鸦)stared down at them.

“Shoo!” shouted Ruby, waving his arms, frightened by the bird’s black eyes. It opened its sharp beak(鸟喙)and let out a loud and horrible squawk. “It’s watching us as if we were worms or something.” Ruby pushed his brother along the path. “Just a stupid crow.” But as he walked, Ruby couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched.

“Ruby? ” called Henry, panic shaking his voice. To their horror, on the path, a line of more crows blocked their way and the branches on both sides were filled with numerous birds, their evil eyes glancing at them. They fluttered their wings frantically, ready to attack the boys.

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

The boys froze, frightened by the hundreds of greedy eyes.

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At that urgent moment, a familiar car pulled into the path.

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7 . People who work with octopuses(章鱼)or who spend a lot of time in their company describe the sense that when you look at an octopus, there is something looking back. Given this feeling as a starting point, how do you begin to explore the consciousness(意识)of an animal so unlike ourselves?

Imagining an octopus’s inner life is a hard thing to do from our human standpoint. When you picture the tips of your suckered limbs moving, what do you imagine it feels like? “The octopus’s arms are, in some ways, more like lips or tongues than hands,” says Godfrey-Smith, a professor of history and philosophy of science. “There’s a great deal of sensory information that’s coming in every time the animal does anything. That’s very different from our situation.”

Take a closer look at the octopus’s nervous system, and things get even stranger. The octopus’s arms have more autonomy than our human arms and legs do. Each has its own minibrain, giving it a degree of independence from the animal’s central brain. Our own nervous system, however, is highly centralized, with the brain the center of sensory integration, emotion, movement, behavior and other actions.

The closer you look at the octopus’s body and nervous system, the harder it becomes to grasp—or believe you are grasping—what it might be like to be an octopus. However hard it might be to do, it’s worth trying to understand whether octopuses have consciousness, and what it’s like if they do, says Godfrey-Smith. This is why the octopus is such an interesting case. Octopuses are different enough from us that a lot of our assumptions about them have to be questioned—and even our assumptions about ourselves. “By asking whether octopuses are conscious like us, we might be asking a question that doesn’t make a lot of sense because we don’t fully know what it’s like to be conscious,” says Godfrey-Smith.

1. What does the author try to do in paragraph 1?

A．Introduce his special feeling about studying octopuses.

B．Share his unique experience of working with octopuses.

C．Inspire the readers’ interest in learning about octopuses.

D．Show the meaning of studying consciousness of animals.

2. In which way are the octopus’s arms special according to Godfrey-Smith?

A．Their structure.	B．Their function.
C．Their movement.	D．Their number.

3. How is paragraph 3 mainly developed?

A．By listing statistics.	B．By analyzing causes.
C．By giving examples.	D．By making comparisons.

4. What can we know about octopuses from the last paragraph?

A．Octopuses are really similar to humans in some way.

B．More work is needed to study octopuses’ consciousness.

C．Most assumptions about octopuses are completely wrong.

D．It makes no sense to research if octopuses are conscious.

8 . 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 total floor area of Chain’s green buildings has been over 6. 6 billion square meters with the country’s efforts to promote high-quality development in urban and rural areas.

    1     (note)China’s achievements of green development in urban and rural areas, Zhang Xiaohong, vice minister of housing and urban-rural development,     2     (stress)the difficult task of saving energy and reducing carbon emissions in urban and rural construction at a press conference on Monday.

The ministry will make continuous efforts     3     (increase)the proportion of green buildings, raise building energy efficiency standards and popularize buildings with extra-low energy     4     (consume)in regions with suitable climate conditions. It will also promote green renovation of existing buildings to improve energy efficiency and make     5     (low)carbon emissions.

China issued a guideline     6     supports green development in urban and rural areas recently. Institutional mechanisms and policy systems for green development in urban and rural areas will be     7     (basic)established by 2025, while green development will cover urban and rural areas     8     a comprehensive way by 2035, with     9     increased cut in carbon emissions, said the guideline.

The ministry will state a 14th five-year plan on urban and rural living environment planning and take     10     (measure)to bring eco-environment, construction and social and cultural environment into line while promoting green development of regions and cities.

10 . Sixteen miles off the windswept coast of northern Scotland, the future of renewable energy is taking shape. Turning rhythmically in the breeze, the five enormous turbines of the Hywind Scotland wind farm look like any other off-shore wind project, except one major difference — they’re floating.

While conventional offshore turbines sit atop mental and concrete towers fixed into the seabed, Hywind’s turbines rest on floating steel structures that rise and fall with waves. Carefully balanced, they remain upright despite the waving conditions. This simple sounding, yet extremely complex design is changing the way green developers view offshore wind.

It could prove to be an important development as the world attempts to meet the net zero carbon emission targets that countries committed to in the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. The energy department as a whole currently accounts for around three quarters of all the greenhouse gases emitted by human activity.

To cut those emissions, green electricity will need to be at the main source of global energy, according to the International Energy Agency. It says that by 2024, half of the world’s energy needs will have to be met by electricity produced in a net zero way.

With growing numbers of electric vehicles, combined with increased demand for electricity to replace fossil fuels in domestic and industrial uses, electricity networks will also need to become far more flexible with more ways to generate and store energy. It means that by 2045, our energy network could look thoroughly different to the way it does today. Projects like Hywind’s floating wind farm offer a present-day glimpse of what the future could look like.

While floating turbines overcome some of the issues that make offshore wind farms in deep waters impossible, there are still challenges to be overcome. There are some concerns about what impact large wind turbines might have on the marine environment. The price of floating wind projects is also still high — costing almost twice as much per megawatt hour of electricity produced compared to bottom-fixed offshore wind. But those costs are expected to drop as the technology becomes increasingly advanced, as has been seen with other wind energy projects, helping pave the way towards net zero emissions, and a future powered by carbon-free fuel.

1. Which of the following words can replace the underlined word “emitted” in the third paragraph?

A．Released.

B．Replaced.

C．Wasted.

D．Influenced.

2. What is the author’s opinion on floating wind projects?

A．Disapproving.

B．Objective.

C．Doubtful.

D．Indifferent.

3. What is the author’s purpose of writing this text?

A．To share his research on energy.	B．To call on people to save energy.
C．To replace the traditional fossil fuels.	D．To introduce a clean renewable energy.