1 . With a number of rivers globally in crisis due to pollution, damming, and reduced rainfall, there’s never been a better opportunity to appreciate everything that rivers give to the world.
Rivers provide drinking water
Two thirds of the UK’s tap water is either from a river or from a river-fed body of water.
Ancient farming depended on these life-giving waters, so does modern agriculture. During the rainy season, many rivers overflow their banks, nourishing the soil with minerals and nutrients. Besides, rivers act as water sources for irrigation.
A good source of food comes from rivers
A fifth of the fish that are fished globally come from rivers and other freshwater sources. Another two thirds of fish that people eat rely on rivers for breeding, nutrients, or other reasons.
Human culture is tied to rivers
Rivers provide leisure activities
| A．Rivers are important for agriculture |
| B．Rivers are more than just water under the bridge |
| C．Rivers are closely connected to ancient civilizations |
| D．A large part of our modern life is involved with rivers |
| E．The organization American Rivers gives a similar figure for the US |
| F．Consequently, rivers can provide homes for a diversity of plants and animals |
| G．Protecting rivers and their biodiversity is a good way to protect this valuable source of food |
2 . A worldwide shift from fossil fuel-powered cars to electric vehicles could significantly reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that humans emit to the atmosphere. But current strategies for vehicle electrification (电气化) can also shift some pollution to communities already suffering under higher economic, health and environmental burdens, researchers warn.
California, which leads the United States by a mile when it comes to EV adoption, offers a window into this evolving problem. The state is aggressively seeking to reduce its carbon footprint and has made substantial increases in wind and solar power generation as well as in the promotion of electric vehicle purchases. One tool the state has used is the California Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, or CVRP, which kicked off in 2010 and offers consumers money back for the purchase of new EVs.
Now, an analysis of the CVRP’s impact on the state’s air quality from 2010 to 2021 reveals both good and bad news, researchers report May 3 in PLOS Climate.
The good news is that the CVRP is responsible for making a dent in the state’s overall CO2 emissions, reducing them by about 280,000 metric tons per year on average. The bad news is that the most disadvantaged communities in the state didn’t see the same overall improvement in air quality. Those communities in fact saw an increase in one type of air pollution, tiny particulates known as PM2.5. That increase may be indirectly related to putting more EVs on the road. Although electric vehicles themselves don’t produce PM2.5 from their tailpipes, increased electricity generation, if it’s not fossil fuel-free, can. Renewable resources, including rooftop solar cells, supplied about half of California’s electricity in 2022. But natural gas-fired power plants still provide a large part of the state’s power.
“Electric vehicles are often incorrectly referred to as ‘zero-emission vehicles’, but they’re only as clean as the underlying electric grid (电网) from which the energy is sourced,” Mejía-Duwan says. The most disadvantaged 25 percent of the state’s communities also contain 50 percent of the power plants, the team found.
1. What do we know from paragraph 2?| A．California takes the lead in environmental protection. |
| B．Wind and solar power generation has dominated California. |
| C．California’s carbon footprint has been reduced as planned. |
| D．The launch of CVRP is intended to promote electric vehicle purchases. |
| A．adjustment. | B．shift. | C．reduction. | D．increase |
| A．Putting more EVs on the road. | B．Increased electricity generation. |
| C．Warming climate. | D．Increased rooftop solar cells. |
| A．Zero emission for EVs can’t be ensured nowadays. |
| B．‘Zero emission’ isn’t good enough to describe EVs. |
| C．EVs, with no zero emission, shouldn’t be advocated. |
| D．EVs have a promising future as zero emission vehicles. |
3 . Three cute brown bear cubs who got lost after getting separated from their mother gripped the hearts of netizens.
The fuzzy cubs were spotted by Gelek Gyatso, an ecological protection officer, when he was patrolling a riverbed at an altitude of nearly 4, 500 meters in Qumarleb county in Qinghai province’s Yushu.
The little cubs eagerly ran toward the ranger on the snow-covered riverbed, then stopped short at a safe distance to stare at him curiously. After realizing that the man was not their mother, the bear cubs turned around and ran along the river calling for mom.
This was Gelek Gyatso’s first encounter with bear cubs separated from their mother. With his knowledge of wild animals, he drove the cubs towards an area near their cave in the hope of a safe reunion. Thankfully, later that day, other patrol officers found that the mother bear had reunited with her cubs and that the family was happy and healthy.
This year marks Gelek Gyatso’s tenth year as an ecological protection officer. He patrols the area every day, diligently records the animals he sees, carefully checks on the vegetation, and helps clean up litter.
Over the decade, Gelek Gyatso has witnessed great changes in the ecological environment of his hometown. There has been an increase in the number of wild animals, and everyone is participating in the protection of these species, making coexistence between humans and animals more harmonious.
He also reminds people that if they encounter wild animals in the wild, they should keep their distance, not disturbing or feeding them, and that if they find an animal that needs to be rescued, they should call the fire or forest department in time.
1. What happened to the three bear cubs?| A．Losing track of the mother bear. |
| B．Following Gelek with curiosity. |
| C．Mistaking a man for their mother. |
| D．Being trapped in the cold riverbed. |
| A．Ambitious. | B．Romantic. | C．Devoted. | D．Innovative. |
| A．Changing their living surroundings. |
| B．Feeding and sheltering wild animals. |
| C．Getting involved in saving endangered species. |
| D．Seeking professional help to rescue those in need. |
| A．A project of wildlife conservation |
| B．A journey of friendship connection |
| C．A knowledgeable ecological officer |
| D．An encounter leading to a safe reunion |
4 . Signal for help in the wild
Having multiple effective ways to signal for help can make all the difference in a survival situation where outside help is guaranteed. Signaling is one of the most under-practiced and under-emphasized skill sets in our survival, and it’s about time we took it more seriously.
Cell phone used for signaling. In areas where service is available, your call for help can be made to the exact right people and vast amounts of information can be conveyed.
Signal whistle. The humble whistle is a fine piece of signal gear for short-range audible signaling. Three blasts of a whistle are generally interpreted as a universal signal for distress.
Signal mirror. A signal mirror is one of the furthest reaching, non-electronic signal methods. Properly aimed, a signal mirror can shine a beam of daylight up to 10 miles, creating a flash of light that can catch the attention of distant aircraft, watercraft, vehicles, or persons on foot. Purchase a mirror with a sighting lens and sweep the mirror VERY slowly right to left and up and down.
Signal flag. Flags have been used for signaling for thousands of years. And while there are commercially available signal flags, you also can create your own. A brightly colored or contrasting colored garment tied to a stick serves as a quick flag.
| A．But in most cases, signaling with a whistle makes little difference. |
| B．Select brightly colored whistles, which are easy to spot if dropped. |
| C．While in areas with a weaker signal, try sending out a text message. |
| D．A space blanket and other reflective material makes an excellent flag as well. |
| E．This should sweep the beam across your target and hopefully get someone’s attention. |
| F．Follow my lead and learn how to assist in your own rescue with our signaling methods. |
| G．Here’s some practical advice for you to follow if you are really at a loss about various signals. |
Zibo barbecue
Mouth-watering images describe a typical Zibo barbecue
Zibo was hardly on anyone’s travel bucket list
The local government has jumped
The city’s other attractions, such as the Haidai building, a
6 . For children, space is magical — a whole world is out there, with so many things to learn and stories to read. Here are some children’s books about space and the solar system.
Mae among the Stars by Stasia Burrington
This beautifully illustrated picture book is attractive to young kids. It was inspired by the first African American woman in space, Mae Jemison. It tells the story of Mae as a little girl, who always knew she had big dreams about space. This is a great addition to a young kid’s collection, as a reminder to hold tight to dreams and never give up.
Space by Libby Jackson
This beautifully illustrated book gives kids a look at 50 women from around the world who were involved in exploring space in some way, from the 19th century to the present day. This is a perfect gift for young kids who want to know more about some of the lesser-known scientific achievements related to space exploration.
Chasing Space by Leland Melvin
This is Melvin’s story about being a football player-turned-astronaut, along with his recovery from an injury that nearly left him deaf. Kids will love reading his story about how he faced challenges and advanced ahead, and he also includes DIY experiments for kids to try, and a section of full-color photographs.
System and Beyond by David A. Aguilar
The book is full of beautiful illustrations of space, and is perfect for kids of all ages, exploring various planets and the solar system. Unlike other kids’ space book, this is a National Geographic book written and illustrated by an award-winning astronomer and space artist. Aguilar is also the former Director of Science Information and Public Outreach at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
1. What do Mae among the Stars and Space have in common?| A．They include less-known astronauts. | B．They tell about scientists’ childhood. |
| C．They cover women exploring space. | D．They are suitable for children of all ages. |
| A．Stasia Burrington’s. | B．Libby Jackson’s. |
| C．Leland Melvin’s. | D．David A. Aguilar’s. |
| A．It has beautiful pictures. | B．It tells about space artists. |
| C．It has won many grand awards. | D．It was written by an astronomer. |
For many years I always invented excuses for either picking this
The wind blowing through pine needles(松针)made
Then my eyes began to see more. Wildflowers only hardly
Understanding nature has been a lifelong pursuit. Each visit to the woods is a
8 . Green architecture is designed in an environmentally-friendly way. Many people think interest in green architecture has only begun in recent years.
To make it, much of green architecture focuses on building intelligently. For example, plumbing systems (管道系统) may be designed to use less water while still functioning normally.
Many architects build environmentally to show people that it’s possible. And they want to show the fact that being environmentally-friendly does not have to make a building bad-looking.
The green design can be kept in mind when we build various future buildings, ranging from a private home to a tall office building. Green designs can also be applied to remodeling (改造) and repairing existing buildings.
| A．The goal is to make a building prettier. |
| B．Not many buildings have great green designs. |
| C．A green building’s design need solve many problems. |
| D．In fact, humans have tried green architecture for thousands of years. |
| E．After all, pulling down a building can quite damage the environment. |
| F．Actually, many of the green designs can make a building more beautiful. |
| G．And smart lighting would turn off when people are not around to save energy. |
9 . Some animals live in families. Some live in big groups. And others live mostly by themselves. Animals have to find the right
A giant panda
Lions are hunters.
Tigers are stealthy hunters who sneak up on prey such as deer or wild pigs — then pounce! But hunting is
Herds of musk oxen crowd together for
What brings ladybugs (瓢虫) together? It’s time to hibernate for the winter by bunching together, and then the ladybugs keep each other warm.
1.| A．road | B．place | C．way | D．season |
| A．notice | B．hold | C．sight | D．care |
| A．mainly | B．originally | C．finally | D．hardly |
| A．searching | B．following | C．raising | D．fighting |
| A．Therefore | B．However | C．Otherwise | D．Besides |
| A．catching | B．bringing | C．taking | D．cheating |
| A．alone | B．lonely | C．together | D．separately |
| A．pairs | B．groups | C．numbers | D．quantities |
| A．live | B．move | C．find | D．build |
| A．hard | B．soft | C．cold | D．green |
| A．stays | B．leaves | C．reaches | D．hides |
| A．easy | B．hard | C．impossible | D．necessary |
| A．together | B．in groups | C．alone | D．nearby |
| A．food | B．fun | C．sale | D．protection |
| A．circle | B．square | C．line | D．wall |
10 . As cities balloon with growth, access to nature for people living in urban areas is becoming harder to find. If you’re lucky, there might be a pocket park near where you live, but it’s unusual to find places in a city that are relatively wild.
Past research has found health and wellness benefits of nature for humans, but a new study shows that wildness in urban areas is extremely important for human well-being.
The research team focused on a large urban park. They surveyed several hundred park-goers, asking them to submit a written summary online of a meaningful interaction they had with nature in the park. The researchers then examined these submissions, coding (编码) experiences into different categories. For example, one participant’s experience of “We sat and listened to the waves at the beach for a while” was assigned the categories “sitting at beach” and “listening to waves.”
Across the 320 submissions, a pattern of categories the researchers call a “nature language” began to emerge. After the coding of all submissions, half a dozen categories were noted most often as important to visitors. These include encountering wildlife, walking along the edge of water, and following an established trail.
Naming each nature experience creates a usable language, which helps people recognize and take part in the activities that are most satisfying and meaningful to them. For example, the experience of walking along the edge of water might be satisfying for a young professional on a weekend hike in the park. Back downtown during a workday, they can enjoy a more domestic form of this interaction by walking along a fountain on their lunch break.
“We’re trying to generate a language that helps bring the human-nature interactions back into our daily lives. And for that to happen, we also need to protect nature so that we can interact with it,” said Peter Kahn, a senior author of the study.
1. What phenomenon does the author describe at the beginning of the text?| A．Pocket parks are now popular. | B．Wild nature is hard to find in cities. |
| C．Many cities are overpopulated. | D．People enjoy living close to nature. |
| A．To compare different types of park-goers. | B．To explain why the park attracts tourists. |
| C．To analyze the main features of the park. | D．To find patterns in the visitors’ summaries. |
| A．Walking is the best way to gain access to nature. |
| B．Young people are too busy to interact with nature. |
| C．The same nature experience takes different forms. |
| D．The nature language enhances work performance. |
| A．Language study. | B．Environmental conservation. |
| C．Public education. | D．Intercultural communication. |
