1 . If you’re aiming to cut back on meat and you want to build muscle strength, you’re not alone. Now, a new study finds that swapping red and processed meat for plant protein a few times a week leads to better health and lowers carbon emission.

“We found that there was an increase in life expectancy of approximately nine months linked to 50% reduction of red meat consumption,” says Olivia Auclair. “When it comes to diet changes to improve health and climate, we don’t need to go to major extremes or completely wipe out foods from our diet.”

But sudden changes can be jarring. For a long time Kyle Backlund had been in the habit of eating meat at many meals, and when he cut back, he felt a drop in his energy level and experienced some tiredness and weakness. When he realized he needed to increase his protein intake, his wife Stephany Marreel — who does most of the cooking and also eats a plant-based diet — found a solution by adding tofu, vegetables, and grains. Kyle says he is now feeling good on his plant-focused diet.

People can get all the protein and nutrients they need from a plant-based diet as long as they do a little planning, says Dr. Christopher Gardner, a food scientist. “If someone is consuming a reasonable variety, meeting protein needs from plant sources is no problem,” Gardner says.

There’s an environmental argument for shifting diet as well, Gardner says. Livestock (家畜) require lots of land and water. Beef production requires 20 times more land and produces 20 times more greenhouse gas emissions, per gram of protein, compared to beans. If people in the U.S. swapped beef for beans, this one switch alone could get the U.S. about halfway to its greenhouse gas reduction goals.

1. What should you do to improve health and climate according to Olivia Auclair?

A．Change your meat-based diet a little.	B．Give up red meat in your meals.
C．Become a devoted plant-protein lover.	D．Take up proper ways of cooking.

2. What does the underlined word “jarring” in the third paragraph probably mean?

A．Admirable.

B．Upsetting.

C．Meaningful.

D．Rewarding.

3. How can one meet his protein needs while following a plant-based diet?

A．By exercising more.	B．By consuming less red meat.
C．By eating various foods.	D．By having whole grain.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Cattle are the main source of greenhouse gases.

B．Americans are reducing greenhouse gas emission.

C．Shifting diet can be beneficial to the planet.

D．Bean production requires lots of land and water.

2 . Cities, often seen as ecological wastelands, actually have the potential to produce exceptional biologists. While traditional biologists typically come from rural backgrounds, urban residents possess diverse skill sets that make them better ones.

Take myself as an example. Growing up in Philadelphia provided me with a unique angle to look at urban ecology. The city’s distinct seasons, plentiful squirrels, row homes, and festivals served as my first ecological classroom. It was there that I witnessed wild cats eating birds and rats, people driving bats from their homes, and snakes being killed by lawn mowers (割草机). This was ecology in action, as real as any observation in fields and forests.

The unique environment of urban areas encourages wildlife there to develop distinct feature s and behaviors that set them apart from their rural counterparts: they may be larger in size, be active at different times of the day, move differently, and even display different personalities. Some biologists argue they are even “smarter” because they balance more risks, such as exposure to roads, poisonous chemicals and diseases from domestic animals — with rewards, of course, like inhabitable parks and human-provided food.

As human residents of cities, we too adapt to the risks and challenges of urban living. This adaptation sharpens our intuition (直觉) — we learn which streets to avoid and lock our doors for safety. Our ability to assess threats and our awareness regarding safety influence our behaviors and choices, much as they do for urban wildlife. Shared experiences such as these enable us to better understand and appreciate urban wildlife.

Most of the world’s population now accesses green and blue spaces, as well as wildlife, within urban neighborhoods. Nature is no longer only untouched wilderness; it includes sounds of human laughter, trash trucks and fire alarms. We urban residents are resourceful and imaginative. We need more capacity, more participation, more energy and more innovation in science to create solutions to fight environmental degradation and reduce biodiversity loss. Identifying this talent across cities presents a practical approach.

1. What did growing up in Philadelphia teach the author?

A．Philadelphia is uniquely rich in wildlife.

B．Studying biology at school helps greatly.

C．Urban wild creatures need protection too.

D．Cities are far from ecological wastelands.

2. What does the underlined word “counterparts” in paragraph 3 most likely mean?

A．Similar species.	B．Potential enemies.
C．Natural resources.	D．Qualified biologists.

3. What experiences help urban residents understand wildlife better?

A．Eco-friendly habits.	B．Risk-aware behaviors.
C．Ill-informed choices.	D．Fast-paced urban life.

4. What is the best title for this passage?

A．Cities Build Better Biologists	B．What Makes Smarter Residents?
C．Urban Areas Encourage Wildlife	D．Who Saves Ecological Wastelands?

3 . Nicole Graham from Melbourne, Australia owns 10 horses. One afternoon, she and her _________ Paris went for a horse ride when the animals suddenly got _________ in mud. Nicole somehow managed to _________ her daughter’s horse, while the other one, Astro, who weighs around 900 pounds, couldn’t get out of the mud.

_________, as she was struggling to help the poor animal, he got stuck even further. All Nicole could do at that point was to stay by Astro’s side to comfort him and made sure that she kept him _________ until help arrived. She stuck to staying by the 17-year-old horse’s side for over three hours. _________, fire fighters arrived and she felt much _________. In order to bring the big animal to _________, they gave him some sedatives (镇静剂) so that they could attach a harness (马具) to him for a car to _________ the horse from the mud. Luckily, the rescue was __________.

Speaking of the __________, Nicole said to a reporter, “It was terrifying. It was also __________ to see my horse struggling. I’ve been riding here for 20 years and never seen any __________ on the road showing the dangers and didn’t realize it was so muddy.

Stacey Sullivan, the vet who __________ Astro, praised Nicole and said, “A lot of horses don’t make it and I think without the __________ the chance of the horse’s survival would have been a lot lower.”

1.

A．daughter

B．friend

C．vet

D．husband

2.

A．absorbed

B．trapped

C．buried

D．engaged

3.

A．rescue

B．raise

C．wash

D．drive

4.

A．Fortunately

B．Sadly

C．Apparently

D．Quickly

5.

A．awake

B．informed

C．calm

D．quiet

6.

A．Immediately

B．Incredibly

C．Subsequently

D．Ultimately

7.

A．awkward

B．frightened

C．relieved

D．impressed

8.

A．safety

B．normal

C．life

D．justice

9.

A．send out

B．pull out

C．bring up

D．clean up

10.

A．terrible

B．urgent

C．confusing

D．successful

11.

A．crash

B．disaster

C．incident

D．event

12.

A．breathtaking

B．heartbreaking

C．awesome

D．troublesome

13.

A．posters

B．traps

C．tracks

D．signs

14.

A．treated

B．discovered

C．kept

D．comforted

15.

A．rescuer

B．owner

C．reporter

D．fighter

4 . 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。

Leo and Matt, both aged 16, are best friends who shared a passion for environmental sustainability. They were both students at a bustling high school in the heart of the city, a school that was infamous for its morning and afternoon traffic jams. The narrow streets leading to the school were always clogged (堵塞) with cars, buses, and bicycles, causing a great deal of inconvenience and pollution.

“Look what we are suffering every day!” complained Leo. “Isn’t there a solution to the problem?” Matt sighed.

They decided to take matters into their own hands and find a solution to the sticky problem. Initially, they made some speeches, distributed leaflets and volunteered to relieve the traffic congestion (拥堵), trying to persuade some parents to park their cars a little farther away the school and not to use cars too often. But two weeks passed, there was nothing better. Then they realized it was no easy work to deal with the trouble. They needed more hands for help and a well-thought-out plan for it.

They first gathered ten schoolmates who shared the same ambition. Then they started to conduct a thorough survey to understand the root causes of the traffic congestion. They interviewed students, teachers, and parents, as well as observed the traffic patterns during different times of the day. They learned that the majority of the congestion was caused by parents dropping off and picking up their children, as well as the lack of sufficient parking spaces.

Armed with this information, the team designed a detailed plan. They proposed the creation of a carpool system for students, encouraging them to share rides to reduce the number of vehicles on the road. They also suggested dedicated drop-off and pick-up zones, clearly marked with signage, to help streamline the process.

To further reduce congestion, they advocated for the construction of bike racks (架子) and encourage students to cycle to school. They even proposed a rewards system for those who chose sustainable modes of transportation.

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。

With their plan in hand, Leo and Matt presented it to the school authorities.

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A few months passing by, the school traffic congestion had significantly improved.

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5 . More than 30 years ago, Jadav Payeng started planting trees on a barren sandbar (贫瘠的沙洲) near his birthplace in India’s Assam region. That day, the then-16-year-old noticed many snakes washed up on the sandbar after a flood. They were dying due to heat exposure at a rapid rate. “How can I help them?” Then he had an idea: Trees can provide shade for them!

Jadav lives on an island, Majuli, which is in the middle of the Brahmaputra River. It begins at the base of the Himalayas, at the meeting of a fan of rivers that drain (流走) snowmelt. At one time, villages upstream had redirected the river, creating more forceful currents around the island and carrying away the soil, thus damaging the natural habitats of its wildlife. As a consequence, much of the island became barren sand, and an entire community was at risk of being displaced.

Jadav also noticed that nobody was doing anything about it besides watching their part of the world disappear. So, he started to put his idea into action — every day, one or two or three at a time. He took notes of how they grew, harvested their seeds, grew saplings (树苗) in his hut and planted before going off to work.

Now that once-barren sandbar is a 1,360-acre forest, home to many animals: deer, Bengal tigers, Indian rhinoceros and even a group of 100 elephants that visit every year. There are now native grasses that have taken root in the shade and varieties of native trees grown from seeds that have washed ashore. But most importantly, the island that is also home to a few hundred people is holding its own against the bad weather. Standing beside one of the first trees he planted 30 years ago, Jadav tells us: “It’s a little thing, something anyone can do.”

1. What was Jadav’s original aim to plant trees?

A．To save the snakes from heat exposure.	B．To protect the snakes from extinction.
C．To produce materials to stop flooding.	D．To use the leaves to create more shades.

2. What primarily made Majuli a barren island?

A．Villagers’ ignorance of ecology.	B．Villagers’ redirecting the river.
C．The extreme weather conditions.	D．Loss of wildlife’s natural habitats.

3. Which of the following can best describe Jadav?

A．Frank and learned.	B．Subjective yet reliable.
C．Determined and careful.	D．Smart but hot-tempered.

4. What is Paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．What the forest means to the wildlife.	B．How ecology benefits the human kind.
C．How Jadav feels about his simple deeds.	D．What difference Jadav’s efforts have made.

6 . Kruger National Park is, in a word, life-changing. One of the top attractions in South Africa, and one of the largest national parks in the world, Kruger National Park is a must for any wildlife lover.

Kruger National Park Animals

Nothing will prepare you for the huge volume of wildlife that you’ll be able to see in Kruger National Park. The park is home to 114 different species of reptiles; more than 500 species of birds; and 147 mammals. Not only will you have the opportunity to see the Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, and rhino), but you’ll see tons of other mammals like zebras, giraffes, hyenas, hippos, impalas, and many more.

When is the Best Time to Visit Kruger National Park?

The driest months being June, July, and August are the best time of year to visit the park, when the days are sunny and warm and the nights are cooler. Many trees and shrubs have lost their leaves, and water sources dry up, making it easier to spot game around the remaining waterholes.

Driving in Kruger National Park

What makes Kruger National Park unique from other parks is that it is accessible via self-drive. Many people who come to the park come with their own vehicle because it’s considerably more affordable than taking a guided tour. Doing a self-drive safari (游猎) also gives you more flexibility with your timing.

1. How does the writer show the diversity of animals in Kruger National Park?

A．By making comparisons.	B．By listing figures.
C．By using illustrations.	D．By classifying facts.

2. Which is the best season in South Africa to visit Kruger National Park?

A．Spring.

B．Summer.

C．Autumn.

D．Winter.

3. What’s special about Kruger National Park?

A．It has unique animals.	B．It offers a flexible time.
C．It allows self-drive.	D．It charges fairly low.

7 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What is the woman worried about?

A．The popularity of the topic.

B．The limited time for the presentation.

C．The amount of information to prepare.

2. What is the first main point of the presentation?

A．Ways of helping bees.

B．The importance of bees.

C．Problems affecting bees today.

3. What is Mr. Lee?

A．A teacher.

B．A photographer.

C．A reporter.

4. What’s advised to be added to the presentation by the man?

A．Diagrams.

B．Statistics.

C．Photos.

8 . 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。

Josie and I wanted a dog more than anything else. Whenever we had time, we’d sit together and talk about dogs. “You’re so silly, Jake,” Josie would say. “Bulldogs (斗牛犬) are scary.” “Hah. Golden retrievers (金毛猎犬) are scary,” I’d say. We had this ongoing argument about what our ideal dog would be. But it made no difference—any dog would do, as long as it had a tail to wag and a friendly face.

One summer night, as we sat together beside the window, Josie saw something. “What’s that?” she said, pointing to a dark shadow on our driveway. The moon was up and everything looked either black or milky. At first all I saw was darkness. Then the shadow moved and I heard the sound of metal. Then the shadow flowed out onto the silvery driveway. With a little fright, we found ourselves stepping down to the front door. There in our yard stood a dog—a big, black dog with long, shaggy (蓬松的) hair.

Josie made a little kissing noise and held out her hand. “Here, boy!” I said. And the dog came to us slowly, taking a few steps forward, and then a step back, not sure whether to trust us. When close enough, it had a doggy smell that always made me think of dirt and grass and piles of leaves. “Don’t say ‘Here, boy’,” said Josie. “She’s a female.” Pulling back and looking, I said, “I wonder what her name is.” I felt for her collar while she sat patiently. I found no tags, but just a chain with a small old bell on it.

“I bet she’s hungry,” said Josie. “I can feel her ribs.” I ran my hand through her fur. The dog was so skinny that you could feel every bone, and her coat was twisted and full of dirt. If she belonged to someone, they weren’t taking good care of her.

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

“What can we give her?” Josie asked me.

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The dog did something completely unexpected.

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9 . In 1999, Giuliana Furci, founder and founding director of the Fungi (真菌) Foundation, developed a deep interest in fungi. They were everywhere, and the 20-year-old took particular joy in the variety of mushrooms: small and button-shaped; tall and umbrella-like; round with red caps topped with white flakes. Some were commonly found in people’s diets, for they were rich in nutrients such as vitamin, fiber, minerals and protein.

But Furci also quickly realized that these fungi went largely ignored in Chile, where there were few guidebooks and an almost total lack of policies and resources to protect them from over-harvesting and other human activities. Determined to correct this, Furci wrote a field guide and set up the Fungi Foundation—a nonprofit dedicated to fungi conservation. In her guide, special attention went to the role of fungi in the ecosystem.

“Life on the planet wouldn’t exist without fungi,” said Greg Mueller, a mushroom conservation expert. “Because of their relationship with forests and trees, we can’t survive without fungi. In terms of the health of the planet, they’re incredibly important to humans and the overall ecosystem.” Fungi can break down plants and animals, thus cycling nutrients and increasing their availability in the soil. They are also important contributors to the soil carbon stock through the same process. What’s more, fungi have been found to help degrade (降解) various pollutants, such as plastic. And mycelium (菌丝体), which is the root structure of mushrooms, is now being used to replace unsustainable materials, such as plastic and animal-based products.

Because of these, exploration of fungi was expanded at a faster pace. However, some were already listed as critically endangered. In 2010, Furci took an even bigger step—with other environmental nonprofits, she put forward a proposal for the government to systematically assess how large new developments such as housing, dams, and highways affect fungi. In 2012, a law was passed and Chile became the first country in the world to protect fungi by law.

1. What can we learn about Furci from the first two paragraphs?

A．She enjoyed collecting mushrooms.

B．She was fond of cooking mushrooms.

C．She worried about the situation of fungi.

D．She had a habit of writing field guidebooks.

2. What is Paragraph 3 of the text mainly about?

A．The life on earth without fungi.

B．The importance of fungi on earth.

C．The relations between trees and fungi.

D．The practical uses of fungi in the future.

3. How did Furci protect the ecosystem?

A．By writing free instructions on plants.

B．By starting a non-profit ecotourism company.

C．By raising awareness of the importance of fungi.

D．By passing laws to ban over-harvesting mushrooms.

4. Which of the following best describes Furci’s work?

A．Ground-breaking.	B．Debatable.
C．Romantic.	D．Unmatched.

10 . 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。

    1     (construct) from the 5th century BC, the Grand Canal was a means of communication for the Empire for the first time in the Sui Dynasty.

Before foundation of Sui Dynasty, China had     2     (continuous) evacuated several canals,     3     had been suspended due to natural environment. Some needed to be repaired but were still navigable, but were too separated from each other to form large-scale water transport nationwide.

The establishment of Sui Dynasty     4     (declare) the end of long-lasting split situation. In 605 AD, Emperor Yang Guang, the     5     (two) emperor of Sui Dynasty, ordered excavation of the Grand Canal to meet the political,     6     (economy) and military needs of unified nation.

The Grand Canal reached a new peak in the Yuan Dynasty (13th century), providing a unified inland navigation network consisting     7     more than 2,000 km of artificial waterways, linking five of the most important river basins in China,     8     (include) the Yellow River and the Yangtze.

As     9     major means of internal communication today, it has played an important role in ensuring the prosperity and     10     (stable) of China over the ages.