1 . Not much happens in the sleepy village of Colaton Raleigh, where almost half of the residents are retired, so local walkers were horrified when they discovered 100 ancient beech trees were cut down.

Residents in the east Devon community are saddened by the loss of the beloved trees, which were cut down by a government agency without consulting the community or council. They were located in a special conservation area and site of special scientific interest, and were home to lots of local plants and animals.

An application was made by a local landowner to the Forestry Commission, a branch of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. It would not comment on individual cases, but said all decisions were taken in line with its standards. Alan Pearce, a local tree manager, said, “It certainly ought to be a fairly wide consultation because it’s part of our heritage. Once they’re gone you’re talking about 200 years to regrow. The stumps (树桩) look, nearly all of them, perfectly sound and solid. I can’t see they can say they were diseased or dying. We’re meant to be planting trees, not felling (砍) them.”

He said people were “absolutely horrified”, with one walker in tears over the felling, which he suggested may have been taken to improve grassland in the nearby field.

Resident Fiona Carroll said, “Many people walk in this area as it is part of a large expanse of heathland and they are at a loss as to why this has been allowed to happen. These were valuable landscape and wildlife trees situated along an extensive ancient Devon bank. The roots had grown into large supporting structures giving many a distinctive look.”

Ewan Macdonald, a research fellow at the University of Oxford, who studies how people engage with the environment, said he was not surprised the felling had caused such an emotional reaction because of the way people connected with trees. He said, “It highlights how intrinsically (内在地) bound up things like trees, the environment and conservation are with our culture.”

1. What happened in Colaton Raleigh?

A．Half of its residents retired from their jobs.

B．A government agency felled 100 ancient beech trees.

C．The Forestry Commission made an application to cut down trees.

D．The felling of the trees was done to improve their living conditions.

2. What can we know from the text?

A．The trees were cut down because of disease.

B．The local council didn’t approve of the application.

C．The local residents are eager to protect the environment.

D．The trees were cut down without consulting local villagers.

3. What’s Alan Pearce’s attitude to felling the trees?

A．Supportive.

B．Opposed.

C．Indifferent.

D．Doubtful.

4. Which of the following may Ewan Macdonald probably agree with?

A．Protecting trees is protecting our culture.

B．The felling of trees doesn’t cause emotional reactions.

C．The environment, conservation, and trees are closely linked to our culture.

D．People’s engagement with the environment has no influence on their emotions.

2 . As a committed citizen, I would never exchange the industrial style of my home city of Wolverhampton, UK, for a view of rolling hills and valleys, let alone rainforests or mountain peaks. For me, the glories of untamed nature feel a planet away.

Wilderness with Simon Reeve, a four-part BBC travel documentary, aims to fill this gap. Reeve and his crew seek out corners of our rapidly urbanizing globe so far relatively untouched by humanity.

Travelling across rainforests and ice fields, deserts and oceans, including the Pacific Ocean’s Coral Triangle, and Patagonia, they reveal the pressures there and how we might protect them from us.

Travel programmes have a rather worrying relationship with conservation, predicated as they are on “selling” a destination. When it comes to the places least influenced by humans, I realize that travelogues can lead to mass tourism and damage.

Happily, based on its first episode (集), Wilderness with Simon Reeve seems more about finding a balance between “right” and “wrong” kinds of tourism. In this episode, we visit the Congo basin, home to the world’s second-largest tropical forest, which stretches for more than 2 million square kilometers across central Africa. The three-week journey begins along the Republic of the Congo’s Motaba river in search of the Baku, hunter-gatherers who live in the jungle. After an old-fashioned knees-up to welcome Reeve, several young Baku men agree to take a camera as they climb 20 metres into the top of the tree. One man puts his arm into a beehive (蜂箱) and collects the honey.

This is just one example of the extraordinary nature in the Congo rainforest. For me, it showed the joy and surprise I felt learning about this region and its people, who aren’t treated as guardians of mysterious knowledge, but as an adaptable, responsible community moving with the times.

All told, the first episode is informative and entertaining. I still have reservations about the impact of such travel shows on conservation, but the series makes a strong case that the first step to preserving an ecosystem is to see its value.

1. What does the underlined word “untamed” in Paragraph I probably mean?

A．Wild.

B．Unpredictable.

C．Distinctive.

D．Complex.

2. What is the purpose of Wilderness with Simon Reeve?

A．To promote tourism in remote areas.

B．To encourage people to move to urban areas.

C．To show the beauty of rainforests and ice fields.

D．To raise awareness about the value of untouched nature.

3. Which of the following can best describe the Baku people?

A．Friendly but poor.	B．Honest and generous.
C．Curious but backward.	D．Adaptable and trustworthy.

4. Where is the text most probably taken from?

A．An introduction to a book.	B．A review of a travel documentary.
C．A guidebook to a tourist destination.	D．An essay on influence of mass tourism.

3 . Improper disposal of electronic devices can lead to negative impacts on the environment. So if you are in possession of an “old electronics” box or merely an old iPhone, consider recycling as an option. Here are some organizations worth checking out.

EcoATM

EcoATM is an automated kiosk that collects your unwanted cellphones and tablets and gives you cash for them. You'll find them by the checkout lines at various grocery store chains. It accepts devices from any era or in any condition, and offers anywhere between a few bucks to a few hundred dollars in return.

Best Buy

Best Buy offers a simple, straightforward recycling program. You can take your old phone to any of its retail stores and it'll take care of the entire recycling process for you. Best Buy will even give you a gift card for the value of the device you give them.

Call2Recycle

Call2Recycle is one of the largest recycling programs in the United States. The company collects used smartphones and batteries and has them either recycled or refurbished (翻新) for future use. It partners with various retailers to provide recycling services in stores like Lowe’s, The Home Depot and other smaller businesses.

Eco Cell

Eco Cell takes a unique approach to recycling phones. The program collects used smartphones and other gadgets for recycling through local zoos and other wildlife organizations. It then gives what it makes from recycling or refurbishing the devices back to those organizations in order to continue their work.

1. What do EcoATM and Best Buy have in common?

A．They are based in grocery stores.

B．They offer a reward for recycling.

C．They collect various kinds of devices.

D．They refurbish recycled items.

2. Which recycling program has its own retail stores?

A．Call2Recycle

B．Eco Cell

C．Best Buy

D．EcoATM

3. What distinguishes Eco Cell from the other recycling organizations?

A．The variety of items it recycles.

B．Its marketing strategies.

C．Its pricing policies and structures.

D．Its dedication to preserving wildlife.

4 . Cooler, higher places may not be very welcoming to some hummingbirds trying to escape rising temperatures and other effects of climate change. Anna's hummingbirds live no higher than about 2,600 meters above sea level. If the birds attempt to expand their range to include higher altitudes, they may struggle to fly well in the thinner air, researchers reported in the Journal of Experimental Biology.

These hummingbirds have expanded their range in the past. Once only found in Southern California, the birds now live as far north as Vancouver, says Austin Spence, an ecologist at the University of California, Davis. That expansion is probably due to climate change and people using feeders to attract hummingbirds, he says.

Spence and colleagues collected 26 Anna’s hummingbirds from different elevations (海拔) in the bird’s natural range in California. The team transported the birds to a habitat about 1,200 meters above sea level and measured their metabolic (新陈代谢的) rate when hovering (盘旋). After relocating the hummingbirds to a field station at an altitude of 3,800 meters, the researchers let the birds rest for at least 12 hours and then measured that rate again.

The rate was 37 percent lower, on average, at the higher elevation than the aviary, even though the birds should have been working harder to fly in the thinner air. At higher altitudes, hovering, which takes a lot of energy compared with other forms of flight, is more challenging and requires even more energy, Spence says. The decrease in metabolic rate shows that the birds’ hovering performance was suffering, he says “Low oxygen and low air pressure may be holding them back as they try to move upward.”

Additional work is needed to see whether the birds might be able to better adjust if given weeks or months to get used to the conditions at gradually higher altitudes.

1. What factor may have contributed to the expansion of Anna's Hummingbirds' range?

A．A shift in migration patterns.	B．A lack of food sources.
C．A decrease in temperature.	D．Human use of feeders.

2. How did scientists study the effects of high altitude on hummingbirds?

A．By monitoring their feeding behaviors.

B．By comparing their different forms of flight.

C．By measuring their metabolic rate while hovering.

D．By observing their adaptability to a new environment.

3. Which best describes Anna’s hummingbirds’ hovering performance at higher altitudes?

A．Weakened

B．Enhanced.

C．Unaffected.

D．Dynamic.

4. What further research might be conducted about Anna’s hummingbirds, according to the passage?

A．Studying the changes in their hunting methods.

B．Recording their numbers over an extended period.

C．Examining their ability to accommodate to higher altitudes.

D．Investigating the impact of other bird species on their range.

5 . Stress often occurs when humans have too much work or are in immediate danger. We communicate our stress to others through our behavior and physiological changes. Thus, stress can communicate information and even be useful for survival in certain situations. On the other hand, the massive spread of stress frequently leads to dangerous situations in groups, such as mass panic.

However, not only humans, but also animals can experience and spread stress. This is the present research focus of Dr Hanja Brand l from the University of Konstanz.

“It has been repeatedly shown that stress can be spread from one human to another,” Brand l says. “Often, a similarly strong physiological response is triggered, even though you have never experienced the stress yourself.” But what is known about stress among animals? Brand l concludes other animals in the group can be just as stressed as the friend who experienced something bad. Stress is evolutionarily deeply rooted and the process is similar in all vertebrates (脊椎动物).

When are animals stressed? To be mentioned primarily are naturally occurring threats to which they are exposed, such as natural enemies. Human influences raise the level of stress. “Increasing changes in the habitat or noise and light pollution also have an impact as these massively influence the environment of the animals.” Brand l explains. “Animals are flexible and can adapt to situations. But at some point, the stress response—the adaptations that otherwise help animals better escape stressors like enemies—no longer gives them a survival advantage,” she adds.

This not only endangers the animals’ health, but also changes the social structure of groups. “If we know how the underlying mechanisms (机制) work, we can better protect animals,” says Brandl.

For humans, too, insights from the animal world are useful, she says. “With humans, we can’t measure the functionality of groups under stress well in natural scenes.” Therefore, Brandl is now continuing her studies. In the future, this will make it easier to respond to and help with the spread of stress in groups of people.

1. What can we learn about stress from paragraph 1?

A．Stress is both good and bad.

B．Group living. can easily cause stress.

C．Each individual reacts differently to stressful situations.

D．Poor communication is one of the biggest causes of stress.

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

A．Ignored.

B．Eased.

C．Caused.

D．Transformed.

3. What can humans do to help animals reduce stress?

A．Supply food to them.

B．Make them live in groups.

C．Protect their habitat from being destroyed.

D．Provide opportunities for them to practice their survival skills.

4. From which is the text probably taken?

A．A pet magazine.	B．A news website.
C．A book review.	D．A technical forum.

6 . Louie, a pet parrot, saved a whole family. He ______ the sleeping Klein family in the middle of the night as flames swept through their home.

“Louie is a true ______,” Barbara Klein recently told news agency South West News Service(SWNS). “If it hadn’t been for him, I probably wouldn’t have been ______ at that time. He started shouting ‘Fire’. He had never said that word before in my ______. When I woke up, the fire was starting to spread across the living room floor.” Unluckily for the family, Louie didn’t ______. Barbara said, “He was like our babies, so it’s ______.”

Barbara took her five-year-old granddaughter ______ and ran out of the house. Her husband Larry also made it out, but was severely wounded when escaping from the burning building. “He ran to the kitchen and tried to ______ the fire out with water,” Barbara told SWNS. “After we left, he ran back into the house and insisted on ______ the pet but with no ______.” The Kleins suffered great ______ in the fire. Their house was in ______ along with its contents and the parrot Louie passed away.

“People have ______ with clothing and someone donated an apartment for three months,” Barbara said. “The man who donated the apartment also ______ us with a baby parrot. We call him Louie Jr to _____   Louie.”

1.

A．annoyed

B．alarmed

C．impressed

D．noticed

2.

A．model

B．genius

C．hero

D．pioneer

3.

A．awake

B．asleep

C．alone

D．afraid

4.

A．opinion

B．way

C．memory

D．sight

5.

A．survive

B．resist

C．arrive

D．respond

6.

A．frightening

B．shocking

C．sorrowful

D．grateful

7.

A．angrily

B．gently

C．secretly

D．immediately

8.

A．turn

B．blow

C．keep

D．put

9.

A．accompanying

B．saving

C．comforting

D．adopting

10.

A．luck

B．doubt

C．evidence

D．barrier

11.

A．injuries

B．losses

C．pressures

D．failures

12.

A．detail

B．place

C．ruins

D．rows

13.

A．rushed out

B．come back

C．run away

D．reached out

14.

A．presented

B．equipped

C．linked

D．compared

15.

A．replace

B．honor

C．forget

D．reward

7 . 为响应国家提出的“节能低碳生活”的号召，校英语报社开展题目为“Save energy in the home”的征文活动，请你写一篇短文投稿。内容要点包括：
1. 节能必要性；
2. 具体做法；
3. 词数80字左右。

Save energy in the home

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8 . 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.

9 . My family went to London for visiting specialists. The day before we _______ the ship, Father said goodbye gently to his five-year-old “friend”, an Australian cattle dog, Spider, who was loved by us all. Father’s friend Sandy kept him _______ while we were overseas.

Six weeks later, a _______ arrived from Sandy, giving my father the news that Spider had _______ just two weeks after we had sailed. I will always remember my father’s face _______ and his eyes filled with sadness as he read the letter. Sandy has _______ constantly on ABC radio and other local newspapers. _______ , the dog was never found later. Spider seemed to decide to _______ us elsewhere.

Finally, we made a _______. We sailed back and did everything that we could do ________ waiting. Several months passed but there was still no news concerning. My father took the ________ and kept looking for him.

One cold morning eight months after, my father had a call from an old lady who said she was putting food out “for a very old dog”. My father’s eyes were lighted up with ________. That was enough for my father to ________ immediately. When we arrived at the old lady’s house, she showed us the dog. It was Spider! My father did his special whistle (口哨) for Spider. “Woof!” he barked. Spider was capturing (捕捉) the ________ feeling that occurred when he first locked eyes with my father. To Spider, our ________ and love are the inspiration.

1.

A．sailed

B．parked

C．boarded

D．camped

2.

A．alive

B．away

C．accompanied

D．apart

3.

A．letter

B．story

C．service

D．test

4.

A．fallen ill

B．got stuck

C．lost life

D．run away

5.

A．confusing

B．shocking

C．moving

D．touching

6.

A．announced

B．advertised

C．posted

D．blogged

7.

A．Unfortunately

B．Luckily

C．Hopefully

D．Eventually

8.

A．attend to

B．take over

C．look around

D．search for

9.

A．decision

B．discussion

C．advice

D．plan

10.

A．as to

B．except for

C．instead of

D．due to

11.

A．lead

B．place

C．risk

D．pace

12.

A．silence

B．dissatisfaction

C．excitement

D．praise

13.

A．pulled up

B．drove off

C．stepped in

D．calmed down

14.

A．special

B．familiar

C．painful

D．empty

15.

A．expectation

B．creativity

C．generosity

D．determination

10 . 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.