1 . An Italian firm has invented what seems to be the perfect tool for stopping plastic waste from reaching the ocean through a river.

They had to check a lot of boxes. The device had to allow boats to pass without effort, while being able to run 24/7 with no impact on the river ecosystem. The result is River Cleaning, a 100% low-cost and low-impact solution.

Anchored (固定) to the bed at the bottom of the river, River Cleaning is made up of a series of floating devices, positioned diagonally (对角线地) on the course of the river; thus positioned, they can collect incoming plastic waste and transport it to the river bank for storage. Passing boats need only go straight through them at a low speed, after which their anchor lines will pull them back into place.

The River Cleaning system collects energy directly from the river current. It does not produce any type of waste. It is designed to have zero impact on the ecosystem. It only does good!

They can be adjusted to collect different kinds of waste, such as tiny particles (微粒), larger items like plastic bottles, and even oil, and some studies have shown River Cleaning can collect 85% of all waste passing by them.

Most people know of the scope of plastic pollution in the ocean, but it’s not as common to know that much of this waste comes from rivers — 80%, at least. Most of that 80% comes from just 100 of the world’s largest waterways. Running through big cities like Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, the rivers funnel (使流经狭窄空间) waste into global ocean currents that lead plastic to clump together (聚集) in areas of the high seas.

River Cleaning became the first product of its kind to demonstrate that the system preserves the river environment while respecting the well-being of native species.

1. What does the underlined part “check a lot of boxes” probably mean?

A．Ask for suggestions.	B．Promote the products.
C．Come up with new ideas.	D．Meet many requirements.

2. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．How River Cleaning works.

B．How River Cleaning was created.

C．Where River Cleaning is positioned.

D．What influence River Cleaning has on boats.

3. What can we infer about River Cleaning?

A．It is powered by the natural flow of the river.

B．It may produce a small amount of waste.

C．It is unable to pick up tiny particles.

D．It may block the water passage.

4. What do the statistics in paragraph 6 show?

A．Plastic pollution has a direct effect on port cities.

B．Inland waterways present huge challenges for cities.

C．The majority of plastic gets to the ocean through rivers.

D．Most people are unaware of plastic pollution in the ocean.

2 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What might the speaker be?

A．A resident.

B．A fire fighter.

C．A news reporter.

2. Where did the fire start?

A．From a store.

B．From a park.

C．From an apartment building.

3. When did the fire happen?

A．An hour ago.

B．Late last night.

C．Early last night.

4. How did the people of Battery Park sound?

A．Frightened.

B．Calm.

C．Surprised.

3 . A crow (乌鸦) became rabbits’ friend. It all began when Andrew Silverwood heard of a helpless ______ crow lying injured on a busy road. Without ______, Andrew decided to begin a crow rescue mission, knowing that the bird’s chance of survival was ______ in such a busy street.

Upon ______ the location, Andrew found the baby bird had fallen from his nest. In most situations, the best ______ for the baby bird would be to return the animal to his nest. However, as the nest sat high upon a tree, Andrew had no means of ______ the bird with his family. Besides, the crow had a broken leg, which would require ______ for the animal to survive. Then he took the crow home.

The Silverwoods ______ intended to provide care for the crow until he could be released back into the wild. However, fate had ______ plans in store for the crow, as Andrew soon found there was an unexpected ______ between the crow and his rabbits. The pet rabbits welcomed the crow into their cage, leading to a heartwarming and unconventional ______.

As days turned into weeks, the crow ______ the rabbit family. Surprisingly, the crow took on the characteristics of his rabbit companions.

Despite their differences, this little crow, his human parents, and his rabbit friends ______ happily. Their heartwarming tales serve as a gentle ______ that every living being deserves love and care, regardless of their ______.

1.

A．beautiful

B．clever

C．young

D．perfect

2.

A．doubt

B．difficulty

C．hesitation

D．permission

3.

A．slim

B．possible

C．optimistic

D．acceptable

4.

A．seeing

B．searching

C．knowing

D．reaching

5.

A．opportunity

B．option

C．place

D．performance

6.

A．reuniting

B．matching

C．comparing

D．stimulating

7.

A．food

B．comfort

C．guidance

D．care

8.

A．objectively

B．initially

C．continuously

D．occasionally

9.

A．realistic

B．vital

C．different

D．specific

10.

A．bond

B．balance

C．issue

D．result

11.

A．assignment

B．friendship

C．reputation

D．exhibition

12.

A．took over

B．made up

C．stood for

D．integrated into

13.

A．discuss

B．work

C．coexist

D．cooperate

14.

A．warning

B．reminder

C．model

D．bridge

15.

A．competence

B．talent

C．size

D．species

4 . Around and around they go — dogs are often seen chasing (追逐) their tails. There are several possible reasons for this behavior, as well as ways to thwart it.

Puppies and younger dogs may simply chase their own tails for fun. Puppies, especially, may not yet realize their tails are actually part of their own bodies.

Boredom may be another reason, especially when dogs are left alone for a long time. “Anytime a dog is not enriched or exercised fully, they have the potential to be bored,” Russell Hartstein, a dog behavioral consultant said. For these dogs, a simple solution may be to play fetch or take a walk. Most dogs would rather chase a ball than their own tails.

Another reason dogs may chase their tails is to seek attention. A dog’s owner may have rewarded this behavior by laughing or praising it. Even blaming a dog for tail chasing may draw attention that enhances this behavior. To control tail chasing, ignore the behavior while otherwise supplying the dog with a healthy amount of attention.

Unluckily, a number of physical diseases are linked with tail chasing. An injury to the tail, itching; or reaction to some food may cause dogs to bite or chase their tails. If dogs suddenly start chasing or biting their tails, the owners should schedule a visit with their vet.

“Interestingly, we found that dogs that received dietary supplements (补充剂), especially vitamins and minerals, expressed less tail chasing compared to dogs that did not receive any supplements,” Hartstein said. “In addition, compared with dogs that didn’t chase their tails, tail chasers were often shyer and had separated earlier from their mothers.”

If a dog is otherwise healthy, “practicing dog training and engaging their mental and emotional aspects of their lives will help stop tail chasing,” Hartstein said. “There’s no harm in training more with your dog and making sure they are fulfilled and enriched in every way possible.”

1. What does the underlined word “thwart” in paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．Punish.

B．Record.

C．Convey.

D．Handle.

2. What can be learned about dog’s chasing its tail from Para.5?

A．It is a normal scene for fun.	B．It is an indication of lacking exercise.
C．It is a sign of a problem.	D．It is a behavior of seeking attention.

3. What may be Hartstein’s suggestion?

A．Practicing dog training at the vet’s.	B．Encouraging dogs to chase tails to relax.
C．Giving dogs a small number of vitamins.	D．Getting puppies independent as early as possible.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Why Do Dogs Chase Their Tails?	B．Can Dogs Communicate by Tails?
C．What Functions Do Dog Tails Have?	D．Does Every Dog Like Chasing Its Tail?

5 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What does the speaker usually do?

A．She cares for wildlife.

B．She trains animals for fun.

C．She does research on wildlife.

2. What is Buddy?

A．A lion.

B．A giraffe.

C．An elephant.

3. What can we learn about the animals on the farm?

A．They are friendly to visitors.

B．They can’t adapt to the environment.

C．None of them are open to the public.

6 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What does the man say about the winter in New Work?

A．It’s cold and wet.

B．The wind is strong.

C．The air is heavy.

2. What do we know about the man?

A．He is leaving New York.

B．He doesn’t know New York well.

C．He likes the autumn in New York.

3. What does the man think is the most unpleasant part of the weather in New York?

A．It’s hot in summer.

B．It’s very changeable.

C．It rains all year round.

7 . The ocean is home to more than 200,000 known species and as many as 2 million that we have yet to discover. And, it is also home to 24.4 trillion pieces of microplastics. In 2022, researchers spotlighted how bad marine microplastic pollution, is getting: The total amount of microplastics on the bottom of oceans has greatly increased. in the past two decades.

Microplastic particles don’t just end up at the bottom of the ocean. Animals are eating them — at least 1,500 species have been reported to ingest plastic. And a lot of it. For example, whales in New Zealand’s Hauraki Gulf consume roughly three million microplastics daily, according to research published in Science of the Total Environment, which analyzed whale waste to see how much microplastics were present.

“Other research has shown that if plastics are small enough, they can cross the gut(肠道) wall and get into internal organs though the long-term effects are still unclear. Plastics can also release chemicals that are harmful to digestive system,” says Kahane-Rapport. “This is concerning, and while we do not yet understand the long-term health-effects, it is likely not a good sign for whales and their prey(猎物) to eat a man-made material like plastic.”

This is obviously bad for whales, but it also has effects on humans and the ocean at large. We are also part of these food chains and are consuming microplastics regularly. They are in our bottled water, in our table salt — they are even in our house dust and in the air we breathe. And we still don’t know what the health effects are. Meanwhile, the impact on whales — and what it indicates — is troubling on many fronts. “Whales are ecosystem engineers,” says Kahane-Rapport. “They can spread the nutrients that they consumed and serve as ecosystem guards — when whales are not healthy, other parts of the system will suffer.”

Kahane-Rapport says more research is needed. “The next research step will be to determine how much plastic the whales excrete(排出) and how much is left in their bodies. Following that, we would be able to determine the direct health effects on their tissues.”

1. What does the underlined word “ingest” in paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Deal with.

B．Bring up.

C．Take in.

D．Spread out.

2. What can be inferred from paragraph 3?

A．Researches show contradictory results.

B．Digestive system is the most affected part.

C．Small plastics are more harmful than big ones.

D．Much about microplastics’ harm remains unclear.

3. What is paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．The various sources of pollution.

B．Tab chain reaction of microplastics.

C．Possible solutions to plastic pollution.

D．Growing awareness of ocean protection

4. What will the following research focus on?

A．Microplastic pollution to the ocean bottom

B．The sufferings of other ocean creatures.

C．Whales’ contributions to the ecosystem.

D．The amount of plastic in whales bodies.

8 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What will the weather be like tomorrow afternoon?

A．Sunny.

B．Snowy.

C．Rainy.

2. What does the woman advise the man to do?

A．Visit his friends another day.

B．Stick to his plan.

C．Stay at home.

3. How does the woman hope to spend her Saturday?

A．Training.

B．Relaxing.

C．Learning.

4. Where are the speakers?

A．In Birmingham.

B．In Worcester.

C．In London.

9 . To produce the classic clothing, blue jeans, producers rely on indigo dye (靛蓝染料), the only molecule known to provide jeans’ unique, beloved color. While indigo itself naturally comes from a plant, growing demand for blue jeans throughout the 20th century gave rise to synthetic (合成的) indigo, which is now more commonly used.

Indigo is the dye that makes jeans blue, but it doesn’t mix with water. To dye clothes, usually, chemicals are needed to make the color stick to the cloth. But in Denmark, scientists have created a new way to dye clothes using an enzyme (酶), which is a kind of protein that can cause chemical reactions, instead of harmful chemicals. This new method is better for the environment and doesn’t use poisonous stuff.

The chemical process for dyeing blue jeans has persisted for the last century. Workers are exposed to the poisonous chemicals, which also pollute the environment near factories. Waste water from those factories often ends up in waterways, decimating local ecosystems and even dyeing rivers blue.

Ditte Hededam Welner, the study’s lead researcher, says their new enzyme works really well and is strong enough for making lots of jeans without breaking down. This enzyme makes dyeing with indican, which is like indigo, much less harmful to the planet — about 92% better than the old way.

However, the new method doesn’t fix all the environmental problems of making jeans. Making a single pair of jeans uses a lot of water — enough to fill many bathtubs — from growing the cotton to putting the final touches on the jeans.

Even though the new dyeing process is better for the environment, it’s not always easy or cheap to change to it. Welner’s team isn’t sure if jeans companies will find it easy or affordable to switch to this method. It costs a little bit more — just seven cents extra per pair of jeans — to use the enzyme for dyeing. But Welner believes it’s worth it because it’s much better for the environment.

1. Why was synthetic indigo created in the 20th century?

A．It made jeans’ color unique.	B．It was easy to dye cloth with it.
C．People liked jeans made from it.	D．People were in greater need of jeans.

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

A．Troubling.

B．Entering.

C．Destroying.

D．Defeating.

3. Which is an advantage of the new method?

A．The colour is more beautiful than the synthetic indigo.

B．The market can keep stable goods supplies.

C．Enzyme facilitates the advance of science.

D．The dye is more environmentally friendly.

4. What makes Welner worried about the new method?

A．Production costs.	B．Environmental benefits.
C．Water consumption.	D．Laborer shortage.

10 . An Inuit-developed app, named SIKU after the Inuktitut for “sea ice”, allows local communities from Alaska to Greenland to connect traditional knowledge with scientific data to track changes in the environment, and make decisions about how to manage wildlife.

A group of Inuit elders and hunters from Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, thought up the idea for SIKU more than ten years ago to document and understand the changing sea ice they were seeing in southeastern Hudson Bay. The group turned to the local non-profit Arctic Eider Society (AES) to develop a web-based platform (平台).

Over the years, SIKU has developed, and recently, the elders saw that the platform could help address a familiar challenge: sharing knowledge with younger people who often have their noses in their phones. In 2019, SIKU was reintroduced as a full-fledged (全面发展的) social network — a platform where members can post photos and notes about wildlife sightings, hunts, sea ice conditions and more. The posts tell stories of hunting and traveling; the impacts of climate change and industrial activity; and the traditions, diets and illnesses of local animals.

Inuit communities are already using the app to inform important decisions. In 2021, for example, elders in Sanikiluaq were worried that the local reindeer (驯鹿) population had reduced, so the Hunters and Trappers Association used SIKU to survey hunters and look at recent reported harvest rates. The information led the association to close the hunt for a short time to reduce pressure on the population and to reintroduce hunting slowly when the number of reindeer increased.

Traditionally, Inuit communities shared this information orally (口头上地). “We have lived in the environment for centuries and know about the wildlife. Now armed with SIKU, information is documented in a way that other people will understand. The advantage of SIKU is that it’s part science and part Inuit knowledge and it supports community-driven research,” says Lucassie Arragutainaq, a co-founder of AES.

1. What was the purpose of developing SIKU in the beginning?

A．To raise money for AES.	B．To pass on Inuit tradition.
C．To attract more visitors to Inuit communities.	D．To record and learn about the changing sea ice.

2. Why is reindeer mentioned in paragraph 4?

A．To further prove the role of SIKU.

B．To advise people to pay more attention to SIKU.

C．To call on visitors and locals to protect reindeer.

D．To tell the benefits of the Hunters and Trappers Association.

3. What is the attitude of Lucassie Arragutainaq toward SIKU?

A．Doubtful.

B．Worried.

C．Puzzled.

D．Supportive.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．SIKU: Overcoming Environmental Challenges

B．SIKU: Informing Decision Of Local Communities

C．SIKU: Joining Traditional Wisdom To Modern Technology

D．SIKU: Advantages Over Other Local Social Media Platforms