1 . Scientists have determined that July 2023 was the hottest month on record and that the Earth’s average surface temperature is the highest it’s been in at least 120,000 years.
There’s no shortage of advice for people in hotter-than-normal regions. They can wear a sun hat or stay in the shade (阴凉处). And when all else fails, go inside and turn the air conditioning on.
But wild creatures can’t enjoy the cool air indoors. Many people assume that wild species must have some ways of dealing with these unusually high temperatures. However, most of them can’t. If their body temperatures go too high or too low, they will die. So in addition to finding food and avoiding enemies, every wild creature must continually engage in an ongoing exchange of energy with their environments to ensure survival.
Birds do this by getting out of the direct sun, sitting still, and breathing shallow breaths. In short, they do nothing but breathe in the shade. This behavior is usually successful because it enables most birds to survive most of the very hot days. But it wrecks their schedule. Many birds no longer have enough time in their days to find enough food to remain healthy, especially the extra food needed to raise their young.
It’s not only birds that are suffering from heat, nor is it only land species: animals in the ocean are also suffering. The largest analysis (分析) of coral reef (珊瑚礁) health found that 14% of the world’s coral reefs had been lost in the previous decade due to heat. Another recent study predicts (预测) that over 99% of coral reefs will experience heat that they cannot recover from if the global average temperature increases by just 1.5 degrees Celsius, which, unless we massively reduce our carbon emissions, is likely to happen in the next decades.
Heat is damaging ecosystems everywhere, and we’re just in the early stages of climate breakdown. Humans are highly adaptable. The vast majority of wild species, however, can’t simply pack up and go someplace else. By continuing to pollute the atmosphere, we’re damaging their worlds and pushing ever-greater numbers of them into extinction.
1. How do wild species differ from humans in handling rising heat?| A．They can migrate to cooler environments. | B．They are better at cooperating with each other. |
| C．They have limited methods for adapting to it. | D．They are more resistant to heat-related health issues. |
| A．Represents. | B．Disturbs. | C．Adopts. | D．Meets. |
| A．Land species are more easily affected by heat. |
| B．Heat can cause serious trouble for different wildlife. |
| C．Coral reefs are of great value to coastal communities. |
| D．Underwater creatures have adopted ways to control heatwaves. |
| A．Wildlife can adapt quickly to various environments. |
| B．Wild species have more natural enemies to deal with. |
| C．Ecosystems may naturally recover from heat damage. |
| D．Immediate action is required to protect ecosystems. |
The Araguaia River is one of the biggest rivers in Brazil. It is home to thousands of animals. River dolphins swim and play in the water, and there are many different colored fish.
In one town, a 13-year-old boy named Rhenan walks along the river every day. But looking at the river makes him worry because there is rubbish everywhere. He sees plastic bottles, old clothing, and empty food packages. The water looks dark and ugly.
One day Rhenan asked about the dirty river at school. “You wouldn’t want rubbish in your house,” said his teacher. “Think about the poor animals!” For days, Rhenan couldn’t stop thinking about the river. It doesn’t seem right to him that this big and powerful river is filled with rubbish. “It’s hurting the animals in my area,” he thought. “And it’s also hurting the families who live here.” Then Rhenan had an idea.
The next morning, Rhenan talked to his mother about his plan for the river. He wanted to go around his town and ask for everyone’s help. Maybe if they all worked together, they could clean up the river!
Rhenan’s mother loved his idea. “I believe the most important thing for you, Rhenan, is learning how to change things that you care about. That will stay with you forever.” She said. She told him she would help him along the way.
The next day, Rhenan went to the police department and next to the office of the Mayor (市长). He visited offices, businesses, and other schools. Soon he had a very big group of people who like his idea! They all decided to meet at the river the following week. On the day of the river clean-up, Rhenan was excited—but he was also nervous. What if no one showed up? But when he and his mother arrived, there were almost a hundred people there, including many of Rhenan’s friends.
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。
Over the whole day, they all worked together to clean up the rubbish.
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At the end of the day, everyone started to cheer.
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3 . Asian short-clawed otters (水獭) can teach each other how to solve puzzles to get food, according to a new study that took place in England. The research also showed that these cute animals have a good long-term memory —they could remember how to solve the puzzles even after several months.
Scientists from University of Exeter observed groups of Asian short-clawed otters in different places. They gave each group a selection of transparent (透明的) containers with meatball treats inside. Each box could be opened by twisting or pulling a particular lid or handle.
To get the food, the otters had to solve the puzzle of how to open the containers. The otters had two attempts at the puzzle several months apart. The researchers found that if one otter cracked the puzzle, its closest friends quickly solved it, too. The findings provide evidence of “social learning”—animals can learn from each other.
The scientists also found that on average the otters solved puzzles 69% faster the second time. It means that they can remember the details of how each puzzle works. “Our study is the first to show evidence of social learning and long-term memory in Asian short-clawed otters, which may be good news in terms of their adaptability and future survival,” said Alex Saliveros, lead author of the Centre for Ecology and Conservation on Penryn Campus in Cornwall.
Saliveros says the findings are important, because Asian short-clawed otters are declining in the wild, partly due to overfishing and pollution affecting the crustaceans and small fish they feed on. The discovery that the otters are able to find food in new ways and to pass on that knowledge toothers could be significant to their long-term survival.
1. What task did the scientists set for the otters?| A．Separating one container from another. | B．Finding ways to break the containers. |
| C．Opening the containers to get the food. | D．Picking out meatballs from different containers. |
| A．They had to remember the puzzles. | B．They learned from human society. |
| C．They solved unfamiliar puzzles faster. | D．They passed on knowledge to others. |
| A．Asian otters solve puzzles faster. |
| B．Findings reveal decline in otter population. |
| C．Otters have strong physical strength and hunting skills. |
| D．Social learning and good memory is good for otters’ survival. |
| A．Asian short-clawed otters love puzzles | B．Puzzled otters learn from each other |
| C．Pollution reduces otters’ food | D．Animals can pass knowledge |
4 . A teenager encountered a helpless bumblebee (大黄蜂) and
It all started two weeks ago when Lacey Shillinglaw, 13, found the large bumblebee
She tried to put it in a
Despite repeated
“I’m so happy and I just
Though Lacey’s story is very touching, female bumblebees may attack if they feel they are
| A．trained | B．released | C．fed | D．saved |
| A．helper | B．pet | C．supporter | D．guardian |
| A．struggling | B．flying | C．resting | D．dancing |
| A．followed | B．hunted | C．passed | D．approached |
| A．wider | B．farther | C．safer | D．deeper |
| A．failed | B．refused | C．tried | D．learned |
| A．gave up | B．showed off | C．ran away | D．went off |
| A．requests | B．suggestions | C．attempts | D．warnings |
| A．in | B．up | C．out | D．down |
| A．school | B．street | C．kitchen | D．garden |
| A．left | B．knocked | C．landed | D．returned |
| A．mind | B．enjoy | C．imagine | D．avoid |
| A．friendship | B．dream | C．growth | D．choice |
| A．in order | B．in need | C．in danger | D．in charge |
| A．wild | B．unusual | C．native | D．injured |
5 . Unless you’ve been faithfully bringing reusable shopping bags to the store, you probably grab the plastic bags waiting for customers at the checkout. You’re not alone.
About 100 billion plastic bags are used in the U. S. each year. Unfortunately, single-use plastic bags have serious consequences once our trip to the store is over. Less than 10% of plastic bags used in the U. S. are recycled, leaving the rest to end up in landfills (垃圾填埋场), and polluting soil, oceans and other natural habitats.
To fight pollution and other environmental problems, major companies are taking steps to get rid of the use of plastic shopping bags. If you’re a frequent customer at Walmart, don’t be surprised if you notice the plastic bags disappearing over the next few months. Last summer, Walmart announced its goal to be a zero-waste company — meaning no more plastic bags.
But Walmart has announced its Beyond the Bag, an initiative (倡议) working to explore reusable options and “reimagine” the plastic bag. Target and CVS are also on board as founding partners of Beyond the Bag, and so far, the three brands have invested $15 million to come up with a brand-new bag design.
The initiative also started the Beyond the Bag challenge, giving innovators (创新者) a chance to share their ideas. The challenge ran throughout the summer of 2020, and nine winners from over 450 submissions were selected. From a station supplying reusable bag in-store to a new and improved paper bag, the winning designs cover a lot of bases. Each product now has the chance to be tested with funding from the initiative.
While a final replacement for plastic bags at Walmart has yet to be decided, there’s a more sustainable future on the horizon. And if you want to start reducing your use of plastic bags right now, check out our list of reusable bags to bring on your next shopping trip.
1. What does the author mean by saying “You’re not alone” in the first paragraph?| A．Reusable shopping bags are becoming more popular. |
| B．Customers need to wait for long at the checkout. |
| C．Some people are waiting in the line with you. |
| D．Many people use plastic bags when shopping. |
| A．Single-use plastic bags cause severe environmental problems. |
| B．Supermarkets should stop providing single-use plastic bags. |
| C．Single-use plastic bags should be more widely recycled. |
| D．More landfills should be built to deal with plastic bags. |
| A．To attract more customers. | B．To provide more plastic bags. |
| C．To set a good example to Target and CVS. | D．To make shopping more environmentally friendly. |
| A．People pay more attention to environmental protection. |
| B．Walmart is getting rid of single-use plastic bags. |
| C．Reusable paper bags are becoming more popular. |
| D．Free plastic bags have become a thing of the past. |
1．简要描述海洋面临的污染问题 2．你的倡议
注意：1．词数100左右 2．可以适当增加细节，使行文更加连贯
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1. What will the weather be like near the ocean this weekend?
| A．Windy. | B．Snowy. | C．Sunny. |
| A．Traveling to the coast. | B．Staying inside. | C．Playing in the snow. |
| A．Roads may become dangerous. |
| B．Temperatures could be very low. |
| C．People might lose electricity. |
| A．On Tuesday. | B．On Friday. | C．On Saturday. |
1. What’s getting less and less these days according to the talk?
| A．Empty land. | B．Garbage. | C．Water. |
| A．Burying it. |
| B．Sending it out of our planet. |
| C．Using it as an energy source. |
| A．It is hardly ever done. |
| B．It causes air pollution. |
| C．It is useless for hard materials. |
9 . Vicky Barlow is a volunteer for a non-profit environmental organization. She was overturning stones in a rock pool in Falmouth, England when something “extremely bright and unusual” caught her eye. Under a large seaweed-covered rock, she made a very rare find: a rainbow sea slug (蛞蝓).
Rainbow sea slugs are very uncommon in England — they’re usually found in warmer waters, such as those along the west coasts of Spain, Portugal and France. In fact, there have only been three previously documented sightings of the species in the UK. But those were all found by divers rather than rock poolers. “It’s a warm-water species but it looks as if it has arrived here,” said the sea biologist Ben Holt. He adds that waters around the UK have seen rapid warming due to climate change. By the end of the century, water temperatures in the UK will rise by more than 3℃.
Sea slugs are particularly useful in related research. Most sea slugs only live up to about one year, which means they can make a very quick response to the changes in water temperatures caused by climate issues. In Australia, climate scientists have been collecting information on sea slugs for over 10 years to record the species and learn about changes in their distribution (分布), including their arrival in historically cooler waters.
Around 3,000 species of sea slugs exist in waters worldwide. They mainly feed on seaweed and other sea slugs. Unlike snails, adult sea slugs don’t have shells to protect them from being eaten by hungry marine animals. Instead, many of them have formed bright colors to scare off their enemies such as sea turtles, starfish and crabs. Some species may even have the unusual ability to steal stinging cells (刺细胞) from animals they feed on and shoot them out when threatened.
Before sending it back where it came from, Barlow placed the sea slug in a pot to get a better look at its colors. “It is absolutely amazing that I could find it on our rocky coasts,” Barlow writes in her blog. “It’s a perfect example of the incredible wildlife we have on our doorstep.”
1. Why are rainbow sea slugs rare in England?| A．They prefer to live in deep waters. |
| B．Divers are unable to recognize them. |
| C．Rock pools are poorly managed here. |
| D．The environment is normally unfavorable. |
| A．They are important in studying climate change. |
| B．Their overall population continues to decrease. |
| C．They mostly choose to live in cooler waters. |
| D．Their sea habitats have been badly polluted. |
| A．Their survival abilities. | B．Risks caused by their colors. |
| C．Changes in their feeding habits. | D．Their common marine enemies. |
| A．Calm and peaceful. | B．Surprised and glad. |
| C．Curious and doubtful. | D．Shocked and worried. |
10 . Tropical cyclones(热带气旋), including hurricanes and typhoons, are now moving at a slower speed than they did decades ago, new research shows.
While having a cyclone travel with less speed may seem like a good thing, it’s actually just the opposite. Wind speeds within the storm remain high, but the whole system itself moves slower, allowing punishing rains to stay longer over communities. “Nothing good comes out of a slowing storm,” says James Kossin, author of the paper. “It can increase the amount of time that buildings suffered from strong wind. And it increases rainfall.”
In his paper, Kossin showed that from 1949 to 2016, tropical cyclones across the globe slowed their movement by 10 percent on average. In some regions (地区), the speed of those storms slowed even more as they hit land. In the western North Pacific, the decrease was much more manifest—almost a third. That means a storm that may already hold more moisture (水分)will have time to drop more of it in each spot.
Kossin’s work was based on details of almost 70 years’ worth of storms, but he didn’t try to determine what was causing the slowdown. Still, the change is exactly what he and other cyclone experts said, which would be expected from climate change. With the polar regions warming faster than other parts of the globe, that is changing the pressure and reducing the winds that push these storms.
Christina Patricola, a scientist, called Kossin’s work important and new and said she found it reliable. “I was not surprised by his findings,” she says. “But I was surprised by the speed of the slowdown.”
Kossin hopes that scientists will begin building models that show which places are likely to face the most risk. Given that storms in some regions are moving towards polar regions and already increasing in intensity(强度), cyclones causing unusually powerful rain may threaten places not normally in their paths. Scientists must take action to make those places suffer less from the disasters.
1. Why is the decrease in cyclones’ speed a bad thing?| A．It leads the cyclones to move faster on the ground. |
| B．It causes the cyclones to have higher wind speed outside. |
| C．It makes hard rains and strong wind last longer in one place. |
| D．It results in more typhoons taking place in some communities. |
| A．Obvious. | B．Satisfying. | C．Confusing. | D．Impossible. |
| A．Climate change in the polar regions is under control. |
| B．Scientists find it hard to understand the slower cyclones. |
| C．Scientists should do further experiments in polar regions. |
| D．Climate change may be the cause of the slowdown of the cyclones. |
| A．To find out the normal paths of serious cyclones. |
| B．To prove the speed of the cyclones can be controlled. |
| C．To reduce the damage from cyclones to possible areas. |
| D．To call on scientists to focus on the danger of climate change. |
