1 . I’d been exploring the 40-hectare woods around our cottage my whole life and I knew the way well. So it was a
One dull cold February afternoon, I had a sudden
As the shadows started to
I instinctively (本能地) pulled out my phone to get my location, but it
That winter’s day taught me a valuable lesson about habitual reliance on technology. If my phone had
| A．challenge | B．shock | C．reward | D．reminder |
| A．discovery | B．response | C．worry | D．urge |
| A．escaped | B．drove | C．headed | D．looked |
| A．reputation | B．dream | C．day | D．way |
| A．lengthen | B．swing | C．emerge | D．fade |
| A．fuel | B．witness | C．overlook | D．outpace |
| A．original | B．rough | C．offbeat | D．roundabout |
| A．appreciating | B．trusting | C．envisioning | D．assessing |
| A．curiosity | B．comparison | C．doubt | D．anticipation |
| A．died | B．slipped | C．flashed | D．rang |
| A．Reportedly | B．Admittedly | C．Seemingly | D．Surprisingly |
| A．exposed | B．composed | C．defended | D．behaved |
| A．got off | B．laid down | C．came across | D．made out |
| A．worked | B．remained | C．changed | D．overheated |
| A．theory | B．standard | C．practice | D．routine |
2 . Antarctica has not always been a land of ice and snow. Earth’s southernmost continent once was home to rivers and forests full of life.
Scientists are using satellite observations and radar imagery to look deep under the ice. The researchers report finding a large ancient landscape buried under the continent’s ice sheet. It is full of valleys and ridges (山脊) , shaped by rivers before being covered by glaciers long ago.
The landscape is located in East Antarctica’s Wilkes Land area bordering the Indian Ocean. The researchers said the landscape appears to date back to at least 14 million years ago and perhaps beyond 34 million years ago, when Antarctica entered its deep freeze.
“It is difficult to know what this lost world might have looked like before the ice came along, but it was certainly warmer back then,” said Stewart Jamieson, a professor at Durham University. “Depending how far back in time you go, you might have had climates that ranged anywhere from the climate of present-day Patagonia through to something more approaching tropical.”
“Such an environment likely would have been populated by wildlife”, Jamieson said. “But the area’s fossil record is too incomplete to know which animals may have lived there.”
The researchers said the surface of the planet Mars is better known than the earth surface below the ice in Antarctica. They said one way to learn more would be to drill through the ice and take a piece of the earth below. This could uncover evidence showing ancient life, as was done with samples taken in Greenland dating back two million years ago.
Jamieson said the researchers think that when Antarctica’s climate was warmer, rivers flowed toward a continental coastline that was created as the other land masses broke away. When the climate cooled, some small glaciers formed on hills next to the rivers. When the climate cooled even more, an ice sheet grew which covered the whole continent, the landscape got preserved, likely for 34 million years.
1. What can we learn about the ancient landscape?| A．It locates in the center of Antarctica. | B．It’s discovered by drilling through the ice. |
| C．It’s once a warmer area than it is now. | D．It has a history of no more than 14 million years. |
| A．There is a lack of complete fossil record. |
| B．The ice sheet of Antarctica is melting quickly. |
| C．Scientists lack enough advanced equipment. |
| D．Climate conditions vary greatly from place to place. |
| A．To attract more scientists to study Antarctica. |
| B．To strengthen the importance of the Mars. |
| C．To indicate the complex situations of the Mars. |
| D．To show the difficult to know Antarctica’s earth surface. |
| A．The colder climate. | B．The protection offered by coastlines. |
| C．Other land masses’ reduction. | D．A decrease in the number of wildlife. |
3 . Our recommended list of environmental books covers a broad range of topics. These must-read environmental books are sure to spark the interest of the greenest books.
Silent Spring
Written by Rachel Carson, Silent Spring highlights the effects of pesticides (杀虫剂) on the environment, especially DDT, which was a very popular insecticide until it was finally banned in 1972. The book eventually led to a change in the United States’ pesticide policy and contributed to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.
No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference.
This book collects 11 speeches made by climate activist Greta Thunberg, highlighting the issue of climate change and its impact on future generations. Greta Thunberg was 15 when she started the School Strike for Climate, also known as Fridays for Future. She inspired protests worldwide.
The Uninhabitable Earth
This book by David Wallace Wells examines the disasters that have already occurred and looks ahead to the year 2100 and what climate change will do if we continue on our current path. Its opening line is incredibly telling: “It is worse, much worse, than you think.”
The End of Nature
Published in 1989, the book describes the relationship between nature and humans. It expresses the idea that nature was previously independent of humans but has now been affected by them in every way. According to author Bill McKibben, the idea of wilderness is lost, and nature is no longer complete.
1. Which book brought the environment to the government’s attention?| A．Silent Spring. | B．The End of Nature. |
| C．The Uninhabitable Earth. | D．No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference. |
| A．Curiosity. | B．Concern. | C．Annoyance. | D．Disappointment. |
| A．Nature will not exist any longer. | B．Wild animals are disappearing fast. |
| C．Human activities are destroying nature. | D．Climate change affects future generations. |
4 . While many cats love to go outdoors, they usually do not venture far from home. But some cats are the
Although Nala, a four-year-old cat has a home in Hertfordshire and a loving owner, she always loves
She comes in every day to greet hundreds of commuters. Ambler says that Nala goes to the station when it is the busiest because she enjoys the
The staff at the station have grown very
Nala wears a collar with
Nala is so popular that Ambler
| A．competitors | B．cases | C．negotiators | D．exceptions |
| A．circus | B．zoo | C．home | D．workplace |
| A．eating | B．wandering | C．hunting | D．sleeping |
| A．visit | B．skip | C．monitor | D．advocate |
| A．challenges | B．delights | C．guides | D．disturbs |
| A．debate | B．news | C．space | D．attention |
| A．worthy | B．free | C．fond | D．proud |
| A．presence | B．request | C．performance | D．trick |
| A．qualifications | B．diaries | C．details | D．recommendations |
| A．found | B．released | C．struck | D．adopted |
| A．business | B．adventure | C．exhibition | D．diet |
| A．looked for | B．referred to | C．learned from | D．set up |
| A．encounters | B．fights | C．quarrels | D．comparisons |
| A．experiences | B．makes | C．explores | D．examines |
| A．directly | B．relatively | C．frequently | D．definitely |
5 . The hottest year on record is coming to a close, emissions of planet-warming gases are still rising globally, and the most ambitious climate goal set by world leaders is all but impossible to meet, according to a new analysis by the United Nations.
Between 2021 and 2022, global greenhouse gas emissions grew about 1%, the analysis finds. Emissions need to fall as quickly as possible to avoid catastrophic climate impacts such as uncontrollable sea level rise, unsurvivable heat in some areas and mass extinction of plants and animals.
Right now, the world is headed for at least 4.5℉ of warming this century compared to global temperatures in the late 1800s. It is assumed that countries will do everything they have currently promised under the Paris Agreement, including things that some governments have said they’ll only do if wealthy countries follow through on promises to help foot the bill, for example, helping to pay for renewable energy infrastructure in less wealthy nations. If such conditions aren’t met, the planet is headed for more than 5°F of warming, the analysis finds.
The new range is ever so slightly lower than predicted in last year’s analysis, which reflects the very slow progress that humanity is making on slowing emissions and controlling future warming. Even the lower end of the current projected temperature range — 4.5°F of warming — is extremely high. And the lower target is likely out of reach entirely at this point — a finding that is backed up by another recent study.
The new analysis emphasizes once again that controlling oil, gas and coal operations is key to controlling global warming. It finds that, if humans extract (提取) and burn all the oil, gas and coal currently in development worldwide, countries would collectively emit enough greenhouse gases to basically hit the higher temperature target under the Paris Agreement. That means all new oil, gas and coal extraction is essentially incompatible (对立的) with avoiding harmful warming later this century. Right now, many countries including the United States are still allowing new fossil fuel extraction.
1. What does the underlined word “catastrophic” in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Limited. | B．Invisible. | C．Ruinous. | D．Controllable. |
| A．Solutions to global warming aren’t clear. |
| B．The world is heading to a warmer future. |
| C．Countries are unwilling to make promises. |
| D．The temperature target is unrealistically high. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Optimistic. | C．Cautious. | D．Critical. |
| A．A new analysis is calling for all the countries to reach an agreement. |
| B．Fossil fuel extraction control is far from a solution to pollution. |
| C．The huge impacts of global warming are predictable but uncontrollable. |
| D．The world is far behind on controlling planet-warming pollution. |
The Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo, once struggling to sustain its
The man behind
After witnessing the helpless and hopeless expressions of the animals, Shen’s team set about making changes.
This zoo has emerged
7 . 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 |
8 . 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 |
9 . 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. |
One night, sitting on the cold steps at the back of my apartment in Kansas, I’d been staring out into the darkness. The only light came from my cigarette. Rain soaked (浸湿) through my pants, but I didn’t care. Back in my room, there was a knife on the bedside table and a note on my computer screen. I hoped that whoever read it first would understand why I had the plan to end it all.
Six months before that night, a car accident caused a brain injury in me. I lost my job and had to live on my savings in my lonely apartment. Since then, I had been suffering from depression and struggling to get through each day.
I sat there on those cold steps just wanting to end it all. “Tonight. I will,” I thought as I took another drag of my cigarette.
“Meow?”
I looked up. A black and white cat with round green eyes looked back at me. He meowed again. Then, walking out from his hiding spot, he jumped at me. He was tiny and damp, but he rubbed up against my legs. When I reached down to pet him, he leaned into my touch, purring (发出呼噜声).
That was all it took. I cried. The cat just watched me. I didn’t scare him away. In fact, he stood there as if he knew how desperately I needed a companion right at that very moment.
I looked into his big green eyes and he looked back. Clearly a stray (流浪的) cat. “When was the last time you ate?” I said. My plan to end it all was put on hold, at least until I found this cat some food.
It became a routine: Every day, I’d go to the back steps with some cat food. Usually, the cat, whom I named Scout, was already waiting for me. He became more than something to live for. Over time he inspired me to get help for my depression and even gave me the confidence to get into a serious relationship with Becky in Pittsburgh, whom I had known for years.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150个左右；2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Scout became my constant companion.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I was far from the lonely and depressed man that Scout had first approached in the rain, but I still needed to make a few more changes.
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