1 . Some ways to help and protect wildlife
There are more than 7 billion people on Earth. Imagine what will happen if every one of us is willing to do one thing — no matter how small — to protect wildlife every day.
Take a walk and see and enjoy the wildlife all around you — the birds, reptiles and small and large mammals (哺乳动物). Spend more time outside appreciating, enjoying and learning about wildlife.
Speak up for wildlife
Pick up litter
Picking up litter can save the life of an animal. Litter isn’t just ugly, it’s harmful. Birds and other animals can trap their heads in plastic rings. Fish can get stuck in nets. Plus, trash pollutes everyone’s natural resources.
Donate or volunteer
When you visit your local zoos and nature reserves, pay the recommended entry fee. Your donations help maintain these conservation areas.
A.Go outside and connect with wildlife |
B.Do your part by putting trash in its place |
C.Become a voice for wildlife on social media |
D.Find new ways to use things you already own |
E.If you don’t have money to give, donate your time |
F.Learn more about our planet’s species from experts |
G.Even minor actions can have a difference when we all work together |
2 . Steven Stein likes to follow garbage trucks. His strange habit makes sense when you consider that he’s an environmental scientist who studies how to reduce litter, including things that fall off garbage trucks as they drive down the road. What is even more interesting is that one of Stein’s jobs is defending an industry behind the plastic shopping bags.
Americans use more than 100 billion thin film plastic bags every year. So many end up in tree branches or along highways that a growing number of cities do not allow them at checkouts(收银台). The bags are prohibited in some 90 cities in California, including Los Angeles. Eyeing these headwinds, plastic-bag makers are hiring scientists like Stein to make the case that their products are not as bad for the planet as most people assume.
Among the bag makers’ argument: many cities with bans still allow shoppers to purchase paper bags, which are easily recycled but require more energy to produce and transport. And while plastic bags may be ugly to look at, they represent a small percentage of all garbage on the ground today.
The industry has also taken aim at the product that has appeared as its replacement: reusable shopping bags. The stronger a reusable bag is, the longer its life and the more plastic-bag use it cancels out. However, longer-lasting reusable bags often require more energy to make. One study found that a cotton bag must be used at least 131 times to be better for the planet than plastic.
Environmentalists don’t dispute(质疑) these points. They hope paper bags will be banned someday too and want shoppers to use the same reusable bags for years.
1. What has Steven Stein been hired to do?A.Help increase grocery sales. |
B.Recycle the waste material. |
C.Stop things falling off trucks. |
D.Argue for the use of plastic bags. |
A.Bans on plastic bags. |
B.Effects of city development. |
C.Headaches caused by garbage. |
D.Plastic bags hung in trees. |
A.They are quite expensive. |
B.Replacing them can be difficult. |
C.They are less strong than plastic bags. |
D.Producing them requires more energy. |
A.Plastic, Paper or Neither |
B.Industry, Pollution and Environment |
C.Recycle or Throw Away |
D.Garbage Collection and Waste Control |
1.保护野生动植物的重要性;
2.你校的宣传活动;
3.你的建议。
注意:1.词数80左右;
2.可以适当增加细节,以使行文连贯。
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4 . In a fascinating paper published last year in Science, a team led by Andreas Nieder of the University of Tubingen in Germany showed that crows —already known to be among the most intelligent of animals —are even more impressive than we knew. In fact, the evidence suggests that they are self-aware and, in an important sense, conscious (有意识的).
Crows had been observed previously to use tools to solve certain problems. Nieder’s experiment showed that the birds were actively evaluating how to solve a particular problem; in effect, they were thinking it over. This ability to consciously assess a problem was associated with the cerebral cortex (大脑皮层) in the brains of humans, which birds don’t have.
Other studies support the idea that the bird brain can, in principle, support the development of higher intelligence. It had been dismissed in the past due to the small size of birds’ brains. But recent research has shown that in birds, the neurons (神经元) are smaller and more lightly-packed, which makes sense to reduce weight and makes it easier lo fly. The total number of brain cell in crows (about 1.5 billion) is about the same as that in some monkey species. But because they are more tightly-packed, the communication between the neurons seems to be better, and the overall intelligence of crows may be closer to that of gorillas (猩猩).
This research has important consequences for our understanding of the evolution of higher intelligence. First, a cerebral cortex is not needed, and there are other means to achieve the same outcome. Second, either the evolution of consciousness is very ancient tracing back to the last common ancestor of mammals and birds about 320 million years ago, or, equally interesting, consciousness arose at least twice later on, independently in mammals and birds. Both options raise the possibility that higher intelligence on the planet may not necessarily be mammal or human-like, but could very well be birdlike.
1. What did Andreas Nieder’s team find out about crows?A.They are more intelligent than other animals. |
B.They have left people a very good impression. |
C.They are much cleverer than previously thought. |
D.They can use tools to solve certain problems. |
A.The idea. | B.The bird brain. |
C.The development. | D.Higher intelligence. |
A.They have more tightly-packed brains. |
B.They have a small number of brain cells. |
C.Their brain neurons could communicate well. |
D.Their brain cells are the same with the monkeys. |
A.Cerebral cortexes are necessary for the evolution of higher intelligence. |
B.Both mammals and birds got their intelligence from common ancestors. |
C.Higher intelligence has already developed separately in different species. |
D.Higher intelligence on the planet might be different from what we imagine. |
Plastic pollution at sea is reaching
As plastic breaks down into smaller pieces, it also enters the marine food chain,
While consumers can help reduce plastic pollution by changing their behavior, governments have to step up and accept
6 . Michael Gonsalves, a chef of Golden Oak at Disney World, has a cuisine concept rooted in fresh, locally-sourced ingredients that originated from childhood harvesting produce from their family garden with his mom to eventually leading kitchens at Walt Disney World Resorts to employ a sustainable model.
“Truly the whole process starts with menu planning,” he said. Creating one dish leads into the creation of many more through the end-to-end use of products. As chefs, they are always searching for the best ingredients. It is then their focus to ensure they appreciate and respect all that go into each and every one of them. For example, they source chicken that is naturally grown and fed on a natural plant forward diet, no hormones (激素) or additives — that’s used in many ways throughout menus from a simple grilled chicken breast to bone soup. Nothing goes to waste.
When they do have waste, even if minimal, they shift it from landfills to transform it into compost (堆肥) that’s then used across the Walt Disney World property. They also support Second Harvest, a local community food bank where healthy produce, prepared, but not served, meals eatable for human consumption are donated. Disney also works with pig farmers when they can’t distribute foods past the point of safety for human consumption. Besides, wildlife reservations love to get the meat because tigers and wild cats can still eat that.
Their operations are “on a path to a sustainable zero waste kitchen of tomorrow” where chefs learn the full-life cycle of plants from seed to plate and gain a better understanding and appreciation for the product and their craft.
Golden Oak at Disney has millions of bees that produce up to 300 pounds of honey per year, plus those bees help with cross pollination (授粉) of their gardens on a daily basis. They advocate a culture that helps develop not only the quality of food, but an appreciation for nature.
1. Where did Michael Gonsalves’ idea about cuisine come from?A.His mom’s suggestions. | B.His dream of becoming a chef. |
C.His interest in delicious food. | D.His labor experience as a child. |
A.They are grilled to eat. | B.They are used to the fullest. |
C.They are divided into groups. | D.They are selected by quality. |
A.Give examples about zero waste. |
B.Introduce the unique habit of wildlife. |
C.Stress the importance of natural food. |
D.Explain the operation mode of the food bank. |
A.Disney World:New Cuisine Road |
B.Michael Gonsalves:Creative Chef |
C.Michael Gonsalves:Advocate of Food Diversity |
D.Disney World:Pioneer in Environmental Protection |
Undoubtedly, Mother Nature is always attractive to kids. In our childhood, how often did we turn a deaf ear to our parents’ advice? Very often! Thus, we landed ourselves in a situation where we greatly regretted our act of not having listened to the advice of the wise.
Such an unforgettable experience I had at the age of 7 gave me an invaluable lesson, after which I deeply understood why my gentle mother was repeating the boring suggestions and I would try to take her suggestions seriously.
In my childhood, I was so crazy about nature that even playing among the colorful flowers in our garden could make my day. Our house was next to the woods which had always stirred up(激起) great curiosity in me in wanting to find out what was within. Every time I saw fascinating butterflies dancing from the woods, my curiosity grew.
But my mother didn’t like me wandering off on my own and always ensured that I was within her sight. Even if she allowed me to explore the surrounding area on my own, it was only to be somewhere near the house. Being as curious as the cat, I always desired to explore the woods. It seemed as if my mother had understood my desire, so she had warmed me on lots of occasions never to enter the woods alone.
“Mom, can I go out and play in the garden?” I asked.
“Sure,” she would reply each time. “Kate, you can play in the garden but you must promise me one thing—only when I’m with you can you go into the woods. There are no cases of animal attacks on humans, but it’s still dangerous for a little kid like you. It’s too easy to get lost in the woods.”
“Sure, you’ve said that many times!” I answered without patience at her repeated reminders.
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。
However, curiosity got the better of me one morning.
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“Kate?” Behind the trees covered by the rays of the setting sun came my mother’s voice.
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China has many famed explorers. There was Zhang Qian,
Born in 1587, Xu Xiake grew up in a rich family. Yet he rejected the
“On the surface, Xu's travel can neither be classified as great affairs of state
Xu Xiake traveled across China for 34 years. Perhaps his
9 . There's a black walnut (黑胡桃) tree in my backyard. I've been in an 18-year love-hate
The black walnut also releases a chemical substance through its roots as a
Have I thought of getting rid of this giant pain in my
Sometimes I think about my
Every spring, I wonder what the season
A.debate | B.union | C.relationship | D.friendship |
A.unique | B.young | C.short | D.leafless |
A.squeeze | B.wet | C.cover | D.threaten |
A.helmet | B.suit | C.glove | D.bag |
A.strange | B.risky | C.competitive | D.cooperative |
A.requests | B.hopes | C.worries | D.doubts |
A.please | B.refuse | C.accept | D.feed |
A.build up . | B.grow up | C.dig up | D.set down |
A.beautiful | B.empty | C.extensive | D.tiny |
A.out of the question | B.beyond doubt | C.under discussion | D.in progress |
A.home | B.routes . | C.means | D.fence |
A.occupied | B.equal | C.balanced | D.disturbed |
A.life | B.work | C.family | D.dream |
A.windy | B.lonely | C.busy | D.lazy |
A.look up | B.glance down | C.stare at | D.watch out |
A.changes | B.holds | C.abandons | D.selects |
A.split | B.silly | C.crazy | D.unconscious |
A.satisfied | B.sympathetic | C.strict | D.stuck |
A.On the contrary | B.In return | C.By the way | D.As a result |
A.forecast | B.motto | C.reminder | D.notice |
10 . The over 48,000 orange trees in Seville, Spain, not only fill the city’s air with the pleasant smell of orange blossoms in spring, but they also produce over 16,500 tons of fruit every winter. Though that makes the capital of southern Spain’s Andalusia region Europe’s top orange-producing city, the fruit is too sour to be consumed fresh. While some of the produce is used to make orange jam and an alcoholic drink, most of it ends up in Seville’s landfills (填埋场). However, that may change soon thanks to a clever idea to use the oranges to produce clean energy.
The trial program is being launched by the city’s council and park department in cooperation with Emasesa, Seville’s water supply and sanitation (卫生) division. Juice from 38. 6 tons of oranges will be left to ferment (发酵) in a specialized facility. The methane (甲烷) released from the fermented liquid will be captured and used to drive a generator to produce clean power. The officials estimate the test run will produce about 1,500 kWh of energy—enough to run one of Emasesa’s water purification plants. To ensure there is no waste, the orange skins, peels, and flesh will be used as fertilizer.
“It’s not just about saving money. The oranges are a problem for the city, and we’re producing added value from waste,” said Benigno Lopez, head of Emasesa’s environmental department.
If successful, by 2023, the city hopes to recycle all the oranges and add the electricity produced back into its power transmission network. In trial runs, one ton of oranges produced 50 kWh of clean energy—enough to cover the daily electricity needs of five homes. The project team estimates that if all the fruit is recycled, it will produce enough energy to power as many as 73,000 residences.
“This project will help us to reach our targets for reducing emissions, energy self-sufficiency, and the circular economy,” Juan Espadas Cejas, mayor of Seville, said in the press conference announcing the trial scheme.
1. What do we know about oranges in Seville from the first paragraph?A.They are usually picked in spring. |
B.They are mostly used to make jams and juice. |
C.They are not recommended to be eaten fresh. |
D.They make Seville the world’s top orange-producing city. |
A.Different uses of oranges. |
B.How to produce power from juice. |
C.An introduction to the trial program. |
D.Why the trial program was put forward. |
A.Seville hasn’t carried out the trial program yet. |
B.The electricity produced will be used to purify water. |
C.The electricity produced will go to Seville’s power plants. |
D.Seville may need to recycle 14,600 tons of oranges to power 73,000 homes. |
A.Seville Is Turning Waste into Wealth |
B.Seville Is Seeking Market for Oranges |
C.Seville Is Contributing to Global Warming |
D.Seville Is Dealing with the Electricity Shortage |