1 . During the last week of Fu Bao’s public viewing earlier this month, visitors endured waiting for 5—6 hours just to give a glance at the panda for only five minutes, as Everland Panda World restricted viewing time to manage the flood of visitors.
Born to parents Ai Bao and Le Bao in July 2020, Fu Bao is South Korea’s first naturally-born panda. In the days following her birth, Everland’s social media channels offered fans a steady diet of Fu Bao videos, pulling in more than 1.2 million subscribers and, as of February, over 500 million accumulated views. The most recent videos are now filled with warm and sincere messages from viewers.
Thanks to Fu Bao’s widespread popularity, her zookeeper has also found himself in the spotlight, becoming a bit of a social media star himself. Often referred to as her grandpa, Kang Chul-won offered hi own farewell message to Fu Bao, noting that the South Koreans’ special love for her all began with social media videos shared during the pandemic when the zoo was closed. She brought help and happiness to a society in many ways that was having a difficult time due to the virus. He said people visited the social media sites every day so it felt like he was raising her together with them. They cared so much for her and shared the same emotions of raising a baby panda together during such difficult times.
Fu Bao will be transferred to China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Sichuan Province. Everland says that she will be kept alone at Everland Panda World for a month to prepare her to adjust to her new environment before her overseas transfer, which will be carried out in accordance with international rules.
1. What can we learn about Fu Bao from the first two paragraphs?| A．She has a balanced diet. | B．She is five years old. |
| C．She is very popular in South Korea. | D．She came from Sichuan, China. |
| A．She is a live symbol of luck and fortune. |
| B．She is an animal who can resist any virus. |
| C．She is an inspiration to overcome difficulties. |
| D．She is their common possession and business. |
| A．She will go on show in Everland. | B．She will be separated for adjustment. |
| C．She will leave Everland Panda World. | D．She will be moved to a research center. |
| A．On behalf of. | B．In terms of. |
| C．In company with. | D．In agreement with. |
2 . If you look at the dynamic “Global Temperatures” map on NASA’s website, you can see the historic temperature change over time across the planet as the timeline goes from 1880 to the modern day. By 2019, the entire planet is in red, orange, and yellow colors, indicating temperatures much higher than the historical average in every country and human inhabitance.
If the timeline went to 2023, the map would look even worse. That’s because the summer of 2023 was the hottest ever, according to ocean monitors. July was the hottest month in recorded history. Next July could be worse. Unless we do something quickly, we face dealing with more and more dangerous and expensive natural disasters in the future.
Forest fires sent smoke from Canada across the North American continent, causing New York City to have the worst air quality in its recorded history. Heavy rainstorms fell on Vermont and the Northeastern United States in just a couple of days in the middle of July, which exceeded the amount that area would usually receive in two months and caused extreme damage to homes and businesses. Around the same time, flash flooding in Bucks County, Pennsylvania — north of Philadelphia — killed nearly a dozen people.
Erich Fischer, a researcher specializing in climate studies at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, is concerned that natural disasters could get much worse in the future—and in ways we cannot predict. He called for a “strike for climate justice,” which actually took place on Sept. 15, 2023. “The strategy needs to be twofold (双重的) . We need to decrease carbon emissions as much as realistically possible. That is already happening with people using electric cars and other green technologies. At the same time, we also need to find ways to predict the risk of natural disasters ahead of time,” said Erich Fischer.
1. Why does the writer mention the data on NASA’s website in paragraph 1?| A．To explain a concept. | B．To introduce a topic. |
| C．To provide a solution. | D．To make a prediction. |
| A．The severity of natural disasters. | B．The worst air quality in New York City. |
| C．The extreme damage by flash flooding. | D．The cause of the forests fires in Canada. |
| A．He advocated a twofold strategy. |
| B．He suggested forbidding carbon emissions. |
| C．He required people to use more electric cars. |
| D．He emphasized the awareness of climate changes. |
| A．The Hottest Month in History | B．Natural Disasters in the World |
| C．Extreme Weather Could Get Worse | D．Green Technology Would be Needed |
1. What does the man think of his job?
| A．It is tiring. | B．It is boring. | C．It is easy. |
| A．Treating injured lions. |
| B．Attending to baby animals. |
| C．Dealing with special animals. |
| A．Take a higher degree. | B．Receive specific training. | C．Raise a pet. |
| A．A student. | B．A doctor. | C．A zookeeper. |
4 . “A moth (飞蛾) to a flame” is often used to indicate an inescapable attraction, yet it is a strange example of animal behavior that continues to confuse people today. Scientists have raised a number of theories over the years to explain why. One holds that insects flying at night are following their nature to fly toward the brightest spot in their field of vision, which they mistake for the sky. Another suggests that insects are trying to warm themselves with the heat produced by the light. The most popular theory, though, is that insects are confusing lights with the moon or other celestial bodies (天体) that they normally use to navigate (导航).
To find out the real reason, the team carried out a first set of experiments in an insect flight area. The researchers used eight high-speed infrared (红外线) cameras equipped with motion-capture technologies to track 30 insects from three moth and two dragonfly species. They also flew lab-raised insects from six different insect orders that were too small for motion-capture technology, including fruit flies and honeybees, to make sure different insects all showed similar responses to light. Working with co-author Pablo Allen of the Council on International Educational Exchange in Monteverde, Costa Rica, the researchers put heavy cameras, lights and tripods in two field sites to gather behavioral data from insects in the wild.
The team was able to confirm that insects were not beelining to the light but rather circling it as they tilted (倾斜) in an attempt to turn their backs toward it. This behavior, known as a “dorsal light response”, normally helps insects to remain in an unchanging path of flight that is properly lined to the horizon (地平线). Artificial light that arrives from a point source causes them to fly in unpredictable patterns as they try to turn their backs to what they are mistaking for the sky.
Now research might have finally solved the mystery mentioned first: artificial light confuses insects’ ability to turn themselves to the horizon, confusing their sense of what is up and down and causing them to fly in circles.
1. Which theory about a moth to a flame is accepted by most people?| A．They follow their nature to fly. | B．They are blind to artificial light. |
| C．They mistake artificial light for celestial bodies. | D．They are attracted by the warmth of artificial light. |
| A．To show the study is comprehensive. | B．To introduce the purpose of the study. |
| C．To estimate the cost of the research. | D．To stress the challenge faced by the researchers. |
| A．Flying slowly. | B．Sticking. | C．Responding. | D．Going straight. |
| A．They can fly beyond the horizon. | B．They can follow a steady flight path. |
| C．They can turn their backs toward lights. | D．They can circle the light source upside down. |
5 . Any schoolchild knows that a whale breathes through its blowhole. Fewer know that a blowhole is a nostril (鼻孔) slightly changed by evolution into a form more useful for a mammal that spends its life at sea. And only a dedicated expert would know that while toothed whales, such as sperm whales, have one hole, baleen (鲸须) whales, such as humpback and Rice whales, have two.
Even among the baleen whales, the placing of those nostrils differs. In some species they are close together. In others, they are much further apart. In a paper published in Biology Letters Conor Ryan, a marine biologist at the Scottish Association for Marine Science, suggests why that might be. Having two nostrils, he argues, helps whales smell in stereo (立体空间).
Many types of baleen whales eat tiny animals known as zooplankton (浮游动物), which they catch by filtering (过滤) them from seawater using the sheets of fibrous baleen that have replaced teeth in their mouths. But to eat something you first have to find it. Toothed whales do not hunt by scent. In fact, the olfactory bulb—the part of the brain that processes smell—is absent in such creatures. But baleen whales still have olfactory bulbs, which suggests smell remains important. And scent can indeed give zooplankton away. Zooplankton like to eat other tiny creatures called phytoplankton (浮游植物). When these are under attack, they release a special gas called dimethyl sulphide, which in turn attracts baleen whales.
Most animals have stereoscopic senses. Having two eyes, for instance, allows an animal to compare the images from each in order to perceive depth. Having two ears lets them locate the direction from which a sound is coming. Dr Ryan theorized that paired blowholes might bring baleen whales the same sorts of benefits.
The farther apart the sensory organs are, the more information can be extracted by the animal that bears them. The researchers used drones to photograph the nostrils of 143 whales belonging to 14 different species. Sure enough, baleen whales that often eat zooplankton, such as the North Atlantic right whale, have nostrils that are farther apart than do those, such as humpback whales, that eat zooplankton occasionally. Besides allowing them to breathe, it seems that some whales use their blowholes to determine in which direction dinner lies.
1. What do we know about whales’ nostrils according to the first two paragraphs?| A．They are adapted ones. | B．They are developed merely for smell. |
| C．They are not easy to detect. | D．They are fixed universally in numbers. |
| A．The teeth that baleen whales have. |
| B．The smell that phytoplankton send. |
| C．The sound waves that zooplankton create. |
| D．The chemical signals that zooplankton give off. |
| A．By quoting a theory. | B．By using examples. |
| C．By making contrast. | D．By making inferences. |
| A．The sense of smell. | B．The possibility to attract food. |
| C．The ability to locate food. | D．The ability to communicate. |
6 . The morning commute (通勤) is never fun. But if you pass through Stevenage on your way to work, your morning might be a little
Dragging yourself out of bed in the morning and off to work is hard,
Usually found sitting on a ticket gate, four-year-old Nala lives close to the station with her owner Natasha Ambler, and often
Recent photos posted by commuters include Nala
Nala wears a GPS tracking device so that her
According to the BBC, Ambler reported that she’s not
| A．quieter | B．longer | C．busier | D．brighter |
| A．gradually | B．especially | C．basically | D．generally |
| A．agree | B．fail | C．prefer | D．hesitate |
| A．troubled | B．greeted | C．stopped | D．rewarded |
| A．lives in | B．takes up | C．watches over | D．heads to |
| A．created | B．found | C．bought | D．wrote |
| A．taken | B．edited | C．shared | D．enjoyed |
| A．hunting | B．waiting | C．working | D．playing |
| A．posing | B．joking | C．fighting | D．communicating |
| A．steps | B．jumps | C．activities | D．travels |
| A．newly-built | B．family-friendly | C．next-door | D．fun-filled |
| A．job | B．contact | C．health | D．company |
| A．hungry | B．lonely | C．lost | D．ill |
| A．worried | B．confused | C．unhappy | D．curious |
| A．well-informed | B．well-equipped | C．well-educated | D．well-loved |
7 . 听下面一段对话，回答以下小题。
1. What is the woman doing?| A．Hosting a program. |
| B．Having a job interview. |
| C．Doing an environmental test. |
| A．The fish were covered with oil. |
| B．The birds died of a rare disease. |
| C．The whales were washed up on the shore. |
| A．Interesting. | B．Difficult. | C．Easy. |
| A．He liked outdoor activities. |
| B．He enjoyed staying at the coast. |
| C．He was interested in the ocean system. |
1. What causes the party to be put off?
| A．An unexpected meeting. | B．The terrible weather. | C．A changed plan. |
| A．This Saturday. | B．This Sunday. | C．Next weekend. |
9 . Because of a record drought, the Amazon River drops to the lowest level ever recorded. Smaller river systems that feed into the Amazon River have been drying up, leaving boats stranded (搁浅) and people in remote villages with very little food and water. The port of Manaus, where the Amazon River meets with the smaller river Rio Negro in Brazil, recorded 13.59 m of water on Monday compared to 17.60 m a year ago. That was the lowest level since records began in 1902. It was said the drought had affected 481,000 people so far.
The Brazilian government has blamed the drought on the El Nino climate pattern, which has brought hotter and drier weather. The government said it was expected the drought would last until at least December, when El Nino’s effects are forecast to reach the highest point.
The drought has made it hard to access food, drinking water and medicines, which are usually transported by river. After months without rain, some rainforest villagers were relieved when a Brazilian charity delivered supplies to their community. Some areas could still be reached by canoe, but many boats hadn’t been able to bring supplies along the river and a lot of supplies were being delivered by tractor. The drought also affected the cleanliness of the village’s drinking water. As a result, many children were getting ill and often having fever. Villagers said it wasn’t very good for them because they were practically isolated (隔绝).
El Nino has also affected the animals of the river. More than 100 endangered river dolphins are thought to have died because of high water temperatures. The Amazon rainforest represents about half of the remaining rainforest left on Earth and is home to more than one million species, or a third of all known land plants, animals and insects. About 150—200 billion tons of carbon is stored in the Amazon rainforest, making it important for the health of the whole planet.
1. What can we learn from paragraph 1?| A．Water level in Manaus hit its lowest in over a century. |
| B．The Amazon River has been drying up and disappearing. |
| C．It is important for the global fight against climate change. |
| D．It forces villagers living in the rainforest to leave their homes. |
| A．Optimistic. | B．Concerned. | C．Content. | D．Uncaring. |
| A．It contains almost all of the world’s fresh， flowing water. |
| B．It will cause the widespread droughts around the world. |
| C．It is important for the global fight against climate change. |
| D．It forces villagers living in the rainforest to leave their homes. |
| A．The Ecosystem of the Amazon Rainforest |
| B．The Importance of the Amazon River |
| C．The Amazon River and Its Rainforest |
| D．The Lowest Level of the Amazon River |
Samuel, aged 49, was resting on the glass wall which encircled the tiger at the time. After a long wait, the opportunity to face the tiger arrived. Samuel was uncertain if the large cat could recognize him after his five-year absence because of his wife’s new job in another city.
Samuel has had a lifelong craziness with animals. Born and raised in a forest-surrounded area, he often brought home animals he had not seen before. Thus, when Samuel announced to everybody that he had been planning to become an animal keeper, nobody was shocked.
Nothing pleased Samuel more than being employed by someone close to his birthplace, who was a zookeeper. He finally did something that made him happy each day. Furthermore, this job paid well enough for Samuel! This made the situation even better!
Luna, the zoo’s sole (唯一的) female white tiger, liked Samuel. Samuel liked it too. Nobody could comprehend their extraordinary relationship. Luna seldom approached humans. When Luna was younger, it was mistreated at the hotel’s tourist attractions. When the zoo rescued Luna, it made no attempt to interact with anyone. Samuel was able to break through Luna’s fearful shell with a lot of support and patience.
Luna was going to have a baby as part of a plan to save white tigers. Luna had a rough pregnancy (怀孕), but its delivery was terrible. As Luna struggled, Samuel looked after it for hours. Unfortunately, Luna died during her delivery. Samuel was not able to stop crying over its death, but he needed Luna’s children out as quickly as possible!
Luna was taken to a veterinary hospital (兽医院). Samuel wandered outside, waiting for word. The veterinarian soon presented Samuel with a baby tiger. But who would look after it? As its mother passed away, Samuel took on the responsibility. He had been caring for the baby’s mum all along, and now the baby, which Samuel named Blanca.
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, things did not go well as expected.
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Five years later, Samuel persuaded his wife to return home.
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