1 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

Taylor Swift does great donation to help victims of tornadoes

Severe storms and tornadoes have killed at least six people in Tennessee,     1    (include) a child, with homes and businesses suffering a heavy     2    (lose) and tens of thousands of people losing power.According to reports in the US, Taylor Swift,     3    was recently declared a billionaire, has donated 1million dollars     4     the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee (CFMT).

Although born in Pennsylvania, Swift has a close relationship with Tennessee, having moved to Nashville with her family at the age of 14     5    (follow) her musical dream.

Her music catalogue since 2019 is worth an estimated $400m, ticket and merchandise sales from concerts have earned her 370 million dollars while streams from Spotify, YouTube and other     6    (platform) are value d at 120 million dollars.

The Eras tour alone     7    (generate)hundreds of millions of dollars so far, with another year to go until it draws to a close. The tour is the latest show of charity from the 33-year-old, who     8    (award)Time magazine’s Person of the Year last week while Forbes ranked her the world’s fifth most     9    (power)woman.

The CFMT operates a fund supporting non-profit organizations providing services in all phases of a disaster.

The National Weather Service issued multiple tornado warnings in Tennessee with reports of     10     further tornado in Kentucky.

2 . Tsunamis, damaged buildings, and damaged power lines are just a few of the dangers you might face after an earthquake.     1    

Go inland and seek higher ground.

In some cases, earthquakes can cause tsunamis in areas along the coast. These can happen minutes to hours after a strong earthquake.     2     Get to higher ground as far inland as possible Be careful near damaged buildings.

Do not enter a damaged building.

Earthquakes can damage buildings and make them unsafe. Wait until local authorities tell you it is safe to go inside. Leave your home or building if you hear shifting or unusual noises.     3    

Inspect your home for damage.

Carefully check your home’s walls, floors, doors, windows, and staircases for damage.     4     Check gas, electrical, and water lines for damage. If you smell gas or see a broken line, shut off the main valve from the outside. Sparks from electrical switches could ignite gas, causing an explosion.

    5    

During and after an earthquake, it is natural to experience different and strong emotions. Coping with these feelings and getting help when you need it will help recover from a disaster. Conneet with family, friends, and others in your community. Take care of yourself and each other and know when and how to seek help.

A．Stay connected and informed.

B．Take care of your emotional health.

C．Strange noises could mean the building is about to fall.

D．Keep a fire extinguisher handy, and make sure your family knows how to use it.

E．If you see structural damage, you may need to relocate to a shelter or another safe location.

F．If you hear an official tsunami warning or notice signs of a tsunami, evacuate immediately.

G．Keep yourself safe after an earthquake by carefully following the recommendations below.

3 . “Based on long-term earthquake records dating back to nearly 1900, the expected annual occurrence of significant comprises roughly 16 events. The 2023 Hatay earthquakes were among the most severe in recent history.” a researcher Ozer said in 2023.

The Hatay region of Turkey is located at the boundary between the Anatolian and Arabian plates. This region experienced a severe earthquake on February 6^th, 2023, impacting various aspects of its buildings and cultural heritage. Over 50,000 people died, and the cost was more 104 billion dollars.

Following the significant destruction, a study conducted by Nizar Polat published in Springer Nature in 2023 examines the deformation (变形) of the Earth’s surface in several cities in the Hatay region. The study not only employs Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) (无人机) to get high-resolution 3D modeling (高分辨率的三维建模), but also uses aerial imagery (航空图像) to analyze surface deformations and cracks in the bedrock. Results show 7 cracks ranging from 24.11 to 497.69 m in length.

Besides, analysis within the subsidence (沉降区) area is also used to reveal the extent of physical deformations. Two subsidence areas are identified, measuring 23,060.8m² and 13,954.2m² respectively, with height changes of up to 20m. The accuracy of the photos are proved with a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) (均方根误差) of 4.6cm, indicating high accuracy.

This study reveals the value of drone-based high-resolution 3D modeling in revealing the earthquake-caused deformation and landscape changes. These findings have greatly improved the understanding of earthquake destructions in the Hatay area and provided more insights to future research and reduce natural disasters.

1. Why does the author mention the Ozer’s words?

A．To introduce the background of the study.

B．To develop people’s awareness of disasters.

C．To call on people to care the environment.

D．To analyze how strong the earthquake is.

2. Which method is not used in this study?

A．Unmanned Aerial Vehicles	B． Root Mean Square Error
C．Aerial Imagery	D．Analysis within the subsidence

3. What’s the author’s attitude about this study?

A．Indifferent.

B．Positive.

C．Pessimistic.

D．Concerned.

4. What is the text probably about?

A．An introduction to UAVs.	B．An essay on the natural disaster.
C．A guidebook to Hatay region.	D．A review of Turkey geography.

4 . Researchers in China have found a new, genetically (基因上) pure species of the critically endangered Chinese giant salamander (中国大鲵) in the wild. The new species was found in a largely undisturbed part of the Jiulingshan National Nature Reserve in Jiangxi Province. The animals are the only known genetically pure, reproducing giant salamander population in its natural habitat in the country. “The discovery of the new species in a closed nature reserve provides hope that other genetically pure species may still exist in other such places,” said Robert Murphy, a professor at the University of Toronto and one of the co-authors of the study.

The Chinese giant salamander is believed to have remained almost unchanged for 170 million years. While Chinese giant salamanders used to be thought of as one species, recent studies have revealed that there are five to eight genetically distinct species in the country. However, the species arc under great threat of extinction due to habitat loss, water pollution and overexploitation (过度开发) of wild populations over the past decades.

Chinese giant salamanders have been protected in China since the 1980s. “After the discovery of multiple species of Chinese giant salamanders, China quickly put into place several actions, such as providing additional funding for critical research, establishing a series of nature reserves for the species, and promoting cooperation between scientists and biologists,” Murphy said.

The researchers are now trying to track down more giant salamanders. Murpby said the discovery opened up new possibilities, such as establishing breeding farms with genetically pure salamanders to help populate ecosystems. In their paper, the researchers also stressed the importance of undisturbed habitats for protecting wildlife. “Closed nature reserves a new pathway for discovering and conserving endangered species,” they said.

1. Why is the new discovery by Chinese researchers important?

A．It confirms the need for more independent studies on biodiversity.

B．It proves the genetic transformation of Chinese giant salamanders.

C．It suggests the importance of increasing funding for nature reserves.

D．It indicates the presence of other genetically pure species elsewhere.

2. What can be learned from paragraph 2?

A．Some species of Chinese giant salamanders have become extinct.

B．Chinese giant salamander numbers have declined in recent decades.

C．Chinese giant salamanders have remained unchanged for 170 million years.

D．Some breeding programs have been launched to protect Chinese giant salamanders.

3. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．China’s lessons from the past.

B．China’s cooperation with other countries.

C．China’s efforts to protect giant salamanders.

D．China’s ambition to develop new nature reserves.

4. What would the researchers most probably agree with according to the last paragraph?

A．More closed nature reserves should be established.

B．Traditional conservation methods are more efficient.

C．Mixed breeding can be used to protect endangered species.

D．Large breeding farms are beneficial to the growth of giant salamanders.

5 . The dog is moving through the grass, closely followed by bear biologist Carrie Hunt, who is observing his reactions as he sees the grizzly bear carcass (尸体) for the first time. “Find it,” says Hunt, encouraging the two-month-old puppy. The puppy’s ears and tail are up as he approaches the bear, but with the confidence that Hunt is looking for in a bear conflict dog.

This is a Karelian bear dog, a type of animal known to be fearless and capable of standing up to large mammals. People once used them to hunt. Today, Hunt is using them to keep bears alive.

Karelian puppies undergo a series of procedures where trainers teach them the right behaviours and evaluate their personality and how they react. Just 20% will make the cut as bear conflict dogs. When ready, they are distributed across North America—for example, working with the Alaska fire service to keep firefighters safe and reduce the number of bears killed.

In America, bears live in landscapes where the human footprint is expanding. Consequently, people and predators (捕食性动物) are forced to share space, setting the stage for increased conflicts. Historically, wildlife managers tried to scare bears away with noise makers and rubber bullets (子弹), but that did not always work. Now the wildlife department is employing dogs. When a bear dares to come too close, the dogs chase it away in a brief pursuit. “For the bear, it is a bad experience,” Hunt says. Bears are born to be wary of animals of the dog family as wolves can kill their babies. The lesson taught by the dogs is one that the bears seem to remember. A study found that bears that had encounters with bear dogs spent less time in urban areas.

“The dogs make me a better biologist because they allow me to keep bears in the landscape as long as I possibly can, rather than having to kill and remove them,” Hunt says.

1. What do you think of the dog from his reaction at the first sight of the carcass?

A．Observant and aggressive.

B．Mindful but fearful.

C．Determined and skilled.

D．Cautious but brave.

2. What do we know about the training?

A．It starts with dogs recognizing bear carcasses.

B．A very small percentage survives the selection.

C．Personality tests really weigh the most heavily.

D．Firefighters teamed with dogs further the training.

3. What do the underlined words “be wary of” most probably mean?

A．Be watchful of.	B．Be ashamed of.
C．Be envious of.	D．Be fond of.

4. What is the purpose of training the bear conflict dogs?

A．To keep more bear dogs alive.

B．To evaluate the training procedures.

C．To train would-be biologists.

D．To resolve human-animal conflicts.

6 . Like humans, dogs have tear ducts (泪腺) that well up with tears to keep their eyes clean and healthy. But tears in dogs, which tend not to fall as they do when humans cry, hadn’t been linked with emotion before.

Takefumi Kikusui, a professor at Azabu University in Japan, decided to study dog tears after watching his poodle (鬟毛狗) when she had puppies six years ago. He noticed that her eyes got teary as she nursed her puppies. So Kikusui and his team measured tear production among 18 dogs with a standard test known as the Schirmer Tear Test (STT). It involved a paper strip placed inside the eyelids (眼睑) of the dogs for a minute before and after they were reunited with their owners following five to seven hours of separation.

“Tear production was evaluated by the length of the wet part on the STT. The baseline was about 22 mm, and the reunion with the owner increased the length by 10%,” Kikusui explained. With the help of 20 dogs, researchers then compared tear production before and after reunions with their owners and people with whom the animals were familiar. Only the reunion with the owner increased tear production.

Researchers also tested if oxytocin, a hormone thought to be connected to emotional bonding in humans and dogs, could be causing the tear production. They found that dropping oxytocin in dogs’ eyes really increased tear production, while a control solution did not.

The findings suggest “dogs’ tears are associated with positive emotions, such as a reunion with the owner,” according to Takefumi Kikusui. Still, some scientists think it’s a stretch to say that dogs cry tears of joy. “It would take a lot to let me accept the evidence of this research,” said Clive Wynne, an animal behavioral specialist at Arizona State University.

1. What inspired Kikusui to carry out the research?

A．The cry of his poodle’s babies.

B．The problem with his poodle’s eyes.

C．The changes in his poodle’s eyes while nursing.

D．His poodle’s reaction to the reunion with him.

2. What has the study found out about dogs’ tears?

A．They can be a sign of dogs’ happiness.

B．They can show dogs’ negative feelings.

C．They can keep dogs’ eyes healthy and clean.

D．They can rarely be seen in young dogs’ eyes.

3. What can be done to make dogs produce more tears?

A．Applying oxytocin to dogs’ eyes.

B．Placing a paper strip in dogs’ eyelids.

C．Keeping dogs away from their owners.

D．Increasing the length of the STT’s wet part.

4. What is the the best title for the text?

A．Dog’s positive and negative emotions can result in tears in their eyes.

B．There is a powerful emotional bond between humans and dogs.

C．Dog’s eyes are watering due to tear ducts.

D．Dogs cry tears of joy when they reunited with their owners.

7 . Pocket gophers (囊鼠) spend most of their lifetime alone, digging underground. Although they’re common across North and Central American grasslands, you’re unlikely to see one—their presence is usually only noticeable thanks to the piles of sandy soil they leave behind reaching more than 500 feet, usually about 50 inches below the ground.

Gophers were thought to feed themselves mainly by eating the roots (根) they meet while building new tunnel systems. Yet, digging tunnels is energetically costly and researchers show that only eating the roots just doesn’t make up for the energy spent.

To understand how else these animals get enough roots to survive, Francis Putz, a professor at the University of Florida, and the student researcher Veronica Selden looked at the behavior of gophers in northern Florida. They observed that, in the dark and wet tunnels the gophers had dug, new and soft roots grew fast.

The gophers seem to be actively looking after the roots like farmers, the scientists say. They create the perfect wet environment for roots and causing soil aeration (透气) by loosening the ground in which plants grow in the first place. Importantly, the gophers spread waste throughout the tunnels, which makes the roots grow more successfully. This is rather unlike other gopher species, which tend to have fixed waste areas.

The study found that the gophers’ daily harvest of root crops can supply from 21 to 62 percent of their calorie needs. “They have these long tunnels that cannot be explained,” Putz says. So why do it? If it’s not to “farm food”, he says, “I can’t think of any other reason.”

But some researchers wonder if “farming” is a right term for the gophers’ activities. “To describe the activity as farming seems to be overstated,” says scientist Kimberly Asmus Hersey. “I don’t see this as all that different from many other plant and plant-eating animal relationships.”

1. What can be learned about the species of gophers?

A．They exist all across America.	B．They are highly social animals.
C．They mainly live underground.	D．They dig tunnels 500 feet deep.

2. What do the researchers say about the roots gophers meet while digging?

A．They are as hard as rocks for gophers to eat.

B．They make digging work more effort-taking.

C．They are perfect home locations for gophers.

D．They cannot meet gophers’ needs for energy.

3. What did the researchers find out about the gophers in Florida?

A．They prefer building tunnels in dry conditions.

B．They try to make their tunnels as deep as possible.

C．They create a perfect environment for roots to grow.

D．They usually have fixed waste areas in their tunnels

4. What is Hersey’s attitude to Putz’s conclusion on gophers’ behavior?

A．She disagrees with it.	B．She is curious about it.
C．She thinks highly of it.	D．She is unconcerned about it.

8 . A pair of best friends from Texas are proving that adventure doesn’t have an age limit — even when you’re 81.

Ellie Hamby, a photographer, and Sandy Hazelip, a physician, toured the world in 80 days, adventuring from the beaches of Bali to the deserts of Egypt.

Their first stop was Antarctica. “The beauty of the Antarctic is just unbelievable,” Hamby recalled. Since then, the pair have visited 18 countries across all seven continents.

And despite the challenges international travel presents, the best friends say they finished their trip without any arguments.

“We’re both independent, very stubborn. But we seem to allow each other to give space,” said Hamby. “We just understand each other and we know this is a good thing we’re doing and we kind of respect each other’s feelings.”

For Hamby, the most interesting aspect of the trip was the people they met along the way.

“We love all the sights that we saw, but the things that we remember the most are the people that we met,” she said. “We met some of the most wonderful, kindest, friendliest people in the world. We just have friends now all over the world that we love dearly.”

And they shared an important piece of advice for any travelers worried about the language barrier on their own adventures.

“You know, people ask us often about the language, how we manage it,” said Hamby. “We say with Sandy and Ellie, there’s one language and that’s a smile. And we found that worked wonders because we were often aware that there was not English spoken. But a smile covers all languages.”

1. Why did they finish the trip without arguments?

A．They had different personalities.

B．They prepared presents for each other.

C．They understand and respect each other.

D．They allowed each other to voice their ideas.

2. What part of the trip impressed Hamby most?

A．The beautiful sights.	B．The wonderful people.
C．The interesting activities.	D．The cultural experiences.

3. What did Hamby suggest travelers do with the language barrier?

A．Rely on the smile.	B．Be more adventurous.
C．Hear English spoken more.	D．Learn more languages.

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

A．Language Struggles: Testing Friendship

B．Travel Troubles: Friendship Tested Abroad

C．Talking Struggles: Adventures Lost in Translation

D．Limitless Adventure: Two Friends Break Age Barriers

9 . Bella, a 14-year-old cat from Huntingdon, UK, has claimed the Guinness Record for the world’s loudest purr (猫叫声) by a domestic cat, with a noisy purr______at 54.59 decibels (分贝).

The Spink family has had Bella for almost 15 years, and they’ve always______that she might have the world’s loudest purr. Friends and family would always ______her loud purring, and Nicole Spink’s late husband would ______that she was louder than the TV.

One day, they decided to put Bella’s purring to the test―they ______a smartphone app to measure the cat’s purr and were blown away by the______. She was louder than the Guinness World record for the loudest purr by a domestic cat, so they applied for an official record______.

Measuring sound with a smartphone app and having it measured by a sound engineer can bring about totally______ results, but in this case, the Spinks were lucky to have their measurements______. After feasting on a bowl of her favorite food, Bella got to enjoy some much-needed petting by her owner and she produced some ______loud purring.

The standardized class-1 sound meter recorded Bella’s ______pur at 54.59 decibels. That was more than enough to beat the 50-decibel requirement to______the Guinness Record.

It’s important to note that while Bella has ______the record for the loudest purr by a living domestic cat, she doesn’t have the loudest purr in history. That ______belongs to the late Smokey and Merlin, two cats who purred at the ______noise level of 67.8 dB, a full 13.21 louder than Bella.

1.

A．produced

B．measured

C．supplied

D．analyzed

2.

A．respected

B．preferred

C．recommended

D．supposed

3.

A．account for

B．wonder at

C．agree with

D．work out

4.

A．celebrate

B．promote

C．debate

D．complain

5.

A．downloaded

B．invented

C．restored

D．contrasted

6.

A．benefit

B．pressure

C．result

D．purpose

7.

A．attempt

B．donation

C．performance

D．system

8.

A．useless

B．available

C．different

D．possible

9.

A．confirmed

B．formed

C．improved

D．destroyed

10.

A．specifically

B．slightly

C．gracefully

D．impressively

11.

A．normal

B．straight

C．peak

D．major

12.

A．regard

B．switch

C．beg

D．claim

13.

A．set

B．carved

C．sought

D．mixed

14.

A．option

B．trend

C．object

D．title

15.

A．professional

B．meaningful

C．astonishing

D．demanding

10 . The world feels like it’s being set alight. Wildfires in Canada and Europe, floods in China, and a never-ending stream of record-breaking heat waves have constantly dominated newspaper headlines. The feeling that time is quickly running out is very real. But that feeling is a barrier to action — nothing has changed when we’ve called for action before, so considering the seemingly limited time window.

Our past efforts tell us there is a chance. The world has solved large environmental problems that seemed impossible to overcome at the time. An eye-opening example is acid rain. Studying how the world dealt with this geopolitically divisive problem can give us some inspiration on how we can address climate change today.

It has mostly slipped from the public conversation, but acid rain was the leading environmental problem of the 1990s. Caused by sulfur dioxide (二氧化硫), it dissolved old sculptures, stripped forests of their leaves, and polluted rivers and lakes. Emissions from the UK would blow over to Sweden and Norway; emissions from the US would blow over to Canada. This is a classic game theory problem; outcomes don’t only depend on the actions of one country but those of the others too. Eventually, government officials had to sign international agreements, place emissions limits on power plants and start to reduce coal burning. Interventions were incredibly effective. In Europe, sulfur dioxide emissions fell by 84 percent and in the US by 90 percent.

Surely climate change is not the perfect parallel for the environmental problems we’ve solved before. It will be harder. It will involve every country, rich and poor. But change is happening. To accelerate action, we need to have the expectation that things can move faster. Past lessons tell us that these expectations are not unrealistic.

1. How does the sense of urgency affect attitudes to climate change?

A．It discourages team work.

B．It fuels doubts about efforts.

C．It arouses fear for disasters.

D．It weakens trust in newspapers.

2. Why does the author discuss acid rain?

A．To analyze the causes of present challenges.

B．To boost public confidence in the government.

C．To highlight acid rain’s environmental damage.

D．To offer insights into handling climate change.

3. What was the main challenge in addressing acid rain?

A．The seriousness of the pollution.

B．Unequal shares of responsibility.

C．Seeking international cooperation.

D．Reducing sulfur dioxide emissions.

4. What is the author’s attitude to current climate change measures?

A．Unsatisfied.

B．Dismissive.

C．Optimistic.

D．Approving.