1 . Should We Create More National Parks to Save Endangered Animals?
Don’t you find it worrying that more and more species of animals are in real danger of becoming extinct?
On the other hand, some people fight against the creation of national parks because they consider it is wrong to interfere with nature. They believe that wild animals are happier living in their natural environment.
All in all, these disadvantages are far less important than the benefits of national parks.
| A．To begin with, animals are important to humans. |
| B．Some hunters even hunt animals simply for sport. |
| C．I personally believe that we must save these animals. |
| D．These parks allow animals to live in a safe environment. |
| E．Firstly, national parks protect these animals’ natural environment. |
| F．They say though the animals may face danger, they enjoy a free life. |
| G．There is a heated discussion about whether to create more national parks. |
2 . Can you imagine someone hunting you down with a gun? Most of us would be terrified. So, it’s no surprise that that’s how animals respond, too.
Orcas, a species that have been systematically hunted- even with machine guns-dramatically decreased in number in the twentieth century. These so-called “killer whales” hunted the same fish that fishermen prized and were therefore seen as competition. Consequently, killer whales began avoiding certain locations and routes. But while North America largely banned their killing in the 1970s, they continue to be hunted in Greenland to this day.
Elephants also have to deal with human hunters. Ivory poachers(象牙偷猎者)have greatly reduced the African elephant population, which used to cover the entire continent. The ivory trade was banned in 1990, but animal habitats and food supplies have still declined. In Kenya, the human population has increased four times over the last 40 years while the elephant population declined by four-fifths.
This has caused the elephants to adopt unique responses to people. For instance, elephants are terrified of the spear-waving Maasai, an ethnic group of Kenya and Tanzania who have often hurt elephants when trying to protect their own cattle.
So once in an experiment by a group of zoologists, when elephants living close to the Maasai were presented with three different T-shirts, one belonging to a Maasai, another to a different local and one to a researcher, they only reacted with fear to the Maasai shirt, literally smelling the danger.
However, neither elephants nor killer whales commonly show anger and hate for people. In fact, elephants are generally friendly to humans. And the only instances of killer whales harming a person occurred when the whales were kept in a water cage. Orcas have even been reported to aid humans in need, protecting them from other animals.
1. Why are killer whales often hunted?| A．They are hugely profitable. |
| B．They harm people’s interests. |
| C．They threaten fishermen’s safety. |
| D．They compete with other wildlife for food. |
| A．Less illegal ivory trade. |
| B．The decline of food supplies. |
| C．Elephants’ traveling to other continents. |
| D．The population change of humans and elephants. |
| A．To prove humans’ influence on animals. |
| B．To show the defensive nature of the Maasai. |
| C．To illustrate the cleverness of the wild animals. |
| D．To highlight the urgency of animal conservation. |
| A．Fierce Animals Can Feel Frightened Too |
| B．Animal Kingdoms Are Sounding an Alarm |
| C．Animals Are Trying to Fit in Human World |
| D．Human Actions Have Shaped Animal Consciousness |
3 . In the early 1990s, Eric Domb, a highly successful lawyer, came up with the idea of building a bird park. His father-in-law
After the park opened in 1994, his inexperience led to many
Since his childhood he has been fascinated by Chinese
Domb felt
Now, Domb is eager to tell how he
| A．rejected | B．supported | C．doubted | D．raised |
| A．project | B．rule | C．law | D．document |
| A．steal | B．win | C．earn | D．borrow |
| A．rewards | B．wonders | C．mistakes | D．regrets |
| A．missing | B．spreading | C．shaking | D．growing |
| A．extreme | B．unusual | C．irregular | D．essential |
| A．culture | B．food | C．poetry | D．dream |
| A．containing | B．changing | C．adding | D．removing |
| A．embarrassed | B．surprised | C．confused | D．inspired |
| A．willingly | B．enthusiastically | C．automatically | D．confidently |
| A．take charge of | B．pay attention to | C．get hold of | D．gain knowledge of |
| A．grass | B．tea | C．coffee | D．bamboo |
| A．bought | B．protected | C．received | D．tracked |
| A．pride | B．humor | C．security | D．duty |
| A．hide | B．house | C．train | D．save |
4 . Wildlife crossings don’t just protect animals. They can also mitigate problems related to wildlife-vehicle collisions (碰撞) and save significant money for a community.
Wildlife crossings are man-made structures that help animals move safely around their habitat. They are often paths under or over another existing road or railway, or underground passages for animals to get past for food or avoiding attacks.
Some animals are unable to migrate to survive. People still rely on highways for business and travel, and animals continue to have mobility needs for survival, though. When new roads are built, animals living in a part of their habitat can greatly increase the number of wildlife vehicle collisions while trying to cross the new barriers.
In a new study, Wisnu Sugiarto, a Washington State University economics doctoral student, examined data for 13 of the 22 wildlife crossings, including bridges and underpasses, in the Washington State. He compared the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions each year before and after the construction of a wildlife crossing. He considered the area within 10 miles of a crossing.
Then he compared his analysis to a separate area in the state with no crossings at all. “The findings reported that wildlife crossing structures reduced the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions by one to three accidents on average per mile per year,” Sugiarto said. “Therefore, building wildlife crossing structures is typically an essential and effective strategy to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions.”
“Trior to working on this research, I wasn’t aware of any strategies to reduce wildlife vehicle collisions. I also thought we couldn’t do much about it, partly because we wouldn’t be able to communicate with wildlife and control their movement,” Sugiarto added. “However, it turns out that there are multiple strategies to deal with issues related to wildlife-vehicle collisions and we can do something about them. ”
It is reported that the government has invested $ 350 million over five years for the construction of wildlife crossings. Every wildlife crossing offers a mean benefit of between $235,000 and $443,000 each year.
1. What does the underlined word “mitigate” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Analyze. | B．Reduce. | C．Study. | D．Discover. |
| A．How the wildlife crossings are built. |
| B．Why wildlife crossings are necessary. |
| C．What should be done to cross the roads. |
| D．When wildlife-vehicle collisions happen. |
| A．Tolerant. | B．Skeptical. |
| C．Favorable. | D．Conservative. |
| A．Wildlife crossings save wild animals and money |
| B．The size of wildlife crossings affects animals greatly |
| C．Every wildlife crossing has a great effect on road safety |
| D．Wildlife crossings manage to help animals move safely |
5 . Children love getting dirty.
“Don’t get dirty!” was once a constant family warning, as parents despairingly watched their children spoil their best clothes. Whether they were running through farmers’ fields, climbing trees or catching tadpoles, it was inevitable that children’s whites would turn brown before the day was over.
Today, many parents may secretly wish their children had the chance to pick up a bit of dirt. With the rise of urbanism, and the temptation of video games and social media, contact with nature is much rarer than in the past.
What is gained in laundry bills may be lost in the child’s wellbeing. According to recent research, the dirt outside is teaming with friendly microorganisms.
Many of the psychological benefits of outdoor play are already well established. Natural scenes provide the perfect level of stimulation, which is thought to help recharge the brain when it is tired and easily distractible. Supporting this theory, one study from 2009 found that children with ADHD (多动症) were better able to concentrate following a 20-minute walk in the park, compared to a 20-minute walk on the streets of a well-kept urban area.
| A．For many, there is simply no opportunity to get muddy. |
| B．Being close to grass and trees seemed to have had a beneficial effect on their minds. |
| C．Besides these restorative effects, outdoor play can offer valuable learning experiences. |
| D．They are drawn to puddles like muddy magnets, with no regard for footwear or the color of their clothing. |
| E．As for the child’s physical health, the most obvious advantage of outdoor play may be the exercise. |
| F．People who grow up on farms are less likely to develop asthma, allergies, or auto-immune disorders. |
| G．They can train the immune system and build resilience to a range of illnesses, including allergies and asthma. |
6 . In 2014, Xu Yitang, a student at the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts, saw corals at an aquarium for the first time.
Little did he know the chance
“The coral organism is quite
As he became better
Fast-forward to today, he
Each day, he spends several hours diving deep under the waves to observe and
His story has been
| A．incident | B．witness | C．encounter | D．appointment |
| A．passion | B．vision | C．friendship | D．career |
| A．study | B．frequent | C．examine | D．discover |
| A．treating | B．preserving | C．selecting | D．growing |
| A．tough | B．smooth | C．delicate | D．impressive |
| A．benefits | B．requirements | C．expenses | D．responses |
| A．reminded | B．informed | C．warned | D．convinced |
| A．shelters | B．partners | C．opportunities | D．services |
| A．Somehow | B．Nevertheless | C．Therefore | D．Unfortunately |
| A．extinction | B．variation | C．decline | D．expansion |
| A．responsibility | B．relief | C．achievement | D．belonging |
| A．consults with | B．applies for | C．seeks out | D．acts as |
| A．find out | B．note down | C．show off | D．speed up |
| A．revised | B．contributed | C．announced | D．featured |
| A．assess | B．follow | C．relate | D．invent |
7 . The streets, sidewalks and roofs of cities all absorb heat during the day, making some urban areas across the United States up to 6 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than rural ones during the day—and 22 degrees F hotter at night. These “urban heat islands” can also develop underground as the city heat spreads downward, beneath the surface. And basements, subway tunnels and other underground infrastructure also constantly bleed heat into the surrounding earth, creating hotspots. Now the underground heat is building up as the planet warms.
According to a new study of downtown Chicago, underground hotspots may threaten the very same structures that emit the heat in the first place. Such temperature changes make the ground around them expand and contract (收缩) enough to cause potential damage. “Without anyone realizing it, the city of Chicago’s downtown was deforming,” says the study’s author Alessandro F. Rotta Loria, a civil and environmental engineer at Northwestern University.
The findings, published in Communications Engineering, expose a “silent hazard (危险)” to civil infrastructure in cities with soft er ground — especially those near water — Rotta Loria says. “There might have been structural issues caused by this underground climate change that happened, and we didn’t even realize,” he adds. While not an immediate or direct danger to human lives, this previously unknown effect highlights the impacts of a lesser-known component of climate change.
Similar to climate change above the surface, these underground changes occur over long periods of time. “These effects took decades, a century, to develop,” Rotta Loria says, adding that elevated underground temperatures would likewise take a long time to dissipate (逐渐消失) on their own.
But other researchers interviewed for this story all say this wasted energy could also be recycled, presenting an opportunity to both cool the subsurface and save on energy costs. Subway tunnels and basements could be updated with technologies to recapture the heat. For example, water pipes could be installed to run through underground hotspots and pick up some of the heat energy.
1. What can we learn about the “urban heat islands”?| A．They can develop underground structures. |
| B．They are impacted by global warming. |
| C．They can destroy the ground around. |
| D．They only exist in the United States. |
| A．To discuss structural issues. |
| B．To categorize climate change. |
| C．To explain underground heat. |
| D．To emphasize the neglected reality. |
| A．The future of tunnels and basements. |
| B．The reusing approaches of heat energy. |
| C．The cost of maintaining structures. |
| D．The evolution of underground environment. |
| A．Warming Underground, Weakening Surface |
| B．A Silver Lining of Global Warming |
| C．Urban Silent Islands in the Making |
| D．A Silent Crisis in Downtown Chicago |
8 . Temples have long served an important role since the early years of civilization. Whether you are seeking a sense of spiritual enlightenment or looking to learn more about a certain religion, these beautiful temples are worth a stop on your vacation.
Paro Taktsang in the Paro Valley, BhutanSituated on a steep cliff in Bhutan’s Paro Valley, the “Tiger’s Nest” earned its nickname from an 18th-century tale detailing Buddhist master Padmasambhava arriving to the site on a flying tiger. The journey to the cliffside is quite the challenge, requiring guests to climb two hours on a steep trail.
Seiganto-ji in Nachikatsuura, JapanNeighboring the tallest waterfall and set against the lush trees of Nachi, Seiganto-ji dates back to the 4th century. Seiganto-ji is now the first stop on the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage, where individuals travel to 33 Buddhist temples throughout the Kansai region of Japan.
Man Mo Temple in Hong KongThis Buddhist and Taoist temple was built to honor the god of literature and the god of war, and the inscriptions found in the temple hall imply its construction may have taken place around 1847. It is still highly active and visited by local worshippers, so it’s asked that any visitor coming to the temple is prohibited from taking photos out of respect.
Kek Lok Si Temple, MalaysiaPenang is often touted(吹捧) for its sandy beaches and emerald blue waters, but it’s also home to the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia. A melting pot of cultures, the temple’s architecture showcases Chinese, Thai, and Burmese styles throughout its stunning seven stories. It’s estimated there are 10,000 statues of Buddha depicted throughout its main pagodas(宝塔).
1. If you hope to enjoy a sea view, which temple is the best choice?| A．Paro Taktsang in the Paro Valley, Bhutan. | B．Seiganto-ji in Nachikatsuura, Japan. |
| C．Man Mo Temple in Hong Kong. | D．Kek Lok Si Temple, Malaysia. |
| A．Kek Lok Si Temple is the largest temple in Malaysia. |
| B．Paro Taktsang earned its nickname due to its unique location. |
| C．Seiganto-ji is a time-honored temple with magnificent surroundings. |
| D．Visitors tend to take photos to show their respect for Man Mo Temple. |
| A．A travel journal. | B．A tourist brochure. |
| C．A geography textbook. | D．An academic article. |
9 . Avoid the supermarket shelves piled with cheese, cupcakes and pies. That is the message of an analysis that found these items are the worst when looking at both nutritional and environmental impacts of thousands of food and drink products sold in the UK and Ireland. So far, most studies have focused on the environmental impact of goods such as beef or beans, rather than tofu and other products that shoppers often buy. Where research has focused on such products, it has usually been for a small number of them.
In a bid to bridge the gap, Micheal Clark at the University of Oxford and his colleagues analyzed more than 57,000 food and drink products sold in the UK and Ireland. The team took the ingredients (成份) data from eight retailers (零售商), including major supermarkets Tesco and Sainsbury’s. However, precise figures on how much of each ingredient is in each product were only available for around a tenth of them. To estimate the rest, Clark and his colleagues trained an algorithm (算法) on the known products and used it to predict the composition of the unknown ones. Finally, the team linked all the ingredients to an existing database of environmental impacts, including emissions (排放), land use and water stress.
The results may come as no surprise: meat, fish and cheese products had highest environmental impact while fruit, vegetables, bread and sugary drink products had the lowest burden. Clark admits that none of this is exciting, given what we already knew from past research. “What is important is that you can start getting these impact estimates for products that people are purchasing, which then has a lot of effects,” he says.
One of those is eco-lables, which can help consumers to make greener choices. However, retailers have struggled in the past with the challenge of the large number of food. Clark is thinking about how to eventually turn the data into an app that could be used either by shoppers or by retailers wanting to reduce their environmental impact. “We’ve made that information available in a way that means people can start making informed decisions,” he says.
1. What is the purpose of Clark’s study?| A．To solve the environmental problems with some products. |
| B．To point out the mistakes of the previous research. |
| C．To focus on the important ingredients data from retailers. |
| D．To estimate the environmental impact of frequently-bought products. |
| A．The process of Clark’s study. | B．The result of Clark’s study. |
| C．The significance of Clark’s study. | D．The limitation of Clark’s study. |
| A．Surprising. | B．Worrying. | C．Meaningful. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．Nutritious food like beef and eggs. | B．Green food like carrots and bananas. |
| C．Healthy food like fish and tofu. | D．Fresh food like milk and chicken |
10 . Eradajere Oleita thinks she may have a partial solution to two of our country’s persistent problems: garbage and poverty. It’s called the Chip Bag Project. The 26-year-old student and environmentalist from Detroit is asking a favor of local snack lovers: Rather than toss your empty chip bags into the trash, donate them so she can turn them into sleeping bags for the homeless.
Chip eaters drop off their empty bags from Doritos, Lay’s, and other favorites at two locations in Detroit: a print shop and a clothing store, where Oleita and her volunteer helpers collect them. After they sanitize (消毒)the chip bags in soapy hot water, they slice them open, lay them flat, and iron them together. They use padding and liners from old coats to line the insides.
It takes about four hours to sew a sleeping bag, and each takes around 150 to 300 chip bags, depending on whether they’re single-serve or family size. The result is a sleeping bag that is “waterproof, lightweight, and easy to carry around, ” Oleita told the Detroit News. Since its start in 2020, the Chip Bag Project has collected more than 800, 000 chip bags and, as of last December, created 110 sleeping bags.
Sure, it would be simpler to raise the money to buy new sleeping bags. But that’s only half the goal for Oleita-whose family moved to the United States from Nigeria a decade ago with the hope of attaining a better life-and her fellow volunteers. “We are devoted to making an impact not only socially, but environmentally, ” she said.
And, of course, there’s the symbolism of recycling bags that would otherwise land in the trash and using them to help the homeless. It’s a powerful reminder that environmental injustice and poverty often go hand in hand. As Oleita said, “I think it’s time to show connections between all of these issues.
1. What is the main idea of paragraph 2?| A．How they make the sleeping bags. |
| B．Why they sanitize the chip bags. |
| C．Where they collect the chip bags. |
| D．What they use to line the insides. |
| A．The new sleeping bags have many benefits. |
| B．Large quantities of chips are consumed every day. |
| C．A lot of effort is put into making the sleeping bags. |
| D．People are aware of the importance of environmental protection. |
| A．They wish they could earn better life. |
| B．They think it is difficult to raise a lot of money. |
| C．They aim to help the homeless by recycling waste. |
| D．They want to find a simpler way to help the homeless. |
| A．Recycling chip bags can definitely remove poverty. |
| B．The new sleeping bags have been put into wide use. |
| C．Few chip bags will end up in the trash in the country. |
| D．Environmental injustice and poverty are usually closely connected. |
