2 . Now is the time to act on climate change. We need to cut carbon emissions (排放), and knowing this, it is easy to be pessimistic. Strangely, I’m feeling the opposite. And that’s mostly because of one factor: Batteries. It isn’t obvious but over the last decade or so, just as we’ve watched our computers get faster and screens get thinner, batteries have greatly improved too.

According to the European Patent Office, the number of battery patents filed grew by an average of 14 percent every year between 2005 and 2018. Energy storage is getting better and better, as more companies are discovering new chemistry and processes to make them work more efficiently.

And the results of all of this work are astonishing. Energy density—the amount of power that can be stored in the same sized battery—has doubled in the last decade. And the costs of batteries have fallen a lot too.

Brilliantly, because electric batteries are improving so noticeably, we can already see the results. Last September, 15 percent of all new vehicle registrations were pure electric vehicles. So the change is starting to happen.

It’s conceivable that in the not-too-distant future, alongside other essentials in our homes like a boiler and a fusebox, we might also have an enormous battery in the garage. This would take power from the grid (电网) or maybe even solar panels on the roof, and power appliances and lights in our homes at the times when demand for electricity is high.

So, given how much technology has improved batteries over the last decade, I can’t help but be strangely optimistic about the future. Batteries may not be as flashy (显眼的) as phones, rockets or other new technologies, but when it comes to technology to fight climate change, they’re definitely leading the charge.

1. What is the author’s attitude towards cutting carbon emissions?

A．Doubtful.

B．Favorable.

C．Unclear.

D．Anxious.

2. What is the possible result of batteries’ great improvement?

A．It’ll make them more environment-friendly.

B．It’ll make people use electricity at will.

C．It will slow the development of pure electric vehicles.

D．It’ll cause the prices of batteries to rise.

3. What does the underlined word “conceivable” in paragraph 5 mean?

A．Unacceptable.

B．Astonishing.

C．Possible.

D．Unreliable.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．Carbon Emissions Result in Climate Change

B．Now Is the Time to Act on Climate Change

C．How Battery Technology Can Save the Planet

D．How Much Technology Has Improved Batteries

4 . The most relaxing colors are generally believed to be cool shades such as green and blue.     1     So we can often see these colors in hospitals, test centers, and television stations, where people may want some help to ease their nerves and bad emotions.

Home designers note that people often describe rooms painted blue and green as relaxing and comfortable. As a result, architects often use colors from the cool part of the color circle in bedrooms and bathrooms.     2    

Driving down a highway. you’ll notice that some signs consist of white letters on a dark green background.     3     Another place where we see green used is in the “green room” of theaters or television studios because nervous performers are quieted by the color. This is also the reason why doctors wear green clothes in the operating room. And prison cells often paint their walls green for the same effect.

    4     Our eyes sense color using tiny sensors sensitive to the red light, the green light or the blue light. However, generally they are the most sensitive to the green light. Researchers think that this sensitivity to green objects might affect hormonal production that in turn influences the mood. What’s more, recent studies have shown that when a person looks at the green colored paper or is placed in a green room, their heart rate drops, blood pressure lowers, and muscles relax.     5     So next time you’re feeling nervous or upset, please try to focus your eyes on something green instead of red.

A．There was research into colors in ancient times.

B．In contrast, hot colors cause these to rise.

C．Different colors can cause different psychological reactions.

D．Engineers determine such signs won’t get people’s eyes tired.

E．And painters often use blues and greens on walls and ceilings.

F．Scientists have found some evidence for the magic power of green.

G．It is agreed that the two can make us feel calm, balanced and less emotional.

8 . Since childhood, London-based artist Josh Gluckstein has been fascinated by the incredible diversity of our planet’s wildlife and inspired to make sculptures of animals from found materials. He often uses abandoned or recycled materials like clothing from junk shops or wood from old furniture. An important aspect of his practice is concern for the environment. “I have traveled through Asia, Latin America and East Africa, and have been fortunate enough to have some incredible wildlife encounters,” he says. “However, on my travels, even in the most remote locations, I was shocked by the huge amounts of plastic waste.”

Mach of the garbage that washes up on shorelines around the world is due to an unregulated (未受监管的) system in which richer countries export waste to developing countries because it is often cheaper than developing better infrastructures (基础设施) to handle it. Many of the thousands of shipping containers exported each year are often dumped illegally.

“I remember going to the Galapagos Islands and visiting a beach famous for a large population of sea lions. It was indeed incredible to see them in the wild, but on every inch of sand not covered by sea lions, there were plastic bottles and cans. It was a heartbreaking sight. I knew I wanted to create artworks that didn’t create waste or harm our planet,” Gluckstein says.

Gluckstein hopes his works will raise people’s awareness about the importance of protecting endangered species. His new series called “Gold” focuses on illegally hunted animals by applying gold leaves to their bodies. He plans to donate some of the sales of his sculptures to the world Wide Fund for Nature.

1. What do Gluckstein’s sculptures focus on?

A．Fashion.

B．Animals.

C．Sports.

D．Travel.

2. What does the underlined word “dumped” in paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Poured,

B．Protected.

C．Sold.

D．Used.

3. What does Gluckstein mainly want to say in paragraph 3?

A．Where he has toured.	B．How sad he was.
C．How he found sea lions.	D．Why he created eco-friendly sculptures.

4. What does Gluckstein expect of his works?

A．They can bring him financial benefits.

B．They can make him famous as an artist.

C．They can help protect endangered animals.

D．They can improve people’s ability to appreciate art.

9 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Hua Weiguang,     1     retired teacher from Tongliao, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is a photography enthusiast.

A decade ago, the arrival of tree planters     2     (catch) Hua’s attention and the photos of the tree planters     3     (take) by Hua are evidence of the     4     (remark) transformation of the land. In those photos, hats, scarves and goggles, for the workers fighting desertification, are basic necessities to protect them     5     the wind and sand. There was no way to avoid the brutal summer heat in the land so the workers had to lie down on the ground or curl up in the narrow shade of their cars to cool off. And they also had to eat their lunch amid the blowing sands, taking in the small pieces of sand with their food.

“    6     we don’t fool the tree, it won’t fool you. You take it     7     (serious), and then it behaves in the same way to you. You put efforts to make it live, and the tree lives up to your     8     (expect),” the planters say.

China’s forest resources have increased by over 70 million hectares in the past decade,     9     (rank) first in the world. One tree after another, a green Great Wall has been built. Brush by brush, a green field     10     (paint) over the yellow sandy land up to now.

10 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。续写的词数应为150左右。

One day my dad came back home in his truck and there was a cage in the back. Naturally I was curious, so I went towards the truck when I noticed that there was a small little goat that wasn’t even an adult yet.

I asked my dad and he said that he bought the goat from his friend and he was going to kill it twenty minutes after he brought it home so that we would have a big meal.

My sister was there too and she was strongly for my view. We found out we got really mad at my dad and told him not to kill it. After about 10 minutes of complaining we finally convinced my dad not to kill it because we told him that there was no reason for him to kill the goat himself when he could just buy goat meat at a store.

My parents know some friends that we visit sometimes and their family really likes animals so we decided to give it to them. For about a month, they had the goat as a pet and they also had the same problems as we had because the dad wanted to kill it and eat it but the rest of the family didn’t want it to die.They also were able to persuade him not to do so. They ended up sending the goat to a family member’s farm where it would grow up happily.

Another thing that has happened to influence my belief is that I have a neighbor that really likes hunting.   One day he hunted a deer and brought the body home, but he decided to leave it outside his house for everyone to see. He just left it there as if it were some kind of award that he just won. Sadly little kids started to make fun of the body and pretended to ride on it. They laughed at it and felt no problem with there being a dead deer just laying.

Paragraph 1：

I felt sick by what was happening and left because of what I had just witnessed._

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Paragraph 2：

It amazes me how we have changed from hunting to survive to hunting for sport._

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