1 . Hundreds of hours of survey footage has revealed a rare mammal in the south-west of Rio Grande do Sul state in Brazil. Wildlife camera traps have recorded footage of a giant anteater(食蚁兽) wandering through scrubland in Espinilho State Park in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It is the first time since the 1890s that this large mammal has been seen in the southwest of the state. Experts think the anteater came from Ibera National Park in Argentina, where a major re wilding project has been underway since 2007.

The anteater was spotted by Brazilian biologist Fabio Mazim as he was reviewing hundreds of hours of footage for a wild if e survey. “The animal seems to be in very good condition and established in the area,” says Mazim. “At the moment it is impossible for us to determine whether it is male or female, one or even several different individuals.”

According to WWF Brazil, the species was once present in all Brazilian states. It is now threatened with extinction in all regions of the country and has been lost from some states entirely. The main causes of the population decline are the damage and loss of occupied zone, hunting, road accidents and forest fires.

Giant anteaters were first l reintroduced to I bera National Park in 2007 by Rewilding Argentina. Since the start of the project, 110 anteaters orphaned by road accidents or illegal hunting have been released, and several generations now live in Ibera Wetlands. The discovery in Rio Grande do Sul state, along with additional sightings over a 100 km range, suggests that Ibera’s giant anteaters are colonizing other regions.

For the next stage of the project, researchers will try to find out if there are more individuals in the area, and determine what their favoured habitat(栖息地) is. “We intend to seize the individual sighted in Espinilho State Park, collect biological samples (样本) for genetic analysis, and compare them with the populations that exist elsewhere in Brazil.” says Flavia Miranda, a biologist who has been studying the species for 25 years.

1. How was the giant anteater discovered?

A．Through cooperation with WWF Brazil.

B．Through a wild adventure in Espinilho State Park.

C．By catching the animal for a bioresearch.

D．By examining picture recording for a wildlife survey.

2. What are the reasons for the decrease of the anteater population?

A．Lack of genetic variety.

B．Loss of living areas and natural disasters.

C．Climate change and natural destruction.

D．Competition for resources with other species.

3. What motivated there appearance of the anteater in this region?

A．A major rewilding project by Re wilding Argentina.

B．The establishment of a protected area for anteaters

C．A reproductive program focused on prisoned anteaters

D．An anti-hunting campaign sponsored by WWF Brazil.

4. What is the future plan of the research?

A．Releasing the giant anteater back into the wild after a health check.

B．Shifting the giant anteater to Ibera National Park for further studies.

C．Trapping the giant anteater to compare genetic samples with other populations in Brazil.

D．Observing the giant anteater from a distance to understand its behavior better.

2 . Founder is turning ownership of the company after nearly 50 years into two entities (实体) that will help fight the climate crisis.

Patagonia is a private company based in Ventura, California, which sells outdoor clothing and equipment, and was founded in 1973. Patagonia’s founder Yvon Chouinard, who has previously expressed his unwillingness at gathering wealth, is giving away his company. The outdoor clothing company will now be in the hands of a trust and a nonprofit organization. All future profits will be donated to help fight climate change, the company announced Wednesday.

“It’s been a half-century since we began our experiment in responsible business,” Chouinard said. “As the business leader In ever wanted to be, I am doing my part” He added, “Instead of taking value from nature and turning it into wealth, we are using the wealth Patagonia creates to protect the resources. We’re making Earth our only shareholder. I am dead serious about saving this planet.”

Chouinard and his family will be turning over their entire ownership share into two newly created entities. Those entities will ensure that the company’s values will continue to be upheld—and that Patagonia’s profits are used to combat climate change.

“If we have any hope of a thriving planet 50 years from now, it demands that all of us should do all we can with the resources we have. We want to both protect the purpose of the business and immediately and continuously release more funding to fight the environmental crisis. We believe this new structure delivers on both and we hope it will inspire a new way of doing business that puts people and the planet first.” Chouinard said in a statement Wednesday.

This nonprofit organization will make sure that the company’s annual profits, about $100 million per year, will be used to protect nature and biodiversity, support thriving communities and fight the environmental crisis.

1. What is the goal for donating Patagonia?

A．To maximize shareholder value.

B．To turn the structure of the company.

C．To use its profits for protection of nature.

D．To become a leader in the business world.

2. What does the underlined word “thriving” in Paragraph 5mean?

A．Limiting.

B．Interesting.

C．Promising.

D．Rewarding.

3. Which can best describe Mr Chouinard’s plan?

A．Kill two birds with one stone.	B．Helping others is a virtue.
C．Rose presented, smell remained.	D．Actions speak louder than words.

4. What is the focus of the author about Mr Chouinard?

A．His pursuit of success.	B．His social responsibility.
C．His rich life experiences.	D．His great business talent.

3 . 阅读下列短文，在空白处填入适当单词或短语。

Amundsen was the first     1     on 8 September, 1911. He had teams of dogs     2     the sledges and all his men were on skis. Because of this, he made rapid progress.

Even Amundsen was moved by Scott’s death saying “Captain Scott left a record, for honesty, for sincerity, for     3    , for everything that makes a man”. Scott had failed to win the race to the Pole, but the great courage shown by Scott and his men made them heroes.

The reason     4     this was difficult was that the team had limited resources. They did not have enough staff, and the laboratory     5     they worked had poor air quality. However, after hundreds of failed experiments, they     6     came across a promising chemical.

Reeve became a     7     and energetic advocate for people with back injuries and disabilities raising millions of dollars     8     support of medical research.

With a sense of energy and commitment, Reeve undertook an intense exercise programme to help him achieve this goal. He     9     in a wide range of exercises     10     to rebuild muscle, and made remarkable progress.

4 . How to Start a Garden in 2024?

Gardening is a powerful outlet for creativity, enabling you to surround yourself with beauty. It can provide homegrown food for your family, keep you in touch with nature and is also an invaluable form of exercise.     1     Here are some essential tips for beginners in gardening.

It all starts with good soil. Whatever you’re growing, fertile soil is the key. Investing in rich soil initially creates a suitable environment.     2    

Grow vegetables that keep on giving. If you’re a newcomer, choose ones you can harvest more than once. Lettuce and basil are quick and easy to grow.     3     Vegetables like these mean continuous harvests, which is huge for keeping spirits high.

    4     Some plants will grow tall and some will grow closer to the ground. Tall plants will shade shorter plants and prevent them getting needed sunshine. Also, give little seedlings plenty of room to stretch and grow. If they grow too close together, don’t be afraid to thin seedlings.

Save money with seeds and cuttings. Buying all of your plants from the garden center is expensive. However, you can grow a huge range of plants from seeds or cuttings. Reach out to friends and family who garden and ask them to share spare seeds with you.     5     It takes longer than buying young plants, but it is definitely more satisfying and you will learn so much.

A．Plant for every season.

B．Size up your growing space.

C．They’ll replace their leaves every time you cut them.

D．In short, gardening is beneficial to both body and soul.

E．Choose a container size appropriate for what you are growing.

F．It promotes root development, supplying nutrients for plant growth.

G．Also check to see if they have any plants you can take cuttings from.

7 . 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。

When she was just three years old, Alyssa Carson from the USA took an interest     1    the planet Mars. From that time on, her lifelong passion for and     2    (curious) about space began! Then, Alyssa     3    (start) to do all the things related to space!

Alyssa’s goal is to help others understand the potential for human life in outer space. She also wants to be one of the first humans     4    (walk) on the planet Mars. She even imagines     5    (live) on Mars! And while doing so, Alyssa wants to inspire lots of other kids to learn more about space and science.

She is studying astrobiology (天体生物学) at the Florida Institute of Technology. It is     6    only program in the USA focused on the potential for life on other planets. Whether you want to study the effects of space travel on humans, discover past or present life on Mars, or help develop     7    (way) to sustain (维持) life on the moon, you will be prepared at the Florida Institute of Technology.

Alyssa is a(n)     8    (impress) example of a young person     9    focuses on her passion and becomes the best version of     10    (she). Her example also inspires other kids to do the same.

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。

Venice is an attractive city between the sea and the sky. The city     1    (consist) of over 100 islands and there aren’t any cars or buses. All the islands     2    (link) by canals and bridges, making it     3    (convenience) for people to travel around the city. The best­known of the canals, the Grand Canal, serves     4     the main street in the part of the city.

Venice has a lot of world­famous tourist     5    (attraction), including Saint Mark’s Square, the Doge’s Palace and Saint Mark’s Basilica,     6     is the city’s most famous church. Every year thousands     7     tourists visit this beautiful city. They always find themselves     8    (impress) by the city’s cultural treasures.

Sadly, the Italian city has been regularly flooded by rising sea water over the years. From November to February, sea level rises up to one and a half meters,     9    (cover) many of Venice’s famous areas. But people in Venice still love their city. They are unwilling     10    (leave). Instead, they want to stay there to save Venice from the sea.