1 . One day Gary and his partner were diving in the sea when two Atlantic seals appeared out of nowhere and took them by surprise.
The two divers were well-trained and had been taught not to
It seemed like a
The record of the whole scene went viral and became very
| A．hunt | B．disturb | C．raise | D．observe |
| A．positive | B．independent | C．silent | D．still |
| A．dragging | B．chasing | C．approaching | D．touching |
| A．dangerous | B．wonderful | C．frightening | D．simple |
| A．recorded | B．announced | C．discussed | D．imagined |
| A．fact | B．condition | C．truth | D．miracle |
| A．noticed | B．expected | C．remembered | D．doubted |
| A．choice | B．accident | C．opportunity | D．secret |
| A．block | B．catch | C．scare | D．wake |
| A．even though | B．as if | C．so that | D．ever since |
| A．signals | B．tails | C．notes | D．hands |
| A．actually | B．quickly | C．hardly | D．gradually |
| A．ordinary | B．important | C．specific | D．popular |
| A．belief | B．tradition | C．religion | D．custom |
| A．experiment | B．destruction | C．failure | D．adventure |
2 . I went with my husband to Roatan for our vacation, a tropical island off the north coast of Honduras, where tourists can swim with dolphins at Anthony’s Key Resort.
The Roatan dolphins are kept in a roped-off pen(围栏). The cheapest “swim” with the dolphins costs $ 89. Kissing costs extra. The tourists line up and, one after another, get photographed while being “kissed” by a dolphin. The tourist bends down a bit, the trainer lifts an arm, the dolphin comes up and for a few seconds holds its bottlenose to the tourist’s face. The picture is ready for purchase when the tourists exit through the gift shop.
These tourists must love dolphins, but what kind of love is that? At sea these highly intelligent creatures are always on the move, traveling thousands of miles. They are complex social creatures that need a lot of space to live in.
Yet Teri Bolton, the head trainer at Anthony’s Key Resort, defends the pen as a suitable habitat. “We feel this is the closest to keeping things as natural as possible”, she said. “You’re getting a window into how these animals really are.”
The discussion about this tourist behavior can be found on the Internet. Some people try to justify their desire, saying the fence of the pen is low; the dolphins could jump over it if they wanted to, and therefore they’re staying in captivity(圈养)by free will. One contributor to the discussion said, “Dolphins are social creatures. Jumping over the fence would mean leaving the females and their babies. Besides, by now they are used to captivity with three meals a day. Jumping over the fence would be like asking you to jump out of a spaceship alone onto Mars.”
But visiting any institution that keeps dolphins in captivity means supporting the concept of captivity. It’s like wearing a fur coat and then justifying it by saying it’s OK because the animals are already dead.
Remember that you cannot buy love, and if you try to buy dolphin love, you hurt the ones you love. In fact, a dolphin’s kiss has nothing to do with love, just as a dolphin’s smile has nothing to do with happiness. While many claim that dolphin encounters provide healing(治疗）)qualities and help you to feel better, the opposite is true for the supposed healers.
1. How much does a tourist pay for a dolphin’s kiss?| A．More than $ 89. | B．Less than $ 89. |
| C．As much as $ 89. | D．It’s free of charge. |
| A．It’s like a prison. | B．It’s like a spaceship. |
| C．It’s no fun for the dolphins. | D．It’s suitable for the dolphins. |
| A．Dolphin lovers. | B．Unhealthy people. |
| C．Dolphins in the wild. | D．Dolphins in captivity. |
| A．Are Dolphins As Smart As Humans? |
| B．Swimming with Dolphins: Is It Love or Not? |
| C．Dolphins—Creatures with Feelings |
| D．Kissing—A New Way to Communicate with Dolphins |
3 . I’ve been in an 18-year love-hate relationship with a black walnut tree.
It’s a unique tree. In late September or early October, falling fruits as hard as baseballs threaten the skulls (头骨) of you, your children, your neighbors and those that reside next door to them. Umbrellas in the yard are a must while dining in early August, and as for me, I wear my bike helmet while working in the garden.
The black walnut also releases a chemical substance through its roots as a competitive strategy. It’s poisonous to several common plants. There have been many new plant varieties that I brought home with hopes that maybe the black walnut would accept them, but they failed to flourish.
What does work are native plants that naturally grow in the area. Native plants are important to have around since they provide beneficial pollinators (传粉者) like birds, bees and butterflies with seeds and contribute to a healthy and biodiverse environment. Native plants for this area are generally easy to grow, so they experience less stress.
Have I thought of getting rid of this giant pain in my tiny backyard? Yes, however, getting rid of this tree standing at 50 feet with an 87-inch trunk is next to impossible. It’s also protected under the law. Rightfully so. Trees are important to the urban forest and for all of those that inhabit it.
Sometimes I think about my life without the black walnut. I can’t imagine a spring without the birds who arrive every year and loudly sing their songs before dawn. I’d miss falling asleep on lazy weekend afternoons as I look up into its leaves.
Every spring, I wonder what the season holds: What are the chances of being knocked unconscious while barbecuing? Like any good relationship, I’ll never be pleased. I’m stuck with this tree, so I’ll listen to its needs and give it the space it requires. In return, my walnut offers a habitat for wildlife and a reminder.
1. Why does the author wear a bike helmet while working in the garden?| A．To protect the injured skull. | B．To prevent herself from sunburn. |
| C．To avoid being hit by the nuts. | D．To reduce the chance of getting bitten by bees. |
| A．It attracts beneficial pollinators. |
| B．It lets out poison to drive away pests. |
| C．It produces a chemical fatal to some plants. |
| D．It competes for nutrition with similar species. |
| A．The volume of its fruits may bring inconvenience. |
| B．The tree outcompetes the native plants in the garden. |
| C．The tree is home to numerous birds and other creatures. |
| D．The presence of the tree takes up much space of the garden. |
| A．it’s better to give than to take |
| B．trees and plants have their own ways to flourish |
| C．even a good relationship is not always trouble-free |
| D．acceptance, instead of resistance, is the better way to be |
I was working and living in Switzerland for a few years. My big hobby then was windsurfing on the big lakes nearby. Unfortunately, to get wind in the mountains, you often needed to wait for a storm to pass by.
Late one afternoon. I was out windsurfing with about ten other friends on just such a day when it started getting really windy, too much to handle. I thought about heading in, as I was about a mile offshore on this big lake. But then the sirens（警报器）on the shore started sounding and flashing that a major storm was headed our way. About half the guys made it to the beach while those remaining. including me, hung onto our boards in the water trying to swim to shore. It started getting dark quickly and the wind blew even harder. This storm was going to be a big one.
A rescue boat was sent out from a nearby harbor ad luckily managed to drag everyone except me back to shore. I was a little further out than the others and all my waving and screaming was now lost in the roaring wind. I was beginning to panic while I helplessly looked on and watched the rescue boat getting stuck by breaking waves while looking for me. My friends onshore knew I was out there and were doing everything they could to help find me.
It was now dark and I was being blown further offshore than ever. I eventually saw the search lights go out on the rescue boat and head back in to the harbor as it was too dangerous to continue. They had given up the search for me. I was now all alone, The storm was getting stronger and the board started flipping（迅速翻动）across the white water by itself as I desperately tried to hold to it.
Then it happened. A wave of relief came over me. as I realized there was no one left to help me. I could only rely on myself. I had to be the rescuer, not the victim.
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。
My thoughts immediately turned to what needed to be done.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hours later, tired and cold. I made it to the other side and saw the light of a farm house.
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5 . I was telling a Londoner recently about the North Yorkshire coast. “I really must go one day,” she said, sounding uncertain. “But we’ve already booked for Mexico next year — we’re going whale-watching.”
Sean Baxter, a fisherman, has been encouraging me to search whales out for years. This was another reason why I failed to mention the Yorkshire whale: I had never seen them myself. How could Yorkshire ever compete with famous places such as: Kaikoura, Anacortes and Isle St Marie? Baxter was sure that it could. There was only one way to test it out.
We went in September, accompanied by wildlife guide Richard Baines. No birds escaped his eye. For Baxter, though, the birds had added value. “They will lead us to the whales.”
The waves drew us towards deeper water. I was looking at every shadow in the water, but found nothing. An instant later, a great black minke whale (小须鲸) burst upwards for a breath, and then it went down. The whole sequence (连续动作) lasted only a second.
“That’s a young whale,” shouted Baxter. “He will do that three times — watch out over there.”
We waited and waited, but the creature remained below. My excitement died down gradually and I was sure our moment had gone. Then, half an hour later, the whale came up again. Now, it was racing towards the boat. “He’s going under us,” shouted Baxter. I could see it clearly. I'm sure it was taking a good look at our boat and its crew (船员). Then it went down.
As the hours went by, I became familiar with the ways of different whales. Some swam purposefully, ignoring the boat; others rose higher in the water. The young would rush over, like puppies, keen (热切的) to play. I felt as if I had discovered an intelligent alien from space living at the end of my garden. Now I'm hooked (着迷的); I can't wait to get out there again. Maybe I will get lucky and see more whales.
1. Why did the author go to the North Yorkshire coast?| A．He admired its fame. |
| B．He planned to compete in a local game. |
| C．He was persuaded by a woman Londoner. |
| D．He wanted to see the Yorkshire whale for himself. |
| A．He is a local fisherman. | B．He lives by bird hunting. |
| C．He is familiar with wild animals. | D．He works as a wildlife guide in Mexico. |
| A．It was brief. | B．It was below the boat. |
| C．It could be seen clearly. | D．It attracted some other whales. |
| A．He planned to do research on whales. |
| B．He will go to Yorkshire next year. |
| C．He has keen interest in aliens. |
| D．He fell in love with whales. |
6 . Imagine a world without insects. It might sound good at first without creepy-crawly bugs and annoying flies in your apartment. However, the consequences would be disastrous.
The number of insects has dropped by more than half in the past decades, according to British biologist Dave Goulson, author of Silent Earth: Averting the Insect Apocalypse. As insects make up most of the known species on this planet, this data is not good news, The Guardian reported on July 25.
Insects are indeed on the path to extinction, according to the first global scientific review of insect population decline, which was published in the journal Biological Conservation in January 2019. The researchers say intensive agriculture has been the main cause of the decline. Pesticides, in particular, destroy insect habitats. Urbanization and climate change are also significant factors.
“Unless we change our ways of producing food, insects as a whole will go down the path of extinction in a few decades,” the researchers wrote in the review. “The repercussions (影响) this will have for the planet’s ecosystems are catastrophic to say the least.”
What would happen to Earth without insects? It’s almost impossible to predict, but the consequences would be far-reaching. We need insects to pollinate (授粉) crops, recycle plant and animal material, keep the soil healthy and much more. Without insects, many animals would have nothing to eat, and the predators of those animals would go hungry as well. The ecosystem would be thrown off balance.
“If insect species losses cannot be halted, this will have catastrophic consequences for both the planet’s ecosystems and for the survival of mankind,” said Francisco Sanchez-Bayo at the University of Sydney, Australia, one of the authors of the review.
The first step to halting this process is “to engender a society that values the natural world, both for what it does for us and for its own sake”, Goulson suggests. “The obvious place to start is with our children, encouraging environmental awareness from an early age.”
1. What does the underlined word “disastrous” in paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Highly helpful. | B．Very interesting. |
| C．Extremely terrible. | D．Impossible to predict. |
| A．Problems with intensive agriculture. |
| B．Causes of the decline in the insect population. |
| C．Factors causing insect habitat loss. |
| D．Influence of urbanization on insects. |
| A．They help slow down climate change. |
| B．They reduce the number of predators. |
| C．They have a great impact on the ecosystem. |
| D．They keep the soil dry and healthy. |
| A．Exploring the natural world often. |
| B．Providing insects with enough food. |
| C．Taking children to watch insects closely. |
| D．Raising public awareness of natural protection. |
I've always loved the ocean. In the
I decided to do something
One day, I saw a commercial for a health-care company. People in the ad were using plastic straws （吸管）. I found the contact information of the company
I kept going. Whenever I heard of businesses using plastic, I'd send an email. One of the biggest companies I wrote to
Autumn Equinox (秋分) lies at the midpoint of autumn,
By Autumn Equinox, most of the areas in China
According to experts, on the Spring Equinox and Autumn Equinox, the day and night are of equal time both in the southern and northern hemispheres. Standing eggs on end,
But once it
9 . Bird migration is described as the regular, seasonal movement of bird populations from one place to another and back again.
The longer days and rich food of the northern summer provide greater chances for birds to feed their young. The longer daylight hours and enormous food resources allow birds to lay larger eggs than those of related non-migratory species that remain in the tropics all year round. As the days shorten in autumn and the breeding period is over, the birds return to warmer regions where the available food supply differs little with the seasons changing. The advantages of migration make up for the high stress, physical exertion（消耗）, and other risks of the migration.
Day length is the primary environmental factor that encourages birds to prepare for migration. They have an increased appetite which results in weight gaining, giving them the fat reserves that provide energy for their migratory flight. They also show more activity at night, which is when most birds migrate. While the length of day is the primary reason for migration, birds also respond to temperature changes. For example, if a spring is late and the temperature is lower than normal, birds delay migration; if a spring is early, birds also begin migration early.
The timing of the migratory cycle must allow birds to arrive on the breeding site so that there is time to build a breeding place, mate, lay the eggs, and hatch the young before the rich food is available to feed the young in the nest. Similarly, if birds wait until the climate in their northern breeding grounds becomes tolerable(可忍受的), there will be no time to gain the necessary weight that provides the energy needed for their southbound migration.
1. Why do birds migrate to the north in spring?| A．The temperature in the south has risen. |
| B．They like traveling and enjoy the journey. |
| C．The summer there is warmer than that in the south. |
| D．The environment there is more suitable for them to feed their baby birds. |
| A．Day length and food supply. |
| B．Night length and high stress. |
| C．Temperature changes and day length. |
| D．Food supply and temperature changes. |
| A．Birds' Life |
| B．Birds' Migration |
| C．Birds' Breeding Habits |
| D．Birds' Living Environment |
10 . Dozens of dolphins swam out of the polluted waters of Haifa Harbor on Tuesday. This was the first time that dolphins had visited this crowded Mediterranean Port, and researchers were surprised by the unexpected event.
Between 40 and 50 of the dolphins appeared in the busy port on Tuesday morning, obviously drawn by the fish-rich waters of Haifa Bay.
However, the bay is also full of harmful chemicals. Aviad Sheinin, professor of Haifa University’s Maritime Studies Department, said he didn’t think the dolphins were harmed by the pollution, but that he hoped they would swim back to the sea soon. “It seems that they are quite relaxed. They don’t seem to be stressed, ”he said.
Haifa Bay is lined by chemical companies that have been pouring poisonous waste into the water for decades. While pollution levels have dropped in recent years, the water is still considered a health hazard(隐患).
“There are lots of fishes in Haifa Port. Unfortunately, we couldn’t tell the dolphins that the fish are not healthy, and I don’t know what the result will be,” he told Israel Army Radio.
Hundreds of Haifa residents gathered around Haifa Bay to see the interesting sight, and researchers said this provided a rare chance to film and study the rough-toothed dolphins. In addition to the dozens of dolphins which swam into the port on Tuesday, a similar number stayed outside the breakwater (防波堤). Later Tuesday the dolphins left the port but remained near the entrance and Israel’s coastguard was patrolling (巡逻) the area to try to make sure the dolphins didn’t re-enter the poisonous waters.
Relatively little is known about rough-toothed dolphins, which are usually found in deep and warm tropical waters.
1. Which of the following reason makes Haifa Bay full of harmful chemicals?| A．unhealthy fish | B．ships |
| C．chemical companies | D．residents living nearby |
| A．he is curious about the dolphins |
| B．the dolphins might affect the existence of fish in Haifa port |
| C．he will do research on the dolphins |
| D．he is uncertain about what will happen to the dolphins |
| A．protect the dolphins from the polluted waters |
| B．avoid traffic jam |
| C．deal with the harmful waters |
| D．prevent people killing dolphins |
| A．dolphins are well protected in Israel |
| B．Haifa Bay is full of harmful chemicals |
| C．dolphins made a surprise visit to the polluted harbor |
| D．people love dolphins |
