1 . Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your choice of sport might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses(高尔夫球场) in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortages in some local areas.
In fact, there are many environment friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don't need any special equipment except a pair of good shoes; and you don't have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk can regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and control your weight better.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be "green gyms". They are better replacements(代替物) for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it's free.
1. What do we know about golf from the passage?| A．It is popular in Portugal and Spain. |
| B．It needs water and energy to keep its courses green |
| C．It pollutes the earth with chemicals and waste. |
| D．It causes water shortages around the world. |
| A．it uses fewer resources |
| B．it improves our health |
| C．it is an outdoor sport |
| D．it is recommended by experts |
| A．Playing basketball in a gym. |
| B．Motor racing in the desert. |
| C．Cycling around a lake. |
| D．Swimming in a sports center. |
| A．To show us the function of major sports. |
| B．To encourage us to go in for green sports. |
| C．To discuss the major influence of popular sports. |
| D．To introduce different types of environment friendly spors. |
A population of the world's most invasive mosquito species was almost completely wiped out by
The experiment successfully reduced the female Asian Tiger Mosquito population-the main source of bites and disease transmission-by up to 94%,
One of the Chinese study's
The results were so successful that they nearly
Mosquitoes pose grave threats to human health beyond just irritating bites. However, there is currently no effective vaccine or treatment
3 . A 3-year-old boy who was lost in the woods for two days is now safe at home with his family. But Casey Hathaway told his rescuers that he was not alone in the rainy, freezing cold woods. He said he was with a friend — a bear.
The child went missing on January 22. He was playing with friends at his grandmother’s house in the southern state of North Carolina. When the other children returned home but Casey did not, the family searched the area for almost an hour before calling the police. Police formed a search and rescue team to look for the young boy in the nearby woods. But two days went by and still — no Casey.
Then on January 24, someone called the police saying he heard a child crying in the woods. Police followed up on the information and found Casey at about 9 ：30 that night. They pulled him out of some briar. He was in good health. Casey told the rescuers that he had hung out with a black bear for two days, a bear he called his "friend".
Sheriff Chip Hughes spoke with reporters from several news agencies. He said Casey did not say how he was able to survive in the woods for three days in the cold, rainy weather. However, the sheriff said, “ He did say he had a friend in the woods that was a bear that was with him. ”
Hundreds of people helped in the search and rescue efforts, including some 600 volunteers, federal police and members of the military. Officer Hughes told reporters that at no point did he think Casey had been kidnapped.
His mother Brittany Hathaway talked with reporters from a local news agency and thanked everyone who joined the search for her son. “ We just want to tell everybody that we’re very thankful that you took the time out to search for Casey and prayed for him, and he's good, ” said his mother. “ He is good, he is up and talking. He’s already asked to watch Netflix. So, he's good …"
1. When did Casey get lost?| A．On January 24. |
| B．After a 911 call. |
| C．Before his playmates came. |
| D．After he left his grandmother's house. |
| A．He survived with the help of a bear. |
| B．The rescuers rescued him from a bear. |
| C．Someone offered key information to find him. |
| D．He was eventually found by officer Hughes. |
| A．To report the detailed situation. |
| B．To show her gratitude and relief. |
| C．To invite everyone to watch her child. |
| D．To appreciate searchers and the bear. |
| A．A news report. | B．A guidebook. |
| C．A diary. | D．An advertisement |
4 . There was a time when a trip to the supermarket in the United States often ended with a seemingly simple question from the cashier, "Paper or plastic？"Well, which type of bag would you choose？
While both types of bags have some influence on the environment, it has long been supposed that paper bags are kinder. They are made from a renewable source, are broken down easily, burn without giving off thick smoke and can be recycled. However, the producing process behind paper bags uses more energy than that of plastic ones. How can this be true？
Studies show that paper bag production requires four times as much energy as plastic bag production.
And the amount of water used to make them is twenty times higher. Besides, the influence on forests is very serious. It takes about fourteen million trees to produce ten billion paper bags, which happen to be the number of bags used in the United States yearly. In terms of recycling, the idea that paper bags are more environment friendly than plastic ones can be quickly discarded. Research shows it requires about 98% less energy to recycle plastic than it does to recycle paper.
Even though paper bags might be more harmful than plastic ones, plastic still seems to be considered as the more harmful of the two by governments. In Ireland, for example, a tax has been introduced to discourage the use of plastic bags. People have to pay 22 cents for every plastic bag, and as a result, their use has dropped quickly.
There’s no doubt that it makes more sense to reuse these bags. However, we don’t seem to be doing that at present. That may be because they fall apart quickly. If so, cloth bags are a better choice, but still, their production also has a bad influence on the environment. So what to do? How should we answer the question of “Paper or plastic?” It seems that we first need to ask ourselves one more general question: “What can I do to help the environment?”
1. The question at the end of Paragraph 1 is used to ________.| A．introduce points for discussion |
| B．tell readers how to save money |
| C．express the author's doubts |
| D．show the kindness of the cashier |
| A．take more time to break down |
| B．require less energy to recycle |
| C．need more water to produce |
| D．have less influence on forests |
| A．share | B．put forward |
| C．discuss | D．give up |
| A．Paper or cloth? |
| B．A new bag or your own one? |
| C．A small bag or big one? |
| D．Paper or plastic？ |
5 . Have you ever wondered what wild animals do when no one is watching? Scientists have been able to record the “private” moments of wildlife with leading-edge technology. Low-cost, dependable and small modern cameras are of big help.
Cameras placed in hard-to-reach places have taken videos of everything from small desert cats to later snow loving felines (猫科) in the northern Rocky Mountains. These cameras are important tools to learn new information on wildlife.
Some videos help scientists see the effects of climate change. For example, the desert animal javelin and the tree-loving coatimundi have been caught on cameras north of their normal home. This could mean global warming is enlarging their living area northward.
Researchers use cameras along with global positioning systems, or GPS. They attach GPS devices (设备) to mule deer and antelope in and around Yellowstone National Park. Then they can record their movements, or migrations (迁移) . These cameras can be left in very rural (荒野的) areas for days, weeks or even month. They can provide information on how many animals are moving over a given period of time.
Rural video can show details about animal behavior, such as the calls made by migrating. Also some cameras record animal life and show everything from bison in Saskatchewan, Canada, to the underwater weed forest off California’s Channel Islands.
However, rural cameras have their problems too. Animals such as wolverines and bears sometimes attack them. Scientists do not know if the attacks are the result of anger or interest. Also, the devices have become popular tools to help hunters look for animals. Some people argue that it is unfair to use the cameras that way. Even with such problems, rural cameras are clearly an important scientific tool in researching wild animals.
1. Which of the following helps scientists know about climate change?| A．How active animals are. | B．What animals eat. |
| C．Where animals go. | D．When animals move. |
| A．Under water | B．In the field |
| C．On GPS devices. | D．On wild animals. |
| A．They affect animals' search for good. |
| B．They make wild animals puzzled. |
| C．They make animals attack one another frequently. |
| D．They might bring danger to animals. |
| A．Cameras Record Animals in the Wild | B．Every Coin Has Two Sides |
| C．Animals No Longer Have Secrets | D．An Invention Makes Animals Mad |
6 . Check out our tsunami (海啸) facts and lean some interesting information related to these great walls of water that can cause so much destruction. Find out what causes tsunamis and read about some notable recent examples of tsunamis that have occurred around the globe.
Tsunamis are huge waves of water that are usually caused by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions.
As a tsunami approaches the shore, water may move back from the coast. If it is shallow enough, the water may be pulled back hundreds of meters. If you are in the area, observing this is a good indication that a tsunami is on the way.
Regions in tsunami danger zones often have warning systems in place to give people as much time to evacuate (撤离) as possible.
When tsunamis hit shallow water (often near the coast), they slow down but increase in height.
An earthquake in the Indian Ocean off Indonesia in December 2004 caused a tsunami that killed over 200, 000 people in 14 countries.
In March 2011, the Tohoku earthquake off the eastern coast of Japan caused a tsunami that was a major factor in the death of over 15, 000 people.
The tsunami waves created by the Tohoku earthquake reached heights of over 40 metres (131feet) in mine areas, wiping out coastal towns and causing a number of nuclear accidents.
The Japanese word “tsunami” literally means “harbour wave”.
Tsunamis are sometimes referred to as tidal waves but this term has fallen out of favour because tsunamis are not related to tides.
1. Which of the following shows a tsunami is coming soon?| A．An earthquake takes place. |
| B．The water marches towards the coast. |
| C．The water near the shore is pulled back. |
| D．The water near the shore is very shallow. |
| A．the earthquake itself |
| B．the lack of warming systems |
| C．the tsunami caused by the earthquake |
| D．the nuclear accidents caused by the tsunami |
| A．The word “tsunami” is from British English. |
| B．The term “tidal wave” is used more often than “tsunami.” |
| C．Some nuclear accidents happened after Indonesia tsunami. |
| D．More people died in Indonesia tsunami than in Tohaku tsunami. |
| A．listing some facts | B．making some comparison |
| C．providing some numbers | D．making some conclusions |
7 . There are many beautiful places in Europe worth visiting. Among them Greece is right at the top. A vacation to Greece will give you everything you ever want in a holiday. The attractive hot springs, beautiful villages, rich history, delicious seafood and beautiful beaches are all here. The streets are always alive with music, fireworks and celebrations. Winter is the time to enjoy some great skiing, with so many mountains around here that offer this sport.
Spain is the second largest tourist destination (目的地) in the world. It’s one of the first countries in the world to develop summer beach vacations. Spain, along with Italy, officially has the most world heritage sites, 42 to be exact. With so many mountainous regions, Spain is big when it comes to the winter vacation. Lastly, for great nightlife, you’d love to be in Barcelona or Madrid.
Switzerland is the most popular winter destination in the world. It has 15,000 miles running through mountainous regions. The Swiss Alps attract people from all over the world. If you think Switzerland is only a winter holiday destination, you，re mistaken. The same places are popular in summer too. Hiking is popular in summer. Switzerland is also proud of Jungfraujoch — the highest train station in Europe. Switzerland has developed an amazing transport network, and each and every mountain village can be got to by some kind of public transport.
Venice of Italy is another great destination. It has an amazing history and is famous for its beautiful architecture. There are many old churches worth visiting. Venice is also filled with many art galleries. The Grand Canal is a long canal that runs right through the city. This is referred to as the most beautiful street in the whole of Venice. The city, made up of 117 small islands, is amazingly linked by 400 bridges over 150 canals.
1. We can know from the passage that ________.| A．the highest train station of the world is in Switzerland |
| B．the old churches are the most beautiful places in Venice |
| C．Spain is perfect for the winter vacation thanks its mountains |
| D．Spain is the first country to develop summer beach vacations |
| A．Greece | B．Spain |
| C．Switzerland | D．Venice |
| A．Greece and Spain. | B．Switzerland and Venice. |
| C．Spain and Venice. | D．Spain and Switzerland. |
| A．A book review. | B．A government document. |
| C．A travel guide. | D．A fashion magazine. |
8 . On the day the tornado hit, there was no sign severe weather was on its way—the sky was blue and the sun had been out. My husband Jimmy and I were watching TV upstairs.
No sooner had we got the coverage of the tornado than it was on top of us. It was the loudest thing I have ever heard. The bones of the house shook, and the power went out. We had three flights of steps to get through to get to the relative safety of the first floor.
As we struggled to reach the last flight of steps, our front door blew out. Pieces of glass that looked like crushed ice flew everywhere. Suddenly, a three-foot-long tree branch flew over our heads, missing us by inches. Had we been one step up, it would have impaled us.
By the time I reached the closet, Jimmy pushed me down to the closet floor, but he couldn’t get inside himself because of the wind. I grasped Jimmy’s arm and tried to bring Jimmy with it. My knees and head were full of glass, but in that moment, I felt no pain. If I had let go, Jimmy would have flown right out the back of the house and into the bay.
“Hold on! Hold on!” he yelled. But there was nothing in this closet to hold on to.
All of a sudden, Jimmy lifted off his feet like people in tornadoes do in the movies. I thought he was gone. And then everything stopped. He landed on his feet. In those first quiet moments, I couldn’t believe it was over. Jimmy said he’d go outside to check. “No,” I said. “Don’t leave me. Don’t leave me.”
Our neighbor says the storm lasted four minutes. In that time, four of the twelve town houses in our unit were completely destroyed. Of the houses left standing, ours suffered the most damage. Amazingly, none of us were severely injured.
1. Which of the following sentences is NOT the evidence to show the tornado is violent?| A．It was the loudest thing I have ever heard. |
| B．The bones of the house shook, and the power went out. |
| C．Our neighbor says the storm lasted four minutes. |
| D．Pieces of glass that looked like crushed ice flew everywhere. |
| A．The couple had predicted the arrival of the tornado in advance. |
| B．Jimmy flew right out the back of the house and into the bay during the tornado. |
| C．The three-foot-tree flew over the couple’s head and injured them badly. |
| D．The author still felt scared when the tornado was suddenly over. |
| A．She didn’t hurt badly enough to sense the pain. |
| B．She was severely injured and failed to sense the pain. |
| C．Her attention was fully focused on her husband. |
| D．She had let her husband go away from her hand. |
| A．A thrilling adventure | B．A narrow escape |
| C．A risky attempt | D．A serious accident |
9 . Trees are useful to man in three important ways: they give him wood and other useful things, they give him cool places, and they help to stop drought and flood.
Unluckily, in many parts of the world, man has not found that the third of these points is the most important. Man wants to make money from trees, so he has cut them down in large numbers, only to find that without them he has lost the best friends he had. And also, he is usually too careless to plant and look after new trees. So the forests slowly disappear.
This does not only mean that man will have fewer trees. The results are even worse: for where there are trees, their roots break up soil—make the rain in—and also bind the soil, thus stopping it from being washed away easily; but where there are no trees, the rain falls on hard ground and flows away, causing floods and carrying away the rich top-soil. When all the top-soil is gone, nothing is left but useless desert.
1. The most important points of trees to man is that ________.| A．they help him to stop drought and floods |
| B．they help him to make money |
| C．they give him cool |
| D．they give him wood and other things |
| A．many trees have been cut down by man |
| B．new trees are not well looked after |
| C．man has not paid enough attention to planting trees |
| D．all the above |
| A．roots of trees break up the soil |
| B．there are too many rainfalls |
| C．strong winds bring a lot of sand |
| D．there are no longer trees to keep the rain and protect the top-soil. |
| A．Trees and Man |
| B．The Function of Tree Wood |
| C．How do People do with Trees? |
| D．The Usage of Tree Roots |
10 . Can dogs and cats live in perfect harmony in the same home? People who are thinking about adopting a dog as a friend for their cats are worried that they will fight. A recent research has found a new recipe of success. According to the study, if the cat is adopted before the dog, and if they are introduced when still young (less than 6 months for cats, a year for dogs), it is highly probable that the two pets will get along swimmingly. Two-thirds of the homes interviewed reported a positive relationship between their cat and dog.
However, it wasn’t all sweetness and light. There was a reported coldness between the cat and dog in 25% of the homes, while aggression and fighting were observed in 10% of the homes. One reason for this is probably that some of their body signals were just opposite. For example, when a cat turns its head away it signals aggression, while a dog doing the same signals submission.
In homes with cats and dogs living peacefully, researchers observed a surprising behaviour. They are learning how to talk each other’s language. It is a surprise that cats can learn how to talk ‘Dog’, and dogs can learn how to talk ‘Cat’.
What’s interesting is that both cats and dogs have appeared to develop their intelligence. They can learn to read each other’s body signals, suggesting that the two may have more in common than we previously suspected. Once familiar with each other’s presence and body language, cats and dogs can play together, greet each other nose to nose, and enjoy sleeping together in the sofa. They can easily share the same water bowl and in some cases groom (梳理) each other.
The significance of this research on cats and dogs may go beyond pets —to people who don’t get along, including neighbors, colleagues at work, and even world superpowers. If cats and dogs can learn to get along, surely people have a good chance.
1. The underlined word swimmingly in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to________.| A．early | B．sweetly |
| C．quickly | D．smoothly |
| A．they are cold to each other |
| B．they look away from each other |
| C．they misunderstand each other’s signals |
| D．they are introduced at an early age |
| A．They eat and sleep together |
| B．They observe each others behaviors |
| C．They learn to speak each other’s language |
| D．They know something from each other’s voice |
| A．We should learn to live in harmony |
| B．We should knows more about animals |
| C．We should live in peace with animals |
| D．We should learn more body languages． |
