1 . In a Parisian old shoe factory on the city’s outskirts, a new kind of life is taking root. Neoplants, a startup from Paris, has developed a special houseplant that could potentially help improve indoor air quality by removing harmful pollutants.
The plant is a modified variety of one of the most popular and low-maintenance houseplants. Its DNA has been altered to enhance its capacity to absorb volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the air we breathe inside our homes. These VOCs include substances like formaldehyde, benzene. toluene. ethylbenzene, and xylene, which are commonly found indoors and can be harmful in large quantities.
The genetic tweaking also allows the plant to convert the absorbed VOCs into substances it can use. such as sugars and carbon dioxide, which then fuel its growth. While Neoplants’concept is quite promising, proving its effectiveness is a challenge.
Plant shops often claim their greenery can purify the air, but much of this belief stems from research conducted by NASA back in 1989. They found that houseplants could indeed absorb certain toxins. However, achieving the same level of toxin removal as simply opening a window would require an impractical number of plants — anywhere from 10 to 1,000 per square meter.
So, does Neoplants’genetically modified houseplant offer a better solution? Field tests haven’t yielded definitive results yet, but there is hope for more conclusive testing in the future with the help of a new lab equipped with unique non-absorbent rooms that mimic real-life conditions . Additionally, the company is exploring potential applications for its gene-editing technology in areas such as carbon capture and phytoremediation, where plants are used to clean up contaminated environments
Neoplants is relying on patience and a bit of faith. It takes time for innovations to mature. “This will be the first time such a product exists.” says the company’s CEO. drawing a parallel to the early days of computers, which were not very powerful initially but still represented a significant breakthrough.
With Neoplants’ vision, the old shoe factory on the edge of Paris isn’t just a place where shoes were made; it’s where a novel approach to cleaning our indoor air is being cultivated — one that could someday make our homes healthier and more environmentally friendly.
1. What does Neoplants’genetically modified houseplant aim to do?| A．maintain its capacity easily | B．absorb VOC’s massively |
| C．alter its DNA completely | D．fuel its growth quickly |
| A．The absorbed VOCs can enhance the growth of the plant. |
| B．Opening a window can remove the same level of toxins as the Neoplants. |
| C．Neoplants will need powerful computers to make a significant breakthrough. |
| D．Conclusive testing needs conducting to achieve definite results. |
| A．The process of using plants to absorb nutrients. | B．The process of using plants to purify the air. |
| C．The process of using plants to explore applications. | D．The process of using plants to edit certain genes. |
| A．Science fiction. | B．A scientific textbook. | C．A news article. | D．An art magazine. |
2 . No matter how many times Sandy has rescued an animal, she never gets over the casual cruelty some people display toward unwanted pets. When she lost her own “angel” dog, she started Logan’s Legacy to help other pets in need.
Sandy recently received a phone call about a small dog, possibly a puppy, that had been abandoned on a street. Since she was too far to help on, she called a friend who lives nearby to get there as soon as possible. When her friend Tom arrived, he found a tiny dog curled(蜷缩)in a tight ball with the chain firmly tied to a tree. Someone had left food and water for her, but the puppy was too frightened to eat or drink. Once gathered up in a blanket and placed into the back seat of the car, she began to get weak quickly from dehydration(脱水)and exhaustion.
The moment she got some water and food, the puppy made a rapid recovery, and her lovely and sweet personality could finally shine! “We have named her CiCi,” Sandy added, “She is feeling so much better. She has been observed at my place and she is doing great. This sweet baby girl will never feel fearful again, and won’t ever be abandoned again.” After winning hearts at Sandy’s office, CiCi has been approved for adopting and will soon leave for her new life. Sandy and her fellow rescuers are trying their best to find her the perfect family to love her and treat her with the respect all living creatures deserve!
1. What did Sandy feel it hard to overcome?| A．The casual humanity. | B．The cruelty of humanity. |
| C．The kind human nature. | D．The weakness of kindness. |
| A．She suffered a serious illness. |
| B．She had nothing to eat or drink. |
| C．She got lost far away from home. |
| D．She was scared and in poor health. |
| A．She will stop taking medicine. |
| B．She will continue further treatment. |
| C．She will have a perfect match for home. |
| D．She will get on well with Sandy forever. |
| A．A Warm Home for CiCi |
| B．Dog Saved Heart Fulfilled |
| C．A Terrible Experience of CiCi |
| D．Saving Dogs Saving Themselves |
3 . My family always had some sort of animal around, but none of them were truly mine. My parents didn’t permit me to
Every Friday I would clean out his bowl. I found myself
One day, I came home from school and headed to my room to
My mom walked into my room. I turned around as tears started to well in my eyes. “Mommy, George d…d…died.” With that
Suddenly, I realized that George hadn’t just
| A．draw | B．imagine | C．have | D．share |
| A．doubtful | B．excited | C．surprised | D．afraid |
| A．toy | B．mind | C．time | D．pet |
| A．take care of | B．make use of | C．get hold of | D．look forward to |
| A．reading out | B．putting away | C．turning down | D．showing off |
| A．replaced | B．recognized | C．affected | D．needed |
| A．feed | B．save | C．impress | D．find |
| A．basic | B．terrible | C．funny | D．familiar |
| A．dropped | B．emptied | C．hid | D．checked |
| A．common | B．last | C．extra | D．new |
| A．left | B．reminded | C．defeated | D．chosen |
| A．preference | B．independence | C．difficulty | D．responsibility |
| A．safe | B．good | C．sorry | D．tired |
| A．agreement | B．treatment | C．disappointment | D．achievement |
| A．Otherwise | B．Besides | C．However | D．Therefore |
1. What does the man plan to do for a few days?
| A．Help the woman walk a dog. | B．Visit the woman. | C．Go on a business trip. |
| A．At around 6:00 a.m. | B．At around 8:00 a.m. | C．At around 8:00 p.m. |
| A．Go for a walk. | B．Make dinner. | C．Play with her friends. |
5 . The earth is struck daily by 60 tons of rocks from outer space. However, finding these ancient rocks is no easy task. Most meteorites (陨石) fall directly into water. And those that hit land can be difficult to spot among other rocks.
Fortunately for researchers there is one place on Earth where meteorites find it difficult to hide: Antarctica. “There are probably fewer meteorites falling per acre of land in Antarctica than in other parts of the world,” said Ralph Harvey, a professor at Case Western Reserve University. “But if you want to find things that fell from the sky, lay out a big white sheet. And Antarctica is a 5,000-kilometer-wide sheet.”
Finding meteorites in Antarctica is so relatively “easy” compared to the rest of the world that an estimated two-thirds (around 45,000) of those ever discovered have come from the icy continent. The challenge, however, comes not only from the terrible conditions, but also from knowing where to look to make any expedition worthwhile.
In an effort to greatly improve the collection rate of Antarctic meteorites, a Belgian—Dutch team of scientists has unveiled (展示) what they’re calling a “treasure map” for the region. “We expect the treasure map to be 80% accurate,” said Veronica Tollenaar, who led the study.
After landing in the snow in Antarctica, a meteorite will either be directed into the ocean or brought back to the surface of what’s known as a “blue ice” area. As meteorites come out in these special “blue ice” areas, their color contrasts (对比) against the deep blue ice, making them easy to spot. The treasure map marks more than 600 special “blue ice” areas. They estimate that these sites may contain anywhere from 340,000 to 900,000 surface meteorites.
The researchers add that these locations also likely contain rare meteorites, such as angrites, brachinites or even Martian meteorites.
“Collecting these ancient rocks will further improve the understanding of our Solar System,” they write.
1. What makes it relatively easy to spot meteorites on Antarctica?| A．Few people visit the Antarctica. |
| B．Antarctica is covered with snow. |
| C．More meteorites fall in Antarctica. |
| D．Meteorites stay still in Antarctica. |
| A．Antarctic is too far to arrive. |
| B．Meteorites’ location is hard to track. |
| C．The expedition to Antarctic is too expensive. |
| D．The snow in Antarctic covers most of the meteorites. |
| A．More and more meteorites found in Antarctica |
| B．Challenges of spotting meteorites in Antarctica |
| C．Improving our understanding of the Solar System |
| D．Treasure map helping spot meteorites in Antarctica |
| A．Science. | B．Business. | C．Environment. | D．Education. |
1. Where are the two speakers?
| A．On the street. | B．In a park. | C．At a square. |
| A．Golden retriever. | B．Chihuahua. | C．Samoyed. |
| A．He’s cute. | B．He’s shy. | C．He’s dangerous. |
| A．A large-sized dog. | B．A brave dog. | C．A smart dog. |
1. What does the man ask the woman to do?
| A．Bring him a snack. | B．Walk the dog. | C．Stay quiet. |
| A．The dog is sleeping on his legs. |
| B．He has injured himself. |
| C．He is very tired. |
| A．5km. | B．10km. | C．15km. |
8 . South Baltimore is surrounded by water, highways, and train tracks. It’s also often thought of as a place to avoid—folks are taught to be careful of or even avoid South Baltimore. “People think South Baltimore is a place filled with danger. It’s not. It’s just we’re surrounded by dangerous things,” says Taysia, 17.
Taysia is part of a group of student activists fighting against a very different kind of danger in their neighborhood: air pollution and climate change. Lots of trucks with their noise pass through the neighborhood. South Baltimore is also home to a junkyard where they crush (压碎)cars, an old landfill, chemical plants, and mountains of coal. These are not the communities anyone wants.
The residents of South Baltimore are breathing polluted air today. Coal releases a black dust that’s small enough to get into people’s lungs. It can cause disease and death if you’re breathing it day after day. The mountains of coal are the focus of a growing opposition movement called Free Your Voice, led by South Baltimore teenagers.
The teens of Free Your Voice are taking on a big opponent (对手): the massive transportation company CSX, which transports more than 8 million tons of coal through South Baltimore annually. CSX makes billions of dollars a year.
The teens went door to door, warning their neighbors about the dangers of the coal transportation. Not everyone was on board at first. “We were talking to people and that’s just like, ‘You’re a kid! Like this is not gonna change, it’s been happening forever.’” Taysia says.
Meanwhile, the students spent the summer using sticky paper to gather samples of dust from all over the neighborhood to prove that the dust was from coal and to pinpoint which parts of the neighborhood were most affected.
The goal is to eventually get the state regulators to deny the permit that CSX needs to operate, or at least require the company to enclose all the coal, or at the very least put water onto all of it so there’s less dust blowing around. And the state is considering all of those requests.
1. How did people describe South Baltimore according to Taysia?| A．Wealthy. | B．Dangerous. | C．Peaceful. | D．Inclusive. |
| A．The junkyard. | B．The old landfill. |
| C．The chemical plants. | D．The coal transportation. |
| A．They believed the pollution was harmless. |
| B．They trusted CSX’s environmental practices. |
| C．They had no awareness of the pollution and climate change. |
| D．They thought the students were too young to make a change. |
| A．Conducting surveys. | B．Distributing leaflets. |
| C．Using sticky paper for dust samples. | D．Organizing protests. |
Stretching along the west coast of North America from northern California to Alaska, the forests found along the Pacific Coast Range are the largest area of temperate (温带的) rainforest in the world. The forests are home to the coast redwood, the world’s tallest tree. Across the region, the forest understory (林下叶层) is wet and heavily vegetated.
Taiheiyo Evergreen Forests
Found in southern Japan, they are temperate rainforests of evergreen broadleaf trees. The forests can receive more than 100 inches of rain every year. The forests are covered by Japanese cedar and Japanese stone oak, while moso bamboo comprise the understory. The extent of the Taiheiyo forests has been reduced due to development and agriculture. Today,17%of the remaining forest is protected by national parks and other reserves.
Atlantic Oakwood Forest
The Atlantic Oakwood Forest covers the wettest parts of the United Kingdom. A species of oak tree (橡树) called sessile oak occupies the landscape. Unlike other temperate forests, these forests tend to have an open understory of grasses. Much of the historical range of the forest has given to agriculture and other development, though that has changed in recent decades.
Valdivian Temperate Rainforest
This forest is found on the west coast of Chile and Argentina, on the wet, western slopes (斜坡) of the Andes mountain range. With the coastline to the west, the peaks of the Andes to the east, and the Atacama Desert to the north, the region supports a number of plant and animal species found nowhere else in the world. Uniquely, the forest is covered by evergreen flowering trees, which are native to Chile and little known outside the region.
1. Which of the four forest areas occupies the most land?| A．Pacific Coast Range. | B．Taiheiyo Evergreen Forests. |
| C．Atlantic Oakwood Forest. | D．Valdivian Temperate Rainforest. |
| A．They have open understory grasses. | B．They’re home to extremely tall trees. |
| C．They’re of great historical significance. | D．They used to be affected by agriculture. |
| A．Wet climate. | B．Coastal location. |
| C．Evergreen flowering trees. | D．Well-protected national parks. |
10 . Relatives of starfish, brittle stars (海蛇尾) spend most of their time hiding under rocks in the ocean or digging in the sand. These shy marine creatures have no brain to speak of—just nerve cords running down each of their five wiggly arms, which join to form a nerve ring near their mouth.
“There’s no processing center. Each of the nerve cords can act independently. Instead of a boss, it’s like a committee. That seems to be enough to learn by association,” said lead author Julia Notar. This type of leaning involves associating different stimuli via a process called classical conditioning (条件反射).
Classical conditioning has been demonstrated in a handful of previous studies in starfish. But brittle stars and similarly brainless starfish have not been tested.
To find out if brittle stars have the ability of learning, the researchers put 16 black brittle stars in individual water tanks and used a video camera to record their behavior. Half the brittle stars were trained by dimming the lights for 30 minutes whenever the animals were fed. Every time the lights went out, the researchers would put a bit of shrimp in the tanks, placed just out of reach. The other half got just as much shrimp and also experienced a 30-minute dark period, but never at the same time—the animals were fed under lit conditions.
Whether it was light or dark, the animals spent most of their time hiding behind the filters in their tanks, only coming out at mealtime. But only the trained brittle stars learned to associate darkness with food. They didn’t need to smell or taste the shrimp to react.
Notar said the results are exciting because classical conditioning hasn’t really been shown definitively in this group of animals before. “Knowing that brittle stars can learn means they’re not just robotic scavengers (清道夫) cleaning up the ocean floor,” Notar said. “They’re potentially able to expect and avoid predators (捕食者) or expect food because they’re learning about their environment.”
1. What is paragraph 1 about?| A．The living habits of brittle stars. | B．The features of a brainless creature. |
| C．The characteristics of the starfish. | D．The definition of classical conditioning. |
| A．The hiding time in tanks. | B．The change of feeding location. |
| C．The amount of the shrimp. | D．Light conditions at mealtime. |
| A．Brittle stars can be trained to make a connection. |
| B．Brittle stars can clean up the ocean floor. |
| C．Brittle stars’ nerve cords can act independently. |
| D．Brittle stars have a sharp sense of smell. |
| A．Brainless brittle stars can act like robots. |
| B．Brittle stars might keep away from catchers. |
| C．Brittle stars are the only ocean floor cleaners. |
| D．Brittle stars are adaptable to new environment. |
