1 . A zoo in Memphis, Tennessee, is returning two giant pandas that had been on loan from China for 20 years, prompting celebrations by animal advocates who said the health of the animals had worsened due to neglect.

The announcement on Wednesday came after months of criticism by In Defense of Animals and other advocacy groups that have accused the zoo of providing inadequate care to the pandas, Ya Ya and Le Le. Critics called on the zoo to provide them with better food, more uncaged time and ultimately a transfer to a panda refuge.

IDA posted a video on Twitter in February that showed the pandas pacing in circles around their enclosure as proof they were suffering from “physical, mental, and emotional deprivation.” It received thousands of likes and was retweeted by singer Billie Eilish.

A spokesperson for the zoo said the decision to return the pandas to China had nothing to do with pressure from animal advocates. China requires foreign zoos that host pandas on loan to allow older animals to spend their final days on Chinese soil. At 24 and 22, respectively, Le Le and Ya Ya have exceeded the giant panda life expectancy in the wild by almost 10 years, according to the spokesperson.

Giant pandas, whose black and white faces have made them beloved around the world, are considered a vulnerable species, with much of their mountainous natural habitat in southwest China under threat from deforestation.

According to the World Wildlife Fund, about 1,800 pandas are left in the wild and another 500 in zoos around the world. With the return of Ya Ya and Le Le to China, U.S. zoos will have a total of 10 giant pandas.

1. What is the purpose of the video posted by IDA?

A．To reveal the unknown habits of the pandas.

B．To demand the release of the ill-treated pandas.

C．To attract public attention and receive more likes

D．To appeal for improvement in the care of the pandas

2. Why did the zoo decide to return the pandas?

A．The pandas have reached a ripe old age.	B．The zoo was in financial difficulties.
C．Visitors have lost interest in the pandas.	D．Animal advocates put pressure on the zoo.

3. What is the current status of giant pandas in the wild?

A．They have short life expectancy.	B．They are critically endangered.
C．They are losing their natural habitat.	D．Their population is dramatically increasing.

4. Which can be a suitable title for the text?

A．IDA Calling for Release of Abused Pandas	B．Memphis Pandas to Be Returned to China
C．Ya Ya and Le Le Dying for a Home	D．A Video of Pandas Drawing Criticism

2 . Kids everywhere love to play. And they know a ball is a perfect thing to play with. Now scientists at London’s Queen Mary University report that bumblebees seem to know the same thing, making bumblebees the first insects known to play.

When people talk about “play”, they’re describing an animal doing something that doesn’t really seem to help it. They’re not doing the action to get food or shelter or another similar “reward”. Play usually happens when a creature is relaxed and is often repeated.

However, scientists think many animals and birds’ playing is a kind of training for things they’ll have to deal with in later life. But before this, there were no reports of insects playing.

Scientists at Dr. Chittka’s lab, carried out an experiment. First, they tagged (贴标签) 45 young bumblebees, both male and female, between 1 and 23 days old. The tags made the bees easier to identify and follow.

The scientists set up a clear pathway from the bumblebees’ nest to a feeding area. On either side of the open pathway, the researchers placed small colored wooden balls. On one side of the path, the balls were attached and couldn’t move. On the other side, the balls could roll around. It turned out that the bumblebees weren’t interested in the unmovable balls, but they made lots of visits to the rolling balls.

Grabbing the balls with their legs, the bees would flap (拍打) their wings to pull on the balls, causing them to roll. The 45 tagged bumblebees rolled balls 910 times during the experiment. Though some only did it once, others did it a lot. The younger bumblebees spent more time rolling balls. Males seemed more likely to play than females.

“It’s not clear why the bees roll the balls or whether they enjoy it But the experiment raises important questions about how the insects’ minds work and whether they have feelings. With further research, the future will hold surprises and answers in store for us,” said Dr. Chittka.

1. What is the purpose of animals’ play according to scientists?

A．To find ideal shelter.

B．To receive extra rewards.

C．To develop survival skills.

D．To get their fellows’ attention.

2. What did Dr. Chittka’s experiment focus on?

A．Bumblebees’ categories.	B．Bumblebees’ habitats.
C．Bumblebees’ intelligence.	D．Bumblebees’ behavior.

3. What was the result of the experiment?

A．Younger male bumblebees preferred to roll the balls.

B．Bumblebees possessed different wing beat frequency.

C．Bumblebees could distinguish balls of different colors.

D．A specially-built pathway helped bumblebees find food.

4. What is Dr. Chittka’s attitude to their future research?

A．Uncertain.

B．Doubtful.

C．Optimistic.

D．Critical.

3 . Growing at high speed and absorbing huge amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide, could seaweeds be the key to fighting climate change? Scientists in Australia think so. In Australia, scientists are taking advantage of the power of seaweeds to absorb CO₂ at a rate that equals to the Amazon rainforest!

Kelp (巨藻) is one of the most common seaweeds. It has many types and grows at great speed. Giant kelp, for example, can grow up to 50 cm per day. Seaweeds use photosynthesis (光合作用) to absorb CO₂, and grow biomass. Seaweeds are thought to absorb nearly 200 million tonnes of our globe’s CO₂ per year.

Pia Winberg, founder of Australia’s first land-based commercial seaweed farm, suggests that growing more seaweeds could be an essential tool in the fight against climate change. “If we used the infrastructure we have in the ocean and created seaweed islands, we would actually remove many climate change issues we have today,” she said.

The Great Southern Reef is an 8,000-km network of reefs in Australia. Golden kelp forms the backbone of the network. With many other species, including giant kelp and bull kelp, growing there, it is a good place for series of relevant projects. The Great Southern Reef project managed by an independent team of seience professionals is working to promote the recognition and management of Australia’s kelp forests. The project estimates that if these kelp forests were cultivated in just 0.001% of the ocean’s surface, the amounts of the CO₂: they absorb could offset (抵消) the carbon emissions of the global aquaculture (水产养殖) industry.

Of seaweeds’ potential, there’s a long chain of wins with this.

1. What is the scientists’ attitude towards growing seaweeds to absorb CO₂?

A．Doubtful.

B．Unclear.

C．Positive.

D．Negative.

2. What can we learn about Giant kelp?

A．It can grow 50 cm per day at most.

B．It is unique to the Great Southern Reef.

C．It is cultivated in commercial seaweed farm.

D．It absorbs nearly 200 million tonnes of CO: every year.

3. Why is the Great Southern Reef suitable for ocean forest project?

A．It is managed by an independent team of science professionals.

B．It has the largest network of reefs in Australia.

C．It is home to many species of seaweeds.

D．It works to protect Australia’s kelp forests.

4. What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．Different species of seaweed absorb CO2 in different ways.

B．Bull kelp forms the backbone of the reefs network in Australia.

C．The Great Southern Reef absorbs as much CO2 as the Amazon rainforest.

D．Seaweed forests could be the key to fighting climate change.

4 . The loss of housing due to floods is an undeniable issue. But now, Japanese housing developer Ichijo Komuten recently unveiled a “flood-resistant house” that can not only remain waterproof during floods, but also float off the ground.

Their new “flood-resistant house” was recently featured on a popular Japanese TV show and it has been getting a lot of attention online ever since. Japan’s TBS TV station recently visited one of Ichijo’s test sites where the company’s new flood-resistant house was being put through a simulated flood. Although it looked just like an ordinary house when the test began, by the time that water started rising around it, viewers could see the structure leave the ground and eventually float a few inches above it.

We’ve all seen floating houses being swept away in severe floods, but Ichijo’s newest invention features a system that prevents just that. The house is connected to a number of thick iron rod(杆)sticking out of the ground with thick cables(缆绳)that ensure it stays in place as the water floods past. When the water recedes, the floating house comes back down in its original position. The “flood-resistant house” also features special vents(通风口))hat close up in the event of flooding, and the plumbing also has special valves that prevent water from getting into the home. Electrical equipment like air conditioning is positioned on the upper half of the building to ensure that water doesn’t reach it.

According to engineers at Ichijo Komuten, most homes flood when water reaches the window level, but because their flood-resistant house can float up to five meters above ground, water is unlikely to reach the windows and everything else is sealed shut.

1. Why does Ichijo Komuten develop the “flood-resistant house”?

A．To make houses waterproof.	B．To get houses off the ground.
C．To keep houses forever floating.	D．To secure houses against floods.

2. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Houses throughout the world are in danger of being flooded.

B．Electrical equipment will be safe in Ichijo Komuten’s flood-resistant house.

C．Thick iron rods and cables were invented by Ichijo Komuten.

D．Ichijo Komuten’s flood-resistant houses have been put into market successfully.

3. What is the attitude of Ichijo Komuten’s engineers toward their newest invention?

A．Positive.

B．Doubtful.

C．Unclear.

D．Critical.

4. What’s the main purpose of the passage?

A．To assess the consequences of floods

B．To stress the necessity of a waterproof house.

C．To provide guidance on flood control.

D．To introduce a new invention and its functions.

5 . While facial recognition technology continues to promote many aspects of human life, it's now being applied to aid the protection of giant pandas, Xinhua News Agency reported on 6 January 2022.

A nature reserve has built an AI-enabled video monitoring system to better protect giant pandas. Installed with 300 infrared (红外线) cameras, the monitoring system helps ensure the health and safety of 110 wild giant pandas there. It was put into operation two years ago, and has captured numerous photos and videos of pandas engaged in activities such as eating, resting and fighting for mates. It provides scientific data to help us grasp pandas’ living conditions and establish conservation strategies. More importantly, it achieves real-time monitoring of the reserve so that we can discern the threats to the wildlife as early as possible.

A recent study found the facial recognition system can automatically recognize various wild animals caught in infrared cameras, allowing researchers to collect data on giant pandas while staying indoors. It's shown that by equipping the AI-aided system to retain the filed photos of giant pandas, we obtain a 98% success rate for species recognition. Its success rate of recognizing other wild animals can top 80%. In 2021 alone, this monitoring system captured 2, 896 photos of giant pandas and other rare animals and filmed 3,218 seconds of footage, showcasing the reserve's sound ecological environment as well as a gradual rise in panda population there.

Head of the reserve's administration, Liu Xingming, said researchers used the system not only to observe the dynamics and health of the giant panda population but also to learn about changes in the natural surroundings of their habitat. “The monitoring system has enabled systematic, scientific, and intelligent conservation of wildlife,” he added. “However, it is expected to be further improved and optimized in the near future.”

1. What does the underlined word “discern” mean in paragraph 2?

A．Solve.

B．Pose.

C．Attach.

D．Detect.

2. What can be inferred about the new technology from the study?

A．It precisely recognizes any species.	B．It makes panda population rise rapidly.
C．It contributes to species data collection.	D．It understands pandas' facial appearance.

3. What is Liu Xingming's attitude to the facial recognition monitoring system?

A．Critical.	B．Objective.
C．Ambiguous.	D．Conservative.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Panda Facial Recognition Using Database

B．Functions of Facial Recognition Technology

C．AI Technology for Better Panda Protection

D．A Breakthrough in Video Monitoring System

6 . Blue whales are the largest creatures to live on Earth after the dinosaurs. These amazing creatures are not only the largest whale species but also the largest mammal (哺乳动物) species to have ever existed on Earth.

The average length of a blue whale is 23—27 meters and its weight is from 100 to 150 tons. In spite of their large size, blue whales can swim at a fast speed of 25 to 30 miles per hour. The blue whales are not really blue in color but are actually gray. Blue whales feed on krill (磷虾). They take in a lot of water. They have a very unique way of communicating with each other by sending low frequency sound waves, which is even higher than the sound produced by a plane.

Before the whale hunting time started, blue whales could be found in all major oceans. Once, there were more than 200,000 blue whales that swam in the oceans. The Seas of Canada, North Atlantic Ocean and the seas to the south of Madagascar are among the most popular regions where blue whales can be found nowadays. Other major parts are the Antarctic Ocean and the Davis Strait.

Early whaling was limited by simple tools and whaling skills. So the damage to whale populations was not great. But with the development of powerful guns and steam-powered boats, whaling advanced. More whales were hunted at a rapid rate. In 1931 alone, 29,649 whales were killed. Humans competed to hunt the big animals. Besides, the number of blue whales is low due to more man’s deep-sea activities.

Fortunately, officials are doing something great about the blue whales. The International Whaling Commission has taken steps to protect these wonderful creatures. Committees of experts have been formed to work against whaling.

1. How do blue whales communicate?

A．By swimming fast.

B．By delivering food.

C．By touching each other.

D．By sending sound signals.

2. What is the third paragraph mainly about?

A．The habits that blue whales develop.	B．The ways that blue whales are hunted.
C．The places where blue whales can be found.	D．The reasons why blue whales are endangered.

3. What caused the number of blue whales to drop quickly according to the text?

A．Ocean water was polluted.	B．Hunting tools were improved.
C．The blue whales suffered from illnesses.	D．The blue whales fought against each other.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards the officials’ work?

A．Positive.

B．Worried.

C．Unclear.

D．Confused.

7 . “Best space tacos(玉米卷饼) yet,” American astronaut Megan McArthur wrote on social media Twitter on Oct 30, with a photo of her smiling from ear to ear. The taco feast celebrated the first time peppers were successfully grown on the International Space Station.

Life as an astronaut is exciting, but that doesn’t include food. Astronauts have endured packaged food for decades. “If you store packaged food for a long duration, the quality, flavor and nutritional quality decrease, the vitamins degrade,” Gioia Massa of NASA Kennedy Space Center in the US told The Guardian. Growing food in space could be crucial for astronauts on long-duration missions.

“Growing colorful vegetables in space can have long-term benefits for physical and psychological health,” said Mat Romeyn, project scientist at NASA, in a statement. The benefits of growing vegetables in space are obvious, but how are they grown?

Though astronauts have been growing plants in space for decades , cultivating edible(可食用的) food without the benefits of gravity and natural light has been difficult . A plant growth system called Veggie has been used to grow plants on the space station since 2014, according to The New York Times.

The Veggie garden is about the size of a piece of luggage and typically holds six plants. Each plant grows in a “pillow” filled with clay and fertilizer. The “pillows” are important for distributing water, nutrients and air in a healthy balance around the roots.

In the absence of gravity, plants use other environmental factors, such as light, to guide growth. LEDs above the plants produce a light suited for the plants’ growth. According to NASA, Veggie typically glows pink, which enables plants to use both blue and red wavelengths more efficiently. Other spectrums(光谱) of light, like greens, yellows or oranges, are less useful for plants.

So far, US astronauts have successfully grown 10 different crops, including lettuce and radish, on the space station since 2015, according to CNN.

1. Which word can best describe the food consumed by astronauts in space?

A．Low-nutrition

B．Tasty-flavor

C．Poor-package

D．High-calorie

2. What makes it difficult to grow plants suitable to eat in space?

A．The shortage of crop varieties

B．The objection of the International Space Station

C．The lack of gravity and natural light

D．The long-duration missions

3. What can be learned about The Veggie Garden?

A．It can hold 10 different crops for a piece of garden.

B．It has been used to grow plants on the space station for nearly six years.

C．The “pillows” can provide plants with balanced water, nutrients and air.

D．Blue, red and orange lights are important for the growth of plants.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Life of American Astronauts on the Space Station

B．Success of Planting in Space

C．Benefits of Growing Vegetables in Space

D．Varieties of crops on the Space Station

8 . I was worried about my black- and-white paint horse, Storm. Two weeks earlier her pasture (牧场) ________, Lightning, died after breaking his leg. Since then, Storm hadn’t been herself. She didn't want to run like she used to. She just stood ________in the pasture.

I________to find Storm a new companion. Money was________so buying a horse wasn’t a choice. I considered________ one. One day I was out buying grain. The store owner________me about an old horse that needed a retirement ________. The horse’s name was Kado, and he ________ in Michigan, which was 30 minutes away.

One spring afternoon I went to Michigan to ________ him. The owner took me to the pasture, where stood Kado. I________him slowly, not knowing how he might ________a stranger. To my________, he came right up to me, putting his nose so close and I could feel his________, the equine (马的) way of saying________.

I visited him every week and our________ grew. It was time to bring Kado to my farm so he and Storm could meet. The horses ________noses and sniffed (嗅) each other briefly. Then Storm took off, running for the first time since Lightning's________. They ran around the whole pasture together. I watched, crying. My girl was________again.

I have no doubt that God brought us all together. I’m________that Kado came into our lives when we needed him most. What________even more is that he needed us, too.

1.

A．owner

B．enemy

C．mate

D．leader

2.

A．hopefully

B．secretly

C．honestly

D．spiritlessly

3.

A．gave up

B．turned down

C．set out

D．settled down

4.

A．enough

B．tight

C．helpful

D．important

5.

A．adopting

B．buying

C．borrowing

D．saving

6.

A．asked

B．warned

C．told

D．charged

7.

A．way

B．chance

C．situation

D．home

8.

A．died

B．appeared

C．lived

D．studied

9.

A．wait

B．meet

C．contact

D．lend

10.

A．approached

B．watched

C．trained

D．punished

11.

A．deal with

B．adapt to

C．depend on

D．react to

12.

A．surprise

B．regret

C．disappointment

D．shame

13.

A．pain

B．breath

C．energy

D．pressure

14.

A．hello

B．no

C．sorry

D．goodbye

15.

A．ability

B．interest

C．confidence

D．friendship

16.

A．felt

B．pushed

C．touched

D．observed

17.

A．injury

B．death

C．growth

D．service

18.

A．stressed

B．strange

C．crazy

D．happy

19.

A．worried

B．thankful

C．serious

D．moved

20.

A．counts

B．challenges

C．desires

D．expects

9 . Grizzly bears have all but disappeared from the continental United States. But there's one place where the bears are making a comeback in and around Yellowstone National Park. By 1975, the grizzly population had dropped below 140. Forty-one years later, that number has increased to about 700.

U.S. officials suggest it's time to remove them from the endangered species list.“The bears are occupying all suitable habitat,” Michael Thabault, of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said.“This tells us the population is fixed.”

Scientists argue that the bears still face many challenges in the wild. The loss of important food sources is one. Trout and elk, both favorite grizzly foods, are dwindling. According to Thabault, the bears are adaptable and will eat whatever foods are available in order to survive.

The biggest worry for scientists is that grizzlies will be hunted once protections are removed. The bears will remain protected within Yellowstone National Park, but nearby states—Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho—plan to allow hunting.

“States want to manage their own wildlife and not have the federal government tell them how to do it,”says Andrea Santarsiere. She' s a lawyer for the Center for Biological Diversity, a group that protects animals. She says the government should recover historic bear habitat before even thinking about delisting.

The decision on delisting grizzlies in the Yellowstone area could be announced by mid-November. States are creating a protection plan in case that they gain control over the bears' management.

Biologist Kerry Gunther, of the National Park Service, believes grizzlies are ready for delisting. But he admits that the bears' lives depend on the strength of each state's plan. “The recovery of this symbol of the wilderness is a success story,” he says. Whether or not that story has a happy ending will depend on what happens next.

1. The numbers mentioned in Paragraph 1 show that________.

A．grizzly bears have returned	B．there will be more national parks
C．governments should save more bears	D．grizzlies have become endangered animals

2. What is the biggest threat to grizzlies according to the scientists?

A．Food shortage.	B．The pollution.
C．Human beings.	D．Their natural enemies.

3. What does Santarsiere say about delisting grizzlies?

A．It is useless.	B．It is unacceptable.
C．It has a bright future.	D．It should be done immediately.

4. What does Gunther agree with?

A．Delisting has a happy ending.

B．States should make plans for parks.

C．Grizzlies need more time to survive in the wild.

D．Sates play an important role in protecting grizzlies.

10 . The herd of elephants moving north after leaving the Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve in Yunnan province has drawn widespread public attention, with tens of millions of people following its movement on TV programs and social media platforms.

But this is not because it’s the first time wild Asian Elephants have wandered away from their habitat and headed northward, but for only this time the herd has traveled more than 400 kilometers as far as Kunming. Photographs, videos and stories of the herd’s movement have sparked widespread discussions even overseas.

However, there is a need to go behind the “cute photos” and the seemingly “fantastic” event and identify the reasons why wild elephants are leaving their habitat, and find ways to establish harmonious human-animal relationship within habitats and the surrounding forests and human settlements. It is important to scientifically mark the limits of the habitats for elephants and other animals in Xishuangbanna and elsewhere in the country for ecological reasons as well.

Planting trees is a key and fundamental step toward restoration of nature. Yet long-term investment and a more scientific approach are needed to maintain the remaining forests as well as to extend the forest cover and strengthen conservation.

Nevertheless, tree cover alone doesn’t mean a suitable habitat for all animals, for different species need different types of vegetation to survive and breed. The elephant herd in Yunnan is a reminder that we have to scientifically conserve the existing forests and turn them into suitable habitats for different species of animals and birds, which will ultimately benefit humans.

More ambitious targets should be set to rebuild or improve the food chain, and measures taken to ensure forest resources help wildlife flourish, in order to establish a harmonious human-animal relationship.

Forests around the globe are still shrinking, particularly those in tropical and developing countries. The next decade therefore will be extremely important for the world’s forests and wildlife, and China can play a leading role in saving them by better protecting its forests and expanding its forest cover.

1. Why has the herd of elephants caused so much public interest?

A．There exist heated discussions in the whole country even overseas.

B．TV programs and social media platforms want to benefit from them.

C．They are the first wild Asian Elephants to leave their natural habitat.

D．The elephants has traveled a long distance and lived in harmony with humans.

2. What can we infer from the third paragraph about the “fantastic” event?

A．More research on the reasons behind the event is required.

B．Scientists need to limit the habitats for elephants and other animals.

C．People should find ways to have a good relationship with elephants.

D．There’s an urgent demand for detailed information about the elephants.

3. Which method is provided in the passage to restore nature?

A．Expanding the coverage of forest.

B．Getting the government’s policy support.

C．Bringing up various ways to protect the forests.

D．Offering more kinds of vegetation to all animals.

4. What does this event of elephants leaving their habitats remind us to do?

A．To set more goals to change the food chain.

B．To be aware of the situation of the existing forests.

C．To realize harmonious coexistence of human and nature.

D．To reduce the destruction of the forests around the globe.