1 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What will the weather be like on Christmas day?

A．Dry.

B．Rainy.

C．Snowy.

2. When will people probably go to shop in the sales?

A．On Christmas Eve.

B．On Christmas Day.

C．On Boxing Day.

3. What does the speaker suggest people do for New Year?

A．Watch the roads when driving.

B．Wear warm clothes when going out.

C．Stay indoors and drink hot chocolate.

4. What is the main topic of the talk?

A．The weather condition during Christmas period.

B．The plan on celebrating the New Year.

C．The arrangement on Boxing Day.

2 . With the fast development of astronomy, astronomers are eager to find a hint of the familiar: planets that resemble Earth. By pushing technology to the limits, astronomers are rapidly approaching the day when they can find another Earth.

The most direct approach is to take a picture of it with a telescope. However, a more effective way is to use “the Doppler technique”. This involves analyzing starlight for evidence that the star’s movement is affected by the gravitational pull of a planet. Nowadays, astronomers can tell when a planet is pulling its star by only one meter a second — about human walking speed. That’s enough to detect a giant planet in a big orbit, or a small planet if it’s close to its star.

Another approach is to watch a star for a slight dip in its brightness. This occurs when an orbiting planet passes in front of the star and blocks part of its light. At most, a tenth of all planetary systems are oriented so that these mini-eclipses (日食，月食) — called transits (凌日) — are visible from Earth. So, astronomers have to monitor a lot of stars to capture just a few transits.

The dream of astronomers is to discover a rocky planet roughly the size of Earth orbiting in a habitable zone, one that is neither too hot nor too cold to support life. If they succeed, they will have found what biologists believe could be a promising residence for life.

The best places to look may be dwarf stars. Smaller than the sun, dwarf stars are plentiful; seven of the ten stars nearest to Earth are dwarf stars. They also provide a steady supply of sunlight to any life-bearing planets within their habitable zone. Additionally, dwarf stars are dim, so the habitable zone lies closer in. If the planet is closer to the star, it’s easier for astronomers to detect a transit observation. A close-in planet also has a stronger pull on its star. That makes it easier to detect with the Doppler method.

1. According to paragraph two, astronomers analyze starlight with the aim of finding ________.

A．where we can detect a giant orbit

B．why a small planet is close to its stars

C．whether the motion of the stars is changed

D．how strong the power of the gravitational pull is

2. Why do astronomers have to monitor a lot of stars to capture transits?

A．Transits last a very short period of time.

B．Most planetary systems don’t have transits.

C．Transits only occur for a small number of stars.

D．No more than 10% planetary systems have visible transits from Earth.

3. Dwarf stars may be good places to spot Earth-like planets because ______.

A．dwarf stars are limited in number

B．their planets are close to the Earth

C．the closeness of the habitable zone to dwarf stars aids detection

D．the brightness of dwarf stars to Earth improves their visibility

4. What is the author’s attitude to the discovery of Earth-like planets?

A．Confident.

B．Suspicious.

C．Ambiguous.

D．Unconcerned.

3 . The largest living land animal in Asia, Asian elephants once roamed grasslands and rainforests across the continent. Prior to the 1700s, habitats for the now-endangered animals were relatively stable (稳定的). But a new study shows that more than 64% of historic suitable elephant habitat across Asia has been lost.

Researchers found there was a rapid growth in habitat loss of Asian elephants from the year 1700, which is related to the expansion of European colonization (殖民化) of the region. During that time, logging, road-building, resource extraction and deforestation (森林砍伐) increased, and farming need more land that might otherwise have been home to wildlife. The industrial revolution in the middle of the last century also drove greater habitat loss.

Habitat loss means elephants are migrating (迁徙) from their usual living area, creating challenges for human communities that have little experience with elephants. In 2021, millions of people were frightened by a herd of elephants that migrated out of a protected area in China’s southwest Yunnan Province and walked more than 500 kilometers, destroying crops, wandering through towns and causing more than a million dollars’ worth of damage.

With the elephants not having enough habitat, there is increased potential for human-elephant conflict (冲突) — a situation that shouldn’t be accepted as unavoidable and one that can be avoided with proper planning. “We are going to reach a tipping point in which cultures of no conflict toward one another get replaced by cultures of antagonism ( 敌 对) and violence — by both species. We have to relieve this situation,” said Shermin de Silva, a UCSD faculty member who led the research team.

If the elephants can’t find suitable habitats, they will become endangered and near extinction (灭绝), which has an effect on the whole ecosystem. This is because elephants help spread seeds and vegetation cover (植被). Their habitats also include several other species of animals and plants. In the wake of satisfying their need for large spaces, and enough water and food, plenty of other species can survive. When we protect the elephant, we also protect thousands of other species.

1. What do we learn about the migrating elephants?

A．They lost their way home.

B．They enjoyed feeding on crops.

C．They caused many troubles for the locals.

D．They were heading southwest in search of water.

2. What does the underlined word “relieve” in paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Lessen.

B．Adopt.

C．Bear.

D．Plan.

3. What does the author intend to do in the last paragraph?

A．To explain the significance of species diversity.

B．To stress the necessity of protecting elephants.

C．To provide suggestions on restoring elephant habitats.

D．To show the impact of the elephant population on the ecosystem.

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

A．The Past of Asian Elephants

B．Causes of Habitat Loss of Asian Elephants

C．Reasons for Protecting Elephants

D．The Survival Crisis of Asian Elephants

4 . El Nino is a weather pattern that brings hotter temperatures and less rainfall than usual. It is caused by warmer surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean leading to a change in wind movements. Warmer ocean temperatures lead to more rainfall over that part of the ocean and less rain over Northern Australia.

An El Nino weather pattern has been declared in Australia for the first time in seven years and experts say people should get ready for extreme heat. The Bureau of Meteorology（欧洲气象局） said the country would sweat through hot and dry weather for the rest of 2023 thanks to El Nino and another weather pattern called a positive Indian Ocean Dipole, or IOD, which relates to ocean temperatures.

Both weather patterns have already brought hotter and drier weather to southern and eastern Australia while making heatwaves, droughts, bushfires and having effects on coral reefs much more likely.

Australia’s last El Nino was in the summer of 2015 before cooler, wetter La Nina weather took over. The Bureau said it was very likely El Nino would last the whole Australian summer.

“When a positive IOD and El Nino occur together, their drying effect is typically stronger and more widespread across Australia,” the Bureau warned.

The news comes after an unusually long period of warm spring weather, with some places recording temperatures 15°C higher than the average. A disastrous fire warning was announced for the NSW south coast on Tuesday as firefighters battled against the fire in the Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales.

Senior Leeturer in Climate Science at the University of Melbourne Dr Andrew King said the recent hot weather “is a warning of the kind of extremes we’re likely to see more of over the next few months”.

1. What information can we get from Paragraph 1?

A．Something about El Nino.	B．Ways to avoid El Nino.
C．Reasons of global warming.	D．Areas tending to have El Nino.

2. From Paragraph 2 we can learn that El Nino ____________.

A．happens every 7 years	B．occurs only in Australia
C．causes extreme weather	D．is often accompanied by IOD

3. What is one of the predictions of the Bureau of Meteorology?

A．Southern Australia will suffer the most.	B．More places of Australia will be affected.
C．This El Nino will last for the whole year.	D．It will become wetter and cooler next year.

4. What does Dr Andrew King mean in the last paragraph?

A．Things could be worse.	B．People have got prepared.
C．Extreme weather will pass.	D．El Nino will become weak.

5 . “An aquaponics (鱼菜共生) system grows both fish and plants that can be harvested sustainably (可持续地),” said David Landkamer, an aquaculture specialist. “It’s an elegant system.”

Here’s how it works: Fish are typically raised in indoor tanks or outdoor ponds, where they produce waste. The water with the waste from the tank flows to a planting tray where plants grow in the water without soil. The waste is poisonous to the fish but is a rich fertilizer for the plants. As the plants absorb the nutrients, the water is purified for the fish. The clean water can then be recycled to the fish tank. Most importantly, because you can’t use chemicals or fertilizers that would harm the fish, it’s a natural organic production system.

“You can grow just about any kind of plant,” Landkamer said. Any leafy greens such as lettuce, kale, Swiss chard and arugula are the easiest to plant. You can also grow herbs, cucumbers, snow peas, eggplants, tomatoes, cabbages, cauliflower, peppers, beans, red onions and even potatoes.

“Aquaponics, which began in ancient China and Mexico, is gaining popularity around the world as a means of local food production,” Landkamer said. He regularly fields questions from people who want to start small-scale, backyard aquaponics operations or even commercial-scale aquaponics farms. “It is possible for hobbyists to start out with aquaponics kits available online and at stores,” Landkamer said.

Depending on which species of fish you choose, you may need to add a heater of some kind to keep the water temperatures just right for the fish and plants. “Aquaponics farmers often use inexpensive heat supplies such as solar greenhouses or hot compost (堆肥),” he said.

“These systems require monitoring to make sure everything is in balance and running smoothly,” Landkamer said. “You have to pay attention and see how well the fish are feeding, how well the plants are growing and see whether the water is circulating properly.”

1. What is David Landkamer’s attitude toward aquaponics?

A．Unclear.

B．Cautious.

C．Doubtful.

D．Appreciative.

2. What is the main advantage of this aquaponics system?

A．It can be set indoors.	B．It produces green food.
C．It does no harm to the fish.	D．It needs no soil to grow plants.

3. What does the underlined word “fields” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Looks up.

B．Keeps off.

C．Deals with.

D．Goes beyond.

4. What can we know about this system from the last paragraph?

A．It runs automatically.	B．It consumes no energy.
C．Every part of it must work properly.	D．Its temperature should be high enough.

6 . As days are getting shorter and colder, people can often find themselves feeling sad or lacking the motivation to do anything. One possible reason for those feelings is seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which is common during the cold months.     1     If your dog loses interest in its favourite games or walks, they may be experiencing it. Here’s how to give your dog’s mood a boost.

Pay close attention to your dog’s behaviour.

Analyzing your dog’s behaviour will help you get a better understanding of whether they may be feeling sad.     2     Knowing what to expect throughout the day and feeling comfortable in their surroundings is very important for a dog.

    3    

Even when you’re inside, make sure to spend time playing or training your dog. Try to come up with new games that require you to interact with your dog. This is a great way to get your pet excited and boost their mood, and yours, too.

Provide them with as much sunlight as possible.

As with humans, the lack of sunlight during the winter can cause lower mood levels, so it is very important for your dog to get as much sunlight exposure as possible.     4     You can also try other strategies such as moving their bed closer to a window, or even use more artificial lighting.

Ensure your dogs get exercise during the day.

The winter months are colder and darker, and it might be inviting to skip an exercise or a walk outside, but much like humans, this can have a significant effect on your dog’s mood.     5    

A．Spend time interacting with your dog.

B．Calm your dog down with relaxing activities.

C．Whenever possible, take your dog outside for a walk.

D．Observe their behaviour for a while and speak to a vet if needed.

E．While we know people can suffer from SAD, can dogs get SAD too?

F．Changes in routine or environment can cause your dog to feel unwell.

G．Even a short walk can help improve your dog’s mood and also your own.

7 . For the first time, astronomers have caught a star in the act of eating a planet. The star known as ZTF SLRN-2020, exists approximately 12,000 light years away in our galaxy.

“For decades, we’ve been able to see the before and after,” says study leader Kishalay De. “Before, when the planets are still orbiting very close to their star, and after, when a planet has already been swallowed up, and the star is giant. What we were missing was catching the star in the act, where you have a planet going through this fate in real time. That’s what makes this discovery really exciting.”

In 2020, De was studying data, hoping to find evidence of two stars combining with each other. This usually results in bursts of light thousands of times brighter than the stars themselves. But one shining star De discovered was much dimmer (黯淡的), only 100 times brighter. Also, the crash of two stars usually produces hot gas. However, this one was surrounded by dust molecules (分子). De wondered if he had detected a star swallowing a planet.

He and his team spent the next two years examining similar data. NASA provided the final piece of evidence they needed. The images allowed them to confirm that the molecules were traces of a star eating its planet. The scientists said that as the planet was being swallowed, it displaced hot gas from the star. The gas then cooled and created dust. Pieces of the planet also blew away from the star, producing more dust.

Some scientists believe Earth will also be consumed by the Sun in about five billion years. But Mansi Kasliwal, a professor, says humans will not be around then. The increasing heat from the expanding Sun will evaporate (使蒸发) all the water from Earth long before it gets close enough to swallow it, making it uninhabitable. Smadar Naoz, an astronomer, agrees that the Earth’s water sources will dry up. “Whether or not the Sun will swallow the Earth is quite controversial,” she says. “But it wouldn’t matter because it will no longer be our beautiful Earth with an atmosphere and oceans.”

1. What fate does De think the planet is undergoing?

A．It is being swallowed.	B．It is being abandoned.
C．It is becoming larger.	D．It is growing older.

2. What is the evidence of a star eating its planet?

A．Hot gas.	B．Dust molecules.
C．Pieces of a planet.	D．Bursts of brighter light.

3. What do Mansi Kasliwal and Smadar Naoz agree with each other?

A．The Earth will be eaten by the Sun.	B．Humans will move to another planet.
C．The water on Earth will disappear.	D．The Earth will become more beautiful.

4. What might be the best title for the text?

A．Scientists Make an Unusual Discovery

B．Stars and Planets Are Born and Die

C．The Earth Will Not Be Eaten by the Sun

D．Astronomers Detect a Star Swallowing a Planet

8 . Diving made my world bigger.     1     It took me three years and three tries to get certified, but I’m glad I persisted.

Learning to dive is a lot like learning to drive a car: You study the theory, practice with an instructor, and become qualified. From there, proficiency (熟练) depends on how often you dive, further training, and your own self-reliance. Regardless of your goals, diving is more accessible and wondrous than I ever imagined.     2    

But not everyone wants to or can dive, and that’s fair enough. Whether you’re a snorkeler (潜水员), surfer, or sailor or you simply enjoy dipping your toes into the sea while on holiday, you can still be aware of the life unfolding under that glittering blue cover and help protect it.

    3     Experts urge that at least 30 percent be protected to safeguard marine ecosystems, which in turn will help protect our health and well-being. The ocean supplies more than half our oxygen, absorbs carbon dioxide, regulates our climate, and supports much of the world’s economy. We need it a lot more than it needs us.

Take Florida, for example, it’s bordered by North America’s only living coral barrier reef (礁石) and the third largest in the world.     4     It is also essential to its economy, generating an estimated $1.1 billion annually in tourism. The reef protects the coastline, too, since healthy coral reefs absorb 97 percent of a wave’s energy.

A study has found that 70 percent of Florida’s coral reefs are experiencing a net loss of reef habitat. Exactly facing these concerns is what I mean by seeing the sea — the good, the bad, the important.     5     We can use it to inform our choices, from traveling more carefully, to examining how we run our businesses. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something. The ocean is a remarkable teacher, and it’s never too late to start learning.

A．Knowledge is power.

B．I didn’t take to diving immediately.

C．So I’d encourage anyone to give it a try.

D．Adventure sometimes involves pushing limits.

E．Marine life needs a safe ecological environment.

F．The reef is home to more than 500 species of fish.

G．Right now, less than 3 percent of the ocean is considered highly protected.

9 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当内容(一个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式

A full-time staff of fire prevention     1     (professional) are employed by the University of Adelaide. They inspect all campus buildings and test all the fire units     2     (make) sure they are in good condition. They also teach the students how to maintain and use the fire units    3     case a fire happens.

There are two kinds of fire alarm systems: manual and automatic. For the     4     (safe) of everyone, these systems shouldn’t     5     (touch) casually. False fire alarms are     6     (legal) and may lead to imprisonment.

Fire drills must be treated     7     (serious) and all students must know how to escape a fire safely and quickly.

Another common device is fire extinguishers,     8     are located on each floor and in each apartment. They must be used correctly     9     else will result in damage to others. Smoke detectors and heat detectors,     10     (fix) on the ceilings, are also familiar to us. Students must watch out for the red light on each of them and inform the hall staff if the red light is out.

10 . 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。

Long ago in Ancient China, there was a mythical figure     1     (know) as Shennong. Not only did Shennong bring agriculture and the use of herbal medicine to China, but he also invented     2     (agriculture) tools and techniques, and the Chinese calendar with its 24 solar terms.

It is said that the home town of Shennong was a forest in Hubei Province, which today is called “Shennongjia”. This beautiful and diverse region covers     3     area of 3,253 square kilometers of north-west Hubei Province. It gives shelter to over 1000 species of medicinal plants, many of     4     are rare and unique to Shennongjia. Here mountain slopes     5     (cover) with trees and some of them grow up to 40 meters tall. In summer, pink and violet flowers lend splashes of color. These are some of     6     (it) most breathtaking landscapes. The magnificent Shennong Peak rises to 3,105 meters above sea level.

Banbiyan is famous for its stone forest, as well as its bamboo forests and grasslands that flood with     7     (flower). The stone forests of Fengjingya stand     8     a background of green mountains that reaches as far as the eye can see. When it rains, the tops of these mountains look like islands     9     (float) on a sea of clouds. Come to Shennongjia     10     (enjoy) its beauty and the legend.