1 . Tiny sensors inspired by dandelion (蒲公英) seeds could be spread to the winds to help track of climate change and global warming.

As the climate crisis continues to strengthen, tracking changes in temperature and other environmental signals across a wide area is useful. But doing effectively requires distributing sensors throughout the environment, which can be time-consuming.

“We wondered whether it’s possible to build a system that can spread sensors in the wind, rather than having a person go out and place sensors alone, which can be dangerous in hard-to-reach places,” says Vikram Iyer at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Iyer and his colleagues used a laser-powered tool to make devices. Each one weighs 30 milligrams with a diameter of 28 millimeters, and has a number of small holes through which air can float in the air like dandelion seeds.

The devices carry tiny sensors, essentially a microcomputer powered by small solar panels that can send back signals to the researchers, who developed different types that can measure temperature，pressure，light and so on. A small capacitor (电容器) can store energy overnight or in cloudy conditions.

In all, the team tested 75 different designs before finding the right mix of variables. The final design can move through the air at 0.87 metres per second, travelling up to 100 metres in a mild wind when released from a drone (无人机). Real-world tests showed that the sensors can transfer data up to 60 metres.

“The production of the ‘seeds’ is especially interesting, so is the design of the electronic devices,” says Jonathan Aitken at the University of Sheffield, UK. “Both seem to be very strong to the natural environment.”

Aitken is also impressed by the range of the sensors’ communication abilities. “Plus the cheapness of the device, it means that it can be placed in large numbers, and the communication range makes this an excellent choice, especially within agriculture or disaster area monitoring,’’ he says.

1. What can we learn about the sensors like dandelion seeds?

A．They are quite expensive to make.

B．They are efficient in space and time.

C．They can be carried by dandelion seeds.

D．They can change the temperature.

2. What provides the energy for microcomputer on the sensors?

A．The sun.	B．Strong wind.
C．A smalI capacitor.	D．A drone.

3. What can be inferred from paragraph 6?

A．The seed-like sensors can rise up from the ground without any help.

B．The seed-like sensors can only travel in a mild wind.

C．The scientists have tried many other designs before the seed-like sensors.

D．The seed-like sensors travel much slower than its common competitors.

4. What does Aitken think of the sensors?

A．Costly.	B．Risky.
C．Complicated.	D．Promising.

2 . At least three people were possibly dead after a powerful earthquake. Others were injured from falling structures and homes, rural roads and_________highways. Experts said it could take some time to_________the full extent of the injuries and damage in the region.

Regina Rave,who is a geologist, was meeting with two_________at his home when the earthquake_________. Rave tried to stand up from his chair but couldn’t keep his balance and _________ in a kind of group hug with his colleagues, while plates and cups_________from his shelves to the ground. His children, ages 9 and 2, had their drinks_________over the edge of cups. Rave tried to calm everybody as the_________continued for more than a minute.

About 10,000 people live in and around his town, which is_________66 kilometers from the earthquake’s center. It’s a(n)__________thing that earthquakes are felt here, but it usually doesn’t last as long and is not as violent as this one. It was quite strong.

People were feeling__________. Rave was__________through the damage to his home,which included a broken sewer pipe(污水管)judging from the smell. Friends elsewhere had messaged him with__________of cracked roads, broken pipes and fallen debris(碎片), but hadn’t described major building collapses or__________. Communication seemed to have been__________with some cell towers likely to have fallen. People were starting to clean up their houses and the streets.

1.

A．damaged

B．surrounded

C．hidden

D．buried

2.

A．foresee

B．assess

C．recognize

D．assume

3.

A．roommates

B．schoolmates

C．colleagues

D．parents

4.

A．covered

B．rose

C．ceased

D．struck

5.

A．ended up

B．came out

C．carried on

D．resulted from

6.

A．squeezed

B．crashed

C．flashed

D．pulled

7.

A．turn

B．knock

C．flow

D．blow

8.

A．jumping

B．hanging

C．floating

D．shaking

9.

A．located

B．listed

C．considered

D．posed

10.

A．simple

B．common

C．popular

D．awkward

11.

A．puzzled

B．tired

C．frightened

D．inspired

12.

A．getting

B．breaking

C．cutting

D．sorting

13.

A．descriptions

B．instructions

C．explanations

D．introductions

14.

A．changes

B．injuries

C．beats

D．attacks

15.

A．handled

B．improved

C．affected

D．removed

3 . Dogs have a seemingly endless list of lovely behavior, and their curious head tilt(歪头) at human voices is no exception. While conducting a study on dogs’ ability to learn words, scientists stumbled upon a potential link between dogs’ memory and their head tilt.

In the study, researchers looked at the head tilt patterns of both“gifted”and “typical” dogs. Owners ordered their dogs to fetch a specific toy from another room. While most dogs struggled to memorize the name of just two toys, the seven “gifted” dogs-all of which were border collies(牧羊犬)could remember at least ten different toy names they＇d been taught by researchers.

The team found that dogs that were particularly good at toy recall tilted their heads more often when hearing a command than dogs which weren’t as skilled. When they compared the dogs’ responses to a command from their owners, gifted dogs tilted their heads 43 percent of the time, while typical dogs did so just 2 percent of the time. It’s possible, scientists concluded, that the dogs’ head tilt may be a sign of paying attention or even matching a name to a visual image in their heads.

Researchers also discovered that dogs usually tilted their heads in the same direction regardless of where the owner was standing. The so-called “right-tilters“ and “left-tilters” may be a matter of individual preference. “The next step is to ask more questions to know what the head tilt really means, “says the researcher Monique Udell. “Can we use head tilting to predict word-learning ability, or attention, or memory?””

The researchers agree that the study is still in the early stages. For now, dog owners can take comfort in knowing that their dogs’ head tilt maybe a lovely attempt to better understand them.

1. Which of the following best explains “stumbled upon“ underlined in paragraph 1?

A．Broke by accident.	B．Discovered unexpectedly.
C．Imagined without reason.	D．Investigated secretly.

2. What were the dogs asked to do in the study?

A．Find out the hidden toys.

B．Find the name of the toys.

C．Separate the different toys.

D．Go to get the toys mentioned.

3. What did the researchers find out about the gifted dogs hearing commands?

A．Their responses were faster.

B．They tilted their heads more often.

C．They tilted their heads to the left more often.

D．They were more easily influenced by the owners’ locations.

4. What’s the main idea of the text?

A．Dogs mainly communicate by tilting their heads.

B．Dogs have developed specific communication skills.

C．A new study offers a clue as to why dogs tilt their heads.

D．Border collies are the smartest species in the animal kingdom.

4 . Time has always been of great interest to scientist…

Theory 1: According to Caltech cosmologist (宇宙学家) Dr Sean Carroll, the flow of time from past to future may be the symptom of our Universe having emerged from another universe that existed before the Big Bang and then gave birth to our own. Theory 2: In 1967, two American theorists came up with an equation describing the quantum (量子) state of the whole Universe. Known as the Wheeler-DeWitt equation, it includes many key features of the universe, such as its size. But one aspect is absent: time. Some theorists believe this implies that time only exists in our minds. Theory 3: According to theorist Prof Lee Smolin at the Perimeter Institute, Canada, the existence of life in the Universe is the result of the laws of physics evolving to their current state over an unlimited number of previous universes. If true, this means that our very existence is proof that time does exist. Theory 4: In 2009, physicists at the universities of Bristol and Cambridge showed that the passing of time revealed by, say, the cooling of a cup of tea, may be due to quantum effect called ‘entanglement’. This involves the particles (粒子) in the team interacting with their surroundings, being bound together and becoming harder to distinguish from each other—a one-way process that requires the forward progression of time to occur. Theory 5: Dark energy, the mysterious anti-gravitational force that drives the expansion of the Universe, may be linked to the existence of the arrow of time. Last year, two cosmologists at the Yerevan Physics Institute showed that dark energy leads to the growth of entropy, a measure of disorder, in the Universe.

1. All the five theories imply that _____.

A．time is flexible	B．time is constant
C．time does go forth and back	D．time does exist in some way

2. Which theory doesn’t include time?

A．Theory 1.	B．Theory 2.
C．Theory 3.	D．Theory 4.

3. According to the passage, which of the following statements is true of dark energy?

A．It leads to the existence of multi-universities.

B．It is what keeps the universe in order.

C．It increases in strength with gravity.

D．It is what makes the universe get bigger.

5 . Shaine Kilyun was scrolling through videos on her phone one night in December 2020. Suddenly she ________ a video of dogs in wheelchairs. “That’s it!” she thought.

Shaine had always loved animals and visited local veterinary (兽医的) clinics often. She was a ________ volunteer there. But Shaine cried when she learned older and disabled animals are often killed painlessly because they can’t walk and require extra ________.

Now, as Shaine watched the disabled dogs in the video moving around in tiny wheelchairs ________ and freely, her heart was filled with ________. “I can make wheelchairs for senior and disabled animals!” she decided.

As Shaine ________ on countless videos showing ways to make tiny mobility “wheelies” for animals, her ________ grew. The next day, Shaine headed to the hardware store and ________ some PVC pipes, foam and wheels and began ________ with designs. She tested out the carts on her own dog and cats. ________ she found a model that worked, she reached out to veterinarians she knew. Seeing Cypress, a disabled 7-month-old puppy, take off in her wheelie, Shaine became even more ________ to her project. She posted pictures of her carts on Instagram, and soon orders started coming in.

Shaine asks for a few ________ of the animals and then custom-makes each wheelchair for the furry friends. She accepts just enough money to ________ costs.

“I’m so ________ that I am able to fill a need,” says the industrious girl, “Helping disabled pets means the ________ to me!”

1.

A．subscribed to

B．came across

C．checked out

D．reflected on

2.

A．potential

B．professional

C．regular

D．talented

3.

A．care

B．duty

C．recognition

D．courage

4.

A．cautiously

B．worriedly

C．eagerly

D．happily

5.

A．sympathy

B．curiosity

C．hope

D．doubt

6.

A．carried

B．clicked

C．counted

D．rested

7.

A．excitement

B．pride

C．relief

D．shock

8.

A．produced

B．bought

C．arranged

D．gathered

9.

A．comparing

B．dealing

C．consulting

D．experimenting

10.

A．Before

B．Once

C．Unless

D．Though

11.

A．accustomed

B．attached

C．committed

D．submitted

12.

A．measurements

B．comments

C．expectations

D．behaviors

13.

A．estimate

B．reduce

C．cover

D．spread

14.

A．annoyed

B．astonished

C．touched

D．pleased

15.

A．fortune

B．world

C．opportunity

D．challenge

6 . In the United Kingdom, coffee consumption is on the rise. But beyond just fueling Londoners as they make their ways to work, coffee is also fueling their buses while fighting climate change.

It is reported that London’s buses will soon be powered in part by a newly developed biofuel, one that mixes diesel (柴油) with oils removed from spent coffee grounds, to reduce carbon dioxide emissions (排放) from its bus transport system. Recycling technology firm Bio-Bean collects used coffee grounds from major coffee producers across the UK, and removes the oils from them. Then it’s mixed into B20 biodiesel, with 20% biofuel and 80% conventional diesel.

With B20, the buses don’t require any adaptions to run on it. Bio-Bean founder said that, if the UK could use all of the 500,000 tons of coffee waste it produced each year, it could power the city of Manchester for a year. London uses other biofuels to support its effort to cut emissions from its bus system. Coffee is just the latest source, joining used cooking oil and animal fat from meat processing plants, but those old coffee grounds have to go somewhere, and fueling the city’s labor force is preferable to sending them to a waste yard. Bio-Bean’s B20 is an easy way to save businesses money on waste removal, and using the biodiesel in buses cut carbon emissions by 80%.

Coffee waste is becoming an almost unlimited resource, considering London’s citizens alone create 200,000 tons of coffee grounds every year. As more and more Britons switch from tea to coffee, that number will only elevate. The use of coffee grounds as a biofuel source has the added benefit of improving air quality in the city but sadly, it does not give off the pleasant coffee smell one might expect.

1. Why do London’s buses use the biofuel?

A．To improve the atmosphere quality.	B．To reduce transport fares in London.
C．To promote the recycling technology.	D．To support the local coffee industry.

2. What do we know about B20?

A．It can avoid emissions from buses.	B．It requires adaptions to run on it.
C．It’s a mixture of biofuel and diesel.	D．It can power the nation for a year.

3. Which word might replace the underlined word “elevate” in paragraph 4?

A．Decline.

B．Increase.

C．Appear.

D．Remain.

4. What does the text mainly talk about?

A．The benefits of drinking coffee.	B．An alternative biofuel resource.
C．The future for London’s buses,	D．A change in coffee consumption.

7 . Erhai Lake in Dali city is the second largest freshwater lake of Yunnan province. It’s a famous attraction, as well as Dali’s main source of drinking water.

The lake used to be seriously polluted due to the rapid development of tourism and the local economy. Since 2018, local authorities have been building an environmental protection system for the lake, the Erhai Lake Ecological Corridor (生态廊道), to protect it from being polluted and to improve local ecosystem. The project contains five parts: a 129-km road around the entire lake, a pipe system to stop waste water flowing into the like, the removal of 1,806 families who lived within the protection area, the protection of the lake’s wetlands and ecosystem, and the construction of experimental fields for wetland research.

By the end of 2020, the road around the lake had been basically completed. A 12-km part of the Corridor has been open to the public for free since September 2020 for a test operation. The Corridor is described as a “pearl necklace” surrounding the lake, with the villages located along the shore of Erhai Lake being the “pearls”. These villages benefit from the project financially, as they are linked and gain access to transportation and tourism around the lake.

According to staff members of the project, the lake’s water quality has already improved a lot during the construction of the Corridor. More wild birds fly to the lake and there is less unwanted plants in the water. It is also providing a good sight-seeing place for both the city’s residents and foreign tourists.

1. Why was the Erhai Lake Ecological Corridor built?

A．To protect the wild birds.	B．To treat waste water.
C．To attract foreign tourists.	D．To preserve local ecology.

2. Which of the following is involved in the project?

A．Encouraging residents to settle around Erhai.

B．Helping scientists conduct wetland research.

C．Removing the waste water from Erhai Lake.

D．Promoting construction in the protection area.

3. What do we know about the “pearls” from Paragraph 3?

A．They provide tourism opportunities.	B．They focus on the pearl industry.
C．They bring benefits to the city area.	D．They make a profit from the project.

4. What do staff members think of the project?

A．It works unexpectedly.	B．It needs improving.
C．It turns out to be good.	D．It brings side effects.

8 . The government of Singapore has created a highly developed system that turns wastewater into drinking water. The system involves a network of tunnels and high-technology treatment centers.

Reused wastewater can now meet 40 percent of Singapore's water demand. The country's water agency says it expects to meet 55 percent of Singapore's water demand by the year 2060. Most of the water is used for microchip manufacturing centers and cooling systems in buildings. But some of it is added to the country's drinking water supplies. The system helps reduce ocean pollution, as only a small amount of the treated water is sent into the sea.

The United Nations estimates that 80 percent of the world's wastewater flows back into the oceans without being treated or reused. Singapore has few natural water sources. The island nation has long had to depend mostly on supplies from neighboring Malaysia.

Low Pei Chin is chief engineer of the water reclamation department of the Public Utilities Board. She told reporters with Agence France-Press, "Singapore lacks natural resources, and it is limited in space, which is why we are always looking for ways to explore water sources and stretch our water supply." One major plan is to "collect every drop" and "reuse endlessly," she added.

The Changi Water Reclamation Plant on Singapore's eastern coast is the main part of the country's recycling system. Parts of the water treatment center are underground. Wastewater enters the center through a 48-kilometer tunnel that is linked to sewers. The center contains a large system of steel pipes, tubes, tanks, cleaning systems and other machinery. It can treat up to 900 million liters of wastewater a day. In one building, a network of air flow systems has been put in place to keep the air smelling as fresh as possible. Waste that arrives at the plant goes through a cleaning process before powerful pumps send it flowing to areas above ground for more treatment.

There, the treated water receives additional cleaning. Bacteria and viruses are removed through highly developed cleaning processes and disinfected with ultraviolet radiation.

Singapore is also in the process of expanding its recycling system. The country will add another underground tunnel and a major water treatment center to serve the western half of the island. Officials expect work on the center to be completed by 2025. By the time the expansion is finished, Singapore will have spent about $7.4 billion on its water treatment systems.

1. What does the passage tell us ?

A．The water resources of the Singapore

B．Singapore Turns Wastewater into Drinking Water

C．the importance of drinking water

D．wastewater of the Singapore

2. What does the paragraph 5 mainly tell us ?

A．how the cleaning system works

B．the measures taken by the Singapore

C．the importance of the drinking water

D．the future of the wastewater treated

3. What was most of the treated water used for ?

A．drinking

B．pouring into the sea

C．microchip manufacturing centers and cooling systems in buildings

D．reducing ocean pollution

4. How are bacteria and viruses of treated water removed?

A．through highly developed cleaning processes and disinfected with ultraviolet radiation.

B．through a special kind of chemical.

C．with ultraviolet radiation.

D．purifying water by itself.

9 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

Mount Qomolangma is the     1     (high) mountain in the world, but     2     (unfortunate) it is one of the messiest, too. About 4,000 people have climbed Mount Qomolangma since Sir Edmund Hillary from New Zealand and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay from Nepal first     3     (reach) the summit (山顶) of Qomolangma in 1953. But, unlike Hillary and Tenzing, these tourists have been dumping ( 丢 弃) tonnes of used equipment on the mountain.     4     (bury) under snow in the winter, the rubbish is revealed in the summer when the snow melts.

However, 15 Nepalese artists are taking action. They have worked hard and turned eight tonnes of rubbish into 75 sculptures,     5     are being shown at a hotel in the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu.

The rubbish used in the artworks was collected by     6     (climber). It includes old ropes, tent poles, oxygen cylinders, drink cans, and even the remains of a helicopter. Kripa Rana Shahi, the project organizer, was looking for a way     7     (spread) awareness about keeping Qomolangma clean when she had the bright idea of     8     (change) the rubbish into works of art. The sculptures range in price from $15 to $2,300. According     9     the report, a part of the money has been given to the artists and     10     rest to environmental organizations to turn the rubbish into gold.

10 . China is one of the countries with the most serious natural disasters in the world. There are many kinds of disasters, with wide distribution, high frequency and heavy losses. In the background of global climate change, major natural disasters occur from time to time.     1     It makes China face even much severe and complex situation. In order to rase the awareness of disaster prevention and minimize the losses, warnings and instructions are give to the public.     2     Let’s have a look.

Fire

When a fire breaks out, smoke threatens mostly.     3     Roll on the ground if you find your clothes on fire. It is too dangerous to take the elevator in this situation, so it is better to use a bundle of rope and safely slide down from the balcony. Jumping off the building blindly will cause serious injuries.

Mud-rock flow

Rainstorm may cause mud-rock flow, an it’s really dangerous to stay downstream. When you try to escape from it, instead of going along the bottom of the ditch, it is much wiser to climb up the mountain horizontally quickly. Please escape from ditch when selecting camping field. It’s important to check the weather when going into the mountain

Flood

    4     We could use a wooden bed or table to make a raft and tie it to a big tree with a safety.   rope. We have to prepare food and warm clothes to get through it.

Lightning strike

On cloudy and rainy days, a lightning strike may happen.     5     Of course, you also should stay away from iron tower poles. We need to pay attention to it even when we stay at home. Close the doors, windows and cut off the power.

A．Cut off the power and shut off water sources.

B．Please don’t stand under the tree in such kind of weather.

C．Try to find a higher place, but staying on a roof isn’t a good choice.

D．First you need to take shelter, then find a gap under the table or bed.

E．Losses caused by natural disaster in China are continuously increasing.

F．They also play a part in popularizing the knowledge and self-rescue skills.

G．In that case, please cover your nose and your mouth with a wet towel.