1 . As Plastic Chokes the Ocean, Technology Can Help

Some 8 million tons of non-recyclable (不可回收的) plastic end up in the ocean each year. At an alarming rate, the seas may have more plastic than fish by the middle of the century.     1    

Require a global solution to a global problem.     2     The developed countries and most of developing countries show their leadership in this process by setting goals, encouraging other member states, and offering support for poor countries.

    3     Although they are helpful to protect clean water and air, as it is known, non-recyclable plastic is widely used in the markets. Therefore, non-recyclable plastic still can be bought in our daily life. Its disappearance needs much more time and efforts.

Pay more attention to the new studies on plastic and technologies. Some of researchers are aiming to make replacements for plastic.     4     For example, “interceptors” can remove river pollution before it reaches the ocean.

Expect more responsibility from manufacturers.     5     As a start, they should be encouraged to simplify complex packaging. And their working with world governments will support poorer nations to improve waste collection and landfill (垃圾场) management.

The world doesn’t have enough time in trying to solve the problem. The sooner these efforts start, the better.

A．Strengthen the connection between countries.

B．Others are doing more research on new technologies.

C．Nearly 200 countries agreed to ban plastic pollution.

D．Establish production limits for non-recyclable plastic.

E．They should care about different laws on plastic in the poorer countries.

F．They are well aware of how to reduce the harms their products cause.

G．Thus it’s necessary to take immediate action to stop that.

2 . Soil creates life from death. The production of more than 95% of the food we eat relies on soil. But this precious resource is eroding (侵蚀) at a global average of 13.5 tons per hectare per year. Instead of nourishing crops, fertile topsoil is washed and blown away, ending up in inconvenient places such as ditches and oceans.

Jo Handelsman and Kayla Cohen try to make readers care about soil in A World Without Soil. Their prologue (前言) takes the form of a letter to the government. With the letter, they hope to make soil management a federal priority. The following chapters cover the basic science of soil as well as the causes and consequences of its erosion. In the last part of the book, the authors turn to possible solutions—many of them simple, and some centuries old. They describe about traditional soil management techniques, including planting diverse crops in rotation (轮种), increasing organic content, ploughing as little as possible, etc. With these techniques, farmers are able to produce rich agricultural production while maintaining deep banks of fertile soil.

Why, then, is fertile soil being allowed to be washed and blown away? The answer, not surprisingly, rests in global capitalism. Farmers' profit is thin, forcing farmers to plant the highest-profit crop from field to field every season. To ensure food security, Handelsman and Cohen urge the world to demand a real top-down change in how agricultural production is managed. "The burden of protecting soil cannot be shifted to farmers and environmental activists," they note. Governments must begin to move towards a model in which farmers are less independent business people growing and selling food, and more government-supported land workers managing both food production and soil protection. This should be the core of agriculture.

Our land and soil are too precious to be destroyed by the market price of crops. We must invest deeply and thoughtfully in our farmers so that they can invest deeply and thoughtfully in the land. This is the future of farming.

1. What is paragraph 1 mainly about?

A．The gradual process of losing soil.

B．The worrying situation of soil erosion.

C．The alarming decrease of food output.

D．The great significance of soil protection.

2. What do we know about the book A World Without Soil?

A．It targets federal officials as its main readers.

B．It puts forward some practical solutions to soil loss.

C．It advocates changing traditional farming techniques.

D．It blames governments for not taking care of farmlands.

3. What do Handelsman and Cohen suggest farmers do?

A．Invest in the most profitable crops.

B．Grow and sell food all by themselves.

C．Shoulder the burden of protecting soil.

D．Work the land with government support.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．A Call to Save Soil	B．Tips to Reshape Agriculture
C．Ways to Enrich Farmland	D．An Appeal to Guarantee Food Supply

3 . The hands of nature have always sculpted works of breathtaking beauty, creating an unusual sight at the home of Santa Claus.

A rare collection of “ice eggs” recently took over a beach in Finland, the result of highly particular conditions according to The Guardian.

Amateur photographer Risto Mattila was among those who came across the icy balls on Hailuoto Island in the Gulf of Bothnia between Finland and Sweden.

“The biggest of the eggs was about the size of a football,” Mattila told The Guardian. “It was an amazing view. I have never seen that phenomenon before.”

The “eggs” are created by a rare process in which small pieces of ice are rolled over by wind and water, experts said. It needs the right air temperature (below zero, but only a bit), the right water temperature (near freezing point), a shallow and gently sloping sandy beach and calm waves, maybe a light swell, said Jouni Vainio, an ice specialist at the Finnish Meteorological Institute.

It also needs something to act as the core. The core begins to collect ice around it and the swell moves it along the beach, forward and backward. A small ball’s surface gets wet, freezes and becomes bigger, Vainio added.

Autumn is the perfect season to observe the phenomenon, according to James Carter, emeritus professor of geography-geology at Illinois State University, as this is when ice starts to form on the surface of water, causing a form of slush when moved by waves.

Similar sights have also been found in Russia and on Lake Michigan near Chicago. Back in 2016, local residents of Nyda in Siberia saw giant balls of ice and snow covering an 18-kilometer stretch of coastline, ranging from the size of a tennis ball to almost 1 meter across. Chinese netizens, stunned by the magic of nature, said everyone is duty-bound to protect the environment so nature will reward us with more surprises. Some would like to touch these icy balls themselves, joking that “If there are ice eggs, there are ice chickens.”

1. How are the ice eggs formed?

A．Small pieces of ice are rolled over by wind and water.

B．They are set by photographer Risto Mattila.

C．Little cores begin to collect snow around them and the swell moves them along the beach.

D．Drops of cold rain get frozen and then roll to the beach.

2. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A．People can enjoy the unusual sights in different parts of the world.

B．The formation of ice eggs needs a lot of conditions.

C．The appearance of ice eggs shows a disastrous phenomenon.

D．Some specialists began to do some research about the unusual phenomenon.

3. What do people suggest by saying “If there are ice eggs, there are ice chickens.” ?

A．Chickens hatch out of eggs.

B．If everyone protects the environment, nature will reward us with more surprises.

C．Nature can create both eggs and chickens.

D．In future, ice eggs and ice chickens will appear at the same time.

4. Where is this text most likely from?

A．A diary.

B．A guidebook.

C．A novel.

D．A web page.

4 . 假设你是李华，最近你校将举办一个以低碳生活为主题的英语演讲活动。请你撰写一篇英语演讲稿，主要内容包括：
1. 谈谈你对低碳生活的理解。
2. 分享你在日常生活中是如何践行低碳生活的理念的。
3. 呼吁同学们过低碳生活。

Let’s lead a low-carbon life!

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5 . International Tiger Day is an annual celebration to raise the awareness of tiger conservation. It's held on 29 July. Governments and citizens across the world organize awareness programs on that day to spread the importance of protecting tigers.

From ancient times, tigers were the subject of constant attraction for their beauty, size and sometimes mythical stories related to them. People's fascination （迷恋） for tigers is obvious from the fact that tigers are still a part of many national symbols and flags. Tigers are the largest cat species. Unfortunately, the population of tigers is fast decreasing. Every part of tigers from tail to skin to nail is traded in the illegal market for very high values. Many tigers are hunted, which is one of the key threats to their existence. They are also caught and raised as pets. 97 percent of the world tiger populations decreased in the last 100 years and only 3，890 tigers are left. If tigers get extinct, we will lose a species. And it also means that enough forests have been destroyed, which may endanger many other species.

For us, tigers are symbols of wildlife's fighting for survival. It reminds us of the dangers we face because of people's over-exploitation （过度开发） of the nature. It's an opportunity as well. Many efforts are on the way to double the tiger population by 2022. Strict national and international laws are against hunting and trading tigers. As a result, the number of tigers in the wild has risen for the first time in more than 100 years. Even though this is just a small increase, it's a huge symbolic victory in our efforts against the destruction of forests and wildlife. It's very important that we all join together in this effort, not only to save tigers, but also to save our forests.

1. What can we learn about International Tiger Day?

A．It's celebrated on 29 June.

B．It's held once every four years.

C．Some activities are held worldwide for it.

D．Lots of money is collected on that day.

2. According to Paragraph 2, how do people feel about tigers?

A．Tigers are uncommon.

B．Tigers can be used to show a nation's spirit.

C．Tigers are very dangerous animals.

D．Tigers might destroy their homes.

3. The population of tigers is fast decreasing mainly because__________.

A．they are hunted for trade in illegal markets

B．they are not as healthy as before

C．many people keep them as pets

D．some of them are kept in zoos

4. Which of the following may the author agree with?

A．The lack of food is the key threat to tigers' existence.

B．The population of tigers has been doubled.

C．We've got great success in protecting tigers.

D．We should put more effort into protecting tigers.

6 . 目前垃圾分类garbage classification活动正在我国许多地区持续展开。假定你是李华，请写一封邮件向你的美国笔友Tom介绍相关情况，内容包括：
1. 垃圾分类的意义和开展；
2. 你的看法。
注意：
1. 词数100左右；
2. 开头已给出，不计入总词数；
3. 适当增加细节以使行文连贯。
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7 . ASTRONAUT CAMP- FLORIDA

Have you ever wanted to step into the shoes of an astronaut and experience rocket flight and cosmic(宇宙的)exploration? On this journey to Florida you will come as close as possible to this experience without actually traveling into space.

Part 1-Visit the Planetarium(天文馆)

From traditional star displays and cultural shows that detail the importance of astronomy around the world, to feature presentations that show the depths of outer space, the planetarium has something for curious stargazers of all ages.

Part 2-Take Part in Mission Space

What’s it like to be an astronaut? You’ll find out on Mission SPACE! Before you board, you’ll train for your mission on the X-2 Deep Space Shuttle at the International Space Training Center(ISTC).Each member of your 4-cadet(学员)crew will assume an important role: navigator, pilot, commander or engineer.

Part 3-Lunch with an Astronaut

This 90-minute encounter at the Space Center in Cape features a buffet-style lunch along with a personalized presentation from one of celebrated astronauts. At the end of the event, there’s a brief question-and-answer session, plus time for family photos with the astronaut. Astronauts describe what it's like to live in space-eating, exercising, sleeping and training. No topic is off-limits.

Part 4-Experience Rocket Flight

Enter the Shuttle Launch Experience, and recreate the feeling of a space shot in real time, from the launch pad(发射台)to orbit. Adjust before six seconds, the main engines fire up, and as the speakers say“3, 2, 1….” the rocket launches.

1. What does Mission Space include?

A．Experiencing a space shot.	B．Preparing for a space mission.
C．Learning how to train your crew.	D．Seeing the depth of outer space.

2. In which part can you ask astronauts questions?

A．At the Planetarium.	B．On Mission SPACE.
C．At Lunch with an Astronaut.	D．In the Shuttle Launch Experience.

3. What is the purpose of this journey?

A．To show people modern star displays.	B．To train people to be future astronauts
C．To provide some knowledge of planetarium.	D．To help people learn more about space travel.

8 . 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.

9 . 课本原文填空。

The most     1     earthquake in the past 40 years caused a tsunami that     2    into coastlines across Asia yesterday，killing more than 6,500 people in Indonesia, India, Thailand, Malaysia, and at least four other countries. Fishermen, tourists, hotels, homes, and cars were     3     away by huge     4     caused by the strong earthquake that reached a magnitude of 9.0. The undersea quake     5     around 7:00 a.m., Sunday off the coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra Island. In that area alone, at least, 1,870 people were killed.

10 . Past surveys have shown that more than 80% of dog owners report observing jealous behavior from their dogs — vocalizations, disturbed behavior, pulling on a leash (绳子) — when they give attention to other dogs. New research published in the journal Psychological Science supports these observations and finds that dogs also exhibit jealous behavior when they merely imagine that their owner is interacting with a potential opponent, in this case, a highly realistic artificial dog.

Dogs appear to be one of the few species that might display jealous behavior in ways similar to a human child showing jealousy when their mother gives affection to another child. In humans, jealousy is closely linked with self-awareness, which is one reason why animal-cognition researchers are so interested in studying jealousy and other secondary emotions in animals.

To test how and when dogs display jealous behavior, the researchers presented 18 dogs with situations where they could imagine a social interaction between their human companion and either a realistic fake dog or a wool cylinder (圆柱). The fake dog served as a potential opponent for attention while the cylinder served as a control. In the experiment, the dogs observed the fake-dog opponent positioned next to their owner. A barrier was then placed between the dog and the potential opponent stopping them from view. Despite blocking the line of sight. the dogs forcefully attempted to reach their owners when they appeared to stroke the fake dog behind the barrier. In a repeat experiment using a fleece cylinder rather than a fake dog, the dogs pulled on the leash with far less force.

Through their study, the researchers found that dogs showed three human-like features of jealous behavior. This behavior emerged only when their owner interacted with a noticed social opponent and not a lifeless object; occurred as a consequence of that interaction and not due to a potential opponent’s mere presence; and emerged even for an out-of-sight interaction between their owner and a social opponent.

“These results support claims that dogs display jealous behavior. They also provide the first evidence that dogs can mentally represent jealousy-causing social interactions,” said the researchers. “But there is still plenty of work to do to establish the extent of the similarities between the minds of humans and other animals, especially in terms of understanding the nature of nonhuman animals’ emotional experiences. It is too early to say whether dogs experience jealousy as we do, but it is now clear that they react to jealousy-causing situations, even if these occur out of sight.”

1. Why does the author mention the new research in Psychological Science?

A．To make comparison.	B．To make a prediction.
C．To provide example.	D．To introduce the topic.

2. Why was a barrier used in the experiment?

A．To distract dogs’ attention.

B．To block the sight of the dog.

C．To serve as a potential competitor.

D．To protect the fake dog from attack.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Dogs can experience jealousy as humans do.

B．Dogs make reactions based on their imagination.

C．More research is needed to study emotions of animals.

D．It is the first time that dogs have represented jealous behavior mentally.

4. Which of the following is the suitable title for the text?

A．Are dogs jealous as humans？

B．Dogs, faithful friends of humans!

C．Be careful about the jealous dogs!

D．Are dogs the most clever animals?