1 . Scientists flew over more than 200 landfills across 18 states from 2018 to 2022, claiming it to be the largest measurement-based survey of America’s landfills. Their results revealed that average methane emissions (排放) were much higher than those officially reported, according to a new study published in the journal Science.

Methane — an invisible gas with over 80 times more warming power than CO₂ in the near term — is produced by various sources, the biggest of which are oil, gas and agriculture. Landfills tend to be a less well-known methane source, but they also have a huge impact, estimated at around 20% of global human-caused methane emissions. Landfills produce methane when organic wastes such as foods, paper and wood decompose without oxygen, creating the perfect environment for methane-producing bacteria.

Most landfills in the US are required to measure methane emissions four times a year through walking surveys using handheld sensors. However, those types of measurements are really not designed to do anything about emissions, but rather just detect methane “hotspots”, as people tend to avoid areas that are unsafe to walk through, and where garbage is actively being dumped.

The results of the new study show current reporting systems, such as the Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP), are missing large methane sources. Average methane emission rates from landfills were 1.4 times higher than those being reported to the GHGRP. The study also found landfill methane emissions were generally much more persistent (挥发慢的) than those from oil and gas production, with 60% lasting for multiple months or even years.

The rapid reduction of methane is one of the most effective ways to slow climate change because of its powerful short-term planet-heating impact. Yet most methane policies in the US target the oil and gas industry. “If we’re going to hit our climate targets, reductions in methane emissions can’t come from oil and gas alone,” said Daniel Cusworth, lead author of the report.

1. What can be learned about methane from paragraph 2?

A．It is a colored gas.

B．It is mostly produced in landfills.

C．It has less warming power than CO2.

D．It can be produced from a variety of sources.

2. Why does the author mention “hotspots” in paragraph 3?

A．To show walking surveys are not necessarily reliable.

B．To discuss advantages and disadvantages of handheld sensors.

C．To stress the value of measuring methane emissions in landfills.

D．To explain what workers at most landfills do in the United States.

3. Which statement will Daniel Cusworth probably agree with?

A．It is impossible to slow climate change in the short term.

B．Methane emissions from landfills should be taken seriously.

C．Little impact is made by methane emissions from the oil industry.

D．The US government should not limit the development of agriculture.

4. Where is the text most probably taken from?

A．A review of modern landfills.	B．A guidebook to cooking food.
C．An introduction to a gas industry.	D．An article on environmental protection.

2 . As global warming heats up, humans will suffer from rising temperatures.     1    .

In recent years, scientists have found links between human-caused climate change and heat stress. This can lower milk production. The researchers studied 48 Holstein cows.     2     Over the course of two weeks, half of the cows were exposed to approximately 98-degree heat. The other half were housed in neutral conditions (中性条件). All of the cows were milked twice a day. The researchers tracked everything from their vital signs to their weight, feed intake and milk yields.     3     The research was published in the Journal of Dairy Science.

    4     The heat-stressed cows had higher insulin (胰岛素) levels. They ate and drank less, too. The researchers also analyzed blood samples from the cows. The heat-stressed cows developed leaky gut (肠子) within just three days. The condition occurs when bacteria and other material “leak’s” trough weakened parts of the intestinal wall (肠壁). This can cause inflammation in cows.

    5     When they fed them a special mix of organic acids and pure botanicals, their guts became less permeable. The cows ate more. Thy produced more milk. That dietary solution could help prevent some of the billions of dollars in comic losses related to heat stressed cows. The research could eventually lead to changes in feed formulations.

A．But the researchers also found a way to help cows deal with heat.

B．As predicted, the warm cows’ milk production declined.

C．But how will climate change affect cows?

D．When exposed to heat, the cows ate less and drank less.

E．Heat stress can also lead to diseases and other issues in dairy cows.

F．They housed them in temperature-controlled stalls.

G．However, there are many measures we can take to deal with the problem.

3 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. By 2020, where should trash sorting happen?

A．In all major cities of China.

B．Only in Zhejiang province.

C．In Ms. Chu’s neighborhood.

2. What is Ms. Chu’s profession?

A．Trash collector.

B．Reporter.

C．Politician.

3. What is one of Mr. Tang’s solutions?

A．Door-to-door training.

B．Free trash cans.

C．Plastic trash bags.

4. How will a trash collector find a bag’s owner?

A．He will call a volunteer.

B．He will see a name on the bag.

C．He will scan the bag with a phone.

4 . Dairy (奶品场) packaging has been changing a lot for so many years. Now, businesses are using technology to create more sustainable (可持续的) packaging options along the whole supply chain.

Ian Olmstead, program manager at Dairy Australia, says, “We’re trying to make sure the plastics we use are designed in a way that allows them to be recycled. Then we have partnerships in place that support the processes for recycling, and seek to increase the food-grade recycled content that can be used again in dairy packaging.”

Brownes Dairy — Australia’s oldest dairy has worked with Tetra Pak to make its next change. Brownes’ senior marketing manager, Nicole Ohm, says it has been important to create a product that not only is recyclable, but starts life in a sustainable way, too. “The start of life is just as important as the end of life,” she says. “Being able to make an effective change at the start of life just makes for a greener result.”

Milk packaging is made of three covers. Recyclable cardboard sits in the middle, with polyethylene (聚乙烯) plastic on both sides acting as a protection. Historically, these outer covers have been made from plastic, but Brownes’ new packaging will use a renewable resource: sugarcane, a kind of plant. “The plant-based protections behave in the same way,” Ohm says, “and so does the recyclability.” “Being Australia’s oldest dairy carries a level of responsibility,” Ohm says. “Even though we are very old, we are not at all traditional—we are very advanced.”

When it comes to plastic packaging, the dairy industry faces many challenges. Recyclable material must be food safe, for example. And one plastic milk bottle might contain a number of different plastics, from the bottle itself to its cover. Even the glue on the label becomes part of the recycling challenge that needs to be got over.

Dr Stephanus Peters is a managing partner at PEGRAS, a global technical solutions consulting company. Peters explains the problem PEGRAS has been asked to solve: make it easier to take away non-recyclable parts from milk bottles to avoid pollution. “You always have a little bit of glue left,” he says. “We have to take away the glue before the bottle can be recycled. If successful, this advance could be used in every industry.”

1. What change does Nicole Ohm expect to happen in dairy packaging?

A．It will be of excellent quality.	B．It will help keep the milk fresh.
C．It will reduce the cost of products.	D．It will be environmentally friendly.

2. What advantage does Brownes’ new milk packaging have over the old one?

A．It has more covers.	B．It is much more protective.
C．It uses plant-based materials.	D．It has a renewable middle cover.

3. What is one challenge faced by the dairy industry?

A．The recycling may require a lot of steps.	B．The recycling may cause more pollution.
C．The recycling may take a mass of money.	D．The recycling may impact on food safety.

4. What is PEGRAS trying to do?

A．Set up a plastic-free dairy business.	B．Make its company a sustainable one.
C．Rid packaging of non-recyclable parts.	D．Come up with a type of recyclable glue.

5 . Since childhood, London-based artist Josh Gluckstein has been fascinated by the incredible diversity of our planet’s wildlife and inspired to make sculptures of animals from found materials. He often uses abandoned or recycled materials like clothing from junk shops or wood from old furniture. An important aspect of his practice is concern for the environment. “I have traveled through Asia, Latin America and East Africa, and have been fortunate enough to have some incredible wildlife encounters,” he says. “However, on my travels, even in the most remote locations, I was shocked by the huge amounts of plastic waste.”

Mach of the garbage that washes up on shorelines around the world is due to an unregulated (未受监管的) system in which richer countries export waste to developing countries because it is often cheaper than developing better infrastructures (基础设施) to handle it. Many of the thousands of shipping containers exported each year are often dumped illegally.

“I remember going to the Galapagos Islands and visiting a beach famous for a large population of sea lions. It was indeed incredible to see them in the wild, but on every inch of sand not covered by sea lions, there were plastic bottles and cans. It was a heartbreaking sight. I knew I wanted to create artworks that didn’t create waste or harm our planet,” Gluckstein says.

Gluckstein hopes his works will raise people’s awareness about the importance of protecting endangered species. His new series called “Gold” focuses on illegally hunted animals by applying gold leaves to their bodies. He plans to donate some of the sales of his sculptures to the world Wide Fund for Nature.

1. What do Gluckstein’s sculptures focus on?

A．Fashion.

B．Animals.

C．Sports.

D．Travel.

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

A．Poured,

B．Protected.

C．Sold.

D．Used.

3. What does Gluckstein mainly want to say in paragraph 3?

A．Where he has toured.	B．How sad he was.
C．How he found sea lions.	D．Why he created eco-friendly sculptures.

4. What does Gluckstein expect of his works?

A．They can bring him financial benefits.

B．They can make him famous as an artist.

C．They can help protect endangered animals.

D．They can improve people’s ability to appreciate art.

6 . The oceans play a crucial role in lightening global warming by absorbing carbon dioxide emissions. However, in a study conducted by the University of Texas, researchers found that the oceans’ capacity to absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) would reach its maximum by 2100 and decrease to half of its current efficiency by 2300, based on a climate simulation (模拟) that was set for a worst-case emissions scenario (设想).

The decline happens because of a surface layer of low-alkalinity (碱度) water that can hinder the ability of the oceans to absorb CO₂. Alkalinity affects how much CO₂ can dissolve in seawater. Although the emissions scenario used in the study is unlikely because of global efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions, the findings reveal a previously unknown tipping point that if activated would release an important brake on global warming.

“We need to think about these worst-case scenarios to understand how our CO₂ emissions might affect the oceans not just this century, but next century and the following centuries. Climate simulations had previously shown that the oceans slow their absorption of CO₂ over time, but none had considered alkalinity as an explanation. We recalculated pieces of a 450-year simulation until we hit on alkalinity as a key cause of the slowing.” said Megumi Chikamoto, who led the research at the University of Texas Institute.

The effect begins with extreme climate change, which slows ocean currents. This leaves the surface of the oceans covered in a warm layer of fresh water that won’t mix easily with the cooler, more al kaline waters below it. That means more of it is left behind in the atmosphere. This in turn produces faster warming, which sustains and strengthens the low-alkalinity surface layer. Co-author, Pedro DiNezio, said that the discovery was a powerful reminder that the world needs to reduce its CO₂ emissions to avoid crossing this and other tipping points.

1. What may happen after the year 2300?

A．More CO₂ will be absorbed by the oceans.

B．The oceans will lose all their current efficiency.

C．The world will face even more severe warming.

D．The oceans will be less crucial to global warming.

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

A．Improve.

B．Weaken.

C．Protect.

D．Control.

3. What does Megumi Chikamoto say about the oceans?

A．Finding why they slow CO₂ intake is hard.

B．Their ability to absorb CO₂ is at their maximum.

C．They will decide on the future of human beings.

D．They will slow down CO₂ absorption very quickly.

4. Where is this text probably taken from?

A．A biology textbook.	B．A government report.
C．Science fiction.	D．An environmental journal.

7 . 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。

13-year-old twin brother and sister Zhao Ziqian and Zhao Qinman are from Dongguan, Guangdong Province. They enter the waters off Xinbu Island in Haikou     1     (participate) in a swimming challenge across the Qiongzhou Strait,     2     lies between the island province of Hainan and the Leizhou Peninsula in Guangdong.

On Aug. 21, 2023, the twins     3     (successful) swam across the country’s Qiongzhou Strait, becoming the first set of twins to achieve the swimming feat (功绩). They were also the first     4     the 84th batch (批) of challengers to reach the shore in the attempt to swim across the Qiongzhou Strait, which is about 20 kilometers at its     5     (narrow) point. A total of six challengers from Dongguan took part in the activity. They entered the waters off Xinbu Island,     6     (begin) their challenge at 4:34 a.m. on Aug. 21 under the     7     (guide) of local teams.

According to Zhao Ziqian, the older brother, challengers could fuel their body with bottled water, bananas, chocolate and other food     8     (throw) down to them from protecting ships every 40-60 minutes.

The twins’ parents     9     (stay) with them and cheered them on throughout the journey. Their father, a former soldier, said he sent his children to swimming classes to help them build toughness     10     that he would continue to strengthen their physical fitness.

8 . 阅读下面材料，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。

Yuanmingyuan — garden of all gardens     1    (burn) and fell into ruins in 1860. Recently my classmates had a discussion about     2     it should be rebuilt or not. Supporters of rebuilding the garden say only by doing so can we see the     3     (origin) sight of the garden, which reflects the Chinese civilization. And it will be another place of interest for     4     (visitor). If it is party rebuilt, it will provide a comparison and help us remember the history. Those     5     disagree think it more reasonable     6     (keep) the garden like this. The ruins will remind us     7     the past. We should never forget the history. Other buildings like the Palace Museum and the Summer Palace can also be symbols of the Chinese culture, so it isn’t     8     (necessity) to rebuild this garden. Some also worry that the environment will be destroyed when the construction goes on in this district.     9     (person), it is advisable to rebuild Yuanmingyuan, which will add beauty to the city. What’s more, the new scenic spot will no doubt promote     10     economic development of the local.

9 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

In a very cold January, a puppy wandered around Mr. Lacey’s house, where he lived with his wife Mamie and their daughter Doris. Icicles (冰锥) hung three feet or more from the roofs of houses and snow swallowed up cars.

The puppy had been abandoned, and it made its way down the road toward the Laceys’ small house, with its ears down and trembling from shyness and cold. Doris, whose school had been called off because of the snow, was clearing the steps when she spotted the puppy on the road.

“Come on, little dog!” she called it over. The puppy shyly wagged its tail when Doris approached. As soon as Doris put the dog down in the kitchen, her mom, Mrs. Lacey, asked where the dog came from. Mr. Lacey, who was cleaning his fingernails with his pocketknife at the table, said, “I don’t know where it came from, but I know for sure where it’s going.” Doris hugged the puppy hard against her. She said nothing.

Because of the snowy weather, Mr. Lacey couldn’t take the puppy to the shelter right away. So, it stayed in the basement, and Doris fed it leftovers, even though her mom didn’t want to waste food. Doris thought the puppy was around six months old and would be quite noisy sometimes. Surprisingly, the puppy behaved well, didn’t cry or make trouble in the basement, and only followed Doris upstairs when she invited it. Doris often found it on the basement steps listening to the kitchen talk and smelling the food. She felt the puppy wanted company.

Even after a week, Doris didn’t name the dog, knowing her parents wouldn’t let her keep it. Her father made so little money that any pets were out of the question. Desperate to keep the dog, Doris tried to convince her parents by praising the dog’s good behavior and expressing her love for it, but her parents didn’t give a definite answer.

Despite her efforts, Doris secretly wished the bad weather would never go away, fearing the puppy’s unavoidable trip to the shelter. However, nine days after the dog had arrived, the sun was shining.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150个左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Doris knew it was time to say goodbye to the dog and felt rather worried.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Doris put her hand to her mouth and couldn’t believe what she had heard.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10 . A new study says that no matter how much the world cuts back on greenhouse gases, a large and important part of ice of Antarctica (南极洲) is expected to disappear.

Researchers used computer models to expect the future melting (融化) of protective ice around Antarctica’s Amundsen Sea in western Antarctica. They said the melting will take hundreds of years. It will slowly add nearly 1.8 meters to sea levels. And it will be enough to change where and how people live in the future.

The study found that even if future warming was limited to just a few tenths of a degree more, it would have limited power to prevent ocean warming that could lead to the breakdown of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.

Study lead writer Kaitlin Naughten is an expert on oceans at the British Antarctic Survey. She said their research suggests that Earth is set on the path to a quickly increasing speed of ocean warming and ice shelf melting over the rest of the century.

While past studies have talked about how serious the situation is, Naughten was the first to use computer modeling to study how warm water from below will melt the ice. The study looked at four different cases in how much greenhouse gases the world produces. In each case, ocean warming was just too much for this area of the ice to survive.

Naughten looked at floating areas of ice that hold back glaciers (冰川). Once these areas of ice melt, there is nothing to stop the glaciers behind them from flowing (流) into the sea.

The study also looked at what would happen if future warming was limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius over mid-19th century levels: the international goal. They found the rapid melting process in this case as well.

The world has already warmed about 1.2 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times and much of this summer went past the 1.5 degrees mark.

1. Which can best describe the findings of the study?

A．Cheerful.

B．Encouraging.

C．Misleading.

D．Disappointing.

2. What makes Naughten’s work on Antarctic ice special?

A．Her research area.	B．Her research time.
C．Her research method.	D．Her research purpose.

3. What do we know about floating areas of ice?

A．They will flow into the sea.	B．They protect the Antarctic ice.
C．They have warmed about 1.2℃.	D．They disappear faster than other ice.

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

A．Ice in Parts of Antaretica Will Disappear	B．Climate Change Will Harm Humans
C．Sea Level Will Rise Suddenly in the Future	D．Limiting Greenhouse Gases Makes No Sense