1 . Wildlife conservation is the practice of protecting plant and animal species and their habitats. As part of the world’s ecosystems, wildlife provides balance and stability to nature’s processes. Wildlife conservation is aimed to ensure the survival of these species and educate people on living sustainably with other species.

The number of people has grown to more than eight billion today, and it continues to rapidly grow. The economic growth endangers the habitats and existence of various types of wildlife around the world, particularly animals and plants that may be displaced for land development, or used for food or other human purposes. This threat is at top of the list and means natural resources are being consumed faster than ever by the billions of people on the planet. The introduction of invasive species from other parts of the world is another threat to wildlife. Other threats include climate change, pollution, fishing and hunting.

International organizations like the World Wildlife Fund, Conservation International, Wildlife Conservation Society and the United Nations work to support global animal and habitat conservation on many different fronts. They work with the government to establish and protect public lands, like national parks and wildlife protection areas. They help write legislation(法规), such as the Endangered Species Act(ESA)of 1973 in the United States, to protect various species. They work with law enforcement to charge those with wildlife crimes. They also promote biodiversity to support the growing human population while preserving existing species and habitats.

National Geographic Explorers, like conservation biologists Camille Coudrat and Titus Adhola, are working to slow the extinction of global species and protect global biodiversity and habitats. Environmental filmmakers and photographers, like Thomas P. Peschak, are essential to conservation efforts as well, documenting and bringing attention to endangered wildlife all over the world.

1. Which is a goal of wildlife conservation according to the text?

A．To stop introducing invasive species.	B．To encourage harmonious coexistence.
C．To control the number of world people.	D．To increase the use of natural resources.

2. What is the biggest threat to wildlife?

A．Hunting.

B．Human activity.

C．Pollution.

D．Climate change.

3. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The activities of protection areas.

B．The importance of biodiversity promotion.

C．The relevant efforts of international organizations.

D．The great impact of wildlife crimes on ecosystems.

4. What does the author want to present in the last paragraph?

A．The necessity of legislation.

B．The wildlife conservation’s achievements.

C．The individuals’ contributions to the environment.

D．The statistics about the wildlife conservation efforts.

2 . 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。

July 2023 was the world’s warmest month on record, with heat waves spreading across North America, Asia and Europe. How to cool the planet     1    (trouble) scientists in the last decades. They are now turning     2     sun-blocking technology, which refers to reflecting sunlight back into space to keep down the temperature of the     3    (planet) climate.

According to Euro news, a European television news network, one idea     4    (involve) pumping sun-blocking particles (粒子) into the upper atmosphere. The particles will then stay in the air and redirect sunshine back upwards. It is like     5    (apply) sunscreen on the outside of Earth. Another very     6    (promise) technique is called “cloud brightening”. This method includes sending sea salt particles into clouds above the sea, making     7    (they) whiter and thus reflect more sunlight back into space.

However, following the report,     8     open letter by more than 60 scientists called for caution and more research first. Kristen Rasmussen, a climate scientist at Colorado State University, US, has been studying     9     these sun-blocking methods will affect rainfall patterns. She said that apart from rainfall, ecosystems and even human     10    (community) will also be affected. “We need to be very cautious on this,” Rasmussen told Scientific American.

3 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Why is the man going to Montreal next summer?

A．To do some business.

B．To attend a wedding.

C．To take a course.

2. What do we know about Quebec City?

A．It is the biggest city in Quebec Province.

B．It is far from the St. Lawrence River.

C．It is the capital of Quebec Province.

3. What does the woman mention about Quebec City at last?

A．The ancient buildings.

B．The cold winter.

C．The beautiful river.

4 . 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。

One day a boy found a bird lying on the ground, squawking (叫喊) for help. Feeling sad for the bird, the boy petted it gently and wanted to help it, but he didn’t know how since he was just 7 years old. So he took the bird in his hands, carried it carefully home and showed it to his parents. At once, his parents took action. They washed the bird and found it injured. With the help of his parents, the young boy dressed the wound. But it would need time and care for the bird to completely recover. As the bird had become dear to his heart, the boy immediately offered to care for the bird.

The boy named his new friend “Lucky”. He began to feed the bird and he even ran out to collect grass to build a soft nest (鸟巢) for the bird. Then, he put the nest beside his bed. The boy and the bird were sleeping together and living together. Soon they became close friends. The boy always told it about his experiences in school and his secrets. Lucky, an extremely patient audience, usually responded to him with a few nods and chirps (叽叽喳喳声). The boy’s parents also loved Lucky. They regarded it as a family member.

In the course of time, Lucky gradually recovered and started to hop (脚跳) and jump a little bit and exercise its wings. That made everyone happier. Soon it would be able to fly. How wonderful!

But what then? The boy became thoughtful and started to think. “If Lucky started to fly, it could simply fly away one day.” But that would not happen. The boy loved his friend so much that he couldn’t imagine parting with it. The boy wondered, “I should surely stay with Lucky forever. But how? Keep the windows closed all the time? That was not practical.”

注意：
1.续写词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1:

Then, he made a decision: He bought a small cage and kept Lucky in it.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:

Knowing the bad situation, the boy’s parents decided to help Lucky as well as their son.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 . Animals being extinct from the Earth is a serious issue. When this happens in order to use their fur or skin for fashion, it is even worse, since it’s not even for a matter of human survival. That’s why a London zoo decided to make a powerful statement at the Siamese crocodile enclosure (鳄鱼围栏).

When visitors come in expecting to see a crocodile, they’re greeted with the handbag instead, making a very effective and powerful point about illegal wildlife trade and the harm it takes on the species involved.

A sign by the enclosure reads, “This bag used to be found swimming in slow-moving rivers and streams across Southeast Asia and Indonesia. Over the last 75 years, more than 80% of Siamese crocodiles have disappeared. Many, like this one, were hunted for their skins as part of the illegal wildlife trade.”.

Native to parts of Southeast Asia, Siamese crocodiles are critically endangered and have become virtually extinct in the wild. Due to hunting as well as habitat loss, they are now absent from nearly 99% of their original range. A huge part of the decline of population is due to humans using their wetland habitat for rice farming, and things only took a turn for the worse when large-scale hunting for their skin for commercial purposes began in the 1950s.

The particular handbag that is on display at the zoo was confiscated at a UK airport, according to Benjamin Tapley, leader of reptiles and amphibians at ZSL London Zoo.

Tapley told The Huffington Post, “We made this exhibit, within ZSL London Zoo’s Reptile House, to draw visitors’ attention to the destructive impact the Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) is having on species around the world. At ZSL, we are working globally with governments and local communities to protect wildlife, support law enforcement (执法) that targets illegal trade networks, empower local communities affected by IWT and reduce demand for threatened wildlife.”

1. Why does the sign say this handbag used to swim?

A．It is made of a crocodile’s skin.

B．It is made into a crocodile shape.

C．It is light enough to float on water.

D．It was kept in flowing river at first.

2. What is paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．Wildly hunting of Siamese crocodiles.

B．Destruction of Siamese crocodiles’ habitats.

C．Commercial value of Siamese crocodiles.

D．Causes to make Siamese crocodiles endangered.

3. What does the underlined word “confiscated” in paragraph 5 mean?

A．Seized.

B．Sold.

C．Found.

D．Stolen.

4. What does Tapley’s words focus on?

A．The importance of wildlife protection.

B．The crisis endangered animals are facing.

C．The purpose to show the handbag.

D．The harm IWT caused.

6 . Wooden houses surrounded by a thick forest, classical music playing softly in the background, a very special cafe, three meals a day and several outdoor activity areas. This sounds like a dream vacation arrangement (安排). But this is not a place for people. It’s for cats in the province of Samsun, Türkiye.

Kedi Kasabas, or “cat town”, is one interesting place in the country, a place where cats can experience what real comfort is!

The town, which covers an area of around 20 acres, is run by the local city and most admitted guests have a hard backstory. “All cats here are homeless and usually go through suffering s before being brought here. They are either injured or mentally suffer. We treat them and put them back into the town. The environment here is really beautiful for them,” Faruk Kan, a Kedi Kasabas vet, said.

Kan is not the only vet working at the shelter. There’s a whole team looking after the cats and making sure all their needs are met. The place even has a special area for sick or injured cats, where they receive personalized (个性化的) treatment.

There are currently 150 animals living in “cat town”, and the number keeps rising. There are wooden houses where they can rest, and also houses designed for socializing. During the winter they are provided with heated accommodation, so feeling convenient and warm is a sure thing for these furry creatures.

The love for cats seems to be a Turkish favourite. Istanbul is known for being home to several hundred thousand cats. There, people take care of street cats like kings. The four-legged friends are fed and kept healthy and they have already become part of the city view.

Even though cats may have a happy life outdoors in the forest or wandering around in the city streets, there’s nothing like having a stable (稳定的) home, lying next to a human friend.

1. What can be learned about “cat town”?

A．It is quite difficult to reach.	B．It is peaceful and comfortable.
C．It is very expensive to run.	D．It serves special coffee to visitors.

2. What does the underlined word “guests” in paragraph 3 refer to?

A．Cats.

B．Visitors.

C．Workers.

D．Volunteers.

3. What do we know about the cats in “cat town”?

A．They are thrown by their owners.	B．They came from pet lovers.
C．They are friendly to humans.	D．They used to suffer a lot.

4. Which does the author think is the best place for a cat probably?

A．The forest.	B．The city streets.
C．A human’s home.	D．A pet hospital.

7 . Derby is a cute little disabled dog. His front legs are seriously deformed. This makes getting around for the little guy pretty _________. He jumped around with his back legs, having constant _________ and foot infections (感染). Tara Anderson couldn’t _________ the opportunity to help Derby out when she found his _________ on the animal rescue website. So, she did what many of us would have wanted to do. She brought Derby home to _________ him.

Tara, who works for a 3D printing company, decided to use her _________ to help this little dog. With the help of her team, Tara successfully created prosthetic (假肢的) front legs for this _________ dog! The gift was specially designed to allow Derby to _________ and play like any other dog, without sinking into the ground. The wheel-like design was such a _________!

Derby, who is now living with his adoptive parents, __________ the prosthetics immediately. His new dad said it was “__________”   to see him running for the first time.

Tara and her team designed the first set of prosthetics to be shorter so that it wouldn’t be a(n) __________ to Derby. As he __________ the new legs, though, they will continue to improve the prosthetics to give Derby the best possible __________. Nothing is going to __________ Derby now. He is already well on his way to that goal.

1.

A．impossible

B．difficult

C．competitive

D．necessary

2.

A．regret

B．growth

C．anger

D．pain

3.

A．switch

B．offer

C．miss

D．afford

4.

A．potential

B．performance

C．story

D．advertisement

5.

A．doubt

B．train

C．observe

D．tend

6.

A．knowledge

B．right

C．popularity

D．passion

7.

A．faithful

B．smart

C．funny

D．lucky

8.

A．sleep

B．run

C．see

D．sit

9.

A．challenge

B．mess

C．success

D．bargain

10.

A．removed

B．returned

C．appreciated

D．hid

11.

A．amazing

B．tiring

C．confusing

D．embarrassing

12.

A．advantage

B．shock

C．reward

D．dream

13.

A．gives in to

B．makes up for

C．looks forward to

D．gets used to

14.

A．duty

B．connection

C．experience

D．advice

15.

A．prohibit

B．question

C．attract

D．label

8 . 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。

World Tourism Day     1     (celebrate) every year on September 27th. It’s a day that reminds us of the     2     (important) of tourism and how it can bring people from different parts of the world together.

When we travel, we can see different sights and experience different cultures. We can learn about new foods, languages and customs. We can also see     3     (amaze) landmarks (地标) and natural wonders, such as mountains, oceans and forests. Some people like to travel to big cities,     4     others prefer to visit small towns or countryside areas. Tourism is not only about having fun, but it can also benefit (使受益) the people and the environment of the places we visit. When people are on a visit somewhere, they spend money     5     food, hotels, and gifts, which can help create     6     (job) and support local business. Tourism can also be helpful in taking care of the environment and wildlife by     7     (support) conservation (保护) efforts. However, we must remind     8     (we) that tourism can influence the environment and local cultures. We need to be respectful of the places we visit.

Anyway, World Tourism Day is a day when we celebrate the benefits of tourism and learn how     9     (make) sure that tourism doesn’t harm the environment or the people     10     live in the places we visit.

9 . U. S. government officials have approved meat that is grown from cells in a laboratory to be sold in restaurants and food stores.

Companies have been developing “lab-grown” meat for years. But the California-based companies Upside Foods and Good Meat are the first to have their products approved by the Department of Agriculture. Chicken is the only “lab-grown” meat permitted in the United States. However, lab-grown meat from cattle, pigs and sheep might be available soon.

Production of meat grown in a laboratory begins by taking cells from fertilized eggs. The cells are combined with nutrients that support their growth in steel tanks. Upside Foods’s lab-grown meat is created in large sheets, which are then formed into final products. Good Meat transforms cells into several chicken products.

Lab-grown meat is different from plant-based meat such as Impossible Burgers. Those products are made from plant materials. Researchers consider lab-grown meat to be “real” meat. Company representatives say the lab-grown chicken seems like real meat. Amy Chen is Upside Foods’ chief operating officer. She told the Associated Press, “The most common response we get is, ‘Oh, it tastes like chicken.’”

Upside Foods has stated that they only can produce 22, 680 kilograms of lab-grown meat a year. Officials expect the price of lab-grown meat to be about $44 per kilogram. At such a price, only rich people will be able to purchase lab-grown meat. Therefore, it will not be available in grocery stores any time soon. Restaurants are expected to begin serving “lab-grown” meat within two to five years. Experts say it might be available in supermarkets in 7 to 10 years.

Ricardo San Martin, director of the Alt: Meat Lab told the Associated Press, “If some high-end or wealthy people want to eat this instead of a chicken, it’s good.” Then he added, “Will that mean you will feed chicken to poor people? I honestly don’t see it.”

Supporters of lab-grown meat say it does not require killing or hurting animals. They also say it helps diminish and ease the effects that feeding animals and animal waste have on the environment. But Martin said that if too little is produced, and only a small number of people eat it, it will have little effect on the environment.

1. What does the third paragraph mainly talk about on lab-grown meat?

A．Its growing process.	B．Its main component.
C．Its drawback.	D．Its characteristics.

2. Why is lab-grown meat unpopular in grocery stores soon?

A．Because it’s tasteless.	B．Because it’s costly.
C．Because it’s harmful.	D．Because it’s unprofitable.

3. What does the underlined word “diminish” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Conserve.

B．Anticipate.

C．Tackle.

D．Decrease.

4. What worries Ricardo San Martin on lab-grown meat?

A．Its safety.

B．Its popularity.

C．Its output.

D．Its potential.

10 . Every dog should have a loving home, and thanks to a 13-year-old boy named Thiago, many are now closer to finding one.

Thiago is a self-described animal lover hoping to help the homeless dogs in his home city of Antônio Prado. So, he came up with an idea. Maybe if he could make the dogs on the street look more attractive, they’d have more chances to be adopted (收养). So he began giving baths to dogs in his spare time. This great idea is what led Thiago to create a project called “Sou de rua mas to limpinho” at the end of 2020.

With the help of his father, he began looking for dogs who needed a helping hand. “At the end of last year, I decided that I needed to somehow do something for the animals,” Thiago said. “While talking to my father, I told him about my idea of bathing street dogs so they can stay clean and smell good and people may look at them differently.”

Before the effort truly took off, Thiago and his dad had to work out how to win the dogs over. “Catching dogs on the street is difficult, since they are always frightened and many have suffered from ill treatment,” Thiago explained. “So we spent some time without baths until my father spoke to the public service organization and we started to bathe their newly saved dogs.” In addition to bathing them, Thiago started adding little accessories (配饰) to the dogs, such as little hair pins, to really increase their chances of adoption. The boy’s dad also took pictures of the dogs and posted them online, pointing any possible adopters to the nearby shelters (收容所). “I want people to be not afraid to adopt,” Thiago said. “It’s the best thing in the world.”

1. Why did Thiago create “Sou de rua mas to limpinho”?

A．To provide baths for dogs.	B．To raise money for animal shelters.
C．To help homeless dogs get adopted.	D．To draw public attention to animal care.

2. What was a problem facing Thiago and his dad at the start of the project?

A．They were short of bath products.	B．The homeless dogs distrusted them.
C．People showed no interest in adoption.	D．Possible adopters preferred young dogs.

3. Which of the following best describes Thiago?

A．Caring.

B．Confident.

C．Humorous.

D．Serious.

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

A．Boy Adopts Dogs in Bad Conditions	B．Boy Helps Dogs Find a New Home
C．Lost Dogs Require Getting Adopted	D．Homeless Dogs Move into Shelters