1 . To better understand how our climate is changing and prepare for the future, scientists are turning to climate evidence from the past.
A project funded by the European Commission known as Beyond EPICA(European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica) is planning to drill into the oldest continuous ice core from Antarctica.
The new project is an extension of an earlier one from 2008 that collected an 800,000-year-old Antarctic ice core. The new expedition hopes to sample an ice core that can provide information from 1.5 million years ago. At polar ice caps, the snow that falls every year builds up and is packed into dense layers of ice. These frozen packs of ice preserve “snapshots” of the conditions of the past when the ice was formed. The ice layers can be exactly dated, allowing scientists to use ice cores for climate analysis.
The 2008 EPICA core has become one of the most important climate datasets in the past few decades. One key takeaway from the ice core is that concentrations of greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere have never been so high as they are at present.
It also shows that when the Earth cooled and went through ice ages, the concentration of CO₂ would fall. However, when temperatures rose, CO₂ increased as well. Furthermore, these cycles occurred every 100,000 years. Interestingly, another record of past climate shows that further back in time, the ice age cycle actually occurred every 41,000 years. As a result, the EPICA core could provide insight into the reasons behind why the amount of time for the cycle changed drastically.
Additionally, the project can help resolve the confusion of why climate period between ice ages changed from 41,000 years to 100,000 years. This means that the Antarctic ice core should have records of any special atmospheric events that may have triggered the change.
And of course, the expedition is important for understanding the present and future as well. Scientists can use this data in designing strategies so that we can take better care of our planet.
1. Why will scientists drill into the oldest ice core from Antarctica?| A．To discover the oldest ice on Earth. |
| B．To learn more about climate patterns. |
| C．To find the formation of Antarctica exactly. |
| D．To prepare for the exploration of Antarctica. |
| A．Greenhouse gases are highest at present. |
| B．CO₂ increases when temperatures drop. |
| C．Ice age cycles happened every 41,000 years. |
| D．Climate disasters will happen frequently in the future. |
| A．Proved. | B．Reflected. | C．Pretended. | D．Caused. |
| A．Finding the oldest ice in Antarctica |
| B．Drilling into the oldest ice core on Earth |
| C．Knowing the climate conditions in Antarctica |
| D．Protecting Antarctica from global warming |
2 . It’s a typical Tuesday for Cristina Zenato. She ducks below the surface of the water. This is the place where she’s truly at peace—despite being
Zenato works as a diving professional in the Bahamas. She uses a variety of .
Sharks follow fishing boats, often ending up with hooks caught in their mouths, which
Hook removal is just
She will
| A．attacked | B．led | C．circled | D．found |
| A．skills | B．ideas | C．strategies | D．steps |
| A．confused | B．satisfied | C．disappointed | D．amazed |
| A．leads to | B．adds to | C．turns to | D．sticks to |
| A．aim | B．process | C．plan | D．decision |
| A．habitat | B．network | C．defence | D．connection |
| A．leave | B．eat | C．relax | D．follow |
| A．little | B．part | C．none | D．much |
| A．Increasing | B．Expanding | C．Sharing | D．Gaining |
| A．training | B．introducing | C．contacting | D．observing |
| A．unique | B．new | C．moral | D．natural |
| A．strange | B．original | C．similar | D．positive |
| A．intend | B．continue | C．need | D．start |
| A．separated from | B．based on | C．changing into | D．depending on |
| A．love | B．pity | C．interest | D．courage |
3 . The Vjosa River, one of the last wild rivers in Europe, has been declared a national park by the Albanian government, making it become the first wild river park on the continent.
Home to more than 1,000 animal and plant species, the river flows for 270 kilometers, from Greece, through Albania and into the Adriatic Sea. Giving the credit to no dams or other artificial barriers, it is rich in aquatic species and supports a large number of wildlife species, including otters, the endangered Egyptian vulture and the critically endangered Balkan lynx.
The wild river national park will include almost 13,000 acres of land, crossing most of the body of the country, with thousands of people living in its surroundings. The decision to establish the park is more important than people may realize. For years, the Vjosa’s fragile ecosystem has been under threat: at one point as many as 45 hydropower plants (水 电 站) were planned to build across the region. But thanks to the campaigning by environmental NGOs, the tiny Balkan nation was placed at the forefront of river protection.
Albania’s prime minister, Edi Rama, described the creation of the national park as a “truly historic moment” for nature as well as social and economic development. “Today we protect the only wild river in Europe once and for all,” he said. “This is about to change a mindset. Protecting an area does not mean that you make it in isolation from the economy.” He said national parks attract 20% more tourists compared with non-protected areas.
The park will cover the 118 miles of the Vjosa in Albania, three main tributaries (支流), and some land, including areas at risk of flooding. Phase II will add other tributaries. Unlike the IUCN's Wilderness Protected Areas, which limit the number of visitors, it will allow recreational tourism and some other activities such as local fishing, particularly for 60,000 residents in the catchment.
“We hope it will inspire others to come together to protect the wild places we have left, in a meaningful way,” said Ryan Gellert, Patagonia’s CEO, adding that the park was proof that the “destruction of nature did not have to be the price of progress”.
1. What makes the Vjosa River rich in wild species?| A．Sufficient water. |
| B．The government's policies. |
| C．The large area of fertile land. |
| D．The absence of human disturbance. |
| A．It helps to establish hydropower plants. |
| B．It relieves the power shortage in Albania. |
| C．It strengthens the protection of Vjosa's ecosystem. |
| D．It promotes the development of the local wild land. |
| A．Building the park is beneficial to the economy. |
| B．More wild rivers need to be protected in Europe. |
| C．Non-protected areas will inspire a boom in tourism. |
| D．Social progress comes at the cost of the natural environment. |
| A．It includes more tributaries. |
| B．It limits the number of visitors. |
| C．It covers areas at high risk of flooding. |
| D．It combines leisure activities with tourism. |
4 . Officials in Kenya say severe drought conditions in a northern area have killed hundreds of wild animals in recent months. Many animals that do survive are starving and weak. They often come in contact with people while searching for food. Kenya’s Samburu County has experienced a lack of rain for the past four years. This has caused some of the severest dry conditions in 40 years. Experts say the effects of climate change have worsened the problem.
Officials say drought has killed at least 200 elephants, nearly 400 common zebras and more than 500 antelopes over the past 9 months. A number of other species have also been affected. Kenya’s government has provided some emergency supplies such as water, grass and mineral salts to help the animals. But many creatures are still found moving into areas where people live as they search for food and water.
David Lepeenoi is a 54-year-old man who lives in Samburu. He said that elephants seem to be drawn to the trees he planted on his property. “The trees and water points are the main source of conflict between elephants and the community,” he said. “Where we have reported cases of wildlife dying, it is not actually within the parks,” said Jim Nyamu. He helps run the Elephant Neighbors Center, a nonprofit group that seeks to protect elephants and their surroundings. Nyamu says the fact that animals are not dying in parks suggests they are looking for food in established areas blocked by humans.
Records from the conservation group BirdLife Africa show that many birds are also dying in northern Kenya, most likely from starvation. The group’s Alex Ngari says the remains of migratory birds can be seen across expanses of the very dry land. Over 300 bird species on the continent are already considered threatened or critically endangered.
The drought has also greatly harmed communities and has led to lost income, farm animal deaths and failed crops. Farmers have started taking down dried trees to produce and sell wood to earn money.
1. How does the author show the effects of drought on animals in paragraph 2?| A．By listing data. | B．By quoting sayings. |
| C．By making assumptions. | D．By drawing comparisons. |
| A．They’re secure. | B．They’re threatened. |
| C．They’re harming humans. | D．They’re destroying trees in the community. |
| A．Thirst. | B．Hunting. |
| C．Lack of food. | D．Loss of care. |
| A．Kenya Has Experienced Drought for 40 Years |
| B．Drought in Northern Kenya Threatens Animals |
| C．Wildlife Survives a Dry Area in Northern Kenya |
| D．Kenya Faces Conflict Between Humans and Animals |
5 . Climate change and increases in drought and rainstorms pose serious challenges to our water management. An international group of scientists have brought together a large body of research on water quality in rivers worldwide. The study shows that river water quality tends to worsen during extreme weather events. As these events become more often and severe due to climate change, ecosystem health and human access to safe water may be increasingly under threat.
The research led by Dr. Michelle van Vliet of Utrecht University analyzed 965 cases of river water quality changes during extreme weather such as drought, heatwaves, rainstorms, and flooding. The analysis shows that in most cases water quality tends to become worse during droughts and heatwaves (68%), rainstorms and floods (51%), and under long-term changes in climate (56%). During droughts, less water is available to dilute contaminants (稀释污染物), while rainstorms and floods generally result in more contaminants that run off from land to rivers and streams. Improvements or mixed responses in water quality are also reported for some cases, for example when increased transport of pollutants is offset (抵消) by more dilution during flood events.
Water quality changes are strongly driven by changes in water temperature. Land use and other human factors such as wastewater treatment also shape how this plays out. “Understanding the complex interplay between climate, land use, and human drivers, which together influence the sources and transport of pollutants is crucial,” says van Vliet. The research also calls for more data collection and studies of water quality in non-Western countries. “We need better monitoring of water quality in Africa and Asia. Most water quality studies now focus on rivers and streams in North America and Europe.”
The results of the study underline the urgent need for a better understanding of water quality changes during extreme weather events. It sounds an alarm to us. Only then will we be able to develop effective water management strategies that can safeguard our access to clean water and ensure ecosystem health under climate change and increasing weather extremes.
1. What can we learn from paragraph 1?| A．Human beings should be blamed for climate change. |
| B．Worsened water quality is threatening the climate. |
| C．Water quality in rivers worldwide is under risk. |
| D．Water management has been improved recently. |
| A．The threats caused by extreme weather. | B．The factors influencing water safety. |
| C．The findings of van Vliet’s research. | D．The design of van Vliet’s experiment. |
| A．Water quality in non-Western countries is more terrible. |
| B．Human activities have a big influence on water quality. |
| C．Related data collection and studies of Europe is adequate. |
| D．Water quality changes are dominated by water temperature. |
| A．Unclear. | B．Contradictory. | C．Doubtful. | D．Approving. |
1. When was the tsunami warning lifted?
| A．On Wednesday night. | B．On Thursday morning. | C．On Thursday afternoon. |
| A．Ten people lost their lives. |
| B．Two highways were damaged. |
| C．A train left the rails. |
| A．How to survive an earthquake. |
| B．How to help victims of the quake. |
| C．How to repair earthquake damage. |
Kay Day, an 87-year-old UK woman, loves elephants. But Day, who suffers from dementia(痴呆), rarely leaves her nursing home room and hasn’t seen a real elephant for a really long time. Until now.
Day is so fond of elephants that her room is full of elephant photos and toys. She dreamed of seeing an elephant up close again but never thought it would happen. On Wednesday, August 9, 2023, Day’s dream became a reality after her nursing home took her on a special trip to the Whipsnade Zoo.
The nursing home collected money to be able to realize Day’s dream. “Day doesn’t join in many activities and tends to spend quite a lot of time alone,” said the nursing home manager. “So when we sat and discussed wishes, we found out she would love to see an elephant. When we found the Elephant Experience at Whipsnade and contacted them, we said we should make her dream come true!”
Day was so excited about going to the zoo that she marked off the days on her elephant-themed calendar. Day’s carers telephoned her family and asked them to come along on the trip to support her on that exciting day.
Since the Whipsnade Zoo is a protection zoo that is working to protect wildlife as well as connect people with nature, the staff runs a lot of programs including various animal experiences and “Be a Keeper” days.
Day often told people around her that she would like to pet and feed the elephants herself as she did many years before. And she said that the elephants’ trunks (象鼻) are her favourite part of the huge animals. “It’s such a wonderful feeling to have an elephant take some food out of your hand, put it in his trunk, curl (卷起) it up and put it in his mouth, ” she told the reporter when she was interviewed.
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。
The day for going to the zoo finally came.
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The moment arrived when Day was able to meet the elephants up close.
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8 . We’re already well aware that the American Southwest, which is naturally hot and dry, is seriously short of water. The situation is getting worse every day with populations in California, Nevada and New Mexico continuing growing. The fact that so many people of the region need the limited resources has led experts to predict a major water shortfall that will cost billions to deal with. A new study that reveals climate change is going to dry out the region even further is painting a serious picture of the future.
According to the study, global warming could increase the long-term water shortfall to the 1,815 billion cubic metres by adding another 439 million cubic metres of water. Based on the price of adding reservoir (水库) capacities in California, meeting basic water shortages could cost $549 billion if climate change is factored in. Higher water prices would make the adaptation even more expensive if no water could be found at all in the drier future.
But even beyond the mere cost of creating more reservoirs, there’s no denying the fact that a hotter, drier Southwest will demand more and more energy for cooling. There’s another fact that climate change will make cities in states like Nevada and New Mexico far less sustainable than they already are. There’s also the fact that a warmer climate will have a long-lasting impact on the region’s ecosystem. Previous study has noted that climate change may convert the American South-west into a permanent desert.
It’s certainly possible that it will be too expensive to build reservoirs for some suburbs and communities and we could see an exodus (大批人同时离开) from the region; but that’s almost suitable to change, because communities pay for the extremely inefficient processes of pumping in water from out of the states.
1. What is the best title for this passage?| A．American Southwest Is Short of Water |
| B．Climate Change Will Make Water Shortage Worse |
| C．California Council Pays Attention to Water Shortages |
| D．Water Shortages Lead Experts to Predict Water Shortfall |
| A．Worried. | B．Critical. | C．Sympathetic. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．People should cool the climate immediately. |
| B．The situations of Nevada and New Mexico are not bad yet. |
| C．The energy requirements needed for cooling will not make water shortage worse. |
| D．There’s a relationship between climate change and ecosystem. |
| A．The high price of building reservoirs is making the situation worse. |
| B．Population growth is the main reason for water shortages. |
| C．Global warming could increase the long-term water shortfall to 1,815 billion cubic metres. |
| D．The American Southwest may become a desert one day. |
1. What can we say about the weather on Sunday?
| A．It was fine. | B．It was hot. | C．It was changeable. |
| A．It’s beyond their expectations. |
| B．It’s a common phenomenon. |
| C．It’s caused by climate change. |
Possibly the most helpful and joy-bringing app I’ve added to my phone lately is Merlin, a free bird identification program
There are many features the app offers, and my favorite is the birdsong listening feature,
Hearing birdsong is a
The sense of calm, well-being and pleasure that I feel when I’m hearing birdsong
So, when you take a walk outdoors or go for a hike,
