1 . The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its sixth major report on the health of the planet on Monday, demonstrating “if Pacific Ocean temperatures continue to rise, bleaching will kill the remaining corals that make up Australia’s Great Barrier Reef ”.
Bleaching is the result of higher-than-normal ocean temperatures. Warmer water causes corals to release the sea-plants that feed them and make them colorful. They turn white and sicken, often dying very quickly.
The Great Barrier Reef, which is over 2,300 kilometers long is the largest living structure on Earth. It is home to thousands of kinds of fish and other animals. Giant clams, whales, dolphins and birds are among the others that depend on the reef to live.
Humanity also profits from the reef. Popular with visitors, who bring a lot of money to the area, the reef was the center of Tony Fontes’ 40 years career. The professional diver taught the sport and led dive rips to the reef. He compared the destruction from a bleaching event to that from a forest fire. “You just realize you’ve just swum across a reef that a couple weeks ago was full of life and vibrant and now a bushfire has gone through it and the coral is dead,” he said, adding, “and the rest of the marine life will just have to move on or die off.”
IPCC panelist Mark Howden, director of the climate school at Australian National University said conditions that scientists predicted for the future “ are appearing pretty much now. ” However, he mentioned the report offered ideas that can reduce pressure on the reef and help Australia reduce its negative impact on the environment. “Australians should be concerned about all the problems discussed in the report,” he said, “but, the IPCC also wrote about solutions to prevent worst-case circumstances in the future.”
1. What makes the Great Barrier Reef suffer from bleaching?| A．Sick reef. | B．Emergence of sea-plants. |
| C．Warmer water. | D．More corals. |
| A．Many ocean creatures rely on the reef to live. |
| B．It is the largest living structure in the universe. |
| C．A forest fire damaged the reef a few weeks ago. |
| D．It’s popular with visitors because it brings them money. |
| A．To show his strong dislike of the bleaching. |
| B．To describe the gradual process of the bleaching. |
| C．To express the destructive effect of the bleaching. |
| D．To voice the similarity between bushfire and bleaching. |
| A．The vital importance of the reef. | B．The ways to solve the problems. |
| C．The problems discussed in the report. | D．The prediction of the future condition. |
2 . When it comes to selecting a hiking companion, cats are usually far down on the list. Unless, of course, your name is JJ Yosh. JJ is an adventure filmmaker and social media influencer from Boulder, Colorado. He adopted a cat named Simon from his neighbor a year ago and they’ve been inseparable ever since !
When he adopted Simon, JJ had big plans. He immediately started training the cat to become his sidekick (伙伴) through countless adventures. Luckily, Simon proved to be a quick student who loves the great outdoors just as much as his owner!“ Simon’s favorite places are his backyard hiking spots in Boulder, Colorado,” JJ said.“ He loves exploring the nearby mountains where we have caves and rocks to climb.” While hiking, Simon chose between riding in a backpack and simply resting on JJ’s shoulder. When they camped overnight, they slept in a shared sleeping bag.
There’s nothing Simon wouldn’t do to stay close to his favorite human! Everywhere they go, JJ and Simon get plenty of attention from curious strangers.“ The reaction is usually amazement and surprise that I would be taking a cat into the back country, and that Simon would sit so gracefully on my shoulder like a parrot,” JJ said.
The cat’s owner hopes to encourage more people to train their pets to join them out in the world as well. “On top of getting outside, I want people to realize cats can be just as adventurous as dogs if given the proper training,” he said. This is one of the best romances we have ever seen! Simon and JJ are giving us serious goals. Somehow we think our lazy house cats are a bit too set in their ways to try this, but you never know !
1. What is Simon and his owner ’ s relationship like ?| A．Distant. | B．Close. | C．Worrying. | D．Tense. |
| A．Hike in the backyard. | B．Sit on JJ ’ s shoulder. |
| C．Sleep in a sleeping bag. | D．Play in a backpack . |
| A．He hikes in remote areas. | B．He looks like a parrot. |
| C．His hiking partner is a cat. | D．He hikes with a parrot . |
| A．Cats will replace dogs in hiking completely. |
| B．Cats can become humans’ most faithful friends. |
| C．Most people can realize the importance of cats in life. |
| D．More people can involve their pets in their adventures. |
3 . The world’s only captive (圈养) brown giant panda, Qizai, has been taking more exercise in preparation for the upcoming breeding (繁育) season. He is encouraged to stand up by keepers who place food on the end of a stick held just out of his reach. Panda experts believe that strengthening the giant animal’s legs will improve his ability to breed successfully.
The world’s first brown panda was discovered in 1985 in the Qinling Mountains. All photographs of wild brown pandas were taken in the area, which they were named after. The Qinling giant panda, first recognized in 2005, is a subspecies of giant panda. As well as its brown and white fur, it has a smaller and rounder skull and a shorter nose than the more familiar Sichuan giant panda.
Qizai, whose name means the seventh son, was found as two-month-old cub, weak and alone, by researchers in a nature reserve in the Qinling Mountains. For his safety, the researchers took him to the nearby Shaanxi Rare Wildlife Rescue Centre where he was given medical treatment and fed on milk from other pandas.
There are 1, 864 giant pandas in the wild, according to World Wildlife. They live mainly in bamboo forests high in the mountains of south-west China, mostly in Sichuan province, but they can also be found in Shaanxi province, where Qizai is from. He was previously thought to be the only living brown panda in the world until a wild panda with the same colour pattern was spotted roaming in a nature reserve in Shaanxi in March, 2018. Up to now spotting brown pandas in the wild has taken place no more than ten times, all of which were in the central Qinling Mountains.
1. Why do keepers put food beyond Qizai’s reach?| A．To prepare him for the return to the wild. | B．To train him to amuse zoo visitors. |
| C．To help him exercise his legs. | D．To ensure him a balanced diet. |
| A．He was first found in 2005. | B．He is a Qinling giant panda. |
| C．His seventh son is 2 months old. | D．He was the only living brown panda. |
| A．The sighting of wild brown pandas is a rare happening. |
| B．The Qinling Mountains are home to most wild pandas. |
| C．The number of giant pandas is growing rapidly. |
| D．All giant pandas are of the same colour. |
| A．Life of captive pandas. | B．Endangered giant pandas. |
| C．The Qinling giant panda. | D．Rare wildlife protection. |
4 . Sea life near Turkey is being threatened by a layer of brown foam on the ocean s surface.
The actual name for the foam is mucilage (黏液). Scientists first noticed and described mucilage in 2007, when it was found near Turkey. Then, it was also found in other parts of the Aegean Sea, near Greece.
This year’s outbreak of mucilage is the worst ever recorded. It’s been developing for seven months and is now covering large parts of the Sea of Marmara. The Sea of Marmara is an “inland sea”, surrounded by land belonging to Turkey, and connected to the Aegean Sea and the Black Sea.
There are many different kinds of algae (海藻), and it’s natural and normal for algae to grow in the ocean or in other bodies of water. But when there is lots of food for the algae, and other conditions are just right, there can be “an algae bloom” which results in algae growing quickly and in huge numbers And in very bad situations, mucilage is the result.
There are two main causes for the present outbreak of mucilage. One is the heavy pollution sewage, fertilizers, and other chemicals- flowing into the Sea of Marmara. The second cause is higher water temperatures because of climate change.
The mucilage causes problems in lots of different ways. For one thing, by covering the ocean’s surface, it stops sunlight from reaching all the sea life below. “This mucilage is now covering the sea surface like a tent canvas,” says Muharrem Balci, who teaches biology at Istanbul University. Because there is so much algae, it takes up lots of oxygen from the seawater. That means that there’s very little oxygen left for the other sea creatures that depend on it. The BBC reports that divers in the area are seeing large numbers of dying fish. After a while, the mucilage falls to the bottom of the ocean, where it covers the sea floor threatening to poison creatures that live there, like crabs and mussels. This year, the mucilage has been found as deep as 30 meters below the surface.
1. What do we know about mucilage?| A．It generally doesn’t last long. |
| B．It had never existed before 2007. |
| C．It is mainly formed in inland seas. |
| D．It was first noticed near Turkey. |
| A．A good harvest of algae. | B．The increasing use of algae. |
| C．The explosive growth of algae. | D．A continuing popularity of algae. |
| A．It can greatly threaten sea life. |
| B．It has drawn attention worldwide. |
| C．It will lead to food shortages for humans. |
| D．It benefits some sea creatures but harms others. |
| A．New kinds of algae are found in Turkey |
| B．Turkey’s coastal waters are covered with mucilage |
| C．Marmara has seen an increase in water temperatures |
| D．Endangered sea creatures in Marmara have been protected |
5 . Debris flow (泥石流) is a kind of destructive geological disaster. July to August is the most frequent period of debris flow in China.
Don’t overlook your surroundings while hiking. Pay attention to the surrounding environment and pay special attention to whether you hear thunder-like sound from the valley in the distance. If you hear it, you should raise the alarm.
Don’t panic and escape in the direction of debris flow. When meeting with debris flow, stay calm.
Don’t think it’s safer in the area where the debris flow just happened. Sometimes the debris flow will happen intermittently (间歇地).
| A．Don’t try to stay in your car |
| B．It is likely to be a sign of debris flow |
| C．Try to determine the safe path to escape |
| D．Don’t drive a car for a trip in the mountain |
| E．Stay calm and look at the map on your phone |
| F．If you know some emergency knowledge about debris flow |
| G．If you are walking through the area where the debris flow just happened |
Deep below the ocean’s surface is a mysterious world that takes up 95% of Earth’s living space. But the deep sea remains
It’s hard to imagine that thousands of fascinating animals have adapted to life in this
The Census of Marine Life is an international project,
7 . It has been little more than14 years since famous television host and wildlife activist Steve Irwin passed away, but the Irwin family is carrying on Steve’s cause－they continue to save Australia’s wild animals at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital in Queensland, which is owned by the Irwin family.
Altogether, Steve’s wife Terri and his two kids Robert and Bindi have treated more than 90 , 000 animals at the zoo’s 24/7 medical units since they opened 16 years ago. And due to the significant impact of weather events across northern New South Wales and South East Queensland, they’ve seen more animals suffering from fires, drought and disease and their team is busier than ever.
Robert recently posted a photo of their record-breaking animal patient on social media, saying, “This is patient number 90,000 that the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital has treated. He is a platypus(鸭嘴兽) that we rescued from the big wildfire－an endangered animal, and we named him Ollie. Now Ollie is receiving care round the clock until he can be sent back to the wild. "
“Over the last 16 years, the hospital has provided 24/7 wildlife rehabilitation(康复)and an unbelievable animal rescue service,” he added. “We’re so proud of this world-class facility.But with extreme pressure from drought to bush fires , there’s more wildlife than ever out there in need of our help.”
The Irwins have taken to social media to inform their concerned followers that they are not in danger of being affected by the wildfires. “With so many destructive fires within Australia, my heart breaks for the people and wildlife who have lost so much. I want to let you know that we are safe, and we will continue to save as many lives as we can,” Bindisaid in a post.
1. What do we know about the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital?| A．Its owner is the local government. |
| B．Its patient intake rate is rising sharply. |
| C．It has been operated for about 14 years. |
| D．It was founded in memory of Steve Irwin. |
| A．To call for people’s attention to wildlife. |
| B．To introduce a kind of endangered animal. |
| C．To show the destructive effects of bush fires. |
| D．To indicate the Irwin family’s great contribution. |
| A．Confident but modest. | B．Proud and ambitious. |
| C．Pleased but concerned. | D．Satisfied and grateful. |
| A．The Irwins’ Wildlife Hospital |
| B．Australian Wild Animals’ Suffering |
| C．Help Badly Needed for Wild Animals |
| D．The Irwin Family’s Animal Rescue Efforts |
8 . When Finn the golden retriever (寻回犬) was diagnosed with a terminal cancer in May , his family decided to do something special to make his last days on earth brighter—and made a doggie bucket list.
Cynthia and Robert Peterson, who live in Burlington, Vermont, wanted to treasure his last days as part of their family. The family said that the idea is to “make him comfortable, make him happy, Spoil him a little bit”.
They said the list is full of fun and includes everything that Finn would want to do. Finn has already completed over half of the ten activities on his bucket list and there are an exciting mixture of things he’s set to do. Some of them are fairly regular dog activities like going for a hike, playing fetch, having a steak dinner, making a new friend and walking along the beach. There’re also some more unusual activities like taking a hot air balloon ride , going apple picking and having a song written about him.
People on social media have found the sweet idea by Finn’s family heartwarming. One person commented on the video:“An animal is so often more than a pet, the unconditional bond and love they pro-vide is a reward in itself. But this couple show their own love back for Finn ten times.” The family said that they think Finn has inspired others to live “more authentically”.
The family have appealed for help with his final bucket list activity. The family say they need help to have a children’s book written about him. Cynthia and Robert are raising money for the book on their Go Fund Me page.
1. Why did Finn’s owners make the bucket list?| A．To brighten his last days. | B．To rid him of pain. |
| C．To raise money from public. | D．To help to cure the cancer. |
| A．It lists tasks full of challenges. | B．It focuses on physical sports. |
| C．It contains some special activities. | D．It is designed by people online. |
| A．They were touched. | B．They donated money. |
| C．They attacked the idea. | D．They rewarded the owners. |
| A．Going apple picking. | B．Offering comfort to other pets. |
| C．Taking a hot air balloon ride. | D．Having a specially-written book. |
Members of an elephant herd making
A Midnight Rescue
It was not uncommon to carry out tasks at night as rescuers. Harry and David were informed of their task when it was nearly midnight. It was urgent so there was no time to hesitate. They headed into the forest.
The forest was black and silent. A little way into it they reached a fork in the earth path. Harry and David took the left path. They walked in silence, their eyes on the ground, watching out for the traps like big pits（坑）set by the illegal hunters. Every now and then a ray of moonlight through the branches above lit a spot of scarlet（猩红的）blood on the fallen leaves.
David saw that Harry looked very worried, asking, "Could Unicorn be hurt that badly?" Harry answered, "If we can't find it as soon as possible, it doesn't stand much chance to survive." Of course, Unicorn was not the animal in fairy tales but the nickname of a 3-year-old elephant, the last wild elephant in this forest. The nickname was given by the biodiversity rescuers who were protecting every member in this forest. They knew Unicorn was obedient and not afraid of human beings and that sometimes put it in danger. "Without it, the forest was not complete. Those illegal hunters should be thrown into prison." Harry thought, carrying his first aid kit（急救箱）on his back and walking forward with his flashlight.
It seemed that thick fog would come at any time, which would increase the danger. Harry hurried into the heart of the forest with David. They walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper. There were blood splashes（血迹）on the roots of a tree, as though the poor creature had been struggling around in pain close by. "We must hurry up", said Harry.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1:
However, it was really not easy for them to find it.
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Without delay, Harry knelt down to do first aid on its wound with David holding the flashlight.
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