1 . A 57-year-old Tonga man survived 27 hours at sea in the ocean after a tsunami wave swept him out to sea.
The incident (事件) happened after the huge eruption of a volcano in the island kingdom of Tonga. Lisala Folau said that he was painting his house when his brother told him a tsunami was moving toward the small island of Atata.
Folau is disabled and has difficulty walking. He said he climbed a tree to escape the first wave but when he got down, another big wave swept him away. “I could hear my son calling from land, but I didn’t want to answer him because I didn’t want him to swim out to rescue me,” said Folau.
Folau was swept out to sea at about 7 p. m. local time. Then, he said he swam another eight hours to a second island with no one living on it before finally swimming again to the main island of Tongatapu. The experience lasted more than 27 hours and covered 7.5 kilometers.
Folau said that he went underwater nine times. “On the eighth time I thought, ‘The next time I go underwater, my arms are the only things that are keeping me above water’,” said Folau. “So the ninth time I went under and came up and grabbed a log (原木). And that’s what kept me going.”
In an interview, Folau said he was frightened when the waves took him from land into the sea. “What came into my mind when I was helpless at sea was one thing,” he said. “That was my family.”
The amazing story of Folau’s survival was shared on the Internet. And people described him as a “real-life Aquaman (潜水侠)”.
1. Why does the author mention “27 hours at sea”?| A．To make his article out of the ordinary. |
| B．To give a description of a long journey. |
| C．To stress the difficulty of the survival. |
| D．To deepen readers’ impression of tsunami. |
| A．Sit on something. | B．Go after something. |
| C．Experience physical pain. | D．Get away from danger. |
| A．A log. | B．His Family. | C．His experience. | D．A real-life Aquaman. |
| A．A news website. | B．A blog post. |
| C．A travel brochure. | D．A science magazine. |
1. What effect did the flood cause?
| A．Many buildings fell down. | B．The loss was a million dollars. | C．Mass lands were destroyed. |
| A．The fifth floor. | B．The nineteenth floor. | C．The twentieth floor. |
| A．Disappointed. | B．Annoyed. | C．Frightened. |
| A．His Chinese secretary. | B．His Thailand friend. | C．His Chinese friend. |
3 . The process by which rich land becomes desert is called desertification(沙漠化).
Africa’s Great Green Wall is a project to build an 8000-kilometer-long forest across 11 of the continent’s countries. The project is meant to contain the growing Sahara Desert and fight climate change.
Launched in 2007, the project aims to plant a forest from Senegal on the Atlantic Ocean in western Africa to Eritrea, Ethiopia and Djibouti in the east.
The U. N. desertification agency says the project will need to plant an average of 8. 2 million hectares yearly to reach its goal of 100 million hectares by 2030.
| A．It has severe impacts on the environment. |
| B．That is only 4 percent of the program’s goal. |
| C．However, it is difficult to carry out the project. |
| D．But the project has been facing many problems. |
| E．The project would create millions of green jobs in rural Africa. |
| F．Despite many problems, those involved in the project remain hopeful. |
| G．Some countries have struggled to keep up with the demands of the project. |
4 . Dogs have a seemingly endless list of lovely behavior, and their curious head tilt(歪头) at human voices is no exception. While conducting a study on dogs’ ability to learn words, scientists stumbled upon a potential link between dogs’ memory and their head tilt.
In the study, researchers looked at the head tilt patterns of both“gifted”and “typical” dogs. Owners ordered their dogs to fetch a specific toy from another room. While most dogs struggled to memorize the name of just two toys, the seven “gifted” dogs-all of which were border collies(牧羊犬)could remember at least ten different toy names they＇d been taught by researchers.
The team found that dogs that were particularly good at toy recall tilted their heads more often when hearing a command than dogs which weren’t as skilled. When they compared the dogs’ responses to a command from their owners, gifted dogs tilted their heads 43 percent of the time, while typical dogs did so just 2 percent of the time. It’s possible, scientists concluded, that the dogs’ head tilt may be a sign of paying attention or even matching a name to a visual image in their heads.
Researchers also discovered that dogs usually tilted their heads in the same direction regardless of where the owner was standing. The so-called “right-tilters“ and “left-tilters” may be a matter of individual preference. “The next step is to ask more questions to know what the head tilt really means, “says the researcher Monique Udell. “Can we use head tilting to predict word-learning ability, or attention, or memory?””
The researchers agree that the study is still in the early stages. For now, dog owners can take comfort in knowing that their dogs’ head tilt maybe a lovely attempt to better understand them.
1. Which of the following best explains “stumbled upon“ underlined in paragraph 1?| A．Broke by accident. | B．Discovered unexpectedly. |
| C．Imagined without reason. | D．Investigated secretly. |
| A．Find out the hidden toys. |
| B．Find the name of the toys. |
| C．Separate the different toys. |
| D．Go to get the toys mentioned. |
| A．Their responses were faster. |
| B．They tilted their heads more often. |
| C．They tilted their heads to the left more often. |
| D．They were more easily influenced by the owners’ locations. |
| A．Dogs mainly communicate by tilting their heads. |
| B．Dogs have developed specific communication skills. |
| C．A new study offers a clue as to why dogs tilt their heads. |
| D．Border collies are the smartest species in the animal kingdom. |
5 . A Chinese pet-cloning company has announced the birth of the world’s first cloned Arctic wolf, which was carried to term by an unlikely surrogate (替代的) mother — a beagle. 100 days after birth, the cloned female wolf pup, named Maya, and her beagle mother were unveiled to the world in a brief video at a press conference held Sep.19 by the Sinogene Biotechnology Company in Beijing.
Normally, Sinogene specializes in cloning dead pets, such as cats, dogs and horses, for private clients. But the company now wants to use its expertise to help clone endangered species for conservation purposes. “It’s a breakthrough in the protection and breeding of wild and endangered animals,” said Mi Jidong, general manager of Sinogene.
Maya was cloned using DNA collected from a fully grown Arctic wolf, also named Maya, which died in captivity at Harbin Polarland, a wildlife park in northeast China. The original Maya, who was born in Canada before being shipped to China in 2006, died due to old age in early 2021.
The cloning of Maya was successfully completed “after two years of painstaking efforts,” Mi Jidong said at the company’s press conference. Sinogene researchers originally created 137 Arctic wolf embryos (胚胎) by joining skin cells from the original Maya with immature egg cells from dogs, using a process known as somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Of those embryos, 85 were successfully transplanted into seven beagle surrogates. From those transplanted embryos, just one fully developed during pregnancy.
The researchers used beagle surrogates because there were not enough female wolves in the park for the scientists’ experiments. Luckily, dogs share enough DNA with wolves for the hybrid pregnancy to gestate (怀孕) successfully.
Maya now lives with her surrogate mother at a Sinogene lab in Xuzhou, eastern China, but the wolf pup will eventually be transferred to Harbin Polar land to live with other Arctic wolves.
1. What do we know about Sinogene?| A．It specializes in public services. |
| B．It has achieved advances in cloning. |
| C．It’s the first cloning company in China. |
| D．It’s a foreign company based in Beijing. |
| A．By adopting a new method called SCNT. |
| B．By isolating DNA from dogs’ immature egg cells. |
| C．By combining a wolf embryo with a beagle embryo. |
| D．By inserting a wolf’s skin cells into eggs from dogs. |
| A．Because their embryos guaranteed pregnancy. |
| B．Because Arctic wolves had long lived with them. |
| C．Because beagles’ DNA is identical to that of Arctic wolves. |
| D．Because Arctic female wolves used for research were limited. |
| A．To explain a study method of cloning. |
| B．To share a recent scientific achievement. |
| C．To call for the protection of engendered species. |
| D．To introduce a pioneering Chinese cloning company. |
6 . Some paper plates can be recycled.
If you’re trying to reduce your impact on the environment, then looking at ways to reuse any paper plates you do have is a good option. If you bought heavy-duty paper plates and they’re only a little dirty after use-if you served dry food on them, for example--you can clean them and use them again.
The most obvious alternative to paper plates is reusable plates. Even though you have to wash them with water, the environmental impact of a reusable plate will still be lower. If you’re looking for a semi-disposable (用数次的) plate,then you can find plates made from natural materials like bamboo. These plates can be used and washed or cleaned a few times.
| A．The short answer is yes and no. |
| B．However, the vast majority usually can’t |
| C．At the end of their life, they will break down naturally |
| D．PLA is a bioplastic that’s used to coat some paper plates. |
| E．So most cities won’t accept used paper plates for recycling. |
| F．There are two main reasons why the majority of paper plates can’t be recycled |
| G．If you have clean paper plates, they can be used for a wide range of other projects. |
7 . With red claws and face plus a large, curved black beak and crest — the crested ibis (朱鹮) is known as the beauty bird or fairy bird in China. They have existed for nearly 60 million years and were widespread in China, Korea, Japan and Russia until the 1960s when the widespread use of pesticides and fertilizers, plus a loss of Habitat, drove the birds lo near extinction. At one point, the entire species around the world was thought to be down to only six birds.
However, Liu Yinzeng, then a researcher at the Zoology Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, refused to accept what seemed to be the birds’ destiny. At 42, he headed a team setting out on a mission in 1975 to search for crested ibises in the wild in China. His team searched through mountainous areas in nine provinces over three years, yet all to no avail. Finally, in May 1981, a breakthrough came. The team found two adult crested ibises in Yang county in Shaanxi province. A week later, two other adult crested ibises with three chicks were found nesting in a tree at a farm in the same area.
Steps were taken to ensure the birds were not disturbed, with people stationed 24/7 near the tree to prevent attacks by other animals. Farmers were also banned from using fertilizers and pesticide at the nearby farm for fear of poisoning the birds. A ban was also placed on shooting guns in case it scared the birds away.
The area where the birds were initially found became the site of the first crested ibis conservation station in China and 19 chicks were born from 1981 until 1990. A breeding program for the birds was later started in the 1990s and crested ibises began to nest in Zhejiang, Sichuan and Henan provinces. Today, some five decades later, the number of crested ibises in China has reached more than 2,600 at the last count, the Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua reported this month.
1. What can we learn about the crested ibises from the first paragraph?| A．They are the most beautiful birds in China. |
| B．They used to be widespread across the world. |
| C．Human activities put them in extreme danger. |
| D．Climate change made their number fall sharply. |
| A．In vain. | B．With passion. | C．By chance. | D．Beyond control. |
| A．They were relocated to a conservation station. |
| B．Guns were banned to avoid illegal bird-hunting. |
| C．People guarded them near the tree day and night. |
| D．A breeding program for them began immediately. |
| A．The Price China Paid in Protecting Wildlife |
| B．China’s Roadmap to Human-Nature Harmony |
| C．How Chinese Scientists Found Crested Ibis |
| D．How China Saved Crested Ibis from Extinction |
Christmas was almost here. The snow was fresh and deep on the remote mountain path. Arriving home, Ben said, “I saw two horses trapped by the heavy snow.” Father looked at Jack, the older son. “Well, go take a look. Take the rifle and some hay. If they look as if they can survive, give them the hay. If not...”
The next morning, Ben and Jack set off in the cold, crisp snow. The snowmobile sank a bit in the deep snow, but they kept going. At last they reached the clearing where the horses stood.
“They’re starving!” said Ben. One of the horses had lost a lot of hair, and their tails were almost gone. Their eyes were lifeless and tired. Jack walked around the horses. “Well,” said Jack, sighing, picking up the rifle. “There’s no way to get them down through the snow. And they look pretty bad.”
“No! No!” cried Ben. “We should try,” he pleaded. “How do we know how bad they really are? Dad can get the vet!”
“Well, I don’t know,“ said Jack slowly. He walked around the horses again. He patted the big brown one on the neck. It made a sad, small groaning sound. “Maybe you’re right.”
Ben quickly got the hay and spread it around. The horses ate hungrily, and Ben poured water into a pail for them.
Back at home the family had a hurried meeting.
“What if we put them on a big sled?” Jack said.
“I don’t know how we could get a sled that big up there," Dad sighed. “I think the kindest thing to do is to put them out of their misery.”
“No!” said Ben. “Well just have to shovel(铲)a path or tunnel then.”
His parents raised their eyebrows.
“That’s a long way, and a lot of snow. I don’t know if it can be done,” Dad said, “unless we have an awful lot of people shoveling.” Ben could see he was warming to the idea.
“We’ll find some!” said Ben. He grabbed his coat and boots. “Come on, Jack, let’s go!”
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。
The two brothers went from door to door asking everyone to come and help.
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Suddenly, a group of snowmobilers arrived with shovels and hot chocolate,
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Denmark wants to make all domestic flights fossil fuel-free by 2030. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced the goal in a New Year speech. Denmark
Most impressively of all, though, the country aims to reduce its carbon emissions
10 . Record-breaking heatwaves seen across the world this summer are set to repeat themselves due to human-caused climate change—even if we reached net zero today.
The summer of 2022 has set thousands of new temperature records across the United States alone, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The mechanisms (机制) behind these heatwaves may vary by region, but, as with the “heat dome (热穹顶)” that broke temperature records in the Pacific northwest in 2021, air pressure systems are key.
“Partly, it’s the large-scale weather patterns,” said Craig Clements, professor at San José State University. “Here in the California Bay Area, we have this high pressure ridge (高压脊), which is a big buildup of air, and that air tends to be still. Thus, there’s no sea breeze that usually cools off San Francisco, and that really is triggering the extensive heat. We can just continue to heat it with the sun’s input because there’s no cloud cover.”
It’s natural for these air pressure systems to change over time. On the West coast of the U.S., low pressure systems bring rain and cooler temperatures due to air from the north, with high pressure systems following behind.
However, Clements notes that these weather patterns are becoming more pronounced and lasting longer. They’re also becoming less “natural”.
“At this stage, the ‘natural cycle’ no longer applies.” said Chris E. Forest, professor at Pennsylvania State University. “Across the globe, the likelihood of breaking weather extremes is directly related to the impact of climate change related to multiple causes, but primarily, increasing heat-trapping gases like CO2 and changes in landscape and landcover.”
Brian Hoskins, professor at the University of Reading in the U. K., echoed the point. “We know of no natural cycles that would lead to such records,” he said. “I consider that it is virtually impossible that they would have happened without human-caused climate change.”
In the long term, even if we got to net zero emissions today, it will take the next 30 to 50 years until we start to see “stabilized” global temperatures and the future extremes will be worsened by each degree of warming.
1. What do we know about the mechanisms behind heatwaves?| A．They show little regional differences. | B．The heat dome in 2021 created them. |
| C．They were controlled by the sun’s input. | D．Air pressure systems are critical to them. |
| A．The weather patterns unique to the U.S. |
| B．The weather patterns following nature’s rules. |
| C．The weather patterns contributing to heatwaves. |
| D．The weather patterns with low pressure systems. |
| A．More extreme weathers are to come. | B．Climate problems are hard to address. |
| C．Humans are to blame for the heatwaves. | D．Causes of heatwaves are to be determined. |
| A．The arrival of an unnatural cycle. | B．The role of human activities. |
| C．The unpredictability of a natural disaster. | D．The effects of extreme heatwaves. |
