1 . The world feels like it’s being set alight. Wildfires in Canada and Europe, floods in China, and a never-ending stream of record-breaking heat waves have constantly dominated newspaper headlines. The feeling that time is quickly running out is very real. But that feeling is a barrier to action — nothing has changed when we’ve called for action before, so considering the seemingly limited time window.
Our past efforts tell us there is a chance. The world has solved large environmental problems that seemed impossible to overcome at the time. An eye-opening example is acid rain. Studying how the world dealt with this geopolitically divisive problem can give us some inspiration on how we can address climate change today.
It has mostly slipped from the public conversation, but acid rain was the leading environmental problem of the 1990s. Caused by sulfur dioxide (二氧化硫), it dissolved old sculptures, stripped forests of their leaves, and polluted rivers and lakes. Emissions from the UK would blow over to Sweden and Norway; emissions from the US would blow over to Canada. This is a classic game theory problem; outcomes don’t only depend on the actions of one country but those of the others too. Eventually, government officials had to sign international agreements, place emissions limits on power plants and start to reduce coal burning. Interventions were incredibly effective. In Europe, sulfur dioxide emissions fell by 84 percent and in the US by 90 percent.
Surely climate change is not the perfect parallel for the environmental problems we’ve solved before. It will be harder. It will involve every country, rich and poor. But change is happening. To accelerate action, we need to have the expectation that things can move faster. Past lessons tell us that these expectations are not unrealistic.
1. How does the sense of urgency affect attitudes to climate change?| A．It discourages team work. |
| B．It fuels doubts about efforts. |
| C．It arouses fear for disasters. |
| D．It weakens trust in newspapers. |
| A．To analyze the causes of present challenges. |
| B．To boost public confidence in the government. |
| C．To highlight acid rain’s environmental damage. |
| D．To offer insights into handling climate change. |
| A．The seriousness of the pollution. |
| B．Unequal shares of responsibility. |
| C．Seeking international cooperation. |
| D．Reducing sulfur dioxide emissions. |
| A．Unsatisfied. |
| B．Dismissive. |
| C．Optimistic. |
| D．Approving. |
2 . Conventionally butterflies were regarded not as fascinating subjects for close observation but as symbols of shallowness. But Eleanor Granville treated them with scientific seriousness.
In her thirties, though suffering from a marriage where the husband was violent and even turned her family against her, Granville sought comfort by studying moths and butterflies. She travelled around the countryside with local girls, beating bushes to catch falling larvae (幼虫), and recruited her servants as assistants to collect specimens (样本). Because of unusual generosity in paying for a fine specimen, she soon accumulated a substantial collection of butterflies. After bringing larvae home, she meticulously logged their growth, providing some of the earliest detailed accounts of insect life cycles.
However, wandering the countryside with a collecting net was considered weird behavior for anyone back then, let alone a woman, and she was accused of going out dressed like a “gypsy”.
Besides her own extensive research, Granville exchanged letters and butterflies with other collectors. Another enthusiast William Vernon reported that she had owned “the noblest collections of butterflies, all English, which has shamed us”. She sent 100 examples to the Royal Society and also sent James Petiver, England’s most celebrated butterfly expert, boxes of carefully pinned butterflies, including several that had been previously unknown, and notably the one later named the Granville fritillary whose wings carry striking brown and yellow patterns, a species of special concern due to the decline of the total number under the influence of food loss and hotter weather.
Eleanor Granville remains the only British naturalist to have left their name to a native butterfly species. A pioneer in the study of entomology (昆虫学), Cranville helped make it an academic subject. Regretfully, only two moths and a butterfly of Granville’s precious specimens are still preserved in London’s Natural History Museum. Her name lives on the butterflies she loved.
1. What do we know about Granville?| A．She paid generously for every specimen. |
| B．She was accused of deserting her family. |
| C．Studying butterflies provided an escape from her life. |
| D．Working with local girls earned her a good reputation. |
| A．James Petiver greatly influenced Granville. | B．Granville’s efforts shamed the Royal Society. |
| C．The Granville fritillary is an endangered species. | D．Granville’s work was academically recognized. |
| A．By naming butterflies and moths. | B．By studying rare butterfly specimens. |
| C．By offering up her collections for research. | D．By introducing entomology into universities. |
| A．A Battle Against Social Conventions | B．A Woman Who Collected Butterflies |
| C．An Adventurer Trapped in a Woman | D．An Undertaking That Changed History |
3 . Houseplant collections have become a popular social media trend. For many people, tending to plants has surfaced as a hobby that enables them to experience greater comfort and beauty from the presence of living things sharing their space. “
Snake plant. These popular indoor plants have a striking appearance, with dark green sword-shaped leaves, It is very easy to care for. and it thrives in spaces with low sunlight and filters the air.
Lavender. Well known for its relaxing scent, lavender has a calming effect, aids in reducing stress and promotes sleep. You can clip and dry the leaves and put them in a bowl or even sprinkle them into your bath.
Before you bring home a boatload of plants, Jones says it’s not about how many plants you have, but rather how you interact with them. For instance, is there enough space for plants in areas where you spend a lot of time?
Remember that while indoor gardening can help with your mental well-being, it’s not a cure-all.
| A．It’s a great first plant. |
| B．Do you have time to care for them daily? |
| C．Are you willing to invest money in buying and caring for them? |
| D．Plants and gardening have been found to have multiple mental health benefits. |
| E．Having a plant doesn’t immediately or directly impact mental health processes. |
| F．Like any new skill or hobby, taking care of houseplants comes with a learning curve. |
| G．Plant care helps one focus on the present moment and provides a feeling of accomplishment. |
4 . To accept that the world’s average temperature might rise by more than 1.5℃, declared the foreign minister of the Marshall Islands in 2015, would be to sign the “death warrant” of small, low-lying countries such as his. In a climate conference in Paris, attendees agreed to limit global warming to about 1.5℃ in the Paris Agreement.
However, the same countries that signed the Paris Agreement have not cut their emissions enough to meet its targets. The consequences are catastrophic. Climate-related disasters are proliferating, from Pakistan, much of which was flooded by this summer’s unusually intense season wind, to Florida, which in September endured its deadliest hurricane since 1935.
The response to all this should be a dose of realism. Many activists are reluctant to admit that 1.5℃ is a lost cause. They need to be more practical and face up to some hard truths.
First, cutting emissions will require much more money. Roughly speaking, global investment in clean energy needs to triple from today’s $1bn a year, and be concentrated in developing countries. So their governments will have to work with the rich world to mobilize private investment, which will involve big improvements to the investment climate and an acceptance that they will have to cede some control over energy policy. Another truth is that fossil fuels will not be abandoned overnight, especially in some poorer countries, precisely because they cannot come up with any immediate alternative.
The third truth is that greater efforts must be made to adapt to climate change. Adaptation has always been the neglected step-child of climate policy, mistrusted by activists as a distraction from cutting emissions or, worse, an excuse not to make any cuts. But no matter what, the world now faces more floods, droughts, storms and wildfires. For developing countries especially, but also for rich ones, preparing for these disasters is a matter of life and death.
1. What is the purpose of the conference in Paris?| A．To revise the Paris Agreement. | B．To assist the low-lying countries. |
| C．To analyse the average temperature. | D．To approve the new climate change policy. |
| A．Increasing. | B．Disappearing. | C．Varying. | D．Responding. |
| A．Power over energy policy. | B．Investment and cooperation. |
| C．An instant ban on fossil fuels. | D．Less involvement from developing countries. |
| A．It is a cost-cutting measure. | B．It has failed to be noticed. |
| C．It has been widely accepted. | D．It is a distraction for emission cut. |
5 . Five years ago, a couple found a baby owl, near-death, on their lawn. They consulted with me because of my experience with owls and hawks. Eventually my wife and I undertook the task of treating the owl, Alfie, waiting out a developmental delay (most of her flight feathers came especially late that first summer) , and then we taught her to fly and hunt. Alfie disappeared for a week. Then she chose to return, centering her territory (地盘) on our backyard. I put a nest box on my writing studio.
Alfie’s first free-living year— mating, raising her first baby— coincided with the COVID-19 that limited us to our yard. Friends said the birds were singing aloud and happily. From Alfie’s performance, I saw humans’ unrest and worry when facing the unexpected virus. When Alfie and her mate, Plus-One, played in the shade, the daily rhythms and quietness of the owls’ world contrasted with our life.
Many cultures view owls as messengers of God. However, Alfie is flesh and feathers: her heart pumps blood red as ours. She has her comforts and fears. She is a very real little being overall. Yet, throughout the isolation to prevent the spread of disease, Alfie loosed herself, living comfortably with her mate in the yard, which certainly inspired me and my family with hope. She is, in reality, a messenger, one conveying the real meaning of life.
To be fully present in life and love, so natural for Alfie, remains a work in progress for me. Alfie is the perfect little philosophical master. She enjoys a freedom unpolluted by criticism or doubt, and a liberty as the air flows beneath her wings. Resisting nothing, she is pure presence, here now. Perhaps I’d long labored toward the place where Alfie was effortlessly taking me, a sense of openness, showing what’s possible when we mess up our accustomed boundaries.
Alfie remains our magical light of the nighttime backyard. By day she usually stays in a couple of favorite shaded spots. The choice is always hers. Free within limits; that’s the universe for her. It can inspire a life’s work.
1. What can we learn about Alfie from the first two paragraphs?| A．She had a quick recovery. | B．She was first found by the author. |
| C．She set up a family in the backyard. | D．She was badly affected by the COVID-19. |
| A．She lives a relaxed life. | B．She has no fears at all. |
| C．She has red blood as humans. | D．She is viewed as a messenger of God. |
| A．Alfie is not influenced by social development. |
| B．Alfie is free from physical and mental limitations. |
| C．Alfie is completely independent and self-sufficient. |
| D．Alfie is not affected by external judgment or uncertainty. |
| A．The author’s successful rescue of an owl. |
| B．The author’s reflection on life through an owl. |
| C．The author’s precious friendship with an owl. |
| D．The author’s fight against a pandemic with an owl. |
In a quiet little village surrounded by rolling hills, Lucy and her brother Max were walking to the family’s strawberry fields to pick some strawberries when they came across an injured baby owl (猫头鹰). The tiny owl was lying on the ground, with one of its wings badly hurt and its big, brown eyes looking helplessly at the teens. Lucy and Max were animal lovers and they knew they had to do something to help the poor, little creature.
“We have to save this baby owl. Max,” Lucy said as she knelt down beside the bird.
Max nodded. “I agree. But where can we take it?”
Lucy thought for a moment and then remembered a wildlife rehabilitation center (野生动物康复) located a few miles away. They quickly placed the baby owl in the small box they had planned to put strawberries in. Max took off his shirt to cover the box to keep the bird warm. They carefully placed the box in their backpack and headed out to the center.
The journey was not without its challenges. The skies suddenly darkened and the rain began to pour down, wetting Lucy and Max completely in seconds. But they were determined to save the baby owl, and so they trudged on (步履艰难地走), searching for shelter from the rain. They finally found a big tree to hide under and huddled (蜷缩) together, trying to keep the box dry:
As the rain continued to fall, Lucy and Max looked at the baby owl in the box. It was so small and weak. They felt a sense of determination and protectiveness towards the little bird. They knew that they had to save it, no matter what.
Gradually, the rain got weaker and Lucy and Max continued their journey. They walked along a winding path, which was wet and slippery. They had to use some tree branches as walking sticks to provide them with extra support and to ensure their stability.
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。
Lucy and Max finally approached the wildlife rehabilitation center, wet and dirty.
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The weeks passed quickly, and one day Lucy and Max received a call from the head of the rehabilitation center.
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7 . Flying through the skies of New York with its tall buildings can be a real challenge for birds migrating (迁徙) from Central or South America to the Arctic Circle during the spring and fall migration seasons. Fortunately, more and more of them can reach their destination thanks to the help of kind humans.
Project Safe Flight is a program from New York City Audubon, a community that has been working to protect birds in NYC for over 40 years. This project helps save injured birds that collide (相撞) with the reflective glass so common in many tall buildings.
Each time these volunteers find a survivor, they take it to the Wild Bird Fund. Its purpose is to provide medical care to native and passing migrant wildlife so that they can be released (释放) back into the wild. Under their care, these feathered friends can rest, are properly fed, and are also given the medical treatment they need.
Once the patients feel better, they spend time with other recovered birds until they become healthy enough to return to freedom. This takes place in the spring, when they’re released in Central Park, or in the fall, when they’re released out of town to make sure that their path doesn’t take them in the neighborhood of lower Manhattan’s dangerous buildings.
Nearly a billion birds are killed each year in the US from collisions with windows, the Audubon Society reports. In New York City alone, between 90 and 230 thousand migratory birds die yearly from window collisions, as detailed by Curbed. This occurs mostly during the spring and fall migration seasons.
Bright lights and reflective glass buildings attract and then befuddle birds because they look through them and they think they’re seeing the sky. So the dBird database is key to making policymakers learn more clearly about specific hotspots (多事之地) and thus take preventive steps accordingly to protect the lovely creatures. These include making sure that visual indicators (视觉指示器) are added to tall buildings, or that lights are turned off at night.
1. How do the volunteers help injured birds?| A．By taking injured birds home. |
| B．By releasing injured birds back into the wild. |
| C．By having injured birds taken good care of. |
| D．By equipping buildings with visual indicators. |
| A．To explain the side effects of migration. |
| B．To introduce some human threats to birds. |
| C．To draw more attention to the Audubon community. |
| D．To show the importance of the Project Safe Flight program. |
| A．Trap. | B．Injure. | C．Confuse. | D．Assist. |
| A．Watching Birds in New York | B．Helping New York Birds |
| C．Taking Good Care of Birds | D．Setting Up a Program in New York |
1. 目前环境面临的威胁；
2. 提出可行措施；
3. 保护环境的意义 。
注意：1. 文章应包括以上要点，可适当发挥。
2. 词数 80 词左右。
Dear fellows,
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1. When was the Chinese paddlefish last seen in the wild?
| A．In 2000. | B．In 2003. | C．In 2019. |
| A．The loss of their habitat. |
| B．The shifting agriculture practices. |
| C．The construction of a barrier. |
| A．People are trying to avoid overfishing. |
| B．The number of crested ibises has increased. |
| C．Many baiji dolphin nature reserves were built. |
10 . How to Survive a Tsunami on the Beach
The word tsunami is from Japanese. It describes a series of waves that can reach over 100 feet tall and travel at speeds up to 600 miles per hour across the sea. A single wave in a tsunami can be quite long, as much as 60 miles, causing great damage.
Your best chance for surviving a tsunami on a beach is to pay attention to the warning signs, stay away from the shore after an earthquake, and get to high land. Then wait for information from disaster response groups.
The sooner you know a tsunami is coming the better your chance of making it to higher ground.
·Head for high ground, get at least 100 feet above sea level.
·
·Don’t swim against the current.
As you learn how to survive a tsunami, remember the first wave in a series of waves is the smallest and weakest.
| A．That’s why it’s crucial to know how to survive a Tsunami. |
| B．Grab something like a tree or something that float, like a raft. |
| C．The waves following an earthquake may continue for hours or up to a day. |
| D．That’s why it’s essential to learn the early warning signs to survive a tsunami. |
| E．If it’s too late, and the water’s already rising, here’s what to do in a tsunami. |
| F．Your best chance for surviving a tsunami on a beach is to pay attention to the warning signs. |
| G．Whether you’re visiting or living in a tsunami zone, learn where the closest place is out of the tsunami’s reach. |
