1 . Beneath the blue waters of Trinidad and Tobago, plastic pollution is causing serious damage to marine ecosystems. Every year, over 88,600 tonnes of plastic waste is deposited(沉积)into the ocean around the Caribbean nation, harming marine life and impacting human health.

A new app is aiming to help young people in Trinidad and Tobago, along with other small island developing states, battle against the damage done by plastic pollution. Called Tide Turners, the app was developed by the United Nations Environment Programme with the help of young people. It challenges users to record their plastics consumption and develop an action plan to reduce their use of plastics. It also encourages young people to switch to reusable products and go plastic-free where possible: lifestyle changes that experts say can help stop the flow of plastic into the world’s oceans.

Reducing plastic pollution will take a joint effort from governments, businesses and, especially, youth. Children account for around 30 percent of the population in small island developing states in the Caribbean.

To tackle the plastic pollution challenge, the new app builds on UNEP’s Tide Turners Plastic Challenge Badge, which has so far engaged more than 500,000 young people in youth groups. Along with calling on youth to use less plastic, it encourages them to start campaigns and raise awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution.

In Trinidad and Tobago, Sarah Sobrian, who tested an early version of the app and advised on its development, is keen to get started. “The Tide Turners app is an incredible tool that educates and empowers us to change the situation we face,” she says. “I am incredibly eager to be a part of this and share this experience with those in my life. With this app, we can and will work together to create the impact that we have long wanted to see.”

1. What is the purpose of the Tide Turners app?

A．To help youths to fight against plastic pollution.

B．To track marine life populations in the Caribbean.

C．To help the young to develop the small island states.

D．To encourage businesses to switch to plastic-free packaging.

2. Why is the participation of young people particularly important?

A．They have more free time than adults.

B．They have access to funding the new app.

C．They are the main contributors to plastic waste.

D．They make up about one-third of the population.

3. What is Sarah Sobrian’s attitude towards the app?

A．Suspicious.

B．Favorable.

C．Indifferent.

D．Objective.

4. What’s the main idea of the text?

A．A new app can turn the situation around.

B．Plastic pollution is a serious threat to marine ecosystems.

C．Governments make great efforts to reduce plastic pollution.

D．Trinidad and Tobago are suffering from serious plastic pollution.

2 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Who made the speaker interested in insects?

A．His father.

B．His schoolmates.

C．His teacher.

2. What did the speaker use to name butterflies?

A．Diaries.

B．Posters.

C．Paper.

3. What gave the speaker a surprise?

A．A blue butterfly.

B．White butterflies.

C．Many other insects.

3 . The maleo (塚雉), a bird with black feathers and a pink chest, is native to Indonesia’s Sulawesi island and a few neighboring ones. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which identifies wildlife across the world currently facing threats, estimates only 800 to 1,400 adult maleos remain in the wild. Experts do not know how many maleos still live across West Sulawesi island. They were only able to record the presence of nesting grounds in 23 villages based on reports from locals in the area. But of those, only 18 are considered active nesting areas.

Recently, the birds have been faced with new threats, which accelerate their decline. The Indonesian government plans to move the nation’s capital from Jakarta to a new city on Borneo island, which is just a six-hour boat trip apart from Sulawesi island. The island takes on the building of new roads and seaports to be used to transport materials to the new capital. Activities also include tree clearing, digging, and removing stones. The process already has changed the forest environment on West Sulawesi and is harming maleo nesting areas near the beach. These changes have made the trip for maleos to lay their eggs increasingly difficult.

Another problem has been poachers. The Associated Press reports that, regardless of official ban, they steal maleo eggs that the males’ parents have hidden in the sand, and sell the eggs for about $1 to people as food. The eggs are a traditional gift for many people in Mamuju and other parts of Sulawesi.

“As far as I know, maleo birds are in decline,” said Andi Aco Takdir, chief of the West Sulawesi Forestry Agency. He pointed to several reasons for the decline, including destruction of beach areas, and expanding human development activities. He added that government officials there are prepared to take steps to protect the maleos even with the new capital development. Andi said, “Nature conservation must be used as an achievement and must not be built leaving behind problems.”

1. Which word can be used to describe the maleos?

A．Endangered.	B．Adaptable.
C．Widespread.	D．Extinct.

2. What causes a further drop of the maleo population?

A．The sudden changes of climate.

B．The disappearance of the forests.

C．The development of Sulawesi island.

D．The supporting work for the new capital.

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

A．People who hunt maleos for their meat.

B．People who live by selling maleo eggs.

C．People who engage in illegal hunting.

D．People who regard maleo eggs as gifts.

4. What can we infer from Andi’s words?

A．The new capital development might be stopped at once.

B．The government will balance conservation and development.

C．There seems to be a tough way for the new capital to develop.

D．The government will concentrate on solving urban problems.

4 . 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。

The milu deer certainly seemed happy to be back in China because their numbers started     1     (grow) steadily. There were soon so many of     2     (they) that 64 milu deer     3     (send) to a newly opened reserve in Shishou, Hubei Province from Beijing in the 1990s. They can move     4     (free) in the reserve and feed entirely on wild plants.

At the moment, the milu deer are still living in reserves     5     they are being protected     6     cared for. As a result, their population     7     (be) now recovering fast. Soon a new chapter will be added to the strange tale of these special     8     (animal). The deer are being trained to survive outside the park so that they can one day all return     9     the wild. The resue of the milu deer is already a     10     (succeed) story. Now it is up to us to make sure that the deer live happily ever after.

5 . An elephant was rescued in southern India after falling into a well in the village of Dharmapuri. It took more than 12 hours, but the elephant has been _________ finally.

The elephant came from a _________ forest. The well in the village was hidden by bushes. And there were even no barriers _________ around it.

People from the village _________ told the local officials when they saw the trapped elephant. They dropped some banana _________ down the well for the elephant to eat, as rescuers worked throughout the whole night to free it.

The officials brought in a crane (吊车) to _________ the elephant out. As the crane lifted the elephant to safety, it was fastened by some belts and _________ upside down. Doctors helped rescuers sedate (给……服镇静剂) the elephant when it _________ pipes they were using to pump water out of the well. After the rescue, the elephant was monitored by the _________ government for about three hours. It was found to be __________ and active in the end.

The people in the village have some __________ saving trapped elephants because two other elephants have fallen down wells before. And the uncovered wells there have already __________ a threat to the elephants.

The elephants need more __________ land to survive as they need to walk around to look for food and water. Open wells in their migratory routes (迁移路线) are huge __________ for them. What we must do is to cover the wells or set a barrier around them so as to __________ these elephants.

1.

A．rolled

B．charged

C．rescued

D．encouraged

2.

A．false

B．tough

C．rude

D．nearby

3.

A．announced

B．set

C．targeted

D．appreciated

4.

A．immediately

B．illegally

C．generously

D．likely

5.

A．cakes

B．forests

C．trees

D．leaves

6.

A．pull

B．press

C．strike

D．battle

7.

A．clicked

B．hung

C．reserved

D．greeted

8.

A．established

B．forgave

C．attacked

D．shot

9.

A．average

B．local

C．mass

D．familiar

10.

A．individual

B．military

C．unusual

D．healthy

11.

A．traffic

B．harmony

C．experience

D．evidence

12.

A．caused

B．prevented

C．concerned

D．surfed

13.

A．shorter

B．wider

C．smaller

D．tinier

14.

A．problems

B．departments

C．images

D．engines

15.

A．hunt

B．discount

C．remove

D．protect

6 . It’s now, more than ever, crucial to adopting a low-impact lifestyle since all kinds of waste, including that of the fashion industry, are piling up in landfills with astonishing speed.     1     Thankfully, the following tips can help you reduce clothing waste.

·Buy fewer clothes overall.     2     It’s a more cautious approach to shopping and consumption (消费) in general. Think twice about what you will buy and say no to over consumption. You can even try out a minimalist (极简主义的) lifestyle. Shop for what you need only when necessary, keep things simple, and go back to basics.

·Shop for high-quality clothing. High-quality clothes can cost more at first but save you money in the long run.     3     Moreover, quality clothes can make you feel more comfortable and confident, improve your fashion style, and help you look your best.

·    4     Upcycling is very beneficial to the planet and your budget (预算). Instead of throwing old clothes away, use parts of or entire old clothes to make something new and more valuable. You can even create stylish and unique pieces of clothing by upcycling.

·Donate your unwanted fashion items. Do a quick online search for your local options to donate clothes that are still in good condition. Be sure to contact organizations first and ask them what type of clothes they accept. You can donate clothing to for-profit companies or to homeless shelters and family service agencies.     5    

A．Repurpose your old clothes.

B．Upcycle everyday household objects.

C．Limit your fashion consumption in the first place.

D．Thrown clothes have had a disastrous impact on the planet.

E．They are more likely to stay in good condition for a long time.

F．Heavy coats and sweaters can go to animal shelters in your local area.

G．Reducing clothing waste is necessary for making fashion more sustainable.

7 . A forest after a wildfire

Throughout my career, I’ve had many chances to enter various wildfire areas. But I’ve ________ had the opportunity to see the immediate scene after a fire.

So when I ________ into a recently burned forest, my first reaction was the deathly ________ hung in the air. There were no birds, no breeze caught in the leaves of a tree, or animal noises. It felt as if life itself had totally ________ from this place. What was even worse, the burned-out forest meant that a large amount of ________ alongside the road was no longer ________ by the under-growth (灌木丛) . Oil cans, glass, plastic bags—you name it, and you can find it.

Knowing there was a story here that needed ________ , I raised my camera with a heavy heart, no matter how ________ . Photographing burned-out areas is ________ , since there is really only a bunch of burned-out wood. Through my lenses, I sought to connect viewers to the ________ of the disaster.

For a nature photographer passionate about environmental protection, it’s important to ________ the ugly as well as the beautiful. We need to put those two things together, so while ________ hope, we are aware of what has been taken from us, and how ________ that loss can be. Without that balance, we risk becoming used to a world shaped by destruction and not the one of ________ . Nature will regenerate, but now, we must consider what ________ we humans play in that process, too.

1.

A．rarely

B．merely

C．usually

D．possibly

2.

A．sank

B．ran

C．broke

D．stepped

3.

A．threat

B．warning

C．silence

D．charm

4.

A．set apart

B．faded away

C．spread out

D．bounced back

5.

A．smoke

B．pollution

C．trash

D．product

6.

A．hidden

B．protected

C．bothered

D．held

7.

A．writing

B．telling

C．adapting

D．continuing

8.

A．painful

B．strange

C．popular

D．dangerous

9.

A．appealing

B．rewarding

C．surprising

D．challenging

10.

A．description

B．cruelty

C．impression

D．recovery

11.

A．remember

B．enhance

C．confirm

D．record

12.

A．maintaining

B．abandoning

C．requiring

D．receiving

13.

A．inspiring

B．refreshing

C．damaging

D．astonishing

14.

A．belief

B．fantasy

C．imagination

D．harmony

15.

A．game

B．role

C．rule

D．Idea

8 . 假定你是李华，在地球日（Earth Day）到来之际，你班英语课将举办保护环境的英语演讲比赛，请你以“The Importance of Protecting the Environment”为题写一篇发言稿，内容如下：
1. 描述当前环境问题的严重性；
2. 提出至少两种环保措施；
3. 呼吁大家共同参与环保行动。
注意：1. 字数在100字左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节, 以使行文连贯。

The Importance of Protecting the Environment

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9 . Shivani Bhalla feels a strong sense of duty towards wildlife, and she wants others to feel it too.

Now based in Samburu in northern Kenya, the conservationist has worked for over 17 years with lions in the region. As lion habitats have contracted due to land-use change, conflict between lions and humans has increased. The African lion, one of the continent’s most iconic species, is now classified as vulnerable(脆弱的). Bhalla and her team aim to reduce these conflicts and seek mutually beneficial solutions.

Bhalla has seen firsthand the challenges facing the lions. Kenya’s recent economic growth has also included agricultural and industrial expansion into lion territory. Habitat loss from agricultural and industrial expansion has created tension between lions and communities. As lions struggle to find enough of their natural prey(猎物), they target raised animals. Impacted communities sometimes defend their herds and livelihoods via killings of the lions.

Habitat changes have also changed the lions` social structure. “In Samburu,” Bhalla says, “We don’t have prides(狮群). We actually have lions that live alone or they live in small groups. Lions adapt to their environment and they learn how to survive with what they have.”

Lions have also changed their behavior in an apparent attempt at self-preservation. As soon as they leave protected land and enter more populated areas, they tend to become nocturnal-active at night, and hiding in thick bush during the day.

Bhalla and her team have developed a number of successful programs designed to respond to the new reality of increased human-lion encounters. Looking to the future, a Lion Kids camp program provides conservation education and safari (游猎) experiences to children. Bhalla says she hopes to inspire these young conservationists to do work in Kenya. “People talk about children as the next generation of conservationists,” she says. “I like to call them a ‘new’ generation because children can be conservationists today.”

For Bhalla, it’s about more than just saving the species; she’s working to preserve something key to national identity.

1. What do Shivani Bhalla and her team mainly work on?

A．Expanding the habitats of African lion groups.

B．Protecting Kenya’s endangered animal species.

C．Promoting the country’s economic development.

D．Preserving lion populations and reducing conflicts.

2. How do lions in Samburu adapt to changes in their habitats?

A．They have formed larger groups.	B．They have started living in isolation.
C．They have migrated to other regions.	D．They have become more active during the day.

3. What do we know about the Lion Kids camp program?

A．It teaches children hunting skills.

B．It offers safari experiences to children.

C．It is more successful than other programs.

D．It encourages children to be professional researchers.

4. What is Shivani Bhalla’s attitude towards children’s potential as conservationists?

A．Negative.

B．Skeptical.

C．Optimistic.

D．Unclear.

10 . Most gardeners know that earthworms (蚯蚓) help keep soils healthy. Now scientists have assessed just how important their underground activities are to global food production — and how to protect them.

In research published this September, scientists found that earthworms may contribute to more than six percent of global grain production every year, because of their crucial role in soil ecosystems.

Worms help to break down dead plant material, releasing nutrients plants need to grow, and their tunneling (挖隧道) helps plant root growth. Evidence suggests they also help plants protect themselves against common soil-related diseases by stimulating their defenses.

“Their contribution may even be larger,” said Steven Fonte, an associate professor at Colorado State University in the United States who co-authored the research. “This is because earthworm populations are likely underestimated in many places, especially in the tropical areas, due to a lack of research and funding in the global south.” he explained.

The authors said their findings represent one of the first attempts to quantify the contribution of a beneficial soil organism to global agricultural production. They found that earthworm contribution is especially high in the global south, contributing about 10 percent of total grain production in sub-Saharan Africa and roughly eight percent in Latin America and the Caribbean. They owed this to soils there generally having higher acid and clay content and being less exposed to fertilizer (肥料), increasing the role earthworms play in plant growth.

Scientists figured that earthworms are threatened by today’s intensive and chemical-heavy agricultural techniques. Agricultural and environmental policies should support earthworm populations and soil biodiversity to promote more sustainable development. Measures could include reducing the use of land for growing crops, cutting the use of poisonous chemical substances, and increasing the application of worm food sources. “Soils are estimated to contain approximately half of all biodiversity on the planet and are incredibly important for biodiversity conservation efforts,” Fonte said.

1. How do earthworms benefit the soil ecosystems?

A．By increasing the number of plant roots.	B．By reducing fertilizer’s effects.
C．By helping plants against certain diseases.	D．By breaking down nutrients.

2. What makes earthworms contribute more in the global south?

A．The good soil quality.	B．The advanced agriculture.
C．The supportive policy.	D．The earthworm-friendly climate.

3. What is a possible way to protect earthworms?

A．Expanding the farming land.	B．Providing healthy food for them.
C．Banning intensive agriculture.	D．Using fewer harmful chemicals.

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

A．Earthworms: An Assistant to Soil Health

B．Earthworms: Their Threats and Conservation

C．Earthworms: The Decisive Factor in Biodiversity

D．Earthworms: A Contributor to World Food Production