1 . Life on this planet, in all its wide diversity, is disappearing more quickly now than it was at any time in human history, and about 1 million species of plants and animals face extinction, a new research from the IPBES, an organization of the United Nations, has found.

The IPBES published a full report about the new research. The future for the species that we share the planet with — and on which we depend — is dire, according to the report.

On land, the number of animals has decreased by an average of 20 percent, mostly in the last 120 years. Moreover, 1 million square kilometers(386,000 square miles) of tropical forest have been lost since 1980. In the ocean, about a third of corals and marine mammals(海洋哺乳动物) face possible extinction.

Humans have played a major role in these declines, from the way in which we use the land and oceans, such as farming, fishing to logging and mining. The chemicals we use pollute the air and water. Global warming caused by population explosion, air pollution, ecological destruction and so on has forced some species to leave their traditional habitats. All of these have left their mark on Earth’s biodiversity, the report says.

Many experts said that the report demonstrates the need for urgent action. “The IPBES report makes it clear that our response to protecting natural systems must be stronger than ever,” John Robinson said. “The IPBES report on the global state of biodiversity is shocking but not entirely surprising,” said Andrew Norton. “The question is how many evidences and repeated warnings it will take to wake us up to the urgency and act.”

1. What does the underlined word “dire“ in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Inspiring.

B．Worthless.

C．Terrible.

D．Excellent.

2. How does the author describe the reduced biodiversity in paragraph 3?

A．By analyzing the cause.	B．By listing data.
C．By answering questions.	D．By making comparisons.

3. What can we infer from Andrew Norton’s words?

A．We need more time to think before we take steps.

B．It is high time to take action to protect biodiversity.

C．Our response to protecting natural systems is stronger than ever.

D．Humans have already realized the urgency of protecting biodiversity.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．A Rapid Decline in Biodiversity	B．Humans’ Efforts to Save Nature
C．Experts’ Opinions on the IPBES Report	D．A Slow Response to Protecting the Biodiversity

2 . 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。

Luo Yingjiu, 82, has run a small zoo in Enshi, Hubei province on his own for 33 years despite     1     (vary) difficulties. At the one-man Fenghuang Mountain Zoo, Luo serves     2     director, cleaner, breeder, vet and conductor. Most of the residents of the zoo are old and weak, many of     3     were saved by Luo.

    4     (live) in the zoo himself, Luo gets up at about 5 am, checks the condition of the animals, cleans their enclosures and goes to the market to buy feed for them. At night, he observes the animals and refills their food and water, and even gets up around 2 am     5     ( care) for the older ones.

Over the past 33 years, Luo     6     ( devote) himself to the zoo and persisted. He lives economically, eats     7     (simple) and never dines out at restaurants. Sometimes, he picks up empty bottles to sell to support the zoo.     8     his retirement salary is about 5,000 yuan per month, which is enough to live a good life in such a small place, he has fallen into debt to cover the zoo’s expenses.

Last January, Luo Wei, the old man’s granddaughter,     9     (begin) to post short videos of him looking after these animals online, hoping to raise awareness of the zoo and give people a     10     (good) understanding of her grandfather’s work.

3 . 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 Grand Canal in China, the world’s    1    (large) artificial waterway and most extensive civil engineering project, made it on to the list of World Heritage Sites successfully in 2014. The Grand Canal,    2    (start) from Beijing, runs 1,794 kilometers southward to Zhejiang. The project travels across six provinces and five major rivers, that is     3    (say), the Hai he, Yellow, Huai he, Yangtze and Qian tang rivers.

Constructed in the 5th century B.C. and completed in 1291, it     4    (regard) as a significant means of communication system, transporting grain and strategic raw materials from the fertile south to the grain-consuming north in ancient China.

In    5    meanwhile, the canal also bears witness to cultural exchanges between China’s north and south. A lot of historical    6    (incident), major schools of thoughts, important literary works and folk customs are linked with this waterway.    7    are six river channels and 22 historical sites in Jiangsu, accounting for 40 percent of all the historical remains of the Grand Canal,    8    include classic gardens, old city walls, and son on. Jiangsu’s 683-kilometer long canal is still     9     use today.

As an artery connecting northern and southern China, it has long contributed to the nation’s prosperity and it     10     (sure) continues today as a major means of internal communication.

4 . The population of a sea creature known as the sunflower sea star, which was once plentiful along the Pacific coastline from Mexico’s Baja California peninsula to Alaska, has been reduced sharply these years. Approximately 90% of them have disappeared since 2013 due to a mysterious sea star wasting syndrome (海星消瘦综合症).

One of the factors likely to have led to the death of sea stars is rising ocean temperatures caused by climate change, according to some scientists. The ocean absorbs most of the excess atmospheric heat caused by greenhouse gas emissions, which has the effect of increasing the temperature of the water. Many sea creatures can only tolerate very small changes to their environment.

Sunflower sea stars feed on sea urchins. Sea urchins feed on seagrass. Without the presence of sunflower sea stars, their key predator in the food chain, sea urchin populations have boomed. That has led to the death of many seagrasses — which in turn contributes to the climate crisis, as seagrass is a valuable tool to store carbon dioxide.

Scientists at the University of Washington have been working on that. They have been raising a new generation of sunflower sea stars that can be used to repopulate coastal waters. Jason Hodin, a research scientist at the University of Washington’s Friday Harbor Labs, said that they’re hoping the program can help recover the sunflower sea star and, ultimately, recover the health of ecosystems like seagrass that is under threat right now.

To test the sea stars’ ability to tolerate warming seas, scientists have these tiny creatures subjected to fluctuations (波动) in water temperatures in the lab. Some of the young adult sea stars are being raised in water that is slightly warmer than normal, and are showing signs of being able to adjust to the added warmth. “These are not typical ocean temperatures around here, but the success indicates that they at least have the ability to endure the warmer water,” said Hodin.

1. Which could be a possible reason for the death of sunflower sea stars?

A．Habitat loss.	B．Climate change.
C．Food shortage.	D．Ocean pollution.

2. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．The living habits of sunflower sea stars.

B．The importance of seagrass to the environment.

C．The key role of sunflower sea stars in the food chain.

D．The consequences of the increasing sea urchin populations.

3. How do scientists help increase the population of sunflower sea stars?

A．By developing devices to cool sea water.

B．By improving the environment of coastal waters.

C．By growing plentiful seagrass to absorb carbon dioxide.

D．By experimenting on raising a new generation of the creature.

4. What does Jason Hodin think of the program?

A．It is meaningful.	B．It is complicated.
C．It is bizarre.	D．It is disappointing

5 . Vegan Agriculture

Vegan farming (全素农业) has become more and more popular. It is one of the most environmentally-friendly forms of agriculture. Vegan farming is a good way to grow plants such as vegetables without using animal-derived materials such as their waste.     1     Such an approach to farming also helps preserve the environment and regain soil richness and improve its biodiversity.

    2    Organic farming uses natural products to grow plants — that can include even animal waste as fertilizers. On the other hand, vegan agriculture rejects animal-derived products and usually sticks with plant-based organic compounds, which means that, in general, vegan agriculture has stricter rules than organic farming.

Additionally, vegan farming usually chooses more natural ways to protect the plants, like breaking cycles of plants’ diseases with mixed cropping (混作), using mechanical barriers such as nets, or even attracting opposing organisms to fight the harmful ones.     3     However, they might be less effective against certain plant diseases or pests.

One of the reasons to invest in vegan agriculture is that the vegan way of farming replaces synthetic (合成的) pesticides and uses organic pesticides or other non-chemical methods to protect the crops. By contrast, in conventional agriculture, synthetic pesticides are on a very high level.     4    

In the future, it is of great significance not to rely on animals’ waste for feeding plants. Doing so is not only beneficial to vegans.     5     Even if today’s methods of vegan agriculture might not be perfect, scientists worldwide, together with vegan farmers, are working towards developing plant-based solutions as alternatives to animal-derived fertilizers.

A．Accordingly, the amount of it in food products is much higher.

B．It is apparent that vegan agriculture is not the same as an organic one.

C．In today’s world, the vegan diet and lifestyle are increasingly popular.

D．But it’s also good for the whole world, including other animals and plants.

E．Those ways affect the environment less than the ways of traditional farming.

F．The rise of veganism creates new demand for more vegan-friendly agriculture.

G．Also, vegan farmers are far from applying synthetic fertilizers.

6 . Have you noticed how evenings cool off more in rural areas than they do in cities? Urban areas also tend to get hotter during the day than any nearby areas with lots of greenery.    1    

It’s mainly caused by the difference in materials that cover the ground in urban areas and the countryside. In the country, evaporation(蒸发)of water from soil and the leaves of plants helps to cool the air.    2    Having fewer plants, cities have less evaporation and are unable to cool down the temperature.

Dark colours are another problem. Dark objects absorb all wavelengths of light, making the temperature increase more noticeably. In contrast, white objects reflect all wavelengths of light energy.    3    Sadly, most parts of cities are covered by asphalt(沥青), steel, roofs and bricks which are often dark in colour.

    4    As people drive cars, heat buildings, and run air conditioners, cities are generating waste heat and pouring it into the atmosphere directly. The waste heat adds to the solar energy trapped by the tall buildings.

But cities don’t have to be so hot. Some cities have lightened their streets. This is done by covering black asphalt streets, parking lots, and dark roofs with a more reflective gray coating.     5    

Having more green spaces also helps. Plants serve as a natural air conditioner. They catch heat, release vapour(蒸汽)into the air, and take away heat, contributing to cooler, fresher cities.

A．Cities also produce more heat than suburban areas.

B．The higher the temperature, the shorter the wavelength.

C．This phenomenon is known as the urban heat-island effect.

D．So it will not be transformed into heat which makes the air hot.

E．Changes in building materials have a minimal effect on city temperatures.

F．Much of the soil in cities, by contrast, has been covered with roads and buildings.

G．These changes can decrease air temperatures dramatically, especially in summer.

7 . In shallow coastal waters of the Indian ocean, Dugong, a kind of sea cow, is in trouble. Environmental problems pose such a major threat to its survival that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) upgraded the species’ extinction risk status(地位)to vulnerable (脆弱的).

Much worse, Dugongs are at risk of losing the protection of the Torres Strait Islanders, who have looked after them historically, hunting them for food sustainably and monitoring their numbers. These native people keep their biodiversity, and have deep knowledge about their environment. But these people are also threatened, in part because rising sea levels are making it difficult for them to live there.

This situation isn’t unique to Dugongs. A global analysis of 385 culturally important plant and animal species found 68 percent were both biologically vulnerable and at risk of losing their cultural protection.

The findings clearly illustrate that biology shouldn’t be the primary factor in shaping conservation policy,says anthropologist Victoria Reyes-García.When a culture declines,the species that are important to that culture are also threatened.“Lots of conservationists think we need to separate people from nature,” says Reyes-García. “But that strategy misses the caring relationship many cultural groups have with nature.”

One way to help shift conservation efforts is to give species a “bio-cultural status,”which would provide a fuller picture of their vulnerability. In the study, the team used a new way to determine a species’ risk of disappearing: the more a cultural group’s language use declines, the more that culture is threatened.The more a culture is threatened, the more culturally vulnerable its important species are. Researchers then combined a species’ cultural and biological vulnerability to arrive at its bio-cultural status. In the Dugong’s case, its bio-cultural status is endangered, meaning it is more at risk than its IUCN categorization suggests.

This new approach to conservation involves people that have historically cared for them. It can highlight when communities need support to continue their care. Scientists hope it will bring more efforts that recognize local communities’ rights and encourage their participation-taking advantage of humans’ connection with nature instead of creating more separation.

1. What is the relationship between the native people and Dugongs?

A．The native people help conserve Dugongs.

B．The native people train Dugongs to survive.

C．Dugongs ruin the native people’s environment.

D．Dugongs force the native people to leave home.

2. Which statement will Reyes-García probably agree with?

A．The protection policy is used incorrectly.

B．Culture is connected to species’ existence.

C．Many groups take good care of each other.

D．Conservationists prefer nature over people.

3. How is the study method different from previous ones?

A．It involves more preservation efforts.

B．It relies on the IUCN’s classification.

C．It highlights the effect of human languages.

D．It assesses the biological influence of a species.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards the latest approach?

A．Conservative.

B．Favourable.

C．Critical.

D．Ambiguous.

8 . A couple has completed a tiring 4,500-mile bike ride around Europe in the shape of an enormous bicycle, in a creative attempt to promote sustainable travel.

Accompanied by their dog Zola, David Smith, 35, and Arianna Saraghi, 40, rode through seven countries to create the striking image, motivated by their desire to raise awareness about climate change. After completing their 7237-kilometer journey earlier this week, the pair said they had narrowly beaten the Guinness World Record for the largest GPS drawing made by any mode of transport.

They are also, unsurprisingly, confident that they have traced the biggest ever GPS bicycle, estimating that theirs is roughly 600 miles wide. “Being able to see it on^ the map is mainly a relief,” Ms Saraghi said after recounting the problems they had along the way.

They initially set off in the summer of 2019, armed with a computer-designed route which they had followed to avoid cycling through Paris’Charles de Gaulle Airport. However, they were forced to stop after Ms Saraghi sustained a knee injury.

The Anglo-Italian couple tried again that winter, before giving up because it was too cold to camp. The Covid-19 pandemic then delayed the trip’s completion by another two years. “We had so many obstacles. When we started this time we were thinking—what can go wrong this time? We felt we had let people down by not completing it, and our life felt kind of stuck. So we’re very happy,” Ms Saraghi said.

The pair said they want people who see the GPS image to consider cycling shorter journeys rather than choosing to drive. “Cycling is cheaper, it’s healthy, it’s fun, and it’s often pretty fast. Please give it a second and consider if there is an alternative to the car- there may not be, but often there is,” Mr Smith told The Independent. The 35-year-old added that they also hope politicians, who come across their GPS bicycle are motivated to improve cycling infrastructure (基础设施) to encourage the public to travel sustainably where possible.

1. What was the purpose of the couple’s bike ride?

A．To enjoy a journey with their dog.

B．To encourage green travel on bikes.

C．To give warnings on climate change.

D．To create a striking means of transport.

2. What does the couple think of their journey?

A．Long and comfortable.	B．Creative and inspiring.
C．Relaxing and relieving.	D．Challenging and profitable.

3. Why do the couple feel happy?

A．They successfully improved public facilities.

B．They let people down due to many obstacles.

C．They realized the dream of changing their life.

D．They finally meet the expectation of the public.

4. Which of the following would the couple agree with?

A．In many cases cycling can be an alternative to driving.

B．The GPS bicycle can inspire people to give up driving.

C．Better urban infrastructure prevents sustainable travel.

D．Cycling is cheaper, funnier and faster than driving a car.

9 . 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。

China has planted millions of trees in its northwest over the past two decades as part of its     1     (amaze) fight against the expanding deserts.

The effort has paid off. Around 2000, deserts across the country were still increasing by 10,400m² a year. But in 2017, they were decreasing by more than 2,400m² a year. The     2     (achieve) was confirmed by a study from the Laboratory of Climate and Environmental Sciences in Paris.

“In 1999, the Chinese government began planting millions of trees in its Grain for Green Program. It     3     (carry) out to repair damaged farmland in northwestern China,     4     is roughly the size of France,” says Philippe Ciais, a researcher at the laboratory. “I was there a few months ago, and it is indeed surprising that once bare landscapes are now almost fully covered by plants.”

“The growth of forests is significant     5     necessary progress in the fight against desertification,” says Jianping Huang, a researcher at Lanzhou University. “But it’s still too early to determine whether it has solved the problem. Researchers have found that many of the plant species     6     (introduce) to the region use more water     7     native vegetation. It could lead to water shortages for humans.”

The national forestry department has recognized the error. In recent years, it has worked more closely with researchers and communities to find ways to plant less     8     (thirst) plants that have economic value.

“All     9     (program) need to take into account local conditions,” the forestry department said in March “    10     (we) efforts should go towards keeping vegetation sustainable, rather than simply planting more trees.”

10 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

Few countries have as rich of a history and civilization as Egypt, so it’s no surprise that the Grand Egyptian Museum(GEM), which     1     (expect) to open later this year, will be the largest archaeological museum in the world. It cost more than a billion dollars     2     (build) it. When finished, it will hold     3     large number of Egypt’s ancient objects, including the treasures of a king’s tomb.

The GEM, also     4     (know) as the Giza Museum, is about 2 km from the Giza Pyramids. It isn’t the only attraction drawing tourists     5     Egypt. Other new attractions include the Mummies Hall in the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) in Cairo     6     two tombs in nearby Saqqara. One of them is Tomb of Djoser,     7     the paths are so puzzling that once you get in, it is difficult to find your way.

“Now many sites are getting improved,” says Egyptologist Nora Shawki. “Even     8     (go) to the pyramids is more convenient, with electric     9     (bus) getting you there and more dining places and better services.”

Though it suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic, Egypt has a strong tourism infrastructure (基础设施), making trips here     10     (easy) than you might expect.