1 . All around the world, there are small changes taking place. At the side of roads, behind school playgrounds and on all kinds of unloved pieces of land across towns and cities, tiny forests barely the size of tennis courts are appearing, making a great place for both wildlife and local people who may not normally have easy access to nature. This is the Tiny Forest movement, which aims to prove that the best things in life really do come in small packages.

Tiny forests were first pioneered as a concept in the 1970s by Dr Miyawaki, a Japanese botanist. As he went on to share his concept with others, the idea soon took off in India and other countries before eventually reaching Europe, where it became popular in places like France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

So how does it work? Louise Hartley, who is leading the Tiny Forest project in the UK, explains that the process begins by identifying areas in which a tiny forest could have the biggest influence. “We focus on urban areas where access to nature is often not that easy”, says Hartley. “We see it as a chance to try to break the growing disconnect between people and nature.”

In a Tiny Forest, there must be a minimum of 600 trees, and the trees are planted much closer together and without chemicals or fertilisers (肥料). There are usually around 30 different kinds of all-native tree species (物种). This variety, coupled with the fact that tiny forests grow up to ten times faster than standard forests, means they attract a rich abundance of wildlife. It’s also thought that these places could help reduce the risk of flooding, remove carbon from the atmosphere and fight climate change, as well as improving the mental health of those living locally.

1. What do we know about the Tiny Forest movement?

A．It has achieved notable success.	B．It is led by number of schools.
C．It began in Europe in the 1970s.	D．It will spread to the countryside.

2. What is the purpose of the project led by Hartley in the UK?

A．To promote eco-tourism.	B．To improve forestry research.
C．To popularise gardening.	D．To get people close to nature.

3. What is special about the trees in a Tiny Forest?

A．They are small in size.	B．They are thickly planted.
C．They are foreign species.	D．They are heavily fertilised.

2 . Earthquakes have rocked the planet for many years. Studying the quakes of the past could help scientists better understand modern earthquakes, but tools to do such work are exiguous.

Enter zircons. Researchers used this special means to home in on the temperatures within a fault (地壳断层) during earthquakes millions of years ago. The method offers insights into the strength of long-ago quakes, and can improve the understanding of how today’s earthquakes release energy, the researchers reported in the April Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems.

“The more we understand about the past, the more we can understand what might happen in the future,” said Emma Armstrong, a professor specializing in earthquakes at Utah State University in Logan. Armstrong and his colleagues focused on California’s Punchbowl Fault. That now-quiet portion of the larger San Andreas Fault was probably active between 1 million to 10 million years ago, Armstrong said.

Heat from friction (摩擦) is generated in a fault when it slips and touches off an earthquake. Previous analyses of preserved organic material suggested that temperatures within the Punchbowl Fault peaked between 465℃ and 1065℃. The researchers suspected that zircons in rocks from the fault could narrow that broad window. Zircons often contain the radioactive chemical elements uranium (U) and thorium ( Th), which decay (衰变) to helium (He) at a predictable rate. That helium (He) then builds up in the crystals. But when a zircon is heated past a temperature criticality value—the size of which depends on the zircon’s composition—the accumulated helium (He) escapes.

Measuring the amounts of the three elements in zircons from the fault suggests that the most in-tense earthquake generated temperatures lower than 800℃. That roughly halves the range previously reported. The finding provides useful clues to the amount of heat released by quakes, something difficult to measure for modern earthquakes because they often occur at great depths. Armstrong plans to continue studying zircons, in the hope of finding more ways to take advantage of them for details about ancient quakes.

1. What does the underlined word “exiguous” in Paragraph 1 mean?

A．Scarce.

B．Difficult.

C．Pricey.

D．Extraordinary.

2. What are the researcher’s assumptions about the zircons in rocks?

A．They can lead to various earthquakes.	B．They determine how much of their energy.
C．They can reduce the fault temperature range.	D．They would decay over long periods.

3. What might Emma Armstrong study next?

A．Impact of changing earthquakes on zircons.

B．Origin and development of enter zircons.

C．Difference between modern and ancient quakes.

D．More ways to use zircons for ancient quake study.

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

A．Earthquakes Bring about Global W arming

B．Ancient Zircons Help to Unearth Earthquakes

C．An Innovative Means Makes a Hit in Studying

D．Zircons Changed Our Views of Earthquakes

3 . When I go to a new place, the first thing I like to do is walking around the streets to ________ the city. When I first arrived in Santiago, Chile, and took a walk around the city center, one of the first things I noticed was how many stray (无家可归的) ________ there were. The phrase “street dog” or “stray dog” is used to ________ a dog with no home, who lives on the streets.

On every comer there was a sleeping dog. At every traffic ________ there was a dog ________ to cross. By every shop there was a dog waiting for potential ________. At first I was ________ as I thought they might be ________ or unfriendly. However, I have been here for more than a year now and every stray dog I have seen has been passive (顺从的), quiet and friendly.

The dogs are ________ and welcomed here in Chile. I have never seen a street dog being mistreated. In fact, they are ________ given food and water by the public. Some people even ________ jackets for the dogs or ________ beds or kennels (狗舍) for them to sleep in.

The dogs do not have an easy life: they are often hungry, cold or injured. The government does not provide much ________ for these dogs.

Some people believe that the ________ is getting out of control and that it is ________ to have so many dogs on the streets. The dogs can sometimes cause ________ such as car accidents if they run into the road. There are around 2. 5 million stray dogs in Chile and the dog population is ________ faster than the human population. Many Chileans think that all the stray dogs should be sterilized (绝育的) so that they cannot ________. Others think that the stray dog population should be culled, that is, ________ the population by killing them.

The future of street dogs is ________ but for now it looks like they are here to stay with their population increasing year by year.

1.

A．explore

B．find

C．travel

D．sleep

2.

A．cats

B．dogs

C．birds

D．sheep

3.

A．say

B．speak

C．describe

D．write

4.

A．road

B．spot

C．system

D．light

5.

A．jumping

B．waiting

C．hesitating

D．refusing

6.

A．parents

B．food

C．toys

D．owners

7.

A．disappointed

B．shocked

C．nervous

D．angry

8.

A．aggressive

B．thirsty

C．hungry

D．sensitive

9.

A．controlled

B．accepted

C．caught

D．received

10.

A．often

B．never

C．merely

D．barely

11.

A．put into

B．put out

C．put off

D．put forward

12.

A．check

B．sell

C．change

D．make

13.

A．love

B．money

C．care

D．time

14.

A．policy

B．position

C．behavior

D．situation

15.

A．unacceptable

B．reasonable

C．unusual

D．interesting

16.

A．diseases

B．fears

C．problems

D．questions

17.

A．aging

B．raising

C．growing

D．declining

18.

A．bite

B．breed

C．bark

D．beg

19.

A．reducing

B．increasing

C．rising

D．enlarging

20.

A．bright

B．different

C．promising

D．uncertain

4 . Do you know anyone born in the Year of the Tiger? What’s their personality like? Are they brave, strong and sympathetic? If so, then they are a typical “tiger”. In Chinese culture, tigers symbolize power, energy, protection, generosity and unpredictability.     1     . That is why you can see in China images of tigers on the walls of temples and houses to ward off (挡住) disasters and danger.

Tigers have an important cultural significance not just in China, but across Asia. In the book Life of Pi, Canadian writer Yann Martel chose a Bengal tiger as the partner for Indian boy Pi on his survival adventure in the Pacific Ocean.     2     . It takes the tiger as its main theme when it tries to combine Eastern elements with European design.

In the West, lions are considered as the king of all beasts. Brave warriors were given the name “the lion”. But tigers are also seen as a very powerful animal.     3     , you can say to them, “easy tiger” in English. Another famous phrase is “Eye of the Tiger”, which means fierceness and strength.

    4     . If you ask my mom, she will tell you that my most precious toy while growing up was my toy tiger. I first learned about the beauty of tigers as a child, while watching animal documentaries. As a young animal lover, I felt so sad that they were an endangered species and I wanted to protect them. I hope that more people can learn about tigers.     5     .

Just like tigers serve as a symbol of protection in Chinese culture, I do hope my favorite animal will live freely in the eco-friendly environment.

A．Tigers mostly live in Asia

B．They are fearless creatures

C．If you want someone to calm down

D．One of my favorite animals is tiger

E．While you are afraid of this fierce animal

F．Another example is French fashion brand KENZO

G．I also expect to protect their habitats from further destruction

5 . 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。

There are certain things on the Earth that we must not lose. The great animal migration across the Serengeti Plains or the towering pyramids of Egypt are such examples. Every country is proud of     1     (it) cultural or natural heritage sites,     2     must be protected. We are lucky to have UNESCO to oversee such an important task. It sees heritage as our legacy from     3    past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations as well as sources    4    irreplaceable inspiration.

The incredible splendour of heritage sites is a     5     (remind) of the power of nature and the genius of man. As a nature reserve, Jiuzhaigou Valley is home to snow-capped mountains, thick forests, impressive waterfalls and lakes. This dream-like scenery makes us realize that nature has    6     (true) created a masterpiece. Similarly, standing in the shadow of the Borobudur Temple, as the sun rises over this grand historic building, we    7     (impress) with the effort and determination of the people who     8    (build) it with only primitive tools.

It is in heritage sites like this     9     we cannot help but be humbled, come to understand our limitations as human beings, and know that our duty is to protect them for generations     10     (come).

6 . I was suddenly awakened at about 4 a.m. by a strange experience which I did not understand at first. I was _________ for a few seconds, as though I was in a cradle (摇篮). I heard _________ sounds in which I could identify the tinkling of pots, the rattling of windows, and certain deep rumbling noise _________ from the earth. After a few moments I realized, to my _________, that it was the earthquake.

Others too in my house and neighborhood must have _________ it at the same time or a little earlier, because we all jumped up from our beds in a second and _________ out of our houses. The quake of the earth had stopped; yet we stood in the open for an hour, extremely _________ about another quake. There was nip (寒冷) in the air that early morning, and the electric lights had _________. People stood in darkness, talking about the earthquake and praying (祈祷) to God that it might not be _________.

The quakes of the earth caused no damage in Mumbai. For several hours next morning we thought, with __________ to Nature, that the disaster had been __________ on the whole. But at about noon, bad news came that all the houses in parts of Latur had been __________ to the ground and hundreds of human lives __________.

The destruction caused by the earthquake at Latur proved the __________ of man in the face of an unexpected natural disaster. He still has much to achieve in dealing with Nature. Isn’t it a(n) __________ that he is wasting away the natural resources and energies?

1.

A．attacked

B．comforted

C．rocked

D．sheltered

2.

A．pleasant

B．strange

C．fascinating

D．fluent

3.

A．coming

B．flashing

C．reflecting

D．tracking

4.

A．annoyance

B．joy

C．relief

D．horror

5.

A．warned

B．recognized

C．impacted

D．prevented

6.

A．jumped

B．walked

C．rushed

D．struggled

7.

A．anxious

B．excited

C．curious

D．hopeful

8.

A．blown up

B．come out

C．died down

D．gone off

9.

A．expected

B．forgiven

C．repeated

D．stopped

10.

A．admiration

B．gratitude

C．regret

D．satisfaction

11.

A．generous

B．impressive

C．harmless

D．tough

12.

A．burned

B．frozen

C．thrown

D．ruined

13.

A．lost

B．cured

C．discovered

D．rescued

14.

A．power

B．creativity

C．helplessness

D．limit

15.

A．fact

B．pity

C．honor

D．wonder

7 . Insects have difficulty handling the rising temperature brought on by climate changes. The ability to reproduce is also strongly affected by rising temperatures, even in northern areas of the world, according to a new study from Lund University in Sweden.

Insects cannot change their own body temperature, which is strongly influenced by the temperature in their immediate environment. In the current study, the researchers studied two closely related species of dragonflies in Sweden. The goal was to understand their ability to adapt to changes in temperature.

To study this, the researchers used a combination of field work in southern Sweden and thermography, a technology that makes it possible to measure body temperature in natural conditions. The information was then connected to the survival rates and reproductive success of the dragonflies in their natural populations.

The study shows that the survivorship of the dragonflies is high at relatively low temperatures (15℃~20℃). The reproductive ability is higher at temperatures between 20℃ and 30℃.

“There is therefore a temperature-dependent problem between survival on the one hand and the ability to reproduce on the other hand,” says Erik Svensson, professor at the Department of Biology at Lund University, who led the study.

The study also shows that the dragonflies' ability to handle heat-related stress is limited. Insects are cold-blooded animals, so they rely on outside sources such as the sun or hot stones to raise their body temperature.

“Our results show that cold-blooded animals can suffer from overheating even if they live far up in the northern areas, and that their ability to change their body temperature against rising outside temperature is limited. The results also challenge a popular theory that animals’ plasticity can help them survive under harsher environment, such as during heat waves,” says Erik Svensson.

1. What is the purpose of the study?

A．To find the relationship between survival rate and temperature.

B．To figure out the difficulties of northern insects' adaption.

C．To show dragonflies’ ability to deal with changes in temperature.

D．To prove animals’ plasticity in the hot environment.

2. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The way of the study.	B．The result of the study.
C．The importance of the study.	D．The object of the study.

3. What can be learned from Erik Svensson’s study?

A．Insects’ survival has nothing to do with temperatures.

B．Insects show low survival rates at lower temperatures.

C．Insects change body temperatures to improve survival rates.

D．Insects have higher reproductive ability between 20℃ and 30℃.

4. What does the underlined word “harsher” in the last paragraph probably mean?

A．More comfortable.

B．More difficult.

C．More suitable.

D．More pleasant.

8 . In this article, we want to present why nature conservation and the promotion of sustainable development principles are important.

Environmental protection prevents natural disasters. Nature struggles for balance. This is how forests absorb CO₂, grow and change it into oxygen. This provides an opportunity for life and also slows down climate change. The destruction of forests greatly changes the climate of entire regions, or even causes powerful floods.     1    

Environmental protection stimulates research and technological innovation. The idea for the first flying machine was inspired by bird observation. The rainforest is the richest source of many medicines. Almost every animal and plant has its own technical secrets.     2     With the disappearance of ecosystems and wildlife species, the base for scientific research and technical improvement is nowhere to find.

Protecting the environment is protecting people. The loss of natural resources leads to economic crises, wars or diseases.     3     For example, the reduction of the population of bees will affect not only the production of honey, but also the whole food production system. No bees — no honey, no fruit, very few vegetables. This leads to hunger, disease, migration and war.

    4     We meet with like-minded people. Any local success — the rescue of an endangered population for reserves — becomes a cause for global joy and inspires more participation.

We humans are part of nature and its cycles ourselves. Our impact on ecosystems has noticeable influence on our daily lives. But it can be predicted and avoided if you think with your head and act carefully.     5     Even small deeds can improve the state of nature and our life on the planet.

A．People spy on them and copy.

B．We are strongly dependent on it.

C．Respect for ecosystems helps to avoid such troubles.

D．And positive change can be promoted in the same way.

E．Taking part in environmental protection is a source of joy.

F．We consume the world’s natural resources in our daily life.

G．Even small changes in the ecosystem can cause huge disasters.

9 . It was a perfect summer morning on the beach in Rio De Janeiro. A man set up his umbrellas and chair near the water and was ready to read his book. Just then, when he looked toward the sea, he noticed a small shape that came out of the water. It slowly made its way out onto the sand and began to flap its wings. It was obviously feeble and tired.

When the creature was just a few feet away, the man couldn't believe his eyes. A penguin? Penguins don't belong to Rio. The mans was amazed. He looked around to see if there was anyone else this strange sight.

A jogger soon appeared, followed by another. They stopped and stared. It was clear that the penguin was having trouble breathing. The first jogger looked at the sea and said, “Poor fellow, so far away form home.”

The penguin fell to its side. It had swum 2, 000 miles, trying to find the tiny fish that penguins like to eat. Why did the penguin need to travel so far? Perhaps it was confused by moving ocean currents and temperatures—common effects of global warming. The penguin needed help. It would not survive on the hot sand.

One of the joggers phone for help, and soon some firemen arrived. The man was relieved that the penguin would soon be safe, although he felt a little sad, too.

The event on the beach at Rio happened some time ago. It was only the beginning of penguin migration to Brazil. Since that time, hundreds of penguins have appeared on the coasts of Brazil. They come all the way from Patagonia and the Straits of Magellan, southern parts of South America. They land on the sands very tired and starving, and many of them die. Some are shipped or flown back to colder waters farther south.

Perhaps the experience of the penguins will help us better understand the serious effect of human activity on climate change and on the condition of our planet.

1. What does the underlined word “feeble” in the first paragraph probably mean?

A．Heavy.

B．Excited.

C．Dirty.

D．Weak.

2. Why did the man think it strange to see a penguin?

A．Penguins there had already died out.	B．Penguins do not live in Brazil.
C．The penguin was no afraid of him.	D．The penguin was moving very fast.

3. What probably caused the penguin to land on the beach of Rio?

A．Changes in ocean currents and temperatures.	B．Pollution in South America.
C．Energy from the sun.	D．Sea ice decreasing.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Beaches in Brazil.	B．A Penguin's Life.
C．The Penguin of Brazil.	D．Effects of Global Warming.

10 . 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。

People And Animals Thailand (PAT) is the     1    (late) volunteering project set up by WFFT to help deal with the problem of homeless dogs and cats in the country.

A new clinic has opened between Cha-am and Hua Hin     2     (offer) free vaccination(接种疫苗）to street animals. The clinic is modern well equipped and provides a pleasant working environment    3     you can come and help make a real difference to the domestic(驯养的) animals of Thailand. Using modern techniques and     4    (equip) you can gain valuable experience.

Vet volunteers and nursing help are    5     (equal) required to assist our permanent team. In addition, non-veterinary professional volunteers can assist in the daily running of the clinic as well as helping take care of the animals. Comfortable accommodation     6    (provide) on site with air-conditioned private     7     (room).

The clinic is open 5 days per week and volunteers are taken in weekly bookings. The clinic is     8     short distance from the beach and close     9    the major tourist towns of Hua Hin and Cha-am. The volunteering fee helps cover the costs of the clinic and if you are a dog and cat lover we can guarantee     10     (you) stay will make a real difference to the problem of street cats and dogs in Thailand.