1 . Each spring, millions of people take photos among the famous cherry trees around the Tidal Basin in Washington DC-some even get married there. That’s what Jody Axinn did 10 years ago.

“Now, the romantic spot is unrecognizable. The whole section is under water,” says Axinn who is revisiting the cherry trees with her family. “When I got here 10 years ago, the place was flooded regularly, but certainly not twice a day, every day.”

There are two forces working together to affect the Tidal Basin, the trees and monuments around it. The seawall around the basin, built with mud dug up from the Potomac River bottom, has sunk about five feet over the past century.

“At the same time, the water level in the basin has gone up by more than a foot because of climate change,” explains Leslie Frattaroli, manager of the National Park Service (NPS). “The Tidal Basin looks like a small lake, but it’s actually part of the Potomac River, because there are gates at the upstream and downstream ends of the basin that allow river water to rush through. Therefore, it is gradually rising along with the level of the world’s oceans.”

Combining these two factors, the water is six feet above where the seawall was originally designed to keep it out. Later this spring, the park service will start to raise parts of the walkway around the basin and along the Potomac River.

“It would be impossible to complete the $113 million project without removing the cherry trees along the water,” Leslie says. “The good news is that when the project is completed in 2027, 274 new cherry trees will be planted.”

Among the trees to be removed is a very famous little tree known as “Stumpy”. At high tide (潮汐), the base of the tree is flooded. Although it is in extremely bad conditions, its remaining three or four small branches burst into flower each spring, with the Washington Monument standing tall in the background.

1. What can be learned from Jody Axinn’s words?

A．The famous cherry trees should be protected.

B．The flooding around the basin is more serious.

C．Getting married at the Tidal Basin is unpopular.

D．Washington DC has changed beyond recognition.

2. What is the third paragraph mainly about?

A．The sinking seawalls.	B．The rising sea level.
C．The beautiful scenery.	D．The warming climate.

3. The Tidal Basin is ________.

A．too small to hold the water	B．a small inland lake
C．at the downstream end of a river	D．connected with the oceans

4. Why will Stumpy be removed?

A．It is not in harmony with the scenery.	B．It is in very bad conditions.
C．It happens to be in the reconstruction area.	D．It is attracting too much attention.

2 . “Earth” has always been an odd choice of name for the third planet from the Sun. After all, if an alien examines it through a telescope, he would note that two-thirds of its surface is covered not by earth at all, but by oceans of water.

However, most of the oceans on Earth remain unexplored. For example, photographers are fond of pointing out that scientists have mapped nearly all the oceans’ surface, but less than a quarter of the seabed. Biologists think the oceans might host more than 2 million species of animals, of which they have so far identified perhaps a tenth.

A new project may change this. Launched in London on April 27th, 2023, Ocean Census aims to discover 100,000 new species of ocean animals over the coming decade. Its first ship, Kronprins Haakon, set sail on April 29 for the Barents Sea.

The project is launched for two reasons. One is that the longer scientists wait, the less there will be to study. “Top on our agenda are species thought to be in the greatest danger from climate change,” says Oliver Steeds, founder of the project. “Otherwise, the forest is burning down and we won’t know what was there before it is lost.”

The second reason is technological. Biologists find about 2,000 new species a year, a rate hardly changed since Darwin’s day. Ocean Census is betting that it can go faster. Fancy cameras on remote-operated vehicles, for instance, allow scientists to scan deep-sea creatures such as jellyfish without removing them from their habitat. Just as the huge pressures of the deep sea are deadly for humans, taking such a jellyfish to the surface for examination may reduce it to gooey slime (黏液).

Exactly what the new effort might turn up, of course, is impossible to predict. But history suggests it will be fruitful. Half a century ago, scientists discovered hot seabeds that were home to organisms living happily in conditions that, until then, had been thought harmful to life. These days, such hot seabeds are thought to be one possible candidate for the origin of all life on Earth.

1. What phenomenon is described in the second paragraph?

A．The oceans are home to most of the animals.	B．The oceans have not been studied in depth.
C．Scientists enjoy photographing the oceans.	D．“Earth” is not a proper name for our planet.

2. What does Oliver Steeds most probably mean?

A．More efforts from scientists are necessary.	B．Animals in the forest should be rescued, too.
C．Climate change is endangering the forest.	D．The project should start with threatened species.

3. What can we learn from the jellyfish example in paragraph 5?

A．It is mature to study the oceans now.	B．Scientists should slow down their studies.
C．It is harmful to study deep-sea animals.	D．Researchers want more advanced equipment.

4. What does the author think of Ocean Census?

A．Dangerous.

B．Creative.

C．Promising.

D．Unnecessary.

3 . Wondering what you can do to celebrate Earth Day on April 22? You’ve come to the right place. We’ve gathered a comprehensive list of Earth Day activities, both fun and environmentally-conscious, to help raise awareness and make a difference. If you’re ready to learn more about joining the global celebration, initiating real change, and doing your part to save our planet, read on!

·Walk or ride your bike.

    1     Plus, it’s a great way to involve physical activity into your daily routine, benefiting both your physical and mental well-being. Even one day can make a difference, but if you can commit to walking or biking more often in the future, that’s even better!

·Use a refillable water bottle.

Consider going with a stainless-steel refillable bottle for a super long-lasting option.     2     Using a refillable water bottle, meanwhile, protects the planet, saves you money, and protects your health.

·Plant a tree.

Pick a tree species that’s native to where you live. If you’re unsure, ask an employee at your local nursery or garden department. Choose the best planting spot to meet the tree’s needs, dig a properly sized hole, and water the tree well to give it a good start.     3     Try donating to a reputable environmental non-profit that will plant trees on your behalf instead.

·Visit a local farmer’s market.

Eating locally grown food is much better for the environment. For example, locally-grown food doesn’t have to be transported long distances to end up on grocery store shelves.     4    

·     5    

See if your community is holding an environmental fair. If your community doesn’t have one planned, consider starting one yourself! It’s the perfect day to get together for a fun and educational celebration of the Earth. Any money raised can go towards a local environmental restoration project or group.

A．Attend a local Earth Day event.

B．Educate your community on environmental awareness.

C．Going car-free for the day will reduce harmful carbon emissions.

D．That means your money won’t be wasted on unnecessary spending.

E．If physically doing this is unrealistic for you, there are other choices!

F．Normally, plastic water bottles end up in garbage cans after a single use.

G．You’ll also be giving back to your community by supporting local farmers.

4 . 阅读下面材料,根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段,使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Bill McDonnell, who was a soldier when young, was a 92-year-old now, still healthy and strong. He loved hunting very much. On December 15, Bill decided to go hunting in Shenandoah Mountain the next day as the deer season had begun. His wife Joanna McDonnell intended to let their son Bill McDonnell Jr. accompany him, but Bill Jr. had a football game that day. Bill McDonnell said he could manage all by himself. Joanna then required Bill to be out of the woods by 2 pm and home by 3 pm, plenty of time before sunset. She added, “ Do take some necessities like a flashlight, just in case.”

The next morning, Bill woke up at four, grabbed his muzzleloader (前装枪), and steered his Jeep toward Shenandoah Mountain. At the end of the old Laurel Run logging road, he began to walk. It was about 7:30 am and 25 degrees when the sun peeked through the trees.

Not long into the hike, he came upon a path he didn't remember. Maybe this was a secret route to the king of all bucks (雄鹿). He took it. Then, around 11 am, he came into a clearing (林中空地) along a ridge line (山脊线). He had walked farther than he had expected. It seemed that his path up the mountain had meandered quite a bit. “Where am I now?” he muttered. Bill figured he could drop into the valley, hunt a bit and then go back home. But when he snaked down through the forest, he found there was no path at all. The forest was thick. It was hard to tell the direction now.

By around 2 pm, Bill stopped at somewhere in the valley, exhausted. “I’ll get it figured out,” he said to himself. He took out his phone to call his wife, but the phone had died. He dug into his pants for the GPS device he always brought in case of emergency and pushed the “on” button. Nothing. He had forgotten to charge it the night before.

“No, I’m not lost,” he told himself. His eyes caught a stand of tall trees. He remembered admiring the line of fantastic oaks and pines earlier. Reach them and the car wouldn’t be that far off. It meant he would have to cover some ground.

注意:续写词数应为150左右。

He was moving slower and slower, Joanna‘s 3 pm deadline having passed.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It was about 9:45 pm when Bill heard the whoop-whoop-whoop of a helicopter.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 . Despite the difficulties, the California coastal ecosystem is improving, largely thanks to the huge appetite sea otters (海獭) have for crabs. In a creative study, scientists revealed the return of otters to their former habitat in a Central California river mouth has slowed the decrease of the area’s river banks by up to 90%. “It would cost tens of millions of dollars for humans to rebuild these stream banks and restore these rivers. The otters are stabilizing them for free, in exchange for an all-you-can-eat crab feast,” said biology professor Brian Silliman, Ph. D. at Duke University.

Like many California river mouths, Elkhorn once was a habitat for otters, which need to eat around 20 to 25 pounds of food every day, with crabs being one of their favorite meals. But after fur traders hunted the local otter population nearly to extinction, the number of crabs exploded over the next century. Crabs dig into salt river soil, and over time can cause a salt river to wear away and collapse. Today, years after the otters returned, rivers and stream banks became more stable.

Angelini, one of the study’s authors, said that tool is an encouraging sign for her team as they face similar threats to Florida’s coastlines from sea level rise, storms, and extra nutrients overflowing into coastal waters. “All these seem unsurmountable,” Angelini said. “However, this study shows that, if we truly understand the ecosystem and know what tools to use, we can see significant benefits to the health and stability of these systems.”

The research team conducted large-scale surveys across 13 tidal (潮汐的) streams, as well as small-scale field experiments at five locations around the river mouth over a six-year period. Otters were not included in some lest sites but allowed to be used in others, using a caging system designed by Angelini.

“And all these years later, we now see these amazing results. It’s an inspiring story about the benefits of conservation and persistent, long-term research,” Angelini said.

1. What does Brian Silliman think of the function of sea otters?

A．It’s complex.	B．It’s expensive.
C．It’s effective.	D．It’s inefficient.

2. What made the sea otters in Elkhorn nearly die out?

A．The collapse of salt rivers.

B．The hunting for their fur.

C．The decrease of the sea crabs.

D．The pollution of their habitat.

3. What does the underlined word “unsurmountable” probably mean?

A．Hard to understand.	B．Difficult to deal with.
C．Impossible to avoid.	D．Dangerous to settle.

4. What is Paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．The process of the research.

B．The purpose of the research.

C．The limitation of the research.

D．The discovery of the research.

6 . Four surprising ways algae (藻类) are driving innovation

Algae can be a double-edged sword. Increased human activity and climate change have caused explosions of algae populations in water bodies around the world sometimes choking entire ecosystems of sunlight and oxygen. Even though they are so closely associated with humanity’s negative impact on Earth, algae could also play key roles in helping fight pollution, viruses, and more.     1    

Filtering (过滤) water.

With microplastic pollution documented in almost all water bodies, a recent study shows that through absorption, algae can help filter microplastics out of water.     2    

Fueling air travel.

    3     Researchers at a German algae cultivation facility are already using it to fuel drones. They believe this and other sustainable fuels could reduce carbon emissions from airplanes by up to 80 percent.

Fighting viruses.

Red algae can prevent the replication (复制) of some viruses, including COVID-19, according to a 2020 study.     4     Thus, it could become a powerful medication to treat HIV, the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (AIDS).

    5    

In 2019, freshwater algae were launched into space to turn the carbon dioxide exhaled (呼出) by astronauts on the International Space Station into oxygen. Since algae are also high in protein, they could replace up to 30 percent of astronaut food in the future.

A．Making space food more nutritious.

B．Making long-term space travel possible.

C．These are several ways algae are solving modern problems.

D．Some algae can also filter chemicals that can be used in fertilizers.

E．Brown algae have been shown to stimulate the body’s immune system.

F．Algae can produce more effective biofuels than traditional sources like soybeans.

G．It aims to harvest algae for energy while keeping the environment pollution-free.

7 . Al Larson, also known as “The Bluebird Man”, first began his labor of love after he read an article that described how building birdhouses could help to control their falling populations. After seeing a bluebird going in and out of a dead tree in his yard, Larson became inspired to start setting up little boxes that could serve as nests (鸟窝) for bluebirds.

What started as a hobby in his retirement turned into a full-time effort — and after almost forty years of devotion, he has recorded over 30,000 bluebirds, thanks to the 350 birdhouses that he has built across southwest Idaho. He often travels over 5,000 miles to check on all of his boxes during the summer nesting season.

Since bluebirds live in dead or nearly-dead trees, their population began to drop after the invention of the electric chainsaw (链锯) in the early 1900s, which made it easier for homeowners to remove their dead trees. In addition to having their habitats destroyed, the use of pesticides (杀虫剂) caused an uncertain future for the bluebirds of Idaho. But the efforts of Larson have shown us that if we take a moment to understand the needs of a species, we’ll find a way to deal with the problem. Though he is nearing the age of 97, Larson shows no signs of slowing down. Also, his inspiring story has been turned into a documentary Bluebird Man.

“Al is a living example of how much one person can achieve when they set their mind on a task. But he’s also an example of the benefits that a project like this can have for people,” filmmaker Matthew Podolsky said. “Bluebirds have given meaning to Al’s life, and they are truly the secret to his long life.”

1. Why is Al famous as “The Bluebird Man”?

A．He likes observing bluebirds.

B．He often feeds food to bluebirds.

C．He set up many boxes for bluebirds.

D．He made the documentary Bluebird Man.

2. Where do bluebirds usually make their nests?

A．In dead trees.	B．In Al’s house.
C．In gardens.	D．In boxes.

3. Which is the one of the reasons that caused the population of bluebird to drop?

A．The government controlled the populations of bluebirds.

B．The nests for bluebirds was destroyed by people.

C．Bluebirds lived in dead trees and were short of food.

D．Their habitats have been destroyed and people often used pesticides.

4. Which saying can best describe Al’s story?

A．Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

B．The roses in her hand, the flavor in mine.

C．One is never too old to learn.

D．All roads lead to Rome.

8 . Since we’ve known about some cute animals, what about animals which aren’t so cute?

My favourite is a little creature called the Tasmanian devil. If you are out camping in Tasmania and come across one, the experience might scare you! Tasmanian devils hunt at night, so you won’t usually see them, but you may hear their loud cries when they are fighting or eating. The noise they make could wake the dead. Frightening! They are about the size of small dogs and look like rather large black rats. They also have a terrible smell! Their diet is mostly dead animals. Fortunately, despite their name, they are generally not violent towards people.

Australia also has some animals that many people have never heard of, for example, the duck-billed platypus. Is that some kind of bird? Not at all. While it may lay eggs in a nest like a bird, it’s really a primitive mammal, with a unique biology. Its eggs hatch after about ten days, and then the baby platypus nurses from its mother like all other mammals. Its nose looks like a duck’s bill, and it has feet like a duck’s so it can dive under the water, but it’s covered in hair. Do you know what’s really strange about a platypus? The platypus doesn’t use its senses of sight or smell to find food. It has a capacity to find food in the water by using electrical sensors in its bill. There are only a small handful of animals in the world that can do that!

1. What two things about Tasmanian devils can bother people most?

A．Their diet and violent behaviors.

B．Their loud noise and terrible smell.

C．They like fighting and are hard to hunt.

D．Their ugly appearance and terrible smell.

2. What do Tasmanian devils like to eat?

A．Small dogs

B．Large rats.

C．Dead animals.

D．Violent animals.

3. What makes the way duck-billed platypuses give birth so different from other mammals?

A．It lay eggs like a bird.	B．It nurses from its mother.
C．It can dive under the water.	D．Its eggs hatch after 10 days.

4. What is the unique way used by duck-billed platypuses to find food?

A．By using electrical sensors.	B．By using its senses of sight.
C．By using its senses of smell.	D．By hanging out in the water.

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。

Australia has lots of unique animals, but which animal is a symbol of the country? It has to be the kangaroo, as it has a wide distribution throughout the country. It’s     1     tough animal that has to survive in a difficult environment. Baby kangaroos weigh only two grammes     2     birth. They then find their way into their mother’s pouch to stay safe and warm. After they learn to jump, they     3     (gradual) spend less time with their mother and learn     4    (be) independent. Kangaroos can hit and kick very hard,so if you see some kangaroos, remember they ‘re not for petting!

Another unique animal in Australia is koala. Koalas are really quite cute, but the truth is, they are very sensitive creatures who can easily panic because of even small changes in their environment. They spend quite a lot of time     5    (eat), sleeping, and hanging onto tree     6    (trunk), so interaction with humans can cause them a lot of stress. Because of this, the government began to make laws against touching koalas.     7     you want to hold a koala, you have to go to certain licensed zoos     8     animal experts make sure that the koalas     9    (select) for each session are in a good state for human contact and that they     10    (handle) for only a limited time and on a limited frequency of occasions.

10 . Space X has launched the third test flight of its Starship spacecraft, the largest and most powerful rocket, ever built, which aims to carry astronauts to the moon and, eventually, to Mars. The 120-metre system, which weights about 5,000 tonnes when fully fuelled, took off from Space X’s spaceport, named Starbase, on the Gulf of Mexico in Boca Chica, Texas. It entered space several minutes later and the six Raptor engines powered it to its expected orbit.

Two previous attempts ended in the explosion of both the spacecraft’s 33-engine booster, nicknamed Super Heavy, and the cruise vessel, which is designed to eventually carry up to 100 astronauts. Stacked together, they stand at 10 metres taller than the Saturn V rocket that sent humans to the moon in 1969.

Space X is much more tolerant of risk than Nasa and has a flight-testing strategy that aims to frequently push its spacecraft prototypes to the limit, and, beyond. Its first Starship launch attempt lasted four minutes and, the second lasted eight, with the latter reaching space. The company says frequent flight testing will provide valuable data that will help it design and, develop a more robust rocket.

“Each of these flight tests continue to be just that: a test,” Space X said in a statement before the third launch attempt, in an apparent attempt to manage expectations in case the system exploded. “They aren’t occurring in a lab or on a test stand, but are putting flight hardware in a flight environment to maximize learning.”

The third flight aimed to conduct the first ever re-light of Space X’s signature Raptor engine while in space, open a payload door, and make a controlled re-entry of Starship in the Indian Ocean. Both the upper and lower segments of Starship are designed to eventually power themselves safely back to Earth for a soft landing so that they can be reused, which will be significantly cheaper than building entirely new parts for each mission.

Elon Musk, Space X’s billionaire founder, hopes Starship will be the first step on a human journey further into space that ever before. To do this, Musk intends to begin the colonization of Mars so that humanity can survive a planet-destroying event on Earth. Several other Starship systems are already in production for future tests. The company has announced longer term plans to use the spacecraft as a shuttle for commercial travel on Earth, promising trips from London to Tokyo in less than an hour.

1. What set the third test flight apart from the other two?

A．Being the first to make a controlled re-entry of Starship.

B．Being significantly cheaper than the other launches.

C．Being the first ever to enter the expected orbit.

D．Being the first starship spacecraft to enter the space.

2. What can be inferred from paragraph 3?

A．Space X’s first Starship launch attempt lasts eight minutes.

B．Both Space X and Nasa have a flight-testing strategy.

C．Space X’s first Starship travels farther than the second.

D．Space X will make the best of the frequent flight-testing data.

3. Which of the following is not the reason why Space X take a flight-testing strategy?

A．To manage expectations in case the system exploded.

B．To maximize learning in a flight environment.

C．To push its spacecraft prototypes to the limit, and beyond.

D．To protect the earth from being destroyed by disasters.

4. What is the best title of the text?

A．Space X will make Starship power itself back to Earth safely.

B．Space X will adjust the starship system and commercial travel.

C．Space X has launched the third test flight of its Starship spacecraft.

D．Elon Musk aims to carry astronauts to the moon and then to Mars.