2 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is ONE WORD MORE than you need.

A. voyaged     B. barely     C. renowned     D. abnormality     E. discipline     F. navigable G. unprecedented     H. eyed     I. Fortunately     J. accessible     K. degradation

For voyager and green promoter Zhai Mo, the 504-day non-stop voyage to the Arctic Ocean has stimulated his concern about the climate and awareness of his responsibilities.

Navigating more than 28,000 nautical miles (51,856 kilometers) in harsh conditions, Zhai, a (n)     1     Chinese explorer, returned to Shanghai on his aluminum sailboat on Nov 17, along with two crew members, becoming the first man to successfully circle, both ways, the Arctic Ocean without stop. “This non-stop Arctic Ocean circle route can be said to be     2    . We     3     both the northeast and northwest routes while previous explorers only chose one route. This is a self-challenge and transcendence in the history of human navigation,” the 54-year-old says.

Zhai undertook this task as an ambassador of the Chinese navigation science and marine public welfare, and also the ForNature Campaign of the United Nations Development Program. He set sail on June 30 last year to raise public awareness of global warming, climate change and land     4    . During the trip, he crossed the East China Sea, the Western Pacific, the Bering Strait, the Chukchi Sea, the East Siberian Sea and the Beaufort Sea. He saw dolphins, whales, walruses, sea lions and seals, as well as shoals of cod and wolf fishes.

“When we passed through the Northwest Pacific Ocean on our way back, we encountered three typhoons within a week, which     5     happened in the past,” Zhai recalls.

Zhai didn’t see any floating ice during his one-week voyage in the Kara Sea while the previous meteorological data showed ice there.

“My own experience tells me that climate     6     is obvious now,” Zhai says.

The voyage, to enter the Arctic Ocean from the Bering Strait before making a round trip returning to Shanghai, was planned to take four months, but the return schedule was delayed for more than a year. “As soon as we entered the Bering Strait, we encountered a polar cyclone. A large number of ice floes and icebergs were blown to the coast. However, the Arctic Ocean can only be     7     near land, so we had been carefully crossing between ice floes and icebergs for a long time and the speed was only 1 to 3 knots,” Zhai says. But for Zhai, the most difficult part of the whole voyage was around 75 degrees north. The Arctic Ocean is known as the “dead channel”, Zhai says, adding that the location where the Titanic went down was on his route and dotted with countless icebergs. After entering the iceberg region, Zhai navigated the sailboat while the two crew members went on watch to report on the menacing ice. Despite the precaution, the boat hit an iceberg near Greenland, causing water seepage below the waterline that had to be dealt with. Meanwhile, compasses and electronic goods on the boat failed because of the magnetic field. “I had never encountered this situation in sailing before,” says Zhai.     8    , he took a fiber optic compass specially used for high latitude navigation, and managed to leave this area with visual aids. In addition to ice floes and icebergs, Zhai and his team also faced severe tests such as heavy fog, strong winds and huge waves. When sailing through the Chukchi Sea, the boat navigated around a large area of ice floes and heavy fog resulting in visibility of no more than 10 meters. They spent nearly 11 hours to get just 50 nautical miles. “We tried to leave as soon as possible during our voyage in the Arctic Ocean,” he says, adding that there was a constant danger of being trapped by the ice.

Zhai was attracted by sailing when holding an art exhibition abroad in 2000. In 2007, he got a second-hand sailboat with simple supplies, such as instant noodles, pancakes and potatoes, and started his voyage trip around the world.

After that 35,000-nautical-mile voyage, Zhai     9     an Arctic Ocean journey. “Navigation is a comprehensive     10    . You should know not only astronomy but also geography. You also need to be a carpenter, fitter, hammerer and painter, and should be able to survive in a harsh, outdoor environment,” Zhai says.

He adds that he hopes more young people would participate in navigation, to promote and publicize the ocean awareness and navigation spirit. He is preparing for the third voyage trip around the world next year or the year after that. “Antarctica is also a very big challenge. I hope to explore more unknowns, and I also want to launch a transoceanic sailing competition.”

3 . Over 7,000 species around the world are considered endangered. That number doesn’t even include the plants, animals, and other lifeforms that are listed by some scientists as vulnerable, critically endangered, or extinct in the wild.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) maintains the most-comprehensive list of endangered species around the world. The Red List of Threatened Species, as it’s called, judges each species on five different standards for an in-depth scientific approach. According to the IUCN, an endangered species is one that meets any one of the following criteria (标准): a 50%-70% population decrease over 10 years, a total geographic area less than 5,000 square kilometers, a population size less than 2,500 adults, a restricted population of 250 adults, or a statistical prediction that it will go extinct within the next 20 years.

Though the IUCN’s Red List covers a wide range of what qualifies as an endangered species, it doesn’t quite say how a species reaches those low points. Prepare to feel guilty: the most common factor when it comes to species decline is human intervention. Loss of habitat, the introduction of a foreign species into the environment, hunting, pollution, disease, and loss of genetic variation (基因变异) are all causes of species decline and most often are a result of human activities. Take the bald eagle for example: the rise in human population and urban development of North America limited the animal’s habitat; an increase in hunting the eagles for sport lowered their population size; and the use of the pesticide DDT on farms harmed the animal’s reproductive capabilities.

But even though humans are the number one cause of species decline, classifying species as endangered encourages action to reverse the effects of human intervention. Conservation efforts by the US Fish and Wildlife Service criminalized (使非法) the hunting of bald eagles and the use of the pesticide DDT in the mid- to late 20th century. The effect was positive, as bald eagles have been on the rise and were taken off the endangered species list in 1995.

1. Which of the following species can be considered endangered?

A．One that will go extinct within the next 50 years.

B．One whose population size is less than 5,000 adults.

C．One whose habitat is less than 2,500 square kilometers.

D．One whose population decreases 20% over twenty years.

2. What does paragraph 3 focus on?

A．The causes of species decline.

B．The disadvantages of the pesticide.

C．A list of worldwide endangered species.

D．Common features of endangered species.

3. Why is the bald eagle mentioned as an example in the last paragraph?

A．To show its rareness.

B．To blame humans for its decline.

C．To stress its importance in nature.

D．To show the meaning of ranking it endangered.

4. In which section of a newspaper may this text appear?

A．Entertainment.

B．Health.

C．Science.

D．Education.

4 . When Kurt Benirschke started collecting skin samples from endangered animals in 1972, he didn’t have a firm plan on what to do with them. As a researcher at the University of California San Diego, he believed that one day these samples would be used to save these animals. A few years later, he moved his collection to the San Diego Zoo, and called it the Frozen Zoo.

For a long time, it was the only project of its kind; however, in recent years, similar conservation efforts have spread globally, and tools that Benirschke didn’t yet have are now available. Today, the Frozen Zoo is the world’s largest animal cryobank(生物冷冻库), holding samples from over 10,500 individual animals from 1,220 species, in the hope that one day science can bring them back as a species.

The Frozen Zoo’s advanced technology is the key to its success in saving species from extinction. By using cryopreservation techniques, the zoo can store cells and tissues from endangered animals. The stored genetic material can be used for research, breeding(繁殖) programs, and potentially even cloning or genetic engineering to restore endangered species.

By protecting the genetic heritage of endangered animals, the Frozen Zoo provides hope for the survival of species that would otherwise be at risk of dying out, and the preservation of Earth’s precious biodiversity. It has inspired the establishment of similar cryobanks worldwide, expanding efforts to conserve endangered species. These cryobanks contribute to the global network of genetic resources, improving cooperation and knowledge exchange. By demonstrating the potential of technology in the preservation of biodiversity, the frozen zoo serves as a powerful tool in raising awareness and driving change.

The Frozen Zoo is like a time capsule, preserving the genetic heritage of endangered species for future generations. It reminds us about the importance of conservation and offers a window into a world that could otherwise be lost forever.

1. What do we know about the Frozen Zoo?

A．It is the world’s oldest and largest animal cryobank.

B．It started with a detailed plan led by Kurt Benirschke.

C．It is a project to explore the evolution of animal species.

D．It was established to protect animals in the San Diego Zoo.

2. How does the Frozen Zoo save species from extinction?

A．By expanding their natural habitats.

B．By raising their survival rate with genetic technology.

C．By preserving their genetic material for further research.

D．By innovating breeding techniques to increase their population.

3. Why does the author mention “time capsule” in the last paragraph?

A．To stress the importance of the Frozen Zoo.

B．To explain the urgency of saving endangered species.

C．To prove the potential value of preserving biodiversity.

D．To show the necessity of cooperative conservation efforts.

4. What words could best describe the Frozen Zoo project?

A．Costly and controversial.	B．Profitable and instructive.
C．Conservative and effective.	D．Pioneering and significant.

5 . My photographs are the items I would definitely take or guard in case of an emergency. But what else? This was the question I asked myself as a ________ came toward us.

Unlike some friends and________, we decided to stay in our home. We didn’t have to choose what we would save by ________ it into the car, but we still had to decide what required protection by storing it in our walk-in closet. Surprisingly, few items made the cut - an obvious ________ that we had surrounded ourselves with beautiful yet unessential items. We needed ________ for the truly important things: ourselves.

Because when you hear the roar of the winds, or when something ________ hard against your windows, you don’t think of photos.You don’t worry about your big screen TV, or those paintings you’ve covered with towels to protect them, or that ________ car that you still haven’t finished paying for.

As ________ goes on outside, this is what you think: My children, are they OK? Are their impact-resistant(耐冲击的) windows working ________? Are their roofs keeping out the damage? My grandchildren, are they crying out in fear? Are they ________ as their own grandparents are? My relatives — yes, even those I try to avoid — have they ________ the worst of it? My friends, will they be forced to move somewhere else permanently? You don’t think about what you own but about what you love; what money can’t buy back.

Months and years after the hurricane, I often told people that there are two parts to ________ this kind of catastrophe: the horror of the hurricane itself and then the rebuilding that follows. The ________ together of a life, however, will take months, perhaps years.

But we will do it, ________ and as a community. Of that I have no doubt. In fact, I’ll make one more prediction. Piece by piece, item by item, we will once again collect the material possessions that decorate a home. I hate to admit this, but lessons learned ________ fear aren’t always long-lasting.

1.

A．flood

B．drought

C．wildfire

D．hurricane

2.

A．hosts

B．partners

C．relatives

D．architects

3.

A．applying

B．packing

C．exchanging

D．delivering

4.

A．sign

B．gap

C．clue

D．summary

5.

A．kit

B．gym

C．space

D．greenhouse

6.

A．rests

B．erupts

C．carves

D．cracks

7.

A．cheap

B．expensive

C．graceful

D．economic

8.

A．destruction

B．appreciation

C．challenge

D．determination

9.

A．as usual

B．as follows

C．as scheduled

D．as promised

10.

A．annoyed

B．amazed

C．confused

D．frightened

11.

A．escaped

B．protested

C．identified

D．processed

12.

A．causing

B．preventing

C．surviving

D．suffering

13.

A．cutting out

B．putting back

C．giving up

D．working out

14.

A．devotedly

B．creatively

C．individually

D．dependently

15.

A．in favor of

B．in times of

C．in need of

D．in search of

7 . 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。

I woke up to the sound of rumbling (隆隆声). At first, I thought it was thunder, but then I felt the ground shake beneath me. I sat up in bed, my heart pounding in my chest. It took a few moments for me to realize what was happening — an earthquake. I had always heard stories about earthquakes, but I had never experienced one myself. I knew that I needed to act fast to ensure my survival.

The room was shaking violently, and I struggled to keep my balance. I quickly got out of bed and tried to make my way to the door. I stumbled and fell a few times, but I managed to make it to the door and open it.

As I stepped outside, I met with chaos. The ground was still shaking, and I could hear the sound of buildings collapsing in the distance. People were running in all directions, screaming and crying. I knew that I needed to find a safe place to take cover.

I remembered reading that doorways were one of the safest places during an earthquake, so I made my way to the nearest doorway and waited there. The ground continued to shake, and I had never felt so scared in my life.

After what seemed like an eternity (永恒), the shaking finally stopped. I cautiously stepped out of the doorway, looking around at the destruction that the earthquake had caused.Buildings had crumbled to the ground, and fires were burning in the distance. I remembered that I had a survival kit in my car, so I made my way to the parking lot.

When I got there, I saw that my car had been crushed by debris (碎片) from a nearby building. I realized that I was on my own. I knew that I needed to stay calm and think rationally. I looked around and saw a group of people huddled together across the street. I made my way over to them, and they welcomed me into their group.

注意：
1．续写词数应为150个左右；
2．请按如下格式在相应位置作答。

Together, we worked to find a safe place to take shelter.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Eventually, after a few days, help arrived, and we were brought to safety.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8 . High-resolution (高分辨率) satellite imagery has been used to map every single tree in Africa, showing a technique that could help improve the monitoring of deforestation (森林砍伐) across the world. Florian Reiner at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, and his colleagues used images from sate lies to map canopy (树冠) across the entire African continent.

Modern sate lies usually catch tree canopies at a resolution of 30 meters — fine for measuring the size of forests, but less good at mapping individual trees. The satellite data Reiner and his colleagues used had a resolution of 3 meters, enabling the study to map all trees, including those not part of a forest.

The results suggest that 30 percent of all trees in Africa aren’t in a forest and instead are across farmland, savannah and urban areas. “Many countries in Africa lack thick forests, but have a lot of trees.” says Reiner. “These trees are extremely important to the local ecosystems, the people and the economy. By tracking every single tree, researchers can start to monitor how these trees are coping with climate change or whether they are sensitive to deforestation.” It could also improve the monitoring of reforestation efforts, which are growing in popularity as a way of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

“At a local level, being able to consistently monitor when and where trees are disappearing or reappearing can lead to more actionable insights,” says John Francis at the Alan Turing Institute in London.

“The study is a proof of concept rather than a map ready for immediate commercial use,” says Reiner. “It’s research work. It’s showing what could be done,” he says. But he is already working with colleagues to scale up the tracking approach to cover the entire global canopy: “We’re hoping that this will be seen as a way forward in monitoring tree resources.”

1. Why is high-resolution satellite imagery used to map every single tree?

A．To know the exact height of the tree.

B．To have a clear picture of the canopy.

C．To help monitor the deforestation.

D．To improve the satellite technology.

2. What is John Francis’ attitude towards the map?

A．Doubtful.

B．Disapproving.

C．Indifferent.

D．Favorable.

3. What do Reiner and his colleagues expect to do?

A．Protect the trees only in Africa.

B．Put the map into commercial use.

C．Track the entire global canopy.

D．Improve the imagery technology.

4. What is probably the best title?

A．Ways to Measure the Size of Forests in Africa

B．Coping with Climate Change by Tracking Every Single Tree

C．A Map from the Satellite Ready for Immediate Commercial Use

D．High-resolution Satellite Imagery Used in Monitoring Deforestation

9 . Dryland ecosystems cover about 40% of land on earth and support more than 2 billion people, and, once degraded, they are difficult to restore. One technique for restoring dryland ecosystems with native plants — direct seeding — is promising, but has many disadvantages.

“In degraded drylands only around 10% of directly sown seeds actually establish themselves,” says Frederick Dadzie, PhD candidate at UNSW. “And given that native seeds are expensive and often in low supply, this is full of problems.”

Since one of the potential issues of degraded drylands is an absence of native microorganisms(微生物)in the soil, the research team acquired native microorganisms from undisturbed sites and grew them. They then introduced them to soil that contained the seeds of native plants and planted them in degraded drylands.

They found that microorganisms were very beneficial for getting the plants established. especially at the earlier stages when the seeds were growing to seedlings(树苗). After that, the relationship was less clear.

“That microorganisms improve germination(发芽)in degraded habitats is good news for ecosystem restoration," says Mr. Dadzie. “And what’s better: this is a simple, two-step process that can be applied to restoring dryland ecosystems. First, combining the seeds and soil into pellets(小球), and second, providing those pellets with the microorganisms.”

“Not only are drylands valuable as food bowls for vast numbers of people, but they also provide other services,” says Mr. Dadzie. “Due to the vastness of drylands, they have the highest potential to absorb atmospheric carbon and therefore contribute substantially to climate change.”

While this study was conducted at a field site, the seedlings were provided with both shade and water. In the future, similar experiments should be repeated but under more naturalized conditions with environmentally determined sun and rain.

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

A．Changed.

B．Improved.

C．Worsened.

D．Simplified.

2. What does Mr. Dadzie think of using native microorganisms to restore dryland ecosystems?

A．It is simple and promising.	B．It is costly but practical.
C．It is challenging but effective.	D．It is unproven and questionable.

3. What can we learn about the study?

A．Its method is out of date.

B．It was conducted in the laboratory.

C．Further study in naturalized conditions is necessary.

D．One type of native plant was involved in the whole process.

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

A．The solution to climate change lies in drylands

B．Microorganisms are the key to ecosystem restoration

C．Scientists have improved the direct seeding technique

D．Local microorganisms help native seeds take root in drylands

10 . In films and TV shows, police investigators dust crime scenes for fingerprints to catch criminals. Now, conservationists (环保主义者) are using a similar method to tackle the illegal overfishing of sharks and rays.

Overfishing is when too many of a particular type of fish are caught, putting that species in danger. Many sharks and rays are killed because of a high demand-and a high price-for their fins(鱼鳍). In some countries, the fins are used as an ingredient in shark fin soup, which some people believe can cure certain illnesses.

About 100 species of sharks and rays are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora(CITES), an agreement between 184 countries to limit sales of wildlife that may be at the risk of dying out. CITES has teams of people who visit ports and fish factories to look for evidence of protected species being illegally caught and sold. The idea is to punish those responsible and stop it from happening, but finding evidence is difficult. If a fish is already cut up and ready for sale, it’s hard to tell which species it was. Often, fish are sold before inspectors arrive.

Scientists have come up with a process that analyzes “fish dust”-tiny traces of fish that get left on the floor at ports and factories, even after the fish are no longer there. Using a process called metabarcoding(宏条形码技术), they examine the chemical that carries all the information about a living thing’s body and characteristics in the dust and can tell if it is from a protected species.

The scientists tested the method in Indonesia, where many sharks and rays are caught and sold. They studied dust from seven sites and found evidence of 61 species of sharks and rays. More than 80% of them were CITES-protected species. Dr. Andhika Prasetyo, the scientist who led the research, hopes the new method will be helpful in protecting endangered sea life.

1. Why is dusting crime scenes mentioned in paragraph 1?

A．To discuss overfishing in a broader context.

B．To introduce the initial purpose of the passage.

C．To bring forth something new with the familiar.

D．To show the difference between two professions.

2. What is paragraph 3 of the text mainly about?

A．The risk in saving wildlife and the opportunity to seize.

B．The mission of CITES and the trouble inspectors confront.

C．The number of endangered species and the way to save them.

D．The agreement made by countries and the responsibility each carries.

3. How does the metabarcoding process work?

A．It scans the body of a fish to confirm its killer.

B．It guides the investigators to the remains of a fish.

C．It turns a fish into the dust and test its characteristics.

D．It identifies a fish by studying the chemical in the dust.

4. What does the test in Indonesia indicate?

A．The evidence collected belong to over 61 species.

B．Scientists in Indonesia will carry out further studies

C．The dusting method is promising in protecting sea life.

D．More than 80% of sharks and rays have been in danger.