1 . Banff National Park is home to an amazing wildlife population. But the busy Trans Canada Highway that cuts through the park is a hazard to the lovely animals. To address the problem, Banff first put-up wildlife fencing on either side of the highway to discourage animals from entering the busy road. Then, since 1996, they’ve opened six wildlife overpasses and 38 underpasses to help the animals cross the highway in safety. I was fortunate to visit Banff’s Red Earth Overpass with Trevor Kinley, the project manager with Parks Canada. He told me that so far, they have documented 10, 000 safe animal crossings on this overpass alone. “ Some animals have learned how to use the crossings much more quickly than others. Black bears are the fastest learners, followed by deer. Wolves and lions take the longest to work out how to use them, ” Kinley said, laughing. “ But those animals that are slower to adapt are usually more capable and determined at figuring out the safest way to cross those overpasses and underpasses. ”
There is some criticism (批评) that channeling so much wildlife into a few bridges and tunnels is like making a trap for the animals, offering big animals an easy meal on either side. “ But research has shown that this is not the case, ” Kinley assured me. “ There are no more killings around the crossings than there are anywhere else in the park. ”
Walking over the Trans Canada and then walking underneath through one of the tunnels, I was amazed to see the fresh tracks of black bears, wolves, deer and many kinds of smaller animals. Somehow, all these animal footprints made me so happy, knowing that all this wildlife was passing safely under and over the longest road in Canada.
Hopefully, the success of the wildlife crossings in Banff will continue to inspire similar solutions around the world, where human pressure on wildlife continues to grow.
1. Which of the following best explains “ hazard ” underlined in paragraph 1?A.Shelter. | B.Message. | C.Answer. | D.Danger. |
A.They are stupid animals. | B.They are cautious learners. |
C.They are very dangerous. | D.They are good at adapting. |
A.There are too many bridges and tunnels. | B.Many animals will not use the crossings. |
C.More killings might happen at the crossings. | D.Illegal hunting might be encouraged in the park. |
A.Concerned. | B.Disappointed. | C.Shocked. | D.Delighted. |
A.Weather. | B.Clothes. | C.News. |
I live with my husband in San Luis Obispo, California, about three miles from the beach. Every few years, the humpback whales come into the bay for a few days while they’re migrating. November 2020 was one of those times, so we took out our yellow double kayak(皮艇)to watch the wildlife. We paddled out the length of the pier(码头)and saw seals, dolphins, and about 20 whales feeding on silverfish. We were in awe watching these graceful giants—each one about 50 feet long—breach and spray through their blowholes. We laughed when they turned their side fins so that it looked as if they were waving at us.
At the time, my friend Liz was staying with us. The next day, I asked her if she wanted to go out on the water to see them.
“No way,” said Liz, now 65. She was not an experienced kayaker and was terrified that the kayak would overturn while we were surrounded by hungry whales. “There’s nothing to worry about,” I assured her. “The craft is stable, and we can turn back anytime. I’ve learned somewhere that whales have enormous mouths but tiny throats. Anything they can`t swallow they spit right out.” After some cajoling(劝诱), she finally agreed to join me. I didn’t want her to miss this magnificent experience and regret it later.
Liz and I got out on the water at 8:30 the following morning. There were already about 15 other kayakers and paddleboarders in the bay. It was warm for November, so we wore T-shirts and leggings. After a half-hour, we had our first whale sighting just past the pier: two humpbacks swimming toward us. How amazing to be that close to a creature that size, I thought as the whales dipped under the waterline.
When whales go down after breaching, they leave what looks like an oil slick on the water. I figured if we paddled toward that spot, we’d be safe from the whales, since they’d just left. We followed them at a distance—or what I thought was a distance. I later found out that it’s recommended to keep 300 feet away. We were more like 60 feet away.
注意:1. 所续写短文的词数应为 150 左右;
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Paragraph 1:
Suddenly, we felt our kayak rocking violently.
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Still, I didn’t panic and I just kept thinking I’ve got to breathe in this “white wall”.
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4 . Walking or running outdoors, people usually see rubbish all over the ground. Well, some people are doing something about it.
A Swedish man named Erik Ahlström, started the movement in 2016. He moved to Stockholm from a small community(社区) in northern Sweden. Each day he would ride his bike to work. He became worried about the amount of rubbish and litter he saw each day on his way to work. So, he took matters into his own hands. He began picking up the rubbish.
Today, plogging is an official activity, which is becoming more and more popular. People of all ages are welcome to plog. Exercise while helping your community.
Along with cleaning up the environment, there may be another reason to choose plogging instead of just jogging. You may get a better workout. One fitness app, Lifesum, records one hour of plogging as burning 288 calories.
As can be seen, cities around the world now hold plogging events. The goal is to spread the idea that littering is not acceptable. People would think twice before dropping a garbage on the ground.
A.And that is how plogging was born! |
B.In other words, plogging is equal parts of exercise and community service. |
C.There are people all around the world doing this. |
D.They are plogging! |
E.You get to know your neighbors. |
F.And plogging does good to your mental health. |
G.Usual jogging burns about 235 calories. |
5 . Terrie Mitchell, 34, from Sheffield, received an unexpected present when she was finally reunited with her beloved cat — 11 years after she first went missing. Chloe, who only has one eye, was discovered living in an overturned wheelie bin just a few streets away from where she was last seen.
Chloe was first brought into her family home as a kitten, when Ms. Mitchell was aged 21 and still living at home with her mum, Jean. When she moved out with her partner, she let the longhaired black cat stay in the house she was used to. But when Ms. Mitchell’s mother died unexpectedly at the age of 60, Chloe disappeared and could not be found anywhere.
Despite searching for her, she all but gave up hope of ever seeing her cat again until she spotted a Facebook post featuring the longhaired cat. Postwoman Andrea Hurst had been delivering a parcel to an elderly lady, when she spotted the cat living in the wheelie bin. On her next round, she asked about the cat and was told she had been staying there for more than six years as the woman had been feeding her. The kindly woman asked a local cat shelter to collect Chloe, before using the social media site to locate the original owners. She wrote, “This is probably a long shot,but does anyone recognize this beautiful cat?”
Ms. Mitchell noticed the post by chance and commented, “Omg, this is my cat!!!!! I can’t stop shaking!!!!! Her name is Chloe!!! Please whoever knows contact me...”
The vet, who confirmed Chloe was more than 10 years old, told her owner it was nothing short of a miracle. Today Chloe is settling in well at her new home and even responds to her original name. Her delighted owner added, “Now I feel guilty that I didn’t search for her better, because she was obviously around. It could give hope to people who haven’t seen their pets for years.”
1. What do we know about Chloe from the first two paragraphs?A.She is a shorthaired cat with only one eye. |
B.She disappeared before Mitchell’s mother died. |
C.She stayed in Jean’s house before she disappeared. |
D.She was discovered in a wheelie bin far from Mitchell's house. |
A.Jean. | B.An unknown person. | C.The vet. | D.Andrea Hurst. |
A.Amazed. | B.Worried. | C.Hopeless. | D.Guilty. |
A.The Best Gift | B.A Kind Woman |
C.An Unexpected Reunion | D.A Missing Cat |
6 . While pedaling hard on a bike, do you feel like you are saving the planet? Or do you just feel out of breath? In fact, cycling is now considered one of the ultimate weapons humanity can use in the fight against climate change.
The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution in March supporting bicycles as a tool for dealing with climate change. The resolution calls on member states to “integrate the bicycle into public transportation, in urban and rural settings in developing and developed countries”, with all 193 members of the UN unanimously (一致同意地) adopting the resolution.
This decision has received a positive response from numerous groups in support of cycling and environmental awareness internationally. “It is an important step toward the recognition of cycling as an important mode of transport,” said the European Cyclists’ Federation.
The resolution from the UN comes at a time when climate change has returned to the center of global attention. On Feb 28, the UN published a new report assessing recent climate change trends. The report warns that the global average temperature will rise by 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels (1850-1900), with more than 40 percent of the world’s population being “highly vulnerable” to these temperature changes.
In May 2020, bike sales in Spain increased 22-fold (22倍) compared with 2019. In London, large parts of the city are being closed off to cars so that people can walk and cycle safely. Cities like Berlin and Montreal have also added new, wider bike lanes.
More importantly, the resolution focuses on bike-sharing services, which could be seen as recognition of China’s bike-sharing success, noted CGTN.
China has some of the largest bike-sharing systems in the world. The country has more than 360 cities with dockless (无桩的) bike-sharing systems, with nearly 20 million bicycles for an average 47 million trips each day, according to China’s Ministry of Transport. This transportation option that produces zero emissions reduces the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere by 4.8 million tons every year, according to a 2020 report from the World Resources Institute.
1. According to the first paragraph, when cycling you may feel________ .A.relaxed | B.proud | C.anxious | D.nervous |
A.Because it is an only tool to cope with climb changes. |
B.Because it can be used in urban and rural settings in all countries. |
C.Because it has been agreed with by all 193 members of the UN. |
D.Because most people support cycling and environmental awareness. |
A.To show China has succeeded in bike-sharing services. |
B.To indicate China has the most bikes in the world. |
C.To call for the world to learn from China. |
D.To suggest that China has developed quickly. |
A.20 million tons. | B.9.6 million tons. |
C.4.8 million tons. | D.24.8 million tons. |
7 . There’s just a 1 in 3, 700, 000 chance that a person will be killed by a shark in their lifetime, but the fear is still enough to have swimmers worrying about being perceived as prey (猎物). Now, new research supports the long-standing theory that when great whites do go in for a bite, it’s a case of “mistaken identity”.
A team of biologists from the UK and Australia compared videos of seals swimming with videos of humans swimming. They then edited the videos to simulate (模拟) a great white’s vision — the sharks are likely colorblind, and they can’t make out fine detail-and found that from the point of view of the ocean creatures, humans do indeed bear a strong resemblance to seals.
“Great white sharks are often regarded as ‘mindless killers’ and ‘fond of human flesh’. However, that's not the case — we just look like their food,” Laura Ryan, lead author of the study, said.
Despite their dissatisfying vision and spatial perception, great white sharks are highly visual creatures, and rely on motion and shadows when on the lookout for prey. To really see through the species’s eyes, the research team had to get creative.
“We attached a camera to an underwater scooter (轻便小车), and set it to travel at a typical speed for predatory sharks,” Ryan said in a statement. The researchers then paired the recordings with computer models to simulate how similar people look from a shark's view below the surface.
“I knew there would be some similarities, but not to the extent we have found,” Ryan said. “Specifically, I thought swimmers might not be as similar as surfers to seals as they typically aren’t involved in as many shark bites. However, the swimmers are also difficult to tell apart from seals.”
Ryan put it in a statement, “Understanding why shark bites occur can help us find ways to prevent them, while keeping both humans and sharks safer.”
1. What do the underlined words “the ocean creatures” in paragraph 2 refer to?A.Seals. | B.Sharks. | C.Humans. | D.Swimmers. |
A.To measure the speed of predatory sharks. |
B.To take clear pictures of underwater seals. |
C.To keep track of sharks’ travel underwater. |
D.To see human beings through sharks' view. |
A.Swimmers are easy to tell apart from seals. |
B.Swimmers are not as similar as surfers to seals. |
C.The similarities between humans and seals are few. |
D.Swimmers surprisingly resemble seals in sharks’ eyes. |
A.Why Sharks Attack Humans | B.Are Shark Bites Common? |
C.How Sharks Hunt for Food | D.Are Sharks Really Dangerous? |
In China, Tree Planting Day falls on March 12, but more often people plant trees during Qing Ming Festival in early April. Newly-planted trees can survive more easily with a
China set March 12
Since 2013, President Xi Jinping has joined Beijing citizens in tree planting activities for nine years in a row. President Xi called on the public
China has seen a remarkable
In the future, China will launch more effective
9 . Shaine is not your average 16-year-old. In fact, she has turned her love of animals into a
For many pet owners, the cost of buying mobility (移动) equipment is not
“I really had to
Shaine was taking a(n)
Shaine is
A.mission | B.session | C.search 1 | D.burden |
A.used | B.favored | C.abandoned | D.disabled |
A.flexible | B.affordable | C.reasonable | D.logical |
A.held up | B.taken up | C.held down | D.put down |
A.pays | B.prepares | C.charges | D.sends |
A.opened | B.respected | C.assumed | D.convinced |
A.order | B.promise | C.prove | D.insist |
A.discoveries | B.materials | C.benefits | D.advantages |
A.creative | B.direct | C.corrective | D.abundant |
A.commitment | B.excuse | C.responsibility | D.option |
A.home | B.animal | C.plant | D.community |
A.involved | B.tolerated | C.suggested | D.postponed |
A.traditionally | B.professionally | C.originally | D.constantly |
A.training | B.rescue | C.recreation | D.employment |
A.took off | B.dropped off | C.held back | D.fell behind |
A.casually | B.constantly | C.temporarily | D.currently |
A.organizing | B.dotting | C.developing | D.scratching |
A.inferences | B.infections | C.rejections | D.limits |
A.sense | B.appointment | C.start | D.surprise |
A.donations | B.collections | C.designs | D.records |
10 . Scientists have discovered how plants manage to live alongside each other in places that are dark and shady. Plants in the deep darkness of a thick forest, where natural supplies are not very great in amount, won’t attempt to top their neighbors in growth as those in moderate (中度的) shade do. In deep shade conditions, it would be a waste of energy and harmful to survival because green shoots would never be able to top their larger neighbors in growth.
So how do plants prevent such growth in deep shade conditions? The secret lies in the clocks insides them, say scientists from the John Ines Centre and the University of Bristol.
They have discovered that when plants notice deep shade, this changes the expression of genes parts of the circadian clock (昼夜节律时钟) — the inner daily timer found in plants and other things. These clock parts perform an additional role in preventing plants from lengthening and overtopping neighbors.
The work identifies a previously unknown role of the circadian clock in controlling plant development and the findings may have possible effects on both natural plant populations and crops. Professor Antony Dodd of the John Innes Centre said, “The biological clock of plants plays a big part in their development and fitness. This work casts new light on a new role of the circadian clock in adapting plants to competition with other plants in their environments.” “It also gives us new insights into how plants adapt to very deep shade, where resources are very limited,” said Professor Kerry Franklin at the University of Bristol.
This work provides evidence for the firmness of the circadian clock in stressful environments, and information that may be useful in developing new generations of crops in a challenging climate.
1. What do plants normally do in moderate shade?A.Struggle to preserve energy. | B.Compete for limited resources. |
C.Try to outgrow their neighbors. | D.Depend on each other to survive. |
A.By changing their gene expression. | B.By making them realize light change. |
C.By helping them adapt to the darkness. | D.By controlling their growth in deep shade. |
A.To share a new discovery about plants. | B.To introduce the role of the circadian clock. |
C.To explain plants secret of living in forests. | D.To compare plants living in certain condition. |
A.How plants face a challenging climate |
B.Why plants respond to different shade levels |
C.Why the circadian clock is vital to plants' growth |
D.How plants become good neighbors in times of stress |