| A．The south of the country. | B．The North Sea. | C．The west of the country. |
| A．A beautiful city. | B．A famous garden. | C．A historical figure. |
3 . BEAUTIFUL IRELAND AND ITS TRADITIONS
Ireland’s beautiful countryside has always had a great influence on its people and traditions. The country has a long history of producing great writers and poets. Its beautiful countryside excites and inspires all, offering something for each of the senses. The peaceful landscape of the “Emerald Isle” and its many green counties is a true feast for the eyes, with its rolling green hills dotted with sheep and cattle. And down by the sea, the roar of the ocean waves and cries of the seabirds make up the music of the coast. On a quiet morning in the mountains, feel the sun on your skin, and breathe in the sweet scent of fresh flowers while birds greet the new day with their morning song. With all this beauty, it is not surprising that Ireland has developed strong traditions that include music, dancing, and dining. To have a chance of experiencing this, stop by a village pub and relax with a glass of wine or a local beer. Better yet, enjoy a delicious traditional Irish Beef Stew. If you’re lucky, you might be able to enjoy some traditional music and dancing, too. And if you introduce yourself to a friendly face, you are more than likely to experience local culture and customs first-hand.
1. Identify and underline the paragraphs introductory sentence(s) and the ending sentence(s).
2. The paragraph talks about different senses in different places.Write the senses and places in the order that they appear.
Senses:1.
Senses:2.
Senses:3.
Senses:4.
4 . When we drove through a twenty-foot-tall fence and entered the Okonjima Camp in central Namibia, the first question on our minds was whether the fence was being used to keep animals in or out. Our guide was quick to say, “Out.” The Okonjima Camp works with the AfriCat Foundation that accepts injured big cats. So there was no shortage of cats, and on that first night, we heard growls (咆哮) from our houses. How close we were! I hope nobody left the gate open.
The next day of our Africa trip started with a journey outside the fences and protected zone to track a mother leopard (花豹) and her baby the guide had seen the previous day, and we were happy to find them very quickly. The mother leopard was aware of our presence but was relaxed since our car was a healthy distance away, and we sat for 45 minutes watching the sweet interactions between mother and baby.
Later in the day, the guide said we would go on a hike. Everything we were told before about staying in the vehicle and not leaving the fenced arca of the camp was put aside. We were going to find cheetahs (猎豹). It is safer to approach cheetahs, keeping a safe distance, and our guide got out earphones to listen on the leopards’ radio collar (颈圈) frequency to see if any were in the area. No leopards, no problems. Let’s go look for cheetahs, and we did find them. Well, I didn’t. Our guide’s tracking skills were phenomenal. He quickly found them somehow lying in the shade of some tall grass. After some time, they stood up on their long legs. No cheetah-fast speed, but a silent walk into the bushes (灌木丛).
1. How did the author feel on the first night in the camp?| A．Excited. | B．Sleepy. | C．Nervous. | D．Curious. |
| A．To find a proper place to build a new camp. |
| B．To test his new radio technology. |
| C．To track a mother leopard |
| D．To observe cheetahs. |
| A．impressive. | B．limited. | C．important. | D．different. |
| A．Tourism in Namibia. |
| B．An adventure with big cats in Namibia. |
| C．The importance of wildlife protection. |
| D．A conflict between humans and big cats. |
5 . Squirrels eavesdrop on (窃听) the chatter of songbirds to work out whether the appearance of a predator (食肉动物) is cause for alarm, researchers have found. Animals including squirrels have previously been found to tune in to cries of alarm from other creatures.
But the latest study suggests animals may also keep an ear out for everyday chitchat among other species as a way to assess whether there is trouble afoot.
Writing in the journal Plos One, researchers reported on how they made their discovery by observing 67 grey squirrels as they pottered about (晃悠) different areas in the residential regions of Oberlin.
After 30 seconds of observing a squirrel, researchers played it a recording of the call of a red-tailed hawk, which lasted a couple of seconds — and their behaviour in the next 30 seconds was monitored. The squirrels were then played a three-minute recording of several different species of songbird chattering on a feeder.
The results revealed that in the 30 seconds after hearing the hawk call the squirrels increased the percentage of their time spent “vigilant” (警惕) compared with before the call, while they also looked up more often to scan the environment. Squirrels that were played bird chatter raised their heads less often during the recording and the number of these “lookups” dropped off faster over time.
“Recognition of bird chatter as a sign of safety is likely adaptive, as squirrels that can safely reduce their vigilance level in the presence of bird chatter probably are able to increase foraging (觅食) success,” the authors wrote.
The team suggested that with levels of humanmade noise increasing, squirrels may find it harder to eavesdrop on birds, meaning they may have to spend more time being alert and less time foraging.
Dr. Jakob BroJorgensen, coauthor of the study from Oberlin College, said: “The study calls attention to how animals can gather information from their environment by using cues that may at first glance seem irrelevant,” he said. “And it makes you wonder how the more and more pervasive (无处不在的) impact of human activities on natural soundscapes may reduce survival of wildlife in ways we haven’t thought of.”
1. What does the new research find about squirrels’ eavesdropping?| A．It lacks scientific evidence. | B．It is more widespread and broader. |
| C．It needs to be further investigated. | D．It is contradictory to previous findings. |
| A．The subject of the experiment. | B．The findings of the experiment. |
| C．The process of the experiment. | D．The purpose of the experiment. |
| A．They can escape from potential risks. |
| B．It helps them to forage food successfully. |
| C．It is safe for them to play with their mates. |
| D．They can adapt to a new environment quickly. |
| A．It’s possible effects. | B．Its appeal to the public. |
| C．Expectations for further study. | D．Scientists with new awareness. |
6 . American researchers say they have developed a method to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the sea. The researchers say the process can be an additional way to help reduce CO2 from the environment to fight the effects of climate change.
Plants and currents in the ocean absorb large amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere. The sea is estimated to have drawn in about 30 percent of carbon emissions since the Industrial Revolution. But carbon emissions also make oceans more acidic (酸性的). It can hurt coral reefs, which are sensitive to ocean acidity. Reef damage then do damage to the growth of many kinds of sea life.
Gaurav Sant, director of UCLA’s Institute for Carbon Management, said the technology is meant to use the ocean’s natural abilities to reduce carbon levels in the sea. The process sends an electrical charge through seawater flowing through tanks on a large boat. That sets off a series of chemical reactions that turn the carbon emissions into a solid mineral that includes calcium carbonate (碳酸钙). The seawater then returned to the ocean and can pull more carbon dioxide out of the air. The calcium carbonate settles to the sea floor.
The process has already been demonstrated in California. Researchers are working on plans to launch another project in Singapore. The two projects are expected to be fully operational by 2025. Researchers say they are expected to remove thousands of tons of CO2 per year. If successful, the plan is to build additional centers to remove millions of tons of carbon each year.
But experts say even if that amount of carbon can be removed, that is still thousands of times less than what will be needed to effectively reduce climate change. Margaret Leinen, director of an ocean research center, said, “While the process will likely be effective, I question how much effect it will have on climate change over a long period.” Sant said the success of such technology will greatly rely on “how fast you can build the centers”.
1. What can we learn about carbon emissions from the text?| A．Most of them are taken in by the oceans. |
| B．They can harm many kinds of sea life indirectly. |
| C．Removal of them poses a serious threat to coral reefs. |
| D．They will decrease ocean acidity when absorbed by seawater. |
| A．How a series of reactions form. |
| B．How an electrical charge is sent. |
| C．How the carbon emissions turned into a solid material. |
| D．How the ocean reduces carbon levels with its own natural abilities. |
| A．Opposed. | B．Concerned. | C．Approving. | D．Disbelieving. |
| A．The approaches to protecting coral reefs. |
| B．The construction of industrial-sized centers. |
| C．The process of reducing CO2 from the environment. |
| D．The techniques to remove calcium carbonate from the sea floor. |
7 . The Sequoia National Park in California’s southern Sierra Nevada mountains is best known for the Giant Forest, a collection of 2,000 trees that includes half of the Earth’s largest and longest-living trees. This past weekend, the ancient wonders came dangerously close to being burned by the KNP Complex Fire. But thanks to resourceful firefighters, the precious treasure has been saved.
The firefighters had taken the standard measures of clearing brush and setting controlled fires long before the fire began heading toward the Giant Forest. But they knew more needed to be done. On September 17, 2021, they took the unusual step of covering the base of some of the oldest trees with protective aluminum “blankets”. High on the list was General Sherman, the world’s largest tree by volume. The park officials believed the specialized foil(锡纸)would help block some of the heat from the fires and enhance the natural insulation(隔热)provided by the ancient trees’ thick bark. They were right!
On Sunday, September 19, 2021, the officials reported that the extra prevention measures, which also included 24-hour timed sprinklers(洒水装置)on General Sherman and the nearby park buildings, had worked. Jack Owen, a spokesman for the KNP Complex Fire Information Office, said, “There are no trees that have been burned yet, as far as in the Giant Forest. Firefighters are pouring everything they can into it as long as it’s safe. That area is looking good.”
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the rest of the national park. The KNP Complex Fire has burned through 21,777 acres. Meanwhile, the Windy Fire, which started further south on the Sierra slopes on the same night, has burned over21, 598 acres. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate and allow firefighters to gain control of the massive fires, which are now beginning to threaten nearby communities.
1. What did the firefighters first do to protect the Giant Forest from fire?| A．Cover it with specialized foil. |
| B．Put it on the list of protective steps. |
| C．Set up a fire prevention belt around it. |
| D．find out the features of the complex fire. |
| A．To stop some heat from the fire from developing. |
| B．To stop the fire from spreading. |
| C．To keep tree roots from losing water. |
| D．To test the survival ability of the trees. |
| A．Firefighters are ready to leave the area. |
| B．General Sherman is relatively safe. |
| C．Nearby buildings have been abandoned. |
| D．Some trees in the Giant Forest have been cut down. |
| A．Worried. | B．Optimistic. | C．Discouraged. | D．Unconcerned. |
8 . Every year about 40,000 people attempt to climb Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. They bring with them lots of waste. The
Hearing these stories, I’m
However, I soon discovered that much has changed since the days of disturbing reports of
The best of a Kilimanjaro
Does Kilimanjaro deserve its
| A．crowds | B．stories | C．reporters | D．settlements |
| A．age | B．face | C．name | D．position |
| A．crazy | B．doubtful | C．serious | D．pessimistic |
| A．grass | B．stones | C．camps | D．equipment |
| A．new | B．special | C．necessary | D．significant |
| A．paying off | B．blowing up | C．fading away | D．spreading out |
| A．experiment | B．experience | C．atmosphere | D．intervention |
| A．view | B．reason | C．quality | D．purpose |
| A．holding on to | B．going back to | C．living up to | D．giving way to |
| A．changes | B．permits | C．improves | D．dominates |
| A．add | B．match | C．count | D．imagine |
| A．lake | B．road | C．desert | D．village |
| A．Directly | B．Finally | C．Obviously | D．Frequently |
| A．fresh | B．little | C．artificial | D．permanent |
| A．reward | B．ecology | C．history | D．reputation |
9 . Humans can make do with scarves, coats and gloves in cold weather. Some animals can hibernate (冬眠) for the winter. A new study finds that reptiles (爬行动物) and birds do something that is similar to hibernation, but a little different. In very cold weather, their body temperatures greatly drop into an energy-saving state in order to survive. The ability to thermoregulation (体温调节) for reptiles and birds is possible.
In Texas, where the city of Beaumont reached a low of 18 degrees Fahrenheit last month, it looked as if alligators (短吻鳄) had died of cold — yet alive in iced-over water. By ensuring their long noses stayed above the water line, the cold-blooded creatures were able to lower their body temperatures to survive the sudden short period of very cold weather. The process, in the case of cold-blooded animals like reptiles, is called brumation — it’s like a short state of hibernating. While in this state, reptiles become sleepy and they can go for a long time without eating or drinking. For example, alligators can be in brumation from just a few hours to months.
Like reptiles and mammals, birds can go into a state called torpor in order to save energy under very cold conditions. “Torpor is somewhere between a short sleep and hibernation,” said Justin Baldwin, a PhD candidate in biology at Washington University in St. Louis. Baldwin studied 29 species of hummingbirds living in Colombia. Researchers found that hummingbirds can enter into deep or shallow torpor, depending on several factors, including their size and weather conditions. In deep torpor, the birds are much more likely to be affected by disease. And what’s more, they would be easily harmed by their enemies.
Some bird lovers want to help the birds when they are in torpor. For example, the Bird Alliance of Oregon offers a few tips on how to keep the birds from danger.
1. What does the new study show?| A．Body temperature is important for animals. |
| B．Thermoregulation exists in reptiles and birds. |
| C．Reptiles and birds’ thermoregulation is unusual. |
| D．Body temperature drops greatly during reptiles and birds’ sleep. |
| A．They are active in brumation. | B．They are dead in cold weather. |
| C．They face extinction in cold weather. | D．They eat and drink nothing in brumation. |
| A．They can get enough sleep. | B．They may harm other birds. |
| C．They may waste plenty of energy. | D．They may be under threat. |
| A．Risks of animal hibernation. |
| B．His opinions of the study about birds. |
| C．Some detailed measures to protect the birds in torpor. |
| D．Other problems raised by cold weather. |
10 . Most people agree that honesty is a good thing. But does Mother Nature agree? Animals can’t talk, but can they lie in other ways? Can they lie with their bodies and behavior? Animal experts may not call it lying, but they do agree that many animals, from birds to chimpanzees (大猩猩), behave dishonestly to fool other animals. Why? Dishonesty often helps them survive.
Many kinds of birds are successful at fooling other animals. For example, a bird called the plover sometimes pretends to be hurt in order to protect its young. When a predator (掠食动物) gets close to its nest, the plover leads the predator away from the nest. How? It pretends to have a broken wing. The predator follows the “hurt” adult, leaving the baby birds safe in the nest.
Birds called cuckoos (布谷鸟) have found a way to have babies without doing much work. How? They don’t make nests. Instead, they get into other birds’ nests secretly. Then they lay their eggs and fly away. When the baby birds come out, their adoptive parents feed them.
Chimpanzees, or chimps, can also be sneaky. After a fight, the losing chimp will put out its hand to the other chimp. When the winning chimp puts out its hand, too, the chimps are friendly again. But an animal expert once saw a losing chimp take the winner’s hand and start fighting again.
Chimps are sneaky in other ways, too. When chimps find food that they love, such as bananas, it is natural for them to cry out. Then others chimps come running. But some clever chimps learn to cry very softly when they find food. That way, other chimps don’t hear them, and they don’t need to share their food.
As children, many of us learn the saying “You can’t fool Mother Nature.” But maybe you can’t trust her, either.
1. A plover protects its young from a predator by ________.| A．getting closer to its young |
| B．driving away the adult predator |
| C．leaving its young in another nest |
| D．pretending to be injured |
| A．Chimps are ready to attack others. |
| B．Chimps are sometimes dishonest. |
| C．Chimps are jealous of the winners. |
| D．Chimps can be selfish too. |
| A．Some chimps lower their cries to keep food away from others. |
| B．The losing chimp won the fight by taking the winner’s hand. |
| C．Cuckoos fool their adoptive parents by making no nests. |
| D．Some cuckoos often steal other birds’ newborns. |
| A．Do Animals Lie? |
| B．Does Mother Nature Fool Animals? |
| C．How Do Animals Learn to Lie? |
| D．How Does Honesty Help Animals Survive? |
