1 . There are some unusual wonders of our world places that most people haven’t heard about and probably don’t want to visit. But it’s good to take a step away from everything else we’ve known and see something new!

Library of Celsus, Türkiye

The Library of Celsus was a public library built by Tiberius Julius Acquila in ancient Ephesus, now in modern-day Türkiye. It was built on the Mount Koressos and its construction began in 114 AD and ended in 117 AD. It is one of the best-preserved ancient buildings due to its Roman-time structures, which were built using marble, a type of hard, decorative stone.

Meteora, Greece

Meteora is a group of monasteries (修道院) in Greece located on top of tall rock pillars (柱子). Meteora contains 24 monasteries built on natural sandstone rock pillars between the 11th and 15th century AD. Meteora is one of Greece's most popular tourist destinations and has been a World Heritage Site since 1988.

Tower of Hercules, Spain

The Tower of Hercules is a Roman lighthouse built in 14 BC on the coast of Spain. You may be wondering how a place that was built much earlier than some of the other wonders of the world can still be considered a wonder today. Well, it was, once one of lighthouses in Europe. The tower has been rebuilt several times, but it still stands today.

Toruń, Poland

Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland and is the capital of the province of Kujawsko-Pomorskie. Toruń was founded by Teutonic Order in the mid-13th century as an important city on the trade route between Kraków and Gdańsk. The name “Toruń” comes from two German words — “tor” means gate or tower and “tun” means settlement; therefore, “Tower settlement”.

1. What makes Library of Celsus one of the best-preserved ancient buildings?

A．Its special purpose.	B．Its geographic position.
C．Its preservation skills.	D．Its construction materials.

2. Which one has the longest history?

A．Library of Celsus.	B．Meteora.
C．Tower of Hercules.	D．Toruń.

3. What is special about Toruá?

A．The origin of its name.	B．The theory of its design.
C．The time of its visit.	D．The ways of its construction.

2 . It’s now, more than ever, crucial to adopting a low-impact lifestyle since all kinds of waste, including that of the fashion industry, are piling up in landfills with astonishing speed.     1     Thankfully, the following tips can help you reduce clothing waste.

·Buy fewer clothes overall.     2     It’s a more cautious approach to shopping and consumption (消费) in general. Think twice about what you will buy and say no to over consumption. You can even try out a minimalist (极简主义的) lifestyle. Shop for what you need only when necessary, keep things simple, and go back to basics.

·Shop for high-quality clothing. High-quality clothes can cost more at first but save you money in the long run.     3     Moreover, quality clothes can make you feel more comfortable and confident, improve your fashion style, and help you look your best.

·    4     Upcycling is very beneficial to the planet and your budget (预算). Instead of throwing old clothes away, use parts of or entire old clothes to make something new and more valuable. You can even create stylish and unique pieces of clothing by upcycling.

·Donate your unwanted fashion items. Do a quick online search for your local options to donate clothes that are still in good condition. Be sure to contact organizations first and ask them what type of clothes they accept. You can donate clothing to for-profit companies or to homeless shelters and family service agencies.     5    

A．Repurpose your old clothes.

B．Upcycle everyday household objects.

C．Limit your fashion consumption in the first place.

D．Thrown clothes have had a disastrous impact on the planet.

E．They are more likely to stay in good condition for a long time.

F．Heavy coats and sweaters can go to animal shelters in your local area.

G．Reducing clothing waste is necessary for making fashion more sustainable.

3 . The morning commute (通勤) is never fun. But if you pass through Stevenage on your way to work, your morning might be a little ________ thanks to the cat Nala.

Dragging yourself out of bed in the morning and off to work is hard, ________ on dark winter mornings. However, you might ________ to come out of the house with a spring in your step if your commute started at Stevenage station, where you’d be ________ by a cat called Nala.

Usually found sitting on a ticket gate, four-year-old Nala lives close to the station with her owner Natasha Ambler, and often ________ the station at rush hour to enjoy attention from commuters. Ambler ________ a Facebook page called The Adventures of Nala where hundreds of people have voluntarily ________ photos of the adventurous cat.

Recent photos posted by commuters include Nala ________ in line for her canned food at a supermarket, napping on newspaper stands and ________ with commuters at the station barriers to get their attention.

Nala wears a GPS tracking device so that her ________ can be kept track of, and is usually found at the railway station or the ________ leisure park. As well as the usual collar with her name and owners’________ information, Nala wears a tag to let people know that she’s not ________.

According to the BBC, Ambler reported that she’s not ________ about Nala in the slightest: “She’s obviously ________ and she’s very happy doing what she does — I just hope one day she doesn’t actually try to get on a train.”

1.

A．quieter

B．longer

C．busier

D．brighter

2.

A．gradually

B．especially

C．basically

D．generally

3.

A．agree

B．fail

C．prefer

D．hesitate

4.

A．troubled

B．greeted

C．stopped

D．rewarded

5.

A．lives in

B．takes up

C．watches over

D．heads to

6.

A．created

B．found

C．bought

D．wrote

7.

A．taken

B．edited

C．shared

D．enjoyed

8.

A．hunting

B．waiting

C．working

D．playing

9.

A．posing

B．joking

C．fighting

D．communicating

10.

A．steps

B．jumps

C．activities

D．travels

11.

A．newly-built

B．family-friendly

C．next-door

D．fun-filled

12.

A．job

B．contact

C．health

D．company

13.

A．hungry

B．lonely

C．lost

D．ill

14.

A．worried

B．confused

C．unhappy

D．curious

15.

A．well-informed

B．well-equipped

C．well-educated

D．well-loved

4 . Macquarie Island is a tiny island that’s part of Australia. It’s about halfway between New Zealand and Antarctica. The island’s been made a world heritage area because it’s so untouched, but this unique environment is under threat from some unwanted visitors.

It all started when seal hunters came to the island in the early 1800s. They brought rabbits with them as a source of food for the journey, and also on board the ships were rats and mice, which made their way onto the island too. They’re being blamed for destroying the homes of marine birds, causing soil loss and ripping up plant cover, as these before-and-after photos show.

So what’s being done about the problem? It starts with a team of helicopters that fly across the island carrying these giant containers. Inside them are poisoned pellets (有毒饲料) which are dropped and spread across the island. For any rabbits that survived the baiting (诱饵) , there’s a plan B. This special team of dogs is being put through a final training. It’ll be their job to track down any remaining rabbits. They have to also learn to behave around the island’s native wildlife. The dogs could be here for years or until the task is complete. The dogs don’t actually kill the rabbits. They find them, then the hunters decide to either catch the rabbits or shoot them.

But the program has received a bit of criticism. Some people argue 25 million dollars is a lot of money to be spending on wiping out rabbits and rodents (啮齿目动物), and in the process, some native birds will be killed because of the baiting.

The reality is the problem isn’t going to be solved overnight. The people running the program say that even if one pair of rabbits is left alive, the whole task will be seen as a failure, which means these guys could be here for a long time, trying to ensure that this precious island remains protected from pests.

1. Who are these unwanted visitors?

A．Seal hunters.

B．Marine wildlife.

C．Native birds.

D．Foreign species.

2. What do the underlined words “ripping up” mean in paragraph 2?

A．Advancing.

B．Destroying.

C．Dividing

D．Balancing

3. What is being done to solve the problem of unwanted visitors on Macquarie Island?

A．Poisoned pellets are being dropped on the island from helicopters.

B．A team of hunters is being trained to catch or shoot rabbits.

C．Native birds are being protected from the unwanted visitors.

D．A special team of dogs is being sent to kill the rabbits.

4. What is the goal of the program?

A．To spend as little money as possible.

B．To protect native birds from the unwanted visitors.

C．To ensure that no pair of rabbits survive on the island.

D．To train dogs to track down the rabbits on the island.

5 . In the northernmost edge of Colombia sits the coastal town of Acandí. Access to the town is only by water or air; there is no road that leads there. The residents there are faced with the struggles of balancing livelihoods while protecting biodiversity.

In the past, traditional community fishing methods, passed down by the elders, focused on the reasonable fishing and management of resources. However, the introduction of large-scale trawling vessels(拖网渔船) decades ago gradually depleted the area’s fishing resources, leading to damage to marine(海洋的) life seriously.

Jesús Antonio Julio Cuestas, who serves in the region’s conservation and management of marine resources, stresses the bad impact of these developments and calls for new fishing techniques. “Fishing and conservation co-exist as long as we have good management practices and reasonable use of our fishing resources,” says Cuestas. He and other officials actively monitor fishing activities in Acandí. Each morning, they visit the fish markets to gather data on fishery resources—including prices and sizes—to monitor the state of the local fishing industry.

Along with Cuestas, the fishers work to reduce their impact on the marine ecosystem. By changing fishing methods and adopting new practices, they aim for a more balanced approach to fishing. “This year the local fishermen have not used the trawl net s that were causing the death of the leatherback sea turtles,” explains Cuestas proudly. Changes include the efforts of boats to protect the seagrass that serves as feeding grounds for marine life and an end to fishers throwing net s where turtles lay their eggs.

This marine reserve in Acandí, Cuestas believes, is their greatest treasure. He attaches great importance to working together with local residents to improve the quality of life while preserving the marine ecosystem. By doing so, he imagines a picture where individuals from the fishing community can pursue various careers, such as engineers or lawyers, proudly stating that they are the products of the fishing tradition in Acandí.

1. What does the underlined word “depleted” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Reused.	B．Restored.
C．Explored.	D．Reduced.

2. Why does Julio Cuestas call for new fishing techniques?

A．To cut down on the costs of fishing.

B．To improve the income of local residents.

C．To promote the well-being of marine wildlife.

D．To spread traditional community fishing methods.

3. What is paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．The aim of the changes to fishing methods.

B．The efforts to preserve marine ecosystem.

C．The results the trawl net s have brought about.

D．The impact of fishers on the local environment.

4. What is Julio Cuestas’s attitude towards Acandí’s future?

A．Confident.	B．Uncaring.
C．Concerned.	D．Doubtful.

6 . Flying through the skies of New York with its tall buildings can be a real challenge for birds migrating (迁徙) from Central or South America to the Arctic Circle during the spring and fall migration seasons. Fortunately, more and more of them can reach their destination thanks to the help of kind humans.

Project Safe Flight is a program from New York City Audubon, a community that has been working to protect birds in NYC for over 40 years. This project helps save injured birds that collide (相撞) with the reflective glass so common in many tall buildings.

Each time these volunteers find a survivor, they take it to the Wild Bird Fund. Its purpose is to provide medical care to native and passing migrant wildlife so that they can be released (释放)   back into the wild. Under their care, these feathered friends can rest, are properly fed, and are also given the medical treatment they need.

Once the patients feel better, they spend time with other recovered birds until they become healthy enough to return to freedom. This takes place in the spring, when they’re released in Central Park, or in the fall, when they’re released out of town to make sure that their path doesn’t take them in the neighborhood of lower Manhattan’s dangerous buildings.

Nearly a billion birds are killed each year in the US from collisions with windows, the Audubon Society reports. In New York City alone, between 90 and 230 thousand migratory birds die yearly from window collisions, as detailed by Curbed. This occurs mostly during the spring and fall migration seasons.

Bright lights and reflective glass buildings attract and then befuddle birds because they look through them and they think they’re seeing the sky. So the dBird database is key to making policymakers learn more clearly about specific hotspots (多事之地) and thus take preventive steps accordingly to protect the lovely creatures. These include making sure that visual indicators (视觉指示器) are added to tall buildings, or that lights are turned off at night.

1. How do the volunteers help injured birds?

A．By taking injured birds home.

B．By releasing injured birds back into the wild.

C．By having injured birds taken good care of.

D．By equipping buildings with visual indicators.

2. What is the purpose of the fifth paragraph?

A．To explain the side effects of migration.

B．To introduce some human threats to birds.

C．To draw more attention to the Audubon community.

D．To show the importance of the Project Safe Flight program.

3. What does the underlined word “befuddle” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Trap.

B．Injure.

C．Confuse.

D．Assist.

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

A．Watching Birds in New York	B．Helping New York Birds
C．Taking Good Care of Birds	D．Setting Up a Program in New York

7 . Animals were the real pioneers of space flight. Let us learn about some animals that have been to space.

A. Fruit flies

On February 20, 1947, the United States sent some fruit flies into space to study the impact that cosmic radiation (宇宙辐射) might potentially have on astronauts in the future. They chose flies because they are genetically similar to humans.

When they returned to Earth, the scientists found the flies alive, with no evidence of the effects of radiation.

B. Mice

Mice have long been used to find out more about how space travel will affect the human body. In fact, NASA has recently published a study of mice housed at the International Space Station. It shows that mice quickly adapt to microgravity (微重力) conditions.

The very first mouse went into space in 1950, reaching an altitude of 137km. However, unlike the fruit flies, the mouse died when the rocket broke into parts due to a parachute (降落伞) failure.

C. Dogs

Laika, a Russian homeless dog, went to space on November 3, 1957. She was picked up on the streets and was thought suitable because she had a gentle temperament (性情) and behaved well. The scientists also believed a homeless dog would be better at dealing with difficult conditions like microgravity than a pet dog.

Laika is famous for being the first animal to orbit (环绕……运行) the Earth. However, she never returned.

D. Spiders

In 1973, two garden spiders called Anita and Arabella were used in an experiment to see if they could still build webs in space.

Both spiders managed to build webs, even though the webs were slightly finer than on Earth. The study showed a great deal about the effects of microgravity on motor response (运动反应).

1. What can we learn about the mouse astronaut?

A．It failed to come back alive.

B．It couldn’t survive in microgravity conditions.

C．Its genes were similar to humans’.

D．It was the first animal to be sent to space.

2. Laika was chosen by the scientists for all the following reasons EXCEPT ________ .

A．her good temperament	B．her identity as a pet dog
C．her ability to deal with microgravity	D．her good behavior

3. What’s the purpose of sending the two spiders to space?

A．To compare the quality of webs they made on Earth and in space.

B．To study the impact of cosmic radiation on their survival.

C．To see how fast they could build webs in space.

D．To see whether they could build webs in space.

8 . Canada is a vast and diverse country that offers plenty of incredible tourist destinations. From wonderful natural landscapes to lively cities, Canada has something for every traveler. Here’s a guide to some of Canada’s top tourist destinations.

Banff National Park, Alberta

Located in the Canadian Rockies, Banff National Park is a breathtaking destination known for its turquoise (绿松石) lakes, snow-covered mountains, and plentiful wildlife. Explore the landmark-Lake Louise, hike to amazing viewpoints, and spend time in the natural hot springs.

Niagara Falls, Ontario

Niagara Falls is one of the world’s most famous natural attractions. Witness the steep (陡峭的) power and beauty of the grand falls from various viewpoints. Take a boat tour, visit the Butterfly Conservatory, or enjoy the lively atmosphere of Clifton Hill.

Toronto, Ontario

As Canada’s largest city, Toronto offers an impressive experience. Discover the famous CN Tower, explore the busy neighborhoods of Kensington Market and Distillery District, and visit world-class museums such as the Royal Ontario Museum and Art Gallery of Ontario.

Whistler, British Columbia

Whistler is a well-known winter sports destination, famous for its world-class ski slopes and winter activities. In summer, enjoy hiking, mountain biking, and golfing in the impressive mountain scenery.

1. What can visitors do in Banff National Park?

A．Go boating.	B．Go skiing.
C．Appreciate waterfalls.	D．Enjoy hot springs.

2. Which destination offers all experience of lively cultural life?

A．Banff National Park, Alberta.	B．Niagara Falls, Ontario.
C．Toronto, Ontario.	D．Whistler, British Columbia.

3. In which part of a newspaper can we see the text?

A．Tourism.

B．Culture.

C．Fashion.

D．Sport.

9 . 假定你们要开一个以“Protecting Our Environment”为题的主题班会，请你写一篇介绍环境保护的发言稿，要点如下：
1. 目前环境面临的威胁；
2. 提出可行措施；
3. 保护环境的意义 。
注意：1. 文章应包括以上要点，可适当发挥。
2. 词数 80 词左右。
Dear fellows,
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10 . How to Survive a Tsunami on the Beach

The word tsunami is from Japanese. It describes a series of waves that can reach over 100 feet tall and travel at speeds up to 600 miles per hour across the sea. A single wave in a tsunami can be quite long, as much as 60 miles, causing great damage.    1    

Your best chance for surviving a tsunami on a beach is to pay attention to the warning signs, stay away from the shore after an earthquake, and get to high land. Then wait for information from disaster response groups.

    2    With your family, discuss how you’ll reach the evacuation area (紧急疏散区) as soon as possible.

The sooner you know a tsunami is coming the better your chance of making it to higher ground.    3    

·Head for high ground, get at least 100 feet above sea level.

·    4    

·Don’t swim against the current.

As you learn how to survive a tsunami, remember the first wave in a series of waves is the smallest and weakest.    5     If you’re in a boat at the beach, head out into the ocean. You’ll stand a better chance away of survival away from the shoreline.

A．That’s why it’s crucial to know how to survive a Tsunami.

B．Grab something like a tree or something that float, like a raft.

C．The waves following an earthquake may continue for hours or up to a day.

D．That’s why it’s essential to learn the early warning signs to survive a tsunami.

E．If it’s too late, and the water’s already rising, here’s what to do in a tsunami.

F．Your best chance for surviving a tsunami on a beach is to pay attention to the warning signs.

G．Whether you’re visiting or living in a tsunami zone, learn where the closest place is out of the tsunami’s reach.