1 . On September 29, 2021, the US Fish and Wildlife Service declared it would be removing 23 species from its Endangered Species Act, including the ivory-billed woodpecker, various Hawaiian birds and freshwater fish, not because they had pulled back from the edge of extinction, but because the USFWS believed these species would never recover, and were most likely extinct, therefore not requiring protection.
In April, 195 countries are getting together in China for a UN conference to discuss global agreements to protect nature and biodiversity, with the hope of finalizing an agreement to safeguard plants, animals, and ecosystems. However, the new strain(毒株)of Covid-19, Omicron, has potentially thrown the plans into a mess, and negotiators may switch to online talks if travel restrictions to China are put in place again.
“We can’t go another four months without any progress” said Georgina Chandler, senior international policy officer at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Conservationists are urging the talks to go ahead—online if necessary—as the biodiversity crisis shows no sign of slowing up.
“Nature loss has not gone away and threatens both human lives and the global economy,” said Lin Li, director of global policy at the organization. “With one million species currently in danger of extinction, delaying action is not an option.”
Improving conservation and management of natural areas, such as oceans, forests, and wildernesses is crucial to safeguarding the ecosystems on which humans depend. However, forests are still being devastated, often for farming or commercial use. As trees absorb about a third of planet-warming emissions produced worldwide, stopping deforestation is key. At COP26 in Glasgow last November, world leaders plan to invest $19 billion in public and private funds to protect and restore global forests.
It’s easy to feel disheartened by the disappointing news, but the only way to stop more species suffering the same fate is to pay attention and take actions.
1. Why would the 23 species be removed from the Act?| A．Because they are less endangered. | B．Because they have already died out. |
| C．Because more fund is in need to protect them. | D．Because nothing can save them from extinction. |
| A．Take immediate actions. | B．Put off the conference. |
| C．Have online talks. | D．Improve global economy. |
| A．To explain why some species have disappeared. |
| B．To recommend ways to protect and restore forests. |
| C．To describe the present situation of global ecosystem. |
| D．To call for attention and action against biodiversity crisis. |
2 . Children from four Buckingham shire primary schools visited Epilepsy Society to plant a hedge (树篱) as part of a Plant-for-the-Planet project. The children from these schools were planting a hedge in the garden of the Queen Elizabeth House at the charity in Chalfont St Peter. Plant-for-the-Planet gives children across the globe the opportunity to learn about the threats of global warming to the environment, and then put their new knowledge into practice as they plant new trees.
The day was organised by Bob Sherren who showed the children how to plant the planet-friendly line of trees in protective chambers (防护室) to shield them from hungry wildlife as they settle in their roots. Bob said, “The day really was ‘Thinking Globally, Acting Locally’ put into action. The children learned about the importance of planting trees as a way of helping to bring about climate justice (正义) for many living in poorer nations and of course enjoyed planting the trees too.” The eventual hedge, which will grow to full size over ten years behind the Queen Elizabeth House, is made up of trees such as oaks, silver birches and so on.
Bob added, “The children were also able to help people living at Epilepsy Society because they will gain some well-needed privacy from the hedge in time. The natural wildlife benefits too from the fruits and nuts that a hedge made from native species can provide as well as the possibility for any number of nesting sites.”
Emma Darlington, Epilepsy Society’s volunteer officer, said, “I think it’s so important to encourage the younger generation that the future is in their hands and that they can make a difference, whether it is through taking part in projects like this or spreading awareness. We hope they learn a little bit about the work we do at Epilepsy Society too — the trees they planted will be enjoyed by everyone here for years to come.”
1. What is the purpose of the Plant-for-the-Planet project?| A．To help children learn more about society. |
| B．To offer children colourful after-school activities. |
| C．To raise children’s awareness of global warming. |
| D．To teach children how to protect natural wildlife. |
| A．Separate. | B．Take. | C．Get. | D．Protect. |
| A．Tired. | B．Proud. | C．Discouraged. | D．Peaceful. |
| A．She hopes to popularise volunteering work. |
| B．She tries to drive the children to study hard. |
| C．She expects the children to take positive action. |
| D．She believes the younger generation are promising. |
A narrow escape
A holiday in Penang is an annual affair for my family. My parents grew up in Penang and are very fond of Penang food. In December every year, we drive up to the island to spend three days visiting their favorite food spots.
This year, we started our journey up north on a Friday morning. The drive was interrupted by stops at Bidor Town and Kampar so it took us six hours to reach our destination. We stayed at one of the hotels in Batu Ferringhi. The beach was just a short walk from the hotel entrance and our rooms had a lovely view of the sea. We spent our first evening playing on the beach. After dinner, we returned to our rooms to play Monopoly. My parents have a rule for our holidays which is that we should spend time doing things together. There was to be no TV and no Internet.
The next morning, we went to Bukit Bendera and then spent the rest of the afternoon in town visiting our favorite hawker stalls (小贩摊位). As we were having tea at a shop, we overheard people talking about an earthquake near Sumatera, an island in Indonesia. But we didn’t care too much. Afterwards we headed back to the hotel and then went to the beach. We took a walk along the beach, picking up seashells along the way. Suddenly, I noticed a strange thing. The sea seemed to be retreating (后退) from the shore. I felt a little uneasy, so I asked my father to look at the curious occurrence. My father took one look and went pale. We saw a grey line in the distance moving towards the shore. It seemed to grow taller by the second. It was a tsunami (海啸)!
注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式作答。
My farther should shouted at us to run back to the hotel.
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We waited a long time before going downstairs.
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4 . Scientists have discovered more than 5,000 new species living on the seabed in an untouched area of the Pacific Ocean that has been identified as a future hotspot for deep-sea mining, according to a review of the environmental surveys carried out in the area.
It is the first time the previously unknown biodiversity of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), a mineral-rich area of the ocean floor that spans 1.7m sq miles between Hawaii and Mexico in the Pacific, has been comprehensively documented. The research will be critical to assessing the risk of extinction of the species, given contracts for deep-sea mining in the near-pristine area appear imminent.
Most of the animals identified by researchers exploring the zone are new to science, and almost all are unique to the region: only six, including a carnivorous sponge and a sea cucumber, have been seen elsewhere.
Contracts for mining exploration in the CCZ have been granted to 17 deep-sea mining contractors in an area covering 745,000 sq miles. The companies, which are backed by countries including Britain, the US and China, want to dig for minerals including cobalt manganese and nickel in part to sell to the alternative energy sector.
To better understand the impact of mining this fragile ecosystem and its newly discovered inhabitants, an international team of scientists has built the first “CCZ checklist” by compiling all the records from expeditions to the region. Published in the journal Current Biology, it includes 5,578 different species, of which an estimated 88% to 92% had never before been seen.
To study and collect specimens (样品) from the ocean floor, biologists have joined research cruises in the Pacific that send remote-controlled vehicles to traverse (穿越) the seabed 4,000 to 6,000 meters below. Adrian Glover, a deep-sea biologist at the NHM and senior author of the study described it as an “incredible privilege”. The expedition, funded through the Natural Environment Research Council and others, is backed by UK Seabed Resources (UKSR), a deep-sea mining company that operates the UK’s exploration area. The scientists watch operations by video link direct from the boat as new species are gathered by remote control vehicles in the darkness below.
The seabed, Glover said, is an “amazing place” where, despite the extreme cold and dark, life thrives. “One of the characteristics of the abyssal plain is the lack of food, but life has a way of persisting down there,” he said, “It’s a mystery.” One of the deep-sea animals discovered was nicknamed the “gummy squirrel”, because of its huge tail and jelly-like appearance, he said. There are also glass sponges, some of which look like vases.
With approval for deep-sea mining looming, Glover said he believed it was “imperative that we work with the companies looking to mine these resources to ensure any such activity is done in a way that limits its impact upon the natural world”.
1. What’s the meaning of the underlined word “imminent”?| A．Easy to carry out. | B．Ready to take place. |
| C．Hard to cope with. | D．Important to look over. |
| A．Identifying new species living on the seabed. | B．Assessing the risk of extinction of species. |
| C．Documenting the biodiversity of the area. | D．Exploring the potential for deep-sea mining. |
| A．Abundance of food. | B．Extreme lifeless environment. |
| C．Presence of glass sponges. | D．Prosperous life despite challenging conditions. |
| A．A magic zone:available to mining companies |
| B．A mineral-rich area: Clarion-Clipperton Zone |
| C．An “amazing place”: new species booming |
| D．Deep-sea wonders: the new species found in a Pacific mining hotspot |
5 . In just a few decades the United States could eliminate fossil fuels and rely 100 percent on clean, renewable energy. That’s the vision of Mark Jacobson, a Stanford engineering professor who has produced a state-by-state road map of how the country could rid itself of coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear power.
By 2050, Jacobson expects the nation’s transportation network—cars, ships, airplanes—to run on batteries or hydrogen produced from electricity. He sees the winds blowing across the Great Plains powering vast stretches of the country’s middle while the burning sun helps electrify the Southwest. “There’s no state that can’t do this,” Jacobson says.
Today only 13% of U.S. electricity comes from renewables. Jacobson’s goal would be one of the nation’s most ambitious undertakings. This transformation would cost roughly $15 trillion, or $47,000 for each American, for building and installing systems that produce and store renewable energy.
What would it take? Seventy-eight million rooftop solar systems, nearly 49,000 commercial solar plants, 156,000 offshore wind turbines (风力涡轮机), plus wave-energy systems. Land-based wind farms would need 328,000 turbines, each with blades longer than a football field. These farms would occupy as much land as North Carolina.
For now, he says, prospects are encouraging. Thanks in part to government funding and large-scale production, costs are falling. The amount of power generated nationwide by wind and solar increased 15-fold each between 2003 and 2013. This summer the US President moved to reduce carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants, and Hawaii committed to having all its electricity provided by renewables by 2045.
Still, many experts aren’t convinced. “It has zero chance,” Stephen Brick, an energy fellow with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, says of Jacobson’s plan. Political, regulatory, and social barriers are huge, especially in a nation where the energy systems—and much of its political influence—is rooted in the oil, gas, and coal industries. Some critics are concerned about whether the resulting grid (输电网) would be reliable. And neighborhood battles would likely occur over wind farms and solar plants. Even outspoken scientist James Hansen, who warned the government a quarter century ago about climate change, insists that nuclear power is essential to rid the country of fossil fuels.
Yet Jacobson’s work at least offers a starting point. Scientists and policymakers may keep arguing about solutions, but as President points out, the nation must continue its march toward a clean-energy future—even if it’s not yet clear how that will look in 35 years. “If we don’t do it,” he said this summer, “nobody will.”
1. Which of the following does Professor Mark Jacobson engage in?| A．Organizing projects to build and install solar energy systems state by state. |
| B．Persuading the U.S. President to realize his renewable energy goal. |
| C．Outlining a plan detailing how energy in the U.S. could be carbon free by 2050. |
| D．Arguing about opportunities and obstacles of his plan. |
| A．The huge investment in solar and wind projects. | B．The solid foundation of traditional energy systems. |
| C．The job losses in oil and coal industries. | D．The inevitable land-use battles between states. |
| A．at least one state of the U.S. will not use fossil fuels to generate electricity by 2050 |
| B．developing clean-energy industry will drive the world’s market |
| C．fossil fuels will soon be eliminated in the U.S. |
| D．there will be no vacant land for wind farms |
| A．The Coexistence of Fossil Fuels and Renewables |
| B．A Blueprint for a Carbon Free America |
| C．One Man’s Dream: Determination and Innovation in Energy Future |
| D．Professor and his Solar and Wind Technology |
6 . When a tiny glass frog sleeps, its body becomes so transparent that it almost cannot be seen. The frog’s glass-clear skin makes no shadows. Even the red blood disappears. It’s an unusual trick—most see-through animals live in water all the time, which don’t produce red blood cells.
But when the frogs are active, blood begins to flow again, forming a pattern of bright red that can be seen. So, scientists set out to discover what happens to all that blood.
In a new study, researchers found out how, while sleeping, a glass frog sends most of the red blood cells to its liver(肝脏). In the process, the liver grows in size by about 40% to accommodate the extra cells. Like its heart and some other organs, the frog’s liver is covered in a mirrored part, which reflects lights, that helps the frog hide itself from enemies.
“If these frogs are awake, stressed or under anesthesia(麻醉), their blood systems are full of red blood cells, and they are not transparent,” explains an expert. “The only way to study transparency is when these animals are happily asleep, which is difficult to achieve in a research lab.”
Luckily, there is an imaging technology which can check red blood cells without breaking the skin of frogs. The team used this technique on frogs while they were sleeping. They found the animals moved a shocking 89% of their red blood cells to their livers while sleeping.
How exactly these frogs can pack their red blood cells together without getting blood clots (血栓) remains a mystery. Most other animals’ blood becomes very thick if the cells bump into each other, which can help cure a wound or—in a worse situation—stop blood from flowing to important areas. Understanding more about how the frogs stay healthy while jam-packing their livers with red blood cells could help advance blood clot research in humans.
1. Why are the glass frogs unusual?| A．They are very tiny. |
| B．They can be nearly invisible. |
| C．They live in the water all the time. |
| D．They don’t produce red blood cells. |
| A．It takes in lights. | B．It expands in size. |
| C．It gets blood clots. | D．It functions like a heart. |
| A．To stop blood from flowing. |
| B．To check the red blood cells. |
| C．To measure the frogs’ movement. |
| D．To put the frogs to a proper state for study. |
| A．Blood clots cause many deaths for humans. |
| B．Scientists have learned the secret of glass frogs. |
| C．Further study will probably be made on glass frogs. |
| D．Packing red blood cells together is harmful to animals. |
In the little village of Meadowbrook, surrounded with rolling hills, lived two curious and adventurous twins, Sarah and Sam. At the age of twelve, the inseparable twins were always seeking new adventures.
One morning, Miss Harper, their favorite community service teacher, was introducing community volunteer work. Sam suddenly caught sight of the hill behind the schoolyard and was instantly inspired with the idea of climbing to the top.
“Sarah, ”whispered Sam, “Wouldn’t it be splendid if we climbed to the top of that hill today?It’s said to hold breathtaking views of our beloved village. ”
Hearing that, Sarah’s face lit up with excitement, her heart filled with eagemess. “Oh, Sam, that sounds great!But we promise Papa and Mama we will save our pocket money and not spend a single penny unnecessarily. ”With determination in their hearts, the twins worked out a plan. They decided to bring homemade snacks and refreshing drinks from their own kitchen, ensuring they wouldn’t spend a penny.
The twins set off on their journey, their backpacks filled with sandwiches, cookies, and bottles filled with cool, clear water from the village well. As they walked along the path, they noticed colorful trash scattered (散落) about, which ruined the natural beauty surrounding them.
A brilliant idea flashed into Sarah’s mind. “Why don’t we pick up the litter along the way?We could clean up our beloved countryside and maybe even earn a few coins by recycling the materials. ”
Excited by the idea, the twins eagerly collected the scattered items. As they reached the foot of the hill, their bags heavy with the collected waste, they came across a recycling center. With excitement, they exchanged their findings for shiny coins. With newfound treasures in their pockets, they climbed up the hill.
When they reached the top, they were greeted by a breathtaking view of their village. “It’s so beautiful!”Sam burst out,” We must share our adventure with Miss Harper and our classmates!”
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
The next morning, Sarah and Sam returned to school, eager to meet Miss Harper.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The following weekend, the entire class started to clean up their beloved village.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________8 . It may sound like the plot of a Disney movie, but Todd, a fox, really does think he’s a dog. The animal was tamed after being rescued as a 4-month-old baby and was raised as a pet by owner Emma D’ Sylva. Since then the lovable fox has picked up a number of dog characteristics such as tail wagging (摇尾巴), playing with toys and even walking on a lead.
The 11-month-old animal accompanies Emma’s pets Sky and Oakley on walks, drawing double attention from other dog-walkers when they see Todd moving quickly through the local park with Sky and Oakley. They thought as a fox, he has too many dog characteristics. He also sleeps and plays with the other dogs and even wags his tail during its feeding time.
“I’ve had Todd since he was about 4 months old because his previous owners couldn’t look after him anymore. He was a bit crazy when he first came to me last year, but now he has a really strong bond with me. He will run up to me wagging his tail when I go to feed him,” Emma, 25, from Stanfield, said.
“Sometimes he comes into my room, but he prefers being outside. He gets on well with my two dogs, and wants to play with them all the time. If people or dogs come up to him in the park, he will lie down at first and freeze but after a few seconds he will sniff around the dogs or sit patiently.”
Emma takes some of her 40 pets into schools and care homes to enable children and the elderly to interact with a range of animals. Emma’s husband, Steve Johnson, added, “Todd went out on his first school visit the other week and the children really enjoyed playing with him.”
1. The author mentions “like the plot of a Disney movie” in Paragraph 1 to ________.| A．attract readers to know more about Todd |
| B．introduce a Disney movie’s actor |
| C．inspire people to treat foxes more friendly |
| D．share his favorite movie with readers |
| A．he’s considerate and warmhearted | B．he’s successful and patient |
| C．he acts like a dog instead of a fox | D．he gets along well with dogs |
| A．He is very aggressive in public. |
| B．He misses his previous owners. |
| C．He used to sleep in Emma’s room. |
| D．He leads a happy life at Emma’s home. |
| A．How to raise dogs and foxes | B．A lovely dog-like fox |
| C．Emma and her pets | D．To be a good pet owner |
9 . My family lost everything in the little-known flood of Baton Rouge, Louisiana last year that the Red Cross called the “Worst US disaster since Hurricane Sandy.”
It began raining in mid-August. Then it rained some more, got more powerful, and didn’t stop for days. There was talk that the local rivers were going to crest (到达顶点)and cause some pretty serious flooding. We lived somewhat close to the Amite River, but our senior neighbors told us that our neighborhood hadn’t flooded in over 100 years.
Local news said that the nearby high school may get a little bit of water inside from the rising river. We thought we had a couple of days to plan on how we were going to shelter in place because of the weather forecast.
On the 13th of August I woke up, walked outside and headed toward the direction of the river. Some of the lower areas were collecting water but there was no standing water anywhere near my house or even my neighborhood. I went back home and told my wife we should probably get some supplies in case this got serious; that maybe we should even pack a car in case we needed to leave though I was fairly certain there was nothing to worry about.
About 30 minutes into slowly packing there was a loud banging on my front door. It was my wife’s cousin. I opened the door and she said, “What are you doing?! Get out of the house!” I looked behind her and noticed my entire yard underwater and the waterline only about a half-inch from going over my doorstep and into my house.
I was floored. The river wasn’t supposed to crest until the next day. I thought we had more time.
I yelled at my wife, “We have to get out of the house. Now!”
We packed up both our cars in about 10 minutes with only our most precious memories. Everything else we had built during a 10-year marriage was left behind. We evacuated about 5 miles east away from the river to my wife’s grandmothers.
After being there for about an hour someone came to the front door and said, “You guys ned to get out. The river is coming.”
Sure enough, her yard was flooding too.
We evacuated a second time in as many hours to her cousin’s house even further east. After only an hour we were told again that the river was on the way and we had to leave.
1. The author realized the arrival of the flood when ______.| A．the rain started to fall heavily and non-stop |
| B．the nearby high school was slightly affected |
| C．there was standing water in some lower areas |
| D．he was informed by his wife’s cousin at the door |
| A．He was clam enough to cope with the flood. |
| B．He became trapped by the rising floodwater. |
| C．He was shocked by the early arrival of the flood. |
| D．He lost his temper with his wife for being unprepared. |
| A．He didn’t take action immediately despite his neighbor’s warning. |
| B．He trusted the weather forecast so that he prepared himself in advance. |
| C．He and his wife brought some supplies and valuable belongings with them. |
| D．He was forced to leave the temporary homes again and again to avoid danger. |
| A．Mutual Support in Disasters | B．Baton Rouge Flooding |
| C．How to Survive a Flood | D．Methods of Predicting Floods |
10 . Many cities around the world today are heavily polluted. Careless methods of production and
A recent study showed that two
Only a few years ago, it was impossible to find green products in supermarkets, but now there are hundreds. Some supermarket products
The
| A．part | B．lack | C．lots | D．varieties |
| A．applied to | B．contributed to | C．exposed to | D．devoted to |
| A．possibility | B．chance | C．result | D．effect |
| A．Therefore | B．Furthermore | C．Similarly | D．However |
| A．After | B．Though | C．Before | D．Unless |
| A．reused | B．safe | C．friendly | D．returned |
| A．of | B．on | C．from | D．out of |
| A．rhyme | B．way | C．section | D．branch |
| A．carry | B．take | C．include | D．make |
| A．advantage | B．technique | C．point | D．attraction |
| A．concern | B．hope | C．care | D．plan |
| A．what | B．how | C．whether | D．when |
| A．saying | B．trust | C．attitude | D．fashion |
| A．pressure | B．pleasure | C．discussion | D．interest |
| A．enlarging | B．sharing | C．cleaning | D．improving |
