1 . Marine life (海洋生物) in Florida Keys is negatively influenced by two forces: human activity and climate change. The former involves fishing, tourism and diving while the latter causes a large increase in intense hurricanes. Fortunately, when the researchers of Florida Museum of Natural History started looking for sea urchins (海胆) on the ocean floor off the coast of Florida Keys in the summer of 2020, they uncovered their population had relatively been stable since the 1960s.

The researchers visited 27 sites along a 20-mile stretch of coast near Florida Keys looking for tracks that reflected the presence of burrowing echinoids (穴居海胆类动物). “The findings that burrowing echinoids have been highly resilient (有适应力的) against climate change and environmental pollution over the last 60 years was a huge discovery for us.” said study co-author Tobias Grun.

Grun said, “However, we know little about their current distribution, population size, and health. The reason is not the lack of interest by the scientific community but lies in that fieldwork is very expensive.”

As the climate crisis progresses, it’s important to understand why some marine creatures are more resilient in bearing the impacts of a worsening environment than others. Grun said, “Evolution may be at play. Some marine animals are very opportunistic. They can tolerate a wide range of abiotic factors like pH, temperature, and salinity, to name a few.”

Grun added, “At this point, our data show that burrowing echinoids are more resilient than many other marine species and are doing comparatively well. That does not mean that we can push our luck and keep going the way we are right now. Our study provides some hope that these creatures are resilient, but much more work is needed to translate our findings into a larger scale. The reasons for their resilience are also widely unknown.”

1. Which has an effect on the marine life in Florida Keys?

A．Wildfire.

B．Pollution.

C．Fishing.

D．Flood.

2. What did Grun think of the findings?

A．Indifferent.

B．Important.

C．Subjective.

D．Outdated

3. What was a challenge for the research according to Grun?

A．The goal.

B．The staff

C．The cost

D．The usage

4. What does Grun tell us in the last paragraph?

A．It’s necessary to do further research.

B．It’s right to keep going the present way.

C．The reasons for sea urchins’ resilience are well known.

D．Fish are more resilient than other marine species.

3 . It is not always easy to understand animal behavior, especially when it’s related to other species (物种). For decades, researchers have observed orca (虎鲸) attacking and even killing porpoises (鼠海豚) in the Pacific Northwest. But it confuses people that these expert hunters don’t eat them. So what’s going on here?

Southern Resident orcas are a different population of orcas that live in the Pacific Northwest. The lives of these orcas are closely tied to those of the salmon (鲑鱼). So if the salmon disappear, so too will the orca. But despite their preference for salmon, these whales are known to attack and kill other smaller marine mammals (海洋哺乳动物) without eating them.

To better understand this unusual behavior, an international team of researchers did a research and examined more than 60 years of recorded interactions between Southern Resident orcas and porpoises in the Salish Sea.

“Why don’t the Southern Residents just eat porpoises instead?” Deborah Giles of Wild Orca said. “It’s because fish-eating killer whales have a completely different ecology and culture from orcas that eat marine mammals. So we must conclude that their interactions with porpoises serve a different purpose, but this purpose has only been a guess until now.”

According to Giles and her colleagues’work, the orca may be attacking the porpoise as a form of social play. It is possible these large animals may be attacking the smaller mammals as a way to build up social cohesion (凝聚力). Similarly, the behavior could represent hunting practice, by which the orcas are practising their teamwork and cooperation skills for hunting salmon. Finally, the behavior could be a way of “mismothering” where the orca see the smaller porpoises as weaker or ill and so in need of care.

This work highlights the need for the protection of salmon populations in the area as well as the orcas’entire hunting range. The threat (威胁) to the salmon’s future is not just a threat to a single species, but an entire ecosystem.

1. Why did an international team of researchers do their study?

A．To find out a way to protect porpoises.

B．To make sure the reason why some orcas attack salmons.

C．To solve the problem of marine mammals’ living environment.

D．To better understand the strange behavior of Southern Resident orcas.

2. What are Southern Resident orcas’favorite food?

A．Porpoises.

B．Marine mammals.

C．Salmons.

D．Whales.

3. According to Giles’research, which maybe a reason for the orcas’attacking porpoises?

A．It’s a kind of social play with porpoises.

B．It is a practice to kill porpoises as their food.

C．The orcas may dislike the smaller porpoises.

D．It’s a way for the orcas to practice their hunting skills.

4. What’s the writer’s attitude to the research?

A．Positive.

B．Objective

C．Doubtful.

D．Uncertain.

4 . Here are some fantastic parks in San Antonio.

Brackenridge Park

The park was first established in 1899 and has been popular with both locals and visitors ever since. Towering trees and peaceful riverbanks will greet guests along the park’s paths, and the facilities include playgrounds, museums, a miniature train, a Japanese tea garden, and one of the oldest golf courses in the city.

Friedrich Wilderness Park

In the park, you’ll find about 10 miles of paved(铺过的)and unpaved trails(路线), with a little something for everyone. From rocky climbs to deep canyons, and enchanting forests to open views, there’s no shortage of natural beauty. The area is nationally famous for birdwatching.

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

The park is the state’s only one on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site. It covers quite a large area, so it’s best to make it a full-day or at least a half-day trip so you can be sure to cover everything. While the Alamo is a separate attraction, you will get to enjoy the architectural wonders of Mission Concepcion, Mission San Jose, Mission San Juan, and Mission Espada. They’re all connected by a hike and bike trail, with plenty of stops along the way to picnic, climb trees, and refill water. Admission is free!

Eisenhower Park

Just a 20-to 30-minute drive from the city center, the park puts the best landscapes in the Texas Hill Country on full display, holding 6 miles of hiking trails, both paved and unpaved. Explore dried creek beds, look out over plunging canyons, and enjoy full views of San Antonio down below. You can also find playgrounds for the little ones, picnic tables, and barbecue facilities.

1. What is Friedrich Wilderness Park well-known for?

A．Birdwatching.	B．Ancient buildings.
C．A Japanese tea garden.	D．Unpaved hiking paths.

2. Which park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

A．Brackenridge Park.

B．Friedrich Wilderness Park.

C．San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.

D．Eisenhower Park.

3. What are some of the features of Eisenhower Park?

A．Golf courses and bicycle trails.

B．Museums and no entrance fee.

C．Birdwatching and playgrounds.

D．Hiking trails and barbecue facilities.

5 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Why is the man going to Vietnam?

A．To travel.

B．To work.

C．To study.

2. What does the man know about spiders from the handbooks?

A．They have killed plenty of tourists.

B．They are often eaten by other animals.

C．They like to make their webs everywhere.

8 . As we all know, waste is extremely bad for the environment. Let’s talk about why litter is harmful to our streets and towns, our drinking water, and sea animals.

Waste can have a bad influence on our cities. Cleaning up litter costs US taxpayers (纳税人) and businesses $11.5 billion each year.    1     Litter on the streets can cause road accidents with hundreds of deaths because of it. Areas that have more waste have more crime (犯罪). The litter on the streets sends a message that people don’t care about their neighborhood.

    2     The litter we drop on the ground can pollute rivers, lakes, oceans, and other bodies of water. 60%of water pollution is caused by littering. Waste hurts sea animals.     3     You may think that when you litter, “Oh, this is just one piece of litter. It can’t do any harm. But if every person does that, even if it’s only once, there will still be 7.9 billion pieces of litter in our ocean. Over one million sea animals die every year because of waste.    4    

As you can see, waste is harmful in many ways.    5     We need to take action to avoid unnecessary waste, and pick up every piece of waste we see. We should try to make it a habit because if we don’t, the waste problem will become even worse.

A．Everybody wants to breathe fresh air.

B．That money could have been spent on parks.

C．How do you feel when you see people littering around?

D．In the future there might be more waste than fish in the ocean.

E．Litter can go into the soil and water and pollute our drinking water.

F．We need to stop littering for us, for the environment, and for the planet.

G．Did you know every day almost 8 million pieces of litter go into the ocean?

10 . Sir David Attenborough has devoted his life to the natural world and environmental causes. His work has raised awareness of the threats that habitats face, and it reminds us how we are all connected. It’s this devotion to science that has earned him multiple honors and awards. It’s really awe-inspiring to see how many he has, using a unique way to shine a light on just how many he holds.

David Attenborough’s name comprises 17 letters, or 20 if you want to throw the “Sir” distinction he earned when he was knighted (封为爵士) by Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ in 1985. After those, there are 39 more letters concerning the multiple orders he has been awarded and societies he’s a member of. These letters are: OM, GSMG, CH, CVO, CBE, FRS, FSA, FRSA, FLS, FZS, FRSGS and FRSB.

But what do these letters mean? It’s easier to first divide them among orders and societies. The former are OM, GSMG, CH, CVO, CBE, and so on. These are handed out by the Royal Family for “exceptional service” and “major contributions” towards the advancement of the Arts, Learning, Literature, and Science.

The latter are fellowships that illustrate Attenborough’s wide interests and topics he’s an expert in. Beyond his titles, the 96-year-old naturalist has reached far and wide. His love for nature can be traced back to childhood when he spent his days collecting fossils, stones, and natural samples. Attenborough went on to study Natural Sciences at Cambridge before joining the BBC as a producer in 1952.

Throughout the English-speaking world, he is known for his contributions to the natural history documentary, particularly the powerful Life collection, which covers the subjects of animal and plant life on Earth. While the honors he has gotten pay tribute (致敬) to his achievements and dedication, his true pride likely lives in every person who decides to take a stand to protect our planet.

1. What’s the significance of Attenborough’s contribution to the environment?

A．It has brought him a lot of honors.

B．It causes the Royal Family to give help.

C．It provides people with many good programs.

D．It awakens people’s environmental awareness.

2. What does the author intend to tell us in paragraphs 2 and 3?

A．The great honors David Attenborough has got.

B．The different kinds of honors for different areas.

C．The hardness to get honors from the Royal Family.

D．The reason why David Attenborough was awarded.

3. What can we know about Attenborough from paragraph 4?

A．He spent most time playing outside when young.

B．His job was connected with his major at college.

C．His interest in nature began when he was young.

D．His interest changed after he attended the college.

4. Which can best describe Attenborough?

A．Fortunate.

B．Critical.

C．Strong-minded.

D．Devoted.