1 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The chimes (钟声) of Big Ben are recognised by almost everyone in Britain, and by     1     (million) of people all over the world.

The name “Big Ben” is generally used     2     (refer) to the big clock tower itself; but in reality, “Big Ben” is just the name of the biggest bell in the tower, the bell that chimes on the hour.

The famous clock tower     3     (build) in the 1850s, after the Houses of Parliament burned down. The original “Big Ben” bell weighed 16 tons, and was made in the north of England. However, after it had reached London, it cracked. A new Big Ben bell,     4     (weigh) about 13.5 tons, was made to take the place of it. This bell was put in place in 1859.

Since then, there have been several incidents. Once the clock stopped when a pot of paint got stuck between     5     (it) hands. And in 1976, the clock stopped for 26 days,     6     a part of the mechanism broke.

Between 1983     7     1985, the clock tower was     8    (complete) cleaned and repaired; but thirty years later, engineers thought that the tower and the clock were both in need of immediate repairs. The work began in 2017, and Big Ben will finally begin     9     new life in the year 2022.

At night, the clock faces are lit up from inside. Originally they were lit up by gas lamps; then, for most of the twentieth century,     10     electricity. Now the faces are lit up by “green” low-energy light bulbs.

2 . A Fish and Wildlife Service proposal would protect the whitebark pine as an endangered species. Whitebark pines can live for up to 1,000 years and grow at elevations (海拔) as high as 12,000 feet. Environmentalists had requested the government in 1991 and again in 2008 to protect the trees. A nonnative fungus (真菌) has been killing whitebark pines for a century. More recently, the trees have proved vulnerable (易受伤的) to tiny insects that have killed large areas of forest.

The whitebark pines have almost disappeared in some areas, including the eastern edge of Yellowstone National Park, where they are a source of food for threatened grizzly bears (灰熊). This makes the government’s declaration of the Yellowstone area’s grizzly bears as a restored species a lie.

After being blamed for not taking steps to protect the trees, wildlife officials in 2011 admitted that whitebark pines needed protection, but they didn’t act rapidly, saying other species faced more immediate threats.

A lawyer for the Natural Resources Defense Council, which made the formal request for protection in 2008, expressed his disappointment that it took so long but said the proposal was still worth celebrating.

The government’s proposal described the threats to the trees as immediate and said the whitebark pines were one of many plants expected to be harmed as climate change moves faster than they can adapt. “Whitebark pines survive at high elevations already, so there is little remaining habitat in many areas for the species to move to higher elevations in response to warmer temperatures,” Fish and Wildlife Service officials wrote.

Government officials are working with researchers and private groups on plans to gather seed from trees, grow them in greenhouses and then plant them back on the landscape, according to Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Amy Nicholas. A proposal of that nationwide restoration is expected by the end of this year. “We do have options to restore this species,” Nicholas said.

1. What do we know about whitebark pines?

A．They are long-lived, high-elevation trees.

B．They have a strong resistance to nonnative fungi.

C．The government used to care about protecting them.

D．They and small insects depend on each other for survival.

2. What makes the government’s announcement about grizzly bears a lie?

A．Grizzly bears are no longer threatened.

B．The whitebark pines have almost disappeared.

C．The population of grizzly bears has increased greatly.

D．The government is actually doing nothing to protect bears.

3. Which of the following would the lawyer agree with?

A．Better late than never.	B．All roads lead to Rome.
C．Never do things by halves.	D．The first step is the hardest.

4. What is Amy Nicholas’ attitude toward saving whitebark pines?

A．Irresponsible.

B．Doubtful.

C．Optimistic.

D．Uncertain.

4 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Located at the western part of Hangzhou, just under 5km away from the West Lake, Xixi National Wetland Park distinguishes itself as     1     exceptional urban place. This park is a pioneering example of how urban life combines agriculture with culture, making it a     2    (true) unique destination. Along with Xihu and Xiling famous, respectively,     3     their natural scenery and cultural heritage, Xixi National Wetland Park is one of the celebrated “Three Xi’s of Hangzhou”.

Covering a vast area of 11.5sq.km., the park consists of three causeways (堤道)     4     features ten famous sights. Nearly 70% of the park    5    (occupy) by river ports, ponds and small lakes, which explains a wetland environment. These waterways cross the park,     6    (divide) it into distinct sections: the east, the west, and the central part.

Recently the government     7    (establish) ecological protection zones as well as an sightseeing zone. Additionally, visitors can explore the Wetland Science Exhibition Hall, conveniently     8    (locate) at the park’s main entrance.

There is no right way     9    (see) the Xixi wetlands. It is an area of unmatched peace and quiet — filled with history and natural beauty. The only true thing that can be said of the Xixi wetlands is     10     if you haven’t seen them, you haven’t really seen Hangzhou.

5 . The 97-year-old botanist, Margaret Bradshaw, is the chief caretaker of Teesdale’s rarest flowers. “Everything about Teesdale is unique,” says Bradshaw with pride — and the authority of someone who has just written a 288-page book on the subject. Bradshaw has been recording rare plants here since the early 1950s and has witnessed great decreases.Her data was the first to prove that — and the need to do something about it.

The main reason for the decrease of these plants is an unusual one. The number of sheep in Teesdale had been reduced by half by 2000, as the uplands were generally believed there were too many sheep. Bradshaw says while sheep are hunted in some upland areas, reducing herding in Teesdale has been destructive. Longer grass overshadows the delicate (娇嫩) flowers, taking away the light they need to grow. As a result of her findings and her work with farmers who herd the land — as well as Natural England, which manages it — sheep numbers are increasing and the timing of herding is being carefully managed. This has led to the partial recovery of some plants.

At 93, she set up Teesdale Special Flora Research and Conservation Trust to record rare plants. A keen horse rider, at 95, she did a 55-mile horse journey across Teesdale, raising almost $ 10,000 for the Trust. When asked about the secret to longevity, “Just keep going,” she says.

“Keep at it.Don’t sit down and just watch TV.”

“I recognise I’m getting older and I’ve been trying to get more people to take over and do the records. They don’t believe I won’t be here forever,” Bradshaw says. Despite Bradshaw’s guardianship of this land, and the love and energy she has put into saving it, the future here is unknown. The last words of her book speak to this endless loss. “This is our heritage, this unique plant species, mine and yours,” she writes. “In spite of trying, I have failed to prevent its decrease, now it is up to you.”

1. What is Margaret Bradshaw’s main work with the rare plants?

A．Writing a book.	B．Preventing their decrease.
C．Collecting their data.	D．Directing farmers to grow plants.

2. What contributed to the reduction of rare plants in Teesdale?

A．Not enough sheep.	B．Lack of fund.
C．Poor management.	D．Too many sheep.

3. What can we learn from Bradshaw’s words in the last paragraph?

A．Unity brings strength.	B．Many hands make light work.
C．Youthful at heart, regardless of age.	D．Advance what the forerunners began.

4. Which might be a suitable title for the text?

A．Teesdale:Home to Rare Plants	B．Battling for Teesdale’s Wildflowers
C．Bradshaw:A97-Year-Old Gardener	D．Exploring Teesdale’s Unique Plants

7 . A study published in the journal Nature Communications, details how tiger sharks helped a team of researchers discover the world’s largest known seagrass meadows (草地), located in the warm waters of the Bahamas.

Tiger sharks are fast swimmers and spend around 70 percent of their time swimming over seagrass meadows. Researchers used satellite tags to track individual tiger sharks as they crossed the Bahamas with 360-degree cameras. The satellite-tagged tiger sharks swam more than 2,485 miles in both regions of the Bahama Banks, located near Andros Island, Grand Bahama, and Great Abaco. Besides, these big fish can explore deep waters. These allowed the researchers to see into areas that aren’t easily accessible by humans.

The sharks’swimming in the grass helped the team map out a seagrass meadow that was even bigger than they had imagined. The Bahamas Seagrass Meadow is one continuous ecosystem that covers 35,521 square miles across the Bahama Banks. This study shows a 41 percent increase from the previous projected global amount of seagrass.

The findings suggest that all of this greenery plays a major role in absorbing some of the excess (过多的) carbon in the ocean due to burning fossil fuels. One study suggests seagrass can remove carbon 30 times faster than the rainforest. Seagrass also supports the ocean’s biodiversity and fish stocks. In the Bahamas, for example, these meadows serve as key nursery grounds for a host of commercially relevant marine species such as the Nassau Grouper, Queen Conch, Lobster, Manatees, and also they serve as key habitat for threatened species like shark and sea turtles.

The work helps protect the sea grass, and also shows off a powerful way to explore the ocean. “The health of the ocean is clearly linked to the ocean’s top predators (捕食者),” says Beneath the Waves project manager and study co-author David Harris. “By protecting these animals, and learning about their daily lives, we have discovered one of the largest marine findings in the ocean over the last 20 years. Imagine what else we will find as we continue to protect and partner with sharks!”

1. What is a reason for researchers choosing tiger sharks in the study?

A．They mainly feed on grass.

B．They are the fastest animals.

C．They are easily accessible by humans.

D．They swim in seagrass most of the time.

2. What was unexpected for the researchers?

A．The size of the meadow.	B．The depth of the ocean.
C．The sharks’ swimming speed.	D．The sharks intelligence.

3. What can we learn about seagrass from paragraph 4?

A．It is much more important than the rainforest.

B．It provides food and shelter for sea creatures.

C．It plays a significant role in cleaning the water.

D．It keeps the amount of carbon steady in the ocean.

4. Why does David Harris stress the protection of marine animals like sharks?

A．Their populations are decreasing quickly.

B．Humans regard them as a major food source.

C．They could help us learn more about the ocean.

D．Seagrass meadows would not survive without them.

8 . Carol-Anne O’Callaghan, a former teacher from Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, has fought hard to protect ancient oaks near her home, which she says are home to rare bats.

In February 2021, O’Callaghan was walking her dogs when she spotted yellow dots stuck on some of the 99 oak trees in a narrow country lane close to her home. The dots indicated trees marked for destruction. After she learned the trees would be felled as part of the HS2 high-speed railway works, she called the HS2 helpline and was told there was nothing that could be done as an over-road would be built. She gets choked up remembering the moment she realized many of them were to be cut down.

O’Callaghan loves that ancient line of oaks. They were planted in the 19th century. “My family and I would picnic under them,” she says, “climb them, have rope swings on them. The trees are amazing and beautiful and meant so much.” One of the last photos of her mother, taken shortly before she died, was of her sitting in a swing in their branches.

She noticed that on the other side of the lane, to the north, there were no ancient oaks. So she began campaigning to save the trees. With the help of her daughter, Blaize, she started a petition(请愿书), which went on to get nearly 43,000 signatures. “I saw someone passionate about giving a voice to those who don’t have one, someone not afraid of asking questions and calling out large, daunting businesses for doing the wrong thing,” says her neighbour Victoria.

Buckinghamshire Council has got involved, and the felling is paused. A final decision has yet to be made about the proposed over-road. “We’re optimistic that they’ll hear our argument and take the ecology of the lane into account,” says O’Callaghan. “We want them to put in a green crossing in the gaps between trees, for the bats, and we’d like the place to become a conservation area. For the trees and the bats—this is what we are fighting for!”

1. What did the yellow dots on the oaks indicate?

A．These oaks would be cut down.	B．The narrow lane would be widened.
C．Rare bats would get protected.	D．A railway station would be built.

2. Why does O’Callaghan have deep feelings of the oaks?

A．Due to the oaks’ long history.	B．Due to the natural beauty.
C．Due to the precious memories.	D．Due to the diverse wildlife.

3. What kind of person is O’Callaghan?

A．Creative.

B．Humorous.

C．Generous.

D．Enthusiastic.

4. What is a direct result of O’Callaghan’s efforts?

A．The ecology is being improved.

B．The felling has been put off.

C．The Council canceled the proposal.

D．The area becomes a reserve.

9 . Global light pollution has increased by at least 49% over 25 years, new research shows. This data (数据) only includes light which can be seen through satellites, and scientists think the true increase may be significantly higher — up to 270% globally, and 400% in some areas.

This study shows not only of how bad light pollution has become as a problem of the whole world, but also that it is continuing to get worse, probably at a faster and faster rate.

The study highlights the “hidden impact (影响)” of the LED technology. LEDs send out more blue light than previous lamp technology, but satellite sensors can’t discover this blue light and so underestimate (低估) the level of emissions (排放物). The authors say the actual increase in the power sent out by outdoor lighting, and thus of light pollution, may be as high as 270%. “To take the UK as an example, if you pay no attention to the effect of the change to LEDs, you get the false impression that light pollution has recently weakened,” said researcher Dr Sanchez de Miguel. “However, it has really increased, very remarkably.”

Contrary to popular belief, the LED streetlights, while potentially providing some energy savings, has increased light pollution and also the impacts on flying insects (昆虫).

Ruskin Hartley, Executive Director of the International Dark-Sky Association, said, “Over the past 25 years, the use of LED lighting has been accompanied by rapid increases in light pollution all over the world.”

If no action is taken to change this trend (趋势), the impact on the natural environment will speed up, further worsening the biodiversity (生物多样性) crisis and wasting energy. Many studies have now shown that light pollution, from streetlights and other sources, can have major impacts on the natural environment. Such pollution is likely to have played a role in the huge decrease in insect populations.

1. How does the author illustrate that light pollution becomes worse?

A．By referring to certain theories.

B．By providing comparative data.

C．By listing a lot of opinions.

D．By giving some examples.

2. Why was light pollution in the UK underestimated?

A．Emission levels of LEDs are low.

B．Satellite sensors are blind to LEDs.

C．Outdoor lighting is limited in the UK.

D．LEDs are less and less used in the UK.

3. What’s the general belief of LED streetlights?

A．They are good for insects.	B．They save lots of energy.
C．They cause light pollution.	D．They are environment-friendly.

4. What does the last paragraph focus on?

A．The harm of light pollution.

B．The causes of biological crises.

C．The trend of insect populations.

D．The importance of the natural environment.

10 . Weeds and pests are “garden heroes” according to the Royal Horticultural Society.

The RHS is now encouraging gardeners to welcome weeds instead of considering them enemies. The rebranding(重塑形象)comes just in time for this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, held by the RHS. In the show 4 out of 12 of the gardens will include “weed heroes” as an important part, according to Sheila Das, the RHS Wisley garden manager.

“If you’ve got a weed”, says Das, “it’s telling you what’s going on underground. Your weed is your adviser. It’s your friend. So don’t treat weeds as troubles, something growing where they shouldn’t. They are actually plants in the right place”.

Nettles(荨麻草)let a gardener know that the soil is rich in nitrogen, and fat hen, a weed often considered “troublesome”, is a sign that an area is low in nutrients.

Until last year, the RHS published a yearly “pest” list, including snails and slugs. But this year, to be more “biodiversity(生物多样性)positive”, they’ve published a list of the most beneficial wildlife into our garden, and both snails and slugs are making a comeback.

Sheila Das noted our gardens would be a duller place without those unpopular ones. Apart from food for hedgehogs, frogs and birds, slugs and snails are excellent for recycling dead plant and animal waste, helping to keep soil healthy.

These are just the first steps towards the RHS’s goal towards better biodiversity. Sheila Das said, “The RHS has realized the role of gardens in supporting biodiversity and it will no longer call any garden wildlife as ‘pests’. Instead, there will be greater consideration of the role that weeds, slugs, and snails play in a balanced garden eco-system together with more popular wildlife such as birds, hedgehogs and frogs. ”

1. Why does the rebranding come in time for the show?

A．The weeds’ gardens will win.	B．The weed heroes will be known.
C．It will be popular worldwide.	D．It will be an excellent competition.

2. What is Paragraph 3 used for?

A．Giving examples.	B．Introducing a topic.
C．Describing a scene.	D．Making comparison

3. What are gardens like according to Sheila Das?

A．They support a habitat for rich biodiversity.

B．They play a great part in wildlife protection.

C．They contain only popular weeds and insects.

D．They keep a balance between weeds and pests.

4. What is the best title of the text?

A．Pests are good advisers.	B．Weeds make a comeback.
C．Weeds and pests are our friends.	D．Heroes will win the flower show.