1 . A nickname is a shortened form of a person’s name. A nickname can also be a descriptive name for a person, place or thing. Many American cities have nicknames. These can help establish an identity, spread pride among citizens and build unity. Nicknames can also be funny.
Los Angeles, California is the second largest city in population, after New York City. Los Angeles has several nicknames. One is simply the city’s initials, L.A. It is also called the City of Angels because Los Angeles means “the angels” in Spanish.
Los Angeles often has warm, sunny weather. So another nickname is City of Flowers and Sunshine. New York is called The Big Apple. So Los Angeles is sometimes called The Big Orange because of the fruit that grows in that city’s warm climate.
The American motion picture and television industries are based in Los Angeles. So it is not surprising that it is called The Entertainment Capital of the World. Many films are made in the area of Los Angeles called Hollywood. Millions of people visit the area. No trip to Los Angeles is complete without seeing the word “Hollywood” spelled out in huge letters on a hillside.
Many movie stars live in Los Angeles. The city is sometimes called Tinseltown. This nickname comes from the shiny, bright and often unreal nature of Hollywood and the movie industry.
Another nickname for Los Angeles is La-La Land, using the first letters of Los and Angeles. This means a place that is fun and not serious, and maybe even out of touch with reality.
The city of Los Angeles is part of Los Angeles County. There are many smaller cities in the county. Beverly Hills, with its rich people, is one of them. So is Pasadena, with its Rose Parade each New Year’s Day. So are the coastal cities of Santa Monica and Malibu, where people like to ride surfboards on the Pacific Ocean waves.
A good place for watching unusual-looking people is Venice, an area on the west side of Los Angeles. A system of waterways designed after the Italian city of Venice has been built there.
Many people love Los Angeles for its warm sunny weather, beautiful mountains and beaches, and movie stars. That includes Randy Newman, who sings about his hometown.
1. Which of the following is not the nickname of L.A.?| A．The City of Angels | B．City of Flowers and Sunshine |
| C．The Big Orange | D．The Entertainment Capital of American |
| A．Weather | B．Politics | C．People | D．Industry |
| A．To introduce the characteristics of an area near L.A. |
| B．To compare the Italian city of Venice with L.A. |
| C．To introduce its system of waterways. |
| D．To give a place for watching unusual-looking people. |
| A．Director | B．Musician | C．Writer | D．Sportsman |
2 . At a large forest park in eastern Beijing, 11 birds on the state -level protection list were recently released, which owed to Beijing’s big step in wildlife protection.
These birds had recovered after the Beijing Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center rescued and took care of them. “We will speed up our efforts to push the establishment of district-level wildlife rescue centers to guard the health of wildlife,” said Mr. Du, director of the center. The center was set up in 2001 and built a wildlife rescue base in the capital’s Shunyi District in 2005. Staff at the base have rescued and rehabilitated over 30,000 wild animals in total.
Wildlife protection has been strengthened in Beijing in recent years. On June 1, the city’s newly adopted regulation (法规) on wildlife protection took effect, introducing stricter and more concrete measures to protect the environment and wildlife. For example, the regulation states clearly that Beijing bans hunting throughout the year, compared with the previous regulation which bans hunting during the periods of March to May and September to November each year. The new regulation also gives more serious punishment for illegal hunters.
After years of monitoring, the species and quantity of wild animals in Beijing are continuously increasing, with the number of terrestrial spinal wild animals (陆地脊椎野生动物) growing from 461 species in 1994 to more than 500. The habitat of the endangered bird has expanded from Fangshan District to the whole city.
“The enforcement of the new regulation marked a new stage in Beijing’s wildlife protection work,” said Mr. Du.“We will step up the publicity of the regulation and raise citizens’ awareness of wildlife protection,” Du said. “In our protection of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes and grasslands. we take into full consideration the requirements of ecological corridor construction (生态走廊建设), food- chain construction and wildlife and their habitat protection.”
1. What has the wildlife rescue base done?| A．It has sped up its efforts to recover the birds. |
| B．It has built a large forest park in eastern Beijing. |
| C．It has saved lots of wild animals in need of help. |
| D．It has established district-level wildlife rescue centers. |
| A．It bans hunting in Beijing all the year round. |
| B．It sets up nationwide wildlife rescue centers. |
| C．It raises people’s awareness of wildlife protection. |
| D．It monitors the wildlife protection for a long time. |
| A．Beijing will enter a new stage after taking the regulation. |
| B．Beijing citizens need to know more of the new regulation. |
| C．Food-chain construction needs the whole society’s attention. |
| D．The natural environmental conditions are not considered yet. |
| A．Wildlife and Their Habitat Protection in Beijing |
| B．Beijing’s Newly Adopted Regulation on Wildlife Protection |
| C．Beijing’s Big Progress in Wildlife Protection with New Regulation |
| D．The Establishment of Beijing Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center |
3 . Wildlife conservation is the practice of protecting plant and animal species and their habitats. As part of the world’s ecosystems, wildlife provides balance and stability to nature’s processes. Wildlife conservation is aimed to ensure the survival of these species and educate people on living sustainably with other species.
The number of people has grown to more than eight billion today, and it continues to rapidly grow. The economic growth endangers the habitats and existence of various types of wildlife around the world, particularly animals and plants that may be displaced for land development, or used for food or other human purposes. This threat is at top of the list and means natural resources are being consumed faster than ever by the billions of people on the planet. The introduction of invasive species from other parts of the world is another threat to wildlife. Other threats include climate change, pollution, fishing and hunting.
International organizations like the World Wildlife Fund, Conservation International, Wildlife Conservation Society and the United Nations work to support global animal and habitat conservation on many different fronts. They work with the government to establish and protect public lands, like national parks and wildlife protection areas. They help write legislation(法规), such as the Endangered Species Act(ESA)of 1973 in the United States, to protect various species. They work with law enforcement to charge those with wildlife crimes. They also promote biodiversity to support the growing human population while preserving existing species and habitats.
National Geographic Explorers, like conservation biologists Camille Coudrat and Titus Adhola, are working to slow the extinction of global species and protect global biodiversity and habitats. Environmental filmmakers and photographers, like Thomas P. Peschak, are essential to conservation efforts as well, documenting and bringing attention to endangered wildlife all over the world.
1. Which is a goal of wildlife conservation according to the text?| A．To stop introducing invasive species. | B．To encourage harmonious coexistence. |
| C．To control the number of world people. | D．To increase the use of natural resources. |
| A．Hunting. | B．Human activity. | C．Pollution. | D．Climate change. |
| A．The activities of protection areas. |
| B．The importance of biodiversity promotion. |
| C．The relevant efforts of international organizations. |
| D．The great impact of wildlife crimes on ecosystems. |
| A．The necessity of legislation. |
| B．The wildlife conservation’s achievements. |
| C．The individuals’ contributions to the environment. |
| D．The statistics about the wildlife conservation efforts. |
4 . During the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, there was a lot of talk about the environmental efforts taken. Athletes slept on beds made from recycled cardboard. The medals were produced out of old appliances such as smartphones and laptops. Over 90% of Japanese cities, towns and villages participated in the two-year effort to collect recycled materials to produce 5000 medals. Eighty tons of small electrical devices were collected to make this project successful.
With the 2024 Olympics Games underway in Paris, new environmental efforts are coming into play. Observers will sit on chairs made of plastic recycled from local bins. This decision was made due to a lack of unused raw materials to make new seats, so the eco-construction firm Le Pave turned to make the seats out of waste. Around 11,000 seats will be made from recycled materials.
The plastic collection for Paris 2024 has been carried out in the region’s schools, and over five million coloured bottle caps have been recovered. Moreover, 80% of the 100 tons of recycled plastic needed to make the seats come from the yellow bins collections. This is all part of the Paris 2024 “zero waste” strategy to limit single-use plastic usage and encourage a circular economy.
The Olympic Games organizers are planning to make the Paris 2024 Games the greenest Olympic Games yet. They intend to employ a carbon-neutral approach that will lessen the climate impact of the Games by predicting, avoiding, reducing and balancing emissions and encouraging others to get involved. The Summer Games have emitted 3.6 million tons of carbon emissions in previous years. The Paris 2024 Games has set a carbon budget of 1.5 million tons which includes the emissions from construction, transportation and operations of the Games.
These plans are ambitious but are achievable. If Paris 2024 successfully reduces emissions and promotes a circular economy, it might set the standard for future Olympic and Paralympic Games, regardless of where they are held.
1. What were the 2020 Olympics medals made from?| A．Raw metal. | B．Recycled cardboard. |
| C．Reused plastic. | D．Used electronic devices. |
| A．To stop carbon emissions. | B．To make seats for athletes. |
| C．To collect coloured bottle caps. | D．To restrict single-use plastic usage. |
| A．Limitation to single-use plastics. | B．Reduction of carbon emissions. |
| C．Promotion of recycling in school. | D．Encouragement of a circular economy. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Intolerant. | C．Doubtful. | D．Unclear. |
1. 全球变暖的负面影响；
2. 如何从我做起减缓全球变暖。
注意:1. 词数100左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear teachers and fellow students,
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Student Union
A Midnight Rescue
It was not uncommon to carry out tasks at night as rescuers. Harry and David were informed of their task when it was nearly midnight. It was urgent so there was no time to hesitate. They headed into the forest.
The forest was black and silent. A little way into it they reached a fork in the earth path. Harry and David took the left path. They walked in silence, their eyes on the ground, watching out for the traps like big pits（坑）set by the illegal hunters. Every now and then a ray of moonlight through the branches above lit a spot of scarlet（猩红的）blood on the fallen leaves.
David saw that Harry looked very worried, asking, "Could Unicorn be hurt that badly?" Harry answered, "If we can't find it as soon as possible, it doesn't stand much chance to survive." Of course, Unicorn was not the animal in fairy tales but the nickname of a 3-year-old elephant, the last wild elephant in this forest. The nickname was given by the biodiversity rescuers who were protecting every member in this forest. They knew Unicorn was obedient and not afraid of human beings and that sometimes put it in danger. "Without it, the forest was not complete. Those illegal hunters should be thrown into prison." Harry thought, carrying his first aid kit（急救箱）on his back and walking forward with his flashlight.
It seemed that thick fog would come at any time, which would increase the danger. Harry hurried into the heart of the forest with David. They walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper. There were blood splashes（血迹）on the roots of a tree, as though the poor creature had been struggling around in pain close by. "We must hurry up", said Harry.
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。
Paragraph 1:
However, it was really not easy for them to find it.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2:
Without delay, Harry knelt down to do first aid on its wound with David holding the flashlight.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________7 . The dodo, a Mauritian bird last seen in the 17th century, will be brought back to a semblance (外观) of life if attempts by a gene-editing company are successful. Gene-editing techniques now exist that allow scientists to extract the dodo genome (基因组) that they believe they can then effectively recreate within the body of a living relative.
The scientists in question said their work, beyond providing an insight into the extinct dodo’s existence, could help inform the conservation of rare species that are not yet extinct. However, there is a fierce debate among biologists over whether this sort of research should be pursued.
Beth Shapiro, the lead paleo-geneticist (古遗传学家) at Colossal, told the Guardian she tried to persuade a museum to let her extract DNA from a preserved dodo exhibited there. She said there were hundreds of dodos in collections around the world, so it had been possible to sequence the dead bird’s genome. But she warned that the revived dodo could never replace what has been made extinct. “It would be crazy to think the solution to the world’s biodiversity crisis was to bring back a proxy.” she said.
Ben Lamm, the chief executive of the company, said they were raising a further 150 million dollars to pursue the research on the dodo. He pointed out that it could assist conservation efforts for many other threatened species around the world, as it would develop techniques that could allow scientists to detect and preserve key features in those existing species that could help them adapt in a changing climate.
Prof. Ewan Birney from European Molecular Biology Laboratory, who was not involved with Colossal’s work, said it would be “very, very challenging” to recreate the dodo genome. He added, “I’ve no idea whether the project will work as they claim, but the question is not just ‘can you do this’, but ‘should you do it?’ … I’m not sure what purpose it serves, and whether this is really the best distribution of resources. We should be saving the species that we have before they go extinct.”
1. What can we learn about dodo from the text?| A．It is a bird that is only unique to Mauritius. |
| B．The research on it has raised conflicting opinions. |
| C．It has been successfully brought back to life. |
| D．It could be recreated within the remains of a relative. |
| A．fake | B．creature | C．model | D．replacement |
| A．Critical | B．Indifferent | C．Supportive | D．Conservative |
| A．Pros and Cons of Reviving Dodo |
| B．Gene-editing Techniques in Effect |
| C．Scientists Trying Hard to Recreate Dodo |
| D．A Vain Attempt to Bring Dodo Back to Life |
8 . Discover how you can help endangered species! Volunteer to help conserve endangered species around the world with GoEco.
Sea turtles, Sri Lanka
The species is threatened by human hunters. The Sri Lankan government has approved the creation of hatcheries (孵化场) in order to protect this species. Volunteers on this program spend 60% of their time working in the hatchery and the other 40% is spent on activities such as beach cleanups and creating awareness within the local community.
Program Fees: $1,280 for 2 weeks and $1,680 per month for volunteers.
Wildlife Rescue, Western Australia
Adult kangaroos and wallabies are hunted for food, leaving thousands of their babies without parents. Many are killed or injured in road accidents. At the wildlife rescue center in Perth, Western Australia, volunteers live and help in the bushland caring for sick, injured, and displaced animals.
Program Fee: $2,095 for four weeks. Volunteers stay on-site in a small room. Due to very limited space, applications must be sent at least 9-12 months in advance.
Endangered Species Reserve, South Africa
The project will give you an incredible wildlife experience while learning about conservation efforts. For the rest of the time between monitoring sessions, volunteers are required to enter all the data that they have collected into our databases. At times, volunteers need to operate on night shifts. We also give lectures and presentations over the lunch period.
Program Fee: $1,750 for 2 weeks
Big Cat Refuge, South Africa
As a volunteer on this project, you will be involved in a wide variety of activities. Volunteer’s work ranges from enrichment activities, such as toy-making and farm work, to educating the visitors. Volunteers will also directly care for the cats by preparing food or feeding them as well as maintaining their living space.
Program Fee: $1,450 for 2 weeks
1. What is the monthly project fee for volunteers in Sri Lanka?| A．$1,280. | B．$1,680. | C．$2,560. | D．$2,960. |
| A．Having previous experience. |
| B．Working night shifts sometimes. |
| C．Applying for the project in advance. |
| D．Having a good knowledge of wildlife. |
| A．Study the habits of big cats. |
| B．Help to sell some toys about cats. |
| C．Guide visitors to the habitat of the cats. |
| D．Do daily routines in the cats’ living space. |
9 . This summer has brought extreme heat and droughts to places around the world. The droughts are leading to serious problems, including shortages of food and energy, problems with transportation, and food price increases. The effects of the droughts are likely to be felt for years.
From Africa to Europe to the US to China, record temperatures and low rainfall have been causing problems. Droughts aren’t new, but Earth’s rising temperatures because of global warming are making them much harder to avoid.
The drought in the Horn of Africa may be the most serious situation. For several years, the area has had very little rain during the rainy seasons. Now the area, which includes Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia, is suffering from its worst drought in 40 years.
Almost two-thirds of Europe is threatened (威胁) by what may be the worst drought there in 500 years. With temperatures reaching 40℃ and hotter, many crops have been damaged. In France, Spain, Portugal, and even Britain, firefighters have struggled to control wildfires.
In the US, many states that use water from the Colorado River are struggling with low water levels. Farmers in California and Arizona have been hit particularly hard. In California water use is being limited now and farmers aren’t able to grow as many crops. That can drive up food prices, and that affects everyone.
China is facing similar problems. It has been attacked by a terrible drought this summer, with temperatures as high as 45℃. The drought has dried up much of the water in the Yangtze, China’s longest river. That has cut the amount of energy produced by the world’s largest dam by 40%.
There are no easy solutions for any of these droughts. It took years to create the climate crisis, and it will take a long time to get it under control. For now, governments and people will need to carefully manage water supplies and other resources to limit the damage as much as possible.
1. What does the underlined word “them” in Paragraph 2 refer to?| A．Problems. | B．Droughts. |
| C．The effects of the droughts. | D．Earth’s rising temperatures. |
| A．Wildfires. | B．Food prices. |
| C．Water limits. | D．High water levels. |
| A．By giving some examples. | B．By offering some reasons. |
| C．By answering some questions. | D．By explaining some puzzles. |
| A．The Reasons Behind Worldwide Droughts |
| B．The Effects of Extreme Heat and Droughts |
| C．Droughts Cause Problems Around the World |
| D．Solutions Are Needed for Worldwide Droughts |
10 . I finally climbed into bed at 1: 20 in the morning. My friends had helped me celebrate my 31st birthday in the basement apartment, where I lived.
Earlier in the day I had prepared for the unlikely event of a flood. We are about a third of a mile from the banks of the Ahr River. It had been raining buckets that week and the government had sent out a flood warning, though not for where I was. Still, I’d placed sandbags on the floor outside my garden door and put electronics on tables. “Silly bro!” My friends laughed at me for doing that, but I thought, why take a chance?
As I drifted off to sleep, I was awakened by the sound of rushing water, as if I were lying beside a waterfall. When I got off the bed, I was shocked that cold water was rising fast. In darkness, I grabbed my cellphone and turned on the flashlight. When I stepped out of the bedroom, I saw water shooting through the gaps of the door.
I began to panic. I knew I had to get out—fast! In bare feet, I started to make my way to the only escape: the door that led upstairs to the main floor. Finally I made it to the door and tried several times to-pull it open even just a little bit, but the rushing water shut it again. I looked around for anything I could use to keep it open. There in the corner was a coat rack (架子). I took it and, once again, opened the door, throwing the coat rack between the door and the frame (门框) to keep the door from shutting. Finally, I managed to make a gap just wide enough to squeeze (挤) through and make it into the hallway.
I leaped on to the stairs and ran outside. I stood there in the darkness, wet through. What was once a lovely street was now a waterscape, with floating ruins instead of people and cars. The river had drowned (淹没) the neighborhood!
1. What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 2imply?| A．Better safe than sorry. |
| B．It never rains but it pours. |
| C．A lost chance never returns. |
| D．A friend in need is a friend indeed. |
| A．Celebrating his birthday. |
| B．Sleeping in the basement. |
| C．Placing sandbags by the door. |
| D．Playing with electronic devices. |
| A．Making his way to the door. |
| B．Finding a coat rack. |
| C．Keeping the door from shutting. |
| D．Squeezing through the gap. |
| A．Sad and shocked. |
| B．Annoyed and anxious. |
| C．Surprised and disappointed. |
| D．Puzzled and awkward. |
