1 . Imagine possessing something that you loved so much. Imagine what it would feel like if you lost it. While that item may be something as simple as a doll, you would still feel very upset, but you could replace it with a new one. Now imagine losing something that you depend on for survival and cannot be replaced. That is what it would be like if we lost the natural environment around us.
Firstly, I believe the environment should be preserved because it supports human life. One of the largest examples is that we get all of our food and drinks in the environment. If the environment were to be destroyed beyond revival, then the human race would be over in months. Scientists have yet to find another planet with similar conditions to the Earth, and if it’s found, we don’t have the technology to get to that planet on time.
Secondly, I believe that the environment serves as an amazing educational tool for students. When I was in second grade, I had an absolute interest in animals. When we had a field trip to the Daggerwing Nature Center, I was very excited. When we got there, I could hardly believe what I was seeing. There was a bridge to get to the main building, and under the bridge was a small swamp(沼泽) with turtles, fish, and my personal favorite, alligators. I was so surprised that I almost ran into the tour guide. We walked into the building and saw various animals in their habitats. I was so inspired by this visit. Six years later, I have taken an animal behavior class for three weeks. Meeting by chance with the environment can inspire people, and if preserved it will continue to inspire people.
In conclusion, the environment is so valuable because it can’t be replaced, keeps us alive, and serves as a great educational tool.
1. The first paragraph leads to the theme of the text by______.| A．analyzing causes | B．presenting differences |
| C．showing similarities | D．describing a process |
| A．Health. | B．Activity. |
| C．Recovery. | D．Revision. |
| A．Because he thought it a promising subject. |
| B．Because he wanted to be an animal expert. |
| C．Because his teacher encouraged him to do so. |
| D．Because he was inspired by animals he once saw. |
| A．Which Planet Can Replace the Earth |
| B．Why the Environment Is So Important |
| C．What People Can Do to Stop Pollution |
| D．How People Should Protect the Environment |
2 . The Eurotunnel is a tunnel(隧道) which crosses the Channel under the sea, linking France and the UK. It is about 50.5 km long and 38km lies under the seabed. There are trains which carry passengers and cars, and others which carry carriages or other heavier vehicles(车辆), as well as goods.
The construction of the tunnel started in 1986, with a cost of almost 10 billion pounds. It was opened in 1994 but was not financially successful until 2007, because of the high interest rates (利率) the company had to pay the banks, as well as low earnings from passengers and goods.
The Eurotunnel is a very convenient way of traveling between the two countries as the journey is quick (less than one hour), cheap, and comfortable. You can go with your car, motorbike or bike. The tunnel operates every day, round the clock. At the busiest times there are up to three shuttle departures (班次) per hour. There are facilities(设施)for disabled passengers and for babies at the two terminals (终点站).
The Eurotunnel, also commonly known as the Channel Tunnel, Eurochannel and Eurochunnel is environmentally friendly. It perfects its sources of energy through its use of renewable energy with the result that, by 2008, it had reduced its greenhouse gas emissions(排量) by 45%. In addition, 50% of the waste produced is recycled.
The future of the Eurotunnel seems promising, although some people who have the fear of enclosed(与外界隔绝的)spaces will never use this type of transportation. There have been some problems with snow storms like the one in the winter of the 2009 which have made the services stop for a period of time, leaving passengers in the tunnel for more than 15 hours without light, heating, food or drink, inside an unmoving train under the sea. Some of the passengers reacted very badly and decided not to use this means of transport again.
1. Why was the Eurotunnel not financially successful at first? ______.| A．It was free for passing trains |
| B．Many people disliked it |
| C．Its operating cost was very high |
| D．It was heavily in debt |
| A．The wonderful design of the Eurotunnel |
| B．A traveling guide to the Eurotunnel |
| C．The advantages of the Eurotunnel |
| D．An introduction of the Eurotunnel’s equipment |
| A．used environmentally friendly energy |
| B．was completely built under the seabed |
| C．was designed for passenger trains only |
| D．operated successfully without any accident |
| A．Cautious | B．Optimistic |
| C．Negative | D．Doubtful |
3 . Rainforests, it turns out, are not created equal. Take the Amazon rainforest, an area that covers about 7 million square kilometers. But within that huge expanse are all kinds of ecological zones, and some of these zones, says Greg Asner, are a lot more crowded than others.
“Some forests have many species of trees,” he said, “others have few. Many forests are unique from others in terms of their overall species composition…” And all of these different small areas of forest exist within the giant space that is the Amazon Rainforest.
So Asner, using the signature technique called airborne laser-guided imaging spectroscopy, began to map these different zones from the air. “By mapping the traits of tropical forests from above,” he explains, “we are, for the first time, able to understand how forest composition varies geographically.”
The results show up in multicolored maps, with each color representing different kinds of species, different kinds of trees, the different kinds of chemical they are producing and using, and even the amount of biodiversity, the animal and plant species that live within each zone.
Armed with this information, Asner says decision-makers now have “a first-time way to decide whether any given forest geography is protected well enough or not. If not, then new protections can be put in place to save a given forest from destruction.”
Asner says the information is a great way for decision-makers to develop a “cost-benefit ratio type analysis.” Conservation efforts can be expensive, so armed with this information, government leaders can ensure they are making the most of their conservation dollars by focusing on areas that are the most biologically diverse or unique.
The next step, Asner says, is to take his project global, and to put his eyes even higher in the sky, on orbital satellites. “The technique we developed and applied to map Peru is ready to go global.” Asner said. “We want to put the required instrumentation on an Earth-orbiting satellite, to map the planet every month, which will give the best possible view of how the world’s biodiversity is changing, and where to put much needed protections.
1. Unequally-created rainforests refer to the fact ______.| A．how crowded they are |
| B．where they are located |
| C．when they came into being |
| D．what kinds of species they have |
| A．The cost to conserve forests. |
| B．The chemicals needing for certain forests. |
| C．The forest areas needing special protection. |
| D．The number of animals living in a forest. |
| A．To send a satellite to map the world. |
| B．To track the change of biodiversity in the world. |
| C．To develop technology for mapping the globe. |
| D．To advertise his project around the world. |
| A．Using eyes in the sky to map biodiversity. |
| B．Making a map of big forests in the world. |
| C．Learning about the biodiversity of Amazon forest. |
| D．Protecting the forest from being destructed. |
4 . Planning before buying something is a good idea. For example, you are going to buy a pet dog, you still have to consider a few things and plan them well before you welcome it in the house.
The next thing you need to consider is your home,
| A．Looking after your dog doesn’t only mean taking it for a walk or playing with it. |
| B．A dog is supposed to be man s best friend. |
| C．Before you think about getting a dog, think about the affordability(经济承受力). |
| D．The training should start as soon as the dog is in your care. |
| E．Once the dog has learned how to sit, you may teach him to shake hands. |
| F．You will also have to think about any health problems related to your family. |
| G．A small apartment will not be fit to house a large dog. |
I had worked long and hard on this project. Knowing it was finally completed gave me great satisfaction. “Perfect！”I said “Now, all I have to do is to keep the dogs off it.”I went about setting . Up barriers using old fence, deck chairs, planters, and anything I could find so as to avoid footprints both on the oil paint and our carpet . It worked perfectly .
Just before returning to the house and to a much needed shower, I took one last look at this fine work of art. “What is that?”I said. “Where did that come from ?”
Clearly marked and evenly spaced across the entire area, the tiny marks ran in straight lines. .I carefully stepped to our flower garden. It was there I found several of the small markings. Now, almost frozen in place by this shocking discovery, I remained in position so as to prevent further damage to my work.. Just then, off to my left, it appeared. A chipmunk （花栗鼠）. He was as surprised as I was . We stood there face to face looking at each other, wondering who would make the first move .
The warm , humid air was now getting the best of me . Sweat now ran freely over my head, and in poor timing into my eyes . I reached up to rub them and when I opened my eyes he was gone .
My only satisfaction was in thinking that when he returned home he tracked oily footprints into his own home . And , hoping he was married , his wife would not let him live it down for the rest of his life . I stood up, shook my head, laughing about it and walking into my house.
Yes, I tracked oil on the carpet. I am married. My wife will not let me live it down for the rest of my life .
1. What was the project the author completed in the passage ?
| A．Painting | B．A carpet |
| C．A fence | D．A flower garden |
| A．made fun of the author |
| B．stole something important in the house |
| C．spoiled the author’s work |
| D．came for some food |
| A．He made fun of the author. |
| B．He frightened it away. |
| C．He tried to catch it but failed. |
| D．He didn’t do any harm to it . |
| A．the author was not satisfied with his family life |
| B．the author was quite satisfied with his project |
| C．the barriers the author set up were quite successful |
| D．the chipmunk had a happy family just like the author |
A series of such storms struck the US last month and caused very serious damage and human pain.
Every year, major storms cause many problems around the world. There is nothing people can do to stop these powerful forces of nature. But new techniques are helping scientists to predict how, when, and where big storms will happen. The more exact scientists’ warnings are, the better people can prepare for the storms.
Predictions are improving. “We’ve gotten better over the years, especially the last few years,” says Phil Klotzback, a scientist at an American university. How is a storm formed? Even if scientists know where a storm will happen, winds can suddenly change, carrying the storm to a new direction. “For a hurricane to happen, conditions have to be just right,” Klotzback says.
First, the ocean water needs to be warm enough so that it evaporates and rises into the air. As it rises, the vapor（水蒸气）cools and turns back into liquid. This process gives off heat. This produces energy like an engine that causes winds to increase. It drives the formation（形成）of a hurricane.
If wind speeds reach 40 miles per hour, the system is called a “tropical storm”, and it gets a name. At 75 miles per hour, it becomes a hurricane.
Hurricanes that hit the US start when a thunderstorm forms off the coast of Africa. Storms also develop over tropical waters in other parts of the world.
On average, 60 or 70 storms form off Africa every year. About 10 of them get names. There are usually about six hurricanes. Two tend to be very big, with winds of 115 miles per hour or higher.
The hurricane season lasts from June to November. Ninety percent of all hurricanes hit in August, September, and October.
1. According to the passage, hurricanes usually ___________.
| A．form off the coast of Africa and America |
| B．hit parts of the world in summer and autumn |
| C．travel at 40 miles per hour and get its name |
| D．cause sea winds to rise and blow over the sea |
| A．begins to move | B．changes into a gas |
| C．becomes hot | D．gets lost |
a. The ocean water evaporates and goes into the air.
b. Heat creates energy and causes winds to increase.
c. The vapor cools.
d. The ocean water is warm enough.
e. The vapor changes back into liquid.
f. This course gives out heat.
| A．a, d, e, b, c, f | B．a, b, c, f, d, e |
| C．d, a, b, c, e, f | D．d, a, c, e, f, b |
| A．One out of six or seven storms get names. |
| B．Every year at least 60 storms form off Africa. |
| C．The speed of the biggest two hurricanes reaches 115miles per hour. |
| D．About one third of the hurricanes tend to be very big. |
Don’t lose your head when a fire breaks out. First, telephone the fire department immediately when
In short, if you make preparations before hand and take precautions(预防措施) during the fire, chances are that
The answer is that your way of life, wherever you live in the world, is tied to the tropics in many ways. If you live in a house, wash your hair, eat fruits and vegetables, drink soda, or drive a car, you can be certain that you are affected by the loss of tropical forests.
Take rubber（橡胶） for example. For many uses, only natural rubber from trees will do. Synthetics are not good enough. Today over half the world's commercial（商业的）rubber is produced in Malaysia and Indonesia, while the Amazon's rubber industry produces much of the world's four million tons. And rubber is an important material in making gloves, balloons, footwear and many sporting goods. Thousands of other tropical plants are valuable for their industrial use.
Many scientists strongly believe that deforestation contributes to the greenhouse effect—or heating of the earth from increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. As we destroy forests, we lose their ability to change carbon dioxide into oxygen.
Carbon dioxide levels could double within the next half-century, warming the earth by as much as 4.5 degrees. The result? A partial melt-down of polar ice caps, raising sea levels as much as 24 feet; even 15 feet could threaten anyone living within 35 miles of the coast. Unbelievable? Maybe. But scientists warn that by the time we realize the severe effects of tropical deforestation, it will be 20 years too late.
Can tropical deforestation affect our everyday lives? Now, you should have got the answer.
1. The underlined word "synthetics" probably means a kind of __________.
| A．natural rubber | B．tropical grass |
| C．man-made material | D．tropical tree |
| A．tell people how to avoid the tropical deforestation |
| B．show us how important it is to protect the tropical forests |
| C．persuade people to buy something synthetic |
| D．let people realize the good effect of tropical deforestation |
| A．puzzling | B．cold |
| C．supporting | D．opposed |
