1 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A.catches B.combined C. contributors D. demand E. driver F.mere G.pressing H.prosperity I. speeds J.thirstiest K. trends

Feeding nine billion

When we think about threats to the environment, we tend to picture cars-not dinner. But the truth is, our     1    for food causes one of the biggest dangers to the planet.

Agriculture is among the greatest     2     to global warming. It emits more greenhouse gases than all our cars, trucks, trains, and airplane     3    —largely from methane released by cattle and rice farms, nitrous oxide from fertilized fields and carbon dioxide from the cutting of rain forests to grow crops or raise livestock. Farming is the     4     user of our precious water supplies and a major polluter, as runoff from fertilizers and manure pollute lakes, rivers, and coastal ecosystems across the globe. Agriculture also     5    up the loss of biodiversity: As we’ve cleared areas of grassland and forest for farms, we’ve lost crucial habitat making agriculture a major     6     of wildlife extinction

The environmental challenges caused by agriculture are huge, and they’ll only become more     7     as we try to meet the growing need for food worldwide. We’ll likely have 2 billion more mouths to feed by mid-century-more than 9 billion people. But population growth isn’t the     8     reason we’ll need more food. The spread of     9     across the world is driving an increased need for meat, eggs, and dairy, boosting pressure to grow more corn and soybeans to feed more cattle, pigs, and chickens. If these     10     continue, the population growth and meat-and-dairy-intensive diets will require us to roughly double the amount of crops we grow by 2050.

2 . A Recipe for Avoiding Disaster

Every log cabin homeowner has had those “what if” thoughts. What if conditions become so dry that a wildfire starts near my cabin? What if the rain is so relentless that the lake outside my doorstep begins to overflow its banks? What if tornado-fueled winds threaten to destroy everything I’ve created?

    1    . That’s the bad news. The good news? There are ways you can use your landscaping to minimize the damage that extreme weather can cause and still have an attractive yard all at the same time. Here are a few tips for using your outdoor resources in a way that can lessen the impact of a natural disaster on your log home:

WILDFIRES: The key to keeping fires from damaging your home is regular maintenance with a focus on how fires spread. Begin by removing dead plants like trees and shrubs promptly and trimming (修剪) any branches that overhang the property or have close contact with the log walls.     2    . It’s also a good idea to install irrigation in a 50-foot radius around your home to help create a fireproofing perimeter.

FLOODS: A massive amount of flooding that leaves your house and yard in standing water is a tall order in terms of prevention strategies, but more moderate flooding can be stopped with a few simple landscaping tricks.     3    . You can create extra drainage (排水系统) through the use of strategically placed stones and bushes that direct water away from the foundation.

TORNADOES: To minimize the damage caused by the sudden gusts tornado weather brings, be sure to keep trees and shrubs trimmed.     4    .

A．The best way to begin is to grade your soil so that it slopes downward and away from your home in all directions.

B．Make every effort to prevent fire spread as soon as possible.

C．Never leave piles of brush or leaves near the house because they can burn easily.

D．What you should do is to gather standing water to help with water absorption.

E．There’s nothing you can do to prevent those extreme scenarios from happening.

F．Also, check to ensure any yard ornaments (like birdbaths, pots or statues) are heavy enough to withstand the strong force.

3 . I am not a morning person, but as I stand on the boulder (巨大的砾石) in the early dawn, my mind is sharp and alert. I am more than awake, concentrating on the vast endlessness below.

There is a noticeable lack of early birdsong here; no hiss of offshore wind fanning the waves. The only sound is my breath, heavy after the scramble to the top. It is by no means a difficult climb, but I had to hurry to beat the sun.

“If you stand at the top of Kubu Island just before sunrise,” said one of the returning visitors, “You can see the arc (弧线) of the Earth.”

He was right.

From up here the horizon cuts not so much a line as an arc.

Soon my feeling of being in the moment is replaced with something as strange and ancient as this place itself. My breathing calms and becomes shallow. My heartbeat slows. I am first surrounded by in silence. I am a tiny, shrinking spot. Then I disappear completely.

They say that astronauts looking down on Earth gain a sense of perspective that changes them forever. They begin to understand how much we are a part of our planet, and how much it is a part of us. The astronauts are 400 kilometres off the surface of Earth, and while the top of Kubu Island is only 10 metres high, there is something about this pile of boulders that sends you into orbit.

Kubu Island isn’t actually an island, but rather, an outcrop of ancient rocks that are up to two billions year old. It was once rested on the edge of a vast lake. As the water evaporated, it created the huge Makgadikgadi Pan (马卡迪卡迪盐沼盆地), one of the world’s largest salt pans.

Ancient tribes and civilizations have migrated and lived here, first to fish from its rocks and then to commune with nature and its spirits. Today, adventurers and tourists come here to marvel at this strange pile of boulders with baobab trees (猴面包树) growing out of it. These trees are estimated to be 3,000 or 4,000 years old; they are really impressive not only for their size but also because they seem to have so much to tell about the history of this island.

This is the gift that Kubu Island gives and the power that it has. This tiny, weird outcrop — if not in the middle of nowhere, then certainly on the edge of it — can give you a sense of yourself that very few places can. A sense of yourself as a person on this planet and, somehow, way beyond it.

1. Which of the following can best describe Kubu Island?

A．It is a “small” island, surrounded by waves and water.

B．It is an “ancient” island, featuring recreational activities.

C．It is a “dry” island, surrounded by a sea of salt.

D．It is a “remote” island, resting on the edge of a vast lake.

2. According to the passage, the underlined phrase “marvel at” probably means ________.

A．feel anxious for	B．pose danger to
C．be grateful to	D．be amazed at

3. The author’s purpose of writing this article was to ________.

A．recommend a unique travel route to a peaceful and silent island

B．encourage readers to reflect more on themselves while travelling

C．inform readers of a mysterious place that deserves to be explored

D．advise readers to visit an island which is peculiar in its original state

5 . What is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP) is the largest of the five offshore plastic accumulation zones in the world’s oceans. It is located halfway between Hawaii and California.

PLASTIC __________

It is estimated that 1.15 to 2.41 million tonnes of plastic are entering the ocean each year from rivers. More than half of this plastic is less __________than the water, meaning that it will not sink once it encounters the sea.

The strong and floating plastics show resiliency(韧性) in the marine environment, allowing them to be transported over __________distances. They persist at the sea surface as they make their way off shore, transported by converging (汇聚的) currents and finally accumulating in the patch.

Once these plastics enter the gyre（环流）, they are unlikely to leave the area until they __________into smaller microplastics under the effects of sun, waves and marine life. As more and more plastics are discarded into the environment, microplastic __________in the GPGP will only continue to increase.

LOCATION

Due to seasonal and interannual variabilities of winds and currents, the GPGP’s location and shape are constantly changing. Only floating objects that are __________influenced by currents were likely to remain within the patch.

By simulating concentration levels in the North Pacific, the researchers were able to follow the location of the patch and found on average it orbits around 32°N and 145°W. However, the team observed seasonal __________from west to east and substantial variations in latitude（纬度）depending on the year.

IMPACT ON WILDLIFE

Plastic has increasingly become a very common substance in the ocean. Due to its size and color, animals __________the plastic for food, causing malnutrition; it poses entanglement（缠绕）risks and threatens their overall behavior, health, and existence.

Studies have shown that about 700 species have encountered marine debris, and 92% of these __________are with plastic. 17% of the species affected by plastic are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.

IMPACT ON HUMANS AND SOCIETY

Once plastic enters the marine food web, there is a possibility that it will contaminate the human food chain as well. Through a process called bioaccumulation, chemicals in plastics will enter the body of the animal __________on the plastic, and as the feeder becomes prey, the chemicals will pass to the __________—making their way up the food web that includes humans. These chemicals that affected the plastic feeders could then be __________within the human as well.

__________, yearly economic costs due to marine plastic are estimated to be between $6-19billion USD. The costs __________its impact on tourism, fisheries and aquaculture, and governmental cleanups. These costs do not include the impact on human health and the marine ecosystem due to __________research available.

1.

A．ACCUMULATION

B．DRIFT

C．FLOATING

D．PROMOTION

2.

A．light

B．thick

C．tiny

D．dense

3.

A．adjusted

B．overdone

C．deposited

D．extended

4.

A．upgrade

B．degrade

C．assemble

D．disassemble

5.

A．transportation

B．estimation

C．concentration

D．location

6.

A．predominantly

B．rarely

C．previously

D．slightly

7.

A．similarity

B．shift

C．boost

D．figure

8.

A．exchange

B．substitute

C．leave

D．confuse

9.

A．implications

B．interactions

C．interferences

D．influences

10.

A．resting

B．feeding

C．risking

D．waiting

11.

A．mariner

B．prey

C．tracker

D．predator

12.

A．present

B．absent

C．current

D．reliable

13.

A．Likewise

B．However

C．Moreover

D．Therefore

14.

A．result in

B．remove from

C．stem from

D．bring about

15.

A．insufficient

B．adequate

C．insignificant

D．substantial

6 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. respectively       B. vision                 C. rebounded       D. decoupling       E. respectably F. promoting          G. commitments       H. emitters          I. peak                 J. remaining            K. urgent

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the Asean (东盟) region are estimated to increase in the same period, based on the latest Nationally determined contributions (NDC) targets up to 2030.

To keep the Paris Agreement temperature goal within reach, Dr Beni Suryadi, Centre for Energy Manager at the Asean Secretariat, stated that ASEAN needs to achieve     1    emissions as soon as possible after 2030 and net-zero GHG emissions as soon as possible after 2050.

However,     2    of the growth in GDP and energy-related CO2 emissions is observed only in a handful of the Asean member states.

“It is vital to reduce energy intensity through lower energy demand and further energy savings and to reduce emission intensity by     3    renewable energy expansion,” he said.

“Current policies need to be enhanced to achieve the NDC targets. The     4    under the NDCs will provide Asean with a better perspective of the need for a more ambitious course of action on mitigation（缓解） in the future. Ambitious energy policies can significantly reduce GHG emission and helps our     5    towards low carbon economies and climate resilient nations.”

Earlier in his presentation, Dr Beni highlighted, “a brief record-breaking drop in climate change – causing carbon emissions during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. However, nowadays we continue to hear the news and read reports that say that global emissions have already     6    to near pre-pandemic levels”.

“While we are grateful to learn that the economy is reviving and we see economic activities taking place everywhere, there is a(n)     7    need for us to limit the growth of emissions. Global GHG emissions continue to rise, at a time when they need to be rapidly falling.”

At the global level, he said, “It is recorded that almost three-quarters of the GHG emissions come from energy use; almost one-fifth from agriculture and land use; and the     8    eight per cent from industry and waste”.

He also noted that the electricity and transport sectors start out as and remain the biggest     9    of GHGs and air pollution in Asean.

“If the Asean member states do what is needed to fully achieve their own national energy efficiency and renewable energy targets, as well as their climate commitments, Asean’s total energy- related GHG emissions in 2040 will be 3,002 MtCO2-eq, 28 per cent lower than in the baseline scenario.

“Power generation remains the largest sectoral contributor, accounting for about 40 per cent and 46 per cent of total GHG emissions from energy in 2025 and 2040,     10    .

“Furthermore, if Asean fulfilled its regional aspirational targets on the energy efficiency and renewable energy, Asean will be able to reduce GHG emissions more sharply to only 2,264 Mt CO2-eq in 2040,” he said.

7 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Boyan Slat, a Dutch inventor is cleaning the world’s most polluted rivers in an effort to save the oceans. He has made it his mission    1    (remove) plastic from the oceans. His organization, The Ocean Cleanup, has successfully started to clean the pollution that has been circling in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. But millions more tons of plastic enter the oceans every year, almost all of it     2     (flow) from rivers.

Just 10 rivers are responsible for around 90% of all that plastic,     3    a 2017 study from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research. “So     4    we focus on the worst rivers, we believe we can really have the fastest and most cost-effective way to close the tap and prevent more plastic from reaching the oceans in the first place,” Slat said.

The Ocean Cleanup is effectively using floating trash collectors called “Interceptors”. These solar-powered, autonomous systems use the rivers’ currents to guide the trash onto a conveyor belt that carry the waste to     5     (await) bins.

The first interceptor went to work in Jakarta, Indonesia, to pull plastic from a waterway called the Cengkareng drain. A second interceptor began collecting trash flowing down the Klang river in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. On the other side of the world,     6    Interceptor has recently started removing river pollution near the mouth of the Rio Ozama in the Dominican Republic.

“    7    the river is polluted, the fish die. Every year there are less fish,” Luis Peguero, a local fisherman, explained. When Peguero is lucky enough to reel in (收线拉起) a catch, it     8    not be safe for his family to eat. “You find stuff in the fish, especially the catfish. Trash, bottle lids, even a shoe. The fish can’t survive this,” said Peguero. To him, the modern trash-collecting catamaran (双体船) is a peculiar but welcome sight.

The Ocean Cleanup is working with the local governments and communities to help retrieve (取回) the plastic the Interceptors collect. “By stopping plastic in rivers, we hope to not only address the big global plastic pollution issue, but also really help make life better for the people    9    live near these problematic rivers,” said Slat.

The Ocean Cleanup’s goal is to tackle the thousand most polluted rivers within 5 years. Soon interceptors     10     (head) to Vietnam, Thailand, Jamaica and Los Angeles County in the United States.

“We are getting out tons of plastic every single day,” Slat said. “We accept that we won’t deliver magic in one go. But we’re doing this, step by step.”

8 . In the Death Zone of Mount Everest

Mountain climbers call the part of a mountain over 7,000 meters the Death Zone. The human body can’t live for very long at this height, because the air is too thin and there isn’t enough oxygen. Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain, is 8,848 meters high. What happens to the bodies of people who climb it?

Their lungs have to work very hard. Normally, people breathe about 20 times every minute when they are resting. On top of Everest, climbers must breathe 70 to 80 times a minute to get enough oxygen.     1     Other parts of the body work very slowly, to save energy. For example, the stomach stops digesting food.

    2     They have insomnia (失眠), so they always feel tired. They get very bad headaches. The sun burns their skin through the thin air, and the bright light from the snow hurts their eyes. Because they have nausea (恶心) and indigestion, they don’t want to eat, and that makes them weaker. In the dry air, they feel thirsty all the time.

Climbing on Everest also affects the brain.     3     Scientists have tested this by speaking to climbers with radios. They ask questions like, “If John is taller than Tom, who is shorter?” This is probably very easy for you to answer. But at the top of Everest, climbers have to think a long time to find the answer, and they often make mistakes. Because the climbers can’t think well, they sometimes make bad decisions and get into accidents.

Even with all these difficulties, more than 2,500 people have reached the top of Mount Everest.     4     Now, almost all climbers breathe from oxygen tanks. They use radios to communicate with people at the bottom, so they can get advice if they’re not thinking clearly. There are medicines to help them with headaches and lung problems.

A．But Mount Everest is still one of the most difficult and dangerous environments on Earth.

B．As they get closer to the top of the mountain, climbers feel worse and worse.

C．Your brain thinks very slowly, because it doesn’t have enough oxygen.

D．Scientists have found ways to solve some of their problems.

E．Only the strongest bodies can survive up there in the Death Zone.

F．The heart must beat faster to move the blood through the body.

10 . Directions: Fill in each blanks with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. alternatives   B. behavioural   C. completion   D. consideration   E. met F. modernizing   G. occupied   H. powering   I. schemes   J. specify   K. thorough

Carbon Impact

De-carboning existing housing will require households to stop burning fossil fuels and wood to power and heat their homes. If the UK’s current energy demand could be     1     by renewable, carbon-free energy, then there would be no problem. However, the infrastructure (基础建设) is not yet in place to do so and will not be by 2050.

The smart solution is to reduce the energy demand of homes. This energy demand includes the energy needed to heat (or cool) a home and that required for a home to run, such as     2     appliances.

Architects can have a big impact on energy demand through improving the performance of the building envelope by increasing insulation (绝缘) and airtightness. We can also work with building services engineers to     3     renewable energy generation (生成) technology and ensure that building services and appliances are running efficiently. Smart technologies can also help households control energy use. Gas boilers and cookers will need to be replaced with electric     4     such as heat pumps and conduction hobs. Some community renewable generation     5     will be needed. Household     6     changes will be useful too, for example not having windows open while the heating is on. Rebuilding houses will not be a one-size-fits-all approach. Strategies for individual homes or building types will be required and     7     analysis of a home’s performance and its occupant’s habits will be needed. This was the first step of our R20 project, a rebuilding of 9/10 Stock Orchard Street reducing the energy demand of the building, 20 years after its     8    

The rebuilding works took place while the building was     9    . For all existing housing, careful     10     will be needed regarding health and safety and people’s wellbeing. Furthermore, households will need to learn how their rebuilt home works to use it successfully.