1 . Indoor plants might look as if they just sit around not doing much, but in many ways they are the unsung heroes of the home.
What are indoor plants?
Indoor plants, also known as houseplants or pot plants, are plants that like to grow indoors. Many of these species (物种) are not ideally suited to growing outside in the UK, especially in the winter.
Why are indoor plants good for you?
Will Spoelstra, who works at the Royal Botanic Gardens, says, “
Which plants can you grow?
Aloe vera, peace lilies and spider plants are some of the species that are easy to grow indoors. You can buy plants from supermarkets, garden centres or online. Younger plants are often cheaper than fully grown ones, and you get to care for them as they mature — which is part of the joy of owning plants. “
| A．All plants are different |
| B．Not only do they look beautiful |
| C．There are many benefits to growing plants indoors |
| D．Instead, they grow better inside, where it is warmer |
| E．Plants like peace lilies and devil’s ivy are among the best |
| F．Changing the pot of your plant from time to time will also help |
| G．Learning about the requirements of each plant can be very rewarding |
2 . Scientists say a huge percentage of bird species are in danger because their habitats, or homelands, are disappearing.
Traditional migration paths take birds through countries that are not protecting the places for birds to stop, rest and feed. The scientists studied the migration or flight paths of almost 1,500 species. They decided that 91 percent of them passed through dangerous areas.
The major danger for migratory birds is development. Buildings and pavements have covered the places where birds stop and feed as they move from one part of the world to another. One of the scientists who worked on the study says “Many of these important places have been lost to land reclamation because of urban, industrial and agricultural land expansion”.
The problem, according to scientists, is that many of these small birds die along their migration paths because they don’t have a safe place to feed and rest. There is no place to restore their energy for the next part of their journey. Countries in North Africa, Central Asia and those along the coasts of East Asia are having the most difficult time in protecting land. The scientists say these countries do not have enough areas that are safe for birds. One species that doesn’t exist now is the Eskimo curlew. “Our world gets poorer every time we lose a species,” one of the scientists says.
The researchers say countries need to work together and come up with safe stopping areas for birds that pass through their boundaries. For example, one country might have preserved safe zones for migrating birds. But a neighbor country might not. A bird might die.
One scientist who is not connected with the report tells Los Angeles Times that while some habitats are changing, more work can be done to make urban areas safe for birds.
He says small changes, like planting more native plants or keeping cats out of the areas birds would be likely to use, could make a big difference.
1. What mainly caused the disappearing of birds’ habitats?| A．The decrease of awareness to protect birds. | B．Natural disasters. |
| C．Overuse of land by human beings. | D．The rising sea level. |
| A．Tiredness and hunger. | B．Beast attack on the ground. |
| C．Hunting of humans. | D．The long journey. |
| A．By keeping fewer cats or dogs. |
| B．By restoring their destroyed habitats. |
| C．By helping change the birds’ migration paths. |
| D．By preserving the ecological environments on their migration paths. |
| A．To call on people to protect the birds’ habitats. |
| B．To analyze the reasons for disappearing of birds’ habitats. |
| C．To offer some solutions to the problem of birds’ habitats. |
| D．To tell us a huge percentage of bird species are in danger. |
3 . It has become common knowledge that our oceans are filled with garbage. Broken objects, used plastic bottles and so on fill our beaches and cover the ocean floor, doing huge damage to ocean creatures. Many individuals and organizations are working to remove this garbage, and recent technological developments have given them a new tool to do so: the trash-eating robot.
Robots of various shapes have been designed to collect garbage that they find floating in the ocean. For example, the French company IADMEEYS has developed what it calls the jellyfishbot. This small robot gathers up everything it meets, including liquid hydrocarbons (碳氢化合物) such as gasoline and oil. The jellyfishbot is remotely controlled and can clean up to 1,000 square meters per hour. The jellyfishbots’ small size and ability to be easily controlled make them ideal for cleaning up crowded areas such as ports.
For larger, more open areas, a much larger robot called the Interceptor has a similar function. Designed for use on rivers, the Interceptor looks like a boat with a conveyor belt (传送带) that picks up trash. Once a sensor indicates that the rubbish bins are full, the Interceptor automatically sends a text message to onshore operators. These operators collect and empty the rubbish bins, sending the garbage to local waste management facilities.
The Interceptor’s name comes from the verb intercept because its purpose is to prevent trash from getting to the ocean. Most of the garbage in the oceans comes down rivers. Cleaning up trash that litters the ocean is good, but to keep the oceans clean, new garbage must be stopped from getting there. Therefore the Interceptor is used to stop pollution before it enters the ocean.
The Interceptor is completely solar-powered and operates on its own, which minimizes the need for human involvement.
Robots are able to clean up large amounts of garbage without humans struggling through beach cleanup by hand. Hopefully, they can be a big part of the solution to ocean pollution.
1. What’s the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To introduce the background. |
| B．To set the readers reflecting. |
| C．To state the writer ‘s intention. |
| D．To give supporting details. |
| A．They need no human operation. |
| B．They can clean up crowded ports. |
| C．They are both solar-powered. |
| D．They are controlled in the distance. |
| A．Stop. | B．Check. | C．Sort. | D．Collect. |
| A．They collect all the garbage. |
| B．They save much human labor. |
| C．They get rid of water pollution. |
| D．They empty the rubbish bins. |
4 . “You should get a cat,” my doctor said. “A cat?” I couldn’t even look after myself. I took a deep breath and carefully considered the idea of welcoming a feline (猫科的) friend into my life.
Adopting an animal during the height of the pandemic was far from easy. When my partner and I found Cinnamon, her adoption profile made her out as the perfect kitten. We filled out the paperwork and had a few weeks to prepare for her arrival.
When she came home, it became increasingly obvious that Cinnamon didn’t understand “no”, “stop it” or “don’t do that”. She was the worst cat I’ve ever owned. I was beginning to doubt my doctor’s advice.
We decided to start taking her for walks. I could barely leave the house before, but my heart couldn’t say no to Cinnamon. Cinnamon showed me what bravery looked like if there was a dog at a park, she would run toward it. She jumped without knowing where she would land. She loved adventure. I found myself mirroring her behavior after a while, jumping out of bed without a second thought. I began to find the motivation to get out of bed in the morning.
Cinnamon unfortunately passed away after a medical accident, leaving a cat-sized hole in my heart the day she left us at only six months old. I’m no stranger to sadness or grief, but losing my pet so suddenly was the most confusing emotional experience I’ve ever had. She was supposed to help me through more of my life than the three short months we had her.
Our time is often cut unpredictably, unmistakably short. It would be a shame to live life being anything less than brave and adventurous.
1. Why did the doctor advise the author to get a cat?| A．To teach her to interact with animals. |
| B．To assist her to fill up her spare time. |
| C．To help her out of her mental disease. |
| D．To ensure her safety in time of pandemic. |
| A．Stupid but lovely. | B．Outgoing and aggressive. |
| C．Stubborn but courageous. | D．Naughty and adventurous. |
| A．Why Cinnamon loved going outside. |
| B．How Cinnamon affected the author positively. |
| C．Why the author decided to take Cinnamon outside. |
| D．How Cinnamon interacted with the author outdoors. |
| A．The loss of a pet is painful. | B．The short life is unpredictable. |
| C．Friendship with pets is helpful. | D．The courage to take risks is beneficial. |
5 . Human beings have somehow managed to engineer the night to receive us by filling it with light. This kind of control is no different from the feat ( 壮 举 ) of damming a river. Its benefits come with
For most human history, the phrase “light pollution” would have
We’ve lit up the night as if it were a(n)
It was once thought that light pollution only affected astronomers, who need to see the night sky in all its glorious clarity. Unlike astronomers, most of us may not need a
In a very real sense, light pollution causes us to
| A．consequences | B．achievements | C．agreements | D．circumstances |
| A．Randomly-designed | B．Well-designed | C．Poorly-designed | D．Economically-designed |
| A．appealed | B．adapted | C．objected | D．amounted |
| A．come under criticism | B．made no difference | C．come into effect | D．made no sense |
| A．making do with | B．fed up with | C．identifying with | D．overflowing with |
| A．visit | B．greet | C．feel | D．smell |
| A．independent | B．disconnected | C．unoccupied | D．excluded |
| A．exposed | B．captured | C．dismissed | D．frustrated |
| A．clear | B．comprehensive | C．traditional | D．critical |
| A．Subsequently | B．However | C．Therefore | D．Similarly |
| A．Reviewing | B．Embracing | C．Denying | D．Regulating |
| A．light | B．rhythm | C．status | D．dawn |
| A．emerging from | B．withdrawing from | C．messing with | D．coinciding with |
| A．keep track of | B．lose sight of | C．catch hold of | D．let go of |
| A．measured | B．neutralized | C．undergone | D．supervised |
6 . Two high school students have identified four new planets in distant space about 200-light-years from Earth, making them “the youngest astronomers” to make such a discovery.
Kartik Pingle, 16, and Jasmine Wright. 18, who both attend schools in Massachusetts, participated in the Student Research Mentoring Program (SRMP). With the help of Tansu Daylan, an MIT doctor for Astrophysics and Space Research, the students studied and analyzed data from the Transiting Exoplanct Survey Satellite (TESS). Together they focused on Tess Object of Interest (TOI) 1233, a nearby, bright sun-like star and here they found four planets rotating（旋转）around the star. “We were looking to see changes in light over time,” Pingle explained, “the idea is that if the planet transits the star, or passes in front of it, it would periodically cover up the star and decrease its brightness.”
While studying 1233, Pingle and Wright had at least hoped to find one planet but were overwhelmed with joy when a total of four were spotted. “I was very excited and very shocked.” Wright said. “We knew this was the goal of Daylan’s research, but to actually find a multi-planetary system, and be part of the discovering team, was really cool.” Three of the newly discovered planets are considered as “sub-Neptunes”, which are gaseous, but smaller than the Neptune that lives in our solar system. While observing the planets, the team determined each one completes their orbit around 1233 every six to 19.5 days. However, the fourth planet is called a “super-Earth” for its large size and rockiness this one orbits around the star in just under four days.
“We have long been studying planets beyond our solar system and with multi-planetary systems, the two young students are kind of hitting the jackpot. They are really blessed.” Daylan said. “The planets originated from the same disk of matter around the same star, but they ended up being different planets with different atmospheres and different climates due to their different orbits. So, we would like to understand the basic processes of planet formation and evolution using this planetary system.”
Daylan added that it was a “win-win” to work with Pingle and Wright on the study. “As a researcher, I really enjoy interacting with young brains that are open to experimentation and learning and have slightest bias（偏见）.”he said, “I also think it is very beneficial to high school students, since they get exposure to cutting-edge research, and this prepares them quickly for a research career.”
1. How did the two students identify the four planets？| A．By helping professor Tansu Daylan with the data. |
| B．By analyzing the change of brightness of star 1233. |
| C．By studying Neptune that lives in our solar system. |
| D．By interacting with other young talented brains. |
| A．It was made by two high school students. |
| B．It was made with an innovative approach. |
| C．It was meant to be made by Tansu Daylan. |
| D．It found the largest number of planets at a time. |
| A．Making a discovery difficultly. | B．Achieving the goal easily. |
| C．Succeeding in something luckily. | D．Performing a task carefully. |
| A．It allows the scientists to work with young people without prejudice. |
| B．It equips future astronomers with better researching abilities. |
| C．It provides more perspectives and thus boosts more discoveries. |
| D．It arouses students’ interest in exploring the unknown universe. |
It was a pleasant sort of a Sunday as John walked in his uncle’s garden. His parents had moved to Delhi for work. “Your final examination is just a few months away.” Father had said, “We want you to stay with Uncle and Aunt, complete your exams and then join us in Delhi.” Uncle Tim was John’s father’s cousin. They had a Golden Retrieve called Oliver.
From the first day John realized that Oliver was unhappy. He was not given his meals on time, nor was he taken for a walk. Oliver was shouted at and treated badly all day. “Your uncle bought Oliver so that the dog could protect his house from thieves but actually neither he nor his wife loved him,” the gardener told John one day. John felt sad. At night he could hear Oliver whimpering (呜咽) in the cold. “Why don’t you make a coat for your pet?” John asked. “I have much better things to do,” answered his aunt.
One day John went out for a walk with Oliver when the sky suddenly became cloudy. As rain started falling, people ran everywhere for protection. John ran to take shelter in a sweet shop. A few minutes later, he realized Oliver was missing. John was sad and searched the entire place with the help of the shop owner, but failed.
John’s uncle put in an advertisement in the paper. After all he had spent a lot of money buying Oliver and did not want to lose him.
It was a half-an-hour ride by bus. The house was a beautiful brick colored structure. The middle aged lady who greeted Oliver was a motherly sort of a woman. She and her husband had answered John’s uncle’s advertisement in the paper. Since John’s uncle was out on an official tour, John had been sent to check on the dog.
“He is asleep.” said the lady, “Come and have a look”. Oliver slept on a small bed covered with a warm quilt (被褥). A pot of milk stood in a corner of the room possibly for Oliver’s next feed. “I found him on the back seat of the car. He must have hidden himself there from the storm. I had opened the back door of the car to put in the vegetables, which I was going to buy. However, because of the heavy rain I changed my mind and decided to do the shopping the next day. The poor dear was shivering (颤抖) with cold, when I first noticed him after arriving home.” The lady told John.
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.
John looked at the dog. Yes it was Oliver, his uncle’s dog.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________John smiled as he shook his head, “I am sorry to have troubled you. Sir, Madam. But this is not our Oliver.”
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________8 . 
Despite being located in a bustling urban part of Huanggang in Hubei, Xiao Yaqin’s apartment block stands out because of its green appearance resulting from being wrapped in green plants. “ It makes me feel very comfortable. When you open the window, fresh air keeps rolling in, ” the 65-year-old said excitedly.
He was one of the first group of residents that recently moved into China’s first “ vertical (垂直的) forest ” residential project, consisting of two 80-meter-tall, 25-story buildings.
The project is the result of cooperation between Easyhome and Italian architect Stefano Boering, often called “ the father of the vertical forest ” . There are 404 trees and 4,620 shrubs (灌木丛) in the vertical forest, which is classified as the “ fourth generation ” of housing. Grasses, flowers and climbing plants cover 2,408m2 of the floor area. The plants are estimated to be capable of absorbing 22 metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere per year, while generating 11 tons of oxygen.
However, its development hasn’t been met without doubt. For example, mosquito infestations (感染) are one of the reasons why people are reluctant to move in. The irrigation system required to ensure the survival of the plants in the vertical forest and the need to have gardeners cut the branches mean much higher maintenance costs than in regular buildings.
It is not yet known what the future of fourth-generation housing will be in China, but it has at least brought urban residents a new life experience. Xiao, the retiree, said his new apartment has met his expectations for better quality of life. “ You feel you are close to nature, even if you don’t open the window, ” he said.
1. How does the author introduce the topic?| A．By presenting Xiao Yaqin’s example. | B．By describing features of the apartment. |
| C．By imagining Xiao Yaqin’s life. | D．By showing the apartment’s popularity. |
| A．Easyhome designed and built the project. |
| B．Its plants produce 22 metric tons of oxygen. |
| C．It faces problems of mosquitoes and high costs. |
| D．The residents have to look after the plants. |
| A．Critical. | B．Concerned. | C．Supportive. | D．Unclear. |
| A．To predict the future way of living. | B．To introduce a new type of housing. |
| C．To discuss problems facing residents. | D．To advertise the vertical forest project. |
9 . Goffin’s cockatoos, a kind of small parrot native to Australasia, have been shown to have similar shape-recognition abilities to a human two-year-old. Though not known to use tools in the wild, the birds have proved skilful at tool use while kept in the cage. In a recent experiment, cockatoos were presented with a box with a nut inside it. The clear front of the box had a “keyhole” in a geometric shape, and the birds were given five differently shaped “keys” to choose from. Inserting the correct “key” would let out the nut.
In humans, babies can put a round shape in a round hole from around one year of age, but it will be another year before they are able to do the same with less symmetrical (对称的) shapes. This ability to recognize that a shape will need to be turned in a specific direction before it will fit is called an “allocentric frame of reference”. In the experiment, Goffin’s cockatoos were able to select the right tool for the job, in most cases, by visual recognition alone. Where trial-and-error was used, the cockatoos did better than monkeys in similar tests. This indicates that Goffin’s cockatoos do indeed possess an allocentric frame of reference when moving objects in space, similar to two-year-old babies.
The next step, according to the researchers, is to try and work out whether the cockatoos rely entirely on visual clues (线索), or also use a sense of touch in making their shape selections.
1. How did the cockatoos get the nut from the box in the experiment?| A．By following instructions. | B．By using a tool. |
| C．By turning the box around. | D．By removing the lid. |
| A．Using a key to unlock a door. | B．Telling parrots from other birds. |
| C．Putting a ball into a round hole. | D．Grouping toys of different shapes. |
| A．How far they are able to see. |
| B．How they track moving objects. |
| C．Whether they are smarter than monkeys. |
| D．Whether they use a sense of touch in the test. |
| A．Cockatoos: Quick Error Checkers | B．Cockatoos: Independent Learners |
| C．Cockatoos: Clever Signal-Readers | D．Cockatoos: Skillful Shape-Sorters |
1. Why does the woman invite the man to the beach?
| A．To collect some plastic. | B．To see a whale. | C．To relax. |
| A．The community. | B．The government. | C．A recycling company. |
| A．Responsible. | B．Lazy. | C．Emotional. |
