1 . Standing out from the crowd isn’t always a good thing.

Birds with uncommon traits like big beaks(喙), long tails and extended wings are more likely to be threatened and face extinction, new research finds.

“We are fascinated by the diversity of the planet’s bird species. At the same time, we are deeply concerned about the threats these birds face,” lead author Jarome Ali, a PhD candidate at Princeton University, says. Ali completed the research at Imperial College London.

For their work, researchers analyzed measurement data collected from 9, 943 bird species, which are about 99% of all living bird species. The information came from both living birds as well as museum specimens(标本). The measurements included beak size and shape, as well as the length of legs, tails and wings. Researchers combined the information on physical traits with the birds’ risk of extinction. Next, they ran simulations(模拟) about what would occur if the most threatened birds were to become extinct.

“All our simulations showed that extinction has worse effects on the diversity of bird shapes than we expected. This is deeply concerning, but not shocking given that we first found that threatened birds were more unique than non-threatened birds,” Ali says.

The researchers weren’t sure what could explain the link between unusual birds and their extinction risk. “Unique birds are likely to play specialized roles in the ecosystem. One possible explanation is that as habitats come under threat, these specialized roles are likely to be the first to be targeted,” Ali says. “For example, if you were a hummingbird and specialized to feed on a small subset of plants, then damage to your habitat would be worse than if you were a less unique bird that eats a whole range of foods.”

“The loss of these rare birds has an impact on the environment because their role in the ecosystem is lost,” Ali says. “Our findings imply that we cannot simply hope that non-threatened species will come in and fill the role of the threatened species.”

1. What did the researchers do for the study?

A．They only focused on living bird species.

B．They analyzed data on most bird species.

C．They saved a number of threatened birds.

D．They made a map of all the extinct birds.

2. What is Jarome Ali’s feeling after knowing the finding of the simulations?

A．Relief.

B．Disappointment.

C．Surprise.

D．Concern.

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

A．Rare threatened bird species’ role is unique.

B．The loss of rare birds is actually unavoidable.

C．Non-threatened species will take the leading role.

D．The impact of bird loss can be easily controlled.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．Rare birds are the future of the ecosystem.

B．Birds with rare features have lost their place.

C．The current ecosystem is going unbalanced.

D．Unusual birds are more likely to go extinct.

2 . There are many kinds of pollution, which can be classified by environment, including air pollution, water pollution, and land pollution. Modern society is also concerned about specific types of pollution, such as noise pollution, light pollution and plastic pollution. Pollution of all kinds may not only have negative effects on the environment and wildlife, but also do harm to human health and well-being.

Although environmental pollution can be caused by natural events such as forest fires and active volcanoes, use of the word “pollution” generally means that the wastes have an anthropocentric source—that is, a source created by human activities. Pollution has accompanied humankind ever since groups of people first congregated and remained for a long time in any one place. Indeed, ancient human settlements are frequently recognized by their wastes, Pollution was not a serious problem as long as there was enough space available for each individual or group. However, with the establishment of permanent settlements by great numbers of people, pollution became a problem, and it has remained one ever since.

By the middle of the 20th century, an awareness of the need to protect air, water, and land environments from pollution had developed among the general public. In particular, the publication in 1962 of Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring focused attention on environmental damage caused by improper use of pesticides such as DDT. In response, major pieces of environmental law and regulation were passed in many countries to control the environmental pollution.

Great efforts are made to limit the release of harmful substances into the environment. Unfortunately, attempts at pollution control are surpassed by the scale of the problem, especially in less-developed countries. Noxious levels of air pollution are common in large cities. To control the pollution completely, we still have a long way to go.

1. What does paragraph 1 mainly talk about?

A．The history of pollution.	B．The types of pollution.
C．The causes of pollution.	D．The effects of pollution.

2. What is the original cause of pollution according to this passage?

A．Natural disasters.	B．Forest fires.
C．Volcanoes.	D．Human activities.

3. What does the underlined word “congregated” mean in paragraph 2?

A．Gathered.	B．Separated.
C．Attended.	D．Lived.

4. What can be inferred from the last two paragraphs?

A．No measures have been taken by the government to control the problems of pollution.

B．The book Silent Spring helped to improve the awareness of protecting the environment.

C．Silent Spring concentrated on the improper use of plastic bags.

D．The pollution has been controlled in less-developed countries.

3 . Tariq Qaiser, an architect, is trying to protect mangroves (红树林). The trees could save Pakistan’s largest city Karachi, sitting on the Arabian Sea, from climate disaster. He comes to Bundal Island several times a week to document the illegal cutting of mangrove trees. Very often, “you can’t hear a single bird because the chain saws are so loud. The trees are cut down illegally for firewood,” he says, shaking his head. Besides, developers clear the mangroves to make room for new buildings.

Karachi has a hot climate, and its concrete buildings and paved roads make it even hotter. Offshore, there are islands where mangroves grow. They could be the key to slowing climate change. Mangrove forests pull carbon dioxide out of the air, holding four times as much of the planet-warming gas as other forests can. They support diverse ecosystems. As sea levels rise with global warming, the trees could play a big role in protecting coastal cities like Karachi from flooding. Karachi’s mangroves are disappearing. But its numbers are rising in other parts of Pakistan. With replanting efforts, the country has tripled (三倍于) its mangrove coverage over the past 30 years.

Qaiser’s work may have worked. Recently, a court in Karachi declared Bundal Island’s mangroves to be protected forests. But unforested parts of the island remain unprotected, and developers want to build there. City officials say this could provide much-needed housing and bring in billions of dollars. They claim that some of that money could be used to plant mangroves in other parts of Pakistan.

Ecologist Rafiul Haq appreciates Qaiser’s “extraordinary work” educating the public about mangroves. But he wishes Qaiser would look at the bigger picture. Only 7% of Pakistan’s mangroves are in Karachi, Haq says. He thinks it’s wrong “to focus on the losses in 7% of the country while ignoring the success in 93%” of it. But Qaiser believes it’s important to protect every bit.

1. What can we say about Karachi’s mangroves?

A．They’re eating into the building land.	B．They’re suffering serious illegal-cutting.
C．They’re mainly being used as firewood.	D．They’re attracting different kinds of birds.

2. What does paragraph 2 mainly talk about concerning mangrove trees?

A．Their different birthplaces.	B．Their huge diversity.
C．Their bonds with nature.	D．Their rapid growth.

3. What do the Karachi officials want to do?

A．Grow mangroves somewhere else.	B．Build fences to protect mangroves.
C．Circle more mangrove reserves.	D．Use mangroves to make more money.

4. What does Haq think of Qaiser’s work on Karachi’s mangroves?

A．Fruitful.

B．Cost-effective.

C．Inconsistent.

D．One-sided.

4 . Reptiles, like snakes, lizards, and crocodiles are egg-laying animals. The species are cold-blooded, which means their bodies have the same temperature as the area around them. A recent report says that more than one-fifth of the world’s reptiles are at risk of going extinct.

The study, written by 52 scientists, is the first worldwide measurement of how threatened different species of reptiles are. For 15 years, between 2004 and 2019, researchers collected information on over 10,000 different kinds of reptiles. They gathered details from over 900 reptile experts around the world.

The report has revealed some unhappy news — 21% of all reptile species are in danger of extinction. That’s over 1,800 species in all. The study reported that at least 31 species of reptiles have already gone extinct. The main reason these reptiles are faced with extinction is that humans are taking over more and more of their natural habitats. More land continues to be cleared to make room for cities and towns. Large areas of land are also being cleared so that they can be used as farmland. Logging is another big threat to reptile habitats.

But even if reptiles aren’t considered lovely, they play a very important part in nature’s food chains. One service performed by reptiles humans should appreciate is that they are natural enemies to certain pests, like insects and rats, and therefore helping control their numbers.

Scientists say the good news is that we know what must be done to protect reptiles. Bruce Young, one of the leaders of the research, says, “We have all the tools we need. Protecting natural areas, especially rainforests, is at the top of the list. Studies show that saving natural areas doesn’t just protect mammals or birds, but all kinds of animals, including reptiles.”

1. What can we know about reptiles from the report?

A．There are over 10,000 different kinds of reptiles worldwide.

B．Reptiles are cold-blooded egg-laying animals.

C．Over 20% of reptile species are at risk of dying out.

D．Temperature rising poses the greatest threat to reptiles.

2. What mainly caused the extinction of at least 31 reptile species?

A．Loss of habitats.	B．Human hunting.
C．More natural enemies.	D．Environmental pollution.

3. What does the author think of reptiles?

A．Attractive.	B．Intelligent.
C．Beneficial.	D．Dangerous.

4. What does Bruce think is the most important in reptile protection?

A．Improving breeding methods.	B．Developing new rainforests.
C．Strengthening cooperation.	D．Saving their natural habitats.

5 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Maria and Peter lived in a coastal city. The greatest pleasure in summer for them was to swim at their local beach after school. But one day they started to lose their enthusiasm for swimming in the waters. More often than not, they would find plastic bags thrown on the beach. Worse sill, as they swam in the water, some plastic bags would float around them and even stick to their legs when they walked to the shore.

They were upset and decided something needed to be done to stop the beautiful sea becoming consumed by waste.One weekend,Maria and Peter brought a big bag to the beach and determined to clean it up. Sweat streamed down from their forehead while they bent down and picked up the plastic bags. To their disappointment, after a day’s hard work, there were still many plastic bags lying on the beach or floating in the water. Going home with aching legs and arms, Maria and Peter were almost defeated by a strong sense of failure.

That night over dinner with their parents, the pair ate silently. Noticing their low spirits, Mother asked gently, “You two looked so down. What happened?”Exchanging glances with Peter, Maria replied in a low voice,“It’s those annoying plastic bags. We tried to clean up but it was just impossible.”Understanding the pair’s disappointment, their father patted them on the back and comforted,”Well, it’s really hard for just two of you to fix such a big problem.”“Just two of us.”complained Maria and Peter, looking at each other.Suddenly, an idea lashed through their minds, their eyes shining with excitement.“Yes,that’s the point! We should make more people aware of the problem and encourage them to take action!” the pair said in chorus.

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。

Quickly finishing their dinner, the pair went upstairs and started planning.

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Excited and nervous, they posted the video and article on WeChat.

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6 . “I like pigs,” Winston Churchill supposedly once said. “Dogs look up at us, cats look down on us, but pigs treat us as equals.” Whether Churchill’s contemporary George Orwell also liked pigs is less clear. But he, too, surely saw something in them that was lacking in other domestic beasts, for it was they who ended up running the show in novel Animal Farm. Pigs, then, are intelligent social creatures.

And, like all animals, they sometimes fight. A study just published in Animal Cognition by Ivan Norscia, a biological anthropologist at the University of Turin, in Italy, and his colleagues, looked at how a group of 104 domestic pigs went about resolving such incidents. In total, Dr. Norscia and his team studied the details of 216 pig conflicts over the course of six months.

Some pigs tend to be attackers; others tend to be victims. Who is what depends largely on weight, for, among pigs pounds mean power. The attacker might bite, kick, bump or lift the victim (or string together a sequence of those actions). Most conflicts ended in seconds, but some lasted a minute or two.

In most animal species that would be that. However, many of the pig conflicts Dr. Norscia observed had interested parties beyond the protagonists (主角). He therefore wanted to understand the role of these bystanders in resolving fights —and what this says about pigs’ cognitive (认知) abilities.

Since there was usually not enough time for a bystander pig to intervene during the heat of a conflict (though this did occur), he and his colleagues looked at what happened in the three minutes directly following an aggressive interaction. Sometimes, they found, the protagonists made up on their own —for instance, by touching noses.

On other occasions, though, a third pig stepped in. Sometimes this bystander acted as a peacemaker, engaging with the attacker and reducing the number of subsequent attacks compared with what might otherwise have been expected. Sometimes, by contrast, the bystander engaged with the victim. This appeared to calm the victim down, for it reduced anxiety-related behavior such as shaking and scratching.

1. Why does the author mention Winston Churchill in the first paragraph?

A．To prove pigs are clever.	B．To show pigs are inspirational.
C．To state Churchill loves pigs.	D．To introduce the topic of the text.

2. What probably decides on the pigs’ roles in pig conflict?

A．Their ages.	B．Their weight.
C．Their safety needs.	D．Their cognitive abilities.

3. Why did Ivan Norscia and his colleagues conduct the study?

A．To comprehend the role of bystanders in conflict resolution.

B．To figure out the relationship between pigs.

C．To record the details of 216 pig conflicts.

D．To find out the reason for pigs’ conflicts.

4. How will the bystander interact with the victim after a fight?

A．By shaking it.	B．By touching its nose.
C．By scratching its back.	D．By offering comfort to it.

7 . 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 Grand Canal is the longest and     1     (old) canal in the world. It forms a vast inland waterway system in China, running from the capital Beijing in the north     2     Zhejiang Province in the south.

    3     (construct) in sections from the 5th century BCE and completed and maintained by several     4     (dynasty), it formed the backbone of China’s inland communications system, which enabled the supply of rice     5     (feed) the population. The Grand Canal reached a new peak in the 13th century, providing an inland shipping network consisting of more than 2,000 km of artificial waterways,     6     linked five of the most important river basins in China, including the Huanghe River and the Changjiang River. Still     7     major means of internal communication today, it     8     (play) an important role in ensuring the prosperity(繁荣) and stability of China over the ages.

The Grand Canal bears witness to a remarkable and early development of hydraulic engineering(水利工程). It is an essential technological achievement     9     (date) from before the Industrial Revolution. It is a perfect example of dealing with difficult natural conditions, as is reflected in the many constructions that are     10     (full) adapted to the diversity and complexity of circumstances. It best demonstrates the technical capabilities of Eastern civilizations.

8 . A flower festival is an event during which many types of flowers are shown to the public. In some cases, a flower festival may be a small event attended by local people who grow plants as a hobby.

    1     They may attract large numbers of flower growers flower sellers and tourists.

Usually, a flower festival takes place at a time of year when many types of flowers are fully open.     2     In this case, the organizers must make sure that the event is scheduled during the right time of year for that type.

Some festivals are arranged to encourage flower growers to grow certain types of plants. People are invited to show their flowers at the festival.     3     Prizes are given to those who grow the largest, most colorful or hardiest (最耐寒的) plants.

Besides competing for prizes, many flower growers show their plants in flower shows for business purposes. Some people use these events to win contracts with companies that buy large numbers of flowers. Some take the chance to market flowers to customers,     4     They put their newly created plants on show at these festivals.

    5     Local restaurants provide meals and drinks for attendees. Musicians and other entertainers (演艺人员) are sometimes hired to provide attendees with pleasure. Nearby hotels and shops are full of people. They all can make a lot of money from the event.

A．There will be competitions.

B．These flowers can be very expensive.

C．Other festivals are big international events.

D．Some festivals focus on a certain type of plant.

E．Some growers have created new types of flowers.

F．Usually, some flower festivals are held in the big parks.

G．Flower festivals can also encourage local economic (经济的) development.

9 . In the past 30 years, the non-profit organization Friends of Trees planted trees along the streets of Portland, Oregon. Now, a new study shows that each tree planted was connected with great reductions in non-accidental and cardiovascular (心管的) death.

Evidence pointing to a connection between exposure to nature and less death is obvious. Between 1990 and 2020, Friends of Trees planted 49,246 street trees. The research team looked at the number of trees planted in a given area in the past 5, 10 or 15 years. They connected this information with death due to cardiovascular, respiratory (呼吸的) or non-accidental causes in that same area, using data from the Oregon Health Authority. The results show that in neighborhoods in which more trees had been planted, death rates were lower. This negative connection was significant for cardiovascular and non-accidental death rate, particularly for males and people over the age of 65.

Furthermore, the connection got stronger as trees aged and grew: the reduction in death rate connected with trees planted 11-15 years before was double that observed with trees planted in the past 1-5 years. This means that older trees are connected with larger decreases in death and that protecting existing grown trees may be particularly important for public health.

This study doesn’t provide a direct opinion into how trees improve health. However, the finding that large trees have a greater health effect than smaller ones is obvious, because larger trees are better at absorbing air pollution, adjusting temperatures, and reducing noise.

“We observed the effect both in green and less green neighborhoods, which suggests street tree planting benefits both,” says Geoffrey H. Donovan, first author of the study. “Besides, the benefits of tree planting is greatly more valuable than the cost. Our results provide an important evidence for clear interventions (e.g., planting trees) to increase the lifetime of urban people,” adds Donovan.

1. How long did Friends of Trees spend planting 49,246 street trees?

A．About 5 years.

B．About 10 years.

C．About 15 years.

D．About 30 years.

2. What can we learn from the research?

A．Women gain no benefit from trees.

B．Trees can improve health in various ways.

C．Older trees contribute more to public health.

D．Trees grow well in green and less green communities.

3. What does Donovan mean in the last paragraph?

A．We should get close to nature.	B．We should protect older trees.
C．We should plant more street trees.	D．We should join the Friends of Trees.

4. How does the author mainly develop the topic of the text?

A．By listing numbers.	B．By showing results.
C．By describing processes.	D．By making comparisons.

10 . Given the extremely unpleasant heatwaves of this summer, being green and good to the planet feels more urgent than ever. The actions of our governments and cities, who have the power to make a great dent in the climate crisis, are important.

Now, there are plenty of cities that are still failing to effectively take action in the climate emergency. But others are becoming successful quickly—like, for instance, the winners of two of the European Union’s most famous green cities awards: European Green Capital and European Green Leaf.

Both of the awards recognize not just what the green—stuffed cities have already achieved, but also what they’ve got planned for the future. There’s only one European Green Capital winner per year, while the yearly European Green Leaf recognizes the environmental achievements of two smaller EU cities.

And now the winners of those two awards have finally been announced. European Green Capital in 2024 will be Valencia in southern Spain, which defeated the Sardinian city of Cagliari in the final.

Valencia says proudly Turia park—the largest urban（城市的）park in Europe—has obviously increased its green infrastructure（基础设施）polices in recent years. As well as being Green Capital 2024, Valencia will take home £350,000 to put towards green policies. (2023’s winner is Tallinn, Estonia)

The Green Leaf award, meanwhile, has been won by the Danish city of Elsinore and Velenje, the fifth—largest city in Slovenia. The two winners of the Green Leaf will get £75,000 to fund local green efforts.

For the separate awards, each city had to present their ideas to a judging group. The winners were announced at a ceremony in Grenoble (this year’s European Green Capital) last week.

So even if you don’t care about EU medals. it’s very much worth visiting all these cities to find out all the cool stuff they’re doing to save the world, hit by hit.

1. What does the underlined word “dent” probably mean in Paragraph 1?

A．Progress.

B．Damage.

C．Ambition.

D．Effect.

2. How many green city award winners are mentioned in the passage?

A．Three.

B．Four.

C．Five.

D．Six.

3. What must every city do to win the awards?

A．Build an urban park.	B．Donate to green efforts.
C．Predict weather accurately.	D．Demonstrate their ideas.

4. What does the author suggest doing in the end?

A．Being calm.	B．Cooling the world.
C．Paying attention to medals.	D．Calling at the green cities.