1 . Lately, I have been struggling to connect with my dad because our conversations have seemed unimportant to him. In a half-hearted attempt to find something that
“Did Mom tell you I got a bunny?” It was a strange question. To my surprise, my dad’s
I shouldn’t be
A few months later, I came prepared with more photos and videos of Jay on my laptop so my dad could see them more
Our love for animals is the
| A．connects | B．comforts | C．inspires | D．interests |
| A．gifts | B．photos | C．videos | D．posters |
| A．spirits | B．feelings | C．eyes | D．hands |
| A．point at | B．glance at | C．go over | D．watch over |
| A．unexpected | B．unfinished | C．unimportant | D．unsuccessful |
| A．disappointed | B．annoyed | C．satisfied | D．surprised |
| A．chat | B．routine | C．bridge | D．fog |
| A．Plus | B．Thus | C．Meanwhile | D．Instead |
| A．Respecting | B．Loving | C．Researching | D．Catching |
| A．easily | B．gradually | C．patiently | D．quickly |
| A．pleased | B．ashamed | C．worried | D．discouraged |
| A．cheered | B．stood | C．gave | D．looked |
| A．trick | B．privilege | C．bond | D．routine |
| A．need | B．help | C．harm | D．chance |
| A．hope | B．joy | C．success | D．freedom |
2 . It’s a sweet moment, as a chimp reaches up to kiss his mother’s face. The touching photo was taken by the famous conservationist and activist Jane Goodall in 1993 in Gombe National Park in northwest Tanzania where she has studied chimpanzees for more than six decades.
The image is part of Vital Impacts consisting of a group of 100 photographers. The women-led non-profit was founded by award-winning photographer Ami Vitale and visual journalist Eileen Mignoni. They are selling fine arts images, most of which focus on wildlife and nature, with earnings benefiting conservation organizations including Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots and Shoots program.
“Our purpose is to use photography to create awareness and understanding; to help us see that the survival of the planet is closely connected with our own survival. As photographers, we have a huge opportunity to inform and influence change, but pressing the shutter (快门) is just the start,” Vitale said.
“For an image to have significance, it needs to reach people. To this end, we are working to get the photographs of Vital Impacts photographers and our students into high-profile media and exhibitions around the world.”
The organization gives special attention to photographers who are committed to the planet. Funds will be used to support global conservation and environmental initiatives and the group will offer two $20,000 environmental storytelling awards.
Vital Impacts has raised more than $1.5 million from the sale of fine art prints since the organization was set up in late 2021. Some of its profits were donated to the organization Direct Relief, which shipped more than 1,400 tons of medical supplies value d at $545 million to support 351 healthcare equipment in disaster zones. Other profits were able to provide fuel and vehicle assistance to support wildlife corridors (廊道), a monitoring program, and the restoration of the Snake River in the Pacific Northwest.
1. How did the author begin the text?| A．By sharing an image. | B．By introducing Jane Goodall’s hobby. |
| C．By recalling sweet memories. | D．By describing chimps’ unusual behavior. |
| A．To help non-profits in the world. | B．To call on people to donate. |
| C．To sell images to benefit conservation. | D．To pick out excellent photographers. |
| A．Those who love nature. |
| B．Those who are award winners. |
| C．Those who mainly take photos of animals. |
| D．Those who are devoted to the environment. |
| A．Its funds. | B．Its sponsor. | C．Its contributions. | D．Its future plan. |
3 . Dogs and humans clearly have a special bond. But do dogs, like humans, produce more tears at times when they are flooded with emotion? A new study, which may be the first to look at this question, says that, indeed, the eyes of dogs do well up with tears. In fact, it happens regularly when they’re reunited (团聚) with the owners.
“We found that dogs produce tears associated with positive emotions,” says Takefumi Kikusui of Azabu University in Japan. “We also made the discovery of a chemical, oxytocin, as a possible mechanism (机制) behind it.”
Kikusui and his colleagues made the discovery after one of his two dogs had babies 6 years ago. He noticed that, when his dog was nursing the babies, something changed in the dog’s face — there were tears. Those tears don’t fall as they often do in humans but they do get teary eyes. “That gave me the idea that oxytocin is likely to increase tears,” Kikusui says.
They decided to run a reunification experiment and see if oxytocin brought dogs to tears. First, they used a standard test to measure dogs’ tear volume (量) before and after reuniting with their owners. They found that tear volume indeed ascended when they got back together with the familiar human and not with a person they didn’t know. When they added oxytocin to the dogs’ eyes, their tear volume also increased. That finding supports the idea that the release of oxytocin plays a role in tear production when dogs and their owners get back together. They also asked people to rate pictures of dogs’ faces with and without artificial tears in them, and it turned out that people gave more positive responses when they saw dogs with teary eyes. These findings suggest that dogs’ tear production helps to develop stronger connections between people and their dogs.
Kikusui says they had never heard of the discovery that animals produce tears in joyful situations, such as reuniting with their owners, and that they were all excited that this would be a world first!
1. What’s the author’s purpose in raising the question in the first paragraph?| A．To compare different ideas. |
| B．To express his personal doubt. |
| C．To lead in the topic for discussion. |
| D．To introduce the rich emotions of dogs. |
| A．A lesson at university. | B．An experience of his own. |
| C．The interaction with a dog. | D．A reminder from his colleagues. |
| A．remained unchanged | B．rose |
| C．became zero | D．decreased |
| A．came as a big surprise | B．required further evidence |
| C．were within their expectation | D．were contrary to previous ones |
4 . At Bamfield, a coastal community in British Columbia, Canada, 84-year-old Louis Druehl is guiding the Kelp Express along the shore. For 51 years, the boat has taken him to Kelp Bay. There, ropes of seaweed are growing beneath the water’s surface. Seaweed is Druehl’s life.
People think of forests as the best protection against climate change.
Seaweed might fight climate change. But it isn’t without its risks. If it isn’t harvested, it can rot and put carbon back into the air or water. Growing too much of it can also affect the amount of light that reaches species living deeper in the water.
| A．But some researchers say seaweed is a better way. |
| B．That will be dangerous for underwater ecosystems. |
| C．Seaweed can also become a key global food source. |
| D．When the seaweed plants die, they will be burned for fuel. |
| E．In the past 10 years, global seaweed production has doubled. |
| F．He has studied, farmed, cooked it, and written a book about it. |
| G．Trees make a big difference to the improvement of the environment. |
5 . The Greek historian Herodotus is said to have made one of the earliest lists of Seven Wonders of the World. These were man-made structures, including the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. More recent times saw natural alternatives to these wonders of classical architecture proposed: waterfalls, mountains, canyons, reefs. Dramatic landscapes, features and wildlife, and the pleasure and excitement they offer to visitors, are basics of tourism.
As environmental consciousness has risen, attitudes to such sightseeing have changed. Yes, it is exciting to visit remote forests or spot rare species. But travelling to distant destinations is carbon-intensive (碳密集的) when flights or long road journeys are involved, and conservation can be made more difficult as well as assisted by sightseers. There is a balance to be struck, and some governments and businesses around the world try to increase the benefits while reducing the harm. Colombia, for example, recently introduced laws aimed at promoting sustainable tourism. Based on this, its economy got prosperous (繁荣的) as well as the tourism.
Most of us understand better than ever that there are costs as well as benefits associated with exploring. One of the commitments made by an environmental campaign launched last month, “The Jump”, is to “holiday local”, taking short flights once every 3 years and long flights very rarely. Fortunately, the UK’s 15 national parks, 86 areas of outstanding natural beauty, and countless other landscapes that are without formal status, but still beloved, mean that there is no shortage of special places for domestic nature tourists to visit, while a lot of European beauty spots are accessible by rail.
One recent survey found that Windsor Great Park and Kew have become Britain’s most popular attractions. Visitor numbers at wildlife trusts are high, with waiting lists for beaver-spotting. Some companies that formerly ran foreign trips have adapted to the pandemic by taking people to watch dolphins and other marine life off British coasts instead.
As we face an environmental emergency that grows ever more dangerous, it is essential to develop appreciation for nature that surrounds us. In a small way, holiday outings to watch dragonflies, kingfishers or seals, or be surrounded by trees that are coming into leaf, could help us to focus on what matters.
1. Why are the lists of Seven Wonders mentioned?| A．To bring natural wonders into focus. |
| B．To show changes in architectural styles. |
| C．To reveal the rising popularity of tourism. |
| D．To compare historic and modern structures. |
| A．It made efforts to conserve rare species. |
| B．It banned sightseers from going to remote forests. |
| C．It introduced laws to increase the income of tourism. |
| D．It tried to make its tourism develop healthily and stably. |
| A．Relaxed. | B．Doubtful. | C．Critical. | D．Optimistic. |
| A．Nature tourism: “travel local” |
| B．Discovery of European beauty spots |
| C．International tourism: wait before setting out |
| D．Sightseeing leads to environmental emergency |
6 . Ricochet, San Diego’s favourite surfing therapy (治疗) dog, has caught her final wave. The 15-year-old golden retriever — a pioneer of canine-assisted (犬只辅助的) surf therapy who helped countless veterans (老兵) and kids — died on Friday, owner Judy Fridono said Saturday.
Ricochet was raised to be a service dog, but the energetic pup was more fond of chasing birds than assisting with household chores. In 2009, the dog found her career. That was the year Ricochet got on a surfboard with local quadriplegic (四肢瘫痪的) surfer Patrick Ivison. A viral video of the encounter got more than 6 million views on YouTube. “That day she hopped on the board with Patrick, she was reborn,” Fridono said in a 2012 interview.
Throughout her life, the beloved dog touched the lives of kids with special needs, wounded service members and families of fallen veterans. Ricochet was known as an affectionate companion and a shameless belly-rub beggar and had a feeling for people who needed a hug.
Notably, the furry do-gooder helped raise $ 1 million for charity and the donation of more than 1 million bowls of food for homeless animals.
Her work brought numerous awards, media attention and a loyal fan base on social media. The dog had more than 141,000 followers on Instagram and more than 270,000 on Facebook.
Ricochet’s legacy (遗产) will live on through the sponsorship of Jose Martinez, an Army veteran and parasurfer, and through donations to adaptive surfing organizations. “People believe in Ricochet’s mission… she didn’t do it alone,” Fridon o said. “Her supporters are an extension of her legacy and her roots in helping others heal through dog intervention and therapy. Now that she’s gone, I don’t want people to be sad. I want them to celebrate and continue supporting what she started.”
1. What was Ricochet’s career?| A．Canine-assisted surf therapy. | B．Assisting with household chores. |
| C．Bird catching. | D．Working as a service dog. |
| A．Brave but lazy. | B．Naughty but caring. |
| C．Cute and handsome. | D．Fierce and strong. |
| A．The contribution of Ricochet. | B．Social media’s influence on Ricochet. |
| C．Recochet’s popularity. | D．Donations to the homeless animals. |
| A．In a diary. | B．In a textbook. |
| C．In a newspaper. | D．In a guidebook. |
Gardeners usually spend much time thinking about insects. They find
Now, a new database, DoPI, may help change the situation. It covers publications and data sets
The database isn’t just
On the north bank of Fuxian Lake in Chengjiang County, Yunnan Province sits a straw-hat-shaped mountain
Scientists have obtained a large number of research results on Chengjiang Fossil Site. The reason why Chengjiang fauna (动物群) is
Up to now, more than 20 phyla and more than 280 species
The UNESCO evaluation says the Chengjiang Fossil Site is one of the
9 . The plastic value chain faces two key challenges: controlling plastic waste and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The chemical industry has a unique role to play in addressing these challenges. Cooperation between upstream and downstream partners is essential to develop solutions that reduce plastic pollution and emissions in plastic production. SABIC(Saudi Basic Industries Corporation)is at the forefront of these efforts.
SABIC has set specific goals, including a commitment to achieve icarbon neutrality(碳中 和) by 2050. To realize this goal, the company has outlined a Carbon Neutrality Roadmap that focuses on five pathways: energy efficiency; renewable energy; electrification; carbon capture, usage and storage(CCUS); and green/blue hydrogen.
Recognizing the scale of the challenges, SABIC understands that progress cannot be made alone. The company actively cooperates through initiatives, such as the Low — Carbon Emitting Technologies(LCET) initiative, where chemical companies work together to accelerate the development of technology solutions for carbon neutrality.
Partnerships are also vital in addressing plastic waste. SABIC is a founding member of the Alliance(联盟) to End Plastic Waste, an organization that brings stakeholders(利益相关者) from across the value chain together to take collective action on the ground. The alliance works towards a future where plastic products never end up in landfills or oceans, but instead are reused or transformed into new products. SABIC is also actively involved in driving the transition from a linear to a circular carbon economy. As responsible plastic producers, SABIC recognizes the importance of offering sustainable materials to customers.
Although the chemical industry has made significant progress, there is still more work to do to achieve the goals. SABIC is already making progress on the complex, long—term effort required and will continue to partner with others to increase the solutions needed to push meaningful change.
1. What kind of difficulty is the plastic value chain faced with?| A．Exploring renewable energy. | B．Reducing plastic production. |
| C．Decreasing plastic pollution. | D．Achieving carbon neutrality. |
| A．Technology development. | B．Partners’ cooperation. |
| C．Carbon neutrality. | D．Sustainable development. |
| A．Fruitless | B．Predictable. | C．Frustrating. | D．Rewarding. |
| A．SABIC: A leader mapping the path forward. |
| B．SABIC: A leader solving the plastic pollution. |
| C．SABIC: A leader reducing greenhouse gas emission. |
| D．SABIC:A leader founding the plastic value chain. |
10 . Stages of a Hurricane: Simple Storms Grow Into Giants
A storm progresses through four different stages before it is actually considered a hurricane. First is a tropical (热带的) disturbance, which has thunderstorms and rotating (旋转的) winds. Next is a tropical depression (低气压), which is similar to a tropical disturbance, but has winds between 23 and 39 miles per hour. A tropical storm is the next level, which has stronger wind speeds between 40 and 73 miles per hour.
As a hurricane crosses over land, it begins to become weaker and reduce in strength.
At this point, a hurricane can still cause a lot of damage because of high winds, rain, and flooding, but unless it makes its way back over the open ocean, it is downgraded from a hurricane back to a tropical storm.
What’s Your Name, Hurricane?
Hurricanes and tropical storms are given names to help people recognize them.
There are six different lists of names that change.
| A．It is difficult to give hurricanes official names. |
| B．And the same names are used every six years. |
| C．During this period the hurricanes do not destroy things as usual. |
| D．Once winds reach 74 miles per hour, the storm is officially called a hurricane. |
| E．Scientists refer to hurricanes and storms by name as they track them across the ocean. |
| F．This is because it’s no longer over the warm ocean water where it needs for energy. |
| G．Today, the names alternate (交替) male and female, and they are named in the order of letters. |
