1 . It’s a historic moment for artificial intelligence (AI). Everyone is starting to see the business value of AI. It is being added to more and more things every year, and it is getting smarter and smarter—accelerating human innovation. Moreover, it also has the capability to save our planet from pollution and global warming.
AI in the future can be applied to thousands of issues affecting the environment. For example, using AI and data, researchers are able to identify patterns and monitor changes of land surfaces, such as decreasing sea area and ice caps, which can be used to determine future risks. AI can also be used to monitor pollution and other contributions to climate change.
AI is improving agriculture by collecting data and images alongside knowledge of crop diseases. Farmers hope to increase crop yields(产量) and reduce water requirements and pesticide usage.
AI can be used to protect oceans from illegal overfishing. Satellite data and data of ship movement are used in a machine learning algorithm (算法) called Global Fishing Watch which can be used to identify boats that are fishing illegally. This is protecting marine life and protecting over fished areas.
In the future, AI methods may create a digital dashboard (仪表板) for the planet, allowing us to monitor, model, foresee and manage environmental systems at a global scale. AI can be involved in everything from monitoring deforestation (毁林), CO2 levels, sea levels, wildlife movement, illegal activity, pollution, to predicting natural disasters better.
This approach needs to start now, because time is too short and resources are becoming too thin on a global scale. To achieve environmental gains AI and data are necessary. To achieve this, a global cooperation among research institutes, companies, industries, governments and charities must start for the best interest of our planet and future quality of life.
The possibilities are endless, Data, AI and humans can work together to create informative networks to protect the planet and bring it back from the edge of global warming.
1. What does the author try to do in paragraph 1?| A．Expect the future development of AI. |
| B．Lead in the topic to discuss in the text. |
| C．Point out the great business value of AI. |
| D．Inspire the readers’ interest in AI. |
| A．To predict the possible risks in the future. |
| B．To collect more data about the changing earth. |
| C．To monitor the levels of the land pollution. |
| D．To look for the main reason for climate change. |
| A．It can control people’s requirements for seawater. |
| B．It can identify where the large quantities of fish are. |
| C．It can discover the ships that are fishing illegally. |
| D．It can decrease the speed of rising ocean level. |
| A．Share the endless data with each other. |
| B．Try to make contributions to charities. |
| C．Take action to protect the earth with AI. |
| D．Cooperate to improve the quality of life. |
2 . A Magic Bunny — Rarer And Cuter Than A Panda
— From China Daily
An Ili Pika (鼠兔)has been spotted by a volunteer team in the mountain areas of Jinghe county, located in Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region. There are less than 1, 000 Ili Pikas left, making them rarer than giant pandas. In 2008, the animal was listed as endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The Ili Pika is a beautiful animal with generally bright coloration. It has big rusty-red spots on the forehead, the top of the head and the sides of the neck. The hair color behind the ears and on the neck is pale. Adults are more than 200 millimeters long. Resembling a rabbit and a mouse, the Ili Pika is endemic to Xinjiang and usually lives in the holes between bare rocks at an altitude of 2, 800m to 4, 000m. They are used to living on the extremely cold highlands and feeding on herbs like rhodiola (红景天)and snow lotus, found in Tianshan Mountains.
In July 1983, when Li Weidong was conducting fieldwork for the local health and epidemic prevention authority, he noticed a small creature. coming out of a gap between large rocks in the mountains in the Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture. Li, who was familiar with rodents (啮齿动物), was unable to discover any records relating to it. In 1986, the animal was recognized as a new species, so Li decided to call it the “Ili Pika” and devoted himself to its conservation. “Global warming has forced the animals to move further up the mountain. The size of their habitats has reduced by 70 percent. ”said Li. There are less than 1, 000 of these teddy bear-like creatures living in Tianshan mountain range in Xinjiang region of northwestern China. Unbelievably the cute mammal with a teddy bear face was rediscovered.
How could anyone turn down a face like that?
1. The following statements are not false except __________________.| A．The magic bunny goes viral (病毒性的) nowadays |
| B．Meet the animal that’s rarer and cuter than a panda |
| C．Ili Pika was listed as endangered in 2008 |
| D．A cute mammal with a teddy bear face was rediscovered definitely |
| A．particular | B．cute | C．magic | D．rare |
| A．He is a world-famous scientist. |
| B．He discovered Ili Kazak occasionally. |
| C．He recognized the creature as “Ili Pika”. |
| D．Ili Pika is a short-eared small mammal. |
| A．We could turn down Ili Pika. |
| B．We couldn’t refuse Ili Pika. |
| C．The face like that resembles a rabbit and a mouse. |
| D．Ili Pikahas been spotted in Jinghe county, Xinjiang. |
| A．Sunny. | B．Rainy. | C．Windy. |
4 . Have you ever wondered what your pet is thinking or feeling and what he is trying to tell you? If you answer “yes”, ways below may help to strengthen your bond and relationship with him.
Identify your pet’s vocalizations(发声).
Talk with your pet. Your pet may not exactly understand the words that you are saying.
Punish your pet properly. Verbally and physically punishments help correct his misbehaving. Punishment can make your pet fearful of you and possibly increase the trust and respect that he has for you.
| A．Have an eye on your pet’s posture. |
| B．He can at least pick up on the tone of your words. |
| C．Observe how your pet uses his eyes, ears and face. |
| D．Your pet is capable of making a number of different sounds. |
| E．He may scream when meeting other species for the first time. |
| F．The punishment fails to warn him that you do not approve of his behavior. |
| G．It is known that some cats do respect and bond with you after being punished. |
1. What is Nike launching?
| A．A new bag. |
| B．A new pair of shoes. |
| C．A new line of sportswear. |
| A．To increase profits. |
| B．To improve quality. |
| C．To be environmentally friendly. |
| A．10%. | B．50%. | C．100%. |
| A．Cautious. | B．Confident. | C．Anxious. |
6 . A sea of plastic is a disaster that we are currently facing. Our oceans are filled with plastic waste, and it is causing significant harm to marine life and the environment. The cause of this problem is the overuse of plastic in our daily lives, which is not being disposed (处置) of properly. Plastic waste is often thrown into the ocean, where it takes hundreds of years to decompose.
A recent study has shown that there are over 5 trillion pieces of plastic in the ocean, and this number is only increasing. This plastic waste is not only harming marine life, but it is also affecting human health. Fish that consume plastic are often caught and sold for human consumption, which means that we are also ingesting plastic.
To combat this problem, we need to reduce our use of plastic and properly dispose of it. We can start by using reusable bags, water bottles, and containers instead of single-use plastic. We can also recycle plastic waste and dispose of it properly to prevent it from ending up in the ocean.
Governments and businesses also need to take action to reduce plastic waste. They can implement (执行) policies and regulations to reduce the use of plastic and encourage recycling. Businesses can also switch to more sustainable packaging options to reduce their plastic waste.
In conclusion, a sea of plastic is a significant problem that we need to address urgently. By reducing our use of plastic and properly disposing of it, we can prevent further harm to the environment and marine life. It is time for us to take action and make a positive change for the future.
1. What worsens the plastic waste problem, according to paragraph 1?| A．The oceans are getting warmer and warmer. |
| B．The plastic is becoming cheaper to produce. |
| C．It turned out an issue that received little attention. |
| D．It takes several centuries for plastic waste to break down. |
| A．releasing | B．producing | C．swallowing | D．reducing |
| A．What the effects are of the plastic waste on humans. |
| B．What the three-Rs are to deal with the plastic waste problem. |
| C．What laws should be passed to deal with the plastic waste problem. |
| D．What individuals and society need do to solve the plastic waste problem. |
| A．It’s a call to action on it. | B．It’s an analysis of its cause. |
| C．It’s an introduction to a study on it. | D．It’s a warning of its consequences. |
China will soon ship a series of aids to three developing nations
“In moves to carry out its plan to increase South-South Cooperation on climate change, China will provide 5,000 sets of solar power generation systems for household use
A mobile ground system
It also said China will send six electric buses
“
“China has always strived, as its capacity allows, to help other developing nations enhance their capabilities on tackling climate change, ”the ministry stressed.
To date, China has reached numerous
8 . After a dolphin was found swimming alone in a creek (浅湾) in Florida, marine biologists formed a human chain to rescue it.
Dolphins typically travel in groups called a “school” or a “pod”, although solitary (独自的) dolphins are becoming more common. This can be a cause for concern because dolphins are naturally sociable creatures, so if they are isolated(孤立) from other dolphins, they may turn their attention to human interaction. This in turn can be dangerous, both for dolphins and humans.
Dolphins can become dependent on humans for food, and become less inclined to feed on their own. Additionally, dolphins that are used to human contact spend more time in shallow waters, which can lead to standings or boat crashes. Meanwhile, humans who get too close to dolphins can find themselves with injuries such as broken bones.
Therefore, after seeing that the dolphin had been alone in for a few days, and was near a residential area with potential for human disturbance, NOAA Fisheries Service decided to take action. Twenty-eight biologists from the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, NOAA and FWC came together to form a human chain, creating a barrier that would guide the dolphin out of the creek.
Rescue biologist Brittany Baldrica said, “The goal was to just be a barrier that was novel to the animal, so we wanted to create a physical barrier as well as an auditory (听觉的) barrier. We had somebody behind us that was banging on a boat, setting off their engine and then we were splashing water and moving forward towards the animal, so we were giving the animal the option to swim through the bridge on its own.”
The rescue was successful, with the dolphin making its way out of the creek.
1. Which of the following situations can make people worried?| A．More dolphins are becoming solitary. |
| B．Dolphins always live in groups. |
| C．Dolphins are becoming independent from humans. |
| D．Dolphins have no interaction with humans. |
| A．Being hunted by humans. | B．Becoming less cruel. |
| C．Relying on humans for food. | D．Staying in deep waters longer. |
| A．Offering human interaction to the dolphin. |
| B．Preventing the dolphin from running into boats. |
| C．Making the dolphin desire to move around. |
| D．Guiding the dolphin out of the shallow water. |
| A．The trouble the dolphin was in. | B．The people who rescued the dolphin. |
| C．The way the dolphin was rescued. | D．The meaning of rescuing the dolphin. |
1. What is Nike launching?
| A．A new bag. |
| B．A new pair of shoes. |
| C．A new line of sportswear. |
| A．To increase profits. |
| B．To improve quality. |
| C．To be environmentally friendly. |
| A．10%. | B．50%. | C．100%. |
| A．Cautious. | B．Confident. | C．Anxious. |
10 . When fireworks are lit in celebration of the New Year, wild birds often experience lasting harmful effects. An international team of researchers tracked Arctic migratory(迁移的) geese as they traveled in Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands over eight New Year periods to study the impacts of fireworks. Data from 347 geese showed that birds suddenly leave where they are sleeping on New Year’s Eve and fly farther away from where people are.
Geese’ lives were disturbed by the noise and flashes and these geese ended up resting two hours less and sometimes flying nonstop as far as 310 miles compared to the nights when there were no fireworks.
Geese spend their winter in Western Europe to escape extreme Arctic winters in their breeding grounds. Still, winters here are maybe not severely cold, but rather dark. As predators(食肉动物) are around in the dark, geese can only search for food in the light hours. During the night, they usually settle on small lakes to save energy and rest in relative safety. During New Year’s Eve, geese are heavily scared, as the fireworks sounds and flashing lights are unexpected to them and they view them as a threat to their life.
But their changed behavior didn’t end with the fireworks. The geese didn’t return to their original sleeping locations and spent more time searching for food to store energy for days after the celebrations ended.
The researchers hope that the findings will be used to improve fireworks management. They want to provide decision makers with real numbers to support their discussions. As already stated above, they suggest that some measures should be taken for geese to escape fireworks’ disturbance during New Year’s Eve—nationwide regulations regarding nature reserve areas and some centralization of fireworks displays, as well as lighting public fireworks in urban areas away from where the geese live.
1. What may the author think of the situation of geese during the New Year?| A．Worrying. | B．Promising. |
| C．Touching. | D．Amusing. |
| A．They enjoy flying in the dark. |
| B．They spend the winter in the Arctic. |
| C．They are terrified of fireworks. |
| D．They usually search for food at night. |
| A．Setting up goose parks in the city. |
| B．Banning fireworks during New Year’s Eve. |
| C．Persuading people into buying silent fireworks. |
| D．Setting off fireworks far from geese’ habitats. |
| A．Travel. | B．Nature. | C．Culture. | D．Education. |
