1 . The rainforests of Gabon are one of the last habitats for forest elephants, whose numbers in Central Africa have suffered a dramatic decline in recent decades because of hunting. Smaller than African plain elephants, forest elephants are mysterious beasts, feeding on grass and leaves and fruit. They walk softly, moving quietly among the trees, like ghosts in the night. They appear to plan their search for food, much like humans once planned their food gathering around seasons, returning to the same trees when the fruit is most likely to be ripe.

Just as the elephants depend on the forest to survive, many of Lope’s trees rely on elephants to spread their seeds through the animals’ waste. Some even produce fruit that cannot be digested by any other animals, suggesting an interdependence with origins deep in evolutionary history.

Despite being remote and relatively untouched by people, Lope National Park and its elephants appear to be in trouble. Researchers have discovered that Earth’s warming temperatures could be lowering the fruit yield of many species of trees at the park, which in turn seems to be causing forest elephants to go hungry. Because certain tree species depend on the animals to survive, the struggles of the elephant population could endanger the long-term sustainability(持续性) of the forest.

“Even in a place like Lope National Park, where we have very little human pressure and a very small population, wildlife cannot escape the impact of human activities—that being climate change,” says Robin Why tock, an environmental scientist at the University of Stirling in Scotland and one of the authors of a 2020 paper describing these findings in Science magazine.

1. What do forest elephants live on?

A．Grass, fruit and cabbage.	B．Grass, leaves and fruit.
C．Grass, leaves and bamboo.	D．Grass, leaves and vegetables.

2. How do many of Lope’s trees spread their seeds?

A．By bees.

B．By birds.

C．By wind.

D．By elephants’ waste.

3. What maybe the reason for forest elephants’ starvation?

A．Air pollution.	B．Water pollution.
C．Warmer temperatures.	D．Increasing elephant population.

4. What is Robin Why tock’s attitude towards wildlife?

A．Worried.

B．Satisfied.

C．In different.

D．Disappointed.

2 . 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。

Mountain gorillas, which are found in the forests of the Democratic Republic of Conga, Uganda and Rwanda,    1    (face) multiple threats to their survival over the last 120 years. Due to poaching(盗猎), habitat     2    (lose) and human-caused illnesses, there were only around 600    3    (leave) by 1989.

Today, that number has increased to more than 1000—thanks in part to the work of Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka.    4    Kalema-Zikusoka began her career with the Uganda Wildlife Authority in 1996, she treated mountain gorillas     5    (suffer) from a deadly illness which they had picked up from humans living in unsanitary (不卫生的) conditions near the forests. “I realized that you cannot protect the gorillas     6    improving the health of their human neighbours,”she says.

In 2003, she founded Conservation Through Public Health(CTPH),    7    addresses(处理) the physical and economic wellbeing of the local Batwa people who lived in the forest. The organization teaches hygiene, conservation awareness and     8    (provide) economic opportunities for families that would otherwise poach.

Kalema-Zikusoka, who last year received     9    United Nations Champion of the Earth Award, said: “We’re showing people that we don’t care only about wild animals and the forest. We also care about    10    

3 . I am drawn to the peace and pure beauty of primary nature. Being in it heightens my perceptions and narrows my focus. As I concentrate on the surroundings, an inner stillness fill me and helps mega in a sense of place. This was the case when I packed my camera equipment and explored some of Europe’s old-growth forests to highlight these unique environments that have remained untouched for centuries, despite threats of human disturbance.

The visits were often challenging because of unfavorable weather conditions and the distances I had to cover while going multiple times to the locations for a good picture. But the joy of the experience always prevailed. Hiking off trail through the foggy laurel forests of Madeira, I was enveloped by trees that may have been up to 800 years old and whose trunks provided me with shelter when clouds released a sudden down-pour. It felt like entering a holy space.

Wandering in the Scots pine forests of northern Sweden and the mountain tree lines of southern Norway rewarded me with the sense of freedom I always get in the Scandinavian wilderness. The beech (山毛榉) stands rising from the steep slopes of Italy kept me in awe of the power that forests protected from development can possess. I feel honoured that I was allowed access to explore and photograph these wonderlands.

Except Russia, only about 2 percent of the forest areas in Europe are primary, or have never been cleared, reflecting a dazzling richness of life that once filled vast wooded ecosystems. Most of the areas are now protected, but as the human population continues to grow—with disastrous impacts on the planet and its living creatures—the future of these forests is far from certain. I hope that they will still be standing for many centuries more.

1. Why does the author like to explore the forests in Europe?

A．To help protect the vast ecosystems.	B．To experience the beauty and peace.
C．To improve his skill of taking photos.	D．To enjoy the feeling of being challenged.

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

A．Won out.

B．Piled up.

C．Ran out.

D．Faded away.

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

A．Most forests in Europe are kept as what they were.

B．People have free access to these primary forests.

C．The increasing population causes the destruction of forests.

D．The author prefers the trees of Norway to the beech stands in Italy.

4. How does the author feel about the future of those primary forests?

A．Hopeful.

B．Concerned.

C．Uninterested.

D．Not clear.

4 . Humpback whales are superb singers with complex vocal performances that last for tens of minutes, often repeated for many hours. An album of their songs gained worldwide fame in the 1970s and is still the best-selling recording of nature sounds ever made.

Only male humpbacks sing, and all the singers in a wide sea area deliver the same songs in the same way during each year. But songs vary between populations. North Atlantic humpbacks, for example, sing different ones to those in the North Pacific. Songs also vary every year, sometimes slightly, sometimes with more radical shifts.

These song patterns allowed a team from the University of Queensland, Australia to see how precisely humpbacks in different geographical populations can match each other’s songs. Using seven years of recordings, the researchers took a deep dive into the details of six song types made by humpbacks from eastern Australia, which were learned a year later by whales around New Caledonia — an island group around 1,200 km away.

“We found they actually learned the exact sounds, without simplifying or leaving anything out,” says Jenny Allen, who led the study. “Each year we observed them, they sang a different song, so it means humpback whales can learn an entire song pattern from another population very quickly, even if it’s complex or difficult.”

Such copying is remarkable — a bit like a human hearing opera, then singing it back perfectly. It also suggests cultural sharing. Songs are likely being learned on migration routes or at feeding grounds.

1. Why does the author mention the album of whales’ songs?

A．To stress how popular it is.

B．To show humpbacks can sing for long.

C．To prove how well humpbacks can sing.

D．To explain the necessity of whale research.

2. What can we know about humpbacks from Paragraph 2?

A．Females sing the same songs with males.

B．They change their songs during each year.

C．They produce the exact same songs every year.

D．Their singing patterns among groups are distinct.

3. What is the research finding about humpbacks?

A．They learn a song quickly when it is easy.

B．They can sing an opera perfectly as humans.

C．Different groups keep their songs to their own.

D．They can learn a song from another group accurately.

5 . After wildfire store through Australia this year (and many other years), Dr Alexandra Car they from Macquarie University came up with the idea of cardboard homes for wildlife, giving them a fighting chance of survival after wildfires.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) ran an innovation challenge in order to restore species and landscapes, help them adapt to a changing climate and regenerate Australia after burning flames (火焰) spread across much of the habitat. Funding from WWF will enable field trials of this unique idea of cardboard habitats for wildlife.

“Bushfires destroy vegetation where small animals hide,” Car they told WWF. “Raptors (猛禽) arrive within minutes after a fire, while foxes can travel many kilometres towards fires because they know the hunting will be excellent. They come in and kill our native animals who have little place to hide on a burnt landscape.”

The cardboard shelters are six-sided pyramids (金字塔形的物体), 60cm wide on each side and 60cmt all. They can be flat-packed, allowing for easy transportation from the factory to the wilderness. They have been designed as a safe house for wildlife such as possums, bush rats and reptiles, as well as smaller creatures such as insects. These shelters are biodegradable (可生物降解的), with holes that allow light in so that vegetation can regenerate and eventually take over the site.

While environmentalists have always placed makeshift shelters in the form of logs and chicken wire (铁丝网) structures, the solutions involve dragging heavy things around, damaging fire grounds and preventing bush regeneration.

This initiative could also be used in South Africa, where many bird species are badly affected by fires.

1. What is a purpose of WWF’s innovation challenge in Australia?

A．To protect natural habitats from being taken up.

B．To prevent wildfires from happening.

C．To increase wildlife population.

D．To raise the public’s awareness about climate change.

2. How might wildfires affect small animals according to Carthey?

A．They expose them to hunting animals.	B．They take their lives with burning flames.
C．They force them to travel far to find food.	D．They make their habitats too hot to live in.

3. Why do the cardboard homes have holes?

A．To draw animals’ attention.	B．To assist with plant growth.
C．To enable small insects to climb in.	D．To let air in for animals to breathe.

4. What is a problem with traditional makeshift shelters?

A．They have a short life.	B．They are non-biodegradable.
C．They look too obvious in the wild.	D．They are inconvenient to carry around.

6 . In all of the Jurassic Park movies, dinosaurs (恐龙) are the stars of the show. The way the dinosaurs look and move is amazing — they seem so real. But dinosaurs haven’t lived on our planet for the last 65 million years. So how do filmmakers bring them to life? They ask paleontologists (古生物学家) for help.

Paleontologist Tyler Lyson has been interested in dinosaurs since he was a child. He grew up in the countryside in the western United States and found his first dinosaur fossil (化石) when he was only six years old. Lyson says the best way to learn about dinosaurs is to look at fossils. Fossils and footprints help scientists understand how dinosaurs looked, moved, and lived.

Filmmakers use fossils and other research from paleontologists to build dinosaurs for their movies. But they also have to imagine. The dinosaur builders have to decide what color the dinosaurs are, what patterns (图案) the dinosaurs have, how long their tails are...

Another very important thing that helps bring dinosaurs to life is the computer. After dinosaur builders make dinosaur models, they put pictures of them into a computer, and then use CGI — computer-generated imagery (计算机生成影像) to make them move. Filmmakers have used CGI for all the dinosaurs in the Jurassic Park movies.

Paleontologists still have a lot of questions about dinosaurs. What did they sound like? How did they look for food? What did they eat? The answers to these questions will help filmmakers create even more realistic dinosaurs than ever before.

1. What does the underlined word “them” in Paragraph 1 refer to?

A．The Jurassic Park movies.	B．Paleontologists.
C．The last 65 million years.	D．Dinosaurs.

2. What does Lyson think is the best way to learn about dinosaurs?

A．Reading books.	B．Looking at fossils.
C．Watching movies.	D．Going to the countryside.

3. What’s Paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．Why CGI is popular.	B．Why filmmakers build dinosaurs.
C．How dinosaur models are brought to life.	D．What questions paleontologists still have.

4. What can we know from the passage?

A．Lyson’s interesting dinosaurs started young.

B．Some paleontologists also make dinosaur movies.

C．Dinosaurs appeared on our planet 65 million years ago.

D．Paleontologists already know what dinosaurs sounded like.

7 . 角色扮演
情景介绍：角色：你是Ella。
任务：(1)与朋友Andy谈论关于大象的话题;
(2)根据对话内容，回答问题。
生词：continent大陆
下面请用英语提出三个问题。每个问题有20秒的准备时间。当你听见“滴”声时，开始提问。

Now please ask the speaker three questions. You have twenty seconds to prepare the question. When you hear a beep, begin to ask the question.

1. 你之前在哪里研究过大象?
__________________________________
2. 你关于大象的书什么时候出版?
__________________________________
3. 关于大象你还能教我什么?
__________________________________
下面听录音提问，用英语回答五个问题。
Now please get ready to answer five questions in English.
4. What are the two types of elephants on Earth?
__________________________________
5. What emotions have scientists seen elephants show?
__________________________________
6. Where do the majority of the world’s elephants live?
__________________________________
7. How long has Andy been studying elephants?
__________________________________
8. How much food do elephant seat per day?
__________________________________

8 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

A group of big elephants rush down a river and towards a man.     1    (obvious) these elephants seem happy when rushing towards the man,     2    greets them with loud shouts. Then the elephants surround the man, with their cars shaking and long noses raised.

This scene is from     3    video recently shared online with words “Elephants reunite with their caretaker 14 months after separation.” Their caretaker is Darrick Thomson, a former Toronto fireman who has now devoted his life to the     4    (protect) of elephants in a sanctuary (禁猎区) in northern Thailand. The sanctuary,     5    (lie) in Elephant Nature Park, is where many rescued elephants live. Thomson describes the park     6    a “space where they can live and live forever, and it allows elephants     7    (grow) as humans’    8    (family).”

The scene in the video took place because Thomson     9    (return) to Canada to look after his sick father. And when he came back after months of separation, he felt especially touched that he     10    (welcome) by his elephants. This does show the elephants’ love for Thomson and also his love for the elephants.

9 . Although a few recreational snowmobilers (驾驶摩托雪橇者) destroy ecosystems as they ride through the wilderness, most snowmobilers love and respect America’s natural heritage. That’s why they brave the cold to explore what is left of wild America — including Yellowstone National Park. Unfortunately these snowmobilers are unconsciously damaging what they love. Because snowmobiles in the park not only create both air and noise pollution but also strains (使紧张) the already tight budget of the park service, recreational snowmobiles should be banned from Yellowstone National Park.

It may be hard to imagine that about 1,000 snowmobiles a day could lead to air pollution in a park half the size of Connecticut, but in fact they can. In addition to polluting the air, snowmobiles are noisy, disturbing the peace and silence that park visitors have a right to expect. One study reports that twelve snowmobiles traveling together could be heard as far as two miles away. Such noise affects the park’s wildlife.

Funds that should be used to preserve Yellowstone National Park and its wildlife have been used to deal with the snowmobile issue. Also, park rangers are spending an increasing amount of their valuable time policing snowmobilers, which takes away from park rangers’ primary responsibility—preserving this country’s treasured natural resources.

Opponents of a ban argue that a central mission of the park service is to provide access to national parks. Admittedly, winter access is important, but ordinary people can enjoy the park by means other than snowmobiles. Also, the park service’s mission is not just to provide access to the parks; no less important is its mission to preserve the parks’ pristine natural resources for future generations.

Even with a ban on snowmobiling in the park itself, the Yellowstone area would still earn the title of Snowmobiling Capital of America. All of the streets of West Yellowstone, the area’s major town, are open to snowmobilers, and many trails run out of the town. As to Yellowstone National Park, a ban on snowmobiles would allow the park service to devote more of its limited resources to one of its primary missions: the protection of natural resources. Visitors would still be able to appreciate Yellowstone’s beauty— its geysers, its wildlife, and its snow-covered vistas —throughout the park’s long winter.

1. What can we learn about most snowmobilers from paragraph 1?

A．They enjoy winter adventures.	B．They try to reduce water pollution.
C．They make a lot of money by snowmobiling.	D．They have destroyed the hottest snowmobling spot.

2. What does paragraph 2 mainly talk about?

A．Effects of air pollution.	B．Measures of wildlife protection.
C．Rights expected by visitors.	D．Problems caused by snowmobiles.

3. What is the primary responsibility of park rangers?

A．Solving snowmobile issues.	B．Providing access to the park.
C．Protecting natural resources.	D．Collecting funds for the park.

4. Which is the most suitable title for the text?

A．Preserving Yellowstone’s winter wilderness

B．Solving financial problems of national parks

C．Improving the service of Yellowstone National Park

D．Exploring popular snowmobile destinations this winter

10 . A couple has completed a tiring 4,500-mile bike ride around Europe in the shape of an enormous bicycle, in a creative attempt to promote sustainable travel.

Accompanied by their dog Zola, David Smith, 35, and Arianna Saraghi, 40, rode through seven countries to create the striking image, motivated by their desire to raise awareness about climate change. After completing their 7237-kilometer journey earlier this week, the pair said they had narrowly beaten the Guinness World Record for the largest GPS drawing made by any mode of transport.

They are also, unsurprisingly, confident that they have traced the biggest ever GPS bicycle, estimating that theirs is roughly 600 miles wide. “Being able to see it on^ the map is mainly a relief,” Ms Saraghi said after recounting the problems they had along the way.

They initially set off in the summer of 2019, armed with a computer-designed route which they had followed to avoid cycling through Paris’Charles de Gaulle Airport. However, they were forced to stop after Ms Saraghi sustained a knee injury.

The Anglo-Italian couple tried again that winter, before giving up because it was too cold to camp. The Covid-19 pandemic then delayed the trip’s completion by another two years. “We had so many obstacles. When we started this time we were thinking—what can go wrong this time? We felt we had let people down by not completing it, and our life felt kind of stuck. So we’re very happy,” Ms Saraghi said.

The pair said they want people who see the GPS image to consider cycling shorter journeys rather than choosing to drive. “Cycling is cheaper, it’s healthy, it’s fun, and it’s often pretty fast. Please give it a second and consider if there is an alternative to the car- there may not be, but often there is,” Mr Smith told The Independent. The 35-year-old added that they also hope politicians, who come across their GPS bicycle are motivated to improve cycling infrastructure (基础设施) to encourage the public to travel sustainably where possible.

1. What was the purpose of the couple’s bike ride?

A．To enjoy a journey with their dog.

B．To encourage green travel on bikes.

C．To give warnings on climate change.

D．To create a striking means of transport.

2. What does the couple think of their journey?

A．Long and comfortable.	B．Creative and inspiring.
C．Relaxing and relieving.	D．Challenging and profitable.

3. Why do the couple feel happy?

A．They successfully improved public facilities.

B．They let people down due to many obstacles.

C．They realized the dream of changing their life.

D．They finally meet the expectation of the public.

4. Which of the following would the couple agree with?

A．In many cases cycling can be an alternative to driving.

B．The GPS bicycle can inspire people to give up driving.

C．Better urban infrastructure prevents sustainable travel.

D．Cycling is cheaper, funnier and faster than driving a car.