1 . A new study warns that more than a fifth of all reptile (爬行动物) species are threatened with extinction, which may have a bad impact on the planet.

The largest ever analysis of the state of the world’s reptiles, published in Nature, has showed that 21% of the reptile species are facing extinction. The study says from lizards to snakes, such a loss could have disastrous impacts on ecosystems around the world.

Although many reptiles live in dry environments such as deserts, most species occur in forests, where they suffer from threats such as logging of land for agriculture.30% of the forest-dwelling reptiles are at risk of extinction, compared with 14% in dry habitats. Hunting is also a major threat to reptiles, especially turtles and crocodiles, many of which are at risk of extinction. Another major contributing factor is the introduction of invasive species.

“If we removed reptiles, it could change ecosystems fundamentally, with unfortunate knock-on effects, such as increases in pest insects,” said Neil Cox, co-leader of the study. “Biodiversity, including reptiles, supports the ecosystem services that provide a healthy environment for people.”

Our hope is that this first-ever assessment of the world’s 10,000-plus reptiles helps put them in the spotlight and goes some way to highlighting this diversity, and just how much we have to lose. As well as controlling rats, mosquitoes and other pests, reptiles deliver many other benefits. “They help spread seeds, especially in island environments,” said researcher Hoffmann. “We’ve also achieved many medical advances from studies of reptiles.”

The results of the study are not all doom and gloom. Scientists have found, surprisingly, that if they set out to protect places where threatened birds, mammals and amphibians (两栖动物) live together, they’ll meanwhile protect many more threatened reptiles.

1. Which is the main concern raised by the new study?

A．The overpopulation of reptiles.	B．The loss of reptiles.
C．The sharp increase in reptile species.	D．The disastrous influence of reptiles on nature.

2. How many factors causing the extinction of species are mentioned in paragraph 3?

A．One.

B．Two.

C．Three.

D．Four.

3. What did Neil Cox and Hoffmann both say about reptiles?

A．Their benefits.	B．Their habitats.
C．Their living habits.	D．Their health problems.

4. What does the underlined phrase “doom and gloom” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Disappointing.

B．Odd.

C．Satisfactory.

D．Amazing.

2 . Despite heavy illegal hunting of rhinos, South Africa’s Kruger National Park is still a natural paradise. One of the largest remaining lion populations in Africa lives there. Yet there is something the local animals fear even more than the big cats.

Liana Zanette of Western University in Ontario and her colleagues were able to show that animals react most strongly to human voices and flee in response. For their experiment, the team placed camera traps and loudspeakers at water holes in the national park, which allowed the researchers to influence and record the behavior of a total of 19 mammal species. They played the animals sounds of normal conversations of humans in four South African languages, dogs barking, gunshots and lion sounds.

The study group found that animals were twice as likely to flee and yacated an area faster when they heard human voices than when they heard lions or gunshots. This was true for 95 percent of the animal species observed, including giraffes, leopards, hyenas, zebras, kudu, warthogs, impalas and rhinos. Only elephants were significantly more likely to run from lions than from humans.

The same was true of the time that animals spent at water holes: they usually stayed longer when lion sounds were played to them than when human voices were heard. Wild dogs, leopards and buffalo were the only animals who stayed at water holes longer when they heard humans, and the difference was not statistically significant for these species. “There is a notion that animals get used to humans when they are not being hunted. But we’ve shown that’s not the case,” Clinchy says. “Fear of humans is deeply rooted and common, so we need to seriously address it for conservation reasons.”

The team is now investigating whether its customized sound systems can be used to help endangered species, such as the southern white rhino, away from known poaching(偷猎) areas in South Africa. Initial tests of keeping rhinos away from such areas through the use of human voices have been successful.

1. What can we know about South Africa’s Kruger National Park?

A．Rhinos are effectively protected in the park.

B．Lions are the biggest threat for local animals.

C．Human voices cause fear in the local wildlife.

D．It is a natural paradise without illegal hunting.

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

A．Occupied.

B．Left.

C．Encountered.

D．Filled.

3. What did researchers find about animals’ reaction to different sounds?

A．Elephants are more afraid of humans than lions.

B．Giraffes react most strongly to lions or gunshots.

C．Rhinos were more likely to run from lions than gunshots

D．Wild dogs stayed at water holes longer when hearing humans

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Human Voices: a surprising deep-rooted fear in wildlife

B．Lions: the primary source of threat for the local animals

C．Lion Sounds: the potential use for wildlife protection

D．Humans: the impact on decreasing rhino population

3 . 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。

Our family had lived in our old house near a place called Two Rivers for long. After my husband found a new job in St. Bethlehem, we decided to move there. And my task was to have a house built for us there.

Every morning, I would drive to St. Bethlehem with my two kids to check the progress of our new house being built by workers. If we were lucky, we would be in our new house before Thanksgiving. And we would make new memories.

The days passed and the house rose. Shortly before Thanksgiving, we decided to move. We put our dog Barney into our car. Our large long-haired brown cat named Q didn’t want to leave our old house where he had stayed for long. Each time we put him into our car, he escaped into the house. Finally, we put him into a pet cage in our car. And we waved goodbye to our old house that had recorded our many wonderful memories.

After we reached our new house, Barney quickly fit in. But Q was restless and nervous. Fearing he’d escape, I put him in his cage in the basement of our new home. And I told everyone not to let the cat go out of the cage.

Well, it happened anyway. Somehow, Q disappeared. Thanksgiving seemed dull. There was no Q enjoying food with us. Q was my kids’ special friend, and losing him hurt them a lot.

The day after Thanksgiving, a neighbor telephoned me, saying someone had broken a window of our old house and that there was a big hole in it. And he added that blood and brown hair were all over the window. Then, I knew Q, our large cat, must have somehow found his way back and broken in. It was a seven-mile journey. I was excited and also worried. Would he still be there? Could he find his way back to our new home if he missed us? Was he wounded by the broken glass?

注意：续写的词数应为150左右。

Hurriedly, I drove to our old house together with my kids.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We quickly took Q to the doctor.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4 . The Canada goose is the largest species of true goose. Its scientific name, Branta canadensis, means “black or burnt goose from Canada”. While Canada goose is the bird’s official and preferred name, it is also known colloquially (通俗地) as the Canadian goose.

The Canada goose has a black head and neck and a white “chinstrap (下巴)” that distinguish it from other geese. Its body is brown. The average Canada goose ranges from 75 to 110 cm in length and has a wingspan of 1.27 to 1.85 m. Adult females are slightly smaller and lighter than males, but they are visually indistinguishable. An average male weighs from 2.6 to 6.5 kg, while an average female weighs from 2.4 to 5.5 kg.

Canada geese are mostly herbivores (食草动物). They eat grass, beans, corn, and aquatic plants. They sometimes also eat small insects and fish. In urban areas, Canada geese will pick food from garbage bins or accept it from humans.

Fresh water is a primary need for these geese, and they seek it nearby wherever they happen to be. They will flock to lakes, ponds, streams, rivers and even swimming pools! This is the perfect habitat for Canada geese, and they take advantage of these areas commonly.

Originally, the Canada goose was native to North America, breeding in Canada and the northern U.S. and migrating further south in the winter. Some geese still follow the usual migration pattern, but large flocks have established permanent residences as far south as Florida.

Where you can find Canada geese varies based on what time of year it is. In some areas, the geese are becoming permanent residents, when they used to migrate south for the winter. The southern United States is their home during the winter, the northern United States has a year-round population, and Canada has a summer population.

1. What is characteristic of the Canada goose?

A．Its black head and neck and white chinstrap.

B．Its length and weight.

C．Its average wingspan.

D．Its brown body.

2. What is known about the Canada Goose from the text?

A．Its scientific name is the Canadian goose.

B．Its length varies based on where they live.

C．Adult females are usually larger and heavier than males.

D．It is hard to distinguish a female from a male in appearance.

3. What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 3 refer to?

A．Fish.

B．Food.

C．Corn.

D．Garbage.

4. Which aspect of the Canada goose is mainly discussed in the last three paragraphs?

A．Habitat and distribution.	B．Diet.
C．Migration.	D．Life Cycle.

5 . Hundreds of feet below the ocean’s surface, somewhere between the dark ocean floor and the bright blue shallows, lies the twilight zone. It’s a world of the unknown, and many assumed that the lack of light and cold temperatures meant few species could exist there.

But one scientist has been diving into the inky depths to show there’s much more to life there than was first thought. Rocha, a researcher from the California Academy of Sciences, was attracted to twilight zone reefs because of their mystery (神秘). “Every dive we do to those depths leads to a new discovery,” he says. To date, he has identified over 300 new species.

Entering the twilight zone is no easy feat. Recreational diving is capped at 130 feet for safety reasons, but Rocha dives as far as 500 feet. To do this requires deep concentration, intense technical training and a strong dose of bravery. Rocha usually dives in a group with two scientists and one safety officer. They spend hours preparing the kit, ensuring every piece of equipment is functioning well and that they are equipped to deal with underwater emergencies.

While the twilight zone has been explored by very few people, the effects of human activity are still apparent. One of their first discoveries is that those deeper reefs are really not a shelter for shallow reef organisms. They are almost as impacted as the shallow reefs are. They find plastic waste and fishing gear in some of the deepest reefs and has observed the impact of overfishing and climate change.

Rocha hopes that his research can help to educate people about the twilight zone and inspire action to protect it. “I don’t think it’s enough just to do the science. We take many, many photographs… and we bring those stories back up to the surface and we share it with as many people as possible. For the most part, I’d like to let people realize that those creatures are under threat,” he says.

1. Why do many people think there is few species at the twilight zone?

A．It isn’t far from the ocean’s surface.	B．It is cold and lacks light.
C．It is completely dark all day.	D．It is a world that people cannot get to.

2. What can we know about the twilight zone?

A．There are only a lot of reefs there.

B．People have much knowledge about it.

C．There are a large number of various living things.

D．There aren’t as many species as people think before.

3. How is Rocha’s journey to the twilight zone?

A．It is risky.

B．It is easy.

C．It is comfortable.

D．It is lonely.

4. What can be inferred from Rocha’s words in the last paragraph?

A．His scientific research is hardly inspirational.

B．Taking pictures underwater is enjoyable.

C．Humans are responsible for protecting the twilight zone.

D．The research at the twilight zone is now under threat.

6 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What is the plan for changes to the city centre about?

A．Banning cars from the city centre.

B．Changing buses in the city centre.

C．Keeping bikes out of the city centre.

2. What is the woman’s attitude towards the plan?

A．Uncertain.

B．Supportive.

C．Disapproving.

3. What happened in the town where a trial was done?

A．The air quality improved.

B．The shop sales were down.

C．Traffic conditions got better.

4. What does the man think the government should do?

A．Lower transport fees.

B．Promote clean energy.

C．Improve public transport.

7 . Colour saturation(饱和) refers to the intensity(强度) of the reds, greens and blues. Photos high in colour saturation make food look fresher and tastier to viewers, which increases their willingness to order the menu items, a new study suggests. “In the restaurant business, these results provide a simple method to increase sales,” said Stephanie Liu, lead author of the study and associate professor of hospitality management at the Ohio State University. “On Instagram, it means using the ‘X-Pro Ⅱ’ filter(滤镜) on your food photos rather than the ‘Early bird’ filter. It costs nothing, so it’s an easy win for restaurant marketers.

In one survey, 267 participants were asked to imagine themselves looking through options on an online food-ordering platform. They were shown photos of a poke bowl, a Hawaiian dish featuring fish, vegetables and sauce over rice. They were randomly asked to view one of the four different photos with either high or low colour saturation and either close or farther away visual distance. The food in the more highly-saturated photos looked fresher and tastier to participants, and that led them to be more likely to purchase the food. But colour saturation had a stronger effect when the food appeared more distant in the photos. “When the food is shown close up, it’s already easy for the viewers to imagine how fresh and tasty the food would be,” Liu said. “Colour saturation is not as necessary.”

In the second survey, 222 online participants were asked to imagine they were looking through photos of pizza from a restaurant near their home. They were told they would either be eating alone or with their family. As in the previous study, the food in the colour-saturated photo was always seen as fresher and tastier and one that people would be more likely to buy. But that effect was stronger for people who were told they would be eating alone. “When people are eating with others, the social experience is a big part of what people look forward to,” Liu said. “But when they are eating alone, they focus more on the food itself.”

“These findings are more important now than ever before,” Liu said. “With people ordering online, restaurants have to post pictures of their food on online ordering platforms. They should pay more attention to the photos they post as they do to the text. Colour saturation is one key element they need to focus on.”

1. What is a direct effect of the “X-Pro Ⅱ” filter according to Stephanie Liu?

A．Strengthening the “Early bird” filter.

B．Keeping colour saturation low.

C．Making food in photos more appealing.

D．Increasing the variety of menu items.

2. When does colour saturation function more effectively according to the study?

A．When the food appears farther to the observer.

B．When the poke bowl contains more food.

C．When the food is fresher and tastier in reality.

D．When the visual distance of the food is shorter.

3. What can we know about people eating with others?

A．They take social experience into consideration.

B．They choose food that is easier to obtain.

C．They want the food to be fresher and tastier.

D．They pay more attention to colour saturation.

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

A．How Colour Speaks for Menu Items Online

B．How Colour Saturation Affects People

C．How Colour Brings Benefits to Ordering Platforms

D．How Colour in Photos Makes Food Look Tastier

8 . Landscaping (人造景观) refers to man-made features of a landscape such as driveways, walls, steps, and other human-made structures. It has many sustainability benefits.

Replace Lawns (草坪)

Fertilizers and pesticides (化肥和杀虫剂) help establish a beautiful lawn.     1     If you replace lawns with landscape, you’ll use fewer chemicals and do less harm to the environment.

Use Less Water

    2     So it can save hundreds of gallons of water and reduce the carbon emissions (排放) used to provide that water cleanly.

Use Locally-Produced Materials

Materials for landscaping are almost all produced locally, due to the high shipping cost.     3    

Lower Garden Maintenance (维护)

Usually, Americans spend two hours per day on lawn and garden care.     4     That often means less energy used to run some garden equipment.

Reduce Ice Build-up

Sustainable landscape allows stormwater to drain (流) into the soil.     5     This means safer walkways or driveways, and a reduced need for salt for de-icing (除去……上的冰).

A．Landscaping is a form of landscaping.

B．This means lower carbon emissions for transportation.

C．Yet little maintenance is needed for a landscaped area.

D．The water landscaping uses mainly comes from nature.

E．There are ways to lower your impact on the environment.

F．So there is often less ice formation on landscaping in cold winters.

G．But they can run into the water system and harm both humans and wildlife.

9 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. How many acres (英亩) of rainforest did Tom and his friend buy?

A．One.

B．Two.

C．Three.

2. What does Tom want to be when he grows up?

A．A geography teacher.

B．The owner of an organization.

C．An environmental lawyer.

10 . Tina often discussed with her parents whether they should get a pet dog. However, they always ________ that training a dog would be too distracting for Tina, and they couldn’t ________ the vet (兽医) and food bills with their low income.

One day, when they were walking along a narrow path to look for mushroom, a painfilled howl (嗥叫) rang through the trees. Tina and her parents got ________.

“That’s a dog.” Tina headed off in the ________ of the wolf.

“Wait, Tina!” Her dad reached for her arm but ________. “It could be a wolf.”

“Even if it is, it’s still hurt,” Tina said as she headed deep into the forest. “We’ve got to help it.”

Tina’s parents ________ her, but Tina was soon out of ________. When they caught up with her, she was kneeing down beside a hunting dog. It was obvious that he was ________ in a trap. Tina’s dad bent forward to ________ the dog and found the trap closed over the dog’s paw (爪). Later, Tina’s dad took out his knife to ________ the trap. ________ the trap didn’t break any bones.

Tina’s mother had grown up in a family of hunters and was well ________ that the dog was well-trained.

They took the dog home, and Tina’s dad treated his ________. Although Tina’s parents initially intended to send the dog to a ________ where there would be kind people taking care of him, the family quickly grew to love him, so they ________ their idea. Tina named the dog Rocky and he became a family member.

1.

A．dreamed

B．concluded

C．guaranteed

D．regretted

2.

A．anticipate

B．investigate

C．distribute

D．afford

3.

A．disappointed

B．energetic

C．defensive

D．delighted

4.

A．core

B．direction

C．means

D．schedule

5.

A．missed

B．ignored

C．forgot

D．dropped

6.

A．conflicted with

B．interacted with

C．went after

D．called on

7.

A．balance

B．sight

C．danger

D．condition

8.

A．blamed

B．purchased

C．separated

D．caught

9.

A．examine

B．protect

C．emphasize

D．applaud

10.

A．explore

B．polish

C．connect

D．free

11.

A．Suddenly

B．Fortunately

C．Gradually

D．Secretly

12.

A．afraid

B．proud

C．aware

D．anxious

13.

A．wound

B．head

C．illness

D．tail

14.

A．shelter

B．forest

C．market

D．kitchen

15.

A．assessed

B．challenged

C．changed

D．invested