1 . Microplastics, as the name implies, are tiny plastic particles found in the environment. Any plastic particle that has a diameter of less than 5 mm is considered to be microplastic. For a long time, a majority of people were unaware of the presence of microplastics and their effects on the environment. However, these particles have become a significant topic of debate in recent times after researchers noted their presence in almost every corner of the globe. from Mount Everest to the Mariana Trench.

There are two categories of microplastics: primary and secondary. Primary microplastics are tiny particles meant for external commercial use such as cosmetics, as well as microfibers to make other textiles, such as fishing nets. Secondary microplastics are particles that result from the breakdown of larger plastic items, such as water bottles.

There are various sources of microplastics. Wastewater treatment plants and sewage treatment plants are the major sources of primary microplastics, most of which are residues (残留物) of cosmetics, paint, household and industrial waste. Single-use plastics plastic items meant to be used just once and then discarded, such as a straw — are the main source of secondary plastics in the environment.

The problem with microplastics is that like plastic items of any size they do not readily break down into harmless molecules. Plastics can take hundreds or thousands of years to decompose (降解). That means once produced, we cannot get rid of them. Microplastics exist on beaches and deeper waters, and have been detected in marine organisms from plankton to whales, in commercial seafood, and even in drinking water. They are mistaken for food by marine animals and some plastics are so tiny that they end up in the animal tissues. They are passed across the food chain, and some find their way to humans.

Scientists are still unsure whether consumed microplastics are harmful to human or animal health and if so, what specific dangers they may pose. Even so, many countries are taking action to reduce microplastics in the environment. The best approaches to controlling microplastics include proper handling of plastics and thorough treatment of wastewater.

1. According to the first two paragraphs, microplastics are_________

A．common in our daily life

B．used to make glass bottles

C．found in all the uninhabited areas

D．tiny plastic particles with a diameter of 5mm

2. What can we learn from Paragraph 3?

A．The use of straws should be forbidden.

B．Household waste contains microplastics.

C．Industrial waste is a source of secondary plastics

D．Wastewater and sewage treatment plants are useless.

3. Why do microplastics end up in the tissues of marine animals?

A．Because they’re consumed as food.

B．Because they exist on the beaches.

C．Because they easily break down.

D．Because they’re left out in the food chain.

4. What’s the purpose of the text?

A．To analyze the sources of microplastics.

B．To warn people of the danger of microplastics.

C．To give an overall introduction to microplastics.

D．To persuade people to give up the use of microplastics.

2 . Many guests have had the pleasure of observing the magnificent cheetahs (猎豹) that find shelter on the Tswalu Private Reserve, but they might not be aware of the work to make these wild cats feel comfortable in the presence of humans. As a conservation photographer, I spent a day with conservator Clement Motau to understand what it takes to habituate cheetahs.

Habituating wildlife is an on-going process —slowly getting wild animals used to the presence of vehicles and people. Animals like cheetahs receive regular visits from the wildlife conservation team. That way they learn that in this privately protected area, humans pose no threat to.

Clement, now 29 years old, spent his early childhood in Middelburg, but he would go to the rural area every chance he got, including most school holidays. “I enjoyed climbing mountains and being outdoors. I always knew I wanted to work with wild animals.” He decided to study nature conservation rather than become a tour guide because “dealing with people all the time is not my strongest point.” After three years of studies, he came to Tswalu in 2016 and was offered a position on the conservation team. Though one day rarely looks the same as another, with tasks ranging from collaring wild dogs to mending fences, the chance to spend time with cheetahs is an experience he particularly enjoys.

An hour after we first spotted Artemis, Clement's favorite cheetah, she is still on the move, clearly looking for a meal. She is a beautiful animal, and I am in no hurry to leave. Though she seems unbothered by our presence, we don't want to negatively impact her chances of feeding. Wildlife tourism is an essential conservation tool, both to raise awareness and to pay for all the costs. But the wellbeing of the animals always comes first. “She is very obliging with us today,” he says. “So relaxed. The guides and our guests will love her. She'll be a future star.”

1. What do we know about habituating wild animals?

A．It's a process to get wild animals used to humans.

B．It's done by paying random visits to wild animals.

C．Wild animals will benefit from this practice.

D．Such practice is limited to private reserves.

2. Why did Clement choose to become a nature conservator?

A．Because he liked a job with various tasks...

B．Because being a tour guide was not his dream.

C．Because he enjoyed spending time with wild animals.

D．Because working with animals was his strongest point.

3. What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph probably mean?

A．Artemis is responding to our request.

B．Artemis is warning us to keep a distance.

C．Artemis is inviting us to enter her territory.

D．Artemis is feeling comfortable with our presence.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．A remarkable cheetah conservator.	B．A reserve for cheetahs.
C．A cheetah conservation program.	D．A tour with a cheetah conservator.

3 . Some ants have figured out how to avoid getting lost: build taller anthills, according to a recent study.

Desert ants living in the hot, flat salt pans of Tunisia spend their days looking for food and reach as far as 1.1 kilometers from their nests. To find their way home, desert ants use a navigation system, relying on the sun’s position and counting their steps to track their location relative to their nest.

But this system becomes increasingly unreliable as the distance from the nest increases. “We realized that, whenever the ants in salt pans came closer to their nest, they suddenly pinpointed the nest hill from several meters distance,” says Markus Knaden, a researcher at Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology. “This made us think that the hill serves as a nest-defining landmark.”

So Knaden and colleagues captured ants from nests in the middle of salt pans and from along their shorelines. Only salt-pan nests had distinct hills, up to 40 centimeters tall, whereas the hills on shoreline nests were lower or barely noticeable. Next, the team removed any hills and placed the captured insects some distance away from their nests. Salt-pan ants struggled more than shore ants to find homes. Shore ants relied on the shoreline for guidance and weren’t affected by the hill removal, the researchers concluded.

The team further conducted another study to see if desert ants were deliberately building a taller hill when their surroundings lacked any visible landmarks. So, the researchers removed the hills of 16 salt-pan nests and installed (安装) two 50-centimeter-tall blocks near eight of them. The other eight nests were left without any artificial visual aid. After three days, the researchers found that seven ants from the unaided nests had rebuilt their hills. But only two ants from the nests with man-made blocks nearby had bothered to rebuild.

“It implies that ants regularly assess the complexity of their environment and change their decisions based on their conclusion,” says ecologist Judith Bronstein of the University of Arizona.

1. What aspect of ants is the recent study mainly about?

A．Challenges of survival.	B．Landmarks of habitats.
C．Intelligence of navigation.	D．Comparison of varieties.

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

A．Explored.

B．Recognized.

C．Climbed.

D．Crossed.

3. Why did researchers set shoreline ants in the experiment?

A．To observe different ants’ reactions.	B．To prove impacts of various habitats.
C．To disturb desert ants’ navigation system.	D．To test anthills’ functions and significance.

4. What conclusion about desert ants can be drawn from the follow-up study?

A．Evaluate and make changes.	B．Visual aid is a must.
C．Cooperation brings victory.	D．No man-made blocks are used.

4 . Like humans, dogs have tear ducts (泪腺) that well up with tears to keep their eyes clean and healthy. But tears in dogs, which tend not to fall as they do when humans cry, hadn’t been linked with emotion before.

Takefumi Kikusui, a professor at Azabu University in Japan, decided to study dog tears after watching his poodle (鬟毛狗) when she had puppies six years ago. He noticed that her eyes got teary as she nursed her puppies. So Kikusui and his team measured tear production among 18 dogs with a standard test known as the Schirmer Tear Test (STT). It involved a paper strip placed inside the eyelids (眼睑) of the dogs for a minute before and after they were reunited with their owners following five to seven hours of separation.

“Tear production was evaluated by the length of the wet part on the STT. The baseline was about 22 mm, and the reunion with the owner increased the length by 10%,” Kikusui explained. With the help of 20 dogs, researchers then compared tear production before and after reunions with their owners and people with whom the animals were familiar. Only the reunion with the owner increased tear production.

Researchers also tested if oxytocin, a hormone thought to be connected to emotional bonding in humans and dogs, could be causing the tear production. They found that dropping oxytocin in dogs’ eyes really increased tear production, while a control solution did not.

The findings suggest “dogs’ tears are associated with positive emotions, such as a reunion with the owner,” according to Takefumi Kikusui. Still, some scientists think it’s a stretch to say that dogs cry tears of joy. “It would take a lot to let me accept the evidence of this research,” said Clive Wynne, an animal behavioral specialist at Arizona State University.

1. What inspired Kikusui to carry out the research?

A．The cry of his poodle’s babies.

B．The problem with his poodle’s eyes.

C．The changes in his poodle’s eyes while nursing.

D．His poodle’s reaction to the reunion with him.

2. What has the study found out about dogs’ tears?

A．They can be a sign of dogs’ happiness.

B．They can show dogs’ negative feelings.

C．They can keep dogs’ eyes healthy and clean.

D．They can rarely be seen in young dogs’ eyes.

3. What can be done to make dogs produce more tears?

A．Applying oxytocin to dogs’ eyes.

B．Placing a paper strip in dogs’ eyelids.

C．Keeping dogs away from their owners.

D．Increasing the length of the STT’s wet part.

4. What is the the best title for the text?

A．Dog’s positive and negative emotions can result in tears in their eyes.

B．There is a powerful emotional bond between humans and dogs.

C．Dog’s eyes are watering due to tear ducts.

D．Dogs cry tears of joy when they reunited with their owners.

5 . A pair of best friends from Texas are proving that adventure doesn’t have an age limit — even when you’re 81.

Ellie Hamby, a photographer, and Sandy Hazelip, a physician, toured the world in 80 days, adventuring from the beaches of Bali to the deserts of Egypt.

Their first stop was Antarctica. “The beauty of the Antarctic is just unbelievable,” Hamby recalled. Since then, the pair have visited 18 countries across all seven continents.

And despite the challenges international travel presents, the best friends say they finished their trip without any arguments.

“We’re both independent, very stubborn. But we seem to allow each other to give space,” said Hamby. “We just understand each other and we know this is a good thing we’re doing and we kind of respect each other’s feelings.”

For Hamby, the most interesting aspect of the trip was the people they met along the way.

“We love all the sights that we saw, but the things that we remember the most are the people that we met,” she said. “We met some of the most wonderful, kindest, friendliest people in the world. We just have friends now all over the world that we love dearly.”

And they shared an important piece of advice for any travelers worried about the language barrier on their own adventures.

“You know, people ask us often about the language, how we manage it,” said Hamby. “We say with Sandy and Ellie, there’s one language and that’s a smile. And we found that worked wonders because we were often aware that there was not English spoken. But a smile covers all languages.”

1. Why did they finish the trip without arguments?

A．They had different personalities.

B．They prepared presents for each other.

C．They understand and respect each other.

D．They allowed each other to voice their ideas.

2. What part of the trip impressed Hamby most?

A．The beautiful sights.	B．The wonderful people.
C．The interesting activities.	D．The cultural experiences.

3. What did Hamby suggest travelers do with the language barrier?

A．Rely on the smile.	B．Be more adventurous.
C．Hear English spoken more.	D．Learn more languages.

4. What would be the best title for the text?

A．Language Struggles: Testing Friendship

B．Travel Troubles: Friendship Tested Abroad

C．Talking Struggles: Adventures Lost in Translation

D．Limitless Adventure: Two Friends Break Age Barriers

6 . My photographs are the items I would definitely take or guard in case of an emergency. But what else? This was the question I asked myself as a ________ came toward us.

Unlike some friends and________, we decided to stay in our home. We didn’t have to choose what we would save by ________ it into the car, but we still had to decide what required protection by storing it in our walk-in closet. Surprisingly, few items made the cut - an obvious ________ that we had surrounded ourselves with beautiful yet unessential items. We needed ________ for the truly important things: ourselves.

Because when you hear the roar of the winds, or when something ________ hard against your windows, you don’t think of photos.You don’t worry about your big screen TV, or those paintings you’ve covered with towels to protect them, or that ________ car that you still haven’t finished paying for.

As ________ goes on outside, this is what you think: My children, are they OK? Are their impact-resistant(耐冲击的) windows working ________? Are their roofs keeping out the damage? My grandchildren, are they crying out in fear? Are they ________ as their own grandparents are? My relatives — yes, even those I try to avoid — have they ________ the worst of it? My friends, will they be forced to move somewhere else permanently? You don’t think about what you own but about what you love; what money can’t buy back.

Months and years after the hurricane, I often told people that there are two parts to ________ this kind of catastrophe: the horror of the hurricane itself and then the rebuilding that follows. The ________ together of a life, however, will take months, perhaps years.

But we will do it, ________ and as a community. Of that I have no doubt. In fact, I’ll make one more prediction. Piece by piece, item by item, we will once again collect the material possessions that decorate a home. I hate to admit this, but lessons learned ________ fear aren’t always long-lasting.

1.

A．flood

B．drought

C．wildfire

D．hurricane

2.

A．hosts

B．partners

C．relatives

D．architects

3.

A．applying

B．packing

C．exchanging

D．delivering

4.

A．sign

B．gap

C．clue

D．summary

5.

A．kit

B．gym

C．space

D．greenhouse

6.

A．rests

B．erupts

C．carves

D．cracks

7.

A．cheap

B．expensive

C．graceful

D．economic

8.

A．destruction

B．appreciation

C．challenge

D．determination

9.

A．as usual

B．as follows

C．as scheduled

D．as promised

10.

A．annoyed

B．amazed

C．confused

D．frightened

11.

A．escaped

B．protested

C．identified

D．processed

12.

A．causing

B．preventing

C．surviving

D．suffering

13.

A．cutting out

B．putting back

C．giving up

D．working out

14.

A．devotedly

B．creatively

C．individually

D．dependently

15.

A．in favor of

B．in times of

C．in need of

D．in search of

7 . Visit the Kingdom of the Polar Bear

As winter shortens and ice melts on Hudson Bay, a mother polar bear and her two cubs face danger brought on by climate change. Following the bear family, guide Dennis Compare witnesses achievements of survival and adaptability. The two-hour TV special Kingdom of the Polar Bears airs April 22 at 8/7c on Nat Geo WILD.

Series, Book Reveal Whales’ Secrets

National Geographic Explorer Brian Skerry’s breathtaking photographs are at the heart of Secrets of the Whales. That’s the title of Skerry’s new book, on sale April 6, and the name of National Geographic’s documentary series, with filmmaker James Cameron executive producing and actor Sigourney Weaver narrating. It premieres (首映) April 22 on Disney.

Dive Into the Life of Explorer Ballard

Known for finding famous shipwrecks such as the Titanic, Robert Ballard shares not only his expeditions but also his personal challenges in a remarkable memoir. Into the Deep: An Explorer’s Life is available May 11 wherever books are sold.

Neil deGrasse Tyson Fields Cosmic Queries

Curious about your place in the universe? Cosmic Queries: Star Talk’s Guide to Who We Are, How We Got Here, and Where We’re Going offers the wit and wisdom of astrophysicist deGrasst Tyson and physicist James Trefil, illustrated with stellar photos. It’s available wherever books are sold.

1. Which of the following is both a book and a TV series?

A．Secrets of the Whales.	B．Kingdom of the Polar Bears.
C．Into the Deep: An Explorer’s Life.	D．Cosmic Queries.

2. Which one might appeal to a man with an adventurous spirit?

A．Secrets of the Whale.	B．Kingdom of the Polar Bears.
C．Into the Deep: An Explorer’s Life.	D．Cosmic Queries.

3. Which section of a newspaper can the text be found?

A．Education.

B．Business.

C．Health.

D．Entertainment.

8 . Many animals use some kinds of “language”. They use signals and the signals have meanings. For example, ______ a bee has found some food, it goes ______ its home.   ______ is difficult for a bee to tell   ______   bees where the food is by speaking to them, but it can do a little dancing. This tells the bees where the food is and ______   it is.

Some animals show ______ they feel by making sounds. It is not difficult to tell if a dog is angry because it barks. Birds make several different sounds and ______ has its meaning. Sometimes we humans make songs in the same way we make sounds like “Oh” to ______   how we feel about ______or we ______something on our feet.

We humans have languages. We have words. These words have meanings of things, actions, feelings, or ideas. We are able to ______each other information , to tell other people ______ we think about or how we feel. By writing down words, we can remember what has happened or______messages to people far away.

Languages, like people, live and die. If a language is not used by people, it is called a dead language. This language cannot live and grow because ______ speaks it.

A living language, of course, is often spoken by people today. It grows and changes with time. New words are created, and some old words have______ meanings.

1.

A．because

B．since

C．when

D．as

2.

A．out of

B．back from

C．away from

D．back to

3.

A．It

B．This

C．That

D．He

4.

A．each other

B．another

C．the other

D．others

5.

A．how long

B．how far away

C．how many

D．how old

6.

A．why

B．which

C．how

D．who

7.

A．each

B．every

C．all

D．some

8.

A．show

B．say

C．talk

D．speak

9.

A．everything

B．something

C．nothing

D．anything

10.

A．put

B．drop

C．fall

D．set

11.

A．give

B．put

C．show

D．take

12.

A．that

B．which

C．what

D．why

13.

A．send

B．bring

C．push

D．get

14.

A．someone

B．no one

C．anyone

D．everyone

15.

A．new

B．right

C．real

D．good

9 . Any image taken from space confirms that we live on an ocean planet. How strange that we call our planet “Earth,” derived from a Germanic word meaning “the ground,” when more than 70 percent of its surface is covered by ocean.

We need more people to see the sea. Right now, less than 3 percent of the ocean is considered highly protected. Experts urge that at least 30 percent be protected to safeguard marine(海洋的) ecosystems, which in turn will help protect our health and well-being. The ocean supplies more than half our oxygen, absorbs carbon dioxide, regulates our climate, and supports much of the world’s economy. We need it a lot more than it needs us.

Take Florida, for example, one of the United States’ recreational hot spots. It’s bordered by the Florida Reef Tract, North America’s only living coral barrier reef and the third largest in the world. Home to more than 500 species of fish, the reef is also essential to the Sunshine State’s economy, generating an estimated $1.1 billion annually in tourism. The reef buffers(保护) the coastline, too, since health y coral reefs absorb 97 percent of a wave’s energy. Three-quarters of Florida’s 22 million people live along the coast, and the Florida Reef Tract provides more than $650 million in combined economic activity and flood protection.

A November 2022 study from the University of Miami has found that 70 percent of Florida’s coral reefs are experiencing a net loss of reef habitat. Directly facing these concerns is what I mean by seeing the sea—the good, the bad, the important. Knowledge is power, and we can use it to inform our choices, from traveling more mindfully, to examining how we run our businesses, to voting. “No one can do everything, but everyone can do something,” Sylvia Earle, oceanographer and National Geographic Explorer at Large, is fond of saying.

The ocean is a remarkable teacher, and it’s never too late to start learning.

1. What does the sea do for our human?

A．The sea changes our climate.

B．The sea controls carbon dioxide for us.

C．The sea produces all the oxygen we need.

D．The sea provides economical benefits for us.

2. What does the writer suggest?

A．Travelling more, learning more.

B．Running our business creatively.

C．Raising awareness of conservation.

D．Doing some voting before actions.

3. Where is the passage probably from?

A．A scientific fiction.	B．A news report.
C．A travel journal.	D．A natural magazine.

4. What is a suitable title for the text?

A．To Hug the Ocean Tightly.

B．To Learn the Ocean Devotedly.

C．To Clean the Ocean Carefully.

D．To Love the Ocean Permanently.

10 . T. O. Fuller State Park in Memphis, Tennessee, has been loved for generations and has always been a ground where community has come first. Back in 1938, it was the first park east of the Mississippi river to open for African American visitors. Over 80 years later, the park is continuing its forward-thinking tradition, this time, through a pioneering sustainability project.

A new walking and biking trail has been built through this historic park. Illegally dumped (被丢弃的) tires are not only unpleasant to see, but they’re a dangerous addition to the environment. Rubber, like plastic, is a material that won’t naturally decompose. In a place as hot as Tennessee, these dumped tires often begin to melt and release these harmful gasses into the air. Fortunately, the old tires were sent to Patriot Tire Recycling in Bristol, TN, the only facility in the area that can break down tires in an environmentally sound way. There, the collected tires were safely broken down into the crumble (碎屑) rubber that was eventually used to pave the new trail.

TN State Parks explained how the trail’s construction, which has been in development since 2019, was a joint effort. Officials from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, the Tennessee Department of Transportation, the City of Memphis, Shelby County, and Memphis City Beautiful were all involved in funding this recycling project.

These officials named their initiative the “Tires to Trails” project. Workers from these departments, alongside some 450 volunteers, came together to collect over 24, 000 tires that had been illegally dumped in the area around the park to be recycled.

“This is a perfect example of recycling in full circle, collecting dumped material, then converting it into positive use,” David, a leader of the project, said in a statement.

1. What kind of park is T.O. Fuller State Park?

A．It is a popular park with a good tradition.	B．It is the first park welcoming all visitors.
C．It is a park west of the Mississippi river.	D．It is a modern park without biking trails.

2. Why are dumped tires a dangerous addition to the environment?

A．They are ugly to see.	B．They release harmful gasses.
C．They are made up of plastic.	D．They could only be used to pave the new trail.

3. What does David mean in the last paragraph?

A．It is the park’s responsibility to recycle.

B．The park is built on dumped materials.

C．The park successfully recycled dumped tires.

D．It is possible to turn everything into useful things.

4. Which of the following is the best title of the text?

A．Areas of Reusing Tires

B．Methods of Rebuilding a Trail

C．Tires Transformed into a New Hiking Trail

D．Officials and People Working Together to Recycle Tires