1 . How to create an indoor garden
If you’re looking for a way to brighten up your home, consider creating an indoor garden.
Deciding is probably the hardest part when it comes to creating an indoor garden because there are just so many plants to choose from. Start by thinking about what type of plants you want.
Now that you know what type of plants you want, it’s time to get the right potting soil and containers. Make sure to get a potting mix that is specifically designed for indoor plants.
Choose a bright location Once you have your plants and pots, it’s time to choose a location for your indoor garden.
In addition to watering, you’ll also need to add substance to your plants about once a month. This will help them grow and stay healthy. Just be sure to follow the instructions on the package. Don’t overdo it.
| A．Give fertiliser monthly. |
| B．How exactly can we make one? |
| C．Follow the instruction correctly. |
| D．But don’t worry, we’re here to help. |
| E．This will help your plants grow strong. |
| F．Do you want something that will blossom? |
| G．Look for a spot in your home that gets a lot of natural light. |
2 . Recycling is good for our planet, but it can be confusing. Can I recycle plastic bags? What about pizza cartons? Toothpaste tubes? Which bin should I use? There are so many questions, and more than half of Americans are unsure about how to recycle.
Know what to put in the recycling bin. Keep it simple and focus on the most commonly recycled items, such as paper, glass, aluminum and plastic.
Wash or clean items. Do a quick clean to make sure there is no food left in containers before you put them in the bin.
Don’t bag it. Unless you live in a place that requires it, like New York City, keep the recyclables lost in the bin. “A lot of the time, it’s not safe for our employees to tear those bags open, or it takes too much time,” said Keller. “
| A．Know what is not recyclable. |
| B．The answers are not hard to find. |
| C．A lot of bagged stuff goes right to the landfill. |
| D．Plastic bags can be used again or returned to grocery stores. |
| E．If you really don’t know if an item is recyclable, then just throw it in the garbage. |
| F．This is really important if you only use one bin because food items could ruin paper. |
| G．Hard plastics like water and soft drink bottles or anything like these can be recycled. |
Milo is a rescue dog, adopted by 20-year-old Makayla Swift. But Milo the beagle is also a rescuer. One morning in November 2021, Swift opened her front door in Silver Spring, Maryland, and Milo took off running. Milo ran to the house across the street. He seemed unsatisfied with this house, so he ran to the one next door, Swift on his tail. He started scratching on the front door and Swift was thinking, “Why is he literally trying to break into her house?” She was embarrassed. Not everyone wants a strange dog on their property. But as she tried to drag Milo away, she could hear a sound coming through an open upstairs window. It was a voice yelling “Help!”
Hours earlier, around 4 a.m., 85-year-old Sherry Starr had risen from her bed. All of a sudden, standing there between the toilet and the tub, she slipped. She went down-hard-on the tile floor, and got stuck. Starr was scared of dying there. Her best bet, she decided, was to listen for the letter carrier in the afternoon and scream like the devils.
注意：1.续写词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
For the next few hours, Starr practiced yelling, “Help! Help! Help!”
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Not long after the call, rescue workers arrived.
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4 . Zheng Haiqiang and Ni Decong rose early on Jan. 24, before the break of dawn, to monitor Hainan gibbons (长臂猿). After a one-hour hike, they heard the animals howling, located their positions, and excitedly found one holding a baby cub.
There are 20 gibbon species recognized worldwide, of which six are known to come from China. The Hainan gibbon is the most endangered of them all and one of the world’s rarest primates. They can mainly be found in Bawangling National Nature Reserve in Changjiang county, western Hainan, which is part of the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park.
Forty years ago, Bawangling formed a monitoring team, which consists of forest rangers and experienced villagers. The members of the monitoring team, like Zheng and Ni, will get up at 4 am every day. Science and technology help to scope out and predict locations where they may be able to observe the gibbons, and then they’ll wait for them to start howling at around 6 am, before taking photos and recording the lives of the gibbons.
The Hainan gibbons are a critically endangered and important flagship species. They serve as an indicator of the health and stability of the tropical island’s entire ecosystem, according to Qi Xunming, director of the Education and Publicity Division of Bawangling Branch of Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park Administration. “If the number of Hainan gibbons increases, it indicates that the local environment is healthy, complete and functioning well”, Qi says.
To educate people on the island’s exclusive residents, exhibitions have been held in schools and communities across the province. From Oct. 24 to 31, a science exhibition, Into the Mysterious “Gibbon Universe” of the Bawangling National Nature Reserve-the Familiar and Unfamiliar Facts of Hainan Gibbons was held at Hainan Library. With interesting, vivid and informative pictures and illustrations, the exhibition presented the living habits and population changes of Hainan gibbons, as well as the effects of conservation on the animal and its habitat.
“Hopefully, with more education and publicity, the national park administration will recruit more talents, and young people with a relatively high educational background will join the monitoring team”, Qi adds.
1. Why did Zheng and Ni get up early on Jan. 24?| A．To finish mountain hiking. |
| B．To register for a monitoring team. |
| C．To locate and observe the Hainan gibbons. |
| D．To take photos of Bawangling National Nature Reserve. |
| A．Their number affects the local environment. |
| B．They are well-protected by the monitoring team. |
| C．They are the most endangered of all the primates. |
| D．They are closely relevant to the entire local ecosystem. |
| A．The monitoring team is helping local authorities with exhibitions. |
| B．The administration will put more money into the conservation construction. |
| C．More people will take an active part in Hainan gibbons’ protection in the future. |
| D．Schools and communities paid no attention to Hainan gibbons before the exhibition. |
| A．Hainan Gibbons: Rare but Helpful Creatures |
| B．Monitoring Team: Hard but Meaningful Work |
| C．Science Exhibitions: Approaching the Hainan Gibbons |
| D．Bawangling National Nature Reserve: A Place of Biodiversity |
5 . The Amazon rainforest is now alarmingly close to dying by 2030 due to climate change and forest loss, a WWF report warns.
The world’s largest rainforest is now close to a “tipping point” (临界点) that could mean it changes forever, no longer benefiting humanity in dealing with climate change by soaking up greenhouse gases, the report says.
Deforestation (森林砍伐) in the Amazon reached a record high this year, as illegal trees cutting increased to the highest levels in 15 years. Between 13 to 17 percent of the Amazon rainforest area has already been lost in the past 50 years. The WWF report said an area of 1.4 million square miles of the Amazon has experienced a lack of rain, a constant dry season and deforestation, which could lead it to become degraded, turning to a dry land.
What’s worse, the “tipping points” could lead to irreversible (不可逆的) loss, including receiving less than 1500mm annual rainfall, a dry season of more than 7 months and deforestation of the area to reduce to just 20 percent of the original cover. The loss of the Amazon would further reduce the chances of alleviating (减轻) global warming as the areas’ trees take in enormous amounts of carbon dioxide.
“This paper sounds an alarm bell for humanity, revealing the threats of climate change and forest loss are pushing the world’s largest rainforest at risk,” Professor Gagen, lead author of the WWF report, added. “The evidence gives a serious warning that we need to take the tipping point risk seriously and act immediately to cut emissions (排放), saving natural resources, and, most importantly, change the indifferent attitude to forest loss which are sending people and our planet down a path to disaster.”
“Only by listening to the voices of Amazonia’s peoples and by preserving nature can we bring our world back to life,” Gagen said.
1. What does the underlined phrase “soaking up” in paragraph 2 mean?| A．Absorbing. | B．Adapting. | C．Abandoning. | D．Applying. |
| A．To show why deforestation happens. | B．To show how big the Amazon rainforest is. |
| C．To explain how bad the current situation is. | D．To suggest what to do to stop global warming. |
| A．Cutting down emissions right away. | B．Saving the Amazon from deforestation. |
| C．Preventing natural resources going to waste. | D．Change the unconcerned attitude to the problem. |
| A．Environment. | B．Health. | C．Technology. | D．Entertainment. |
6 . Benefits of Forest Bathing
Forest bathing means spending time in nature to promote physical and mental health. In recent years, forest bathing has gained popularity around the world. This practice encourages people to connect with nature by taking slow walks, engaging in activities such as yoga or meditation, and embracing the present moment.
Aid in reducing stress
Forest bathing can help reduce stress. Connecting with nature decreases cortisol(皮质醇) levels, the hormone responsible for feelings of stress.
A natural mood enhancer
If you want to elevate your mood, take a trip to the forest. A forest bathing trip can ease your mood significantly.
It’s no secret that nature plays a vital role in human life, and the two are strongly connected. In natural environments, plants and trees release some special oils, which can protect plants from germs. They also have many human health benefits. In addition to enhancing mood, these oils are also a natural immunity booster.
Inspire focus and concentration
| A．Improve your intelligence |
| B．Help boost your immune system |
| C．It can help reduce your anxiety, depression, and tiredness |
| D．Forest bathing provides an opportunity to escape disturbance |
| E．Here are some ways you can benefit from going into the forest |
| F．So the more time you spend in nature, the more relaxed you will be |
| G．Here are the benefits of forest bathing that you can start gaining today |
1. What is the speech mainly about?
| A．Places of interest in France. |
| B．Famous products of France. |
| C．Introductions to cities in France. |
| A．Paris. | B．Lyon. | C．Marseille. |
| A．The Eiffel Tower. | B．Sea products. | C．Chemical industry. |
| A．Over 10 million. | B．1.23 million. | C．1.26 million. |
8 . Researchers are using an underwater drone (无人机) to measure CO2 levels in the ocean. It is believed to be the first time such a vehicle has been used specifically to test CO2 levels. The vehicle, which the team also calls a glider (滑翔机), is designed to dive down to 1,000 meters in deep ocean areas and can operate for weeks at a time.
The goal of the research is to provide scientists with data about how climate change is affecting the ocean’s chemistry. The self-swimming drone was deployed in the Gulf of Alaska this spring.
The team says the project could be a major step forward in measuring the environmental health of oceans. Scientists are most interested in levels of ocean acidification (酸化). This happens when CO2 emissions in the atmosphere make their way into the ocean. Ocean acidification can harm or kill some kinds of sea life.
In a way, oceans have done humans a big favor by taking in (吸收) some of CO2. If this were not the case, there would be much more CO2 in the atmosphere. This would trap more of the sun’s heat and further warm the Earth.
“But the problem is now that the ocean is changing its chemistry because of this uptake,” said team member Claudine Hauri.
One of the best ways to measure ocean acidification is to collect CO2 measurements. Until now, these collections were mostly done from ships or with floating devices at the ocean surface or equipment on the ocean floor.
McDonnell said his goal is to have a large number of similar robotic gliders operating in oceans across the world one day. “Such efforts will be important in helping scientists understand much more about what’s going on in the ocean than we have before,” he said.
1. What is the purpose of scientists carrying out the project?| A．To fully use drones. |
| B．To keep the ocean clean. |
| C．To study in the deep ocean. |
| D．To monitor ocean’s chemistry. |
| A．Sea life would die out. |
| B．The Earth will be warmer. |
| C．There would be more CO2 in the sea. |
| D．Ocean acidification would occur regularly. |
| A．Optimistic. | B．Critical. | C．Doubtful. | D．Negative. |
9 . The number of birds coming through your neighborhood is changing, and so is the timing of their migrations (迁徙). Birdwatchers noticing these differences are playing a big part in understanding how climate change and severe weather events are affecting bird population.
John Rowden is director of community conservation at the National Audubon Society, which aims to protect birds and their environment. He said, “Birders have to be much more alert (警觉的) to when birds are coming through than they used to be, since birds may be coming through much earlier or much later.”
Rowden said, “Birdwatchers are increasingly seeing birds in their areas that are usually found elsewhere. And they are seeing fewer of the birds that usually travel through. Although we have seen these birds, it doesn’t mean they’ll always be there. They are declining in numbers because we’re throwing so many things at them, so we need to do what we can to help them.”
“At least 314 species of American birds are expected to lose 50 percent or more of their range by the end of the century. Those species are listed by the Audubon Society as climate-threatened or endangered,” Rowden added.
Environmentalists say there are a few easy steps people can take to help struggling bird populations. These include planting native species, which leads to more native insects for the birds to eat. During spring and fall migration seasons, people can help migrating birds by keeping outdoor lights turned off and covering reflective surfaces like large windows. People also should make indoor plants less visible to passing birds.
Geoff LeBaron, director of the Christmas Bird Count at the National Audubon Society, says he has seen the effects of climate change firsthand. “I’ve been a birder since I was a little kid,” he said. “It’s clear that climate change is affecting and will continue to affect birds on a global scale, and it’s a question of whether or not they can adapt to what the climate is throwing at them.”
1. What do the birdwatchers find?| A．Local birds are increasing in their areas. | B．50 percent of American birds have disappeared. |
| C．Climate change affects animal population greatly. | D．The number and timing of migrating birds are changing. |
| A．To deal with climate change. | B．To do research on bird population. |
| C．To watch the migrating birds in time. | D．To help birds migrate successfully. |
| A．Paragraph 5. | B．Paragraph 4. | C．Paragraph 3. | D．Paragraph 2. |
| A．It’s hopeless. | B．It’s normal. | C．It’s worrying. | D．It’s promising. |
10 . Chinese astronauts have successfully grown rice seedlings(幼苗)aboard the Tiangong space station and this experiment may offer key insights into how astronauts can grow food to support long—term space missions, experts said on Monday. This experiment is the first to produce the complete life cycle of the plant, which begins with a seed and ends with a mature plant producing new seeds.
The breakthrough was conducted in the Wentian space laboratory, which was launched into orbit on July 24, 2022. Three astronauts were conducting the experiment smoothly and testing the plants according to the plan.
“The rice seedlings are growing very well,” said Zheng Huiqiong, a researcher of the task, adding that the experiment also contained seedlings of a small flowering plant often used by scientists to study mutations(变异). “The astronauts will keep monitoring the plants, and if it is successful, they will collect the newly produced seeds and bring them back to Earth for further studies,” she noted
The flowering stage is crucial for plant reproductive development. “We want to investigate how microgravity can affect the plant flowering time and whether it is possible to use the microgravity environment to control the related process,” she said.
Since the 1980s, China has been taking seeds of rice and other crops to space to help them mutate and produce higher yields once they were planted on Earth. But growing rice in orbit is a different challenge due to the tough conditions of space such as microgravity and lack of air.
Rice has been a main food for astronauts since the early days of space exploration. Freeze—dried chicken and rice was the menu for the Apollo 11 mission, which carried the first humans to land on the moon in July 1969.
“But if we want to land on and explore Mars, bringing food from Earth is not enough to provide for the astronauts’ long journey and mission in space. We have to find a food source for long term space explorations,” Zheng added.
1. What’s the significance of Chinese recent space rice experiment?| A．It enables human beings to move to another planet. |
| B．It helps people get a better idea of the human life cycle. |
| C．It inspires more other countries to do space explorations |
| D．It makes it possible to carry out long—term space missions |
| A．The mutation. | B．The experiment. | C．The exploration. | D．The space mission. |
| A．To promote genetic changes and increase crop harvest. |
| B．To figure out how to create an earth—like environment. |
| C．To study the impact of microgravity on crop growth. |
| D．To develop new crop species with strong ability to adapt. |
| A．A medical report. | B．A fashion magazine. |
| C．A science newspaper. | D．A history book. |
