2 . As is known to all, pandas are a symbol of China. In fact, pandas are not only popular in China, but are loved around the world.

In 1972, China gave the United States the gift of two young pandas to help open up relations between the two countries. Pandas quickly became an important symbol of peace and friendship. By 1982,China had given 23 pandas to nine different countries. However, most of them died. China stopped giving away pandas in the early 1980s. Instead, the animals are loaned to other countries. In general, they are to be returned to China after 10 years.

Two giant pandas, “Da Mao” and “Er Shun”, returned to China from a Canadian zoo on Nov.29. On average, an adult panda eats about forty kilograms of bamboo every day. The zoo couldn’t meet the pandas’ needs because of the COVID-19 pandemic(流行病). In May, the zoo announced it would have to return the two animals four years earlier than planned in order that they could enjoy China’s rich supply of fresh bamboo instead.

Why do these lovely animals find it hard to survive in other countries? Their nutrition (营养) mostly comes from bamboo shoots. Sometimes pandas can also be quite careful about their food. They refuse to eat bamboo shoots after they have blossomed (开花). It takes ten years for a new crop of bamboo to mature (成熟), and many countries do not have an environment suitable for bamboo to grow in. This means that food has to be bought from China.

There is still much work to be done to protect the panda and its habitat. “We don’ t own the pandas, but the whole world wants to help save the panda, and we do that through exchanging information on how to look after them,” an American director of the National Zoo told China Daily.

1. What does the underlined word “loaned” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．lent

B．sold

C．driven

D．led

2. How much bamboo does an adult panda eat daily?

A．280 kilograms.

B．140 kilograms.

C．80 kilograms.

D．40 kilograms.

3. Why do pandas find it hard to survive in other countries?

A．They eat too much bamboo.	B．Their eating habit is an important reason.
C．The COVID-19 pandemic stopped their bamboo supply.	D．Bamboo shoots have blossomed.

4. The text is probably from a            .

A．dialogue

B．diary

C．newspaper

D．speech

3 . 阅读下面材料，根据所给情节和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Jane Brown sat carefully putting papers into a folder. She had been at the Gateway Nature Center’s office all morning and was tired of filing. She wanted desperately to work with the animals. She had been a weekend volunteer that whole school year and had done extensive research, reading books and websites on natural history. But her mom, who was the assistant director of the center, said Jane was still too young.

Suddenly, the quiet was broken by Amy bursting in. She had been a volunteer a bit longer than Jane and wandered around like she owned the place. “Hurry up, Jane,” she ordered. Jane willed herself to remain still and just smiled back.

Just then, Jane’s mother rushed into the room with Mr. White, the manager. “The hurricane is now approaching the Gulf Shore Preserve,” Mrs. Brown reported. “It needs help preparing for it. I have to go down there with the staff. We’ll take the bridge, so we shouldn’t be gone long. I need you girls to help Mr. White get the storm shutters (护窗) down in the aviary (鸟舍). Then, stay inside with Mr. White. Call me on my cellphone if there’re any problems,” Mrs. Brown directed as she rushed out. Jane was excited to have an opportunity to help the birds.

Amy announced she was now “in charge”. Jane smiled again, saying nothing. Mr. White and the girls worked quickly and were soon back inside. But when Mr. White called Jane’s mother, a worried expression crossed his face. “A storm has flooded the bridge, and they’re stuck there. Also, the storm is heading our way,” he said. Amy was frightened. After silently considering for a few seconds, Jane said calmly, “We should move the birds to the reptile house (爬行动物馆). It’s on higher ground.” Mr. White and Amy nodded. They rushed out of the building. Once inside the aviary, Jane watched Amy lunge (猛冲) from cage to cage.

注意：1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1.

Jane told Amy not to jump around so much because the birds would be scared by her sudden movements.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2.

After several hours, the storm stopped, and Mrs. Brown was able to return to the center.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4 . Many plants and animals live together, and they depend on each other. They are usually very different from their sharing partner, and yet all live easier lives because of each other. It is nature’s idea of sharing.

An example of this is the shark and pilot fish. The pilot fish is a little guy and he would be helpless if he hung around by himself in the great ocean. But his smartness makes up for his size. He cleverly swims along beside the shark and when the shark eats, the pilot fish gets the leftovers. The shark also benefits from this relationship. The pilot fish cleans food scraps (碎屑) and insects from the shark’s skin.

Another example is the sea anemone (海葵) and striped clown fish. The sea anemone looks like a flower but contains poisonous cells. When small fish swim into it, the anemone traps and paralyzes (使麻痹) them. However, the striped clown fish is able to swim into the poisonous anemone without being harmed. To pay for his safety, the clown fish brings food to the anemone. He also guides other fish into the anemone’s deadly trap.

Large mammals such as the ox, antelope and African buffalo form such a relationship with the oxpecker (牛椋鸟). They provide daily meals to the bird that eats insects. The various large mammals act as a restaurant with a varied menu for the oxpecker. What do they get in return from the bird? Free beauty treatments!

Some plants live together in a beneficial relationship. Fungus (菌类) does not have chlorophyll (叶绿素) that plants need to make food. However, the green alga (海藻) does contain chlorophyll. It is, therefore, able to feed the fungus along with itself. But nothing is free! The fungus repays it by protecting the alga. Since it takes in and stores water, it can provide the alga with an unending water supply.

1. Why does the pilot fish swim along beside the shark?

A．Because he likes eating the waste given off by the shark.

B．Because he can help the shark get food.

C．Because he can get food and protection.

D．Because he needs the help of the shark to lead his way.

2. To repay the sea anemone, the striped clown fish ______.

A．paralyzes small fish for him	B．helps him catch other fish
C．does some cleaning work	D．warns him of the danger

3. What do the fungus and the green algae share with each other?

A．Energy and light.	B．Energy and light.
C．Light and chlorophyll	D．Chlorophyll and water.

4. What is the structure of the passage?

A．①→②③④⑤	B．①→②③→④⑤
C．①②③④→⑤	D．①②③→④⑤

5 . How to get kids to respect wildlife

Children who respect wildlife as something worthy of care and protection usually grow up kinder and more considerate and often generate the same positive feelings in those around them.     1     .

Respect their wildness

    2    . And this isn’t always the best thing for the animals — or kids as well. Show kids that animals in their natural habitats are living their best life — and should respect their own qualities.

Respect all the animals

It’s easy for kids to respect those cute and adorable mammals.     3     . Habitats need all sorts of animals to stay healthy, so show kids why every insect is important. (For instance, worms keep soil healthy by digging through the dirt.) Kids can learn about those not-so-cute animals by browsing online galleries or photos of insects and bugs.

    4    

Out of curiosity, young kids want to chase after a squirrel, or pet a wild rabbit. But human interactions with wildlife can negatively affect animals by changing their natural behavior. Teach children to leave animals alone and observe them from a distance.

Respect their homes

You have taught your child to leave those cute animals alone, but other choices can still harm wildlife. Try to keep kids from taking ‘souvenirs’ that actually are some animals’ home (like shells, nests, or logs).     5    . That trash includes our leftover food, which can be harmful to some animals. Instead, teach kids about proper animal food by helping them make feeders.

A．Throw trash away, since animals can mistake it for food

B．Let’s bring out kindness in your kids with these simple and positive ideas

C．Respect endangered animals

D．Children tend to project human qualities on animals

E．Keeping art in kids’ lives also helps them understand different animals

F．Respect their privacy

G．But what about all those “scary-looking” ones, such as bees, worms and snakes?

6 . Indoor plants might look as if they just sit around not doing much, but in many ways they are the unsung heroes of the home.     1    , but studies have shown that they can promote people’s wellbeing by improving their mood (心情), reducing stress and helping their memory. What’s more, indoor plants are easy to look after and are not very expensive.

What are indoor plants?

Indoor plants, also known as houseplants or pot plants, are plants that like to grow indoors. Many of these species (物种) are not ideally suited to growing outside in the UK, especially in the winter.     2    .

Why are indoor plants good for you?

Will Spoelstra, who works at the Royal Botanic Gardens, says, “    3    . I find during the winter months, plants around the house can really lift your mood.” Several studies have backed this up and found that indoor plants can improve creativity, focus and memory. There is also research showing that pot plants can clean the air around them by removing harmful gases, such as carbon dioxide. They also remove some harmful chemicals from paints or cooking.     4    .

Which plants can you grow?

Aloe vera, peace lilies and spider plants are some of the species that are easy to grow indoors. You can buy plants from supermarkets, garden centres or online. Younger plants are often cheaper than fully grown ones, and you get to care for them as they mature — which is part of the joy of owning plants. “    5    ,” Spoelstra says. “It can bring a new interest and focus into people’s lives and help to make the link between home and nature.”

A．All plants are different

B．Not only do they look beautiful

C．There are many benefits to growing plants indoors

D．Instead, they grow better inside, where it is warmer

E．Plants like peace lilies and devil’s ivy are among the best

F．Changing the pot of your plant from time to time will also help

G．Learning about the requirements of each plant can be very rewarding

7 . 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.

2. What can we know about geese from paragraph 3?

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.

3. What is the researchers’ advice on protecting geese?

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.

4. In which section can this text be found in a newspaper?

A．Travel.

B．Nature.

C．Culture.

D．Education.

8 . One day when Bill was walking home from school, he heard a _________ coming from the bushes. He went over to see what it was. Behind a bush, he found a black and white dog _________ in a trap (陷阱). Bill hurried home with the dog and showed his _________. Bill’s dad said the dog had a broken_________. They took the dog to the doctor. On the way, Bill’s parents decided that Bill could keep the dog _________ they couldn’t find the owner. When they arrived, the doctor put a cast (石膏) on the dog’s leg. He _________ told Bill that she was going to have puppies (幼犬)!

The next day, Bill posted _________ around his neighborhood that said, “Found: Dog-Black and White,” and listed his _________ for the owner to call.   

Two days later, Bill _________ a call from the owner of the dog. The owner __________ Bill for taking such good care of his dog. When the owner came to __________ his dog, he said Bill could have one of the puppies. Bill was so __________!

Bill __________ a doghouse and even bought some__________ to get ready for the dog. What else? Yes, a __________ for his new puppy. Rosco, that’s it!

1.

A．whistle

B．sigh

C．whisper

D．noise

2.

A．caught

B．deserted

C．hidden

D．left

3.

A．neighbors

B．friends

C．parents

D．brother

4.

A．ear

B．nose

C．tail

D．leg

5.

A．because

B．if

C．though

D．but

6.

A．again

B．also

C．still

D．once

7.

A．signs

B．results

C．pictures

D．maps

8.

A．address

B．e-mail

C．phone number

D．report card

9.

A．returned

B．heard

C．received

D．missed

10.

A．thanked

B．reported

C．accepted

D．admired

11.

A．care for

B．pick up

C．give away

D．search for

12.

A．confused

B．ashamed

C．shocked

D．excited

13.

A．imagined

B．drew

C．built

D．visited

14.

A．bones

B．puppies

C．photos

D．plants

15.

A．signal

B．collar

C．dress

D．name

10 . In 2004,the 410,000 residential (住宅的)fires in America caused more than 14,000 injuries and 3,000 deaths.You can prevent fire-related deaths and injuries,and even most residential fires by knowing about fire safety.    1    

Fire safety escape plan

A fire safety escape plan tells everyone what to do if your home catches fire.Your family need to design an escape plan for your home.    2     When you discuss with your family,it is a good idea to talk about each person’s responsibilities in case of a fire such as who helps whom out of the house. 

Fire safety and kids

    3     Children cause thousands of residential fires each year most of which are caused by children playing with matches.You need to teach your children to obey the following fire safety rules:    4     Always have an adult’s help when cooking.Always STOP,DROP,and ROLL,if you or your clothes catch fire. 

Fire safety and your home

Electrical fires are the most common type of residential fires in America.Electric heaters,and clothes dryers are responsible for most of residential electrical fires.If a fire happens,shut off the electricity,and put out small fires with your home fire extinguisher (灭火器).Do not put water on electrical fires.    5     Call 911 and report the fire.

A．Don’t stop to save anything.

B．Never play with matches or lighters.

C．Fire safety education begins with children.

D．Do not try to deal with large fires by yourself.

E．Your children are the most important people in your life.

F．The escape plan needs to be known by everyone in your family.

G．Protect you and your family by making an escape plan and learning fire safety.