1 .

The day starts early for Tang Shengli, a bird protection volunteer in Lanshan county, Yongzhou, Hunan province. At about 5 am, the 60-year-old is in uniform and ready to start his day’s work protecting and recording migratory (迁徙的) birds. Located on the northern side of the Nanling Mountains, Lanshan is an important passageway for migratory birds. From September to December every year, more than 240 species of migratory birds fly from Siberia to Australia via Hunan. In the past 10 years, Tang has recorded more than 120 species of such birds with his camera. “The flight calls of the migratory birds at night attract me so much that I cannot sleep. All I want to do is get up and record them,” Tang says.

When Tang joined the Hunan provincial bird protection organization in 2013, he knew he faced a tough task. Numerous migratory birds were lost each year as a result of killing and illegal trade. At that time, poachers (偷猎者) lit up the hillside to attract the birds there and hunt them. Some nights hundreds of birds would be killed or caught, remembers Liao Changgui, an official with the local forestry bureau.

By day, Tang distributes brochures to villagers in Lanshan to raise public awareness of bird protection, while at night, he goes deep into the wilderness to tackle illegal hunting. “Many villagers didn’t think bird hunting was illegal, and some made a living from it. Our work has affected their business,” Tang explains, adding his wife was threatened at their home in order to stop him doing his work.

To stop poaching, in October 2012, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration issued a notice to prevent the illegal hunting of migratory birds. In December that year, the Hunan provincial government promised to fight against poaching and establish a bird monitoring and protection system. So far, 43 migratory bird protection stations have been built across the province, covering almost all key points on the passageway. In 2020, a “lights out” program started in Lanshan county to prevent the birds from being distracted (使分心).

On Nov 1, the Hunan provincial government issued a ban on hunting migratory birds and other wildlife listed under national and provincial protection. Nationwide, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration is carrying out a two-month special action plan to strengthen patrols and remove illegal hunting equipment in national parks, nature reserves and bird migration routes across the country.

1. Why did poachers light up the hillside according to paragraph 2?

A．To find their way around the hill.

B．To search for birds’ nests and catch them.

C．To draw the birds’ attention to catch them.

D．To lead the birds to fly safely and in the correct direction.

2. What is the possible meaning of the underlined word “tackle” in paragraph 3?

A．Give up.

B．Put off.

C．Call for.

D．Deal with.

3. What is the main idea of the fourth paragraph?

A．Ways to punish bird poachers.

B．Routes migratory birds fly along.

C．Measures to protect migratory birds.

D．Reasons why poachers try to capture birds.

4. What is a suitable title for the news report?

A．Ensuring birds have a safe passage

B．Important passageway for migratory birds

C．Flight calls of migratory birds at night attract Tang

D．Tang records more than 120 species of migratory birds

2 . Never has there been a primate as big as Gigantopithecus blacki. Adults of this ancient ape (猿) stood about 10 feet tail and could weigh more than 500 pounds, wandering the thick forests of ancient China during the last Ice Age.

Why this impressive animal went extinct has puzzled scientists since the ape was discovered nearly a century ago. But now, a new analysis suggests that the primate’s unique lifestyle left it vulnerable

The new study combines geological dates, pollen records, and clues preserved inside fossil teeth to present a detailed timeline of when, and how, Gigantopithecus blacki went extinct. The results reveal the creature’s decline and ultimate demise in fine detail

Kira Westaway, lead author of the new study and a geochronologist at Macquarie University in Sydney, worked to come up with more accurate dates for the sediments (沉积物) that Gigantopithecus fossils have been found in. Studies of fossil pollen from the Gigantopithecus sites also allowed researchers to study how the animal’s habitat was changing. Prior to 700,000 years ago, both Gigantopithecus and Pongo weidenreichi, another ancient ape, lived in forests where they ate leaves, fruits, and flowers available much of the year round. Due to the environmental changes, dense forests of pines, birches and chestnut relatives gave way to more open habitats with larger patches of grassland However, Gigantopithecus had a difficult time finding preferred foods. Meanwhile Pongo weidenreichi changed its diet to live on-fibrous-plants that were more readily available.

“It was the response of G, blacki to these changes that sealed its fate, ” Westaway says. The giant apes were so big that they had to move on the ground and were limited in how far they could venture, trying to make the most of twigs, bark, and other tough foods that were still accessible. It wasn’t enough.

Yet knowing the ending of the ape’s story hardly closes the case on the giant primate. Did these huge primates follow the same path to extinction, or did the story vary by location? This research opens new questions even as it explains the disappearance of Earth’s most huge ape.

1. What does the new research aim to do?

A．To study the climate changes of ancient China.

B．To analyze the geological features of the last Ice Age.

C．To solve the mystery of the Gigantopithecus blacki’s extinction.

D．To present some detailed findings of the Gigantopithecus blacki’s habitat.

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

A．Change.

B．Removal.

C．Adaptation.

D．Extinction.

3. What do we know about the study?

A．The timing of the giant ape’s disappearance was worked out.

B．Another ape was included to show their common habitat.

C．The environmental shift had little impact on the giant ape’s habitat.

D．Some fossil pollen were studied to reveal the giant ape’s diet preference.

4. What can be suggested from Westaway ’ s words about the giant ape?

A．The giant ape responded to the change of its habitat easily.

B．The inability to adapt quickly caused its disappearance.

C．The giant ape had sufficient food resources on the grassland.

D．The forested habitat was still accessible to the giant ape.

3 . Check out these stories of some animals.

The cat Homer

Homer the blind cat weighs only four pounds. Gwen Cooper adopted him when he was three weeks old. One night his growling (狂吠) wakes up Cooper, He’s never growled before. Surprised, Cooper opens her eyes. A burglar is standing at the foot of her bed! Cooper reaches for her phone to call 911.

“Don’t do that!” the burglar says. The sound of his voice shows his exact location, and blind Homer leaps. No match for a cat with sharp claws, the would-be robber flees.

The dog Geo

Geo follows 10-year-old Charlie Rilcy everywhere. One day Charlie, his mom, and two younger brothers are standing at a street corner. Geo is sitting at Charlie’s side. Suddenly, an out-of-control truck is heading straight for Charlie!

But Geo makes a flying leap. “He hits me so hard that I fall over,” Charlie says. The speeding truck hits Geo instead. Geo is rushed to the animal hospital.

The dog Teddy

It’s 3 a.m. in West Jordan, Utah. A mother and two children stand outside as firefighters hose (用软管浇) water on their burning house. “Is anybody inside?” the firemen ask.

The mom says no, because she feels certain that her older son escaped out the back. But just to be sure, Don Chase and his partner plunge (冲入) through the flames to look.

And what do they find? Teddy the pet dog standing by the door. Chase reaches for him, but Teddy runs down the basement stairs. Midway down, he stops and waits. But just as the firemen reach him, he takes off again. “I’m really maddened.”Chase says. “We’re wasting time chasing a dog when we should be searching for human victims.”

Then they see him — the older son, unconscious on a basement couch. Grabbing his legs and chest, the astonished firemen move him to safety, as Teddy runs behind.

1. How does Homer know where the burglar is?

A．Cooper shows him.	B．He sees the burglar.
C．Through the burglar’s voice.	D．Through the burglar’s actions.

2. The underlined word “maddened” can best be replaced by “________”.

A．interested

B．surprised

C．excited

D．annoyed

3. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Real animal heroes	B．Funny stories about pets
C．How to take care of your pets?	D．Why arc dogs better pets than cats?

4 . Removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is essential to meeting international climate goals, scientists say. Without it, it’s all but impossible to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in time to limit global warming to 1.5 or 2 degrees Celsius, the primary targets of the Paris climate agreement.

Yet carbon dioxide isn’t the only climate-warming gas that needs a sharp cutback in the atmosphere. Experts are turning their focus to methane (甲烷) as well.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine hosted a workshop dedicated to atmospheric methane removal, which is the process of removing methane emissions directly from the air. The workshop included presentations by dozens of researchers and policy experts addressing questions about the science and effectiveness of methane removal, potential side effects and unintended consequences and the ways it should be governed and regulated.

These presentations will be used to inform a forthcoming NASEM report on atmospheric methane removal. The study will examine the global need for methane removal, viable options for carrying it out and potential risks and benefits, while outlining a road map for future research. The subject is more complicated than carbon dioxide removal, which has received more attention and research.

Methane has a far shorter lifetime in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, yet it’s a much more powerful greenhouse gas while it lasts. The world already has warmed by more than 1 degree Celsius since the Industrial Revolution, and scientists estimate that methane may be responsible for as much as 0.5 degrees.

Reducing methane emissions at their sources is a growing priority. However, Methane removal, by comparison, is more complex. For one thing, methane is far less abundant in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, meaning methane capture systems must process much larger quantities of air in order to make a meaningful difference. For another, there are also uncertainties about unintended side effects of some emerging technologies. Adding chlorine (氯) to the atmosphere, for instance, can actually increase the lifetime of methane in the atmosphere if it isn’t carefully dosed. It can also attack the Earth’s protective ozone layer. Besides, chlorine-based methods could decrease certain other types of climate-warming gases in the atmosphere in addition to methane.

1. According to the passage, what is not the issue of the workshop?

A．The effectiveness of methane removal.	B．The side effects of removing methane.
C．The predictable results of methane removal.	D．The method of controlling methane removal.

2. What is the writing purpose of the 4th paragraph?

A．To persuade the readers to focus on the presentation.

B．To inform the readers of the significance of the study.

C．To call on the people to reduce the Methane emission.

D．To discuss about the problems that may arise from the removal.

3. Which of the following is not the reason why it is harder to remove methane than to remove carbon dioxide?

A．The carbon dioxide has a longer lifetime in atmosphere.

B．The methane is harder to be caught because of its traits.

C．Scientists have doubts about the effectiveness of the methods.

D．The new technologies may bring about the negative effects.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．The NASEM faces a great challenge	B．The methane contributes to global warming
C．The government reports on methane removal	D．The scientists explore pulling methane out of air

5 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What do bees do when they need to relax?

A．Fly all day.

B．Make honey.

C．Play with balls.

2. How many choices did the bees have in the experiment?

A．One.

B．Two.

C．Three.

3. What kind of treat could the bees get?

A．A sugary treat.

B．A special treat.

C．A flowery treat.

4. What can we infer from what the researcher said?

A．Bees are more thoughtful.

B．Bees are more hardworking.

C．Bees are hard to get along with.

6 . If you have ever found yourself concluding that intelligence is in short supply in the modern world, perhaps you are looking in the wrong place. There are still plenty of smarts to be found elsewhere.

You will be familiar with the cleverness of dolphins and chimpanzees. But what about wasps (黄蜂)? They can recognize human faces. Or mosquitoes? They can learn to avoid being killed by chemicals after a single taste.

Such an astonishing group of talent is rather unsettling, which raises fundamental questions like what actually is intelligence, how did it develop and how do the abilities of various organisms (生物) compare? Evaluating intelligence in nature is tricky, particularly in life forms that are very different from us. Now a group of neuroscientists, AI researchers and philosophers want to create a periodic table of intelligence similar to the one used to categorize the chemical elements. The chemical version sorts elements by their atomic (原子的) number or atomic mass. For intelligence, researchers are still looking for a criterion that is equally straightforward. But where to begin?

It certainly isn’t brain size, as was long thought. Behavior might be a better way to categorize cleverness. But testing for intelligence through behavior is difficult. Recognizing oneself in a mirror is seen as a sign of advanced cognition (认知). Dolphins and bats can do it — but dogs typically can’t. Does this reflect a lack of intelligence in dogs or perhaps something else, such as their reliance more on smell than vision. Likewise, many organisms live in environments that are obviously different from ours and so might use senses that we don’t even possess.

Nevertheless, the researchers behind the initiative think intelligence might become clearer through a combination of behavioral and neuroanatomical (神经解剖学的) features. “We’re going to ask, are there kinds of intelligence, and can we identify structural features that are organizational of those kinds of intelligence?” says Andrew Barron at Macquarie University. “If we can, then we are starting to identify things that can be thought of as possible dimensions of intelligence.”

1. Why are wasps and mosquitoes mentioned in paragraph 2?

A．To make comparisons between them.

B．To prove smarts are in short supply.

C．To show there are other forms of intelligence.

D．To illustrate their similarities with humans.

2. Which fails to explain the difficulty in evaluating cleverness in nature?

A．It is upsetting to see different talents in natural settings.

B．It is hard to compare the abilities of different species.

C．Life forms in the natural world are different from humans.

D．It requires us to answer some basic questions about intelligence.

3. Why is testing for intelligence through behavior challenging?

A．Factors like brain size matter more.

B．Other features need to be considered.

C．Some organisms possess similar senses.

D．All animals show signs of advanced cognition.

4. What could be a possible title for the passage?

A．Different Minds	B．Surprising Behaviors
C．Unique Senses	D．Diverse Species

7 . In the last 100 years, the global temperature has gone up by around 0.75℃. Such a small increase is causing sea levels to rise and ________ the habitat of many species of plants and animals. A(n) ________ of 2℃ in global temperatures could result in ________ of 30% of the world’s land species.

Sea levels in the UK have increased by around 10 cm in the last 100 years and experts ________ that global sea levels could rise by up to 59 cm in the near future. ________, areas which were land a few hundred years ago are now under water.

As a result of the changing ________, the world’s ecosystems are also changing faster than ever before. So what is ________ climate change? The main cause of climate change is the huge amount of greenhouse gases like CO₂ in the atmosphere, but the reason for this is the world’s population — you and me. As the ________ increases, more land is needed to provide food, and more energy is ________ too. Burning fossil fuels for heating, lighting, transport, or electricity ________ CO₂. Furthermore, humans breathe out CO₂ and trees “breathe in” CO₂ and produce oxygen — so by ________ trees, we are increasing the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere and reducing the amount of oxygen. As a result of these ________, CO₂ levels are now at their highest for 800,000 years.

The biggest ________ we all face is to prevent further environmental disasters. We need to ______________ burning fossil fuels and start using renewable energy. If we can get enough ________ from renewable fuels, we can stop using fossil fuels completely.

1.

A．attacking

B．ignoring

C．threatening

D．discovering

2.

A．limitation

B．reduction

C．increase

D．improvement

3.

A．extinction

B．escape

C．change

D．development

4.

A．argue

B．explain

C．doubt

D．predict

5.

A．Surprisingly

B．Consequently

C．Immediately

D．Usually

6.

A．climate

B．height

C．period

D．environment

7.

A．forcing

B．allowing

C．causing

D．helping

8.

A．animal

B．species

C．plants

D．population

9.

A．wasted

B．needed

C．supplied

D．stored

10.

A．produces

B．includes

C．requires

D．provides

11.

A．transporting to

B．searching for

C．planting in

D．cutting down

12.

A．questions

B．activities

C．procedures

D．disasters

13.

A．challenge

B．disadvantage

C．adventure

D．influence

14.

A．consider

B．deny

C．stop

D．hate

15.

A．time

B．energy

C．inspiration

D．knowledge

8 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What will the weather be like tomorrow?

A．Hot.

B．Cold.

C．Wet.

2. Who has been warned about windy weather?

A．Rail travelers.

B．Air travelers.

C．Car travelers.

3. What happened in April last year?

A．High winds.

B．A drought.

C．Floods.

4. How often are the news summaries broadcast?

A．Every hour.

B．Every two hours.

C．Every three hours.

9 . On May 7, “eco-mermaid” Merle Liivand _________her own world record by swimming a full marathon’s distance with a single fin (鳍) in Biscayne Bay, Florida. When Merle Liivand was a child, she had health problems, and began swimming to help her lungs get _________ . In one training session, she nearly wound up swallowing some _________ that was floating in the sea.

That _________ made her think of all the sea animals who faced _________ pollution every day. She decided to work to make people more aware of plastic pollution. Inspired by sea creatures, she began swimming with a special single swimming fin _________ both of her feet. This single fin allows her to swim by _________both of her legs together. She believes swimming with it _________“a bigger message”.

Since 2019, she’s broken records, swimming vast distances—first in California, then in Florida, and this time swimming the _________ of a full marathon. Despite encountering challenges like jellyfish stings, she __________ , collecting trash along her route. Her dedication extends beyond records; it’s about community and global __________.

During her__________, a friend kayaked (划皮划艇) alongside, providing food and water and collecting the trash she __________ . By the end of her marathon, the kayak held three bags full of trash. Liivand’s actions aim to __________ a bigger goal: it’s not just about achievements, but about making a __________ impact on the world.

1.

A．planned

B．kept

C．broke

D．prepared

2.

A．stronger

B．cleaner

C．lighter

D．cooler

3.

A．water

B．plastic

C．sand

D．metal

4.

A．situation

B．cleanup

C．disaster

D．experience

5.

A．different

B．visible

C．similar

D．challenging

6.

A．attached to

B．referred to

C．applied to

D．devoted to

7.

A．connecting

B．removing

C．kicking

D．wiping

8.

A．hides

B．marks

C．finds

D．conveys

9.

A．depth

B．length

C．width

D．breadth

10.

A．persisted

B．relaxed

C．faced

D．paused

11.

A．accomplishment

B．betterment

C．management

D．agreement

12.

A．training

B．adventure

C．travel

D．marathon

13.

A．gathered

B．shared

C．sorted

D．pushed

14.

A．miss

B．review

C．break

D．reach

15.

A．various

B．lasting

C．positive

D．side

10 . Have you ever wondered what your dog sees when they stare at you, or at least the treat in your hand?

Well, now you can find out, as a new interactive tool shows you how your dog and other animals see the world.

Dogs, cats, birds and rabbits all have a different field of vision and access to a different color spectrum (色谱). The new tool allows you to upload or take a photo, and then place a filter (滤光器) over the top to transform it into what your animal of choice would see.

At the back of the human eye are photoreceptors—cells that respond to the light shining in. These come in two types, “rods” or “cones”, and while rods are sensitive to motion and night vision, the cones are able to detect color.

Humans have three types of con e cells, and each of these are most sensitive to a particular color, either red, green or blue. Dogs only have two types of cones which are sensitive to blue and yellow, meaning they can only see these colors as well as shades of grey. This is comparable to the roughly nine per cent of people with red-green color blindness, which makes green look more red.

However, dog retinas (视网膜) are rod-heavy, which is why they can see better in the dark and can detect motion a lot better than humans. Dogs’ eyes are also positioned at a 20° angle and are a lot further apart than ours, which increases their surrounding vision. This gives them a 240° field of vision-larger than a human’s 180°.

Dogs can make up for what they lack in vision with their other senses, like their sense of smell. Their “olfaction”(嗅觉) is between 10,000 to 100,000 times more acute than ours, so they are still able to cope well if their vision fails.

1. What do you need to find out how you look like in your dog’s eyes?

A．a photo of your dog, a photo of yourself and the new tool.

B．a photo of your dog and the new tool.

C．the new tool and a photo of you and your dog.

D．a photo of yourself and the new tool.

2. What does the underlined word “These” refer to in Paragraph 4?

A．Different types of light.

B．Photoreceptors.

C．Dog eyes.

D．Human eyes.

3. Why do dogs see better at night than humans?

A．They are more sensitive to blue and yellow.	B．They have more “cones” in their retinas.
C．They have more “rods” in their retinas.	D．They have better sense of smell.

4. How does the author organize the whole passage?

A．By giving examples.	B．By making comparison.
C．By presenting data.	D．By putting forward questions.