1 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Beijing is the capital city of China. It     1     (cover) an area of around 17, 000 square kilometers, in which there are different kinds of bird habitats (栖息地),     2     (include) grassland, scrubland (灌木丛林地), wetland, and also agricultural land. Researchers call these areas “service stations,” where migrating (迁徙) birds stop     3     (rest) and feed. But the birds ‘“service stations” re     4     (rapid) closing in Beijing, as the city considers scrubland, grassland and old agricultural land to be “dirty” and “ugly”.

The loss of grassland and scrubland is already having a major influence     5     Beijing’s bird life. In the north of Beijing, the land around Miyun used to be visited by thousands of cranes (鹤). Now, much of that land is covered with man-made forest and     6     number of cranes there has greatly fallen.

“Cranes are rare and valuable animals in China. At Miyun, a festival     7     (hold) to celebrate the migration of cranes every year,” one researcher, Townshend, says. “Because it is Beijing, we can attract many people—both local people     8     visitors.”

“More cooperation (合作) between     9     (country) is needed,” Townshend adds. “Migratory birds are a shared natural heritage (遗产), and with this comes a common     10     (responsible) to protect them and the places they need,” he says.

2 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

A recent research shows that 86% of the world’s rivers have been damaged by human activities. The research     1     (conduct) by experts from a university in Toulouse, France,     2     examined data on over 2,500 rivers around the world.     3     (look) into changes in biodiversity (多样性) over the past 200 years, the scientists discovered that biodiversity in over half of the rivers has been seriously damaged by humans. The researchers said there were many reasons     4     this damage. A big reason is the     5     (introduce) of new species of fish into rivers. Other reasons include pollution, dams, overfishing, farming     6     climate change.

Unsurprisingly, the worst-hit rivers are in western Europe and North America. This is because these regions have large and rich     7     (city) crowded with people. The lead researcher Brosse said: “Rivers which have the most economic development around them, like the Mississippi River, are the most     8     (strong) affected.” The River Thames in London was one of the worst-affected rivers in the study. The least-affected rivers are in Africa and Australia. This is probably due to a     9     (slow) rate of industrialization in Africa and smaller population around rivers in Australia. Brosse added that rivers in many rich nations are unrecognizable compared with how they     10     (be) 200 years ago.

3 . New Zealand plans to put a price on sheep and cow burps (打嗝) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (排放). If the plan is passed, New Zealand will become the first country to tax (征税) farmers on each burp of their cattle, since the burps give out methane (甲烷) into the atmosphere.

“There is no question that we need to cut the amount of methane we are putting into the atmosphere, and an effective emissions pricing system for agriculture will play a key part in how we achieve that,” Climate Change Minister James Shaw said.

Animal agriculture is one of the leading causes of global warming. It is reportedly responsible for at least 14.5% of the world’s emissions. Moreover, cows are by far the biggest contributors. This is so because they produce 40% of global methane when they burp, fart (放屁) and produce waste. Also, methane is 80 times more warming than CO₂ although it’s shorter-lived in the atmosphere.

New Zealand, which has a population of five million people, has around 10 million cattle and 26 million sheep. “Almost half the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture, mainly methane,” the draft plan explained.

The “burp tax” is expected to take effect in 2025. Mr. Shaw wants farming to be more environmentally friendly. He also wants farmers to change the way they farm. He wants them to feed their animals on seaweed instead of grass. This will produce fewer emissions. Mr. Shaw also said farmers can reduce the tax they pay by planting more trees. Another suggestion is for cows to wear special masks.

New Zealand’s farmers support the government. They want to do their bit to help the environment.

1. Why will cattle’s burps be taxed?

A．To raise more money.	B．To feed more cattle.
C．To limit cattle’s price.	D．To better the environment.

2. Which is a fact about New Zealand according to the text?

A．Its cows produce 40% of global methane.

B．Its agriculture affects greenhouse gas emissions.

C．It is responsible for at least 14.5% of the world’s emissions.

D．There is 80 times more methane than CO2.

3. What can farmers do to pay less tax according to Mr. Shaw?

A．Plant more trees.	B．Correct their way to farm.
C．Feed their animals on grass.	D．Wear special masks when farming.

4. Which can be the best title of the text?

A．New Zealand reducing greenhouse gas emissions

B．New Zealand’s greenhouse emissions and animal farming

C．New Zealand introducing a new tax to help the environment

D．New Zealand’s farmers joining in the fight against climate change

4 . The planet is in trouble, and a gas-car ban just might help. But how will it affect you? Cars are not small investments. They make a big impact on our wallets — but also on the environment. That’s why when California announced a gas-car ban in August arid other states suggested they’d follow suit, there was a mixed response. Sure, reducing our use of gas by choosing more eco-friendly cars could slow climate change and help everyone live more sustainably, not to mention save money on gas in the long run. But what would happen to people’s cars? Would they have to buy an expensive new electric vehicle right now?

Well, let’s set a few things straight first: This isn’t a full-on ban. People living in or visiting California will still be able to drive gas cars, as well as buy and register used internal combustion engines (ICE) vehicles, well after the law takes effect. But in a little over a decade, residents will not be allowed to register new gas-burning cars. It will take more than a decade for the ban to take effect fully — 2035, to be exact.

Why is California banning gas cars? It’s all about the environment. More than half of California’s carbon pollution comes from the transportation sector, and eliminating ICE vehicles is a critical first step in, addressing the climate crisis. California has seen the impact of climate change firsthand in the form of natural disasters such as floods, mudslides, record-breaking droughts and extreme wildfires — all of which have increased in frequency and intensity in recent years.

However, new rules and laws can be fearsome, and hard to carry out at first. For example, electric vehicles (EVs) also don’t get as many miles per charge, making them difficult for long-distance trips and states with few charging stations. Related to that, the country needs more public charging stations. But, of course, the biggest barrier to more people getting excited about electric vehicles is price, which is currently higher than traditional vehicles due to their expensive batteries.

Still, Rauch is hopeful. “As someone who is focused on the health benefits of reducing pollution, I see the benefits as vastly outweighing the challenges,” she says. “At the end of the day, who doesn’t want their children and grandchildren to breathe clean air?”

1. What’s people’s attitude towards the gas-car ban?

A．They were totally in different to it.

B．They held mixed opinions towards it.

C．They had a flood of complaints about it.

D．They thought highly of it and welcomed it.

2. Why did California decide to ban gas cars?

A．To deal with the severe transportation problem.

B．To prevent natural disasters from happening.

C．To follow the example of other states with gas-car ban.

D．To ease the influence of serious climate change.

3. Which is NOT a possible disadvantage of EVs?

A．Limited miles per charge.	B．Limited charging stations.
C．Higher prices at present.	D．More carbon pollution.

4. Where might this text be taken from?

A．A magazine.

B．A textbook.

C．A biography.

D．A research report.

5 . 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。

Elephants are known to have an excellent memory. According to studies, they could still recognize and remember a face, whether it is a human or another elephant. An elephant’s memory is important to its survival. Elephants living in a rainforest need to remember the place where they search for food.

It’s always joyous to watch elephants getting reunited (重聚) with fellow elephants or people they came across in their lives. And just like humans, elephants take note of the faces they see and recognize them like we remember our family, friends, and hundreds more of people. And when they see a familiar (熟悉的) face, you’d know how happy they are.

A veterinarian (兽医) recently had a heartwarming reunion with an elephant he saved. Pattarapol Maneeon saved a wild elephant named Plai Thang in Rayong, Eastern Thailand 12 years ago. Plai Thang was then suffering from a disease called Trypanosomiasis. Without proper treatment, the disease could cause an elephant’s sudden death. It can also be contagious (传染) to other animals. Elephants that suffer from Trypanosomiasis tend to go farther out of the area since they are weak and can’t fight.

Dr. Maneeon noticed that Plai Thang was very ill and it had very little chance to survive. The poor creature was struggling to eat or drink water, and it could hardly stand on its feet.

It took a while before the elephant allowed Dr. Maneeon to approach it. He shared that it was also challenging to find and reach for treatment. Plai Thang was so clever to be hiding farther from usual to avoid possible predators (捕食者), so it was no easy task to take it to treatment. Anyway, with the help of a team of volunteers, the veterinarian eventually managed to take Plai Thang to a nearby zoo.

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。

Then, its treatments began.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

They reunited last month when Pattarapol visited the area during Thailand’s National Elephant Day.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Everyone knows that bees are busy. There is even     1     saying in English that one can be “as busy as a bee”. However, little     2     (know) about how bees play. Now scientists from Queen Mary University of London have made an amazing     3     (discover). In their study, the researchers found that bees could relax after a busy day making honey — they play with balls. The insects particularly enjoyed     4     (play) with small, wooden balls. According to the researchers, the way bees play is similar     5     that we humans do. Younger bees rolled more balls than older bees, while adult males spent     6     (long) playing with balls than adult females. The ball-rolling bees are the first known insects to “play”.

The researchers     7     (experiment) on 45 bumblebees in a specially designed test area. The bees were given two choices. The first was to fly     8     (direct) to get a sugary treat. The second was to get to the treat by going around different coloured wooden balls. Most of the bees decided to play with the balls and then get their treat,     9     showed that bees are more thoughtful than people believed. “Bees are a million     10     (mile) from the mindless, unfeeling creatures they are traditionally believed to be,” said one of the researchers.

7 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The world is in a climate crisis. We need to change how we get our power, which     1     (mean) we need to end the use of fossil fuels, like oil and gas. The European Space Agency (ESA) has started on work that could provide     2     (million) of homes with clean and reliable energy. It has approved     3     three-year project to test huge solar farms in space. These solar farms are expected     4     (send) energy wirelessly from space into peopled homes. An ESA spokesperson said one solar-farm satellite could create the same amount of electricity     5     a power station on Earth. She added that the satellites will be around 1.7 km in     6     (long) and their aim is to have many of these giant satellites     7     (place) in low-Earth orbits. They could cut our use of fossil fuels and reduce energy shortages.

The ESA project     8     (call) Solaris. Josef Aschbacher,     9     is currently the director-general of the ESA, said that Solaris could be of great significance. “We humans are consuming large quantities of fossil fuels. We need to change the way we produce energy. We especially need to reduce the fossil fuel part of our energy production,” said Josef. “It would be     10     (absolute) fantastic if we could do it from space. It would be a solution to lots of problems.”

8 . The Okapi Wildlife Reserve, located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to one-sixth of the remaining wild okapi in the world. It protects many other wildlife species as well as one-fifth of the Ituri forest. But despite its status, the reserve is under threat from human activities.

Mining, deforestation (森林破坏), and illegal hunting are all threatening the reserve, and criminals have murdered several people, including forest guards, since 2012. Forest loss is expanding rapidly. In 2020, the most deforestation in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve since records began in 2002 was recorded via satellite data. Since 2002, the area has lost about 7% of its total forest cover. Most recently, satellite data shows deforestation along the Ituri River in late 2021, likely from illegal gold mining.

“Miners are actually eating the reserve out of its wildlife by hunting animals for food. There is almost no wildlife left around the mine itself, and wildlife numbers are greatly reduced around mining towns,” said John Lukas, co-founder of the Okapi Conservation Project.

Protecting the reserve is important for the endangered okapi and other wildlife that call the region home, but preserving the area’s forests is of particular significance in dealing with climate change.

“The forests of Congo, more than forests in the Amazon and in Asia, store carbon even in times of drought and rising temperatures,” explained Lukas. “Preserving the forests not only provides habitats for okapi, elephants and chimpanzees but gives humans time to adjust our source of energy to be more sustainable and carbon neutral (碳中和). Hopefully the Western world will financially support the countries of the Congo basin to value their forests as sources of life and not just a kind of goods to be sold.”

1. What happened to the forests in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve?

A．Forest guards hunting.

B．Mining via satellites.

C．About 7% forest loss in 21 years.

D．One-fifth of wild animals leaving.

2. Why has so much wildlife disappeared around the mines?

A．Because of being killed for food.

B．Because of the high temperature.

C．Because of no habitat.

D．Because of the deadly diseases.

3. Why is it particularly important to protect the forests in the reserve?

A．Gold mines are in the forests.

B．The forests affect climate.

C．The forests are home to wild species.

D．A good life can be led by selling trees.

4. Which of the following might be the best title of the text?

A．Current situation of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve

B．Gold mines found in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve

C．Protecting the wildlife in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve

D．Endangered Okapi reserve threatened by human activities

9 . A change to organic dairy farming around the nature reserves could significantly reduce damage done to the areas by nitrogen produced by solid waste from cows, according to a research.

Concentrated animal farming near Natura 2000 areas was banned in 2002. However, 800 farms still remain in the outer edge of these protected areas, some of which are particularly damaging to the environment.

Researchers looked at 34 organic farms to see how organic farming practices compared with those large-scale factory farms. They found that cows at organic farms produced 22% less nitrogen in their waste, while the amount of emissions per hectare(公顷)was 53% lower.

“The reason why organic farming is less polluting is that farms generally have fewer cows and don’t use fertilizer,” said researchers. Organic cows are also put out to grassland more often and aren’t given concentrates(精饲料)to the same degree, which also limits emissions.

While organic dairy farms would make a good protective barrier against nitrogen around the nature reserves, this doesn’t hold true for organic chicken and pig farms, the research showed.

“Despite the good it would do, not many dairy farmers are likely to make the change,” researcher Gerard Migchels said. “The organic sector is currently relatively small. Growth is only possible if there is enough market demand. That would make it possible to come to a realistic price for organic milk,” he said.

In 2019, some 40,000 cows in the Netherlands were farmed organically, accounting for just 1% of the Dutch herd of 3.8 million.

According to a government report, 46% of nitrogen compound(复合物)pollution around nature reserves is down to agriculture, to which dairy farming contributes 60%. The new law on nitrogen emissions aims to reduce pollution by 40% by 2025 and 74% by 2035.

1. What can we infer about organic dairy farming around nature reserves from the text?

A．It helps dairy farmers collect nitrogen.	B．It is relatively environmentally friendly.
C．It has replaced traditional dairy farming.	D．It saves dairy farmers a great deal of trouble.

2. What is special about organic cows?

A．They eat less grass.	B．They are often larger in size.
C．Their waste contains less nitrogen.	D．Their waste can also serve as fertilizer.

3. How might Gerard Migchels feel about the current situation of organic dairy farming?

A．Rather hopeless.	B．Fairly content.
C．Particularly surprised.	D．Kind of sad.

4. What’s the author’s main purpose of writing this text?

A．To introduce the benefit of organic dairy farming.

B．To compare different types of farming practices.

C．To seek financial support for organic dairy farming.

D．To encourage people to drink more organic milk.

10 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Xiechi Lake, also known as Yuncheng Salt Lake in China’s Shanxi Province,     1     (become) popular on social media websites in the past few years.

Now, China wants to transform that online     2     (popular) into real-life tourism. “As the Chinese ‘Dead Sea’, floating here is     3     unforgettable experience, and one you can’t find anywhere else,” reads a tourism advertisement     4     (sponsor) by the Yuncheng Salt Lake Tourism Development Company. Yuncheng Salt Lake is a sulfate (硫酸盐) lake. “If the sulfate in your water is greater than the calcium (钙), all the calcium is used up,     5     leaves you with large amounts of sulfate and you have a sulfate lake,” explains geography professor Bernie Owen. Xiechi is also a “closed basin” lake,     6     (mean) it doesn’t flow out to a river or ocean, which explains how its salt content stays so high. It is possible for salt lakes to freeze over, although not as     7     (quick) as other lakes — after all, think about what happens when we spread salt over icy roads. Saltwater freezes at     8    (low) temperatures than fresh water.

In an effort     9     (boost) Xiechi Lake’s international profile, China is reportedly taking steps to get it recognized     10     a UNESCO World Heritage site.