1 . The huge billboard at the side of the highway is no joke; transporting firewood in certain areas is a crime, punishable by a four-thousand-dollar fine. The reason? Emerald Ash Borer disease, or EAB disease, a new addition to the long list of dangerous foreign pest infestations（虫害）on American soil. It was in 2002 when the Emerald Ash Borer beetle（甲虫）was first discovered in Michigan. Not long after, the pest was found in Ohio. Originally from Asia, this green beetle probably found its way to North America through a wooden box made of ash wood and immediately settled into a local ash tree. In little time, the species managed to kill millions of ash trees.

To date, much work is underway to stop ash trees ending up in the same group as elm and chestnut trees, which are all dying out in many areas. Ash Borer Infestations are particularly troublesome because they are difficult to identify until the ash tree is heavily infested. In addition, other ash trees in the area surrounding the source will probably also be infested, making control a hard task.

Researchers are working on many issues related to the control and removal of this harmful beetle. For example, it has been discovered that Asian ash trees are not destroyed by this native borer. It may be that, Asian ash trees have developed genes（基因）to protect them from the insect; therein, perhaps, lies the secret to controlling this pest. Insecticide（杀虫剂）treatment is also being explored on several fronts. Research is underway to determine which insecticides are proving to be the most successful. The proper application of the insecticides is being debated.

However, all possible solutions require a great deal of study and research. In the meantime, careful steps must be taken. Methodical identification of infested trees is taking place. Identified trees are being cut down and destroyed to get rid of the beetle colonies（群）. In the end, this puts a huge drain（消耗）on city budgets, as tree removal can be extremely expensive.

Even though it will be expensive to deal with this problem in the short term, the costs of doing nothing could be far higher, since we could lose an entire species of tree.

1. What can we learn about the Emerald Ash Borer beetle?

A．It is a newly found species.

B．It can be used to fight foreign pest infestations.

C．It is native to North America.

D．It can cause damaging harm to American ash trees.

2. What is special about Ash Borer infestations?

A．They affect Asian ash trees most frequently.

B．They are difficult to identify and get rid of.

C．They break out at certain times every year.

D．They spread slowly in a small area.

3. What method is currently used to control EAB disease?

A．Gene activation.	B．Insecticide use.
C．Removing infested trees.	D．Introducing the beetle’s enemies.

4. Which of the following might the author agree with?

A．Healthy trees should be relocated and protected.

B．Protecting the ash tree should be done at any cost.

C．Government budget for tree removal should be cut.

D．Measures that have side effects should be avoided.

2 . A new study has found that water in the air, not just heat, is important in measuring global warming. The researchers say, when considering humidity and heat, the temperature increase is two times greater than earlier estimates.

The researchers also note, temperature by itself is not the best way to measure the effects of climate change and using temperature underestimates conditions in the tropical areas of the world.

The study was published on January 31 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The researchers team show that the energy created in extreme weather, such as storms, is related to the amount of water in the air. For this reason, they decided to use a special atmospheric measurement to show the amount of heat in an area of air. It is expressed in a scientific measurement for temperature known as degrees Kelvin.

Ramanathan is one of the writers of the study. He is a climate scientist at the University of California San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography. “There are two factors of climate change: temperature and humidity. And so far, we have measured global warming just in terms of temperature,” he says. “Warm air can hold more water than cold air. For every degree Celsius that air temperature increases, it can hold seven percent more water. When the water vapor in the air becomes liquid, it releases heat or energy. That’s why when it rains, now it pours.”

Ramanathan added that water vapor is a powerful heat-trapping gas in the atmosphere that increases climate change. From 1980 to 2019, the average world surface air temperature increased by 0.79 degrees Celsius. But when they considered energy from humidity, their temperature measurement had increased by 1.48 degrees Celsius. In the tropics, the warming was as much as 4 degrees Celsius.

Wuebbles is a climate scientist at the University of Illinois. He was not part of the study. But Wuebbles said the idea makes sense because water vapor is important in extreme rainfall. He said, “Both heat and humidity are important.”

1. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．The combination of water and heat decreases average surface temperature.

B．The reason why it pours is that cold air can hold more water than warm air.

C．Scientists adopt temperature degrees Kelvin as a special atmospheric measurement.

D．Scientists used both temperature and humidity to measure global warming in the past.

2. How does Ramanathan illustrate his findings in the fifth paragraph?

A．By making comparisons.	B．By taking examples.
C．By analyzing reasons.	D．By giving definitions.

3. What is Wuebbles’ attitude to this new study?

A．Critical.

B．Objective.

C．Skeptical.

D．Appreciative.

4. Which of the following may be the best title for the passage?

A．Extreme Weathers Are Closely Related to Air Heat Amount

B．A New Study Focuses on Global Warming Solutions

C．Humidity Is Also Important in Measuring Climate Changes

D．Two Climate Scientists Develop a Scientific Method

3 . When I was a child, I was always climbing up the conker tree in our back garden or tackling oaks (橡树) in Epping Forest. And I’ve never lost the ________.

Writing the Wolf Brother books about stone age hunter-gatherers kept it ________. On a research trip to Bialowieza Forest in Poland, I climbed a lime tree that had survived a lightning ________ a few years before. The tree was growing well, the rope-like scar down its ________ making it temptingly climbable; I put it in one of my ________. And in the Taygetos mountains in Greece I shinned up a tree rather ________ to avoid a wild boar (野猪) with piglets.

I didn’t ________ to climb more trees during lockdown; it just happened. I live on Wimbledon Common, and over the summer I was in the ________ by dawn most days. Climbing the odd tree has been a(n) ________ from worrying about my 89-year-old mother. I’ve never been so ________ to live near woods, or so conscious that many people don’t.

My favourite trees for climbing are some secluded (僻静的) oaks with low branches for that tricky first hoist (拉高), as well as one ________ enormous beech (山毛榉树) that is difficult, but worth it. Wild creatures don’t expect people to climb trees, and they often don’t ________ I’m there. I’ve had close ________ with bats, crows, ________ little goldcrests, squirrels and, of course, the trees themselves: lichen-crusted branches, faces in the bark.

When I’m feeling ________ or low, being up a tree gives me perspective: it has lived ________ than me and seen it all. Tree climbing is also brilliant for solving writing problems. It doesn’t give me the answer ________ it helps me see the question I should be asking. I’m very keen ________ owls, and during the summer, two tawny owlets practised flying from a pair of lime trees close to my house. If that’s ________ next year, I’d love to be up a nearby tree when they do it. An owl’s-eye view of the woods at dusk— that would be ________.

1.

A．hope

B．urge

C．chance

D．time

2.

A．alive

B．awake

C．alone

D．aware

3.

A．hit

B．break

C．strike

D．beat

4.

A．branch

B．leaves

C．roots

D．trunk

5.

A．diaries

B．notes

C．marks

D．books

6.

A．fast

B．slowly

C．cleverly

D．stupidly

7.

A．pick up

B．give up

C．put out

D．set out

8.

A．trees

B．houses

C．woods

D．mountains

9.

A．shelter

B．place

C．way

D．escape

10.

A．moved

B．thankful

C．cheerful

D．amazed

11.

A．truly

B．typically

C．nearly

D．completely

12.

A．care

B．notice

C．understand

D．doubt

13.

A．contact

B．relations

C．meetings

D．communication

14.

A．training

B．trusting

C．startling

D．surprising

15.

A．excited

B．delighted

C．ambitious

D．anxious

16.

A．longer

B．shorter

C．sadder

D．happier

17.

A．and

B．but

C．otherwise

D．still

18.

A．in

B．for

C．on

D．at

19.

A．continued

B．changed

C．repeated

D．stopped

20.

A．nobody

B．somebody

C．nothing

D．something

4 . Scientists know quite a lot about stars. After centuries of pointing telescopes at the night sky, astronomers and amateurs alike can figure out key traits of any star, such as its mass or its composition.

To calculate a star’s mass, just look at the time it takes to orbit a companion star. Then do a bit of calculation. To determine what it’s made of, look to the spectrum of light the star sends out. But one question scientists haven’t quite cracked yet is how to calculate the exact time of a star.

“The sun is the only star we know the age of,” says astronomer David Soderblom. He works at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Md. We use what we know about it and how it compares to others, he says, to figure out the age of other stars.

Even well-studied stars surprise scientists every now and then. In 2019, the red supergiant Betelgeuse became gradually dark. At the time, astronomers weren’t sure if this star was just going through a phase. The alternative was more exciting: It might be ready to explode as a supernova. (Turns out it was just a phase.) The sun also shook things up when scientists noticed that it wasn’t behaving like other middle-aged stars. It’s not as magnetically active as other stars of its age and mass. That suggests astronomers still might not fully understand the timeline of middle age.

Using physics and indirect measurements, scientists can make a rough estimate of a star’s age. Some methods, it turns out, work better for different types of stars.

Why do we even care? Galaxies are huge collections of stars of different ages. Star ages might help us figure out how such galaxies grow and evolve or how planets within them form. Knowing star ages might even assist in the search for life in other solar systems.

1. What may scientists want to research about stars most now?

A．Their companions.	B．Their types.
C．Their ages.	D．Their characteristics.

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

A．Discussed.

B．Described.

C．Touched.

D．Solved.

3. Why is the example in 2019 mentioned?

A．To show scientists still have puzzles about stars.

B．To prove scientists have studied stars to the full.

C．To provide facts for scientists’ researches on stars.

D．To warn scientists to notice some surprising stars.

4. What does the author want to tell us in the last paragraph?

A．The reasons for caring about the space.	B．The significance of researching star ages.
C．The ways of measuring a star’s age.	D．The benefits of figuring out solar systems.

5 . 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。

Huang He or The Yellow River, flowing through nine provinces, is the second longest river in China. It is also the sixth longest in the world at the estimated     1    (long) of 5, 464 kilometers. The distinctive yellow color is from the silt (泥沙) and dust it collects     2     the environment.

The Yellow River is called "the cradle (摇篮) of Chinese civilization" as     3     (it) basin — the Wei valley —was the birthplace of ancient Chinese civilizations and the most prosperous (繁荣的) region in early Chinese history. Both the river and the people along its shores have shaped each other     4     (deep).

    5     you're a history fan or not, the river is appealing.

    6    (Originate) in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and runs into the Bohai Sea. The Yellow River basin has     7     east-west extent of 1,900 km and a north-south extent of 1,100 km. Its total basin area is 742,443 km². Two of     8    (popular) spots to visit are the Hukou Falls and the Silk Road Crossing at Lanzhou.

The Yellow River used to be called "China's Sorrow" because of the frequent floods hitting. In 1955, Chinese government developed a plan     9    (control) flooding. Since 1960, tens of thousands of trees     10    (plant) along the banks.

6 . With sunset on the horizon, Chad Rissman and his uncle Darrin Vick had waited all day for one bite. They were just sitting there talking when ______ the line got tight and ______. With that light bite, they got ______ in an unforgettable fishing tale.

Darrin was going to grab the ______. As the leader (接钩线) was coming up, Chad said he'd get hold of the shark. But before Darrin could, an eagle swept in and ______ the shark as its own. "In the sunset, the way ______ lined up for shooting; I couldn't have ______ a better time," said Chad. The family ______ their phones and ______ the moment.

Then, they ______ the line and got the line and hook away from the eagle.

"I think they did a really great job. It could have been a lot ______," said Kim Begay with the Clearwater Audubon Society and Audubon Center for Birds of Prey. Begay ______   that eagle as Eugene, first ______   in Bradenton in 2017, after breaking her leg. "The first time she broke her leg, she was in rehab (康复中心) for about eight ______   and she was in rehab at a very ______ time when she would be learning how to hunt and ______ her parents' hunt. Eugene appears to now be looking for easy ______," Begay explained.

If Eugene or any other bird is hooked, Begay suggested following these steps. "If you hook a bird ______, or the bird has line wrapped around them, you have to remove and then ______. If not, a bird could end up in ______."

1.

A．gradually

B．suddenly

C．permanently

D．hardly

2.

A．broken

B．long

C．loose

D．smooth

3.

A．interested

B．involved

C．lost

D．absorbed

4.

A．line

B．shark

C．eagle

D．phone

5.

A．killed

B．attacked

C．swallowed

D．claimed

6.

A．anything

B．everything

C．something

D．nothing

7.

A．asked for

B．run out of

C．escaped from

D．got rid of

8.

A．lost

B．threw

C．grabbed

D．delivered

9.

A．hid

B．shared

C．celebrated

D．recorded

10.

A．took out

B．cut off

C．tidied up

D．rolled up

11.

A．easier

B．healthier

C．worse

D．slower

12.

A．knows

B．regards

C．treats

D．accepts

13.

A．raised

B．witnessed

C．trained

D．rescued

14.

A．hours

B．days

C．months

D．years

15.

A．critical

B．enjoyable

C．relaxing

D．carefree

16.

A．protecting

B．ruining

C．discovering

D．following

17.

A．meals

B．tasks

C．journeys

D．methods

18.

A．with luck

B．by accident

C．in flesh

D．on purpose

19.

A．report

B．realize

C．release

D．recommend

20.

A．safety

B．relief

C．freedom

D．trouble

7 . The Mekong flows through an extremely diverse landscape and surprises once again with its richness of species. But an unbroken construction trend threatens the ecosystem.

In the Mekong area, 110 new species have been discovered in the past two years. The World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) on Thursday called Southeast Asia a true treasure for animals and plants. A turtle with a trunk and a fish named after the river Bruinen in the fantasy classic “Lord of the Rings” were found. According to WWF, a newly found plant reminds people of the eggs in the film “Alien”, from which the Facehugger jump.

The Mekong region, which covers China, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia, is a melting pot of biodiversity. But it is in danger. “Massive habitat ruin and huge hydropower plants threaten the treasury,” says Stefan Ziegler of WWF-Germany. “Our goal must be to protect the biologically valuable areas of the Mekong across borders and permanently, as well as to make sustainable use of natural resources.”

Over the past 20 years, more than 2, 500 new species have been discovered in the Mekong region, including numerous mammals and birds. “The combination of mountains, dry forests and wet lands, as well as heavy rainfall and a humid climate, is unique,” says the WWF. Many of the resident species could not be found anywhere else.

However, 150 large and small hydropower plants are planned on the Mekong. “The dams would primarily benefit construction companies and their associated politicians,” said Pou Sothirak, director of the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace, in a recent interview. “They are not interested in the social impact and the damage to the environment.”

1. What is it that makes Mekong in danger?

A．Terrible climate.	B．Unique landscape.
C．Abundant species.	D．Unbroken construction.

2. Why is the film “Alien” mentioned in paragraph 2?

A．To describe the appearance of the plant.

B．To present the damage to the environment.

C．To raise the readers' awareness of new species.

D．To compare the newly found plant with the old one.

3. What is Pou Sothirak's attitude towards the hydropower plants?

A．Supportive.

B．Interested.

C．Doubtful.

D．Opposed.

4. What might be the author?

A．A politician.	B．An ecologist.
C．A company director.	D．A power plant's designer.

8 . On Friday January 14, 2022, blast was heard 2,000 km away in New Zealand and 3,300 km away in Australia. Boats crashed into a quiet harbor in Southern California, a remote island was battered in Japan by 4 foot waves and two women were swept to their deaths on a beach in Peru some 6,000 miles from an undersea volcanic eruption so powerful that the tsunami which it set off stirred ocean waters halfway across the globe.

But on Sunday, as reports of the volcano’s effect crowded in from far-flung countries, there was little word from Tonga, the island nation just 40 miles from the site of the extraordinary explosion. As concerns from all over the world grew, the nation of about 100,000 people remained largely cut off from the rest of the world, its undersea internet cables knocked out of commission by the volcano.

In Tonga on Sunday, many residents lost not only communication channels but electric power. Up to 80,000 people there could be affected, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies told the BBC.

New Zealand and other nations in the region pledged to give Tonga aid to recover. But with heavy concentrations of airborne ash making flights impossible, just like the Iceland volcano eruption in 2021, it was difficult even to know what was needed. Ardern, the New Zealand prime minister, said flights over Tonga were planned for Monday or Tuesday, depending on ash conditions.

Tonga has experienced a succession of natural disasters in recent years. In 2018, more than 170 homes were destroyed and two people killed by Cyclone Gita, a Category 5 tropical storm. In 2020, Cyclone Harold caused about $111 million in damage.

1. Which country wasn’t affected by Tanga undersea volcanic eruptions?

A．America

B．Japan

C．Peru

D．Iceland

2. How much area of the seawater did the volcano stir?

A．20%

B．30%

C．50%

D．70%

3. Which phrase can replace the underlined words “out of commission”?

A．out of action

B．out of range

C．out of existence

D．out of account

4. What can be inferred from the passage?

A．The Iceland volcano eruption in 2021 made nearby flights delayed.

B．New Zealand as well as other nations in the region gave Tonga aid timely.

C．Flights could reach Tonga two days after the eruption.

D．The undersea volcanic eruption caused severer damage to Tonga than ever before.

9 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Against a backdrop of misty green forests and with its buildings on stilts (桩) above the River Tuo, Fenghuang is a picturesque place to spend a day or two. Its winding allays, lined with traditional shops and temples, lead     1     narrow wooden bridges and stepping-stones that cross the river.

Although the town can get     2     (extreme) busy with continual tour groups, it has managed     3    (preserve) much of its traditional architecture. Wandering off the main streels     4     (allow) you to get a sense of     5     it would have been like before the tourists began to visit and taste the local delicacies including bamboo rat, frog and snake.

Fenghuang itself does have a section of rebuilt Ming city walls     6     (run) along its riverbank, but it’s the Miaojiang Great Wall that is the main draw here. Built in 1554, during the Ming dynasty     7     (defend) against the Miao, the wall     8     (destroy) partly by Miao ethnic group and then rebuilt under the Qing rulers, who also sought to strengthen their power through     9     control of China’s southern minorities. Nowadays only a section is     10     (access), but it’s still an impressive sight, offering great views of the surrounding countryside.

10 . When Finn the golden retriever (寻回犬) was diagnosed with a terminal cancer in May , his family decided to do something special to make his last days on earth brighter—and made a doggie bucket list.

Cynthia and Robert Peterson, who live in Burlington, Vermont, wanted to treasure his last days as part of their family. The family said that the idea is to “make him comfortable, make him happy, Spoil him a little bit”.

They said the list is full of fun and includes everything that Finn would want to do. Finn has already completed over half of the ten activities on his bucket list and there are an exciting mixture of things he’s set to do. Some of them are fairly regular dog activities like going for a hike, playing fetch, having a steak dinner, making a new friend and walking along the beach. There’re also some more unusual activities like taking a hot air balloon ride , going apple picking and having a song written about him.

People on social media have found the sweet idea by Finn’s family heartwarming. One person commented on the video:“An animal is so often more than a pet, the unconditional bond and love they pro-vide is a reward in itself. But this couple show their own love back for Finn ten times.” The family said that they think Finn has inspired others to live “more authentically”.

The family have appealed for help with his final bucket list activity. The family say they need help to have a children’s book written about him. Cynthia and Robert are raising money for the book on their Go Fund Me page.

1. Why did Finn’s owners make the bucket list?

A．To brighten his last days.	B．To rid him of pain.
C．To raise money from public.	D．To help to cure the cancer.

2. What do we know about the bucket list?

A．It lists tasks full of challenges.	B．It focuses on physical sports.
C．It contains some special activities.	D．It is designed by people online.

3. How did people react to the bucket list?

A．They were touched.	B．They donated money.
C．They attacked the idea.	D．They rewarded the owners.

4. Which activity on the bucket list needs people’s help now?

A．Going apple picking.	B．Offering comfort to other pets.
C．Taking a hot air balloon ride.	D．Having a specially-written book.