1 . The North Atlantic right whale is one of the world’s most endangered large whale species. Its population loss appears to be slowing. But scientists warn that the large sea animals still face threats.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says that by the early 1890s, commercial whalers almost destroyed the species. They got their name from being the “right” whales to hunt because they floated when they were killed. Commercial whale fishing is no longer a threat, but its population has never fully returned. They have been protected for many years now.

Right whales primarily occur in Atlantic coastal waters on the continental shelf, although they also are known to travel far offshore, over deep water. They migrate seasonally and may travel alone or in small groups. In the spring, summer, and into fall, many of these whales can be found in waters off New England and further north into Canadian waters, where they feed and mate.

Recently, the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium (NARWC) said the population decrease appears to have leveled off. A strong birthing year in 2021, when 18 baby whales, or calves, were born, kept whale population numbers up. However, the organization warned that the high number of deaths faced by whales from getting caught in fishing equipment or struck by ships remains a major problem for the whales.

“The news is less bad than it has been. My heart is a little less heavy, but certainly not light or hopeful,” said Philip Hamilton. “It shouldn’t be dependent on the whales to give birth to enough calves to reverse what we’re doing to them.”

Scientists say as waters have warmed, the whales must travel outside of protected areas of the ocean in search of food. That has left them open to strikes with large ships and getting trapped in commercial fishing equipment. Those are the biggest causes of early death.

Many fishermen have opposed proposed fishing restrictions that they fear would hurt their business. But environmental groups want new rules to save the species, including one to make ships slow down for whales.

1. What do we know about the North Atlantic right whales?

A．They regard humans as their friends.	B．They are easy to catch when they die.
C．Their population has fully returned recently.	D．They are the largest sea animals in the world.

2. The third paragraph mainly tells us right whales’ ___________.

A．habitats

B．hobbies

C．behavior

D．reproduction

3. What’s Philip Hamilton’s attitude to the news of strong birthing year in 2021?

A．Favorable.

B．Intolerant.

C．Satisfied.

D．Complex.

4. What does the text mainly talk about?

A．Insufficient reproduction of right whales doesn’t matter.

B．Fishing restrictions are in great need to be established.

C．New findings of right whales bring hope for scientists.

D．Threats remain though right whale number decrease slows.

2 . The biggest risk to UK forests over the next 50 years is a “catastrophic” collapse of their ecosystems, according to a group of experts. The group of 42 researchers were asked to identify the issues that would have the greatest impact on UK forests in the next half-century. The list was topped by “catastrophic forest ecosystem collapse”, the prospect of a number of risks, from droughts and floods to storms and pests. If action is not taken, the ecosystem will no longer function effectively.

This is the first “horizon scanning” exercise — a technique to identify relatively unknown threats, opportunities, and new trends — of UK forests. The aim is to help researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and society in general, better prepare for the future and address threats before they become critical.

Experts define such a collapse as a “sudden, long-lasting and widespread change in ecosystem state that has major negative impacts on biodiversity and key ecosystem services”. Those ecosystem services include clean air and water. Some species could be pushed to extinction. “Forest collapse will have significant short-and long-term influences on the forest, and wider environment, economy and society,” the researchers said.

The UK is one of the least forested countries in Europe, with 13 percent of land being forested, compared with a European average of 46 percent. The government has a UK tree-planting goal of 30,000 hectares by 2025, but is widely expected to miss it.

A spokesman for the Department for Environment said,“ We will continue to work with partners to tackle the challenges and opportunities raised in today’s report to ensure our trees and woodlands remain healthy, so they can support habitats and a range of wider environmental benefits.”

The Times revealed this year that more than 400,000 trees planted in England to make up for road projects had died since 2018. Experts think an increase in dry spring s and hot summers has made tree aftercare harder.

1. What’s the purpose of the researchers’ making the list?

A．To apply more serious laws.	B．To search for potential opportunities.
C．To learn about the overall situation.	D．To get an insight into natural disasters.

2. What does paragraph 3 tell us about the collapse of forest ecosystem in the UK?

A．Its definition.

B．Its process.

C．Its consequences.

D．Its causes.

3. What is the UK tree-planting goal like?

A．Short-sighted.

B．Time-consuming.

C．Intolerable.

D．Impractical.

4. What can we infer about keeping UK forests healthy from the last paragraph?

A．It depends on climate.	B．It has a long way to go.
C．It is bound to be a failure.	D．It needs support from all over the world.

3 . A woman in a cap wanders calmly along. Except for the lava (熔岩) erupting behind her, she could be walking in the park. The woman turns to watch the molten rock flow for a moment then walks calmly toward the camera. The footage(镜头) is from Werner Herzog’s book to volcanoes and volcano hunters, Into the Inferno, and the woman pictured is perhaps one of the most important volcanologists of all time, Katia Krafft.

Born in France, in 1942, Katia developed an interest in volcanoes at an early age. Later, she met Maurice Krafft. The pair bonded over their shared love of volcanoes before marrying in 1970. The Kraffts wrote about 20 books on volcanoes across the globe.

Katia and her husband made great progress in educating the general public in volcanology. Their footage had more than scientific value. For instance, when Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines began to show signs of an eruption in 1991, the Kraffts were able to present Philippine President Cory Aquino with video footage of the effects of the 1985 eruption of Nevado del Ruiz in Colombia, asking him to call for an evacuation of those in the danger zone.

In 1969, Katia was awarded the prize of the Vocation Foundation for her work on active volcanic sites.

The couple lost their lives, along with more than 40 others during the eruption of Mount Unzen in Japan on June 3.1991. when they were caught in a flow of rock, gas and ash moving at speeds of over 100 miles per hour, with temperatures of more than 800 degrees Fahrenheit. Katia was 49; Maurice, 45.

Katia’s impact on volcanology has reached far beyond her death and has encouraged many young women to study our restless planet. “Katia Krafft is definitely the reason why I’m doing this job,” says Carla Tiraboschi, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Minster, Germany. Carla first saw Katia in a documentary when she was just six or seven years old and has been crazy about volcanoes ever since.

1. What can we infer from the book Into the Inferno?

A．Its author is Katia Krafft.	B．It’s a biography of Katia Krafft.
C．It calls on protecting the environment.	D．It focuses on volcanoes and their explorers.

2. What do we know about the couple?

A．They prevented a natural disaster.

B．They served as a warning in Japan.

C．They helped spread volcano science.

D．They covered Mount Pinatubo’s eruption.

3. Which can replace the underlined word “evacuation” in paragraph 3?

A．Substance.

B．Departure.

C．Occupation.

D．Intervention.

4. How did Katia influence Carla Tiraboschi?

A．Katia’s death made her restless.	B．Katia helped her with her research.
C．Katia taught her to make a documentary.	D．Katia’s deeds inspired her career choice.

4 . Coastal Clean-ups Program

General Introduction

Our program aims to develop appreciation for our environment in our participants by including fun into environmental education. Our program places great emphasis on experiential learning, which offers our participants the opportunity to get close to nature, enjoy and value it while learning issue of litter pollution, and the importance of individual ownership in ensuring environmental sustainability. Our program is well-suited in supporting the objectives of Values-in-Action ( VIA) programs for schools. Ever wondered how our beaches look without the care of the cleaners? So please explore yourself through the Coastal Clean-ups Program and join us in taking care of our beaches. Gain insightful discovery on the consequences of ocean pollution, and its implications on our marine environment, wildlife, and even us, humans.

Details
Location:

This program is subjected to weather and tidal （潮汐的） conditions. Please email us for the available dates and more information on the location.

Duration: 2 hours

Group Size: Maximum—60 participants
Equipment/Items needed:
·All materials needed for the program will be provided by our program.
·Participants should bring their own personal water bottles and writing materials.
·Participants should wear comfortable outdoor clothes with covered shoes.
Price: $10/per person. For more information, please consult via the official website of our program.
Important Note:
●Available dates for this program are subjected to tidal conditions.
·The program cannot be conducted in the event of bad weather.
·There is no wet-weather program. Please email us for further enquiries.
1. What do we know about Coastal Clean-ups Program?

A．It is specially designed for scholars.

B．It is interesting as well as instructive.

C．It is part of schools’ VIA programs.

D．It contributes to participants’ independence.

2. What can cause the cancellation of the program?

A．Terrible weather.	B．Shortage of cleaning tools.
C．No comfortable outdoor shoes.	D．Limited number of participants.

3. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．An advertisement.	B．A natural science magazine.
C．A research report.	D．A school-tour website.

5 . In October, 2023, agricultural officials in California discovered three Mediterranean fruit flies, or Medflies for short, in the Leimert Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Medflies are one of the most serious threats faced by farmers worldwide. The flies lay their eggs in over 300 kinds of fruits and vegetables. When the eggs hatch, they turn into worm-like larvae that can ruin the produce. The problem is that it can be difficult to know that the flies are there until it’s too late. The fruits and vegetables still look normal even after the eggs are laid inside. So the damaged fruits and vegetables can be sent to other places, allowing Medflies to spread.

The first Medfly was detected in California in 1975, but it wasn’t until between 1980 and 1982 that the flies reached outbreak levels. There were doubts about the government’s ability to control them. Then-governor Jerry Brown authorized a campaign spreading the insecticide called Malathion to knock out the flies. Californians claimed that the chemical being spread across their neighborhoods could kill the flies, but surely it could affect their health negatively. The state declared the flies were controlled in 1982. California stopped the campaign in 1990.

After the three were discovered in October, the government set up a 233-square-kilometer special area. This means that no produce (fruits, nuts, or vegetables) can be moved out of that area. That may seem extreme, since only three Medflies were found, but experts believe there’re probably more out there. “It’s really important to get on top of this fast, or growers would go out of business,” said one of the experts.

Luckily, California has developed a program to control Medflies. The program involves using planes to drop millions of male Medflies over the area. All of them have been treated so that they can’t help occasion new Medflies. The males are sterile, which means that even though they can mate with female Medflies, the resulting eggs will never grow and are so small that they don’t affect crops.

1. Why is it hard to spot Medflies in the fruits and vegetables in time?

A．Medflies spread too fast among them.	B．They show no signs of being infected.
C．Medflies are good at hiding themselves.	D．They can control Medflies for a short time.

2. What was Californians’ attitude to Brown’s action taken to fight Medflies?

A．Tolerant.

B．Unclear.

C．Favorable.

D．Unwilling.

3. What’s the purpose in building up the special area?

A．To minimize the threat the produce faces.	B．To check out the Medflies more quickly.
C．To make it easier to drop the male flies.	D．To test the true efficiency of the program.

4. What does the underlined word “occasion” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Raise.

B．Find.

C．Produce.

D．Collect.

6 . Tips For a Great Fall Garden

A fall garden can be a great place, which allows us to revel (陶醉) in the beauty and abundance of the season. Many gardeners seem to focus on summer so much that the garden can fade during the fall and not live up to its full potential.     1    

Grow annual crops in fall.

    2     When you switch from summer growing to year-round growing, you will beamazed by how much more you are able to grow and by the abundance of your yields. By growing the right crops at the right times, your garden can be incredibly productive.

    3    

Whether for production or for decoration, it is always a good idea to look first at native plants. Plants that are native to your area should always make up a high proportion of the plants you grow. Selecting plenty of native plants that bloom in the fall helps you to boost biodiversity and they look lovely and right at home.

Use and value fall leaves.

When trees drop their colorful leaves, creating a great fall garden means making the most of those leaves as a resource to keep your garden looking good. To make the most of fall leaves, you can use them to protect the soil and overwintering plants, to enrich the soil and fill planters or containers.     4    

Add garden features for year-round enjoyment.

Making a great fall garden is mostly about the plants you choose and the way you choose to garden. But gardens should not be entirely about hard work.     5     Covered seating areas, garden buildings, outdoor heat sources and perhaps outdoor lighting can help you enjoy your garden as much in the fall as you do in the summer.

A．Choose native plants for a diverse fall garden.

B．Make designs for forest gardening on a small scale.

C．To help these gardeners, here are some tips for a great fall garden.

D．Native plants for your area can become shopping lists for a fall garden.

E．You can take steps to ensure you can fully enjoy the space in cooler seasons.

F．You can even take on some arts and crafts projects to enjoy their colors and shapes.

G．In cooler gardens, it is possible to grow year-round if you create an underco ver growing area.

7 . A carbon footprint is only one component of the broader ecological footprint. An ecological footprint compares the population’s consumption of resources and land with the planet’s ability to regenerate. The Earth’s ecological footprint is currently 23 percent over capacity. It takes about one year and two months to regenerate what we consume in a year.

Carbon footprints help people keep track of changes. Because footprints quantify an amount of carbon that increases or decreases based on energy use, they let people know that a new hybrid car or home insulation (隔离) helps. Transportation accounts for 33 percent of CO₂ emissions in the United States, so many people try to lower their mileage (里程). Some walk or bike whenever possible; others take public transport. Home energyuse accounts for 21 percent of U. S. CO₂ emissions, so it helps to have an efficient home. Setting the thermostat (恒温器) at a moderate temperature and installing double-paned windows lowers energy costs.

Of course, individual efforts can go only so far. Cutting CO₂ and other greenhouse gases down to safer levels requires significant government regulation. Lessening carbon footprints does let people see where they are and how they can change. Those who want to accept personal responsibility for their emissions can track their own reductions and change their habits.

Because carbon calculators ask for only rough estimates, it’s easy for investigators to approximate the footprints of celebrities and politicians. Analysts hope to uncover high-profile figures, especially those who promote environmentalism. Although performer Madonna and other celebrities have been accused of flying frequently, former vice president Al Gore has drawn the harshest accusations. The Gores’ spokesperson did not deny that but emphasized that the couple subscribes to green power.

1. How long can the Earth produce what we need in a year?

A．2 months.

B．12 months.

C．14 months.

D．23 months.

2. What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A．Why people are worried about CO2 emissions.

B．How individuals can help to lower CO2 emissions.

C．Where most CO2 emissions come from in the United States.

D．What measures have been taken to cut down CO2 emissions.

3. What is still needed to cut greenhouse gases down to safer levels?

A．The participation of the public.

B．The development of new equipment.

C．The changes of our living habits.

D．The powerful efforts of the government.

4. Why do investigators estimate the footprints of famous people easily?

A．Because they have mastered methods.

B．Because it doesn’t call for much accuracy.

C．Because famous people are easy to approach.

D．Because new technology has advanced greatly.

8 . Photographer Joe Sartore began making studio portraits (肖像) of________in 2006. The purpose is to________for future generations species that someday might be extinct. Sartore expects to have portraits of nearly 1,000 animals. Here are some________of his project, which is featured in this special issue on________wildlife.

In Sartore’s opinion, the Rabbs’ fringe-limbed tree frog (巴拿马树蛙) is one of the most________species he has photographed that have since gone________. A few years ago there was one left________, a male, at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. He had________it there times before it passed away. At those moments he thought to himself________, “Don’t mess this up.” It might be this animal’s only________to have its story told well.

Another memorable species Sartore photographed is the Florida grasshopper sparrow (草蜢沙鹀). It is endangered, but seems to be________back. It’s a small brown bird, and some people________it enough to try to save it. There are many________stories, such as the California condor, the Mexican gray wolf, sand so on. They all got down to perhaps two dozen or fewer individuals, but they’re all________now due to human efforts.

The situation is still________as a recent report says that as many as one million species are already on their ________to extinction. It’s foolish to think that we can throw away so much________and not have it affect humanity in a(n)________way. Sartore’s goal is to get the________to care about the extinction crisis while there’s still________to save the planet.

1.

A．people

B．plants

C．animals

D．insects

2.

A．collect

B．record

C．paint

D．identify

3.

A．examples

B．methods

C．goals

D．versions

4.

A．urban

B．national

C．best

D．endangered

5.

A．impressive

B．dangerous

C．interesting

D．powerful

6.

A．missing

B．wild

C．extinct

D．popular

7.

A．awake

B．unchanged

C．alive

D．untouched

8.

A．seen

B．studied

C．treated

D．photographed

9.

A．naturally

B．nervously

C．carelessly

D．excitedly

10.

A．duty

B．response

C．chance

D．promise

11.

A．bouncing

B．stepping

C．locking

D．calling

12.

A．looked after

B．cared about

C．searched for

D．depended on

13.

A．unique

B．similar

C．amusing

D．personal

14.

A．dying

B．booming

C．suffering

D．recovering

15.

A．pleasant

B．ongoing

C．unclear

D．serious

16.

A．decision

B．way

C．trip

D．access

17.

A．money

B．food

C．trash

D．life

18.

A．negative

B．objective

C．difficult

D．effective

19.

A．police

B．children

C．public

D．artists

20.

A．time

B．space

C．value

D．concern

9 . When Mark Twain first set eyes on Honolulu in 1866, he observed that the trees were so thick that they blocked the sunlight, rocks from past volcanic eruptions covered the corals — and lovely cats were everywhere.

Nearly 160 years later, however, the descendants (后代) of the cats that so pleased Twain are now widely seen as a threat to the islands. The wild cat, explains the Hawaii Invasive (侵入的) Species Council (HISC), has become one of the state’s most “disastrous” animals.

Cats were first brought to Hawaii aboard European colonists’ ships, where they killed rats and mice. As their number in their new home grew during the 19th century, birds started to disappear. At least 30 types of native bird became rarer or went extinct between 1870 and 1930 as they were exposed to their new enemies, according to the US Geological Survey.

Toxoplasmosis (弓形虫病) is a disease caused by a parasite (寄生虫) that reproduces in the digestive systems of cats, and then pollutes soil and water through their faces (粪便). A new study determined that two spinner dolphins found on the Hawaiian coast died of toxoplasmosis. From these findings the authors suggest that at least 60 spinner dolphins have died of the parasite over the past 30 years.

A bill that could have directed the HISC to kill cats using poisoned food, as Australia has done, died in the state legislature earlier this year. Animal-lovers prefer to focus on catching wild cats, removing their sex organs and releasing them so that they have no kittens. But HISC contends that such programmes do not actually help control cat numbers. Ms West suggests that people are too quick to blame the cats, when there is another cruel animal. “People have to stop abandoning these poor cats,” she says. “It’s not really a cat problem. It’s a human problem.”

1. What’s the purpose of Paragraph 1?

A．To stress Mark Twain’s impression on cats.	B．To urge people to show love to cats.
C．To indicate the change of cats in the history.	D．To lead in the topic of the wild cats in Hawaii.

2. What probably caused the decline of birds and dolphins?

A．The loss of habitat.	B．The infectious disease.
C．The increase of cats.	D．The polluted food.

3. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．Solutions to the problem.	B．Influence on the society.
C．Discovery of the phenomenon.	D．Outcome of the situation.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．Species Invasion Is Common in Hawaii	B．Wild Cats Have Invaded Hawaii
C．Humans Caused the Increase of Cats	D．Getting Rid of Wild Cats in Hawaii

10 . Harvard scientists have engineered a group of fish that swims autonomously. Researchers say the experiment could advance pacemaker(起搏器) technology and improve the development of artificial hearts for humans.

Researchers built the fish using paper, two parts of heart muscle tissue — one on the left side and one on the right — and a plastic fin. A contraction on one side caused the muscle on the other side to stretch. The stretching then caused those cells to contract, which moved the tail from side to side and allowed it to swim on its own. The muscle cells were from human stem cells. The researchers also engineered an autonomous pacing node, which acted like a pacemaker by controlling the rhythm and frequency of the contractions.

The fish moved autonomously for over 108 days, which is equal to 38 million beats, the study states. Because heart cells constantly rebuild themselves, which takes about 20 days, the fish cells rebuilt themselves a total of about five times over, says Kit Parker, a professor from Harvard University who led the research.

Years ago, Parker was disappointed with the state of heart treatment. “It occurred to me in 2007 that we might have failed to understand the fundamental laws of muscular pumps,” he said in a 2012 statement. Then, on a trip to the museum with his daughter, he spotted a special fish. “I’m looking at it, thinking, ‘It pumps, it looks like a heart pump, and I could build that thing.’” In 2012, his team created a fish that swam using rat heart cells, and then a ray fish with rat heart cells in 2016.

Though the researchers say the fish is a step forward for heart research, it could be years before it leads to the creation of an artificial heart, says Michael Schneider, a professor at Imperial College London, who wasn’t involved in the study. But that doesn’t dismay Parker. “I think other methods will be faster than us,” says Parker.   “But in the long run, creating tissue that relies on the patient’s own cells could offer unexpected benefits.”

1. What made the fish swim autonomously in the experiment?

A．The special paper.	B．The push of the fin.
C．Muscle contractions.	D．The support of the tail.

2. What result probably impressed the researchers most?

A．The power of the pacing node.	B．The swimming speed of the fish.
C．The fish’s lasting swimming time.	D．The rhythm of the fish’s movement.

3. Why is Parker’s trip to the museum mentioned in Paragraph 4?

A．It gave Parker a good memory.	B．It made Parker find inspiration.
C．It removed Parker’s disappointment.	D．It introduced Parker to a special fish.

4. What does the underlined word “dismay” mean in the last paragraph?

A．Depress.

B．Annoy.

C．Embarrass.

D．Relieve.