2 . You might know what to do if a human needs first aid, but what if your dog gets a bite or your cat eats something poisonous? Dr. Liam Donaldson, clinical director at Greencross Vet (兽医) Hospital at the University of Melbourne, says it’s important that pet owners understand basic first aid. Here, he shares his tips for dealing with common accidents and injuries.

Cuts & wounds

You don’t need to worry about disinfecting the injury site, but you do need to stop the bleeding, says Dr. Donaldson. “If there’s uncontrollable bleeding, apply pressure — even if it’s just using a T-shirt. Once you have applied pressure to reduce bleeding, take your pet immediately to a vet for assessment.” he advises.

Snake bites

Snakes have very small teeth, so their bite marks can be difficult to spot — and you might not see the bite happen. But if your pet shows signs of snake bite poisoning — sudden weakness and collapse, dilated pupils, vomiting, paralysis and shaking or twitching of muscles — get them to a vet without delay.

Tick bites

It’s a good idea to have a pair of tick-removal tweezers (镊子) on hand in case you need to remove a tick from your pet. “There’s often a lot of concern about whether you have to get all of the tick or not, but as long as you get the body of the tick off, generally the head will just remove itself over time,” says Dr. Donaldson. He recommends keeping the tick so that if your pet becomes ill, your vet can identify whether they were bitten by a paralysis tick (the type that can be deadly).

Poisoning

Cats eating ivy and dogs eating sago palm or macadamia nuts are some of the most common poisonings Dr. Donaldson sees. “If it’s a macadamia nut, I would just keep a very close eye on them. If they start to show any gastrointestinal signs — if they go off their food, if they become sore in any of their legs — get them checked over by a vet,” he says. “If it was lilies or sago palm, I would recommend getting them to a vet, even if they’re not showing signs of illness, just because that can typically be life-threatening.”

1. If your pet dog gets seriously injured, what is the best solution?

A．To seek medical assistance.	B．To disinfect the injury site.​
C．To apply pressure to reduce bleeding.​	D．To use a T-shirt to stop bleeding.

2. A cat or dog should be sent to hospital immediately it eats _________.

A．Ivy.	B．Sago palm.​
C．A macadamia nut.	D．A common poisoning.

3. Where is this text probably taken from?

A．A medical journal.              ​	B．A biology textbook.​
C．A hospital advertisement.	D．An animal care guide.​

4 . I traveled to Hawaii several months ago, in part to cover a story on invasive plants and animals and their impact on the state. As I worked on this story, I kept thinking about the fact that some plants and animals become uncontrollably invasive when they’re brought into a new ecosystem, while others don’t. For example, over the past two hundred years or so, there have been approximately 20, 000 non-native plant species either intentionally or accidentally brought into Hawaii alone. But only a small part of those plants — 200 species or so — have become invasive, threatening the environment, the economy, or human health. 

An example from Hawaii’s forests: the invasive plant strawberry guava thrives as it gives off a chemical that prevents all other plants from growing nearby, and it also absorbs more water than native species. What makes these particular species so successful? Most of the reasons involve how a particular species interacts with its new environment. First, invasive species may be highly adaptable to a variety of climates. Second, they are usually quite fecund (多产的), which ensures that they can multiply rapidly. Third, they are usually threatening when it comes to resources like nutrients and space, easily crowding out their native counterparts (对应的物种). And finally, invasive species thrive when there are no natural enemies or pests in their new space.

How can we eradicate invasive species once they’re in place? Unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to do that — conservationists would have to notice that the species is a problem before its population has established and grown to an uncontrollable size. Instead, most conservationists battling invasive species aim for control in key ecological pockets.

It is a constant battle, though, and humans are always playing catch-up. If you’re thinking of planting unusual plants in your garden or keeping a foreign pet, perhaps reconsider and go for a native one. You never know when they might escape and tip over an ecosystem.

1. What does paragraph 1 mainly tell us?

A．A substantial number of species in Hawaii are severely endangered.

B．Not all uncontrollably invasive species threaten the environment.

C．A small number of plants are intentionally introduced.

D．Not all non-native species become invasive.

2. Which category does the reason for the strawberry guava’s thriving fall into?

A．The first reason.	B．The second reason.
C．The third reason.	D．The last reason.

3. What is the author’s attitude toward eradicating invasive plants or animals in time?

A．Unclear.

B．Hopeless.

C．Uncaring.

D．Disapproving.

4. What does the author suggest pet keepers do?

A．Avoid the battle between native and foreign pets.

B．Create an ideal ecosystem for the pet.

C．Prevent the pet from escaping.

D．Get a native pet.

5 . For centuries, Antarctica has attracted people from around the world. Explorers sought to travel there. Scientists have studied weather, wildlife, and geology there for decades.     1     In the last few decades, though, scientists have reported that the ice is melting.

    2     That’s a difficult question to answer. The loss of ice in Antarctica has not been linear (直线的). That means it isn’t a steady decrease. In fact, the rate of melting can vary greatly from year to year. Still, scientists warn that the continent’s ice sheet is shrinking.

    3     Climate change is warming the world’s oceans and affecting the currents (洋流) of the Earth’s oceans. These currents are bringing more warm water to Antarctica than ever recorded.

Today, the planet is warming at a rate that alarms scientists.     4     The effects of such a rise could cause major problems. It will increase flooding, especially in areas near shores. A large rise in sea level could even make some regions uninhabitable. This could cause millions around the world to become climate refugees (难民).

Can humans stop Antarctica from melting? Probably not — but experts do believe people can slow the process. How can you help? Pay attention to your carbon footprint.       5     Only changes on a large, global scale (范围) can truly make a difference to Antarctica.

A．How quickly is Antarctica melting?

B．Is human activity contributing to the melting of Antarctica’s ice?

C．The ice of Antarctica is the result of thousands of years of snow.

D．West Antarctica is the region most affected by these warm waters.

E．Talk with your family about ways to reduce your use of fossil fuels.

F．If this continues, melting ice could lead to a serious rise in sea level.

G．Experts say the melting of Antarctica’s ice sheet is caused by rising temperatures.

6 . My parents had purchased an Island Packet 445 ten months prior, and the day to board this boat had finally come. I was 11 years old and knew absolutely nothing about this cruising (海上航游) lifestyle my father had been speaking so highly of for the previous five years. The only thing I knew for sure was that I didn’t want to leave my home. My father was excited, my mother nervous, my brother disinterested, and I sullen. I was not at all eager about this change in my lifestyle.

The first three months on the boat had not been very easy. What my dad called an adjustment period I called a nightmare. But, after three months of traveling, we had a lucky break. In La Paz, there was another cruising boat with a 13-year-old boy aboard. Two weeks later, Glen and I could be seen endlessly boogie boarding (趴板冲浪) the crashing waves to the beach. After meeting Glen, cruising for me began to get better and better. At some point during these months, I decided to give this cruising idea a chance.

One year later, we continued touring through the South Pacific. I was learning new skills and learning how to work independently. I often took a five-hour watch during the dark hours of long passages. This was quite a bit of responsibility to hand over to a 13-year-old, especially considering I was in charge of adjusting sails as the conditions changed, and keeping an eye and ear out for any problems. Almost everybody in the cruising community treated me as an adult while still understanding I was a child, thereby giving me the flexibility to make childish mistakes.

As of this writing, my family has now been aboard for three years. We have plans to return to Canada in 12 months and, similar to how I opposed moving onto the boat, I am now completely opposed to moving off it. I have so much fun and learn so many things on this boat that I can’t imagine ever returning “home”, a place I hardly even remember.

1. What does the underlined word “sullen” in the first paragraph probably mean?

A．Upset.

B．Calm.

C．Confused.

D．Astonished.

2. What made the author start to embrace the cruising idea?

A．Overcoming the fear of nightmares.

B．Having fun with someone of his age.

C．Learning how to work independently.

D．Making a breakthrough in boarding skills.

3. Which of the following words can best describe the author?

A．Stubborn but reliable.	B．Childish but adaptable.
C．Inconsiderate but flexible.	D．Dependent but responsible.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Benefits of the Cruising Lifestyle

B．First Day aboard Island Packet 445

C．What Motivates a Teenager to Change His Lifestyle

D．How a Young Sailor Learns to Love the Cruising Life

7 . Have you got any electronic devices hanging around your home that you no longer want or use? Between us, we have millions of bits of unused tech kept in drawers.     1     There are several ways to make the most of our unwanted gadgets (小物件).

Probably the best cure for our throwaway culture is to fix our broken tech.     2     They can be learned at repair clubs and repair cafés — free meeting places where you'll find tools and materials to help you make any repairs you need. In the UK, the interest in mending our stuff and giving it a new life is reflected by the popularity of a TV series called The Repair Shop, where craftspeople rescue and resurrect (重新使用) items that their owners thought were beyond saving.

    3     Materials used to make them can be extracted and reused in other things. As an example, Elisabeth Ratcliffe from the Royal Society of Chemistry told the BBC: “There are about thirty different elements just in a smartphone, and many of them are very rare.” These can be used in touch screens and solar panels. Many of the biggest players in the industry (including Apple and Samsung) will gladly take your old gadgets back and handle them responsibly.     4    

A final choice for your unwanted items is to up-cycle them. You can breathe new life into them by transforming them into valuable pieces or collectable retroitems (复古物品), which could be sold on.     5     By up-cycling, you contribute to waste reduction and innovation in product reuse.

A．Recycling is another solution.

B．All you need is patience and skills.

C．Another cure is to give them away.

D．However, they don't need to be thrown away.

E．You can have fun in repair clubs and repair cafés.

F．You can make some cash and create needed space in your home.

G．You might even get some cash back when buying their new products.

8 . Wildlife conservation initiatives offer a meaningful way for individuals to actively participate in the protection of endangered species while gaining insights into how they can contribute to their preservation. For those passionate about wildlife, several programs present opportunities for involvement:

◆ Animal Rescue Project, South Africa:

Engage alongside experienced conservationists in Cape Town, solving the challenge of finding new homes for homeless dogs and cats. The project involves an animal hospital equipped to cater to their medical needs and an adoption center dedicated to finding them permanent homes. Due to financial constraints, the center relies heavily on volunteers to handle daily tasks and provide hands-on care for these animals.

◆ Sea Turtle Conservation Project, Sri Lanka:

Witnessing a decline in sea turtle populations due to various commercial activities, this project focuses on supporting hatcheries(孵化场) in their conservation efforts. Participation in the Sea Turtle Conservation Project in Sri Lanka supports hatcheries in their conservation efforts, including providing financial assistance.Your participation not only aids in providing financial support to these hatcheries but also contributes to the sustainability of sea turtle populations.

◆ Wildlife Conservation Program, Australia:

Immerse yourself in activities such as animal care, facility maintenance, and enrichment tasks, offering an incredible opportunity to gain firsthand international work experience. This program also serves as an excellent opportunity to make a meaningful contribution while fostering connections with like-minded individuals from across the globe.

◆ Marine Conservation Program, Bali:

Set in Tianyar, where coral reef degradation threatens the ecosystem, this initiative aims to restore and conserve the reef to ensure a sustainable future for the local community and marine life.

1. What is the primary objective of the Animal Rescue Project in South Africa?

A．To provide medical care for injured wildlife.

B．To conduct research on endangered species.

C．To organize volunteer activities in Cape Town.

D．To rehabilitate and rehome stray dogs and cats.

2. How does participation in the Sea Turtle Conservation Project in Sri Lanka contribute to the preservation of sea turtle populations?

A．By organizing awareness campaigns about marine conservation.

B．By establishing new habitats for sea turtles.

C．By providing financial support to local hatcheries.

D．By regulating commercial fishing activities.

3. What makes the Wildlife Conservation Program in Australia an attractive opportunity for participants?

A．The chance to explore the cultural heritage of Australia.

B．The opportunity to engage in international work experience.

C．The availability of luxurious accommodations for volunteers.

D．The focus on research projects studying various animal species.