1 . Depths of our Earth hold great wonders. Below we explore four deepest places on Earth.
Veryovkina Cave, Georgia
Its entrance is located 2,285 meters above sea level. In 2018, scientists reached its bottom at 2,212 meters down. They squeezed through tiny openings to get from one cave to another. Rockfalls and floods waited secretly at every turn. Scientists could develop new medicines from microorganisms found in cave samples. Caves also record ancient life and past climates.
The Mariana Trench, the Pacific Ocean
The Mariana Trench, with the maximum depth of 11,034 meters, is the deepest part of Earth’s surface. Pressure there is intolerable, but creatures like sea cucumbers (海参) still exist. Scientists exploring it can gain deeper insights into how plates move and why earthquakes and volcanoes occur.
The Dead Sea, the Middle East
The Dead Sea is the lowest point on land at about 1,400 feet (about 400 meters) below sea level. It’s nearly ten times saltier than ocean water, so you literally can’t sink in the Dead Sea! Scientists think it could go dry in a few decades. Despite its name, the Dead Sea holds life. A few kinds of algae (藻类) and bacteria love its salty water.
Lake Baikal, Russia
At the depth of 1,642 meters, Lake Baikal is the deepest inland body of water. The Baikal seal is the only known seal that lives in this world’s deepest freshwater lake. Scientists study the lake not only for the solid stuff beneath it that records climate history but because it’s in a zone where a plate is splitting apart, causing earthquakes.
1. What do we know about Veryovkina Cave?| A．It was discovered in 2018. | B．Its pressure is far from bearable. |
| C．It is risky to explore. | D．Its samples are of little practical value. |
| A．Georgia & Russia. | B．Russia & the Pacific Ocean. |
| C．Georgia & the Pacific Ocean. | D．The Middle East & Russia. |
| A．They have some sign of life. | B．They are over a thousand meters deep. |
| C．They are results of climate change. | D．They are all below sea level. |
2 . What’s Really Green?
Most of us are aware that we must take care of the environment, and the majority of us take steps to save energy. and reduce waste and pollution. But recently, some “green truths” have been shown to be only half true, or even completely false.
Paper shopping bags are better than plastic ones.
Plastic bags cause litter and are a danger to wild animals, which mistake them for food. It takes hundreds of years for plastic to break down, but much less time for paper. Because of this, people think paper bags are the better environmental choice.
However, making a paper bag uses four times as much energy as making a plastic bag and up to three times the amount of water.
It seems like common sense: eating local food should be better for the environment, because it does not need to be transported long distances and kept cold during transport.
It’s better to take a shower than a bath.
Environmental awareness is now part of daily life. But it’s worth checking common ideas and opinions to see what’s really green.
| A．So say no to plastic bags. |
| B．Here are some common ones. |
| C．Unfortunately, it is not that simple. |
| D．Eating local food is good for the environment. |
| E．The process also produces more greenhouse gases. |
| F．It’s time that we should take some measures to protect our environment. |
| G．It depends on how long you spend in the shower and how large your bath is. |
3 . I took a job as a receptionist for a vet almost five decades ago. As an animal lover, I accepted the position on the condition that I wouldn’t have to assist with any wounded animals.
I could not bear to see any creature in pain. At the end of my first week, we were closing the office for the day when a young man ran up to us holding a severely injured Doberman puppy in his arms and begging us to save its life.
The four-month-old puppy had been hit by a car. The vet and I ran back into the operating room. The only place the skin was still attached to this poor little animal’s body was around one shoulder. The vet worked tirelessly for what seemed like hours, stitching it back together again. That was the easy part. The puppy had broken multiple bones, including its spine. If it survived the next few days, we were quite sure it would never walk again.
That day forever changed my life. The veterinarian trusted me a lot and I became his assistant in all things medical. One of my first jobs was to give that Doberman puppy daily physical therapy (治疗). I remember moving its tiny legs to try to keep its muscles from withering. Weeks went by until one day, I felt this little fighter push back ever so slightly. And it continued to push back till it could finally use its legs.
One year later, I walked into the clinic’s crowded waiting room and called the name of the next client. Suddenly, a huge Doberman who had been standing quietly with its owner on the opposite side of the room broke loose and bolted (脱缰) toward me. I found myself pinned against the wall with this magnificent dog standing on its hind legs, its front paws on my shoulders, washing my face with abundant and joyful kisses!
I still tear up in amazement at the display of love and gratitude the dog had for me that day all those years ago. Since retirement, I’ve volunteered at a no-kill animal shelter. In all the time that has passed and all the experiences I have had, I have never met such a grateful dog.
1. What happened when the author was about to finish his first week’s job?| A．A young man was injured. |
| B．A bus hit a four-month-old puppy. |
| C．A dog rushed into his shop with its owner. |
| D．A young man brought a seriously-injured dog to the office. |
| A．Its skin was severely injured. | B．It had just one shoulder left. |
| C．All its bones broke except spine. | D．It could only survive for a couple of days. |
| A．Because the dog went mad. |
| B．Because the dog was excited to see him. |
| C．Because the dog wanted to bite him. |
| D．Because the dog’s name was called by him. |
| A．A Caring Vet. | B．An Interesting Job. |
| C．A Grateful Patient. | D．A Life-saving Surgery. |
4 . The most relaxing colors are generally believed to be cool shades such as green and blue.
Home designers note that people often describe rooms painted blue and green as relaxing and comfortable. As a result, architects often use colors from the cool part of the color circle in bedrooms and bathrooms.
Driving down a highway. you’ll notice that some signs consist of white letters on a dark green background.
| A．There was research into colors in ancient times. |
| B．In contrast, hot colors cause these to rise. |
| C．Different colors can cause different psychological reactions. |
| D．Engineers determine such signs won’t get people’s eyes tired. |
| E．And painters often use blues and greens on walls and ceilings. |
| F．Scientists have found some evidence for the magic power of green. |
| G．It is agreed that the two can make us feel calm, balanced and less emotional. |
5 . Terribly hot weather, pouring downpours... Scientists have long suspected that global warming can cause extreme weather events. Now experts have numbers to support that idea.
The burning of fossil fuels has been leading to a buildup of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere. This CO2 is a greenhouse gas. That means it can trap heat in the air. As a result, our planet’s temperature has been rising. And this global wanning will account for a growing share of ever more frequent extreme weather events.
Many governments hope to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius above temperatures that were typical before the Industrial Revolution. It will be hard for nations to achieve that. But even if they do, global warming still will be responsible for nearly all heat extremes. Global warming also will be to blame for about 2 out of every 5 extreme rains and snowfalls. “This is a considerable fraction of major weather events,” says climate scientist Peter Stott.
So far. Earth has warmed about 0.85 degree Celsius since 1750. That’s about when the Industrial Revolution got its start. That’s also when fossil fuel use took off, spewing(喷出) lots of CO2 into the air, MOverall, the new study shows that relatively small rises in global temperature translate into large increases in the likelihood of extremes. Stott says.
Erich Fischer and Reto Knutti analyzed 25 different computer models of global climate. These analyses looked at different climate periods, from preindustrial times to the present. The analyses also predicted what weather events were likely to be like in the future. This period was predicted to be warmer by 2 and 3 degrees Celsius.
The computer looked at when extreme heat and precipitation(冰雹) occurred during each climate period. It focused on events of unusual heat or heavy precipitation. Before the Industrial Revolution, such extremes typically would have occurred only once in every 1,000 days.
“But since the globe has been warming, such extremes are no longer nearly as rare. These new findings provide ‘a global statement’,” Fischer says. “You can still get the biggest heat that you have ever seen without any human changes.”
1. The second paragraph is mainly about| A．what damage the global wanning caused |
| B．how the global warming came into being |
| C．where the global warming is becoming serious |
| D．why fossil fuels have to be forbidden |
| A．it is reasonable for climate change to happen |
| B．there is no serious effect of the global warming now |
| C．the influence of the global warming is great |
| D．the extreme weather happens in small numbers |
| A．will happen more often than before | B．happens once in every 1,000 days |
| C．strikes every region without differences | D．has become a rare phenomenon across the planet |
| A．Extreme weather is becoming common now. | B．The role of global warming in extreme weather. |
| C．Earth has suffered from extreme weather. | D．Global warming makes Earth hotter and hotter. |
6 . Breathing dirty air can cost someone’s lifespan (寿命) months—even years, a new study finds. Worldwide, air pollution lowers average lifespans by a year. Scientists shared their new findings in Environmental Science & Technology Letters.
Air pollution (污染) has been linked to many health problems. Most earlier studies have looked at how tiny air pollutants affected rates of illness or death. But now an environmental scientist, Joshua Apte, is going even further. He works at the University of Texas, Austin. He together with his team is looking at life expectancy, hoping to make the threat easier to understand.
PM 2.5 is what scientists call tiny particles of pollution in the air. Higher levels of PM2.5 can cause health problems and cut months, if not years, from the average lifespan. This analysis shows pollution affects life expectancy in different parts of the world.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends limiting PM 2.5 to 10 micrograms (微克) per cubic (立方) meter of air. Apte’s group used data to try to find how this low level would help people. But meeting the WHO standard won’t get rid of health damage from dirty air. That’s because even below 10 micrograms per cubic meter pollution still causes huge risks.
Reducing air pollution could increase life expectancy. The scientists also compared how other threats shorten life spans across the globe. These risk factors included smoking and cancer.
These results show that in poor countries, cleaning up dirty air could greatly increase lifespans. It could have as big an effect as cleaning up drinking water, or curing lung cancer. However, in wealthier countries air pollution shortens life expectancy by less than half a year. All forms of cancer, in fact, shorten the average life expectancy by more than 3.5 years. “Knowing this can really help people. or policymakers, decide where to spend their money.” says Kirk Smith.
1. Why is Joshua Apte’s team carrying out the study?| A．Know how small air pollutants are. |
| B．Study many different healthy problems. |
| C．Let people understand air pollution better. |
| D．Study the life expectancy of different people. |
| A．Its air is very clean. |
| B．It still has pollution risks. |
| C．It will get a prize from WHO. |
| D．Its people will live a healthy life. |
| A．It’s very hard to clean up dirty air in a short time. |
| B．Lung cancer is the leading killer in all kinds of cancers. |
| C．Reducing air pollution can increase all people’s lifespans much. |
| D．The study will help different countries or people take different policies. |
| A．Air Pollution is Shortening Lives Worldwide |
| B．Many Factors are Affecting People’s Health |
| C．Governments are Trying to Make Lifespan Long |
| D．The Effect of Cancer is Worse than Dirty Air |
7 . The good news is that more people bought electric vehicles (EVs) in 2020. The bad news is that sport utility (多用途的) vehicles (SUVs) continued to grow in popularity, too. “The fall in oil consumption due to the first trend was completely canceled out by the second,” said Laura Cozzi, an officer at the International Energy Agency (JEA).
Between 2010 and 2020, global carbon dioxide emissions (排放) from conventional cars fell by nearly 35 billion tons, due to reasons such as fuel efficiency improvements as well as the switch to electric cars. Emissions from SUVs rose by more than 50 billion tons. “While the growth in EVs is encouraging, the boom in SUVs is heart-breaking,” says Peters at the Cicero Climate Research Centre in Norway.
There are many reasons for the growing popularity of SUVs. For example, rising economic boom in many countries means more people are able to afford them. Some people see them as status symbols. Also, SUVs are heavily advertised by car-makers, whose profit is higher on these vehicles. Some countries, including France, have introduced plans under which more taxes are paid on heavier cars. But Peters thinks that people who are rich enough to afford SUVs won’t be deterred by slightly higher taxes. “There are now some electric SUVs available, but I hope one day you will see more electric vehicles brought to the SUV market,” says Peters.
Even if it happens, switching to electric SUVs isn’t a good solution. Due to their size and bigger batteries, it takes more resources to build electric SUVs, and they consume around 15 percent more electricity. That means higher emissions unless the electricity comes entirely from renewable sources, and higher electricity demand makes it harder to green the electricity supply.
1. What can we infer from Paragraph 2?| A．Scientists should devote themselves to improving fuel efficiency. |
| B．Electric vehicles will certainly take the place of sport utility vehicles. |
| C．The popularity of SUVs destroys some efforts at environmental protection. |
| D．The emission of carbon dioxide of motor vehicles has hit a new low. |
| A．Encouraged. | B．Blocked. |
| C．Removed. | D．Connected. |
| A．SUVs are discounted heavily. |
| B．SUVs are often advertised by car producers. |
| C．SUVs are taxed at a lower rate in some countries. |
| D．SUVs consume fewer resources than other vehicles. |
| A．The electric SUVs should be made smaller and lighter. |
| B．The electric SUVs are a good guarantee for less pollution. |
| C．More electric SUVs don’t necessarily mean “environment-friendly”. |
| D．Future electric SUVs will be powered with completely green energy. |
8 . Plastic recycling is a hot topic. But what’s the real face behind it? You diligently sort your rubbish; you dutifully wash your plastic containers; then everything gets thrown in a landfill or in the ocean anyway. According to one analysis, only 9% of all plastic ever made has likely been recycled. Here’s the kicker: the companies making all that plastic have spent millions on advertising campaigns lecturing us about recycling while knowing full well that most plastic will never be recycled.
A new investigation by National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) reports that the large oil and gas companies that manufacture plastics have known for decades that recycling plastic was unlikely to ever happen on a broad scale because of the high costs involved. “They were not interested in putting any real money or effort into recycling because they wanted to sell raw material,” Larry Thomas, former president of one of the plastic industry’s most powerful trade groups, told NPR. There is a lot more money to be made in selling new plastic than reusing the old stuff. But, in order to keep selling new plastic, the industry had to clean up its wasteful image. “If the public thinks that recycling is working, then they are not going to be so concerned about the environment,” Thomas noted.
We have been successfully convinced that people start pollution and people can stop it and that if we just recycle more, the planet will be OK. To some degree, that is right: there must be a level of personal responsibility when it comes to the climate emergency. We all have to do our part. But individual action is a tiny drop in a heavily polluted ocean. We need systematic change to make a real difference. And, more than anything, we need to change what we value.
1. According to the text, what does the underlined word “kicker” probably mean?| A．A player who kicks the football. |
| B．An event that is controversial. |
| C．An action that is taken to start a plan quickly. |
| D．A discovery that is unpleasant and unexpected. |
| A．Plastic recycling is necessary and effective. |
| B．Large amounts of money are spent on recycling. |
| C．The companies try to promote the sales of new material. |
| D．The companies prefer to sell recycled material rather than new materials. |
| A．Most people have a sense of responsibility. |
| B．Plenty of rubbish is dropped into the ocean. |
| C．Fighting against pollution calls for joint efforts. |
| D．Systematic change was made to reduce pollution. |
9 . Fifty people died, over 11,000 were injured, and 100,000 houses were heavily damaged or destroyed in an earthquake that struck North China's Hebei Province.The quake, measuring 6. 2 on the Richter scale (里氏6 .2级) , hit the area 220km northwest of Beijing at 11: 50 a. m. on January 10, 1998.
Scientists made a report of the recent quake. They said that the area of northwestern Beijing, the joint of Shanxi and Hebei Provinces and the Inner Mongolia (内蒙古) were most easily attacked by earthquakes measuring 6 to a bit over 7 on the Richter scale.
However, scientists did not see the recent earthquake earlier. Clouds covered a large area in the northern part of North China before the earthquake and experts say that this prevented satellites from correctly watching the temperature at the correct altitude (纬度).
Experts say that in the last ten years, about 305 earthquakes have taken place in China with 9 measuring over 7 on the Richter scale, 60 measuring over 6, and 236 measuring over 5.
Tens of thousands of people died or were injured. Loss valued over 10 billion yuan.
1. The report shows that about nine earthquakes in the past ten years are measured over ____ on the Richter scale.| A．7 | B．5 | C．9 | D．6 |
| A．all the people stayed outside | B．the earthquake happened at midnight |
| C．the people had been warned earlier | D．the earthquake scale was lower than 6. 2 only |
| A．We can not stop earthquakes |
| B．Scientists are working hard at the researches on earthquakes |
| C．We can do our best to have fewer damages than ever |
| D．Nothing can be done on earthquakes |
10 . You never forget your first whale. The impact it makes upon you is huge and life is never quite the same again. My first whale was a 40-foot grey one, off the coast of California in 1979, and I've been a whale addict ever since. Now I have to go whale watching regularly just to survive normal daily life.
I may be crazy but I am certainly not alone. The world is filled with whale watchers: since its beginnings in the mid-fifties, whale watching has grown dramatically and now more than 13 million people join organized whale watching trips every year.
As a faithful whale watcher, all your holidays center on whales. The only books you read are ones about whales; you wear whale T-shirts, and every time you meet your friends you talk about whales.
So what is it about these larger-than-life animals that makes them so special? Their enormous size is one possible explanation: imagine sitting in a small boat next to a blue whale almost as long as a Boeing 737. The fact that we know so little about them is another possibility: modern technology has taken us to the moon and beyond, yet we are only just beginning to understand these extraordinary forms of intelligent life on our own planet.
Planning and patience are just two essential requirements for successful whale watching. Planning is needed because there are certain whale hot spots-where you have the best chance of seeing them-and because the larger species tend to be on their way from feeding areas to breeding grounds, so rarely do they stay in one place for more than a few months at a time.
Patience is necessary because, even under the best conditions, whales can be tricky to find. However, most commercial whale watching trips have a surprisingly high success rate because they tend to concentrate on well-known whale populations at peak (最高的) seasons.
1. What is the impact of the author's first whale in his life?| A．He has fallen in love with whale watching. |
| B．He has organized watching trips every year. |
| C．He has written a good many articles on whale watching. |
| D．He has made a lot of speeches about protecting whales. |
| A．what faithful whale watchers usually read |
| B．what faithful whale watchers are usually like |
| C．faithful whale watchers often wear whale T-shirts |
| D．faithful whale watchers often take part in whale forums |
| A．To say that man has landed on the moon. |
| B．To prove that whales are really attractive. |
| C．To show us the power of modern technology. |
| D．To tell us that whales are intelligent animals. |
| A．It is very difficult to find these clever whales. |
| B．Whales only appear at seas that arc deep and far. |
| C．Whales often stay under water for quite a long time. |
| D．Whales are on their way to breeding grounds at a time. |
