1 . The Disneyland fireworks show is splendid. Yet it is nothing compared to the holiday fun in Beijing’s suburbs that is only a memory now.
The custom of celebrating the Spring Festival with fireworks continued every lunar year in cities and villages. People took it for granted though it could occasionally lead to deaths. In populated downtown areas, deadly injuries and damage to properties were severe during the holiday season. In 1993, the government banned them inside the Fifth Ring Road. Still, fireworks sold well in the capital. After the festival-eve dinner, many Beijingers would drive outside the Fifth Ring Road. When the clock struck midnight, thousands of fireworks whistled and exploded, lighting up the sky as far as eyes could reach.
In 2005, with public opinion strongly calling for preserving the tradition of fireworks during the Spring Festival, the government gave the green light to fireworks downtown. Fireworks dotted every corner of the whole city, apart from some firework-free zones.
This situation continued for several years. But from 2011, the public started to have more awareness of air quality. The correlation (相关性) between fireworks and pollution damaged the image of fireworks that had been admired since ancient times. The year 2017 saw a decisive result in the battle between fireworks and the public demand for blue skies. Torn between traditional fun and clear air, the public voted for the latter. After 12 years of being allowed in the downtown areas, fireworks were once again banned.
How fireworks faded out of the festive life in Beijing is a reflection of what happened across the nation. As China experiences rapid development and people enjoy better lives, tradition changes along with time. The 2019 Spring Festival ended on a note of peace and serenity (宁静). Fireworks have stopped being an essential part of the celebration and become a fading memory, giving way to safer streets, cleaner air and better sleep.
1. What can we learn about fireworks in Beijing?| A．The ban in 1993 decreased the sale of fireworks. |
| B．Fireworks were allowed throughout the whole city in 2005. |
| C．Fireworks were forbidden again in the downtown areas in 2011. |
| D．The second ban on fireworks downtown was released in 2017. |
| A．The Chinese think little of the tradition nowadays. |
| B．The tradition has been out of date in modern times. |
| C．The public’s priority has shifted to environmental protection. |
| D．New approaches need to be adopted to preserve the tradition. |
| A．Developing Tradition | B．Fireworks: Fading Memories |
| C．Spring Festival in Beijing | D．Changed Mind of the Chinese |
2 . Fee was asleep inside his tent last summer when a series of screams awoke him.
It was then that Fee entered the
Before the wolf could turn its
Matt has fully recovered. As for Fee, he
| A．Relying | B．Throwing | C．Focusing | D．Deciding |
| A．Due to | B．But for | C．In spite of | D．Ahead of |
| A．backing out | B．looking on | C．going up | D．squeezing in |
| A．woman | B．man | C．boy | D．girl |
| A．Years | B．Days | C．Hours | D．Moments |
| A．exposed | B．hidden | C．asleep | D．awake |
| A．tent | B．field | C．scene | D．site |
| A．finished | B．fought | C．appreciated | D．amused |
| A．transformed | B．poured | C．sank | D．guided |
| A．flexible | B．delicate | C．admirable | D．powerful |
| A．volunteering | B．refusing | C．failing | D．attempting |
| A．picture | B．pattern | C．phenomenon | D．ceremony |
| A．abused | B．dropped | C．consumed | D．teased |
| A．awkward | B．fragile | C．mild | D．large |
| A．anxiety | B．stress | C．anger | D．sorrow |
| A．flew | B．walked | C．rolled | D．slid |
| A．unconsciously | B．constantly | C．permanently | D．temporarily |
| A．ambulance | B．doctor | C．officer | D．colleague |
| A．stressed | B．erupted | C．guaranteed | D．joked |
| A．treating | B．accusing | C．kicking | D．opposing |
3 . FORTY-EIGHT HOURS after the Brazilian government banned the burning of the Amazon rainforest, almost 4,000 new fires were spotted by the satellites of the National Space Research Institute. The burning of the Amazon seemed terrifying enough. It is even more painful to learn that most of these fires are deliberately set.
The situation in the Amazon has occasionally been brought up over the past few years as we have seen a gradual increase in forest fires worldwide. Recently, it has become a much more hotly contested topic as mainstream news outlets and social media users alike have begun taking up the cause. The phenomenon has even escalated (升级) to the point where certain social media users are posting questionable photos to draw attention. However, it does not change the fact that the crisis is very real and very serious.
Wildfires in regions with dry forests like California and Australia have increased due to climate change, which some world leaders still deny is a man-made problem. The fires in the Amazon rainforest, however, are undeniably caused by people. The rainforest is a wet place and does not catch fire easily, so natural forest fires are uncommon. This means that the 70,000 plus fires in the Amazon this year are mostly the result of human activity. They are started by farmers looking to expand farmland, or companies looking to develop natural resources from the forest. Why do they do this? Money.
Since the new Brazilian President, Jair Bolsonaro, took office in January of this year, there has been an 84 percent increase in the number of fires in the Amazon, and the year is not even over yet. While the world was mourning (感到痛心), the president didn't take any immediate action to prevent the destruction from expanding. It was only weeks later, when public angry reaction forced him to act; that he finally sent in firefighters to try to put out the fires.
To quote Alanis Obomsawin, a firm environmentalist,“When the last tree is cut, the last fish is caught, and the last river is polluted; when to breathe the air is sickening, you will realize, too late, that wealth is not in bank accounts and that you cannot eat money.”
1. What is happening to the Amazon rainforest?| A．It is being preserved by global media. |
| B．It is being damaged by human activity. |
| C．It is being explored for green purposes. |
| D．It is being threatened by climate change. |
| A．Skeptical. | B．Reserved. | C．Critical. | D．Favorable. |
| A．The author thinks it urgent to conserve the Amazon rainforest. |
| B．The burning of the rainforest has drawn the attention of experts. |
| C．It is never too late to take measures to protect natural forests. |
| D．Money in bank accounts is no guarantee of our fulfilling life. |
4 . In the midst of the deadly wildfires that spread across California this summer, a(n)
The Grass Valley firefighters
“The
The cat and chicken were both
Niko Kuyper, the owner of the chicken, didn't
Though Whiskers has to visit the
The animals' friendship provided
“Everyone in our neighborhood
| A．formal | B．useful | C．unusual | D．important |
| A．visited | B．discovered | C．remembered | D．drove |
| A．neighborhood | B．school | C．street | D．forest |
| A．firefighters | B．owners | C．animals | D．families |
| A．promises | B．excuses | C．advice | D．comfort |
| A．story | B．picture | C．experience | D．journey |
| A．cut | B．stopped | C．burned | D．moved |
| A．suddenly | B．quickly | C．carefully | D．surely |
| A．called | B．shared | C．followed | D．kept |
| A．wait | B．arrive | C．hide | D．work |
| A．know | B．accept | C．believe | D．wonder |
| A．warned | B．suggested | C．told | D．supported |
| A．satisfied | B．interested | C．relaxed | D．surprised |
| A．depending on | B．staying with | C．cheering for | D．looking for |
| A．house | B．station | C．farm | D．hospital |
| A．rushed | B．introduced | C．explained | D．changed |
| A．expected | B．allowed | C．required | D．forced |
| A．success | B．difference | C．fun | D．hope |
| A．built | B．repaired | C．lost | D．missed |
| A．nice | B．easy | C．common | D．Hard |
5 . The huge stone human statues of Easter Island have fascinated the world for centuries, but now a new research has solved one of the biggest mysteries (谜团) why the statues are located where they are.
Easter Island has more than 600 statues, built by different families hundreds of years ago. It is thought the statues represent their ancestors. However, it was previously a mystery why many of them were around the coast. While scientists have suggested the sites may have a connection with the island’s resources (资源), the latest research is the first attempt to look into such views.
Researchers focused on the east of the island, where various resources are located, and looked at the distribution (分布) of 93 statues built before European sailors arrived in the 18th century. After finding no connection with the rock used for the construction, they considered whether the statues were found near other important resources.
Things became interesting when they checked where the islanders got their drinking water. The island has no long-standing streams or lakes. However, fresh water brought by storm could pass through the ground and go deeper into the underground water system. “It is sort of amazing at low tide (潮水) when the water goes down, suddenly there are streams running off at different sites right at the coast that is just pure fresh water,” said Lipo. “We noticed, actually, when we were doing an investigation on the island, that we saw horses drinking from the ocean.”
The results of the new research—published in the journal Plos One—found that closeness to freshwater sites is the best explanation for the location of the statues, including why they appear inland as well as on the coast. “Historical records show the islanders also made wells to get drinking water,” said Lipo, adding that historic wells explained some inland statue locations that were apparently without natural water resources.
The results, said Lipo, made sense, as drinking water is important for the islanders and it is not practical to have to walk miles to get it.
1. The new research is thought to be unique because it is the first_________.| A．to find the statues located around the coast |
| B．to connect the statues with the islanders’ ancestors |
| C．to examine the connection between statues and resources |
| D．to suggest a connection between statues and resources |
| A．To suggest that the horses have got used to sea water. |
| B．To provide evidence of drinking water on the coast. |
| C．To describe an interesting thing which is rare to see. |
| D．To show that the island has a great shortage of water. |
| A．The islanders had learned to dig wells. |
| B．The islanders could rely on inland lakes. |
| C．The streams would run off at different site. |
| D．The islanders could walk miles to get water. |
6 . Elephants might be the most well-known well-loved animal in African wildlife. But conservation (保护) of the African elephant still faces special difficulties. While the elephant population is half of what it was 40 years ago, some areas of Africa have more elephants than populated areas can support. That’s why AWF scientists are studying elephant behavior, protecting habits and finding ways for humans to live peacefully with elephants in Africa.
Years ago, overhunting and the ivory trade were the biggest threats to elephants’ survival. Luckily, ivory bans (禁令), hunting rules and protected areas protect elephants from these dangers today.
The 21st century brings a different challenge to elephant conservation—land-use. Elephants walk across borders and outside parks and other protected areas. So they often destroy crops, causing conflicts (冲突) between local farmers and these big animals.
Successful conservation strategies (策略) must allow elephants to walk freely in their natural habitats while reducing conflicts between elephants and local people.
AWF researchers are searching for a way to give both elephants and people the space they need. The AWF is collecting information on elephant habitats and behavior. The information they gather will help to develop the widest possible space for elephants.
The AWF is helping elephants by protecting their habitats. And they also work with local farmers to improve their life in order to encourage them to protect rather than destroy elephants.
1. The first paragraph of the text is mainly to tell readers ________.| A．African elephants are endangered now |
| B．there remains a lot to do to protect African elephants |
| C．African elephants are popular animals |
| D．the number of African elephants has increased over the years |
| A．They are still being killed. | B．Their habitats are being destroyed. |
| C．They don’t have enough food. | D．They can’t live in peace with farmers. |
| A．helping farmers improve their life | B．protecting elephants’ habitats |
| C．doing research on elephants | D．keeping elephants |
| A．African elephants conservation | B．Living with African elephants |
| C．African elephants’ situation | D．African elephants being endangered |
7 . It sounds like science fiction, but the world’s first floating dairy farm(奶牛场), the brainchild of Dutch company Beladon, will become a reality.
Though the project has been in the works for years, the farm only recently got the green light for construction. This summer, a 900-ton platform was pulled to its current position in Rotterdam’s harbor. It will soon be a multi-level home to 40 cows.
According to Peter, owner of Beladon, animal welfare was important when they were designing the farm. The finished farm will feature a “cow garden” on the top floor, with artificial trees and bushes to offer shade. A team of robots will be hired, collecting about 800 liters of milk per day. The milk will then be processed on the floor below and sold locally. In their free time, however, cows can walk a ramp(斜坡) to reach the firm ground on the bank. Tasty waste from the city—cut grass, potato skins, etc.—will be their main food source. And waste from the farm will be used as fertilizer throughout Rotterdam.
The building will attract many visitors, but the real focus is food security. Getting cows on the water is a great step towards creating healthier cities. The idea first came in 2012, while Peter was in New York. When Hurricane Sandy hit, he watched the city’s transportation paralyzed(瘫痪的) as Manhattan’s roads were filled with water. Trucks for food distribution couldn’t move anymore. After two days, there was no fresh food in the stores. Then Peter had a thought: To create a climate-adaptive method of producing fresh, local food, why not harvest right on the water? “You’re going up and down with the tide, and you don’t need the transport.”
Though it’s just one small farm, the project can serve as a model for cities across the globe. A building on the water is transportable, so you can move it when necessary.
1. What do we know about the dairy farm?| A．It is put into use. | B．It is located in the deep sea. |
| C．It is owned by the government. | D．It is meant to serve local citizens. |
| A．have access to the real land. | B．wander in the real garden. |
| C．be monitored by a team of robots. | D．feed on the plants grown on the farm. |
| A．To found a new scenic spot. | B．To help ensure food supply. |
| C．To reduce pressure on transport. | D．To improve the local environment. |
8 . Feeding bread to the ducks is a fond pastime for many of us, reminding us of our happy childhood trips to the local park. But did you know that bread actually poses a danger to birds, as well as the environment? Eating it can cause our feathered friends to develop a condition called Angel Wing, which is when too much bread makes birds’ feathers grow too quickly. This additional weight puts a strain on their muscles, causing their wings to twist and drop open, and if not treated fast, they can lose the ability to fly.
“Angel Wing can be remedied if we reach birds before it has developed too severely,” says Caroline Simpson, a trustee of UK charity Swan Lifeline, which has rescued and treated more than 30,000 birds over the last 20 years. “Otherwise the consequence can be awful—such as amputations of the wing.” Adult swans can also develop gut and heart disease, so it’s important we do our bit to prevent this by feeding wild birds with the right kind of food.
Bread can also cause harmful changes to the natural ecosystem. Rotting bread at the bottom of rivers and lakes allows bacteria to breed, spreading disease and attracting rats and other vermin to our waterways. It can result in algal blooms and the presence of a mould called Aspergillus too, which has the potential to kill waterfowl and other wildlife if it gets into their lungs.
But this doesn’t mean we have to stop fun trips to feed the ducks. Giving birds the right food—like frozen peas, sweetcorn and lettuce leaves—is good for both them and the environment. So, next time you visit your local park, take a healthier alternative with you and do your bit to protect our precious wildlife.
1. The underlined word “remedied” in Paragraph 2 probably means ________.| A．reduced | B．expected | C．caused | D．corrected |
| A．Harmful creatures will be drawn to waterways. |
| B．Water birds will be overfed and risk losing their bodily functions. |
| C．The water will be enriched thanks to the nutrients in bread. |
| D．The eco-balance at the bottom of rivers or lakes will be disturbed. |
| A．stop people from feeding waterfowl. |
| B．instruct people how to raise waterfowl. |
| C．warn people of the danger threatening waterfowl. |
| D．promote a safe and healthy way to feed waterfowl. |
9 . On Monday, May 9, James Givens, a police officer in Cincinnati, Ohio, was sitting in his panda car. Just at that moment he heard what sounded like a
But on this day, the goose appeared to be determined to get his
As it turned out, there was
| A．cry | B．knock | C．greeting | D．singing |
| A．horrible | B．stupid | C．possible | D．unusual |
| A．humans | B．foods | C．enemies | D．babies |
| A．attraction | B．welcome | C．attention | D．permission |
| A．ran away | B．gave in | C．glanced up | D．stepped out |
| A．slide in | B．push ahead | C．fly up | D．walk away |
| A．backing | B．copying | C．following | D．watching |
| A．realized | B．recognized | C．admitted | D．wondered |
| A．care | B．save | C．treat | D．company |
| A．Pleased | B．Puzzled | C．Worried | D．Interested |
| A．tend | B．attract | C．thank | D．attack |
| A．Hurriedly | B．Surprisingly | C．Unfortunately | D．Hopefully |
| A．praised | B．joined | C．approved | D．contacted |
| A．delay | B．scene | C．rescue | D．injure |
| A．much | B．enough | C．nothing | D．something |
| A．anxiously | B．patiently | C．willingly | D．happily |
| A．freed | B．relaxed | C．dismissed | D．relieved |
| A．mom | B．case | C．fellow | D．owner |
| A．seem | B．grow | C．like | D．prove |
| A．past | B．career | C．experience | D．behavior |
10 . You go to the coffee shop and take your coffee to go. You enjoy your drink, and then throw the paper cup in the garbage. Or do you put it in the recycling? I's confusing. A lot of us—people everywhere—are using to-go cups these days. A recent report said that there are 600 billion cups-billion with a ‘b’- that are produced and sold globally on an annual basis So that`s a lot, " say Christy Slay with The Sustainability Consortium. Starbucks alone says it contributes 1 percent of those disposable cups: That's an estimated 6 billion cups a year.
To help reduce those numbers. Starbucks and McDonald's are launching a three-year project to build a better cup: one that's both fully recyclable and compostable. Here's the big problem with the paper one you get there and in other coffee shops. “They look like paper, but they actually have a thin layer of plastic on the inside,” Slay says. That plastic coating keeps the cups from leaking. The problem is that it also makes the cups really hard to recycle, and only a few facilities in the world can do it.
A few companies have already rolled out compostable coffee cups. But Dylan de Thomas with The Recycling Partnership says there is a problem with those cups, too. "Typically they're compostable in industrial settings, so not your backyard compost that you and I might have, but at fairly technically advanced composting facilities." There aren't a lot of those facilities around, either.
So why exactly, in the 21st century, is it so hard to produce a better paper cup? "It's not necessarily very technically hard, though there are technical problems to overcome to make something recyclable and compostable, says Bridget Croke with Closed Loop Partners, a firm working to build what they call a circular economy. It's a fancy way of talking about turning waste into value. Almost anything is technically recyclable, Croke says. "But recycling is a business, and if materials can't move through the recycling system and be turned into a product that has value, they're not functionally recyclable.”
1. What are people puzzled at about the paper cup?| A．How to deal with the used one. | B．Why people reject it carelessly. |
| C．What makes it hard to compost. | D．Why Starbucks uses so many cups. |
| A．It helps make the cup more portable | B．It makes the cup easily recyclable. |
| C．It prevents the water from escaping | D．It promotes the extended use of the cup. |
| A．Its future is promising | B．It is not a profitable business. |
| C．technical problems are unsolvable | D．A more recyclable cup will be put into the market. |
| A．How can we design a better paper cup? |
| B．Why is it so hard to recycle paper cups? |
| C．What can we do to lessen the need of paper cups? |
| D．What damage do paper cups cause to our environment! |
