1 . Caves (洞穴) have a primary appeal — they hold the secrets to our past and are mysterious in and of themselves.

● Mammoth Cave

Kentucky, USA

The longest cave system in the world lies beneath the Green River Valley in Kentucky and while over 400 miles of passageways have been mapped, it has yet to be fully discovered. The complex limestone labyrinth (石灰岩迷宫) was discovered by humans 4,000 years ago.

● Blue Grotto

Capri, Italy

Once used as the personal swimming hole for the Roman Emperor Tiberius, this extremely bright sea cave is almost 200 feet long and 82 feet wide. Its unique glow comes from the light entering the small opening to the outside.

● Avshalom Cave Nature Reserve

Beit Shemesh, Israel

Also known as the Soreq Cave Nature Reserve, Avshalom is considered to be the Rosetta Stone of climate history in the Eastern Mediterranean through the packed stalactites (钟乳石) found in the cave, some of which are over 13 feet long, and are as old as 300,000 years.

● Cave of the Crystals

Naica, Mexico

This unique cave system in Mexico contains some of the largest natural crystals (水晶) ever found—the longest of which is 39 feet long and 13 feet thick. However, it is rarely explored due to logistical difficulties: it is extremely hot due to its location above a volcanic vent, and the huge crystals block also block the passage.

1. Where does the longest cave lie in?

A．Kentucky, USA.	B．Capri, Italy.
C．Beit Shemesh, Israel.	D．Naica, Mexico.

2. Avshalom is famous as           .

A．the most beautiful cave.	B．the Soreq Cave Nature Reserve.
C．the Emperor’s swimming hole.	D．over 400 miles of passageways.

3. Which cave includes the largest natural crystals?

A．Cave of the Crystals.	B．Blue Grotto.
C．Mammoth Cave.	D．Avshalom Cave Nature Reserve.

2 . California will be the first state to ban the sale and manufacture of new fur products.    1    It will go into effect on January 1, 2023.

California’s fur law was one of several bills designed to prevent cruelty to animals. “California is a leader when it comes to animal protection and today that leadership includes banning the sale of fur, ” said Governor Newsom in a news report. “    2    We are making a statement to the world that beautiful wild animals like bears and tigers have no place on trapeze (高空秋千) wires or jumping through flames.”    3    More than a dozen European countries, including the United Kingdom, Austria, Norway and the Netherlands have also passed laws to limit the fur trade.

    4    “The signing of the ban shows the point that today’s customers simply don’t want wild animals to suffer extreme pain and fear while keeping up with the fashion,” said Kitty Block, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States and president of Humane Society International. Not everyone, however, was pleased with the ban. Banning the killing of animals for their fur means killing the fur business, says Hyatt, an owner of a fur store.    5    

Many retailers are also ending fur sales. In mid-October, Macy’s (American’s department store) announced it will stop fur from all its stores by the end of 2020. The stores will also close all fur vaults and salons. Other fashion brands such as Prada, Gucci, Michael Kors and Burberry have taken similar steps in recent years.

A．But we are doing more than that.

B．California is taking the lead in protecting animals.

C．Similar laws have been carried out globally already.

D．And that in turn will leave many people unemployed.

E．Two other California cities had already banned fur sales.

F．Not surprisingly, the ban is welcomed by animal rights activists.

G．The ban applies to clothing, shoes, handbags and other things that contain fur.

3 . 阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。

How much do you know about bear? Do bears attack people? The answer is certainly positive. So people in a small city in Colorado were concerned. Why? Last week, a large black bear attacked a family's coop and ate the chickens. It was reported by a local TV station. At the end of the news report, a policeman asked local residents to keep waste, pet food and even birdseed inside, and to report any bear sightings until the animal was found. The policeman also told people to always stay away from the bear when they saw it.

Sam is a 12-year-old boy. Earlier this week, he came to that small city to visit his uncle's family with his mother. His uncle's son, David, was very excited about the bear that had appeared in his neighbor's backyard.

“Sam, there is a bear in our city,” soon after Sam arrived, David told him.

Sam was curious about bears and he had always dreamed of watching one.

“Really?” he asked excitedly.

“Yes. It went into Mrs Brown's backyard last week. It ate all her chickens. But it had run away and I didn't even see it,” said David.

Sam listened with his eyes wide open. “Would it return?” he asked.

“Very probably,” said David, “it would return for food.” At last, he asked Sam.

“Do you want to see the bear?”

Sam immediately nodded. Then he asked, “But how?”

“We can put some food in the backyard. When the bear sees it, he will come in and eat it. But we should be careful. The bear may attack us if he sees us. So we should never make any noise.”

Sam nodded again, still in excitement.

Later that day, the adults all went out, leaving the two boys alone at home. Soon they started to take action.

They put some leftovers from lunch in the backyard. Then they waited behind the window of the kitchen and waited curiously. But an hour passed and they didn’t see a bear. Finally, they got bored.

注意：
1．所续写短文的词数应为 150 左右；
2．续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好。
Paragraph 1：

Just then, they saw something big at the gate of the backyard.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2：

When the bear looked up, he saw Sam.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4 . Hardware in general, and smartphones in particular, have become a huge environmental and health problem in the Global South's landfill sites （垃圾填埋场）.

Electronic waste（ e-waste ） currently takes up 5 percent of all global waste, and it is set to increase rapidly as more of us own more than one smartphone, laptop and power bank. They end up in places like Agbogbloshie on the outskirts of Ghana's capital, Accra. It is the biggest e-waste dump in the world, where 10, 000 informal workers walk through tons of abandoned goods as part of an informal recycling process. They risk their health searching for the precious metals that are found in abandoned smartphones.

But Agbogbloshie should not exist. The Basel Convention, a 1989 treaty, aims to prevent developed nations from unauthorized dumping of e-waste in less developed countries. The e-waste industry, however, circumvents the regulations by exporting e-waste labelled as "secondhand goods" to poor countries like Ghana, knowing full well that it is heading for a landfill site.

A recent report found Agbogbloshie contained some of the most dangerous chemicals. This is not surprising: smartphones contain chemicals like mercury （水银），lead and even arsenic（砷）. Reportedly, one egg from a free-range chicken in Agbogbloshie contained a certain chemical which can cause cancer and damage the immune system at a level that's about 220 times greater than a limit set by the European Food Safety Authority（EFSA） . Most worryingly, these poisonous chemicals are free to pollute the broader soil and water system. This should concern us all, since some of Ghana's top exports are cocoa and nuts.

Some governments have started to take responsibility for their consumers' waste. For example, Germany has started a project that includes a sustainable （可持续的）recycling system at Agbogbloshie, along with a health clinic for workers. However, governments cannot solve the problem alone, as there is an almost limitless consumer demand for hardware, especially when governments green policies are focused on issues like climate change.

Only the manufacturers can fix this. A more economically sustainable and politically possible solution is through encouraging hardware manufacturers to make the repair, reuse and recycling of hardware profitable, or at least cost-neutral.

1. What can we infer from Paragraph 2？

A．Electronic products need improving urgently.

B．Electronic waste is too complex to get fully recycled.

C．Electronic waste requires more landfill sites across Ghana.

D．Electronic pollution is a burning question in Agbogbloshie.

2. What does the underlined word "circumvents" in Paragraph 3 mean？

A．Tightens.	B．Abolishes.
C．Gets around.	D．Brings in.

3. What should be the biggest concern according to the text？

A．The violation of EFSA's standards.

B．The lack of diversity in Ghana's exports.

C．The damage to chicken's immune system.

D．The threat of polluted food around the world.

4. What does the author think is the best solution to the e-waste problem？

A．Manufacturers' developing a sustainable hardware economy.

B．Governments' adjusting their green policies about e-waste.

C．Reducing customers 'demands for electronic products.

D．Letting governments take on the main responsibility.

5 . A new study has found that all dogs have different personalities—even dogs of the same breed(品种).

Elinor Karlsson studies genetics at the University of Massachusetts. She co-wrote a report about the study, which appeared recently in the publication Science.

Karlsson said, “Every dog really is an individual,” noting that there is “a huge amount of difference” even between dogs that look the same.

At a New York dog park, dog owners talked about the different characteristics of their pets. Elizabeth Kelly owns an English springer spaniel. She called her dog friendly, but also “kind of the queen bee.” In other words, her dog likes to act like it is in charge of other dogs. Suly described her yellow Labrador as “calm, lazy and shy.”

The idea of dog breeds is quite recent. Around 160 years ago, humans began to breed dogs to have certain physical qualities, such as fur, color and ear shape.

Karlsson said her aim was to learn how much a dog’s breed affects their behavior. The answer? Breed does not decide an individual dog’s personality.

Karlsson’s team gathered information from 18,000 dog owners and studied the genetic code of over 2,000 dogs. The researchers found that some qualities are based on genetics. However, it is not sure that two dogs of the same breed will behave in the same way.

For example, huskies and beagles, may be more likely to howl—or make a long, loud barking sound. But many of these dogs do not howl, as owner observations showed.

1. What do we know about Karlsson’s report?

A．She wrote it by herself.

B．It was published in Science.

C．She finished it after graduation.

D．It is of little value to her study.

2. What does the underlined “the queen bee” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．A bee that behaves busily.

B．A dog whose name is Queen.

C．A bee that serves the whole group.

D．A dog acting as if it is the most important.

3. What is the purpose of Elinor Karlsson’s study?

A．To help dog owners learn about their dogs better.

B．To prove dog breeds determine their personalities.

C．To study the relationship between dog breeds and behaviors.

D．To show different dogs have different personalities.

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

A．All the dogs can make a long, loud barking.

B．Dogs of the same breed can behave differently.

C．Dogs’ owners may observe their pets carelessly.

D．Huskies and beagles are not the same dog breed.

6 . 语法填空

China’s research icebreaker Xuelong,     1     126 crew members aboard on the 35th Antarctic research mission, on Thursday local time left the Zhongshan Station on     2     (it) way back to China.

Snow Eagle 601, China’s first fixed­wing aircraft for polar flight, on Thursday night also departed from the Antarctic after     3     (complete)all assignments.

Xuelong,     4     arrived near Zhongshan on Feb. 9, supplied the station with fuel oil, and then picked up summer expedition   team members   at   the   Kunlun, Taishan and Zhongshan stations, as well as     5    (member)of the fixed­wing aircraft project.

Sixteen members of the Kunlun team     6    (previous)completed all scientific expeditions at Dome Argus (Dome A), the South Pole’s highest icecap. They，together with 21 members of the Taishan team,     7    (return)to Zhongshan on Feb. 8.

The Zhongshan team completed tasks including installation of and tests for LiDAR, drilling of ice bedrock, atmospheric sounding     8    (observe)，surveys of birds and aerial exploration carried out by the fixed­wing aircraft.

As the summer expedition team at Zhongshan left, 19 members would stay for winter expeditions.

Also     9    (know) as the Snow Dragon, the icebreaker carrying a research   team   set   sail   from Shanghai on Nov. 2   last year, beginning     10     country’s 35th Antarctic expedition. It is expected to arrive in Shanghai in mid­March.

7 . Last week the electricity in my flat went out. I had just got home from work and was happily making my tea, when all of a sudden I was surrounded by complete darkness. I tried to fix it but failed. I had to wait for an electrician to come in the morning.     1    

I sat down to eat my half - cooked dinner. And then I wasn’t really sure what to do. My typical evening is spent watching the TV and looking through social media.    2     So for me it was an early night. And I couldn’t help but think, do we rely too much on electricity? That night, losing our electricity felt like losing a basic necessity. As basic as running water.    3     I use electricity all the lime, even when it’s not really necessary.

    4    . It contributes to global warming. It is harming our environment and we need to do what we can to stop it. Not only that, but if we continue to use the same large amount of energy we will soon run out.

So, shouldn’t we start preparing for it now? Cutting back on our use of electricity would make losing it easier, and also save energy resources so that they could last for longer.    5     And if everyone does the same, we can make a big difference.

A．Tonight this wasn’t possible.

B．Obviously, we can’t survive without it.

C．Our over-use of electricity is a big problem.

D．This left me a whole night without any electricity.

E．Electricity brings us convenience and trouble.

F．But really, we’ve grown to take electricity for granted.

G．I know for sure that I could cut down on my use of electricity.

8 . In the middle of the 19th century，a fever dream of riches beyond measure drew countless explorers west to the mountains of central California.Although the gold rush ended up being a bust for many who sought a fortune，some of those explorers discovered a natural treasure that would draw permanent settlers to Yosemite Valley in the following decade.

Vast wilderness，beautiful mountains，countless waterfalls，and abundant wildlife drew Native Americans to Yosemite roughly 10，000 years ago.The first non-native tourists arrived in the mid-1850s after reports from gold seekers told of an area of breathtaking beauty that no words were able to describe.

Fortunately，some of Yosemite’s earliest settlers recognized that Yosemite’s natural beauty and resources needed to be preserved for future generations.In the midst of the Civil War，President Abraham Lincoln signed a grant to protect Yosemite permanently，thus making it the nation’s first land to be dedicated to recreation and setting the stage for what would become the national park system.

One of Yosemite’s earliest ambassadors was Scottish-American naturalist and writer John Muir.After living in Yosemite for a few years，he helped define its proposed boundaries.He also wrote articles that helped lead to its official title as a National Park in 1890.He later co-founded the Sierra Club in 1892 to advocate for its continued preservation and protection.

Located on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in central California，Yosemite National Park runs across nearly 748，000 acres，almost 95％of which is wilderness.Around four million visitors come to Yosemite each year to camp，hike its miles of trails，climb its rock formations，and photograph its impressive sights.Are you ready to visit Yosemite National Park? Which of Yosemite’s sights would you most like to experience?

1. Which of the following best explains“bust”underlined in Paragraph 1?

A．Memory.

B．Symbo1.

C．Failure.

D．Challenge.

2. When did the first non-native tourists come to Yosemite?

A．After it was discovered by gold seekers.

B．When the gold rush finally came to a stop.

C．Before native Americans found its beauty.

D．When it became a National Park in 1890.

3. What do we learn about John Muir?

A．He was the first to build the national park.

B．He helped set the boundaries of Yosemite.

C．He wrote to collect money for Yosemite.

D．He gave Yosemite an official name.

4. What do we know about Yosemite National Park?

A．It has been well preserved since the Civil War.

B．It was originally created to protect wild animals.

C．It used to be well-known for its man-made beauty.

D．It was once damaged by some of its earliest settlers.

9 . Monster Zoo

Monster Zoo is one of the largest zoos in the world, covering more than 15 km squares. It is home to more than 50 species of rare and native animals. The zoo is located 70 km from the city New South Australia.

Monster zoo was founded in 1983 as a breeding area (繁殖区). Officially open to the public in October 1993, Monster Zoo is now home to more than 500 animals.

Opening Hours

Monster zoo is open daily from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm with last entry at 3:00 pm. The zoo is open every day of the year, including Christmas Day and all public holidays. The exception to this is if the forecast temperature for Monster Zoo is 40 degrees or above, it will be closed.

To get the most out of your visit we recommend setting aside a minimum of four to five hours to fully enjoy the Monster zoo.

Tickets

Child (4-14 years old) : AU $28.50

Adult (15 years old and over) : AU $ 51.75

Family / Mini Group: AU $132.75

Meet the Keeper

Monster zoo offers various daily zoo keeper talks and animal feeds that give guests the chance to interact (互动) with our friendly workers and learn about the zoo’s unique residents.

Looking for a more unique animal experience? Consider booking a Behind the Scenes Animal Experience to come face to face with some of our special animal residents.

Café

Ketabi Café is open from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm daily and offers a variety of tasty treats, small snacks and hot meals.

Picnics

For those who prefer to bring their own meals, special picnic areas are available close to the Visitor Center. Please note that due to fire risk, the zoo does not allow for the use of BBQs.

1. What can we learn about the zoo from the text?

A．It is the largest zoo in the world.

B．It is open daily all year except Christmas Day.

C．It is open to the public ten years after it was founded.

D．It is home to 500 species of animals.

2. If three young men aged 12, 14 and 19 visit the zoo, how much will they pay?

A．AU $155.25.	B．AU $108.75.
C．AU $85.25.	D．AU $132.75.

3. Where does this text most probably come from?

A．A health newspaper.	B．An animal book.
C．A travel website.	D．A fashion magazine.

10 . Scientists have not found any signs of life on Mars yet,but they say a robotic vehicle called “Curiosity” is helping them learn a lot about the planet’s history and climate.

Curiosity landed on Mars in August 2012 after travelling through space for more than eight months.It was sent to Mars by scientists from NASA in the United States.

Curiosity is about the size of a car and has six wheels.It also has a robotic arm,cameras,and instruments that allow it to examine things it finds on the surface.Then it sends the information back to the earth.

Curiosity’s main task is to find out if anything could live on Mars,either now or in the past.On Nov.2,NASA scientists held a press conference (新闻发布会) to discuss what Curiosity had found in its first two months on Mars.

Curiosity has found soil that is similar to the sand formed by volcanoes (火山) on the earth.Scientists say that studying the minerals in Martian soil will help them understand what conditions were like on the planet in the past.Curiosity also found smooth stones like the ones found on river beds and seashores on the earth,where their rough edges have been worn down by water.Mars is very cold and dry now,but scientists say the smooth stones tell them that a river used to run through the place where they were found.

Curiosity has been testing the atmosphere around Mars for a type of gas called methane (甲烷),but so far it has not found any.On the earth,most methane is produced by plants or animals.Methane on Mars might indicate that some type of tiny plants or animals lived there.

Curiosity is the fourth robotic vehicle to be sent to Mars.It will continue to explore the planet for about two years.

1. Which of the following descriptions about Curiosity is TRUE?

A．It landed on Mars in January 2012.

B．It is small in size and has four arms.

C．It took over eight months to arrive in Mars.

D．It was sent to Mars by scientists from Russia.

2. According to the information sent back by Curiosity,scientists believe that 　　　.

A．there’s no air on Mars	B．Mars is warm and wet now
C．the soil on Mars is rich	D．there used to be water on Mars

3. The underlined word “they” in Paragraph 5 refers to “　　　”.

A．smooth stones	B．rivers
C．robotic vehicles	D．volcanoes

4. We know from the sixth paragraph that 　　　.

A．some tiny animals once lived on Mars

B．there are no plants or animals on Mars now

C．the atmosphere around Mars is full of methane

D．Curiosity is designed to test the atmosphere around the earth

5. What is the main idea of the passage?

A．Humans benefit a lot by going to Mars.

B．Scientists will stop the research on Mars soon.

C．It is possible to build an earth-like environment on Mars.

D．A robotic vehicle helps scientists get useful information from Mars.