1 . In Wiltshire, England, volunteers are needed to visit a nature protection area to count the butterflies living there and on surrounding fields. The project is started by an environmental protection organization, which has contributed to improving the living environment for wild animals. Recently the organization has asked volunteers to help it observe environmental changes based on the record of butterflies and protect the environment.
In the area, the local people have planted many special flowers with the help of the organization, aiming to see whether these flowers will interest the rare and beautiful butterflies. The project officer Sarah Marshall says, "It will be a suitable habitat(栖息地) for butterflies. They are great 'indicator species' as they are easily affected by weather changes so they make an early-warning system for the environment." She also points out that volunteers are needed to record the number or species of butterflies, and based on the change happening to the butterflies, the hidden environmental problems in the area can be found out in time.
The organization is seeking volunteers to help monitor butterflies from April through to September. They will walk a fixed way and record the different butterflies they met along the way. Each visit should take no more than two hours, and each volunteer is expected to visit once a month to count the wildlife.
No experience is necessary as training and support will be provided, but an interest is important. If you are interested, please contact Sarah on (01380) 725670, exe 278, email sarah@ wiltshirewildlife.org.
1. According to Paragraph 1, what is the aim of the project?| A．To control butterfly population. | B．To attract more visitors. |
| C．To expand the area for wildlife. | D．To protect the environment. |
| A．improve the living conditions of local people | B．attract many unusual and beautiful butterflies |
| C．warn people of the danger of wildlife | D．attract more tourists to come |
| A．they are easily influenced by weather changes | B．they can provide support for visitors |
| C．they can give information to other species | D．they are not easily found out in their habitats |
| A．Wildlife areas are being protected by butterflies. |
| B．Visitors are being trained to identify butterflies. |
| C．Organizations are being put up to protect butterflies. |
| D．Volunteers are being needed to count butterflies. |
2 . Like many teens, Lia loves her pet. But this Florida girl doesn’t own a goldfish or a cat. Lia and her family raise tigers. That’s right, tigers. When the tiger was young, he slept in Lia’s bed every night. “It’s sort of like raising a dog,” she said.
Millions of people in the United States own exotic pets. These include wild animals like wolves, bears, and giant snakes. It is legal to own a wild animal in many states. In some places, you don’t even need a permit or a license. It is also surprisingly easy to get an exotic pet. You can buy a young tiger online for just $300. That’s cheaper than some kinds of dogs!
Exotic pets may start out as cute babies. But as they grow bigger, they become harder to handle. Tracy Coppola is an animal expert at Born Free USA. This group helps wild animals in cages. “Most people cannot provide the special care the animals need,” she says. Many need special food, space to wander, and lots of attention. Exotic pets are often kept in small cages all by themselves. This is cruel, says Coppola. Exotic pets are not only hard to care for. They can make you sick, too. They can give humans many diseases. And that’s not the worst danger pet owner face. An exotic pet is a wild animal. Wild animals can attack.
The behavior of exotic pets can be violent and hard to predict. Their actions might be natural in the wild—but not in your home. Hundreds of other wild pets have attacked or killed their owners. Last October, an Ohio man released his 56 wild pets. His lions, tigers, and bears ran wild. Police had to kill most of the animals to protect the community.
1. Lia regards the tiger as .| A．a baby | B．a pet dog | C．a guard | D．a car |
| A．Because getting exotic pets is legal and easy. |
| B．Because raising exotic pets can prevent theft. |
| C．Because raising exotic pets is fashionable. |
| D．Because it is a way to protect these animals. |
| A．Pet owners may get attacked by some diseases. |
| B．Pet owners may be killed by the wild animals. |
| C．It is reasonable to keep them in small cages all by themselves. |
| D．Exotic pets are hard to care for in their homes. |
| A．How to prevent another tragedy like the one in Ohio. |
| B．The advantages of keeping exotic pets in homes. |
| C．How to keep exotic pets in homes. |
| D．These wild animals can become aggressive suddenly. |
3 . You just can’t imagine what a brave mother is like. She was a mother of three, who just
At midnight, Connie and her three children were
Juan slowly
Being deaf was not deterrent (妨碍物) for this
| A．experienced | B．dreamed | C．avoided | D．reported |
| A．turning around | B．standing by | C．crying out | D．running away |
| A．see | B．hear | C．forg ive | D．reach |
| A．earthquake | B．storm | C．wind | D．disaster |
| A．blind | B．deaf | C．old | D．sick |
| A．telephone | B．email | C．hearing aid | D．sign language |
| A．alone | B．awake | C．asleep | D．alive |
| A．shaken | B．called | C．forced | D．kicked |
| A．indoors | B．outdoors | C．upstairs | D．downstairs |
| A．chatting to | B．playing with | C．focusing on | D．running after |
| A．phoned | B．signed | C．shouted | D．explained |
| A．helper | B．flashlight | C．box | D．suitcase |
| A．mopped | B．examined | C．climbed | D．left |
| A．carefully | B．regularly | C．bravely | D．hurriedly |
| A．steps | B．sisters | C．memory | D．family |
| A．animals | B．tents | C．tools | D．items |
| A．stay | B．return | C．flee | D．cry |
| A．famous | B．skillful | C．ordinary | D．determined |
| A．darkness | B．shelter | C．ruins | D．stairs |
| A．won | B．calmed | C．cured | D．comforted |
Huanglong is a beautiful natural area in the northwest part of Sichuan, China. It
Huanglong
All, however, are only for viewing. In order to protect the landscape, visitors are not encouraged
5 . Scientists believe the earth is 4.6 billion years old. However, the mountains, valleys, rivers, deserts and forests we see today are much younger than that. For example, Qomolangma is about 60 million years old and the Amazon Rainforest is about 55 million years old. The Baltic Sea, the youngest sea in the world, is only about 15,000 years old.
The earth is always changing because of volcanoes, earthquakes and, of course, wind and rain. Some of these changes are very slow and others are quick. Water and ice can make very big changes to the planet. For example, glaciers can cut through mountains and make deep valleys.
It’s normal for our planet to change. But at the moment scientists think it’s changing faster than usual. They don’t understand everything that is happening but they know that temperatures are rising. Besides, the weather is getting wetter in some places and drier in others, and there are more big storms. Now there is a growing awareness that climate change is definitely not confined to a certain region or country. However, it is a problem all countries are involved. What’s more, there is no denying t hat industrial emissions has been the main influence of climate change for the last 50 years, overwhelming natural forces.
However, these changes are not bad for everyone. Because the Arctic is getting warmer, farmers in Greenland now can grow and sell vegetables. That wasn’t possible 50 years ago. Farmers in Greenland like the warm weather and hope it will continue.
1. Which of the following is the oldest?| A．The earth. | B．Qomolangma. |
| C．The Amazon Rainforest. | D．The Baltic Sea. |
| A．glaciers | B．deep valleys |
| C．wind and rain | D．volcanoes and earthquakes |
| A．They turned the impossible into possible. |
| B．The warm weather is good for the Arctic. |
| C．They now own businesses and become successful. |
| D．They benefit from the vegetable businesses that did not exist before. |
| A．Global Warming | B．Beautiful Greenland |
| C．Our Changing Planet | D．The Old Earth |
6 . As the coronavirus disease (冠状病毒) takes hold and causes lockdowns (禁闭) in major urban centers, researchers studying air pollution data are recording significant improvements in air quality levels. The change is so huge that some believe these short-term reductions could end up saving many more lives than those who are lost to the virus itself.
''These are quite great times, '' Francois Gemenne, director of The Hugo Observatory, an environmental research center, said during an appearance on France 24's The Debate. ''What surprises me most is that the measures that we are ready to take to face this coronavirus are much severer than the measures we would be ready to take to face climate change or air pollution. ''
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 91% of the world's population live in places where air quality levels are beyond acceptable limits. Globally, this results in nearly 4.2 million deaths annually, according to 2016 statistics.
Recent data from the European Space Agency's (ESA) Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite have shown marked reduction over Italy in the amount of nitrogen dioxide (二氧化氮), a gas produced from road traffic and other processes, during the country’s nationwide lockdown.
''Although there could be slight variations in the data due to cloud cover and changing weather, we are very confident about the improvement of air quality because of less traffic and industrial activities, '' said Josef Aschbacher, esa's Director of Earth Observation Programmes.
People living in Venice have noticed how much clearer the water has become now that the city is in lockdown. Fishes have been seen in the canals, which is unusual for waters normally full of mud caused by so much can canal traffic, reports CNN. In some cities, animals are cautiously exploring new areas, especially in urban areas.
1. What can we learn from what Francois said?| A．Air pollution is not serious as we imagine. |
| B．We will meet with huge change of climate. |
| C．Dealing with the coronavirus will be very tough |
| D．What we do to beat the coronavirus is surprising. |
| A．There is little air pollution in the world. |
| B．Air pollution is very severe globally. |
| C．Most people will die from air pollution. |
| D．The earth is too terrible for people to live on. |
| A．Traffic jam will not be seen from now on. |
| B．We have solved the problem of water pollution. |
| C．The environment has improved due to the lockdown. |
| D．Staying at home is the only way to beat the coronavirus. |
| A．A textbook. | B．A guidebook. |
| C．A novel. | D．A newspaper. |
7 . Thirteen years ago, the Planet Earth wildlife documentary took us all on an amazing journey. We went from deep rainforests to the bottom of the ocean. Now a new one ,Our Planet, will let us see different animals and the influence of humans on the natural world. The documentary covers 50 countries and areas. It took more than four years to produce it.
With the latest 4K video technology, the show allows people a wonderful new look at nature. "People are given a chance to better get themselves into the lives of the animals” said Fothergill, one of the show s producers.
Besides showing Earth’s beauty, the documentary also talks about the planet's climate conditions. "Our Planet is here to say,' The planet is dying, and we're killing it.’" Fothergill said. In one sad scene, hundreds of walruses(海象)，half-blind when out of the water, fall down a rock and suffer a painful death on the beach below. It shows how the climate conditions have influenced their natural habitat and explains why they've been forced to find the safe place on the rocks.
But the documentary is not all about sadness. It also talks about success stories, such as the ones of tigers. These animals are saved and live happily thanks to international agreements on environmental protection.
Asking more people to take action in protecting our planet is the final goal of the new documentary. What we do in the next 20 years will decide the future of all life on Earth.
1. What's the documentary Our Planet about?| A．The relationship between the climate conditions human activities. |
| B．Different animals and the influence of humans on the natural world. |
| C．The living conditions of walruses and tigers. |
| D．The beauty and customs of 50 countries and areas. |
| A．To explain what our goal is in the future. |
| B．To call for more people to protect our planet. |
| C．To tell us how the climate conditions influence animals. |
| D．To introduce international agreements on environmental protection. |
| A．It took a lot of time and efforts to make the documentary. |
| B．The documentary is popular in many countries and areas. |
| C．We should have a new look at the environmental protection. |
| D．Our goal in the future is getting along well with animals. |
| A．A novel | B．A dictionary | C．A storybook | D．A newspaper. |
8 . Nola (August 21, 1974—November 22, 2015) was a northern white rhino who lived at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park near Escondido, California. At her death, she was one of only four remaining northern white rhinos in the world. The other three lived in Kenya. World Rhino Day, held on September 2, is to raise awareness(意识) of the less than 30, 000 other rhinos left on Earth.
''Rhinos need our help today, not tomorrow,'' Nola's lead keeper Jane Kennedy said. ''Last year we lost over 1, 200 rhinos just in South Africa. If we continue to lose more than 1, 000 rhinos a year, in 10 to 20 years all the rhinos on the planet will be gone. ''
''Unfortunately, most animals are in danger of dying out because of humans,'' Kennedy says. ''Humans have either poached animals, or because there are over seven billion of us, we've taken up too much of the world's resources''. Poachers illegally hunt rhinos for their horns. They sell the horns for thousands of dollars per pound, to be used for art, jewelry, and decorations. Experts believe that one rhino is poached every eight hours.
In 1975, the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research started the Frozen Zoo, a program through which researchers have collected cell (细胞) samples from more than 8, 000 different types of animals, including the northern white rhino. Scientists hope that by studying the rhino cells, they will get greater understanding of it, and will find ways to increase its numbers.
Jane Kennedy describes World Rhino Day as a celebration of rhinos along with an awareness campaign for everybody across the world to know that rhinos need our help. ''At the San Diego Zoo, children and adults are welcome to visit and speak with zookeepers to learn about rhinos. But you don't have to live in San Diego to celebrate World Rhino Day. It is observed around the world, with zoos and wildlife parks holding special events and programs to teach people about rhinos, and enable them to see the animals up close. For more information, go to www. worldrhinoday. org.
1. What do we know about Nola?| A．It was a baby white rhino. |
| B．It was one of the last of its kind. |
| C．It lived with other northern white rhinos in Kenya. |
| D．It died on September 22 at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. |
| A．The rhinos' uncertain future. |
| B．The rhinos' strange activities. |
| C．The limited natural resources. |
| D．The rare animals in South Africa. |
| A．Invent new kinds of animals. |
| B．Keep animals from dying out. |
| C．Prevent rhinos from being hunted. |
| D．Raise public awareness of rhinos. |
| A．To help people know more about animals. |
| B．To encourage people to protect rhinos. |
| C．To report special events in San Diego. |
| D．To introduce World Rhino Day. |
Cities usually have good reason for being where they are,
Dawson did not have any of the natural conveniences of cities like London or Paris. People went there for gold. They travelled over snow-covered mountains and sailed hundreds of miles up icy rivers. The path to Dawson was covered with thirty feet of wet snow
But no matter how rich they were, Dawson was never comfortable. Necessities like food and wood were very expensive. But soon, the gold that Dawson depended on had all been found. The city was crowded with
In recent years some extreme weather events have arisen from global warming because of human activities, with studies indicating an increasing threat from extreme weather in the future. Scientists were certain that global warming is being caused mostly by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases and other human activities.
Its effects include warming global temperature rising sea levels and expansion of deserts in the subtropics (亚热带). Warming is expected to be greater over land than over the oceans and greatest in the Arctic, with the continuing loss of glaciers, permafrost and sea ice. Other likely changes include more frequent extreme weather events including heat waves, droughts, heavy rainfall with floods, heavy snow-fall and species extinction due to great change of temperature. Bad effects on humans include the threat to food security from decreasing crop yields and the loss of populated (住人的) areas because of rising sea levels.
Possible responses to global warming are reduction of emissions (排放), adaptation to its effects, building systems resilient to its effects, and possible future climate engineering Most countries are parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), whose objective is to prevent dangerous climate change. It has adopted a range of policies designed to reduce greenhouse gas and to assist in adaptation to global warming. It is agreed that future global warming should be limited to below 2.0℃ (3.6°F) relative to the pre-industrial level.
On 12 November 2019, NASA scientists reported that human-made carbon dioxide continues to increase above levels that have not been seen in hundreds of thousands of years: currently, about half of the carbon dioxide released from the burning of fossil fuels remains in the atmosphere and is not absorbed by vegetation and the oceans.
1. All of the following statements are mentioned as more frequent extreme weather events EXCEPT ________.| A．droughts | B．heat waves |
| C．heavy snowfall | D．great change of temperature |
| A．Bendable. | B．Inflexible. | C．Unchangeable. | D．Recoverable. |
| A．It is unlikely for us to deal with global warming by reducing greenhouse gas emissions adapting to its effects and climate engineering. |
| B．There are some efficient solutions to too much carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. |
| C．It is common that human-made carbon dioxide keeps on increasing greatly in the previous several centuries. |
| D．Future global warming should be limited to below 3.6℃. |
