2 . Scientists say a huge percentage of bird species are in danger because their habitats, or homelands, are disappearing.

Traditional migration paths take birds through countries that are not protecting the places for birds to stop, rest and feed. The scientists studied the migration or flight paths of almost 1,500 species. They decided that 91 percent of them passed through dangerous areas.

The major danger for migratory birds is development. Buildings and pavements have covered the places where birds stop and feed as they move from one part of the world to another. One of the scientists who worked on the study says “Many of these important places have been lost to land reclamation because of urban, industrial and agricultural land expansion”.

The problem, according to scientists, is that many of these small birds die along their migration paths because they don’t have a safe place to feed and rest. There is no place to restore their energy for the next part of their journey. Countries in North Africa, Central Asia and those along the coasts of East Asia are having the most difficult time in protecting land. The scientists say these countries do not have enough areas that are safe for birds. One species that doesn’t exist now is the Eskimo curlew. “Our world gets poorer every time we lose a species,” one of the scientists says.

The researchers say countries need to work together and come up with safe stopping areas for birds that pass through their boundaries. For example, one country might have preserved safe zones for migrating birds. But a neighbor country might not. A bird might die.

One scientist who is not connected with the report tells Los Angeles Times that while some habitats are changing, more work can be done to make urban areas safe for birds.

He says small changes, like planting more native plants or keeping cats out of the areas birds would be likely to use, could make a big difference.

1. What mainly caused the disappearing of birds’ habitats?

A．The decrease of awareness to protect birds.	B．Natural disasters.
C．Overuse of land by human beings.	D．The rising sea level.

2. What may be the main reason for many birds’ death on the way of migration?

A．Tiredness and hunger.	B．Beast attack on the ground.
C．Hunting of humans.	D．The long journey.

3. According to the last two paragraphs, how should we protect the migrating birds?

A．By keeping fewer cats or dogs.

B．By restoring their destroyed habitats.

C．By helping change the birds’ migration paths.

D．By preserving the ecological environments on their migration paths.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage?

A．To call on people to protect the birds’ habitats.

B．To analyze the reasons for disappearing of birds’ habitats.

C．To offer some solutions to the problem of birds’ habitats.

D．To tell us a huge percentage of bird species are in danger.

3 . Today, we visit one of the most famous parks — Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. This huge park in the southeastern part of the state covers more than 10 thousand square kilometers of the Alaskan wilderness. It includes mountains, glaciers, fjords (峡湾), and even rain forests. Glacier Bay supports hundreds of kinds of animals, including many species of birds, fish, bears, whales and sea lions.

As its name suggests much of Glacier Bay is covered by glaciers. A glacier is a large area of ice that moves slowly down a slope or valley, or over a wide area of land. Glaciers cover a large area of the park.

The glaciers found in the park today are what remain from an ice development known as the Little Ice Age. That period began about 4,000 years ago. During the Little Ice Age, the cold weather caused the ice to grow and develop. That growth continued until the 1700s, when the climate began to warm. The hotter temperatures caused the ice to start melting (融化). That melting led the huge glacier to divide into more than 1,000 different glaciers.

The extremely tall mountains seen in Glacier Bay were formed by the ice developing and then melting over time. The melting of the ice also created water that filled in and created the many fjords within the park. Fjords are narrow parts of the ocean that sit between cliffs or mountains.

Glacier Bay is a popular place for people searching for adventure. Some visitors choose to explore the park by kayak. The small, narrow boats offer visitors a chance to experience the park’s many fjords and its hundreds of kilometers of coastline.

1. If you pay a visit to Glacier Bay, you will find ________.

A．it almost covers the whole Alaskan wilderness

B．the rain forests are rare in such conditions

C．there live numbers of kinds of animals

D．there are more birds than other species

2. What can we learn from the third paragraph?

A．Some glaciers existed there long long ago.

B．Greenhouse effect has affected the glaciers.

C．The glaciers will disappear in the soon future.

D．Only 1,000 large glaciers are left at present.

3. What do you know about fjords mentioned in the passage?

A．They are formed on the top of mountains.	B．The melting of the ice is also called fjords.
C．Water is the source of creating many fjords.	D．Fjords move as the oceans flow around.

4. What is the writer’s purpose of writing the passage?

A．To do a research about Glacier Bay.	B．To warn visitors there are too many dangers.
C．To show Glacier Bay has a long history.	D．To introduce Glacier Bay to readers.

5 . Elephant Transit Home

In both Africa and Asia elephants are being threatened by changes in their natural habitats (栖息地). People are moving into the elephants’ habitats and endangering their survival. In the country of Sri Lanka, there is one place where elephants are not only protected but also respected. It is called the Elephant Transit Home (ETH).

Set up in 1995, the ETH aims to protect and nurture baby elephants that are found injured or living without their mothers in the wild. Every year about 30 baby elephants in Sri Lanka need help. As many as possible are brought to the ETH. There they are given food, shelter, and medical care. Most importantly, they are given the chance to be with other elephants and become part of a herd (象群).

A day at the ETH begins early in the morning when the baby elephants are given their first feeding of milk. During the day, each baby will drink an average of 13 gallons of milk. Older elephants are fed mostly coconut leaves and other native plants. Then the elephants are allowed to walk around, eating the grass and forming a herd. The cost of caring for the baby elephants is high. The ETH spends about $125,000 each year on powdered milk for the baby elephants.

At the ETH, workers try to reduce human connection with the elephants. They also try to increase bonds (联系) between the elephants. It usually takes three years for a baby elephant to be set free into its natural habitat. The elephants are sent back to the wild together with other orphans with whom they have bonded. This program helps them return to the wild as members of a herd that will communicate with each other and take care of each other.

The ETH is considered one of the best animal protection sites in the world. Not only are the elephants cared for, they are treated with respect. Most importantly, they go back to live in the wild, where they belong.

1. What does the underlined word “nurture” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．Set free.

B．Relate to.

C．Focus on.

D．Care for.

2. What do we know about the ETH?

A．It changes elephants’ habitats for the better.

B．It receives about $125,000 each year.

C．It helps to keep baby elephants safe.

D．It protects 30 elephants every year.

3. Why do the workers reduce human connection with the elephants?

A．To study them better in a natural environment.

B．To help them make it in the wild as a herd.

C．To provide them with more living space.

D．To train them to stay away from hunters.

4. What’s the purpose of the passage?

A．To introduce an animal protection site.

B．To show the ways of wildlife protection.

C．To explain the threat baby elephants face.

D．To persuade the readers to protect elephants.

6 . Unbelievable Stories of Animals Acting Just Like Humans

Horses are picky eaters

Horses have an even better sense of smell than humans do. When horses raise their noses and open their nostrils (鼻孔), their nervous system allows them to sense smells we can’t sense. This might explain why they refuse dirty water and carefully move around meadows, eating only the tastiest grasses, experts say.

Whale says thanks

In 2018, a whale expert spotted a humpback whale trapped in a fishing net and spent an hour freeing it. Afterward, in an hour-long display of thanks, the whale swam near their boat and leaped into the air about 40 times.

Pandas like to be naughty

Is there anything more lovely than a baby panda, except maybe a human baby? In fact, baby pandas sometimes behave like human babies. They sleep in the same positions and value their thumbs. Pandas are shy by nature for its shy behaviors such as covering its face with a paw or ducking its head when confronted by a stranger.

A cat honors its owner

Paper towels, and a plastic cup are just a few of the gifts that Toldo, a devoted three-year-old gray-and-white cat, has placed on his former owner Iozzelli Renzo’s grave every day since the man died in September 2018. Renzo adopted Toldo from a shelter when the cat was three months old, and the two formed an inseparable bond. After Renzo passed away, Toldo followed the coffin to the cemetery, and now “stands guard” the grave for hours at a time.

1. What can horses do to pick delicious grasses?

A．Feel them.

B．Taste them.

C．Smell them.

D．Observe them.

2. What do the whale and the cat have in common according to the passage?

A．They are clever.

B．They have a grateful heart.

C．They are active and lovely.

D．They have a good sense of smell.

3. Which of the following acts like a human baby according to the passage?

A．The whale

B．The cat.

C．The horse.

D．The panda.

7 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。续写的词数应为150左右。

Steve was the most amazing person in all of Minneapolis, and he was my cousin. When Steve asked me to go with him on a spring fishing trip in northern Minnesota, I was excited!

After planning the trip, we began our great adventure. We reached the Superior National Forest in northern Minnesota by early evening. On our way to the campsite, Steve pointed to a small house far away in one of the mountains, saying that it was the ranger station (护林站) where the forester (护林人) worked.

After a long walk, we reached the campsite and set up the camp as the sun was setting. After we gathered enough wood from the forest, Steve started the campfire using only stone and steel — no matches. For supper we feasted on freeze-dried beef, wild rice and pea soup. I ate greedily after all that work.

Tired enough, we climbed into our sleeping bags early and talked about our plans for fishing the next day. We were still talking quietly when a sudden north wind picked up; the temperature dropped and it began to snow. Steve found a way to increase the temperature inside the tent. He dragged a log (原木) from the forest to the opposite side of the campfire. Then he wrapped aluminum foil (铝箔) around the log. The heat from the fire reflected off the foil and into the tent. Soon images of lake fish were filling my dreams.

The snow had stopped, but sometime later a powerful wind must have kicked up the flames of our dying fire. I was abruptly awakened by Steve. Our tent was on fire. Frightened, I ran out of the tent immediately. The tent collapsed (倒塌) with Steve inside. Without any thought of endangering myself, I reached into the burning tent and pulled him to a place near the icy lake. Fortunately, we were not seriously hurt.

注意：
(1) 所续写短文的词数应为 150 词左右；
(2) 续写部分为两段，开头语已为你写好。

Para1：Later, as we stood by the burning tent to keep warm, we considered our difficult situation.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Para2：Suddenly, we heard a noise in the forest.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8 . China has made great improvements in environmental protection during the past 70 years.     1     Each species on Earth has a role to play in the ecosystem.

In recent decades, a series of wildlife protection movements have been carried out by the central government.     2     The giant panda and the crested ibis (朱鹮) are among these success stories.

The giant panda used to have a population of 1,114 in the 1970s. It now totals 1,864 thanks to 52 protection areas.     3     By the end of 2018, seven of the nine pandas released had survived in the wild.     4     In 1981, seven crested ibises were found in Yangxian county, Shaanxi Province. Since then, breeding programs have helped the population reach 2,000. China has even sent crested ibises to Japan and South Korea in recent years to help with the species’ survival.

    5     Key projects will be continually carried out to improve protection, including making the lists of wild animals and plants under state protection, and also fighting against illegal wildlife trade.

A．Another species was once thought to be almost extinct.

B．Protecting wildlife is, without doubt, an important part.

C．China will continue its efforts at the wildlife protection.

D．People call for immediate protection of the remaining species.

E．Scientists have worked to feed pandas and then release them into the wild.

F．As environmental damage has increased, signs of change have appeared around the world.

G．Several species in danger of extinction have made impressive progress thanks to the methods.

9 . Kiwis are unique in a lot of interesting ways. They have many characteristics that are not found in any other bird.

It is assumed that the kiwi’s ancestor was able to fly and reached New Zealand. Once on the island, it lost its ability to fly and eventually became the kiwi known today. Kiwis have feathers that look like hair and very strong and muscular legs. They rule the ground instead of the air. They can smell very well. Kiwis are quite shy and usually only come out at night. Kiwis can live a long time, between 25 and 50 years.

A female kiwi carries a huge egg about its body size. The kiwi is about the same size as a chicken but its egg is actually six times as large as a chicken’s egg. The reason for this is that the kiwi doesn’t have to fly, so there aren’t any limits on its weight. The female has to eat three times as much as usual to help the egg develop. Right before the egg is laid she can’t eat anything because the egg presses against her stomach, leaving no room for food.

All kiwi species are endangered. On average, twenty-seven die each week. They have been affected most by deforestation and invasive mammals. Before humans came to New Zealand, the only mammals on the island were bats and seals. The kiwi never had to worry about predators before, but now since it cannot fly, and lays its eggs on the ground, it is pretty defenceless against invasive mammals such as rats and stoats. Stoats kill a lot of the chicks, while dogs kill a lot of adult birds, usually by accident, because they are quite delicate (脆弱的) .

1. Which is kiwis’ unique characteristic?

A．They can’t fly with no wings.

B．They can live more than 50 years.

C．They rule the air instead of the ground.

D．They seldom or never come out in the daytime.

2. Why does a female kiwi carry a huge egg?

A．It eats three limes as much as usual.

B．It focuses too much on developing its egg.

C．Its body weight will increase without limit.

D．The egg presses against her stomach.

3. Which kind of mammal does no harm to kiwis?

A．The bat.	B．The rat.
C．The stoat.	D．The dog.

4. Which is a suitable title for the passage?

A．Endangered Kiwi Species	B．Kiwis- Unique Birds
C．Get Close to the Bird World	D．Why Can’t Kiwis Fly?

10 . China is showing the world its great resolve in the global climate campaign with concrete and self-motivated efforts as well as serious commitment.

At the opening ceremony of the Paris climate summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping restated China’s plan made in June to cut its carbon emissions per unit of GDP by 60—65 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030, and increase non-fossil fuel sources in primary energy consumption to about 20 per cent.

With a large population, China is facing increasing resource limits, severe environmental pollution and a worsening ecosystem, and its citizens are also becoming increasingly aware of environmental problems. Suffering environmental problems and considering the efforts important in order to transform its economic growth pattern, the country will have much at risk if climate change is left unattended.

Actually, climate change efforts have already been included in China’s medium-and long-term program of economic and social development, and ecological efforts are the clear characteristics in China’s 13th Five-Year Plan(2016—2020).

Although it is and will be a developing country for a long time, China has been actively involved in the global campaign against climate change, now topping the world in terms of energy conservation and the use of new and renewable energy.

However, China’s development rights need to be respected. It is unfair to overstress China’s status as one of the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitters and regard it as the major part of responsibilities in the global fight against climate change.

It is worthy of notice that China’s emissions of greenhouse gases per person are far lower than those of developed countries, especially the United States, although rapid economic expansion and its population base have made it one of the biggest producers of the greenhouse gas.

To show its great resolve, China also announced the establishment of an independent South-South cooperation in September, investing RMB 20 billion to help developing countries affected by global warming.

While China is eagerly accomplishing its policy commitment, developed countries should stop questioning China’s commitment to fighting climate change and pointing fingers, and start shouldering their due responsibilities instead.

1. China is self-motivated to fight against climate change in order to 　　　.

A．top the world

B．transform its economic growth pattern

C．solve its population problem

D．respond to pressure from developed countries

2. The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 7 refers to 　　　.

A．China	B．the United States
C．economic expansion	D．the population base

3. It can be inferred from the text that 　　　.

A．China will completely use non-fossil fuels by 2030

B．China will carry out its plan by stopping its development

C．Chinese emit more greenhouse gases than Americans on average

D．some developed countries are not taking on their responsibilities

4. Which of the following is a sign of China’s self-motivated fight against climate change?

A．Expanding its economy.

B．Using non-renewable energy.

C．Making the fight against climate change part of China’s 13th Five-Year Plan.

D．Donating money to developing countries.