1 . At Sho Farm in northern Vermont, farmers Melissa Hoffman and Shawn Smith work hand in hand with the land and its inhabitants, and among them are hundreds of ducks. The ducks at Sho Farm are not being raised to be killed for food. Rather, they are naturally involved in farming operations, helping to manage pests and add fertilizer (肥料) to the soil.
In the beginning, Hoffman, who has a background in organic farming and ecology action, worked with ecologists and biologists to survey the plants and wildlife all around the area. This was “to understand who was living here, so that everything we did was in relationship to the life already here,” he says.
So, at Sho Farm, focus is placed on living harmoniously alongside other life and working with traditional ecological knowledge. Food is seen not as a commodity (商品) but as a relationship with land and life.
The methods of food production at Sho Farm, as well as the farmers’ philosophy of working with rather than against nature, are in sharp contrast to most modern agricultural systems. And that’s the point. “We’ve been talking a lot about the broken food system and the consequences of it to the environment, to wildlife, to the animals in animal agriculture and to human health,” says Hoffman, adding that it’s not just the food system that’s broken. “It’s the relationship between humans, non-human animals, land and nature.”
The ducks play a vital, integrated role on the farm, explains Hoffman, by naturally providing pest control, fertilizer and (fuel-free) land maintenance (维护), just as by-products of their existence. “We noticed where we summered groups of ducks and parts of the food system that were not doing very well. The following year, the food system was efficiently improved,” he says.
It’s a symbiotic relationship that works well. “Animals don’t have to be part of a farm in a commodity sense. They can be part of the farm as a partner,” Hoffman says. “They are wonderful partners.”
1. Why did Hoffman do a survey in the beginning?| A．To get familiar with the surroundings. |
| B．To have a good relationship with other people. |
| C．To live in harmony with other life on the farm. |
| D．To have a good understanding of organic farming. |
| A．The causes of the broken food system. |
| B．The reasons for Hoffman’s farming methods. |
| C．The changes in modern agricultural systems. |
| D．The process of food production at Sho Farm. |
| A．Animals are treated well at Sho Farm. |
| B．Animals are not to be sold for money. |
| C．People and animals play the same role in organic farming. |
| D．People and animals work together and benefit each other. |
| A．Efficient. | B．Modern. | C．Natural. | D．Economical. |
2 . In the 12th century, physician Ibn Zuhr conducted some animal research to assess the surgical procedures that could be applied to humans. Since then, animal testing has been considered the most efficient way to develop new drugs. New medical treatments and drugs are tested on animals first to determine their effectiveness or safety levels before they are finally tested on humans. However, it remains controversial whether it is morally right or wrong to use animals for experiments.
The use of animals for medical purposes is seen to be necessary by many scientists. Researchers usually begin their trials using rats. If the tests are successful, further tests are done on monkeys before using human beings. For testing, such tiered(分层的) rounds are important because they reduce the level of error and negative side effects. Some argue that animal testing has contributed to many life-saving cures and treatments and there is no adequate alternative to testing on a living, whole-body system. Moreover, there are regulations for animal testing that limit the misuse of animals during research. They serve as evidence that animals are well taken care of and treated well instead of being intentionally harmed.
However, some other experts and animal welfare groups have opposed such practice, considering it as inhumane(不人道的) and claiming it should be banned. According to Humane Society International, animals used in experiments are commonly subjected to force-feeding, radiation exposure, operations to deliberately cause damage and frightening situations to create depression and anxiety. They also hold the view that animals are very different from human beings and therefore are poor test subjects. Drugs that pass animal tests are not necessarily safe. Animal tests on the arthritis (关节炎) drug Vioxx showed it would have a protective effect on the hearts of mice, yet the drug went on to cause about 27,000 heart attacks before being pulled back from the market.
It’s safe to say that using animals for tests will continue to be debated in many years to come. Despite the benefits of animal testing, some of the concerns need to be addressed with adequate regulations to ensure that animals are treated humanely.
1. Why is animal testing considered necessary?| A．Rats are more similar to humans than monkeys. |
| B．Other testing alternatives may not replace animals. |
| C．Animal testing can show every side effect of drugs. |
| D．Animal testing has been in practice since the 12th century. |
| A．Eating poisonous food. | B．Being killed deliberately. |
| C．Breathing in polluted air. | D．Having unnecessary operations. |
| A．animal testing helps find the cure for arthritis |
| B．some drugs need to be withdrawn from the market |
| C．animals cannot necessarily produce accurate results |
| D．a drug should be tested many more times before its release |
| A．Scientists should reduce the number of animals used in research. |
| B．Experts should try hard to determine whether animal tests are harmful. |
| C．Relevant organizations should show more concern about the animals’ welfare. |
| D．The authorities should issue new laws to guarantee animals’ rights during research. |
3 . My name is Miranda Gibson. I have been at the top of a tree for five months now. Some people might wonder
I have walked through this forest many times. On December 12, 2011,
Life in the tree top can be
Living on the tree has been inspiring. I am willing to
| A．why | B．when | C．how | D．where |
| A．water | B．animals | C．machinery | D．tourists |
| A．bear | B．help | C．keep | D．spare |
| A．sold | B．stolen | C．protected | D．lost |
| A．grew out | B．fell short | C．ran out | D．let go |
| A．refreshing | B．risky | C．challenging | D．rewarding |
| A．get up | B．get away | C．give in | D．give up |
| A．change | B．look | C．search | D．touch |
| A．confused | B．nervous | C．sorry | D．lonely |
| A．Beyond | B．Without | C．Despite | D．Unlike |
| A．height | B．experience | C．background | D．position |
| A．return | B．stop | C．stay | D．hide |
| A．but | B．though | C．because | D．so |
| A．soon | B．long | C．near | D．bad |
| A．moved | B．logged | C．burned | D．missed |
1. When will the first storm arrive?
| A．Today. | B．This weekend. | C．Next week. |
| A．New York City. | B．Saint Paul. | C．Boston. |
| A．People traveling on foot. | B．People driving on the road. | C．People celebrating by the water. |
| A．Sunny. | B．Snowy. | C．Windy. |
There’s just a l-in-3.700,000 chance that a person will be killed by
A team of biologists
“Usually, great white sharks
“They eat seals every day and bites on people are
6 . Plants cannot run or hide, so they need other strategies to avoid being eaten. Some curl up their leaves, others produce chemicals to make themselves taste bad if they sense animals drooling on them, chewing them up or laying eggs on them—all signals of an attack. New research now shows some flora can feel a plant-eating animal well before it launches an attack, letting a plant prepare a preemptive（先发制人的）defense that even works against other pest species.
When ecologist John Orrock of the University of Wisconsin-Madison sprayed snail slime—a liquid the animals release as they slide along—onto soil, nearby tomato plants appeared to notice. They increased their levels of an enzyme（酶）, which is known to prevent plant-eating animals. “None of the plants were ever actually attacked,” Orrock says. “We just gave them cues that suggested an attack was coming, and that was enough to cause big changes in their chemistry.”
Initially Orrock found this defense worked against snails; in the latest study, his team measured the slimy warning’s impact on another potential threat. The investigators found that hungry caterpillars（毛虫）, which usually eat tomato leaves greedily, had no appetite for them after the plants were exposed to snail slime and activated their chemical resistance. This nonspecific defense may be a strategy that benefits the plants by further improving their overall possibilities of survival, says Orrock, who reported the results with his colleagues in March in Oecologia.
The finding that a snail’s approach can cause a plant response that affects a different animal made Richard Karban curious, a plant communications expert, who was not involved in the study. “It is significant that the plants are responding before being damaged and that these cues are having such far-ranging effects, ” Karban says. The research was comprehensive, he adds, but he wonders how the tomato plants felt chemicals in snail slime that never actually touched them.
“That’s the million-dollar question,” Orrock says. He hopes future research will make out the mechanisms that enable plants to sense these relatively distant cues.
1. John Orrock sprayed a liquid onto soil near tomato plants to ________.| A．make them grow better |
| B．give them a warning |
| C．keep plant-eating animals away |
| D．inform plant-eating animals of danger |
| A．To introduce another animal. |
| B．To confirm the result of the study. |
| C．To appeal to people to protect animals. |
| D．To analyze different resistance chemicals. |
| A．How tomato plants become aware of danger. |
| B．What the chemicals in the snail slime are. |
| C．Whether the research is of practical value. |
| D．What the finding of the research is. |
| A．Watchful Plants. | B．Greedy Animals. |
| C．A Snail’s Approach. | D．A Defense Attack. |
Adaptation to climate change, including sea defences, desalination plants, drought-resistant crops, will cost a lot of money. That is a particular problem for poor countries,
Yet, even if it were to fulfil them, all the effects of climate change can by no means be adapted away. The further change
8 . So far this year, the hole in the ozone layer (臭氧层) over Antarctica has expanded to one of its largest sizes and deepest levels in years, reported China Daily．
So how big is the ozone hole? On Sept. 20, the hole over Antarctica peaked at 24.8 million square kilometers, which is three times the size of the United States. It has increased by 8.4 million square kilometers since 2019.
That puts it in about the same areas as ozone holes in 2015 and 2018, which respectively recorded peaks of 25.6 and 22.9 million square kilometers.
“The 2020 ozone loss shows that we have to remain cautious and maintain continuous observations,” said World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.
The ozone layer is important because it acts like a sunscreen, blocking harmful ultraviolet light (紫外线) from reaching our planet's surface. Without it, humans and animals will be more likely to experience diseases such as skin cancers, immune suppression, cataracts and premature aging.
Of course, humans play a large role in the damage of the ozone layer. The loss of ozone in the Antarctic, as well as the Arctic, is due to the large quantity of ozone-destroying gases caused by human activity. Once getting into the atmosphere, these gases can remain for many years. In extremely cold weather conditions, they result in chemical reactions that destroy the ozone layer.
“The Arctic stratosphere (平流层) continues to be weak to ozone-depleting substances (物质) linked to human activities,” said Taalas．
Marcus Rex, a scientist at the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany, told Nature that the ozone hole doesn't threaten human health but over the next month, there is a possibility that it might move to areas with larger population. In that case, he recommends more sunscreen.
Although it seems bad, scientists are hopeful that Earth can heal itself. Researchers believe the ozone hole will eventually heal and around 2050, Earth's ozone layer will return to normal.
1. What do we know about the hole in the ozone layer?| A．It increases 8.4 million km2 every year. |
| B．It is the first time for it to be this large. |
| C．It is 24.8 million kilometers above the Earth. |
| D．It has reached a similar peak level in the past. |
| A．The serious pollution in populated areas. |
| B．The broken natural balance of the Arctic stratosphere. |
| C．The large quantity of certain harmful gases released. |
| D．Chemical reactions in extremely cold weather conditions. |
| A．Optimistic. | B．Hopeless. |
| C．Doubtful. | D．Unconcerned. |
| A．Protect the ozone layer | B．Rapidly growing ozone hole |
| C．The ozone layer matters to us | D．The ozone layer and the Earth |
9 . You have probably seen blind people walking with their trusted and gentle four dogs. The
Many people were killed or injured during World War I. Near the end of that war, Dr. Gerhard Staling and his
While they were waking , the doctor was
A blind American man, Morris Frank,
| A．specially | B．regularly | C．naturally | D．generally |
| A．possible | B．complex | C．necessary | D．proper |
| A．So | B．But | C．And | D．Or |
| A．in time | B．by accident | C．by force | D．in turn |
| A．horse | B．assistant | C．nurse | D．dog |
| A．abandoned | B．admired | C．blinded | D．protected |
| A．given | B．kept | C．called | D．sent |
| A．gone | B．lost | C．asleep | D．alone |
| A．fortune | B．mistake | C．discovery | D．decision |
| A．unwillingly | B．safely | C．immediately | D．gratefully |
| A．ran | B．drove | C．flew | D．walked |
| A．Inspired | B．Amused | C．Puzzled | D．Required |
| A．hospital | B．school | C．factory | D．hotel |
| A．working | B．growing | C．dressing | D．coming |
| A．nervous | B．careful | C．tired | D．curious |
| A．letter | B．book | C．article | D．introduction |
| A．laugh at | B．learn from | C．paid for | D．heard about |
| A．feed | B．buy | C．raise | D．train |
| A．advantage | B．offer | C．challenge | D．invitation |
| A．situation | B．process | C．competition | D．preparation |
10 . Will you crazy about these newly-built products that are not merely quite useful but also good to the environment? Come and see then!
Eco-friendly Umbrella
Traditional umbrellas come with a fixed surface. Although it is changeable, you cannot replace it easily. This eco-friendly design is more flexible. It is actually only an umbrella skeleton without any surface, which can be folded, so you can put anything such as newspapers, plastic bags or whatever you want to serve as the protecting surface.
Pollution-sensitive Dress
Don’t be caught outside unaware of pollution levels in the air. The pollution-sensitive EPA Dress by Stephanie Sandstrom notices pollution in the air accordingly. This dress—which is actually quite pretty—looks like you pull it from the bottom of the dirty laundry pile when the air is dirty. It might protect your health by advising you to stay indoors for the day, but it won’t do you any favor if you’re meeting with clients.
Eco-friendly Car Racer
Can you image a car racer is so eco-friendly that its tyres are made from potatoes, its body is created from hemp (大麻) and rapeseed oil and it runs on fuel made from wheat and sugar beet? The one seater racing car called Eco One is built by experts from Warwick University, who hope that Eco One will be used by the automotive industry. It is sold at $ 51,000.
Eco-friendly Moss (苔藓) Carpet
Do you know it is said that walking on fresh grass can really increases your blood circulation? The Moss Carpet, created by Nguyen La Chanh, looks at getting the grass to your feet. The mat includes ball moss, island moss and forest moss. The humidity (湿度) of the bathroom ensures that it grows well. And that’s why you need to place it there and not anywhere else.
1. The EPA Dress is designed to ________.| A．discourage people from going out | B．help meet with clients |
| C．improve people’s appearance | D．inform people of air quality |
| A．It can seat one passenger and one driver. |
| B．It can’t be available for the public at present. |
| C．It is mainly made from some kinds of plants. |
| D．It will take the place of the traditional car industry. |
| A．A science report. | B．A personal blog. |
| C．A health report. | D．An official document. |
