1 . The plan: turn Mars into a blue world with streams and green fields,and then fill it with creatures from the Earth. This idea may sound like something from a science fiction, but it is actually being taken seriously by many researchers. This suggests the future for the “red planet” will be the main topic for discussion at an international conference hosted by NASA this Week. Leading researchers as well as science fiction writers will attend the event. It comes as NASA is preparing a multi-billion-dollar Mars research programme.
“Turning Mars into a little earth has long been a topic in science fiction,” said Dr Michael Mever NASAs senior scientist. “Now with scientists exploring the reality we can ask what the real possibilities of changing Mars.” Most scientists agree that Mars could be turned into a little earth, although much time and money would be needed to achieve this goal. But many experts are shocked by the idea. “We are destroying our own world at an unbelievable speed and now we are talking about ruining another planet,” said Paul Murdin from the Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge, UK.
Over the past months, scientists have become increasingly confident they will find Martian life forms. Europe and Americas robot explorers have found the proof that water, mixed with soil, exists in large amounts on the planet.
In addition, two different groups of scientists announced on March 28 that they had found signs of methane (甲烷) in the Martian atmosphere: the gas is a waste product of living creatures and could be produced by microbes (微生物) living in the red planets soil. But scientists such as Dr. Lisa Pratt, a biologist at Indiana University, say that these microbes will be put in danger by the little earth project.
“Before we have even discovered if there is life on Mars, we are talking about carrying out projects that would destroy all these native life forms, all the strange microbes that we hope to find buried in the soil,” said Dr.Pratt.
Monica Grady, a planetary scientist at the Natural History Museum, London, shares this view.“We cannot risk starting a global experiment that would wipe out the precious information we are looking for,” she said. “This is just wrong.”
1. What does the underline word “programme” in paragraph 1 most probably mean?| A．progress |
| B．prepare |
| C．project |
| D．procedure |
| A．Liquid water on Mars. |
| B．Some creatures on Mars. |
| C．A lot of good soil on Mars. |
| D．Signs of methane in Mars’ atmosphere. |
| A．Water is a key factor for life; without it, living on Mars would be impossible. |
| B．The project won’t affect the native life forms supposed to live on Mars. |
| C．The ides turning Mars into a little earth is nothing but science fiction. |
| D．Monica Grady is in favour of carrying out the little earth project. |
| A．A plan turning Mars into a little earth. |
| B．The necessity of changing Mars. |
| C．Finding water on Mars. |
| D．Mars supporting life. |
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词;
2. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Last summer, I planned to save money for a trip. My father told to me a local zoo was looking for teenagers to work on the weekend, so I immediate applied for the position. To my delight, I got it. My first tasks was to clean the elephant’s house. Luckily, another girl who had begin working there two weeks before taught me how to do a job and that helped me a lot. Each weekend, I was sent to work with difference animals. What I liked best were feeding the giraffes. Tiring as I was while work hard at the zoo, I felt happy because I got close animals and I also earned a lot.
3 . In the early 1990s, Eric Domb, a highly successful lawyer, came up with the idea of building a bird park. His father-in-law
After the park opened in 1994, his inexperience led to many
Since his childhood he has been fascinated by Chinese
Domb felt
Now, Domb is eager to tell how he
| A．rejected | B．supported | C．doubted | D．raised |
| A．project | B．rule | C．law | D．document |
| A．steal | B．win | C．earn | D．borrow |
| A．rewards | B．wonders | C．mistakes | D．regrets |
| A．missing | B．spreading | C．shaking | D．growing |
| A．extreme | B．unusual | C．irregular | D．essential |
| A．culture | B．food | C．poetry | D．dream |
| A．containing | B．changing | C．adding | D．removing |
| A．embarrassed | B．surprised | C．confused | D．inspired |
| A．willingly | B．enthusiastically | C．automatically | D．confidently |
| A．take charge of | B．pay attention to | C．get hold of | D．gain knowledge of |
| A．grass | B．tea | C．coffee | D．bamboo |
| A．bought | B．protected | C．received | D．tracked |
| A．pride | B．humor | C．security | D．duty |
| A．hide | B．house | C．train | D．save |
1. Where is the speaker now?
| A．In a hospital. | B．In a college. | C．In a pet school. |
| A．It cures the patients. | B．It makes patients feel better. | C．It helps do a lot of things. |
| A．Play with patients and their children. |
| B．Accompany patients to their hospital rooms. |
| C．Be familiar with the hospital and pick up things. |
5 . 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. |
| A．Tiredness and hunger. | B．Beast attack on the ground. |
| C．Hunting of humans. | D．The long journey. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
6 . In almost every photo from our 1986 family vacation to Washington, D.C., I am showing off the souvenir I
Over 30 years later I
Soon I was making
When Bei Bei was a few months old, the zoo held an official
| A．brought in | B．took in | C．picked out | D．put on |
| A．with | B．for | C．on | D．around |
| A．delay | B．avoid | C．preserve | D．prevent |
| A．year | B．trip | C．country | D．world |
| A．treated | B．found | C．devoted | D．confirmed |
| A．carried | B．raised | C．added | D．presented |
| A．return | B．start | C．leave | D．slip |
| A．common | B．abrupt | C．regular | D．temporary |
| A．approval | B．treatment | C．cause | D．routine |
| A．curious | B．thoughtful | C．friendly | D．brave |
| A．offering | B．blaming | C．reminding | D．forcing |
| A．feeding | B．opening | C．closing | D．exchanging |
| A．appealing | B．disappearing | C．cutting | D．forming |
| A．chatted | B．hurried | C．worked | D．drove |
| A．evaluate | B．seek | C．watch | D．teach |
7 . As we continue to explore farther out into our solar system and beyond, the question of humans living on other planets often comes up. Manned bases on the Moon or Mars for example, have long been a dream of many. There is a natural desire to explore as far as we can go, and also to extend humanity’s presence on a permanent (永久的) or at least semi-permanent basis. In order to do this, however, it is necessary to adapt to different extreme environments. On the Moon for example, a colony must be self-sustaining (自立的) and protect its inhabitants from the airless, harsh environment outside.
Mars, though, is different. While future bases could adapt to the Martian environment over time there is also the possibility of modifying (改变) the surrounding environment instead of just co-existing with it. This is the process of terraforming (地球化)—adjusting Mars’ atmosphere and environment to make it more Earth-like. But the bigger question is, should we?
One of the main issues is whether Mars has any native life or not and if it does, should it be preserved (保护) as much as possible? If the answer is yes, then large-scale human settlements on Mars should be completely off-limits. Small colonies might be fine, but living on Mars should not be at the expense of any native habitats, if they exist. If Mars is home to any indigenous life, then terraforming should be a non-issue; it simply should not be done.
What if Mars is lifeless? Even if no life exists there, that untouched and unique alien environment needs to be preserved as it is as much as possible. We’ve already done too much damage here on our own planet. By studying Mars and other planets and moons in their current natural state, we can learn so much about their history and also learn more about our own world. We should appreciate the differences of other worlds instead of just transforming them to suit our own ambitions.
1. What is the best title for the text?| A．Are Mars and Earth So Different | B．Should We Terraform Mars |
| C．Can We Adapt to Mars | D．Is There Life on Mars |
| A．Ensure that it’s not harmed. |
| B．Discuss with the Martians. |
| C．Change the unpopulated regions. |
| D．Reconsider the advantages and disadvantages. |
| A．Complex. | B．Simple | C．Foreign. | D．Native. |
| A．By referring to others’ research. |
| B．By showing the benefits of terraforming. |
| C．By arguing in support of one viewpoint. |
| D．By examining the conditions of different planets. |
8 . 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 |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
9 . Michael Gonsalves, a chef of Golden Oak at Disney World, has a cuisine concept rooted in fresh, locally-sourced ingredients that originated from childhood harvesting produce from their family garden with his mom to eventually leading kitchens at Walt Disney World Resorts to employ a sustainable model.
“Truly the whole process starts with menu planning,” he said. Creating one dish leads into the creation of many more through the end-to-end use of products. As chefs, they are always searching for the best ingredients. It is then their focus to ensure they appreciate and respect all that go into each and every one of them. For example, they source chicken that is naturally grown and fed on a natural plant forward diet, no hormones (激素) or additives — that’s used in many ways throughout menus from a simple grilled chicken breast to bone soup. Nothing goes to waste.
When they do have waste, even if minimal, they shift it from landfills to transform it into compost (堆肥) that’s then used across the Walt Disney World property. They also support Second Harvest, a local community food bank where healthy produce, prepared, but not served, meals eatable for human consumption are donated. Disney also works with pig farmers when they can’t distribute foods past the point of safety for human consumption. Besides, wildlife reservations love to get the meat because tigers and wild cats can still eat that.
Their operations are “on a path to a sustainable zero waste kitchen of tomorrow” where chefs learn the full-life cycle of plants from seed to plate and gain a better understanding and appreciation for the product and their craft.
Golden Oak at Disney has millions of bees that produce up to 300 pounds of honey per year, plus those bees help with cross pollination (授粉) of their gardens on a daily basis. They advocate a culture that helps develop not only the quality of food, but an appreciation for nature.
1. Where did Michael Gonsalves’ idea about cuisine come from?| A．His mom’s suggestions. | B．His dream of becoming a chef. |
| C．His interest in delicious food. | D．His labor experience as a child. |
| A．They are grilled to eat. | B．They are used to the fullest. |
| C．They are divided into groups. | D．They are selected by quality. |
| A．Give examples about zero waste. |
| B．Introduce the unique habit of wildlife. |
| C．Stress the importance of natural food. |
| D．Explain the operation mode of the food bank. |
| A．Disney World:New Cuisine Road |
| B．Michael Gonsalves:Creative Chef |
| C．Michael Gonsalves:Advocate of Food Diversity |
| D．Disney World:Pioneer in Environmental Protection |
10 . Many children want to have their own pets, but how to be a good pet owner? Besides giving them food and water, what else can we do to give our pets much love?
Provide your pet with the correct diet.
If you prefer to change the previous diet of your pet, do it slowly so that they adjust (适应) properly.
Clean their housing often.
Clean your pet’s home at least once a week and any other times if necessary. Generally, a pet’s home should be clean so it is a good environment for the animal.
Keep your pet clean.
If you have a dog that always plays in the mud, it’s necessary to give it a shower every day!
Train your pet.
Put a collar on your pet with your personal information and the pet’s name. Remember to close the cage door so there is no chance of escaping and being in an unsafe place.
| A．Never hurt or harm your pet. |
| B．Be an owner with a sense of duty. |
| C．No one wants a cat that jumps on the table. |
| D．Animals require different diets based on age. |
| E．Remember that you should check the water first with your hand. |
| F．Water should be fresh, clean and changed daily to keep your pet healthy. |
| G．Without good living conditions, an animal will get sick more, and feel unhappy. |
