1 . How could we possibly think that keeping animals in cages in unnatural environments－mostly for entertainment purposes－is fair and respectful?

Zoo officials say they are concerned about animals. However, most zoos remain “collections” of interesting “things” rather than protective habitats. Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to keep animals bored, lonely, and far from their natural homes.

Zoos claim to educate people and save endangered species, but visitors leave zoos without having learned anything meaningful about the animals’ natural behavior, intelligence, or beauty. Zoos keep animals in small spaces or cages, and most signs only mention the species’ name, diet, and natural range(分布区). The animals’ normal behavior is seldom noticed because zoos don’t usually take care of the animals’ natural needs.

The animals are kept together in small spaces, with no privacy and little opportunity for mental and physical exercise. This results in unusually self-destructive behavior called zoochosis. A worldwide study of zoos found that zoochosis is common among animals kept in small spaces or cages. Another study showed that elephants spend 22 percent of their time making repeated head movements or biting cage bars, and bears spend 30 percent of their time walking back and forth, a sign of unhappiness and pain.

Furthermore, most animals in zoos are not endangered. Captive breeding(圈养繁殖) of endangered big cats, Asian elephants, and other species has not resulted in their being sent back to the wild. Zoos talk a lot about their captive breeding programs because they do not want people to worry about a species dying out. In fact, baby animals also attract a lot of paying customers. Haven’t we seen enough competitions to name baby animals?

Actually, we will save endangered species only if we save their habitats and put an end to the reasons people kill them. Instead of supporting zoos, we should support groups that work to protect animals’ natural habitats.

1. In the state of zoochosis, animals _________.

A．remain in cages	B．behave strangely
C．attack other animals	D．enjoy moving around

2. What does the author try to argue in the passage?

A．Zoos are not worth the public support.

B．Zoos fail in their attempt to save animals.

C．Zoos should treat animals as human beings.

D．Zoos use animals as a means of entertainment.

3. The author tries to persuade readers to accept his argument mainly by _________.

A．pointing out the faults in what zoos do

B．using evidence he has collected at zoos

C．questioning the way animals are protected

D．discussing the advantages of natural habitats

4. Although he argues against zoos, the author would still agree that __________.

A．zoos have to keep animals in small cages

B．most animals in zoos are endangered species

C．some endangered animals are reproduced in zoos

D．it’s acceptable to keep animals away from their habitats

2 . All Ric O Barry wants is to stop the dolphin-killing, so he is headed to this seaside Japanese town, Taiji. The American activist, who is the star of a new award-winning documentary that portrays the dolphin-killing here, got an unwelcome reception when he showed up here this week for the start of the annual hunt.

His movie, The Cove (海豚湾 ), directed by National Geographic photographer Louie Psihoyos, was released in the United States a month ago but has not yet to come out in Japan.

Scenes in the film, some of which were shot secretly, show fishermen banging on metal poles stuck in the water to create a wall of sound that scares the dolphins — which have supersensitive sonar (声呐系统) — and sends them fleeing into a cove.

There, the fishermen sometimes pick a few to be sold for aquarium shows, for as much as $150, 000. They kill the others, spearing the animals repeatedly until the water turns red. The meat from one dolphin is worth about 50, 000 yen, and is sold at supermarkets across Japan.

Greenpeace and other groups have tried to stop the hunt for years. Activists hope The Cove will bring the issue to more people internationally—and eventually in Japan.

Already, the Australian town of Broome dropped its 28-year sister-city relationship with Taiji last month, partly because of the movie.

“Some regions have a tradition of eating dolphin meat,” said fisheries official Toshinori Uoya. “Dolphin-killing may be negative for our international image, but it is not something orders can stop.”

The town government in Taiji — which has made whales and dolphins its trademark — refused to comment about The Cove, or the growing international criticism against dolphin-killing.

Many in Taiji take the dolphin hunt for granted as part of everyday life. They are defensive about The Cove, seeing themselves as powerless victims of overseas pressure to end a simple and honest way of making a living.

1. Ric O Barry made The Cove because he wanted to________ .

A．support Greenpeace's efforts	B．win an international award
C．stop the dolphin-killing	D．make Taiji well-known in the world

2. Viewers can learn from The Cove _______.

A．the cruel and bloody dolphin-killing

B．the beautiful Japanese seaside town Taiji

C．the sale of dolphin meat around the world

D．the advanced techniques to catch dolphins

3. What is the response to The Cove on the Japanese side?

A．Japanese officials decided to ban dolphin-killing.

B．Taiji broke up with its western sister-city Broome.

C．The town government in Taiji kept silent on criticism.

D．Most Japanese people were against eating dolphin meat.

4. What does the underlined word “defensive” probably mean?

A．Feeling guilty for killing dolphins.

B．Making the determination to change.

C．Attacking those against dolphin-killing.

D．Protecting themselves against criticism.

5. What can we infer from the passage?

A．The Cove has not influenced Japan's international image.

B．Many people in Japan have seen The Cove in the cinema.

C．Taiji's dolphin-killing industry has been seriously damaged.

D．The Cove has brought international attention to dolphin-killing.

3 . Severe heat waves have killed more than 100 people in India this summer and are predicted to worsen in coming years, creating a possible crisis as large parts of the country potentially become too hot to be inhabitable (适宜居住的).

Heat waves in India usually take place between March and July and abate (减弱) once the rains arrive. But in recent years these hot waves have become more severe, more frequent and longer.

India is among the countries expected to be worst affected by severe heat, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Experts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) say that even if the world succeeds in limiting the rise in average global temperatures, parts of India will become extremely hot.

Last year, there were over 480 official heat waves across India. During that period, more than 5,000 people died. This June, temperatures of 48 degrees Celsius hit Delhi. Churu nearly broke the country's heat record with a high of 50.6 degree Celsius. Bihar closed all schools, colleges and coaching centers for five days after severe heat killed more than 100 people. The closures were accompanied by warnings to stay indoors during the hottest time of the day.

India is trying to develop a heat action plan. The city of Ahmedabad, in Gujarat introduced the country's first action plan in 2013, and its text messages, extra drinking stations and advice to keep out of the sun are credited with saving more than 2,000 lives.

At the same time, India is seeking long term solution The country has planned to cut its carbon emissions (排放) by 33% to 35% in 2030.

1. What's the possible crisis for India?

A．It will rain less and less.

B．Drinking water will run out.

C．Some places will be too hot to be livable.

D．More people will be killed in coming years.

2. What dos paragraph 4 mainly talk about?

A．The heat record was broken.	B．People are warned to stay indoors.
C．More heat waves hit India this year.	D．The heat waves brought great loss.

3. Which of the following are the measures India has taken to fight severe heat?
①Avoiding carbon emissions.
②Building more drinking stations.
③Sending messages about severe heat.
④Giving advice to stay away from severe heat.

A．①②③

B．②③④

C．①②④

D．①③④

4. What is the suitable title for the text?

A．Heat Waves Hit India	B．India Suffered a Lot
C．Global Warming Affected India	D．A Plan to Fight Severe Heat

4 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

The brightness of light from our cities has reached     1     high levels that it is reducing the darkness of night. A century ago, when night-time     2     (fall) the dark of night arrived. Things are     3     (differ) today. A new study reports that artificial light at night is increasing around the world. Scientists say it grew     4     2.2% a year between 2012 and 2016. This intrusion of artificial light is causing us many problems. The International Dark-Sky Association says, “it is not only damaging our view of the universe, but it is     5     (severe) threatening our environment, our safety, our energy consumption and our health”.

Dr. Franz Holker said artificial light is     6     threat to our natural environment. He called it a pollutant     7     threatens nocturnal animals and affects plants and microorganisms He added that it is affecting everything from bacteria to mammals, humans     8     (include). He said it is reshaping “entire social ecological systems”. Environmentalists thought LED lights would help. However, cities are using more LED lights because     9     are cheaper. This is adding to the pollution of light. Night-time light decreased in sixteen countries, including     10     (nation) at war, like Yemen and Syria.

5 . In a new study published on the Journal of Auian Biology, researchers at the National Autonomous University of Mexico tracked the behavior of house finches(雀) on the main campus of the university, in Mexico City.

The team created an artificial nest lining(内衬), which includes feathers, cotton, hair and cigarette ends. Then, after the birds 'eggs had hatched, they replaced the original lining with the new one, to make sure the nests were pest free. The researchers then added live ticks to the mix, while dead ticks were added to other linings.

It seems that urban house finches use more cigarette ends to line their nests when they've been invaded by ticks. And, those whose nests were given live ticks increased their cigarette end weight by about 40 percent more than those where dead ticks had been used, according to New Scientist. The technique is likely a form of self-medication, the experts explain, as it's thought that the chemicals in cigarette ends can help to keep off the pests.

While this behavior may have its benefits, the researchers say it's also possible that the use of cigarette ends in the nests could have negative effects. "It is a matter of concern that cigarette ends, being poisonous, are part of house finch nests in Mexico City," the authors explain in the paper," but we have not come across evidence of long-term costs of using this material."

According to the researchers, a thorough evaluation will be necessary to determine the real effects of using cigarette ends, whether they are positive or not. But they explain, the findings do suggest that the cigarette ends are linked to the presence of ticks and likely play a role in keeping them away.

1. What does the underlined phrase" the mix" in paragraph 2 refer to?

A．The former nests.	B．The artificial lining.
C．The cigarette ends.	D．The original lining.

2. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The findings of the experiment.	B．The application of the research findings.
C．The theory related to the recent research.	D．The reasons for house finches using cigarette ends.

3. What did house finches do when live ticks were found in their nests?

A．Eat them out.	B．Dust them off.
C．Build firmer nests.	D．Use more cigarette ends.

4. Which word best describes the author's attitude to the study?

A．Skeptical.

B．Conservative.

C．Objective.

D．Tolerant.

6 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

This week, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a bill banning the use of elephants, tigers and other wild animals in circus, acts,    1    (make) New Jersey the first state in the country to pass such a law. The law    2    (go) into effect since its formal declaration.

    3    (know) as “Nosey’s Law”, the bill is designed to protect animals in traveling circus acts from being abused. Nosey, the law's namesake, is a 36-year-old African elephant who    4    (force) to travel around the country and give rides at events despite being    5    (severe) lame by arthritis(关节炎). The arthritis had likely caused unnecessary suffering and permanent     6    (disable) for Nosey, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture filed to take action to0 protect Nosey, and Nosey’s owners continued to use her in shows.

“These animals belong in their natural habitats, not in performances    7    their safety is at risk.” Governor Murphy said. The law finally became a reality because    8    the years of hard work and the bill passes the New Jersey legislature (立法机构)with only three opposing    9    (vote), Illinois and New York have already banned the use of elephants in traveling or entertainment acts     10    New Jersey is the first to ban all wild and exotic animals.

7 . Water keeps us alive. When it runs out, we have a problem.

About one out of four people on the planet are facing a shortage of water. Seventeen countries around the world are dealing with high-water stress. This means they are using almost all the water they have access to. Many are dry countries. Some waste much of their water. Some may currently use too much of their groundwater that they should be saving. Several big cities face acute shortages. These include Sao Paulo, Brazil; Chennai, India; and Cape Town, South Africa. A year ago, Cape Town faced nay Zero-the day when all its dams would he dry.

Climate change adds to the risk of water shortages. Rainfall is less steady. The water supply becomes less reliable. The days grow hotter. More water evaporates(蒸发)from lakes and rivers even as demand for water increases. By 2030, the number of cities in the high-stress category may have risen to 45 and include almost 470 million people.

All over the world, farmers compete with city residents for water. Rich urban places, such as Los Angeles, use too much water for pools and golf courses. But the worst problem is the growth of cities. Bangalore, India, for example, had a few years with little rain. It built over its many lakes or filled them with city waste. The lakes are no longer the rain water storage tanks they once were. Bangalore now imports water. A lot of the imported water, however, gets lost on the way to Bangalore.

To address this issue, what can be done? First, cities can plug leaks in their water distribution system. Wastewater can be recycled. Rain can be harvested and saved for hard times. Lakes and wetlands can be cleaned up and old wells can be restored. And farmers can switch from water-intensive crops like rice to less-thirsty crops like millet(小米).

Experts are looking at ways to reduce the number of people on the planet. They are looking at ways to reduce the size of cities. They are looking for ways to encourage people, factories and farmers to use less water.

1. What can we know from Paragraph 2?

A．A quarter of the world's population is living with water shortages.

B．Nearly all countries are facing acute water shortages now.

C．Underground water should he used to meet the water demand.

D．Measures have been taken to deal with the water shortage in India.

2. What is the main idea of the third paragraph?

A．Rainfall is not as steady as before.	B．Climate change may lead to water shortages.
C．The water supply relies more on rainfall.	D．Hotter weather changes the water demand.

3. What can farmers do to deal with water shortage?

A．Plug leaks in the water distribution system.	B．Clean up lakes and wetlands and restore wells.
C．Reduce the number of people in the cities.	D．Grow less-water consumption crops instead.

4. What will be discussed if the passage continues?

A．How to prevent from climate change.	B．How to inspire people to save water.
C．How to recycle wastewater in cities.	D．How to make people get access to clean water.

8 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

The Environment Agency today is setting out    1    plan that it leads the way toward a greener, healthier future. Its new 5-year plan, EA2025, calls for a new approach which betters health, fair and environmental improvement. By 2025 the agency aims to have created more climate adaptive places and infrastructure(基础设施), by ensuring the nation is prepared for flooding, coastal change and drought. The plan also highlights a renewed focus    2    improving the health of air, land and water for people and nature-and ensuring green    3    (grow) for a lasting future.

Since lockdown began, the Environment Agency    4    (remain)fully operational, with the majority of staff    5    (work)from home, and frontline staff remaining active on the ground handling issues such as flood risk and pollution.

Staff have been making the    6    (good)use of technology to continue work-such as remotely concluding legal hearings and using drones(无人机)to monitor regulated sites, and looking at how we can adopt these practices in the future to be more efficient and    7    (effect).Teams have been serving equipment    8    supports public water supply, food production and river flows.

The hot weather led to several fish rescues,    9    fisheries enforcement teams(渔业执法队)continued to investigate illegal fishing. Last month a major coastal flood defense plan    10    (complete)which will protect more than 300 houses in West Sussex.

9 . Long before "digital" and "native" were words that could reasonably fit into the same sentence, kids had adventures in the great outdoors-the sort of nature-filled adventures filmmaker Paul Ward experienced as a child growing up on a farm.

"Unfortunately, children today don't have the same exposure to nature," says the father of Estella, nine, and Sylvie, seven. "Instead, these digital natives are often glued to their screens."

Wanting to reconnect this young generation with the outside world-via a medium that they're familiar with-Ward teamed up with film producer Vicky Pope to create Wild Eyes, a website that uses technology to help children to get in touch with nature.

Ward and Pope spent two years developing Wild Eyes, which requires users to complete interesting tasks in nature, such as setting up camp or finding a certain kind of bird. Once a challenge is complete, the player uploads a photo to the website to earn online encouragement and "likes" from other players.

"It's all about interacting with kids on their own terms," says Ward.

Ward, who spent almost two years working as a producer for the Discovery Channel in Los Angeles, says the response so far has been positive. "We've had more than 15, 000 site visitors to date, which is really encouraging."

Both Ward and Pope are working hard to ensure all the tasks are affordable and adaptable for both the home and classroom. They believe there's also a future benefit to turning square eyes into wild eyes.

"As David Attenborough says, people will only protect what they care about and they'll only care about what they've experienced," he says. "Given so much of our lives are lived online, if we care about looking after our natural world, it's important we provide attractive digital experiences that engage young kids with nature."

1. How was Ward's childhood different from his children's?

A．He did a lot of outdoor activities.	B．His vocabulary was limited.
C．He seldom played in the wild.	D．He had no computer or TV set.

2. What do children do on Wild Eyes?

A．Expand their knowledge about nature.	B．Complete their tasks given by the website.
C．Share their outdoor activities with others.	D．Participate in activities organized by the website.

3. What do the underlined words "square eyes" in paragraph 7 refer to?

A．An activity that requires hard work.	B．An activity that is affordable and adaptable.
C．A person spending a lot of time in nature.	D．A person spending too much time on the screen.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Experiencing the Great Outdoors	B．Keeping away from the Screen
C．Combining the Screen with Nature	D．Looking after the Natural World

10 . The universe likes to be shy about its age,but astronomers believe they have a pretty good idea of the range.Currently,the most widely accepted age for the universe is around 13.8 billion years,but determining the age of...well,everything,is no easy feat(功绩）.Now, new studies have investigated the question using different methods-and they've come up with two different answers,separated by more than a billion years.

Because the universe is expanding at an accelerating pace,the further away an object is,the faster it appears to be moving away from us.This is expressed as the Hubble constant（哈勃常数, and it's a key factor in figuring out the age of the universe.After all, if we can determine how fast objects moving away from us,we can rewind that process to its beginning-the Big Bang.Researchers from the University of Oregon set out to map the distance to dozens of galaxies The team calculated that the universe is only 12.6 billion years old-that,you might notice is much younger than the 13.8 years usually stated.

In the second study,the method of figuring out the age of the universe is by mapping the oldest light we can detect.We are restoring the' baby photo' of the universe to its original condition, removing the wear and tear of time and space that distorted(扭曲）the image, says Neelima Sehgal, co-author on the study.Only by seeing this sharper baby photo or image of the universe can we more fully understand how our universe was born."In doing so,   the researcher   determined that the universe is 13.8 billion years old-in agreement with the accepted age.

The real problem though,is that the studies disagree so wildly with each other, to the tune of a billion years.But they   are not the only ones-the battle lines are commonly drawn by the methods used. Obviously, more research is needed to determine where the truth lies.

1. What do we know about the universe from the first two paragraphs?

A．It doesn't exist long.

B．It becomes larger.

C．It runs away.

D．It causes the Big Bang.

2. What makes the researchers in the first study think the universe is much younger?

A．The speed of moving objects.

B．The number of galaxies.

C．The process of the universe evolution.

D．The distance to other objects.

3. How does Neelima Sehgal explain their method in the second study?

A．By referring to a similar thing.

B．By using hard scientific data.

C．By introducing a new concept.

D．By quoting an expert's words.

4. Which can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Whose method is better?

B．Which result can you believe?

C．How old is the universe?

D．Why is the universe so old?