1 . Yao Ming was born in Shanghai in 1980. At 229 centimeters, he was the third tallest player in NBA history. Yao made his first appearance in the NBA during the 2000 Sydney Olympics. He surprised many critics with his first games, and was fast becoming an international fan favorite, as he broke Michael Jordan’s record for votes (投票) received. In July 2011 Yao announced his retirement from the NBA due to frequent problems in his left foot.
He continuously works to raise awareness of endangered species and even went as far as to stop using shark fin soup at his wedding in 2007. Yao has been saying no to shark fin soup since 2006 when he was appointed Goodwill Ambassador (亲善大使) for wildlife protection. “Shark’s are friends of human beings. They are not our food.” Since his retirement he has become a surprise international force in the field of wildlife protection, and he is using his fame to tell us the difficulties faced by sharks.
Most recently he went to Houston Zoo, as part of his continuing effort to educate young people about the importance of wildlife protection. He is part of a large campaign (运动) by the wildlife protection charity WildAid, and has traveled through Africa to see and document the difficulties facing elephants and rhinos in the wild. With elephant and rhinoceros poaching (偷猎) on the rise, Yao also said, “When the buying stops, the killing can too. Get rid of the demand for rhino horn and ivory right at the source. That’s what I want to do.”
Although Yao is not the first Chinese player in the NBA, it could be argued that he is the most important one, not just for his taking part in charity and wildlife protection work. He built a bridge between two completely different worlds and introduced millions to the Chinese way of life, and the American lifestyle separately.
1. The first paragraph mainly tells us ____________.| A．the history of MBA | B．how high Yao Ming is |
| C．the life of Michael Jordan | D．Yao Ming’s basketball life |
| A．Because shark fin soup is not food. |
| B．Because he wants to set a good example. |
| C．Because sharks are not endangered species |
| D．Because shark fin soup is too expensive for him. |
| A．The demand for wildlife leads to killing. |
| B．He wants to appeal to others to stop illegal selling. |
| C．WildAid plays an important role in wildlife protection. |
| D．Young people make a difference in wildlife protection. |
| A．The first Chinese player in the NBA |
| B．A super basketball star -- Yao Ming |
| C．Yao Ming and his wildlife protection |
| D．When the buying stops, the killing can too |
2 . Keeping curious kids from disrupting wildlife
Interacting with the wild, naturally curious kids tend to collect seashells at the beach or keep small wildlife as pets.
Take an interest, not things. Kids show interest in picking flowers, rocks, or shells outdoors. They’re part of wildlife's habitat and play an important role.
Admire animal afar, not disrupt nearby. The urge to take a photo with a squirrel, bird, or slow-moving turtle can be strong for kids.
Take well-worn paths, not off-road romps (嬉戏). Kicking piles of leaves, stepping on bushes, and walking through forested areas can unintentionally scare wildlife. If surprised animals defend their homes, everyone could get hurt. Nobody likes having a guest come in and destroy their home and act rudely.
| A．Keep snacks away from animals. |
| B．Share food if animals are hungry. |
| C．Exposure to them develops kids’ love and curiosity. |
| D．The same rule applies to visiting wildlife in their homes. |
| E．Animals rely on plants for hiding; rocks and shells, for homes. |
| F．Approaching animals disrupts what they do for survival, such as eating. |
| G．Despite innocent purposes, kids’ curiosity accidentally damages the wild. |
3 . Country diary: a chainsaw massacre in the alder woods
On an overcast, drizzly afternoon at Durham Wildlife Trust’s low Barns nature
A tree had been felled and sawn into
When this reserve was established half a century ago, around old gravel pits (采沙场), some moisture-loving alders were planted to help
There is also an important natural alder wood here, created by a cataclysm almost two and a half centuries ago, which led to the designation of the reserve as a site of special scientific interest.
The Great Flood of 1771
When it sometimes floods, this tangle of gnarled（苍劲嶙峋的） trees has a
Sadly, since the mid-1990s, another
| A．reserve | B．preserve | C．conserve | D．deserve |
| A．scene | B．view | C．scope | D．landscape |
| A．logs | B．materials | C．resources | D．sources |
| A．Everlastingly | B．Eventually | C．Continually | D．Sustainably |
| A．assemble | B．present | C．overcast | D．resemble |
| A．rejuvenate | B．revenge | C．reform | D．remain |
| A．gone through | B．got through | C．swept through | D．cut through |
| A．changed | B．shifted | C．reversed | D．revised |
| A．clue | B．plot | C．evidence | D．hint |
| A．opportunities | B．possibilities | C．alternatives | D．probabilities |
| A．schemed | B．crawled | C．bounced | D．scattered |
| A．misfortune | B．catastrophe | C．setback | D．adversity |
| A．unique | B．peculiar | C．especial | D．particular |
| A．frontier | B．territory | C．habitat | D．boundary |
| A．various | B．versatile | C．multiple | D．diverse |
4 . Vitamin B could help lessen the effects of the most dangerous type of air pollution，according to a new study published recently. In the first study of its kind，a team of international researchers looked at the damage caused by one of the pollutants that has the most severe impact on health: PM2.5.
Particulate matter，or PM，is a type of air pollutant consisting of small particles of different sizes. PM2.5 has a diameter of fewer than 2.5 micrometers，about 30 times smaller than a human hair. These particles are so small that they can go into our respiratory system (呼吸系统), resulting in lung and systemic inflammation (炎症) and stress.
The team found that something as simple as a daily vitamin B supplement could potentially reduce the impact of the tiny particles on the human body，although they stressed that the research was in its early stages and the sample size was small.
For this study，10 volunteers were initially exposed to clean air and given a placebo (安慰剂) to check their responses. The group then took another placebo for four weeks before being exposed to heavily polluted air from downtown Toronto，where an estimated 1，000 cars pass every hour. The bad air was delivered to the volunteers through an “oxygen－type” face mask. The experiment was then repeated，with each volunteer taking a vitamin B supplement daily made up of 2.5 mg of folic acid，50 mg of vitamin B6，and 1 mg of vitamin B12. B6 can be found in liver，chicken and nuts，and B12 in fish，meat，eggs，milk and some cereals.
The researchers found that four weeks of vitamin B supplements reduced the damage of PM2.5 exposure by 28%－76%. The results highlight how prevention at an individual level could be used to fight the harmful effects of PM2.5.
1. Why is PM2.5 harmful to our health?| A．It pollutes and poisons the air. | B．It is too much to be got rid of. |
| C．It carries viruses and diseases. | D．It is easily breathed in and damages our body. |
| A．The process of the research was not scientific. |
| B．This kind of research has been done many times. |
| C．Further studies are needed to confirm their findings. |
| D．Vitamin B is hard to obtain in people’s daily life. |
| A．International researchers have a new finding. |
| B．Vitamin B could reduce the damage of PM2.5. |
| C．Particulate matter does great harm to our health. |
| D．Emission control and regulation are badly needed. |
| A．in a science journal | B．on a government website |
| C．in a fashion magazine | D．in a medical textbook |
5 . Caves (洞穴) have a primary appeal — they hold the secrets to our past and are mysterious in and of themselves.
● Mammoth Cave
Kentucky, USA
The longest cave system in the world lies beneath the Green River Valley in Kentucky and while over 400 miles of passageways have been mapped, it has yet to be fully discovered. The complex limestone labyrinth (石灰岩迷宫) was discovered by humans 4,000 years ago.
● Blue Grotto
Capri, Italy
Once used as the personal swimming hole for the Roman Emperor Tiberius, this extremely bright sea cave is almost 200 feet long and 82 feet wide. Its unique glow comes from the light entering the small opening to the outside.
● Avshalom Cave Nature Reserve
Beit Shemesh, Israel
Also known as the Soreq Cave Nature Reserve, Avshalom is considered to be the Rosetta Stone of climate history in the Eastern Mediterranean through the packed stalactites (钟乳石) found in the cave, some of which are over 13 feet long, and are as old as 300,000 years.
● Cave of the Crystals
Naica, Mexico
This unique cave system in Mexico contains some of the largest natural crystals (水晶) ever found—the longest of which is 39 feet long and 13 feet thick. However, it is rarely explored due to logistical difficulties: it is extremely hot due to its location above a volcanic vent, and the huge crystals block also block the passage.
1. Where does the longest cave lie in?| A．Kentucky, USA. | B．Capri, Italy. |
| C．Beit Shemesh, Israel. | D．Naica, Mexico. |
| A．the most beautiful cave. | B．the Soreq Cave Nature Reserve. |
| C．the Emperor’s swimming hole. | D．over 400 miles of passageways. |
| A．Cave of the Crystals. | B．Blue Grotto. |
| C．Mammoth Cave. | D．Avshalom Cave Nature Reserve. |
6 . The Adoption Option
There are many wonderful pets looking for new homes.
●Choose wisely
No matter how cute a dog is, it’s important not to let the heart rule the head when choosing a rescue dog. People naturally love puppies, but mature dogs are a great choice for many people.
●
That a dog is available for adoption doesn’t mean they are automatically a problem dog.
●Coming home
Arriving in a new home can be stressful for an adult dog. For many dogs you will have to take a trial-and-error approach to understanding what they like, what makes them feel secure and what they fear. You had better gradually expose your rescue dog to a range of different experiences and other dogs to judge and manage their behavior appropriately.
| A．What to expect |
| B．What you see is what you get |
| C．Common problems and special behaviors |
| D．Adoption provides a pet that second chance |
| E．Many rescue dogs are well trained and well behaved |
| F．Most of these issues can be overcome with good training |
| G．Therefore, it’s wise to get time off work when the dog arrives |
How much do you know about bear? Do bears attack people? The answer is certainly positive. So people in a small city in Colorado were concerned. Why? Last week, a large black bear attacked a family's coop and ate the chickens. It was reported by a local TV station. At the end of the news report, a policeman asked local residents to keep waste, pet food and even birdseed inside, and to report any bear sightings until the animal was found. The policeman also told people to always stay away from the bear when they saw it.
Sam is a 12-year-old boy. Earlier this week, he came to that small city to visit his uncle's family with his mother. His uncle's son, David, was very excited about the bear that had appeared in his neighbor's backyard.
“Sam, there is a bear in our city,” soon after Sam arrived, David told him.
Sam was curious about bears and he had always dreamed of watching one.
“Really?” he asked excitedly.
“Yes. It went into Mrs Brown's backyard last week. It ate all her chickens. But it had run away and I didn't even see it,” said David.
Sam listened with his eyes wide open. “Would it return?” he asked.
“Very probably,” said David, “it would return for food.” At last, he asked Sam.
“Do you want to see the bear?”
Sam immediately nodded. Then he asked, “But how?”
“We can put some food in the backyard. When the bear sees it, he will come in and eat it. But we should be careful. The bear may attack us if he sees us. So we should never make any noise.”
Sam nodded again, still in excitement.
Later that day, the adults all went out, leaving the two boys alone at home. Soon they started to take action.
They put some leftovers from lunch in the backyard. Then they waited behind the window of the kitchen and waited curiously. But an hour passed and they didn’t see a bear. Finally, they got bored.
注意：
1．所续写短文的词数应为 150 左右；
2．续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好。
Paragraph 1：
Just then, they saw something big at the gate of the backyard.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2：
When the bear looked up, he saw Sam.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
注意：1. 词数80左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Fifteen elephants are approaching the Chinese city of Kunming. Altogether the animals
Experts are now doing all they can
10 . Hardware in general, and smartphones in particular, have become a huge environmental and health problem in the Global South's landfill sites （垃圾填埋场）.
Electronic waste（ e-waste ） currently takes up 5 percent of all global waste, and it is set to increase rapidly as more of us own more than one smartphone, laptop and power bank. They end up in places like Agbogbloshie on the outskirts of Ghana's capital, Accra. It is the biggest e-waste dump in the world, where 10, 000 informal workers walk through tons of abandoned goods as part of an informal recycling process. They risk their health searching for the precious metals that are found in abandoned smartphones.
But Agbogbloshie should not exist. The Basel Convention, a 1989 treaty, aims to prevent developed nations from unauthorized dumping of e-waste in less developed countries. The e-waste industry, however, circumvents the regulations by exporting e-waste labelled as "secondhand goods" to poor countries like Ghana, knowing full well that it is heading for a landfill site.
A recent report found Agbogbloshie contained some of the most dangerous chemicals. This is not surprising: smartphones contain chemicals like mercury （水银），lead and even arsenic（砷）. Reportedly, one egg from a free-range chicken in Agbogbloshie contained a certain chemical which can cause cancer and damage the immune system at a level that's about 220 times greater than a limit set by the European Food Safety Authority（EFSA） . Most worryingly, these poisonous chemicals are free to pollute the broader soil and water system. This should concern us all, since some of Ghana's top exports are cocoa and nuts.
Some governments have started to take responsibility for their consumers' waste. For example, Germany has started a project that includes a sustainable （可持续的）recycling system at Agbogbloshie, along with a health clinic for workers. However, governments cannot solve the problem alone, as there is an almost limitless consumer demand for hardware, especially when governments green policies are focused on issues like climate change.
Only the manufacturers can fix this. A more economically sustainable and politically possible solution is through encouraging hardware manufacturers to make the repair, reuse and recycling of hardware profitable, or at least cost-neutral.
1. What can we infer from Paragraph 2？| A．Electronic products need improving urgently. |
| B．Electronic waste is too complex to get fully recycled. |
| C．Electronic waste requires more landfill sites across Ghana. |
| D．Electronic pollution is a burning question in Agbogbloshie. |
| A．Tightens. | B．Abolishes. |
| C．Gets around. | D．Brings in. |
| A．The violation of EFSA's standards. |
| B．The lack of diversity in Ghana's exports. |
| C．The damage to chicken's immune system. |
| D．The threat of polluted food around the world. |
| A．Manufacturers' developing a sustainable hardware economy. |
| B．Governments' adjusting their green policies about e-waste. |
| C．Reducing customers 'demands for electronic products. |
| D．Letting governments take on the main responsibility. |
