1 . On a recent sunny day, 13,000 chickens roam over Larry Brown’s 40 windswept acres in Shiner, Texas. Some rest in the shade of a parked car. Others drink water with the cows. This all seems random, but it’s by design, part of what the $6.1 billion U.S. egg industry bets will be its next big thing: climate-friendly eggs.

These eggs, which are making their debut now on shelves for as much as $8 a dozen, are still labeled organic and animal-friendly, but they’re also from birds that live on farms using regenerative agriculture — special techniques to cultivate rich soils that can trap greenhouse gases. Such eggs could be marketed as helping to fight climate change.

“I’m excited about our progress,” says Brown, who harvests eggs for Denver-based NestFresh Eggs and is adding more cover crops that draw worms and crickets for the chickens to eat. The birds’ waste then fertilizes fields. Such improvements “allow our hens to forage for high-quality natural feed that will be good for the land, the hens, and the eggs that we supply to our customers.”

The egg industry’s push is the first major test of whether animal products from regenerative farms can become the next premium offering. In barely more than a decade, organic eggs went from being dismissed as a niche product in natural foods stores to being sold at Walmart. More recently there were similar doubts about probiotics and plant-based meats, but both have exploded into major supermarket categories. If the sustainable-egg rollout is successful, it could open the floodgates for regenerative beef, broccoli, and beyond.

Regenerative products could be a hard sell, because the concept is tough to define quickly, says Julie Stanton, associate professor of agricultural economics at Pennsylvania State University Brandywine. Such farming also brings minimal, if any, improvement to the food products (though some producers say their eggs have more protein).

The industry is betting that the same consumers paying more for premium attributes such as free-range, non-GMO, and pasture-raised eggs will embrace sustainability. Surveys show that younger generations are more concerned about climate change, and some of the success of plant- based meat can be chalked up to shoppers wanting to signal their desire to protect the environment. Young adults “really care about the planet,” says John Brunnquell, president of Egg Innovations. “They are absolutely altering the food chain beyond what I think even they understand what they’re doing.”

1. The climate friendly eggs are produced ______.

A．at a considerably low cost	B．at the demand of regular shoppers
C．as a replacement for organic eggs	D．on specially designed farms

2. Larry Brown is excited about his progress in ______.

A．reducing the damage of worms	B．accelerating the disposal of waste
C．creating a sustainable system	D．attracting customers to his products

3. It can be learned from the last paragraph that young people ______.

A．are desperate to change their diet	B．are likely to buy climate-friendly eggs
C．are enthusiastic about new food	D．are amazed at environmental problems

4. John Brunnquell would disagree with Julie Stanton over regenerative products’ ______.

A．market prospects	B．nutritional value
C．standard definition	D．moral implications

2 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is ONE WORD MORE than you need.

A. voyaged     B. barely     C. renowned     D. abnormality     E. discipline     F. navigable G. unprecedented     H. eyed     I. Fortunately     J. accessible     K. degradation

For voyager and green promoter Zhai Mo, the 504-day non-stop voyage to the Arctic Ocean has stimulated his concern about the climate and awareness of his responsibilities.

Navigating more than 28,000 nautical miles (51,856 kilometers) in harsh conditions, Zhai, a (n)     1     Chinese explorer, returned to Shanghai on his aluminum sailboat on Nov 17, along with two crew members, becoming the first man to successfully circle, both ways, the Arctic Ocean without stop. “This non-stop Arctic Ocean circle route can be said to be     2    . We     3     both the northeast and northwest routes while previous explorers only chose one route. This is a self-challenge and transcendence in the history of human navigation,” the 54-year-old says.

Zhai undertook this task as an ambassador of the Chinese navigation science and marine public welfare, and also the ForNature Campaign of the United Nations Development Program. He set sail on June 30 last year to raise public awareness of global warming, climate change and land     4    . During the trip, he crossed the East China Sea, the Western Pacific, the Bering Strait, the Chukchi Sea, the East Siberian Sea and the Beaufort Sea. He saw dolphins, whales, walruses, sea lions and seals, as well as shoals of cod and wolf fishes.

“When we passed through the Northwest Pacific Ocean on our way back, we encountered three typhoons within a week, which     5     happened in the past,” Zhai recalls.

Zhai didn’t see any floating ice during his one-week voyage in the Kara Sea while the previous meteorological data showed ice there.

“My own experience tells me that climate     6     is obvious now,” Zhai says.

The voyage, to enter the Arctic Ocean from the Bering Strait before making a round trip returning to Shanghai, was planned to take four months, but the return schedule was delayed for more than a year. “As soon as we entered the Bering Strait, we encountered a polar cyclone. A large number of ice floes and icebergs were blown to the coast. However, the Arctic Ocean can only be     7     near land, so we had been carefully crossing between ice floes and icebergs for a long time and the speed was only 1 to 3 knots,” Zhai says. But for Zhai, the most difficult part of the whole voyage was around 75 degrees north. The Arctic Ocean is known as the “dead channel”, Zhai says, adding that the location where the Titanic went down was on his route and dotted with countless icebergs. After entering the iceberg region, Zhai navigated the sailboat while the two crew members went on watch to report on the menacing ice. Despite the precaution, the boat hit an iceberg near Greenland, causing water seepage below the waterline that had to be dealt with. Meanwhile, compasses and electronic goods on the boat failed because of the magnetic field. “I had never encountered this situation in sailing before,” says Zhai.     8    , he took a fiber optic compass specially used for high latitude navigation, and managed to leave this area with visual aids. In addition to ice floes and icebergs, Zhai and his team also faced severe tests such as heavy fog, strong winds and huge waves. When sailing through the Chukchi Sea, the boat navigated around a large area of ice floes and heavy fog resulting in visibility of no more than 10 meters. They spent nearly 11 hours to get just 50 nautical miles. “We tried to leave as soon as possible during our voyage in the Arctic Ocean,” he says, adding that there was a constant danger of being trapped by the ice.

Zhai was attracted by sailing when holding an art exhibition abroad in 2000. In 2007, he got a second-hand sailboat with simple supplies, such as instant noodles, pancakes and potatoes, and started his voyage trip around the world.

After that 35,000-nautical-mile voyage, Zhai     9     an Arctic Ocean journey. “Navigation is a comprehensive     10    . You should know not only astronomy but also geography. You also need to be a carpenter, fitter, hammerer and painter, and should be able to survive in a harsh, outdoor environment,” Zhai says.

He adds that he hopes more young people would participate in navigation, to promote and publicize the ocean awareness and navigation spirit. He is preparing for the third voyage trip around the world next year or the year after that. “Antarctica is also a very big challenge. I hope to explore more unknowns, and I also want to launch a transoceanic sailing competition.”

3 .

A．Bring flowers.	B．Take a pot plant.
C．Buy postcards.	D．Send fruits.

4 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。1.

A．Snowy.

B．Cloudy.

C．Smoggy.

D．Rainy.

2.

A．Red.

B．Orange.

C．Yellow.

D．Blue.

3.

A．Snow and rain have already brought an end to the heavy smog.

B．Beijing has gone through two red alerts for smog.

C．Beijing’s PM2.5 levels became worse in 2015.

D．Winter months are the most polluted because of the increased use of cars.

5 . All over the world, people admire the beauty and grace of butterflies. Butterflies come in every color imaginable, and their_________display an incredible variety of patterns. The largest butterfly, Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing, has a wingspan (翼展) of up to 280 millimeters and lives in Papua New Guinea. The smallest, the Western Pygmy Blue in the southern U.S., has a wingspan of only 12 millimeters. Sadly, some of these beautiful creatures are now _________.

Estimates indicate that between 15 and 20 thousand species of butterflies exist around the world. A number of these species are endangered, over 20 in Japan_________. Although that number may seem small, losing even one species would be_________. Nowadays scientists even look to butterflies as a _________of the environment’s health, since they are _________ to environmental changes. Many environmentalists around the world are eager to protect the endangered butterflies from extinction. The American Museum of Natural History in New York, for example, has an unusual butterfly exhibit. This exhibit _________ the important role that butterflies play in our environment.

In recent years, environmental groups have made significant progress in _________endangered butterfly populations. Governments throughout Asia have passed laws to help protect endangered wildlife, including butterflies. An area called Butterfly Valley in Assam, India, has become the focus of conscious _________ to protect the butterflies’ habitat (栖息地). Other projects in Serbia, Japan, and Canada are also hoping to __________. Some of these efforts are already starting to work. The population of the El Segundo Blue Butterfly in California, for instance, has increased by 8 percent since 2010.

Finding a cure for the butterfly crisis is, __________, not just for environmental groups. __________citizens can plant butterfly gardens to support and enjoy these gentle creatures. A group of female prisoners in Belfair, Washington, are helping to rescue an endangered species called Taylor’s Checkerspot. They recognize how__________ seemingly insignificant creatures can be. The world cannot afford to lose any butterflies. As environmentalist John Muir once__________, “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it __________ to everything else in the Universe.”

1.

A．colors

B．bodies

C．wings

D．feelers

2.

A．out of control

B．in great danger

C．on the fly

D．out of date

3.

A．nearby

B．though

C．besides

D．alone

4.

A．predictable

B．possible

C．imaginable

D．terrible

5.

A．factor

B．picture

C．measure

D．display

6.

A．exposed

B．accustomed

C．sensitive

D．resistant

7.

A．highlights

B．changes

C．replaces

D．finds

8.

A．preserving

B．controlling

C．observing

D．recognizing

9.

A．projects

B．efforts

C．steps

D．groups

10.

A．set an example

B．keep the promise

C．make a difference

D．take the time

11.

A．however

B．furthermore

C．otherwise

D．therefore

12.

A．Distinguished

B．Leading

C．Senior

D．Ordinary

13.

A．graceful

B．significant

C．pitiful

D．mysterious

14.

A．proposed

B．commented

C．promised

D．recommended

15.

A．restricted

B．adapted

C．contributed

D．recommended

6 . The Good of Gardening

Do you have a hobby that helps you relax and unwind? For some people, there is no better way to relieve pressure than spending time in the garden. This small private area of green space can be their place of calm.

    1     A survey conducted by the Royal Horticultural Society, found that 82% of people in the UK said that gardening makes them happier. It also found that 70% of them, given the choice, would prefer to spend their working day in the garden with just 9% opting for an office.

For those with green fingers, the pleasure of gardening comes from getting out in the fresh air, in all weathers and communing with nature — even if there are a few too many worms! It can also be seen as a sort of digital-detox — time away from technology.     2    

Dr Christopher Lowry, a neuroscientist at the University of Colorado, injected a bacterium commonly found in soil into mice to see what affection this would have on them.     3     When we dig in soil we absorb this bacterium through our lungs or cuts in our so Br Lowry concluded that since the mice seemed happier when treated with soil bacteria, it’s likely we would be, too.

    4    There’s evidence that recovering alcoholics who have been given the opportunity to plant, grow, and even sell their produce, have managed to stop their addictive habits. Scot Stephenson, for example, got dismissed from school and started a vocational qualification in gardening. He says, “got my NVQ level 2 which is my first qualification and enjoyed it ever since.”

Whatever the reason, there are many therapeutic benefits to getting your hands dirty, doing some physical hard work and then watching your garden grow. Does this sound like your idea of fun?

A．He found the bacterium had a similar effect on the mice as an anti-depressive drug might.

B．Soil bacteria not only benefit people but also benefit animals.

C．Gardening can also be used as a way of treating addiction.

D．It’s no wonder some of us turn to gardening as a form of therapy.

E．Alcohol can make people behave peculiarly and dangerously in gardening.

F．Some experts actually believe that getting outside to dig and plant things acts as a “natural excitement”.

7 . It took brave European explorers less than 300 years, between 1420 and 1713, to establish that all the seas of the world formed an enormous and continuous ocean. This discovery encouraged them to _____ into areas which hadn’t been charted until then. With the discovery of new lands, new trade routes were _____. In many parts of the world, colonies and settlements were established and many odd-looking products were brought back to _____, arousing great interest and _____ wealth.

It was probably the irresistible desire for wealth that _____ persuaded Europeans of the fifteenth century to _____ their legendary dangers and explore further out into the open seas. They were also _____ by the love for their countries. Many explorers wanted to serve their kings and countries as well as gain personal _____ from their exploring.

The most effective way of gaining wealth was through _____. Silk, gold, silver and ______ stones, and more importantly spices, such as gingers and peppers, were the most profitable trade goods in Europe. Spices were of the greatest ______ because they enabled the Europeans to make their winter diet of salted meat more delicious. These items were ______ mostly from the East by a difficult overland route. The Italian ______, who bought goods from the Arabs of Alexandria, controlled the trade along this route. Other countries of the Mediterranean ______ the wealth which this trade generated and they were ______ to discover new routes which would allow them to share in it.

1.

A．sail

B．walk

C．fly

D．drive

2.

A．set back

B．set off

C．set up

D．set against

3.

A．the East

B．the Mediterranean

C．Europe

D．Italy

4.

A．inheriting

B．creating

C．saving

D．losing

5.

A．frequently

B．hardly

C．frankly

D．eventually

6.

A．recognize

B．risk

C．realize

D．foresee

7.

A．discouraged

B．praised

C．forced

D．inspired

8.

A．business

B．benefit

C．fame

D．rights

9.

A．trade

B．war

C．conquering

D．bargaining

10.

A．precious

B．rough

C．hard

D．smooth

11.

A．interest

B．efficiency

C．value

D．practice

12.

A．exported

B．imported

C．robbed

D．occupied

13.

A．soldiers

B．explorers

C．pioneers

D．merchants

14.

A．lost

B．won

C．possessed

D．envied

15.

A．disappointed

B．available

C．anxious

D．reluctant

8 . A weather map is an important tool for geographers. A succession of three or four maps presents continuous picture of weather changes. Weather forecasters are able to determine the speed of air masses and fronts (冷暖空气团接触的锋) to determine whether an individual pressure area is deepening or becoming shallow and whether a front is increasing or decreasing in intensity. They are also able to determine whether an air mass is retaining its original characteristics or taking on those of the surface over which it is moving. Thus, a most significant function of the map is to reveal a summary picture of conditions in the atmosphere at a given time.

All students of geography should be able to interpret a weather map accurately. Weather maps contain an enormous amount of information about weather conditions existing at the time of observation over a large geographical area. They reveal in a few minutes what otherwise would take hours to describe. The United States Weather Bureau issues information about approaching storms, floods, frosts and all climatic conditions in general. Twice a month it issues a 30-day “outlook” which is a rough guide to weather conditions likely to occur over broad areas of the United States. These 30-day outlooks are based upon an analysis of the upper air levels which often set the stage for development of air masses, fronts and storms.

Considerable effort is being exerted today to achieve more accurate weather predictions. With the use of electronic instruments and satellites, enormous gains have taken place recently in identifying and tracking storms over regions which have but few meteorological stations (气象站). Experiments are also in progress for weather modification (改变) studies. But the limitations of weather modification have prevented meteorological results except in the seeding of super-cooled, upslope mountainous winds which have produced additional orographic (山岳形态) precipitation on the windward side of mountain ranges. Nevertheless, they have provided a clearer understanding of the fundamentals of weather elements.

1. By reading weather maps, students majoring in geography can .

A．design a project of weather modification

B．interpret the weather condition before the time of observation

C．obtain data on atmospheric conditions over a wide area

D．survey ever-changing fronts in local meteorological stations

2. A thirty-day forecast is determined by examining________.

A．daily weather maps	B．upper air levels
C．satellite reports	D．changing fronts

3. The observation of weather conditions by satellites is helpful because ________.

A．electronic instruments are used

B．it enables man to alert the weather

C．it makes weather more time-consuming

D．information not be obtained readily otherwise can be gained

4. At the present time, experiments are being conducted in________.

A．controlling and influencing weather

B．determining density of pressure groups

C．30-day “outlooks”

D．predicting storms

9 . The part of the environmental movement that draws my firm’s attention is the design of buildings. Today, thousands of people come to ________ building conferences, and the idea that buildings can be good for people and the environment will be increasingly ________ in years to come. Back in 1984 we discovered that most manufactured products for decoration weren’t designed for ________ use. The “energy-efficient” sealed commercial buildings constructed after the 1970s energy crisis ________ indoor air quality problems caused by materials such as paint, wall covering and carpet. So for 20 years, we’ve been looking for ways to make these materials ________   for people and the planet.

Home builders can now use materials, such as green paints, that release significantly ________   amounts of chemical compounds, which people believe don’t ________ the quality of the air.   ________, our basic design strategy is focused not simply on being “less bad” but on creating ________ healthful materials that can be either safely returned to the soil or ________ by industry again and again. For example, the world’s largest carpet manufacturer has already ________ a carpet that is fully and safely recyclable.

Look at it this way: no one ________ to create a building that destroy the planet. But our current industrial systems are basically causing these conditions, whether we like it or not. So   ________ of simply trying to reduce the damage, we are ________ a positive approach. We’re giving people high-quality, healthful products and an opportunity to make choices that have a ________   effect on the world. It is not just the building industry, either. Entire cities are taking these environmentally positive approaches to design, planning and building.

1.

A．commercial

B．green

C．traditional

D．simple

2.

A．efficient

B．changeable

C．influential

D．effective

3.

A．relevant

B．indoor

C．flexible

D．forward

4.

A．revealed

B．displayed

C．exhibited

D．discovered

5.

A．careful

B．comfortable

C．stable

D．safe

6.

A．reduced

B．revised

C．delayed

D．defined

7.

A．destroy

B．deny

C．dissolve

D．depress

8.

A．Anyway

B．Besides

C．Anyhow

D．However

9.

A．exactly

B．completely

C．partially

D．superficially

10.

A．restored

B．regain

C．reused

D．retain

11.

A．developed

B．stretched

C．researched

D．constructed

12.

A．sets off

B．sets about

C．sets out

D．sets up

13.

A．instead

B．because

C．out

D．regardless

14.

A．adjusting

B．adopting

C．adapting

D．admitting

15.

A．functional

B．sensible

C．beneficial

D．precious

10 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. adventure               B. carelessly       C. existence               D. exploit        E. inaccessible F. minimized        G. reflects        H. responsible        I. accounts   J. visible            K. wilderness

Antarctica is the highest, driest and coldest place on Earth. It is also the remotest, a fact which     1     for its unspoiled environment. It is widely described as the last     2     on our planet. The cold climate is     3     for maintaining the continent’s year-round ice fields. Even though Antarctica receives more sunlight than the equator(赤道), the temperatures are lower because the ice sheet     4     the heat back into space.

For centuries, Europeans wondered about the     5     of a South-Polar continent, but no one actually knew for certain Antarctica was there until 1820 when European explorers “discovered” it. Since then, men have gone to Antarctica in search of     6    . Testing their abilities, several teams of explorers set out in 1911 to be the first men to stand at the South Pole.

Once completely     7    , Antarctica has more recently been playing host to adventurers seeking for excitement, scientists interested in experimenting, and companies looking to     8     this wild area for profit.

Yet, Antarctica’s fragile and complicated eco-system is threatened by its human visitors. Damage to the environment occurs as people come looking for resources beneath the ice, or     9     leave their garbage behind. Currently, countries are working to ensure that the damage to Antarctica’s environment is     10    , and that Antarctica will remain an unspoiled place.