1 . Bangkok (曼谷) developed around the Chao Phraya River. Many of the city’s hotels sit along the river. The areas of Siam and Ratchaprasong are the core of tourist Bangkok. Sukhumvit Road is home to mall after mall filled with every kind of shop.
For the best value, luxury (奢华的) hotels in the Bang Rak and Sathorn Districts are great choices since the area is more popular for office buildings than tourists. The Sathorn Vista, Bangkok is a perfect example. There are several restaurants, a full gym, a beautiful pool and outdoor areas.
Traditionally, the Khao San Road area has been the center of Bangkok budget lodging (住宿) and this is still true today. The Dang Derm Hotel on Khao San Road has clean, large rooms and a really nice rooftop pool. If you’re on a budget but want to stay riverside, try the Ibis Bangkok Riverside, whose contents are always clean and well-managed. The riverside location is close to the ferry, and its location a bit south of the main tourist area gets you very low prices.
Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok is a great family hotel. The hotel, which has buildings on both sides of the Chao Phraya river, has been providing accommodation to travelers since 1876. For families there are a number of connecting room choices, and the hotel is also responsible for bringing in extra beds for children. There is a kids’ club on-site, and parents can even sign older kids up for cooking classes. Another good option for families is Ariyasomvilla. This downtown Bangkok small hotel also offers a pleasant place in the city. It is set inside a beautiful garden and is a lovely change from the disorder of the city.
1. In which area of Bangkok can you find a hotel on a budget?| A．The Sukhumvit Road. | B．The Khao San Road area. |
| C．The Siam and Ratchaprason areas. | D．The Bang Rak and Sathorn Districts. |
| A．A quiet garden-like environment. | B．Room-connecting choices . |
| C．Registered kid schooling classes. | D．Wonderful economical lodging. |
| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
2 . The flower doesn’t use verbs or adjectives to tell a pollinator (传粉昆虫) that it looks pretty when the pollinator flies by, at least not as far as we know. But plants do respond to the sound of bees buzzing through the air, greeting them with more sweet nectar (花蜜) in hopes of attracting them to land. It is a poetic and practical language that increases everyone’s chances of survival. Scientists increasingly believe that animals and plants communicate with each other. Thanks to a new study on “natural language”, now there’s additional evidence that measures how evening primroses (月见草) respond to sound.
The research team played sounds like that of bees’ wings beating to evening primroses. The flowers vibrated (振动) when they heard the sounds. It’s as if they were listening. Other sounds, played at different frequencies, didn’t lead to the same result. The flowers vibrated, but didn’t increase the sweetness of their nectar production. The average sugar concentration was 20% higher in flowers exposed to pollinator-like frequencies, but remained stable at the sound of higher frequency recordings and silence.
These findings led the researchers to argue that flowers function as a plant’s ears, informing the plant as a whole of what’s going on nearby and when it’s time to attract a pollinator. Plants have to be sensitive to the sound of pollinators because they have an interdependent relationship with one another. The plants rely on the pollinators for reproduction, so they produce a sweeter nectar as a kind of seduction. And the bees eat the nectar, which means they’ll be adjusted to what the flowers are doing and drawn to the sweeter food. It pays for flowers to be able to distinguish between the sound of bats as compared to bees, for example, and for the pollinators, it’s worthwhile to find the best food in the least amount of time.
While this study is just a first step in understanding how plants respond to sound, and studies on other species must be done next to better understand how flowers listen.
1. How did the researchers do the experiment?| A．By vibrating the flowers. | B．By exposing plants to pollinators. |
| C．By imitating the sound of insects. | D．By increasing the sweetness of nectar. |
| A．Production. | B．Attraction. | C．Value. | D．Adjustment. |
| A．Saving resources. | B．Providing more food. |
| C．Knowing different species. | D．Promoting the reproduction. |
| A．How certain plants react to sound. | B．How to interact with plants. |
| C．The languages used in nature. | D．The methods of survival for plants. |
3 . Great white sharks have been described as the most violent creature ever since the release of “Jaws” in 1975. But what if instead of one shark appearing, two were working together?
Scientists say research off Mexico’s Guadalupe Island in the Pacific Ocean shows great white sharks are sociable and will sometimes work together to increase their chances of catching prey (猎物).
Guadalupe Island is home to a small group of scientists and a popular tourist destination for spotting great white sharks because of a large quantity of seals. What makes this location unique is the waters off the island are very clear.
A team of scientists from Florida International University created a “super social tag” tracking device to put on the great white sharks. With a video camera and sensors (传感器) detecting a shark’s depth and direction, the device also has receivers to detect when other sharks are near them. The team then put the devices on three male and three female white sharks over a four-year period.
The data showed sharks preferred to be in groups of the same sex (性别), but their ways of hunting were unique. One shark had the tag on for only 30 hours, but it associated with 12 other sharks. Another that had the tag on for five days was only with two other sharks. “Most associations were short, but there were sharks where we found considerably longer associations.” Yannis Papastamatiou, lead author of the study, said. “Seventy minutes is a long time to be swimming around with another white shark.”
Papastamatiou said there is no clear answer to why white sharks are being social, but it’s probably because if one shark is successful in finding large prey, another will want to know how to have the same success. The sample size is small, but Papastamatiou said the findings give scientists a window into the relationship between sharks. He hopes to develop tracking systems that can be used for weeks, possibly years, to see the development of relationships between sharks.
1. What does the author want to tell us in the first 2 paragraphs?| A．The social nature of sharks. | B．The purpose of the research. |
| C．The content of Jaws. | D．The violence of sharks. |
| A．To increase the chance of hunting. | B．To promote associations among sharks. |
| C．To keep track of the sharks’ activities. | D．To study the relationships between sharks and seals. |
| A．They are of the same sex. | B．They have different hunting habits. |
| C．They have more frequent communications. | D．Their associations last 70 minutes at least. |
| A．Uncertain. | B．Doubtful. | C．Promising. | D．Overconfident. |
4 . Coming upon a clear - cut in an old forest is a shocking experience. Tees large and small are collapsed one above the other in pile, and the ground is covered with the tracks of heavy machinery. Such was the scene when forest activist Zack Porter and I hiked a newly built logging (伐木) road in Green Mountain National Forest.
Clear - cutting in the American forests has long been widespread. But now, the Forest Habitat Creation Project represents new reasoning which is hotly debated - that clear - cutting benefits native creatures. The thinking is that clear - cutting done wisely can mimic natural disturbances, for example, from insect invasions or from storms overturning older trees that produce what ecologists call Early Successional Habitats - places where young trees and bushes get the upper hand and animals that depend on such habitat thrive.
The project also states that forests “can only be saved by being destroyed” - by keeping them young. Timber (木材) interests are enthusiastic about the approach because it lets them profit from cutting trees while claiming the significance of conservation. Hunting groups favor it because a younger, less thick forest makes it easier to find the game and birds they're tracking.
Nevertheless, Porter says, “Allowing some of the oldest standing trees in New England to be removed is equal to dereliction of duty on the part of the government, who sees the forests as commodities (商品).” “Forests can produce clean water, clean air, carbon storage, and biodiversity that we need,” he continues as we walk among lovely mixed hardwoods and evergreens that are cut down for logging. “We shouldn't be removing them for short - term gain.”
In this sense, Zack Porter's description of logging for wildlife for short - term gain - the short - term gain of favoring habitat for species people today want to see and hunt - is reasonable.
1. How does the author start the text?| A．By presenting some ideas. | B．By listing some evidence. |
| C．By comparing different views. | D．By stating his own experience. |
| A．Profits can be made from logging. |
| B．Clear - cutting is beneficial to the wildlife. |
| C．The conservation of forest is of significance. |
| D．Clear - cutting can cause natural disturbances. |
| A．Fulfillment. | B．Promise. | C．Misconduct. | D．Exposure. |
| A．A New Approach to Forest Protection |
| B．A Hiking Experience in the Logging Road |
| C．How to Build Early Successional Habitats? |
| D．Is Clear - cutting Forests Good for Wildlife? |
5 . With greater climate catastrophe (气候突变) on Earth, it is natural for us to make every effort to stop the potential floods, snowstorms, and alarming reports from scientists. For many of us (myself included), part of that means running out to buy reusable straws, organic cleaners, and packaging-free products.
However, before you rejoice in “green” purchases, take a second to consider the results of a new study from Arizona University. By comparing the shopping habits, mental health and environmental impact of young people, the researchers reaffirmed a principle: Buying less beats buying “green” stuff without effort. And that is true whether you are looking at the impact that your purchases have on the Earth or on your own happiness.
It should not come as a shock that simply consuming less is better for the planet. After all, every new item a factory yields requires some resources to produce. Take plastic bag bans for instance. If your city is getting rid of single-use shopping bags, it can be tempting to pay for a fashionable organic cotton bag hanging in the check-out line of your local supermarket. However, experts insist that growing cotton is actually no better for the Earth than producing the conventional plastic bags. Your best bet for carrying your groceries if you care about sustainability? Any bag you already own. This is true of many kinds of “green” products.
It is not just the Earth that will be happier if you buy less. You will feel more contented too, according to the new study. “People believe that they might well be self-satisfied about becoming environmentally conscious through green buying patterns, but it doesn't seem to be that way”, said the lead researcher Sabrina Helm. “Reduced consumption has effects on increased well-being and decreased psychological distress, but we don't see that with green consumption.”
“Owning every new green product on the market might make you feel contented, but if you relieve yourself of that burden of ownership, most people report feeling a lot better,” said Helm.
1. Why does the writer mention green shopping habits?| A．To call on a green lifestyle. | B．To praise people's green efforts. |
| C．To introduce a social trend. | D．To present a half true “green truth”. |
| A．The plastic bag bans are of no effect. |
| B．Using any bag you have is the best bet. |
| C．Reduced consumption is better for the Earth. |
| D．Growing cotton is actually far worse for the Earth. |
| A．The sense of achievement. | B．The sense of happiness. |
| C．Psychological pressure. | D．Environmental awareness. |
| A．Less is More | B．The Greener, The Happier |
| C．Happiness Guarantee | D．What Are Really Green Products? |
6 . For many people, catching a smell of freshly cut grass is a pleasant sign that warmer weather is here to stay. For the grass, however, this scent signals an entirely different story.
The smell we associate with freshly cut grass is actually a chemical SOS, one used by plants to beg nearby creatures to save them from attack. After all, when danger strikes —whether it's gardening equipment or a hungry caterpillar — plants can't lift their roots and run. They must fight where they stand. To protect themselves, plants employ a string of molecular (分子) responses. These chemical communications can be used to poison an enemy, warn surrounding plants of dangers or attract helpful insects to perform needed services.
Clearly, plants can communicate. But does that mean they can feel pain? According to some researchers, plants release gases that are the equivalent of crying out in pain. Using a laser-powered microphone, researchers have picked up sound waves produced by plants releasing gases when cut or injured. Although not audible to the human ear, the secret voices of plants have revealed that cucumbers scream when they are sick, and flowers cry when their leaves are cut.
There's also evidence that plants can hear themselves being eaten. Researches show that plants understand and respond to chewing sounds made by caterpillars dining on them. As soon as the plants hear the noises, they respond with several defense mechanisms.
For some researchers, evidence of these complex communication systems — giving out noises via gas when in pain — signals that plants feel pain. Others argue that there cannot be pain without a brain to register the feeling. Still more scientists infer that plants can exhibit intelligent behavior without possessing a brain or conscious awareness.
As they grow, plants can change their paths to avoid obstacles or reach for support with their tendrils (卷须). This activity comes from a complex biological network distributed through the plants' roots, leaves and stems. This network helps plants reproduce, grow and survive.
1. What does the smell of freshly cut grass signal?| A．Warmer weather. | B．Being poisonous. |
| C．Cry for help. | D．The need of services. |
| A．By giving out gases. | B．By changing the color of their leaves. |
| C．By producing audible sound waves. | D．By sharing it through the root systems. |
| A．Their tendrils. | B．Their biological network. |
| C．Their communication systems. | D．Their conscious awareness. |
| A．Do plants feel pain? | B．How plants protect themselves? |
| C．Do plants communicate? | D．How plants grow and reproduce? |
My name’s Don Ball. I’m fifteen and I go to Blueway Comprehensive School, Mike is the same age and goes to the local grammar school, but we’ve been friends since junior school, We both live in the village of Saltley, which is in the Midlands. We’ve been birdwatching together since we were 11. I suppose we’re quite good at it now, because we do it regularly, read about it, use the Net to find out about birds, and we’re members of a club for birdwatchers, too.
We have a secret place, named RP, to watch birds. RP is the name we gave to a set of three small lakes surrounded by woods. They are called Redman’s Pools on large maps, but lots of people don’t know they are there because they are hidden by trees.
One day, Mike told me that he saw osprey(鱼鹰) there, which surprised me. There weren’t any in Britain because they’d been hunted too much. They were protected by the RSPB, because lots of people wanted the eggs for their collections.
By now the ospreys had finished building their nest at the top of one of the pine trees on the island in the middle of Big Pool, Of course, we still went to watch them every weekend, and a couple of nights after school, now that the days were getting longer.
One Saturday we were surprised to find a white car parked on the roadside near the track, and as we wheeled our bikes down the track to Redman’s Pools we saw a middle-aged man walking along the side of the pools with a large blue plastic bag over his shoulder.
He stopped at the point where the bank was closest to the island and started doing something with the bag. I was horrified by what I saw. The man had taken a small inflatable(可充气的) plastic boat out of his blue bag, and he was blowing it up.
注意：1.续写词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
He was going to row over to the ospreys’ island!
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Seeing him climbing up the tree, I knew it was the time to call the police.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________8 . The African Bush Elephant can weigh up to 5.5 tons, making it one of the largest mammals (哺乳动物) alive. It is only second to the giraffe in terms of height!
Previously thought to exist as one species, both the African Bush Elephant and African Forest Elephant were discovered to be two different subspecies. Basically, they both have very big ears. But, the Bush Elephant is larger and has a lighter color and outward curving (弯曲) long teeth, whereas the Forest Elephant is smaller, very dark and has downward facing straight teeth.
The African Bush Elephant’s habitat is given away by its name — in the African Bush! This includes grasslands and primary forest within Central and Southern Africa. These locations are perfect areas for the African Bush Elephant to find food. An ideal meal for the African Bush Elephant consists of plenty of grass, fruits, and roots. Their teeth can be used for digging.
All elephants are social and live in societies. This means that they are led by an older, more experienced female, and females stick together. As migrant animals, they are constantly travelling together to search for food and keep their young safe.
Although population levels are recovering, African Bush Elephants face many threats. Similar to other species, loss of land reduces the availability of food and water, meaning they have to travel further. What’s worse, some won’t survive the journey if they cross paths with poachers (偷猎者). African Bush Elephants aren’t just killed for the illegal trade, but they are often the sufferers of conflicts with local people too.
To help them, we need to give them room to travel! A possible solution would be to provide wildlife roads that allow the African Bush Elephant to travel without coming into conflict with people. The African Wildlife Foundation combines governments and communities in Africa and works to set land aside for this purpose. Similarly, education that encourages people to understand the African Bush Elephant can change awareness and reduce local hunting pressure.
1. Which is the picture of an African Forest Elephant?A． | B． | C． | D． |
| A．Mountains in Africa. |
| B．Forests in Western Africa. |
| C．Grasslands in Central Africa. |
| D．Desert areas in Southern Africa. |
| A．Lack of leading female elephants. |
| B．Development of the trade. |
| C．Low level of socialization. |
| D．Worse living conditions. |
| A．Providing passageways. | B．Travelling further. |
| C．Fighting with others. | D．Educating people. |
