1 . The Pacific island of Tonga was struck by huge volcanic explosion on January 15, 2022, which was followed by a tsunami (海啸) that flooded the regions of the capital, Nuku’alofa. Witnesses reported ash was falling over the capital, and social media images showed water flooding into a church and many residences. Local residents had to flee to higher ground when the tsunami warning was issued.
The capital of Tonga is around 65 kilometers north of the volcano. The volcano’s plumes of gas, smoke, and ash extended 20 kilometers into the sky, according to Tonga Geological Services. According to authorities in Suva, the eight-minute eruption was so powerful that it could be heard as “loud thunder sounds” more than 500 miles away. Storm waves have been predicted in New Zealand, which is more than 2,300 kilometers away from Tonga.
Internet and phone lines went down after the violent volcanic eruption, leaving the 105,000 residents on the islands almost uncontactable. All communication to the outside world in Tonga was affected due to damage to the undersea cable (电缆). Digicel, a Jamaican phone company that partly owns the Tonga Cable System, said that it might take 24 hours to restore the important communications link before it could provide an update on work. The company said it was working urgently with local authorities to “resolve the damage”, adding that its domestic (国内的) mobile phone towers were operating across the main island of Tongatapu.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that the New Zealand government has made an initial sum of 340,000 dollars available to provide assistance to Tonga. An Australian Air Force P8 Poseidon aircraft also reached Tonga on January 17. Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that China is closely watching the volcanic eruptions and the disasters including tsunami and volcanic ash in Tonga, and stands ready to provide every possible support and assistance at Tonga’s request.
1. What was the influence of the tsunami?| A．The huge volcanic explosion struck Tonga. |
| B．Local residents were forced to move away. |
| C．The capital of Tonga was completely flooded. |
| D．Many churches and residents were flooded away. |
| A．The reason for the volcanic explosion. |
| B．The enormous losses caused by the flood. |
| C．The serious air pollution due to volcanic ash. |
| D．The widespread effect of the volcanic eruption. |
| A．In total confusion. | B．In great danger. |
| C．Out of sight. | D．Out of touch. |
| A．Support from different countries is around the corner. |
| B．The way of predicting natural disasters needs improving. |
| C．Post-disaster reconstruction faces many difficulties. |
| D．Volcanic eruptions have a great effect on global climate. |
2 . Do you know how to prepare for and survive a major earthquake? According to Department of Conservation scientists, it is important to have the right answer to that question.
How to Be Prepared
Electricity, water, gas(煤气) and telephones may not be working after an earthquake. The police and fire departments are likely to be tied up. You should be prepared to fend for yourself for at least three days, preferably for a week. You’ll need food, water and so on. It’s also a good idea to decide ahead of time how and where your family will reunite if separated during a quake. You might choose an out-of-the-area friend or relative that family members can call to check on you.
If you’re indoors, stay there. Get under a desk or table. The kitchen is a particularly dangerous spot. If you’re in an office building, stay away from windows and outside walls and do not use the elevator. If you’re outside, get into the open. Stay clear of buildings, power lines or anything else that could fall on you. If you’re driving, move the car out of traffic and stop. Avoid parking under or on bridges or overpasses.
After an Earthquake
Check for fire. If you smell gas, shut off the main gas valve(阀). If there’s sign of damage to electrical wiring, shut off the power at the control box. If the phone is working, only use it in case of emergency (紧急情况).Avoid driving if possible to keep the streets clear for emergency vehicles. Be careful that things may fall out of cupboards when the door is opened, and also that chimneys can be weakened and fall with just a touch. Listen to the radio for important information and instructions. Remember that aftershocks, sometimes large enough to cause damage in their own right ,generally follow large quakes. If you leave home, leave a message telling your friends and family your location.
1. What is advised to do before an earthquake?| A．Making a date with your family the way of reuniting. |
| B．Preparing enough food for more than a week. |
| C．Making sure of your telephones in hand. |
| D．Calling your distant relatives to help. |
| A．Never drive when in earthquake. | B．Keep calm when in earthquake. |
| C．Never run away when in earthquake. | D．Do and don’t when in earthquake. |
| A．To reduce the resources. | B．To avoid the possible fire. |
| C．To better the environment. | D．To avoid the outbreak of earthquake. |
| A．It’s a good idea to drive to a safe place. | B．Stay near a door to protect you. |
| C．Get hold of the latest information. | D．Call everyone to help you. |
3 . “I grew garlic for the first time as I didn’t want to throw it away. It grew roots in just seven days. It opened up a new world to me,” said Zhong Liu, a young illustrator living in Shenzhen. On the 5-square-meter balcony (阳台) of Zhong’s apartment, there is a mini-farm with lemons, tomatoes and eggplants.
Zhong’s lifestyle started when residents were required to work from home. Zhong is not alone. An increasing number of urban youth have picked up the hobby of growing vegetables on their balconies as working from home has changed their lives. Zhong has started sharing her journey on social media platforms this year, which has brought her more than 100, 000 followers.
In a chat group consisting of over 100 balcony green thumbs across the country, they share the growth of their vegetables, discussing which plants are more suitable for balcony planting and how to fertilize (施肥) crops. “Balcony gardening really heals the urban youth. We plant and look forward to the harvest, and experience the happiness.” Zhong said.
Chinese city managers are also seeking new methods to rebuild the relationship between urban residents and nature through vegetable gardens. The government of Guangzhou launched a vegetable garden project, providing seeds and farm tools at the minimum price as well as organizing agricultural experts to provide online Q&A for local residents, in an effort to encourage urban youth to get in touch with nature through balcony planting.
In cities, people need to get along with nature. They will be healed during the process of getting close to plants. Parent-child relationships can be strengthened by taking part in the activities together. Community gardening also promotes interpersonal communication, and makes neighborhoods harmonious.
1. Why does the author say Zhong Liu is not alone?| A．She stays at home with her family around. |
| B．She shares the gardening habit with many. |
| C．She works from home with her colleagues. |
| D．She connects with her friends online easily. |
| A．Young gardeners. |
| B．Agricultural experts. |
| C．Government officials. |
| D．Experienced farmers. |
| A．Providing free gardening tools. |
| B．Purchasing seeds from local farmers. |
| C．Inviting experts to share knowledge. |
| D．Establishing rules on balcony gardens. |
| A．How to Grow Your Own Balcony Garden |
| B．Balcony Garden: a New Trend for Urban Youth |
| C．Zhong Liu: How I Adapt to Working from Home |
| D．Guangzhou Works Hard for a Pleasant Environment |
Young Chinese are increasingly making their voices
At a ceremony in Beijing in April, 2018, singer and actor Wang Junkai
“We young people have a responsibility to protect the environment and secure our future, and I am looking forward to learning from
“The youth are no longer merely onlookers
Wang Junkai, or Karry Wang, best known
Xi’an is the most beautiful and historical city in west China,
6 . Researchers based in the greater Yellowstone National Park area have found a new way to identify mountain lions-also referred as pumas- by using facial recognition. And it is proving to be effective to monitor these creatures that are highly elusive. “Mountain lions are really hard to directly observe.” said Peter Alexander, a research biologist leading the research project.
One tool they once used is a camera trap, which is attached to something along the animal’s regular path. When motion is detected, the trap gets a shot of the mountain lion as it passes by. The cameras even have an infra-red (红外线的)flash for nighttime photos without disturbing the animal.
Researchers around the world use this type of tool to estimate population numbers of species. But according to Alexander, there’s a problem with this method when it comes to ID’ing mountain lions.
All mountain lion around the world have light, sandy colored fur down their sides. The scientific name for a mountain lion, Puma concolor, literally translates to “one color”. This lack of unique coloration (自然花纹)on the their body sides means researchers like Alexander can’t usually tell if one puma crosses a camera trap five times, or if five individual animals pass by.
However, it’s a different story with their distinctive facial markings. Alexander and his team added some devices to their camera traps so that when motion was detected, a puma kitten call was played. This noise reliably attracted passerby pumas so that they looked up long enough for the camera trap to grab a shot for facial recognition.
Compared to the traditional side angle camera trap, the new attention-getting device was about 92% more accurate. This work was recently published in the journal Ecology and Evolution.
This study is an important step to being able to more confidently identify and track animals. Getting head images of mountain lions also opens up new opportunities to involve AI techniques. Alexander says that this new camera trap method could be used for tracking other wild animals that lack distinguishing side colors but have unique features elsewhere.
1. What does the word “elusive” underlined in Paragraph 1 mean?| A．Difficult to detect. | B．Impossible to control. |
| C．Reasonable to understand. | D．Convenient to identify. |
| A．Their unnoticeable body feature. | B．Their large movement range. |
| C．Their failure to set off the flash. | D．Their lack of a long state of rest. |
| A．To identify each puma by tracking their movement. |
| B．To help get head images of pumas for facial recognition. |
| C．To attract more puma kitten to pass by and be photographed. |
| D．To engage pumas’ attention for highlighted body side photos. |
| A．It is a revolutionary invention. | B．It will have promising applications. |
| C．It helps greatly advance AI techniques. | D．It is more convenient than traditional ones. |
7 . Australia is unique in many ways. It’s home to a wide range of landscapes and some of the most unusual animals on Earth. The Land Down Under is also the only place on Earth that qualifies as both a country and a continent. The definition of a continent isn’t as concrete as you might expect, but a few qualities help earn Australia that distinction.
The land mass’s status (地位) as a country is for sure. A country is defined as “a nation with its own government, occupying a particular territory,” and since 1901, the Commonwealth of Australia—as it’s officially known—has fit that description.
Australia’s claim to be a continent is less strong. There’s no scientific definition used to categorize continents. They tend to be large land masses with their own tectonic plates (地壳板块), and isolated enough to produce unique cultures and plant and animal populations. These aren’t hard and fast rules, however. Europe and Asia share a tectonic plate, but their cultural differences justify separating them into two continents (though the boundary separating one from the other is constantly changing). When it comes to what makes Australia a continent, size is the most minor factor. It’s the smallest continent at 2. 9 million square miles, and it’s actually closer in size to Greenland than it is to South America. So what makes Australia a continent and Greenland an island?
Australia’s distinctiveness carries a lot of weight here. Its isolated location allowed it to support native groups of people with distinct cultures as well as wildlife that can’t be found elsewhere on the planet. The native cultures and animals of Greenland, however, can also be found throughout the Arctic.
1. What qualifies Australia as a country?| A．The distinct landscapes and animals it has. |
| B．The establishment of Commonwealth of Australia. |
| C．The reputation of the Land Down Under it enjoys. |
| D．The specifically defined continent where it is located. |
| A．The dividing line between Asia and Europe stays fixed. |
| B．Size is a major factor in determining Australia as a continent. |
| C．Each continent occupies a tectonic plate separated from others. |
| D．The definition of a continent doesn’t necessarily follow set rules. |
| A．Because it is much smaller than South America. |
| B．Because it does not cover a whole tectonic plate. |
| C．Because it lacks uniqueness in culture and wildlife. |
| D．Because it is too close and is attached to the Arctic. |
| A．How Is Australia Different from Greenland? |
| B．How Were the Continents on Earth Determined? |
| C．What Sets Australia Apart from Other Continents? |
| D．Why Is Australia a Continent as Well as a Country? |
8 . A family’s cat has finally been recovered after three weeks of being on the run in Boston’s Logan International Airport. The cat -named Rowdy-had been successfully avoiding airport workers, airline employees, and animal experts since escaping from a pet container. Rowdy was finally caught Wednesday.
“Whether out of exhaustion or hunger we’ll never know, but this morning she finally let herself be caught,”an airport spokesperson said.
Rowdy is to be given a health examination and then returned to her family. “I’m kind of in disbelief,”said her owner, Patty Sahli. “I thought, ‘What are the odds we’re actually going to get her back?’ But I got a call this morning and I am just so shocked. ”
Rowdy’s time on the run began June 24. Sahli and her husband, Rich, returned to the United States from 15 years in Germany with the Army. When their Lufthansa airlines flight landed, the 4-year-old black cat with green eyes escaped her cage. She was chasing some birds in the area.
Soon Rowdy herself was on the object of a chase. Her escape set off a big search involving airport and Lufthansa workers. Construction workers, and animal welfare experts got involved as well. They used wildlife cameras and safe-release traps in an attempt to catch Rowdy. Many people saw Rowdy during her extended airport visit. However, the cat always escaped those who chased her.
Now, with Rowdy safely contained, a little calm has been returned to the airport. “It was such a community effort,” said Sahli, adding, “we’re just so grateful to everyone who helped look for her. ”
1. What finally led to Rowdy’s being caught?| A．The use of wildlife cameras. | B．The attraction of some birds to her. |
| C．Animal welfare experts’ involvement. | D．Her willingness to cooperate in the chase. |
| A．Getting away from the family. | B．Returning home safe and sound. |
| C．Caught by the safe-release traps. | D．Injured and shocked at the airport. |
| A．The efforts of the cat’s owner. | B．The process of chasing the cat. |
| C．The cause of the cat’s losing her way. | D．The whole story of the cat’s getting loose. |
| A．Individual and effective. | B．Extensive and combined. |
| C．Determined but failed. | D．Demanding but overlooked. |
9 . Elephants on the coast of Thailand are acting strangely. They stamp their feet and signal (示意) towards the hills. The sea draws back from the beaches. Fish flop (扑腾) on the seabed. Suddenly, a huge wave appears. This is no ordinary wave. It is a tsunami!
Tsunami waves are larger and faster than normal surface waves. A tsunami wave can travel as fast as a jet plane and can be as tall as a ten-storey building. Imagine dropping a stone into a pool. The water on the surface ripples (起细浪). A tsunami is like a very powerful ripple. Tsunamis begin when the ocean rises or falls very suddenly. Lots of seawater is displaced. This movement causes huge waves.
If a tsunami happens, there must be some kind of force that causes the ocean water to become displaced. Most tsunamis are caused by underwater earthquakes. However, volcanoes, landslides, and large icebergs can also cause one of these huge waves.
Tsunamis are extremely powerful. Ordinary waves lose power when they break. Tsunami waves can remain powerful for several days. Because tsunami waves are so strong, they can kill people, damage buildings, and completely ruin an ecosystem in just one hour.
Scientists have no way of telling people in advance when a tsunami will hit. However, if a powerful enough earthquake happens, scientists can send out a warning or a watch. A warning means that a tsunami will very likely hit soon. A watch means that conditions are suitable for a tsunami. When people receive a watch or a warning, they have more time to prepare. It is best not to get caught unaware (没意识到) when a tsunami is on the way!
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?| A．Causes of tsunamis. | B．Signs of tsunamis. |
| C．The force of tsunamis. | D．The effect of tsunamis. |
| A．Moved. | B．Polluted. | C．Stored. | D．Lost. |
| A．A warning is more serious than a watch. |
| B．A warning is sent out after an earthquake. |
| C．A watch means a tsunami may not happen. |
| D．A warning means a tsunami will surely happen. |
| A．To tell a story. | B．To provide facts. |
| C．To give advice. | D．To compare opinions. |
1. What is the man doing today?
| A．Playing soccer. |
| B．Watching soccer on TV. |
| C．Going to a soccer game. |
| A．Sunny. | B．Cloudy. | C．Rainy. |
| A．Three years ago. |
| B．Seven years ago. |
| C．Eleven years ago. |
| A．To play in the Olympics. | B．To attend college. | C．To get a scholarship. |
