Xiamen, lying in Fujian Province, is a famous coastal city. As far as I’m concerned, Xiamen is very clean and pretty. In that city, we can enjoy the clear sky, the beautiful sea,
However, in recent years, Xiamen has become a lot
Next year if I have enough time and money, I plan
2 . On a sunny afternoon in Dania Beach, a dozen scientist’s unloaded containers full of corals from a dive boat. They gently removed each piece from large tanks on the deck and placed them inside smaller containers, which were slowly taken onshore.
The operation is part of what scientists describe as a “Noah’s Ark(诺亚方舟)” mission to save corals from extinction as a mysterious disease damages mile after mile of the Florida Reef Tract. Since first being spotted in 2014, the disease has killed colonies already weakened by impacts from climate change, including frequent rounds of bleaching(漂泊).
During one trip, researchers spent six days diving in the Lower Keys to collect corals that haven’t yet been touched by a certain disease. Their mission, as the “Ark” reference suggests, is to preserve healthy examples of species that can be raised in labs, then later transplanted back to the barrier reef that parallels much of the Southeast Florida coastline.
“It’s a tough effort, but we need to do everything we can to help corals survive,” said Richard Dodge from Nova South eastern University’s [(NSU)] Halmos College, as he watched university staff and volunteers place the 341 corals in holding tanks on the university dock across from Port Everglades.
NSU is one of seven research facilities that will act as temporary hosts for samples collected for what is formally known as the Coral Rescue Collection Plan, part of an ambitious program led by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. NSU researchers will collect data on the species, then send them to other universities and zoos across the country, where they will be used to grow new colonies—seed stock for potential restoration efforts in the future.
1. What’s the best title for the passage?| A．Noah’s Ark mission | B．Corals are endangering |
| C．Corals are put in containers | D．Fight to preserve the corals |
| A．To emphasize it was very serious to corals. |
| B．To show few cared about its existence. |
| C．To appeal for international cooperation. |
| D．To state it was involved with climate change. |
| A．They conducted research on the spot. |
| B．They found it tough to collect corals. |
| C．They collected healthy corals. |
| D．They desired to get close to corals. |
| A．Culture. | B．Economy. | C．Entertainment. | D．Environment. |
3 . Canadians are blessed with an abundance of natural wonders with enough lakes, mountains and rivers to explore for a lifetime. We’ve also got some of the most amazing waterfalls on Earth.
Horseshoe Falls Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls are the most famous waterfalls in Canada — and understandably so. Actually they are made up of three different falls, and the fittingly named Horseshoe Falls is the only one located on the Canadian side, which is the most powerful in North America. Multiple viewing options are available including tourist ships and sightseeing buses.
Nailicho (Nirginia Falls) Nahanni National Park Reserve, Northwest Territories
Coming in at twice the height of Niagara Falls, this massive waterfall is located on the South Nahanni River in the Northwest Territories. The remote location means it receives only about 1,000 visitors per year who must make their way by either boat or floatplane.
Takakkaw Falls — Yoho National Park, British Columbia
Takakkaw translated from Cree loosely means “the magnificent (壮丽的)”, and it’s a suitable word for the second-highest waterfall in Canada. After a steep drive up a winding road, Takakkaw Falls is only a short distance from the parking lot along a wheelchair accessible path.
Bridal Veil Falls — Bridal Veil Falls Provincial Park, British Columbia
Pretty and delicate, Bridal Veil Falls is located just east of Chilliwack, British Columbia, and really does look like its name, with water gently pouring over smooth rock. An easy 15-minute walk to the waterfall takes you through rich leaves. Tables are available to have a meal outdoors, and there are lots of opportunities for viewing wildlife along the way.
1. What do we know about Horseshoe Falls?| A．It is easily accessible. |
| B．It consists of three falls. |
| C．It limits tourist numbers. |
| D．It crosses North America. |
| A．By tourist ship. | B．By cable car. |
| C．By floatplane. | D．By car. |
| A．Swim. | B．Camp. | C．Picnic. | D．Hunt. |
1. What does the speaker mainly talk about?
| A．Must-see books. |
| B．Places to travel. |
| C．Important travel experiences. |
| A．The rock. | B．The islands. | C．The ancient city. |
| A．The coast. | B．Sand stones. | C．Its culture. |
| A．In the early morning. |
| B．At late night. |
| C．At noon. |
World Wetlands Day (WWD) occurs on the
The world’s wetlands serve an important role in nature. They are all mini eco-systems and contain a huge diversity (多样性) of animal and plant life. They take the form of ponds, streams, rivers and so on. They also serve an important role in the defence of floods,
1. How much in total will be used in earthquake relief?
| A．£60 million. | B．£100 million. | C．£160 million. |
| A．By contacting the radio program. |
| B．By calling a charity organization. |
| C．By leaving personal information at a website. |
| A．To forecast the weather of this week. |
| B．To praise sponsors in the disaster relief. |
| C．To update information about the earthquake. |
| A．From not enough water. |
| B．From not enough sun. |
| C．From not enough plant food. |
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词;
2.只允许修改10处，多者(从第11 处起)不计分。
Dear officer,
I am writing to extend my sincerely gratitude to you. Since the middle of August, there have been frequent mountain fires in Chongqing, caused great damage. However, the rescue work is not easy due to the uncertain of the wind.
Fortunately, you come to our rescue immediately. Professional rescue teams, armed police, fire fighting and others rescue forces spared no efforts to put off the fire. What touched me most was that the volunteers joined in the rescue work regardless of the hot weather and burning ground. That occurred to me that but for your help, Chongqing could have returned to normal so soon.
Your commitment really means a lot of to us, and I do hope to have the opportunity to repay your selfish devotion.
9 . We think of sweaters as comfortable ways to stay warm in chilly temperatures. Penguins think of sweaters as ways to stay safe after oil spills. At least that’s the idea behind wrapping penguins in knitted (编织的) sweaters and jumpers.
The Penguin Foundation, an Australian charity that raises money to protect and conserve the environment of Phillips Island, started dressing the island’s tiny penguins in knitted sweaters following an oil spill in 1998. When penguins are dirty, they usually clean themselves. This process involves penguins in separating their feathers and making them smooth with their beaks. If they’re coated with oil, then penguins are going to ingest some of the petrol.
The penguin Foundation started the Knits for Nature program following a number of spills that occurred in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Then knitters from all over the world were invited to knits sweaters for the penguins. The sweaters, apart from looking adorable, were intended to stop the penguins from ingesting any oil that had coated their bodies. If they don’t have to clean themselves, then they won’t ingest the oil, thus upping the chances of the penguins’ survival. The sweaters, which are 100 percent wool, are also intended to keep the penguins warm since the oil impair the birds’ natural thermoregulation. Therefore, these sweaters are both stylish and practical.
Almost 20 years later, the Penguin Foundation has tens of thousands of these little sweaters--more than it’ll hopefully ever need when it comes to saving penguins in the event of an oil spill. As a result, the foundation doesn’t use the sweater it has received for penguins any longer. Instead, they are used by toy penguins that the foundation gives away with certain donations and as auction items during fundraisers. All the money raised will be used by the foundation to protect the penguins. The sweaters are also shipped to other rescue centers if they’re needed, and the foundation uses the sweaters to educate children visitors to the center about conservation efforts.
1. Why are knitted sweaters used to wrap penguins?| A．To keep them clean. | B．To make them attractive. |
| C．To help the foundation raise money. | D．To protect them from oil spills. |
| A．The Knits for Nature program started in the 19th century. |
| B．Only Australians are called on to knit sweaters. |
| C．The sweaters are completely made of wool. |
| D．The sweaters are effective but out-of-date. |
| A．valuable | B．secure | C．fashionable | D．adaptable |
| A．The ways to protecting penguins. | B．The solutions to extra sweaters. |
| C．The advantages of the sweaters. | D．The functions of the foundation. |
10 . It’s breathtaking to watch the delicate spring wildflowers come out from their blanket of leaves, bloom, develop and disperse (传播) fruit, all in a matter of a few short days or weeks.
Although they look fragile, these are tough little plants, each focusing its efforts on spreading its species. They have evolved to have a wide range of flower structures and colors, some with fragrances, attracting many different insect species to assist them in pollination (授粉).
There is one strategy (策略) that a surprising number of spring blooming native plants have evolved in common: seed dispersal by ants. As many as thirty percent of the spring flowering plant species in the forests of eastern North America have evolved to take advantage of this situation to benefit themselves. These species have evolved to provide food attached to their seeds to encourage ants to disperse those seeds. This food, called an elaiosome, is a specialized fat body whose chemical composition more closely matches that of the insects that ants prefer than it does that of a seed.
When a fruit opens to disperse its seeds, the elaiosomes are an instant attraction for ants. They take the seed with its attached elaiosome back to their nests for consumption there, but they just eat the elaiosome, their preferred food, and dispose of the seed on their trash pile. This tends to be an environment that is rich in nutrients, and will benefit the growth of the new plant. Just to make sure the ants don’t eat the seeds in addition to the elaiosome, some plant species have hard seed coatings that ants can’t really bite through.
This evolutionary adaptation is somewhat similar to the strategy of plants that have evolved to surround their seeds with fleshy fruits to attract birds to assist them with seed dispersal. Given the fact that there are fewer birds available in early spring to help with seed dispersal, it makes sense that the early blooming plants evolved to partner instead with the ants for this service.
Did you ever wonder how your Spring Beauty managed to pop up in new locations in your lawn or garden? Thank an ant!
1. How many methods do wildflowers have to attract animals according to the text?| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
| A．It’s hard to digest. | B．It’s impossible for ants to resist. |
| C．It makes the earth rich in nutrients. | D．It’s often thrown into the trash pile. |
| A．Ants are creative and hardworking. |
| B．Ants are better at dispersing than birds. |
| C．The birds in the early year are not enough. |
| D．The birds are not interested in their fleshy fruits. |
| A．Thank Ants for Wildflowers |
| B．Wildflowers Discover Their Treasures |
| C．New Species of Wildflowers are Found |
| D．Ants Are Superheroes Protecting Environment |
