1 . The Grey’s Anatomy doctors are navigating the patients that have kept them on our screens for some 400 episodes of the show. But in this episode, for the first time, the _______ to the drama is the very real issue of climate change. It’s a relatively rare example of the many kinds of climate-related storylines that are typically missing from _______ TV and film worlds. Social scientists argue that climate is a topic that belongs in many kinds of on-screen stories, not just the _______ climate-disaster thriller.

But can seeing the realities of climate change affecting characters on the screen help us relate _______ to the unfolding climate crisis – to cope better, or even change our behavior?

Non-profit storytelling consultancy Good Energy believes it can. It is among a small but growing number of organizations _______ far more TV and film scripts to _______ climate-related storylines. In April 2022, it released its Good Energy Playbook, a set of guidelines for embedding climate change into any on-screen story. It joins other initiatives in drawing attention to the need for film and TV to _______ the numerous ways climate change leaves its mark on our everyday lives.

The Good Energy Playbook’s suggestions are appropriately wide-ranging: characters with climate anxiety and those fighting against injustice; utopian (乌托邦的) narratives that explore climate solutions; storylines that quietly _______ climate references into their characters’ worlds.

The playbook was created by Good Energy founder Anna Jane Joyner, “It started as a personal _______, where I just got on the phone with as many screenwriters as I could,” she says. She quickly learned that writers wanted to talk about climate, but “didn’t really have the support and toolset to be able to do it”.

Many research studies looked at the impact introducing climate stories had on viewers, and found it prompted greater concern about climate change. It also ________ people’s understanding of it and made them more likely to take action to reduce their emissions. ________, science tells us that stories have a power that hard facts often don’t. Research has long established that the human brain finds it easier to understand and remember information delivered as a ________, and has even found that stories can influence behavior.

Climate stories, then, seem like a pretty good idea. But these sorts of narratives have been few and far between. Julie Doyle, professor of media at the University of Brighton in the UK, says climate change has ________ for years to get into any form of fictional film or TV representation. “There’s been a silence around it,” she says.

It’s time to break the climate silence, says Doyle. “Mainstream media has tended to follow rather than lead, and it would be great if mainstream media could lead this.” Day-to-day mentions of climate change in media are especially important because, while blockbuster climate films can have a positive impact on awareness and action, the effect is sadly __________. People can feel inspired to take action in the moment, but the feeling __________ in a matter of weeks.

1.

A．resistance

B．background

C．response

D．application

2.

A．fictional

B．scientific

C．educational

D．theoretical

3.

A．logical

B．moral

C．occasional

D．spiritual

4.

A．differently

B．effortlessly

C．reluctantly

D．systematically

5.

A．depending on

B．referring to

C．identifying with

D．calling for

6.

A．restore

B．feature

C．demonstrate

D．sponsor

7.

A．reflect

B．maintain

C．eliminate

D．strengthen

8.

A．integrate

B．reverse

C．initiate

D．publish

9.

A．transition

B．campaign

C．achievement

D．association

10.

A．transferred

B．promoted

C．shifted

D．underestimated

11.

A．For example

B．As a result

C．On the contrary

D．In addition

12.

A．narrative

B．character

C．plot

D．memory

13.

A．explored

B．competed

C．struggled

D．appealed

14.

A．narrow-minded

B．ever-changing

C．short-lived

D．far-sighted

15.

A．resumes

B．fades

C．deepens

D．increases

2 . Climate experts have warned about the many ways a warming planet can negatively affect human health. ________ global temperatures are predicted to increase by 1.5℃ by the 2030s, that risk is becoming increasingly real.

One long-held prediction that appears to be coming true — according to the results of a study recently published in Nature Scientific Reports — is how climate change might enhance ________ of bacteria that thrive and spread through warm sea waters and cause an infection with a particularly high ________ rate.

Vibrio vulnificus (创伤弧菌) flourishes in salty or brackish waters above 68℉. Infections are currently rare in the U.S., but that’s likely to change. Using 30 years of data on infections, scientists at the University of East Anglia in the U.K. found that Vibrio vulnificusis ________ from its historic Gulf Coast range, with more Northern states reporting infections as waters become warmer.

“We’re seeing the core ________ of infections extending to areas that traditionally have very few and very rare cases,” says Elizabeth Archer, a Ph.D. researcher and ________ author of the study. “But these areas are now coming into the main area of infections.”

Based on the latest data on how much the world’s water and air temperatures will rise, the scientists predict that by 2081, Vibrio vulnificus infections could reach every state along the U.S. East Coast. Currently, only about 80 cases are reported in the U.S. each year; by 2081, that could go up to over three-fold, the authors say.

Such a proliferation could have serious health consequences. Vibrio vulnificus kills approximately 20% of the healthy people it infects, and 50% of those with weakened immune systems. There is little evidence that antibiotics can ________ the infection, but doctors may prescribe them in some cases. People can get infected either by eating raw shellfish like oysters or by exposing small ________ to waters where the bacteria live, which can lead to serious skin infections.

Warming sea temperatures aren’t the only reasons behind the rise of Vibrio vulnificus. Hotter air also draws more people to the coasts and bays, bringing them into closer contact with the bacteria.

“The bacteria are part of the natural marine environment, so I don’t think we can ________ it from the environment,” says Archer. “It’s more about mitigating infections by increasing ________ of the risk.”

To alert people to the growing threat, ________ systems are needed to track when concentrations of bacteria start to rise, similar to currently available pollen and pollution alarm.

Vbrio vulnificus is so ________ to temperature changes that concentrations could bloom after even a day of warmer water, so consistent monitoring and alerts are critical, says Iain Lake, professor of environmental epidemiology at University of East Anglia and senior author of the paper.

Lake says the expansion of Vibrio vulnificus is concerning for public health since the bacteria are now invading waters closer to heavily ________ areas, such as New York and Philadelphia. “Everyone can get a Vibrio vulnificus infection,” he says. “But the more ________ there is between warmer waters and people, the more the bacteria can move into populations ________ the elderly and those with other health conditions, who are more vulnerable to infections.”

1.

A．Even if

B．Except when

C．The instant

D．In case

2.

A．numbers

B．ranges

C．coverages

D．concentrations

3.

A．failure

B．fatality

C．survival

D．acid

4.

A．ranging

B．varying

C．expanding

D．shifting

5.

A．distribution

B．launch

C．community

D．sample

6.

A．principle

B．lead

C．principal

D．hit

7.

A．boost

B．accelerate

C．contain

D．remove

8.

A．harms

B．damages

C．injuries

D．wounds

9.

A．relieve

B．dissolve

C．resolve

D．erase

10.

A．conscience

B．awareness

C．panic

D．alert

11.

A．monitoring

B．processing

C．managing

D．delivering

12.

A．sensible

B．vital

C．vulnerable

D．sensitive

13.

A．populated

B．dense

C．paralleled

D．bordered

14.

A．reaction

B．interaction

C．intervention

D．relativity

15.

A．rather than

B．except for

C．such as

D．other than

3 . Directions: After reading the passages below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Fresh warning sounded on plastics problem

Walk along any beach in the world, no matter how isolated, and you will see plastic of some kind washed up on the shoreline,     1    (offer) a reminder of the reckless throwaway culture of the present-day world.

Lately, a study     2     (sound) a fresh warning on the damage caused to the marine ecosystem due to discarded plastics, which eventually has a bearing on human health due to the seafood we consume.

In a paper     3    (title) “A Growing Plastic Smog” published on March 8, 2023 in the peer-reviewed research journal Plos One, researchers called on governments around the world     4    (take) sweeping action to address the “unprecedented plastic pollution” of the world’s oceans.

The plastics break down over time into minute particles that cannot be detected by the naked eye, but find their way into the marine ecosystem and into the seafood humans consume. No one knows for certain     5     the long-term damage will be to marine life and humans, but the study placed much of the blame on the plastics industry for failing to recycle or design for recyclability. “    6     eaten, microplastics can severely damage an animal’s internal tissues. Globally, we have reached a situation     7     we can no longer ignore the plastic pollution pandemic that is infecting our oceans,” he said.

“This research shows us that beach cleanups and citizen science projects that focus on the environmental fate of plastics have little impact on solving the enormity of the plastic problem. Marcus Eriksen, lead author of the study, said in a statement that the findings were a “stark warning     8     we must act now at a global scale”. “We’ve found an alarming trend of exponential growth of microplastics in the global ocean since the millennium, which     9    (expect) to reach over 170 trillion plastic particles,” said Eriksen, adding that the exponential increase in microplastics across the world’s oceans makes     10     necessary to “bring in an age of corporate responsibility for the entire life of the things they make”.

4 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。1.

A．How to handle spiders.

B．Spiders in the United States.

C．People’s fear of spiders.

D．A special kind of spider.

2.

A．Most spiders will not bite even when handled.

B．Most spiders are poisonous and dangerous.

C．Most spiders are likely to attack people.

D．Most spiders have sharp eyes.

3.

A．Because she cannot find a husband for herself.

B．Because the female spider is larger than the male one.

C．Because the female spider often eats her husband.

D．Because she is a black female spider.

5 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in each blank with a proper word given in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. applications	B. connections	C. emotions	D. identify	E. intervene	F. notifications
G. sacred	H. shared	I. specialize	J. stressed	K. technological

Animal Communication

Many pet owners long to talk with their animals. After all, if pets were able to talk, people could take care of them more easily and have closer emotional     1     to them, so a number of companies are working on devices and apps that could translate what animals say.

One such app is called MeowTalk. Using voice recognition software, this app recognizes different sounds a cat makes and offers English translations of them. For example, one type of sound might mean “feed me” while another could be translated “let me outside.” The app can use machine learning to assess its translations and improve at recognizing one particular cat’s voice. In other words, it can     2     in understanding your cat in particular. This is important because cats do not all have a(n)     3     language, but individual cats frequently use particular sounds to mean certain things.

In the future, MeowTalk could connect to a smart collar that would hear the cat meow and play the translation out loud. Perhaps if the cat is outside and needs to be let in, it could even send     4     to the owner’s phone.

For dogs, a Japanese company called Inupathy has developed a harness (保护带) with a heart rate monitor and an app. The heart rate monitor is used to assess a dog’s     5    . This is possible because, like humans, dogs’ heart rates go up when they are excited or     6    . The harness also has a light that turns red when the dog is excited, but when the dog is relaxed, the light is blue.

The most obvious use of this technology is to help pet owners     7     with and provide for their pets better. The more owners know about their pets, the easier it is to meet their needs.

There are other     8     of technology that help us understand animals. For example, some sheep farmers are using artificial intelligence to scan and determine if they are in pain, which helps them find out sick animals. As a result, they can     9     more quickly to treat the animal.

Anyone who interacts regularly with animals could benefit from understanding their animals better. Thus these     10     developments might transform the way we interact with the creatures around us.

6 . 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. associated     B. relaxation        C. outlook       D. urged     E. harmony     F. motivated G. exaggerating     H. contrary        I. track          J. equivalent     K. convinced

In 1865 The Great Landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted looked out over the Yosemite Valley and saw a place worth saving. He     1     the California legislature to protect it from crazy development. Olmsted had already designed Central Park City; he was     2     that beautiful green spaces should exist for all people to enjoy. “It is a scientific fact,” he wrote, “that the occasional observation of natural scene of an impressive character…is favorable to the health and vigor of men and especially to the health and vigor of their intellect.”

Olmsted was     3     ; his claim was based less on science than on intuition. But it was intuition with a long history. It went back at least to Cyrus the Great, who some 2500 years ago built gardens for     4     in the busy capital of Persia. Paracelsus, the 16^th century German-Swiss physician, gave voice to that same intuition when he wrote, “that art of healing comes from nature, not from the physician.” In 1798, sitting on the banks of the River Wye, William Wordsworth marveled at how “an eye made quiet by the power of     5     ” offered relief from “the fever of the world” . American writers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and John Muir inherited that     6     along with Olmsted, they built the spiritual and emotional case for creating the world’s first national parks by claiming that nature had healing powers.

There wasn’t much evidence then—but there is now:     7     by large-scale public health problems such as obesity, depression, and persuasive nearsightedness, all clearly     8     with time spent indoors. Strayer and other scientists are looking with renewed interest at how nature affects our brains and bodies.

In England researchers from the University of Exeter Medical School recently analyzed mental health data from 10000 city dwellers and used high resolution mapping to     9     where the subjects had lived over 18 years. They found that people living near more green space reported less mental distress, even after adjusting for income, education, and employment (all of which are also correlated with health). In 2016 an international team overlaid health questionnaire responses from more than 31000 Toronto residents onto a map of the city, block by block. Those living on blocks with more trees showed a boost in heart and metabolic health     10     to what one would experience from a $20000 gain in income. Lower mortality and fewer stress hormones circulating in the blood have also been connected to living close to green space.

7 . In 1985, scientists reported a change in the atmosphere, a hole or thinning of ozone (臭氧) over Antarctica. Scientists were not sure what was causing.

Most scientists believe that man-made chemicals are destroying the ozone. They also have found signs of ozone loss in other parts of the atmosphere.

Ozone is found both in the air we breathe and in the upper atmosphere. Near the earth, ozone in the air is a danger to life. It is a waste product. But ozone found 10 to 50 kilometres up in the atmosphere protects life on earth. Ozone forms in the atmosphere through the action of solar radiation (太阳辐射). Once formed, the ozone blocks harmful radiation from reaching the earth. Scientists say a reduction in ozone and an increase in the harmful radiation will cause many more cases of skin cancer and will harm crops, animals and fishes.

The report said it is about 8 degrees colder 15 kilometres above earth than it was in 1979. Scientists think the first loss of ozone reduces the amount of solar energy the atmosphere can take in. This cools the atmosphere, increases ice cloud production and leads to more ozone loss.

Scientists found signs the ozone problem has spread. The study shows that the loss of ozone over the areas with larger population in North America and Europe was at least three times greater than scientists had thought. The ozone levels reduced much more seriously during winter months than in warmer months. This is not surprising because the amount of ozone in the atmosphere changes with the temperature.

An international effort is being made to stop the loss of ozone in the atmosphere. But many experts fear that the effort will not produce results fast enough to prevent harm to life on the earth.

1. The passage is mainly about ______.

A．a change in atmosphere

B．the solar radiation

C．the ozone problem

D．a hole in Antarctica

2. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．Ozone in the atmosphere is a danger to life.

B．Since ozone in the air is harmful to life, the less ozone in the atmosphere the better.

C．Ozone is a kind of man-made chemical product.

D．The ozone up above us can stop harmful radiation from getting to the earth.

3. From the passage we learn that ______.

A．the scientists have done a great deal to stop the earth getting warm

B．the temperature in 1979 was much colder than it is now

C．ozone holds solar energy and helps atmosphere take it in

D．successful efforts have been made to stop the loss of the ozone

4. This passage mainly wants to ______.

A．draw people’s interest in atmosphere

B．call the public attention to ozone problem

C．help people to know the change in air

D．tell people some information about atmosphere

8 . We humans have always been obsessed with reaching higher, building taller, and touching the sky. In effect, we have been building towers and buildings each taller than the other. Today, we will look at four of the tallest buildings in the world.

Burj Khalifa

Since it opened on January 4, 2010, the Burj Khalifa has been the tallest building in the world. The United Arab Emirates broke world records in the 21st century for building a needle-like, 162 story skyscraper in Dubai. A public observation deck called “At the Top” is located on the 124th floor. The top floor is home to a private VIP club, closed to anyone except members.

Taipei 101

Featured in many videos, the tallest building in Taipei, China, is famous for its unique shape and awesome fireworks display every year. It houses lots of hotels, offices, apartments, and an observatory deck. There’s an outdoor round observatory square on the 91st floor of the building, at 392m above the ground, it’s now the third highest open-air observation deck in the world.

Shanghai World Financial Centre

The Shanghai World Financial Centre, is a soaring glass skyscraper with a distinctive opening at the top in Pudong District, Shanghai, China. The construction of this building began in 1997, but due to the crisis in Southeast Asia, it temporarily halted and resumed in 2003. Its final height is 492 metres and has 101 floors.

International Commerce Centre (ICC)

The ICC building, completed in 2010 in West Kowloon, is the tallest building in Hong Kong, China, and one of the world’s tallest skyscrapers at 484 metres. Original plans were for an even taller building, but zoning laws prohibited the construction of buildings higher than the surrounding mountains. The design of the skyscraper was revised (修改) and plans for a pyramidal-shaped top were abandoned.

1. What do Burj Khalifa and Taipei 101 have in common?

A．They have observatory decks.

B．They are open for half a day.

C．They are famous for their unique shapes.

D．They have the same number of floors.

2. Which building is shorter than was designed to be?

A．Shanghai World Financial Centre.

B．Burj Khalifa.

C．International Commerce Centre.

D．Taipei 101.

3. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．There’s an outdoor round observatory square on the 92nd floor of Taipei 101.

B．The top of ICC building is the shape of pyramid.

C．It took longer time than expected to finish Shanghai World Financial Centre.

D．Everyone can visit the top floor of Burj Khalifa.

9 . “Going after the footprints of wild animals, you can see the most beautiful scenery in the world. You can see the other side of the world, full of strength, wildness and tenderness,” said Xi Zhinong about being a wildlife photographer.

In 1983, 19-year-old Xi had an opportunity to take part in shooting a film about wild birds. At the time, people didn’t know how to photograph these birds without disturbing them. Crews used to catch the birds, tie their legs with ropes and then put them back on tree branches for shooting. Xi thought the birds captured this way had no life. Instead, he set out to learn how to photograph and film birds while they were in flight. The more Xi filmed, the more he saw the cruelty of animals killing. Xi thought he should do more to help protect the wildlife, as focusing on birds was far from enough.

In 1992, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) launched a three-year research project focused on black snub-nosed monkeys, an endangered species in southwest China’s Yunnan Province, Xi’s hometown. Xi followed the researchers to reach the forests at 4,000 meters above sea level. He became the first to film these striking monkeys in the wild. After years of effort, Xi’s documentary film “Mystery Yunnan Snub-Nosed Monkey” won several international awards, including the TVE award at England’s Wildscreen Festival in 2002.

Xi not only films endangered species, but has also taken on the mission of raising awareness for the protection of wild animals and their homes by giving lectures in cities throughout the country.

Now, he owns a studio “Wild China Film” and uses his images to preserve nature. “I hope to demonstrate the most vivid and realistic scenery to the public. I wish natural reserves can be found everywhere in China, but the most important thing is that these reserves are impressed upon in the minds of everybody,” Xi noted.

1. In shooting a film about wild birds, Xi Zhinong __________.

A．found what crews used to do with birds was practical

B．realized he should play a role in protecting wild animals

C．appreciated the beautiful scenery by following wild birds

D．improved the way of taking photographs of captured birds

2. Through the three-year WWF project, __________.

A．Xi carried out the pioneering research by himself

B．Xi discovered the mystery of his hometown forests

C．Xi won awards for his photos of the endangered species

D．Xi exposed the black snub-nosed monkeys to the world

3. Which of the following statements is TRUE of Xi?

A．He is making efforts to promote wildlife preservation.

B．He is fond of making films of the hidden side of the world.

C．He is proud of being recognized as a famous photographer.

D．He aims at showing natural scenery in China to other countries.

4. Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?

A．Narrating the bird film to the public

B．Impressing the world with self-image

C．Growing from photographer to defender

D．Turning unknown monkeys into superstars

10 . 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.   banned F.   regularly

B. imperfect G. reusing

C. delivered H. throw

D. growing I. victim

E. embrace J. relatively

K. keep

Tips for More Sustainable Living

Making some small changes to your routine can pay off big in various ways:helping the planet while saving your time, money, or both. You will be surprised by how big a difference you can make with     1     little effort. Here’s some suggestions:

Give up throwing certain items. Your coffee grounds, and used tea leaves can be fertilizer (肥料) instead of being thrown in the trash. If you don’t have access to a fertilizer factory, you can hire a company to    2    pick up your leftover food for a fee.

Try to     3     the ugly. The fruit and vegetables that are odd-looking or    4     are actually good to use. It is easy to hide them in soups and yogurt. Don’t     5    away from these foods at the store and do sign up to have them    6     straight to your door through service such as Misfit Market, which offers ugly produce at discounted prices.

Forget fast fashion. The average American throws away 82 pounds of fast fashion clothing each year. Thankfully, there’s a(n)     7    number of companies that prioritize sustainability, producing fewer but longer-lasting articles, often made with organic fabrics and eco-friendly dyes. When clothing is truly at its end, consider     8     it as cleaning duster.

Don’t get cheated. Because of the consumer trend toward more eco-friendly products, many companies make exaggerated (夸张的) claims about their own efforts. For instance, a brand might boast that its products are free of a certain chemical, even though that chemical has been     9     for decades. This is called green-washing. Avoid falling    10    to it by looking for certifications such as “Fair Trade Certified” or “Rainforest Alliance Certified.”