1 . During the summer of 2021, I flew to Greece to learn more about the wildfires there. I wanted to hear people’s stories, to understand what it meant to be displaced by environmental disaster.

In a cafe for people surviving the fire, I met brave children who now have to live with terrible scars, physical and emotional. I met a man who could not even speak to me, his eyes filling with tears.

I was expecting to hear a lot about loss; I was not expecting to learn so much about the attribution (归因) of blame. I came to understand how desperately people needed to blame a tangible entity (实体) –a person, a group of people, the government. Indeed, this was understandable and reasonable. The outbreak and mishandling of the fire needed to be explored, looked into and dealt with.

What surprised me, however, was that the survivors were completely silent over any mention of the climate crisis and global heating. It was made clear to me that this subject was unacceptable. Survivors felt that these issues had nothing to do with what they had suffered, and that the people actually responsible needed to pay.

But when it comes to climate breakdown, blame did not come to just one person, one corporation, one country. In Greece, the fire didn’t rage so hard because someone had set off a spark—— it raged so hard because years of global heating had dried up the land, part of a set of unsustainable (不能持续的) practices and inaction that had set our planet on fire. And now the fires are even worse.

The more I spoke to people, including climate scientists, the more I came to see that there is often a gap that separates science from public awareness. In her book “Engaging With Climate Change” Sally Weintrobe says that “many people who accept global warming continue to regard it as a problem of the future”. To my astonishment, this seemed to apply even to people who had themselves been affected directly by wildfires.

1. What did the author hardly expect to learn in Greece?

A．Kids’ scars.	B．Economic loss.
C．Survivors’ blame.	D．Duration of the fire.

2. What did the survivors think of the fire?

A．It was closely related to global heating.

B．They couldn’t accept its massive destruction.

C．The government should be responsible for it.

D．It resulted from someone’s setting fire to the forest.

3. What does Sally Weintrobe say about global warming?

A．Much attention has been given to it.

B．People don’t consider it serious now.

C．Scientists are urged to apply efficient way to it.

D．People should make their opinions about it heard.

4. What is the purpose of the passage?

A．To inform readers of wildfires in Greece.

B．To encourage readers to donate to survivors.

C．To equip people with surviving skills in wildfires.

D．To raise people’s awareness about the climate crisis.

2 . Soaring to 29, 035 feet, the famous Mount Everest had long been considered unclimbable due to the freezing weather, the obvious potential fall from cliffs and the effects of the extreme high altitude, often called “mountain sickness.” But that was to be changed by Edmund Hillary.

When he was invited to join the British Everest expedition in 1953, Edmund Hillary was a highly capable climber. The glacier-covered peaks in his hometown in New Zealand proved a perfect training ground for the Himalaya. It was his fourth Himalayan expedition in just over two years and he was at the peak of fitness.

On May 28, 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, an experienced Sherpa (夏尔巴人) set out and reached the South Summit by 9 a. m. next day. But after that, the ridge (山脊) slightly fell before rising suddenly in a rocky spur (尖坡) about 17 meters high just before the true summit. The formation is difficult to climb due to its extreme pitch because a mistake would be deadly. Scratching at the snow with his ax, Hillary managed to overcome this enormous obstacle, later to be known as the Hillary Step.

At 11:30 a. m, the two men found themselves standing at the top of the world. “Not until we were about 50 feet of the top was I ever completely convinced that we were actually going to reach the summit.” Hillary later recounted, “Of course I was very, very pleased to be on the summit, but my first thought was a little bit of surprise. After all, this is the ambition of all mountaineers.”

Emerging as the first to summit Mount Everest, Hillary Hillary continued by helping explore Antarctica, and establishing the Himalayan Trust (信托基金), through which he provided a number of beneficial services to the Himalayan peoples. He also a sizeable legacy that mountain climbers have chased ever since. As a young climber said, “It was not just Hillary and Tenzing that reached the summit of Mount Everest. It was all of humanity. Suddenly, all of us could go.”

1. What made Edmund Hillary a capable climber on the 1953 expedition?

A．His undisputed reputation.	B．His remarkable physical condition.
C．His previous training on Mount Everest.	D．His exceptional ability to adapt to the cold.

2. What does the Hillary Step refer to?

A．A mistake Hillary avoided making.	B．A steep spur of rock Hillary conquered.
C．An ax Hillary used to scratch snow.	D．A sudden fall of a ridge Hillary skipped.

3. What was Hillary’s initial feeling upon reaching the summit of Mount Everest?

A．Overwhelming joy.	B．Enormous pride.
C．Complete disbelief.	D．A touch of astonishment.

4. What was the impact of Hillary’s achievement on mountaineering?

A．It opens up possibilities for other climbers.

B．It enabled him to give back to his hometown.

C．It left financial benefits for climbers to pursue.

D．It led to friendly regulations for mountaineering.

3 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Who does the speaker probably speak to?

A．Students.

B．Teachers.

C．Parents.

2. What kind of bags does the speaker suggest using?

A．Paper bags.

B．Plastic bags.

C．Reusable bags.

3. What is the speaker’s second suggestion?

A．Unplugging the devices.

B．Using energy-saving devices.

C．Standing beside the devices.

4. Why does the speaker make the speech?

A．To call for people to take action.

B．To correct some wrong ideas.

C．To discuss different habits in life.

4 . Cancer-fighting genes in elephants could help tackle one of the biggest killers of people, according to research. Despite their large bodies and long lifespans, elephants are much less likely to die from cancer than humans, with death rates of less than 5 percent.

The paradox has puzzled scientists because more cells lead to greater replications (复制), which increases the possibility of the body failing to detect damaged DNA or a faulty cell that can result in tumors(肿瘤). Elephants live for almost as long as humans and weigh up to five tons.

However, a group of British and European scientists say they have taken a big step towards solving Peto’s paradox, named after the British epidemiologist Sir Richard Peto. Elephants, they say, carry a much larger more diverse group of tumor-fighting proteins.

The findings, published last week in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution, raise hopes that the cancer fighting genes in elephants could be the key to tackling cancer, which kills about 167, 000 Britons yearly. Cells keep dividing throughout an organism’s life, each carrying the risk of producing a tumor. One of the body’s weapons is a gene called p53 known as the “guardian of the genome”, which hunts cells with faulty DNA. It encourages the cell to repair itself or self-destruct, keeping the cell from combining with others and producing tumors.

Humans have two versions of p53 but elephants have 40, said the researchers. Biochemical analysis and computer simulations also showed that an elephant’s p53 genes are structurally slightly different, providing a much larger anti-cancer toolkit. The researchers suspect that while faulty cells might be able to skirt two p53 versions, they cannot combine with other cells as easily in the face of dozens.

The findings will open the way for research on how p53 genes of elephants are activated and on medical treatment for humans.

1. What has puzzled scientists?

A．Few elephants end up dying from cancer.	B．Elephants live long and weigh enormously.
C．More cells lead to higher chances of tumors.	D．A larger body is less likely to discover faulty cells.

2. What can be learnt from Paragraph 4?

A．How many Britons die each year.	B．How the anti-cancer gene works.
C．How the research was carried out.	D．What the findings have been applied to.

3. What does the underlined word “skirt” in Paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．Strengthen.

B．Detect.

C．Escaped.

D．Cure.

4. Which is the text mainly about?

A．Scientists find elephants live longer than humans.	B．P53 genes play essential role in preventing cancer.
C．Elephant genes could be key to fighting cancer.	D．Groundbreaking treatment for cancer is on the way.

5 . Joseph Dituri hasn’t seen the sun for days. The biomedical engineer has been underwater, with the goal of spending 100 days there in the name of ________. Dituri is living in Jules’ Undersea Lodge in Florida. The100-square-foot hotel is his intended home until the mission finishes, where he’ll ________ his research.

The submerged stay, if ________, will also break the previous record of 73 days set by two Tennessee educators in 2014.

During the project, Dituri is attempting to ________ the effects of living in a high-pressure environment for a(n)________ period. The human body has-never been underwater that long, so he will be ________ closely. For example, he’ll be ________ to electrocardiograms, which measure the heart’s function. “I ________ there will be improvements to my health,” Dituri said. His assumption is not made ________—a previous study indicated potential ________ of pressure exposure to cell growth. Dituri hopes this journey could ________ the treatment for age-related diseases.

Beyond research, the project is also a chance to promote ocean ________ “The ocean is in a bit of trouble,” Dituri said in a video. “We also want to use the attention that the 100-day mission would draw to________ young people’s curiosity and passion.” Dituri will invite about 40 children to stay with him for 24 hours at a time.

“________ I only stayed 60 days, I eventually would turn a whole bunch of kids on to the exploration of the sea. That would be a ________,” he said in an interview.

1.

A．reputation

B．freedom

C．science

D．entertainment

2.

A．publish

B．conduct

C．advertise

D．review

3.

A．necessary

B．convenient

C．accessible

D．successful

4.

A．forecast

B．document

C．imagine

D．relieve

5.

A．extended

B．busy

C．early

D．essential

6.

A．informed

B．persuaded

C．monitored

D．satisfied

7.

A．sensitive

B．subjected

C．familiar

D．restricted

8.

A．remember

B．realize

C．suppose

D．admit

9.

A．cautiously

B．intentionally

C．fearlessly

D．groundlessly

10.

A．costs

B．difference

C．practicality

D．benefits

11.

A．make for

B．hold over

C．refer to

D．depend on

12.

A．conservation

B．expansion

C．tourism

D．transport

13.

A．dampen

B．express

C．stimulate

D．appreciate

14.

A．Now that

B．In case

C．Provided that

D．Even if

15.

A．win

B．burden

C．shame

D．lesson

6 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Years ago, the authors conducted human-wildlife conflict surveys in the Tibet Autonomous Region’s counties,     1     (locate) in the TAR’s remote Chang Tang region. These surveys showed     2     previously undocumented and growing problem of human-snow leopard conflict. Next, snow leopard telephone interviews were conducted with Tibet Forestry Bureau staff,     3     (result) in an additional new conflict and sighting location records. This new location information, together with records provided by other observers,     4     (collect) to make a snow leopard distribution (分布) map.

This effort greatly expanded knowledge of the snow leopard’s distribution in this region,     5     remains one of the least understood of the snow leopard’s key range areas. New knowledge on snow leopard in the Chang Tang will help identify human-snow leopard conflict hot spots and influence design of human-snow leopard conflict relief and conservation strategies for northwest Tibet. Nevertheless, much field work will also be required     6     (describe) snow leopard distribution in the Chang Tang.

Importantly, in the past few years, a number of major transportation infrastructure (基础设施) projects     7     (make) the Chang Tang more accessible. This has led to a     8     (great) increased number of tourists visiting western Tibet, Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar     9     particular. All these developments have a large potential to cause disturbance to snow leopards and their prey species, including influencing their movements     10     destroying their habitat.

7 . Do you know that the oldest tree is a 5, 000-year old bristlecone pine (狐尾松) located in the forests of Nevada? Unfortunately, many of these precious old-growth trees are starting to disappear from our planet. The term old-growth refers to trees that are 150 years or older. This means that many of the trees on the Earth today are younger, smaller, and have shorter lifespans.

As the Earth’s temperature warms up due to climate change, it is having unintended effects on the world’s forests. When temperatures rise, trees close their pores (气孔) to prevent the loss of moisture, and this, in turn, slows down the process of photosynthesis (光合作用). As a result, these trees are shorter and grow slowly, as well as have a high deathrate. Climate change also increases the possibility of droughts and wildfires. After wildfires, it takes a while for the forest ecosystems to recover, and in some cases, the forests are lost permanently. Trees that are stressed are also susceptible (易受影响的) to attacks by bacteria (细菌). Finally, humans have changed the forest landscape through logging (伐木).

There are some who claim that increased greenhouse gas emission is helping trees grow faster because CO₂, is needed for photosynthesis. While some younger trees may benefit from this, we are seeing significantly more loss of forests than gain.

Old-growth forests are a storehouse of carbon, and when they die, the stored CO₂, is released into the air worsening the greenhouse effect. Older forests have higher biodiversity, which is beneficial as each organism has a role to play and there is a wide variety of species. As these forests disappear, species that once called them “home” are forced to relocate, affecting the biodiversity of those ecosystems. Unfortunately, some endangered species are unable to adapt and go extinct.

With trees dying continuously, will future generations miss out on the wonders of forests?

1. What is the main idea of the second paragraph?

A．Why bacteria may attack old trees.	B．What leads to the rising temperatures.
C．Why old-growth forests are disappearing.	D．How global warming causes natural disasters.

2. What does the underlined word “them” in paragraph 4 refer to?

A．Species.

B．Older forests.

C．Organisms.

D．Roles organisms play.

3. The last sentence of the text is actually____________.

A．a doubt

B．a warning

C．a blame

D．a suggestion

4. What is the author’s purpose of writing this text?

A．To urge people to reduce gas emission.	B．To explain the greenhouse effect on trees.
C．To introduce the process of photosynthesis.	D．To call on people to protect old-growth trees.

8 . 由于人类活动破坏了野生动物的生活环境和空间，使许多野生动物濒临灭绝，据统计世界上每天大约有75种生物灭绝。针对这一现象，请你代表学生会，向同学们发出倡议保护野生动物。
内容包括：1.野生动物灭绝的原因（栖息地的破坏；寻求其皮毛等）
2.保护措施（严惩非法捕杀；建立自然保护区；唤醒人们的保护意识等）
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.可适当增加细节，使行文连贯。
提示词：自然保护区natural reserves 捕猎者 hunter
Dear fellow students,
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Students Union

9 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

This gateway town to Yellowstone National Park has become     1     dead end and a sufferer of the extremely serious flooding that tore through one of America’s most beloved natural     2     (attraction) and swept away roads, bridges and homes.

The unprecedented (前所未有的) flood has affected the entire park     3     forced the evacuation (撤离) of 10,000 visitors. And towns like Red Lodge that lead to Yellowstone’s northern entrances and rely on tourists passing through could suffer all summer.

Officials have said the park’s southern part, which     4     (feature) Old Faithful, can reopen as soon as next week. But the north end,     5     includes Tower Fall and the bears and wolves of Lamar Valley, can stay     6     (close) for months after sections of major roads inside Yellowstone were washed away or buried in rockfall. Roads     7     (lead) to the park also have widespread damage that it can take months     8     (repair).

Red Lodge is facing a double disaster: It will have to clean up the damage     9     (do) by the flood and also figure out how to survive without the summer business that     10     (normal) supports it for the rest of the year.

10 . Whales are threatened by a variety of human activities off the West Coast of the United States, including fishing, ship traffic, and pollution. They have bad effects on whale populations, but are rarely addressed by current whale-protection policies in California, according to a study from the University of California, Davis.

The study, published for open access this week in the journal Marine Policy, examines the main causes of death for nine whale species in the California Current Ecosystem, which stretches from British Columbia, Canada to Baja California, Mexico. The whales considered in the study include gray, blue, fin, minke, North Pacific right, and killer whales.

“We find that it is people that deem fishing causes whale death,” said co-leading author Eliza Oldach. “But a number of human activities have made the modern ocean a really tough environment for whales to survive. We’re excited about efforts that look broadly to rebuild healthy oceans.”

The report found that main contributors to whale death are currently, targeted with relevant policy responses: noise, water quality and marine (海洋的) rubbish. But three other threats-nutritional stress, disease and predation (捕食) -need to also be considered to provide a more whole approach toward managing whale deaths.

“Gray whales migrate (迁徙) over 5,000 miles between their breeding grounds at either end of the California Current,” said co-leading author Helen Killeen. “Throughout their journey, they must pass through a large number of human activities, fighting with changes to their environment caused by climate change.”

The study comes as the California Ocean Protection Council (COPC) aims to develop a plan for achieving zero death for whales in the California Current Ecosystem this year. Achieving such a goal requires understanding the key drivers of whale deaths and opportunities for policy change, the report said.

1. Which activity will lead to whales’ death?

A．Going fishing with your friends in a river.	B．Playing with your friends beside the sea.
C．Going sailing with your family on weekends.	D．Throwing rubbish in the sea as you are playing.

2. What’s meaning of the underlined word “deem” in Paragraph 3?

A．Catch.

B．Complain.

C．Think.

D．Describe.

3. What can we learn from Helen’s words?

A．Gray whales are fond of travelling.	B．Gray whales’ migration is full of danger.
C．Human being is the only killer of whales.	D．Whales’ death is mainly caused by climate.

4. What should COPC do prevent whales’ death?

A．Get rid of the present policy.	B．Plant more trees along the sea.
C．Know what actually leads to it.	D．Find a right place for them to live.