1 . Each year, the discovery of new shark species underlines how little we know about ocean biodiversity. In a recent report conducted by Sibert and Rubin, they reported an unexpected finding: a large-scale extinction of sharks in the pelagic ocean, the largest ecosystem on Earth, about 19 million years ago. Their discovery suggests that some extinctions in the open sea of the past may have been mysterious.

The study of Sibert and Rubin takes advantage of a system by using tiny, hard bits of shark skin and bony fish teeth that naturally fall from their bodies to the seafloor. These extremely small fossils provide a rich record of ancient oceanic sharks and their abundance for thousands of years. By studying fossils from many regions, the diversity patterns can give major insights into evolution (进化) of the open sea that would be otherwise unknown.

Sibert and Rubin quantified(量化)a past extinction of sharks, reporting a 90% decline in number and >70% drop in diversity. They found that nearer-shore sharks appear to survive, but migratory ones go extinct. The finding of this study is that sharks had undergone a widespread extinction that reorganized their communities from 16 million to 20 million years ago.

Sibert and Rubin narrowed the disappearance of sharks to a window of time under 100,000 years around 19 million years ago, but the causes of this event remain unclear. Because this time period does not stand out as a period of major climatic change, the authors do not attribute(归因于) environmental factors as an extinction driver. As for other causes, the loss of shark diversity is directly linked to overfishing.

The loss of sharks from the oceans has profound, complex, and unavoidable ecological consequences because their presence reflects the stability of marine ecosystems. Yet, one-quarter of the global diversity of sharks is currently threatened with extinction. Despite recent improvements in conservation actions, shark communities never recovered from a mysterious extinction event 19 million years ago; the ecological fate of what remains is now in our hands.

1. What did Sibert and Rubin find?

A．The negative impact of the extinction of sharks.

B．The mysterious reasons behind the disappearance of sharks.

C．The most recent advances in the study of the largest ecosystem.

D．The large-scale decline in the number of sharks about 19 million years ago.

2. How did Sibert and Rubin conduct their study?

A．By collecting and analyzing shark fossils worldwide.

B．By quantifying the movement of near-shore sharks.

C．By using a system to study the naturally fallen bits from sharks.

D．By keeping track of ancient oceanic sharks and their activities.

3. According to the passage, which of the following statement is true?

A．Overfishing is partly to blame for the loss of shark diversity.

B．The number of sharks has recovered to its previous level.

C．Scientist have figured out the exact causes of sharks’ extinction.

D．Sharks had undergone a widespread extinction due to the climate change.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．Sharks: The Stories behind Them	B．Sharks: The Marine Masters
C．Sharks: Killers or Misunderstood?	D．Sharks: The Mysterious Extinction

2 . In the past few weeks, Richard Eckersley has noticed a change in the type of people who come into his shop. In 2017, the former Manchester United footballer set up Earth. Food. Love in Tones, Devon, with his wife, Nicola. It’s the UK’s first “zero waste” store—the food is in big jars and boxes and people bring their own containers. “A lot of new people are coming in-people who have not necessarily been interested in environmental issues before”, he says.

Recently, the government called for supermarkets to introduce plastic-free passageways. But Eckersley says many customers are already way ahead of politicians. He and Nicola have helped people set up similar stores in Wales, Birmingham, and Bristol. Ingrid Caldironi had a similar idea. She set up a plastic-free shop in London last year, which has been so popular that it is soon moving to a bigger site.

Eckersley and Caldironi are members of an anti-plastics movement in the UK that has been growing as a result of the BBC’s Blue Planet series and a general worry about the damage plastic is doing to the environment. But big supermarkets have so far not tried very hard to reduce their plastic waste. Sian Sutherland, founder of the movement “A Plastic Planet”, says, “The most exciting thing is that politicians and industry are no longer saying that recycling will solve the problem. Banning the use of plastic packaging for food and drink products is the only answer.” Walking down the passageways of the supermarket where everything from pizza to fresh fruit and vegetables is covered in plastic. Sutherland says immediate action is needed.

Plastic pollution is causing widespread global damage. More than one million plastic bottles are bought around the world every minute, and most end up in landfill or the sea. The contamination is so wide that tap water around the world also contains plastic.

1. What is special about Earth. Food. Love?

A．It gives away boxes of food.	B．It is a store without plastic bags.
C．It has few new customers.	D．It is the UK’s first supermarket.

2. What caused Caldironi’s shop to be relocated to a larger place?

A．Its popularity.

B．Its products.

C．Its profits.

D．Its similarity.

3. What does the underlined word “contamination” in last paragraph mean?

A．Pollution.

B．Acceptance.

C．Influence.

D．Application.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．The impact of BBC’s Blue Planet series on anti-plastics movements.

B．Rising anti-plastics movement alongside increasing environmental concerns.

C．A guide to setting up plastic-free stores to promote recycling in the whole UK.

D．Richard Eckersley’s personal journey in waste reduction and pollution prevention.

3 . Most of us have heard of the 3Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle. It is the core principle of a sustainable (可持续的) life, but few of us can apply it in our own lives. Now, there’s a “lab” you can explore and discover a way toward living sustainably.

3R Lab is located in Xuhui district, Shanghai. It offers exhibitions, activities and goods that showcase the 3R principle. The key to a sustainable life, according to Vincent T. M. Fong, the 32-year-old from Hong Kong who created the lab, is to make it a long-term promise. “A sustainable life should be sustainable itself in the first place. You can’t lead a sustainable life on a whim. Small and comfortable changes are exactly what you need,” Fong said.

The lab regularly hosts ugly fruit markets, offering these strange fruits which are often thrown away by traditional markets and consumers at a quite attractive price. “They’re thrown away simply because of their appearance. Buying fruit regardless of how they look reduces food waste significantly in our daily life,” Fong commented.

A water tank with two types of straws is another equipment in the lab. “One type is made from normal plastics widely used in our daily life while the other is from PHA, a new replacement for plastics, and the water is sourced from the Suzhou River,” explained Ni Li, an employee of the lab. Visitors can see how the PHA straws degrade (降解) into a thin layer in just one month, while the others remain unchanged.

“Leading a sustainable life does not necessarily mean sacrifice,” said Fong. Consuming ugly fruit and using degradable plastics are small changes that are good for the environment and easy to stick to. Only in this way can the 3R principle become part of our lives, he added.

After working there for six months, Ni, who wasn’t mindful of the 3R principle before arriving at the lab, now uses her cup every time she buys a coffee. “The job has reshaped my life,” Ni said.

1. What does the-underlined phrase “on a whim” in the second paragraph probably mean?

A．In a rush.	B．On a regular basis.
C．Without any reason.	D．As a common practice.

2. What is the purpose of the ugly fruit market at 3R Lab?

A．To reduce food waste.	B．To promote healthy eating.
C．To sell new kinds of fruit.	D．To provide more affordable fruit,

3. What can the water tank at 3R Lab show to its visitors?

A．The water pollution caused by plastics.	B．The degradation of PHA straws.
C．The interaction between two types of straws.	D．The disappearance of normal plastic straws.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph about Ni?

A．She avoids going to traditional markets.	B．She has devoted less time to her hobbies.
C．She has got rid of a few bad habits.	D．She is leading a low carbon life now.

4 . For the past two months, Mandy Chen, a second-year student at Beijing University of Technology, has been posting photos of herself to Taobao, posing with a reusable cup, climbing stairs and switching off lights.     1     Taobao’s Al algorithm (算法) calculates that Chen’s use of a reusable cup reduced 15.7 grams of carbon emissions (排放), while her choice to take the stairs instead of the lift resulted in a reduction of 19.5 grams.     2    

After seven days of posting her photos, Chen exchanged the points for a dozen of biodegradable rubbish bags from Taobao. Everyone can get an endless supply of free trash bags if they keep going, according to Chen.     3    

Chen uses Carbon88, a platform launched last August by Alibaba Group Holding, to help the more than 800 million users on Taobao adopt a sustainable lifestyle. The platform rewards users for over 70 low-carbon behaviours.     4     It also recommends products that it considers environmentally sustainable, and gives users points for buying them.

    5     “I didn’t know that my actions could produce such carbon reduction,” Chen said, “Now I feel good for what I’m doing to make this world a tiny bit better. We as a part of society can call for more systemic changes.”

A．It encourages them to reduce their carbon footprint.

B．And her efforts to save electricity prevented 65.50 grams.

C．It’s a valuable addition to current carbon-reduction policies.

D．Carbon reduction has helped increase Chen’s environmental awareness.

E．Within minutes, she receives a dozen points from the app as a reward.

F．They range from taking public transport to shopping of second-hand items.

G．She is now saving points for something better, like snacks and water bottles.

5 . A new international organization, ReShark, including partners from 15 countries and 44 aquariums, is challenging the shark statistics. According to National Geographic, ReShark’s goal is to release 500 endangered zebra sharks in Indonesian waters to increase a wild population that is on the edge of extinction. This is the first-ever attempt to reintroduce captive sharks into the wild.

Marine reintroductions present significant challenges due to the complexity and shortage of ocean life, as well as the difficulty in managing threats, according to National Geographic. Team ReShark understands that the reintroduction may go up in smoke. Unlike land animals that have been successfully reintroduced in the past, such as giant pandas in China, young sharks are more likely to suffer from diseases and be killed by other animals, and they struggle to find food on their own.

Sharks have a remarkable history as one of the oldest vertebrate species, surviving five mass extinctions over a period of 420 million years. They play an important role in marine ecosystems by influencing the ocean’s food chains. However, they are now facing the second-highest rate of disappearance. Research shows that more than 37 percent of the shark species are at risk of extinction due to overfishing, both legal and illegal. Sharks are hunted for their meat. Nearly 100 million sharks are killed by human hands each year, according to the organization Sentient Media.

Despite the alarming decline in shark populations globally, top shark scientists are hopeful that ReShark’s efforts will succeed. Given these challenges, Simon Fraser University ecologist Dulvy initially had some doubts about ReShark’s plans. However, after asking some questions, he was surprised by what the initiative could produce. “This initiative is different,” Dulvy explained. Similarly, Rima Jabado, Dulvy’s successor, recognized ReShark as a unique project that could provide a lifeline for endangered shark species. “It may provide an opportunity for species not to go extinct,” she said.

1. What’s the ReShark’s intention of releasing sharks?

A．To conduct shark data collection.

B．To study the living habits of sharks.

C．To save the endangered shark species.

D．To test new ways of keeping sharks.

2. What does the underlined part “go up in smoke” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Disappear.

B．Fail.

C．Work.

D．Influence.

3. How does the Paragraph 3 develop?

A．By giving examples.	B．By giving descriptions.
C．By making comparison.	D．By making classifications.

4. What does Rima Jabado think of ReShark’s project?

A．Special and promising.	B．Hopeful and effortless.
C．Risky and costly.	D．Doubtful and immature.

6 . The Yellow River is the cradle of China’s civilization. And flood control and prevention have always been key to the well-being of the people living along it. Now, scientists can better work on these issues by giving the river a digital twin.

The digital twin of the Yellow River uses various technologies, including big data, artificial intelligence, and the internet of things. Devices (设备) set up along the river collect and transmit information to the center. Based on the information, a 3D model of the river is presented on the computer screen. It’s like the Yellow River has a twin that reflects its real conditions.

One big breakthrough in the river’s digital governance (治理) is “smart stones”. According to Wang Qin, a lead researcher at the Information Center of Yellow River Henan Bureau, a smart stone is a water-proof stone-shaped device with chips, a battery, and a signal transmitter. They are buried in important dike (堤坝) locations to record and report the movement of dike stones. “Upon feeling movement of the dike stones, the smart stone sends an alarm to the center for quick response,” Wang said.

“In the past, researchers had to learn the conditions of the dike on the spot by themselves, putting their lives at risk,” said Zhao Xiao from the bureau. “Now the smart stones can do this for us, more safely, quickly, and accurately.”

And in the sky, drones (无人机) are flying. On the routes designed by engineers, the drones become expert patrollers (巡逻员) of the river, looking at its dikes and flood prevention projects. According to Shen Lin from the Yellow River Conservancy Commission, thanks to the drones, researchers at the command center can get first-hand photos and information. “Researchers then update the 3D model according to the changes the drones reported. The newly updated model helps us test our floodwater release plans in case we ever need to batten down the hatches (未雨绸缪), ”said Shen.

Under the water and up in the sky, intelligence systems are helping to protect the Yellow River Basin on all fronts. According to the Ministry of Water Resources, in the future, we can expect to see the construction of an even more comprehensive digital system for this important river.

1. What is the main purpose of creating a digital twin of the Yellow River?

A．To conduct historical research.

B．To create a virtual tourist attraction.

C．To raise public awareness of river protection.

D．To improve flood control and prevention efforts.

2. How do the smart stones contribute to the river’s digital governance?

A．They record water quality.

B．They improve the river’s beauty.

C．They monitor and report dike movements.

D．They serve as markers for important locations.

3. What is one of the functions of drones in the digital governance of the Yellow River?

A．Entertaining tourists.	B．Collecting information on dike conditions.
C．Patrolling and take wildlife photos.	D．Testing water quality.

4. What does the under lined word “comprehensive” in the last paragraph probably mean?

A．Complete.

B．Basic.

C．Beautiful.

D．Natural.

7 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. How is Samson’s idea?

A．It makes Samson famous.

B．It is supported by the government.

C．It is intended to help the environment.

2. How many steps does Samson’s creation include?

A．Two.

B．Three.

C．Four.

3. What is Emmanuel Itiniyi’s opinion on Samson’s creation?

A．It is acceptable.

B．It is creative.

C．It is useless.

4. What can we learn from this passage?

A．Samson is earning much money.

B．Many different things are made out of waste.

C．Samson’s creation has caused attention of people in power.

8 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What is the weather like in the Southern states?

A．Rainy.

B．Snowy.

C．Sunny.

2. In which state is the temperature rather high according to the speech?

A．Florida.

B．Arizona.

C．Texas.

3. What can we know about the weather in the USA?

A．The weather seldom changes.

B．The weather is very pleasant now.

C．The weather conditions vary greatly.

9 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Whom does London Teenagers’ Help raise donations (捐赠) for?

A．Children.

B．Women.

C．Old people.

2. How many people were killed in the great floods?

A．At least 242.

B．About 5, 000.

C．Around 18, 600.

3. What are the flood survivors badly in need of?

A．Food.

B．Clothes.

C．Water.

4. How can people contact London Teenagers’ Help?

A．By writing letters.

B．By going to the office directly.

C．By phone or through the Internet.

10 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. When is the report taking place?

A．In spring.

B．In fall.

C．In winter.

2. Where is the speaker mainly addressing?

A．Central Canada.

B．Northeastern USA．

C．Southern USA.

3. What is the speaker’s advice for the upcoming month?

A．Prepare for snow.

B．Bring an umbrella.

C．Keep cold-weather clothing ready.

4. Which topic will probably be reported next?

A．Sports.

B．Local news.

C．World affairs.