1 . There’s nothing quite like a winter wonderland. When the snow falls and the lakes and ponds freeze over, there’s a certain magical chocolate-box feeling to the world that ironically makes us feel cozy inside. However, it might be different for some of our pets.
• Keep the walks brief
•
If your dog is shivering a lot, it isn’t a bad idea to give them a blanket or a warmer bed. Avoid electrically heated blankets and pads as some pups might not realize when it gets too hot.
• Wrap them up in the right clothes
Make sure the clothes you choose fit them properly and don’t have any dangling bits they could swallow.
• Watch out for dangerous snow
Salt and antifreeze on sidewalks are potentially deadly to pets.
A.It takes a dog about ten days to adjust to any temperature change |
B.Give them a heat source |
C.Don’t force it to get dressed |
D.Take your dog out even in cold weather |
E.Compare and purchase the soft clothes for it |
F.Make sure you wipe your pup’s feet after every walk |
G.The prospect of facing the winter cold may not be so inviting |
1. What was going on in the town where the speaker lived?
A.A flood. | B.A forest fire. | C.An earthquake. |
A.It was getting darker. |
B.It was raining cats and dogs. |
C.The sky was covered by thick smoke. |
A.He was abroad. | B.He was in town. | C.He was in the garden. |
A.Trees were burning. | B.People were escaping. | C.Animals were running. |
3 . Parrots are prey animals, which means that other predators (捕食者) in the wild, such as hawks or snakes, are looking to make them into a meal. This one factor influences parrots’ behavior in your house more than any other.
Parrots are most easily hurt when feeding on the ground. Membership in a group plays an important function in ensuring their safety and improving their chances of survival from attacks by predators. The most common predators of parrots include hawks, snakes, cats, monkeys, and bats. Some predators make attacks only during the day while others hunt in the night.
As prey animals, parrots are constantly watching out for danger and they instinctively (本能地) react to risks. Their first choice is to take flight. However, if this is not possible, they will fight with their powerful beaks to defend themselves.
Because their biggest enemy is the hawk, parrots are especially reactive to quick movements from above and behind. For this reason, it is wise to avoid quick, sudden movements near your bird. This is a built-in reaction not subject to logic or reason. Simple and relatively harmless household objects can draw extreme fear responses from a bird. For example, a balloon may represent a hawk or a vacuum hose (吸尘器软管) may be the same as a snake in your bird’s mind.
As prey animals, parrots are often frightened by exposure to new household items or strangers. It is important to expose your bird to safe experiences and changes starting at a very young age to build flexibility and improve their adaptability. Variety in diet and toys, travel, and exposure to new people and places all help to make your bird more flexible and adaptable to change.
1. What is important for parrots to better survive from attacks in the wild?A.Living in a group. | B.Growing beautiful feathers. |
C.Feeding on the ground. | D.Avoiding coming out at night. |
A.To attack back. | B.To get away. |
C.To protect the young. | D.To play dead. |
A.It may explode suddenly. | B.It may be in a strange shape. |
C.It may have a strong color. | D.It may move around quickly. |
A.To explain wild parrots’ behavior. | B.To give advice on raising a parrot. |
C.To call for action to protect animals. | D.To introduce a study on bird ecology. |
For centuries, West Lake has been well-known both for its landscape and for cultural heritage surviving yet illustrating the past dynasties. In ancient times, it
Besides its impressive scenery, West Lake has abundant cultural heritage and legends
5 . How to Survive a Lightning Strike?
According to the National Weather Service, almost two-thirds of lightning accidents occur as people enjoy leisure activities outdoors.
Keep an eye on the sky
Before you head out for hiking, check maps to locate visitor centers, campground buildings, or rest areas along your route. Once you hear thunder, see lightning, or sense that a storm is approaching, don’t hesistate to use your plan. Hikers are strongly advised to watch continually for the nearest shelter.
Know the storm’s distance
Count the seconds between the flash and the following sound of thunder. Divide the number of seconds by five to calculate the number of miles between you and the storm. For example, if the number of seconds is 30, then the distance inbetween equals six miles, and find shelter immediately.
A.Make a safety plan |
B.Check the weather forecast ahead |
C.If this simple math is still confusing |
D.If you get indoors as soon as possible |
E.People are struck while camping, hiking or boating |
F.Staying calm will help you avoid meeting further dangers |
G.Car campers can stay in the vehicles when no other shelter is available |
6 . Recycling is good for our planet, but it can be confusing. Can I recycle plastic bags? What about pizza cartons? Toothpaste tubes? Which bin should I use? There are so many questions, and more than half of Americans are unsure about how to recycle.
Know what to put in the recycling bin. Keep it simple and focus on the most commonly recycled items, such as paper, glass, aluminum and plastic.
Wash or clean items. Do a quick clean to make sure there is no food left in containers before you put them in the bin.
Don’t bag it. Unless you live in a place that requires it, like New York City, keep the recyclables lost in the bin. “A lot of the time, it’s not safe for our employees to tear those bags open, or it takes too much time,” said Keller. “
A.Know what is not recyclable. |
B.The answers are not hard to find. |
C.A lot of bagged stuff goes right to the landfill. |
D.Plastic bags can be used again or returned to grocery stores. |
E.If you really don’t know if an item is recyclable, then just throw it in the garbage. |
F.This is really important if you only use one bin because food items could ruin paper. |
G.Hard plastics like water and soft drink bottles or anything like these can be recycled. |
7 . Longing for the most amazing places on the planet? You can do no wrong with these lakes across the globe.
Five Flower Lake
Set in the striking karst landscape of the Jiuzhaigou Valley in Sichuan province, China, Five Flower Lake is extraordinarily clear, with visibility to a depth of 40 metres. Five Flower is one of a series of blue-, green-and sky-colored lakes blocked by rock falls, but it differs from the others as its waters change color, looking sometimes yellow, sometimes green, but usually diamond blue. In winter, Five Flower never freezes; in summer, it never dries up. Local wildlife living in the surrounding mountain forests include the rare giant panda and the golden snub-nose monkey.
Crater Lake
The deep-blue waters of Crater Lake in Oregon, US, fill the outlet of an ancient volcano that collapsed 7,700 years ago. Its strangest occupant is the “Old Man of the Lake”, a nine-metre-tall tree stump(树桩), which has stood upright in the water for more than a century. No rivers or streams enter the lake. Water loss in summer is compensated by winter snow and rain, the entire body of water being replaced every 250 years.
Lake Ohrid
Ancient Lake Ohrid has been around for about five million years and crosses the mountainous border between Macedonia and Albania. It has unique plants and wildlife, including the Ohrid “plashica”, a fish native to the lake, whose scales(鳞片) are used to make Ohrid pearls.
Lake Maggiore
Surrounded on three sides by the Lipontine Alps and touching the plain of Lombardy to the south, Lake Maggiore is Italy’s longest lake. Considered part of the country’s lake district, it is shared with Switzerland. Characterized by a Mediterranean-style climate, temperatures here are mild all year. This has given rise to some of northern Italy’s most wonderful gardens, which appear to float like flower-decked boats on the water.
1. What makes Five Flower Lake different from other lakes?A.Its agreeable climate. | B.The rare local wildlife. |
C.Its color-changing waters. | D.The visibility of waters. |
A.By artificial rain. | B.By snow and rain. |
C.From nearby streams. | D.From an ancient tree. |
A.Five Flower Lake. | B.Crater Lake. |
C.Lake Ohrid. | D.Lake Maggiore. |
8 . A nickname is a shortened form of a person’s name. A nickname can also be a descriptive name for a person, place or thing. Many American cities have nicknames. These can help establish an identity, spread pride among citizens and build unity. Nicknames can also be funny.
Los Angeles, California is the second largest city in population, after New York City. Los Angeles has several nicknames. One is simply the city’s initials, L.A. It is also called the City of Angels because Los Angeles means “the angels” in Spanish.
Los Angeles often has warm, sunny weather. So another nickname is City of Flowers and Sunshine. New York is called The Big Apple. So Los Angeles is sometimes called The Big Orange because of the fruit that grows in that city’s warm climate.
The American motion picture and television industries are based in Los Angeles. So it is not surprising that it is called The Entertainment Capital of the World. Many films are made in the area of Los Angeles called Hollywood. Millions of people visit the area. No trip to Los Angeles is complete without seeing the word “Hollywood” spelled out in huge letters on a hillside.
Many movie stars live in Los Angeles. The city is sometimes called Tinseltown. This nickname comes from the shiny, bright and often unreal nature of Hollywood and the movie industry.
Another nickname for Los Angeles is La-La Land, using the first letters of Los and Angeles. This means a place that is fun and not serious, and maybe even out of touch with reality.
The city of Los Angeles is part of Los Angeles County. There are many smaller cities in the county. Beverly Hills, with its rich people, is one of them. So is Pasadena, with its Rose Parade each New Year’s Day. So are the coastal cities of Santa Monica and Malibu, where people like to ride surfboards on the Pacific Ocean waves.
A good place for watching unusual-looking people is Venice, an area on the west side of Los Angeles. A system of waterways designed after the Italian city of Venice has been built there.
Many people love Los Angeles for its warm sunny weather, beautiful mountains and beaches, and movie stars. That includes Randy Newman, who sings about his hometown.
1. Which of the following is not the nickname of L.A.?A.The City of Angels | B.City of Flowers and Sunshine |
C.The Big Orange | D.The Entertainment Capital of American |
A.Weather | B.Politics | C.People | D.Industry |
A.To introduce the characteristics of an area near L.A. |
B.To compare the Italian city of Venice with L.A. |
C.To introduce its system of waterways. |
D.To give a place for watching unusual-looking people. |
A.Director | B.Musician | C.Writer | D.Sportsman |
9 . According to the Solar Energy Industry Association, the number of solar panels installed(安装)has grown rapidly in the past decade, and it has to grow even faster to meet climate goals. But all of that growth will take up a lot of space, and though more and more people accept the concept of solar energy, few like large solar panels to be installed near them.
Solar developers want to put up panels as quickly and cheaply as possible, so they haven’t given much thought to what they put under them. Often, they’ll end up filling the area with small stones and using chemicals to control weeds. The result is that many communities, especially in farming regions, see solar farms as destroyers of the soil.
“Solar projects need to be good neighbors,” says Jordan Macknick, the head of the Innovative Site Preparation and Impact Reductions on the Environment(InSPIRE)project. “They need to be protectors of the land and contribute to the agricultural economy.” InSPIRE is investigating practical approaches to “low-impact” solar development, which focuses on establishing and operating solar farms in a way that is kinder to the land. One of the easiest low-impact solar strategies is providing habitat for pollinators(传粉昆虫).
Habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change have caused dramatic declines in pollinator populations over the past couple of decades, which has damaged the U.S. agricultural economy. Over 28 states have passed laws related to pollinator habitat protection and pesticide use. Conservation organizations put out pollinator-friendliness guidelines for home gardens, businesses, schools, cities—and now there are guidelines for solar farms.
Over the past few years, many solar farm developers have transformed the space under their solar panels into a shelter for various kinds of pollinators, resulting in soil improvement and carbon reduction. “These pollinator-friendly solar farms can have a valuable impact on everything that’s going on in the landscape,” says Macknick.
1. What do solar developers often ignore?A.The decline in the demand for solar energy. |
B.The negative impact of installing solar panels. |
C.The rising labor cost of building solar farms. |
D.The most recent advances in solar technology. |
A.Improve the productivity of local farms. |
B.Invent new methods for controlling weeds. |
C.Make solar projects environmentally friendly. |
D.Promote the use of solar energy in rural areas. |
A.To conserve pollinators. | B.To restrict solar development. |
C.To diversify the economy. | D.To ensure the supply of energy. |
A.Pollinators: To Leave or to Stay | B.Solar Energy: Hope for the Future |
C.InSPIRE: A Leader in Agriculture | D.Solar Farms: A New Development |
(1)该地方的基本情况(如名称、地理位置等);
(2)该地方的特色(如文化、景点等);
(3)你对该地方的印象和感受。
注意:
(1)词数不少于100:
(2)可适当加入细节,使内容充实、行文连贯。
A Beautiful Place in China
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