1 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

When John pulled into his mother’s driveway with his young daughter, Lily, the sight of the familiar lychee (荔枝) tree welcomed them. “Look, Lily,” John said, pointing to the towering tree in the front yard. “It’s the family tree.”

Lily smiled as John treated the tree as if it were a real family member, patting its trunk (树干) affectionately. As they were admiring the tree, the screen door opened and out stepped Grandma Mei, bathed in the warm Florida sunlight. Grandma Mei, who came from the province of Guangdong in China, was known for her green thumb, particularly when it came to lychees.

Seeing her granddaughter, Grandma Mei adjusted her baseball cap and asked if Lily was ready for some lychees. But Lily hesitated, for the fruit’s appearance was unlike any other fruit she had tried before. With a laugh, Grandma Mei gave her a gentle hug. “More lychees for me then, John,” Grandma Mei said.

“Let’s get busy!” John said with enthusiasm, rubbing his hands together. “Family tree’s waiting.”

Hearing Dad calling the tree by name, Lily couldn’t help laughing. “Laugh if you want, Lily, but this tree is really family. On cold nights, before family tree was fully grown, Grandma Mei used to take my blanket and throw it over that tree.” Grandma Mei nodded, adding that she had to protect the tree from bad weather so that it would become a big strong tree and grow fruit for the whole family.

John, eager to start the day’s work, began climbing the tree, determined to harvest the best lychees for the family. Lily watched in amazement, noticing the clusters (簇) of lychees, their skin rough yet inviting.

As John skillfully cut through the branches with a cutter, Lily expressed her concern for the well-being of the tree. John explained to her that cutting the ends of branches won’t hurt family tree. Instead such behaviour made it healthier and stronger.

注意：
1.续写词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Lily’s hesitation towards the fruit gradually shifted to curiosity and she wanted to try it.

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Later in the afternoon, they all sat under the tree, surrounded by boxes filled with lychees and sharing stories related to lychees.

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2 . Recent research confirms what our farming ancestors have known for centuries about hedges (树篱). They conserve precious soil by acting as windbreaks and absorbing rainwater that would otherwise wash it from the fields. And hedges store carbon, putting them in the front line of our bi d to tackle the climate crisis.

However, hedges have had a tough time in the poor countryside, with farmers encouraged to tear them down in pursuit of maximum production and larger field s to accommodate ever-larger machinery. What’s more, some hedges have been ignored. If left to their own devices, they’ll eventually become a line of trees. Some hedges each year lose their structures and fail to fulfil the primary duty as a barrier. Around a half of the nation’s hedges have disappeared in the past century.

There are signs that “the tide is turning”. The search for net zero has aroused many organizations’ interest in the humble hedge’s role as a carbon sink. The Climate Change Committee is recommending a 40 percent increase in hedges: an additional 200,000 km. Such recommendations are starting to drive policy. Cash-pressed farmers will be encouraged to create new hedges and improve their management of existing ones under the new Environmental Land Management Schemes, which will replace many of the existing agricultural support payments in coming years. Meanwhile, initiatives such as Close the Gap, led by the Tree Council, is providing funding and support to plug the gaps in existing hedges with new planting. There’s even an app to help time-pressed farmers do a quick survey to spot where their hedges need some help.

This is a good time for hedges. Take some of the most pressing challenges facing the countryside, and indeed, the world as a whole — the climate crisis, soil erosion (侵蚀), insect attack and wider biodiversity loss — and hedges are part of the solution.

1. What does recent research show about hedges?

A．They are unique landscapes in the rain.

B．They act as dividing lines between fields.

C．They have long been helpful to agriculture.

D．They are frequently washed away from the fields.

2. What does paragraph 2 mainly tell us about hedges?

A．Their suffering.	B．Their production.
C．Their duties.	D．Their structures.

3. What is many organizations’ attitude towards saving hedges?

A．Puzzled.

B．Concerned.

C．Humble.

D．Indifferent.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Hedges: Ancient Resources

B．Hedges: Official Recommendations

C．Restoring Hedges: Bringing Benefits to the Environment

D．Researching Hedges: Originating from Farmers’ Request

3 . Increased human activity and climate change have caused a rise of algae (藻类植物) in water bodies around the world—sometimes choking ecosystems of sunlight and oxygen. In more extreme cases, they can produce dangerous poisons that can sicken or kill people and animals. But the plenty of algae could prove crucial as our population rises beyond eight billion people worldwide because algae are crops that don’t need land, freshwater, or fertilizer to fill nutritional gaps.

And even though they are so closely associated with human’s bad impact on Earth, algae could also play vital roles in slowing climate change and helping fight against pollution, viruses, and more. With microplastic pollution documented in almost all habitats related to water, a study showed that algae can help filter microplastics from water. Algae can also filter chemicals that can be used for fertilizer.

Algae can produce more effective biofuel than traditional sources. Rescarchers at a German algae growing facility are already using it to fuel plane. Researchers believe this and other sustainable fuels could reduce carbon released from airplanes by up to 80 percent.

Animal feed containing a kind of red algae reduces harmful methane(甲烷)released from cattle by more than 80 percent. The addition works by changing the environment in a cow’s stomach, stopping the production of methane before it can be released.

Red algae can stop the copies of some viruses, and have been shown to stimulate the body’s immune (免疫的) system and could become a powerful anti-HIV medicine.

In 2019, freshwater algae were launched into space to change the CO² breathed out by astronauts on the International Space Station into oxygen. Since algae are also high in protein, they could replace up to 30 percent of astronaut food in the future.

1. What can we know about algae from the first paragraph?

A．Better late than never.	B．Every coin has two sides.
C．All is well that ends well.	D．Two heads are better than one.

2. Why do algae have a positive impact on environment ?

A．They avoid climate change.	B．They absorb pollutants in the air.
C．They reduce microplastics in the water.	D．They filter most poisonous chemicals.

3. What can algae help in our life?

A．Change animal feed into methane.

B．Store carbon released from airplanes.

C．Help researchers to create traditional sources.

D．Create biofuel and reduce methane in cows’s stomach.

4. How do algae benefit human’s health?

A．By helping fight against diseases.	B．By increasing human’s strength.
C．By producing more oxygen than other plants.	D．By replacing much food for astronauts.

4 . Seagrass meadows(海草床) are wonder plants growing beneath the sea. They feed and shelter sea life and are masterful at storing carbon. Thanks to the assistance of tiger sharks, a huge seagrass meadow in the Bahamas Banks was recently discovered, offering the world a tool to fight climate change.

Seagrass has usually been detected by Earth-orbiting satellites that identify darker patches in the blue water. In this study, tiger sharks were selected as research tools due to their highly consistent associations with seagrass ecosystems. They spend 70% of their time in seagrass meadows. The team equipped eight tiger sharks with satellite tags (电子跟踪器), seven sharks with camera tags, and used a 360-degree camera on a shark for the first time ever.

The data researchers collected was astonishing. The world’s largest seagrass ecosystem, measuring at least 66,900 square kilometers, has been discovered. This reflects a 41% increase from previous estimates of global seagrass. Seagrass can capture (捕获) huge quantities of carbon by photosynthesis (光合作用) and stores it on the seafloor. In terms of climate change, this is excellent news; seagrass is 35 times faster a removing carbon than tropical rainforests. When referred to global seagrass carbon stock estimates, the study indicates that seagrass in the Bahamas may contain 19.2% to 26.3% of all the carbon stored in seagrass meadows on Earth.

Yet seagrass meadows are rapidly disappearing, with over 92% of meadows in the UK gone, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Scientists are collecting seeds and trying to grow new seagrass meadows through restoration projects. This new discovery offers optimism and proves the importance of the ocean for healing.

The sharks led us to the seagrass ecosystem in the Bahamas, which we now know is likely the most significant blue carbon sink(蓝色碳汇) on the planet. What this discovery shows us is that ocean exploration and research are essential for a healthy future. The untapped potential of the ocean is limitless. These meadows can be protected and can be replicated (复制,仿制), offering hope for climate change around the globe.

1. Why were tiger sharks chosen as research tools?

A．They are more flexible than other sea animals.

B．They can quickly adjust themselves to the deep sea.

C．They have a strong connection with seagrass ecosystems.

D．They can be easily equipped with experimental devices.

2. What are the numbers in paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The decline of global seagrass meadows.

B．The impact of climate change on sea life.

C．The rapid increase in the amount of carbon on Earth.

D．The potential value of the world’s largest seagrass ecosystem.

3. What are scientists doing to protect seagrass?

A．Planting more seagrass meadows.

B．Developing new technology to collect seeds.

C．Mapping the distribution of seagrass meadows.

D．Encouraging people to join in restoration projects.

4. Which could be the best title for the text?

A．The New Way of Removing Carbon

B．The Significance of Ocean Exploration

C．A New Discovery: World’s Largest Seagrass Meadow

D．Tiger Sharks: Scientists’ Essential Helper to Study Climate

5 . A flower festival is an event during which many types of flowers are shown to the public. In some cases, a flower festival may be a small event attended by local people who grow plants as a hobby.

    1     They may attract large numbers of flower growers flower sellers and tourists.

Usually, a flower festival takes place at a time of year when many types of flowers are fully open.     2     In this case, the organizers must make sure that the event is scheduled during the right time of year for that type.

Some festivals are arranged to encourage flower growers to grow certain types of plants. People are invited to show their flowers at the festival.     3     Prizes are given to those who grow the largest, most colorful or hardiest (最耐寒的) plants.

Besides competing for prizes, many flower growers show their plants in flower shows for business purposes. Some people use these events to win contracts with companies that buy large numbers of flowers. Some take the chance to market flowers to customers,     4     They put their newly created plants on show at these festivals.

    5     Local restaurants provide meals and drinks for attendees. Musicians and other entertainers (演艺人员) are sometimes hired to provide attendees with pleasure. Nearby hotels and shops are full of people. They all can make a lot of money from the event.

A．There will be competitions.

B．These flowers can be very expensive.

C．Other festivals are big international events.

D．Some festivals focus on a certain type of plant.

E．Some growers have created new types of flowers.

F．Usually, some flower festivals are held in the big parks.

G．Flower festivals can also encourage local economic (经济的) development.

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。

With high yield and superior quality, Chinese hybrid rice varieties have been introduced around the world,     1     (benefit) more people. The export of China’s hybrid rice technology started many years ago. In 1979, China provided hybrid rice seeds to another country for the first time, and 40 years later, in     2     (real), China’s hybrid rice has been planted in dozens of countries in the world.

In the past 40 years, Chinese scientists     3     (devote) to providing assistance to many other countries. China has trained more than 14,000 hybrid rice professionals for more than 80 developing countries through international training courses. This technology has spread     4     more and more places in the world so far.

Yuan Longping,     5     cultivated the world’s first high-yield hybrid rice strain not only earned respect from Chinese people but also the global community. His hybrid rice research has been     6     (entire) saving millions of people from hunger. Yuan’s dream was     7     (solve) the global food shortage and promote hybrid rice around the world. China has achieved     8     great wonder, feeding nearly one fifth of the world’s population with less than nine percent of the world’s total land. And China is     9     (will) to contribute to global food security and calls for joint efforts to end global hunger and poverty.

It     10     (believe) that Yuan’s dream will come true one day.

7 . A famous book from the 70s called The Secret Life of Plants says that plants are conscious (有意识的).     1     In one study, plant exposed (裸露) to Mozart were healthier and grew faster than plants exposed to Jimi Hendrix. Some say these studies that claim plants have a taste for music are full of holes. But there is growing research on plant intelligence and plant communication.

Plants don’t have brains so they can’t think in the same way as humans.     2     They can even communicate this information to nearby plants. Researchers in England cut the leaves of cabbages (卷心菜).The threatened cabbages then produced a poisonous gas that protects them from certain insects.     3     Those healthy cabbages nearby seemed to be reacting to a warning from their cabbage neighbors.

    4     Of course, plants don’t have ears, but some scientists think they can feel vibrations. Italian scientist Dr Gagliano recorded clicking noises produced by corn seedlings (幼苗). She then placed these seedlings in water and played them similar sounds. Curiously, the corn seedlings grew towards the loudspeakers.

    5     Whether or not there is an intention to communicate is still up in the air. Whatever the case, plants are stranger and more wonderful than we can imagine.

A．But plants can sense their surroundings.

B．They even have a preference for music.

C．Some plants can communicate with sound.

D．The study also showed plants will row towards the sound of water.

E．So there is no doubt that plants arc communicating with their neighbors

F．Strangely, the uncut cabbages nearby also began to give off a poisonous gas.

G．The researchers believe plants are communicating with their neighbors through their roots.

8 . There are many theories that suggest different ways of improving memory or thinking more clearly. One of those is the idea that adding rosemary (迷迭香) to your food or water, or even breathing in its fragrance, can give your brain a boost.

First, it’s important to understand what rosemary is.     1     It’s a perennial, meaning that once you plant it, it should re-grow every year when the weather is warm enough for it to do so. It’s native to Asia and the Mediterranean.     2    

Rosemary is related to the mint (薄荷) family of plants. When it blooms, its flowers are white, purple, pink or deep blue. It is often used as a flavor in food, including soups, meat, fish and other Mediterranean food. And it has a somewhat bitter flavor. Some people also enjoy tea flavored with rosemary.     3    

One study that involved 28 older adults found that consumption of a small amount of dried rosemary powder was associated with statistically significantly improved memory speed.     4     Researchers found that their memory of images and numbers improved when the essential oil of rosemary was sprayed in the room.

    5     But one theory is that rosemary appears to have some antioxidant (抗氧剂) properties that may offer some healing for the damage in our bodies. Another idea is that rosemary appears to lower anxiety, which in turn, may increase the ability to concentrate.

While rosemary shows some promise for boosting our brain power, it’s important to check with your doctor before you begin having it.

A．But it is grown in the United States, as well.

B．Rosemary is a herb with needle-like leaves.

C．Here’s what research has found about rosemary.

D．It is unknown if those benefits would hold true for humans.

E．It’s not known for sure why there may be a benefit from rosemary.

F．Rosemary is also used as a perfume and added to shampoo and soap.

G．Another study was performed with 53 students between 13 and 15 years old.

9 . Plants don’t have ears or a central nervous system, but new research out of the University of Missouri has demonstrated that they might still have the ability to “hear”. More specifically, plants have been shown to exhibit an immune (免疫) response to the mere sound of a hungry insect.

For the study, researchers played the sound of a caterpillar chewing to a group of plants, which caused slight vibrations (振动) on the plants’ leaves. The plants were able to recognize these vibration patterns as danger, and responded by mounting the appropriate immune response. In other words, it appears that plants can “hear” themselves being chewed on.

Researchers assume that plants achieve this remarkable ability thanks to proteins that respond to pressure found within their cell membranes. Vibrations cause pressure changes within the cell, which can change the behavior of the proteins; however, additional study will be required to confirm or deny this theory.

Once researchers identify the exact mechanisms at play in this process, it could lead to advances in crop protection. Farmers could potentially learn to use sound to cause a plant’s natural chemical defenses against insect threats, rather than turning to poisonous chemicals.

“We can imagine applications of this where plants could be treated with sound or genetically engineered to respond to certain sounds that would be useful for agriculture,” said study author Heidi Appel.

The study adds to the growing list of ways that plants have been shown to sense their environments. They are not the boring organisms that many people assume they are. For instance, some plants are able to communicate with each other and signal upcoming danger to their neighbors by releasing chemicals into the air. Plants can respond to light (think about sunflowers) and temperature. Some can even respond to touch, such as the Venus flytrap (捕蝇草), which snaps shut when an insect stimulates its hairs.

1. Why did researchers carry out the study?

A．To find out if plants can react to sounds.

B．To learn how plants recognize dangers.

C．To discover if plants can shake their leaves.

D．To see how plants improve immune systems.

2. What’s the potential use of researchers’ discovery?

A．To remove insects.	B．To protect crops.
C．To treat plant diseases.	D．To produce chemicals.

3. What does the author intend to tell us in the last paragraph?

A．There are more plants than we know.

B．Plants are more active than we think.

C．Plants fit in well with their environments.

D．Lots of secrets about plants remain unclear.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Can plants “talk” with each other?

B．How do plants make use of sounds?

C．Can plants “hear” themselves being eaten?

D．How do plants defend themselves against attacks?

10 . 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。

According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), approximately three billion people rely on seafood as their     1     (big) source of protein. Just under half of the fish we eat comes from wild animals     2     (catch) in the oceans,     3     the rest coming from fish farms. Besides the familiar fish and shellfish, the oceans provide something else     4     reaches into our diets and daily lives, often without us knowing it. Each year, at least 25 million barrels (桶) of seaweed     5     (farm). Sometimes you’ll see it as the nori (紫菜) wrapped around your sushi rolls, but a lot of it is employed to make     6     (industry) products, including alginates and carrageenans, which end up in all sorts of items. Those     7     (range) from shampoo and toothpaste to ice cream and beer can all contain chemicals got from seaweed.

Seaweed farming has traditionally been carried out in Asia, and now other countries including the UK and US are catching onto the benefits. Not only is seaweed considered to be     8     “superfood” that’s rich in iodine, calcium and amino acids, but it can be     9     (sustainable) farmed and is carbon-neutral (碳平衡), absorbing carbon dioxide and mopping up excess nutrients from the sea. Seaweed can be used     10     (create) biofuels, while research suggests that cattle raised on seaweed-based feeds produce less methane, a greenhouse gas.