1 . 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.

2 . Balconies (阳台) are probably not suitable places to grow things. They might be hot, windy, totally shady or with sunlight glaring off the concrete.     1     Here are some tips for a green and flowering balcony.

Choose the right plants. Choose plants that either love heat, sun and more heat or those that can grow healthy in shade. As many exposed (无遮蔽的) sunny balconies are also very windy, which should be taken into consideration too, avoid the taller plants for those balconies where strong winds are a regular feature.     2    

Keep them moist (湿润的), potted plants dry out much faster, even rain doesn’t wet the soil in most pots much.

    3     A handful of water added to each pot at planting time makes a huge difference to the pot to hold enough water to grow thick and beautiful plants.

    4     All plants need to have their leaves washed at least once a week. Leaves that aren’t regularly washed get mite (螨) problems. Look at the leaves on plants, you’ll probably see tiny tracks or spots where mites have done harm to leaves. That is why your plants seem to be dying.

Feed them well. Well fed plants are healthier.     5     Slow release plant food is best — there’s a wide range on the market. Just look at the shelves. I like to give my pots a treat of seaweed-based fertilizer once they start growing fast in spring. Use according to directions.

A．Clean the leaves.

B．Water the whole plant.

C．They will be blown down in their pots.

D．Plants just weren’t created to live on balconies.

E．The leaves tend to direct the rainwater out of the pot.

F．So how do some people manage to plant them in balconies?

G．They can survive heat, cold and drought better with big healthy roots.

3 . Gardens are some of the most beautiful places on earth. The sad reality of gardening is that weeds compete with the plants you want and take away from their beauty.     1     Most people try to find a quick and easy solution to the problem of weeds by using chemical weed killers, known as herbicides. Sometimes, though, a solution can cause even bigger problems.

Actually using chemical herbicides can have quite a few unintended consequences.     2     They effectively kill weeds, but they can also kill other desirable plants and species. Not only that, but herbicides pose significant health risks to humans. And did you know that repeated use of herbicides can make weeds resistant to their effects?     3    

After weeds have already invaded your flower bed or garden, you obviously have to find a way to handle them. There are two basic methods of removing weeds: physical removal and mechanical removal. Physical removal — when using this method you are literally destroying the weeds by putting them out of the ground.     4     This method is generally very effective, but it takes effort. Mechanical removal — this method, which uses a weed eater or a lawnmower, mows weeds down to the ground. It doesn’t take out the roots, though, so the weeds will grow back.     5     With this method, it not only beatifies the garden but also saves you much effort.

By using some of these natural methods, you can keep your garden looking superb without using dangerous herbicides that could damage your health and the environment.

A．But herbicides use isn’t the only way to get rid of weeds.

B．Then, place garden plants close together to crowd out the weeds.

C．You can pull out the weeds by hand or take them out with a shovel.

D．As you might imagine, these chemicals poison the environment.

E．Here are some solutions to keeping weeds from invading your garden in the first place.

F．As for preventing weeds, covering the ground with landscapes fabrics may be a good way.

G．As a result, weed control seems to be a never-ending part of sustaining the beauty of a garden.

4 . A research group, led by a scientist Professor Lilach Hadany at Tel Aviv University, have conducted a six-year experiment, proving that plants talk, particularly in certain stressful situations.

Plants were put in a sound-proof chamber (隔音室) and were recorded by two microphones. Some plants were in need of water, others were cut, and a control group were left undamaged. The researchers used an AI algorithm to separate the sounds successfully identifying the differences between the sounds made depending on whether they were dry or cut.

On average, the human ear can hear sounds up to around 20kHz, but the sounds produced by plants are in the 40-80kHz region, far beyond our hearing capabilities. That doesn’t mean they can’t be heard. “White unnoticed to the human ear, the sounds sent out by plants can probably be heard by various animals, such as bats, mice, and insects,” Hadany tells us. Though this has yet to be proven, it’s possible that these animals use this information for their benefit, choosing which plants to eat, for example.

While farming has become a science itself, there’s still a lot of estimation (估计) involved. If farmers were able to receive exact information directly from their crop, they could start a much more efficient method of care. The study thinks that more proper irrigation (灌溉) could save up to 50% of water cost and greatly improve the product. “In times when more and more areas are exposed to drought due to climate change, efficient water use becomes even more necessary, for both food safety and natural environment.” They would also be able to better identify and control disease in a crop.

The sounds sent out by plants are not cries for help, but rather a by-product of material stress rather than communication. Just as Hadany notes, “Obviously, a wonderful field of flowers can be a rather noisy place. It’s just that we can’t hear the sounds.”

1. The author tries to tell the readers in Para. 2 ______.

A．the differences between the sounds

B．the process of the experiments

C．the inventions from the farmers

D．the function of the plants

2. The researchers’ findings may contribute to the farmers of ______.

A．earning a lot of money

B．taking good care of their crop

C．recognizing the origin of the plant

D．making full preparations for a discovery

3. What can be learned about the experiment in Para. 3?

A．Some insects can notice the smell of the plants.

B．Not all the people can improve their work efficiency.

C．Neither animals nor plants can hear the sounds by people.

D．Some animals may use the sounds by plants to choose food.

4. What could be the best title for the passage?

A．Why people conduct experiments with plants.

B．Science matters, and we are making it.

C．Plants talk, and now we are listening.

D．How plants reduce their stress.

5. What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage?

A．To promote a new technology.

B．To recommend a research team.

C．To introduce a scientific discovery.

D．To explain a historical event.

5 . Forests are feeling the heat. In places like the American West, rising temperatures and drought mean less water for trees. Now, scientists have found that thinning early in forest growth creates tougher trees that can endure climate change. What’s more, these thinned forests can suck carbon out of the air just as fast as thick forests.

“When it comes to carbon storage and climate change adaptation, we can have our cake and eat it too,” says Andrew Larson, forest ecologist and author of the new study. “It’s a win-win.”

As trees grow, they convert carbon dioxide to food and store it in their leaves, trunks, and roots. But if trees get too crowded, they compete for light and water. Removing some trees can ease the competition, letting the remaining trees grow big and healthy. But scientists worry that removing trees can reduce forest carbon storage.

To see whether the climate trade-off truly exists, scientists tapped into a long-term experiment in northwestern Montana. In 1961, U.S. Forest Service officials started the experiment in a young forest of western larch. The forest was broken up into plots. In some plots, the 8-year-old trees were thinned from tens of thousands per hectare down to 494 per hectare. These trees grew thick trunks and broad tree shades. Other plots were left alone, and the trees there grew tall and skinny as they competed for sunlight. The original study was rooted in an interest in growing timber rapidly. But the scientists at the University of Montana sprouted a new question: How did tree density (密度) influence carbon storage?

To find out, they measured tree height, diameter, and width of branches to estimate the amount of carbon stored. They also calculated the carbon contained in other plants, dead wood, and forest floor debris. The research showed total carbon was nearly the same in both forests. The un-thinned forest had more trees, but the thinned forest compensated with bigger trees.

1. What is scientists’ finding about forests?

A．The tougher trees in thinned forests stand climate change.

B．Thinned forests have as much carbon as thick forests.

C．The American forests are suffering sever heat wave.

D．The thick forests grow rapidly than thinned ones.

2. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 2 imply?

A．We are able to produce and enjoy a cake together.

B．Carbon storage and climate stability are the final goals.

C．We can choose between carbon storage and climate change.

D．Carbon storage and climate adaptation can be achieved meanwhile.

3. How did the US Forest Service officials conduct their study?

A．Through observing forests grow.

B．Through comparative experiments.

C．By providing examples to illustrate.

D．By collecting massive amounts of data.

4. What’s the purpose of the research mentioned in paragraph 5?

A．To achieve how to plant trees scientifically.

B．To test how much carbon forests contain.

C．To prove the advantages of thinned forests.

D．To see how tree density affects carbon storage.

6 . This summer, nearly 65 percent of the United States is experiencing “unusually dry” weather. More than 109 million people are living under drogue conditions.     1     So how to garden when there’s a lack of water?

    2    Newly planted trees and shrubs(灌木)should be put on the top of the watering list. They require regular watering until their roots get deep into the soil. That process can take a full year. Vegetables such as beans, cabbage, and lettuce also have high water needs. None will likely survive with little water.

Most plants require an average of 2 to 4 centimeters of water each week under normal conditions. That need could increase, however, during periods of extreme heat, when the soil dries out more quickly.     3     Divide it over two or three times per week.

Use deeper, less-frequent watering instead of daily sprinkles(洒水)which can be wasteful? Watering deeply also leads to stronger, deeper roots that are better able to support plants when there’s no surface water. So avoid using overhead sprinklers.     4     You can place watering devices on the soil directly over roots.

Consider using recycled household water, also called gray water, to water plants. Unsalted water left over from boiling eggs or vegetables provides extra nutrients(营养物). Dish and bath water that is not too soapy will not harm plants. And water captured(捕获)while cleaning fruits and vegetables can be used around the garden.     5    .

A．So learn how to water plants correctly.

B．So make good use of water in your house.

C．You should water newly planted trees regularly.

D．A lot of them have plants or yards to worry about.

E．First you should decide which plants need water the most.

F．Do not offer your plants their weekly water needs all at once.

G．They wet the leaves and other areas instead of directing water to plant roots.

7 . The forests of today will not be the forests of tomorrow.

Rising temperatures, deforestation (森林砍伐), development and climate-caused disasters are changing the very form of Earth’s forests, new research published in the journal Science finds.

Older, bigger trees are being lost at an amazing rate, making the planet’s forests shorter and younger in general.

The shift is being driven at different rates by different causes in different places, the study’s authors say, but the consequences will be global.

Old growth forests absorb and store massive amounts of climate-warming carbon dioxide (二氧化碳). They provide home for rare and critically endangered species and make the biology diverse. And they’re disappearing fast.

Warming temperatures, wildfires, and insect outbreaks were among the many causes of the decline, says Nate McDowell, the study’s lead author.

Just in the past year, the world has watched as massive wildfires across Siberia, the Amazon and Australia. Deforestation in Southeast Asia and Brazil continue rapidly.

Human-driven climate change is also making it difficult for many forests to fully recover from the type of natural behaviors — wind events, flooding or fire — that would normally occur.

The researchers did find evidence that increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could increase tree growth in some places, but not to an extent where it would outweigh the harm being done by increased temperatures. The most important trend was one of loss.

“I would recommend that people try to visit places with big trees now, while they can, with their kids,” McDowell says. “Because there’s some significant threat, that might not be possible sometime in the future.”

1. What does the author mean by saying “The forests of today will not be the forests of tomorrow”?

A．Tree species in forests will be changed as governments plan.

B．The climate of tomorrow will be different from that of toady.

C．The form of forests will be changed due to various reasons.

D．Animals in the forests will die away at an amazing rate.

2. What is making Earth’s forests shorter and younger generally?

A．People are planting a great deal of trees.

B．People are involved in protecting forests.

C．The growth of new trees is threatening that of big ones.

D．The number of older and bigger trees is dropping greatly.

3. What does the author say about old growth forests?

A．They are harmful to the growth of younger trees.

B．They are home to many rare and endangered trees.

C．They rely largely upon weather conditions.

D．They serve as the habitats for most birds.

4. Why would McDowell suggest people visit places with big trees now?

A．Because they would be impressed by their beauty.

B．Because they would keep away from busy life temporarily.

C．Because there might be no big trees at all in the future.

D．Because warmer climate might destroy all trees globally.

8 . 阅读下面材料，在题后空白处填入适当的内容(每空一词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

The record of the    1    (tall) tree in Asia has been refreshed this week, as a team of Chinese researchers announced     2    (recent) that they discovered a giant cypress(柏树)measuring 102.3 meters in Tibet.

The record-breaking high tree, called Cupressus torulosa(西藏柏木),    3    (find) at the national nature reserve of the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon in Bome county, Nyingchi city, during a scientific investigation led by Peking University in May.

    4    (use) drones and laser radar to map the local cypress aggregation area, the team members confirmed the     5    (present) of the 102.3-meter tree. Besides, they detected a large number of trees over 85 meters high, including 25 over 90 meters. The findings have also contributed    6    the region having the highest density of giant trees in China and Asia after precision measurement, said Ren Yu,    7    is a team member from Peking University.

Mainly distributed in southeastern Tibet, Cupressus, torulosa has a narrow distribution area and     8    small population. Therefore, it has been listed    9    a national first-class protected plant.

The previous China tree height record     10    (hold) was an evergreen fir(常绿冷杉) measured at 83.4 meters by scientists in Tibet last year.

9 . One New Year’s Day, ecologist Rob Wolton came up with an unusual resolution—to spend the next 12 months studying a hedge(树篱) 40 metres from his house in the middle of Devon. He wanted to make a list of every plant, animal and fungus(真菌)that used it. After a year of observations he had found 2, 000 species—far more than he imagined. Wolton says he enjoyed it hugely and his findings contribute to the growing body of evidence that hedges should not be overlooked.

“There is increasing recognition that much of the wildlife finds shelter in the hedges. But they’re much more than just wildlife passages—they are really important as habitats in their own right,” he says. The European commission’s Joint Research Centre recently argued that as the climate crisis worsens, hedges are expected to play more roles as they move in response to environmental change. Their deep roots help sequester carbon(固碳), and they also reduce the likelihood of flooding downstream, suck nutrients and pollutants out of water, and prevent soil loss. Alongside these functions, there is a cultural benefit to hedges too—I think lots of us who live in England think of the hedge landscape as being quite typical, says Wolton.

After the Second World War many hedges were removed to create more productive land. Only about one in three hedges in England are in good condition, according to the most recent research done in 2017.

The main issues are hedges being cut too severely and too frequently, which leads to loss of wildlife and gaps. A squirrel, for example, will turnaround if there is a gap of five metres. New hedges are being planted with single species, instead of many, which decrease the wildlife they can support.

It’s hard to say if interest in hedges will translate into action on a national scale，and much depends on what landscape features Environmental Land Management scheme.

1. What is the significance of Wolton’s study of the hedge?

A．It makes Wolton’s resolution come true.

B．It shows Wolton’s fondness of the hedge.

C．It indicates the important role of the hedge.

D．It points out the number of animals and plants.

2. What does Paragraph 2 mainly talk about?

A．Hedges provide home for wildlife.

B．Hedges are used to fight climate crisis.

C．Hedges area typical symbol of England.

D．Hedges have advantages in different aspects.

3. Why does the author mention “A squirrel” in Paragraph 4?

A．To show the diversity of wildlife in hedges.

B．To explain the bad effect of gaps in hedges.

C．To call for more species of plants in hedges.

D．To present what the loss of wildlife is like.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．The favorable policy on hedges is undecided.

B．Public attention in hedges will be intensified.

C．A national scale protection is soon underway.

D．Environmental Land Management will fund hedges.

10 . How to create an indoor garden

If you’re looking for a way to brighten up your home, consider creating an indoor garden.     1     We will share some basic tips on how to make yours look its best.

Know the type of plants you want

Deciding is probably the hardest part when it comes to creating an indoor garden because there are just so many plants to choose from. Start by thinking about what type of plants you want.

    2     Or maybe something that doesn’t need much attention or effort? Once you have an idea of the type of plant you want, you can start narrowing down your options.

Get the right potting soil and containers

Now that you know what type of plants you want, it’s time to get the right potting soil and containers. Make sure to get a potting mix that is specifically designed for indoor plants.     3     As for containers, you can really use anything as long as it has drainage holes.

Choose a bright location Once you have your plants and pots, it’s time to choose a location for your indoor garden.     4     This will help your plants grow and stay healthy. If you don’t have a spot that gets a lot of light, you can always use artificial lighting like grow lights.

    5    

In addition to watering, you’ll also need to add substance to your plants about once a month. This will help them grow and stay healthy. Just be sure to follow the instructions on the package. Don’t overdo it.

A．Give fertiliser monthly.

B．How exactly can we make one?

C．Follow the instruction correctly.

D．But don’t worry, we’re here to help.

E．This will help your plants grow strong.

F．Do you want something that will blossom?

G．Look for a spot in your home that gets a lot of natural light.