1 . The black cloud rising every day at sunset in the Chihuahuan Desert went largely ignored for thousands of years. Native Americans noticed it, but did not track its source. Cowboys thought the cloud was smoke pouring from the earth, and avoided it.
In June of 1901, however, a teenage cowboy named Jim White happened to see the large, black cloud. He was curious and went to investigate. Instead of finding a volcano, as he had imagined, he discovered something equally amazing. It was a big mass of bats. Two days later, he returned with a lantern to explore further. It took him so long that his lantern went out. He managed to refill it with just enough oil to find his way back to the entrance.
The next time Jim White went to the cave, he brought a friend and supplies. They explored for three days and returned with descriptions that were so fantastic that few people believed them. The cowboys on nearby farms and the people in the tiny town of Carlsbad treated Jim’s stories as tall tales and nothing more.
After years of exploring the caves and finding no one to believe his stories, Jim White decided to create his own tourist attraction. He established trails (路线) along the paths he had found. One day in 1915, two men asked Jim for a tour. After seeing the caves, the men returned with a professional photographer named Ray V. Davis. Local doubts were finally put to rest by the photographs of the hidden beauty that Jim had discovered. All 13 locals of Carlsbad finally took a tour of the caves, which came to be known as Carlsbad Caverns.
In 1923, the government sent an official named Robert Holly to tour the caves. Later that year, the caves were stated a national monument (古迹), and in 1930 they became a national park. Jim White lived to see the Carlsbad Caverns become world-famous. Today, tourists can hike to and tour some of the 100 known caves in this huge natural wonder, thanks to the cowboy from New Mexico.
1. What do we know about the black cloud?| A．It was discovered in 1901. | B．It was noticed by accident. |
| C．It was actually a mass of bats. | D．It was smoke from the earth. |
| A．Jim’s friend. | B．A photographer. |
| C．Robert Holly. | D．13 locals of Carlsbad. |
| A．It made Jim White rich. | B．It was an easy process. |
| C．It happened before 1915. | D．It came true thanks to the photos. |
| A．A Brave Cowboy | B．A Hidden Wonder |
| C．A Worthwhile Invention | D．A Nationwide Contribution |
2 . The following properties which the World Heritage Committee has decided to include on the List of World Heritage are in danger according to Article 11 (4) of the Convention (公约).
Virunga National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Virunga National Park, covering an area of 790,000 ha., includes an outstanding diversity of habitats, ranging from swamps and steppes (沼泽和平原) to the snowfields. Mountain gorillas are also found in the park.
Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley (Afghanistan)
The cultural landscape and archaeological remains of the Bamiyan Valley stand for the artistic and religious developments which from the 1st to the 13th centuries characterized ancient Bakhtria. The area contains a number of Buddhist monastic ensembles (佛教寺院), as well as strong buildings from the Islamic period.
Okapi Wildlife Reserve (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
The Okapi Wildlife Reserve occupies about one-fifth of the Ituri forest in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The reserve contains threatened species of primates and birds surviving in the wild. It also has some amazing scenery, including waterfalls on the Ituri and Epulu rivers. The reserve is inhabited by traditional nomadic pygmy Mbuti and Efe hunters.
Historic Center of Vienna (Austria)
Vienna developed from early Celtic and Roman settlements into a Medieval and Baroque city, the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It played an important role as a leading European music center, from the great age of Viennese Classicism through the early part of the 20th century.
1. Which of the following world heritage sites is located in Afghanistan?| A．Virunga National Park. | B．Historic Centre of Vienna. |
| C．Okapi Wildlife Reserve. | D．Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley. |
| A．It’s closely related to Buddhism. | B．It has some fascinating natural scenery. |
| C．It has an outstanding variety of habitats. | D．It plays an important role as a leading music center. |
| A．They are all in danger. | B．They are open to the public. |
| C．They are inhabited by local people. | D．They are to be removed from the World Heritage List. |
3 . John “Charlie” Veron-widely known as “the Godfather of Coral Reef (珊瑚礁)”-is a celebrated expert who has personally discovered nearly a quarter of the world’s coral species and has spent the past 45 years diving Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. But now the 73-year-old is raising the alarm about its future. The Great Barrier Reef, one of the natural wonders, is 2, 300 kilometers long and is the only living organism that can be seen from space. It is considered a World Treasure Site due to its biodiversity (生物多样性)with 30 species of whales, dolphins and sharks. Within the reef itself, there are also a number of tiny organisms and fishes.
However, its health is threatened. After the recent mass bleaching (白化)events, Veron dived in many areas of the Great Barrier Reef to see the damage for himself. “I was seeing and feeling it and it was absolutely shocking, ” he says.
Veron says the mass bleaching events in the past few years-and the possibility of losing one of nature’s greatest treasures-were a wake-up call for the world in the wider battle against climate change, which, together with the rising sea temperature, is considered the greatest threats to the reef.
Fortunately, earlier this year, the Australian government announced nearly 400 million dollars in new funding towards scientific projects designed to help the reef.
There has been criticism in Australia about the slow process for the funding. “It won’t be wasted, though,”Veron says. “As scientists will be able to create a sort of seed bank to protect the species until the climate is good enough to rebuild the reef. What the scientists hope to do is to help nature along a bit after the big carbon dioxide increase is over and it starts to come down.”
1. Why is the Great Barrier Reef considered a treasure site?| A．It is a natural wonder. |
| B．It can be seen from space. |
| C．It has a rich variety of species. |
| D．It is home to a great many fishes. |
| A．Climate change is threatening biodiversity. |
| B．The Great Barrier Reef is in danger of extinction. |
| C．Scientists have found major factors in the reef’s blenching. |
| D．Veron has made great contributions to environmental protection. |
| A．Uncaring. | B．Doubtful. | C．Uncertain. | D．Positive. |
| A．A news report. | B．A travel guide. |
| C．A research plan. | D．A journal entry. |
As the largest rainforest, the Amazon rainforest plays a significant role
In 2016, Shennongjia made it onto the UNESCO World Heritage List. It
6 . It’s safe to say Yellowstone National Park is still looking good at the ripe old age of 150. The park, which stretches into Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, is known for its unique natural scenery, bountiful wildlife, and deep history. It also helped usher (引领) in the broader national park movement in the U.S., according to Chuck Sams, the director of the National Park Service.
“We now celebrate something much bigger than the park itself —the beginning of the national park idea, an idea that spread through the country and around the world, inspiring governments to protect natural and cultural treasures ‘for the benefit and enjoyment of the people,’” he said in a statement.
Yellowstone is home to the largest concentration of mammals in the lower 48 states. Bears, wolves, coyotes, moose, and a large population of small animals can be found in the park. It’s also the only place in the U.S. where bison (野牛) have lived continuously since prehistoric limes. It was looking risky for a period in the 1900s, when die animal was hunted down from a previous high of tens of thousands to less than two dozen. This bison conservation effort continues to this day.
Yellowstone shut its gates in March 2020 due to coronavirus concerns and remained closed for nearly two months. But the park broke attendance records after it reopened. The park reported 4.9 million recreation visits in 2021 — up 28% from 2020 and making it the busiest year on record, July 2021 was die most-visited month in Yellowstone’s history and the first lime visitation exceeded l million visits in a single month. It’s Yellowstone’s natural beauty and deep history that brings millions of visitors each year.
“Yellowstone’s 150th anniversary will be an important moment in time for the world,” said Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly. “It’s an opportunity for us to reflect on the lessons of the old days while focusing our efforts to strengthen Yellowstone and our many partnerships for the future.”
1. What does Paragraph 1 mainly tell us about Yellowstone National Park?| A．Its vast area. | B．Its long history. |
| C．Its significant role. | D．Its fantastic views. |
| A．An increase in the park’s income. | B．A growth in bison population. |
| C．Damage to local ecology. | D．Improvement of species richness. |
| A．Positive. | B．Unclear. | C．Disapproving. | D．Concerned. |
| A．It reminds participants to strive for a shared future. |
| B．It leads people to rethink the idea of the park. |
| C．Its celebration mil take place as scheduled. |
| D．Its past shows long-term conservation efforts count. |
1. 基本情况；
2. 文化特色。
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3. 题目自拟。
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8 . Vietnam aims to solve the relations between economic development and cultural preservation. Vietnamese cultural departments and activists have tried to preserve the historical and cultural relics in the country.
Vietnam now has more than 40,000 historical relics. These relics of various forms and history are treasures for future generations.
However, hundreds of relics are severely damaged due to the negative influence of time, war and human activities. Head of Hanoi Relics Management Board, Nguyen Doan Tuan, says rescue work must preserve the relics' soul: "We cannot replace ruined construction with new materials. We must preserve its shape, size and style. We need to pay attention to every brick replaced so that it looks exactly like the original."
Most relics have to rely on tourist fee for repair and rescue work. Director of Van Mieu Cultural and Science Center, Dang Kim Ngoc, says that the relics must be promoted widely to attract more visitors and bring in more income for repair and preservation: "We provide constant guide services for visitors so that they understand more about our relics. At the same time, a natural surroundings of the relic has been ensured, including the grass field and garden to improve its scenic value "
The local government agreed that the relics must be turned to the community for shared efforts in the preservation work. Director of Vietnam Revolution Museum DangQuoc Quan, said that the community must be guided in the preservation and protection, "The UNESCO aims to let local community take part in the preservation of relics. We have seen limitations in the preservation of relics, especially festival related groups of buildings. This requires management and guidance by the government.”
Nguyen ThiMinh Ly from the Department of Heritage says the community should be guided in proper behaviors towards relics: "This will ensure the protection of cultural relics in later generations. Creative restoration（修复）must be based on previous values.”
Experts have called for a systematic（系统的）guidance by the state in local level preservation while promoting creative thinking in restoration for each relic.
1. From which is the passage probably taken?| A．A school report. | B．A geography research paper. |
| C．A health magazine. | D．A newspaper report. |
| A．Poor building materials. | B．Human activities. |
| C．War influence. | D．The passing of time. |
| A．turn to advanced countries for financial help |
| B．care less about the natural environment of the relics |
| C．make full use of the money raised by the local people |
| D．encourage the community to join in the rescue work |
| A．Vietnam Is a Scenic Country |
| B．All of Relics in Vietnam Are In Ruins |
| C．It's a Good Idea to Replace the Ruined Construction with a New Style |
| D．Experts Call for a Systematic Way to Preserve Relics |
Over the last 100 years, many dinosaur egg fossils(化石)
The egg,
Paleontologists believe it belongs to a toothless dinosaur
Dinosaur embryos are some of the rarest fossils and most of them are incomplete with the bones dislocated. The embryo is preserved
10 . Humans are responsible for 25% to 40% more of the total share of methane emissions(甲烷排放)than previously estimated, according to a new study in Nature.
Methane is one of the most powerful and effective greenhouse gases: about 28 times more effective than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere. It's responsible for about a quarter of global warming. It's produced naturally by animals, volcanoes, and wetlands, but it's also a byproduct of oil and gas production. It's this last form of methane that the study focused on.
Researchers used ice core measurements from Greenland from 1750 to 2013, plus previous data from Antarctica. They melted the ice to let the small quantities of ancient air trapped inside come out. These act a bit like time capsules,allowing us to learn about the methane in the atmosphere at the time. They used carbon-14, which comes from living things, as a substitute(替代物)to determine whether the methane they found came from biological sources. Until 1870, around the time when we started using fossil(化石)fuels, almost all methane came from these sources. After that, there was a rise in methane that didn't have any carbon-14, from ancient fossil sources in which carbon-14 had disappeared. That allowed the researchers to compare natural methane with methane caused by human activity.
If more methane is created by humans, there's an even bigger opportunity to control how much we release. Methane stays in the atmosphere for only a decade(compared with 200 years for carbon dioxide). So efforts to cut methane, which mostly comes from the production and transportation of gas and oil, could bring great benefit right away.
1. Which methane source does the study focus on?| A．Animals. | B．Wetlands. | C．Volcanoes. | D．Fossil fuels. |
| A．Methane comes mainly from animals and wetlands. |
| B．There is more methane than carbon dioxide in the air. |
| C．Fossil fuels have been used about a century and a half. |
| D．Methane will remain permanently in the atmosphere. |
| A．Optimistic. | B．Skeptical. | C．Disappointed. | D．Unconcermed |
| A．Fossil Fuels Cause Global Pollution |
| B．Humans Produce More Methane than We Thought |
| C．Methane Is the Biggest Cause for Global Warming |
| D．Carbon Dioxide Has Less Impact on Climate than Methane |
