1 . Edward Wilson is America’s, if not the world’s, leading naturalist. In The Future of Life, he takes us on a tour of the world’s natural resources. How are they used? What has been lost? What remains and is it able to continue with the present speed of use? Wilson also points out the need to understand fully the biodiversity (生物多样性) of our earth.
Wilson begins with an open letter to the pioneer in environment protection, Henry David Thoreau. He compares today’s Walden Pond with that of Thoreau’s day. Wilson will use such comparisons for the rest of the book. The problem is clear: man has done great damage to his home over the years. Can the earth, with human help, be made to return to biodiversity levels that will be able to support us in the future?
Biodiversity, Wilson argues, is the key to settling many problems the earth faces today. Even our agricultural crops can gain advantages from it. A mere hundred species (物种) are the basis of our food supply, of which but twenty carry the load. Wilson suggests changing this situation by looking into ten thousand species that could be made use of, which will be a way to reduce the clearing of the natural homes of plants and animals to enlarge farming areas.
At the end of the book, Wilson discusses the importance of human values in considering the environment. If you are to continue to live on the earth, you may as well read and act on the ideas in this book.
1. We learn from the text that Wilson cares most about .| A．the environment for plants |
| B．the biodiversity of our earth |
| C．the waste of natural resources |
| D．the importance of human values |
| A．Twenty | B．Eighty | C．One hundred | D．Ten thousand |
| A．learn how to farm scientifically |
| B．builds homes for some dying species |
| C．makes it clear what to eat |
| D．use more species for food |
| A．description of natural resources |
| B．a research report |
| C．a book review |
| D．an introduction to a scientist |
2 . Have you ever heard of e-waste(electric waste,电子垃圾), which can be produced every day? How do you deal with your computers, MP4 players and mobile phones when they’re broken or you want a new one?
Most people just throw them away. With the development of electric industry, e-waste pollution has become a serious problem. According to the United Nations, in 2014, people around the world produced 41.8 million tons of e-waste and only recycled 6.5 million tons. The US was the biggest waster, producing 7.1 million tons. China came second, with 6 million tons.
It’s important to pay attention to e-waste. It can either be valuable or harmful, depending on how we deal with it. E-waste is a valuable urban mine（城市矿藏）. The value of the metals, like gold and silver in the waste around the world, is amazing. And the metals can be reused. But if people throw them away, the toxic chemicals can get into the earth or air, affecting the environment and people’s health.
Apple, for example, now recycle people’s used products in China when they are buying new ones. The company will test and repair the used ones and sell them at lower prices. To help reduce e-waste, we can also take computers and phones to see if companies offer recycling programs.
1. Which country produced most e-waste according to the United Nations?| A．America. | B．China. |
| C．Japan. | D．Australia |
| A．protect | B．influence |
| C．improve | D．pollute |
| A．prove that e-waste is useless. |
| B．encourage people to buy more electronic products. |
| C．advise people to deal with e-waste properly to reduce pollution. |
| D．Tell us science and technology is developing rapidly. |
3 . The world's first-known nursery for baby giant manta rays(蝠鲼) has been discovered hidden away in the Gulf of Mexico, the place of 70 miles off the coast of Texas, after studying decades of giant manta ray data from the area by the scientists.
Where the baby manta rays grow up has long troubled scientists, as they are rarely spotted in the four to five years it takes them to become adults, when they can often grow to more than 20ft wide.
In the study Mr Stewart and colleagues describe a reef (暗礁)---filled with mantas of all ages---where the sea floor runs down into deeper water. He said "We think they may be feeding on specific types of zooplankton(浮游生物) there, then migrating up toward the surface, where we saw them. They might be hanging around the banks because it could be a little safer than open water. We’ve seen them so rarely that we know very little about these baby manta rays. We don‘t know how far they move, or exactly what they feed on, or all of the habitats these access.”
Giant manta rays are listed as species dying out by protectors, although actual population numbers of the mysterious "gentle giant" are hard to calculate. Sightings of the closely-related reef manta, however, have dropped by 90 percent in regions of southeast Asia in the past decade, according to a study.
Fishing is considered the biggest threat to giant manta numbers, both intentional and accidental. Their gill plates(腮下肉)- the parts through which they filter(过滤) their food from seawater-are sold in China for medical purposes, while they often end up as something caught by mistake due to their huge wings.
1. Where do the baby manta rays probably grow up according to the study?| A．In the deep water area. |
| B．On the surface of the sea water. |
| C．Around the banks of channel. |
| D．In the reef of the Gulf of Mexico. |
| A．Manta rays can be seen on the sea surface. |
| B．Manta rays prefer the open water to the banks. |
| C．The scientists have known much about manta rays. |
| D．Manta rays are fond of eating on the sea surface. |
| A．The habitat environment becomes worse. |
| B．They are overfished by people |
| C．They are not very difficult to catch. |
| D．People can see the reef manta much less than before. |
| A．Summarize the previous paragraphs. |
| B．Warn people of their wrong behaviors. |
| C．Introduce some knowledge of the fish. |
| D．Give examples to support his point. |
4 . I take the train to work every morning from a train station near my house. I can get to the station quite
She was short and
She slowly placed her walking stick
There’s so much rubbish and no one ever does
I want to follow her example. I’ve decided to pick up rubbish off the
| A．hard | B．early | C．easily | D．late |
| A．rubbish | B．boxes | C．bottles | D．paper |
| A．walk | B．pass | C．go | D．rush |
| A．so | B．until | C．when | D．because |
| A．back | B．act | C．mark | D．colour |
| A．bike | B．stick | C．dog | D．umbrella |
| A．weak | B．rich | C．clever | D．sad |
| A．quickly | B．happily | C．angrily | D．slowly |
| A．at midnight | B．at noon | C．at last | D．at first |
| A．in | B．around | C．against | D．under |
| A．searched for | B．threw away | C．reached for | D．looked at |
| A．unable | B．difficult | C．different | D．impossible |
| A．picked up | B．dropped down | C．put in | D．lifted up |
| A．warm | B．enjoy | C．support | D．hide |
| A．continued | B．started | C．enjoyed | D．remembered |
| A．something | B．anything | C．everything | D．nothing |
| A．feel | B．see | C．have | D．let |
| A．busy | B．beautiful | C．dirty | D．clean |
| A．keep | B．stop | C．mind | D．regret |
| A．wall | B．desk | C．ground | D．classroom |
5 . Soon enough, we will lose some of the most amazing sites on Earth!
The Great Barrier Reef
Rising air temperatures will cause sea temperatures to rise as well.All life supported by the oceans will be affected with this shock to their ecosystem.Coral are some of the most vulnerable marine animals and we are already watching whole reefs disappear.The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is no exception and will continue to shrink as the temperatures rise！These reefs are some of the best in the world for diving, but they will soon disappear!
Venice
Sprawling across(横跨)hundreds of small islands in Northeast Italy，Venice is at extreme risk of sinking into the Adriatic Sea.Rising sea levels are in fact a serious threat to many coastal cities located at sea level.Lucky for us，however，Venice is developing a series of sea walls to protect the city in times of high tide.
Glacier(冰川)National Park
Glacier National Park was once covered by over 150 glaciers, but by 2005 it only had about 27！Located in Montana, Canada, this park is over a million acres and has a huge plant and wildlife population.As temperatures rise, the glaciers and ice melt, which will upset the ecosystems sustaining over a thousand plant species and hundreds of animals.
The Amazon
The cause behind the disappearance of these fantastic places ultimately comes down to humans.Our expansion usually requires cutting down forests for land, fuel and materials，but rarely considers the consequences.These forests are sources of food and medicine for just about everyone on the planet!
What will happen if we lose these valuable places and beautiful destinations？！
1. According to the text，what is causing coral's death?| A．Rising sea levels. | B．Rising sea temperatures. |
| C．Humans' diving activities. | D．The shrinkage(缩小)of their habitats. |
| A．Many places are in the risk of sinking below the sea level. |
| B．Venice is the only coastal city of Italy. |
| C．Venice will never sink because of the protection of sea walls. |
| D．Italy consists of hundreds of small islands in the Adriatic Sea. |
| A．It doesn't support any living thing for its cold. | B．It iscovered by over 150 glaciers. |
| C．Plant species and animals in it have died out. | D．It covers a large area in Montana. |
| A．The Great Barrier Reef. | B．Venice. |
| C．The Amazon. | D．Glacier National Park. |
1. Why does the woman plan to wear a mask tomorrow?
| A．Because of the smog. |
| B．Because of her illness. |
| C．Because of the cold weather. |
| A．The heavy traffic. | B．The air pollution. | C．The large population. |
| A．Change their ways to go to work. |
| B．Ask the government to do something. |
| C．Call on people to protect the environment. |
| A．He always uses the public transport. |
| B．He seldom listens to the weather report. |
| C．He is waiting for the weather to improve soon. |
1. What are the speakers mainly talking about?
| A．A terrible storm. | B．A big earthquake. | C．A heavy rain. |
| A．This morning. | B．Last night. | C．Two days ago. |
| A．The line is busy. |
| B．The power is down in that ares. |
| C．Her parents are sleeping. |
| A．Houston. | B．New York. | C．Los Angeles. |
Storms and huge waves are a constant threat and none of Tuvalu's nine little islands is more than five metres above sea level. Salt water is already entering the country's drinking water supply, as well as damaging plants that produce fruit and vegetable. Without urgent help, the country's days are numbered.
But Tuvalu is not the first place to face sinking into the sea. Venice, a historic city in Italy best known for its canals, has sunk about 24 cm over the past 100 years. Experts say that it will have sunk another 24 cm by 2050. A century ago, St. Mark's Square, the lowest point in the city, flooded about nine times a year. Nowadays, it happens more than 100 times. While Venice is slowly sinking into the mud on which it stands, Tuvalu's rising sea level is caused by global warming.
The average global temperature has increased by almost 0. 5 centigrade degrees over the past century, scientists expect it to rise by extra 1.3 degrees over the next 100 years.
Warmer weather makes glaciers(冰川) melt, adding more water to the ocean. The warmer temperatures also make water expand, so it takes up more space, causing the sea level to rise. The sea level has risen 10.25 cm in the last 100 years.
The main cause of global warming is human pollution. Through burning coal, oil and gas, people have been increasing the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as CO2. This adds to the power of the greenhouse effect, making the planet even warmer.
Many scientists believe that, if the warming is not stopped, there will be huge climate changes. The sea level could rise by one meter this century.
Should this come true, the sea will swallow up millions of homes and the world will be flooded with "climate refugees" looking for somewhere to live.
1. We can infer from the second paragraph that .
| A．Tuvalu is in danger of being swallowed up by the sea |
| B．all Tuvalu's islands are about five metres above the sea level |
| C．drinking water in Tuvalu has been destroyed |
| D．Tuvalu is often flooded by storms and waves |
| A．they are the first places sinking into the sea |
| B．they are both sinking into the mud where they stand |
| C．they will disappear in the future |
| D．their trouble is caused by global warming |
| A．People who are forced away from their homeland by climate. |
| B．Climate changes. |
| C．Rare animals. |
| D．Climate effect. |
| A．Tuvalu's nine little islands are less than five meters above the sea level. |
| B．The average global temperature has risen by 13 centigrade degrees over the past 100 years. |
| C．The warmer temperature causes the sea level to rise. |
| D．There will be huge climate changes unless the warming is stopped. |
9 . If you want to travel from Xi’an to Chengdu by train, it will take about 16 hours. But starting this month, the new Xi’an-Chengdu high-speed railway will shorten this travel time to three hours.
The 643-kilometer line is China’s first high-speed railway to run through the Qinling Mountains, which form a natural boundary (分界线) between China’s north and south. With a speed of 250 km per hour, it’s also the first mountain-heavy train line to provide a 4G network. Along the way, the train passes through two areas for rare (稀有) wild animals — one for pandas and the other for crested ibises (朱鹮).
To reduce the railway’s influence on the animals, workers and experts have designed and built the railway to be environmentally friendly. There were 345 wild pandas living in the Qinling Mountains. China currently has 1,864 wild pandas in total, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
To avoid disturbing the pandas, the railway was designed to run through tunnels (隧道) within the area. Protective shields (防护屏) are placed near the entrance of each tunnel to stop animals from going in.
To protect the thousands of crested ibises that fly near one part of the railway, protective nets have been set up to make sure the birds will not fly into a train.
The nets are about 32 km long and 4 meters high. Experts tested different shapes and materials for building the nets before making their final choice.
1. From this month, it will take ________ to travel from Xi’an to Chengdu by the high speed train.| A．16 hours | B．13 hours | C．3 hours | D．1 hour |
| A．It is China’s first high-speed railway. |
| B．It runs through the Qinling Mountains. |
| C．It is the best mountain-heavy train line. |
| D．The train passes through many areas for rare wild animals. |
| A．To save money and energy. |
| B．To avoid damaging the mountains. |
| C．To avoid harming wild animals. |
| D．To help the train run through tunnels quietly. |
| A．Tunnels. | B．Tracks. |
| C．Protective shields. | D．Protective nets. |
| A．Xi’an Chengdu high-speed railway. |
| B．How to protect pandas and crested ibises. |
| C．Qinling Mountains. |
| D．Protective shields and nets. |
1. What is the focus of the announcement?
| A．The warning of a natural disaster. |
| B．The place to buy food and drinks. |
| C．Some ways of entertainment at the hotel. |
| A．The beach. | B．The hotel rooms. | C．The underground floor. |
| A．Shoes. | B．Bags. | C．Food and water. |
| A．The government official. |
| B．The safety officer. |
| C．The hotel staff. |
