1 . By 2050, 68% of the global population will live in cities. That’s 2.5 billion more people than today. In Europe, three out of four of us already live in urban areas, and the consequences of that are becoming clear. Researchers estimate that nine million people die every year as a direct result of air pollution. As our cities grow and more people move into already crowded spaces, what do we need to do to transform our urban areas into healthy places to live? An increasing body of research tells us that we should be letting nature back in.

Green spaces in cities mitigate the effects of pollution and can reduce a phenomenon known as the urban heat island effect, which refers to heat trapped in built-up areas. The effect appears in towns and cities where the heat generated by people, transport and industry is trapped in the narrow roads and concrete structures, unable to escape to the atmosphere. This can bring the temperature in urban areas up 3 — 4°C higher than the surrounding countryside, and with that comes a severe cycle. Increased temperatures in summer lead to an increased demand for cooling. This expands our energy consumption, which in turn build up fossil fuel consumption, increasing pollutants in the air and harmful smog on our streets.

Planning cities to include green spaces wherever possible is the first step in making our urban areas healthier. For example, adding a layer of vegetation to rooftops and creating green roofs has proven to reduce the urban heat island effect. Trees in our streets also play their part, and a variety of tree species can have a profound effect. Simply having access to green spaces in cities can do wonders for our stress levels and concentration at work. “People need to interact with nature whenever the opportunity arises. Something as simple as a five-to-ten-minute break during the workday can improve well-being and boost productivity,” Cecil, an expert studying nature in cities says.

1. How does the author bring in the topic in Paragraph 1?

A．By presenting facts.	B．By listing examples.
C．By comparing numbers.	D．By questioning an estimate.

2. What does the underlined word “mitigate” mean in Paragraph 2?

A．Overcome.

B．Change.

C．Ease.

D．Shift.

3. What might be a consequence of the urban heat island effect?

A．Lower temperature.	B．Energy regeneration.
C．Fuel shortage.	D．Air pollution.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．How to Let Nature Back In

B．Why We Need Green Spaces in Cities

C．Heat Effect: An Unavoidable Urban Trouble

D．Green Roofs: Tiny Urban Forests

3 . Coral reefs are the rainforests of the ocean. They exist on vast scales and are equally important havens of biodiversity. Reefs occupy 0.1% of the oceans.     1    

Corals are useful to people. Without the protection which reefs afford from crashing waves, low-lying islands such as the Maldives would have flooded long ago, and a billion people would lose food or income. However, reefs are under threat from rising sea temperatures. Heat causes the algae (海藻) with which corals are living together to generate toxins (毒素) that force those coral to leave.     2    

Research groups around the world are coming up with plans of action to see if that will help, such as identifying naturally heat-resistant corals and cross-breeding such corals to create a new type.     3     Without carbon reduction and decline in local, coral-killing pollution, even resistant corals will not survive the century.

Doubters doubt humanity will get its act together in time to make much difference.

    4     Carbon targets are being set and ocean pollution is being dealt with. Countries that share responsibilities for reefs are starting to act together. Scientific workarounds can also be found. Natural currents can be applied to facilitate mass breeding. Sites of the greatest ecological and economical importance can be identified to maximize bang for buck.

    5     It could serve as a blueprint for other ecosystems. Hard-core greens — those who think that all habitats should be kept unspoiled — may not approve. But when entire ecosystems are facing destruction, the cost of doing nothing is too great to bear.

A．This can cause a coral’s death.

B．But there are grounds for optimism.

C．And they host a quarter of marine species.

D．Coral’s global ecosystem services are worth up to $10trn a year.

E．This mix of natural activity and human intervention is important.

F．This research can also be brought to bear on trying to save entire ecosystems.

G．However, the assisted evolution of corals does not meet with universal enthusiasm.

4 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入一个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

In their spare time, most young people like to enjoy     1     (they)and play on their smartphones. But Li Ruxue is different. He often walks around a forest alone,     2     (isolate)himself from the outside world. “Though the lifestyle is a little bit tiring, it’s meaningful,” he often said.

In college, Li actively took part in field research. After graduation, he joined a gibbon protection organization where what he mainly needs to do is     3     (pick)up gibbon waste. The gibbon is a top-level state-protected animal     4     population is smaller than that of wild giant pandas. So over the past four and a half years, Li     5     (follow)gibbons and collecting their waste for researchers. Li said the job relies heavily on luck and     6     (persevere). But he has never regretted his choice or felt alone.

Like Li, Chu Wenwen, 27, has also worked to protect animals. As her father is engaged     7     wildlife research, Chu has long been surrounded by wild animals. She followed in her father’s footsteps. Listed as     8     first-class state-protected animal in China, the Mengxin beaver is found only along the Ulungur River in Xinjiang’s Altay prefecture.To protect them, Chu initiated the “beaver canteen” program, which     9     (eventual)attracted over 1 million internet users to donate snack money.

According to Fan Pengfei,     10     (ecology)protection as an industry can provide only a few jobs,most of which are in research institutes and nongovernmental organizations. He has seen more and more young people take part-time jobs as journalists, photographers and so on to raise public awareness of wildlife protection. “Young people are the future of the world and the future of global biodiversity conservation,” said Fan.

5 . 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。

Melati and Isabel deeply love their home on the island, surrounded by tropical rain forests, green fields, and a vast ocean. Enjoying a swim at their local beach was once a daily pleasure for them. But when Melati was fifteen, and Isabel just ten, the sisters started to lose their enthusiasm for swimming in the waters near their borne. More often than not, plastic bags would be around them as they swam and some were scattered on the beach. They got really upset about that.

Melati didn’t think much about it until one day her teacher gave a lesson on some world heroes. Each of those people had sparked movements of positive changes in the world. They believed in the impact they could have and they did inspire more people to do something meaningful. After school, Melati walked home slowly in silence, concerned about the vast amount of plastic rubbish on the beach. The heroes crossed her mind. If they could do it, we could do it too, she thought. The idea lit her up. She couldn’t wait to share what she thought with Isabel and quickened her pace.

“So many plastic bags around! The beach is dirty and messy! It’s so terrible! We have lost the clean and beautiful beach. Can’t we do something to get it back?” Melati said heartily. Isabel felt a bit puzzled at what to do, but she also had a strong desire to do something. Picturing a beach as fascinating as before in mind, the pair jumped with joy.

They talked a lot, anxious to know how Dad and Mom would respond to their ideas. That night when the family sat by the dinner table, the sisters eagerly got their ideas across. While Mom and Dad listened to the girls carefully, their eyes shone. “How amazing that would be! We are so proud of you!” Dad exclaimed. Mom came up, gave them a thumb up and hugged the sisters.

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。

Melati and Isabel decided to make a positive impact straight away.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

One month later, Melati received a call from the local newspaper.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . 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。

Leonora, a 51-year-old from the Philippines,     1    (make) women’s dresses out of waste materials in recent years since she believes     2    (wear) such clothes can be cheap and look good. To make her dresses, she uses     3    foot-operated sewing (缝纫) machine to join together the waste materials, including recycled newspapers, plastic wrappers and rice bags,     4    which Leonora makes her designs. The bubble (泡沫) wrappers from delivery packages are nice-looking and suitable for a good design,     5    (particular) for making wedding dresses. They are also used for everything from wedding decoration to birthday     6    (party).

In Asia, there is plenty of waste material for Leonora to apply. Most of the world’s ocean waste     7    (carry) by Asian rivers. And her country, the Philippines, is responsible for one third of Asia’s ocean plastic pollution.

“The dresses are really     8    (impress). It’s important to recycle such materials so we can help our earth,” said Lalaine     9    buys clothes from Leonora.

Most of her dresses are used in the beauty     10    (compete) and are popular with young girls. “I get delighted whenever they win. The designs are simple, but they still win,” she said.

8 . Many poor children in Africa struggle on tuition for an education. However, a new school has been asking their pupils to pay for classes with _________.

Every week, students _________ the Akshar School are required to line up and “pay” for their classes using grocery bags _________ at least 25 pieces of plastic waste they _________ from around their homes and communities.

Parmita and Mazin, the couple _________ for the new school, were _________ to launch the campaign after witnessing their students being forced to _________ the acrid smell of burning plastic. That’s _________ before the school was opened in 2016, local families and communities _________ burned plastic waste as a means of keeping warm and fueling fires.

Now, the plastic is being collected and recycled at the school’s own recycling center. The school __________ the trash into Ecobricks by compressing (压缩) about 40 pieces of garbage into a(n) __________ plastic bottle.

Furthermore, the school’s older students can work part-time at the center as an additional source of __________.

Now the school owns over 100 students __________ the ages of 4 and 15. Since the school’s __________ curriculum has attracted more and more __________ to enroll, the couple plan on opening another 100 schools over the next five years.

1.

A．working hours

B．farm products

C．plastic waste

D．burned trash

2.

A．leaving

B．attending

C．finishing

D．damaging

3.

A．taking in

B．spreading out

C．attached to

D．filled with

4.

A．collected

B．borrowed

C．explored

D．counted

5.

A．anxious

B．grateful

C．responsible

D．qualified

6.

A．changed

B．inspired

C．prohibited

D．recommended

7.

A．stand

B．enjoy

C．observe

D．control

8.

A．as if

B．although

C．because

D．in case

9.

A．consequently

B．obviously

C．eventually

D．commonly

10.

A．buries

B．removes

C．throws

D．recycles

11.

A．single

B．straight

C．large

D．twisted

12.

A．income

B．credits

C．scores

D．trash

13.

A．of

B．at

C．between

D．from

14.

A．efficient

B．creative

C．skillful

D．respected

15.

A．teachers

B．beggars

C．partners

D．students

9 . Roads and railways have made it easy for people to travel around the UK, but have had the precisely opposite effect for insects. Alongside housing developments, transport infrastructure (基础设施) has separated insect habitats, leaving many pollinators (传粉昆虫) stuck on decreasing islands of biodiversity.

A new conservation project aims to address that by creating a network of wildflower superhighways across the UK. The B-Lines network aims to join the dots between meadow habitats, enabling pollinators and other wildlife to move freely between them. Ten years in the making, the B-Lines initiative was launched by the insect charity Buglife on Tuesday and has already generated interest from unexpected quarters. “After the launch, some house builders rang up asking how they could include the network into house building, so it could have a really positive effect,” said Buglife’s Paul Hetherington.

Buglife has spent the last decade mapping potential routes for the insect superhighway. Hetherington said the proposed highway could give the UK’s weak insects a boost and a route out of habitats that become too hot due to the climate crisis and it can make a huge difference in easing declines. “The things that have really hammered pollinators are habitat loss, loss of connectivity of habitat, climate change and pesticides—this deals with everything except pesticides,” said Hetherington.

The B-lines network is not just a concept. Pilot sections have already been completed, including the South Wales B-Lines near Cardiff. “Since that was done, there have been recordings of one of our rarest bees in Cardiff town centre, which shows this connectivity can work,” said Hetherington. And in Norwich, Buglife has been working with Network Rail to plant wildflowers along the track. Anyone living along the proposed route can get involved in the project. All they need to do is let their lawns grow, or even just create a small herb garden, which Hetherington likened to creating a “motorway service station for bees”.

1. What can we learn about the B-Lines network from paragraph 2?

A．It will separate insect habitats.	B．It can help insects to pollinate.
C．It is still being planned now.	D．It hasn’t caused any attention.

2. What does the underlined word “this” in paragraph 3 refer to?

A．The last decade.

B．The superhighway.

C．The climate crisis.

D．The decline.

3. How can people in Norwich participate in the project?

A．By recording the tracks of bees.	B．By cooperating with Network Rail.
C．By planting herbs in their own gardens.	D．By creating a motorway service station.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．Roads and railways have caused bad effect on insects.

B．Transport infrastructure prevents housing developments.

C．Pollinators are stuck on decreasing islands of biodiversity.

D．Conservationists are creating “superhighways” for insects.

10 .     1     They create carbon dioxide and shade. They provide shelter to animals and insects. The wood they provide is used for buildings and other products we humans use and need.

Trees are so important that some people have made it their goal to protect them. We can call these people ‌“tree hugger”. It describes people who support the protection of forests. Today, the term ‌“tree hugger” describes a person who is an environmentalist.     2     For example, someone who wants to save a rare butterfly species or cut greenhouse gases could also be described as a tree hugger.

However, calling someone a ‌“tree hugger” is not always seen as a praise.     3     ‌“Tree hugger” described someone who was overly concerned about protecting trees, animals and other parts of the natural world.

Some tree huggers do go to extremes to protect trees. Take, for example, an American woman named Julia Lorraine Hill. For 738 days from December 10, 1997 and December 18, 1999, Hill lived in Luna, a Redwood tree in northern California’s Humboldt County. Luna is huge, measuring nearly 61 meters tall and about 12 meters across, which has stood in Humboldt County for more than 1,000 years.     4     So, Hill did what any extreme tree hugger would—she moved in! As the website explains, Hill’s main goal was ‌“to bring international attention to the importance of protecting and restoring natural resources.” So, we can safely call Hill a tree hugger.     5    

A．Trees give so much to the world.

B．Human beings should all protect trees.

C．In earlier times, in fact, it was used as an insult(辱骂).

D．And I’m sure that she would consider that the highest of praises.

E．They want to protect nature and the environment - but not just the trees.

F．Nowadays, the environmental problems are more serious than in the history.

G．But that did not stop the Pacific Lumber Company from wanting to cut it down.