1 . A NASA-funded study used satellite to search for penguin poops (粪便) in Antarctica: funny at first sight though, it resulted in unique insights on the Adelie penguin’s diet and its future. The findings unlocked the secrets about the species that can provide an early-warning of threats to Antarctica’s delicate ecosystem.

Researchers used satellite images to see if the Adelie penguin’s diet has been changing in response to Antarctica’s changing climate. Adelie penguin population has dropped greatly in some areas even as the global population increases. The satellite images show their presence can be detected by the stain (污渍) left on the ice by their waste, called guano.

Male and female penguins take turns incubating (孵化) in the nest. The guano builds up in the same areas occupied by the nests. A global survey for Adelie penguins turned up 3.8 million breeding pairs. Also, the satellite data can detect the color of the penguin guano, ranging from white to pink to dark red. White guano is from eating mostly fish; pink and red would be from eating mostly krill (磷虾). The team found that while the Adelie penguin’s diet did show changes from year to year, no consistent pattern was obvious.

“This was a big surprise, since the abundance and distribution of Adelie penguins has changed dramatically over the last 40 years and scientists had assumed that a change in diet might have played a role,” said Casey Young. However, continuing changes in the physical environment and a growing krill fishery in the region are likely to have an influence on penguin prey (猎物) and penguin population itself. “They will be important for the management of the Antarctic ecosystem, ” said Young.

1. What concerned scientists most according to paragraph 1?

A．The Antarctica’s ecosystem.	B．The Adelie penguin’s diet.
C．The climate change.	D．The secret of penguin poops.

2. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A．The Adelie penguin population was 3.8 million worldwide.

B．Guano colors reflected the health condition of the penguin.

C．The Adelie penguin’s diet stayed the same most of the time.

D．Adelie penguin waste helped estimate the penguin population.

3. What does “This” in the last paragraph refer to?

A．Changes of penguin’s diet without a definite pattern.

B．The wide range of the color of the penguin guano.

C．Dramatic changing of penguin population.

D．The abundance and distribution of Adelie penguins.

4. What did Casey Young’s words infer?

A．More Adelie penguins have appeared over the last 40 years.

B．Diet changes didn’t actually affect penguin population as assumed.

C．There was not an obvious changing pattern of penguin’s diet.

D．Fishery was important for the management of the Antarctic ecosystem.

2 . New research linked outdoor air pollution to an increased risk of diabetes (糖尿病) globally, according to a study from Washington University in St. Louis and the Veterans Affairs (VA) St. Louis Health Care System. The findings raised the possibility that reducing pollution might lead to a drop in diabetes cases.

“Our research shows a significant link between air pollution and diabetes globally,” said Ziyad Al-Aly, a professor at Washington University. “We found an increased risk, even at low levels of air pollution currently considered safe by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO). This is important because many industry groups argue that current levels are too strict. Evidence shows that current levels are still not sufficiently safe and need tightening.” The findings were published on June 29 in The Lancet Planetary Health.

To evaluate outdoor air pollution, the researchers looked at small pieces of dust, smoke and liquid droplets. In diabetes, pollution was thought to reduce insulin (胰岛素) production and prevent the body from changing blood glucose (葡萄糖) into energy that the body needed to maintain health.

The researchers also found that poverty-stricken countries faced a higher diabetes-pollution risk including Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea and Guyana, while richer countries such as France, Finland and Iceland experienced a lower risk. The US experienced a middle risk of pollution-related diabetes.

In the US, the EPA’s pollution limit was 12 micrograms per cubic meter of air, the highest level of air pollution considered safe for the public, as was set by the Clean Air Act of 1990 and was updated in 2012. However, using mathematical models, Al-Aly’s team set an increased diabetes risk at 2.4 micrograms per cubic meter of air. Based on VA data, among a sample of citizens exposed to pollution at a level of between 5 to 10 micrograms per cubic meter of air, about 21 percent developed diabetes.

“The team in St. Louis is doing important research to firm up links between pollution and health conditions such as diabetes,” said commission member Philip J. Landrigan, MD, a pediatrician and epidemiologist at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. “I believe their research will have a significant global effect.”

1. What can we know from the first two paragraphs?

A．Diabetes had little to do with outdoor air pollution.

B．Reducing pollution might lead to a lot of diabetes cases.

C．Air pollution contributed significantly to diabetes globally.

D．Low-level air pollution was always considered safe by WHO.

2. How did the researchers assess the air pollution?

A．By reducing insulin production.

B．By analyzing small matter in the air.

C．By connecting diabetes and pollution.

D．By checking blood glucose in the body.

3. Why does the author list some figures in paragraph 5?

A．To present a result.	B．To support his idea.
C．To make a comparison.	D．To draw a conclusion.

3 . For some people, walking or running outdoors is a great way to work out. What may not be so pleasant is seeing trash all over the ground. Well, some people are doing something about it. They are plogging!

“Plogging” began in Sweden. The name combines the Swedish word “plocka,” which means to pick up, and the word Jogging, which means to run slowly. A Swedish man named Erik, started the movement in 2016. On the World Environment

Day website, Erik says that he moved to Stockholm from a small community in northern Sweden each day he would ride his bike to work. Concerned about the amount of trash and litter he saw each day on his way to work, he took matters into his own hands.

Plogging, by that term, may have officially begun in Sweden. But many people who exercise outdoors have been doing this for years. Take Jeff Horowitz for example. He is a personal trainer in Washington, D.C. He often picks up trash while running outside. He even has turned it into a game; he will try to pick up the trash without stopping. “I didn’t know it was a thing really. This is just my personal ethics (道德标准), where I go for a run and if I happen to see a piece of garbage lying around and it’s within reach — it is a kind of a little test for me to see if I can grab it and throw it in a near trash can without stopping. And that way, I think, it gives me a little exercise and a little focus for my run. And it helps clean up the neighborhood,” he announced.

Today, plogging is an official activity, one that is becoming increasingly popular. Cities around the world now hold logging events, “I would just hope people would think twice before dropping a garbage on the ground. We have containers seems on every block. So, it’s easy to put your garbage in the trash cans. I just think people should think about it a little bit more. I do hope one day there will not be a need for plogging.” said an interviewee.

1. Which of the following can replace the underlined phrase “took matters into his own hands”?

A．called on people to join him.	B．appealed to people to go green.
C．began to pick up the trash.	D．had the collected trash recycled.

2. What does the example of Jeff Horowitz tell us?

A．Plogging comes naturally to joggers who care about the environment.

B．Plogging is an easy way to clean the environment.

C．It doesn’t make any sense to joy without picking up trash.

D．It is better to clean up the neighborhood by plogging.

3. What is the idea that Logging events are meant to promote?

A．Jogging is truly beneficial.	B．Trash cans should be within reach.
C．Littering is not acceptable.	D．Communities should be kept clean.

4. What can be a suitable title for the passage?

A．New Exercise Enjoys unbelievable popularity

B．New Exercise Trend Also Helps Environment

C．Plogging — a Fashionable Way to clear waste

D．Plogging — an Exercise Originating in Sweden

4 . 语法填空

The most powerful earthquake in the past 40 years caused a tsunami crashed into coastlines across Asia yesterday,     1     (kill) more than 6, 500 people. Fishermen, tourists hotels, homes and cars     2     (sweep) away by huge waves. The undersea quake     3     (strike) around 7:00 am, Sunday off the west coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra Island. In that area alone, at least 1870 people were killed.

Indian officials said as many as 1, 900 had been killed     4     the southern coast. Another 254 were found     5     (death) in Thailand and 54 in three other countries. In southern Thailand, 1,900 people were hurt and many more were missing. “I was having breakfast with my three children     6    water started filling my home. We had to leave everything and run to     7     (safe),” said a local Thai woman.

Thousands of people are still missing, and the number of deaths is expected     8     (grow) even higher over the next few days. Foreign aid     9     (organize) for the tsunami-hit countries.     10    , dangerous conditions and damaged roads will make it difficult to deliver food and supplies,

5 . Bees are essential for the pollination of flowers, fruits and vegetables. Sadly, over the past 15 years, the global population of the hardworking insects has been dropping worldwide at alarming rates due to loss of food and habitat. Now, Dutch cities are coming up with creative ideas to help stem the population decrease of these all-important insects.

In Amsterdam, bees can live for free in specially built “hotels” — tall wooden structures — across the city. While they may not look like much to the untrained eye, they provide perfect homes for members of the over 200 known species of solitary bees. As the name indicates, the insects spend their lives alone. The smart insects nest inside holes like the ones provided by the insect hotels, marking their occupancy by covering the entrance with a mud “door”. Though unable to produce honey, solitary bees are excellent pollinators and perform an essential role in many ecosystems.

Additionally, city officials are also educating people on the use of harmful chemicals and are providing prize money to encourage developers to build green roofs and populate them with local plants. In 2015, they set a goal to change some plants in public green spaces to native plants. Geert, one of eight ecologists working for the city, says, “Our idea is when we design a park, we use native species but also the species that give a lot of flowering and fruit for bees.” Many people, with help from the government, are replacing the sidewalks outside their homes with small gardens featuring flowers.

In Utrecht, bus stop roofs are gradually being turned into beautiful, living gardens designed to attract varieties of bee species. The green roofs, which naturally collect both rainwater and dust, are also beneficial for the environment.

These cities’ collective efforts seem to be working. A recent study found that the variety of bee species there has increased by an astonishing 45 percent since 2000.

1. What does the underlined word “stem” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．Review .

B．Stop.

C．Monitor.

D．Improve.

2. What’s special about the bees in Amsterdam?

A．They’re not social insects.

B．They make high-quality honey.

C．They like to nest together in woods.

D．They’re scared of other species of bees.

3. What are bus stop green roofs mainly meant to do?

A．Collect rainwater for future use.

B．Plant flowers for enjoyment.

C．Draw bees to them.

D．Clear dust away.

4. What’s the text mainly about?

A．Protecting the environment.

B．Importance of bees in ecosystems.

C．Design ideas of insect hotels and bee stops.

D．Dutch cities’ attempts to restore bee population.

6 . Tired of seeing so much garbage along the bank of River Schie in Rotterdam, Dutch artist Tommy Kleyn decided to step up and do something about it. He alone organized a cleanup of the entire bank without leaving any garbage, proving that anyone can indeed make a difference if they want to.

Kleyn would cycle past a part of the Rotterdam riverway and see so much garbage along the bank. The situation troubled him, so he decided to spend 30 minutes every day cleaning the place up, filling one garbage bag a time. And when he posted pictures of his work on Facebook, a few of his friends volunteered to join as well. In five weeks, they had a 100-meter riverbank clean and completely rubbish-free.

Kleyn's action has received great support online, and he has managed to turn it into a small movement. He has set up a Facebook page through which he challenges people to spend 30 minutes a year to fill a garbage bag with rubbish. "It feels great and you'll make a big difference," he wrote. "People are free to share their 'before' and 'after' pictures on the page. The challenge has attracted people in countries. The people came from as far as China to respond with their own photos and stories!"

"I want to show how easy it is to remove rubbish," he added. "Hopefully there will come a time when makers are thoughtful and their goods are no longer wrapped in layers of plastic."

Local officials praised Kleyn's work on the riverbank and helped him raise money for future projects as well. "People can sign up to help me one day a year. For this, they received a coupon, like going to a local restaurant at the lowest price. You can imagine what I've managed to do in 22 days, and what 22 men could do in a day." he said.

1. What happened after Kleyn posted pictures of his work on Facebook?

A．Some of his friends were forced to join him.

B．The whole riverbank was completely rubbish-free.

C．His pictures received little attention from foreigners.

D．His work on the bank of River Schie started to pay off.

2. What do we know about Kleyn's action?

A．It has influenced many people.	B．It is opposed by local officials.
C．It is difficult for Chinese to accept.	D．It has made people stop using layers of plastic.

3. Kleyn decided to make a difference by       ·

A．collecting rubbish bags	B．taking pictures of River Schie
C．cleaning up the banks of River Schie	D．sharing pictures on the Internet

4. What is the main idea of the passage?

A．River pollution in Dutch has been solved by Tommy Kleyn.

B．A Dutch eco-hero proves that one man can make a difference.

C．Environmental protection needs support from the government.

D．Facebook plays an important role in environmental protection.

7 . This is always a busy time of year, but please don’t forget to recycle as much as you can.

Put in Your Recycling Bins: Greetings cards and envelopes Cardboard --- this includes all the boxes your presents came in but please remove any plastic packaging. Cans and tins --- empty food tins and drink cans. Plastic bottles --- all plastic bottles including fizzy drinks and cider bottles, as well as milk, shampoo, cleaning and washing-up liquid bottles. Newspapers and magazines --- don't forget to recycle the TV listings, yesterday’s newspapers.

Christmas trees can be recycled in your fortnightly Garden Waste Collection Service as long as they are small trees chopped into pieces no bigger than 3 inches or 75mm in diameter. For disposal of larger trees please take these to your local Household Waste and Recycling Centers. Please note the Garden Waste Collection Service is suspended between 26th December and 6th January.

Glass bottles and jars --- empty wine bottles can be taken to the bottle bank together with beer bottles and pickle （泡菜）jars. Clothes and shoes --- don't throw your old clothes away, and take them to your local clothing recycling bank.

Please Do NOT Place in Your Recycling Bin: Gift wrap --- Christmas gift wrapping does not contain much paper. It is often layered with foil（箔纸）and plastic which can’t be recycled. Plastic carrier bags --- please do not put your recyclables in these as it makes it difficult to sort the contents. Drinks cartons --- owing to the costs and environmental impacts associated with transporting these, it is more cost-effective to recycle them right here. Plastic Packaging--- Although plastic packaging may have symbols which suggest it can be recycled, it is made of different types of plastic and there are no cost-effective ways to recycle it at present.

1. What should we do before putting the cardboard into recycling bins?

A．Taking out the gifts.	B．Separating it from plastic packages.
C．Emptying the packages.	D．Collecting the boxes.

2. Why shouldn’t we put plastic packaging into recycling bins?

A．Because it can’t be recycled at present.

B．Because the symbols on it advise us not to do so.

C．Because it is made of different types of plastic.

D．Because cost-effective ways to recycle it have not been founded.

3. What can we learn from the text?

A．The Christmas is the season for recycling.

B．All empty bottles can be put into the recycling bins.

C．There is a recycling center for the old clothes and shoes.

D．Christmas trees must be kept for future use.

8 . A very dangerous situation happened in California last week. More than 12 wildfires broke out in the state. Most of them began on October 8, in Northern California. They grew rapidly. The fires were made bigger by winds of up to 50 miles per hour and dry air in the area.

At least 20 people have been killed, the state government said. About 200 have been injured. At least 3,500 homes and businesses have been destroyed. About 50,000 people have been required to escape. Many left in a hurry, without time to take their personal things. “All the good stuff(东西)—I’m never going to see it again,” Jeff Okrepkie said. He escaped from his Santa Rosa home. It was destroyed soon after he left.

The fires burned through parts of eight counties(郡，县). These include Sonoma and Napa. The areas are important to California’s economy(经济). They are home to many of the state’s vineyards(葡萄园) and wineries(酿酒厂). In 2016, California’s wineries made more than $57 billion.

October is when wildfires usually produce the most ruins in California. But it is unusual for so many fires to start at once. Up to now, the government has not given a cause for any of the fires, many of which were still burning.

1. Why did the fires grow quickly?

A．Most of the fires began in October.	B．12 fires happened at the same time.
C．The state government didn’t do anything.	D．High-speed wind and dry air.

2. How many people have to leave their homes?

A．50,000.

B．200.

C．3,500.

D．20.

3. What is the biggest loss for California’ s economy?

A．Homes have been destroyed.	B．Wineries have been burned.
C．People have to leave their homes.	D．Many people have been injured.

4. What is the cause of the fires?

A．The high-speed wind and dry air.	B．Many fires started at once.
C．October produces the most ruins.	D．The cause is not explained.

9 . You just can’t imagine what a brave mother is like. She was a mother of three, who just _______ an earthquake, couldn’t tell if her children were _______ for help. Or what if you knew you couldn’t yell at her for help because she couldn’t _______ you? That was what happened to Connie and her three children _______ the 6.1-magnitude earthquake rocked Napa, California. Connie is _______ and communicates with her children using sign language.

At midnight, Connie and her three children were _______ on the first floor of their two-story home. She and her 16-year-old son, Juan, were shaken awake. Instantly, they realized there were no disaster supplies downstairs. Connie, also _______ one-month-old Raul and 8-year-old Adriana, called Juan to come close to her in the darkness and _______ for him to go upstairs to get a _______.

Juan slowly __________ the stairs. He heard a loud creak (嘎吱声). Arriving on the top floor, he moved quickly but __________ to get what he needed. Using the flashlight to guide his steps back __________ the stairs, the family was able to take a few items from the first floor and __________. Their home was almost in ruins.

Being deaf was not deterrent (妨碍物) for this __________ mother. The family made it to the __________ safely, which comforted everyone.

1.

A．experienced

B．dreamed

C．avoided

D．reported

2.

A．turning around

B．standing by

C．running away

D．crying out

3.

A．see

B．hear

C．forgive

D．reach

4.

A．when

B．after

C．unless

D．before

5.

A．blind

B．deaf

C．old

D．sick

6.

A．alone

B．awake

C．alive

D．asleep

7.

A．chatting to

B．playing with

C．focusing on

D．running after

8.

A．signed

B．phoned

C．shouted

D．explained

9.

A．helper

B．flashlight

C．box

D．suitcase

10.

A．mopped

B．examined

C．climbed

D．left

11.

A．carefully

B．regularly

C．bravely

D．hurriedly

12.

A．up

B．above

C．under

D．down

13.

A．stay

B．return

C．flee

D．cry

14.

A．famous

B．skillful

C．ordinary

D．determined

15.

A．darkness

B．shelter

C．ruins

D．stairs

10 . Tired of seeing so much garbage along the bank of River Schie in Rotterdam Dutch artist Tommy Kleyn decided to step up and do something about it. He alone organized a cleanup of the entire bank without leaving any garbage, proving that anyone can indeed make a difference if they want to.

Kleyn would cycle past a part of the Rotterdam riverway and see so much garbage along the bank. The situation troubled him, so he decided to spend 30 minutes every day cleaning the place up, filling one garbage bag a time. And when he posted pictures of his work on Facebook, a few of his friends volunteered to join as well. In five weeks, they had a 100 meter riverbank clean and completely rubbish-free.

Kleyn's action has received great support online, and he has managed to turn it into a small movement. He has set up a Facebook page through which he challenges people to spend 30 minutes a year to fill a garbage bag with rubbish. “It feels great and you'll make a big difference," he wrote. “People are free to share their 'before' and 'after' pictures on the page. The challenge has attracted people in countries・ The people came from as far as China to respond with their own photos and stories!"

“I want to show how easy it is to remove rubbish," he added. “Hopefully there will come a time when makers are thoughtful and their goods are no longer wrapped in layers of plastic."

Local officials praised Kleyn's work on the riverbank and helped him raise money for future projects as well. “People can sign up to help me one day a year. For this, they received a coupon, like going to a local restaurant at the lowest price. You can imagine what I've man- aged to do in 22 days, and what 22 men could do in a day. he said.

1. What happened after Kleyn posted pictures of his work on Facebook?

A．Some of his friends were forced to join him.

B．The whole riverbank was completely rubbish-free.

C．His Pictures received little attention from foreigners.

D．His work on the bank of River Schie started to pay off.

2. What do we know about Kleyn's action?

A．It has influenced many people.

B．It is opposed by local officials.

C．It is difficult for Chinese to accept.

D．It has made people stop using layers of plastic.

3. What does the underlined word "coupon” in the last paragraph refer to?

A．A job lasting 22 days.

B．A kind of plastic garbage.

C．A piece of printed discount paper.

D．A fund for supporting future projects.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．River pollution in Dutch has been solved by Tommy Kleyn.

B．A Dutch eco-hero proves that one man can make a difference・

C．Environmental protection needs support from the government・

D．Facebook plays an important role in environmental protection.