1 . When Hurricane Ian hit Florida, Karen Lauder refused to leave her home because she was wrong about the intensity(强度) of the storm. Karen is 84 years old and depends on a wheelchair to get around because she is missing a leg. Her son, Johnny Lauder, tried repeatedly to get her to leave, but she refused.

Johnny and his whole family live within a few blocks of one another. They kept in touch with Karen as the storm continued violently(猛烈地) outside, watching the water rising dangerously all around them. When Karen reported that the water in her house had reached her bottom, Johnny knew he had to take action.

First, Johnny ensured his sons and their pets were taken care of. Then, he jumped out of a window and began to swim. Johnny used to work as a rescue swimmer. He is obviously a strong swimmer, but the flood water was filled with dangerous materials. There was also a strong current (水流), and he had to swim against it for most of his trip to Karen’s. As he made his way through the water, Johnny stopped periodically to snap selfies(自拍) to show his worried family that he was okay.

Johnny was racing against the clock. He knew he only had a short period of time to get there before the water rose above Karen’s head. It took him 40 minutes to swim four blocks. The sound of Karen shouting inside was music to his ears!

“If it would’ve been 20 minutes later, she wouldn’t be here,” Johnny said.“She’s never been happier to see me.”

Karen is now safe, although she is in the hospital being treated for infections(感染) she got in the water. The family have all lost everything they owned, including their houses, but they’re grateful just to be here.

1. Why did Karen decide to stay in her house when Hurricane Ian came?

A．She had nowhere to go.

B．She was too old to move.

C．She thought the storm was not violent.

D．She lost her wheelchair and was unable to leave.

2. Why did Johnny take selfies along the way to Karen’s home?

A．To record his swimming trip.	B．To show off his swimming skills.
C．To warn other rescuers of danger.	D．To report his safety to his family.

3. How did Johnny’s family keep in touch in the storm?

A．By shouting.	B．Over the phone.
C．Through e-mail.	D．With other’s help.

4. How did Johnny feel when he heard Karen shouting?

A．Curious.

B．Frightened.

C．Confused.

D．Relieved.

2 . On December 26, 2004, a 10-minute-long earthquake with a 9.3 magnitude took place in the Indian Ocean. This earthquake, which is the third _______ ever recorded in history, caused powerful tsunamis (海啸) that reached many countries’ _______. About 230,000 people were _______ by the disaster. Hundreds of thousands of others were injured _______ disappeared. One of them is a little _______ named Wati.

The tsunami _______ her hometown of Aceh when she was only 3 years old. Like so many others, the huge waves separated her from her family, and she was _______ to an unknown town. After days of _______, her family eventually gave up and thought she had _______.

However, Wati had been ________ by a stranger who found her on the street after the tsunami. The stranger had tried to find her family, but Wati could not ________ the names of her parents and only knew that she had a grandfather named Ibraham.

________ later, a taxi driver who heard Wati’s story happened to know an old man with that name in a nearby town and decided to take her to him. Although the old man did not ________ her at first, he took Wati to see his ________.

“When I saw my mother, I knew it was her,” said the 15-year-old Wati. “I just knew.”

The parents recognized their daughter ________ because of the birthmark on the body.

1.

A．weakest

B．strongest

C．quickest

D．deepest

2.

A．castles

B．parks

C．goals

D．shores

3.

A．frightened

B．saved

C．killed

D．helped

4.

A．or

B．and

C．but

D．so

5.

A．boy

B．pet

C．girl

D．town

6.

A．hit

B．cut

C．pushed

D．missed

7.

A．sold

B．washed(冲走)

C．invited

D．asked

8.

A．wait

B．walk

C．fight

D．search

9.

A．died

B．won

C．run away

D．checked in

10.

A．hidden

B．rescued

C．bought

D．refused

11.

A．write

B．show

C．remember

D．see

12.

A．Days

B．Weeks

C．Months

D．Years

13.

A．know

B．recognize

C．want

D．understand

14.

A．daughter

B．mother

C．son

D．father

15.

A．anxiously

B．calmly

C．officially

D．immediately

3 . Researchers and environmentalists have been pushing for clean energy, as well, contending with the rising threat of climate change. An increasingly researched renewable resource is called Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC), in which the sea’s temperature variations are used to produce power. On the surface of the ocean, the temperatures are much warmer compared to the seafloor. It gets considerably colder the deeper you go because the sunlight cannot reach the bottom. These temperature differences are most noticeable in the summer when the sun is present for a majority of the hours of the day. To put it simply, OTEC uses a series of pipes that take the cooler water out in the depths of the ocean. The warm water on the ocean’s surface helps heat the cool water, which then vaporizes (蒸发) a fluid, and as a result, turns a turbine (涡轮机) to produce electricity.

Three types of ocean heat renewable energy systems are being developed and researched. An OTEC closed-cycle is perhaps the most common and well-researched, consisting of a condenser (冷凝器), evaporator, pumps, turbine and generator. There are also open systems and hybrid systems.

Systems work by pumping the warmer surface water through an evaporator containing a working fluid with a low boiling point, such as ammonia. Once the fluid vaporizes, it is used to drive a turbine and generator. From there, the vaporized fluid turns back into a liquid through a condenser, cooled by the cold, deep ocean water that pumps up from the depths. The OTEC systems that use seawater can use condensation to make water without salt.

OTEC systems need to place technology about 1 kilometer below the surface of the water. The cold water intake pipe is in the deepest area, and the piping where warm water enters is above sea level. The pumps are needed to move warm water into the system, and a heat exchanger is required to evaporate the fluid. Condensers condense the steam produced in the system, and a marker keeps the entire system afloat.

Energy is essential for almost all human activities. If the world wants to avoid an energy crisis, people need to begin relying on renewable energy. Fortunately, the three types of OTEC can provide energy for large populations.

1. What does OTEC technology depend mainly on to generate renewable power?

A．The depths of the ocean.	B．The vast surface of the ocean.
C．Seawater’s temperature differences.	D．The hot temperature in the summer.

2. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．The principle of OTEC technology.

B．The progress of OTEC technology.

C．The importance of the renewable energy systems.

D．The differences among the renewable energy systems.

3. What can we learn about OTEC technology from paragraph 4?

A．The heat exchanger can produce power.

B．The cold water pipe is in the depths of the sea.

C．The deeper in the ocean, the better the technology is.

D．The warm water needs evaporating in a condenser.

4. What is more likely to be discussed in the following paragraph?

A．The energy crisis in the future.

B．The bad influence of human activities.

C．The benefits of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion.

D．The popularity of other renewable energy sources.

4 . The following are some unsung heroes bringing a unique viewpoint and approach to the global challenge of environmental conservation.

Greta Thunberg

Greta Thunberg, a young environmental voice from Sweden, has not only caught global attention but transformed it into a powerful movement. Through her “Fridays for Future” initiative, Greta encourages students worldwide to advocate for climate action, calling for the urgency of addressing climate change. Her touching speeches at international forums, coupled with a refusal to accept inaction have made her a symbol of youth-driven environmental advocacy.

Wangari Maathai

The late Nobel Peace Prize winner from Kenya left a permanent mark through her pioneering Green Belt Movement. This grassroots initiative empowered communities, particularly women, to fight against deforestation through tree planting. Maathai’s legacy lives on in the millions of trees planted across Africa, reflecting her belief that sustainable development starts at the grassroots level, with communities actively engaged in preserving their environment

Isaton Ceesay

Isatou Ceesay, an environmentalist from The Gambia, has emerged as a pioneer in the fight against plastic pollution. Recognizing the detrimental impact of plastic waste on local communities and ecosystems, Ceesay founded the “Women’s Initiative Gambia”. Through creative recycling initiatives, she empowers women to repurpose plastic waste, promoting economic independence within communities.

Ma Jun

Ma Jun began his career as an investigative journalist, but has quickly risen to become an outstanding Chinese environmentalist, known for his pioneering work in water pollution control. As the founder of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs(IPE), Ma Jun developed the China Water Pollution Map, an interactive online tool that tracks water quality data and exposes pollution sources across the country.

1. What group of peoples “Friday’s for Future” for?

A．Women.

B．The grassroots.

C．Young students.

D．Poor farmers.

2. What does Green Belt Movement deal with?

A．Preserving trees.	B．Community cooperation.
C．Plastic pollution.	D．Addressing climate change.

3. Who cares about the cleanliness of water?

A．Greta Thunberg.

B．Wangari Maathai.

C．Isatou Ceesay.

D．Ma Jun.

5 . From beehives (蜂箱) on rooftops to mini-forests, creative ideas are bringing nature into cities, all around the world. Here are some examples.

Liverpool, England

A living wall is how Liverpool has made room for nature in its busy city center. Built in 2020, Liverpool’s living wall has been planted with 14,000 evergreens to help trap some of the pollution produced by the city’s nearby bus station. In 2021, another measure was taken. Two rooftop beehives were fixed for 40,000 bees to live in. There has been a great increase in the bee population and improvement of the community’s ecology (生态) in the following years.

Singapore, Southeast Asia

Singapore is determined to be “a city in nature”. In February 2021 the city-state announced its “Green Plan 2030” — to make the city as continual and nature-inclusive as possible. Singapore already has over 400 parks and four nature reserves and by 2026 this will increase to 300 hectares (公顷). They promise by 2030 no family should be more than a ten-minute walk from a green space.

Seoul, South Korea and Izmir, Turkey

In South Korea, Seoul has planted a forest to lower city temperatures by 3 to 7℃. The Turkish city of Izmir is hoping to reduce pollution with the Mavisehir Peynircioglu Stream Ecological Corridor (河流生态走廊),

Curitiba, Brazil

Curitiba, Brazil, has been working towards an eco-friendly model since the 1970s and city planners made the well-being of people their main concern. In the face of an increasing population, adding natural relaxation spaces and encouraging recycling practices has become a key part of city planning. The government’s forestation plan has seen the planting of many trees in public areas. Ten “mini-forests” have also been established, making use of smaller areas where larger plantations are impossible.

1. What is the purpose of a living wall?

A．To reduce pollution.	B．To fix beehives.
C．To trap bee population.	D．To plant evergreens.

2. What does Singapore promise by 2030?

A．Increased space for parks.	B．Easier reach of green areas.
C．Continual growth of the city.	D．Greater area of nature reserves.

3. Which of the following succeeds in greening smaller spaces?

A．Singapore.

B．Curitiba.

C．Seoul.

D．Izmir.

4. What is the shared goal of these projects?

A．To reduce local pollution.	B．To provide relaxation spaces.
C．To lower city temperatures.	D．To improve living environment.

5. Which is the best title of the text?

A．Creative Ideas: Working Together	B．Promises Coming True
C．Nature Reserves: More Coming	D．Cities Turning Green

6 . New research from the University of Portsmouth has shown a marked increase in shipping in the North East Atlantic. Scientists now warn that more monitoring is required to help protect sea life.

Researchers at the University of Ponsmouth have discovered that rates (率) of shipping in the North East Atlantic area rose by 34 per cent in a five-year period. The research is the first detailed survey of shipping activity in the North East Atlantic. Researchers used data from over 530 million vessel (船) positions recorded by Automatic Identification System(AIS). They looked at the change in shipping between 2013 and 2017 across ten different vessel types. In total the study area covered 1.1 million km², including waters off Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany,Iceland, Ireland, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal. Spain, and the UK.

Lead author, James Robbins said: “This change is likely to put more pressure on the marine (海洋的) environment, and may influence the protection of at-risk species. Renewed monitoring effort is needed to make sure that protective measures are enough to save species under threat in a changing environment.”

Some of the greatest shipping increases were found in areas close to the Spanish coast. The Espacio Marino de la Costa da Morte saw a rise of 413 percent in vessel activity. It is an area used to protect seabirds.

Dr. Sarah Marley, Visiting Researcher at the University of Portsmouth, said: “Shipping is the most widespread human activity in our oceans, carrying a set of threats-from unnoticeable effects like underwater noise pollution to serious results when ships hit whales.”

Professor Alex Ford. from the University’s Institute of Marine Sciences, said: “Given the well-documented effects that shipping can have on the marine environment, it is necessary that this situation continues to be monitored-particularly in areas used to protect vulnerable (脆弱的) species which may already be under pressure.”

1. What can we say about the new research?

A．It started in 2013.	B．It is the first of its kind.
C．It was carried out by AIS.	D．It covers the whole Atlantic.

2. What do the underlined words “This change” in paragraph 3 refer to ?

A．Rapid population growth.

B．Rising global temperatures.

C．The huge increase in shipping.

D．The disappearance of marine life.

3. What does Dr. Sarah Marley want to tell us in paragraph 5?

A．Shipping plays an important role in the local economy.

B．Shipping can be a danger to the marine environment.

C．Noise pollution is closely related to human activity.

D．Marine areas should be monitored more carefully.

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

A．New waterways across the Atlantic

B．The shipping industry in the North East Atlantic

C．New research opens windows into life under the water

D．Sea life needs better protection from an increase in shipping

7 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个恰当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

A study shows 176 bird species have been found to build nests with human litter, such as plastic bags and fishing nets.     1     worries the scientists is that such materials can harm chicks and even adult birds. The study     2     (review) research covering almost 35,000 nests and finds that birds use human-made materials in nests on all continents except Antarctica. While such behaviour     3     (observe) as early as in the 1830s, in recent years it has undoubtedly increased.

8 . South Baltimore is surrounded by water, highways, and train tracks. It’s also often thought of as a place to avoid—folks are taught to be careful of or even avoid South Baltimore. “People think South Baltimore is a place filled with danger. It’s not. It’s just we’re surrounded by dangerous things,” says Taysia, 17.

Taysia is part of a group of student activists fighting against a very different kind of danger in their neighborhood: air pollution and climate change. Lots of trucks with their noise pass through the neighborhood. South Baltimore is also home to a junkyard where they crush (压碎)cars, an old landfill, chemical plants, and mountains of coal. These are not the communities anyone wants.

The residents of South Baltimore are breathing polluted air today. Coal releases a black dust that’s small enough to get into people’s lungs. It can cause disease and death if you’re breathing it day after day. The mountains of coal are the focus of a growing opposition movement called Free Your Voice, led by South Baltimore teenagers.

The teens of Free Your Voice are taking on a big opponent (对手): the massive transportation company CSX, which transports more than 8 million tons of coal through South Baltimore annually. CSX makes billions of dollars a year.

The teens went door to door, warning their neighbors about the dangers of the coal transportation. Not everyone was on board at first. “We were talking to people and that’s just like, ‘You’re a kid! Like this is not gonna change, it’s been happening forever.’” Taysia says.

Meanwhile, the students spent the summer using sticky paper to gather samples of dust from all over the neighborhood to prove that the dust was from coal and to pinpoint which parts of the neighborhood were most affected.

The goal is to eventually get the state regulators to deny the permit that CSX needs to operate, or at least require the company to enclose all the coal, or at the very least put water onto all of it so there’s less dust blowing around. And the state is considering all of those requests.

1. How did people describe South Baltimore according to Taysia?

A．Wealthy.

B．Dangerous.

C．Peaceful.

D．Inclusive.

2. What is the main focus of the opposition movement called Free Your Voice?

A．The junkyard.	B．The old landfill.
C．The chemical plants.	D．The coal transportation.

3. Why did some people in the neighborhood initially doubt the students’ efforts?

A．They believed the pollution was harmless.

B．They trusted CSX’s environmental practices.

C．They had no awareness of the pollution and climate change.

D．They thought the students were too young to make a change.

4. What method did the students use to gather evidence of coal-related pollution?

A．Conducting surveys.	B．Distributing leaflets.
C．Using sticky paper for dust samples.	D．Organizing protests.

9 . I finally climbed into bed at 1: 20 in the morning. My friends had helped me celebrate my 31st birthday in the basement apartment, where I lived.

Earlier in the day I had prepared for the unlikely event of a flood. We are about a third of a mile from the banks of the Ahr River. It had been raining buckets that week and the government had sent out a flood warning, though not for where I was. Still, I’d placed sandbags on the floor outside my garden door and put electronics on tables. “Silly bro!” My friends laughed at me for doing that, but I thought, why take a chance?

As I drifted off to sleep, I was awakened by the sound of rushing water, as if I were lying beside a waterfall. When I got off the bed, I was shocked that cold water was rising fast. In darkness, I grabbed my cellphone and turned on the flashlight. When I stepped out of the bedroom, I saw water shooting through the gaps of the door.

I began to panic. I knew I had to get out—fast! In bare feet, I started to make my way to the only escape: the door that led upstairs to the main floor. Finally I made it to the door and tried several times to-pull it open even just a little bit, but the rushing water shut it again. I looked around for anything I could use to keep it open. There in the corner was a coat rack (架子). I took it and, once again, opened the door, throwing the coat rack between the door and the frame (门框) to keep the door from shutting. Finally, I managed to make a gap just wide enough to squeeze (挤) through and make it into the hallway.

I leaped on to the stairs and ran outside. I stood there in the darkness, wet through. What was once a lovely street was now a waterscape, with floating ruins instead of people and cars. The river had drowned (淹没) the neighborhood!

1. What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 2imply?

A．Better safe than sorry.

B．It never rains but it pours.

C．A lost chance never returns.

D．A friend in need is a friend indeed.

2. What was the author doing when water flooded in?

A．Celebrating his birthday.

B．Sleeping in the basement.

C．Placing sandbags by the door.

D．Playing with electronic devices.

3. Which of the following might be the most difficult for the author during the escape?

A．Making his way to the door.

B．Finding a coat rack.

C．Keeping the door from shutting.

D．Squeezing through the gap.

4. How did the author feel when standing on the street?

A．Sad and shocked.

B．Annoyed and anxious.

C．Surprised and disappointed.

D．Puzzled and awkward.

10 . Animals deserve to live a safe and healthy life as much as humans do.     1     Some people try to get profit from everything and sometimes animals become victims. It is vital that we take action to protect animals. Below are some simple ways in which we can all contribute towards the protection of endangered animals.

Spread awareness. One way to protect endangered animals is to create awareness about them.     2     Having seminars (研讨会) is another way of creating awareness. Also, familiarize people around you with the importance of the animals in your surroundings. Our routine activities directly or indirectly influence their lifestyle.

Drive carefully in forest areas. It is important to watch the road when you are going through roads in forest areas. Many animals die while trying to cross the road because people do not pay attention to them.     3    

Avoid plastic items. Do you know what happens to a plastic bag thrown into a river?     4     Plastic is a big threat to wildlife. And we have to reduce the overconsumption of life-threatening products to protect the endangered species. Prevent plastic items such as bags and containers. Shop in a handmade woven bag and recycle the boxes.

    5     As a volunteer, you can offer support to animal rescue teams in your area. Such organizations are always short of funds and are looking for animal lovers to support the cause. Spending a portion of your daily or weekly schedule is one step towards saving wildlife and protecting endangered species.

A．Change your regular routine.

B．So, we highly suggest careful use of water.

C．Spend time rescuing animals in your locality.

D．Sadly, this does not have universal acceptance.

E．So we can save their lives by being more careful.

F．It is probably eaten by an adult turtle, choking it to death.

G．You can create local community groups that work for this cause.