1 . A flood hit Yellowstone National Park on June 13, 2022. The disaster was caused by a combination of unusually heavy rain and rapid snow melt. The high and fast water flows destroyed bridges and swept away entire roadways, leaving communities and homes isolated (隔绝的). Fortunately, the approximately 10,000 park visitors were safely evacuated.
The town of Gardiner, along the Montana-Wyoming border, was particularly hard hit. The floodwaters left almost 900 people with no power or water for many days. Gardiner’s economy, which heavily depends on the almost three-quarters of a million visitors who pass through the park’s north gate annually, is likely to take a hit. The floodwaters severely damaged the main north entrance road to Yellowstone and could take years to rebuild.
Park officials have begun work on improving an alternative road to Gardiner. This will ensure that locals can access food, supplies, and other essential emergency services. A limited number of tourists may also be allowed into Gardiner once the road is stable.
Yellowstone’s north gate is closed indefinitely (无限期地). But the park’s south gate opened to visitors on June 22, 2022. Park officials have started a new entry system to prevent overcrowding. It is based on the last number of the visitor’s vehicle license plate and the calendar date of the month. Cars with odd numbers can visit the park on odd days of the month, while those with even numbers can go on even days.
Established in 1872, Yellowstone is America’s oldest national park. The 3,472-square-mile reserve spans three states and is home to a lot of unique wildlife. It is known for its natural beauty that includes mountains, rivers and lakes. The forces of fire and ice shaped the park over thousands of years.
1. What can be inferred from the second paragraph?A.Gardiner’s economy would suffer a lot. |
B.Communities and homes were left in ruins. |
C.Almost 900 people were trapped in the park. |
D.The town of Gardiner was slightly affected. |
A.Local people can get daily necessities from visitors. |
B.The forces of flood and snow shaped the park over years. |
C.The park has adopted a new system to avoid overcrowding. |
D.More tourists may pack into the park for geological features. |
A.Flooding Has Caused Widespread Damage in the US |
B.Yellowstone National Park Was Closed due to Flooding |
C.Natural Beauty Makes Yellowstone America’s Oldest Park |
D.Yellowstone National Park Partially Reopens After Flooding |
A.A guidebook. | B.A news report. | C.A research paper. | D.A fiction. |
2 . Soot (煤) pollution is speeding up climate-driven melting in Antarctica, a new study suggests, raising questions about how to protect the delicate continent from the increasing number of humans who want to visit.
“It really makes us question, is our presence really needed?” says Alia Khan, one of the authors of the new study. “We have quite a large black carbon footprint in Antarctica, which is enhancing snow and ice melt.”
Black carbon is the leftover thing from burning plants or fossil fuels. Soot in Antarctica comes primarily from waste gases of cruise ships (游轮), vehicles and airplanes, although some pollution travels on the wind from other parts of the globe. The dark particles (微粒) coat white snow and absorb heat from the sun the way a black T-shirt does on a warm day. The blanket of dark bits speeds up melting that was already happening more quickly because of global warming.
When snow and ice are uncovered, they reflect an enormous amount of sunlight before it can turn into heat. “These are the mirrors on our planet,” says Sonia Nagorski, a scientist at the University of Alaska Southeast. “When those mirrors are covered in a film of dark bits, they don’t send back that much light and heat. That means more heat is trapped on Earth, speeding up melting and contributing to global warming.”
As a scientist who personally visits Antarctica every year, Khan says she is troubled by her own research results. On the one hand, she goes to Antarctica to collect crucial data about how quickly the snow and ice there are disappearing. “But then when we come to conclusions like this it really does make us think twice about how frequently we need to visit the continent,” she says, “and what kind of regulations should be placed on tourism as well.” That could mean requiring that cruise ships and vehicles be electric, for example, or limiting the number of visitors each year.
1. What is Khan’s attitude towards human actions in Antarctica according to paragraph 2?A.Angry and abusive. | B.Cold and uninterested. |
C.Doubtful and anxious. | D.Admiring and delighted. |
A.The quick melting of ice and snow. | B.The emission from virous transport. |
C.The remaining parts of burning plants. | D.The floating gases from other continents. |
A.The covered ice is less reflective. |
B.The melting speed of ice is slower than before. |
C.The dark blanket serves as a big mirror. |
D.The sunlight gets increasingly stronger recently. |
A.What made our planet so polluted? | B.Who is to blame for air pollution? |
C.Can electric vehicles save tourism? | D.Are we welcome to the South Pole? |
3 . At least three people were possibly dead after a powerful earthquake. Others were injured from falling structures and homes, rural roads and
Regina Rave,who is a geologist, was meeting with two
About 10,000 people live in and around his town, which is
People were feeling
A.damaged | B.surrounded | C.hidden | D.buried |
A.foresee | B.assess | C.recognize | D.assume |
A.roommates | B.schoolmates | C.colleagues | D.parents |
A.covered | B.rose | C.ceased | D.struck |
A.ended up | B.came out | C.carried on | D.resulted from |
A.squeezed | B.crashed | C.flashed | D.pulled |
A.turn | B.knock | C.flow | D.blow |
A.jumping | B.hanging | C.floating | D.shaking |
A.located | B.listed | C.considered | D.posed |
A.simple | B.common | C.popular | D.awkward |
A.puzzled | B.tired | C.frightened | D.inspired |
A.getting | B.breaking | C.cutting | D.sorting |
A.descriptions | B.instructions | C.explanations | D.introductions |
A.changes | B.injuries | C.beats | D.attacks |
A.handled | B.improved | C.affected | D.removed |
4 . The process by which rich land becomes desert is called desertification(沙漠化).
Africa’s Great Green Wall is a project to build an 8000-kilometer-long forest across 11 of the continent’s countries. The project is meant to contain the growing Sahara Desert and fight climate change.
Launched in 2007, the project aims to plant a forest from Senegal on the Atlantic Ocean in western Africa to Eritrea, Ethiopia and Djibouti in the east.
The U. N. desertification agency says the project will need to plant an average of 8. 2 million hectares yearly to reach its goal of 100 million hectares by 2030.
A.It has severe impacts on the environment. |
B.That is only 4 percent of the program’s goal. |
C.However, it is difficult to carry out the project. |
D.But the project has been facing many problems. |
E.The project would create millions of green jobs in rural Africa. |
F.Despite many problems, those involved in the project remain hopeful. |
G.Some countries have struggled to keep up with the demands of the project. |
5 . A team led by researchers from the UK examined waterbird data from 1506 protected areas and analyzed more than 27, 000 bird populations across the world. They compared waterbird populations before and after the establishment of protected areas and also compared trends of similar populations within and outside of protected areas.
“Our study shows that, while many protected areas are working well, many others are failing to have a positive effect, ” lead author Hannah Wauchope says in a statement. “In the majority of places we looked, bird populations were stable or were increasing, but some of them weren’t doing any better than in unprotected areas, “ she adds. “That’s disappointing, but not surprising. There seems to be the disconnection between people talking about how much land is protected and whether those areas are actually doing anything positive. ”
This study comes ahead of a United Nations meeting in China to discuss biodiversity goals for the next decade. Several countries have already committed to protecting 30 percent of the planet by 2030, yet the researchers say this alone does not necessarily guarantee positive out- comes for species.
“An obsession(迷恋)with reaching a certain area-based target-such as 30 percent by 2030-without focus on managing existing protected areas appropriately will achieve little, ” co-author Julia Jones says. “When world leaders gather in China later this year to set targets for the next decade, I really hope to see a change of their focus, rather than simply saying how much surface area they are going to protect. ”
According to Thomas Brooks, chief scientist at the International Union for Conservation of Nature, who was not involved in the study, waterbirds are a good example of a group facing the consequences of human behaviors that cause biodiversity loss. These animals respond quickly to changes in site quality and are broadly distributed, clearly reflecting the impact of protected areas.
1. What can be learned about protected areas from the study?A.They have a negative effect on wildlife. |
B.Their bird populations are increasing. |
C.Their problems went unnoticed at all. |
D.They don’t always help waterbirds. |
A.Expanding protected areas. |
B.Organizing the meeting. |
C.Talking about biodiversity. |
D.Making a big promise. |
A.Try to set targets for the next ten years. |
B.Focus on the effectiveness of protected areas. |
C.Face the consequences of human behaviors. |
D.Have a deep understanding of biodiversity. |
A.Pioneering. | B.Disappointing. |
C.Convincing. | D.Unsatisfying. |
6 . After taking a few steps back to get a running start, Hadj Benhalima dashed toward the building, pushed against its wall with his foot, pushed himself upward and stretched out his arm.
At the peak of his leap, he fingered oft a light switch, more than 1o feet off the ground. The bright lights of a nearby barbershop went off instantly
Groups of young athletes practicing Parkour—the practice of passing obstacles in a man—made or natural environment through the use of running, vaulting (腾跃), jumping, climbing, rolling, and other movements in order to travel from one point to another in the quickest and most efficient way possible without the use of equipment—have been swinging around big French cities switching off wasteful shop signs at night, in an effort to fight light pollution and save energy.
These so—called Light Off operations have become extra popular in recent months, with France embarking on energy conservation efforts.
Paris, the City of Light, is a favorite target. While its landmark monuments now go dark earlier than usual, many store signs still stay lit all night.
“Everyone can contribute in their own way” to save energy, said Kevin Ha, the leader of the Paris—based Op he Spot Parkour group, with about 20 members. “We put our physical abilities to good use.”
Enforcing the orders in place of the authorities certainly enters a legal gray area. But the group said all the police officers they have met during their rounds have approved of their deeds—as long as it causes no damage.
1. Which of the following options is NOT Parkour’s feature?A.It doesn’t need any tools to assist movement. |
B.It can only be practiced in an enclosed environment. |
C.It aims to travel from one point to another in the quickest way. |
D.It is practiced through running, vaulting, jumping, climbing, etc. |
A.To invite more youths to join them in competition. |
B.To overcome physical boundaries and build fitness. |
C.To reduce the consequences of energy consumption. |
D.To tour around feeling the unique beauty of Paris at night. |
A.They are honest. | B.They are creative. | C.They are selfish. | D.They are optimistic. |
A.They gave their unspoken agreement. |
B.They took these actions as illegal. |
C.They believed there must be damage caused. |
D.They held an indifferent attitude towards them. |
7 . Several big wildfires have been brought under control in Chongqing with the help of local motorcyclists. The city government has called for volunteers to join in the tough firefighting, and a large number of motorcyclists have played an important role and won widespread praise.
According to the city emergency management bureau on Wednesday, wildfires in Chongqing’s Dazu and Tongliang districts have been brought under control, and other fires-in Fuling, Kaizhou and Wanzhou districts-have been extinguished (熄灭).
The local government mobilized 1, 152 emergency rescue workers and four helicopters to put out the fires in the city’s Beibei district and evacuated (疏散) 46 people to safety shelters.
“It is my honor and duty to guard my hometown, ” said 27-year-old Li Xin, owner of Yueqi Motorcycle Club. On Sunday night, upon hearing the fire breakout, Li organized a team of 15 club members to sign up to support firefighting in Beibei’s Xiema county, the center of the local blazes.
The team members, with an average age of 29, took turns using five dirt bikes and four road bikes to carry materials and equipment to firefighters and to transport people and necessities.
“The unpaved mountain paths and newly dug fire barriers require really good motorcycle skills, ” Li said, adding that even the best motorcyclist on the team might lose his balance and fall as he carried heavy materials and equipment in a large farmer’s back-basket. He said that to prevent heatstroke in the extreme outdoor heat, the team gave up dressing in thick riding suits. They also joined in cutting wood and putting out fires, working more than 12 hours a day on average. “We will stick to the site until the fire is out, ” he added.
In the extreme heat and drought (干旱) conditions, motorcyclists have been devoted to fighting against fires.
1. What is the purpose of paragraph 2?A.To give warnings. | B.To recruit more volunteers. |
C.To stress the danger of fires. | D.To introduce the background of the report. |
A.were dressed in thick riding suits |
B.delivered only extinguishers to firefighters |
C.reported the updates of the wildfires on the spot |
D.volunteered to cut wood and help with firefighting work |
A.Smart and confident. | B.Responsible and generous. |
C.Caring and strong-willed. | D.Brave and honest. |
A.Motorcyclists Helped Extinguish Chongqing Wildfires |
B.Wildfires in Chongqing Destroyed a Large Area of Forest |
C.Firefighters Made Efforts to Put Out Wildfires |
D.Chongqing Wildfires Were Put Under Control |
8 . Chinese scientists say they have developed a robotic fish that can remove microplastic particles from water environments. Researchers working on the project say the robots could help to clean up plastic pollution in oceans around the world.
The robotic swimmers are about 1.3 centimeters long. They are made of a soft chemical Compound. The robots are designed to absorb microplastics while moving through the water. The project was launched by a team at Sichuan University in southwestern China. The researchers said the robots have already performed well in shallow water and they plan to carry out more tests in deeper waters. The scientists reported their findings in a new study in Nano Letters. The publication comes from the American Chemical Society, a nonprofit organization supported by the U.S. Congress. The robotic fish were built to target microplastic particles, which are smaller than five millimeters. Studies have confirmed that microplastic pollution has been discovered in many natural environments. The material comes from the breakdown of manufactured plastic products and industrial waste.
The team said the robots can be controlled by light. Turning “a near-infrared light laser” on and off causes the fish’s tail to move back and forth, the American Chemical Society said. The robotic fish can swim up to 2.76 body lengths per second. The researchers said this is faster than most similar soft robots. Wang Yuyan was a member of Sichuan University’s research team. She told Reuters news agency that the small, lightweight robot is currently being used to collect microplastics for research purposes. But Wang added that the team plans to expand that use so the robot fish can remove larger amounts of microplastic waste from deep ocean areas. The fish can take in different kinds of microplastics and even repair itself when damaged, the researchers said. And if a robot fish is accidentally eaten by a real fish, it could safely digest the material, the team added. Wang said similar robots could be developed to be placed inside the human body to remove unwanted materials or disease.
1. Why has a robotic fish been created?A.To remove disease in people. | B.To clean up pollution in oceans. |
C.To remove unwanted materials in body. | D.To remove microplastic particles in water. |
A.It will be harmless. | B.It will repair itself. |
C.It will take in microplastics. | D.It will collect microplastics. |
A.The purpose of the robotic fish. |
B.The function of the robotic fish. |
C.A further introduction of the robotic fish. |
D.Potential application of the robotic fish. |
A.Pessimistic. | B.Positive. | C.Unclear. | D.Suspicious. |
9 . China has seen significant achievements in improving the environment and green development over the past 70 years, especially in fighting against desertification (沙漠化).
Desertification was a serious problem in the 1990s. It caused deadly sandstorms, which arrived like big black walls reaching up into the sky. As President Xi Jinping has said, clear waters and lush (繁茂的) mountains are invaluable assets (资产). Efforts to create “green” areas have played a crucial role in the country’s fight against desertification.
A series of campaigns have been conducted by the central government to improve the environment. For example, in 1998, China launched the Natural Forest Protection Program. Thanks to the program, forest coverage in China increased greatly from 12 percent in the 1980s to nearly 23 percent last year.
Another example of the campaign is the Elion Resources Group, which has been recognized by the UN for the development of a desert eco-industry that has slowed desertification.
In Kubuqi, a desert in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Elion has greened 600,000 hectares of land and helped lift more than 102,000 people out of poverty through the development of solar energy and tourism, as well as planting herbs for traditional Chinese medicine.
In addition, the group’s techniques have also been used in many important ecological programs, including Yangtze River Ecological Park and Qilian Mountain National Park.
“We will develop new ways to improve our ability to control the sand with the help of modern technologies, such as drones (无人机), AI, big data and the internet of things,” said Ao Baoping, chief executive officer of Elion Green Land Technology.
1. What is the key measure to fight against desertification?A.Building walls to block sands. | B.Increasing green plants. |
C.Turning to the UN for help. | D.Keeping mountains natural. |
A.The environment in China has become satisfactory. |
B.Similar new campaigns will be carried out by China. |
C.No more trees need to be planted in our country. |
D.More areas in China are covered with forest. |
A.Its main aim was to lift local people out of poverty. |
B.It made Kubuqi become a center for planting herbs. |
C.It got inspiration from many ecological programs. |
D.It will apply modern technologies to fight desertification. |
A.Desert Clothed With Green Through China’s Efforts |
B.Environmental Problems Solved by Planting More Trees |
C.Great Contributions Made by Elion to The Environment |
D.Advanced Science And Technology Applied in China |
10 . You are sitting in a restaurant and a server brings over a glass of water and drops a plastic straw (吸管) next to the glass. Any idea how many plastic straws are thrown away in the US everyday? Around 500 million! Plastic straws were the seventh most common type of litter found during beach cleanups this year! Last year, a diver diving in Australia collected 319 plastic straws in just 20 minutes. The next day, she returned to the same location and found another 294 straws.
Very few single-use plastic straws are recycled. They break down into tiny bits of plastic, and are eaten by sea life. Luckily, thousands of people have gotten involved (参与) with the cause, including kids!
In 2011, 9-year-old Milo Cress made an interesting observation after ordering a drink of juice in a restaurant, “I noticed the servers automatically placed a plastic straw by my drink.” Milo thought this was a real waste and thought there had to be something he could do about it. Milo talked with plastic producers to get an estimate of just how many straws we use. He learned that 500 million plastic straws are used every day! This inspired him to start a project called Be Straw Free. Milo encouraged restaurants not to hand straws out so freely. “Actually,” remembers Milo, “businesses liked the idea as it would save them money.”
Milo was one of many kids to become involved with the cause. Earlier this year, a group of third-and-fourth-graders from Seattle, Washington, spoke with local lawmakers about the harm plastic straws have on sea life and our environment. The group, calling themselves the Straw Kids, would like cities to ban their use, and would like other kids to rethink the use of single-use plastic straws. Megan O’Reilly, 9, says, “We are making a website, strawkids.org, which will help us get the word out that plastic straws are bad, and help us get more supporters.”
1. The data in paragraph 1 is used to show ______.A.divers enjoy doing beach cleanups | B.restaurants always provide plastic straws |
C.plastic straws are causing an environmental problem | D.Australia’s environment is getting worse and worse |
A.It was unacceptable. | B.It was difficult to carry out. |
C.It was quite effective. | D.It was favorable to their business. |
A.Intelligent and sensitive. | B.Caring and humorous. |
C.Creative and responsible. | D.Courageous and demanding. |
A.One good turn deserves another. | B.One is never too young to change. |
C.Kids can also make a difference. | D.Kids should be prepared for the future. |