1 . Lightning (闪电) is a beautiful and inspiring phenomenon, but it can be deadly. Over the past 30 years, lightning has killed an average of 67 people per year in the United States alone.     1     . Follow these steps to safety the next time there’s fire in the sky.

Find shelter immediately

If you find yourself caught in a lightning storm, never stand under a tree, and avoid being close to power lines as they’re both excellent conductors (导体) of electricity and could potentially cause death, if not serious injury.     2     . It’s the key to minimizing danger.

Watch out for dangers

Windows provide a direct path for the lightning to travel. Keep windows closed, stay away from them and try to stay within inner rooms of the structure.     3     Using a landline phone is the main cause of lightning-related injuries. Lightning can travel into the home from through any material that conducts electricity. This includes landlines, electrical wiring, and plumbing.

    4    

Being near water is extremely dangerous during a lightning storm, so move away from the body of water. If you are fishing, swimming or on a boat, get out of the water immediately and hurry back to the bank.

Stay inside

Stay inside at least 30 minutes after the last strike. Don’t go out just because the rain is starting to let up. There is still a significant risk of lightning strikes from a departing storm.     5     .

Lightning is dangerous but you can minimize your risk. The advice is simple: increase the awareness of avoiding danger and master proper knowledge to protect yourself from a thunderstorm.

A．Get away from the water

B．Prepare enough water

C．Go to hospital quickly

D．Don’t touch anything metal or electrical

E．Find shelter near or under a stony shelter

F．Wait for news that the danger has passed

G．Fortunately, most lightning-related deaths are preventable

2 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

The 6.2-magnitude earthquake    1    hit an ethnic county lying    2     Northwest China’s Gansu province midnight Monday has killed 111 people in Gansu and neighboring Qinghai province, according to local earthquake relief headquarters.

According to China Earthquake Networks Center, the quake    3     (strike) at 11:59 pm Monday and has a focal depth of 10 km. The epicenter, Liugou township, is about 8 km from the county seat of Jishishan Bao’an, Dongxiang, Sala autonomous county in Linxia Hui autonomous prefecture, Gansu.

Witnesses told Xinhua the earthquake caused damages on houses, roads and other infrastructures. Several villages have suffered power failures and shortage of water.

According to local meteorological authorities, the    4     (day) low temperature in Jishishan is reported    5     (reach) minus 10 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.

The provincial fire and rescue department has sent 580 rescuers    6     (aid) with 88 fire engines, 12 search and rescue dogs, more than 10,000 sets of equipment to the disaster area.

The railway authority has suspended passenger and cargo trains     7     (pass) through the quake zone and ordered a safety check of railway tracks.

Hu Changsheng, Party chief of Gansu, and Ren Zhenhe, governor of Gansu, rushed to the disaster area to command rescue and    8     (relieve) effort.

It was reported that every effort    9     (make) to provide assistance to    10    were affected and to restore normality to the region as quickly as possible.

3 . 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。

Bhutan’s snow leopard (雪豹) population     1     (increase) by 39.5% since 2016, according to a new survey. Findings from over 10,000 camera trap images confirmed the presence of 134 snow leopards in the country, an     2     (impress) jump from the baseline of 96 snow leopards in 2016.

    3     survey showed promising evidence that Bhutan’s conservation efforts impact snow leopard populations     4     (positive). It involved 310 camera traps across 2.2 million acres of the big cat’s habitat.

“With less than 3% of the habitat surveyed, there are serious knowledge gaps in the population status of snow leopards,” said Dechen Dorji, Senior Director for Asia, Wildlife Conservation. “A 39.5% increase in Bhutan’s snow leopard population is remarkable and calls for the urgent need to     5     (strength) the population assessment efforts. These amazing     6     (creature) deserve our continued care and protection from illegal hunting, habitat destruction, and conflicts with people. Finding effective co-existence measures between local communities     7     snow leopards must continue to be at the top of the list.”

Although the news is uplifting, the species is still listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It     8     (threaten) globally by habitat losses, food shortage, conflicts with humans, and the climate crisis,     9     (request) continued protection to address these threats,     10     also affect the other wildlife in their habitat.

4 . Rescuers in the Turkish city of Izmir have pulled a young girl out alive from the ruins of a collapsed housing complex four days after a strong earthquake hit Türkiye and Greece. The girl was taken to a hospital in an emergency vehicle. Sounds of cheering could be heard from rescue workers and people watching nearby.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca identified the girl on Twitter as 3-year-old Ayda Gezgin. The child had been trapped inside the rubble (瓦砾) for 91 hours. She was the 107th person to have been rescued from collapsed buildings since Friday, the day the quake struck.

After her rescue, Ayda could be heard calling out for her mother in a video that played on television. But Ayda’s mother did not survive. Her body was found in the rubble hours later. Ayda’s brother and father were not inside the building at the time of the quake.

Rescuer Nusret Aksoy told reporters that he was searching through the wreckage of the building when he heard a child’s scream. He then called for silence. He later found the girl in a small space next to a dishwasher. The girl waved at him, told him her name and said that she was okay, Aksoy said. “I got goose bumps and my colleague Ahmet cried,” he told Haber Turk television.

Ibrahim Topal, of the Humanitarian Relief Foundation said, “My colleague and I looked at each other in surprise. We listened again. There was a very weak voice saying something . And then we shut everything down and started listening again. And there really was a voice.”

Health ministry officials said the girl was in good condition but would be kept under observation. She asked for a special meal of meatballs and a yogurt drink on her way to the hospital, the state-operated Anadolu Agency reported.

1. How did rescue workers and people watching feel when the girl was rescued?

A．Sorrowful.

B．Worried.

C．Pitiful.

D．Excited.

2. Why did Aksoy called for silence?

A．To talk to his colleague.	B．To make the little girl calm.
C．To locate where the voice came from.	D．To make himself heard by the girl.

3. What can we infer about the girl from the fourth paragraph?

A．She was anxious.	B．She was calm.
C．She was desperate.	D．She was frightened.

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．The damage caused by the earthquake in Turkiye.

B．The terrible earthquake that hit Turkish city of Izmir.

C．The present condition of the girl saved from the earthquake.

D．The rescue of a 3-year-old girl after being trapped for four days.

5 . 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。

In the past 10 years, China has added more than 22 million hectares of forest. Thanks to     1     (generation) of tree planters, our surroundings are becoming much greener.

In 2022, China completed the afforestation (植树造林) of 3.83 million hectares and treated 1, 847, 300 hectares of rock-deserted land. After continuous effort, China has achieved     2     (remark)progress.

China’s forest coverage rate has reached 24 percent, and forest accumulation has reached 19 billion cubic meters,     3     has laid a solid foundation for maintaining national ecological security and     4    (improve)people’s well-being.

In terms of vegetation (植被) restoration, in 2020 China published a guideline to perform a forest chief scheme nationwide. Principal leaders of governments should     5     (appoint)as “forest chiefs” at various levels ranging from the provincial level     6     the village level.

Bazhou District in China’s Sichuan Province is     7     unique biodiversity ecological zone. In the past, the surface of the mountain there was exposed due to mining;     8    , after the government’s management, the area has returned to its former green self.

In terms of ecological civilization education, in Shanghai, for example, an elementary school has     9     (creative)combined traditional Chinese medicine resources with AR technology to help children to learn plants. Meanwhile, Suzhou in Jiangsu Province has digitized tree planting activities through a mini-game on how     10    (identify)different types of trees.

6 . Recent research confirms what our farming ancestors have known for centuries about hedges (树篱). They conserve precious soil by acting as windbreaks and absorbing rainwater that would otherwise wash it from the fields. And hedges store carbon, putting them in the front line of our bi d to tackle the climate crisis.

However, hedges have had a tough time in the poor countryside, with farmers encouraged to tear them down in pursuit of maximum production and larger field s to accommodate ever-larger machinery. What’s more, some hedges have been ignored. If left to their own devices, they’ll eventually become a line of trees. Some hedges each year lose their structures and fail to fulfil the primary duty as a barrier. Around a half of the nation’s hedges have disappeared in the past century.

There are signs that “the tide is turning”. The search for net zero has aroused many organizations’ interest in the humble hedge’s role as a carbon sink. The Climate Change Committee is recommending a 40 percent increase in hedges: an additional 200,000 km. Such recommendations are starting to drive policy. Cash-pressed farmers will be encouraged to create new hedges and improve their management of existing ones under the new Environmental Land Management Schemes, which will replace many of the existing agricultural support payments in coming years. Meanwhile, initiatives such as Close the Gap, led by the Tree Council, is providing funding and support to plug the gaps in existing hedges with new planting. There’s even an app to help time-pressed farmers do a quick survey to spot where their hedges need some help.

This is a good time for hedges. Take some of the most pressing challenges facing the countryside, and indeed, the world as a whole — the climate crisis, soil erosion (侵蚀), insect attack and wider biodiversity loss — and hedges are part of the solution.

1. What does recent research show about hedges?

A．They are unique landscapes in the rain.

B．They act as dividing lines between fields.

C．They have long been helpful to agriculture.

D．They are frequently washed away from the fields.

2. What does paragraph 2 mainly tell us about hedges?

A．Their suffering.	B．Their production.
C．Their duties.	D．Their structures.

3. What is many organizations’ attitude towards saving hedges?

A．Puzzled.

B．Concerned.

C．Humble.

D．Indifferent.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Hedges: Ancient Resources

B．Hedges: Official Recommendations

C．Restoring Hedges: Bringing Benefits to the Environment

D．Researching Hedges: Originating from Farmers’ Request

7 . The Great Barrier Reef is the result of millions of years of continental (大陆的) shifts, sea-level changes, and layers of coral (珊瑚) growth. The Reef was built over millennia (数千年) by coral attaching itself to existing dead coral, as it continued to reach toward the light. Like most living things, coral needs the sun to survive and generally lives in shallow waters, where enough sunlight can penetrate (穿透) the water. Sea levels began to rise at the end of the last most recent ice age, about 14,000 years ago. As a result, the previously exposed Reef was covered by water and the coral expanded along the length of the newly revived Reef.

Climate change is having a dangerous impact on this natural wonder. Although coral and algae (海藻) have evolved despite climate change, allowing them to survive, coral has begun producing products that are poisonous to the Reef and block the growth of algae. Additional concerns include the overwhelming amount of pollution and chemical runoff into the water which harms the already affected coral and reduces biodiversity.

The Great Barrier Reef is well known as one of the best diving destinations in the world. You can do your part to help scientists preserve the Reef’s ecosystem while visiting. By paying a visit to the Reef, visitors pay a reef tax that will be used for the management and conservation of the Reef. A lesser-known contribution visitors can make to Reef preservation is signing up for REEFSearch. After signing up, you’ll be sent a field guide that will teach you how to collect information that scientists can use to study the Reef’ s health. During each dive, using the information sent to you, you will look for key species, check for coral conditions, and make note of any garbage found near the Reef. These small contributions can ultimately have a large impact and save one of the great wonders of the world.

1. Why does coral live in shallow waters?

A．It must coexist with algae.	B．It needs sufficient sunlight.
C．It has to stick to dead ancestors.	D．It has to avoid deep-sea pollution.

2. What drove the coral to stretch across the new Reef?

A．The rise of sea levels.	B．The exposure of it to air.
C．The change of its habitat.	D．The threat from its enemies.

3. What is an impact climate change has on the Reef?

A．Coral cannot survive.	B．Algae become harmful.
C．Algae cannot be seen on the surface.	D．Coral produces something poisonous to the Reef.

4. Which of the following should you do after signing up for REEFSearch?

A．Study the Reef’ s formation.	B．Find new habitats for coral.
C．Gather information on the Reef’ s health.	D．Search for dangerous species around coral.

8 . For 60-year-old Gao Ruyi, the proudest achievement in his life is not measured in honors or riches but in the wings of over 1, 000 swans he has rescued. Gao, former director of the wildlife rescue station in Sanmenxia, Henan province, has guarded swans and the ecosystems they live in for almost four decades. His efforts have earned him the name “Swan Dad”.

Gao Ruyi grew up near the Yellow River, China’s second-longest river. He had little connection to swans until the winter of 1988 when one day the peacefulness of the riverside was broken by gunshots. Rushing to the scene, he found that someone had opened fire on the swans. The heart-wrenching cries of four wounded swans left a deep-rooted mark on him. Since then, Gao has become a guardian of swans and a witness to the swan protection efforts along the Yellow River.

The endeavor (努力) is not without its challenges.

Gao started working at a wildlife rescue station in the Yellow River wetland in Sanmenxia in 1994. Despite their efforts, illegal activities continued. One such tragedy happened in 1998. Several wild ducks and swans were poisoned. Gao immediately called the police and provided treatment for the feathery victims. “Swans have memories,” he said, “Since the incident, nobody saw swans in the area for many years.”

Still, Gao’s passion for swan protection has never waned. He and many other “swan dads” and “swan moms” often visited nearby villages to educate residents about wildlife conservation, and encouraged them to bring sick or injured wild animals to the rescue station.

Another challenge for the birds came from the environment. Swan populations in Sanmenxia were limited in the 1990s due to severe pollution caused by mining and industrial development, said Gao. In the past decades, however, China started extensive efforts to battle pollution in the Yellow River basin, and gradually, swan populations in the Sanmenxia section began to increase. Tens of thousands of swans are flying back home, marking the start of “swan season”, as the locals affectionately call it.

1. Which of the following can best describe Gao Ruyi?

A．Peace-loving.

B．Good-tempered.

C．Hard-working.

D．Kind-hearted.

2. What did Gao Ruyi do to meet the challenges?

A．He started a wildlife rescue station.

B．He educated people to raise awareness.

C．He cured sick or injured wild swans.

D．He worked with government to fight pollution.

3. What does the underlined word “waned” most probably mean?

A．Recovered.

B．Expanded.

C．Benefited.

D．Declined.

4. What is the best title for this text?

A．Yellow River Birds Saved by “Swan Dad”

B．Illegal Activities Done to Swans Continue

C．Yellow River Pollution Problems Solved by Government

D．“Swan Season” Is Witnessed in Sanmenxia Section of Yellow River

9 . When Abdus Salam looks across the garbage-filled river near his home in one of the major clothing producing districts in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, he remembers a time before the factories moved in. “When I was young there were no clothing factories here. We used to catch fish in the river,” he said. The river beside him is now black like ink. Waste from nearby clothing factories has polluted the water.

Fashion is responsible for up to one-fifth of industrial water pollution, thanks in part to weak management and enforcement in producer countries like Bangladesh, the world’s second biggest clothing producing country, where wastewater is commonly discharged directly into rivers and streams. The wastewater not only hurts the environment, but pollutes drinking water sources.

Once in waterways, poisonous chemicals from dyes (染料) build up to the point where light is prevented from coming through the surface, reducing plants’ ability to photosynthesize (进行光合作用). This lowers oxygen levels in the water, killing plants and animals. These chemicals and heavy metals can also build up in the body, increasing the risk of serious illnesses and skin problems. What’s worse, chemical-rich water is also used to water crops, with one recent study finding that dyes were present in vegetables and fruit grown aiound Savaz, just north of Dhaka.

Luckily, change is coming. In Bangladesh, there are signs clothing producers are taking environmental responsibility more seriously, with brands committing to initiatives, such as the Partnership for Cleaner Textile, that tackle water, energy and chemical use in the industry. Shahab Uddin of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said a range of measures were being taken to address pollution, including updating conservation and environmental laws, giving fines to polluters, setting up centralized treatment plants, and working with international development partners to improve wastewater treatment. And under a new environmental policy called Zero Liquid Discharge, dyeing, finishing and washing industries must submit a time-bound plan to reduce, recycle and reuse wastewater.

“There is definitely room for further improvement. These challenges cannot be solved overnight,” Uddin added.

1. What is the main purpose of the first paragraph?

A．To blame clothing factories for river pollution.

B．To introduce Bangladesh’s clothing industry.

C．To call for the closure of clothing factories.

D．To recall the good old days in Dhaka.

2. What can we say about Bangladesh?

A．It is the biggest clothing producing country.

B．It causes 20% of the world’ s water pollution.

C．It suffers from serious drinking water shortages.

D．It has poor control over wastewater discharge.

3. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．The difficulty of dealing with poisonous chemicals in waterways.

B．The chemicals from dyes negatively affecting photosynthesis.

C．The damaging effects of wastewater from the fashion industry.

D．The way to remove harmful chemicals from the food chain.

4. What does Zero Liquid Discharge require the clothing industry to do?

A．Establish centralized treatment plants.

B．Set a deadline for tackling wastewater.

C．Pay high fines for discharging wastewater.

D．Join international groups to treat wastewater.

10 . 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。

July 2023 was the world’s warmest month on record, with heat waves spreading across North America, Asia and Europe. How to cool the planet     1    (trouble) scientists in the last decades. They are now turning     2     sun-blocking technology, which refers to reflecting sunlight back into space to keep down the temperature of the     3    (planet) climate.

According to Euro news, a European television news network, one idea     4    (involve) pumping sun-blocking particles (粒子) into the upper atmosphere. The particles will then stay in the air and redirect sunshine back upwards. It is like     5    (apply) sunscreen on the outside of Earth. Another very     6    (promise) technique is called “cloud brightening”. This method includes sending sea salt particles into clouds above the sea, making     7    (they) whiter and thus reflect more sunlight back into space.

However, following the report,     8     open letter by more than 60 scientists called for caution and more research first. Kristen Rasmussen, a climate scientist at Colorado State University, US, has been studying     9     these sun-blocking methods will affect rainfall patterns. She said that apart from rainfall, ecosystems and even human     10    (community) will also be affected. “We need to be very cautious on this,” Rasmussen told Scientific American.