3 . Invasive species cost the world at least $423 billion every year as they drive plant and animal extinction, threaten food security and worsen environmental catastrophes globally, as a new UN-backed report has found. Human activities — often travel or global trade — are spreading animals, plants and other organisms in new regions, with 200 new alien species being recorded every year.

An alien species becomes invasive when it establishes itself in a new area and creates a negative impact on the local biodiversity and ecosystems. Numerous examples include lionfish impacting local fisheries in the Caribbean, and the giant African land snail taking over villages on Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean.

Once an invasive species takes hold, the impacts can be disastrous. The dried-out non-native grasses and shrubs in Hawaii helped fuel the devastating Maui wildfire, one of the deadliest wildfires in modern US history. “Although the specific species that cause damages vary from place to place,” said Anibal Pauchard, co-author of the report, “there are risks and challenges faced by people in every country and in every community — even Antarctica is being affected.”

The climate crisis will only amplify the threat of invasive species, the report said. As well as flammable (易燃的) invasive plants sparking and spreading wildfires, climate change is enabling invasive species to move north — even to remote areas like high mountains and deserts.

But there’s hope. Preventing the arrival of new species into new regions is the best way to manage threats from invasive species. This includes strict import controls and early warning systems to detect and respond to alien species. For invasive species that have already taken hold, eradication (根除) is a useful tool, especially on islands, according to scientists.

1. What do we know about the spread of invasive species from the report?

A．It is a new trend.	B．It costs lots of food.
C．Its speed is fast.	D．Its process is complex.

2. What can be implied from Pauchard’s words?

A．Invasive species are sometimes deadly.

B．Invasive species are responsible for wildfires.

C．The damages caused by different species vary.

D．The impacts of invasive species can be extensive.

3. Which is closest in meaning to “amplify” in paragraph 4?

A．Increase.

B．Analyze.

C．Improve.

D．Apply.

4. What might be scientists’ attitude to controlling invasive species?

A．Conservative.

B．Optimistic.

C．Worried.

D．Skeptical.

4 . 听下面一段对话，根据你所听到的内容判断以下句子是否正确，正确选A，错误选B。
1. According to the news, the town was hit by a severe earthquake.
2. About 3 thousand people died and more than 10 thousand people got injured in the earthquake.
3. They are going to donate money and also send relief supplies to the stricken area.
4. They decide to look for ways to offer help through the Internet.
5. The man feels upset about the disaster.

5 . Two and a half months before the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season officially begins, forecasters have already predicted and warned that warm sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic and the development of a La Niña in the Pacific may create a “perfect storm” of the conditions needed for major hurricanes.

Key to the formation of any tropical cyclone (气旋) is the combination of warm ocean temperatures and the absence of what is known as wind shear. Alex DaSilva, a forecaster, explains that wind shear occurs when wind changes direction and speed at different heights in the atmosphere. When there’s much wind shear, it essentially knocks over those clouds and prevents tropical systems from really becoming stronger. Besides, hurricanes also need surface water to be at a temperature of 26 degrees Celsius or higher. That warm water, and the warm air just above it, provides fuel for the storm. The record data for February are 1.2 degrees Celsius above normal.

Over periods ranging from three to seven years, the waters of the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean alternately (交替地) warm and cool as a result of a repeatedly occurring climate pattern called the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). During an El Niño, sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific increase, and those warmer temperatures affect the path of the Pacific jet stream, which in turn brings drier, warmer weather to the northern United States and Canada, and wetter conditions to the Gulf Coast and southeast. El Niño reduces the possibility of Atlantic hurricane formation because it lowers hurricane activity and increases wind shear. La Niña has just the opposite effect of El Niño. During the 2023 season, ENSO was in an El Niño phase. By the time the 2024 season starts, it is likely to have shifted fully into a La Niña.

“If a tropical storm system comes into this area, it could rapidly intensify, potentially close to land,” DaSilva cautions. “And that’s why people need to be on alert and have their hurricane plans ready. Because any system with these kinds of conditions can explode very quickly. That’s what we’re concerned about.”

1. Where can you probably read this article?

A．www.huffpost.com/entertainment/

B．www.bbc.com/innovation/science

C．www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/

D．www.nytimes.com/spotlight/global-culture-sports

2. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．The explanation of wind shear.

B．The timing of the hurricane season.

C．The process of hurricane formation.

D．The reason for warmer surface water.

3. How can a La Niña affect the formation of hurricanes?

A．Generate less wind shear.

B．More rainfall in the Gulf Coast.

C．Block the path of the Pacific jet stream.

D．Higher temperature in the northern America.

4. What is the purpose of writing this article?

A．To report the hurricane-struck areas.

B．To remind people of getting prepared.

C．To introduce some geographic knowledge.

D．To explain the features of El Niño and La Niña.

7 . 2024 年 8 月 15 日是第二个“全国生态日（National Ecology Day）”，你校目前正为此筹备各种活动。假如你是李华，你的好朋友 Alan 对此非常好奇。请你给他写一封回信，要点如下：
1.介绍活动；
2.你的看法；
3.欢迎他参加。
注意：
1. 词数 80 词左右；
2. 开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数；
3. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Alan,

I’m excited to tell you about the campus activities to celebrate the second National Ecology Day on August 15, 2024.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Best regards,

Li Hua

9 . 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。

Citizens Forest is a young organization from northern Germany. Its small team helps people in     1     (vary) places to plant forests in the city. The principle is very simple: citizens look locally to see if there are any small, unused areas     2    are possible to be reforested (重新造林). The areas do not have to be large. A “Tiny Forest” can be created from as little as 60m². The organization     3     (provide) support with planning, talks with the authorities involved and shows everyone involved what is possible.

The model is a sure-fire success. There are motivated people and companies everywhere     4     (long) to get involved. Until now, around 30 projects     5     (carry) out and 500 more are planned to be launched over the next three years. The aim of Citizens Forests is     6     (establish) a Germany-wide network of local reforestation projects. They also hope to make reforestation     7    normal part of social life in the future.

Tiny Forests are more than just woodlands     8     nature and people, they also helps create natural biotopes (生物栖息地) with a variety of plant and animal     9     (species) . In addition, Citizens Forests also makes efforts to promote environmental education, which as a result raises people’s     10     (aware) of environmental protection.