1 . Floods can come from multiple sources. It can be a hurricane, failed dam, or overflowing river. The disasters can move quickly.     1     It’s important to know how to keep your family and belongings safe during such an event. Full preparation can put you at ease for its coming.

A flood is simply an event where water overflows a natural area and covers normally dry places. In general, there are two types.     2     The soil in these areas can’t absorb a lot of moisture. The water then rapidly runs off the surface resulting in a torrent (激流) of rapidly moving water. River flooding is when a river overflows its banks due to excessive (过分的) water and the situation can get worse if barriers such as a dam or levee (防洪堤) break as well.

A flood can be caused by many things.     3     Living next to a river, dam, on the coast, or in a low-lying area puts you at risk for flooding.

There is no specific flood season.     4     Any time there is a large amount of rain in a short period, flooding can occur. Man-made and natural disasters can also cause flooding outside of those months. For example, the collapse of a dam can cause a flood. A natural disaster, such as a tsunami, can also cause flooding on a massive scale.

    5     Using existing maps and examining low-lying areas can determine high risk areas for flooding. Moreover, flood warnings are sent out to areas that could experience flooding when there is a large amount of rainfall over a short time.

A．The rising river threatens people’s lives.

B．Floods can be preventable and predictable.

C．Flash floods are more common in dry areas.

D．And sometimes they come with little warning.

E．The weather forecast accurately predicts all disasters.

F．They include severe weather, geography, and other man-made factors.

G．Generally, the period from spring to fall is considered a heightened risk for floods.

2 . The California sea otter (海獭), once hunted to the edge of extinction, has staged a thrilling comeback in the last century. Now, scientists have discovered that the otters’ success story has led to something just as remarkable: the restoration of their declining coastal marsh (沼泽) habitat.

Elkhorn Slough, a coastal marsh within Monterey Bay, had been experiencing severe damage. The root cause was a growing population of shore crabs, which fed heavily on the marsh plants, weakening the structural integrity of the habitat. Coastal marshes like these are not only natural defenses against storm waves but also serve as important carbon storage areas and water-cleaning systems.

The conservation-driven comeback of the sea otter has been crucial. California’s coastlines were once alive with sea otters. Sadly, they were nearly wiped out at the hands of fur traders. In the 1980s, conservation efforts aided these otters in re-occupying large areas of their former range. Now, Elkhorn Slough has the highest concentration of sea otters in California, with a population of about 100. By naturally feasting on crabs, the otters have helped a significant regrowth of plant life. Brent Hughes, a scientist working alongside Angelini, led a three-year study. Their findings were clear: in areas with sea otters, crab numbers fell markedly. This led to a resurgence in plant growth, which in turn stabilized the soil and lowered the rate of soil washing away.

As the sea otter population continues to restore, their positive impact on coastal ecosystems is likely to increase. It not only showcases the sea otter as a central species—a species that has a significant effect on its natural environment—but also highlights the essential nature of top predators (捕食者) in preserving ecological harmony. “My honest reaction was—this could become a classic in the literature,” says scientist Lekelia Jenkins. She reveals marsh restoration also helps people by reducing flooding. “Suddenly, sea otters go from just cute things we like to something that can protect our livelihoods and our properties.”

1. What change did the disappearance of sea otters bring about?

A．Fewer predatory crabs.	B．More coastal plant life.
C．Better water-cleaning effect.	D．Worse coastal ecological balance.

2. What does the underlined word “resurgence” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Barrier.

B．Advancement.

C．Expansion.

D．Revival.

3. What is the author’s purpose in quoting Lekelia Jenkins?

A．To highlight the importance of coastal marshes.

B．To introduce a new research study on sea otters.

C．To demonstrate the practical benefits of sea otters.

D．To emphasize the need for increased conservation efforts.

4. What message is conveyed from sea otters’ impact?

A．The necessity for controlled hunting.

B．The interconnectedness of the ecosystem.

C．The drawbacks of wildlife reintroduction.

D．The need for human intervention in nature.

4 . The oil and gas industry may be emitting about three-times the amount of climate-warming methane than government estimates show, according to a new study from Stanford University, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and other organizations in Nature. Methane (甲烷) is the main component of natural gas and among the greenhouse gases heating the planet, which is produced when extracting crude oil.

Specific measurements varied from a low of less than 1%, or about what the Environmental Protection Agency estimates, at a site in Pennsylvania to a high of nearly 10% in New Mexico. Researchers found the higher percentages of methane released generally had something in common. “These are places where production is mostly focusing on oil,” says Evan Sherwin, a research scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory who conducted the research as a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University. But oil and gas often come out of the ground together, and if there wasn’t a way to transport the less-valuable gas to where it could be sold, leaks were higher.

In Pennsylvania, by contrast, drillers are focused on producing natural gas, and there, very little of the methane was wasted. That complicates an argument many in the industry have made, generally in opposition to tighter government regulations on methane. They say drillers have the incentive to capture gas leaks so they can sell the fossil fuel. But that’s not always possible, if industry hasn’t built the pipelines and other infrastructure to get the gas to consumers. In this study, researchers estimate the industry releases about 6.2 million tons of methane a year, valued at $1.08 billion.

“Emissions of methane from fossil fuel operations remain unacceptably high,” said Tim Gould, chief economist at the International Energy Agency, during a Tuesday call with reporters. The organization’s Global Methane Tracker shows methane from the energy sector was near the record high level in 2023.

Despite that, the IEA concludes that if countries fully implement existing pledges on methane reductions, that would make significant progress toward achieving global climate goals. “2024 could mark a turning point and policies are starting to be put into place. Greater transparency is coming. Awareness is spreading and we have enhanced ability to track large leaks and act quickly to shut them down,” Gould said. Gould said he hopes to have good news to share, about a reduction in methane emissions, next year.

1. What can we infer from paragraph 2?

A．Various measures are taken to restrict the release of methane.

B．The low value of the gas in part leads to the high leak of the methane.

C．The more focused on the production of the gas, the higher the methane release

D．The percentage of methane in developing countries is higher than in developed countries

2. What does the underlined word “incentive” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Equipment.

B．Productivity.

C．Drive.

D．Assessment.

3. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．Caution: Methane emission gives rise to serious global warming.

B．Methane emissions: Oil and gas industry’s hidden impact.

C．Measures taken to cut back on methane emissions.

D．Methane is to blame for the climate change.

4. What is Tim Gould’s attitude toward emissions of methane at present?

A．Critical.

B．Dismissive.

C．Doubtful.

D．Optimistic.

5 . The impact of fast fashion on the environment is significant. Recently Zara, one of the largest fast-fashion retailers (零售商) in the world, put forth a concept that only sustainable fabrics are used in clothing production. But how can Zara ever be sustainable? They produce around 450 million garments (衣服) a year and release 500 new designs a week, about 20,000 a year. Zara’s fast-fashion model has been so successful it has inspired an entire industry to follow them.

Clothing production doubled from 2012 to 2022. The average consumer bought 60 percent more clothing in 2022 than in 2012, but kept each garment half as long. And less than one percent of all clothing produced globally is recycled.

I spend a lot of time reading the corporate social responsibility reports of large brands and interviewing micro-to-small sized enterprises to see how they approach sustainability. The largest significant difference between them is culture.

Small brands focus on creating a culture of sustainability by using strategies like producing made-to-order, so they are not making more than what is sold. Most small brands are opting to work under, an “anti-fashion calendar”. They choose not to follow the intense seasonal calendar that fashion functions under. They do this because waste is one of their biggest concerns. They also design clothing to be of the highest quality, ensuring durability and longevity, so you may keep it longer.

Fast fashion is a “grow or die” business, and the fast-fashion growth model used by all large companies is predicated on limitless growth. Large global corporate retailers are not seeking to change their fundamental business model or create cultures of sustainability. That would require re-working their entire business structure and ultimately hurt their bottom line.

I would start to believe Zara and other large fashion brands had good intentions to fight climate change if they started to look at how to move away from their continuous offerings of weekly new products. They need to introduce alternative sustainable business model practices. One small step could be to offer repair or tailoring services. Tailoring creates clothes that fit perfectly, subsequently increasing their emotional value, so that we love them and keep them longer.

1. What does the author intend to show with the numbers about Zara in paragraph 1?

A．Zara is not eco-friendly.	B．Zara is popular with consumers.
C．Zara is a large fast-fashion retailer.	D．Zara is a success in fashion industry.

2. Which of the following shows a cultural feature of small brands?

A．Designing clothing as needed.	B．Designing clothing seasonably.
C．Producing clothing as needed.	D．Producing clothing seasonably.

3. What does the underlined part “bottom line” in paragraph 5 relate to?

A．The fast-fashion retailers.	B．The profits from fast fashion.
C．The culture of sustainability.	D．The relationship with consumers.

4. What does the last paragraph focus on?

A．How to make consumers love their clothes.

B．How to make consumers buy less clothing.

C．How large fashion brands offer weekly new products.

D．How large fashion brands improve their services.

6 . Scientists have found a new way to break down a group of harmful chemicals very hard to get rid of. The discovery could help solve a dangerous and growing problem — how to clean up the pollution of “forever chemicals”.

The group of chemicals known as PFAS (全氟烷基物) are pretty amazing. They’re non-stick, waterproof, and oil proof. They don’t burn easily or dissolve (溶解) in water. So scientists got really excited when they were discovered. Businesses started putting PFAS in all sorts of products, from non-stick pans to waterproof clothes, and from fire-fighting spray to carpets that resist stains. Even things like food wrappers and floss for cleaning your teeth contain PFAS chemicals.

But after a while, scientists realized the same things that made the chemicals useful also caused a real problem — PFAS doesn’t break down in nature. It doesn’t dissolve in water or bum. Not even bacteria can break PFAS down. No wonder these chemicals are known as “forever chemicals”.

As a result, PFAS chemicals surge in the environment. The chemicals are found in air, water, and dirt around the world — and in animals and people. In the US, 97% of humans have PFAS in their blood.

Luckily, scientists in the US have now found a way to break down some PFAS chemicals. Their solution requires boiling PFAS with two other very common chemicals. These chemicals can be found in just about any laboratory.

Dr. Brittany Trang, one of the scientists involved, said she didn’t even want to test the idea at first. “I thought it was too simple,” she said. But the process worked.

The research involved 10 types of PFAS, including two of the most common kinds. That’s a big step. But there are over 12,000 different kinds of PFAS. It’s important to note that the new method can only break down PFAS chemicals that have already been collected. Figuring out how to remove PFAS chemicals from the environment and collect them remains a huge challenge.

1. What can we infer about PFAS chemicals from paragraph 2?

A．Scientists were so excited to invent them.

B．They were environmentally friendly at first.

C．They are really widely used in our daily life.

D．They have more advantages than disadvantages.

2. What does the underlined word “surge” in paragraph 4 refer to?

A．Increase fast.

B．Float everywhere.

C．Extend fully.

D．React quickly.

3. What does the author think of dealing with PFAS chemicals?

A．It’s already too late to get rid of them.

B．There’s still a long way to go about it.

C．The new method is too simple to work well.

D．It’s impossible to get them removed from the environment.

4. Which is the best title for the text?

A．Say Goodbye to Forever Chemicals

B．PFAS Chemicals Are a Two-edged Sword

C．PFAS Chemicals Will Remain a Challenge for Long

D．Scientists Find a Way to Break down Forever Chemicals

7 . Growing up in Kenya, Lesein Mutunkei, together with his family, always celebrated significant occasions by planting trees, which motivated him to protect the environment. It’s what the now 18-year-old soccer player treasures, especially since Kenya has an ongoing problem with deforestation.

Mutunkei follows in the footsteps of the late Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai who founded the Green Belt Movement in 1977. This initiative has resulted in the planting of over 51 million trees to date.

In 2018, Lesein decided to start a movement of his own. He started by planting one tree for every goal he scored during a football match. He called it Trees4Goals, and it has grown so much that he now plants 11 trees, one for each member of his team, every time he scores. Through this, he wants to inspire young people, specifically his fellow athletes, to follow in his footsteps, take nature conservation seriously, and promise to plant trees every time they score. As a result, some of them have adapted this practice for their sports. “Seeing that they’re taking that responsibility because of the project I started, for me, that is the biggest achievement,” he said.

The initiative has caught the attention of English football club Arsenal and Kenya’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry, which he now works with regularly and gets advice from.

Like Green Belt Movement, Trees4Goals, which has planted 5,500 trees so far, has made it. While Lesein has received some recognition for his initiative, he sets his sights on making it a worldwide phenomenon. “Football is a universal game, and climate change is a universal problem,” he explains. “It has the power to unite, educate and inspire my generation to create a safer and greener future.” This is why he wants to work with the world’s biggest football federation FIFA.

As for what others can do to fight deforestation or other environmental concerns, the teenager says it’s important to just get involved in some way, no matter how small.

1. What made Lesein get interested in environmental protection?

A．The influence of his family.

B．Wangari Maathai’s huge assistances.

C．The demand of the football team.

D．His fellow athletes’ encouragement.

2. Why did Lesein found Trees4Goals?

A．To gain Kenya’s support.

B．To set an example for others.

C．To catch Arsenal’s attention.

D．To show his achievements.

3. What is Lesein’s hope for the future of Trees4Goals?

A．Promoting football’s development.

B．Going global with the help of FIFA.

C．Beating climate change completely.

D．Getting beyond Green Belt Movement.

4. What can we learn from Lesein’s story?

A．Fame is a great thirst of the young.

B．A youth is to be regarded with respect.

C．Positive thinking and action result in success.

D．Success means getting personal desires satisfied.

8 . On December 16, 2023, the first section of Maya Train officially opened, which runs between Campeche and Cancún, carrying up to 231 passengers across 290 miles and stopping at 14 train stations.

Built as an ambitious effort to promote tourism and boost Mexico’s economy, the rail system connects the major cities and tourist regions of the Yucatán Peninsula-from Cancún’s beaches to Tulum’s archaeological (考古的) wonders. Once the project is completed, the entire rail system will link tourist destinations across five states. However, environmentalists and archaeologists argue that the train route will cause great damage to the environment and ancient Mayan sites.

The Maya Train passes through six UNESCO World Heritage sites, and thousands of archaeological sites. One particular area of concern is the Calakmul biosphere reserve, which is home to many endangered species, such as jaguars and over 500 other animal species. The train lines, more than 60 meters wide, could act as artificial barriers that may limit the movement of these animals within the reserve, making it difficult for them to move around and access food and water sources.

Opponents also express safety concerns. Certain sections of the rail system will be built right on top of the aquifer’s (地下水层的) most fragile points of contact with the surface. “It’s like wanting to build over eggshells, says Guillermo Christy, a water treatment consultant.” Putting trains weighing thousands of tons on top could cause the underground caves to crash down. To construct the train infrastructure (基础设施) also requires driving long piles deep into the ground, which poses a big threat to this fragile ecosystem and leads to water shortages.

In the ongoing debate of Maya Train, it is crucial to consider the delicate balance between economic development and environmental preservation. While Maya Train may provide economic benefits, we must not overlook the potential environmental and cultural losses, as well as the safety risks it may bring. Achieving harmony between progress and conservation may be a significant challenge for the project, but we must take into account the long-term consequences of our actions.

1. What do we know about the Maya Train project?

A．It consumes lots of labor in Mexico.

B．It was completed on December 16, 2023.

C．It has concerned some professionals.

D．It blocks the development of local tourism.

2. What is the effect of the train lines on the animals in the reserve?

A．They disturb their sleeping patterns.	B．They restrict their activities.
C．They pollute their water sources.	D．They engage their enemies to the area.

3. Why does the author mention “eggshells” in paragraph 4?

A．To show the difficulty of constructing the rail lines.

B．To prove the urgency of protecting the fragile ecosystem.

C．To explain the reasons for water shortages along the railway.

D．To stress the potential harm of Maya Train to the aquifer system.

4. Which statement would the author probably agree with?

A．Preserving cultural sites requires strong financial support.

B．It is time to speed up the construction process of Maya Train.

C．Economic development should not come at the expense of the environment.

D．We should prize the economic benefits of the project in the long run.

10 . Omar Vazquez grew up in poverty on Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula. He watched his single mother struggle to put food on the table, and today the memory inspires him to help those in need. When an invasive (入侵的) seaweed called sargassum showed up on Mexico’s Caribbean beaches, Omar looked past the matter of it all and saw an opportunity to help others.

Sargassum is not dangerous, but it has an unpleasant smell and can become so thick that it keeps people from entering the water. Mexico has experienced record-setting amounts of the seaweed in recent years, and it has made its way to Florida’s beaches as well. Experts say there could be as much as 100 tons of sargassum blocking Mexican shorelines in 2023.

With tourism dollars at risk, officials and locals alike were eager to remove the seaweed, but only Omar saw its true potential. The professional gardener organized a beach cleanup that provided jobs for about 300 local families, but he knew there was more to do. Since people’s attitude towards the seaweed reminded him of his own life experiences, he decided to become an agent (推动者) for change.

When sargassum started arriving, everyone was complaining. “I wanted to make something good out of something everyone saw as bad,” Omar explained.

In 2018, Omar found a way to turn sargassum into building blocks that he calls Sargablock. He creates these blocks by mixing 40% sargassum with other materials like clay, then putting them in a block-forming machine and baking them in the sun for days. The end result is an organic, sustainable, and ecologically friendly building material that experts say could last for 120 years.

To date, Omar’s company, Bluegreen Mexico, has used 700 tons of sargassum to build low-income housing for those in need. Omar said he would take on more projects, and donate more houses to single mothers like his own mom.

1. What can be learned from paragraph 1?

A．Omar’s family often assisted people in need.

B．Sargassum originated on the Caribbean beaches.

C．Omar’s experience in childhood has influenced him much.

D．Omar has met a lot of generous people since he was young.

2. How did most people react to the increasing sargassum?

A．They didn’t take it seriously.	B．They were anxious to clear it up.
C．They viewed it as new materials.	D．They were excited to see a grand scene.

3. Which words can best describe Omar?

A．Honest and ambitious.	B．Strong-willed and confident.
C．Quick-thinking and humorous.	D．Sympathetic and innovative.

4. What does the author mainly want to tell us through Omar’s success?

A．It’s never too old to learn.	B．Love shines every dark corner.
C．Solutions can be obtained from problems.	D．Heroes arise from humble beginnings.