1. What is the woman’s grandma doing?
| A．Working in the field. | B．Making breakfast. | C．Planting vegetables. |
| A．About 100. | B．About 200. | C．About 300. |
| A．An old one. | B．A modern one. | C．A fashionable one. |
2 . Against huge odds, Shikuku Ooko is fighting to save the last remaining ancient forest. When he was in his early 20s, Shikuku Ooko was deeply taken with the Afro-Alpine forests of central Kenya. So much so that he decided to buy 15 acres of woods next to Mount Kenya National Park & Reserve. More than 30 years later Mr. Ooko’s home is one of the few plots still filled with native trees and plants. In contrast, much of the national park has been heavily logged.
The Mount Kenya region is remote and delicate, which makes it difficult to safeguard. Though the Kenya Forest Service has made sustainably managing all public forest plantations its second priority, the burden of conservation has fallen on the shoulders of local individuals such as Mr. Ooko.
In recent years, herders (牧民) have even built animal pens within legally protected areas. “It’s a bit of an annoying sight,” Mr. Ooko says, “when foreign visitors have to pay a high fee to enter the park but then come across huge herds of sheep and cattle in the delicate environment. The laws protecting that environment are in place, but they are insufficiently enforced because rangers (护林员) at each gate are limited.”.
When he’s at home in Naro Moru, Mr. Ooko advocates for tree planting, particularly among kids. “It’s something I grew up doing,” he explains. “When I was young, my dad would give all of us 10young trees to plant and take care of. Somehow, he knew the connections between trees and climate changes.”
It’s a practice Mr. Ooko has kept alive despite continuous challenges with climate and cattle; it is not uncommon for sheep and cattle to destroy the young trees that he and his young friends have planted. “We just keep going,” he says. “It’s something I value, and I think we should plant more.”
1. What can we know about Mr. Ooko’s woods?| A．They were purchased 20 years ago. | B．They suffer from heavy logging. |
| C．They have conserved much wildlife. | D．They have been well protected. |
| A．Because herders need to save cattle. | B．Because herders need wood for fire. |
| C．Because there are too many visitors. | D．Because there aren’t enough rangers. |
| A．He never raises sheep and cattle. | B．He was influenced by his father. |
| C．He donated his woods to the park. | D．He has made a fortune by planting. |
| A．The Challenges from Climate Changes | B．The Introduction to Mount Kenya Park |
| C．The Fight to Save Mount Kenya’s Forests | D．The Connection between People and Nature |
3 . It’s Community Day again!
The event that Map le Estate residents are eagerly looking forward to is just around the corner! As usual, the Map le Residents’ Committee has planned a programme that is designed to promote community spirit. Maple Estate has been celebrating Community Day every month for more than a year. By now, we hope all our residents understand the importance of forming strong bonds with our neighbours. If you have just moved to our lovely estate and have not had the opportunity to know your neighbours, you can do so by joining at Community Day!
August Highlight: Map le Estate Chefs Call all residents who are keen to practice your cooking skills and let your neighbours sample your cooking! You will be the stars of the upcoming event! Visit www.maplerc.sg for more information and to register for this activity. Kitchen equipment and basic ingredients will be provided. You will receive a $50 shopping voucher that you can use to purchase other ingredients from MapleMart the day before the event. Remember to register before 21 July, 2024! We are sure everyone will enjoy the delicious dishes! Time: From 10 a.m.to 6 p.m,6 Aug.,2024 Place: Maple Community Club Entry: Flash your Maple Resident Card |
“My wife and I moved to Maple Estate when we got married. For a few months, we spent all our free time after work doing up our house. Even though we knew that our neighbours were friendly and would sometimes invite us for their gatherings, we were occupied with getting things ready. However, it wasn’t long before we grew curious about the Community Day celebrations. After we started attending them regularly, we met many neighbours. The first time we invited some of them over, we played games that helped us to get to know one another better!”
—Mr. Wang, a Maple Estate resident since 2022
1. What do the Community Day events aim to do?| A．To teach how to cook meals. | B．To develop community spirit. |
| C．To meet diverse needs of neighbours. | D．To make the community cleaner. |
| A．To sign up before 21 July , 2024. | B．To provide basic ingredients. |
| C．To use your own kitchen equipment. | D．To pay a registration fee of $50. |
| A．they spent all their time at work |
| B．they weren’t invited for the gatherings |
| C．they were busy beautifying their home |
| D．they lacked information about the community |
1. Which car has got its back damaged?
| A．The white car. | B．The black car. | C．The red car. |
| A．Take the injured to hospital. | B．Call the ambulance. | C．Ask the police for help. |
1. When does the conversation probably take place?
| A．At the end of a term. | B．In the middle of a term. | C．At the beginning of a term. |
| A．Inviting a famous actor to the party. |
| B．Playing some good music at the party. |
| C．Asking everyone to dress up at the party. |
| A．What clothes to wear. | B．What games to organize. | C．What competitions to have. |
| A．Pizza. | B．Bread. | C．Fried chicken. |
6 . Dublin is one of Europe’s smaller capital cities, but it has an outsized number of places to see. Here’s a decent sampling of the great attractions that await when you come to Dublin to play.
National Gallery of Ireland
Ireland is a country known for its literary contributions, but don’t overlook its contributions to the artistic world. It houses a number of works by Rembrandt, Goya and Monet. The collection’s 15,000 Irish and European works date from the 13th to mid-20th centuries and include paintings, prints and national portraits (肖像). Particularly prized is the Yeats Collection, consisting of works and other materials related to Irish painter Jack B. Yeats, brother of poet and playwright W. B. Yeats.
Ha’penny Bridge
This modest cast-iron bridge over the River Liffey has become the symbol of Dublin, with its wonderful design and old-fashioned lampposts. Before it became a tourist attraction,
Ha’Penny Bridge was a welcome addition for local people. Before its construction, most of them had to ferry (摆渡) across the river. When it was built in 1816, Ha’penny Bridge was the first iron bridge across the Liffey.
Dublin Castle
You’re in Europe. It’s hard to resist a good castle. And you have one right in the heart of Dublin. And like all good castles, it has a storied history—from its start in the 1200s on the site of a Viking settlement to 1922, when it was handed over to the new Irish government after independence from the United Kingdom. A fire in 1684 damaged a good bit of the castle, and in reconstruction, parts of it took on the look of a Georgian palace, making for an interesting mix of styles today.
St. Stephen’s Green
As a treasured part of the city for centuries, the park, which is in the heart of Dublin, has important sculptures of major figures in Irish history and well-maintained Victorian grounds in the center. A variety of trees line the perimeter (周边) to help block city noise, and it’s a haven for birds as well as people.
1. What can visitors see in National Gallery of Ireland?| A．W. B. Yeats’ collection of poems. |
| B．Works about painter Jack B. Yeats. |
| C．Over 15,000 European literary works. |
| D．Irish paintings dating from the 11th century. |
| A．Attracting foreign visitors. | B．Offering shelter to ferrymen. |
| C．Replacing a cast-iron bridge. | D．Helping people cross a river. |
| A．They feature a variety of rare birds. |
| B．They are not well-maintained at present. |
| C．They are located in the center of Dublin. |
| D．They take on the look of a Georgian palace. |
1. Who helped the woman arrange her accommodation?
| A．Her father. | B．The man’s relatives. | C．The man’s friends. |
| A．Athens. | B．Istanbul. | C．New York. |
| A．It’s more modern. | B．It’s more relaxed. | C．It’s more beautiful. |
| A．It is a little noisy. | B．It is very European. | C．It has many museums. |
1. What did the speakers do last week?
| A．They sent the Smiths to hospital. |
| B．They visited the Smiths’ daughter. |
| C．They expressed thanks to the Smiths. |
| A．At the hospital. | B．At school. | C．At home. |
9 . Several years ago, a worldwide heavy rain was predicted, but no one got prepared for what was to come. Then, some areas received over 100 mm of rain. Cars and trucks floated down the streets. Whole buildings were swept away. At least 225 people lost their lives, and millions became homeless.
The weather is always changing. Over the past few years, heavy rains have led to floods in many parts of the world. Droughts have taken place in Brazil and Australia. There have been heat waves in Europe which killed thousands. There have been more powerful hurricanes and tornadoes than ever before. In 2017 alone, the financial cost from global weather events was up to 340 billion dollars.
With more wild weather events happening, people couldn’t help asking questions: What is happening with the weather? And why? Is this natural, or our fault? The answer seems to be: a little of both. Wild weather is natural. But most scientists hold the same view that human activity has made the Earth warmer. It is this global warming that makes heat waves more likely. The higher temperatures also result in more water to go into the air, which causes heavier and more frequent rain. Many scientists also believe global warming makes hurricanes and other storms stronger.
This means we’re likely to see more wild weather. “But we don’t have to just stand there and accept it,” says scientist Michael. He and other experts say we need to stop the Earth from getting warmer. We also need to be prepared, to do things that will help save lives.
1. What’s the main idea of the first paragraph?| A．A past weather event happened in some areas in the world. |
| B．Some facts are listed about the global warming. |
| C．A number of recent weather events happened over the world. |
| D．Wild weather is partly the result of human activity. |
| A．By giving a lot of examples of recent wild weather events. |
| B．By describing a serious flood that once happened. |
| C．By predicting how the weather will change in a few years. |
| D．By comparing the former wild weather with what happened now |
| A．People can not do anything to prevent wild weather. |
| B．If people stop global warming, the weather will be better. |
| C．It is too late to stop global warming. |
| D．People have to stand by and accept what will happen to us. |
| A．In a tourist brochure | B．In a research paper |
| C．In a science fiction | D．In a nature magazine |
10 . WHY SHENNONGJIA?
As we know, in 2016, Shennongjia made it on to the UNESCO World Heritage List. But there are so many important places not yet on this list. So you might ask: why Shennongjia?
UNESCO awarded Shennongjia this status because it meets two criteria required by the list. It contains a naturally-balanced environment that allows the many and various species to live and prosper. It is also one of the rare locations in the world where scientists can observe in real time the ecological and biological processes that occur as the plants and animals develop and evolve.
For the first criterion, Shennongjia is apparently one of the most “complete” natural areas in the world. The region rises from about 400 metres to over 3, 000 metres above sealevel, giving it the name the “Roof of Central China”.
For the second criterion, we can see that Shennongjia has incredible biodiversity. Look at this slide. According to official statistics, over 3, 000 plant species have been recorded there. This represents more than ten percent of China’s total floral richness.
It is a challenge to look after so many species. In winter, scientists brave heavy snow and freezing temperatures to supply food to the Golden Snub-nosed Monkey. Thanks to their efforts, the monkey’s population has doubled since the 1980s.Their number reached over 1, 300 in 2015 and continues to grow.
But the most impressive aspect of Shennongjia is the local people, who take things from nature without causing damage. I visited a local village which is known for its home-made honey. What is special about the honey is that it is produced by the earliest species of Chinese bee. All of this explains why Shennongjia earned—and deserves—its place on the UNESCO World Heritage List, as well as highlighting how understanding, awareness and hard work have contributed towards protecting a unique and wonderful part of our natural world.
1. Why is Shennongjia included in the UNESCO World Heritage List?| A．Because its forests stretch on and on like great green seas. |
| B．Because it is the legendary father of Chinese herbal medicine. |
| C．Because it satisfies the two requirements for the status. |
| D．Because it has the mysterious creature called “Yeren”. |
| A．Roof of Central China | B．Roof of Northern China |
| C．Roof of Eastern China | D．Roof of Southern China |
| A．Patient. | B．Careful. | C．Confident. | D．Hard-working. |
| A．A local village. | B．The local people. |
| C．Some special monkeys. | D．The wild bees. |
