1 . Since the African Union first launched Great Green Wall in 2007, the initiative has struggled to make headway. Made up of local efforts across 11 countries, it has reached just 16% of its overall goal. But last month, the project, which analysts estimate will cost at least $30 billion, got a major boost: a total of $14 billion in funding over the next 5 years from a union of international development banks and governments.

Environmental restoration and community development specialists welcomed the news. But many are also apprehensive. In recent years, research by ecologists and social scientists has shown that many forestry projects in Africa have failed because they didn’t adequately address fundamental social and ecological issues.

The project leaders often planted species in places where they didn’t belong, and did little to help the young trees survive. “Tree planting is often viewed as the simple act of digging a hole,” forest scientist Karen Holl said. “But this short-term view has resulted in large quantities of money being spent on efforts that have failed almost entirely.”

In Africa, the adoption of one approach called Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), is credited with regreening a notable portion of the Sahel. The low-cost restoration technique took off in Niger in the 1980s and has since spread to other nations. It relies on farmers to protect and nurture trees that grow from existing root systems and seeds in the soil. Over decades, FMNR has led to greater tree cover and other ecological benefits, such as higher soil carbon content, researchers have found.

But many efforts, particularly those not led by local communities, stumble (蹒跚而行). Newly planted trees can die of neglect when planners don’t engage communities from the start in discussions about which species to plant, as well as whether residents are willing and able to provide the water, fertilizer, and protection from grazing animals that trees need. “The farmers are often busy and have their own priorities; they will not manage trees that they do not value,” forest specialist Abayneh Derero wrote in a study.

1. What is the good news for Great Green Wall?

A．It will get more funds.	B．It will be completed soon.
C．More countries will build it.	D．More scientists will study it.

2. What should the forestry project leaders do to get success?

A．Address their own issues properly.

B．Help young African people survive.

C．Act according to the local conditions.

D．Learn how to dig holes and plant trees.

3. Why is FMNR mentioned in the text?

A．To analyse a different reason	B．To offer a practicable solution.
C．To present a social background.	D．To explain a similar phenomenon.

4. What does the last paragraph stress about the forestry project?

A．It’s vital to protect trees from animals.

B．The farmers have their own priorities.

C．The residents’ abilities need developing.

D．Local people’s involvement is important.

2 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Where are the speakers?

A．In a car.

B．In an airport.

C．In a hotel.

2. What is the man like?

A．Old and beardless.

B．Young and black-haired.

C．White-haired and bearded.

3. What does the man always carry on business trips?

A．A big bag.

B．A backpack.

C．A suitcase.

4. What is the man allowed to do according to the woman?

A．Drive the car.

B．Change the room.

C．Move to another hotel.

3 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What are Jack and Alice doing probably?

A．Having a picnic.

B．Reading books.

C．Learning in the hospital.

2. What do we know about Jack?

A．He majors in medicine.

B．He has graduated from university.

C．He is teaching at Harvard University.

4 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

It was an extraordinary day in the heart of the Nepalese Himalayas, where nature’s grandeur unfolded in every direction. The sun shone high in the sky, casting a golden glow over the grand mountain range. The air was crisp and clean, filled with the smells of pine and earth, while the views were breathtaking, with snow-capped peaks towering above us and thick green forests spreading out below.

Our group, a band of adventurous souls bound by friendship and shared enthusiasm for exploration, walked excitedly along the winding trails, all eager to explore the unknown and embrace the challenge of the mountains. We were making our way through the forest, the sun shining through the leaves cast dancing patterns on the ground, when we heard a scary cry for help. Our hearts skipped a beat, and we quickly followed the sound, our footsteps becoming more urgent as we realized the seriousness of the situation. We soon found a young woman struggling on the edge of a steep cliff. She had slipped and was hanging insecurely by a branch, her face filled with terror and desperation.

Without hesitation, I rushed to her side, ignoring the danger that lay before me. Grabbing a rope from my backpack, which I had fortunately prepared before, I tied it securely around myself and handed the other end to my friends, whose hands locked tight, forming an unbreakable human anchor. I carefully edged my way down the cliff, feeling the sharpness of the rocks beneath my feet.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。

Reaching the woman, I promised her that we would get her back to safety.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Once on solid ground, we all hugged and celebrated our successful rescue.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 . On a summer evening in 2014, my wife and I encountered a sad scene during our trip to the grocery store. A man, who was incapable of ________ mental function, wrapped himself with an old advertisement banner (横幅) as________in the bad weather. Although he seemed unresponsive to our inquiries, his circumstance________us deeply, inspiring my wife’s suggestion to buy him_________.

We bought some bread and returned, but he wasn’t there. We felt disappointed. Soon we found that he had________ a family of migrant laborers who were camping nearby. To our surprise, the family did not ________ his presence but warmly treated him like one of their own. They________their humble meal around an open fire, ensuring that the man’s plate remained________. Observing this act of genuine________and compassion, we felt________ for having missed the chance to directly________ the man ourselves, but________ the selfless nature of the migrant family. Poor as they were, they demonstrated________ by sharing everything they had with someone in need.

Moved by their actions, we________the loaf of bread near the man and departed, realizing that true giving is about more than________ needs; it’s about extending empathy and solidarity (团结) to others, regardless of personal wealth or status.

1.

A．normal

B．actual

C．foolish

D．deep

2.

A．amusement

B．protection

C．medicine

D．treatment

3.

A．encouraged

B．defeated

C．touched

D．angered

4.

A．food

B．clothes

C．water

D．toys

5.

A．left

B．joined

C．supported

D．discovered

6.

A．appreciate

B．mind

C．evaluate

D．observe

7.

A．cooked

B．ordered

C．watched

D．shared

8.

A．full

B．healthful

C．available

D．reachable

9.

A．cruelty

B．distance

C．kindness

D．patience

10.

A．satisfied

B．annoyed

C．relieved

D．disappointed

11.

A．help

B．protect

C．inform

D．comfort

12.

A．protested

B．admired

C．reflected

D．recommended

13.

A．diligence

B．patience

C．responsibility

D．generosity

14.

A．picked up

B．checked out

C．put down

D．showed off

15.

A．political

B．mental

C．material

D．financial

6 . Find the learning style that suits you best

To succeed academically, you need to be productive. To be productive, you need to find a suitable learning style. Whether it’s for everyday learning or revising for exams, the learning style that helps you achieve maximum productivity will be crucial.     1    

Note-taking

Note-taking can include copying out passages of books or summarizing concepts on notecards.     2     The problem with note-taking is that it’s all too easy simply to copy out what someone else says without really taking it in.

    3    

Sometimes you might find that you learn things more easily if you have to explain a concept to someone else. This is because in order to explain something clearly to someone else, you have to have a thorough grasp of it yourself. For example, giving a presentation to fellow students will require you first to have an excellent understanding of the topic and then to put together materials from which the others can learn.

Learning by doing

This method means that rather than reading things in books, try to experience things in real life.     4     Experiencing things practically gives your brain something concrete to remember, so you will absorb the information more easily.

Tests and mock exams (模拟考试)

    5     If you’re the sort of person who benefits from these sorts of challenges, you could try asking your teacher, parents or study buddies to set a mock exam to test what you’ve learned on a particular topic.

A．Explaining to others

B．Diagrams and mind maps

C．If so, visual methods of learning might suit you best.

D．Here are some common learning styles and choose one that suits you best!

E．Some people like them because they provide strong motivation to succeed.

F．It’s a classic learning method, but may not be the best way for everyone to learn.

G．For example, you could conduct a scientific experiment or observe how a chemical reaction works.

7 . A nurse named Aly Hogarth has reunited with a mother and daughter at the same hospital ship 30 years after saving their lives.

In 1993, Ms Hogarth was touring a hospital ship in Sierra Leone when she knew that a patient Catherine Conteh needed a Caesarean section (剖腹产手术), but she couldn’t _____ it. Ms Hogarth contacted her colleagues and they paid for the 170 surgery, so that Catherine’s daughter, Regina, could be _____. Later, Ms Hogarth volunteered to take care of her in the hospital, _____ her wound and teaching her how to feed the baby. In this way Ms Hogarth formed a _____ with the mother and the baby, but they lost _____ when she returned home to New Zealand.

Ms Hogarth, now 52, volunteered for charity Mercy Ships. Surprisingly, she _____ Catherine and Regina at the same hospital ship. They both became nurses, inspired by Ms Hogarth, and Regina now has a child of her own.

Ms Hogarth said, “To see Catherine in person again, it’s very unreal really. It’s not something I _____ expected until we made contact again. For me, I felt _____ at the moment when we met and didn’t know how to react.” “We just cried and cried,” Catherine said. “Regina and I would have died without Ms Hogarth’s pure love.”

“It’s really _____ to see Catherine again,” Ms Hogarth shared. “I thought about her every time I told that story for the last 30 years. I know it was a significant time — realizing that you can make a real ______ by doing something.”

1.

A．cancel

B．bear

C．afford

D．accept

2.

A．examined

B．delivered

C．adopted

D．attended

3.

A．receiving

B．removing

C．dressing

D．discovering

4.

A．habit

B．tradition

C．plan

D．bond

5.

A．touch

B．control

C．hope

D．direction

6.

A．called on

B．came across

C．looked after

D．kept off

7.

A．ever

B．still

C．even

D．just

8.

A．inspired

B．disappointed

C．concerned

D．excited

9.

A．impossible

B．amazing

C．challenging

D．simple

10.

A．effort

B．commitment

C．decision

D．difference

8 . 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。

Heatherwick Studio recently built a greenhouse at the edge of the National Trust’s Woolbeding Gardens. This beautiful structure, named Glasshouse, is at the centre of a new garden that shows how the Silk Road influences English gardens even in modern times.

The latest     1     (engineer) techniques are applied to create this protective     2     (function) structure that is also beautiful. The design features ten steel “sepals (萼片)” made of glass and aluminium (铝). These sepals open on warm days     3     (give) the inside plants sunshine and fresh air. In cold weather, the structure stays     4     (close) to protect the plants.

Further, the Silk Route Garden around the greenhouse     5     (walk) visitors through a journey influenced by the ancient Silk Road, by which silk as well as many plant species came to Britain for     6     first time. These plants included modern Western     7     (favourite) such as rosemary, lavender and fennel. The garden also contains a winding path that guides visitors through the twelve regions of the Silk Road. The path offers over 300 plant species for visitors to see, too.

The Glasshouse stands     8     a great achievement in contemporary design, to house the plants of the southwestern part of China at the end of a path retracing (追溯) the steps along the Silk Route     9     brought the plants from their native habitat in Asia to come to define much of the     10     (rich) of gardening in England.

9 . Not all great writers are great spellers. If you want to be published, it's vital to submit a perfect, professionally presented manuscript (原稿).     1     No editor is likely to tolerate a writer who does not take the trouble to spell words correctly.

I keep two reference books close-by on my desk: dictionary and thesaurus (同义词词典). I don't trust my laptop's spellchecker.     2     Of course, these days there are plenty of online dictionaries and thesauruses, but I'm old-fashioned enough to prefer a hard cover and pages I can leaf through with my fingers. I use the Concise Oxford Dictionary and the Collins Thesaurus.

    3     It should give you a precise definition of each word, thus differentiating it from other words whose meanings are similar, but not identical. It will also usually show how the word is pronounced.

In addition, I have an old two-volume copy of the Shorter Oxford Dictionary, picked up a few years ago in a bookshop sale for just 99 pence. Of course, with its 2,672 pages, it's not exactly short. It contains around 163,000 words, plus word combinations and idiomatic phrases.     4     However, if I need to check the origin of a word or to look up examples of its usage, there's nothing better.

For well over a hundred years the most influential English dictionary was Samuel Johnson's Dictionary of the English Language published in 1755. "To make dictionaries is dull (乏味) work," wrote Johnson, illustrating one definition of "dull".     5     A few minutes spent casting your eye over a page or two can be a rewarding experience.

A．I don't often use this dictionary.

B．It takes no account of the context.

C．But I still don't want to replace them.

D．But a dictionary can be a pleasure to read.

E．Of course, a dictionary is not only for spelling.

F．That means good grammar and no spelling mistakes.

G．Dictionaries don't always give you enough information.

10 . In the race to document the species on Earth before they go extinct, researchers and citizen scientists have collected billions of records. Today, most records of biodiversity are often in the form of photos, videos, and other digital records. Though they are useful for detecting shifts in the number and variety of species in an area, a new Stanford study has found that this type of record is not perfect.

“With the rise of technology it is easy for people to make observations of different species with the aid of a mobile application,” said Barnabas Daru, who is lead author of the study and assistant professor of biology in the Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences. “These observations now outnumber the primary data that comes from physical specimens (标本), and since we are increasingly using observational data to investigate how species are responding to global change, I wanted to know: Are they usable?”

Using a global dataset of 1.9 billion records of plants, insects, birds, and animals, Daru and his team tested how well these data represent actual global biodiversity patterns.

“We were particularly interested in exploring the aspects of sampling that tend to bias (使有偏差) data, like the greater likelihood of a citizen scientist to take a picture of a flowering plant instead of the grass right next to it,” said Daru.

Their study revealed that the large number of observation-only records did not lead to better global coverage. Moreover, these data are biased and favor certain regions, time periods, and species. This makes sense because the people who get observational biodiversity data on mobile devices are often citizen scientists recording their encounters with species in areas nearby. These data are also biased toward certain species with attractive or eye-catching features.

What can we do with the imperfect datasets of biodiversity?

“Quite a lot,” Daru explained. “Biodiversity apps can use our study results to inform users of oversampled areas and lead them to places — and even species — that are not well-sampled. To improve the quality of observational data, biodiversity apps can also encourage users to have an expert confirm the identification of their uploaded image.”

1. What do we know about the records of species collected now?

A．They are becoming outdated.	B．They are mostly in electronic form.
C．They are limited in number.	D．They are used for public exhibition.

2. What does Daru’s study focus on?

A．Threatened species.	B．Physical specimens.
C．Observational data.	D．Mobile applications.

3. What has led to the biases according to the study?

A．Mistakes in data analysis.	B．Poor quality of uploaded pictures.
C．Improper way of sampling.	D．Unreliable data collection devices.

4. What is Daru’s suggestion for biodiversity apps?

A．Review data from certain areas.	B．Hire experts to check the records.
C．Confirm the identity of the users.	D．Give guidance to citizen scientists.