1 . The Amazon rainforest, is as undisturbed a place as most people can imagine, but even there, the effects of a changing climate are playing out. Now, research suggests that many of the region’s most sensitive bird species are starting to evolve in response to warming.

Birds are often considered sentinel (哨兵) species — meaning that they indicate the overall health of an ecosystem—so scientists are particularly interested in how they’re responding to climate change. In general, the news has not been good. For instance, a 2019 report by the National Audubon Society found that more than two-thirds of North America’s bird species will be in danger of extinction by 2100 if warming trends continue on their current course.

For the new study, researchers collected the biggest dataset so far on the Amazon’s resident birds, representing 77 non-migratory species and lasting the 40 years from 1979 to 2019. During the study period, the average temperature in the region rose, while the amount of rainfall declined, making for a hotter, dryer climate overall. According to the report on November 12 in the journal Science Advances, 36 species have lost substantial weight, as much as 2 percent of their body weight per decade since 1980. Meanwhile, all the species showed some decrease in average body mass, while a third grew longer wings.

Because of the study’s long time series and large sample sizes, the authors were able to show the morphological (形态学的) effects of climate change on resident birds. However, the researchers themselves are unsure and wonder what advantage the wing length changes give the birds, but suppose smaller birds may have an easier time keeping cool. In general, smaller animals have a larger rate of surface area to body size, so they dissipate more heat faster than a bigger animal. Less available food, such as fruit or insects, in dryer weather might lead to smaller body size.

1. Why are scientists fond of doing research on birds?

A．They have small body sizes.	B．They are sensitive to hot weather.
C．They live in an undisturbed rainforest.	D．They are ecological balance indicators.

2. What can we learn from the new study?

A．A third of species have been extinct for a decade.

B．36 species lost 2% of their body weight every year.

C．Two- thirds of species showed a considerable decrease in weight.

D．About 26 species responded to climate change with longer wings.

3. What does the underlined word “dissipate” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Take on.

B．Give off.

C．Put up.

D．Lead to.

4. What would probably the researchers further study?

A．Why it is easier for smaller animals to keep cool.

B．What effects the wing length changes have on birds.

C．Why the Amazonian birds have lost substantial weight.

D．Whether bird species in North America will be extinct in 2100.

3 . During the 19th and 20th centuries, Qi Baishi (1864 — 1957) was one of the best-known Chinese artists. He grew up in a poor peasant family, but this did not prevent him from pursuing his interest in painting.

Qi was schooled for less than a year due to illness, and he dropped out of school. However, he was too weak to do much of the work and this was why he became a carpenter. As a carpenter, he showed his creativity. He could carve figures of animals, woodblock prints, and sniff- boxes. At the age of 20, he taught himself to paint with Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting. He met many mentors who greatly influenced his painting skills through his painting journey, among whom are the renowned artists Zhu Da and Xu Wei. When he was 28, he became a student of the famous artist Hu Qinyuan, and he began to study Chinese painting.

Qi arrived in Beijing in 1917. While he was in Beijing, he stayed devoted to painting. Most of his paintings represented Chinese tradition. Qi’s works are now found in several famous museums, including the National Gallery Prague and the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. His works now are the most expensive ever sold at auctions.

Qi got noticed by many institutions, one of which is the Ministry of Culture. In 1956, he was awarded the World Peace Prize by the World Peace Council. A college was also named after him, the Baishi School of Art at Hunan University of Science Technology.

1. Why did Qi Baishi drop out of school?

A．He suffered from illness and was too weak.

B．He wanted to devote himself to painting.

C．He wasn’t interested in what he learned at school.

D．His family was too poor to afford his schooling fees.

2. What does the last paragraph mainly tell us about Qi Baishi?

A．His painting style.	B．His painting works.
C．His achievements.	D．His contributions to his hometown.

3. How does the author mainly develop the text?

A．By giving examples.	B．By using data.
C．By raising questions.	D．By following the order of time.

6 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What’s the most possible relationship between the two speakers?

A．Friends.

B．Brother and sister.

C．Husband and wife.

2. How long did the man stay in Hong Kong?

A．10 days.

B．15 days.

C．20 days.

3. Why couldn’t the woman get in touch with the man when he was in Hong Kong?

A．Because he didn’t have a telephone.

B．Because his telephone number was changed.

C．Because he didn’t want to answer her call.

7 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What does the woman have to do?

A．Meet Alice and Bill.

B．See a movie.

C．Do all her homework.

2. What can we know about the man?

A．He never went to school.

B．He learned at school a long time ago.

C．He wasn’t good at study.

9 . Why does the woman want to borrow a car?

A．To see a film.

B．To meet her parents.

C．To go to a party.

10 . What are the two speakers talking about?

A．The future plan.

B．The weather.

C．The TV program.