1 . European shepherds (牧羊人) and ranchers (大牧场主) are taking the lead in forest fire prevention, by leading their animals to clear away underbrush that allows fires to grow too big, a new study shows.

In thinner forested areas, large herbivores (食草动物) were found in a study to be greatly effective in reducing forest fire risk. “In general terms, it is clear that wild and semi-wild herbivores like horses can reduce wildfire risk through their eating grass,” says Julia Rouet-Leduc, lead author of the study. “Such herbivores can be particularly effective in remote areas, where careful management can prevent wildfire and benefit wild nature in other ways.”

Smaller animals like goats and sheep are ideal for areas that lack natural predators (捕食者). There are no large predators in all of Italy, and without the risk of losing an expensive animal, the eating habits of these smaller animals kept on a farm make them perfect for clearing underbrush and things which larger herbivores can’t stomach.

But there were laws that prevent goats and sheep from entering woods in order to protect them. Since natural numbers of red deer, and other native herbivores have long since disappeared from European forests, the loss of sheep and goats meant that nothing prevented grass from spreading in forests, turning brushfires into dangerous disasters.

That’s why shepherds on Sardinia have written a letter to the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, asking not only to allow their animals to eat grass within the woods, but to create a restoration project of rural areas in Montiferru, where Italy’s worst wildfire in 40 years recently burned its way from the mountain tops to the sea.

Their plan is to bring in more shepherds to better control the fires, and encourage eco-tourism in the area, to incentivize the shepherds to stay. This is already seeing success through both private and public inspiring measures in Catalunya, Spain.

1. What do Julia Rouet-Leduc’s words mainly show?

A．Shepherds should keep large herbivores.

B．Herbivores can greatly help reduce wildfires.

C．Better management is needed to protect forests.

D．Wild and semi-wild herbivores lack natural predators.

2. Why were there not sheep and goats in woods in the past?

A．They were not allowed by law.

B．They couldn’t feed well there.

C．They had been killed by hunters.

D．They had been eaten up by predators.

3. What was the purpose of shepherds on Sardinia in writing the letter?

A．To ask permission to raise more sheep.

B．To protect woods from hungry goats and sheep.

C．To offer a way of protecting forests from wildfires.

D．To draw attention to Italy’s worst wildfire in 40 years.

4. What does the underlined word “incentivize” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Pay.

B．Prove.

C．Remind.

D．Encourage.

2 . For those in search of safe, non-medicine sleep aids (助手), sound machines are a popular choice. The National Sleep Foundation recently found that 5% of Americans sleep with a “sound conditioner”. It can be a fan, phone app, or other noise-producing machines.

Michael Grandner, director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona, says a sound conditioner is a lifesaver if you live where loud nighttime noise is common. But even if your bedroom is very quiet, sound machines can still be helpful if you’re the type of person unsettled by a total absence of noise, or if you’re a light sleeper who wakes from even the softest sound.

Research supports the idea that a little background sound can help people fall asleep. For a study in the journal Sleep Medicine, the researchers asked sleepers to listen to recorded hospital sounds either with or without a white noise machine. They found that those who slept with the white noise machine were hardly affected by the hospital sounds, while others who slept without white noise were easily awakened.

There’s also so-called “pink noise” and “brown noise”, which can sound similar to white noise. “I don’t think there’s enough evidence yet to say one type is better than another,” says Michelle Drerup, a sleep psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic. “I know from talking with my patients that some people prefer natural sounds, like a rainstorm. But others don’t want a sound at all when they sleep,” she says. “It all comes down to the individual (个人).”

For some, the best sound might be none. “Biologically (生物学上), you don’t need this sound to sleep,” says Michael Grandner, “and if you use it every night, you can get so used to it that you can’t sleep without it.” Most sleep experts agree. “I wouldn’t suggest people use sound machines to sleep unless they’re reporting difficulties with outside noises,” an expert says.

1. According to the text, who should sleep with a sound conditioner?

A．Those who fall asleep fast.

B．Those who wake up easily.

C．Those who live in a quiet street.

D．Those who are afraid to sleep alone.

2. What does Michelle Drerup think of the best type of sound for sleep?

A．Pink noise and brown noise are better.

B．Sleeping without any noise is the best.

C．It all depends on personal preferences.

D．Natural sounds are the best for people.

3. What is most experts’ suggestion?

A．To use sound machines as little as possible.

B．To see a doctor with your sleeping problems.

C．To find a very quiet place to treat sleeping problems.

D．To break the habits of sleeping with sound machines.

4. What’s the main idea of the text?

A．Most Americans have a bad sleep.

B．White noises are good for humans.

C．Sound conditioners are a safe, non-medicine sleep aid.

D．Not everyone should sleep with white noise machine.

3 . Joshua trees — some of the most unusual and famous plants of the American Southwest — have survived as a species for some 2.5 million years in the Mojave Desert. Now, they may face extinction due to climate change.

In a new study published in the journal Ecosphere, researchers and volunteer scientists surveyed nearly 4,000 trees in southern California’s Joshua Tree National Park to figure out where the oldest trees grew the best during historic periods of extreme heat and drought. Then, the researchers estimated (估算) how many of these Joshua safe areas would survive to the end of the century based on a range of climate change predictions.

The study authors found that if greenhouse gas emissions (排放物) are seriously limited and summer temperatures are limited to an increase of 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit, about 19% of the park’s Joshua tree habitat (栖息地) would survive after the year 2070. If no action is taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and summer temperatures rise by 9 degrees Fahrenheit or more, however, only 0.02% of the tree’s habitat would survive to the end of the century, leaving the tree close to extinction.

One way to save the Joshua trees from extinction is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, even if the habitats survive, these trees will still be in danger because of wildfires, which have also been happening more often as the climate warms. According to the researchers, fewer than 10% of Joshua trees survive when wildfires rush through their habitats.

“Removing grass is a way park rangers (护林员) are helping to protect the area from fire today,” Sweet, a plant ecologist at the University of California, said. “By protecting the trees, they’re protecting a host of other native insects and animals that depend on them as well.”

1. Why did the researchers survey some Joshua trees?

A．To predict the number of Joshua trees.

B．To know their past and predict their future.

C．To make sure they will be safe from disasters.

D．To set up more nature reserves for Joshua trees.

2. What would the researchers agree with as for Joshua Tree National Park’s Joshua trees?

A．Their future is in humans’ hand.

B．Their numbers are dropping greatly.

C．They may adapt to rising temperatures.

D．They are suffering most from climate change.

3. What does the last but one paragraph focus on?

A．Another way to save Joshua trees.

B．Another threat Joshua trees may face.

C．The importance of Joshua trees’ habitats.

D．The chance of fire happening to Joshua trees.

4. Which best describes the park rangers’ work of removing grass?

A．Skilled.	B．Challenging.
C．Creative.	D．Worthwhile.

4 . For the past 10 years I have been cycling on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Every summer vacation, I spend a month biking across the plateau.

In 2014, I set out on a cycle route with five other people in the far west of the Tibet autonomous region. Our 2,000-kilometer route started in Lhasa in the east, passed through the northern part of the prefecture (辖区) and ended in the west.

Titled the “top of the Roof of the World”, the plateau, which has a small population, has incredible scenery. Travelers can see the snowy mountains, clean blue lakes, lots of animals during the day, and clear, starry skies at night.

The route consists of dirt, even broken stones and paths, which have been formed over time by passing vehicles. Animal attacks are a potential risk in the wild. One night, we had to camp near a forest where there were potential animal attacks, especially from wolves. We found a house in a locked yard, but no one answered our calls from the gate. It was the time of the seasonal migration, so maybe the people had moved to another place for better water and grass. Then we had to camp outside. One of us was very experienced and careful. He placed some hay bales (干草捆) alongside the wall and said that if something dangerous happened, we could use them to jump into the yard and shelter (躲避) in the house.

Luckily, we didn’t meet any wolves or other animals, though we could hear them calling. Animal attacks remain a major cause of injuries on that route. Before the trip, we read online that a traveler had been bitten by wolves. The temporary “step” our companion built made us feel safer.

1. Which one is true according to the first two paragraphs?

A．The author often take part in recycling race.

B．Whenever the spring comes, the author will recycle to Tibit.

C．In 2014’s cycling route, the author set out from Lhasa.

D．In 2014’s cycling route, the author rode eastern form west.

2. What does Paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．Why the plateau is called the “top of the Roof of the World”.

B．Why it’s hard to travel around the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

C．The small population of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

D．The beauty of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

3. What does the underlined word “potential” mean in Paragraph 4?

A．Slight.

B．Terrible.

C．Possible.

D．Additional.

4. Why did one of them put hay bales beside the wall?

A．To make them feel safer.

B．To keep themselves warm.

C．To feed cows for the villagers.

D．To help the villagers make a fire.

5 . Gossip is the sharing of personal information about someone else who is not present. All of us have probably caught ourselves, from time to time, allowing ourselves to enjoy the pleasure of gossiping more than we would like to admit. Someone says the words, “Don’t tell this to anyone.”     1     We all know that we shouldn’t talk behind someone’s back, but gossip is so common.

Gossip has some characteristics (特点). First, gossip is an activity that is done with other people.     2     Second, the information shared is always about someone who is not present in the conversation, or about someone whom we believe to be absent. Third, when we gossip, we not only share facts, but also make some judgments about the person.

Researchers studied volunteers, including women and men, to find out some facts about gossip. They found that most gossip was neutral (不偏袒的).     3     Most of this gossip was about people they knew of. Negative gossip was twice as common as positive gossip. Over three-fourths of the gossip was simply discussing someone else.

    4     Outgoing people gossip more than quiet people. People who are wealthier and well-educated gossip more than people who have less money and education.     5     On average, people spent about 52 minutes a day gossiping. The study showed that gossip is everywhere.

A．We can’t do it alone or only in our head.

B．Women gossip more than men, but only neutrally.

C．So people express their angry feelings by gossiping.

D．What’s more interesting is who gossips and how much.

E．And the information was interesting for the present people.

F．But moments later, we may tell it to someone else with the exact same warning.

G．It means people were simply sharing information about a person who wasn’t present.

6 . Things to do in London this weekend

Sheep & Wool Fayre, Sunday 11 am

Sheep & Wool Fayre is one of Spitalfield’s City Farm’s biggest community events and this year it’s still going ahead virtually (虚拟地) celebrating all woolly things with all its usual shows and competitions.

Order take-away pints（一品脱的啤酒）

Buy a pint and head for some of that daily exercise — or a rest — in the park. Just remember: parks in the capital are still largely closed right now, so check their opening hours ahead of time. And many parks close at 5 pm or 7 pm each evening.

Royal Botanic Gardens, all weekend

The world-famous Royal Botanic Gardens has been allowed by the government to welcome visitors. Of course, it will be going under strict social distancing rules and all visitors, including members, will have to book tickets online ahead of time.

Camden Market, Saturday 10 am

Camden Market — along with the rest of London — has been closed because of COVID-19 for the last two months, but it is opening its stores again. Head along to pick up some top-quality things — only fresh produce will be sold at this time. When you visit, there will be strict social distance rules.

Maltby Street Market, all weekend

Outdoor markets have been officially allowed to be re-opened to the public — but with strict social distance rules in place. Maltby Street Market is making a comeback today. For now, it’ll be returning as the “Maltby St. Produce Market”, having “a small number of carefully selected fresh produce traders”.

1. Which can only be enjoyed online right now?

A．Sheep & Wool Fayre.	B．Royal Botanic Gardens.
C．Camden Market.	D．Maltby Street Market.

2. What makes Royal Botanic Gardens different from the others?

A．It’s open to all visitors.

B．Local government runs it.

C．It is very well-known in the world.

D．Tickets must be booked beforehand.

3. What can people probably buy at the re-opened markets according to the text?

A．Top-quality clothes.	B．Wool products.
C．Fresh produce.	D．Pints.

7 . A couple, Jake Williams and Charlotte Sinclair, were absolutely done with the long isolation (隔离), following a few years of COVID-19, and then they decided to launch (发起) a community plan. They started Talk the Walk and managed to make people get together, explore London on foot, and get to know each other.

The number one mission was to have fun — even if only a few people showed up for the free events. That’s what they expected when they started on Meetup.com. Suddenly they were getting hundreds of people responding with excitement.

200-300 people of various ages now regularly attend each event, which opens with the playing of icebreaker games. The couple designed the games to be easy for shy people, too, with “fun questions” breaking the nervousness. They picked interesting places to visit. Attendees were even surprised with an offer of chocolate.

“I’ve done some crazy things in my time working from home to stop loneliness, like dog sitting for people and joining gyms just so I can have more conversations with people,” Jake said.

“I think that it’s hugely impactful for people who have been affected by COVID-19, by being forced to work from home and having that isolation,” he continued.

They’ve seen older people talking with younger people, and people becoming friends — so much so that the strangers are now meeting on their own after becoming familiar.

Talk the Walk organised their last event last year, but said they’ll be back once it starts to warm up again.

Nearly 2,000 members in their Meetup community and followers on their Facebook Page are waiting for that day, but at the same time, this young couple might serve as your very own inspiration to connect people in your own communities.

1. What is the couple’s purpose in starting Talk the Walk?

A．To reduce the effect brought by COVID-19.

B．To encourage people to do physical exercise.

C．To find interesting activities in and around London.

D．To end loneliness and bring communities back together.

2. How did Talk the Walk manage to attract more people?

A．By giving attendees amazing presents.

B．By arranging easy games and activities.

C．By making the organised events enjoyable.

D．By choosing famous destinations to explore.

3. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．Talk the Walk is really needed.

B．New events will take place in no time.

C．Talk the Walk is popular with young people.

D．The couple moved people in the community.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Be active to get in touch with people

B．Take part in events after the long isolation

C．Couple answers loneliness with organised walks

D．Thousands of people show up for interesting events

8 . Al Larson, also known as “The Bluebird Man”, first began his labor of love after he read an article that described how building birdhouses could help to control their falling populations. After seeing a bluebird going in and out of a dead tree in his yard, Larson became inspired to start setting up little boxes that could serve as nests (鸟窝) for bluebirds.

What started as a hobby in his retirement turned into a full-time effort — and after almost forty years of devotion, he has recorded over 30,000 bluebirds, thanks to the 350 birdhouses that he has built across southwest Idaho. He often travels over 5,000 miles to check on all of his boxes during the summer nesting season.

Since bluebirds live in dead or nearly-dead trees, their population began to drop after the invention of the electric chainsaw (链锯) in the early 1900s, which made it easier for homeowners to remove their dead trees. In addition to having their habitats destroyed, the use of pesticides (杀虫剂) caused an uncertain future for the bluebirds of Idaho. But the efforts of Larson have shown us that if we take a moment to understand the needs of a species, we’ll find a way to deal with the problem. Though he is nearing the age of 97, Larson shows no signs of slowing down. Also, his inspiring story has been turned into a documentary Bluebird Man.

“Al is a living example of how much one person can achieve when they set their mind on a task. But he’s also an example of the benefits that a project like this can have for people,” filmmaker Matthew Podolsky said. “Bluebirds have given meaning to Al’s life, and they are truly the secret to his long life.”

1. Why is Al famous as “The Bluebird Man”?

A．He likes observing bluebirds.

B．He often feeds food to bluebirds.

C．He set up many boxes for bluebirds.

D．He made the documentary Bluebird Man.

2. Where do bluebirds usually make their nests?

A．In dead trees.	B．In Al’s house.
C．In gardens.	D．In boxes.

3. Which is the one of the reasons that caused the population of bluebird to drop?

A．The government controlled the populations of bluebirds.

B．The nests for bluebirds was destroyed by people.

C．Bluebirds lived in dead trees and were short of food.

D．Their habitats have been destroyed and people often used pesticides.

4. Which saying can best describe Al’s story?

A．Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

B．The roses in her hand, the flavor in mine.

C．One is never too old to learn.

D．All roads lead to Rome.

9 . A heart-to-heart talk refers to an honest conversation between two people. When sharing a heart-to-heart talk, people will generally share innermost (内心最深处的) thoughts and feelings. This talk usually takes place without other people being present.     1     Some people also refer to this type of conversation as a heartfelt talk, or speaking from the heart. Here are tips on having a heart-to-heart talk.

Share personal stories.     2     When you share a personal story with someone, you put yourself out there in a brave way. Hopefully, the person will follow suit and be receptive to your sharing. Make sure that your disclosure (披露) is proper for the level of relationship you have with the other person. And remember not to push yourself too hard.     3    

Listen to understand. Being an active listener is important during a heartto-heart talk. When you actively listen to what another person is saying, he is more likely to open up.     4     Instead, try to listen to really understand what the other is trying to communicate.

    5     When you’re trying to get someone to open up and go deeper in conversation with you, you are expected to avoid questions that close off the discussion. For example, you might immediately start trying to learn the person’s likes and dislikes by asking “What’s your favorite color/food/season?” The problem with such a question is that it doesn’t promote (促进) a more detailed answer because it can be answered with only one word (e.g. “Purple. Pizza. Summer.”).

A．Raise questions actively.

B．Avoid close-ended questions.

C．Many times, you may listen to prepare an answer.

D．So it’s considered that the talk will be kept secret.

E．You should share what you feel comfortable sharing.

F．Self-disclosure opens the door to a deep conversation.

G．People find comfort in expressing unhappiness with others.

10 . I played on the high school basketball team. I played the ball before the game started, and then sat on the bench (长凳) cheering for guys who were actually going to play in the game. When we won, I hugged (拥抱) my teammates.

I enjoyed that. But I didn’t know how my dad felt about my role. I imagined it was hard for him. Dad was a gifted athlete. And my older brothers were sports stars at college. I was not sure how he felt about going to games to watch his son SIT. Still, Dad was always there in his suit and tie. After the game, he’d come up to me, smile, shake my hand and say “Good game!”, even though I did nothing to make the game good. It changed until the last game of the season.

It was a great day for our team — we were up by about 20 with two minutes left. The coach suddenly looked towards me and said, “Walker! You’re in!” The next two minutes seemed not real to me. I remember running up and down the field a few times. When someone started counting down the last seconds, my teammate passed the ball to me. I heard guys on the bench shouting “Shoot (投篮)!” as I faced the basket and shot. We won. But then I didn’t know what to do. I was unprepared for a time when I had hit a last second shot. Naturally, I looked for Dad. He was there, smiling at me as he always did.

Whether good times or bad, Dad was always there to smile, to support and to love. Now I’m in my 50s with a teenage basketball player in my family. I keep trying to be there, no matter what, because I know what it can mean.

1. What was the author’s role?

A．He was a green hand.	B．He gave players suggestions.
C．He was a fan of the basketball team.	D．He replaced those who couldn’t play.

2. How did the author feel after he scored?

A．Lost.

B．Tired.

C．Calm.

D．Encouraged.

3. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．A Sports-Loving Family	B．A Successful Basketball Match
C．Dad Always Being There	D．Dad Helping Me Succeed