1 . A landfill(废物填埋地) of 42 million tires in the sands of Kuwait is finally being cleaned up and recycled. This news in itself would be a major relief to locals who have to suffer from the clouds of black smoke arising during fires. But the government isn’t stopping there. They are aiming to create a green city of 25,000 homes in line with a post-oil Persian Gulf, with a focus on sustainability and tourism.

The first step is to clear the ground. The Salmiya area, nicknamed “Rubber Mountain”, consists of hundreds of small piles of spent tires—a reaction(回应) from the one million cars which were added to Kuwait’s roads over the decade.

EPSCO Global General Trading has opened a recycling facility for the tires, where they’ve been collected, cut up, and pressed into other materials like tiling(铺地砖) and playground flooring. The plant opened in January of 2021, and exported the recycled material out to nearby gulf neighbors. In their place will be South Saad Al-Abdullah City, a green city characterizing a new era in the Middle-Eastern country.

“We have moved from a difficult stage that was characterized by great environmental risk,” says Oil Minister Mohammed al-Fares. “Today the area is clean and all tires have been removed to begin the launch of the project of Saad Al-Abdullah city.”

Expected to cos t €3.3 billion and require 30 years to complete, the city hopes to feature green technology, probably like the kind one can see in other cities on the Persian Gulf, both existing and not. Saudi Arabia is planning to build a zero-emissions, car-less future city that’s centered around access to big data rather than water or crops.

1. Why is the Salmiya area called “Rubber Mountain”?

A．It is rich in rubber.	B．It has too many waste tires.
C．It possesses more cars.	D．It has been a tradition.

2. What will EPSCO Global General Trading do with spent tires?

A．Collect and bury them.	B．Cut up and burn abroad.
C．Make bricks and sell locally.	D．Process and move them away.

3. Why does the author mention Mohammed al-Fares’ words?

A．To express his joy.	B．To show his anxiety.
C．To stress the urgency.	D．To analyze the causes.

4. What might be the best title for the text?

A．The Transformation of a Huge Landfill	B．Spent Tires, a Big Threat to the Environment
C．Kuwait Tire Mountain to Be into a Green City	D．The Salmiya Area’s Measures to Kick Pollution

2 . Which streets have more shade? Or a drinking fountain? Now, residents in Barcelona have an app that can give you all the answers.

This app, Cool Walks, which only maps one neighborhood in Barcelona to date, uses a tool called Lidar to create a high resolution of ground elevation that is combined with sun data to figure out where the shady places are.

With the planet getting hotter, heat waves harm people more than any other climate risk. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, more than 11,000 Americans died from heat-related causes since 1979. Some populations, like seniors over 65 or people with respiratory(呼吸的) issues, are easily influenced by heat.

Today, heatwaves affect 200 million people in more than 350 cities around the world. Barcelona is just one of them. If the Paris agreement’s 1.5℃ climate change goal is not met, even more people will be impacted by the rising temperatures.

Barcelona is already working on ways to help ease the effects of global warming. The city created a 20-year Tree Master Plan, in 2017, to increase the proportion of land covered by trees from 25 percent to 35 percent and to provide residents with a green infrastructure(基础设施) and quality public spaces. Parks with trees are full of shade.

“Trees and broader green infrastructure are the most advanced technology known for easing the impact of our densifying and rapidly heating cities. City leaders should make that their priority in the first instance,” said Jon Burke.

This app is a good way for people to be able to function in a hotter city while long-term solutions like tree planting, reducing the number of cars on the roads, and green infrastructure are being carried out. Every city around the globe should have one.

1. What does the third paragraph mainly deal with?

A．The planet getting hotter.	B．The harm of climate risk.
C．The effect of heat waves.	D．The health of the seniors.

2. What’s the aim to mention the Paris agreement?

A．To show it is important.	B．To show it is well received.
C．To show most people obey it.	D．To show it’s tough to carry out.

3. Why was a 20-year Tree Master Plan made?

A．To draw people’s attention.	B．To improve living conditions.
C．To reduce the use of electricity.	D．To create more public spaces.

4. What is Jon Burke’s attitude to planting more tress?

A．Favorable.

B．Objective.

C．Doubtful.

D．Critical.

3 . Norway: Wonders of the Arctic

Norway has some of the most beautiful natural experiences, home to the northern lights as well as a rich diversity of marine life in its fjord(峡湾) coastline.

HIGHLIGHTS

·Lectures by Helen Scales, Melanie Windridge and local experts

·Guided tour of Bergen

·Fjord boat cruise(乘船观光)

·Whale watching tour

·Aurora(极光) Borealis observatory stay

·Huski dog sled ride

ACCOMMODATION
Grand Terminus Hotel, Bergen

A 4-star hotel with a famous whiskey bar dating back to 1928 and recently restoration throughout. Located in the heart of Bergen and just a 10-minute walk to the UNESCO-listed Bryggen Wharf and 950 yards from the Fløibanen Funicular.

Hotel Clarion the Edge, Tromso

A contemporary stylish 4-star hotel overlooking Tromso Sound and the Arctic Cathedral that opened in 2014．It has great views of the harbour and is only 5-minutes’ walk from the Polaria Aquarium and the 19th-century wooden Tromso Cathedral.

Aurora Borealis Observatory, Senja Island

A purpose-built set of apartments where every room has extra-large windows facing the aurora. The staff have in-depth understanding of the aurora and will help you with photography. Bringing a tripod(三脚架) is highly recommended while travelling. You can also enjoy the aurora from an outdoor hot tub or in the loft-style restaurant set in a converted barn. The observatory is surrounded by lakes and forest which along with the snow, set an amazing background from which to stare at the aurora.

1. What might visitors do in Norway?

A．Train dogs.	B．Deliver speech.
C．Go sightseeing by boat.	D．Stay overnight in Bergen.

2. Which is close to the Polaria Aquarium?

A．Tromso Sound.	B．The Arctic Cathedral.
C．Hotel Clarion the Edge.	D．Grand Terminus Hotel.

3. What is advised to do while traveling?

A．Buy a map.

B．Carry a tripod.

C．Learn photography.

D．Fish in lakes.

4 . 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。

Why does one person get selected for a promotion while others with equal skills, education and experience get passed over? In my opinion, a person’s proven willingness to behave     1     (responsible) is one of the major     2     (reason). In fact, responsibility influences how the leader behaves with subordinates, and it also influences the relationship with an immediate boss and with other departments in the organization. Much management     3     (guide) surprisingly overlooks this characteristic, yet it     4     (explain) many successes and failures, as well as a large portion of promotional decisions.

More than 40 years ago, Dale Miller conducted     5     examination on the promotion of his managers. Each manager received a group of 62 statements,     6     describe management behaviours, and was asked to make a forced choice, going from the most effective to the     7     (little) effective behaviour. The best managers’ choice was the statement, “Accept full responsibility for the performance of the work unit.” This statement     8     (choose) far more frequently than statements about assignment, planning, staffing, time-management or technical skills. This choice also illustrated the sharpest distinction between the excellent managers and managers with     9     (disappoint) performance. In the end, the managers who hadn’t been promoted attached far less importance to responsible behaviours, because they weren’t considered to be     10     (rely).

5 . One afternoon, I had to drive through down town Houston during rush hour. As I was ________ slowly along the loop, I came upon a construction slowdown. The loop has an exit, putting more ________ onto the freeway.

As I ________ the final stretch inside the loop, the traffic nearly came to a stop. As we inched slowly forward, the road ________ to two lanes from four lanes. In Houston, during rush hour, that’s a huge problem.

I was ________ going to be late for my next client appointment, but there was nothing I could do. Therefore, I had to be ________. As I inched forward, I ________ an 18-wheeler sitting on the right side of the road with the left blinker on. He’s trying to merge into traffic, but no one ________ to let him in.

A ________ came to me. As I got closer, I moved across the line so that I was in the middle of both lanes. When I got directly behind him, I ________ my lights as I turned my car almost sideways to be certain to ________ both lanes.

Horns were louder, but what happened next stunned everyone to silence. The truck driver ________ his 18-wheeler into my lane and stopped his truck. He then stepped out onto the step on the side of his truck, turned, looked directly at me, took off his cowboy hat, ________ it to me and took a full bow. He then got back into his truck and drove on.

His ________ made me feel so good. I also feel certain that I am not the only person who witnessed that bow and I was affected deeply by his act of kindness and ________.

1.

A．rushing

B．traveling

C．touring

D．wandering

2.

A．jams

B．noise

C．crowds

D．lights

3.

A．started

B．passed

C．parked

D．approached

4.

A．enlarged

B．cleaned

C．narrowed

D．increased

5.

A．regularly

B．obviously

C．merely

D．casually

6.

A．alarmed

B．astonished

C．curious

D．calm

7.

A．spotted

B．guarded

C．acknowledged

D．helped

8.

A．backed off

B．slowed down

C．checked out

D．set out

9.

A．riddle

B．turn

C．solution

D．luck

10.

A．flashed

B．shut

C．fixed

D．plugged

11.

A．ease

B．block

C．excite

D．reward

12.

A．dragged

B．led

C．paused

D．pulled

13.

A．tipped

B．left

C．dropped

D．guided

14.

A．humor

B．reaction

C．skill

D．effort

15.

A．generousness

B．wisdom

C．gratitude

D．popularity

6 . We know it can be hard to put your phone to bed before you sleep. However, if you’re trying to improve your sleep, you really should ditch your phone at least an hour before bedtime. Luckily, our experts can help.

Scientific evidence suggests that the blue light emitted from your phone, tablet, computer, and TV suppresses (抑制) your body’s production of melatonin, a hormone (荷尔蒙) that plays an important role in your sleep cycle. Melatonin release in the evening helps you relax before bedtime. A 2013 study that analyzed technology use and sleep patterns with data from a National Sleep Foundation poll found that using devices like phones was tied to more sleep disruption than electronics that aren’t interactive.

Many of us use the excuse that our mobile devices serve as our wake-up calls, or keep them nearby to use meditation apps. If you want to use your phone as an alarm, consider setting it a couple of hours before you turn in for the night, and then setting the phone itself to bedtime mode for the rest of the evening.

Here’s another groundbreaking idea: You could get a real alarm clock. After reviewing them at Reviewed, we recommend the Sharp Dream Caster. Not only is it easy to set a wake-up time, the clock includes white noises and rain noises to help you sleep, plus a number of volume settings to pick what works best for you.

But an alarm clock won’t help you avoid doom-scrolling through social media. Take things a step further by avoiding using electronic devices. You can try reading a book (one made of paper), taking a bath or drinking a cup of chamomile tea.

Finally, if you want to keep up your meditation practice screen-free, consider the Morphée. It looks like a little music box and comes with a variety of breathing exercises and soundscapes to help you get to sleep.

1. What does the underlined word “ditch” in paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．Set aside.

B．Pick up.

C．Show off.

D．Turn to.

2. What may be caused by the suppression of melatonin?

A．Relaxing yourself before bedtime.

B．Sleeping less than you normally would.

C．Adapting to your sleep cycle more easily.

D．Reducing the pressure from screen use.

3. Why is the Sharp Dream Caster recommended?

A．It is sold at a lower price.	B．It can predict a heavy rain.
C．It is controlled by cellphone.	D．It helps put your eyes together.

4. What is suggested for better sleep according to paragraph 5?

A．Making the best of the eco-friendly products.

B．Making a change according to circumstances.

C．Establishing a bedtime routine without electronics.

D．Keeping a consistent bedtime and wake-up time.

7 . I am a father of two sons. I’m only 60 but when I was diagnosed (诊断) with lung cancer it ________ my world. My son was working in Holland and I got to ________ the news to him over a poor What’s App connection. He got enough that he went to his ________ and told him he wanted to ________ home. I spent the next three days trying to ________ him to tell him to finish out his contract. ________, he followed my advice and stayed another few weeks and finished out the ________.

When he came back by air, he and his brother came out from Alberta to BC. We spent the weekend ________ before I began radiation, which was our ________ time. I had no idea how this was going to play out. I had my legal ________ sorted by then and took the time to talk about it and what I wanted my ________ to look like.

And then I plunged into (开始) treatment. I’m one of the ________ ones. I never even lost my ________ in radiation. I won’t say I ________ through it. I was extremely tired, and even worse, the radiation ________ the swallow right out of my esophagus (食道).

The ________ I want to leave you with though is “Be ________”. If you have the ability to get to your father’s ________, then do it. My son came again three weeks ago to help me through the ________ in my life. After he had been here a couple of days, he said, “Dad you have never looked ________.” Words to warm my heart.

1.

A．protected

B．created

C．rocked

D．covered

2.

A．sell

B．write

C．break

D．read

3.

A．boss

B．wife

C．professor

D．lawyer

4.

A．fly

B．drive

C．leave

D．race

5.

A．cheat

B．reach

C．find

D．promise

6.

A．Honestly

B．Fortunately

C．Surprisingly

D．Jokingly

7.

A．paper

B．tour

C．interview

D．job

8.

A．working

B．sleeping

C．camping

D．crying

9.

A．precious

B．bitter

C．spare

D．dark

10.

A．marriage

B．stuff

C．occupation

D．duty

11.

A．passing

B．wedding

C．appearance

D．life

12.

A．suitable

B．brave

C．lucky

D．able

13.

A．money

B．hair

C．love

D．fame

14.

A．looked

B．saw

C．sailed

D．follow

15.

A．healed

B．took

C．guided

D．burned

16.

A．message

B．treasure

C．memory

D．theory

17.

A．aboard

B．outside

C．back

D．there

18.

A．heart

B．circle

C．height

D．side

19.

A．path

B．crisis

C．victory

D．success

20.

A．worse

B．younger

C．sicker

D．better

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。

Karakul Lake, which literally means “Black Lake” in the local language, is anything but black. I’ve     1     (personal) witnessed the water changing colors from light purple     2     a glowing blue and it really is spectacular. The lake’s location along the Karakoram Highway near Kashgar makes     3     a wonderfully secluded place     4     very few tourists tend to travel. At the foot of the Muztag Mountain     5     (lie) a small village whose buildings are still made of mud and brick, a great place to buy a hand-made wool carpe t from     6     (local). As always, be prepared to spend the night in a     7     (comfort) yurt (蒙古包). The area     8     (surround) the small Karakul lake isn’t quite as green as the other three lakes, but there is still plenty to do. While every lake offers some sort of horse or camel riding experience, Karakul is one of the few spots where you can completely circumnavigate (环航) the lake in     9     (little) than a few hours on horseback.

It’s also possible     10     (hire) a guide to help you climb the neighboring mountain, but their safety record is 3 deaths in 2008 out of only 300 climbers according to one local.

9 . I have never been a very self-assured person. Leaving India for the United Kingdom to pursue my research career, I felt more out of_______than ever before. At work, I_______away from engaging in_______or putting forward my opinions. I was afraid my colleagues would find how weak I really felt. I started to_______more and more to myself.

That began to change after consultant suggested I _______a nearby concert by a famous singer from my home country. So, there I was in the_______concert hall, surrounded by_______— all of us clapping and singing along to the_______songs. It proved to be a turning point.

I began to do more things_______, including going out for ice cream and to the movies. I even planned a day trip to a picturesque city a few hours away. Soon I wanted to venture farther away. I decided on a________solo hiking and sightseeing trip to the Alps. At first, I________to join the chance conversations with strangers. But eventually, I started to enjoy listening to others’ stories and telling mine.

My growing________carried over to work, where I started to________and put forward my opinions. I________colleagues to design and conduct experiments. I finally felt like a________and active member of the group.

1.

A．order

B．date

C．danger

D．place

2.

A．broke

B．shied

C．looked

D．pulled

3.

A．games

B．parties

C．discussion

D．adaptation

4.

A．show

B．send

C．keep

D．give

5.

A．organize

B．attend

C．register

D．interview

6.

A．packed

B．illegal

C．quiet

D．decorated

7.

A．colleagues

B．musicians

C．designers

D．strangers

8.

A．familiar

B．foreign

C．native

D．funny

9.

A．otherwise

B．somehow

C．alone

D．nevertheless

10.

A．multicultural

B．multitask

C．multiday

D．multitrack

11.

A．determined

B．pretended

C．continued

D．hesitated

12.

A．self-interest

B．self-image

C．self-confidence

D．self-control

13.

A．speak up

B．work out

C．settle down

D．take in

14.

A．helped

B．commanded

C．forbade

D．urged

15.

A．humble

B．significant

C．generous

D．likable

10 . What’s more, they came to understand the delicate balance that the environment exists in and ________ can, and must be done to protect the reef.

A．what

B．how

C．which

D．that