With no air conditioners and no trees providing shade, the classrooms that faced south at my children’s middle school got too hot during the warmer months of the school year. I knew from my days volunteering in the school that students and staff got overheated and that it was difficult for them to concentrate.
As a long-time master gardener, I knew trees could shade those classroom windows and reduce the temperatures inside to relatively comfortable levels. If benches and trees were added, the front yard would be transformed into a beautiful outdoor classroom, one that would encourage teachers to bring their students outside to learn. And I imagined how wonderful it would be for our district’s kids, many of whom live in apartment buildings without yards or green space, to experience the happiness of sitting on a bench under a leafy green tree during their school day.
Then, I met with the school’s Parent-Teacher Association and told my idea of changing the school’s front yard. And I expressed my willingness to organize the project. The group liked the idea but thought it was too difficult. However, several days later, the principal told me, “I had further discussions with my staff. We all think you are very kind. We want to work with you to transform our school’s front yard.”
Later, I found a professional landscape designer who promised to design our front yard free of charge. After that, I found a local company that promised to deliver topsoil (表土) at a deeply discounted price when we were ready to transform our front yard. Then I contacted a charity which promised to provide us with various shade trees for free that would grow well in our area. And it would send a professional crew to help us plant the trees.
Then, we named our future front yard “The Habitat for Living & Learning”. At this point, we spoke with everyone we knew about the Habitat for Living & Learning. The hard work of spreading topsoil, digging and planting was scheduled to begin within weeks.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；2. 请按如下格式作答。
Para. 1: So we posted the tasks in the school’s front hall where everyone could see them.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Para. 2: Soon, everyone — students, staff and volunteers — began working to spread the topsoil.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________内容包括：1. 对此现象的看法；2. 理由。
注意：1. 词数80左右；2. 开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
参考词汇：短视频 short video
Dear Eric,
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Yours,
Li Hua
The world has just endured its hottest year on record, with global average temperatures
China, the world's largest developing country and a responsible major country,
Because of global warming, extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and intensity. Building
4 . How to Be Less Emotional
Being overly emotional may mean reacting to feelings like anger, sadness and fear quickly instead of letting all of your intelligence weigh in. Chances are, if you feel overly emotional you are relating to your emotions in a way that isn't always constructive.
Identify emotions. It's important to know what you feel so you can adequately address each emotion appropriately.
Monitor your expectations. Sometimes, the way you feel may be influenced by how you expect to feel.
Adjust your routines to reduce stress. Think about what events trigger your strong emotions, and try to either avoid them or control your response. For instance, if you tend to get anxious because you often run late for work, adjust your morning routine so you are not rushing.
| A．Cope with your emotions. |
| B．Practice breathing techniques. |
| C．However, it's important to learn to regulate your emotions. |
| D．If you feel anxious, you may notice you burn a lot of emotional energy worrying. |
| E．Start to reflect on how your body feels when you notice an emotion coming through. |
| F．If there is a group of people that bring out lots of unpleasant emotions, decrease your time with them. |
| G．For instance, if you expect that watching a movie may make you sad, you may end up feeling sad. |
5 . One of the things that make humans mammals (哺乳动物) is that we’re warm-blooded — our bodies have high metabolism (新陈代谢) that maintains our internal temperature independent of the surroundings, unlike cold-blooded animals that have to lie in the sun for heat. Among modern animals, only mammals and birds are warm-blooded and our ability to keep ourselves warm has enabled us to survive in icy weather and make long migrations. But it’s been a mystery exactly when mammals evolved their high metabolism. In a new study, scientists point to an unlikely source for determining when ancient mammal ancestors became warm-blooded.
The ears of all living creatures that have backbones contain tiny canals (管道) filled with fluid that helps us balance. The runniness (流动性) of that fluid changes based on temperature, and our inner ears have evolved different sizes so that the fluid can flow correctly. Cold-blooded animals’ ear fluid is cooler and thicker, so it needs wider spaces to travel through, while warm-blooded animals have runnier ear fluid, so our canals are different.
“Canals were generally used to predict the movement of fossil organisms. However, by carefully looking at their biomechanics (生物力学) , we figured that we could also use them to infer body temperature,” says Romain David, one of the study’s lead authors. “This is because, like honey, the fluid inside canals gets runnier when temperature increases, impacting function. Therefore, during the transition to endothermy (温血性) , physical adaptation was required to keep best performances, and we could track ear canals in mammal ancestors. ”
To track these evolutionary changes, the researchers compared the sizes of the inner ear canals of over 300 animals, including 243 living species and 64 extinct ones. They found that mammal ancestors didn’t develop the kinds of inner ear structures ideal for warm-blooded animals until 233 million years ago.
The origin of mammalian endothermy is one of the great mysteries to be solved. Many different approaches have been used to try to predict when it first evolved, but they have often given unclear or conflicting results. This method shows real promise because it has been confirmed using a very large number of modern species.
1. Which of the following might be the key to mammals’ long migrations?| A．The large body size. | B．The rich food resources. |
| C．The warm-bloodedness. | D．The adaptability to surroundings. |
| A．They have much bigger backbones. |
| B．Their inner ear canals are relatively narrow. |
| C．They are much more sensitive to outside sounds. |
| D．Their ear fluid seldom changes with temperature. |
| A．Theories on the evolution of mammal ancestors. |
| B．The reason for studying the inner ears of mammals. |
| C．The importance of physical adaptation to mammals. |
| D．Possible ways to predict the movement of fossil organisms. |
| A．Appreciative. | B．Doubtful. | C．Negative. | D．Unconcerned. |
6 . Despite the fact that burgers, chips and fries are known as some of the most unhealthy food we can eat, they are still the most popular food.
There are a few reasons behind that. First, junk food is generally easy to get and take with you. This convenience is a major draw for many, especially people who are always on the go. Restaurants like McDonald’s and KFC can be found outside many schools and workplaces, providing meals in under a minute.
Secondly, junk food contains a lot of added sugar and fat. This kind of food causes our brain to send out certain chemicals, which produce the feeling of relaxation, pleasure and enjoyment. That’s why such food is called “comfort food”.
Thirdly, our ancestors didn’t have such easy access to the huge variety of food we come across every day. They didn’t have the convenience of having food as easily as we do. So they made it a habit to eat as much as they could to survive and protect themselves from the hard natural conditions. The cave mentality (心理) is passed down to us, which makes us believe that we can never have enough food that is high in sugar and fat, no matter how crazily we eat.
Besides, when we are too worried and tired to relax, our body produces cortisol (皮质醇), which increases the sugar content in the blood, so it can be used as energy to aid in fat and carbohydrate metabolism (碳水化合物代谢). Additionally, it is also found to increase hunger. That’s the reason why when we’re thinking about unpleasant things, we prefer foods that are high in sugar, fat and carbohydrate, that is to say unhealthy food.
1. Why are McDonald’s and KFC mentioned?| A．To show they take up the best site. | B．To show they provide good service. |
| C．To show they are famous for their taste. | D．To show they make junk food easy to get. |
| A．We need all kinds of food. | B．Our ancestors lived a hard life. |
| C．We are born to eat more than we need. | D．It is difficult for us to change our habits. |
| A．Too much stress. | B．A wish for food. |
| C．A fast metabolic rate. | D．Not having enough energy. |
| A．How harmful junk food is. | B．Why fast food is so delicious. |
| C．How we can develop a healthy lifestyle. | D．Why we love unhealthy food so much. |
7 . In a small tea shop located in Bisalpur, Uttar Pradesh, one can spot unique furniture like stools (凳子) and tables made of bricks and recycled plastic. Other than customers, tourists who come to visit the nearby Jawai Dam often stop by here to hand plastic waste over to the shopkeeper. Run by Kana Ram Mewada, the shop not only sells tea and snacks, but also leads a campaign to reduce the use of single-use plastic in the village.
According to a report of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in 2019—2020, 3. 5million metric tons (公吨) of plastic waste is annually generated in India, and will remain in landfills (垃圾填埋场) for the upcoming hundreds of years.
Kana was deeply disturbed after reading that report on the Internet and began thinking about ways to raise the villagers’ awareness and make his village free of plastic.
He started a campaign by collecting plastic waste from his own shop and roadside. Whenever customers came, he explained the campaign. In order to attract more people, he started giving something in return for the waste they brought. Sometimes, he purchased a few things made of recycled waste to show the villagers and told them they were created from their plastic waste contribution. He also made decorative items out of the waste and placed them around the shop.
As a result, people from the village became curious about his campaign. Even tourists began participating in the exchange. And today, the forest, rivers and public spaces that were once filled with plastic waste are cleaner than before.
He hopes that he can also help the neighboring villages recycle plastic waste and make the whole area plastic-free. “When an ordinary person like me decided to start a cause, it was inspiring that a whole village stood by me and supported me. We can all become torchbearers (启蒙者) for a better tomorrow. What we have to do is take a step forward,” he said.
1. What led Kana to start the campaign?| A．An online report. | B．Tourists’ behavior. |
| C．Customers’ advice. | D．His visit to landfills. |
| A．To get more people to join his campaign. | B．To teach shoppers how to make them. |
| C．To make his shop much more beautiful. | D．To advertise the goods in his shop. |
| A．Considerate and proud. | B．Ambitious and generous. |
| C．Responsible and creative. | D．Determined and humorous. |
| A．A shopkeeper’s path to success. | B．A historic tourist spot in Bisalpur. |
| C．A unique way of turning waste into art. | D．A shopkeeper’s campaign for plastic recycling. |
8 . Save your annual leave and explore beautiful towns and places with day trips less than two hours from London, offering a change of scenery, delicious food and a good walk. You can head into work the next day feeling refreshed.
Margate
The old will remember Margate as a somewhat mocked holiday location, a vintage (复古的) style amusement park with rides. However, the young are now moving here in droves as they take advantage of the excellent transport links and the working opportunities. Another draw is the Turner Contemporary art gallery opened in 2011 to celebrate artist JMW Turner, and his connection to Margate. The gallery is free to enter and has spectacular views.
The New Forest
At over 200 square miles, the New Forest is a protected national park dotted with small towns. There are many trails to walk or cycle, which are worth planning in advance. Thenewforest.co.uk is a useful resource as it has walking and cycle routes split into family, dog-friendly and those that take in pubs or villages.
Brighton
There is something for everyone in Brighton: traditional fish and chips, vegan and restaurants, the Royal Pavil ion and shops — both vintage and contemporary — selling clothing, jewellery, chocolate and records. Any of the small coffee shops would be a great first stop before heading to the very pink Books for Amnesty shop.
The Cotswolds
With the instantly recognisable pale-yellow stone cottages and seemingly unending supply of pubs, the towns and villages that comprise the Cotswolds are well worth a visit. Spend the morning walking around Chipping Norton, a market town with shops and theatres. Be sure to pop-in to Jaffé and Neale, the bookshop and cafe that has been open since 2006.
1. What attracts the younger generation in Margate?| A．Its amusement park. | B．The protected national park. |
| C．The Turner Contemporary art gallery. | D．Its convenient transportation and working chances. |
| A．Brighton. | B．The New Forest. | C．Margate. | D．The Cotswolds. |
| A．Life style. | B．Traditional food. | C．Coffee houses. | D．Ancient cottages. |
9 . A study was carried out as a cooperation program among researchers at the universities of Turku (Finland), Sydney (Australia) and Cordoba (Spain). Those researchers used artificial nests (人工鸟巢) to test two methods for reducing the nest predation (捕食) of endangered ground-nesting birds.
Predator control is a common challenge in areas where many animals, such as ground-nesting birds, cannot bear the impact of the increased number of predators. For example, in areas that have fewer top predators, the red fox population can be overly large for the areas they live in. Besides, predator control by hunting can be hard and cannot be carried out everywhere or at any time, for example, during the birds’ nesting season. In such cases, the foxes can cause a decline in the populations of some birds.
In the first experimental sites, the researchers spread waterfowl’s smell in wetland areas. With the chemical camouflage (伪装), the researchers studied whether predators might fail to find the artificial bird nests. In other areas, the researchers used eggs giving off an unpleasant smell which could cause discomfort with the goal of making predators believe that the bird eggs were not eatable. The researchers also used control sites which they visited as frequently as the experimental sites to stop predators from making the right choices.
The study showed that the chemical camouflage especially decreased the predation of the artificial bird nests by red foxes. “Unlike other predators, red foxes were more easily deceived into not eating bird eggs than some other predators. We found red foxes might rely more on their sense of smell to find bird nests. The chemical smells could make most of them think the food they found could not be eaten,” explains Senior Researcher Vesa Selonen from the University of Turku.
“Our results are interesting as they show that these approaches could reduce the nest predation of endangered birds. We’re wondering whether the results we observed with the artificial nests can also lead to the protection of real bird nests and a larger number of young birds,” says Professor Toni Laaksonen from the University of Turku.
1. What does the author want to show by mentioning predator control?| A．The number of red foxes is out of control. |
| B．The living areas of ground-nesting birds are limited. |
| C．Predator control and hunting should be applied together. |
| D．New solutions for fighting predation are necessary. |
| A．Driving away the smart predators. |
| B．Causing the bird eggs to be unsuitable for eating. |
| C．Making the wetland areas attractive to the predators. |
| D．Confusing the predators about the location of nests. |
| A．Forced. | B．Raised. | C．Cheated. | D．Frightened. |
| A．Put their research methods into practice. |
| B．Search for new sites to continue the experiments. |
| C．Perfect their methods to study birds’ nesting behavior. |
| D．Develop more methods of designing artificial nests. |
10 . I was shopping in Whole Foods Market when my cellphone rang. My daughter Julianna told me that she got the job she had applied for. She had just turned 14 and was determined to spend this summer vacation on work. The things she wants are both long-term and immediate. She wants to freely buy things from Forever 21 and save money for the famous college she’s determined to get into.
Several weeks before her birthday, Julianna asked me whether I’d allow her to work. Some of her friends’ parents wouldn’t let their kids work, wanting them to focus on their studies and enjoy the last childhood freedom for as long as possible. I understood those parents. But I wanted her to spend less time on her electronic devices in her room and more time in the outside world.
The day after her birthday, Julianna immediately applied to an amusement park, which hires teens during busy summer months. I’d never seen Julianna so active. The day before the interview, we went over possible questions, including why she wanted to work at the amusement park, its most famous attraction, and what her previous work and volunteering experiences were. She rarely talked about anything else until the interview was over.
I never worked as a young teen. My husband, though, worked as a young teen at an amusement park. He shared some funny stories about his time working there. More importantly, the work contributed to his strong work ethic (道德准则) today. Studies also show that work can contribute to healthy development and that teens who work at times are more likely to attend four-year colleges and get degrees quickly.
Julianna used to be so careful about new experiences, but now she is doing something new. I realize it’s time to put aside my doubts and worries and believe she can learn the skills she needs to take care of herself.
1. What was the author’s expectation of her daughter?| A．She could spend her free time in a relaxing way. |
| B．She could actively experience the real world. |
| C．She could pay much attention to her health. |
| D．She could do better in her studies. |
| A．She took the interview very seriously. |
| B．She wanted to improve the amusement park. |
| C．She wished to work together with her mom. |
| D．She had great confidence in getting the job. |
| A．The reason for her husband’s success. |
| B．The joy of working at an amusement park. |
| C．The relationship between work and education. |
| D．The positive influence of early work experience. |
| A．How my daughter achieved freedom and independence |
| B．How I guided my daughter through her life troubles |
| C．How I embraced my daughter’s journey of growth |
| D．How my daughter developed a new hobby |
