| in addition turn one’s back break down a variety of live in harmony run out maintain friendships be concerned with |
A
Friendship clubs provide a platform for people to take part in
B
Nature is our home. Humans and other living things on the planet couldn’t survive without the resources that come from nature. We should take care of our “home” before it’s too late. If we keep overusing and destroying nature, it will finally
| distance; remove; break away from; intend; eager; result in; surf; refer to; short; keep somebody company; recover; threat; stick |
The measures were effective. Up to now, the antelope population
Many animals and plants are endangered in the world today. These endangered species are threatened with becoming extinct, meaning they will no longer exist on Earth. Examples include the Cuban Macaw and the Sri Lankan Legume Tree. Hunting, and collecting of the Macaw bird for pets, led to its extinction. While the main reason the native Sri Lankan Legume Tree went extinct was due to habitat loss from development in the 20th century. The main cause for animals and plants disappearing is often a disruption to the food chain due to hunting, habitat loss or even the introduction of invasive (入侵的) species.
Every living thing from one-celled animals to a blue whale needs to eat. Nature is connected and controlled by many fragile food chains. A food chain describes who eats whom in a habitat. When one of the links in a food chain is no longer present — for example, a species goes extinct — the food chain breaks and sometimes this can cause other animals to disappear and the whole system can become imbalanced or even collapsed.
Humans can have disastrous effects on food chains. When people first explored the world, they took animal and plant species from their home countries to the places they explored and settled in. They did not realise the results of introducing invasive species. By doing so, they were disrupting the natural food chains of the areas they explored.
Nowadays there are strict rules controlling the movement of animals and plants between countries. But some parts of the world are still experiencing problems with invasive species introduced hundreds of years ago.
With rising awareness of how we affect the natural environment, hopefully we can learn to protect these food chains and help them to thrive. Otherwise the continued loss of species will eventually mean our own extinction.
1. What is a food chain?2. What may cause a disruption to the food chain?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
●Due to strict rules controlling the movement of species between countries, we have solved the problem with invasive species.
4. What can you do to help protect food chains as an individual?
4 . As humans encroach (侵入) more and more on wildlife habitats, animals are finding that the best way to survive isn’t to pack up and move — it’s to adapt to the night life. A variety of previously daytime animals such as foxes, deer and boars have become active at night to avoid human activity out of fear. But this nighttime switch comes with its own risks.
Researchers looked at how 62 species of animals on six continents changed their behavior in response to human activities such as hunting, farming, and development. The studies employed various technologies to follow the animals, from GPS trackers to motion-activated cameras.
Once night falls, the animals surveyed became far more active than they were before humans arrived, hunting and looking for food in the dark. For example, animals that used to split their activity evenly between day and night typically increased their nighttime activity to 68%.
The team also found the animals responded similarly to these human encroachments, regardless of whether human activity directly affected them. So, a deer might become more active at night simply because it sees humans hiking nearby, not because it’s being hunted.
The researchers believe these nighttime behaviors not only allow humans and animals to coexist more peacefully, they may be able to give us hints as to how to plan conservation efforts accordingly, such as limiting human activity during times when a specific species is more active. But moving to the nightlife could also have downsides for these animals. A nighttime lifestyle can reduce an animal’s ability to hunt and find food successfully and can even affect its ability to find a mate. Switching to a nighttime lifestyle can affect natural patterns of life even if these animals are doing so to reduce their interaction with humans. So, just because animals are becoming more active at night doesn’t mean they’ve escaped the influence of humans.
1. Why are animals becoming more active at night?| A．It is easier to find food at night. | B．It is easier to escape being hunted. |
| C．They can be less affected by human. | D．They have got used to nightlife. |
| A．Any human encroachment can affect animals. |
| B．Animals can be affected only when being hunted. |
| C．Deer can get used to nightlife easily. |
| D．Animals should stay away from humans. |
| A．The benefits and risks of animals’ nightlife style. |
| B．Animals have their own ways to get used to life changes. |
| C．Animals should be well protected before it is too late. |
| D．Animals move to nightlife due to human encroachments. |
5 . Dog walkers should show consideration, not just for the dog in their home or car, but also for their environment. Doing so will help keep the local area clean and pleasant, especially for people out walking their dog or taking children to the park.
A considerate dog walker will take steps to prevent their pets from producing waste wherever they want to. Dog waste is particularly unpleasant and should be avoided at all costs. Not only is it nasty to walk in a dirty area, but it is also a serious health risk. Dog fouling ( 污垢) is a criminal offence in the UK and carries a maximum fined ￡1,000 if the case goes to court (法庭). Dog walkers should always be prepared to pick up after their dog by carrying dog waste bags or even plastic carrier bags that can be used. Do not run the risk of allowing your dog to make a public area dirty by always having a steady supply of bags with you during dog walks. Carrying a single bag during a walk is not always enough, as some dogs will need to go twice or perhaps even three times during walks.
Some dog owners are not willing to admit that their pets is a challenge or troublesome. Rather than dislike the suggestions that dogs should be kept under control, you should see it as your duty to protect other dogs, children and anyone else from harm. Do know troublesome behaviors such as aggression (攻击) towards other dogs or children and make every effort to keep your dog under control. Avoid areas where you know other dogs or children will be. They can do this by showing respect for other people’s property, picking up after their dog and by keeping challenging dogs under control.
1. The writer advises dog walkers to show consideration mainly for having_____.| A．a clean car | B．a comfortable home |
| C．a good environment | D．a very pleasant park |
| A．Highly unpleasant or annoying. | B．Very boring and tiring. |
| C．Specially disappointing | D．Surprising or astonishing. |
| A．fined more than ￡1,000 | B．ordered to pick it up at once |
| C．ordered to give one one waste bag | D．considered to break the law. |
| A．To keep their dogs under control. | B．To try to make their dogs keep clean. |
| C．To stop their dogs from being harmed. | D．To respect other people’s property. |
In the 1950s and 1960s, people were widely using chemicals in agriculture, which polluted the food web and broke the eggs of Bald Eagles. Concern for the birds helped to pass the Endangered Species (物种) Act (ESA) on December 28,1973.
The ESA is now 50 years old. It is a vital part of protection efforts in America, but it comes into play only when a species is nearly gone. There is much we can do to prevent our weak creatures from needing the act in the first place.
Recent studies have shown that the best way to protect species is to protect their habitats (栖息地), because it follows a sound, nature-based logic. People and progress depend on nature for large benefits. Compared to recovering a species, protecting habitats won’t need to decide which species is the most serious case that should be treated first.
In January 2023, a bill named Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA)was passed, which would provide significant funding for protection of wildlife habitat that supports species at risk. It basically modernized the Pittman-Robertson Act in 1937, one of the first species-protection acts in America. RAWA was one of the most important acts in wildlife conservation in decades providing $1.397 billion to fund local and state efforts not only to help recover endangered species but also prevent at-risk wildlife from becoming endangered. While this funding has worked for decades, the accelerating (加速) loss of biodiversity requires a new way and more investment.
Protecting habitat doesn’t just protect wildlife; it protects humanity. If the desire to care for our world is not enough, it’s wise to remember that if you destroy your home, you des troy your life.
1. What is the disadvantage of ESA?2. Why protecting habitats is better than recovering a species?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
▶RAWA, a modern version of the Pittman-Robertson Act, mainly helps to save the species that are endangered.
4. Apart from protecting habitats, what else can we do to protect animals? (In about 40 words)
According to a new study, the leading cause of death of birds near power lines is not electrocution (触电), but unlawful shooting. “We need to know how birds are dying so that we can come up
8 . Chen Guanghui is a guardian for black-necked cranes (黑颈鹤) in the Dashanbao Black-necked Crane National Nature Reserve of Zhaotong city, in southwest China’s Yunnan Province. Whistling is the secret language Chen uses to communicate with the black-necked cranes, a type of migratory bird under first-class protection in China. She says different whistles signal different things. When she whistles in an increasing tone, she tries to tell the cranes: ask your companions to come back for lunch, and they would chirp (吱喳叫) to spread the message right away.
Living near the Dashanbao Nature Reserve, a major winter habitat for the rare species, Chen started to take care of them in 2003, a mission she took over from her mother, whose devotion dates back to the 1990s. “In the first few days, I remembered they ran away as soon as I approached them. I was very upset and asked my mom to come back, and I was worried they would starve,” says Chen. “I first tried everything, even singing folk songs to attract them, but failed. Later, I used special whistles and gradually formed close bond with the cranes.”
“I treat them as if they were my own children, and I’m always concerned about them, especially during snowy days when they can’t get food. I feel uncomfortable and anxious when I hear them chirp and usually rush to prepare corn for them.” It’s never been an easy job, and Chen has sustained quite a few injuries over the years, even falling into frozen marsh (沼泽) while trying to save a trapped crane in 2008. However, she never gave up. With love and responsibility, she has persisted in caring for the cranes for about 20 years.
Thanks to the joint protection efforts of Chen and staff members at the nature reserve, now more than 1,900 black-necked cranes overwinter in the area each season every year, up from about 300 when the nature reserve was established.
1. How does Chen Guanghui communicate with black-necked cranes?| A．By singing folk songs. | B．By making hand gestures. |
| C．By imitating chirps of birds. | D．By blowing special whistles. |
| A．Rescuing injured animals. | B．Restoring habitats for rare species. |
| C．Looking after black-necked cranes. | D．Building Dashanbao Nature Reserve. |
| A．Efforts bear fruit. | B．Virtue is its own reward. |
| C．Fortune favors the brave. | D．A miss is as good as a mile. |
The 1980s and 1990s were bad times for the Tibetan antelope. Hunters were shooting antelopes to make profits. Their habitats were becoming
1. 许多野生动物濒临灭绝，保护野生动物势在必行。
2. 分析造成野生动物濒临灭绝的原因，至少两点。
3. 提出保护野生动物的措施，至少两点。
注意：1.词数 80 左右；2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
