1 . 4 Reasons Why Wild Animals Are So Important
As we know, the earth gives us food, medicines and materials, often through wild animals. These wild animals are important to our existence. Sadly, they are becoming extinct at an alarming rate. We need to change this loss of nature and create a future where wildlife and people thrive (蓬勃发展) again.
Wild animals keep balance in ecosystems.
Diversity (多样性) means healthier ecosystems and healthier wild animals.
When there is a wildlife issue, you’ll often hear the term biodiversity, which refers to the number of species in an ecosystem.
All of the food that we eat comes from an animal or plant. Living without various food sources causes our nutrition (营养) to suffer. Protecting wildlife and its natural habitats strengthens food safety for humans around the world.
Wildlife helps medical research.
Wild animals have helped us find important medicines that help with many diseases.
| A．All living things are interconnected. |
| B．Healthy ecosystems mean a lot of diversity. |
| C．Or we will lose these animals to future generations. |
| D．People worldwide depend on wildlife for their snack. |
| E．Wildlife provides important nutrients for the human race. |
| F．The human race has always turned to nature for medicine. |
| G．We should notice the influence caused by wildlife on culture. |
2 . The African continent has seen its average monthly temperatures rise by 0.5 — 2 degrees Celsius over the past century, with up to another two degrees of warming projected for the next 100 years. The changing climate will break historical rainfall patterns, but which of these, temperature or rainfall, will have the most impact on a species, like rhinos (犀牛) ?
“Generally speaking, most, if not all, species will. in one way or another, be affected by the changing climate,” says lead author Hlelowenkhosi S. Mamba, who completed this research. It is therefore important to catch tendency (趋势) and model futures for some of the world’s weakest species. It can help prepare to reduce climate change’s effects, hence reducing global biodiversity losses.
To understand how our changing climate will affect rhino populations, Mamba and Timothy Randhir, professor of environmental protection, focused their efforts on the five large national parks that are home to most of the rhinos.
Mamba and Randhir then modeled two scenes for each of the parks: the IPCC’s high-emissions (排放) scenes and a more moderate (适度的) emissions scenes. They projected temperature and rainfall for each of the scenes out to 2055 and 2085 to arrive at a possibility that each park would remain suitable for the rhinos.
Nearly every park will become increasingly drier as emissions increase. This is all very bad news for the rhinos, because the team also found that, though the change in rainfall will not be most suitable for the rhinos, the changes in temperature are greater than what the species can bear.
“The temperature conditions in all study parks will become increasingly unsuitable for the species. And under the high-emissions scenes, the possibility of occurrence of the species falls to zero by 2085,” the authors write.
But to be forewarned is to be prepared in advance. “We propose that park managers think now about increasing water supplies, tree cover, watching for stress and planning to allow rhinos to move from one place to another place as the world warms,” says Randhir.
1. Why does the author ask a question in Paragraph 1?| A．To show an evidence. | B．To stress the main idea. |
| C．To lead in the topic. | D．To offer some background. |
| A．The means of the research. | B．The content of the research. |
| C．The process of the research. | D．The significance of the research. |
| A．Changes in rainfall have a greater effect on rhinos. | B．Each park will have no rhinos in 2055. |
| C．Changes in temperature affect rhinos more. | D．Each park will be warmer by 4. 5℃ in 2085. |
| A．Rhinos are better suited to natural growth. | B．Rhinos are in great danger in the five parks. |
| C．Park managers should plan to protect rhinos. | D．Park managers must pay more attention to nature. |
3 . On Christmas Eve, two little ducks were found frozen on a pond in Smithville, Ohio. They flapped their wings, fruitlessly struggling to free themselves on the ice until two locals spotted them and helped set the animals free. The two ducks were later named Olaf and Elsa, characters from Disney’s Frozen, and sent to an animal rescue organization.
“Every year in springtime, particularly at Easter, many people buy ducklings on impulse as gifts, often for their kids. People associate baby animals like ducklings, chicks, and bunnies with springtime,” says John Di Leonardo, an anthrozoologist. “But months later, animal rescuers routinely see a rise in abandoned ducks in local parks and ponds.”
Elsa and Olaf’s tough situation highlights the reason why domestic ducks always show up in local parks and ponds. Assuming they can live, their case is pretty similar to going to Yellowstone National Park and seeing a wolf and such like. “Oh, if this wolf can live well, my dog can do too,” says Adison Smith, president of Wasatch Wanderers Animal Rescue. “Those ducks lack hunting instincts, and many quickly starve to death or fall sick. A majority cannot fly because of small wings. They don’t migrate, so they can’t survive winter. They’re literally sitting ducks for predators (捕食者),” John Di Leonardo adds.
Since the issue is largely due to a lack of awareness, Adison Smith has started a campaign and hung more than 50 signs in a dozen cities to remind parkgoers that getting rid of pet ducks tends to be disastrous to them and can be illegal by the state law, “Our goal is to get the problem at its source,” Adison says. Most people tend to buy ducklings at stores for less than a dollar each, or kids take them home from school hatching projects.
“Though most abandoned ducks live short, miserable lives, Olaf and Elsa are an exception — they’ll spend their remaining days at Lasa Sanctuary in Wooster, Ohio, in a shelter with other ducks, clean hay, and protection against predators,” John Di Leonardo says.
1. Why did Olaf and Elsa appear on a frozen pond on Christmas Eve?| A．They starred in the film Frozen. | B．They practised their hunting skills. |
| C．They escaped from an animal shelter. | D．They were abandoned by their master. |
| A．Animals share a lot in living habits. | B．Pet ducks are less adaptable in the wild. |
| C．Yellowstone is a great place for wildlife. | D．Animals can get along well with each other. |
| A．Increasing the selling prices of ducks. |
| B．Reminding people to save our resources. |
| C．Educating people about the animal protection. |
| D．Appealing for the establishment of new animal laws. |
| A．Dangerous. | B．Easeful. | C．Restricted. | D．Exhausted. |
4 . Blue whales have made themselves at home in a part of the Indian Ocean where they hadn’t been seen for many years, according to a study published late last year. The blue whale, an endangered species, is the largest animal on Earth. These whales can grow to about 100 feet long and the animal’s heart alone can be the size of a small car.
Blue whales were filmed in the waters around the Seychelles in 2020 and 2021. The Seychelles area group of islands that make up the smallest African country. Hunters almost completely wiped out blue whales in the area in the 1960s.
During this recent exploration, however, scientists spotted several of the creatures. Research suggests that these whales are not just passing through — they are staying in the region for months. The discovery was made with the help of a “sound trap”, an object that was fitted with recording equipment and batteries and placed on the seafloor in November 2021. It was left there for a year, recording 15 minutes every hour. When scientists studied the recordings, they discovered the blue whales’ recognizable song, which is so deep that it can’t be heard naturally by human ears.
The whale songs were found between December and April, a common time for blue whales to breed (繁殖) and nurse their young. Kathleen Stafford, one of the researchers, told BBC News that the scientists think the noise was the singing of male whales. “They sing during the breeding season to attract the females,” she explained. This could mean that the Seychelles is an important breeding area or nursery site for the species.
The government of the Seychelles has been making major efforts to protect the oceans around the islands since 2015. The appearance of these whales shows that its work seems to have made a big difference. Stafford said that the Seychelles, which doesn’t have ma my big ships sailing nearby, could be “a nice, quiet, safe place for blue whales”.
1. What does the underlined phrase “wiped out” in Paragraph 2 mean?| A．Killed. | B．Washed. | C．Removed. | D．Approached. |
| A．To track sounds. | B．To video whales， |
| C．To study the seafloor. | D．To play songs every hour， |
| A．It is seasonal. | B．It is annoying. |
| C．It can be heard by humans. | D．It can drive away other animals. |
| A．Local hunters. | B．Foreign sailors. |
| C．The government. | D．Kathleen Stafford. |
Like many nature reserves in Kenya, Borana used to be a cattle ranch (牧场). For thousands of years, cows were
Borana now aims
Borana put all profits (收益) into efforts like this one, and it has made a
1. Why did Tracy bring dogs to the children?
| A．To teach them to love animals. |
| B．To help them gain confidencc. |
| C．To protect them from dangers. |
| A．They may misbehave. | B．They may get hurt. | C．Thcy may carry diseases. |
| A．Give a talk. | B．Meet the children. | C．Take some photos. |
7 . For most of December, Adele Adkins had the top-selling album in Australia, followed by Ed Sheeran, and then there was a collection of songs that took everyone by surprise.
Songs Of Disappearance is a collection of calls from endangered Australian birds. Last month, it briefly reached No.3 on the country’s top 50 albums chart (排行榜) — ahead of Taylor Swift.
Anthony Albrecht, a PhD student at Charles Darwin University, produced the album with Professor Stephen Garnett. “I knew it was a crazy thing to suggest. But Stephen’s a little bit crazy like me and he let me do it,” Albrecht said.
Songs Of Disappearance was published with a university report which found that 1 in 6 Australian bird species are now threatened. The album records 53 of those species.
“Some sing what you might think of as bird songs, but not all of them,” said SeanDooley, who represents the conservation organization Bird life Australia. “Songs from the golden bowerbird sound like a death cry from some sci-fi series. And the love songs from Christmas Island frigate bird, which has a piece of skin hanging under its mouth that caninflate (膨胀) like a huge red balloon, sound as bizarre as its unusual looks.”
There’s also the Christmas Island pigeon. When people hear that pigeon, they might think that it’s a human making silly noises, Dooley added.
The Charles Darwin University and Bird life Australia report does document successes in protecting endangered birds, the hope being that the album will protect more species.
“The increased awareness can make a difference,” Dooley said. “When we have a community on board, that brings pressure to the government to do the right thing. We know that these conservation actions do work.”
1. Whose album reached No.1 on the chart in December?| A．Taylor Swift’s. |
| B．Adele Adkins’. |
| C．Ed Sheeran’s. |
| D．Anthony Albrecht’s. |
| A．About 53 bird species are threatened in Australia. |
| B．It has not found success in protecting endangered birds. |
| C．One sixth of Australian bird species are now endangered. |
| D．Music is very powerful in encouraging people to protect birds. |
| A．Strange. |
| B．Beautiful. |
| C．Loud. |
| D．Sharp. |
| A．Crazy. |
| B．Amusing. |
| C．Uncreative. |
| D．Helpful. |
In July, my dad, mom and I flew to Whitehorse to care for my sick old grandfather. We planned to spend two months in the town of my youth.
A few days before we arrived, my grandfather called to say he was being flow n to Vancouver for another operation. My dad and mom had already booked the air tickets and their leave from work, so even though my grandfather wouldn’t be there, we made the trip north anyway.
Grandfather kept a puppy. It was the only companion of my grandfather while we were not in Whitehorse. He had adopted it from a local shelter(two years earlier and renamed him “Scruffy” because it looked untidy. Its fur was messy. Its ears were like two wings when it ran. While we were alone in my grandfather’s house with nothing to do, Scruffy saved us. The dog needed to be walked. Those walks were chances to re-visit where I’d grown up. I had left that small town behind as soon as I finished high school and had rarely visited home. Scruffy and I took my family to the school, where my picture still hung. We walked through the forest where I once rode my bike. With no one to talk to when my parents were occupied with their own business. I found myself chatting with Scruffy. He was too excited to see me. I gave him many nicknames: Scruffster, Scruff-man, Scruffmaster. He would happily respond to them all.
By the fall, we were back in Toronto and my grandfather was back in Whitehorse. My mom and her brothers took turns flying up to take care of him.
注意：
1.续写词数应为150个左右;
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
We visited my grandfather again in November.
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After Grandfather’s death, we had to rehome Scruffy.
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9 . Time is running out for coral reefs as the climate gets hotter. So scientists are searching the globe for corals that are better at enduring heat, Now, new research shows how those “super corals” can survive: less roommate drama.
Reefs depend on a crucial partnership between the corals and the algae (海藻) that live in the corals’ tissue, The algae make food for the corals using sunlight and in exchange, get a nice spot to live. But when oceans heat up, that relationship goes bad, and the corals kick the algae out, Without their roommates, corals can die, turning a ghostly white, bleached (白化) color.
Still, some corals seem to resist bleaching better than others, A new study shows that those corals depend on algae that are better at tolerating heat. Researchers hope that pinpointing these abilities will help develop new conservation tools to preserve the world’s reefs as temperatures rise. About 1/4 of all marine life rely on coral reefs in some way, along with half 1 billion people around the world also depend on reefs for their food and livelihoods.
“Heat stress can kill a lot of corals really fast,” says Kate Quigley, a research scientist at James Cook University and the Minderoo Foundation in Australia. “I hope that nature does have some mechanisms to get us through the next few years while we get our act together.”
While the hope is that those algae could also aid in reef conservation in the future, researcher Patrick Buerger says it’s likely that it wouldn’t help all coral species. And even the toughest corals can only endure so much. Currently, the world is on track for just under 3degrees Celsius of warming by 2100, a level that would wipe out nearly all coral reefs.
“The action has to be on climate change,” he says. “This is a short-term solution that might buy some time for corals to adapt. But the main focus has to be on climate. There’s not a silver bullet to the problem.”
1. What is the feature of super corals?| A．Sun-loving. | B．Long-living. | C．Good-looking. | D．Heat-bearing. |
| A．Habitat. | B．Food. | C．Sunlight. | D．Friendship. |
| A．The population of marine life. | B．The importance of coral reefs. |
| C．The seriousness of global warming. | D．The living conditions of coral reefs. |
| A．It is useless | B．It is the last hope. | C．It is temporary. | D．It is the silver bullet. |
10 . Salmon are cold-water fish, so they can get quite stressed when swimming up increasingly warm rivers to spawn (产卵). A new study shows that by installing ”cooling stations” in those rivers, we could help the threatened fish make the trip.
While global warming is causing river temperatures to rise, spawning salmon still get some “breath” at what are known as shelters. These are places where cool water from underground springs flows into the main river, bringing the water temperature down.
However, due to the effects of climate change, natural shelters are becoming less common and making less of a difference. With that problem in mind, hydrology PhD candidate Kathryn Smith and her colleagues from Canada’s Dalhousie University set about creating human-made shelters. Two such shelters-an active one and a passive one were tested in rivers in the province of Nova Scotia this summer.
The active shelter used a pump (泵) to deliver cool groundwater from an urban well into a warm stretch of river, creating a cooling water flow which extended at least 60 meters downstream. In the passive shelter, a covered trench (沟渠) was used to direct water from a meander (曲流) back into the main river. During the time the redirected water was blocked from the sunlight, its temperature dropped accordingly.
Even when these shelters cooled the water by only a few degrees, spawning salmon could easily gather in these areas. What’s more, greater numbers of the fish gathered at the stations during a heat wave.
Smith is now planning on scaling up the technology for more extensive testing. She is presenting her research this week at the Geological Society of America’s GSA Connects 2023 meeting in Pittsburgh.
1. What problem are salmon faced with?| A．Rubbish in the river is increasing. | B．Fishermen catch them without limit. |
| C．Rivers are getting warmer and warmer. | D．The temperature of rivers remains unchanged. |
| A．How salmon behave in shelters. | B．How the two shelters work. |
| C．The terrible effect of climate change. | D．The high price of building the shelters. |
| A．The shelters made a big difference. | B．Salmon preferred to travel in groups. |
| C．Salmon liked to spawn in clean water. | D．The shelters heated the water quickly. |
| A．Entertainment. | B．Health. | C．Sports. | D．Environment. |
