1 . A world in which extinct creatures could be brought back to life came a step closer yesterday. Australian scientists have managed to extract a gene from a preserved sample of a Tasmanian tiger and make it active. The breakthrough has left them dreaming that one day they will be able to recreate the animal, which died out more than 70 years ago. And if it can be done with the Tasmanian tiger, it may also be possible to resurrect (复活) creatures that have been extinct for far longer.

“There used to be a time when extinction meant forever, but no more, ” said Professor Mike Archer. “We are now able to seriously challenge whether those animals that have gone for ever. What has been achieved is a very important step in bringing back those animals that are extinct. And while I think that technically it is still pretty difficult at the moment, we can now see the possibilities. I’m personally convinced that the Tasmanian tiger will be brought back to life in my lifetime.”

The breakthrough came after nine years of experiments by scientists at the University of Melbourne, who extracted a gene from one of several tigers preserved in alcohol in a Melbourne museum. They removed the equivalent gene from a mouse embryo implanted the tiger gene and then watched as the mouse continued to grow normally, suggesting the tiger gene had been activated.

Team leader Dr. Andrew Pask said it was the first time DNA from an extinct species had been used to “induce (引起) a functional response in another living organism”.

However, the animal’s entire gene structure would have to be revived in the same way to even begin the possibility of bringing the Tasmanian tiger back from the dead.

Mick Mooney, a wildlife officer of the Tasmanian Government, was worried that such developments could encourage people’s indifference to the protection of endangered species.

“If people think that we can bring animals back to life after they’ve gone, they will start saying that there is nothing to worry about because we can fix it up later.”

1. What does the underlined word “breakthrough” in the l paragraph refer to?

A．Scientists have recreated new animals.

B．Scientists have resurrected endangered animal.

C．It has turned out that some creatures would not go extinct.

D．A tiger gene has been extracted successfully and activated.

2. Scientists are carrying out the experiments in order to ________.

A．bring extinct animals back to life

B．transplant the genes of tigers into other animals

C．find out what factors lead to the animals’ extinction

D．find a new way to extract animals’ DNA

3. Mike Archer thinks that ________.

A．scientists now have no technological difficulty   reconnecting extinct animals

B．it’ll be a century or so before a Tasmanian tiger walks on the earth again

C．humans have come closer in reconnecting extinct animals

D． reconnecting extinct animals is impossible

4. We can learn from Mick Mooncy’s words that_________.

A．he thought it unnecessary to worry about endangered animals

B．his opinion is in contrast with that of the Tasmanian Government

C．he thought people should be encouraged to protect endangered animals

D．he is concerned that bringing extinct animals back to life may have a negative effect

2 . One of the greatest challenges in caring for such intelligent animals as chimpanzees (猩猩) is providing them with enriching experiences. Every day, the chimpanzees at Project Chimps receive morning and evening food-based enrichment devices, but caregivers are always looking for more ways to keep the chimps mentally engaged. With 79 chimpanzees, each with their distinctive personality, care staff often find that different chimps react differently to new enrichment.

Last year, we began inviting musicians to perform for chimps to see what they may respond. A violin performance received quite the response. Additional musicians were lined up to visit but the coronavirus has stopped the activities, which we hope to resume in the near future.

This past week, we brought an electric piano for the chimps to investigate. Some chimps, like twins Buttercup and Clarisse, were immediately interested and could not wait to tap out a few notes. Others, like Emma, were more interested in trying to take it apart.

29-year-old Precious has very little tolerance for the piano. She sat off to the side for a few minutes, but eventually she decided that was enough. She called an end to the enrichment session by throwing a handful of waste at the piano. Receiving her message loud and clear, we removed the piano.

We could never have guessed how 33-year-old Luke would react to it. As with many retired lab chimpanzees, Luke has some anxiety issues. He seems particularly distrustful of anything new, including people, food, and enrichment. But when we presented the chimps with the piano, Luke was the first to investigate. We could not believe our eyes—this usually anxious chimpanzee bravely chose to explore something new!

To us at Project Chimps, this is what it is all about: giving chimpanzees the freedom to choose. We are honored to be part of their journey.

1. Why do chimpanzees respond differently to new enrichment?

A．They are of different genders.

B．They have natural curiosities.

C．They are as intelligent as humans.

D．They have their unique characters.

2. Who showed the least interest in the piano?

A．Buttercup and Clarisse.

B．Emma.

C．Precious.

D．Luke.

3. What does the underlined word “resume” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．Continue.

B．Suspend.

C．Monitor.

D．Regulate.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．How caregivers care for the retired chimpanzees.

B．What care staff do to enrich chimpanzees’ daily life.

C．How chimpanzees are trained through various enrichment.

D．What Project Chimps does to observe and study wild chimps.

3 . Nowadays, many of us are working long hours at home, so more than ever, we are in need of a pet to help relieve anxiety and provide company for the lonely days.     1     There are simply too many benefits to list, so we've gathered only our top reasons.

    2     Working long hours from home can never be a nice thing. Without all the human contact we would normally get in the office, we can often find ourselves feeling lonely and isolated. However, with a pet at home we're likely to feel much better.

A call to head outdoors. For those who have an animal that enjoys going outdoors, pets can serve as a great reminder of heading outdoors to get some fresh air.     3     However, often owners will return from their walks feeling calmer, more relaxed and more energized. Whatever the weather, getting outside is beneficial to us.

Caring for something else. Often, when we feel loneliness or anxiety, we tend to be focusing inwards, to our own worries and self-doubts.     4     Therefore, it's advisable to invest time in our pet's well-being by giving them the best care we can.

Motivation (动力) and routine. Pets are a source of motivation for their owners simply because they rely on us so heavily. Without a pet, we'll find it hard to keep our daily routine while working at home.     5    . But when we have a pet to look after, we have to get up early and be ready for the day ahead. This is going to benefit both the pet and ourselves.

A．An end to loneliness.

B．A time killer in daily life.

C．We tend to skip meals or sleep late.

D．Pets often walk here and there and make our house dirty.

E．The positive effects a pet can have on our mental health are amazing.

F．The task of heading out for a walk on a rainy day may not seem attractive.

G．Directing our attention to the outside world helps relieve those negative feelings.

4 . If you’ve ever had a dog, you know just how deep a connection you can develop with “man’s best friend”. But a dog has a much shorter life span — about 12 to 15 years long — than humans, which means every dog owner has to go through the heartbreaking moment when their loving pet passes away.

Why not make a clone of that dog then? This is the solution offered by a South Korean company, Sooam Biotech Research Foundation. The company has successfully cloned at least 400 dogs, mostly for US customers, ever since it pioneered the technique in 2005. Now, Sooam Biotech is planning to introduce their business to UK dog owners, offering them dogs that look just like their lost ones.

Meanwhile, another dog is selected to supply an egg. Researchers then replace the DNA in the egg with that from the skin cell and implant the egg into the womb (子宫) of a female dog. The egg grows into a puppy over the following two months. To clone a dog, researchers first need to take a skin cell from a living dog or one that has just died.

The whole process takes less than a day, but it comes at a shockingly high price — around £63,000 (614,000 yuan). But if you can’t afford it now, you can also save the cells in a laboratory and access them at a later date. Just like identical twins of humans, they share the exact same DNA but there will still be small differences between them. “The spots on a Dalmatian clone will be different, for example,” Insung Hwang, head of Sooam Biotech, told The Guardian. However, as magical as cloning might sound, there is no guarantee that the cloned dog will be a perfect replica of the original one.

Dog owners will also have to accept the fact that personality is not “clone-able”. Apart from genes, personality is also determined by upbringing and environment, which are both “random elements [that] cloning technologies simply cannot overcome”, Professor Tom Kirkwood at Newcastle University, UK, told The Telegraph.

Perhaps bringing our dogs back with cloning is not the best way to remember them after all.

Kirkwood, a dog owner himself, pointed out: “An important aspect of our relationship with them is coming to terms with the pain of letting go.”

1. According to the article, Sooam Biotech Research Foundation is ______.

A．working on plans to help dog owners enjoy their pets longer

B．offering a way to help dogs give birth to more puppies

C．providing a service that will make copies of pet dogs

D．introducing a completely new technique to clone dogs

2. Which of the following statements about dog cloning is TRUE according to the article?

A．Dog cloning technology hadn’t been put into practice until recently.

B．Dog cloning is very expensive and usually takes several months to complete.

C．Dog cloning is very popular among US and UK pet owners.

D．Cloned dogs might develop different habits and characteristics even though they look very similar.

3. Which of the following shows the correct order of the dog cloning process?
a. an egg is taken from another dog
b. a skin cell is taken from the pet dog and saved in a laboratory
c. the egg is placed in the womb of a female dog
d. the DNA of the egg is replaced by the DNA from the skin cell
e. the egg grows into a puppy in two months

A．acbde.

B．adbce.

C．bacde.

D．badce.

4. We can learn from the article that Kirkwood ______ dog cloning.

A．disapproves of

B．supports

C．is afraid of

D．is curious about

5 . “Your mind is a garden; your thoughts are the seeds. The harvest can either be flowers or weeds,” William Wordsworth wrote. In the above quote, William suggests that the process of gardening mirrors human life. Depending on what we “plant” in our lives, we bloom (生长茂盛) or don’t. Before you start to work in your garden, it’s necessary to have a vision for it. Thinking of what you want to grow in your garden and how to lay it out is a good first step in making your vision a fruitful reality. In life, you should consider what you want to create and what you want to achieve, because your mind-garden is like the white paper and the possibilities are endless.

Regardless of what you choose to plant, poor soil isn’t suitable for growth. This is why gardeners take the time and energy to upgrade the soil before planting. So, creating the right soil is important to the realization of your goals and dreams. Fortunately, there are countless ways to make your personal bedrock better. Getting an education is one of the most effective ways, which can help you enrich your life’s soil.

You don’t have to be an enthusiastic gardener to understand the meaning of “You reap(收获) what you sow.” When a gardener wants tomatoes, they just need to plant tomato seeds. It’s a very clear act that produces an expected result. Each of us has the power to decide which “life seeds” to plant. For example, if you plant ill seeds, it's likely that you’ll experience pain in return. Contrarily, if you plant seeds of kindness and understanding, your life will bloom with happiness and love.

A gardener’s truly arduous work begins after the seeds are in the ground because a garden requires a lot of care and attention. Regular watering and weeding are required for a healthy garden. So, to ensure your dreams take root, you should be devoted, aware, and present. After countless hours and energy spent, the crops have grown well and are finally ready to be harvested.

1. What is important before gardeners break ground in their gardens?

A．Receiving some training in planting.

B．Drawing up a good plan for their gardens.

C．Having the courage to accept the worst outcome.

D．Doing research on the common local garden plants.

2. What is compared to getting education by the author?

A．Improving the condition of the soil.	B．Growing your most favorable plants.
C．Taking care of the plants in your garden.	D．Selecting proper goals in gardening work.

3. What does the author want to express in Paragraph 3?

A．Your quality of life depends on your positive action.

B．Your experience can help you understand plants better.

C．Your choice of soil is an important part in your gardening.

D．Your knowledge of planting will make you a successful gardener.

4. What does the underlined word “arduous” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Beneficial

B．Creative

C．Boring.

D．Tough

6 . When the explorers first set foot upon the continent of North America, the skies and lands were alive with an astonishing variety of wildlife. Native Americans had taken care of these precious natural resources wisely. Unfortunately, it took the explorers and the settlers who followed only a few decades to decimate a large part of these resources. Millions of waterfowl (水禽) were killed at the hands of market hunters and a handful of overly ambitious sportsmen. Millions of acres of wetlands were dried to feed and house the ever-increasing populations, greatly reducing waterfowl habitat.

In 1934, with the passage of the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act (Act), an increasingly concerned nation took firm action to stop the destruction of migratory (迁徙的) waterfowl and the wetlands so vital to their survival. Under this Act, all waterfowl hunters 16 years of age and over must annually purchase and carry a Federal Duck Stamp. The very first Federal Duck Stamp was designed by J.N. “Ding” Darling, a political cartoonist from Des Moines, lowa, who at that time was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt as Director of the Bureau of Biological Survey. Hunters willingly pay the stamp price to ensure the survival of our natural resources.

About 98 cents of every duck stamp dollar goes directly into the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund to purchase wetlands and wildlife habitat for inclusion into the National Wildlife Refuge System — a fact that ensures this land will be protected and available for all generations to come. Since 1934, better than half a billion dollars has gone into that Fund to purchase more than 5 million acres of habitat. Little wonder the Federal Duck Stamp Program has been called one of the most successful conservation programs ever initiated.

1. What was a cause of the waterfowl population decline in North America?

A．Loss of wetlands.	B．Popularity of water sports.
C．Pollution of rivers.	D．Arrival of other wild animals.

2. What does the underlined word “decimate” mean in the first paragraph?

A．Acquire.	B．Export.
C．Destroy.	D．Distribute.

3. What is a direct result of the Act passed in 1934?

A．The stamp price has gone down.	B．The migratory birds have flown away.
C．The hunters have stopped hunting.	D．The government has collected money.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．The Federal Duck Stamp Story	B．The National Wildlife Refuge System
C．The Benefits of Saving Waterfowl	D．The History of Migratory Bird Hunting

7 . When I was small, my grandfather used to wheel me through a local garden nearby. Looking up at the trees helped me fall asleep. I've spent all my adult life working with trees, and the past 14 years working in the garden. Recently, our money-raising team was looking for different ______ to raise money to help ______ the redwood (红杉) avenue at our site. Some of the staff suggested I do a sponsored tree-hugging charity (慈善) event. I wasn't ______whether people would be interested in an old man hugging trees to ______ money. But my colleagues thought it was ______ . So, I agreed to hug 350 trees, of as many different ______ as I could find, in a year.

My tree-hugging technique is based on making a maximum ______ , which means putting my arms as far around as they'll go and leaning (倚靠) on the tree. I'd head out with a photographer. It was ______ a tree-hugging fashion shoot with us going on a hike ______   the next tree that spoke to us. I was struck by how different the ______was with each tree. The most touchable ones stood out, particularly the small redwoods. That was in June, when we'd had weeks of dry weather. You were getting an almost Californian smell from them, which ______ me. My dream tree ______ is going to California to see the large redwoods. I wouldn't be able to hug those, so I would just ______ and wonder at them.

If you've ______ hugged a tree, I strongly recommend it. Getting up close to one makes you appreciate their   ______ structure. If you were to ______ humans to create such a wonderful structure, they would never be able to do it.

Tree hugging is a wonderful way of ______ with nature on a deep level. That's something I think we all need more of, considering the ______ pace of modern life. Tree hugging can help us ______ to appreciate the small things in life. Above all, trees can teach us patience. Their life is longer than ours, so they help us to connect with a different feeling of ______ .

1.

A．suggestions

B．organizations

C．trees

D．advertisements

2.

A．check

B．protect

C．widen

D．clear

3.

A．sure

B．excited

C．aware

D．worried

4.

A．earn

B．save

C．donate

D．afford

5.

A．amusing

B．confusing

C．inspiring

D．surprising

6.

A．varieties

B．places

C．shapes

D．characters

7.

A．measure

B．choice

C．calculation

D．touch

8.

A．merely

B．practically

C．personally

D．naturally

9.

A．in need of

B．in search of

C．in terms of

D．in favor of

10.

A．experience

B．memory

C．sharing

D．discussion

11.

A．controlled

B．changed

C．affected

D．transported

12.

A．greeting

B．trip

C．viewing

D．plan

13.

A．look out

B．drive away

C．stand back

D．calm down

14.

A．just

B．ever

C．even

D．never

15.

A．fantastic

B．firm

C．simple

D．rough

16.

A．forbid

B．challenge

C．persuade

D．encourage

17.

A．mixing

B．matching

C．connecting

D．working

18.

A．smart

B．fast

C．regular

D．steady

19.

A．drop away

B．knock around

C．speed up

D．slow down

20.

A．time

B．duty

C．hug

D．pressure

8 . Keeping curious kids from disrupting wildlife

Interacting with the wild, naturally curious kids tend to collect seashells at the beach or keep small wildlife as pets.     1     So how to help kids protect the wild while enjoying spending time outsides? Here are alternatives for some of the most common outdoor behavior no-nos.

Take an interest, not things. Kids show interest in picking flowers, rocks, or shells outdoors. They’re part of wildlife's habitat and play an important role.     2     Let kids explore with a magnifying glass (放大镜)instead of their curious fingers. Let whatever they find outside stay outside.

    3     It seems a fun idea to throw pieces of bread to ducks. Animals have unique dietary needs that are different from humans. Eating human food can make them sick or become dependent on human food. Bears are an example of animals that often have to be killed after developing a taste for human food.

Admire animal afar, not disrupt nearby. The urge to take a photo with a squirrel, bird, or slow-moving turtle can be strong for kids.     4     Instead, remind kids to stay away and show them how to use a camera's zoom button, or just admire with their eyes.

Take well-worn paths, not off-road romps (嬉戏). Kicking piles of leaves, stepping on bushes, and walking through forested areas can unintentionally scare wildlife. If surprised animals defend their homes, everyone could get hurt. Nobody likes having a guest come in and destroy their home and act rudely.    5    

A．Keep snacks away from animals.

B．Share food if animals are hungry.

C．Exposure to them develops kids’ love and curiosity.

D．The same rule applies to visiting wildlife in their homes.

E．Animals rely on plants for hiding; rocks and shells, for homes.

F．Approaching animals disrupts what they do for survival, such as eating.

G．Despite innocent purposes, kids’ curiosity accidentally damages the wild.

9 . Tropical rainforests are disappearing at an alarming rate, and according to a new report by Rainforest Foundation Norway, humans are to blame. The world's dependence on coal, farming. soy. palm oil and mining has resulted in two-thirds of Earth's tropical rainforests being completely destroyed, and the remaining ecosystems being put closer to a tipping point.

Tropical rainforests once covered 14.5 million square kilometers of Earth's surface, but now, just one-third of that remains intact. Of the original area tropical rainforests once occupied, 34% is completely gone and 30%is suffering from degradation. All that remains is roughly 9.5 million square kilometers, and45% of that is in a degraded state, the report says.

Researchers blame human consumption for the loss. While agriculture has always been a driving factor of rainforest loss, the report said that energy consumption, international trade and the production of soy and palm oil, logging and mining have been the largest threats over the past century. A significant number of U. S. commodities rely on resources from tropical rainforests. The country heavily relies on palm oil, rubber and cocoa, all of which come from forests around the world. Oftentimes, these resources are harvested from illegally deforested lands.

Tropical rainforests are home to more than half of the Earth's biodiversity and have more carbon in living organisms than any other ecosystem. Along with supporting significant animal life, tropical rainforests are also essential to slowing down global warming. “These highly specialized ecosystems are suffering from constant abuse, through our bottomless appetite for land and resources,” said Anders Krogh, who authored the report. “We expect that upcoming UN climate and biodiversity summits provide specific targets and measures to protect intact tropical rainforests.”

The rescarchers also believe that the loss of tropical rainforests puts the whole world at risk of future pandemics. “Massive deforestation is violating nature's natural virus protection systems.” Krogh said. “The aftermath of COVID-19 should bring rainforest protection to the top of the agenda of all policy makers and world leaders concerned about preventing the outbreak of new pandemics.”

1. What is the purpose of the numbers in paragraph 2?

A．To point out the threat to the current ecosystem.

B．To exhibit the forest coverage rate on Earth.

C．To present the process of rainforest degradation.

D．To highlight the severe destruction of rainforests.

2. Why did the author mention America's dependence on rainforest resources?

A．It displayed the richness of rainforest resources.

B．It stressed the effects of farming on tropical rainforests.

C．It explained the relationship between humans and nature.

D．It showed human's excessive consumption of rainforest resources.

3. Which one will be affected by the decline of tropical rainforests according to paragraph 4?

A．Human diet.	B．Social structure.
C．Global climate.	D．Economic development.

4. What does Krogh want to convey in the last paragraph?

A．Rainforest protection demands immediate attention.

B．Deforestation will affect the future generations.

C．Rainforest loss has brought about new pandemics.

D．Deforestation has accelerated the spread of the virus.

10 . Far away, in a forest outside Oslo, Norway, 1,000 newly planted trees are growing. Ninety-nine years from now, the full-size trees will be cut down and used to make paper. The paper will be used to make copies of an unusual book. The book will have 100 authors finish it over the course of 100 years. Exactly what's inside the book will remain secret until 2114.

The forest and the book are part of the Future Library. Scottish artist Katie Paterson began the project last year. “We're asking one writer a year to give a story,” Paterson said. The subject, the style, the kind, and the length are up to the author. However, Paterson has two important rules. The first is that each author has one year to write the story. The second is that they mustn't publish it in any form.

What's the point of asking authors to write stories that readers alive today will never get to enjoy? For Paterson, the Future Library is about letting people think about the future. She said, “It's about developing an artwork that's not just for now but for a future generation.”

Paterson got the idea for the project while drawing tree rings in a notebook. “I make a quick connection（关联）between the rings and paper, chapters（篇章）, and a book,” she said. Paterson wondered if she could grow “a kind of future forest that would become a small library of books”.

The idea seemed so difficult that she set it aside. But a few years later, Paterson had the opportunity to take part in a programme called Slow Space. Organizers were looking for amazing projects designed to unfold(展现) over time. Paterson's was one of the three chosen programmes.

1. The trees were planted to_______.

A．build a future library	B．make a book in the future
C．help protect the environment	D．encourage people to write stories

2. What can we know about that unusual book?

A．It will have 100 stories.	B．It will not be published.
C．No one is allowed to copy it.	D．Its stories are only about the future.

3. What is Paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．Why Paterson started the project.

B．The importance of Paterson's project.

C．What the Future Library will be used for.

D．How Paterson got the idea for the project.

4. Organizers of Slow Space probably think Paterson's project is_______.

A．difficult

B．useless

C．wonderful

D．strange