2 . On December 16, 2023, the first section of Maya Train officially opened, which runs between Campeche and Cancún, carrying up to 231 passengers across 290 miles and stopping at 14 train stations.

Built as an ambitious effort to promote tourism and boost Mexico’s economy, the rail system connects the major cities and tourist regions of the Yucatán Peninsula —from Cancún’s beaches to Tulum’s archaeological wonders. Once the project is completed, the entire rail system will link tourist destinations across five states. However, environmentalists and archaeologists argue that the train route will cause great damage to the environment-and ancient Mayan sites.

The Maya Train passes through six UNESCO World Heritage sites and thousands of archaeological sites. One particular area of concern is the Calakmul biosphere reserve, which is home to many endangered species, such as jaguars and over 500 other animal species. The train lines, more than 60 meters wide, could act as artificial barriers that may limit the movement of these animals within the reserve making it difficult for them to move around and access food and water sources.

Opponents also express safety concerns. Certain sections of the rail system will be built right on top of the aquifer’s(含水层的) most fragile points of contact with the surface. “It’s like wanting to build over eggshells,” says Guillermo Christy, a water treatment consultant. “Putting trains weighing thousands of tons on top could cause the underground caves to crash down.” To construct the train infrastructure also requires driving long piles deep into the ground, which poses a big threat to this fragile ecosystem and leads to water shortages.

In the ongoing debate of Maya Train, it is crucial to consider the delicate balance between economic development and environmental preservation. While Maya Train may provide economic benefits, we must not overlook the potential environmental and cultural losses, as well as the safety risks it may bring. Achieving harmony between progress and conservation may be a significant challenge for the project, but we must take into account the long-term consequences of our actions.

1. What do we know about the Maya Train project?

A．It consumes lots of labor in Mexico.

B．It has concerned some professionals.

C．It was completed on December 16,2023.

D．It blocks the development of local tourism.

2. What effect do the train lines have on the animals in the reserve?

A．Restricting their activities.

B．Polluting their water sources.

C．Disturbing their sleeping patterns.

D．Attracting their enemies to the area.

3. Why does the author mention “eggshells” in Paragraph 4?

A．To show the difficulty of constructing the rail lines.

B．To prove the urgency of protectıng the fragile ecosystem.

C．To explain the reasons for water shortages along the railway.

D．To stress Maya Train’s potential harm to the aquifer system.

4. Which statement would the author probably agree with?

A．Preserving cultural sites requires strong financial support.

B．It is time to speed up the con truction process of Maya Train.

C．We should value the economic benefits of the project in the long run.

D．Economic development should not come at the cost of the environment.

3 . Most Beautiful of All

    1     Autumn was in the air. Rich, pleasant reds, painted by nature’s hand, were coloring some of the trees. On the ground a carpet of dry leaves had begun to form along the path.     2     High in the sky we noticed a V-shaped flock of birds heading south for the winter. As we walked along, I smiled. Beauty was all around us. It felt so good to be out in nature. I felt blessed to be watching nature’s glorious creation at its best.

    3     She was an elderly lady with gray hair. She wore old jeans and work boots. Her sweater was worn out in places. She was carrying a trash bag in one hand and a pointed stick with a nail driven through it in the other. As she slowly made her way towards us, she stopped to jab (刺) a piece of trash that she had seen on the ground with her stick.     4     When we met she smiled and said hello to us. Her teeth were cracked and worn, but her voice was as youthful as I had heard in many a day. We talked for a bit and I thanked her for making our nature more beautiful with her work. She smiled again and said, “I just do what I can before continuing down the path.”

    5     May we all have as lovely a life as her.

A．They smelled wonderful and crunched (发出碎裂声) under our feet as we walked along.

B．Then, she approached and asked us whether we had any trash.

C．I decided to take my sons for a walk the other day.

D．As is often the case, we are too busy to find the beauty of nature.

E．As we turned a corner along the walking trail, I noticed a woman slowly making her way towards us.

F．Of all the things I saw that day, she was the most beautiful.

G．Then, quickly and neatly, she placed it in the trash bag.

4 . The Ocean Awareness Student Contest(International)

We invite middle and high school students from around the world to attend the 2017 Ocean Awareness Student Contest! The theme is Making Meaning out of Ocean Pollution, and it challenges you to research, explore, explore interpret, and say something meaningful about the connections between human activities and the health of our oceans.

This year, we challenge you to concentrate on one type of ocean pollution and “make meaning” of it through art, poetry or film. We encourage you to connect it with your own life, your own local community, or something else that is personally meaningful to you, but what’s most important is to pick a topic that inspires you.

To take part:
(1)Research

Do research on your own. Ask tough and complex questions, and think about the way science and society help you explain the topic

(2)Create

To explain your topic, create your own work of art, writing, poetry or film.

(3) Submit(提交)

The closing date for entries is on June 13, 2017, at 11:59pm.

Submit as an individual: This means that you are the only creator of your submission .

Submit as a group: Groups can be of unlimited size, but you must provide the names of each group member. There will be one group leader who will be the contact(联系)person for the group and prizes will be awarded to the group as a whole.

Prizes:

The winners will receive scholarships (up to $ 1,500), and each year we give out over 140 prizes(totaling up to $80,000) as well as chances to the winners to work with us and to get their works exhibited and published.

1. The purpose of the contest is to______.

A．encourage more people to explore the ocean

B．direct students to receive more scholarships

C．draw students’ attention to the health of the oceans

D．help students complete their works in various styles

2. The contest is designed for______.

A．college students	B．teenagers
C．art students	D．people of all ages

3. To take part in the contest, students are asked to______.

A．submit their works in groups

B．experience the life in a local community

C．exhibit or publish their works in advance

D．do research and explain their topics

4. Which of the following prizes is not mentioned in the passage?

A．Scholarships will be offered to the winners

B．The organizers will let the winners work with them

C．The winners will be admitted to famous universities

D．Chances are that the winners can get their works published

5 . Organic (有机的) farming is a type of agriculture that benefits from the recycling and use of natural products. Use of dried plants not only saves money, but also ensures the growth of crops. The technique is characterized (具有……的特征) by the use of green manure (肥料), biological pest control methods and special farming techniques to keep soil productive. Limiting the use of man­made chemicals or completely doing away with (去掉) them reduces the risk of diseases. Today, organic farming is a major and preferred industry around the world. Organically grown products have a huge market, with farmlands covering about 10% of the total world farmland. The initial effort made by Sir Albert Howard, the Father of Organic Farming, has paid off.

Advantages of Organic Farming：
1. The economics of organic farming are characterized by increasing profits (利润) through reduced water use and reduced soil erosion (侵蚀).
2. Organic farming produces the same crops as those produced through traditional farming methods, but uses half the energy, and holds 40% more top soil.
3. Farming the organic way enables farmers to get rid of weeds without the use of any chemicals.
4. The use of green pesticides (杀虫剂) is environmentally friendly and does no harm to human’s health.
Disadvantages of Organic Farming：
1. Organic methods of farming produce less, compared to traditional farming techniques.
2. Organic agriculture does little to fight global climate change. Though organic farming practices are recognized as giving out less CO₂, but not to a significant degree.
However, though there are some disadvantages to organic farming, farms where organic methods for cropping have been used have more advantages than traditional farms. Organic agriculture is surely better in the long term.
1. Organic farming uses the manure made from ________.

A．expensive soil	B．dried plants
C．harmful pests	D．man­made chemicals

2. The underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 shows that Sir Albert Howard ____.

A．worked hard for nothing

B．succeeded in organic farming

C．spent all his time on organic farming

D．didn’t expect organic farming to be successful

3. According to the passage, compared to traditional farming, Organic farming ________.
a.is more environmentally friendly
b.produces a lot more food
c.uses less energy
d.results in more weeds in the farmland
e.is better for human’s health

A．abc

B．acd

C．ace

D．bce

4. The author’s attitude toward organic farming is ________.

A．anxious	B．hopeless
C．unclear	D．optimistic

6 . In an effort to discourage people from using plastics，scientists have been hard at work inventing alternative packaging products．From water bottles made from seaweed to cutlery(餐具) made from rice and wheat，a number of inventions are set to change the way we eat while we are on the go，or having a relaxing picnic in the park．

The idea of using seaweed to make eco-friendly(环保的) water bottles has been around for a few years．Recently，Ari Jonsson took his invention—a water bottle made from red seaweed—to show off at a festival. The bottles will only hold their shape as long as they are filled．As soon as these bottles are empty they will begin to break down，though they would be perfectly safe to eat．Ari Jonsson’s bottles are a step closer to a widely used alternative to the current plastic ones．

The eatable water container is not the only product to add to our image of the future．Narayana Pessapaty has also created eatable spoons．After the success of his spoons, Mr Pessapaty is ready to expand and introduce forks and chopsticks to his menu．His aim is to largely reduce the amount of plastic waste，which is a huge problem for waste sites all over the world．It is a product that may take up to 500 years to break down，and recycling companies worldwide are struggling to deal with it．

Aside from the obvious benefits to the environment，this new packaging is also cheap to produce and therefore cheap to buy．Even better is the fact that similar eatable cutlery can be made at home，possibly a science project for children or just fun with friends．Why not get experimenting and create your own recipes?

1. Why do scientists invent alternative packaging products?

A．To make people’s life more convenient．

B．To reduce the amount of plastic waste．

C．To charge the way we picnic outside．

D．To show off their inventive talents．

2. What makes Ari Jonsson’s water bottles eco-friendly?

A．They can be made at home．

B．They are cheap to produce and buy．

C．They will hold their shape when they are filled．

D．They will break down themselves when empty．

3. What do Ari and Narayana’s inventions have in common?

A．They are convenient to carry．	B．They are safe to eat．
C．They can be used for a short time．	D．They are heavier than plastics．

4. What can be inferred from this passage?

A．Home-made eatable cutlery is likely to be popular．

B．Eatable cutlery’will completely replace plastics in the near future．

C．No recycling companies can breakdown plastic waste．

D．It’s unsafe for individuals to invent eatable cutlery at home．

7 . 根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

Palm oil(棕榈油) is the most widely used vegetable oil worldwide. It’s found in a wide variety of products from of vitamins to chocolate and bread.     1     The former makes it easy to spread，while the latter makes it good for our body.

But the oil’s popularity comes at a high price.     2     As a result，thousands of acres of rainforests in Indonesia，the world’s biggest palm oil producers，are being destroyed to make room for them.

With half of the world’s palm oil coming from Indonesia，orangutans(猩猩) have suffered a lot.     3     What’s worse，in 2015，wildfires endangered one-third of the remaining orangutans. Palm oil farms have also threatened tigers and elephants and caused water and air pollution.

    4     However，it’s not easy given that no other natural vegetable oil has both of its qualities. Now，scientists are creating a new oil to replace it by using food waste and M. pulcherrima，a yeast(酵母) that grows on leaves，fruits and flowers.     5     Besides, the yeast can be widely produced in any weather. The scientists say their biggest challenge was to find a cheap way to change the sugars in the food waste to a form that the yeast can take in easily. The team is now trying to test if they can produce the oil at a lower cost.

A．Palm trees need lots of land to grow.

B．The easiest solution is to stop using palm oil so widely.

C．The palm oil is so expensive that many families can’t afford it.

D．In the last 20 years，over 80% of their habitat has been destroyed.

E．There are many things we can do to protect the endangered wild animals.

F．The oil is popular because it has a high melting point and contains healthy fats.

G．It eats the sugars from the waste and turns it into thick oil that has similar qualities to palm oil.

8 . Lying alongside mountains of smelly garbage under the South American sun, Cateura is a long way from the conservatories of Prague or Vienna. Yet the township, which grew out of Paraguay's largest dump(垃圾场), is gaining a reputation as a hothouse for musical talent and for its youth orchestra(管弦乐队) that plays instruments made from garbage. "The world sends us garbage. We send back music," says Favio Chavez, leader of the "Recycled Orchestra," during a recent visit by the group to Los Angeles. Orchestra members, poor children from Cateura, play violins fashioned from oven trays and guitars made from dessert dishes. The orchestra provides the youngsters an outlet and an escape, a chance to go beyond the mess of their slum(贫民窟) through the music of Mozart, and even Sinatra. "In the beginning, it was difficult to play," says the l0-year-old violinist Celeste Fleitas." But Favio helped me learn over time. From Favio, I have learned to be more responsible and value the things I have."

The destination for more than 1,500 tons of waste each day, the community has no safe drinking water and little access to electricity or sanitation(卫生设施). Illiteracy is severe, and the children of the township often fall into drugs, violence and crimes.

Favio Chavez, a musical talent, came to Cateura as an environmental technician in 2006 and started a youth music school. He knew shop-bought instruments were beyond the means of villagers whose sheds are worth less than a violin, so he approached a carpenter to make some out of waste from the dump.

The orchestra caught the eye of Paraguayan filmmaker Alejandra Amarilla. She uploaded a short piece of the orchestra to YouTube in 2012, hoping to secure crowdfunding for what would become Landfill Harmonic, a documentary released across the United States this month and promoting the youngsters on a tour of the world's music halls later on.

1. What is the best title of the text?

A．Youngsters carry tunes from garbage to victory

B．A music talent hit the road to the world stage

C．A town for music fans

D．An orchestra on a global tour

2. What do we know about Cateura?

A．It has raised people's awareness of recycling trash

B．It has caught more attention through the orchestra

C．It recycles more than l,500 tons of rubbish per day

D．It provides its children with better schooling conditions

3. Why did Alejandra Amarilla upload a piece of the orchestra to YouTube?

A．To assist the youngsters with a world tour

B．To collect funding for a documentary

C．To organize carpenters to make instruments

D．To catch the eye of the Paraguay government

4. What can we learn from Favio Chavez?

A．To work in a team weighs more

B．To recycle things is to conserve things

C．To be creative is a quality of a leader

D．To own nothing is no excuse to do nothing

9 . Located just behind Amsterdam Central station, A1 Ponte is a popular cafe serving people on their way to and from the nearby ferry port. Not all A1 Ponte’s customers pay for their coffees, however.

A1 Ponte is one of the businesses taking part in Wasted, a project running in Amsterdam’s Noord district. It encourages households to recycle their plastics by rewarding them with discounts at local businesses.

When people sign up, they are given bags with unique QR codes, enabling the project’s organizers to give the correct credit to each household once the filled bags have been collected. For every bag of plastic, households earn one green coin.

At A1 Ponte, one coin earns users a free second coffee. Meanwhile, at Beekhoven Bikes, three coins earn users 50% off bike repairs.

Silvia Salani, who owns A1 Ponte, says there are days when only one or two customers have a coin to exchange free coffees. As well as improving her standing in the community, Salani believes being part of the project has been positive for business growth. Those who first came in with friends for free coffees usually return as paid customers.

Since Wasted was set up in early 2015 by a non-profit organization, Cities Foundation, more than 700 households have signed up. In a recent survey, 52% of users said they improved their waste disposal (处理) habits as a result of using Wasted and 23% said they reduced their plastics consumption.

Broader research shows schemes that reward people to recycle have mixed long-term results. A study shows the project caused different results. While the organizers acknowledge the long-term challenge, they believe that creating awareness can help bring positive effects. “We want to engage those who don’t usually care about recycling. At the same time, we can build a social contract between the community and business owners that goes beyond the traditional consumer relationship,” she says.

1. What’s the purpose of Wasted?

A．To promote sales in local businesses.

B．To advertise local tourist attractions.

C．To help win discounts at local stores.

D．To encourage people to recycle plastic.

2. Who can have a free second coffee at A1 Ponte?

A．The organizers of Wasted.

B．Those who have “green coins”.

C．People from nearby households.

D．People to and from the ferry port.

3. Why does Silvia favor the project?

A．It is beneficial both to her reputation and her business.

B．It has reduced the plastic consumption in her cafe.

C．It has improved her habits of dealing with waste.

D．It has helped her earn many green coins.

4. What do the organizers think of the project?

A．It is worth all the efforts.

B．The results are discouraging.

C．It won’t make much difference.

D．It’s more challenging than promising.

10 . 当今全球环境问题变得越来越严重。请你根据漫画内容，以李华的名义给“China Daily”写一封信，描述这种状况，并提出保护环境的建议。
注意：
1．不要拘泥于要点，可以适当发挥，词数100左右。
2．参考词汇：人口膨胀：population expansion；过度开发：overdevelopment

Dear Editor,
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Yours sincerely,
Li Hua