1 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Chinese scientists have developed a kind of plastic that degrades in sea water and could help slow down the     1    (increase) serious plastic pollution in the ocean.

The new plastic can degrade in sea water over a period ranging from a few days to several hundred days,     2    (leave) small parts that cause no pollution, said Wang Gexia,     3     is a senior engineer. 

For a long time, people focused     4     white pollution on land. Plastic pollution in the sea only caught people’s attention when more and more     5    (report) about marine animals dying from it appeared in recent years.

Scientists combined water dissolution and biodegradation processes     6    (design) and invent     7     new plastic.

The research     8    (select) as one of the winning projects at a contest. The contest encouraged young Chinese scientists to develop groundbreaking technologies and was intended to inspire creativity. 

China has given top attention to     9    (environment) protection, contributing Chinese wisdom to     10    (resolve) global pollution problems.

3 . Priscilla Ouchida’s “energy efficient” house turned out to be a horrible dream. When she and her engineer husband married a few years ago, they built a $100,000 three-bedroom home in California. Tightly sealed to prevent air leaks, the house was equipped with small double-paned windows and several other energy-saving features. Problems began as soon as the couple moved in, however. Priscilla’s eyes burned. Her throat was constantly dry. She suffered from headaches and could hardly sleep. It was as though she had suddenly developed a strange illness.

Experts finally traced the cause of her illness. The level of formaldehyde gas in her kitchen was twice the maximum allowed by federal standards for chemical workers. The source of the gas? Her new kitchen cabinets and wall-to-wall carpeting.

The Ouchidas are victims of indoor air pollution, which is not given sufficient attention partly because of the nation’s drive to save energy. The problem itself isn’t new. “The indoor environment was dirty long before energy conservation came along,” says Moschandreas, a pollution scientist at Geomet Technologies in Maryland. “Energy conservation has tended to accentuate the situation in some cases.”

The problem appears to be more troublesome in newly constructed homes rather than old ones. Back in the days when energy was cheap, home builders didn’t worry much about unsealed cracks. Because of such leaks, the air in an average home was replaced by fresh outdoor air about once an hour. As a result, the pollutants generated in most households seldom built up to dangerous levels.

1. It can be learned from the passage that the Ouchidas’ house ________.

A．is well worth the money spent on its construction

B．is almost faultless from the point of energy conservation

C．failed to meet energy conservation standards

D．was designed and constructed in a scientific way

2. What made the Ouchidas’ new house a horrible dream?

A．Poor quality of the air inside.	B．Poor quality of the construction.
C．Gas leakage in the kitchen.	D．The newly painted walls.

3. The word “accentuate” (Para. 3) most probably means “________”.

A．relieve

B．accelerate

C．worsen

D．improve

4. Why were cracks in old houses not a big concern?

A．Because indoor cleanliness was not emphasized.

B．Because energy used to be inexpensive.

C．Because environmental protection was given top priority.

D．Because they were technically unavoidable.

5. This passage is most probably taken from an article entitled ________.

A．Energy Conservation	B．House Building Crisis
C．Air Pollution Indoors	D．Traps in Building Construction

4 . Omar Vazquez grew up in poverty on Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula. He watched his single mother struggle to put food on the table, and today the memory inspires him to help those in need. When an invasive (入侵的) seaweed called sargassum showed up on Mexico’s Caribbean beaches, Omar looked past the matter of it all and saw an opportunity to help others.

Sargassum is not dangerous, but it has an unpleasant smell and can become so thick that it keeps people from entering the water. Mexico has experienced record-setting amounts of the seaweed in recent years, and it has made its way to Florida’s beaches as well. Experts say there could be as much as 100 tons of sargassum blocking Mexican shorelines in 2023.

With tourism dollars at risk, officials and locals alike were eager to remove the seaweed, but only Omar saw its true potential. The professional gardener organized a beach cleanup that provided jobs for about 300 local families, but he knew there was more to do. Since people’s attitude towards the seaweed reminded him of his own life experiences, he decided to become an agent (推动者) for change.

When sargassum started arriving, everyone was complaining. “I wanted to make something good out of something everyone saw as bad,” Omar explained.

In 2018, Omar found a way to turn sargassum into building blocks that he calls Sargablock. He creates these blocks by mixing 40% sargassum with other materials like clay, then putting them in a block-forming machine and baking them in the sun for days. The end result is an organic, sustainable, and ecologically friendly building material that experts say could last for 120 years.

To date, Omar’s company, Bluegreen Mexico, has used 700 tons of sargassum to build low-income housing for those in need. Omar said he would take on more projects, and donate more houses to single mothers like his own mom.

1. What can be learned from paragraph 1?

A．Omar’s family often assisted people in need.

B．Sargassum originated on the Caribbean beaches.

C．Omar’s experience in childhood has influenced him much.

D．Omar has met a lot of generous people since he was young.

2. How did most people react to the increasing sargassum?

A．They didn’t take it seriously.	B．They were anxious to clear it up.
C．They viewed it as new materials.	D．They were excited to see a grand scene.

3. Which words can best describe Omar?

A．Honest and ambitious.	B．Strong-willed and confident.
C．Quick-thinking and humorous.	D．Sympathetic and innovative.

4. What does the author mainly want to tell us through Omar’s success?

A．It’s never too old to learn.	B．Love shines every dark corner.
C．Solutions can be obtained from problems.	D．Heroes arise from humble beginnings.

5 . There are hundreds of great national nature reserves in China. Now feast your eyes on the following amazing ones.

Qinghai Lake National Nature Reserve

Qinghai Lake, China’s largest saltwater lake in Qinghai Province, is a key body of water for lots of animals and birds. As an important stopover, migratory birds (候鸟) would rest in this area during their movement trip every year. The reserve became a national nature reserve in the year of 1997.

Bayanbulak National Nature Reserve

The only Bayanbulak Wetland, in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is at the foot of Tianshan Mountains, which makes itself suitable for migratory birds. Bayanbulak means “rich spring water” in Mongolian, meaning that the area is rich in water. Every year, swans (天鹅) from different places fly here for nesting, which became a national swan reserve in 1986.

Rongcheng Swan National Nature Reserve

As one of the largest wintering places for swans in China, this reserve in Shandong Province mainly protects whooper swans (大天鹅), which make it different from other nature reserves. In 2007, it was changed into a national nature reserve. Now every year, thousands of whooper swans arrive here to spend the winter, making it an important resting and wintering place for themselves.

Sanya Coral Reef (珊瑚礁) National Marine Nature Reserve

This reserve focuses on protecting coral reefs and their living environment in Sanya City, Hainan Province. In 1990, it became a national nature reserve. This reserve is on the coast, so the area of the reserve has good water quality and many kinds of creatures,

1. What do the first reserve and the second reserve have in common?

A．The area of wetland.	B．The geography of them.
C．The year of becoming the national reserve.	D．The friendly environment for migratory birds.

2. What makes the Rongcheng Swan National Nature Reserve special?

A．Its saltwater lake.	B．The whooper swans.
C．Its rich spring water.	D．The warm climate.

3. Which place best suits coral lovers?

A．Bayanbulak National Nature Reserve.	B．Qinghai Lake National Nature Reserve.
C．Rongcheng Swan National Nature Reserve.	D．Sanya Coral Reef National Marine Nature Reserve,

6 . More than 45，000 years ago，by the shore of present-day Tasmania，a local person picked up a large piece of thick，dark brown seaweed．And he realized that this giant piece of seaweed could be used to make a watertight bag．And 45，000 years later on mainland Australia，people are again turning to seaweed to solve pressing problems．Today，it is used to address the world's climate crisis．

Winberg，a marine ecologist at the University of Wollongong，has spent decades studying seaweed．She believes seaweed's fast growth rate and ability to absorb vast amounts of carbon dioxide can help fight climate change，de-acidify（降低酸度）the oceans，and change the way we farm，not just in the oceans but also on land．

“If we used the infrastructure we have in the ocean and created seaweed islands，we would actually get rid of many climate change issues we have today，” says Winberg．Realizing seaweed's potential as a climate solution，Winberg opened Australia's first land-based，commercial seaweed farm in 2013．On her farm in New Wales，Winberg produces seaweed extracts（提取物）that are used in food，cosmetics and medicines

Like plants on land，seaweed absorbs CO₂ and grows biomass（生物量）．Coastal marine systems can absorb carbon at rates up to 50 times greater than forests on land，according to Emily Pidgeon，senior director of strategic marine initiatives at Conservation International．Globally，seaweeds are thought to absorb nearly 200 million tons of CO₂ every year - as much as New York State's annual emissions．And when the seaweed dies，much of the carbon locked up in its tissues is transported to deep oceans．

By raising pH levels in the ocean，seaweeds also improve growing conditions for shellfish such as oysters and mussels，whose shells become more fragile（脆弱的）in acidic environments．

The potential for seaweed cultivation doesn't stop in the oceans．Winberg has found there are benefits to doing it on land too．She believes that seaweed farming offers “huge potential” to not only address the climate crisis，but also feed a growing population in a sustainable way．According to Winberg，one hectare（公顷）of a seaweed farm can produce more protein than the same amount of land used for cattle．“We're sitting on undiscovered，renewable，sustainable resources，” she says．

1. What is mainly introduced about seaweed in paragraph 1？

A．Its use．	B．Its history．
C．Its origin．	D．Its appearance．

2. Why is seaweed spoken highly of according to the text？

A．It lowers the ocean temperature directly．

B．It contributes to shellfish's growing speed．

C．It produces the same amount of protein as cattle．

D．It grows fast and can absorb carbon at a high rate．

3. What is Winberg's attitude towards seaweed？

A．Unclear．	B．Favorable．
C．Critical．	D．Doubtful．

4. What is the best title for the text？

A．CO2，a Killer of Climate Change

B．Pollution，the World's Climate Crisis

C．Seaweed，a Potential Climate Solution

D．Infrastructure，a Way of Eliminating Climate Issues

8 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What’s the purpose of the campaign?

A．To remind people of garbage sorting.

B．To encourage people to make more friends.

C．To engage more people in environmental protection.

2. What will be the task on the second day?

A．Planting trees.

B．Designing posters.

C．Collecting garbage.

3. What can the teachers do to help in the campaign according to Peter?

A．Design decorations for the classrooms.

B．Stop driving private cars to school.

C．Hang some posters on the school board.

9 . GREAT BOOKS TO TEACH CHILDREN ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE

Here is a shortened list of books sponsored by the magazines TIME and TIME for Kids that are suitable for primary schoolers. To make the list, we considered how age-appropriate the material was, and whether the tone and story line left the reader feeling engaged and empowered rather than anxious or confused.

Experts recommend the youngest kids to read books that explore the beauty and fragility (脆弱) of nature. When developing an appreciation for the world around them, they can switch to books that show the cause and effect of how humans treat our planet, and why it’s important to respect the environment. For older primary school kids, picture books can illustrate how our use of fossil (化石) fuels contributes to global warming. Most of the books on the list also offer lessons about how children, families, schools, and communities can make a difference.

THANK YOU, EARTH: A LOVE LETTER TO OUR PLANET By April Pulley Sayre This photography book shows to us plants, animals and landscapes in vivid colors and descriptions. From up-close images of insects to pictures of mountain ranges, the pages introduce children to the planets’ diversity in a simple but effective way.	THE LORAX By Dr. Seuss Thanks to its rhyme, and whimsical illustration, this classic tale is suitable for young children who can grasp the scarcity of natural resources, and also older kids who can see a danger in valuing profits over long-term environmental harm.
WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS By Carole Lindstrom A tribute to native tribes that are protecting the planet, this book vividly shows the harms of oil pipelines. Kids will see the value of community action, while adults will recognize the story of the native tribes Standing Rock Sioux’s fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline.	POLAR BEAR, WHY IS YOUR WORLD MELTING? By Robert E. Wells This book introduces the greenhouse effect with illustrations showing how sunlight gets trapped. It then explains fossil-fuel energy, and our reliance on it for electricity and transportation. The pages are full of science.

1. To make the book list for kids, what should be considered first?

A．Confusing story line.	B．The tone of anxiety.
C．The books sponsorship.	D．Age-appropriate content.

2. What can kids learn from the book “WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS”?

A．They can see the value of community action.

B．They can know how to protect the native tribes.

C．They can recognize the story of the native tribes.

D．They can understand the importance of oil pipelines.

3. Which book explains how the greenhouse effect come into existence?

A．THE LORAX

B．WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS

C．POLAR BEAR, WHY IS YOUR WORLD MELTING?

D．THANK YOU, EARTH: A LOVE LETTER TO OUR PLANET

10 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

It was a lovely spring morning in the mountains of my home. Here was full of natural atmosphere. The sky was blue, the sun was warm, and the air was fresh. As driving along the winding road, I could see thousands of wild flowers in bloom. When I turned round, I slowed down as I saw some volunteers picking up garbage along the side of the road. I just smiled as I saw them doing some cleaning in spring for Mother Earth and my mind suddenly floated back in time to another spring morning long ago.

When my children were younger, I used to walk along a small route around the lake near my home. It was also on a spring morning that I noticed much garbage lying along the route. The next day, I brought a big garbage bag and started to slowly pick up the garbage along my way. All kinds of deserted objects lay all over the floor. There were pop cans, plastic water bottles, wrappers for candy bars, empty chip bags, pieces of broken fishing line and even an old shoe. Every time I stopped, I picked up a piece of garbage. And I even fished some garbage out of the edge of the water. By the time I circled the lake, the garbage bag had been nearly full.

Tired but happy, I put the bag in an empty garbage can. I stopped before I headed home and took one last look at the lake as the sun set. It looked more beautiful than ever and I felt like the angels were looking down upon it with me and sharing my smiles.

I always think that at times this world’s problems can seem overwhelming and you may wonder what you can do to make a difference. But the truth is that every good thing you do matters a lot! I do believe every time I stop to pick up a single piece of garbage, I can make a difference. As my children are adults now, I decide to spend more time protecting the environment.

注意：1.续写词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

I begin to encourage others to develop the environmental awareness.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Many days have passed, and the surroundings have improved a lot.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________