1 . The California sea otter (海獭), once hunted to the edge of extinction, has staged a thrilling comeback in the last century. Now, scientists have discovered that the otters’ success story has led to something just as remarkable: the restoration of their declining coastal marsh (沼泽) habitat.
Elkhorn Slough, a coastal marsh within Monterey Bay, had been experiencing severe damage. The root cause was a growing population of shore crabs, which fed heavily on the marsh plants, weakening the structural integrity of the habitat. Coastal marshes like these are not only natural defenses against storm waves but also serve as important carbon storage areas and water-cleaning systems.
The conservation-driven comeback of the sea otter has been crucial. California’s coastlines were once alive with sea otters. Sadly, they were nearly wiped out at the hands of fur traders. In the 1980s, conservation efforts aided these otters in re-occupying large areas of their former range. Now, Elkhorn Slough has the highest concentration of sea otters in California, with a population of about 100. By naturally feasting on crabs, the otters have helped a significant regrowth of plant life. Brent Hughes, a scientist working alongside Angelini, led a three-year study. Their findings were clear: in areas with sea otters, crab numbers fell markedly. This led to a resurgence in plant growth, which in turn stabilized the soil and lowered the rate of soil washing away.
As the sea otter population continues to restore, their positive impact on coastal ecosystems is likely to increase. It not only showcases the sea otter as a central species—a species that has a significant effect on its natural environment—but also highlights the essential nature of top predators (捕食者) in preserving ecological harmony. “My honest reaction was—this could become a classic in the literature,” says scientist Lekelia Jenkins. She reveals marsh restoration also helps people by reducing flooding. “Suddenly, sea otters go from just cute things we like to something that can protect our livelihoods and our properties.”
1. What change did the disappearance of sea otters bring about?| A．Fewer predatory crabs. | B．More coastal plant life. |
| C．Better water-cleaning effect. | D．Worse coastal ecological balance. |
| A．Barrier. | B．Advancement. | C．Expansion. | D．Revival. |
| A．To highlight the importance of coastal marshes. |
| B．To introduce a new research study on sea otters. |
| C．To demonstrate the practical benefits of sea otters. |
| D．To emphasize the need for increased conservation efforts. |
| A．The necessity for controlled hunting. |
| B．The interconnectedness of the ecosystem. |
| C．The drawbacks of wildlife reintroduction. |
| D．The need for human intervention in nature. |
2 . Tropical (热带的) forests could become so hot that some kinds of leaves will no longer be able to conduct photosynthesis (光 合 作用), according to a study. The photosynthetic machinery in tropical trees begins to fail at about 46.7℃ on average. The research suggests that forests may be nearing dangerous temperature sooner than expected. Models predict that once we hit a global temperature increase of 3.9℃, these forests might experience mass leaf damage.
Chris Doughty, an associate professor at Northern Arizona University and the lead researcher of the study, said the leaf-warming experiments had revealed a nonlinear rise in temperatures. “We were really surprised that when we warmed leaves by 2, 3 or 4℃, the highest leaf temperatures actually increased by 8℃. This shows a concerning nonlinear feedback that we were not expecting.” said Doughty. “If we adopt a do-nothing response to climate change and tropical forest air temperatures increase by greater than 4℃, there could be massive leaf death.” he added.
Avoiding high emissions (排放) in the first place is key to stabilizing temperatures. “We should do all we can to avoid high-emissions. Under low-emissions, almost all tropical forest tree leaves can avoid death from overheating and the trees will survive,” said Simon Lewis, a professor of global change science at University College London. “Yet what the study doesn’t look at is heatwaves. We still might see tree deaths from overheating for limited periods during heatwaves under lower emissions.”
Researchers suggest that the damage is not yet unchanged. “Vote for people who are serious about addressing climate change and transferring to low-carbon economies, ”Disney, one researcher, advocated. More generally, we can all recognize the importance of supporting those countries and people who live in and rely on tropical forests economically, But the serious changes to tropical forests don’t just affect the local people it’s a global issue.
1. Which of the following can best replace the underlined word “nonlinear” in Paragraph 2?| A．Global. | B．Dramatic. | C．Steady. | D．Minor. |
| A．Planting more trees. | B．Exploring heatwaves. |
| C．Conducting researches. | D．Pursuing low emissions. |
| A．Promoting global efforts. |
| B．Seeking economic support. |
| C．Helping tropical countries. |
| D．Boosting low-carbon education. |
| A．Global warming harms trees. |
| B．Tropical forests lose functions. |
| C．Tropical leaves struggle in heat. |
| D．Forests near dangerous temperature. |
3 . It’s an unusually calm morning for Jim Smith, owner of Ventura Dive Sport, and lifelong seaman. He’s in charge of the Raptor, carrying a boatload of divers and snorkeling(浮潜) enthusiasts over to the Channel Islands anchored just off the Southern Californian coast, in the remote Channel Islands National Park.
On this trip, in particular, Smith is hoping to spot giant black sea bass, a huge underwater creature that grows over seven feet long and can weigh more than 700 pounds. Unsurprisingly, it’s a fish that sits atop the food chain, and the species is an important part of the marine (海洋的) ecosystem.
Up until the 1970s, black sea bass were a common sighting in Southern California, but due to overfishing their population dramatically declined. As a result, fishing for giant black sea bass of any kind was banned in California in 1982. In the Channel Island region, thanks to the protected waters of the national park, there is a promising sign-a recent survey found around 50 individuals around the Catalina Island alone.
Marine biologists’ photos-and indeed anyone else’s-now have a permanent home, on a newly-created database named Spotting Giant Sea Bass. The website, launched and run by the Aquarium of the Pacific in July, is a joint community effort to find out more about these mysterious creatures. Scientists hope to be able to answer how the population is changing over time, how far giant sea bass move, where they spawn (产卵), and how they grow in marine protected areas. With more than 1 million dives recorded annually across the Golden State’s coastline, researchers hope a joint effort to document this species will aid with its recovery.
“One of the main things people want to see when they come out with us during September and October is giant sea bass,” Smith says. “If you’re lucky enough to be on a dive and one swims past you. . . it really is the most incredible experience. ”
1. Who is Jim Smith?| A．A marine biologist. |
| B．A dive boat captain. |
| C．A founder of a website. |
| D．A guard of a national park. |
| A．They are experiencing population growth. |
| B．They are being overfished. |
| C．They are living in terrible conditions. |
| D．They are disappearing due to pollution. |
| A．Southern California. |
| B．Spotting Giant Sea Bass. |
| C．Marine protected areas. |
| D．The Aquarium of the Pacific. |
| A．Swimming with them in the sea. |
| B．Prohibiting deep-sea diving. |
| C．Working together to record information. |
| D．Discovering more islands. |
4 . At first glance the sea turtles look as if they were dead because they hardly move. But if you look closely enough, they show a slow glimpse of life. These turtles are all washed up in Massachusetts every December, on the windy beaches of Cape Cod Bay.
Shaver, chief of the Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery at Padre Island National Seashore in Texas, said, “If we don’t help save this species, we will lose a piece that enriches us. There’s a whole variety of things that can harm them: oil spills, boat strikes, red tides, and so on.” That is why all the urgent care they’re getting back up North is more important than ever.
Saving could never happen unless hundreds of pilots were willing to volunteer their time, their planes, and their fuel to rush the rescued turtles to willing rehab facilities (康复中心) all around the country.
On this particular mission, Andrews, vice president of a unique nonprofit called Turtles Fly Too, with his dad as a co-pilot, will fly more than 2,000 miles, from Boston, to Atlanta, then on to Gulfport and finally Dallas, dropping off 44 sick sea turtles along the way, in hopes that one day they’ll be well enough to be released. It is worth mentioning that the pilots that are flying these missions are pulling $1 million out of their pocket to fly these missions every year.
With good care and the help of volunteers, these turtles were finally ready to go home again. According to Andrews, “90% of the turtles that we’ve moved to the rehab facilities have ended up back in the ocean.”
“We humans have not always been kind to the sea and those that live in it. But on this day, it was humans-not me, but the hundreds of veterinarians, biologists, volunteers, and pilots—who all came together to give these critically-endangered sea turtles a second chance that they rarely got, ”Andrews added.
1. What happens to the turtles on the beaches of Cape Cod Bay?| A．They are dying out. | B．They are in danger. |
| C．They adapt to living onshore. | D．They are caught by humans. |
| A．Thrilled. | B．Annoyed. | C．Concerned. | D．Moved. |
| A．The pilots’ generous devotion. |
| B．The division’s urgent care. |
| C．The rehab facilities’ willingness to help. |
| D．The improvement of the turtles’ habitats. |
| A．It is unsatisfactory. | B．It costs too much. |
| C．It is controversial. | D．It quite pays off. |
5 . Research led by ecologist Bart Hoekstra of the University of Amsterdam shows that birds are affected by the mass use of fireworks on New Year’s Eve up to a distance of 10 km (6 miles) away.
With data from weather radars and bird counts an international team of researchers revealed how many birds take off immediately after the start of the fireworks, at what distance from fireworks this occurs and which species groups mainly react. “Birds take off as a result of an acute flight response due to sudden noise and light. We already knew that many water birds react strongly, but now we also see the effect on other birds throughout the Netherlands, ”says ecologist Bart Hoekstra of the University of Amsterdam. In the scientific journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, the researchers therefore argue for large fireworks-free zones.
Last year, other researchers at IBED discovered that geese are so affected by fireworks that they spend an average of 10% longer looking for food than normal during at least the next 11 days. They apparently need that time to restore their energy to their former condition, after fleeing from the fireworks.
Because 62% of all birds in the Netherlands live within a radius of 2. 5 km of inhabited areas, the consequences of fireworks are high for all birds throughout the country. “Flying requires a lot of energy, so ideally birds should be disturbed as little as possible during the cold winter months. Measures to ensure this are especially important in open areas such as grasslands, where many larger birds spend the winter. The effects of fireworks on birds are less pronounced near forests and semi-open habitats. In addition, smaller birds such as tits and finches live there, which are less likely to fly away from disturbance.”
The authors argue for fireworks-free zones in areas where large birds live. Hoekstra: “These buffer zones could be smaller in areas where light and sound travel less far, such as near forests. Furthermore, fireworks should mainly be lit at central locations in built-up areas, as far away from birds as possible. It would be best for birds if we moved towards light shows without sound, such as drone shows or decorative fireworks without very loud bangs.”
1. What can we learn about the research?| A．It’s the first one about fireworks’ effects on birds. |
| B．It’s conducted by collecting data from weather radars. |
| C．It shows the extent of the fireworks’ influence on birds. |
| D．It keeps track of birds throughout Netherlands and beyond. |
| A．To make up for the lost energy. | B．To store more food in case. |
| C．To find a new source of energy. | D．To find a place without fireworks. |
| A．Predictable. | B．Noticeable. |
| C．Admirable. | D．Avoidable. |
| A．Panic in the air | B．Fireworks-free zones |
| C．Fireworks in the world | D．Birds throughout the country |
6 . Inside a fishbowl, the goldfish — a species of carp native to East Asia, bred for aesthetic delight and traditionally believed to bring good fortune — is among the easiest of pets to keep. But released into the wild, the seemingly humble goldfish, freed from glass boundaries, can grow to large proportions. They can even kill off native marine wildlife and help destroy fragile and economically valuable ecosystems.
“They can eat anything and everything,” said Christine Boston, an aquatic research biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Over the past several years, Ms. Boston and her colleagues have been tracking invasive goldfish in Hamilton Harbour, which is on the western tip of Lake Ontario (安大略湖), about 35 miles southwest of Toronto.
Their study, published last month in the Journal of Great Lakes Research, could help pinpoint goldfish populations for culling, said Ms. Boston, who is the lead author. “We found out where they are before they start spawning (产卵),” she said. “That’s a good opportunity to get rid of them.”
The fast-growing female goldfish, Ms. Boston noted, can also reproduce several times in one season. “They have the resources,” she added, “and they can take advantage of them.” Their football-shaped bodies can swell to a size that makes them too large a meal for predators (捕食者) — up to about 16 inches long. The feral goldfish are also destructive, uprooting and consuming plants that are home to native species.
Nicholas Mandrak, a professor of biological sciences at the University of Toronto Scarborough, studies in the “dramatically increase” of the wild population in the past two decades. Their spawning explosion, he said, resulted partly from people in densely-populated areas releasing pets in urban ponds. He added, environmental managers tend to forget the goldfish. “They just assume, ‘It’s been there for 150 years — there’s nothing we can do about it.’”
The problem is not unique to Canada. In Australia, a handful of unwanted pet goldfish and their offspring took over a river in the country’s southwest. And the discovery of football-size creatures in a lake in 2021 even led British officials to beg their citizens: “Please don’t release your pet goldfish into ponds and lakes!”
People wrongly believe that because goldfish are “small and cute” they won’t pose a problem when released into the wild, said Anthony Ricciardi, a professor of invasion ecology at McGill University in Montreal.
Goldfish, he added, are just a small part of a vast invasion of non-native species whose outcomes can be unpredictable, and in some cases, are worsened by climate change.
“Under human influence, beasts are moving faster farther in greater numbers, reaching parts of the planet they could never reach before,” he said. “We’re talking about the redistribution of life on Earth.”
1. Which of the statements about the goldfish is correct?| A．Their place of origin is Canada. | B．They are capable of reproducing. |
| C．They will grow well over 16 inches. | D．They only invade Lake Ontario. |
| A．Killing | B．Controlling | C．Catching | D．Observing |
| A．Citizens wrongly set free the fish. | B．Climate change has a negative impact. |
| C．The environmental management is absent. | D．The food increases in habitats. |
| A．Now goldfish are turning into wild monsters. |
| B．Now goldfish are on the way to become a global issue. |
| C．Now goldfish are attracting scientists to study in. |
| D．Now goldfish are threatening the Great Lakes. |
7 . 
The day starts early for Tang Shengli, a bird protection volunteer in Lanshan county, Yongzhou, Hunan province. At about 5 am, the 60-year-old is in uniform and ready to start his day’s work protecting and recording migratory (迁徙的) birds. Located on the northern side of the Nanling Mountains, Lanshan is an important passageway for migratory birds. From September to December every year, more than 240 species of migratory birds fly from Siberia to Australia via Hunan. In the past 10 years, Tang has recorded more than 120 species of such birds with his camera. “The flight calls of the migratory birds at night attract me so much that I cannot sleep. All I want to do is get up and record them,” Tang says.
When Tang joined the Hunan provincial bird protection organization in 2013, he knew he faced a tough task. Numerous migratory birds were lost each year as a result of killing and illegal trade. At that time, poachers (偷猎者) lit up the hillside to attract the birds there and hunt them. Some nights hundreds of birds would be killed or caught, remembers Liao Changgui, an official with the local forestry bureau.
By day, Tang distributes brochures to villagers in Lanshan to raise public awareness of bird protection, while at night, he goes deep into the wilderness to tackle illegal hunting. “Many villagers didn’t think bird hunting was illegal, and some made a living from it. Our work has affected their business,” Tang explains, adding his wife was threatened at their home in order to stop him doing his work.
To stop poaching, in October 2012, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration issued a notice to prevent the illegal hunting of migratory birds. In December that year, the Hunan provincial government promised to fight against poaching and establish a bird monitoring and protection system. So far, 43 migratory bird protection stations have been built across the province, covering almost all key points on the passageway. In 2020, a “lights out” program started in Lanshan county to prevent the birds from being distracted (使分心).
On Nov 1, the Hunan provincial government issued a ban on hunting migratory birds and other wildlife listed under national and provincial protection. Nationwide, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration is carrying out a two-month special action plan to strengthen patrols and remove illegal hunting equipment in national parks, nature reserves and bird migration routes across the country.
1. Why did poachers light up the hillside according to paragraph 2?| A．To find their way around the hill. |
| B．To search for birds’ nests and catch them. |
| C．To draw the birds’ attention to catch them. |
| D．To lead the birds to fly safely and in the correct direction. |
| A．Give up. | B．Put off. | C．Call for. | D．Deal with. |
| A．Ways to punish bird poachers. |
| B．Routes migratory birds fly along. |
| C．Measures to protect migratory birds. |
| D．Reasons why poachers try to capture birds. |
| A．Ensuring birds have a safe passage |
| B．Important passageway for migratory birds |
| C．Flight calls of migratory birds at night attract Tang |
| D．Tang records more than 120 species of migratory birds |
8 . On the side of the road in the Hoh Xil Nature Reserve in northwest China's Qinghai Province, you might see a chubby wolf wagging its tail, rolling on the ground in front of the passing cars in hopes of getting a meal. However, it was skin and bones a few months ago. It is said that the old starving wolf was kicked out of the wolf pack because of its poor hunting ability. But that all changed after a passing driver gave it two pies and posted a video of it online in July, which has made the wolf popular, with people rushing to the area to provide it with food.
Since then, the wolf has given up its hunting instinct(本能) and turned to passers-by for snacks that are high in oil, sugar and salt, such as pies, roasted chicken and sausages. Subsequently, more wolves have joined this behavior. The wolfs change has led many netizens to find humor as they are actually acting like pet dogs. However, the change means that it is losing its ability to survive in nature, which is extremely dangerous to wild animals.
“Wolves are part of the food web in the ecosystem, and as people continue to feed them, their habits will change, which will disrupt their role in the ecosystem and affect the stability of the ecosystem,” said Qi Xinzhang, deputy head of the Xining Wildlife Park in the province.
Although wolves sit near the top of the food web, their kill rate is only 14 percent. They don't eat every day. Instead, they live a life of feast or famine, and hunger is their norm.
So far, some parts of the country have enacted laws and regulations prohibiting the feeding of wild animals. Shanghai municipal government implemented regulations on October 1 this year, prohibiting the feeding of wild animals. On October 16, a newly revised wildlife protection law in southwest China's Sichuan Province made it clear that feeding and driving away wild animals are prohibited while observing and photographing them.
1. Why was the wolf kicked out of the wolf pack?| A．His old age. | B．His skinny body. |
| C．His poor hunting ability. | D．His popularity on the Internet. |
| A．Because wild animal may attack humans. |
| B．Because wild animals don't like the food. |
| C．Because wild animals don't have to eat everyday. |
| D．Because feeding wild animals will affect the ecosystem. |
| A．They live like dogs. | B．They can always find something to eat. |
| C．They are at the bottom of food chain. | D．They don't often succeed in hunting. |
| A．People are taking actions to protect wild animals. |
| B．People shouldn't observe and photograph wild animals. |
| C．Laws are newly introduced to protect wild animals recently. |
| D．People can feed wild animals outside Shanghai and Sichuan. |
9 . Most glitter(小发光物品), which is made up of tiny pieces of plastic, is a huge danger to the environment. “Everyone talks about the mountain of plastic floating in the ocean. You can grab empty bottles from the water, but with tiny pieces, it’s impossible,” says Victor Alvarez, a chemical engineer who sells an eco-friendly alternative to glitter.
In the early 2,000s, Alvarez worked for Mercedes-Benz in Germany, where he became fond of any technology that protected the environment. A few years after leaving Mercedes-Benz, he founded Blue Sun International in Miami, which makes specialty ingredients for the skin and hair care industries.
Glitter is a popular ingredient in cosmetics, such as eye shadows and lipsticks. So Alvarez began researching an alternative that didn’t contain plastic to make his products safer for the environment. That’s when he came across Ronald Britton Ltd., a company which had developed a plastic-free, biodegradable product called Bioglitter. It is made from regenerative cellulose(纤维素) sourced from hardwoods, primarily eucalyptus(桉树). Alvarez worked with the company to become the first retailer to sell Bioglitter in America. In 2018, he formed Today Glitter in order to sell the biodegradable glitter directly to consumers through its website.
Today Glitter sells two kinds of biodegradable glitter Bioglitter Sparkle and Bioglitter Pure. Both are almost plastic-free and can biodegrade in a short time. Meanwhile, they are as shiny as regular glitter. All these products are third-party tested by TÜV, an international organization that provides testing and certification for compostable (可降解的) and biodegradable products.
Despite its benefits, the hardwoods needed to make biodegradable glitter cause it to cost about twice as much as conventional glitter. A small glass container that contains just 6 grams of Bioglitter costs $10, while the same amount of regular glitter could cost at least half that amount. Alvarez expects the price will come down over time. He also expects the company’s sales to cross $1 million next year. But more importantly, Alvarez says, his main goal is to effect a meaningful change.
1. While at Mercedes Benz, Alvarez .| A．developed a way to grab glitter in the sea | B．became interested in the environment |
| C．attempted to live a plastic-free life | D．created a kind of harmless glitter |
| A．It is a plastic-free ingredient for eye shadows. |
| B．It will soon be on sale in the American market. |
| C．It is very difficult to break down in the wild. |
| D．It was invented by Blue Sun International. |
| A．To show Bioglitter Sparkle and Bioglitter Pure are popular. |
| B．To stress it provides a broad range of testing services. |
| C．To prove Today Glitter’s products are eco-friendly. |
| D．To explain many plastic products are low-quality. |
| A．The complex process of making glitter. | B．How to expand its overseas market. |
| C．How to attract potential investors. | D．The high cost of raw materials. |
10 . Some talk of building settlements on the moon or mars to help make sure humanity survives long into the future. Others have their sights set closer to home: on future cities under the ocean.
“Technologically speaking, it is absolutely possible to colonize the bottom of the sea,” says Fabien Cousteau, a well-known ocean explorer who once spent 31 days living in what is now the world’s only functioning undersea habitat, Aquarius. It’s about the size of a school bus and located 62 feet below the ocean surface off the Florida Keys.
Just as astronauts test what it would be like to live in space, aquanauts try out undersea living with an eye on the future. Escaping from disasters such as climate change, wars, or pandemics is one reason to live under the sea. Others include studying, exploring, or appreciating the ocean. It’s costly and expensive to constantly keep up an ocean habitat which must pump in or make its own air, electricity, and fresh water. Inhabitants have to deal with high pressure. And infections can develop rapidly due to high humidity.
Despite the challenges, several new ocean habitats and cities are under construction. A series of space station-like undersea living quarters for aquanauts called Proteus are scheduled to be completed by 2025 off Curacao, an island north of Venezuela in South America. An undersea colony called Ven Base Alpha will be built near a hydrothermal vent, which would supply it with energy. Meanwhile, an undersea city called Ocean Spiral in Japan would link its surface to the deep sea, using the difference in pressure to generate energy and produce fresh water. This sounds amazing, but it would be extremely expensive and remains just a design.
Not everyone agrees that building homes in the ocean is a good idea. This type of development could place even more strain on ecosystems that are already struggling with pollution and climate change. It’s important to make sure that any construction is done carefully, says Susanne Menden-Deuer, an oceanographer at the University of Rhode Island. Wild undersea habitats should be treated as “the precious, irreplaceable resource that they are,” she says.
1. What do we know about Aquarius?| A．It is still under construction. |
| B．It functions as an undersea school bus. |
| C．It is the only ocean habitat in operation. |
| D．It only allows a person to live there for 31 days. |
| A．The present and future of living under the sea. |
| B．The reasons and challenges of living under the sea. |
| C．The purpose and cost of building undersea settlements. |
| D．The problems and findings of building undersea settlements. |
| A．Rapid development of undersea habitats. |
| B．Protection of irreplaceable ocean resource. |
| C．Negative impacts on undersea ecosystems. |
| D．Struggles with pollution and climate change. |
| A．A textbook. |
| B．An exam paper. |
| C．An academic article. |
| D．A science magazine. |
