07.植树造林与森林保护
一、阅读理解
1
Recently, China has announced the list of the first five national parks. Each of them is divided into two parts — the core protection area and the general control area. In the core protection area, only research and surveillance (监视) in science are allowed. And the general control area is open to the public, allowing travel activities such as camping and hiking. In the future, national parks are expected to be natural classrooms. People can learn about different kinds of animals and plants through eco-friendly travel activities.
Three River-Source National Park on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the largest national park in China. Because it is home to the sources of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers, people call it “China’s water tower”.
Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park is in Heilongjiang and Jilin Provinces. It covers an area of 14,100 square kilometers. It is our country’s biggest and only place for wild Siberian tigers and Amur leopards to live in.
Wuyi Mountain National Park in Fujian Province is a UNESCO natural and cultural heritage site. The forest makes up over 96 percent of the park. The park is the paradise of birds, kingdom of snakes and world of insects. You can also see the Danxia landform there.
Giant Panda National Park connects panda habitats in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu Provinces. Inside the park are more than 1,600 wild giant pandas. They make up over 70 percent of the pandas in China.
Hainan Tropical Rain forest National Park is the largest tropical forest in China. There are more than 400 kinds of plants that can only be found in Hainan.
1. Which is called “China’s water tower”
A. Three River-Source National Park.
B. Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park.
C. Giant Panda National Park.
D. Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park.
2. The underlined word “paradise” means ________.
A. a perfect place B. a happy feeling
C. a good example D. a sweet smile
3. Which of the following is not mentioned
A. Three River-Source National Park is the largest national park in China.
B. Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park covers an area of 14,100 square kilometers.
C. There are more than 1,600 wild giant pandas in Giant Panda National Park.
D. More than 400 kinds of plants and animals can only be found in Hainan.
4. What might be the best title for the text
A. The beautiful scenes of nature B. The home of animals and plants
C. The introduction to the five national parks D. The relationships among the five national parks
【答案】1. A 2. A 3. D 4. C
【解析】这是一篇说明文，本文主要介绍了中国公布的首批五个国家公园的情况。
1. 细节理解题。根据第二段“Three River-Source National Park on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the largest national park in China. Because it is home to the sources of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers, people call it ‘China’s water tower’.(位于青藏高原的三江源国家公园是中国最大的国家公园。因为它是长江、黄河和澜沧江的源头，人们称之为‘中国的水塔’)”可知，人们称三江源国家公园为“中国的水塔”。故选A。
2. 词义猜测题。根据划线词上文“The forest makes up over 96 percent of the park.(森林占了公园面积的96%以上)”可知，森林占公园的96%以上，由此推知，划线词所在句意为“公园是鸟类的天堂，蛇的王国，昆虫的世界”，所以单词“paradise”指的是“天堂”，即“完美之地”，故选A。
3. 细节理解题。根据最后一段中“There are more than 400 kinds of plants that can only be found in Hainan.(这里有400多种只有海南才有的植物)”可知，海南热带雨林国家公园有400多种只有海南才有的植物，未提到动物。故选D。
4. 主旨大意题。根据第一段中“Recently, China has announced the list of the first five national parks.(最近，中国公布了首批5个国家公园名单)”及整个文章的理解可知，文章主要是介绍五个国家公园的情况，故选C。
2
Each year, the world loses about 10 million hectares of forest—an area about the size of Iceland—because of cutting down trees. At that rate, some scientists predict the world’s forests could disappear in 100 to 200 years. To handle it, now researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have pioneered a technique to generate wood-like plant materials in a lab. This makes it possible to “grow” a wooden product without cutting down trees.
In the lab, the researchers first take cells from the leaves of a young plant. These cells are cultured in liquid medium for two days, then moved to another medium which contains nutrients and two different hormones. By adjusting the hormone levels, the researchers can tune the physical and mechanical qualities of the cells. Next, the researchers use a 3D printer to shape the cell-based material, and let the shaped material grow in the dark for three months. Finally, the researchers dehydrate the material, and then evaluate its qualities.
They found that lower hormone levels lead to plant materials with more rounded, open cells of lower density, while higher hormone levels contribute to the growth of plant materials with smaller but denser cell structures. Lower or higher density of cell structures makes the plant materials softer or more rigid, helping the materials grow with different wood-like characteristics. What’s more, it’s to be noted that the research process is about 100 times faster than the time it takes for a tree to grow to maturity!
Research of this kind is ground-breaking. “This work demonstrates the great power of a technology,” says lead researcher, Jeffrey Berenstain. “The real opportunity here is to be at its best with what you use and how you use it. This technology can be tuned to meet the requirements you give about shapes, sizes, rigidity, and forms. It enables us to ‘grow’ any wooden product in a way that traditional agricultural methods can’t achieve.”
5. Why do researchers at MIT conduct the research
A. To grow more trees. B. To protect plant diversity.
C. To reduce tree losses. D. To predict forest disappearance.
6. What does paragraph 2 mainly tell us about the lab research
A. Its theoretical basis. B. Its key procedures.
C. Its scientific evidence. D. Its usual difficulties.
7. What does the finding suggest about the plant materials
A. The hormone levels affect their rigidity.
B. They are better than naturally grown plants.
C. Their cells’ shapes mainly rely on their density.
D. Their growth speed determines their characteristics.
8. Why is the research ground-breaking according to Berenstain
A. It uses new biological materials in lab experiments.
B. It revolutionizes the way to make wooden products.
C. It challenges traditional scientific theories in forestry.
D. It has a significant impact on worldwide plant growth.
【答案】5. C 6. B 7. A 8. B
【解析】这是一篇说明文。文章主要说明了为了避免砍伐树木，麻省理工学院的研究人员开创了一种技术，在实验室里生产类似木材的植物材料。解释了其实验过程以及其积极意义。
5. 细节理解题。根据第一段“Each year, the world loses about 10 million hectares of forest—an area about the size of Iceland—because of cutting down trees. At that rate, some scientists predict the world’s forests could disappear in 100 to 200 years. To handle it, now researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have pioneered a technique to generate wood-like plant materials in a lab.(每年，由于砍伐树木，世界上损失了大约1000万公顷的森林——面积约为冰岛的大小。一些科学家预测，按照这个速度，世界上的森林可能会在100到200年内消失。为了解决这个问题，麻省理工学院的研究人员开创了一种技术，在实验室里生产类似木材的植物材料)”可知，麻省理工学院的研究人员进行这项研究是为了减少树木损失。故选C。
6. 主旨大意题。根据第二段“In the lab, the researchers first take cells from the leaves of a young plant. These cells are cultured in liquid medium for two days, then moved to another medium which contains nutrients and two different hormones. By adjusting the hormone levels, the researchers can tune the physical and mechanical qualities of the cells. Next, the researchers use a 3D printer to shape the cell-based material, and let the shaped material grow in the dark for three months. Finally, the researchers dehydrate the material, and then evaluate its qualities.(在实验室里，研究人员首先从幼小植物的叶子上提取细胞。这些细胞在液体培养基中培养两天，然后转移到另一种含有营养物质和两种不同激素的培养基中。通过调节激素水平，研究人员可以调节细胞的物理和机械特性。接下来，研究人员使用3D打印机来塑造细胞基材料，并让成型的材料在黑暗中生长三个月。最后，研究人员将材料脱水，然后评估其质量)”可知，第二段主要告诉我们关于实验室研究的关键程序。故选B。
7. 细节理解题。根据第三段“They found that lower hormone levels lead to plant materials with more rounded, open cells of lower density, while higher hormone levels contribute to the growth of plant materials with smaller but denser cell structures. Lower or higher density of cell structures makes the plant materials softer or more rigid, helping the materials grow with different wood-like characteristics.(他们发现，较低的激素水平会导致植物材料的细胞更圆、更开放，密度更低，而较高的激素水平会导致植物材料的细胞结构更小，但密度更大。细胞结构的密度或高或低，使植物材料更柔软或更坚硬，帮助材料生长出不同的类木特性)”可知，激素水平影响植物材料的硬度。故选A。
8. 细节理解题。根据最后一段“This technology can be tuned to meet the requirements you give about shapes, sizes, rigidity, and forms. It enables us to ‘grow’ any wooden product in a way that traditional agricultural methods can’t achieve.(该技术可以调整以满足对形状、大小、刚性和形式的要求。它使我们能够以传统农业方法无法实现的方式“种植”任何木制品)”可知，贝伦斯坦认为这项研究具有开创性因为它革新了制作木制品的方法。故选B。
3
It’s reported that about 20 percent of the Amazon rainforest has disappeared during the past 50 years. Deforestation is not only threatening the millions of unique plant and animal species native to the Amazon River area, it’s affecting humans worldwide. When it comes to the protection of the Amazon, it’s hard for many people to relate because they don’t feel connected to the area. There are actually a lot of direct connections, no matter how far away we are.
A connection that affects everyone on the planet is climate (气候) change. Planting new trees in the forest is basically a way of removing CO2 from the air. Rain forests have a carbon (碳) reduction nearly equal to half of what is in the air. About half of that is in the Amazon. Another case in point is a big snake called the bushmaster that lives in the Amazon. Today, millions of people use medicines made from its venom (毒液) to treat high blood pressure. So they have longer, fuller, and more productive lives.
In the 1960s, there was only one highway in the entire Amazon. That’s an area as large as the continental United States with one highway and three million people. Today, there are between 30 million to 40 million people, countless roads, and about 20 percent forests have been cut down. But on the plus side, 50 years ago there were only two national parks and a national forest and a reserve in Brazil. Today, more than 50 percent of the Amazon is under some form of protection.
“There’s been a lot of damage done and forest lost, but nothing is gone until it’s gone”, noted National Geographic explorer Dr. Thomas Lovejoy. “We want to see more shared planning between the departments of transportation, energy, agriculture, and the other industries in the area. We think Amazon cities can have higher quality of life and keep people in existing cities so there’s less reason to deforest.”
9. Which can replace the underlined word “Deforestation” in paragraph 1
A. Planting more trees. B. Destroying the forests.
C. Protecting the species. D. Polluting the rivers.
10. What might the partial loss of the Amazon rainforest lead to
A. The increase of extreme weather. B. The removal of CO2.
C. More people with high blood pressure. D. The overgrowth of the bushmaster.
11. How does paragraph 3 mainly develop
A. By making comparisons. B. By listing reasons.
C. By explaining a definition. D. By making a summary.
12. What is Dr. Thomas’ attitude towards the future of the Amazon rainforest
A. Doubtful. B. Worried. C. Positive. D. Uncaring.
【答案】9. B 10. C 11. A 12. C
【解析】这是一篇说明文。文章主要说明了亚马逊雨林的砍伐和保护问题。
9. 词句猜测题。根据划线词上文“It’s reported that about 20 percent of the Amazon rainforest has disappeared during the past 50 years.(据报道，在过去的50年里，大约20%的亚马逊雨林已经消失了)”可知，在过去的50年里，大约20%的亚马逊雨林已经消失了，说明亚马逊雨林的森林遭到了破坏。故划线词意思是“破坏森林”。故选B。
10. 细节理解题。根据第二段“Another case in point is a big snake called the bushmaster that lives in the Amazon. Today, millions of people use medicines made from its venom (毒液) to treat high blood pressure. So they have longer, fuller, and more productive lives.(另一个例子是生活在亚马逊的一种叫做巨蝮的大蛇。今天，数百万人使用由它的毒液制成的药物来治疗高血压。所以他们的生活更长、更充实、更有成效)”可知，亚马逊雨林的部分损失可能会导致更多人得高血压。故选C。
11. 推理判断题。根据第三段“In the 1960s, there was only one highway in the entire Amazon. That’s an area as large as the continental United States with one highway and three million people. Today, there are between 30 million to 40 million people, countless roads, and about 20 percent forests have been cut down. But on the plus side, 50 years ago there were only two national parks and a national forest and a reserve in Brazil. Today, more than 50 percent of the Amazon is under some form of protection.(20世纪60年代，整个亚马逊地区只有一条高速公路。这是一个和美国大陆一样大的地区，有一条高速公路和300万人口。今天，这里有3000万到4000万人口，无数的道路，大约20%的森林被砍伐。但好的一面是，50年前，巴西只有两个国家公园，一个国家森林和一个保护区。今天，超过50%的亚马逊雨林处于某种形式的保护之下)”可知，第3段主要是通过比较展开。故选A。
12. 推理判断题。根据最后一段“We want to see more shared planning between the departments of transportation, energy, agriculture, and the other industries in the area. We think Amazon cities can have higher quality of life and keep people in existing cities so there’s less reason to deforest.(我们希望看到交通、能源、农业和该地区其他行业部门之间有更多的共享规划。我们认为亚马逊城市可以拥有更高的生活质量，让人们留在现有的城市，这样就没有理由砍伐森林了)”可推知，托马斯博士对亚马逊雨林的未来持积极态度。故选C。
4
Pacific Coast Range
Stretching along the west coast of North America from northern California to Alaska, the forests found along the Pacific Coast Range are the largest area of temperate (温带的) rainforest in the world. The forests are home to the coast redwood, the world’s tallest tree. Across the region, the forest understory (林下叶层) is wet and heavily vegetated.
Taiheiyo Evergreen Forests
Found in southern Japan, they are temperate rainforests of evergreen broadleaf trees. The forests can receive more than 100 inches of rain every year. The forests are covered by Japanese cedar and Japanese stone oak, while moso bamboo comprise the understory. The extent of the Taiheiyo forests has been reduced due to development and agriculture. Today,17%of the remaining forest is protected by national parks and other reserves.
Atlantic Oakwood Forest
The Atlantic Oakwood Forest covers the wettest parts of the United Kingdom. A species of oak tree (橡树) called sessile oak occupies the landscape. Unlike other temperate forests, these forests tend to have an open understory of grasses. Much of the historical range of the forest has given to agriculture and other development, though that has changed in recent decades.
Valdivian Temperate Rainforest
This forest is found on the west coast of Chile and Argentina, on the wet, western slopes (斜坡) of the Andes mountain range. With the coastline to the west, the peaks of the Andes to the east, and the Atacama Desert to the north, the region supports a number of plant and animal species found nowhere else in the world. Uniquely, the forest is covered by evergreen flowering trees, which are native to Chile and little known outside the region.
13. Which of the four forest areas occupies the most land
A. Pacific Coast Range. B. Taiheiyo Evergreen Forests.
C. Atlantic Oakwood Forest. D. Valdivian Temperate Rainforest.
14. What do Taiheiyo Evergreen Forests and Atlantic Oakwood Forest have in common
A. They have open understory grasses. B. They’re home to extremely tall trees.
C. They’re of great historical significance. D. They used to be affected by agriculture.
15. What is unique to Valdivian Temperate Rainforest
A. Wet climate. B. Coastal location.
C. Evergreen flowering trees. D. Well-protected national parks.
【答案】13. A 14. D 15. C
【解析】这是一篇应用文。文章主要介绍了四种森林的特点和分布情况。
13. 细节理解题。根据第一段“Stretching along the west coast of North America from northern California to Alaska, the forests found along the Pacific Coast Range are the largest area of temperate (温带的) rainforest in the world.(太平洋海岸山脉沿着北美西海岸从加利福尼亚北部一直延伸到阿拉斯加，是世界上面积最大的温带雨林)”可知，四个林区中，Pacific Coast Range占的土地最多。故选A。
14. 细节理解题。根据第二段“The extent of the Taiheiyo forests has been reduced due to development and agriculture.(由于发展和农业，太黑窑森林的面积已经减少)”以及第三段“Much of the historical range of the forest has given to agriculture and other development, though that has changed in recent decades.(森林的大部分历史范围已经用于农业和其他发展，尽管近几十年来发生了变化)”可知，太平洋常青林和大西洋橡树林的共同之处在于过去受到农业的影响。故选D。
15. 细节理解题。根据最后一段“Uniquely, the forest is covered by evergreen flowering trees, which are native to Chile and little known outside the region.(独特的是，森林被常绿开花树木覆盖，这些树木原产于智利，在该地区以外鲜为人知)”可知，瓦尔迪维亚温带雨林的独特之处是常绿开花树木。故选C。
5
Over the past 45 years, farmer Fu Benfa has planted countless trees on barren (不毛的) mountains near Qilita village in Suizhou, Hubei province. The task would have been a challenge for an able-bodied person, let alone a person with paralysis (瘫痪).
Fu, 65, was paralyzed in an accident in January 1978. News about green development through measures such as expanding forests in the province caught his attention. He got the idea that he might be able to contribute. Fu’s parents strongly disagreed because of his poor physical condition. But he insisted. His father finally acquiesced and made him a special shovel (铁锹) and straw mat (草席).
In the winter of 1978, Fu came to a barren mountain and began the task that would occupy him for decades. He sat on the straw mat and tried to dig a hole to plant a tree in, but he failed to finish it after working all day. He didn’t give up, however, and tried various kinds of movements until he became more efficient. Every day he spent more than 12 hours on the mountain. After a month, he had successfully planted 18 trees, 13 of which survived.
Three months later, he had planted more than 300 trees, most of which survived. Over the next 30 years, Fu brought green color to five mountains around his village. With the help of local governments, a forest protection volunteer service team was set up to carefully protect and guard the green mountains.
After years of study and exploration, Fu has gained rich experience and taken advantage of technology. He has taught more than 200 nearby farmers, free of charge, to increase their incomes by planting trees. Recent health problems have slowed Fu down. He has been recovering at home since February.
“Now it is difficult for me to continue planting trees in the mountains, but I will always guard this forest,” he said. “I will never change my dream.”
16. What does the underlined word “acquiesced” in Paragraph 2 mean
A. Quit. B. Agreed. C. Argued. D. Opposed.
17. What does the author intend to express in Paragraph 3
A. Fu Benfa was far-sighted. B. Fu Benfa suffered little.
C. Fu Benfa was physically poor. D. Fu Benfa was strong-willed.
18. Why did Fu Benfa teach nearby farmers to plant trees
A. To better their life. B. To draw their interest.
C. To find more helpers. D. To make more progress.
19. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text
A. Planting Trees Changed the World
B. Fu Benfa Helped Farmers in the Village
C. An Able-bodied Man Amazed the Country
D. For 45 Years, a Paralyzed Man Planted Many Trees
【答案】16. B 17. D 18. A 19. D
【解析】本文是一篇记叙文。文章讲述了湖北农民付本发身残志坚，绿化荒山的感人事迹。
16. 词义猜测题。根据划线词前文“Fu’s parents strongly disagreed because of his poor physical condition. But he insisted.(由于付的身体状况不佳，他的父母强烈反对。但他坚持)”及后文“made him a special shovel (铁锹) and straw mat (草席).(给他制作了特别的铁锹和草席)”可知，他的父亲同意了，故划线词意思是“同意”。故选B。
17. 主旨大意题。根据第三段“In the winter of 1978, Fu came to a barren mountain and began the task that would occupy him for decades. He sat on the straw mat and tried to dig a hole to plant a tree in, but he failed to finish it after working all day. He didn’t give up, however, and tried various kinds of movements until he became more efficient. Every day he spent more than 12 hours on the mountain. After a month, he had successfully planted 18 trees, 13 of which survived.(1978年冬天，付来到一座荒山，开始了他几十年的工作。他坐在草席上，想挖个洞种棵树，但工作了一天，还是没能把它挖完。然而，他并没有放弃，他尝试了各种各样的动作，直到他变得更有效率。每天他都要在山上度过12个小时以上。一个月后，他成功地种下了18棵树，其中13棵存活了下来)”可推知，本段主要表达的是付本发意志坚强。故选D。
18. 细节理解题。根据第五段“He has taught more than 200 nearby farmers, free of charge, to increase their incomes by planting trees.(他免费教了200多名附近的农民通过种树来增加收入)”可知，他教附近农民植树是为了改善他们的生活。故选A。
19. 主旨大意题。根据第一段“Over the past 45 years, farmer Fu Benfa has planted countless trees on barren (不毛的) mountains near Qilita village in Suizhou, Hubei province. The task would have been a challenge for an able-bodied person, let alone a person with paralysis (瘫痪).(在过去的45年里，湖北省随州市七里塔村附近的贫瘠山上，农民付本发种植了无数棵树。这项任务对一个健全的人来说都是一个挑战，更不用说瘫痪的人了)”可知，文章主要讲述了身残志坚的付本发45年来坚持植树，为荒山秃岭披上绿装的故事。由此可知，D选项“45年来，一个瘫痪的人种了很多树”最符合文章标题。故选D。
6
Wildfires, when allowed to burn in areas without human development, can contribute to the restoration of the surrounding watershed(集水区), renewal of the soil, and resetting the clock for the ecosystem.
Many forests cannot sustain themselves without natural wildfire, including pine barrens, lodgepole pine forests and many more. These forests require canopy fires, which primarily affect the upper layer of plants in a forest, to reproduce because the trees in the forest are adapted to only produce seeds following a major fire event. Hence, fires can be restorative for the forest, and without them many of these forest types would decline on the landscape. How is a fire restorative for the watershed It restores in many ways including, but not limited to, improving water quality, offering habitat for insects that serve as food for fish, promoting the growth of fire adapted plants, etc... Not to mention renewal of the soil chemistry which is vital to the forest and the watershed.(My attitude is that of someone who has studied wildfire and streams since the disastrous 1988 Yellowstone wildfires.) The science backs up how natural wildfire can be favorable through research publication after publication.
It’s like “resetting the clock” on the ecosystem, allowing it to smoothly all over again for another 200 years. By the way, a canopy fire such as Yellowstone in 1988 also results in the reproduction of younger trees after fire which act to stop the spread and progress of a potentially destructive wildfire immediately. Without it, future wildfires are very likely to become bigger and bigger.
The bottom line is that we may need today’s natural wildfires on our forested landscape to prevent more serious fire events in the future. That lesson was learned in 1988 Yellowstone wildfires which was a year of disastrous large-scale fires despite more than 50 years of thorough and tight fire monitoring.
20. What does the underlined word “them” in Paragraph 2 refer to
A. Seeds. B. Wildfires. C. Trees. D. Ecosystems.
21. What is the function of younger trees after wildfires
A. Making wildfires easier to be spotted.
B. Reducing occurring rates of wildfires.
C. Stopping a major wildfire in its tracks.
D. Preventing potential wildfires completely.
22. What can be learned from the 1988 Yellowstone wildfires
A. We should accept wildlife on its own terms.
B. Fire monitoring in Yellowstone was successful.
C. Natural fires may reduce the risk of larger ones.
D. Serious wildfires are caused by human activities.
23. What is the text mainly about
A. The beneficial effects of wildfires.
B. Impacts of wildfires on development.
C. The necessity of watershed preservation.
D. Measures to prevent large-scale wildfires.
【答案】20. B 21. C 22. C 23. A
【解析】这是一篇说明文。文章主要说明了如果没有自然野火，许多森林无法维持生存，包括松树荒地、洛奇波勒松林等等，解释了野火带来的好处。
20. 词句猜测题。根据划线词上文“fires can be restorative for the forest”以及后文“many of these forest types would decline on the landscape”可知，野火可以恢复森林，如果没有野火，许多这些森林类型将在景观上下降。故划线词指的是“野火”。故选B。
21. 细节理解题。根据第三段“By the way, a canopy fire such as Yellowstone in 1988 also results in the reproduction of younger trees after fire which act to stop the spread and progress of a potentially destructive wildfire immediately.(顺便说一下，像1988年黄石公园这样的冠层火灾也会导致火灾后年轻树木的繁殖，这可以立即阻止潜在破坏性野火的蔓延和发展)”可知，野火过后，年轻树木的功能是阻止大火蔓延。故选C。
22. 推理判断题。根据第三段“By the way, a canopy fire such as Yellowstone in 1988 also results in the reproduction of younger trees after fire which act to stop the spread and progress of a potentially destructive wildfire immediately. Without it, future wildfires are very likely to become bigger and bigger.(顺便说一下，像1988年黄石公园这样的冠层火灾也会导致火灾后年轻树木的繁殖，这可以立即阻止潜在破坏性野火的蔓延和发展。没有它，未来的野火很可能变得越来越大)”可推知，1988年黄石公园大火告诉我们，自然火灾可能会降低更大火灾的风险。故选C。
23. 主旨大意题。根据第一段“Wildfires, when allowed to burn in areas without human development, can contribute to the restoration of the surrounding watershed(集水区), renewal of the soil, and resetting the clock for the ecosystem.(当野火在没有人类开发的地区燃烧时，可以帮助恢复周围的集水区，更新土壤，并为生态系统重置时钟)”结合文章，主要说明了如果没有自然野火，许多森林无法维持生存，包括松树荒地、洛奇波勒松林等等，解释了野火带来的好处。可知，这篇文章的主要内容是野火的有利影响。故选A。
7
Theoretically some trees could live forever, according to a recent essay that reviews growing evidence on long-lived trees.
Across the board, trees do not die so much as they are killed, write the authors of the review essay. Their killers are outer factors rather than old age alone. That is, there is no evidence that harmful genetic mutations (基因突变) occur over time or that trees lose their ability to continue to grow.
“Trees might live forever, but this does not happen,” says co-author Franco Biondi. “Tree killers include environmental risks such as droughts , wildfires, terrible weather and human behaviors such as woodcutting and fires set to clear forests for hunting or grassland.”
Tree longevity (长寿) interests researchers in part because trees and other plants remove carbon from the atmosphere, and older trees are thought to store more carbon than younger ones. The rings of old trees can also serve as an invaluable record of climate history, with wider rings indicating better years.
David Stahle, a geographer and tree longevity researcher at the University of Arkansas, takes issue with the belief that trees can possibly live forever. “The likelihood, all things being equal, that trees can live forever seems unlikely to me,” he says.
This hypothesis (假设) has become popular in the past 20 years as researchers continue to report having found little genetic evidence of aging in extremely old trees. And this is one of the review essay’s most important points. But evidence of aging could be out there and just not yet found.
24. What does the recent review essay mainly indicate
A. There are a great variety of tree killers. B. Trees could keep on surviving forever.
C. More trees die naturally than being killed. D. Genetic mutations stop trees from growing.
25. Why does tree longevity interest researchers
A. Because the way trees grow rings is more interesting.
B. Because trees make clearer climate records than other plants.
C. Because older trees contribute more to the environment.
D. Because younger trees are less likely to have genetic mutations.
26. What is Stahle’s attitude to the finding of the review essay
A. Doubtful. B. Uninterested. C. Reserved. D. Favorable.
27. What does the last paragraph suggest
A. The assumption has been proved true. B. Evidence of aging trees might exist.
C. Tree research has grown in the past 20 years. D. Some key points disappear in the review essay.
【答案】24. B 25. C 26. A 27. B
【解析】本文是说明文。树木真的可以永生吗？研究人员给出了他们的看法：在极其古老的树中几乎没有发现衰老的基因证据，但衰老的证据可能存在，但还没有发现。
24. 细节理解题。根据第一段“Theoretically some trees could live forever, according to a recent essay that reviews growing evidence on long-lived trees.(最近的一篇文章回顾了越来越多的关于长寿树的证据，从理论上讲，有些树可以长生不老)”可知，最近的评论文章主要说明了树木可以永远存活下去。故选B。
25. 细节理解题。根据第四段“Tree longevity (长寿) interests researchers in part because trees and other plants remove carbon from the atmosphere, and older trees are thought to store more carbon than younger ones.(研究人员对树木的寿命感兴趣，部分原因是树木和其他植物从大气中吸收碳，而老树被认为比年轻树储存更多的碳)”可知，研究人员对树是长寿感兴趣是因为老的树能吸收大气层中更多的碳，即对环境的贡献更大，故选C。
26. 推理判断题。根据第五段“David Stahle, a geographer and tree longevity researcher at the University of Arkansas, takes issue with the belief that trees can possibly live forever. “The likelihood, all things being equal, that trees can live forever seems unlikely to me,” he says.(阿肯色大学的地理学家和树木寿命研究员David Stahle对树木可能长生不老的说法提出了质疑。他说:“在所有条件相同的情况下，树木能永远存活的可能性在我看来似乎不大可能。”)”推知，Stahle对“树木理论上可以永生”这一评论文章的发现持怀疑态度。故选A。
27. 推理判断题。根据最后一段“But evidence of aging could be out there and just not yet found.(但衰老的证据可能就在那里，只是还没有被发现)”可知，本段暗示树木衰老的证据可能存在，但还没有发现，故选B。
8
Food forests, also known as forest gardens or edible forests, are appearing in urban settings across the US as a unique way to help food-insecure communities. They imitate the structure and functioning of natural forest ecosystems that produce various edible plants for the community, which reduces reliance on external food sources and promotes food self-sufficiency.
Food forests can maximize food production in a given area. In a regular garden, you’re probably only planting vegetables along the ground. While this can provide a great harvest, it leaves a lot of space unused. Now imagine you are planting a fruit tree. On the shady side, you add some shade-tolerant berries, and on the sunny side you add some sun-loving berries. At the base of the sun-loving berries, you plant some annual vegetables and herbs. This food forest would result in a truly splendid harvest that would dwarf what a regular garden the same size could provide.
The genius of a food forest lies in its designed cultivation of beneficial interactions between different plant species. For instance, some plants might enrich the soil by fixing nitrogen, a natural fertilizer for neighboring vegetation, while others naturally attract beneficial insects, providing a built-in pest control mechanism. These strategic connections lead to reduced dependency on labor inputs and create an environment that is hardy and sustainable.
Food forests require ongoing care and maintenance, which often involves the participation of community members. This cooperative effort develops a sense of shared responsibility and brings people together to work towards a common munity members can come together to learn about planting techniques, sustainable gardening practices, and the benefits of native plants. This shared learning experience creates a platform for exchanging ideas and skills, promoting a sense of self-reliance within the community.
28. What are food forests intended for
A. Improving food quality in America.
B. Protecting natural forest ecosystems.
C. Beautifying the urban living environment.
D. Providing food sources for the community.
29. What does the underlined word “dwarf” in paragraph 2 mean
A. Strengthen. B. Overshadow. C. Widen. D. Enlarge.
30. What does the example in paragraph 3 indicate
A. Food forests can help increase the diversity of species.
B. Food forests require considerable labor inputs to maintain.
C. Plants in food forests can benefit one another in some ways.
D. The pest control mechanism in food forests is favorable to soil.
31. What can be inferred from the last paragraph
A. Planting techniques determine the yield of food forests.
B. The maintenance of food forests is costly and complicated.
C. Food forests serve as a bond to bring community members closer.
D. Food forests have become a popular gathering spot in the communities.
【答案】28. D 29. B 30. C 31. C
【解析】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍食物森林通过模仿天然森林生态系统的结构和功能，生产供人类食用的食物。
28. 细节理解题。根据第一段“Food forests, also known as forest gardens or edible forests, are appearing in urban settings across the US as a unique way to help food-insecure communities. They imitate the structure and functioning of natural forest ecosystems that produce various edible plants for the community, which reduces reliance on external food sources and promotes food self-sufficiency. (食物森林，也称为森林花园或可食用森林，作为帮助粮食不安全社区的一种独特方式，正在美国各地的城市环境中出现。它们模仿天然森林生态系统的结构和功能，为社区生产各种可食用植物，从而减少对外部食物来源的依赖，促进粮食自给自足)”可知，食物森林旨在为社区提供食物来源。故选D。
29. 词句猜测题。根据第二段“This food forest would result in a truly splendid harvest that would dwarf what a regular garden the same size could provide. (这片食物森林将带来真正辉煌的收成，使同样大小的普通花园所能提供的收成dwarf)”可知，这片食物森林将会带来真正的大丰收，所以这将使一个同样大小的普通菜园所能提供的收成相形见绌。由此推测，划线词dwarf表示“相形见绌”，与选项B含义相近。故选B。
30. 推理判断题。根据第三段“The genius of a food forest lies in its designed cultivation of beneficial interactions between different plant species. For instance, some plants might enrich the soil by fixing nitrogen, a natural fertilizer for neighboring vegetation, while others naturally attract beneficial insects, providing a built-in pest control mechanism. These strategic connections lead to reduced dependency on labor inputs and create an environment that is hardy and sustainable. (食物森林的天才之处在于其精心设计的不同植物物种之间有益相互作用的培养。例如，一些植物可能会通过固定氮来丰富土壤，氮是邻近植被的天然肥料，而另一些植物则会自然吸引有益的昆虫，从而提供一种内置的害虫控制机制。这些战略联系减少了对劳动力投入的依赖，并创造了一个坚韧和可持续的环境)”可推知，该段中的例子表明在食物森林中，植物可以以一些方式使其他植物受益。故选C。
31. 推理判断题。根据最后一段“Food forests require ongoing care and maintenance, which often involves the participation of community members. This cooperative effort develops a sense of shared responsibility and brings people together to work towards a common munity members can come together to learn about planting techniques, sustainable gardening practices, and the benefits of native plants. This shared learning experience creates a platform for exchanging ideas and skills, promoting a sense of self-reliance within the community. (粮食森林需要持续的照料和维护，这往往需要社区成员的参与。这种合作努力培养了一种共同的责任感，并使人们团结起来，为实现共同目标而努力。社区成员可以聚在一起学习种植技术、可持续园艺实践和本地植物的好处。这种共享的学习经验为交流思想和技能创造了一个平台，促进了社区内的自力更生意识)”可推知，食物森林是将社区成员联系在一起的纽带。故选C。
9
Overlooking the Biblioteca degli Alberi is Milan’s “Vertical (垂直的) Forest”: two residential tower blocks built in 2014 that are covered in 800 trees,4,500 shrubs and 15,000 plants. If this forest was planted on the ground, it would cover 20,000 m2— the size of three and a half football fields.
Each year the trees will absorb 10,000 tons of CO2 and 57 tons of pollutants. They should also produce about 900 tons of oxygen. Boeri’s team of architects says the plants will also decrease the average air temperature, create noise barriers and boost biodiversity by creating a habitat for birds, insects and small animals.
It is not just physical wellbeing that is aided by large green structures in our cities. The team behind Sydney’s 100mhigh “vertical garden” claims it is a new form of “living architecture” that reminds us of “the restorative impact that nature has on our souls”. Just how restorative living near trees and plants is for our souls is open to debate; but studies in Germany have suggested that it can be extremely beneficial for our brains.
Scientists examined brain image sequences (顺序) of 341 elderly residents of Berlin, focusing particularly on the amygdala —the part of the brain that controls our fear responses and is responsible for stress and anxiety disorders. They found that there was strong connection between residents living within 1km of the forests on the edge of the city and those with the healthiest amygdala. A health y amygdala means being less likely to suffer from the stress and anxiety disorders controlled by this part of the brain. Mood and anxiety disorders are up to 56%higher in urban environments when compared to rural locations.
With two-thirds of the world’s population predicted to be living in cities by 2050, Milan’s Vertical Forest might show the world a way to create healthier, happier urban spaces.
32. What does Paragraph 2 mainly talk about
A. The area of the city forest. B. The way of building city forest.
C. The positive influence on the city forest. D. The expected effect of the city forest.
33. What is the author’s attitude towards the Vertical Forest
A. Favorable. B. Suspicious. C. Objective. D. Indifferent.
34. Studies in Germany show that ______.
A. amygdala controls our fear responses
B. living near forests is beneficial for our souls
C. people near the forests are less likely to feel anxious
D. more residents will live in Vertical Forest in the future
35. Which of the following may the author agree with
A. Cities are turning suitable for people to live in.
B. There is a worldwide focus on how to improve biodiversity.
C. Milan’s Vertical Forest becomes an example of urban biodiversity.
D. The Vertical Forest covers the size of three and a half football fields.
【答案】32. D 33. A 34. C 35. C
【解析】这是一篇说明文。文章主要说明了Biblioteca degli Alberi的是米兰的“垂直森林”，Boeri的建筑师团队说，这些植物还将降低平均气温，制造噪音屏障，并通过为鸟类、昆虫和小动物创造栖息地来促进生物多样性。文章说明了城市中的大型绿色建筑不仅有助于身体和心理健康。
32. 主旨大意题。根据第二段“Each year the trees will absorb 10,000 tons of CO2 and 57 tons of pollutants. They should also produce about 900 tons of oxygen. Boeri’s team of architects says the plants will also decrease the average air temperature, create noise barriers and boost biodiversity by creating a habitat for birds, insects and small animals.(每年这些树将吸收1万吨二氧化碳和57吨污染物。它们还应该产生大约900吨氧气。Boeri的建筑师团队说，这些植物还将降低平均气温，制造噪音屏障，并通过为鸟类、昆虫和小动物创造栖息地来促进生物多样性)”可知，第二段主要讲了城市森林的预期效果。故选D。
33. 推理判断题。根据最后一段“With two-thirds of the world’s population predicted to be living in cities by 2050, Milan’s Vertical Forest might show the world a way to create healthier, happier urban spaces.(预计到2050年，世界上三分之二的人口将居住在城市，米兰的垂直森林可能会向世界展示一种创造更健康、更快乐的城市空间的方法)”可推知，作者对垂直森林的态度是支持的。故选A。
34. 细节理解题。根据第三段“Just how restorative living near trees and plants is for our souls is open to debate; but studies in Germany have suggested that it can be extremely beneficial for our brains.(生活在树木和植物附近对我们的灵魂有多大的恢复作用，这是一个值得讨论的问题；但德国的研究表明，它对我们的大脑非常有益)”以及第四段“They found that there was strong connection between residents living within 1km of the forests on the edge of the city and those with the healthiest amygdala.(他们发现，居住在城市边缘森林1公里范围内的居民与那些拥有最健康杏仁核的人之间存在很强的联系)”可知，德国的研究表明靠近森林的人不太可能感到焦虑。故选C。
35. 细节理解题。根据第二段“Boeri’s team of architects says the plants will also decrease the average air temperature, create noise barriers and boost biodiversity by creating a habitat for birds, insects and small animals.(Boeri的建筑师团队说，这些植物还将降低平均气温，制造噪音屏障，并通过为鸟类、昆虫和小动物创造栖息地来促进生物多样性)”可知，作者可能会认同米兰的垂直森林成为城市生物多样性的典范。故选C。
10
Overlooking the Davis—Gant Varsity Soccer Field, a bed of overturned soil waits for further development. In a few years, this area will become a natural habitat and a playground for animals and residents. This peaceful area didn’t appear naturally, but through planning and action taken by Catlin Gabel’s Tiny Forest project launched by teacher Patrick Walsh.
Forests typically take hundreds of years to mature, with four stages of growth. “Tiny forests flatten out time through the planting of all four layers (层),” Walsh explained. The end result is a fast-growing, native forest in about 20 years. Over 600 plants from 43 species will be planted in the tiny forest, the first one in Oregon.
Walsh was inspired to build a tiny forest after hearing about this idea, which emerged in Japan and has taken hold in North America. He shared his vision with seniors in his class. The seniors researched tiny forests and made a proposal resulting in Clean Water Services donating 60 trees and $5,000 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Armed with these resources, Walsh and the students started working. “Something I didn’t really expect was the outpouring of students’ enthusiasm. Seeing students from all grades volunteered to contribute to the ‘dirty work’ really blew me away,” Walsh said.
Senior Megan Cover has been at the school since the first grade. “I’ll graduate after working on this project, which is surely sad, but it’s really rewarding and great to be a part of this project and to do my bit. We’re creating this educational space for many young kids,” Cover said.
Walsh summed up his goal of the project, which is to build a place where students can enjoy and learn about nature. “The forest will obviously not solve climate change, but it will deserve the efforts if the kids think about climate change and remember the importance of reforestation and trees when they look outside at the forest.”
36. What is special about tiny forests
A. They originated in North America. B. They are usually planted in schools.
C. They contain various types of trees. D. They become mature in a shorter time.
37. What surprised Walsh in the process of planting the tiny forest
A. The abundance of native tree species. B. Public concern about the environment.
C. The active participation of students. D. Support from local organizations.
38. How does Megan Cover feel about the project
A. Proud. B. Regretful. C. Grateful. D. Disappointed.
39. What does Walsh want the forest to function as for the students
A. A model. B. A reminder. C. A resource. D. A witness.
【答案】36. D 37. C 38. A 39. B
【解析】这是一篇记叙文。文章讲述了在老师Patrick Walsh的带领下，学校的学生合力种下了一片小森林，在若干年后，这个地区将成为动物和居民的自然栖息地和游乐场。
36. 细节理解题。根据文章第二段中“Forests typically take hundreds of years to mature, with four stages of growth. “Tiny forests flatten out time through the planting of all four layers (层),” Walsh explained. The end result is a fast-growing, native forest in about 20 years.(森林通常需要数百年才能成熟，有四个生长阶段。Walsh解释说：“小森林通过种植所有四层植物将时间变快。”最终的结果是在大约20年的时间里，一个快速生长的原生森林形成。)”可知森林通常需要数百年才能成熟，但是小森林的生长时间大大缩短了，即他们在较短的时间内变得成熟。故选D项。
37. 细节理解题。根据文章第三段中““Something I didn’t really expect was the outpouring of students’ enthusiasm. Seeing students from all grades volunteered to contribute to the ‘dirty work’ really blew me away,” Walsh said.(“我没有预料到的是学生们的热情会如此高涨。看到来自各个年级的学生自愿参与’脏活’，我真的惊呆了。”Walsh说。)”可知Walsh 没有预料到学生们的热情会如此高，各个年级的学生都积极参与进来，这让他震惊。故选C项。
38. 推理判断题。根据文章第四段“Senior Megan Cover has been at the school since the first grade. “I’ll graduate after working on this project, which is surely sad, but it’s really rewarding and great to be a part of this project and to do my bit. We’re creating this educational space for many young kids,” Cover said.(高三学生Megan从一年级开始就在学校了。“我将在完成这个项目之后毕业，这当然令人难过，但是能够参与这个项目并尽自己的一份力量，真的是一件非常有意义和伟大的事情。我们正在为许多年轻孩子创造这样的教育空间。”)”可知Megan认为这是一件非常有意义和伟大的事情，由此可推断，她为自己能够参与到小森林项目中为孩子们创造一片具有教育意义的空间感到自豪。故选A项。
39. 推理判断题。根据文章最后一段中“The forest will obviously not solve climate change, but it will deserve the efforts if the kids think about climate change and remember the importance of reforestation and trees when they look outside at the forest.(森林显然不能解决气候变化问题，但是如果孩子们能够考虑到气候变化问题，并且在看到森林的时候记住重新造林和树木的重要性，那么这些努力都是值得的)”可知，Walsh认为如果孩子们看到小森林时能想到气候变化问题以及重新造林和树木的重要性，那他们付出的努力就值得。由此可推断，Walsh希望小森林能够对学生们起到提醒作用，故选B项。
11
For many people, retirement is a chance to take a break. Not so for Victorin Laboudallon from the Seychelles who spends his days planting forests to fight climate change. Wherever there’s a forest fire in the Seychelles, you can be sure you’ll find Laboudallon ready to fight back, armed with seeds and shovels.
Laboudallon is widely known across the Seychelles for his decades of environmental action and his big personality. While planting trees in the wet dirt, barefoot and laughing, he says his surname means “friend of the mud” in his local Creole language. “I’m not somebody who lives under the big concrete. I live under the beautiful trees,” he says, pointing above at the iconic coco de mer palm.
The Seychelles is a nation of 115 islands—known for beautiful beaches and biodiversity—off the east coast of Africa. Here climate change is not a distant prospect, but a daily reality. “We’ve got the sea rising,” says Laboudallon. “You can see places where there used to be houses. Now there are none. There is something on this planet going wrong.”
Nature enthusiasts like Laboudallon have taken matters into their own hands. While giving a tour of his tree nursery, he explains how different types of trees offer different services when adapting to climate change. For the Seychellois, mangroves (红树林) are fundamental.
Mangroves defend against the impacts of rising seas and coastal erosion (腐蚀) by reducing the height and force of the waves before they hit the shoreline.
This strategy of using nature—and the services it provides—to adapt to climate change is known as ecosystem-based adaptation. It’s often cheaper than concrete infrastructure (设施). Not to mention that it creates a space for munities can adapt to climate change while protecting biodiversity. It is no longer a choice between people and nature. Considering the Seychelles’ economy is highly dependent on ecotourism, ecosystem-based adaptation is seen as a promising approach.
40. What does Victorin Laboudallon do in his retirement
A. He travels around the world. B. He enjoys his free time at home.
C. He plants trees in different countries. D. He fights climate change in the Seychelles.
41. What does Paragraph 2 tell us about Laboudallon
A. He prefers to live in big cities. B. He is afraid of mud and dirt.
C. He enjoys the beauty of trees and nature. D. He feels safe when surrounded by concrete.
42. What does Laboudallon think of the reality of the Seychelles in Paragraph 3
A. Uncertain and potentially dangerous. B. Hopeful and optimistic.
C. Challenging but manageable. D. Insignificant and not worth worrying about.
43. What can we say about the ecosystem-based adaptation
A. It’s more costly than concrete infrastructure.
B. It met with indifference among local communities.
C. It’s a win-win strategy for local economy and ecosystem.
D. It has no effect on the local environmental protection.
【答案】40. D 41. C 42. A 43. C
【解析】这是一篇记叙文。文章讲述了Laboudallon通过植树来改善当地环境，抵抗气候变化的故事。
40. 细节理解题。根据第一段“For many people, retirement is a chance to take a break. Not so for Victorin Laboudallon from the Seychelles who spends his days planting forests to fight climate change. Wherever there’s a forest fire in the Seychelles, you can be sure you’ll find Laboudallon ready to fight back, armed with seeds and shovels.(对许多人来说，退休是一个休息的机会。而来自塞舌尔的维多利亚·拉布达隆则不是这样，他每天都在植树造林，以应对气候变化。在塞舌尔，只要有森林火灾，你肯定会发现拉布达隆随时准备反击，带着种子和铲子)”可知，Laboudallon退休后通过植树来抵抗气候变化对当地造成的不良影响。故选D。
41. 细节理解题。根据第二段中“While planting trees in the wet dirt, barefoot and laughing, he says his surname means “friend of the mud” in his local Creole language. “I’m not somebody who lives under the big concrete. I live under the beautiful trees,” he says, pointing above at the iconic coco de mer palm.(他赤着脚在潮湿的泥土里种树，笑着说，他的姓氏在当地的克里奥尔语中是“泥土的朋友”的意思。“我不是那种住在大混凝土下面的人。我住在美丽的树下，”他指着上面标志性的海椰子树说)”可知，Laboudallon喜欢树木和大自然的美。故选C。
42. 推理判断题。根据第三段中“Here climate change is not a distant prospect, but a daily reality. “We’ve got the sea rising,” says Laboudallon. “You can see places where there used to be houses. Now there are none. There is something on this planet going wrong.”(在这里，气候变化不是一个遥远的前景，而是每天都在发生的现实。“海平面正在上升，”Laboudallon说。“你可以看到以前是房子的地方。现在没有了。这个星球上一定有什么地方出了问题。”)”可推知，Laboudallon认为塞舌尔充满了不确定性并且存在危险的可能。故选A。
43. 推理判断题。根据最后一段“This strategy of using nature—and the services it provides—to adapt to climate change is known as ecosystem-based adaptation. It’s often cheaper than concrete infrastructure (设施). Not to mention that it creates a space for munities can adapt to climate change while protecting biodiversity. It is no longer a choice between people and nature. Considering the Seychelles’ economy is highly dependent on ecotourism, ecosystem-based adaptation is seen as a promising approach.(这种利用自然及其提供的服务来适应气候变化的策略被称为基于生态系统的适应。它通常比混凝土基础设施更便宜。更不用说它为自然创造了一个空间。社区可以在保护生物多样性的同时适应气候变化。它不再是人与自然之间的选择。考虑到塞舌尔的经济高度依赖生态旅游，基于生态系统的适应被视为一种有前途的方法)”可推知，基于生态系统的适应性对于当地的经济和生态来讲是一项共赢的策略，即可以保护生态系统，又有助于生态旅游。故选C。
二、完形填空
Seventy-year-old Tububatu and his wife Taoshengchagan live in a village near Badain Jaran, Inner Mongolia. They’ve been spending every day since they retired in 2002 fighting against 44 . Before Tububatu others had tried but 45 . He just wanted to make a difference. He started by 46 just 50 trees a year, but kept doubling his 47 to the point where he now plants thousands of trees a year.
The retired couple have been slowly growing their little desert forest at their own expense, so that they live a very 48 life. Even though they mostly plant drought-resistant (抗旱的) types, they still make sure to water them at least once a day to make them grow 49 .
Although they’ve been 50 by some neighbors who think their they are sure to fail, they haven’t given up. Over the last 19 years, the couple have planted over 266 hectares of desert and have no 51 to stop.
Apart from 52 the spread of the desert, Tububatu is also making a living by planting, as the desert-living cistanche is a(n) 53 medicinal plant that can sell for up to 100 yuan per kilogram.
It’s reported that so far they have planted over 70000 trees, 54 more than 1 million yuan of their savings. The 55 conditions have weakened their health and they look older than they actually are, but they refuse to 56 their battle against the desert.
The couple have received several 57 and honors from the government over the years, becoming a good 58 for all environmentalists.
44. A. pollution B. poverty C. sandstorm D. hunger
45. A. changed B. finished C. failed D. disappeared
46. A. growing B. buying C. borrowing D. protecting
47. A. profits B. efforts C. dreams D. difficulties
48. A. comfortable B. quiet C. balanced D. simple
49. A. equally B. slowly C. naturally D. healthily
50. A. cheered up B. laughed at C. picked up D. taken in
51. A. plans B. hopes C. chances D. ways
52. A. overcoming B. improving C. slowing D. following
53. A. current B. ordinary C. former D. popular
54. A. losing B. spending C. wasting D. collecting
55. A. special B. strange C. messy D. terrible
56. A. continue B. desert C. start D. announce
57. A. cards B. letters C. prizes D. reviews
58. A. models B. roles C. organizers D. survivors
【答案】
44. C 45. C 46. A 47. B 48. D 49. D 50. B 51. A 52. C 53. D 54. B 55. D 56. B 57. C 58. A
【解析】这是一篇记叙文。文章主要讲述了退休后的图布巴图与妻子陶生查干在中国巴丹吉林沙漠边缘的一个村庄里自费种植树木，与沙漠作斗争。
44. 考查名词词义辨析。句意：自从2002年退休后，他们每天都在与沙尘暴作斗争。A. pollution污染；B. poverty贫穷；C. sandstorm沙尘暴；D. hunger饥饿。根据下文“The couple have been growing their little desert forest at their own expense”可知，在沙漠里种植树是为了预防沙尘暴，由此可知，此处指与沙尘暴作斗争，故选C。
45. 考查动词词义辨析。句意：在Tububatu之前，其他人尝试过，但失败了，他只是想有所作为。A. changed改变；B. finished结束；C. failed失败；D. disappeared消失。根据下文“he just wanted to make a difference”可知，其他人尝试过都失败了，但是Tububatu想有所作为，故选C。
46. 考查动词词义辨析。句意：他一开始只种植了50棵树，但是不断加倍努力，现在他每年种植数千棵树。A. growing种植；B. buying买；C. borrowing借；D. protecting保护。根据下文“just 50 trees”和“plant drought-resistant (耐旱的) types”可知，此处指种树，故选A。
47. 考查名词词义辨析。句意：他一开始只种植了50棵树，但是不断加倍努力，现在他每年种植数千棵树。A. profits利润；B. efforts努力；C. dreams梦想；D. difficulties困难。根据上文“just 50 trees”和下文“he now plants thousands of trees a year.”可知，通过不断努力，从最初种植的50棵树，到现在已将增加到每年数千颗。故选B。
48. 考查形容词词义辨析。句意：这对夫妇一直在自费种植他们的小沙漠森林，所以他们过着非常简朴的生活。A. comfortable舒服的；B. quiet安静的；C. balanced平衡的；D. simple简单的；简朴的。根据上文“The couple have been growing their little desert forest at their own expense,”可知，这对夫妇把钱都用在种植树木上了，所以他们过着很简朴的生活。故选D。
49. 考查副词词义辨析。句意：即使他们种植的树大多数是抗旱类型的，但他们仍然确保每天至少给它们浇水一次，使它们健康生长。A. equally平等地；B. slowly慢地；C. naturally自然地；D. healthily健康地。根据上文“Even though they mostly plant drought-resistant (耐旱的) types, they still make sure to water them at least once a day to make them grow”可知，他们给树浇水，确保树能健康生长。故选D。
50. 考查动词短语辨析。句意： 尽管他们一些邻居嘲笑，认为他们注定会失败，但他们并没有放弃。A. cheered up高兴起来；B. laughed at嘲笑；C. picked up捡起来；D. taken in吸收。根据下文“who think they are sure to fail”可知，一些邻居嘲笑他们，认为他们注定会失败，故选B。
51. 考查名词词义辨析。句意：在过去的20年里，这对夫妇已经在超过266公顷的沙漠上种植了树，并且他们没有停止的计划。A. plans计划；B. hopes希望；C. chances机会；D. ways方法。根据上文“The couple have planted over 266 hectares of desert over the last 20 years and have no”可知，这对夫妇已经在超过266公顷的沙漠上种植了树，他们还会继续下去，即没有停止种植的计划。故选A。
52. 考查动词词义辨析。句意：除了减缓沙漠的蔓延，Tububatu还靠种植维持生计，因为生活在沙漠中的肉苁蓉是一种很受欢迎的药用植物，每公斤可以卖到100元。A. overcoming克服；B. improving提高；C. slowing减慢、减缓；D. following跟随。根据下文“the spread of the desert,”和上文提到的这对夫妇在超过266公顷的沙漠上种植了树可知，种树能减缓沙漠化。故选C。
53. 考查形容词词义辨析。句意：除了减缓沙漠的蔓延，Tububatu 还靠种植维持生计，因为生活在沙漠中的肉苁蓉是一种很受欢迎的药用植物，每公斤可以卖到100元。A. current当前的；B. ordinary普通的；C. former先前的；D. popular流行的、受欢迎的。根据下文“medicinal(药用的) plant that can sell for up to 100 yuan per kilogram.”可知，肉苁蓉每公斤可以卖到100元，这说明它很受欢迎。故选D。
54. 考查动词词义辨析。句意：据报道，到目前为止，他们已经种植了7万多棵树，花费超过100万元的积蓄。A. losing丢失；B. spending花费；C. wasting浪费；D. collecting收集。根据下文“more than 1 million yuan of their savings.”和上文提到这对夫妇自费种树可知，他们已经种植了7万多棵树，花费超过100万元的积蓄。故选B。
55. 考查形容词词义辨析。句意：恶劣的环境损害了他们的健康，他们看起来比实际年龄要老，但他们拒绝放弃与沙漠的战斗。A. special特别的；B. strange奇怪的；C. messy乱糟糟的；D. terrible可怕的、糟糕的。根据下文“conditions have damaged their health”可知，沙漠环境恶劣，损害了他们的健康。故选D。
56. 考查动词词义辨析。句意：恶劣的环境损害了他们的健康，他们看起来比实际年龄要老，但他们拒绝放弃与沙漠的战斗。A. continue继续；B. desert遗弃；C. start开始；D. announce宣布。根据转折连词but可知，前后是转折关系，虽然沙漠环境恶劣导致他们健康受损，但是他们并没有打算放弃与沙漠的斗争。故选B。
57. 考查名词词义辨析。句意：这对夫妇多年来获得了政府颁发的多个奖项和荣誉，成为所有环保人士的好榜样。A. cards卡片；B. letters信；C. prizes奖品、奖项；D. reviews评论。根据下文“honors from the government over the years”可知，这对夫妇获得了政府颁发的多个奖项和荣誉。故选C。
58. 考查名词词义辨析。句意：这对夫妇多年来获得了政府颁发的多个奖项和荣誉，成为所有环保人士的好榜样。A. models模范；B. roles角色；C. organisers组织者；D. survivors幸存者。根据下文“for all environmentalists.”可知，这对夫妇自费种树治理沙漠化，所以说他们是所有环保人士的好榜样。故选A。
三、语法填空
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。
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2016, the Shennongjia Forestry District is covered by vast forest, 59 (nurture) countless species of plants and animals, as well as legends and stories 60 (pass) down through the ages.
Tourism development in the area takes a back seat to the wonders of nature. The natural environment has been largely left untouched, 61 allows visitors the opportunity to appreciate unique beauty. Visitors 62 Shennongjia can base themselves in the town of Muyu, which is the 63 (near) to all the scenic areas in the district.
The name of the district is adapted from the legendary father of Chinese herbal medicine, Shennong, who is said 64 (try) hundreds of types of herbs to heal 65 sick. The Shennongjia Museum of Natural History in Muyu provides a memorial to Shennong and 66 (display) more than 2,000 breeds of plant species.
What if you are not interested in medicinal herbs and just want some sightseeing delights Shennongjia provides a variety of 67 (option). For example, hikers who love challenges climb the Shennong Top, a pyramid-shaped peak that is considered as the “Roof of Central China.” The climb can never be 68 (bore) with different views along the stairway: a sea of bamboo, a stone forest, and a plateau meadow(高原牧场) filled with flowers and greenery.
【答案】
59. nurturing 60. passed 61. which 62. to 63. nearest 64. to have tried 65. the 66. displays 67. options 68. boring
【解析】这是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了被联合国教科文组织列为世界遗产的神农架林区的多样化的自然景观。
59. 考查非谓语动词。句意：2016年被联合国教科文组织列为世界遗产，神农架林区被广阔的森林覆盖，培育了无数的植物和动物，以及代代相传的传说和故事。分析句式结构可知，此处用非谓语动词作状语，又因为提示词nurture和主语之间是主动关系，所以用非谓语动词中的现在分词作状语。故填nurturing。
60. 考查非谓语动词。句意：同上。分析句式结构可知，此处用非谓语动词作后置定语修饰空格前的名词，又因为pass和legends and stories之间是被动关系，所以用过去分词作后置定语。故填passed。
61. 考查定语从句。句意：自然环境在很大程度上没有受到破坏，这使游客有机会欣赏独特的美景。分析句式结构可知，此处是定语从句，先行词是整个主句是物，且从句中缺少主语，所以用关系代词which来引导非限制定语从句。故填which。
62. 考查介词。句意：前往神农架的游客可以在离神农架所有景区最近的木峪镇安顿下来。分析句意再根据空格后的名词Shennongjia可知，此处用介词to作后置定语表示“前往”神农架的游客。故填to。
63. 考查形容词最高级。句意：同上。分析句意再根据空格前的the可知，此处用提示词的最高级形式the neares表示“最近的”区域。故填nearest。
64. 考查动词不定式。句意：这个地区的名字来自传说中的中国草药之父神农，据说他曾尝试过数百种草药来治疗病人。根据空格前的is said可知，此处用提示词的动词不定式形式构成固定搭配be said to do表示“据说做某事”，再分析句意，此处try这个动作先于谓语动词发生，所以用动词不定式的完成式to have done。故填to have tried。
65. 考查冠词。句意：同上。根据空格后的形容词sick可知，定冠词the+形容词表示一类人，所以此处用the sick表示“病人”。故填the。
66. 考查主谓一致。句意：位于木榆市的神农架自然历史博物馆是一个纪念神农的博物馆，展示了2000多种植物。根据上文的and和provides可知，and连接两个并列动词，且本句的主是第三人称单数形式，所以此处用动词的第三人称形式，同时与上文provides并列。故填displays。
67. 考查名词。句意：神农架提供了多种选择。根据空格前的a variety of可知，此处应该用名词的复数形式options，表示各种各样的观点。故填options。
68. 考查形容词。句意：沿着楼梯可以看到不同的景色：竹海、石林和长满鲜花和绿色植物的高原草地，攀登永远不会无聊。分析句式结构可知，此处用形容词作表语，又因为主语The climb是物，所以用形容词boring修饰物表示“令人厌烦的、无聊的”故填boring。
四、书面表达
69. 6月5日是“世界环境保护日”，李平和他的同学经过讨论，认为有必要向《21世纪报》写一封信，呼吁人们齐心协力，保护环境，提出有效的保护措施。要点如下：
1. 合理利用废物，节能减排；
2. 植树造林，改善环境；
3. 禁止过度捕捞，保护海洋；
4. ……
注意: 1. 词数80左右； 2. 开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数；3.可根据内容需要适当增加细节。
Nowadays, pollution is getting worse and worse.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Ping
【参考范文】
Nowadays, pollution is getting worse and worse. The damage to the environment is getting serious. It’s high time we take some measures to protect the environment.
I think we should do as follows. Some useful garbage should be recycled, while the harmful things should be put in a safe place. Smoke and gas should be cleaned before they go into the air. We should plant trees and stop using wooden chopsticks and stop throwing garbage everywhere, doing our best to take good care of the environment. With modern fishing methods, more and more fish are caught. So it’s a good idea to ban over-fishing. What’s more, we should make full use of natural resources, or we will be in great danger very soon.
Yours,
Li Ping
【写作分析】本篇书面表达属于应用文。要求考生向《21世纪报》写一封信，呼吁人们齐心协力，保护环境，提出有效的保护措施。
【解析】1.词汇积累
采取措施：take measures→ take action/take steps
应该：should → ought to
此外：what’s more → in addition/besides/moreover
充分利用：make full use of → make the most of
2.句式拓展
简单句变复合句
原句：Nowadays, pollution is getting worse and worse. The damage to the environment is getting serious.
拓展句：Nowadays07.植树造林与森林保护
一、阅读理解
1
Recently, China has announced the list of the first five national parks. Each of them is divided into two parts — the core protection area and the general control area. In the core protection area, only research and surveillance (监视) in science are allowed. And the general control area is open to the public, allowing travel activities such as camping and hiking. In the future, national parks are expected to be natural classrooms. People can learn about different kinds of animals and plants through eco-friendly travel activities.
Three River-Source National Park on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the largest national park in China. Because it is home to the sources of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers, people call it “China’s water tower”.
Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park is in Heilongjiang and Jilin Provinces. It covers an area of 14,100 square kilometers. It is our country’s biggest and only place for wild Siberian tigers and Amur leopards to live in.
Wuyi Mountain National Park in Fujian Province is a UNESCO natural and cultural heritage site. The forest makes up over 96 percent of the park. The park is the paradise of birds, kingdom of snakes and world of insects. You can also see the Danxia landform there.
Giant Panda National Park connects panda habitats in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu Provinces. Inside the park are more than 1,600 wild giant pandas. They make up over 70 percent of the pandas in China.
Hainan Tropical Rain forest National Park is the largest tropical forest in China. There are more than 400 kinds of plants that can only be found in Hainan.
1. Which is called “China’s water tower”
A. Three River-Source National Park.
B. Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park.
C. Giant Panda National Park.
D. Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park.
2. The underlined word “paradise” means ________.
A. a perfect place B. a happy feeling
C. a good example D. a sweet smile
3. Which of the following is not mentioned
A. Three River-Source National Park is the largest national park in China.
B. Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park covers an area of 14,100 square kilometers.
C. There are more than 1,600 wild giant pandas in Giant Panda National Park.
D. More than 400 kinds of plants and animals can only be found in Hainan.
4. What might be the best title for the text
A. The beautiful scenes of nature B. The home of animals and plants
C. The introduction to the five national parks D. The relationships among the five national parks
2
Each year, the world loses about 10 million hectares of forest—an area about the size of Iceland—because of cutting down trees. At that rate, some scientists predict the world’s forests could disappear in 100 to 200 years. To handle it, now researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have pioneered a technique to generate wood-like plant materials in a lab. This makes it possible to “grow” a wooden product without cutting down trees.
In the lab, the researchers first take cells from the leaves of a young plant. These cells are cultured in liquid medium for two days, then moved to another medium which contains nutrients and two different hormones. By adjusting the hormone levels, the researchers can tune the physical and mechanical qualities of the cells. Next, the researchers use a 3D printer to shape the cell-based material, and let the shaped material grow in the dark for three months. Finally, the researchers dehydrate the material, and then evaluate its qualities.
They found that lower hormone levels lead to plant materials with more rounded, open cells of lower density, while higher hormone levels contribute to the growth of plant materials with smaller but denser cell structures. Lower or higher density of cell structures makes the plant materials softer or more rigid, helping the materials grow with different wood-like characteristics. What’s more, it’s to be noted that the research process is about 100 times faster than the time it takes for a tree to grow to maturity!
Research of this kind is ground-breaking. “This work demonstrates the great power of a technology,” says lead researcher, Jeffrey Berenstain. “The real opportunity here is to be at its best with what you use and how you use it. This technology can be tuned to meet the requirements you give about shapes, sizes, rigidity, and forms. It enables us to ‘grow’ any wooden product in a way that traditional agricultural methods can’t achieve.”
5. Why do researchers at MIT conduct the research
A. To grow more trees. B. To protect plant diversity.
C. To reduce tree losses. D. To predict forest disappearance.
6. What does paragraph 2 mainly tell us about the lab research
A. Its theoretical basis. B. Its key procedures.
C. Its scientific evidence. D. Its usual difficulties.
7. What does the finding suggest about the plant materials
A. The hormone levels affect their rigidity.
B. They are better than naturally grown plants.
C. Their cells’ shapes mainly rely on their density.
D. Their growth speed determines their characteristics.
8. Why is the research ground-breaking according to Berenstain
A. It uses new biological materials in lab experiments.
B. It revolutionizes the way to make wooden products.
C. It challenges traditional scientific theories in forestry.
D. It has a significant impact on worldwide plant growth.
3
It’s reported that about 20 percent of the Amazon rainforest has disappeared during the past 50 years. Deforestation is not only threatening the millions of unique plant and animal species native to the Amazon River area, it’s affecting humans worldwide. When it comes to the protection of the Amazon, it’s hard for many people to relate because they don’t feel connected to the area. There are actually a lot of direct connections, no matter how far away we are.
A connection that affects everyone on the planet is climate (气候) change. Planting new trees in the forest is basically a way of removing CO2 from the air. Rain forests have a carbon (碳) reduction nearly equal to half of what is in the air. About half of that is in the Amazon. Another case in point is a big snake called the bushmaster that lives in the Amazon. Today, millions of people use medicines made from its venom (毒液) to treat high blood pressure. So they have longer, fuller, and more productive lives.
In the 1960s, there was only one highway in the entire Amazon. That’s an area as large as the continental United States with one highway and three million people. Today, there are between 30 million to 40 million people, countless roads, and about 20 percent forests have been cut down. But on the plus side, 50 years ago there were only two national parks and a national forest and a reserve in Brazil. Today, more than 50 percent of the Amazon is under some form of protection.
“There’s been a lot of damage done and forest lost, but nothing is gone until it’s gone”, noted National Geographic explorer Dr. Thomas Lovejoy. “We want to see more shared planning between the departments of transportation, energy, agriculture, and the other industries in the area. We think Amazon cities can have higher quality of life and keep people in existing cities so there’s less reason to deforest.”
9. Which can replace the underlined word “Deforestation” in paragraph 1
A. Planting more trees. B. Destroying the forests.
C. Protecting the species. D. Polluting the rivers.
10. What might the partial loss of the Amazon rainforest lead to
A. The increase of extreme weather. B. The removal of CO2.
C. More people with high blood pressure. D. The overgrowth of the bushmaster.
11. How does paragraph 3 mainly develop
A. By making comparisons. B. By listing reasons.
C. By explaining a definition. D. By making a summary.
12. What is Dr. Thomas’ attitude towards the future of the Amazon rainforest
A. Doubtful. B. Worried. C. Positive. D. Uncaring.
4
Pacific Coast Range
Stretching along the west coast of North America from northern California to Alaska, the forests found along the Pacific Coast Range are the largest area of temperate (温带的) rainforest in the world. The forests are home to the coast redwood, the world’s tallest tree. Across the region, the forest understory (林下叶层) is wet and heavily vegetated.
Taiheiyo Evergreen Forests
Found in southern Japan, they are temperate rainforests of evergreen broadleaf trees. The forests can receive more than 100 inches of rain every year. The forests are covered by Japanese cedar and Japanese stone oak, while moso bamboo comprise the understory. The extent of the Taiheiyo forests has been reduced due to development and agriculture. Today,17%of the remaining forest is protected by national parks and other reserves.
Atlantic Oakwood Forest
The Atlantic Oakwood Forest covers the wettest parts of the United Kingdom. A species of oak tree (橡树) called sessile oak occupies the landscape. Unlike other temperate forests, these forests tend to have an open understory of grasses. Much of the historical range of the forest has given to agriculture and other development, though that has changed in recent decades.
Valdivian Temperate Rainforest
This forest is found on the west coast of Chile and Argentina, on the wet, western slopes (斜坡) of the Andes mountain range. With the coastline to the west, the peaks of the Andes to the east, and the Atacama Desert to the north, the region supports a number of plant and animal species found nowhere else in the world. Uniquely, the forest is covered by evergreen flowering trees, which are native to Chile and little known outside the region.
13. Which of the four forest areas occupies the most land
A. Pacific Coast Range. B. Taiheiyo Evergreen Forests.
C. Atlantic Oakwood Forest. D. Valdivian Temperate Rainforest.
14. What do Taiheiyo Evergreen Forests and Atlantic Oakwood Forest have in common
A. They have open understory grasses. B. They’re home to extremely tall trees.
C. They’re of great historical significance. D. They used to be affected by agriculture.
15. What is unique to Valdivian Temperate Rainforest
A. Wet climate. B. Coastal location.
C. Evergreen flowering trees. D. Well-protected national parks.
5
Over the past 45 years, farmer Fu Benfa has planted countless trees on barren (不毛的) mountains near Qilita village in Suizhou, Hubei province. The task would have been a challenge for an able-bodied person, let alone a person with paralysis (瘫痪).
Fu, 65, was paralyzed in an accident in January 1978. News about green development through measures such as expanding forests in the province caught his attention. He got the idea that he might be able to contribute. Fu’s parents strongly disagreed because of his poor physical condition. But he insisted. His father finally acquiesced and made him a special shovel (铁锹) and straw mat (草席).
In the winter of 1978, Fu came to a barren mountain and began the task that would occupy him for decades. He sat on the straw mat and tried to dig a hole to plant a tree in, but he failed to finish it after working all day. He didn’t give up, however, and tried various kinds of movements until he became more efficient. Every day he spent more than 12 hours on the mountain. After a month, he had successfully planted 18 trees, 13 of which survived.
Three months later, he had planted more than 300 trees, most of which survived. Over the next 30 years, Fu brought green color to five mountains around his village. With the help of local governments, a forest protection volunteer service team was set up to carefully protect and guard the green mountains.
After years of study and exploration, Fu has gained rich experience and taken advantage of technology. He has taught more than 200 nearby farmers, free of charge, to increase their incomes by planting trees. Recent health problems have slowed Fu down. He has been recovering at home since February.
“Now it is difficult for me to continue planting trees in the mountains, but I will always guard this forest,” he said. “I will never change my dream.”
16. What does the underlined word “acquiesced” in Paragraph 2 mean
A. Quit. B. Agreed. C. Argued. D. Opposed.
17. What does the author intend to express in Paragraph 3
A. Fu Benfa was far-sighted. B. Fu Benfa suffered little.
C. Fu Benfa was physically poor. D. Fu Benfa was strong-willed.
18. Why did Fu Benfa teach nearby farmers to plant trees
A. To better their life. B. To draw their interest.
C. To find more helpers. D. To make more progress.
19. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text
A. Planting Trees Changed the World
B. Fu Benfa Helped Farmers in the Village
C. An Able-bodied Man Amazed the Country
D. For 45 Years, a Paralyzed Man Planted Many Trees
6
Wildfires, when allowed to burn in areas without human development, can contribute to the restoration of the surrounding watershed(集水区), renewal of the soil, and resetting the clock for the ecosystem.
Many forests cannot sustain themselves without natural wildfire, including pine barrens, lodgepole pine forests and many more. These forests require canopy fires, which primarily affect the upper layer of plants in a forest, to reproduce because the trees in the forest are adapted to only produce seeds following a major fire event. Hence, fires can be restorative for the forest, and without them many of these forest types would decline on the landscape. How is a fire restorative for the watershed It restores in many ways including, but not limited to, improving water quality, offering habitat for insects that serve as food for fish, promoting the growth of fire adapted plants, etc... Not to mention renewal of the soil chemistry which is vital to the forest and the watershed.(My attitude is that of someone who has studied wildfire and streams since the disastrous 1988 Yellowstone wildfires.) The science backs up how natural wildfire can be favorable through research publication after publication.
It’s like “resetting the clock” on the ecosystem, allowing it to smoothly all over again for another 200 years. By the way, a canopy fire such as Yellowstone in 1988 also results in the reproduction of younger trees after fire which act to stop the spread and progress of a potentially destructive wildfire immediately. Without it, future wildfires are very likely to become bigger and bigger.
The bottom line is that we may need today’s natural wildfires on our forested landscape to prevent more serious fire events in the future. That lesson was learned in 1988 Yellowstone wildfires which was a year of disastrous large-scale fires despite more than 50 years of thorough and tight fire monitoring.
20. What does the underlined word “them” in Paragraph 2 refer to
A. Seeds. B. Wildfires. C. Trees. D. Ecosystems.
21. What is the function of younger trees after wildfires
A. Making wildfires easier to be spotted.
B. Reducing occurring rates of wildfires.
C. Stopping a major wildfire in its tracks.
D. Preventing potential wildfires completely.
22. What can be learned from the 1988 Yellowstone wildfires
A. We should accept wildlife on its own terms.
B. Fire monitoring in Yellowstone was successful.
C. Natural fires may reduce the risk of larger ones.
D. Serious wildfires are caused by human activities.
23. What is the text mainly about
A. The beneficial effects of wildfires.
B. Impacts of wildfires on development.
C. The necessity of watershed preservation.
D. Measures to prevent large-scale wildfires.
7
Theoretically some trees could live forever, according to a recent essay that reviews growing evidence on long-lived trees.
Across the board, trees do not die so much as they are killed, write the authors of the review essay. Their killers are outer factors rather than old age alone. That is, there is no evidence that harmful genetic mutations (基因突变) occur over time or that trees lose their ability to continue to grow.
“Trees might live forever, but this does not happen,” says co-author Franco Biondi. “Tree killers include environmental risks such as droughts , wildfires, terrible weather and human behaviors such as woodcutting and fires set to clear forests for hunting or grassland.”
Tree longevity (长寿) interests researchers in part because trees and other plants remove carbon from the atmosphere, and older trees are thought to store more carbon than younger ones. The rings of old trees can also serve as an invaluable record of climate history, with wider rings indicating better years.
David Stahle, a geographer and tree longevity researcher at the University of Arkansas, takes issue with the belief that trees can possibly live forever. “The likelihood, all things being equal, that trees can live forever seems unlikely to me,” he says.
This hypothesis (假设) has become popular in the past 20 years as researchers continue to report having found little genetic evidence of aging in extremely old trees. And this is one of the review essay’s most important points. But evidence of aging could be out there and just not yet found.
24. What does the recent review essay mainly indicate
A. There are a great variety of tree killers. B. Trees could keep on surviving forever.
C. More trees die naturally than being killed. D. Genetic mutations stop trees from growing.
25. Why does tree longevity interest researchers
A. Because the way trees grow rings is more interesting.
B. Because trees make clearer climate records than other plants.
C. Because older trees contribute more to the environment.
D. Because younger trees are less likely to have genetic mutations.
26. What is Stahle’s attitude to the finding of the review essay
A. Doubtful. B. Uninterested. C. Reserved. D. Favorable.
27. What does the last paragraph suggest
A. The assumption has been proved true. B. Evidence of aging trees might exist.
C. Tree research has grown in the past 20 years. D. Some key points disappear in the review essay.
8
Food forests, also known as forest gardens or edible forests, are appearing in urban settings across the US as a unique way to help food-insecure communities. They imitate the structure and functioning of natural forest ecosystems that produce various edible plants for the community, which reduces reliance on external food sources and promotes food self-sufficiency.
Food forests can maximize food production in a given area. In a regular garden, you’re probably only planting vegetables along the ground. While this can provide a great harvest, it leaves a lot of space unused. Now imagine you are planting a fruit tree. On the shady side, you add some shade-tolerant berries, and on the sunny side you add some sun-loving berries. At the base of the sun-loving berries, you plant some annual vegetables and herbs. This food forest would result in a truly splendid harvest that would dwarf what a regular garden the same size could provide.
The genius of a food forest lies in its designed cultivation of beneficial interactions between different plant species. For instance, some plants might enrich the soil by fixing nitrogen, a natural fertilizer for neighboring vegetation, while others naturally attract beneficial insects, providing a built-in pest control mechanism. These strategic connections lead to reduced dependency on labor inputs and create an environment that is hardy and sustainable.
Food forests require ongoing care and maintenance, which often involves the participation of community members. This cooperative effort develops a sense of shared responsibility and brings people together to work towards a common munity members can come together to learn about planting techniques, sustainable gardening practices, and the benefits of native plants. This shared learning experience creates a platform for exchanging ideas and skills, promoting a sense of self-reliance within the community.
28. What are food forests intended for
A. Improving food quality in America.
B. Protecting natural forest ecosystems.
C. Beautifying the urban living environment.
D. Providing food sources for the community.
29. What does the underlined word “dwarf” in paragraph 2 mean
A. Strengthen. B. Overshadow. C. Widen. D. Enlarge.
30. What does the example in paragraph 3 indicate
A. Food forests can help increase the diversity of species.
B. Food forests require considerable labor inputs to maintain.
C. Plants in food forests can benefit one another in some ways.
D. The pest control mechanism in food forests is favorable to soil.
31. What can be inferred from the last paragraph
A. Planting techniques determine the yield of food forests.
B. The maintenance of food forests is costly and complicated.
C. Food forests serve as a bond to bring community members closer.
D. Food forests have become a popular gathering spot in the communities.
9
Overlooking the Biblioteca degli Alberi is Milan’s “Vertical (垂直的) Forest”: two residential tower blocks built in 2014 that are covered in 800 trees,4,500 shrubs and 15,000 plants. If this forest was planted on the ground, it would cover 20,000 m2— the size of three and a half football fields.
Each year the trees will absorb 10,000 tons of CO2 and 57 tons of pollutants. They should also produce about 900 tons of oxygen. Boeri’s team of architects says the plants will also decrease the average air temperature, create noise barriers and boost biodiversity by creating a habitat for birds, insects and small animals.
It is not just physical wellbeing that is aided by large green structures in our cities. The team behind Sydney’s 100mhigh “vertical garden” claims it is a new form of “living architecture” that reminds us of “the restorative impact that nature has on our souls”. Just how restorative living near trees and plants is for our souls is open to debate; but studies in Germany have suggested that it can be extremely beneficial for our brains.
Scientists examined brain image sequences (顺序) of 341 elderly residents of Berlin, focusing particularly on the amygdala —the part of the brain that controls our fear responses and is responsible for stress and anxiety disorders. They found that there was strong connection between residents living within 1km of the forests on the edge of the city and those with the healthiest amygdala. A health y amygdala means being less likely to suffer from the stress and anxiety disorders controlled by this part of the brain. Mood and anxiety disorders are up to 56%higher in urban environments when compared to rural locations.
With two-thirds of the world’s population predicted to be living in cities by 2050, Milan’s Vertical Forest might show the world a way to create healthier, happier urban spaces.
32. What does Paragraph 2 mainly talk about
A. The area of the city forest. B. The way of building city forest.
C. The positive influence on the city forest. D. The expected effect of the city forest.
33. What is the author’s attitude towards the Vertical Forest
A. Favorable. B. Suspicious. C. Objective. D. Indifferent.
34. Studies in Germany show that ______.
A. amygdala controls our fear responses
B. living near forests is beneficial for our souls
C. people near the forests are less likely to feel anxious
D. more residents will live in Vertical Forest in the future
35. Which of the following may the author agree with
A. Cities are turning suitable for people to live in.
B. There is a worldwide focus on how to improve biodiversity.
C. Milan’s Vertical Forest becomes an example of urban biodiversity.
D. The Vertical Forest covers the size of three and a half football fields.
10
Overlooking the Davis—Gant Varsity Soccer Field, a bed of overturned soil waits for further development. In a few years, this area will become a natural habitat and a playground for animals and residents. This peaceful area didn’t appear naturally, but through planning and action taken by Catlin Gabel’s Tiny Forest project launched by teacher Patrick Walsh.
Forests typically take hundreds of years to mature, with four stages of growth. “Tiny forests flatten out time through the planting of all four layers (层),” Walsh explained. The end result is a fast-growing, native forest in about 20 years. Over 600 plants from 43 species will be planted in the tiny forest, the first one in Oregon.
Walsh was inspired to build a tiny forest after hearing about this idea, which emerged in Japan and has taken hold in North America. He shared his vision with seniors in his class. The seniors researched tiny forests and made a proposal resulting in Clean Water Services donating 60 trees and $5,000 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Armed with these resources, Walsh and the students started working. “Something I didn’t really expect was the outpouring of students’ enthusiasm. Seeing students from all grades volunteered to contribute to the ‘dirty work’ really blew me away,” Walsh said.
Senior Megan Cover has been at the school since the first grade. “I’ll graduate after working on this project, which is surely sad, but it’s really rewarding and great to be a part of this project and to do my bit. We’re creating this educational space for many young kids,” Cover said.
Walsh summed up his goal of the project, which is to build a place where students can enjoy and learn about nature. “The forest will obviously not solve climate change, but it will deserve the efforts if the kids think about climate change and remember the importance of reforestation and trees when they look outside at the forest.”
36. What is special about tiny forests
A. They originated in North America. B. They are usually planted in schools.
C. They contain various types of trees. D. They become mature in a shorter time.
37. What surprised Walsh in the process of planting the tiny forest
A. The abundance of native tree species. B. Public concern about the environment.
C. The active participation of students. D. Support from local organizations.
38. How does Megan Cover feel about the project
A. Proud. B. Regretful. C. Grateful. D. Disappointed.
39. What does Walsh want the forest to function as for the students
A. A model. B. A reminder. C. A resource. D. A witness.
11
For many people, retirement is a chance to take a break. Not so for Victorin Laboudallon from the Seychelles who spends his days planting forests to fight climate change. Wherever there’s a forest fire in the Seychelles, you can be sure you’ll find Laboudallon ready to fight back, armed with seeds and shovels.
Laboudallon is widely known across the Seychelles for his decades of environmental action and his big personality. While planting trees in the wet dirt, barefoot and laughing, he says his surname means “friend of the mud” in his local Creole language. “I’m not somebody who lives under the big concrete. I live under the beautiful trees,” he says, pointing above at the iconic coco de mer palm.
The Seychelles is a nation of 115 islands—known for beautiful beaches and biodiversity—off the east coast of Africa. Here climate change is not a distant prospect, but a daily reality. “We’ve got the sea rising,” says Laboudallon. “You can see places where there used to be houses. Now there are none. There is something on this planet going wrong.”
Nature enthusiasts like Laboudallon have taken matters into their own hands. While giving a tour of his tree nursery, he explains how different types of trees offer different services when adapting to climate change. For the Seychellois, mangroves (红树林) are fundamental.
Mangroves defend against the impacts of rising seas and coastal erosion (腐蚀) by reducing the height and force of the waves before they hit the shoreline.
This strategy of using nature—and the services it provides—to adapt to climate change is known as ecosystem-based adaptation. It’s often cheaper than concrete infrastructure (设施). Not to mention that it creates a space for munities can adapt to climate change while protecting biodiversity. It is no longer a choice between people and nature. Considering the Seychelles’ economy is highly dependent on ecotourism, ecosystem-based adaptation is seen as a promising approach.
40. What does Victorin Laboudallon do in his retirement
A. He travels around the world. B. He enjoys his free time at home.
C. He plants trees in different countries. D. He fights climate change in the Seychelles.
41. What does Paragraph 2 tell us about Laboudallon
A. He prefers to live in big cities. B. He is afraid of mud and dirt.
C. He enjoys the beauty of trees and nature. D. He feels safe when surrounded by concrete.
42. What does Laboudallon think of the reality of the Seychelles in Paragraph 3
A. Uncertain and potentially dangerous. B. Hopeful and optimistic.
C. Challenging but manageable. D. Insignificant and not worth worrying about.
43. What can we say about the ecosystem-based adaptation
A. It’s more costly than concrete infrastructure.
B. It met with indifference among local communities.
C. It’s a win-win strategy for local economy and ecosystem.
D. It has no effect on the local environmental protection.
二、完形填空
Seventy-year-old Tububatu and his wife Taoshengchagan live in a village near Badain Jaran, Inner Mongolia. They’ve been spending every day since they retired in 2002 fighting against 44 . Before Tububatu others had tried but 45 . He just wanted to make a difference. He started by 46 just 50 trees a year, but kept doubling his 47 to the point where he now plants thousands of trees a year.
The retired couple have been slowly growing their little desert forest at their own expense, so that they live a very 48 life. Even though they mostly plant drought-resistant (抗旱的) types, they still make sure to water them at least once a day to make them grow 49 .
Although they’ve been 50 by some neighbors who think their they are sure to fail, they haven’t given up. Over the last 19 years, the couple have planted over 266 hectares of desert and have no 51 to stop.
Apart from 52 the spread of the desert, Tububatu is also making a living by planting, as the desert-living cistanche is a(n) 53 medicinal plant that can sell for up to 100 yuan per kilogram.
It’s reported that so far they have planted over 70000 trees, 54 more than 1 million yuan of their savings. The 55 conditions have weakened their health and they look older than they actually are, but they refuse to 56 their battle against the desert.
The couple have received several 57 and honors from the government over the years, becoming a good 58 for all environmentalists.
44. A. pollution B. poverty C. sandstorm D. hunger
45. A. changed B. finished C. failed D. disappeared
46. A. growing B. buying C. borrowing D. protecting
47. A. profits B. efforts C. dreams D. difficulties
48. A. comfortable B. quiet C. balanced D. simple
49. A. equally B. slowly C. naturally D. healthily
50. A. cheered up B. laughed at C. picked up D. taken in
51. A. plans B. hopes C. chances D. ways
52. A. overcoming B. improving C. slowing D. following
53. A. current B. ordinary C. former D. popular
54. A. losing B. spending C. wasting D. collecting
55. A. special B. strange C. messy D. terrible
56. A. continue B. desert C. start D. announce
57. A. cards B. letters C. prizes D. reviews
58. A. models B. roles C. organizers D. survivors
三、语法填空
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。
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2016, the Shennongjia Forestry District is covered by vast forest, 59 (nurture) countless species of plants and animals, as well as legends and stories 60 (pass) down through the ages.
Tourism development in the area takes a back seat to the wonders of nature. The natural environment has been largely left untouched, 61 allows visitors the opportunity to appreciate unique beauty. Visitors 62 Shennongjia can base themselves in the town of Muyu, which is the 63 (near) to all the scenic areas in the district.
The name of the district is adapted from the legendary father of Chinese herbal medicine, Shennong, who is said 64 (try) hundreds of types of herbs to heal 65 sick. The Shennongjia Museum of Natural History in Muyu provides a memorial to Shennong and 66 (display) more than 2,000 breeds of plant species.
What if you are not interested in medicinal herbs and just want some sightseeing delights Shennongjia provides a variety of 67 (option). For example, hikers who love challenges climb the Shennong Top, a pyramid-shaped peak that is considered as the “Roof of Central China.” The climb can never be 68 (bore) with different views along the stairway: a sea of bamboo, a stone forest, and a plateau meadow(高原牧场) filled with flowers and greenery.
四、书面表达
69. 6月5日是“世界环境保护日”，李平和他的同学经过讨论，认为有必要向《21世纪报》写一封信，呼吁人们齐心协力，保护环境，提出有效的保护措施。要点如下：
1. 合理利用废物，节能减排；
2. 植树造林，改善环境；
3. 禁止过度捕捞，保护海洋；
4. ……
注意: 1. 词数80左右； 2. 开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数；3.可根据内容需要适当增加细节。
Nowadays, pollution is getting worse and worse.
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Yours,
Li Ping
