【生态环保、自然灾害类】话题阅读练习（一）
（阅读理解10篇）
Passage 1
Earth is in the middle of an insect crisis, with thousands of species declining over the past several decades. Scientists have often blamed this on habitat loss or pesticide （杀虫剂）use. But a new study of butterflies in the western United States has found that warmer fall weather may be an equal, if not more, of a factor.
Over the past four decades, more than 450 butterfly species have declined at an average rate of nearly 2 percent a year, according to a study published in Science. It’s already known that the western monarch butterfly has plummeted in population by 99.9 percent and was recently denied protection by Endangered Species Act in the U. S. But the study revealed lesser-known species, like the Boisduval’s blue and California’s state insect, the California dogface butterfly, are heading toward extinction.
"The influence of climate change is driving those declines, which makes sense because they’re so widespread," says study leader Mathew Forister. To reach their troubling findings, the researchers combined databases of the butterfly count conducted by scientists and amateur insect enthusiasts at 72 locations in the western U. S. To focus on the contribution of climate change, the researchers made sure to include locations that were relatively undisturbed by agriculture and human development to limit the influence of other threats to butterflies such as habitat loss and pesticides.
More than 200 cities across the U.S. are experiencing warmer fall seasons. In Arizona, for instance, fall temperatures have risen by 0. 2 degree Fahrenheit every decade since 1895. As for why warming falls are so harmful, it may be connected to butterflies’ hibernation-like diapause (滞育）in the fall. Warmer temperatures could be forcing the insects, most of which live around a year, to stay awake longer and starve. In other words, they’re "getting old and fragile and dying sooner".
Given that butterflies are key pollinators（传花粉者),such declines predict bigger problems for plants and even whole ecosystems. Forister adds, " The climate effects will almost certainly affect many other insects; including bees. " And these effects will " damage" efforts to protect and restore butterfly habitat.
1.What does the underlined word " plummeted" mean in Paragraph 2
A. Recovered slowly.
B. Decreased sharply.
C. Escaped suddenly.
D. Evolved rapidly.
2. What did the researchers do in Paragraph 3
A. They ruled out the effects of human activities.
B. They tried to protect the habitat of butterflies.
C. They refused to use amateurs’ science data.
D. They identified other threats to butterflies.
3. How do warming falls affect butterflies
A. They affect butterflies’ natural life cycle.
B. They slow down butterflies’ aging process.
C. They cause butterflies to lose more habitats.
D. They force butterflies to compete for survival.
4. What is the main purpose of the text
A. To discuss the importance of butterfly species.
B. To suggest a way to fight against climate change.
C. To introduce new methods of studying butterflies.
D. To present a new factor in a species population decline.
Passage 2
After decades of work trying to save the giant panda, Chinese officials have announced that the species is no longer endangered. The pandas have been reclassified in the country from " endangered"" to " vulnerable（脆弱的）" after efforts to increase the population. Now the number
has risen to more than 1,800 in the wild.
" China has established a relatively complete nature reserve system," Cui Shuhong, director of the Department of Natural Ecological Protection of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, said on Wednesday. " Large areas of natural ecosystems have been systematically and completely protected, and wildlife habitats have been effectively improved. " The latest classification upgrade reflects the pandas improved living conditions and China’s efforts in keeping their habitats integrated, Cui added.
Bamboo makes up 90% of pandas diets, and the animals would Hikely starve without the shoots（嫩芽）. Experts believe China’s efforts to replant bamboo forests have been the key to the increase in the population of pandas.
Generally speaking, a panda has to eat at least 26 pounds of bamboo every day to maintain its energy, so large areas of bamboo forests are important to their survival.
Planting bamboo also has advantages for the planet, as the bamboo is grass, not a tree, and is incredibly efficient at absorbing carbon dioxide, as well as emitting（发出）35% more oxygen than trees do.
"The Chinese have done a great job in investing in panda habitats, expanding reserves and setting up new reserves," Ginette Hemley, senior vice president for Species Conservation at World Wildlife Fund, told the media. " It is a wonderful example of what can happen when a government is committed to conservation. "
Continuing China’s success will be dependent on the country protecting land from agricultural and urban development. As land becomes rarer, measures will need to be extended to protect more land, to ensure bamboo forests can thrive and finally, to protect the future of the world’s most lovable, lazy, and monochrome (black and white ) creature.
1. What do we know about the giant panda according to Paragraph 1
A. It is an endangered species.
B. The number of it increases by 1,800 each years
C. Its population has declined.
D. It has got a classification upgrade.
2. What can be inferred from Ginette Hemley’s words
A. Social media make a difference.
B. Panda habitats are getting smaller.
C. The government’s commitment is crucial.
D. Setting up new reserves is impossible.
3. What can be the challenge China faces in achieving
continued success
A. Lazy and monochrome animals.
B. Lack of support from World Wildlife Fund.
C. The emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
D. The influence of agricultural and urban development.
4. Where is this text probably from
A. A news website. B. An official report. G. A travel magazine. D. A biology textbook.
Passage 3
Humans ever spreading presence around the globe influences patterns of biological evolution in ways that we are just beginning to explore. On the Galápagos Islands, a body of evidence shows that the effect of our presence is increasing.
Luis F. De León from the University of Massachusetts Boston, together with other 6 scientists spent two years observing Darwin’s finches （雀科小鸟）to evaluate our effects on their behavior. They started by conducting feeding observations on coexisting finch species at sites that ranged from non-urban areas to urban areas. They also employed finch-human interaction experiments to
test whether and how finches respond to human presence. To measure whether finch feeding preferences varied with the degree of urbanization, . "cafeteria " experiments were carried out—Finches were presented with a selection of human and native food items.
The scientists found that Darwin’s finches fed almost on human foods like rice and cookies or introduced garden species at urban locations. contrast, at non-urban sites, finches fed mainly on native plant species and insects. Interaction tests suggest that urban birds get more accustomed to the presence of humans. Finally, at all sites of regular human presence, finches preferred human foods to natural foods.
The researchers warn that exploiting urban environments might present challenges for organisms, including shorter lifespans brought by the consumption of highly processed foods. Furthermore, the year-round availability of abundant human foods in urban environments might affect ecological and evolutionary processes that promoted species diversity. While the results clearly show a shift to human foods at urban sites, the adaptive significance of that shift is still an
open question.
These findings also suggest that human behavior is the main driver of finch preference for human foods. The researchers propose a possibility that the effect of human behavior is facilitated by our tendency to feed birds, be it directly or inadvertently via food dropping or littering.
1. How did the scientists carry out the study
A. By carrying out experiments in labs.
B. By training finches and observing results.
C. By observing finches in natural conditions.
D. By analyzing findings from previous experiments.
2. Which is probably finches favorite food at non-urban sites frequently visited by humans
A. Rice. B. An insect. C. The fruit of a native plant. D. The seed of an introduced plant.
3. What does the underlined word in Paragraph 5 probably mean
A. Illegally. B. Voluntarily. C. Deliberately. D. Unintentionally.
4. What can we learn from the findings
A. All finches observed are willing to approach humans.
B. Human food availability might lead to biodiversity loss.
C. The reason for the shift of finch diets remains unknown.
D. The more processed foods finches consume, the longer they live.
Passage 4
The yogurt that’s past its sell-by date. The banana in your lunch that turned brown. The leftovers in the fridge that you forgot to eat. For most people, all that food goes right into the garbage can.
Eight to ten percent of global greenhouse gas emissions are related to food waste, according to a report by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. " When you throw away an egg or a Sandwich," says Yvette Cabrera, food waste director at the Natural Resources Defense Council ( NRDG), you’re also throwing away all the resources that went into producing those things. "
They include not only all the water, land, and fertilizer that went into producing that food, but also the massive amounts of fossil fuels used to power the farms, transport the food, and create the packaging.
Then there’s the issue of what happens to food after it’s thrown out. More food ends up in U.S. landfills than any other type of trash. Food rotting in landfills produces methane（甲烷），a greenhouse gas that’s roughly 25 times more powerful at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, which is produced by burning fossil fuels.
Food waste is a difficult problem to solve, though, in part because it happens for different reasons depending on the country. In developing nations, 40 percent of food is lost before it ever reaches people’s homes, because many of those countries lack the technology and tools to preserve food.
It’s another story in wealthier countries, where most of the food is wasted in people’s kitchens. Americans, for example, throw out a quarter of their groceries each year, on average, according to the NRDC. That’s like going to the grocery store, leaving with four bags of groceries, and then throwing one of them into the garbage before you get home.
1. What does the passage mainly talk about
A. The problem of food waste.
B. The awareness of food saving.
C. The necessity of food diversity.
D. The ways of food preservation.
2. What does the underlined word "They" in Paragraph 3 refer to
A. The leftovers in the fridge.
B. The packaging materials of products.
C. The thrown eggs or sandwiches.
D. The resources to produce food.
3. What does the author intend to do in Paragraph 4
A. Provide a persuasive example.
B. Add more background information.
C. Discuss a more serious consequence.
D. Summarize the previous paragraphs.
4. In what stage does food waste mainly happen in developed countries
A. Storage. B. Transportation. C. Processing. D. Consumption.
Passage 5
Created in 1998 by Casey and Shelley Black, the Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Center focuses on not only rescuing young abandoned wolves but educating the public. Unlike other centers, you can actually walk with the wolves and have exciting, hands-on interaction with them here. And so, we gathered one late winter morning to learn, prepare and walk.
Scrappy and Flora, our wolves that day, were brought to the center when only a few days old. " They lived in the house with us for the first several months. We treated them like human babies, fed them and slept with them," said Shelley. So, they are totally used to people. However, these are wild animals. For that reason, Shelley and Casey explained, the walk is totally on the wolf’s terms. "We don’t approach them, but if they come up to us, we can touch them."
With all this in mind, we headed for the woods. We were walking on a logging road when suddenly, Flora, all 60 pounds of her, hurried up to me and raised up on her legs. She was almost as tall as me. As she leaned in, put her huge muddy paws on my shoulders and sniffed my face, apparently she was saying hello in wolf talk.
We walked farther, maybe half a mile, while Scrappy and Flora dashed in and out of the woods stopping occasionally to roll in the snow, dig for this or that and just play. Then we all headed into the trees to a picturesque stream where the wolves splashed, drank and had a great time.
One could point out that this whole adventure was staged and quite artificial. But the purpose, Casey and Shelley said, is to explain the wolves place in the environment and, primarily, to let people know wolves don’t have to be universally feared they really don’t hide secretly in the woods just waiting to eat people, but they’d rather avoid people, for the most part.
1. How is the Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Center different from others
A. It trains and educates wild wolves.
B. It aims to rescue young abandoned wolves.
C. It raises wolves for commercial purposes.
D. It allows visitors to take a walk with wolves.
2. What can be inferred from Shelley and Casey’s explanation in
Paragraph 2
A. The walk can be potentially dangerous.
B. The wolves have lost all their wildness.
C. People should get close to the wolves actively.
D. The wolves can read people’s mind like human babies.
3. Why did Flora behave like that when she saw the author on the logging road
A. To express curiosity.
B. To show friendliness.
C. To attract attention.
D. To seek companionship.
4. Why do Casey and Shelley organize such an adventure
A. To advertise the center.
B. To publicize wolf hunting.
C. To promote environmental protection.
D. To clarify some conventional views of wolves.
Passage 6
Only 366 North Atlantic right whales are left, representing a shocking 8% decline in a single year and the lowest number in about 20 years for this famous species. Human impacts - specifically fishing nets and ship strikes - remain the biggest threats to the survival of this species in eastern Canada and the United States.
North Atlantic right whales have been in decline since 2011 when the species was at an estimated 481 whales. In the past decade, the species has decreased by 30%. Recent research shows these threats are affecting their overall health with less energy to devote toward growth and reproduction (繁殖), and body lengths reducing over the past four decades. Researchers estimate there are fewer than 100 breeding（繁育的）females alive and more than 86% of identified whales had been entangled （被网困住）at least once in their lifetime.
There is still hope: in 2021, scientists tracked 18 mother-kid pairs, a number that is cause for optimism - though still well below the annual average of 23 pairs from the previous decade.
Industry representatives, government agencies, and organizations, including WWF, gathered in October 2011 at the annual North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium meeting to discuss and arrange right whale conservation efforts in the US and Canada.
"It’s going to be challenging, but everyone involved in right whale conservation believes we can create an environment where right whales can bounce back," said Chris Johnson, the global leader for WWF’s Protecting Whales and Dolphins initiative. "However, it’s going to take significant investment and the greatest urgency and commitment to create conditions where we prevent entanglements and collisions with ships in the whales’ critical habitats."
1. Which of the following best describes the right whale population
A. Well conserved. B. Slowly decreasing.
C. Rapidly growing. D. Critically endangered.
2. What does Chris Johnson say about the right whale conservation
A. It needs the government to ban fishing in certain areas.
B. It will not work without funds from the government.,
C. It can help increase the number of right whales.
D. It is not practical and will fail eventually.
3. What can we learn about female right whales
A. Most of them have never been entangled.
B. Mother right whales may have slightly decreased.
C. There are more female right whales than male right whales.
D. Their population has decreased by 30% in the past decade.
3. What can be inferred about the right whale species
A. Their size has been decreasing due to climate changes.
B. They may have found home in other parts of the ocean.
C. They were hunted by people for their meat in the past.
D. They are well on the way to dying out if not well protect.
Passage 7
The Adélie penguin, which has been named Pingu, was discovered by a local resident Harry Singh "looking lost" on the shores of New Zealand, over 3, 000 kilometers away from its natural habitat. "
At first I thought it was a soft toy," Singh told the media. "But suddenly the penguin moved its head, so I realized it was real. It didn’t move for one hour... and looked exhausted. " He then called penguin rescuers as he was concerned that it was not getting into the water, making it a potential target for any predatory（捕食性) animals wandering on the beach.
On arriving at the scene, Thomas Stracke, who has been rehabilitating (1? A IL) penguins on New Zealand’s South Island for the last 10 years, was shocked to find that the penguin was an Adélie penguin - a species that lives exclusively on the Antarctic peninsula. Stracke said, "It is quite unusual since they are known only living in the Antarctic area. Fortunately, apart from being a bit starving and severely dehydrated, it was actually not too bad, so we gave it some fluids and some fish smoothies. "
It is only the third recorded incident of an Adélie penguin being found on New Zealand’s coast - the previous recorded incidents were in 1962 and 1993 —and although sites remain incredibly rare, if they become more common it could be a worrying sign, say experts.
" I think if we started getting annual arrivals of Adélie penguins, we’d go actually. Something’s changed in the ocean that we need to understand," zoology professor Philip Seddon in the University of Otago told The Guardian. " More studies will give us more understanding about where penguins go, what they do, what the population trends are like - they’re going to tell us something about the health of that ocean ecosystem in general. "
Pingu has now been released into a bay on the Banks Peninsula, and it is hoped that it may be able to make the journey home.
1. What happened to Pingu
A. It was hunted by local people.
B. It lost its food and looked upset.
C. It was finding a new natural habitat.
D. It landed New Zealand by accident.
2. What does the author intend to do in Paragraph 4
A. Introduce a new topic to discuss.
B. List numbers to prove an opinion.
C. Add some background information.
D. Summarize the previous paragraphs.
3. What can be inferred from Philip’s words
A. The number of penguins is on the decrease.
B. The health of the ocean ecosystem should be concerned.
C. More studies about penguins have been undertaken.
D. Adélie penguins have built habitats in New Zealand.
4. What can be the best title of the text
A. The Unexpected Arrival of a Rare Penguin
B. The Dangerous Situation of Adélie Penguins
C. An Amazing Discovery by a Local Resident
D. Magical Travel to New Zealand
Passage 8
Students at Huonville High School in Australia are riding bikes out of desire to fight climate change, carrying out a dizzyingly-thorough transformation of their school building into an energy-efficient inspiration.
It’s paying off big time, as they’ve helped save $ 44,000 in utility bills since they started their energy- saving project, but it’s also inspiring young people in the community. Recently the school won the Zayed FutureEnergy Prize of $ 133,000, some of which was used to turn a building into the Zayed Future Energy Hub, a clubhouse where 13 volunteers learn and teach about how renewable energy can be applied to our everyday lives.
Among all the efficiency adjustments, they set up solar panels on the roof, and replaced the old windows with double and triple glazed ones. They added approved insulation( 隔热）and energy-efficient curtains. They even have stationary bikes that create electricity to cook doughnuts.
The classroom was cold in the mornings, but the students wanted zero carbon emission through their heating. So they went out and got a pellet stove, and then if that wasn’t enough, they went out and built a pellet mill （颗粒机）to make their fuel from waste sawdust.
Powering one small building on a high school campus or cooking doughnuts in renewable fat fryers is nice, but will do little on their own to slow global climate change. However, the Hub is much more about the big picture. Nel Smit, the volunteer teacher - head of the Hub, knows their biggest contribution is exciting the minds of the next generation.
"This little school in the Huon Valley is actually doing amazing things," Smit said. " It’s raised public awareness of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and opportunities in the community for engaging people in that sort of technology."
1. What’s special about Huonville High School
A. It attaches importance to riding bikes.
B. It promotes the idea of energy saving.
C. It encourages students to be creative.
D. It is powered entirely by solar energy.
2. What can be learned about Zayed Future Energy Hub
A. It is a club center for volunteers.
B. It is the place to produce energy.
C. It is built at the cost of $ 133,000.
D. It is used to hold learning activities.
3. Why did students make fuel from waste sawdust
A. To save the electricity bill.
B. To keep low carbon emissions.
C. To get rid of waste sawdust.
D. To test the pellet stove.
4. What is the greatest contribution of the project according to Smit
A. Saving a lot of energy.
B. Creating more great minds.
C. Educating the next generation.
D. Slowing global climate change.
Passage 9
City parks have long been a place for urban residents to get a small amount of green. As cities increasingly feel the impacts of rising seas and temperatures, people are rethinking the roles of urban parks.
All of the dark-gray asphalt（沥青） in cities collect heat. Dallas is one of the country’s fastest-warming cities thanks in part to its extensive impervious（不透水的）surfaces, but with a new $ 312 million bond package, the city is hoping to change that. Using satellite data, the city is able to see what neighborhoods most need the cooling effect of green space.
Cities are increasingly flooding and city planners think parks can help with this issue too. A report published in February by The Nature Conservancy looked at the best ways to deal with flooding in Houston, a city with many neighborhoods built on floodplains and regularly flooded by rising waters. Offering affected homeowners buyouts and transforming homes into green space would save more money than installing infrastructure（基础设施）like pipes, they found.
Brendan Shane, a climate program director, says parks can create opportunities for people to exercise and play, in addition to cooling neighborhoods and absorbing floodwater. " The stronger the bonds are between neighbors, the better they are able to react to a shock," he says.
" Not a single solution by itself will avoid the climate crisis. We see parks as an important part of it, but there is no silver bullet," says Diane Regas, CEO of The Trust for Public Land. " Parks are an example of what we in the environmental community need to do to reach solutions that address climate change and make people’s lives better at the same time. "
1. What does the city Dallas want to deal with
A. The lack of green space. B. The way of collecting heat.
C. The effect of rising seas. D. The bond between neighborhoods.
2. What can be inferred from the report by The Nature Conservancy
A. Cities in the world are frequently flooded.
B. City parks may help prevent city flooding.
C. Cities needn’t invest much money in infrastructure.
D. City parks affect people’s choice of a neighborhood.
3. What does Brendan Shane say about parks
A. They can enable people to get over a shock.
B. They can reduce air pollution effectively.
C. They can perform positive social functions.
D. They can help people to keep a cool head.
4. What does the underlined phrase " silver bullet" in paragraph 5 mean
A. A fast and effective solution. B. A successful example.
C. An immediate and clear cause. D. An impractical method.
Passage 10
Fashion designers are always looking for new materials to work with. Lately, it’s all about environment-friendly materials recycled tires, mushrooms, even pineapple fibers! What if you want
such a pair of shoes Thaely is here to help.
This sneaker brand out of Dubai wants to fight the growing problem of plastic pollution. Led by 23-year-old Indian businessman Ashay Bhave, they may have found a winning approach: making shoes out of plastic grocery bags. "Thaely" means" plastic bag" in the Hindi language.
" I was looking to create footwear that is cost-effective and safe for the environment," Bhave said in an interview with a newspaper. " I needed to come up with something that uses recycled plastic without creating any more plastic waste. " Plastic bags were the perfect solution. He said five trillion plastic bags are used around the world each year. "I was motivated to find a solution to this problem, " Bhave said.
That solution was the fiber called ThaelyTex. Made entirely from plastic bags, the material looks and feels like leather. That sounds promising. Better yet, the production process requires no additional chemicals and produces no poisonous by-products. The result is a smart-looking pair of white low-top sneakers.
Bhave wouldn’t expose the full process for making ThaelyTex, but he said that each pair of shoes was made from up to 15 plastic bags and 22 plastic bottles. Where do they get the materials Bhave told Elle that was the hardest part. "The biggest challenge we faced was right at the first step of acquiring the plastic bags. "
Finally, they got help from TrioTap Technologies, a waste management plant. Bhave said they offered to collect the bags and also process them into ThaelyTex.
So far, it seems like things are falling into place. There are already hundreds of pre-orders in place. It sounds like they have some plans for the future. " We have a few more colors coming up," said Bhave. They also plan to put out a high-top model and bring in a line of clothing. Let’s hope their growth is also friendly to the environment.
1. Why did Bhave choose to make shoes out of plastic bags
A. To set a new footwear trend.
B. To test new materials for footwear.
C. To reduce the use of plastic bags in his home country.
D. To use recycled plastic in an environment-friendly way.
2. What was the most difficult task for Bhave
A. Having a few more colors for Thaely.
B. Processing plastic bags into ThaelyTex.
C. Collecting enough production materials.
D. Dealing with many poisonous by-products.
3. The underlined part "put out" in the last paragraph probably means"
A. produce B. design C. provide D. broadcast
4. What can be the best title for this passage
A. Bhave: a promising young man
B. Thaely: the killer of waste plastic bags
C. ThaelyTex: the material out of plastic bags
D. TrioTap Technologies: a waste management plant【生态环保、自然灾害类】话题阅读练习（一）
（阅读理解10篇）
Passage 1
Earth is in the middle of an insect crisis, with thousands of species declining over the past several decades. Scientists have often blamed this on habitat loss or pesticide （杀虫剂）use. But a new study of butterflies in the western United States has found that warmer fall weather may be an equal, if not more, of a factor.
Over the past four decades, more than 450 butterfly species have declined at an average rate of nearly 2 percent a year, according to a study published in Science. It’s already known that the western monarch butterfly has plummeted in population by 99.9 percent and was recently denied protection by Endangered Species Act in the U. S. But the study revealed lesser-known species, like the Boisduval’s blue and California’s state insect, the California dogface butterfly, are heading toward extinction.
"The influence of climate change is driving those declines, which makes sense because they’re so widespread," says study leader Mathew Forister. To reach their troubling findings, the researchers combined databases of the butterfly count conducted by scientists and amateur insect enthusiasts at 72 locations in the western U. S. To focus on the contribution of climate change, the researchers made sure to include locations that were relatively undisturbed by agriculture and human development to limit the influence of other threats to butterflies such as habitat loss and pesticides.
More than 200 cities across the U.S. are experiencing warmer fall seasons. In Arizona, for instance, fall temperatures have risen by 0. 2 degree Fahrenheit every decade since 1895. As for why warming falls are so harmful, it may be connected to butterflies’ hibernation-like diapause (滞育）in the fall. Warmer temperatures could be forcing the insects, most of which live around a year, to stay awake longer and starve. In other words, they’re "getting old and fragile and dying sooner".
Given that butterflies are key pollinators（传花粉者),such declines predict bigger problems for plants and even whole ecosystems. Forister adds, " The climate effects will almost certainly affect many other insects; including bees. " And these effects will " damage" efforts to protect and restore butterfly habitat.
1. What does the underlined word " plummeted" mean in Paragraph 2
A. Recovered slowly.
B. Decreased sharply.
C. Escaped suddenly.
D. Evolved rapidly.
2. What did the researchers do in Paragraph 3
A. They ruled out the effects of human activities.
B. They tried to protect the habitat of butterflies.
C. They refused to use amateurs’ science data.
D. They identified other threats to butterflies.
3. How do warming falls affect butterflies
A. They affect butterflies’ natural life cycle.
B. They slow down butterflies’ aging process.
C. They cause butterflies to lose more habitats.
D. They force butterflies to compete for survival.
4. What is the main purpose of the text
A. To discuss the importance of butterfly species.
B. To suggest a way to fight against climate change.
C. To introduce new methods of studying butterflies.
D. To present a new factor in a species population decline.
解析：
B 理解词汇 根据第二段第一句中的"Over the past. . .2 percent a year" 可知，在过去的40年里,450 多种蝴蝶的数量以平均每年近2% 的速度诚少。再结合该段中的"inpopulation by 99.9 percent" 可知，西方帝王蝶的数量已经下降了99.9%。B项“陡然下降"与画线词的意思圾为接近，故选B项。
A 理解具体信息 根据第三段尾句"Tofoeus on. ..loss and pesticides " 可知，研究人员排除了农业和人类发展对蝴蝶的影响，例如栖息地的丧失 和杀虫剂的使用等。
A 推断 根据第四段申的"As for why..and dying sooner "可知，秋季气候变暖导致蝴蝶醒着的时问更长，只能换饿，它们死亡得更快了。据此可推知，暖秋影响着蝴蝶的自然生命周期。
D 理解目的 通读全文可知，第一段中的"But a new study of. . . of a factor " 为全文主题句,再结合下文内容可知，本文旨在介绍导致蝴蝶数量下降的另一个因素。
Passage 2
After decades of work trying to save the giant panda, Chinese officials have announced that the species is no longer endangered. The pandas have been reclassified in the country from " endangered"" to " vulnerable（脆弱的）" after efforts to increase the population. Now the number
has risen to more than 1,800 in the wild.
" China has established a relatively complete nature reserve system," Cui Shuhong, director of the Department of Natural Ecological Protection of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, said on Wednesday. " Large areas of natural ecosystems have been systematically and completely protected, and wildlife habitats have been effectively improved. " The latest classification upgrade reflects the pandas improved living conditions and China’s efforts in keeping their habitats integrated, Cui added.
Bamboo makes up 90% of pandas diets, and the animals would Hikely starve without the shoots（嫩芽）. Experts believe China’s efforts to replant bamboo forests have been the key to the increase in the population of pandas.
Generally speaking, a panda has to eat at least 26 pounds of bamboo every day to maintain its energy, so large areas of bamboo forests are important to their survival.
Planting bamboo also has advantages for the planet, as the bamboo is grass, not a tree, and is incredibly efficient at absorbing carbon dioxide, as well as emitting（发出）35% more oxygen than trees do.
"The Chinese have done a great job in investing in panda habitats, expanding reserves and setting up new reserves," Ginette Hemley, senior vice president for Species Conservation at World Wildlife Fund, told the media. " It is a wonderful example of what can happen when a government is committed to conservation. "
Continuing China’s success will be dependent on the country protecting land from agricultural and urban development. As land becomes rarer, measures will need to be extended to protect more land, to ensure bamboo forests can thrive and finally, to protect the future of the world’s most lovable, lazy, and monochrome (black and white ) creature.
1. What do we know about the giant panda according to Paragraph 1
A. It is an endangered species.
B. The number of it increases by 1,800 each years
C. Its population has declined.
D. It has got a classification upgrade.
2. What can be inferred from Ginette Hemley’s words
A. Social media make a difference.
B. Panda habitats are getting smaller.
C. The government’s commitment is crucial.
D. Setting up new reserves is impossible.
3. What can be the challenge China faces in achieving
continued success
A. Lazy and monochrome animals.
B. Lack of support from World Wildlife Fund.
C. The emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
D. The influence of agricultural and urban development.
4. Where is this text probably from
A. A news website. B. An official report. G. A travel magazine. D. A biology textbook.
解析：
D理解具体信息 根据第一段第二句"Thepandas have. .. the population" 可知，中国已经
将大熊猫从濒危物种重新分类为易危物种。
2. C推断 根据第六段 Cinette Hemley 所说的话" The Chinese have. . . new reserves " 和"It
is a...committed to conservation"可知,Ginette Hemley 认为，中国人在投资大熊猫栖息地扩大保护区和建立新的保护区方面做得很好,这个例子很好地说明了当政府致力于对动物的保护时会发生什么。据此可以推知政府的投人是至关重要的。
D理解具体信息根据尾段第一句" Continuing China's success and urban development"可知，中国要想继续取得成功，就必须保护土地不受农业和城市发展的影晌。
A推断 通读全文可知，文章第一句" Afterdecades of. . . no longer endangered" 为全文主旨句;结合文章第二段第一句中的"said on Wednesday"和下文内容可知，本文属于新闻。
Passage 3
Humans ever spreading presence around the globe influences patterns of biological evolution in ways that we are just beginning to explore. On the Galápagos Islands, a body of evidence shows that the effect of our presence is increasing.
Luis F. De León from the University of Massachusetts Boston, together with other 6 scientists spent two years observing Darwin’s finches （雀科小鸟）to evaluate our effects on their behavior. They started by conducting feeding observations on coexisting finch species at sites that ranged from non-urban areas to urban areas. They also employed finch-human interaction experiments to
test whether and how finches respond to human presence. To measure whether finch feeding preferences varied with the degree of urbanization, . "cafeteria " experiments were carried out—Finches were presented with a selection of human and native food items.
The scientists found that Darwin’s finches fed almost on human foods like rice and cookies or introduced garden species at urban locations. contrast, at non-urban sites, finches fed mainly on native plant species and insects. Interaction tests suggest that urban birds get more accustomed to the presence of humans. Finally, at all sites of regular human presence, finches preferred human foods to natural foods.
The researchers warn that exploiting urban environments might present challenges for organisms, including shorter lifespans brought by the consumption of highly processed foods. Furthermore, the year-round availability of abundant human foods in urban environments might affect ecological and evolutionary processes that promoted species diversity. While the results clearly show a shift to human foods at urban sites, the adaptive significance of that shift is still an
open question.
These findings also suggest that human behavior is the main driver of finch preference for human foods. The researchers propose a possibility that the effect of human behavior is facilitated by our tendency to feed birds, be it directly or inadvertently via food dropping or littering.
1. How did the scientists carry out the study
A. By carrying out experiments in labs.
B. By training finches and observing results.
C. By observing finches in natural conditions.
D. By analyzing findings from previous experiments.
2. Which is probably finches favorite food at non-urban sites frequently visited by humans
A. Rice. B. An insect. C. The fruit of a native plant. D. The seed of an introduced plant.
3. What does the underlined word in Paragraph 5 probably mean
A. Illegally. B. Voluntarily. C. Deliberately. D. Unintentionally.
4. What can we learn from the findings
A. All finches observed are willing to approach humans.
B. Human food availability might lead to biodiversity loss.
C. The reason for the shift of finch diets remains unknown.
D. The more processed foods finches consume, the longer they live.
解析：
C理解具体信息根据第二段中的"They started by conducting... non-urban areas to urban areas" 可知，研究人员首先在非城市和城市地区对共存的雀种进行喂食观察。据此可知，科学家们是通过在自然条件下观察雀科小鸟进行研究。
A 理解具体信息 根据第三段尾句" Finally, at all. . . natural foods" 可知，在人类经常出现的地方，雀科小鸟更喜欢人类的食物而不是天然的食物。稻米属手人类食物,故选A。
D理解词汇根据尾段尾句中的"viafood dropping or littering" 并结合常识可知,给鸟儿喂食为有意行为;丟弃食物为无意行为。故画线词意为"无意地"
B推断。根据第四段第三句" Furthermore, the year-round. . . speciesdiversity" 可知，在城市环境中，一年四季丰富的人类食物供应可能会影响促进物种妥样化的生态和进化过程。据此可以推知，人类的食物供应可能会导致生物多样性的减少。
Passage 4
The yogurt that’s past its sell-by date. The banana in your lunch that turned brown. The leftovers in the fridge that you forgot to eat. For most people, all that food goes right into the garbage can.
Eight to ten percent of global greenhouse gas emissions are related to food waste, according to a report by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. " When you throw away an egg or a Sandwich," says Yvette Cabrera, food waste director at the Natural Resources Defense Council ( NRDG), you’re also throwing away all the resources that went into producing those things. "
They include not only all the water, land, and fertilizer that went into producing that food, but also the massive amounts of fossil fuels used to power the farms, transport the food, and create the packaging.
Then there’s the issue of what happens to food after it’s thrown out. More food ends up in U.S. landfills than any other type of trash. Food rotting in landfills produces methane（甲烷），a greenhouse gas that’s roughly 25 times more powerful at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, which is produced by burning fossil fuels.
Food waste is a difficult problem to solve, though, in part because it happens for different reasons depending on the country. In developing nations, 40 percent of food is lost before it ever reaches people’s homes, because many of those countries lack the technology and tools to preserve food.
It’s another story in wealthier countries, where most of the food is wasted in people’s kitchens. Americans, for example, throw out a quarter of their groceries each year, on average, according to the NRDC. That’s like going to the grocery store, leaving with four bags of groceries, and then throwing one of them into the garbage before you get home.
1. What does the passage mainly talk about
A. The problem of food waste.
B. The awareness of food saving.
C. The necessity of food diversity.
D. The ways of food preservation.
2. What does the underlined word "They" in Paragraph 3 refer to
A. The leftovers in the fridge.
B. The packaging materials of products.
C. The thrown eggs or sandwiches.
D. The resources to produce food.
3. What does the author intend to do in Paragraph 4
A. Provide a persuasive example.
B. Add more background information.
C. Discuss a more serious consequence.
D. Summarize the previous paragraphs.
4. In what stage does food waste mainly happen in developed countries
A. Storage. B. Transportation. C. Processing. D. Consumption.
解析：
A【解析】主旨大意题。文章第一段提到食物浪费问题，第二段开始讲述全球温室气体排放与食物浪费有关，下面的段落均是对此做出具体说明，由此可知，本篇文章主要讲
的是食物浪费问题，故选A项。
D【解析】词义猜测题。指示代词that 通常是指代上文的某个内容。根据第二段第二句中的 When you throw away anegg or a sandwich *I you're also throwing away all the resources that went into producing those things 可知，画线词 That 应是指代 all the resources that went into producing those things,而且画线词所在句又具体解释了这些资源不仅包括所有的水、土地和化肥，而且还有大量化石燃料，故选口项。
C【解析】推理判断题。根据第四段中的 More food ends up in the U. S. landfills... produces methane... that's roughly 25 times more powerful at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide 可知，本段讲述的是食物被扔掉后会送去垃圾填埋场,垃圾填埋场中腐烂的食物会产生甲烷，甲烷是一种温室气体，其吸收大气热量的能力大约是二氧化碳的25倍。所以作者在本段想要讨论一个更严重的后果，故选C项
4.D【解析】推理判断题。根据最后一段第一句可知，发达国家的食物浪费主要是在厨房，也就是食材的浪费，故选D项
Passage 5
Created in 1998 by Casey and Shelley Black, the Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Center focuses on not only rescuing young abandoned wolves but educating the public. Unlike other centers, you can actually walk with the wolves and have exciting, hands-on interaction with them here. And so, we gathered one late winter morning to learn, prepare and walk.
Scrappy and Flora, our wolves that day, were brought to the center when only a few days old. " They lived in the house with us for the first several months. We treated them like human babies, fed them and slept with them," said Shelley. So, they are totally used to people. However, these are wild animals. For that reason, Shelley and Casey explained, the walk is totally on the wolf’s terms. "We don’t approach them, but if they come up to us, we can touch them."
With all this in mind, we headed for the woods. We were walking on a logging road when suddenly, Flora, all 60 pounds of her, hurried up to me and raised up on her legs. She was almost as tall as me. As she leaned in, put her huge muddy paws on my shoulders and sniffed my face, apparently she was saying hello in wolf talk.
We walked farther, maybe half a mile, while Scrappy and Flora dashed in and out of the woods stopping occasionally to roll in the snow, dig for this or that and just play. Then we all headed into the trees to a picturesque stream where the wolves splashed, drank and had a great time.
One could point out that this whole adventure was staged and quite artificial. But the purpose, Casey and Shelley said, is to explain the wolves place in the environment and, primarily, to let people know wolves don’t have to be universally feared they really don’t hide secretly in the woods just waiting to eat people, but they’d rather avoid people, for the most part.
1. How is the Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Center different from others
A. It trains and educates wild wolves.
B. It aims to rescue young abandoned wolves.
C. It raises wolves for commercial purposes.
D. It allows visitors to take a walk with wolves.
2. What can be inferred from Shelley and Casey’s explanation in
Paragraph 2
A. The walk can be potentially dangerous.
B. The wolves have lost all their wildness.
C. People should get close to the wolves actively.
D. The wolves can read people’s mind like human babies.
3. Why did Flora behave like that when she saw the author on the logging road
A. To express curiosity.
B. To show friendliness.
C. To attract attention.
D. To seek companionship.
4. Why do Casey and Shelley organize such an adventure
A. To advertise the center.
B. To publicize wolf hunting.
C. To promote environmental protection.
D. To clarify some conventional views of wolves.
解析：
1．D．细节理解题．根据文章第一段Unlike other centers，you can actually walk with the wolves and have exciting，hands-on interaction with them here．可知与其他中心不同的是，你可以和狼一起行走，并在这里与它们进行令人兴奋的、动手的互动．由此可见，它允许游客和狼一起散步．故选D．
2．A．推理判断题．根据第二段For that reason，Shelley and Casey explained，the walk is totally on the wolf's terms． "We don't approach them，but if they come up to us，we can touch them． "可知出于这个原因，雪莱和凯西解释说，走路完全是按照狼的说法，"我们不接近他们，但如果他们接近我们，我们可以触摸他们．"由此可见，步行可能有潜在的危险．故选A．
3．B．细节理解题．根据文章第三段We were walking on a logging road when suddenly，Flora，all 60 pounds of her，hurried up to me and raised up on her legs．She was almost as tall as me．As she leaned in，put her huge muddy paws on my shoulders and sniffed my face，apparently she was saying hello in wolf talk．可知我们在一条伐木路上走着，突然，弗洛拉，她60磅重的身躯，冲到我跟前，用腿站起来．她几乎和我一样高．当她靠在我身上，把她泥泞的大爪子放在我肩上，闻了闻我的脸，显然她是在和狼说话时打招呼．由此可见，它主要是表示友好．故选B．
4．D．推理判断题．根据最后一段 But the purpose，Casey and Shelley said，is to explain the wolves' place in the environment and，primarily，to let people know wolves don' t have to be universally feared-they really don' t hide secretly in the woods just waiting to eat people，but they' d rather avoid people，for the most part．可知但是，凯西和雪莱说，目的是解释狼在环境中的位置，主要是让人们知道狼不必普遍害怕，它们真的不需要躲在树林里等着吃人，但在大多数情况下，它们宁愿避开人．由此可见，凯西和雪莱组织这样的冒险是为了澄清对狼的一些传统看法．故选D．
Passage 6
Only 366 North Atlantic right whales are left, representing a shocking 8% decline in a single year and the lowest number in about 20 years for this famous species. Human impacts - specifically fishing nets and ship strikes - remain the biggest threats to the survival of this species in eastern Canada and the United States.
North Atlantic right whales have been in decline since 2011 when the species was at an estimated 481 whales. In the past decade, the species has decreased by 30%. Recent research shows these threats are affecting their overall health with less energy to devote toward growth and reproduction (繁殖), and body lengths reducing over the past four decades. Researchers estimate there are fewer than 100 breeding（繁育的）females alive and more than 86% of identified whales had been entangled （被网困住）at least once in their lifetime.
There is still hope: in 2021, scientists tracked 18 mother-kid pairs, a number that is cause for optimism - though still well below the annual average of 23 pairs from the previous decade.
Industry representatives, government agencies, and organizations, including WWF, gathered in October 2011 at the annual North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium meeting to discuss and arrange right whale conservation efforts in the US and Canada.
"It’s going to be challenging, but everyone involved in right whale conservation believes we can create an environment where right whales can bounce back," said Chris Johnson, the global leader for WWF’s Protecting Whales and Dolphins initiative. "However, it’s going to take significant investment and the greatest urgency and commitment to create conditions where we prevent entanglements and collisions with ships in the whales’ critical habitats."
1. Which of the following best describes the right whale population
A. Well conserved. B. Slowly decreasing.
C. Rapidly growing. D. Critically endangered.
2. What does Chris Johnson say about the right whale conservation
A. It needs the government to ban fishing in certain areas.
B. It will not work without funds from the government.,
C. It can help increase the number of right whales.
D. It is not practical and will fail eventually.
3. What can we learn about female right whales
A. Most of them have never been entangled.
B. Mother right whales may have slightly decreased.
C. There are more female right whales than male right whales.
D. Their population has decreased by 30% in the past decade.
4. What can be inferred about the right whale species
A. Their size has been decreasing due to climate changes.
B. They may have found home in other parts of the ocean.
C. They were hunted by people for their meat in the past.
D. They are well on the way to dying out if not well protect.
解析：
D理判断题。根据第一段的“Only 366 North Atlantic right whales are lefi, representing a shocking $% decline in a single year and the lowest number in about 20 years for this famous species.（北大西洋露脊鲸仅存366头，代表着仅一年就下降了惊人的8%，这是这个著名物种近20年来的最低数量。）和第二段的"North Atlantic right whales have been in decline since 2011 when the spccies was at an estimated 481. In the past decade, it has decrcased by 30%（自2011年以来，北大西洋露脊鲸数量一直在下降，当时该物种的数量估计为431头。在过去的十年里，它下降了30%。)”可推断，从露脊鲸的数量来看，露脊鲸是极度濒危的。故选D。
C推理判断题，根据最后一段的Chris Jobnson 说的话"i's going to be challenging, but everyone involved in right whale conservation believes we can create an environment where right whales can bounce back(这将是具有挑战性的，但每个参与露脊鲸保护的人都相信，我们可以创造一个露脊综可以恢复的环境）可推断，Chris Johnsoni人为对露脊鲸的保护有助于提高露脊鲸的数量。故选C。
B细节理解题，根据第一段的"Only 366 North Atlantic right whales are lefi(北大西洋露脊鲸仅存366头）第二段的“Researchers estimate there are fewer than 100 breeding （繁育的）females alive and more than 86% of identified whales had been entangled （被网困住)at least once in their lifetime（ 研究人员估计，只有不到100只繁育雌性存活，超过$6%的己确认的综鱼一生中至少被被网困住一次。）”可知，母鲸可能已经路有减少了。故选B。
D推理判断题。根据第一段的"Only 366 North Atlantic right whales are left, representing a shocking 8% decline in a single year and the lowest number in about 20 ycars for this famous species.（只剩下366头北大西洋露脊節，代表着一年内惊人的$%的下降，这是这著名物种20年来的最低数量）〝和第三段内容"There is still hope: in 2021, scientists tracked 18 mother-kid pairs. a number that is cause for optimism-though still well below the annual average of 23 pairs from the previous decade.（ 仍然有希望：在2021年，科学家们追踪了18对母子，一个值得乐观的数字,尽管仍远低于前10年23对母子的年平均水平。）可知，露脊鲂现存数量极少，下降很快，因此推断如果不好好保护它们将会走向灭绝。故选D。
Passage 7
The Adélie penguin, which has been named Pingu, was discovered by a local resident Harry Singh "looking lost" on the shores of New Zealand, over 3, 000 kilometers away from its natural habitat. "
At first I thought it was a soft toy," Singh told the media. "But suddenly the penguin moved its head, so I realized it was real. It didn’t move for one hour... and looked exhausted. " He then called penguin rescuers as he was concerned that it was not getting into the water, making it a potential target for any predatory（捕食性) animals wandering on the beach.
On arriving at the scene, Thomas Stracke, who has been rehabilitating (1? A IL) penguins on New Zealand’s South Island for the last 10 years, was shocked to find that the penguin was an Adélie penguin - a species that lives exclusively on the Antarctic peninsula. Stracke said, "It is quite unusual since they are known only living in the Antarctic area. Fortunately, apart from being a bit starving and severely dehydrated, it was actually not too bad, so we gave it some fluids and some fish smoothies. "
It is only the third recorded incident of an Adélie penguin being found on New Zealand’s coast - the previous recorded incidents were in 1962 and 1993 —and although sites remain incredibly rare, if they become more common it could be a worrying sign, say experts.
" I think if we started getting annual arrivals of Adélie penguins, we’d go actually. Something’s changed in the ocean that we need to understand," zoology professor Philip Seddon in the University of Otago told The Guardian. " More studies will give us more understanding about where penguins go, what they do, what the population trends are like - they’re going to tell us something about the health of that ocean ecosystem in general. "
Pingu has now been released into a bay on the Banks Peninsula, and it is hoped that it may be able to make the journey home.
1. What happened to Pingu
A. It was hunted by local people.
B. It lost its food and looked upset.
C. It was finding a new natural habitat.
D. It landed New Zealand by accident.
2. What does the author intend to do in Paragraph 4
A. Introduce a new topic to discuss.
B. List numbers to prove an opinion.
C. Add some background information.
D. Summarize the previous paragraphs.
3. What can be inferred from Philip’s words
A. The number of penguins is on the decrease.
B. The health of the ocean ecosystem should be concerned.
C. More studies about penguins have been undertaken.
D. Adélie penguins have built habitats in New Zealand.
4. What can be the best title of the text
A. The Unexpected Arrival of a Rare Penguin
B. The Dangerous Situation of Adélie Penguins
C. An Amazing Discovery by a Local Resident
D. Magical Travel to New Zealand
解析：
本文为一篇夹叙夹议。文章主要介绍了在新西兰海岸发现了一只阿德利企鹅，本属于南极洲的小企鹅，旦这是记录里的第三次
在新西兰发现了这种企鹉，并说明了这应该引!起我们的重视，应该去了解是否是海洋的生态系统发生了变化。
D细节理解题。根据文章第一段“The Adelie penguin, who has been named Pingu, was discovered by a local resident Harry Singh"looking lost” on the shores of New Zealand, over 3,000 kilomcters avay from its natural habitat.（被叫做Pingu的阿德利企鹅被当地居民Harry Singh在新西兰海岸发现，离它的天然栖息地大约3000公里远)可知，这只本生活在南极洲的企势在新西兰被发现，它意外地登上了新西兰。故选D。
C推理判断题，根据文章第四段"It is only the third recorded incident of an Adelie penguin being found on New Zealand's coast -the previous were in 1962 and 1993 - and although sitings remain incredibly rare, if they become more common it could be a worrying sign, say experts.(这是记录里的第三次在新西兰海岸发现了阿德利企鹅，之前是在1962年和1993年，尽管这种事情发生的很少，但是如果这种事变得常见了的话，那就会引1起恐慌）可知，前文提出在新西兰海岸发现了一只阿德利企鹅，本段说这一次不是第一次，之前也发生过两次。由此可知，本段提出一些之前的背景信息，以引起重视。故选C。
B推理判断题。根据文章倒数第二段w1 think if we started geting annual arrivals of Adelie penguins, we'd go actually, something's changed in the ocean that we need to understand," Otago University zoology professor Philip Seddon told The Guardian. "More studies will give us more understanding where penguins go, what they do, what the population trends are like - they're going to tell us something about the health of that ocean ecosystem in general： （我认 为如果我们开始每年都有阿德利企超的到来，我们会发现实际上，海洋中发生了一些我们需要了解的变化，“奥塔戈大学动物学教授Philip Seddon告诉 《卫报》。〝更多的研究将让我们更多的了解企鹅去哪里，他们做什么，种族趋势是什么样子的-，它们也即将告诉我们关于海洋生态系统整体健康的一些信息。〝”可知，在Philip Seddon看来，我们应该重视阿德利企鹅的到来，因为它预示着海洋中正在发生一些变化，需要我们去了解，故生态系统的健康需要引起我们的重视。故选B。
4. A主旨大意题。根据文章第一段"The Adelie penguin, who has been named Pingu, was discovered by a local resident Harry Singh "looking lost” on the shores of New Zealand, over 3.000 kilometers avay from its natural babitat.(被叫做Pinqu的阿德利企鹅被当地居民Harry Singh在新西兰海岸发现，离它的天然栖息地大约3000公里远)可知，本文主要国绕着在新西兰发现了本该属于南极洲的阿德利企鹉，并说明了这应该引(起我们的重视，应该去了解是否是海洋的生态系统发生了变化。由此可知，“稀有企鹅的意外到访”适合作本文最佳标题。故选A.
Passage 8
Students at Huonville High School in Australia are riding bikes out of desire to fight climate change, carrying out a dizzyingly-thorough transformation of their school building into an energy-efficient inspiration.
It’s paying off big time, as they’ve helped save $ 44,000 in utility bills since they started their energy- saving project, but it’s also inspiring young people in the community. Recently the school won the Zayed FutureEnergy Prize of $ 133,000, some of which was used to turn a building into the Zayed Future Energy Hub, a clubhouse where 13 volunteers learn and teach about how renewable energy can be applied to our everyday lives.
Among all the efficiency adjustments, they set up solar panels on the roof, and replaced the old windows with double and triple glazed ones. They added approved insulation( 隔热）and energy-efficient curtains. They even have stationary bikes that create electricity to cook doughnuts.
The classroom was cold in the mornings, but the students wanted zero carbon emission through their heating. So they went out and got a pellet stove, and then if that wasn’t enough, they went out and built a pellet mill （颗粒机）to make their fuel from waste sawdust.
Powering one small building on a high school campus or cooking doughnuts in renewable fat fryers is nice, but will do little on their own to slow global climate change. However, the Hub is much more about the big picture. Nel Smit, the volunteer teacher - head of the Hub, knows their biggest contribution is exciting the minds of the next generation.
"This little school in the Huon Valley is actually doing amazing things," Smit said. " It’s raised public awareness of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and opportunities in the community for engaging people in that sort of technology."
1. What’s special about Huonville High School
A. It attaches importance to riding bikes.
B. It promotes the idea of energy saving.
C. It encourages students to be creative.
D. It is powered entirely by solar energy.
2. What can be learned about Zayed Future Energy Hub
A. It is a club center for volunteers.
B. It is the place to produce energy.
C. It is built at the cost of $ 133,000.
D. It is used to hold learning activities.
3. Why did students make fuel from waste sawdust
A. To save the electricity bill.
B. To keep low carbon emissions.
C. To get rid of waste sawdust.
D. To test the pellet stove.
4. What is the greatest contribution of the project according to Smit
A. Saving a lot of energy.
B. Creating more great minds.
C. Educating the next generation.
D. Slowing global climate change.
解析：
B.推理判断题。根据文章第一段Students at Huonville High School in Australia are riding bikes out of desire to fight climate change，carrying out a dizzyingly-thorough transformation of their school building into an energy efficient inspiration.（澳大利亚Huonville高中的学生们出于对抗气候变化的愿望而骑自行车，他们将学校建筑彻底改造成节能建筑。）和文章第二段It's paying off big time，as they've helped save ＄44，000 in utility bills since they started their energy-saving project，but it's also inspiring young people in the community.（这是一个巨大的回报，因为自从他们开始节能项目以来，他们已经帮助节省了44，000美元的水电费，但这也鼓舞了社区的年轻人。）可知，这个学校的特殊之处在于它推广了节能的理念。故选B。
2. D.细节理解题。根据文章第二段Recently the school won the Zayed Future Energy Prize of ＄133，000，some of which was used to turn a building into the Zayed Future Energy Hub，a clubhouse where 13 volunteers learn and teach about how renewable energy can be applied to our everyday lives.（最近，这所学校赢得了13万3干美元的扎耶德未来能源奖，其中一部分被用于将一座建筑改造成扎耶德未来能源中心，这是一个俱乐部，13名志愿者在这里学习和教授如何将可再生能源应用到我们的日常生活中。）可知，它被用来举办学习活动。故选D。
3. B.推理判断题。根据文章第四段The classroom was cold in the mornings，but the students wanted zero carbon emissions through their heating.So they went out and got a pellet stove，and then if that wasn't enough，they went out and built a pellet mill to make their fuel from waste sawdust.（早上的教室很冷，但学生们希望通过取暖实现零碳排放。所以他们去找了一个颗粒炉，如果这还不够的话，他们又去建了一个颗粒研磨机用废木屑来制造燃料。）可知，学生用废木屑制作燃料，是为了保持低碳排放。故选B。
4. C.细节理解题。根据文章倒数第二段Nel Smit，the volunteer teacher-head of the Hub，knows their biggest contribution is exciting the minds of the next generation.（中心的志愿教师负责人Nel Smit知道，他们最大的贡献是激发下一代的思维。）可知，这个项目最大的贡献是教育下一代。故选C。
Passage 9
City parks have long been a place for urban residents to get a small amount of green. As cities increasingly feel the impacts of rising seas and temperatures, people are rethinking the roles of urban parks.
All of the dark-gray asphalt（沥青） in cities collect heat. Dallas is one of the country’s fastest-warming cities thanks in part to its extensive impervious（不透水的）surfaces, but with a new $ 312 million bond package, the city is hoping to change that. Using satellite data, the city is able to see what neighborhoods most need the cooling effect of green space.
Cities are increasingly flooding and city planners think parks can help with this issue too. A report published in February by The Nature Conservancy looked at the best ways to deal with flooding in Houston, a city with many neighborhoods built on floodplains and regularly flooded by rising waters. Offering affected homeowners buyouts and transforming homes into green space would save more money than installing infrastructure（基础设施）like pipes, they found.
Brendan Shane, a climate program director, says parks can create opportunities for people to exercise and play, in addition to cooling neighborhoods and absorbing floodwater. " The stronger the bonds are between neighbors, the better they are able to react to a shock," he says.
" Not a single solution by itself will avoid the climate crisis. We see parks as an important part of it, but there is no silver bullet," says Diane Regas, CEO of The Trust for Public Land. " Parks are an example of what we in the environmental community need to do to reach solutions that address climate change and make people’s lives better at the same time. "
1. What does the city Dallas want to deal with
A. The lack of green space. B. The way of collecting heat.
C. The effect of rising seas. D. The bond between neighborhoods.
2. What can be inferred from the report by The Nature Conservancy
A. Cities in the world are frequently flooded.
B. City parks may help prevent city flooding.
C. Cities needn’t invest much money in infrastructure.
D. City parks affect people’s choice of a neighborhood.
3. What does Brendan Shane say about parks
A. They can enable people to get over a shock.
B. They can reduce air pollution effectively.
C. They can perform positive social functions.
D. They can help people to keep a cool head.
4. What does the underlined phrase " silver bullet" in paragraph 5 mean
A. A fast and effective solution. B. A successful example.
C. An immediate and clear cause. D. An impractical method.
解析：
A推理判断题。由第二段中的“All of the dark-gray asphalt （沥青）in citics collect heat. Dallas is one of the country's fastest-waming cities thanks in part to its extensive impervious (不透水的）surfaces(城市里所有的深灰色沥青都会收集热量。达拉斯是美国变暖速度最快的城市之一）和"Using satellite data, the city is able to see what neighborhoods most need the cooling effect of green spaces. (利用卫星数据，该市能够看到哪些社区最需要绿地的降温效果)”可知，达拉斯是美国变暖速度最快的城市之一，需要绿地来降温，可得出达拉斯市要应对缺三绿地的问题。故选A项。
B推理判断题。由第三段"Cities are increasingly flooding and city planners think parks can help with this issue too. A report published in February by The Nature Conservancy looked at the best ways to deal with flooding in Houston, a city with many neighborhoods built on floodplains and regularly flooded by rising waters. Offering affected homeowners buyouts and transforming homes into green spaces would save more money than installing infrastructure (基础设施）Hike pipes, they found.(城市越来越多地被洪水淹没，城市规划者认为公园也可以帮助解决这个问题。2月，自然保护协会发布了一份报告，探讨了应对休斯顿洪水的最佳方法，休斯顿市的许多社区都建在洪泛平原上，经常被上涨的洪水淹没。他们发现，与安装管道等基础设施相比，为受影响的房主提供买断，并将房屋政造成绿色空间，将节省更多资金)可知，针对像休斯顿这样容易被洪水淹没的城市，应对洪水的最佳方法是建设更多的绿色空间，可得出城市公园可能有助于防止城市洪水。故选B项。
C细节理解题。由第四段中的"Brendan Shane, a climate program director, says parks can create opportunities for people to exercise and play, in addition to cooling neighborhoods and absorbing floodvater.(气候项目主任布伦丹 沙恩说，公园可以为人们创造锻炼和玩耍的机会，此外还可以为社区降温和吸收洪水，可知，布伦丹-沙恩认为城市公园于人与社会都有好处，城市公园可以发挥积极的社会功能。故选C项。
A词句猜测题。由第五段中的"Niot a single solution by itself will avoid the climate crisis. We see parks as an important part ofit. but thereisn't asilver bullet（没有一个单一的解决方家能够避免气候危机。我们认为公园是其中的一个重要部分，但没有什么asilver bullet) F"Parks are an example of what we in the environmental community need to do to reach solutions that address climate change at the same time and make people's lives better（公园是我们环保界需要做的事情的一个例子，以达成解决方案，同时应对气候变化，改善人们的生活)可知，应对气候危机没有单一的解决方案，建设城市公园只是应对气候危机的一环，总之没有快速有效的解决方案，asliver bullet在此处意为快速有效的解决方家 (A fast and effective solution）“故洗A项.
Passage 10
Fashion designers are always looking for new materials to work with. Lately, it’s all about environment-friendly materials recycled tires, mushrooms, even pineapple fibers! What if you want
such a pair of shoes Thaely is here to help.
This sneaker brand out of Dubai wants to fight the growing problem of plastic pollution. Led by 23-year-old Indian businessman Ashay Bhave, they may have found a winning approach: making shoes out of plastic grocery bags. "Thaely" means" plastic bag" in the Hindi language.
" I was looking to create footwear that is cost-effective and safe for the environment," Bhave said in an interview with a newspaper. " I needed to come up with something that uses recycled plastic without creating any more plastic waste. " Plastic bags were the perfect solution. He said five trillion plastic bags are used around the world each year. "I was motivated to find a solution to this problem, " Bhave said.
That solution was the fiber called ThaelyTex. Made entirely from plastic bags, the material looks and feels like leather. That sounds promising. Better yet, the production process requires no additional chemicals and produces no poisonous by-products. The result is a smart-looking pair of white low-top sneakers.
Bhave wouldn’t expose the full process for making ThaelyTex, but he said that each pair of shoes was made from up to 15 plastic bags and 22 plastic bottles. Where do they get the materials Bhave told Elle that was the hardest part. "The biggest challenge we faced was right at the first step of acquiring the plastic bags. "
Finally, they got help from TrioTap Technologies, a waste management plant. Bhave said they offered to collect the bags and also process them into ThaelyTex.
So far, it seems like things are falling into place. There are already hundreds of pre-orders in place. It sounds like they have some plans for the future. " We have a few more colors coming up," said Bhave. They also plan to put out a high-top model and bring in a line of clothing. Let’s hope their growth is also friendly to the environment.
1. Why did Bhave choose to make shoes out of plastic bags
A. To set a new footwear trend.
B. To test new materials for footwear.
C. To reduce the use of plastic bags in his home country.
D. To use recycled plastic in an environment-friendly way.
2. What was the most difficult task for Bhave
A. Having a few more colors for Thaely.
B. Processing plastic bags into ThaelyTex.
C. Collecting enough production materials.
D. Dealing with many poisonous by-products.
3. The underlined part "put out" in the last paragraph probably means"
A. produce B. design C. provide D. broadcast
4. What can be the best title for this passage
A. Bhave: a promising young man
B. Thaely: the killer of waste plastic bags
C. ThaelyTex: the material out of plastic bags
D. TrioTap Technologies: a waste management plant
解析：
D推理判断题。根据文章第三段的第二、三句'I needed to come up with something that uses recycled plastic without creating any more plastic waste.' Plastic bags were the perfect solution.（"我得想个方法，既能使用可回收塑料，又不会新产生任何塑料垃圾。"塑料袋就是最好的解决办法。）可知，巴韦不想使用可回收塑料的同时新增塑料垃圾，说明他是想环保，使用可回收塑料。而使用塑料袋正好能达到这个目的。所以，D项：为了以环保的方式使用可回收塑料，是巴韦使用塑料袋生产鞋子的原因。故选D项。
C细节理解题。根据第五段最后一句The biggest challenge we faced was right at the first step of acquiring the plastic bags.（我们面临的最大挑战恰恰是第一步：获取塑料袋。）可知，巴韦最困难的任务就是获取足够的塑料袋，塑料袋也就是鞋子的生产原料。所以C项：获取足够的生产原料。符合题意。故选C项。
A词义猜测题。根据文章最后一段的倒数第三、四句"It sounds like they have some plans for the future. 'We have a few more colors coming up，' said Bhave."（听起来他们对未来有一些计划。巴韦说："我们会推出更多的颜色。"） 可知，这里讲的是巴韦的品牌的具体计划，其中包括推出更多色系的鞋。由划线短语所在句子的"also plan to"可知，该句仍然讲的是品牌的具体计划，划线短语后面接的是"a high-top model"（高帮鞋鞋样），A项"生产"与之搭配，表示生产高帮鞋鞋样是品牌的其他计划。A.produce生产；B.stop停止；C.cause引起；D.broadcast传播。故选A项。
4. B标题归纳题。通读全文，文章第一段引入使用环保材料制鞋的品牌Thaely；第二、三段指出该品牌想要应对日益严重的塑料污染问题，解决方法是利用塑料袋制鞋；第四至六段介绍该品牌如何利用塑料袋制鞋，其中包括生产ThaelyTex纤维和获取足够塑料袋的途径；最后一段介绍该品牌的落实情况和未来的一些计划。所以文章介绍的主要对象就是品牌Thaely及其利用塑料袋制鞋的相关内容。B项"Thaely：killer of waste plastic bags"（Thaely：废塑料袋的终结者）的关键词是"Thaely"和"waste plastic bags"，符合题意。故选B项。
资料整理【淘宝店铺：向阳百分百】
资料整理【淘宝店铺：向阳百分百】
