Unit 1 Nature in the Balance
单元话题阅读理解练习
基础语篇巩固练
（24-25高一上·江苏南京·期中）When Sam Fisher took his two young sons and their cousin on a hike in the Badlands of North Dakota, he was probably expecting a day of sightseeing and light exercise. What he could not have expected, however, was the group coming across the remains of a young Tyrannosaurus rex (霸王龙) that had lived millions of years ago.
Fisher and the boys were surely excited by their discovery, but they didn’t know what to do with the fossil (化石). Fisher sent a photo to his former classmate, Dr. Lyson, an expert in the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Then, Dr. Lyson arrived on the scene with a skilled team to dig up the fossil. Together, they unearthed the remains of the teenage Tyrannosaurus rex.
Their find was considered as an “incredible discovery” by the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. It is unusual to find complete Tyrannosaurus rex fossils, and even more unusual to find the remains of a young one, so Dr. Lyson was excited when he realized what they had unearthed. The fossil, called “Teen Rex”, is between 12 and 14 years old at the time of death. Even though it was still growing, the dinosaur already weighed 3,500 pounds and was 25 feet long, though these impressive measurements still put it at about half the size of a fully developed Tyrannosaurus rex.
“These boys have made an incredible dinosaur discovery that advances science and deepens our understanding of the natural world,” says Dr. Lyson. “I’m excited for museum guests to dig into the “Teen Rex Discovery” experience, which I think will inspire the imagination and wonder, not only in our community, but around the world!”
The fossil will be on display as part of the temporary (临时的) Discovering Teen Rex exhibition, which will open at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science next month. In addition to the exhibition, the museum will also be screening a new 40-minute documentary T.REX.
1．How did Sam Fisher feel when they found the fossil
A．Satisfied. B．Awkward. C．Amazed. D．Alarmed.
2．Why did Fisher send a photo of the fossil to Dr. Lyson
A．To ask for help. B．To sell the fossil.
C．To find a museum. D．To show off the fossil.
3．What did Dr. Lyson think of the discovery
A．He believed it was just another common find.
B．He considered it of great value to science.
C．He thought it would attract little interest.
D．He was uncertain about its significance.
4．What might the author continue to talk about
A．A summary of the exhibition. B．Details about the documentary.
C．Professional advice for museum guests. D．Information on how to become an expert.
（23-24高一上·江苏扬州·期中）The decline of the world’s natural resources by humans is rapidly outpacing (超过) the planet’s ability to absorb the damage, meaning the rate of deterioration (恶化) is increasing globally, a UN environmental study has found.
Population growth, climate change, rapid urbanization and other factors are increasingly threatening water resources. Water shortage (短缺) is the disaster of some of the poorest regions on Earth, the study found, leaving developing countries increasingly unable to feed themselves, and causing hardship for millions of people. There seems to be little possibility of this bad situation being improved, according to the UN, without strong action being taken.
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) found the rate of damage to the natural environment was increasing globally, despite joint efforts to persuade governments to take measures to improve the condition. “If current trends continue, and the world fails to work out solutions that improve patterns of production and consumption, then the state of the world’s environment will continue to decline,” warned Achim Steiner, executive director of UNEP.
The study, using decades of scientific data, the key causes of environmental damage were still not being taken. These included measures to reduce air pollution, such as changes to vehicles; the damage to ocean ecosystems, which can have a huge effect on fish which hundreds of millions of people depend on; and the decline of land when modern agricultural methods are adopted without regard to the longer-term consequences.
In rich countries, these environmental problems have built up over decades and centuries while economic growth was achieved at the cost of the environment. But in developing countries, the path of future development has more potential to change. If they follow the same pattern of economic growth, then the danger of irreparable (无可挽救的) environmental damage will increase, the study’s authors conclude.
1．What can we know about water shortage in some of the poorest regions
A．It is mainly caused by population growth.
B．There is little hope of a solution to it.
C．It can hardly improve if no forceful measures are taken.
D．Strong action has been taken to improve it but has failed.
2．What is Achim Steiner’s attitude towards the world’s environment
A．Confused. B．Concerned. C．Positive. D．Doubtful.
3．What can be learned from the study according to paragraph 4
A．Measures to improve environmental problems are mostly ineffective.
B．Measures to improve environmental problems take effect slowly.
C．Measures to improve environmental problems are difficult to carry out.
D．Measures to improve environmental problems haven’t been carried out.
4．What does the last paragraph want to tell us about developing countries
A．They have great potential to improve their environment.
B．They have a worse environment than developed countries.
C．They cannot develop their economy at the cost of the environment.
D．They concern more about environmental issues than economic growth.
（24-25高一上·江苏徐州·阶段练习）
Home > Gel Involved > Volunteer Volunteer With Best Friends Sometimes, the best gift you can give to pets in need is your time. So we’re happy that you’re interested in volunteering with Best Friends. Volunteer Tasks You Can Choose Foster Program: If you love pets, you can join in our foster (助养) program. You can choose what type of animal you foster. Best Friends provides all veterinary care (兽医护理) for free. The only thing you need to provide is a loving environment for your foster pets, with basic daily care. Spanish Translators: Spanish-speaking volunteers are supporting our efforts from home by translating our written materials into Spanish. Lifesaving Center: It is now closed to the public because of COVLD-19. If you want to volunteer here when it reopens, please first create a volunteer profile and then view our Lifesaving Center Orientation. Borough Engagement Team: It is a great way for you to help from home! This team is looking to improve our connection with communities. With this team, we can offer information to communities we haven’t reached before. How to Apply 1. Visit volunteers.bestfriends.org. 2. Click “Start Volunteering” and be sure to check off the path for New York. Volunteers must be at least 12. If you have any question, please contact volunteerNYC@bestfiriends.org. Thank you again for caring about homeless pets.
1．Who will most probably look through the website
A．People who love animals. B．People who love nature.
C．People who need volunteers. D．People who need friends.
2．If you want to volunteer without leaving home, you can join in ________.
A．Foster Program and Lifesaving Center
B．Spanish Translators and Lifesaving Center
C．Lifesaving Center and Borough Engagement Team
D．Spanish Translators and Borough Engagement Team
3．What can you learn from the website
A．People can donate to help homeless animals on the website.
B．The best thing we can give to pets in need is always our time.
C．Children over 12 in London can apply on the website to volunteer.
D．People can visit volunteerNYC@bestfriends.org to apply to volunteer.
（24-25高一上·江苏常州·阶段练习）Fishing grounds supply many people with food. But the nets used by them may trap other things: endangered animals such as turtles; dangerous ones, such as Humboldt squid (美洲大赤鱿); and ones that are both endangered and dangerous, such as several types of sharks.
Jesse Senko, a biologist at Arizona State University, has been investigating the idea of fitting LEDS to nets to avoid other unwanted by-catch (误捕的鱼) without discouraging target animals from entangling themselves. And it seems to work.
While sharks are better known for their good sense of smell, many have good vision, too. And, though referred to as “fish”, they are actually less closely related to the bony fish than turtles are, so their visual systems might easily be as different. It thus seemed worthwhile checking to see whether the trick that worked with turtles would work with sharks.
Dr. Senko and his colleagues therefore set up an experiment in the Gulf of Ulloa, in Mexico, in which they cooperated with fishermen to set over 10,000 metres of nets that had had battery-powered green LEDS attached to them. In half of the nets these lights were lit. The other half were left unlit, as controls.
The fishers’ target s were Californian halibut (大比目鱼) and large groupers. Dr. Senko was interested both in what else got caught and whether the lights decreased catches of the target species.
On the latter point, they did not. On the former, the lit nets caught 95% fewer kilograms of sharks. In particular, several threatened species turned up less often in the lit nets.
The advantage from the point of view of fishermen was that they needed to spend a lot less time clearing these by- catches from their nets. And, importantly, the LEDS concerned are cheap and easy to fit. There are also plans to make them solar powered, for easy recharging. Here, then, is a conservation idea from which everyone wins.
1．Which of the following has the closest meaning to the underlined word “entangling”
A．hurting. B．trapping. C．defending. D．adapting.
2．What does the author intend to show in paragraph 3
A．Preparations made for the experiment. B．His concern for the safety of sharks.
C．The theoretical basis for the experiment. D．The differences between sharks and turtles.
3．What can we learn from the results of the experiment done by Dr. Senko
A．Sharks were nowhere to be seen in the lit nets.
B．The green lights decreased catches of the target species.
C．Nets fitted with LEDs are within the reach of most fishermen.
D．The lit nets drove off unwanted by-catches effectively.
4．What can be the best title for the passage
A．The Widespread Use of Green LEDS B．Efforts Made in Ocean Conservation
C．A Green Light for Saving sharks D．Fishing Without Harming Target Species
（24-25高一上·江苏盐城·阶段练习）The beginning of the 20th century saw more than 100,000 tigers living in the wild, a number that experienced a huge reduction of about 97% due to factors like illegal hunting and trading, habitat (栖息地) loss, shortage of food, human-tiger conflict (冲突) and lack of will to address these factors.
Protecting and improving tiger habitats can lead to the protection of thousands of other species as well as important ecosystem services that bring advantages to nations and the people who live in and close to these habitats. Forests in tiger landscapes store almost 3.5 times more carbon than other forests and offer, protection against floods and other natural disasters. They also attract ecotourism and support agriculture by providing fresh water, safeguarding soil and regulating local weather.
In 2010, the governments of 13 tiger range countries finally committed to doubling the number or tigers in the wild and have made great efforts since. In 2022, India reported an increase of 619 tigers since 2018, making it the second nation-after Nepal — to double its wild tiger population compared to the 2010 baseline. On July 29,2023, the world celebrated International Tiger Day with good news from Bhutan. Its latest tiger population survey reported 131 more tigers living in the wild, a 27% increase from its first systematic survey in 2015.
Bhutan’s achievement is reason to celebrate. But people in Bhutan and other tiger range countries may not necessarily be enthusiastic (热衷的) about the growth in tiger populations After all, there are challenges ahead such as the possibility of more human-tiger conflicts and reduced willingness to live alongside large predators.
Keeping conflict from happening in the first place is an essential first step. Governments and protection organizations can invest (投资) in early warning systems, structures for protection against predators and other measures to prevent human-tiger conflicts. When conflicts do occur, measures to reduce their impacts, like insurance projects, are important: Finally, the most important part of human-tiger coexistence (共存) is an fair and inclusive way to protection. Local communities should have a voice in developing and carrying out protection strategies
1．What is paragraph 2 mainly about
A．The advantage of ecotourism. B．The importance of saving tigers.
C．The necessity of planting forests. D．The influence of tigers on agriculture.
2．How is paragraph 3 mainly developed
A．By giving examples. B．By showing differences.
C．By describing research steps. D．By providing research results.
3．Why are people not enthusiastic about increasing tiger populations
A．The previous failure. B．The possible danger.
C．The increased hunting. D．The required investment.
4．What is the best title for the text
A．Methods of avoiding Human-Tiger Conflicts.
B．Protecting Tiger Habitats and Ecosystem Services.
C．Challenges and Chances in Human-Tiger Coexistence.
D．The Role of Local Communities in Tiger-Protection Efforts.
（24-25高一上·江苏南通·阶段练习）Mosquitoes (蚊子) carry malaria (疟疾), which kills thousands of people each year. Now some researchers are trying to use genetic engineering (基因工程) to make them into partners in the fight against the disease.
For years, public health officials have tried to limit the disease by controlling mosquito populations. “But that approach is short-term,” says Anthony James, a professor of biology and genetics at the University of California, Irvine, “because mosquitoes are very tough little insects, and their populations can quickly increase.”
Therefore, James and his colleagues want to try a different approach: making mosquitoes themselves into malaria-fighting warriors, which is completely different from traditional ways of controlling malaria.
To understand how it works, it helps to understand the life cycle of malaria. The malaria pathogen (病原体) is a parasite (寄生虫) that grow inside humans. It’s passed via mosquitoes that move from person to person, sucking blood. “If we can make the mosquitoes difficult for the pathogens to survive, we can wipe out the disease,” he says. But making mosquitoes uninviting to malaria is a Herculean task.
To solve the problem, the team used a gene-editing technique called CRISPR. They started with genes from mice, whose immune systems do fight human malaria, engineered those genes, and then gave them to the mosquitoes.
It turned out the gene-edited mosquitoes worked very well. They reduced the number of parasites in the mosquito before they were passed to a human host.
James’ team are now working on planning a field trial, which he hopes could be done on an island or in another isolated location.
But genetically changing wild animals does not sit well with environmentalists. “There’s no need to engineer a mosquito,” says Dana Perls, senior program manager for the emerging technology program at the non-profit Friends of the Earth. Perls points out that natural ways to reduce malaria appear to be showing promise, as does a new vaccine (疫苗) against the disease. “Why take unnecessary risks and use mosquitoes that can’t be controlled once sent into the wild ” she asks.
1．What can we know from the second and third paragraphs
A．Mosquitoes can reproduce quickly.
B．Mosquitoes can be easily controlled.
C．Mosquitoes have killed thousands of people.
D．Mosquitoes have been used to fight against malaria.
2．What does the underlined phrase “a Herculean task” in Para.4 mean
A．A great comfort. B．A tough job. C．A narrow escape. D．A key factor.
3．What is environmentalists’ attitude towards this new approach
A．Unconcerned. B．Positive. C．Negative. D．Unclear.
4．What is the best title for the text
A．Preventing Malaria with a New Vaccine.
B．Curing Malaria with Gene-edited mosquitoes.
C．Limiting Malaria by Controlling Mosquito Populations
D．Controlling Malaria by Engineering Mosquitoes’ Genes
（23-24高一下·江苏·期末）Hundreds of emperor penguin chicks jumped off a 15- meter cliff (悬崖), as high as a five- story building. This scene was captured by drones in January at Atka Bay, Antarctica, and was put out recently in a documentary series called Secrets of the Penguins.
This jump seems brave but could be lethal to these young penguins.
According to National Geographic, emperor penguins usually raise their chicks on sea ice platforms. Not long after they turn 5 months old, the chicks have to begin their first swim in the ocean to hunt for themselves. Normally, they just need to jump from the sea ice, which is less than a meter high.
However, he fast- melting ice in Antarctica changes the situation. The Antarctic summer sea ice has decreased sharply since 2016, reported the BBC． in February 2023, the total area of sea ice reached a record low of 1.91 million square kilometers.
Emperors depend on sea ice for their breeding cycle, it’s the stable platform they use to bring up their young. Peter Fretwell from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), told the BBC． If the ice platform melts or breaks apart before they could swim, they are more likely to drown or freeze to death. For this reason emperor penguins are now choosing to raise their babies on the ice shelf, which is firmly attached to the land. Therefore, chicks must face the challenge of jumping off a high cliff.
“When the chicks get to this cliff face, they’re like... ‘This does not look like a fun jump, but I guess I’m gonna have to go’,” Michelle LaRue, a scientist at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, told National Geographic.
“Alarmingly, the decline in the ice has caused thousands of emperor penguin chicks to the in West Antarctica in 2022. The continuing decline of sea ice may force more emperors to make their nests on ice shelves, ” said Fretwell. “It’s heartbreaking to think that the whole species may be gone if climate change continues on the path that it’s on at the moment,” he added.
1．What does the underlined word “lethal” in paragraph 2 most probably mean
A．Deadly. B．Pleasant. C．Unusual. D．Boring.
2．Why do emperor penguin chicks jump off cliffs
A．They want to travel across the ocean.
B．They are trying to escape predators.
C．They are celebrating getting their adult feathers.
D．They have no other way to enter the water to hunt.
3．What factor is leading to emperor penguins raising their young on ice shelves
A．Declining sea levels.
B．The rapid melting of sea ice.
C．More available food for the chicks.
D．Bigger size of ice shelves.
4．What is the main concern Fretwell expressed- regarding emperor penguins
A．The shorter breeding cycle.
B．Their ability to hunt for themselves.
C．The potential extinction of the species.
D．Their increased dependence on sea ice.
（23-24高一上·江苏南京·阶段练习）A California-based nonprofit is searching to build an AI language that allows humans more deeply understand non-human languages to help change our ecological impact on our Earth.
Aza Raskin is the co-founder and president of the Earth Species Project (ESP), a non-profit that uses a form of artificial intelligence (AI) to translate non-human languages. ESP wants to use its machine learning technology to translate and make this vital information widely available (可得到的) to the public.
Raskin emphasized their goal to help conservation by explaining, “The end we are working towards is, can we decode animal communication, discover the non-human language. Along the way and equally important is that we are developing technology that supports biologists and conservation now,” ESP believes that understanding languages can help deepen our relationship with animals and allow us to more efficiently protect them.
In the past, understanding the communication of animals was based on long and boring observation. From primate calls of alarms to dolphin whistles, scientists have been fascinated by the different forms of non-human communication present in these animals. With the development of new technologies, researchers have now begun to understand the huge amounts of data available through machine learning.
Elodie Briefer, an associate professor at the University of Copenhagen, has recently helped co-develop a pig grunt analyzing software that helps scientists understand whether the pigs are expressing positive or negative emotions. In contrast, ESP is approaching decoding differently, by focusing on all species, not just one. The Earth Species Project believes that there is a likelihood that social species communicate with each other, for instance, whales and dolphins.
Although the Earth Species Project believe that understanding AI machine learning data is only one step to full communication, they are hopeful that one day we will be able to understand entire systems of communication.
1．According to Aza Raskin, the goal of Earth Species Project is ________.
A．to develop flee advanced AI technology for everyone
B．to communicate with animals such as whales and dolphins
C．to provide information of animal species for the public
D．to help conserve animals by understanding their languages
2．According to the article, the methods scientists have used to discover the communication of animals do NOT include ________.
A．spending a lot of time observing animal communications
B．using a form of artificial intelligence to translate animal languages
C．developing a software to analyze a pig’s emotions through its grunts
D．playing recordings of animal sounds to communicate with other social animals
3．Which of the following statement is TRUE according to the article
A．ESP aims to provide free translation service for the public through advanced artificial intelligence technologies.
B．Machine learning has made it possible for researchers to understand huge amount of data about animal communication.
C．Elodie Briefer has helped develop a software which is exactly what ESP needs to decode animal language.
D．Researchers in the Earth Species Project believe that all species on earth can communicate with one another.
4．What is probably the best title for the text
A．Artificial Intelligence and Its Impact on Society
B．The Ambition of Earth Species Project
C．AI Technology Helps Understand Animal Languages
D．Save the Animals and Their Languages
重难语篇拔高练
（2024·广东广州·二模）“It’s not unusual for guests to feel emotional when they discover the story behind our food,” says Patrick Navis. “Not to mention when they taste it. One even cried with happiness.” The setting for these tearful scenes Navis’s restaurant in a Dutch city. Here, the owner and his team create experimental food using herbs, roots, flowers and nuts— some common, others less so.
Most of these ingredients come from the Ketelbroek Food Forest nearby. To the untrained eye, it’s like an ordinary wood. But there’s one key difference: everything in it is edible (可食用的). It was set up in 2009 by Dutch botanist and environmentalist Noah Eck as an experiment in slow farming, to see what would happen if the right combination of food plants were left to grow together like a natural forest, without chemicals.
“It’s the first ‘food forest’ of its kind in Europe and we’re one of the few restaurants around the world cooperating in this way,” says Navis. “We have over 400 different species of edible plants we plan our menus around, including some we previously knew little about.” He harvests the ingredients and, with his fellow chefs, works them into beautifully presented tasting menus, served in a dining room hidden in the backstreets of the city,
“To us, fine dining is not about the fame of a restaurant, its location, expensive decoration, fancy cooking and wine list,” says Navis. “It’s about adding value through creativity and using ingredients nobody knows of, which are grown with great attention.” However, he adds, luxury cooking can be about enhancing everyday ingredients, too.
“When looking at cooking in this way, who can argue that caviar (鱼子酱), for example, is more valuable than a carrot grown with specialist knowledge ”
Experimentation is extremely important to Navis. In the next five years, he hopes to open an outdoor restaurant. But for now, the most important thing is to continue focusing on how plants are being grown and the perennial system used in the Food Forest, reducing the need for replanting each season.
1．What can we learn about Navis’s restaurant
A．It is known for its rare food sources. B．It serves food with moving stories.
C．It offers experimental food for free. D．It is well received by its guests.
2．How is Ketelbrock Food Forest different from ordinary woods
A．It is a natural forest. B．Diverse plants coexist in it.
C．It provides safe food ingredients. D．Plants there take longer to grow.
3．What is the key element of fine dining according to Navis
A．Convenient locations. B．Expensive ingredients.
C．Innovative menus. D．Fancy cooking techniques.
4．What does “the perennial system” in the last paragraph probably refer to
A．Farming with proper use of chemicals. B．The sustainable farming practice.
C．Natural farming without human intervention. D．An experimental farm for an outdoor restaurant.
（23-24高一下·江苏淮安·期中）Natural selection is the process by which one type of animal within a species thrives because of certain qualities that make it more likely to live than others in its group. The history of the peppered moth (灰蛾) is an example of the natural selection process.
In nineteenth-century England, certain types of peppered moths were able to better blend (融合) into their surroundings. During that time period, great changes were happening in Great Britain. The Industrial Revolution was part of this change, and with it came air pollution. Natural selection often takes hundreds or even thousands of years to occur. For the peppered moth, this process occurred comparatively (相对地) quickly.
At the beginning of the Industrial Age, most peppered moths in England were light-colored and covered with black markings, although a few moths had dark-colored wings. Because the light-colored moths blended into the light-colored bark on the trees, they could not be easily seen by birds that would eat them. As the air grew more polluted, however, tree trunks became covered with soot (煤烟) and became darker. The light-colored moths became easy for birds to see against the dark tree trunks. Since the dark-colored moths now had the advantage, their numbers grew. Within 50 years, the peppered moth went from being mostly light-colored to being mostly dark-colored.
In the twentieth century, the air cleared up, and the peppered moth population changed again. As tree trunks lightened due to less soot in the air, light-colored moths once again had an advantage. Their numbers increased as soot levels declined (下降). Depending on their environment, the coloration of the moths helped them to be “naturally selected” to survive.
1．Which of the following can replace the word “thrives” in the first paragraph
A．reduces B．endangers C．increases D．changes
2．What do we know about the peppered moth’s natural selection process
A．The length of time was unusual.
B．It was a good example of environmental protection.
C．This type of color change was typical for moths.
D．The soot levels in England did not affect it.
3．What can we learn from the third paragraph
A．The color of moths was unimportant.
B．Both kinds of moths preferred the dark-colored trees.
C．There were more light-colored moths than dark-colored moths.
D．The number of moths had something to do with the level of air pollution.
4．Which would most likely happen if soot darkened England’s trees again
A．Birds would eat fewer moths.
B．Moths would not be able to stay alive.
C．The population of dark-colored moths would increase.
D．Light-colored moths would disturb people’s life.Unit 1 Nature in the Balance
单元话题阅读理解练习
基础语篇巩固练
（24-25高一上·江苏南京·期中）When Sam Fisher took his two young sons and their cousin on a hike in the Badlands of North Dakota, he was probably expecting a day of sightseeing and light exercise. What he could not have expected, however, was the group coming across the remains of a young Tyrannosaurus rex (霸王龙) that had lived millions of years ago.
Fisher and the boys were surely excited by their discovery, but they didn’t know what to do with the fossil (化石). Fisher sent a photo to his former classmate, Dr. Lyson, an expert in the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Then, Dr. Lyson arrived on the scene with a skilled team to dig up the fossil. Together, they unearthed the remains of the teenage Tyrannosaurus rex.
Their find was considered as an “incredible discovery” by the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. It is unusual to find complete Tyrannosaurus rex fossils, and even more unusual to find the remains of a young one, so Dr. Lyson was excited when he realized what they had unearthed. The fossil, called “Teen Rex”, is between 12 and 14 years old at the time of death. Even though it was still growing, the dinosaur already weighed 3,500 pounds and was 25 feet long, though these impressive measurements still put it at about half the size of a fully developed Tyrannosaurus rex.
“These boys have made an incredible dinosaur discovery that advances science and deepens our understanding of the natural world,” says Dr. Lyson. “I’m excited for museum guests to dig into the “Teen Rex Discovery” experience, which I think will inspire the imagination and wonder, not only in our community, but around the world!”
The fossil will be on display as part of the temporary (临时的) Discovering Teen Rex exhibition, which will open at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science next month. In addition to the exhibition, the museum will also be screening a new 40-minute documentary T.REX.
1．How did Sam Fisher feel when they found the fossil
A．Satisfied. B．Awkward. C．Amazed. D．Alarmed.
2．Why did Fisher send a photo of the fossil to Dr. Lyson
A．To ask for help. B．To sell the fossil.
C．To find a museum. D．To show off the fossil.
3．What did Dr. Lyson think of the discovery
A．He believed it was just another common find.
B．He considered it of great value to science.
C．He thought it would attract little interest.
D．He was uncertain about its significance.
4．What might the author continue to talk about
A．A summary of the exhibition. B．Details about the documentary.
C．Professional advice for museum guests. D．Information on how to become an expert.
【答案】1．C 2．A 3．B 4．B
【导语】这是一篇记叙文，文章主要讲述美国的Sam Fisher等人发现罕见的未成年霸王龙化石。
1．推理判断题。根据第一段中“What he could not have expected, however, was the group coming across the remains of a young Tyrannosaurus rex (霸王龙) that had lived millions of years ago.(然而，他没有预料到的是，这群人遇到了生活在数百万年前的年轻霸王龙的遗骸)”可知，Fisher对于发现恐龙化石感到惊讶。故选C。
2．细节理解题。根据第二段中“but they didn’t know what to do with the fossil (化石). Fisher sent a photo to his former classmate, Dr. Lyson, an expert in the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.(但他们不知道该如何处理化石。Fisher给他以前的同学、丹佛自然与科学博物馆的专家Lyson博士寄了一张照片)”可知，Fisher给Lyson博士发照片是为了求助他该如何处理化石，故选A。
3．推理判断题。根据第四段中Lyson博士说的话“These boys have made an incredible dinosaur discovery that advances science and deepens our understanding of the natural world(这些男孩发现了令人难以置信的恐龙，这推动了科学的发展，加深了我们对自然世界的理解)”可知，Lyson博士认为这个发现极具科学价值，故选B。
4．推理判断题。根据最后一段中“In addition to the exhibition, the museum will also be screening a new 40-minute documentary T.REX.(除了展览，博物馆还将放映一部40分钟的新纪录片《霸王龙》)”可知，文章接下来可能会继续谈论该纪录片的细节，故选B。
（23-24高一上·江苏扬州·期中）The decline of the world’s natural resources by humans is rapidly outpacing (超过) the planet’s ability to absorb the damage, meaning the rate of deterioration (恶化) is increasing globally, a UN environmental study has found.
Population growth, climate change, rapid urbanization and other factors are increasingly threatening water resources. Water shortage (短缺) is the disaster of some of the poorest regions on Earth, the study found, leaving developing countries increasingly unable to feed themselves, and causing hardship for millions of people. There seems to be little possibility of this bad situation being improved, according to the UN, without strong action being taken.
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) found the rate of damage to the natural environment was increasing globally, despite joint efforts to persuade governments to take measures to improve the condition. “If current trends continue, and the world fails to work out solutions that improve patterns of production and consumption, then the state of the world’s environment will continue to decline,” warned Achim Steiner, executive director of UNEP.
The study, using decades of scientific data, the key causes of environmental damage were still not being taken. These included measures to reduce air pollution, such as changes to vehicles; the damage to ocean ecosystems, which can have a huge effect on fish which hundreds of millions of people depend on; and the decline of land when modern agricultural methods are adopted without regard to the longer-term consequences.
In rich countries, these environmental problems have built up over decades and centuries while economic growth was achieved at the cost of the environment. But in developing countries, the path of future development has more potential to change. If they follow the same pattern of economic growth, then the danger of irreparable (无可挽救的) environmental damage will increase, the study’s authors conclude.
1．What can we know about water shortage in some of the poorest regions
A．It is mainly caused by population growth.
B．There is little hope of a solution to it.
C．It can hardly improve if no forceful measures are taken.
D．Strong action has been taken to improve it but has failed.
2．What is Achim Steiner’s attitude towards the world’s environment
A．Confused. B．Concerned. C．Positive. D．Doubtful.
3．What can be learned from the study according to paragraph 4
A．Measures to improve environmental problems are mostly ineffective.
B．Measures to improve environmental problems take effect slowly.
C．Measures to improve environmental problems are difficult to carry out.
D．Measures to improve environmental problems haven’t been carried out.
4．What does the last paragraph want to tell us about developing countries
A．They have great potential to improve their environment.
B．They have a worse environment than developed countries.
C．They cannot develop their economy at the cost of the environment.
D．They concern more about environmental issues than economic growth.
【答案】1．C 2．B 3．D 4．C
【导语】这是一篇说明文。这篇文章通过引用联合国的研究数据，强调了全球环境面临的严峻挑战，并呼吁采取更强有力的行动来保护自然资源，避免不可逆的环境损害。
1．细节理解题。从第二段的“Water shortage is the disaster of some of the poorest regions on Earth, the study found, leaving developing countries increasingly unable to feed themselves, and causing hardship for millions of people. There seems to be little possibility of this bad situation being improved, according to the UN, without strong action being taken.(研究发现，缺水是地球上一些最贫穷地区的灾难，使发展中国家越来越无法养活自己，给数百万人带来了困难。)” 解析：这段话表明，在最贫穷的地区，水短缺是一个灾难，导致发展中国家越来越难以自给自足，并给数百万人带来了困难。除非采取强有力的措施，否则这种情况几乎没有改善的可能性。故选C。
2．推理判断题。从第三段中Achim Steiner的话：“If current trends continue, and the world fails to work out solutions that improve patterns of production and consumption, then the state of the world’s environment will continue to decline.(如果目前的趋势继续下去，世界无法找到改善生产和消费模式的解决方案，那么世界环境状况将继续下降。)” 可以看出，这句话表达了对当前环境状况持续恶化的担忧，如果不能找到改善生产消费模式的解决方案，环境状态将继续恶化。所以Achim Steiner对于世界环境是担忧的。故选B。
3．推理判断题。第四段提到“The study, using decades of scientific data, the key causes of environmental damage were still not being taken. These included measures to reduce air pollution, such as changes to vehicles; the damage to ocean ecosystems, which can have a huge effect on fish which hundreds of millions of people depend on; and the decline of land when modern agricultural methods are adopted without regard to the longer-term consequences.(这项研究使用了数十年的科学数据，但环境破坏的主要原因仍未得到解决。这些措施包括减少空气污染，如更换车辆；对海洋生态系统的破坏，可能对数亿人赖以生存的鱼类产生巨大影响；以及在不考虑长期后果的情况下采用现代农业方法时土地的减少。)”，这段话说明了尽管已经识别出了一些关键的环境破坏原因，但这些原因还没有得到有效的应对。比如减少空气污染的措施、保护海洋生态系统的重要性以及现代农业方法对土地的长期影响等问题，所以改善环境问题的措施还没开展。故选D。
4．主旨大意题。从最后一段的“In rich countries, these environmental problems have built up over decades and centuries while economic growth was achieved at the cost of the environment. But in developing countries, the path of future development has more potential to change. If they follow the same pattern of economic growth, then the danger of irreparable environmental damage will increase, the study’s authors conclude.(在富裕国家，这些环境问题已经积累了几十年和几个世纪，而经济增长是以环境为代价的。但在发展中国家，未来的发展道路更有可能改变。该研究的作者得出结论，如果它们遵循相同的经济增长模式，那么不可挽回的环境破坏的危险将会增加。)” 可知，这段话指出了在发达国家，环境问题是在经济快速增长的同时逐渐积累起来的。而对于发展中国家来说，未来的道路有更多的改变潜力。但如果它们沿着同样的经济增长模式前行，那么造成不可逆转的环境损害的风险将增加，所以发展中国家不能以牺牲环境为代价发展经济。故选C。
（24-25高一上·江苏徐州·阶段练习）
Home > Gel Involved > Volunteer Volunteer With Best Friends Sometimes, the best gift you can give to pets in need is your time. So we’re happy that you’re interested in volunteering with Best Friends. Volunteer Tasks You Can Choose Foster Program: If you love pets, you can join in our foster (助养) program. You can choose what type of animal you foster. Best Friends provides all veterinary care (兽医护理) for free. The only thing you need to provide is a loving environment for your foster pets, with basic daily care. Spanish Translators: Spanish-speaking volunteers are supporting our efforts from home by translating our written materials into Spanish. Lifesaving Center: It is now closed to the public because of COVLD-19. If you want to volunteer here when it reopens, please first create a volunteer profile and then view our Lifesaving Center Orientation. Borough Engagement Team: It is a great way for you to help from home! This team is looking to improve our connection with communities. With this team, we can offer information to communities we haven’t reached before. How to Apply 1. Visit volunteers.bestfriends.org. 2. Click “Start Volunteering” and be sure to check off the path for New York. Volunteers must be at least 12. If you have any question, please contact volunteerNYC@bestfiriends.org. Thank you again for caring about homeless pets.
1．Who will most probably look through the website
A．People who love animals. B．People who love nature.
C．People who need volunteers. D．People who need friends.
2．If you want to volunteer without leaving home, you can join in ________.
A．Foster Program and Lifesaving Center
B．Spanish Translators and Lifesaving Center
C．Lifesaving Center and Borough Engagement Team
D．Spanish Translators and Borough Engagement Team
3．What can you learn from the website
A．People can donate to help homeless animals on the website.
B．The best thing we can give to pets in need is always our time.
C．Children over 12 in London can apply on the website to volunteer.
D．People can visit volunteerNYC@bestfriends.org to apply to volunteer.
【答案】1．A 2．D 3．D
【导语】这是一篇应用文。该广告主要是关于在网上招募帮助动物志愿者。
1．推理判断题。根据Volunteer Tasks You Can Choose部分中“Foster Program: If you love pets, you can join in our foster (助养) program. You can choose what type of animal you foster. Best Friends provides all veterinary care (兽医护理) for free. The only thing you need to provide is a loving environment for your foster pets, with basic daily care.(寄养计划：如果你喜欢宠物，你可以加入我们的寄养计划。你可以选择养什么类型的动物。Best Friends免费提供所有兽医护理。你唯一需要做的就是为你的宠物提供一个充满爱的环境，提供基本的日常照顾。)”可知，喜欢动物的人会去浏览网站。故选A项。
2．细节理解题。根据Volunteer Tasks You Can Choose部分中“Spanish Translators: Spanish-speaking volunteers are supporting our efforts from home by translating our written materials into Spanish.(西班牙语翻译：讲西班牙语的志愿者在家里支持我们的工作，把我们的书面材料翻译成西班牙语。)”和“Borough Engagement Team: It is a great way for you to help from home! (区域行动小组：这是您在家提供帮助的好方法！)”可知，如果你想足不出户就做志愿者，你可以加入西班牙语翻译和区域行动小组。故选D项。
3．细节理解题。根据How to Apply (如何申请)部分中“ Visit volunteers.bestfriends.org.(访问volunteers.bestfriends.org。)”可知，人们可以访问volunteerNYC@bestfriends.org申请成为志愿者。故选D项。
（24-25高一上·江苏常州·阶段练习）Fishing grounds supply many people with food. But the nets used by them may trap other things: endangered animals such as turtles; dangerous ones, such as Humboldt squid (美洲大赤鱿); and ones that are both endangered and dangerous, such as several types of sharks.
Jesse Senko, a biologist at Arizona State University, has been investigating the idea of fitting LEDS to nets to avoid other unwanted by-catch (误捕的鱼) without discouraging target animals from entangling themselves. And it seems to work.
While sharks are better known for their good sense of smell, many have good vision, too. And, though referred to as “fish”, they are actually less closely related to the bony fish than turtles are, so their visual systems might easily be as different. It thus seemed worthwhile checking to see whether the trick that worked with turtles would work with sharks.
Dr. Senko and his colleagues therefore set up an experiment in the Gulf of Ulloa, in Mexico, in which they cooperated with fishermen to set over 10,000 metres of nets that had had battery-powered green LEDS attached to them. In half of the nets these lights were lit. The other half were left unlit, as controls.
The fishers’ target s were Californian halibut (大比目鱼) and large groupers. Dr. Senko was interested both in what else got caught and whether the lights decreased catches of the target species.
On the latter point, they did not. On the former, the lit nets caught 95% fewer kilograms of sharks. In particular, several threatened species turned up less often in the lit nets.
The advantage from the point of view of fishermen was that they needed to spend a lot less time clearing these by- catches from their nets. And, importantly, the LEDS concerned are cheap and easy to fit. There are also plans to make them solar powered, for easy recharging. Here, then, is a conservation idea from which everyone wins.
1．Which of the following has the closest meaning to the underlined word “entangling”
A．hurting. B．trapping. C．defending. D．adapting.
2．What does the author intend to show in paragraph 3
A．Preparations made for the experiment. B．His concern for the safety of sharks.
C．The theoretical basis for the experiment. D．The differences between sharks and turtles.
3．What can we learn from the results of the experiment done by Dr. Senko
A．Sharks were nowhere to be seen in the lit nets.
B．The green lights decreased catches of the target species.
C．Nets fitted with LEDs are within the reach of most fishermen.
D．The lit nets drove off unwanted by-catches effectively.
4．What can be the best title for the passage
A．The Widespread Use of Green LEDS B．Efforts Made in Ocean Conservation
C．A Green Light for Saving sharks D．Fishing Without Harming Target Species
【答案】1．B 2．C 3．D 4．C
【导语】这是一篇说明文。主要介绍了亚利桑那州立大学(Arizona State University)的生物学家杰西·森科(Jesse Senko)一直在研究将LEDS安装在渔网上的想法，以避免其他不必要的副渔获物，同时又不会阻止目标动物缠住自己。这似乎是有效的。
1．词句猜测题。根据第一段“But the nets used by them may trap other things: endangered animals such as turtles; dangerous ones, such as Humboldt squid (美洲大赤鱿); and ones that are both endangered and dangerous, such as several types of sharks.”（但他们使用的网可能会困住其他东西：海龟等濒危动物；危险的，如美洲大赤鱿；以及濒危和危险的，例如几种鲨鱼。）和第二段划线单词句中“Jesse Senko, a biologist at Arizona State University, has been investigating the idea of fitting LEDS to nets to avoid other unwanted by-catch without discouraging target animals from entangling themselves.”（亚利桑那州立大学的生物学家Jesse Senko一直在研究将LEDS安装在渔网上的想法，以避免其他不必要的副渔获物，无需阻止目标动物entangling自己）由此可知，此处为渔网不会让目标动物缠住自己。故可猜测划线单词entangling为“使……缠住，使……卷入”，结合选项B项trapping“困住，诱捕”意思相近。故选B项。
2．推理判断题。根据第三段“While sharks are better known for their good sense of smell, many have good vision, too. And, though referred to as “fish”, they are actually less closely related to the bony fish than turtles are, so their visual systems might easily be as different. It thus seemed worthwhile checking to see whether the trick that worked with turtles would work with sharks.”（虽然鲨鱼以其良好的嗅觉而闻名，但许多鲨鱼也有良好的视力。而且，虽然它们被称为“鱼”，但实际上它们与硬骨鱼的关系并不像海龟那么密切，所以它们的视觉系统可能很容易不同。因此，似乎有必要检验一下对海龟有效的技巧是否也适用于鲨鱼。）可推知，作者想在第三段表明实验的理论基础。故选C项。
3．推理判断题。根据倒数第二段“On the latter point, they did not. On the former, the lit nets caught 95% fewer kilograms of sharks. In particular, several threatened species turned up less often in the lit nets.”（在后一点上，他们没有意见。在前者，点亮的渔网捕获的鲨鱼重量减少了95%。特别是，一些受威胁的物种在点亮的网中出现的频率更低。）可推知，我们能从Senko博士的实验结果中了解到点亮的渔网有效地驱赶了不需要的副渔获物。故选D项。
4．主旨大意题。根据文章大意以及第二段“Jesse Senko, a biologist at Arizona State University, has been investigating the idea of fitting LEDS to nets to avoid other unwanted by-catch (误捕的鱼) without discouraging target animals from entangling themselves. And it seems to work.”（亚利桑那州立大学(Arizona State University)的生物学家杰西·森科(Jesse Senko)一直在研究将LEDS安装在渔网上的想法，以避免其他不必要的副渔获物，同时又不会阻止目标动物缠住自己。这似乎是有效的。）可知，文章主要讲的是亚利桑那州立大学(Arizona State University)的生物学家杰西·森科(Jesse Senko)一直在研究将LEDS安装在渔网上的想法，以避免其他不必要的副渔获物，同时又不会阻止目标动物缠住自己。故文章最好的标题是“为拯救鲨鱼开绿灯”。故选C项。
（24-25高一上·江苏盐城·阶段练习）The beginning of the 20th century saw more than 100,000 tigers living in the wild, a number that experienced a huge reduction of about 97% due to factors like illegal hunting and trading, habitat (栖息地) loss, shortage of food, human-tiger conflict (冲突) and lack of will to address these factors.
Protecting and improving tiger habitats can lead to the protection of thousands of other species as well as important ecosystem services that bring advantages to nations and the people who live in and close to these habitats. Forests in tiger landscapes store almost 3.5 times more carbon than other forests and offer, protection against floods and other natural disasters. They also attract ecotourism and support agriculture by providing fresh water, safeguarding soil and regulating local weather.
In 2010, the governments of 13 tiger range countries finally committed to doubling the number or tigers in the wild and have made great efforts since. In 2022, India reported an increase of 619 tigers since 2018, making it the second nation-after Nepal — to double its wild tiger population compared to the 2010 baseline. On July 29,2023, the world celebrated International Tiger Day with good news from Bhutan. Its latest tiger population survey reported 131 more tigers living in the wild, a 27% increase from its first systematic survey in 2015.
Bhutan’s achievement is reason to celebrate. But people in Bhutan and other tiger range countries may not necessarily be enthusiastic (热衷的) about the growth in tiger populations After all, there are challenges ahead such as the possibility of more human-tiger conflicts and reduced willingness to live alongside large predators.
Keeping conflict from happening in the first place is an essential first step. Governments and protection organizations can invest (投资) in early warning systems, structures for protection against predators and other measures to prevent human-tiger conflicts. When conflicts do occur, measures to reduce their impacts, like insurance projects, are important: Finally, the most important part of human-tiger coexistence (共存) is an fair and inclusive way to protection. Local communities should have a voice in developing and carrying out protection strategies
1．What is paragraph 2 mainly about
A．The advantage of ecotourism. B．The importance of saving tigers.
C．The necessity of planting forests. D．The influence of tigers on agriculture.
2．How is paragraph 3 mainly developed
A．By giving examples. B．By showing differences.
C．By describing research steps. D．By providing research results.
3．Why are people not enthusiastic about increasing tiger populations
A．The previous failure. B．The possible danger.
C．The increased hunting. D．The required investment.
4．What is the best title for the text
A．Methods of avoiding Human-Tiger Conflicts.
B．Protecting Tiger Habitats and Ecosystem Services.
C．Challenges and Chances in Human-Tiger Coexistence.
D．The Role of Local Communities in Tiger-Protection Efforts.
【答案】1．B 2．A 3．B 4．C
【导语】这是一篇说明文。本文主要讲述了保护老虎的栖息地和生态系统服务的好处, 以及保护老虎所带来的挑战。
1．主旨大意题。根据第二段第一句“Protecting and improving tiger habitats can lead to the protection of thousands of other species as-well as important ecosystem services that benefit (使受益) nations and the people who live in and close to these habitats. (保护和改善老虎栖息地可以保护数千种其他物种以及重要的生态系统服务, 使生活在这些栖息地及其附近的国家和人民受益。) ”以及最后一句“They also attract ecotourism (生态旅游业) and support agriculture by providing fresh water, safeguarding soil and regulating local weather. (它们还通过提供淡水、保护土壤和调节当地天气来吸引生态旅游和支持农业。)”可知, 本段主要讲保护老虎的栖息地和生态系统服务对人类有很大的好处, 从而强调拯救老虎的重要性。故选B项。
2． 推理判断题。根据第三段开头“In 2010. the governments of 13 tiger range countries finally committed to doubling the number or tigers in the wild and have made great efforts since. In 2022, India reported an increase of 619 tigers since 2018, making it the second nation — after Nepal — to double its wild tiger population compared to the 2010 baseline. (2010年。13个老虎分布国的政府最终承诺将野生老虎的数量增加一倍, 并为此做出了巨大努力。2022年, 印度报告自2018年以来增加了619只老虎, 使其成为继尼泊尔之后第二个野生老虎数量比2010年增加一倍的国家。)”可知, 第三段主要是通过举例讲述人们对拯救老虎做出的努力。故选A项。
3．细节理解题。根据第四段最后一句“After all, there are challenges ahead such as the possibility of more human-tiger conflicts and reduced Willingness to live alongside large predators. (毕竟, 前方还有挑战, 比如可能会有更多的人与虎之间的冲突, 以及与大型捕食者一起生活的意愿降低。) ”可知, 潜在的风险可以解释人们对老虎数量增加缺乏热情。故选B项。
4．主旨大意题。根据文章最后一段“Preventing conflict from happening in the first place is an essential first step. Governments and protection organizations can invest (投资) in early warning systems, structures for protection against predators and other measures to prevent human-tiger conflicts. When conflicts do occur, measures to reduce their impacts, like insurance projects, are important: Finally, the most important part of human-tiger coexistence (共存) is an fair and inclusive way to protection. Local communities should have a voice in developing and carrying out protection strategies. (首先, 防止冲突的发生是至关重要的第一步。政府和保护组织可以投资于预警系统、防御捕食者的结构和其他预防人虎冲突的措施。当冲突确实发生时, 采取措施减少其影响, 如保险项目, 是很重要的: 最后, 人虎共存最重要的部分是公平和包容的保护方式。当地社区应在制定和实施保护战略方面拥有发言权。)”以及上文可知, 本文主要讲述了保护老虎的栖息地和生态系统服务的好处, 以及保护老虎所带来的挑战。所以C项Challenges and Chances in Human-Tiger Coexistence. (人虎共存的挑战与机遇。)符合语境。故选C项。
（24-25高一上·江苏南通·阶段练习）Mosquitoes (蚊子) carry malaria (疟疾), which kills thousands of people each year. Now some researchers are trying to use genetic engineering (基因工程) to make them into partners in the fight against the disease.
For years, public health officials have tried to limit the disease by controlling mosquito populations. “But that approach is short-term,” says Anthony James, a professor of biology and genetics at the University of California, Irvine, “because mosquitoes are very tough little insects, and their populations can quickly increase.”
Therefore, James and his colleagues want to try a different approach: making mosquitoes themselves into malaria-fighting warriors, which is completely different from traditional ways of controlling malaria.
To understand how it works, it helps to understand the life cycle of malaria. The malaria pathogen (病原体) is a parasite (寄生虫) that grow inside humans. It’s passed via mosquitoes that move from person to person, sucking blood. “If we can make the mosquitoes difficult for the pathogens to survive, we can wipe out the disease,” he says. But making mosquitoes uninviting to malaria is a Herculean task.
To solve the problem, the team used a gene-editing technique called CRISPR. They started with genes from mice, whose immune systems do fight human malaria, engineered those genes, and then gave them to the mosquitoes.
It turned out the gene-edited mosquitoes worked very well. They reduced the number of parasites in the mosquito before they were passed to a human host.
James’ team are now working on planning a field trial, which he hopes could be done on an island or in another isolated location.
But genetically changing wild animals does not sit well with environmentalists. “There’s no need to engineer a mosquito,” says Dana Perls, senior program manager for the emerging technology program at the non-profit Friends of the Earth. Perls points out that natural ways to reduce malaria appear to be showing promise, as does a new vaccine (疫苗) against the disease. “Why take unnecessary risks and use mosquitoes that can’t be controlled once sent into the wild ” she asks.
1．What can we know from the second and third paragraphs
A．Mosquitoes can reproduce quickly.
B．Mosquitoes can be easily controlled.
C．Mosquitoes have killed thousands of people.
D．Mosquitoes have been used to fight against malaria.
2．What does the underlined phrase “a Herculean task” in Para.4 mean
A．A great comfort. B．A tough job. C．A narrow escape. D．A key factor.
3．What is environmentalists’ attitude towards this new approach
A．Unconcerned. B．Positive. C．Negative. D．Unclear.
4．What is the best title for the text
A．Preventing Malaria with a New Vaccine.
B．Curing Malaria with Gene-edited mosquitoes.
C．Limiting Malaria by Controlling Mosquito Populations
D．Controlling Malaria by Engineering Mosquitoes’ Genes
【答案】1．A 2．B 3．C 4．D
【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了研究人员如何利用基因工程使蚊子成为抗击疟疾的合作伙伴,同时分析了支持和反对这一方法的不同观点。
1．推理判断题，根据文章第二段“For years, public health officials have tried to limit the disease by controlling mosquito populations. “But that approach is short-term,” says Anthony James, a professor of biology and genetics at the University of California, Irvine, “because mosquitoes are very tough little insects, and their populations can quickly increase.” (多年来公共卫生官员一直试图通过控制蚊子数量来限制这种疾病。“但这种方法是短期的,”加州大学欧文分校生物学和遗传学教授Anthony James说,“因为蚊子是非常顽强的小昆虫,它们的数量可以迅速增加。”)”可知,蚊子的繁殖速度很快。故选A。
2．词句猜测题。根据下一段“To solve the problem, the team used a gene-editing technique called CRISPR. They started with genes from mice, whose immune systems do fight human malaria, engineered those genes, and then gave them to the mosquitoes. (为了解决这个问题,该团队使用了一种名为CRISPR的基因编辑技术。他们用老鼠的基因进行实验,老鼠的免疫系统确实能对抗人类疟疾,他们改造了这些基因,然后把它们交给蚊子。) ”可知，为了解决这个问题，团队需要使用基因编辑技术，由此可知，这个问题是一个很难解决的问题，故选B。
3．推理判断题。根据文章最后一段“But genetically changing wild animals does not sit well with environmentalists. “There’s no need to engineer a mosquito,” says Dana Perls, senior program manager for the emerging technology program at the non-profit Friends of the Earth .(但是,改变野生动物的基因并不受环保人士的欢迎。“没有必要改造蚊子”非营利组织地球之友新兴技术项目的高级项目经理Dana Pers说。).”可知，环保人士对于这种新方法的态度是不赞成的。故选C。
4．主旨大意题。根据文章第一段“Mosquitoes (蚊子) carry malaria (疟疾), which kills thousands of people each year. Now some researchers are trying to use genetic engineering (基因工程) to make them into partners in the fight against the disease.(蚊子携带疟疾,每年导致数千人死亡。现在,一些研究人员正试图利用基因工程技术使它们成为对抗这种疾病的伙伴。)”可知，文章主要一些研究人员正试图利用基因工程技术使蚊子成为对抗这种疾病的伙伴。因此本文的最佳标题是D项“通过改造蚊子基因控制疟疾”。故选D。
（23-24高一下·江苏·期末）Hundreds of emperor penguin chicks jumped off a 15- meter cliff (悬崖), as high as a five- story building. This scene was captured by drones in January at Atka Bay, Antarctica, and was put out recently in a documentary series called Secrets of the Penguins.
This jump seems brave but could be lethal to these young penguins.
According to National Geographic, emperor penguins usually raise their chicks on sea ice platforms. Not long after they turn 5 months old, the chicks have to begin their first swim in the ocean to hunt for themselves. Normally, they just need to jump from the sea ice, which is less than a meter high.
However, he fast- melting ice in Antarctica changes the situation. The Antarctic summer sea ice has decreased sharply since 2016, reported the BBC． in February 2023, the total area of sea ice reached a record low of 1.91 million square kilometers.
Emperors depend on sea ice for their breeding cycle, it’s the stable platform they use to bring up their young. Peter Fretwell from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), told the BBC． If the ice platform melts or breaks apart before they could swim, they are more likely to drown or freeze to death. For this reason emperor penguins are now choosing to raise their babies on the ice shelf, which is firmly attached to the land. Therefore, chicks must face the challenge of jumping off a high cliff.
“When the chicks get to this cliff face, they’re like... ‘This does not look like a fun jump, but I guess I’m gonna have to go’,” Michelle LaRue, a scientist at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, told National Geographic.
“Alarmingly, the decline in the ice has caused thousands of emperor penguin chicks to the in West Antarctica in 2022. The continuing decline of sea ice may force more emperors to make their nests on ice shelves, ” said Fretwell. “It’s heartbreaking to think that the whole species may be gone if climate change continues on the path that it’s on at the moment,” he added.
1．What does the underlined word “lethal” in paragraph 2 most probably mean
A．Deadly. B．Pleasant. C．Unusual. D．Boring.
2．Why do emperor penguin chicks jump off cliffs
A．They want to travel across the ocean.
B．They are trying to escape predators.
C．They are celebrating getting their adult feathers.
D．They have no other way to enter the water to hunt.
3．What factor is leading to emperor penguins raising their young on ice shelves
A．Declining sea levels.
B．The rapid melting of sea ice.
C．More available food for the chicks.
D．Bigger size of ice shelves.
4．What is the main concern Fretwell expressed- regarding emperor penguins
A．The shorter breeding cycle.
B．Their ability to hunt for themselves.
C．The potential extinction of the species.
D．Their increased dependence on sea ice.
【答案】1．A 2．D 3．B 4．C
【导语】这是一篇新闻报道。文章主要报道了企鹅幼崽因南极海冰融化被迫从高崖跳海，气候变化加剧，企鹅生存面临严重威胁。。
1．词句猜测题。根据第二段“This jump seems brave but could be lethal to these young penguins. (这次跳跃看起来很勇敢，但对这些年轻的企鹅来说可能是lethal。)”和最后一段中的“The continuing decline of sea ice may force more emperors to make their nests on ice shelves, said Fretwell. It’s heartbreaking to think that the whole species may be gone if climate change continues on the path that it’s on at the moment,” he added. (弗雷特韦尔说，海冰的持续减少可能会迫使更多的帝企鹅在冰架上筑巢。他补充说：“如果气候变化继续这样发展下去，整个物种可能会灭绝，想到这一点令人心碎。”)”可知，这次跳跃看起来很勇敢，但对这些年轻的企鹅来说可能是致命的，lethal意为“致命的”。A. Deadly致命的；B. Pleasant令人愉快的；C. Unusual不寻常的；D. Boring没趣的，令人厌倦的。故选A。
2．推理判断题。根据第三段“According to National Geographic, emperor penguins usually raise their chicks on sea ice platforms. Not long after they turn 5 months old, the chicks have to begin their first swim in the ocean to hunt for themselves. Normally, they just need to jump from the sea ice, which is less than a meter high. (据《国家地理》报道，帝企鹅通常在海冰平台上养育它们的幼崽。在他们5个月大后不久，小企鹅们要开始第一次在海里游泳来为自己寻找（猎物），通常情况下，它们只需要从不到一米高的海冰上跳下来。)”和第四段中的“However, he fast- melting ice in Antarctica changes the situation. (然而，南极洲快速融化的冰改变了这种情况。)”可知，小企鹅们跳下悬崖是因为它们没有其他办法进入水中捕猎。故选D。
3．推理判断题。根据第四段中的“However, the fast-melting ice in Antarctica changes the situation. (然而，南极洲快速融化的冰改变了这种情况。)”和第五段“Emperors depend on sea ice for their breeding cycle, it’s the stable platform they use to bring up their young. Peter Fretwell from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), told the BBC. If the ice platform melts or breaks apart before they could swim, they are more likely to drown or freeze to death. For this reason emperor penguins are now choosing to raise their babies on the ice shelf, which is firmly attached to the land. Therefore, chicks must face the challenge of jumping off a high cliff. (帝企鹅的繁殖周期依靠海冰，这是它们养育幼崽的稳定平台。英国南极调查局(BAS)的彼得·弗雷特韦尔告诉BBC。如果冰平台在他们游泳之前融化或破裂，他们更有可能淹死或冻死。出于这个原因，帝企鹅现在选择在冰架上抚养他们的孩子，冰架与陆地紧密相连。因此，小企鹅必须面对跳下悬崖的挑战。)”可知，南极洲快速融化的冰导致帝企鹅在冰架上抚养幼崽。故选B。
4．细节理解题。根据最后一段中的““It’s heartbreaking to think that the whole species may be gone if climate change continues on the path that it’s on at the moment,” he added. (他补充说：“如果气候变化继续这样发展下去，整个物种可能会灭绝，想到这一点令人心碎。”)”可知，Fretwell主要担心的是帝企鹅物种的潜在灭绝。故选C。
（23-24高一上·江苏南京·阶段练习）A California-based nonprofit is searching to build an AI language that allows humans more deeply understand non-human languages to help change our ecological impact on our Earth.
Aza Raskin is the co-founder and president of the Earth Species Project (ESP), a non-profit that uses a form of artificial intelligence (AI) to translate non-human languages. ESP wants to use its machine learning technology to translate and make this vital information widely available (可得到的) to the public.
Raskin emphasized their goal to help conservation by explaining, “The end we are working towards is, can we decode animal communication, discover the non-human language. Along the way and equally important is that we are developing technology that supports biologists and conservation now,” ESP believes that understanding languages can help deepen our relationship with animals and allow us to more efficiently protect them.
In the past, understanding the communication of animals was based on long and boring observation. From primate calls of alarms to dolphin whistles, scientists have been fascinated by the different forms of non-human communication present in these animals. With the development of new technologies, researchers have now begun to understand the huge amounts of data available through machine learning.
Elodie Briefer, an associate professor at the University of Copenhagen, has recently helped co-develop a pig grunt analyzing software that helps scientists understand whether the pigs are expressing positive or negative emotions. In contrast, ESP is approaching decoding differently, by focusing on all species, not just one. The Earth Species Project believes that there is a likelihood that social species communicate with each other, for instance, whales and dolphins.
Although the Earth Species Project believe that understanding AI machine learning data is only one step to full communication, they are hopeful that one day we will be able to understand entire systems of communication.
1．According to Aza Raskin, the goal of Earth Species Project is ________.
A．to develop flee advanced AI technology for everyone
B．to communicate with animals such as whales and dolphins
C．to provide information of animal species for the public
D．to help conserve animals by understanding their languages
2．According to the article, the methods scientists have used to discover the communication of animals do NOT include ________.
A．spending a lot of time observing animal communications
B．using a form of artificial intelligence to translate animal languages
C．developing a software to analyze a pig’s emotions through its grunts
D．playing recordings of animal sounds to communicate with other social animals
3．Which of the following statement is TRUE according to the article
A．ESP aims to provide free translation service for the public through advanced artificial intelligence technologies.
B．Machine learning has made it possible for researchers to understand huge amount of data about animal communication.
C．Elodie Briefer has helped develop a software which is exactly what ESP needs to decode animal language.
D．Researchers in the Earth Species Project believe that all species on earth can communicate with one another.
4．What is probably the best title for the text
A．Artificial Intelligence and Its Impact on Society
B．The Ambition of Earth Species Project
C．AI Technology Helps Understand Animal Languages
D．Save the Animals and Their Languages
【答案】1．D 2．D 3．B 4．C
【导语】这是一篇说明文。文章主要说明了为了帮助改变人类对地球环境的影响，一家总部位于加州的组织正在寻找一种人工智能语言，让人们深入理解非人类语言。
1．细节理解题。根据第二段中“Aza Raskin is the co-founder and president of the Earth Species Project (ESP), a non-profit that uses a form of artificial intelligence (AI) to translate non-human languages.(Aza Raskin是地球物种项目(ESP)的联合创始人兼总裁，这是一家使用人工智能(AI)翻译非人类语言的非营利组织)”以及第三段中“Raskin emphasized their goal to help conservation by explaining, ‘The end we are working towards is, can we decode animal communication, discover the non-human language. Along the way and equally important is that we are developing technology that supports biologists and conservation now,’(Raskin强调了他们帮助保护动物的目标，他解释说：‘我们努力的最终目标是，我们能否破译动物的交流，发现非人类的语言。在此过程中，同样重要的是，我们正在开发支持生物学家和保护的技术，’)”可知，地球物种项目的目标是通过了解动物的语言来帮助保护动物的。故选D。
2．细节理解题。根据第一段中“A California-based nonprofit is searching to build an AI language that allows humans more deeply understand non-human languages(总部位于加州的一家非营利组织正在寻找一种人工智能语言，让人类更深入地理解非人类语言)”、第四段中“In the past, understanding the communication of animals was based on long and boring observation.(过去，对动物交流的理解是建立在漫长而枯燥的观察基础上的)”和倒数第二段中“Elodie Briefer, an associate professor at the University of Copenhagen, has recently helped co-develop a pig grunt analyzing software that helps scientists understand whether the pigs are expressing positive or negative emotions.(哥本哈根大学副教授Elodie Briefer最近帮助合作开发了一款猪叫声分析软件，该软件可以帮助科学家了解猪是在表达积极的情绪还是消极的情绪)”可知，科学家用来发现动物交流的方法包括使用某种形式的人工智能来翻译动物的语言、花很多时间观察动物的交流以及开发一种软件，通过猪的咕噜声来分析猪的情绪，未提及“播放动物声音的录音来与其他群居动物交流”。故选D。
3．细节理解题。根据第四段最后一句“With the development of new technologies, researchers have now begun to understand the huge amounts of data available through machine learning.(随着新技术的发展，研究人员现在已经开始了解通过机器学习可以获得的大量数据)”可知，机器学习使研究人员能够理解大量关于动物交流的数据。故选B。
4．主旨大意题。根据全文内容，结合第一段“A California-based nonprofit is searching to build an AI language that allows humans more deeply understand non-human languages to help change our ecological impact on our Earth.(总部位于加州的一家非营利组织正在寻找一种人工智能语言，让人类更深入地理解非人类语言，以帮助改变我们对地球的生态影响)”可知，文章主要讲述为了帮助改变人类对地球环境的影响，一家总部位于加州的组织正在寻找一种人工智能语言，让人们深入理解非人类语言。C项“人工智能技术帮助理解动物语言”为最佳标题，故选C。
重难语篇拔高练
（2024·广东广州·二模）“It’s not unusual for guests to feel emotional when they discover the story behind our food,” says Patrick Navis. “Not to mention when they taste it. One even cried with happiness.” The setting for these tearful scenes Navis’s restaurant in a Dutch city. Here, the owner and his team create experimental food using herbs, roots, flowers and nuts— some common, others less so.
Most of these ingredients come from the Ketelbroek Food Forest nearby. To the untrained eye, it’s like an ordinary wood. But there’s one key difference: everything in it is edible (可食用的). It was set up in 2009 by Dutch botanist and environmentalist Noah Eck as an experiment in slow farming, to see what would happen if the right combination of food plants were left to grow together like a natural forest, without chemicals.
“It’s the first ‘food forest’ of its kind in Europe and we’re one of the few restaurants around the world cooperating in this way,” says Navis. “We have over 400 different species of edible plants we plan our menus around, including some we previously knew little about.” He harvests the ingredients and, with his fellow chefs, works them into beautifully presented tasting menus, served in a dining room hidden in the backstreets of the city,
“To us, fine dining is not about the fame of a restaurant, its location, expensive decoration, fancy cooking and wine list,” says Navis. “It’s about adding value through creativity and using ingredients nobody knows of, which are grown with great attention.” However, he adds, luxury cooking can be about enhancing everyday ingredients, too.
“When looking at cooking in this way, who can argue that caviar (鱼子酱), for example, is more valuable than a carrot grown with specialist knowledge ”
Experimentation is extremely important to Navis. In the next five years, he hopes to open an outdoor restaurant. But for now, the most important thing is to continue focusing on how plants are being grown and the perennial system used in the Food Forest, reducing the need for replanting each season.
1．What can we learn about Navis’s restaurant
A．It is known for its rare food sources. B．It serves food with moving stories.
C．It offers experimental food for free. D．It is well received by its guests.
2．How is Ketelbrock Food Forest different from ordinary woods
A．It is a natural forest. B．Diverse plants coexist in it.
C．It provides safe food ingredients. D．Plants there take longer to grow.
3．What is the key element of fine dining according to Navis
A．Convenient locations. B．Expensive ingredients.
C．Innovative menus. D．Fancy cooking techniques.
4．What does “the perennial system” in the last paragraph probably refer to
A．Farming with proper use of chemicals. B．The sustainable farming practice.
C．Natural farming without human intervention. D．An experimental farm for an outdoor restaurant.
【答案】1．D 2．C 3．C 4．B
【导语】这是一篇新闻报道。它介绍了荷兰一家独特的餐厅，该餐厅以“利用食物森林”中的食材进行创新烹饪为特色，展示了慢农业、可持续饮食以及美食创新的理念。
1．推理判断题。根据文章第一段 ““It’s not unusual for guests to feel emotional when they discover the story behind our food,” says Patrick Navis. “Not to mention when they taste it. One even cried with happiness.””（“当客人发现我们食物背后的故事时，他们感到情绪激动是很常见的 ”，帕特里克·纳维斯说。“更别提当他们品尝食物的时候了。甚至有人高兴地哭了。”）可推断，Navis的餐馆受到客人的欢迎。故选D。
2．细节理解题。根据文章第二段 “To the untrained eye, it’s like an ordinary wood. But there’s one key difference: everything in it is edible. ”（对于外行来说，它看起来像一片普通的树林。但有一个关键的区别：树林里的一切都是可食用的。）可知，Ketelbrock食品森林与普通森林不同之处在于，该森林提供安全的食材。故选C。
3．细节理解题。根据文章第四段““ To us, fine dining is not about the fame of a restaurant, its location, expensive decoration, fancy cooking and wine list,” says Navis. “ It’s about adding value through creativity and using ingredients nobody knows of, which are grown with great attention.” ” （纳维斯说：“对我们来说，美食不仅仅关乎餐厅的名声、位置、昂贵的装饰、精致的烹饪和酒单。”“而是通过创意为食物增加价值，使用那些鲜为人知且精心培育的食材。”）可知，对于Navis来说，优质餐饮的关键在于创新的菜单。故选C。
4．词句猜测题。根据划线部分前文“But for now, the most important thing is to continue focusing on how plants are being grown ”（但目前最重要的是，我们仍需继续关注植物是如何生长的。）以及后文“reducing the need for replanting each season ”（减少每个季节重新种植的需要）可知，Navis认为重要的是可以创造可持续农业，这样就不用每个季节重新种植，划线词与B选项“可持续农业实践”语意一致。故选B。
（23-24高一下·江苏淮安·期中）Natural selection is the process by which one type of animal within a species thrives because of certain qualities that make it more likely to live than others in its group. The history of the peppered moth (灰蛾) is an example of the natural selection process.
In nineteenth-century England, certain types of peppered moths were able to better blend (融合) into their surroundings. During that time period, great changes were happening in Great Britain. The Industrial Revolution was part of this change, and with it came air pollution. Natural selection often takes hundreds or even thousands of years to occur. For the peppered moth, this process occurred comparatively (相对地) quickly.
At the beginning of the Industrial Age, most peppered moths in England were light-colored and covered with black markings, although a few moths had dark-colored wings. Because the light-colored moths blended into the light-colored bark on the trees, they could not be easily seen by birds that would eat them. As the air grew more polluted, however, tree trunks became covered with soot (煤烟) and became darker. The light-colored moths became easy for birds to see against the dark tree trunks. Since the dark-colored moths now had the advantage, their numbers grew. Within 50 years, the peppered moth went from being mostly light-colored to being mostly dark-colored.
In the twentieth century, the air cleared up, and the peppered moth population changed again. As tree trunks lightened due to less soot in the air, light-colored moths once again had an advantage. Their numbers increased as soot levels declined (下降). Depending on their environment, the coloration of the moths helped them to be “naturally selected” to survive.
1．Which of the following can replace the word “thrives” in the first paragraph
A．reduces B．endangers C．increases D．changes
2．What do we know about the peppered moth’s natural selection process
A．The length of time was unusual.
B．It was a good example of environmental protection.
C．This type of color change was typical for moths.
D．The soot levels in England did not affect it.
3．What can we learn from the third paragraph
A．The color of moths was unimportant.
B．Both kinds of moths preferred the dark-colored trees.
C．There were more light-colored moths than dark-colored moths.
D．The number of moths had something to do with the level of air pollution.
4．Which would most likely happen if soot darkened England’s trees again
A．Birds would eat fewer moths.
B．Moths would not be able to stay alive.
C．The population of dark-colored moths would increase.
D．Light-colored moths would disturb people’s life.
【答案】1．C 2．A 3．D 4．C
【导语】本文为一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了英国灰蛾因为工业革命和近年来的环境改变的原因，发生的两次不同种群的自然选择变化过程。
1．词句猜测题。根据文章第一段画线单词后“Natural selection is the process by which one type of animal within a species thrives because of certain qualities that make it more likely to live than others in its group. (自然选择是指一个物种中的一种动物因为具有某些品质而比其他动物更有可能存活下来而thrives的过程。)”可知使得动物容易存活，所以指的是动物数量的增加，蓬勃发展，故C选项increases（增长，增强）与划线词意义一致。故选C。
2．推理判断题。根据文章第二段“Natural selection often takes hundreds or even thousands of years to occur. For the peppered moth, this process occurred comparatively (相对地) quickly. (自然选择通常需要数百年甚至数千年才能发生。对于灰蛾来说，这个过程发生得相对较快。)”可知，灰蛾在自然选择的过程中所花的时间长度是不同寻常的。故选A。
3．推理判断题。根据文章第三段“At the beginning of the Industrial Age, most peppered moths in England were light-colored and covered with black markings, although a few moths had dark-colored wings. (在工业时代初期，英国的大多数斑蛾都是浅色的，身上有黑色的斑纹，尽管有一些蛾子的翅膀是深色的。)”以及“As the air grew more polluted, however, tree trunks became covered with soot (煤烟) and became darker. The light-colored moths became easy for birds to see against the dark tree trunks. Since the dark-colored moths now had the advantage, their numbers grew. Within 50 years, the peppered moth went from being mostly light-colored to being mostly dark-colored. (然而，随着空气污染越来越严重，树干被烟灰覆盖，颜色也越来越深。鸟儿很容易在深色的树干上看到浅色的飞蛾。由于深色的飞蛾现在占了优势，它们的数量就增加了。在50年的时间里，灰蛾的大部分颜色从浅色变成了深色。)”可知，一开始大多数飞蛾的颜色是浅色的，随着空气污染的加重，灰蛾的大部分颜色从浅色变成了深色。所以灰蛾的数量与空气的质量有关。故选D。
4．推理判断题。根据文章第三段“As the air grew more polluted, however, tree trunks became covered with soot (煤烟) and became darker. The light-colored moths became easy for birds to see against the dark tree trunks. Since the dark-colored moths now had the advantage, their numbers grew. Within 50 years, the peppered moth went from being mostly light-colored to being mostly dark-colored. (然而，随着空气污染越来越严重，树干被烟灰覆盖，颜色也越来越深。鸟儿很容易在深色的树干上看到浅色的飞蛾。由于深色的飞蛾现在占了优势，它们的数量就增加了。在50年的时间里，灰蛾的大部分颜色从浅色变成了深色。)”可知，英格兰的树干颜色再次变深，那么深色的飞蛾的数量会增加。故选C。
