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Directions: In this section, there are three passages. Each passage is followed by five questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should choose the best choice.
Blue whales ( 鲸 ) have made themselves at home in a part of the Indian Ocean, where they hadn't been seen for many years, according to a study published late last year. The blue whale is the largest animal on Earth. These whales can grow to about 100 feet long, and the animal's heart alone can be the size of a small car. Blue whales were filmed in the waters around the Seychelles in 2020. The Seychelles are a group of islands that make up the smallest African country. Hunters almost completely wiped out blue whales in the area in the 1960s.
During this recent exploration, however, scientists spotted several of the creatures. Research suggests that these whales are not just passing through. The discovery was made with the help of a “ sound trap ”, an object that was fitted with recording devices and batteries and placed on the seafloor in November 2021. It was left there for a year, recording 15 minutes every hour. When scientists studied the recordings, they discovered the blue whales’ recognizable song, which is so deep that it can't be heard naturally by human ears.
The whale songs were detected between December and April, a common time for blue whales to breed and nurse their young. Kathleen Stafford, one of the researchers, said that the scientists think the noise was the singing of male whales. “They sing during the breeding season,” she explained. This could mean that the Seychelles is an important breeding area for this type of animals. The government of the Seychelles has been making major efforts to protect the oceans around the islands since 2015. The appearance of these whales shows that its work seems to have made a big difference.
1. What can we learn about the Seychelles according to Paragraph 1?
A. It is a big island.
B. It is a part of India.
C. It is a large ocean.
D. It is an African country.
2. What happened to blue whales in the Seychelles in the 1960s?
A. They were filmed nearby.
B. They were spotted by hunters.
C. They almost entirely died out.
D. They passed through the place.
3. What does the underlined expression “sound trap” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A. An object for placing batteries.
B. A device for recording sounds.
C. A tool for catching blue whales.
D. A machine for attracting blue whales.
4. When might the whale songs be detected?
A. In July.
B. In May.
C. In March.
D. In November.
5. What's the purpose of the government's major work since 2015?
A. To build a larger home for blue whales.
B. To protect the waters around the islands.
C. To make the appearance of the place different.
D. To prevent many big ships from sailing nearby.
The first forest library in Shanghai recently opened in public. Known as Read & Joy Forest, the library was jointly founded by Pudong New Area and Shanghai Library. It is located in an urban wood, covering an area of 20,546 square meters.
The design of the forest library allows the environment-friendly principle—ensuring minimum disturbance to nature. In the library existing green spaces are connected by wooden walkways.
The library is in open air and equipped with facilities such as benches and an information booth. Visitors can read and relax in a natural environment. They can take a pleasant walk in the quiet and verdant forest, which includes Camphor, Cedar, and Osmanthus trees.
“I learnt about the forest library from my friends, so I came here,” said a 21-year-old college student, Mr. Wang. “The green outdoor environment helps reduce eyestrain. I will come back for sure.”
Having a library in the woods is an extension of reading indoors, according to Xu Qiang, who works in Shanghai Library. “It offers a different reading experience for readers,” he added.
Most of the visitors to the forest library are young people and parents with kids. They are really impressed by the fresh air and the green. They can either immerse themselves in reading or take leisurely strolls in the forest. Since most of the time they stay indoors, this special library makes it possible for them to get close to natural surroundings. They feel really relaxed there.
6. The environment-friendly principle focuses on ______.
A. increasing green spaces
B. making the least change to nature
C. reducing disturbance to readers
D. creating a relaxing indoor environment
7. What do we know about “Osmanthus” in Paragraph 3?
A. It is a plant.
B. It is a path.
C. It is a bench.
D. It is a device.
8. What does Xu Qiang think of the forest library?
A. It appeals a lot to parents and kids.
B. It provides a new reading experience.
C. It enlarges the indoor reading space.
D. It helps reduce readers’ eyestrain.
9. The forest library is special because it ______.
A. offers people a chance to read in nature
B. attracts a large number of readers
C. has support from the local government
D. covers a large area of forest
10. Where is this passage most likely from?
A. A diary.
B. A handbook.
C. A newspaper.
D. A novel.
Buying an electric car (电动汽车) instead of a gasoline-powered car (燃油汽车) is a good way to help fight climate change, but what if you already have a gasoline-powered car that's working perfectly fine? Should you sell it and go electric? What's the best way to reduce your carbon emission (碳排放) when it comes to getting where you need to go?
Kenneth Gillingham, a professor of economics at Yale, says that there are multiple factors to consider when it comes to your transportation choices. Producing new cars and transporting them contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, so it's important to consider that when you're thinking about this issue—even though research has shown producing an electric vehicle is less harmful to the environment than producing a gas-powered vehicle. If you have a car that's really fuel efficient, he says, it's probably fine to just keep it for a while.
On the other hand, it is good to help increase demand for electric vehicles. “In this stage of electric vehicle development, it is really beneficial to have demand for electric vehicles to show the automakers there is a market here and they really can shift 90 percent of their research and development dollars toward electric vehicles and people will buy them,” Gillingham says.
Beyond the issue of what kind of car you own or might soon buy, it's also important to consider how you're using your car and if you need a car at all. Driving less reduces air pollution, especially when replaced by walking or biking. And using public transport also helps reduce much you're contributing to climate change.
But there is a big debate over whether using ride services is better or worse for the environment than driving your own car somewhere. All researchers seem to agree that it is worse because drivers spend over 40 percent of their time driving without a passenger while they're in between trips.
11. Which of the following is a good way to help fight climate change?
A. Trying to drive an electric car wherever we go.
B. Buying an electric car rather than a gasoline-powered car.
C. Selling our gasoline-powered cars when they are fuel efficient.
D. Keeping our gasoline-powered cars even though they are not working very well.
12. What is an important consideration about transportation choices according to Paragraph 2?
A. Taking public transport is the best choice.
B. Producing and transporting cars can cause gas emissions.
C. Producing a gas-powered vehicle is less harmful than producing an electric car.
D. Walking or riding a bike contributes to less carbon emission than driving a car.
13. Which of the following is the best way to reduce carbon emission when you go out?
A. To walk or ride a bike.
B. To drive an electric car.
C. To use public transport.
D. To drive a gasoline-powered car.
14. Which of the following is NOT included in the issues for consideration in order to protect the environment?
A. The price of your car.
B. The way to use your car.
C. The kind of car you own.
D. The kind of car you want to buy.
15. What is the topic of this passage?
A. The importance of increasing demand for electric cars.
B. A comparison between electric and gas-powered cars.
C. Both advantages and disadvantages of an electric car.
D. The relationship between transportation choices and gas emission.
Directions: Read the passage and then decide whether the following statements are True or False. You should mark A or B on the Answer Sheet, A for True and B for False.
Secondary schools in the Netherlands will ban mobile phones, tablets and smartwatches from the classroom in the new year to try to reduce distractions.
The only exceptions to the rule will be when the devices are integral to the topic being studied, or if individual students have specific needs because of factors such as disability.
Some schools have already introduced voluntary restrictions, but Education Minister Robbert Dijkgraaf said that while such pieces of technology “are intertwined with our lives, they do not belong in the classroom”.
“Students need to be able to concentrate and need to be given the opportunity to study well. Mobile phones are a disturbance, scientific research shows. We need to protect students against this,” he said.
The ban has come about through an agreement with the government's education department, schools and relevant organizations. Initially, it will be left up to schools to enforce it, with the prospect of legislation and binding rules next summer if this approach does not work.
The move follows similar steps taken recently in Finland, a country that is widely regarded as having one of the best education systems in the world. It is also the birthplace of Nokia, one of the most significant companies in the development of mobile phones.
“The government will reinforce the powers of teachers and principals to intervene in activities that disrupt teaching during school hours,” said a Finnish government statement issued last month.
France has also had a ban in place since September 2018. Newspaper Le Figaro reported that before the ban, around 30 to 40 percent of all sanctions issued in senior schools related to the use of mobile phones in the classroom.
( ) 16. Smart devices are to be banned from Dutch classroom in the new year.
( ) 17. The disabled students are banned from using smart devices in the Netherlands.
( ) 18. Robbert Dijkgraaf approved of the use of smart devices in the Netherlands.
( ) 19. Finland is widely regarded as having the best education system in the world.
( ) 20. France has also issued a similar official rule concerning the use of smart devices.