一．阅读理解（27.5分）

A

Brecon Beacons YAC has an amazing opportunity for budding (崭露头角的) archaeologists (考古学家) of all ages, in Sunderland in Tyne and Wear. Thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, professional archaeologists from Wardell Armstrong will be investigating an archaeological mystery and 

they need your help.   

Romans?   

“The site is a bit of a mystery”, Frank Giecco from Wardell Armstrong said. “There is a very nice 

cropmark recorded on the site that has got lots of people very excited. Geophysicists (地质物理学家) failed to find anything related to the cropmark. There is anecdotal (趣闻的) evidence of Roman material being found, but nothing is officially recorded. We hope to finally answer the question of what is in this field, during the two weeks on site. Is there evidence of any Roman occupation on the site? Can you help us find out?

Get involved   

This is an opportunity for both adults and children to take part in field walking and trial trenching (small hand-dug test pits for children). No experience is necessary, training will be provided by professional archaeologists from Wardell Armstrong, and all equipment will be provided. Volunteers can attend for as few or as many days as they wish, but they do need to book a place. For more information. And to book your place, please contact Norman Kirtlan at sunderlandforgottenstones@gmail.

1.What’s the main purpose of the activity?

A. To seek funding for archaeological research.

B. To find volunteers to help solve an archaeological mystery.

C. To appeal for help in proving findings based on anecdotal evidence.

D. To organize volunteers to help sort out data on the Roman occupation.

2.Which of the following statement might be true if you take part in the activity?

A. You will be coached by experts in the field.

B. You should have worked with archaeologists before.

C. You should spare two weeks to stay at the site. 

D. You will be charged for using equipment.

3.Who is the activity probably intended for? 

A. Romans.   B. Experts.   C. Officials.   D. Families

B

Kiska, the last captive (圈养的) killer whale in Canada --- also known as “the loneliest whale in the world” ----has died, according to local media.

The whale, believed to be 47 years old, died on March 9, 2023. Ontario’s Solicitor General Ministry spokesperson Brent Ross confirmed to CBC. Kiska, who spent over four decades in captivity, lived at Marineland, a zoo and amusement park in Niagara Falls, after being captured in Icelandic waters in 1979 alongside Keiko, the star of the movie Free Willy. Marineland said that Kiska’s health had declined in recent weeks.

The news comes four years after the country officially banned whales and dolphins from being bred or held in captivity. However, marine mammals like Kiska that were already held in captivity would remain so, according to the new law. Kiska’s death marks the end of captive whales in Canada.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said Kiska “spent her final years isolated in a tank, swimming in endless circles or sometimes floating listlessly.” 

Kiska’s life of continued isolation led the Whale Sanctuary Project to describe her as “the loneliest whale in the world.”

Both animal rights groups reported that Kiska died of a bacterial infection. Ross told CBC that animal welfare officials had conducted a necropsy (尸检) of the mammal.

Kiska underwent several hardships while living at the amusement park, according to PETA. These included the deaths of all five of her children and the departure of her sole tankmate Ikaika in 2011. Videos of Kiska slamming her head against her tank wall multiple times began circulating on social media in 2021.

Kiska was one of the last survivors of the Icelandic captures back in the 1970s. She lived the last 12 years of her life completely alone, no other whales or in fact any other species were there to keep her company.

“It is heartbreaking to know that Kiska will never have the chance to be relocated to a whale reserve and experience the freedom that she so deeply deserved.” Camille Labchuk, executive director of Animal justice, told CBC.

There are at least 55 killer whales being held in captivity in marine parks around the world, according to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation. Killer whales are known to be very social mammals and are not suitable for captivity. Chronic stress can weaken the immune system and physiology of captive killer whales, leading to illness and even death.

4.Which of the following statement is true about Kiska?

A. She died as the last captive killer whale in the world.

B. She was captured in the ocean more than 40 years ago.

C. She was a star in a film called Free Willy.

D. She should have been set free according to a new law passed in 2019.

5.Why Kiska was referred to as “the loneliest whale in the world”?

A. Because Kiska’s death marks the end of captive whales in Canada.

B. Because Kiska was kept alone after a bacterial infection.

C. Because Kiska lived the last 12 years of her life without company.

D. Because all five of Kiska’s children died ahead of her.

6.What does the underlined word listlessly probably means in the text?

A. Without enthusiasm.     B. Without destination.

C. Without breath.         D. Without effort.

7.What is the best title of the text?

A. It’s high time that we stopped catching killer whales.

B. The death of a killer whale leads to a new law in Canada. 

C. Kiska, the last survivor of the Icelandic captures, has died. 

D. Kiska, “the loneliest whale in the world”, dies in Canada.

C

Coral reefs are among the most productive ecosystems in the world. They’re also in serious danger——climate change and other threats are killing them off. But researchers have come up with an invention they think could help the reefs: 3D-printed corals.

At the heart of reef ecosystems lies a symbiosis (共生关系) between corals and algae (藻类). Corals use light and they’re photosynthesizing (光合作用). The algae inside corals’ tissues make use of the light to generate energy, and that energy is then transferred to the coral animal host. That animal host, in return, transfers certain by-products to the algae, so they have a symbiosis going on.

This bond between algae and corals is what makes reefs so incredibly productive. Because of this symbiosis, corals have evolved complex skeletal (骨骼的) and tissue structures for collecting sunlight which usually fades rapidly. Through the skeleton, light is pumped and guided into deeper, otherwise shaded areas.

Scientists copied some tricks that corals use. They imaged corals to analyze their skeletal and tissue makeup and then used a 3D bio printer to build a complicated structure that mimics real corals. The printed corals were made of biomaterials like cellulose (纤维素) and had algae planted in them.

The researchers replicated (复制) coral structure so well that the algae grew very quickly—— up to 100 times more densely than they normally grow in the lab. The 3D-printed creation could be used as a medium to grow algae to produce bioenergy and also as a tool for studying the coral-algae symbiosis.

Of course, there are many other ways this technology can be further scaled and improved to create something like artificial corals in the future. So this is just the first step, where they created the animal host, but they are now continuing to further replicate this animal-algal symbiosis and developing model systems. Eventually, it would be nice that this can have direct applications in coral reef restoration.

8. What is the function of the algae inside corals’ tissues?

  A. To perform photosynthesis.     B. To pump light into shaded areas.

  C. To produce energy needed by their host.  D. To build complex skeletal structures.

9. What do algae get in the symbiotic relationship with corals?

  A. Stronger tissues.                          B. Certain by-products.

  C. Biomaterials like cellulose.                 D. An animal host.

10. Scientists use 3D-printed coral structure to         .

  A. make a study of the coral-algae symbiosis     

  B. strengthen the bond between algae and corals

  C. change ocean conditions for corals to survive

  D. remove the harmful algae inside the tissues of corals

11. What is the best title of this passage?

  A. Fantastic Coexistence of Corals and Algae     

  B. Corals Evolving Symbiosis to Avoid Extinction

  C. Coral Reefs: Productive but Endangered Ecosystem

  D. 3D-Printed Technology Hopefully Saving Coral Reefs