1 . A 5.7-meter-tall giraffe has been named the world’s tallest giraffe by Guinness World Records.

Twelve-year-old Forest has been officially named the tallest living giraffe after the workers at Australia Zoo in Queensland, Australia were able to measure him after months of trying.

They made a measuring pole (测量杆) and put it close to a feeding station in the giraffe house. They then waited several months to get the videos and photos needed by Guinness World Records.

Forest lived in Auckland Zoo in New Zealand at birth, and was moved to Australia Zoo when he was 2 years old. He is much taller than the other two giraffes at the zoo, both of whom are female (雌性的). Forest has been very important at the zoo. As the father of 12 young giraffes, he is still in the breeding period (繁殖期).

Giraffes are the tallest animals on Earth. The average (平均的) adult male giraffe is between 4.6 and 5.5 meters tall. The tallest giraffe was 5.8 meters tall. The giraffe, called George, arrived at England’s Chester Zoo from Kenya in 1959, but died in 1969.

Bindi Irwin from Australia Zoo told Guinness World Records that the zoo is proud to be helping to make sure that giraffes will still be around in the future.

2 . Scientists did a study about snakes at Wilfrid Laurier University, in Canada. We may think snakes are loners. Actually they may not be the loners. Scientists found that snakes actively search for other snakes to spend time with. Simply put, snakes have friends.

The study joins a growing body of research. They all show that friendships among animals could be more common than we thought.

The scientists used 40 snakes to do an experiment. These snakes often live in the southeastern United States. The snakes were tested for personalities such as shyness. Scientists put them into an enclosure（围墙）, ten of them at one time. The enclosure had four little house-like structures（建筑物）in it. For eight days, scientists watched the snakes traveling from house to house. Once a while, they took a snake out of the traveling from house to house. Once a while, they took a snake out of the enclosure, then put it back in a different structure. The researchers noticed something interesting: No matter where they put the snakes, the snakes found a way to rejoin their “friends”. It means that snakes “have social understanding”. They can tell others apart. And they choose who they want to be with.

Why would snakes need friends? It could be for protection. It’s unlikely they’re looking for someone to play video games with.

4 .

7 . Hibernation（冬眠）is a way to spend winter for many animals. Some animals will hibernate when the food supply runs low and the temperature drops, causing it to be too cold to wander about.

Some animals might go into a deep sleep for long time, while others will just slow down but remain active. Now let’s see something about chipmunks’ hibernation.

You might mistake these tiny animals for baby squirrels. That could be because they belong to the squirrel family. You can watch chipmunks play in spring, summer, and fall, but in winter, they enter their hibernation process.

Where chipmunks hibernate: You will find chipmunks digging a hole as deep as 3 feet under the ground usually directly under or next to a cover. During their active daytime , later in summer and early autumn , you will often enjoy watching them as they nestle（采集）their nuts between their cheeks and take them to their burrows(地洞）to save for their winter hibernation.

During the hibernation:During the winter hibernation, chipmunks’ body temperature will drop. They will sleep heavily waking occasionally(偶尔）for food , and not be seen again until springtime when they will play. During the late summer, they will work hard once again, collecting food to prepare for the next winter.

10 . Last month, I went to see my parents in the countryside with my son Tom. Tom was interested _______ everything there. He never got _______ playing outside.

At lunch, Tom told me a dog ran after a hen in the yard. The hen had no way to go, so she flew to the _______ of the house. “How can a hen fly, Dad?” Tom asked. I thought for a while and said, “Maybe（或许） _______ love. The hen loves her life and that helps her fly!” Tom _______ to understand. Last weekend, we _______ Tom’s grandparents again. This time Tom saw the dog running after the hen again. The hen was running _______. But then she stopped and turned around. She opened her wings（翅膀） and looked at the dog. Under her wings were her _______.

“Dad, _______ didn’t the hen fly away?” Tom asked. I thought for a while and said, “Maybe because she loves her babies more than _______ in the world.” Tom thought for a long time and went to help the hen.