2 . That dinosaurs ate the mammals (哺乳动物) that ran beneath their feet is not in doubt. Now an extraordinary fossil newly described in Scientific Reports, unearthed by a team led by Gang Han at Hainan Vocational University of Science and Technology in China, shows that sometimes the tables were turned.

The fossil -dated to about 125 million years ago, during the Cretaceous period-was formed when a flow of boiling volcanic mud swallowed two animals seemingly locked in a life-and-death fight. The one on top is a mammal. This animal is a herbivorous species closely related to the Triceratops (三角恐龙). Animal interactions such as this are exceptionally cam e in the fossil record.

One possibility is that the mammal was eating something already dead, other than hunting live prey. These days it is uncommon for small mammals to attack much larger animals. But it is not unheard of. And Dr. Han and his colleagues point out that those mammals which eat dead bodies typically leave tooth marks all over the bones of the animals. The dinosaur’s remains show no such marks. There is also a chance the fossil could be a fake. More and more convincing fake s have emerged, as this one did -though Dr. Han and his colleagues argue that the complexly connected nature of the skeletons (骨骼) makes that unlikely, too.

Assuming it is genuine, the discovery serves as a reminder that not all dinosaurs were enormous during the Cretaceous and not all mammals were tiny. From nose to tail, the dinosaur is just 1.2 meters long. The mammal is a bit under half a meter in length. Despite being half the size, the mammal has one paw firmly wrapped around one of its prey’s limbs, and another pulling on its jaw. It is biting down on the dinosaur’s chest, and has ripped off two of its ribs. Before they were interrupted, it seems that the mammal was winning.

1. Which idiom is closest in meaning to underlined part “the tables were turned” in paragraph 1?

A．The fittest survives.	B．The hunters become hunted.
C．Fortune always favors the brave.	D．The truth will always come to light.

2. Why does the author mention the “tooth mark” in paragraph 3?

A．To prove the fossil was fake.	B．To show the forming of the fossil.
C．To illustrate the process of hunting.	D．To suggest the dinosaur was hunted alive.

3. What makes Dr. Han think the fossil is genuine?

A．The size of the fossil.	B．The absence of fake fossils.
C．The complexity of the skeletons.	D．The consistency of the opinions.

4. What is the function of the last paragraph?

A．It offers a cause.	B．It highlights a solution.
C．It justifies the conclusion.	D．It provides a new discovery.

4 . During my university years in the early 2000s, I worked part-time with kids at a neighborhood YMCA, which mainly focused on child care. Each year, we hosted a Christmas party for the community.

Most of the people working there were women, so we had to search for a male volunteer to play Santa Claus. We didn’t have many choices. John was a tall, twentyish man who was much too thin to be Santa Claus. No amount of stuffing (填充物) could possibly make him look like a common Santa Claus. He was, however, available.

On the day of the party, John put on his costume (戏装) and waited for the children. Many of the children who knew John said, “It’s just you, John.” If they didn’t know him, they said, “You’re too thin to be Santa.” We thought it might be a bad decision, but then everyone seemed to enjoy their time there, so it didn’t really matter.

Then, a lovely little girl entered the room. She was dressed beautifully to see Santa and seemed a little shy. Her mother brought her up to our Santa. “She’s deaf,” the mother explained. “If she could just sit on your lap (大腿) and have her picture taken, she would be happy.” John, the skinny Santa, smiled at the little girl, and she sat on his lap.

Then, the skinny Santa began using hand gestures to communicate with the girl fluently, and the little girl smiled happily and answered him quickly with her hands. Their conversation lasted quite a while. When I looked at the mother, I saw that she was crying. In fact, I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room. Santa Claus really was there.

There was so much we didn’t know about what was happening. This girl had never met John before, and few of us were aware that he knew how to sign — it all added up to a magical surprise.

1. Why was John chosen to play Santa Claus?

A．He was tall.

B．He was male.

C．He was young.

D．He was popular.

2. What did people probably think of John’s playing Santa Claus at first?

A．Disappointing.

B．Interesting.

C．Surprising.

D．Inspiring.

3. What can we know about the little girl?

A．She was talkative and lively.	B．She often came to the child care.
C．She was friendly to other children.	D．She expected to take pictures with Santa.

4. What contributed to the touching scene on that day?

A．The little girl has a nice character.	B．John’s knowledge of sign language.
C．The warm and friendly environment.	D．The participation of the little girl’s mother.

6 . Humans have long known that being in nature is good for the mind and body. From indigenous (本土的) adolescents completing the adult ceremony in the wild to modern East Asian cultures taking “forest baths”, many have looked to nature as a place for healing and personal growth. But the question still remains. How can nature make it?

There is no doubt that being in nature reduces the physiological symptoms of stress in our bodies. What this means is that we are less likely to be anxious and fearful in nature, and therefore we can be more open to other people and creative patterns of thought. Also, nature often leads to awe, wonder and respect, all these emotions facilitating everything from physical to mental health. There is also some evidence that exposure to nature impacts the brain. Viewing natural beauty makes specific reward circuits in the brain associated with dopamine release, a chemical that gives us a sense of purpose, joy and energy to pursue our goals.

But, regrettably, people seem to be spending less time outdoors and less time in nature than before. It is also clear that, in the past 30 years, people’s levels of stress and sense of “busyness” have risen dramatically. These joint forces have led environmental writer Richard Louv to coin the term “Nature Deficit Disorder”—a form of suffering that comes from a sense of disconnection from nature and its powers.

Perhaps we should take note and try a course corrective. The 19th century philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote about nature, “There I feel that nothing can befall me in life—no disgrace, no calamity.” The science speaks to Emerson’s intuition. It’s time to realize that nature is more than just a material resource. It’s also a pathway to human health and happiness.

1. Why are “indigenous adolescents” and “modern East Asian cultures” mentioned in paragraph 1?

A．To clarify a viewpoint.	B．To answer the question below.
C．To present the natural scenery.	D．To show the cultural differences.

2. What does the underlined word “facilitating” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Restricting.

B．Exposing.

C．Promoting.

D．Covering.

3. What is the tone of the author in writing paragraph 3?

A．Uneasy.

B．Indifferent.

C．Humorous.

D．Proud.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Is It Time to Challenge Yourself in Nature?

B．Do You Know Nature Is a Material Resource?

C．Why Do We Care about the Natural Environment?

D．What Can Happen When We Connect with Nature?

7 . Boston University (BU) is test-optional for first-year international applicants applying for fall 2023.

Students will be required to submit the TOEFL, IELTS or DET test scores as the primary means for evaluating English language capacity. High school records, teacher evaluation and your financial documents shall also be included in applicant checklist. Applicants must decide for themselves whether to include standardized test scores with their BU application.

Standardized Test Scores

BU accepts self-reported standardized test scores on your application. You may also submit your official test scores by the testing agency, or through the self-report form on the My BU Applicant Portal.

Please note: If you submit self-reported standardized test scores, an official score report from the testing agency will be required before registering at BU. If the scores on those differ even slightly from the scores you self-reported earlier, your application will most likely be disqualified.

High School Reports

Official copies of your high school reports must be submitted by a school official. If you are admitted in an international course with national exams, please see our High School Credentials (资格证书) page for how to submit these official results.

For most BU programs, the recommended high school courses are as follows: 4 years of English, 3—4 years of mathematics, 3—4 years of laboratory science, 3—4 years of history and/or social science.

1. Which are optional in applying to BU?

A．Financial documents.	B．High school records.
C．Standardized test scores.	D．Teacher evaluation reports.

2. What may cause a failure in your application?

A．Updating applicant information.

B．Submitting inconsistent test results.

C．Taking different English language tests.

D．Reporting scores on the My BU Applicant Portal.

3. Who is the text intended for?

A．Test organizers.	B．Primary students.
C．College professors.	D．International applicants.

8 . A perfect performance of Chinese Shaolin Kung Fu amazed hundreds of audiences in Bowers Museum in US Southern California on Sunday.

This Kung Fu demonstration by Shaolin monks (僧人) was a highlight of the 2023 Shaolin Cultural Day, a rare cultural event for the Orange County community in Southern California.

“The event offers a unique opportunity for the Orange County community to actively engage with Shaolin culture and gain firsthand experience in various Shaolin activities,” said Anne Shih, chairwoman of the Board of Governors of Bowers Museum. “Whether it’s learning from Kung Fu masters or enjoying interactive Shaolin activities, these experiences will help audiences to experience the Chinese culture and better understand Chinese traditions,” Shih said.

With a history of over 1, 500 years, Shaolin Kung Fu is one of China’s most treasured cultural heritage items, and has been practiced by Kung Fu lovers around the world.

Larry Lee, a 72-year-old resident of Orange County, said he has been practicing Kung Fu for over 50 years. “The traditional Chinese martial arts have deep intelligence in it. They relate to a way of life that goes much deeper than just fighting.” Lee said besides Kung Fu, he is also interested in Chinese medicine and other elements of the Chinese culture.

The 2023 Shaolin Cultural Day served as a fitting finale (场) to the 2023 Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, providing a platform to honor and appreciate the contributions of the AAPI community.

“The event will help people of other communities to be better informed about China and the Chinese culture, and therefore developing understanding and friendship,” said Cultural Counselor (参赞) of the Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles Wang Taiyu. “We hope through such activities, we can promote friendship between Chinese and American peoples, and contribute to China-US relations.” he said.

1. What can we infer about Shaolin Kung Fu from paragraphs 1 and 2?

A．It was performed on a school’s playground.	B．Orange County didn’t enjoy it often.
C．Its performance lasted two weeks.	D．Its attracted vistiors all over the world.

2. According to Anne Shih, what benefits does the event bring?

A．Helping Southern Californians learn Chinese quickly.

B．Helping audiences become Kung Fu masters through practice.

C．Helping audiences have a better knowledge of Chinese traditions.

D．Helping Orange County attract more Kung Fu lovers around the world.

3. How does Larry Lee think of Chinese martial arts?

A．They include wisdom in them.

B．They focus mainly on fighting.

C．They represent Chinese culture and history.

D．They inspire you to be expert at Chinese medicine.

4. Why is the event held in Wang Taiyu’s opinion?

A．To stress the importance of communities.	B．To advise how to understand each other.
C．To compare different cultures.	D．To build up better friendships.