3 . Food forests, also known as forest gardens or edible forests, are appearing in urban settings across the US as a unique way to help food-insecure communities. They imitate the structure and functioning of natural forest ecosystems that produce various edible plants for the community, which reduces reliance on external food sources and promotes food self-sufficiency.

Food forests can maximize food production in a given area. In a regular garden, you’re probably only planting vegetables along the ground. While this can provide a great harvest, it leaves a lot of space unused. Now imagine you are planting a fruit tree. On the shady side, you add some shade-tolerant berries, and on the sunny side you add some sun-loving berries. At the base of the sun-loving berries, you plant some annual vegetables and herbs. This food forest would result in a truly splendid harvest that would dwarf what a regular garden the same size could provide.

The genius of a food forest lies in its designed cultivation of beneficial interactions between different plant species. For instance, some plants might enrich the soil by fixing nitrogen, a natural fertilizer for neighboring vegetation, while others naturally attract beneficial insects, providing a built-in pest control mechanism. These strategic connections lead to reduced dependency on labor inputs and create an environment that is hardy and sustainable.

Food forests require ongoing care and maintenance, which often involves the participation of community members. This cooperative effort develops a sense of shared responsibility and brings people together to work towards a common goal. Community members can come together to learn about planting techniques, sustainable gardening practices, and the benefits of native plants. This shared learning experience creates a platform for exchanging ideas and skills, promoting a sense of self-reliance within the community.

1. What are food forests intended for?

A．Improving food quality in America.

B．Protecting natural forest ecosystems.

C．Beautifying the urban living environment.

D．Providing food sources for the community.

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

A．Strengthen.

B．Overshadow.

C．Widen.

D．Enlarge.

3. What does the example in paragraph 3 indicate?

A．Food forests can help increase the diversity of species.

B．Food forests require considerable labor inputs to maintain.

C．Plants in food forests can benefit one another in some ways.

D．The pest control mechanism in food forests is favorable to soil.

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．Planting techniques determine the yield of food forests.

B．The maintenance of food forests is costly and complicated.

C．Food forests serve as a bond to bring community members closer.

D．Food forests have become a popular gathering spot in the communities.

4 . Last year, as my then-9-year-old son, Leopold, and I were on a series of adventurous trips, I came up with a rule: We would say yes to everything as much as feasibly possible. Leopold is a picky kid — he feeds only on chicken nuggets and yogurt — and can be reluctant to try new things. According to him, it’s because he has numerous fears, including heights, spiders and the dark. But honestly, I suspect he just has normal kid-sized nerves.

My original goal was simple. I was hoping to find a way to encourage him without resorting to worn-out words like “if you don’t try it, you’ll never know if you like it.” So, I borrowed the idea of a “yes day”. Leopold and I agreed we would say yes to everything — including food and experiences, especially new ones.

In St. Augustine, Florida, we collectively said yes to a moonlit ghost tour of the city’s famous haunted sites, where while others got claustrophobic (幽闭恐惧的) and left during the telling of ghost stories, Leopold and I stayed until the bitter end and didn’t even scream when one of the actors attempted to frighten us with a jump scare. On that same trip, Leopold tried his first spicy tuna roll and then experimented with blackened grouper (石斑鱼). In Long Sands, Maine, I challenged myself to jump into the freezing ocean, getting cold and wet, but happy to be foolish enough to jump into the chilly waters. On the last night of our trip at a rodeo where cowboys showed their skills at handling bulls in Cody, Wyoming, my son did not hesitate but went onto the field to take part in this traditional event. Though coming back without the prized bandanna, he was laughing loudly, sweaty and excited. I knew it was an experience we would never forget.

And therein lies the beauty of saying yes on vacation. It pushes you to be open to new opportunities and step out of your comfort zone. Though it’s not always possible to say yes to everything back home, where work, school and other obligations get in the way, we’ve begun trying to say it more. Cultivating a sense of curiosity and adventure helps all of us live life to the fullest with zero regrets — even if you do sometimes wind up cold and wet, sweaty and tired.

1. What can we learn about Leopold from the first paragraph?

A．He avoided new attempts.	B．He longed for adventures.
C．He was fond of travelling.	D．He enjoyed varieties of food.

2. What do we learn about their trips?

A．They tried freediving.	B．They kept their promise.
C．They enjoyed ghost stories.	D．They won a prize in a local festival.

3. What is the benefit of trying new experiences?

A．Enjoying the comfort zone.	B．Strengthening cooperation skills.
C．Developing an adventurous spirit.	D．Cultivating a sense of responsibility.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To tell a story of an adventurous trip.

B．To present problems of living a full life.

C．To show challenges of parenting a picky kid.

D．To share a method of trying new experiences.

6 . A year ago, Hialeah Gardens High School student Wendy Chai met Snowball, the American Eskimo dog. Chai, who is 16 years old, was________with anxiety and depression when she was 13, but thanks to an________started at her high school in Hialeah Gardens, Florida, she has relied on Snowball to help her________the day.

The program, S. A. F. E. (Support Animals for Everyone), was_______ by students at her school in 2022. It   _____certain students to bring support animals to school and also makes support animals________to students and staff during school hours. The students presented their project to the Aspen Challenge in Miami. The initiative won the third place.

S.A.F.E President Naomi Gallardo, 17, explained that________to animals helps students relax after exams. “We bring different types of animals — dogs, cats, rabbits, snakes—according to our________and fancies,” Naomi said. “We host annual occasions________at addressing mental health.”

For many, talking about mental health is________due to the negative stereotypes and social________surrounding the issue. The presence of a trained animal as emotional support________helps to break down that psychological________.

By providing students with various support animals and________dialogue, S.A.F.E. continues to create a safer and more________environment for all.

1.

A．diagnosed

B．annoyed

C．walked

D．helped

2.

A．experiment

B．opportunity

C．initiative

D．experience

3.

A．go across

B．pass by

C．get along

D．get through

4.

A．informed

B．launched

C．discovered

D．transformed

5.

A．forbids

B．allows

C．facilitates

D．discourages

6.

A．available

B．convenient

C．reliable

D．responsible

7.

A．limitation

B．opposition

C．exposure

D．similarity

8.

A．facts

B．items

C．conditions

D．preferences

9.

A．stared

B．glared

C．aimed

D．arrived

10.

A．simple

B．tough

C．rough

D．delicate

11.

A．pride

B．patience

C．generosity

D．prejudice

12.

A．seldom

B．usually

C．regularly

D．rarely

13.

A．barrier

B．access

C．connection

D．bridge

14.

A．recording

B．interesting

C．encouraging

D．controlling

15.

A．supportive

B．critical

C．cooperative

D．independent

7 . Dogs may have earned the title of our best friends through their interactions with humans, but now researchers say these social skills could, be present shortly after birth rather than being learned.

To better understand the role of biology in dogs’ abilities to communicate with humans, the researchers studied 375 eight-week-old service dogs. They looked at how these dogs performed in a series of tasks designed to measure their communication skills. The puppies were still living with their littermates (同窝出生者) and had not been sent to live with a volunteer puppy raiser, making it unlikely that they had learned about his or her behavior.

In the first task, a person hid a treat beneath one of two overturned cups and pointed to it to see if the puppy could follow the gesture. Since dogs are good at using noses to find things a treat was also taped to the insides of, both cups. In the second task, puppies watched as the researchers placed a yellow, block next to the correct cup, instead of pointing to indicate where the puppy should look for the food.

The third task was designed to observe puppies’ tendency to look at human faces. The researchers spoke to the puppy in a voice people sometimes use when talking to a baby. They then measured how long the puppy fixed a stare on the human.

In the last task, researchers sealed a treat inside a closed container and presented it to the puppy. They then measured how often the puppy looked to the human for help in opening the container.

The study found that while many of the puppies were responsive to humans’ physical and verbal cues, very few looked to humans for help with the unsolvable task. Researchers said, “This suggests that while puppies may be born knowing how to respond to human-initiated communication, the ability to initiate communication on their own may come later.” The next step will be to see if specific genes that may contribute to dogs’ abilities to communicate with humans can be identified.

1. Why were eight-week-old service dogs chosen for the study?

A．They were the best age to learn.

B．They were cute and safe to deal with.

C．They were unlikely influenced by their mates.

D．They had had little contact with humans before.

2. What is the researchers’ purpose in taping food to both cups?

A．To provide clues for the puppies’ final decisions.

B．To make comparisons between different conditions.

C．To prevent the puppies from making use of their smell.

D．To check the puppies’ preference for a particular color.

3. What can we know from the study?

A．Puppies can understand our body language.

B．Puppies are good at asking humans for help.

C．Puppies are born to arouse communication with humans.

D．Puppies need specific genes to communicate with humans.

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

A．Dogs—talented performers	B．Dogs—humans’ best friends
C．Dogs—born to be able to learn	D．Dogs—born to understand humans

8 . I’ve never had a great sense of direction. And I often wander into shops and, upon coming back out, can’t remember which way I’ve come from — left or right? Many people are like me, and why do some constantly have no idea where they are?

The hippocampus (海马体) is a region of the brain associated with memory and involved in sense of direction. And a nearby region has also been associated with sense of direction. There are four known types of navigation-related neurons (神经元), found in these regions place cells, grid cells, border cells and head direction cells.

In short, you can think of place cells as an internal cognitive (认知的) map; they identify where you are. Grid cells are like a GPS system in our brain; they tell us about the relationship of this place to other places we’ve been to. Border cells respond to the presence of environmental boundaries at a specific direction and distance from us. Lastly, head direction cells are activated when our head faces a specific direction. These cells will fire electrical impulses when we enter familiar locations, with each group of cells relating to a specific place.

Our reliance on GPS and smartphones may have decreased the ability to use our internal maps. Older adults who regularly used GPS had less activity in their hippocampus, compared with those who did not use GPS. They also performed slightly worse in a cognition test. In contrast, a study involving London taxi drivers found they significantly larger hippocampus than ordinary people.

You can improve your way-finding ability specifically by practicing the skill, according to Aziz, PhD of neurology at Temple University School of Medicine. “The more you get out and go to places, the better,” he says. Physical exercise improves the blood flow to the brain, while mental exercise, such as doing puzzles or learning a new language, stimulates the development of new nerve cells and connections in your brain.

1. How does the author introduce the topic of the text?

A．By raising a question.

B．By making a comparison.

C．By stating personal opinions.

D．By referring to scientific research.

2. What can we learn about the four types of navigation-related neurons?

A．They depend closely on each other.

B．They are responsible for different jobs.

C．They will decrease in numbers as one ages.

D．They will fail to function in unfamiliar situations.

3. What will happen it we rely too much on GPS?

A．We will easily be misled.

B．Our hippocampus will get enlarged.

C．Our cognitive ability will be affected.

D．We will have our hippocampus relaxed.

4. What are we advised to do according to the last paragraph?

A．Build up our body.	B．Take training courses.
C．Try different brain exercises.	D．Get out to connect with people.

9 . Microscopic particles (微观粒子) from outer space are also called space dust. They’re in the dirt on the ground and on your roof. They may discomfort your nose. They have settled all over our planet.

Despite their widespread presence, finding space dust isn’t easy. One place that the particles show up more easily is Antarctica. Around a decade ago, Matthew Genge at Imperial College London spent seven weeks searching for and collecting dust there.

The disadvantage of collecting dust from Antarctica is the high cost and complications of travelling there. That’s why Penny Wozniakiewicz of the University of Kent in the UK has focused on her research closer to home. The key is to collect material from a fairly undisturbed spot. She seeks the rooftops of old buildings in the UK as the source of her samples.

She focuses on these roofs because they are old and more untouched than modern buildings. What’s more, historic buildings usually have well-kept records that indicate when conservation and cleaning have been done. That makes it easier to determine how long space dust has been collected and gives researchers insight into what other particles might be present in the dust they collect. This allows them to more efficiently remove the Earth stuff, and focus on the space stuff.

“The idea is to actually take something you can barely see on your finger, and then make it much bigger so you can hold it in your hand,” says Wozniakiewicz. Each year, approximately 100 billion particles of space dust land on Earth, carrying secrets from outer space and offering glimpses into the formation of planetary systems. These particles not only contain water but also organic molecules (有机分子); they potentially serve as the building blocks for life on Earth. Space dust could, therefore, tell scientists about the complex relationship between these celestial bodies (天体) and Earth. It acts as a bridge, connecting us to the wider space.

1. What do we know about space dust?

A．There is much space dust in the UK.

B．It shows up more easily in Antarctica.

C．Space dust is easy to collect everywhere.

D．Space dust contains only organic molecules.

2. Why does Wozniakiewicz choose to do the research near her home?

A．She doesn’t want to be too far away from home.

B．She wants to collect dust from modern buildings.

C．Travelling to Antarctica is expensive and complicated.

D．A fairly undisturbed spot couldn’t be found in Antarctica.

3. What’s the purpose of “records” for the study in paragraph 4?

A．To uncover the secret of outer space.	B．To make collecting Earth stuff easier.
C．To help researchers find out space stuff.	D．To show how often buildings were cleaned.

4. What’s the best title of the text?

A．How space dust comes into being	B．An extraordinary exploration to outer space
C．The relationship between space and humans	D．Space dust bridges outer space and humans

10 . Underwater travel is difficult and dangerous, but many people have to stay deep under the ocean. Thus, humans have come up with a few designs of vehicles to move around under the ocean. But what if there was a better way to travel?

Hilary Bart-Smith, an engineer at the University of Virginia, thinks a vehicle that travels like a manta ray (魔鬼鱼) would be able to operate for long periods at sea. Manta rays which can grow up to 29 feet long are among the most efficient swimmers in the ocean. Different from animals and people pushing against water, manta rays swim by moving through the water with wing-like movements of their fins (鳍). Efficiency means using less energy to move farther.

Bart-Smith and other engineers at the University of Virginia had to find out what manta rays looked like on the inside to better understand how they move. They took X-rays to find out how a manta ray’s fins are built. They found that a web of cartilage (软骨) stretches across each fin.

Once the engineers knew how a manta ray’s fin was constructed, they could build one of their own. They made a long row of metal struts with many hinges to imitate the manta ray’s web of cartilage. The engineers put their design inside a flexible cover, shaped like a manta ray’s fin. Then they tested it in the university swimming pool. They were happy to see that it swam just like a manta ray in the ocean.

Engineers and scientists are still learning and experimenting with how to imitate these amazing animals. For now, engineers study their movements and learn from the most efficient swimmers in the ocean. Perhaps someday engineers will be able to build manta ray robots that are big enough to transport people.

1. How do manta rays swim?

A．By moving like birds.	B．By swimming like humans.
C．By swimming like other fishes.	D．By pushing against water like animals.

2. What can we learn from the second and third paragraphs?

A．Manta rays are the fastest swimmers.	B．Manta rays look like travel vehicles.
C．Manta rays can grow at least 29 feet long.	D．Manta rays’ fins consist of a web of cartilage.

3. Why do the engineers study manta rays?

A．To learn about their habits.	B．To build manta ray robots.
C．To design undersea vehicles.	D．To protect marine creatures.

4. What’s the author’s attitude towards the research?

A．Negative.

B．Supportive.

C．Doubtful.

D．Objective.