1 . You may have noticed sudden, brief twitching (抽动) at some point while your dog was sleeping and wondered if he was dreaming or even expressing some type of discomfort.
These involuntary movements only occur during dream states and usually don’t last long. So is twitching just a normal part of dreaming, or are there times when you should worry?
Dogs sleep an average of 12-14 hours each day. While they sleep, a dog’s brain processes information and experiences from the day through dreams. Twitching is often related to active dream cycles in the brain.
According to research by psychologist Stanley Coren, an average-size dog will dream about every 20 minutes, and these dreams will last about a minute. Larger breeds have fewer dreams that last longer—about every 45 minutes for 4 minutes. The opposite is true for smaller breed dogs; they will dream about every 10 minutes for up to 30 seconds.
Dogs experience the same dream stages as humans, including non-rapid eye movement (NREM), short-wave sleep (SWS), and rapid eye movement (REM). During the REM state, a dog’s eyes move around behind their closed eyelids, and the large body muscles are turned off so the dream is not physically acted out. The amount of twitching depends on how much these off switches cramp (阻碍) muscle movement.
If your dog sleeps next to you, he may unintentionally disturb your sleep with his sudden body movements. However, it is often advised not to awaken a dog that is twitching in his sleep unless he is clearly uncomfortable.
A bad dream or night terror could be the cause of these involuntary movements, and they may wake up frightened. Try to avoid touching them so they don’t bite you as a result of being shocked and panicked. Instead, gently call your dog’s name until they respond. Speak calmly and tell them that they are safe and secure after they wake up. While they appear to be pretty active in their sleep, dreaming dogs may be slow to awaken.
1. Which of the following influences how often dogs dream?| A．Their sleeping time. | B．Their body size. |
| C．Their daily experiences. | D．Their health conditions. |
| A．willing. | B．careless. | C．unintentional. | D．delighted. |
| A．To avoid being bitten by the dog. | B．To ensure the dog adequate sleep. |
| C．To prevent the dog getting shocked. | D．To escape disturbance from the dog. |
| A．How dogs’ brain works. |
| B．Why dogs dream at night. |
| C．Why dogs twitch in their sleep. |
| D．How dogs’ twitch affects their sleep. |
2 . Mosquito bites are unavoidable in summer—or is that so? Scientists recently found that mosquitoes are more attracted to some colors than others, which could possibly prove useful to those trying to avoid the annoying bites.
The study found that after a common type of mosquitoes smelled CO2 the gas humans breathe out—they decided to land on some colored dots (色点) but ignored others.
“Imagine you’re on a sidewalk and you smell toasty,” the lead researcher said in a press release announcing the study’s findings. “That’s probably a sign that there’s a bakery nearby and you might start looking around for it. Here, we started to learn what visual elements that mosquitoes are looking for after smelling their own version of a bakery.”
The research team put different colored dots at the bottom of a box and sprayed (喷洒) them with CO2. They found that mosquitoes were drawn most to red, orange and black. They also found that mosquitoes ignored green, blue and white. When a researcher reached his hand into the box wearing a green glove, mosquitoes ignored it, even when it was sprayed with CO2.
Unfortunately, avoiding mosquitoes isn’t as easy as choosing the right color of clothes. Human skin delivers a vivid red-orange “signal” to mosquitoes, the researchers said, making it hard to hide completely
“We previously discovered there are three major hints that attract mosquitoes: your breath, your sweat and the temperature of your skin,” the lead researcher said. “Now we have found a fourth hint: the color red, which can not only be found on your clothes, but is also found in everyone’s skin. The shade of your skin doesn’t matter. We are all giving off a strong red feature.”
While the research found that the mosquitoes appeared to prefer certain colors, it did not measure whether wearing colors like green or blue would help keep away from the mosquitoes. The researchers hope that their findings can help find other methods to drive back the biting insects.
1. Why did the researchers spray the dots with CO2?| A．It drives mosquitoes away. |
| B．It is attractive to mosquitoes. |
| C．It prevents mosquitoes finding targets. |
| D．It’s a practical material to catch mosquitoes. |
| A．Red. | B．Black | C．Orange. | D．Blue. |
| A．The features of human skin. |
| B．Factors that attract mosquitoes. |
| C．What elements mosquitoes ignore. |
| D．How to choose the color of clothes. |
| A．Mosquitoes will disappear someday. |
| B．Most people will wear colorful clothes. |
| C．The survival rate of mosquitoes will be affected. |
| D．More ways will be found to keep mosquitoes off. |
3 . “Keep a sharp lookout,”Miller told Olden, a strong German dog, glancing toward the back seat. In the poor light, Miller could just make ou the badge (徽章) shining smartly from his partner’s collar. Suddenly the car’s headlights lit up a figure breaking the lock on the building, Miller shouted the order Go! In a flash, Olden jumped through the car’s open window and bit the suspect on the leg.
Over the next few months, Miller kept his relationship with Olden strictly professional. The dog was kept outside, regardless of the weather and the time. Sometimes during storms, Olden would stick his nose out of his doghouse and bark at the back door. Miller pretended not to hear. To test Olden’s discipline, he’d give him the order Stay“ and then he’d leave. When he returned, Olden was still glued to the spot where he had left him. At that moment Miller wanted to give Olden a hug, but instead quietly said, “Good boy.”
One afternoon, just after Miller and Olden began their shift, an urgent call came. As Miller rushed to the spot, the suspect Steve ‘s car sped away. Miller ran after Steve at a full speed. Finally Steve abandoned his car in a side street. Miller jumped out of his car and raced into it too. Turning a corner, he found a gun pointing right at his chest. Hе braced for the jolt when Steve was about to fire the gun. But suddenly a thundering bark rang out and Olden burst around the corner, tearing straight for Steve. The gunman fired and fled. It took a moment for Miller to react. Doctor told Miller the bullet, meant for him, missed Olden’s heart by an inch. Fortunately, his partner survived. After arriving home, Miller led Olden to his doghouse.Suddenly he stopped and did something he’ d been wanting to do since he saw Olden. Bending down, Miller wrapped his arms around Olden, Then the two started rolling around in the soft grass.
1. What was Olden ordered to do in Paragraph 1?| A．Be seated at the back seat. | B．Catch the potential criminal. |
| C．Break the lock on the building. | D．Find out his partner’s badge. |
| A．Kind and moderate. | B．Quiet and caring. |
| C．Strict and professional. | D．Smart and flexible. |
| A．Turned off the engine. | B．Caught Steve’s attention. |
| C．Made a narrow escape. | D．Prepared for the worst result. |
| A．A Police Dog | B．A Tough Task |
| C．A Perfect Match | D．A Dog Trainer |
4 . Marvelous Scenic Walks Near London
There are plenty of walking routes in London. If you fancy something a bit more rural, then the green and pleasant land has plenty to offer.
Goring Gap and the Thames PathIf you’re in the mood for a gentle rural walk, the Thames Path is far from boring. The 5-mile footpath follows the curve of the river, winding past wildflower meadows (草地).
Post-walk pub: Pangbourne’s seventeenth-century pub The Swan serves high-end dishes. Bag a table on the riverside or keep toasty by one of its open fires.
Box HillTo admire this spots rural views, first you’ve got to jump across 17 stepping stones and climb 272 steps to the top of Box Hill, where the path begins. The total distance is 6.8 miles.
Post-walk pub: The cavernous Tree on Box Hill has an attractive menu and huge beer garden, or sample a glass of Juniper Hill at Denbies Winerie.
A South Downs Ridge (山脊)If you’ve already done the classic Seven Sisters clifftop walk or can’t face all those hills, this is a long but lovely alternative. The route covering 14.3 miles snakes along a ridge and a river valley.
Post-walk pub: There are always 10 real beers at the old-school pub The Wellington.
Chess Valley in the ChilternsChess Valley in the Chiltern Hills isn’t home to any chess masters, but it used to produce a kind of water plant. This walk of 4.9 miles follows the river, winding through rolling meadows and woods.
Post-walk pub: The George & Dragon is a simple old coaching pub on the High Street with a log fire, real beers and giant burgers.
1. Which of the following walks covers the shortest distance?| A．Box Hill. |
| B．A South Downs Ridge. |
| C．Chess Valley in the Chilterns. |
| D．Goring Gap and the Thames Path. |
| A．The pubs are pretty and old-fashioned. |
| B．Visitors can relax at special pubs after walks. |
| C．There are rivers winding through the meadows. |
| D．The food served there is expensive and of high quality. |
| A．A geography book. | B．A travel brochure. |
| C．A fashion website. | D．A science magazine. |
5 . New Year’s celebrations take many forms, but most cultures have one thing in common—have a good time after a long, hard year. For much of the globe this involves drinking with friends until the sun comes up, singing together. But others have rather more curious habits, often filled with superstition (迷信).
In Denmark, people stand on chairs and jump off together as the clock strikes midnight, really leaping into the new year. The Danes also throw plates at their friends’ homes during the night-the more pieces you find outside your door in the morning the more popular you are said to be.
In Finland, say tour guides, people pour melted (熔化的) lead into cold water to predict the year ahead from the shape the metal forms. If the shape represents a ship it is said to predict travel, if it’s a ball, good luck.
The Dutch build massive bonfires with their Christmas trees and cat sugary donuts—one of many cultures to consume round New Year’s foods traditionally believed to represent good fortune.
Spaniards, in turn, cat a dozen grapes before the strike of midnight, each fruit representing a month that will either be sweet or sour.
In the Philippines, people wear polka dots (带圆点的服装) for good luck, while in some countries of South America people put on brightly coloured underwear to attract fortune—red for love and yellow for financial success.
Despite regional and cultural differences, for most the New Year’s festivities are a chance to let off steam before the annual cycle starts all over again. “This is a holiday that is about celebration and letting go,” explained George Washington University sociologist Amitai Etzioni.
1. In which country is the festival related to metal?| A．Denmark. | B．Spain. | C．Finland. | D．The Netherlands. |
| A．The Danes throw grapes at their friends’ homes during the night. |
| B．Spaniards eat many donuts before the strike of midnight. |
| C．The Dutch build massive walls with their Christmas trees. |
| D．Some people in South America wear red underwear for love. |
| A．Get married. | B．Get relaxed. | C．Make money. | D．Make friends. |
6 . Table tennis may not seem a reasonable choice for someone with no arms—but Ibrahim Hamadtou doesn’t believe in limits. The 48-year-old Egyptian Paralympian breaks the barrier (障碍) by holding the paddle (球拍) in his mouth and using his right foot to serve the ball.
Hamadtou, who lost his arms in a train accident at the age of ten, was attracted to table tennis after being challenged by a friend. “I was once watching a match between two of my friends,” Hamadtou explains. “They disagreed on a point, When I counted the point in favor of one of them, the other player told me, ‘Mind your own business as you will never be able to play.’ It was that comment that fired me up to decide to play table tennis.”
It took Hamadtou three years to master the sport. He says the biggest challenge was working out the best way to control his body. “I was trying first to use the bat under the arm, and I also tried using other things, which weren’t working so well. Finally, I tried using my mouth. It took me nearly a year of practice to get used to holding the paddle with my mouth and making the serve. With practice and playing regularly, this skill was improved.”
The Egyptian’s impressive talent came to light in 2014 when he was awarded the best Arab Athlete of the year. He won a silver medal at the 2016 African Championships, qualified for his first Paralympics (残奥会) in 2016 at 43, and then again for the 2020 Tokyo Games at 48.
The inspiring athlete says, “The disability is not in arms or legs but to give up in whatever you would like to do.”
1. Why did Hamadtou take up table tennis?| A．He was interested in table-tennis. | B．He was ready to encourage others. |
| C．He was determined to prove himself. | D．He got injured in a train accident. |
| A．Playing the game with the right body parts. |
| B．Holding the paddle under his arm. |
| C．Practicing strengthening his muscles. |
| D．Serving the ball with his mouth. |
| A．He realized his dream of winning a gold medal. |
| B．He was awarded the best athlete in Africa. |
| C．He won a medal in the 2020 Tokyo Games. |
| D．He was recognized as a talented player at 41. |
| A．Success brings people happiness. |
| B．Nothing is impossible to a willing heart. |
| C．Well begun is half done. |
| D．Love breaks down barriers. |
7 . All ship suffer from fouling (污垢): the build-up below the waterline of shellfish, seaweeds and other organisms. This causes drag, which slows the affected craft and increases its fuel consumption (消耗). Regular hull (船体) cleaning thus makes a considerable difference to the profitability of shipping. It also results in a useful reduction in the amount of planet-warming carbon dioxide.
Roar Adland, a shipping economist at the Norwegian School of Economics, in Bergen, says that a midsized oil tanker’s fuel consumption drops by around 9% after its hull is cleaned at sea -- something that happens, on average, once every six or seven months. If the cleaning is done in a dry dock (船坞), which allows the process to be more thorough, that figure can be as much as 17%.
At the moment, cleaning at sea is done by teams of divers. In recent years, robots have sometimes been added to underwater cleaning crews. They have proved potent. Jotun, a Norwegian coatings (涂层) company, and Semcon, a Swedish engineering firm, propose, however, to go one step further. They want to replace the divers completely with a machine. That machine, moreover, would not merely help clean a ship’s hull, but stop it fouling up in the first place.
Their invention, HullSkater, is a 200kg robot. It will stay permanently on a ship, ready to be launched whenever the ship is not moving. To use the robot, it is first lowered overboard. Its four magnetic wheels, each of which is fitted with a motor, hold onto the hull and it can start moving around. After this, the ship’s crew need do nothing. The robot is piloted by an operator on land, who may be half a world away. Inspecting and cleaning a hull takes HullSkater between two and eight hours, depending on the size and design of the ship.
The HullSkater approach is not absolutely ideal. Regular cleaning by a robot could wear away some types of antifouling coating. Jotun has, however, developed a special, hard-wearing coating to deal with the problem. HullSkater is now being tested in various parts of the world for rates of fouling depending on local conditions, such as sea temperatures, and the plan is to make it available commercially soon.
1. What will happen when a ship fouls up?| A．Its fuel will be polluted. | B．Its coating will come off. |
| C．Its motors will stop working. | D．Its shipping expenses will increase. |
| A．Costly. | B．Noisy. | C．Effective. | D．Complex. |
| A．It can be operated by people from a distance. | B．It keeps working while the ship is sailing. |
| C．It has one motor weighing around 200kg. | D．It can give a hull a thorough clean in an hour. |
| A．To make HullSkater more lightweight. | B．To adapt to rising sea temperatures. |
| C．To help a ship travel much father. | D．To protect the surface of a hull. |
8 . Chinese astronauts have successfully grown rice seedlings(幼苗)aboard the Tiangong space station and this experiment may offer key insights into how astronauts can grow food to support long—term space missions, experts said on Monday. This experiment is the first to produce the complete life cycle of the plant, which begins with a seed and ends with a mature plant producing new seeds.
The breakthrough was conducted in the Wentian space laboratory, which was launched into orbit on July 24, 2022. Three astronauts were conducting the experiment smoothly and testing the plants according to the plan.
“The rice seedlings are growing very well,” said Zheng Huiqiong, a researcher of the task, adding that the experiment also contained seedlings of a small flowering plant often used by scientists to study mutations(变异). “The astronauts will keep monitoring the plants, and if it is successful, they will collect the newly produced seeds and bring them back to Earth for further studies,” she noted
The flowering stage is crucial for plant reproductive development. “We want to investigate how microgravity can affect the plant flowering time and whether it is possible to use the microgravity environment to control the related process,” she said.
Since the 1980s, China has been taking seeds of rice and other crops to space to help them mutate and produce higher yields once they were planted on Earth. But growing rice in orbit is a different challenge due to the tough conditions of space such as microgravity and lack of air.
Rice has been a main food for astronauts since the early days of space exploration. Freeze—dried chicken and rice was the menu for the Apollo 11 mission, which carried the first humans to land on the moon in July 1969.
“But if we want to land on and explore Mars, bringing food from Earth is not enough to provide for the astronauts’ long journey and mission in space. We have to find a food source for long term space explorations,” Zheng added.
1. What’s the significance of Chinese recent space rice experiment?| A．It enables human beings to move to another planet. |
| B．It helps people get a better idea of the human life cycle. |
| C．It inspires more other countries to do space explorations |
| D．It makes it possible to carry out long—term space missions |
| A．The mutation. | B．The experiment. | C．The exploration. | D．The space mission. |
| A．To promote genetic changes and increase crop harvest. |
| B．To figure out how to create an earth—like environment. |
| C．To study the impact of microgravity on crop growth. |
| D．To develop new crop species with strong ability to adapt. |
| A．A medical report. | B．A fashion magazine. |
| C．A science newspaper. | D．A history book. |
9 . The example of a foreign teacher who volunteered to help fight the wildfires in Chongqing’s Beibei District with other local residents has touched many.
In the unbearable heat and drought conditions, multiple wildfires hit parts of Chongqing. On Sunday night, a forest fire broke out and spread in Beibei District. The local government issued an urgent call for volunteers with certain skills and experience, such as chain saw（链锯）operation, to join in the firefighting. Chain saws were used to create fire barriers.
“I was happy to help,” said Francis Stonier, a professor in a university. “I used to cut trees around my yard and neighborhood and had volunteered many times in the US in the past.”
Stonier found a translator—50-year-old He Wu, a foreign language professor—who also signed up to fight fires. Soon after arriving at the volunteer area, the pair were assigned to one of the chain saw groups—examining and adjusting chain saws.
“Stonier is responsible and focused, and is doing a really good job,” said He, adding that Stonier checked each chain saw carefully, to see if it was too tight or too loose. “Wherever I went, the volunteers and local residents gave me a big thumbs-up. It was an unforgettable experience,” Stonier said.
Thanks to the joint efforts of fire and rescue workers, as well as volunteers and residents, the scaring wildfire in Beibei had been put out as of Thursday night.
“It was great to see such an outpouring of help in the extreme heat,” Stonier said, noting that he was impressed with the number of locals who came to help. Motorcyclists gave up their jobs to transport materials and people up and down the mountains. Others gave their time to carry heavy supplies, prepare and serve meals or help organize.
1. What caused the outbreak of the forest fire in Beibei District?| A．The extreme heat and drought. |
| B．The local area being short of water. |
| C．The existence of enough oil materials. |
| D．The lack of people guarding the forest. |
| A．He was capable of creating fire barriers. |
| B．He was experienced in chain saw operation. |
| C．He was determined to become a firefighter. |
| D．He showed no consideration for his own safety. |
| A．Determined and creative. | B．Generous and independent. |
| C．Devoted and courageous. | D．Humorous and passionate. |
| A．To care is to help. | B．Many hands make light work. |
| C．Dare to challenge and achieve yourself. | D．Nothing is impossible to a willing heart. |
10 . Four Best Language Exchange Apps
HelloTalk
HelloTalk is a language exchange application that allows you to talk with others from around the world for free. You can write a brief summary about yourself in your profile（简介）, choose your native language and select the language and level that you’re currently learning. Then you’re able to search for native language partners from around the world! What sets HelloTalk apart from similar apps is that native speakers can edit your messages and correct your grammar while you chat together.
Lext Talk
Lext Talk is an application that allows users to connect with people from around the world. Once your profile is complete, you can select which language you speak and which language you’d like to learn. A very convenient feature that Lext Talk offers is its map. Users can use Lext Talk’s map to search for language partners in their areas, or find a partner in a specific region.
Doongle
Like the feature of Lext Talk but you have an Android phone? Don’t worry, there’s a similar app for all Android users too! Doongle allows its users to share voice messages, photos and more. Like Lext Talk, Doongle also has a map feature. Doongle offers a particular group chat feature, where you can talk about English grammar or share tips on how to make a pizza with others.
italki
With italki, you get to choose your teachers based on your interests and goals. You pay per lesson but you get what you pay for. You can choose to take lessons anytime and anywhere to your liking. If you don’t know which teacher to choose, don’t worry. All teachers will have a video introduction of themselves and you could also judge by looking through previous re—views from students.
1. What’s special about HelloTalk?| A．It is the best application to learn grammar. |
| B．Users’ errors can be corrected in the message. |
| C．HelloTalk offers quality lessons at a low price. |
| D．Users can choose language partners by gender. |
| A．HelloTalk. | B．Lext Talk. | C．Doongle. | D．italki. |
| A．Doongle doesn’t have a map feature. |
| B．HelloTalk doesn’t offer a text chat feature. |
| C．Lext Talk is not suitable for Android users. |
| D．italki doesn’t offer much detail of teachers. |
