1 . Scientists have known for years that plants respond to sounds around them. For example, flowers make sweeter nectar (花蜜) to the sound of buzzing bees. But now scientists in Israel have shown that plants also seem to be doing some “talking”.
Professor Lilach Hadany and her team at Tel Aviv University set up microphones to record tomato and tobacco plants under different conditions. Their recordings revealed that the plants made ultrasonic sounds (超声波) .
It’s not clear how the plants make the sounds. One idea is that air bubbles (气泡) form inside the plant’s stem, and that these popping bubbles make a clicking sound. It’s also not clear if the plants are making the sounds on purpose. Sometimes people’s knees creak, too, but they’re not doing it on purpose.
But the plants are definitely making noise, and creating much more noise when they’re stressed than when they’re not.
In fact, the researchers trained an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system to identify the different kinds of clicking sounds. The system was able to tell the difference between plants that needed water and plants with cuts about 70% of the time.
The result suggests that researchers may one day be able to use a plant’s sounds to figure out when it is having trouble, and what trouble it is having. They hope that could be very helpful to farmers.
The new discovery raises many more questions. One important question is: Do plants make sounds to communicate with each other?
Other research has shown that plants do seem to communicate in some ways. Plants being attacked by insects send chemicals into the air. Soon, nearby plants that haven’t been attacked yet start to make other chemicals that don’t taste good to insects. It’s possible that the ultrasonic sounds could work in a similar way.
Another big question is: Is anything listening to the plants? Dr. Hadany points out that mice and moths, for example, depend on plants, and can hear ultrasonic frequencies. The clicks may tell these animals when a plant isn’t healthy, so they can avoid it.
The team’s research has already changed our ideas about plants. As Dr. Hadany says, “Even in a quiet field, there are actually sounds that we don’t hear, and those sounds carry information.”
1. Why does the author mention flowers in Paragraph 1?| A．To prove plants can hear the sounds. | B．To show plants make ultrasonic sounds. |
| C．To make a comparison with other plants. | D．To arouse the readers’ interest in the text. |
| A．The plants convey information by touch. | B．The attacked plants make ultrasonic sounds. |
| C．The attacked plants send poor-taste chemicals. | D．The wind blows the odor of the attacked plants. |
| A．To prove plants can talk. | B．To make a new discovery. |
| C．To promote plants’ better growth. | D．To have more knowledge of plants. |
| A．Plants “Talk” | B．Amazing Plants |
| C．Ultrasonic “Dances” | D．Wonderful Sounds |
2 . On July 29, 10-year-old Mayah Zamora went home after being hospitalized for 66 days. Mayah was a survivor of the May 24 shooting rampage at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas.
The little girl had more than 20 surgeries and underwent weeks of physical therapy after being shot in her hands, chest and back during the school shooting. Mayah’s doctors have called her survival miraculous.
On August 24, she was honored as the Hero of the Month for August by MLB’s Houston Astros at a game against the Minnesota Twins, where she threw out the first pitch. While there, Mayah also met former Astros shortstop (游击手) Carlos Correa, who shared some incredible news with her family.
The Zamoras learned during the game that the Correa family Foundation and other donors are funding the construction of a new home for the family in a location they chose. The trauma (创伤) of living just blocks from the gunman’s house had been taking a toll on (给……造成重大损伤) the young survivor.
“I could never begin to imagine everything she has gone through, and we feel that this is one thing we could do to try to alleviate some of her pain,” Correa said. “I’m thankful to both teams for being a part of this effort.”
His foundation shared a statement and some great photos of Mayah’s special night at the ballpark on its Facebook page.
“We are so proud of you. Mayah, and we are honored to recognize you as our Hero of the Month,” wrote the Correa Family Foundation. “We hope this will be an opportunity for Mayah and her family to rebuild their lives, make new memories, and look towards a bright future.”
1. Why did the Correa family Foundation and other donors fund a new home for the Zamoras?| A．Because the Zamoras didn’t want to live in their home. |
| B．Because Correa wanted to reward Mayah for her bravery. |
| C．Because the Zamoras’ home was near the gunman’s house. |
| D．Because the Zamoras’ home had been destroyed by the gunman. |
| A．Ease. | B．Suffer. | C．Delay. | D．Confirm. |
| A．Selfish. | B．Caring. | C．Determined. | D．Responsible. |
| A．A diary entry. | B．A news report. | C．A book review. | D．A moving story. |
3 . A study published in the journal Nature lists some hybrid (杂种的) species that could become prevalent (盛行的) in the ocean due to climate change. Here are four of those hybrid species.
“Brolar” bears — Brown bears and polar bears
Evidence of a hybrid species born from brown bears and polar bears has been found in the United States and Canada in the past.
Known as “Polar bears” or “Pizzlies”, they have a mostly white coat, with a brownish hue and a nose that is a cross between a polar bear and a brown or grizzly bear.
They are known to be more suited to warmer temperatures than their Arctic relative, as they do not rely so heavily on sea ice for hunting.
“Narlugas” — Narwhals (独角鲸) and beluga whales (白鲸)
In 1990, a hunter in West Greenland discovered an interesting skull, which appeared to be that of a beluga whale-narwhal hybrid. It wasn’t until 2019 that DNA analysis confirmed that the creature was indeed 54% beluga from its father, and 46% narwhal from its mother.
Experts believe that the hybrid may have been grey in color and possessed a tail like a narwhal but forward flippers like those of a beluga whale.
Hybrids of harp seals and hooded seals Numerous species of Arctic seal are expected to mate (交配) to form hybrid offspring due to diminishing sea ice. This includes a hybrid of the harp seal and hooded seal, which both breed on pack ice of the North Atlantic Ocean and extend into the Arctic Ocean in summer months.
A hybrid animal, found in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Canada, was formally reported and confirmed by molecular analysis in 1997.
“Harbor-Dall” porpoise (鼠海豚) — Harbor porpoises and Dall’s porpoises
Hybrids of the harbor porpoises and the Dall’s porpoises have been found off the coast of British Columbia, Canada. Harbor porpoises are thought to be in decline due to habitat disturbance, meaning they may turn to other species to mate with.
Experts believe more harbor porpoises will move north as temperatures rise, which will further increase their chances of breeding with Dall’s porpoises.
1. What do the four listed animals have in common?| A．They share the same color. | B．They are born due to the polar cold. |
| C．Their parents come from different species. | D．Sea ice is extremely important for them to hunt. |
| A．“Brolar” bears. | B．“Narlugas”. |
| C．Hybrids of harp seals and hooded seals. | D．“Harbor-Dall” porpoise. |
| A．Economy. | B．Education. | C．Entertainment. | D．Environment. |
4 . 2023 Collection of Australian Stamps (Executive Edition)
Explore a bound treasure of gummed and perforated (涂胶打孔的) stamps presented in exclusive layouts. In addition to all the stamps released in 2023, this book gets the essence of stamp collecting with fascinating text about each stamp issue. Included is an exclusive gummed Concession Stamp minisheet, the 2022 Native Animals stamps and 89 mint stamps presented in unique layouts. This great gift comes with $124.25 worth of stamps.
Our network of more than 400 Parcel Lockers are free and available around the clock, so you can pick up your order anytime. With over 3,600 locations across Australia, get your order delivered to a post office near work or home, and collect during business hours. Australia Post has partnered with hundreds of third-party retailers to provide another option for collection.
Dispatch is the time your order takes to leave our warehouse. Most orders leave the warehouse within 2 business days.
Standard delivery is free Australia-wide on orders $30+. For orders under $30, we charge a flat fee of $5. Most orders arrive to you within 6 business days.
Express delivery is $15. View current delivery times. Express Post is our fastest postal service, but we do not guarantee next business day delivery for Online Shop orders.
International delivery is available for some orders, depending on what you’re buying and where it’s being sent. Most orders take at least 10 business days to arrive via an untracked service. Transit times vary based on destination — see our international delivery times for more information.
Occasionally, high delivery volumes and other network issues can cause delays, as well as where the order is being sent.
1. What can we learn about the collection?| A．It is issued twice a year. | B．It includes 89 stamps in total. |
| C．Each stamp is presented with a text. | D．All stamps are about native animals. |
| A．$5. | B．$15. | C．$30. | D．$ 124.45. |
| A．To introduce the network of Australia Post. |
| B．To advertise the most valuable stamps in 2023. |
| C．To inform people of change of delivering message. |
| D．To persuade people to buy a book including stamps. |
5 . Ideally located in the heart of New York Times Square, Yotel New York, a five-star hotel, has comfortable accommodation in a modern design.
The hotel has convenient transportation with an 18-minute walk from Fifth Avenue and Grand Central Station. John F Kennedy Airport can be reached directly from Times Square Underground Station.
All rooms include cozy beds, 54-inch HD TVs with free Sports and Movie channels, and free Wi-Fi. Each room also has luggage storage, and hanging space for clothing. Yotel New York also offers wheelchair accessible rooms and free accommodation for kids under 13.
American breakfast is served in Yotel New York every morning, including fresh juice, corn flakes, buttered toast and scrambled eggs. A selection of salads, sandwiches and hot dishes are offered throughout the day.
Yotel New York is our guests’ favorite part of New York, according to independent reviews. This area is also great for shopping, with popular brands nearby: Apple, H&M, Zara, Burberry and Channel.
Yotel New York is rated for the best value in America! Guests are getting more for their money when compared to other hotels in this city. Come and stay with us!
Prices:
| Room type | Price | Options |
| Twin Room — non-smoking | $125 | Non-refundable Good breakfast $9 |
| Double room — non-smoking | $165 | Non-refundable Good breakfast $9 |
| Queen Room — disability access | $215 | Pay at the hotel Good breakfast included |
1. What probably makes a tourist choose this hotel?
| A．Airport pick-up service. | B．Chinese-style breakfast. |
| C．Good value for guests’ money. | D．A shop with popular brands in the hotel. |
| A．$ 259. | B．$ 339. | C．$ 421. | D．$ 430. |
| A．Advertisement. | B．Lifestyle. | C．Entertainment. | D．Business. |
6 . Two Georgian twins, separated at birth when they were sold to different adoptive families, have been reunited and have TikTok to thank for bringing them back together.
The astonishing story began 10 years ago when one of the twins, Amy Khvitia, sat watching Georgia’s Got Talent in her godmother’s house near the Black Sea. A young girl, who looked exactly like her, climbed up on stage and began to dance in front of the reality show’s judges. Another seven years went by when Ano Sartania, the young girl that had danced on television, was sent a TikTok video of a young woman with blue hair getting her eyebrow pierced. Determined, Ano took to a WhatsApp university group with her plea. asking for help finding the woman with the blue hair. Against all odds, someone in the group knew Amy and the pair was connected through Facebook. Amy and Ano agreed to meet in-person at a local train station.
“It was awkward, it was awesome, it was everything,” Ano told The Sun of that first meeting, adding, “It was weird for me like I was looking in a mirror.” As they grew to know each other more, the two women began to list the similarities they shared and admit to being a bit unsettled by it all. Both were born in the same hospital, but their birth certificates said they were born a couple of weeks apart. Wanting answers, they turned to their families to ask some hard questions and soon had an explanation — both families admitted to adopting the girls as newborns.
It turns out both of their mothers had been unable to have children and were told they could pay to adopt unwanted babies at the hospital. DNA tests ‘eventually confirmed that that Amy and Ano were twins. However, they wanted to know why their biological parents have given them up and if they had been sold for profit. The twins have since been reunited with their birth mother, Aza, who claimed she fell into a coma after delivering her identical daughters and when she woke up hospital staff told her that her babies were dead.
“While Ano and Amy’s story contains a lot of coincidence on their path to reunion, their adoption circumstances aren’t that unique in Georgia — as many as 100,000 Georgian babies have been put up for illegal adoption since the 1950s on the black baby market,” says Georgian journalist Tamuna Museridze, who has been working to reunite families.
1. Which of the following properly describes the twins?| A．Their foster parents paid to adopt them legally. |
| B．Their first in-person meeting was full of mixed feelings. |
| C．It took them a smooth decade to get connected with each other. |
| D．Their biological parents sold them at birth for profit through hospital staff. |
| A．Changed. | B．Shaped. | C．Upset. | D．Unsolved. |
| A．Tolerant. | B．Supportive. | C．Unclear. | D．Disapproving. |
| A．Black baby market gains popularity in Georgia |
| B．Twin sisters, abandoned by birth mother, reunited |
| C．Twin sisters, sold illegally at birth, reunited thanks to TikTok |
| D．Lots of coincidence brought adopted twin sisters a family reunion |
7 . Here are some things that you can buy as gifts for your friends who are birdwatchers.
A window-mounted bird feederOne way to guarantee a close-up look at the birds in your garden is to bring them all the way to the house. This bird feeder is solidly built with strong suction (吸) cups that you can tie to your windows, giving you a good view of your winged visitors.
A pair of binocularsBinoculars are a birdwatcher’s best friend! They work like two small telescopes joined together, allowing you to use both eyes to see distant birds as if they were right in front of you. They’re perfect for spotting feathered friends in the wild, whether the birds are high up in the trees or soaring across the sky. When you peer through them, you get a view that makes every little detail of the birds—their colors, beaks, and even the texture of their feathers.
The Robin: A Biography by Stephen MossThis beautifully illustrated book draws readers into the mysterious world of Britain’s favourite bird, the red robin—a familiar sight in all winter gardens, but as naturalist Stephen Moss demonstrates, one we hardly know. Combining convincing storytelling with biological fact, Moss guides us through a year in the life of the robin, from the moment it hatches from its egg to its all too timely mortality (死亡) — the robin tends to live a mere 13 months, adding to its precious quality.
A reusable thermal bottleEvery good birding expedition needs a bottle of steaming hot tea. A reusable bottle decorated with lifelike drawings of classic British birds combines a natural aesthetic (美感) with practicality. It can keep not only hot drinks but also cold drinks.
1. Which gift may attract birds to one’s house?| A．A window-mounted bird feeder. | B．A pair of binoculars. |
| C．The Robin: A Biography. | D．A reusable thermal bottle |
| A．They can attract birds to your house. | B．They show images in black and white. |
| C．They’re too heavy to carry for birdwatchers. | D．They can provide detailed views of birdwatching. |
| A．The birth of a bird | B．The death of a bird. |
| C．The lifetime of a bird. | D．The quantity of a bird. |
8 . When patients are discharged (出院) from the hospital, effective summaries from doctors’ notes are essential to capture their health status in the medical record. Whereas, most are filled with technical languages that are hard to understand and increase patients’ anxiety.
To address the problem, researchers from New York University (NYU) Langone Health have been testing the capabilities of generative artificial intelligence (AI). It tries to develop likely options for the next word in any sentence based on how most people use words in context on the Internet.
NYU Langone Health received access to the latest tool from a famous tech company to explore generative AI. One of the studies by the researchers published in JAMA Network Open, looked at how well the tool could convert (转换) the text in 50 patient discharge notes into patient-friendly language. Specifically, generative AI made the discharge notes drop from 11th-grade reading level on average to a 6th-grade level.
Two physicians were asked to review the AI discharge summary based on a 6th-grade level. The reviewing physicians awarded 54 percent of the AI-generated discharge notes the best-possible accuracy rating. They also found that 56 percent of notes created by AI were entirely complete. The result signified that even at the current performance level, providers of discharge notes would not have to make a single change in more than half of the AI summaries reviewed.
“That more than half of the AI reports generated are accurate and complete is an amazing start,” said Jonah Zaretsky, associate chief of medicine at NYU Langone Hospital — Brooklyn. “Even at the current level of performance, which we expect to improve shortly, the achievement of the AI tool suggests that it can be taught to recognize subtleties (微妙之处).”
Within the following years, the team expects to launch a pilot program to provide lay language discharge summaries that have been generated by AI and reviewed by physicians to patients on a larger scale.
1. What is generative AI used for by the researchers?| A．Submitting discharge summaries. | B．Accessing patients’ health status. |
| C．Making discharge notes clear to patients. | D．Offering technical languages to doctors. |
| A．Probable predicting. | B．Actual thinking. |
| C．Free imagining. | D．Strict instructing. |
| A．To correct their mistakes. | B．To measure their accuracy. |
| C．To compete with the AI tool. | D．To make up the missing parts. |
| A．Misleading. | B．Dismissive. | C．Challenging. | D．Promising. |
9 . A brown and dry lawn is not something many gardeners would boast about. But that is exactly the kind of yard competition organizers in Sweden were looking for when they launched the prize for the “World’s Ugliest Lawn”. People from around the world were invited to post pictures of their dehydrated(脱水的)grass to social media in a bid to win the uncertain honor.
The intention, according to those behind the project, was to raise awareness of “saving water on a global scale by changing the norm for green lawns”. Lawns, which can require large amounts of water to maintain, are coming under increasing examination as climate change makes periods of drought more frequent and intense.
The global initiative was launched on the official website for Gotland in Sweden. “Huge amounts of water are used to water lawns for aesthetics(美学). As the world gets warmer, lack of water in urban areas is projected to affect up to 2.4 billion people by 2050. By not watering lawns for aesthetic reasons, we can protect the availability of groundwater,” the competition organizers said.
The unlikely title has been awarded to Kathleen Murray who lives in Sandford in Tasmania, Australia. According to the organizers, Murray’s lawn “boasts deep and dry divots created by three wild bandicoots(袋狸)and not one dust-covered decimeter is wasted on watering”. Murray said in the press release about her triumph, “I am terribly proud! I knew I would have my 5 minutes of fame, even if it was for having the ugliest lawn on the planet! I am now free of ever taking care of my lawn again.”
A press release by the Gotland, office added, “For the planet and its declining stockpiles of life-giving liquid, thank you, Kathleen, as well as those naughty bandicoots damaging your lawn for the greater good.” Organizers added, “Gotland aims to show to Sweden and the world that sustainable behavior doesn’t have to be dull.”
1. What can we say about the yard competition organized in Sweden?| A．People had even doubted its authenticity. |
| B．People worldwide were unwilling to join. |
| C．Its participants must be professional gardeners. |
| D．Its entries must agree with the existing aesthetics. |
| A．To call on people to protect lawns. | B．To encourage people to be creative. |
| C．To challenge the norm of aesthetics. | D．To remind people of water shortage. |
| A．Ambition. | B．Success. | C．Sorrow. | D．Barrier. |
| A．People’s Whelming Reaction To A Yard Contest In Sweden |
| B．Lawns And Rare Bandicoots Calling For Urgent Protection |
| C．A Lawn Named The Ugliest Globally All For A Good Cause |
| D．The World’s Ugliest Lawn Unaccepted By The Whole World |
10 . A grey-headed flying fox is back gliding through the night after life-saving surgery on a broken wing. The female flying fox’s wing was badly injured when it was twisted in a net placed over fruit trees in Geelong, Victoria. It was rescued and taken to Werribee Open Range Zoo’s veterinary hospital where it needed two operations to repair the wing.
Paul Eden, doctor of the hospital, said, “The flying fox was in a very serious condition when it arrived.” Flying foxes are highly dependent on their wings for many purposes. They can fly an astonishing 6,000 km in a year to search for food and pollinate a wide range of plants. They also use their wings to help capture insects, regulate body temperature and attract other flying foxes during mating season, So, it was extremely important that we did everything we could to help this animal make a full recovery. Vets operated to remove some of the flying fox’s damaged wing tissue and also gave it antibiotics (抗生素) and pain relief medication.
Following the successful procedure, the flying fox was transferred to a wildlife carer to prepare it for release back into where it belonged. Dr Eden said, “It is very rewarding to see the flying fox recover fully and safely return home.” According to researchers from Werribee Open Range Zoo, flying foxes played a critical role in Australia’s ecosystem, not only for the survival of other native animals but also humans. Our ecosystem would be dramatically different without flying foxes.
Dr Eden noted that there were some simple actions people could take to keep flying foxes safe, including reducing the risk of twisting by using nets with a size no bigger than 5 mm×5 mm when fully stretched over vegetable gardens or fruit trees. “If you encounter a flying fox that is sick or in distress, for the safety of everyone, don’t attempt to rescue the animal yourself. Instead, contact Wildlife Victoria who will send a trained officer to rescue the animal,” Dr Eden said.
1. How did the flying fox get injured in the wing?| A．It was stuck in the net. | B．It was hit by the fruits. |
| C．It was hunted while flying. | D．It was twisted in the branches. |
| A．Analyse the reason. | B．Draw a conclusion. |
| C．Present a problem. | D．Add some backgrounds. |
| A．It will be raised in a reserve. | B．It will be adopted by D Eden. |
| C．It will be set free back to nature. | D．It will be tended in a wildlife carer. |
| A．Rescue it on the spot. | B．Seek professional aid. |
| C．Send it to Wildlife Victoria in person. | D．Drive it to hospital as soon as possible |
