3 . Long believed to have little social structure, giraffes actually are socially complex, University of Bristol scientists suggest. Their social organization is comparable to that of elephants, dolphins and whales.

Lead author Zoe Miller started research work on giraffes in 2005. “I had noticed that giraffe population numbers were decreasing, and I realized that the tallest of all land animals had hardly had any scientific work done on them, which I just found unbelievable. I decided to devote my career to understanding this species better,” said Muller.

Muller and her team looked at research work done in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Researchers then considered giraffes very unsociable and that they formed no long-lasting relationships. “However, this was not what I saw in Africa, and I started to question why they were described as having ‘little or no social structure’ when I could clearly observe them always together,” Muller said.

Muller was based in Kenya for five years, conducting research on giraffes and their social organization. She and her team found that giraffes are actually a highly complex social species that may live in matriarchal (母系的) social systems and include shared care of their young.

“Giraffes may take part in shared parenting of the young, and remain in groups of related females. These types of social organization are well-known in other species, for example elephants and whales, but nobody has ever before suggested that the same could be true for giraffes,” Muller said.

The grandmother giraffes stay in their family groups, passing on survival benefits in tough times to the younger members of the group. For example, they may know where there is water or where they can find food. “This is important information, as this means we should focus on protecting the older adult females, since they are important members to aid the survival of younger generations,” explained Muller.

1. What did Zoe Muller think of researchers’ work done in the 1950s-1970s?

A．Questionable.

B．Inspiring.

C．Reliable.

D．Creative.

2. In what way are giraffes similar to elephants according to the text?

A．Their population numbers are dropping.

B．They remain in groups of related males.

C．They have been well protected in the wild.

D．They take part in shared raising of the young.

3. Why are older female giraffes particularly worthy of protection?

A．They can help keep the balance of nature.

B．They can help researchers learn about giraffes.

C．They can pass on life skills to the younger generations.

D．They can help younger giraffes get on well with each other.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Secrets of Giraffes: The Older, The Smarter

B．Social Structure: A Gap in Animal Research

C．Giraffes: More Socially Complex than Imagined

D．Survival of Giraffes: The Role of Older Members

4 . I’m in a coffee shop in Manhattan and I’m about to become the most disliked person in the room. First, I’m going to interrupt the man reading quietly near the window and ask for a drink of his latte. Next, I’m going to ask the line of people waiting to pay if I can cut to the front of the queue. This is how I chose to spend my last vacation. Here’s why.

Growing up, all I ever heard about was “EQ.” It was the mid-1990s, and psychologist Daniel Goleman had just popularized the concept of emotional intelligence. Unlike IQ, which tracked conventional measures of intelligence like reasoning and recall, EQ measured the ability to understand other people — to listen, to empathize (共情), and to appreciate.

My mother, an elementary school principal, prized brains and hard work, but she placed a special emphasis on Goleman’s new idea. To her, EQ was the elixir (万能药) that separated the good students from the great after they left school. She was determined to send me into the adult world with as much of this elixir as possible.

But when I finally began my first job, I noticed a second elixir in the pockets of some of my colleagues. It gave their opinions extra weight and their decisions added impact. Strangest of all, it seemed like the anti-EQ: Instead of knowing how to make others feel good, this elixir gave people the courage to do the opposite — to say things others didn’t want to hear.

This was assertiveness (魄力). It boiled down to the command of a single skill: the ability to have uncomfortable conversations. Assertive people — those with high “AQ”— ask for things they want, decline things they don’t, provide constructive feedback, and engage in direct confrontation (对峙) and debate.

A lifetime improving my EQ helped me empathize with others, but it also left me overly sensitive to situations where I had to say or do things that might make others unhappy. While I didn’t avoid conflict, I was always frustrated by my powerlessness when I had to say or do something that could upset someone. This is my problem and I’m working on it.

1. Why did the author act that way in the coffee shop?

A．To improve a skill.	B．To test a concept.
C．To advocate a new idea.	D．To have a unique vacation.

2. What do we know about the author’s mother?

A．She thought little of IQ.

B．She popularized Goleman’s idea.

C．She was a strict mother and principal.

D．She valued EQ as the key to greatness.

3. What does the word “it” underlined in the fourth paragraph refer to?

A．EQ.

B．AQ.

C．Empathy.

D．Courage.

4. According to the passage, those with high EQ but low AQ are likely to be ______.

A．successful leaders	B．people pleasers
C．terrible complainers	D．pleasure seekers

5 . Unlike Special Forces tourism, where the aim is to hit as many famous spots as possible in the _______ amount of time, Citywalk is more about immersing in the atmosphere of the city. By _______ on foot, Citywalkers get away from _______ famous hotspots and commercial hubs, _______, seeking out interactions with locals, authentic snacks, and a deeper appreciation for the history and culture of the city.

In some cases, Citywalk is much like a food tour, with walkers carefully planning out _______ with certain snack spots in mind. Seasoned (资深的) Citywalkers have seized the _______ to share their own recommended routes and snack spots _______ social media, quickly gaining thousands of new subscribers over the past month. The addition of the group chat function to Xiaohongshu (_______ in February) means Citywalk fans can chat with an influencer/ expert in their city and _______ connect with other new Citywalk fans.

On Gen Z trend bible Xiaohongshu, hashtags “Citywalk” and “Day off Citywalk” have 14.2 million and 411.5 million views _______. An official page dedicated to the trend ________ “Strolling the Street to Eat Delicious Food” can also be found when ________ for Citywalk on the platform. The H5 page recommends snack spots on backstreets in Hangzhou, Chongqing, Chengdu, Tianjin, Changsha, Guiyang and more.

While Citywalk can work as an ________ to tourism, most of the trend’s enthusiasts ________ reconnect with the city they live in. This post-reopening trend ________ Gen Z seek pleasure more through connection than consumption and signifies a deep cultural curiosity that goes beyond the Chinese iconography that typifies guochao.

1.

A．largest

B．hugest

C．shortest

D．quickest

2.

A．figuring

B．measuring

C．admiring

D．sensing

3.

A．offline

B．local

C．internet

D．nearby

4.

A．instead

B．however

C．meanwhile

D．furthermore

5.

A．paths

B．routes

C．ways

D．directions

6.

A．trend

B．taste

C．flow

D．trick

7.

A．on

B．at

C．by

D．via

8.

A．installed

B．launched

C．set

D．downloaded

9.

A．easily

B．possibly

C．luckily

D．randomly

10.

A．totally

B．particularly

C．visually

D．respectively

11.

A．read

B．named

C．said

D．noticed

12.

A．searching

B．leaving

C．longing

D．allowing

13.

A．inspiration

B．expression

C．anticipation

D．approach

14.

A．are keen to

B．are approved to

C．are bound to

D．are determined to

15.

A．discovers

B．observes

C．sees

D．views

7 . My wife and I parked by a rough path the same time as a young man covered in tattoos (纹身). I ______ he was unfriendly，so we tried to ______ ourselves from him. But he struggled hard to ______ and wanted to talk some. We slowed down. He said he was recovering from a bad time in his life. We ______ left him in the dust，heading up the river.

Hours later we turned back ______ a flash flood had taken out the bridge. There he was again, following to ______ us. He shared a little more of his ______. He lost his mother and sister in a car accident and he was permanently ______ too. We slowed down to the pace he could ______ for the whole way back.

He continued, “During much surgery and ______ I came to hate life...” Then he pulled up his shirt to show us a ______ life size tattoo from neck to waist. It was two ladies in a ______ light waving to him. “This is my mom and this is my sister,” he pointed, “They told me to stop hating everything. They loved me just as they always had and ______ me to live in love too!” He explained the brightly colored tattoo was the exact dream he had that day.

My ______ went away. It had painted a wrong picture of this wonderful person with a beautiful ______ . I learned more than he hoped to tell.

1.

A．assumed

B．remembered

C．admitted

D．confirmed

2.

A．tell

B．distance

C．save

D．free

3.

A．turn away

B．set out

C．catch up

D．settle down

4.

A．politely

B．secretly

C．carelessly

D．accidentally

5.

A．though

B．unless

C．because

D．before

6.

A．impress

B．interrupt

C．persuade

D．engage

7.

A．target

B．story

C．plan

D．journey

8.

A．confused

B．discouraged

C．ignored

D．injured

9.

A．observe

B．judge

C．manage

D．challenge

10.

A．silence

B．pain

C．failure

D．guilt

11.

A．massive

B．funny

C．random

D．popular

12.

A．brilliant

B．gentle

C．weak

D．sensitive

13.

A．allowed

B．begged

C．forced

D．expected

14.

A．doubt

B．sympathy

C．prejudice

D．resistance

15.

A．reputation

B．message

C．appearance

D．insight

8 . My grandfather’s old Ford was greeted not by flashing red, yellow or green—but by guardsmen armed with guns and appearing much out of place in such peaceful surroundings. As our vehicle slowed to a stop, I was scared by a huge machine gun, pointed in our direction. A young guardsman explained apologetically, “Sorry Sir, but we’ll have to search your car. Just routine procedure.”

It was the election day in Benton, a small Tennessee town. Looking forward to a visit to the ice cream shop, I accompanied my grandfather as he drove the ten-mile journey to town. That day an air of uneasiness replaced the usual contentment one felt while passing aged buildings. Having spent the first ten years of my life here, I could detect any change in the town’s mood.

Worried expressions on the faces of the few people were present on the streets. Evenyone was in a hurry. No usual groups gathered to exchange local gossip. Most noticeable was the absence of children.

As the car was being searched, we learned the reason for such severe protective measures.

Explosives would be brought into town to bomb the courthouse. As this unbelievable information was being given, I sat in panic. This was the same town where, only yesterday, old men in dirty overalls hung around the courthouse discussing the forthcoming election, and children ran freely on the sidewalks. Strangely, all this had changed overnight, and our peaceful country and the glorious right to vote were beginning to sound as a sour note. Marching through the streets, guards with guns gave the appearance of towns I had seen in the movies.

We moved on. Surely who could be so stupid as to go into that courthouse now? Thinking how wonderful it would be to get back to the safety of our farmhouse, I was somewhat scared when Grandpa parked near the entrance to the threatened building. The lines in his face carved with determination, he quickly mounted the steps to the building. That right was now even more precious. Grandpa would vote.

1. Why were they stopped on the way?

A．They had to wait for the green light.	B．They were shocked by the sudden change.
C．They were identified as the suspects.	D．They had to go through the routine check.

2. Why did the author’s grandfather drive to Benton?

A．To buy some ice cream.	B．To pass his leisure time.
C．To practice his own right.	D．To detect the change of the town.

3. Which of the following best describes the author’s grandfather?

A．Brave and respectful.	B．Calm and determined.
C．Committed and thoughtful.	D．Honest and hardworking.

4. What is the text?

A．A diary entry.	B．A book review.
C．A news report.	D．A travel brochure.

10 . Imagine this: You walk into a place and the atmosphere is light and airy. The subtle scent of coffee beans fills the air and everyone that approaches you is friendly and welcoming. You’re comfortable and feel like you belong. As in most cities, it’s a place where people meet, discuss ideas, and conduct business. After taking a few sips of that Caramel Macchiato, you immediately get that feeling of energy and optimism. Perhaps it’s partly due to the caffeine and sugar rush, or maybe it’s that the presence of a Starbucks typically indicates a city on the rise.

In December of 2017, Trenton’s first Starbuck’s café was opened to the public at 102 Warren Street. Walking in, people living in Trenton scream at everything about this café, from the diverse but local stuff to the Trenton themed décor (室内装饰) and art. To make things better, this Starbucks also serves as an “opportunity café” which essentially means the young people in our communities are recruited and offered job training and employment. This program not only uplifts our youth, but also increases the amount of minority business in the city.

In the interviews with customers, a trend in responses arose. To many, the Starbucks was a “favorite place to stop in after work” and provided “a very relaxing environment.” The staff were often highly praised, noted as being friendly, helpful, and working in harmony. The interior décor of the café struck a lot of people’s attention, given the familiarity of the atmosphere. Painted on the walls, all around the store, are murals (壁画) with bright, colorful, graffiti-like designs very sui generis in Trenton, showcasing local monuments like the State House and the famous “Trenton Makes” bridge.

This new Starbucks brings a sense of modernity to Downtown Trenton and reminds us that our city is always developing. Open from 6 a. m. until 7 p.m. every day, the building is hardly ever empty. This space is made for everyone in Trenton, even the non-coffee lovers.

1. What is the major function of Paragraph 1 in the passage?

A．To present an introduction to the topic.

B．To set a background for the main theme.

C．To summarize the main idea of the passage.

D．To describe a common phenomenon for the readers.

2. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．People are amazed at the number of job opportunities provided by the Starbucks.

B．“Opportunity café” program helps achieve booming economy and bring spiritual benefits.

C．Most respondents regarded the Starbucks as a harmonious and entertaining workplace.

D．Numerous people are attracted to stop in after work by the murals with original designs.

3. What does the underlined word “sui generis” mean in Paragraph 3?

A．Substantial.

B．Delicate.

C．Inspirational.

D．Unique.

4. What could be the best title for the passage?

A．Starbucks Is Designed for Everyone

B．Starbucks Gains Popularity in Trenton

C．Starbucks Sets an Atmosphere of Progress

D．Starbucks Creates More Job Opportunities