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2 . Despite the difficulties, the California coastal ecosystem is improving, largely thanks to the huge appetite sea otters (海獭) have for crabs. In a creative study, scientists revealed the return of otters to their former habitat in a Central California river mouth has slowed the decrease of the area’s river banks by up to 90%. “It would cost tens of millions of dollars for humans to rebuild these stream banks and restore these rivers. The otters are stabilizing them for free, in exchange for an all-you-can-eat crab feast,” said biology professor Brian Silliman, Ph. D. at Duke University.
Like many California river mouths, Elkhorn once was a habitat for otters, which need to eat around 20 to 25 pounds of food every day, with crabs being one of their favorite meals. But after fur traders hunted the local otter population nearly to extinction, the number of crabs exploded over the next century. Crabs dig into salt river soil, and over time can cause a salt river to wear away and collapse. Today, years after the otters returned, rivers and stream banks became more stable.
Angelini, one of the study’s authors, said that tool is an encouraging sign for her team as they face similar threats to Florida’s coastlines from sea level rise, storms, and extra nutrients overflowing into coastal waters. “All these seem unsurmountable,” Angelini said. “However, this study shows that, if we truly understand the ecosystem and know what tools to use, we can see significant benefits to the health and stability of these systems.”
The research team conducted large-scale surveys across 13 tidal (潮汐的) streams, as well as small-scale field experiments at five locations around the river mouth over a six-year period. Otters were not included in some lest sites but allowed to be used in others, using a caging system designed by Angelini.
“And all these years later, we now see these amazing results. It’s an inspiring story about the benefits of conservation and persistent, long-term research,” Angelini said.
1. What does Brian Silliman think of the function of sea otters?| A．It’s complex. | B．It’s expensive. |
| C．It’s effective. | D．It’s inefficient. |
| A．The collapse of salt rivers. |
| B．The hunting for their fur. |
| C．The decrease of the sea crabs. |
| D．The pollution of their habitat. |
| A．Hard to understand. | B．Difficult to deal with. |
| C．Impossible to avoid. | D．Dangerous to settle. |
| A．The process of the research. |
| B．The purpose of the research. |
| C．The limitation of the research. |
| D．The discovery of the research. |
3 . Almost no one knows the world of competitive climbing like Janja Garnbret, an Olympic gold medalist and eight-time world champion. Having risen to the top of the sport, the Slovenian now is using her platform to raise awareness of the “cultural trap” in climbing. She says it is contributing to a widespread issue with eating disorders.
The problem is from an outdated idea that weighing less means you climb faster. Such a mindset has created an environment where young athletes start skipping or cutting down on meals, she says, sometimes to disastrous effect. Despite not having issues with eating disorders herself, she is more than aware of friends and fellow competitors who have damaged their bodies in the pursuit of a thinner figure.
“I have to recognize that weight does have some role to play in the sport. I also want to win, but I’m a strong believer that you can do climbing, or any sport, in a healthy way. Luckily I didn’t fall into this trap.” She says.
“I was trying hard to help them get out of it, but it didn’t work. It was really hard for me to see them destroying themselves, mentally and physically.” It was experiences such as this that inspired Gambret to post a message on the social platform in July 2023 about eating disorders. The post sparked a huge response throughout the climbing community and attracted support from the likes of US rock climber Sasha DiGiulian.
In her message, Garnbret spoke about Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) — a syndrome (综合征) that occurs when someone of any gender has overtrained and/or undereaten for a long period in an attempt to improve their athletic performance, often without knowing the dangers of failing to compensate (补偿) for the energy they consume in training, racing and their daily lives. Left untreated, medical experts say REDs can damage an athlete’s bone health, immune system, and psychological health, as well as his athletic performance.
1. What does the “cultural trap” in the text refer to?| A．The defeat of eating disorders. | B．The pursuit of a thinner figure. |
| C．The idea of keeping daily meals. | D．The mindset of climbing to the top. |
| A．She used to fall into the cultural trap. | B．Her efforts to help dieters were in vain. |
| C．Her achievements deserved to be shared. | D．She wanted to receive support from DiGiulian. |
| A．Severe mental problems. | B．The habit of overeating. |
| C．Over-exercise for a long time. | D．The poor athletic performance. |
| A．The Road to a World Champion | B．Rising to Fame on Social Media |
| C．The Challenge of Climbing with REDs | D．Warning against Cultural Trap in Climbing |
4 . Few social networking platforms are known for inspiring positive social change these days, but an Inuit-developed app is helping local communities from Alaska to Greenland advance their self-determination.
Named SIKU after the Inuktitut word for “sea ice”, the app allows communities in the North to pull together traditional knowledge and scientific data to track changes in the environment, trace local wild foods, and make decisions about how to manage wildlife.
Over the years, SIKU has stepped forward in its development. Recently, the elders saw that the platform could help address a familiar challenge: sharing knowledge with younger people who often have their noses in their phones. In 2019, SIKU relaunched as a full-fledged social network—a platform where members can post photos and notes about wildlife sightings, hunts and sea ice conditions. The app operates in multiple languages, such as Inuktitut, Innu and Greenlandic. Since early 2024, over 25,000 people from at least 120 communities have made more than 75,000 posts on SIKU.
The app is also equipped with useful tools for life on the ice, including weather reports, sea ice forecasts, and other critical safety information. “When I go out on the land with family, we go a long distance, and the SIKU app can show which area we are in. It’s precise.” says Karen Nanook, who lives in Taloyoak, Nunavut.
The data held in SIKU is abundant and up to date, and communities are already using the app to inform important decisions. In 2021, for example, elders in Sanikiluaq were worried the local reindeer population had thinned, so the Hunters and Trappers Association used SIKU to survey hunters and look at recent reported harvest rates. The analysis led the association to temporarily close the hunt to relieve pressure on the population and to reintroduce hunting slowly once the number of reindeer increased. This decision shows how Inuit can use the technology in combination with traditional wildlife management. “It’s part science and part Inuit knowledge. It can work both ways, instead of one dominating the other,” says Arragutainaq, a manager at the association.
1. What do we know about SIKU?| A．It traces data to do researches. | B．It gets tryout all over the world. |
| C．It allows people to post photos and notes. | D．It mainly focuses on traditional knowledge. |
| A．Well-developed. | B．Time-saving. | C．Business-centered. | D．Fancy-looking. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Doubtful. | C．Intolerant. | D．Curious. |
| A．SIKU advocates the Inuit tradition. | B．SIKU promotes technological advances. |
| C．SIKU tracks changes in the environment. | D．SIKU helps local communities make decisions. |
5 . Frying French fries in space may be possible, according to a recent study by Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
On Earth, we have gravity and buoyancy (浮力). Gravity makes sure that the oil stays in the cooker, and buoyancy allows the bubbles that come out of the fries to travel up ward so that the fries are cooked. In space, which is under microgravity, there is no buoyancy. So scientists for long believed that frying wasn’t possible.
The research team first designed a sealed container that could fry the potato safely in zero gravity and then took the researchers on a ride. The plane climbed up, and then, at a certain point, headed down just like a roller coaster. There were about 20 seconds of microgravity when the plane reached the highest point, during which the team did tests.
To their surprise, the fries were cooked, and the bubbles were able to escape. When being fried, the water inside the potato turned into vapor (水蒸气). The vapor created pressure when released from the potato. The pressure inside the potato allowed the bubbles to go out and let the oil come in, according to the research paper. It showed that “frying can occur in space”.
This isn’t the first attempt for scientists to deep-fry French fries in “space”. Early in 2014, a group of researchers conducted studies under various gravities. The agency’s large centrifuge (离心机)can create artificial gravity from 1 to 20g, with “g” referring to the gravitational acceleration at the surface of the Earth. It has four arms and can spin fast. During the spin, things held by the arm are under centrifugal force, which is the source of artificial gravity. The fries were cooked under different gravities from 1 to 9 g.
They discovered that the French fries had the most crispy (脆的) chips under 3g. It’s interesting to mention that Jupiter’s gravity is 2.4 times that of Earth’s gravity. So, French fries may have the perfect taste if cooked on Jupiter, compared with other planets in the solar system.
1. What may make frying French Fries possible in space?| A．The release of bubbles. | B．The transformation of gravity. |
| C．The reduction of vapor. | D．The accumulation of buoyance. |
| A．To make a weightless sense. | B．To get appropriate pressure. |
| C．To test the seal of the container. | D．To create experiment conditions. |
| A．To show the function of the centrifuge. |
| B．To find common ground of various experiments. |
| C．To prove the perfect taste of French fries on Jupiter. |
| D．To offer more evidence about cooking French fries in space. |
| A．A science magazine. | B．A cook book. |
| C．A food advertisement. | D．A travel brochure. |
6 . The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
Have you ever heard people describe themselves as an INTJ or an ESFP? What these people are referring to is their personality type based on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), which identifies people on four different criteria.
Extroversion — Introversion (E — I)This criterion describes how people respond with the surroundings. The extroversion group are “outward-turning” and tend to be action-focused, enjoy more frequent social interaction, and feel energized after spending t me with others. The introversion group are “inward-turning” and tend to be thought-focused, enjoy deep and meaningful social interactions, and feel recharged after spending time alone.
Sensing — Intuition (S — N)This criterion involves looking at how people gather information from the world around them. People who prefer sensing tend to pay attention to realty, particularly to what they can learn from their own senses. They tend to focus on details and enjoy getting hands-on experience. Those who prefer intuition pay more at tent on to things like patterns and impressions. They enjoy thinking about possibilities, imagining the future, and abstract theories.
Thinking — Feeling (T — F)This criterion focuses on how people make decisions based on the information that they have gathered. People who prefer thinking place a, greater emphasis on facts and objective data. They tend to be consistent, logical, and impersonal when weighing a decision. Those who prefer feeling are more likely to consider people and emotions when arriving at a conclusion.
Judging — Perceiving (J — P)The final criterion involves how people tend to deal with the outside world. Those who prefer judging favor structure and firm decisions. People who prefer perceiving are more open, flexible, and adaptable. These two tendencies have an effect on the other criteria. For instance, this criterion helps describe whether you behave with the characteristics of the extroversion group when you are taking in new information or when you are making decisions.
1. Which criterion describes people’s social interaction?| A．E—I. | B．S—N. | C．T—F. | D．J—P. |
| A．Preferring stricture and firm decisions. | B．Enjoying getting hands-on experience. |
| C．Feeling tired after spending time alone. | D．Emphassising on facts and objective data. |
| A．How people make decisions. | B．How people gather information. |
| C．How people deal with the outside world. | D．How people respond with the surroundings· |
7 . During the Labor Day Holiday, Zha Liguo, at our guide, enjoyed sunrises and sunsets over Huangshan. He was joined by thousands of followers who enjoyed the views on their phones in what is known as “cloud tourism”. During the holiday, Zha would begin his day with a broadcast of the sunrise at the mountaintop. He then would hike across the grand valley and wait for the sunset with his mobile phone.
Having worked in the tourism industry for two decades, Zha began experimenting with live stream in 2022. His positive attitude, engaging presentation, and high quality filming in particular, have helped him attract 700,000 followers.
Not far away from Huangshan, the Hongcun Village is also exploring new possibilities. In less than a year since the village created an official livestream account, it has gained more than 100, 000 followers.
“In addition to the landscape, we also take the audience closer to local folk customs, such as lantern making and wood carving. Compared with the traditional tour, ‘cloud tourism’ can give them a much deeper understanding of a place,” said a manager of a local tourist agency.
“Cloud tourism” has not only increased the appeal of tourist attractions in Hongcun Village but also boosted the growth of local industries. The sales of products in the scenic zone shot up in live stream shows and at present about 40 local tour guides regularly live stream. The live video streams have also cultivated (培养) a huge potential customer base. “I would love to go to Huangshan in the future,” read a message left in Zha’s live stream.
1. What did Zha do in early May?| A．He landed a job as at our guide. | B．He met followers over Huangshan. |
| C．He broadcast day breaks and night falls. | D．He shared routines of daily life online. |
| A．His quality filming. | B．His creative experiments. |
| C．His positive attitude. | D．His engaging presentation. |
| A．It draws attention for natural streams. |
| B．It is located in the valley of Huangshan. |
| C．It benefits financially from-livestream. |
| D．It explores possibilities with landscape. |
| A．Introducing some new folk customs. |
| B．Helping locals to admire the scenery. |
| C．Promoting the woodcarving techniques. |
| D．Attracting tourists to explore the site. |
8 . Recently, a homeowner in Illinois came face to face with five furry chipmunk (花栗鼠) babies that crowded together in a window well. Shocked and concerned, the homeowner contacted Wildlife Allies (WA), a team committed to the caring removal and rescue of sick and injured wildlife.
Wildlife technician Cat Downs soon arrived at the scene along with an assistant. Together, Downs and the assistant netted the chipmunks, removing them from the window well, and placed them inside a new plastic carrier. The rescuers then moved the five chipmunk babies to a grassy area nearby and put them under a wooden basket where the mother could see them. To make sure the reunion was a success, the rescuers set up cameras and hoped the chipmunk mom would soon return.
“The chipmunk babies were enveloped in fear and tiredness,” a representative from Wildlife Allies recalled. Rescuers didn’t wait long and soon found an empty wooden basket. Then, checking the camera recording, they joyfully realized that the whole family had been reunited. “When we loaded the photos on to our computer and saw the mom, a burden was lifted from our hearts and pure joy came over us,” one Wildlife Allies representative said.
The Wildlife Allies team watched in satisfaction as the chipmunk mom tended to each of her babies. “The chipmunk mom emerged and heroically freed her precious babies from the wooden basket,” Anderson Humane wrote in a post about the rescue. “With determination, she made multiple trips, releasing all five babies and carrying the last one away to safety!”
According to Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control, chipmunk babies rely heavily on their mother throughout the first few months of their lives, as she teaches them what to eat and how to survive. Usually, families like these stick together until the fall, when the babies are old enough to stand on their own feet.
Together at last, this little family is filled with happiness, thanks to those rescuers.
1. Where did the chipmunk mom find her babies?| A．Beside a grassy area. | B．Inside a window well. |
| C．In a new plastic carrier. | D．Under a wooden basket. |
| A．Relieved. | B．Regretful. | C．Discouraged. | D．Motivated. |
| A．They stick together for food. | B．They can standup afterbirth. |
| C．They are dependent on moms. | D．They get survival skills in the fall. |
| A．Wildlife Allies: Our Last Hope | B．Guide for Wildlife Rescuers |
| C．Chipmunk Mom’s Rescue Trip | D．Reunite a Chipmunk Family |
9 . Have you ever noticed how much nicer you are to your friends than to yourself?
We comfort our friends and cheer on their achievements, yet we constantly criticize ourselves. We regret making mistakes. We compare ourselves to others. We don’t feel we are worthy enough. It’s endless.
Self-criticism actually serves a purpose. It helps people survive by adapting ourselves to social standards. Follow the standards and you will remain secure; step outside the lines and you will risk potential danger. This is why the negative self-talk is critical—it’s trying to keep you safe.
Strangely enough, as the brain circuit forces us to reflect what we did wrong, it responds with support for our friends. So how can we treat ourselves with the care we give our friends? We start by understanding how self-criticism operates.
When we are not concentrated on something, the brain circuit runs. We passively listen to these negative thoughts which interrupt our ability to focus and sleep. The self-criticism creates over thinking. For example, someone who loses a love done might think, “I’m so down. Why can’t I get over this?” and then, “I can’t handle anything.” When trying to make meaning from self-criticism, we slip into a cycle, which makes us feel we are not enough: not successful enough, not lovable enough, not worthy enough...It convinces us that we will be happy and safe when we achieve something. Yet when we achieve that, our wish to equal the achievements of others finds us some new in security. Nothing will ever be good enough.
Only when we stop the self-criticism can we hear our inner voice. Let go of the desire to “keep up with the Joneses” and then step more fully into ourselves. Next, think about what you would say to friends in a similar situation. It helps us out of the negative cycle and access our caring and supportive side. It is time for us to treat ourselves like we treat our friends.
1. Why does self-criticism matter?| A．It adapts people to critical standards. | B．It helps people avoid potential risks. |
| C．It ensures people’s security in society. | D．It assists people to achieve life purpose. |
| A．How the brain circuit is formed. | B．How self-criticism affects people. |
| C．How it feels to lose a love done. | D．How criticism creates over thinking. |
| A．Handle difficulties with case. | B．Possess abundant wealth. |
| C．Get rid of the heavy pressure. | D．Match the success of others. |
| A．Making meaning from criticism. | B．Treating ourselves with kindness. |
| C．Reflecting on mistakes regularly. | D．Offering nice comments to others. |
10 . When John was growing up, other kids felt sorry for him. His parents always had him weeding the garden, carrying out the garbage and delivering newspapers. But when John reached adulthood, he was better off than his childhood playmates. He had more job satisfaction, a better marriage and was healthier. Most of all, he was happier, far happier.
These are the findings of a 40-year study that followed the lives of 456 teenage boys from Boston. The study showed that those who had worked as boys enjoyed happier and more productive lives than those who had not. “Boys who worked in the home or community gained competence and came to feel they were worthwhile members of society,” said George Vaillant, the psychologist who made the discovery. “And because they felt good about themselves, others felt good about them.”
Vaillant’s study followed these males in great detail. Interviews were repeated at ages 25, 31 and 47. Under Vaillant, the researchers compared the men’s mental-health scores with their boyhood-activity scores. Points were awarded for part-time jobs, housework, effort in school, and ability to deal with problems.
The link between what the men had done as boys and how they turned out as adults was surprisingly manifest. Those who had done the most boyhood activities were twice as likely to have warm relations with a wide variety of people, five times as likely to be well paid and 16 times less likely to have been unemployed. The researchers also found that IQ and family social and economic class made no real difference in how the boys turned out. Working — at any age — is important. As Tolstoy once said, “One can live magnificently in this world if one knows how to work and how to love, to work for the person one loves and to love one’s work.”
1. What do we know about John?| A．He enjoyed his career and marriage. | B．He had few childhood playmates. |
| C．He received little love from his family. | D．He was envied by others in his childhood. |
| A．a description of personal values and social values |
| B．an analysis of how work was related to competence |
| C．an example for parents’ expectations of their children |
| D．an explanation why some boys grew into happy men |
| A．recording the boys’ effort in school | B．evaluating the men’s mental health |
| C．comparing different sets of scores | D．measuring the men’s problem solving ability |
| A．Common but abstract. | B．Normal but annoying. |
| C．Clear and definite. | D．Sudden and rapid. |
