1 . A group of researchers has come up with a way to make it easier to drive in the snow: by designing tyres(轮胎)based on polar bear paws.

“We had an ongoing project for many years focused on ice,” said Ali Dhinojwala, who took part in the research. “We were looking at the friction(摩擦力)of materials because our national partners need to develop tyres with a strong grip on the road in ice and snow conditions.” The team turned to nature for inspiration, thinking that evolution might have already solved the problem in a way that could be copied with technology. The obvious place to look was polar bears—specifically the tiny bumps(凸块)on the surface of their paw pads—to find out what effect they have on the animals’ ability to move quickly across icy and snowy area.

To do this, the team gathered samples(样本)of polar bear paw pads, as well as samples from brown bears and American black bears(two species closely related to polar bears)and sun bears(a distantly related species, typically found in Asia).

The team imaged the samples using a scanning electron microscope, produced 3D-printed copies and then tested them in snow in the lab. They found that the tiny structures on the polar bear paw pads were taller, which gave them better friction on the snow, even though polar bears have smaller pads compared to other bears.

The team now wants to look into other factors that may have an effect, such as the patterns and shapes of the tiny structures. “If you look at snow tyres you’ll see that they do have some deeper treads(外胎花纹), but this research could also show various ways to design them that could have a larger impact,” said Dhinojwala.

1. What does the underlined word “they” in paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Polar bears.	B．Tiny bumps.
C．Paw pads.	D．Snowy roads.

2. What is paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．The background of the research.	B．The finding of the research.
C．The differences of samples in the lab.	D．The comparison of different bear pads.

3. What can we infer from Dhinojwala’s words in the last paragraph?

A．Different treads might be designed on the snow tyres.

B．Snow tyres that have deeper treads can be safe enough.

C．The design of snow tyres requires no further improvement.

D．The researchers should have turned to other bears for inspiration.

4. Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?

A．An easier way to drive in the snow	B．An ongoing project focused on ice
C．Snow tyres based on polar bear paws	D．A new research on polar bear paw pads

2 . Eleven-year-old Ruby has a unique hobby—making wishes come true for nursing home residents in Harrison, Arkansas. Inspired by her mother’s work as a nurse, Ruby accompanied her mother to the nursing homes during the summer and has developed a close bond with the elderly residents.

One day, Ruby noticed a resident named Pearl looking sad while staring out of a window. When she asked what was wrong, Pearl explained that she had seen her dog being taken away, and she didn’t know when she would see her beloved pet again. It broke Ruby’s heart, and she decided to take action. She began asking the residents what three things they wanted most in the world. To her surprise, their requests were simple—chocolate bars, McDonald’s fries, and pants that fit properly.

Ruby and her mother used their own money to achieve the wishes of around 100 residents within three months. Soon, they started receiving donations from the kind-hearted people of Harrison. Encouraged by the overwhelming response, they set up a GoFundMe page called “Three Wishes for Ruby’s Residents” to collect $5,000. They reached their goal within a month.

When GoFundMe recognized Ruby as a Kid Hero and shared her story worldwide, donations poured in. In just 24 hours, they raised $20,000, and within five months, the total surpassed $250,000. With these funds, they were able to grant(准予)more creative wishes, such as creating a man cave for one resident with a Walkman and snacks, and providing financial assistance for another resident to attend an out-of-state wedding.

Motivated by their success, Three Wishes for Ruby’s Residents became a nonprofit organization and expanded nationwide. Their new goal is to set up a shared laptop in at least one nursing home in each state. Ruby’s passion for kindness drives her to continue her efforts, and her acts of kindness serve as a reminder that even small gestures can make a big difference in someone’s life.

1. What inspired Ruby to achieve nursing home residents’ wishes?

A．Her affection for dogs.	B．Her enthusiasm for fundraising.
C．Pearl’s request for three wishes.	D．Pearl’s story about her pet dog.

2. How did Ruby and her mother firstly get the money to satisfy the residents’ desires?

A．They got the fund.

B．They sold their belongings.

C．They used their personal money.

D．They got donations from the nursing home.

3. What was one of the creative wishes granted by the project?

A．Building a new nursing home.

B．Providing financial assistance for weddings

C．Setting up shared laptops in nursing homes across the country.

D．Establishing a comfortable room for a resident with a music player and snacks.

4. Which word can best describe Ruby’s behavior?

A．Creative.

B．Caring.

C．Confusing.

D．Courageous.

3 . Do you love literature and travel? Then your travels can be an opportunity to visit some of the most beautiful libraries in the world.

The Library of Admont Abbey

The library is located in Austria. Inside this extraordinary place is a superb room housing a rich collection of great works. The ornaments (装饰品) above the shelves, as well as the statues, ceilings, are splendid. The library also has the first edition of The Encyclopedia by Diderot and Alembert. This place was once repaired for four years from 2000 to 2004.

The Library of Congress, Washington

This library was founded in 1800 and was one of the largest libraries in the world. The building is breathtakingly beautiful, with the octagonal Reading Room surrounded by an elevated gallery from which readers can gaze up at the stunning ceilings. The well-carved statues in the Great Hall are another feature not to be missed.

Binhai Library, Tianjin

The Tianjin library is a pure architectural masterpiece. The building is nicknamed “The Eye” because the eye is a recognizable feature of the design visible from inside and outside. This immaculate space has been designed so that visitors can easily move around, stop to read, but also meet and chat. The number of shelves and the height are impressive.

The Library of George Peabody

This is one of the most remarkable university libraries in the world and is named after a famous American philanthropist. The heart of the library is a superb long hall for books, all on five floors. With its 18m high central hall, no wonder the place was called the “cathedral of books”. It has a catalogue of 300,000 books, including the first edition of Charles Darwin’s The Origin of Species.

1. What do the Library of Admont Abbey and the Library of Congress have in common?

A．They both have been rebuilt.	B．They are both private libraries.
C．They each have impressive statues.	D．They are both located in a university.

2. Which library offers a great place for readers to communicate?

A．The library of Admont Abbey.	B．The Library of Congress, Washington.
C．Binhai Library, Tianjin.	D．The library of George Peabody.

3. Where is the text probably from?

A．A science article.	B．A book review.
C．A news report.	D．A travel guide.

4 . Everywhere you go, it seems like people are using something to reduce the noise in their lives. They wear over-ear headphones on public transportation, during long flights, or in open-plan offices, or use colored earplugs (耳塞) at concerts. Silence is now big business, with the global market for noise-cancelling headphones bringing $13.1 billion in 2021. Experts predict that this figure will triple by 2031. While these market-based solutions are becoming popular, they raise a question: Are there physical and social effects to shutting out the world around us?

Noise-cancelling technology was first developed in the 1950s to reduce cockpit noise for pilots. The headphones today use technology known as active noise control. However, too much of a good thing also has its downsides. Many studies have shown that constant earplug wearing, day and night, over just one week can lead to a condition known as tinnitus (耳鸣). “When you stop listening to outside sounds, your brain starts to turn up its ‘internal volume’ so that it can still pick up on things.” McAlpine says. “If you stop the sound going into your ears, it’s like messing with how your brain is supposed to work naturally.”

When it comes to distraction (干扰), the type of noise may matter as much as volume. Moderate (适中的) background noise, around 70dB, has been found to advance performance on creative tasks, for example. “Some people can work really effectively in buzzy cafes and even airports, and yet they can’t focus in the same way in an office. Even if it isn’t as noisy,” McAlpine says. “Your brain in the office is automatically paying attention to all those other conversations — because they might be about something you need to know.”

How, then, can we deal with all the loud distractions in our modern lives? An over-dependence on noise-cancelling technology is not necessarily the solution, says McAlpine. “We have given more control to outside sources over our sound environment compared to our visual environment,” he says. If people started wearing AR/VR goggles and living in their own virtual worlds instead of focusing on improving the physical environment, “And that’s problematic.”

1. What is the purpose of noise-cancelling headphones?

A．To pick up the sounds.

B．To reduce the rate of tinnitus.

C．To improve performance on creative tasks.

D．To create a sense of silence in noisy environments.

2. Which statement is TRUE according to the article?

A．Wearing noise-cancelling headphones has no physical or social costs.

B．Creative task performance can be improved by the moderate background noise.

C．Noise-cancelling technology was first developed in the 1950s for concertgoers.

D．The global market for noise-cancelling headphones is believed to drop by 2031.

3. What does the underlined word “buzzy” mean in the fourth paragraph?

A．Lively.

B．Advanced.

C．Interesting.

D．Quiet.

4. What attitude does McAlpine hold towards the over-dependence on the technology?

A．Negative.

B．Objective.

C．Optimistic.

D．Indifferent.

6 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What is the ship captain going to do?

A．Speed the ship.

B．Change the direction.

C．Stop the ship.

2. What is the weather probably like now?

A．Sunny and nice.

B．Windy and rainy.

C．Stormy and cold.

3. What should the passengers do?

A．Run for safety.

B．Stay in their rooms.

C．Call 911.

7 . How is Facebook in the man’s opinion?

A．It’s safe to use.

B．Facebook friends are reliable.

C．It can waste your time.

8 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Why did the woman first talk to the man?

A．To borrow a book from him.

B．To invite him to lunch.

C．To ask for directions.

2. What is the woman’s main problem?

A．She isn’t used to the cold weather.

B．She doesn’t have a place to live.

C．She hasn’t made her schedule.

3. Where is the man going now?

A．A library.

B．A classroom.

C．A café.

9 . A team of psychologists led by Dr. Karen McComb at the University of Sussex in the UK have discovered an effective way for humans to communicate with cats through slow blinking (眨眼睛), similar to how cats interact with each other.

Dr. McComb and her team conducted two experiments to study this phenomenon. In the first study, owners were instructed by researchers Tasmin Humphrey and Andrew Wood to slowly blink at their cats from a distance while being recorded. Humphrey and Wood found the cats were more likely to respond with slow blinking of their own compared to when no interaction took place.

To follow up on these findings, McComb, Humphrey, and Wood designed a second experiment without considering the exsisting relationship between humans and cats. Researchers, including McComb, performed the same slow blinking action. Like in the first experiment, the cats in this study also responded more favorably to slow blinking by returning the gesture and more readily approaching an extended hand, according to Humphrey’s analysis.

The slow blink expression involves partially closing the eyes briefly, copying a relaxed, friendly facial expression in humans. McComb notes that for cats, it appears to signal good intentions as constant staring could be seen as threatening. Wood says that cats may have developed this language to acknowledge humans who react positively to the signal. Being able to effectively communicate acceptance in this subtle cat way seems to strengthen the bond between cats and their owners, McComb adds.

McComb, Humphrey and Wood hope their findings can provide insight into cat behavior and thinking. They also aim to apply this knowledge of cross-species communication to evaluate cat health in various places like veterinary (兽医的) clinics and shelters, according to Humphrey. A deeper understanding of how cats interpret and respond to humans can improve our ability to properly care for household and outdoor cat populations, McComb concludes.

1. How was the second experiment different from the first one?

A．It recorded the interactive behavior of cats.

B．It required cat owners to blink from a distance.

C．It studied how cats communicate with each other.

D．It focused on how cats react to strangers’ slow blinking.

2. Why may cats develop slow blinking according to experts?

A．To attract their owners’ attention.

B．To show friendliness to other animals.

C．To respond to humans’ positive reactions.

D．To send out a signal for help to their partners.

3. What do the researchers hope to apply their findings to?

A．Improving cat behavior and habits.

B．Assessing health conditions of cats.

C．Developing ways to treat cats’ diseases.

D．Helping cat owners train their cats quickly.

4. What does the text mainly talk about?

A．Humans can communicate with cats by blinking slowly.

B．Extending hands to cats can strengthen the bond with them.

C．Cats respond favorably to humans’ friendly facial expressions.

D．Understanding cat signals improves humans’ ability to care for them.