1 . Hummingbirds are natural acrobats (杂技演员), twisting their wings in ways that let them fly backward and upside down, unlike any other bird. Now, high-speed video shows how the birds can slip through gaps narrower than their wingspan (翼宽).
Hummingbirds fly sideways to make it through holes too small for their stiff (僵硬), outstretched wings, scientists report November 9 in the Journal of Experimental Biology. The birds move their wings at a part of the full range of motion, keeping them from hitting the hole’s sides while preserving the backward flying ability. After navigating (穿行) the barriers a few times, hummingbirds flatten their wings against the body and travel through the holes.
“This is a new insight into the amazing capacity of hummingbirds,” says Bret Tobalske, a biomechanist at the University of Montana in Missoula who was not involved in the study. Most birds just pull their wings close to the body to fly through thick vegetation. Sideways flight highlights how unique these hummingbirds are, Tobalske says.
Biologist Marc Badger and colleagues trained four wild Anna’s hummingbirds to fly between two feeders, then introduced barriers monitored by high-speed cameras. Each barrier had holes ranging from 6 to 12 centimetres across, which are equal to about half or a full hummingbird wingspan.
The sideways flight astonished study coauthor Robert Dudley, a physiologist at the University of California, Berkeley. “To slow it up and then go sideways and not drop in altitude was a novel behaviour.”
Perhaps hummingbirds fly sideways to navigate barriers that might hide enemies, says Badger, who did the work while at UC Berkeley. Once the birds know it’s safe, they use the technique to avoid breaking feathers, he suggests.
1. What makes it difficult for hummingbirds to fly through tiny gaps?| A．They have poor vision. |
| B．Their wings don’t easily bend. |
| C．They are unable to fly backward. |
| D．Their enemies often hide in narrow gaps. |
| A．He didn’t engage in the study. |
| B．He works at the University of California. |
| C．He thinks little of hummingbirds’ flying ability. |
| D．He trained four hummingbirds to fly between two feeders. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Upset. | C．Concerned. | D．Amazed. |
| A．Hummingbirds Are Natural Performers |
| B．Hummingbirds Have High Survival Abilities |
| C．Hummingbirds Show off Their Sideways Flight |
| D．Hummingbirds Are Recorded by High-Speed Cameras |
Once upon a time, there was a naughty (淘气的) and curious little boy named Jack. Growing up in the city, he had always been fascinated by the countryside and all its wonders. So when his mother decided to take him to visit his grandmother in the village during one summer, Jack was overjoyed.
As soon as they arrived, Jack’s eyes widened with excitement at the sight of the old-fashioned spinning (纺纱) wheel and waterwheel in the yard. But it was the large geese (鹅) in the fenced enclosure that truly seized his attention. Their white feathers, long necks, and distinctive cackles (嘎嘎叫) were unlike anything he had ever seen before.
Eager to explore, Jack approached the fence and reached out to gently tap one of the geese on its head. He laughed at his own playfulness, but little did he know that his actions would have unintended consequences.
The goose, feeling threatened and annoyed, let out a loud squawk and charged towards Jack. Frightened and shocked, Jack moved backwards, tripping over his own feet and falling onto the ground. The goose continued to pursue him, its sharp beak (嘴) coming dangerously close to his face.
Just as the situation seemed terrible, Jack’s grandmother rushed to his rescue. She quickly grabbed a broom and managed to scare the angry goose away, saving Jack from potential harm. Breathless and shaken, Jack sat on the ground, realizing the gravity of his action.
His grandmother sat down beside him and gently explained that animals, even seemingly harmless ones like geese, could attack if they felt threatened. She reminded Jack that it was important to treat all creatures with kindness and respect, regardless of their size or appearance.
Feeling ashamed and regretful, Jack apologized to the goose for his thoughtless behaviour. From that day on, he made a conscious effort to be more mindful of how his action could affect others, both human and animal alike. He learned that true bravery wasn’t about being fearless, but about facing your fears and making amends (补偿) when you were wrong.
注意：1．续写词数应为150左右；
2．请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
As the summer days passed, Jack helped his grandmother tend to the garden and care for the animals.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Years later, as an animal rights activist, Jack often reflected on that decisive summer in the village.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________3 . After losing her house to a fire, Jo Ann Ussery had a strange idea: to live in an airplane. She bought an old Boeing 727, had it shipped to a piece of land she already owned, and spent six months renovating (翻新), doing most of the work by herself.
By the end, Ussery had a fully functional home, with over 140 square metres of living space, three bedrooms, and two bathrooms. All for less than $30,000．
Ussery had no professional connection to aviation (航空), and was following the offbeat suggestion of her brother-in-law, an air traffic controller. She lived in the plane from 1995to 1999, when it was seriously damaged after falling off the truck that was moving it to a different location.
Although Ussery wasn’t the first person to ever live in an airplane, her perfect execution (执行)of the project had an inspirational effect. In the late 1990s, Bruce Campbell, an electrical engineer, was struck by her story, “I was driving home and listening to the radio, and they had Jo Ann’s story, and my focus turned entirely to it. The next morning I was placing phone calls,” he said.
Campbell has now been living in his own plane — also a Boeing 727 — for over 20 years. “I still stand on Jo Ann’s shoulder and I’m grateful for the proof of concept.” His project cost $220,000 in total, of which roughly half was for the purchase of the plane.
If you think living in an airplane is extravagant (肆意挥霍的) enough, how about living in two? That’s the plan for Joe Axline, who owns an MD-80 and DC-9 in Brookshire, Texas. Axline has lived in the MD-80 for over a decade and is planning to renovate the DC-9 and equip it with recreational areas such as a movie theatre.“I’ve spent less than a quarter of a million dollars in the whole project,” said Axline, who has very few running expenses because he owns the land and has built his own water well.
1. What does the underlined word “offbeat” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?| A．Practical. | B．Great. | C．Stupid. | D．Unconventional. |
| A．Joe Axline. | B．Jo Ann Ussery. |
| C．Jo Ann Ussery’s brother-in-law. | D．An unknown air traffic controller. |
| A．Less than $30,000． | B．About $110,000. |
| C．About $220,000． | D．Less than 250,000． |
| A．To persuade readers to live in airplanes. |
| B．To entertain readers with interesting stories. |
| C．To introduce some people who live in airplanes. |
| D．To introduce a new and fashionable way of life. |
4 . The demands of today's busy schedules have driven us indoors, where we now spend almost 90 percent of our time commuting（通勤）, at work, and inside our homes. This modern way of living disconnects us from the outdoors and from the natural light and fresh air we all require to be healthy.
Marvin Skycove is a glass structure that projects into the open air, enhancing connections with the outdoors. Skycove creates a smart extension of usable space, opens a room to panoramic（全景的）views, and allows in restorative light from four directions.
Marvin Signature
Modern: Windows and Doors that Play Nice
Combining large windows and doors to create large glass walls is a great way to complement a modern design and truly blur（模糊）the boundaries between indoors and out.
At Marvin, well-being is our guidepost.
| A．But doing so can result in poor performance and may create odd feelings. |
| B．Bi-fold windows are often found between doorways and outdoor living space. |
| C．Our windows and doors are designed to help people feel balanced and healthy. |
| D．This glowing（发光的）setting creates a calming space to enjoy a coffee or a book. |
| E．When Bi-fold doors open, the panels are folded, leaving the whole space wide open. |
| F．It was designed to allow people to effortlessly create a personalized atmosphere inside. |
| G．Here are some products that are designed to connect our indoor space to the outside world. |
5 . Three of the Best Small Breweries (啤酒厂) in the USA
If you’re tired of drinking the same old beer and would actually like to have a taste of true beer that’s been handcrafted with care and genuine passion by newbies (新手) in the market — then this blog is going to give you exactly that.
City Built Brewing Co.
This place has got something for everybody — whether you’re a “classic” person who just wants to have a glass of your favourite beer on a hot summer day or an adventurer who wants to be hit with flavours that you have never tried before-the City Built Brewing Company will meet all your needs since it provides a variety of drinks for a mixed crowd.
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Even though it’s not one of the biggest players in the market, its extremely innovative marketing strategies will convince you otherwise. The Firestone Walker Brewing Co. has quickly managed to gain a lot of visibility in 2022 simply by having a great social media presence, along with a killer webpage that invites beer lovers in. Its true specialty lies in creating seasonal beers made annually and available only for a limited period of time. Apart from this, it also has a variety of other kinds of beer that are brewed all year round.
Dovetail Brewery
Here’s a place that you should go to for both-the great beer and the fun experience. Started by two friends (Bill and Hagen) who met in beer school, the brewery is best known for how well they convert classic European beers to suit the American tastebuds (味蕾).
Not just that, but you’ll also get to experience a place of great architecture when you visit this brewery, along with the amazing food that’s to die for.
1. What is unique about Firestone Walker Brewing Co. ?| A．It brought in foreign flavours. | B．Its architecture style is appealing. |
| C．Some of its beer is offered for limited time. | D．It makes special flavour only for adventurers. |
| A．Their beer is of poor quality. | B．Their products are handmade. |
| C．They provide hands-on experience. | D．They don’t have webpages to advertise. |
| A．A guidebook. | B．A newspaper. | C．A textbook. | D．A website. |
6 . Ever since we were together, my wife has known about a magical place called Lincoln City, a modest beach town on the central-Oregon
So it was with great
In most cases, our assessments of a place or experience seldom differ. In this case, our wildly
| A．plain | B．forest | C．coast | D．desert |
| A．chained | B．compared | C．crowded | D．contented |
| A．combing | B．marking | C．piling | D．cleaning |
| A．putting out | B．throwing away | C．playing with | D．trading for |
| A．tightly | B．literally | C．slightly | D．noisily |
| A．greed | B．expectation | C．envy | D．guilt |
| A．practical | B．charming | C．modern | D．mysterious |
| A．oppose | B．adopt | C．encounter | D．stand |
| A．affection | B．crisis | C．touch | D．respect |
| A．same | B．varied | C．stubborn | D．objective |
| A．instructed | B．explained | C．prevented | D．judged |
| A．abandon | B．occupy | C．lack | D．possess |
| A．bittersweet | B．breath-taking | C．awe-inspiring | D．carefree |
| A．sunny | B．foggy | C．misty | D．freezing |
| A．tolerate | B．relax | C．complain | D．enjoy |
Scanning the court, Luis pretended to pass the ball to another teammate but finally gave it to Nicholas. As Luis expected, Nicholas kicked hard and… GOAL! Just then, Devon walked up angrily. “What were you DOING there, Luis?!” he yelled. Luis rolled his eyes.
Devon started playing soccer with them weeks ago. He was nice when he felt like things in the game had gone his way. Otherwise, he would lose temper.
“Playing soccer.” Luis shrugged. “Why didn’t you pass to me? I was closer to the goal than Nicholas.” Devon yelled again.
As the group walked in, Devon continued. Luis ignored him to avoid arguing. Nicholas approached and began complaining about Devon’s yelling and disrespect. “What can you do about that?” Luis asked. Nicolas said he wanted to organize a new team without Devon. Luis was upset to hear that. Nicholas said, “It’s more fun before he started playing with us. I’ve told the other teammates. They agreed.”
Reaching home, Luis dragged his feet into his bedroom, which confused his mom. “What’s wrong?” She asked. Then, Luis told what happened to her. “Have any of you tried talking to Devon about this?” She asked. “I don’t know.” Luis scratched his head.
“Maybe a boundary could help. When playing soccer, how do you know whether someone is at the right position on the court? What’s that line called?” Mom reminded. “A boundary.” Luis murmured.
“Tell Devon whether he’s crossing a line with how he talks.” She suggested. Luis took the advice and decided to have a try.
The next day at school, Luis found Devon and told him all the teammates liked playing soccer with him but they didn’t like being yelled at by him.
“I don’t yell at people.” Devon immediately interrupted.
“You yelled at me the other day because I didn’t pass to you,” Luis reminded calmly. “And you are yelling now. If you keep yelling at your teammate, we won’t play with you anymore.”
Devon was too embarrassed to speak. “Being yelled at isn’t fun but playing soccer is supposed to be fun.” Luis said, patting Devon’s shoulder gently.
Later, during the training, Luis met Nicholas and told him what he’d told Devon.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150个左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位里作答。
“Just give him another chance, okay?” Luis whispered.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________As the training came to an end, Luis and Nicholas jogged towards Devon.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________8 . Since young children went back to school across Sweden recently, many of their teachers have been putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading time and handwriting practice, and devoting less time to tablets, independent online research and keyboarding skills.
The return to more traditional ways of learning is a response to politicians and experts questioning whether Sweden’s hyper-digitalized approach to education, including the introduction of tablets in nursery schools, had led to a decline in basic skills.
Sweden’s minister for schools, Lotta Edholm was one of the biggest critics of the all-out embrace of technology. “Sweden’s students need more textbooks,” Edholm said in March. “Physical books are important for student learning.” The minister announced in August that the government wanted to change the decision by the national agency for education to make digital devices compulsory in preschools. It plans to go further and to completely end digital learning for children under age six, the ministry has told the Associated Press.
Although Sweden’s students score above the European average for reading ability, an international assessment of fourth-grade reading levels, the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), highlighted a decline among Sweden’s children between 2016 and 2021.
In comparison, Singapore — which topped the rankings — improved its PIRLS reading scores from 576 to 587 during the same period, and England’s average reading achievement score fell only slightly, from 559 in 2016 to 558 in 2021. An overuse of screens during school lessons may cause youngsters to fall behind in core subjects, education experts say. “There’s clear scientific evidence that digital tools impair rather than enhance student learning,” Sweden’s Karolinska Institute, a highly respected medical school focused on research, said in a statement in August on the country’s national digitalization strategy in education.
“We believe the focus should return to acquiring knowledge through printed textbooks and teacher expertise, rather than acquiring knowledge primarily from freely available digital sources that have not been checked for accuracy.” the school added.
1. Why do Swedish schools return to paper books?| A．To cater to parents’ increasing needs. |
| B．To help with children’s independent learning. |
| C．To overcome children’s addiction to digital tools. |
| D．To avoid possible decline in children’s basic skills. |
| A．Total acceptance. | B．Creative use. |
| C．Rapid development. | D．Serious addiction. |
| A．Teachers should acquire more knowledge. |
| B．Knowledge from digital tools may not be reliable. |
| C．Digital tools smooth out learning barriers for children. |
| D．The accessibility to digital sources should be improved. |
| A．Swedish Children’s Return to Paper | B．Problems with Children’s Education |
| C．Popularity of Digitalization in Sweden | D．Enhancement of Teaching Strategies in Sweden |
It took six hours for Liu Yi to get to Tianshui, Northwest China’s Gansu province by train. He
The popularity of the dish is
Within a month, bookings for hotel rooms in Tianshui had increased year-on-year, according to Ctrip,
10 . World-famous Botanical Gardens
From botanical history to scientific discovery, here are the top picks for people to explore.
Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, London, England (1840)
Located in London, Royal-Botanic Gardens at Kew are home to the world’s biggest collection of living plants. As a global resource for plant and fungal knowledge, it has more than 50,000 species of native and exotic plants, trees, and flowers on site. It is a setting rich in history that spans from royal decorations to wartime bombing, and its mission is to protect plants for the future of all life on Earth.
The Humble Administrator’s Garden, Suzhou, China (1513)
The Humble Administrators Garden in Suzhou is a great masterpiece with its attractive design and careful arrangement of natural elements. It’s centered around water features, with beautiful fountains, complex rockwork, and historic buildings surrounded by thick vegetation. The combination of these elements creates a picturesque landscape. Because of its exceptional cultural and historical significance, the garden has become a world heritage.
Parque de Monserrate, Sintra, Portugal (1789)
Monserrate is a combination of wild landscape with old ruins, formal lawned areas and lovely gardens. The garden sits on the lower slopes of the Sintra Mountains, which have one of the mildest climates in Europe, so the garden is frost-free. At its very centre is a grand palace, which has a distinctive mixture of different architectural styles. It has been the site of various buildings and gardens for hundreds of years.
Missouri Botanical Garden, St Louis, USA (1859)
Established in 1859, Missouri Botanical Garden is the oldest botanical garden in continuous use in North America. It is recognized internationally for its scientific research. With almost 50 themed gardens, Missouri Botanical Garden has been involved in the conservation of plants from native American regions and also from Madagascar, China and Central America.
1. Why are the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew established?| A．To collect tropical plants. | B．To conserve various plants. |
| C．To record the history of British plants. | D．To provide a shelter for people in wartime. |
| A．It highlights the waterscape. | B．It is surrounded by formal lawns. |
| C．It includes many themed gardens. | D．It shows different architectural ruins. |
| A．London. | B．Suzhou. | C．Sintra. | D．St Louis. |
