1 . New findings suggest that when it-comes to learning, the snake may be quite a bit like humans. David Holtzman, a scientist at the University of Rochester, has found that snakes have a much greater capacity for learning than earlier studies had indicated.
Holtzman’s study challenged 24 snakes to escape from a black plastic container the size of a child’s pool. Cards mounted on the container’s walls and tape on its floor provided the snakes with visual and touchable signals to find their goal: holes in the container’s bottom that offer a dark, comfortable spot to hide.
Simply falling into a hole isn’t the only proof that the snakes are learning something, though. “Speed to find that goal is one of the measures which shows they’re learning,” Holtzman says. “On average, they take over 700 seconds to find the correct hole on the first day of training, and then go down to about 400 seconds by the fourth day of training. Some are actually very fast and find it in less than 30 seconds.”
Studies dating back to the 1950s interpreted snakes’ awkwardness with mazes(迷宫)as a poor reflection on their intelligence. “Early attempts to study snake intelligence were problematic because the studies used mazes as testing arenas(场地)-as though snakes might be expected to run through mazes in the same way mice run through mazes,” says Peter Kareiva, a professor of zoology. “Snakes do not encounter anything like mazes in nature, and they do not learn how to run mazes in laboratory conditions.”
Holtzman also found a few age-based differences in the signals the snakes use. Young snakes appear to be more adaptable and resourceful, using a variety of clues to find their way to the exit.But their elders seem to rely much more heavily on visual clues. “Actually, one of the amazing findings from our studies is that snakes do use vision in locating places,” says Holtzman. “They don’t just rely on the chemical clues picked up by sticking their tongues out, as many snake biologists assume.”
1. What is the function of the cards and tape?| A．To direct the snakes to the exits. |
| B．To protect the snakes from bright lights. |
| C．To cover the holes at the container’s bottom. |
| D．To make the container a comfortable spot to stay. |
| A．They are skillful escapers. | B．They are good learners. |
| C．They communicate with each other. | D．They adapt to environments quickly. |
| A．They chose the wrong testing arenas. |
| B．They failed to do tests in laboratory conditions. |
| C．They referred to studies dating back to the 1950s. |
| D．They compared snakes with a different kind of animal. |
| A．They rely on sight to find their way. |
| B．They leave chemical clues everywhere. |
| C．The young beat their elders in many ways. |
| D．Their tongues are unable to recognize chemical clues. |
2 . At first look, the playground at the Children’s Guild-Transformation Academy in Baltimore, Maryland, looks like any other. It has swings, slides, and places for children to climb and crawl. But the playground is not just a place for fun. It is also a place where students can learn, grow and gain independence. Everything — from the kind of surface it sits on, to the color of its sitting areas, to the placement of the surrounding fence — is specifically designed for kids with autism (自闭症).
Mark Rapaport is the managing director of autism services at the Transformation Academy. He said the school accepts students aged 5 to 21 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and are lower-functioning.
Rapaport said the goal of Transformation Academy is to make the students as independent as possible in an effort to help them prepare for adult life. The school aims to provide help with developing communication and social skills, as well as practical abilities like cleaning or cooking.
The playground designed by Maryland company Sparks@Play, using structures manufactured by Landscape Structures, Inc. took a month to develop, said Dan Hack. He works for Sparks@Play and helped lead the playground’s design. Hack said he and others spent weeks getting to know the students and understanding their needs before any building was started. The design process involved physical therapists, occupational therapists, and other specialists. The huge $500,000 project was funded with support from the state of Maryland and the nonprofit Orokawa Foundation.
Parts of the playground that seem small are very important for children with autism and other disabilities. The surrounding fence extends into a wooded area to make it seem more open. And the ground under the play areas is made of soft, but solid materials to support students using wheelchairs or crutches. The benches on the outside of the playground look simple from far away, but are “one of our most inclusive sensory” elements, Hack said. They have many different colors that bring about feelings of calm and curiosity. They are also made with smooth material that can be felt and moved. The academy’s Rapaport said if a child starts to feel uneasy, they can sit down and feel the bench, which can help them relax.
1. Why is the playground in Baltimore designed with special materials?| A．To make it superior to other playgrounds. | B．To better serve children with autism. |
| C．To improve the quality of the playground. | D．To make it easier for kids to climb and crawl. |
| A．It took a month to complete the project. | B．The design process is simple and easy. |
| C．The result of the project is uncertain. | D．It’s a money-consuming project. |
| A．The scale and the structure of the playground. |
| B．Ways for kids to free from the stress and relax themselves. |
| C．The underlying logic and reasonable factors of the playground. |
| D．The advantages of the playground for autism and disabled kids. |
| A．Advanced. | B．Environmental-friendly. | C．Functional. | D．Convenient. |
3 . Free Community Swap
Contact:Catherine Crawford, (718) 809-1603 ccrawford@grownyc.org
Jon Klar, (646) 530-0381 jklar@grownyc.org
New Yorkers looking to reduce, reuse, and save money this year are invited to participate in Stop ‘N’ Swap, a free community event organized by local nonprofit GrowNYC.
The average NYC household throws away about 2,000 pounds of waste a year. By reusing through events like Stop ‘N’ Swap, NYC residents can take part in saving over 40 million pounds of material from landfill every year. Take a break from shopping, support a cleaner future, and join the ever-growing reuse community!
WHAT: Free Stop ‘N’ Swap Community Reuse EventWHEN: February 19th，12pm-3pm
WHERE: Bronx Works Classic Community Center-286 East 156th Street, Bronx, NY 10451
The public is invited to bring clean and reusable items. No one is required to bring something to take something-you can simply show up with a bag and see what’s free for the taking. Books, toys, clothing, and electronics are just some of the offerings. Furniture and other large items are not accepted at the swap. Anything leftover at the end of the day is donated or recycled.
Stop ‘N’ Swaps have developed a regular following among environmentally conscious New Yorkers. After almost two years without swaps, GrowNYC has set a goal of hosting one swap in each of the city’s 59 community districts each year, providing opportunities to make NYC truly livable-a place where every person can enjoy a healthier life.
1. What should you do to get more information from Catherine?| A．Cal1 (646) 530-0381. | B．Cal1 (718) 809-1603. |
| C．Email jklar@grownyc.org. | D．Visit 286 East 156th Street, Bronx. |
| A．Dry-as-dust books. | B．Old-fashioned clothes. |
| C．Out-of-date electronics. | D．Second-hand furniture. |
| A．To make NYC a better place to live. |
| B．To enrich New Yorkers’ community life. |
| C．To reduce the cost of dealing with waste in NYC. |
| D．To encourage districts to compete in sustainability. |
4 . At graduation ceremonies, it’s common to see parents proudly cheering and clapping for their kids. But have you ever seen it
The video shows Shivaee’s dad, Aashish, walking up to the stage to
The dad,
“This ceremony would have been
Shivaee was barely 3 years old when the video was taken in 2022. That makes the
| A．show | B．happen | C．change | D．return |
| A．secretly | B．patiently | C．shyly | D．loudly |
| A．pick up | B．show off | C．apply for | D．hand out |
| A．observes | B．decorates | C．occupies | D．approaches |
| A．laughter | B．encouragement | C．suspicion | D．opposition |
| A．confused | B．embarrassed | C．relieved | D．touched |
| A．share | B．imagine | C．choose | D．recollect |
| A．news | B．name | C．plan | D．prize |
| A．professors | B．audiences | C．graduates | D．kids |
| A．heartwarming | B．special | C．incomplete | D．unbearable |
| A．words | B．story | C．ideas | D．optimism |
| A．Thanks to | B．Regardless of | C．Rather than | D．As for |
| A．challenge | B．achievement | C．opportunity | D．contribution |
| A．father | B．dream | C．girl | D．scene |
| A．popular | B．awake | C．alive | D．hopeful |
5 . Initial conversations can have a huge impact on how relationships develop over time. People are often stuck in the impressions they think they might have made the minute they finish speaking with someone for the first time: “Did they like me or were they just being polite?” “Were they deep in thought or deeply bored?”
To find out whether these worries are necessary, we have conducted nearly 10 years of research. In our studies, participants in the UK talked with someone they had never met before. Afterward, they were asked how much they liked their conversation partner and how much they believed that their conversation partner liked them. This allowed us to compare how much people believed they were liked to how much they were actually liked.
Time and time again, we found that people left their conversations with negative feelings about the impression they made. That is, people systematically underestimate how much their conversation partners like them and enjoy their company — a false belief we call the “liking gap”.
This bias (偏见) may seem like something that would occur only in initial interactions, but its effects extend far beyond a first impression. Surprisingly, the liking gap can constantly affect a variety of relationships, including interactions with coworkers, long after the initial conversations have taken place. Having a larger liking gap is associated with being less willing to ask workmates for help, less willing to provide workmates with open and honest feedback, and less willing to work on another project together.
There are numerous strategies to minimize your biased feelings. One place to start is shifting your focus of attention. Try to direct your attention to your conversation partner, be genuinely curious about them, ask them more questions, and really listen to their answers. The more you’re zeroed in on the other person, and the less you’re focused on yourself, the better your conversation will be and the less your mind will turn to all the things you think you didn’t do well.
1. Why did the author carry out 10 years of research?| A．To dismiss national concerns. | B．To check out a potential bias. |
| C．To enhance human communication. | D．To develop harmonious relationships. |
| A．Fewer chances of new projects. | B．Underestimation of their ability. |
| C．Bad relationships with people around. | D．Low willingness to interact with others. |
| A．Restate opinions. | B．Deliver warnings. | C．Give suggestions. | D．Make a summary. |
| A．Liking Gap May Influence Work Performances |
| B．First Impressions Rely On Initial Conversations |
| C．People Probably Like You More Than You Think |
| D．How People Like You Matters Less Than You Assume |
6 . A city can become famous and experience a significant increase in visitors due to the influence of a well-liked film or a TV drama. For audiences, stepping into the scenes and experiencing the daily lives of the characters has become a new travel trend. Over the past year, several films and TV dramas have put their shooting locations into the public spotlight.
Qingdao in Shandong province
The Wandering Earth 2, a sci-fi that explores digital life and space journey, showcases impressive sci-fi scenes.90 percent of the film was shot in different places of Qingdao city, including the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge-the world’s longest cross-sea bridge, and the TAG Art Museum. For sci-fi fans, visiting Qingdao to explore the movie’s filming locations has become a popular trend.
Jiangmen in Guangdong province
The hit show The Knockout made Jiangmen an important tourism destination. As the hometown for many overseas Chinese, the city features historical cultural street scenes and South Asian-style architecture. The city has recorded more than 3.34 million trips in the past two months, which has generated over 3.4 billion yuan of tourism income, reflecting a notable rise of 124.3 percent compared to the same period the previous year.
Ningbo Museum in Zhejiang province
The primary setting for the sci-fi TV drama Three-Body Problem, Ningbo Museum, has caught significant attention. The museum integrates regional cultural features, traditional architectural elements, and modern techniques. Following the TV show’s release, daily visitor numbers rocketed to 5,000, marking a remarkable 220 percent year-on-year increase.
Taiyuan Ancient County in Shanxi province
Full River Red, directed by Zhang Yimou, set the Taiyuan Ancient County on fire with excitement. The movie highlights the county’s complex and narrow streets. The county now draws over 40,000 tourists every day, a significant rise compared to the daily 20,000 previously. Notably, one-third of these tourists were from outside Shanxi province, according to local statistics.
1. Which place best suits visitors who appreciate buildings of foreign style?| A．Qingdao city. | B．Jiangmen city. |
| C．Ningbo Museum. | D．Taiyuan Ancient County. |
| A．Its characteristic streets. | B．Its disastrous fire. |
| C．Its increasing population. | D．Its economic growth. |
| A．Their income depends heavily on tourism. | B．Their architecture integrates different cultures. |
| C．They are famous for their historical landmarks. | D．They become a hit through films or TV dramas. |
7 . Floor sweeping robot, also known as automatic cleaner, intelligent dust collector, robot vacuum cleaner, is a kind of intelligent household appliances, which can automatically clean the floor in the room with a certain amount of artificial intelligence. Brush sweeping and vacuum are generally used to absorb the ground sundries into their own garbage storage box, so as to complete the function of ground cleaning. Generally speaking, robots that complete cleaning, dust collection and floor cleaning are also uniformly classified as floor sweeping robots.
Recently, my family has a new member. It has a foolish name called “JoJo”. It is a “sweeping robot”, with a round, flat body, wearing a silly coat and shining like a scammony. To be honest ,I turned my back on it. It has several functions! It has a powder in its stomach. When it first sweep a lot of dust together, it will eat them all in its body. As long as it is touched gently, it will climb around on the ground and start working hard.
It has a pair of sensitive infrared “eyes”. When encountering obstacles in front, it will drop its head as fast as driving. When it feels that there is garbage around it, it will run towards the garbage and sweep it clean. Every night, when I finish my homework, there is no paper dust on the whole floor. It can also make an appointment and work regularly. After completing the task, it can find its own charger to charge, which is very powerful. Since it came to our home, it has become a good helper for our cleaning. My mother said, “this is the power of science and technology!”
Although its look is completely stupid but it have helped me a lot in cleaning. So I hope scientists can invent many capable robots like JoJo in the future.
1. Where does the sweeping robots put the garbage?| A．The trash-bin in the house. | B．Their own trash box. |
| C．Place them downstairs. | D．Hide it in JoJo’s office. |
| A．Dust collection. | B．Complete cleaning. | C．Wipe things down | D．Floor cleaning |
| A．There’s so much trash all over the place. | B．Its master request. |
| C．It’s programmed to go wrong. | D．There are plenty of dust. |
| A．Ambiguous | B．Positive. | C．Negative. | D．Objective |
8 . As an assistant manager at a restaurant, I encountered a heart-warming experience. One day, a father and his young son
At some point, the boy, who was probably six or seven,
It
The positive
| A．entered | B．denied | C．noticed | D．checked |
| A．Formally | B．Gradually | C．Immediately | D．Eventually |
| A．expenses | B．ingredients | C．tastes | D．quantities |
| A．wrote | B．drew | C．handed | D．lent |
| A．interesting | B．enjoyable | C．useless | D．impossible |
| A．card | B．boy | C．money | D．menu |
| A．hesitated | B．agreed | C．cried | D．laughed |
| A．came to | B．looked like | C．ended up | D．turned out |
| A．clever | B．cheap | C．safe | D．new |
| A．struggled | B．pretended | C．decided | D．forgotten |
| A．designed | B．broke | C．marked | D．kept |
| A．private | B．regular | C．normal | D．curious |
| A．lesson | B．present | C．envy | D．response |
| A．difference | B．change | C．sense | D．promise |
| A．accept | B．promote | C．tailor | D．dismiss |
Brad Howard, a Texas father, had enough of his son’s disruptive (扰乱性的) behavior in physics class. Despite multiple warnings and complaints from the teacher about his son’s excessive (过多的) talking, the situation didn’t improve.
So, Brad decided to take matters into his own hands and gave his son, Bradley, a final warning. Brad made a bold promise to his son, saying, “Hey, if we get another call, I’m going to show up in school and sit beside you in class. ”
The 17-year-old Bradley probably thought his dad was just bluffing (唬人) and continued his chatty (爱闲聊的) ways. But when Brad received another email from the teacher, he knew he had to follow through with his threat.
On the morning of the important day, Brad’s wife woke him up and said, “Brad, it’s time for you to go to school. ” It struck him what he had said. He just couldn’t but a bit regret, “Oh, no, what have I done? ”
Despite his unwillingness, Brad was determined to keep his word and headed to his son’s high school.
The sight of Brad sitting next to Bradley in class was a source of amusement for Bradley’s friends, who found the situation ridiculous. Bradley, on the other hand, was less than thrilled.
He couldn’t believe that his dad had actually gone through with his threat, The embarrassment of having his own father sitting beside him in class was enough to make him regret his behavior. As the class started, Bradley could feel all eyes on him and his dad. He could sense the judgment and the whispers from his classmates.
“Hey, Bradley, it looks like your dad is really serious about this, ” one of his friends whispered across the hallway, trying to hold back a laugh.
“Yeah, this is so embarrassing, ” Bradley whispered, his cheeks turning a deep shade of red.
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。
But as the class progressed, something unexpected happened.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________After school, Bradley hesitantly approached his dad with newfound appreciation.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________No structure is as symbolically significant or
Jiankou
Getting supplies to this part of the wall is also a demanding effort. Because the path is so steep, donkeys and mules must be used to transport bricks,
