1 . Flaco the owl (猫头鹰) is gone, but his life had all the elements of a classic hero’s story, not soon forgotten. Flaco lived a dozen years in a comfortable cage in the Central Park Zoo where little happened and less was needed. His life was a safe existence without freedom. Then, a year ago, someone released him.

On Friday, when he died of injury, perhaps from a collision (碰撞) with a Manhattan apartment building’s glass windows, his death offered us a chance to reckon with the question at the heart of many a hero’s journey: Can we put a price on freedom?

Flaco’s liberation from his cage came at a cost — he spent the final year of his life free, but threatened from all sides by a booming city. Was it worth it?

Almost from the moment he was released, Flaco became a symbol of hope for many of the people who followed his story and recognized parts of themselves in him. Some saw him as the symbol of the American dream, an outsider who had come to Manhattan and made a life for himself here, like millions of others who arrived penniless and unconnected in search of freedom.

As a result, he flew around the city. We were terrified that he’d succumb to (屈服于) the dangers of city life. Flaco had no experience living outside a cage, and New Yorkers initially doubted his chances of survival. We worried that he’d eat a rat with enough poison in its system to kill him. But Flaco never looked back. Perhaps freedom itself was the home he’d discovered.

And though we feared for him, his new life excited us. How many of us, our circumstances familiar and sale, are too frightened to seek our more fully realized selves?

How many of us, viewing our confinements as nothing out of the ordinary, have long stopped wondering what our wings are for?

Have we not all desired a life beyond the range of the one we lead? Flaco showed that our desire is not misplaced. His choice proved a truth that given a chance, living things choose freedom of movement.

1. What do the underlined words “reckon with” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Bring up.

B．Deal with.

C．Reflect on.

D．Look into.

2. What happened to Flaco the owl after he was released from his cage?

A．He died a natural death.

B．He was caught and returned to the zoo.

C．He died from a collision with a building.

D．He lived a free life but faced many threats.

3. What was the initial reaction of New Yorkers towards Flaco’s release?

A．They were excited and supportive.

B．They were worried about his survival.

C．They were indifferent and unconcerned.

D．They were angry and opposed to his release.

4. What does the author want to convey through the story of Flaco?

A．The importance of protecting wildlife.

B．The risks and rewards of seeking freedom.

C．The value of overcoming challenges in life.

D．The need for more awareness about animal rights.

2 . 根据汉语提示完成短文。

One midnight, we heard Spotty barking suddenly. We came out only to see two men trying to get into our yard. “Robbery,” cried my mother, “Call the police immediately!” It was then that Spotty     1     (不再蹲在地上), but jumped up and attacked the robbers fiercely. One robber screamed in pain and     2     (把Spotty扔到了铁丝网上), while the other robber killed it with a knife. And just then, the police came and the two men got caught. Rooted to the spot, I felt like I     3     (漂浮在悲伤的海洋中). We are grateful for what Spotty did and Spotty is a hero in our memory forever.

3 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Pip is a cute little squirrel (松鼠) from a loving family, whose mother often tells him that sharing is caring.

On a cold morning in the park, Pip was looking for a tree with enough branches to shelter him from the cold. Suddenly, he found a huge one, with many branches, and to his joy, a big, brown acorn was hanging from one of the lower ones.

Knowing how important acorns were at this time of year, Pip moved as fast as his tiny legs could carry him, and climbed up the side of the tree, heading towards the acorn. As he got close to the acorn, he thought about how hungry he was, as he hadn’t had any food for two days. He reached his paw (爪子) forward eagerly and just as he was about to take his first bite, somebody took the acorn from his paws and climbed down the tree. Angry and still hungry, Pip ran after the acorn thief, and jumped across the branches, from tree to tree. He would save his lunch, no matter what!

“Hey! Come back here! That’s my acorn. I found it, fair and square,” shouted Pip, who was out of breath.

The acorn thief was another squirrel, who Pip recognized as Rascal, a squirrel in the park who always stole food from others.

“You will never catch me, Pip! Everyone knows that you are the slowest squirrel in the park and I haven’t eaten today, so this nut is mine!” said Rascal.

Hearing Rascal make fun of him made Pip angrier and run faster. Finally, Pip caught up with Rascal. After what seemed like the longest fight ever, Pip managed to take the acorn out of Rascal’s paws and he ran as fast as he could to hide away. As Rascal tried to follow Pip, a huge tree branch fell on him and stopped him from running after the acorn. Rascal couldn’t climb over the branch and he was forced to admit defeat.

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置作答。

Pip happily hugged his acorn.

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“Why did you help me, Pip?” asked Rascal, quite surprised.

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4 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

“She needs me.” Those were the exact words I spoke to my husband when I spotted Dottie, a little dog we found at a local shelter eight years ago.

Dottie leaned (倾斜) away when I tried to pet her and refused to let me hold her. While the other dogs jumped and barked, Dottie returned to the back of the cage, curled up in a ball, hoping us to leave her alone.

On the entire drive home, Dottie was in fear. So, upon arrival at our house, we got right to work. I held her as much as possible, touching her head and softly singing in her ear. We learned that she loved belly touch, so every time we passed by, we would offer a gentle touch. Eventually, we noticed her presenting her belly as we walked by her. I knew we were making real progress when I found her quietly sleeping on a chair one day, her head resting on one of my shoes. My heart melted (融化) as I realized she had brought it there because it contained my smell, and she wanted it nearby.

Ever so slowly, our little dog came to life. She began to play with toys, enjoy walks, and rest on our laps. There was no special treatment, no fancy food or toys. All we did was love her. And she grew well. She was so broken when we first met her that we had no idea what her true personality would be. But now we found a sweet, playful, loving soul.

One day, a few years after her adoption, I was busy doing housework around the house, doing laundry and climbing the stairs from the basement up to the main floor. When I finished, I sat down and enjoyed a well-deserved break. That’s when I realized I hadn’t seen Dottie for a while. I called to her and began searching. My heart raced and my pace quickened as I began checking under beds and behind sofa.

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置作答。

Suddenly, I remembered the door to the basement.

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I held her in my arms tightly, telling her how sorry I was.

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5 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

The Fable of the Chicken

Once upon     1     time, all the animals were called to an early morning meeting. As they gathered in the public square, one of them, the chicken, was seen by her neighbors     2    (go) in the opposite direction. “Hey, Chicken! Why are you going away from the square?” they asked. “Didn’t you receive the     3    (invite)?”

“    4    , I did.” replied the chicken. “And I would of course come to the meeting. The thing is, I have some very important personal business     5     I must attend to. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I really must go home. Please let everyone at the meeting know how sorry I am. Tell them that although I won’t be there in body, I’ll certainly be there     6     spirit! Whatever you decide, you can count on     7    ( I ) complete support. Bye!”

The question that the animals were due to debate     8    (be) what to do with the issue of humans making frequent animal sacrifices (祭献). After a lively but     9     (surprise) short debate, the decision about which animal to offer     10    (reach) without any disagreement. They chose the chicken.

6 . Ricochet, San Diego’s favourite surfing therapy (治疗) dog, has caught her final wave. The 15-year-old golden retriever — a pioneer of canine-assisted (犬只辅助的) surf therapy who helped countless veterans (老兵) and kids — died on Friday, owner Judy Fridono said Saturday.

Ricochet was raised to be a service dog, but the energetic pup was more fond of chasing birds than assisting with household chores. In 2009, the dog found her career. That was the year Ricochet got on a surfboard with local quadriplegic (四肢瘫痪的) surfer Patrick Ivison. A viral video of the encounter got more than 6 million views on YouTube. “That day she hopped on the board with Patrick, she was reborn,” Fridono said in a 2012 interview.

Throughout her life, the beloved dog touched the lives of kids with special needs, wounded service members and families of fallen veterans. Ricochet was known as an affectionate companion and a shameless belly-rub beggar and had a feeling for people who needed a hug.

Notably, the furry do-gooder helped raise $ 1 million for charity and the donation of more than 1 million bowls of food for homeless animals.

Her work brought numerous awards, media attention and a loyal fan base on social media. The dog had more than 141,000 followers on Instagram and more than 270,000 on Facebook.

Ricochet’s legacy (遗产) will live on through the sponsorship of Jose Martinez, an Army veteran and parasurfer, and through donations to adaptive surfing organizations. “People believe in Ricochet’s mission… she didn’t do it alone,” Fridon o said. “Her supporters are an extension of her legacy and her roots in helping others heal through dog intervention and therapy. Now that she’s gone, I don’t want people to be sad. I want them to celebrate and continue supporting what she started.”

1. What was Ricochet’s career?

A．Canine-assisted surf therapy.	B．Assisting with household chores.
C．Bird catching.	D．Working as a service dog.

2. Which of the following can best describe Ricochet?

A．Brave but lazy.	B．Naughty but caring.
C．Cute and handsome.	D．Fierce and strong.

3. What does Paragraph 5 mainly talk about?

A．The contribution of Ricochet.	B．Social media’s influence on Ricochet.
C．Recochet’s popularity.	D．Donations to the homeless animals.

4. Where can we probably find the text?

A．In a diary.	B．In a textbook.
C．In a newspaper.	D．In a guidebook.

7 . A dog named Russ ran away from his owner’s vehicle as the Caldor Fire roared toward South Lake Tahoe. His owner was forced to_______ during the fire, leaving him unable to _______ his dog. It was assumed that Russ had been lost for good. _______ on Dec. 16 2021, a man skiing west of Tahoe _______ Russ, who was unable to _______. The skier posted photos of the animal trapped in deep snow online.

That _______ caught the attention of Wendy Jones, the executive director of Tahoe PAWS and TLC 4 Furry Friends. Although in the middle of another _______ she gathered a team of _______.“Because the dog had been out in the snow all day, we knew _______ was of importance”, Jones said.

It was getting ________. The dog was tracked up the mountain, and finally located under a tree. “I got really________ ,” said Allen, a 61-year old volunteer, “for he was not moving. I ________ he was dead. Luckily, he opened his eyes and lifted his head.”

Russ was very scared, so Allen spent some time winning his ________ before attempting to move him onto a sled (雪橇). It was a ________journey back down the mountain by moonlight, since there was such deep snow and the sled kept trying to fall over. It’s certain that Russ has a (n) ________ to tell.

1.

A．wait

B．suffer

C．adapt

D．evacuate

2.

A．look at

B．talk about

C．search for

D．depend on

3.

A．However

B．Therefore

C．Indeed

D．Otherwise

4.

A．kept

B．spotted

C．remembered

D．threatened

5.

A．move

B．roar

C．eat

D．hear

6.

A．post

B．letter

C．video

D．proposal

7.

A．match

B．tour

C．rescue

D．mystery

8.

A．researchers

B．volunteers

C．doctors

D．soldiers

9.

A．time

B．patience

C．courage

D．environment

10.

A．busy

B．dark

C．hard

D．clear

11.

A．excited

B．relieved

C．nervous

D．annoyed

12.

A．forgot

B．proved

C．knew

D．feared

13.

A．attention

B．support

C．respect

D．trust

14.

A．safe

B．simple

C．tough

D．great

15.

A．secret

B．adventure

C．plane

D．excuse

8 . 语法填空

One morning, Mr. Wolf told his wife he would catch some toads (癞蛤蟆)for her to eat.     1     (hear) these annoying words, Mrs. Wolf grabbed a pan to beat him. Not wanting to     2     (scold) by his wife, Mr. Wolf decided to invent something to help him catch goats. He got     3     (inspire) when he saw a spring(弹簧) and invented a pair of spring shoes. With the magic shoes, Mr. Wolf     4     (jump) onto the sky above the sheep village where the goats were practicing spears (标枪). Seeing Mr. Wolf, the goats immediately threw their spears at him with a     5     (frighten) look on their faces. Hearing a loud noise, Red Wolf opened the door and found her husband     6     (trap) to the wall with many spears in his body. As a determined inventor, Mr. Wolf didnˈt lose heart. He improved his invention and made a new pair of spring shoes, hoping     7     (catch) the goats.

In order to defeat Big Big Wolf, Slow Goat     8     (lose) in thought. Suddenly, a good idea occurred to him. After a few days’ experiment, a magic insole (鞋垫) was invented,     9     (make) Mr. Wolf badly injured as he hit his house heavily. And he had to have his house     10    (repair)in the following week.

9 . The Enduring Appeal of Peter Rabbit

“I don’t know what to write to you, so I shall tell you a story about four little rabbits, whose names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and Peter,” wrote Beatrix Potter, an English writer, illustrator, natural scientist, and conservationist in 1893, in a letter to a little boy who was suffering from a serious infectious disease.

Like many children-story authors, Potter was not a writer by profession. Her chief enthusiasm was natural history. Childhood family holidays in Perthshire and the Lake District had given her the freedom to experience the natural world first-hand.     1     Owing to Potter’s illustrations, the humanized rabbits seemed to exist in a recognizably real place. As Potter once admitted, the “careful botanical studies of my youth” informed the reality of her fantasy drawings.     2     In these images, Peter in the vegetable garden ate radishes (萝卜) or jumped off the wall.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit was first published by Frederick Warne in 1902.     3     However, Warne disagreed. Only after Potter had the book privately published did Warne change his mind. It was an immediate success, much to Potter’s surprise. “The public must be fond of rabbits! What a shocking quantity of Peter,” she said. The original tales, under the Warne imprint, are still available today.

    4     In 1903, she registered a Peter Rabbit doll, making him the first fictional character to be made into a patented stuffed toy. After that, there were licensed wallpapers, board games and painting books. She earned large amounts of money. After her death, almost all her property was left to the National Trust.

A．Potter surely had a business mind.

B．A decade later, with slight adjustments, the lines formed the opening to what became the bestselling.

C．It was this experience that gave Peter Rabbit its unique atmosphere of believable wonder.

D．Potter was determined that the book should be small enough to fit into a child’s hands and inexpensive.

E．She spent holidays in the Lake District, developing a love of landscape, which she closely observed and painted.

F．Though her later stories would contain more strikingly detailed illustrations, The Tale of Peter Rabbit has charming pictures of its naughty hero.

10 . 阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。

One day, Daddy Bear suggested having a really wild camping. “What is a really wild camping? Is it an adventure?” wondered Dudu. “Yes! Everything in the city is too comfortable; we need to go to wild to have an experience!” replied Daddy Bear.

“Can I play with my toy cars there? And can I watch cartoon there?” Dudu was a little worried. “There are more interesting things there! We can bathe in the clear pool, taste delicious wild fruits, fish by the clear lake and fall asleep in the quiet night.” Daddy described it in excitement. “It’s wonderful!” Dudu was deeply attracted to the description. “But maybe it’s dangerous!” Mama Bear worried. “Mummy always worries so much! I want to be an explorer this time!” Dudu thought.

Dudu and his families started off. First, they needed to cross a single-log (独木的) bridge. This single-log bridge was the only way to the forest. Seeing the rushed water under the single-log bridge, Dudu had a little regret to come here with Daddy Bear. “Don’t be afraid!” encouraged Daddy Bear. “Just go ahead, don’t look at the river!”

Dudu tried to toe (用脚尖走) on the bridge, and the bridge started to shake. Dudu was so scared (害怕的) that he kept his body unmoved. “The bridge frightens you on purpose! Just go ahead, the bridge won’t shake!” Daddy said behind Dudu. Dudu continued to go ahead. “Ha-ha! It’s true! The bridge really doesn’t shake anymore!” Dudu cried happily, going faster.

注意：1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2.续写部分分为两段，可适当补充细节，使情节完整；
3.每段的开头语已为你写好，不计入总词数。
Paragraph 1:
When Dudu went to the middle of the bridge, the bridge seemed to be broken.
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Paragraph 2:
Dudu and his families climbed up to the top of the mountain.
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