1 . Once upon a time in a small town of Christchurch, there lived a little dog named Buddy. Buddy was not just any ordinary dog; he was known for his bravery and loyalty. He had been trained by his owner to be alert and helpful in case of emergencies. One sunny afternoon, Buddy’s owner, Elizabeth, was taking a walk near the river when she suddenly slipped and fell into the water. She tried her best to swim, but the strong current made it difficult for her to stay afloat. Fear gripped her as she realized she might not make it out alive.

Meanwhile, Buddy had noticed his owner was missing and started looking for her. He followed the sound of splashing water and found Elizabeth struggling in the river. Without hesitation, Buddy jumped into the water and swam towards her.

Buddy grabbed onto Elizabeth’s shirt with his teeth and pulled her towards the shore. The little dog’s determination and strength were remarkable as he managed to keep them both afloat until they reached the safety of the riverbank.

Elizabeth was exhausted and shaken, but she was grateful to be alive thanks to her brave little dog. She hugged Buddy tightly, tears of joy streaming down her face. Buddy wagged his tail happily, knowing he had done his job well.

News of Buddy’s heroic rescue quickly spread throughout the town, and people couldn’t help but admire the little dog’s courage and selflessness. From that day on, Buddy became a local hero, and his story inspired many to appreciate the incredible bond between humans and their pets.

In the end, Buddy’s bravery reminded everyone that even the smallest creatures can make a big difference when it comes to saving lives.

1. What was Buddy trained to be?

A．Fast and strong for sports.	B．Obedient and well-behaved.
C．Protective and aggressive towards strangers.	D．Attentive and useful in a dangerous situation.

2. How did Elizabeth end up in the river?

A．She decided to take a swim to cool off.	B．She slipped on a rock near the riverbank.
C．She accidentally fell while walking by the river.	D．She was pushed into the water by someone else.

3. What did Buddy do when he found Elizabeth struggling in the river?

A．He ran back home to call for help.

B．He barked loudly to get help from nearby people.

C．He jumped into the water and swam towards her.

D．He stayed on the riverbank and waited for her to come out.

4. What happened after Buddy’s heroic rescue?

A．Elizabeth gave Buddy a special treat as a reward.

B．Buddy became a local hero and inspired many people.

C．The town held a ceremony to honor Buddy’s bravery.

D．Elizabeth decided to adopt another dog to keep Buddy company.

2 . The second platform of this far-famed North station, under the lengthy railway track, lays our “mighty mice kingdom.” I was born here on a rainy November night. Since then, the deafening trains accompanied me to sleep and woke me up early in the morning. The mountainous waste, the irregular black stones, the man in white waving the flags, people rushing towards their future, the roaring trains, the frequent announcements. All these have been close to my heart since I was born.

In the midst of the track, I saw a delicious piece of banana fritters that might have been thrown out of the train by someone. My eyes shone bright, and my mouth watered. My feet paced towards the yummy heavenly treat. Suddenly, the air was blowing violently, and my skin’s hair stood up again. I ran back to the hole. The Island Express train came and passed by in a flash of a second. My eyes became yellowish, dreaming of the mouth-watering banana fritters.

I advanced slowly, then two feet hurriedly, and finally, my hands were about to touch the crispy skin of the banana fritters. “Thud…” a cruel crow kidnapped my meal, destroyed my dreams and flew away. The flood of happiness inside my heart turned to a stormy sea. It was a public secret that I led a poverty-stricken life since the mice kingdom collapsed in 1999.

Again, the tiny buds of air around me was blowing, and I ran back to the hole. Dodger Express was passing by. The train made mocking (嘲笑的) sounds at me. “Loser”…. “Loser”…. A stone toppled and fell on my head. I hated myself, hated everything. I fell asleep to escape from this world of embarrassments.

1. What can we know from paragraph 1?

A．The living conditions is pleasant.	B．The mouse gets used to the surroundings.
C．The kingdom lies at the second floor.	D．The mouse can’t fall asleep without deafening trains.

2. Why did the mouse advance slowly?

A．Because it was scared of the crow.

B．Because it was out of safety concern.

C．Because it wasn’t desperate for the banana fritters.

D．Because the mouse was frightened by the violently blowing air.

3. What’s the mouse’s reaction to the crow’s behavior?

A．Sad

B．Ashamed

C．Annoyed

D．Disappointed

4. What does “loser” indicate in the last paragraph?

A．The mouse was hungry to death.

B．The mouse was laughed at by the train.

C．The mouse was thought to be a failure by people.

D．The mouse was depressed and desperate about everything that happened to him.

3 . Mr. Robin (知更鸟) had his house in a tree.

His four baby robins lived in it. They grew very fast. Soon the house was too little for them.

“It is time for you to fly,” said Mr. Robin. “Oh, we can not fly,” said the baby robins.

“You can, if you try, ” said Mr. Robin. A robin tried. He flew into a tree.

“Oh, how interesting!” said the little robin. “I like to fly. See me go!”

Then the other robins tried. In a little while they could all fly.

The robins could fly, but they could not sing. “No, Dad, we can not sing.”

“You can, if you try. Hear the other birds sing. Look at the pretty flowers and the blue sky. Then you will want to sing. Hear me sing to you. Now sing for me.”

One little robin sang. Then they all sang.

A little girl came by. “Wow, hear the birds sing!” she said. “How happy they are!”

1. How many baby robins lived in the house?

A．3.

B．4.

C．6.

D．7.

2. What did Mr. Robin ask his babies to do first?

A．To fly.

B．To jump.

C．To look for food

D．To build houses.

3. How did the little robin feel when he flew into a tree?

A．Interested.

B．Bored.

C．Tired.

D．Worried.

4. What did the girl think of the birds?

A．They were poor.

B．They were rude.

C．They were happy.

D．They were sad.

4 . 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.

5 . Why I Hate Cats

My name is Oreo, and I’m a ten-year-old, black-and-white Portuguese Water Dog. I’m well-mannered, polite, and friendly. But there is one thing that does set me off: cats. Frankly, I can’t stand them. With their messy hair, beady little eyes, and pointy teeth, they just set my curly coat on end.

I’m particularly not fond of the cat — the gray-colored creature across the street. If she would just stay in her house or even her yard, it wouldn’t be so bad. But, unlike me, she gets to go wherever she wants. No collar, no leash, and no boundaries from what I can see.

Like any responsible pet, I generally stay within my owners’ enclosed back yard. And when I do go out, it’s on a leash held by a human and attached to a collar. Ms. Gray Puss, on the other hand, wanders collarless across the street any time she likes. She even does her business anywhere and anytime she prefers, including on my owners’ lawn.

If she would just stay off my property, I’d be okay with her superior airs and standoffish attitude. But that’s not how she rolls. Sometimes, she comes over and pollutes my owners’ front garden, knowing full well that I’m only a few yards away on the other side of the fence and powerless to stop her.

Sometimes, when my owner takes me for a walk, I’ll spot that animal and take a run at her. Unfortunately, I always forget that I’m on a leash. Before I know it, I’m being dragged backwards. What’s particularly awkward is that the gray one doesn’t even move. I guess she knows I can’t get at her, and that’s why she doesn’t even deign to get up on all fours and at least hiss at me.

Mark my words: Someday, one of my owners will forget to lock the front gate, one of the fence boards will fall off, or my male owner Dave will forget to fully secure the leash. And when that day comes, someone’s going to suffer. I’m not sure why, but Dave keeps saying he thinks it will be me.

1. What do the underlined words “set me off” in Paragraph 1 mean?

A．To see me off.	B．To make me laugh.
C．To make me annoyed.	D．To set out.

2. Who is number one on my hate list?

A．Ms. Gray Puss.

B．Dave.

C．Oreo.

D．Portuguese Water Dog.

3. Why do I hate Ms. Gray Puss?

A．Because she always shows off in front of me.

B．Because I envy her freedom.

C．Because she pollutes my owner’s front garden.

D．Because she walks around without a leash.

4. What does Dave mean by keeping saying he thinks it will be me?

A．It’ll be my fault to forget to lock the front door.

B．It’ll be careless of me to forget to secure the leash.

C．It will be I who will suffer if anything mentioned above happens.

D．It will be I who will break the fence boards.

6 . Szczecin, an ancient city in northwestern Poland, has plenty to offer to visitors. Without doubt, the Pomeranian Duke’s Castle and Kasprowicza Park are two of its most popular tourist attractions, but when it comes to online reviews, both pale in comparison to a fat cat named Gacek.

Gacek, whose name means “long-eared bat” in Polish, has nearly 2,600 reviews, more than any other attraction in Szczecin. According to a local woman, Gacek first appeared on Kaszubska Street in downtown Szczecin about 10 years ago. He stuck around and people started feeding him, so from a skinny feline (猫科动物), he soon turned into a thick-fleshed boy, which only made him more adorable. The cat rose to fame in 2020, after a local news site featured it in a video that then went viral on social media, and people have been showering him with positive reviews ever since.

Also known as the “King of Kaszubska Street”, Gacek, the city’s online influencer, now lives in a roofed wooden box outside a shop on Kaszubska Street, and even though he doesn’t technically have an owner, the people who run the shop act as his caretakers. There is a sign outside his house that tells passers-by to leave whatever treats they have for the cat in a sealed (密封的) container and not to pet him when he’s sleeping. Most people who posted a review awarded the feline the maximum 5 stars, making him the top-rated tourist attraction in the city. Most of those who have interacted with Gacek claim that he is a “fantastically handsome and superb fellow”.

But Gacek does have a few one-star reviews, mostly from people who criticize his caretaker or express worry about his weight. Some even complained that he scratched (抓伤) their hands or stole a sausage. “Gacek seems to have become their envy now,” a citizen jokingly commented.

1. Why are the two tourist attractions mentioned?

A．To illustrate the city’s history.

B．To present an online influencer.

C．To display comments on the city.

D．To show their rising popularity.

2. What contributed to Gacek’s sudden fame?

A．His Polish name.	B．His past experiences.
C．A featured video.	D．A local woman’s care.

3. What can be inferred about Gacek from the text?

A．Szczecin citizens are considerate to it.

B．He now lives in a well-furnished room.

C．Many people are envious of his fame.

D．Tourists are not allowed to disturb him.

4. Which word best describes the author’s attitude to Gacek?

A．Sympathetic.

B．Worried.

C．Objective.

D．Favorable.

7 . 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.

8 . Lions, tigers, and bears definitely aren’t meant to live as a pack. But not every animal has been through the misery that established the bond between three normally opposing male predators (捕食者).

Back in 2001, police searched a drug dealer’s house in Atlanta, Georgia. In the basement, they came across a heartbreaking sight. There sat three terrified cubs (幼崽) found skin and bones that certainly didn’t belong in anyone’s home.

The African lion, Leo, had been stuffed inside a small container with an open wound on his face. Shere Khan, the Bengal tiger, looked bony, and the black bear, Baloo, was wearing a chain so small that it had become embedded into his flesh.

But their nightmare was finally over. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources took them to Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary, a nonprofit animal rescue in Locust Grove. “When they were first brought to the sanctuary, Baloo, Shere Khan, and Leo were injured, frightened and clinging to one another for comfort,“guardian Allison Hedgecoth told HuffPost. And as they got more comfortable, they accompanied each other, cuddled, and played together. Clearly, they were a bonded trial .

Sanctuary staff anticipated the need to separate the friends once they reached maturity, as they would likely grow apart. After all, it’s the natural order in the animal kingdom. But the trio, known as BLT (bear, lion, tiger), never left each other’s sides. The sanctuary ultimately decided to keep them together.

Baloo, the playful one, loved teasing Leo with gentle bites. And the affectionate Shere Khan could often be found curling up to either of his brothers. “Even though they live in a three-acre enclosure, they’re usually within 100 feet of each other,” Allison told Inside Edition. “That’s proof that they’re not just coexisting or cohabiting, they actually do enjoy each other’s company.”

1. Why could the three animals live as a pack?

A．Because they preferred hunting in groups.

B．Because they shared a miserable experience.

C．Because they were terrified to be caught alone.

D．Because they were rescued from the basement.

2. What do the underlined words “a bonded trial” mean in Paragraph 4?

A．A frightened animal.

B．A chemical bond.

C．An isolated individual.

D．A close community.

3. What do we know about Leo, Baloo and Shere Khan?

A．Baloo usually bit and clawed at his brothers.

B．They lived together for the sake of coexistence.

C．They took delight in being wonderful companions.

D．Shere Khan was the most playful and energetic one.

4. What is the text?

A．A diary entry.

B．A children’s fiction.

C．A feature story.

D．A science documentary.

9 . On May 21, 2022, Tom Turcich of New Jersey became the 10^th person to walk around the world. Over seven years, he walked 48,000 kilometers across six continents and 38 countries with his dog Savannah.

Speaking to CNN, Turcich explained (解释) that, after a friend died in an accident at the age of 17, he started to look at life differently, and decided to go on a journey around the world. It took him over eight years to save and plan before Turcich finally left his home on April 2, 2015 on his way to Panama. He had a stroller (折叠推车) to carry his hiking equipment, a sleeping bag, a laptop, a camera and a box of food.

About four months into the journey, Turcich adopted (收养) Savannah from an animal shelter in Texas. She joined him for the rest of the trip, becoming the first dog to walk around the world. The pair walked around 30-40 kilometers a day, spending most nights camping. Some parts could not be done on foot, however, such as when Turcich and Savannah took a boat from Uruguay to Antarctica. In late 2017, Turcich also had to return home to recover from an illness he got while traveling through Ireland and the UK.

Turcich and Savannah started walking again in May 2018, going through Europe, North Africa and Turkey before getting stuck in Azerbaijan for six months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They were able to travel to Kyrgyzstan before taking a plane to Seattle. From there, he and Savannah walked back to New Jersey. Turcich said the most difficult place to walk through was “deserted” Wyoming.

Now that he’s back home, Turcich says he wants to stay in one place for a while and write a book about his trip.

1. What inspired Turcich to travel around the world?

A．His different view on life.	B．His great interest in Panama.
C．His friend’s invitation to hike.	D．His present for the 26th birthday.

2. Which word can be used to describe Turcich?

A．Selfish.	B．Determined.
C．Confident.	D．Generous

3. What happened to Turcich in late 2017?

A．He took a boat to Antarctica.	B．He met his partner—Savannah.
C．He had to go back home for being ill.	D．He got stuck in Azerbaijan with Savannah.

4. Which can be a suitable title for the text?

A．A man and his dog walk around the world

B．A man plans to be a writer by traveling

C．A man and his friend travel around the world

D．A man stops travelling because of the COVID-19

10 . To a regular person, Spitfire may look like just an ordinary dog, but to fans of the dock diving circuit, he is an incredible athlete in the same league as sport stars like Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant

Before COVH-19, eight-year-old Spitfire and his 16-year-old owner, Sydney, dominated the dock diving circuit like never before in the history of the sport. If you’re unfamiliar with the sport of dock diving, it’s essentially dogs running on a wooden dock and jumping as far or as high as possible before diving into a pool of water. And no dog did this better than Spitfire. Between 2016 and 2019, he broke 21 world records.

Spitfire came into the Mackey family in 2013. Back then, he was just an adorable dog with big eyes that Sydney instantly fell in love with. Sydney and her mother learned about dock diving in 2016, from a family friend who encouraged them to try it with Spitfire. In May of that year, they decided to give the sport a try and their pet proved to be a natural.

It wasn’t long after that very first jump that Sydney and Spitfire started making waves in the world of dock diving. They took the sport by storm and they dominated events across the United States like no team had ever done before. In three years^, time, they broke many world records, and became known as an unbeatable pair of players.

Before he jumps into the air, the world’s best dock diver reaches a speed of about 30 miles per hour, and when he takes to the air he can reach a distance of 31 feet before hitting the water, or 8 feet 6 inches when he’s going for height. It’s no wonder they call him the flying dog.

But while Spitfire is undoubtedly the star of the show, most dock diving experts are convinced that despite his athletic abilities, he would have never reached his true potential without his young owner’s guidance. Sydney’s “Ready? Ready? Go, Go, Go!” pep talk to get Spitfire fired up has become famous on the dock jumping circuit.

1. Why are Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant mentioned in the first paragraph?

A．To show Spitfire owns the same number of fans.

B．To show Spitfire’s incredible talent in basketball.

C．To show Spitfire’s excellent performance in sports.

D．To show the importance of sports stars to the league,

2. At first, what inspired Sydney to try the dock diving with Spitfire?

A．His friend’s encouragement.	B．His devotion to the dock diving.
C．Spitfire’s good performance in diving.	D．The popularity of the dock diving.

3. What can we learn about the dog and bis owner from the fourth paragraph?

A．They didn’t perform well at the beginning.

B．They achieved impressive results in the events.

C．They were ever defeated by other teams.

D．They seldom participated in the events in US.

4. What do most experts think of Spitfire?

A．He can’t live up to the title of sports star.

B．He doesn’t obey his owner’s orders at times.

C．They doubt whether he has his athletic abilities.

D．Sydney’s guidance contributed to his achievements.