The ancient city of Kashgar (喀什), which has a population of around 200,000,
As the night closes in. street
Neil Munro, from Britain, walks into a restaurant with friends
“The people here are welcoming. Kashgar is full of energy,” said Sirpa Jarvenpa, from Finland,
2 . You might remember watching Tweety and Sylvester from the Looney Tunes cartoons while growing up. Every time the cat Sylvester would try to eat the bird Tweety, the latter would call its owner and complain about the cat, just as a human would. In reality, several birds are able to mimic (模仿) speech. The most common bird known to do this is the parrot.
Studies have shown that the young birds learn and memorize species-specific songs by mimicking vocalizations (发声) of their father, starting as early as a week after birth. If separated from the father during this sensitive (感觉敏锐的) period, young birds may develop very strange songs.
It is common sense that a singer with a broader vocal range (范围) will be more successful than one with a smaller vocal range. Similarly, male songbirds with the vocal learning ability to learn broader types of songs enjoy higher chances of attracting attention of female. Therefore, such songbirds started achieving broader song learning skills as time went by. Eventually, they ended up with vocal skills so broad that they could not just learn songs from other males in their species, but songs from different species too.
Parrots have been kept as pets for thousands of years, and are probably the most famous mimics. Vocal mimicry in parrots has often caught human’s attention, since they can mimic the difficult vocalizations of human speech learned from their caretakers. The reason for this is not to attract mates. Parrots raised as pets often mimic humans to establish social connections.
In a study on an African Grey parrot, scientists observed that it could not just mimic human speech, but could also learn several hundreds of words and their meanings, recognize objects by names, and even count! The study has made scientists think that parrots are not simply mimicking, but that their vocal ability is very similar to that of human speech. This is a huge discovery, as humans are the only animals known to be capable of using “language” to date.
1. Why does the author mention the cartoon in Paragraph 1?| A．To introduce the main topic. |
| B．To find a solution to a problem. |
| C．To present conflicts between animals. |
| D．To encourage readers to watch the cartoon. |
| A．Male birds are born to have the ability to use their language. |
| B．Animals start learning language one week earlier than humans. |
| C．Young male birds are more sensitive to vocalizations than female ones. |
| D．Language learning needs proper language environment at a proper stage. |
| A．To attract mates. | B．To build relations with humans. |
| C．To show off their vocal abilities. | D．To communicate with other parrots. |
| A．Confused. | B．Honoured. | C．Amazed. | D．Disappointed. |
3 . Wildlife Preservation Volunteer Programs
Elephant Preservation Volunteer Program in Nepal
This program is suitable for active volunteers who love animals and want to care for the well-being of elephants. No experience is needed as you’ll be working closely with placement staff. The elephant shelter takes in elephants that have medical issues and require care.
Volunteers are accommodated in a local hotel. You should expect to share a room with one other volunteer.
Marine (海洋的) Preservation Volunteer Program in Croatia
This program is suitable for physically fit volunteers who are experienced divers (潜水员). You will use your diving skills to collect marine waste from the bottom of the seabed. You will work within a team on sorting waste out and handing it to the recycling centre.
Volunteers will be accommodated in a hotel. Local workers will clean the accommodation throughout the week.
Victoria Falls Wildlife Volunteering in Zimbabwe
This program is suitable for animal-loving volunteers who want to contribute to protecting amazing creatures and their habitats. Activities include animal tracking, camping out on the reserve and supporting other partner organizations.
Volunteers are accommodated within private rooms at the preservation centre. The accommodation has an open-air area where volunteers can socialize.
Amazon Jungle Preservation Volunteer Program in Peru
This program is suitable for volunteers who care about the environment, like working hard and don’t mind getting their hands dirty. It’s a great opportunity if you’re looking to reset your life by getting out of your comfort zone. You’ll also be developing personally and professionally.
Volunteers are accommodated in local people’s houses. There are running showers but you can expect water to he cold.
1. What do the programs in Nepal and Zimbabwe have in common?| A．They need experienced volunteers. |
| B．They are suitable for animal lovers. |
| C．They include dirty work in the field. |
| D．They require camping out on the reserve. |
| A．They work on the seabed all the time. |
| B．They help to keep the environment clean. |
| C．They are taught diving skills after arrival. |
| D．They lead a team to explore the marine creatures. |
| A．Elephant Preservation Volunteer Program. |
| B．Marine Preservation Volunteer Program. |
| C．Victoria Falls Wildlife Volunteering. |
| D．Amazon Jungle Preservation Volunteer Program. |
| A．Snowy. | B．Rainy. | C．Sunny. |
5 . It’s difficult to hope sometimes but there are still a few instances telling us that something better awaits us whether we choose to hold on to it or not. Annie, a 19-year-oldblack Labrador, was given around a month to live when she was placed for adoption in June 2022. Annie’s former owner had given up hope and sent her to a shelter house in Texas because she wouldn’t eat or drink.
Once Siler, 31, discovered Annie’s photo, she knew she had to help. Instead of a month or two, Annie was adopted by Siler and her roommate, Lisa, for an entire year. Siler knew what it took to care for an elderly dog because she had recently lost her own dog, whom she had since college. Siler shared, “I felt mentally and emotionally prepared to take on a dog that wasn’t going to have long.” Siler described Annie as an easygoing dog. Her favorite pastimes included opening mail and sitting outside, watching people and cars pass by, earning her the nickname “nosy neighbour.”
“People kept telling us she was having so much fun and enjoying life and that kept her going, and I hope that was the case. Annie lived almost exactly a year after being adopted by Siler and Lisa. Annie had the life we pray every senior dog we rescue gets to experience. Annie didn’t just live out this past year, she flowered. Annie had an ill stomach. Surgical operation was her only option and that was never something we would put Annie through. Collectively, we made the hardest decision for us but kindest for Annie.” Siler kept in her diary.
“I can’t help but think that Annie would be so proud. She was one special dog whose story will live on through those who adopt seniors. She left a giant, giant hole in my heart…but times, where everyone who loved her can come together in her honor,will help start mending my broken heart.” Siler wrote in her post.
1. Why was Annie placed for adoption in June 2022?| A．Because she was too old for her owner to care for. |
| B．Because her owner had given up hope for her refusal to eat or drink. |
| C．Because Annie’s owner was moving and couldn’t take her along. |
| D．Because she had a medical condition that required extensive care. |
| A．Siler wanted a guard dog for her house. |
| B．Siler’s roommate insisted on adopting a dog. |
| C．Siler was an advocate for senior dog adoption. |
| D．Siler sought company after losing her previous dog. |
| A．She experienced enormous joy. |
| B．She was miserable and lonely. |
| C．She was constantly sick and in pain. |
| D．She didn’t interact with people or other dogs. |
| A．Annie’s story would be forgotten easily. |
| B．Annie’s story would encourage seniors to hunt. |
| C．Annie’s story would inspire senior dogs adoption. |
| D．Annie’s story would only be remembered for its sadness. |
6 . Super Typhoon Rai (known as “Odette” in the Philippines) made landfall on Siargao Island in southeastern Philippines at 1:30 pm local time on Thursday, December 16. The typhoon was the 15th storm to hit the country in 2021 and was the strongest storm of 2021. Almost 16 million Filipinos were facing threats including strong winds, heavy rains, flooding, landslides, displacement and risking loss of life, home, livelihood and agriculture. Around 700,000 of them were children.
UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund) expressed deep concern for children and families at risk and announced its commitment to providing support to the Philippine government. Reyn Ambag was one of the children who were rescued during the typhoon.
12-year-old Reyn Ambag is a grade 7 student living on the island of Siargao. He goes to school in San Isidro National High School which is located in the Municipality of San Isidro. With Values Education as his favorite subject in school, Reyn is always ready to help others.
Reyn is raised by his mother who is a single parent and runs a retail store alone. Aside from his mother, his cousin has also been living with them to help out in the absence of Reyn’s father. Reyn’s mother provides for all three of them. She is able to support their daily needs and Reyn’s schooling by the income she gets from the small retail store.
During Typhoon Odette, Reyn’s family stayed inside the comfort room of the school where they were evacuated (疏散) to. There, he witnessed through the window how the strong winds of the typhoon destroyed the area. They stayed there until the storm subsided and it was safe for them to go out. Upon returning to their home, they were astonished to find that their house was damaged due to the fallen trees.
After observing the delays in restoring the electricity in their community, Reyn wanted to pursue a related job in the future. “I want to be an electrician someday so that if a power cut would happen because of a typhoon, I would be able to help in restoring it for free,” said Reyn.
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?| A．Different types of natural disasters. |
| B．The introduction of a typhoon and its threats. |
| C．Historical data of the strongest typhoons. |
| D．The government’s reaction to Super Typhoon Rai. |
| A．His father. | B．His cousin. | C．His family store. | D．His part-time job. |
| A．Broke into. | B．Fell apart. | C．Went over. | D．Died down. |
| A．To make money to support his family. |
| B．To reward the community with his work. |
| C．To restore power in time after typhoons. |
| D．To meet his mother’s expectations of him. |
7 . For many people, retirement is a chance to take a break. Not so for Victorin Laboudallon from the Seychelles who spends his days planting forests to fight climate change. Wherever there’s a forest fire in the Seychelles, you can be sure you’ll find Laboudallon ready to fight back, armed with seeds and shovels.
Laboudallon is widely known across the Seychelles for his decades of environmental action and his big personality. While planting trees in the wet dirt, barefoot and laughing, he says his surname means “friend of the mud” in his local Creole language. “I’m not somebody who lives under the big concrete. I live under the beautiful trees,” he says, pointing above at the iconic coco de mer palm.
The Seychelles is a nation of 115 islands—known for beautiful beaches and biodiversity—off the east coast of Africa. Here climate change is not a distant prospect, but a daily reality. “We’ve got the sea rising,” says Laboudallon. “You can see places where there used to be houses. Now there are none. There is something on this planet going wrong.”
Nature enthusiasts like Laboudallon have taken matters into their own hands. While giving a tour of his tree nursery, he explains how different types of trees offer different services when adapting to climate change. For the Seychellois, mangroves (红树林) are fundamental.
Mangroves defend against the impacts of rising seas and coastal erosion (腐蚀) by reducing the height and force of the waves before they hit the shoreline.
This strategy of using nature—and the services it provides—to adapt to climate change is known as ecosystem-based adaptation. It’s often cheaper than concrete infrastructure (设施). Not to mention that it creates a space for nature. Communities can adapt to climate change while protecting biodiversity. It is no longer a choice between people and nature. Considering the Seychelles’ economy is highly dependent on ecotourism, ecosystem-based adaptation is seen as a promising approach.
1. What does Victorin Laboudallon do in his retirement?| A．He travels around the world. | B．He enjoys his free time at home. |
| C．He plants trees in different countries. | D．He fights climate change in the Seychelles. |
| A．He prefers to live in big cities. | B．He is afraid of mud and dirt. |
| C．He enjoys the beauty of trees and nature. | D．He feels safe when surrounded by concrete. |
| A．Uncertain and potentially dangerous. | B．Hopeful and optimistic. |
| C．Challenging but manageable. | D．Insignificant and not worth worrying about. |
| A．It’s more costly than concrete infrastructure. |
| B．It met with indifference among local communities. |
| C．It’s a win-win strategy for local economy and ecosystem. |
| D．It has no effect on the local environmental protection. |
8 . In southeastern Brazil, local fishers walk into dark waters in search of mullet (鲻鱼). On their own, it would be tricky to find the silvery fish. But the humans get help from an unusual partner—wild bottle-nose dolphins.
With nets in hand, the fishers patiently wait as their cetacean (鲸类的) partners drive the fish toward the shore. A signal from the dolphins—usually a deep dive—indicates when they should cast their nets. This fishing partnership has passed down through the generations, lasting for more than a century.
While researchers knew humans profited from this pairing, they couldn’t confirm whether it benefited the dolphins. Now, in a new study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers suggest cetaceans that hunt with humans have more chances to live than those that don’t.
“Human-wildlife cooperation in general is an uncommon phenomenon (现象) at a global scale,” says Mauricio Cantor, a biologist at Oregon State University and leader of the study. “Usually humans gain the benefit, and nature pays the cost. But this interaction (互动) has been happening for over 150 years.”
Fishers were more successful when they worked with the dolphins. When dolphins were present, the fishers were 17 times more likely to catch prey (猎物) and netted nearly four times more mullet when they timed their casting with the cetaceans signals. Eighty-six percent of all 4,955 mullet caught during the study period came from their interactions at the same time—when the allies organized their actions perfectly with one another.
The study also revealed dolphins hunting with humans had a 13 percent increase in survival rate over other dolphins. These cooperative (合作的) dolphins are more likely to stay near the shore reducing their chance of being caught in illegal fishing equipment. Besides, the dolphins can take some fish directly from the fishers harvest.
1. What do the first two paragraphs talk about concerning Brazilian fishers?| A．They trick dolphins into fishing for them. |
| B．They have been training dolphins over a century. |
| C．They harvest more fish with dolphins’ help. |
| D．They throw the fishing nets when dolphins are on the top of water. |
| A．Nature supports human beings at no cost. |
| B．Fishers benefiting from cooperation with cetaceans is common. |
| C．Human-wildlife interaction is a new global trend. |
| D．Dolphins working with man have higher survival rate. |
| A．partners | B．preys | C．dolphins | D．researchers |
| A．To call on the protection of sea creatures. |
| B．To support development in fishing research. |
| C．To show a unique human-dolphin relationship. |
| D．To encourage fishers to better draw on dolphins. |
9 . Our two-year investigation into caged (关在笼中) tigers in America sent us through 32 US states—with some truly shocking experiences. But as the deadline neared, I still needed a powerful and hopeful image.
When we began our reporting in 2017—Sharon, writing; me taking photos; and our son, NickRuggia, filming—more tigers likely lived in cages in the US than remained in the wild. The number ranged from 5,000 to 10,000, but without strict government oversight, no one knew for sure.
Roadside zoos that allowed tourists to take pictures of young tigers were the main cause of what’s been called a US tiger crisis (危机). Caged cats often ended up in the illegal wildlife trade. Young tigers, parted from their mothers at birth, were fed poorly and touched by hundreds of people. When they grew too big and dangerous to pet at around 12 weeks, young tigers were put on show, or simply disappeared.
While we documented the unpleasant part of this industry, we also wanted to show the good life these impressive animals could have. With two weeks left before my deadline, I headed to the Wild Animal Sanctuary near Denver, where well-cared cats walked freely in their habitat.
There I met Clay, Daniel, and Enzo, three of 39 tigers rescued from an animal park in Oklahoma. These nearly grown cats raced beside our car, which I’d seen only in the wild. It was a hot July day and soon two of the cats jumped into a pool to cool off. The third rested beside them on the ground. I crossed the road to take a picture of them. Then quietly, I came up close, trying not to disturb (打扰) them. I had the shot.
1. Why did the author start her reporting?| A．To dig out the dark truth of caged tigers. | B．To explore the amazing land in the country. |
| C．To tell people that baby tigers are harmless. | D．To share the happy moment during the trip. |
| A．Forest fires. | B．Climate change. | C．Roadside zoos. | D．Water pollution. |
| A．They prefer to stay indoors. | B．They are badly treated. |
| C．They get used to the changes. | D．They are traded legally. |
| A．To praise her family for their effort. | B．To explain what the animals suffered. |
| C．To introduce a special kind of tigers. | D．To show some tigers lead an easy life. |
10 . A five-year-old dog named Kelsey has been praised as a hero for helping to save the life of her owner who slipped in the snow and broke his neck.
The man, Bob, was alone when he left his farmhouse on New Year’s Eve to collect firewood.Expecting a journey of only several meters, Bob was wearing just long johns (衬裤), a shirt and slippers when he went outside, although the temperature was around －4℃.
After the accident, he was unable to move in the snow. Fortunately, Kelsey came to his assistance.
“I was shouting for help, but my nearest neighbor is about 400 meters away, and it was 10:30 p. m.,” Bob explained. “By the next morning, my voice was gone and I couldn’t yell for help, but Kelsey didn’t stop barking.”
Kelsey’s companion kept him warm by lying on top of him. She licked his face and hands to keep him awake. “Kelsey kept barking but never left my side,” Bob recalled. “I knew I couldn’t give up and that it was my choice to stay alive.”
Bob spent 20 hours in the freezing cold. When he finally lost consciousness, his dog kept barking. Finally, hearing the barking, Bob’s neighbor discovered him at 6:30 p. m. on New Year’s Day and called the emergency services at once. When Bob arrived in hospital, his body temperature was below 21℃. However, doctors were surprised to find that he didn’t have any frostbite (冻疮). They believed it was because of Kelsey’s determination to keep him warm. Dr. Chaim Colen, the doctor who treated Bob, said, “His dog really saved him.He was very fortunate.”
Bob said he was very grateful to both Dr. Colen and his Kelsey. “They saved my life. They are truly heroes!”
1. What happened to Bob on New Year’s Eve?| A．He left his dog alone in his farmhouse. |
| B．He was praised for saving a dog owner. |
| C．He broke his neck and couldn’t move. |
| D．He heard his neighbor’s shouting for help. |
| A．To keep warm. |
| B．To stay alive. |
| C．To keep Bob awake. |
| D．To seek help from others. |
| A．Helpful. | B．Fortunate. |
| C．Grateful. | D．Friendly. |
| A．A Neckbreaking Accident |
| B．The Magic Night |
| C．Warmth on a Winter’s Night |
| D．Determination to Keep Alive |
