1 . In the dim light of an early autumn evening, Alexander, a hunter: known as much for his solitude as for his skill, ventured into the untamed (原始的) heart of the jungle. Each step he took was measured and careful, a respect for the ancient wilderness where every breath was a story, and man was but a fleeting shadow.

For years, whispers of a tiger, not just any tiger but one whose fur caught the last rays of the sun, had reached Alexander. A creature so splendid and fearsome, it was said to be more myth than flesh. On this day, as the shadows lengthened and the jungle whispered its age-old secrets, Alexander sought not just the tiger, but a confrontation with the very essence of the wild itself. As dusk settled, painting the world in colors of gold and shadow, the boundary between predator and prey seemed to dissolve. The air was heavy with anticipation, the kind that precedes storms and stories.

Then, in a clearing where the jungle seemed to hold its breath, the tiger appeared. It was as if the sun had woven itself into the fabric of its being, its fur a blend of flame and night. For a moment, the world shrank to the space between the hunter named Alexander and the legend made flesh before him.

Their gazes locked, a silent understanding passing between man and beast. Here was Alexander, a man who had walked through shadows to stand in the light of a legend, and the tiger, an embodiment of the wild’s untouchable majesty. In that eternal moment, Alexander saw not a prey but a sovereign of nature, a being whose right to wander the dusk was as undeniable as the setting sun.

With a respect born of countless sunsets and the silent tales they told, Alexander slowly lowered his rifle (步枪). The act was not one of defeat but of profound respect-a recognition of the bond that ties every living thing to the pulse of the earth. The tiger, its gaze still locked with Alexander’s, seemed to acknowledge this unspoken pact. Then, it turned and melted into the shadows, leaving behind a trail of twilight.

Alexander left the jungle that night without a trophy (战利品), but his soul was alight with a tale of fire and twilight. He had sought a legend and found a truth far greater: in the wild’s heart, where shadows and light dance, there lies a respect so deep it transcends the hunt. This encounter, a dance with the untamed, would echo in Alexander’s heart long after the jungle’s whispers faded into the dawn.

1. What was Alexander’s primary reason for venturing into the jungle?

A．To find a place to set up camp.

B．To hunt a tiger rumored to have a fur like the setting sun.

C．To escape from the challenges of modern life.

D．To meet other hunters and share stories.

2. What decision does Alexander make when he finally encounters the tiger?

A．He captures the tiger to prove its existence.

B．He shoots the tiger to claim his trophy.

C．He attempts to trap the tiger but fails

D．He lowers his rifle, choosing not to shoot the tiger.

3. The author’s writing style reflects Hemingway’s influence through ________.

A．complex language.	B．long sentences.
C．straightforward storytelling.	D．supernatural focus.

4. What theme is most prominently reflected in Alexander’s encounter with the tiger?

A．The thrill of the hunt is unparalleled.

B．True courage is demonstrated through dominance over nature.

C．There is a profound respect that exists between man and nature.

D．Technology has distanced man from understanding the natural world.

2 . We recently went to a friend’s backyard to meet her new puppy. He was lovely beyond words. Our friend was wearing smiles as she told us about his first days at home. It was truly puppy love.

Later that night, I walked behind my own dog to help her climb up the stairs, and heated up the homemade food that helps control her kidney (肾) disease. You can’t imagine these extra cares when you began raising a puppy. For me, I am lucky to know this more “mature” love. To love, and to be loved, by an old dog is truly an honor.

For a long time, I denied the fact that our dog was getting old, or I really didn’t notice that Skyler was getting older. But these days, there is no denying the fact. Sometimes, she will fall while eating from her bowl and wait patiently for someone to help her up.

I still remember the first days of Skyler. In the home, she always needed to be beside someone, with at least one part of her touching one part of you. At the park, it was different. If we started running toward the end of a field, she would cross the finish line before we had even made it halfway.

Now, at 15, Skyler still needs to be right beside you on the couch. But it is hard. It is sad to see this once fast, strong dog struggle to walk up the front steps or to see her begging eyes whenever she needs help to get up on the couch. Over the past few years, we have had to forgo certain family trips because we wanted to take care of her at home.

However, I know this experience has taught our children about sacrifice and unconditional love. It has taught me the same. Dogs give us unconditional love. The least we can do is give it back. There will likely be times of great sadness and hardship, but in the end, you will feel very lucky for the time you have together.

1. In paragraph 2, why does the author mention what he did late that night?

A．To complain about the troubles of raising a dog.

B．To show her regret of meeting her friend’s new puppy.

C．To tell readers that she is taking care of an old sick dog.

D．To illustrate the correct way of caring for dogs.

2. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．When the author first got Skyler, she was always running in the house.

B．Skyler has always been eager to have people beside her.

C．Skyler will beg for some food before she gets up.

D．To take care of Skyler, the author often brings her during the journey.

3. What does the underlined word forgo in paragraph 5 most probably mean?

A．cancel

B．forget

C．organize

D．delay

4. According to the passage, what does the author think of keeping a dog?

A．She is strongly against keeping a dog.

B．She considers it a double-edged sword to keep a dog.

C．She suggests we should think twice before keeping a dog.

D．She thinks keeping a dog is worthwhile for the whole family.

3 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. express       B. concerns        C. accompaniment        D. rise        E. approaching        F. specific G. portions       H. remain       I. growing       J. obviously        K. particularly

Exploring the growth of plant-based dairy

Plant-based milk is the largest plant-based group in North America. It grew five per cent last year, with sales of plant-based dairy products     1    $2billion.

There are many reasons for the popularity of plant-based milks. As well as a(n)    2    in the number of vegans (素食主义者) and plant-based diets due to health and moral grounds, environmental     3    are also driving uptake with supporters claiming that plant milk has a lower greenhouse gas footprint than dairy production-although the overall picture is highly complex and the figures are questioned by the dairy industry. An apparent increase in the level of lactose intolerance (乳糖不耐受) in developed countries is also helping to increase demand.

The range of plant-based milks also allows for consumers to     4    their tastes and identities as cafés and restaurants open up after lockdown. As one industry analyst said earlier this year, “To choose your     5    type of plant-based milk in Starbucks seems to be a way of identifying yourself.”

While dairy milk has long been seen as a drink or a meal     6    -for example, being used as the material to make food or with cereal (谷物)-here are increasing signs thatplant-based drinks     7    those with a thicker, more yogurt-like texture (质地) or those sold in individual     8    -are being seen as a healthy snack. Research by the Brisan Group suggests that up to a third of these products are viewed as a snack, and 61 per cent are viewed as “a treat.”

Globally soy milk products     9    the most popular and they accounted for 29.5 per cent of income globally in 2019. Coconut-based drinks are one of the fastest     10    parts, predicted to increase 8.6 per cent between 2020 and 2027. Across all types of plant milk, plain flavours have the highest sales, accounting for 71.1 per cent of the total value.

4 . “It’s a windy day in Laguna San Ignacio, and the waves seem to come from all directions,” said Sara Clemence in Bloomberg Businessweek. My children and I are riding on a 18-foot boat—small enough that we can reach down into the water if a gray whale swims up alongside. And then we see what we’ve come for: a heart-shaped shower of water and a dark mass rushing below it. As instructed, we splash (溅泼) the water strongly to signal the huge whale, which turns out to be a mother with her weeks-old baby. The baby soon swims beneath our boat, emerges to blow mist in my face, then “lies onto its side like a 2-ton puppy.” Leaning down, I touched its skin gently. “It feels electric. Also, a bit like petting a hard-boiled egg.”

San Ignacio is one of very few places where a person can pet a whale. The whales come each year to the coast of Baja California to give birth and to mate. If you’re lucky, you can “shake hands with a leatheryfin (鳍)” or even “plant a kiss on a cold, salty cheek.” I usually worry about such interactions, because wild creatures can become deeply stressed by human contact. But boat numbers are strictly limited in these protected waters.   And any whale that approaches a boat does so on its own terms. Like that baby whale: “We see him a few times, and he seems to like being petted and splashed.”

So we are two species, connecting through touch, but also through eye contact: “More than once, after nosing around our boat, a young gray turns on its side so one dark, baseball-size eye is looking up at us.” Whalers   used   to   call   gray   whales   “devil   fish”   because   these   magnificent   creatures   turn   violent   when threatened—“or, say, when their babies are harmed.” That makes it feel even more of a blessing when, on our third day there, a large mama whale approaches the boat. “I’m splashing when I feel her nose press up into my hand.” Though she’s “wiser and apparently more alert” than her child, “she still decides to trust us.”

1. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A．The writer was on a whale-touching trip.

B．The writer’s boat went down with a huge wave.

C．The baby whale splashed water all over the writer.

D．The mother whale’s skin felt as hard as a boiled egg.

2. By “does so on its own terms” (in paragraph 2), the writer means whales in San Ignacio are ______.

A．mad with too many visitors	B．ready for hands-on attention
C．restricted in swimming routes	D．enclosed in their safety zones

3. Gray whales got the name of “devil fish” from their ______.

A．strange appearance	B．inborn violence
C．surprisingly enormous size	D．fierceness in danger

4. The writer’s implied purpose in the passage is to ______.

A．popularize the knowledge of whales	B．show admiration for whales’ motherhood
C．share an experience of the sea voyage	D．advocate harmony between man and nature

5 . Lorcan Dillon is overcoming selective mutism(选择性缄默症) and learning to share his feelings with the help of a cat named Jessi-cat.

Young Lorcan Dillon has never told his parents that he loves them, but with the help of his best friend, Jessi-cat, this 7-year-old has been making strides toward expressing his emotions.

Lorcan has selective mutism, an anxiety disorder that makes it difficult for him to speak in social situations or tell even his family how he feels. The boy, who lives in the U. K, struggles with communication on a daily basis and rarely speaks to his teachers or classmates.

However, Lorcan's behavior began to change when his mother got him Jessi-cat two years ago.The two quickly became close friends.

“The reason I got Jessi-cat is because pets and cats in particular are very good with children with special needs, "Lorcan's mom, Jayne Dillon, said in an interview with Cats Protection, a British cat welfare agency.

According to his mother, Lorcan has made progress in overcoming his disability. In the past few weeks, he's begun speaking to people he doesn't know very well and has even been reading to one of his teachers something he's never done before.

Dillon says she has Jessi-cat to thank for her son's improvements: He does speak normally at home. He does not have selective mutism with us at all in the house, but he does not express his emotions. He would not say love you mummy". He just does not do it. But with the cat, he can hold her. he can stroke her, he can talk to her. And he does say, ' I love you Jessi-cat, 'which is really nice. It is a way for him to express emotions which otherwise he would not be able to do.

Jessi-cat's role in Lorcan's life hasn't gone unnoticed. Lorcan's kitty companion is currently one of the Best Friends category (类别) finalists in the Cats Protection National Cat Awards。

1. The word"strides"in Para. 2 probably means ________ .

A．habits

B．demand

C．improvements

D．mistakes

2. What can Lorcan do now with the help of the cat? He can ________.

A．accept an interview	B．say"love you mummy”
C．speak normally at home	D．express emotions to his family

3. How did Dillon feel when she was accepting the interview?

A．Amazed

B．Delighted

C．Embarrassed

D．Confused

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．A cat helped a boy express his emotions.

B．A mother expressed her love to her son

C．A boy overcame his illness by raising a cat.

D．A cat was awarded the prize for its behavior