1 . When Mexican scientist of the evolution of animal behavior, Laura Cuaya, moved to Hungary for her postdoctoral studies in Budapest, she brought her pet dog, Kun-kun, along for the ride. Cuaya couldn't help noticing how locals warmed to dogs. This prompted her naturally curious scientific mind to start asking questions. “Here people are talking all the time to Kun-kun, but I always wonder if Kun-kun can recognize that people in Budapest speak Hungarian, not Spanish?” So she set out to find an answer through a scientific study.
Cuaya and her colleagues decided to use brain images from MRI scanning to shed light on her hunch. They worked with dogs of various ages that had, until the experiment, only heard their owners speak just one of the two languages, Spanish or Hungarian. Not surprisingly, getting the dogs to happily take part in the experiment took some creative coaxing and animal training! The researchers first needed to teach Kun-kun and her 17 fellow participating dogs including a labradoodle, a golden retriever and Australian shepherds, to lie still in a brain scanner. Their pet parents were always present, and they could leave the scanner at any point.
The research team played children's book classic The Little Prince in both Spanish and Hungarian while scanning the dogs' brains with an MRI machine. They were looking for evidence that their brains reacted differently to a familiar and unfamiliar language. The researchers also played scrambled versions of the story to find out if dogs could distinguish between speech and non-speech.
The images reveal that dogs' brains show different patterns of activity for an unfamiliar language than for a familiar one — the first time anyone has proved, researchers say, that a non-human brain can distinguish between two languages. This means that the sounds and rhythms of a familiar language are accessible to non-humans.
Interestingly, the team also found that the brains of older dogs were more skilled at detecting speech “suggesting a role for the amount of language exposure”. They suggest that dogs have refined their ability to distinguish between human languages over the long process of domestication.
1. What is paragraph 1 mainly about?| A．The background of the study. | B．The significance of the study. |
| C．The concern of the researcher. | D．The introduction to the researcher. |
| A．Age limits. | B．Brain patterns. | C．Language exposure. | D．Owners' commands. |
| A．practical | B．contradictory | C．compromising | D．groundbreaking |
| A．Dogs Can Tell Foreign Languages | B．Dog Brains Have Different Patterns |
| C．Old Dogs Know More About Human Speech | D．Dogs Can Differ Speech From Non-Speech |
2 . Next time you’re having trouble solving a tricky puzzle, consider asking a nearby bumblebee.
A new study in the journal PLOS Biology finds that bumblebees can learn certain behaviors from each other, suggesting these social insects have a capacity for what we humans call “culture.”
In the past couple of decades, a growing body of evidence has shown that animals like chimps and birds show behaviors of learning. If what they learn lasts for a long time, it turns into a tradition. And culture is made up of multiple traditions. “Bumblebees, though, have some of the most complex behavioral abilities, nobody’s really thought to look at culture in such insects and generally assume they’re mostly driven by inborn factors instead,” says Alice Bridges, a behavioral ecologist at Anglia Ruskin University in England.
To prove them wrong, Bridges built a puzzle box, whose base held the reward: a drop of super sweet sugar water. The box was designed with a rotating (旋转) top that can be rotated by pushing either on a red tab clockwise or a blue tab anti-clockwise. Some bees were trained to push the red tab to get the sugar water while others pushed the blue one. Then, these tutor bees were placed inside different colonies (蜂群), along with the puzzle boxes.
The experiment ultimately played itself out. In colonies where the tutor bee had originally learned to push the red tab, the other bees in the colony usually pushed the red tab. In colonies where the tutor bee was trained to push the blue tab, their fellow bees also tended to do the same. In contrast, in the control groups without tutors, the bees sometimes learned how to open the boxes, but most of them would do it once or twice and then never again. “They perhaps hadn’t quite made the link between their behavior and the reward,” Bridges supposes.
“Many of us consider ourselves to be rather special…because we have culture, we can learn and we’re social,” Bridges says. “But now it turns out that even the bee also has culture, which is an uncomfortable truth: human culture, once thought unique, does not emerge ‘out of the blue’ but has obviously built on deep evolutionary foundations.
1. What is people’s common attitude to bumblebees having culture?| A．Positive. | B．Indifferent. | C．Interested. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．To test their learning capability in new settings. |
| B．To see if they will spread the secret of the boxes. |
| C．To evaluate their ruling power in various groups. |
| D．To observe if they will share their food with peers. |
| A．Its appeal to the public. | B．Implications on cultural origins. |
| C．Its practical application. | D．Suggestions for future directions. |
| A．Human Culture Is Losing Its Uniqueness |
| B．Bee’s Behavior Builds on Biological Factors |
| C．Culture May Be Present Among Bumblebees |
| D．Animals’ Evolution May Start From Colonies |
3 . Artificial cloud technology could soon be used in the fight against environmental damage. Researchers in Australia have used machines to spray salt water into the air, and noted that the reflective qualities of these artificial clouds helped protect the Great Barrier Reef from sun bleaching (漂白).
The so-called cloud brightening project works by thickening existing clouds and reducing sunlight exposure to protect the reef. No artificial chemicals make it into the clouds in the sky. When water droplets steam, they leave only small salt crystals that float up into the atmosphere. This provides a larger surface area for water vapor to be liquids around them, forming thicker clouds.
The past two years have seen uncommon forest fires and droughts triggered by the climate change emergency, meaning that widespread use of this technique may become more commonplace if carbon emissions are not checked.
Drones, unmanned flying vehicles, have also entered the cloud controlling picture, used in the United Arab Emirates, a country desperately in need of more rainfall, to deliver electrical shocks to clouds in order to facilitate rainfall. Zapping (击打) clouds to produce a positive or negative charge within clouds can cause water droplets to form together. The greater the charge, the larger the droplets, which is vital for ensuring that as much rain as possible reaches the surface before steam gives off all the hard-won moisture (水分).
Even if one waves aside climate change, global waterfall shortages are still an increasing concern, given the planet’s booming population. More people means more mouths to feed, and the demand for water in agriculture for animals and crops further increases urgency for cloud controlling technology. An increase in rain also leads to positive economic growth in many countries, as large harvests stabilize financial systems and living standards in all climates.
Increasingly, scientists are looking to our skies in providing solutions to protect our environment. Cloud controlling technologies have promise. However, for this field of science to become practical economically, more research needs to be done in making this process a practicable option in protecting our environment.
1. How does the cloud brightening project work?| A．By creating more water vapor which later becomes liquids. |
| B．By spraying chemicals and small salt crystals into the atmosphere. |
| C．By expanding the water vapor arca and blocking more sunlight. |
| D．By steaming water droplets to provide a larger surface area. |
| A．They spread larger water droplets. |
| B．They charge clouds to promote rain. |
| C．They will be popularized in dry years. |
| D．They control the movements of clouds. |
| A．Problems of overpopulation. |
| B．Solutions to waterfall shortage. |
| C．Urgency of economic development. |
| D．Additional benefit of cloud technology. |
| A．High cost. |
| B．Research method. |
| C．Environmental impact. |
| D．Complicated process. |
4 . Recycling is a great way of doing your bit for the environment and helping to protect the earth’s precious resources. However, a new study has revealed that our desire to be sustainable maybe doing more harm than good. According to waste company Biffa, this is because of “wish-cycling” — assuming that items such as disposable coffee cup sand pizza boxes will be recycled if put in the recycling bin. In fact, pollution from those items or other non-recyclables can result in recyclable items that have been put in the correct bin going to landfill. David Heaton, a business director at Biffa, said: “Pollution happens when items are disposed of in the wrong bins or haven’t been cleaned before being recycled.”
Experts at Biffa analyzed the amounts of non-target and non-recyclable materials that entered UK material recycling facilities between 2016 and 2020. It was found that, in 2016, the average pollution rate of recycling waste was 13.4 percent, rising over four years to 17 percent by the end of 2020. This shows that, even as people are becoming more eco-conscious, wish-cycling is increasing both in households and businesses.
The Biffa experts say that one of the best ways to prevent pollution of recycling is to clean recyclable waste before putting it in the bin. They suggest cutting off the top of old pizza boxes and only recycling that part to avoid pollution from the grease (油脂). Check the on-packaging recycling label to check it can actually be recycled When it comes to plastics, Biffa recommends checking the resin code, the number in the plastic triangle, to know whether it should go in the recycling bin. In general, resin codes 1, 2, 4 and 5 are recyclable, while 3, 6 and 7 are not. Larger items, like electronics, furniture and batteries, can also be recycled but often can not go in household recycling bins as they need specialist separating. These will need to be taken to recycling centers or sustainable waste management companies.
“It’s vital as a nation that we get better at effective ‘pre-cycling’— sorting waste correctly before collection to reduce pollution rates,” added Mr. Heaton.
1. What’s the truth of “wish-cycling” according to the first paragraph?| A．The desire to lead a sustainable life. |
| B．The good intention to help recycling. |
| C．The habit of throwing items that end up in landfills. |
| D．The practice of recycling items that can not be recycled. |
| A．People are becoming more eco-conscious. |
| B．Wish-cycling is on the rise in recent years. |
| C．Pollution happens less frequently in recycling facilities. |
| D．People are used to cleaning recyclable waste before putting it in the bin. |
| A．Dispose of electronics together with household waste. |
| B．Skip the step of checking the on-packaging recycling label. |
| C．Check the resin code of plastics to see whether it is recyclable or not. |
| D．Cutoff the top of old pizza box and throw the rest to the recycling bin. |
| A．Recycling: a Big Project | B．Wish-cycling: a New Trend |
| C．Wish-cycling: a Growing Concern | D．Pre-cycling: an Effective Method |
5 . 10-year-old Sasha Olsen went on a trip in the summer of 2021 with her family to Vietnam and Japan. She was shocked at the ocean’s pollution levels and dying sea animals.
“We went on this trip and I was so
When she returned home to Bal Harbour, Florida, she grew even more
Sasha sought the
“It’s
Sasha hopes to
| A．tired | B．depressed | C．excited | D．disappointed |
| A．answer | B．approach | C．opportunity | D．opinion |
| A．absorbed | B．upset | C．embarrassed | D．confused |
| A．organizations | B．oceans | C．animals | D．beaches |
| A．trip | B．city | C．water | D．people |
| A．help | B．suggestion | C．praise | D．comfort |
| A．picked up | B．took up | C．set up | D．got up |
| A．Fortunately | B．Originally | C．Consequently | D．Temporarily |
| A．research | B．pick | C．explore | D．clean |
| A．held | B．bought | C．recorded | D．witnessed |
| A．refer | B．turn | C．donate | D．lead |
| A．foolish | B．important | C．potential | D．appealing |
| A．learn | B．make | C．play | D．work |
| A．extend | B．observe | C．convey | D．announce |
| A．intelligent | B．individual | C．interesting | D．influential |
6 . Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns.
How does climate change make you feel? The news of melting glaciers and oil spills may seem overwhelming and can make you feel angry, frightened, hopeless or upset. This is called climate anxiety.
Positive action can inspire others too. Sisters Kim and Stella King from the charity Fights Against Plastic have picked up 90,000 pieces of plastic. They ask schools, businesses and organizations to follow their lead.
| A．Why is there climate anxiety? |
| B．And it is a normal, healthy response. |
| C．This risks the lives of humans, animals and plants. |
| D．Remember, it’s important to get support from people around. |
| E．No one can fix climate change on their own but we can all play a part. |
| F．These shifts may be natural, such as through variations in the solar cycle. |
| G．So, tell friends and family what you’re up to and encourage them to join in. |
7 . While many animal populations seem to dwindle, one species that is moving in the opposite direction of such loss is America’s native wildlife — wood stork.
The wood stork is the only stork that breeds in North America. In 1984, it was declared an endangered species after its population decreased sharply to just 5,000 mating pairs. At the time, scientists predicted that the bird would become completely extinct by 2000. Today, it numbers 10,000 mating pairs, and the Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing a delisting of the wood stork as an endangered species. So how did the population bounce back?
The success is in part down to the resourcefulness of the wood stork. The wood stork’s native home was in the Everglades in Florida, but it migrated north as the Everglades were being destroyed by development of mankind. Wetland preservation and restoration, protection of nesting areas, and management of water flows began with the approval of the wood stork’s first recovery plan in 1986. In the following year, former Savannah Coastal Refuges biologist John Robinette noticed stork nests in Georgia as stork populations moved to safer wetlands.
According to Stephanie Kurose, a senior policy specialist at the Centre for Biological Diversity, the Endangered Species Act is also to thank for this recovery. She said, “The act saved the wood stork and it helped preserve and rebuild vital habitats throughout the southeast, which has improved water quality and benefited countless other species who call the area home.” “The Endangered Species Act has saved 99 per cent of the species that were on the list since 1973. A hundred types of plants and animals have been delisted as their populations become stable again.
If the wood stork is delisted, it will remain protected by other laws and a monitoring plan will be put in place to ensure the population remains stable.
1. What does the underlined word dwindle probably mean?| A．Boost. | B．Change. | C．Decline. | D．Explode. |
| A．Its population shows a rising trend. | B．It has become completely extinct. |
| C．It is widely distributed worldwide. | D．It is the most endangered species. |
| A．Climate change of Earth. | B．Popularity of water sports. |
| C．Impact of human activities. | D．Arrival of other wild animals. |
| A．People have safer water to drink. | B．A list of species have been saved. |
| C．The local economy has boomed. | D．The wood stock has flown away. |
Even before I reached the tent, I knew there would be trouble. My little brother Andy was following me, with a sleeping bag, a flashlight, and his stuffed bear. My friends Wade and Bred think Andy would ruin everything. He would get scared in the middle of the night and have to be taken back to the house. They complained so much you'd think they were hospital patients instead of kids I'd invited for an outdoor sleepover.
Andy promised that he wouldn't ruin anything. He wormed his way into the tent and settled in the far corner. Night was settling in, too, with the woods around us fading toward black. The house, with its porch light, seemed a long way from us.
“Time for ghost stories!” Brad announced as soon as I'd closed the tent. He told a story about vampires （吸血鬼）, but it only made us fall over laughing. When it was Wade's turn, he told a story of three guys who were camping in a tent. He described our situation exactly-except for Andy. When he was describing a terrifying creature, somewhere outside, a branch snapped （发出咔嚓声）。The hairs on my arms shot straight up. “These guys were crawling into their sleeping bags, right?” Wade continued. “When out of the darkness rang this terrible cry.” And out of the woods behind us there was a cry! High-pitched, frightening, and strange. The hairs on my head shot straight up!
“What was that?” Bred asked as the cry came again. We all looked at each other in horror, speechless. Wade suggested someone should go out to check, but no one dared. “What if it's something trapped or hurt?” Andy said anxiously. We focused our flashlights on Andy, whom we'd forgotten, sitting in the corner with his arms around his bear. Andy would adopt every lost or hurt animal in the world if Mom would let him.
注意：1.续写的词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答
“I'm going to see.” Andy ran out of the tent and disappeared in the darkness.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Andy said it was a baby monkey caught between branches, and it was crying for its mama.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________9 . Master Gardener Volunteers Wanted
Why Become a Master Gardener?
The Master Gardener program is an all-volunteer organization where you can develop your own leadership and teaching skills while teaching the younger youth about healthy eating, agriculture, and so on! Master Gardeners involve people in activities to improve their general well-being and overall enjoyment of life by helping them find sound management practices for home and urban natural resources, by creating pleasing environments through people-plant interactions and horticultural therapy (园艺疗法), and by contributing to a safe, abundant food supply through home fruit and vegetable production.
What Qualifications Must You Meet?
Anyone can apply to be a Master Gardener—you don’t need to be an expert or have a degree. You do, however, need to:
●Have certain experience or know a little about gardening or landscape management.
●Be willing to share horticulture information with others.
●Be willing to attend a training program and can devote time to volunteering and continuing education.
Besides, to become a Master Gardener volunteer, each applicant needs to complete an application, prepare background screening paperwork and schedule an interview with Extension staff.
What Does the Training Involve?
Training sessions are offered one day a week over a three-month period and are led by expert educators in the region. Approximately 60 hours of classroom instruction and field study and 60 hours of volunteer internship (实习) work are required to complete the program and become certified. In order to remain a certified Master Gardener, 30 hours of volunteer work and 10 hours of continuing education or advanced training are required each year.
1. What does a Master Gardener do?| A．Help raise people’s quality of life by horticulture. |
| B．Teach the youth about diets and agriculture. |
| C．Promote horticultural practices at home. |
| D．Train volunteers to help with gardening. |
| A．Acquiring excellent teaching skills. |
| B．Having some relevant knowledge. |
| C．Completing given training sessions. |
| D．Obtaining rich volunteer experience. |
| A．A year. | B．Three months. |
| C．About 160 hours. | D．About 120 hours. |
10 . Plastic fishing nets, the so-called ghost nets, abandoned yearly in the sea—about 1 million tons—are more than just rubbish; they’re a killer. Fish, sea birds, and turtles get caught in the netting and die, with more species at risk.
Much shocked at this, Pranveer Singh Rathore, a materials-science engineer and materials R&D manager at Samsung, and his team set themselves the task of giving new life to the deadly nets. Last month, Samsung revealed a new line of Galaxy products made in part from recycled plastic fishing nets for the first time. The company estimates this year alone it can recycle over 50 tons of ocean-bound plastic into the key components that will go into its smartphones, tablets, and computers, thus taking a bite out of the global ghost nets problem.
It’s no small task to give waste fishing nets a second act. The nets are typically made of a substance called nylon which tends to dramatically degrade (降解) the longer it sits in the ocean and is exposed to the sun. “This makes it nearly impossible to use abandoned fishing nets directly,” Rathore explains. Besides, high-performance smartphone, tablet, or PC has to be waterproof and can survive severe weather. The nylon in the fishing nets falls far short of that level of durability (耐用).
To deal with that problem, Samsung last summer teamed up with two partners: one to collect and transform the nets into tiny nylon pellets (颗粒) while the other to strengthen their toughness and durability. The end result: The partners hit upon an eco-friendly and high-performance plastic material that’s being used to build the component parts for its latest line of products. For example, two parts of the Galaxy S22 mobile phone—the key bracket and the inner cover—are made of these fishing-net plastic materials. Samsung aims to use even more upcycled materials in future product lines.
“That’s the hope for the globe and our mission,” Rathore smiles.
1. What does the underlined word “this” in paragraph 2 refer to?| A．Rubbish in the sea. | B．Recycling the deadly nets. |
| C．Ocean species’ extinction. | D．Ghost nets’ threat to sea life. |
| A．The low level of durability of nylon. | B．The second act of waste fishing nets. |
| C．The great difficulty in reusing ghost nets. | D．The positive comment on Samsung’s products. |
| A．They are made from tiny nylon pellets. | B．They put an end to the problem of fishing nets. |
| C．They can stand up to water and severe weather. | D．They contain materials recycled from ghost nets. |
| A．It makes plastic easier to break down. | B．It marks the shift of Samsung’s mission. |
| C．It protects the planet from choking on plastic. | D．It raises public awareness of ocean exploration. |
