1 . Cockatoos (凤头鹦鹉) are only the third animal besides humans and chimpanzees, known to pick tools flexibly based on the tasks they expect to face according to a study recently published in Current Biology.
In 2021, scientists observed that cockatoos fashioned three tools — a wedge (楔子), a knife and a spoon — to help open fruits. It showed that they were making tools with different functions, but an important question remained; Did the birds use the tools as a set for the same goal, or just as responses to the result of the use of the former?
To answer it, researchers designed a special puzzle box inside which was a grand prize: a cashew (腰果), the favorite food of cockatoos. Getting it out of the box required two tools: a short, sharp tool that had to first cut a film blocking the bird’s access to the nut and a long pole that had to be stuck into the hole to fish out the cashew.
According to the observation, six of ten cockatoos found the correct solution. When a simpler box with no film was presented, they were likely to merely pick up the pole. Then the box was moved farther from the tools, meaning the birds had to choose the right tools and then carry them over. When deciding which tools to bring, the cockatoos planned ahead. If facing a box with a film, they figured out how to carry the tools together and would come prepared with both If without, they tended to bring the fishing pole.
The study shows that cockatoos can use and transport tool sets flexibly for immediate future use, and thus their tool use is more than the sum of its parts. The researchers now hope to see if the birds can manage this even when the box is not in direct view, and further explore the evolutionary history of tool use in this species.
Dr. Auersperg, one of the researchers, thinks the study proves an anti-bird phrase needs revising. “Bird brain,” she said, “should actually be a compliment.”
1. Why does the author mention the 2021 research in paragraph 2?| A．To reveal its limitation. | B．To review a significant study. |
| C．To establish the research goal. | D．To introduce the research question. |
| A．Consider tool use | B．Cut a hole in the film. |
| C．Pull the pole from the box. | D．Get out of the box to eat. |
| A．Topic | B．Reality | C．Concern. | D．Praise. |
| A．Cockatoos are creative problem solvers. |
| B．Cockatoos know to use tool sets flexibly. |
| C．Cockatoos are the third smartest animals. |
| D．Cockatoos adapt to environmental changes easily. |
2 . Today, we have the ability to predict dangerous tornadoes (龙卷风), hurricanes (飓风) winter storms, and floods with more accuracy than ever. We know the areas that are likely to be struck by earthquakes, and the areas that are easily harmed by wildfires, and we can tell hours in advance whether a tsunami (海啸) will hit our shores.
However, in spite of all the capabilities for advance warnings, Americans are still quite poor at preparing for these disasters. In a 2006 poll (民意调查) carried out by TIME Magazine, only 16% percent believed they were “well prepared” for the next one.
A few weeks ago I was listening to NPR (National Public Radio) as I was cooking dinner, and I heard a moving story about a young boy, Noah Stewart, who lived through a tornado that hit his Alabama home.
Noah was sucked up into the tornado and then dropped. He landed on his head first, a fall of such force that, under normal conditions, would have killed him. However, he survived because his mother made a quick decision to put a baseball helmet on his head right before the tornado hit. Noah was unhurt in the storm. But the helmet cracked (破裂) down the middle.
The CDC states that they can’t say whether helmets save lives during a tornado impact (撞击) . However, it still seems wise for anyone in a tornado-prone (可能的) area to keep several helmets at the ready. Any added protection is going to increase your chance of survival, and as Noah’s story clearly shows, helmets can save lives.
You don’t have to buy new helmets—picking up used bicycle, football, or baseball helmets at economical stores and garage sales (旧货市场) can save money and keep your family protected.
However, it’s necessary that you keep these helmets in an easily reachable place; they should not be used for any other purpose, as they may be misplaced. Remember, when a tornado hits, you might only have minute—or even seconds—to find shelter. You don’t want to be running around the house, searching for those helmets.
1. What can we infer from Paragraph 2?| A．Americans are fear of disasters. |
| B．There are many disasters in America. |
| C．Disasters are better predicted in America. |
| D．Most Americans are not well prepared for disasters. |
| A．Because he stayed with his mother. |
| B．Because he was brave in the tornado. |
| C．Because he was well protected by a helmet. |
| D．Because he was quick-minded in emergency. |
| A．Put them at hand. | B．Choose new ones. |
| C．Use professional ones. | D．Save money to buy expensive ones. |
| A．To ask us to prepare for the disasters. | B．To warn us of the tornado impact. |
| C．To advise us to keep helmets handy. | D．To describe the moving story of a boy. |
3 . We humans like to conquer.
For the same reason that soccer players want to hold the World Cup trophy(奖杯) and tennis players crave a Grand Slam win, mountaineers dream of reaching the highest peak on the planet — Mount Qomolangma, which towers about 8,844 meters above sea level.
“Everybody wants to stand on top of the world,” Mirza Ali from Pakistan who had just “conquered” Mount Qomolangma, told the Los Angeles Times.
However, this desire to conquer has become so strong that we have begun to travel in the wrong direction.
During this year’s climbing season—from March to May—at least 11 climbers died in the Himalayas, making it one of the worst seasons on record. And the fact that many of the climbers were inexperienced is one of the major factors(因素) contributing to the tragedy, according to USA Today.
“They don’t train very hard. They underestimate(低估) Qomolangma,” Jangbu Sherpa, who has been working as a guide on Mount Qomolangma since 2006, told NBC News. “There are lots of climbers who just want to check the box so that they can say they’ve been to the top of the world.”
This ignorant attitude of climbers also leads to other problems—apart from putting their own lives at risk, of course. According to HuffPost, the mountain’s cleaning group collected 12 tons of trash—including food wrappers(包装袋), and oxygen tanks—left behind this climbing season. This once holy(神圣的) and peaceful corner of the world has, as The Atlantic reporter Margret Grebowics put it, “lost its magic”.
Perhaps what we should do now is restore meaning to the activity itself—real meaning. And for Alison Levine, a US mountaineer who reached the summit(山顶) of Mount Qomolangma in 2010, the meaning doesn’t come with the summit itself, but with everything that led her up to it.
“When I did make it to the summit, what I realized is that standing on top of a mountain doesn’t change you and doesn’t change the world,” Levine told the NPR. “It’s really about the journey. The journey is the most important thing on any mountain.”
It’s true that we humans like to conquer. But the first step of conquering anything is probably to learn to conquer our own greed(贪婪) and ignorance.
1. What does the underlined word “crave” mean?| A．have no interest in | B．have a strong desire for |
| C．be optimistic about | D．be likely to win |
| A．Not having enough training and experience. |
| B．Not bringing enough number of oxygen tanks. |
| C．Not having professional climbing equipment. |
| D．Not being accustomed to the cold weather. |
| A．Being on top of the world. |
| B．Being able to change the world. |
| C．The journey to reach the summit. |
| D．The spirit to conquer the summit. |
| A．Regretful. | B．Critical. | C．Encouraging. | D．Doubtful. |
In central China, there is a mysterious forests region. According to Chinese mythology, Shennong, one of the ancestors of the Chinese nation, also known as Yandi, once tested a variety of herbs
Legend has it
Shennongjia
One of the first things many people learn about Shennongjia
5 . The holiday season is a time for celebrating with friends and family, when people give gifts or decorate their homes. Unfortunately, this can all lead to a lot of waste. However, there are ways to reduce the amount of waste you create.
Use reusable bags for gifts
Gift bags or wrap that can be reused are recommended on the list. You can reuse them the next time you give a gift. You can also wrap gifts in old maps, pages from magazines, and art paper. The person receiving the gift could use the wrap for something else. The Chinese traditional cloth-wrapper is popular wrapping cloth, which is pretty and strong. It can be used for other things, like a colorful scarf or tablecloth, rather than just thrown away.
Choose electronic cards
For many people, sending holiday cards is a tradition. Now people are increasingly accepting electronic holiday cards. “There are so many digital options now, and people get just as much joy out of it,” some people said. These cards offer a range of benefits. With the increasing popularity, electronic cards have become a preferred choice.
Buy a real tree from a local farm
For decorating the home, real trees have become first option rather than plastic ones. Some trees are grown for the purpose of being cut, and new ones are typically replanted every year. So, the cycle continues. Buying local trees means that it doesn’t use much fuel. After the holidays, trees are picked and processed into usable products, like small wood pieces for the garden. What’s more, you can’t beat the smell of a fresh-cut tree.
1. What makes Chinese cloth-wrapper popular?| A．Its fresh smell. |
| B．The multiple uses. |
| C．Various digital options. |
| D．Its original birthplace. |
| A．They match the gardens. |
| B．They are easier to cut |
| C．They have better quality. |
| D．They are environmentally friendly. |
| A．A novel. |
| B．A textbook. |
| C．A magazine. |
| D．A journal. |
6 . The African elephant, the largest land animal remaining on earth, is of great importance to African ecosystem (生态系统). Unlike other animals, the African elephant is to a great extent the builder of its environment. As a big plant-eater, it largely shapes the forest-and-savanna (大草原) surroundings in which it lives, therefore setting the terms of existence for millions of other animals that live in its habitat (栖息地).
It is the elephant’s great desire for food that makes it a disturber of the environment and an important builder of its habitat. In its continuous search for the 300 pounds of plants it must have every day, it kills small trees and underbushes, and pulls branches off big trees. This results in numerous open spaces in both deep tropical forests and in the woodlands that cover part of the African savannas. In these open spaces are numerous plants in various stages of growth that attract a variety of other plant-eaters.
Take the rain forests for example. In their natural state, the spreading branches overhead shut out sunlight and prevent the growth of plants on the forest floor. By pulling down trees and eating plants, elephants make open spaces, allowing new plants to grow on the forest floor. In such situations, the forests become suitable for large hoofed plant-eaters to move around and for small plant-eaters to get their food as well.
What worries scientists now is that the African elephant has become an endangered species. If the elephant disappears, scientists say, many other animals will also disappear from vast areas of forest and savanna, greatly changing and worsening the whole ecosystem.
1. What is the passage mainly about?| A．Disappearance of African elephants. |
| B．Forests and savannas as habitats for African elephants. |
| C．The effect of African elephants’ search for food. |
| D．The eating habit of African elephants. |
| A．Fixing the time. |
| B．Worsening the state. |
| C．Improving the quality. |
| D．Deciding the conditions. |
| A．They result from the destruction of rain forests. |
| B．They provide food mainly for African elephants. |
| C．They are home to many endangered animals. |
| D．They are attractive to plant-eating animals of different kinds. |
| A．showing the effect and then explaining the causes |
| B．pointing out similarities and differences |
| C．describing the changes in spare order |
| D．giving examples |
This story happened in a small village in North America, where a disabled boy named Tom lived with his parents. When Tom was born, his right leg was a little twisted (变形的). When Tom could neither walk nor stand upright for two years, his parents took him to a doctor. After a careful examination, the doctor said complete recovery was impossible. So the doctor made a structure of iron rods (杆) that could be tied through Tom’s shoe to a belt over his knee. With the help of the structure, Tom could stand properly and walk at times, and his life became a little easier than before. But one thing always bothering him was that he could not play like other children, although he was still happy.
On the way to Tom’s school, there was a small flower shop. Its owner was a kind old man. In this shop, there lived his five small pet puppies. One of the puppies was lame (瘸的). It always dragged its leg and followed the rest of the puppies. Tom often stood in front of this flower shop after school and watched the puppies. Of the five, Tom liked that little lame puppy most.
One day, Tom saw a board hanging in front of the shop. It read “Puppies for Sale at $50” Tom went straight into the shop. Pointing at the lame puppy, he asked the old man to sell it to him. Tom took a $5 note out of his pocket and gave it to the old man. “I only have $5 now and you keep it. I’ll pay 50 cents a month for the rest,” Tom said. “But it is a puppy which will limp for the rest of its life. It will never be able to run with you or play with you in the park. Do you still want to buy it?” the old man asked in surprise.
Tom told the old man firmly, “Yes, I want this puppy.” Then the old man returned Tom’s $5 and said, “If you want this puppy, I’ll give it to you for free.”
Paragraph 1:
Tom got a little upset after hearing this from the old man.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:
Then, Tom approached the lame puppy with his twisted right leg.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
8 . Named “America’s Finest City” due to its hospitality, beauty and ideal climate, San Diego is located on the border with Mexico. The residents are so active outdoors that it is called “Sportstown, the U.S.A.”. San Diego’s 70 miles of beaches are a heaven for swimmers, surfers, divers, boaters and sunbathers. Another favourite outside activity is golf. With 100 courses (about 50 of them public), San Diego is a golfers’ paradise. Many San Diego residents came here first as tourists, who were attracted by San Diego’s sunny beaches, nearby mountains and deserts, plus the cultural delights of any big city. The world-famous San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld Adventure Park, Wild Animal Park, museums and other attractions attract visitors from around the world.
The zoo is home to some 4,000 animals, including the world’s largest group of parrots. Animals are displayed in natural settings, and there is a petting zoo for children. By contrast, the Wild Animal Park is a wildlife preserve with an area of over 2,000 acres and more than 3,000 free-roaming (自由漫步的) animals in natural habitats.
In addition to housing the zoo, Balboa Park is home to several museums and attractions, including an aerospace museum, an art and history museum, the Old Globe Theatre, science museums and even a railroad museum. Free concerts are offered frequently. Another popular attraction is the SeaWorld, a 190-acre marine park.
San Diego’s varied attractions, as well as its business climate, offer many opportunities for students to explore the local culture, meet people from around the world, and gain business experience. At San Diego State University, for example, students in the American Language Institute’s study tour program learn English both in the classroom and while sightseeing.
1. What do the residents of San Diego probably like to do?| A．Have sports outdoors. | B．Travel to other places. |
| C．Stay at home. | D．Stay outdoors all day. |
| A．Because it is more convenient to live here. |
| B．Because they are attracted by its beauty and culture. |
| C．Because they can make money from tourism here. |
| D．Because it is a quiet place to enjoy themselves. |
| A．The SeaWorld Adventure park. | B．The art and history museum. |
| C．The petting zoo. | D．The Old Globe Theatre. |
9 . Over two weeks ago I was standing on the summit of Mount Qomolangma. It was the top of many years' hard work, and the
I have been overwhelmed by the tide of goodwill and support. But one thing has become
The most common question I get asked is: "Is it
I climbed Qomolangma expecting a rubbish dump but what I found
The Nepalese have
The results have been
I have spent time in many of the world's popular wilderness locations and I would say Nepal should be proud. It is an example of man repairing the
| A．realization | B．motivation | C．connection | D．schedule |
| A．slightly | B．naturally | C．increasingly | D．easily |
| A．lost | B．fed | C．counted | D．saved |
| A．adventure | B．pollution | C．settlement | D．choice |
| A．covered | B．seized | C．found | D．poured |
| A．expect | B．fight | C．give | D．report |
| A．plan | B．title | C．voice | D．lesson |
| A．surprised | B．served | C．forced | D．stressed |
| A．silently | B．eagerly | C．frankly | D．hardly |
| A．challenged | B．conducted | C．observed | D．qualified |
| A．appealed to | B．taken in | C．depended on | D．put forward |
| A．share | B．confirm | C．remove | D．bear |
| A．similar | B．unpleasant | C．remarkable | D．regretful |
| A．conclusion. | B．convenience | C．arrangement | D．damage |
| A．impossible | B．necessary | C．unusual | D．extra |
10 . The battery pack of an electric vehicle (EV) powers the car hundreds of kilometers, again and again, without letting off gases. But when the battery comes to the end of it’s life, its green benefits fade. If it ends up buried, it can release poisonous materials including heavy metals.
That's just one of the emerging problems challenging researchers: how to recycle millions of EV batteries. Current EV batteries "are really not designed to be recycled" , says Thompson, a researcher at an institution.
It wasn't much of a problem when EVs were rare. But now the technology is taking off. Governments realize this is an issue and are inching toward requiring some level of recycling. In 2018, China drew new rules to promote the reuse of EV battery parts. The European Union is expected to finalize its first laws this year. And in the United States, several states, including California—the nation's largest car market—are exploring their own rules.
Recycling won't be easy. Batteries differ widely in chemistry construction, which makes it difficult to create efficient recycling systems. Scientists, meanwhile, say effective battery recycling will require more than just technological advances. The high cost of transporting used batteries over long distances can discourage recycling. It causes an economic barrier: It's often cheaper for battermakers to buy freshly-mined metals than to use recycled materials.
"The need for progress is becoming pressing," says Linda Gaines, who works on battery recycling. "The sooner we can get everything moving, the better." To jump-start recycling, governments and industry are putting money into research centers. Scientists are working to ensure the EV batteries being sold today can be recycled in 2030 and beyond, when thousands of batteries will reach the end of their lives. "There's little time to waste.” says Linda.
1. What is the problem of EV batteries from Paragraph 1?| A．The short lifespan they have. |
| B．The weak power they provide. |
| C．The decline of their green benefits. |
| D．The poisonous gases they give off. |
| A．Working out regulations. |
| B．Improving the technology. |
| C．Reducing electric vehicles. |
| D．Promoting reusable batteries. |
| A．It is urgent. | B．It is efficient. |
| C．It has made progress. | D．It needs advanced technology. |
| A．EV Batteries Need to Be Upgraded |
| B．Millions of EV Batteries Are Coming |
| C．Recycling EV batteries: Mission Impossible |
| D．EV Battery Recycling: A Race Against Time |
