1 . If you’re new to San Francisco, paying the city a visit, or simply looking for a new playground for you and your dog, here are four of the finest dog parks in San Francisco.
Corona Heights Dog Park
Often visited by residents from all over the city because of its nearness to the Randall Museum, Corona Heights Dog Park offers pets and owners breathtaking view after a steep hillside climb, and a fenced dog area that allows dogs to let loose without a leash (狗链). Owners will also enjoy the playground, tennis courts and basketball courts.
Dolores Dog Park
The grounds of Dolores Park once served as camps for those who were left homeless by the 1906 earthquake, but now are often visited by crowds of Mission District people. Four-legged friends can also wander about care free off-leash while making friends with other members of the doggie community.
Pine Lake Dog Park
Famous for its place as a rest stop for hundreds of species of birds to fly to and from warmer climates, Pine Lake Park is also prized by city dogs and their owners for their nice hiking paths, picturesque lake suited for swimming, and off-leash area on the park’s west end that lets dogs run free.
Buena Vista Dog Park
With a history of 146 years, Buena Vista Park is San Francisco’s oldest park. Dogs and owners with plus energy will love burning it on this park’s steep paths and winding staircases. Dog owners should have good control over their dogs, as it’s quite easy for dogs to get separated when going through Buena Vista’s many twists and turns.
1. What do Corona Heights Dog Park and Dolores Dog Park have in common?| A．There are many steep stairs there. | B．Dogs can go around freely there. |
| C．They serve as camps for the homeless. | D．It is suitable for hiking for owners of dog. |
| A．It is a good place for all kinds of birds to rest. | B．It is close to a museum. |
| C．Dogs must be on a leash there. | D．It is suitable for making friends. |
| A．Dolores Dog Park. | B．Pine Lake Dog Park. |
| C．Buena Vista Dog Park. | D．Corona Heights Dog Park. |
2 . My work started in 2003 at my local animal shelter’s Adoption Department. It seems like such a long time ago. In the 13 years that have
Tabby was one of the many
If Tabby’s story had simply ended with her
How could it be? There are some things that challenge logic and understanding in this world. Sometimes the best that we can do is to accept a
| A．passed | B．created | C．wasted | D．imitated |
| A．park | B．hospital | C．shelter | D．destination |
| A．usually | B．occasionally | C．frequently | D．always |
| A．animal | B．backpack | C．guest | D．treasure |
| A．content | B．homeless | C．disappointing | D．comfortable |
| A．chances | B．challenges | C．adventures | D．discussions |
| A．ordered | B．sold | C．advertised | D．named |
| A．got across | B．got through | C．suffered from | D．broke up |
| A．beyond | B．on | C．with | D．between |
| A．serious | B．bored | C．curious | D．interested |
| A．agree | B．grow | C．deal | D．doubt |
| A．destroy | B．win | C．adopt | D．save |
| A．successful | B．straight | C．traditional | D．miserable |
| A．special | B．normal | C．similar | D．difficult |
| A．which | B．when | C．where | D．what |
| A．noticed | B．greeted | C．occurred | D．met |
| A．release | B．warning | C．requirement | D．conflict |
| A．date | B．damage | C．habit | D．arrival |
| A．decision | B．contest | C．miracle | D．promise |
| A．describe | B．forgive | C．believe | D．explain |
1. What is the speaker?
| A．An astronaut. | B．A TV reporter. | C．A radio hostess. |
| A．Sunny. | B．Windy. | C．Rainy. |
| A．Next Tuesday. | B．Next Monday. | C．This Sunday. |
| A．Stay indoors. |
| B．Put away warm coats. |
| C．Take umbrellas along anytime. |
4 . Cats and many other animals, including most dogs, can reflect light from their eyes. That’s why cats’ eyes will usually shine brightly in photos taken in a dimly lit room or glow when lightened in the dark by a flashlight or a car’s headlights.
Species whose eyes glow have evolved to see better in low light because they either forage or need to look out for predators (天敌) throughout the night, or they do most of their hunting at dawn and dusk. In fact, domesticated cats can see in conditions that are only 16% as bright as what people require.
Cats accomplish this because their pupils (瞳孔) — the openings that appear black in the middle of their eyes that widen and narrow in response to light conditions—are special. Pupils operate like windows, with bigger ones letting more light into the eye. And a cat’s pupils can become up to 50% larger than human pupils in dim light. They also have a higher number of a specific type of light-sensing cell in the back of their eyes than we do. These cells, called rods (杆细胞), catch low-level light. In addition to having large pupils and lots of rods, cats have something people don’t: a tapetum lucidum (荧光膜), a Latin medical term that translates to “bright or shining tapestry”. The tapetum lucidum is also known as “eyeshine”.
It’s located in the back of the eye behind the retina (视网膜) — a thin layer of tissue that receives light, converts the light to an electrical signal and sends this signal to the brain to interpret the image．
A cat’s tapetum lucidum is made up of cells with crystals that, like a mirror, reflect light back to the retina. This gives the retina a second chance to absorb more light.
In cats, the tapetum most often glows yellow-green or yellow-orange, but the color varies, just like their irises (虹膜) — the colorful part of their eye, which can be green, yellow, blue or golden. Variation in tapetum color is not unique to cats and can be found in lots of species.
1. The underlined word “forage” in Paragraph 2 can be replaced by “______”.| A．perceive | B．hunt |
| C．sign | D．assess |
| A．can reflect lights | B．can absorb more light |
| C．can widen and narrow | D．can convert light to a signal |
| A．How do Cats’ Pupils Work? |
| B．How do Cats’ Eyes Reflect Light? |
| C．Why do Cats’ Pupils Appear Black? |
| D．Why do Cats’ Eyes Glow in the Dark? |
| A．a travel journal | B．a science magazine |
| C．a technology report | D．an admission guide |
5 . Why do Dogs Roll in the Grass?
If your dog is anything like mine, she loves rolling around in a patch of grass any chance she gets. And it always makes me happy to watch my dog, Nala, have the time of her life.
To find out why Nala and so many other dogs like to stop, drop and roll, I reached out to Dr. Stephanie Austin, a veterinarian at Bond Vetin New York City, who explained that dogs can roll in the grass for several reasons!
She’s enjoying a smell.
She’s covering up her own scent. According to Dr. Austin, there’s another smelly reason why your pup may be rolling around in that patch of grass. “They want to smell like the environment so they don’t scare off their prey,” Dr. Austin said.
She’s cooling off.
She’s scratching an itch. “It’s good to exclude any allergies and make sure your dog isn’t rolling a ton to scratch a constantly itchy back or side, but otherwise, it’s probably normal that she’s having a good time,” Dr. Austin said.
If you notice your dog rolling around in the grass, it’s probably just her having the best time ever.
| A．She is stretching |
| B．She’s having fun |
| C．If it’s boring for your dog |
| D．If it’s a particularly hot day |
| E．But I’ve always wondered why she actually does it |
| F．Here are some common explanations behind this behavior |
| G．It’s important to remember how powerful your dog’s nose is |
6 . “What kind of rubbish are you?” This question might normally cause anger, but in Shanghai it has brought about weary groans over the past week. On July 1st, the city introduced strict trash-sorting regulations that are expected to be used as a model for our country. Residents must divide their waste into four separate categories and toss it into specific public bins. They must do so at scheduled times, when monitors are present to ensure compliance (服 从) and to inquire into the nature of one’s rubbish.
Violators face the prospect of fines and worse. They could be hit with fines of up to 200 yuan ($29). For repeat violators, the city can add black marks to their credit records, making it harder for them to obtain bank loans or even buy train tickets.
Shanghai authorities are responding to an obvious environmental problem. It generates 9 million tons of garbage a year, more than London’s annual output and rising quickly. But like other cities in China, it lacks a recycling system. Instead, it has relied on trash pickers to sift through the waste, plucking out whatever can be reused. This has limits. As people get wealthier, fewer of them want to do such dirty work. The waste, meanwhile, just keeps piling up. China churns out 80 billion pairs of disposable chopsticks a year.
Many residents appear to support the idea of recycling in general but are frustrated by the details. Rubbish must be divided according to whether it is food, recyclable, dry or hazardous (有害的), the distinctions among which can be confusing, though there are apps to help work it out. Some have complained about the rules surrounding food waste. They must put it straight in the required public bin, forcing them to tear open plastic bags and toss it by hand. Most annoying are the short windows for dumping trash, typically a couple of hours, morning and evening. Along with the monitors at the bins, this means that people go at around the same time and can keep an eye on what is being thrown out; no one wants to look bad.
1. Which definition fits the underlined word “Violators” in Paragraph 2 most?| A．People who don’t sort the waste. |
| B．People who don’t inquire about the nature of rubbish. |
| C．People who don’t follow the regulations. |
| D．People who don’t throw the trash on time. |
| A．Short scheduled time for throwing away the trash. |
| B．Complicated distinctions among the four categories of trash. |
| C．Being observed by monitors when tossing the garbage. |
| D．Being fined for improper behaviors. |
| A．Doubtful | B．Neutral. | C．Indifferent. | D．Sympathetic. |
| A．A Restart of Trash-sorting |
| B．What Kind of Rubbish Are You |
| C．A New Time of Garbage Classification |
| D．A Recycling System Is Needed in Shanghai |
7 . We see a woman swimming at night in a dark sea. Suddenly, she is pulled underwater. She surfaces, cries in fear, then disappears forever. This is the opening scene from the 1975 film Jaws, showing a shark attack. It tells the story of a great white shark that attacks and kills swimmers. Jaws was a great success, attracting huge audiences and winning many awards. It strengthened people’s long-held idea of the great white shark as a dangerous animal.
People have always been scared of sharks, but Jaws made things worse. It made people frightened of sharks, especially of the great white shark. Many people who saw the film started to believe that sharks were bad animals that ate humans. Some people stopped swimming in the sea, afraid of the horrible creature from the film. Other people started fishing for sharks, killing as many as they could. After 1975, the number of large sharks around America fell quickly, and soon fell around the world. This was not only due to fear of sharks, but also finning. Finning is a type of fishing where sharks are caught and their fins (鱼鳍) cut off. The sharks are thrown back into the sea where they die slowly and painfully. The fins are used in shark fin soup. Finning kills millions of sharks a year.
Finning would have an unexpected effect upon Peter Benchley, the man who wrote the book the film Jaws was based on. In 1980, Benchley was diving when he came across an awful sight. It was an area where fishermen were finning, and the sea floor was covered with dead sharks. Benchley saw sharks being killed and this caused a deep change in him. He came to see people as a danger to sharks, rather than the other way round. From that day on, he fought to protect sharks. He admitted that his book was wrong about sharks. “Sharks don’t target humans,” he said. Experts have proved that sharks do not see people as food. Today, as we learn more about sharks, more people than ever want to protect them from extinction.
1. Why does the author describe a frightening scene at the beginning of the text?| A．To recommend the film Jaws. | B．To show shark attacks are deadly. |
| C．To introduce the topic about sharks. | D．To warm people to be away from sharks. |
| A．The climate change. | B．Human’s development. |
| C．The polluted sea water. | D．People’s killing and finning. |
| A．He made an effort to protect sharks. | B．He was the director of the film Jaws. |
| C．He regretted writing the book about sharks. | D．He proved that sharks don’t target humans. |
| A．To emphasize the bad influence that films or books have on audiences or readers. |
| B．To criticize Peter Benchley for his misleading description of sharks in his book. |
| C．To inform readers of sharks’ habitat and call for the protection of environment. |
| D．To explain people’s misunderstanding of sharks and advocate shark protection. |
8 . Chen Guanghui is a guardian for black-necked cranes(黑颈鹤) in the Dashanbao Black-necked Crane National Nature Reserve of Zhaotong city, in southwest China’s YunnanProvince. Whistling(吹口哨) is the secret language Chen uses to communicate with the black-necked cranes, a type of migratory bird under first class protection in China. She says different whistles signal different things. When she whistles in an increasing tone, she tries to tell the cranes: ask your companions to come back for lunch, and they would chirp(吱喳叫)to spread the message right away.
Living near the Dashanbao Nature Reserve, a major winter habitat(栖息地) for the rare species, Chen started to take care of them in 2003, a mission she took over from her mother, whose devotion dates back to the 1990s.
“In the first few days, I remembered they ran away as soon as I approached them. I was very upset and asked my mom to come back, and I was worried they would starve,” says Chen. “I initially tried everything, even singing folk songs to attract them, but failed. Later, I used special whistles and gradually formed close bond with the cranes. ”
“I treat them as if they were my own children, and I’m always concerned about them, especially during snowy days when they can’t get food. I feel uncomfortable and anxious when I hear them chirp and usually rush to prepare corn for them. ” It’s never been an easy job, and Chen has sustained quite a few injuries over the years, even falling into frozen marsh(沼泽)while trying to save a trapped crane in 2008. However, she never gave up. With love and responsibility, she has persisted in caring for the cranes for about 20 years.
Thanks to the joint protection efforts of Chen and staff members at the nature reserve, now more than 1,900 black-necked cranes overwinter in the area each season every year, up from about 300 when the nature reserve was established.
1. How does Chen Guanghui communicate with black-necked cranes?| A．By singing folk songs. | B．By imitating chirps of birds. |
| C．By making hand gestures. | D．By blowing special whistles. |
| A．Rescuing injured animals. |
| B．Restoring habitats for rare species. |
| C．Looking after black-necked cranes. |
| D．Building Dashanbao Nature Reserve. |
| A．It is inspiring. | B．It is frustrating. | C．It is interesting. | D．It is exciting. |
| A．Efforts bear fruit. | B．Fortune favors the brave. |
| C．Virtue is its own reward. | D．A miss is as good as a mile. |
1. What was going on in the town where the speaker lived?
| A．A flood. | B．A forest fire. | C．An earthquake. |
| A．It was getting darker. |
| B．It was raining cats and dogs. |
| C．The sky was covered by thick smoke. |
| A．He was abroad. | B．He was in town. | C．He was in the garden. |
| A．Trees were burning. | B．People were escaping. | C．Animals were running. |
10 . Seals may sound different than expected from their body size. Is this ability related to their vocal talents or is it the result of adaptation? An international team of researchers led by scientists from the Max Planck Institute investigated the vocal tracts (声道) of seals, which matched their body size. This means that seals are capable of learning new sounds.
Most animals produce calls that reflect their body size. A larger animal will sound lower-pitched because its vocal tract, the air-filled tube that produces sounds, is longer. But seals do not always sound like they look. They may sound larger, perhaps to impress an enemy; or smaller, perhaps to get attention from their mothers. Are these animals very good at learning sounds, or have their vocal tracts adapted to allow this vocal flexibility (灵活性)?
To answer this question, Professor De Reus worked together with researchers from the Max Planck Institute. The team measured young seals’ vocal tracts and body size. The measurements were taken from 68 young seals (up to twelve months old) who had died. The team also re-analyzed previously gathered seal vocal data to confirm their impressive vocal flexibility.
De Reus found that the length of seals’ vocal tracts matched their body size. There were no anatomical (身体结构的) explanations for their vocal skills. Meanwhile, the researchers argue that only vocal learning can explain why seals do not sound like they look. “Vocal learners will sound different from their body size, but the size of their vocal tracts will match their body size. The combined findings from acoustic (听觉的) and anatomical data may help us to identify more vocal learners,” says de Reus. “Studying different vocal learners may help us to find the biological bases of vocal learning and shed light on the evolution of complex vocal systems, such as speech. The more we look, the more we see that it would help to study human speech ability.”
1. How did De Reus and the team conduct the research?| A．By testing seals’ ability. |
| B．By recording seals’ behaviors. |
| C．By confirming the flexibility of seals. |
| D．By measuring seals’ vocal tracts and analyzing. |
| A．Seals are related with human evolution. |
| B．Seals contributes to human biological bases. |
| C．Studying seals promotes human speech research. |
| D．Seals’ vocal learning is the same as human speech. |
| A．Seals’ vocal tracts are long. |
| B．Seals are capable of singing. |
| C．Seals have the ability to learn sounds. |
| D．Young seals produce lower-pitched sounds. |
| A．Chemistry. | B．Nature. | C．Environment. | D．Lifestyle. |
