1 . Cats bring bad luck. Cats cannot be trusted. This is what I was taught when I was growing up. I ______ cats.

And then I married a woman who was brought up with cats. So it was unavoidable that she would want us to ______ one. My parents-in-law lived with Maggie, a big cat that made me quite ______. When we used to take our baby daughter to their home, I watched Maggie ______. Whenever she went near my daughter, I ran to ensure that Maggie did not ______ her. My wife always laughed and told me Maggie wouldn’t hurt our daughter.

______ from my wife to get a cat became greater after we had two more children. Under pressure, I finally gave in and ______. And then Masala came to our home. Our children loved the new “ ______”. They played with Masala and slept with her. At first, I was a bit ______. I was not sure what would happen next. But slowly I started liking that small animal.

We were happy with life. But then, something ______ happened, and my wife got lung cancer. This terrible time was also when I came to really ______ the cat. Masala provided my wife with good ______ . She stayed by my wife’s bedside around the clock. My wife fought the disease bravely but didn’t ______ at last. After my wife died, Masala also ______ me during my darkest days. Her warm welcome after I came home meant a lot to me. Masala helped me ______my prejudices (偏见) against cats. She really taught me a lesson.

1.

A．hated

B．warned

C．trapped

D．threatened

2.

A．contribute

B．borrow

C．get

D．exchange

3.

A．unlucky

B．uncomfortable

C．unhealthy

D．unreasonable

4.

A．naturally

B．secretly

C．eagerly

D．closely

5.

A．harm

B．approach

C．notice

D．impact

6.

A．Pressure

B．Dissatisfaction

C．Prevention

D．Encouragement

7.

A．failed

B．agreed

C．understood

D．reacted

8.

A．stranger

B．visitor

C．resident

D．neighbor

9.

A．awkward

B．bored

C．worried

D．surprised

10.

A．similar

B．typical

C．wrong

D．awful

11.

A．love

B．know

C．help

D．honour

12.

A．attention

B．company

C．strength

D．hope

13.

A．suffer

B．survive

C．adapt

D．struggle

14.

A．impressed

B．protected

C．attracted

D．supported

15.

A．come up with

B．make use of

C．give in to

D．get rid of

2 . Ruby was a police dog with the Rhode Island State Police, but she didn’t always work with them. Ruby was once a handful who was in and out of the sheller. She was returned five times by different families. She was considered unadoptable because of her high energy and she was just unmanageable

The shelter workers thought her energy may be put to work. They reached the state police, who wanted to give Ruby a second chance and decided to try her out as a rescue dog. O’Neil was picked to be her handler (驯犬员) .

“We have something in common. When I was younger, I couldn’t focus and I wasn’t good at school. But no one really ever gave up on me,” O’Neil said. “I think that’s why we were bound to be together.” A normal dog could be trained in months. For Ruby, it took a year and a half, but O’Neil didn’t want to give up on her. Finally, she was a certified police dog. Six years later, she became even more than that -a hero.

“We got a call stating there was a missing boy, and we just went out and started searching. After eight hours, Ruby ran down a hill. I looked over the hill and saw the injured boy,” ONeil recalled.

O’Neil went to tell the mother that the boy was found alive and told her a police dog helped save her son. Then they realised a surprising connection: the boy’s mum once worked at an animal shelter. “There was a dog that I heard became a state trooper (兵) a few years ago. The dog was named Ruby. She was the sweetest thing,” she told him.

“Are you kidding?” O’Neil said. “That dog that you helped for all those times to get adopted just saved your son’s life.”

1. Which of the following can best replace the underlined word “handful” in paragraph 1?

A．Popular dog.

B．Good helper.

C．Troublemaker

D．Intelligent dog

2. What was Ruby before she became a trooper?

A．A shelter dog.

B．A rescue dog.

C．A guard dog.

D．A pet dog.

3. What was the main factor that made Ruby a successful rescue dog?

A．ONeil’s guidance.	B．Ruby’s high energy
C．Ruby’s determination.	D．ONeil’s perseverance

4. What was the connection between Ruby and the boy’s mother?

A．The mother once helped Ruby in the shelter.	B．The mother was Ruby’s former handler
C．Ruby was once adopted by the mother.	D．Ruby saved the mother before.

3 . Why did the woman’s plants die according to the man?

A．From not enough water.

B．From not enough sun.

C．From not enough plant food.

4 . Blowing Up Balloons with CO₂

Chemical reactions (化学反应) make for some great experiments. You can make use of the CO₂(carbon dioxide) given off by a baking soda (小苏打) and lemon juice reaction to blow up your balloon!

What you’ll need:

●Balloon        ●About 40ml of water        ●Soft drink bottle

●Juice from a lemon          ●I teaspoon of baking soda

Instructions:

●Before you begin, make sure that you pull the balloon long to make it as easy as possible to blow up.

●Put the 40ml of water into the soft drink bottle.

●Add the baking soda and mix it with water.

●Put the lemon juice in and quickly put the balloon over the mouth of the bottle.

What’s happening?

If all goes well, then your balloon should inflate! Adding the lemon juice to the baking soda creates a chemical reaction and produces CO₂. The gas rises up and escapes (逸出) through the soft drink bottle. It doesn’t, however, escape the balloon, pushing it outwards and blowing it up.

1. Which of the following do you need for the experiment?

A．Two cups.	B．Apple juice.
C．250 ml water.	D．A teaspoon of baking soda.

2. What should you do before the experiment?

A．Heat the water.	B．Drink some juice.
C．Blow up the balloon.	D．Pull the balloon long.

3. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To describe an experiment.	B．To introduce a game.
C．To produce soft drinks.	D．To save some chemicals.

5 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What is the condition of Asian elephants in China?

A．They are extremely endangered.

B．The number is getting smaller.

C．They are under good protection

2. How many Asian elephants have been saved by the rescue center in Yunnan in the past 20 years?

A．13.

B．30.

C．360.

3. How do people get the collected information about Asian elephants?

A．Through a mobile phone app.

B．Through a notebook

C．Through a computer.

6 . Pet-friendly train rides

Why not consider a great pet-friendly train ride on your next trip? You can enjoy the local landscapes while making wonderful memories with your pet.

Skunk Train—California

Located in Northern California’s Mendocino County, the 131-year-old Skunk Train travels through grasslands and mountains. It offers two route choices.

Noyo River Canyon—Leaving from Fort Bragg, this trip runs along the Pudding Creek Estuary and then snakes along the Noyo River.

Coastal Range and Redwoods—Leaving from Willits and traveling to Northspur, this mountainous route travels 8.5 miles of track.

Pet Policy: Dogs are the only pets allowed on the plane, and you need to pay $10 for your dog to ride the train.

Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad-Oregon

The Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad runs daily coastal trips between Garibaldi and Rockaway Beach from mid-June to early September. Weekend service lasts from late May to the end of September.

Pet Policy: Well-behaved dogs are welcome. The staff asks that families with dogs sit in the open cars, which offer more space to them.

Monticello Railway Museum—Illinois

The Monticello Railway Museum is open for train rides on Saturdays and Sundays from May through October as part of the museum’s educational mission. Visitors can get on the train at two stations. You’re welcome to visit the the museum gift shop.

Pet Policy: pets can ride the train for free. All types of pets are welcome.

Oil & Creek Titusville Railroad—Pennsylvania

This train ride leaves from Perry Street Station in Titusville, Pennsylvania. On this 3-hour round-trip ride, you’ll learn about the history of Pennsylvania’s oil industry while you watch for ducks, deer, and possibly a black bear.

Pet Policy: Dogs can ride the train at a cost of $5. Someone must stay with the dog at your seat; you cannot walk around the train with your dog.

1. What is special about Skunk Train?

A．It is free for pets.	B．It has two routes available.
C．It features educational trips.	D．It is a newly-started train ride.

2. Which train ride welcomes pets of any kind?

A．Skunk Train	B．Monticello Railway Museum
C．Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad	D．Oil Crock & Titusville Railroad

3. What can passengers do on the Oil Creek Titusville Railroad?

A．Watch wild animals along the trip.

B．Visit the gift shop at either station.

C．Walk around the train with their dog.

D．Learn about the history of Illinois’ oil industry.

7 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What did researchers study in two tests?

A．The way of seagulls’ stealing food.

B．The effects of staring at seagulls.

C．The different food thieves.

2. What did one fourth of birds do with eye contact in the test?

A．They flew away immediately.

B．They stood still and looked at the food.

C．They made an attempt to steal food.

3. What did Madeleine think of seagulls?

A．They snatched food violently.

B．They stole food secretly.

C．They attacked people aggressively.

4. How do people stop seagulls stealing food effectively?

A．By feeding them first.

B．By setting a big trap.

C．By staring at them.

8 . It is late autumn—millions of gardeners across the northern hemisphere, pulled on their thickest sweaters, spent hours clearing large piles of leaves and packed them into plastic bags at the end of driveways.

In the US alone, nearly 10 million tonnes of garden waste go to landfill every year. That is a large amount of effort, not just from an environmental viewpoint but from that of our aching backs, too. So where does this advice come from? Well, it largely comes from the belief that thick fallen leaves can make plants under them unable to breathe, especially shorter grass. They shut down important photosynthesis (光合作用) and get in the way of the growth of the shorter grass. However, this received wisdom has recently been questioned by researchers at Wisconsin University.

The key finding of their new research was that although clearing fallen leaves is one of the most common gardening practices, it makes very little sense. In natural ecosystems, fallen leaves help return nutrients necessary for healthy plant growth to the soil, which greatly improves soil condition. Removing leaves year after year breaks this ecological (生态的) balance. Letting some leaves stick around to cover your garden is a great way to help your grass and the local ecosystem.

They further explained that if up to 50percent of your grass lawn (草坪) is covered by fallen leaves, you might as well go back indoors and put your feet up. The advantages of this light leaf coverage far outweigh the disadvantages—the leaves will quickly break down and help next year’s lawn grow far better than if you had cleared them. Only at over 50 percent coverage do the Wisconsin researchers recommend clearing.

So why not consider leaving the leaves? Save time, carbon and effort, and in exchange get a healthier lawn from this garden waste—that seems like a pretty good deal. And how many plastic bags could be saved by simply not binning fallen leaves every year? In the US alone, about 700 million.

1. What does the author describe in paragraph 1?

A．An amazing autumn game.	B．A common sight in gardens.
C．A hot attraction in the north.	D．An extreme weather event.

2. What is the received wisdom?

A．Fallen leaves need not be cleared.

B．Fallen leaves protect shorter grass.

C．Fallen leaves block photosynthesis.

D．Fallen leaves are hard to break down.

3. The new research finds clearing fallen leaves makes little sense, because ________.

A．it ruins city image	B．it breaks gardening rules
C．it affects local economy	D．it causes ecological damage

4. What’s the author’s attitude to Wisconsin University’s study?

A．Doubtful.

B．Positive.

C．Unclear.

D．Worried.

9 . It was July 15, 2021, and my friends had helped me celebrate my 31st birthday.

Earlier in the day I had prepared for the _________ event of a flood. We are about a third of a mile from the banks of the Ahr River. It had been raining heavily that week, and the government had issued a flood _________, though not for where I was. _________, I’d placed sandbags on the floor outside my garden door just in case _________ got through. Before my friends left, they _________ me for doing that, but I thought, why take a chance?

As I drifted off to sleep, I was awakened by the _________ of rushing water, as if I were lying beside a waterfall instead of in my bedroom. When I moved my legs off the bed, I was _________ by the touch of cold water lapping against my knees and rising fast. Trembling and in darkness, I _________ my cellphone and turned on the flashlight. I saw water was shooting through the gaps of the garden door.

I admit it, I began to _________. The Ahr, usually such a __________, slow-moving river, had violently burst its banks. And now I had to get out—fast!

Any effects of the celebratory drinks I’d had earlier were now gone. I heard the garden door starting to crack under the __________ of the flood. In bare feet, I started to move to my only __________: the door that leads to the hallway. All around me things were breaking, and the cupboards were being __________.

I tried to pull the door open, but the force of the water wouldn’t __________ me. Finally, I __________ to make a gap of about a foot, just wide enough to squeeze through and make it into the __________.

If I had __________ just a few minutes later, I would have drowned. Many of the houses around us were destroyed, including, __________, a home for the disabled. Not everyone got out.

I came close to drowning that day. But rather than keep thinking about that, I prefer to __________ what my mother told me afterward: “Christian, don’t remember the day when you lost everything. Remember the day you __________.”

1.

A．unimportant

B．unlikely

C．unnoticed

D．unbearable

2.

A．warning

B．report

C．challenge

D．statement

3.

A．Besides

B．Moreover

C．Therefore

D．Still

4.

A．air

B．sand

C．water

D．someone

5.

A．laughed at

B．appreciated

C．blamed

D．shouted at

6.

A．coldness

B．push

C．sound

D．fear

7.

A．moved

B．excited

C．inspired

D．shocked

8.

A．grabbed

B．lost

C．forgot

D．left

9.

A．operate

B．reflect

C．panic

D．cry

10.

A．powerful

B．quiet

C．broad

D．winding

11.

A．guidance

B．control

C．protection

D．pressure

12.

A．equipment

B．belongings

C．surroundings

D．escape

13.

A．thrown away

B．cut up

C．torn apart

D．broken into

14.

A．help

B．let

C．stop

D．influence

15.

A．managed

B．tried

C．determined

D．expected

16.

A．bedroom

B．backyard

C．hallway

D．basement

17.

A．woken up

B．jumped down

C．moved away

D．run out

18.

A．secretly

B．tragically

C．accidentally

D．possibly

19.

A．request

B．recall

C．realize

D．research

20.

A．survived

B．recovered

C．matured

D．refused

10 . 4 Most walkable cities in Europe

Seville, Spain

Seville in Spain takes the top spot as Europe’s most walkable city, offering the shortest walking route between the top four tourist attractions.Visitors can explore the impressive Plaza de Espana public square, before wandering over to the UNESCO-listed palace of Real Alcazar and Seville Cathedral. After that, it’s only a short trip on foot to visit the beautiful Barrio Santa Cruz neighbourhood.

Venice, Italy

Venice is well-known as a heaven for pedestrians (行人), so it’s no surprise it ranks as the second best location for walkable city breaks. There are endless alleyways to explore, as well as plenty of beautiful bridges over the crisscrossing canals that the city is famous for. Just under half an hour of walking here will take you on a tour of the impressive Grand Canal, Doge’s Palace, St Mark’s Square, Basilica and bell tower, all in only 1.3 miles.

Porto, Portugal

Nestled along Portugal’s picturesque coast, Porto comes in third with its top attractions all covered by a 30-minute walking route. Meander along the Dom Luís I Bridge over the Douro River, head to the Clérigos Church Bell Tower and enjoy a riverfront walking place along the Cais da Ribeira. The Stock Exchange Palace is also just a short walk away.

Florence, Italy

Florence, Italy, secures its place as the fourth most walkable city in Europe thanks to its stunning attractions that can be seamlessly explored on foot. A 1.6 mile route covers the awe-inspiring Piazzale Michelangelo; the famous Uffizi Gallery; the Piazza del Duomo where you will be amazed at the magnificent Florence Cathedral; and the Galleria dell’Accademia, home to Michelangelo’s masterpiece, the statue of David.

1. How long is probably the walking route in Seville?

A．1.1 miles.

B．1.3 meters.

C．1.6 meters.

D．1.8 meters.

2. Which city is probably located near the sea?

A．Seville.

B．Venice.

C．Porto.

D．Florence.

3. What is the writing purpose of the text?

A．To compare the four cities.

B．To show the benefits of walking.

C．To stress the importance of traveling.

D．To attract visitors to walk in these cities.