1 . Relatives of starfish, brittle stars (海蛇尾) spend most of their time hiding under rocks in the ocean or digging in the sand. These shy marine creatures have no brain to speak of—just nerve cords running down each of their five wiggly arms, which join to form a nerve ring near their mouth.

“There’s no processing center. Each of the nerve cords can act independently. Instead of a boss, it’s like a committee. That seems to be enough to learn by association,” said lead author Julia Notar. This type of leaning involves associating different stimuli via a process called classical conditioning (条件反射).

Classical conditioning has been demonstrated in a handful of previous studies in starfish. But brittle stars and similarly brainless starfish have not been tested.

To find out if brittle stars have the ability of learning, the researchers put 16 black brittle stars in individual water tanks and used a video camera to record their behavior. Half the brittle stars were trained by dimming the lights for 30 minutes whenever the animals were fed. Every time the lights went out, the researchers would put a bit of shrimp in the tanks, placed just out of reach. The other half got just as much shrimp and also experienced a 30-minute dark period, but never at the same time—the animals were fed under lit conditions.

Whether it was light or dark, the animals spent most of their time hiding behind the filters in their tanks, only coming out at mealtime. But only the trained brittle stars learned to associate darkness with food. They didn’t need to smell or taste the shrimp to react.

Notar said the results are exciting because classical conditioning hasn’t really been shown definitively in this group of animals before. “Knowing that brittle stars can learn means they’re not just robotic scavengers (清道夫) cleaning up the ocean floor,” Notar said. “They’re potentially able to expect and avoid predators (捕食者) or expect food because they’re learning about their environment.”

1. What is paragraph 1 about?

A．The living habits of brittle stars.	B．The features of a brainless creature.
C．The characteristics of the starfish.	D．The definition of classical conditioning.

2. In which aspect were the two groups different in terms of experiment design?

A．The hiding time in tanks.	B．The change of feeding location.
C．The amount of the shrimp.	D．Light conditions at mealtime.

3. What does Notar’s research find?

A．Brittle stars can be trained to make a connection.

B．Brittle stars can clean up the ocean floor.

C．Brittle stars’ nerve cords can act independently.

D．Brittle stars have a sharp sense of smell.

4. What does the last paragraph indicate?

A．Brainless brittle stars can act like robots.

B．Brittle stars might keep away from catchers.

C．Brittle stars are the only ocean floor cleaners.

D．Brittle stars are adaptable to new environment.

2 . How has global warming changed your life? Perhaps you experience hotter summers. But for reindeer herders (驯鹿游牧民), the influence goes far beyond that.

Living in the Arctic region spreading from Russia to Sweden, local reindeer herders make a living by herding. For generations, they have been living in harmony with the cold winters with their deep understanding of snow and ice types, weather patterns and animal behaviors. This allows them to predict and prepare for winters.

However, the warming Arctic is messing up these traditional signals, making herders’ traditional ways of predicting weather less useful. In 2014, during the winter migration (迁徙) southward with their reindeer in North Russia, something unexpected happened. Heavy rainfall formed an ice shield above the lichen (地衣), normally covered by soft snow. Unable to access the lichen beneath the ice, the reindeer suffered from hunger, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of them.

The warming climate goes beyond threatening reindeer herders’ livelihood; it also threatens their culture. “We are an Arctic people, and our culture is written in snow. But climate change means the snow will get less and less,” Henrik Blind, a member of Sami herding family in Sweden, told The Guardian. In his language, there are over 300 words to describe snow. But with less snow, the Sami culture faces the risk of losing elements of its cultural identity.

Despite these challenges, herders have been cooperating with scientists to better deal with climate change. For example, for scientists, the difference between various types of snow is hard to tell. But local people who live with snow every day can see what scientists fail to see. At the same time, satellite data from modern scientists could help predict disasters for the local people. To combine these two different knowledge systems together, the US National Science Foundation set up the Center for Braiding Indigenous Knowledge and Science this September. The goal is to recognize the value of indigenous (土著) knowledge alongside modern research methods.

“We must realize we can’t over-consume our planet. This is urgent. We need to listen to all the indigenous people who know how to live in harmony with the planet,” Blind told The Guardian.

1. What led to the deaths of many reindeer during their winter migration southward in 2014?

A．A disease outbreak after heavy rainfall.

B．Food shortage due to ice-covered lichen.

C．Attacks by other wildlife.

D．Unexpectedly strong snowstorms.

2. How is global warming posing a risk to Arctic culture?

A．By reducing language diversity	B．By threatening their cultural elements.
C．By changing traditional eating habits.	D．By challenging ice type descriptions.

3. Why are scientists and herders cooperating?

A．To spread indigenous customs.	B．To test modern research methods.
C．To predict global natural disasters.	D．To bridge their knowledge gap.

4. What might be Blind’s attitude toward the establishment of the Center for Braiding Indigenous Knowledge and Science?

A．Supportive.

B．Opposed.

C．Worried.

D．Uninterested.

3 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入 1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The green grass and bar e rock of Macquarie Island’s landscape contrast dramatically, giving it a wild and natural beauty.

But the island’s more recent history tells     1     tragic story that began in 1810 when humans arrived on the island. In their ships they unknowingly brought rats and mice, which quickly took over the island,     2     (eat) the birds’ eggs and attacking baby birds. Cats     3     (bring) to the island to control the rats and mice.     4     (fortunate), the cats subsequently developed an appetite for the birds, too.

Meanwhile, rabbits were introduced to the island     5     a source of food for humans. Loose on the island,     6     did what rabbits do best—they multiplied rapidly and began eating the native vegetation and digging holes,     7     caused soil erosion. The exploding rabbit population     8     (provide) plentiful food for the cats, meaning that the number of cats also increased. This in turn led to     9     (much) cats hunting the birds. The end result was that parakeets, once large in number and native to the island, died out in 1891.

In 2014, Macquarie Island was declared pest-free and the island’s eco logy is finally on the road to     10     (recover).

4 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What disaster hit Nah a yesterday?

A．A typhoon.

B．A snowstorm.

C．An earthquake.

2. How many emergency relief workers have been sent to the rescue?

A．700.

B．500.

C．160.

3. Who saved Jenny Lynn?

A．Her schoolmate.

B．Her father.

C．The police.

4. What is the last news about?

A．Music.

B．Sports.

C．Weather.

5 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Why did Maria go to Australia?

A．For studying animals.

B．For an expert meeting.

C．For a holiday.

2. What did Maria first think when she found the snake?

A．It was not real.

B．It was dangerous.

C．It was dead.

3. Who first took the snake outside?

A．An animal charity.

B．Maria’s relative.

C．A zookeeper.

6 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

About 5,000 years ago, to escape the cold weather, the ancestors of the Liangzhu people settled around the Taihu region     1     they built a city, making     2     both the center of their culture and spiritual belief.

The Liangzhu ancient city was composed of the palace zone, the inner city and the outer city, and there     3     (exist) the City Wall serving as a boundary between the inner and the outer. It had nine gates, with one for pedestrians and the     4     (remain) eight water gates for travelers from the canal.

A complex multi-functional water management system was constructed on the northwest outskirts of the ancient city. Taking advantage of the natural terrain (地势), the system connected numerous valleys,     5     (adjust) river levels, dredging floods and providing security for the ancient city, its water transportation and daily water needs.

Jade (玉)     6     (refer) to as a significant material embodiment (具体化) of the Liangzhu Culture. There were different patterns and styles of jade, with abundant meanings     7     (symbolic) attached to them, such as distinguishing identities and showing social statuses.

In 1936, the remains of the Liangzhu ancient City were found     8     chance and the City was gradually brought to light. Now the unearthed ruins have gained the global     9     (recognize) and workers on the Liangzhu site are committed to combining modern technology with novel cultural creativity     10     (reconstruct) the ancient Liangzhu Culture.

7 . Most of us have heard of the 3Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle. It is the core principle of a sustainable (可持续的) life, but few of us can apply it in our own lives. Now, there’s a “lab” you can explore and discover a way toward living sustainably.

3R Lab is located in Xuhui district, Shanghai. It offers exhibitions, activities and goods that showcase the 3R principle. The key to a sustainable life, according to Vincent T. M. Fong, the 32-year-old from Hong Kong who created the lab, is to make it a long-term promise. “A sustainable life should be sustainable itself in the first place. You can’t lead a sustainable life on a whim. Small and comfortable changes are exactly what you need,” Fong said.

The lab regularly hosts ugly fruit markets, offering these strange fruits which are often thrown away by traditional markets and consumers at a quite attractive price. “They’re thrown away simply because of their appearance. Buying fruit regardless of how they look reduces food waste significantly in our daily life,” Fong commented.

A water tank with two types of straws is another equipment in the lab. “One type is made from normal plastics widely used in our daily life while the other is from PHA, a new replacement for plastics, and the water is sourced from the Suzhou River,” explained Ni Li, an employee of the lab. Visitors can see how the PHA straws degrade (降解) into a thin layer in just one month, while the others remain unchanged.

“Leading a sustainable life does not necessarily mean sacrifice,” said Fong. Consuming ugly fruit and using degradable plastics are small changes that are good for the environment and easy to stick to. Only in this way can the 3R principle become part of our lives, he added.

After working there for six months, Ni, who wasn’t mindful of the 3R principle before arriving at the lab, now uses her cup every time she buys a coffee. “The job has reshaped my life,” Ni said.

1. What does the-underlined phrase “on a whim” in the second paragraph probably mean?

A．In a rush.	B．On a regular basis.
C．Without any reason.	D．As a common practice.

2. What is the purpose of the ugly fruit market at 3R Lab?

A．To reduce food waste.	B．To promote healthy eating.
C．To sell new kinds of fruit.	D．To provide more affordable fruit,

3. What can the water tank at 3R Lab show to its visitors?

A．The water pollution caused by plastics.	B．The degradation of PHA straws.
C．The interaction between two types of straws.	D．The disappearance of normal plastic straws.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph about Ni?

A．She avoids going to traditional markets.	B．She has devoted less time to her hobbies.
C．She has got rid of a few bad habits.	D．She is leading a low carbon life now.

8 . Check out these stories of some animals.

The cat Homer

Homer the blind cat weighs only four pounds. Gwen Cooper adopted him when he was three weeks old. One night his growling (狂吠) wakes up Cooper, He’s never growled before. Surprised, Cooper opens her eyes. A burglar is standing at the foot of her bed! Cooper reaches for her phone to call 911.

“Don’t do that!” the burglar says. The sound of his voice shows his exact location, and blind Homer leaps. No match for a cat with sharp claws, the would-be robber flees.

The dog Geo

Geo follows 10-year-old Charlie Rilcy everywhere. One day Charlie, his mom, and two younger brothers are standing at a street corner. Geo is sitting at Charlie’s side. Suddenly, an out-of-control truck is heading straight for Charlie!

But Geo makes a flying leap. “He hits me so hard that I fall over,” Charlie says. The speeding truck hits Geo instead. Geo is rushed to the animal hospital.

The dog Teddy

It’s 3 a.m. in West Jordan, Utah. A mother and two children stand outside as firefighters hose (用软管浇) water on their burning house. “Is anybody inside?” the firemen ask.

The mom says no, because she feels certain that her older son escaped out the back. But just to be sure, Don Chase and his partner plunge (冲入) through the flames to look.

And what do they find? Teddy the pet dog standing by the door. Chase reaches for him, but Teddy runs down the basement stairs. Midway down, he stops and waits. But just as the firemen reach him, he takes off again. “I’m really maddened.”Chase says. “We’re wasting time chasing a dog when we should be searching for human victims.”

Then they see him — the older son, unconscious on a basement couch. Grabbing his legs and chest, the astonished firemen move him to safety, as Teddy runs behind.

1. How does Homer know where the burglar is?

A．Cooper shows him.	B．He sees the burglar.
C．Through the burglar’s voice.	D．Through the burglar’s actions.

2. The underlined word “maddened” can best be replaced by “________”.

A．interested

B．surprised

C．excited

D．annoyed

3. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Real animal heroes	B．Funny stories about pets
C．How to take care of your pets?	D．Why arc dogs better pets than cats?

9 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What is the speaker talking about?

A．His major．

B．His hobby．

C．His job．

2. Where did the speaker watch birds last year?

A．Near the lake．

B．In the forest．

C．In the mountains．

3. Which of the following helps the speaker in bird watching?

A．A tent．

B．A flashlight．

C．A guide book．

4. Why does the speaker like bird watching?

A．It helps him exercise and relax mind．

B．It lets him enjoy natural scenery．

C．It teaches him to protect birds．

10 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What can we learn about the weather in London next Wednesday?

A．The cold air will sweep across the city.

B．There will be a rise in temperature.

C．It may snow there.

2. How will the weather be next Friday?

A．Sunny.

B．Rainy.

C．Snowy.

3. What does the speaker advise people to do in the end?

A．Stay at home.

B．Make a snowman.

C．Wear warm clothes.