1 . Having studied more than 400 groups of honeybees in Brazil for two years, a group of biologists led by Viviana Di Pietro report that, like humans, honeybees are capable of learning new traditions which are then handed down over generations.
“The most obvious example is that honeybees can build their homes according to different architectural traditions which are then handed down over generations,” they write. “We found that around 95% of the honeybees built their homes in a horizontal (与地面平行的) style, while 5% of them preferred a spiral (螺旋形的) structure. In each case, the tradition was passed down to the next generations.”
Since honeybees showed a strong preference for a horizontal structure, it was surprising that spiral structures occurred at all. “With the help of video cameras, we found that there was a noticeable difference in average building rate between the two styles.” the researchers add.
In order to rule out a genetic (遗传的) explanation for the different styles, the researchers took honeybees from the groups that built in spiral tradition close to the groups that built in horizontal tradition. The imported honeybees soon learned to build their homes in the local style, which was then passed down to their children as they eventually grew up. “It is very likely that the imported honeybees might have changed the style as a way of correcting the construction errors made by their ancestors.” the researchers suggest.
The findings have surprised observers of animal culture, as they suggest that honeybees can learn and hand down different building traditions over generations. This has changed the way of thinking about culture, which is often strictly defined as behaviour directly handed down from human parents to their children until it becomes a tradition in a group.
“Insect culture was thought impossible. Less than a century ago, culture was thought to be uniquely human,” says biologist Andrew Whiten of the University of St Andrews, who was not involved in the research. “But the new research has offered strong evidence pointing to the opposite.”
1. Why do most honeybees prefer a horizontal structure according to the research?| A．It is easier to be copied. | B．It is a bit stronger. |
| C．It is more comfortable. | D．It is faster to build. |
| A．Scientists. | B．Traditions. | C．Findings. | D．Parents. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Disapproving. | C．Doubtful. | D．Unclear. |
| A．Researchers Have Different Views on Animal Culture |
| B．Honeybees May Learn and Preserve Cultural Traditions |
| C．Honeybees Can Learn Building Skills From Their Neighbors |
| D．Researchers Have Misunderstood Honeybees for a Long Time |
2 . “Earth” has always been an odd choice of name for the third planet from the Sun. After all, if an alien examines it through a telescope, he would note that two-thirds of its surface is covered not by earth at all, but by oceans of water.
However, most of the oceans on Earth remain unexplored. For example, photographers are fond of pointing out that scientists have mapped nearly all the oceans’ surface, but less than a quarter of the seabed. Biologists think the oceans might host more than 2 million species of animals, of which they have so far identified perhaps a tenth.
A new project may change this. Launched in London on April 27th, 2023, Ocean Census aims to discover 100,000 new species of ocean animals over the coming decade. Its first ship, Kronprins Haakon, set sail on April 29 for the Barents Sea.
The project is launched for two reasons. One is that the longer scientists wait, the less there will be to study. “Top on our agenda are species thought to be in the greatest danger from climate change,” says Oliver Steeds, founder of the project. “Otherwise, the forest is burning down and we won’t know what was there before it is lost.”
The second reason is technological. Biologists find about 2,000 new species a year, a rate hardly changed since Darwin’s day. Ocean Census is betting that it can go faster. Fancy cameras on remote-operated vehicles, for instance, allow scientists to scan deep-sea creatures such as jellyfish without removing them from their habitat. Just as the huge pressures of the deep sea are deadly for humans, taking such a jellyfish to the surface for examination may reduce it to gooey slime (黏液).
Exactly what the new effort might turn up, of course, is impossible to predict. But history suggests it will be fruitful. Half a century ago, scientists discovered hot seabeds that were home to organisms living happily in conditions that, until then, had been thought harmful to life. These days, such hot seabeds are thought to be one possible candidate for the origin of all life on Earth.
1. What phenomenon is described in the second paragraph?| A．The oceans are home to most of the animals. | B．The oceans have not been studied in depth. |
| C．Scientists enjoy photographing the oceans. | D．“Earth” is not a proper name for our planet. |
| A．More efforts from scientists are necessary. | B．Animals in the forest should be rescued, too. |
| C．Climate change is endangering the forest. | D．The project should start with threatened species. |
| A．It is mature to study the oceans now. | B．Scientists should slow down their studies. |
| C．It is harmful to study deep-sea animals. | D．Researchers want more advanced equipment. |
| A．Dangerous. | B．Creative. | C．Promising. | D．Unnecessary. |
Bill McDonnell, who was a soldier when young, was a 92-year-old now, still healthy and strong. He loved hunting very much. On December 15, Bill decided to go hunting in Shenandoah Mountain the next day as the deer season had begun. His wife Joanna McDonnell intended to let their son Bill McDonnell Jr. accompany him, but Bill Jr. had a football game that day. Bill McDonnell said he could manage all by himself. Joanna then required Bill to be out of the woods by 2 pm and home by 3 pm, plenty of time before sunset. She added, “ Do take some necessities like a flashlight, just in case.”
The next morning, Bill woke up at four, grabbed his muzzleloader (前装枪), and steered his Jeep toward Shenandoah Mountain. At the end of the old Laurel Run logging road, he began to walk. It was about 7:30 am and 25 degrees when the sun peeked through the trees.
Not long into the hike, he came upon a path he didn't remember. Maybe this was a secret route to the king of all bucks (雄鹿). He took it. Then, around 11 am, he came into a clearing (林中空地) along a ridge line (山脊线). He had walked farther than he had expected. It seemed that his path up the mountain had meandered quite a bit. “Where am I now?” he muttered. Bill figured he could drop into the valley, hunt a bit and then go back home. But when he snaked down through the forest, he found there was no path at all. The forest was thick. It was hard to tell the direction now.
By around 2 pm, Bill stopped at somewhere in the valley, exhausted. “I’ll get it figured out,” he said to himself. He took out his phone to call his wife, but the phone had died. He dug into his pants for the GPS device he always brought in case of emergency and pushed the “on” button. Nothing. He had forgotten to charge it the night before.
“No, I’m not lost,” he told himself. His eyes caught a stand of tall trees. He remembered admiring the line of fantastic oaks and pines earlier. Reach them and the car wouldn’t be that far off. It meant he would have to cover some ground.
注意:续写词数应为150左右。He was moving slower and slower, Joanna‘s 3 pm deadline having passed.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________It was about 9:45 pm when Bill heard the whoop-whoop-whoop of a helicopter.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________4 . Each spring, millions of people take photos among the famous cherry trees around the Tidal Basin in Washington DC-some even get married there. That’s what Jody Axinn did 10 years ago.
“Now, the romantic spot is unrecognizable. The whole section is under water,” says Axinn who is revisiting the cherry trees with her family. “When I got here 10 years ago, the place was flooded regularly, but certainly not twice a day, every day.”
There are two forces working together to affect the Tidal Basin, the trees and monuments around it. The seawall around the basin, built with mud dug up from the Potomac River bottom, has sunk about five feet over the past century.
“At the same time, the water level in the basin has gone up by more than a foot because of climate change,” explains Leslie Frattaroli, manager of the National Park Service (NPS). “The Tidal Basin looks like a small lake, but it’s actually part of the Potomac River, because there are gates at the upstream and downstream ends of the basin that allow river water to rush through. Therefore, it is gradually rising along with the level of the world’s oceans.”
Combining these two factors, the water is six feet above where the seawall was originally designed to keep it out. Later this spring, the park service will start to raise parts of the walkway around the basin and along the Potomac River.
“It would be impossible to complete the $113 million project without removing the cherry trees along the water,” Leslie says. “The good news is that when the project is completed in 2027, 274 new cherry trees will be planted.”
Among the trees to be removed is a very famous little tree known as “Stumpy”. At high tide (潮汐), the base of the tree is flooded. Although it is in extremely bad conditions, its remaining three or four small branches burst into flower each spring, with the Washington Monument standing tall in the background.
1. What can be learned from Jody Axinn’s words?| A．The famous cherry trees should be protected. |
| B．The flooding around the basin is more serious. |
| C．Getting married at the Tidal Basin is unpopular. |
| D．Washington DC has changed beyond recognition. |
| A．The sinking seawalls. | B．The rising sea level. |
| C．The beautiful scenery. | D．The warming climate. |
| A．too small to hold the water | B．a small inland lake |
| C．at the downstream end of a river | D．connected with the oceans |
| A．It is not in harmony with the scenery. | B．It is in very bad conditions. |
| C．It happens to be in the reconstruction area. | D．It is attracting too much attention. |
5 . Wildlife conservation initiatives offer a meaningful way for individuals to actively participate in the protection of endangered species while gaining insights into how they can contribute to their preservation. For those passionate about wildlife, several programs present opportunities for involvement:
◆ Animal Rescue Project, South Africa:
Engage alongside experienced conservationists in Cape Town, solving the challenge of finding new homes for homeless dogs and cats. The project involves an animal hospital equipped to cater to their medical needs and an adoption center dedicated to finding them permanent homes. Due to financial constraints, the center relies heavily on volunteers to handle daily tasks and provide hands-on care for these animals.
◆ Sea Turtle Conservation Project, Sri Lanka:
Witnessing a decline in sea turtle populations due to various commercial activities, this project focuses on supporting hatcheries(孵化场) in their conservation efforts. Participation in the Sea Turtle Conservation Project in Sri Lanka supports hatcheries in their conservation efforts, including providing financial assistance.Your participation not only aids in providing financial support to these hatcheries but also contributes to the sustainability of sea turtle populations.
◆ Wildlife Conservation Program, Australia:
Immerse yourself in activities such as animal care, facility maintenance, and enrichment tasks, offering an incredible opportunity to gain firsthand international work experience. This program also serves as an excellent opportunity to make a meaningful contribution while fostering connections with like-minded individuals from across the globe.
◆ Marine Conservation Program, Bali:
Set in Tianyar, where coral reef degradation threatens the ecosystem, this initiative aims to restore and conserve the reef to ensure a sustainable future for the local community and marine life.
1. What is the primary objective of the Animal Rescue Project in South Africa?| A．To provide medical care for injured wildlife. |
| B．To conduct research on endangered species. |
| C．To organize volunteer activities in Cape Town. |
| D．To rehabilitate and rehome stray dogs and cats. |
| A．By organizing awareness campaigns about marine conservation. |
| B．By establishing new habitats for sea turtles. |
| C．By providing financial support to local hatcheries. |
| D．By regulating commercial fishing activities. |
| A．The chance to explore the cultural heritage of Australia. |
| B．The opportunity to engage in international work experience. |
| C．The availability of luxurious accommodations for volunteers. |
| D．The focus on research projects studying various animal species. |
6 . Sleep is a necessary biological(生物的)function that has long interested scientists.
As we all know, most animals sleep. Scientists have studied everything from mice to fruit flies in the lab to get a better understanding of what happens when animals sleep—and why so many do it. However, gathering data on how animals sleep in their natural habitat has always been tricky and hard to do.
But scientists did just that with wild chinstrap penguins(帽带企鹅)in Antarctica. In doing so, researchers found birds in the nesting colony took over 10,000 microsleeps throughout the day-amounting to 1l hours of sleep. The microsleep last only seconds. Researchers think that microsleeps might help the animals avoid enemies that might be more likely to strike if the penguins are asleep for longer—especially when one parent goes out feeding in the ocean for days, leaving the other parent to protect the eggs.
Vladyslav Vyazovskiy, a sleep scientist who was not involved in the study, is excited about this new data. “Most of what we know about the fundamental biology of sleep was obtained in laboratory conditions, which were completely different from conditions where sleep evolved. Context matters,” says Vyazovskiy.
Microsleeps are much shorter than the minutes-long micronaps that have been shown to benefit humans. And study co-author Paul-Antoine Libourel is careful to not mix this insight about the success of microsleeps in penguins with that in humans. “This is not related to human physiology, and won’t tell us more about the function of human sleep.”
To study the penguins, scientists implanted devices into a small group of penguins’ brain and neck muscles. These brainwave and location data coupled with filming these birds in the nest gave sleep data about them. But the equipment had never been used before, so this data collection was only supposed to be a test.
The study is an early insight into a relatively large amount of scientific knowledge about sleep. “Pretty much every study on sleeping birds discovers something new, something we didn’t know before,” says Libourel.
1. What is the penguins’ taking microsleeps aimed at?| A．Surviving the severe cold. |
| B．Ensuring enough rest for growth. |
| C．Securing themselves from attackers. |
| D．Building up energy to hunt for food. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Tolerant. | C．Doubtful. | D．Unconcerned. |
| A．Micronaps are of great benefit to humans. |
| B．Animal microsleeps differ from human micronaps. |
| C．The function of human sleep has yet to be figured out. |
| D．The research contributes to the understanding of human micronaps. |
| A．Most animals need to take microsleeps |
| B．Micronaps are important for human health |
| C．The penguins take over 10,000 microsleeps a day |
| D．Scientists show interest in animals’ sleep quality |
7 . Dog ownership may be associated with longer life, especially for heart attack and stroke (中风) suvivors who live alone, according to a new study.
Previous studies have shown that dog ownership alleviates social isolation (隔绝), improve physical activity and social bonds, even lowers blood pressure, leading researchers to believe dog owners could potentially have better health outcomes compared to non-owners. They sought to determine how dog ownership affected health outcomes.
Researchers compared the health outcomes of dog owners and non-owners after a heart attack or stroke using health data provided by the Swedish National Patient Register. Patients in the study were Swedish residents aged 40 to 85 who experienced a heart attack or stroke. Compared to people who did not own a dog, researchers found that for dog owners, the risk of death for heart attack patients living alone after hospitalization (住院) was 33% lower and 15% lower for those living with a partner or child. The risk of death for stroke patients living alone after hospitalization was 27% lower and 12% lower for those living with a partner or child.
The lower risk of death associated with dog ownership could be explained by an increase in physical activity and decreased depression and loneliness, both of which have been connected to dog ownership in previous studies.
While this study drew the conclusion from a large sample (样本), potential misclassifications (错误分类) of dog ownershipin couples living together, death of a dog and change of ownership could have affected the outcomes of the study.
The results of this study suggest positive effects of dog ownership for patients who have experienced a heart attack or stroke. However, more research is needed to confirm a cause-effect relationship. Moreover, from an animal welfare perspective (角度), dogs should only be owned by people who feel they have the ability and knowledge to give the pet a good life.
1. What does the underlined word “alleviates” in paragraph 2 mean?| A．reduces | B．increases | C．causes | D．shows |
| A．Healthy dog owners and those with illnesses. | B．Dog owners and non-owners in hospitalization. |
| C．40- to 85-year-old dog owners around the world. | D．Middle-aged and old heart attack or stroke survivors. |
| A．Dogs make people physically and mentally active. | B．Dogs give warning of heart attacks or strokes |
| C．Dogs encourage social participation. | D．Dogs save lives in emergencies. |
| A．Approving | B．Uncertain | C．Objective | D．Critical |
8 . Safe Haven for Donkeys (驴) is providing sanctuary for rescued working donkeys in the El Saf region of Egypt.
First established in 2000 to help thousands of working donkeys in Israel, the charity Safe Haven for Donkeys has begun working with an Egyptian partner organization, the Bridge Foundation, to provide care to the donkeys in the El Saf region of Egypt.
Thousands of donkeys work in the brick kilns (窑) in Egypt, carrying 1.4 to 1.6 tonnes of bricks and moving at an intense pace to prevent unfired bricks from cracking in the heat. Due to lacking expert veterinary (兽医的) care, many of these animals are suffering intense pain from harness wounds, beatings, hoof issues and parasitic diseases spread by flies.
Now the cooperation between UK charity Safe Haven for Donkeys and Egyptian community development charity the Bridge Foundation is providing much-needed relief to these animals. The project includes a mobile veterinary clinic which treats common injuries and infections and trains the owners in how to best look after their donkeys.
In a press release, Andy Foxcroft, CEO of Safe Haven for Donkeys, said, “Through our work in Israel, we came to know of millions of working animals in Egypt without critical veterinary care. They were suffering a host of preventable and treatable painful conditions. Currently. no other animal welfare charity provides veterinary interventions in these particular kilns. So the skills of this charity are needed to treat sick and injured animals and provide training for owners and local professionals (vets and farriers). The first year is vital as we hope to make a lasting impact by reducing the unnecessary suffering of working animals. which sadly, is all too common a feature in the brick kilns.”
Safe Haven for Donkeys’ work, which helps about 10,000 animals a year, is made possible by charitable donations that fund the treatment and training they offer. You can make a donation on its website.
1. What does the underlined word “sanctuary” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Training. | B．Shelter. | C．Information. | D．Food. |
| A．The donkeys’ tough situations. | B．The donkeys’ competitive life. |
| C．The popularity of the donkeys. | D．The contributions of the donkeys. |
| A．The charity has made a lasting impact on Egypt. |
| B．The owners of the brick kilns need more support |
| C．The charity’s involvement in the affair is essential. |
| D．The workers in the brick kilns lack enough training. |
| A．To raise more funds. | B．To set up more charities. |
| C．To focus on donkeys’ work. | D．To explain animals’ treatment. |
1. What is the report about?
| A．A storm. | B．A movie. | C．A village. |
| A．14. | B．36. | C．200. |
| A．Preparing breakfast. | B．Repairing their house. | C．Looking for their children. |
| A．Calling her husband. |
| B．Taking something out. |
| C．Rushing out with her grandchildren |
1. How does the woman deal with her old clothes?
| A．By throwing them as waste. |
| B．By donating them to a charity. |
| C．By putting them into the recycling box. |
| A．He likes to buy big furniture. |
| B．He often buys second-hand furniture. |
| C．His sofa has been changed three times. |
| A．The previous one was out of date. |
| B．The previous one was damaged by the lightening. |
| C．The previous one was destroyed by her children. |
| A．Surprised. | B．Annoyed. | C．Satisfied. |
