1 . The high intelligence levels of orangutans (红毛猩猩) have long been recognised, partly due to their practical skills such as using tools to crack nuts and search for insects. But new research suggests the primate (灵长动物) has another handy skill: applying medicinal herbs intentionally to an open wound.

A male Sumatran orangutan known as Rakus was observed by the research team with a fresh facial wound in June 2022. Three days later, Rakus was witnessed feeding on the stem and leaves of a plant. Thirteen minutes after Rakus had started feeding on it, he began chewing the leaves without swallowing them, then used his fingers to apply the resulting juice directly on to his facial wound. He repeated this behavior for seven minutes and at last fully covered the wound with the chewed leaves. He then continued feeding on the plant for 30 minutes. Over the following days, there were no signs of infection. The wound closed within five days and was healed, with only a faint scar remaining after one month.

It is not the first time wild primate species have been spotted self-medicating: among other examples, Bornean orangutans have been seen rubbing their arms and legs with chewed leaves from a plant used by humans to treat sore muscles, while chimpanzees have been recorded chewing plants known to treat worm infections and applying insects to wounds. However, the new discovery is the first time a wild animal has been observed treating open wounds with a substance known to have medicinal properties. “In the chimpanzee case they used insects and unfortunately it was never found out whether these insects really promote wound healing. Whereas in our case, the orangutan used the plant, and this plant has known medical properties,” said Dr Caroline Schuppli, senior author of the research.

Rakus’s goal-oriented behavior and the medicinal properties of his chosen treatment offer insight into the origins of human wound care-the treatment of which was first mentioned in a medical manuscript dating to 2200BC. “It definitely shows that these basic cognitive capacities that you need to come up with a behaviour like this were present at the time of our last common ancestor most likely,” said Schuppli.

It remains unclear whether Rakus figured the process out for himself or learned it from another orangutan, although it has not been seen in any other individual.

1. How did the team conduct their research?

A．By analyzing previous records.	B．By tracking the research object.
C．By quoting others’ findings.	D．By categorizing qualities of primates.

2. What sets this new case apart from the previous ones?

A．The primate’s awareness of herb selection.	B．The locations of the wild primates.
C．The sizes of the application range.	D．The outcome of the treatment.

3. What is Paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．Supporting evidence for the research results.

B．Potential significance of the research findings.

C．A further explanation of the research summary.

D．A reasonable doubt about the research process.

4. What will the follow-up study focus on?

A．The origin of Rakus’ intentional self-medication.

B．Different medicinal plants used by wild primates.

C．Active wound treatment s shared by humans and primates

D．The possible influence from Rakus’ family.

2 . 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。

As a world-renowned festival, Luoyang Peony Culture Festival has been held for 41 sessions     1     1983. Through the combination of horticulture and science, the flowering time of each peony variety is     2    （precise）controlled, so that the general public can enjoy more blooming peony flowers at the same time.

Peony,     3    （feature）bright colours and graceful shapes, symbolizes peace and prosperity and thus has gained wide     4    （recognize）as “kings of flowers”. For thousands of years,     5     huge mass of poems and paintings have been produced to praise the flower. In the Tang Dynasty, peonies were planted so widely in the royal gardens as “the national flower”     6     they enjoyed great popularity across the country. In the 10th century, the ancient city of Luoyang became a centre of peony planting     7     has remained as such since then. Nowadays, hundreds of thousands of domestic tourists pour in Luoyang for the annual peony festival,     8     they can both appreciate the unique beauty of the flowers and explore the history of the city which is known as the capital of six dynasties.

This year’s opening ceremony with the theme of “A Journey of Peony Petals” fell on April 1 and the festival lasted until May 5. Various performances     9    (stage), including songs and dances, acrobatic shows, and traditional Chinese music performances, among others, empowered by special effects production,     10    (present)an audiovisual feast with distinctive Chinese cultural characteristics.

3 . The western tanagers (唐纳雀) spend their winters in Central America and can be found in a variety of habitats. In spring, they prepare to migrate (迁移), flying through grasslands, deserts, and occasionally, suburban yards.

To fuel them on their lengthy journey, western tanagers fill up on insects and berries. Like most migrating birds, they eat enormous amounts of food. But as global climate change causes spring to start earlier, they arrive at their destination after what’s known as “green-up”, when flowers begin blooming and insects emerge.

According to a study published in the journal PNAS, this kind of timing mismatch between migrants and their food sources, could have affected migratory birds’ survival. “In discussing climate change, we often focus on warming,” says Scott Loss, a professor and co-author of the study. “But few people have noticed that the length and timing of seasons—like when winter ends and spring begins—are some of the most dramatic effects of climate change.”

The awe-inspiring migration has attracted humans for many years, yet scientists have limited knowledge of how birds manage to fly as far as they do, up to tens of thousands of miles a trip. The migratory cues (提示) that birds rely on are various: temperature, day length, landforms, the stars, as well as the instructions coded in their genes (基因). Some of the environmental cues, such as temperature, are likely affected by climate change. But others, such as day length and stars, are not. “That might be one reason why some migratory birds are more affected by climate change than others,” Loss says.

Worldwide, bird populations are in decline. The number of birds in North America has dropped by roughly 30 percent since 1970. Even species with large population, such as crows, have suffered a population decrease. Scott Loss says that the migration research could information efforts in the future. And he hopes that the information will serve to highlight the urgent need to come up strategies to deal with climate change.

1. What does “green-up” refer to in Paragraph 2?

A．The phenomenon of birds’ greeting spring.	B．The phase when plants flower and insects appear.
C．A project to plant more trees and restore greenery.	D．A term describing the period when birds migrate.

2. What is often overlooked about the effects of climate change according to Scott Loss?

A．The length and timing of seasons.	B．The change of birds’ flying habit.
C．The habitat destruction.	D．The reduction of food resources.

3. What might be used to help migratory birds decide the right time to migrate?

A．Day length.

B．Instructions from genes.

C．Temperature.

D．Stars.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Climate Change Is Too Fast For Migrating Birds

B．The Journey Of Migratory Birds Is Full Of Adventure

C．Bird Migration Serves As A Warning Of Climate Change

D．Immediate Action Must Be Taken To Carry Out Research On Birds

4 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Why did Tracy bring dogs to the children?

A．To teach them to love animals.

B．To help them gain confidence.

C．To protect them from dangers.

2. What is Kevin’s concern about the dog?

A．They may misbehave.

B．They may get hurt.

C．They may carry diseases.

3. What will Helen do tomorrow morning?

A．Give a talk.

B．Meet the children.

C．Take some photos.

5 . Have you got any electronic devices hanging around your home that you no longer want or use? Between us, we have millions of bits of unused tech kept in drawers.     1     There are several ways to make the most of our unwanted gadgets（小物件）.

Probably the best cure for our throwaway culture is to fix our broken tech.    2     They can be learned at repair clubs and repair cafés—free meeting places where you'll find tools and materials to help you make any repairs you need. In the UK, the interest in mending our stuff and giving it a new life is reflected by the popularity of a TV series called The Repair Shop, where craftspeople rescue and resurrect（重新使用） items that their owners thought were beyond saving.

    3     Materials used to make them can be extracted and reused in other things. As an example, Elisabeth Ratcliffe from the Royal Society of Chemistry told the BBC: "There are about thirty different elements just in a smartphone, and many of them are very rare." These can be used in touch screens and solar panels. Many of the biggest players in the industry(including Apple and Samsung) will gladly take your old gadgets back and handle them responsibly.    4    

A final choice for your unwanted items is to up-cycle them. You can breathe new life into them by transforming them into valuable pieces or collectable retroitems（复古物品）, which could be sold on.    5     By up-cycling, you contribute to waste reduction and innovation in product reuse.

A．Recycling is another solution.

B．All you need is patience and skills.

C．Another cure is to give them away.

D．However, they don't need to be thrown away.

E．You can have fun in repair clubs and repair cafés.

F．You can make some cash and create needed space in your home.

G．You might even get some cash back when buying their new products.

6 . Texan 81-year-old good friends Ellie Hamby and Sandy Hazelip toured the world in 80 days, proving that adventure doesn’t have an age limit.

Their first stop was a location challenging even many experienced travelers: the Antarctic. Getting to the southernmost continent first required crossing the Drake Passage, the waters between the southern tip of South America and the Antarctic’s South Shetland Islands. “For almost two days, we were rocking and rolling, slipping and sliding through the Drake Passage and we were holding on for dear life, “Hamby said. The voyage, however, faded from their mind as they set foot on the ground of the Antarctic, fascinated by the breathtaking beauty of penguins, icebergs and glaciers.

Since that first venture, the pair have visited 18 countries across all seven continents. And despite the challenges international travel presented, the good friends said they had finished their trip without any argument. Though they’re both independent and stubborn, they respect each other’s feelings. And what they remember the most are the people that they met. “We met some of the most wonderful, kindest, friendliest people. We just have friends now all over the world that we love dearly,” Hamby said.

The two shared a crucial piece of advice for travelers worrying about the language barrier on their own adventures.” You know, people often ask us about it,” said Hamby.” We tell them there’s one universal language, and that’s the smile. We found it worked wonders because we were often aware that English was not always spoken and that the smile could cover all languages.”

They also encouraged other older people not to let age hold them back. Aside from some minor changes in plans, their age didn’t affect their itinerary(旅程)abroad. They said they felt confident that if they were injured during their trip, their children would have been at peace knowing that they were doing what they absolutely wanted. And Hazelip described 81 as the perfect age to embark on a trip.”Getting older does give us a little bit of wisdom of making decisions,” she said.

1. What might the pair think of their trip to the Antaretic?

A．Brief but exciting.	B．Tough but worthwhile.
C．Interesting but fruitless.	D．Unpleasant but memorable.

2. What is the highlight of the pair’s adventures for themselves?

A．Meeting nice people along the way.

B．Experiencing many challenging activities.

C．Learning about different cultures from travelers.

D．Avoiding conflicts despite their stubborn nature.

3. What helped the pair communicate with people during the adventure?

A．English.	B．The smile.
C．Crucial advice.	D．Universal gestures.

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

A．They fell down when riding a bike in Bali.

B．They regretted not exploring the world earlier.

C．Their children understood and supported them.

D．Their wisdom saved them lots of time during their trip.

7 . Cities, often seen as ecological wastelands, actually have the potential to produce exceptional biologists. While traditional biologists typically come from rural backgrounds, urban residents possess diverse skill sets that make them better ones.

Take myself as an example. Growing up in Philadelphia provided me with a unique angle to look at urban ecology. The city’s distinct seasons, plentiful squirrels, row homes, and festivals served as my first ecological classroom. It was there that I witnessed wild cats eating birds and rats, people driving bats from their homes, and snakes being killed by lawn mowers (割草机). This was ecology in action, as real as any observation in fields and forests.

The unique environment of urban areas encourages wildlife there to develop distinct feature s and behaviors that set them apart from their rural counterparts: they may be larger in size, be active at different times of the day, move differently, and even display different personalities. Some biologists argue they are even “smarter” because they balance more risks, such as exposure to roads, poisonous chemicals and diseases from domestic animals — with rewards, of course, like inhabitable parks and human-provided food.

As human residents of cities, we too adapt to the risks and challenges of urban living. This adaptation sharpens our intuition (直觉) — we learn which streets to avoid and lock our doors for safety. Our ability to assess threats and our awareness regarding safety influence our behaviors and choices, much as they do for urban wildlife. Shared experiences such as these enable us to better understand and appreciate urban wildlife.

Most of the world’s population now accesses green and blue spaces, as well as wildlife, within urban neighborhoods. Nature is no longer only untouched wilderness; it includes sounds of human laughter, trash trucks and fire alarms. We urban residents are resourceful and imaginative. We need more capacity, more participation, more energy and more innovation in science to create solutions to fight environmental degradation and reduce biodiversity loss. Identifying this talent across cities presents a practical approach.

1. What did growing up in Philadelphia teach the author?

A．Philadelphia is uniquely rich in wildlife.

B．Studying biology at school helps greatly.

C．Urban wild creatures need protection too.

D．Cities are far from ecological wastelands.

2. What does the underlined word “counterparts” in paragraph 3 most likely mean?

A．Similar species.	B．Potential enemies.
C．Natural resources.	D．Qualified biologists.

3. What experiences help urban residents understand wildlife better?

A．Eco-friendly habits.	B．Risk-aware behaviors.
C．Ill-informed choices.	D．Fast-paced urban life.

4. What is the best title for this passage?

A．Cities Build Better Biologists	B．What Makes Smarter Residents?
C．Urban Areas Encourage Wildlife	D．Who Saves Ecological Wastelands?

8 . On Inaccessible Island, you hear the sound of the Inaccessible Island rails (秧鸡) everywhere. The small flightless birds move around, feeding on worms and berries. During a trip in 2011, it took days for Stervander, then a doctoral student, to spot one. “Even then, you see something little and dark, running for a second, and that’s about it,” he says. Catching one, though, proved easy. When scientists played a recording of the bird’s call, a male and female ran into the net a few minutes later.

Inaccessible Island rails live only on Inaccessible Island. “No one knew the history,” says Stervander, now a research fellow at the University of Oregon. He aimed to answer the question about these birds: How did they get to Inaccessible Island to begin with?

The first scientist to describe the rail was Percy Lowe. He thought the bird was from Africa and had always been flightless. In his view, it had arrived at the island by walking over land bridges. But now the science of plate tectonics (板块构造论) suggests that’s not the case. In a recent paper, Stervander and his colleagues give evidence for a different version.

After studying the genome (基因组) of the rails, scientists found the Inaccessible Island rail’s closest relative — the crake in Uruguay. Both birds are related to the black rail in America. The finding suggests the ancestors of these birds could fly. That means Inaccessible Island rails flew to their present home, and like many birds living on islands with no predators (捕食者), they gradually lost the ability to fly. Flying takes energy, so if there’s no reason to fly, it’s more practical not to.

On this island, there’s a growing population of rails, but they’re fragile. Should a predator reach the island, it could make quick work of the birds. People on nearby islands are careful to avoid introducing any predators to Inaccessible Island, and the risk is low, given how hard it is to get there. For now, the rails live peacefully in a place where few humans are eager to go.

1. What can we learn about the Inaccessible Island rails?

A．They are hard to trap.	B．They can be seen everywhere.
C．They move around quickly.	D．They are not afraid of humans.

2. What caused the Inaccessible Island rails to become flightless?

A．Their lack of energy.	B．Their living environment.
C．Their way to search for food.	D．Their connection with their ancestors.

3. Which best describes the present situation of the Inaccessible Island rails?

A．Safe.

B．Tough.

C．Unexpected.

D．Dangerous.

4. What’s the best title for the text?

A．The Development of Rails on Inaccessible Island

B．The Need to Protect Flightless Inaccessible Island Rails

C．How Did the Flightless Bird Get to Inaccessible Island?

D．Why are Inaccessible Island Rails Limited on the Island?

9 . 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。

Every year for over a millennium, fishermen have braved the subzero temperatures, biting winds and deep snow to search for     1     underwater fortune at Chagan Lake — one of the biggest freshwater lakes in our country.

Chagan is the only place in China     2     you can still find fishermen using a Mongolian fishing method that dates back centuries and has     3     (bare) changed over time. Holes are drilled in the ice     4     (lower) a 2-kilometer-long net into position underwater. Once it fills up with fish, the net is pulled out of the water using a giant wheel     5     (turn) by Mongolian horses. The largest fish in the     6     (season) first catch is believed to be lucky, and will go to the highest bidder at the auction (拍卖).

To ensure that this tradition can continue     7     damaging the lake’s ecology, fishermen keep nature in mind throughout the process.     8     (avoid) the use of modern vehicles helps reduce the chance of polluting the lake water, and the number of fish that can     9     (catch) is capped to ensure that there will be fish for years to come.

Also, over the past few years, the money from the auction has been invested into protecting the lake and surrounding environment. And during the summer, private fishing without     10     (permit) is strictly prohibited. These preservative measures have kept the tradition alive for thousands of years and certainly will be passed on to future generations.

10 . As a child, I was keen on collecting moths（飞蛾）and butterflies. By adulthood, I could identify about 700 species by sight, recognizing the stripes, dots and colors on their wings and bodies.

In 1972, I moved to Australia and continued collecting. But I started to struggle: identifying them quickly became an impossible task. The species there were so different from those at home, and there was no space in my mind to recognize them all.

My crisis soon increased. Throughout the 1970s, I led expeditions to Papua New Guinea to collect moths. One night, we could collect more than twice as many as those I had memorized in my childhood. Identifying them felt overwhelming. I gave up and stopped working on moths. But my instinct to identify them never went away.

Two decades later, I was in a supermarket and an idea started to develop in my mind: what if a part of DNA could be used to differentiate between species Just 13 lines on. the supermarket barcodes（条形码）were being used to identify products What if we could identify species in the same way?

To test the idea, I began collecting the moths again. Each sample had to donate a leg to science. I believed that COI（a single segment of a rapidly evolving gene）present in almost all animals could be used to tell species. With their legs, we used the PCR method to focus in on their section of COI. One by one, it became clear: every single moth could be sorted using a tiny slice of their genome（基因组）DNA barcoding was 100% successful on its first test.

In our study paper, we claimed that we had discovered a reliable, inexpensive and accessible solution to identifying the millions of animal species waiting to be discovered. I believe DNA barcoding is humanity’s first shot at finally discovering all life on Earth. This technique has helped conservationists to fight against wildlife crime and monitor the impact of mining on bıodiversity. One day, I am confident it will form part of a system to monitor the biosphere the Same way we monitor the weather.

1. How did the author recognize moth species in his childhood?

A．By turning to books.

B．By using lab equipment.

C．By obseiving their behavior.

D．By distinguishing their appearance.

2. What does the underlined “My crisis” in paragraph 3 refer to?

A．The loss of interest in studying moths.

B．The impossibility of recognizing moths.

C．The pressure of discovering new moth species.

D．The challenge of collecting as many moth samples.

3. What inspired the author to use DNA for species identification?

A．The ease of using PCR to focus on COI.

B．The simplicity of supermarket barcodes.

C．The success of DNA barcoding on moths.

D．The availability of COI in almost all animals.

4. What might DNA barcoding be used for in the future according to the text?

A．Protecting wildlife habitats.

B．Tracking wildlife population.

C．Assisting in monitoring biodiversity.

D．Updating weather monitoring systems.