1 . Laughing together is an important way for people to connect and bond. And though the causes of laughter can vary widely across individuals and groups, the sound of a laugh is usually recognizable between people belonging to different cultures.

But what about animals? Do they “laugh”? And are the causes of animal and human laughter alike? In humans, people may laugh when they hear a joke, or when they see something that they think is funny, though it’s unknown if animals’ intelligence includes what humans would call a sense of humor.

However, many animals produce sounds during play that are unique to that pleasant social interaction. Researchers consider such vocalizations to be similar to human laughter. Recently, scientists investigated play vocalization to see how common it was among animals. The team identified 65 species that “laughed” while playing — most were mammals (哺乳动物), but a few bird species demonstrated playful laughter too. Reports of playful laughter were notably absent in studies describing fish, perhaps because there is some question as to whether or not play exists at all in that animal group. This new study could help scientists to analyze the origins of human laughter.

But how can we identify play? Unlike fighting, play is usually repetitive and happens independently of other social behaviors, said lead study author Sasha Winkler, a doctor of biological anthropology at the University of California. When it comes to identifying it, “you know it when you see it,” Winkler told Live Science. One sign is that primates — our closest relatives — have a “play face” that is similar to the expressions of humans who are playing.

When Winkler previously worked with rhesus macaques, she had noticed that the monkeys panted (喘气) quietly while playing. Many other primates are also known to vocalize during play, she said, so a hypothesis (laughter in humans is thought to have originated during play) supported by the play-related panting laughter of many primate species was put forward.

People now still laugh during play, but we also integrate laughter into language and non-play behaviors, using laughter in diverse ways to express a range of emotions that may be positive or negative. Human laughter notably differs from other animals’ laughter in another important way: its volume. People broadcast their laughter loudly, often as a way of establishing inclusion. By comparison, when most animals laugh, the sound is very quiet — just loud enough to be heard by the laugher’s partner.

“It’s really fascinating that so many animals have a similar function of vocalization during play,” Winkler told Live Science. “But we do have these unique parts of human laughter that are also an important area for future study."

1. What is the main purpose of the passage?

A．To explain causes of animal and human laughter.

B．To assess complexities regarding animal laughter.

C．To present findings on the existence of animal laughter.

D．To analyze differences between animal and human laughter.

2. What can we learn from this passage?

A．Animal laughter is even noticeable in fish.

B．Animal laughter is hard to recognize during play.

C．People have learned to combine play with laughter.

D．People laugh loudly because they want to involve others.

3. What is probably the focus of future study on laughter?

A．Distinctive features of human laughter.

B．Different functions of animal laughter.

C．The origin and development of human laughter.

D．The relationship between animal laughter and intelligence.

2 . As a shift in the polar vortex (极地涡旋) swept across much of the US, many people in the country were hit with a sudden snap of cold. Heavy ice and snow coupled with fallen trees caused the outages in major cities, with companies unable to tell their customers when power will be restored.

Polar vortices were noticed long ago. But the first known use of the term “polar vortex” was in a magazine in 1853. Polar vortices are present year-round, but we don’t hear about them until they cause problems. They maintain freezing temperatures at the North and South poles by moving in tight counter-clockwise patterns. Polar vortices grow stronger in winter and weaken in summer. They are kept in place at the poles by another atmospheric current called the jet stream. However, when the jet streams weaken, the cold winds of the polar vortex are pushed southwards and it is during this time that people begin to pay attention!

In Texas, roads froze over, causing six traffic deaths, and many schools were shut-down. People are not the only Earthlings to struggle with the cold. Crops and animals are also freezing. This could have major consequences, especially if herds of cattle die. If snow blocks cattle, the animals can’t reach basic necessities like food and fresh water.

On a brighter note, some Texas cities were more prepared than others. For instance, Amarillo, which is located in North Texas, so they are more accustomed to colder temperatures. Amarillo is notable because the city was redesigned to stand up to severe winter storms. Officials have spread out fire stations to increase coverage of first responders, employed modified dump trucks for clearing ice, and upgraded civic centers to provide shelter during storms. Hopefully, other Texas cities will follow the good example set by Amarillo!

1. What does the underlined word “outages” refer to?

A．Traffic jams.	B．Power struggles.
C．Power cuts.	D．Traffic accidents.

2. What can we learn about polar vortices?

A．They grow stronger in summer.	B．They are affected by jet streams.
C．They were first observed in 1853.	D．They move in a clockwise direction.

3. What is the last but one paragraph mainly about?

A．The definition of the polar vortex.	B．The characteristics of the polar vortex.
C．The ways to deal with the polar vortex.	D．The serious impact made by the polar vortex.

4. Why is Amarillo striking?

A．Because it is located in the north of Texas.

B．Because it has been upgraded and modernized.

C．Because it has been regarded as an example to other cities.

D．Because it has taken effective measures to resist winter storms.

3 . They’re tough breeds and they have complicated names to match. But free-spirited Aussie dogs Tank the Rottweiler-cross and Muck the Staffie-cross instinctively (本能地) knew when a small child was in danger, and their protective _______ prevented a tragedy.

One December afternoon, Georgie Hillier thought her two-year-old son Max was playing in the back garden of their home. But when she went to check, there was no _______ of Max or their dog Tank. When she couldn’t find them, she jumped in her car and started to _______ the neighboring property. She was frightened that her son could have fallen into one of the dams.

Then she found Tank with the neighbor’s dog Muck. They were both running around the dams, barking furiously and _______ in mud.

“I just panicked. I was running around, checking the sides of the dams,“ Georgie told Sara Hicks. _______ she kept searching, a neighbor called the police. Eventually, a woman who had found Max heard Georgie’s calls and brought the _______ kid out to her.

There was no one there to _______ what exactly happened, but Michael Beattie from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals took up the story. “When the police arrived on the _______, they saw quite distinct drag marks. It was _______ that young Max had actually been pulled out of the dam by one of the dogs - most likely Tank. Max was making moves to go back into the dam and Muck was virtually heading him off at the pass. It was the police’s opinion that the only way that Max was ____________ from drowning was by the two dogs. ”

For saving the toddler’s life, the daring two dogs received the RSPCA’s Purple Cross award for bravery- plus two very large bones.

1.

A．measures

B．natures

C．skills

D．effects

2.

A．response

B．exhibition

C．shadow

D．sign

3.

A．approach

B．search

C．guard

D．discover

4.

A．stuck

B．covered

C．hidden

D．trapped

5.

A．After

B．Though

C．Unless

D．While

6.

A．untouched

B．unwrapped

C．unknown

D．unharmed

7.

A．prove

B．witness

C．indicate

D．explain

8.

A．edge

B．island

C．scene

D．beach

9.

A．apparent

B．essential

C．pleasant

D．pitiful

10.

A．separated

B．discouraged

C．freed

D．rescued

4 . The bald eagle was once a dying species in the United States. This is because the bird wasn’t always held with respect. At the National Book Festival, author Jack E. Davis detailed the bald eagle’s “great conservation success story”.

The bald eagle has faced extinction twice. The first occurred in the late 19th century. “It was then that a bald eagle seen was one to be shot,” he said. He explained that the bird had been regarded as a dangerous animal, and considered a threat. But such threat tended to be overstated. Throughout the early 20th century, thousands of bald eagles were shot down. Things began to change for the bird in 1940, when the government passed its legal protection — the Bald Eagle Protection Act.

However, only five years later, the bird faced its second near extinction when DDT, an environmentally harmful insecticide (杀虫剂), was introduced at the end of World War Ⅱ. In 1963, the bald eagle hit its lowest number — totaling less than 500 nesting pairs across the U.S. “At that time, only about one-third of the nation’s water was safe for swimming and fishing,” Davis said. “That was eagle habitat, but also our habitat.” “We stepped up.” He mentioned that this situation led a nonprofit organization, Fish and Wildlife, to launch “hugely successful” eagle protection projects.

By 2007, the bald eagle was removed from the list as the species regained its health, reaching nearly 11,000 nesting pairs nationwide, and today’s number is somewhere around 500,000.

For those looking to assist in the ongoing comeback of the bald eagle and other endangered animals, Davis said, almost every state has a center that accepts donations and welcomes visitors and volunteers.

1. What made the bald eagle almost extinct for the first time?

A．The illegal hunting.	B．The loose control of guns.
C．The attack from other animals.	D．The misunderstanding of their threat.

2. What caused Fish and Wildlife to start eagle protection projects?

A．The outbreak of World War II.	B．The overuse of DDT nationwide.
C．The disappearance of eagle habitat.	D．The worsening of eagles’ living condition.

3. What’s the main purpose of the passage?

A．To tell a story of a dying species.

B．To advertise the book of Jack E. Davis.

C．To raise the awareness of protecting wildlife.

D．To introduce the ways of protecting bald eagles.

5 . 课文背诵检测

In the 1400s and 1500s, Peru was the centre of the powerful ancient Inca Empire. The Inca emperor lived in the     1     Machu Picchu. Spain took control of Peru in the 16th century and ruled until 1821. It is for this reason that Spanish is the main     2     of Peru.

Michael Jordan, known as “Air Jordan”, changed basketball with his graceful moves and jumps. His skills were impressive, but the     3     that he showed made him unique.

Tangshan started to revive itself and     4    . With strong support from the government and the     5     of the city’s people, a new Tangshan was built upon the earthquake ruins.

6 . Ocean heat waves — defined as periods of extreme temperatures lasting five days or more — have become increasingly common in recent decades. In fact, as a new study published in Nature Climate Change finds, Earth’s number of annual ocean heat wave days increased by around 54 percent between 1987 and 2016, with abnormally high temperatures not only occurring more frequently, but also lasting for longer periods of time.

Underwater heat waves pose a significant threat to marine ecosystems, which are already at risk due to issues including overfishing and widespread plastic pollution. Sweeping through oceans much like wildfires blaze through forests on land, extreme temperatures exact damage on foundational organisms such as kelp forests, seagrass meadows and coral reefs. Given that these framework species provide shelter and food to many other ocean creatures, the study’s authors warn that such destruction will likely have cascading consequences for marine biodiversity.

To assess the effects of ocean heat waves, researchers led by ecologist Daniel Smale of Great Britain’s Marine Biological Association turned to 116 previously published academic studies. Reflecting on more than 1,000 ecological records and eight specific heat waves, the scientists identified regions and species that were the weakest to temperature increases. As Mary Papenfuss writes for the Huffington Post, areas of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans topped the list, with the Caribbean’s coral reefs, Australia’s seagrass and California’s kelp forests causing particular concerns.

In terms of species, Pacific Standard’s Kate Wheeling adds, the team notes that immobile plants and animals were the hardest hit, while tropical fish and mobile invertebrates (无脊椎生物) were able to cope with the heat by moving to different habitats. Interestingly, John Timmer reports for Ars Technica, the researchers actually observed heightened levels of fish diversity during periods of above- average temperatures, likely due to the animals’ mass migration (迁徙) toward friendlier waters. The same trend did not prove true for sea-dwelling birds, however, as shifting habitats limited the avian creatures’ access to prey.

Although the researchers’ findings are most consequential for marine ecosystems. Pierre-Louis and Popovich explain that damage to ocean habitats will also affect humans who rely on fishing and fish farming.

“Certainly there’s going to be changes with climate change to marine communities, but it’s not like the oceans are going to become the dead sea. It’s just that, as a consequence of what we’re doing to the oceans, there’s going to be different marine communities in different places than what we’re used to. Obviously, that is a problem because we’re sort of set up for what the climate is now rather than what it is going to be in the future.”

1. “Species” in “these framework species” in Paragraph 2 refers to ________.

A．wildfires

B．damages

C．organisms

D．temperatures

2. What can we learn from this passage?

A．The temperatures of wave heats nearly doubled in 2016.

B．Living creatures can avoid heat wave damage by migration.

C．Overfishing and plastic pollution are the main causes to ocean heat.

D．The weakest regions are concluded from previous academic studies.

3. What can we infer from the last two paragraphs?

A．People should stop fishing because of the climate change.

B．People who take fishing for a living might earn lower profits.

C．The researchers findings cannot help us protect the land ecosystems.

D．Changes to ocean habitats would bring extremely bad results to the sea.

4. Which would be the best title for the passage?

A．Ocean Heat Waves Are Affecting Us

B．Ocean Heat Waves Are Getting Worse

C．Ocean Heat Waves Are Threatening Marine Life

D．Ocean Heat Waves Are keys to Marine Biodiversity

7 . 选择正确的短语填空。

cause global warming, pick up, sharing cars, get stuck in a traffic jam, are addicted to, make excuses, protect the environment, do a lot of harm

Many people often     1     when they go to work. How annoyed and stressful they often feel! But the problem is that the number of cars is still going up. Traffic pollution has been found to       2     and climate change to a large degree.

Too many cars     3     to the environment and our health. Some advice has been given for people to help     4     , for example, using public transport or     5     , doing your shopping in the shop just around the corner instead of driving to the other side of town. However, people       6     using cars. They     7     for using their cars, “I need to     8     my daughter. What can I do?”

8 . 学校将于本周三下午组织国际部部分学生返校参加主题为“校园清洁人人有责”的义务劳动，请你用英语写一份口头通知。内容包括：
1.说明活动意义并简述活动内容（如整理图书馆、打扫公共卫生区等）；
2.提醒携带相关工具及其它注意事项。
注意：1.词数100字左右；
2.开头、结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Hello, everyone.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

That’s all. Thank you.

9 . 阅读下面短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

The Burmese snub-nosed monkey (仰鼻猴) is a     1     (critical)threatened species of colobine monkey. The young animals’ coloring differs markedly from that of the adults. The species first gained the attention of scientists     2     (research) the hoolock gibbon (白眉长臂猿) in Burma in early 2010. It wasn’t until 2012 that a camera was set up     3     (capture) the first images of the new species. The     4     (know) population of the snub-nosed monkey in Burma is about 260-330 individuals. They are currently threatened by the destruction of their forest habitats from logging (伐木作业) and development in the area.

10 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写 1 个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

In the past few years, the number of wild animals     1     (decrease). If nothing     2     (do), man will be punished by nature.     3     (lucky), people begin to take actions. Some nature reserves (保护区)     4     (build) now so that animals can live in peace. If everyone has the sense of protecting wildlife, it is certain that an atmosphere of wildlife protection will come into being.