Scientists who study the evolution(进化)of language say wild chimpanzees(黑猩猩)have a more complex communication system than past research has shown. The researchers say the animal uses more than ten kinds of calls,
The study team made 4,800 recordings of the calls
Scientists
2 . Ways to Cut Your Carbon Footprint
Your carbon footprint, which drives more global warming, is associated with everything from powering our homes to getting around, producing our food and making all the stuff we buy. There are dozens of things we can do to cut our carbon footprint.
Reduce food waste. About one-third of all food gets wasted each year. Producing food that won’t be eaten wastes valuable resources, including energy. It also creates a lot of greenhouse gases. Someone could cut their food carbon footprint by 12 percent by not wasting purchased food.
Jacket your home with insulation (隔热材料). When it’s chilly out, a thick jacket holds in our body heat to keep us warm.
Buy less new stuff. Everything we buy also contributes to our carbon footprints. So a key way to shrink those footprints is to buy fewer new things. Shopping for the secondhand goods cuts much pollution.
| A．Use less energy. |
| B．Green your travel. |
| C．Eat more plant-based foods. |
| D．So avoid types designed to be used just once. |
| E．Next best is to extend the life of your products. |
| F．Insulating our homes does much the same thing. |
| G．One tip: Buy only as much food as you plan to use. |
3 . You may have noticed sudden, brief twitching (抽动) at some point while your dog was sleeping and wondered if they were dreaming or even expressing some type of discomfort. These involuntary movements only occur during dream states and usually don’t last long. So is twitching just a normal part of dreaming, or are there times when you should worry?
Dogs sleep an average of 12-14 hours each day. While they sleep, a dog’s brain processes information and experiences from the day through dreams. Twitching is often related to active dream cycles in the brain.
According to research by psychologist Stanley Coren, an average-size dog will dream about every 20 minutes, and these dreams will last about a minute. Larger breeds (品种) have fewer dreams that last longer- about every 45 minutes for 4 minutes. The opposite is true for smaller breed dogs; they will dream about every 10 minutes for up to 30 seconds.
Dogs experience the same dream stages as humans, including non-rapid eye movement (NREM), short-wave sleep (SWS), and rapid eye movement (REM). During the REM state, a dog’s eyes move around behind their closed eyelids, and the large body muscles are turned off so the dream is not physically acted out. The amount of twitching depends on how much these off switches cramp muscle movement.
If your dog sleeps next to you, they may unintentionally disturb your sleep with their sudden body movements. However, it is often advised not to awaken a dog that is twitching in their sleep unless they are clearly in distress.
A bad dream or night terror could be the cause of these involuntary movements, and they may wake up frightened. Try to avoid touching them so they don’t bite you as a result of being shocked and panicked. Instead, gently call your dog’s name until they respond. Speak calmly and tell them that they are safe and secure after they wake up. While they appear to be pretty active in their sleep, dreaming dogs may be slow to awaken.
1. Which of the following influences how often dogs dream?| A．Their sleeping time. | B．Their body size. |
| C．Their daily experiences. | D．Their health conditions. |
| A．Stimulate. | B．Transform. | C．Limit. | D．Monitor. |
| A．To avoid being bitten by the dog. | B．To ensure the dog adequate sleep. |
| C．To prevent the dog getting shocked. | D．To escape disturbance from the dog. |
| A．How does dogs’ brain work? |
| B．Why do dogs dream at night? |
| C．Why do dogs twitch in their sleep? |
| D．How does dogs’ twitch affect their sleep? |
4 . Mars is truly a fascinating planet for those of us here on Earth. It is about half of the size of Earth and is often referred to as the “Red Planet” because of its red surface.
Mars has seasons like Earth, but the seasons there are twice as long as the seasons on Earth. Mars also has an atmosphere, but it is very thin and made up mostly of carbon dioxide. Because of its thin atmosphere and greater distance from the Sun, Mars is much colder than Earth. However, Mars does have weather, with clouds and winds. The poles on Mars are a lot like Antarctica, capped by ice, but much of Mars’s ice is made from carbon dioxide, not water.
Many scientists believe that studying Mars can help us answer some of the key questions about our planet Earth, or even the universe. But missions to Mars have never been easy. Facing great challenges, many countries will still continue their explorations. Launching the first Mars probe (探测器) from Wenchang around 2020 is China’s first step to explore the “Red Planet”
The Chinese Mars probe is made up of three parts: the orbiter, the lander, and the rover. Entering the Earth-Mars transfer orbit, the Mars probe separates from the launch vehicle. Then the space-to-ground communications link is created. Controllers on Earth guide it into the orbit around Mars. After collecting detailed information about the landing area, the probe is ready for the landing. The orbiter and the lander separate. The orbiter stays in the orbit for at least a year to photograph key areas and monitor the planet’s environment, while the lander heads down to the surface of Mars.
Nine kilometres above the planet, a large parachute(降落伞) opens to slow the landing craft as it falls. After removing the parachute, the lander chooses a safe place to land, where the Martian rover can start operations, collecting and transmitting data back to Earth. After receiving its orders from Earth, the rover leaves the landing point and begins to explore the surface of Mars.
1. How does the writer develop paragraph 2?| A．By making a list. | B．By giving examples. |
| C．By making comparisons. | D．By analyzing cause and effect. |
| A．China has been exploring Mars for many years. |
| B．Mars exploration is not so difficult for some countries. |
| C．Some countries will stop Mars exploration due to great difficulties. |
| D．Mars exploration can help us better understand the earth and universe. |
① The probe is ready for the landing.
② The Mars probe separates from the launch vehicle.
③ Controllers on Earth guide it into the orbit around Mars.
④ The probe collects detailed information about the landing area.
| A．①②③④ | B．④③①② | C．②③④① | D．②③①④ |
| A．It slows the landing craft as it falls. |
| B．It collects and transmits data back to Earth. |
| C．It helps the lander to find a safe place to land. |
| D．It guides the probe into the orbit around Mars. |
5 . Floods
Basic safety Tips
● Turn around and don’t drown!
● Avoid walking or driving through flood waters.
● If there is a chance of flash floods, try to move to a higher place. Flash floods are the No. 1 cause of weather-related deaths.
If floodwaters rise around your car but the water is not moving, give up the car and move to higher ground. Do not leave the car enter moving water.
Avoid camping or parking along streams, rivers during heavy rainfall. These areas can flood quickly with little warning.
Flood Watch
Steps to Take
● Turn on your TV/radio. You will receive the latest weather forecast and emergency instructions.
● Know where to go. You may need to reach higher ground quickly.
● Build or fill your emergency kit with something new. Include a flashlight, batteries, cash, and
first-aid supplies.
● Bring in outdoor, furniture and move important indoor items to the highest possible floor. This is help protect them from flood damage.
● Disconnect electrical appliances and do not touch electrical equipment if you are wet or standing in water.
● If instructed, turn off your gas and electricity at the main switch or valve. This helps prevent fires and explosions.
Flood Warning
Steps to Take
● Move quickly to higher ground or stay on high ground.
● Avoid walking or driving through floodwaters. Turn around and don’t drown! Just 6 inches of moving water can knock you down and 2 feet of water can sweep your vehicle away.
After a flood
● Return home only when it is safe.
● Do not try to drive through areas that are still flooded.
● Photograph damage to your property for insurance purpose.
1. What shall we avoid during heavy rains according to the passage?| A．Staying under trees. | B．Taking part in outdoor activities. |
| C．Walking alone in the street. | D．Driving along the rivers. |
| A．Be patient and take things easy. | B．Be friendly and get well organized. |
| C．Be brave and make wise decisions | D．Be careful and get well prepared. |
| A．When we are sure it is no longer dangerous. |
| B．When we need to take pictures for insurance. |
| C．When the flood in our living area disappears. |
| D．When the gas and electricity supply are provided again. |
6 . Set in the snow-covered Himalayan mountains, Nainital’s waterways and forests are popular places for tourists. The road to Nainital is covered with woodlands that elephants, snakes, and squirrels always use as well. Nainital’s wildlife and human visitors exist together in the same place, but increasing tourist traffic causes a danger to some of these animals while they cross the roads. Then on the way to Nainital, an eco-bridge appears on a busy highway.
A forest manager said, “This is a rich forest, and elephant, leopards, deer and bulls move in this area. Drivers can see these large animals from some distance and slow down or stop, but they seldom do so for animals like snakes, lizards and squirrels.” To make things safer for these smaller animals, an eco-bridge was built.
No iron was found in the building of the 90-foot-long bridge. It was only made from materials like bamboo and grass and high up in the air above the road. Workers are now growing grass and plants to cover the bridge in order to attract animals. It is hoped that a green bridge will draw animals to use it. Meanwhile, it is always attracting tourists, who stop to take photos of the amazing bridge. It will make drivers realize how dangerous their high driving speed will be to animals and then reduce their speed.
Although the eco-bridge is the first Indian wildlife bridge for small animals, Indian people have recently worked on a number of projects to help cars and larger animals share the road. For example, six bridges were built over a highway in the Annamalai Hills. These bridges were built to support monkeys in reaching both sides of the highway. On India’s busy National Highway 44, several bridges have successfully enabled large wild animals to cross the crowded highway. Plans for more animal crossings are already carried out in India, including one for elephants on the Chen-nai-Bangalore National Highway.
India has some of the most unique wildlife in the world. Hopefully, nature-based city planning will benefit both India’s native wildlife and its human neighbors.
1. Why was an eco-bridge designed on the way to Nainital?| A．To attract more tourists to go there. | B．To keep small animals safe. |
| C．To protect some rare animals. | D．to prevent wild animals hurting people. |
| A．It is cost-effective to build. | B．It is the first bridge in India. |
| C．It can improve visitor’s safety. | D．It draws on the natural materials. |
| A．Avoiding taking photos of animals when they are passing by. |
| B．Using the new bridge only if it is necessary. |
| C．Visiting Nainital’s forests as little as possible. |
| D．Improving their awareness of slowing down for wild animals. |
| A．Indians’ effort in building wildlife-friendly highway systems. |
| B．The difficulties of building animal crossing in big cities. |
| C．Why most highways in India are safe for wild animals. |
| D．How animal crossing influence wildlife and humans. |
7 . I will never forget the adventure I had last summer. It all started when my friends and I decided to go on a camping trip deep in the forest. We were excited to
As we set up our tents, we noticed a strange sound coming from the trees.
After running for several minutes, we
Just when we thought things couldn’t get any worse, we heard another sound. This time it was a group of wolves howling in the distance. We knew we had to stay
The next morning, we decided to
We were so
The adventure taught me the importance of being prepared and staying calm in
| A．destroy | B．explore | C．restore | D．cross |
| A．Suddenly | B．Unfortunately | C．Obviously | D．Basically |
| A．wandering | B．pacing | C．hiking | D．charging |
| A．threw | B．released | C．seized | D．hatched |
| A．realized | B．sustained | C．tolerated | D．resolved |
| A．shelter | B．fire | C．house | D．blanket |
| A．blank | B．sensitive | C．violent | D．alert |
| A．come | B．kick | C．let | D．scare |
| A．follow | B．bridge | C．approach | D．jolt |
| A．recreation | B．harmony | C．civilization | D．neighborhood |
| A．took over | B．broke into | C．came across | D．went through |
| A．committed | B．relieved | C．refreshed | D．qualified |
| A．opportunities | B．jungles | C．moods | D．hardships |
| A．temporary | B．unpredictable | C．miserable | D．complicated |
| A．accused | B．informed | C．reminded | D．cured |
8 . The streets of Cotonou, Benin’s largest city, have been Domingo Soule’s workplace for 35 years. The 50-year-old motorcycle taxi driver spends his days driving for miles on roads blanketed in exhaust fumes (尾气), picking up customers and taking them to where they want to go. But Soule has developed a cough from breathing in air pollution, he believes, and at the end of each day his eyes hurt.
Things maybe about to change, however. In recent months, he’s seen more and more electric motorbikes on the streets of Cotonou. The Indian manufacturer (制造商) M Auto introduced its electric bikes in Benin in July 2022 and there are already 2,000 on the roads; an additional 2,000 people have paid deposits (定金) and are waiting for delivery.
Shegun Bakari, M Auto’s chief executive, has ambitions to get all moto-taxi drivers in Benin to switch to electric. This month he plans to launch a campaign to encourage them to swap (交换) their old bikes for new electric models.
The only sticking point is the battery. M Auto’s business model relies on “swap stations” throughout the city. When the battery runs out after about 60 miles, drivers must visit a station and pay to exchange the empty battery for a full one. Concerns about the battery are also preventing Soule form buying an electric bike. It could cost him 4,000 CFA ￡(5.40) a day to replace batteries, Soule says, whereas at the moment he can buy five litres of petrol (enough for one day) for 3,000CFA.
Bakari understands his concerns. In Beni, close to 40% of the population live under the poverty line, earning less than US$2 a day. “If I’m living with $2 a day, I can’t afford to pay more just because I want to save the planet,” he says.
He and his team are working to persuade governments in Africa to reduce taxes on electric vehicles, as well as putting plans in place to produce the electric bikes in Benin. They are also in talks with the government to build a solar plant to provide the extra energy that will be needed.
1. What does the author want to show by telling Soule’s story?| A．Air pollution becomes a health issue. |
| B．Road conditions badly need improving. |
| C．Taxi drivers find it hard to make a living. |
| D．Motorbikes area major means of transport. |
| A．Riding old bikes. | B．Building more roads. |
| C．Banning them on road. | D．Moving to electric bikes. |
| A．Short battery life. | B．Battery safety. |
| C．Insufficient charging points. | D．High battery replacement cost. |
| A．Create more job opportunities. | B．Make electric bikes affordable. |
| C．Cutback on fuel supplies. | D．Improve taxi drivers’ welfare. |
9 . One morning a deer rushed into a courtyard where a little boy was playing. The deer hooked the boy’s clothing with its antlers (角). This scared the little boy so much that he let out a loud cry which brought his mother running out to see what was happening. She came out just in time and saw the deer running off towards the mountains with her little boy.
The mother was so afraid! She ran after the deer as fast as she could, and not too far away，she found her son sitting on the grass safely. Seeing his mother, the little boy laughed and reached out his arms to her. His mother held him tight. She was so happy that she cried.
She hurried back with her dear son. When she got home, she was amazed at what she saw. The huge tree behind her house had fallen down while she was out running after the deer. The whole house was destroyed under the tee’s great weight.
Then the mother remembered the day about a year before when a deer, fleeing from a hunter, had run into her house. She felt sorry for the frightened deer, so she covered it with some clothes and let it return to the forest.
The deer seemed to understand that she had saved its life. When leaving, it kept bowing its head to her, as if it were thanking her for her kindness.
She never imagined that the deer could remember her help. It somehow knew the tree was going to fall and kill her and her son, so it came back to save them.
When the mother remembered all this, she said, “Saving the life of another is the same as saving the life of your own.”
1. What happened when the mother ran out of the house?| A．A deer escaped into her house. | B．Her son was carried away by a deer. |
| C．The big tree behind her house fell down. | D．Her son was sitting safely on the ground. |
①The mother saved the deer from the hunter. ②The mother ran after the deer.
③The deer carried the boy away. ④The house was damaged by the fallen tree.
⑤The boy was found sitting on the ground safely.
| A．①④⑤②③ | B．①③②⑤④ | C．②①④⑤③ | D．④①⑤②③ |
| A．She was strong. | B．She was anxious. | C．She was kind. | D．She was smart. |
| A．A Life-saving Story | B．Woman Saving Her Son |
| C．Helping the Deer | D．Saving A Deer, Saving A Dear |
10 . Many children want to have their own pets, but how to be a good pet owner? Besides giving them food and water, what else can we do to give our pets much love?
Provide your pet with the correct diet.
If you prefer to change the previous diet of your pet, do it slowly so that they adjust (适应) properly.
Clean their housing often.
Clean your pet’s home at least once a week and any other times if necessary. Generally, a pet’s home should be clean so it is a good environment for the animal.
Keep your pet clean.
If you have a dog that always plays in the mud, it’s necessary to give it a shower every day!
Train your pet.
Put a collar on your pet with your personal information and the pet’s name. Remember to close the cage door so there is no chance of escaping and being in an unsafe place.
| A．Never hurt or harm your pet. |
| B．Be an owner with a sense of duty. |
| C．No one wants a cat that jumps on the table. |
| D．Animals require different diets based on age. |
| E．Remember that you should check the water first with your hand. |
| F．Water should be fresh, clean and changed daily to keep your pet healthy. |
| G．Without good living conditions, an animal will get sick more, and feel unhappy. |
