Chinese rescue teams helped save at least six people, among whom
The Zhejiang Rescue Team of Ramunion said that its members worked with Turkish soldiers and local rescuers
In Antakya in the country’s south, the Chinese official rescue team, together with local rescuers, carried a pregnant woman out of the
Chinese rescuers and experts participated in the entire rescue,
Seven rescuers from the Zhejiang Rescue Team of Ramunion, a non-governmental organization (NGO) from Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, arrived in Turkiye on Feb. 8, 2023.
They immediately headed to Iskenderun after teaming up with a nine-member local logistics (后勤) support team. The Ramunion workers threw
A. These homes can easily collapse during earthquakes or slip and slide downhill in landslides, especially after heavy rain.
B. On the top of that, there is the added aspect of global warming. This has mainly been caused by the huge amount of carbon dioxide produced by factories and vehicles.
C. The reason why nature is beginning to turn on us is that overpopulation. The population of the world is growing at the rate of 10,000 people an hour, nearly 90 million a year.
D. The destruction of the world’s forests plays a part, too. As a result, a hotter ocean causes stronger winds. Atlantic hurricanes are 40% stronger now than they were 30 years ago.
E. Most of the growth is in the developing world. Poor people in agricultural areas often move to the cities. They build homes from whatever materials they can find.
3 . Unlike well-trained dogs that are able to distinguish (辨别) between common orders like “sit” and “stay”, some “Gifted Word Learner” dogs can associate objects with words.
One year ago, Shany Dror and her colleagues at Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary discovered that some dogs have an obviously excellent natural ability to acquire object names. To study this further — how many words they can learn in a certain period of time and whether they can still remember the words after an extended period — they looked for more “Gifted Word Learner” dogs online and, in the end, they found six qualified dogs.
The researchers sent each dog’s owner six new toys. Owners then had six days to teach their dogs the names of the toys with their usual methods. These generally involved playing with the dog and each toy, often for just half an hour a day. At the end of the six-day learning period, the research team used online video conferencing to test the dogs’ abilities to pick out each toy by name from a number of old and new toys. Each owner sat with their dog in one room and told them to fetch a given toy from a second room. All the dogs successfully brought back at least five of the six new toys. The team then sent another 12 new toys and repeated the process. All the dogs successfully brought back at least 11 of the toys.
Afterwards, half the new toys were stored for one month, and the other half for two months, and the dogs were tested again after each storage period. Five of the dogs remembered all the toy names after one month, and four dogs remembered all or almost all of them after two months.
Dror says these dogs which are raised in the home like human children, provide an excellent animal model (模式) for studying the way humans acquire language. An animal model offers a basis of comparison for understanding which language-learning skills are specific to humans, and which aren’t. “We want to understand what makes humans different,” says Dror.
1. What is the research mainly about?| A．Dogs’ daily behaviors. |
| B．Dog training methods. |
| C．Dog-human relationship. |
| D．Dogs’ learning ability. |
| A．Their talent for learning object names. |
| B．Their ability to recognize human voice. |
| C．Their tendency to follow human orders. |
| D．Their intelligence to interact with human. |
| A．video games |
| B．continuous training |
| C．counting toys |
| D．playing outdoors |
4 . The Amur leopard is a critically endangered species, with an estimated population of fewer than 100 individuals. The leopards, characterized by their beautiful golden coat with large dark rosettes, are native to the forests of the Russian Far East and northeastern China. They are often considered the rarest big cats in the world, and their numbers have been declining rapidly due to the habitat loss, poaching(偷猎), and the changing climate.
Habitat loss is one of the primary threats facing the Amur leopard. As logging and agricultural activities continue to expand in the region, the leopards are losing their once vast and undeveloped forests. The loss of habitat results in a decrease in prey populations, making it increasingly difficult for the leopards to find enough food. In addition to the habitat loss, poaching poses a significant threat to the survival of the species. Amur leopards are often hunted for their unique and attractive fur, which can fetch high prices on the black market.
Climate change is also impacting the Amur leopard population. As temperatures rise, the forests they rely on are undergoing changes, forcing the leopards to adapt to new conditions. This puts additional stress on an already struggling population.
Conservation efforts are underway to try and save the Amur leopards from extinction. Government established the Land of the Leopard National Park, which covers a significant portion of the leopard’s habitat. This protected area is essential in ensuring the survival of the species. Additionally, organizations like WWF are working to curb(遏制) poaching and promote sustainable forestry practices in the region.
Despite these efforts, the future of the Amur leopard remains uncertain. It is crucial that we continue to work towards the preservation of this magnificent creature, or we risk losing it forever.
1. What can we learn about the Amur leopard from the first paragraph?| A．It is as big as a cat. | B．It is at risk of extinction. |
| C．It can only be found in China. | D．It is known for its strange appearance. |
| A．To make money. | B．To seek pleasure. |
| C．To protect the forests. | D．To save other animals. |
| A．The Amur leopard’s migration to new habitats. |
| B．Easier ways for Amur leopards to find food. |
| C．Extra stress on the Amur leopard population. |
| D．Deadly destruction of the Amur leopard’s habitats. |
| A．A reserve for different endangered animals. |
| B．A habitat repairing project for Amur leopards. |
| C．A government-protected area for Amur leopards. |
| D．A theme park for visitors to observe Amur leopards. |
Suzhou, in East China’s Jiangsu Province, is a culture city with a history of more than 2,500 years. There are sixty-nine well-preserved classical Chinese gardens in the city, nine of which
During the Tang and Song Dynasties, Suzhou became
Classical Gardens of Suzhou are a combination of houses and gardens, which are designed
In overall arrangement and tiny details, classical Gardens of Suzhou reflect
Many places in northern China including Beijing
The National Meteorological Center renewed a yellow alert on Friday morning for high temperatures. It has a three-tier, color-coded warning system for such high temperatures, with red being
According to
The observatory watchdog in Tianjin upgraded
Meteorological authorities in the places hit by heatwaves advised
“We have suspended the work for two days at most of our construction sites,
7 . Scientists Kirsty Graham and Catherine Hobaiter have spent hundreds of hours interpreting the gestures of humans’ closest relatives. In a recently published paper, Graham and Hobaiter provide convincing evidence that humans can make a good guess of the meanings of great ape (猿) gestures.
In the study, 17,000 participants were shown 20 short videos of apes making gestures and asked to decide which of four possible answers described each gesture’s meaning. If people had no idea what the apes were doing, they would be right 25 percent of the time by chance. But when watching videos of wild apes raising an arm or striking various poses, they understood the animals’ language far more often than would be expected by chance. The average score was slightly above 50 percent, a statistically strong result, given the study’s size. The finding suggests that humans still have some grasp of this ancestral vocabulary.
Why humans may understand the ape gestures remains to be discovered. One possibility is that all great apes, including humans, inherit (继承) a common set of gestures. Another is that humans and other great apes share the ability to use body movements as communication tools. A third explanation is that the similarity in body shape among humans and other great apes, combined with humans’ cognitive (认知的) abilities, makes it easy for people to infer meaning from ape movements.
The study itself still has its own value as a teaching tool. Engaging so many people with this research has benefits beyond science. It makes us understand that we are so close to our closest relatives. It’s a win for conservation. It’s a win for showing how important it is to keep these guys in our minds, to protect them and to save them.
1. How did the researches tell whether participants can interpret the ape gestures?| A．By interviewing them. | B．By analysing their accuracy rate. |
| C．By comparing their vocabularies. | D．By observing their guessing process. |
| A．Their living habits are similar |
| B．Their body structures are the same. |
| C．They can communicate with body language. |
| D．They both have high level of cognitive abilities. |
| A．It boosts the popularity of the great apes. | B．It encourages people to get close to nature. |
| C．It promotes the protection of the great apes. | D．It teaches people to use ape gestures as a tool |
| A．Humans Need to Protect the Great Apes. |
| B．Humans Need to Understand the Great Apes. |
| C．Humans Can Use the Ape Gestures to Communicate. |
| D．Humans Can Comprehend the Meaning of the Ape Gestures. |
8 . Unlike other natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes are very hard to see coming, even for scientists.
Drop, cover and hold
If you feel the ground start to shake, drop, take cover under as table piece of furniture, and hold on. You can hide under something like a desk or table, with one arm holding on to a leg of the table and your other arm protecting your neck and head.
Make a family plan
Secure your furniture
Those hanging shelves above your bed could be a danger during an earthquake. People often get injured from “flying or falling objects” like furniture or glass during earthquakes. So examine your home and ask yourself, “What could be a potential danger to my safety?”
Make digital copies of important documents
Important documents may get destroyed during earthquakes. Therefore, scan or take photos of your important documents, such as your license, financial records and insurance policy information.
| A．Then send them to your e-mail. |
| B．These are all important personal documents. |
| C．Make sure your household has a plan of action. |
| D．Whatever you do, do not stand in a doorframe. |
| E．If you find the answer, you need to runaway immediately. |
| F．Nowadays early detection systems can only give seconds of warming ahead. |
| G．If possible, remove those heavy and big objects above your bed immediately. |
9 . In September, a tragedy happened on the west coast of Tasmania, Australia. As many as 470 pilot whales became stranded (搁浅的) in shallow water there and later died. This might have been Australia’s largest stranding event on record, the BBC reported.
But mass whale stranding is not uncommon. For centuries, it has happened all over the world and has puzzled scientists. Scientists say the cause is often unknown. But they have offered many different explanations.
Some say the whales chase small fish for food and end up in shallow water because they are not paying attention to where they are going.
Others think the stranding has something to do with Earth’s geomagnetic field. They say that a geomagnetic compass in whales’ brains controls their position. Unusual changes in Earth’s magnetic field can affect whales’ compasses and send them in the wrong direction.
Another explanation suggests that mass stranding is caused by the close relationships that whales have. Pilot whales travel in large groups. One lead whale might mistakenly lead the whole group to shallow water. “And if one gets into trouble, the others will not leave,” said Sheryl Gibney, a leading biologist from New Zealand. “Some will come and try to help. They get trapped on the beach, and then more will come.”
The whales are trapped by mistake or out of sympathy. Once they get stranded, they will likely die. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the US, less than 10 percent of all stranded whales survive.
1. What do we know about the stranding?| A．It happened on the east coast of Australia. |
| B．It is the world’s first stranding event on record. |
| C．It caused the death of over 400 pilot whales. |
| D．It broke a world record. |
| A．Run after. | B．Give up. | C．Help with. | D．Compete against. |
| A．They will change their direction. |
| B．They will stay and try to help it. |
| C．They will push it near the beach. |
| D．They will travel with another group. |
10 . A new study warns that about thirty percent of the world’s people may not have enough water by the year 2025. A private American organization called Population Action International did the new study. It says more than 335 million people lack enough water now. The people live in 28 countries. Most of the countries are in Africa or the Middle East.
PAI researcher Robert Engelman says by the year 2025, about 3000 million people may lack water. At least 18 more countries are expected to have severe (严重的) water problems. The demand for water keeps increasing. Yet the amount of water on Earth stays the same.
Mr. Engelman says the population in countries that lack water is growing faster than in other parts of the world. He says population growth in these countries will continue to increase.
The report says lack of water in the future may result in several problems. It may increase health problems. Lack of water often means drinking waters not safe. Mr. Engelman says there are problems all over the world because of diseases, such as cholera (霍乱), which are carried in water. Lack of water may also result in more international conflict. Countries may have to compete for water in the future. Some countries now import sixty percent of their fresh water from other countries. This is true of Egypt, the Netherlands, Cambodia, Syria, Sudan, and Iraq. And the report says lack of water would affect the ability of developing to improve their economies. This is because new industries often need a large amount of water when they are beginning. The Population Action International study gives several solutions to the water problem. One way, it says, is to find ways to use water for more than one purpose. Another way is to teach people to be careful not to waste water. A third way is to use less water for agriculture.
1. According to the author’s opinion, the first serious problem caused by lack of water is ________.| A．health problem | B．war |
| C．economy | D．industry |
| A．An Englishman | B．An American | C．A Japanese | D．An Australian |
| A．Egypt | B．America | C．Japan | D．Russia |
| A．To control population growth. |
| B．To teach people not to waste water. |
| C．To find ways to use water for only one purpose. |
| D．To use less water of agriculture. |
| A．How to get more water in the future. |
| B．Problems caused by water. |
| C．World water shortage. |
| D．A new study on water. |
