1 . Squirrels eavesdrop on (窃听) the chatter of songbirds to work out whether the appearance of a predator (食肉动物) is cause for alarm, researchers have found. Animals including squirrels have previously been found to tune in to cries of alarm from other creatures.
But the latest study suggests animals may also keep an ear out for everyday chitchat among other species as a way to assess whether there is trouble afoot.
Writing in the journal Plos One, researchers reported on how they made their discovery by observing 67 grey squirrels as they pottered about (晃悠) different areas in the residential regions of Oberlin.
After 30 seconds of observing a squirrel, researchers played it a recording of the call of a red-tailed hawk, which lasted a couple of seconds — and their behaviour in the next 30 seconds was monitored. The squirrels were then played a three-minute recording of several different species of songbird chattering on a feeder.
The results revealed that in the 30 seconds after hearing the hawk call the squirrels increased the percentage of their time spent “vigilant” (警惕) compared with before the call, while they also looked up more often to scan the environment. Squirrels that were played bird chatter raised their heads less often during the recording and the number of these “lookups” dropped off faster over time.
“Recognition of bird chatter as a sign of safety is likely adaptive, as squirrels that can safely reduce their vigilance level in the presence of bird chatter probably are able to increase foraging (觅食) success,” the authors wrote.
The team suggested that with levels of humanmade noise increasing, squirrels may find it harder to eavesdrop on birds, meaning they may have to spend more time being alert and less time foraging.
Dr. Jakob BroJorgensen, coauthor of the study from Oberlin College, said: “The study calls attention to how animals can gather information from their environment by using cues that may at first glance seem irrelevant,” he said. “And it makes you wonder how the more and more pervasive (无处不在的) impact of human activities on natural soundscapes may reduce survival of wildlife in ways we haven’t thought of.”
1. What does the new research find about squirrels’ eavesdropping?| A．It lacks scientific evidence. | B．It is more widespread and broader. |
| C．It needs to be further investigated. | D．It is contradictory to previous findings. |
| A．The subject of the experiment. | B．The findings of the experiment. |
| C．The process of the experiment. | D．The purpose of the experiment. |
| A．They can escape from potential risks. |
| B．It helps them to forage food successfully. |
| C．It is safe for them to play with their mates. |
| D．They can adapt to a new environment quickly. |
| A．It’s possible effects. | B．Its appeal to the public. |
| C．Expectations for further study. | D．Scientists with new awareness. |
2 . Low-maintenance (无须费神的) care is one of the biggest advantages of owning a cat. Cats are known for being independent. And unlike dogs, cats don’t require daily walks in order to get their exercise fix.
Exercise is very important when it comes to keeping your cat healthy. Exercise, along with diet, is important for maintaining your cat’s weight.
Exercise is also good for mental health (精神健康).
The exact amount (数量) of recommended exercise differs from cat to cat.
| A．Cats are good at taking care of themselves. |
| B．Exercise helps to kill boredom and lower stress. |
| C．That doesn’t mean cat exercise isn’t important, though. |
| D．Taking your cat outside can inspire her interest in exercise. |
| E．For most adult cats, though, 30 minutes per day is recommended. |
| F．Fat cats may be cute, but being overweight can lead to health problems. |
| G．Playing with your cat every day is one of the best ways to help them exercise. |
3 . When it comes to adopting a dog from a shelter, senior dogs are often overlooked favor of puppies. And while younger animals are often seen as cute, older pets have great charm, too—and they still have a lot of love to give!
In order to help get its elderly residents the attention they deserve, Florida-based Flagler Humane Society came up with a funny idea-dressing the older dogs in senior citizen clothes. The scarf dressed up their senior dogs as if they’re senior citizens for an adorable photoshoot. They worked together with their adoption specialist, who is a photographer, and carried out the great adoption promotion, to find a warm home for the senior dogs.
The final photos showed the adorable residents dressed in hats, wigs, and glasses. One dog, named Bambi, wore a wig, a beautiful scarf, and a purse. “She was so scared when she first came to us. It didn’t take her too long to get used to the staff, and we’d love to get her into a loving home as soon as possible,” said the Flagler Humane Society. “Don’t let her age impede you. Bambi is ready for walks, play, hug, and rolling in the grass wherever you are!” There’s also Kale, who was styled in a hat, glasses, and a baby blue sweater. “This sweet senior boy is looking for a second chance at the life he deserves,” said the shelter. “While he has some limits to his vision, it doesn’t stop him from being right next to his people and asking for all the love and affection he can get!”
All in all, the photoshoot was a success! All but three of the senior dogs have already been adopted.
1. What problem did old dogs in the shelter face?| A．They received little care from people. |
| B．They were ignored by adopters. |
| C．They were afraid of human contact. |
| D．They couldn’t play with other dogs. |
| A．To get senior dogs adopted. |
| B．To advertise for the shelter. |
| C．To catch the residents’ attention. |
| D．To take pictures of old dogs. |
| A．Attract. | B．Stop. | C．Inspire. | D．Impress. |
①Successful. ②Influential. ③Creative. ④Moving.
| A．①④ | B．②④ | C．③④ | D．①③ |
4 . Scientists have discovered a new and renewable source of water on the moon for future explorers in lunar samples from a Chinese mission.
Water was stored in tiny glass beads(珠子) in the lunar dirt where meteorite(陨石) impacts occur. These shiny, multicolored glass beads were in samples returned from the moon by China in 2020. The beads range in size from the width of one hair to several hairs; the water content was just a very small part of that, according to Hui Hejiu of Nanjing University, who took part in the study.
Since there are billions if not trillions of these impact beads, that could amount to substantial amounts of water, but mining it would be tough, according to the team. “Yes, it will require lots and lots of glass beads. There are lots and lots of beads on the moon,” said Hui in an email.
“These beads could continually yield water thanks to the constant bombing by hydrogen in the solar wind. The findings are based on 32 glass beads randomly selected from lunar dirt returned from the Chang’e 5 moon mission. Therefore, more samples will be studied,” said Hui.
These impact beads are everywhere, the result of the cooling of melted material pushed out by incoming space rocks. Water could be got by heating the beads, possibly by future robotic missions. “More studies are needed to determine whether this would be possible, and if so, whether the water would be safe to drink. This shows water can be recharged on the moon surface… a new water reservoir on the moon.” said Hui.
Previous studies found water in glass beads formed by lunar volcanic activities, based on samples returned by the American Apollo moonwalkers more than a half-century ago. These, too, could provide water not only for use by future crews, but for rocket fuel.
1. What can we learn about the glass beads from paragraph 2?| A．They are mainly made up of water. |
| B．They are all shiny and of the same color. |
| C．They are found in lunar samples from a Chinese mission. |
| D．They are of different sizes from one millimeter to several meters. |
| A．Because the beads are too small to see. |
| B．Because the beads are too hard to break. |
| C．Because the temperature of the beads is too high. |
| D．Because the water content in each bead is very small. |
| A．Different factors may lead to the formation of water in the glass beads. |
| B．More studies are needed to know the amount of water found on moon. |
| C．The study on the water found on moon has lasted 50 years in China. |
| D．Water found on the moon can be used to drink and build rockets. |
| A．Glass Beads Will Be Used To Store Water. |
| B．Water Has Been Found In Lunar Glass Beads. |
| C．Scientists Did Research On Water On The Moon. |
| D．China Successfully Took Samples From The Moon. |
5 . A huge section of the Milne Ice Shelf, located on Ellesmere Island in the northern Canada, collapsed into the Arctic Ocean, according to the Canadian Ice Service. This created an “ice island” which is about 30 square miles in size. As a comparison, Manhattan Island is about 23 square miles.
“Entire cities are that size. These are big pieces of ice,” Luke Copland, a glaciologist at the University of Ottawa who was part of the research team studying the ice shelf, told Reuters. “This was the largest remaining intact (完整的) ice shelf, and it’s collapsed, basically. ”
The Canadian Ice Service said on Twitter that “above-normal air temperatures, offshore winds and open water in front of the ice shelf are all part of the recipe for the ice shelf to break up.” A huge section of the Milne Ice Shelf has collapsed into the Arctic Ocean, producing a 30-square-mile ice island.
The ice shelf has now been reduced in area by about 43%. An ice shelf is a thick slab of ice, attached to a coastline and extending out over the ocean, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center. “Some shelves have existed for thousands of years,” the center said.
So what’s going on up there? Though the planet is warming worldwide due to climate change, the Arctic has been warming at a rate twice that of the rest of the world. This summer has been particularly warm: Arctic sea ice melted to its lowest July level on record and in June, a town in Siberia soared (急升) to 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, believed to be a record high for the Arctic.
“When I first visited those ice caps, they seemed like such a permanent fixture of the landscape,” Mark Serreze, director of the NSIDC and geographer at the University of Colorado, Boulder, said in a statement. “To watch them die in less than 40 years just blows me away.”
1. Why does the author mention Manhattan Island in Paragraph 1?| A．To stress that Manhattan Island is vital for Canada. |
| B．To introduce where Manhattan Island locates. |
| C．To say the great collapse is terrible. |
| D．To compare two different places. |
| A．Its location. |
| B．Its huge body. |
| C．Special intact form. |
| D．Higher air temperatures. |
| A．Arctic sea ice melted to its lowest in June. |
| B．Climate change brings about great changes. |
| C．The earth is warming because of the loss of ice shelf. |
| D．The Arctic warms more slowly than the rest of the world. |
| A．Shocked. | B．Humorous. |
| C．Scientific. | D．Neutral. |
6 . In March 2020, a group of 16 strong elephants became international stars because of their starting long northern journey from Xishuangbanna in Yunnan Province.
The group did not harm any people or animals during their long march, but caused chaos on farms. In December, a baby elephant was born.
The wild group was seen on CCTV walking down the streets of the city at night, and they were also filmed constantly by more than a dozen drones (无人机) — which, the Chinese government said, were helping to minimize damage and keep the animalsand people out of danger.
The group had a sudden attack on farms for food and water and even showed upat a care home, where they reached out their trunks into some of the rooms, makingone elderly man hide under his bed. Meanwhile, reports said the damage caused tocrops totaled more than £700,000.
In April 2021, seventeen animals were originally in the group, but the government said two returned home during the walk.There were many guesses about the reasons for the migration (迁徙) of the elephants. Some people thought the elephants appeared to be especially attracted to com, fruit and other crops. Others supposed that the elephants’ leader might simply be lost in the rich tropical region, which is home to about 300 other Asian elephants. But, in fact, there was no exact scientific explanation.
In order not to do any harm to the species, farmers and others were told to exercise maximum control when they met with them, while the government had ordered people to stay inside and not use firecrackers or other techniques to frighten them away. Less force was being used to keep them out of the city, like parking cars and some equipment to block roads and using food drops to attract them away.
More than 410 emergency response police, lots of vehicles and 14 drones had been used to monitor the group. Locals were evacuated (疏散); short-time traffic control measures were carried out, and two tons of elephant food was put in place. Finally, this group of migrating elephants returned to their wild living areas safely under the protection of everyone.
1. What can we know about the elephants on the move?| A．They attacked an elderly man. |
| B．One of them gave birth to a baby elephant |
| C．They damaged a care home. |
| D．They harmed the animals on farms. |
| A．approval. | B．Unsure | C．Boring. | D．Worrying. |
| A．They scared them by techniques. | B．They trahsported them by vehicles. |
| C．They guided them in a friendly way. | D．They made loud noise with firecrackers. |
| A．The elephants caused a lot of damage. |
| B．The elephants enjoyed a high level of protection. |
| C．The government felt powerless to stop the elephants. |
| D．The government successfully sent the elephants to the zoo. |
7 . About 40% of all food grown in the world goes uneaten each year, according to a World Wildlife Fund report from last year. And when food ends up in landfills, it produces huge amounts of greenhouse gases. So it’s no surprise that the app Too Good to Go designed to be opposed to this problem—by giving consumers the opportunity to purchase leftover, out-of-date or ugly food at discount prices—has become increasingly popular in recent years.
Users of the Too Good to Go app can search for local restaurants, bakeries and grocery stores—and purchase surprise bags filled with whatever food is left over at the end of the day. The bags range in price from about $3 to $5, but they’re stocked with food about three times that value. So customers are also getting a steep discount.
Too Good to Go first launched in Europe in 2015 and opened in the US in October 2020.Today it’s available in cities including Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle and Philadelphia. And the app saves 300,000 meals a day from ending up in landfills around the world.
Besides saving meals from ending up in the trash, Too Good to Go’s primary aim is to increase awareness of food waste, eventually encouraging consumers to effect policy change in their local communities.
“The whole food chain is wasting food. So we need to help,” said Lucie Basch, co-founder of the app Too Good to Go.” But for us, starting with the consumers and raising awareness with a super simple app that anyone can download and start using today was really the opportunity to make a difference for us.”
1. What is the purpose of designing the app Too Good to Go?| A．To fight against food waste. | B．To recycle the leftover food. |
| C．To reduce air pollution. | D．To deal with world hunger. |
| A．enveloped | B．housed | C．filled | D．coated |
| A．It still has a long way to go |
| B．It can change the existing food chain. |
| C．It should work together with more grocery stores. |
| D．It can help improve related policies of communities. |
| A．The Main Cause of Food Waste | B．The Solution for Greenhouse Gases |
| C．A New App Helps People Reduce Waste | D．A Consumption Concept Becomes Popular |
8 . In order to meet growing food production and energy needs in low-and middle-income countries, solar-powered groundwater irrigation (灌溉) is rapidly gaining ground. More than 500,000 solar pumps (泵) have been set up in south Asia over the last few years and a major expansion is planned across sub-Saharan Africa.
Dustin Garrick, professor in the School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, along with an international team, examined the trend toward solar pumps as a clear opportunity for boosting agricultural yields and reducing poverty, but the opportunity comes with risks.
While replacing electric or gas pumps with solar-powered irrigation holds the promise of reducing carbon emissions (排放), it is not guaranteed. Farmers who have access to these pumps may expand production of crops or diversify into other activities, which are not emissions neutral. Solar pumps will increase groundwater pumping efficiency, which may be desirable in regions that support such increases, but this could worsen groundwater lessening in regions that are already stressed. The cheap clean energy of solar pumps may lead to increased groundwater development, without necessarily decreasing overall emissions.
Despite these challenges, the clean-energy boost can serve as a stimulus for positive change in water and energy management but will require enhanced regulation and planning in both low-and high-income settings. Garrick and his team advocate for improved data collection initiatives, with a shift from separated to integrated approaches. They suggest using technology to measure water pumping and collecting remotely sensed data to monitor land use changes. As well, regulatory improvements are crucial, with mounting limits for carbon emissions and groundwater lessening established at various levels.
With groundwater management already a difficult challenge, we must act fast to understand the implications of the clean energy boost and poverty reduction acts to avoid these gains being won away by wells running dry. The rapid adoption of solar irrigation intensifies the urgency, demanding adaptation from governments and institutions to sail through these complexities.
1. According to paragraph 3, there is a conflict between ________.| A．poor farmers and solar-powered irrigation | B．human consumption and clean energy limits |
| C．crop diversity and crop production expansion | D．pumping efficiency and groundwater exhaustion |
| A．Integrating data collection and regulation. | B．Improving carbon emission monitoring. |
| C．Separating data for land use changes. | D．Establishing groundwater levels. |
| A．Perform as the authorities suggest. | B．Act based on further understanding. |
| C．Quicken the adoption of solar irrigation. | D．Challenge the groundwater management. |
| A．The Complexities of Adopting Solar Pumps |
| B．Solar-Powered Irrigation: Farmers’ New Future |
| C．The Promise and Risks of Solar-Powered Irrigation |
| D．Balancing Clean Energy Boost and Poverty Reduction |
9 . To improve road safety and raise awareness among Russia’s notoriously (臭名昭著地) careless drivers, Russian police have tried to get drivers to slow down at zebra (斑马) crossings by having painted horses as zebras walk across on the busiest streets in some of the big cities.
The light grey horses, painted with black stripes (条纹), carried signs on their backs reading: “Careful, children are on their way to school.” The police sent the “zebras” to several different locations in the Russian capital, where officials in orange vests walked them over zebra crossings and handed out leaflets (传单) to passing drivers.
Some held up rainbow-coloured umbrellas over the painted animals to protect them from the rain. Russian roads are notoriously dangerous and drivers still rarely take steps to avoid pedestrians (行人). Nearly half of all traffic accidents in the country’s big cities are caused by cars hitting pedestrians, and a third of those occur on crossings, according to traffic police figures published last month.
In the first six months of this year, 378 people were killed and more than 6, 600 injured on pedestrian crossings in Russia, according to police. In Moscow alone, 43 people were killed, including two children.
Though police officials said that only safe paint would be used on the animals, animal rights activists still disagreed with the idea, accusing the police of “treating animals like garbage”.
“Children understand that paints are bad for animals,” the Interfax news agency quoted (引用) president of Vita animal rights group Irina Novozhilova as saying.
Let’s hope this part of the campaign is over and animals are left out of future attempts to raise pedestrians’ awareness.
1. Why do Moscow police have “zebras” walk across on the busiest streets?| A．To make a call on protecting animals. |
| B．To raise drivers’ awareness of road safety. |
| C．To tell people it is dangerous to cross streets. |
| D．To remind people zebras are in danger of extinction. |
| A．the driving skills of Russian drivers are bad. |
| B．Russian drivers often ignore traffic lights. |
| C．Russian drivers seldom give way to pedestrians |
| D．most Russian drivers have realized the seriousness of the problem. |
| A．Drivers must slow down at pedestrian crossings. |
| B．Road safety should be improved. |
| C．The paints used on the horses are safe. |
| D．These animals are ill-treated by the police. |
| A．Critical. | B．Confident. | C．Doubtful. | D．Positive. |
10 . For generations, Nafisa Bayniyazova and her family have made a living growing melons, pumpkins and tomatoes on farms around the Aral Sea. Bayniyazova, 50, has spent most of her life near Muynak, in northwestern Uzbekistan, tending the land. Farm life was sometimes difficult but generally reliable and productive.
Now, Bayniyazova and other residents say they’re facing a disaster they can’t beat: climate change, which is speeding up the decades-long disappearance of the Aral, once the lifeblood for the thousands living around it.
Decades ago, deep blue and filled with fish, the Aral was one of the world’s largest inland bodies of water. Thousands of migrants from across Asia and Europe moved to the Aral’s shores for jobs popping up everywhere from canning factories to luxury vacation resorts. Today, the few remaining towns sit quiet along the former seabed of the Aral—technically classified as a lake, due to its lack of a direct outlet to the ocean, though residents and officials call it a sea.
Much of its early disappearance is due to human engineering and agricultural projects gone wrong, now paired with climate change. Summers are hotter and longer; winters, shorter and bitterly cold.
Without the moderating influence of a large body of water to regulate the climate, dust storms began to blow through towns. Strong winds caused dunes (沙丘) to swallow entire towns, and abandoned buildings were filled with sand. A dozen fish species went extinct, and businesses closed down. “The fish factories closed, the ships were stuck in the harbor, and the workers all left,” said Madi Zhasekenov, former director of the Aral Sea Fisherman Museum in Aralsk, Kazakhstan. “It became only us locals.”
On her Uzbekistan farm, Bayniyazova’s family has dug an earthen well, hoping to hold on to the precious little water that’s left. “If there is no water, it will be very difficult for people to live,” Bayniyazova said. “Now people are barely surviving.” She doesn’t plan to leave her farm but yet knows more hardships are likely ahead.
1. How is paragraph 3 developed?| A．By reasoning. | B．By making comparison. |
| C．By experimenting. | D．By analyzing data. |
| A．The number of fish in the Aral Sea is increasing. |
| B．Madi Zhasekenov feels hopeful about his future. |
| C．Local people around the Aral have lost their livelihoods. |
| D．Madi Zhasekenov has adapted to the changing climate. |
| A．Ashamed. | B．Worried. | C．Relieved. | D．Embarrassed. |
| A．The Importance of the Aral Sea |
| B．How to Deal With the Aral Sea Disaster |
| C．We Will Face the Challenge of Adapting to Climate Change |
| D．Climate Change Is Quickening the Disappearance of the Aral Sea |
