1 . I started considering the power of dogs during one of my daily walks around my neighborhood. Almost invariably, I’ll run into at least one person walking his dog. It’s a joyous moment to approach the dog and pet it. I always walk away from these exchanges feeling just a bit more relaxed and happy. And that got me wondering: Could these short interactions with other people’s dogs actually be good for me?
“Absolutely. I think it is safe to say that animals are beneficial to our mental and physical health,” says Nancy Gee, a professor of psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University. Gee says there’s some evidence that the act of actually touching a dog might be an important part of the calming effect. For instance, one study done in Canada found college students reported less stress and reduced feelings of homesickness after brief interactions with dogs, and that the effect was much bigger in those who actually got to pet the animals.
Now, the therapy (治疗) dogs used in research are screened for things like friendliness, good behavior and responsiveness to their handler’s cues (提示). And of course, not everyone is a dog person. “Pets are not a panacea (灵丹妙药),” Gee says. “They’re not necessarily going to be great for every single person. But for people who really connect with the animals, they can make a big difference.”
Research on the health benefits of human interactions with animals, especially with dogs, has exploded in recent years, thanks to the support of the National Institutes of Health and the Waltham PetCare Science Institute. Though the field is still young, Gee says the quality of the evidence is improving all the time, including more randomized controlled trials looking at short interactions. “We’re seeing really nice effects,” she says. “We actually saw those effects one month later. And there’s some evidence that they may exist six months later.”
1. Why does the author mention his interactions with dogs?| A．To praise his neighbor. | B．To erase people’s doubts. |
| C．To introduce the topic. | D．To voice his views on life. |
| A．They disliked raising pets. | B．They enjoyed much respect. |
| C．They were very academic. | D．They became less homesick. |
| A．It has seen sound development. | B．It cuts the cost of saving animals. |
| C．It ensures humans a bright future. | D．It makes some medicine affordable. |
| A．Walking Improves the Quality of Life | B．Petting Dogs Can Boost Your Health |
| C．Animals Might Lift Patients’ Spirits | D．Happiness Lies in Helping Others |
2 . If you’re eager to find a new place to explore, the following science museums and exhibitions will have you covered.
Robot & AI Museum
Seoul, South Korea
This museum is devoted to furthering public knowledge of robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. The museum that houses the robots has a unique design. The circular (圆形的) building looks like a massive spaceship, and each of its four floors provides a variety of science displays and educational programs for visitors.
Grand Egyptian Museum
Cairo, Egypt
2022 marked the 100th anniversary of the discovery of King Tut’s tomb. Now, thousands of artifacts from the tomb will go on display in the museum. Occupying an area of 120 acres, the Grand Egyptian Museum is the largest archaeological (考古的) museum in the world.
Franklin Institute Science Museum
Philadelphia, America
To design this new two-story gallery devoted to the future of space exploration, exhibit planners met with local students to find out what they wanted to learn. The result is an experience that will showcase the current and future technologies needed to live and work in space.
American Museum of Natural History
New York City, America
This multistory building will add tons of new exhibit space to the over-150-year-old museum. Visitors can explore one of the world’s largest displays of live leaf-cutting ants and come face to face with dozens of butterfly species. Meanwhile, the interconnectedness of life will be on display in the 360-degree “Invisible Worlds” exhibition.
1. What can you do in Robot & AI Museum?| A．Have an interview with astronauts. | B．Enjoy collections of paintings. |
| C．Learn the history of a king’s tomb. | D．See a spaceship-like building. |
| A．It aims to make a circular building. | B．It is based on local students’ needs. |
| C．It features a 360-degree experience. | D．It is a mixture of the ancient and modern. |
| A．Robot & AI Museum. | B．Grand Egyptian Museum. |
| C．American Museum of Natural History. | D．Franklin Institute Science Museum. |
1. 展览内容：
2. 展览反响;
3. 你的期望。
注意：1. 写作词数应为80个左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Dear Peter,
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
More than a century ago, large numbers of Hainan people spread across Southeast Asia,
As time went by, Hainanese chicken rice gradually became a popular dish in Southeast Asian
Hainanese chicken rice
Wong has been constantly improving the recipe. “If the guests are not
Over the past years, Wong has tried local Hainanese chicken rice whenever he visits a new place, such as Shanghai, Hong Kong and cities in Thailand. He wants
5 . The Open Book, a bookstore, is the idea of American writer Jessica Fox, a former NASA employee who packed in her Californian lifestyle at the age of 24 after dreaming of another life in Wigtown—Scotland’s National Book Town. Fox fell in love with Wigtown and its bookshops. She never looked back.
“It’s not just me. I think the people who come to the Open Book have a very similar reaction to Wigtown,” said Fox, now in her 30s. “It’s a magical place, which has all the things you could hope for on a trip to Scotland.”
The idea for the Open Book was sparked (触发) by Fox’s love for Wigtown, which hosts the popular Wigtown Book Festival each September. “I’d never been to Scotland. I’d only seen it in films,” recalled Fox. “I went from a heavily populated place with a car, and stuck in traffic a lot, to a place with hardly any people, amazing scenery, and no car. I absolutely loved it.”
The community of Wigtown welcomed her as one of their own when Fox settled in the town. She realized she was living the fantasy that had formerly played in her head. “I thought I couldn’t be the only crazy American who dreams of working in a bookshop by the sea in Scotland. There has to be more of us,” she laughed.
While Fox was considering this idea, one of Wigtown’s bookstores announced it was closing shop. . It seemed serendipitous (偶然的). “Finn MeCreath, who is on the Board of the Festival, and I decided to take it over and try out my idea of having a bookshop holiday,” she said. Five years later, the Open Book is a runaway success. It’s booked up online until years ahead, and there’s an extensive waiting list.
1. What do the underlined words “packed in” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Gave up. | B．Ran across. | C．Wondered at. | D．Prepared for. |
| A．The high-paying job. | B．The film industry. |
| C．The large population. | D．The book festival. |
| A．Boring. | B．Peaceful. | C．Busy. | D．Stressful. |
| A．It upsets customers. | B．It partners with a school. |
| C．It is well received. | D．It can be easily accessible. |
6 . Exploring Jaipur’s Art and Design Scenes
City Palace
Still home to the royal family of Jaipur, this 300-year-old palace has lost none of its grandeur (壮观). The complex of courtyards, gardens and buildings is a mixture of Rajasthani and Mughal architecture. Among other things, the thoughtfully decorated museum houses an extensive textile (纺织品) collection, featuring rich fabrics as well as a carpet dating back over 400 years.
Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing
Situated in a restored old house, the Anokhi Museum is the perfect introduction to Jaipur’s textile industry. Information boards are excellently written, and the clothing on display is impressive. Don’t miss the on-site shop. Combine a visit with a trip to the UNESCO-listed Amber Fort, a remarkable walled castle that rises above the city and is only a five-minute ride from the museum.
Block Printing Project
Feel creative? A workshop is a great way to get a feel for the printing process. You’ll work alongside local craftsmen (工作), choosing your own blocks and colours. There are scores of companies providing the experience, but consider one of the sessions offered by the Wabisabi Project, which include a field trip and black tea to keep that creative energy flowing.
Jawahar Kala Kendra Centre
Just outside the Old City, Jaipur’s most important cultural centre was built to preserve Rajasthan’s rich heritage and master craftsmanship. Showing a wide range of both traditional and contemporary art, the space houses six galleries, as well as a museum, a library and an open-air theatre with programmes from plays to Indian folk dance. It also hosts its own theatre festival.
1. What can visitors enjoy at City Palace?| A．An age-old carpet. | B．An open-air theatre. |
| C．A local gallery. | D．A walled castle. |
| A．Indian folk dance. | B．Hands-on experience. |
| C．The UNESCO-listed site. | D．The royal family of Jaipur. |
| A．City Palace. | B．Block Printing Workshop. |
| C．Jawahar Kala Kendra Centre. | D．Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing. |
Jackson’s parents died, and his neighbor Mrs Herring adopted him. The Herrings was a large, happy family.
One day, Jackson had a big argument with Mrs Herring and he packed up and left the Herrings’ house in anger. With no place to go, Jackson spent the night on the street. The next morning. Jackson was standing outside the Herrings’ home, regretting what he had done the previous night. However, he was still hesitant to enter until he heard a voice behind him say. “Where were you last night?We all were worried about you.”
After they entered the house, Mr Herring told Jackson Mrs Herring suffered a heart attack and was rushed to hospital the night after Jackson left.
Jackson felt terrible about what he had done. But he felt worse when Mr Herring told him how much Mrs Herring loved him.
“She had helped your mother during her delivery, and she was there for you when you were a baby!After you live with us, she always tries her best to make you feel at home. She really hopes you can call her Mom.”
“I was really horrible, wasn’t I?” asked Jackson. “I need to apologize to Mrs Herring. She’s done a lot for me.”
“Well, then, I have an idea,” Mr Herring said.
A few days after this, Mrs Herring returned home from the hospital to find her house decorated with balloons. And there were also flowers on the living room table, where a beautiful cake awaited her. “Happy birthday, honey, and welcome back home,” Mr Herring, said as he led her inside. On her 60th birthday, all the family members wished Mrs Herring, but her sad eyes were searching for Jackson everywhere.
“He isn’t here?” she asked sadly. “I’m sorry, honey,” said Mr Herring. “How about putting everything aside and just cutting the cake?” Mrs Herring sighed. She sat at the table and was about to blow out the candles when the doorbell rang.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150个左右;2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
On the doorstep stood Jackson with a huge bouquet (花束) of red roses in his hands.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Then Mrs Herring asked Jackson to blow out the candles together.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________8 . I’m not what you call a “good traveller”. Without curiosity to
South Africa was the
I
The train cars are suites (套房) with floor-to-ceiling
But the most memorable aspect was the people I met. Meeting their families and dropping myself into their culture was
Seeing the world has helped me
| A．study | B．read | C．care | D．explore |
| A．surprise | B．abandon | C．commit | D．content |
| A．hardest | B．simplest | C．biggest | D．smallest |
| A．feared | B．desired | C．agreed | D．refused |
| A．got | B．missed | C．made | D．discovered |
| A．threw | B．laughed | C．stared | D．stayed |
| A．views | B．photos | C．decorations | D．windows |
| A．absolutely | B．amazingly | C．ridiculously | D．seriously |
| A．keeping out | B．looking after | C．hearing about | D．putting aside |
| A．warn | B．value | C．danger | D．reservation |
| A．rare | B．urgent | C．stressful | D．wonderful |
| A．shy | B．brave | C．curious | D．healthy |
| A．small | B．positive | C．different | D．difficult |
| A．change | B．test | C．expose | D．collect |
| A．working | B．sharing | C．traveling | D．struggling |
9 . What Your Dog Is Really Thinking
Reading a pup’s body language requires experience and expert guidance. Zazie Todd, a dog trainer and founder of the blog Companion Animal Psychology, considers how to figure out the dogs’ behaviour.
If your dog licks their mouth
They’re stressed. Recently, two European studies have highlighted the meaning of this licking. One found that it was a dogs’ response to seeing an angry or aggressive human face on a computer screen.
If there are fireworks and your dog is shaking
The noises are frightening.
They’re anxious. Obvious signs of an unhappy dog include hiding or trying to leave the exam room, but commonly missed signs range from a tucked tail and lowered ears to trembling. If your dog gets stressed at appointments, ask what can be done. Many vets now use food to make the experience more fun.
If your dog leans into you during a petting session.
| A．They hate it |
| B．They like it |
| C．This is a common reaction |
| D．If you’re at the vet and your dog’s tail is down |
| E．If your dog looks guilty when you walk in the door and see a mess |
| F．Preferred spots on their bodies are to either side of the chest and under the chin |
| G．The other determined that dogs lick their mouths—and also look away—in response to a mild threat |
10 . While there’s nothing quite like watching a movie at the theater, watching a movie at home is often more convenient, more comfortable, and less expensive.
Pick a movie type. If you are watching alone, simply pick the type that you’re in the mood to watch. If you’re stressed, a comedy could help you relax. If you want some excitement, go for a horror film. On the other hand, deciding on a type as a group can be hard, particularly for groups.
Look through available movies within the type. Browse (浏览) movies within your own collection and use a Blu-ray player to watch them.
Check movie ratings if you are watching with children. If you are watching a movie with kids, be certain to check movie ratings as you go through to help you find age-appropriate content.
| A．Decide if you want company. |
| B．Choose a space for your “home theater”. |
| C．Your room could also serve as a nice cinema. |
| D．When in doubt, pick a popular type, like adventure or comedy. |
| E．Or take a look at the selections on streaming services like Hulu. |
| F．You may want to watch a movie alone or along with your friends. |
| G．While ratings help your selection, they can’t bring you all the answers. |
