1 . When it comes to architectural accomplishments, humans like to think they stand at the top. That is to underestimate the astonishing achievement s of social insects; for example, white ants raise skyscraping nests. The true master builders of the insect world, however, are the hundreds of species of stingless bees.
In a new study, Ms. Di Pietro and her colleagues observed over 400 colonies of the stingless bee species in a large bee house in Brazil in 2022 and 2023. Around 95% of the colonies exhibited honeycombs (a structure made by bees) built up in horizontal layers (水平分层), like tiered wedding cakes, while the rest adopted a spiral (螺旋的) structure.
Since the stingless bee shows a strong preference for a horizontal-layer honeycomb structure, it’s surprising that spiral honeycombs occur. The team confirmed that there was no difference in the average cell-building rate between the two styles, and therefore no efficiency advantage.
In order to rule out a genetic explanation for the different styles, the researchers transplanted workers from colonies that built in one tradition to colonies that built in the other, having first emptied the host structures of their native adults. The imported workers soon switched to the local style, which was then continued by the colony’s young insects as they eventually matured into workers.
Dr. Tom Wenseleers guessed that the bees may switch styles as a way of coping with the build-up of small construction errors made by their fore-runners. Such a process, in which multiple organisms indirectly affect each other’s behavior through the traces they leave in their environment, is known as stigmergy (共识主动性). The researchers later introduced a sign of spirals to the otherwise perfect horizontal-layer honeycombs, and found that it did indeed cause the bees to switch to building spirals.
These results suggest that stingless bees can pass on different building traditions across generations and individuals needn’t be instructed by their peers. “The findings are the clearest demonstration of cultural differences naturally appearing in insects. Insect culture would once have been thought impossible,” says behavioral biologist Andrew Whiten, who wasn’t involved in the research. “Less than a century ago, culture was thought to be uniquely human.”
1. How does the author introduce the topic of the text?| A．By posing a contrast. | B．By reporting an event. |
| C．By supposing a situation. | D．By justifying an assumption. |
| A．It is a result driven by genetic factors. |
| B．It involves cost and efficiency considerations. |
| C．It is switched constantly between several styles. |
| D．It shows flexibility in the changing environments. |
| A．The impact of fore-runners’ behavior on other stingless bees. |
| B．The underlying logic behind stingless bees’ building styles. |
| C．The advantages of maintaining stigmergy among stingless bees. |
| D．The significance of correcting small errors during construction. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Conservative. |
| C．Favorable. | D．Critical. |
16-year-old Lisa hated looking at herself in the mirror. She was not comfortable in her own skin and feared people would label her “ugly” after seeing the burn scar on her face. It hurt her every time she had to recall that tragedy where her face was badly burned in a big fire. She enjoyed being alone, lost in books and melodies on her guitar. Shortly after Lisa’s 15th birthday, Chris, Lisa’s father, was stricken by a severe illness and lost his ability to walk. However, Chris managed to provide for the family. He sent his daughters to school and did everything possible to improve their lives. But their difficulties never ceased, mainly after he had to spend much on his mother’s heart treatment. It appeared as though fate had only terrible plans for this family.
Lisa knew everything, and she couldn’t bear to watch her daddy struggling so much. She wanted to help relieve her family’s burden. “What can I do to improve our lives?” Lisa lost in deep thought. One day, a leaflet promoting a local music contest landed on Lisa’s foot. Lisa’s eyes sparkled with hope when she read it and saw that the cash prize was $25,000.
Lisa secretly registered for the music contest. Over the years, she had been passionate about music, skilled at playing the guitar and mastering numerous musical pieces. Now, she needed to compose an original song, sing it and accompany it with her guitar. Lisa locked herself in her room in her spare time, preparing for the contest. In her original composition, she illustrated the joyful moments spent with her family, and she emphasized her heart felt gratitude for her father’s contribution to the entire household. Her lyrics over-flowed with genuine emotion. She tirelessly worked on the song, determined to perfect her performance. With the date for the contest approaching, Lisa spent more time on her preparations. She seemed no longer afraid to look at herself in the mirror. She often stood in front of the mirror, practiced her song and imagined her performance on the stage. Hopefully, she thought she would give her father a big surprise.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
The big day arrived, and Lisa was nervous.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Despite not winning the contest, Lisa’s performance impressed many audiences, including a musician.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________There is a saying that we should all just mind our own business and let the chips fall where they may, because no good comes from doing good. This, of course, is not necessarily true.
In Hawaiian culture, aloha has many meanings. First, it is a greeting. However, it is also an expression of love and friendship. One man was a living example of “aloha”, for he had a story to unfold.
Amanda was shopping with her young son, and she was absorbed in picking up their groceries for their family reunion. She was in such a hurry that she even forgot her wallet in the shopping cart, which contained her driver license, credit cards, plenty of cash, and even a gift card that could easily be redeemed (兑换) by anyone . It was not until she arrived home that she found her wallet gone. The woman returned to the supermarket, and started her search for the lost wallet by watching hours and hours of security footage in the supermarket. After turning to several different cameras around the store, but in vain, she completely gave up hope.
Andy Jose was a security guard at the World supermarket. He moved to Maui 5 years ago, and worked as a security guard at the grocery store to support the family and put himself through college. He rode his bike to work and school every day because he didn’t have a car.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右：
2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
Para .1: He was busy collecting the shopping carts when something caught his eyes.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Para.2: Amanda and her husband decided to do something big to show their gratitude .
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________4 . The demands of today's busy schedules have driven us indoors, where we now spend almost 90 percent of our time commuting（通勤）, at work, and inside our homes. This modern way of living disconnects us from the outdoors and from the natural light and fresh air we all require to be healthy.
Marvin Skycove is a glass structure that projects into the open air, enhancing connections with the outdoors. Skycove creates a smart extension of usable space, opens a room to panoramic（全景的）views, and allows in restorative light from four directions.
Marvin Signature
Modern: Windows and Doors that Play Nice
Combining large windows and doors to create large glass walls is a great way to complement a modern design and truly blur（模糊）the boundaries between indoors and out.
At Marvin, well-being is our guidepost.
| A．But doing so can result in poor performance and may create odd feelings. |
| B．Bi-fold windows are often found between doorways and outdoor living space. |
| C．Our windows and doors are designed to help people feel balanced and healthy. |
| D．This glowing（发光的）setting creates a calming space to enjoy a coffee or a book. |
| E．When Bi-fold doors open, the panels are folded, leaving the whole space wide open. |
| F．It was designed to allow people to effortlessly create a personalized atmosphere inside. |
| G．Here are some products that are designed to connect our indoor space to the outside world. |
1. What is the speaker doing?
| A．Teaching a class. |
| B．Reporting a study. |
| C．Chairing a meeting. |
| A．Reading. | B．Listening. | C．Writing. |
| A．It keeps information secret. |
| B．It leaves space for future use. |
| C．It makes key words noticeable. |
It was our first day to explore the city of Jerusalem on our own, without a friend or tour guide leading the way. We had completed a week-long tour and felt confident that we could walk through the ancient streets by ourselves now. Then we suddenly realized that the sky had turned from clear blue to gray.
“It's time to head back!” we said at the same time. As we proceeded along the Hebron road to our apartment, the storm clouds covered the entire sky, and the first raindrops began to hit our heads. “Should we grab a taxi?” I shouted to my husband, the rain being so loud I had to raise my voice. “No, we can make it,” he replied loudly. “It's only a twenty-minute walk, and we will go fast.” As the rain and wind increased, so did our footsteps.
We marched ahead, but it wasn't long before we realized that we had been walking much longer than it should have taken us to arrive home. How in the world did we manage to take a wrong turn? We stopped a moment to say a prayer. It was simple and went something like this, “Please, God, lead us back to our apartment and send us your angels for protection.”
It was still pouring when my husband paused, detecting what appeared to be a pathway off the main road. “I think we should take this path,” he announced. “Here?” I was doubtful. I followed his lead as we made our way through overgrown brush until we entered a slight clearing. Looking out into the darkness from behind the bushes, we realized that we had come to a residential neighbourhood. “Let's just wait a minute,” he said. As we stood under the trees, some headlights appeared. A car pulled up to the roadside just below where we were huddled (挤在一起). Soon, a woman got out of the car.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
I approached her and the woman was noticeably shocked to see such a sight.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Noticing the confused looks on our faces, the woman suddenly stopped mid-sentence.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________In December, an unseen disease arrived in a village. Ally was one of the victims. She lay, barely moving, in her bed staring at a wall out of the window under her blanket.
The doctor took her father, who was a painter, aside and claimed, “She has one chance in—let us say, ten. And that chance is for her to want to live. Try to encourage her to think more hopeful thoughts, about the future, about living.”
Her father took some paper and a pen into Ally’s room and began a pen drawing, in an attempt to raise Ally’s spirits. Ally’s eyes were open, but they weren’t watching him. Instead, she stared out the window and counted backwards, “Ten, nine, eight, seven…”
“What are you counting, dear?” asked her father. “They’re falling faster now,” replied Ally.
“Three days ago there were almost a hundred. But now there are only five left now. Five leaves on the ivy vine (常春藤). When the last one falls, I must go, too.”
“Oh, I never heard of such nonsense,” quickly replied her father. But Ally’s mind was made up. “I want to see the last one fall. I want to go sailing down, down, just like one of those poor, tired leaves.”
“Try to sleep,” said her father. Ally closed her eyes quietly. Watching her daughter’s pale face, he was lost in deep thought. As a painter, he had never produced a masterpiece he longed to paint in 40 years. As a father, he even couldn’t help her daughter cheer up. Looking out of the window, he noticed that there was just one remaining leaf. What’s more, a cold rain was falling mixed with snow. “Are there people in the world that are foolish to think they’ll die because leaves drop off from an ivy vine? This is not a place in which Ally shall lie sick.” He made up his mind to do something.
The next morning, Ally woke and asked for the curtains to be opened. One leaf remained on the ivy vine, bravely holding on in the wind and rain. “It will fall today. And I will die with it.”
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。
The following day, Ally asked again for the curtains to be opened.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________A few weeks later, Ally recovered completely and the secret was revealed.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Dad’s Outer-Space Sweater
Grandma knitted Dad a sweater for his birthday. It was PURPLE, the glow-in-the-dark purple! Even crayon purple couldn’t compete. Dad loved it, claiming it was his favorite sweater. But I found it embarrassing as he wore it all the time: walking the dog; shopping for groceries and — worst of all — coming to my school events.
During a visit to our local farm, Dad tore his sleeve on a fence. When I pointed out that it was ripped, he said he would just wear it around the house. The hole got bigger and one night, at dinner, the thread became a table guest. Dad forked it up with spaghetti (通心粉) and lifted it to his mouth.
“Look out, Dad!” I shouted. “You’re about to take a bite of your sweater.”
Dad laughed, put his fork down and sighed, “The sweater might be beyond saving now.”
The next day, Mom and I repurposed the sweater on a Halloween scarecrow and put it in our front yard. When our neighbor dropped by to give us some used tennis balls for our cat, she gave her thumbs-up at our idea. But the sweater got rained on, and leaves stuck to it. Birds pulled the yarn (毛线). Dad finally removed it and was about to throw it away. He stood there long, looking sad. It made me sad too. I thought about the day he got it, the day he tore it, and ail those days he wore it. Then I thought of the day he almost ate it.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1: And that gave me an idea for the school year’s art show.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2: My Spaghetti and Meatballs, Outer-Space Style stood out in the art show.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________1. What does the speaker mainly talk about?
| A．Advertising benefits. | B．Consumer habits. | C．Unnecessary spend. |
| A．For more purchase. | B．For better service. | C．For higher price. |
| A．Physical cash. | B．Credit card. | C．Digital wallet. |
1. What does the woman think of the app?
| A．Excellent. | B．Effective. | C．Dynamic. |
| A．250,000. | B．500,000. | C．1,000,000. |
| A．More male. | B．More female. | C．Half male and half female. |
| A．By simplifying the website. |
| B．By doing more advertising. |
| C．By upgrading the products. |
