1 . Recently Chinese scientists have solved a food challenge of the ages! They cultivated (培育) the world’s first crucian carp (鲫鱼) without intermuscular (肌间的) fish bones.

The new fish ends a world-wide debate which has lasted for more than 50 years on whether intermuscular fish bones can be reproduced.

Crucian carp is a popular freshwater fish with tender meat and a fresh flavor, but its many tiny bones can easily get stuck in people’s throats when the fish is eaten. A research team from Heilongjiang Province started a project to solve the problem in 2009 and chose the key gene from about 1,600 fishes, in order to control the growth of the fish’s intermuscular bones. Researchers knocked out the bmp6 gene without influencing the fish’s growth.

“In 2020, we successfully cultivated the first generation of crucian carp without intermuscular fish bones with a success rate of 12.96 percent and the second generation at the rate of 19 percent in 2021,” said a researcher from the team. “At the beginning of 2022, we set free around 20,000 fish of the third generation at the test base in Harbin. The fish grew well and is quite different from normal crucian carp. The results of an examination in August showed that we succeeded completely.”

Experts said, “People will no longer have to pick out tiny fish bones. It could greatly change the fish diet of the world in the future.” In addition, the research can help promote industrial processing of the fish, marking a great breakthrough in the field of aquaculture (水产养殖) breeding in China.

1. What challenge have Chinese scientists solved?

A．They’ve found a wild fish.

B．They’ve created a fish with a fresh flavor.

C．They’ve cultivated a fish with tender meat.

D．They’ve produced a fish with no small bones.

2. What problem did the research team want to solve in 2009?

A．The fish can’t live in the sea.

B．The fish grow very slowly in freshwater.

C．The fish’s intermuscular bones are long and thin.

D．The fish’s tiny bones are stuck in people’s throats easily.

3. The results of an examination in August showed the success rate reached __________.

A．100%

B．50%

C．19%

D．12.96%

4. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．The fish diet in the future.

B．The problem of tiny fish bones.

C．The importance of the research.

D．The aquaculture breeding in China.

2 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What does the woman usually take with her?

A．A lot of cash.

B．Some credit cards.

C．A credit card.

2. Where does the woman mainly go?

A．Department stores.

B．Shoe stores.

C．Jewelry stores.

3. What does the woman usually buy?

A．Luxury items.

B．Very fashionable items.

C．Very cheap items.

4. How would you describe the woman?

A．A shopaholic(购物狂).

B．A cautious buyer.

C．A picky buyer.

3 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What do we know about Pansy?

A．She couldn’t get through to her mother.

B．Her cell phone didn’t work.

C．She finished her homework.

2. What does Pansy ask the man to get for her grandmother?

A．Chocolate.

B．Cakes.

C．Grapes.

3. Where is the man going now?

A．A shopping mall.

B．His wife’s office.

C．His mother’s home.

4 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What does Melissa think of her last job?

A．It’s interesting.

B．It’s relaxing.

C．It’s stressful.

2. How long did Melissa spend at the seaside?

A．One week.

B．One month.

C．Three months.

3. What does Melissa like to do best?

A．Make coffee.

B．Plant flowers.

C．Take a trip.

4. What does Melissa plan to do?

A．Get a haircut.

B．Get a job.

C．Visit the man.

5 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Who is the speaker talking to?

A．Office clerks.

B．Medical researchers.

C．Students.

2. Where was the research carried out?

A．In Africa.

B．In the U. S.

C．In the U. K.

3. How many people watched TV for more than four hours in the study?

A．About 1,200.

B．About 2,400.

C．About 3,600.

4. What advice does the speaker give in the end?

A．Getting regular medical check-ups.

B．Taking part in the research.

C．Taking exercise.

6 . Set 40 kilometers northeast of the city of Ambatondrazaka, Madagascar, the Zahamena National Park has overall land coverage of 643 square kilometers, but only about 420 square kilometers is open to the public. It receives an average rainfall level of around 6 feet every year and experiences frequent rain showers even during the dry season between April and October. And elevations (海拔) inside the park range from 250 to 1,560 meters, which has resulted in a diversity (多样性) of climates.

One really interesting thing about the Zahamena National Park is its unique highland landform (高地地貌). The development of several ecosystems that all together exist within its area greatly depends on it. And this is also the reason why the types of wildlife living in one area of its wide range are different in another, which makes it quite exciting to explore.

This protected region’s main area is divided into two parts: the eastern and western areas, with a separate piece of ground in the middle where many small villages are located. Zahamena means “red trees”, which suggests a tree species scientifically called Diatum unifoliatum. It lives only in Zahamena and is characterized by its typically deep reddish-orange color.

Established as a strict natural highland habitat for nature conservation (保护) in 1927, the Zahamena National Park was officially awarded the honorary title of national park in 1997 and was finally opened to the public. Due to its amazing landform and unique local biodiversity, this national park was later listed as a key part of the Rainforests of the Atsinanana in 2007.

Unluckily, there are no hotels or restaurants around the national park. So Zahamena is not an easy rainforest—this national park needs people with a high level of fitness and people with low requirements concerning accommodations. Everyone who is not discouraged by this will be able to expect an amazing rainforest experience in a location which has a small number of tourists.

1. What do we know about the Zahamena National Park?

A．It is hard to reach due to conservation rules.

B．It has changeable weather all year round.

C．It has a great difference in elevations.

D．It is famous for its traditional villages.

2. What has caused several ecosystems in the park?

A．The complete food chain of wildlife there.

B．The wet weather condition there.

C．The conservation efforts there.

D．The special landform there.

3. What is the Zahamena National Park most probably named after?

A．A cultural belief.	B．A local tree species.
C．The unique geography.	D．The local village group.

4. What does the underlined word “this” in the last paragraph refer to?

A．The tough condition of Zahamena.	B．People’s high level of fitness.
C．Its geographical location.	D．The diversity of climates.

7 . Nature’s beauty is all around you. Wild flowers shine in bright blues, yellows, and reds. Trees, with unique shaped branches, and leaves, decorate the horizon. Under your feet, pine needles, leaves, and grass give their natural beauty on the earth’s surface. But how many of you take the time to notice all of nature’s wonders?

Hannah Bullen-Ryner is an artist who not only takes the time to “smell the roses”, but she uses them as a medium to craft stunning portraits of birds. Bullen-Ryner, a photographer by trade, began her artistic hobby shortly after her twin daughters were born. The young mother suffered from depression and anxiety. To seek a solution, she turned to nature.

Bullen-Ryner started spending time alone in the woods, foraging for materials: flowers, branches, leaves, and grass. On an impulse (冲动), she started forming a portrait of a bird with the items she had gathered. When her picture was finished, Bullen-Ryner realized that she felt calmand hopeful. The process had been healing and therapeutic (有疗效的).

Bullen-Ryner tells My Modern Met, “Finding the medium of land art has allowed my art and soul to connect to the earth. As a full-time Mama of nearly three-year-old twin girls, and someone who suffers from anxiety, my art is my quiet time, my peace.”

When Bullen-Ryner creates her artwork on the forest floor, she never uses glues or any other material to bond the foraged items. This means that a single breeze is able to carry away or scatter her portrait.

“People often ask me why I don’t make something more permanent or they say it’s such a shame that it’s temporary,” Bullen-Ryner explains. “But for me,” she continues, “it is the short-lived nature of what I do that has become therapy for my soul. I get to put down all my anxieties, my fears, and all the chaos from my brain and turn it into something beautiful to honor Mother Nature. I take some photos and then walk or cycle away, leaving it all behind and feeling calmer, more connected, and truly lighter.”

1. Why did Bullen-Ryner take up her artistic hobby?

A．To kill time.	B．To make more profits.
C．To serve as a treatment.	D．To entertain her daughters.

2. What does the underlined word “foraging” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Making.	B．Answering.
C．Providing.	D．Seeking.

3. What do we know about Bullen-Ryner’s artwork?

A．It is well received with customers.

B．It cannot be preserved for a long time.

C．It stimulated the local tourism industry.

D．It won her widespread praise domestically.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Bullen-Ryner is grateful to nature.

B．Bullen-Ryner regrets what she has done.

C．Bullen-Ryner is into going to work by bicycle.

D．Bullen-Ryner persuades more people to participate.

8 . What is sustainable travel? Traveling sustainably means being aware of the impact of tourism on the environment and following good practices to reduce the negative effects. Planet Earth has limited resources and mass tourism puts their existence at risk.     1     Nature, culture and history should be preserved, not commercialized to attract tourists.

Let’s find out a few easy ways to travel in an eco-friendly way.

Stay in eco-friendly accommodations.

From renewable energy production to bio-architecture, eco-friendly accommodations focus on preserving the environment and have positive environmental effects.     2     Staying in eco-friendly accommodations also supports the local economy. In fact, most environmentally friendly accommodations offer zero-kilometer, organic food.

Take public transportation.

    3     By using public transport, the number of cars on the roads decreases and less carbon dioxide (二氧化碳) is released into the atmosphere. Also, fewer vehicle s reduce traffic congestion(阻塞) on the roads.

    4    

Interaction with locals is one of the most rewarding things about sustainable travel and preserves traditions passed down from generation to generation. It is essential to respect traditions as they form the identity of the local community and create a sense of unity among people.

Say NO to single-use plastics.

Saying NO to single-use plastics reduces pollution. The production of plastics uses fossil fuels(化石燃料) and therefore releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.     5     As tourists, we should be mindful of how we travel and our impact when we arrive at a destination.

A．However, this is not all.

B．Buy from and support local businesses.

C．Respect the culture of local communities.

D．Therefore, sustainable travel is a way to preserve nature.

E．Traveling slow allows you to enjoy the scenery along the way.

F．This practice helps reduce air pollution and improve traffic flow.

G．In addition, numerous plastics end up in oceans every year, threatening sea life.

9 . The first time our fifth grader bought a salad for school lunch, she proudly told me the news as soon as she walked in the kitchen door. I didn’t share her delight.

“Honey, just so you know, salad isn’t a meal. It’s a side,” I said. “Vegetables won’t keep you full.”

“But a salad’s healthy, right?” she asked.

Of course the objective answer is yes. But my answer was more complicated. I couldn’t celebrate her otherwise healthy choice because I was worried she had begun to model my dieting and restrictive eating habits she saw as a younger child — habits that included lots of salad eating (and little else) and finally led to my anorexia (厌食症) nearly two years ago. Was this monkey see, monkey do?

Even though our daughters — who are now 10, 8 and 6 — are old enough to make their own regular food choices, what my husband and I have modeled for them will make a difference. I learned something about restrictive eating from watching my own father, who often struggled with his weight. Of course, I don’t blame him for my disorder — he never intended for his choices to be a weight-loss book for me, though sadly, they were. So knowing what I know now, it would be stupid, if not irresponsible for me to think that just because I never told our daughters to restrict or to spend hours each day exercising that they wouldn’t have understood what my “healthy” lifestyle really meant. To be clear, there are countless medical reasons why some parents chose restrictive diets, but when restriction or a diet becomes a way of life that starts to affect relationships, that’s not healthy.

I knew I was wrong to shame the salad our daughter bought for lunch, which is why I reconsidered my response and told her that salad for lunch was, indeed, a healthy choice, and that it should include cheese, meat or nuts, which would keep her brain focused for the rest of her school day. She smiled at my answer. “Well, I also have cheese, eggs and chicken on my salad.”

1. How did the author feel on hearing about her daughter’s lunch?

A．Unconcerned.

B．Relaxed.

C．Uneasy.

D．Delighted.

2. What can we infer about the author’s father?

A．He exercised a lot to keep fit.

B．He was often on a diet.

C．He once suffered from a disorder.

D．He was a good model for the author.

3. What was worrying the author?

A．Her kids at e too much fat every day.

B．Her kids were influenced by her lifestyle.

C．Her kids spent too little time exercising.

D．Her kids knew nothing about food choices.

4. What kind of lunch did the author’s daughter have that day?

A．Vegetarian.

B．High-fat.

C．Balanced.

D．Weight-loss.

10 . We never know when our paths with long-lost friends come together. It can happen anywhere and usually when most ________.

Last month, a friend’s mother ________, and I attended the memorial service. While consoling (安慰) her, I suddenly ________ my two friends with whom I was no longer in contact. They were ________ with one another on the other side. It didn’t take me more than an instant to know the ________ thing to do. So I walked to them and said hello.

I knew it could go either way. They might not be ________ talking. Or maybe one would and not the other. As it turned out, all three of us chatted for over a (n) ________. We shared news about the latest things that were happening in our lives. There was so much to let each other ________ wonderful things, ________ things, losses, lost loves, and even health issues.

We each showed an interest in the ________ of one another, asking questions and ________ full of attention. We were catching up, and most of all, we were _______ again.

Our mutual friend, whose mother died, overheard us stating our intentions to make an effort to rekindle (使恢复) the ________. Despite being in a state of grief, she was ________ to hear our discussion. She was the only one who had kept in contact with all of us lost souls.

I was glad to ________ have the opportunity to mend broken friendships. But I never imagined it would happen at a funeral.

1.

A．disappointed

B．disappeared

C．unconditional

D．unexpected

2.

A．gave up

B．showed up

C．passed away

D．took off

3.

A．understood

B．recalled

C．mentioned

D．noticed

4.

A．chatting

B．arguing

C．crying

D．fighting

5.

A．obvious

B．right

C．regular

D．strange

6.

A．surprised at

B．careful about

C．angry at

D．interested in

7.

A．distance

B．decade

C．hour

D．point

8.

A．know

B．guess

C．think

D．discuss

9.

A．abstract

B．terrible

C．national

D．fake

10.

A．works

B．schedules

C．happenings

D．crimes

11.

A．standing

B．nodding

C．explaining

D．listening

12.

A．belonging

B．staring

C．debating

D．bonding

13.

A．friendship

B．energy

C．experience

D．happiness

14.

A．pleased

B．indifferent

C．scared

D．shocked

15.

A．gradually

B．secretly

C．finally

D．frequently