1 . The cry of the fishing cat sounds like the quack of a duck, and the rest of this midsize cat also enables it to hunt in the water. Its streamlined head is perfect for moves in the mangrove swamps (红树林沼泽地) and wetlands of South and Southeast Asia, and its pointy ears even fold (折叠) down when it jumps into deep water. The short and strong tail helps control its direction. The extra-thick coat keeps it warm and dry while swimming.

“I found fishing cats to be very ingenious,” says Tiasa Adhya, co-founder of The Fishing Cat Project, a research and conservation group based in eastern India. Her research recently showed that the animal has two methods of catching fish. In deep waters, the cat stays still on the banks for hours before jumping into the water for the kill. In shallow (浅的) waters, though, the cat actively drives the fish out of their hiding places by moving about with heavy steps.

Now the fishing cat is facing another challenge: humans. The world has lost almost 90 percent of its wetlands since the 1700s, with Asia suffering the greatest loss. These days, industrialized fish farming, pollution and other human behaviors have destroyed the living condition of freshwater fish and set fishing cats against farmers, as the hungry cats steal farmed fish, and the farmers get even with them (报复). Once found along river systems from Pakistan to Vietnam, the cats have disappeared from large areas of their range.

Researchers are testing new methods, including the commercial launch (商业化推出) of a type of native rice variety. Depending on nutrients (营养物) washed in by rains rather than on chemicals, the rice creates living space for the fishing cat and its food. The idea is that in healthy lakes where there is plenty to feed fishing cats and fishermen alike, killings will be unnecessary. “Nobody takes a loss,” Adhya explains, “when somebody takes a fish.”

1. What does the author want to explain about fishing cats in the first paragraph?

A．Why they moved to South and Southeast Asia.

B．What helps them swim well in the water.

C．What pushes them to live with ducks.

D．Why they love staying in the water.

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

A．Friendly.

B．Alarmed.

C．Clever.

D．Lazy.

3. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The battle between fishing cats and humans.

B．The decision to protect freshwater fish.

C．The importance of stopping pollution.

D．The method of increasing wetlands.

4. What can we infer about the new method mentioned in the last paragraph?

A．It will do some harm to the environment.

B．It will create a win-win situation.

C．It will increase food production.

D．It will cost a lot of money.

2 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What mainly made the man hesitate to visit the White House?

A．Lack of interest.

B．The tight security.

C．The historical atmosphere.

2. How did the woman get the tour information?

A．From the website.

B．From the local paper.

C．From the travel guide.

3. Where are the speakers probably now?

A．In the White House.

B．In a dining hall.

C．At an airport.

4. What is the man like?

A．Serious.

B．Humorous.

C．Careful.

3 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What did Spanish merchants take to the Americans?

A．Corn.

B．Wheat.

C．Potatoes.

2. Why did Balboa feel surprised?

A．He saw the Pacific Ocean.

B．There were many jungles.

C．Panama was so narrow.

3. When did Francisco Pizarro leave for the Inca Empire?

A．In 1513.

B．In 1524.

C．In 1533.

4. What was the Inca Empire rich in?

A．Wildlife.

B．Rocks.

C．Gold and silver.

4 . Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras have been working on a fascinating new way to identify people: using the ways of their breath. This idea could change how we unlock our phones and access secure places.

The key to this technology lies in the way we breathe out. Every person has a unique way of breathing air, which creates specific turbulence (涡流) patterns. The IIT Madras team, led by Prof. Mahesh Panchagnula, has developed a method of catching these unique patterns and using them as a biometric (生物特征识别的) signature, similar to how fingerprints are used today.

They conducted tests with breath samples from 94 people and found that their system could correctly confirm the person’s identity with an impressive accuracy of 97%. However, when it came to identifying someone without knowing who they were beforehand, the accuracy was around 50%. This means the technology is great at confirming if someone is who they claim to be, but it still needs improvement in recognizing people without any prior information. What makes this research exciting is its potential beyond just unlocking phones. It could play a significant role in personalized medicine. Since the way we breathe can give insights into our health, this technology could help doctors tailor treatments to individual patients more effectively.

In a similar study at Kyushu University in Japan, researchers developed an artificial system that identifies people based on how their breath smells. This system showed a high accuracy rate of 97.8% in identifying individuals. However, this method currently requires people to fast (禁食) for six hours before testing, indicating that it still needs to be improved to be more practical for everyday use.

These advancements in using human breath for identification are not just about adding another cool feature to our smartphones. They represent a significant step forward in biometric technology, which could have far-reaching implications in security, medicine, and personal technology. This research at IIT Madras and Kyushu University is pioneering a new way of using the unique patterns of our breath for identification purposes, potentially revolutionizing (变革) how we interact with technology and receive medical care.

1. What makes the new technology possible according to paragraph 2?

A．The distinctive breath smells.	B．The unique patterns of breath.
C．The different patterns of fingerprints.	D．The speed of taking in air.

2. What does the experiment by Kyushu University imply?

A．To eat no food for 6 hours is practical in everyday life.

B．To eat fast is a basic requirement for a higher accuracy rate.

C．The system is workable and will soon appear on the market.

D．Breath smells affected by food can decrease the accuracy rate.

3. How can the system by the IIT Madras team affect people?

A．It helps raise people’s awareness of health.	B．It will let people better understand their breath.
C．It makes unlocking our phones more easily.	D．It will introduce new ways to develop medicine.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Should We Still Use Fingerprints to Unlock Our Phone?

B．Fingerprint Patterns Can Identify Breath Types Easily

C．A Breath “Fingerprint” Could Be Used to Unlock Your Phone

D．Which Unlocking Method Is More Secure, Breath or Fingerprint?

5 . Biar Kon, a 17-year-old student, whose parents were working in neighboring Sudan, moved to Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, to attend school. Once he _______, he needed to get some documents from the Sudanese embassy(大使馆). But when he went to look for the embassy, he couldn’t find it. He asked a few people for _______, and no one knew where it was. Then an older woman tapped him on the back.

The woman told Kon that she had seen him asking questions of multiple people as they _______, and she wondered if he needed money for food, or a place to stay. Then Kon realized that the woman thought he was _______.

They cleared up the _______, and the woman was able to offer her help. The woman’s _______ left a deep impression on Kon. And it inspired him to _______ five years later, when he moved to Boston, Massachusetts. One day, outside a coffee shop, he _______ a man who was begging for change. Kon _______ that moment five years earlier, when the woman in Nairobi had ________ him for a homeless person. So he went up to the man to see what he could do. “He told me why he was on the street—because he made a（n） ________ mistake when he was in high school, and he couldn’t get a ________ now,” Kon recalled. Kon bought the man some breakfast, and gave him a little bit of money.

Today, it’s an encounter he ________. For him, it is a ________ that you never know what people are going through unless you talk to them ________ — the way the woman in Nairobi made an effort to talk to him.

1.

A．worked

B．arrived

C．changed

D．graduated

2.

A．permission

B．comments

C．explanation

D．directions

3.

A．passed

B．watched

C．struggled

D．hesitated

4.

A．awkward

B．homeless

C．careful

D．shy

5.

A．evidence

B．difficulty

C．confusion

D．conflict

6.

A．generosity

B．wisdom

C．responsibility

D．confidence

7.

A．put it aside

B．take it easy

C．kick it off

D．pay it forward

8.

A．persuaded

B．spotted

C．questioned

D．inspired

9.

A．witnessed

B．reported

C．recalled

D．shared

10.

A．praised

B．thanked

C．blamed

D．mistaken

11.

A．common

B．unintended

C．serious

D．similar

12.

A．clue

B．rise

C．job

D．solution

13.

A．creates

B．expects

C．deserves

D．values

14.

A．reminder

B．protector

C．challenge

D．practice

15.

A．secretly

B．actively

C．loudly

D．anxiously

6 . Many people changed residences and are eager to get familiar with their new neighbors. Here’s a quick refresher on making the most of neighborhood relationships.

Begin at the beginning. Building good neighborly relationships starts when you or someone else moves into the area. If a new neighbor moves in, be proactive (主动的) and welcome them to the neighborhood.     1    . Consider taking a plate of cookies or a small housewarming gift. Share your contact information and offer to answer any questions they may have about the community, including your favorite restaurants or the best local service providers.

    2    . Don’t create things that are unpleasant to look at or allow your property’s condition to affect the value of neighboring homes adversely (不利地). Being kind to those around you includes keeping your yard tidy, removing snow from your sidewalks, and collecting trash and recycling bins after the truck has passed.

Be inclusive. If you are hosting a large party, consider extending invitations to your neighbors. During the holiday season, remember the people next door with a card, a homemade goodie, or an offer of assistance. Give without expectations.     3    .

Allow people to be human.     4    , and it’s impossible to know what others are going through. Don’t be too quick to assume a sligh (轻蔑) is personal or intended.

Accept it. If you have tried your best to resolve a conflict without success, let it go. Sadly, some people won’t like you whatever you do. And you aren’t going to enjoy some people.     5    . Be pleasant anyway, and be thankful that you get to live your life and they get to live theirs.

A．Maintain your space

B．Be the first to stop by and say hello

C．It’s easier to accept it and move on

D．Everyone has a bad day now and then

E．Take steps to ensure it won’t happen again

F．Let others know you are thinking of them

G．Some neighbors are more easygoing than others

7 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What is an effect of lack of sleep on teenagers according to the new study?

A．Lower spirits.

B．Bad health.

C．The poor academic performance.

2. What is to blame for teenagers lacking sleep?

A．Too much screen time.

B．Lack of exercise.

C．Too much homework.

3. How can teenagers fall asleep more easily?

A．By reading a book before sleeping.

B．By listening to music before sleeping.

C．By drinking hot chocolate before sleeping.

4. What does the speaker suggest schools do?

A．Offer sports classes.

B．Shorten the school day.

C．Delay school start time.

8 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What does the man think of his job?

A．It is tiring.

B．It is boring.

C．It is easy.

2. What is the most challenging to the man?

A．Treating injured lions.

B．Attending to baby animals.

C．Dealing with special animals.

3. What does the man advise the woman to do?

A．Take a higher degree.

B．Receive specific training.

C．Raise a pet.

4. What is the woman?

A．A student.

B．A doctor.

C．A zookeeper.

9 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What does the woman intend to do?

A．Get photos digitized.

B．Develop some photos.

C．Beautify the photos.

2. How much does the woman need to pay?

A．$200.

B．$100.

C．$50.

3. Why is a cardboard box recommended?

A．It is lighter.

B．It is cheaper.

C．It is stronger.

10 . “A moth (飞蛾) to a flame” is often used to indicate an inescapable attraction, yet it is a strange example of animal behavior that continues to confuse people today. Scientists have raised a number of theories over the years to explain why. One holds that insects flying at night are following their nature to fly toward the brightest spot in their field of vision, which they mistake for the sky. Another suggests that insects are trying to warm themselves with the heat produced by the light. The most popular theory, though, is that insects are confusing lights with the moon or other celestial bodies (天体) that they normally use to navigate (导航).

To find out the real reason, the team carried out a first set of experiments in an insect flight area. The researchers used eight high-speed infrared (红外线) cameras equipped with motion-capture technologies to track 30 insects from three moth and two dragonfly species. They also flew lab-raised insects from six different insect orders that were too small for motion-capture technology, including fruit flies and honeybees, to make sure different insects all showed similar responses to light. Working with co-author Pablo Allen of the Council on International Educational Exchange in Monteverde, Costa Rica, the researchers put heavy cameras, lights and tripods in two field sites to gather behavioral data from insects in the wild.

The team was able to confirm that insects were not beelining to the light but rather circling it as they tilted (倾斜) in an attempt to turn their backs toward it. This behavior, known as a “dorsal light response”, normally helps insects to remain in an unchanging path of flight that is properly lined to the horizon (地平线). Artificial light that arrives from a point source causes them to fly in unpredictable patterns as they try to turn their backs to what they are mistaking for the sky.

Now research might have finally solved the mystery mentioned first: artificial light confuses insects’ ability to turn themselves to the horizon, confusing their sense of what is up and down and causing them to fly in circles.

1. Which theory about a moth to a flame is accepted by most people?

A．They follow their nature to fly.	B．They are blind to artificial light.
C．They mistake artificial light for celestial bodies.	D．They are attracted by the warmth of artificial light.

2. What’s the author’s purpose in using the figures in paragraph 2?

A．To show the study is comprehensive.	B．To introduce the purpose of the study.
C．To estimate the cost of the research.	D．To stress the challenge faced by the researchers.

3. What does the underlined word “beelining” in paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Flying slowly.

B．Sticking.

C．Responding.

D．Going straight.

4. What benefit can insects get from “dorsal light response”?

A．They can fly beyond the horizon.	B．They can follow a steady flight path.
C．They can turn their backs toward lights.	D．They can circle the light source upside down.