1 . Trees should only be pruned (修剪) when there is a good and clear reason for doing so and, fortunately, the number of such reasons is small. Pruning involves the cutting away of overgrown and unwanted branches, and the inexperienced gardener can be encouraged by the thought that more damage results from doing it unnecessarily than from leaving the tree to grow in its own way.
First, pruning may be done to make sure that trees have a desired shape or size. The object may be to get a tree of the right height, and at the same time to help the growth of small side branches which will thicken its appearance or give it a special shape. Secondly, pruning may be done to make the tree healthier. You may cut diseased or dead wood, or branches that are rubbing against each other and thus cause wounds. The health of a tree may be encouraged by removing branches that are blocking up the centre and so preventing the free movement of air.
One result of pruning is that an open wound is left on the tree and this provides an easy entry for disease, but it is a wound that will heal. Often there is a race between the healing and the disease as to whether the tree will live or die, so that there is a period when the tree is at risk. It should be the aim of every gardener to reduce that risk of death as far as possible. It is important to make the area, which has been pruned, smooth and clean, for healing will be slowed down by roughness. You should allow the cut surface to dry for a few hours and then paint it with one of the substances available from garden shops produced especially for this purpose. Pruning is usually done in winter, for then you can see the shape of the tree clearly without interference from the leaves and also it is very unlikely that the cuts you make will bleed. If this does happen, it is, of course, impossible to paint them properly.
1. Why should pruning be done?| A．To make the tree grow taller. | B．To improve the shape of the tree. |
| C．To get rid of the small branches. | D．To make the small branches thicker. |
| A．gives a tree a special shape and a definite height |
| B．removes small side branches and makes a tree look less thick |
| C．allows too many branches to grow in the middle |
| D．has a tree surrounded by many other trees |
| A．To prevent disease entering a wound. | B．To cover a rough surface. |
| C．To make a wound smooth. | D．To help a wound to dry. |
| A．The author tends to favor pruning frequently. | B．It’s easy to find a reason to prune trees. |
| C．Pruning trees properly is not easy. | D．Pruned trees will always grow taller. |
| A．Discussing different methods of pruning. |
| B．Introducing some potential risks of pruning a tree. |
| C．Explaining how trees develop disease. |
| D．Giving practical instructions for pruning a tree. |
2 . Will you go on this ride with me? ”my friend’s eleven-year-old daughter Jenny asked. She stared at the ride, eager to experience the same excitement as the brave group of riders in front of us. I couldn’t say no.
After climbing into our seats, an attendant reached up, pulled down the bar, and locked it in place. The ride lifted us slowly, then turned us over like the blueberry pancakes I had eaten three hours earlier, and hoped to keep in their proper place. As I stared at the concrete directly below us, I had a sudden feeling of great fear. I wondered if I had replacement coverage (保险) for the phone that I was sure would slip out of my pocket and break into a million tiny pieces. I wondered when my new health insurance would kick in.
The ride touched down after twisting and turning our bodies. My friend was waiting for us at the exit. “How was it?” she asked. “Fine. No big deal,” I said, even though my head was spinning (旋转) like one of the other annoying machines dotting the midway.
Jenny walked ahead of us and convinced me to keep taking chances and sample more rides
“Oh, look at the pirate ship (海盗船)!” she said. “That looks like a calm ride.”
“Let’s go, Auntie!” she said as she rushed to join others in line.
I followed her, feeling confident the ride would be uneventful. When I reached the bottom, I tapped out like a WWF wrestler admitting defeat. Although my body was shaking and my head was still spinning, I felt exhilarated just like I was on the top of the world. That morning, I set a goal, took my first step to reach it, and felt the joy of achievement.
Each time you try something for the first time, you will grow — a little piece of the fear of the unknown is removed and replaced with a sense of satisfaction.
1. What made the author decide to try riding with Jenny?| A．The eagerness in Jenny’s eyes. |
| B．The curiosity about the unknown. |
| C．The encouragement from other riders. |
| D．The desire to experience something exciting. |
| A．She lost her phone. | B．She got into a panic. |
| C．She was served pancakes. | D．She almost fell off the seat. |
| A．Relaxed. | B．Confused. | C．Excited. | D．Disappointed. |
| A．He who hesitates is lost. |
| B．It’s never too late to learn. |
| C．Life is like riding a pirate ship. |
| D．It’s worthwhile to try something new. |
3 . Each spring, scientists hide more than 1,600 lunchbox-size recorders across the forests of the Sierra Nevada range in the western U. S.
Until they’re taken back at summer’s end, these recorders record a million hours of audio (音频), which often contains the hoots, barks, and whistles of the California spotted owl — valuable information about where the endangered species spends its time. But it’s a lot of recordings for a human to go through. “There’s no way we can listen to that — not even close,” says Connor Wood, a researcher who co-leads the owl project at the K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, part of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York.
It turns out that this team actually can process this huge amount of data — they just need a little help from BirdNET, an AI-powered system launched in 2018 that can identify more than 6,000 species of birds, including the migration (迁徙) birds, across the globe just by their call.
“We need tools that are really flexible and capable of identifying as many acoustically (听觉上) active animals as possible,” says Wood, whose lab developed BirdNET with the Chemnitz University of Technology in Germany. “I cannot stress enough the significant influence BirdNET has brought to bird research.”
Two years later, the team launched the official BirdNET app, which allows people across the world to upload their own recordings from laptops or smartphones. Since then, BirdNET has gathered roughly 150 million high-quality bird sounds. With funding from the U. S. Forest Service and National Park Service, Wood and his team recently used BirdNET to create the first ecosystem-wide assessment of spotted owl populations across the Sierra Nevada, which increasingly face threats from enemy species or wildfires.
However, like most AI-based technology, these apps are not without drawbacks. In his recent study, ecologist Cristian Pérez-Granados, who works at the University of Alicante in Spain, reviewed a range of scientific literature on BirdNET. His research found that BirdNET didn’t always register a bird’s song, and sometimes misidentified it as another species, which results in “false positives”.
1. What is the main challenge in processing the audio data?| A．The data contain mostly useless background noise. |
| B．There is too much audio data to handle. |
| C．The data are too small to provide enough information. |
| D．The recorders frequently fail to function and record properly. |
| A．To play bird sounds. | B．To take photos of birds. |
| C．To recognize bird species. | D．To track bird migration. |
| A．Curious. | B．Appreciative. | C．Doubtful. | D．Carefree. |
| A．Limitations of the BirdNET application. | B．Benefits of BirdNET for bird conservation. |
| C．Supporting evidence for the research results. | D．Reasonable doubts about the research process. |
4 . Exhibitions (展览) in the USA 2024
For those who are keen on attending various exhibitions and looking for the latest information on certain fields, there is always one exhibition for you.
Annual (一年一度的) Builders St. Charles Home Show, 2024
June 15th, 2024—June 17th, 2024
Saint Charles, USA
The Annual Builders St. Charles Home Show is the only national event that brings remodelers, custom builders, residential architects, and designers together to meet face to face with top producers to preview creative products, information, tools &services.
Novi Home & Garden Show, 2024
June 18th, 2024—June 20th, 2024
Novi, USA
The Novi Home & Garden Show is the one- stop destination to find home improvement products and services for every type of project imaginable, decorating and landscaping exhibits as well as experienced businesses to provide services.
Acadiana Bird Club-Bird Fair, 2024
June 23rd, 2024—June 24th, 2024
Lafayette, USA
The aim of the Acadiana Bird Club-Bird Fair is the preservation of all bird species through public education on the proper care and breeding (饲养) of birds and to promote the health and well-being of all pet birds.
ACC Annual Scientific Session & Expo, 2024
June 26th, 2024—June 28th, 2024
Atlanta, USA
The ACC Annual Scientific Session & Expo will provide the attendees with the opportunity to gain insights relating to the latest heart disease researches and related treatments. At the exhibition, you can also see the latest and most advanced medical facilities on display.
1. When can you go to the Novi Home & Garden Show?| A．On June 15th. | B．On June 19th. |
| C．On June 23rd. | D．On June 28th. |
| A．Exhibiting and trading pet birds. | B．Promoting research on bird species. |
| C．Increasing public awareness of bird care. | D．Providing bird entertainment performances. |
| A．Saint Charles. | B．Novi. | C．Lafayette. | D．Atlanta. |
| A．A painting teacher and a pupil. |
| B．An artist and a student. |
| C．A house owner and a painter. |
6 . When Emma woke up, she knew it was going to be one of those days. She felt unwell—a cold had taken hold of her. Still, she needed to brave the storm of responsibilities at work. Emma dragged herself out of bed and got ready for work. Then she put on her raincoat and went out into the pouring rain. As she walked, she fought against the bad weather. Emma’s umbrella was almost useless as it was raining cats and dogs. Then like a bolt from the blue, the wind blew it inside out. She was immediately wet from head to toe. She said to herself in a quiet voice. “What a day to forget my rain boots!”
At the office, the day was as stormy as the weather. She had a mountain of tasks. Handling endless emails and phone calls should have been a light wind. But before long, she was desperate to take a break so she could get a second wind.
Then, at exactly the moment, her coworker Alex came to her rescue. Alex was not a fair-weather friend but was always ready to lend a hand. With a warm smile, he offered to help Emma. Having Alex assist her was like a ray of sunshine on a rainy day. Their laughter and good-fellowship as they completed their tasks made the hours pass quickly.
On her way home, Emma reflected on the day, which had ended up being surprisingly pleasant. She realized that every cloud did indeed have a silver lining. Today, that silver lining had been her wonderful colleague, Alex.
When Emma arrived home, she decided to send Alex a heartfelt message of appreciation. She wrote, “Thanks for being my ray of sunshine in this rainy day!” It was a simple message, but it carried a lot of meaning.
That night, listening to it rain cats and dogs outside, Emma couldn’t help but smile. She had weathered the storm with Alex’s help.
1. Why did Emma get totally wet?| A．Because she forgot to take her umbrella. |
| B．Because she didn’t wear her raincoat. |
| C．Because her rain boots were broken. |
| D．Because the wind was too strong. |
| A．They finished the assignments with joy. |
| B．They took a break to refresh themselves. |
| C．They talked about the weather while performing tasks. |
| D．Alex came to rescue Emma because she was in dinger. |
| A．Grateful and warm. | B．Pleased and amused. |
| C．Shocked and confused. | D．Confident and determined. |
| A．Save for a rainy day. | B．Hard work pays off. |
| C．Actions speak louder than words. | D．A friend in need is a friend indeed. |
7 . Many things come to mind when I think of a great vacation. Impressive scenery and delicious food are certainly on my list. Those two features can’t always be found in the same location. However, amazing views and great food are both on the menu at the following three restaurants.
The Rock. ZanzibarOn an enormous stone off the coast of the East African island of Zanzibar sits The Rock. The freshest seafood, much of it straight from the surrounding ocean, is always available here. Fresh lobster, prawns, octopus salad and calamari are just a few of the appetizing dining options. At low tide, customers can walk out to The Rock. As the water rises, though, customers must take a short boat ride to it. Once they arrive, they’re greeted by friendly staff and 360-degree views of beautiful blue-green water. The Rock, sometimes called the “floating restaurant,” is available for weddings and other small group events.
The Labasin Waterfalls Restaurant, PhilippinesStunning waterfalls sometimes have restaurants at the top. But the Labasin Waterfalls, in San Pablo City, Philippines, are different. A restaurant sits at the bottom of these falls. Guests dine on authentic Filipino meals at bamboo tables that stand right in the water. They cool their feet in the water that flows under their tables. The surrounding jungle makes a perfect background for this one-of-a-kind dining experience.
The Grotto, ThailandThe Grotto Restaurant on Thailand’s Phra Nang Beach offers delicious food and an incredible dining experience. The restaurant is partly positioned inside a cave and partly on the beach. Guests seated toward the front look out at Happy Island in the lovely Andaman Sea. Those seated at the back enjoy an authentic cave-dining experience. Comfortable tables are arranged inside the cave. International food with a Thai influence is featured.
For your next travel-and-dining adventure, why not make a reservation at one of these unique restaurants?
1. What do we know about The Rock?| A．It is located on an enormous ship. |
| B．It is suitable for holding a wedding celebration. |
| C．Customers can walk out to the restaurant all the time. |
| D．The tables stand right in the beautiful blue-green water. |
| A．Customers can enjoy the beautiful views of the sea. |
| B．Short boat rides are needed to get to these restaurants. |
| C．They offer the freshest seafood from the surrounding ocean. |
| D．They integrate delicious food with incredible dining experiences. |
| A．To call on readers to visit the unique restaurants. |
| B．To present available restaurants for readers to work in. |
| C．To introduce the delicious food offered in the restaurants. |
| D．To remind people to take a break from the busy schedules. |
8 . The saying goes that a dog is man’s best friend, but this companionship isn’t unique to dogs. Even though rabbits are smaller and quieter than dogs, they are also intelligent, outgoing, active, and social and they make great pets. Here are five reasons for adopting (养) a rabbit.
Rabbits are budget-friendly.
Rabbit care is much less expensive than the budget (预算) required for taking care of a dog or cat.
It’s easy to fit a rabbit into the schedule.
Rabbits are awake in the early morning and early evening, and spend most daytime and nighttime sleeping.
Rabbits are clean, quiet, and contained.
Rabbits are clean animals that generally don’t make large messages. Rabbits don’t require as large living spaces as a dog or cat does, so they are apartment-friendly.
Rabbits are intelligent and lovely.
| A．Rabbits don’t make loud noises. |
| B．And a rabbit requires less care time. |
| C．They can always be a good part of the community. |
| D．It costs about $50 monthly to feed and care for a rabbit. |
| E．This works well for someone with a typical day job schedule. |
| F．Rabbits, like dogs, are smart enough to be trained to do all sorts of tricks. |
| G．People should make sure they are ready for the responsibility before adopting. |
9 . Do you know the following fun holidays?
Yellow Pig Day
The unofficial holiday that falls on July 17 was created in the early 1960s by Princeton mathematics students, David Kelly and Michael Spivak, while they were working on the special properties (属性) of the number 17, which is a prime number (质数) that has significance in mathematics.
Mole Day
It’s celebrated every year with a theme by scientists and chemistry students throughout the United States and around the world between 6:02 am and 6:02 pm(18:02)on October 23 because when written in the month-date format (格式), the date and time 6.02, 10/23 include the digits (数字) in Avogadro’s number (602×1023) in honor of the mole, a measuring unit in chemistry.
Tau Day
This has much to do with Pi Day (圆周率日). It has been held every year since 2010 on June 28. The day began as a way to recognize tau. Tau is equal to 2π or 6.283. In recent years, some mathematicians and physicists have argued for the replacement of pi(π) by tau, but it is not yet widely accepted within the scientific community.
Palindrome Day
Palindrome (回文) is a word or phrase that reads the same backwards as forwards, for example madam. Palindrome Day happens when the day’s date can be read the same way backward and forward. Because date formats vary from country to country, not all dates that are palindromic in one kind of date format are Palindrome Days in another. For instance, April 21, 2024 or 4-21-24 is a palindromic date in the m-dd-yy format, but it isn’t if you write the date as dd-m-yy yy(21-4-2024)or dd-mm-yyyy(21-04-2024).
1. What is special about Mole Day?| A．It has a different theme every year. | B．It was created by a scientist. |
| C．It’s the oldest of the four holidays. | D．It’s celebrated only in America. |
| A．Palindrome Day. | B．Mole Day. | C．Yellow Pig Day. | D．Tau Day. |
| A．They’re celebrated several times a year. | B．They each represent a scientific idea. |
| C．They are enjoyed mainly by students. | D．They are accepted by governments. |
10 . American Museum of Natural History was made for explorers and adventurers — it was made for people like you, with a passion for science and a love for discovery. Here is the general information about it:
Open daily: 10:00 a. m. — 5:30 p. m.
Closed: Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Ticketing
All tickets must be reserved online in advance of your visit.
Pay-What-You-Wish Admission
Facial coverings are strongly recommended for all visitors ages 2 and up.
Please note that same-day reservations and certain time openings may be unavailable due to limited capacity.
Museum Members: Sign in to your profile before reserving tickets to access member pricing.
Address
200 Central Park West
New York, NY 10024-5102
Entrances and Exits
●Visitors can enter and exit at the accessible entrances on Rose Center for Earth and Space or Columbus Avenue at Gilder Center.
●For priority access, member s and their guests can use the member entrance at Central Park West and 79th Street.
●School groups arriving by subway can enter from the 81st Street B/C station.
Accessibility
The museum is committed to ensuring that its facilities, exhibitions, and services are accessible to all individuals, including those with disabilities. Caregivers accompanying visitors with disabilities receive free museum admission.
Ticketed Exhibitions
To buy admission tickets, select the number of tickets, plus a date and time of entry. You will have the option to add Ticketed Exhibitions during the checkout process.
All Ticketed Exhibitions are free for members.
1. What must you do if you want to visit the museum?| A．Sign in to your profile. | B．Make advance payments. |
| C．Book tickets online beforehand. | D．Wear self-protection equipment. |
| A．Central Park West at 79th Street. | B．The 81st Street B/C station. |
| C．Columbus Avenue at Gilder Center. | D．Rose Center for Earth and Space. |
| A．No entry is for kids under age two. |
| B．Members have access to it on Christmas. |
| C．Caregivers of disabled visitors are admitted free. |
| D．Visitors have to include Ticketed Exhibitions in their visits. |
