1 . In the late 1970s, archaeologists (考古学家) uncovered the remains of a woman and a young dog, her hand resting on the puppy’s chest in a 12,000-year-old village.

The find is some of the earliest evidence of the bond between humans and dogs. But even after years of study researchers are divided on how this bond began. Did it arise over thousands of years, as early dogs became tamer (驯服的) and more accustomed to human behaviors? Or was this fire already burning in the ancestors of dogs: the gray wolf?

Christina Hansen Wheat, a behavioral ecologist at Stockholm University, and workmates hand-raised 10 gray wolves from the time they were 10 days old. When the animals were 23 weeks old, a caregiver led them one at a time into a mostly empty room. Over the course of several minutes, the caregiver exited and entered the room, sometimes leaving the wolf alone, sometimes leaving it with a complete stranger. The team repeated the experiment with 12 23-week-old Alaskan huskies (哈士奇), which they’d raised similarly since puppyhood.

For the most part, the scientists saw few differences between the wolves and the dogs. When their caregiver entered the room, both species scored 4.6 on a five-point scale of “greeting behavior”—a desire to be around the human. When the stranger entered, dog greeting behavior dropped to 4.2 and wolf to 3.5, on average, suggesting both animals made a distinction between the person they knew and the one they didn’t. It’s this distinction that the team counts as a sign of attachment.

In addition, dogs barely paced—a sign of stress—during the test, while wolves paced at least part of the time. However, the wolves stopped pacing almost entirely when a stranger left the room and their caretaker returned. Hansen Wheat says that’s never been seen before in wolves. It could be a sign, she says, that the animals view the humans who raised them as a “social buffer”.

For her, that’s the most interesting part of the study. “If this is true, this sort of attachment is not what separates dogs from wolves,” she says. In other words, it didn’t have to be bred into them by humans, but could have been the seed we selected for, and then strengthened over thousands of years.

1. What’s the purpose of Hansen Wheat’s experiment?

A．To find out what makes gray wolves and dogs different.

B．To explain the reasons why humans raised dogs from ancient times.

C．To argue gray wolves after being tamed are easier to keep than dogs.

D．To prove whether gray wolves can make doglike attachment to people.

2. What do we know about Hansen Wheat’s experiment from paragraph 3 and 4?

A．Researchers began to raise gray wolves from their birth.

B．Researchers used equal numbers of gray wolves and dogs.

C．Gray wolves felt more stressful than dogs when a stranger came.

D．“Greeting behavior” of the two animals was significantly different.

3. What do the underlined words “social buffer” in paragraph 5 mean?

A．A reminder of feeding.	B．A sign of social attachment.
C．A source of comfort and support.	D．A warning of stopping pace.

4. What will Hansen Wheat probably agree with according to the last paragraph?

A．Dogs are more attached to humans than gray wolves.

B．It is the attachment to humans that sets gray wolves apart from dogs.

C．The attachment between dogs and humans is the result of being tamed.

D．The attachment to humans plays a role in the choice of dogs or gray wolves.

2 . We all know that leading a healthy lifestyle is essential, but sometimes it’s hard to stick to good habits. If you’re looking to make some changes and improve your health, this blog post is for you!     1    

Get moving

It’s no secret that exercise is good for you. Not only does it help to improve your overall health, but it can also boost your mood and increase your energy levels.     2     This could include going for a brisk walk, riding your bike, or taking a fitness class. There’s no need to go all out. Even moderate activity around your house, such as working in your garden, can benefit significantly.

Reduce or get rid of sugar

Sugar can cause inflammation (发炎) and worsen existing health conditions like diabetes and heart disease.     3     When you cut sugar out of your diet, you’ll likely notice an improvement in your energy levels, mental clarity, and overall sense of well-being. You may even drop a few pounds.

Drink more water

Your body comprises about 60% water. It helps flush toxins from your body, carry nutrients to your cells, and keep your skin healthy. It helps improve your mood and energy levels and helps you lose weight.     4     Also, it may surprise you how much better you feel.

Get enough sleep

A good night’s sleep is one of the best things you can do for your health and wellness. When you sleep enough, your body has adequate time to recharge and heal from the day’s activities, which also helps to improve focus and concentration, and help boost your mood.     5    

A．It can also lead to weight gain and make you feel exhausted.

B．You may have heard the advice to drink eight glasses of water a day.

C．These tips can help you get the restful sleep you need to feel your best.

D．Here are some simple tips that can help you turn things around within 30 days.

E．So next time you’re feeling tired, reach for a glass of water instead of a cup of coffee.

F．One way to make exercising easier is to set a daily goal of 30 minutes of physical activity.

G．However, when you don’t get enough rest, you’re more likely to have trouble concentrating.

3 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Where does the conversation take place?

A．In a coffeehouse.

B．In a company.

C．At the office.

2. Why does the woman take the part-time job?

A．Because She is a volunteer.

B．Because she is an English student.

C．Because she wants to improve oral English.

3. What can we know about the man?

A．He seldom comes here.

B．He wants some cookies.

C．He tries to improve his English.

4. What’s not allowed for the woman?

A．Accepting tips.

B．Talking with customers.

C．Speaking English.

4 . Scientists have solved a puzzle about modern humans, after research showed that a famous skull of a human ancestor found in South Africa is a million years older than experts thought. This discovery has changed what we know of human history.

The skull, which scientists have named “Mrs Ples”, is from an ape-like human relative from a species called Australopithecus africanus (南方古猿). It was found near Johannesburg in 1947 and, based on evidence from its surroundings, was thought to be between 2. 1 and 2. 6 million years old. This puzzled scientists, because although Mrs Ples looks like a possible early ancestor of early humans, the first true humans had already evolved by the time she apparently lived. For this reason, scientists had decided that Australopithecus afarensis, a similar species from East Africa that lived about 3.5 million years ago, was our most likely ancestor instead.

To get a more accurate age for Mrs Ples, a team led by Professor Darryl Granger of Purdue University in Indiana, US, used a new method to date the sandy rocks where the skull lay. They measured the amount of certain chemicals in rocks, which form at a steady rate when they are exposed to cosmic rays (宇宙射线) on Earth’s surface. Once rocks are buried, these chemicals stop forming and slowly disappear;the surviving amount reveals how much time has passed since the rock (or bones) were on the surface.

The new study shows that Mrs Ples and other australopithecine bones nearby are between 3.4 and 3.7 million years old. This means they lived at the same time as their East African relatives, so that either group could have given rise to modern humans. However, team member Dr Laurent Bruxelles pointed out that over millions of years, at only 2,500 miles away, these groups had plenty of time to travel and to breed with each other. In other words, the groups could quite easily have met, had children together and both been part of the history of modern humans.

1. What can we learn about Mrs Ples from the first two paragraphs?

A．It is a skull found in East Africa.

B．It is the most possible ancestor of humans.

C．It is a million years older than scientists expected.

D．It is proved to live between 2.1 and 2.6 million years ago.

2. How did scientists get the accurate age of “Mrs Ples”?

A．By studying the effect of cosmic rays.

B．By calculating the forming rate of chemicals.

C．By locating the sandy rocks where the skull lay.

D．By measuring the surviving amount of chemicals.

3. What can we infer from the new study?

A．Modern humans came into being in East Africa.

B．Mrs Ples travelled and had children with East African relatives.

C．The history of modern humans might begin 3.5 million years ago.

D．Ape-like species from Africa could have interacted with each other.

4. Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?

A．Historical Puzzle Unsolved	B．Ancestor Mystery Solved
C．Mrs Ples: The Earliest Human Being	D．Mrs Ples: A Famous Skull

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

A．Lightning strikes mostly in December.

B．The people there worry about getting hit.

C．The area is near the Andes Mountains.

2. What did NASA call the area?

A．The Never-Ending Storm of Catatumbo.

B．The Lightning Capital of the World.

C．The Light of Venezuela.

3. How many people are struck by lightning near the Catatumbo River?

A．One in three per year.

B．One in 12,000 per year.

C．80% of people who live there.

4. What does the man say in the end?

A．He’s scared of storms.

B．He’ll never visit Venezuela.

C．He’d be careful if he lived in the area.

6 . I couldn’t be more excited to join Reader’s Digest as we celebrate our 100th anniversary. Since 1922, this magazine has shared stories about remarkable people across the country and the kind and heroic things they do for one another.

I grew up in a family of storytellers. My father, a police officer in our central Illinois town, came home every day with stories about the people in our community: funny anecdotes or dramatic stories that revealed the lives of the individuals in our town and what they went through every day.

My mother was a gifted storyteller and her job in the front office of our local middle school provided a lot of material. My sister and I heard about classmates who were caught skipping school or forced by the principal to admit their mischief on unpopular teacher. She would deliver the play-by-play to us, laughing about kids and the things they do. My sister and I learned how to find and tell our own stories in a way that the April 1960 issue held Mom and Dad’s attention and earned their laughs. I suspect those conversations pushed me toward journalism, a way of telling stories to an audience beyond the dinner table.

In this special anniversary issue, we look at some of the incredible stories from famous writers, politicians, everyday heroes, and average Americans that have filled the pages of Reader’s Digest for a century. We also talk about humor, health, and how to feel hopeful about the next century. Of course, there is too much for one issue, so be sure to visit us online at rd.com/100th for more.

Most of all, thank you for being a part of the first 100 years of Reader’s Digest. I look forward to hearing and sharing your stories for years to come.

1. Which of the following is closest in meaning to “mischief” in paragraph 3?

A．Trick.

B．Pressure.

C．Influence.

D．Emphasis.

2. What drove the writer to become a journalist?

A．His abundant reading of Readers’ Digest.

B．His principal’s suggestion and guidance.

C．His parents’ good talent of telling stories.

D．His family’s frequent exchanging of stories.

3. Why is this anniversary issue of Readers’ Digest special?

A．Because it shares stories beyond the dinner table.

B．Because it has only one offline version available.

C．Because it is a story collection of the previous editions.

D．Because it is particularly enjoyed by the writer’s parents.

4. What is the purpose of the writer writing the text?

A．To prove the editor’s theory.

B．To state the writer’s opinion.

C．To promote the sale of the magazine.

D．To encourage contributions from readers.

7 . Mary uses a walking stick. Benjamin recently learned how to walk. Mary is 99. Benjamin is 2. The neighbors may seem like _________friends, but during the pandemic (疫情), they formed a unique _________at the fence between their houses in Minneapolis.

“Benjamin just turned 2 years old. We’ve been _________with Mary long before he was born,” Benjamin’s mom, Sarah Olson said. They didn’t see Mary much, _________last year when the COV1D-19 pandemic _________and the family had to stay home, Mary was someone they could _________—outside.

During the pandemic, the Olsons _________played in their yard, and Mary would be in hers. Benjamin would _________Mary when he saw her in the yard and they would play games. There's a 97-year _________gap, but Benjamin doesn’t see it.

“She’s just Mary, or ‘Mimi’,” Sarah said. “We’re inside and he’ll go, ‘Mimi? Mimi?’ and we'll go outside and ____________Mary. Then Mary will call out, ‘Hey Benjamin!’ How ____________a scene it is!”

For Mary, who was completely ____________during the pandemic, a friend was just what she needed. It seems Mary has ____________a childlike spirit with Benjamin, playing with bubbles and even water guns.

More than a year after they first started ____________together, Benjamin and Mary still ____________each other's company. Benjamin and Mary's friendship has ____________so many because people like to see relationships form so ____________for young people and elderly people. “We didn't have to work on it at all; it just ____________,” Sarah said.

“Friendship can be ____________in so many different ways. I’m really happy they’ve developed this friendship, ” she said. “It is such a rewarding ____________for both of them.”

1.

A．unfaithful

B．unlikely

C．close

D．special

2.

A．bond

B．habit

C．belief

D．impression

3.

A．strangers

B．friends

C．neighbors

D．relatives

4.

A．but

B．so

C．because

D．or

5.

A．continued

B．ended

C．hit

D．faded

6.

A．visit

B．see

C．recognize

D．invite

7.

A．seldom

B．often

C．once

D．never

8.

A．talk about

B．make room for

C．tend to

D．run over to

9.

A．age

B．culture

C．generation

D．knowledge

10.

A．look into

B．look through

C．look after

D．look for

11.

A．strange

B．familiar

C．sweet

D．awkward

12.

A．different

B．forgotten

C．independent

D．alone

13.

A．rediscovered

B．broken

C．understood

D．accepted

14.

A．chatting

B．playing

C．working

D．learning

15.

A．ignore

B．imagine

C．miss

D．enjoy

16.

A．amused

B．shocked

C．touched

D．puzzled

17.

A．naturally

B．quickly

C．obviously

D．normally

18.

A．remained

B．changed

C．mattered

D．happened

19.

A．established

B．spoiled

C．betrayed

D．improved

20.

A．coincidence

B．experience

C．practice

D．lesson

8 . We have learned to expect that trains will be punctual. After years of conditioning (习惯), most of us have developed an unshakable faith in railway timetables. Ships may be delayed by storms; flights may be cancelled because of bad weather; but trains must be on time. Only an exceptionally heavy snowfall might temporarily dislocate railway services. It is all too easy to blame the railway authorities when something does go wrong. The truth is that when mistakes occur, they are more likely to be ours than theirs.

After consulting my railway timetable, I noted with satisfaction that there was an express train to Westhaven. It went direct from my local station and the journey lasted a mere hour and seventeen minutes. When I boarded the train, I could not help noticing that a great many local people got on as well. At the time, this didn’t strike me as odd. I reflected that there must be a great many people besides myself who wished to take advantage of this excellent service. Neither was I surprised when the train stopped at Widley, a tiny station a few miles along the line. Even a mighty express train can be held up by signals. But when the train dawdled (慢吞吞地动) at station after station, I began to wonder. It suddenly dawned on me that this express was not roaring down the line at ninety miles an hour, but barely chugging (咔嚓咔嚓地响) along at thirty. One hour and seventeen minutes passed and we had not even covered half the distance. I asked a passenger if this was the Westhaven Express, but he had not even heard of it. I determined to lodge a complaint as soon as we arrived. Two hours later, I was talking angrily to the station master at Westhaven. When he denied the train’s existence, I borrowed his copy of the timetable. There was a note of triumph (胜利) in my voice when I told him that it was there in black and white. Glancing at it briefly, he told me to look again. A tiny asterisk (星号) conducted me to a footnote at the bottom of the page. It said: “This service has been suspended.”

1. What is most people’s faith in trains?

A．They rarely fail us in their punctuality .

B．They trick passengers for various reasons.

C．They are just as reliable as ships and flights.

D．They never come up to our expectations.

2. What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 2 suggest?

A．I wasn’t interested.	B．I wasn’t surprised.
C．I was quite annoyed.	D．I was deeply impressed.

3. Which of the following words best describes the author’s experience?

A．Pleasant.	B．Rewarding.
C．Thrilling.	D．Disappointing.

4. Who or what was to blame for the author’s taking the “wrong” train?

A．The railway authorities.	B．The author himself.
C．The railway timetable.	D．The station master.