2 . When put to tests, bees have long proved that they’ve got a lot more to offer than pollinating (授粉), making honey and being loyal to a queen. The hard-working insects can change their behavior when things seem difficult, and now some scientists find there is proof that they also like to play.

Scientists from Queen Mary University of London performed an experiment, in which they set up a container that allowed bees to travel from their nest to a feeding area. But along the way, the bees could choose to pass through a separate section with some small wooden balls. Over 18 days, the scientists watched as the bees “went out of their way to roll wooden balls repeatedly, despite no apparent incentive (刺激) to do so.”

Earlier studies have shown that the black and yellow bugs are willing to learn new tricks in exchange for food or other rewards. In this case, to get rid of external factors, scientists made sure the bees had adapted to their new home and that their environment was stress-free.

The finding suggests that like humans, insects also interact with objects as a form of play. Also similar to people, younger bees seem to be more playful than adult bees. “This research provides a strong indication that insect minds are far more complicated than we imagine. There are lots of animals who play just for the purpose of enjoyment, but most examples come from young mammals and birds,” said Lars Chittka, a professor of sensory and behavioral ecology at Queen Mary University of London, who led the study.

The study’s first author. Samadi Galpay, who is a PhD student at Queen Mary University of London, states that it is more evident that bees may be capable of experiencing feelings. “They may actually experience some kind of positive emotional states, even if basic, like other larger animals do. This finding has effects on our understanding of the sense and welfare of insects, which, consequently, encourages us to respect and protect wildlife on Earth ever more,” she says.

1. What is the new finding about bees?

A．They are fond of having fun.	B．They are faithful to the queen.
C．They are adaptable to changes	D．They are skilled at rolling balls.

2. How did scientists remove external influences in the experiment?

A．By teaching bees new tricks.	B．By rewarding bees with food.
C．By making bees feel at home.	D．By building new homes for bees

3. What are Lars Chittka’s words mainly about?

A．The forms of bees’ interaction.	B．The complexity of bees’ minds.
C．The examples of mammals’ play.	D．The purpose of mammals’ enjoyment.

4. What does Samadi Galpay say about the study result?

A．It backs up prior understanding of insects.

B．It reveals reasons for bees’ positive feelings.

C．It drives research on animals’ emotional state.

D．It contributes to wildlife conservation on Earth.

3 . Overlooking the Davis—Gant Varsity Soccer Field, a bed of overturned soil waits for further development. In a few years, this area will become a natural habitat and a playground for animals and residents. This peaceful area didn’t appear naturally, but through planning and action taken by Catlin Gabel’s Tiny Forest project launched by teacher Patrick Walsh.

Forests typically take hundreds of years to mature, with four stages of growth. “Tiny forests flatten out time through the planting of all four layers (层),” Walsh explained. The end result is a fast-growing, native forest in about 20 years. Over 600 plants from 43 species will be planted in the tiny forest, the first one in Oregon.

Walsh was inspired to build a tiny forest after hearing about this idea, which emerged in Japan and has taken hold in North America. He shared his vision with seniors in his class. The seniors researched tiny forests and made a proposal resulting in Clean Water Services donating 60 trees and $5,000 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Armed with these resources, Walsh and the students started working. “Something I didn’t really expect was the outpouring of students’ enthusiasm. Seeing students from all grades volunteered to contribute to the ‘dirty work’ really blew me away,” Walsh said.

Senior Megan Cover has been at the school since the first grade. “I’ll graduate after working on this project, which is surely sad, but it’s really rewarding and great to be a part of this project and to do my bit. We’re creating this educational space for many young kids,” Cover said.

Walsh summed up his goal of the project, which is to build a place where students can enjoy and learn about nature. “The forest will obviously not solve climate change, but it will deserve the efforts if the kids think about climate change and remember the importance of reforestation and trees when they look outside at the forest.”

1. What is special about tiny forests?

A．They originated in North America.	B．They are usually planted in schools.
C．They contain various types of trees.	D．They become mature in a shorter time.

2. What surprised Walsh in the process of planting the tiny forest?

A．The abundance of native tree species.	B．Public concern about the environment.
C．The active participation of students.	D．Support from local organizations.

3. How does Megan Cover feel about the project?

A．Proud.

B．Regretful.

C．Grateful.

D．Disappointed.

4. What does Walsh want the forest to function as for the students?

A．A model.

B．A reminder.

C．A resource.

D．A witness.

4 . 假设你是李华。你和英国好友Jack原定本周末一起外出，你因故不能赴约。请你用英文给他写一封电子邮件，内容包括：
1. 表达歉意并说明原因；
2. 提出建议并给出理由。
注意：
1. 词数100左右；
2. 适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3. 作文开头和结尾已经给出，不计入总字数。
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 . “绿宝石岛”真是一个视觉盛宴，这里有宁静的风景、许许多多绿色的郡连同延绵起伏的青山上点缀着牛羊。
The peaceful landscape of the “Emerald Isle” and its many green counties is a true ________ for the eyes, with its rolling green hills ________ with sheep and cattle.

6 . 她有机会让她迷人的嗓音被全世界的人们听到。
She has the ________ to make her charming voice ________ by people all over the world.

7 . 从大学合唱团唱歌开始，他痴迷于莫扎特的古典音乐。
He has fallen in love with Mozart’s ________ music since he sang for the university ________.

8 . 五十岁时，她发觉自己失业了，困在家里，只有电脑相伴。
At age 50, she found herself out of work and ________ at home only her computer to keep her ________.

10 . 他广博的知识让我们尊敬。
We ________ him for his wide________ of knowledge.