1 . On the surface, Western Australia’s Great Sandy Desert might appear calm. But deep underground, blind moles (鼹鼠), also called kakarratul, covered in silky yellow fur are “swimming” through the sand. These creatures that are considered elusive spend so much of their lives below the surface that they remain largely unknown to wildlife biologists.
Now, Aboriginal rangers (护林员) have made a sight of one of the kakarratuls by the Martu, the local people of central Western Australia. This marks the second kakarratul sight in just six months. Historically, people only see the species five to ten times every decade.
Kakarratuls are very small and can’t see very clearly. Their bodies are covered in soft fur, and they primarily eat worms (蠕虫). They’re also perfectly adapted for life in the tough Australian land. Rather than living in the hot sun, they live almost entirely underground — digging holes as far as 8.2 feet below the surface — where they move through the sand in a unique way. The kakarratul is an amazing creature that “swims” through the sand of Australia’s western deserts. They carve a path and fill it in as they go forward through the sand.
“The creatures can survive by just breathing the air that moves between sand,” wrote Joe Benshemesh, a biologist with the National Malleefowl Recovery Group, for Australian Geographic. “They save energy and resources by allowing their body temperature to reflect that of the surrounding sand,” he added.
The moles periodically come to the surface, especially during periods of cool, rainy weather. But they don’t appear often, so wildlife scientists don’t know their population size. They are regarded as a species of “least concern”. “Local rangers try their best to take good care of kakarratuls, but they aren’t easy to find,” said Lynette Wildridge, a senior Nyangumarta ranger.
1. What does the underlined word “elusive” in paragraph I mean?| A．Dangerous to approach. | B．Difficult to find. |
| C．Expensive to buy. | D．Easy to feed. |
| A．Attractive. | B．Frightening. | C．Unforgettable. | D．Unusual. |
| A．They may appear in rainy days. |
| B．They are well taken care of by the rangers. |
| C．They can find food more easily underground. |
| D．They dig holes to get away from the extreme weather. |
| A．Kakarratuls: Swimmers Through Desert Sand | B．Kakarratuls: Unique Animals to Australia |
| C．Local Rangers Look After Kakarratuls Well | D．Australia Is Trying Hard to Save Kakarratuls |
2 . Charles Potter lost his ability to walk in 2006 and had to use a wheelchair after being hit by a drunk driver. He said that after the
Once Potter started to
Years later, Potter and Rhonda got married. They
Charlize has always been into dance. At school, she took such a
So many people were
| A．practice | B．show | C．task | D．accident |
| A．Unexpectedly | B．Luckily | C．Suddenly | D．Obviously |
| A．grow | B．walk | C．recover | D．work |
| A．natural | B．possible | C．correct | D．difficult |
| A．keep | B．avoid | C．want | D．forget |
| A．appreciated | B．welcomed | C．left | D．helped |
| A．related | B．used | C．limited | D．addicted |
| A．chance | B．course | C．tour | D．challenge |
| A．watch | B．interview | C．serve | D．join |
| A．got to work | B．took a rest | C．showed up | D．calmed down |
| A．described | B．changed | C．performed | D．expressed |
| A．chosen | B．made | C．copied | D．posted |
| A．worried | B．moved | C．familiar | D．blind |
| A．faimess | B．thanks | C．positivity | D．interests |
| A．situations | B．desires | C．opinions | D．efforts |
A tracking camera set up by a team of dog tracking experts in Colorado has caught the incredible journey of a missing dog named Ullr. He managed to survive 11 months alone in the wilderness, following a snow crash that separated him from his owner.
Jacob Dalbey, Ullr’s owner, received the long-awaited confirmation of his beloved dog’s survival through photos taken by the tracking experts he had employed. Dalbey expressed his great joy and gratitude on a GoFundMe page, launched by his friend, Deborah Wieker. “After 341 days, 11 months to the day of setting up tracking cameras and food and moving them around in the hope of attracting Ullr into one to finally get confirmation of what I have known all along, it happened,” Dalbey shared. “To all of you. friends and supporters of Ullr and me, I want to thank you so much. Knowing you believe in us really means a lot, even when I don’t say it. It has been extremely difficult to say the least. Your support has made it possible to keep searching for Ullr over the last 11 months,” he added.
The separation between Dalbey and Ullr occurred on March 17, 2023, when they were caught in a snow crash near Chair Mountain while backcountry skiing with friends. Despite being seriously injured and hospitalized, Dalbey displayed incredible resilience (韧性), recalling, “I was fully buried with my right arm sticking out of the snow. I was able to clear my airway immediately and then dug myself out over three hours with a broken hand and frozen fingers.”
Deborah Wieker explained that Dalbey, unable to work due to injuries during the snow crash, faced a significant financial burden with unplanned medical bills. At the same time, he needed to cover the expense of the tracker that played an important role in Ullr’s discovery.
注意：1．续写词数应为150左右;2．请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
The story of Jacob Dalbey and his dog moved people online.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Jacob Dalbey finally recovered, leaving the hospital to pick up his dog.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________1.微信支付的好处；
2.你能提供的帮助。
注意：1.写作词数应为80左右;
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Not far away from
In the exhibition showing the works of Tang, one particular painting stood out as the centerpiece— “two sparrows (麻雀) on a tree”. The masterpiece (杰作) shows the
“It’s considered
Tang, better known by his name Bohu, was famous
6 . 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. |
7 . In June 1938, writer Jerry Siegel and illustrator Joe Shuster introduced Superman to readers. Since then, the Superman has become a cultural symbol, appearing in films, novels, TV series and more.
On April 4, 2024, a copy of that original 1938 Superman comic (漫画) book—called Action Comics No. 1—sold for $6 million during a Heritage Auctions sale. It’s now the most valuable comic book in the world.
“Thursday was a historic day for a historic comic book, and we expected no less,” says Barry Sandoval, vice president at Heritage Auctions.
The comic has been given a “very fine” grade of 8.5 out of 10 by CGC, a third-party grading service for pop culture collectibles. It’s one of just 78 copies CGC has graded, though the company thinks around 100 still exist. Just 200,000 copies of Action Comics No. I were published in 1938. The price beats out the previous record-holder, a 1939 issue of Superman No. I that sold privately for $5.3 million in 2022. Until then, the record had belonged to a copy of Amazing Fantasy No. 15—which introduced readers to Spider-Man in 1962—that sold for $3.6 million in 2021.
Action Comics No. 1 tells the story of a baby boy who was born on a dying faraway planet. His father places him in a space capsule (太空舱) and sends him away just before his home planet gets destroyed. Finally, the capsule lands on Earth, where a passing driver discovers the sleeping baby and saves him. The child—Clark Kent—grows up and realizes he has superhuman strengths and abilities.
Superman’s popularity skyrocketed in the following decades, and Action Comics continues to this day. “Without Superman and Action Comics No. 1, who knows whether there ever would have been a Golden Age of comics—or if the medium would have become what it is today?” says Sandoval.
1. What do we know about Action Comics No.1?| A．It is based on the writer’s true story. | B．It contains the character of Spider-Man. |
| C．It has a history of more than 80 years. | D．It is the world’s most expensive novel. |
| A．To present a topic. | B．To explain a phenomenon. |
| C．To raise a question. | D．To make a comparison. |
| A．He destroys his home planet. | B．He inspires Siege l to write. |
| C．He is the Superman. | D．He is the passing driver. |
| A．To remember a writer. | B．To introduce a book. |
| C．To promote values of comics. | D．To encourage studies on culture. |
8 . Grace Choi, whose nickname is Sunny, is a gymnast in America. “I remember her doing cartwheels (翻跟头) when she was a kid,” her brother Jin says.
One night at college, Choi saw members of a breaking (霹雳舞) club dancing by accident. She was immediately attracted to the dance and came to a class. Choi’s gymnastics skills gave her an advantage. After graduating from business school, she began working in the cosmetics (化妆品) industry. But on the side, she kept breaking.
Breaking was added to the Paris Olympics program in 2020. In late 2021, Choi attended a camp. It was for the top U. S. breakers. A coach there asked those who wanted to become Olympians to raise their hands. Everyone’s hand went up except Choi’s. Working full-time while training to make the Olympic team seemed impossible.
But after finishing second at the World Games in July 2022, Choi left the cosmetics industry. In 2023, she was chosen for the 2024 Paris Olympics by winning the Pan American Games.“I’m so much happier,” she says. “I feel lighter. I have more energy for the things I want to do.”
Thirty-two breakers will go to Paris. “Choi has power moves,” says Mary Fogarty, a professor of dance at York University, in Toronto, Canada. “Choi is someone who has enough material to go all the way through.” Choi struggles with self-doubt. She’ll work on her mindset. She’ll lift weights with a strength coach. And she’ll eat a healthy diet.
Choi is confident about one thing: If you give breaking a chance, you won’t be disappointed. “You feel the energy,” she says. “You feel the excitement. You feel the happiness or the anger or whatever emotion that the dancer is expressing in that moment. What’s so cool about breaking is that you get to be really you.”
1. What introduced Choi to break dancing?| A．An accidental chance. | B．Her gymnastics skills. |
| C．Her brother’s encouragement. | D．The camp for the top breakers. |
| A．Her job. | B．Her health. |
| C．Her college education. | D．Her chance of promotion. |
| A．Anxious. | B．Confident. | C．Uncertain. | D．Unexpected. |
| A．A youth is to be regarded with respect. | B．The young thirst for being famous. |
| C．Where there’s interest, there’s success. | D．Curious minds never feel contented. |
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 . Many years ago, my dad was facing a serious heart condition. He was unable to do a steady job. He suddenly fell ill and had to be admitted to the hospital.
He wanted to do something to keep himself busy, so he decided to volunteer at the local children’s hospital. My dad loved kids. It was a perfect job for him. He ended up working with the seriously ill children. He would talk, play, and do arts with them.
One of his kids was a girl with a rare disease that paralyzed (使瘫痪) her from the neck down. She couldn’t do anything, and she was very depressed. My dad decided to try to help her. He started visiting her in her room, bringing paints, brushes and paper. He stood the paper up, put the paintbrush in his mouth and began to paint. He didn’t use his hands at all. All the while he would tell her, “See, you can do anything you set your mind to.” At the end of the day, she began to paint using her mouth, and she and my dad became friends. Soon after, the little girl was sent home because the doctors felt there was nothing else they could do for her. My dad also left the children’s hospital for a little while because he became ill. Some time later after my dad had recovered and returned to work, in came the little girl who had been paralyzed and only this time she was walking. She ran straight over to my dad and hugged him really tight. She gave him a picture she had done using her hands. At the bottom it read: “Thank you for helping me walk.”
My dad would cry every time he told us this story and so would we. He would say sometimes love is more powerful than doctors, and my dad — who died just a few months after the little girl gave him the picture — loved every single child in that hospital.
1. How did the author’s father help the paralyzed girl?| A．He helped her practice walking. | B．He visited her and made a toy for her. |
| C．He showed her that she could still do things. | D．He painted special pictures for her. |
| A．She eventually became a unique painter. |
| B．She was sent home and never seen again. |
| C．She gradually recovered and walked. |
| D．She sent the author’s dad a picture painted with her mouth. |
| A．It’s better to give than to receive. | B．A sick person should not focus on his disease. |
| C．Volunteering is a worthwhile thing to do. | D．Love can sometimes bring great results. |
| A．To make his serious heart condition less serious. | B．To keep himself occupied and pleased. |
| C．To realize his childhood dream. | D．To earn money to pay for treatment. |
