1 . Imagine the sound of a dog walking across a tile floor, the “click, click, click” of its claws tapping against the ground. Now, imagine a cat walking across the same floor — the difference is the cat moves in total silence. Cats can fully retract (缩回) their claws, giving them superior ability to remain silence.

But why do cats have retractable claws, whereas dogs do not?

It all comes down to how cats and dogs use their claws. Cats use their claws primarily to attack their target, said Anthony Russell, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. They use their front claws to grab and hold on to their target and their back claws to cut open the target’s belly.

Cats need to keep their claws sharp to secure that next meal. Extended all the time, their claws would get less sharp as they scrape the ground, much like how a nail file deals with sharp points on a human fingernail.

Dogs, on the other hand, are social hunters. They work in groups to take down larger animals, wearing their target out over longer distances. For dogs, “if you’re hunting a moose or something, you wander along for kilometres and bite it until it is fatigued, and then you all jump on it,” Russell said. “Whereas cats essentially have a short burst, and then it’s over. Either the target gets away, or the target is captured.”

With more hunters working together, it’s less important for dogs to be able to grab and hold onto their target, so they don’t have to keep their claws as sharp. Sheer numbers are enough to give them the advantage.

But dogs’ claws aren’t completely useless. Dogs’ claws help them stand firmly on the earth and change directions quickly — a useful adaptation for pursuing target over long distances.

In nature’s silent dance, cats’ retractable claws are knives for quick attacks, while dogs’ strong claws make them good chasers. Each claw tells a tale of adaptation made to their unique hunting styles.

1. Where is the text most probably taken from?

A．An animal novel.

B．A scientific report.

C．A zoology magazine.

D．A pet keeping guide.

2. What does the underlined word “fatigued” in the 5th paragraph mean?

A．Hungry.

B．Scared.

C．Wounded.

D．Exhausted.

3. Which statement would Anthony Russell probably agree with?

A．Cats use front claws to grab and kill the target.

B．Dogs use claws to attack and wear their targets out.

C．Cats stop hunting if the target escapes from the first attack.

D．Dogs work together to capture their targets in a shorter time.

4. What does the author want to show by comparing animals’ claws?

A．Cats are better adapted to hunting than dogs.

B．Claws are more important for cats than for dogs.

C．The sharper the claws, the more efficient the hunt.

D．Cats and dogs find different ways to survive in nature.

2 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入 1 个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

“With your fingers crossed, inhale; then slowly lift your arms above your head.” Lu Jing, 66, is demonstrating a Ba Duan Jin exercise in a video she posted on the Douyin video app. As one of a handful of high-level professionals in China, Lu     1     (teach) Ba Duan Jin since 2005. Each morning from 7 to 8:30, she organizes offline exercise sessions, attracting many a     2     (participate) every day.

Ba Duan Jin is     3     easy-to-learn indoor exercise     4     (consist) of a sequence of eight qigong movements that strengthen the muscles, improve circulation and respiration, and boost the immune system. Such health benefits appeal     5     Lu’s followers aged 16 to 70. “Losing weight is difficult for women at my age, but my ‘love handles’ have gone!” one says. “I need to be     6     (high) concentrated on the coordination of my movements and breathing so I feel     7     (liberate) from anxiety,” says another.

Lu is keen     8     (collect) feedback from viewers and interact with experienced practitioners. In Lu’s opinion, Ba Duan Jin is not a rigid fitness regime. It’s important to listen to people’s responses, so that the traditional exercise can     9     (tailor) to meet modern people’s needs. That is     10     we truly inherit the treasure of Chinese culture.

3 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What has Barty decided to do at age 25?

A．Retire from tennis.

B．Go to college.

C．Enter a new contest.

2. Who is Casey Dellacqua?

A．Barty’s main opponent.

B．Barty’s personal trainer.

C．Barty’s former partner.

3. Which match did Barty win in 2022?

A．The British Open.

B．The French Open.

C．The Australian Open.

4 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What is the house like according to the speakers?

A．It is big enough.

B．It is in poor condition.

C．It has a smooth floor.

2. What might happen to the house according to the woman?

A．It will be sold.

B．It will fall down.

C．It will remain empty.

3. What has the woman heard in the local store?

A．The news of repairs.

B．The sound of an accident.

C．The chat about a business.

4. What might worry the woman about having a hotel next door?

A．The safety.

B．The space.

C．The noise.

5 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What’s wrong with the TV?

A．There is no sound.

B．There is no picture.

C．It takes up too much space.

2. How does the man react to what the woman has told him?

A．He finds it annoying.

B．He thinks it quite common.

C．He expresses sympathy.

3. What’s the woman’s purpose of coming to the man?

A．To get her money back.

B．To have the TV repaired.

C．To complain about the service.

6 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. When did the earthquake happen?

A．On Thursday afternoon.

B．On Thursday morning.

C．On Wednesday night.

2. What damage did the earthquake cause?

A．Forty people lost their lives.

B．At least 140 people were injured.

C．A railway was nearly destroyed.

3. What will the man do next?

A．Help the victims.

B．Check the highways.

C．Tell the woman some survival skills.

7 . It seems every country has one major event on the annual calendar. Here we’ve boiled down the choices to the absolute top events to add to your bucket list.

Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland

This over 50-year-old good time held on the shores of Lake Geneva is the second-largest jazz festival in the world. It’s more than jazz, though. You’ll find broad-ranging acts from pop to rock and blues. And, best of all, a large portion of the performances are free, in keeping with the festival’s purpose to make music accessible to anyone.

Palio di Siena, Italy

Twice a year, the Tuscan town of Siena recalls its past in the Middle Ages with a bareback horse race. Each of the 17 horses in the race and each of their course riders, represent one of the city’s districts, adding to the roar (咆哮) of the crowd. And to make things even more entertaining, riders are allowed to do anything to their opponents other than pull their reins (缰绳), so expect as many falls as thrills.

Saint Patrick’s Festival, Ireland

Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated anywhere in the world where there is an Irish group, but there’s no better place than Dublin, Ireland. This four-day festival in March is packed with a program of music, performing arts, literature, tours and food events. Centered around the national holiday, this festival of Irish pride, achievements and talents will be well supplied with Irish cheer.

Harbin International Snow and Ice Festival, China

Harbin is transformed into a winter wonderland with huge ice sculptures across the city, decorated with lights and lasers, drawing thousands of artists and art enthusiasts alike. And if that’s not enough to satisfy your fancy, there’s also the Ice Lantern Art Fair, sledding to watch and our favourite, “winter swimming watching”.

1. What features Montreux Jazz Festival?

A．Its programs are mostly charged.	B．It aims to make jazz free to anyone.
C．It includes various styles of music.	D．It is the oldest jazz festival globally.

2. Which festival will attract an adventurer most?

A．Montreux Jazz Festival.	B．Palio di Siena.
C．Saint Patrick’s Festival.	D．Harbin International Snow and Ice Festival.

3. What do the last two festivals have in common?

A．They last just as long.	B．They are held nationwide.
C．They take place in cold days.	D．They offer artistic experience.

8 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

China has been working quietly to address air pollution. In addition to observing, I also communicated with locals and foreigners     1     (learn) about China’s efforts.

According to Cui Xiaoyi, a resident of Beijing, due to serious air pollution the local administration (行政部门) sometimes warned     2     elderly not to go out in the past . But Beijing     3     (see) a great improvement in air quality over the last few years. They no longer need such emergency measures.

Muhammad Asghar, a representative of the Associated Press of Pakistan in China     4     has been living in Beijing for the past few years, said that the green transportation and energy industries that China has developed over the years have largely replaced fuel-powered (燃料驱动的) cars,     5     that the Chinese people are willing to use electric cars and public transportation.

Asghar added that China has not only done good work to address air pollution, but has also made contributions     6     promoting greener practices. The living environment has been     7     (significant) improved with the greening coverage of urban built-up areas nationwide     8     (increase) from 39.22 percent to 42.06 percent between 2012 and 2021.

The ideas     9     (share) by China in international conferences are impressive. Chinese netizens (网民) believe that rather than just talking about it, it would be     10     (effect) if we put our efforts into planting trees.

9 . When we’re studying a new language, many of us approach it with dread. If we make a mistake or say something wrong, we judge ourselves strictly. But as it turns out, however, we’d benefit by shifting (转移) our focus and worrying less about getting it right, according to Marianna Pascal, a communication skills trainer.

As a teacher who’s spent 20 years in Malaysia helping people speak better English, Pascal noticed that some students didn’t get a high language level but could still communicate very effectively. She remembers one specific student named Faisal. Despite not knowing much English, she says, “This guy could just sit and listen to anybody very calmly, clearly, and then he could respond and express his thoughts beautifully.”

She also observed some students knew quite a bit of English but struggled to make themselves understood. Pascal noticed that a lot of these students’ attitude towards English is like her daughter’s attitude towards playing the piano. Pascal says her daughter hated piano and hated practicing, because she was afraid of being wrong. To her, her success in piano was measured by how few mistakes she made.

Then she shared her experience in a cafe. The person sitting next to her was playing a game while his friends watched, and he just wasn’t a very good player. But at the same time, she saw something amazing. Even though this guy was terrible and his friends were watching him, there was no embarrassment or shyness. There was no feeling of being judged. Instead, he focused completely on the task at hand. Pascal says, “I suddenly realized that this is it. This is the same attitude that people hike Faisal have when they speak English.”

Pascal believes that speaking a language isn’t like those exams many of us had to take in grade school, where a tiny mistake would result in a big red X from the teacher, In the real world, what matters is whether we can make ourselves understood. She says, “If you want to speak English well, don’t focus on yourself but focus on the other person and the goal you want to achieve.”

1. What does the underlined word “dread” mean in paragraph 1?

A．Fear.

B．Doubt.

C．Curiosity.

D．Confidence.

2. Why does Pascal mention her daughter?

A．To provide some advice.	B．To offer some details.
C．To state a reason.	D．To present a fact.

3. What did Pascal see from the man playing a game?

A．Never minding others’ opinions.	B．Not judging a person too soon.
C．Improving through practicing.	D．Playing a game with patience.

4. What might Pascal agree with ?

A．It is important for teachers to encourage students in exams.

B．It is OK to make small mistakes in speaking a language.

C．Language has to be fluently spoken in daily life.

D．Language is an art difficult to fully master.

10 . The most-visited museums in the United States

The National Museum of Natural History

It is free of charge and is open 364 days a y year. Opening its doors in 1910, the museum has a collection of over 14646 million specimens (标本) of plants, animals, rocks, human remains, and human cultural artifacts, the largest natural history collection in the world. It is also home to about 180 professional natural history scientists who focus on the study of natural and cultural history in the world.

The National Callery of Art

Open to the public and free of charge, the museum was privately established in 1937. Its collection includes many donated works of art. The Gallery’s collection of paintings, drawings, sprints, photographs, medals, and decorative arts traces (追溯) the development of Western art from the Middle Ages to the present, including the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the Americas and the largest mobile created by Alexander Calder.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

It is the largest art museum in America. It was s founded in 1870 with its mission to bring art and art education to Americans. The museum’s collection contains works of art dating back to the ancient Near East and ancient Egypt. It includes works of art from many European Old Masters as well as many collections of American art. The museum is home to collection of musical instruments, costumes, and decorative arts.

The Museum of Modern Art

It is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The institution was conceived (构想) in 1929. It moved to several locations in its early years, and John D. Rockefeller Jr. finally donated the land for its permanent (永久的) site. The collection includes architecture, drawings, paintings, photographs, prints, artists’ books, films, and electronic media.

1. Which museum would you go to if you are curious about Western art history?

A．The National Gallery of Art.	B．The Museum of Modern Art.
C．The Metropolitan Museum of Art.	D．The National Museum of Natural History.

2. Why did people build the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1870?

A．To store works of art of different countries.	B．To satisfy people’s thirst for museums.
C．To make Americans learn about art.	D．To document American history.

3. What do we know about the Museum of Modern Art?

A．It once changed locations for several times.	B．It was recommended by John D. Rockefeller
C．It has historical and natural collections.	D．It was founded in Midtown Manhattan in 1929.