1 . Finding a California condor in the wild would be the most unusual treat. perhaps even more unusual than finding a wolf in Yellowstone National Park. In fact, the wolf was what opened my eyes to the fact that humans could bring an animal back to the place where it had disappeared.
In 1987, there were only 27 California condors left, none of which were in the wild, only in captive breeding programs, It was those breeding programs that contributed to their population rise, enough that by 1991 some of them could be freed into the wild.
Still, the hope of seeing a California condor, which remains an endangered species, is very low, let alone getting a photo of one. California condor population dropped mostly due to human factors, such as poaching and living areas destruction-these are challenges California condors still face today.
Although this is just a bird’s-eye view of the challenges California condors face and there are many others, it is part of why the opportunity to work with the US Fish and Wildlife Service team and their partners helping their recovery is so special to me as a photographer. I am not only able to photograph the birds in their wild living areas, but also understand and record how difficult the work is of those people on the front lines of the protection.
I am grateful for the work of the team, and my hope is that California condor population will continue to rise allowing future generations an opportunity I never had when I first got here-to look to the sky and see one flying around.
1. What helped the increase of the California condor population in 1987?| A．Rules for hunters. | B．Captive breeding programs. |
| C．The improved natural environment. | D．The enlargement of wild living areas. |
| A．It is difficult. | B．It is easy. | C．It is boring. | D．It is dangerous. |
| A．He guided ways for them. | B．He made records by photos. |
| C．He helped the birds to recover. | D．He rebuilt the birds’ living areas. |
| A．New Way, New Hope | B．Wolves and California Condors |
| C．A Photo of a California Condor | D．The California Condor’s Coming Back |
2 . We all love butterflies. Their beautiful wings attract us, and their presence lights up our garden. Well, that’s our view of butterflies, but have you ever wondered what plants think of them?
The butterflies’ eggs lie on the underside of the leaves. The eggs themselves don’t damage plants. However, upon coming into contact with the eggs, the plants become oversensitive. It means that once a plant recognizes a pest, it will cause death in the contacted plant part. When these dead leaves or partial leaf parts break away from the plant, the eggs on them fall off. Along with the hypersensitivity response, plants also produce something special, which can attract animals to cat the eggs, thus preventing damage in the future.
After the baby butterflies come out of their eggs, the caterpillar (毛虫) stage begins. Most caterpillars feed on the leaves of the plants, damaging some of the plants in your own garden. Incredibly, they are major plant pests that bring about major losses to farmers. The next stage is pupa (蛹). The caterpillars begin their change into an adult. They don’t depend on the energy that the leaves provide. Finally, they become adult butterflies that have wings and move from one plant to the other. They feed on the sweet liquid produced by flowers.
While on their search for food, the butterflies carry pollen (花粉) on their body. They are key pollinators that place pollen from one flower to another in ecosystem. Plants that have flowers will create some special features to draw these pollinators’ attention. Certain plants have flowers giving off smells that can charm butterflies when they are looking for a mate. Some plants even have flat flowers to assist butterflies when landing.
Butterflies aid in pollination during their final adult stage. Thus, they change into beneficial insects to plants. This change makes butterflies an important friend of plants, despite being a hated enemy in previous life cycle stages!
1. How does a plant respond to butterflies’ eggs?| A．It tries to get rid of them. | B．It tries to appeal to them. |
| C．It grows a little better with them. | D．It protects them from being eaten. |
| A．In the period of egg-laying. | B．In the period of pupa. |
| C．In the period of caterpillar. | D．In the period of adult. |
| A．Describe the process of pollination. |
| B．Show how flowers attract butterflies. |
| C．Stress the importance of pollination. |
| D．Explore how adult butterflies develop. |
| A．Why do flowers need butterflies’ pollination? |
| B．How do plants defend themselves from pests? |
| C．Are butterflies’ life cycles similar to the plants’? |
| D．Are butterflies beneficial or harmful to plants? |
3 . After years of heated debate, gray wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. Fourteen wolves were caught in Canada and transported to the park. By last year, the Yellowstone wolf population had grown to more than 170 wolves.
Gray wolves once were seen here and there in the Yellowstone area and much of the continental United States, but they were gradually displaced by human development. By the 1920s, wolves had practically disappeared from the Yellowstone area. They went farther north into the deep forests of Canada, where there were fewer humans around.
The disappearance of the wolves had many unexpected results. Deer and elk populations — major food sources (来源) for the wolf — grew rapidly. These animals consumed large amounts of vegetation (植被), which reduced plant diversity in the park. In the absence of wolves, coyote populations also grew quickly. The coyotes killed a large percentage of the park’s red foxes, and completely drove away the park’s beavers.
As early as 1966, biologists asked the government to consider reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone Park. They hoped that wolves would be able to control the elk and coyote problems. Many farmers opposed the plan because they feared that wolves would kill their farm animals or pets.
The government spent nearly 30 years coming up with a plan to reintroduce the wolvers. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service carefully monitors and manages the wolf packs in Yellowstone. Today, the debate continues over how well the gray wolf is fitting in at Yellowstone. Elk, deer, and coyote populations are down, while beavers and red foxes have made a comeback. The Yellowstone wolf project has been a valuable experiment to help biologists decide whether to reintroduce wolves to other parts of the country as well.
1. What is the text mainly about?| A．Wildlife research in the United States. |
| B．Plant diversity in the Yellowstone area. |
| C．The conflict between farmers and gray wolves. |
| D．The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone Park. |
| A．Damage to local ecology. |
| B．Preservation of vegetation. |
| C．A decline in the park’s income. |
| D．An increase in the variety of animals. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Uncaring. | C．Positive. | D．Disapproving. |
4 . Pet owners have a big responsibility when it comes to taking care of their furry friends Unfortunately, many pet owners make common mistakes as follows.
● Not providing enough exercise or mental stimulation for your pet
All pets need regular exercise and mental stimulation to stay healthy and happy.
● Over feeding
You might think you’re doing your pet a favor by giving them extra treats, but overfeeding can do more harm than good.
● Not socializing your puppy
Socialization is key to a well-behaved and happy dog. Make sure to introduce your puppy to different people, animals and situations.
Pets are great at hiding their pain and discomfort, so it’s important to watch for any change in behavior or appetite. Don’t hesitate to bring something up with your vet if you notice something off.
To help avoid these types of errors,Wanda Morgan, Chief Editor of Workout Lunatic, gives the following tips.
● Positive reinforcement
Positive reinforcement is always the way to go when training your pet. Use treats and verbal praise to encourage good behavior instead of punishment or scolding.
● Addressing underlying anxiety causes
| A．Ignoring signs of illness |
| B．Not trusting your puppy |
| C．It can help them grow confident and well-adjusted |
| D．It can lead to obesity and other serious medical conditions |
| E．Mental exercise is crucial to your pet as much as physical exercise |
| F．Anxiety-based behavior can stem from a lack of attention or stimulation |
| G．Without enough physical activity, your pet may become overweight or bored |
5 . In a study, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, a team of French researchers at the University of Sorbonne Paris North demonstrated that ants have the potential to act as early stage cancer detectors.
“We knew that ants can be easily trained,” Baptiste Piqueret, who led the study, said. “Furthermore, they have an efficient sense of smell. We then combined these two abilities and tested whether ants were able to detect the smell of cancer or not.”
Tumor (肿瘤) cells produce specific chemical compounds that allow them to be distinguished from healthy tissues. These are known as cancer biomarkers. Animals can be trained to sniff out (嗅出) these chemicals and thus identify when a patient has cancer.
In the present study, worker ants of the species Formica fusca — commonly known as the silky ant —were trained to recognize cancer biomarkers of an extremely aggressive human breast cancer. The urine (尿液）of mice carrying these tumors was collected and presented to the trained ants, alongside urine from tumor — free mice.
After just three rounds of training, where the ants learned to associate the smell of cancer biomarkers with a sugary treat, they spent approximately 20 percent more time near the urine from the tumor - bearing mice than the urine from those who were tumor-free.
In the past, dogs and mice have also been shown to sniff out cancers. But ants would provide a particularly attractive alternative as they are relatively easy to keep, they don't require expensive rearing (饲养) facilities, and it appears that they can be trained to recognize specific odors in relatively few trials.
1. What does the underlined phrase “two abilities” in paragraph 2 refer to?① Ants are cheap to buy. ② Ants can be easily trained.
③ Ants have a good sense of smell. ④ Ants are available all over the world.
| A．①② | B．②③ | C．③④ | D．①④ |
| A．They are different in size. | B．They are different in color. |
| C．They are different in smell. | D．They are different in quantity. |
| A．By doing experiments. | B．By quoting others’ research. |
| C．By collecting published data. | D．By doing online questionnaires. |
| A．To indicate the new trend of medical research. |
| B．To list the achievements made by the researchers. |
| C．To show the advantages of ants as cancer detectors. |
| D．To explain how to train other animals to serve people. |
6 . As is known to all, pandas are a symbol of China. In fact, pandas are not only popular in China, but are loved around the world.
In 1972, China gave the United States the gift of two young pandas to help open up relations between the two countries. Pandas quickly became an important symbol of peace and friendship. By 1982,China had given 23 pandas to nine different countries. However, most of them died. China stopped giving away pandas in the early 1980s. Instead, the animals are loaned to other countries. In general, they are to be returned to China after 10 years.
Two giant pandas, “Da Mao” and “Er Shun”, returned to China from a Canadian zoo on Nov.29. On average, an adult panda eats about forty kilograms of bamboo every day. The zoo couldn’t meet the pandas’ needs because of the COVID-19 pandemic(流行病). In May, the zoo announced it would have to return the two animals four years earlier than planned in order that they could enjoy China’s rich supply of fresh bamboo instead.
Why do these lovely animals find it hard to survive in other countries? Their nutrition (营养) mostly comes from bamboo shoots. Sometimes pandas can also be quite careful about their food. They refuse to eat bamboo shoots after they have blossomed (开花). It takes ten years for a new crop of bamboo to mature (成熟), and many countries do not have an environment suitable for bamboo to grow in. This means that food has to be bought from China.
There is still much work to be done to protect the panda and its habitat. “We don’ t own the pandas, but the whole world wants to help save the panda, and we do that through exchanging information on how to look after them,” an American director of the National Zoo told China Daily.
1. What does the underlined word “loaned” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．lent | B．sold | C．driven | D．led |
| A．280 kilograms. | B．140 kilograms. | C．80 kilograms. | D．40 kilograms. |
| A．They eat too much bamboo. | B．Their eating habit is an important reason. |
| C．The COVID-19 pandemic stopped their bamboo supply. | D．Bamboo shoots have blossomed. |
| A．dialogue | B．diary | C．newspaper | D．speech |
7 . A new study has found that all dogs have different personalities—even dogs of the same breed(品种).
Elinor Karlsson studies genetics at the University of Massachusetts. She co-wrote a report about the study, which appeared recently in the publication Science.
Karlsson said, “Every dog really is an individual,” noting that there is “a huge amount of difference” even between dogs that look the same.
At a New York dog park, dog owners talked about the different characteristics of their pets. Elizabeth Kelly owns an English springer spaniel. She called her dog friendly, but also “kind of the queen bee.” In other words, her dog likes to act like it is in charge of other dogs. Suly described her yellow Labrador as “calm, lazy and shy.”
The idea of dog breeds is quite recent. Around 160 years ago, humans began to breed dogs to have certain physical qualities, such as fur, color and ear shape.
Karlsson said her aim was to learn how much a dog’s breed affects their behavior. The answer? Breed does not decide an individual dog’s personality.
Karlsson’s team gathered information from 18,000 dog owners and studied the genetic code of over 2,000 dogs. The researchers found that some qualities are based on genetics. However, it is not sure that two dogs of the same breed will behave in the same way.
For example, huskies and beagles, may be more likely to howl—or make a long, loud barking sound. But many of these dogs do not howl, as owner observations showed.
1. What do we know about Karlsson’s report?| A．She wrote it by herself. |
| B．It was published in Science. |
| C．She finished it after graduation. |
| D．It is of little value to her study. |
| A．A bee that behaves busily. |
| B．A dog whose name is Queen. |
| C．A bee that serves the whole group. |
| D．A dog acting as if it is the most important. |
| A．To help dog owners learn about their dogs better. |
| B．To prove dog breeds determine their personalities. |
| C．To study the relationship between dog breeds and behaviors. |
| D．To show different dogs have different personalities. |
| A．All the dogs can make a long, loud barking. |
| B．Dogs of the same breed can behave differently. |
| C．Dogs’ owners may observe their pets carelessly. |
| D．Huskies and beagles are not the same dog breed. |
8 . Many plants and animals live together, and they depend on each other. They are usually very different from their sharing partner, and yet all live easier lives because of each other. It is nature’s idea of sharing.
An example of this is the shark and pilot fish. The pilot fish is a little guy and he would be helpless if he hung around by himself in the great ocean. But his smartness makes up for his size. He cleverly swims along beside the shark and when the shark eats, the pilot fish gets the leftovers. The shark also benefits from this relationship. The pilot fish cleans food scraps (碎屑) and insects from the shark’s skin.
Another example is the sea anemone (海葵) and striped clown fish. The sea anemone looks like a flower but contains poisonous cells. When small fish swim into it, the anemone traps and paralyzes (使麻痹) them. However, the striped clown fish is able to swim into the poisonous anemone without being harmed. To pay for his safety, the clown fish brings food to the anemone. He also guides other fish into the anemone’s deadly trap.
Large mammals such as the ox, antelope and African buffalo form such a relationship with the oxpecker (牛椋鸟). They provide daily meals to the bird that eats insects. The various large mammals act as a restaurant with a varied menu for the oxpecker. What do they get in return from the bird? Free beauty treatments!
Some plants live together in a beneficial relationship. Fungus (菌类) does not have chlorophyll (叶绿素) that plants need to make food. However, the green alga (海藻) does contain chlorophyll. It is, therefore, able to feed the fungus along with itself. But nothing is free! The fungus repays it by protecting the alga. Since it takes in and stores water, it can provide the alga with an unending water supply.
1. Why does the pilot fish swim along beside the shark?| A．Because he likes eating the waste given off by the shark. |
| B．Because he can help the shark get food. |
| C．Because he can get food and protection. |
| D．Because he needs the help of the shark to lead his way. |
| A．paralyzes small fish for him | B．helps him catch other fish |
| C．does some cleaning work | D．warns him of the danger |
| A．Energy and light. | B．Energy and light. |
| C．Light and chlorophyll | D．Chlorophyll and water. |
| A．①→②③④⑤ | B．①→②③→④⑤ |
| C．①②③④→⑤ | D．①②③→④⑤ |
Horses are picky eaters
Horses have an even better sense of smell than humans do. When horses raise their noses and open their nostrils (鼻孔), their nervous system allows them to sense smells we can’t sense. This might explain why they refuse dirty water and carefully move around meadows, eating only the tastiest grasses, experts say.
Whale says thanks
In 2018, a whale expert spotted a humpback whale trapped in a fishing net and spent an hour freeing it. Afterward, in an hour-long display of thanks, the whale swam near their boat and leaped into the air about 40 times.
Pandas like to be naughty
Is there anything more lovely than a baby panda, except maybe a human baby? In fact, baby pandas sometimes behave like human babies. They sleep in the same positions and value their thumbs. Pandas are shy by nature for its shy behaviors such as covering its face with a paw or ducking its head when confronted by a stranger.
A cat honors its owner
Paper towels, and a plastic cup are just a few of the gifts that Toldo, a devoted three-year-old gray-and-white cat, has placed on his former owner Iozzelli Renzo’s grave every day since the man died in September 2018. Renzo adopted Toldo from a shelter when the cat was three months old, and the two formed an inseparable bond. After Renzo passed away, Toldo followed the coffin to the cemetery, and now “stands guard” the grave for hours at a time.
1. What can horses do to pick delicious grasses?| A．Feel them. |
| B．Taste them. |
| C．Smell them. |
| D．Observe them. |
| A．They are clever. |
| B．They have a grateful heart. |
| C．They are active and lovely. |
| D．They have a good sense of smell. |
| A．The whale |
| B．The cat. |
| C．The horse. |
| D．The panda. |
Over the years I
First, ants never quit. If they’re heading somewhere and you try to stop them, they’ll climb over, they’ll climb under, and they’ll climb around. They never quit
