1 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Why was it difficult to rescue the cat?

A．It was too scared to move.

B．It was hurt by the branches.

C．It was in the top of a tree.

2. What did the man do to rescue the cat?

A．He got a neighbor to help him.

B．He borrowed a ladder.

C．He climbed the tree.

2 . The Best Houseplants for Every Space and Situation

The best indoor plants are the ones that suit your aesthetic (审美的) preferences and aren’t too difficult to maintain. Here’s what you need to know about these different categories of houseplants, so you can choose the ones that work best in your own home.

Low-light Indoor Plants

Not every home has a large bay window for plants to soak up the sunshine. Fortunately, there’s a large variety of plants that aren’t die-hard sun-worshippers. Whether you have a dim corner that’s crying out for a little greenery or you’re craving some color in your bedroom, the best low-light indoor plants don’t require a lot of time or energy.

Tall Indoor Plants

Tall houseplants can instantly bring a space to life by adding definition and texture (质感) to any home-decor style. Working with limited space? Not a problem. You can still make the most of tall indoor plants. Even just one of them can be a striking visual point for a room, and it can help draw the eye upward, making the room appear larger.

Small Indoor Plants

Just because you don’t have a mansion doesn’t mean you can’t have a lush indoor garden. There are plenty of plants that grow in smaller spaces, the teeniest of which can look adorable like a tiny family on a windowsill or shelf. Keep in mind, however, that the smaller the pot is, the quicker the soil will dry out.

Indoor Hanging Plants

What makes indoor hanging plants so special? They fill a blank space in a room with a beautiful silhouette, for starters. They create the illusion (假象) of a jungle, where plants peek out at different heights. They also move the eye upward, opening up the space.

1. What do tall indoor plants and indoor hanging plants have in common?

A．They do with limited space.	B．They fill a space like a jungle.
C．They match any decor style.	D．They improve visual effect.

2. Which plants need extra care in watering?

A．Low-light indoor plants.	B．Tall indoor plants.
C．Small indoor plants.	D．Indoor hanging plants.

3. In which section of a magazine may the text appear?

A．Gardening.

B．Health.

C．Fashion.

D．Wildlife.

3 . Sometimes we only appreciate something when we realize we may lose it. That is the story of the Everglades. A shallow slow-moving river, the Everglades once covered about 18,000 square miles of southern Florida. Until the 1900s, few people lived in the grassy wetlands. Not much was understood about the unique balance of nature that existed there. Plants, creatures, and water had formed a remarkable ecosystem.

By the early 1900s, Florida’s pleasant winters attracted more people. Visitors became new permanent residents. They built homes and roads. The conditions looked good for farming, so the newcomers planted large agricultural crops. But South Florida’s cycle of flooding was a problem. To address that, developers attempted to drain (排水) the land. They also built structures to control water levels and flow.

Those changes made it easier for more people to live year-round in South Florida. However, they also disturbed life in the Everglades, which depends on freshwater regularly refilling the land. The area’s growing human population needed freshwater. And large farms consumed large quantities of freshwater. By the mid-1900s, water levels in southern Florida began to go down. Lack of freshwater wasn’t the only problem. As more and more land was developed for people and farms, the Everglades’ historic boundaries contracted. Loss of habitat and hunting threatened the survival of native species in the Everglades.

Some people hoped that the government’s recognition might save the Everglades. They fought for it. Everglades National Park was established in 1947. It became the first park in the United States created for its biodiversity.

Now, Everglades National Park protects 1.5 million acres along the southern tip of Florida. An amazing variety of creatures live there. About 360 different species of birds have been sighted in the park. Nearly 300 different species of fish have been identified. About 40 species of mammals and 50 species of reptiles inhabit the park. Nature still rules in the Everglades, a place worth understanding, appreciating, and protecting.

1. What was the Everglades like before the 1900s?

A．Naturally wild.	B．Partly explored.
C．Completely lifeless.	D．Thickly populated.

2. What problem did new residents cause for the Everglades?

A．A cycle of flooding.

B．Pollution of freshwater.

C．Possible extinction of native species.

D．The extension of historic boundaries.

3. Why are the figures mentioned in the last paragraph?

A．To attract visitors to the park.

B．To stress the great power of nature.

C．To call for more efforts to protect nature.

D．To show the successful conservation of the park.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．How people adapted to life in the Everglades.

B．How Everglades National Park was established.

C．How humans harmed and saved the Everglades.

D．How the ecosystem of the Everglades was formed.

4 . Built in 1990, the Moriyama City Firefly Forest Museum has been trying to recover the number of the Genji firefly (源氏萤火虫), whose population was near extinction in the first half of the 20th century.

In Japan, fireflies have long been the sign of summer. Moriyama’s Genji fireflies were especially prized for their vivid, yellow-green glow. However, from 1868 to 1912, a commercial firefly industry developed. In just one night, a single hunter could catch about as many as 3,000 fireflies, sweeping the earth with brushes to frighten just egg-laying fireflies from riverbanks. It was easiest to catch female fireflies when they laid their eggs. Thus, there were fewer and fewer left to produce the next generation. At the same time, a fast-urbanizing Japan was turning Moriyama’s once ideal habitats into places where few fireflies could survive. Concrete was laid on the banks where there was once grass. Wastewater ran into the waters where the larvae (幼虫) grew.

The founders set its museum in the kind of habitat that Genji fireflies would find attractive. They created an artificial river and planted its banks with grass. Inside the museum, they mate and reproduce Genji fireflies; it is still the only organization to do so in a large size. Fireflies lay thousands of eggs. When the larvae come out, they are moved to boxes with flowing water. They grow there until February when the larvae are moved to the man-made river. Then, the fireflies leave the water and take flight in June.

The museum also has educational purpose. Throughout the year, it lectures on the insect’s history and ecology in schools. They also lead museum activities and other training and awareness campaigns, including the museum’s magazine, From the Firefly Forest. Cleanup activities around waters are also organized.

The action is reasonable but, despite their efforts, the number of Genji fireflies hasn’t increased so much in Moriyama. Most other habitats continue to become worse due to urbanization. Unless people preserve them, fireflies will continue to suffer. “The only chance at recovering Genji firefly populations is to act now,” ecologist Kato warns. “We’re running out of time to provide the environmental education to save Japan’s beloved insect.”

1. Why did the number of the Genji fireflies decrease?

A．Because the banks where they once lived disappeared.

B．Because the waters where the larvae grew were polluted.

C．Because over 3,000 female fireflies were caught every night.

D．Because a commercial firefly industry developed their habitats.

2. What efforts has the Firefly Forest Museum made?

A．It has organized various educational activities.

B．It has helped Genji fireflies lay thousands of eggs.

C．It has helped Genji fireflies leave the water and take flight in June.

D．It has created the kind of habitat that the Genji fireflies would find attractive.

3. What does Kato think of the task of recovering the Genji fireflies population?

A．It is reasonable.	B．It makes no sense.
C．It wastes lots of time.	D．It needs immediate action.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．The extinction of Genji fireflies in Japan.

B．The reappearance of Genji fireflies in Japan.

C．Efforts made to recover Genji fireflies by a Japanese museum.

D．The effect of urbanization on Japan’s favorite glowing insect.

5 . I’m retired and not responsible for much these days. My wife’s work, on the other hand, is never-ending. Diana takes care of her parents in their mid-nineties,_________home and garden, volunteers for various community organizations. She is also a devoted cat lover, and cats have always been her___________of choice.

All that___________when two small black-and-brown dogs rushed into our yard and___________Diana’s heart. They were homeless dogs. In their___________for survival, the two had figured out a way to___________people and find food and shelter in the wilderness. Diana made an intended effort not to frighten them. She called them to dinner with a___________voice, letting them know they were safe. At first, they would not let her___________them. As days turned into weeks, their bond (关系) slowly grew.___________, she had them sitting in her lap and following her around the yard. My wife was instantly changed from cat lady to dog lady.

It wasn’t long before the dogs were considering their role as “watchdogs”. Their once-wild____________transformed into loyalty and devotion towards us. Their energy and enthusiasm are infectious (有感染力的),____________us to appreciate the simple pleasures in life. Their____________has put a sense of liveliness into our home. As we____________this chapter of our lives with our dog “friends”, I am grateful for the ____________joy they have brought us and the ____________they continue to teach us about the importance of kindness and unconditional love.

1.

A．tends to

B．turns to

C．gives way to

D．looks forward to

2.

A．job

B．pet

C．toy

D．fan

3.

A．stopped

B．failed

C．changed

D．happened

4.

A．attacked

B．warmed

C．broke

D．gladdened

5.

A．hunger

B．demand

C．hurry

D．struggle

6.

A．identify

B．greet

C．enjoy

D．avoid

7.

A．confused

B．forgiving

C．comforting

D．sacred

8.

A．observe

B．touch

C．call

D．feed

9.

A．Privately

B．Immediately

C．Gradually

D．Obviously

10.

A．behavior

B．attitude

C．nature

D．emotion

11.

A．reminding

B．informing

C．advising

D．warning

12.

A．presence

B．influence

C．survival

D．adventure

13.

A．explore

B．read

C．search

D．enjoy

14.

A．secret

B．equal

C．normal

D．unexpected

15.

A．skills

B．courses

C．lessons

D．tricks

8 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Where is the speaker?

A．In a museum.

B．In a forest.

C．In a park.

2. What animals will people see the most?

A．Birds.

B．Bears.

C．Fish.

3. What color of bird is the speaker’s favorite?

A．Red.

B．Blue.

C．Black.

4. Why is the north path closed?

A．It is too wet.

B．It is too high.

C．It is too old.

9 . Long ago there lived a poor man named Naoko. He had a large wart(疣)in his_______Wherever Naoko went, people_______his wart. He became so shy that he would take walks only at night.

One night Naoko put on his only robe and went for a walk in the woods_______he was lost. At midnight Naoko_______a group of elves(精灵)gathering in a nearby clearing. Although Naoko was _______, he tiptoed to see what the strange beings would do.

The chief elf clapped his hands, and the elves began to_______, but there never seemed to be any less on the table. As quickly as the food was eaten,_______appeared in its place.

Naoko crept closer and closer to the enchanted party._______he lost his fear and stepped into the clearing. The elves welcomed him joyfully and treated him as a(n)_______guest.

When morning came, the chief said, “My friend, you must come again. I will take this as a pledge (抵押)to________your return.” With that,the chief elf picked the wart from Naoko’s forehead.

Naoko returned home and told his neighbors about his wonderful night with the elves. They all congratulated him on the________of his wart. However, one neighbor, Yukio, was jealous. He wanted to visit the elves and________in their food and fun. While Naoko was out, Yukio________into Naoko’s house, put on Naoko’s robe and slipped into the woods.

________happened the way Naoko had described. The chief elf________him and said, “We are so glad you returned. We will give you back your pledge.” With that, he put wart onto Yukio’s forehead.

1.

A．foot

B．forehead

C．finger

D．face

2.

A．put up with

B．made up for

C．made fun of

D．took pride in

3.

A．but

B．though

C．so

D．or

4.

A．arrested

B．sent

C．inspected

D．spotted

5.

A．frightened

B．curious

C．surprised

D．confused

6.

A．cheer

B．toast

C．dance

D．feast

7.

A．less

B．larger

C．more

D．fewer

8.

A．Suddenly

B．Frequently

C．Eventually

D．Occasionally

9.

A．strange

B．regular

C．friendly

D．honored

10.

A．ensure

B．celebrate

C．demand

D．memorize

11.

A．recovery

B．removal

C．appearance

D．benefit

12.

A．participate

B．share

C．take

D．cut

13.

A．stole

B．rushed

C．leaped

D．fled

14.

A．Nothing

B．Anything

C．Everything

D．Something

15.

A．thanked

B．welcomed

C．praised

D．showed

10 . One afternoon in 2022, something on the Internet caught my eye：a tiny hedgehog (刺猬) held by a big hand. The post read: “HELP! My hedgehog abandoned (抛弃) her two babies, and I cannot raise both of them because I have to go to school full­time. Good home with experience needed as soon as possible!”

   

I had no experience with baby hedgehogs. I was an animal person through and through and had raised cats, dogs, birds, and guinea pigs. But this tiny animal was new to me, and it touched me that he was abandoned, that maybe I could love him and be the best mom for him.

I wrote the most heartfelt email I could. That was how I found my Louie. True to my word, he was my baby. Louie didn’t know he was a hedgehog. He never curled (蜷缩) into a ball, and he liked my two cats, no fear. The cats, however, were afraid of him, as he often moved into the room, running after the cats and blocking my way.

By the time he reached old age, Louie had only three feet. However, he still managed to climb the stairs to visit other animals. He helped me realize my dream of hedgehog photography, a hobby that began during childhood with cats and dollhouses. I love showing off his modeling.

Life has meaning because of the purpose we have. Louie needed a good home and mom, and in return, I got to be a good mother and be needed. Hedgehogs require great amounts of patience, trust, and knowledge—but the payoff (回报) is pretty great.

1. The author got Louie from           .

A．a pet shop	B．a family friend
C．a hedgehog owner	D．a hedgehog rescue center

2. How did Louie seem to feel at the author’s home?

A．Frightened.

B．Relaxed.

C．Lonely.

D．Tired.

3. What can we learn about Louie from paragraph 4?

A．He disliked climbing stairs.	B．He enjoyed being left alone.
C．He always refused to be in photos.	D．He was active despite his difficulty in moving.

4. What does the author say about raising Louie?

A．It was easier than expected.	B．It gave her a sense of safety.
C．It made her lose her patience.	D．It was satisfying and meaningful.