1. Who takes the dog for a walk every Sunday?
| A．The man. | B．The man’s father. | C．The man’s mother. |
| A．He does the housework. |
| B．He prepares meals. |
| C．He goes to the park. |
2 . I always watch my two sons, Chad and Charlie, sitting on the bench petting their pet chickens. Like me, my boys and my husband, Matt, have a soft spot for animals. My parents owned a farm, so I grew up surrounded by animals. Now, I breed silky chickens as pets. “Mummy, the chicken coop (笼子) is dirty,” Chad said. So I got up to clear it up. It is what I always do.
But a few years ago, things weren’t as good as they could have been. At that time, I wasn’t in a good place, struggling with my mental health (心理健康). I constantly felt angry and got annoyed easily. It began when I was pregnant with Charlie. I felt so sick and led a life consumed by anxiety. I even gave up my job working in a bank.
“I can’t go on like this. I need a focus,” I cried to Matt, deciding to work for myself at home and be flexible for the kids. With my love for animals, it didn’t take long to come up with a plan. “I’m going to start an online shop selling beautiful accessories (装饰物) for feathered and furry friends,” I told Matt.
I did some research and purchased many products, and the shop was soon fully stocked with dog and cat toys. I named it Edna Co after my cat, which went live in 2020. To my surprise, the customers loved it. Sometimes, I come up with some novel ideas. One afternoon, I had an idea to sell chicken nappies (尿布), believing they would be a hit with customers.
Working like nappies for babies, the chicken nappies sold out soon, with orders coming from all over the country. Now, they are my bestsellers. As for me, I’m finding happiness again and my online shop is helping me to finally heal.
1. What do we know about the author from paragraph 1?| A．She owns a farm. | B．She likes animals. |
| C．She has many coops. | D．She loves eating chicken. |
| A．To raise more pets. | B．To kill her spare time. |
| C．To earn enough money. | D．To recover from mental issues. |
| A．Confident. | B．Honest. | C．Creative. | D．Humorous. |
| A．Funny. | B．Stressed. | C．Disappointed. | D．Grateful. |
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. |
| A．He got a neighbor to help him. | B．He borrowed a ladder. | C．He climbed the tree. |
4 . It took an ill screech owl (鸣角鸮) to teach a scientist the value of up-close-and-personal study.
In his Harvad talk, Carl Safina, an ecologist and author of Alfie and Me: What Owls Know, What Humans Believe, recalled that the chick was found dying in his backyard. Safina took it in and planned to nurse it back to health and then perform release. But the owlet's flight feathers didn't grow properly. Safina delayed the release. Over those extended months, Safina got to know Alfie in ways that moved and changed him.
“An owl found me and then I was watching ‘an owl’,” he said. “It was no longer an owl after a while, it was ‘she’ because she had a history with me. This little owl, who was with me much longer than I thought she would be, became an individual to me by that history and all those interactions.”
The bond with Alfie strengthened to the point that, when she was finally released, she created a territory with Safina's home at its center. Safina was able to spend hours each day observing her in the woods as she learned to take care of herself in the wild, met two mates, and raised chicks of her own.
When he heard Alfie calling, Safina said, he'd call back and she'd land nearby. Their closeness allowed him to learn more things about screech owls. Field guides, for example, describe two known calls but he identified six, some of which you have to be quite close to hear. The relationship also opened a window for Safina onto personality differences between Alfie and her mates.
When pointed out that his approach to Alfie—including the act of naming her—ran counter to widespread scientific practice, Safina said he wasn't concerned about violating (违反) convention, particularly if something interesting like individual personality differences among owls could be learned.
The experience caused Safina to think more deeply about humankind's relationship with nature and the kind of personal connection he was able to feel with a wild individual. “What I learned from Alfie is that all sentient (有情感的) beings seek a feeling of well-being and freedom of movement,” Safina said. “That's a guide to what's right and what's wrong to me.”
1. What do we know about Alfie?| A．She developed a close bond with Safina. |
| B．She was a fictional character in Safina's book. |
| C．She intentionally landed in Safina's backyard. |
| D．She was dying because of the broken flight feathers. |
| A．Alfie chose to stay with Safina at his home. |
| B．They maintained a continous communication. |
| C．Alfie met mates and raised chicks by herself. |
| D．Safina kept his distance from her to prevent attachment. |
| A．Recording six different calls of the screech owl. |
| B．Identifying different types of owls by their calls. |
| C．Learning how to release owls back into the wild. |
| D．Understanding personality differences among owls. |
| A．He became more focused on exploring nature. |
| B．He initiated his commitment to wildlife conservation. |
| C．He developed a deep appreciation for the welfare of living creatures. |
| D．He decided to guide readers to distinguish between right and wrong. |
5 . Sentry Mead, Isle of Wight
Sentry Mead is an ideal destination with nine beautifully decorated bedrooms. The attention to detail is exceptional. Hence, each room enjoys its own uniqueness. And guests delight in features such as piles of books, homemade cupcakes, chocolates and a pillow menu. Dogs are welcomed and are allowed everywhere except the dining room. Besides walks and treats, there are blankets for them too.
The Halfway Bridge, West Sussex
The Halfway Bridge, a welcoming village pub-with-rooms, is oriented (指向的) towards rural life, famous for its delicious local and fresh food —their burgers are particularly popular. Rooms are in a single-story block behind the pub, and offer contemporary rural style. Dogs can stay in select rooms with garden access. Treats for four-legged friends are available in the lounge (大厅) and bar and there’s always a water bowl to hand.
The Falcondale, Wales
The Falcondale is a romantic destination. Stay in a valley-view room and enjoy the teapot. coffeepot and shortbread available in all rooms. Dogs not only enjoy the landscape, but can sit with you in part of the restaurant. There’s a luxury Canine Retreat package available. Bowls, blankets, towels, mess bags, leads, a torch and an outdoor tap are provided, as well as treats, a temperature-controlled dog bat h and a dog dining menu.
The Traddock, Austwick
The place to go for walking, especially if you choose to bring the dog with you. The Traddock is a welcome country house in the Yorkshire Dales national park. Homely and warm, rooms are decorated in comforting style but with a clear sense of luxury too. Locally sourced food always takes center stage. The personal welcome extends to four-legged friends who will love the many surrounding walks and the peaceful garden. After a day outdoors, they can relax in the lounge and bar.
1. What is special about Sentry Mead?| A．It welcomes dogs. | B．It is detail-focused. |
| C．It has luxury rooms. | D．It has fine decorations. |
| A．To have dogs examined. | B．To create a database of dogs. |
| C．To take good care of dogs. | D．To promote some dog food. |
| A．They are dog-friendly. | B．They are in the downtown. |
| C．They have rural scenery. | D．They have dog shelters. |
6 . 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. |
| A．Low-light indoor plants. | B．Tall indoor plants. |
| C．Small indoor plants. | D．Indoor hanging plants. |
| A．Gardening. | B．Health. | C．Fashion. | D．Wildlife. |
7 . 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. |
| A．A cycle of flooding. |
| B．Pollution of freshwater. |
| C．Possible extinction of native species. |
| D．The extension of historic boundaries. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
8 . Daniel Hove spent years serving his community in Wisconsin as the Assistant Fire Chief for the Burnsville Fire Department. In 2012, he
Daniel spent years fighting the
As Daniel’s
“When my dad would get restless, the dog would be
As Gunner’s suffering hit its peak, Heather
Special friends are placed in our lives. And the story of this dog and his owner is a beautiful
| A．came | B．retired | C．returned | D．suffered |
| A．common | B．impressive | C．terrible | D．addictive |
| A．support | B．praise | C．criticism | D．popularity |
| A．moved | B．swung | C．stopped | D．remained |
| A．devotion | B．decision | C．battle | D．work |
| A．experienced | B．enhanced | C．conveyed | D．explored |
| A．unsatisfied | B．uneasy | C．selfless | D．careless |
| A．proved | B．inferred | C．guessed | D．saw |
| A．exactly | B．frequently | C．instantly | D．originally |
| A．rushed to | B．sent for | C．thrown into | D．dropped by |
| A．play | B．sleep | C．live | D．wake |
| A．place | B．healing | C．time | D．liking |
| A．Inseparable | B．Suitable | C．Countable | D．Unbelievable |
| A．fashion | B．reminder | C．form | D．encounter |
| A．process | B．education | C．learning | D．company |
9 . Here are four organizations that rescue and train shelter dogs to be service animals.
Merlin’s Kids
Merlin’s Kids is a wonderful organization that rescues and trains shelter dogs to become service animals for children and adults with special needs for physical or emotional support. Merlin’s Kids dogs are also trained for disease detection by screening people for cancer, diabetes and so on. Other dogs have been used to go into hospitals or assist living facilities. In the public’s eyes, these working dogs have proved that shelter animals are amazing.
Pets for Vets (退伍军人)
This organization recognizes that many veterans return home with scars, both seen and unseen,which makes it difficult for them to live a normal life. Many suffer from severe anxiety. Pets for Vets was founded to rescue and train shelter animals to provide therapy (治疗) dogs for the retired service people.
Paws with a Cause
This organization has been around since 1979 and improves the independence and quality of life for people with disabilities. Paws with a Cause specializes in helping people with disabilities complete essential tasks and the pups can open doors, pull a wheelchair, alert (使警觉) a hearing-impaired person, and offer help whenever necessary.
Service Dog Express
This organization’s motto is “A dog’s life saved, a human’s life enriched” and believes that the connect ion between the service dog and his or her person is life transforming. Service Dog Express specializes in the training of service dogs for wounded service people. People in need of a service dog are encouraged to go to a rescue organization to choose a dog. This reduces the cost of services and saves a dog who may otherwise have been out to sleep.
1. What do we know about shelter dogs from Merlin’s Kids?| A．They can cure people of cancer. |
| B．They often bring the public amazement. |
| C．They repair living facilities in the hospital. |
| D．They benefit ones with physical and mental health problems. |
| A．Merlin’s Kids. | B．Pets for Vets. | C．Paws with a Cause. | D．Service Dog Express. |
| A．It teaches dogs to pull a wheelchair. | B．It focuses on injured soldiers. |
| C．It charges for services. | D．Its motto moves people in need. |
10 . On Christmas Eve, two little ducks were found frozen on a pond in Smithville, Ohio. They flapped their wings, fruitlessly struggling to free themselves on the ice until two locals spotted them and helped set the animals free. The two ducks were later named Olaf and Elsa, characters from Disney’s Frozen, and sent to an animal rescue organization.
“Every year in springtime, particularly at Easter, many people buy ducklings on impulse as gifts, often for their kids. People associate baby animals like ducklings, chicks, and bunnies with springtime,” says John Di Leonardo, an anthrozoologist. “But months later, animal rescuers routinely see a rise in abandoned ducks in local parks and ponds.”
Elsa and Olaf’s tough situation highlights the reason why domestic ducks always show up in local parks and ponds. Assuming they can live, their case is pretty similar to going to Yellowstone National Park and seeing a wolf and such like. “Oh, if this wolf can live well, my dog can do too,” says Adison Smith, president of Wasatch Wanderers Animal Rescue. “Those ducks lack hunting instincts, and many quickly starve to death or fall sick. A majority cannot fly because of small wings. They don’t migrate, so they can’t survive winter. They’re literally sitting ducks for predators (捕食者),” John Di Leonardo adds.
Since the issue is largely due to a lack of awareness, Adison Smith has started a campaign and hung more than 50 signs in a dozen cities to remind parkgoers that getting rid of pet ducks tends to be disastrous to them and can be illegal by the state law, “Our goal is to get the problem at its source,” Adison says. Most people tend to buy ducklings at stores for less than a dollar each, or kids take them home from school hatching projects.
“Though most abandoned ducks live short, miserable lives, Olaf and Elsa are an exception — they’ll spend their remaining days at Lasa Sanctuary in Wooster, Ohio, in a shelter with other ducks, clean hay, and protection against predators,” John Di Leonardo says.
1. Why did Olaf and Elsa appear on a frozen pond on Christmas Eve?| A．They starred in the film Frozen. | B．They practised their hunting skills. |
| C．They escaped from an animal shelter. | D．They were abandoned by their master. |
| A．Animals share a lot in living habits. | B．Pet ducks are less adaptable in the wild. |
| C．Yellowstone is a great place for wildlife. | D．Animals can get along well with each other. |
| A．Increasing the selling prices of ducks. |
| B．Reminding people to save our resources. |
| C．Educating people about the animal protection. |
| D．Appealing for the establishment of new animal laws. |
| A．Dangerous. | B．Easeful. | C．Restricted. | D．Exhausted. |
