1. What did the woman help do in Ghana?
| A．Teach children at a school. |
| B．Build houses for the locals. |
| C．Care for wild animals. |
| A．212-831-7172. | B．212-831-7272. | C．212-831-7372. |
2 . Research into whether the human voice helps plants isn’t conclusive. Even so, there are convincing reasons that chatting with your houseplants is good for them—and you.
In a 2022 survey by trees.com, 50 percent of the 1250 respondents reported talking to their plants. When asked why, 65 percent said they believe it helps them grow. The research, however, isn’t definitive about this point. While studies have found that vibrations (震动) caused by sound do affect plants, the jury is still out on whether the human voice offers any specific benefit.
For many plant owners, though, the science is beside the point. Marquis Matson, co-founder of the blog the Indoor Nursery, says she talks to her plants every day because “it feels nice and I think plants get a sense of community from my talking to them and that keeps them going”. On the plant side, a study in a 2003 issue of the journal Ultrasonics investigated the effects of the classical music and the sounds of birds, insects and water on the growth of Chinese cabbage and cucumber. Both forms of sound exposure increased the vegetables’ growth. In a 2015 study, researchers exposed marigold (金盏花) and chickpea (鹰嘴豆) plants to light Indian music as well as to traffic noise. They found that both types of plants grew and developed better after being exposed to the music for four hours per day, but not to the traffic sounds. “Plants definitely respond to vibrations in their environment—which can cause plants to grow differently and become more resistant to falling over,” says Heidi Appel, leader of the study. She points out, “While sound absolutely matters to plants, we don’t know if talking to them makes them grow differently.”
Despite the lack of studies and evidence about the benefits of talking to your plants, there is at least one theoretical bonus, “If we identify with a living organism that we’re taking care of, we’re going to take better care of it and help them thrive,” Appel says.
1. What do the underlined words “the jury is still out” in Paragraph 2 mean?| A．There is uncertainty. | B．The jury has decided. |
| C．The jury is playing outside. | D．People have different ideas. |
| A．Vibrations caused by sound affect plants. | B．Chatting with the plants benefits both sides. |
| C．Scientific research in this area makes no sense. | D．A sense of community is a must for plants’ growth. |
| A．Traffic sounds probably have a negative influence on plant growth. |
| B．Talking to plants can make them more sensitive to the environment. |
| C．Plants do not fall over because of the vibrations in their environment. |
| D．Classical music is beneficial to plant growth as sounds of nature do. |
| A．Approving. | B．Neutral. | C．Unfavorable. | D．Unclear. |
Tomatoes: The Real Magical Fruit
“Fresh tomato plants! Straight out of the ground! 50 cents each!” I shouted in the school hall. In my hands, I carried a shoebox with little tomato plants. Their homes were plastic bottles, without the top half. Most people ignored my product, but some handed me 50 cents and picked out a 2-week-old baby tomato plant.
About a month before this, I started gardening. I pulled up grass in my little garden for several days in a row. Satisfied with my work, I continued to the second step — begging my dad to take me to the supermarket. He agreed!
When my dad turned off the engine and opened the door, I practically skipped inside the supermarket. We headed straight for the garden center. I picked up planters, seeds and dirt. My dad helped and showed me the best dirt and tomato plant types to get. We got to the register, and my dad, knowing what would happen, helped me pay.
As soon as I got home, I began to plant them in my garden. The following days witnessed my visits to the garden and my parents were amazed by my devotion to my new-found love.
Then was the part where I met my problem — I planted too many tomato seeds. I realized this all too late, about 10 days later when they all started sprouting (发芽) up and I counted 45 tomato plants. A few days went by and then I ended up with 85 tomato plants.
I did what all high schoolers would do when they messed up — I asked people around. I even got a notebook to write down their suggestions. Sadly, I got the same answer from most people, “Just let them die.” WHAT?! Let my beautiful plants die? They had so much potential! They could make 20 — 30 tomatoes per plant! We were talking about the possibility of around 2,550 tomatoes!
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。
So, I decided to solve it in my way.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The result was better than I had thought.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________4 . Most pet owners are clear about the immediate joys that come with sharing their lives with companion animals. However, many of us remain unaware of the physical and mental health benefits that a furry friend can bring us.
Increasing exercise. Taking a dog for a walk, hike or run is a fun and rewarding way to fit healthy daily exercise into your schedule. Studies have shown that dog owners are far more likely to meet their daily exercise requirements, and exercising every day is great for the animal as well.
Providing companionship. Companionship can help prevent illness and even add years to your life, while isolation and loneliness can trigger symptoms of depression.
Adding structure and routine to your day.
| A．Reducing anxiety. |
| B．Finding meaning in life. |
| C．Pets provide valuable companionship for older adults. |
| D．Caring for an animal makes you feel needed and wanted, especially if you live alone. |
| E．In fact, caring for a pet helps us make many healthy lifestyle changes. |
| F．It will deepen your bond and keep your pet fit and healthy. |
| G．Many pets, especially dogs, require a regular feeding and exercise schedule. |
5 . Since the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was passed in 1973, it has helped hundreds of species avoid extinction in the United States. The strong conservation policy has been used as a model in other countries. But it’s not as successful as it could be, a new study finds.
Researchers have discovered most species are not being protected until their numbers have become so low that their chance of recovery is slim.
“The ESA is an incredibly powerful, ambitious law for protecting our endangered wildlife. Yet, for decades, the agency primarily responsible for operating the ESA — the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) — has been starved of resources,” lead author Erich Eberhard says.
“As a result, we are very slow to give species the protection that they deserve. We typically wait until species are extremely rare and thus at extreme risk of extinction, and then, when a species is finally listed, the USFWS is straining its resources to try to recover it.”
In 1993, a study found that few species received protection under the ESA until their populations became very small. For the new study, researchers repeated the methods used in the earlier research to see whether protections have become better since the problem was first noted. They also looked at trends in “wait times” — the amount of time between when a species is identified as potentially needing protection and when it actually receives protection under the ESA.
“Our analysis suggests that, in the nearly 30 years since attention was first brought to this problem, we have not become more active in protecting endangered species,” says Eberhard.
The researchers found that the population sizes of species when they first became protected under the ESA are not statistically different from those in the 1993 study. They also discovered that there are long wait times between when a species is identified as likely needing protection and when they actually receive them.
“I can say that our study paints the current state of the ESA as a bit of cautionary (告诫的) tale for the strong conservation policy,” says Eberhard.
1. What problem does the USFWS have protecting endangered species?| A．It takes ineffective measures. | B．It is lacking in resources. |
| C．It can’t get timely information. | D．It is an irresponsible organization. |
| A．To try out new ways to protect endangered species. |
| B．To find out the exact number of endangered species. |
| C．To check the time needed to save endangered species. |
| D．To see if endangered species have been better protected. |
| A．It found out many more endangered species. |
| B．It pointed out the direction for the USFWS to act on. |
| C．It proved the role of the public in conservation. |
| D．It showed some effective ways to protect animals. |
| A．The USFWS Needs Stronger Laws |
| B．The ESA Has Achieved Great Success |
| C．New Conversation Laws Are on the Way |
| D．Endangered Species Act Isn’t Working Well |
6 . Cancer-fighting genes in elephants could help tackle one of the biggest killers of people, according to research. Despite their large bodies and long lifespans, elephants are much less likely to die from cancer than humans, with death rates of less than 5 percent.
The paradox has puzzled scientists because more cells lead to greater replications (复制), which increases the possibility of the body failing to detect damaged DNA or a faulty cell that can result in tumors(肿瘤). Elephants live for almost as long as humans and weigh up to five tons.
However, a group of British and European scientists say they have taken a big step towards solving Peto’s paradox, named after the British epidemiologist Sir Richard Peto. Elephants, they say, carry a much larger more diverse group of tumor-fighting proteins.
The findings, published last week in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution, raise hopes that the cancer fighting genes in elephants could be the key to tackling cancer, which kills about 167, 000 Britons yearly. Cells keep dividing throughout an organism’s life, each carrying the risk of producing a tumor. One of the body’s weapons is a gene called p53 known as the “guardian of the genome”, which hunts cells with faulty DNA. It encourages the cell to repair itself or self-destruct, keeping the cell from combining with others and producing tumors.
Humans have two versions of p53 but elephants have 40, said the researchers. Biochemical analysis and computer simulations also showed that an elephant’s p53 genes are structurally slightly different, providing a much larger anti-cancer toolkit. The researchers suspect that while faulty cells might be able to skirt two p53 versions, they cannot combine with other cells as easily in the face of dozens.
The findings will open the way for research on how p53 genes of elephants are activated and on medical treatment for humans.
1. What has puzzled scientists?| A．Few elephants end up dying from cancer. | B．Elephants live long and weigh enormously. |
| C．More cells lead to higher chances of tumors. | D．A larger body is less likely to discover faulty cells. |
| A．How many Britons die each year. | B．How the anti-cancer gene works. |
| C．How the research was carried out. | D．What the findings have been applied to. |
| A．Strengthen. | B．Detect. | C．Escaped. | D．Cure. |
| A．Scientists find elephants live longer than humans. | B．P53 genes play essential role in preventing cancer. |
| C．Elephant genes could be key to fighting cancer. | D．Groundbreaking treatment for cancer is on the way. |
7 . A new project in the Caribbean is setting out to save coral reefs(珊瑚礁)- and the world. The Ocean-Shot Project, spearheaded by climate scientist Dr. Deborah Brosnan, launched in 2021 to develop a “massive, first-of-its-kind” coral reef restoration initiative in the Caribbean country Antigua and Barbuda.
“We lose more coral reefs in a day that we can restore in a decade,”Brosnan said. “Our progress towards protecting coral reefs——which ultimately protect us——is too slow. So Ocean- Shot Project is about literally rebuilding the reefs, the architecture of the reefs, for the future. ”
What sets this project apart from other coral reef restoration projects is its focus——the architecture of the reef itself. While many initiatives prioritize saving the corals, Ocean-Shot Project tacks on the additional focus of developing the base for those corals to grow and thrive.
“Coral secretes(分泌) calcium carbonate, creating a sort-of concrete around itself that becomes the structure for the reef. But that process can take hundreds and thousands of years,”Brosnan said. And with coral bleaching(白化) events only predicted to become more intense in the coming decades as global and ocean temperatures warm, this can be a problem for reefs that need to be able to recover.
“What we’re doing is we’re saying, ‘let’s learn from the corals, let’s learn from nature,’”Brosnan said. “And let’s make this happen quickly.”
To make that happen, her team is creating reef structures in a lab and then planting them in the ocean, a process that Brosnan likened to“gardening”. The team is also planting“resilient corals”among the structures that have already survived several bleaching events. Previously, her team deployed their first set of these structures, called modules, into the ocean around Antigua and Barbuda. And it’s already seeing significant success.
“We saw a whole ecosystem start to recognize these reefs as home and just move right on in. So what it told us is that if we provide the living structure, the ecosystem will respond in return,”Brosnan said.
1. What is the purpose of Ocean-Shot Project?| A．To restore coral reefs. | B．To build home for corals. |
| C．To prevent coral bleaching. | D．To develop a new coral reef. |
| A．The whole ecosystem is in great danger. |
| B．Coral reefs are easy to lose and tough to restore. |
| C．Our progress in protecting nature is too slow. |
| D．The focus of the Ocean-Shot Project is to save corals. |
| A．Its aim. | B．Its duration. |
| C．Its focus. | D．Its influence. |
| A．Controllable. | B．Controversial. |
| C．Adventurous. | D．Significant. |
8 . Once there was a dandelion (蒲公英) living alone by the road. It felt bored and sad all day as no one ever stopped to take a look at or talk to it.
One day, a mother was walking on the road with her baby. The baby was crying hard and loudly. No matter what the mother did, she couldn’t get the baby to stop crying. Then the mother looked down, and she found the lonely dandelion. It looked so lovely in the sun with its white seeds widely open, and more beautiful than other plants around.
The mother squatted down, (蹲下) picking the dandelion softly. Then she brought it up to her baby so that he could see it clearly. When the baby saw the flowers of the dandelion, he quickly stopped crying and looked at them with interest.
His mom put the dandelion near her mouth and blew the flowers up and down. The dandelion seeds then flew in the air, spreading far away with the wind. The mother gave the dandelion to her son. He didn’t know what the plant was, but he knew it was fun to play with, which made him giggle (咯咯笑) so happily.
Now the dandelion knew its value and didn’t feel sad. It lived a beautiful life just by being itself. It wasn’t as beautiful as other flowers, but it brought the child a simple kind of happiness that money can’t buy.
The dandelion’s story tells us that everyone is special and great. We can help others in one way or another. We’re far greater than we think we are.
1. Why did the dandelion feel lonely at first?| A．Because no one noticed it . | B．Because it left its mother. |
| C．Because it lived by the road. | D．Because it had no friends. |
| A．Kind and honest. | B．Friendly and helpful. |
| C．Patient and careful. | D．Beautiful and funny. |
| A．it could travel farther | B．it found its value |
| C．it was powerful again | D．it had more seeds than before |
| A．Great minds think alike. |
| B．Two heads are better than one. |
| C．Rome was not built in a day. |
| D．All things in their being are good for something. |
9 . Suri was a sweet boy and he was fond of elephants. However, he never had a(n)
As they
After spending two to three
In
| A．idea | B．chance | C．choice |
| A．Suddenly | B．Specially | C．Luckily |
| A．touch | B．see | C．catch |
| A．passed by | B．left for | C．lived in |
| A．bored | B．moved | C．excited |
| A．minutes | B．hours | C．days |
| A．thin | B．strong | C．heavy |
| A．when | B．how | C．why |
| A．but | B．so | C．or |
| A．his | B．their | C．our |
10 . I’m Aimswell and I live in Tobago in the West Indies. Like lots of people here, my father fishes to feed my family and he started to teach me to fish when I was five. I love it and have joined in many fishing competitions. People here fish for themselves and some of them also sell fish to big hotels. However, because people fish too much, there are fewer fish in the sea now.
To solve the problem, my teacher, Mr.Peters, started a program. The program is teaching all the students in my school about fishing. We are raising (饲养) a kind of fish called tilapia at school. They are easy to look after(照顾) because all they need to eat is water plants(植物). They will grow big enough to eat in about four months. We have two different kinds of tilapia and they will taste different.
Mr.Peters wants us to show our parents how we have raised fish at school and tell them they can do the same at home. Then one day every one in Tobago can eat the fish they raise and there will be more fish in the sea.
I love working on the program because it is fun and it teaches us a way to help protect the environment(环境).
1. At the age of five, Aimswell .| A．learned to fish | B．started to feed his family | C．went to a fishing competition |
| A．调研 | B．讨论 | C．解决 |
| A．They live in the sea. |
| B．They only eat water plants |
| C．They will grow big enough in four weeks. |
| A．To enjoy their school life more. |
| B．To help their parents make more money. |
| C．To teach their parents to raise fish at home. |
| A．A talented boy. | B．A fish-protecting program. | C．Schools in the West Indies. |
