I was watching my kids play on the sidewalk when I looked up and saw a crow sitting on the telephone wire. The crow sat with its head turned to one side, observing us with one friendly black eye.
I'm not a bird expert or a birdwatcher, but crows intrigue me. Since that day, I have become friends with the neighborhood crows, and I've learned a thing or two along the way.
The best way to introduce yourself to a crow is by feeding it. I'm sure there are other ways to go about it, but the easiest and fastest way to a crow's heart is food. Some may argue that a crow is a wild animal and by feeding it, you encourage the unnatural dependence. And to most wildlife, this is an excellent philosophy. But crows and humans have been living side by side for centuries, and researchers like Marzluff and Angell, who wrote In the Company of Crows and Ravens, point to many examples of cultural co﹣evolution (共同进化) between us. It's been a rather symbiotic (共生的) relationship for quite a while.
Certainly, humans' and crows' lives and histories have become closely related. I moved to this neighborhood in this small city 5 years ago. I'm relatively new here, but the crows in my neighborhood may have lived here for many years. They've watched people come and go for years ﹣ people who may have watched them right back.
So anyway, we're neighbors, and feeding is the neighborly thing to do.
1. Which of the following can replace the underlined word "intrigue" in Paragraph 2?A.Dislike. |
B.Interest. |
C.Surprise. |
D.Frighten. |
A.To play with them. |
B.To make friends with them. |
C.To give food to them. |
D.To watch them closely. |
A.develop a philosophy |
B.introduce a book |
C.correct people's ideas |
D.share personal experience |
A.Positive. |
B.Unclear. |
C.Doubtful. |
D.Indifferent. |
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I received this gift on a gray-sky day. I had to go to the airport at 9:00 a.m. to pick up my uncle Ali and take him to my father’s house. However, I was late because I was hanging out with my friends. Later that day, around 11:00 a.m., I remembered my uncle, but I was very late. He had already left the airport and taken a taxi to my father’s house.
I got to my father’s house at 2:00 p.m. on the same day and looked at my angry father’s face. I felt ashamed. After I said hi to my angry father and tired uncle, my father asked me to sit next to him and handed me this watch as a gift. Then he asked, “Eric, did you have fun with your friends today?” I answered, “Yes, father, and I am sorry about not picking up my uncle.” He said, “What you did was not very nice and you should be sorry for your actions.” I was ashamed. “Father, I’ll never do it again. I promise.” Then he replied, “I hope today you learned something important, and this watch will be a reminder for you.” He told me to take this watch and use it as an organizer of my life.
I learned a very important lesson from my father that day: to respect time and never be late to meet someone. This watch is important to me, not because of its price, but because of the lesson that I learned from it.
1. What do we know about Eric’s watch?
A.It was quite expensive. |
B.It was made especially for Eric. |
C.It was a prize for his good behavior. |
D.It helped to organize his life. |
A.Eric was with his friends until 2:00 p.m. that day |
B.Uncle Ali had been to Eric’s father’s house before |
C.Eric didn’t live with his father |
D.Eric always forgot important things |
A.A Special Watch | B.Time Is Important |
C.How to Be on Time | D.My Father and His Watch |
【推荐2】Shane Grammer’s artwork can be found in cities in Mexico, South Korea, Dubai and beyond.In the past years, it’s the murals (壁画) he painted on damaged walls throughout the town of Paradise, California that have gained attention and touched viewers.
In 2018, the Camp Fire, the deadliest wildfire in California’s history, swept through Paradise, flattening entire communities, killing scores of people, and displacing tens of thousands. Grammer,whose hometown was just 15 miles from Paradise, was living with his family and working in the Los Angeles area when he saw accounts of the destruction on his friends’ social media pages. A single mother he knew shared a photo of ash and rubble where her home once stood. A childhood friend’s post showed her burned-down house. After he saw a photo of a friend Shane Edwards’ home, which had been reduced to a brick wall with only a chimney standing, he was driven to paint it.
With Edward’s permission, Grammer then used spray paint to transform Edwards’ burnt chimney into a strikingly black-and-white portrait of a woman, a piece he called “Beauty Among the Ashes.” Once the image was posted on Instagram, the victims of the fire, especially, could not contain themselves. “You bring beauty and hope.” one posted. Over three months, the 47-year-old created a series of more than a dozen spray-painted murals on the remains of buildings and vehicles rendered useless by the flames. The images included a victim of the fire, a young girl who survived but lost her house, and a series of religious characters.
As a street artist, Grammer has committed his life to creating more art installations (装置艺术) all over the world that connect people through tragic life events. He has started a foundation called the Art Through Hope Foundation where he intends to bring peace through his art to those affected by tragedy. “I want to do something powerful and make art that emotionally influences people,” said Grammer in an interview with KRCR. “I think any artist would consider that as their ultimate goal. And to me, that is the biggest miracle I feel like.”
1. What has led to Grammer’s rise to fame?A.The Art Through Hope Foundation. | B.The post of a burnt-down house. |
C.His paintings on the ruins in Paradise. | D.His art installations all over the world. |
A.To record the wildfire. | B.To bring hope to the victims. |
C.To add beauty to the ashes. | D.To remember his friend's home. |
A.Creating touching art. | B.Working miracles in art. |
C.Bringing peace through art. | D.Doing something powerful. |
A.From Ashes to Art: Street Artist’s Murals of Hope |
B.From Paradise to Worldwide: Street Artist’s Journey |
C.From Tragedy to Hope: the Story of Shane Grammer |
D.From Mural to Miracle: Shane Grammer’s Art Mission |
【推荐3】With the click of a button, Amanda Eshelman, a 13-year- old girl with hearing loss, regained the ability to hear the world around her.
"Hi, baby, " her mom, who seated herself next to her at St.Louis Children’s Hospital, said before they both burst into tears.
Amanda has been deaf in her left ear from a young age and has been progressively losing hearing in her right ear since she started middle school two years ago.A hearing aid helped her for a while, but it slowly became less and less effective.
A specialist in St.Louis Children's Hospital thought a cochlear implant could improve her hearing—but there was no guarantee.Her parents allowed Amanda to decide for herself.She wanted to go for it.
"They said she hadn’t heard on this side for at least 10 years; we didn't know if it would work, and if her brain would be able to recognize these signals," Amanda’s mom, Betsy Eshelman, told Today.“So we tried not to get our hope up as we walked in.”
In mid-November, Amanda had the surgery and two weeks later, the system was turned on.When the sounds returned,Amanda covered her mouth with her hands in astonishment and then shed tears of joy.
“I like it, ” Amanda said in the video.“It’s a lot better than I thought it was going to be.”
Amanda noted the whirr of the fan system and the buzz of the lights overhead.“I didn’t know the lights make noise.”she said.
Now, Amanda is able to hear all sorts of sounds she has been missing out for years—especially at home.
"It's been great," Betsy said."She made the comment that she didn’t realize how loud we all were! She didn’t realize how quiet her world had become.”
1. What is the correct order for the events in the story about Amanda?①Amanda received a cochlear implant.
②Amanda lost hearing in her right ear.
③Amanda lost hearing in her left ear.
④Amanda regained her hearing.
⑤Amanda started middle school.
A.③②⑤①④ | B.③⑤②①④ |
C.⑤③②①④ | D.⑤①③②④ |
A.Amanda wouldn't like the cochlear implant |
B.a cochlear implant wouldn’t help |
C.a cochlear implant would reduce hearing |
D.they couldn't afford a cochlear implant |
A.nervous | B.disappointed |
C.surprised | D.delighted |
A.a cochlear implant surgery |
B.an achievement for deaf people |
C.a girl who regained her hearing |
D.how to improve hearing |
【推荐1】On November 14, 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt was on a hunting trip in Mississippi while trying to settle a line(边界) problem between Mississippi and Louisiana. Being an expert outdoorsman, he liked to hunt large animals.
However, his hunt was going poorly that days, and he couldn’t seem to find anything worthy of firing his gun. His followers, trying to help him, caught a Louisiana black baby bear for the President to shoot, but he refused. The thought of shooting a bear that was tied to a tree did not seem sporting, so he spared the life of the baby bear and set it free.
A famous political cartoonist for the Washington Star, Mr. Clifford Berryman, drew a cartoon titled, Drawing the Line in Mississippi, which used the story of the President refusing to shoot the bear.
The cartoon in the Washington Star showed Teddy Roosevelt, gun in hand, with his back turned on a pretty baby bear. Morris Michtom, owner of a Brooklyn toy store, got the idea from the cartoon and make a toy bear. Planning to use it only as a display, he placed the bear in his toy store window, and next to it placed a copy of the cartoon from the newspaper. To Michtom's surprise, he was surrounded by customers eager to buy it. He asked for and received President Roosevelt's permission to use his name for the bears that he and his wife made, and the Teddy Bear was born! Michtom soon made Teddy bears by the thousands. The money from selling Teddy bears made him, in 1903, form the Ideal Toy Company.
1. Why did Theodore Roosevelt come to Mississippi?A.To go on a hunting trip. | B.To look for large animals. |
C.To do some outdoor games. | D.To deal with a line problem. |
A.He was caring. | B.He loved animals. |
C.He was not hunting. | D.It was too young. |
A.He was a far-sighted businessman. |
B.He liked drawing cartoons of bears. |
C.He became President Roosevelt’s friend. |
D.He didn’t expect Teddy Bear to be popular. |
A.Morris Michtom. | B.Teddy Roosevelt. |
C.Mr. Clifford Berryman. | D.Michtom and his wife. |
【推荐2】In times of epidemic, with visitors restricted, many residents in nursing homes have felt lonely and separated from the world, so animals have become an especially important way to lift their spirits. At Senior Living Sobriety in Scotland, seniors recently got their very own puppy (幼犬).
Gracie is a tiny golden retriever (金毛寻回犬) who lives with Pam Little, the social service manager for Senior Living Society. Every day, Gracie goes to work with Pam, and her official job is to be sweet and adorable to everyone she meets. Needless to say, she is skilled at her day job! She has quickly become a beloved member of the family for the seniors who live there.
“We’ve seen a lot of changes since she came,” Pam said.“We’ve seen a lot of smiles and hugs. It’s giving them a lot to talk about apart from what they’ve seen in their daily life.”
Gracie now visits with about 30 old people each day. Pam stays with Gracie the whole time to make sure everything goes smoothly. The precious pup has been bridging the gap for many of these residents who have been missing their friends and family during the epidemic.
Experts say pets like Gracie provide many health benefits for seniors, including increased mental and physical activity. Having a dedicated in-house dog enables nursing home residents to get all the goodness that comes with having a pet — with none of the stress or responsibilities.
Puppy hugs are no doubt a way to put a smile on anyone’s face! These lucky residents get to watch Gracie grow up and be a big part of her life. More nursing homes are considering following suit on this trend.
1. Why do residents in nursing homes want animals to raise their spirits?A.They don’t want to see visitors. |
B.They wanted to raise their own puppy. |
C.They are cut off from the outside world. |
D.They suffer from serious health problems. |
A.She always smiles. | B.She has many skills. |
C.She has changed a lot. | D.She can be nice to everyone. |
A.Increased safety. | B.Chances to exercise. |
C.Closer family ties. | D.A sense of responsibility. |
A.There will be less pet dogs. |
B.There will be more nursing homes. |
C.Puppies will become more intelligent. |
D.Puppies will be introduced into other nursing homes. |
【推荐3】Lacey, 13, found a large bumblebee(大黄蜂)lying in the road while walking her dog. She picked up the bee and noticed it had a broken wing. She tried to put it on some flowers in a nearby park, but it refused to stay there and climbed back to her hand. After an hour, she gave up and headed home with the little creature.
On the way home, the bumblebee was resting on Lacey’s glasses as she went into a local shop to buy milk-shocking other shoppers. Despite many attempts to leave the insect outside, the lovely bee refused to leave Lacey’s side.
Now recovered and named Betty, it follows her everywhere. And once it even stayed with Lacey during the games with her friends at the bowling room.
During the day, Betty rests on the back of Lacey’s neck, or hides inside her clothes or flies around the living room. At night, Lacey puts Betty in a little bottle beside her bed. While there is no lid(盖子), it stays inside quietly until morning.
“I’m so happy and I love spending my time with her,” said the girl. “She’s so lovely and I love our friendship.”
The bee likes Lacey’s food, but also gets sugar water, honey and strawberry jam. Lacey also takes her bee-pal into the garden to enjoy flower honey, but as soon as the girl goes back inside, Betty is right beside her.
“It’s really lovely and so beautiful,” said her mother, Laura. “I’m also glad that Lacey has a new close friend.” Betty enjoys a touch between the wings, but stays away from the rest of the family—mom, dad and two younger brothers. “We have all the doors open a lot and she’s just never gone—I don’t know why,” said Laura.
1. What did Lacey find in the road?A.A lost dog. | B.An injured bumblebee. | C.A girl called Betty. | D.Some beautiful flowers. |
A.Shocked. | B.Angry. | C.Delighted. | D.Excited. |
A.In the living room. | B.On Lacey’s glasses. | C.In a nearby park. | D.In a little bottle. |
A.Betty loves every one of Lace’s family. |
B.Betty dislikes touches from humans. |
C.Laura also likes the presence of Betty. |
D.Laura is worried about Lacey’s safety. |
【推荐1】My sister Alice and I have been trying to get people to stop dropping cigarette(香烟) butts(烟头) for seven years. One day, we were walking in our hometown and saw hundreds of cigarette butts on the ground. They made the town look so ugly that we decided to start a group to stop people dropping butts. We called it “No Butts About It”.
At first, we drew pictures with “The Earth is not your ashtray(烟灰缸)” written on them. We put the pictures around our hometown—in parks, by beaches, and along roads. We wanted to make people understand that dropping butts hurts the environment. Most smokers don’t think that dropping butts hurts the Earth. But it does, and all rubbish does!
Later, we wrote to companies and asked them for money to help us. We used the money to buy ashtrays to give to smokers. We wanted smokers to carry the ashtrays with them so they didn’t have to drop butts.
At the moment, we are trying to get cigarette companies to put an ashtray in each pack of cigarettes. Some companies want to do it. Many people have started to join our group since it began. Today there are 45 other “No Butts About It” groups in America.
Now there are even groups in England, Australia and India! Many newspapers have written about my sister and me over the last seven years. And we have won many prizes for what we do. But we are not interested in prizes. We just want to make the Earth a better and cleaner place for animals, plants and people.
One day, it will be.
1. What did the writer think about the cigarette butts in the first place?A.They made the town smelly. | B.They made the town unhealthy. |
C.They made the town dirty. | D.They made the town poor. |
A.Give ashtrays to the smokers. | B.Stop people buying cigarettes. |
C.Pick up the cigarette butts. | D.Win prizes for starting groups. |
A.no companies wanted to give money to them |
B.the writer believes that the Earth will be a better and cleaner place |
C.there are only 45 “No Butts About It” |
D.the writer likes to be on newspapers and win prizes |
【推荐2】It was an old day when I set out for a run in Moab, Utah, with my dog, Taz. As an athlete I often went for a run by myself. While running along a canyon (峡谷) road, I hit a piece of ice. I slipped down the rock face and fell 60 feet into the canyon, landing on a ledge (岩脊). Taz found his way to me, so I knew there must be a way out of the canyon, but I couldn’t stand, as I had broken an important bone.
I shouted for help but then decided to move to the bottom of the canyon first. The ledge was too dangerous to stay. It took me five hours to go a quarter of a mile. Eventually it got dark, and I decided to stay where I was for the night, next to a puddle of water. All I had on me was a water bottle and some chocolates. At night, I avoided sleeping for fear of dying of hypothermia (低体温症). Taz stayed with me, providing some warmth. The next morning, I couldn’t move at all. But I was sure somebody would hear me screaming for help. The second night in the canyon seemed even colder. My feet were frostbitten (冻伤). On the third day, I accepted the fact that I might die. I called Taz over and told him to go and get help.
Taz returned, alone. Then I heard an engine in the distance. I started shouting for help, and then I saw a man walking towards me. It turned out that my neighbor noticed I hadn’t come home, and Taz had found the rescue team. I was airlifted to hospital, where doctors found I was seriously wounded, having lost half of my blood.
Five years on, I still think about the experience. I couldn’t run like I used to due to the after-effects of the accident, and cold weather brings back bad memories, but I’m married with two kids, and Taz is still alive. Realizing you have a second chance to live puts things into perspective.
1. Why did the author try to move to the bottom of the canyon?A.To reach a safe place. | B.To climb back to the road. |
C.To come across some helper. | D.To avoid being attacked by wild animals. |
A.Lack of food. | B.Physical pain. |
C.Fear of death. | D.Low temperature. |
A.Taz turned to the author’s neighbor for help. |
B.The author stayed in the canyon for 3 nights. |
C.The author didn’t hold out much hope of his dog. |
D.The rescue team was required by the author's neighbor. |
【推荐3】I can hear the sound of insects and feel autumn is nearing. This means my year of study at Nara University of Education is coming to an end.
The time I’ve spent here has flown by so quickly. It seems as if I came here a month ago, but in reality I have to go home soon. When I came here, I missed my family and friends and found it hard to overcome loneliness, but on the other hand, I was interested in the new environment and had a lot of fun.
I had visited Japan three times before coming to study at this university,but when I started living in Japan, many days were filled with a mixture of anxiety and excitement. I sometimes made silly mistakes, but I thought this was the best way to learn about Japanese culture. I was not the only one that was not accustomed to the different customs of Japanese people.
My plan before coming to Japan was to make friends with some Japanese students in universities. However, I found my best friends were those who came from other countries. I didn’t know much about other countries but I came to be more interested in them through making friends from different places, which made me aware of many differences and sometimes hard-to-understand customs. Furthermore, I was surprised to see myself thinking more about my own culture and realised I should come to know it better.
I am really happy that I came to Nara. During my stay, I felt the closer connection between humans and nature here than in Europe.
1. What does the underlined word “them” in Paragraph 4 refer to?A.Different countries. |
B.Different cultures. |
C.Many different places. |
D.Foreign students. |
A.They value their lives much more. |
B.They are difficult to get along with. |
C.They are mindful of protecting the environment. |
D.Many Europeans love to make friends with them. |
A.To look back on his study. |
B.To call on readers to visit Nara. |
C.To show the beauty of Japanese culture. |
D.To share his experience of studying abroad. |
【推荐1】The spot of red was what first caught Randy Heiss's attention on December 16. He was biking on his ranch in Patagonia, Arizona, a town near the U. S. -Mexico border. Heiss walked toward it, and found on the grassland was a broken balloon with its string attached to a piece of paper.
“Dayami,” it read on one side, in a child's writing. It was a Christmas wish list, all in Spanish He suspected that a child had tried to send Santa Claus a Christmas wish list by balloon, something he used to do himself when he was a kid. And he wondered whether he could find the child who had sent this one.
It would be difficult, but based on the prevailing wind, Heiss was pretty sure where it came from—just across the border, the city of Nogales, Mexico.
Heiss then posted about his quest on Facebook, attaching photos, hoping his friends in Nogales might know the girl's family.
A few days passed with no leads. Heiss worried that time was running out before Chirstmas. On December 19. he sent a private Facebook message to Radio XENY. a radio station based in Nogales The next morning. Heiss awoke to a message from Radio XENY: They had located Dayami, an eight-year-old girl, and her family, who indeed lived in Nogales. “It just changed my entire day.” said Heiss. Having bought just about everything on Dayami's list and a few other toys, as they had learned that Dayami had a younger sister, Heiss and his wife. at the Radio XENY. met the family.
“Their eves were wide open with wonder.” Heiss said of the two sisters' reactions. “Like. ‘Oh my gosh, this really did work!’”
Not wanting to disappoint the girls who still believed in Santa Claus, Heiss and his wife told them they were “Santa's helpers”.
“It was a beautiful and healing experience for us...” Heiss said, “Since our only son died ten years ago, being around children at Christmas time has been absent in our lives.” Heiss said. “We now have friends for life. And, for a day, that border fence with its wire melted away.”
1. What did Heiss find when hiking on his ranch.A.A Christmas wish list from a child | B.A mass of grassland. |
C.A letter addressed to him. | D.A beautiful red balloon. |
A.Examples. | B.Clues. | C.Suggestions. | D.Plans. |
A.He wanted to make up for his lost son. |
B.He wanted to make friends with Dayami. |
C.He wanted to realize his childhood dream. |
D.He didn't want to spoil Santa Claus for the girls. |
A.Love knows no borders. | B.A bold attempt is half success. |
C.God helps those who help themselves. | D.Nothing is impossible to a willing heart. |
【推荐2】The 1972 Hawaii episodes opened the fourth season of The Brady Bunch, and they have become a beloved part of pop culture. Here are the top places where the Hawaii episodes of The Brady Bunch were filmed.
Sheraton Waikiki
Location: 2255 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii 96815
The entrance to the Sheraton Waikiki has not changed all that much. All of its original charm remains. You can even book an ocean-view room like the Brady family would have enjoyed. Be sure to also check out the breathtaking infinity pool.
Halona Blowhole Lookout
Location: 8483 Highway 72, Honolulu, Hawaii 96825
During their tour of Hawaii, the Bradys looked in the wonder at the still-active Halona Blowhole. It's one of Hawaii's many natural wonders. The rock formation and blowhole shoots ocean water spray high into the air when the waves roll in.
Although there are no active volcanoes on Oahu now, their effects on the island linger. The best time to come here is when winds are strong and the tide is high.
View Rabbit Island from Makapu'u Beach Park
Location:41-095 Kalanianaole Highway, Makapu'u Point, Hawaii 96795
The Brady girls enjoyed the view of Rabbit Island. Although it's referred to by its nickname in the episodes, the real name of Rabbit Island is Manana Island. It got its nickname because many rabbits used to inhabit the area. It's now an uninhabited islet on the eastern end of Oahu.
Hula dancing on the Ocean Lawn of the Royal Hawaiian
Location: 2259 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii 96815
It's believed that the Brady ladies enjoyed their hula lesson on the Ocean Lawn of the Royal Hawaiian, a luxury collection resort. The ocean Lawn is a great place for a selfie because you can see the ocean, Diamond Head and other beautiful sights in the background.
The Royal Hawaiian does offer hula lessons to guests, but they aren't held on the Ocean Lawn. If you and your family decide to try hula dancing, try not to get your hula skirts mixed up like Alice and Cindy did!
1. Where should you go to enjoy the ocean waves?A.Sheraton Waikiki. | B.Halona Blowhole Lookout. |
C.Rabbit Island. | D.Ocean Lawn. |
A.It has active volcanoes. |
B.It has incredible sunrise. |
C.It got the name because of rabbits. |
D.It has remained the same ever since. |
A.To take charming pictures for yourself. |
B.To learn hula lessons from the locals. |
C.To climb seaside rocks and go fishing. |
D.To exchange skirts with others for fun. |
【推荐3】Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your choice of sport might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses(高尔夫球场) in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortages in some local areas.
In fact, there are many environment friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don't need any special equipment except a pair of good shoes; and you don't have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk can regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and control your weight better.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be "green gyms". They are better replacements(代替物) for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it's free.
1. What do we know about golf from the passage?A.It is popular in Portugal and Spain. |
B.It needs water and energy to keep its courses green |
C.It pollutes the earth with chemicals and waste. |
D.It causes water shortages around the world. |
A.it uses fewer resources |
B.it improves our health |
C.it is an outdoor sport |
D.it is recommended by experts |
A.Playing basketball in a gym. |
B.Motor racing in the desert. |
C.Cycling around a lake. |
D.Swimming in a sports center. |
A.To show us the function of major sports. |
B.To encourage us to go in for green sports. |
C.To discuss the major influence of popular sports. |
D.To introduce different types of environment friendly spors. |