Anyone wanting to help the poor may like this idea—recycling aluminum cans in a different way, which is apparently also good for the environment. So you're actually killing two birds with one stone. It goes without saying that recycling aluminum cans can save resources, energy, time and money. People usually save and place aluminum cans in the dustbins, which are then collected and taken away by cleaners, who will finally recycle them in the recycling center. But if you save the aluminum cans, and skip the cleaners, you can save these same cans for something more important—helping the poor. In other words, by doing less, you are giving the environmental cause some new significance.
Here is how to put this idea into action. Take your aluminum cans and place them in a plastic bag. For the dirty ones, rinse them out first. Store the bag of clean aluminum cans. Once you collect about one hundred cans or more, take the cans to the recycle center yourself. There are about eighteen aluminum cans in a pound. And you can receive three to four dollars for one hundred cans. Donate your three to four dollars to the poor or any charity organization of your choice.
By now, you may wonder if your few dollars have really made a difference to the poor. Consider this: Is there any individual or any specific event that is great enough to change the world or decide the direction that history takes? The answer is probably no. What if there were a lot of people who would do the same thing? History shows nothing but the collective will of the whole community. And that will surely be powerful enough to make a bigger difference.
Go to your community or your school and spread your idea. Share your idea and save your aluminum cans with other people. One hundred people can speak louder than one. And the money you make by saving cans can be multiplied by one hundred times. And if more people join in the cause around the world, an even larger difference can be made , and more people in need will enjoy the benefits.
1. What's special about the new idea?| A．It makes profits. | B．It saves resources. |
| C．It benefits the poor. | D．It involves cleaners. |
| A．Dirty cans do not sell well. | B．You decide who receives the money. |
| C．A hundred cans weigh about 3 pounds. | D．The recycle center is conveniently located. |
| A．A great individual or event. | B．The direction history takes. |
| C．The collective will of people. | D．The neighbourhood you live in. |
| A．Many hands make light work. | B．Kill two birds with one stone. |
| C．Don't put the cart before the horse. | D．No man can do two things at once. |
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【推荐1】 When young Sophia Giorgi said she was thinking of volunteering to help the Make-A-Wish Foundation (基金会), nobody understood what she was talking about. But Sophia knew just how important Make – A –Wish could be because this special organization had helped to make a dream come true for one her best friends. We were interested in finding out more, so we went along to meet Sophia listen to what she had to say.
Sophia told us that Make – A –Wish is a worldwide organization that started in the United States in 1980.” It’s a charity(慈善机构)that helps children who have got very serious illnesses. Make – A –Wish help children feel happy even though they are sick, by making their wishes and dreams come true ,” Sophia explained .
We asked Sophia how Make – A –Wish had first started .She said it had all begun with a very sick young boy called Chris, who had been dreaming for a long time of becoming a policeman. Sophia said lots of people had wanted to find a way to make Chris’s dream come true ——so, with everybody’s help , Chris, only seven years old at the time, had been a “policeman” for a day .” When people saw how delighted Chris was when his dream came true, they decided to try and help other sick children too, and that was the beginning of Make – A –Wish,” explained Sophia.
Sophia also told us the Foundation tries to give children and their families a special, happy time. A Make-A-Wish volunteer visits the families and asks the children what they would wish for if they could have anything in the world. Sophia said the volunteers were important because they were the ones who helped to make the wishes come true. They do this either by providing things that are necessary, or by raising money or helping out in whatever way they can.
1. Sophia found out about Make-A-Wish because her best friend had________ .| A．dreamed about it | B．volunteered to help it |
| C．told the author about it | D．benefited from it |
| A．He gave people the idea of starting Make-A-Wish |
| B．He has been a policeman since he was seven. |
| C．He wanted people to help make his dream come true. |
| D．He was the first child Make-A-Wish helped after it had been set up. |
| A．was understood by nobody at first | B．is an international charity |
| C．raises money for very poor families | D．started by drawing the interest of the public |
| A．They visit sick children to make them feel special. |
| B．They are important for making wishes come true. |
| C．They try to help children get over their illnesses. |
| D．They provide what is necessary to make Make-A-Wish popular. |
I．Basic Requirements for Volunteers
● Be willing to participate in voluntary services of Expo 2010;
● Age limit: Expo Site volunteers must be born before April 30, 1992 and Expo City Voluntary Service Station volunteers before April 30, 1994;
● Obey the laws and regulations of the PRC;
● Be able to participate in training and relevant activities before the opening of Expo 2010;
● Possess necessary knowledge and skills needed by the position;
● Be in good health to meet the requirements of corresponding voluntary positions．
II．Further Information for Volunteers
● Source
Residents of Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, as well as overseas Chinese, and foreigners can all apply to be the volunteers．
● Signup methods
Applicants may log in onto the official websites for online signup．They may also consult or connect with the Expo Volunteer Stations．
● Time
May 1 - December 31, 2009
Ⅲ．Volunteer Training
Volunteer training includes general training, special training and position training．General training is carried out through internet, while special training and position training are provided through classroom lectures and field practice．
IV．Volunteer Types
● Expo Site volunteers refer to those offering voluntary services to visitors and the Organizer in the Expo Site, mainly including information, visitor flow management, reception, translation and interpretation, assistance for the disabled, and assistance in media service, event and conference organization and．volunteer management．
● Information booth volunteers are stationed in the Expo's information booths at key transportation centers, commercial outlets, tourist attractions, restaurants, hotels and cultural event places outside the Expo Site．They offer services including information, translation, interpretation and even first aid．
1. If you were born in April 1993, where can you be a volunteer?
| A．In the Expo City． | B．In the host country． |
| C．In the Expo Site． | D．In Chinese mainland |
| A．Position training． | B．General training． |
| C．Classroom training． | D．Special training． |
| A．Assistance in media service． | B．Helping the disabled |
| C．Emergency First aid． | D．Visitor flow management． |
【推荐3】On a Sunday afternoon, the sun was burning in eastern Singapore, and a group of young Singaporeans were busy laying out scissors, electric razors, brushes, mirrors, aprons and chairs. They were here to volunteer with the community initiative Backalley Barbers(BAB), which has been snipping away at social barriers since 2014 by offering free haircuts to the discriminated and the poor.
Among them is Cai Yinzhou, the young man who heads BAB. He was inspired to take barbering matters into his own hands after befriending a group of migrant workers. “I was playing badminton with a group of workers who lived behind my house. And one of the workers, whose father had a health issue, was working very hard... to try to save money to send back home,” Yinzhou recounts. “Why not learn how to cut my own hair and offer him a free haircut? It was a very small thing that I could do for him. That was how BAB started.”
Till now, volunteers have styled more than 2,200 heads, picking up their skills from professionals. “Our volunteers come from various kinds of background,” says Yinzhou. “The common heart is people who are willing to serve. With collective people working towards a common goal, we can change communities. That’s a great starting point.”
Beyond the free haircuts, conversations form the root of BAB’s mission. “We learn about the sacrifices migrant workers have made, the challenges they have at work. And some of them with issues, for example, injuries, or salary claim problems, we refer them to the relevant authorities for help. But the baseline is really making friends with them first,” Yinzhou said.
Yinzhou believes these friendships are invaluable, as they foster cultural understanding. “People come together although we are different, realising that we have the potential to help one another.”Yinzhou says.
1. How does the author start the passage?| A．By stressing the significance of BAB’s work. |
| B．By referring to social problems in Singapore. |
| C．By describing the scene of BAB’s voluntary work. |
| D．By praising young Singaporeans for their kindness. |
| A．Its birth. | B．Its founder. | C．Its goal. | D．Its service. |
| A．Taking to professional hairdressing. |
| B．Volunteering for a better community. |
| C．Befriending people with different backgrounds. |
| D．Becoming a worldwide non-profit organization. |
| A．Offering free haircuts. | B．Solving social problems. |
| C．Holding conversations. | D．Forming true friendships. |
【推荐1】A California wind farm will become the first in the U. S. to avoid charges if a limited number of eagles are injured or die when they run into the huge turning blades(桨叶), the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Thursday.
The Shiloh IV Wind Project LLC, 60 miles east of San Francisco, will receive a special permit allowing up to five golden eagles to be accidentally killed over five years. Previously, such eagle deaths could potentially draw criminal charges and discourage private investment in wind farms.
Agency Director Daniel Ashe said the permit encourages development of renewable energy while requiring the wind company to take steps to protect eagles from turbines(涡轮机)and power lines. The move will help California reach its goal of producing one-third of its energy from renewable sources by 2020, he said.
Michael Hutchins of the American Bird Conservancy said he believes the five-year permit for the California wind farm is reasonable, but he said the rapid expansion of wind energy has gotten ahead of the science and regulation to protect all types of birds. Too often, he said, wind farms are built in migratory patterns or near wetlands.
Birds on the hunt can become dizzy by what’s on the ground and fly into the blades, Hutchins said.
“Is it really green energy if it’s going to kill hundreds of thousands of birds or bats each year?” he said. “The whole system needs a much harder look.”
Shiloh IV Wind Project is a 102-megawatt wind farm operating since 2012 and made up of 50 turbines in Solano County.
Shiloh is the first to obtain a permit. Marie Strassburger, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s regional migratory bird chief, said that obtaining one requires a lengthy process, and because this is the first of its kind, officials have carefully made conversation plans with the wind company.
“It’s not a quick, efficient process by any means,” Strassburger said.
Federal wildlife officials in California, Nevada and Southern Oregon are working on two more applications for five-year eagle permits and one for 30 years, said Scott Flaherty of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Sacramento. Eagles are not listed as endangered, but they are protected under a federal act.
1. Shiloh IV will be breaking the law if ___________.| A．its turbines injure any birds in California |
| B．it withdraws its private investment in wind farms |
| C．its equipment kills over five golden eagles in five years |
| D．it builds wind farm in migratory patterns or near wetlands |
| A．To encourage green energy |
| B．To protect big turning blades |
| C．To prevent criminal activities |
| D．To support research on eagles |
| A．Tolerant | B．Uncaring |
| C．Surprised | D．Critical |
| A．Showed great caution |
| B．Reached an agreement quickly |
| C．Wanted to list eagles as endangered |
| D．Had already singed tow similar permits |
| A．Daniel Ashe | B．Scott Flaherty |
| C．Michael Hutchins | D．Marie |
【推荐2】California, Arizona and Nevada announced an agreement on Monday to cut their use of the Colorado River by another 14% in exchange for $1.2 billion grants (拨款) from the US government. The landmark agreement, which lasts through 2026, would avoid compulsory cuts set by the US government to keep the crucial Colorado River basin from collapsing in the face of constant over-consumption and a long drought worsened by climate change.
The 1,450-mile-long Colorado River provides drinking water for 40 million people in seven US states, part of Mexico, and several Native American tribes. It also supplies water for 5.5 million acres of productive farmland.
The Interior Department needs to sign off on the agreement before it takes effect. Camille Touton, leading member of the Interior Department’s Bureau of Reclamation, called the agreement “an important step forward toward our shared goal of creating a sustainable path for the basin that millions of people call home.”
The voluntary cuts are about half of what the US government said were needed last year, but an exceptionally wet winter and unusually plentiful snow pack gave the seven states that use the Colorado River a temporary relief. The two dammed reservoirs (水库) on the river, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, have risen 7 feet and 26 feet, respectively, since April, after falling to crisis levels in 2022. Lake Mead is now 30% full and Lake Powell 27%.
Arizona, California and Nevada draw their Colorado River water from Lake Mead while four Upper Basin states—Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming—use water directly from the river and its branches. All seven basin states still have to reach a longer-term arrangement for use of the declining Colorado River after 2026. Monday’s agreement is “a great start”, Jack Schmidt, director of the Utah State University’s Center for Colorado River Studies, tells the Los Angeles Times. “It’s about 25% of where we ultimately need to get.”
1. What do you know about the Colorado River?| A．It measures 1,450 kilometres long. | B．It’s an inland river in the USA. |
| C．Arizona is in its Upper Basin. | D．It’s overused by people along it. |
| A．The productive land. | B．The Interior Department. |
| C．The wet winter and much snow. | D．Lake Mead and Lake Powell. |
| A．It was in exchange for $1.2 billion grants. |
| B．The Interior Department would sign off on it. |
| C．All 7 basin states have reached a longer-term agreement based on it. |
| D．It helped to achieve the goal of using the Colorado River sustainably. |
| A．The Colorado River is suffering | B．More efforts are still needed |
| C．An important agreement is reached | D．Climate change is getting worse |
【推荐3】The Amazon rainforest is moving towards a tipping point past which trees will start to die off in large numbers, researchers have said.
The study, published in the Journal of Natural Climate Change, was conducted by scholars from the University of Exeter, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and the Technical University of Munich. They used satellite data from 1991 to 2020 to examine trends in deforestation(毁林).
They calculated that 75% of the rainforest is now at risk of being unable to recover when experiencing droughts(旱灾), which are also increasingly more common due to global warming.
“Deforestation and climate change are likely to be the main drivers of this decline,” Niklas Boers of PIK and the Technical University of Munich told the BBC. The study has predicted that it is only a matter of decades until a fairly large amount of the Amazon is transformed from rainforest into savannah(稀树草原).
The destruction(破坏) of the Amazon rainforest, in some ways caused by global warming, will also speed up this process. “The Amazon stores lots of carbon and all of that would enter the atmosphere, which would then further contribute to increasing temperatures and have future effects on global average temperatures,” Professor Boulton of the University of Exeter told the BBC.
This worrying snowball effect means that the destruction of the Amazon will make the much larger battle against global warming more difficult.
The destruction of the Amazon would also have a huge effect on the ecology of the earth. The Amazon rainforest is home to more than 30,000 species of plants, 2.5 million species of insects, 2,500 fish species, more than 1,500 bird species, 550 reptiles, and 500 mammals, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society. A savannah environment that lacks a large variety of plant life, would be unable to host the large and varied ecosystems that currently exist in the rainforest. It is likely that a large number of species would become endangered or even die out, as they would be unable to adjust to this new ecosystem.
1. What can be known about the study?| A．The Amazon rainforest has lost its ability to recover. |
| B．Much of the Amazon rainforest has become a savannah. |
| C．One-fourth of the Amazon rainforest has already died out. |
| D．The Amazon rainforest is increasingly endangered by droughts. |
| A．lots of carbon entering the atmosphere |
| B．the destruction of the Amazon rainforest |
| C．the Amazon rainforest transforming into grassland |
| D．the gradual change of global average temperatures |
| A．The ecosystem of the earth will be damaged. |
| B．Many wildlife species will move to other places. |
| C．Droughts will become increasingly more common. |
| D．A decreased amount of carbon will go into the air. |
| A．To explain why a savannah cannot host so many species. |
| B．To introduce measures needed to protect the biodiversity. |
| C．To stress the ecological importance of the Amazon rainforest. |
| D．To show what new ecosystem is needed to host these species. |
【推荐1】Avantium, a renewable chemical company based in the Netherlands, plans to start making plastics from plant sugars rather than fossil fuels, according to The Guardian. Plant sugars from wheat, beets and corn will be used to produce the plant plastic.
“This plastic has very attractive sustainability potential because it uses no fossil fuels, and can be recycled—but would also degrade(降解)in nature much faster than normal plastics do,” said Tom Van Aken, Avantium’s chief executive.
Bottle manufacturer Alpla and packaging developer Billerud Korsnas are also working with Avantium on the drive to produce the world’s first 100 percent recyclable and bio-degradable plant-based bottles for drinks know as the Paper Bottle Project, according to Green Matters. The project is currently backed by Coca-Cola and Danone, food and beverage company. Despite the coronavirus lockdowns, the project is still on track. More partnerships with food and drink companies will be revealed later as businesses continue to seek environmentally friendly alternatives to ensure the future of their bottled products.
Fossil fuels are currently used to make around 300 million tons of plastic globally every year. Much of this is not recycled. Micro plastic pollution remains a problem for the world’s oceans and other water sources—and takes hundreds of years to break down completely.
Plant plastic may appear in supermarkets by 2023. The project will produce 5,000 tons of plastic every year and increase its production as the demand for renewable plastic rises.
1. Why does Avantium plan to make plant-based plastic?| A．It is of good quality. |
| B．It reduces production costs. |
| C．It is environmentally friendly. |
| D．It meets consumers’ different needs. |
| A．Opposite views toward plant-based plastic. |
| B．Joint efforts in developing plant-based plastic. |
| C．The procedures of producing plant-based plastic. |
| D．The importance of producing plant-based plastic. |
| A．It can help reduce micro-plastic pollution. |
| B．It is funded by the bottle manufacturer Alpla. |
| C．It has been stopped because of the coronavirus. |
| D．It aims to produce 300 million tons of plant plastic annually. |
| A．Health. | B．Science. |
| C．Culture. | D．Economy. |
【推荐2】 Enjoy the challenge of a new term
The new term is finally here, which means, of course, it’s time to return to school.
For many students across China, that also means having to leave home for the next several months and move into a school dormitory.
Being away from our family for a long time, however, often leads to homesickness, a feeling that most students have experienced at some point.
A study by the UK’s National Union of Students found that up to 70 percent of UK students living away from home experience homesickness within their first few weeks of being away.
But homesickness isn’t just a feeling of sadness that happens in our mind; it can also affect us physically.
“You feel homesickness in your stomach—it’s an unease in which you feel uncomfortable, nervous, stressed because you’re in a place or situation that’s not familiar,” Joshua Klapow, a professor of public heath at the University of Alabama, us, told HuffPost.
According to Klapow, the body reacts physically when it’s placed in an unknown situation such as being separated from one’s familiar surroundings for a long time.
“It’s an evolutionary (进化的) thing that makes us protect ourselves from danger when something is unknown,” he told the HuffPost.
“When we think about home, we know that the sense of unknown … is not happening there, so we want to return.”
So, how can we overcome these physical reactions?
Ruth Hardy of the Guardian offered advice for students who are feeling the effects of being away from the safety of home.
“Try and establish routines (常规) quickly. This can make your new environment feel more stable and will hopefully make you feel more settled,” she wrote.
Making friends with others who are in your situation is also a great way to feel less homesick, according to Hardy.
The most important thing to remember, however, is that homesickness is completely normal and is nothing to be ashamed of.
And once it’s gone, you’re free to enjoy the adventures and challenges of a brand new school year.
1. The study by the UK’s National Union of Students is mentioned to ________.| A．show how homesickness causes harm to students |
| B．prove it’s common for students to feel homesick |
| C．introduce some causes of homesickness |
| D．show how all young people are troubled by homesickness |
| A．It’s only a feeling in our mind. |
| B．It usually disappears after a few weeks. |
| C．It has a physical influence on our body. |
| D．It always happens once we visit an unfamiliar place. |
| A．Take part in as many activities as possible. |
| B．Talk about your problems with your friends. |
| C．Get into a routine as early as possible. |
| D．Avoid seeing things related to your home life. |
【推荐3】According to a 2010 study by Princeton researchers Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton, people tend to feel happier when they make more money, up until a point, which was estimated to be about 75,000 a year per person. And people’s emotional well-being, or how they felt on a daily basis, didn't improve as they made over 75,000 but their life satisfaction, or how happy they were with their life overall, did.
But more recently, a 2018 study from Purdue University used much wider data from the Gallup World Poll and found that the perfect income point for individuals is 95,000 for life satisfaction and 60,000 to 75,000 for emotional well-being. When people earned more than 105,000 their happiness levels decreased.
More money doesn't make us happier but making “more relative to other people” does, according to Yale psychology professor Laurie Santos. “Even the richest folks out there in the world can often look around and find somebody that's just a bit richer, and therefore their money isn't making them as happy as they think,” she says. Studies also suggest that when we feel like we can't maintain the same standard of living as our peers, it makes us unhappy. Simply getting more money doesn't make us happier because of the “hedonic adaptation”. “Over time, we get used to that change in our life and our expectations change and our lifestyle changes—we adapt” says Sonja Lyubomirsky, a professor of psychology. Plus “Every time we experience a rise in income, our expectations rise a little bit.”
Research consistently shows that if you want to be happier in your job, you shouldn't desire a high salary. From a happiness standpoint, it's more important that your job provides a sense of meaning or purpose, “You should focus on whether the job is meeting your own strengths,” Santos says. “These are your own values, the ones you want to experience in the world.”
1. What does the study from Purdue University show?| A．Your happiness depends on your income. | B．As for happiness, being “rich” is perfect. |
| C．There is a sort of perfect “happiness” salary. | D．There are many things more important than money. |
| A．The richer people are usually happier. | B．“Hedonic adaptation” needs to be studied. |
| C．The standard of living depends on well-being. | D．Happiness is affected by making comparisons. |
| A．Our working conditions keep changing. | B．Our demands for life quality keep changing. |
| C．Our satisfaction with the job keeps changing. | D．Our understanding of happiness keeps changing. |
| A．Your realization of self-worth. | B．Your colleagues’ attitude towards you. |
| C．Your relationship with your employers. | D．Your satisfaction with your salary level. |
【推荐1】At midnight on December 31, cities around the world welcome the new year with fireworks(烟花) shows. Here are some of this new year’s most wonderful displays.
Sydney, Australia
Sydney is well known for its great fireworks. It is also the only city in the world to hold two shows. The first takes place at 9:00 pm to enable families with young kids to celebrate the new year and is broadcast live nationally. The second show at midnight, is enjoyed live internationally.
Dubai, UAE
Dubai is famous for its larger-than-life shows. The record-holder for the world’s largest fireworks display (2019) did not disappoint. The eight-minute sight featured fireworks going off from 23 locations in downtown Dubai, including the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
ReveilIon de Copacaliana is one of the largest outdoor New Year’s Eve events in the world. While the day-long party includes musical performances and other entertainment, it is the fireworks that are the biggest draw. At midnight, thousands of fireworks are set off from 11 spots off the coast, lighting up the dark skies.
New York City, USA
As is the case every year, more than a million people from across the globe wait for hours to see New York City’s famous midnight ball drop. The shining ball features 288 new Waterford crystal panels with a circle of roses to symbolize unity accompanied by the amazing fireworks.
1. What is the biggest attraction of Reveillon de Copacabana?| A．Its beautiful coast. | B．Its fireworks show. |
| C．Its various traditions. | D．Its musical performances. |
| A．In Dubai. | B．In Sydney. |
| C．In Rio de Janeiro. | D．In New York City. |
| A．It is well known for its great fireworks. |
| B．Its fireworks shows take place in the morning. |
| C．It has two fireworks shows during the night. |
| D．It is the first city to use fireworks to welcome the new year. |
【推荐2】This month, when earthquakes rocked Southern California on back-to-back days, it was a shocking reminder that we may one day experience the “Big One,” a quake with the power to kill and destroy. However a few people saw something else: a photo opportunity.
Tourists flocked to a large crack in a highway to see evidence of the damage for themselves and, of course, take a quick selfie(自拍).
It was only the latest example of how our modern love of sharing photos we take of ourselves in notable situations is colliding with nature and the world, often in confusing and even dangerous ways.
In Canada, a sunflower farm barred visitors last year after selfie-seekers destroyed flowers and left the land looking like a “zombie apocalypse.”(僵尸启示录) In Spain, a man was gored in the neck last weekend while trying to take a video selfie at the annual running of the bulls in Pamplona.
The selfie phenomenon entered the mainstream after Apple and other phonemakers added front-facing cameras starting in 2010, the same year Instagram and other photo-sharing apps were becoming popular. From 2011 to 2017, more than 250 people died while taking selfies, according to a study by researchers in India, which had by far the highest number of such deaths, followed by Russia and the United States. Many died after drowning, falling or being attacked by an animal. Most were under the age of 30.
It’s easy to be uncomfortable with selfies and even mock them, especially when they’re risky or in bad taste. But some researchers have explored different questions: Why do we take selfies? Can they ever be a healthy form of expression? Can selfies be used for good?
1. Why does the author mention the earthquake happened in Southern California?| A．To show how severe the earthquake is. |
| B．To warn the readers of the dangers in the earthquake. |
| C．To introduce the risky behavior of the crazy selfie takers. |
| D．To show how scared people are when earthquake happened. |
| A．there are too many visitors. |
| B．the farm used to be devastated by selfie seekers. |
| C．the sunflowers are supposed to be well protected. |
| D．the farm owner did not want others to enjoy the beautiful sunflowers. |
| A．the US, India, Russia. | B．Russia, the US, India. |
| C．India, Russia, the US. | D．India, the US, Russia. |
| A．Positive. | B．Negative. |
| C．Ambiguous. | D．Uncaring. |
【推荐3】Owen Williams and his wife befriended their eighty-year-old neighbor, Ken Watson, when they moved into their home in Wales three years ago. When their daughter, Cadi, was born a year later, Watson became a grandfather figure, taking the time to drop off Christmas presents for the child. Watson died in October.
On Monday, Watson’s daughter stopped by the Williams home with a large bag containing 14 wrapped Christmas presents her father had bought and wrapped for Cadi.
Williams posted notes about what happened on Twitter to spread some Christmas spirit. He wrote that he wasn’t sure whether he should give his daughter all the presents now, or hold onto them and give her one a year. Twitter responded in a big way, with many saying the story brought them to tears. So many people weighed in about the gifts, in fact, that Williams made a Twitter poll. So far, more than 55,000 people have voted on how he should distribute the gifts.
Williams, who is a social-media consultant, said the majority of people are voting for giving Cadi one present a year. He said he has no idea what is in the packages, but he’s leaning toward listening to the will of the voters.“I think we’re going to turn it into a Christmas story for our daughter,” he said. “We’ll do one a year for the next 14 years. It feels like the right thing to do now. If she opens a box of Lego when she’s 16 then so be it.”
He said he was struck by how many people have responded by saying their neighbors are virtual strangers to them.“The thing that stands out to me is how few people know their neighbors,” Williams said. “People are saying, ‘That’s so lovely. I don’t even know my neighbors.’ … This Christmas, take your neighbors a bottle of wine or a small gift, a token. Just say, ‘Hi.’ You can open a new world like we did.”
1. How old is Cadi?| A．two years old | B．one year old | C．three years old | D．18 months old |
| A．He received a lot of donations. |
| B．He received a lot of suggestions. |
| C．He was moved to tears by the response. |
| D．He decided that he should give his daughter the presents. |
| A．A delicious edible gift | B．An adult gift |
| C．A meaningful gift for teenagers | D．A gift for children |
| A．Few people have relationships with their neighbours. |
| B．Neighbours can be extremely kind and generous. |
| C．More people are opening new worlds with their neighbours. |
| D．Many people are sharing similar experiences. |
