For more than a century, it was a simple way of making a child’s dreams come true during Christmas. Volunteers could go to the post office, sift through piles of letters that children had sent to Santa Claus and pick one—or more—that tugged (拉、拽) at their heartstrings. Gifts were then acquired, wrapped and shipped to families whose space beneath the tree might otherwise be bare.
With the coronavirus pandemic still raging, however, the US Postal Service announced Monday that it was taking its annual “Operation Santa” campaign nationwide, and that letters to Santa could be read merely online by people across the country.
Some things aren’t changing: Much as it had over the past 108 years, the Postal Service said that it was inviting American children to write letters and to mail them to the North Pole, using a special address and ZIP code and affixing the proper postage.
This year, however, the letters will be uploaded to the Operation Santa website, so long as they are legible and make specific requests for items like toys, clothes or games. Starting December 4, postal customers can then read them and choose to send gifts with their responses, with a signature saying it’s from Santa.
“Covid-19 has caused undue hardships, both financial and emotional, to so many Americans this year,” Kimberly Frum, a spokeswoman for the Postal Service, said in an email. “The program provides kids and families with an opportunity to receive gifts during the holidays from anonymous, generous postal customers.”
Those customers used to review the letters in person, but Operation Santa has moved largely online in recent years after a pilot program in 2017. By 2019, the online operation had expanded to 15 cities, including New York, Chicago, Denver and Grand Rapids, Michigan, to, “enhance the ability for generous people across the nation to help those in need no matter where they live,” Frum said.
So-called legacy programs still operated in New York and Chicago, where customers could go to a post office to read letters in person, but those programs will not be offered this year because of the pandemic, Frum said.
The Postal Service said the Operation Santa program had received hundreds of thousands of letters each year. “It seems like a small thing,” Frum said. “But for anyone who is struggling, it’s a huge deal to be able to give or receive a gift and share in a bit of the joy that is the holiday season.”
1. Among all the families sending letters to Santa, which one is most likely to get the gifts?| A．One who can contact Santa Claus on the Internet easily. |
| B．One who spares sufficient space beneath the Christmas tree. |
| C．One who has financial difficulty preparing gifts for children. |
| D．One who expresses a desire to accomplish a child’s dream. |
| A．All the letters will be uploaded to the Operation website. |
| B．Children are asked to mail their letters to the North Pole. |
| C．People nationwide can only read all the letters on the Internet. |
| D．Santa will make responses to the letters with his signature. |
| A．avoid the potential risk of being infected by Covid-19 |
| B．ease the burden from numerous letters |
| C．encourage more cities to accept this program |
| D．provide more chances to help people in need |
| A．A postal campaign online amid the pandemic. |
| B．Heartfelt support from generous customers. |
| C．Gratitude from the people receiving gifts. |
| D．Opportunities provided by US Postal Service. |
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Biggest Carnival (狂欢节) in the World — Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
It's the biggest carnival festival being organized in the world which is held in February or March. This carnival doesn't just have a regular parade, but they have a city-wide parade. It means everyone has to watch it. Brazil is like shut down and all the citizens just enjoy the festival.
Duration: 4-6 days
Rio Carnival Dates: 9th February to 14th February
Notting Hill — London, UK
The festival focuses heavily on music, with live performances everywhere and sound systems. For the help of the people, an app "Noting Hill Carnival" has been made, which can help guide you in different directions through the festival. You can find stalls (小摊) selling many kinds of foods, etc.
Duration: only two days
Notting Hill carnival date: 25th August
Tomorrowland — Boom, Belgium
Have you heard of names like Axwell, Carl Cox, etc.? If yes, then this biggest carnival in the world is for you. The music lovers, for whom music is their life, can listen to it many times. It is a chance to step out of your comfort zone and feel the depth of music.
Duration: 2 weekends
Time to be held: 12th August
La Tomatina — Valencia, Spain
It's a festival in which participants throw tomatoes at each other and fight with each other just for the fun purpose. One just needs to have fun at this amazing carnival festival, so don't even think of wearing new clothes at the festival. This festival has got some ground rules, so that no one gets hurt and all enjoy the festival.
Duration: one day
Tomatina festival date: 29th August
1. How is the Biggest Carnival in the World different from the other three festivals?| A．It lasts for the shortest time. |
| B．It has the longest history. |
| C．It is held in a different month. |
| D．It just has a regular parade. |
| A．They attract music lovers. |
| B．They provide delicious foods. |
| C．They provide you with tomatoes. |
| D．They have an app to guide you. |
| A．Notting Hill — London, UK. |
| B．La Tomatina — Valencia, Spain. |
| C．Tomorrowland — Boom, Belgium. |
| D．Biggest Carnival in the World — Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. |
【推荐2】Music and art festivals are fun and exciting events. If you're panning to go to a festival, it's important to plan your trip carefully to ensure that you re safe and have a good time.
■Bring clothes to keep warm or cool
In addition to your fun festival clothing, pack a raincoat, some light tank tops, and a sweater or sweatshirt. Don't forget longer pants for cool evenings or bad weather. In general, it's best to leave your umbrella at home because they can be dangerous in large crowds.
■Get a cheap tent and sleeping bag for multi - day festivals
A majority of people end up throwing their tent away after long festivals, since they normally break from the use. Pick up a less expensive tent with enough room for you and your friends and pack a comfortable seeping bag for yourself, 1f you don't want to camp at the festival, remember to book an AirBnb or a hotel room nearby!
■Place a first aid kit in a proper place
Before the festival, buy a small first aid kit with band aids, and any medication that you need to take, in case you get minor injuries or a headache. Keep it in a proper place that's easily accessible, like your tent or car.
1. Why should umbrellas be left at home?| A．They take up too much space. | B．The weather will be terrible. |
| C．They might hurt someone. | D．Travelers prefer raincoats, |
| A．Sell them. | B．Return them. | C．Pack them up. | D．Throw them away. |
| A．It should be put at hand. | B．It ought to be big enough. |
| C．It must contain all medicines. | D．It has to be placed in the car. |
【推荐3】No matter where you live, giving gifts is a common way for us to express thanks, concern or love. Although the reasons for giving gifts are about the same around the world, the traditions of giving gifts can be quite different from one another.
In Europe, don’t accidentally cut yourself out of someone’s life.
In the US, a set of kitchen knives seems like the perfect gift idea for a wedding or holiday. However, in certain European countries like Germany, superstition (迷信) defines that a knife presented as a gift will end your friendship. There is a way to beat this superstition: tie a penny to the knife or gift box. The receiver then returns the penny to you as a “payment” to drive away the bad luck.
In Native America, your host gives gifts rather than receives them.
The Native American gift giving custom is exactly the opposite to that of any other culture. Traditionally, during weddings and some big celebrations (birthdays aren’t included), guests are the receivers of gifts rather than the host.
In Japan, presentation is paramount.
The Japanese place great emphasis on the act of gift giving, and presentation plays a big role in determining how your gift is received. For example, it’s considered unpleasant to receive uncovered cash. So whether you’re sending money as a gift or just leaving a tip, place your money in an envelope to ensure it’s received in a respectful manner.
In China, red envelopes and even denominations (面额) bring good luck.
Chinese New Year has a rich set of traditions. One of the most popular customs of this holiday is giving out money in red envelopes. Known as yasuiqian, these gifts are meant to bring good luck. In addition to how you give money, there’s also superstition relating to the amount you give. Giving an odd numbered amount of money is considered bad luck. It’s important to make sure that even the first digit is even as numbers like 30 and 50 are considered odd.
1. Which way of gift giving is acceptable based on the text?| A．Sending uncovered cash to a friend as a gift in Japan. |
| B．Giving a knife with a penny tied as a gift in Germany. |
| C．Receiving gifts from a Native American host at his birthday party. |
| D．Giving three hundred yuan to a Chinese child during the New Year. |
| A．In Native America. | B．In China. | C．In Japan. | D．In Europe. |
| A．unpleasant. | B．impractical. | C．respectful. | D．important. |
【推荐1】Among a row of village houses with gray walls and wooden doors, a two-story building stands out not just for its height but also for the words hanging at the entrance:“Jiahe Museum”. The museum was founded by Wang Jijia, a 53-year-old farmer in Northwest China’s Gansu Province.
Wang exhibits old items he has collected over the past 30 years in his museum that he established on the second floor of his house. “As a farmer, I am full of emotions about what happens on the land,” he said.
When he was in high school, Wang was fascinated by what he found at home—a pile of documents and certificates featuring the lifestyle of the older generations. “Looking at those yellowish papers from the old age, I can’t help wondering the stories behind,” he said.
That’s how Wang’s interest in collectibles began. Since then, he devoted all his spare time to wandering around salvage stations, bookstalls, and neighborhoods to collect old stuff, such as books, certificates, old farm tools and other items of daily use.
In 2017, inspired by an exhibition in the province, he had the idea of establishing a museum displaying his collections. He borrowed money from the bank and used his knowledge from visiting various public museums across the country to design his own museum.
In two years, Wang built the museum that covers about 500 square meters with over 20,000 exhibits, ranging from items as old as several thousand years to new objects from his parents’ generation.
“Older people are nostalgic, and some of them have experienced ups and downs that were totally different from today. I hope to offer them a chance to recall those past days,” Wang said. In his museum, he expects the older generation can recall the unforgettable days while youths can be aware of the changes brought by their parents, including their sacrifices.
Since its opening in September 2019, the museum has received more than 16,000 visitors, including culture lovers, elderly villagers, and museum colleagues.
1. What do we know about “Jiahe Museum”?| A．It is a public museum. | B．It is a private museum. |
| C．It is an art museum. | D．It is a science museum. |
| A．A pile of old papers. | B．A set of ancient farm tools. |
| C．A visit to a museum. | D．A group of yellowish photos. |
| A．got support from his friend | B．was made fun of by villagers |
| C．didn’t have enough money | D．was discouraged by his wife |
| A．Listening to people attentively. | B．Talking endlessly to other people. |
| C．Forgetting what has happened easily. | D．Thinking affectionately about the past. |
【推荐2】While many parents worry their children spend too much time playing computer games, Kelcey is happy to see her son Owain turn on his computer. Since Owain had ADHD, the family have taken him to see doctors to help him deal with everyday life tasks. Owain also tried the medicine, but had to stop after the drugs worsened his pain. With ADHD continuing to influence Owain’s school performance, Kelcey was hoping for any other choice. Help came in the end from what seemed very strange — a computer game called EndeavorRx.
EndeavorRx was the first such game to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in the treatment of ADHD in children. Now it’s only available on prescription (处方) from doctors. When doctors prescribe it, the child’s parents are sent a link that is needed before the game can be played. Though EndeavorRx looks very similar to other games, it’s been developed to improve areas of the brain that play a key role in attention function.
EndeavorRx trains a child with ADHD to do several things together and take no notice of things that take their attention away. It also measures their performance and changes the difficulty of the game in real time according to the user’s needs. Eddie Martucci, CEO of Akili, says, “These can be very difficult to get through traditional means like taking a pill. But it turns out that playing EndeavorRx can directly make parts of the brain function active.”
Fellow UK scientist Lee Chambers says while the use of such video games in the treatment of mental health conditions is still in the early stages, it appears to have potential (潜力). “Playing a game can avoid the feeling like we are being tested,” he says. “These types of mental health games can follow changes in the information that they collect over time. Given this, they have the potential to improve people’s health in a new way.”
1. What makes Owain’s mother pleased?| A．Her son’s good school performance. |
| B．A helpful way to fight her son’s disease. |
| C．The improvement in her son’s computer skills. |
| D．The great effect of medicine on her son’s disease. |
| A．It includes very simple game tasks. |
| B．It should be played by parents first. |
| C．It can only be used with the doctor’s agreement. |
| D．It is popular among people with mental problems. |
| A．Traditional treatment fails to hold kids’ attention. |
| B．EndeavorRx has advantages over traditional treatment. |
| C．Video games are less harmful to kids than parents have imagined. |
| D．EndeavorRx will attract people wishing to improve productivity at work. |
| A．They have a bright future. |
| B．They should go through more tests. |
| C．They will replace normal treatment soon. |
| D．They should be played with fewer limitations. |
【推荐3】Population could live in cities. In addition, the population could increase to 9.1 billion people during that time yet the amount of land available for farming will be the same. If current farming practices don't change, we will need an area of new land to produce enough food for the planet.
Vertical farms, where urban farmers could grow crops in environmentally friendly skyscrapers, could be the solution. In spite of concerns over high costs, experts want to make it a reality and use these skyscrapers to grow crops.
Vertical farms would have many advantages, supporters say. Unlike traditional farming, vertical farming could be free of chemicals and diseases. Besides, crops would not suffer from problems like flooding. Finally, vertical farms would reduce the cost and negative effects of transporting food over long distances.
Some argue that although crops growing in a tall glass building would get natural sunlight during the day, it wouldn't be enough. For this reason, vertical farms would need additional light sources(来源), such as artificial light.
Another way of growing fresh food is to build urban farms on rooftops. This more practical approach may be more achievable than the idea of farms in skyscrapers, researchers suggest. Experts agree that innovative(革新的) farming practices are needed to support the need for more food at affordable costs, both to the farmer and to the consumer, but the best ideas could be yet to come.
1. What primary problem could vertical farming settle?| A．Poor state of rural life. |
| B．Shortage of food supply. |
| C．High cost for transporting crops. |
| D．Environmental pollution by transitional farmings |
| A．It can produce organic food. |
| B．It requires little care. |
| C．It can benefit transport industry. |
| D．It needs very low cost. |
| A．Farmable land. | B．Crop diseases. |
| C．Light sources. | D．Climate conditions. |
| A．Future Food Needs. |
| B．Symbol of Urban Life. |
| C．Farming on Rooftops. |
| D．Farms of the Future. |
