Many cities in the world are benefiting from the nocturnal(夜间活动的）activities of a group of people who call themselves guerrilla(游击队的）gardeners.Armed with trowels(铲子），spades and a van full of flowers and plants, guerrilla gardeners turn abandoned urban land into a blaze of color. In city centre locations where there was mud,weeds and empty plastic bottles, residents often wake up to find that the wasted area has been transformed
In most British cities, local governments and police turn a blind eye to the exploits of the gardeners,whose activities are always carried out under cover of nightfall. And so far, there has been nothing but praise from the astonished and delighted local residents when they find their neighborhood transformed in such a striking fashion.
Not only do the guerrilla gardeners beautify neglected places, they also return regularly to water the plants and weed the flower beds. They also make sure that at least some of the plants they bring are evergreens,which means that the area doesn't loo dismal(凄凉的）in the winter months.
The first guerrilla gardener in London was Richard Reynolds, whose day job was at an advertising agency. Mr.Reynolds, a graduate of Oxford University, began his efforts two years ago when he moved to a flat in a tower block in South London. From his balcony, he could see several empty concrete pots,placed by the local governments to contain plants but never used. He went out after midnight and filled the pots with plants,and then planted more flowers in the path leading to the entrance to the block.
He then set up a website to explain his plan and called upon more gardeners to join him. Cash donations flooded in and,more importantly, volunteers rushed to be part of the campaign. Within six months,there were five hundred people in London prepared to come out at very short notice to revitalize(恢复活力）neglected parts of the urban landscape.There are now unofficial but carefully-organized groups in many cities in Britain and North America and there is also a website where would-be urban gardeners can find out the location of the next expedition.
1. Which of the following best describes guerrilla gardeners according to the passage,?| A．The residents' advice | B．The local governments |
| C．The nature of their work | D．The local culture |
| A．to look after these plants. |
| B．to enjoy these beautiful flowers. |
| C．to help plants live through winter months. |
| D．.to change the types of these plants. |
| A．Making the neighborhood more beautiful | B．Agreeing with his own job |
| C．Advertising some products in his agency | D．Killing his spare time |
| A．They are mainly from the United Kingdom |
| B．They will later get well paid |
| C．They are still not accepted by the local people |
| D．They become more and more organized |
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【推荐1】Smokers may ignore the health warnings by telling themselves their habit makes them look cool. After all, sex symbols James Dean and Humphrey Bogart were rarely seen without a cigarette. However, the latest evidence shows that smoking actually makes you less attractive to the opposite sex. Wrinkles from smoking a cigarette may be to blame for people judging non-smokers to be better-looking.
This was the result of a study asking more than 500 people to pick the most attractive of twins where one smoked and the other did not. Men found female non-smokers the most attractive in two-thirds of cases, while women chose non-smoking men as the most attractive 68 percent of the time.
Professor Ian Penton-Voak, a co-author of the study from Bristol University, said, “People assume that smoking causes damage to the skin and appearance, but this is a really neat way of looking at it because these twins are genetically identical, so we can control for genetic factors involved in ageing. Appearance seems to be important to people, especially young people, so we could use these sorts of findings as a basis for future interventions to stop people smoking.”
Smoking can speed up the normal ageing, even after only a decade. Nicotine causes narrowing of the blood vessels in the outermost layers of the skin, while the chemicals in tobacco smoke damage collagen and elastin, fibres which give the skin its elasticity (弹性).
The wrinkles this causes are added to by facial expressions made when smoking such as pursing the lips when inhaling (吸气) or squinting to keep smoke out of your eyes.
1. Why does the author mention James Dean and Humphrey Bogart?| A．To persuade smokers to give up smoking. |
| B．To compare them with non-smokers. |
| C．To tell us many people are influenced by them. |
| D．To show understanding and comfort smokers. |
| A．500 twins were surveyed for the study. |
| B．Probably young people pay more attention to their appearance. |
| C．Female non-smokers are more attractive than male ones. |
| D．Professor Ian Penton-Voak is the leading author of the study. |
| A．Disapproving. | B．Favorable. |
| C．Unconcerned. | D．Cautious. |
| A．Smokers look cooler than non-smokers. |
| B．Smoking may speed up skin’s ageing. |
| C．Smokers look younger than non-smokers. |
| D．Smoking should be banned right away. |
【推荐2】Kristin Schell is the founder of The Turquoise Table, a movement of ordinary people who want to create community right in their own front yards. Ten years ago, she and her husband and their four children moved to a new home in Austin, Texas.
Kristin knew hospitality (好客) was part of her gift, and she tried to connect with her new neighbors by hosting playgroups indoors. But those activities required planning ahead and agreeing schedules, not to mention cooking and cleaning.
One day, Kristin needed backyard furniture for a party and bought a few picnic tables from Lowe’s. The delivery driver set one table down in her front yard by mistake, and Kristin couldn’t get the image out of her head. “After the party, I painted the table turquoise-my favorite color-and put it in the front yard, just a few feet from the sidewalk,” she says.
That turquoise table became the place where Kristin and her kids hung out. Activities they used to do at the kitchen table, they now did out front at the picnic table. They played games, did crafts and ate snacks. “We got intentional about where we spent our time,” Kristin says. “We became ‘front yard people’”.
Neighbors began to stop by to introduce themselves and sit down for a chat. Kristin invited people to join her at the table for coffee or iced tea. “It was a simple way to slow down and connect with others,” she says. The turquoise table was inviting and had a communal feel.
“I’ve learned that hospitality doesn’t always mean entertaining people with a meal or a big party. At the picnic table, all I have to do is show up.” She likes how it enables her to take a small step toward easing loneliness and building relationships in her community. “People’s greatest need is to know that they are loved and that they belong,” she says.
1. What does the passage tell us about The Turquoise Table?| A．It is an activity held in the backyard. | B．It needs making fixed arrangements. |
| C．It strengthens the bond in the community. | D．It was established by a delivery driver. |
| A．By chatting with her children merrily. |
| B．By painting her favorite table patiently. |
| C．By collecting the advice from neighbors carefully. |
| D．By discovering a wrongly-placed table accidentally. |
| A．Humorous and careful. | B．Ambitious and positive. |
| C．Warmhearted and friendly. | D．Hardworking and considerate. |
| A．Kristin Who Is A Great Mother | B．Tables Where All Are Welcome |
| C．Neighbors Who Are Kind Helpers | D．Community Where All Are Engaged |
【推荐3】An artist in Bogota, Colombia is using his skills to aid the homeless. Greg Kloehn builds very small shelters that make life on the streets a little more comfortable. The structures offer the homeless some safety and protection from bad weather. Each little house also has wheels on the bottom so it can go wherever its owner goes.
Greg Kloehn has given away at least 20 tiny houses. Several are on the roadside near an active railroad. On a recent day, Mr. Kloehn stops at one to visit Oscar Young. The two men hug. Inside his little shelter Mr. Young gets relief from cold nights on the streets. Mr. Kloehn also visits Sweet-Pea, another friend who also lives in one of the little homes the artist built. She says it keeps her safe and protects her belongings.
In the mornings, Mr. Kloehn searches the streets for building materials. He gathers what he can and takes it to his studio. There, he puts the houses together. Empty coffee bags become roof material. A washing machine door and refrigerator part become windows. Nails, screws and the sticky glue hold all the pieces together. The artist also attaches a small electrical device to the house. The device is powered by the sun.
Some of the people living on the streets once had normal houses of their own. But some of the people say they have learned to live with the homeless and they are thankful to that man.
Mr. Kloehn says his work is not a social project. He says he is just someone applying his skills to helping his homeless neighbors.
1. The following are the advantages of the small shelters except ________.| A．saving power and energy |
| B．protecting possessions of the homeless |
| C．decorating the streets where they are |
| D．keeping the homeless safe and comfortable |
| A．Greg Kloehn has sold at least 20 tiny houses |
| B．an act of kindness has made people simple and grateful |
| C．The shelters are immovable |
| D．The government has got involved in the action |
| A．an official report | B．an art review |
| C．a fictional brochure | D．a news report |
| A．An artist creates homes for the homeless. |
| B．A more comfortable shelter on the streets. |
| C．A successful social project in Bogota. |
| D．An artist makes a living by designing small shelters. |
【推荐1】Philadelphia's Magic Gardens makes up a folk art center, gallery space, and a nonprofit organization showcasing the works of mosaicist（镶嵌设计师）Isaiah Zagar.
Zagar devoted himself to beautifying the South Street neighborhood in the late 1960s, when he moved to the area with his wife Julia. The couple helped the area by purchasing and repairing some old buildings, often adding colorful mosaics on both their private and public walls. The first such project was Julia's still-busy folk art store, the Eyes Gallery at 402 South Street.
Zagar started working on the Magic Gardens in 1994 in the deserted parking lot near his studio. He spent the next fourteen years sculpting multi-layered walls and decorating the 3, 000 square foot space. The installation（装置艺术），primarily consisting of found objects and contributions from the community, finally covers half a city block with countless patterns and colors. It shows Zagar's many artistic influences, as well as the events and experiences of his life.
In 2002，the owner of the once-unused parking lot decided to sell the land in response to rising South Street property values. Unwilling to witness the destruction of Zagar's neighborhood art environment, the community rushed to support the artist. His creation, newly titled Philadelphia's Magic Gardens, turned into a nonprofit organization with the intention of preserving and promoting Zagar's works at the site of the Magic Gardens and throughout the South Street region.
The Magic Gardens is now a permanent art institution that is open to visitors throughout the year. Trained guides are available to lead tours of the Magic Gardens and Zagar's surrounding public wall paintings. In addition, it offers monthly mosaic workshops led by Zagar himself, and regularly hosts concerts, dance performances, and other public events.
1. How did Zagar help the South Street neighborhood?| A．He moved to the area with his family. |
| B．He worked to improve its surroundings. |
| C．He opened a folk art store with his wife. |
| D．He managed to buy all the old buildings. |
| A．Great achievements of Zagar. |
| B．Special skills of installing art. |
| C．Location of the Magic Gardens |
| D．Early history of the Magic Gardens. |
| A．They harm environment. |
| B．They can bring in profits. |
| C．They should be removed. |
| D．They are precious treasures. |
| A．Paint the walls on the spot. |
| B．Put on music performances. |
| C．Enjoy some Zagar's works. |
| D．Attend some dance courses. |
1. The word “address” in the first line probably means .
| A．talk about | B．deal with | C．fight for | D．write to |
| A．39% of the population. | B．200 million people. |
| C．About 3 million people. | D．About one-fifth of the population. |
| A．they have no home addresses |
| B．they mostly have a drinking problem |
| C．they aren't supported by government programs |
| D．they often don't have enough work experience |
| A．The passing of new housing laws. |
| B．The fast growth of family size. |
| C．The slow construction of houses. |
| D．The ever-rising price of housing. |
【推荐3】Juliette Brindak started a social networking site for teens when she was 16, and it’s doing better than ever. Miss O And Friends has 10 million monthly visits, a twenty-fold increase from its start in 2005. It’s also worth around $15 million, according to the supporting company Procter & Gamble.
When she was ten, Brindak drew characters for a set of five friends she called “Cool Girls,” who were all inspired by real-life girls. The main cool girl, Miss O, represents her younger sister Olivia. The set of “Cool Girls” would in the end become Miss O And Friends. In the beginning, like many start-ups, Brindak reached out to family members and friends for support in money. Her mother, a graphic (绘画的) designer, brought her drawings to life while her father, who has a background in business, offered help in the basic things of creating the company.
The site became popular and was the third largest girls-only website in 2011, according to Inc Magazine. Now, at 30, Brindak isn’t in tune with what teen girls are looking for, so she uses the site as a route to understand their needs. Through polls, quizzes, and the “Girl2GirlWall”, Brindak could keep herself updated.
Through high school and college, the site has continued to improve. When it was originally started, there was little more than a few attractive graphics. “There was a homepage, which had the five Miss O characters and simple flash animations,” Brindak says. “There was hardly anything to it, but it was definitely a start.” Now the site is proud of having message boards, quizzes, games, music, and more.
“I was able to learn so much about cultures around the world and also become informed and aware of different ways that I can reach out to women.” Brindak says. “The goal for the site was, and still is, to help young girls build confidence and pride in themselves,” “We started off with a business plan that we have used as our guide, but that business plan is always changing. We continue to find new ways to attract girls, and create new markets that are suitable for Miss O and out community.”
1. What mainly leads to the popularity of Miss O And Friends?| A．The support Brindak gained from her friends. |
| B．Understanding the needs of teen girls easily. |
| C．The characters she drew at an early time. |
| D．Her mother’s designing attractive graphics. |
| A．She is unable to understand teenage girls. |
| B．She keeps up with the girls’ needs through different ways. |
| C．She is proud of hardly anything on the homepage. |
| D．She has followed the plan made at the beginning. |
| A．Finding new ways to help the girls. |
| B．Providing message boards, quizzes, games and more. |
| C．Drawing the characters for real-life girls. |
| D．Helping girls gain self-trust and self-respect. |
【推荐1】Here is some news of the future.
March 20,2035
There was a lot of news around the life extension drugs that hit the market a decade ago.They didn’t promise that you would live forever,but they gave you a chance to extend your life an extra five to ten years.Even though the life expectancy rate at birth has increased greatly,the life expectancy for seniors hasn’t improved that much.Basically,you have a greater chance to become a senior,but you will not have a much longer lifespan,and this is where the anti-aging drugs intend to kick in.So,do the anti-aging drugs work?Well,it is too early to tell.But the sales so far are very good.
April 19,2035
Of the total US population of 378 million,people over 65 years old now make up 20% for the first time.The senior ratio was only 4.1% by the year 1900,and 12.4% 30 years ago.The number of people above 65 compared to those of what is considered working ages,between 15 and 64,is currently 33.7%.This is up from 18.5% in the year 2005,which means that for every retired person there are now two workers,compared to four workers 30 years ago.The number of people above the age of 80 has grown to 23.8 million,making them 6.3% of the total population compared to 3.6% in 2005.
April 12,2040
Although introduced in the market only five years ago,10% of all hydrogen fuel now sold in the US is of the environmentally friendly Re-Hydro label,produced through electrolysis(电解)based on a source of 100% renewable energy.Several producers have turned to producing Re-Hydro,mainly because of lower tax,which also keeps the price of Re-Hydro on the same level as regular hydrogen.Most analysts believe that Re-Hydro will be the dominating fuel in the future.
1. According to News 1 we know that the life extension drugs .| A．were first sold in the year 2025 |
| B．were made to make people live forever |
| C．should be taken when people are young |
| D．have greatly increased the life expectancy rate at birth |
| A．people have no faith in them | B．people want to give them a try |
| C．they work very well for seniors | D．they have no effect on people’s health |
| A．Many Americans will find it hard to find a job. |
| B．It’s very hard for seniors to pass the age of 80. |
| C．The US population has been increasing rapidly since 2005. |
| D．The American population has been aging rapidly since 2005. |
| A．Re-Hydro will not be widely used in the future. |
| B．The government encourages production of Re-Hydro. |
| C．Producers are not interested in producing Re-Hydro. |
| D．Re-Hydro is more expensive than regular hydrogen. |
【推荐2】Decades ago, NASA asked experts to develop the "smell of space1' in order to help prepare astronauts for the experience of outer space. Now, a perfume, Eau de Space, has attracted eager buyers.
According to the Kickstarter campaign, which has been launched to sell Eau de Space, the history of the "smell of space" has been unclear owing to various accounts of its development. Ever since the first spacewalk, astronauts have been shocked by the smell.
NASA astronauts Col. Chris Hadfield said, "The only time you can smell space is when you come back from a spacewalk. As you open the hatch(舱门)，there is a distinctive smell. " Some astronauts and space tourists describe it as fruit, or burnt cookies. Astronauts Gene Cernan talked of another smell he experienced: "The moon smells like spent gunpowder " The smell of space is so distinct that NASA reached out to fragrance makers to recreate the smell, according to NASA documents.
Now, the makers have cooperated with award winning perfumers(香水调配师)，and report that they've secured commercial contracts to reproduce the smell based on astronaut’s accounts.
At S29 per boule. Eau de Space will help support STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programs for students. “For every bottle of Eau de Space you buy, were going to donate one to a STEM program for low-income. It’s a big promise and isn’t the best decision for a company trying to make a profit. But we really believe in the cause and hope you do too. Imagine that a child who smells Eau de Space today is inspired Io become an astronaut, scientist or engineer,” shows Kickstarter.
Eau de Space will be made in the UK employing low-income labor and environmentally-friendly practices, including zero manufacturing waste, according to the campaign. So far, about 11,000 people have become supporters.
1. Why was the Kickstarter campaign started?| A．To promote Eau de Space. | B．To attract perfume makers. |
| C．To explain the “smell of space”. | D．To recreate the “smell of space”. |
| A．Its makers will make a profit of S28 per bottle, |
| B．It has been available in the market for a long lime. |
| C．It can get astronauts ready for their space experience. |
| D．Its smell is designed according to astronauts' descriptions. |
| A．Part of its profits will support low-income students. |
| B．The company will offer its employees high salaries. |
| C．Its production process won't damage the environment. |
| D．About 11,000 people have tried it out personally so far. |
| A．Eau de Space, a Perfume Used in Space |
| B．The “Smell of Space”, a Perfume on the Way |
| C．The History of Developing the “Smell of Space” |
| D．Astronauts’ Different Accounts about the Space Smell |
【推荐3】If you are aiming to master anything quickly, you can learn from Albert Einstein and Richard Feynman. They offer practical advice you can use to improve your learning.
According to Einstein, improving your intellectual capacity should be fun and enjoyable —— happy learners are quick learners. In 1915, he wrote a letter to his 11-year-old son (Hans Albert) who was learning the piano and said:
“I am very pleased that you find joy with the piano. This and carpentry are in my opinion for your age the best pursuits, better even than school, because those are things which fit a young person such as you very well. Mainly play the things on the piano which please you, even if the teacher does not assign those. That is the way to learn the most when you are doing something with such enjoyment that you don’t notice that the time passes.”
To learn anything faster or better, choose topics you will enjoy — if you have control over what you are learning. Make the learning relevant. You should be able to answer the question “Why am I learning this?” at any point.
Richard Feynman won a Nobel Prize and always wanted to know more and to learn more. Known as the “Great Explainer”，he was famous for his ability to explain complex topics in simple ways.
The Feynman Technique, his approach to improving learning, features explaining or teaching what you learn to others. It can help you learn better and keep more of what you learn. According to Feynman, it is significant to have the ability to explain things simply — so simple, in fact, that you could explain it to an eight-year-old. Einstein agrees. He once said, “If you can't explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”
For thousands of years, people have known that the best way to understand a concept is to explain it to someone else. “While we teach, we learn,” said the Roman philosopher Seneca. Learners keep a greater percentage of what they learn when they explain or teach the concept to someone else, or use it immediately. Your ideas will never be more effective than your ability to make others grasp them. When you share, you remember better.
1. Einstein wrote the letter to his son in order to _.| A．encourage Hans to play the piano well |
| B．share some useful advice on how to play the piano |
| C．support Hans' learning the piano with enjoyment |
| D．suggest Hans taking teachers* assignment seriously |
| A．Teaching what you learn to others. | B．Explaining your things thoroughly. |
| C．Choosing enjoyable topics. | D．Understanding things well enough. |
| A．To provide advice on how to teach concepts. |
| B．To illustrate the significance of teaching others. |
| C．To impress the readers with his meaningful quotes. |
| D．To show people’s exploration of concepts in history. |
| A．Secrets of Learning Faster. |
| B．Benefits of Teaching Others. |
| C．Contribution of Great Explainers. |
| D．Importance of Learning with Enjoyment. |
