In intense summer heat, a Nevada bus driver's quick thinking to help an elderly passenger this week was a simple reminder that a little kindness can go a long way.
Bus driver Mike Blair noticed an old man who looked to be so suffering in what he said was about 105-degree heat, and he decided to get out and help.
“This gentleman would not board the bus,” he said. “He seemed like he started to grasp the wall and seemed to be in pain.”
After Blair helped him board the bus, he placed the man next to the air conditioner before reaching into his lunch box to offer a cool bottle of water. After about 10 minutes, the elderly man was back on his feet and on his way.
“He got off the bus and said, ‘Thank you.’ As he got off, he said, ‘Simply amazing!’” Blair said.
Blair was not aware that someone documented what he called “Just a small act of kindness”, until his employer Keolis as well as the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) reached out to him. Keolis threw the bus driver a small party and even framed the photo posted to Twitter-a social networking service—for him to have.
“I guess I have to learn how to do Twitter, huh?” Blair joked, adding that anyone would have done what he did.
“Well, maybe this will touch people's hearts so they will do something kind as well,” he said.
Keolis, which is equipping its drivers with 10,000 bottles of water this summer, trains its drivers to spot signs of dehydration (脱水).
1. Why did the old man fail to get on the bus in the beginning?| A．He hurt his feet. | B．He didn't feel well. |
| C．He was waiting for someone. | D．He lost something beside the wall. |
| A．The first aid. | B．The timely lunch. |
| C．The cool water. | D．The supporting wall. |
| A．Through the Internet. | B．Through the RTC’s report. |
| C．From the old man's statement. | D．From the bus company's party. |
| A．It was his duty. | B．It deserved recognition. |
| C．It was just a small act of kindness. | D．It was an ordinary person's reaction. |
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【推荐1】A meeting of The Washington Post employees was held on 5 August, 2013. Into the crowded hall entered the chairman Donald E. Graham, and his niece and publisher Katherine Weymouth. The air was thick. The newspaper was to get a new boss! Jeffrey P. Bezos of Amazon.com would buy the daily for $ 250 million in cash.
Both the uncle and the niece took turns in telling the news and answering their questions. Many of the audiences wept because they were unable to accept the news. “The rise of Internet and the change from print to digital technology have created a huge wave of competition for traditional news companies,” said Donald E. Graham.
In 2013, after struggling with the falling revenue(收益) for years, The New York Times(The NYT) sold its The Boston Globe newspaper for $70 million. The NYT bought the paper in 1993 for $1.1 billion. Just twenty years later, the company sold it for a cheaper price.
Nowadays, things seem to be worse than ever. Newspapers are reporting negative growth across US and Europe. Francis Gurry, the 4th Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization said that newspapers would disappear by 2040.
This may cause a lot of problems for media jobs. For example, layoffs(裁员) and salary cuts are very common now. Many of the journalists have already moved to different jobs where their writing and editing skills are of no use. A large number of former journalists work as marketing executives, or property developers. In Canada last year, Sun Media, the largest newspaper chain there, stopped its eight dailies, closing 360 jobs and slashing 500 positions.
The traditional media still send people out to collect stories. However, with the mobile phones today, everybody is a reporter. Therefore, the newspapers are forced to adapt in order to survive. That may be a revolution(革命), but at the cost of newspapers.
1. Why did Donald E. Graham decide to sell The Washington Post?| A．He really needed money. | B．He had trouble in governing it. |
| C．The company planned to do something else. | D．The company was at a disadvantage in competition. |
| A．Confident. | B．Negative. | C．Uninterested. | D．Curious. |
| A．Creating. | B．Requiring. | C．Cutting. | D．Changing. |
【推荐2】When visitors to the Palace Museum feel a need to sit down for a cup of tea or find a bathroom without a long line, they soon will be able to turn to their smart phones for the information they need.
This modern day solution comes thanks to an agreement signed on Friday by the museum and Huawei Co., the telecommunication giant, to build a “smart network” using 5G technology. Under the agreement, 5G Wi-Fi signals will cover the Palace Museum, China's royal palace from 1420 to 1911, and the branch museum of the institution under construction in northwestern Beijing.
“It’s essential to always stay close to the latest technology to better serve the public,” said Shan Jixiang, former director of the Palace Museum. Shan said there is still much room for improvement in the handling of a huge number of cultural relics (文物)，such as when the priceless painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival is exhibited again in the future. When it was last exhibited in 2015, visitors stood in long lines until 3 am to get a glimpse. The museum ended up preparing instant noodles to serve the hungry visitors. “I don't want that scenario to reoccur," Shan said. “Our operation can be done in a more scientific way.
The new system will also make use of the closed--circuits television cameras that are set up all over the Palace Museum to safeguard the museum's precious relics. More than 1.86 million of them are housed at the museum, which recorded nearly 20 million visits from the public last year, topping all museums worldwide. “How can we make sure no single visitor who might have evil ideas threatens these treasures?" Shan said. “After adopting the internet of things, we can instantly detect any motion involving the artifacts to prevent such threats.”
The 5G network also will be used to improve remote consultation through webcams, which will facilitate conversations with overseas scholars to jointly find the best answers for restoration and preservation issues.
1. What do we know about the Palace Museum?| A．Its visitors won't have to queue up for the bathroom. |
| B．It has served as China's royal palace for over 500 years. |
| C．It will cooperate with Huawei to promote its management. |
| D．It will set up advanced television cameras for the purpose of safety. |
| A．Disaster. | B．Situation. | C．Operation. | D．Exhibition. |
| A．It is better than any other museums. | B．It has a rich collection of cultural relics. |
| C．It enjoys great popularity all over the world. | D．It faces a tough challenge of protecting relics. |
| A．A Feast for Museum Visitors | B．A Revolution in Exhibition |
| C．A Protector of Cultural Relics | D．A Connection Between Old and New |
【推荐3】Filmmaker Jennifer Nelson was sued (起诉) for $1,500 for having a song “Happy Birthday to You” sung in the movie she’s making. The money went to Warner Music Group, a company that claims to own the copyright on the song. A copyright is the legal right to use or sell a creative product such as a song, a TV show, a book, or a work of art. Warner has claimed the copyright for “Happy Birthday to You” since 1988.
“I never thought the song was owned by anyone,” Nelson said in an e-mail to The New York Times. “I thought it belonged to everyone.”
Nelson’s movie is a documentary—a film that uses pictures and/or interviews with people to create a factual report of real-life events—and is actually about the history of the “Happy Birthday” song itself.
Two sisters named Mildred and Patty Hill wrote a song called “Good Morning to All” in 1893. Over a short period of time, people began to sing the words “happy birthday to you” in place of the original lyrics to the tune of the Hill sisters’ song.
A number of history experts say that there is no record of who actually wrote the “Happy Birthday to You” lyrics. Historians also say there is no way to know when the general public began singing the “Happy Birthday” song, but they believe it had been sung by the public long before it was printed and owned by a company.
Nelson’s lawyers say this piece of music’s history proves that “Happy Birthday to You” belongs to everyone in the general public. That would mean Warner Music Group has no right to charge anyone a fee to sing the song in any setting.
Experts estimate that Warner/Chappell, the publishing division of the Warner Music Group, has made about $2 million a year from licensing fees for “Happy Birthday to You.” Nelson’s lawyers are asking a court in New York City to order Warner/Chappell to return fees they have collected over the past four years for use of the “Happy Birthday” song.
1. Why did Warner Music Group sue Jennifer Nelson?| A．Because she sold “Happy Birthday to You” for money. |
| B．Because she secretly used “Happy Birthday to You” song in her film. |
| C．Because she didn’t own the copyright on “Happy Birthday to You” song. |
| D．Because she used the “Happy Birthday to You” song without permission. |
| A．Someone replaced “happy birthday to you” in the song. |
| B．It was written by Mildred as a gift for her sister’s birthday in 1893. |
| C．It was created by someone who used the tune of “Good Morning to All”. |
| D．People were asked to sing the words “happy birthday to you” in the movie. |
| A．has always been very popular | B．was definitely released by the public |
| C．does not belong to Warner Music Group | D．has more than 32 years’ history since 1988 |
| A．Warner will return about $8 million | B．she can obtain the copyright on the song |
| C．Warner will have to pay her for her damage | D．she can sell the song for about$2 million a year |
【推荐1】Two local girls recently decided to forgo receiving presents for their birthday from their friends, and gave them to those in need. “I don’t want anyone to be hungry, Mattie Dimmitt said.
Mattie is the daughter of Travis and Elizabeth Dirnrnitt and celebrated her 6th birthday earlier this month. For her birthday, she wanted to do something for other children.
For her party, Mattie’s friends arrived with gifts, but the packages weren’t filled with toys, cans and boxes of food instead. Once her party was over, Mattie, with some help, took the donations of food to the Maryville Ministry Center and presented it to Ministry Center coordinator Merlin Atkins,
“It shows her character. She’s an empathetic kid and she feels things deeply, ”Elizabeth said. “If she sees someone upset, sad or in need. she wants to help them out.”
Mattie was not the only local child who recently decided to give back to their community for their birthday. Mattie’s best friend, Eliana, celebrated her 5th birthday in February and decided that she wanted to give back, as well.
“If we could pay the support and love we get from people forward, it would be a great thing, ”Eliana’s father, Tim Wall, said, "For Eliana’s birthday, she wanted to invite her friends and instead of asking for more toys or presents, she thought it would be a good idea to raise some food for the Ministry Center.”
“For being so young, it’s a blessing to have kids that are living for something more than themselves,” Wall said. “I’m hopeful that it will continue over time and it’s amazing to see kids doing things for others.
1. What does the underlined word “forgo” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Give up. | B．Agree with. |
| C．Consider | D．Admit |
| A．By inviting them to her birthday party. | B．By giving a birthday cake to them to eat |
| C．By refusing to accept gifts from her friends. | D．By donating some food as an action of charity. |
| A．They don’t want to be famous | B．They are fond of helping others |
| C．They were born in the same year. | D．They don’t like birthday presents. |
| A．He decided to give more food to his daughter. |
| B．He supported what his daughter had done. |
| C．He felt worried about his daughter’s action. |
| D．He wanted to do something to help his daughter. |
【推荐2】After a long day at the office, Jane Hodgson was on her way home and looking forward to relaxing with a nice cup of tea. While driving, she noticed that there was a car pulled over at the side of the road and a crowd had started to gather around someone who was lying on the ground.
Jane, who had completed first aid at the work course with the British Red Cross, pulled over to see if she could do something and it turned out to be lucky for the victim.
Describing the scene she saw, Jane says, “A crowd of onlookers gathered at the scene. A couple of young men were cream-faced and looking lost. They were completely terrified. When I walked up, first-aid kit in hand, they said, ‘You’re a first aider — Oh thank goodness.’ They were so shocked that they hadn’t even thought to call an ambulance yet.”
A young girl called Jenny was lying there. It turned out that the teen had been hit by a car and gone over the handlebars of her bike, landing on her head and shoulder.
“I was worried because she had not been wearing a helmet when she got knocked down, and I thought that she should not be moved as I couldn’t be sure about a spinal (脊柱) injury, but after looking her over, in relief, I felt fairly confident that she had escaped relatively unharmed. Even so, as time passed and we continued to wait for an ambulance, the amount of pain the girl was in was increasing. To avoid the risk of her going into shock I kept her talking. We chatted about her boyfriend and anything I could think of to keep her mind off the pain. She squeezed (捏) my hand when the pain got too much and this helped,” describes Jane.
Thinking back, Jane says, “I never did find out what happened to the girl. Apart from the boyfriend I wasn’t thanked by anyone else, but that’s OK. For me, knowing that in a small way I helped that girl through what was a frightening experience is all the reward I need. It felt great to know I’d made a difference.”
1. What was Jane doing when she came across the accident?| A．Driving home. | B．Repairing her car. |
| C．Drinking some tea. | D．Going to the first aid course. |
| A．Her legs. | B．Her hands. |
| C．Her head. | D．Her stomach. |
| A．Calling an ambulance. | B．Offering some first aid. |
| C．Contacting the girl’s boyfriend. | D．Keeping the girl awake. |
| A．Not all kindness needs reward. | B．First aid can save lives. |
| C．A small act can make a difference. | D．It felt good to learn first aid skills. |
【推荐3】Along the streets of Huntington Beach, California, there’s a sight that captures the hearts of passers-by. Debbie Pearl, a remarkable woman with a heart of gold, can be seen navigating the sidewalks holding a handful of dog leashes (皮带). But it’s not just any walk in the park — Debbie is accompanied by her extraordinary pack of seven dogs, each facing their own physical challenges with strong determination and spirit.
The group of seven dogs with disabilities now work their magic to raise the spirits of others. They have survived trauma (创伤) or abuse and are now dependent on wheelchairs or artificial limbs (假肢). Pearl is the founder and president of Dream Fetchers, a non-profit organization that aims to save dogs from being put to death by providing them with a “new leash on life” in which they can positively impact people’s social, emotional, physical, or educational well-being.
Each day, Pearl devotes herself wholeheartedly to ensuring that her furry companions receive the love, care, and attention. She travels the nation with them altogether. “Our goal is to make a difference and let people see that it doesn’t matter what’s happened to you, you can go on and these dogs prove that. Even though they are in a wheelchair, they’re making the best of their life.” Pearl said.
The furry heroes inspire some 110,000 followers on social media. Pearl said, “People reach out to me from all over the world and they explain how the furry friends have brightened up their day.”
Debbie Pearl and her pack of dogs are a shining example of resilience (坚韧), courage, and the unbreakable bond between humans and animals. They teach us that disabilities do not define us — rather, it’s our spirit and determination to overcome that truly make us unstoppable.
1. What does the underlined word “navigating” in Paragraph 1 mean?| A．Measuring. | B．Tracking. | C．Observing. | D．Passing. |
| A．They are in good shape. | B．They were treated badly. |
| C．They can perform magic. | D．They lost their owners. |
| A．To motivate people. | B．To have fun. |
| C．To cure diseases. | D．To raise money. |
| A．A Woman with Seven Dogs | B．Disabled Dogs Inspiring Resilience |
| C．Scenes Moving Passers-by | D．A Bond Between Humans and Animals |
