There is always something that happens in the world that everyone fears will happen to their town, city or country: natural disasters. The scariest part of it is that no one will ever see it coming. Though technology helps us prepare, but it never actually tells the people what time it’s going to hit, It is always estimated, but the result is never 100% accurate.
However, that is not the point of this article. Two different natural disasters in two different parts of the world have happened in the past few weeks. One is a major flood that has hit Louisiana in the United States. The other was an earthquake that hit Amatrice, Italy. However. there is a major difference in the news coverage (新闻报道) of the two tragedies.
As for the flooding in Louisiana, it is reported that this disaster is the worst to hit the United States since super - storm Sandy and it’ll cost at least $ 30 million. In only the first couple of weeks, 13 people had died. However, like me, many people did not hear about this tragic event. I did not learn about it until about three weeks after it happened.
In Italy, however, it covered all media instantly. The earthquake in Italy happened on Tuesday morning. That same day, I was on Twitter and that was all that was over the news feed. Every other post was about the earthquake. Some would have the opinion that Amatrice, Italy was one of the most beautiful towns in that country. I got in deep sorrow because there were more people killed in this quake than the flooding. So far, they have a total of 73 dead and over one - hundred missing.
I understand that technically the earthquake in Italy was worse than the floods in Louisiana. However, I believe that if a natural disaster happens, they all should be equally covered and taken equally as serious. We are one world united and should be there for all of the people out there who are in need of help. We may not be able to accurately predict disasters, but we can surely lend a hand out for the needy.
1. What really concerns the author about the two natural disasters?| A．The death and the injured. | B．The media report. |
| C．The government’s responsibility. | D．Their economic loss. |
| A．He didn't care about the flood. | B．He felt nervous about the news. |
| C．The media didn't cover it in time. | D．The flood frightened the author a lot. |
| A．Proud. | B．Critical. | C．Pitiful. | D．Sad. |
| A．Italy isn’t good at predicting the natural disasters. |
| B．All natural disasters should be covered equally. |
| C．The world should be united into one instantly. |
| D．America should help Italy predict natural disasters. |
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【推荐1】Some scientists have traced the increase in earthquakes to human activities, especially in areas not known for the presence of fault lines or past seismic (地震的) activity. The idea of humans causing earthquakes may seem strange at first. After all, you can run around your backyard and jump up and down as you want, and the ground isn’t going to start shaking. However, scientists have identified a variety of large scale human activities that can result in earthquakes.
Scientists have confirmed over 700 places where human activities have caused earthquakes over the last century. While many human-related earthquakes are small and don’t cause much damage, some of them can be serious and dangerous. In fact, scientists believe human activities have caused earthquakes with magnitudes as high as 7. 9 on the Richter scale.
Scientists believe that most human-related earthquakes are the result of mining. As companies drill deeper and deeper below the earth’s surface to get natural resources, holes left behind usually cause instability (不稳固) which leads to earthquakes. Another human activity leading to earthquakes is fracking (水力压裂) for oil and gas, including the high pressure waste water processing that usually goes with fracking. In this process, water, sand and chemicals are pressed underground under high pressure to break rocks to release natural resources.
Building large dams can also cause earthquakes. Many people died as a result of a big earthquake caused by millions of tons of water that had been collected in a reservoir after a large dam was built over a known fault line.
These are not the only human activities that can result in earthquakes, though. Scientists point out that earthquakes can also be caused by other human activities, such as construction of skyscrapers and nuclear explosions.
There is no doubt that human activities have contributed a lot to social and economic development, but for our own benefit, we humans had better not push nature too hard, or we will have to pay a price.
1. What does the underlined part “fault lines” in paragraph 1 probably refer to? .| A．Places with active human activities. | B．Places connected with natural balance. |
| C．Areas where natural resources are rich. | D．Areas where earthquakes tend to happen. |
| A．They break the balance of nature. | B．They destroy the stability of rocks. |
| C．They do much damage to the earth’s surface. | D．They use high pressure to get natural resources. |
| A．Objective. | B．Supportive. | C．Doubtful. | D．Responsible. |
| A．All the earthquakes are caused by humans. |
| B．Humans are responsible for certain earthquakes. |
| C．Nature punishes humans by means of earthquakes. |
| D．Much progress has been made on earthquake research. |
【推荐2】Major causes of record fires sweeping across the Amazon rainforest this month include the dry season and human activities, according to research institutions and media reports.
The rainforest is typically wet and humid, and the frequency of fire activity usually rise each year since July — the onset of the dry season, and peaks in September and decreases in October as the rainy season approaches.
However, data from the Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (Inpe) showed that the number of forest fires in Brazil soared by 82 percent from January to August this year from a year ago, and over half of those fires occurred in the Amazon rainforest. A total of 71,497 forest fires were registered in the country in the first eight months of 2019 , up from 39,194 in the same period in 2018, the Inpe said.
Human activities have led to the recent increase of fires, some experts have noted. The view was echoed by many, though they were divided over who actually conducted the activities. On Friday evening, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro pledged “zero tolerance” of environmental crimes, adding that the Armed Forces troops and resources will be mobilized from Saturday to help put out the fires.
Earlier this week, Bolsonaro blamed non-governmental organizations for increasing wildfires in the Amazon rainforest in the country’s north. His claim was refuted (反驳) by environmentalists, who argued that the surge of fires was a result of increasing deforestation and burning fueled by the governments anti-environmental policy. Alberto Setzer, an Inpe researcher, told local news site G1 that all the fires are results of human activities some accidental while others intentional.
Scientists and environmental groups are worried that the fires will aggravate climate change crisis and threaten biodiversity. The emergency has now transcended (越过) Brazil’s borders , reaching Peruvian, Paraguayan and Bolivian regions.
1. What is the main idea of the text?| A．The text explains the major causes of the Amazon fires. |
| B．The text aims to arouse human’s awareness of protecting the Amazon. |
| C．The text is intended to call on people to help the Amazon. |
| D．The text is expected to warn other countries of the Amazon fires. |
| A．The dry weather. | B．The intentional deforestation. |
| C．The natural disasters. | D．Some accidental human activities. |
| A．Similar to that in 2018, the frequency of fire activity will peak in September in 2019. |
| B．Compared with those in 2018, fires have happened more frequently in the first eight months in 2019. |
| C．There are more fires in 2019 than in 2018. |
| D．All of the big fires have happened in the Amazon rainforest. |
| A．Non-governmental organizations are responsible for wild fires in the Amazon rainforest. |
| B．The Amazon rainforest fires may be attributed to human activities. |
| C．We should pledge “zero tolerance” of environmental crimes. |
| D．The fires will influence Brazil’s bordering countries. |
【推荐3】Some intelligent African giant rats are helping humans save lives through search and rescue missions while wearing tiny backpacks.
A British research scientist, Dr. Kean is training 170 rats to be sent into earthquake ruins to do vital work in finding earthquake survivors. These rescue rats are equipped with tiny backpacks that contain microphones, video cameras, and location trackers. These tools will allow the rescue teams to communicate with earthquake survivors in real-time.
Dr. Kean expressed how the rescue rats are ideal for this type of work, saying, “Rats would be able to get into small spaces to get victims buried in the ruins.” The highly clever rats are skillful at surviving in different environments and their natural agility (敏捷) makes them ideal for use in hard-to-navigate disaster zones. The rescue rats are even being trained to respond to the sound that call them back.
Dr. Kean’s team work together with the non-profit organization APOPO for their “Hero Rats” project. These “Hero Rats” are set to start working with a search and rescue team in Turkey, joining earthquake rescue efforts in the high-risk area, The group of 170 rats is being trained for additional projects involving landmines, tuberculosis (结核病), and even smelling out Brucellosis, an infectious disease that impacts farm animals. Dr. Kean feels hopeful about her project’s promising results and is excited that her team is the only organization in this field working with this species.
1. What can the rescue rats do?| A．Give response to victims. | B．Operate devices and tools. |
| C．Seek those trapped in ruins. | D．Communicate with survivors. |
| A．The wide use of the rescue rats. | B．The advantages of the rescue rats. |
| C．The danger that the rescue rats face. | D．The living environments of the rescue rats. |
| A．Uncaring. | B．Positive. | C．Cautious. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．To train hero rats for rescue tasks. | B．To present the nature of giant rats. |
| C．To prove the intelligence of African rats. | D．To try out new equipment on specific rats. |
【推荐1】More Clarity Needed on Wage Debate
These days, the minimum wage has become something of a big issue in America.
Gap Inc. has decided to increase the minimum hourly rate it pays employees to $9 this year and then S10 next year. The company's announcement will effect 65.000 Gap employees by 2017. Clearly (iap officials believe the money they invest in higher wages will pay off in increased sales and customer satisfaction. There's certainly nothing wrong with that.
Also last week, Wal-Mart found itself at the center of the wages gossip when it was reported that the company was looking at supporting an increase in the minimum wage.
Wal-Mart spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan said the company remains neutral on the idea of a minimum wage increase, but "obviously it’s something that we look at closely, as any other company would". She said that more than 99 percent of company associates are paid above the cunent minimum wage. It has been discussed how increased income ibr low-wage workers might translate into increased spending. So it's reasonable to say that a company like Wal-Mart could see a jump in sales if the minimum wage rose.
| A．That turned out to be not exactly correct. |
| B．But Buchanan warned against such an assumption. |
| C．But a number of business organizations say it should remain untouched. |
| D．But what works for a clothing company might not work for a different one. |
| E．Raising the minimum wage is identified as a key way to address the income gap. |
| F．For opponents a wage increase, increasing the minimum wage could reduce total employment by about 500.000 jobs. |
Common sense is not all that common.
Why tell the truth when you can come up with a good excuse?
These three popular misquotes(戏谑的引语)are meant to be jokes, and yet they tell us a lot about human nature .To err, or to make mistakes, is indeed a part of being human, but it seems that most people don’t want to accept the responsibility for the problem. Perhaps it is the natural thing to do .The original quote about human nature went like this:” To err is human, to forgive, divine(神圣的).”This saying mirrors an deal people should be forgiving of others’ mistakes. Instead, we tend to do the opposite –find someone else to pass the blame on to. However, taking responsibility for something that went wrong is a making of great maturity.
Common sense is what we call clear thought. Having common sense means having a good general plan that will make things work well, and it also means staying with the plan. Commonsense tells you that you take an umbrella out into a rainstorm, but you leave the umbrella home when you hear a weather forecast for sunshine．Common sense does not seem to be common for large organizations, because there are so many things going on that one person cannot be in charge of everything. People say that in a large company,”the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing.”
And what is wrong with a society that thinks that making up a good excuse is like creating a work of art? One of the common problems with making excuses is that people, especially young people. get the idea that it’s okay not to be totally honest all the time. There is a corollary(直接推论)to that: if good excuse is “good”even if it isn’t honest, then where is the place of the truth?
1. According to title passage, which of following seems the most human?
| A．To search for truth． | B．To achieve one’s ideal |
| C．To make fun of others’mistakes． | D．To criticize others for one’s own error. |
| A．Doing things his own way. |
| B．Bearing responsibility for his mistakes. |
| C．Making as few mistakes as possible． |
| D．Thinking seriously about his wrongdoing. |
| A．A man tries to take charge of everything in a large company. |
| B．A student goes out with an umbrella in stormy weather. |
| C．A company’s next move follows a good plan． |
| D．A lawyer acts on fine judgments． |
| A．Making a good excuse is sometimes a better policy. |
| B．Inventing a good excuse needs creative ideas. |
| C．A good excuse is as rewarding as honesty. |
| D．Bitter truth is better than a good excuse. |
| A．A Mirror of Human Nature | B．To Blame or to Forgive |
| C．A Mark of Maturity | D．Truth or Excuse |
【推荐3】Many parents set rules for their children’s online activity, such as limiting (限制) the amount of time they can spend online. But some children in the US and UK are saying that they’d like to make rules for parents, too. Their main complaint? That their parents share too many photos of them online.
In a 2016 study, it was found that parents in the US share an average of 116 photos of their kids after they are born. Most were taken before the child turned 8 years old. Many of the photos showed kids in embarrassing situations, like having food all over their faces, Quartz reported.
Parents do like to share their child’s progress as he or she grows up. But their kids don’t like it as much. In a survey of UK children between the ages of 12 and 16, 70 percent said they felt their parents didn’t respect their online privacy (隐私), according to Digital Parenting magazine.
In addition, many kids said that other students at school sometimes picks on (捉弄) them after their parents post photos online, CBS News noted. In one case, a girl was bullied (欺负) by boys at school after they found her moms’ blogs, which had many family photos.
“Each time a photo or video is uploaded, it creates a digital footprint of a child, which can follow them into adult life, “a spokeswoman for a leading children’s charity in the UK said. “It’s always important to ask children for their permission (允许) before posting photos or videos of them.”
What is sharenting?
There’s a new word English to describe it when parents post pictures of their online—“sharenting”, or a combination of the world “share” and “parenting”.
1. According to the first paragraph, what do kids in the US and UK complain about?| A．Their parents setting rules for their online activity. |
| B．Their parents limiting the amount of time they spend online. |
| C．Their parents posting too many photos of them online. |
| D．Their parents setting high expectations for their schoolwork. |
| A．care too much about their progress in school |
| B．forget to set good examples for them |
| C．don’t care enough about their online safety |
| D．don’t respect their online privacy |
| A．Parents should ask kids for permission before sharing their photos. |
| B．UK kids don’t mind that their photos are shared by their parents. |
| C．Sharing photos online helps kids live a better adult life. |
| D．Kids don’t get bullied at school when their photos are shared online. |
| A．Nature Today | B．All about Space |
| C．Philosophy for Life | D．Society and Culture |
【推荐1】Thunderstorms often show up uninvited to Carnival (狂欢节) in Brazil. This year's attempt to influence the skies took place in Sao Pablo by a party's official sponsor,Skoal, a Brazilian beer brand. "The fun stops when it rains," says Pedro Ada my, Skoal's marketing director. So do beer sales.
An airplane painted with Skoal's logo sprayed (喷洒) water droplets into clouds to make rain fall before the clouds reached the city. According to its YouTube video that has been viewed 12 million times,it is a "mission worthy of science fiction".
Whether it's science or fiction is up for debate. The use of cloud-seeding to increase rainfall dates back to the 1940s. But the United States government stopped funding it in the 1980s due to a lack of " scientific proof of the effectiveness of intentional weather change", according to the National Research Council. A new paper based on experiments in Idaho found that seeding clouds with silver iodide increased snowfall on three occasions, but the authors say that more research is needed to find out if it can reliably promote precipitation (降水). Paulo Artaxo, a Brazilian physicist, says flatly that cloud-seeding is "useless".
Still, governments and firms in many countries use the technology. Sao Pablo's water company has signed million dollar contracts with ModClima to bring rain, most recently during a drought in 2014-15. Although cloud-seeding normally uses a chemical such as silver iodide to provide a surface around which water or ice droplets form, ModClima says it has invented an "experimental" method that uses water alone.
Carnival-goers cheered when the first two days were cloudy but dry. Many shared Skol's video. But at around 5pm on February 24th, the sky darkened and rain poured down. Celebrants at one block party left the Skol stands and rushed to buy umbrellas and plastic rain capes.
1. Why did Skoal support cloud-seeding?| A．To increase rainfall. |
| B．To promote its beer sales. |
| C．To provide evidence for a research. |
| D．To highlight the theme of the Carnival. |
| A．Objective. | B．Doubtful. | C．Conservative. | D．Negative. |
| A．Its outcome couldn't be proved. |
| B．It worked in limited situations. |
| C．It needed more field researches. |
| D．It used an un-ecofriendly chemical. |
| A．Could rain ruin fun? |
| B．How do we change weather? |
| C．Could we rely on intentional rain? |
| D．How do we avoid cloud-seeding pollution? |
【推荐2】Cyberspace （网络空间）is constantly developing and presenting new opportunities, as the desire of businesses to quickly adopt new technologies, such as using the Internet to open new channels and adopting cloud services, provides vast opportunity. But, it also brings unexpected risks and unintended consequences that can have a potentially negative effect.
Hardly a day goes by without news of a new cyber threat. Unfortunately, businesses tend to misjudge how much risk they face from cyber-crimes and how quickly this risk can develop. For them, the commercial, reputational and financial risks that go with cyberspace presence are real and growing every day.
So all businesses need to do now is establish cyber security within their organization, right?
Establishing cyber security alone is not enough. Nowadays, it is not very difficult for attackers to break security and stop the overall business system. Preventive measures are not enough to stop them. With the advancement of technology, hackers （黑客）have been changing and developing. So business risk management should include risk resilience （复原力）so that businesses can respond to any damaging cyberspace activity. Cyber resilience helps businesses successfully recover to their pre-attack business processes and business operations.
Building cyber resilience is not easy. A key finding of an authentic cyber-resilience report is that no organisation can respond effectively on its own to the threats from cyberspace. Organisations must work together to share intelligence and resources. In this way, the quality, usability and authenticity of intelligence will be greatly improved.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To describe the development of cyberspace. |
| B．To show the great contributions from business. |
| C．To explain the technologies adopted by businesses. |
| D．To draw attention to potential dangers from cyberspace. |
| A．Awareness of safety. |
| B．Financial conditions. |
| C．Commercial management. |
| D．Judgement of development. |
| A．It can prevent attacks. |
| B．Threats are always transforming. |
| C．Cyber security doesn't work now. |
| D．It keeps all the hackers off the internet. |
| A．An organization alone can build effective resilience. |
| B．True resilience requires joined efforts from organizations. |
| C．There is a great amount of difficulty in building resilience. |
| D．The cyberspace threat is nothing when cooperation is used. |
【推荐3】The 5-year-old mountain lion, P-45, has managed to cross busy roads safely, has avoided rat poison and has successfully claimed his territory (领地) under all challenges that have hindered other members of the mountain lion population in the Santa Monica Mountain. His deadly mistake, however, was doing what mountain lions naturally do so well: killing and eating.
Over the weekend, P-45 apparently broke into two farms, killing 10 alpacas(羊驼) at one property and a goat and an alpaca at the other. P-45 was identified as the criminal by a tracking device he wears.
It’s illegal to hunt mountain lions in California thanks to 1990’s Proposition 117, but the rule included an exception for residents whose livestock is killed by a lion. And on Nov. 28, the owner of the 10 dead alpacas requested and received a special “depredation permit” (掠夺许可)to hire a hunter to kill P-45. The 10-day permit allows the hunter to cover a 10-mile range around the farm in search of the lion. Hunters often attract the lion with a deer.
The farmer owner is within her legal rights to have the lion killed. But killing P-45 is not the answer, especially when he is one of the few adult male mountain lions in an isolated population that is at risk of extinction.
Of course, people should be allowed to protect themselves and their children if a mountain lion attacks. But the law that allows the issuance of the depredation permit essentially gives the livestock owner the right to decide whether the lion should live or die. There is no evaluation by wildlife official as to whether the lion poses a further threat to humans or animals.
Los Angeles residents are lucky to live near wild, open spaces large enough to sustain mountain lions. Surely there is a better way to manage the conflicts that arise when humans and their domestic animals move into areas that have long served as habitat for wildlife.
1. What does the underlined word “hindered” refer to in the first paragraph?| A．blocked. | B．killed. |
| C．protected. | D．surrounded. |
| A．Lions feed only on deer. |
| B．P-45 will be killed on Nov. 28. |
| C．P-45 will be found10 miles around the farm in 10 days. |
| D．Lions in California can not be hunted at will. |
| A．Residents can live with lions peacefully. |
| B．The mountain lion’s situation will probably be worsened. |
| C．The conflict between man and lions can be solved. |
| D．Lions will not be a further threat to humans or animals. |
| A．Objective. | B．Supportive. |
| C．Opposed. | D．Uninterested. |
