Eradajere Oleita thinks she may have a partial solution to two of our country’s problems: garbage and poverty. It’s called the Chip Bag Project. The 26-year-old student and environmentalist from Detroit is asking a favor of local snack lovers: Rather than throw your empty chip bags into trash (垃圾桶), donate them so she can turn them into sleeping bags for the homeless.
Chip eaters drop off their empty bags from Doritos, Lay’s, and other favorites at two locations in Detroit: a print shop and a clothing store, where Oleita and her volunteer helpers collect them. After they clean the chip bags in soapy hot water, they cut them open, lay them flat, and iron them together.
It takes about four hours to sew a sleeping bag, and each takes around 150 to 300 chip bags, depending on whether they’re single-serve or family size. The result is a sleeping bag that is “waterproof, lightweight, and easy to carry around,” Oleita told the Detroit News.
Since its start in 2020, the Chip Bag Project has collected more than 800,000 chip bags and, till last December, created 110 sleeping bags.
Sure, it would be simpler to raise the money to buy new sleeping bags. But that’s only half the goal for Oleita—whose family moved to the United States from Nigeria a decade ago with the hope of attaining a better life—and her fellow volunteers. “We are devoted to making an impact not only socially, but environmentally,” she says.
Eradajere Oleita’s practice is a powerful reminder that environmental injustice and poverty often go hand in hand. As Oleita told hourdetroit.com, “I think it’s time to show connections between all of these issues.”
1. What is Oleita’s solution to the two problems?| A．Asking snack lovers to donate money. | B．Collecting money to buy sleeping bags. |
| C．Making chip bags into sleeping bags. | D．Organizing volunteers to collect rubbish. |
| A．It was difficult to raise money. | B．She became more ambitious. |
| C．She wanted to live a better life. | D．Sleeping bags were expensive. |
| A．Flexible and Humorous. | B．Generous and thankful. |
| C．Determined and open-minded. | D．Creative and sympathetic. |
| A．Think twice before you leap. | B．Kill two birds with one stone. |
| C．Wisdom and love are a perfect pair. | D．Garbage and poverty often go hand in hand. |
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【推荐1】The past few years have been difficult for 13-year-old Adeola Abraham. In 2020, the teen was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder, and he survived a successful bone marrow transplant (骨髓移植) and rounds of chemotherapy (化疗). Thankfully, Adeola is now out of the hospital. During his recovery, he found out that he had qualified for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ask for a dream wish from Make-A-Wish Mississippi. While many teens would choose a memorable Disney trip, meet a favorite figure or get a PlayStation, Abraham instead chose to feed the homeless in his local community.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation is famous for brightening the lives of children suffering from critical illnesses by meeting their wishes. A wish typically falls into three categories: a wish to have something, go somewhere or meet someone. Abraham’s charitable wish to give came as a surprise to the organization. Linda Sermons, a Make-A-Wish Mississippi representative, said that Abraham’s generous wish was the first of its kind in the organization’s 35-year history. She was impressed with the teen’s maturity and sense of sympathy.
Make-A-Wish Mississippi approved of the teen’s wish in a big way. They created a service named after the teen, called Abraham’s Table, which would provide free meals to the homeless every month for the next year. Local businesses generously donated food and supplies, and receivers gathered in Jackson’s Poindexter Park for the meals. Abraham and his proud mom personally attended and handed out the food. Abraham’s Table fed more than 80 people at its first event. Abraham said it warmed his heart when the receivers came back to thank him for the meal he provided.
Abraham now wants to inspire other teens to get more involved in local charities. He also wants to continue his mission of helping others by starting his own nonprofit that helps those experiencing food insecurity.
1. What made Abraham a remarkable boy?| A．His exceptional choice for a dream wish. | B．His great sufferings from a critical disease. |
| C．His special qualifications for a dream wish. | D．His successful survival from a blood disorder. |
| A．Eighty people or so benefited from Abraharn’s Table. |
| B．Abraham’s act of kindness received positive reaction. |
| C．The organization provided financial help for the homeless. |
| D．The local businesses were greatly appreciated by the receivers. |
| A．Energetic and determined. | B．Mature and intelligent. |
| C．Sympathetic and selfless. | D．Generous and cautious. |
| A．Hard work always pays off. | B．It’s a blessing to be a giver. |
| C．Actions speak louder than words. | D．Miracles often occur in bad luck. |
As you know, next month will see the Have a Heart activity, which is a part of the heart research. As part of support for it, several students here at Trent High School have decided to organize a half-marathon event on August 1st. All the money that we hope to raise by doing this will go to Have a Heart.
In order to raise as much money as possible, we are doing two things: a) asking members of the public to sponsor (赞助) individual runners in the race, and b) looking for companies to help raising money. It is for this second reason that I am writing to you now.
As the leader of Trent High School’s half-marathon committee, I am writing to ask if your company would be willing to consider providing sponsorship for our event. What we had in mind, if you are agreeable，is to put the sponsor’s name on the numbers of each runner, and to have the sponsor’s name on banners (横幅) along the way as well as at the finish line. We believe that our sponsor will get a lot of positive publicity.
It is difficult, of course, to make a request for a specific amount of money, but we are hoping that the company which sponsors us would do so to the amount of £1,000 or more, and would perhaps also contribute to the making of banners etc. We do hope that more people and companies can give your love to the heart research.
Should you be interested, please get in touch with us at the above address.
Thank you for giving our request your attention. We look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
James MacDonald
1. Why will the half-marathon event be held?| A．To make the school highly popular. | B．To support the Have a Heart activity. |
| C．To raise money for the poor students. | D．To encourage students to take exercise. |
| A．provide money to the public | B．help the runners finish the race |
| C．design banners for the company | D．put the sponsor’s name on banners |
| A．ask the company for sponsorship | B．invite people to the committee |
| C．explain the details of heart research | D．apply for the rules for the event |
| A．a professional runner | B．a school teacher |
| C．the leader of a company | D．the organizer of the event |
【推荐3】Volunteering means working for free to help someone else. Mrs. Obama says volunteering is very important. "It should be part of everyone's life,"she says.
Many teens agree. They say that helping others feels great and makes a difference. These days, more teensvolunteer than work for pay. Teens clean up parks, walk dogs at animal shelters, visit the elderly, and more.
Some cities— including Seattle, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.— require high school students to volunteer. Students must volunteer in order to graduate. The student volunteers learn new skills and help their communities( 社区).
Many parents subscribe to the idea they say volunteering helps teens build job skills. But most teens don't want to be forced to volunteer. They say they are busy. And they say volunteering is only fun if it's a choice.
Read both sides of the debate and decide.
Yes
Volunteering can help teens get into college or get a job.
Many cities and towns need help. Volunteers can help keep important programs going.
Not all teens will volunteer if it isn't required. Schools should require students to do all they can to get ready for adult life.
No
Most teens are already very busy with classes, homework, jobs, and sports. Forcing them to do more isn't fair.
It should be up to each person. Helping doesn't feel good if you must do it.
Finding a volunteer job isn't always easy. Students shouldn't be kept from graduating because of something they can't control.
1. It is known from the text that in Washington.D.C.___________.| A．everyone would like to volunteer |
| B．finding a volunteer job is not difficult |
| C．volunteering is a must for college students |
| D．high school students won't graduate if they don't volunteer |
| A．Correct. | B．Like. | C．Stress. | D．Review. |
| A．Volunteer jobs waste students' precious(宝贵的) time. |
| B．Volunteer jobs won't help teens prepare for their adult life. |
| C．Volunteer jobs are not as important as students' homework. |
| D．Students shouldn't be stopped from graduation because of not volunteering. |
| A．Who are best to do volunteer jobs. |
| B．Whether volunteering is good for students. |
| C．What kind of volunteer jobs students should do. |
| D．Whether students should be required to volunteer. |
【推荐1】Mosquitofish (食蚊鱼) may look small, but these fish are a threat. Outside of their range, they defeat other freshwater creatures and eat their eggs. Since they don’t have any natural enemies beyond their range, their population goes unchecked as they cause damage to native wildlife.
Fortunately, scientists have now invented a new tool, a robotic fish, meant to intimidate mosquitofish. “Instead of killing them one by one, we’re presenting an approach that can inform better strategies to control this global pest,” said Giovanni Polverino, a biologist at the University of Western Australia. “We made their worst nightmare (噩梦) become real: a robot that scares the mosquitofish but not the other animals around it.”
The robot, shaped like a largemouth bass (大嘴鲈), one of the mosquitofish’s natural enemies, was equipped with a camera to recognize mosquitofish and tadpoles (蝌蚪). The researchers set up 12 containers with six mosquitofish and six tadpoles in each one and allowed the creatures to adapt for a week before meeting the robot. For one hour twice a week for five weeks, each group was placed in a container with the robot.
In the robofish’s presence, the mosquitofish spent more time getting together, and their swimming became more abnormal. With the mosquitofish anxious and scared, the tadpoles went out more. These effects even lasted for weeks after the final encounter with the robot. When the creatures returned to their containers, the mosquitofish were less active and didn’t eat as much, which are signs of anxiety. The mosquitofish spent so much energy living in extreme fear that they lost weight. Males’ body shapes also changed to become more streamlined, likely so they can escape more quickly when they’re scared.
Though the study showed promising results, these robots can’t be released into the water yet. The team still needs to understand the long-term impacts on other animals and downstream effects on the ecosystem as a whole. But Polverino says they have achieved their main goal: to prove fear can affect the survival of mosquitofish.
1. What does the underlined word “intimidate” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Kill. | B．Protect. | C．Monitor. | D．Frighten. |
| A．Its size. | B．Its shape. | C．Its equipment. | D．Its swimming style. |
| A．They swam more actively. | B．They developed a big appetite. |
| C．They became kind to tadpoles. | D．They changed their normal behavior. |
| A．Mosquitofish — a headache for scientists | B．Robotic fish — mosquitofish’s nightmare |
| C．Mosquitofish — a threat to native wildlife | D．Robotic fish — a new member of the ecosystem |
【推荐2】Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras have been working on a fascinating new way to identify people: using the ways of their breath. This idea could change how we unlock our phones and access secure places.
The key to this technology lies in the way we breathe out. Every person has a unique way of breathing air, which creates specific turbulence (涡流) patterns. The IIT Madras team, led by Prof. Mahesh Panchagnula, has developed a method of catching these unique patterns and using them as a biometric (生物特征识别的) signature, similar to how fingerprints are used today.
They conducted tests with breath samples from 94 people and found that their system could correctly confirm the person’s identity with an impressive accuracy of 97%. However, when it came to identifying someone without knowing who they were beforehand, the accuracy was around 50%. This means the technology is great at confirming if someone is who they claim to be, but it still needs improvement in recognizing people without any prior information. What makes this research exciting is its potential beyond just unlocking phones. It could play a significant role in personalized medicine. Since the way we breathe can give insights into our health, this technology could help doctors tailor treatments to individual patients more effectively.
In a similar study at Kyushu University in Japan, researchers developed an artificial system that identifies people based on how their breath smells. This system showed a high accuracy rate of 97.8% in identifying individuals. However, this method currently requires people to fast (禁食) for six hours before testing, indicating that it still needs to be improved to be more practical for everyday use.
These advancements in using human breath for identification are not just about adding another cool feature to our smartphones. They represent a significant step forward in biometric technology, which could have far-reaching implications in security, medicine, and personal technology. This research at IIT Madras and Kyushu University is pioneering a new way of using the unique patterns of our breath for identification purposes, potentially revolutionizing (变革) how we interact with technology and receive medical care.
1. What makes the new technology possible according to paragraph 2?| A．The distinctive breath smells. | B．The unique patterns of breath. |
| C．The different patterns of fingerprints. | D．The speed of taking in air. |
| A．To eat no food for 6 hours is practical in everyday life. |
| B．To eat fast is a basic requirement for a higher accuracy rate. |
| C．The system is workable and will soon appear on the market. |
| D．Breath smells affected by food can decrease the accuracy rate. |
| A．It helps raise people’s awareness of health. | B．It will let people better understand their breath. |
| C．It makes unlocking our phones more easily. | D．It will introduce new ways to develop medicine. |
| A．Should We Still Use Fingerprints to Unlock Our Phone? |
| B．Fingerprint Patterns Can Identify Breath Types Easily |
| C．A Breath “Fingerprint” Could Be Used to Unlock Your Phone |
| D．Which Unlocking Method Is More Secure, Breath or Fingerprint? |
【推荐3】Parents complain that children outgrow their clothes so fast that it costs a fortune（￡12，000 on average per year），going through seven different sizes in the space of their first two years．There could now be a solution：a new high－tech fabric（织物）that expands as the wearer grows．
Ryan Yasin，who is studying for a master’s degree at the London Royal College of Art，came up with the idea after purchasing clothes for his newborn nephew，only to find the baby had outgrown them by the time they arrived．In addition to the expense Yasin was also concerned about the environmental influence．The process of making and distributing just l kilogram，or 2．2 pounds，of new fabric results in an average of 23 kg，or 50 pounds of greenhouse gases．To make matters worse，the“fast fashion”trend worldwide has caused garment production to double since 2000，with more than half of the clothing ending up in landfills annually!
To find a solution，Yasin used his previous experience designing satellites to invent a way to fold synthetic（合成的）material such that it stretches in all directions．
The first design，a pair of tiny pants，not only fit his baby nephew，but also his 2－year-old niece! After spending a lot of time perfecting the process and testing the design，Yasin is now awaiting a patent for his design and seeking investors（投资者）to bring the clothing to market．
For his new line of Petit Pli，the designer plans to produce outerwear that is both waterproof（防水的）and windproof．The clothing will be machine washable and fold small enough to fit in a jacket or pant pocket．Yasin plans to establish a take－back system so that worn－out Petit Pli clothing can be recycled into new fabric．
The designer does not expect parents to dress their children only in his expandable clothing，particularly since the current designs use synthetic materials．But he plans to soon produce the wear in “a wider variety of garments” and hopes that Petit Pli will be able to have an“influence on over-consumption．”We surely hope he succeeds!
1. What inspired Yasin’s invention?| A．His great expense on clothes． | B．His unhappy experience． |
| C．His nephew’s piled-up clothes． | D．His desire for a master’s degree． |
| A．It has been tested successful． | B．It has come on the market． |
| C．It has got a patent． | D．It has attracted a lot of investors． |
| A．It comes in various styles． | B．It needs no washing． |
| C．It can never be worn out． | D．It is space－saving． |
| A．Its cost is too high． | B．It lacks stylish designs． |
| C．Its materials are not natural． | D．It is not easily recycled． |
【推荐1】Derby and Osnabruck in Germany have been twinned since 1976.
Town twinning started after the Second World War as a way of building strong inks and friendships with communities in other countries. Its central ideas are to build international co-operation and understanding within a diverse cultural framework. Special emphasis is placed on the involvement of young people, who serve as the foundation of the future. Another important goal is the exchange of ideas and innovation among the partner cities for the benefit of all sections of the twinned communities.
Twinning for businesses and organisations
If you have an interest in getting in contact with businesses and organisations from Osnabruck in order to set up economic links or to share good practice, please don't hesitate to email the Tourism Team.
Educational and research links
Over the years many schools from across Derby and Derbyshire have established twinning links with schools from Osnabruck resulting in long lasting friendships as well as school exchanges and joint projects.
If you represent a university or school and w Mike to explore ways in which you can twin with similar establishments in Osnabruck, please email the Tourism Team.
Twinning for youth and adult groups
Many sport tournaments, theatres, art and other exchanges have been established over the years between groups from Osnabruck and Derby.
If you are interested in establishing a twinning link with a group from Osnabruck that shares the same interest as your group, email the Tourism Team.
Visit your twin city
Located in the North West of Germany, Osnabruck is a beautiful city and has around 164,000 inhabitants.
The city has a long and rich history, is surrounded by beautiful countryside and is a vibrant cultural place which offers lots of things to do and see for everyone.
One of Osnabruck's cultural highlights each year is the May Week Festival, which is one of northern Germany's biggest music events. Bands from all over come to Osnabruck and you can enjoy their music live from over 10 open-air stages around the city centre. Have a pint of German beer and a Bratwurst while you enjoy the music with your family and friends!
The biggest event towards the end of the year is Osnabruck's Christmas Market. The market attracts over a million visitors each year and was voted the best Christmas Market in northern Germany in 2004. The beautiful craft stalls, spicy ‘Glühwein’ (mulled wine) and freshly-roasted almonds are waiting for you!
For further information, see the Visit Derby website.
1. What does the underlined word “emphasis” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．importance | B．appearance |
| C．assistance | D．circumstance |
| A．It has been focused on business links between the two cities |
| B．It has contributed to lasting friendships between their schools |
| C．It has increased awareness of environmental-friendly means of transport. |
| D．It has encouraged residents to visit their twin city. |
| A．It is situated in the North East of Germany. |
| B．One of its cultural highlights every other year is the May Week Festival. |
| C．Its Christmas Market attracts more than a million visitors each year. |
| D．Its Christmas Market was voted the best Christmas Market in Germany in 2004. |
| A．Town twinning has gained in popularity. |
| B．Derby and Osnabruck-twinned for 44 years. |
| C．Town twinning is beneficial to both of the cities. |
| D．Town twinning is aimed at building friendship and understanding. |
【推荐2】It has always been assumed that traffic noise is a problem unique to animals. But a new study by Ghotbi-Ravandi, a botanist at Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran, has revealed that plants suffer too.
Scientists have previously suspected that plants may be able to sense sound waves as they are struck by them. A number of experiments have confirmed this in recent years——plants continuously affected by ultrasound(超声波) in the lab have shown a range of adverse responses including the expression of stress-related genes, abnormal growth and reduced sprouting(发芽) of seeds.
Yet blasting(轰击) plants with ultrasound is not the same as growing them in the presence of actual traffic noise. To this end, Dr Ghotbi-Ravandi decided to set up an experiment to study precisely this question.
Working with a team of colleagues, Dr Ghotbi-Rayandi grew two species in his lab. The plants were grown from seed and allowed to mature for two months in the same space before they were divided into two groups. One group was exposed to 73 decibels(分贝) of traffic noise for16 hours a day. The other group was left to grow in silence. After 15 days had passed, samples were taken from the youngest fully expanded leaves on every plant in the experiment and studied.
None of the plants exposed to the traffic noise did well. Analysis of their leaves revealed that all of them were suffering. The chemical compounds indicating stress in plants were found at much higher levels in the samples exposed to the traffic noise. The team also found that a range of hormones normally associated with healthy growth and development in plants were present at significantly reduced levels in the plants exposed to the noise.
His findings make it clear that, though plants lack ears, the impact generated by the noise of traffic still bothers them enough to trigger strong stress responses. The next question is whether all noise pollution affects all species in the same way.
1. What does the underlined word “adverse” mean in the second paragraph?| A．expected. | B．passive. | C．negative. | D．opposite. |
| A．Their seeds failed to sprout. |
| B．They have high-level hormones. |
| C．They contain more stress-related compounds. |
| D．They barely have expanded leaves. |
| A．reduce noise pollution | B．experiment with other plants |
| C．publish the findings | D．confirm previous assumptions |
| A．Noise Pollution Has to Be Reduced | B．Plant Protection Is Urgently Needed |
| C．Plant Growth Is Prevented by Ultrasound | D．Plants Are Badly Affected by Traffic |
【推荐3】There are two species of crocodile in Australia—the saltwater crocodiles and the freshwater ones.
Saltwater crocodiles are among the world's largest crocodiles, with males often reaching five metres. But some can reach six to eight metres. Females grow up to 2.5 metres long.
Saltwater crocodiles live in rivers, and coastal waters in northern Australia and eat a wide variety of prey. The young ones stick to insects, small reptiles and fish. But adults hunt for bigger prey like snakes, monkeys and cattle. And they have been known to attack humans.
Freshwater crocodiles, however, aren't usually dangerous to people. They live in freshwater streams, rivers and large water holes in northern Australia. Freshwater crocodiles aren't as big as saltwater ones either, reaching a length of three metres at most.
Crocodiles first appeared 200 million years ago and lived originally on land. But they soon evolved into aquatic (水生的) animals.
These reptiles are excellent predators (肉食动物) and have few natural enemies. Crocodiles have about 30 or 40 teeth in each jaw. And it is the jaw that gives a unique feature to them.
A crocodile can close its jaws with such force that it can break the bones of some animals. Yet, once the jaws are shut, they're so weak that they can be held together by a person's hand.
To reproduce, crocodiles, like other reptiles, lay eggs. One female can produce between 20 and 90 eggs at a time. Once laid, female crocodiles bury their eggs in sand or mud, where they are left to hatch. Some females stay in the area to protect the nest and look after the young after they hatch, but often other predators eat the eggs.
1. The largest crocodiles in Australia can reash a length of ________.| A．three metres | B．five metres |
| C．eight metres | D．ten metres |
| A．their eating habits |
| B．the law to find a mate |
| C．the key to their strong power |
| D．threat against their reproduction |
| A．Theh have the same size. |
| B．They both live in freshwater streams. |
| C．They are usually both dangerous to people. |
| D．They both live in northern Australia. |
| A．crocodiles close their jaws very quickly |
| B．crocodiles' jaws are easy to control when they are open |
| C．crocodiles are not dangerous to people when their jaws are closed |
| D．crocodiles' jaws are very powerful when closing |
| A．The eggs will be kept under the ground. |
| B．The eggs will be hatched by their parents. |
| C．The male crocodiles will protect the eggs. |
| D．The female crocodiles will leave the nest. |
