Two towns in Boulder County, Colorado are struggling to recover after terrible wildfires destroyed nearly 1,000 buildings.
The Marshall fire and the Middle Fork fire began on Thursday morning as grass fires. Strong winds blowing at speeds of up to 175 kph helped feed the flames and spread them further. The fires spread through towns located between the larger cities of Boulder and Denver. Over 30,000 people were forced to leave Louisville, Superior, and two other nearby towns as the fire swept through the area.
By Friday morning, the wildfires had burned roughly 25 square kilometers. The Middle Fork fire was brought under control on Friday, but the Marshall fire was harder to stop Nearly 1,000 buildings were destroyed, including hundreds of homes, a hotel, and a shopping center.
In spite of the power of the wildfires, there have only been a few injuries. So far, no deaths have been reported. Authorities initially suggested that the fire may have been caused by power lines downed by the wind. But company Xcel Energy reported Friday that none of its power lines in the area where the fire began had been downed, throwing that explanation into question.
Surprisingly, snow began falling on Friday night, helping to put out the fire. But by Saturday, the snow and falling temperatures had begun to cause new problems. Many homes in the area were left with no electricity and no gas for heating. With temperatures around -14℃, water pipes began freezing and breaking in many of the homes that had survived the flames.
Many people are looking at the part the climate crisis played in this disaster. Wildfire season used to run from May to November, but that’s no longer true. Temperatures in the area have been unusually warm since July. Jennifer Balch,who’s a fire scientist,told the Denver Post, “Climate change is definitely a part of this story, in that fire seasons are 1onger.”
1. How many towns were affected by the fires?A.2. | B.3. | C.4. | D.5. |
A.They were put out at the same time. |
B.It hasn’t been clear how they started. |
C.They’re the worst wildfires in Colorado. |
D.No one was injured or killed in the fires. |
A.The wildfire season is shorter than before. |
B.Boulder County is in urgent need of rain. |
C.People are not prepared for extreme weather. |
D.Climate change is to partially blame for the fires. |
A.It never rains but it pours. | B.Save for a rainy day. |
C.Kill two birds with one stone. | D.Prevention is better than cure. |
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【推荐1】On November 8th, a tornado, the most powerful in the past 70 years, hit Jersey, causing great damages to the area and leaving the residents in great panic.
“Suddenly, the windows of the waiting room exploded in and dragged everything inside. My cars have been completely destroyed by branches and fences, and my garden is completely gone. There’s no furniture, no fence; everything has been thrown everywhere. At first there was lightning but then a strange noise and strange darkness came over the whole house. It was like being in a scary scene in the movie The Wizard of Oz,” Ashleigh Quail-Charleston, a Jersey resident, told the Bailiwick Express after the tornado that struck overnight on November 1—2 during Storm Ciaran.
The consequence looked like a bomb had gone off: cars hit, roofs with holes, windows broken. “A huge tree leans drunkenly against a block of flats. Piles of branches are piled optionally and pavements are covered with pieces,” said Chris Stone at BBC Radio Jersey. The tornado was powerful and exceptionally rare, caused by a severe thunderstorm that had sent out intense lightning and huge hailstones described as “ice bombs”. The Tornado and Storm Research Organization (Torro) and Jersey Met Office revealed the tornado left a trail of damages 8 km long across the island, and rated its intensity as T6 on an international scale of tornado power.
According to Torro records, this was the most powerful tornado to strike anywhere in the British Isles or Channel Islands since December 7th, 1954 when a tornado struck west London, leaving tremendous devastation, with Gunnersbury railway station torn apart, roofs torn off houses and one car even thrown through the air.
Tornados during Storm Ciaran also hit Sompting in West Sussex and Loders in Dorset. One resident in Loders, Sophie van Hensbergen, described the moment, saying, “The tornado struck with a very, very powerful whistling sound and the windows looked as though we were in a car wash.”
1. Why is The Wizard of Oz mentioned in paragraph 2?A.To summarize the consequence. | B.To introduce the topic. |
C.To enrich the readers’ knowledge. | D.To help describe the tornado. |
A.How tornado was rated. |
B.What caused the tornado. |
C.How severe the tornado was. |
D.What should be done to prevent the tornado. |
A.Marks. | B.Damages. | C.Memory. | D.Impression. |
A.A news item. | B.A science report. |
C.A movie reviewer. | D.A weather forcast. |
About 85 percent of Alaska’s land surface has permafrost (永久冻结带). Permafrost supports the ground above it—including trees, houses, and roads. But why is the permafrost thawing?
Some scientists say that human-caused pollution is leading to global warming. And most scientists agree that Alaska has been getting warmer. They say that the warmer temperature is causing permafrost to thaw in some areas. The thawing permafrost can cause problems for people, plants, and animals.
The collapsing (倒塌) is a problem in the villages in Alaska which are built on permafrost, and some of them may have to move to safer ground, where there is no permafrost.
The Alaskan town of Glennallen saw its old post office collapse. And, according to James Walters, a permafrost expert at the University of Northern Iowa, house-moving companies have been very busy.
“Melting permafrost can also destroy trees and forests,” Walters said. “When holes in the ground form, trees fall into them and die. This could turn a forest into a swamp (沼泽), and animals which need the forests will have to move elsewhere.”
“The melting could cause severe problems.” Walters says, “This could take hundreds of years, but in the end Alaska will look quite different from what it looks like now.”
1. The main reason why permafrost is thawing is that ______.
A.the temperature in Alaska is rising |
B.people in Alaska don’t take care of permafrost |
C.too many houses are built on permafrost |
D.people in Alaska polluted permafrost |
A.holes form in the ground |
B.a forest will be turned into a swamp |
C.some animals have to go elsewhere |
D.more water will be needed by people and animals |
A.When permafrost melts, houses will fall down. |
B.House-moving companies are busy because their houses are in danger. |
C.To stop permafrost melting is a very difficult problem. |
D.Most of Alaska’s land surface has permafrost. |
A.Alaska—A Frozen Land | B.Pollution and Global Warming |
C.Is Alaska Sinking? | D.Alaska Is Polluted |
【推荐3】Tens of thousands of honeybees in Spain’s Canary Islands can now add “survived a volcano (火山)” to their wish list.
A report on Saturday told the story of five hives (蜂箱) of honeybees that were left unattended after the eruption (爆发) of the Cumbre Vieja volcano in La Palma, which happened on September 19, for about 50 days (their beekeeper had been forced to leave the area). When the beekeeper returned, he found the hives covered in volcanic ash (灰) .
Inside the hives, however, the situation was completely different. To the beekeeper’s surprise, he found tens of thousands of live honeybees, who had managed to carry on despite the heat and harmful gases released by the volcano. They may have also gotten lucky because they were covered with light ash with small holes, which allowed air to pass through the hives.
Not all honeybees on La Palma were so lucky, though. Spanish news service EFE reported that a group of hives closest to the Cumbre Vieja had been covered completely by lava, hot volcano matter, which killed them.
Antonio Quesada, a spokesperson for the GranCanaria Beekeepers Association, said that a key part of the bees’ survival was propolis (蜂胶). Produced by bees, propolis is a sticky thing made from resins (树脂) the insects collect from plants. Often called “bee glue,” propolis is often used to smooth surfaces or cover the space in hives.
Quesada said the La Palma bees managed to seal (密封) themselves inside their hives to protect themselves from the volcanic gases, which can be harmful to people, animals, plants, and buildings. The bees also thought about food an date from the honey stores they had inside their hives.
“It’s unbelievable how such a tiny animal that has been around for hundreds of thousands of years can have that ability to survive,” Quesada said.
That’s not all they did, though. Although they sealed themselves in their hives, they made sure to leave a very small pathway to the outside so they could get out one day.
1. What might the underlined word “unattended” in paragraph 2 mean?A.Dead. | B.Lucky. | C.Alone. | D.Homeless. |
A.His beehives were covered with volcanic ash. |
B.His bees remained alive under the volcanic ash. |
C.His bees warned him of the eruption of the volcano. |
D.His beehives remained unchanged in the volcanic lava. |
A.They’re fearful. | B.They’re unlucky. | C.They’re honest. | D.They’re admirable. |
A.Bees were rescued timely. | B.Bees survived a volcano. |
C.Bees benefited from propolis. | D.A huge volcano happened. |
【推荐1】On Saturday night, a five-person team of the Chinese e-sports club, with the full name EDward Gaming, won the 2021 League of Legends World Championship in Reykjavik, Iceland, beating defending champion Damwon KIA (DK) from South Korea. The live streaming of the championship had over 200 million viewers on two major domestic smartphone apps and other channels.
The team has taken the opportunity to share Chinese culture with the world. At the beginning of the championship, the members of EDG and other staff displayed tai chi, martial arts and traditional Chinese costurnes in Reykjavik, launching a “Chinese hurricane” in the Icelandic capital. Now the posting of photos and videos on social networks have spread that hurricane to the whole world.
With the popularity of digital technology, new forms of cultural exchanges have been appearing, of which e-sports are of the hottest. Unlike texts and videos, e-sports go beyond the barriers of language and are understandable around the world.
Also, e-sports appeal most to those in their early 20s, as shown by the carnival of college students on Saturday night. That in turn makes them a good bridge of communication between Chinese youngsters and their counterparts (同行) around the world. More importantly, thee-sports industry is sustainable (可持续的) in spreading Chinese culture, as the large audiences mean huge commercial potential. In 2020 alone, the sales profit of the domestic e-sports industry went beyond $43.56 billion, and involved 280, 000 companies, which in turn created over 10 million jobs.
As early as 2019, Hainan province announced its ambitious plan of building an international e-sports center. On Nov 5, the Organizing Committee of the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou city, announced it had listed eight e-sports as events in the Games. Both show the strong policy support being given to e-sports.
With more Chinese star gaming clubs and teams appearing, the industry is expected to boom and continue spreading Chinese culture to the world.
1. What can we infer from the news report?A.E-sports play a significant role in bridging cultures between nations. |
B.The number of the viewers around the world reached over 200 million. |
C.There was a severe hurricane in Reykjavik, Iceland on Saturday night. |
D.EDward Gaming has won the LoL World Championship twice on end. |
A.E-sports appealed to people of all ages. |
B.2020 witnessed a turning point of e-sports. |
C.E-sports gave birth to many new companies. |
D.E-sports boosted economic development. |
A.Doubtful. | B.Critical. | C.Positive. | D.Cautious. |
【推荐2】People who cross the street while looking at their phones may be fined in the city of Xiamen, Fujian province, as traffic police officers are enforcing (施行) a local regulation that was put into effect on August 1st.
A pedestrian who was crossing the street on Tuesday while looking at their phone was given a warning, becoming the city’s first to receive a reprimand (训斥) for the behavior.
The Traffic Safety Regulation on Zebra Lines in Xiamen Special Economic Zone, made into a law on Tuesday, states pedestrians should not browse their electronic devices or engage in other activities that may end anger traffic safety while using crossing lanes. Those who violate this rule and delay or stop the progress of the normal passage of vehicles are supposed to be given a warning or a fine of 50 yuan($7).
The regulation was made in response to motions by legislators (立法委员) to the Xiamen people’s congress. “Through putting uncivilized behavior right via legal means, we hope to create a better environment for drivers and pedestrians to better understand and interact with each other,” said Wu Tao, an official at the local congress.
Su Guoqiang, a deputy to the congress among those who raised the motion, said more than 20 percent of traffic accidents in Xiamen happened on crosswalks. “We hope to use the punishment of the ‘small’ act of browsing phones as something to prevent people from doing such a thing,” he told China Central Television.
Peng Chong, a traffic police officer in Xiamen, told CCTV for the time being they will mostly educate and warn violators and make everyone involved in traffic aware of the rules.
1. What does the underlined word “motions” in paragraph 4 mean?A.Formal invitations. | B.Formal features. |
C.Formal proposals. | D.Formal apologies. |
A.The concrete contents of the punishment. |
B.The reason why the motion was put forward. |
C.The reason why people browse phones on crosswalks. |
D.The factors that have an influence on traffic on streets. |
A.Mostly by giving them a ticket. | B.Mostly by giving them a warning. |
C.Mostly by making them recite the law. | D.Mostly by making them catch another violator. |
A.Pedestrians on crosswalk warned not to end anger traffic safety in Xiamen |
B.Xiamen expects drivers and pedestrians to better understand each other |
C.20 percent of traffic accidents in Xiamen happen on crosswalks |
D.Xiamen regulation on crosswalk behavior enters force |
【推荐3】Nine-year-old Abdulwal Abdula lifted his right arm and waved guests goodbye as they left his house. What appeared a simple gesture was only possible because people from different walks of life raced against time to save the boy’s severed right arm more than two years ago.
On April 30, 2021, Abdulwal’s right arm was severed when it got caught in the motor of a running tractor. Realizing the complexity involved in reattaching the arm, the local hospital decided to transfer the boy to the traditional Chinese medicine hospital of Urumqi, about 1,400 kilometers away, for a surgery that had to be performed within eight hours. But by the time Abdulwal was sent to the airport in Hotan, the last flight to Urumqi that night was already on the runway and ready for takeoff.
Everyone knew that if Abdulwal missed the flight he would lose his right arm, and possibly his life. Air traffic control workers immediately contacted the pilots and asked them to wait, while officials at the airport rushed to arrange permission for the plane to return to the terminal and pick up the boy. With permission granted, Abdulwal and his severed arm, packed in a medical bag, were carried onboard. None of the passengers complained about the delay.
Once the plane landed in Urumqi, a series of green channels ensured Abdulwal reached the hospital in the shortest time. The surgery started seven-and-a-half hours after the accident. His severed limb was successfully reattached and the broken bone fragments rearranged.
The story went viral (走红) on social media, touching all people who could not stop praising the efforts made by so many people to save the boy. The extraordinary story inspired a film, Ordinary Hero, in 2022.
Abdulwal said he had watched the movie twice. “It reminds me of how many people have helped me. They aren’t ordinary people, but superheroes to me.” His mother said that the doctor who reattached Abdulwal’s arm often calls to check on him and give advice on recovery. “I want to be a doctor when I grow up, so that I can help others,” Abdulwal said.
1. What was the key factor in the process of rescuing the boy?A.Money. | B.Time | C.Medicine. | D.Information. |
A.He was cured in the local hospital. |
B.He was badly injured in an air crash. |
C.His arm recovered well with joint efforts. |
D.His surgery lasted seven and a half hours. |
A.To offer some help. | B.To ask about his ambition. |
C.To express his sympathy. | D.To check on his recovery. |
A.A news report. | B.A film review. |
C.A medical magazine. | D.A biography. |