Are there any controversial blood sports in your country? In the UK, there’s fox hunting. Officially, it’s illegal but it’s still going on.
The goal of most fox hunts is simple: to track, catch up and, sometimes, kill a fox. A hunt begins when the hounds (猎犬) are “cast”. This is when the dogs are released and start searching in bushes for foxes. When the hounds pick up the smell, they track the fox. If they see it, the chase (追赶) is on and the dogs run after it. The hunt continues until either the fox escapes or is caught and then usually killed by the hounds.
Many people are against fox hunting. Animal rights activists argue that foxes suffer a cruel (残忍的) and violent death. They also say that fox hunting is an activity in which people seem to gain pleasure from cruelty. Others dislike it for being a mostly upper-class sport. Among them was Oscar Wilde, who once described it in 1893 as, “the unspeakable in full chase of the uneatable”.
Supporters of fox hunting say it’s a tradition that’s part of England’s cultural heritage. They also say it plays an important role in country life, and that many jobs depend on fox hunting. Finally, they point out that it’s an important form of pest control that protects the livelihood of farmers, and that the foxes are killed quickly and that it’s much less cruel than using traps or poisons.
But in 2005 everything changed. The Hunting Act came into force, and this effectively banned fox hunting. But it wasn’t easy passing the law. Thousands of people gathered outside the House of Parliament in protest. Now, it is officially illegal, but hunts still take place and more than 1804 hunt groups are still in existence. So, it seems that this England’s tradition just refuses to die.
1. What does the underlined word “controversial” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Large in quantity. | B．Divided in opinion. |
| C．Diverse in form. | D．Similar in nature. |
| A．It could bring a large number of jobs for farmers. |
| B．It was a blood sport where foxes were killed cruelly. |
| C．It could give people greater pleasure than expected. |
| D．It was a meaningless activity the upper class preferred. |
| A．The purpose in passing the law about fox hunting. |
| B．The difficulty in carrying out the ban on fox hunting. |
| C．The change of people’s attitudes towards fox hunting. |
| D．The importance of keeping the tradition of fox hunting. |
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【推荐1】When an animal species is considered endangered, it means that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has evaluated it as nearly extinct, which means that a majority of its population has already died off and the rate of birth is lower than the species’death rate. Today, more and more animal and plant species are on the way to extinction because of a variety of major factors that cause a species to become endangered, and as you might expect, humans play a role in quite a few of them — in fact, the biggest threat to endangered animals is human encroachment (侵入) on their habitats.
Every species needs a habitat, where an animal finds food, raises its young. Unfortunately, humans destroy animal habitats in a number of different ways: building houses, clearing forests to get lumber and to plant crops, draining rivers to bring water to those crops, and making streets and parking lots.
In addition, human development pollutes the environment with all kinds of chemicals, which destroys food sources and shelters for the creatures and plants of that area. As a result, some species die out while others are pushed into areas where they can’t find food and shelters — to make matters worse, when one animal population suffers, it affects many other species in its food web, so more than one species’population is likely to decrease.
Habitat destruction is the number one reason for animal endangerment, which is why conservation groups work hard to repair the effects of human developments — many non-profit groups like the Nature Conservancy are taking measures to clean up coastlines and establish nature preserves to prevent further harm to native environments and species around the world.
1. A species is considered endangered________.| A．when the IUCN has noticed its population change | B．when most of its population has died off |
| C．when the species’ birth rate is close to its death rate | D．when the species is losing its habitat |
| A．Gas. | B．Food. | C．Chemicals. | D．Wood. |
| A．Calling for human development. | B．Raising money. |
| C．Establishing nature preserves. | D．Educating people. |
| A．Habitat destruction causes animal endangerment. | B．Animals die out due to environment pollution. |
| C．Measures need to be taken to increase species. | D．Non-profit groups are making great contributions. |
【推荐2】Long ago, many people had gardens. Fewer people were interested in having gardens. But in the past few years, this has begun to change. More people are starting to make gardens again. People of all ages are learning the joy of planting. Maybe you would like to start your own garden. It’s easier than you may think.
The first step is making some choices. What sort of plants do you like? What do you want to grow? Many people have flower gardens. People grow these gardens for the way that they look. They are pretty to look at. Flowers can have many shapes and many colors. Other people grow food in their gardens. They grow fruits and vegetables. These gardens are helpful. Some people like both types of gardens, so they have flowers and food.
After you choose the type of garden you want, you’ll need a good location for it. The best place for a small garden is in a yard. One of the most important things to look for is sun. Always put your garden in a sunny spot. You should also put your garden in a place that is easy to get to. And you will want to put flowers in a place where everyone can see them. Each kind of plant is different. Once you choose the plants you want, you have to learn a little about them. Some plants grow best in spring. Others should be planted in summer. A few plants grow all year long. Choose when you will do your planting. Then choose the best plants to grow.
I’m sure you will enjoy your garden. Gardens can be very pretty. What’s nicer than seeing bright flowers all around you? You can also grow many kinds of great foods. Some people say food they grow themselves tastes better. Best of all, gardens are just plain fun.
1. Which is TRUE according to the first two paragraphs?| A．Some people feel it joyful planting gardens now. |
| B．You should first decide what to plant before starting your own garden. |
| C．Flowers and food can’t be planted together. |
| D．People grow food in their garden to appreciate. |
| A．Choosing location. | B．Planting flowers. |
| C．Growing food. | D．Buying fruits and vegetables. |
| A．An easy place to go to. | B．In your yard. |
| C．In a dark place. | D．In a sunny spot. |
| A．To explain what plants to grow. | B．To tell people how to start a garden. |
| C．To ask people for ideas about gardens. | D．To encourage people to grow their own food. |
【推荐3】Living in a city can be stressful. But some people in Bogota, Columbia have found a place to help ease stress and get a peaceful break from busy life. The place is a protected park for hummingbirds (蜂鸟) .
The park sits at the top of Monserrate Hill, east of the city, in a place known as the Paramuno corridor. The area contains a forest that has turned into a peaceful place for both people and birds. As the hummingbirds fly from flower to flower, some people study the animals through binoculars. Others take pictures with cameras or phones. “Sometimes it doesn’t seem real because we are close to a city of eight million citizens who produce noise every day,” said Camilo Cantor, a caretaker in the park. His job is to mix water and sugar that is put in bird feeders along a 300-meter path. Cantor explains, “You can hear noise from the city, the generation of pollution and aggressiveness.” But, he adds, the park is a special place, like an oasis. It is a place where people can go to release stress and forget about the pressures of city life.
Visitors to the park can see between 25 to 35 different species of birds, Cantor said. Ten years ago, the hill was completely deforested, meaning there were not any trees left on it. But workers began to replant local trees and flowers to bring the forest back to life. Presently, there are 115 species of birds, including 18 kinds of hummingbirds and some migratory (迁移的) species. Hummingbirds are only found on the American continent and Columbia is home to many different kinds.
1. What can you learn about the park in Paragraph 2?| A．It sits east of the Paramuno corridor. | B．It is in the charge of Camilo Cantor. |
| C．It annoys the people with lots of noise. | D．It is a peaceful place for people and birds. |
| A．To inform the readers of the development of a park in Columbia. |
| B．To encourage readers to live in harmony with the hummingbirds. |
| C．To introduce a park where people can ease stress and get relaxed. |
| D．To compare the past and the present situation of the hummingbirds. |
| A．Life. | B．Economy. | C．Entertainment. | D．Education. |
【推荐1】Good afternoon, and welcome to England. We hope that your visit here will be a pleasant one. Today, I would like to draw your attention to a few of our laws.
The first one is about drinking. Now, you may not buy alcohol (酒) in this country if you are under 18 years of age, nor may your friends buy it for you.
Secondly, noise. Enjoy yourselves by all means, but please don’t make unnecessary noise, particularly at night. We ask you to respect other people who may wish to be quiet.
Thirdly, crossing the road. Be careful! The traffic moves on the left side of the road in this country. Use pedestrian crossings (人行横道) and do not take any chances when crossing the road.
My next point is about litter (throwing away waste material in a public place). It is an offence (违法行为) to drop litter in the street. When you have something to throw away, please put it in your pocket and take it home, or put it in a litter bin.
Finally, as regards something, it is against the law to buy cigarettes or tobacco (烟草) if you are under 16 years of age.
I’d like to finish by saying that if you require any sort of help or assistance, you should contact your local police station, who will be pleased to help you.
Now, are there any questions?
1. How many laws are there discussed in the speech?| A．Three. | B．Four. | C．Five. | D．Six. |
| A．get along with | B．join | C．report | D．get in touch with |
| A．in this country, if you are under 18 years of age, you may not buy alcohol, but your friend can buy it for you |
| B．you may not buy cigarettes or tobacco unless you are above 16 years of age |
| C．because the traffic moves on the left side of the road, you must use pedestrian crossings, when crossing the road |
| D．you can’t make noise except at night |
| A．A policeman. | B．A worker at a hotel. | C．A lawyer. | D．An air hostess (空姐). |
【推荐2】Moving to Orange County
If you're thinking of moving to Orange County, with its wealth of sandy beaches, wineries and tourist attractions then there’re several things that you’ll need to know.
Visas for the US
The US has a number of options, and if you are relocating due to work commitments or family ties, you’ll be alongside the majority of applicants.
A green card holder, for instance, can apply for an immigration visa for a spouse（配偶）or (unmarried) child. A US employer can apply on behalf of a non-national person, and there are five preference categories for companies sponsoring immigration visas, the majority of which require exceptional skills, master’s training or experience of a particular profession. If you are being sponsored by an employer, your spouse and any child under the age of 21 can apply for immigration visas alongside you.
Temporary worker visas, on the other hand, are typically easier, but still not necessarily easy, to obtain and allow for limited stays.
Finding accommodation
The three largest cities in the county are Anaheim, an industrial center, Santa Ana,10 miles from the coast with a perfect safety record, and Irvine, an wealthy planned city with a number of highly regarded schools. If you’re looking for a metropolitan lifestyle, expect to pay an average of 1,600 USD in rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center, rising to 2,900 USD a month for a family-size, three-bedroom apartment; an approximate 600 USD premium（溢价）on similar apartments outside of the city center.
If you would like to settle outside of a city, there are a number of suburbs in Orange County with plenty to offer young professionals and families. Perhaps one of the most renowned is Newport Beach, noted as one of the cleanest beaches in the county and famous for its many restaurants and fantastic schools. If you’re looking for an inland town, Aliso Viejo is an excellent option. This compact（紧凑的）town is easy to navigate and is ideal for young families.
1. If you want to get a US immigration visa, you must meet one of the requirements that ________.| A．you should have an unmarried child |
| B．your employer should be a non-national person |
| C．your spouse should be a lawful permanent resident |
| D．you should be qualified for five immigrant visa preference categories |
| A．a settler’s sponsor | B．a settler’s professional level |
| C．a settler’s company location | D．a settler’s needs and the type of lifestyle |
【推荐3】He has been called France’s youngest leader since Napoleon Bonaparte. Emmanuel Macron, age 39, swept to victory in France’s second-round of presidential election which was held on May 7, 2017. He defeated Marine Le Pen by a large margin of 62% of votes. He was inaugurated (就职) as President.
Both of Macron’s parents were doctors, and he attended one of the most prestigious (有声望的) schools in France, Lycee Henri Ⅳ. From there, he became an investment banker and economy minister. Unlike the other presidential candidates, he has always worked outside of the government.
In April 2016, he created his own political movement, called En Marche! (On the Move!), recruiting (招募) more than 20,000 members. His party’s ideals were neither right-or left-winged, but more independent. As his party became more and more successful, Macron began to think about presidency, something he’d always been interested in. In November 2016, he announced his decision to run in the 2017 election.
Macron’s campaign relied on his political movement. He struggled to win votes from both parties in France, as well as from the working class. In addition, he was the only candidate that was pro-EU, or supportive of European Union.
While in office, Macron’s biggest focus will be on improving the economy. A total of €50 billion will be dedicated to job training and creating green and sustainable energy. Macron also plans to cut down on corporate taxes, improve the public education system, and lower the unemployment rate by 2.7%.
Following the election is the selection of the president’s cabinet (内阁). The Prime Minister position was given to Edouard Philippe, mayor of Northern Le Havre. However, Macrons cabinet is surprising—one France has never seen before: a gender-balanced cabinet. Out of the 22 seats available, 11 will be taken by women and 11 will be filled by men. This percentage is much higher than other European countries.
With each change of leadership come new ideals and changes to the country. Macron needs a parliament (议会) that will support his hopes and dreams for the future of France.
1. What did Macron work as before the election?| A．A manager. | B．A teacher. |
| C．A doctor. | D．A banker. |
| A．founded his party for presidency | B．had no interest in politics before election |
| C．was on behalf of the working class | D．was a supporter of EU |
| A．Economy. | B．Politics. |
| C．The private education system. | D．The gender discrimination. |
| A．Its members are all from his party. |
| B．It has more women members than other European countries. |
| C．Most of its members are men. |
| D．It has chosen a woman as the prime minister. |
【推荐1】Known as the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Chinese Moon Festival is an important and favorite holiday for Chinese people around the world. The Chinese Moon Festival is a joyous time for family, friends, and couples to reunite under a full moon.
Moon Festival Legends
Known as Zhongqiu Jie in Chinese, the Moon Festival dates back over 3,000 years. Many legends have developed over the years. Most stories are based on the idea that the goddess Chang’e lives on the moon. One story suggests that the moon goddess was the wife of a legendary archer(弓箭手) who was ordered to shoot down all of the suns in the sky except one. After accomplishing the task, he was given an immortality(不死) pill as a reward. His wife found and took the pill instead, then later flew to the moon, where she lives now.
What to Expect During the Chinese Moon Festival
The Chinese Moon Festival is a time to take a needed break from work, reunite with family and friends, and pay respect to the full moon with poems and by eating mooncakes. Couples take full advantage of the Moon Festival as a romantic time to sit under a full moon while sharing cakes. Many shops and businesses may be closed in celebration of the holiday; transportation options may be full or limited.
1. The purpose of this article is ________.| A．to introduce the Chinese Moon Festival |
| B．to describe what to do on the Moon Festival |
| C．to imply that the Chinese like the Moon Festival |
| D．to show that the Moon Festival is the most important festival |
| A．To take a pill given to him as a reward. | B．To make only one sun stay in the sky. |
| C．To give his legendary wife a good lesson. | D．To show his wife how brave he was. |
| A．they all stay out all night to enjoy the full moon |
| B．they get together with their families and friends |
| C．they prefer to travel with their sweethearts |
| D．they like to go shopping |
【推荐2】Earthquakes are something that people fear. There are some places that have few or no earthquakes. Some places in the world, however, have them regularly. Countries that have a lot of earthquakes are usually quite mountainous.
The most talked about earthquake in the United States was in San Francisco in 1906. Over 700 people died in it. The strongest one in North America was in1964. It happened in Alaska.
Strong earthquakes are not always the ones that kill the most people. In 1755, one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded was felt in Portugal. Around 2,000 people died.
In 1923, a very strong earthquake hit Tokyo, Yokohama area of Japan. A hundred and forty thousand people died. Most of them died in fires which followed the earthquake.
One of the worst earthquakes ever was in China in 1976. It killed a large number of people. The worst earthquake ever reported was also in China, in which 830, 000 people were killed. This earthquake happened in 1556.
Earthquakes worry people a lot. The reason is that we often do not know when they are coming. People cannot prepare for them.
1. We can infer from the passage that .| A．people are not afraid of earthquakes |
| B．only strong earthquakes kill a large number of people |
| C．earthquakes happen only in a few places along the coast |
| D．a large number of earthquakes often happen next to mountains |
| A．500. | B．About 2,000. |
| C．830,000. | D．140,000. |
| A．1964 ; Alaska. | B．1923; Japan. |
| C．1556; China. | D．1976; China. |
| A．Earthquakes can cause fires. |
| B．Earthquakes often come unexpectedly. |
| C．The stronger the earthquake is, the more are killed. |
| D．People still don’t know when an earthquake will come. |
【推荐3】On August 14, 2021, Haiti was hit by a7.2 magnitude(级数)earthquake. The quake destroyed thousands of buildings, injured over 5,700 people, and left at least 1,297 others dead. Haiti has declared a state of emergency(紧急情况).
The earthquake struck near the town of Petit Trou de Nippes, in the western part of the country. That’s roughly 125 kilometers west of the capital, Port-au-Prince. The earthquake did serious damage in two nearby cities, Les Cayes and Jeremie, with Les Cayes hit the hardest. Homes, schools, churches, and offices were seriously damaged.
The number of injured people was so high that local hospitals have been unable to keep up. A number of medical workers at the general hospital in Les Cayes were themselves trapped in a building. Across the area, people were searching through the rubble(废墟) for survivors. But the earthquake also caused landslides(塌方), making the job even more difficult. There have been many aftershocks—smaller quakes which follow the main earthquake. With many buildings damaged by the earthquake, it’s not certain whether the buildings still standing in the area are safe. Many people are choosing to sleep outside rather than taking the risk of sleeping in a building.
Haiti has still not fully returned to normal from a 7.0 magnitude earthquake which destroyed much of Port-au-Prince and killed over 200,000 people in 2010. The country suffered again in 2016, when it was pounded(袭击) by Hurricane Matthew, which caused huge damage in Haiti. Storm Grace is expected to reach Haiti on Monday, bringing heavy rainfall with it.
Several countries have offered to help Haiti. The government says the country won’t officially ask for outside help until it is clear how much damage there is in all. But Haiti is not a rich country, and the government may not have the money for major efforts to rebuild the damaged areas.
1. Which was worst affected by this year’s earthquake?| A．Port-au-Prince. | B．Jeremie. | C．Les Cayes. | D．Petit Trou de Nippes. |
| A．Dealing with landslides. | B．Searching for survivors. |
| C．Observing aftershocks. | D．Doing building safety-checks. |
| A．It has begun to rebuild after this year’s earthquake. |
| B．It has just recovered from the 2010 earthquake. |
| C．It suffered from two kinds of hurricanes in 2016. |
| D．It has experienced serious disasters in recent years. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Favored. | C．Cautious. | D．Disapproving. |
