Dozens of sea turtles swim past as I dive. Suddenly a diver cuts me off. Then another. “Hey!” I think. “Watch where you’re going!” Then I realize: These aren’t divers. They are sea lions! The creatures blow bubbles at me and the group of 11 kids I’m on vocations with, hitting us slightly on our backs. Not to bother them much, we tear ourselves away from the wonderland.
We take this trip to the Galapagos Islands, a group of tropical islands crossing the equator. Our hotel is a boat called the Eclipse that has a pool. Humans aren’t allowed to live on most of the islands. The only way people can experience the magic of this place and meet animals on all the islands is by “panga”. “Our small motorboat is more important than the Eclipse. It’s very safe,” says a local guide, Fielsch. Lack of human threat makes the animals friendly. “They don’t know enough to be scared of humans.” Our group experience that firsthand. When we return after our diving adventure, we find sea lions lying next to our-backpacks! Walking along the sand, we see more wildlife: seals, red crabs, orcas.
The following morning, we reach Fernandina Island, known for its volcano. Flightless birds called cormorants build nests on the rocks. Nearby are Galapagos penguins. Averaging about 19 inches in height, they’re the second smallest species of penguin in the world. “The Galapagos are so curious,” says 12-year-old Harry. “You’ve got penguins living far from the frozen South Pole, and birds that don’t fly!”
As we ride back, six penguins stand like soldiers, seeming to say goodbye. It’s our last day; none of us wants to leave this place. We know this trip has been a milestone for us. A marked shift in our attitudes towards the natural world is underway. “The Galapagos Islands seem to break the world’s rules,” says Harry. “More than ever, I’m interested in saving the environment. These animals truly need our care,” his sister Hannnah adds.
1. How does the author find the diving experience?| A．Appealing. |
| B．Disturbing. |
| C．Dangerous. |
| D．Valuable. |
| A．To protect people from danger. |
| B．To provide a shelter for local people. |
| C．To guide people in seeing the animals. |
| D．To transport people to each of the islands. |
| A．They are not able to fly. |
| B．They remain hidden from view. |
| C．They live in a tropical climate. |
| D．They’re the smallest of their kind. |
| A．It expands their knowledge of the world. |
| B．It changes the way they think about nature. |
| C．It inspires them to protect the environment. |
| D．It enables them to interact with various wildlife. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Travelling offers endless benefits in terms of adventure, as well as getting the opportunity to experience new and unfamiliar things around the world.
It can reduce stress. Let's talk about the big one first, stress. It comes in many different forms, and it is something that we all experience. Life can throw all kinds of things at you, causing stress and worry.
It can strengthen immune system.
It can increase activity. Travelling does require a lot of movement, so you will stay active, which is always good news for your body. Being more active means your heart rate is increased, your body is able to burn fat quicker, and your circulation can improve. However, do take caution not to overuse yourself, as it can take the enjoyment out of travelling.
| A．It can change attitude. |
| B．So let it happen naturally. |
| C．It can increase creativity. |
| D．So you should start to save for the next travelling. |
| E．However, travelling can help to relieve these feelings. |
| F．In addition, travelling also brings countless health benefits. |
| G．If you are someone who falls ill often, travelling may benefit you. |
【推荐2】Some places in the world have strange laws. It’s important for you to know about them before going there.
Whoever likes to chew gum (口香糖) may have to leave Singapore. The government really wants to keep the city clean and will fine you for chewing gum.
Before you leave for the United Arab Emirates you’d better make sure you aren’t visiting during Ramadan (斋月). During that time you aren’t allowed to eat or drink in public. Tourists have been fined up to $275 for drinking in public.
Lovers spend so much time kissing each other goodbye at train stations that trains often start late. This law---no kissing your lover goodbye at train stations---is rather old, and isn’t in use today in France.
In Thailand it’s against the law to drive a car or motorcycle without a shirt on, no matter how hot it is. Punishments are different in different areas and can include warnings and tickets costing about $10. No joke ---the local police will stop you.
Studies in Denmark have shown that cars with their headlights on are more noticeable by other drivers than those with their headlights off. Drivers there are required to leave their headlights on even during the day, or they may face a fine up to $100.
Do you often buy things using coins? Don’t do it in Canada. The Currency Law of 1985 doesn’t allow using only coins to buy things. Even the use of the dollar-coin is limited (受限制的). The shop owner has the right to choose whether to take your coins or not.
Make sure you know about these laws before your next trip. Better safe than sorry.
1. What is mainly talked about in the text?| A．How to make your trip around the world safe. |
| B．Some strange laws you should know about for your trip. |
| C．Interesting places you can go to around the world. |
| D．Why there are strange laws in the world. |
| A．the police will play a joke on you |
| B．the police will give you tickets costing about $10 |
| C．you should wear your shirt even though it’s hot |
| D．you should always keep your headlights on |
| A．You can turn your headlights off in daytime in Denmark. |
| B．Kissing goodbye at train stations isn’t allowed in France today. |
| C．Tourists in the United Arab Emirates shouldn’t eat in public. |
| D．The Singaporean government cares a lot about its environment. |
【推荐3】As a child, Cruz Avila walked through the forest every day in central Mexico’s Amanalco-Vall de Bravo Basin. She would pick wood and medicinal plants. She also learned to find birds and identify the different trees near her home. Avila learned that listening to a waterfall is a good medicine for the soul and the body.
Several months ago, she and other residents decided to make these walks an attraction for tourists. Their goal is to create a source of income, preserve the forest and support responsible medicine for the soul tourism. In 2021, Avila and other community members attended training as nature guides.
In recent years, residents of the forest communities have suffered from tourism that’s not environmentally sustainable (可持续的). In early April 2022, the communities officially presented their alliance (联盟). One of the people presenting it was Avila, and her voice echoed (附和) the feelings shared by many who are part of this project. “To us, forests are our home,” she said. “We want to take care of them as we take care of our home. We invite hikers and tourists to come to see our house, to get to know and enjoy this place with respect and care.”
Avila said her community has developed a sustainable tourism plan based on hiking and workshops. They also plan to have a viewing platform ready by 2023.
Avila said she plans to start promoting her hiking project, “I’m going to take visitors to a place called El Caballero, and halfway through, with the other neighbors, we’ll offer them a workshop on making pulque and bread,” she said. Pulque is a drink made from a plant that grows in the region.
She believes the tourism project will receive support from visitors. She thinks it will be especially popular with those who are eager to help protect the forests and want to learn about forest communities.
1. Why does the author describe Avila’s childhood in paragraph 1?| A．To explain the source of medicine. |
| B．To prove the importance of the forest. |
| C．To introduce the lifestyle of local teens. |
| D．To memorize the good days of children. |
| A．Sustainable rural tourism. |
| B．Respect for the local culture. |
| C．The restoration of destroyed forests. |
| D．The end of some tourism companies. |
| A．An experience of identifying trees |
| B．A chance to swim in a lake |
| C．A permission to pick medicinal plants. |
| D．A workshop to make pulque and bread. |
| A．Memorizing the Good Days in the Forests |
| B．Showing Respect for the Traveling Routes |
| C．Promoting Sustainable tourism to Protect the Forests |
| D．Developing the Local Traveling Business |
【推荐1】One day this early summer, Richard Browning headed to his farmyard in the English countryside. He attached a kerosene-fueled micro gas turbine(燃气涡轮)-effectively a small version of a plane engine-to each of his arms and legs. Then he carefully pressed the trigger in his right hand.
For months Browning had been working on this secret project. Now the moment of truth had arrived. In the modest surroundings of the UK countryside, “Wiltshire’s Iron Man” took to the sky. Sort of.
Browning’s first lift-off was short and clumsy. For a few seconds, he hovered(盘旋) half a metre off the ground, landing with an uncontrolled stop as clouds of dust blew up around him. But it was, unmistakably, flight. “That was the very first moment we properly proved this would work,” he says. “That was it.”
Two and a half years ago, 38-year-old Browning decided he wanted to fly. Human-powered flight was, he knew, “a very strange field”. Nonetheless, it fascinated him. He tried gliding with wings and electric fan motors, working weekends and evenings. Then he had an inspiration-what if he fastened a jet engine to his body and built a real-life version of Tony Stark’s iconic suit?
Nine months since his first test flight and Browning’s intuition has paid off. His suit is a light exoskeleton attached to six gas turbines with a combined thrust(推力) of 130 kilograms. His feet are covered by ultra-light snake-bite resistant walking boots imported from the US. And his flights, from a few seconds, now last as long as twelve minutes.
The suit can travel at a speed of up to 450 kilometres an hour, although Browning hasn’t tested it to anywhere near full capacity. It is constantly improving. Working with a company that had created augmented reality(增强现实) swimming goggles, Browning has developed a holographic lens “genuinely like a heads-up display fighter system”. With this in place, he’ll be able to monitor his fuel levels. He’s full of plans for future enhancements: automated balancing systems; 3D-printed arm mounts; flexible LCD screens “so it will go invisible at the touch of a button”.
Browning says the suit, which he calls Daedalus after the legendary Greek inventor, is stable and simple to control. But it is an augmentation of human ability, not a personal helicopter.
“To me, that makes a lot of sense of where I’ve gone with my career and my life”, says Browning. Fulfilling an ancient dream: a fragile human body, rising slowly into the air.
1. What did Browning do in his first lift-off?| A．He glided with wings. | B．He wore Tony Stark’s suit. |
| C．He met technical problems. | D．He made an awkward landing. |
| A．It contains six micro gas turbines. | B．It is attached to electric fan motors. |
| C．It is ultra-light snake-bite resistant. | D．It has automated balancing systems. |
| A．Curious and generous. | B．Passionate and creative. |
| C．Cooperative and honest. | D．Ambitious and faithful. |
【推荐2】Cindy, my dog, was six years old when my son Tony was born. And she was immediately very protective over him. We lived near a busy road. As my son was too young, we were super vigilant for fear that he should go out of the front door.
Cindy knew that our son wasn’t allowed to go through the front door without us, so whenever Tony touched the front door handle, she would push him back. One morning, around 4 am, our son somehow managed to “escape” through his bedroom window, and Cindy had to follow.
At 5 am, the police woke us knocking on the door. They said, “Your son was nearly killed but the dog saved him.” They then repeated what the truck driver had said.
He told them that he was driving along in the dark and in the distance he could see something “light coloured” moving on the road. As he got closer, he could see a dog at the side of the road barking at it. At the last moment, he realized that it was a child and was about to change the direction. The dog was still barking, glancing(扫视) between the truck and the child. While the driver was braking(刹车), the dog ran out into the road, jumped at the child’s back and threw him out of the path of the truck. At the same time, the truck hit the dog and she was killed.
The driver said that he’d never believe what he saw unless it was with his own eyes. He thought that the dog definitely knew the danger, which was why she was barking so anxiously. He said “that dog just saved that kid’s life and it knew what it was doing.”
That was 39 years ago and I still miss Cindy every day.
1. Which of the following is the closest in meaning to the underlined word “vigilant”?| A．Careful. | B．Desperate. |
| C．Upset. | D．Confident. |
| A．An on-duty policeman. |
| B．A frightened dog. |
| C．A moving light. |
| D．A small child. |
| A．Serious and fierce. |
| B．Brave and loyal. |
| C．Helpful and mild. |
| D．Quiet and cute. |
| A．A Terrible Accident |
| B．A Dangerous Escape |
| C．A Barking Hero |
| D．A Careless Driver |
【推荐3】A group of sweaty kids ran around a field last week at Total Soccer Arena in Landover, Maryland. They talked not only in English, but also in Pashto, Arabic and other languages.
What made them different is that all of the kids are refugees(难民). They were playing as part of a camp that gives them a chance to develop their soccer skills and to meet other kids who had to start over their lives in the United States. The camp is run by an organisation called L.A.C.E.S., which stands for Life And Change Experienced thru Sports. The group uses soccer to help bring together communities that have experienced hardships.
Seren Fryatt got the idea for L.A.C.E.S. while playing on a women’s soccer team in Liberia, an African country that had been at war with itself for 14 years. Fryatt, who’s from Muncie, Indiana, saw that soccer brought joy to the Liberian women on her team, even though their lives off the field were very difficult. After starting a soccer programme for kids in Liberia, she decided to start a similar camp in Maryland, where she moved in 2015. Coaches volunteer their time, and the costs are paid mostly by donations. This year, 95 kids signed up.
The camp, for ages 9 to 14, is split(分开) between training that helps kids develop skills, such as passing and ball control, and meeting where they discuss life skills. One of the coaches, Louisa Pitney, said she likes seeing how the kids grow just from being together.
At the end of the camp’s last day, all the kids gathered in the middle of the field. Fryatt asked them to raise their hands and say what they had learned that week. Some kids talked about soccer skills—one girl said she’d learned not to use her hands; a boy said he'd learned how to score a goal.
When a coach called one shy girl, she smiled before answering in a soft voice.
“Celebrate each other,” she said.
1. What was special about the kids in the field?| A．They couldn’t speak English. | B．They had faced hardships. |
| C．They hadn’t been to America before. | D．They were attending an international soccer match. |
| A．A soccer programme for kids. | B．The long-term war in Liberia. |
| C．A women’s soccer team in Liberia. | D．Coaches’ volunteer work. |
| A．It gives coaches great pay. | B．It was started for girls only. |
| C．It was organised in Liberia first. | D．It teaches life skills as well as soccer skills. |
| A．How to work with others. | B．How to speak in public. |
| C．How to make friends. | D．How to praise others. |
