My first dependant was a duck called Mr. Kite. As a cream-faced four-year-old, it was my job at the nursery to turn the eggs in the incubator (恒温箱) every day: one side “O”, the other side “X”.
We lived in a small, inner-city house with a long, thin garden in east Oxford at the time. As a gentle-hearted vet's (兽医的) daughter, my mum couldn't resist adopting these ducks. I named them Buttercup, Mr. Kite and Drakey. We made them a pond. The bottom was a mosaic (马赛克) made from all the bits of plate and cup that had been broken during family rows. Within 30 seconds,the pond was so full of duck droppings that we never saw the mosaic again.
One of the most magical moments during my caring for ducks was the night it snowed. Mum, over whelmed by pity and grandmotherly concern, insisted that Mr. Kite and her friends — yes, Mr. Kite was female — be spared another freezing night in the wooden house my dad had built for them at the end of the garden; we caught them, flapping and shouting, and brought them in to sleep in the kitchen.Have you ever seen three ducks go wild in a tiny kitchen? It was one of the best moments of my childhood. It smelled like the underside of hell's socks by the time they had left.
I used to spend my summers lazing in a swimming pool with Mr. Kite and the others. Eventually, though, our neighbour complained that they were being woken at 4:45 a.m.. So, the feathered three went to live with an old couple in the country. Fair enough — you don't move to the city to have the dawn torn apart by quacking — although it must have made a change from student parties and the sound of 19-year-olds being sick by the bins.
I wonder now if this early experience of duck adoption is the reason that, at least three times a week, what ever the weather, you will find me swimming in the Thames or a nearby lake with the ducks. Although they never say hello.
1. Why were there marks of “O” and “X” on eggs?| A．To have fun. | B．To count the eggs. |
| C．To tell sides apart. | D．To distinguish males from females. |
| A．Family preference. |
| B．A nursery assignment. |
| C．The mother's occupation. |
| D．Neighbour' support. |
| A．The ducks' smells drove the author mad. |
| B．The energetic ducks brought much pleasure. |
| C．The ducks were hard to feed in cold weather. |
| D．The ducks were offered luxury accommodation. |
| A．Rejecting firmly. | B．Ignoring deliberately. |
| C．Explaining patiently. | D．Accepting unwillingly. |
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【推荐1】A new research shows human activity is changing the sound of the Earth's oceans and seas. Scientists say the sound changes of our oceans, seas, and other waterways affect many marine (海洋的) animals - from very small shrimps to huge whales.
Sound travels very far underwater, Francis Juanes, an ecologist at the University of Victoria in Canada, told the Associated Press. For fish, he explained, sound is probably a better way to sense their environment than light. Sounds help fish and other marine animals survive and communicate with each other. Sounds also help some ocean animals find food and avoid their hunters.
However, increased noise from humans is making it harder for these animals to hear each other. The noise is coming from shipping traffic, underwater exploration, and other noisy human activities. For many marine animals, their attempts to communicate are being masked by sounds that humans have produced. Experts explain that masking happens when one or more noises in the water block sound important to a marine animal's living. The overall number of marine animals has gone down by about half since 1970. Some studies show the stress from human noise might also affect the immune system as well as reproductive health or behavior. Imagine having to raise your kids in a place that's noisy all the time," said Joe Roman, a marine ecologist at the University of Vermont.
"When people think of problems facing the ocean, we often think of climate change, plastics, and overfishing. But noise pollution is another thing we need to be monitoring. Sound pollution may be easier to deal with than other ocean problems," Scientist Juanes says. "If we make something for the ocean, think about how to make it quieter."
1. Why is sound underwater important for ocean animals?| A．It changes with light. | B．It helps them judge and contact. |
| C．It travels very fast. | D．It guides fishermen to find where they are. |
| A．Underwater exploration must be stopped. |
| B．Kids exposed to noise can’t be healthy. |
| C．Human noise brings stress to marine animals. |
| D．Marine animals have got used to sound changes. |
| A．To introduce the principle of sounds. |
| B．To draw attention to ocean noise. |
| C．To show the effects of human activities。 |
| D．To share a method of studying oceans. |
| A．How to protect marine animals. |
| B．What is the main cause of sea pollution. |
| C．How to keep the number of marine animals. |
| D．What to do to reduce sound pollution in the ocean. |
【推荐2】We're so attached to plastic, but we're careless consumers. Waste plastic is entering our ecosystems and food chains with untold consequences. Cleaning up our polluted world of plastic may seem a noble, but thankless task. However, some people are seeing economic opportunity in the mission.
Plastic Bank, a social enterprise from Canada, is monetizing plastic recycling while empowering those most affected by the waste. It works to prevent waste plastic from entering oceans by encouraging people in developing countries to collect plastic from their communities in exchange for cash, food, clean water or school tuition for their children. After collection, plastic is weighed, sorted, chipped, melted into balls and sold on as“raw material”to be made into everything from bottles for cleaning products to clothing.
“I saw in large quantities; I saw an opportunity,”CEO David Katz told the audience at the Sustainable Brands Oceans conference in Porto, Portugal on November 14.“We reveal the value in this material,”he added.
Plastic Bank was founded in 2013 and launched on the ground operations in 2014 in Haiti, the poorest country in the Western, Hemisphere, where close to 60% of the population live under the poverty line. As result of poor waste disposal and recycling infrastructure (基础设施)，plastic waste enters rivers or is burned and poses the health threats to the local residents.
The company says i has over 2,000 collectors working in the country, with its full- time collectors on average 63% above the poverty line thanks to the income they make from the project. Through its app based payment system, many collectors now have bank accounts for the first time, and are able to ultimately escape ultra poverty.
“Nothing we're doing is against the laws of physics,”said Katz. “All the technology exists for us to solve and save the world. It's only creative thought.”
1. What is Plastic Bank aimed to do?| A．Test out creative ideas. |
| B．Discover new material. |
| C．Promote plastic recycling. |
| D．Stop people using plastic. |
| A．Purchasing- collecting—recycling. |
| B．Exchanging collecting—purchasing. |
| C．Collecting- exchanging—reproducing. |
| D．Persuading consuming—reproducing. |
| A．Haiti attaches great importance to recycling. |
| B．Many locals benefit greatly from the project. |
| C．Collecting is an efficient way to recycle waste. |
| D．The project has solved unemployment in Haiti: |
| A．Companies stand to ban plastic consumption |
| B．Technology finds its way to kick off poverty |
| C．David Katz speaks at the conference in Porto |
| D．Plastic Bank is fighting against plastic waste |
【推荐3】When Ariel Cordova-Rojas reached Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, New York, last November, she planned to go hiking and bird-watching. A mile into her walk, she spotted a beautiful female mute swan (抚鼻天鹅) near the water's edge. Cordova-Rojas,who had worked at the Wild Bird Fund recovery center in Manhattan, knew that swans can be aggressive. But strangely, as she approached this one, it didn't move. So she was certain that the bird was ill and needed medical attention. Cordova-Rojas put her jacket over the bird's head to keep it calm, carefully picked it up, and held it in her arms. And then a thought struck her: What do I do now?
Her best bet was the Wild Bird Fund recovery center, but that was on the other side of town. How was she going to transport a 17-pound swan on foot all that way? Luckily, a stranger offered her a bike and then she took the swan to a nearby subway station by bike.
On the subway, no one seemed to be astounded by the feathered passenger. “Even one guy, who was sitting right in front of me, just gave the swan a calm glance,” says Cordova-Rojas.
Cordova-Rojas called the recovery center, and Tristan Higginbotham, an animal-care manager, picked her up at the subway station and drove the bird to the recovery center. There, staff members determined that the swan might have been hurt by a fish hook.
The staff looked after the swan carefully and got it back up on its webbed feet. The swan even made a boyfriend in the center. Sadly, it contracted a bacterial infection. Two months after Cordova-Rojas came to its rescue, it passed away.
It's a disappointing ending, but the real story is just how far some people are willing to go to save a swan in the big city literally. In all, Cordova-Rojas traveled two hours by bike, by subway, and by car to rescue it with endless efforts. Higginbotham says, “We are angels of love. That's the perfect summary of who we are. I firmly believe that we will continue to save wildlife.”
1. Why did Cordova-Rojas decide that the swan was ill?| A．It became aggressive. | B．It behaved abnormally. |
| C．It moved up and down. | D．It stood near the water's edge. |
| A．Moved. | B．Disappointed. | C．Amused. | D．Shocked. |
| A．It survived a bacterial infection. |
| B．It died despite being cared well. |
| C．It was badly poisoned by the river water. |
| D．It was sent to the recovery center by two strangers. |
| A．Kind and insistent. | B．Modest and cautious. |
| C．Brave and generous. | D．Curious and creative. |
【推荐1】In June 2015, Alice Grace, a young entrepreneur, founded her business AilieCandy. By the time she was 15, her company was worth millions of dollars with the invention of a super-sweet treat that could save kids’ teeth, instead of destroying them, which is beneficial.
The story began when Grace paid a visit to a bank with her dad. On the outing, she was offered a candy bar. However, her dad reminded her that sugary treats were bad for her teeth. But Grace was bored with missing candies. So she intended to ignore the warning, “Why can’t I make a healthy candy that’s good for my teeth so that my parents can’t say no to it?” With that in mind, Grace asked her dad if she could start her own candy company. He recommended that she do some research and talk to dentists about what consist of a healthier candy.
Fortunately, with her dad’s permission, she spent the next two years researching online and conducting experiments to get a recipe that was both tasty and tooth-friendly. She also approached dentists to learn more about teeth cleaning. As a result, she succeeded in making a kind of candy—CanCandy, only using natural sweeteners, which can reduce oral bacteria. That is the special part of it.
Grace then used her savings to get her business off the ground. Afterwards, she and her father secured their first business meeting with a supermarket owner, who finally agreed to sell Grace’s product—CanCandy.
With her success growing, so does Grace’s credibility as a young entrepreneur. Grace is enthusiastic about the candy she created, and she’s also positive about what the future might bring. She expects that every kid can have a clean mouth and a broad smile.
At the same time, with her parents’ help, Grace is generally able to live a normal teenage life. Although she founded her company early on in life, she wasn’t driven primarily by profit. Grace wants to use her unique talent to help others find their smiles. She donates 15% of AilieCandy’s profits to Big Smiles.
1. After hearing her dad’s warning, how did Grace react?| A．She fought with him. | B．She accepted his warning. |
| C．She had no option. | D．She tried to find a solution. |
| A．It doesn’t contain sweeteners at all. | B．It is beneficial to oral health. |
| C．It is the sweetest candy. | D．It is produced to a dentists’ recipe. |
| A．To help others seek smiles. | B．To make a fortune. |
| C．To make herself succeed. | D．To beat other candy companies. |
| A．To be famous is a great eagerness of the young. | B．A youth is to be treated with respect. |
| C．Positive and helpful action lead to success. | D．Success means getting personal needs satisfied. |
【推荐2】The first thing Megan Warfield did was get out of her damaged car. Returning home from an event in honor of her late father, Warfield’s car was involved in a pile-up collision in Baltimore, MD, where she is a volunteer firefighter. Noticing that one of the other cars had overturned, Warfield rushed to help calm the woman trapped inside.
“I started to climb in there with her, but then I was like, ‘What are you doing? You’re ninemonths pregnant,’” she said. “I ended up holding onto her to keep her in place because I wasn’t sure of her injuries at the time.”
Megan Warfield was “just a week or so shy of her due date” when the crash occurred. And the crash apparently sent her into labor.
Ignoring increasingly painful contractions (收缩), Warfield kept the trapped woman calm and ensured that she stayed in place so as not to risk worsening any injuries. When the emergency responders arrived, among them was Volunteer Paramedic Josh Daugherty, Warfield’s friend. Daugherty gave aid not only to the injured woman but sent Warfield by ambulance to hospital, where, several hours later, she gave birth to her third child.
According to the US Fire Administration, of the active firefighting personnel, more than half, 53 percent, are volunteer firefighters. A volunteer firefighter is an unpaid professional who saves people from fires and other emergency situations. They’re in charge of responding to emergency calls, putting out and preventing the spread of fires, and administering first aid to people with injuries. They may help keep people safe during and after house and building fires, car accidents, forest fires, and dangerous material incidents. All volunteer firefighters must pass strict training to become qualified.
While she was pregnant, Warfield worked at the desk in her volunteer fire department. Now that she’s given birth, she is already planning her return to the field.
1. What did Warfield do when she got out of her damaged car?| A．She called an ambulance and waited for help. | B．She called her friend to take her to hospital. |
| C．She helped calm the woman trapped in a car. | D．She performed first aid to the injured woman. |
| A．Childbirth date. | B．Father’s funeral date. |
| C．Date for becoming a career firefighter. | D．Date for signing up for a volunteer firefighter. |
| A．They do less dangerous work. | B．They work without being paid. |
| C．They need not pass strict training. | D．They make up the majority of the staff. |
| A．Kind and ambitious. | B．Heroic and selfless. |
| C．Serious and clever. | D．Confident and brave. |
【推荐3】I ran into quite a few language problems while travelling with my family last summer. The most embarrassing(尴尬的) was when my Mom apologized(道歉) to the people we were staying with because her “pants were dirty”. They looked at her in amazement, not knowing how to react. You see, Mom had fallen over and gotten mud on her jeans. But in Britain, “pants” means underpants or knickers, not trousers as it does back home.
Katie-From America
I went to stay with a friend on the west coast last summer. Her flat was on the first floor of a high-rise building so I got the lift up. Then I wandered round for ages looking for her flat but couldn’t find it. Fed up and tired, I finally had to go out to find a phone box. She explained that her flat was on the first floor, which for me meant the ground floor.
David-From Britain
When I asked for the “restroom” in a big department store, people kept directing me to a room with seats where I could sit and “rest”. It took me years to get through to someone that I only wanted the toilet!
Tom-From America
Last summer we went on a two-week family touring holiday, so Dad hired a car over the Internet. This was an old vehicle (汽车) and there turned out to be lots of things wrong with it. When he phoned the hire company and tried to explain that the lock on the boot was broken, they thought he was talking about footwear! He had no idea their word for “boot” was “trunk”. In the end we went to a garage and just solved the problem.
Mary-From Britain
1. Hearing Katie’s mother’s words, Katie’s friends were in surprise because____.| A．Katie’s mother got mud on her jeans |
| B．Katie’s mother’s underpants were dirty |
| C．they didn’t know English |
| D．they mistook “pants” in American for underpants |
| A．phone the police for help. | B．phone his friend for help. |
| C．tell his friend he couldn’t go to visit her. | D．apologize for his being late. |
| A．he wanted to go to a department store | B．he wanted the toilet |
| C．he wanted to have a rest | D．he wanted a chair |
| A．a place to repair cars | B．a place to sell cars |
| C．a gas station | D．a parking place |
