Working at a commercial bank in New York City in the mid-2010s, Anna Sacks sensed a lack of meaning in her life. She wanted to do something more fulfilling.
Some people seeking meaning might read a self-help book, or perhaps volunteer a few hours a week. Sacks packed up her life and moved to Connecticut for three months to participate in Adamah, a farming program that focuses on sustainable living and growing sustainable food. Returning to New York, Sacks carried with her a newfound purpose and a set of skills to turn her dreams into reality.
“One of the things that really stuck with me from Adamah was how little waste they produced and how they handled the waste they did have, mostly through composting,” she says. “And I just thought, ‘Why aren’t we doing that here? What is actually in all those bags and recycling bins at the roadsides?’”
The Adamah program opened Sacks’s eyes to the damage consumer culture is doing and the need to find solutions. So in 2016, she started working with a food rescue program, and in 2017, she found her true calling—what she calls “trash walking”.
During walks around her neighborhood, Sacks, 31, picked through trash to look for reusable items. Soon her trash walks expanded to include recycling bins in big companies. Surprisingly, she discovered really great stuff—like clothing and food—all of which she documents on Instagram and TikTok.
Under the name The Trash Walker, Sacks quickly gained popularity for her educational, funny, and surprising videos that highlight the problems with consumerism and share information about how to live a more sustainable lifestyle. “The root issue is overproduction, which leads to over-consumption, which leads to a large amount of waste,” she says.
Sacks is one of the most influential climate change activists on social media today. The lesson from her trash walking isn’t just that we need to produce less stuff. It’s that we need to stop throwing perfectly good items in the trash too.
1. What motivated Anna Sacks to get involved in Adamah?| A．A self-help book she read. | B．Her job at a commercial bank. |
| C．Her desire for a meaningful life. | D．The volunteer experience she had. |
| A．Fast-growing food output. | B．Sustainable living practices. |
| C．Advanced farming techniques. | D．Various waste management methods. |
| A．To improve her living conditions. | B．To gain popularity on social media. |
| C．To advertise her food rescue program. | D．To handle the damage by consumer culture. |
| A．Raising prices on products. | B．Collecting second-hand items. |
| C．Producing high-quality goods. | D．Making full use of products. |
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【推荐1】Motorists heading from Paris to the Mediterranean on the highway this summer may be surprised by the rapid growth of bridge-building over France’s main north-south road. The intended beneficiaries are more unexpected: hedgehogs, foxes, wild boar, weasels, deer and other furry or spiky things.
Between 2021 and 2023, 19 new écoponts, or wildlife bridges, will be built over the A6 and other motorways operated by APRR, a private firm, at a total cost of over €80m ($86m). This will bring its network of green bridges in France to 119.
Designed to reduce roadkill and help animals wander more freely, wildlife bridges have become popular from Canada to Australia. In France they have a long history. APRR built its first, near Fontainebleau, in 1960. Early versions were rudimentary. Today’s models, such as the one under construction to connect forests near Chagny, in Burgundy, are grand and advanced: 25 metres wide, complete with a pond for frogs and other amphibians, wooden-fenced sides to protect the passing animals from the glare of headlights, and carefully laid piles of rocks and branches and landscaped vegetation. Pedestrians are banned.
Every year an estimated 29 million mammals are killed on roads in Europe. It is hard to say how many are saved by écoponts. A study by Vinci, another French motorway company, found that between 2011 and 2015 each of its green bridges was used each year on average by 1,086 red deer, 150 wild boar, 104 roe deer, 48 foxes, eight badgers, four weasels, one hedgehog and one wolf. Smaller mammals and reptiles preferred underpasses: they crossed via each of its motorway tunnels.
Private motorway companies are making considerable investments in order to green their reputations and keep their state-awarded operating licence. Governments too have been building eco-bridges. Sweden is also putting up such bridges to help migrating reindeer. Germany has built more than 80 wildlife crossings, which have helped to protect the grey wolf. Green campaigners approve, but add that fewer cars on the roads would be even better.
1. What can be learned about the green bridges in France?| A．They are intended for protecting wildlife. |
| B．They make the north-south traffic convenient. |
| C．There are a total of 19 such bridges across the country. |
| D．France is the first country to have the awareness of reducing road kill. |
| A．Luxurious. | B．Complicated. | C．Simple. | D．Ordinary. |
| A．The investors themselves are wild animal lovers. |
| B．Private motorway companies are eager to build a positive image. |
| C．Private motorway firms are keen on making contributions to charity work. |
| D．A state-awarded operating licence can be easily obtained by investing. |
| A．A science essay. | B．A travel brochure. | C．An online diary. | D．A newspaper. |
【推荐2】A day in the clouds
The air is thin and we have to rest several times on the short hike(徒步旅行)from camp. To our left, snow-covered mountains disappear into clouds that seem almost close enough to touch. On the plain(平原) in front of us, we can just make out a herd of graceful animals. This is why we stay here.
Tibetan antelopes live mainly on the plains of Tibet. Watching them move slowly across the green grass, I'm struck by their beauty. I'm also reminded of the danger they are in. They are being hunted, illegally, for their valuable fur.
My guide is Zhaxi, a villager from Changtang. He works at the Changtang Nationa Nature Reserve(保护区) . The reserve is a safe place for the animals and plants of northwestern Tibet. To Zhaxi, protecting(保护)the wildlife is a way of life. "We're not trying to save the animals." he says. "Actually, we're trying to save ourselves."
In the 1980s and 1990s the population of Tibetan antelopes dropped by more than 50 Percent. Hunters were shooting antelopes to make money. Their Living places were becoming smaller as new roads and railways were built.
In order to save Tibetan antelopes, the Chinese government placed them under national protection. Zhaxi and Volunteers watched over the antelopes day and night to keep them safe from attacks. Bridges and gates were added to let the antelopes move easily and keep them safe from cars and trains.
The measures were effective. The antelope population has recovered and in June 2015, the Tibetan antelope was removed from the endangered species list(濒危物种名单). The government, however, does not intend to stop the protection programmes, since the threats(威胁) to the Tibetan antelope have not yet disappeared. Only when we learn to exist in harmony with nature can we stop being a threat to wildlife and to our planet.
1. Why does the author stay “here” according to the passage?| A．To experience hike with thin air. | B．To observe Tibetan antelopes. |
| C．To picture clouds on the plain. | D．To admire snow-covered mountains. |
| A．Protecting the animals can make money. |
| B．Protecting the animals is saving ourselves. |
| C．He is not fond of protecting the animals. |
| D．The reserve is only safe for wild animals. |
| A．Why hunters hunt Tibetan antelopes. |
| B．Why antelopes’ living places changed. |
| C．Why antelopes’ number dropped greatly. |
| D．Why the 1980s and the 1990s are unusual. |
| A．Deleted. | B．changed. | C．migrated. | D．recognized. |
| A．They will be over-populated. |
| B．They will be a threat to man and other wildlife. |
| C．They will be on the endangered species list again. |
| D．They will be in harmony with nature and humans. |
【推荐3】Green is the new gold. As China is transitioning(转变)towards a greener development mode, low-carbon industries in the country have been boosting in recent years, which has led to more business opportunities for companies worldwide.
The new energy vehicle (NEV) industry is a fine illustration. Last year alone, China sold about 6.89 million NEVs, up 93.4 percent year on year. The market share of NEVs in China’s auto market reached 25.6 percent in 2022, up 12.1percentage points from 2021.
Domestically, China’s green transition is bringing a real change. Globally, it is also helping other countries to sustain green growth. “China is the largest supplier of solar energy equipment across the world and in Africa in particular,” said Ajay Mathur, director general of the International Solar Alliance. While noting that many solar panels and batteries being used in Africa are of Chinese origin, Mathur stressed China’s involvement and huge potential in terms of realizing Africa’s seeking for solar energy development. “There is the greatest link that exists between the Chinese manufacturers of solar energy technology and the African users of that technology,” he said.
Apart from African countries, China is also sharing its green development philosophy with many more countries across the globe. The Chilean capital of Santiago has been tapping electric vehicles from China as part of plans to improve its public transport system and advance clean travel.
While boosting development, maintaining biological diversity(生物多样性)is also important. For example, many tunnels were extended and roads are replaced by bridges to protect elephant habitats in the construction of the China-Laos Railway.
“The contribution of China’s green development to global sustainable development cannot be ignored, and it also sets an example for other countries’ green development,” said Abdulrahman Aldakhil, director of Corporate Communication of Saudi National Center for Vegetation Cover Development Combating Desertification. “China’s promotion of international cooperation to protect the environment is a reflection of its sense of responsibility,” he said, “China’s experience in green development is worth learning from.”
1. What message does the author convey in the first two paragraphs?| A．Most new energy vehicles have been made. |
| B．New energy vehicles sell well at home and abroad. |
| C．China is trying to move to a green development mode. |
| D．Green habits should be developed to protect the environment. |
| A．Supply food. | B．Promote green development. |
| C．Sell solar energy skills. | D．Build railways. |
| A．To praise Chinese for their taking care of animals. |
| B．To thank China for its contribution to other countries. |
| C．To acknowledge China’s efforts in protecting biodiversity. |
| D．To show that Chinese people are good at road construction. |
| A．Countries should strengthen cooperation. |
| B．Human beings should protect the environment. |
| C．China is a model for other countries to follow. |
| D．Green development can make the country stronger. |
【推荐1】It was the week before Christmas, and the line at the post office snaked twice around the lobby(大厅). It seemed that no one was moving. The office looked like an exhibit in the Postal Wax Museum. I came to the self-service machine where the line was much shorter.
I don’t like self-service. I tell people it’s because I don’t approve of taking jobs away from people, but the real problem is that I’m not good at it. The machine always asks me something I don’t know the answer to. I hate this. I am a retired letter carrier, and we moved mail in the old-fashioned way hand to hand, human to human. We were fast, friendly, and frequently accurate.
The woman in the front of the line was clicking away at the screen. And the clicks were surprisingly loud. Any signs of hesitation on her part were telegraphed to the whole lobby. I felt sorry for her: The machine could smell fear. The next person took a long time, too. I breathed deeply. By the time it was my turn, I had the heart rate of a yogi(瑜伽修行者).
Under the weight of concern from the people in line behind me, I felt a growing obligation to minimize the seconds between clicks. Finally it was time to slide in a credit card. The machine didn’t take it. “Try putting it in the other way” the gentleman behind me suggested. No good.
“I’ve got a different card,” I said, and fished around for that one, beginning to sweat. The machine wanted a PIN, but not the one I suggested.
“Start over.” I clicked, intending to try the first card again.
Oh no. I had to start all over again.
“I’ m sorry,” I said, looking back, sheepish. “I guess I don't know what I’m doing. You all go ahead.”
“Don’t give up,” said the nice man behind me. “Try it again. We’re all friends here, right?”
Smiles were blooming all down the line. I tried again, clicked with deliberation and sincerity, and introduced my credit card as though I were presenting it to the queen. Finally, I made it!
I couldn’t have been happier. Everyone burst into applause. Comfort and joy!
1. What do we know about the post office?| A．It was pretty large. | B．Something went wrong there. |
| C．It was very busy at Christmas. | D．Efficient services were provided. |
| A．a little excited | B．totally relaxed |
| C．bored and impatient | D．nervous and anxious |
| A．Grateful | B．Surprised |
| C．Embarrassed | D．Determined |
| A．He rushed the author. | B．He laughed at the author. |
| C．He mailed for the author. | D．He encouraged the author. |
【推荐2】Does your life ever feel as if you’re pushing a heavy car—one on which you’ve spent much money and that has now broken down? You’ve done everything right: you haven’t invested heavily in a new business or quit your job to pursue your childhood dream of becoming a professional athlete. You have been a sensible adult living your sensible life. So why does it feel like such hard work?
This has been me for the past few months. Earlier this year, I took a long hard look at my sources of income and decided to focus on the ones that provided the most money. I’m lucky enough to have had a good financial year. But despite doing the right thing, it has used up my energy and I’ve worked out why.
Years ago, I realized that I disliked hard work. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t mind working hard, but hard work isn’t for me. What’s the difference? For a start, hard work feels as if it never really gets going. You can push hard work and it might move a little but there’s no celebratory moment when it gets done. Most importantly, hard work lacks joy. Working hard on a project you feel excited and moved by can be tiring and difficult, but it’s ultimately joyful and that is what I’ve been missing
So I asked myself what would feel scary but joyful and this is the answer. I’m going to write a romance. Of course, being a middle-aged journalist who suddenly decides to write a book is nothing novel. However, for me, it hits the sweet spot between being joyful enough to make me want to do it and scary enough to make me feel it’s worthwhile.
As with all good middle-aged changes, this one hasn’t really been thought through. I know little about writing fiction and even less about what makes a good book. I have the thinnest of ideas for a plot but, for the first time in a while, I’m excited, I will be another Jane Austen with my fantasies which give me life. So now, I have to go and sharpen my pencil.
1. What can best describe-the author’s current feeling about life?| A．A new business makes her feel fresh. |
| B．She has got everything under her control. |
| C．She is conflicted about living a sensible life. |
| D．A childhood dream inspires her to more efforts. |
| A．Living a rather sensible life. | B．Identifying income sources. |
| C．Discovering new life goals. | D．Sorting out the author’s jobs |
| A．Journalism is a career worth working hard. |
| B．Hard work is something either sweet or tiring. |
| C．Writing a romance is difficult but rewarding. |
| D．Working hard rarely brings about satisfaction |
| A．Works like a dream. | B．Middle-aged job crisis |
| C．Celebratory moment. | D．A future Jane Austen. |
【推荐3】Kenya’s EliudKipchoge made history by running the 26.2 miles in less than two hours, faster than any other person in history. His time of 1:59:40 required him to maintain an average pace of about 4:35 per mile!
Upon crossing the finish line, Kipchoge, who spent four months training, said, “That was the best moment of my life. The pressure was very big on my shoulders. I got a phone call from the President of Kenya.”
The Prater Park course in Vienna, Austria, was carefully selected, taking into account factors like temperature and wind speed to ensure the perfect racing. His speed was maintained by 41 medium and long-distance runners. An electric car projected a green laser ahead of the runners to guide them along the best route. To save time, Kipchoge was fed pre-prepared drinks and energy on the course at 3.1-mile intervals.
The historic run was Kipchoge’s second attempt at breaking the two-hour marathon barrier. The Kenyan runner first tried to accomplish the feat on May 6, 2017, at Nike’s Breaking2 event, which took place on a Formula One racetrack in Monza, Italy. However, while Kipchoge’s 2:00:25 time was the fastest ever attained by a human, it was not under the desired two hours. However, the lack of acknowledgement does not bother Kipchoge.
Kipchoge was not the only Kenyan runner to make headlines that weekend. On Sunday, October 13, 2019, Brigid Kosgei made history of her own at the Chicago Marathon. Her time of 2:14:04, outpaced British runner Paula Radcliffe ‘s 16-year-old record by an impressive 81 seconds, earning Kosgei the title of the world’s fastest female marathoner!
1. Why did Kipchoge have bigger pressure?| A．He intended to make history. |
| B．The president of Kenya rang him. |
| C．The coming marathon was fierce. |
| D．His training was harder than ever. |
| A．Tell us Kipchoge’s determination. |
| B．Summarize Kipchoge’s contributions. |
| C．Praise Kipchoge for his thoughtfulness. |
| D．Show Kipchoge planned the marathon carefully. |
| A．Concerned. | B．Astonished. | C．Upset. | D．Calm. |
| A．Beat. | B．Equaled. | C．Stuck. | D．Set. |
【推荐1】Hita Gupta used to volunteer at a nursing home, trying to brighten the days of the residents. Now she spreads sunshine far and wide.
As a 15-year-old sophomore at Conestoga High School, Hita has created a nonprofit organization that specializes in bringing cheer to socially isolated seniors. Her Brighten A Day foundation started out by sending goodie bags with an adult coloring book, a large-print puzzle book and crayons to Philadelphia-area nursing homes and sending letters with uplifting messages to facilities in neighboring states.
Hita has since widened the scope of her project, which is backed by donations through a GoFundMe page as well as the work of an expanding army of volunteers. The project has reached as far as Hawaii and now includes video messages as well as the delivery of smart devices to help residents communicate with loved ones. “We’ve been able to reach so many seniors—who are among the loneliest people in our society-and let them know they are not alone,” Hita said.
Hita’s project has lifted spirits at the Genesis Wayne Center, according to Kaylee Nichols，the facility’s director. “It’s impressive to see a high school student take that kind of initiative,” Nichols said. “That generation, they normally don’t think about seniors.”
Hita was motivated to take action when officials at the nursing home where she used to volunteer said that she couldn’t visit anymore because of the coronavirus outbreak. It made her determined to do something else to try to help. She started the GoFundMe page, expanded the foundation’s website and began organizing volunteers from around the country to write cards or make videos for nursing home residents, who have been the most severely impacted by COVID-19.Hita also expanded her project to include the acquisition and distribution of smart devices to nursing homes and long-term care facilities.
“I’m very proud that Hita is able to bring smiles to so many seniors,” her mother, Swait, wrote in an email. Hita said her foundation’s name was a reflection of her determination to chase away doubt and depression for folks in need. “I thought of the sun,” Gupta said. “I thought of people in the dark, lonely, and how much I wanted to brighten their days and bring joy to them.”
1. What is the main aim of Hita’s Brighten A Day project?| A．To raise funds for nursing homes. |
| B．To deliver care to seniors at nursing homes. |
| C．To teach seniors to communicate effectively. |
| D．To facilitate the development of the nursing industry. |
| A．It started in Hawaii and then expanded to other states. |
| B．It is supported by volunteers across the country. |
| C．It encourages seniors to use smart devices less. |
| D．It offers its donors a special goodie bag. |
| A．Hita took the lead in helping seniors | B．Hita distributed nursing devices for seniors |
| C．Hita started the GoFundMe page for seniors | D．Hita organized volunteers to write cards to seniors |
| A．Surprised. | B．Frustrated. | C．Supportive. | D．Disappointed. |
| A．It shows her resolution to get rid of people’s sad feeling. |
| B．It’s a reflection of her decision to expand her project. |
| C．It mirrors her doubt to bring joy to people in need. |
| D．It is the public image of her project. |
| A．Fame is a great thirst of the young. |
| B．Free care facilities for seniors are necessary. |
| C．Smiling means getting personal desires satisfied. |
| D．Bringing spiritual pleasure to the elderly is meaningful. |
【推荐2】Seventeen-year-old Sariah Estrada didn’t expect to receive anything in return when she saved a drowning man on Marianne Beach in Blanchisseuse earlier this year.
However, for her random act of kindness, Estrada was awarded the Hummingbird Medal-Bronze for her bravery, loyalty and devotion to Trinidad and Tobago on Monday, September 24, when the country celebrated its 42nd year as a republic. President Paula-Mae Weeks presented the national award to her.
In July of this year, Estrada along with two friends went to the Marianne Beach to relax. Upon leaving the beach, Estrada and her friends noticed a man struggling in the water. Immediately, she and her friends sprang into action. The teens borrowed a body board from some people on the beach and swam to the man’s rescue.
She said when they reached the man, he was already unconscious and they dragged him out of the water on the body board. Estrada remembered what she learned during a life-saving course the week before and quickly started pumping the man’s chest. After several attempts, she was successful and the young man’s life was saved.
In an interview with LoopTT, the teenager said while she is grateful for the award, she wasn’t expecting anything in return.
“This award was never expected because I thought of helping someone as an act of humanity and never looked for anything in return, but the award is well appreciated. As I reflect on the action I took, I felt as though I could help this person as I have the proper training. The week before the incident I participated in a basic life support-training course offered by the North Central Regional Health Authority.” Estrada explained. She said she intends to continue assisting people.
The national award receiver also had this message for the youths of Trinidad and Tobago.
“I would like to encourage the young people of Trinidad and Tobago to strive for excellence, never sell yourself short by believing that you cannot do what you desire, all things are possible and hard work surely brings success.
1. It can be learned from the passage that Estrada ________.| A．saved the man by simply dragging him out of the water |
| B．shared the award with her friends for their heroic deed |
| C．was motivated to save the drowning man by reputation |
| D．owed the successful rescue to her proper training |
| A．Think too highly of yourself. |
| B．Accept yourself with pleasure. |
| C．Recognize your strength and weakness. |
| D．Have a low evaluation of your competence. |
| A．Random acts of kindness make all the difference in our life. |
| B．Excellence is a continuous process and not an accident. |
| C．Dreams and desires make the impossible possible. |
| D．Success is based on the team not the individual. |
In 1987, I was 18 and working as a nurse in a small town about 270 km away from Sydney, Australia.
I was looking forward to having five days off from duty. Unfortunately, the only one train a day back to my home in Sydney had already left. So I thought I’d hitch a ride (搭便车).
I waited by the side of the highway for three hours but no one stopped for me. Finally, a man walked over and introduced himself as Gordon. He said that although he couldn’t give me a lift, I should come back to his house for lunch. He noticed me standing for hours in the extreme heat and thought I must be hungry. I was doubtful as a young girl but he he assured me I was safe, and he also offered to help me find a lift home afterwards. When we arrived at his house, he made us sandwiches. After lunch, he helped me find a lift home.
Twenty-five years later, in2003, while I was driving to a nearby town one day, I saw an elderly man standing in the scorching heat, trying to hitch a ride. I thought it was another chance to repay someone for the favour I’d been given decades earlier. I pulled over and picked him up. I made him comfortable on the back seat and offered him some water.
After a few moments of small talk, the man said to me,“You haven’t changed a bit, even your red hair is still the same.”
I couldn’t remember where I’d met him. He then told me he was the man who had given me lunch and helped me find a lift all those years ago. It was Gordon.
1. What did Gordon do to help the author?2. Please paraphrase the underlined sentence in your own words.
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement,then underline it and explain why.
The author pulled over to pick up the elderly man in 2003 because he recognized the elder was the very person who ever helped him.
4. Will you offer any help to a stranger who seems in trouble? Why or why not? (about 40 words)
