In a heartwarming rescue operation off the coast of Houston-Galveston, a U.S. CoastGuard team discovered an unexpected passenger during a routine inspection of shipping containers. The team, led by Petty Officer 2nd Class McMahon, were astonished when they heard barking and scratching coming from one of the containers.
As they cautiously opened the container, they were greeted by the sight of a small, furry face — a dog trapped inside the dark space. The dog seemed remarkably calm and happy to be liberated from her limited quarters.
“As soon as we opened it, we could see the little dog’s face poking out,” McMahon said. “She just seemed happy more than anything, to be out of that dark space and in the arms of people that were going to take care of her.”
Further investigation by Coast Guard officials revealed that Connie had been trapped in the container for at least eight days, deprived of food and water. The container, filled with deserted vehicles intended for overseas sales, had likely originated from a junkyard.
“So based on that, they think that the dog most likely was in a junkyard, in a car. And that how she accidentally got put in the container,” Chief Petty Officer Corinne Zilnicki said.
Grateful for being in the right place at the right time, McMahon expressed the urgency of the situation. “It would take at least another week to get to where she was going and two weeks without food or water. I don’t think she would have made it,” he said.
Forever Changed Animal Rescue has taken her in, diligently working to nurse her back to health and prepare her for adoption.
1. What does the underlined word “liberated” in paragraph 2 mean?| A．Chained. | B．Released. | C．Protected. | D．Inspected. |
| A．At a deserted parking lot. | B．Off the local coast. |
| C．In an unusable vehicle. | D．In a limited container. |
| A．Being sold overseas. | B．Starving to death. |
| C．Living with a family. | D．Being trapped in a junkyard. |
| A．An Unexpected Passenger | B．A Touching Rescue |
| C．An Abandoned Dog | D．A Remarkable Team |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Scientists have long known that a crow (乌鸦) native to New Caledonia is able to use tools. The birds use them to remove food from deep holes. Now, American researchers have discovered a second species of crow with the same ability. They reported on their experiments with Alala crows, which are from the Hawaiian Islands.
In the experiment, the researchers placed pieces of food in holes inside the wood. The holes were too deep for the crows to reach with their beaks (鸟喙). But, by using small pieces of wood held in their beaks, Alala crows quickly got the food. They used small objects as tools, sometimes changing them by shortening too-long sticks. They also made tools from plant materials.
“The crows use their beaks as people use fingers. Tool use is rare in the animal kingdom.” Said Chritian Rutz of University of St. Andrews. “Current evidence strongly suggests that tool use is part of the species’ natural behavioral pattern. These birds had no special training in the study, yet most of them were skilled at handling stick tools.”
Bird experts claim finding out that the crows use tools is important discovery. “It makes us rethink how to look at the whole tool-use idea now and encourages us to go out and look for things that we may have ignored before.”
All the Alala crows left in the world live in Hawaii. There were less than 20 Alalas left in the late 1990s when scientists decided to bring them into a protected area. Now, it is reported that there are over 100 birds living there. Scientists plan to release a small number of the birds back into the wild later.
1. What can Alala crows do according to the study?| A．Storing food in the wood. |
| B．Making holes in the wood. |
| C．Processing tools as needed. |
| D．Working together to get food. |
| A．Alala crows’ beaks look like people’s hands. |
| B．Using stick tools is not easy for Alala crows. |
| C．Using tools comes naturally to Alala crows. |
| D．Alala crows won’t use tools without being trained. |
| A．Set some of them free in nature. | B．Increase the population of them. |
| C．Move all of them out of Hawaii. | D．Build more protected areas for them. |
| A．A novel. | B．A business report. |
| C．A research plan. | D．A science magazine. |
【推荐2】A team of scientists was surprised recently when they spotted an unusual creature near the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. They were wondering if it was a new species.
The scientists were aboard a ship used by the Ocean Exploration Trust to make new discoveries in the world’s seas.The team had released a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) named Hercules to explore the sea bed. Equipped with a camera, Hercules can be controlled from the ship and show the team what is happening deep below the surface.
Hercules led the scientists to an unusual sight—a mysterious creature about the same size as the ROV. It seemed like a sea pen, a creature that is related to jellyfish (水母) and coral (珊瑚) and named for its looking similar to an old-fashioned quill, but the team knew that sea pens had never been spotted in the Pacific before.The only previous sightings of this species had been in the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean. This led the scientists to believe that it could be a newly discovered species.
The new creature was observed nearly two miles below the surface in an area of the Pacific Ocean west of Hawaii, which had not previously been explored by scientists. Steve Auscavitch,a biologist at Boston University in Massachusetts, was the lead scientist of the team.“From time to time, we come across some things that we never expect to see, and those are often the most powerful observations,” Auscavitch said.
In February, another group of scientists in Spain officially recognized and named two new types of sea pens.The team led by Auscavitch will need to do further research to determine whether the unusual creature they spotted is the first known sea pen in the Pacific Ocean or an entirely new species. Either way, the discovery is exciting.“It really does expand our knowledge about where animals can live and exist,” Auscavitch said.
1. How did the scientists explore the deep ocean?| A．By applying a remote-controlled vehicle. |
| B．By tying machines to deep sea creatures. |
| C．By diving into the ocean themselves. |
| D．By setting a camera on the seabed. |
| A．A camera. | B．A vehicle. | C．A writing tool. | D．A diving robot. |
| A．To find out more new species. | B．To identify the new discovery. |
| C．To confirm the types of sea pens. | D．To know about sea animals’ living habits. |
| A．A new ROV to explore the oceans |
| B．Sea pens in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans |
| C．An unknown species spotted in the Pacific Ocean |
| D．Undersea exploration conducted by Boston University |
【推荐3】Conservationists have long known that using pandas, tigers and other charismatic(有号召力的) species to front their campaigns is a good way to raise money. But some people argue that focusing on these “flagship” animals can ignore equally threatened but less cute ones.
Now Jennifer McGowan at Macquarie University in Sydney and her colleagues suggest that we can have it both ways, after finding that funding for flagship species also helps other threatened species in the surrounding areas. McGowan’s team first drew up a list of 534 flagship species in wildlife-rich hot spots around the world. The biodiversity areas were each split into grids (网格) of 100 by 100 kilometre squares. The researchers then compared two conservation approaches across eight simulated scenarios(模拟场景) which assumed different levels of human activity and protected areas.
The first focused on protecting flagship species, while the second aimed to protect the maximum number of species in an area, regardless of their fundraising potential. Their study has found that targeting grid squares with flagship species also protected 79 to 89 per cent of the non-flagship species in that area. The figure rose to 97 per cent in some scenarios. “The findings could help when choosing which species to promote. Flagship species are very effective at getting the public to care,” she says.
Morgan Trimble, the author of a paper that has found scientists also have a bias towards charismatic animals, says the results don’t surprise her. “While I think it’s important that we don’t lose sight of the bigger picture --- conserving species is about conserving all the component parts of ecosystems, even the not-so-cute species --- I think highlighting flagship species in fundraising and education is a practical idea and appeals to human nature,” she says. Trimble also asks what the alternative to using flagship species would be: randomly picking species? McGowan’s study found a random approach to choosing where to spend conservation funds only protected 39 to 55 per cent of the non-flagship species.
1. What kind of animals do conservationists usually use to raise funds?| A．Less attractive animals. |
| B．Endangered flagship animals |
| C．Threatened but not necessarily cute species. |
| D．Charismatic but not necessarily threatened species. |
| A．It’s fair enough to focus on flagship species. |
| B．There are very few flagship species in grid squares. |
| C．Non-flagship species are poorly protected in general. |
| D．Flagship species are getting more than enough attention. |
| A．It needs to be further confirmed. | B．It is in line with her expectations. |
| C．It is beyond her comprehension. | D．It goes right against human nature. |
| A．How to choose a charismatic species |
| B．The effects of human activity on animals |
| C．How to best channel conservation efforts |
| D．The role of fundraising in saving animals |
【推荐1】Yu Yi, Honorary President of Shanghai Yangpu Senior High School, is among the first generation of Chinese teachers after the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949.
Yu was born in 1929, not long before Japan invaded (侵略) China. Her road to education was very difficult. During the war, Yu studied in many schools before she was admitted to Zhenjiang High School.
In 1947, Yu was admitted to the Department of Education of Fudan University in Shanghai. In 1951, as she was about to become a teacher, Yu decided to tie her future to the motherland.
As a Chinese teacher, Yu has been thinking about how to teach every class well. Rather than follow the traditional teaching method, in which teachers keep speaking while students just listen, Yu used a different one. She had her students read revolutionary (革命) books, which put the “red gene (基因)” in their blood and helped them set higher goals. In her view, Chinese classes not only teach children to use the language, they also shape children’s souls. For decades, Yu has devoted herself to her work. She has also written many books on teaching.
“I have said I will be a teacher for the rest of my life, and I will also learn to be a teacher for the rest of my life, which is by no means empty talk. I have been learning all my life, constantly improving and perfecting my personality. I keep thinking about how many lessons I have given and how many are really taught to students,” Yu says.
1. Which of the following orders is right about Yu’s experiences?①She became the honorary president of Shanghai Yangpu Senior High School.
②She went to the Department of Education of Fudan University.
③She decided to connect her future with her country.
④She attended Zhenjiang High School after studying in many schools.
| A．④②①③ | B．④②③① | C．②③④① | D．②④③① |
| A．They should just learn more about Chinese history. |
| B．They should only learn and use revolutionary works. |
| C．They should speak Chinese and listen to teachers more. |
| D．They should have their souls shaped besides using Chinese. |
| A．She finds it not easy to work as a teacher. |
| B．She decides to devote herself to teaching. |
| C．She has written a lot of books on teaching. |
| D．She is fond of commenting on others' lessons. |
| A．Creative and learned. | B．Wise but selfish. |
| C．Caring and forgiving. | D．Energetic but careless. |
【推荐2】He’s a comedian, he’s an actor, he’s British and the whole world knows him as the silent, black-haired character Mr. Bean. That’s right, Rowan Atkinson.
Atkinson was born in Newcastle, England and was educated at Newcastle University and Oxford. While at Oxford, he met the writer Richard Curtis, who was studying there too, and they became friends. Curtis was the opposite of Atkinson. He had great love for words while Atkinson enjoyed nonverbal comedy. Together they began writing comedy reviews for the Oxford Playhouse. Shortly afterwards, Atkinson began appearing in smaller theaters in Edinburgh. After a show at the Hampstead Theater in 1978, he was offered a part in the BBC series Not the Nine o'clock News. This series got off to a slow start, but soon became a huge success, with Atkinson winning a BAFTA award for his work. However, being a very sensible man, Atkinson saw the whole acting job as a hobby, along with his growing interest in car racing.
Atkinson made his big-screen debut(初次亮相) in 1983’s unofficial James Bond film Never Say never Again. That same year Atkinson appeared in the BBC series called Black Adder. The main hero named Edmund, tries unsuccessfully to become King of England after accidentally killing his uncle Richard III during a fight. This was followed by three hugely successful sequels (续集) each set in a different era of England’ history. The Black Adder series was voted the Best Comedy Show of the Year in 1990. He then went on to create Mr. Bean. A walking disaster, Bean was purely physical comedy, the opposite of Edmund. This character was a huge success and became another national treasure. In 1997 Bean came to the big screen. A few year later, Scooby Doo became a box office hit in the US in 2002. This was followed by Johnny English if 2003, a funny work of James Bond films.
In his spare time Atkinson collects classic cars and takes part in races. He also writes for the British magazine CAR. He is a very shy man, and has managed to keep his private life private.
1. How did Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson get to know each other?| A．They worked together for BBC | B．They met in the Oxford Playhouse |
| C．They starred in the same series | D．They went to the same university |
| A．brought Atkinson fame | B．became successful immediately |
| C．made Atkinson give up physical comedy | D．showed Atkinson’ s weakness |
| A．He kept writing comedies | B．He did not see acting as a job |
| C．He did not like physical comedy | D．He had an argument with Curtis |
| A．Black Adder | B．Mr. Bean |
| C．Johnny English | D．Not the Nine o'clock News |
| A．Atkinson often wrote plays for Oxford Playhouse. |
| B．Never Say Never Again was a box office hit. |
| C．Mr. Bean was voted the Best Comedy Show. |
| D．Atkinson dislikes showing his personal life. |
【推荐3】In spring 2015, after 39 years with Columbia Pictures, I retired and found myself with lots of free time to spare.
I decided to use that time to volunteer. While tutoring with the adult literacy(识字)program at my local library, a flyer (传单)for a neighborhood group called Westchester Villages caught my eye. Its main job is about matching aging neighbors with local volunteers who help them in a number of different ways: Making short visits, being a walking partner, or driving to doctors’ appointments and the like.
I am happy to offer myself as a responsible person and a comfort to someone who is nervous about their appointment and concerned about getting there safely on time. I’m usually available to stay with the person I’m driving during their visit and accompany them back to my car for the ride home. These drives also can be ideal times for relaxing conversation. I’ve had many discussions with them, discovered many common interests, and heard numerous extended stories of past travels and family histories.
I often begin rides by reassuring(使放心)a nervous neighbor by calmly saying, “I know where we’re going, the most direct route, and the best place to park. You’re in good hands with me.” These driving experiences also have afforded me opportunities for reflection and insight. I’ve come to feel united with the neighbors I have come to know, and a keener awareness of the aging process we all share. In living through so much time with them, I realize I’m going through the same stages.
A final irony(讽刺)for this movie lover is that I no longer need to go to a darkened theatre and gaze at a big screen in search of high drama. Whether it’s a World War II-era family story or anxiety about current events or good news from a doctor, I experience all from a decidedly front row seat.
1. What did the author decide to do during his free time?| A．Work for the local library. |
| B．Give rides for aging neighbors. |
| C．Offer neighbors medical care. |
| D．Teach adults in a neighborhood. |
| A．Creative and capable. | B．Devoted and considerate. |
| C．Talented and hard-working. | D．Ambitious and warm-hearted. |
| A．Passengers’ words of comfort. |
| B．The value of conversations. |
| C．A driver’s responsibility. |
| D．His own aging process. |
| A．The author has been anxious about his health. |
| B．The author has no interest in dramas anymore. |
| C．The author has found a new way of experiencing life. |
| D．The author prefers watching movies from a front row. |
【推荐1】The girl washanging by her hands from the railings of a balcony(阳台的栏杆).The balcony was on the twelfth floor of the high-rise block next to his.His flat was on the ninth floor and he had to look up to see her.It was half-past six in the morning.He had been awakened by the sound of an aircraft flying dangerously low overhead,and had got out of bed to look.His sleepy eyes,moved from the blue sky which was empty of cloud,empty of anything but the bright disappearing arrow of the aircraft,and then rested on the hanging figure.
He really thought he must be dreaming,for this sunrise time was the hour for dreams.Then,when he knew he wasn’t,he decided it must be a scene in a film.There were cameramen down there,a whole film unit,and all the correct safety precautions had been taken.Probably the girl wasn’t even a real girl,but a dummy(假人).He opened the window and looked down.The car park,paved courts,grass spaces between the blocks,all were deserted.On the balcony rail,one of the dummy’s hands moved,desperately.He had to believe then what was obviously happening.The girl was trying to kill herself.She had lost her courage and now was trying to stay alive.All these thoughts and conclusions of his occupied about thirty seconds.Then he acted.He picked up the phone and dialed the emergency number for the police.
The arrival of the police cars and the rescue of the girl became the focus of talk for the people of the two blocks.Someone found out that it was he who had called the police and he became an unwilling hero.He was a modest,quiet young man,and was in relief when the talk began to die away.Again he was able to enter and leave his flat without being pointed at as a kind of St George and sometimes even congratulated.
About a fortnight after that morning,he was getting ready to go to the theatre,just putting on his overcoat,when the doorbell rang.He didn’t recognize the girl who stood outside.He had never seen her face.She said,“I’m Lydia Simpson.You saved my life.I’ve come to thank you.”
1. What did the man do first after he got up?| A．He looked down from the window. | B．He hurried to check who was outside. |
| C．He called the police to save the girl. | D．He went to see the noisy aircraft. |
| A．scaring | B．unbelievable | C．desperate | D．dangerous |
| A．the police arrived quickly on the scene. | B．the girl was unwilling to be rescued |
| C．the man disliked to be talked about. | D．the girl was actually an actress in a film |
| A．The girl was determined to kill herself. |
| B．The man rescued the girl by chance. |
| C．The girl was in danger because of the plane. |
| D．The man helped the girl climb back to her house. |
【推荐2】When Aaron Friedland was entering a master’s program in economics at the University of British Columbia, he decided to research whether the distance to school is a major factor leading to higher school dropout rates. So he spent two months living in a rural community in Uganda, regularly trekking (长途跋涉) with a group of kids who walked five miles each day round trip for their education. He deeply felt the hardships of this journey to school.
The experience resulted in more than that planned research paper. He founded a nonprofit The Walking School Bus, dedicated to improving access to education, and he started a crowdfunding campaign to publish this children’s book he wrote with the same title.
Set in South Africa, his story follows siblings Shaka and Nandi. Their father works far away and their mother’s work keeps her in their village. So the kids have no one to walk them to school. The trip is long and dangerous for just two kids. They find inspiration from a toy school bus in the sand. They finally succeed when they realize they can find safety in numbers with other kids and form a walking school bus.
Over the past few years, the nonprofit took off. The book, however, never made it into print until this year. That original text was an unwieldy 128 pages when Friedland brought it to the publisher Greystone Books. “They said, ‘It’s a great idea, but no,’” explains Friedland, who needed to figure out how to rewrite it in a more accessible format. A solution emerged when he connected with Ndileka Mandela. The story resonated with her, and they joined forces on a new version.
I wondered what kids who have an easy commute to school would think of this book. I asked my 8-year-old American daughter — who only needs to walk 10 minutes to her elementary school — to read it. Her reaction: “Kids can be very imaginative and creative, and sometimes you just need more people to be able to get where you want to go. Those kids were really willing to go out of their way to get some education.”
1. What did Friedland want to figure out initially?| A．How the distance to school impacted attendance rates. |
| B．How the students in rural community attended school. |
| C．How the school responded to increasing dropout rate. |
| D．How the program helped to improve access to education. |
| A．Suspicious and honest. | B．Curious and devoted. |
| C．Brave and sympathetic. | D．Caring and determined. |
| A．Boost confidence. | B．Arouse sympathy. | C．Break new ground. | D．Earn reputation. |
| A．To raise the awareness of education. | B．To introduce a children’s book. |
| C．To encourage kids to walk together. | D．To share an unforgettable experience. |
【推荐3】Heroic deeds come in all shapes and sizes. Some of them require bravery in the face of danger, others result from a simple random act of compassion. Natalie Fernando was taking her 5-year-old autistic (自闭) son Rudy for a seaside walk when the little boy got into a meltdown, a breakdown of self-control.
“My son loves to walk, but he hates to turn around and walk back, we usually try to walk in a circuit to avoid this but on his favourite walk with the boats we have no choice but to turn back. This will often lead to a meltdown, one which I can normally handle but not for today,” Fernando explained on her Facebook page, Better to Be Different.
The area at Southend-on-Sea is a popular walking spot in Essex, England. Knowing she and Rudy were drawing attention and that her son’s outburst might go on for an hour, Fernando was apologetic but she soon found herself subjected to the blaming stares and comments of passers-by.
That’s when a total stranger named Ian stopped to ask if she was okay. When Fernando explained what was going on, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do, he lay down on the ground close to Rudy and engaged him in conversation. The calming behavior quickly turned the situation around. After Rudy became calm, Ian walked Rudy and his mom back to their car.
“I wish there were more of this man around and I am beyond thankful,” Fernando said. “I will not forget his kindness… Thanks, Ian from Southend Sea Front, you truly are a kind man.”
In addition to her gratitude, Fernando hopes Ian’s unselfish behavior might inspire others to look deeper before making social judgments themselves. “It’s said a lot at the moment, ‘In a world where you can be anything, be kind,’” she wrote. “Words are easy, these actions are not always so easy. This man is living the words and I couldn’t be more grateful. “If you see a parent struggling, take the time to say, ‘Are you ok?’ Don’t judge the parenting, try not to judge the child, just be kind.”
We’re all walking our own path and navigating the journey the best we can. Sometimes it takes a moment of kindness from a complete stranger to completely change your day.
1. What caused Rudy’s meltdown during the walk on the seaside?| A．Tiredness from walking. | B．Repeating the same path. |
| C．His mom’s impatience. | D．Walking in a circuit. |
| A．Apologetic. | B．Disapproving. | C．Sympathetic. | D．Tolerant. |
| A．He lay down to communicate with Rudy. | B．He bent down to ask Rudy questions. |
| C．He walked Rudy and his mom to the car. | D．He played interesting games with Rudy. |
| A．To judge people who are indifferent. |
| B．To express thanks of a helpless mother. |
| C．To call on people to follow Ian’s example. |
| D．To inform people of ways to deal with autism. |
