It is reported that the UK will save thousands of red phone boxes. Its first phone box started appearing in 1921, and the special red style came out five years later.
As smart phones have become part of everyday life, the public (公共的) phone boxes may seem out of date. But Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator (通信商), says they can still be a “lifeline” for people in need.
“People can use the phone boxes we plan to protect to make calls. If one of those calls is from a sad child, an accident victim (受害者), that phone line can be a lifeline at a time of great need,” says Selina Chadha, a leader in Ofcom.
Ofcom plans to protect 5,000 phone boxes, especially in poor areas where smart phones are not so common. “We also want to make sure that people in those areas, often in poor areas, can still make calls,” she adds.
According to the official report (官方报道), nearly half of the phone boxes in the UK have lost their places in people’s everyday life. Because more and more people use smart phones. It is said that people turned more than 6, 500 unused call boxes into mini community libraries or coffee shops under a plan called “Adopt a Kiosk”. It allows local organizations (当地组织) to buy a red phone for only one pound and turn the box into something useful.
根据文章内容回答问题（不超过8个词）1. When did the red phone box appear?
2. What does the underline phrase “out of date” mean?
3. What is the Ofcom according to the passage?
4. How many phone boxes does Ofcom plan to protect?
5. Why did nearly half of the phone boxes in the UK lose their places in people’s everyday life?
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An American in Beijing Lives His Chinese Dream
Wearing his bright red armband(袖章) and speaking fluent Mandarin(普通话), 62-year-old Terry could be taken for any regular Chinese man from a distance.
His Chinese name is Gao Tianrui. He became interested in Chinese culture as a teenager when he read the Tao Te Ching by Laozi. At 18, he took a ship to Taiwan to learn Chinese. On the ship the captain suggested that he should have a Chinese name. “He named me Gao Tianrui, based on the pronunciation (发音)of my English name,” he said. Then he first visited Beijing in 1987 on business.
Gao Tianrui lives in a Siheyuan with other three families. His neighbors are very helpful and friendly. Gao Tianrui once wasn't familiar with Chinese living habits and his neighbors helped him to overcome difficulties. Gradually, he could speak Chinese fluently.
Having lived in Beijing for more than 20 years, Gao Tianrui has also finally achieved his Chinese dream: becoming a public security(安全) volunteer. Life as a“ Xicheng Dama” has even made him an online celebrity. Xicheng Dama is a club for volunteers, usually women in late middle-age, who roam(漫步) the streets of downtown at Beijing's Xicheng district. And now Gao Tianrui has joined their club.
“I like helping others," he said. "I live in the Siheyuan and my neighbors and I usually help each other…This is where I live, where my friends are and where I call home.”
Information Card
| The thing that Guo Tianrui became interested in as a teenager | |
| The person who gave Terry his Chinese name | |
| The time that Gao Tianrui first visited Beijing | |
| The place that Gao Tianrui lives in | |
| The Chinese dream of Gao Tianrui |
THE CAMBERWELL NEWS |
| The news you want—the way you want it Monday, May 24, 2021 CHILDREN IN NEED  On Friday, the children and staff(教职员) at Camberwell Grammar School dressed up as heroes and superheroes to raise money for children in need. The money we raised will go to the charities(慈善机构) across the country to help and support children who are less fortunate than us. In total, more than $300 has been raised. |
2. The
3. The purpose of the activity is to
4. The word “
5. They have raised a total of more than
【推荐3】Although many people read online, books have not gone out of fashion. In Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai, lucky passengers may find books somewhere on the underground.
The Fair, an online publishing company, has put 10, 000 books on the underground, planes and taxis to make people more interested in reading. This project is called “Mobook”.
“Mobook” gets its idea from “Books on the Underground”, a community project in London. The purpose of “Books on the Underground” is to encourage people to read more. Zhang Wei, the CEO of the Fair also wanted to do something in China. He sent an e-mail to Ms Cordelia Oxley, the leader of “Books on the Underground”, describing his plan and explaining the rules of “Mobook”. The leader replied to him in just two hours, saying that she thought the idea was great and she would offer help if needed.
But “Mobook” project is a little different from that in London. It has its own online system. People who want to donate books must give their information online. QR code stickers(二维码标签) are then sent to their addresses. The book owners should stick them on the books before donating books and readers can know where the books are from with the help of QR codes.
“Mobook” is a hot topic. Now thousands of bookworms have already taken part in the project. Zhang Wei said, “I am happy to see more and more people share their views (观点) about the books online and enjoy the happiness that reading brings to them.”
1. How many books has the Fair put on the underground, planes and taxis?
2. What’s the purpose of “Books on the Underground”?
3. What did Ms Cordelia Oxley think of Zhang Wei’s idea?
4. Where should the book owners stick the QR code stickers?
5. According to Zhang Wei, how can people share their views about the books?
People now keep fat-faced (扁脸的) dogs such as French bulldogs (法国斗牛犬) as pets because they are cute. Some people call these dogs “lazy” because they get sleepier more easily than other dogs during the day. However, these cute dogs are having a hard time, according to a recent study.
Scientists at Eotvos Lorand University in Hungary watched 92 family dogs of different types while they were sleeping.
During the study, the dogs spent about three hours with their owners in the sleep lab. With nothing special to do, the dogs soon fell asleep. At that time, the scientists recorded the dogs’ brain activities by an electroencephalogram (脑电图), which doesn’t hurt the dogs.
The study found that the flat-faced dogs slept more than the other kinds. This may be because they don’t get enough sleep at night. The scientists explained that this is because of sleep apnea (睡眠呼吸暂停症), which only happens in French bulldogs.
During their sleep, they can’t get enough air and may find it difficult to breathe, which makes them constantly (不断地) wake up.
Some French bulldogs may sleep while holding a toy ball in their mouths. Owners may think this is funny. But they’re actually doing it to keep their airways (呼吸道) open so they can breathe more easily.
This, however, is only one of the health problems dogs have because of breeding (培育). According to the website Pet Helpful, a lot of pet dogs are bred based on what people like, such as shorter legs, heavier bodies, and larger ears. Bulldogs are one of the victims (受害者) .
Lots of pet lovers are calling for people to respect dogs as they are. Breeders must take the health of their dogs seriously instead of just for cuteness, Australian vet Karen Hedberg told ABC News.
1. Why do people call flat-faced dogs “lazy”?2. How many dogs did the scientists watch?
3. Does the electroencephalogram hurt the dog?
4. What’s the problem with French bulldogs?
5. What do some French bulldogs do to keep their airways open while sleeping?
【推荐2】Critical thinking (批判性思维) is trying to improve the way you think. People use critical thinking in every area of life to solve problems and evaluate claims (评估观点).
When a problem comes our way, we need to think critically to decide how to solve（A）it. When we see an advertisement, for example, we should stop and think. Advertisements are made to make people feel certain that they are true, then people can buy the products. But is what the advertisement says true? （B）Or does it only interest us? Critical thinking is important and stops us from making poor choices. In fact, we are using it if we ask questions naturally about what we see.
Practice makes perfect. While you are growing in critical thinking, you’ll become a wiser and more thoughtful person. There are many ways of doing practice. Here are a few. Read about a topic people disagree on. Look at articles or books on all sides of the subject, for each side of the subject, think carefully and evaluate it. When you see or hear a claim, ask questions about it. Who is making the claim and why? （C）Evaluate your own thinking. Where and why do you think uncritically? How can you improve?
Critical thinking should be part of everything we do. It may help you to succeed at work or school. Make yourself into a habit of critical thinking. Change your thoughts and change your world.
1. 用英文写出文中（A）处划线单词所指代的内容：2. 在文中（B）（C）处选出能够填入“Is it making a claim?”的位置：
3. How does the writer develop the second paragraph? ________
| A．By giving examples. | B．By listing numbers. | C．By making charts. |
| Methods of practicing critical thinking | |
| Evaluate your own thinking. |
5. Do you think critical thinking is important to you? Why or why not?
Are you good with money? Do you get pocket money from your parents or do you work to earn (赚) money? Read on to find how British teenagers manage their money!
Most teenagers in Britain might have to do housework to get their pocket money from their parents. The housework includes cleaning, cooking, washing dishes, taking out the rubbish and ironing (熨烫).
Teenagers may choose a part-time job if they don’t have pocket money or want to earn extra (额外的) money. About 15% of teenagers have a job. Only children over the age of 13 can work. Popular part-time jobs for teens include babysitting (当临时保姆), delivering (递送) newspapers, shop work and restaurant work.
Students in Britain can work at most two hours a day on a school day but not during school hours. During weekends and school holidays, they can work longer hours.
Most British teenagers have a bank account (账户). Parents usually put pocket money directly into their children’s bank account. Then the kids can decide whether (是否) to save or spend the money. Some teenagers use a prepaid (预付的) bank card to help them save spending.
根据上面短文的内容填空。
1.
2. Teenagers in Britain do
3. Children under the age of 13
4. Students in Britain can work
5. Pocket money is usually
