The 2020 Nobel Peace Prize
David Beasley, WFP Executive Director, said the
Mr. Beasley also noted that the Nobel Peace Prize was not
World Environment Day (WED) is a day we all need to put in our
3 . The Human Library has been working to encourage a sense of shared humanity for almost two decades. It is quite different from traditional libraries.
The Human Library is an association which attempts to create respect and understanding for the diversity in society through efforts.
As its website details, the library hosts weekly events in local communities. The volunteer “human books” welcome members of the public to come and talk to them.
Ronni Abergel is the founder of the library.
A.It creates a safe space for dialogue. |
B.His ambition is to build a hi-tech library. |
C.COVID-19 has led to many virtual events as well. |
D.This library allows people to start an online conversation. |
E.He just wants to get the whole world listening and talking. |
F.Here, various questions are expected, appreciated and answered. |
G.At this library, you can “borrow” people for a conversation instead of books. |
4 . While some feel that bookstores are fading away, one Chinese bookstore has found new life by marching into rural areas in China to bring colorful cultural life and higher incomes lo local residents.
By absorbing local rural characteristics, the village branches of the Librairie Avantgarde Bookstore (LAB) chain have transformed into important platforms to display local history, culture and folk traditions. Not just bookstores, they are foundations helping to relieve spiritual poverty (贫困) and centers for gathering and displaying rural culture.
To better fit in the lives of local residents, earth village branch has its own characteristics, like the branch in Shaxi, southwest China’s Yunnan province. Many of nearly 20,000 books in the store are associated with the history, geography and folk customs of Yunnan and the Bai people.
“Turning in profits is not our only aim. Our bookstore has become a public gathering space for villagers. Not only young people, but many elderly residents come here. They do not buy books, but pass the time by reading or chatting with each other in our store.” Liu Xia, the bookstore owner explained.
She added that this is a cultural atmosphere that bookstores offer the area. Some residents have grown accustomed to turning to the books of the store to find answers to the troubles they face, such as operating a business or controlling tourists from urban areas. The biggest benefit of opening bookstores in villages is that it helps provide a healthy environment for children’s growth. “My kids often come to the store. They love reading books here. They gain knowledge and curiosity about outside world.” one villager said.
The arrival of the bookstore menus a lot to the village when young residents have been leaving for urban areas in recent years. During the 2020 May Day and National Day holidays, the daily number of tourists traveling to the village reached 5,000, a record high. Visitors were attracted by the bookstore. Surrounding it, several restaurants and holds have opened.
1. Which of the following best describes village branches of the LAB?A.They are disappearing gradually. |
B.They feature local rural cultures. |
C.They could make much higher profits. |
D.They have set up poverty-relief foundations. |
A.It specializes in history-related books. |
B.It creates a public gathering space for business. |
C.It shares the same features with oilier branches. |
D.It helps villagers know more about the Bai people. |
A.Attracting more people lo pay a visit. |
B.Offering kids a healthy atmosphere. |
C.Helping residents lo acquire knowledge. |
D.Encouraging the young to go to big cities. |
A.LAB: A Bookstore on the Rise |
B.Local Culture Welcomed by Tourists |
C.Village Bookshops Promote Rural Life |
D.Great Ambitions of Village Bookstores |
Formed in 2001, the China International Search and Rescue team (CISAR),
The team went on its first international rescue missions in 2003 and won high praise for their
After a disaster, they get to save lives in the
6 . The Grameen Bank (GB) project started in 1976 as an action research pilot project in “Jobra” village in Chattogram district of Bangladesh. In 1983, the pilot project was transformed into a bank with the aim of reducing poverty and empowering the poor in Bangladesh through micro credit.
The unique feature of GB is that no collateral(担保抵押)is required to get the credit from the bank. Unlike mainstream commercial banks that bring their clients to their shiny branch buildings where the poor are afraid to be trampled, GB carries its services to the comfort zone of its clients’ doorsteps. It has inspired the women and the weaker section of the communities to join the Grameen community. All banking businesses except loan disbursement(支付)are done in the meetings of the borrowers at the village level centers organized by the center managers. GB’s strong presence in remote areas of the country bears witness to this fact. GB has always made it a priority to empower women and involve them in economic activities. As a result, GB can proudly say that 98% of its borrowers are women. More than two-thirds of these women have moved on to better lives through poverty reduction.
GB is currently present in 81678 (94%) villages in the country and provides services to nearly 45 million people (including family member) through 10.34 million borrower members. Its microcredit program is being carried out as a successful model in reducing poverty in many countries of the world. GB was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 in appreciation of its efforts to create economic and social development from the bottom of the society through microcredit. Now GB is working not just to reduce the poverty of its borrower members, but also to ensure that their future generations are not left behind. It offers education loans, new enterprise loans, and scholarships to borrower members’ children.
Grameen Bank has been actively contributing to the development of Bangladesh.
1. What does Grameen Bank do to the borrowers according to the passage?A.Do banking businesses at their village. | B.Take them to the grand bank building. |
C.Help them step out of the comfort zone. | D.Send the loan money to their home. |
A.Well received. | B.Left behind. | C.Watched over. | D.Looked down on. |
A.Influencing almost every village in Bangladesh. | B.Helping the poor through microcredit. |
C.Reducing poverty all over the world. | D.Caring about the future generations of the poor. |
A.Women-first. | B.Interest-free. | C.Subject to education. | D.Guarantee-bound. |
7 . How do you decide which charities to support? If a charity receives a high ranking, it must be effective at meeting its mission. Therefore, we pick some international charities that rank A+ in terms of financial health, accountability, and transparency.
International Children’s Fund
The mission of the International Children’s Fund (ICF) is to come to the aid of needy children worldwide since 1987. This charity distributes life-saving food, clothing, and medicine and it supports the construction of orphanages, schools, churches and vocational training centers across the African continent. ICF uses an impressive 99.7 percent of its funding for projects.
Direct Relief
With a history of over 7 decades, Direct Relief (DR) is a humanitarian organization with a mission to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty and emergencies. DR’s assistance programs focus on emergency preparedness and disaster relief, disease prevention and treatment of the most vulnerable populations. DR uses a 99.4 percent of its funding for programs.
MAP International
Since its foundation in 1954, MAP has served millions of people. Its mission is to provide medicines and health supplies to those in need around the world so they might experience life to the fullest. At present, MAP is responding to recent emergencies that include areas hit by earthquakes or hurricanes, as well as helping refugees. Contributions go a long way here; a $25 donation provides $1,500 of medicine. A notable 99 percent of its funding is used for aid programs.
Books for Africa
Books for Africa organization collects, sorts, ships and distributes books that are donated by publishers, schools, libraries, organizations, and individuals. Volunteers choose books that are age and subject appropriate. Enough books for entire classes are sent. To date, 41 million books have been distributed to once-empty libraries and rural schools in every African country. This organization, founded 35 years ago, also uses 99 percent of its funding for its missions.
1. What does MAP focus on?A.Building schools. |
B.Improving people’s fitness. |
C.Preventing natural disasters. |
D.Supplying studying materials. |
A.Direct Relief. |
B.Books for Africa. |
C.MAP International. |
D.International Children’s Fund. |
A.The people who founded them. |
B.The region they offer help to. |
C.The organization that sponsors them. |
D.The reputation they enjoy worldwide. |
8 . When I was an incoming(即将入学的)student in University of Oxford,I participated FYSOP. Ever since then, whenever it comes up in conversation, I am met with the following question: “What is FYSOP?”
FYSOP stands for First Year Student Outreach Project, which focuses around a week service to the city of Oxford and its various neighborhoods.
Students are divided into groups and led by student leaders. These leaders ensure that each place is prepared and that the students get there safely.
A.Here’s a brief introduction. |
B.Here’s why it has been established. |
C.The participants are all incoming students. |
D.There are so many bonuses being a part of FYSOP! |
E.If you’re an incoming student, FYSOP is worth looking into. |
F.Both the community and the students benefit a lot from the project. |
G.Leaders also open up conversations throughout the service experience. |
9 . There are hundreds of non-profits welcoming students under the age of 18 as volunteers. In these activities, students can develop important life skills, cultural awareness and a lifelong passion for service.
Union Station Homeless Services
Whether you volunteer in our kitchens to prepare meals or in our offices to help with administrative projects, you will be a valuable member of our family. We do our best to match volunteers with a position that suits their interests and skills.
Minimum Age: 12
Call: 626-240-4550
Northeast Animal Shelter
The Northeast Animal Shelter, established in 1976, is one of New England’s largest non-profit shelters where the pets can be taken good care of. We have placed thousands of dogs and cats since we opened our doors. As soon as a dog or cat arrives, our staff begin searching for the perfect host for them. While waiting for a warm home, the dogs and cats receive the best of care.
Minimum Age: 16
Call: 745-988-8305
Needham Community Farm
The mission of Needham Community Farm is to deepen our community’s connection to nature and the food system by providing farm-based education, increasing access to healthy produce and encouraging environmental protection.
Minimum Age: 13
Call: 781-449-5300
Arlington Public Library
Serving more than 1.5 million people a year, Arlington Public Library holds more than 600,000 items, from books, eBooks, and DVDs, to digital photo collections and provides funded kits for parents and teachers. We only accept the volunteers with community service experience.
Minimum Age: 14
Call: 817-459-6900
1. Which non-profit cares for people in need?A.Arlington Public Library. |
B.Northeast Animal Shelter. |
C.Needham Community Farm. |
D.Union Station Homeless Services. |
A.Cook healthy meals. |
B.Build perfect homes. |
C.Find adoptive families. |
D.Search for their owners. |
A.They are skillful at sorting out items. |
B.They ought to be at least 12 years old. |
C.They have experience in community service. |
D.They should be capable of taking digital photos. |
10 . Earth Hour is organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature. It's a big event usually at the end of March every year. On this evening, people “go dark”.
It's true that turning off lights for just one hour saves only a small amount of power.
But on another level, a large number of people’s acting together sends a powerful message to governments and companies.
The logo(标识) of Earth Hour is “60+” .The number 60 is for the 60 minutes of Earth Hour.
A.But this is only the beginning. |
B.Earth Hour represents every hour of every day. |
C.After all, everyone has to answer for what they have done. |
D.Besides turning off the lights, people get involved in other events. |
E.It pushes them to take urgent measures by making changes to policies. |
F.That is, they switch off all unnecessary lights at the same time for one hour. |
G.The plus invites people to continue their action even after Earth Hour is finished. |