2 . 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”.     1    

It's true that turning off lights for just one hour saves only a small amount of power.    2    On one level, joining in Earth Hour makes people think about the problem of climate change and what we can do in everyday life to protect nature.

But on another level, a large number of people’s acting together sends a powerful message to governments and companies.     3     They begin considering green issues when big decisions.

The logo(标识) of Earth Hour is “60+” .The number 60 is for the 60 minutes of Earth Hour.     4     In fact, people who join in Earth Hour say that taking part makes them want to do more for the environment.

    5     Musicians give concerts by playing acoustic(原声的) instruments instead of electric ones, and using candles instead of electric lights. Celebrity chefs have created special recipes for families to prepare and eat by candlelight. Tree-planting sessions, group walks and runs are also among the options.

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.

3 . Four Interesting Science Museums

Polytechnic Museum, Russia

For many guests of the capital, some of the most vivid childhood memories are associated with this museum. A variety of technical fields are presented in 65 halls-Mining, Space, Energy, and Transportation, etc. And the exposition（博览会）is the only museum project in Russia about the history of the bike. The interactive division "Technoplay" is open, where you not only can but also need touch most of the exhibits with your hands. In addition to self-experimentation, for personal requests the museum's experts will show many entertaining experiments.

Eureka, England

The Eureka educational center is a huge complex where modern science and technology are becoming clear, even to kids. The main exhibition is devoted to the human body, the laws of physics and natural things. Visitors can obtain energy or create paper with their own hands. On the area of the Eureka educational park there is a botanical garden and a collection of minerals from the rock types of Finland is presented there.

Deutsches Museum, Germany

In this museum you can see more than 100 thousand different items from windmills（风车）to medical equipment. All aspects of industrial production appear before the eyes. Several museum rooms are arranged especially for children-there are exhibits that entertain kids starting from three.

NEMO, the Netherlands

The largest Dutch research centre stands ready to share its secrets with everyone. This immersion（沉浸）in the world of science and technology will not be dull. All significant information is presented in the form of exciting games. All exhibits are interactive; visitors are allowed to touch, pull and press on anything. The museum is for children from 6 to 16, as well as for their parents-it will be interesting to all.

1. What can visitors do at Polytechnic Museum?

A．Learn how the bike developed.	B．Touch all of the exhibits.
C．Watch entertaining movies.	D．Show entertaining experiments.

2. Where should visitors go if they are interested in plants?

A．Polytechnic Museum.	B．Eureka.
C．Deutsches Museum.	D．NEMO.

3. What makes NEMO unique?

A．It is specially designed for children.

B．It is the largest museum in the world.

C．It shows information of exhibits in games.

D．Some exhibits can be touched or pressed.

4 . In 2010, a huge earthquake hit Haiti, causing the deaths of over a hundred thousand people and millions of dollars’ worth of damage.    1    On this occasion, funds were raised with amazing speed--within a week of the quake, the American Red Cross had raised $22 million. The reason? People were donating via their mobile phones.

    2     Gone are the days when people donated door by door. In today’s world of computers, smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches, charities can now reach more people than ever before.

Social media in particular has had a great impact on charity.    3     This enables charities to raise money extremely quickly, as in Haiti. And the quicker aid can be delivered, the more lives can be saved. Individual fundraising has also benefited. Most people are now so well-connected through sites like Facebook that asking people to contribute to your chosen cause is easier than ever.

New, innovative ways of donating are being thought up all the time. For example, if you want to support a good cause and keep fit at the same time, you can use an app called Charity Miles.    4     For every kilometer you cover, the app’s sponsors will make a donation to a charity of your choice. There’s also Snapdonate, which allows users to donate simply by taking a photo of a charity’s logo with their smartphone. The app recognizes the logo and allows users to immediately make a donation through their phones. This cuts out the need for entering payment details on charity websites, and makes the process of donating small amounts to multiple charities much simpler.

Apps like these are growing in number, and that can only be a good thing.    5    

A．People were eager to aid others in trouble.

B．The app can track the distance you run or cycle.

C．News of disasters spreads quickly around the world.

D．Charity helps to refresh the development of social Media.

E．Technological advances have changed how charities work.

F．The international community jumped into action to provide aid.

G．In future, we could support our chosen cause more easily and more often.

5 . Voluntary organizations

Horizon School Peru
Area: Peru

We are a non-profit organization based in Trujillo, Peru. We provide free English classes for the nearby area, which we believe can help the community get out of poverty. By learning English, people here will be able to get more job chances.

As a volunteer, you will have to teach English both in Horizon and at a local public school. It’s also a chance to explore Trujillo and the local beach town. Volunteers will get to experience the Peruvian culture and cooking as well as the language. Please get in touch with us at contact@horizonperu.com.

Do-it.org.uk
Area: the United Kingdom

If you want to make a difference, meet new people or learn new skills through volunteering, then look no further than do-it.org.uk — a volunteering website of the UK, which provides over a million chances to volunteer.

Just enter your postcode (邮编) and interest at www.do-it.org.uk, look through the chances and apply online. It’s as simple as that.

Aim Abroad
Area: India

Aim Abroad is a non-profit volunteer organization based in India. International volunteers are welcome to take part in the programs for the improvement of society. For more information, please visit www.aimabroad.org.

Adventist Nepal
Area: Nepal

We are a non-profit organization lying in Kathmandu, Nepal, with the purpose of providing volunteer services in Nepal in the field of education, health, human rights, writing, travel, etc. If you are interested in working as a volunteer and looking for help, please feel free to get in touch with us at info@adventistnepal.org. We also provide home stay service for visitors.

1. What are volunteers in Horizon School Peru required to do?

A．Attend English classes.	B．Offer free English lessons.
C．Experience the local culture.	D．Talk in English with the locals.

2. If you are concerned about health problems, which organization can you apply for?

A．Aim Abroad.	B．Do-it.org.uk.
C．Adventist Nepal.	D．Horizon School Peru.

3. What do the four organizations have in common?

A．Their aim is to help the poor.	B．They only accept local volunteers.
C．Their volunteers must have many skills.	D．Volunteers can apply for positions online.

6 . Philadelphia's Magic Gardens makes up a folk art center, gallery space, and a nonprofit organization showcasing the works of mosaicist（镶嵌设计师）Isaiah Zagar.

Zagar devoted himself to beautifying the South Street neighborhood in the late 1960s, when he moved to the area with his wife Julia. The couple helped the area by purchasing and repairing some old buildings, often adding colorful mosaics on both their private and public walls. The first such project was Julia's still-busy folk art store, the Eyes Gallery at 402 South Street.

Zagar started working on the Magic Gardens in 1994 in the deserted parking lot near his studio. He spent the next fourteen years sculpting multi-layered walls and decorating the 3, 000 square foot space. The installation（装置艺术），primarily consisting of found objects and contributions from the community, finally covers half a city block with countless patterns and colors. It shows Zagar's many artistic influences, as well as the events and experiences of his life.

In 2002，the owner of the once-unused parking lot decided to sell the land in response to rising South Street property values. Unwilling to witness the destruction of Zagar's neighborhood art environment, the community rushed to support the artist. His creation, newly titled Philadelphia's Magic Gardens, turned into a nonprofit organization with the intention of preserving and promoting Zagar's works at the site of the Magic Gardens and throughout the South Street region.

The Magic Gardens is now a permanent art institution that is open to visitors throughout the year. Trained guides are available to lead tours of the Magic Gardens and Zagar's surrounding public wall paintings. In addition, it offers monthly mosaic workshops led by Zagar himself, and regularly hosts concerts, dance performances, and other public events.

1. How did Zagar help the South Street neighborhood?

A．He moved to the area with his family.

B．He worked to improve its surroundings.

C．He opened a folk art store with his wife.

D．He managed to buy all the old buildings.

2. What does Paragraph 3 intend to tell us?

A．Great achievements of Zagar.

B．Special skills of installing art.

C．Location of the Magic Gardens

D．Early history of the Magic Gardens.

3. What do the local residents think of Zagar's works?

A．They harm environment.

B．They can bring in profits.

C．They should be removed.

D．They are precious treasures.

4. What can tourists do in Philadelphia's Magic Gardens?

A．Paint the walls on the spot.

B．Put on music performances.

C．Enjoy some Zagar's works.

D．Attend some dance courses.

7 .

our mission        our supporters   about us

Frequently Asked Questions

What is “UNICEF”?

UNICEF is the United Nations Children’s Fund

When created in 1946 to help children in war-torn Europe, China and the Middle East, UNICEF stood for “United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund”. In 1947, UNICEF USA was founded, one year after UNICEF, to support UNICEF’s lifesaving work for children.

By 1953, UNICEF's task was extended to address the needs of children in the developing world. At that time, the words “international” and “emergency” were dropped from the organization’s name, making it simply the United Nations Children’s Fund. UNICEF has helped save more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization.

What is UNICEF USA’s mission?

We work for the survival, protection and development of children worldwide through fund raising, advocacy and education.

How can I volunteer for UNICEF in the field?

UNICEF secures volunteers, who must have at least a Bachelor’s Degree and two-to-five years’ experience in their field of expert knowledge and skills, through the United Nations Volunteers program.

If you are a citizen of the United States and meet the above standards, send your resume to the United Nations Volunteers program at the following address for more information: United Nations Volunteers, c/o Peace Corps, 1111 20th St.N.W, Washington, DC 20526.

If you are interested in volunteering within the United States, click here to learn how.

May I donate non-cash goods for emergency relief?

Some have asked us about donating goods here in the U.S. for emergency relief efforts abroad. While we are grateful for the desire to help, UNICEF does not accept non-cash goods. Why?

Financial donations are the fastest and most efficient way to provide assistance. Donated goods must be screened, sorted, stored and transported. UNICEF pre-positions supplies to speed up delivery and sources them locally whenever possible. A blanket donated today can take weeks, or even months, to arrive abroad. A dollar donated today, however, will be arranged tomorrow to buy lifesaving supplies.

We also purchase supplies in large quantities to save money. That means your financial donation will get more supplies to more kids in need than your donation of non-cash goods.

1. Which of the following statements is true of UNICEF USA?

A．It no longer provides emergency fund.

B．It is localized to focus on national affairs.

C．It was originally created for kids’ education.

D．It supports children growth at home and abroad.

2. If you want to be a UNICEF USA volunteer,______ is NOT a must.

A．required education background	B．related working experience
C．American nationality	D．educational program participation

3. Financial donation is a better choice than non-cash goods because of_________.

A．the good will	B．operational efficiency
C．local assistance	D．the reliable supply

8 . Every year, over 7.72 trillion kilograms of plastic is washed into the oceans. There are five huge areas in the world’s oceans that are a “soup” of floating rubbish. One of these areas, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP), is three times as large as France.

Over a year ago, a group called Ocean Cleanup began using a huge floating screen to try to clean up plastic pollution in the ocean. After several failures, the group is now collecting plastic in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. But the plastic is spreading out over a large area, so it's impossible to collect it piece by piece. So, the Ocean Cleanup had a plan. They got a long floating U-shaped tube with a screen hanging below it. As the tube and screen are pushed by the water and the winds, the U is meant to collect plastic rubbish, making it easy for a ship to collect and remove the plastic. The system uses the power of the wind and ocean, so it doesn’t need fuel.

The group began testing the first version, called “System 001”, last September. But it soon became clear that the screen was just moving with the plastic, not collecting it. Sometimes plastic would wash over the top of the tube. Even worse, System 001 got broken by surging seas and had to be towed to Hawaii for repairs.

But Mr. Slat, who got the idea for the Ocean Cleanup system, sees the project as an experiment, which means a failure is a chance to learn. The team collected and studied lots of information about what worked well and what didn’t. Then they changed the design. In June, an improved version, called “System001/B” was towed back to the GPGP.

The new version has a parachute (降落伞) attached to it. This makes the system move slightly slower than the plastic, allowing the plastic to be collected inside, as planned. But this success is still just the beginning of the work of the Ocean Cleanup. They want a better and larger system.

1. What does the author want to show in Paragraph 1?

A．Humans should try to prevent plastic waste.

B．The GPGP is facing different kinds of pollution.

C．Plastic pollution in the oceans has become a serious problem.

D．A series of problems has been caused by plastic pollution.

2. What was the group’s plan?

A．To make use of the water and the winds.

B．To create a ship to collect waste in the oceans.

C．To collect the floating plastic waste piece by piece.

D．To gather up the floating plastic waste in the oceans.

3. What can we know about the “System001”?

A．It was a failure.	B．It was a great success.
C．It worked with a parachute.	D．It needed to be fueled regularly.

4. What does the underlined word mean in Paragraph 3?

A．vast

B．rough

C．calm

D．peaceful

9 . How Disney grew its $3 billion Mickey Mouse business — by selling to adults

In March 2019, Gucci began selling a $4,500 purse in the shape of Mickey Mouse’s head. Between the creature’s round black ears is a small handle embossed (凸印) with the word “Gucci.” On the brand’s website, a male model stares seriously into the camera without the slightest trace of irony (讽刺) that he is, in fact, carrying around the head of a children’s cartoon character.

It’s perhaps the most luxurious Mickey Mouse products designed for adults.     1     Maybelline created makeup sets with packaging covered in Mickey’s face. Uniqlo made dozens of graphic T-shirts with Mickey in various poses. So as not to miss out on the action, Apple launched $300 Beats headphones that paid homage to (向……致敬) the Mouse.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Mickey Mouse and his friends sold $3 billion in merchandise (周边商品) in 2018, a figure that includes both adult and children’s products.

This brings up the question: Why would adults wear items decorated with the face of a smiling rodent in the first place? What accounts for the enduring appeal of this anthropomorphized (拟人化的) mouse, while other Disney characters, such as Anna from Frozen, hardly ever appear in adult products?

Mickey Mouse was big business almost as soon as he made his debut (首次亮相) in Walt Disney’s animated short Steamboat Willie (《汽船威利号》) in 1928. Within five years, Mickey was earning $1 million a year in merchandise sales. These products were largely targeted at children, including stuffed toys, trains, and nursery (托儿所) wallpaper.

Everything changed in the years after World War II.     2     For one thing, Mickey was nearly twenty years old, which meant that the first audience, who enjoyed the cartoons as children, were now in their thirties. Disney was willing to transform Mickey into a symbol of innocence in the postwar years, when people were desperate for something hopeful to cling to.

All the marketing worked. In 1947, products featuring Disney characters brought in $100 million in revenue (收益) in merchandise. In addition to kids’ products, many of the items sold were for adults, such as radios and phonographs (留声机).

    3     He made Mickey’s face and body rounder, and eyes larger, like those of a baby. Scientists have shown that adults are more drawn to childlike faces. That look is more likely to subconsciously (潜意识地) produce a greater level of attachment in the viewer.

    4     For instance, the company has done everything in its power to ensure that they do not use images of Mickey drinking and smoking.

By and large, though, the symbolism Mickey represents is the one Disney has put forth: that of innocence and positivity.     5     In World War II, people used Mickey to help cope with the horrors before them. This might also help explain why Mickey Mouse has been popular over the past few years when many people are experiencing political instability.

A．Over the decades, Disney is always sensitive about how brands portray Mickey when it licenses his face.

B．Why was this effective at getting adults’ attention?

C．This is perhaps why adults seem drawn to him during times of trouble.

D．At that point, demand for products bearing Mickey’s face among adults decreased.

E．But it’s just one of many that has flooded the market.

F．Disney kept developing the character to make him more and more universally appealing.

G．Disney’s goal was clearly to make the character universally known and loved.

10 . Italy and China has agreed to jointly advance the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)     (一带一路), which aims to build a trade and infrastructure network to connect Asia with Europe and Africa along ancient trade routes. Italy will use this opportunity to cooperate with China to develop its northern ports and the InvestItalia program, and promote cooperation in all fields.

Despite some skepticism, the BRI has developed into one of the world’s largest cooperation platforms and become a hot public good. More than 120 countries and 29 international organizations have signed agreements with China up to date, bringing all sorts of development opportunities to parties of the BRI, including the construction of Kenya’s first high-speed expressway, the first cross-sea bridge in the Maldives, and the formation of the car industry in Belarus.

The inclusion of Italy into the BRI makes Italy the first G7 country to formally join the Initiative, and sets a new milestone in the process of building the Belt and Road.

What makes the BRI unique is that it is an initiative for win-win cooperation rather than zero-sum competition. As everyone knows, the BRI has its origin in the ancient Silk Road trade route that linked China with many places in the world, including the Italian cities of Rome and Venice. Italy is a natural fit for the ambitious project because of its historical connections with China, and also because of the need to be open rather than closed, to cooperate rather than confront. In this fast-changing world, seeking win-win progress is the best path forward for all countries.

In China, it is said that without a big breakthrough in thinking, there will be no big leap in practice; and without a big leap in practice, there will be no great development. A number of Chinese ideas and initiatives have been formed with the goal of building a community of common destiny in mind. Under the BRI, we can expect China to deepen policy coordination, facilities connectivity, free trade, financial integration, and people-to-people bonds.

The revival of China as a great power is a blessing to the world, contributing to the building of a better world.

1. How does the author develop the second paragraph?

A．By giving examples.	B．By making comparisons.
C．By reasoning and analyzing.	D．By describing important events.

2. What can we learn from the last but one paragraph?

A．China has become a superpower.

B．China puts others’ interests before its own.

C．China has been seeking development for all.

D．China is well-known for its traditional ideas.

3. What does the underlined part “zero-sum competition” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Only one participant will win.

B．None of the participants will win.

C．All participants will gain something.

D．Some participants will win at the cost of others.

4. What is best title of the passage?

A．The revival of China as a great power

B．Construction along ancient trade routes

C．A milestone in building BRI has beenset

D．Italy and China reached an agreement on BRI