1 . Apple and other smartphone makers will be required to support USB-C as part of a single charging standard for mobile devices across the European Union by as early as the fall of 2024 under a new law announced Tuesday by EU officials.
The requirement is aimed at reducing e-waste and reducing “cable clutter,” said Margrethe Vestager, European Commission Vice President. According to a release, “mobile phones, tablets, e-readers, earbuds, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers that are rechargeable via a wired cable will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C port, regardless of their manufacture.”
Chargers that support fast charging will also be required to adopt the same charging speeds. The measure does not influence wireless charging technologies, and consumers would have to be able to buy a device without an attached charger if they choose.
The new rule stands to bring major changes for Apple(AAPL)users. Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. But Apple told EU officials that the proposed rule would be out of date as a billion devices use the company’s proprietary Lightning connector. A 2021 study cited in the same report found that iPhones with the Lightning connector accounted for 18% of new mobile phone sales in 2019, with 44% using USB-C and 38% using the older USB Micro-B connector.
The writing has been on the wall for the end of Apple’s Lightning connector for some time. Apple already uses the USB-C standard in some Macs and iPads and is reportedly testing iPhone models that replace the Lightning port. But Tuesday’s announcement could quicken Apple’s change to USB-C and potentially lead to the company dropping Lightning around the world forever.
Efforts to set a single standard for charging in Europe date back more than a decade. Officials at one point had secured industry support for the USB Micro-B standard, but a voluntary, agreement among major manufacturers put that to an end in 2014 and was not replaced. The coming law to require USB-C, by contrast, is among the first of its kind.
1. What do we learn about the coming rule?| A．It can apply to small electronics with a wired cable in the EU. |
| B．It is to remind us of the threat of e-waste and cable clutter. |
| C．It will come into effect for the sales of USB-C in the EU. |
| D．It’ll affect the wireless charging technologies in the world. |
| A．Uninterested. | B．Negative. | C．Supportive. | D．Curious. |
| A．Industry support. | B．The USB Micro-B. | C．The agreement. | D．The coming law. |
| A．USB-C charger: a requirement for Apple | B．Rechargeable smartphones: potential wastes |
| C．USB-C charger: an innovative approach | D．Apple’s Fast charging: out of this world |
2 . If knowledge is power, then books are fuel and libraries are power stations! Here are four amazing libraries that can get you positively charged.
New York Public Library—New York
Opened in 1911, New York Public Library was the largest marble building in the world. Over the years the library has a collection of 53 million items, including rare first edition books, 300 million pages of historical newspapers and around 40 ,000 restaurant menus dating back to 1850!
Chetham's Library— Manchester
Founded in 1653, Chetham's Library is a free public library with the longest history in the UK. The building itself is even older —built in 1421, it's one of the most well—protected medieval buildings in England!
With 100 ,000 + books lining the shelves, the special atmosphere of the library attracts students and scholars alike to attend guided tours offered throughout the year.
The Library of Congress Washington, D. C.
Located on Capitol Hill, the Library of Congress is considered the national library of the US and the second largest library in the world. The library has around 168 million items, adding 10 ,000 to this number every day.
Need to catch up on the news? The Library of Congress, which was founded in 1800, holds the world’s largest newspaper collection, with some dating back as far as 1659!
The British Library—London
The British Library was founded in 1973. With around 170 million items spread across 750 km of shelving, it's the largest library in the world. And this number is continually growing and 8 km of shelving has to be added every year! This is partly because the British Library must receive a copy of every publication produced in the UK and Ireland, by law.
1. Where can you visit the oldest library?| A．In New York. | B．In London. |
| C．In Manchester. | D．In Washington, D. C. |
| A．Its large area. |
| B．Its various functions. |
| C．Its building materials. |
| D．Its newspaper collection. |
| A．The legal rule. | B．The public's help. |
| C．The printing skills. | D．The librarians' efforts. |
3 . The signs appeared practically overnight. They’d been planted everywhere—in front of homes, along sidewalks, around the local high school. Each featured just a few uplifting words in simple black type: “Don’t Give Up,” “You Are Worthy of Love,” “Your Mistakes Do Not Define You.” The high school in Newberg, Oregon, had lost four students and three former graduates to kill themselves that year, so the town of 25, 000 instantly understood the messages.
Amy Wolff had done so, in part, because she’d lost her own teenage brother in an accident about 20 years earlier. It was compassion (同情) for compassion’s sake.
Yet as Wolff saw the deep emotion her sign inspired in her neighbors, she decided to step forward to share her message publicly. Instantly, her inbox was flooded with requests for more signs. Since then, the Don’t Give Up Movement has spread from Newberg to the hearts and yards of people in every state. Wolff charges only the cost of materials and shipping. “It’s a terrible business decision if we wanted to function like a business,” she says.
Chrisanne Moger commented on one of the movement’s posts about the need for one particular sign, “We’re All in This Together.” She thought it would really speak to a world huddling together under the cloud of COVID-19. Wolff agreed, and she received 750 orders within a week of its creation. A mother in Colorado, unable to travel during the quarantine (隔离), contacted the organization after her stepson’s sudden death. “I saw one of your signs recently and it was a touching message from above to hang on.” she wrote.
Aware of the added emotional challenges isolation brings, the Don’t Give Up Movement has since offered to send handwritten letters of support to anyone in quarantine who needs it.
1. Why did the signs suddenly appear everywhere in Newberg?| A．They featured some inspiring words. |
| B．The high school had lost several students. |
| C．They conveyed simple messages. |
| D．The outbreak of COVID-19 scared people. |
| A．It is a non-profit organization. |
| B．It met all requests of neighbors. |
| C．It gradually won the hearts of people. |
| D．It was started in honor of Amy’s brother. |
| A．They bring emotional challenges. |
| B．They offer great encouragement. |
| C．They provide information for COVID-19. |
| D．They improve interpersonal relationships. |
| A．She’s active and open-minded. | B．She’s talkative and sociable. |
| C．She’s decisive and ambitious. | D．She’s selfless and devoted. |
