1 . Have you ever wondered what happens to your mobile phones and laptops after you throw them out to make way for a newer model? According to its latest Global E-Waste Monitor, India is the third top producer of e-waste in the world. E-waste in Indian landfill goes on to pollute soil and groundwater, affecting food supply systems and water sources.
Thankfully, the country has a new group of artists who are changing these thrown mechanical items-from mobile phones to old televisions- into large murals (壁画) and artworks to creatively show their concern for the waste problem.
Over the past quarter of a century, Mumbai’s Haribaabu Naatesan has transformed hundreds of tonnes of e-waste into art, integrating elements from nature and industry. “I get my waste material from friends, relatives and neighbours who know my interest in e-art and send me bags of thrown electronic appliances,” says Naatesan. Over his career, he has created huge murals for several companies. He has also showed his work at the India Art Fair, as well as several other national displays.
Another artist Vishwanath Davangere has also long worked with e-waste. He likes to take apart old laptops and reassemble (重新组装) them into birds, animals and plants. After retirement, he started pursuing this hobby more seriously and started selling his creations across the world. His most outstanding works include a robotic Egyptian statue with glowing red eyes and a Milky Way made from keyboard keys. He hopes to enable others to reconsider their own consumption habits and make more environmentally conscious choices.
“By giving e-waste a second chance, I aim to raise awareness about the environmental impact of electronic waste.” says Davangare, who today has a collection of more than 600 eco-art objects.
1. Why do the artists create artworks from E-waste?| A．To promote their artistic career. | B．To update electronic appliances. |
| C．To make profits for several companies. | D．To express their environmental concern. |
| A．His creations are displayed globally. | B．He gains support from people around. |
| C．He has been creating e-art for 10 years. | D．His works integrate technology and history. |
| A．Reliable. | B．Confident. | C．Devoted. | D．Generous. |
| A．E-waste Recycling Sweeping the World | B．Environmental Problems Worrying Indians |
| C．An Art Movement Turning Trash into Cash | D．Indian Creatives Transforming E-waste into Art |
2 . Released on Aug 30, a three-episode web series titled Escape From the British Museum has gone viral online for its touching and innovative narrative (叙事). The series follows the journey home of a Chinese jade teapot that has come to life as a girl. She runs away from the British Museum and comes across a Chinese journalist who helps the artifact return to China. The series, created by two Chinese vloggers, aims to raise broader awareness of Chinese artifacts that were stolen or looted (掠夺) from China and are displayed or stored in the British Museum.
The video series echoes the Chinese people’s call for the British Museum to return these Chinese artifacts. However, some UK media outlets said that the video series promotes nationalism (民族主义). In fact, every country whose artifacts are displayed or stored in the British Museum wants them back. These countries, such as Greece, Nigeria and Sudan, have already issued their demands for the return of artifacts. It’s fair enough to say these demands are shared. They can correct centuries-old wrongs by having the UK return artifacts to their rightful homes.
An opinion in the UK newspaper The Telegraph said that if the British Museum gives back its collection of artifacts, then nationalism will win over humanity’s common heritage. It also said that the artifacts were “lawfully acquired (合法取得)” by the UK. By “lawfully acquired”, does the writer mean the artifacts were acquired with the “help” of machine guns and warships? Or does he mean that the cultural artifacts of African, Asian and American countries should be kept in the hands of looters, rather than in their land of origin?
1. What is the video series Escape from the British Museum mainly about?| A．Cultural artifacts looted by the UK. |
| B．Hidden dangers in the British Museum. |
| C．The arguments about the British museum. |
| D．The journey of a Chinese artifact coming home. |
| A．Protests against UK’s nationalism. |
| B．The beauty of Chinese cultural artifacts. |
| C．The desire of stolen artifacts to be returned. |
| D．Efforts made by Chinese activists to get artifacts back. |
| A．To show the UK did something wrong in the past. |
| B．To stress China’s demands are shared by many countries. |
| C．To emphasize former colonized countries have grown stronger. |
| D．To highlight diverse artifacts are housed in the British Museum. |
| A．It’s totally unacceptable. | B．It’s a little bit reasonable. |
| C．It lacks enough evidence. | D．It shows the writer’s ignorance. |
3 . A wildlife photographer was waiting, hoping to get a shot of a relatively rare bird, a particular kind of heron(鹭). He’d waited several frustrating hours in the woods, but with no luck at all. Suddenly, to the photographer’s delight, a heron settled on a branch right in front of him. The photographer raised his camera and took the shot. Feeling particularly pleased, the photographer looked at the image. To his astonishment, he saw that behind the heron, his photograph had also captured a very, very rare woodpecker flying past. He hadn’t seen it, but without even trying, he’d photographed an even rarer bird than the one he was aiming for. This is an example of serendipity.
Cases of serendipity can be found in numerous fields, such as science. Back in the 1800s, a man called Wellswas at a demonstration (演示) of laughing gas. After being given the gas, the patient started laughing, as expected. But then he suddenly fell over and cut his le g rather badly. To everyone’s surprise, the man reported that he couldn’t feel any pain. Wells hadn’t been looking for it, but he’d made a medical discovery — certain gases reduce and can even almost eradicate pain. Had Wells not been there that night, anesthesia (麻醉) might have taken longer to be discovered.
Most of us can probably think of at least one example of serendipity in our own lives. Jane, a friend of mine,was trying to come up with an idea for an article but got completely stuck. Frustrated, she decided to go out to a local café. As she was sipping her coffee, she heard two people talking behind her. A man was telling a story that sounded so unbelievable that she knew it had to be true. She asked the people if she could interview them for the article. They agreed and her article turned out to be one of the top trending articles of the week.
1. The word “serendipity” in paragraph 1 means the fact of __________.| A．observing rare birds in person | B．achieving important aims in time |
| C．finding valuable things by chance | D．taking interesting photos by mistake |
| A．The gas’s hidden damage. | B．The gas’s pain-killing effect. |
| C．The patient’s scientific discovery. | D．The patient’s balance-losing moment. |
| A．To take a break. | B．To meet a friend. |
| C．To write an article. | D．To do an interview. |
| A．To explain a concept. | B．To promote a culture. |
| C．To introduce a person. | D．To recommend a method. |
4 . Travel with us to the heart of Fiordland National Park and take in the beauty and vastness of remote Doubtful Sound on our Wilderness Cruise (乘船游览). It will take your breath away as you experience its deep wilderness.
There’s no direct road access, so you’ll start with a boat ride across the picturesque Lake Manapouri , followed by a coach (大巴) trip over the epic Wilmot Pass through Fiordland’s rain forest and into the Sound. Along the way, you’ll pause to experience the dense Fiordland rainforest and view Doubtful Sound glistening below. The isolation makes this field a very special place. Only those in the know get to see it. In Doubtful Sound, you’ll board our spacious, purpose-built ship Patea Explorer for a 3-hour cruise.
Things you should know
●Check in 30 minutes prior to your Coach Transfer from Queenstown to Manapouri.
●A highlight is the coach trip through Fiordland’s rainforest and over Wilmot Pass.
●During the cruise, our knowledgeable and friendly nature guides will point out landmarks and provide all the information about the native wildlife you come face to face with, including dolphins, fur seals, and occasionally penguins.
●The trip duration:8 hours.
Extra information
●Picnic lunches available for pre-purchase (预购) up to 7 pm the day before your cruise.
●Snacks and drinks available for purchase on board(cash only).
●Licensed bar on board(cash only).
What to bring
Non-slip shoes/boots, waterproof jackets, warm sweaters, sunscreen, sunglasses, insect repellent and cameras.
1. What can tourists do during the cruise on Patea Explorer?| A．Pick personal guides. | B．View local wildlife. |
| C．Admire Lake Manapouri. | D．Enjoy free drinks and lunches. |
| A．30 minutes. | B．3 hours. | C．7 hours. | D．8 hours. |
| A．A park guidebook. | B．A cruise journal. | C．A boarding notice. | D．A travel brochure. |
5 . At six o’clock sharp the curtain rises at Southside Cultural Center, in Reno. Two hundred audience members, including the mayor of Reno, look to the stage. Dozens of actors break out into the first number of The Lion King.
But this is not your typical production. The gifted cast is made up of homeless children living at the Volunteers of America family shelter in Reno. The children have been given a chance to live their dreams onstage, thanks to volunteer acting coach Nasya Mancini. “I see so much of myself in these kids,” says Nasya. “I tell them their current circumstance doesn’t have to be their destiny (命运) . If they are determined, they can do anything they want.”
Determination is something Nasya knows all about. She was born prematurely and was given little chance of survival. But Nasya kept fighting. Her very name means “miracle” in Hebrew. Nasya was small, but quickly proved that her talents were as big as her will to survive. She started dancing at two. By six she’d been spotted by an acting coach, who encouraged her parents to enroll her in drama classes. “There was something about being onstage,” Nasya says. “It made my spirit come alive.” She decided that she was going to be an actor.
However, her enthusiasm didn’t sit well with some of her schoolmates. They teased (嘲) her, “You’re a shrimp. You’re not even pretty.” Nasya came home in tears. Her mother hugged her and told her to ignore it. By high school, Nasya was winning awards in theater competitions. She also provided community service by teaching drama to the children at the shelter. Nasya wanted the kids at the shelter to discover the confidence that acting could give. The best way to do that, she decided, was to put on a big play.
The production was a hit. The kids took several curtain calls. Donations to the shelter rolled in. Nasya reminds the kids of something she knows with every part of her spirit to be true: “Believe in yourself. The world is your stage.”
1. What was special about the play The Lion King?| A．It was staged at the local shelter. | B．It was starred by Nasya Mancini. |
| C．It was performed by homeless kids. | D．It was funded by the mayor of Reno. |
| A．Creative and modest. | B．Talented and caring. |
| C．Determined and humorous. | D．Confident and demanding. |
| A．To collect public donations. | B．To build the kids’ confidence. |
| C．To win a local theater competition. | D．To complete her community service. |
| A．Volunteers Make a Difference. | B．Rising from Shelter to Stage. |
| C．The Lion King Is Roaring Back. | D．Sharing Her Dream with Homeless Teens. |
6 . Each day, I woke up with a mental list of the tasks I had to complete. My routine was
As I
The whistle sounded, and the ball was kicked in my direction.
I went through a very difficult operation, followed by a long,
| A．strange | B．boring | C．old | D．simple |
| A．improved | B．began | C．changed | D．continued |
| A．explored | B．approached | C．discovered | D．decorated |
| A．warned | B．begged | C．taught | D．promised |
| A．last | B．professional | C．lucky | D．favorite |
| A．Missing | B．Receiving | C．Throwing | D．Avoiding |
| A．field | B．corner | C．center | D．net |
| A．well | B．safely | C．late | D．normally |
| A．delayed | B．left | C．wasted | D．lost |
| A．extra | B．average | C．final | D．former |
| A．challenged | B．identified | C．threatened | D．injured |
| A．passed by | B．fell behind | C．crashed into | D．guarded against |
| A．painful | B．dangerous | C．lonely | D．special |
| A．losses | B．regrets | C．comments | D．fears |
| A．master | B．leader | C．winner | D．survivor |
7 . Everywhere I look, there are new buildings under construction. The neighborhoods that I knew as a boy, filled with beautiful old buildings, have mostly disappeared, and in their place, modern, high-rise buildings have appeared. There is good reason for this. Residents want all the conveniences of modern living. However, how can our children understand and maintain their cultural identity if we erase so much of the physical evidence of it?
The arguments for preserving historic buildings are not simply about an emotional attachment to the past. There are also good economic arguments in favour of preservation. The renovation (修缮) and preservation of historic districts can become an economic engine, drawing tourists and small businesses to the area. For example, in Dubai, the historic Al Bastikiya district draws thousands of tourists every year from all over the world. It also attracts local residents, eager to learn about their city's past.
Some have argued that historic preservation is too expensive, but many recent projects have demonstrated that this is not necessarily the case. In fact, renovation of an existing structure for adaptive reuse can cost about £40 per square metre less than even the most basic new construction, while preserving the beauty of the original building. And, although it is often claimed that old buildings have a more significant environmental footprint than new construction because they aren’t very energy efficient, architects and environmental experts maintain that the greenest building is the one that is already built. New construction almost always has a more serious environmental impact (影响) because it requires the use of all-new materials that must be transported, often over long distances, instead of recycled materials that are already on site. We recycle so many other things. We can and should recycle buildings, too.
Historic preservation is an option that opens many possibilities; demolition (拆毁), in contrast, is irreversible. Once these treasures are lost, they are lost forever, an important link in our heritage that can never be recovered.
1. What drives people to replace old buildings with new ones?| A．Their dislike of old buildings. | B．Their pride in cultural identity. |
| C．Their concern about young generations. | D．Their desire for modern comforts. |
| A．Historic renovation costs much money. |
| B．Local governments support small businesses. |
| C．Historic preservation brings economic benefits. |
| D．International tourism promises economic recovery. |
| A．It uses green materials. | B．It damages architectural beauty. |
| C．It reduces enviromental impact. | D．It worries environmental experts. |
| A．Positive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Disapproving. | D．Objective. |
8 . Bobby Wilson is retired. Well, he’s supposed to be. But the Georgia farmer, “The Garden Man” named by his community, used his retirement savings to buy and operate a nonprofit farm — the Metro Atlanta Urban Farm — and he hasn’t slowed down since.
Years ago, Bobby Wilson saw a need for fighting hunger in his community. He worked hard all his life, but when it came time to retire, he knew his job wasn’t over yet. So he poured his time, money and energy into stepping up to fill that need and combat food insecurity. He dedicated his life to helping his community and to creating a healthier, more sustainable world for his grandchildren.
Wilson is on a mission. He’s on several missions, actually. While working for the University of Georgia for twenty years in gardening education, he saw a real need for affordable, nutritious food in his under-served community in the Atlanta metropolitan area. As food prices rise, the need has only increased. Families across the nation are feeling the pinch. It’s getting harder and harder for people to afford nutritious food. According to U.S. Hunger, one in ten households faces food insecurity. In Georgia, where Bobby Wilson lives, the problem is even more terrible, with one in eight people facing hunger. So Bobby Wilson is on a mission to help families in his disadvantaged neighborhood grow their own food on small tracts of land using sustainable practices. At a time when thousands of households are struggling to make ends meet, Wilson insists that people can save thousands of dollars if they grow their own vegetables. And he has set up a teaching farm on five acres of land in College Park, in the heart of the city, to show people how to do just that. Numerous volunteers are educated on the agriculture industry, including how to best acquire land and resources.
Asked about the principle of the farm, Wilson said, “It’s more than just a farm. It’s about justice, diversity, and inclusion. We are working for the community.”
1. Why did Bobby Wilson buy the Metro Atlanta Urban Farm?| A．To continue to work after retirement. | B．To provide healthy food for the community. |
| C．To show his grandchildren how to grow food. | D．To educate volunteers on the agriculture industry. |
| A．Struggling financially. | B．Suffering mentally. |
| C．Emotionally disturbed. | D．Physically challenged. |
| A．Committed and adventurous. | B．Generous and devoted. |
| C．Ambitious and knowledgeable. | D．Responsible and modest. |
| A．A Retired Farmer Spreads Knowledge of Farming |
| B．The Metro Atlanta Urban Farm-More Than a Farm |
| C．A Mission of Creating a Sustainable Agricultural World |
| D．The Garden Man Feeds a Community with Retirement Money |
9 . My husband Dan and I were just finishing breakfast at a busy diner when a young soldier, his wife and their two school-aged children were seated at the table next to us. As they all sat down, the woman
“Eighteen,” she said softly to her husband after
The kids ordered the silver-dollar pancakes while their parents requested scrambled eggs and sausage. “Can we get strawberries, too, puh-leeeeeeeze?” the kids asked with
Then we went to settle the bill at the
“Sure,” the cashier responded. “Whose birthday?” Dan looked at her
“Oh, I just figured one of them was having a birthday today,” the cashier
| A．took out | B．dipped into | C．searched for | D．showed off |
| A．excitedly | B．hurriedly | C．carefully | D．slowly |
| A．taking over | B．thinking over | C．turning over | D．going over |
| A．prices | B．selections | C．ingredients | D．recipes |
| A．anxiety | B．curiosity | C．eagerness | D．embarrassment |
| A．uneasy | B．distant | C．confused | D．annoyed |
| A．removing | B．exchanging | C．adding | D．weighing |
| A．Since | B．Though | C．Once | D．Unless |
| A．secret | B．quiet | C．crowded | D．luxurious |
| A．kitchen | B．register | C．door | D．bathroom |
| A．consumer | B．discount | C．membership | D．gift |
| A．blankly | B．fondly | C．directly | D．admiringly |
| A．announced | B．admitted | C．noticed | D．assumed |
| A．reported | B．explained | C．evaluated | D．suggested |
| A．unique | B．exact | C．same | D．right |
10 . Right now, summers are getting hotter, winters colder and the polar ice is melting at an alarming rate. Extreme weather events and natural disasters frequently occur. The climate time-bomb is ticking. Strict measures must be taken to tackle the problem.
It reminds me of how the lives we live seem to follow roughly in the way put forward years earlier by the writers of science-fiction. I guess it’s “life imitating art”. When I was young there were stories about rockets going into space and even going to the moon, although there had never been a rocket into space at that time. Years later, Russia launched Sputnik, the first man-made object to go into earth orbit and later the US landed people and even a car on the moon.
When I was growing up there were also science-fiction stories about governments looking for solutions when the world’s natural resources were being over-extended, such as they are in the case of climate change. The solution in the stories was to assume that the cause of the problem was over-population and the solution, therefore, was to limit the number of people. Various plans were put forward for doing that, from limiting the birth rate to killing off anyone over a certain age. That age, if I remember correctly, was usually about 60 and when you reached that you were supposed to turn yourself over to a government facility where you would be put to death.
Still, a look at the old science-fiction stories provides an interesting and somewhat chilling approach to what is acknowledged to be a very serious and worsening world-wide problem. There is general agreement that urgent action is needed to stop us from literally making our world unfit to live on. The answers, at least so far, concentrate on managing those resources and the ways in which we use them. However, I wonder if the day will come when life will imitate the art of the old science-fiction stories and someone will propose limiting the number of people on the planet as a way of making it more suitable for those who are left. It’s a grave thing to predict.
1. What does the author say about climate problems?| A．The problems can be tackled in a scientific way. |
| B．The problems are in urgent need of being resolved. |
| C．The explosion of extreme climates is under control. |
| D．The loss of natural resources leads to climate changes. |
| A．By giving examples. | B．By using quotes. |
| C．By giving definitions. | D．By making contrast. |
| A．Removing overpopulated species. | B．Getting rid of seniors. |
| C．Over-extending natural resources. | D．Moving onto the moon. |
| A．Calm. | B．Serious. | C．Frustrated. | D．Matter-of-fact. |
