1 . A books-for-food program in Guatemala is helping feed needy children as hunger rates rise during the pandemic(疫情). It is run by a local nonprofit organization that aims to feed nearly 400 children.
The program is simple. People choose a book they want from a list of donated titles, and in return give bags of Incaparina, a high-protein drink mix. Bonifaz Diaz works for the program. By bringing the books-for-food program directly to people's homes, Diaz makes sure donations keep flowing. He has traveled more than 2,000 kilometers on his bicycle, delivered loads of books and carried back thousands of kilograms of Incaparina for the nonprofit group 32 Volcanoes. Diaz sometimes pulls a small cart that helps him carry up to 57 kilograms of product. He has traveled as far as 60 kilometers for a delivery to a town in the Western Highlands, where road conditions are poor.
Nearly a year into the books-for-food program, two more cyclists have joined Diaz and donations keep flowing in. Ana Castillo is a 29-year-old high school teacher who recently received the sociology book from Diaz. She donates to the program often. The 1.8 kilograms of Incaparina she provided will help one family eat for a month.
Castillo looks forward to choosing her books from the titles Diaz posts on social media. She also loves the feeling of a "growing circle" of giving and receiving. "You might not get to those places, but your help can. "she says.
Diaz says he plans to continue cycling against hunger as long as the need exists. He has faced his own economic difficulties since the theater company he co-founded closed last spring. But the program has kept him active. "It's an opportunity to serve in which we all benefit. "Diaz said.
1. What is the purpose of the program?| A．To serve the readers. |
| B．To produce Incaparina. |
| C．To offer poor children food. |
| D．To fight the pandemic. |
| A．He set up a social media. |
| B．He made donations frequently. |
| C．He rented a cart to carry goods. |
| D．He traveled to deliver books and food. |
| A．More people are involved in it. |
| B．Only two cyclists work for it. |
| C．Over 400 adults benefit from it. |
| D．Financial difficulties put it to an end. |
| A．Indifferent. |
| B．Supportive. |
| C．Tolerant. |
| D．Unwilling |
2 . Poaching has been threatening the survival of the African black rhino for long. But thanks to conservation efforts, the population of this endangered animal is slowly increasing, according to a recent update of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
Between 2012 and 2018, the number of black rhinos in Africa has increased moderately, at annual rate of 2.5%, The population in the wild has grown from approximately 4,845 to 5,630. As IUCN's update suggests, the population models predict the number will continue to rise slowly over the next five years.
The white rhino, Africa's another rhino species that exists in greater numbers, has been on the IUCN Red List categorized as Near Threatened. Compared to the black rhino, the white rhino is at higher risk of being poached as it has larger horns and prefers more open habitats, which makes it easier to spot.
The threat to the two species mainly comes from poaching for the illegal international rhino horn trade. Fortunately, in recent years, a number of groups including range states, private landowners, and communities have been making efforts to protect them, and the measures are working. In 2015, there were at least 1,349 rhinos poached—an average of 3.7 rhinos hunted per day. Since then, the poaching numbers have decreased every year. In 2018, there were at least 892 rhinos poached, meaning approximately 2.4 African rhinos poached per day, or one every 10 hours. The data for 2019 looks promising as the poaching levels appear to have further gone down.
Although the levels of rhino poaching have been declining slightly in recent years due to conservation efforts, the costs of keeping rhinos safe have greatly gone up and sale prices for live rhinos have decreased considerably over the last 10 years, making private landowners and communities less motivated to protect rhinos. This trend could delay the continued progress of expanding the species range and numbers.
1. Which of the following can best describe the number of the African rhinos now?| A．Slightly declining. | B．Slowly expanding. |
| C．Greatly increasing. | D．Considerably decreasing. |
| A．The better situation for the African white rhinos. |
| B．The reason for protecting the African white rhinos. |
| C．The process of the white rhino being on the IUCU Red List. |
| D．The reason why the African white rhino is more likely to be poached. |
| A．In 2015. | B．In 2016. | C．In 2018. | D．In 2019. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Confident. | C．Concerned. | D．Uninterested. |
3 . For years, Hainan, China's southernmost island province, has been an attractive tourist destination for people around the world because of its pleasant environment. Beginning this year, the beautiful island will have a new identity — an open and distinctive free trade port.
The Hainan Free Trade Port will serve as a special functional economic area and its level of openness will be better than any other port in the world. Products and funds from abroad will have free access to the port, and most goods will be duty-free. The decision shows China's willingness to further open up to the world.
The province of Hainan was founded in 1988. Later it became an appointed special economic (SEZ) to attract foreign investment. In 1992, the Yangpu Economic Development Zone, which was the first area in China to be comprehensively developed by foreign investors, was established. After eight years, in 2000, Hainan took the lead in carrying out a policy of visa on arrival. In the following years, a series of similar initiatives have been implemented for Hainan's continuous development, including a pilot zone for free trade founded in 2018.
Apart from an attractive landscape, Hainan's industrial structure features tourism and modern services. Not only will they become the highlights of the free trade port, but also they are in line with the rapid trade growth in global services as well as the development of many ports toward the service sector. In addition, as a free trade zone and port at provincial level, Hainan has a satisfying scale and full experience. All these advantages will enable Hainan to become a global trade center.
From SEZ to free trade pilot zone, and now today's free trade port, Hainan's development and its determination to build an open economy are evident to all. It's hoped that it will seize the chance of free trade and attract more business and experienced professionals from around the world to come to the island.
1. What's Hainan's future plan?| A．To construct a free trade port. |
| B．To boost Hainan's tourism and services. |
| C．To remove the tax on all imports and exports. |
| D．To strengthen environmental protection. |
| A．By analyzing causes. | B．By giving descriptions. |
| C．By following time order. | D．By making comparisons. |
| A．Its slow trade growth. | B．Its traditional services. |
| C．Its development of IT industry. | D．Its distinctive service industry. |
| A．Hainan: A Push for Global Economy |
| B．Hainan: A Witness to China's Opening-Up |
| C．Hainan: An Island Full of Ups and Downs |
| D．Hainan: An Unforgettable Tourist Destination |
4 . English is changing faster than ever with the development of society. Do you long to keep up with the times? If so, here are some old-fashioned words you should remove from your vocabulary list.
Whippersnapper
As an alteration of the term "snippersnapper'', the word first appeared in the 17th century, expressing our ancestors' annoyance at ill-mannered children. In its more contemporary version, the word relates to a young person who is too confident and does not show enough respect to older.
Tape
Are you born in the 1980s? If so, you may still be using the term "tape" when speaking of recording music or TV shows. Today, though digital media has made data storage on magnetic an outdated thing, this old linguistic habit still exists.
Stewardess
In the earlier age of air travel, female crew members serving airline passengers were called stewardesses. It was the development of women's rights movement in the 1960s that the word fell out of use. "Stewardess" was replaced by a more gender-neutral term, "flight attendant”. Dungarees
What we know as "jeans" today were once called “dungarees" to refer to trousers made of denm （蓝粗棉布）.As traders began importing the cloth from Genoa in Italy, this kind of trousers got a new name ’jeans”. So don't be surprised if you catch your grandpa saying dungarees.
1. Who can be described as a whippersnapper nowadays?| A．A child who is bad-tempered. |
| B．An elder who doesn't like children. |
| C．An elder who has confidence and influence. |
| D．A teenager who is overconfident and impolite. |
| A．Whippersnapper. | B．Tape. | C．Stewardess. | D．Dungarees. |
| A．To show readers how to stay young. |
| B．To explain how to keep up with the times. |
| C．To analyze the differences among modern words. |
| D．To advise readers not to use some old-fashioned words. |
5 . Most sea turtles, whales and fish may have plastic in their bodies. To determine the various forms and colors of this material in marine animals, Marga Rivas at the University of Almeria in Spain and her team analyzed data from 112 studies published in the past decade. These looked for microplastics and larger macro plastics in marine species globally.
Of the studies, 80 examined the gastrointestinal tracts (胃肠道)of animals to see what they had taken in. The others also looked at wider animal tissues to identify plastics that end up in other parts of the body. After examining all of the data, Rivas and her team concluded that 66 per cent of sea turtles have white-colored macro and microplastics in their systems, while 55 percent have a distinct class of plastic called microfibers, which are shed by some fabrics (织物). The high amount of white plastic in turtles was unsurprising, says Rivas, given that plastic of this color, particularly larger pieces, may resemble jellyfish, a large part of the animals' diets.
Microfibers were also present in 80 percent of whales and dolphins - and white macro and microplastics in 38 percent of them. The researchers also concluded that clear fiber microplastics are probably the most common form of this waste that is taken in by large marine animals globally. Rivas and her colleagues also discovered that the animals with the highest rates of plastic were those in the Mediterranean and the northeast Indian Ocean.
“The Mediterranean is the most contaminated sea in the world, so we expected to find these results,” says Rivas. Marine plastic pollution has increased roughly 10-fbld since 1980, and Rivas says the problem is worsened by inadequate water treatment systems. In parts of India and the southeast Mediterranean, waste water isn’t adequately treated or recycled, she says. This means that microfibers shed by fabrics in washing machines, and larger pieces of rubbish, enter the sea. “It’s possible to introduce management strategies to control these huge threats,” says Rivas.
1. How did Rivas and her team conduct the study?| A．By doing comparative experiments. |
| B．By analyzing data from previous studies. |
| C．By determining the forms and colors of plastics. |
| D．By looking for plastics in global marine animals. |
| A．White plastic looks like the food sea turtles consume. |
| B．More while plastic was in the sea than that of other colors. |
| C．White plastic is the most common form of the plastic waste. |
| D．White microfibers from fabrics were abundant in the oceans. |
| A．Researched | B．Conserved | C．Examined | D．Polluted |
| A．Health. | B．Lifestyle. | C．Science. | D．Education. |
6 . Inventions That Changed the World
The medieval era was not short of groundbreaking ideas. As we'll explore here important scientific leaps and popular new products were invented in this era, some of which remain important to this day.
The Printing Press
Date 11 th—15th Century
Use: Publishing
Well before Johannes Gutenberg brought the idea of mass production of printed text to Europe with his Gutenberg Bible, the moveable type printing press was already in use in China. Before this, in Asia as in Europe, books were handwritten to be copied. In 1440 Gutenberg applied similar technology to mass produce books for the general public. Freeing up access to knowledge in a cheap and efficient way was a game changer.
Coffee
Date: 15tlh Century
Use: Drink
The exact timing and origin of coffee bean cultivation is greatly disputed, but we can say with some confidence that by the 15th century coffee beans were being grown and roasted for the production of coffee in the Yemeni region of Arabia. From there it would spread to Egypt and eventually to Europe. First though it took root in the Near East where the stimulating drink became a popular alternative to alcohol. The secondary offshoot of coffee drinking became the spread of coffeehouses where men would meet to play games like chess as well as discuss politics, smoke and listen to music.
Gunpowder
Date: 10th Century
Use: Entertainment, Firearms
The black powder was an incredibly important milestone for humanity. This relatively simple explosive mixture might be best known for its use in weapons and fireworks, but it also offered new means of mining for resources, which was a massive time — and energy-saving innovation. The formula originates in China where the mixture was first used for setting fires. The impact of this technology on the world of weaponry is well known to us now.
1. What does the Printing Press and Gunpowder have in common?| A．They have similar uses. | B．They were related to China. |
| C．They appeared at the same period. | D．They were time-saving innovations. |
| A．It produced books in Europe. | B．It freed up lots of human labor. |
| C．It changed the game of printing. | D．It made knowledge accessible affordably. |
| A．Another choice to alcohol. | B．Means of mining for resources. |
| C．A place to meet and play games. | D．Important milestones for humanity. |
7 . A mix of anxiety rising in my chest and a voice at the back of my mind shouting ‘what’s wrong with me?’ –it’s how I’ve felt about rejection my whole life.
The earliest rejection I can remember was on my first day of school. I started the term late due to illness and the teacher asked the class who would play with me at break. The silence was deafening. Now, a bit of online dating sees us rejected by half the town before we've even started our day. There's not a break at work. Is there a worse feeling than hitting the final slide on your presentation, boldly asking 'any questions?' and looking around the room to see everyone on their phones?
We need to build resilience. For me, this has come in two stages. First, I spent time listening to the voice of fear that saw each rejection as proof that there was something wrong with me. When I analysed it, I could see it was rarely about me. Perhaps the guy I was talking to was too busy to reply. It was likely that the magazine I'd sent a passage to already had an article on that topic. Now, I assume it's about me 20 per cent of the time - and I can live with that.
The other thing I do is practice rejecting. Because I hate rejection, I shy away from being the rejector, which means I either please people or avoid tricky situations. Instead, I've come up with a few lines for when I want to say no: 'That sounds great but it's not for me; thank you for asking but I decline; it was lovely but I think we should leave it there.' It's never pleasant to reject a person but there is a kind way to do it. With resilience and clarity, we can see the plus sides of rejection: it frees us up to do something else, be with someone else and be happier. We can't complain about that.
1. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．The examples of the author's being rejected. |
| B．The experiences of the author's online dating. |
| C．The reasons of the author's lateness for school. |
| D．The feelings of the author's being ignored at work. |
| A．He could live with it. | B．It was partly about him. |
| C．He did something wrong. | D．It had nothing to do with him. |
| A．Do it with resilience and clarity. |
| B．Come up with a few pleasant lines. |
| C．Please others or avoid tricky situations. |
| D．Show your kindness and don't complain. |
| A．It enables us to live. | B．It gives us more time. |
| C．It has some plus sides. | D．It does something else. |
8 . Tony Williams, 75 from Alton, East Hampshire, lost his wife Jo back in May, when, tragically, Jo, passed away from cancer just nine days after she was diagnosed.
And ever since, Tony has been completely alone, explaining the continuous loneliness is “like torture, with no family nearby”. Tony took finding a friend into his own hands, even putting two adverts in his local newspaper and handing out cards. Heartbreakingly, he received no responses.
But after a poster he placed in his window made headlines this week, the retired physicist has been overwhelmed with responses from people wanting to be his friend. In just a couple of days, he's had between 50 and 70 phone calls with strangers, and meanwhile he's received thousands of emails.
Tony said: “I just regret it's impossible for me to answer even a small part of calls and emails. If I could meet them all I would tell them how much I care for them and how much I'd like to reach out to them as they did to me. The love, kindness and compassion they've shown actually brought tears to my eyes.”
He has even had phone calls from as far as America and Canada!
Tony met his late wife Jo, who he describes as his “best friend and soul mate,” in a bar more than 35 years ago, and describes their marriage as a “perfect harmony”. The couple, who lived in Gloucestershire for 25 years, were unable to have any children, and so depended on each other heavily for company and support.
“For weeks and weeks, it looked as if I was pushing doors open and they were immediately slammed in my face. And then I was isolated and almost totally abandoned. And I thought, I've got to do something about that," he recalled.
Tony's determination has paid off, getting hundreds of people queuing up to be his friend. We're so pleased for you, Tony!
1. Why did Tony advertise in the local newspaper?| A．To inform people of his wife's death. | B．To draw attention to the old's loneliness. |
| C．To seek a second marriage. | D．To find someone as a friend. |
| A．He is working as a physicist. | B．He is now in a sweet trouble. |
| C．He has a complete family. | D．He lives in Gloucestershire. |
| A．Disappointed. | B．Sympathetic. | C．Moved. | D．Surprised, |
| A．Tony loves his wife very much | B．Tony's children live far from him |
| C．Tony has become world-famous | D．Tony used to have many friends |
9 . Best Places for Kids in the Jacksonville Region!
CSR Wildlife Sanctuary(1 p.m. —3 p.m.)
Our mission is to provide a safe, loving, and forever home to endangered big cats, and to educate the public about their living conditions. We offer Daytime Tours of our facility where visitors can see the animals in a happy and stress-free environment. Our current residents include tigers, lions, pumas and leopards.
JK Zoo and Gardens (9 a.m. — 5 p.m.)
Discover the earth's various wildlife through interactive and educational experiences. A true family adventure! We're changing daily and improving consistently. With recent updates, we are quickly becoming a world-class establishment. The Zoo donates a percentage of every ticket and membership sold to conservation efforts, supporting over 45 programs, regionally and globally.
Riverside Arts Market (10 a.m. — 3 p.m.)
Hosted on Saturdays, rain or shine, RAM is a weekly market where our community comes together! During the week, the space is a parking lot, but on Saturdays, it houses hundreds of artists, farmers, community organizations and small businesses! Enjoy the harvest of the agricultural arts by supporting Florida farmers, who depend on your weekly purchases to remain sustainable. Our community benefits from all of us staying “loyal to local.”
Grace Crop Maze (10 a.m. —10 p.m.)
Family fun on the farm in Clay County! You can enjoy hayrides, cow train, duck races and so much more! The Fall Festival in October is a month of fun that you won't want to miss. We're opening part of our beautiful sunflower patch for our Fall Season! Selfies with Sunflowers offers fun for friends and families to spread out, capture memories and enjoy quality time together.
1. What similarity do CSR Wildlife Sanctuary and JK Zoo and Gardens have?| A．Both of them are open all day long. | B．They both care about animal protection. |
| C．They keep the same kinds of animals. | D．They have the same management. |
| A．CSR Wildlife Sanctuary. | B．JK Zoo and Gardens. |
| C．Riverside Arts Market. | D．Grace Crop Maze. |
| A．Sustainable development. | B．Changeable weather. |
| C．Sense of community. | D．Daily business. |
10 . When you’re on a fishing boat, you may see flocks of birds following in your track, hoping to catch a snack. Now scientists say they can use those birds’ behavior to track illegal fishing boats.
Here’s how it works: Researchers attached data recorders to the backs of 169 albatrosses (信天翁) in the Southern and Indian oceans. The devices weighed only an ounce and a half, but they included a GPS and were able to detect the presence and intensity of radar signals coming from boats. That information was then transmitted by satellite, so the researchers could track the location of the birds-and thus the radar-emitting boats-in real time.
The scientists then cross-checked that data against the known locations of boats, gathered from a system that boats use to declare themselves, called the Automatic Identification System (AIS). And differences appeared frequently.
More than a third of the times the birds’ recorders detected radar signals, and therefore a boat, no such boat appeared in the official log (航海记录)—meaning that the vehicles had likely switched off their Automatic Identification Systems—something the researchers say probably happens in illegal fishing operations.
The work suggests birds could be an effective boat-monitoring tool—as long as illegal fishing operations don’t target the birds. Fortunately, such a task would be difficult.
“Around fishing vessels, you can get hundreds of birds at any one time that are all flying around. So it’s not really possible to target a specific bird. And the birds with recorders on are not marked in any way. So it’s difficult for fishermen to pick out a specific bird," said study author Samantha Patrick, a marine biologist at the University of Liverpool.
Patrick’s bigger concern is that albatrosses often get hooked on fishing lines. And though regulations have been established to protect against that happening—with success—illegal boats don’t necessarily obey. So scientists might be underestimating the risk posed to albatross populations. But this system could mean that those illegal boats may have a tougher time flying under the radar.
1. What behavior of albatrosses can be used to track illegal fishing boats according to scientists?| A．Seeking snacks on a boat. |
| B．Following a boat to catch food. |
| C．Monitoring the location of the boats. |
| D．Keeping an eye open for illegal activities. |
| A．To carry a GPS. |
| B．To record the birds’ behavior. |
| C．To help satellite transmit information. |
| D．To detect radar signals from boats. |
| A．They are probably fishing illegally. |
| B．They needn’t declare themselves. |
| C．They don’t want to emit radar signals. |
| D．They want to avoid being followed by albatrosses. |
| A．Birds—Humans’ Friends |
| B．Data Recorders—A Helper to Albatrosses |
| C．AIS—A System to Declare Locations of Boats |
| D．Albatrosses—A Tool to Monitor Illegal Fishing Boats |
