1 . A tree-planting initiative in Kenya has seen over 30,000 trees being planted. The Green Generation Initiative is a Kenyan charity that has been planting trees to counter climate change and the reduction in forest in the East African nation since 2016.
Founded by climate activist Elizabeth Wathuti when she was fifteen years old, the initiative’s primary focus is on developing young climate activists through environmental education in schools and addressing food insecurity in the region through planting fruit trees. Since its foundation, over 30,000 trees have been planted in Kenya, while thousands of school children have not just planted trees but adopted them to ensure that young people learn the importance of acting as a guardian over the health of the environment. The trees have recorded a survival rate of over 98 percent, as they remain tended to from young trees to maturity.
Speaking to world leaders at the recent United Nations Climate Conference in Glasgow (COP26), Elizabeth issued a serious warning on the threat of climate change. Over two million of Kenyans are facing climate related starvation. In 2025, half of the world’s population will be facing water shortage. The climate crisis will displace 80 million people in sub-Saharan Africa alone.
Elizabeth said, “I have been doing what I can. Inspired by the great Wangari Maathai, I founded a tree growing initiative that enhances food security for young Kenyans.” So far, they have grown 30,000 fruit trees to maturity, providing desperately needed nutrition for thousands of children. “Every day we see that when we look after the trees, they look after us. We are the adults on this Earth right now, and it is our responsibility to ensure that the children have food and water,” she added.
1. What is the initiative intended for?| A．Making policies. | B．Raising money. |
| C．Educating adults. | D．Fighting climate change. |
| A．Hunger. | B．Sickness | C．Water shortage. | D．Economic risks. |
| A．3,000 trees have been planted. |
| B．Green awareness has been raised. |
| C．80 million people have been saved. |
| D．School education has been guaranteed. |
| A．Friendly and talented. | B．Caring and responsible. |
| C．Honest and determined. | D．Ambitious and humorous. |
2 . Samsung Electronics America announced that Galaxy device owners can make their own repairs to the Galaxy S20 and S21 family of products, as well as the Galaxy Tab S7+, starting August 2nd.
Samsung is cooperating with iFixit, the leading online repair community, to deliver their Self-Repair program. This program adds to Samsung’s continued expansions for convenient repair for consumers and helps them with sustainable solutions to support a more circular economy by extending the life of their devices, as well as minimizing e-waste.
Samsung consumers who wish to make their own repairs can now purchase real device parts and convenient, easy-to-use repair tools, available through iFixit, Samsung retail (零售) and service locations, at the same pricing offered to our repair providers. In addition, Galaxy device owners will have full access to online repair guides that provide both visual and written step-by-step instructions, and best of all, at no cost.
“Making replacement parts available is a key sustainability strategy. We’re excited to be working directly with Samsung and their customers to extend the lifetime of their phones,” said CEO of iFixit.
Starting today, Galaxy device owners can replace the phone screen, back glass, and charging ports. In the future, Samsung plans to expand self-repair to include more devices and repair options from our extensive product portfolio (档案).
Furthermore, the program makes it easy for consumers to return their thrown-away parts for responsible recycling, as the new display kits will come with a return label to ship thrown-away parts back to Samsung — at no cost to the consumer.
In addition to the convenience of these new self-repair options, Galaxy smartphone owners have a choice on how they can extend the life of their devices across Samsung’s expansive care options, including: Through Samsung’s perfect care network, customers have access to over 11,000 Samsung Mobile certified repair technicians in the U.S.
1. Who will do the repair work under the Self-Repair program?| A．The iFixit community. | B．The Galaxy consumers. |
| C．Samsung Repair staff. | D．The devices themselves. |
| A．To promote a circular economy. | B．To make full use of the old parts. |
| C．To enrich the life of the phone users. | D．To ensure better service by iFixit. |
| A．The Samsung device parts. | B．New Samsung products. |
| C．The written repair instructions. | D．The easy-to-use repair tools. |
| A．A New Invention | B．A New Technology |
| C．A Successful Cooperation | D．An Initiative practice |
In a first of
The new regulation, which is set to fill the legal gap for domestic intelligent connected vehicles, said automakers don’t
But such fully autonomous vehicles can only drive on certain roads and sections
The regulation classified autonomous vehicles
Meanwhile, the regulation
4 . Lucy Flores spends her days teaching preschool students how to read and write. After
Growing up in Mexico, Luciano's family had
“His work hardly requires him to sign things,” Flores says of her father. “But he told nobody around him that he didn't have the
A few months ago, Flores gave
Meanwhile, Luciano shares that he's eager to
| A．birth | B．growth | C．school | D．break |
| A．colleagues | B．children | C．adults | D．relatives |
| A．Otherwise | B．Instead | C．Besides | D．Therefore |
| A．limited | B．necessary | C．affordable | D．abundant |
| A．managed | B．established | C．attended | D．destroyed |
| A．risked | B．kept | C．stopped | D．forgot |
| A．provide for | B．stand for | C．search for | D．wait for |
| A．test | B．career | C．major | D．campaign |
| A．ability | B．dream | C．attempt | D．strategy |
| A．interview | B．competition | C．salary | D．education |
| A．retire | B．graduate | C．suffer | D．recover |
| A．defeating | B．teaching | C．challenging | D．amusing |
| A．regretful | B．sorrowful | C．hesitant | D．angry |
| A．by himself | B．in pair | C．on time | D．at random |
| A．discussing | B．complaining | C．arguing | D．working |
| A．suddenly | B．currently | C．instantly | D．previously |
| A．schedule | B．adventure | C．progress | D．equipment |
| A．delighted | B．terrified | C．disappointed | D．confused |
| A．start | B．avoid | C．suggest | D．continue |
| A．approach | B．resistance | C．devotion | D．reaction |
5 . Here we’ve got three tips to help you start an exercise habit that can stick. It’s a lot easier than you think.
You don’t have to be a marathoner to get meaningful health benefits from exercise. Experts say even daily activities, which include mopping the floor, organizing a room or carrying groceries up the stairs can reduce the risk of diseases like diabetes, heart disease and even some cancers.
So remind yourself that it’s not a choice between hours-long workout or nothing at all. Instead, think of starting an exercise routine like standing up from your chair and sitting back down repeatedly.
Focus on how exercise makes you feel great
There are so many positives that happen when you move. It improves all the tasks that demand focus and creativity. It helps you generate energy. It boosts mood.
Forget long- term benefits like weight loss or better overall health.
Figure out what kind of exercise and workout location makes you feel good
If weightlifting in a crowded gym gives you anxiety, try to get a set of weights for home or follow workout videos on YouTube or ride a bike in the park.
| A．Start small and every movement counts |
| B．They often take much longer time to achieve |
| C．Focus on immediate payoffs like improved mood and energy |
| D．In short, any movement helps to clear fat and sugar out of blood |
| E．Remember, when you have more energy, you’re a happier person |
| F．Keep trying until you find a workout routine that makes you happy |
| G．No matter how modest those goals are, they create this feeling like I can do more |
6 . Desmond Tutu may always be remembered as the Nobel Peace Prize winner who has helped Nelson Mandela to bring an end to the racial separation in South Africa. Yet his most extraordinary and unique feature was his laugh. Tutu always began his talks with amusing stories. If his jokes fell flat, he would just keep laughing until his audience laughed with him and left with a smile on their faces.
In many conflicts, religious figures encourage their followers to take extreme actions. In contrast, Tutu always used his moral authority to calm down the angry crowds. This put him at odds with many leaders from Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress (ANC), who argued that some forms of violence were necessary to force the white government to change.
South Africa’s white government also wanted to discredit him. But he always seemed to come out on top. One day, many unemployed blacks were encouraged by the white government to gather in front of Tutu’s home. They were told that they lost their jobs due to the international sanctions that Tutu had called for. When Tutu got wind of this, he raced home, invited the angry blacks into his garden and turned on the charm. Eventually, everyone ended up laughing and crying with him.
“Tutu felt with the people. In public and alone, he cried because he felt people’s pain. And he laughed when he shared their joy,” said Thabo Makgoba, a religious leader of Cape Town.
If South Africa had been a free society in Tutu’s younger years, he might have been a comedian. He loved telling stories with his eyes wide and his face full of joy. But in the racially separated world, few options were open to him. He first tried teaching but found that the education system was controlled too tightly to allow any freedom of speech. So, in 1961, he decided to be a churchman, perhaps the only job that gave him a platform, an audience and the opportunity to speak with relative freedom beyond the control of the government.
1. For what should Desmond Tutu be remembered according to the author?| A．His heart-felt laugh. | B．His inspiring speeches. |
| C．His Nobel Peace Prize. | D．His funny facial expressions. |
| A．Disapproving. | B．Supportive. | C．Doubtful. | D．Unconcerned. |
| A．He loved the people whole-heartedly. | B．He was well accepted by all parties. |
| C．He was too weak to be a good leader. | D．He was wrong to call for sanctions. |
| A．A teacher. | B．A churchman. | C．A comedian. | D．A politician. |
7 . TV Shows the Whole Family Can Enjoy
The Baby-Sitters Club
The show is based on the book series written by Ann M, Martin.
The time for each episode (集) is about 30 minutes.
The Netflix Original series returns for its second season on October 11. The new season will see the Baby Sitters Club continue to expand their babysitting business and face the hardships that come with being teenagers.
Legends of the Hidden Temple
The show is based on the kids’ game show from the 1990s.
The time for each episode is an hour.
Though the new game show is aimed at adults, kids will also enjoy watching teams take on challenges to try to find the treasure within the ancient temple. Some of the challenges can be frightening for younger children, so this is perhaps best enjoyed by families with older kids.
Doogie Kameāloha, M. D.
The show is based on Doogie Howser, M, D. in 1989.
The time for each episode is about 30 minutes.
It stars Peyton Elizabeth Lee as Lahela “Doogie” Kameāloha, a medical school graduate who is trying to figure out how to manage being a doctor and a teenager at the same time.
Star Wars: Visions
Each episode of the show is about 15 to 20 minutes long.
This Disney series is made up of independent stories. That means viewers don’t need to watch anything in order. You can simply watch each story as you please without feeling like you have missed something. It was created by artists from all over the world.
1. Which show lasts the longest for each episode?| A．The Baby-Sitters Club. | B．Legends of the Hidden Temple. |
| C．Doogie Kameāloha, M. | D．D. Star Wars: Visions. |
| A．Balancing her different roles. | B．Catching up with others in studies. |
| C．Expanding her babysitting business. | D．Getting admitted to a medical school. |
| A．It is based on an old game show. | B．It talks about artists’ experiences. |
| C．It consists of independent stories. | D．It is set in a treasure-filled temple. |
8 . Ecards are becoming a popular way to send greetings to others, on major holidays, birthdays, and just whenever the mood strikes. A trend occurring in the 2000s was to send cards through email that featured animation on the card and also had music.
Early musical ecards tended to feature songs that usually weren’t that recognizable.
There are some very special musical ecards that feature different kinds of music that isn’t particularly well-known.
Some musical ecards do cost a small amount of money to send.
| A．You don’t have to spend a fortune to send an ecard. |
| B．There are some cautions regarding using ecard sites. |
| C．Today’s choices of accompanying music are varied. |
| D．Ecards have become very popular over the past few years. |
| E．Such music included things like traditional birthday songs. |
| F．For example, a musical ecard could have samples of Native American music. |
| G．Depending upon the company creating the card, the money might be donated. |
9 . At most universities, core (核心) curriculum or general education is required, whether that is two or more courses in core academic subjects. These core academics consist of mathematics, science, history and English, which are used to provide students with a broad range of academic knowledge and aid in their individual development.
However, are these courses more beneficial or harmful to students? Based on studies from across the district there is a gap between the necessities and burdens of general education courses. According to an article by Best Value Schools, students sometimes discover a hidden passion for a field of study while taking general education courses. Although this may be true, many students consider the program as “a collection of courses without connection, consistency or meaning”. The negative concept of these courses could possibly be connected to the fact that many students don’t actually obtain these skills.
Many schools have been working to improve their core curriculum program by developing the adoption of mission, goal and outcome statements. Some University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) professors have recently been requiring students to take self-assessments and complete assignments based on how to develop critical thinking, communication and cooperation skills, as well as apply them within and outside of the classroom. It is through these channels of self discovery that students can often find their passions, which can possibly lead to choosing a major.
Typically, one-third of first-time college students change their major within the first three years. Major changes can be for a variety of reasons. It can be associated with a dissatisfaction in coursework. It can also be due to the discovery of a major which simply fits a student better. General education classes can play an important role in helping to make this discovery. Though students’ opinions vary on the importance of core curriculum, the basis of the program should be taken into consideration. At the same time, institutions should continue to work towards developing more authentic ways to provide a sense of importance and pride in the program to aid in student learning and the development of real-world skills.
1. What is the function of core curriculum?| A．Laying foundation for students’ future. |
| B．Developing students’ good characteristics. |
| C．Determining students’ major in college. |
| D．Releasing students’ burden of study. |
| A．Why it is needed in careers. | B．Whether it is really important. |
| C．What advantages it brings about. | D．Who will benefit most from it. |
| A．Stick to their majors. |
| B．Focus on core curriculum. |
| C．Improve academic performance. |
| D．Assess themselves and develop skills. |
| A．The reasons for students’ changing majors. |
| B．The significant part core curriculum plays. |
| C．The necessity of reforming core curriculum. |
| D．Opinions students hold to general education. |
10 . Monami Ohno uses a little tool to put very small pieces of hard paper, or cardboard, on the legs of her sculpture. The Japanese artist is creating a representation of Godzilla, the huge and terrifying animal of the famous Japanese movie.
Ohno has used cardboard to create artwork for about ten years. She says she first used the material to make what she called a “bike-like thing” for a college project. The 29-year-old makes many works of art based on popular culture, like anime robots, warplanes and fast food.
Ohno recently described her first experience with cardboard art to the Reuters news agency. She used the term “folding”, or turning one part of the cardboard over or against another part. “When I first tried folding the paper, gluing and putting them together, the people around me praised me, saying things like ‘Wow, you can make this,’” she said. “That made me so happy that I have continued doing this until now.”
Ohno’s complex sculptures have since become popular, with her work appearing at public showings in Japan and overseas. Ohno does not use an exact plan when she makes her art. She expresses her ideas briefly on the cardboard first. This provides general measurements of the design. She can then cut and shape her sculpture. In a room filled with her creations, including a Lego Batman artwork, Ohno said, “I make the things I really like to decorate my house.”
Ohno’s press agent said the artist’s pieces are selling for $900 to $13,000 a piece. Ohno said she is not making an environmental statement with her art, although it is made with used cardboard only. However, she added, “It would be nice if people can see my work, which is made out of cardboard and recycled materials rather than plastics, and realize that there are these kinds of people who are involved in recycling.”
1. What made Ohno continue her art?| A．Commercial value of her works. | B．People’s recognition. |
| C．Promotion of Japanese culture. | D．Demands of movie directors. |
| A．She sells them at a high price. |
| B．She gives them to close friends. |
| C．She beautifies her home with them. |
| D．She donates them to advocate recycling. |
| A．Creative and skilled. |
| B．Selfless and confident. |
| C．Hard-working and wealthy. |
| D．Easy-going and ambitious. |
| A．A novel. | B．A diary. | C．A guidebook. | D．A magazine. |
