Growing up in a coastal town in San Francisco, Christian had a special love for the ocean and its creatures. He had always found joy in the rhythmic tides and the ocean waves against the shore. The salty wind and the cries of the seagulls (海鸥) had been like a comforting song to him during his childhood.
However, all these changed over the years. Every time he wandered along the familiar stretch of sand, his heart sank. The once charming beach was now littered with plastic bags, bottles and other wastes, a distinctive contrast to the natural beauty that had always absorbed him.
The sight was a painful reminder of the harm the locals were bringing to the very land where he was growing up. Christian felt a deep sense of loss and responsibility. Previously, he had seen the news reports about the severe effects of plastic pollution on the oceans, and the images of sea creatures stuck in plastic wastes haunted (萦绕于脑际) him.
Determined to make a change, Christian decided to take action. He knew he couldn’t solve this problem alone, but he could start something that might grow into a powerful movement. With the passion and belief of a young man who loved his ocean and his land deeply, he founded an organization called Waves of Change. The early days presented challenges in calling on volunteers.
He began by reaching out to the students in his school. He shared the shocking reality of the polluted beaches and the urgent need to reduce plastic litter. To his delight, gradually more and more schoolmates started showing interest in the organization and many were eager to join in the cause. They were all too familiar with the beauty of the ocean and were equally saddened by the damage they had witnessed. As high school students, Christian and other members properly allocates (分配) time to balance the cause and their academic work.
注意:1. 续写词数应为150左右;
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Together, Christian and other members did a lot of things in their free time.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Their efforts finally paid off.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Fusong County in northeast China’s Jilin Province was abuzz (热闹) with activities last winter,
“We need to compete in assembling, programming and operation. I believe that maintaining a resilient mindset is the key to
Many of the contestants
The young contestants, from various places and with diverse
3 . If you walk around the Rahway Trail in the South Mountain Reservation of Millburn, New Jersey, you might spot more than vegetation and creatures. Small fantastic
“So she found Rahway Trail and started constructing the houses and leaving
The South Mountain Conservancy later noticed the sudden
“She thought this was a(n)
Ojibway and her son moved out of the area a few years ago, but the Fairy Trail
“To give these kids
A.courts | B.cottages | C.woods | D.galleries |
A.obviously | B.temporarily | C.otherwise | D.indeed |
A.lift | B.deliver | C.move | D.add |
A.explore | B.design | C.harvest | D.recommend |
A.luxury | B.sweet | C.odd | D.serious |
A.restoration | B.collapse | C.appearance | D.attack |
A.permitted | B.prepared | C.appointed | D.preferred |
A.accurate | B.visual | C.traditional | D.fantastic |
A.forcing | B.stimulating | C.persuading | D.urging |
A.functions | B.survives | C.remains | D.varies |
A.officially | B.previously | C.unluckily | D.illegally |
A.investors | B.consultants | C.instructors | D.volunteers |
A.remote | B.secure | C.permanent | D.firm |
A.show up | B.catch on | C.break down | D.come over |
A.rewarded | B.cheated | C.defeated | D.supported |
4 . Pickleball (匹克球) is like a combination of ping-pong and tennis, and attracts many beginners.
To build coordination (协调), about 15 minutes should be taken to do a few drills. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. and then quickly move side to side.
Choose the right gear (装备), too, including a paddle that is appropriate for your strength level. You may need different shoes for outdoor and indoor play.
A.Firstly, assess your fitness level. |
B.Repeat those steps with your other leg. |
C.It’s quickly becoming a sport of choice for adults. |
D.Have extra socks on hand to help prevent foot injuries. |
E.When getting started, remember to do warm-up exercises. |
F.For the cross-step drill, put your feet shoulder-width apart. |
G.With its wild popularity, pickleball-related injuries are growing. |
5 . A study following nearly 30,000 older adults for more than 10 years has found six key healthy lifestyle factors can significantly reduce memory loss and those adults engaging in between four and six of the healthy lifestyle behaviors could dramatically reduce their risks of developing dementia (痴呆), even when carrying genes that increase their risks of Alzheimer’s disease.
“Six healthy lifestyle aspects were assessed: a healthy diet, regular physical exercise, active social contact, active cognitive (认知的) activity, never smoking, and never drinking alcohol,” the researchers explained in the new study. Participants were classified (分类) into the favorable group if they had four to six healthy lifestyle factors, into the average group for two to three factors, and into the unfavorable group for zero to one factor.
The study found that people with four to six healthy habits had a much slower loss of memory than those with fewer healthy habits. People with these good habits were also much less likely to get dementia than those with one or no healthy habits. Those who had two or three good habits were 30% less likely to get dementia.
The study didn’t figure out which of the six healthy habits is the best for stopping dementia or which combination is the best. However, the information did show that eating healthy seemed to help prevent memory loss the most, with brain exercise and regular physical exercise also very helpful.
About 20% of the people in the study had a gene that makes Alzheimer’s disease more likely. Even so, having several good health habits helped slow down memory loss. This shows that changing how we live can really help.
Even though each health habit helped in a different way, overall, the study found that people with more good health habits had much less memory loss than those with fewer good habits. This suggests that the choices we make in how we live can help protect our memory. The study adds to the evidence that we might be able to change our risk of memory loss.
1. What were the groups categorized based on?A.The participants’ age. | B.What hobbies the participants got rid of. |
C.The healthy lifestyles the participants had. | D.What the participants’ attitudes to factors were. |
A.The favorable group was happier than the other two. |
B.More healthy lifestyles were of more benefit to health. |
C.Healthy habits had little impact on memory or dementia. |
D.People with a healthy diet wouldn’t suffer a loss of memory. |
A.A healthy diet. | B.Active social contact. |
C.Active cognitive activities. | D.Never drinking alcohol. |
A.Healthy Lifestyles Slowing Memory Loss | B.A Study Making A Great Breakthrough |
C.A Healthy Diet Being The Best Lifestyle | D.Old Adults Suffering From Health Problems |
A.Hong Kong. | B.Tokyo. | C.Seoul. |
7 . Brothers Mike and Nick Fiorito had a smooth life in the first 30 years.
They
Now, their organization is very
Adults can
A.Occasionally | B.Frequently | C.Consistently | D.Unexpectedly |
A.confused | B.prosperous | C.indifferent | D.curious |
A.assuming | B.acknowledging | C.resembling | D.witnessing |
A.backed down | B.backed up | C.set up | D.cooperated with |
A.shunned | B.invaded | C.assisted | D.posed |
A.acclaimed | B.involved | C.preserved | D.dominated |
A.inspire | B.promise | C.thank | D.teach |
A.exquisite | B.fascinating | C.challenging | D.successful |
A.disrupt | B.participate | C.commemorate | D.depict |
A.glory | B.friction | C.contribution | D.victim |
A.giving away | B.giving in | C.handing in | D.wearing out |
A.comprehension | B.connection | C.barrier | D.assessment |
A.difference | B.date | C.decision | D.estimate |
A.objective | B.prosperous | C.hopeful | D.potential |
A.understanding | B.receiving | C.paying | D.spreading |
8 . Israel was accused of using white phosphorus bombs (白磷弹), a banned bomb, in the Palestine-Israel conflict in October. However, the Israeli military later claimed in a statement that it didn’t use such a weapon, reported Reuters.
White phosphorus is a highly free burning chemical that can create intense heat, light and smoke, reaching over 1,000°C when burned. The flame it produces is difficult to put out, leading to deadly burns on the human body.
The chemical is also poisonous. Those coming into contact with it may suffer heart, kidney or bone damage. And bomb-hit areas are likely to be polluted by white phosphorus, resulting in long-term environmental damage.
This news sparked public concern about destructive weapons. International humanitarian law (IHL) bans any weapon “of a nature to cause overmuch injury or unnecessary suffering”. Such a weapon can cause indiscriminate harm, injuring or killing soldiers as well as civilians.
The Geneva Conventions (《日内瓦公约》) and their Additional Protocols, which form the core of international humanitarian law, have set requirements for all countries to follow about how wars are carried out. For example, the use, production, stockpiling (储备) or selling of biological and chemical weapons are forbidden.
Chemical weapons, such as mustard gas, are poisonous. They can cause temporary or permanent damage to people and have various effects, such as severe eye pain, breathing difficulty, and blistering (起水泡) of the skin. Biological weapons, usually developed from viruses or bacteria, attack the human immune system, often with deadly consequences.
Other international conventions also have made related rules, which apply to the countries that have agreed to them. For example, according to the IHL database, any actions expected to result in widespread, long-lasting destruction of the environment are prohibited.
“During the Vietnam War, the US military employed a highly effective defoliant (落叶剂) called Agent Orange,” Zhang Gaosheng, are searcher at China Institute of International Studies, told CCTV News. “This resulted in the destruction of about 20 percent of Vietnam’s forests, leading to significant damage to the ecosystem.” The usage of the chemical was subsequently banned, he added.
1. What is the primary concern regarding the use of white phosphorus bombs in wars?A.The intense heat and light produced. |
B.The difficulty in putting out the flame. |
C.The harm to people and the environment. |
D.The damage to buildings and infrastructure. |
A.The development of biochemical weapons. |
B.The long-lasting impact of biochemical weapons. |
C.The urgency of prohibiting biochemical weapons. |
D.The consequences of using biochemical weapons. |
A.Favorable. | B.Opposed. |
C.Indifferent. | D.Approving. |
A.To call on public not to use weapons. |
B.To appeal for peace between Palestine and Israel. |
C.To give the reasons why some weapons are being stopped. |
D.To introduce the chemical weapons used in the Israeli military. |
9 . The contestant Jane Marczewski, whose stage name is Nightbirde, recently entered the TV reality show America’s Got Talent. Looking small on stage, but with an attractive smile that filled the auditorium, the 30-year-old woman introduced herself to the judges.
It was when she planned on devoting herself to music that the singer from Ohio found out she had cancer. On stage she said that she was battling cancer. Pretty casually she said that at her last check-up she had some cancer in her lungs and liver. While she professed (自称) to be okay, she explained that she wanted people to see her as being “so much more than the bad things that happen to me”. Getting out there on stage with her own song It’s OK, she was able to pass on this message.
The name “Nightbirde” itself is significant. She chose it after many night s dreaming of birds singing in the darkness. She woke one night to hear birds singing by her window as if it were the morning. For her this represents hope and her life at the moment. “I want to be that way, even when I am in the middle of a dark time and there are no signs that it will end. I want to be the bird that sings in anticipation of the good things that I trust are coming,” she shared with Liberty Journal.
Finally, her actual performance was quite triumphant. It wasn’t surprising that everybody was visibly amazed by it. And it didn’t take long for Simon Cowell, one of the judges to send Nightbirde directly through to the final. Nightbirde’s song has already stormed up the charts and is now number one on US iTunes.
1. Why did Jane Marczewski choose Nightbirde as her stage name?A.She dreamed of singing beautifully like a bird. |
B.The singing of birds always made her refreshed at night. |
C.The singing of birds reminded her there is always hope. |
D.She thought birds are a source of inspiration for her songs. |
A.Strong and optimistic. | B.Modest and ambitious. |
C.Confident and adaptable. | D.Creative and considerate |
A.Sedate | B.Imperfect | C.Remarkable | D.Susceptible |
A.Nightbirde’s way to her huge success. |
B.Nightbirde’s faith shines on America’s Got Talent. |
C.Nightbirde’s unusual experience in a TV interview. |
D.Nightbirde’s devotion to music helps her fight against cancer. |
10 . In the world of art and creativity, there are countless materials that artists use to express their ideas and emotions. One of the materials that have gained popularity in recent years is woven paper (编纸). It is a classic art form that involves the weaving of paper to create various objects and products.
The origin of woven paper can date back to ancient civilizations and at first it was mainly used for practical purposes such as making baskets.
Creating a woven paper artwork requires time, accuracy, and a deep understanding of the textures (质地). Artists start by outlining their design, thinking about how the weaving pattern forms the final piece.
Woven paper art not only shows the artistic skills of the creator but also carries deeper meanings and messages.
A.It does take a lot of effort to make woven artworks. |
B.Gradually, artists began to include it in their artworks. |
C.Woven paper products offer several advantages. |
D.Weaving also encourages creative thinking and problem-solving. |
E.They carefully select colors and textures of paper to enhance a good artwork. |
F.And it’s worth exploring whether you are a professional or simply curious about it. |
G.Through colors and patterns, artists express emotions and explore cultural themes. |