1 . Every festival has its own meaning. Labor Day, for example, celebrates the value of hard work. Thanksgiving is about showing thanks to people around you. And Valentines’ Day is a time when you express love to your loved ones. But somehow it now seems that all festivals we just care about one thing — shopping. And that can be a big problem.
“In a way, over-consumption (过度消费) is the mother of all our environmental problems,” Kalle Lasn once told CNN. Lasn is the organizer of Buy Nothing Day, a day set up in Canada in 1992 to fight against unhealthy spending habits, and has now become an international event. It’s held on the day, which is known as Black Friday — a famous shopping day in the US and Canada.
You can see the irony (讽刺) here.
Even though the idea of Buy Nothing Day was brought up 26 years ago, we seem to need it now more than ever. It’s just as Lasn said, all the different kinds of pollution in our lives today — bad air quality, the reduction of forest area, endangered animal species, and plastic bags found in the ocean — seem to be the same cause: over-consumption.
The latest example is the Singles’ Day shopping craze of Nov 11, which saw a new sales record. But as Nie Li, a campaigner at Greenpeace, told Reuters, “Record-setting over-consumption means record-setting waste.” And it was reported that last year the Singles’ Day packages left more than 160,000 tons of waste, including plastic and cardboard. The Collins Dictionary has also just named “single-use” its Word of the Year, pointing out the problem that there’re too many things we tow out after only using them once.
So, Buy Nothing Day might only be here for one day a year, but it’s not just to remind us to the a break from shopping on that day, but to change our lifestyle completely, focusing on fun “with people we care about” rather than wasting money on useless things.
1. What’s the authors purpose of writing the first paragraph?A.To express the people’s love for all festivals. |
B.To talk about the meaning of the festivals. |
C.To appreciate the value of the festivals. |
D.To bring out the topic of the passage. |
A.To help people save money. | B.To cut the cost for daily life. |
C.To prevent over-consumption. | D.To set up a new sales record. |
A.Opposed (反对的). | B.Supportive. |
C.Unknown. | D.Neutral (中立的). |
A.Creating a New Lifestyle | B.Buy Nothing Day |
C.Festivals Around the World | D.A Change in People’s Life |
Ali and his younger sister, Zahra, lived with their parents in a poor neighborhood. Their mother was very sick and their father was struggling to find a job, and they had only a little money with which to buy food. As they had not paid the rent for several months, the landlord was breathing down their necks.
One day, Ali took Zahra's shoes to a shoe repairman to be fixed, but he lost them on the way home. It wasn’t until he got home that he realized he had lost the shoes. He was afraid that his parents would be angry and disappointed, so he begged his sister to keep it a secret. Zahra agreed and the two decided to share Ali’s running shoes. Zahra's school hours were in the morning, so she would wear them first. After school, she would rush back and give them to Ali. He could then run to his school, which began in the afternoon. Although he ran as fast as he could, Ali often arrived late and was warned by the school.
Ali heard about a long distance race that was held for the boys in the city.When he learned that the third prize was a new pair of shoes, he decided to take part. He ran home excitedly and promised his sister that he would win her the new shoes.
The day of race arrived. Ali had a strong start, but halfway through the race he began to get tired and his legs began to ache. Getting more and more exhausted he thought only of Zahra and his promise to her. Dreaming of the new shoes he would win for his sister gave him strength, and he stayed right behind the two fastest runners, determined to finish third. Suddenly, as the finish line drew near, another runner collided(碰撞) with Ali from behind and he crashed to the ground.
Ali looked up and saw the other boys rushing ahead.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Filled with delight, Ali walked home quickly.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________3 . 假定你是李华,上周末你和同学们参加了学校组织的秋游。请你为班级英语角写一篇短文,描述这次旅游经历,内容包括:
1. 旅游趣事;
2. 你的感受。
注意:写作词数应为80左右。
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From this year’s trip through Southeast Asia, last year’s Central America adventure and traveling within Canada, travel has been a(n)
Whenever a friend or family member comes back from a trip, they always can’t wait to tell you about the highlights (最好的部分)! Research from San Francisco State University has shown that people feel
Experiences are something I truly value. Your
5 . Brad Ryan, 38, is taking his 89-year-old grandma Joy Ryan on a tour of all 61 US national parks.
The idea for the
As for Grandma Joy, she was ready for that
After that first trip, Brad
“Grandma helped me to slow down. She would
“I just hope everyone gets some
A.meeting | B.trip | C.story | D.task |
A.agreed | B.understood | C.doubted | D.regretted |
A.skills | B.prizes | C.experiences | D.standards |
A.asked | B.failed | C.decided | D.promised |
A.go | B.talk | C.work | D.wait |
A.job | B.call | C.result | D.order |
A.strange | B.far | C.cold | D.little |
A.suggested | B.guessed | C.explained | D.proved |
A.nice | B.proper | C.dangerous | D.difficult |
A.avoided | B.practiced | C.finished | D.continued |
A.accept | B.imagine | C.notice | D.change |
A.great | B.same | C.new | D.wild |
A.forgetting | B.sparing | C.enjoying | D.describing |
A.training | B.encouragement | C.attention | D.knowledge |
A.keep | B.need | C.realize | D.do |
6 . The best trips with friends are the ones that are well-planned. Here are a few tips on planning an incredible trip with friends and making memories that last.
Nothing puts a damper on (使扫兴) vacation planning with friends than arguments over money.
It’s fun to get lost in the excitement of booking things and crossing off your checklist of to-dos.
Despite all the late-night planning and lunchtime meetings, some situations will be totally out of your hands.
A.Pick the right destination. |
B.Book a cheap flight or hotel. |
C.It’s important to choose the right group of people. |
D.You need to discuss big costs like flights and hotels at first. |
E.When it comes to discussing money, talk about it face to face. |
F.So lower your expectations a tiny bit when things don’t go your way. |
G.But don’t forget to communicate with your friends to see if anyone has any worries. |
7 . A company, called Mario Cucinella Architects, has made the House of Music, a solar-powered ( 太阳能的) building in Pieve di Cento that celebrates the town’s long-standing musical tradition. Designed to represent an orchestra ( 管弦乐队), the building is made up of nine small music rooms that connect to a central open space. The curved oak front not only helps to make sound louder like an instrument’s music box, but also ensures high levels of energy efficiency (效率).
Finished in 2017 after four years of planning and building, the House of Music of Pieve di Cento is located in the former Lamborghini (a famous Italian car company) production area that had been changed into a park. The recently completed building gets an advantage from a cycling path that connects the House of Music to the town center and beyond to an area to the south. There is also a wooden bench running around the building and creating resting places facing the park.
To prevent heat, cold, or noise from passing through the building, Mario Cucinella Architects used a special design for the House of Music. The flat roofs are topped with a series of curved and raised disks (圆盘) that help make unwanted sunlight change its direction and are engineered to bring more natural air into the building. The energy-efficient design was influenced by the architects’ (建筑师的) study of the site.
The nine music rooms open up to a central outdoor space that serves as a meeting area. The architects noted, “The House of Music’s outside lighting makes it a comforting place that encourages people to continue to do musical activities after the earthquake that shook the area in 2012.”
1. What was the purpose of building the House of Music?A.To praise the town’s musical tradition. | B.To remember a famous local musician. |
C.To attract people outside the town to visit. | D.To tell people about the importance of music. |
A.It started to be built in 2017. | B.It is located in the town center. |
C.It is supported by a famous car producer. | D.It is connected with other areas by a cycling path. |
A.encourage people to keep up their musical activities | B.warn people of the danger of earthquakes |
C.make the building noticeable and attractive | D.make full use of energy |
A.The history of the House of Music. |
B.The advantages of solar-powered buildings. |
C.An introduction to the solar-powered House of Music. |
D.A discussion about the future development of solar-powered buildings. |
8 . Cambry Nelson is paralyzed (瘫痪的) and has used a wheelchair for years. Still, she didn’t let it stop her from exploring the areas she could get to in her chair, but it came at the expense of some serious shoulder pain. Wanting to help Cambry live life to the fullest, her husband Zack created a DIY off-roading wheelchair.
The chair was made from two electric bikes put together with a seat in the middle. The thick tires ( 轮胎) made it easy for Cambry to move over uneven ( 不平坦的) ground and the fact that it was electric left her arms feeling a lot less painful.
The couple discovered that the chair cost much less (while most off-roading wheelchairs “cost as much as a car,” their chair cost around $4, 000) and had more power than a lot of off-roading wheelchairs on the market. So, they decided to make a business of it.
They call it “Not A Wheelchair.”
It’s designed to fit through (most) doorways as well as to fit into the back of a truck, jeep, or small SUV when it breaks down. As for power, it can go about 12 mph and has enough battery (电池) life to last anywhere from 10 to 35 miles. It also has specially designed space to hold whatever you may want to take along with you on your journey.
When ordering your chair, you get to customize it with your favorite color! Even better? It’s made out of bike parts so you don’t need to take it to a special repair shop if it is in need of repair.
Cambry said, “There are things I’ve never done before and things I stopped thinking about doing because at one point I thought I couldn’t,” and that the chair Zack made her completely changed her attitude. Since taking it off-road, she said, “I like to think it’s just more proof (证明) that difficulties can always be dealt with. Sometimes it just takes a new idea, a creative mind, and a lot of perseverance.”
1. Why did Zack design “Not A Wheelchair”?A.To make a business of it. |
B.To help his wife see the world. |
C.To make people with special needs travel more easily. |
D.To make use of his old bikes that couldn’t work properly. |
A.It is cheaper. | B.It is smaller in size. |
C.It comes with the most popular color. | D.It can go as fast as 35 miles per hour. |
A.Do the repairing on their own. | B.Take it to a common repair shop. |
C.Leave it to someone in a special repair shop. | D.Ask the producer to change it for a new one. |
A.She developed an interest in design. | B.She fell in love with outdoor activities. |
C.She became more creative in her work. | D.She took a new attitude towards difficulties. |
9 . During our four days in Sydney, the first thing on my wish list was to record the symbols of this city, the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, at sunset (日落). Thankfully, my family was very patient with me, as we watched the sunset over and over again while I recorded the exciting moments on my camera.
We first arrived at the Queen Victoria Building, or QVB, which has been called one of the most beautiful places to go shopping. From the QVB we walked down to the Circular Quay, our first look at the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
Then the next day, we went to the Taronga Zoo, located across the harbour (港口) from the Circular Quay. There are many Australian animals as well as lions, tigers, and Asian elephants. The best part of the zoo is the ferry (渡船) ride to get there and the view along the way.
For one of the best sunset views, we paid a visit to Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair, a famous viewpoint of the Sydney Harbour. I felt like a true photographer, making my very patient and understanding family wait in the cold for almost two hours while I filled my memory card with photos of the wonderful sunset.
Our time had to come to an end. We spent our last night at the Sydney Opera House café, playing cards, drinking wine, and watching the sunset.
If you would like to know where not to stay in Sydney, then do not go to the Central Railway Hotel. This hotel, one of the few that were cheap enough to fit into our budget, was loud, dirty, and crowded. We were always checking the windows, since so much noise was coming in from the streets. The only good thing was its location, being a five-minute walk from Central Station, a hub (中心) of Sydney.
1. What did the author want to do most in Sydney?A.Go shopping with his family. | B.Visit the Sydney Opera House. |
C.Watch unique animals in Australia. | D.Photograph famous structures at sunset. |
A.It was record-breaking. | B.It was a waste of time. |
C.It was worthwhile. | D.It was very painful. |
A.Its good location. | B.Its quietness. | C.Its low price. | D.Its cleanness. |
A.The QVB → the Sydney Opera House → the Taronga Zoo → Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair. |
B.The QVB → the Taronga Zoo → Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair → the Sydney Opera House. |
C.The Harbour Bridge → the Taronga Zoo → Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair → the QVB. |
D.The Circular Quay → the QVB → the Taronga Zoo → Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair. |
A cactus (仙人掌) stood all alone in the desert, wondering why it was stuck in the middle of the desert. “I do nothing but stand here all day,” it sighed. “What use do I have? I am the ugliest plant in the desert. My spines (刺) are thick, my leaves are tough, and my skin is uneven. I can’t offer shade or juice to the passing travellers. I don’t see that I am of any use at all.” All it did was stand in the sun day after day, growing taller and fatter. Its spines grew longer and its leaves grew tougher. It truly was strange-looking.
“I wish I could do something useful,” it signed. By day, hawks (鹰) circled high overhead, and the cactus called, “What can I do with my life?” Whether they heard or not, the hawks flew away. At night the moon floated into the sky and cast its pale light on the desert floor. “What can I do with my life?” the cactus called. The moon only stared coldly as it continued its course.
A lizard (蜥蜴) passed by, leaving a little trail in the sand with its tail. “What worthy deed can I do?” the cactus called. “You?” the lizard smiled, pausing a moment. “You can do something. Just wait for the right moment. The hawks circle their ways overhead, making beautiful patterns for us all to admire. The moon hangs high like a lantern at night, so we can see our ways home to our loved ones. Even I, the lowly lizard, have something to do. I decorate the sands with these beautiful trails as I pull my tail along. And you, you will show us your beauty some day.”
Paragraph 1:
It went on year after year, and the cactus grew old.
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Paragraph 2:
The desert hadn’t known such a flower of it.
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