10 . After taking a few steps back, Hadj Benhalima rushed toward the building, pushed himself upward with his foot against the wall and stretched out his arm. At the peak of his jump, he flipped off a light switch, and the bright lights of a nearby barbershop went off immediately.
This is what Hadj and his friends have been doing for the past two years: swinging around Paris and switching off wasteful shop signs at night, in an effort to fight against light pollution and save energy. And they are all enthusiastic about Parkour — a sport that consists of running and jumping over urban obstacles.
While climbing other people’s property to turn off their lights may strike some as a form of trespassing (非法入侵), the Parkour athletes insist their activities are only about enforcing seldom-respected rules.
More than a decade ago, Paris City Hall issued orders requiring stores to turn off all signs and window displays from 1 am to 6 am, but they are widely ignored with little consequence. “for 10 years there has been no follow-up, no control, no punishment,” said Anne-Marie Ducroux, the head of the National Association for the Protection of the Sky and the Night Environment.
That is why Hadj and his friends have taken matters into their own hands. The group often gathers in the so-called Golden Triangle neighborhood, in western Paris, which is the center of French luxury.
Enforcing the orders in place of the authorities certainly enters a legal grey area. But the Parkour athletes say all the police officers they have met during their rounds have allowed their action — as long as it causes no damage.
And it seems that their efforts have produced the desired result, because Hadj says he has noticed that in recent months, several shops have stopped leaving their lights on after his group targeted them. He hopes others will follow suit. “At least, I’ll sleep better,” he said.
1. What are Hadj Benhalima and his friends trying to do at night?
| A．To practice their Parkour skills. |
| B．To remove possible urban obstacles. |
| C．To turn off unnecessary store lights. |
| D．To ensure the safety of their neighborhood. |
2. What can we learn about the rules set by the government?
| A．They are too strict to follow. |
| B．They have achieved the desired effect. |
| C．They put great pressure on stores. |
| D．They are not carried out effectively. |
3. What is the government’s attitude towards the Parkour athletes’ act?
| A．Worried. | B．Supportive. | C．Doubtful. | D．Unconcerned. |
4. What does the text mainly talk about?
| A．Why Parkour is so popular among young people in Paris. |
| B．Why it is difficult to fight against light pollution in Paris. |
| C．How the lighting of shop signs affects the night view of Paris. |
| D．How young people in Paris help save energy through Parkour. |
